study adds knowledge: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for study adds knowledge

[Knowledge of the disease and the advance directives in patients with HIV infection].

PubMed

Miró, Glòria; Pedrol, Enric; Soler, Anna; Serra-Prat, Mateu; Yébenes, Joan Carles; Martínez, Rafael; Capdevila, Josep Antón

2006-04-22

Advanced directives documents (ADD), allow respect and know patient's intentions in health matters, when they are not able by themselves, for decision making. The aim of this study is making a valoration of the knowledgment of this documents in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients, as well as their own knowledgment about this patology and possible complications. HIV infected patients controlled in 2 centers (Hospital de Mataró and Hospital de Granollers). Plained interview as a questinonary, that permits evaluate: own knowledge of the patology, received medical information level of satisfaction, patient s medical decision making involving desire, aptitudes in front of different hypothetical health status, and ADD knowledge. Factors associated to both knowledges (patology and ADD) are also evaluated. 74.3% of the interviewed patients, showed a good patology knowledge. This result was associated with: youth, less functional level according to Karnofsky's scale, subjective perception on severity, previous admission at an intensive care unit, chronic hepatopathy, and previous parenteral drugs addiction. In the same way was associated with the negative to depend of mechanical ventilation or another people, and not being uncomfortable talking about this subjects. ADD's knowledge was relationated with the fact of being female (42.0% vs 26.8%; p = 0.024), higher academic formation (55.1% vs 25.5%; p < 0.001) and belief that medical decision making must be done by themselves (78.3% vs 53.6%; p = 0.002). Patology understanding and its complications, may be considered optimal in HIV population. One third of this group, has a good knowledge of ADDs, and is directly relationated with female sex, academic level, and clinical decisions making implication by the patients.
Knowledge of Conditional Spelling Patterns Supports Word Spelling among Danish Fifth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Anne-Mette Veber

2017-01-01

Graphotactic knowledge and word-specific orthographic knowledge have been shown to account for unique variance in concurrent spelling skills beyond phonological skills in the early school years.The present study examined whether knowledge of spelling patterns conditioned by phonological context would add to the concurrent prediction of spelling…
Providing English Foreign Language Teachers with Content Knowledge to Facilitate Decoding and Spelling Acquisition: A Longitudinal Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn-Horwitz, Janina

2016-01-01

This quasi-experimental study adds to the small existing literature on orthographic-related teacher knowledge in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The study examined the impact of a course on English orthography on predominantly non-native-speaking EFL preservice and inservice teachers' orthographic content knowledge, and the extent…
"Actually, I Wanted to Learn": Study-Related Knowledge Exchange on Social Networking Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wodzicki, Katrin; Schwammlein, Eva; Moskaliuk, Johannes

2012-01-01

Social media open up multiple options to add a new dimension to learning and knowledge processes. Particularly, social networking sites allow students to connect formal and informal learning settings. Students can find like-minded people and organize informal knowledge exchange for educational purposes. However, little is known about in which way…
Cognitive task analysis for instruction in single-injection ultrasound guided-regional anesthesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gucev, Gligor V.

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is methodology for eliciting knowledge from subject matter experts. CTA has been used to capture the cognitive processes, decision-making, and judgments that underlie expert behaviors. A review of the literature revealed that CTA has not yet been used to capture the knowledge required to perform ultrasound guided regional anesthesia (UGRA). The purpose of this study was to utilize CTA to extract knowledge from UGRA experts and to determine whether instruction based on CTA of UGRA will produce results superior to the results of traditional training. This study adds to the knowledge base of CTA in being the first one to effectively capture the expert knowledge of UGRA. The derived protocol was used in a randomized, double blinded experiment involving UGRA instruction to 39 novice learners. The results of this study strongly support the hypothesis that CTA-based instruction in UGRA is more effective than conventional clinical instruction, as measured by conceptual pre- and post-tests, performance of a simulated UGRA procedure, and time necessary for the task performance. This study adds to the number of studies that have proven the superiority of CTA-informed instruction. Finally, it produced several validated instruments that can be used in instructing and evaluating UGRA.
Principals Reflecting on Their Leadership Learning with an Heuristic: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempster, Neil; Fluckiger, Bev; Lovett, Susan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on a small pilot study in which an heuristic was used to enable principals to reflect on the confidence they have in their existing leadership knowledge and how they might add to that knowledge in the future. The motivation for the study arose from a literature review of strategies for leadership development…
Elementary Preservice Teachers' and Elementary Inservice Teachers' Knowledge of Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwerdtfeger, Sara

2017-01-01

This study examined the differences in knowledge of mathematical modeling between a group of elementary preservice teachers and a group of elementary inservice teachers. Mathematical modeling has recently come to the forefront of elementary mathematics classrooms because of the call to add mathematical modeling tasks in mathematics classes through…
Intersecting Leadership Knowledge from the Field: Diverse Women Secondary Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Whitney H.; Wrushen, Barbara Rivers

2009-01-01

This qualitative study elucidated differences and commonalities among eight practicing women secondary leaders from different ethnic backgrounds. Its purpose was to add to the existing body of knowledge on women leaders in general and to contribute to the dearth of research on minority women leaders and women in the secondary leadership role in…
ADHD Training Modules for Rural Health Care Providers, Educators and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodrum, D. T.; And Others

Teachers, psychologists, medical personnel, and parents need to work together with a common base of knowledge to provide appropriate services to children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). The history of ADD symptoms begins in the late 19th century but the term ADD was not coined until 1980. Since that time, definitions and terms have…
Tertiary Education in Colombia: Paving the Way for Reform. A World Bank Country Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Bank, Washington, DC.

A great challenge facing Colombia is how to become an active member of the new global information and knowledge society. The changes required for this transition mean that the role of tertiary education must also shift to add to the traditional tasks of the transmission of knowledge and providing basic research the roles of training adaptable…
Camera-Only Kinematics for Small Lunar Rovers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, E.; Suresh, S.; Whittaker, W.

2016-11-01

Knowledge of the kinematic state of rovers is critical. Existing methods add sensors and wiring to moving parts, which can fail and adds mass and volume. This research presents a method to optically determine kinematic state using a single camera.
Word add-in for ontology recognition: semantic enrichment of scientific literature.

PubMed

Fink, J Lynn; Fernicola, Pablo; Chandran, Rahul; Parastatidis, Savas; Wade, Alex; Naim, Oscar; Quinn, Gregory B; Bourne, Philip E

2010-02-24

In the current era of scientific research, efficient communication of information is paramount. As such, the nature of scholarly and scientific communication is changing; cyberinfrastructure is now absolutely necessary and new media are allowing information and knowledge to be more interactive and immediate. One approach to making knowledge more accessible is the addition of machine-readable semantic data to scholarly articles. The Word add-in presented here will assist authors in this effort by automatically recognizing and highlighting words or phrases that are likely information-rich, allowing authors to associate semantic data with those words or phrases, and to embed that data in the document as XML. The add-in and source code are publicly available at http://www.codeplex.com/UCSDBioLit. The Word add-in for ontology term recognition makes it possible for an author to add semantic data to a document as it is being written and it encodes these data using XML tags that are effectively a standard in life sciences literature. Allowing authors to mark-up their own work will help increase the amount and quality of machine-readable literature metadata.
Mitigating Information Overload: The Impact of Context-Based Approach to the Design of Tools for Intelligence Analysts

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

amount of arriving data, extract actionable information, and integrate it with prior knowledge. Add to that the pressures of today’s fusion center...information, and integrate it with prior knowledge. Add to that the pressures of today’s fusion center climate and it becomes clear that analysts, police... fusion centers, including specifics about how these problems manifest at the Illinois State Police (ISP) Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center
An expert system shell for inferring vegetation characteristics: Interface for the addition of techniques (Task H)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, P. Ann

1993-01-01

All the NASA VEGetation Workbench (VEG) goals except the Learning System provide the scientist with several different techniques. When VEG is run, rules assist the scientist in selecting the best of the available techniques to apply to the sample of cover type data being studied. The techniques are stored in the VEG knowledge base. The design and implementation of an interface that allows the scientist to add new techniques to VEG without assistance from the developer were completed. A new interface that enables the scientist to add techniques to VEG without assistance from the developer was designed and implemented. This interface does not require the scientist to have a thorough knowledge of Knowledge Engineering Environment (KEE) by Intellicorp or a detailed knowledge of the structure of VEG. The interface prompts the scientist to enter the required information about the new technique. It prompts the scientist to enter the required Common Lisp functions for executing the technique and the left hand side of the rule that causes the technique to be selected. A template for each function and rule and detailed instructions about the arguments of the functions, the values they should return, and the format of the rule are displayed. Checks are made to ensure that the required data were entered, the functions compiled correctly, and the rule parsed correctly before the new technique is stored. The additional techniques are stored separately from the VEG knowledge base. When the VEG knowledge base is loaded, the additional techniques are not normally loaded. The interface allows the scientist the option of adding all the previously defined new techniques before running VEG. When the techniques are added, the required units to store the additional techniques are created automatically in the correct places in the VEG knowledge base. The methods file containing the functions required by the additional techniques is loaded. New rule units are created to store the new rules. The interface that allow the scientist to select which techniques to use is updated automatically to include the new techniques. Task H was completed. The interface that allows the scientist to add techniques to VEG was implemented and comprehensively tested. The Common Lisp code for the Add Techniques system is listed in Appendix A.
Modelling robot's behaviour using finite automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janošek, Michal; Žáček, Jaroslav

2017-07-01

This paper proposes a model of a robot's behaviour described by finite automata. We split robot's knowledge into several knowledge bases which are used by the inference mechanism of the robot's expert system to make a logic deduction. Each knowledgebase is dedicated to the particular behaviour domain and the finite automaton helps us switching among these knowledge bases with the respect of actual situation. Our goal is to simplify and reduce complexity of one big knowledgebase splitting it into several pieces. The advantage of this model is that we can easily add new behaviour by adding new knowledgebase and add this behaviour into the finite automaton and define necessary states and transitions.
Women Studies in Engineering Education: Content Analysis in Three Referred Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Pao-Nan

2013-01-01

Little is known about the research characteristics of past women studies in engineering education. In order to add knowledge base about the advanced development of women studies in current engineering education research, the purpose of the study is to investigate research characteristics of past women studies published in three referred…
Knowledge Theories Can Inform Evaluation Practice: What Can a Complexity Lens Add?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawe, Penelope; Bond, Lyndal; Butler, Helen

2009-01-01

Programs and policies invariably contain new knowledge. Theories about knowledge utilization, diffusion, implementation, transfer, and knowledge translation theories illuminate some mechanisms of change processes. But more often than not, when it comes to understanding patterns about change processes, "the foreground" is privileged more…
Word add-in for ontology recognition: semantic enrichment of scientific literature

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In the current era of scientific research, efficient communication of information is paramount. As such, the nature of scholarly and scientific communication is changing; cyberinfrastructure is now absolutely necessary and new media are allowing information and knowledge to be more interactive and immediate. One approach to making knowledge more accessible is the addition of machine-readable semantic data to scholarly articles. Results The Word add-in presented here will assist authors in this effort by automatically recognizing and highlighting words or phrases that are likely information-rich, allowing authors to associate semantic data with those words or phrases, and to embed that data in the document as XML. The add-in and source code are publicly available at http://www.codeplex.com/UCSDBioLit. Conclusions The Word add-in for ontology term recognition makes it possible for an author to add semantic data to a document as it is being written and it encodes these data using XML tags that are effectively a standard in life sciences literature. Allowing authors to mark-up their own work will help increase the amount and quality of machine-readable literature metadata. PMID:20181245
FINAL REPORT: NATIONAL CHILDREN'S STUDY FOCUS GROUPS - FOLLOW-UP

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this work assignment was to add to our knowledge of the issues that will affect

recruitment and retention of pregnant women into the National Children's Study by conducting 14 focus

groups comprised of pregnant women, couples, and parents of young chi...
Patterns of Practice: Case Studies of Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement in Community Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda; Rollins, S. Kwesi; Brown, Janet; Naviasky, Heather

2016-01-01

This "Patterns of Practice: Case Studies of Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement in Community Schools" report updates the community school case studies through a description of ongoing developments in Cincinnati, OH; Evansville, IN; Multnomah County, OR; and Tulsa, OK and adds to that knowledge base of early learning and…

How to Add Philosophy Dimensions in Your Basic International Business Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thanopoulos, John

2010-01-01

This article aims to assist professors in introducing concepts of self, philosophy, religions, the universe, existential dilemmas, etc., in their basic international business classes. Using active learning and five-member student teams, a student organized and administered conference adds a very useful dimension of knowledge sacrificing only one…
Evaluation of selected dietary behaviours of students according to gender and nutritional knowledge.

PubMed

Zaborowicz, Katarzyna; Czarnocińska, Jolanta; Galiński, Grzegorz; Kaźmierczak, Paulina; Górska, Karolina; Durczewski, Paweł

2016-01-01

Nutrition is a factor influencing physical and mental fitness. In this study we examine the lifestyle of university students and its impact on nutritional errors. To evaluate the dietary behaviours of students taking into account gender and nutritional knowledge. Using a QEB questionnaire, we were able to evaluate dietary behaviours and nutritional knowledge of respondents. Our analysis was conducted on data obtained from 456 students. We found that nutritional knowledge for women was 34.7% satisfactory and 34.7% good. In contrast, nutritional knowledge for men varied, amounting to 40.2% satisfactory and 25.1% good. The number of meals and their regular consumption did not depend on gender or the nutritional knowledge of students, however, significant differences were recorded for the types of snacks they eat. A greater number of women than men snacked on sweets and biscuits, nuts and seeds, while in the case of salty snacks an opposite trend was observed. A higher level of nutritional knowledge correlated with the number of students snacking on fruit and vegetables instead of salty snacks. Moreover, it was observed that health-promoting behaviours such as not adding sugar to beverages and not adding salt to dishes were more common with women and individuals with a higher level of nutritional knowledge. Women more frequently snack on sweets, biscuits, nuts and seeds. More men snack on salty snacks, add sugar to beverages and add salt to dishes. Individuals with insufficient nutritional knowledge more frequently snack on salty snacks rather than fruit. Students with insufficient nutritional knowledge more often commit nutritional errors.
Relationship between ADD1 Gly460Trp gene polymorphism and essential hypertension in Madeira Island.

PubMed

Sousa, Ana Célia; Palma Dos Reis, Roberto; Pereira, Andreia; Borges, Sofia; Freitas, Ana Isabel; Guerra, Graça; Góis, Teresa; Rodrigues, Mariana; Henriques, Eva; Freitas, Sónia; Ornelas, Ilídio; Pereira, Décio; Brehm, António; Mendonça, Maria Isabel

2017-10-01

Essential hypertension (EH) is a complex disease in which physiological, environmental, and genetic factors are involved in its genesis. The genetic variant of the alpha-adducin gene (ADD1) has been described as a risk factor for EH, but with controversial results.The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of ADD1 (Gly460Trp) gene polymorphism with the EH risk in a population from Madeira Island.A case-control study with 1614 individuals of Caucasian origin was performed, including 817 individuals with EH and 797 controls. Cases and controls were matched for sex and age, by frequency-matching method. All participants collected blood for biochemical and genotypic analysis for the Gly460Trp polymorphism. We further investigated which variables were independently associated to EH, and, consequently, analyzed their interactions.In our study, we found a significant association between the ADD1 gene polymorphism and EH (odds ratio 2.484, P = .01). This association remained statistically significant after the multivariate analysis (odds ratio 2.548, P = .02).The ADD1 Gly460Trp gene polymorphism is significantly and independently associated with EH risk in our population. The knowledge of genetic polymorphisms associated with EH is of paramount importance because it leads to a better understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of this pathology.
Relationship between ADD1 Gly460Trp gene polymorphism and essential hypertension in Madeira Island

PubMed Central

Sousa, Ana Célia; Palma dos Reis, Roberto; Pereira, Andreia; Borges, Sofia; Freitas, Ana Isabel; Guerra, Graça; Góis, Teresa; Rodrigues, Mariana; Henriques, Eva; Freitas, Sónia; Ornelas, Ilídio; Pereira, Décio; Brehm, António; Mendonça, Maria Isabel

2017-01-01

Abstract Essential hypertension (EH) is a complex disease in which physiological, environmental, and genetic factors are involved in its genesis. The genetic variant of the alpha-adducin gene (ADD1) has been described as a risk factor for EH, but with controversial results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of ADD1 (Gly460Trp) gene polymorphism with the EH risk in a population from Madeira Island. A case-control study with 1614 individuals of Caucasian origin was performed, including 817 individuals with EH and 797 controls. Cases and controls were matched for sex and age, by frequency-matching method. All participants collected blood for biochemical and genotypic analysis for the Gly460Trp polymorphism. We further investigated which variables were independently associated to EH, and, consequently, analyzed their interactions. In our study, we found a significant association between the ADD1 gene polymorphism and EH (odds ratio 2.484, P = .01). This association remained statistically significant after the multivariate analysis (odds ratio 2.548, P = .02). The ADD1 Gly460Trp gene polymorphism is significantly and independently associated with EH risk in our population. The knowledge of genetic polymorphisms associated with EH is of paramount importance because it leads to a better understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of this pathology. PMID:29049185
Reproducibility of Dual-Microphone Voice Range Profile Equipment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Printz, Trine; Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter; Nielsen, Troels; Grøntved, Ågot Møller; Godballe, Christian

2017-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to add further knowledge about the usefulness of the Voice Range Profile (VRP) assessment in clinical settings and research by analyzing VRP dual-microphone equipment precision, reliability, and room effect. Method: Test-retest studies were conducted in an anechoic chamber and an office: (a) comparing sound…
Case Studies Add Value to a Diverse Teaching Portfolio in Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camill, Philip

2006-01-01

Together with lectures and labs, case studies assist students in acquiring content knowledge, process skills, and an understanding of the context and application of science to their daily lives. Cases make the process of scientific learning more genuine and rigorous, bringing alive classroom learning and helping students apply concepts to…
Silent Killer: A Study of Job Burnout in a Postsecondary Educational Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swagger, Russell M.

2010-01-01

The problem investigated was job burnout within postsecondary faculty populations. The study purpose was to test theory, add to the body of knowledge, and identify opportunities for effective intervention strategies that reduce job burnout within this population. The primary research question was what relationships exist between age and gender…
The Voices of High School Counselors: Lived Experience of Job Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falls, Leigh; Nichter, Mary

2007-01-01

There is a paucity of literature addressing high school counselors' experiences of job stress. Our qualitative phenomenological study adds to the professions' knowledge of job stress as experienced by counselors in large suburban high schools. Our study illustrates the job stress phenomenon in the counselors' own voices, identifies situations…
Assessing ADHD in Latino Families: Evidence for Moving beyond Symptomatology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerdes, Alyson C.; Lawton, Kathryn E.; Haack, Lauren M.; Hurtado, Gabriela Dieguez

2013-01-01

Objective: In an effort to combat the mental health disparities that exist among Latinos, the current study aimed to add to our knowledge related to culturally appropriate assessments for Latino children presenting with ADHD. Method: As part of a larger study, a community sample of 68 Spanish-speaking, Latino parents completed the Spanish…
The Micropolitics of School District Decentralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjork, Lars G.; Blase, Joseph

2009-01-01

This case study of school district educational reform in the United States adds to the knowledge base of macropolitics of federal, state and local governing bodies and private sector agencies in formulating educational policies: It also contributes to our understanding the microplitics of policy implementation. Middle managers' political…
Designing Knowledge Scaffolds to Support Mathematical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Koedinger, Kenneth R.

2005-01-01

We present a methodology for designing better learning environments. In Phase 1, 6th-grade students' (n = 223) prior knowledge was assessed using a difficulty factors assessment (DFA). The assessment revealed that scaffolds designed to elicit contextual, conceptual, or procedural knowledge each improved students' ability to add and subtract…
University Students' Development of Emotional Intelligence Skills for Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramos-Villarreal, Joseph; Holland, Glenda

2011-01-01

The study was conducted to add to the knowledge base and further the understanding of Emotional Intelligence and leadership theory. Freshmen business students enrolled in BUAD 1201: Principles of Business Administration and graduating senior business students enrolled in MGMT 4325: Decision Making and Business Policy class provided the data for…
Scientific Arguments as Learning Artifacts: Designing for Learning from the Web with KIE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Philip; Linn, Marcia C.

2000-01-01

Examines how students use evidence, determines when they add further ideas and claims, and measures progress in understanding light propagation. Uses the Scaffolded Knowledge Integration (SKI) instructional framework for design decisions. Discusses design studies that test and elaborate on the instructional framework. (Contains 33 references.)…
Building a Model to Define the Concept of Teacher Success in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elizabeth, Cheung Lai-man; May, Cheng May-hung; Chee, Pang King

2008-01-01

The research studies how outstanding teachers from Hong Kong conceptualize teacher success or effectiveness. This study adds to the knowledge base concerned by raising the importance of the coexistence of personal attributes and professional qualities as well as contextual factors, in bringing out the success of a teacher. It draws the attention…
A Study on In-Match Rugby Coaches' Communications with Players: A Holistic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mouchet, Alain; Harvey, Stephen; Light, Richard

2014-01-01

Background: While there is significant interest in coach behaviour during training sessions and recognition of what it could add to existing knowledge on coaching, in-game coach behaviour has received little attention. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify coaches' in-competition communications with rugby players, through a series of…
Developing and Using a Logic Model for Evaluation and Assessment of University Student Affairs Programming: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Jeff

2009-01-01

This dissertation addresses theory and practice of evaluation and assessment in university student affairs, by applying logic modeling/program theory to a case study. I intend to add knowledge to ongoing dialogue among evaluation scholars and practitioners on student affairs program planning and improvement as integral considerations that serve…
Effects of Reading Comprehension and Fluency Abilities on the N400 Event-Related Potential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Annie Hirt

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge of reading development by investigating reading processes from a neurocognitive and educational perspective. This study seeks to provide some insight about reading development for the neuroscience field. The goals of this study are to attain a clearer picture of reading development by using both…
The Impact of Normative Environments on Learner Motivation and L2 Reading Ability Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sasaki, Miyuki; Kozaki, Yoko; Ross, Steven J.

2017-01-01

This study explores the effects of various motivational variables operating within 44 English classes on 1-year-long gains in the English reading proficiency of 1,149 Japanese university students. The study adds new knowledge to the recent outcomes of second language (L2) motivational studies in 3 major ways. First, the explanatory variables…
Study Results on Knowledge Requirements for Entry-Level Airport Operations and Management Personnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quilty, Stephen M.

2005-01-01

This paper identifies important topical knowledge areas required of individuals employed in airport operations and management positions. A total of 116 airport managers and airfield operations personnel responded to a survey that sought to identify the importance of various subject matter for entry level airport operations personnel. The results from this study add to the body of research on aviation management curriculum development and can be used to better develop university curriculum and supplemental training focused on airport management and operations. Recommendations are made for specialized airport courses within aviation management programs. Further, this study identifies for job seekers or individuals employed in entry level positions those knowledge requirements deemed important by airport managers and operations personnel at different sized airports.
Say Cheese! A Snapshot of Elementary Teachers' Engagement and Motivation for Classroom Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Glenda L.

2014-01-01

Assessment is a complex function requiring an understanding of student learning, assessment principles, practices, and purposes of data to implement effective classroom assessment. The purpose of this study was to add to the growing base of knowledge about teachers' engagement with assessment data and their motivation for classroom assessment.…

Demographic Changes in School Psychology Training Programs between 1997 and 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Sharon

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study seeks to add to the body of knowledge regarding school psychology training programs by analyzing the data of the 2005 National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Graduate Training in School Psychology Database, a national survey of psychology training programs. Program directors of all known existing school…
The Relationship between Anxiety, Shyness, Ambiguity Tolerance, and Language Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadeghi, Karim; Soleimani, Maryam

2016-01-01

Research has indicated that there is an association between the use and choice of learning strategies and different variables like learning contexts, learner characteristics, learning experiences, language proficiency, and cultural and educational backgrounds. To add to the thriving body of knowledge in this area, the present study, therefore, was…
Weighting-Based Sensitivity Analysis in Causal Mediation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Guanglei; Qin, Xu; Yang, Fan

2018-01-01

Through a sensitivity analysis, the analyst attempts to determine whether a conclusion of causal inference could be easily reversed by a plausible violation of an identification assumption. Analytic conclusions that are harder to alter by such a violation are expected to add a higher value to scientific knowledge about causality. This article…
'Ethos' Enabling Organisational Knowledge Creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsudaira, Yoshito

This paper examines knowledge creation in relation to improvements on the production line in the manufacturing department of Nissan Motor Company and aims to clarify embodied knowledge observed in the actions of organisational members who enable knowledge creation will be clarified. For that purpose, this study adopts an approach that adds a first, second, and third-person's viewpoint to the theory of knowledge creation. Embodied knowledge, observed in the actions of organisational members who enable knowledge creation, is the continued practice of 'ethos' (in Greek) founded in Nissan Production Way as an ethical basis. Ethos is knowledge (intangible) assets for knowledge creating companies. Substantiated analysis classifies ethos into three categories: the individual, team and organisation. This indicates the precise actions of the organisational members in each category during the knowledge creation process. This research will be successful in its role of showing the indispensability of ethos - the new concept of knowledge assets, which enables knowledge creation -for future knowledge-based management in the knowledge society.
Trust and Work Place Spirituality on Knowledge Sharing Behaviour: Perspective from Non-Academic Staff of Higher Learning Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Muhammad Sabbir; Osmangani, Aahad M; Daud, Nuraihan Mat; Chowdhury, Abdul Hannan; Hassan, Hasliza

2015-01-01

Purpose: This empirical research aims to add value in the existing research on knowledge sharing, investigate the antecedents of knowledge-sharing behaviour by embedding trust and workplace spirituality variable on non-academic staff from higher learning institution in Malaysia. The role of trust, perceived risk and workplace spirituality towards…
Advanced Software Development Workstation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Daniel

1989-01-01

The Advanced Software Development Workstation Project, funded by Johnson Space Center, is investigating knowledge-based techniques for software reuse in NASA software development projects. Two prototypes have been demonstrated and a third is now in development. The approach is to build a foundation that provides passive reuse support, add a layer that uses domain-independent programming knowledge, add a layer that supports the acquisition of domain-specific programming knowledge to provide active support, and enhance maintainability and modifiability through an object-oriented approach. The development of new application software would use specification-by-reformulation, based on a cognitive theory of retrieval from very long-term memory in humans, and using an Ada code library and an object base. Current tasks include enhancements to the knowledge representation of Ada packages and abstract data types, extensions to support Ada package instantiation knowledge acquisition, integration with Ada compilers and relational databases, enhancements to the graphical user interface, and demonstration of the system with a NASA contractor-developed trajectory simulation package. Future work will focus on investigating issues involving scale-up and integration.
A Review of Domestic Dogs' (Canis Familiaris) Human-Like Behaviors: Or Why Behavior Analysts Should Stop Worrying and Love Their Dogs

PubMed Central

Udell, Monique A.R; Wynne, C.D.L

2008-01-01

Dogs likely were the first animals to be domesticated and as such have shared a common environment with humans for over ten thousand years. Only recently, however, has this species' behavior been subject to scientific scrutiny. Most of this work has been inspired by research in human cognitive psychology and suggests that in many ways dogs are more human-like than any other species, including nonhuman primates. Behavior analysts should add their expertise to the study of dog behavior, both to add objective behavioral analyses of experimental data and to effectively integrate this new knowledge into applied work with dogs. PMID:18422021
How to Get Those "Extras" Out Of Retirement Living. A Course of Study Designed for Public School Continuing Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Div. of Continuing Education.

This guide presents a course of study designed for public school continuing education programs. The course is intended to make older persons more knowledgeable about programs and services which, if used, could add appreciably to their well being. Four units make up the curriculum: (1) Stretching Your Income, Health Care and Services, Information…
The Influence of Cultural Background on Parental Perceptions of Adolescent Gambling Behaviour: A Canadian Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Colin A.; Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; Meerkamper, Eric; Cutajar, Jo

2012-01-01

Considerable research has begun to address youth gambling issues from a bio-psycho-social perspective. The current Canadian national study adds to this body of knowledge by examining the cultural influences impacting parent's attitudes, behaviors and perceptions of youth gambling. A total of 3,279 parents with a child between the ages of 13 and 18…
Healing: a qualitative study of women recovering from abusive relationships with men.

PubMed

Farrell, M L

1996-01-01

The essence of the healing phenomenon in women who had been abused A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach (N = 7) Four major themes of healing were identified: flexibility, awakening, relationship, and empowerment. Each theme became an explication of the whole healing experience for each participant. The results of this research add to the knowledge of healing in women who have encountered abuse.
What Motivates Science Teachers to Teach in Urban Settings? A Mixed Method Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhashem, Fatimah

2012-01-01

The high rate of teacher turnover in the United States has prompted a number of studies into why teachers leave as well as why they stay. The present study aims to add to that knowledge specifically regarding why teachers choose to stay at urban schools. Several reasons teachers in general choose to stay have been identified in previous studies…
Inquiry, Critique, and Dissemination of Knowledge: Graduate Students Contributing to Wikipedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Nicola

2013-01-01

Graduate students use existing knowledge and are ultimately expected to add to that knowledge. Students in a Masters of Education entry course were asked to find a Wikipedia page related to the course topics, critique it, and make improvements to it to begin to develop these skills. In this paper, I examine ways in which their perspectives were…
Mathematics-for-Teaching: What Can Be Learned from the Ethnopoetics of Teachers' Stories?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oslund, Joy A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to consider what methods from ethnopoetics--a field at the intersection of linguistics and anthropology--may add to narrative inquiry in mathematics education. I build a theoretical framework to argue for the use of narrative inquiry and ethnopoetics in studies of teacher knowledge. I report ethnopoetic analyses of…
The Diffusion of Computer-Based Technology in K-12 Schools: Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colandrea, John Louis

2012-01-01

Because computer technology represents a major financial outlay for school districts and is an efficient method of preparing and delivering lessons, studying the process of teacher adoption of computer use is beneficial and adds to the current body of knowledge. Because the teacher is the ultimate user of computer technology for lesson preparation…
The Influence of Parental Warmth and Control on Latino Adolescent Alcohol Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mongro-Wilson, Cristina

2008-01-01

Latino adolescent alcohol use is related to substance use, later life addiction, and other negative outcomes. The lack of knowledge on parenting and the parent-youth relationship in Latino families in the context of acculturation and its affects on alcohol use prompted this study. Secondary data analysis using the Add Health data set indicates…
Assessing Individual Social Capital Capacity: The Development and Validation of a Network Accessibility Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatala, John-Paul

2009-01-01

Any organization that is able to promote the importance of increased levels of social capital and individuals who can leverage and use the resources that exist within the network may experience higher levels of performance. This study sought to add to our knowledge about individuals' accessing social resources for the purpose of accomplishing…
Pain-catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs as mediators between post-traumatic stress symptoms and pain following whiplash injury - A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Andersen, T E; Karstoft, K-I; Brink, O; Elklit, A

2016-09-01

Knowledge about the course of recovery after whiplash injury is important. Most valuable is identification of prognostic factors that may be reversed by intervention. The mutual maintenance model outlines how post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and pain may be mutually maintained by attention bias, fear, negative affect and avoidance behaviours. In a similar vein, the fear-avoidance model describes how pain-catastrophizing (PCS), fear-avoidance beliefs (FA) and depression may result in persistent pain. These mechanisms still need to be investigated longitudinally in a whiplash cohort. A longitudinal cohort design was used to assess patients for pain intensity and psychological distress after whiplash injury. Consecutive patients were all contacted within 3 weeks after their whiplash injury (n = 198). Follow-up questionnaires were sent 3 and 6 months post-injury. Latent Growth Mixture Modelling was used to identify distinct trajectories of recovery from pain. Five distinct trajectories were identified. Six months post-injury, 64.6% could be classified as recovered and 35.4% as non-recovered. The non-recovered (the medium stable, high stable and very high stable trajectories) displayed significantly higher levels of PTSS, PCS, FA and depression at all time points compared to the recovered trajectories. Importantly, PCS and FA mediated the effect of PTSS on pain intensity. The present study adds important knowledge about the development of psychological distress and pain after whiplash injury. The finding, that PCS and FA mediated the effect of PTSS on pain intensity is a novel finding with important implications for prevention and management of whiplash-associated disorders. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: The study confirms the mechanisms as outlined in the fear-avoidance model and the mutual maintenance model. The study adds important knowledge of pain-catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs as mediating mechanisms in the effect of post-traumatic stress on pain intensity. Hence, cognitive behavioural techniques targeting avoidance behaviour and catastrophizing may be beneficial preventing the development of chronic pain. © 2016 European Pain Federation - EFIC®
High Penetration of Renewable Energy in the Transportation Sector: Scenarios, Barriers, and Enablers; Preprint

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

Vimmerstedt, L.; Brown, A.; Heath, G.

2012-06-01

Transportation accounts for 71% of U.S. petroleum use and 33% of its greenhouse gases emissions. Pathways toward reduced greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum dependence in the transportation sector have been analyzed in considerable detail, but with some limitations. To add to this knowledge, the U.S. Department of Energy has launched a study focused on underexplored greenhouse-gas-abatement and oil-savings opportunities related to transportation. This Transportation Energy Futures study analyzes specific issues and associated key questions to strengthen the existing knowledge base and help cultivate partnerships among federal agencies, state and local governments, and industry.
Enhancements to the KATE model-based reasoning system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Stan J.

1994-01-01

KATE (Knowledge-based Autonomous Test Engineer) is a model-based software system developed in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center for monitoring, fault detection, and control of launch vehicles and ground support systems. This report describes two software efforts which enhance the functionality and usability of KATE. The first addition, a flow solver, adds to KATE a tool for modeling the flow of liquid in a pipe system. The second addition adds support for editing KATE knowledge base files to the Emacs editor. The body of this report discusses design and implementation issues having to do with these two tools. It will be useful to anyone maintaining or extending either the flow solver or the editor enhancements.
Forest genetics research at the University of Michigan

Treesearch

Burton V. Barnes

1970-01-01

The purpose of the research program, as evidenced by results as well as current research and future direction, is to add to the knowledge of the ecology and genetics of forest trees. Although we are interested in the practical gains that are possible and being realized in practical tree improvement, our contribution is in basic studies that stimulate and challenge...

The Effects of Two Sight Word Teaching Methods on Featural Attention of Children Beginning to Read.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceprano, Maria A.

Designed to add to the existing knowledge base concerning the saliency of features used by children to identify isolated words, a study examined whether the method of instruction influences the extent to which various features are used for word identification and recall. Subjects, 117 kindergarten students from a suburban Buffalo, New York, school…
Perceived Participation, Experiences from Persons with Spinal Cord Injury in Their Transition Period from Hospital to Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van de Velde, Dominique

2010-01-01

It is suggested that participation should be achieved at the end of the rehabilitation process. However, there is a lack of consensus on the definition, the conceptualization and the measurement of participation. This study aims to add to the existing body of knowledge of participation by exploring the "person perceived participation" in…
Neighborhood Child Care: Family, Friends, and Neighbors Talk about Caring for Other People's Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Toni

This report details a qualitative study undertaken to add to the knowledge base about care provided by relatives, friends, and neighbors. Focus group discussions were organized with African American, Puerto Rican, and Dominican women who care for other people's children in three low-income communities in New York City. There were a total of 45…
An Investigation of Research Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Research Productivity among Faculty Members at an Emerging Research University in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasupathy, Rubini; Siwatu, Kamau Oginga

2014-01-01

The purposes of this study are to add to the existing knowledge base on research self-efficacy beliefs of faculty members and their influence on research productivity, and to inform higher education administrators about the relationship between research self-efficacy beliefs and research productivity. A theoretical framework of social cognitive…
Identifying Barriers to Self-Employment: The Development and Validation of the Barriers to Entrepreneurship Success Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatala, John-Paul

2005-01-01

The present study sought to add to our knowledge about forces that negatively affect an individual's decision to start a business by identifying barriers they encounter. By identifying barriers to starting a business, we stand to learn much about how an individual identifies, confronts, and responds to decisions which may seem to be beyond their…
Let's Draw: Utilizing Interactive White Board to Support Kindergarten Children's Visual Art Learning Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Pao-Nan; Chang, Chi-Cheng; Chen, Mei-Yin

2017-01-01

Compared to other academic disciplines, interactive white board (IWB) research in early childhood education is still in its infancy. To add more knowledge base regarding the instructional effectiveness of IWB for young children, this study aimed to investigate educational phenomenon of using an IWB to teach visual art to kindergarten students. The…
In Search of New Frontiers: How Scholars Generate Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampel, Robert L.

2008-01-01

After several years of teaching a seminar for first-year Ph.D. students, the author began to question his three-pronged topic-selection advice: (1) Fill a gap in the literature; (2) Identify a problem that has not been studied adequately; and (3) Add a brick to the wall of knowledge. Recalling his Colonial America seminar with historian Michael…
Adolescent Bystander Behavior in the School and Online Environments and the Implications for Interventions Targeting Cyberbullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Lisa J.; Allan, Alfred; Cross, Donna

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to add to the emerging knowledge about the role of bystanders in cyberbullying. To differentiate online versus offline bystander behaviors, 292 Australian children (mean age = 15.2; female = 54.4%) reviewed hypothetical scenarios experimentally manipulated by bystander sex, relationship to target and perpetrator, and…
Emotional and Behavioural Needs of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities in an Urban Conurbation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerson, E.; Robertson, J.; Wood, J.

2005-01-01

Over the past decade, increased attention has been paid to identifying and responding to the emotional and behavioural needs of children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). The aims of the present study were to add to this body of knowledge by identifying factors associated with emotional and behavioural needs among a sample of…
A mixed method pilot study: the researchers' experiences.

PubMed

Secomb, Jacinta M; Smith, Colleen

2011-08-01

This paper reports on the outcomes of a small well designed pilot study. Pilot studies often disseminate limited or statistically meaningless results without adding to the body knowledge on the comparative research benefits. The design a pre-test post-test group parallel randomised control trial and inductive content analysis of focus group transcripts was tested specifically to increase outcomes in a proposed larger study. Strategies are now in place to overcome operational barriers and recruitment difficulties. Links between the qualitative and quantitative arms of the proposed larger study have been made; it is anticipated that this will add depth to the final report. More extensive reporting on the outcomes of pilot studies would assist researchers and increase the body of knowledge in this area.
Providing English foreign language teachers with content knowledge to facilitate decoding and spelling acquisition: a longitudinal perspective.

PubMed

Kahn-Horwitz, Janina

2016-04-01

This quasi-experimental study adds to the small existing literature on orthographic-related teacher knowledge in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The study examined the impact of a course on English orthography on predominantly non-native-speaking EFL preservice and inservice teachers' orthographic content knowledge, and the extent to which these teachers retained orthographic-related content knowledge four months after participating in a semester course on the topic. In addition, the study examined the relationship between participants' acquired orthographic-related content knowledge and EFL spelling. Both groups of teachers that studied in the course improved on overall orthographic-related content knowledge, both immediately following the course and longitudinally. Preservice and inservice participants showed similar levels of orthographic knowledge prior to course participation and both showed significant improvements compared to controls following course participation. Participants also retained knowledge four months after course completion. Overall, the inservice teachers scored higher on orthographic-related knowledge, possibly as a result of the immediate application of their newly acquired knowledge. An unexpected finding was a lack of interaction between acquired orthographic-related content knowledge and pseudo word spelling scores. Possible methodological limitations, such as number of participants as well as the length and scope of the course, may explain this outcome. This paper also discusses practical implications of this study for EFL decoding and spelling instruction.
Knowledge and Intellectual Capital. Symposium 13. [Concurrent Symposium Session at AHRD Annual Conference, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2000

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 13, Knowledge and Intellectual Capital, of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) 2000 Conference proceedings. "Human Capital Measurement" (Joanne Provo) begins with a literature review that provides a context for understanding how investments in human capital add value to the…
Career Education and Labour Market Conditions: The Skills Gap Myth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyslop-Margison, Emery J.; Welsh, Benjamin H.

2003-01-01

Asserts that it is a questionable claim that a widespread knowledge and skill shortage is causing current labour market supply problems, unemployment, or increased social stratification. Adds that the percentage of new jobs requiring high levels of knowledge and skill is limited when compared to low-skilled service industry occupations. Questions…
The Impact of Affective and Cognitive Trust on Knowledge Sharing and Organizational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Peter E.; Hwang, Alvin

2013-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to add to the research on the role of cognitive and affective trust in promoting knowledge sharing between executives and consequently establishing an organizational learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: This paper examines the influence of one conceptualization of trust, one that has two…
Price estimates for the production of wafers from silicon ingots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mokashi, A. R.

1982-01-01

The status of the inside-diameter sawing, (ID), multiblade sawing (MBS), and fixed-abrasive slicing technique (FAST) processes are discussed with respect to the estimated price each process adds on to the price of the final photovoltaic module. The expected improvements in each process, based on the knowledge of the current level of technology, are projected for the next two to five years and the expected add-on prices in 1983 and 1986 are estimated.
White racial identity, color-blind racial attitudes, and multicultural counseling competence.

PubMed

Johnson, Alex; Jackson Williams, Dahra

2015-07-01

Multicultural counseling competence (awareness, knowledge, and skills) is necessary to provide effective psychotherapy to an increasingly diverse client population (Sue, 2001). Previous research on predictors of competency among White clinicians finds that above having multicultural training, exposure to racially diverse clients, and social desirability, that White racial identity stages predict multicultural counseling competence (Ottavi et al., 1994). Research also suggests that higher color-blind racial attitudes (denying or minimizing racism in society) correlates with less advanced White racial identity stages (Gushue & Constantine, 2007). However, no studies have examined these variables together as they relate to and possibly predict multicultural counseling competence. The current study aims to add to this literature by investigating the effects of these variables together as potential predictors of multicultural counseling competence among (N = 487) White doctoral students studying clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Results of 3 hierarchical multiple regressions found above the effects of social desirability, demographic variables, and multicultural training, that colorblind racial attitudes and White racial identity stages added significant incremental variance in predicting multicultural counseling knowledge, awareness, and skills. These results add to the literature by finding different predictors for each domain of multicultural competence. Implications of the findings for future research and the clinical training of White doctoral trainees are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
E-Learning in Higher Education: Focus Groups and Survey among Students in Central Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuševljak, Marko; Majcen, Lucija; Mervar, Lara; Stepankina, Taisiya; Cater, Barbara

2016-01-01

Despite a great deal of time and energy went into digitalisation of the world around us, education has been lagging behind. A question therefore arises to what extent higher education institutions should introduce e-learning as part of their programmes. The purpose of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on e-learning by examining…
Developing Moral Maturity: An Evaluation of the Media Ethics Course Using the DIT-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auger, Giselle A.; Gee, Charlie

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to add to the limited body of knowledge on the effect of the media ethics course, specifically to investigate the effect of the course on the growth in moral judgment reasoning of students through a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test analysis using the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT-2). Results demonstrated…
Preparation for Young People Leaving Care: The Case of SOS Children's Village, Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manso, Kwabena A. Frimpong

2012-01-01

A growing concern for child welfare is how preparation for adulthood programmes can be strengthened to more effectively meet the needs of youth in out-of-home care. There is a gap in our knowledge about how young adults in out-of-home care in Africa are prepared for their transition to adulthood. The present study adds to the current body of…
Individual differences in current events knowledge: contributions of ability, personality, and interests.

PubMed

Hambrick, David Z; Meinz, Elizabeth J; Oswald, Frederick L

2007-03-01

What accounts for individual differences in the sort of knowledge that people may draw on in everyday cognitive tasks, such as deciding whom to vote for in a presidential election, how to invest money in the stock market, or what team to bet on in a friendly wager? In a large sample of undergraduate students, we investigated correlates of individual differences in recently acquired knowledge of current events in domains such as politics, business, and sports. Structural equation modeling revealed two predictive pathways: one involving cognitive ability factors and the other involving two major nonability factors (personality and interests). The results of this study add to what is known about the sources of individual differences in knowledge and are interpreted in the context of theoretical conceptions of adult intelligence that emphasize the centrality and importance of knowledge (e.g., Ackerman, 1996; Cattell, 1971).

A Case Analysis to Increase Awareness of Current USMC Knowledge Management (KM) Practices

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

because it is “the preeminent economic resource, more important than both raw material and money” (Stewart, 1997, p. 6). Grant ( 1996 ) emphasizes...business” (p. 6) in the modern economy. Other resources cited by Johnson (2010) include Grant ( 1996 ), to demonstrate that knowledge is the “critical...concepts, interpretations, ideas, observations, and judgments” (p. 3). Again, Grant ( 1996 ) adds that knowledge is the “critical input in production and
Salt Use Behaviours of Ghanaians and South Africans: A Comparative Study of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

PubMed Central

Menyanu, Elias; Russell, Joanna; Biritwum, Richard; Kowal, Paul

2017-01-01

Salt consumption is high in Africa and the continent also shares the greatest burden of hypertension. This study examines salt-related knowledge, attitude and self-reported behaviours (KAB) amongst adults from two African countries—Ghana and South Africa—which have distributed different public health messages related to salt. KAB was assessed in the multinational longitudinal World Health Organisation (WHO) study on global AGEing and adult health (WHO-SAGE) Wave 2 (2014–2015). Respondents were randomly selected across both countries—Ghana (n = 6746; mean age 58 years old; SD 17; 41% men; 31% hypertensive) and South Africa (n = 3776, mean age 54 years old; SD 17; 32% men; 45% hypertensive). South Africans were more likely than Ghanaians to add salt to food at the table (OR 4.80, CI 4.071–5.611, p < 0.001) but less likely to add salt to food during cooking (OR 0.16, CI 0.130–0.197, p < 0.001). South Africans were also less likely to take action to control their salt intake (OR 0.436, CI 0.379–0.488, p < 0.001). Considering the various salt reduction initiatives of South Africa that have been largely absent in Ghana, this study supports additional efforts to raise consumer awareness on discretionary salt use and behaviour change in both countries. PMID:28846641
Intuition: A Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Chilcote, Deborah R

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to conceptually examine intuition; identify the importance of intuition in nursing education, clinical practice, and patient care; encourage acceptance of the use of intuition; and add to the body of nursing knowledge. Nurses often report using intuition when making clinical decisions. Intuition is a rapid, unconscious process based in global knowledge that views the patient holistically while synthesizing information to improve patient outcomes. However, with the advent of evidence-based practice (EBP), the use of intuition has become undervalued in nursing. Walker and Avant's framework was used to analyze intuition. A literature search from 1987 to 2014 was conducted using the following keywords: intuition, intuition and nursing, clinical decision making, clinical decision making and intuition, patient outcomes, EBP, and analytical thinking. The use of intuition is reported by nurses, but is not legitimized within the nursing profession. Defining attributes of intuition are an unconscious, holistic knowledge gathered without using an analytical process and knowledge derived through synthesis, not analysis. Consequences include verification of intuition through an analytical process and translating that knowledge into a course of action. This article supports the use of intuition in nursing by offering clarity to the concept, adds to the nursing knowledge base, encourages a holistic view of the patient during clinical decision making, and encourages nurse educators to promote the use of intuition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interoperability-oriented Integration of Failure Knowledge into Functional Knowledge and Knowledge Transformation based on Concepts Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koji, Yusuke; Kitamura, Yoshinobu; Kato, Yoshikiyo; Tsutsui, Yoshio; Mizoguchi, Riichiro

In conceptual design, it is important to develop functional structures which reflect the rich experience in the knowledge from previous design failures. Especially, if a designer learns possible abnormal behaviors from a previous design failure, he or she can add an additional function which prevents such abnormal behaviors and faults. To do this, it is a crucial issue to share such knowledge about possible faulty phenomena and how to cope with them. In fact, a part of such knowledge is described in FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) sheets, function structure models for systematic design and fault trees for FTA (Fault Tree Analysis).
Examining the Relationship between Thinking Styles and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge of the Candidate Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canbolat, Nuran; Erdogan, Ahmet; Yazlik, Derya Ozlem

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is measuring the technological pedagogical content knowledge of the candidate elementary mathematics teachers, identifying the thinking styles of the same candidates and finding out that whether there is a correlation or not. The research has the characteristics of a basic research to add new information to the scientific…
Bracketing as a skill in conducting unstructured qualitative interviews.

PubMed

Sorsa, Minna Anneli; Kiikkala, Irma; Åstedt-Kurki, Päivi

2015-03-01

To provide an overview of bracketing as a skill in unstructured qualitative research interviews. Researchers affect the qualitative research process. Bracketing in descriptive phenomenology entails researchers setting aside their pre-understanding and acting non-judgementally. In interpretative phenomenology, previous knowledge is used intentionally to create new understanding. A literature search of bracketing in phenomenology and qualitative research. This is a methodology paper examining the researchers' impact in creating data in creating data in qualitative research. Self-knowledge, sensitivity and reflexivity of the researcher enable bracketing. Skilled and experienced researchers are needed to use bracketing in unstructured qualitative research interviews. Bracketing adds scientific rigour and validity to any qualitative study.
Knowledge Is Power for Medical Assistants: Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence As Predictors of Vocational Knowledge.

PubMed

Moehring, Anne; Schroeders, Ulrich; Wilhelm, Oliver

2018-01-01

Medical education research has focused almost entirely on the education of future physicians. In comparison, findings on other health-related occupations, such as medical assistants, are scarce. With the current study, we wanted to examine the knowledge-is-power hypothesis in a real life educational setting and add to the sparse literature on medical assistants. Acquisition of vocational knowledge in vocational education and training (VET) was examined for medical assistant students ( n = 448). Differences in domain-specific vocational knowledge were predicted by crystallized and fluid intelligence in the course of VET. A multiple matrix design with 3 year-specific booklets was used for the vocational knowledge tests of the medical assistants. The unique and joint contributions of the predictors were investigated with structural equation modeling. Crystallized intelligence emerged as the strongest predictor of vocational knowledge at every stage of VET, while fluid intelligence only showed weak effects. The present results support the knowledge-is-power hypothesis, even in a broad and more naturalistic setting. This emphasizes the relevance of general knowledge for occupations, such as medical assistants, which are more focused on learning hands-on skills than the acquisition of academic knowledge.
Knowledge Is Power for Medical Assistants: Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence As Predictors of Vocational Knowledge

PubMed Central

Moehring, Anne; Schroeders, Ulrich; Wilhelm, Oliver

2018-01-01

Medical education research has focused almost entirely on the education of future physicians. In comparison, findings on other health-related occupations, such as medical assistants, are scarce. With the current study, we wanted to examine the knowledge-is-power hypothesis in a real life educational setting and add to the sparse literature on medical assistants. Acquisition of vocational knowledge in vocational education and training (VET) was examined for medical assistant students (n = 448). Differences in domain-specific vocational knowledge were predicted by crystallized and fluid intelligence in the course of VET. A multiple matrix design with 3 year-specific booklets was used for the vocational knowledge tests of the medical assistants. The unique and joint contributions of the predictors were investigated with structural equation modeling. Crystallized intelligence emerged as the strongest predictor of vocational knowledge at every stage of VET, while fluid intelligence only showed weak effects. The present results support the knowledge-is-power hypothesis, even in a broad and more naturalistic setting. This emphasizes the relevance of general knowledge for occupations, such as medical assistants, which are more focused on learning hands-on skills than the acquisition of academic knowledge. PMID:29449819
Supporting Knowledge Transfer in IS Deployment Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schönström, Mikael

To deploy new information systems is an expensive and complex task, and does seldom result in successful usage where the system adds strategic value to the firm (e.g. Sharma et al. 2003). It has been argued that innovation diffusion is a knowledge integration problem (Newell et al. 2000). Knowledge about business processes, deployment processes, information systems and technology are needed in a large-scale deployment of a corporate IS. These deployments can therefore to a large extent be argued to be a knowledge management (KM) problem. An effective deployment requires that knowledge about the system is effectively transferred to the target organization (Ko et al. 2005).
Modifications of the endosomal compartment in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and fibroblasts from Alzheimer's disease patients

PubMed Central

Corlier, F; Rivals, I; Lagarde, J; Hamelin, L; Corne, H; Dauphinot, L; Ando, K; Cossec, J-C; Fontaine, G; Dorothée, G; Malaplate-Armand, C; Olivier, J-L; Dubois, B; Bottlaender, M; Duyckaerts, C; Sarazin, M; Potier, M-C; Alnajjar-Carpentier, Dr Amer; Logak, Dr Michel; Leder, Dr Sara; Marchal, Dr Dominique; Pitti-Ferandi, Dr Hélène; Brugeilles, Dr Hélene; Roualdes, Dr Brigitte; Michon, Dr Agnes

2015-01-01

Identification of blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a challenge. Neuropathological studies have identified enlarged endosomes in post-mortem brains as the earliest cellular change associated to AD. Here the presence of enlarged endosomes was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 48 biologically defined AD patients (25 with mild cognitive impairment and 23 with dementia (AD-D)), and 23 age-matched healthy controls using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy. The volume and number of endosomes were not significantly different between AD and controls. However, the percentage of cells containing enlarged endosomes was significantly higher in the AD-D group as compared with controls. Furthermore, endosomal volumes significantly correlated to [C11]PiB cortical index measured by positron emission tomography in the AD group, independently of the APOE genotype, but not to the levels of amyloid-beta, tau and phosphorylated tau measured in the cerebrospinal fluid. Importantly, we confirmed the presence of enlarged endosomes in fibroblasts from six unrelated AD-D patients as compared with five cognitively normal controls. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to report morphological alterations of the endosomal compartment in peripheral cells from AD patients correlated to amyloid load that will now be evaluated as a possible biomarker. PMID:26151923
[Additional qualification in health economics--a pre-condition for ENT leadership positions?].

PubMed

Lehnerdt, G; Schöffski, O; Mattheis, S; Hoffmann, T K; Lang, S

2013-11-01

The increasing medical-technical progress as well as the dramatic demographic changes cause problems with regard to rapid enlargement of medical service offers, allocation of resources and a financing shortfall in the German public health system. The economization in the German Health System can also be perceived in ENT departments. After performing an internet search about the rapidly growing market for qualifications measures in health economics, we hence conducted an anonymous survey for ENT senior doctors and directors of the 34 German University Departments to evaluate their attitude towards, as well as their expectation of such an add-on qualification. Since the German government finalized the health care reform in the year 2000 such qualification measures rapidly developed: amongst others, 26 postgraduate, extra-occupational master programs have been inaugurated. The anonymous survey was answered by 105 ENT doctors (63 senior doctors, 27 vice professors and 15 directors). 63% out of these 105 colleagues considered such an add-on qualification to be mandatory. 41% of the colleagues were already "add-on qualified" in that field, only 10 of them by means of a study program. 71 of 105 colleagues (68%) considered the add-on qualification to be advantageous for their future personal career. With regard to the designated contents of the study program, "Staff Management" was even prioritized to "Hospital Financing" and "Cost Accounting". Aspects of management and a (health-) economical basic knowledge became an integral part of the daily routine for "first-line management doctors" also in (University) ENT-departments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
What Will Be in Those Lap Tops: Empowering Students and Teachers to Add Content to an Educational Chatbot's Knowledge Base

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bii, Patrick K.; Too, J. K.

2016-01-01

The Government of Kenya has in the recent past been on a serious footing to put in place ICT initiatives and projects aimed at realizing the potential within its recognition of ICT as a foundation for a knowledge economy as per vision 2030. The tempo has risen several notches higher with the current intention and initiative of making available…
International Competencies for the Defense Acquisition Workforce

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

subsets of “multi- or cross-cultural knowledge, foreign policy, protocol and etiquette , and ambiguity of ex- pectations.” With those definitions serving...poll went on to add that 68 percent wanted to increase their knowledge on cross-cultural sensi- tivities, 50 percent on international protocol and... etiquette , and 54 percent on developing international negotiation skills. On the demand side, noted journalist Roxana Tiron of The- Hill.com reported
Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minor, Jody L.; Kauffman, William J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Satellite contamination continues to be a design problem that engineers must take into account when developing new satellites. To help with this issue, NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program funded the development of the Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base. This engineering tool brings together in one location information about the outgassing properties of aerospace materials based upon ground-testing data, the effects of outgassing that has been observed during flight and measurements of the contamination environment by on-orbit instruments. The knowledge base contains information using the ASTM Standard E- 1559 and also consolidates data from missions using quartz-crystal microbalances (QCM's). The data contained in the knowledge base was shared with NASA by government agencies and industry in the US and international space agencies as well. The term 'knowledgebase' was used because so much information and capability was brought together in one comprehensive engineering design tool. It is the SEE Program's intent to continually add additional material contamination data as it becomes available - creating a dynamic tool whose value to the user is ever increasing. The SEE Program firmly believes that NASA, and ultimately the entire contamination user community, will greatly benefit from this new engineering tool and highly encourages the community to not only use the tool but add data to it as well.
Learning About Semi Conductors for Teaching—the Role Played by Content Knowledge in Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rollnick, Marissa

2017-08-01

This study focuses on how teachers learn to teach a new topic and the role played by their developing content knowledge as they teach. The paper is based on seven high school science teachers' studies on the teaching of semiconductors, at the time a new topic in the curriculum. Analysis of artefacts such as teacher concept maps, video recordings of lessons, journals and other classroom-based evidence shows how the extent and type of teachers' content knowledge informed their choice of teaching approaches and how their learning of content took place alongside the development of teaching strategies. The development of content knowledge was combined with increased understanding of how to teach the topic in almost all cases. Evidence of development of teachers' PCK was found in their increased ability to design teaching strategies, and their use of representations and suitable assessment tasks for their lessons. Some specific common teaching strategies were identified across the teachers. These strategies could add to the canon of teachers' topic - specific professional knowledge for semiconductors. The study provides increased understanding of how teachers simultaneously master content and its teaching and how mediated self-reflection is a fruitful approach for assisting teachers to learn to teach a new topic.
Philosophical approaches to the nursing informatics data-information-knowledge-wisdom framework.

PubMed

Matney, Susan; Brewster, Philip J; Sward, Katherine A; Cloyes, Kristin G; Staggers, Nancy

2011-01-01

Although informatics is an important area of nursing inquiry and practice, few scholars have articulated the philosophical foundations of the field or how these translate into practice including the often-cited data, information, knowledge, and wisdom (DIKW) framework. Data, information, and knowledge, often approached through postpositivism, can be exhibited in computer systems. Wisdom aligns with constructivist epistemological perspectives such as Gadamerian hermeneutics. Computer systems can support wisdom development. Wisdom is an important element of the DIKW framework and adds value to the role of nursing informaticists and nursing science.
Isodicentric chromosome 21: a novel aberration in acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Sankar, M; Tanaka, K; Arif, M; Shintani, T; Kumaravel, T S; Kyo, T; Dohy, H; Kamada, N

1998-11-01

We present here a 78-year-old female patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), French-American-British classification M2, exhibiting isodicentric chromosome 21, idic(21)(q22), at the time of diagnosis. The patient had three idic(21)(q22), besides the del(5)(q13q32), add(21)(q22), dic(21;22) (q22;q13), and +22. Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies with whole-chromosome painting and centromere-specific probes for chromosome 21 verified the diagnosis of idic(21)(q22). There were no distinct clinicohematological characteristics of AML with isodicentric 21. The patient was treated with remission-induction therapy followed by consolidation therapy. Two years later, the patient showed the disappearance of isodicentric 21 but retained del(5)(q13q32) and gained other chromosomal abnormalities, +add(17)(p11) and -16. To our knowledge, this is the first report of AML with acquired idic(21)(q22).
Impact of add-on laboratory testing at an academic medical center: a five year retrospective study.

PubMed

Nelson, Louis S; Davis, Scott R; Humble, Robert M; Kulhavy, Jeff; Aman, Dean R; Krasowski, Matthew D

2015-01-01

Clinical laboratories frequently receive orders to perform additional tests on existing specimens ('add-ons'). Previous studies have examined add-on ordering patterns over short periods of time. The objective of this study was to analyze add-on ordering patterns over an extended time period. We also analyzed the impact of a robotic specimen archival/retrieval system on add-on testing procedure and manual effort. In this retrospective study at an academic medical center, electronic health records from were searched to obtain all add-on orders that were placed in the time period of May 2, 2009 to December 31, 2014. During the time period of retrospective study, 880,359 add-on tests were ordered on 96,244 different patients. Add-on testing comprised 3.3 % of total test volumes. There were 443,411 unique ordering instances, leading to an average of 1.99 add-on tests per instance. Some patients had multiple episodes of add-on test orders at different points in time, leading to an average of 9.15 add-on tests per patient. The majority of add-on orders were for chemistry tests (78.8 % of total add-ons) with the next most frequent being hematology and coagulation tests (11.2 % of total add-ons). Inpatient orders accounted for 66.8 % of total add-on orders, while the emergency department and outpatient clinics had 14.8 % and 18.4 % of total add-on orders, respectively. The majority of add-ons were placed within 8 hours (87.3 %) and nearly all by 24 hours (96.8 %). Nearly 100 % of add-on orders within the emergency department were placed within 8 hours. The introduction of a robotic specimen archival/retrieval unit saved an average of 2.75 minutes of laboratory staff manual time per unique add-on order. This translates to 24.1 hours/day less manual effort in dealing with add-on orders. Our study reflects the previous literature in showing that add-on orders significantly impact the workload of the clinical laboratory. The majority of add-on orders are clinical chemistry tests, and most add-on orders occur within 24 hours of original specimen collection. Robotic specimen archival/retrieval units can reduce manual effort in the clinical laboratory associated with add-on orders.
The Value of Supplementing Science Education with Outdoor Instruction for Sixth Grade Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Devin Joseph Guilford

Science education is moving away from memorization of facts to inquiry based learning. Adding outdoor instruction can be an effective way to promote this exploratory method of learning. The limited number of empirical studies available have shown significant increase in attitudes and learning with outdoor science instruction. An eight-week quasi-experimental teacher research study was conducted to further this research and assess the value of schoolyard science instruction on student engagement and learning. Participants were 60 students in two sixth grade middle school Earth Science classes. A crossover study design was used with two classes alternating as experimental and control groups. NASA Global Precipitation Measurement mission curriculum was used (NASA/GPM, 2011). While the results did not show a clear increase in student engagement and content knowledge, the study adds to the body of knowledge on outdoor instruction and identifies limitations to consider in future studies.
Cyberinfrastructure: The Second Revolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bement, Arden L.

2007-01-01

The engine of change for the next revolution is cyberinfrastructure, a comprehensive phenomenon that involves the creation, dissemination, preservation, and application of knowledge. It adds new dimensions that greatly increase transformational potential. Cyberinfrastructure combines complex elements to create a dynamic system. It eclipses its…

The Diagnosis of Dementia: Demographic Characteristics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Andrew C.; And Others

1990-01-01

Examined demographic characteristics of 242 clinic outpatients evaluated for dementia. Each individual received comprehensive assessment of medical status, psychological functioning, and social abilities. Results add to knowledge of characteristics of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, or other related disorders.…
Virtual reconstruction of the skeletal labyrinth of two lamnid sharks (Elasmobranchii, Lamniformes).

PubMed

Schnetz, L; Kriwet, J; Pfaff, C

2017-03-01

The first virtual reconstruction of the skeletal labyrinth of the porbeagle shark Lamna nasus and the shortfin mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus is presented here using high-resolution micro-computed tomography. The results, in comparison with previously published information, suggest relationships between skeletal labyrinth morphology and locomotion mode in chondrichthyans, but also show that further studies are required to establish such connections. Nevertheless, this study adds to the knowledge of the skeletal labyrinth morphology in two apex elasmobranch species. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
Childhood leukemia and cancers near German nuclear reactors: significance, context, and ramifications of recent studies.

PubMed

Nussbaum, Rudi H

2009-01-01

A government-sponsored study of childhood cancer in the proximity of German nuclear power plants (German acronym KiKK) found that children < 5 years living < 5 km from plant exhaust stacks had twice the risk for contracting leukemia as those residing > 5 km. The researchers concluded that since "this result was not to be expected under current radiation-epidemiological knowledge" and confounders could not be identified, the observed association of leukemia incidence with residential proximity to nuclear plants "remains unexplained." This unjustified conclusion illustrates the dissonance between evidence and assumptions. There exist serious flaws and gaps in the knowledge on which accepted models for population exposure and radiation risk are based. Studies with results contradictory to those of KiKK lack statistical power to invalidate its findings. The KiKK study's ramifications add to the urgency for a public policy debate regarding the health impact of nuclear power generation.
Counselling Ethnic Minorities: Does It Require Special Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shack, Sybil

1978-01-01

Ethnicity is an important part of Canadian life. There is no magic formula for counseling "ethnic" students. Ethnic differences create some problems, but add spice and color to Canadian classrooms. Knowledge, understanding, sensitivity, acceptance, and mutual trust help to dissipate the problems. (Author)
Performance Objectives

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

students (Olson, 1971; Yelo- 6, Schmidt , 1971; Stedman, i970) adds nothing to our knowledge; thec- studies, too, are Plagued I...in a beha.ioral objective for a mathmatics class wtld be "... using only a calculator ...’ or 0... using only the protractor...’ The second are the...pliers, screwdriver and hammer i.1 0.1 3. To write x & y from memory 1.1 0.1 4. To lever press either x or y within two seconds 1.1 0.1 5. To point
Sodium and nutrition labelling: a qualitative study exploring New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviours.

PubMed

McLean, Rachael; Hoek, Janet

2014-05-01

Dietary sodium reduction is an important public health intervention that would reduce blood pressure and chronic disease. An understanding of how New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviour is influenced by perceptions of dietary sodium will inform future sodium-reduction strategies. The present qualitative study used in-depth interviews of adult consumers to explore consumer knowledge, understanding of food labels and food purchasing behaviour with respect to dietary sodium. New Zealand. A convenience sample of sixteen adult grocery shoppers. A thematic analysis of the transcripts showed New Zealand consumers lacked the background knowledge necessary to understand and regulate their own salt intake and were unable to interpret existing food labels with respect to dietary salt. The findings add further weight to calls for food labels that do not require background knowledge or numerical skills and highlight the need for population-based public health interventions. Education of New Zealand consumers on the health benefits of sodium reduction and how this may be achieved would complement this approach.
Rapid Assessment and Response Studies of Injection Drug Use: Knowledge Gain, Capacity Building, and Intervention Development in a Multisite Study

PubMed Central

Stimson, Gerry V.; Fitch, Chris; Jarlais, Don Des; Poznyak, Vladimir; Perlis, Theresa; Oppenheimer, Edna; Rhodes, Tim

2006-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated the World Health Organization’s rapid assessment and response (RAR) method of assessing injection drug use and its associated health problems, focusing on knowledge gain, capacity building, and whether RAR leads to the development of interventions reducing the health effects of injection drug use. Methods. Data were derived from RAR studies conducted in Beijing, China; Bogotá, Colombia; Greater Rosario, Argentina; Hanoi, Vietnam; Kharkiv, Ukraine; Minsk, Belarus; Nairobi, Kenya; Penang, Malaysia; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Tehran, Iran. Results. Substantial gains in knowledge and response capacity were reported at all of the study sites. Before RAR initiation, prevention and intervention programs had been absent or inadequate at most of the sites. The RARs resulted in many new or modified interventions; 7 sites reported 24 health-related interventions that were subsequently developed and influenced by the RARs. Conclusions. RARs, which require relatively little external funding, appear to be effective in linking assessment to development of appropriate interventions. The present results add to the evidence that rapid assessment is an important public health tool. PMID:16380578
Invisible work of using and monitoring knowledge by parents (end-users) of children with chronic conditions.

PubMed

Lagosky, Stephanie; Bartlett, Doreen; Shaw, Lynn

2016-01-01

Parents who care for young children with chronic conditions are knowledge users. Their efforts, time, and energy to source, consider and monitor information add to the 'invisible' work of parents in making decisions about care, school transitions, and interventions. Little is known or understood about the work of parents as knowledge users. To understand the knowledge use patterns and how these patterns may be monitored in parents caring for their young children with cerebral palsy (CP). An embedded case study methodology was used. In-depth qualitative interviews and visual mapping were employed to collect and analyze data based on the experiences of three mothers of young children with CP. Knowledge use in parents caring for their young children with CP is multi-factorial, complex and temporal. Findings resulted in a provisional model elaborating on the ways knowledge is used by parents and how it may be monitored. The visual mapping of pathways and actions of parents as end users makes the processes of knowledge use more visible and open to be valued as well as appreciated by others. The provisional model has implications for knowledge mobilization as a strategy in childhood rehabilitation and the facilitation of knowledge use in the lives of families with children with chronic health conditions.
Agent-based Training: Facilitating Knowledge and Skill Acquisition in a Modern Space Operations Team

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

face, and being careful to not add to existing problems such as limited display space. This required us to work closely with members of the SBIRS operational community and use research tools such as cognitive task analysis methods.
Classroom as Reality: Demonstrating Campaign Effects through Live Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffey, Daniel J.; Miller, William J.; Feuerstein, Derek

2011-01-01

Scholastic research has demonstrated that when conducted properly, active learning exercises are successful at increasing student awareness, student interest, and knowledge retention. Face-to-face simulations, in particular, have been demonstrated to add positively to classrooms focusing on comparative politics, international relations, public…
The Development of the Cohesive Use of Adversative Conjunctions in Discourse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Erica; Geva, Esther

1983-01-01

Concludes that by grade four children have mastered the basic intrasentential use of both "but" and "although." Adds that not even by grade eight do children display knowledge of the intersentential rule of focus governing adult use of these conjunctions. (FL)
An Annotated and Federated Digital Library of Marine Animal Sounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

of the annotations and the relevant segment delimitation points and linkages to other relevant metadata fields; e) search engines that support the...annotators to add information to the same recording, and search engines that permit either all-annotator or specific-annotator searches. To our knowledge
Exploring the Best HRM Practices-Performance Relationship: An Empirical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theriou, George N.; Chatzoglou, Prodromos D.

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to empirically examine the linkages between best human resource (HRM) practices, knowledge management, organisational learning, organisational capabilities and organisational performance. The proposed framework and findings intend to add to the understanding of the specific processes that mediate between best HRM practices…
A cytogenetic analysis of 2 cases of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of mixed connective tissue type.

PubMed

Graham, Rondell P; Hodge, Jennelle C; Folpe, Andrew L; Oliveira, Andre M; Meyer, Kevin J; Jenkins, Robert B; Sim, Franklin H; Sukov, William R

2012-08-01

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of mixed connective tissue type is a rare, histologically distinctive mesenchymal neoplasm associated with tumor-induced osteomalacia resulting from production of the phosphaturic hormone fibroblast growth factor 23. Because of its rarity, specific genetic alterations that contribute to the pathogenesis of these tumors have yet to be elucidated. Herein, we report the abnormal karyotypes from 2 cases of confirmed phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of mixed connective tissue type. G-banded analysis demonstrated the first tumor to have a karyotype of 46,Y,t(X;3;14)(q13;p25;q21)[15]/46XY[5], and the second tumor to have a karyotype of 46, XY,add(2)(q31),add(4)(q31.1)[2]/92,slx2[3]/46,sl,der(2)t(2;4)(q14.2;p14),der(4)t(2;4)(q14.2;p14),add(4)(q31.1)[10]/46,sdl,add(13)(q34)[4]/92,sdl2x2[1]. These represent what is, to our knowledge, the first examples of abnormal karyotypes obtained from phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of mixed connective tissue type. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Dental Care. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Soap. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Natural Dyes. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
The Root of the Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosser-Clarkson, Dana L.

2015-01-01

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics expect students to build on their knowledge of the number system, expressions and equations, and functions throughout school mathematics. For example, students learn that they can add something to both sides of an equation and that doing so will not affect the equivalency; however, squaring both…
Distillation. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Methane Digestors. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…

A Game-Theoretic Model of Grounding for Referential Communication Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, William

2009-01-01

Conversational grounding theory proposes that language use is a form of rational joint action, by which dialog participants systematically and collaboratively add to their common ground of shared knowledge and beliefs. Following recent work applying "game theory" to pragmatics, this thesis develops a game-theoretic model of grounding that…
Housing. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Ameloblastic fibrosarcoma: Report of a case

PubMed Central

Akinyamoju, Akindayo O; Olusanya, Adeola A; Adeyemi, Bukola F; Kolude, B

2013-01-01

Ameloblastic fibrosarcoma (AFS) is a rare odontogenic malignancy with benign epithelial and malignant ectomesenchymal components. About 66 cases have been reported in the medical literature. We therefore report an additional case as well as a review of literature to add to the existing knowledge on this rare lesion. PMID:24574665
Clay Pots. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Management Development and Training Program for Colleges and Universities. Program Handbook, May 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higher Education Management Inst., Coconut Grove, FL.

A Management Development and Training Program has been developed by the Higher Education Management Institute to improve the overall functioning of higher education organizations. The Institute believes management development and training can: add to individuals' knowledge and skills, increase awareness of management processes and systems;…
Mentoring the Next Generation of Higher Education Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbett, Doris R.

2016-01-01

The loss of significant faculty members comes at a time when public and community expectations for institutions of higher learning have expanded. Public skepticism and the demands for accountability have resulted in greater attention being given to learning outcomes, subject matter, knowledge, proficiency, and capability. This article adds to our…
Salt. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Observations of Spacecraft Targets, Unusual Asteroids, and Targets of Opportunity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tholen, David J.

1998-01-01

Obtain physical and astrometric observations of: (1) spacecraft targets to support mission operations; (2) known asteroids with unusual orbits to help determine their origin; and (3) newly discovered minor planets (including both asteroids and comets) that represent a particular opportunity to add significant new knowledge of the Solar System.
Energy Convertors. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Iron Smelting. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Fermentation. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Methodological Concerns about the Education Value-Added Assessment System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey

2008-01-01

Value-added models help to evaluate the knowledge that school districts, schools, and teachers add to student learning as students progress through school. In this article, the well-known Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) is examined. The author presents a practical investigation of the methodological issues associated with the…
An Investigation of the Mathematics-Vocabulary Knowledge of First-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.; Nelson, Gena

2017-01-01

Competency with mathematics requires use of numerals and symbols as well as an understanding and use of mathematics vocabulary (e.g., "add," "more," "triangle"). Currently, no measures exist in which the primary function is to gauge mathematics-vocabulary understanding. We created a 64-item mathematics-vocabulary…
Women in Leader Roles within Higher Education in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahad, Lamia Rahman; Gunter, Helen

2017-01-01

Women have long been under-represented in organization leader roles within higher education. Research has identified, mapped and examined the data, with recommendations for change. The research reported in this article adds to current knowledge, and raises methodological questions by focusing on senior female leaders in higher education in…
Treatment of traumatised refugees with basic body awareness therapy versus mixed physical activity as add-on treatment: Study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Nordbrandt, Maja Sticker; Carlsson, Jessica; Lindberg, Laura Glahder; Sandahl, Hinuga; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2015-10-22

Treatment of traumatised refugees is one of the fields within psychiatry, which has received little scientific attention. Evidence based treatment and knowledge on the efficiency of the treatment for this complex patient group is therefore scarce. This leads to uncertainty as to which treatment should be offered and potentially lowers the quality of life for the patients. Chronic pain is very common among traumatised refugees and it is believed to maintain the mental symptoms of trauma. Hence, treating chronic pain is believed to be of high clinical value for this patient group. In clinical studies, physical activity has shown a positive effect on psychiatric illnesses such as depression and anxiety and for patients with chronic pain. However, scientific knowledge about physical activity as part of the treatment for traumatised refugees is very limited and no guidelines exist on this topic. This study will include approximately 310 patients, randomised into three groups. All three groups receive psychiatric treatment as usual for the duration of 6-7 months, consisting of consultations with a medical doctor including pharmacological treatment and manual-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The first group only receives treatment as usual while the second and the third groups receive either Basic-Body Awareness Therapy or mixed physical activity as add-on treatments. Each physical activity is provided for an individual 1-hour consultation per week, for the duration of 20 weeks. The study is being conducted at the Competence Centre for Transcultural Psychiatry, Mental Health Centre Ballerup in the Capital Region of Denmark. The primary endpoint of the study is symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; the secondary endpoints are depression and anxiety as well as quality of life, functional capacity, coping with pain, body awareness and physical fitness. This study will examine the effect of physical activity for traumatised refugees. This has not yet been done in a randomised controlled setting on such a large scale before. Hereby the study will contribute to important knowledge that is expected to be used in future clinical guidelines and reference programs. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01955538 . Date of registration: 18 September 2013.
FoodWiki: a Mobile App Examines Side Effects of Food Additives Via Semantic Web.

PubMed

Çelik Ertuğrul, Duygu

2016-02-01

In this article, a research project on mobile safe food consumption system (FoodWiki) is discussed that performs its own inferencing rules in its own knowledge base. Currently, the developed rules examines the side effects that are causing some health risks: heart disease, diabetes, allergy, and asthma as initial. There are thousands compounds added to the processed food by food producers with numerous effects on the food: to add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify, and so forth. Those commonly used ingredients or compounds in manufactured foods may have many side effects that cause several health risks such as heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, allergies, alzheimer etc. according to World Health Organization. Safety in food consumption, especially by patients in these risk groups, has become crucial, given that such health problems are ranked in the top ten health risks around the world. It is needed personal e-health knowledge base systems to help patients take control of their safe food consumption. The systems with advanced semantic knowledge base can provide recommendations of appropriate foods before consumption by individuals. The proposed FoodWiki system is using a concept based search mechanism that performs on thousands food compounds to provide more relevant information.
Distribution and progression of add power among people in need of near correction.

PubMed

Han, Xiaotong; Lee, Pei Ying; Liu, Chi; He, Mingguang

2018-04-16

This study helps to better understand the need and trend in presbyopic add power in the aging society. Distribution and progression of presbyopic add power in East Asian population is largely unknown. Prospective cohort study. About 303 participants from a population-based study of residents aged 35 years and older in Guangzhou, China. Visual acuity (VA) test and non-cycloplegic automated refraction were performed at baseline in 2008 and the 6-year follow-up per standardized protocol. Participants with presenting near VA ≤ 20/40 underwent distance subjective refraction and add power measurement by increasing plus lens at a standard distance of 40 cm at each visit. Add power at baseline and follow-ups. Mean (standard deviation) age of the study participants was 57.6 (11.1) years and 50.2% were female. The mean add power at baseline was 1.43, 1.73, 2.03 and 2.20 diopters (D) for individuals in the age groups of 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65+ years, respectively. Participants with older age and lower educational level had significantly higher add power requirements (P < 0.001). The overall 6-year increase in add power was 0.15D (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.25), and was smaller in myopic subjects (P = 0.03). Baseline age and add power, but not changes in biometric factors, were associated with longitudinal change in add power (P < 0.001). Distribution and progression of add power in Chinese was different from that previously suggested by Caucasian studies. More studies are needed to establish up-to-date age-related add power prescription norms for population of different ethnicities. © 2018 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
Invented spelling in kindergarten as a predictor of reading and spelling in Grade 1: A new pathway to literacy, or just the same road, less known?

PubMed

Ouellette, Gene; Sénéchal, Monique

2017-01-01

In this study we evaluated whether the sophistication of children's invented spellings in kindergarten was predictive of subsequent reading and spelling in Grade 1, while also considering the influence of well-known precursors. Children in their first year of schooling (mean age = 66 months; N = 171) were assessed on measures of oral vocabulary, alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness, word reading and invented spelling; approximately 1 year later they were assessed on multiple measures of reading and spelling. Path modeling was pursued to evaluate a hypothesized unique, causal role of invented spelling in subsequent literacy outcomes. Results supported a model in which invented spelling contributed directly to concurrent reading along with alphabetic knowledge and phonological awareness. Longitudinally, invented spelling influenced subsequent reading, along with alphabetic knowledge while mediating the connection between phonological awareness and early reading. Invented spelling also influenced subsequent conventional spelling along with phonological awareness, while mediating the influence of alphabetic knowledge. Invented spelling thus adds explanatory variance to literacy outcomes not entirely captured by well-studied code and language-related skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Pilot Field Test: Results of Tandem Walk Performance Following Long-Duration Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cerisano, J. M.; Reschke, M. F.; Kofman, I. S.; Fisher, E. A.; Gadd, N. E.; Phillips, T. R.; Lee, S. M. C.; Laurie, S. S.; Stenger, M. B.; Bloomberg, J. J.;

2016-01-01

Coordinated locomotion has proven to be challenging for many astronauts following long duration spaceflight. As NASA's vision for spaceflight points toward interplanetary travel and missions to distant objects, astronauts will not have assistance once they land. Thus, it is vital to develop a knowledge base from which operational guidelines can be written that define when astronauts can be expected to safely perform certain tasks. Data obtained during the Field Test experiment will add important insight to this knowledge base. Specifically, we aim to develop a recovery timeline of functional sensorimotor performance during the first 24 hours and several days after landing. A forerunner of the full Field Test study, the Pilot Field Test (PFT) comprised a subset of the tasks and measurements to be included in the ultimate set.

Application of artificial intelligence in Geodesy - A review of theoretical foundations and practical examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiterer, Alexander; Egly, Uwe; Vicovac, Tanja; Mai, Enrico; Moafipoor, Shahram; Grejner-Brzezinska, Dorota A.; Toth, Charles K.

2010-12-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the key technologies in many of today's novel applications. It is used to add knowledge and reasoning to systems. This paper illustrates a review of AI methods including examples of their practical application in Geodesy like data analysis, deformation analysis, navigation, network adjustment, and optimization of complex measurement procedures. We focus on three examples, namely, a geo-risk assessment system supported by a knowledge-base, an intelligent dead reckoning personal navigator, and evolutionary strategies for the determination of Earth gravity field parameters. Some of the authors are members of IAG Sub-Commission 4.2 - Working Group 4.2.3, which has the main goal to study and report on the application of AI in Engineering Geodesy.

Characterization of a rare Unverricht-Lundborg disease mutation.

PubMed

Duarte, Ana Joana; Ribeiro, Diogo; Chaves, João; Amaral, Olga

2015-09-01

Cystatin B (CSTB) gene mutations cause Unverricht-Lundborg disease (ULD), a rare form of myoclonic epilepsy. The previous identification of a Portuguese patient, homozygous for a unique splicing defect (c.66G > A; p.Q22Q), provided awareness regarding the existence of variant forms of ULD. In this work we aimed at the characterization of this mutation at the population level and at the cellular level. The cellular fractionation studies here carried out showed mislocalization of the protein and add to the knowledge on this disease.
I know what you did: The effects of interpersonal deviance on bystanders.

PubMed

Ferguson, Merideth; Barry, Bruce

2011-01-01

Using social information processing theory, we explore how interpersonally directed deviance affects work group members who observe or are aware of these insidious behaviors. In a field study, we find that indirect knowledge of work group member interpersonal deviance leads to subsequent interpersonal deviance of a focal individual. We also find that when work group cohesion is high, direct observation of deviance is more likely to result in subsequent bystander deviance. These findings add concretely to theory and research on the bystander effects of workplace deviance.
Channel add-drop filter based on dual photonic crystal cavities in push-pull mode.

PubMed

Poulton, Christopher V; Zeng, Xiaoge; Wade, Mark T; Popović, Miloš A

2015-09-15

We demonstrate an add-drop filter based on a dual photonic crystal nanobeam cavity system that emulates the operation of a traveling wave resonator, and, thus, provides separation of the through and drop port transmission from the input port. The device is on a 3×3 mm chip fabricated in an advanced microelectronics silicon-on-insulator complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (SOI CMOS) process (IBM 45 nm SOI) without any foundry process modifications. The filter shows 1 dB of insertion loss in the drop port with a 3 dB bandwidth of 64 GHz, and 16 dB extinction in the through port. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first implementation of a port-separating, add-drop filter based on standing wave cavities coupled to conventional waveguides, and demonstrates a performance that suggests potential for photonic crystal devices within optical immersion lithography-based advanced CMOS electronics-photonics integration.
Clinician adoption patterns and patient outcome results in use of evidence-based nursing plans of care.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Youn; Lang, Norma M; Berg, Karen; Weaver, Charlotte; Murphy, Judy; Ela, Sue

2007-10-11

Delivery of safe, effective and appropriate health care is an imperative facing health care organizations globally. While many initiatives have been launched in a number of countries to address this need from a medical perspective, a similar focus for generating evidence-based nursing knowledge has been missing. This paper reports on a collaborative evidence-based practice (EBP) research initiative that adds nursing knowledge into computerized care protocols. Here, a brief overview of the study's aims, purpose and methodology is presented as well as results of data analysis and lessons learned. The research team examined nurses' adoption patterns of EBP recommendations with respect to activity tolerance using four-month patient data collected from a pilot hospital. Study findings indicate a need for more focus on the system design and implementation process with the next rollout phase to promote evidence-based nursing practice.
Blood parasites in North American waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herman, C.M.

1968-01-01

One thing seems to stand out in the overall knowledge we have of the blood parasites of waterfowl, as previously noted by Herman and Wehr, (1954): the greatest potential of losses is in the younger age groups, usually those birds 5-10 weeks old. In Leucocytozoon infections, death occurs as early as the first or second week of the bird's life. As a conclusion to this presentation, I wish to emphasize that there are many gaps in our knowledge of these parasites and that the answers are to be obtained by further studies in the young birds. Data obtained from studies of birds shot by hunters or from specimens taken during fall or winter banding operations can be expected to be far less rewarding and significanf than studies of goslings and ducklings. We need much more knowledge of these parasites and their vectors and other relationships before we can develop management procedures to combat or contain them. It will require many more studies in depth to achieve this goal, but the facts are there waiting to be uncovered. These parasites will have to be regulated along with breeding habitat, hunter take, and other factors that all add up to maintenance and management of waterfowl.
Medical teachers conceptualize a distinctive form of clinical knowledge.

PubMed

Barrett, J; Yates, L; McColl, G

2015-05-01

For over four decades, there have been efforts to specify the types of knowledge that medical students need, how that knowledge is acquired and how its constituent parts are related. It is one of the areas of continuing concern underlying medical education reform. Despite their importance to medical students' learning and development, the perspectives of medical teachers in hospitals are not always considered in such discourse. This study sought to generate an understanding of these teachers' values, perspectives and approaches by listening to them and seeing them in their everyday teaching work, finding and understanding the meanings they bring to the work of medical teaching in hospitals. In interviews, all of the teachers talked more about the optimal forms of knowledge that are important for students than they talked about the form of the teaching itself. Many revealed to students what knowledge they do and do not value. They had a particular way of thinking about clinical knowledge as existing in the people and the places in which the teaching and the clinical practice happen, and represented this as 'real' knowledge. By implication, there is other knowledge in medical education or in students' heads that is not real and needs to be transformed. Their values, practices and passions add texture and vitality to existing ways of thinking about the characteristics of clinical knowledge, how it is depicted in the discourse and the curriculum and how it is more dynamically related to other knowledge than is suggested in traditional conceptualizations of knowledge relationships.
Educational Intervention among Barbers to Improve Their Knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS: A Pilot Study from a South Asian Country.

PubMed

Kumar Krishanani, Mukesh; Ali, Faridah Amir; Khuwaja Late, Ali Khan; Qidwai, Waris; Ali, Badar Sabir

2014-09-01

One of the Millennium Development Goals is to combat HIV, the burden of which continues to increase in developing countries, like Pakistan. The prevalence is high among the high-risk population, and the use of unsterilized surgical instruments, traditional straight razors, and blades adds to the spread of this disease. This study assesses the effect of an educational intervention on the knowledge of 70 barbers practising in a suburban community in Pakistan regarding HIV and its symptoms and transmission. At baseline, only 10% of the barbers reported that they had ever heard about HIV compared to 49% after the intervention. Similarly, 4% and 6% of them had good knowledge at baseline about symptoms and transmission of the disease, increasing to 39% and 43% respectively, after the intervention (p<0.001). The results of this educational intervention warrant consideration of activation of mass campaigns to increase public awareness about bloodborne diseases and to educate personnel who might harm the persons in their communities by unsafe practices.
The Indian Heritage of America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Josephy, Alvin M., Jr.

In this book nominated for the National Book Award, the author presents the past, present, and future of the Indians of North, Central, and South America with current archaeological findings which add to the knowledge about Indians. As noted, the volume contains information from the works of a large number of people who, since the time of…
How Knowledge Management Adds Critical Value to e-Learning Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alrawi, Khalid; Alrawi, Ahmed; Alrawi, Waleed

2012-01-01

Media is the combination of text, images, animations, digital library, which is now a standard part of most computer applications. Education media can be a great tool to improve teaching and learning. A growing number of educational institutions (EI) are developing a new learning culture, as they realize that getting an institution's learning…
Inequity outside the Classroom: Growing Class Differences in Participation in Extracurricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snellman, Kaisa; Silva, Jennifer M.; Putnam, Robert D.

2015-01-01

In this article, the authors report on research that shows that extracurricular activities help cultivate the skills, connections, and knowledge that prepare children for lifelong success. They add, however, that low-income students are increasingly being excluded from participating. Struggling with budget cuts and deficits, many school districts…
Mental Health, United States, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manderscheid, Ronald W., Ed.; Henderson, Marilyn J., Ed.

In recent years, the mental health community has made great strides in understanding more about the delivery of mental health services, improving efficiency and quality in services, and also about how to build strengths and resilience in the face of lifes stresses. This volume adds to the knowledge base so that the important task of system change…
78 FR 46585 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-01

... will add to this knowledge. \\1\\ The Commission has conducted three surveys designed to estimate the prevalence of consumer fraud among U.S. adults. The most recent survey was conducted between November 2011... the problem of fraud, the surveys included questions designed to help address questions of whether...
Teacher and Student Reflections on ICT-Rich Science Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, P. John; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin

2017-01-01

Background: Inquiry learning in science provides authentic and relevant contexts in which students can create knowledge to solve problems, make decisions and find solutions to issues in today's world. The use of electronic networks can facilitate this interaction, dialogue and sharing, and adds a new dimension to classroom pedagogy. Purpose: This…
Recipe for Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Jacquelyn W.; Shaul, Nancy Pera

The program described in this paper was based upon the premise that the activity of cooking in the classroom is an excellent way of integrating all areas of learning and a very useful reading vehicle. Through cooking activities and related field trips, children can add to both their knowledge in basic subject areas and their motor skills as well…
Using Animation and Interactivity To Enrich Reading and Writing Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gladhart, Marsha A.

In the hands of inspired teachers, computers can provide opportunities for creativity and interaction that add new excitement to learning. PowerPoint and HyperStudio are just two examples of computer software that are frequently used by students to share knowledge and develop communication skills using multimedia. Publishing their work with the…
Plants and Medicines. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Third World Science: Development Education through Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Iolo Wyn

Third World Science (TWS) materials were developed to add a multicultural element to the existing science curriculum of 11-16-year-old students. TWS attempts to develop an appreciation of the: (1) boundless fascination of the natural world; (2) knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by ordinary men and women everywhere; (3) application of…
-Graphy: The Remains of a British Discipline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Graham P.

2007-01-01

Within Britain, geography as a discipline has been criticized recently for failing either to add to or teach knowledge about the world at large. Instead it has concentrated first at university and then in schools on spatial social science, with examples drawn overwhelmingly from the white Western world. The recent history of geography is reviewed…
Toward a Global eHealth Observatory for Nursing.

PubMed

Bartz, Claudia C; Hardiker, Nicholas R; Coenen, Amy

2015-01-01

This poster summarizes a review of existing health observatories and proposes a new entity for nursing. A nursing eHealth observatory would be an authoritative and respected source of eHealth information that would support nursing decision-making and policy development and add to the body of knowledge about professional nursing and client care outcomes.
Effect of Changing Treatment Disinfectants on the Microbiology of Distributed Water and Pipe Biofilm Communities using Conventional and Metagenomic Approaches

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this research was to add to our knowledge of chlorine and monochloramine disinfectants, with regards to effects on the microbial communities in distribution systems. A whole metagenome-based approach using sophisticated molecular tools (e.g., next generation sequen...

Carrying Loads on Heads. Third World Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Natalie; Hughes, Wyn

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…
Austria; Its People and Its Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Merriam

This curriculum guide details a 10-week German language course on Austria for advanced high school students. It is intended to help students develop skills of listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing German; to add to their knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary; to acquaint them with Austrian history and culture, and to have…
Impaired personal trait knowledge, but spared other-person trait knowledge, in an individual with bilateral damage to the medial prefrontal cortex

PubMed Central

Marquine, María J.; Grilli, Matthew D.; Rapcsak, Steven Z.; Kaszniak, Alfred W.; Ryan, Lee; Walther, Katrin; Glisky, Elizabeth L.

2016-01-01

Functional neuroimaging has revealed that in healthy adults retrieval of personal trait knowledge is associated with increased activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Separately, neuropsychology has shown that the self-referential nature of memory can be disrupted in individuals with mPFC lesions. However, it remains unclear whether damage to the mPFC impairs retrieval of personal trait knowledge. Therefore, in this neuropsychological case study we investigated the integrity of personal trait knowledge in J.S., an individual who sustained bilateral damage to the mPFC as a result of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm. We measured both accuracy and consistency of J.S.’s personal trait knowledge as well as his trait knowledge of another, frequently seen person, and compared his performance to a group of healthy adults. Findings revealed that J.S. had severely impaired accuracy and consistency of his personal trait knowledge relative to control participants. In contrast, J.S.’s accuracy and consistency of other-person trait knowledge was intact in comparison to control participants. Moreover, J.S. showed a normal positivity bias in his trait ratings. These results, albeit based on a single case, implicate the mPFC as critical for retrieval of personal trait knowledge. Findings also cast doubt on the likelihood that the mPFC, in particular the ventral mPFC, is necessary for storage and retrieval of trait knowledge of other people. Therefore, this case study adds to a growing body of evidence that mPFC damage can disrupt the link between self and memory. PMID:27342256
Recent progress in automatically extracting information from the pharmacogenomic literature

PubMed Central

Garten, Yael; Coulet, Adrien; Altman, Russ B

2011-01-01

The biomedical literature holds our understanding of pharmacogenomics, but it is dispersed across many journals. In order to integrate our knowledge, connect important facts across publications and generate new hypotheses we must organize and encode the contents of the literature. By creating databases of structured pharmocogenomic knowledge, we can make the value of the literature much greater than the sum of the individual reports. We can, for example, generate candidate gene lists or interpret surprising hits in genome-wide association studies. Text mining automatically adds structure to the unstructured knowledge embedded in millions of publications, and recent years have seen a surge in work on biomedical text mining, some specific to pharmacogenomics literature. These methods enable extraction of specific types of information and can also provide answers to general, systemic queries. In this article, we describe the main tasks of text mining in the context of pharmacogenomics, summarize recent applications and anticipate the next phase of text mining applications. PMID:21047206
Multi-fractal characterization of bacterial swimming dynamics: a case study on real and simulated Serratia marcescens

PubMed Central

Bogdan, Paul; Wei, Guopeng; Marculescu, Radu; Zhuang, Jiang; Carlsen, Rika Wright; Sitti, Metin

2017-01-01

To add to the current state of knowledge about bacterial swimming dynamics, in this paper, we study the fractal swimming dynamics of populations of Serratia marcescens bacteria both in vitro and in silico, while accounting for realistic conditions like volume exclusion, chemical interactions, obstacles and distribution of chemoattractant in the environment. While previous research has shown that bacterial motion is non-ergodic, we demonstrate that, besides the non-ergodicity, the bacterial swimming dynamics is multi-fractal in nature. Finally, we demonstrate that the multi-fractal characteristic of bacterial dynamics is strongly affected by bacterial density and chemoattractant concentration. PMID:28804259
Effects on Task Performance and Psychophysiological Measures of Performance During Normobaric Hypoxia Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Chad; Kennedy, Kellie; Napoli, Nicholas; Demas, Matthew; Barnes, Laura; Crook, Brenda; Williams, Ralph; Last, Mary Carolyn; Schutte, Paul

2017-01-01

Human-autonomous systems have the potential to mitigate pilot cognitive impairment and improve aviation safety. A research team at NASA Langley conducted an experiment to study the impact of mild normobaric hypoxia induction on aircraft pilot performance and psychophysiological state. A within-subjects design involved non-hypoxic and hypoxic exposures while performing three 10-minute tasks. Results indicated the effect of 15,000 feet simulated altitude did not induce significant performance decrement but did produce increase in perceived workload. Analyses of psychophysiological responses evince the potential of biomarkers for hypoxia onset. This study represents on-going work at NASA intending to add to the current knowledge of psychophysiologically-based input to automation to increase aviation safety. Analyses involving coupling across physiological systems and wavelet transforms of cortical activity revealed patterns that can discern between the simulated altitude conditions. Specifically, multivariate entropy of ECG/Respiration components were found to be significant predictors (p< 0.02) of hypoxia. Furthermore, in EEG, there was a significant decrease in mid-level beta (15.19-18.37Hz) during the hypoxic condition in thirteen of sixteen sites across the scalp. Task performance was not appreciably impacted by the effect of 15,000 feet simulated altitude. Analyses of psychophysiological responses evince the potential of biomarkers for mild hypoxia onset.The potential for identifying shifts in underlying cortical and physiological systems could serve as a means to identify the onset of deteriorated cognitive state. Enabling such assessment in future flightdecks could permit increasingly autonomous systems-supported operations. Augmenting human operator through assessment of cognitive impairment has the potential to further improve operator performance and mitigate human error in safety critical contexts. This study represents ongoing work at NASA intending to add to the current knowledge of psychophysiologically-based input to automation to increase aviation safety.
Effects Of Exercise During Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, John E.; Bernauer, Edmund M.

1993-01-01

Pair of reports adds to growing body of knowledge of physical deconditioning caused by prolonged bed rest and effectiveness of various exercise regimens in preserving or restoring fitness. Major objective to determine what regimens to prescribe to astronauts before flight, during prolonged weightlessness, and immediately before returning to Earth. Knowledge also benefits patients confined by illness or injury. First report discusses experiment on effects of two types of periodic, intense, short-duration exercise during bed rest. Experiment also discussed in documents "Effects Of Exercise During Prolonged Bed Rest" (ARC-12190), and "Isotonic And Isokinetic Exercise During Bed Rest" (ARC-12180). Second report reviews knowledge acquired with view toward development of protocols for exercise regimens.
[Nursing care during sporting competitions, an on-site first aid kit].

PubMed

Fernández García, Julián

2008-12-01

In the world of sports, just as in daily life, many situations can bring with them some kind of risk to our physical integrity If we add on the additional factor competition against an adversary and against oneself bears, this risk multiplies and numerous emergency situations arise; these risks may be sporting in nature or even vital to survival. There are various professional figures inside and outside sports capable to deal with an emergency, but the nursing professional is best positioned to provide all the care an athlete needs. Furthermore, when one adds on the specific knowledge belonging to sports and the required materials, a nurse who specializes in sports medicine becomes the most complete medical professional to care for an athlete.
Expert nurses' clinical reasoning under uncertainty: representation, structure, and process.

PubMed Central

Fonteyn, M. E.; Grobe, S. J.

1992-01-01

How do expert nurses reason when planning care and making clinical decisions for a patient who is at risk, and whose outcome is uncertain? In this study, a case study involving a critically ill elderly woman whose condition deteriorated over time, was presented in segments to ten expert critical care nurses. Think aloud method was used to elicit knowledge from these experts to provide conceptual information about their knowledge and to reveal their reasoning processes and problem-solving strategies. The verbatim transcripts were then analyzed using a systematic three-step method that makes analysis easier and adds creditability to study findings by providing a means of retracing and explaining analysis results. Findings revealed information about how patient problems were represented during reasoning, the manner in which experts subjects structured their plan of care, and the reasoning processes and heuristics they used to formulate solutions for resolving the patient's problems and preventing deterioration in the patient's condition. PMID:1482907
Do short courses in evidence based medicine improve knowledge and skills? Validation of Berlin questionnaire and before and after study of courses in evidence based medicine

PubMed Central

Fritsche, L; Greenhalgh, T; Falck-Ytter, Y; Neumayer, H-H; Kunz, R

2002-01-01

Objective To develop and validate an instrument for measuring knowledge and skills in evidence based medicine and to investigate whether short courses in evidence based medicine lead to a meaningful increase in knowledge and skills. Design Development and validation of an assessment instrument and before and after study. Setting Various postgraduate short courses in evidence based medicine in Germany. Participants The instrument was validated with experts in evidence based medicine, postgraduate doctors, and medical students. The effect of courses was assessed by postgraduate doctors from medical and surgical backgrounds. Intervention Intensive 3 day courses in evidence based medicine delivered through tutor facilitated small groups. Main outcome measure Increase in knowledge and skills. Results The questionnaire distinguished reliably between groups with different expertise in evidence based medicine. Experts attained a threefold higher average score than students. Postgraduates who had not attended a course performed better than students but significantly worse than experts. Knowledge and skills in evidence based medicine increased after the course by 57% (mean score before course 6.3 (SD 2.9) v 9.9 (SD 2.8), P<0.001). No difference was found among experts or students in absence of an intervention. Conclusions The instrument reliably assessed knowledge and skills in evidence based medicine. An intensive 3 day course in evidence based medicine led to a significant increase in knowledge and skills. What is already known on this topicNumerous observational studies have investigated the impact of teaching evidence based medicine to healthcare professionals, with conflicting resultsMost of the studies were of poor methodological qualityWhat this study addsAn instrument assessing basic knowledge and skills required for practising evidence based medicine was developed and validatedAn intensive 3 day course on evidence based medicine for doctors from various backgrounds and training level led to a clinically meaningful improvement of knowledge and skills PMID:12468485
U.S. adults' pornography viewing and support for abortion: a three-wave panel study.

PubMed

Tokunaga, Robert S; Wright, Paul J; McKinley, Christopher J

2015-01-01

Pornography consumption may affect judgments on a wide range of sexual and reproductive topics. The present study hypothesized that the consistent images projected in pornography affect sexual scripts related to abortion judgments. National, three-wave longitudinal data gathered from U.S. adults were employed to examine associations between earlier pornography consumption and subsequent support for abortion. The findings suggested that prior pornography consumption may lead to later support for abortion. This study provides additional evidence of pornography's socializing impact, particularly for the older White segment of the population, and adds to knowledge about what environmental factors influence judgments about abortion. Mechanisms that may explain how pornography viewing shapes support for abortion are discussed.
Some Hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Great Australian Bight in the collection of the South Australian Museum.

PubMed

Watson, Jeanette E

2018-04-16

This report adds to knowledge of the shelf hydroid fauna of the Great Australian Bight. Hydroids were collected by the South Australian Museum and Department of Primary Industries of South Australia (PIRSA). Well known species are annotated, poorly known species are redescribed and four new species are described.
Supporting High Quality Teacher-Child Interactions in Pre-K Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Patrick

2010-01-01

The purpose of this three-paper manuscript dissertation is to add value to the limited knowledge base of research surrounding the quality of teacher-child interactions in pre-k mathematics contexts. The first paper, based on an extensive review of literature, presents a theoretical basis for using five-frames to support children's development of…
The Use of Social Networks to Employ the Wisdom of Crowds for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klieger, Aviva

2016-01-01

The "Wisdom of Crowds" hypothesis has been introduced into many fields, but not into education. Groups with diverse knowledge and skills make better decisions than homogenous groups or expert groups. Diversity adds different points of view, which improve the problem solving ability of the group. The increased use of social networks makes…
Automatic Domain Adaptation of Word Sense Disambiguation Based on Sublanguage Semantic Schemata Applied to Clinical Narrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Olga

2012-01-01

Domain adaptation of natural language processing systems is challenging because it requires human expertise. While manual effort is effective in creating a high quality knowledge base, it is expensive and time consuming. Clinical text adds another layer of complexity to the task due to privacy and confidentiality restrictions that hinder the…
Want to Add Pizazz to Your Weight Training Class? Try Sport Education!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Tony; Hansen, Andrew; McCollum, Starla

2014-01-01

Weight training classes are offered in many secondary level physical education classes. The type of instruction used during weight training is crucial, ensuring students understand the content knowledge and the enjoyment weight training has to offer as a lifetime activity. By using the sport education model (SEM) in weight training classes,…
Teaching Performance Improvement: An Opportunity for Continuing Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staker, Larry V.

2003-01-01

Practicing physicians generally are not engaged in either the methods of performance improvement for health care or the measurement and reporting of clinical outcomes. The principal reasons are lack of compensation for such work, the perception that the work of performance improvement adds no value and is a waste of time, the lack of knowledge and…
Social Adaptation of Refugees. A Guide for Service Providers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC. Language and Orientation Resource Center.

This guide is intended for persons who are concerned with the social adjustment of refugees in the United States. Its objectives are threefold: (1) to help the service providers better understand the refugee as an individual; (2) to add to the knowledge of how to provide culturally-appropriate services and support for the needs of newly arrived…
Keeping Pace with K-12 Online & Blended Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice, 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Murin, Amy; Vashaw, Lauren; Gemin, Butch; Rapp, Chris

2013-01-01

This is the 10th annual "Keeping Pace" report. "Keeping Pace" has several goals: (1) add to the body of knowledge about online education policy and practice, and make recommendations for advances; (2) serve as a reference source for information about programs and policies across the country, both for policymakers and…
Investigating Relationships between and within Entry Pathways on a Sport Related Programme and the Degree Outcome Obtained

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huntley, Tabo; Whitehead, Amy; Cullinane, Danny; Nixon, Sarah; Huntley, Emma

2017-01-01

Research within Higher Education in the United Kingdom has reported conflicting findings when investigating the relationship between undergraduate entry routes and gender, with successful performances across the degree cycle. This paper adds to this body of knowledge and examines the relationship between entry routes and gender on student outcomes…

Perils of Current Testing Mandates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petress, Ken

2006-01-01

Mandated testing is not working as advertised. Too much classroom time and energy is being spent on tests that do little to measure or instill in our students the skills and knowledge needed for their later life. Corruption and political manipulation of the testing process and test results further add to questions about the use of such testing.…
College students' perceptions and knowledge of hookah use.

PubMed

Creamer, MeLisa R; Loukas, Alexandra; Li, Xiaoyin; Pasch, Keryn E; Case, Kathleen; Crook, Brittani; Perry, Cheryl L

2016-11-01

Hookah is an increasingly popular tobacco product among college students. The purpose of this study was to determine if college students are aware of tobacco and nicotine content in hookah, and examine associations between college students' knowledge and perceptions of hookah and their past 30-day hookah use. Participants were 5451 young adults attending one of 24 2- and 4-year colleges. Analyses examined if hookah knowledge was uniquely associated with current hookah use, over and above perceptions of harm and addictiveness, number of other tobacco products currently used, and socio-demographic factors. Analyses were first conducted for the entire sample and then only for current hookah users. 26.9% of all students believed hookah did not contain tobacco and 38% believed that hookah did not contain nicotine. Students who believed that hookah contained tobacco were at increased odds of hookah use, and those with increased perceptions of harm were at decreased odds of hookah use. However, hookah knowledge was not associated with hookah users' intensity of use. Moreover, although increased perceptions of harm were associated with lower intensity of use among current users, increased perceptions of addictiveness were associated with higher intensity of use. This study shows gaps in knowledge of hookah contents, and adds to the body of literature, which provides evidence for mandating warning labels as well as tobacco interventions for college students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Differences in Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior towards HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections between Sexually Active Foreign and Chinese Medical Students.

PubMed

Kuete, Martin; Huang, Qiao; Rashid, Abid; Ma, Xiu Lan; Yuan, HongFang; Escalera Antezana, Juan Pablo; Yeltay, Rakhmanov; Rao, Meng; He, Qian; Xiong, ChengLiang; Zhang, HuiPing

2016-01-01

Although the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) decreased in the last decade worldwide, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases including syphilis, hepatitis, and tuberculosis had dramatically increased in developing countries. Education and behavior are incredibly important factors to prevent these diseases' spread. This study highlights the range of differences in knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 434 sexually active medical students towards HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because the surveyed population constitutes the forefront of healthcare providers and was originated from different area of the world, this is the first time a study sought to investigate the behavioral attitude of this group of population irrespective of the three levels of their academic and professional knowledge. Several factors including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS, and STIs related patterns play a key role in medical student attitude and behavior towards people infected with HIV/AIDS and STIs. Our findings add consistent value in prior studies which aimed to stop new infections and also imply further investigations on the management of the studied infections by medical students. The present study arouses much interest among participants and provides evidence of reinforcing medical students' education on HIV/AIDS and STIs.
Differences in Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior towards HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections between Sexually Active Foreign and Chinese Medical Students

PubMed Central

Kuete, Martin; Huang, Qiao; Rashid, Abid; Ma, Xiu Lan; Yuan, HongFang; Escalera Antezana, Juan Pablo; Yeltay, Rakhmanov; Rao, Meng; He, Qian; Xiong, ChengLiang; Zhang, HuiPing

2016-01-01

Although the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) decreased in the last decade worldwide, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases including syphilis, hepatitis, and tuberculosis had dramatically increased in developing countries. Education and behavior are incredibly important factors to prevent these diseases' spread. This study highlights the range of differences in knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 434 sexually active medical students towards HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because the surveyed population constitutes the forefront of healthcare providers and was originated from different area of the world, this is the first time a study sought to investigate the behavioral attitude of this group of population irrespective of the three levels of their academic and professional knowledge. Several factors including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS, and STIs related patterns play a key role in medical student attitude and behavior towards people infected with HIV/AIDS and STIs. Our findings add consistent value in prior studies which aimed to stop new infections and also imply further investigations on the management of the studied infections by medical students. The present study arouses much interest among participants and provides evidence of reinforcing medical students' education on HIV/AIDS and STIs. PMID:27195287
Neutralising fair credit: factors that influence unethical authorship practices.

PubMed

Trinkle, Brad S; Phillips, Trisha; Hall, Alicia; Moffatt, Barton

2017-06-01

This study experimentally tests whether the techniques of neutralisation as identified in the criminal justice literature influence graduate student willingness to engage in questionable research practices (QRPs). Our results indicate that US-born graduate students are more willing to add an undeserved coauthor if the person who requests it is a faculty member in the student's department as opposed to a fellow student. Students are most likely to add an undeserving author if a faculty member is also their advisor. In addition, four techniques of neutralisation, 'diffusion of responsibility', 'defence of necessity', 'advantageous comparison' and 'euphemistic labelling', are associated with student willingness to act unethically. Participants who had received responsible conduct of research training were no less likely to commit the violation than those who had not. Knowledge of these influencing factors for QRPs will provide for opportunities to improve research ethics education strategies and materials. 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/.
Knowledge modeling tool for evidence-based design.

PubMed

Durmisevic, Sanja; Ciftcioglu, Ozer

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to take evidence-based design (EBD) to the next level by activating available knowledge, integrating new knowledge, and combining them for more efficient use by the planning and design community. This article outlines a framework for a performance-based measurement tool that can provide the necessary decision support during the design or evaluation of a healthcare environment by estimating the overall design performance of multiple variables. New knowledge in EBD adds continuously to complexity (the "information explosion"), and it becomes impossible to consider all aspects (design features) at the same time, much less their impact on final building performance. How can existing knowledge and the information explosion in healthcare-specifically the domain of EBD-be rendered manageable? Is it feasible to create a computational model that considers many design features and deals with them in an integrated way, rather than one at a time? The found evidence is structured and readied for computation through a "fuzzification" process. The weights are calculated using an analytical hierarchy process. Actual knowledge modeling is accomplished through a fuzzy neural tree structure. The impact of all inputs on the outcome-in this case, patient recovery-is calculated using sensitivity analysis. Finally, the added value of the model is discussed using a hypothetical case study of a patient room. The proposed model can deal with the complexities of various aspects and the relationships among variables in a coordinated way, allowing existing and new pieces of evidence to be integrated in a knowledge tree structure that facilitates understanding of the effects of various design interventions on overall design performance.
Appraising the value of independent EIA follow-up verifiers

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

Wessels, Jan-Albert, E-mail: janalbert.wessels@nwu.ac.za; Retief, Francois, E-mail: francois.retief@nwu.ac.za; Morrison-Saunders, Angus, E-mail: A.Morrison-Saunders@murdoch.edu.au

Independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) follow-up verifiers such as monitoring agencies, checkers, supervisors and control officers are active on various construction sites across the world. There are, however, differing views on the value that these verifiers add and very limited learning in EIA has been drawn from independent verifiers. This paper aims to appraise how and to what extent independent EIA follow-up verifiers add value in major construction projects in the developing country context of South Africa. A framework for appraising the role of independent verifiers was established and four South African case studies were examined through a mixture ofmore » site visits, project document analysis, and interviews. Appraisal results were documented in the performance areas of: planning, doing, checking, acting, public participating and integration with other programs. The results indicate that independent verifiers add most value to major construction projects when involved with screening EIA requirements of new projects, allocation of financial and human resources, checking legal compliance, influencing implementation, reporting conformance results, community and stakeholder engagement, integration with self-responsibility programs such as environmental management systems (EMS), and controlling records. It was apparent that verifiers could be more creatively utilized in pre-construction preparation, providing feedback of knowledge into assessment of new projects, giving input to the planning and design phase of projects, and performance evaluation. The study confirms the benefits of proponent and regulator follow-up, specifically in having independent verifiers that disclose information, facilitate discussion among stakeholders, are adaptable and proactive, aid in the integration of EIA with other programs, and instill trust in EIA enforcement by conformance evaluation. Overall, the study provides insight on how to harness the learning opportunities arising from EIA follow-up through the appointment of independent verifiers. - Highlights: • A framework for appraising the role of independent verifiers is established. • The value added to EIA follow-up by independent verifiers in South Africa is documented. • Verifiers add most value when involved with screening, checking compliance, influencing decisions and community engagement. • Verifiers could be more creatively utilized in pre-construction preparation, giving feedback, and performance evaluation.« less
Adaptive Capacity in Community Forest Management: A Systematic Review of Studies in East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eunju; Krasny, Marianne E.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the indicators of adaptive capacity along with disturbances in community forest management systems in the East Asian countries, China, Japan and South Korea. Although these countries have centuries-old traditions of community-based forest management, they have been less researched in light of adaptive capacity for resilient social-ecological systems. Recent social and ecological disturbances bring about new challenges and/or opportunities to the capacity of forest related communities to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Through a systematic review of the community forestry and related adaptive capacity literature in three East Asian countries, this study addressed the role of diverse knowledge systems, such as traditional and Western scientific knowledge, and civic traditions of self-organization in local communities that characterized adaptive capacity of this region. This study extends our understanding of community-based conservation efforts and traditions of this region, and adds to the understandings gleaned from studies of community forestry in the West and sacred forests in other parts of Asia and Africa. Further research on ways to increase adaptive capacity is needed in a site-specific context.
Understanding paradigms used for nursing research.

PubMed

Weaver, Kathryn; Olson, Joanne K

2006-02-01

The aims of this paper are to add clarity to the discussion about paradigms for nursing research and to consider integrative strategies for the development of nursing knowledge. Paradigms are sets of beliefs and practices, shared by communities of researchers, which regulate inquiry within disciplines. The various paradigms are characterized by ontological, epistemological and methodological differences in their approaches to conceptualizing and conducting research, and in their contribution towards disciplinary knowledge construction. Researchers may consider these differences so vast that one paradigm is incommensurable with another. Alternatively, researchers may ignore these differences and either unknowingly combine paradigms inappropriately or neglect to conduct needed research. To accomplish the task of developing nursing knowledge for use in practice, there is a need for a critical, integrated understanding of the paradigms used for nursing inquiry. We describe the evolution and influence of positivist, postpositivist, interpretive and critical theory research paradigms. Using integrative review, we compare and contrast the paradigms in terms of their philosophical underpinnings and scientific contribution. A pragmatic approach to theory development through synthesis of cumulative knowledge relevant to nursing practice is suggested. This requires that inquiry start with assessment of existing knowledge from disparate studies to identify key substantive content and gaps. Knowledge development in under-researched areas could be accomplished through integrative strategies that preserve theoretical integrity and strengthen research approaches associated with various philosophical perspectives. These strategies may include parallel studies within the same substantive domain using different paradigms; theoretical triangulation to combine findings from paradigmatically diverse studies; integrative reviews; and mixed method studies. Nurse scholars are urged to consider the benefits and limitations of inquiry within each paradigm, and the theoretical needs of the discipline.
Considerations for a design and operations knowledge support system for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, Jon D.; Crouse, Kenneth H.; Wechsler, Donald B.; Flaherty, Douglas R.

1989-01-01

Engineering and operations of modern engineered systems depend critically upon detailed design and operations knowledge that is accurate and authoritative. A design and operations knowledge support system (DOKSS) is a modern computer-based information system providing knowledge about the creation, evolution, and growth of an engineered system. The purpose of a DOKSS is to provide convenient and effective access to this multifaceted information. The complexity of Space Station Freedom's (SSF's) systems, elements, interfaces, and organizations makes convenient access to design knowledge especially important, when compared to simpler systems. The life cycle length, being 30 or more years, adds a new dimension to space operations, maintenance, and evolution. Provided here is a review and discussion of design knowledge support systems to be delivered and operated as a critical part of the engineered system. A concept of a DOKSS for Space Station Freedom (SSF) is presented. This is followed by a detailed discussion of a DOKSS for the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Work Package-2 portions of SSF.
Collaborative Inquiry in a Socially Shared Contextual Frame, Striving toward Sensible Knowledge Creation on Dance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Löytönen, Teija

2016-01-01

Background/Context: The tradition of dance art in Finland is characterized by values such as individuality and uniqueness, and the professional practice is structured by competition and different kinds of hierarchies, which may also add color to the culture of dance teaching. One of the most noticeable elements within the dance education community…
Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Content Knowledge of Electric and Magnetic Field Concepts: Conceptual Facets and Their Balance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nousiainen, Maija; Koponen, Ismo T.

2017-01-01

The concepts of electricity and magnetism in physics are complex and demanding to learn because their meaning builds through several different phenomenological areas. Each of the phenomenological areas adds a certain facet of the meaning of the concept. All standard physics textbooks discuss at least 1) force, 2) energy and work, and 3) electric…
Understanding the HRD Role in MNCs: The Imperatives of Social Capital and Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gubbins, Claire; Garavan, Thomas N.

2009-01-01

In an era of increasing global competition, it is argued that knowledge and skills are the key sources of competitive advantage. This places the human resource development (HRD) function in a situation of increased status and power, if HRD professionals adopt roles in a way that adds "value" and facilitates achievement of competitive advantage.…
Assessing the Role of RCM in Decision-Making about Discontinuing Academic Programs and Restructuring Academic Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Louis J.

2011-01-01

The path of growth and development for many American colleges and universities is to add new programs, majors, minors, departments, institutes, and centers to their academic portfolios in order to meet new demands and pursue new knowledge. Their source of funding is primarily through raising tuition rates and increasing non-tuition financial…
d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Multilingual Learners: The Development of Communication and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizzo, Lianna

2016-01-01

The author examines the theory and research relevant to educating d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Multilingual Learners (DMLs). There is minimal research on this population, yet a synthesis of related theory, research, and practice on spoken-language bilinguals can be used to add to the body of knowledge on these learners. Specifically, the author…
KIPP Leadership Practices through 2010-2011. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furgeson, Joshua; Knechtel, Virginia; Sullivan, Margaret; Tuttle, Christina Clark; Akers, Lauren; Anderson, Mary Anne; Barna, Michael; Nichols-Barrer, Ira

2014-01-01

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is the largest public charter school network in the United States, with 141 elementary, middle, and high schools in the 2013-2014 school year. The network has grown rapidly from KIPP's first fifth grade classes in 1994 and plans to add 23 more schools in fall 2014. KIPP schools and regions are often cited as…
The Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) Level 3 Package: Qualitative Models, Version 1, Release 1.

PubMed

Chaouiya, Claudine; Keating, Sarah M; Berenguier, Duncan; Naldi, Aurélien; Thieffry, Denis; van Iersel, Martijn P; Le Novère, Nicolas; Helikar, Tomáš

2015-09-04

Quantitative methods for modelling biological networks require an in-depth knowledge of the biochemical reactions and their stoichiometric and kinetic parameters. In many practical cases, this knowledge is missing. This has led to the development of several qualitative modelling methods using information such as, for example, gene expression data coming from functional genomic experiments. The SBML Level 3 Version 1 Core specification does not provide a mechanism for explicitly encoding qualitative models, but it does provide a mechanism for SBML packages to extend the Core specification and add additional syntactical constructs. The SBML Qualitative Models package for SBML Level 3 adds features so that qualitative models can be directly and explicitly encoded. The approach taken in this package is essentially based on the definition of regulatory or influence graphs. The SBML Qualitative Models package defines the structure and syntax necessary to describe qualitative models that associate discrete levels of activities with entity pools and the transitions between states that describe the processes involved. This is particularly suited to logical models (Boolean or multi-valued) and some classes of Petri net models can be encoded with the approach.
Tracking development from early speech-language acquisition to reading skills at age 13.

PubMed

Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D; Marschik, Peter B; Sachse, Steffi; Green, Vanessa A; Zhang, Dajie; Van Der Meer, Larah; Wolin, Thomas; Einspieler, Christa

2013-06-01

Previous studies have indicated a link between speech-language and literacy development. To add to this body of knowledge, we investigated whether lexical and grammatical skills from toddler to early school age are related to reading competence in adolescence. Twenty-three typically developing children were followed from age 1;6 to 13;6 (years;months). Parental checklists and standardized tests were used to assess the development of mental lexicon, grammatical and reading capacities of the children. Direct assessment of early speech-language functions positively correlated with later reading competence, whereas lexical skills reported by parents were not associated with this capacity. At (pre-) school age, larger vocabulary and better grammatical abilities predicted advanced reading abilities in adolescence. Our study contributes to the understanding of typical speech-language development and its relation to later reading outcome, extending the body of knowledge on these developmental domains for future early identification of children at risk for reading difficulties.
The Benefits of Required Forensic Clinical Experiences in Residency.

PubMed

Wasser, Tobias; Sun, Amanda; Chandra, Saksham; Michaelsen, Katherine

2018-06-01

The growth of forensic psychiatry has spurred efforts to improve forensic psychiatry training in general psychiatry residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that residencies provide an experience that "exposes" residents to forensic issues, but leaves the specifics to individual programs. However, there is growing need for psychiatrists to understand the unique circumstances of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. The authors developed a new mandatory forensic rotation for general psychiatry residents and conducted a pilot study to assess its impact on residents' interest and comfort working with criminal justice-involved patients, interest in forensic fellowship, and knowledge of available resources for consultation and supervision. Rotation completion was associated with a significantly increased interest in working with forensic populations and pursuing forensic fellowship, but no changes in residents' level of comfort or knowledge of supervisory and consultative resources. This study adds to the growing body of literature describing the benefits of expanding forensic education for residents.
Online research article discussion board to increase knowledge translation during emergency medicine residency.

PubMed

Stoneking, Lisa R; Grall, Kristi H; Min, Alice A; Panchal, Ashish R

2013-01-01

Many clinicians have difficulties reading current best practice journal articles on a regular basis. Discussion boards are one method of online asynchronous learning that facilitates active learning and participation. We hypothesized that an online repository of best practice articles with a discussion board would increase journal article reading by emergency medicine residents. PARTICIPANTS ANSWERED THREE QUESTIONS WEEKLY ON A DISCUSSION BOARD: What question does this study address? What does this study add to our knowledge? How might this change clinical practice? A survey regarding perceived barriers to participating was then distributed. Most participants completed an article summary once or twice in total (23/32, 71.9%). Only three were involved most weeks (3/32, 9.4%) whereas 5/32 (15.6%) participated monthly. The most common barriers were lack of time (20/32, 62.5%), difficulty logging on (7/32, 21.9%), and forgetting (6/32, 18.8%). Although subjects were provided weekly with an article link, email, and feedback, journal article reading frequency did not increase.

Clinician Adoption Patterns and Patient Outcome Results in Use of Evidence-Based Nursing Plans of Care

PubMed Central

Kim, Tae Youn; Lang, Norma M.; Berg, Karen; Weaver, Charlotte; Murphy, Judy; Ela, Sue

2007-01-01

Delivery of safe, effective and appropriate health care is an imperative facing health care organizations globally. While many initiatives have been launched in a number of countries to address this need from a medical perspective, a similar focus for generating evidence-based nursing knowledge has been missing [1]. This paper reports on a collaborative evidence-based practice (EBP) research initiative that adds nursing knowledge into computerized care protocols. Here, a brief overview of the study’s aims, purpose and methodology is presented as well as results of data analysis and lessons learned. The research team examined nurses’ adoption patterns of EBP recommendations with respect to activity tolerance using four-month patient data collected from a pilot hospital. Study findings indicate a need for more focus on the system design and implementation process with the next rollout phase to promote evidence-based nursing practice. PMID:18693871
Focus Groups Investigating Mental Health Attitudes and Beliefs of Parents and Teachers in South Lebanon: Are They Culturally Determined?

PubMed

Doumit, Myrna A A; Farhood, Laila F; Hamady, Carmen

2018-05-01

The wars that Lebanon had endured led to a devastating number of deaths, injuries, and displacements. Such tragedies have detrimentally affected its civilians psychologically. To identify knowledge, attitudes, and practices of teachers and parents concerning child/adolescent mental health. Using purposeful sampling, five focus groups were conducted with teachers and parents of students from elementary, middle, and secondary levels in two private hub schools in South Lebanon. A total of 27 teachers and 18 parents participated separately in focus groups. Three themes emerged: (a) Mental health care is a priority for overall health, (b) Mental illness is a cultural taboo, and (c) There is a need for better education and cultural understanding about mental health. This is the first study in Lebanon directly targeted at parents' and teachers' mental health concerns. Such findings will add to transcultural nursing knowledge about the importance of mental health care.
Understanding Co-development of Conceptual and Epistemic Understanding through Modeling Practices with Mobile Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Suna; Han, Yuhwha; Paik, Seoung-Hey

2015-04-01

The present study explores how engaging in modeling practice, along with argumentation, leverages students' epistemic and conceptual understanding in an afterschool science/math class of 16 tenth graders. The study also explores how students used mobile Internet phones (smart phones) productively to support modeling practices. As the modeling practices became more challenging, student discussion occurred more often, from what to model to providing explanations for the phenomenon. Students came to argue about evidence that supported their model and how the model could explain target and related phenomena. This finding adds to the literature that modeling practice can help students improve conceptual understanding of subject knowledge as well as epistemic understanding.
Mild Normobaric Hypoxia Exposure for Human-Autonomy System Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Chad L.; Kennedy, Kellie D.; Crook, Brenda L.; Williams, Ralph A.; Schutte, Paul

2017-01-01

An experiment investigated the impact of normobaric hypoxia induction on aircraft pilot performance to specifically evaluate the use of hypoxia as a method to induce mild cognitive impairment to explore human-autonomous systems integration opportunities. Results of this exploratory study show that the effect of 15,000 feet simulated altitude did not induce cognitive deficits as indicated by performance on written, computer-based, or simulated flight tasks. However, the subjective data demonstrated increased effort by the human test subject pilots to maintain equivalent performance in a flight simulation task. This study represents current research intended to add to the current knowledge of performance decrement and pilot workload assessment to improve automation support and increase aviation safety.
Public stigma towards mental illness in the Greek culture.

PubMed

Tzouvara, V; Papadopoulos, C

2014-12-01

Mental illness stigma negatively affects the lives of individuals with mental health disorders. Studies have indicated that the type and degree of stigma significantly varies across cultures. This study aimed to add to this body of knowledge by examining the prevalence and the type of mental illness stigma among individuals who identified themselves as Greek. It also examined the influence of a range of potential within-culture stigma moderating factors, including levels of previous experience with mental illness and mental illness knowledge. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, and 111 participants living in England and Greece were sampled through the snowball sampling technique. Stigma prevalence was measured using the 'Community Attitudes to Mental Illness' questionnaire. The findings revealed that participants showed a high degree of sympathy for people with mental illness but also considered them to be inferior and of a lower social class, and needing strict societal control. Higher stigma was significantly associated with being educated in England (instead of Greece), higher religiosity, lower knowledge levels and lower levels personal experience of mental illness. Targeted antistigma campaigns specifically tailored for the Greek culture are required in order to help reduce stigmatizing attitudes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
[NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 1, part 1:] Technical communications in aeronautics: Results of an exploratory study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Myron; Oliu, Walter E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.

1989-01-01

A study was undertaken that explored several aspects of technical communications in aeronautics. The study, which utilized survey research in the form of a self-administered questionnaire, was sent to 2,000 randomly selected members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Six hundred and six usable questionnaires (30.3 percent) were received by the established cut off date. The study had five objectives. The first was to solicit the opinions of aeronautical engineers and scientists regarding the importance of technical communications to their profession; second, to determine their use and production of technical communications; third, to seek their views on the content of an undergraduate course in technical communications; fourth, to determine their use of libraries/technical information centers; and finally, to determine the use and importance of computer and information technology to them. The findings add considerable information to the knowledge of technical communications practices among aeronautical engineers and scientists and reinforce some of the conventional wisdom about technical communications and question other widely-held notions.
Perceptions of the value of traditional ecological knowledge to formal school curricula: opportunities and challenges from Malekula Island, Vanuatu

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into formal school curricula may be a key tool for the revitalisation of biocultural diversity, and has the potential to improve the delivery of educational objectives. This paper explores perceptions of the value of TEK to formal education curricula on Malekula Island, Vanuatu. We conducted 49 interviews with key stakeholders (local TEK experts, educators, and officials) regarding the use of the formal school system to transmit, maintain, and revitalise TEK. Interviews also gathered information on the areas where TEK might add value to school curricula and on the perceived barriers to maintaining and revitalising TEK via formal education programs. Results Participants reported that TEK had eroded on Malekula, and identified the formal school system as a principal driver. Most interviewees believed that if an appropriate format could be developed, TEK could be included in the formal education system. Such an approach has potential to maintain customary knowledge and practice in the focus communities. Participants identified several specific domains of TEK for inclusion in school curricula, including ethnomedical knowledge, agricultural knowledge and practice, and the reinforcement of respect for traditional authority and values. However, interviewees also noted a number of practical and epistemological barriers to teaching TEK in school. These included the cultural diversity of Malekula, tensions between public and private forms of knowledge, and multiple values of TEK within the community. Conclusions TEK has potential to add value to formal education systems in Vanuatu by contextualising the content and process of curricular delivery, and by facilitating character development and self-awareness in students. These benefits are congruent with UNESCO-mandated goals for curricular reform and provide a strong argument for the inclusion of TEK in formal school systems. Such approaches may also assist in the maintenance and revitalisation of at-risk systems of ethnobiological knowledge. However, we urge further research attention to the significant epistemological challenges inherent in including TEK in formal school, particularly as participants noted the potential for such approaches to have negative consequences. PMID:22112326
Perceptions of the value of traditional ecological knowledge to formal school curricula: opportunities and challenges from Malekula Island, Vanuatu.

PubMed

McCarter, Joe; Gavin, Michael C

2011-11-23

The integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into formal school curricula may be a key tool for the revitalisation of biocultural diversity, and has the potential to improve the delivery of educational objectives. This paper explores perceptions of the value of TEK to formal education curricula on Malekula Island, Vanuatu. We conducted 49 interviews with key stakeholders (local TEK experts, educators, and officials) regarding the use of the formal school system to transmit, maintain, and revitalise TEK. Interviews also gathered information on the areas where TEK might add value to school curricula and on the perceived barriers to maintaining and revitalising TEK via formal education programs. Participants reported that TEK had eroded on Malekula, and identified the formal school system as a principal driver. Most interviewees believed that if an appropriate format could be developed, TEK could be included in the formal education system. Such an approach has potential to maintain customary knowledge and practice in the focus communities. Participants identified several specific domains of TEK for inclusion in school curricula, including ethnomedical knowledge, agricultural knowledge and practice, and the reinforcement of respect for traditional authority and values. However, interviewees also noted a number of practical and epistemological barriers to teaching TEK in school. These included the cultural diversity of Malekula, tensions between public and private forms of knowledge, and multiple values of TEK within the community. TEK has potential to add value to formal education systems in Vanuatu by contextualising the content and process of curricular delivery, and by facilitating character development and self-awareness in students. These benefits are congruent with UNESCO-mandated goals for curricular reform and provide a strong argument for the inclusion of TEK in formal school systems. Such approaches may also assist in the maintenance and revitalisation of at-risk systems of ethnobiological knowledge. However, we urge further research attention to the significant epistemological challenges inherent in including TEK in formal school, particularly as participants noted the potential for such approaches to have negative consequences.
Exploring Secondary Students' Knowledge and Misconceptions about Influenza: Development, validation, and implementation of a multiple-choice influenza knowledge scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romine, William L.; Barrow, Lloyd H.; Folk, William R.

2013-07-01

Understanding infectious diseases such as influenza is an important element of health literacy. We present a fully validated knowledge instrument called the Assessment of Knowledge of Influenza (AKI) and use it to evaluate knowledge of influenza, with a focus on misconceptions, in Midwestern United States high-school students. A two-phase validation process was used. In phase 1, an initial factor structure was calculated based on 205 students of grades 9-12 at a rural school. In phase 2, one- and two-dimensional factor structures were analyzed from the perspectives of classical test theory and the Rasch model using structural equation modeling and principal components analysis (PCA) on Rasch residuals, respectively. Rasch knowledge measures were calculated for 410 students from 6 school districts in the Midwest, and misconceptions were verified through the χ 2 test. Eight items measured knowledge of flu transmission, and seven measured knowledge of flu management. While alpha reliability measures for the subscales were acceptable, Rasch person reliability measures and PCA on residuals advocated for a single-factor scale. Four misconceptions were found, which have not been previously documented in high-school students. The AKI is the first validated influenza knowledge assessment, and can be used by schools and health agencies to provide a quantitative measure of impact of interventions aimed at increasing understanding of influenza. This study also adds significantly to the literature on misconceptions about influenza in high-school students, a necessary step toward strategic development of educational interventions for these students.
Reliability of two social cognition tests: The combined stories test and the social knowledge test.

PubMed

Thibaudeau, Élisabeth; Cellard, Caroline; Legendre, Maxime; Villeneuve, Karèle; Achim, Amélie M

2018-04-01

Deficits in social cognition are common in psychiatric disorders. Validated social cognition measures with good psychometric properties are necessary to assess and target social cognitive deficits. Two recent social cognition tests, the Combined Stories Test (COST) and the Social Knowledge Test (SKT), respectively assess theory of mind and social knowledge. Previous studies have shown good psychometric properties for these tests, but the test-retest reliability has never been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability and the inter-rater reliability of the COST and the SKT. The COST and the SKT were administered twice to a group of forty-two healthy adults, with a delay of approximately four weeks between the assessments. Excellent test-retest reliability was observed for the COST, and a good test-retest reliability was observed for the SKT. There was no evidence of practice effect. Furthermore, an excellent inter-rater reliability was observed for both tests. This study shows a good reliability of the COST and the SKT that adds to the good validity previously reported for these two tests. These good psychometrics properties thus support that the COST and the SKT are adequate measures for the assessment of social cognition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Comment on "Principles of connectivity among morphologically defined cell types in adult neocortex".

PubMed

Barth, Alison; Burkhalter, Andreas; Callaway, Edward M; Connors, Barry W; Cauli, Bruno; DeFelipe, Javier; Feldmeyer, Dirk; Freund, Tamas; Kawaguchi, Yasuo; Kisvarday, Zoltan; Kubota, Yoshiyuki; McBain, Chris; Oberlaender, Marcel; Rossier, Jean; Rudy, Bernardo; Staiger, Jochen F; Somogyi, Peter; Tamas, Gabor; Yuste, Rafael

2016-09-09

Jiang et al (Research Article, 27 November 2015, aac9462) describe detailed experiments that substantially add to the knowledge of cortical microcircuitry and are unique in the number of connections reported and the quality of interneuron reconstruction. The work appeals to experts and laypersons because of the notion that it unveils new principles and provides a complete description of cortical circuits. We provide a counterbalance to the authors' claims to give those less familiar with the minutiae of cortical circuits a better sense of the contributions and the limitations of this study. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
[International academic mobility program in nursing experience report].

PubMed

de Oliveira, Mariana Gonçalves; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag

2012-03-01

An experience of studying abroad or of academic exchange, really adds value to the professional and personal development of exchange students. This report aims to describe a student's experience in an international academic mobility program. It was developed from 2008 to 2009 in Brazil and Spain. The experiences, observations and activities of the student were emphasized believing that the training of students and researchers is not only restricted to the university and the students' home country, and that it is important to have possibilities of new experiences and differentiated knowledge. The conclusion is that this opportunity promoted a profound effect on psychological, cultural social and scientific development of the exchange student.
Dynamics of a pinyon-juniper stand in northern Arizona: a half-century history

Treesearch

Peter F. Ffolliott; Gerald J. Gottfried

2002-01-01

This paper adds to the limited knowledge of stand dynamics in pinyon-juniper woodlands by reporting on the changes in species composition, numbers of trees, arrangements of trees, and total height and volume in a stand from late 1938 to early 1991. This information should be helpful in managing pinyon-juniper woodlands to sustain their productivity and maintain their...
What Is It about Me You Can't Teach? An Instructional Guide for the Urban Educator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Eleanor Renee; Bellanca, James

This book focuses on research conducted in the last 20 years that shows what urban teachers can do to add new knowledge and skills to their repertoire of teaching so that students can increase their own achievement. Dedicated to the idea that all children can learn, it provides hundreds of practical educational strategies. Some approaches that are…
Planning Multisentential English Text Using Communicative Acts

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

bowl. Add the flour and the baking soda. Stir in the chocolate pieces. Grease a cookie sheet. Spoon the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake it at...Chocolate Chip Cookies ......................................................................................... 185 Figure 6.5 identify-location Plan...34), and recurses on subactions as required. The plan operators of Figures 6.1 and 6.3 were tested with a small knowledge base of cookie recipe
Regenerating the Australian Landscape of Professional VET Practice: Practitioner-Driven Changes to Teaching and Learning. Research Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figgis, Jane

2009-01-01

Donald Schon once famously pictured professional practice as a high, hard ground overlooking a swamp. The high ground is the place of theory and, one might add, of policy. The swampy lowland is where vocational education and training (VET) practitioners meet the learners. It is where the skills, knowledge, and attitudes they wish to see instilled…
Feature Selection and Classifier Development for Radio Frequency Device Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

adds important background knowledge for this research . 41 Four leading RF-based device identification methods have been proposed: Radio...appropriate level of dimensionality. Both qualitative and quantitative DRA dimensionality assessment methods are possible. Prior RF-DNA DRA research , e.g...Employing experimental designs to find optimal algorithm settings has been seen in hyperspectral anomaly detection research , c.f. [513–520], but not
Creating Meaningful Art Experiences with Assistive Technology for Students with Physical, Visual, Severe, and Multiple Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Mari Beth; Cramer, Elizabeth Stephanie

2015-01-01

Various levels of assistive technology can be used in the art classroom to provide a fulfilling artmaking experience for all levels of learners. The purpose of this article is to add to the body of knowledge by providing ideas generated from collaboration between the fields of special education and art education that the authors feel will benefit…
Field Collection Methods for an EPA Pilot Study Evaluating Personal, Housing, and Community Factors Influencing Children’s Potential Exposures to Indoor Contaminants at Various Lifestages (EPA Pilot Study Add-On to the GreenHousing Study)

EPA Science Inventory

This compilation of field collection standard operating procedures (SOPs) was assembled for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pilot Study add-on to the Green Housing Study (GHS). A detailed description of this add-on study can be found in the peer reviewed research...
Measuring Narcissism within Add Health: The Development and Validation of a New Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Mark S.; Brunell, Amy B.

2012-01-01

This study reports the development of a measure of narcissism within the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data set. In Study 1, items were selected from Wave III to form the Add Health Narcissism Scale (AHNS). These were factor analyzed, yielding a single factor comprised of five subscales. We correlated the AHNS and…

Air concentrations of PBDEs on in-flight airplanes and assessment of flight crew inhalation exposure.

PubMed

Allen, Joseph G; Sumner, Ann Louise; Nishioka, Marcia G; Vallarino, Jose; Turner, Douglas J; Saltman, Hannah K; Spengler, John D

2013-07-01

To address the knowledge gaps regarding inhalation exposure of flight crew to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on airplanes, we measured PBDE concentrations in air samples collected in the cabin air at cruising altitudes and used Bayesian Decision Analysis (BDA) to evaluate the likelihood of inhalation exposure to result in the average daily dose (ADD) of a member of the flight crew to exceed EPA Reference Doses (RfDs), accounting for all other aircraft and non-aircraft exposures. A total of 59 air samples were collected from different aircraft and analyzed for four PBDE congeners-BDE 47, 99, 100 and 209 (a subset were also analyzed for BDE 183). For congeners with a published RfD, high estimates of ADD were calculated for all non-aircraft exposure pathways and non-inhalation exposure onboard aircraft; inhalation exposure limits were then derived based on the difference between the RfD and ADDs for all other exposure pathways. The 95th percentile measured concentrations of PBDEs in aircraft air were <1% of the derived inhalation exposure limits. Likelihood probabilities of 95th percentile exposure concentrations >1% of the defined exposure limit were zero for all congeners with published RfDs.
Effectiveness of Anti-Dementia Drugs in Extremely Severe Alzheimer's Disease: A 12-Week, Multicenter, Randomized, Single-Blind Study.

PubMed

Hong, Yun Jeong; Choi, Seong Hye; Jeong, Jee Hyang; Park, Kyung Won; Na, Hae Ri

2018-01-01

There is insufficient evidence to guide decisions concerning how long anti-dementia drug (ADD) regimens should be maintained in severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated whether patients with extremely severe AD who were already receiving donepezil or memantine benefited from continuing treatment. In this randomized and rater-blinded trial, 65 AD patients with a Mini-Mental State Examination score from 0 to 5 and a score of 6c or worse on Functional Assessment Staging were randomly assigned to an ADD-continuation group (N = 30) or an ADD-discontinuation group (N = 35). The current use of donepezil or memantine was maintained for 12 weeks in the ADD-continuation group and was discontinued after baseline in the ADD-discontinuation group. Efficacy measures were obtained at baseline and 12 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the change from baseline to the end of the study in Baylor Profound Mental State Examination (BPMSE) scores. The change in the BPMSE from baseline to the end of the study in the ADD-continuation group (a 0.4-point improvement) was not equivalent to that in the ADD-discontinuation group (a 0.5-point decline), as determined by two one-sided tests of equivalence. Study withdrawals due to adverse events (11.4% versus 6.7%) were more frequent in the ADD-discontinuation group than in the ADD-continuation group. Continued treatment with donepezil or memantine seems unequal and might be superior to withdrawal of the drugs in terms of the effects on global cognition in patients with extremely severe AD. Current Controlled Trials number: KCT0000874 (CRIS).
Balancing the Ecological Function of Residential Stormwater Ponds with Homeowner Landscaping Practices.

PubMed

Monaghan, Paul; Hu, Shangchun; Hansen, Gail; Ott, Emily; Nealis, Charles; Morera, Maria

2016-11-01

Stormwater ponds are installed in urban developments to provide the ecosystem services of flood control and water treatment. In coastal areas, these ponds are connected to watersheds that can drain directly into protected estuaries, making their design, function, and maintenance critical to environmental protection. However, stormwater ponds in residential areas are increasingly managed as aesthetic amenities that add value to real estate rather than as engineered devices with special maintenance requirements. To help extend the life of neighborhood stormwater systems and improve ecosystem services, homeowners should follow best management practices for nutrient management and add shoreline plantings and non-invasive, beneficial aquatic plants to their ponds. This study used focus group and survey research to document the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of homeowners living near stormwater ponds in a master-planned community in Florida. The study was designed to use a social marketing research approach to promote Extension best practices. Findings indicate that many residents were aware of the functional components of stormwater systems and respondents' receptivity to best management practices was mediated by age, their attitudes about water quality and whether their home was adjacent to a pond. These findings can be used to target Extension audiences and improve adoption of stormwater pond best management practices for increased protection of water quality.
Balancing the Ecological Function of Residential Stormwater Ponds with Homeowner Landscaping Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monaghan, Paul; Hu, Shangchun; Hansen, Gail; Ott, Emily; Nealis, Charles; Morera, Maria

2016-11-01

Stormwater ponds are installed in urban developments to provide the ecosystem services of flood control and water treatment. In coastal areas, these ponds are connected to watersheds that can drain directly into protected estuaries, making their design, function, and maintenance critical to environmental protection. However, stormwater ponds in residential areas are increasingly managed as aesthetic amenities that add value to real estate rather than as engineered devices with special maintenance requirements. To help extend the life of neighborhood stormwater systems and improve ecosystem services, homeowners should follow best management practices for nutrient management and add shoreline plantings and non-invasive, beneficial aquatic plants to their ponds. This study used focus group and survey research to document the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of homeowners living near stormwater ponds in a master-planned community in Florida. The study was designed to use a social marketing research approach to promote Extension best practices. Findings indicate that many residents were aware of the functional components of stormwater systems and respondents' receptivity to best management practices was mediated by age, their attitudes about water quality and whether their home was adjacent to a pond. These findings can be used to target Extension audiences and improve adoption of stormwater pond best management practices for increased protection of water quality.
Searching for the elusive neural substrates of body part terms: a neuropsychological study.

PubMed

Kemmerer, David; Tranel, Daniel

2008-06-01

Previous neuropsychological studies suggest that, compared to other categories of concrete entities, lexical and conceptual aspects of body part knowledge are frequently spared in brain-damaged patients. To further investigate this issue, we administered a battery of 12 tests assessing lexical and conceptual aspects of body part knowledge to 104 brain-damaged patients with lesions distributed throughout the telencephalon. There were two main outcomes. First, impaired oral naming of body parts, attributable to a disturbance of the mapping between lexical-semantic and lexical-phonological structures, was most reliably and specifically associated with lesions in the left frontal opercular and anterior/inferior parietal opercular cortices and in the white matter underlying these regions (8 patients). Also, 1 patient with body part anomia had a left occipital lesion that included the "extrastriate body area" (EBA). Second, knowledge of the meanings of body part terms was remarkably resistant to impairment, regardless of lesion site; in fact, we did not uncover a single patient who exhibited significantly impaired understanding of the meanings of these terms. In the 9 patients with body part anomia, oral naming of concrete entities was evaluated, and this revealed that 4 patients had disproportionately worse naming of body parts relative to other types of concrete entities. Taken together, these findings extend previous neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging studies of body part knowledge and add to our growing understanding of the nuances of how different linguistic and conceptual categories are operated by left frontal and parietal structures.
Searching for the Elusive Neural Substrates of Body Part Terms: A Neuropsychological Study

PubMed Central

Kemmerer, David; Tranel, Daniel

2010-01-01

Previous neuropsychological studies suggest that, compared to other categories of concrete entities, lexical and conceptual aspects of body part knowledge are frequently spared in brain-damaged patients. To further investigate this issue, we administered a battery of 12 tests assessing lexical and conceptual aspects of body part knowledge to 104 brain-damaged patients with lesions distributed throughout the telencephalon. There were two main outcomes. First, impaired oral naming of body parts, attributable to a disturbance of the mapping between lexical-semantic and lexical-phonological structures, was most reliably and specifically associated with lesions in the left frontal opercular and anterior/inferior parietal opercular cortices, and in the white matter underlying these regions (8 patients). Also, one patient with body part anomia had a left occipital lesion that included the “extrastriate body area” (EBA). Second, knowledge of the meanings of body part terms was remarkably resistant to impairment, regardless of lesion site; in fact, we did not uncover a single patient who exhibited significantly impaired understanding of the meanings of these terms. In the 9 patients with body part anomia, oral naming of concrete entities was evaluated, and this revealed that 4 patients had disproportionately worse naming of body parts relative to other types of concrete entities. Taken together, these findings extend previous neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging studies of body part knowledge, and add to our growing understanding of the nuances of how different linguistic and conceptual categories are operated by left frontal and parietal structures. PMID:18608319
Science-based occupations and the science curriculum: Concepts of evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aikenhead, Glen S.

2005-03-01

What science-related knowledge is actually used by nurses in their day-to-day clinical reasoning when attending patients? The study investigated the knowledge-in-use of six acute-care nurses in a hospital surgical unit. It was found that the nurses mainly drew upon their professional knowledge of nursing and upon their procedural understanding that included a common core of concepts of evidence (concepts implicitly applied to the evaluation of data and the evaluation of evidence - the focus of this research). This core included validity triangulation, normalcy range, accuracy, and a general predilection for direct sensual access to a phenomenon over indirect machine-managed access. A cluster of emotion-related concepts of evidence (e.g. cultural sensitivity) was also discovered. These results add to a compendium of concepts of evidence published in the literature. Only a small proportion of nurses (one of the six nurses in the study) used canonical science content in their clinical reasoning, a result consistent with other research. This study also confirms earlier research on employees in science-rich workplaces in general, and on professional development programs for nurses specifically: canonical science content found in a typical science curriculum (e.g. high school physics) does not appear relevant to many nurses' knowledge-in-use. These findings support a curriculum policy that gives emphasis to students learning how to learn science content as required by an authentic everyday or workplace context, and to students learning concepts of evidence.
Time and learning efficiency in Internet-based learning: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Cook, David A; Levinson, Anthony J; Garside, Sarah

2010-12-01

Authors have claimed that Internet-based instruction promotes greater learning efficiency than non-computer methods. determine, through a systematic synthesis of evidence in health professions education, how Internet-based instruction compares with non-computer instruction in time spent learning, and what features of Internet-based instruction are associated with improved learning efficiency. we searched databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and ERIC from 1990 through November 2008. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA ABSTRACTION we included all studies quantifying learning time for Internet-based instruction for health professionals, compared with other instruction. Reviewers worked independently, in duplicate, to abstract information on interventions, outcomes, and study design. we identified 20 eligible studies. Random effects meta-analysis of 8 studies comparing Internet-based with non-Internet instruction (positive numbers indicating Internet longer) revealed pooled effect size (ES) for time -0.10 (p = 0.63). Among comparisons of two Internet-based interventions, providing feedback adds time (ES 0.67, p =0.003, two studies), and greater interactivity generally takes longer (ES 0.25, p = 0.089, five studies). One study demonstrated that adapting to learner prior knowledge saves time without significantly affecting knowledge scores. Other studies revealed that audio narration, video clips, interactive models, and animations increase learning time but also facilitate higher knowledge and/or satisfaction. Across all studies, time correlated positively with knowledge outcomes (r = 0.53, p = 0.021). on average, Internet-based instruction and non-computer instruction require similar time. Instructional strategies to enhance feedback and interactivity typically prolong learning time, but in many cases also enhance learning outcomes. Isolated examples suggest potential for improving efficiency in Internet-based instruction.
Lexical leverage: Category knowledge boosts real-time novel word recognition in two-year- olds

PubMed Central

Borovsky, Arielle; Ellis, Erica M.; Evans, Julia L.; Elman, Jeffrey L.

2016-01-01

Recent research suggests that infants tend to add words to their vocabulary that are semantically related to other known words, though it is not clear why this pattern emerges. In this paper, we explore whether infants to leverage their existing vocabulary and semantic knowledge when interpreting novel label-object mappings in real-time. We initially identified categorical domains for which individual 24-month-old infants have relatively higher and lower levels of knowledge, irrespective of overall vocabulary size. Next, we taught infants novel words in these higher and lower knowledge domains and then asked if their subsequent real-time recognition of these items varied as a function of their category knowledge. While our participants successfully acquired the novel label -object mappings in our task, there were important differences in the way infants recognized these words in real time. Namely, infants showed more robust recognition of high (vs. low) domain knowledge words. These findings suggest that dense semantic structure facilitates early word learning and real-time novel word recognition. PMID:26452444
Impacts of a national strategy to reduce population salt intake in England: serial cross sectional study.

PubMed

Millett, Christopher; Laverty, Anthony A; Stylianou, Neophytos; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten; Pape, Utz J

2012-01-01

The UK introduced an ambitious national strategy to reduce population levels of salt intake in 2003. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of this strategy on salt intake in England, including potential effects on health inequalities. Secondary analysis of data from the Health Survey for England. Our main outcome measure was trends in estimated daily salt intake from 2003-2007, as measured by spot urine. Secondary outcome measures were knowledge of government guidance and voluntary use of salt in food preparation over this time period. There were significant reductions in salt intake between 2003 and 2007 (-0.175 grams per day per year, p<0.001). Intake decreased uniformly across all other groups but remained significantly higher in younger persons, men, ethnic minorities and lower social class groups and those without hypertension in 2007. Awareness of government guidance on salt use was lowest in those groups with the highest intake (semi-skilled manual v professional; 64.9% v 71.0% AOR 0.76 95% CI 0.58-0.99). Self reported use of salt added at the table reduced significantly during the study period (56.5% to 40.2% p<0.001). Respondents from ethnic minority groups remained significantly more likely to add salt during cooking (white 42.8%, black 74.1%, south Asian 88.3%) and those from lower social class groups (unskilled manual 46.6%, professional 35.2%) were more likely to add salt at the table. The introduction a national salt reduction strategy was associated with uniform but modest reductions in salt intake in England, although it is not clear precisely which aspects of the strategy contributed to this. Knowledge of government guidance was lower and voluntary salt use and total salt intake was higher among occupational and ethnic groups at greatest risk of cardiovascular disease.
Physical Activity Experiences of Young People in an Area of Disadvantage: "There's Nothing There for Big Kids, Like Us"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEvoy, Eileen; MacPhail, Ann; Enright, Eimear

2016-01-01

Through an examination of the experiences of young people in one disadvantaged area, this paper adds to an emerging body of knowledge focused on what place physical activity occupies in the lives of young people in areas of disadvantage. A total of 40 young people (21 males, 19 females) participated in focus group interviews. The research question…
Cloud Computing Trace Characterization and Synthetic Workload Generation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

measurements [44]. Olio is primarily for learning Web 2.0 technologies, evaluating the three implementations (PHP, Java EE, and RubyOnRails (ROR...Add Event 17 Olio is well documented, but assumes prerequisite knowledge with setup and operation of apache web servers and MySQL databases. Olio...Faban supports numerous servers such as Apache httpd, Sun Java System Web, Portal and Mail Servers, Oracle RDBMS, memcached, and others [18]. Perhaps
The Relationship between Teacher Knowledge and Skills and Teacher Attitude towards Students with Disabilities among Elementary, Middle and High School Teachers in Rural Texas Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfaro, Veronica; Kupczynski, Lori; Mundy, Marie-Anne

2015-01-01

State and federal accountability continues to be a major part of public education. The impact that federal legislation has had when working with special needs students adds another facet to public education. Both state and federal accountability play a part in how teachers perceive their attitudes when working with students with disabilities This…
Chinese children's early knowledge about writing.

PubMed

Zhang, Lan; Yin, Li; Treiman, Rebecca

2017-09-01

Much research on literacy development has focused on learners of alphabetic writing systems. Researchers have hypothesized that children learn about the formal characteristics of writing before they learn about the relations between units of writing and units of speech. We tested this hypothesis by examining young Chinese children's understanding of writing. Mandarin-speaking 2- to 5-year-olds completed a graphic task, which tapped their knowledge about the formal characteristics of writing, and a phonological task, which tapped their knowledge about the correspondence between Chinese characters and syllables. The 3- to 5-year-olds performed better on the graphic task than the phonological task, indicating that learning how writing appears visually begins earlier than learning that writing corresponds to linguistic units, even in a writing system in which written units correspond to syllables. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Learning about writing's visual form, how it looks, is an important part of emergent literacy. Knowledge of how writing symbolizes linguistic units may emerge later. What does this study add? We test the hypothesis that Chinese children learn about writing's visual form earlier than its symbolic nature. Chinese 3- to 5- year-olds know more about visual features than character-syllable links. Results show learning of the visual appearance of a notation system is developmentally precocious. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.
Knowledge, compliance and serum phenylalanine concentrations in adolescents and adults with phenylketonuria and the effect of a patient-focused educational resource.

PubMed

Durham-Shearer, S J; Judd, P A; Whelan, K; Thomas, J E

2008-10-01

There is a lack of dedicated resources for adolescent and adult patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) and few studies have examined dietary practices within this group. One hundred and seventy-seven PKU patients were sent questionnaires to assess dietary compliance and the preferred format for an educational resource. Seventy-one patients responded; 32 following diet were recruited to assess the resource's impact on test variables. The results were compared for the intervention group (n = 22) and control group (n = 10) at baseline, and 1 and 6 months after resource intervention. Most patients were aware of dietary recommendations, although this did not always result in compliance. The preferred resource format was a filofax-style folder with inserts (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the extent of change in knowledge score between baseline and 1 month in favour of the intervention group (P < 0.05). The improvement in knowledge was not accompanied by a significant improvement in measures of compliance. These findings add to the knowledge base about this patient group and support the use of patient involvement in resource development. It is likely that the test parameters used were not sensitive enough to pick up subtle and longer-term effects on compliance.
Significant treatment effect of add-on ketamine anesthesia in electroconvulsive therapy in depressive patients: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Li, Dian-Jeng; Wang, Fu-Chiang; Chu, Che-Sheng; Chen, Tien-Yu; Tang, Chia-Hung; Yang, Wei-Cheng; Chow, Philip Chik-Keung; Wu, Ching-Kuan; Tseng, Ping-Tao; Lin, Pao-Yen

2017-01-01

Add-on ketamine anesthesia in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been studied in depressive patients in several clinical trials with inconclusive findings. Two most recent meta-analyses reported insignificant findings with regards to the treatment effect of add-on ketamine anesthesia in ECT in depressive patients. The aim of this study is to update the current evidence and investigate the role of add-on ketamine anesthesia in ECT in depressive patients via a systematic review and meta-analysis. We performed a thorough literature search of the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases, and extracted all relevant clinical variables to compare the antidepressive outcomes between add-on ketamine anesthesia and other anesthetics in ECT. Total 16 articles with 346 patients receiving add-on ketamine anesthesia in ECT and 329 controls were recruited. We found that the antidepressive treatment effect of add-on ketamine anesthesia in ECT in depressive patients was significantly higher than that of other anesthetics (p<0.001). This significance persisted in both short-term (1-2 weeks) and moderate-term (3-4 weeks) treatment courses (all p<0.05). However, the side effect profiles and recovery time profiles were significantly worse in add-on ketamine anesthesia group than in control group. Our meta-analysis highlights the significantly higher antidepressive treatment effect of add-on ketamine in depressive patients receiving ECT compared to other anesthetics. However, clinicians need to take undesirable side effects into consideration when using add-on ketamine anesthesia in ECT in depressive patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.
A two wave cross-lagged study of work-role conflict, work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion.

PubMed

Jensen, Maria Therese

2016-12-01

By using a two-wave panel design, the present study aimed to study causal, reversed, and reciprocal relations among work-role conflict, work-family conflict, and emotional exhaustion. The Conservation of Resources theory was applied as a theoretical framework. The study was conducted in a large Norwegian oil and gas company (n = 1703). The results demonstrated positive cross-lagged effects of work-role conflict and work-family conflict on emotional exhaustion. In addition, emotional exhaustion predicted work-family conflict over time, and work-family conflict predicted work-role conflict over time, indicating the presence of reciprocal effects. The current study adds new knowledge to the positioning of work-family conflict in relation to perceived conflict in the workplace and emotional exhaustion. © 2016 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The use of professional theatre for health promotion including HIV / AIDS.

PubMed

Blair, C; Valadez, J J; Falkland, J

1999-06-01

Entertainment can be an effective form of information, education, and communication (IEC). In particular, theater can overcome any existing literacy barriers, add the personal face-to-face aspect of communication which uses the language and idiom of the people, and provoke emotional and analytical responses. The health promotion goals of theater productions should be made apparent in theatrical content. That content should be based upon a realistic assessment of the levels of knowledge held by the target audience, the attitudes they hold, and the behaviors they practice. The content should also be based upon an analysis of the barriers which audience members believe are impeding behavior change. Professional theatrical techniques should be used and thorough evaluation should always be conducted despite the additional costs it adds to a program. Decision-makers should also always consider the opportunity cost of using resources for a theater intervention and question what else could be accomplished with those funds.
Dissecting Alzheimer disease in Down syndrome using mouse models

PubMed Central

Choong, Xun Yu; Tosh, Justin L.; Pulford, Laura J.; Fisher, Elizabeth M. C.

2015-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is a common genetic condition caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). This greatly increases the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD), but although virtually all people with DS have AD neuropathology by 40 years of age, not all develop dementia. To dissect the genetic contribution of trisomy 21 to DS phenotypes including those relevant to AD, a range of DS mouse models has been generated which are trisomic for chromosome segments syntenic to human chromosome 21. Here, we consider key characteristics of human AD in DS (AD-DS), and our current state of knowledge on related phenotypes in AD and DS mouse models. We go on to review important features needed in future models of AD-DS, to understand this type of dementia and so highlight pathogenic mechanisms relevant to all populations at risk of AD. PMID:26528151
Dissecting Alzheimer disease in Down syndrome using mouse models.

PubMed

Choong, Xun Yu; Tosh, Justin L; Pulford, Laura J; Fisher, Elizabeth M C

2015-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is a common genetic condition caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). This greatly increases the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD), but although virtually all people with DS have AD neuropathology by 40 years of age, not all develop dementia. To dissect the genetic contribution of trisomy 21 to DS phenotypes including those relevant to AD, a range of DS mouse models has been generated which are trisomic for chromosome segments syntenic to human chromosome 21. Here, we consider key characteristics of human AD in DS (AD-DS), and our current state of knowledge on related phenotypes in AD and DS mouse models. We go on to review important features needed in future models of AD-DS, to understand this type of dementia and so highlight pathogenic mechanisms relevant to all populations at risk of AD.

Medical Humanities: The Rx for Uncertainty?

PubMed

Ofri, Danielle

2017-12-01

While medical students often fear the avalanche of knowledge they are required to learn during training, it is learning to translate that knowledge into wisdom that is the greatest challenge of becoming a doctor. Part of that challenge is learning to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty, a difficult feat for doctors who are taught to question anything that is not evidence based or peer reviewed. The medical humanities specialize in this ambiguity and uncertainty, which are hallmarks of actual clinical practice but rarely addressed in medical education. The humanities also force reflection and contemplation-skills that are crucial to thoughtful decision making and to personal wellness. Beyond that, the humanities add a dose of joy and beauty to a training process that is notoriously frugal in these departments. Well integrated, the humanities can be the key to transforming medical knowledge into clinical wisdom.
Towards AN Integrated Scientific and Social Case for Human Space Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, I. A.

2004-06-01

I will argue that an ambitious programme of human space exploration, involving a return to the Moon, and eventually human missions to Mars, will add greatly to human knowledge. Gathering such knowledge is the primary aim of science, but science’s compartmentalisation into isolated academic disciplines tends to obscure the overall strength of the scientific case. Any consideration of the scientific arguments for human space exploration must therefore take a holistic view, and integrate the potential benefits over the entire spectrum of human knowledge. Moreover, science is only one thread in a much larger overall case for human space exploration. Other threads include economic, industrial, educational, geopolitical and cultural benefits. Any responsibly formulated public space policy must weigh all of these factors before deciding whether or not an investment in human space activities is scientifically and socially desirable.
Parental factors and adolescents' smoking behavior: an extension of The theory of planned behavior.

PubMed

Harakeh, Zeena; Scholte, Ron H J; Vermulst, Ad A; de Vries, Hein; Engels, Rutger C M E

2004-11-01

The aim of the present study is to investigate whether general parenting factors (i.e., quality parent-child relationship, psychological control, strict control, parental knowledge) and parental smoking add to The theory of planned behaviour [Organ Behav. Hum. Dec. 50 (1991) 179] in predicting the onset of smoking. A mediation model is applied in which parental factors affect smoking behavior indirectly by affecting smoking cognitions (i.e., attitude, self-efficacy, and social norm). The model was tested in a longitudinal study on 1,070 adolescents, aged 10-14 years old. Structural equation models (SEM) on current and on future smoking behavior were tested. The findings showed that the quality of the parent-child relationship and parental knowledge affected adolescents' smoking behavior indirectly, while parental smoking behavior had a direct effect. Strict control and psychological control were found to be unrelated to adolescents' smoking onset. In prevention campaigns, parents should be informed of the extent to which they exert influence on their child's smoking behavior and should be given advice and information on how they can prevent their children from starting to smoke.
Regulatory role of glycogen synthase kinase 3 for transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c.

PubMed

Kim, Kang Ho; Song, Min Jeong; Yoo, Eung Jae; Choe, Sung Sik; Park, Sang Dai; Kim, Jae Bum

2004-12-10

Adipocyte determination- and differentiation-dependent factor 1 (ADD1) plays important roles in lipid metabolism and insulin-dependent gene expression. Because insulin stimulates carbohydrate and lipid synthesis, it would be important to decipher how the transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c is regulated in the insulin signaling pathway. In this study, we demonstrated that glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 negatively regulates the transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c. GSK3 inhibitors enhanced a transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c and expression of ADD1/SREBP1c target genes including fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and steroyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) in adipocytes and hepatocytes. In contrast, overexpression of GSK3beta down-regulated the transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c. GSK3 inhibitor-mediated ADD1/SREBP1c target gene activation did not require de novo protein synthesis, implying that GSK3 might affect transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c at the level of post-translational modification. Additionally, we demonstrated that GSK3 efficiently phosphorylated ADD1/SREBP1c in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, these data suggest that GSK3 inactivation is crucial to confer stimulated transcriptional activity of ADD1/SREBP1c for insulin-dependent gene expression, which would coordinate lipid and glucose metabolism.
Assessing the knowledge of bronchial asthma among primary health care physicians in Crete: A pre- and post-test following an educational course

PubMed Central

Rovithis, Emmanouil; Lionis, Christos; Schiza, Sofia E; Bouros, Dimosthenis; Karokis, Antonis; Vlachonikolis, loannis; Siafakas, Nikolaos M

2001-01-01

Aim To assess the level of knowledge for bronchial asthma of the primary healthcare physicians serving a rural population on the island of Crete, both before and immediately after a one-day educational course. Methods Twenty-one primary health care physicians, randomly selected from a list of 14 Health Care Centres on the island of Crete were invited to participate in the study and attended an educational course. Nine of the 21 physicians were fully qualified general practitioners, while the remainder were non-specialized (NSs) physicians who had recently graduated from the University of Crete, Medical School. A questionnaire of 20 items based on current bronchial asthma clinical guidelines was used. Three scores, the mean total, knowledge subscore and attitudes subscore, were calculated for each group of physicians, both before and after the course. Results At baseline mean total score and knowledge and attitudes subscores were higher for non-specialized physicians than for the general practitioners, but the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The knowledge subscore was improved in both groups, however the difference was statistically significant only for the non-specialized physicians (t = 2.628, d.f. = 11, p < 0.05). The mean total score after the course was significantly higher for the non-specialized physicians in comparison to that of the general practitioners (t=-2.688, d.f. = 19, p < 0.05). Conclusions This study adds to the information about the success of continuing medical education, and also demonstrates that the recent graduates in the studied population, could be educated with more positive results than the fully qualified practitioners PMID:11511327
Mexican and Mexican-American children's funds of knowledge as interventions into deficit thinking: opportunities for praxis in science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licona, Miguel M.

2013-12-01

In this case study, I use an ethnographic-style approach to understand the funds of knowledge of immigrant families living in colonias on both sides of the US/Mexico border. I focus on how these "knowledges" and concomitant experiences impact the ways we perceive and treat immigrant students who have all too often been viewed through deficit lenses that relegate them to the lowest expectations and outcomes in the classroom. I find that Mexican and Mexican-American families hold unusually sophisticated and relevant "knowledges" to mitigate their everyday lives. In this paper, I will refer to citizens of Mexico, whether they reside in Mexico or have crossed to the United States legally or without documentation for purposes of work, as Mexican. People who have crossed the border and are living in the US as legal residents or have gained citizenship are referred to as Mexican-Americans. They live a hybrid identity that is varied and dynamic, an issue that adds to the complexity of the content and contexts of this study. These families know and use these "knowledges" on a daily basis, yet they are not recognized by teachers in the US as a starting point to affirm and support immigrant children. Instead, immigrant children are relegated to the non-gifted and lower track classes where science is taught from an abstract and non-contextual and therefore less engaged basis. The approach I outline here, based on insights from my case study, can greatly improve teachers' abilities to prepare their curricula for diversity in science education and science literacy as well as for broad expectations for student success.
Experiential environmental learning: A case study of innovative pedagogy in Baja Sur, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneller, Andrew Jon

This mixed methods case study describes an innovative two-semester middle school environmental learning course that departs from traditional Mexican expository pedagogy through the incorporation of experiential and service learning. This research takes place in a small middle school in Pescadero, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The research approach utilized in the study adds to the handful of studies in this cross-disciplinary field by employing quantitative methodologies to measure course outcomes on student environmental knowledge, perceptions, and actions, while simultaneously qualitatively describing the behavioral, educational, environmental, and social experiences of students. This research employs Dewey's theories of experience---as well as those of more contemporary authenticity theorists---in order to identify the philosophies that advocate incorporating experiential pedagogy within the curriculum. Implications for Mexican educational policy, practical pedagogical applications, and theory are discussed.
Emerging Roles for Librarians in the Medical School Curriculum and the Impact on Professional Identity.

PubMed

Linton, Anne M

2016-01-01

This article discusses the impact on professional identity for health sciences librarians participating in the curriculum revision and development process. A qualitative survey, designed to examine the current roles, values, and self-identification of health sciences librarians involved in curricular revision, was conducted. The respondents discussed how they had participated in the planning, implementation, and rollout phases of revised curricula. They identified skills and values essential to successful participation and described the impact of expanded professional relationships on new identities as educators, change agents, and problem solvers. The study may add to the knowledge base of skills and attitudes needed for successful practice in these newly emerging roles.
Methodological issues in interviewing families in family nursing research.

PubMed

Astedt-Kurki, P; Paavilainen, E; Lehti, K

2001-07-01

The aim of this study is to discuss what methodological problems can be met in family research with one family member as an interviewee speaking on behalf of the whole family and, vice versa, what is the meaning of having multiple family members or the whole family unit as informants. Family nursing research is part of multidisciplinary research with families. It is a basis for family nursing and contributes to research, especially from the perspective of family welfare and its promotion. Family nursing research generates knowledge concerning families' and family members' wellbeing and experiences and expectations of nursing and health care. The examination of methodological problems while pursuing family research is based on two studies conducted in Finland. Quantitative methods add to the general knowledge of families. Qualitative methods are well suited to the study of family experiences. Family interviews performed for research purposes differ from interviews aiming at caring for families. They aim at obtaining knowledge of families on a general level so as to improve family nursing. Family research has to be looked at as a whole. It faces many challenges such as the definition of the family, gaining access, methods of data collection and data management. A family is a complex system and research with families need flexible, sensitive and practical methods. Family research should also aim at developing new methods for data collection and analysis.
Effect of experience on clinical decision making by cardiorespiratory physiotherapists in acute care settings.

PubMed

Smith, Megan; Higgs, Joy; Ellis, Elizabeth

2010-02-01

This article investigates clinical decision making in acute care hospitals by cardiorespiratory physiotherapists with differing degrees of clinical experience. Participants were observed as they engaged in their everyday practice and were interviewed about their decision making. Texts of the data were interpreted by using a hermeneutic approach that involved repeated reading and analysis of fieldnotes and interview transcripts to develop an understanding of the effect of experience on clinical decision making. Participants were classified into categories of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy experience: less experienced (<2 years), intermediate experience (2.5-4 years), and more experienced (>7 years). Four dimensions characteristic of increasing experience in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy clinical decision making were identified: 1) an individual practice model, 2) refined approaches to clinical decision making, 3) working in context, and 4) social and emotional capability. Underpinning these dimensions was evidence of reflection on practice, motivation to achieve best practice, critique of new knowledge, increasing confidence, and relationships with knowledgeable colleagues. These findings reflect characteristics of physiotherapy expertise that have been described in the literature. This study adds knowledge about the field of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy to the existing body of research on clinical decision making and broadens the existing understanding of characteristics of physiotherapy expertise.
When Your Race Is Almost Run, but You Feel You're Not yet Done: Application of the Propulsion Theory of Creative Contributions to Late-Career Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sternberg, Robert J.; Kaufman, James C.

2012-01-01

The propulsion theory of creative contributions is a theory that focuses on how a creative act or product builds on and adds to knowledge in various fields. In this article, we apply the propulsion theory of creative contributions not to creative discoveries or inventions, but rather to late-career decisions about future directions in which one…
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sparks, Sandy; Miller, Russell B.

This project evaluated the information security posture of QUALCOMM regarding its Internet connections. It also enhanced and refined the ability of LLNL to perform these evaluations and add to its body of knowledge concerning Internet threats, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures. The evaluations required a high degree of trust and cooperation between the assessors (LLNL) and the target organization (QUALCOMM). Without this high level of cooperation, the activity could easily have become an adversarial audit type situation and counterproductive to all parties.
Pupils' Projects from Zambia. Third World Science. A Collection of Third Form Science Projects from Lubushi Seminary, Kasama, Zambia as Written and Drawn by the Pupils Themselves.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University Coll. of North Wales, Bangor (United Kingdom). School of Education.

The Third World Science Project (TWSP) is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless facination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere; application of knowledge…
ORA User’s Guide 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-11

places, resources, knowledge sets or other common Node Classes*. 285 This example will use the Stargate dataset (SG-1). This dataset is included...create a new Meta-Network. Below is the NodeSet for Stargate with the original 16 node NodeSet. 376 From the main menu select, Actions > Add...measures by simply gauging their size visually and intuitively. First, visualize one of your networks. Below is the Stargate agent x event network to
A 'curse of knowledge' in the absence of knowledge? People misattribute fluency when judging how common knowledge is among their peers.

PubMed

Birch, Susan A J; Brosseau-Liard, Patricia E; Haddock, Taeh; Ghrear, Siba E

2017-09-01

Knowledge can be a curse: Once we have acquired a particular item of knowledge it tends to bias, or contaminate, our ability to reason about a less informed perspective (referred to as the 'curse of knowledge' or 'hindsight bias'). The mechanisms underlying the curse of knowledge bias are a matter of great import and debate. We highlight two mechanisms that have been proposed to underlie this bias-inhibition and fluency misattribution. Explanations that involve inhibition argue that people have difficulty fully inhibiting or suppressing the content of their knowledge when trying to reason about a less informed perspective. Explanations that involve fluency misattribution focus on the feelings of fluency with which the information comes to mind and the tendency to misattribute the subjective feelings of fluency associated with familiar items to the objective ease or foreseeability of that information. Three experiments with a total of 359 undergraduate students provide the first evidence that fluency misattribution processes are sufficient to induce the curse of knowledge bias. These results add to the literature on the many manifestations of the curse of knowledge bias and the many types of source misattributions, by revealing their role in people's judgements of how common, or widespread, one's knowledge is. The implications of these results for cognitive science and social cognition are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.
The natural history of the anterior knee instability by stress radiography

PubMed Central

de Rezende, Márcia Uchôa; Hernandez, Arnaldo José; Camanho, Gilberto Luis

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the anteroposterior displacement of the knee by means of stress radiography in individuals with unilateral anterior knee instability and relate to time of instability. METHODS: Sixty individuals with intact knees (control group) and 125 patients with unilateral anterior instability (AI group) agreed to participate in the study. Gender, age, weight, height, age at injury, time between injury and testing, and surgical findings are studied. Both groups are submitted to anterior and posterior stress radiographies of both knees. Anterior (ADD) and posterior displacement difference (PDD) were calculated between sides. RESULTS: In the control group ADD and PDD are in average, zero, whereas in the AI group ADD averaged 9.8mm and PDD, 1.92mm. Gender, age, weight, height, age at trauma and presence of menisci's lesions do not intervene in the values of ADD and PDD. Meniscal injuries increase with time. ADD and PDD do not relate with the presence or absence of associated menisci's lesions. The ADD and the PDD are related to each other and increase with time. CONCLUSION: There is a permanent anterior subluxation of the injured knee that is related to the amount of anterior displacement that increases with time. Level of Evidence III, Study Types Case-control study. PMID:25246846
Global analysis of double-strand break processing reveals in vivo properties of the helicase-nuclease complex AddAB

PubMed Central

Badrinarayanan, Anjana; Cisse, Ibrahim I.

2017-01-01

In bacteria, double-strand break (DSB) repair via homologous recombination is thought to be initiated through the bi-directional degradation and resection of DNA ends by a helicase-nuclease complex such as AddAB. The activity of AddAB has been well-studied in vitro, with translocation speeds between 400–2000 bp/s on linear DNA suggesting that a large section of DNA around a break site is processed for repair. However, the translocation rate and activity of AddAB in vivo is not known, and how AddAB is regulated to prevent excessive DNA degradation around a break site is unclear. To examine the functions and mechanistic regulation of AddAB inside bacterial cells, we developed a next-generation sequencing-based approach to assay DNA processing after a site-specific DSB was introduced on the chromosome of Caulobacter crescentus. Using this assay we determined the in vivo rates of DSB processing by AddAB and found that putative chi sites attenuate processing in a RecA-dependent manner. This RecA-mediated regulation of AddAB prevents the excessive loss of DNA around a break site, limiting the effects of DSB processing on transcription. In sum, our results, taken together with prior studies, support a mechanism for regulating AddAB that couples two key events of DSB repair–the attenuation of DNA-end processing and the initiation of homology search by RecA–thereby helping to ensure that genomic integrity is maintained during DSB repair. PMID:28489851
Knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild retardation, in relation HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Dawood, Naseema; Bhagwanjee, Anil; Govender, Kay; Chohan, Ebrahim

2006-05-01

This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild mental retardation (MMR) in relation to HIV/AIDS. Questionnaires were personally administered to a saturation sample of 90 adolescents with MMR drawn from one specialised educational institution in Durban, South Africa. The study revealed critical gaps and erroneous beliefs regarding knowledge of HIV/AIDS, especially with regard to its existence, transmission and cure. Participants indicated a high degree of exposure to various sources of information, particularly media messages. The results indicate that gender-role prescriptions and prevailing social constructions of immorality have had a negative influence on the attitudes and behaviour of participants, particularly with regard to sexual practices and preventative risk behaviours. Furthermore, the sample was found to have low levels of self-efficacy in relation to sexual negotiation and decision-making, more specifically with regard to condom use. It should be noted, however, that only a small proportion of the sample was sexually active and the use of contraceptives was accordingly found to be extremely low. The findings are discussed against the backdrop of the empirical literature on HIV/AIDS, developmental theory, and pertinent theories and models of health behaviour. This study may help to promote a better understanding of the psycho-educational dynamics of HIV infection in this special group of adolescents, and also help to inform attempts to tailor suitable educational programmes, as well as promote further research to add to our knowledge as we address the problems of HIV/AIDS among this group.
Informatics in radiology: radiology gamuts ontology: differential diagnosis for the Semantic Web.

PubMed

Budovec, Joseph J; Lam, Cesar A; Kahn, Charles E

2014-01-01

The Semantic Web is an effort to add semantics, or "meaning," to empower automated searching and processing of Web-based information. The overarching goal of the Semantic Web is to enable users to more easily find, share, and combine information. Critical to this vision are knowledge models called ontologies, which define a set of concepts and formalize the relations between them. Ontologies have been developed to manage and exploit the large and rapidly growing volume of information in biomedical domains. In diagnostic radiology, lists of differential diagnoses of imaging observations, called gamuts, provide an important source of knowledge. The Radiology Gamuts Ontology (RGO) is a formal knowledge model of differential diagnoses in radiology that includes 1674 differential diagnoses, 19,017 terms, and 52,976 links between terms. Its knowledge is used to provide an interactive, freely available online reference of radiology gamuts ( www.gamuts.net ). A Web service allows its content to be discovered and consumed by other information systems. The RGO integrates radiologic knowledge with other biomedical ontologies as part of the Semantic Web. © RSNA, 2014.
Reflections of a team approach to involving people with dementia in research.

PubMed

King, Amanda; Hopkinson, Jane; Milton, Rebecca

2016-01-01

The article reflects on the ways in which a person-centred approach was used to ensure that people with dementia were given an opportunity to participate in research. The authors discuss three key issues-the importance of including people with dementia in research, informed consent and the possibility of accidental disclosure of diagnosis. The study was an in-depth examination of the ways in which the cancer team manages patients with memory problems and patients with dementia, and the experiences of these patients and their families in accessing outpatient cancer treatment and care in Wales. The study findings will be reported elsewhere. This article aims to add to the small body of existing knowledge within the literature that describes the experiences of researchers in actively involving people with dementia in research.

NARCISSISM AND CONCERN: THE RELATIONSHIP OF SELF-OBJECT NEEDS AND NARCISSISTIC SYMPTOMS WITH HEALTHY AND PATHOLOGICAL CONCERN.

PubMed

Friedemann, Yael; Tolmacz, Rami; Doron, Yonit

2016-03-01

While concern and narcissism seem to be contradictory in nature, clinical evidence and theoretical writings on pathological forms of concern--tracing their origin to deficiencies in early relationships with primary caretakers--suggest that the actual relationship between these two characteristics might be much more complicated. We respond to a study aimed to add empirical data to the clinical and theoretical knowledge examined the relationships between self-object functions, types of narcissism and pathological concern. The findings of the study showed that pathological concern was positively associated with self-object needs and that this association was mediated by covert narcissism. Our discussion focuses on the developmental and psychodynamic sources of pathological concern, as well as its significance in the intrapersonal and interpersonal domains.
Consumer behaviour in the waiting area.

PubMed

Mobach, Mark P

2007-02-01

To determine consumer behaviour in the pharmacy waiting area. The applied methods for data-collection were direct observations. Three Dutch community pharmacies were selected for the study. The topics in the observation list were based on available services at each waiting area (brochures, books, illuminated new trailer, children's play area, etc.). Per patient each activity was registered, and at each pharmacy the behaviour was studied for 2 weeks. Most patients only waited during the waiting time at the studied pharmacies. Few consumers obtained written information during their wait. The waiting area may have latent possibilities to expand the information function of the pharmacy and combine this with other activities that distract the consumer from the wait. Transdisciplinary research, combining knowledge from pharmacy practice research with consumer research, has been a useful approach to add information on queueing behaviour of consumers.
Changing predictions, stable recognition: Children's representations of downward incline motion.

PubMed

Hast, Michael; Howe, Christine

2017-11-01

Various studies to-date have demonstrated children hold ill-conceived expressed beliefs about the physical world such as that one ball will fall faster than another because it is heavier. At the same time, they also demonstrate accurate recognition of dynamic events. How these representations relate is still unresolved. This study examined 5- to 11-year-olds' (N = 130) predictions and recognition of motion down inclines. Predictions were typically in error, matching previous work, but children largely recognized correct events as correct and rejected incorrect ones. The results also demonstrate while predictions change with increasing age, recognition shows signs of stability. The findings provide further support for a hybrid model of object representations and argue in favour of stable core cognition existing alongside developmental changes. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Children's predictions of physical events show limitations in accuracy Their recognition of such events suggests children may use different knowledge sources in their reasoning What the present study adds? Predictions fluctuate more strongly than recognition, suggesting stable core cognition But recognition also shows some fluctuation, arguing for a hybrid model of knowledge representation. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.
The journey toward shared governance: the lived experience of nurse managers and staff nurses.

PubMed

Ott, Joyce; Ross, Carl

2014-09-01

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experience of nurse managers and staff nurses in shared governance. Shared governance refers to systems and services aligned in partnership. The information gained by studying the lived experience of nurse managers and staff nurses in shared governance is valuable for providing knowledge of empowerment. A qualitative design was used. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview using five questions with 11 Registered Nurses. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from data analysis. Nurse managers identified the journey of patient satisfaction; journey of empowerment; journey of self-management and journey of wellness. Staff nurses identified the journey of development and implementation of best practice; journey to provide quality patient care, journey to a new culture of nursing; and journey of a variety of challenges. This study supports the idea that collaboration between nurse managers and staff nurses develops a journey toward shared governance. Nursing management can use findings to empower nurses to collaborate with nurse managers toward best practice. This adds to current knowledge that partnership of nurse managers and staff nurses, supports and encourages ownership in shared governance. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Skin dose saving of the staff in 90Y/177Lu peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with the automatic dose dispenser.

PubMed

Fioroni, Federica; Grassi, Elisa; Giorgia, Cavatorta; Sara, Rubagotti; Piccagli, Vando; Filice, Angelina; Mostacci, Domiziano; Versari, Annibale; Iori, Mauro

2016-10-01

When handling Y-labelled and Lu-labelled radiopharmaceuticals, skin exposure is mainly due to β-particles. This study aimed to investigate the equivalent dose saving of the staff when changing from an essentially manual radiolabelling procedure to an automatic dose dispenser (ADD). The chemist and physician were asked to wear thermoluminescence dosimeters on their fingertips to evaluate the quantity of Hp(0.07) on the skin. Data collected were divided into two groups: before introducing ADD (no ADD) and after introducing ADD. For the chemist, the mean values (95th percentile) of Hp(0.07) for no ADD and ADD are 0.030 (0.099) and 0.019 (0.076) mSv/GBq, respectively, for Y, and 0.022 (0.037) and 0.007 (0.023) mSv/GBq, respectively, for Lu. The reduction for ADD was significant (t-test with P<0.05) for both isotopes. The relative differences before and after ADD collected for every finger were treated using the Wilcoxon test, proving a significantly higher reduction in extremity dose to each fingertip for Lu than for Y (P<0.05). For the medical staff, the mean values of Hp(0.07) (95th percentile) for no ADD and ADD are 0.021 (0.0762) and 0.0143 (0.0565) mSv/GBq, respectively, for Y, and 0.0011 (0.00196) and 0.0009 (0.00263) mSv/GBq, respectively, for Lu. The t-test provided a P-value less than 0.05 for both isotopes, making the difference between ADD and no ADD significant. ADD positively affects the dose saving of the chemist in handling both isotopes. For the medical staff not directly involved with the introduction of the ADD system, the analysis shows a learning curve of the workers over a 5-year period. Specific devices and procedures allow staff skin dose to be limited.
Characterisation of steroids in wooden crates of veal calves by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (U-HPLC-QqQ-MS-MS).

PubMed

Verheyden, K; Noppe, H; Vanden Bussche, J; Wille, K; Bekaert, K; De Boever, L; Van Acker, J; Janssen, C R; De Brabander, H F; Vanhaecke, L

2010-05-01

Illegal steroid administration to enhance growth performance in veal calves has long been, and still is, a serious issue facing regulatory agencies. Over the last years, stating undisputable markers of illegal treatment has become complex because of the endogenous origin of several anabolic steroids. Knowledge on the origin of an analyte is therefore of paramount importance. The present study shows the presence of steroid analytes in wooden crates used for housing veal calves. For this purpose, an analytical procedure using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE(R)), solid-phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (U-HPLC-MS-MS) is developed for the characterisation of androstadienedione (ADD), boldenone (bBol), androstenedione (AED), beta-testosterone (bT), alpha-testosterone (aT), progesterone (P) and 17alpha-hydroxy-progesterone (OH-P) in wood samples. In samples of wooden crates used for housing veal calves, ADD, AED, aT and P could be identified. Using the standard addition approach concentrations of these analytes were determined ranging from 20 +/- 4 ppb to 32 +/- 4 ppb for ADD, from 19 +/- 5 ppb to 44 +/- 17 ppb for AED, from 11 +/- 6 ppb to 30 +/- 2 ppb for aT and from 14 +/- 1 ppb to 42 +/- 27 ppb for P, depending on the sample type. As exposure of veal calves to steroid hormones in their housing facilities might complicate decision-making on illegal hormone administration, inequitable slaughter of animals remains possible. Therefore, complete prohibition of wooden calf accommodation should be considered.
Human nature, cultural diversity and evolutionary theory

PubMed Central

Plotkin, Henry

2011-01-01

Incorporating culture into an expanded theory of evolution will provide the foundation for a universal account of human diversity. Two requirements must be met. The first is to see learning as an extension of the processes of evolution. The second is to understand that there are specific components of human culture, viz. higher order knowledge structures and social constructions, which give rise to culture as invented knowledge. These components, which are products of psychological processes and mechanisms, make human culture different from the forms of shared knowledge observed in other species. One serious difficulty for such an expanded theory is that social constructions may not add to the fitness of all humans exposed to them. This may be because human culture has existed for only a relatively short time in evolutionary terms. Or it may be that, as some maintain, adaptation is a limited, even a flawed, aspect of evolutionary theory. PMID:21199849
Shadowing emergency medicine residents by medical education specialists to provide feedback on non-medical knowledge-based ACGME sub-competencies.

PubMed

Waterbrook, Anna L; Spear Ellinwood, Karen C; Pritchard, T Gail; Bertels, Karen; Johnson, Ariel C; Min, Alice; Stoneking, Lisa R

2018-01-01

Non-medical knowledge-based sub-competencies (multitasking, professionalism, accountability, patient-centered communication, and team management) are challenging for a supervising emergency medicine (EM) physician to evaluate in real-time on shift while also managing a busy emergency department (ED). This study examines residents' perceptions of having a medical education specialist shadow and evaluate their nonmedical knowledge skills. Medical education specialists shadowed postgraduate year 1 and postgraduate year 2 EM residents during an ED shift once per academic year. In an attempt to increase meaningful feedback to the residents, these specialists evaluated resident performance in selected non-medical knowledge-based Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) sub-competencies and provided residents with direct, real-time feedback, followed by a written evaluation sent via email. Evaluations provided specific references to examples of behaviors observed during the shift and connected these back to ACGME competencies and milestones. Twelve residents participated in this shadow experience (six post graduate year 1 and six postgraduate year 2). Two residents emailed the medical education specialists ahead of the scheduled shadow shift requesting specific feedback. When queried, five residents voluntarily requested their feedback to be included in their formal biannual review. Residents received milestone scores and narrative feedback on the non-medical knowledge-based ACGME sub-competencies and indicated the shadow experience and subsequent feedback were valuable. Medical education specialists who observe residents over the course of an entire shift and evaluate non-medical knowledge-based skills are perceived by EM residents to provide meaningful feedback and add valuable information for the biannual review process.
Towards a sociology of knowledge translation: the importance of being dis-interested in knowledge translation.

PubMed

Kitto, Simon C; Sargeant, Joan; Reeves, Scott; Silver, Ivan

2012-05-01

Over the last 15 years there has been an increasingly energetic search for theories and definitions in the burgeoning area of knowledge translation (KT) in the health care context. The focus has been on the design and evaluation of KT activities with little attention to developing a considered KT theoretical/methodological approach that takes a more distanced critical inquiry to the studying of KT interventions. As such, what has been overlooked in the health professions KT literature to date is a suitably complex conceptualisation of translation that encompasses the multiplicity of KT interventions, the dynamic environments in which they are occurring, and the production of new knowledge which arises from their interactions. Attending to these epistemological issues; i.e. issues of the type of knowledge and how it is produced, is crucial to developing a relational understanding of the production and emergence of context-specific clinical knowledge and practice in KT processes. Such an approach is compared to the traditional KT evaluations by KT practitioners themselves of the compliance or non-compliance of individual and organisational behaviour change. A Sociology of KT (SKT) is proposed to complement the applied and evaluative research practice of implementing planned action KT activities. The purpose of a SKT basic research agenda is to understand both the context-specific nature of KT interventions and the epistemological premises of the activities of KT implementers themselves, in order to advance the science of KT and inform, complement and add to the success of applied and evaluative KT research in the future.
NASA work unit system file maintenance manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The NASA Work Unit System is a management information system for research tasks (i.e., work units) performed under NASA grants and contracts. It supplies profiles on research efforts and statistics on fund distribution. The file maintenance operator can add, delete and change records at a remote terminal or can submit punched cards to the computer room for batch update. The system is designed for file maintenance by a person with little or no knowledge of data processing techniques.
CRESST Human Performance Knowledge Mapping System

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

link subcategories. Semantica Evaluation copy unavailable Visual Mind M H No Cannot add relation labels. Smart Ideas H H No Easy to use. Linking in...Screen Users can access all top-level functions from the main screen shown in Figure 4. The design of the Web favored breadth over depth, which allows...based on whether their propositions match propositions in the expert map. LifeMap PC on the Web /Mac 0 http:/ /www2.ucsc.edu/-mlrg/mlrgtools.html This
Defence SDI - A Useful Current Awareness System (Dissemination Selective de L’Information sur la Defense: Un Systeme Pratique D’Information Permanente).

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION SERVICES L EFENCE SDI - A USEFUL CURRENT AWARENESS SYSTEM (Dissemination Selective de L’Information, Sur la Defense: Un...Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. CAUTION This information is furnished with the express understanding that proprietary and patent rights will be...may add his knowledge of information exchange agreements and Canadian projects covered by these agreements. These exchange agreements are important
Policy Analysis in National Security Affairs: New Methods for a New Era

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

make it hard to keep talented staffs in all three areas. Such firms draw most of their money from external sponsorship of research projects, often by... field of national security policy, the process of employing analytical methods to develop and enhance thought-derived knowledge begins by creating new...flow to poor regions from banks and lending agencies. Multinational firms add to the total with funds to develop industrial plants and other facilities
Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD) Risk Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byberg, Alicia; Russell, J. Kevin; Kaukler, Donna; Burdine, Robert V. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper will report risk issues associated with designing, manufacturing, and testing the Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD). The Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD) will be developed as a lightweight primary mirror system that can be produced at a low cost and with a short manufacturing schedule. This technology will add to the knowledge base for selection for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), Space Based Laser (SBL), Research Laboratory mission (AFRL), and other government agency programs.
Feasibility study of veterinary antibiotic consumption in Germany--comparison of ADDs and UDDs by animal production type, antimicrobial class and indication.

PubMed

Merle, Roswitha; Robanus, Matthias; Hegger-Gravenhorst, Christine; Mollenhauer, Yvonne; Hajek, Peter; Käsbohrer, Annemarie; Honscha, Walther; Kreienbrock, Lothar

2014-01-08

Within a feasibility study the use of antibiotics in pigs and cattle was determined in 24 veterinary practices in Lower Saxony and on 66 farms in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Focus was laid on the comparison of the Used Daily Doses (UDD) (dose per animal and day prescribed by the veterinarians) with the Defined Animal Daily Doses (ADD) (dose per animal and day calculated by means of recommended dosages and estimated live weights). For piglets and calves most of the UDD (50% and 46% of nUDD, respectively) were above the ADD (i.e. UDD/ADD-ratio above 1.25). Regarding sows, fattening pigs, dairy and beef cattle, most of the UDDs (49% to 65% of nUDD) were lower than the respective ADD (i.e. UDD/ADD-ratio below 0.8). In pigs, the UDDs of beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, and in cattle, those of macrolides and beta-lactams were often below the ADDs. Tetracyclines were frequently used above the recommended dose.Enteric diseases were more often treated below the recommended dose than respiratory diseases, possibly due to overestimation of the live weight (diarrhea in young animals, respiratory diseases in elder animals) and consequently overestimation of the recommended dose. Comparisons between UDD and ADD can be used to observe differences between antimicrobials and trends in the usage of antibiotics. But individual treatment comparisons of UDD and ADD must be interpreted carefully, because they may be due to lower live weights than estimated. Correlating such data with data on the occurrence of resistant bacteria in future may help to improve resistance prevention and control.
Feasibility study of veterinary antibiotic consumption in Germany - comparison of ADDs and UDDs by animal production type, antimicrobial class and indication

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Within a feasibility study the use of antibiotics in pigs and cattle was determined in 24 veterinary practices in Lower Saxony and on 66 farms in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Focus was laid on the comparison of the Used Daily Doses (UDD) (dose per animal and day prescribed by the veterinarians) with the Defined Animal Daily Doses (ADD) (dose per animal and day calculated by means of recommended dosages and estimated live weights). Results For piglets and calves most of the UDD (50% and 46% of nUDD, respectively) were above the ADD (i.e. UDD/ADD-ratio above 1.25). Regarding sows, fattening pigs, dairy and beef cattle, most of the UDDs (49% to 65% of nUDD) were lower than the respective ADD (i.e. UDD/ADD-ratio below 0.8). In pigs, the UDDs of beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, and in cattle, those of macrolides and beta-lactams were often below the ADDs. Tetracyclines were frequently used above the recommended dose. Enteric diseases were more often treated below the recommended dose than respiratory diseases, possibly due to overestimation of the live weight (diarrhea in young animals, respiratory diseases in elder animals) and consequently overestimation of the recommended dose. Conclusion Comparisons between UDD and ADD can be used to observe differences between antimicrobials and trends in the usage of antibiotics. But individual treatment comparisons of UDD and ADD must be interpreted carefully, because they may be due to lower live weights than estimated. Correlating such data with data on the occurrence of resistant bacteria in future may help to improve resistance prevention and control. PMID:24401194
Impact of Frequent Interruption on Nurses' Patient-Controlled Analgesia Programming Performance.

PubMed

Campoe, Kristi R; Giuliano, Karen K

2017-12-01

The purpose was to add to the body of knowledge regarding the impact of interruption on acute care nurses' cognitive workload, total task completion times, nurse frustration, and medication administration error while programming a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. Data support that the severity of medication administration error increases with the number of interruptions, which is especially critical during the administration of high-risk medications. Bar code technology, interruption-free zones, and medication safety vests have been shown to decrease administration-related errors. However, there are few published data regarding the impact of number of interruptions on nurses' clinical performance during PCA programming. Nine acute care nurses completed three PCA pump programming tasks in a simulation laboratory. Programming tasks were completed under three conditions where the number of interruptions varied between two, four, and six. Outcome measures included cognitive workload (six NASA Task Load Index [NASA-TLX] subscales), total task completion time (seconds), nurse frustration (NASA-TLX Subscale 6), and PCA medication administration error (incorrect final programming). Increases in the number of interruptions were associated with significant increases in total task completion time ( p = .003). We also found increases in nurses' cognitive workload, nurse frustration, and PCA pump programming errors, but these increases were not statistically significant. Complex technology use permeates the acute care nursing practice environment. These results add new knowledge on nurses' clinical performance during PCA pump programming and high-risk medication administration.
The role of pairing an anesthesiology rotation with the general surgery clerkship: positive impact on surgical and perioperative education

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background The use of an anesthesiology rotation in the realm of surgical education is not very well studied. Several studies show the importance of an anesthesiology rotation in the grand scheme of undergraduate medical education. However, its importance in perioperative medicine and surgical education is not very well understood. This study attempts to look at this relationship and determine whether or not a temporal relationship between this anesthesiology rotation and a surgical rotation is important. Methods I used an online survey tool to survey medical students who took the anesthesiology rotation (required rotation) in 2014 and 2015 (when rotation was coupled to surgical rotation) and compared those data to the data of students who took the rotation in 2016 (when the rotation was not coupled to surgery). I asked several questions looking at the importance of the anesthesiology rotation to surgical education and to perioperative medicine. Results Having a required anesthesiology rotation appears to add value to the general surgery rotation in undergraduate medical education. Furthermore, when this rotation is paired with the general surgery rotation, it appears that the students learn more about perioperative medicine than when the rotation is paired with other “advanced” rotation. Conclusion The pairing of anesthesiology with a general surgery rotation does indeed improve the perioperative medicine education and knowledge of students. Students appreciate having a week of anesthesiology with the surgical rotation, and they note that it adds value to the general surgery rotation. PMID:29445309
Influence of Brettanomyces ethylphenols on red wine aroma evaluated by consumers in the United States and Portugal.

PubMed

Schumaker, Megan R; Chandra, Mahesh; Malfeito-Ferreira, Manuel; Ross, Carolyn F

2017-10-01

Brettanomyces may add complexity to wine at low concentrations but at high concentrations, can result in objectionable wines. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations at which consumers from two different locations were able to detect Brettanomyces volatile compounds present in a red wine. A red wine blend, used in both countries, was spiked to create five treatments containing different concentrations of 4-ethylphenol (4-EP), 4-ethylguiacol (4-EG), and 4-ethylcatechol (4-EC) in a 5:1:1 ratio, respectively. These treatments were evaluated by consumers in the United States and Portugal (n=121) using a difference from control test. Consumers were also classified as having low, medium, or high wine knowledge. Among the spiked samples, the greatest degree of difference was found between the second and third treatments, corresponding to reported detection and recognition threshold ranges of 4-EP and 4-EG. For some treatments, consumers from Portugal classified in the medium or high knowledge level reported significantly higher mean differences from the control than those in the low knowledge group (p<0.05). Results demonstrated consumers' ability to detect differences in red wines due to Brettanomyces volatile compounds. Results provide useful context on how wine knowledge and cultural variants may affect the detection of Brettanomyces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Spironolactone Add-on for Preventing or Slowing the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy: A Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hou, Jing; Xiong, Weiquan; Cao, Ling; Wen, Xiangqiong; Li, Ailing

2015-09-01

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the benefits and potential adverse effects of adding spironolactone to standard antidiabetic/renoprotective/antihypertensive (AD/RP/AHT) treatment in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Knowledge were searched for relevant randomized, controlled studies (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of the effects of adding spironolactone to standard AD/RP/AHT treatment in patients with DN. Results were summarized with a random-effects model or a fixed-effects model. According to the outcomes measured (benefits and risks of adding spironolactone to standard AD/RP/AHT treatment), compared with controls, the addition of spironolactone significantly decreased end-of-treatment (EOT) 24-hour urinary albumin/protein excretion and significantly increased percentage reduction from baseline in urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), although it did not significantly affect EOT UACR. The addition of spironolactone further led to a significantly greater reduction from baseline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR)/estimated (e) GFR, although it did not significantly affect EOT GFR/eGFR. Further, the addition of spironolactone significantly reduced EOT in-office, 24-hour, and daytime systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) and led to significantly greater reductions from baseline in in-office SBP and DBP, although it did not significantly affect nighttime SBP or DBP. Finally, the addition of spironolactone significantly increased mean serum/plasma potassium levels and the risk for hyperkalemia. Spironolactone could be added to preexisting AD/RP/AHT therapy in patients with DN to prevent or slow DN progression by reducing proteinuria. The addition of spironolactone would likely provide even more beneficial effect in patients with DN and hypertension due to the BP reduction associated with spironolactone use. However, the beneficial effects of spironolactone add-on should be weighed against its potential risks, especially hyperkalemia. The long-term effects of spironolactone add-on on renal outcomes and mortality need to be studied. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Self-directed versus traditional classroom training for neonatal resuscitation.

PubMed

Weiner, Gary M; Menghini, Karin; Zaichkin, Jeanette; Caid, Ann E; Jacoby, Carrie J; Simon, Wendy M

2011-04-01

Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructors spend most of their classroom time giving lectures and demonstrating basic skills. We hypothesized that a self-directed education program could shift acquisition of these skills outside the classroom, shorten the duration of the class, and allow instructors to use their time to facilitate low-fidelity simulation and debriefing. Novice providers were randomly allocated to self-directed education or a traditional class. Self-directed participants received a textbook, instructional video, and portable equipment kit and attended a 90-minute simulation session with an instructor. The traditional class included 6 hours of lectures and instructor-directed skill stations. Outcome measures included resuscitation skill (megacode assessment score), content knowledge, participant satisfaction, and self-confidence. Forty-six subjects completed the study. There was no significant difference between the study groups in either the megacode assessment score (23.8 [traditional] vs 24.5 [self-directed]; P = .46) or fraction that passed the "megacode" (final skills assessment) (56% [traditional] vs 65% [self-directed]; P = .76). There were no significant differences in content knowledge, course satisfaction, or postcourse self-confidence. Content knowledge, years of experience, and self-confidence did not predict resuscitation skill. Self-directed education improves the educational efficiency of the neonatal resuscitation course by shifting the acquisition of cognitive and basic procedural skills outside of the classroom, which allows the instructor to add low-fidelity simulation and debriefing while significantly decreasing the duration of the course.
Quantitative phase imaging of arthropods

PubMed Central

Sridharan, Shamira; Katz, Aron; Soto-Adames, Felipe; Popescu, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Abstract. Classification of arthropods is performed by characterization of fine features such as setae and cuticles. An unstained whole arthropod specimen mounted on a slide can be preserved for many decades, but is difficult to study since current methods require sample manipulation or tedious image processing. Spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM) is a quantitative phase imaging (QPI) technique that is an add-on module to a commercial phase contrast microscope. We use SLIM to image a whole organism springtail Ceratophysella denticulata mounted on a slide. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that an entire organism has been imaged using QPI. We also demonstrate the ability of SLIM to image fine structures in addition to providing quantitative data that cannot be obtained by traditional bright field microscopy. PMID:26334858
Electroencephalogram and Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical and Research Approaches

PubMed Central

Tsolaki, Anthoula; Kazis, Dimitrios; Kompatsiaris, Ioannis; Kosmidou, Vasiliki; Tsolaki, Magda

2014-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by cognitive deficits, problems in activities of daily living, and behavioral disturbances. Electroencephalogram (EEG) has been demonstrated as a reliable tool in dementia research and diagnosis. The application of EEG in AD has a wide range of interest. EEG contributes to the differential diagnosis and the prognosis of the disease progression. Additionally such recordings can add important information related to the drug effectiveness. This review is prepared to form a knowledge platform for the project entitled “Cognitive Signal Processing Lab,” which is in progress in Information Technology Institute in Thessaloniki. The team tried to focus on the main research fields of AD via EEG and recent published studies. PMID:24868482
Masculine Norms, Avoidant Coping, Asian Values and Depression among Asian American Men.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Derek Kenji; Liao, Liang; Liu, William Ming

2010-01-01

Contrary to the "model minority" myth, growing research indicates that the rates of mental health problems among Asian Americans may be higher than initially assumed. This study seeks to add to the scant knowledge regarding the mental health of Asian American men by examining the role of masculine norms, coping and cultural values in predicting depression among this population (N=149). Results reveal that Asian American men who used avoidant coping strategies and endorsed the masculine norm Dominance reported higher levels of depressive symptoms. In contrast, endorsing Winning masculine norms was associated to lower levels of depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that adherence to masculine norms and avoidant coping strategies play a salient role in the mental health of Asian American men.
The MMPI-168(L) and ADD in Assessing Psychopathology in Individuals with Mental Retardation: Between and within Instrument Associations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaniel, William F.; Passmore, Corie E.; Sewell, Hollie M.

2003-01-01

A study involving 58 adults with mental retardation and mental disorders found few correlations between the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Assessment of Dual Diagnosis (ADD). The major exception was the Mania scale of the MMPI, which correlated moderately well with the ADD Schizophrenia and Dementia scales. (Contains…
[Passive tactile stimulation and its clinical and neurophysiological repercussions (P300) in blind children with symptoms of attention deficit disorder].

PubMed

Serrano-Marugán, Isabel; Herrera, Begoña; Romero, Sara; Nogales, Ramón; Poch-Broto, Joaquín; Quintero, Javier; Ortiz, Tomás

2014-02-24

Tactile stimulation is key for the posterior brain re-organization activity and attention processes, however the impact of tactile stimulation on attention deficit disorder (ADD) in blind children remains unexplored. We carried out a study with children having or not ADD (four per group). The subjects have been exposed during six months to tactile stimulation protocol consisting in two daily sessions (morning and afternoon sessions) of 30 minutes each. We have measured the ability to detect an infrequent tactile stimulus, reaction time, latency of P300, sources of brain activity, and ADD clinical symptoms, before and after tactile training. Passive tactile stimulation significantly improves ADD clinical symptoms, particularly attention, behavior and self-control of involuntary movements and tics. In addition, tactile stimulation changes the pattern of brain activity in ADD blind children inducing activity in frontal and occipital areas, which could be associated to a compensation of the attention deficit. Passive tactile stimulation training may improve ADD clinical symptoms and can reorganize the pattern of brain activity in blind ADD children.
Impact of Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders and Chronic Somatic Diseases on disability and work impairment.

PubMed

Bokma, Wicher A; Batelaan, Neeltje M; van Balkom, Anton J L M; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2017-03-01

Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders (ADDs) and Chronic Somatic Diseases (CSDs) are associated with substantial levels of health-related disability and work impairment. However, it is unclear whether comorbid ADDs and CSDs additively affect functional outcomes. This paper examines the impact of ADDs, CSDs, and their comorbidity on disability, work absenteeism and presenteeism. Baseline data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (n=2371) were used. We assessed presence of current ADDs (using psychiatric interviews, CIDI) and presence of self-reported CSDs. Outcome measures were disability scores (WHO-DAS II questionnaire, overall and domain-specific), work absenteeism (≤2weeks and >2weeks; TiC-P) and presenteeism (reduced and impaired work performance; TiC-P). We conducted multivariate regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographics. Both ADDs and CSDs significantly and independently impact total disability, but the impact was substantially larger for ADDs (main effect unstandardized β=20.1, p<.001) than for CSDs (main effect unstandardized β=3.88, p<.001). There was a positive interaction between ADDs and CSDs on disability (unstandardized β interaction=4.06, p=.004). Although CSDs also induce absenteeism (OR for extended absenteeism=1.42, p=.015) and presenteeism (OR for impaired work performance=1.42, p=.013), associations with ADDs were stronger (OR for extended absenteeism=6.64, p<.001; OR for impaired work performance=7.51, p<.001). Both CSDs and ADDs cause substantial disability, work absenteeism and presenteeism, but the impact of ADDs far exceeds that of CSDs. CSDs and ADDs interact synergistically on disability, thereby bolstering the current view that patients with physical mental comorbidity (PM-comorbidity) form a severe subgroup with an unfavourable prognosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Learners' strategies for reconstructing cognitive frameworks and navigating conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrott, Annette M.

Problem. Science teachers are charged with preparing students to become scientifically literate individuals. Teachers are given curriculum that specifies the knowledge that students should come away with; however, they are not necessarily aware of the knowledge with which the student arrives or how best to help them navigate between the two knowledge states. Educators must be aware, not only of where their students are conceptually, but how their students move from their prior knowledge and naive theories, to scientifically acceptable theories. The understanding of how students navigate this course has the potential to revolutionize educational practices. Methods. This study explored how five 9th grade biology students reconstructed their cognitive frameworks and navigated conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge. The research questions investigated were: (1) how do students in the process of changing their naive science theories to accepted science theories describe their journey from prior knowledge to current conception, and (2) what are the methods that students utilize to bridge the gap between alternate and consensual science conceptions to effect conceptual change. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews formed the primary data for probing the context and details of students' conceptual change experience. Primary interview data was coded by thematic analysis. Results and discussion. This study revealed information about students' perceived roles in learning, the role of articulation in the conceptual change process, and ways in which a community of learners aids conceptual change. It was ascertained that students see their role in learning primarily as repeating information until they could add that information to their knowledge. Students are more likely to consider challenges to their conceptual frameworks and be more motivated to become active participants in constructing their knowledge when they are working collaboratively with peers instead of receiving instruction from their teacher. Articulation was found to be instrumental in aiding learners in identifying their alternate conceptions as well as in revisiting, investigating and reconstructing their conceptual frameworks. Based on the assumptions generated, suggestions were offered to inform pedagogical practice in support of the conceptual change process.
From data mining rules to medical logical modules and medical advices.

PubMed

Gomoi, Valentin; Vida, Mihaela; Robu, Raul; Stoicu-Tivadar, Vasile; Bernad, Elena; Lupşe, Oana

2013-01-01

Using data mining in collaboration with Clinical Decision Support Systems adds new knowledge as support for medical diagnosis. The current work presents a tool which translates data mining rules supporting generation of medical advices to Arden Syntax formalism. The developed system was tested with data related to 2326 births that took place in 2010 at the Bega Obstetrics - Gynaecology Hospital, Timişoara. Based on processing these data, 14 medical rules regarding the Apgar score were generated and then translated in Arden Syntax language.
Using OWL in a Pervasive Computing Broker

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

carries or wears (e.g., cell phones , PDAs and headphones), services that are provided by de- vices in a room (e.g., projector service, light controller...ence of the users’ devices and clothing. As Alice enters the room, these sensors inform the R210 broker that a cell phone belonging to her is present and...the broker adds this fact in its knowledge base. As she sits, the agent on Alice’s Bluetooth enabled cell phone discovers R210’s broker and engages
AiGERM: A logic programming front end for GERM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hashim, Safaa H.

1990-01-01

AiGerm (Artificially Intelligent Graphical Entity Relation Modeler) is a relational data base query and programming language front end for MCC (Mission Control Center)/STP's (Space Test Program) Germ (Graphical Entity Relational Modeling) system. It is intended as an add-on component of the Germ system to be used for navigating very large networks of information. It can also function as an expert system shell for prototyping knowledge-based systems. AiGerm provides an interface between the programming language and Germ.
Field Guide: The Culture of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

technologies , and were knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects 44 Remedy: Add new officer accession paths. The PLA aspires to draw many more officer...needs only a few hundred thousand new conscripts. There are many ways of avoiding conscription; in the end, few people join the military who really...training are carried out as part of an annual cycle: • On November 1, potential conscripts report for screening. • By around February 1, new conscripts
The Brink of Change: Gender in Technology-Rich Collaborative Learning Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, Jessica; Puntambekar, Sadhana

2004-12-01

This study was designed to contribute to a small but growing body of knowledge on the influence of gender in technology-rich collaborative learning environments. The study examined middle school students' attitudes towards using computers and working in groups during scientific inquiry. Students' attitudes towards technology and group work were analyzed using questionnaires. To add depth to the findings from the survey research, the role of gender was also investigated through the analysis of student conversations in the context of two activities: exploring science information on a hypertext text and conducting hands-on investigations. The data suggest that not only are girls and boys are similar with regard to attitudes about computers and group work, but that during collaborative learning activities, girls may actually participate more actively and persistently regardless of the nature of the task.
The Role of Objective Numeracy and Fluid Intelligence in Sex-Related Protective Behaviors.

PubMed

Dieckmann, Nathan F; Peters, Ellen; Leon, Juan; Benavides, Martin; Baker, David P; Norris, Alison

2015-01-01

A wealth of studies has indicated that greater cognitive ability is related to healthier behaviors and outcomes throughout the lifespan. In the present paper, we focus on objective numeracy (ability with numbers) and present findings from a study conducted in the Peruvian Highlands that examines the relations among formal education, numeracy, other more general cognitive skills, and a sex-related protective behavior (condom use). Our results show a potential unique protective effect of numeracy on this healthprotective behavior even after accounting for measures of fluid intelligence and potential confounding factors. These results add to a growing literature highlighting the robust protective effect on health behaviors of greater cognitive skills that are enhanced through schooling. Challenges for future research will be identifying the causal mechanisms that underlie these effects and translating this knowledge into effective interventions for improving health.
SNP_tools: A compact tool package for analysis and conversion of genotype data for MS-Excel

PubMed Central

Chen, Bowang; Wilkening, Stefan; Drechsel, Marion; Hemminki, Kari

2009-01-01

Background Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping is a major activity in biomedical research. Scientists prefer to have a facile access to the results which may require conversions between data formats. First hand SNP data is often entered in or saved in the MS-Excel format, but this software lacks genetic and epidemiological related functions. A general tool to do basic genetic and epidemiological analysis and data conversion for MS-Excel is needed. Findings The SNP_tools package is prepared as an add-in for MS-Excel. The code is written in Visual Basic for Application, embedded in the Microsoft Office package. This add-in is an easy to use tool for users with basic computer knowledge (and requirements for basic statistical analysis). Conclusion Our implementation for Microsoft Excel 2000-2007 in Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 beta can handle files in different formats and converts them into other formats. It is a free software. PMID:19852806
SNP_tools: A compact tool package for analysis and conversion of genotype data for MS-Excel.

PubMed

Chen, Bowang; Wilkening, Stefan; Drechsel, Marion; Hemminki, Kari

2009-10-23

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping is a major activity in biomedical research. Scientists prefer to have a facile access to the results which may require conversions between data formats. First hand SNP data is often entered in or saved in the MS-Excel format, but this software lacks genetic and epidemiological related functions. A general tool to do basic genetic and epidemiological analysis and data conversion for MS-Excel is needed. The SNP_tools package is prepared as an add-in for MS-Excel. The code is written in Visual Basic for Application, embedded in the Microsoft Office package. This add-in is an easy to use tool for users with basic computer knowledge (and requirements for basic statistical analysis). Our implementation for Microsoft Excel 2000-2007 in Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 beta can handle files in different formats and converts them into other formats. It is a free software.
Water underground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Graaf, Inge

2015-04-01

The world's largest assessable source of freshwater is hidden underground, but we do not know what is happening to it yet. In many places of the world groundwater is abstracted at unsustainable rates: more water is used than being recharged, leading to decreasing river discharges and declining groundwater levels. It is predicted that for many regions of the world unsustainable water use will increase, due to increasing human water use under changing climate. It would not be long before shortage causes widespread droughts and the first water war begins. Improving our knowledge about our hidden water is the first step to stop this. The world largest aquifers are mapped, but these maps do not mention how much water they contain or how fast water levels decline. If we can add a third dimension to the aquifer maps, so a thickness, and add geohydrological information we can estimate how much water is stored. Also data on groundwater age and how fast it is refilled is needed to predict the impact of human water use and climate change on the groundwater resource.
A study on knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours regarding Alzheimer's disease among community residents in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Yang, H-F; Cong, J-Y; Zang, X-Y; Jiang, N; Zhao, Y

2015-11-01

What is known on the subject? Several studies have measured the general public's knowledge and attitudes towards Alzheimer's disease; however, much of this work is based on western samples. Due to cultural differences, the western findings may be difficult to generalize to the Chinese general public. In addition, the few studies conducted in China were often restricted to a relatively narrow range of knowledge and attitudes. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? The general public had little knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, especially on the causes, symptoms and risk factors. In terms of attitudes, although the general public held positive attitudes towards persons with Alzheimer's disease, most of them were not sure whether or not to share a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with the patient. In daily life, only a low proportion of people kept mentally active. What are the implications for practice? A popularization of a wide range of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease needs to be undertaken, especially focusing on persons with low educational level and emphasizing the causes, symptoms and risk factors. Besides, there is a significant need to draw up evidence-based dietary and lifestyle guidelines for Alzheimer's disease risk reduction. Moreover, health promotion agencies should identify priority groups for Alzheimer's disease risk reduction initiatives, especially those with lower income, a lower level of knowledge on Alzheimer's disease and with chronic diseases. The purpose of this descriptive correlational cross-sectional study was to assess the current level of knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours regarding Alzheimer's disease among community residents in Tianjin, China and to identify factors related to these attributes. A convenience sample of 140 community-dwelling adults aged 20-75 years was selected to complete a researcher-designed questionnaire about Alzheimer's disease-related knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours. The findings revealed that 15.7% of the participants knew the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. With regard to attitude, 138 participants (98.6%) believed that people with Alzheimer's disease should not be discriminated against, and 55.7% were not sure whether to share a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with the patient. In daily life, 28.6% of the participants pursued their interests and hobbies. A lower level of health behaviours was associated with lower income, presence of chronic diseases and a lower level of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. These findings provide a strong case for population-level risk reduction initiatives to be undertaken, especially among people with lower income, a lower level of knowledge on Alzheimer's disease and with chronic diseases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Add-on deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) for the treatment of chronic migraine: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Rapinesi, Chiara; Del Casale, Antonio; Scatena, Paola; Kotzalidis, Georgios D; Di Pietro, Simone; Ferri, Vittoria Rachele; Bersani, Francesco Saverio; Brugnoli, Roberto; Raccah, Ruggero Nessim; Zangen, Abraham; Ferracuti, Stefano; Orzi, Francesco; Girardi, Paolo; Sette, Giuliano

2016-06-03

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) can be an alternative treatment to relieve pain in chronic migraine (CM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-frequency dTMS in add-on to standard treatment for CM in patients not responding to effective abortive or preventive drug treatment. We randomized 14 patients with International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition (ICHD-3) treatment-resistant CM to add-on dTMS (n=7) or standard abortive or preventive antimigraine treatment (n=7). Three sessions of alternate day 10Hz dTMS consisting of 600 pulses in 10 trains were delivered to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), bilaterally, but with left hemisphere prevalence, for 12 sessions spread over one month. The add-on dTMS treatment was well tolerated. Patients treated with dTMS showed significant reduction of pain intensity, frequency of attacks, analgesic overuse, and depressive symptoms during treatment and one month later, compared to the month preceding treatment and at the same time-points compared to the control group. As compared to standard pharmacological treatment alone, add-on high-frequency dTMS of the bilateral DLPFC reduced the frequency and intensity of migraine attack, drug overuse, and depressive symptoms. This study supports the add-on dTMS treatment in treatment-resistant CM. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Haemagglutinin-neuraminidase from HPIV3 mediates human NK regulation of T cell proliferation via NKp44 and NKp46.

PubMed

McQuaid, Samantha; Loughran, Sinead; Power, Patrick; Maguire, Paula; Walls, Dermot; Grazia Cusi, Maria; Orvell, Claes; Johnson, Patricia

2018-06-01

HPIV3 is a respiratory virus causing airway diseases, including pneumonia, croup, and bronchiolitis, during infancy and childhood. Currently there is no effective vaccine or anti-viral therapy for this virus. Studies have suggested that poor T cell proliferation following HPIV3 infection is responsible for impaired immunological memory associated with this virus. We have previously demonstrated that NK cells mediate regulation of T cell proliferation during HPIV3 infection. Here we add to these studies by demonstrating that the regulation of T cell proliferation during HPIV3 infection is mediated via NK receptors NKp44 and NKp46 and involves the surface glycoprotein haemagglutinin-neuraminidase but not the fusion protein of the virus. These studies extend our knowledge of the regulatory repertoire of NK cells and provide mechanistic insights which may explain reoccurring failures of vaccines against this virus.

Implicit Age Cues in Resumes: Subtle Effects on Hiring Discrimination

PubMed Central

Derous, Eva; Decoster, Jeroen

2017-01-01

Anonymous resume screening, as assumed, does not dissuade age discriminatory effects. Building on job market signaling theory, this study investigated whether older applicants may benefit from concealing explicitly mentioned age signals on their resumes (date of birth) or whether more implicit/subtle age cues on resumes (older-sounding names/old-fashioned extracurricular activities) may lower older applicants’ hirability ratings. An experimental study among 610 HR professionals using a mixed factorial design showed hiring discrimination of older applicants based on implicit age cues in resumes. This effect was more pronounced for older raters. Concealing one’s date of birth led to overall lower ratings. Study findings add to the limited knowledge on the effects of implicit age cues on hiring discrimination in resume screening and the usefulness of anonymous resume screening in the context of age. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:28848463
Worker, workplace or families: What influences family focused practices in adult mental health?

PubMed

Maybery, D; Goodyear, M; Reupert, A E; Grant, A

2016-04-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Family focused practice leads to positive outcomes for parents and children. There are barriers and enablers for practitioners being family focused. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Worker skill, knowledge and confidence about family work are the most important factors associated with family focused practices. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental health nurses require specific skill training in family focused practices, time to engage with clients on parenting issues and that there are adequate services to refer family members to. Introduction Family focused practice is thought to lead to positive outcomes for all family members. However, there are multiple barriers and enablers in adult mental health services to practitioners undertaking these actions. Aim The aim of this study was to examine the relative importance of worker, workforce and family factors to predict family focused practices (FFPs) in adult mental health services. Method Three hundred and seven adult mental health workers completed a 45 items family focused practice measure of 16 family focused practices. Thesis It was found that worker skill and knowledge about family work and an ability to assess the degree of parental insight into the child's connections to other family members and the community were important predictors of FFP, along with the closely related-worker confidence. While aspects of the worker, workplace and family each contribute to FFPs, this study highlighted the importance of worker skill, knowledge and confidence as central issues for adult mental health workers. Implications for practice Study implications include the need for training in specific FFPs, the provision of time to engage with clients on parenting issues and the need 5 to ensure that there are adequate services for workers to refer family members to. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Perceived Barriers to and Facilitators of Hypertension Management among Underserved African American Older Adults.

PubMed

Rimando, Marylen

2015-08-07

To understand the perceived barriers to and facilitators of hypertension self-management among underserved African American older adults in a southeastern clinic. Qualitative descriptive. Urban cardiovascular health clinic in a southeastern state. 28 African Americans diagnosed with hypertension. Interview questions were focused on knowledge of hypertension management and barriers and facilitators to hypertension self-management. Thematic content analysis was applied. Patients reported increased hypertension knowledge after attending the clinic. All patients reported knowledge of the severe consequences of uncontrolled hypertension. Perceived barriers to hypertension management included lack of money, lack of motivation to exercise, and fear of injury from exercising. Perceived facilitators of hypertension management included weight loss, unexpected diagnosis of hypertension, family members with hypertension and diabetes, and social support. Findings suggest that perceived barriers and facilitators influence a patient's decision to manage hypertension. Findings suggest the importance of health literacy and patient-provider communication at this particular clinic. Possible factors in the social environment may influence hypertension management. This study adds to the literature by understanding the perceived barriers to and facilitators of hypertension management of an underserved sample in a southeastern clinic. The results suggest a need for the redesign and transformation of future hypertension education strategies aimed at this clinic sample.
From open source communications to knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preece, Alun; Roberts, Colin; Rogers, David; Webberley, Will; Innes, Martin; Braines, Dave

2016-05-01

Rapid processing and exploitation of open source information, including social media sources, in order to shorten decision-making cycles, has emerged as an important issue in intelligence analysis in recent years. Through a series of case studies and natural experiments, focussed primarily upon policing and counter-terrorism scenarios, we have developed an approach to information foraging and framing to inform decision making, drawing upon open source intelligence, in particular Twitter, due to its real-time focus and frequent use as a carrier for links to other media. Our work uses a combination of natural language (NL) and controlled natural language (CNL) processing to support information collection from human sensors, linking and schematising of collected information, and the framing of situational pictures. We illustrate the approach through a series of vignettes, highlighting (1) how relatively lightweight and reusable knowledge models (schemas) can rapidly be developed to add context to collected social media data, (2) how information from open sources can be combined with reports from trusted observers, for corroboration or to identify con icting information; and (3) how the approach supports users operating at or near the tactical edge, to rapidly task information collection and inform decision-making. The approach is supported by bespoke software tools for social media analytics and knowledge management.
A common neural substrate for perceiving and knowing about color

PubMed Central

Simmons, W. Kyle; Ramjee, Vimal; Beauchamp, Michael S.; McRae, Ken; Martin, Alex; Barsalou, Lawrence W.

2013-01-01

Functional neuroimaging research has demonstrated that retrieving information about object-associated colors activates the left fusiform gyrus in posterior temporal cortex. Although regions near the fusiform have previously been implicated in color perception, it remains unclear whether color knowledge retrieval actually activates the color perception system. Evidence to this effect would be particularly strong if color perception cortex was activated by color knowledge retrieval triggered strictly with linguistic stimuli. To address this question, subjects performed two tasks while undergoing fMRI. First, subjects performed a property verification task using only words to assess conceptual knowledge. On each trial, subjects verified whether a named color or motor property was true of a named object (e.g., TAXI-yellow, HAIR-combed). Next, subjects performed a color perception task. A region of the left fusiform gyrus that was highly responsive during color perception also showed greater activity for retrieving color than motor property knowledge. These data provide the first evidence for a direct overlap in the neural bases of color perception and stored information about object-associated color, and they significantly add to accumulating evidence that conceptual knowledge is grounded in the brain’s modality-specific systems. PMID:17575989
Knowledge-based system for structured examination, diagnosis and therapy in treatment of traumatised teeth.

PubMed

Robertson, A; Norén, J G

2001-02-01

Dental trauma in children and adolescents is a common problem, and the prevalence of these injuries has increased in the last 10-20 years. A dental injury should always be considered an emergency and, thus, be treated immediately to relieve pain, facilitate reduction of displaced teeth, reconstruct lost hard tissue, and improve prognosis. Rational therapy depends upon a correct diagnosis, which can be achieved with the aid of various examination techniques. It must be understood that an incomplete examination can lead to inaccurate diagnosis and less successful treatment. Good knowledge of traumatology and models of treatments can also reduce stress and anxiety for both the patient and the dental team. Knowledge-based Systems (KBS) are a practical implementation of Artificial Intelligence. In complex domains which humans find difficult to understand, KBS can assist in making decisions and can also add knowledge. The aim of this paper is to describe the structure of a knowledge-based system for structured examination, diagnosis and therapy for traumatised primary and permanent teeth. A commercially available program was used as developmental tool for the programming (XpertRule, Attar, London, UK). The paper presents a model for a computerised decision support system for traumatology.
A common neural substrate for perceiving and knowing about color.

PubMed

Simmons, W Kyle; Ramjee, Vimal; Beauchamp, Michael S; McRae, Ken; Martin, Alex; Barsalou, Lawrence W

2007-09-20

Functional neuroimaging research has demonstrated that retrieving information about object-associated colors activates the left fusiform gyrus in posterior temporal cortex. Although regions near the fusiform have previously been implicated in color perception, it remains unclear whether color knowledge retrieval actually activates the color perception system. Evidence to this effect would be particularly strong if color perception cortex was activated by color knowledge retrieval triggered strictly with linguistic stimuli. To address this question, subjects performed two tasks while undergoing fMRI. First, subjects performed a property verification task using only words to assess conceptual knowledge. On each trial, subjects verified whether a named color or motor property was true of a named object (e.g., TAXI-yellow, HAIR-combed). Next, subjects performed a color perception task. A region of the left fusiform gyrus that was highly responsive during color perception also showed greater activity for retrieving color than motor property knowledge. These data provide the first evidence for a direct overlap in the neural bases of color perception and stored information about object-associated color, and they significantly add to accumulating evidence that conceptual knowledge is grounded in the brain's modality-specific systems.
Social marketing: should it be used to promote evidence-based health information?

PubMed

Formoso, Giulio; Marata, Anna Maria; Magrini, Nicola

2007-02-01

The implementation of public health knowledge is a complex process; researchers focus on organizational barriers but generally give little attention to the format and validity of relevant information. Primary and secondary papers and practice guidelines should represent valid and relevant sources of knowledge for clinicians and others involved in public health. However, this information is usually targeted at researchers rather than practitioners; it is often not completely intelligible, does not explain what it really adds to existing knowledge or which clinical/organizational context to place it in, and often lacks 'appeal' for those who are less informed. Moreover, this information is sometimes founded on biased research, shaped by sponsors to give scientific plausibility to market-driven messages. A "social marketing" approach can help public health researchers make evidence-based information clear and appealing. The validity and relevance of this information can be explained to target readers in light of their own knowledge levels and in terms of how this information could help their practice. In this paper we analyse the barriers to knowledge transfer that are often inherent in the format of the information, and propose a more user-friendly, enriched and non-research-article format.
Science-for-Teaching Discourse in Science Teachers' Professional Learning Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohwasser, Karin

Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide an increasingly common structure for teachers' professional development. The effectiveness of PLCs depends on the content and quality of the participants' discourse. This dissertation was conducted to add to an understanding of the science content needed to prepare to teach science, and the discourse characteristics that create learning opportunities in teachers' PLCs. To this end, this study examined how middle school science teachers in three PLCs addressed science-for-teaching, and to what effect. Insight into discourse about content knowledge for teaching in PLCs has implications for the analysis, interpretation, and support of teachers' professional discourse, their collaborative learning, and consequently their improvement of practice. This dissertation looked closely at the hybrid space between teachers' knowledge of students, of teaching, and of science, and how this space was explored in the discourse among teachers, and between teachers and science experts. At the center of the study were observations of three 2-day PLC cycles in which participants worked together to improve the way they taught their curriculum. Two of the PLC cycles were supported, in part, by a science expert who helped the teachers explore the science they needed for teaching. The third PLC worked without such support. The following overarching questions were explored in the three articles of this dissertation: (1) What kind of science knowledge did teachers discuss in preparation for teaching? (2) How did the teachers talk about content knowledge for science teaching, and to what effect for their teaching practice? (3) How did collaborating teachers' discursive accountabilities provide opportunities for furthering the teachers' content knowledge for science teaching? The teachers' discourse during the 2-day collaboration cycles was analyzed and interpreted based on a sociocultural framework that included concepts from the practice-based theory of content knowledge for teaching developed by D. L. Ball, Thames, and Phelps (2008) and the Accountable Talk framework by Michaels, O'Connor, & Resnick (2008). The study's findings could provide justification for and ideas on how to provide targeted support for PLCs to make teachers' work on science knowledge more applicable to lesson planning, teaching, and student learning.
[To see oneself in a context--medicine and historia--the two cultures].

PubMed

Schiøtz, A

2000-12-10

Historians and physicians have different social vantage points and have developed widely different professional cultures. This diversity is a distinct feature of their research, their theoretical approaches, and their scholarly methods. The historian's and the physician's points of view both seem to be necessary parts of medical history. The subject itself as well as the scholars involved may profit from teamwork. The author also asks whether historical knowledge in the field of medicine is useful for today's practitioners. Her answer is yes. Historical insight might contribute to a better understanding of day-to-day problems and the complex structures of which physicians are part. Furthermore, it is suggested that physicians will benefit from insights into why their discipline and their professional position have developed in the ways they have. At its best, historical knowledge can contribute to a deeper understanding of the limitations of medicine, and so may add to physicians' ability to adjust their role in line with the present time. Historical knowledge might even contribute to increased respect for other branches of knowledge and for other people's skills and professional problems.
Shadowing emergency medicine residents by medical education specialists to provide feedback on non-medical knowledge-based ACGME sub-competencies

PubMed Central

Waterbrook, Anna L; Spear Ellinwood, Karen C; Pritchard, T Gail; Bertels, Karen; Johnson, Ariel C; Min, Alice; Stoneking, Lisa R

2018-01-01

Objective Non-medical knowledge-based sub-competencies (multitasking, professionalism, accountability, patient-centered communication, and team management) are challenging for a supervising emergency medicine (EM) physician to evaluate in real-time on shift while also managing a busy emergency department (ED). This study examines residents’ perceptions of having a medical education specialist shadow and evaluate their nonmedical knowledge skills. Methods Medical education specialists shadowed postgraduate year 1 and postgraduate year 2 EM residents during an ED shift once per academic year. In an attempt to increase meaningful feedback to the residents, these specialists evaluated resident performance in selected non-medical knowledge-based Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) sub-competencies and provided residents with direct, real-time feedback, followed by a written evaluation sent via email. Evaluations provided specific references to examples of behaviors observed during the shift and connected these back to ACGME competencies and milestones. Results Twelve residents participated in this shadow experience (six post graduate year 1 and six postgraduate year 2). Two residents emailed the medical education specialists ahead of the scheduled shadow shift requesting specific feedback. When queried, five residents voluntarily requested their feedback to be included in their formal biannual review. Residents received milestone scores and narrative feedback on the non-medical knowledge-based ACGME sub-competencies and indicated the shadow experience and subsequent feedback were valuable. Conclusion Medical education specialists who observe residents over the course of an entire shift and evaluate non-medical knowledge-based skills are perceived by EM residents to provide meaningful feedback and add valuable information for the biannual review process. PMID:29765259
Evaluation of add-on devices for the prevention of phlebitis and other complications associated with the use of peripheral catheters in hospitalised adults: a randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Martínez, J A; Piazuelo, M; Almela, M; Blecua, P; Gallardo, R; Rodríguez, S; Escalante, Z; Robau, M; Trilla, A

2009-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the role of add-on devices for the prevention of phlebitis and other complications associated with the use of peripheral catheters. Patients admitted to an infectious diseases ward and requiring the insertion of a peripheral catheter for at least 24h were randomly allocated to be managed with or without add-on devices. Incidence of phlebitis and all complications were the primary outcomes. Extravasation, inadvertent withdrawal, obstruction and rupture were considered to be mechanical complications, and analysis was performed using survival methods. Of 683 evaluated catheters, 351 were allocated to the add-on device arm and 332 to the control arm. Despite randomisation, patients in the add-on device group were older (P=0.048), less likely to have human immunodeficiency virus (P=0.02) and more likely to have received antibiotics (P=0.05). After adjustment for these variables, the hazard ratio for phlebitis remained non-significant (hazard ratio: 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.3), but the risk of mechanical complications became lower in the add-on device arm (0.68; 0.5-0.94). This translated into a trend towards a lower risk of any complication (0.83; 0.67-1.01). The beneficial effect on mechanical or all complications was noticeable after six days of catheterisation. Add-on devices do not reduce the incidence of phlebitis but may prevent mechanical complications. However, the impact of add-on devices on the incidence of all complications is at most small and only apparent after the sixth day of catheter use.
Comparison of the effects of tolvaptan and furosemide on renal water and sodium excretion in patients with heart failure and advanced chronic kidney disease: a subanalysis of the K-STAR study.

PubMed

Tominaga, Naoto; Kida, Keisuke; Inomata, Takayuki; Sato, Naoki; Izumi, Tohru; Akashi, Yoshihiro J; Shibagaki, Yugo

2018-06-22

Tolvaptan (TLV) is known to increase electrolyte-free water clearance. However, TLV actions on renal electrolytes including urine sodium (uNa) excretion and its consequences are less well understood. This subanalysis investigated the effect of add-on TLV compared to increased furosemide (FUR) on both electrolyte-free water and electrolyte clearance in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) complicated by advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Kanagawa Aquaresis Investigators Trial of TLV on HF Patients with Renal Impairment (K-STAR) was a multicenter, open-labeled, randomized, and controlled prospective clinical study. Eighty-one Japanese patients with CHF and residual signs of congestion despite oral FUR treatment (≥ 40 mg/day) were recruited and randomly assigned to a 7-day add-on treatment with either ≤ 40 mg/day FUR or ≤ 15 mg/day TLV. Electrolyte-free water clearance, electrolyte osmolar clearance and electrolyte excretion were compared between the two groups before and after therapy. The change (Δ) in electrolyte-free water clearance was significantly higher in the add-on TLV group than in the add-on FUR group. However, Δelectrolyte osmolar clearance was also higher in the add-on TLV group than in the increased FUR group. This was primarily because ΔuNa excretion was significantly higher in the add-on TLV group than in the increased FUR group, since Δurine potassium excretion was significantly lower in the add-on TLV group than in the increased FUR group. Add-on TLV may increase both renal water and Na excretion in CHF patients with advanced CKD to a greater degree than increased FUR.
Enzymic aromatization of 6-alkyl-substituted androgens, potent competitive and mechanism-based inhibitors of aromatase.

PubMed Central

Numazawa, M; Yoshimura, A; Oshibe, M

1998-01-01

To gain insight into the relationships between the aromatase inhibitory activity of 6-alkyl-substituted androgens, potent competitive inhibitors, and their ability to serve as a substrate of aromatase, we studied the aromatization of a series of 6alpha- and 6beta-alkyl (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-pentyl and n-heptyl)-substituted androst-4-ene-3,17-diones (ADs) and their androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) derivatives with human placental aromatase, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the inhibitors examined, ADD and its 6alpha-alkyl derivatives with alkyl functions less than three carbons long, together with 6beta-methyl ADD, are suicide substrates of aromatase. All of the steroids, except for 6beta-n-pentyl ADD and its n-heptyl analogue as well as 6beta-n-heptyl AD, were found to be converted into the corresponding 6-alkyl oestrogens. The 6-methyl steroids were aromatized most efficiently in each series, and the aromatization rate essentially decreased in proportion to the length of the 6-alkyl chains in each series, where the 6alpha-alkyl androgens were more efficient substrates than the corresponding 6beta isomers. The Vmax of 6alpha-methyl ADD was approx. 2.5-fold that of the natural substrate AD and approx. 3-fold that of the parent ADD. On the basis of this, along with the facts that the rates of a mechanism-based inactivation of aromatase by ADD and its 6alpha-methyl derivative are similar, it is implied that alignment of 6alpha-methyl ADD in the active site could favour the pathway leading to oestrogen over the inactivation pathway, compared with that of ADD. The relative apparent Km values for the androgens obtained in this study are different from the relative Ki values obtained previously, indicating that there is a difference between the ability to serve as an inhibitor and the ability to serve as a substrate in the 6-alkyl androgen series. PMID:9405288
Measurement of Gamma-Irradiated Corneal Patch Graft Thickness After Aqueous Drainage Device Surgery.

PubMed

de Luna, Regina A; Moledina, Ameera; Wang, Jiangxia; Jampel, Henry D

2017-09-01

Exposure of the tube of an aqueous drainage device (ADD) through the conjunctiva is a serious complication of ADD surgery. Although placement of gamma-irradiated sterile cornea (GISC) as a patch graft over the tube is commonly performed, exposures still occur. To measure GISC patch graft thickness as a function of time after surgery, estimate the rate of graft thinning, and determine risk factors for graft thinning. Cross-sectional study of graft thickness using anterior segment optic coherence tomography (AS-OCT) was conducted at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A total of 107 patients (120 eyes, 120 ADDs) 18 years or older who underwent ADD surgery at Johns Hopkins with GISC patch graft between July 1, 2010, and October 31, 2016, were enrolled. Implantation of ADD with placement of GISC patch graft over the tube. Graft thickness vs time after ADD surgery and risk factors for undetectable graft. Of the 107 patients included in the analysis, the mean (SD) age of the cohort was 64 (16.2) years, 49 (45.8%) were male, and 43 (40.2%) were African American. The mean time of measurement after surgery was 1.7 years (range, 1 day to 6 years). Thinner grafts were observed as the time after surgery lengthened (β regression coefficient, -60 µm per year since surgery; 95% CI, -80 µm to -40 µm). The odds ratio of undetectable grafts per year after ADD surgery was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.5-3.0; P < .001). Age, sex, race, type of ADD, quadrant of ADD placement, diagnosis of uveitis or dry eye, and prior conjunctival surgery were not correlated with the presence or absence of the graft. Gamma-irradiated sterile corneal patch grafts do not always retain their integrity after ADD surgery. Data from this cross-sectional study showed that on average, the longer the time after surgery, the thinner the graft. These findings suggest that placement of a GISC patch graft is no guarantee against tube exposure, and that better strategies are needed for preventing this complication.
Enhancing Enterprise 2.0 Ecosystems Using Semantic Web and Linked Data Technologies:The SemSLATES Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passant, Alexandre; Laublet, Philippe; Breslin, John G.; Decker, Stefan

During the past few years, various organisations embraced the Enterprise 2.0 paradigms, providing their employees with new means to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing in the workplace. However, while tools such as blogs, wikis, and principles like free-tagging or content syndication allow user-generated content to be more easily created and shared in the enterprise, in spite of some social issues, these new practices lead to various problems in terms of knowledge management. In this chapter, we provide an approach based on Semantic Web and Linked Data technologies for (1) integrating heterogeneous data from distinct Enterprise 2.0 applications, and (2) bridging the gap between raw text and machine-readable Linked Data. We discuss the theoretical background of our proposal as well as a practical case-study in enterprise, focusing on the various add-ons that have been provided to the original information system, as well as presenting how public Linked Open Data from the Web can be used to enhance existing Enterprise 2.0 ecosystems.
Influence of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Friction-Related Disease on the Severity of Dry Eye.

PubMed

Vu, Chi Hoang Viet; Kawashima, Motoko; Yamada, Masakazu; Suwaki, Kazuhisa; Uchino, Miki; Shigeyasu, Chika; Hiratsuka, Yoshimune; Yokoi, Norihiko; Tsubota, Kazuo

2018-02-16

To evaluate the effect of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and friction-related disease (FRD) on the severity of dry eye disease (DED). Cross-sectional observational study. This study enrolled 449 patients with DED (63 men and 386 women; mean age, 62.6±15.7 years [range, 21-90 years]) for analysis. Subjective symptoms, the ocular surface, tear function, and the presence of MGD and FRD (superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis, conjunctivochalasis, and lid wiper epitheliopathy) were investigated. Schirmer value, tear film breakup time (TBUT), and keratoconjunctival score. We classified the participants into aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE; n = 231 [51.4%]) and short TBUT dry eye subtype (TBUT-DE; n = 109 [24.3%]) subgroups. The TBUT was shorter in patients with MGD than in those without MGD, whereas other ocular signs showed no difference (TBUT: MGD present, 1.97±1.02 seconds; MGD absent, 2.94±1.63 seconds [P < 0.001]; ADDE/MGD present, 1.94±1.08 seconds; ADDE/MGD absent, 2.77±1.61 seconds [P < 0.001]; short TBUT-DE/MGD present, 2.07±0.97 seconds; short TBUT-DE/MGD absent, 2.94±1.23 seconds [P = 0.01]). The ADDE patients with FRD showed a worse TBUT than ADDE patients without FRD (TBUT: ADDE/FRD present, 2.08±1.39 seconds; ADDE/FRD absent, 2.92±1.54 seconds; P < 0.001). This study showed associations between MGD, FRD, or both and ocular signs in DED. In the presence of MGD, FRD, or both, TBUT was significantly shortened regardless of the dry eye status or subtype. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Design and Analysis Techniques for Concurrent Blackboard Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John William

1992-01-01

Blackboard systems are a natural progression of knowledge-based systems into a more powerful problem solving technique. They provide a way for several highly specialized knowledge sources to cooperate to solve large, complex problems. Blackboard systems incorporate the concepts developed by rule-based and expert systems programmers and include the ability to add conventionally coded knowledge sources. The small and specialized knowledge sources are easier to develop and test, and can be hosted on hardware specifically suited to the task that they are solving. The Formal Model for Blackboard Systems was developed to provide a consistent method for describing a blackboard system. A set of blackboard system design tools has been developed and validated for implementing systems that are expressed using the Formal Model. The tools are used to test and refine a proposed blackboard system design before the design is implemented. My research has shown that the level of independence and specialization of the knowledge sources directly affects the performance of blackboard systems. Using the design, simulation, and analysis tools, I developed a concurrent object-oriented blackboard system that is faster, more efficient, and more powerful than existing systems. The use of the design and analysis tools provided the highly specialized and independent knowledge sources required for my concurrent blackboard system to achieve its design goals.
Case-Control Pilot Study on Acute Diarrheal Disease in a Geographically Defined Pediatric Population in a Middle Income Country

PubMed Central

Farfán-García, Ana E.; Zhang, Chengxian; Imdad, Aamer; Arias-Guerrero, Monica Y.; Sánchez-Alvarez, Nayibe T.; Shah, Rikhil; Iqbal, Junaid; Tamborski, Maria E.

2017-01-01

Introduction Acute diarrheal disease (ADD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age. Understanding of the etiology of ADD is lacking in most low and middle income countries because reference laboratories detect limited number of pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility to conduct a comprehensive case-control study to survey diarrheal pathogens among children with and without moderate-to-severe ADD. Materials and Methods Microbiology and molecular-based techniques were used to detect viral, bacterial, and parasitic enteropathogens. The study was conducted in Bucaramanga, Colombia, after Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Results Ninety children less than 5 years of age were recruited after a written informed consent was obtained from parents or guardians. Forty-five subjects served as cases with ADD and 45 as controls. Thirty-six subjects out of 90 (40.0%) were positive for at least one enteropathogen, that is, 20 (44.4%) cases and 16 (35.5%) controls. Conclusions The three most common enteric pathogens were enteroaggregative E. coli (10.0%), Norovirus (6.7%), and Salmonella spp. (5.6%). The E. coli pathogens were 18.8% of all infections making them the most frequent pathogens. Half of ADD cases were negative for any pathogens. PMID:28855919
Social work and the Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law: a pilot project.

PubMed

Cochran, Gerald; Davis, King

2012-01-01

The Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law (UPPL) is a statute existing in 26 states that permits health insurance companies to deny payment for claims made by individuals who have sustained injuries as a result of drug or alcohol use. This law presents a series of complicated clinical and ethical dilemmas for social workers and other medical personnel. The majority of contributions to the national discussion regarding the UPPL have been produced by the medical, nursing, and policy/legal disciplines. Social work has, however, remained silent. It is paramount that social workers add their perspective and insight to this debate. This article discusses the first survey, to the authors' knowledge, of social workers practicing in health care settings regarding their knowledge and beliefs about the UPPL.

Pesticides in ground water: Do atrazine metabolites matter?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liu, S.; Yen, S.T.; Kolpin, D.W.

1996-01-01

Atrazine and atrazine-residue (atrazine + two metabolites - deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine) concentrations were examined to determine if consideration of these atrazine metabolites substantially adds to our understanding of the distribution of this pesticide in groundwater of the midcontinental United States. The mean of atrazine.residue concentrations was 53 percent greater than that of atrazine alone for those observations above the detection limit (> 0.05 μg/l). Furthermore, a censored regression analysis using atrazine-residue concentrations revealed significant factors not identified when only atrazine concentrations were used. Thus, knowledge of concentrations of these atrazine metabolites is required to obtain a true estimation of risk of using these aquifers as sources for drinking water, and such knowledge also provides information that ultimately may be important for future management policies designed to reduce atrazine concentrations in ground water.
Astronautics and psychology: recommendations for the psychological training of astronauts.

PubMed

Haupt, G F

1991-11-01

The methods presently applied in the psychological training of astronauts are based on the principle of ensuring maximum performance of astronauts during missions. The shortcomings are obvious since those undergoing training provide nothing but the best ability to cope with Earth problem situations and add simply an experience of space problem situations as they are presently conceived. Earth attitudes and Earth behaviour remain and are simply modified. Through the utilization of interdisciplinary space knowledge a much higher degree of problem anticipation could be achieved and the astronaut be psychologically transformed into a space-being. This would at the same time stimulate interdisciplinary space research. The interdisciplinary space knowledge already available suggests that space requires not only physical and mental adjustments, but a profoundly new relationship with life.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Aortic Dissection Detection Risk Score Plus D-Dimer for Acute Aortic Syndromes: The ADvISED Prospective Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Nazerian, Peiman; Mueller, Christian; Soeiro, Alexandre de Matos; Leidel, Bernd A; Salvadeo, Sibilla Anna Teresa; Giachino, Francesca; Vanni, Simone; Grimm, Karin; Oliveira, Múcio Tavares; Pivetta, Emanuele; Lupia, Enrico; Grifoni, Stefano; Morello, Fulvio

2018-01-16

Acute aortic syndromes (AASs) are rare and severe cardiovascular emergencies with unspecific symptoms. For AASs, both misdiagnosis and overtesting are key concerns, and standardized diagnostic strategies may help physicians to balance these risks. D-dimer (DD) is highly sensitive for AAS but is inadequate as a stand-alone test. Integration of pretest probability assessment with DD testing is feasible, but the safety and efficiency of such a diagnostic strategy are currently unknown. In a multicenter prospective observational study involving 6 hospitals in 4 countries from 2014 to 2016, consecutive outpatients were eligible if they had ≥1 of the following: chest/abdominal/back pain, syncope, perfusion deficit, and if AAS was in the differential diagnosis. The tool for pretest probability assessment was the aortic dissection detection risk score (ADD-RS, 0-3) per current guidelines. DD was considered negative (DD-) if <500 ng/mL. Final case adjudication was based on conclusive diagnostic imaging, autopsy, surgery, or 14-day follow-up. Outcomes were the failure rate and efficiency of a diagnostic strategy for ruling out AAS in patients with ADD-RS=0/DD- or ADD-RS ≤1/DD-. A total of 1850 patients were analyzed. Of these, 438 patients (24%) had ADD-RS=0, 1071 patients (58%) had ADD-RS=1, and 341 patients (18%) had ADD-RS >1. Two hundred forty-one patients (13%) had AAS: 125 had type A aortic dissection, 53 had type B aortic dissection, 35 had intramural aortic hematoma, 18 had aortic rupture, and 10 had penetrating aortic ulcer. A positive DD test result had an overall sensitivity of 96.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.6-98.6) and a specificity of 64% (95% CI, 61.6-66.4) for the diagnosis of AAS; 8 patients with AAS had DD-. In 294 patients with ADD-RS=0/DD-, 1 case of AAS was observed. This yielded a failure rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1-1.9) and an efficiency of 15.9% (95% CI, 14.3-17.6) for the ADD-RS=0/DD- strategy. In 924 patients with ADD-RS ≤1/DD-, 3 cases of AAS were observed. This yielded a failure rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1-1) and an efficiency of 49.9% (95% CI, 47.7-52.2) for the ADD-RS ≤1/DD- strategy. Integration of ADD-RS (either ADD-RS=0 or ADD-RS ≤1) with DD may be considered to standardize diagnostic rule out of AAS. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02086136. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.
A center for commercial development of space: Real-time satellite mapping. Remote sensing-based agricultural information expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadipriono, Fabian C.; Diaz, Carlos F.; Merritt, Earl S.

1989-01-01

The research project results in a powerful yet user friendly CROPCAST expert system for use by a client to determine the crop yield production of a certain crop field. The study is based on the facts that heuristic assessment and decision making in agriculture are significant and dominate much of agribusiness. Transfer of the expert knowledge concerning remote sensing based crop yield production into a specific expert system is the key program in this study. A knowledge base consisting of a root frame, CROP-YIELD-FORECAST, and four subframes, namely, SATELLITE, PLANT-PHYSIOLOGY, GROUND, and MODEL were developed to accommodate the production rules obtained from the domain expert. The expert system shell Personal Consultant Plus version 4.0. was used for this purpose. An external geographic program was integrated to the system. This project is the first part of a completely built expert system. The study reveals that much effort was given to the development of the rules. Such effort is inevitable if workable, efficient, and accurate rules are desired. Furthermore, abundant help statements and graphics were included. Internal and external display routines add to the visual capability of the system. The work results in a useful tool for the client for making decisions on crop yield production.
A population based twin study of DSM-5 maladaptive personality domains.

PubMed

South, Susan C; Krueger, Robert F; Knudsen, Gun Peggy; Ystrom, Eivind; Czajkowski, Nikolai; Aggen, Steven H; Neale, Michael C; Gillespie, Nathan A; Kendler, Kenneth S; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted

2017-10-01

Personality disorders (PDs) can be partly captured by dimensional traits, a viewpoint reflected in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Alternative (Section III) Model for PD classification. The current study adds to the literature on the Alternative Model by examining the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on 6 domains of maladaptive personality: negative emotionality, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition, compulsivity, and psychoticism. In a large, population-based sample (N = 2,293) of Norwegian male and female twin pairs, we investigated (a) if the domains demonstrated measurement invariance across gender at the phenotypic level, meaning that the relationships between the items and the latent factor were equivalent in men and women; and (b) if genetic and environmental influences on variation in these domains were equivalent across gender. Multiple group confirmatory factor modeling provided evidence that all 6 domain scale measurement models were gender-invariant. The best fitting biometric model for 4 of the 6 domains (negative emotionality, detachment, disinhibition, and compulsivity) was one in which genetic and environmental influences could be set invariant across gender. Evidence for sex differences in psychoticism was mixed, but the only clear evidence for quantitative sex differences was for the antagonism scale, with greater genetic influences found for men than women. Genetic influences across domains were moderate overall (19-37%), in line with previous research using symptom-based measures of PDs. This study adds to the very limited knowledge currently existing on the etiology of maladaptive personality traits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Correlates of physical activity level among hemodialysis patients in Selangor, Malaysia.

PubMed

Wong, S W; Chan, Y M; Lim, T S

2011-12-01

There is mounting evidence demonstrating the importance of adequate physical activity to promote better well-being among hemodialysis patients. Available data pertaining to the levels of physical activity and its determinants among hemodialysis patients is, however, scarce in Malaysia. The objectives of this study are hence to determine the levels of physical activity and it associated factors among hemodialysis patients. A total of 70 subjects were recruited from three dialysis centres in Selangor. A face-to-face interview was conducted to obtain socio-demographic data and subjects' knowledge on dietary sources. Medical history, biochemical parameters and weight status were obtained from medical records. Physical activity level (PAL) was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A total of 81.4% and 18.6% of the respondents had low and moderate PALs, respectively. Thus, none of the respondents had high PAL. Serum creatinine, education level, personal income and knowledge score on potassium-related medical complications were factors found to correlate significantly with PAL. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher PAL was predicted by a lower knowledge score on dietary sodium source, higher education and higher serum creatinine. Despite consistent documentation of the potential positive impact of physical exercise on hemodialysis outcomes, the level of physical activity remains low among these patients. It is hoped that these findings can add to the existing body of knowledge and serve as a supporting document for the formulation of appropriate interventions to improve the status of physical activity among hemodialysis patients in Malaysia.
High school biology evolution learning experiences in a rural context: a case of and for cultural border crossing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgerding, Lisa A.

2017-03-01

Although the concept of "rural" is difficult to define, rural science education provides the possibility for learning centered upon a strong connection to the local community. Rural American adolescents tend to be more religious than their urban counterparts and less accepting of evolution than their non-rural peers. Because the status and perception of evolutionary theory may be very different within the students' lifeworlds and the subcultures of the science classroom and science itself, a cultural border crossing metaphor can be applied to evolution teaching and learning. This study examines how a teacher may serve as a cultural border crossing tour guide for students at a rural high school as they explore the concept of biological evolution in their high school biology class. Data collection entailed two formal teacher interviews, field note observations of two biology class periods each day for 16 days during the Evolution unit, individual interviews with 14 students, student evolution acceptance surveys, student evolution content tests, and classroom artifacts. The major findings center upon three themes regarding how this teacher and these students had largely positive evolution learning experiences even as some students continued to reject evolution. First, the teacher strategically positioned himself in two ways: using his unique "local" trusted position in the community and school and taking a position in which he did not personally represent science by instead consistently teaching evolution "according to scientists." Second, his instruction honored local "rural" funds of knowledge with respect to local knowledge of nature and by treating students' religious knowledge as a form of local expertise about one set of answers to questions also addressed by evolution. Third, the teacher served as a border crossing "tour guide" by helping students identify how the culture of science and the culture of their lifeworlds may differ with respect to evolutionary theory. Students negotiated the cultural borders for learning evolution in several ways, and different types of border crossings are described. The students respected the teacher's apparent neutrality, sensitivity toward multiple positions, explicit attention to religion/evolution, and transparency of purposes for teaching evolution. These findings add to the current literature on rural science education by highlighting local funds of knowledge for evolution learning and how rural teachers may help students navigate seemingly hazardous scientific topics. The study's findings also add to the current evolution education literature by examining how students' religious perspectives may be respected as a form of expertise about questions of origins by allowing students to examine similarities and differences between scientific and religious approaches to questions of biological origins and change.
Survey of literacy environments and practices in residences at schools for the deaf.

PubMed

Gillespie, C W; Twardosz, S

1996-07-01

The purpose of this study was to add to the sparse knowledge about literacy environments and practices in children's residences at schools for the deaf by conducting a nationwide survey. Twenty-six residential schools for the deaf throughout the country responded by mail. Results revealed that all of the responding schools made reading and writing materials available to children in their residences. Counselors read to children individually and supervised homework, and children wrote letters and read independently. However in half of the residences, materials were not regularly rotated and in most residences time was not set aside for group storybook reading. Implications for practice include focusing on providing interesting and stimulating literacy materials for children, rotating materials regularly, and planning group literacy-related events such as storybook reading or storytelling.
Public-channel cryptography based on mutual chaos pass filters.

PubMed

Klein, Einat; Gross, Noam; Kopelowitz, Evi; Rosenbluh, Michael; Khaykovich, Lev; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Kanter, Ido

2006-10-01

We study the mutual coupling of chaotic lasers and observe both experimentally and in numeric simulations that there exists a regime of parameters for which two mutually coupled chaotic lasers establish isochronal synchronization, while a third laser coupled unidirectionally to one of the pair does not synchronize. We then propose a cryptographic scheme, based on the advantage of mutual coupling over unidirectional coupling, where all the parameters of the system are public knowledge. We numerically demonstrate that in such a scheme the two communicating lasers can add a message signal (compressed binary message) to the transmitted coupling signal and recover the message in both directions with high fidelity by using a mutual chaos pass filter procedure. An attacker, however, fails to recover an errorless message even if he amplifies the coupling signal.
Masculine Norms, Avoidant Coping, Asian Values and Depression among Asian American Men

PubMed Central

Iwamoto, Derek Kenji; Liao, Liang; Liu, William Ming

2010-01-01

Contrary to the “model minority” myth, growing research indicates that the rates of mental health problems among Asian Americans may be higher than initially assumed. This study seeks to add to the scant knowledge regarding the mental health of Asian American men by examining the role of masculine norms, coping and cultural values in predicting depression among this population (N=149). Results reveal that Asian American men who used avoidant coping strategies and endorsed the masculine norm Dominance reported higher levels of depressive symptoms. In contrast, endorsing Winning masculine norms was associated to lower levels of depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that adherence to masculine norms and avoidant coping strategies play a salient role in the mental health of Asian American men. PMID:20657794
IMA Genome-F 3: Draft genomes of Amanita jacksonii, Ceratocystis albifundus, Fusarium circinatum, Huntiella omanensis, Leptographium procerum, Rutstroemia sydowiana, and Sclerotinia echinophila.

PubMed

van der Nest, Magriet A; Beirn, Lisa A; Crouch, Jo Anne; Demers, Jill E; de Beer, Z Wilhelm; De Vos, Lieschen; Gordon, Thomas R; Moncalvo, Jean-Marc; Naidoo, Kershney; Sanchez-Ramirez, Santiago; Roodt, Danielle; Santana, Quentin C; Slinski, Stephanie L; Stata, Matt; Taerum, Stephen J; Wilken, P Markus; Wilson, Andrea M; Wingfield, Michael J; Wingfield, Brenda D

2014-12-01

The genomes of fungi provide an important resource to resolve issues pertaining to their taxonomy, biology, and evolution. The genomes of Amanita jacksonii, Ceratocystis albifundus, a Fusarium circinatum variant, Huntiella omanensis, Leptographium procerum, Sclerotinia echinophila, and Rutstroemia sydowiana are presented in this genome announcement. These seven genomes are from a number of fungal pathogens and economically important species. The genome sizes range from 27 Mb in the case of Ceratocystis albifundus to 51.9 Mb for Rutstroemia sydowiana. The latter also encodes for a predicted 17 350 genes, more than double that of Ceratocystis albifundus. These genomes will add to the growing body of knowledge of these fungi and provide a value resource to researchers studying these fungi.
Resonant leadership and workplace empowerment: the value of positive organizational cultures in reducing workplace incivility.

PubMed

Laschinger, Heather K Spence; Wong, Carol A; Cummings, Greta G; Grau, Ashley L

2014-01-01

Nursing leaders are indispensable in creating positive nursing work environments that retain an empowered and satisfied nursing workforce. Positive and supportive leadership styles can lower patient mortality and improve nurses' health, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, emotional exhaustion, and intent to stay in their position. The results of this study support the role of positive leadership approaches that empower nurses and discourage workplace incivility and burnout in nursing work environments. The findings also provide empirical support for the notion of resonant leadership, a relatively new theory of relationship-focused leadership approaches. This research adds to the growing body of knowledge documenting the key role of positive leadership practices in creating healthy work environments that promote retention of nurses in a time of a severe nursing shortage.
The persistence of Black males in the STEM fields at Texas State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, Beverly Woodson

For the past five years, enrollment in the College of Science and Engineering by first-time undergraduate students has steadily increased. However, retaining the students through their first-year and their persistence to their second year of college and beyond has been problematic. The purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge of why Black students, specifically Black men, are not persisting at Texas State University in the STEM majors. It will also determine if specific factors like the SAT scores, parent's education, high school rank, college GPA, college science and math courses (physics, math, biology and chemistry), college credits earned and average GPA in all science and math college courses predict college preparation and college performance for all students and for Black male students.
Effects of Vildagliptin Add-on Insulin Therapy on Nocturnal Glycemic Variations in Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Li, Feng-Fei; Shen, Yun; Sun, Rui; Zhang, Dan-Feng; Jin, Xing; Zhai, Xiao-Fang; Chen, Mao-Yuan; Su, Xiao-Fei; Wu, Jin-Dan; Ye, Lei; Ma, Jian-Hua

2017-10-01

To investigate whether vildagliptin add-on insulin therapy improves glycemic variations in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to patients with placebo therapy. This was a 24-week, single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Inadequately controlled T2D patients treated with insulin therapy were recruited between June 2012 and April 2013. The trial included a 2-week screening period and a 24-week randomized period. Subjects were randomly assigned to a vildagliptin add-on insulin therapy group (n = 17) or a matched placebo group (n = 16). Scheduled visits occurred at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed before and at the endpoint of the study. A total of 33 subjects were admitted, with 1 patient withdrawing from the placebo group. After 24 weeks of therapy, HbA1c values were significantly reduced at the endpoint in the vildagliptin add-on group. CGM data showed that patients with vildagliptin add-on therapy had a significantly lower 24-h mean glucose concentration and mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE). At the endpoint of the study, patients in the vildagliptin add-on group had a significantly lower MAGE and standard deviation compared to the control patients during the nocturnal period (0000-0600). A severe hypoglycemic episode was not observed in either group. Vildagliptin add-on therapy to insulin has the ability to improve glycemic variations, especially during the nocturnal time period, in patients with uncontrolled T2D.
Associations between Dopamine and Serotonin Genes and Job Satisfaction: Preliminary Evidence from the Add Health Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Zhaoli; Li, Wendong; Arvey, Richard D.

2011-01-01

Previous behavioral genetic studies have found that job satisfaction is partially heritable. We went a step further to examine particular genetic markers that may be associated with job satisfaction. Using an oversample from the National Adolescent Longitudinal Study (Add Health Study), we found 2 genetic markers, dopamine receptor gene DRD4 VNTR…
Digging Postholes Adds Depth and Authenticity to a Shallow Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virtue, David C.; Buchanan, Anne; Vogler, Kenneth E.

2012-01-01

In the current era of high-stakes testing and accountability, many social studies teachers struggle to find creative ways to add depth and authenticity to a broad, shallow curriculum. Teachers can use the time after tests are administered for students to reflect back on the social studies curriculum and select topics they want to study more deeply…
Marriage and Health in the Transition to Adulthood: Evidence for African Americans in the Add Health Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Kathleen Mullan; Lee, Hedwig; DeLeone, Felicia Yang

2010-01-01

This article explores the relationships among early marriage (before age 26 years), cohabitation, and health for African Americans and Whites during the transition to adulthood using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The study examines three categories of health outcomes relevant to young adulthood: physical…
Human health and wellbeing in environmental impact assessment in New South Wales, Australia: Auditing health impacts within environmental assessments of major projects

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

Harris, Patrick J., E-mail: patrick.harris@unsw.edu.a; Harris, Elizabeth, E-mail: e.harris@unsw.edu.a; Thompson, Susan, E-mail: s.thompson@unsw.edu.a

Internationally the inclusion of health within environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been shown to be limited. While Australian EIA documentation has not been studied empirically to date, deficiencies in practice have been documented. This research developed an audit tool to undertake a qualitative descriptive analysis of 22 Major Project EAs in New South Wales, Australia. Results showed that health and wellbeing impacts were not considered explicitly. They were, however, included indirectly in the identification of traditional public health exposures associated with the physical environment and to a lesser extent the inclusion of social and economic impacts. However, no health datamore » was used to inform any of the assessments, there was no reference to causal pathways between exposures or determinants and physical or mental health effects, and there was no inclusion of the differential distribution of exposures or health impacts on different populations. The results add conceptually and practically to the long standing integration debate, showing that health is in a position to add value to the EIA process as an explicit part of standard environmental, social and economic considerations. However, to overcome the consistently documented barriers to integrating health in EIA, capacity must be developed amongst EIA professionals, led by the health sector, to progress health related knowledge and tools.« less
Spawning strategy in Atlantic bobtail squid Sepiola atlantica (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, Marcelo; Garcí, Manuel E.; Troncoso, Jesús S.; Guerra, Ángel

2011-03-01

This study aimed to determine the spawning strategy in the Atlantic bobtail squid Sepiola atlantica, in order to add new information to the knowledge of its reproductive strategy. A total of 12 females that spawned in aquaria were examined. Characteristics of the reproductive traits and egg clutches were similar to those of other known Sepiolidae. Clutch size varied from 31 up to 115 eggs. Females of this species had incorporated up to 1.58 times of their body weight into laid eggs. The size of laid eggs showed a positive correlation with maternal body size, supporting the idea that female size is a determinant of egg size. Our data suggest that S. atlantica is an intermittent terminal spawner , and that its spawning strategy comprises group-synchronous ovary maturation, multiple egg laying, and deposition of egg clutches in different locations. The obtained data provide insights for future comparative studies on reproductive allocation.
Part II--Factors associated with school nurse ratios: key state informants' perceptions.

PubMed

Maughan, Erin

2009-08-01

This paper is the second of a two-part series examining factors influencing school nurse to pupil staffing ratios. The paper reports data from a qualitative study exploring the social and political factors that potentially influence ratios. Interviews were conducted with 30 key state informants from these states. Content analysis of the data identified common themes. Positive factors reported to influence ratios included: the approach taken to effect change, value placed upon school nurses, local support (from both educators and parents) and community buy-in, fear of litigation, and dynamic leadership. Barriers to improving ratios included: lack of funding and misunderstanding of the role of the school nurse. Philosophical beliefs and state geography were "swing" factors that influenced staffing positively or negatively. This study adds to our knowledge of the factors influencing staffing and highlights important social and political factors that school nurses can target to improve nurse to pupil ratios.

Considerations for Infectious Disease Research Studies Using Animals

PubMed Central

Colby, Lesley A; Quenee, Lauriane E; Zitzow, Lois A

2017-01-01

Animal models are vital in understanding the transmission and pathogenesis of infectious organisms and the host immune response to infection. In addition, animal models are essential in vaccine and therapeutic drug development and testing. Prior to selecting an animal model to use when studying an infectious agent, the scientific team must determine that sufficient in vitro and ex vivo data are available to justify performing research in an animal model, that ethical considerations are addressed, and that the data generated from animal work will add useful information to the body of scientific knowledge. Once it is established that an animal should be used, the questions become ‘Which animal model is most suitable?’ and ‘Which experimental design issues should be considered?’ The answers to these questions take into account numerous factors, including scientific, practical, welfare, and regulatory considerations, which are the focus of this article. PMID:28662751
The Association Between Psychological Distress and Decision Regret During Armed Conflict Among Hospital Personnel.

PubMed

Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Bibi, Haim

2016-09-01

The association between psychological distress and decision regret during armed conflict among hospital personnel is of interest. The objective of this study was to learn of the association between psychological distress and decision regret during armed conflict. Data was collected from 178 hospital personnel in Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Israel during Operation Protective Edge. The survey was based on intranet data collection about: demographics, self-rated health, life satisfaction, psychological distress and decision regret. Among hospital personnel, having higher psychological distress and being young were associated with higher decision regret. This study adds to the existing knowledge by providing novel data about the association between psychological distress and decision regret among hospital personnel during armed conflict. This data opens a new venue of future research to other potentially detrimental factor on medical decision making and medical error done during crisis.
Prospects and applicability of wave energy for South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavidas, George; Venugopal, Vengatesan

2018-03-01

Renewable energy offers significant opportunities for electricity diversification. South Africa belongs to the group of developing nations and encompasses a lot of potential for renewable energy developments. Currently, the majority of its electricity production originates from fossil fuels; however, incorporation of clean coal technologies will aid in reaching the assigned targets. This study offers a long-term wave power quantification analysis with a numerical wave model. The investigation includes long-term resource assessment in the region, variability, seasonal and monthly wave energy content. Locations with high-energy content but low variability pose an opportunity that can contribute in the alleviation of energy poverty. Application of wave converters depends on the combination of complex terms. The study presents resource levels and the joint distributions, which indicate suitability for converter selection. Depending on the region of interest, these characteristics change. Thus, this resource assessment adds knowledge on wave power and optimal consideration for wave energy applicability.
GEO2Enrichr: browser extension and server app to extract gene sets from GEO and analyze them for biological functions.

PubMed

Gundersen, Gregory W; Jones, Matthew R; Rouillard, Andrew D; Kou, Yan; Monteiro, Caroline D; Feldmann, Axel S; Hu, Kevin S; Ma'ayan, Avi

2015-09-15

Identification of differentially expressed genes is an important step in extracting knowledge from gene expression profiling studies. The raw expression data from microarray and other high-throughput technologies is deposited into the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and served as Simple Omnibus Format in Text (SOFT) files. However, to extract and analyze differentially expressed genes from GEO requires significant computational skills. Here we introduce GEO2Enrichr, a browser extension for extracting differentially expressed gene sets from GEO and analyzing those sets with Enrichr, an independent gene set enrichment analysis tool containing over 70 000 annotated gene sets organized into 75 gene-set libraries. GEO2Enrichr adds JavaScript code to GEO web-pages; this code scrapes user selected accession numbers and metadata, and then, with one click, users can submit this information to a web-server application that downloads the SOFT files, parses, cleans and normalizes the data, identifies the differentially expressed genes, and then pipes the resulting gene lists to Enrichr for downstream functional analysis. GEO2Enrichr opens a new avenue for adding functionality to major bioinformatics resources such GEO by integrating tools and resources without the need for a plug-in architecture. Importantly, GEO2Enrichr helps researchers to quickly explore hypotheses with little technical overhead, lowering the barrier of entry for biologists by automating data processing steps needed for knowledge extraction from the major repository GEO. GEO2Enrichr is an open source tool, freely available for installation as browser extensions at the Chrome Web Store and FireFox Add-ons. Documentation and a browser independent web application can be found at http://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/g2e/. avi.maayan@mssm.edu. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Integration of object-oriented knowledge representation with the CLIPS rule based system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logie, David S.; Kamil, Hasan

1990-01-01

The paper describes a portion of the work aimed at developing an integrated, knowledge based environment for the development of engineering-oriented applications. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was implemented in C++ which is used to build and modify an object-oriented knowledge base. The ORL was designed in such a way so as to be easily integrated with other representation schemes that could effectively reason with the object base. Specifically, the integration of the ORL with the rule based system C Language Production Systems (CLIPS), developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center, will be discussed. The object-oriented knowledge representation provides a natural means of representing problem data as a collection of related objects. Objects are comprised of descriptive properties and interrelationships. The object-oriented model promotes efficient handling of the problem data by allowing knowledge to be encapsulated in objects. Data is inherited through an object network via the relationship links. Together, the two schemes complement each other in that the object-oriented approach efficiently handles problem data while the rule based knowledge is used to simulate the reasoning process. Alone, the object based knowledge is little more than an object-oriented data storage scheme; however, the CLIPS inference engine adds the mechanism to directly and automatically reason with that knowledge. In this hybrid scheme, the expert system dynamically queries for data and can modify the object base with complete access to all the functionality of the ORL from rules.
Synthesis of High-Speed Digital Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-08

1 (sub2 sub 16 2 (sub3 sub 16) 3 (sub4 sub 16) 4 (eub5 sub 16) 5 (sub6 sub 16) 6 ( sub7 sub 16) 7 (addi add 16) 8 (add2 add 16) 9 (add3 add 16) 10...seB uub5 J2 16 se5) 15 (se6 sub6 JI 16 soO) 18 (se7 sub7 J5 16 se7) 17 (aol addi Dl 16 aol) 18 (a921 add2 add7 18 a02) 19 (&922 add2 add5 16 a02) 20...de4l D4 add4 16 de4) 33 Wd942 D4 sub4 16 de4) 34 (de~i D5 sub7 16 de5) 35 (deS2 D5 add8 16 deS) 36 (jell Ji add7 16 jel) 37 (je12 JI D5 16 jel) 38 (je2
The Integration of the Neurosciences, Child Public Health, and Education Practice: Hemisphere-Specific Remediation Strategies as a Discipline Partnered Rehabilitation Tool in ADD/ADHD.

PubMed

Leisman, Gerry; Mualem, Raed; Machado, Calixto

2013-01-01

ADD/ADHD is the most common and most studied neurodevelopmental problem. Recent statistics from the U.S. Center for Disease Control state that 11% or approximately one out of every nine children in the US and one in five high school boys are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. This number is thought to be increasing at around 15-20% per year. The US National Institute of Mental Health's Multi-modal Treatment Study has shown that medication has no long-term benefit for those with ADHD. To effectively address ADD/ADHD from within the framework of child public health, an interdisciplinary strategy is necessary that is based on a neuroeducational model that can be readily implemented on a large-scale within the educational system. This study is based on previous findings that ADD/ADHD children possess underactivity between sub-cortical and cortical regions. An imbalance of activity or arousal in one area can result in functional disconnections similar to that seen in split-brain patients. Since ADD/ADHD children exhibit deficient performance on tests developed to measure perceptual laterality, evidence of weak laterality or failure to develop laterality has been found across various modalities (auditory, visual, tactile). This has reportedly resulted in abnormal cerebral organization and ineffective cortical specialization necessary for the development of language and non-language function. This pilot study examines groups of ADD/ADHD and control elementary school children all of whom were administered all of the subtests of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests, the Brown Parent Questionnaire, and given objective performance measures on tests of motor and sensory coordinative abilities. Results measured after a 12-week remediation program aimed at increasing the activity of the hypothesized underactive right hemisphere function, yielded significant improvement of greater than 2 years in grade level in all domains except in mathematical reasoning. The treated group also displayed a significant improvement in behavior with a reduction in Brown scale behavioral scores. Non-treated control participants did not exhibit significant differences during the same 12 week period in academic measurements. Controls were significantly different from treatment participants in all domains after a 12-week period. The non-treatment group also demonstrated an increase in behavioral scores and increased symptoms of ADD/ADHD over the same time period when compared to the treated group. Results are discussed in the context of the concept of functional disconnectivity in ADD/ADHD children.
Development of FQ-PCR method to determine the level of ADD1 expression in fatty and lean pigs.

PubMed

Cui, J X; Chen, W; Zeng, Y Q

2015-10-30

To determine how adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1 (ADD1), a gene involved in the determination of pork quality, is regulated in Laiwu and Large pigs, we used TaqMan fluorescence quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) to detect differential expression in the longissimus muscle of Laiwu (fatty) and Large White (lean) pigs. In this study, the ADD1 and GAPDH cDNA sequences were cloned using a T-A cloning assay, and the clone sequences were consistent with those deposited in GenBank. Thus, the target fragment was successfully recombined into the vector, and its integrity was maintained. The standard curve and regression equation were established through the optimized FQ-PCR protocol. The standard curve of porcine ADD1 and GAPDH cDNA was determined, and its linear range extension could reach seven orders of magnitudes. The results showed that this method was used to quantify ADD1 expression in the longissimus muscle of two breeds of pig, and was found to be accurate, sensitive, and convenient. These results provide information regarding porcine ADD1 mRNA expression and the mechanism of adipocyte differentiation, and this study could help in the effort to meet the demands of consumers interested in the maintenance of health and prevention of obesity. Furthermore, it could lead to new approaches in the prevention and clinical treatment of this disease.
Education-based disparities in knowledge of novel health risks: The case of knowledge gaps in HIV risk perceptions.

PubMed

Kiviniemi, Marc T; Orom, Heather; Waters, Erika A; McKillip, Megan; Hay, Jennifer L

2018-05-01

Risk perception is a key determinant of preventive health behaviour, but when asked, some individuals indicate they do not know their health risk. Low education is associated with both lack of knowledge about health risk and with the persistence and exacerbation of gaps in knowledge about health issues. This study uses the context of an emerging infectious disease threat to explore the hypothesis that the education-don't know risk relation results from differences in knowledge about the health issue of interest. Specifically, we examine whether patterns of change over time follow theoretical predictions that disparities in risk knowledge would increase over time in less educated sectors of the population (knowledge gap hypothesis). Secondary analysis of population-representative behavioural surveillance survey. We analysed data from the 1993 to 2000 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys, which measured education and perceived HIV/AIDS risk in a population sample collected separately in each survey year; don't know responses were coded. In each year, individuals with higher education were less likely to respond don't know. The absolute prevalence of don't know responding dropped over time; nonetheless, there was an increase over time in the magnitude of the pattern of lower education being associated with greater don't know responding. We found support for the knowledge gap hypothesis. Over time, populations with greater education gained more knowledge about their HIV risk than populations with lower education. Results highlight the need to carefully consider health communication strategies to reach and address those individuals with low education and health knowledge. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? A meaningful potion of the population answers 'don't know' when asked to report their risk for health problems, indicating a lack of risk perception in the domain. Previous studies have shown that level of education is associated with don't know responding - those with lower educational attainment are more likely to respond don't know. The education-don't know responding relation suggests that lack of health information and health domain knowledge might be a factor in lacking risk perception, but this mechanism has not been previously tested. What does this study add? Patterns of changes in don't know responding over time as population-level knowledge of a health risk increase are consistent with the health information/health knowledge hypothesis outlined above. As population knowledge of HIV/AIDS risk in the United States increased over time (indicated by declining overall rates of don't know responses), the relation of education level to don't know responding actually became stronger. The pattern of change over time is the classic 'knowledge gap hypothesis' pattern, which has not been previously demonstrated for knowledge of personal health risk. The knowledge gap response pattern supports the health information/health knowledge hypothesis. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.
Efficacy and safety of add on low-dose mirtazapine in depression.

PubMed

Matreja, Prithpal S; Badyal, Dinesh K; Deswal, Randhir S; Sharma, Arvind

2012-03-01

Although antidepressant medications are effective, they have a delayed onset of effect. Mirtazapine, an atypical antidepressant is an important option for add-on therapy in major depression. There is insufficient data on mirtazapine in Indian population; hence this study was designed to study the add-on effect of low-dose mirtazapine with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in major depressive disorder (MDD) in Indian population. In an open, randomized study, 60 patients were divided into two groups. In Group A (n=30) patients received conventional SSRIs for 6 weeks. In Group B (n=30) patients received conventional SSRIs with low-dose mirtazapine for 6 weeks. Patients were evaluated at baseline and then at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks. There was significant improvement in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) scores (P<0.05) in both groups. Mirtazapine in low dose as add on therapy showed improvement in scores, had earlier onset of action, and more number of responders and remitters as compared to conventional treatment (P<0.05). No serious adverse event was reported in either of the groups. Low-dose mirtazapine as add-on therapy has shown better efficacy, earlier onset of action and more number of responders and remitters as compared to conventional treatment in MDD in Indian patients.
A pilot test of the acceptability and efficacy of narrative and non-narrative health education materials in a low health literacy population

PubMed Central

Moran, Meghan Bridgid; Frank, Lauren B.; Chatterjee, Joyee S.; Murphy, Sheila T.; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes

2016-01-01

Although entertainment-education narratives are increasingly being used to communicate health information to a diversity of populations, there is limited evidence examining the use of narrative health education videos in low compared with adequate health literacy populations. There are also very few studies directly comparing narrative materials to more traditional, non-narrative materials. Because individuals with low health literacy are less likely than those with adequate health literacy to benefit from health communication interventions, it is especially important to develop an evidence base supporting the use of narrative health education materials in low literacy populations. This study extends knowledge on the use of narrative health education materials in populations with low health literacy by conducting a randomized trial comparing the acceptability and efficacy (knowledge gain) of two fact-equivalent films, one in a narrative and one in a non-narrative format, on individuals with adequate and low health literacy. This study finds that while both films were well-accepted and produced knowledge gains, the narrative film was more effective in this regard. This effect occurred regardless of health literacy level, indicating that narrative health communication materials are appropriate for individuals with low health literacy and do not exacerbate existing health disparities. These findings add to a small but growing body of evidence testing narrative health education materials in individuals with low health literacy, and provide new evidence supporting narrative, entertainment-education style video as a health communication tool to help reduce health literacy-related health disparities. PMID:27872657
Postgraduate training in orthodontics in the UK

PubMed Central

Shah, Anwar Ali; Sandler, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This article briefly describes the postgraduate pathways in orthodontics in the United Kingdom. It is hoped that this will assist potential trainees who want to pursue postgraduate training to understand the different career pathways available to them. It may also add to the knowledge of some senior colleagues who can explain these career opportunities to their students, as not all potential trainees will have the opportunity to read this article. In the following pages we will discuss the different pathways leading to specialist qualification in orthodontics, in the United Kingdom. PMID:23960517
What do we know about direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs?

PubMed

Calfee, John E

2003-01-01

Two papers, by Joel Weissman and colleagues and by Robert Dubois, add to our limited knowledge of the effects of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. Their results reinforce the largely positive findings from consumer surveys, while adding valuable new data and insights. These suggest that DTC ads probably improve patients' health outcomes and do not tend to lead to inappropriate prescribing. DTC advertising is emerging as a positive force in health care markets, consistent with what is known about the effects of advertising in many other markets.
Unprovoked Pulmonary Embolism in a Young Patient with Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Pak, Stella; Kilgore, Andrew; Thornhill, Rosanne; Rako, Kyle; Meier, Ali; Pora, Gavriella; Costello, Jillian M; Dee, Christine

2017-09-05

Marfan syndrome is a rare connective tissue disorder with a prevalence of approximately 2 to 3 per 10,000 individuals. There have been some reports of young patients with Marfan syndrome developing arteriovenous thromboembolism. These events were unprovoked and recurrent. Owing to its rarity, hypercoagulopathy and other metabolic derangement in patients with Marfan syndrome remains largely unknown. Herein, we report a case of a young man with Marfan syndrome who had myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism. We hope that this case adds to the scant body of knowledge about this patient population.
Remodeling a tissue: subtraction adds insight.

PubMed

Axelrod, Jeffrey D

2012-11-27

Sculpting a body plan requires both patterning of gene expression and translating that pattern into morphogenesis. Developmental biologists have made remarkable strides in understanding gene expression patterning, but despite a long history of fascination with the mechanics of morphogenesis, knowledge of how patterned gene expression drives the emergence of even simple shapes and forms has grown at a slower pace. The successful merging of approaches from cell biology, developmental biology, imaging, engineering, and mathematical and computational sciences is now accelerating progress toward a fuller and better integrated understanding of the forces shaping morphogenesis.
Behavior based safety. A different way of looking at an old problem.

PubMed

Haney, L; Anderson, M

1999-09-01

1. The occupational and environmental health nurse role in behavioral safety initiatives can very to include: serving as a leader, change agent, collaborator with safety professionals, consultant, team participant, educator, coach, and supporter to employees and management. 2. Behavior based safety and health initiatives add to existing knowledge and techniques for improving the health and safety of workers. 3. Behavior based safety relies on employee involvement and places a strong emphasis on observation, measurement, feedback, positive reinforcement, and evaluation. It focuses on identification of system improvements and prevention.
A re-appraisal of the conventional history of antibiosis and Penicillin.

PubMed

Arseculeratne, S N; Arseculeratne, G

2017-05-01

The popular perception of the history of antibiosis and penicillin is that Alexander Fleming was the sole researcher on penicillin. The literature, however, has documentation of preceding persons who reported definitively on these topics, from the late 19 th century. Divergent reports on "firsts" in the discovery of antimicrobial activity of Penicillium and on the use of penicillin as a therapeutic agent, are present. This review adds knowledge from diverse sources, and restores historical priorities to the conventional story of Penicillin. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Carbon from Crust to Core: A history of deep carbon science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitton, Simon

2017-04-01

As an academic historian of science, I am writing a history of the discovery of the interior workings of our dynamic planet. I am preparing a book, titled Carbon from Crust to Core: A Chronicle of Deep Carbon Science, in which I will present the first history of deep carbon science. I will identify and document key discoveries, the impact of new knowledge, and the roles of deep carbon scientists and their institutions from the 1400s to the present. This innovative book will set down the engaging human story of many remarkable scientists from whom we have learned about Earth's interior, and particularly the fascinating story of carbon in Earth. I will describe a great journey of discovery that has led to a better understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological behaviour of carbon in the vast majority of Earth's interior. My poster has a list of remarkable Deep Carbon Explorers, from Georgius Agricola (1494-1555) to Claude ZoBell (1904-1989). Come along to my poster and add to my compilation: choose pioneers from history, or nominate your colleagues, or even add a selfie! As a biographer, I am keen to add researchers who may have been overlooked in the standard histories of geology and geophysics. And I am always on the lookout for standout stories and personal recollections. I am equipped to do oral history interviews. What's your story? Cambridge University Press will publish the book in 2019.
Use of Statistical Analyses in the Ophthalmic Literature

PubMed Central

Lisboa, Renato; Meira-Freitas, Daniel; Tatham, Andrew J.; Marvasti, Amir H.; Sharpsten, Lucie; Medeiros, Felipe A.

2014-01-01

Purpose To identify the most commonly used statistical analyses in the ophthalmic literature and to determine the likely gain in comprehension of the literature that readers could expect if they were to sequentially add knowledge of more advanced techniques to their statistical repertoire. Design Cross-sectional study Methods All articles published from January 2012 to December 2012 in Ophthalmology, American Journal of Ophthalmology and Archives of Ophthalmology were reviewed. A total of 780 peer-reviewed articles were included. Two reviewers examined each article and assigned categories to each one depending on the type of statistical analyses used. Discrepancies between reviewers were resolved by consensus. Main Outcome Measures Total number and percentage of articles containing each category of statistical analysis were obtained. Additionally we estimated the accumulated number and percentage of articles that a reader would be expected to be able to interpret depending on their statistical repertoire. Results Readers with little or no statistical knowledge would be expected to be able to interpret the statistical methods presented in only 20.8% of articles. In order to understand more than half (51.4%) of the articles published, readers were expected to be familiar with at least 15 different statistical methods. Knowledge of 21 categories of statistical methods was necessary to comprehend 70.9% of articles, while knowledge of more than 29 categories was necessary to comprehend more than 90% of articles. Articles in retina and glaucoma subspecialties showed a tendency for using more complex analysis when compared to cornea. Conclusions Readers of clinical journals in ophthalmology need to have substantial knowledge of statistical methodology to understand the results of published studies in the literature. The frequency of use of complex statistical analyses also indicates that those involved in the editorial peer-review process must have sound statistical knowledge in order to critically appraise articles submitted for publication. The results of this study could provide guidance to direct the statistical learning of clinical ophthalmologists, researchers and educators involved in the design of courses for residents and medical students. PMID:24612977
Subacromial impingement syndrome--effectiveness of physiotherapy and manual therapy.

PubMed

Gebremariam, Lukas; Hay, Elaine M; van der Sande, Renske; Rinkel, Willem D; Koes, Bart W; Huisstede, Bionka M A

2014-08-01

The subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) includes the rotator cuff syndrome, tendonitis and bursitis of the shoulder. Treatment includes surgical and non-surgical modalities. Non-surgical treatment is used to reduce pain, to decrease the subacromial inflammation, to heal the compromised rotator cuff and to restore satisfactory function of the shoulder. To select the most appropriate non-surgical intervention and to identify gaps in scientific knowledge, we explored the effectiveness of the interventions used, concentrating on the effectiveness of physiotherapy and manual therapy. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, PEDro and CINAHL were searched for relevant systematic reviews and randomised clinical trials (RCTs). Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality. A best-evidence synthesis was used to summarise the results. Two reviews and 10 RCTs were included. One RCT studied manual therapy as an add-on therapy to self-training. All other studies studied the effect of physiotherapy: effectiveness of exercise therapy, mobilisation as an add-on therapy to exercises, ultrasound, laser and pulsed electromagnetic field. Moderate evidence was found for the effectiveness of hyperthermia compared to exercise therapy or ultrasound in the short term. Hyperthermia and exercise therapy were more effective in comparison to controls or placebo in the short term (moderate evidence). For the effectiveness of hyperthermia, no midterm or long-term results were studied. In the midterm, exercise therapy gave the best results (moderate evidence) compared to placebo or controls. For other interventions, conflicting, limited or no evidence was found. Some physiotherapeutic treatments seem to be promising (moderate evidence) to treat SIS, but more research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Extracurricular activities in young applicants' résumés: what are the motives behind their involvement?

PubMed

Roulin, Nicolas; Bangerter, Adrian

2013-01-01

Applicants use résumés to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, abilities, and other personal characteristics (KSAOs) to recruiters, through education and job-related or non-job-related experiences. But research suggests that the situation for young applicants is especially competitive, since they increasingly enter the labour market with similar educational credentials and limited job-related experience. They may thus use non-job-related experiences, such as participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) during their studies, to demonstrate KSAOs to recruiters, but also to add distinction and value to their credentials. ECAs may therefore become more important in the selection of young applicants. Yet few studies have undertaken a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the relationships students have with these activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent students' involvement in ECAs is due to internal (e.g., passion) or external (e.g., résumé-building) motives, and what factors influence these motives. Results from a study with 197 students suggest that students engage in ECAs mainly out of internal motives. But external motives are stronger for activities started closer to entering the labour market, for students active in associative or volunteering activities (as compared to sports or artistic activities), and for students holding leadership positions in their activities. Our results suggest that labour market pressure may be a key component of applicants' involvement in ECAs. Also, organizations and recruiters may want to consider that students tend not to engage in ECAs purely out of internal motives, but also to add value to their credentials and match employers' expectations. The authors thank Anna Ambrosetti for her help with the data collection.
A critical methodological review of discourse and conversation analysis studies of family therapy.

PubMed

Tseliou, Eleftheria

2013-12-01

Discourse (DA) and conversation (CA) analysis, two qualitative research methods, have been recently suggested as potentially promising for the study of family therapy due to common epistemological adherences and their potential for an in situ study of therapeutic dialog. However, to date, there is no systematic methodological review of the few existing DA and CA studies of family therapy. This study aims at addressing this lack by critically reviewing published DA and CA studies of family therapy on methodological grounds. Twenty-eight articles in total are reviewed in relation to certain methodological axes identified in the relevant literature. These include choice of method, framing of research question(s), data/sampling, type of analysis, epistemological perspective, content/type of knowledge claims, and attendance to criteria for good quality practice. It is argued that the reviewed studies show "glimpses" of the methods' potential for family therapy research despite the identification of certain "shortcomings" regarding their methodological rigor. These include unclearly framed research questions and the predominance of case study designs. They also include inconsistencies between choice of method, stated or unstated epistemological orientations and knowledge claims, and limited attendance to criteria for good quality practice. In conclusion, it is argued that DA and CA can add to the existing quantitative and qualitative methods for family therapy research. They can both offer unique ways for a detailed study of the actual therapeutic dialog, provided that future attempts strive for a methodologically rigorous practice and against their uncritical deployment. © FPI, Inc.
Antileukotriene Agents Versus Long-Acting Beta-Agonists in Older Adults with Persistent Asthma: A Comparison of Add-On Therapies.

PubMed

Altawalbeh, Shoroq M; Thorpe, Carolyn T; Zgibor, Janice C; Kane-Gill, Sandra; Kang, Yihuang; Thorpe, Joshua M

2016-08-01

To compare the effectiveness and cardiovascular safety of long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) with those of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) as add-on treatments in older adults with asthma already taking inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs). Retrospective cohort study. Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims (2009-10) for a 10% random sample of beneficiaries continuously enrolled in Parts A, B, and D in 2009. Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 and older continuously enrolled in FFS Medicare with Part D coverage with a diagnosis of asthma before 2009 treated exclusively with ICSs plus LABAs or ICSs plus LTRAs (N = 14,702). The augmented inverse propensity-weighted estimator was used to compare the effect of LABA add-on therapy with that of LTRA add-on therapy on asthma exacerbations requiring inpatient, emergency, or outpatient care and on cardiovascular (CV) events, adjusting for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and county-level healthcare-access variables. The primary analysis showed that LTRA add-on treatment was associated with greater odds of asthma-related hospitalizations or emergency department visits (odds ratio (OR) = 1.4, P < .001), as well as outpatient exacerbations requiring oral corticosteroids or antibiotics (OR = 1.41, P < .001) than LABA treatment. LTRA add-on therapy was also less effective in controlling acute symptoms, as indicated by greater use of short-acting beta agonists (rate ratio = 1.58, P < .001). LTRA add-on treatment was associated with lower odds of experiencing a CV event than LABA treatment (OR = 0.86, P = .006). This study provides new evidence specific to older adults to help healthcare providers weigh the risks and benefits of these add-on treatments. Further subgroup analysis is needed to personalize asthma treatments in this high-risk population. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.
Medication Incidents Related to Automated Dose Dispensing in Community Pharmacies and Hospitals - A Reporting System Study

PubMed Central

Cheung, Ka-Chun; van den Bemt, Patricia M. L. A.; Bouvy, Marcel L.; Wensing, Michel; De Smet, Peter A. G. M.

2014-01-01

Introduction Automated dose dispensing (ADD) is being introduced in several countries and the use of this technology is expected to increase as a growing number of elderly people need to manage their medication at home. ADD aims to improve medication safety and treatment adherence, but it may introduce new safety issues. This descriptive study provides insight into the nature and consequences of medication incidents related to ADD, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals. Methods The medication incidents that were submitted to the Dutch Central Medication incidents Registration (CMR) reporting system were selected and characterized independently by two researchers. Main Outcome Measures Person discovering the incident, phase of the medication process in which the incident occurred, immediate cause of the incident, nature of incident from the healthcare provider's perspective, nature of incident from the patient's perspective, and consequent harm to the patient caused by the incident. Results From January 2012 to February 2013 the CMR received 15,113 incidents: 3,685 (24.4%) incidents from community pharmacies and 11,428 (75.6%) incidents from hospitals. Eventually 1 of 50 reported incidents (268/15,113 = 1.8%) were related to ADD; in community pharmacies more incidents (227/3,685 = 6.2%) were related to ADD than in hospitals (41/11,428 = 0.4%). The immediate cause of an incident was often a change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation. Most reported incidents occurred in two phases: entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag. Conclusion A proportion of incidents was related to ADD and is reported regularly, especially by community pharmacies. In two phases, entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag, most incidents occurred. A change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation was the immediate causes of an incident. PMID:25058321
Medication incidents related to automated dose dispensing in community pharmacies and hospitals--a reporting system study.

PubMed

Cheung, Ka-Chun; van den Bemt, Patricia M L A; Bouvy, Marcel L; Wensing, Michel; De Smet, Peter A G M

2014-01-01

Automated dose dispensing (ADD) is being introduced in several countries and the use of this technology is expected to increase as a growing number of elderly people need to manage their medication at home. ADD aims to improve medication safety and treatment adherence, but it may introduce new safety issues. This descriptive study provides insight into the nature and consequences of medication incidents related to ADD, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals. The medication incidents that were submitted to the Dutch Central Medication incidents Registration (CMR) reporting system were selected and characterized independently by two researchers. Person discovering the incident, phase of the medication process in which the incident occurred, immediate cause of the incident, nature of incident from the healthcare provider's perspective, nature of incident from the patient's perspective, and consequent harm to the patient caused by the incident. From January 2012 to February 2013 the CMR received 15,113 incidents: 3,685 (24.4%) incidents from community pharmacies and 11,428 (75.6%) incidents from hospitals. Eventually 1 of 50 reported incidents (268/15,113 = 1.8%) were related to ADD; in community pharmacies more incidents (227/3,685 = 6.2%) were related to ADD than in hospitals (41/11,428 = 0.4%). The immediate cause of an incident was often a change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation. Most reported incidents occurred in two phases: entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag. A proportion of incidents was related to ADD and is reported regularly, especially by community pharmacies. In two phases, entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag, most incidents occurred. A change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation was the immediate causes of an incident.
Perspectives of best Practices for Learning Gender-Inclusive Science: Influences of Extracurricular Science for Gifted Girls and Electrical Engineering for Women

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Shaunda L.

Gifted girls in elementary school must follow the set curriculum, but their choices of extracurricular activities may indicate future subject preferences. This study attempted to explore the perceptions of gifted girls regarding how the family, home, and school environments influenced their choices to take extracurricular science classes. A mixed methodology was adopted: qualitative, to understand the girls' perceptions of influence, and quantitative, to measure their attitudes toward science. Influential factors identified in this study highlight fun as occurring with the highest frequency and four emergent factors: doubt, traditional sex roles, boredom, and group work. In addition, findings from a focused case study of a graduate electrical engineer are interwoven with the girls' perspectives of science. The varying ages and experiences with science of the participants provide interesting views. This study adds knowledge to the field of science education, specifically on withingender differences of gifted girls and women in engineering.
A Competence-Based Science Learning Framework Illustrated Through the Study of Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyao, Sheila G.; Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmäe, Miia; Pagunsan, Marmon M.

2015-09-01

This article proposes a competence-based learning framework for science teaching, applied to the study of 'big ideas', in this case to the study of natural hazards and disaster risk reduction (NH&DRR). The framework focuses on new visions of competence, placing emphasis on nurturing connectedness and behavioral actions toward resilience and sustainability. The framework draws together competences familiarly expressed as cognitive knowledge and skills, plus dispositions and adds connectedness and action-related behaviors, and applies this by means of a progression shift associated with NH&DRR from abilities to capabilities. The target is enhanced scientific literacy approached through an education through science focus, amplified through the study of a big idea, promotion of sustained resilience in the face of disaster and the taking of responsibilities for behavioral actions. The framework is applied to a learning progression for each interrelated education dimension, thus serving as a guide for both the development of abilities and as a platform for stimulating student capabilities within instruction and assessment.
Effects of vildagliptin as add-on treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: insights from long-term clinical studies in Japan.

PubMed

Odawara, Masato; Sagara, Rieko

2015-01-01

Vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, is wildly used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with mono- or combination-therapy. We review two previously published open-label studies to extract insights on the long-term efficacy and safety of vildagliptin. Two studies were conducted in Japan to assess the efficacy and safety of vildagliptin as an add-on to other oral antidiabetes drugs (OADs) for 52 weeks. These studies were performed under the similar protocol in Japanese patients with T2DM who were inadequately controlled with OAD monotherapy [excluding other dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors]. Addition of vildagliptin (50 mg twice daily) to other OAD monotherapy [sulfonylurea (SU), metformin, thiazolidinedione, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and glinide] reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels by -0.64 %,-0.75 %,-0.92 %,-0.94 % and - 0.64 %, respectively, over 52 weeks of treatment. Overall, the incidence of hypoglycemia was low and was slightly higher in the add-on to SU treatment group compared with the other groups. The incidences of adverse events were comparable among the treatment groups, and vildagliptin was well-tolerated as add-on therapy to other OADs. The evidence from the two studies indicates that vildagliptin as an add-on therapy to other OADs is a clinically reasonable option for Japanese patients with T2DM who respond inadequately to other OAD monotherapy.
One-year efficacy and safety of saxagliptin add-on in patients receiving dapagliflozin and metformin.

PubMed

Matthaei, S; Aggarwal, N; Garcia-Hernandez, P; Iqbal, N; Chen, H; Johnsson, E; Chin, A; Hansen, L

2016-11-01

Greater reductions in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) with saxagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, versus placebo add-on in patients with type 2 diabetes who had inadequate glycaemic control with dapagliflozin 10 mg/d plus metformin were demonstrated after 24 weeks of treatment. Results over 52 weeks of treatment were assessed in this analysis. Patients (mean baseline HbA1c 7.9%) receiving open-label dapagliflozin 10 mg/d plus metformin were randomized to double-blind saxagliptin 5 mg/d or placebo add-on. The adjusted mean change from baseline to week 52 in HbA1c was greater with saxagliptin than with placebo add-on -0.38% vs 0.05%; difference -0.42% (95% confidence interval -0.64, -0.20)]. More patients achieved the HbA1c target of <7% with saxagliptin than with placebo add-on (29% vs 13%), and fewer patients were rescued or discontinued the study for lack of glycaemic control with saxagliptin than with placebo add-on (19% vs 28%). Reductions from baseline in body weight (≤1.5 kg) occurred in both groups. Similar proportions of patients reported ≥1 adverse event with saxagliptin (58.2%) and placebo add-on (58.0%); no new safety signals were detected. Hypoglycaemia was infrequent in both treatment groups (≤2.5%), with no major episodes. The rate of urinary tract infections was similar in the saxagliptin and placebo add-on groups (7.8% vs 7.4%). The incidence of genital infections was 3.3% with saxagliptin versus 6.2% with placebo add-on. Triple therapy with saxagliptin add-on to dapagliflozin plus metformin for 52 weeks resulted in sustained improvements in glycaemic control without an increase in body weight or increased risk of hypoglycaemia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Using a Relational Database to Index Infectious Disease Information

PubMed Central

Brown, Jay A.

2010-01-01

Mapping medical knowledge into a relational database became possible with the availability of personal computers and user-friendly database software in the early 1990s. To create a database of medical knowledge, the domain expert works like a mapmaker to first outline the domain and then add the details, starting with the most prominent features. The resulting “intelligent database” can support the decisions of healthcare professionals. The intelligent database described in this article contains profiles of 275 infectious diseases. Users can query the database for all diseases matching one or more specific criteria (symptom, endemic region of the world, or epidemiological factor). Epidemiological factors include sources (patients, water, soil, or animals), routes of entry, and insect vectors. Medical and public health professionals could use such a database as a decision-support software tool. PMID:20623018
Sensitivity and specificity of the amer dizziness diagnostic scale (adds) for patients with vestibular disorders.

PubMed

Al Saif, Amer; Alsenany, Samira

2015-01-01

[Purpose] To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of a newly developed diagnostic tool, the Amer Dizziness Diagnostic Scale (ADDS), to evaluate and differentially diagnose vestibular disorder and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the scale and its usefulness in clinical practice. [Subjects and Methods] Two hundred subjects of both genders (72 males, 128 females) aged between 18 to 60 (49.5±7.8) who had a history of vertigo and/or dizziness symptoms for this previous two weeks or less were recruited for the study. All subjects were referred by otolaryngologists, neurologists or family physicians in and around Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the first clinic visit, all the patients were evaluated once using the ADDS, following which they underwent routine testing of clinical signs and symptoms, audiometry, and a neurological examination, coupled with tests of Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex function, which often serves as the "gold standard" for determining the probability of a vestibular deficit. [Results] The results show that the ADDS strongly correlated with "true-positive" and "true-negative" responses for determining the probability of a vestibular disorder (r =0.95). A stepwise linear regression was conducted and the results indicate that the ADDS was a significant predictor of "true-positive" and "true-negative" responses in vestibular disorders (R(2) =0.90). Approximately 90% of the variability in the vestibular gold standard test was explained by its relationship to the ADDS. Moreover, the ADDS was found to have a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 96%. [Conclusion] This study showed that the Amer Dizziness Diagnostic Scale has high sensitivity and specificity and that it can be used as a method of differential diagnosis for patients with vestibular disorders.
FoodWiki: Ontology-Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System.

PubMed

Çelik, Duygu

2015-01-01

An ontology-driven safe food consumption mobile system is considered. Over 3,000 compounds are being added to processed food, with numerous effects on the food: to add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify, and so forth. According to World Health Organization, governments have lately focused on legislation to reduce such ingredients or compounds in manufactured foods as they may have side effects causing health risks such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, allergens, and obesity. By supervising what and how much to eat as well as what not to eat, we can maximize a patient's life quality through avoidance of unhealthy ingredients. Smart e-health systems with powerful knowledge bases can provide suggestions of appropriate foods to individuals. Next-generation smart knowledgebase systems will not only include traditional syntactic-based search, which limits the utility of the search results, but will also provide semantics for rich searching. In this paper, performance of concept matching of food ingredients is semantic-based, meaning that it runs its own semantic based rule set to infer meaningful results through the proposed Ontology-Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System (FoodWiki).
Contextual risk, maternal parenting and adolescent externalizing behaviour problems: the role of emotion regulation.

PubMed

Walton, A; Flouri, Eirini

2010-03-01

The objective of this study was to test if emotion regulation mediates the association between mothers' parenting and adolescents' externalizing behaviour problems (conduct problems and hyperactivity). The parenting dimensions were warmth, psychological control and behavioural control (measured with knowledge, monitoring and discipline). Adjustment was made for contextual risk (measured with the number of proximal adverse life events experienced), gender, age and English as an additional language. Data were from a UK community sample of adolescents aged 11-18 from a comprehensive school in a disadvantaged area. At the multivariate level, none of the parenting variables predicted hyperactivity, which was associated only with difficulties in emotion regulation, contextual risk and English as a first language. The parenting variables predicting conduct problems at the multivariate level were warmth and knowledge. Knowledge did not predict emotion regulation. However, warmth predicted emotion regulation, which was negatively associated with conduct problems. Contextual risk was a significant predictor of both difficulties in emotion regulation and externalizing behaviour problems. Its effect on conduct problems was independent of parenting and was not via its association with difficulties in emotion regulation. The findings add to the evidence for the importance of maternal warmth and contextual risk for both regulated emotion and regulated behaviour. The small maternal control effects on both emotion regulation and externalizing behaviour could suggest the importance of paternal control for adolescent outcomes.
Serotonin transporter 5-HTTLPR genotype is associated with intrusion and avoidance symptoms of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Chinese earthquake survivors.

PubMed

Liu, Luobing; Wang, Li; Cao, Chengqi; Cao, Xing; Zhu, Ye; Liu, Ping; Luo, Shu; Zhang, Jianxin

2018-05-01

Prior studies have found that the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) interacts with trauma exposure to increase general risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, there is little knowledge about the effects of the interaction on distinct symptom clusters of PTSD. This study aimed to investigate the relation between the interaction of 5-HTTLPR and earthquake-related exposures and a contemporary phenotypic model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms in a traumatised adult sample from China. A cross-sectional design with gene-environment interaction (G × E) approach was adopted. Participants were 1131 survivors who experienced 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. PTSD symptoms were assessed with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was genotyped with capillary electrophoresis (CE) in ABI 3730xl genetic Analyzer. Although there was no significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR and traumatic exposure on total PTSD symptoms, respondents with the LL genotype of 5-HTTLPR who were highly exposed to the earthquake experienced lower intrusion and avoidance symptoms than those with the S-allele carriers. The findings suggest that the 5-HTTLPR may have an important impact on the development of PTSD and add to the extant knowledge on understanding and treating of posttraumatic psychopathology.
Effective healthcare teams require effective team members: defining teamwork competencies

PubMed Central

Leggat, Sandra G

2007-01-01

Background Although effective teamwork has been consistently identified as a requirement for enhanced clinical outcomes in the provision of healthcare, there is limited knowledge of what makes health professionals effective team members, and even less information on how to develop skills for teamwork. This study identified critical teamwork competencies for health service managers. Methods Members of a state branch of the professional association of Australian health service managers participated in a teamwork survey. Results The 37% response rate enabled identification of a management teamwork competency set comprising leadership, knowledge of organizational goals and strategies and organizational commitment, respect for others, commitment to working collaboratively and to achieving a quality outcome. Conclusion Although not part of the research question the data suggested that the competencies for effective teamwork are perceived to be different for management and clinical teams, and there are differences in the perceptions of effective teamwork competencies between male and female health service managers. This study adds to the growing evidence that the focus on individual skill development and individual accountability and achievement that results from existing models of health professional training, and which is continually reinforced by human resource management practices within healthcare systems, is not consistent with the competencies required for effective teamwork. PMID:17284324
Influence of oral sex and oral cancer information on young adults' oral sexual-risk cognitions and likelihood of HPV vaccination.

PubMed

Stock, Michelle L; Peterson, Laurel M; Houlihan, Amy E; Walsh, Laura A

2013-01-01

Public health information and educational interventions regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) have focused on the link between vaginal sex and cervical cancer among women. Many people are unaware that HPV can be transmitted through oral sex or that HPV causes oral cancers. Given that HPV infections and unprotected oral sex are increasing, research on oral sex-related HPV risk is important. This study examined the effect of a brief informational intervention regarding HPV and oral sex on the sexual risk cognitions of young adults. College students (N = 238) read information on HPV, oral sex, and oral cancer or no information. Participants then completed measures of oral sex and HPV knowledge, oral sex willingness, HPV vaccination likelihood, and risk perceptions. Participants who read the information on HPV and oral sex and cancer (compared to those who did not) reported greater knowledge, perceived risk and concern, and lower willingness to engage in oral sex. These effects were only significant among women. However, men reported a higher likelihood of future HPV vaccination compared to women who had not yet received the vaccine. Focusing on oral sex and cancer, this study adds to research investigating ways to reduce HPV infections.
The effect of formal, neonatal communication-intervention training on mothers in kangaroo care.

PubMed

Kritzinger, Alta; van Rooyen, Elise

2014-11-06

Due to low-birth-weight, preterm birth, HIV and/or AIDS and poverty-related factors, South Africa presents with an increased prevalence of infants at risk of language delay. A Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) unit offers unique opportunities for training. The aim of the present study was to determine if formal, neonatal communication-intervention training had an effect on mothers' knowledge and communication interaction with their high-risk infants. Three groups of mothers participated: Group 1 was trained whilst practicing KMC; Group 2 was not trained but practiced KMC; and Group 3 was also not trained but practiced sporadic KMC. Ten mothers per group were matched for age, education level and birth order of their infants. The individual training was based on graded sensory stimulation and responsive mother-infant communication interaction, which emphasised talking and singing by the mother. Significant differences were found in mother-infant communication interaction between all three groups, which indicated a positive effect on Group 1 with training. Group 2, KMC without training, also had a positive effect on interaction. However, Group 1 mothers with training demonstrated better knowledge of their infants and were more responsive during interaction than the other two groups. The present study suggests that neonatal communication-intervention training adds value to a KMC programme.
Modifiable correlates of illness perceptions in adults with chronic somatic conditions: A systematic review.

PubMed

Arat, Seher; De Cock, Diederik; Moons, Philip; Vandenberghe, Joris; Westhovens, René

2018-04-01

When individuals become ill, they want to understand and give meaning to their illness. The interpretation of this illness experience, or illness perception, is influenced by a range of individual, contextual, and cultural factors. Some of these factors may be modifiable by nursing interventions. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate which modifiable factors were correlated with illness perceptions across studies of adults with different chronic somatic diseases. Using search terms tailored to each of four electronic databases, studies retrieved were reviewed by two independent evaluators, and each relevant article was assessed for methodological quality. Results were standardized by calculating correlation coefficients. Fifteen papers on illness perceptions in a variety of chronic diseases met the inclusion criteria. All used standardized measures of illness perceptions. We identified five groups of modifiable correlates of illness perceptions: illness-related factors, psychosocial factors, medication beliefs, information provision and satisfaction with information received, and quality of care. Our findings add to the knowledge of modifiable factors correlated with illness perceptions, including the importance of illness-related factors and psychosocial factors such as anxiety and depression. Knowledge of these correlates can facilitate understanding of patients' illness perceptions and might be useful in tailoring patient education programs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bridging Organizations Drive Effective Governance Outcomes for Conservation of Indonesia's Marine Systems.

PubMed

Berdej, Samantha M; Armitage, Derek R

2016-01-01

This study empirically investigates the influence of bridging organizations on governance outcomes for marine conservation in Indonesia. Conservation challenges require ways of governing that are collaborative and adaptive across boundaries, and where conservation actions are better coordinated, information flows improved, and knowledge better integrated and mobilized. We combine quantitative social network analysis and qualitative data to analyze bridging organizations and their networks, and to understand their contributions and constraints in two case studies in Bali, Indonesia. The analysis shows 1) bridging organizations help to navigate the 'messiness' inherent in conservation settings by compensating for sparse linkages, 2) the particular structure and function of bridging organizations influence governing processes (i.e., collaboration, knowledge sharing) and subsequent conservation outcomes, 3) 'bridging' is accomplished using different strategies and platforms for collaboration and social learning, and 4) bridging organizations enhance flexibility to adjust to changing marine conservation contexts and needs. Understanding the organizations that occupy bridging positions, and how they utilize their positionality in a governance network is emerging as an important determinant of successful conservation outcomes. Our findings contribute to a relatively new body of literature on bridging organizations in marine conservation contexts, and add needed empirical investigation into their value to governance and conservation in Coral Triangle nations and beyond.
Bridging Organizations Drive Effective Governance Outcomes for Conservation of Indonesia’s Marine Systems

PubMed Central

Berdej, Samantha M.; Armitage, Derek R.

2016-01-01

This study empirically investigates the influence of bridging organizations on governance outcomes for marine conservation in Indonesia. Conservation challenges require ways of governing that are collaborative and adaptive across boundaries, and where conservation actions are better coordinated, information flows improved, and knowledge better integrated and mobilized. We combine quantitative social network analysis and qualitative data to analyze bridging organizations and their networks, and to understand their contributions and constraints in two case studies in Bali, Indonesia. The analysis shows 1) bridging organizations help to navigate the ‘messiness’ inherent in conservation settings by compensating for sparse linkages, 2) the particular structure and function of bridging organizations influence governing processes (i.e., collaboration, knowledge sharing) and subsequent conservation outcomes, 3) ‘bridging’ is accomplished using different strategies and platforms for collaboration and social learning, and 4) bridging organizations enhance flexibility to adjust to changing marine conservation contexts and needs. Understanding the organizations that occupy bridging positions, and how they utilize their positionality in a governance network is emerging as an important determinant of successful conservation outcomes. Our findings contribute to a relatively new body of literature on bridging organizations in marine conservation contexts, and add needed empirical investigation into their value to governance and conservation in Coral Triangle nations and beyond. PMID:26794003

Problem-based learning in internal medicine: virtual patients or paper-based problems?

PubMed

Sobocan, Monika; Turk, Neja; Dinevski, Dejan; Hojs, Radovan; Pecovnik Balon, Breda

2017-01-01

Teaching using paper problem-based learning (p-PBL) sessions has left some students fatigued with the learning process. Therefore, attempts have been made to replace p-PBL with digitally enhanced, decision-making PBL in the form of virtual patients (VP). Student enthusiasm for substituting p-PBL with VP has not been quantitatively evaluated on the intended educational effects. To determine the educational effects of substituting p-PBL sessions with VP on undergraduate medical students in their internal medicine course. We conducted a randomised controlled study on 34 third-year undergraduate medical students in the academic year 2015-2016. Student performance after an intervention substituting p-PBL sessions with VP was analysed. The educational outcomes were measured with knowledge exams and the Diagnostic Thinking Inventory. There was no difference in exam performance between groups (P > 0.833) immediately after the intervention, or in long term. Nor was there a significant difference in improvement of diagnostic thinking between groups (P > 0.935 and P > 0.320). Our study showed no significant improvement in diagnostic thinking abilities or knowledge exam results with the use of VP. Educators can add VP to sessions to motivate students, but a significant improvement to educational outcome should not be expected. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Meanings and expressions of care and caring for elders in urban Namibian families: a transcultural nursing study.

PubMed

Leuning, C J; Small, L F; van Dyk, A

2000-09-01

Since Namibia's Independence in 1990, the population of elders--persons 65 years old and older--in urban communities is growing steadily. As such, requests for home health care, health counselling, respite care and residential care for aging members of society are overwhelming nurses and the health care system. This study expands transcultural nursing knowledge by increasing understanding of generic (home-based) patterns of elder care that are practised and lived by urban Namibian families. Guided by Madeleine Leininger's theory of culture care diversity and universality and the ethnonursing research method, emic (insider) meanings and expressions of care and caring for elders in selected urban households have been transposed into five substantive themes. The themes, which depict what carring for elders means to urban families, include: 1 nurturing the health of the family, 2 trusting in the benevolence of life as lived, 3 honouring one's elders, 4 sustaining security and purpose for life amid uncertainty, and 5 living with rapidly changing cultural and social structures. These findings add a voice from the developing world to the evolving body of transcultural nursing knowledge. Synthesis of findings with professional care practices facilitates the creation of community-focussed models for provisioning culturally congruent nursing care to elders and their families in urban Namibia.
Add+VantageMR® Assessments: A Case Study of Teacher and Student Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briand, Cathy

2013-01-01

This case study analyzes the effect of the Add+VantageMRRTM (AVMR) program on a teacher's pedagogy and on her students' progress in mathematics. AVMR, a professional development program in early mathematics, trains teachers to assess their students' progress and apply those insights to their teaching pedagogy. The AVMR assessment uses a…
Predicting survival in AIDS: refining the model.

PubMed

Hutchinson, S J; Brettle, R P; Gore, S M

1997-11-01

We tested the validity of a previously-published AIDS staging system by examining AIDS-defining diseases (ADDs) and CD4 counts as prognostic factors for survival of the 248 AIDS patients in the Edinburgh City Hospital Cohort, of whom 56% were injecting drug-users (IDUs). Cox regression was used to model the proportionality of risk of death as the CD4 count declined and more ADDs were experienced, and dependence upon post-AIDS treatment. Using the system of Mocroft et al. (Lancet 1995; 346:12-17) to grade severity, our data were well enough modelled, but we suggest: (i) regrading of HIV dementia (RR 3.9, 95% CI 2.5-6.0), mainly attributed to the drug users, to a very severe ADD; (ii) reduction in risk from zidovudine (RR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.0) during AIDS follow-up for patients starting treatment at or after AIDS diagnosis; (iii) improved management of first mild ADDs (from 1987-89 to 1994-95: 40% reduction in IDUs appearing with mild index diseases, and an approximate three-fold reduction in risk associated with a mild ADD). This study supports previous findings on the significance of ADDs and lowest CD4 count in predicting the lifetime of AIDS patients.
Primary hepatocytes as an useful bioassay to characterize metabolism and bioactivity of illicit steroids in cattle.

PubMed

Giantin, Mery; Gallina, Guglielmo; Pegolo, Sara; Lopparelli, Rosa Maria; Sandron, Clara; Zancanella, Vanessa; Nebbia, Carlo; Favretto, Donata; Capolongo, Francesca; Montesissa, Clara; Dacasto, Mauro

2012-10-01

Cattle hepatocytes have already been used in veterinary in vitro toxicology, but their usefulness as a multi-parametric screening bioassay has never been investigated so far. In this study, cattle hepatocytes were incubated with illicit steroids/prohormones (boldenone, BOLD; its precursor boldione, ADD; dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA; an association of ADD:BOLD), to characterize their transcriptional effects on drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and related nuclear receptors (NRs), on cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) apoprotein and catalytic activity as well as to determine ADD and BOLD metabolite profiling. DHEA-exposed cells showed an up-regulation (higher than 2.5-fold changes) of three out of six NRs, CYP2B22 and CYP2C87; likewise, ADD:BOLD increased CYP4A11 mRNA levels. In contrast, a reduction of CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 mRNAs (lower than 2.5(-1)-fold changes) was noticed in ADD- and DHEA-incubated cells. No effect was noticed on CYP3A gene and protein expression, though an inhibition of 6β-, 2β- and 16β-hydroxylation of testosterone (higher than 60% of control cells) was observed in ADD- and BOLD-exposed cells. Finally, 17α-BOLD was the main metabolite extracted from hepatocyte media incubated with ADD and BOLD, but several mono-hydroxylated BOLD and ADD derivatives were detected, too. Collectively, cattle hepatocytes can represent a complementary screening bioassay, useful to characterize growth promoters metabolite profiling and their effects upon DMEs expression, regulation and function. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of add-on treatment with sitagliptin on narrowing the range of glucose fluctuations in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients receiving insulin therapy.

PubMed

Mori, Yutaka; Taniguchi, Yukiko; Miyazaki, Shigeru; Yokoyama, Junichi; Utsunomiya, Kazunori

2013-03-01

In an earlier continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-based study, we reported that sitagliptin not only reduced 24-h mean glucose levels but also suppressed postprandial glucose increases, thus reducing the range of glycemic fluctuations in type 2 diabetes patients. In this study, we investigated whether sitagliptin might provide similar benefits in type 2 diabetes patients receiving insulin therapy by using CGM. The study included a total of 13 type 2 diabetes patients in whom stable glycemic control had been achieved after admission for glycemic control. Insulin regimens used included long-acting insulin preparations once daily in four patients and biphasic insulin preparations twice daily in nine, with the daily insulin dose being 19.0±12.7 U. During the CGM-based study, the patients were given insulin therapy alone on Days 1 and 2 and were given sitagliptin 50 mg/day as add-on treatment on Days 3-6, with their daily insulin doses maintained. The add-on treatment with sitagliptin led to significant decreases in 24-h mean glucose levels and SDs of 288 glucose levels measured by CGM for 24 h, as well as in the indices for magnitude of glucose variability and proportion of time in hyperglycemia, compared with insulin therapy alone (P<0.01), whereas there was no significant change seen in regard to the proportion of time in hypoglycemia with or without add-on treatment with sitagliptin. This CGM-based study clearly demonstrated that insulin therapy alone, whether with long-acting or biphasic insulin preparations, does not provide adequate glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients. In contrast, add-on sitagliptin was shown to narrow the range of 24-h glucose fluctuations in these patients, suggesting that add-on treatment with sitagliptin is effective for postprandial glucose control in type 2 diabetes patients receiving insulin therapy.
The shifting sands of self: a framework for the experience of self in addiction.

PubMed

Gray, Mary Tod

2005-04-01

The self is a common yet unclear theme in addiction studies. William James's model of self provides a framework to explore the experience of self. His model details the subjective and objective constituents, the sense of self-continuity through time, and the ephemeral and plural nature of the changing self. This exploration yields insights into the self that can be usefully applied to subjective experiences with psychoactive drugs of addiction. Results of this application add depth to the common understanding of self in addiction, acknowledge the importance of feelings and choice in the sense of self created in addiction experiences, and affirm the values salient to these interior experiences in addiction. These results suggest meaning derived from those values, and provide important background knowledge for the nurse interacting with these clients.
Characterising Complex Enzyme Reaction Data

PubMed Central

Rahman, Syed Asad; Thornton, Janet M.

2016-01-01

The relationship between enzyme-catalysed reactions and the Enzyme Commission (EC) number, the widely accepted classification scheme used to characterise enzyme activity, is complex and with the rapid increase in our knowledge of the reactions catalysed by enzymes needs revisiting. We present a manual and computational analysis to investigate this complexity and found that almost one-third of all known EC numbers are linked to more than one reaction in the secondary reaction databases (e.g., KEGG). Although this complexity is often resolved by defining generic, alternative and partial reactions, we have also found individual EC numbers with more than one reaction catalysing different types of bond changes. This analysis adds a new dimension to our understanding of enzyme function and might be useful for the accurate annotation of the function of enzymes and to study the changes in enzyme function during evolution. PMID:26840640
[Research progress and development trend of quantitative assessment techniques for urban thermal environment.

PubMed

Sun, Tie Gang; Xiao, Rong Bo; Cai, Yun Nan; Wang, Yao Wu; Wu, Chang Guang

2016-08-01

Quantitative assessment of urban thermal environment has become a focus for urban climate and environmental science since the concept of urban heat island has been proposed. With the continual development of space information and computer simulation technology, substantial progresses have been made on quantitative assessment techniques and methods of urban thermal environment. The quantitative assessment techniques have been developed to dynamics simulation and forecast of thermal environment at various scales based on statistical analysis of thermal environment on urban-scale using the historical data of weather stations. This study reviewed the development progress of ground meteorological observation, thermal infrared remote sensing and numerical simulation. Moreover, the potential advantages and disadvantages, applicability and the development trends of these techniques were also summarized, aiming to add fundamental knowledge of understanding the urban thermal environment assessment and optimization.
Social support and coparenting among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents.

PubMed

Sumontha, Jason; Farr, Rachel H; Patterson, Charlotte J

2016-12-01

In this study, we examined associations between qualities of families' social contexts and experiences of coparenting. In a sample of 92 adoptive families, we assessed perceived social support among 23 lesbian, 28 gay, and 41 heterosexual adoptive parent families and its association with parents' perceptions of their coparenting alliances. Results showed that parents in same- and other-sex couples reported receiving similar amounts of social support from family, friends, and significant others. Perceived social support was positively associated with stronger coparenting alliance among all family types. Perceived support from family members explained more variance in parenting alliance than did support from friends or significant others. These findings add to knowledge about fundamental family processes and enhance understanding of parenthood among lesbian and gay adoptive couples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Improving the knowledge of labour and delivery nurses in India: a randomized controlled trial of mentoring and case sheets in primary care centres.

PubMed

Bradley, Janet; Jayanna, Krishnamurthy; Shaw, Souradet; Cunningham, Troy; Fischer, Elizabeth; Mony, Prem; Ramesh, B M; Moses, Stephen; Avery, Lisa; Crockett, Maryanne; Blanchard, James F

2017-01-07

Birthing in health facilities in India has increased over the last few years, yet maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high. Clinical mentoring with case sheets or checklists for nurses is viewed as essential for on-going knowledge transfer, particularly where basic training is inadequate. This paper summarizes a study of the effect of such a programme on staff knowledge and skills in a randomized trial of 295 nurses working in 108 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Karnataka, India. Stratifying by district, half of the PHCs were randomly assigned to be intervention sites and provided with regular mentoring visits where case sheet/checklists were a central job and teaching aid, and half to be control sites, where no support was provided except provision of case sheets. Nurses' knowledge and skills around normal labour, labour complications and neonate issues were tested before the intervention began and again one year later. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the effect of mentoring and case sheets. Overall, on none of the 3 measures, did case sheet use without mentoring add anything to the basic nursing training when controlling for other factors. Only individuals who used both case-sheets and received mentoring scored significantly higher on the normal labour and neonate indices, scoring almost twice as high as those who only used case-sheets. This group was also associated with significantly higher scores on the complications of labour index, with their scores 2.3 times higher on average than the case sheet only control group. Individuals from facilities with 21 or more deliveries in a month tended to fare worse on all 3 indices. There were no differences in outcomes according to district or years of experience. This study demonstrates that provision of case sheets or checklists alone is insufficient to improve knowledge and practices. However, on-site mentoring in combination with case sheets can have a demonstrable effect on improving nurse knowledge and skills around essential obstetric and neonatal care in remote rural areas of India. We recommend scaling up of this mentoring model in order to improve staff knowledge and skills and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in India. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier No. NCT02004912 , November 27, 2013.
Anxiety symptoms prior to a prostate cancer diagnosis: Associations with knowledge and openness to treatment.

PubMed

Dillard, Amanda J; Scherer, Laura D; Ubel, Peter A; Alexander, Stewart; Fagerlin, Angela

2017-02-01

Research suggests that anxiety may be a common response to a cancer diagnosis, but research is needed to examine anxiety before diagnosis. Anxiety before diagnosis may relate to the comprehension of relevant health information or openness to potential treatments. This study examined anxiety and these outcomes in men who were waiting to learn of a prostate cancer diagnosis. One goal of this study was to determine whether anxiety would increase as men came closer to learning the results of their prostate cancer biopsy. Another goal was to test whether anxiety was associated with knowledge about prostate cancer or openness to different treatments. Men (N = 265) who were facing a prostate cancer diagnosis were surveyed at two time points. Time 1 occurred at the time of biopsy, and Time 2 occurred immediately before men received their biopsy result. At each time point, men reported their anxiety about prostate cancer and their biopsy result. At Time 2, they completed a knowledge test of information about prostate cancer and reported their openness to different potential treatments. Anxiety symptoms increased as men came closer to learning their diagnosis. Also, higher anxiety was associated with lower knowledge and greater openness to particular treatments like surgery. Interactions showed that when anxiety increased from Time 1 to Time 2, having high or low knowledge mattered less to treatment openness. Waiting for a cancer diagnosis is an important time period in which anxiety may increase and relate to information processing and openness to treatments. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Men undergoing prostate cancer screening have been found to experience high and low levels of anxiety. Research has shown that negative emotions like anxiety are common following a cancer diagnosis, but little research has examined emotions right before diagnosis. Anxiety has been associated with information processing and motivation to engage in preventive behaviours. What does this study add? Applies and tests a theoretical idea related to how anxiety may change as one approaches personally relevant threatening health feedback. Shows relationships between changes in anxiety and knowledge in the context of waiting for actual health feedback. Associates increased anxiety in the prostate cancer context with knowledge and openness to different treatments. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.
Poverty, violence, and family disorganization: Three "Hydras" and their role in children's street movement in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Reza, Md Hasan

2016-05-01

The increasing number of children running away from home in Bangladesh is a major concern, and in need of critical attention. This yearlong study explores why children leave home with a sample of street children in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Purposive sampling from three locations in Dhaka yielded a sample of 75 homeless children aged 10-17. For each participant, a 60-90min in-depth qualitative interview was conducted multiple times. While the dominant explanations rely on poverty or abuse, the findings of this study reveal that the cause is actually three heads of a Hydra monster: poverty, abuse, and family disorganization and their interactions. It shows that the primary reasons for children breaking from their family are all interrelated. The findings from this study are likely to add knowledge regarding the issues and may lead to preventative interventions for street children and their families. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Cost–Effective Prediction of Gender-Labeling Errors and Estimation of Gender-Labeling Error Rates in Candidate-Gene Association Studies

PubMed Central

Qu, Conghui; Schuetz, Johanna M.; Min, Jeong Eun; Leach, Stephen; Daley, Denise; Spinelli, John J.; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Graham, Jinko

2011-01-01

We describe a statistical approach to predict gender-labeling errors in candidate-gene association studies, when Y-chromosome markers have not been included in the genotyping set. The approach adds value to methods that consider only the heterozygosity of X-chromosome SNPs, by incorporating available information about the intensity of X-chromosome SNPs in candidate genes relative to autosomal SNPs from the same individual. To our knowledge, no published methods formalize a framework in which heterozygosity and relative intensity are simultaneously taken into account. Our method offers the advantage that, in the genotyping set, no additional space is required beyond that already assigned to X-chromosome SNPs in the candidate genes. We also show how the predictions can be used in a two-phase sampling design to estimate the gender-labeling error rates for an entire study, at a fraction of the cost of a conventional design. PMID:22303327
Should we go nuts about nuts?

PubMed

Rohrmann, Sabine; Faeh, David

2013-07-16

Since the beginning of the 1990s, increasing evidence supports beneficial effects of nut consumption on health. A new analysis of the Spanish PREDIMED trial, published in BMC Medicine, has expanded our knowledge. The study showed that individuals eating nuts more than three times per week died less often from cardiovascular disease and cancer than non-consumers. The study also adds an important finding that previous epidemiological studies could not provide: a protective effect on premature mortality was only seen in the intervention group in which nut consumption increased during the 4.8 years of follow-up, not in the intervention group with additional olive oil consumption or in the control group. Nut consumption actually decreased during follow-up in the latter two groups. Questions remain to be answered on the quantity of nuts to be consumed for health benefits, on possible mechanisms of action, and on whether some types of nuts should be favored.Please see related research: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/164.
Should we go nuts about nuts?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Since the beginning of the 1990s, increasing evidence supports beneficial effects of nut consumption on health. A new analysis of the Spanish PREDIMED trial, published in BMC Medicine, has expanded our knowledge. The study showed that individuals eating nuts more than three times per week died less often from cardiovascular disease and cancer than non-consumers. The study also adds an important finding that previous epidemiological studies could not provide: a protective effect on premature mortality was only seen in the intervention group in which nut consumption increased during the 4.8 years of follow-up, not in the intervention group with additional olive oil consumption or in the control group. Nut consumption actually decreased during follow-up in the latter two groups. Questions remain to be answered on the quantity of nuts to be consumed for health benefits, on possible mechanisms of action, and on whether some types of nuts should be favored. Please see related research: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/164. PMID:23866107
Methylene Blue (Tetramethylthionine Chloride) Influences the Mobility of Adult Neural Stem Cells: A Potentially Novel Therapeutic Mechanism of a Therapeutic Approach in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

van der Ven, Amelie T; Pape, Julius C; Hermann, Dirk; Schloesser, Robert; Genius, Just; Fischer, Nadine; Mößner, Rainald; Scherbaum, Norbert; Wiltfang, Jens; Rujescu, Dan; Benninghoff, Jens

2017-01-01

An interest in neurogenesis in the adult human brain as a relevant and targetable process has emerged as a potential treatment option for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of tetramethylthionine chloride (methylene blue, MB) on properties of adult murine neural stem cells. Based on recent clinical studies, MB has increasingly been discussed as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. While no differences in the proliferative capacity were identified, a general potential of MB in modulating the migratory capacity of adult neural stem cells was indicated in a cell mobility assay. To our knowledge, this is the first time that MB could be associated with neural mobility. The results of this study add insight to the spectrum of features of MB within the central nervous system and may be helpful for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying a potential therapeutic effect of MB.
Fatigue Damage of Collagenous Tissues: Experiment, Modeling and Simulation Studies

PubMed Central

Martin, Caitlin; Sun, Wei

2017-01-01

Mechanical fatigue damage is a critical issue for soft tissues and tissue-derived materials, particularly for musculoskeletal and cardiovascular applications; yet, our understanding of the fatigue damage process is incomplete. Soft tissue fatigue experiments are often difficult and time-consuming to perform, which has hindered progress in this area. However, the recent development of soft-tissue fatigue-damage constitutive models has enabled simulation-based fatigue analyses of tissues under various conditions. Computational simulations facilitate highly controlled and quantitative analyses to study the distinct effects of various loading conditions and design features on tissue durability; thus, they are advantageous over complex fatigue experiments. Although significant work to calibrate the constitutive models from fatigue experiments and to validate predictability remains, further development in these areas will add to our knowledge of soft-tissue fatigue damage and will facilitate the design of durable treatments and devices. In this review, the experimental, modeling, and simulation efforts to study collagenous tissue fatigue damage are summarized and critically assessed. PMID:25955007
Disclosure appraisal mediating the association between perceived stigma and HIV disclosure to casual sex partners among HIV+ MSM: a path model analysis.

PubMed

Li, Haochu; Chen, Xinguang; Yu, Bin

2016-01-01

HIV stigma is widely believed to be related to HIV disclosure. However, there is a dearth of studies examining the mechanisms that link stigma to disclosure. This is a specific study to assess the relationship between perceived stigma and HIV disclosure to casual sex partners based on a social cognitive theory. HIV+ men who have sex with men (MSM) from two US cities (N = 297) completed questionnaires administered using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing. Path modeling analysis was used to assess the theory-based structural relationships. Perceived stigma was negatively associated with attitudes, intention and behavior of HIV disclosure to casual sex partners. The association was fully mediated by disclosure appraisal, including disclosure outcome expectations, costs and self-efficacy. Findings of this study add new knowledge regarding HIV stigma and disclosure, and provide timely data supporting more effective behavioral interventions to encourage HIV disclosure among MSM.
Genetic and nonshared environmental factors affect the likelihood of being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI).

PubMed

Beaver, Kevin M; Barnes, J C

2012-12-01

Driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) are related to a range of serious health, legal, and financial costs. Given the costs to society of DUIs and DWIs, there has been interest in identifying the causes of DUIs and DWIs. The current study added to this existing knowledge base by estimating genetic and environmental effects on DUIs and DWIs in a sample of twins drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The results of the analyses revealed that genetic factors explained 53% of the variance in DUIs/DWIs and the nonshared environment explained 47% of the variance. Shared environmental factors explained none of the variance in DUIs/DWIs. We conclude with a discussion of the results, the limitations of the study, and how the findings might be compatible with policies designed to reduce DUIs and DWIs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental monitoring and numerical study of pesticide (carbofuran) transfer in an agricultural soil at a field site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hmimou, Abderrahim; Maslouhi, Abdellatif; Tamoh, Karim; Candela, Lucila

2014-09-01

We studied the transport of a pesticide at field scale, namely carbofuran molecule, which is known for its high mobility, especially in sandy soils with high hydraulic conductivity and low organic matter. To add to our knowledge of the future of this high-mobility molecule in this type of soils, we developed a mechanistic numerical model allowing the simulation of hydric and solute transfers (bromide and carbofuran) in the soil. We carried out this study in an agricultural plot in the region of Mnasra in Morocco. Confrontation of the measured and simulated values allowed the calibration of the parameters of hydric transfer and carbofuran. The developed model accurately reproduces the measured values. Despite a weak irrigation and precipitation regime, carbofuran was practically leached beyond the root zone. Prospective simulations show that under a more important irrigation regime, carbofuran reaches a 100-cm depth, whereas it does not exceed 60 cm under a deficit regime.
Outcome based education enacted: teachers' tensions in balancing between student learning and bureaucracy.

PubMed

Barman, Linda; Silén, Charlotte; Bolander Laksov, Klara

2014-12-01

This paper reports on how teachers within health sciences education translate outcome-based education (OBE) into practice when they design courses. The study is an empirical contribution to the debate about outcome- and competency-based approaches in health sciences education. A qualitative method was used to study how teachers from 14 different study programmes designed courses before and after OBE was implemented. Using an interpretative approach, analysis of documents and interviews was carried out. The findings show that teachers enacted OBE either to design for more competency-oriented teaching-learning, or to further detail knowledge and thus move towards reductionism. Teachers mainly understood the outcome-based framework as useful to support students' learning, although the demand for accountability created tension and became a bureaucratic hindrance to design for development of professional competence. The paper shows variations of how teachers enacted the same outcome-based framework for instructional design. These differences can add a richer understanding of how outcome- or competency-based approaches relate to teaching-learning at a course level.
The impact of state policy on teen dating violence prevalence.

PubMed

Hoefer, Richard; Black, Beverly; Ricard, Mark

2015-10-01

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a serious public health concern that is associated with many negative effects. Studies on TDV prevention most often focus on the evaluation of prevention programs in school and community settings. Much less is known about the effects of policy on TDV prevalence. This study tests a model to explain whether stronger laws regarding TDV, specifically civil protection orders, have an impact on TDV rates in states. Results show that stronger policy, Democratic party control of the governor's office, and higher state median income are associated with lower rates of TDV. This study provides solid information regarding the role of civil protection orders as a means of TDV prevention and adds to our knowledge of the efficacy of state-level TDV policy. The information can lead to increased vigor on the part of advocates to strive for specific provisions in the law and to work for gubernatorial candidates who will support such laws. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Everyday objects of learning about health and healing and implications for science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gitari, Wanja

2006-02-01

The role of science education in rural development is of great interest to science educators. In this study I investigated how residents of rural Kirumi, Kenya, approach health and healing, through discussions and semistructured and in-depth interviews with 150 residents, 3 local herbalists, and 2 medical researchers over a period of 6 months. I constructed objects of learning by looking for similarities and differences within interpretive themes. Objects of learning found comprise four types of personal learning tools, three types of relational learning tools, three genres of moral obligation, and five genres of knowledge guarding. Findings show that rural people use (among other learning tools) inner sensing to engage thought processes that lead to health and healing knowledge. The sociocultural context is also an important component in learning. Inner sensing and residents' sociocultural context are not presently emphasized in Kenyan science teaching. I discuss the potential use of rural objects of learning in school science, with specific reference to a health topic in the Kenyan science curriculum. In addition, the findings add to the literature in the Science, Technology, Society, and Environment (STSE) approach to science education, and cross-cultural and global science education.
No differences in grades or level of satisfaction in a flipped classroom for neuroanatomy.

PubMed

Whillier, Stephney; Lystad, Reidar Petter

2015-10-01

The intensive nature of a 5- or 6-week teaching block poses unique problems for adequate delivery of content. This study was designed to compare the delivery of a unit of undergraduate neuroanatomy in a short summer school period, as a traditionally taught unit, with a rendition given in the form of the "Flipped Classroom." The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in the intensive mode classroom. The flipped classroom encompassed the same learning outcomes, but students were responsible for covering the content at home in preparation for tutorials that applied their acquired knowledge to higher levels of thinking. The main outcome measures were the final course grades and the level of satisfaction with the course. There were no significant differences between the 2 cohorts in final grades (p = .259), self-rated knowledge (p = .182), or overall satisfaction with the course (p = .892). This particular design of the flipped classroom did not add value to the intensive mode experience. It may be that this mode of delivery is ill suited to intensive classes for subjects that carry a lot of content. The use of the flipped classroom requires further research to fully evaluate its value.
A systematic review of cognitive performance in patients with childhood craniopharyngioma.

PubMed

Özyurt, Jale; Müller, Hermann L; Thiel, Christiane M

2015-10-01

Craniopharyngiomas are rare brain tumors of the sellar/suprasellar region, often adversely affecting patients' physical and psychosocial functioning. Until a few years ago, knowledge on cognitive deficits in craniopharyngioma patients was based on little valid evidence, with considerable inconsistencies across studies. Findings from recent research, with partly larger sample sizes, add to existing evidence to provide a more clear and reliable picture. The current review aims to summarize and systemize current findings on cognitive deficits in childhood craniopharyngioma, taking account of patient- and treatment-related variables where possible. Those studies were included that reported results of childhood craniopharyngioma patients tested with formalized neuropsychological tests (irrespective of their age at study, group size ≥10). A systematic assignment of test results to subcomponents of broader cognitive domains (e.g. to specific memory systems and processes) allows for a first comprehensive overview of patterns of spared and impaired cognitive functions. We show that episodic memory recall in particular is impaired, largely sparing other memory components. In accordance with recent knowledge on mammillary function, patients with hypothalamic involvement appear to be at particular risk. Deficits in higher cognitive processes, relying on the integrity of the prefrontal cortex and its subcortical pathways, may also occur, but results are still inconsistent. To gain deeper insight into the pattern of deficits and their association with patient- and treatment-related variables, further multi-site research with larger cohorts is needed.
Understanding the “black box” of a health-promotion program: Keys to enable health among older persons aging in the context of migration

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

Although the need to make health services more accessible to persons who have migrated has been identified, knowledge about health-promotion programs (HPPs) from the perspective of older persons born abroad is lacking. This study explores the design experiences and content implemented in an adapted version of a group-based HPP developed in a researcher–community partnership. Fourteen persons aged 70–83 years or older who had migrated to Sweden from Finland or the Balkan Peninsula were included. A grounded theory approach guided the data collection and analysis. The findings showed how participants and personnel jointly helped raise awareness. The participants experienced three key processes that could open doors to awareness: enabling community, providing opportunities to understand and be understood, and confirming human values and abilities. Depending on how the HPP content and design are being shaped by the group, the key processes could both inhibit or encourage opening doors to awareness. Therefore, this study provides key insights into how to enable health by deepening the understanding of how the exchange of health-promoting messages is experienced to be facilitated or hindered. This study adds to the scientific knowledge base of how the design and content of HPP may support and recognize the capabilities of persons aging in the context of migration. PMID:26654636
Understanding Pasifika youth and the obesogenic environment, Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand.

PubMed

Tupai-Firestone, Ridvan; Tuisano, Hana; Manukia, Moana; Kaholokula, Keawe'aimoku; Foliaki, Sunia; Kingi, Te Kani; Kruger, Rozanne; Breier, Bernhard; O'Connell, Angelique; Kruger, Rozanne; Borman, Barry; Ellison-Loschmann, Lis

2016-05-06

In New Zealand, the burden of obesity is greatest among Pacific people, especially in children and adolescents. We investigated the factors of the obesogenic environment that were indigenous to Pasifika youths' social-cultural context, their food purchasing behaviours, and associated anthropometric measures. An exploratory study of 30 Pasifika youth aged 16-24 years in Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand. A large proportion of the participants were obese (mean body mass index: 31.0kg/m2; waistto-hip ratio: 0.84; waist-to-height ratio: 0.6), suggesting that the future health and wellbeing trajectory of the studied Pasifika youth is poor. Purchasing behaviours of food and snacks over a 7-day period provided meaningful insights that could be a useful future research tool to examine the role of their physical environment on food access and availability. From this exploratory study, we highlight the following: (i) the future health trajectory of Pasifika youth is poor. Developing the youths' healthy lifestyle knowledge may lend itself to developing culturally relevant intervention programmes; (ii) identifying the enablers and barriers within the Pasifika ontext of an obesogenic environment can provide very useful information; (iii) use of spatial analysis using purchased food receipts adds to the current knowledge base of obesity-related research, although this was an exploratory investigation. We need to address these highlights if we are to reverse the trend of obesity for this population.
Understanding the "black box" of a health-promotion program: Keys to enable health among older persons aging in the context of migration.

PubMed

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

2015-01-01

Although the need to make health services more accessible to persons who have migrated has been identified, knowledge about health-promotion programs (HPPs) from the perspective of older persons born abroad is lacking. This study explores the design experiences and content implemented in an adapted version of a group-based HPP developed in a researcher-community partnership. Fourteen persons aged 70-83 years or older who had migrated to Sweden from Finland or the Balkan Peninsula were included. A grounded theory approach guided the data collection and analysis. The findings showed how participants and personnel jointly helped raise awareness. The participants experienced three key processes that could open doors to awareness: enabling community, providing opportunities to understand and be understood, and confirming human values and abilities. Depending on how the HPP content and design are being shaped by the group, the key processes could both inhibit or encourage opening doors to awareness. Therefore, this study provides key insights into how to enable health by deepening the understanding of how the exchange of health-promoting messages is experienced to be facilitated or hindered. This study adds to the scientific knowledge base of how the design and content of HPP may support and recognize the capabilities of persons aging in the context of migration.
The Effect of an Energy Audit Service Learning Project on Student Perceptions of STEM Related Disciplines, Personal Behaviors/Actions towards the Environment, and Stewardship Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gullo, Michael

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not service learning could be considered an alternative teaching method in an environmental science classroom. In particular, the results of this research show whether an energy audit service learning project influenced student environmental awareness (knowledge of environmental issues, problems, and solutions), student personal actions/behaviors towards the environment, student perceptions and attitudes of science related careers, and community partnerships. Haines (2010) defines service learning as “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities” (p. 16). Moreover, service learning opportunities can encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and learn from hands-on experiences and apply knowledge obtained from lectures and classroom activities to real life situations. To add to the growing body of literature, the results of this study concluded that an energy audit service learning project did not have a measureable effect on student perceptions and attitudes of science related careers as compared to a more traditional teaching approach. However, the data from this study did indicate that an energy audit service learning project increased students personal actions/behaviors towards the environment more than a direct teaching approach.
Adding pegylated interferon to entecavir for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B: A multicenter randomized trial (ARES study).

PubMed

Brouwer, Willem Pieter; Xie, Qing; Sonneveld, Milan J; Zhang, Ningping; Zhang, Qin; Tabak, Fehmi; Streinu-Cercel, Adrian; Wang, Ji-Yao; Idilman, Ramazan; Reesink, Hendrik W; Diculescu, Mircea; Simon, Krzysztof; Voiculescu, Mihai; Akdogan, Meral; Mazur, Wlodzimierz; Reijnders, Jurrien G P; Verhey, Elke; Hansen, Bettina E; Janssen, Harry L A

2015-05-01

Entecavir (ETV) is a potent inhibitor of hepatitis B viral replication, but long-term therapy may be required. We investigated whether adding on pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) to ETV therapy enhances serological response rates. In this global investigator-initiated, open-label, multicenter, randomized trial, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with compensated liver disease started on ETV monotherapy (0.5 mg/day) and were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either Peg-IFN add-on therapy (180 µg/week) from week 24 to 48 (n = 85) or to continue ETV monotherapy (n = 90). Response was defined as HBeAg loss with HBV DNA <200 IU/mL at week 48. Responders discontinued ETV at week 72. All patients were followed until week 96. Response was achieved in 16 of 85 (19%) patients allocated to the add-on arm versus 9 of 90 (10%) in the monotherapy arm (P = 0.095). Adjusted for HBV DNA levels before randomized therapy, Peg-IFN add-on was significantly associated with response (odds ratio: 4.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-14.0; P = 0.004). Eleven (13%) of the add-on-treated patients achieved disease remission after ETV cessation versus 2 of 90 (2%) of those treated with monotherapy (P = 0.007), which was 79% (11 of 14) versus 25% (2 of 8) of those who discontinued ETV (P = 0.014). At week 96, 22 (26%) patients assigned add-on versus 12 (13%) assigned monotherapy achieved HBeAg seroconversion (P = 0.036). Peg-IFN add-on led to significantly more decline in hepatitis B surface antigen, HBeAg, and HBV DNA (all P < 0.001). Combination therapy was well tolerated. Although the primary endpoint was not reached, 24 weeks of Peg-IFN add-on therapy led to a higher proportion of HBeAg response, compared to ETV monotherapy. Add-on therapy resulted in more viral decline and appeared to prevent relapse after stopping ETV. Hence, Peg-IFN add-on therapy may facilitate the discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analogs. © 2014 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Study on the postmortem submersion interval and accumulated degree days for a multiple drowning accident.

PubMed

Mateus, M; Vieira, V

2014-05-01

Recreational accidents in aquatic environments leading to death by drowning are quite frequent. Even if they do not usually require forensic investigation, they may provide useful information on the post mortem submersion interval (PMSI) and its relation with accumulated degree days (ADD). This is particularly useful to forensic science since most studies dealing with these matters rely mostly on animal carcasses as human analogues. In this work we report on a multiple drowning accident resulting in 6 victims. ADD was calculated based on the PMSI and water temperature during this period. PMSI varied between ∼7.4 days and ∼11.4 days, and estimated body drift from the accident site ranged from 0.5km to 8.0km. Surface water temperature in the accident area showed little variation during the PMSI (14.5-16.0°C). Estimated ADD varied between 115°C and 174°C, and between 104°C and 191°C when considering the cumulative lower (ADDmin) and upper (ADDmax) limits for ADD. We compare the results with recently published data on two similar cases, and suggest a range for ADD that can be assumed as necessary before body floatability is regain after a drowning accident. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chance of reimbursement for ADD-ON therapies in Poland and in the world - review of the reimbursement recommendations

PubMed

Borowiack, Ewa; Marzec, Magdalena; Nowotarska, Anna; Jarosz, Joanna; Orkisz, Agata; Prząda-Machno, Patrycja

2018-01-01

Oncology drugs combined with standard therapies (so-called add-on therapies, e.g. bevacizumab, palbociclib) often receive negative recommendations regarding the legitimacy of public financing, issued by government agencies responsible for their assessment, i.e. health technology assessment agencies. The aim of the study was to estimate the scale of the problem related to the reimbursement of add-on therapies used in the treatment of breast and genitourinary cancers in Poland and in the world. A multimodal approach was used to select add-on therapies. The reimbursement routes were analysed in 8 reference countries (Poland, Canada, England, Wales, France, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand). Based on a systematic search, data for breast and urogenital cancers were included. A total of 68 reimbursement documents for add-on therapies were identified. The analysis showed that in Poland, 20% of innovative schemes including add-on therapies should be reimbursed, while in the world the percentage of positive recommendations reaches 56%. It was observed that globally (including data for Poland) the chance for a favorable reimbursement recommendation for add-on therapies is 53%, with 29% being positive recommendations with limitations. In Poland, the majority of negative recommendations concern genitourinary cancers in comparison to breast cancer (83% vs 75%). Poland is at the head of the countries in terms of the number of negative reimbursement recommendations. Bearing in mind the world’s need of modifying the criteria for the evaluation of oncological therapies in the context of the possibility of their reimbursement, one should expect a change in the approach to the assessment of the legitimacy of financing innovative add-on therapies in Poland.
Is mandibular asymmetry more frequent and severe with unilateral disc displacement?

PubMed

Xie, Qianyang; Yang, Chi; He, Dongmei; Cai, Xieyi; Ma, Zhigui

2015-01-01

To investigate the prevalence of mandibular asymmetry (MA) within the symptomatic unilateral anterior disc displacement (ADD) patients, and analyze the influence TMJ factors of the MA severity. Patients aged under 20 years old with symptomatic unilateral ADD and asymptomatic volunteers with normal disc-condyle relationship diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in this study. Posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs were taken to measure MA. Condylar height, disc length and disc displacement were measured by MRI. The prevalence and severity of MA were compared between the ADD and the control groups. The correlation between the severity of MA with the amount of condylar height shortage, disc deformity and distance of disc displacement were also evaluated within the ADD group. There were 165 cases in the unilateral ADD group, and 156 cases in the control group. One hundred and nineteen cases had MA which accounted 72.12% (119/165) in the ADD group; while in the control group, only 25.64% (40/156) exhibited MA. The mean horizontal menton deviation and condylar height shortage in the unilateral ADD group were significantly larger than that in the control group (5.62 mm vs. 4.19 mm; 3.14 mm vs. 1.32 mm, p < 0.01). The severity of MA was significantly correlated with the amount of disc displacement, disc deformity and condylar height shortage (correlation coefficient: 0.80, 0.70, and 0.82). MA is much more common and severe in young unilateral ADD patients. The severity of MA is correlated with the height of condyle and the status of the disc. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Examining Middle School Science Student Self-Regulated Learning in a Hypermedia Learning Environment through Microanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandell, Brian E.

The purpose of the present embedded mixed method study was to examine the self-regulatory processes used by high, average, and low achieving seventh grade students as they learned about a complex science topic from a hypermedia learning environment. Thirty participants were sampled. Participants were administered a number of measures to assess their achievement and self-efficacy. In addition, a microanalytic methodology, grounded in Zimmerman's cyclical model of self-regulated learning, was used to assess student self-regulated learning. It was hypothesized that there would be modest positive correlations between Zimmerman's three phases of self-regulated learning, that high achieving science students would deploy more self-regulatory subprocesses than average and low achieving science students, that high achieving science students would have higher self-efficacy beliefs to engage in self-regulated learning than average and low achieving science students, and that low achieving science students would over-estimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs, average achieving science students would slightly overestimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs, and high achieving science students would under-estimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs. All hypotheses were supported except for the high achieving science students who under-estimated their self-efficacy for performance beliefs on the Declarative Knowledge Measure and slightly overestimated their self-efficacy for performance beliefs on the Conceptual Knowledge Measure. Finally, all measures of self-regulated learning were combined and entered into a regression formula to predict the students' scores on the two science tests, and it was revealed that the combined measure predicted 91% of the variance on the Declarative Knowledge Measure and 92% of the variance on the Conceptual Knowledge Measure. This study adds hypermedia learning environments to the contexts that the microanalytic methodology has been successfully administered. Educational implications and limitations to the study are also discussed.
Citizen CATE: Evaluating Outcomes of a Solar Eclipse Citizen Science Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penn, M. J.; Haden, C.

2017-12-01

On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible along a path of totality from Oregon to South Carolina. The Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse Experiment (CATE) will use scientists, students and volunteers to take images of the solar corona using 68 identical telescopes, software and instrument packages along the 2,500-mile path of totality. CATE partners include National Solar Observatory scientists, university faculty and students, high school students, and professional and amateur astronomers. NASA funded CATE educational components including training undergraduates and volunteers on solar imaging software and equipment. The National Science Foundation and corporations including DayStar, MathWorks, Celestron and ColorMaker funded equipment. Undergraduates participated in summer research experiences to build their capacity for gathering eclipse data, and subsequently trained volunteers across the U.S. Aligned to NASA education goals, CATE goals range from providing an authentic research experience for students and lifelong learners, to making state-of-the-art solar coronal observations, to increasing scientific literacy of the public. While project investigators are examining the wealth of scientific data that will come from CATE, evaluators are examining impacts on participants. Through mixed methods, evaluators are examining outcomes related to changes in volunteers' knowledge, skills and attitudes. Additionally, the study will examine how citizen science astronomy using CATE equipment will continue after the eclipse to sustain project impacts. Preliminary findings for undergraduates indicate that they are gaining knowledge and skills related to studying solar coronal phenomena, conducting rigorous scientific research, and interfacing with the public to conduct outreach. Preliminary findings for citizen scientists indicate a high level of engagement in the research, and that they are gaining new knowledge and skills related to solar science and eclipses. Volunteers also reported learning a great deal about safety while observing the Sun. This evaluation study will add to the body of knowledge about the effectiveness and utility of citizen science programs. Findings will be updated with data collected during and immediately after the eclipse events.
Facing the Heat: Does Desiccation and Thermal Stress Explain Patterns of Orientation in an Intertidal Invertebrate?

PubMed

Fraser, Clarissa M L; Seebacher, Frank; Lathlean, Justin; Coleman, Ross A

2016-01-01

A key challenge for ecologists is to quantify, explain and predict the ecology and behaviour of animals from knowledge of their basic physiology. Compared to our knowledge of many other types of distribution and behaviour, and how these are linked to individual function, we have a poor level of understanding of the causal basis for orientation behaviours. Most explanations for patterns of animal orientation assume that animals will modify their exposure to environmental factors by altering their orientation. We used a keystone grazer on rocky shores, the limpet Cellana tramoserica, to test this idea. Manipulative experiments were done to evaluate whether orientation during emersion affected limpet desiccation or body temperature. Body temperature was determined from infrared thermography, a technique that minimises disturbance to the test organism. No causal relationships were found between orientation and (i) level of desiccation and (ii) their body temperature. These results add to the growing knowledge that responses to desiccation and thermal stress may be less important in modifying the behaviour of intertidal organisms than previously supposed and that thermoregulation does not always reflect patterns of animal orientation. Much of what we understand about orientation comes from studies of animals able to modify orientation over very short time scales. Our data suggests that for animals whose location is less flexible, orientation decisions may have less to do with responses to environmental factors and more to do with structural habitat properties or intrinsic individual attributes. Therefore we suggest future studies into processes affecting orientation must include organisms with differing levels of behavioural plasticity.
Pathways over Time: Functional Genomics Research in an Introductory Laboratory Course.

PubMed

Reeves, Todd D; Warner, Douglas M; Ludlow, Larry H; O'Connor, Clare M

2018-01-01

National reports have called for the introduction of research experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum, but practical implementation at many institutions faces challenges associated with sustainability, cost, and large student populations. We describe a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that introduces introductory-level students to research in functional genomics in a 3-credit, multisection laboratory class. In the Pathways over Time class project, students study the functional conservation of the methionine biosynthetic pathway between divergent yeast species. Over the five semesters described in this study, students ( N = 793) showed statistically significant and sizable growth in content knowledge ( d = 1.85) and in self-reported research methods skills ( d = 0.65), experimental design, oral and written communication, database use, and collaboration. Statistical analyses indicated that content knowledge growth was larger for underrepresented minority students and that growth in content knowledge, but not research skills, varied by course section. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that CUREs can support the scientific development of large numbers of students with diverse characteristics. The Pathways over Time project is designed to be sustainable and readily adapted to other institutional settings. © 2018 T. D. Reeves et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Facing the Heat: Does Desiccation and Thermal Stress Explain Patterns of Orientation in an Intertidal Invertebrate?

PubMed Central

Fraser, Clarissa M. L.; Seebacher, Frank; Lathlean, Justin; Coleman, Ross A.

2016-01-01

A key challenge for ecologists is to quantify, explain and predict the ecology and behaviour of animals from knowledge of their basic physiology. Compared to our knowledge of many other types of distribution and behaviour, and how these are linked to individual function, we have a poor level of understanding of the causal basis for orientation behaviours. Most explanations for patterns of animal orientation assume that animals will modify their exposure to environmental factors by altering their orientation. We used a keystone grazer on rocky shores, the limpet Cellana tramoserica, to test this idea. Manipulative experiments were done to evaluate whether orientation during emersion affected limpet desiccation or body temperature. Body temperature was determined from infrared thermography, a technique that minimises disturbance to the test organism. No causal relationships were found between orientation and (i) level of desiccation and (ii) their body temperature. These results add to the growing knowledge that responses to desiccation and thermal stress may be less important in modifying the behaviour of intertidal organisms than previously supposed and that thermoregulation does not always reflect patterns of animal orientation. Much of what we understand about orientation comes from studies of animals able to modify orientation over very short time scales. Our data suggests that for animals whose location is less flexible, orientation decisions may have less to do with responses to environmental factors and more to do with structural habitat properties or intrinsic individual attributes. Therefore we suggest future studies into processes affecting orientation must include organisms with differing levels of behavioural plasticity. PMID:26959815
dAdd1 and dXNP prevent genome instability by maintaining HP1a localization at Drosophila telomeres.

PubMed

Chavez, Joselyn; Murillo-Maldonado, Juan Manuel; Bahena, Vanessa; Cruz, Ana Karina; Castañeda-Sortibrán, América; Rodriguez-Arnaiz, Rosario; Zurita, Mario; Valadez-Graham, Viviana

2017-12-01

Telomeres are important contributors to genome stability, as they prevent linear chromosome end degradation and contribute to the avoidance of telomeric fusions. An important component of the telomeres is the heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a). Mutations in Su(var)205, the gene encoding HP1a in Drosophila, result in telomeric fusions, retrotransposon regulation loss and larger telomeres, leading to chromosome instability. Previously, it was found that several proteins physically interact with HP1a, including dXNP and dAdd1 (orthologues to the mammalian ATRX gene). In this study, we found that mutations in the genes encoding the dXNP and dAdd1 proteins affect chromosome stability, causing chromosomal aberrations, including telomeric defects, similar to those observed in Su(var)205 mutants. In somatic cells, we observed that dXNP and dAdd1 participate in the silencing of the telomeric HTT array of retrotransposons, preventing anomalous retrotransposon transcription and integration. Furthermore, the lack of dAdd1 results in the loss of HP1a from the telomeric regions without affecting other chromosomal HP1a binding sites; mutations in dxnp also affected HP1a localization but not at all telomeres, suggesting a specialized role for dAdd1 and dXNP proteins in locating HP1a at the tips of the chromosomes. These results place dAdd1 as an essential regulator of HP1a localization and function in the telomere heterochromatic domain.

The role of simulation in mixed-methods research: a framework & application to patient safety.

PubMed

Guise, Jeanne-Marie; Hansen, Matthew; Lambert, William; O'Brien, Kerth

2017-05-04

Research in patient safety is an important area of health services research and is a national priority. It is challenging to investigate rare occurrences, explore potential causes, and account for the complex, dynamic context of healthcare - yet all are required in patient safety research. Simulation technologies have become widely accepted as education and clinical tools, but have yet to become a standard tool for research. We developed a framework for research that integrates accepted patient safety models with mixed-methods research approaches and describe the performance of the framework in a working example of a large National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded R01 investigation. This worked example of a framework in action, identifies the strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research approaches commonly used in health services research. Each approach builds essential layers of knowledge. We describe how the use of simulation ties these layers of knowledge together and adds new and unique dimensions of knowledge. A mixed-methods research approach that includes simulation provides a broad multi-dimensional approach to health services and patient safety research.
A Feminist Framework for Nurses on Boards.

PubMed

Sundean, Lisa J; Polifroni, E Carol

Nurses' knowledge, skills, and expertise uniquely situate them to contribute to health care transformation as equal partners in organizational board governance. The Institute of Medicine, the 10,000 Nurses on Boards Coalition, and a growing number of nurse and health care scholars advocate nurse board leadership; however, nurses are rarely appointed as voting board members. When no room is made for nurses to take a seat at the table, the opportunity is lost to harness the power of nursing knowledge for health care transformation and social justice. No philosophical framework underpins the emerging focus on nurse board leadership. The purpose of this article is to add to the extant nursing literature by suggesting feminism as a philosophical framework for nurses on boards. Feminism contributes to the knowledge base of nursing as it relates to the expanding roles of nurses in health care transformation, policy, and social justice. Furthermore, a feminist philosophical framework for nurses on boards sets the foundation for new theory development and validates ongoing advancement of the nursing profession. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Fault diagnosis of sensor networked structures with multiple faults using a virtual beam based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Jing, X. J.

2017-07-01

This paper presents a virtual beam based approach suitable for conducting diagnosis of multiple faults in complex structures with limited prior knowledge of the faults involved. The "virtual beam", a recently-proposed concept for fault detection in complex structures, is applied, which consists of a chain of sensors representing a vibration energy transmission path embedded in the complex structure. Statistical tests and adaptive threshold are particularly adopted for fault detection due to limited prior knowledge of normal operational conditions and fault conditions. To isolate the multiple faults within a specific structure or substructure of a more complex one, a 'biased running' strategy is developed and embedded within the bacterial-based optimization method to construct effective virtual beams and thus to improve the accuracy of localization. The proposed method is easy and efficient to implement for multiple fault localization with limited prior knowledge of normal conditions and faults. With extensive experimental results, it is validated that the proposed method can localize both single fault and multiple faults more effectively than the classical trust index subtract on negative add on positive (TI-SNAP) method.
Maximising value from a United Kingdom Biomedical Research Centre: study protocol.

PubMed

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Ovseiko, Pavel V; Fahy, Nick; Shaw, Sara; Kerr, Polly; Rushforth, Alexander D; Channon, Keith M; Kiparoglou, Vasiliki

2017-08-14

Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are partnerships between healthcare organisations and universities in England. Their mission is to generate novel treatments, technologies, diagnostics and other interventions that increase the country's international competitiveness, to rapidly translate these innovations into benefits for patients, and to improve efficiency and reduce waste in healthcare. As NIHR Oxford BRC (Oxford BRC) enters its third 5-year funding period, we seek to (1) apply the evidence base on how best to support the various partnerships in this large, multi-stakeholder research system and (2) research how these partnerships play out in a new, ambitious programme of translational research. Organisational case study, informed by the principles of action research. A cross-cutting theme, 'Partnerships for Health, Wealth and Innovation' has been established with multiple sub-themes (drug development, device development, business support and commercialisation, research methodology and statistics, health economics, bioethics, patient and public involvement and engagement, knowledge translation, and education and training) to support individual BRC research themes and generate cross-theme learning. The 'Partnerships' theme will support the BRC's goals by facilitating six types of partnership (with patients and citizens, clinical services, industry, across the NIHR infrastructure, across academic disciplines, and with policymakers and payers) through a range of engagement platforms and activities. We will develop a longitudinal progress narrative centred around exemplar case studies, and apply theoretical models from innovation studies (Triple Helix), sociology of science (Mode 2 knowledge production) and business studies (Value Co-creation). Data sources will be the empirical research studies within individual BRC research themes (who will apply separately for NHS ethics approval), plus documentary analysis and interviews and ethnography with research stakeholders. This study has received ethics clearance through the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee. We anticipate that this work will add significant value to Oxford BRC. We predict accelerated knowledge translation; closer alignment of the innovation process with patient priorities and the principles of responsible, ethical research; reduction in research waste; new knowledge about the governance and activities of multi-stakeholder research partnerships and the contexts in which they operate; and capacity-building that reflects the future needs of a rapidly-evolving health research system.
Membership nominations in international scientific assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leifeld, Philip; Fisher, Dana R.

2017-10-01

International scientific assessments are transnational knowledge-based expert networks with a mandate to advise policymakers. A well-known example is the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), which synthesized research on ecosystem services between 2001 and 2005, utilizing the knowledge of 1,360 expert members. Little, however, is known about the membership composition and the driving forces behind membership nominations in the MA and similar organizations. Here we introduce a survey data set on recruitment in the MA and analyse nomination patterns among experts as a complex network. The results indicate that membership recruitment was governed by prior contacts in other transnational elite organizations and a range of other factors related to personal affinity. Network analysis demonstrates how some core individuals were particularly influential in shaping the overall membership composition of the group. These findings add to recently noted concerns about the lack of diversity of views represented in international scientific assessments.
Occupational Health in Eastern Europe

PubMed Central

Malan, R. M.

1963-01-01

Progress may be fostered as much by spreading information as by research. The aim of this review is to add to the existing knowledge of the pattern of occupational health services in the socialist countries of Eastern Europe. The work consists of two main parts. Part I is based on official information issued by government departments or typewritten reports prepared by government officials, and relates mostly to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and to Czechoslovakia. Part II is largely based on direct observation, discussion, and comparison of the occupational health services in Czechoslovakia, of which I have more extensive knowledge than of the other countries of Eastern Europe. This part embodies a number of conclusions and is followed by a list of bibliographical references. Throughout the review I have endeavoured to show how problems which exist all over the world are dealt with in Eastern Europe. PMID:13932439
Functional equivalency inferred from "authoritative sources" in networks of homologous proteins.

PubMed

Natarajan, Shreedhar; Jakobsson, Eric

2009-06-12

A one-on-one mapping of protein functionality across different species is a critical component of comparative analysis. This paper presents a heuristic algorithm for discovering the Most Likely Functional Counterparts (MoLFunCs) of a protein, based on simple concepts from network theory. A key feature of our algorithm is utilization of the user's knowledge to assign high confidence to selected functional identification. We show use of the algorithm to retrieve functional equivalents for 7 membrane proteins, from an exploration of almost 40 genomes form multiple online resources. We verify the functional equivalency of our dataset through a series of tests that include sequence, structure and function comparisons. Comparison is made to the OMA methodology, which also identifies one-on-one mapping between proteins from different species. Based on that comparison, we believe that incorporation of user's knowledge as a key aspect of the technique adds value to purely statistical formal methods.
The Lived Experience of Providing Care and Support Services for Holocaust Survivors in Australia.

PubMed

Teshuva, Karen; Borowski, Allan; Wells, Yvonne

2017-06-01

Lack of awareness among paid carers of the possible late-life consequences of early-life periods of extreme and prolonged traumatization may have negative impacts on the experiences of trauma survivors in receiving care. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to investigate the lived experience of paid carers in providing care for Jewish Holocaust survivors. In total, 70 carers participated in 10 focus group discussions. Credibility of the findings was ensured by methodological triangulation and peer debriefing. Three major themes emerged: (a) knowing about survivors' past helps me make sense of who they are, (b) the trauma adds an extra dimension to caregiving, and (c) caring for survivors has an emotional impact. Specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills for building positive care relationships with Holocaust survivors were identified. The findings offer a starting point for advancing knowledge about the care of older survivors from other refugee backgrounds.
Swarm-based medicine.

PubMed

Putora, Paul Martin; Oldenburg, Jan

2013-09-19

Occasionally, medical decisions have to be taken in the absence of evidence-based guidelines. Other sources can be drawn upon to fill in the gaps, including experience and intuition. Authorities or experts, with their knowledge and experience, may provide further input--known as "eminence-based medicine". Due to the Internet and digital media, interactions among physicians now take place at a higher rate than ever before. With the rising number of interconnected individuals and their communication capabilities, the medical community is obtaining the properties of a swarm. The way individual physicians act depends on other physicians; medical societies act based on their members. Swarm behavior might facilitate the generation and distribution of knowledge as an unconscious process. As such, "swarm-based medicine" may add a further source of information to the classical approaches of evidence- and eminence-based medicine. How to integrate swarm-based medicine into practice is left to the individual physician, but even this decision will be influenced by the swarm.
Functional Equivalency Inferred from “Authoritative Sources” in Networks of Homologous Proteins

PubMed Central

Natarajan, Shreedhar; Jakobsson, Eric

2009-01-01

A one-on-one mapping of protein functionality across different species is a critical component of comparative analysis. This paper presents a heuristic algorithm for discovering the Most Likely Functional Counterparts (MoLFunCs) of a protein, based on simple concepts from network theory. A key feature of our algorithm is utilization of the user's knowledge to assign high confidence to selected functional identification. We show use of the algorithm to retrieve functional equivalents for 7 membrane proteins, from an exploration of almost 40 genomes form multiple online resources. We verify the functional equivalency of our dataset through a series of tests that include sequence, structure and function comparisons. Comparison is made to the OMA methodology, which also identifies one-on-one mapping between proteins from different species. Based on that comparison, we believe that incorporation of user's knowledge as a key aspect of the technique adds value to purely statistical formal methods. PMID:19521530
Reporting the national antimicrobial consumption in Danish pigs: influence of assigned daily dosage values and population measurement.

PubMed

Dupont, Nana; Fertner, Mette; Kristensen, Charlotte Sonne; Toft, Nils; Stege, Helle

2016-05-03

Transparent calculation methods are crucial when investigating trends in antimicrobial consumption over time and between populations. Until 2011, one single standardized method was applied when quantifying the Danish pig antimicrobial consumption with the unit "Animal Daily Dose" (ADD). However, two new methods for assigning values for ADDs have recently emerged, one implemented by DANMAP, responsible for publishing annual reports on antimicrobial consumption, and one by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA), responsible for the Yellow Card initiative. In addition to new ADD assignment methods, Denmark has also experienced a shift in the production pattern, towards a larger export of live pigs. The aims of this paper were to (1) describe previous and current ADD assignment methods used by the major Danish institutions and (2) to illustrate how ADD assignment method and choice of population and population measurement affect the calculated national antimicrobial consumption in pigs (2007-2013). The old VetStat ADD-values were based on SPCs in contrast to the new ADD-values, which were based on active compound, concentration and administration route. The new ADD-values stated by both DANMAP and DVFA were only identical for 48 % of antimicrobial products approved for use in pigs. From 2007 to 2013, the total number of ADDs per year increased by 9 % when using the new DVFA ADD-values, but decreased by 2 and 7 % when using the new DANMAP ADD-values or the old VetStat ADD-values, respectively. Through 2007 to 2013, the production of pigs increased from 26.1 million pigs per year with 18 % exported live to 28.7 million with 34 % exported live. In the same time span, the annual pig antimicrobial consumption increased by 22.2 %, when calculated using the new DVFA ADD-values and pigs slaughtered per year as population measurement (13.0 ADDs/pig/year to 15.9 ADDs/pig/year). However, when based on the old VetStat ADD values and pigs produced per year (including live export), a 10.9 % decrease was seen (10.6 ADDs/pig/year to 9.4 ADDs/pig/year). The findings of this paper clearly highlight that calculated national antimicrobial consumption is highly affected by chosen population measurement and the applied ADD-values.
The relationship of document and quantitative literacy with learning styles and selected personal variables for aerospace technology students at Indiana State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Royce Ann

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent that student scores on a researcher-constructed quantitative and document literacy test, the Aviation Documents Delineator (ADD), were associated with (a) learning styles (imaginative, analytic, common sense, dynamic, and undetermined), as identified by the Learning Type Measure, (b) program curriculum (aerospace administration, professional pilot, both aerospace administration and professional pilot, other, or undeclared), (c) overall cumulative grade point average at Indiana State University, and (d) year in school (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior). The Aviation Documents Delineator (ADD) was a three-part, 35 question survey that required students to interpret graphs, tables, and maps. Tasks assessed in the ADD included (a) locating, interpreting, and describing specific data displayed in the document, (b) determining data for a specified point on the table through interpolation, (c) comparing data for a string of variables representing one aspect of aircraft performance to another string of variables representing a different aspect of aircraft performance, (d) interpreting the documents to make decisions regarding emergency situations, and (e) performing single and/or sequential mathematical operations on a specified set of data. The Learning Type Measure (LTM) was a 15 item self-report survey developed by Bernice McCarthy (1995) to profile an individual's processing and perception tendencies in order to reveal different individual approaches to learning. The sample used in this study included 143 students enrolled in Aerospace Technology Department courses at Indiana State University in the fall of 1996. The ADD and the LTM were administered to each subject. Data collected in this investigation were analyzed using a stepwise multiple regression analysis technique. Results of the study revealed that the variables, year in school and GPA, were significant predictors of the criterion variables, document, quantitative, and total literacy, when utilizing the ADD. The variables learning style and program of study were found not to be significant predictors of literacy scores on the ADD instrument.
Barriers and enablers to implementing multiple stroke guideline recommendations: a qualitative study.

PubMed

McCluskey, Annie; Vratsistas-Curto, Angela; Schurr, Karl

2013-08-19

Translating evidence into practice is an important final step in the process of evidence-based practice. Medical record audits can be used to examine how well practice compares with published evidence, and identify evidence-practice gaps. After providing audit feedback to professionals, local barriers to practice change can be identified and targetted with focussed behaviour change interventions. This study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to implementing multiple stroke guideline recommendations at one Australian stroke unit. A qualitative methodology was used. A sample of 28 allied health, nursing and medical professionals participated in a group or individual interview. These interviews occurred after staff had received audit feedback and identified areas for practice change. Questions focused on barriers and enablers to implementing guideline recommendations about management of: upper limb sensory impairments, mobility including sitting balance; vision; anxiety and depression; neglect; swallowing; communication; education for stroke survivors and carers; advice about return to work and driving. Qualitative data were analysed for themes using theoretical domains described by Michie and colleagues (2005). Six group and two individual interviews were conducted, involving six disciplines. Barriers were different across disciplines. The six key barriers identified were: (1) Beliefs about capabilities of individual professionals and their discipline, and about patient capabilities (2) Beliefs about the consequences, positive and negative, of implementing the recommendations (3) Memory of, and attention to, best practices (4) Knowledge and skills required to implement best practice; (5) Intention and motivation to implement best practice, and (6) Resources. Some barriers were also enablers to change. For example, occupational therapists required new knowledge and skills (a barrier), to better manage sensation and neglect impairments while physiotherapists generally knew how to implement best-practice mobility rehabilitation (an enabler). Findings add to current knowledge about barriers to change and implementation of multiple guideline recommendations. Major challenges included sexuality education and depression screening. Limited knowledge and skills was a common barrier. Knowledge about specific interventions was needed before implementation could commence, and to maintain treatment fidelity. The provision of detailed online intervention protocols and manuals may help clinicians to overcome the knowledge barrier.
Impact of an educational video as a consent tool on knowledge about cure research among patients and caregivers at HIV clinics in South Africa.

PubMed

Hendricks, Melany; Nair, Gonasagrie; Staunton, Ciara; Pather, Michael; Garrett, Nigel; Baadjies, Dianno; Kidd, Martin; Moodley, Keymanthri

2018-04-01

Despite increasing access to antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries, only 54% of eligible individuals were receiving treatment in Africa by 2015. Recent developments in HIV cure research have been encouraging. However, the complex science and procedures of cure research render the informed consent process challenging. This study evaluates the impact of a video tool on educating participants about HIV cure. A questionnaire assessing the content of the video was administered to adults recruited from two clinics in South Africa. Patients and their care partners, who provided voluntary informed consent, were included in the study. The questionnaire was administered in each participant's home language before, immediately after and at 3 months after viewing the video, in an uncontrolled quasi-experimental 'one group pre-test-post-test' design. Scoring was carried out according to a predetermined scoring grid, with a maximum score of 22. A total of 88 participants, median age 32.0 years and 86% female, were enrolled and completed the pre- and post-video questionnaires. Twenty-nine (33%) completed the follow-up questionnaire 3 months later to assess retention of knowledge. Sixty-three (72%) participants had a known HIV-positive status. A significant increase (10.1 vs 15.1, P =0.001) in knowledge about HIV and HIV cure immediately after viewing the video was noted. No statistically significant difference in knowledge between HIV-positive and -negative patients was noted at baseline. After 3 months, a decrease in performance participation (14 vs 13.5, P =0.19) was noted. However, knowledge scores achieved after 3 months remained significantly higher than scores at baseline (13.5 vs 9.5, P <0.01). This research showed that a video intervention improved participants' knowledge related to HIV, HIV cure research and ethics, and the improvement was sustained over 3 months. Video intervention may be a useful tool to add to the consent process when dealing with complex medical research questions.
Barriers and enablers to implementing multiple stroke guideline recommendations: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Translating evidence into practice is an important final step in the process of evidence-based practice. Medical record audits can be used to examine how well practice compares with published evidence, and identify evidence-practice gaps. After providing audit feedback to professionals, local barriers to practice change can be identified and targetted with focussed behaviour change interventions. This study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to implementing multiple stroke guideline recommendations at one Australian stroke unit. Methods A qualitative methodology was used. A sample of 28 allied health, nursing and medical professionals participated in a group or individual interview. These interviews occurred after staff had received audit feedback and identified areas for practice change. Questions focused on barriers and enablers to implementing guideline recommendations about management of: upper limb sensory impairments, mobility including sitting balance; vision; anxiety and depression; neglect; swallowing; communication; education for stroke survivors and carers; advice about return to work and driving. Qualitative data were analysed for themes using theoretical domains described by Michie and colleagues (2005). Results Six group and two individual interviews were conducted, involving six disciplines. Barriers were different across disciplines. The six key barriers identified were: (1) Beliefs about capabilities of individual professionals and their discipline, and about patient capabilities (2) Beliefs about the consequences, positive and negative, of implementing the recommendations (3) Memory of, and attention to, best practices (4) Knowledge and skills required to implement best practice; (5) Intention and motivation to implement best practice, and (6) Resources. Some barriers were also enablers to change. For example, occupational therapists required new knowledge and skills (a barrier), to better manage sensation and neglect impairments while physiotherapists generally knew how to implement best-practice mobility rehabilitation (an enabler). Conclusions Findings add to current knowledge about barriers to change and implementation of multiple guideline recommendations. Major challenges included sexuality education and depression screening. Limited knowledge and skills was a common barrier. Knowledge about specific interventions was needed before implementation could commence, and to maintain treatment fidelity. The provision of detailed online intervention protocols and manuals may help clinicians to overcome the knowledge barrier. PMID:23958136
Killer whale (Orcinus orca) whistles from the western South Atlantic Ocean include high frequency signals.

PubMed

Andriolo, Artur; Reis, Sarah S; Amorim, Thiago O S; Sucunza, Federico; de Castro, Franciele R; Maia, Ygor Geyer; Zerbini, Alexandre N; Bortolotto, Guilherme A; Dalla Rosa, Luciano

2015-09-01

Acoustic parameters of killer whale (Orcinus orca) whistles were described for the western South Atlantic Ocean and highlight the occurrence of high frequency whistles. Killer whale signals were recorded on December of 2012, when a pod of four individuals was observed harassing a group of sperm whales. The high frequency whistles were highly stereotyped and were modulated mostly at ultrasonic frequencies. Compared to other contour types, the high frequency whistles are characterized by higher bandwidths, shorter durations, fewer harmonics, and higher sweep rates. The results add to the knowledge of vocal behavior of this species.
Structure-guided wavelength tuning in far-red fluorescent proteins

PubMed Central

Ng, Ho-Leung; Lin, Michael Z.

2017-01-01

In recent years, protein engineers have succeeded in tuning the excitation spectra of natural fluorescent proteins from green wavelengths into orange and red wavelengths, resulting in the creation of a series of fluorescent proteins with emission in the far-red portions of the optical spectrum. These results have arisen from the synergistic combination of structural knowledge of fluorescent proteins, chemical intuition, and high-throughput screening methods. Here we review structural features found in autocatalytic far-red fluorescent proteins, and discuss how they add to our understanding of the biophysical mechanisms of wavelength tuning in biological chromophores. PMID:27468111
Did Your Evidence-Base Program Work? Share the News! CLUES #5/6: Assess and Alert.

PubMed

Yonkaitis, Catherine F; Maughan, Erin D

2018-07-01

The work of the school nurse does not end with the institution of an evidence-based intervention. The steps of EBP tell us that we must "Assess" the effectiveness of an intervention to determine if it is having the desired effect. When we find success in our EBP changes we must come full circle and share or "Alert" stakeholders and other school nurses by disseminating our work. School nurses can share their success through written and oral presentations to insure that we add to our collective school nursing knowledge.
A microcomputer-based whole-body counter for personnel routine monitoring.

PubMed

Chou, H P; Tsai, T M; Lan, C Y

1993-05-01

The paper describes a cost-effective NaI(Tl) whole-body counter developed for routine examinations of worker intakes at an isotope production facility. Signal processing, data analysis and system operation are microcomputer-controlled for minimum human interactions. The pulse height analyzer is developed as an microcomputer add-on card for easy manipulation. The scheme for radionuclide analysis is aimed for fast running according to a knowledge base established from background samples and phantom experiments in conjunction with a multivariate regression analysis. Long-term stability and calibration with standards and in vivo measurements are reported.
A large indel mutation of the bovine ADD1/SREBP1c gene and its effects on growth traits in some native cattle breeds from China.

PubMed

Huang, Yong-Zhen; Zhang, En-Ping; Wang, Jing; Huai, Yong-Tao; Ma, Liang; Chen, Fu-Ying; Lan, Xian-Yong; Lei, Chu-Zhao; Fang, Xing-Tang; Wang, Ju-Qiang; Chen, Hong

2011-03-01

Adipocyte determination and differentiation-dependent factor 1/sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (ADD1/SREBP1c) is a major determinant of tissue differential lipogenic capacity in mammalian and avian species. The objectives of the present study were to focus on insertion-deletion polymorphism (indel) in the bovine ADD1/SREBP1c gene, and analyzing its effect on growth traits in a sample of 1035 cattle belonging to four Chinese cattle breeds. PCR-SSCP, DNA sequencing and agarose electrophoresis methods were used. The 778 bp PCR products of ADD1/SREBP1c gene exhibited three genotypes and two alleles were revealed: W and D. Frequencies of the W allele varied from 0.8651 to 1.000. The associations of the 84 bp indel mutation of ADD1/SREBP1c gene with growth traits of 265 Nanyang cows were analyzed. The animals with genotype WD had significantly higher birth weight, body weight, average daily gain than those with genotype WW at birth, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month old (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These results suggest that the indel mutation of bovine ADD1/SREBP1c gene may influence the growth traits in cattle.

The Role of Civic Engagement for Men’s Health and Well Being in Norway—A Contribution to Public Health

PubMed Central

Goth, Ursula S.; Småland, Erik

2014-01-01

Objectives: Using the example of older men volunteering on teams that restore historic ships, this article examines the effects of volunteering on the well-being of older adults. We consider particularly how volunteering impacts levels of social engagement and explore how the men’s reminiscences as they bond with their fellows in highly skilled work helps integrate their life experiences. Methods: Data are based on 14 in-depth interviews with volunteers working on historic vessels in Norway. Self-rated health, functional dependency, and well-being measures were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Volunteering in a context of skilled, group-bonded, culturally prestigious activity adds considerably to social capital among elderly men in Norway. Respondents explain their involvement in terms of prior relationships and current social benefits. They spoke of the value of maintaining past personal connections to a particular ship, shipping company, or local community. These were reinforced by current social benefits, such as the experience of companionship, unity, and the feeling of making an important contribution to the society. The group dynamics and strong collective aspect of these voluntary associations maintains internal cohesion, and members only leave when forced by increasing age, poor health, or insufficient financial resources. Conclusions: This article illuminates a case study of gender-specific engagement of older adults in volunteer roles returning high benefits both to participants and society, and adds knowledge to public-health programs and policies in the volunteer- and cultural-heritage sector. PMID:24945192
Facilitators and barriers for eating behaviour changes in obstructive sleep apnoea and obesity - a qualitative content analysis.

PubMed

Spörndly-Nees, Søren; Igelström, Helena; Lindberg, Eva; Martin, Cathrin; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2014-01-01

Obesity is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, a condition known causing lack of sleep continuity and daytime sleepiness. Weight loss interventions are recommended, however knowledge on what facilitate and impede eating behaviour change is lacking for this particular population. The aim of this study was to identify personal conceptions of prerequisites for eating behaviour change. A qualitative study on 15 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS; apnoea-hypopnoea index >15) and obesity (Mean body mass index 38.2). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis with researcher triangulation for trustworthiness. Data were organised according to barriers and facilitators for changing eating behaviour. Identified barriers were desire and reward, cravings and emotional control, low self-confidence, insufficient support, taxing behaviours, cost, lack of knowledge about healthy eating strategies, perceived helplessness and low susceptibility. Identified facilitators were positive expectations, fear of negative consequences, experience of success, support and follow-up, accessibility, applied skills for healthy eating, personal involvement and challenged self-image. This study adds knowledge on important barriers and facilitators of eating behaviour change according to individuals with obesity and OSAS. Information used to inform a tailored behavioural medicine intervention targeting eating behaviours. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) benefit from weight loss and eating behaviour changes are recommended. Patients' views on prerequisites for eating behaviour change are important to plan, conduct and tailor behaviour change interventions. These aspects have hitherto not been elaborated in patients with OSAS. Considerations on patient's self-image and perceived susceptibility along with providing strategies for controlling the desire and rewarding feeling associated with eating are emphasised.
"If I have only two children and they die… who will take care of me?" -a qualitative study exploring knowledge, attitudes and practices about family planning among Mozambican female and male adults.

PubMed

Capurchande, Rehana; Coene, Gily; Roelens, Kristien; Meulemans, Herman

2017-08-22

By focusing upon family planning counselling services, the Mozambican government has significantly enhanced the general health of female and male clients. However, little is known about the experiences of family planning by female and male adults. This article focuses on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding contraceptive methods and fertility intentions. An in-depth qualitative study of female and male clients was conducted in two settings in Maputo province - Ndlavela and Boane. A total of sixteen in-depth interviews, four informal conversations, and observations were equally divided between both study sites. The analysis followed a constructionist approach. Three steps were considered in the analysis: examining commonalities, differences and relationships. Although there was a high level of family planning knowledge, there were discrepancies in clients' everyday practices. Male and female clients are confronted with a variety of expectations concerning fertility intentions and family size, and are under pressure in numerous ways. Social pressures include traditional expectations and meanings connected to having children, as well as religious factors. Short interaction time between clients and health workers is a problem. Additionally, imposed contraceptive methods, and typically brief conversations about birth control between couples only adds to the burden. Because family planning is largely viewed as a woman's concern, most clients have never attended counselling sessions with their partners. Attitudes towards responsibility for contraceptive use and risk-taking are strongly gendered. Female and male clients have differing expectations about contraceptive use and fertility intentions. They participate differently in family planning programs leading to their inconsistent and ambivalent practices as well as vague perceptions of risk-taking. Therefore, policymakers must address the reasons behind ambivalence and inconsistency regarding contraceptives and family planning.
Attention Deficit Disorder. NICHCY Briefing Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Mary

This briefing paper uses a question-and-answer format to provide basic information about children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). Questions address the following concerns: nature and incidence of ADD; causes of ADD; signs of ADD (impulsivity, hyperactivity, disorganization, social skill deficits); the diagnostic ADD assessment; how to get…
How much can a large population study on genes, environments, their interactions and common diseases contribute to the health of the American people?

PubMed

Chaufan, Claudia

2007-10-01

I offer a critical perspective on a large-scale population study on gene-environment interactions and common diseases proposed by the US Secretary of Health and Human Services' Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society (SACGHS). I argue that for scientific and policy reasons this and similar studies have little to add to current knowledge about how to prevent, treat, or decrease inequalities in common diseases, all of which are major claims of the proposal. I use diabetes as an exemplar of the diseases that the study purports to illuminate. I conclude that the question is not whether the study will meet expectations or whether the current emphasis on a genetic paradigm is real or imagined, desirable or not. Rather, the question is why, given the flaws of the science underwriting the study, its assumptions remain unchallenged. Future research should investigate the reasons for this immunity from criticism and for the popularity of this and similar projects among laypersons as well as among intellectuals.
Mid-Frequency Environmental and Acoustic Studies from SW06, and Applications to Asian Littoral Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

Development (ADD), Hanyang University ( HYU ), to undertake collaborative research programs in shallow water acoustics in Asian littoral waters...coast of Korea with the U.S. NRL, ADD and HYU that occurred in August 2008, as part of the Transverse Acoustic Variability Experiment (TAVEX
Treatment of Early-Age Mania: Outcomes for Partial and Nonresponders to Initial Treatment.

PubMed

Walkup, John T; Wagner, Karen Dineen; Miller, Leslie; Yenokyan, Gayane; Luby, Joan L; Joshi, Paramjit T; Axelson, David A; Robb, Adelaide; Salpekar, Jay A; Wolf, Dwight; Sanyal, Abanti; Birmaher, Boris; Vitiello, Benedetto; Riddle, Mark A

2015-12-01

The Treatment of Early Age Mania (TEAM) study evaluated lithium, risperidone, and divalproex sodium (divalproex) in children with bipolar I disorder who were naive to antimanic medication, or were partial or nonresponders to 1 of 3 study medications. This report evaluates the benefit of either an add-on or a switch of antimanic medications for an 8-week trial period in partial responders and nonresponders, respectively. TEAM is a randomized, controlled trial of individuals (N = 379) aged 6 to 15 years (mean ± SD = 10.2 ± 2.7 years) with DSM-IV bipolar I disorder (mixed or manic phase). Participants (n = 154) in this report were either nonresponders or partial responders to 1 of the 3 study medications. Nonresponders (n = 89) were randomly assigned to 1 of the other 2 antimanic medications and cross-tapered. Partial responders (n = 65) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 other antimanic medications as an add-on to their initial medication. Adverse event (AE) rates are reported only for the add-on group. Response rate for children switched to risperidone (47.6%) was higher than for those switched to either lithium (12.8%; p = .005; number needed to treat [NNT] = 3; 95% CI = 1.71-9.09) or divalproex (17.2%; p = .03; NNT = 3; 95% CI = 1.79-20.10); response rate for partial responders who added risperidone (53.3%) was higher than for those who added divalproex (0%; p = .0002; NNT = 2; 95% CI = 1.27-3.56) and trended higher for lithium (26.7%; p = .07; NNT = 4). Reported AEs in the add-on group were largely consistent with the known AE profile for the second medication. Weight gain (kg) was observed for all add-on medications: lithium add-on (n = 29 of 30) = 1.66 ± 1.97; risperidone add-on (n = 15 of 15) = 2.8 ± 1.34; divalproex add-on (n = 19 of 20) = 1.42 ± 1.96. There was no evidence at the 5% significance level that the average weight gain was different by study medication for partial responders (p = .07, 1-way analysis of variance). Risperidone appears to be more useful than lithium or divalproex for children with bipolar I disorder and other comorbid conditions who are nonresponders or partial responders to an initial antimanic medication trial. Clinical trial registration information-Study of Outcome and Safety of Lithium, Divalproex and Risperidone for Mania in Children and Adolescents (TEAM); http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT00057681. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Evaluation of the adhesive properties of the cornea by means of optical coherence tomography in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction and lacrimal tear deficiency.

PubMed

Napoli, Pietro Emanuele; Coronella, Franco; Satta, Giovanni Maria; Galantuomo, Maria Silvana; Fossarello, Maurizio

2014-01-01

The aim was to determine the influence of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and aqueous tear deficiency dry eye (ADDE) on the adhesive properties of the central cornea by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to investigate the relationship between corneal adhesiveness and classical tear tests, as well as the reliability of results, in these lacrimal functional unit disorders. Prospective, case-control study. Twenty-eight patients with MGD and 27 patients with ADDE were studied. A group of 32 healthy subjects of similar age and gender distribution served as a control group. The adhesive properties of the anterior corneal surface were measured by OCT, based on the retention time of adhesion marker above it, in all participants. An excellent (≥5 minutes), borderline (within 3-5 minutes), fair (within 1-3 minutes) and poor (<1 minute) values of corneal adhesiveness were found, respectively, in 0%, 7.1%, 64.3% and 28.6% of MGD, in 0%, 7.4%, 63% and 29.6% of ADDE, and in 31.3%, 65.6%, 3.1% and 0% of healthy patients. The differences in time of corneal adhesiveness between MGD and healthy patients, as well as between ADDE and healthy patients, were found to be statistically significant (p<0.001; p<0.001; respectively). Conversely, no statistical significant differences between MGD and ADDE were found (p = 0.952). Data analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between corneal adhesiveness and clinical tests of dry eye, as well as an excellent degree of inter-rater reliability and reproducibility for OCT measurements (p<0.001). ADDE and MGD share similar abnormalities on OCT imaging. Decreased adhesive properties of the anterior cornea were identified as a common feature of MGD and ADDE. This simple OCT approach may provide new clues into the mechanism and evaluation of dry eye syndrome.
Comparison of vildagliptin as an add-on therapy and sulfonylurea dose-increasing therapy in patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes using metformin and sulfonylurea (VISUAL study): A randomized trial.

PubMed

Hong, A Ram; Lee, Jeun; Ku, Eu Jeong; Hwangbo, Yul; Kim, Kyoung Min; Moon, Jae Hoon; Choi, Sung Hee; Jang, Hak Chul; Lim, Soo

2015-07-01

The aim of present study is to compare the efficacy and safety of adding vildagliptin with sulfonylurea dose-increasing as an active comparator in patients who had inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using metformin plus sulfonylurea in real clinical practice. Patients using metformin plus sulfonylurea were assigned to either vildagliptin add-on (50 mg twice a day, n=172) or sulfonylurea dose-increasing by 50% (n=172) treatment groups. The primary endpoint was a change in HbA(1c) after 24 weeks. The secondary endpoints were patients achieving HbA(1c)≤7.0% (53 mmol/mol) and changes in the fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial glucose (2pp), lipid profiles, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. Body weight and hypoglycemia were also investigated. The mean HbA(1c) at baseline was 8.6% (70 mmol/mol) in both groups. At week 24, the adjusted mean HbA(1c) levels decreased by -1.19% (-13.09 mmol/mol) with vildagliptin add-on and -0.46% (-5.06 mmol/mol) with sulfonylurea (P<0.001). Significantly more vildagliptin add-on patients achieved HbA(1c)≤7.0% (53 mmol/mol) than did sulfonylurea patients (40.1% vs. 7.9%; P<0.001). Greater reductions in FPG and 2pp were observed with vildagliptin add-on than with sulfonylurea (P<0.001). The vildagliptin add-on group exhibited no clinically relevant weight gain and had a lower incidence of hypoglycemia compared with the sulfonylurea group. Vildagliptin add-on therapy might be a suitable option for patients with T2DM that is controlled inadequately by metformin and sulfonylurea, based on its greater glucose control and better safety profile (ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01099137). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Association between genetic variants of the ADD1 and GNB3 genes and blood pressure response to the cold pressor test in a Chinese Han population: the GenSalt Study.

PubMed

Wang, Laiyuan; Chen, Shufeng; Zhao, Qi; Hixson, James E; Rao, Dabeeru C; Jaquish, Cashell E; Huang, Jianfeng; Lu, Xiangfeng; Chen, Jichun; Cao, Jie; Li, Jianxin; Li, Hongfan; He, Jiang; Liu, De-Pei; Gu, Dongfeng

2012-08-01

Genetic factors influence blood pressure (BP) response to the cold pressor test (CPT), which is a phenotype related to hypertension risk. We examined the association between variants of the α-adducin (ADD1) and guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) β-polypeptide 3 (GNB3) genes and BP response to the CPT. A total of 1998 Han Chinese participants from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity completed the CPT. The area under the curve (AUC) above the baseline BP during the CPT was used to measure the BP response. Twelve single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ADD1 and GNB3 genes were selected and genotyped. Both single-marker and haplotype association analyses were conducted using linear mixed models. The rs17833172 and rs3775067 SNPs of the ADD1 gene and the rs4963516 SNP of the GNB3 gene were significantly associated with the BP response to CPT, even after adjusting for multiple testing. For the ADD1 gene, the AA genotype of SNP rs17833172 was associated with lower systolic BP (SBP) reactivity (P<0.0001) and faster BP recovery (P=0.0003). The TT genotype of rs3775067 was associated with slower SBP recovery (P=0.004). For the GNB3 gene, the C allele of SNP rs4963516 was associated with faster diastolic BP recovery (P=0.002) and smaller overall AUC (P=0.003). Haplotype analysis indicated that the CCGC haplotype of ADD1 constructed by rs1263359, rs3775067, rs4961 and rs4963 was significantly associated with the BP response to CPT. These data suggest that genetic variants of the ADD1 and GNB3 genes may have important roles in BP response to the CPT. Future studies aimed at replicating these novel findings are warranted.
Elagolix for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids: results from a phase 2a proof-of-concept study.

PubMed

Archer, David F; Stewart, Elizabeth A; Jain, Rita I; Feldman, Robert A; Lukes, Andrea S; North, Janine D; Soliman, Ahmed M; Gao, Jingjing; Ng, Juki W; Chwalisz, Kristof

2017-07-01

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of elagolix vs. placebo and elagolix with low-dose E 2 /progestogen add-back therapy. Proof-of-concept, dose-ranging, multiple-cohort study. Clinics. Premenopausal women with fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding (menstrual blood loss [MBL] >80 mL per cycle). Three months' treatment with elagolix alone: 100 mg twice daily (BID), 200 mg BID, 300 mg BID, 400 mg once daily (QD), or 600 mg QD (all but the 600 mg QD arm were placebo controlled); or elagolix plus add-back therapy: 200 mg BID plus continuous low-dose E 2 0.5 mg/norethindrone acetate 0.1 mg or elagolix 300 mg BID plus E 2 1 mg continuously and cyclical P 200 mg. Least-squares mean percentage change in MBL; adverse events (AEs). Mean age was 41.8 years; 73.8% were black; mean baseline MBL was 267 mL. Of randomized women (elagolix alone, n = 160; placebo, n = 50; elagolix with add-back therapy, n = 61), 228 of 271 completed the 3-month treatment period. The MBL percentage change from baseline to last 28 days was significantly greater with elagolix alone (range, -72% to -98%; dose-dependent reduction was highest with 300 mg BID) vs. placebo (range, -8% to -41%); mean percentage changes with add-back regimens were -80% to -85%. Overall AEs were dose independent (elagolix alone, 70.0%-81.3%) but lower with placebo (56.0%) and add-back regimens (55.6%-70.6%). Hot flush was the most common AE (elagolix alone, 45.5%-62.5%; placebo, 12.0%; add-back regimens, 18.5%-26.5%). Elagolix significantly reduced heavy menstrual bleeding in women with fibroids. Low-dose add-back regimens substantially reduced flushing. NCT01441635. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Dollar$ & $en$e. Part VI: Knowledge management: the state of the art.

PubMed

Wilkinson, I

2001-01-01

In Part I of this series, I introduced the concept of memes (1). Memes are ideas or concepts--the information world equivalent of genes. The goal of this series of articles is to infect you with memes so you will assimilate, translate, and express them. No matter what our area of expertise or "-ology," we all are in the information business. Our goal is to be in the wisdom business. In the previous articles in this series, I showed that when we convert raw data into wisdom, we are moving along a value chain. Each step in the chain adds a different amount of value to the final product: timely, relevant, accurate, and precise knowledge that then can be applied to create the ultimate product in the value chain--wisdom. In part II of this series, I introduced a set of memes for measuring the cost of adding value (2). In part III of this series, I presented a new set of memes for measuring the added value of knowledge, i.e., intellectual capital (3). In part IV of this series, I discussed practical knowledge management tools for measuring the value of people, structural, and customer capital (4). In part V of this series, I applied intellectual capital and knowledge management concepts at the individual level, to help answer a fundamental question: what is my added value (5)? In the final part of this series, I will review the state of intellectual capital and knowledge management development to date and outline the direction of current knowledge management initiatives and research projects.
Determinants of participation in colorectal cancer screening among community-dwelling Chinese older people: Testing a comprehensive model using a descriptive correlational study.

PubMed

Leung, Doris Y P; Wong, Eliza M L; Chan, Carmen W H

2016-04-01

The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among older people is high. Screening for CRC presents a cost-effective secondary prevention and control strategy which results in a significant reduction in mortality. This study aims to describe the prevalence of CRC screening and examine its risk factors among Chinese community-dwelling older people guided by a comprehensive model combining Health Belief Model and Extended Parallel Processing Model. A descriptive correlational study was conducted. A convenience sample of 240 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 was recruited in May-July in 2012 in Hong Kong. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire which collected information on demographic variables, CRC-related psychosocial variables and whether they had a CRC screening in the past 10 years. Among the participants, 25.4% reported having a CRC screening test. Results of logistic regression analyses indicated that participants with a higher level in cue to action, and lower perceived knowledge barriers and severity-fear were significantly associated with participation in CRC screening. But there were no significant associations between fatalism and cancer fear with screening. The prevalence of CRC screening was low in Hong Kong Chinese community-dwelling elders. A number of modifiable factors associated with CRC screening were identified which provides specific targets for interventions. This study also adds to the knowledge regarding the associations between fatalism and fear with CRC screening behaviors among Chinese older people. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Stiripentol add-on therapy for focal refractory epilepsy.

PubMed

Brigo, Francesco; Igwe, Stanley C; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi

2018-05-10

This is an updated version of the Cochrane review last published in 2015 (Issue 10). For nearly 30% of people with epilepsy, seizures are not controlled by current treatments. Stiripentol is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) that was developed in France and was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2007 for the treatment of Dravet syndrome as an adjunctive therapy with valproate and clobazam, with promising effects. To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of stiripentol as add-on treatment for people with focal refractory epilepsy who are taking AEDs. For the latest update, we searched the following databases on 21 August 2017: Cochrane Epilepsy Specialized Register, CENTRAL , MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We contacted Biocodex (the manufacturer of stiripentol) and epilepsy experts to identify published, unpublished and ongoing trials. Randomised, controlled, add-on trials of stiripentol in people with focal refractory epilepsy. Review authors independently selected trials for inclusion and extracted data. Outcomes investigated included 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency, seizure freedom, adverse effects, treatment withdrawal and changes in quality of life. On the basis of our selection criteria, we included no new studies in the present review. Only one study was included from the earlier review (32 children with focal epilepsy). This study adopted a 'responder enriched' design and found no clear evidence of a reduction in seizure frequency (≥ 50% seizure reduction) (risk ratio (RR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 2.82, low-quality evidence) nor evidence of seizure freedom (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.31 to 4.43, low-quality evidence) when add-on stiripentol was compared with placebo. Stiripentol led to a greater risk of adverse effects considered as a whole (RR 2.65, 95% CI 1.08 to 6.47, low-quality evidence). When specific adverse events were considered, confidence intervals were very wide and showed the possibility of substantial increases and small reductions in risks of neurological (RR 2.65, 95% CI 0.88 to 8.01, low-quality evidence) or gastrointestinal adverse effects (RR 11.56, 95% CI 0.71 to 189.36, low-quality evidence). Researchers noted no clear reduction in the risk of study withdrawal (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.47, low-quality evidence), which was high in both groups (35.0% in add-on placebo and 53.3% in stiripentol group, low-quality evidence). The external validity of this study was limited because only responders to stiripentol (i.e. patients experiencing a ≥ 50% decrease in seizure frequency compared with baseline) were included in the randomised, add-on, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase. Furthermore, carry-over and withdrawal effects probably influenced outcomes related to seizure frequency. Very limited information derived from the only included study shows that adverse effects considered as a whole seemed to occur significantly more often with add-on stiripentol than with add-on placebo. Since the last version of this review was published, we have found no new studies. Hence, we have made no changes to the conclusions of this update as presented in the initial review. We can draw no conclusions to support the use of stiripentol as add-on treatment for focal refractory epilepsy. Additional large, randomised, well-conducted trials are needed.
Biochemical and structural investigations on phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase from Mycobacterium smegmatis

PubMed Central

Donini, Stefano; Garavaglia, Silvia; Ferraris, Davide M.; Miggiano, Riccardo; Mori, Shigetarou; Shibayama, Keigo

2017-01-01

Mycobacterium smegmatis represents one model for studying the biology of its pathogenic relative Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The structural characterization of a M. tuberculosis ortholog protein can serve as a valid tool for the development of molecules active against the M. tuberculosis target. In this context, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of M. smegmatis phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase (PrsA), the ortholog of M. tuberculosis PrsA, the unique enzyme responsible for the synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP). PRPP is a key metabolite involved in several biosynthetic pathways including those for histidine, tryptophan, nucleotides and decaprenylphosphoryl-arabinose, an essential precursor for the mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis. Since M. tuberculosis PrsA has been validated as a drug target for the development of antitubercular agents, the data presented here will add to the knowledge of the mycobacterial enzyme and could contribute to the development of M. tuberculosis PrsA inhibitors of potential pharmacological interest. PMID:28419153
Biochemical and structural investigations on phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase from Mycobacterium smegmatis.

PubMed

Donini, Stefano; Garavaglia, Silvia; Ferraris, Davide M; Miggiano, Riccardo; Mori, Shigetarou; Shibayama, Keigo; Rizzi, Menico

2017-01-01

Mycobacterium smegmatis represents one model for studying the biology of its pathogenic relative Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The structural characterization of a M. tuberculosis ortholog protein can serve as a valid tool for the development of molecules active against the M. tuberculosis target. In this context, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of M. smegmatis phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase (PrsA), the ortholog of M. tuberculosis PrsA, the unique enzyme responsible for the synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP). PRPP is a key metabolite involved in several biosynthetic pathways including those for histidine, tryptophan, nucleotides and decaprenylphosphoryl-arabinose, an essential precursor for the mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis. Since M. tuberculosis PrsA has been validated as a drug target for the development of antitubercular agents, the data presented here will add to the knowledge of the mycobacterial enzyme and could contribute to the development of M. tuberculosis PrsA inhibitors of potential pharmacological interest.
Measuring the impact of enhanced kinship navigator services for informal kinship caregivers using an experimental design.

PubMed

Feldman, Leonard H; Fertig, Amanda

2013-01-01

While relative care may offer significant benefits to kin children as compared to non-relative foster care, informal kinship caregivers often experience various hardships and needs without the resources of the child welfare system to aid them. They may benefit from services provided by an expanded kinship navigator program. This study, using an experimental design, adds to knowledge about the characteristics and needs of kinship caregivers and the impact of enhanced navigator services. The relative effect of this more intensive intervention was mixed. Caregivers had many of their expressed needs met. Yet, the enhanced services group did not demonstrate: an increase in perceived social support; reduction in caregiver stress; or improvement in child behavior compared to the families receiving brief, traditional navigator services. Little difference was found in post intervention involvement in the child welfare system. Further enhancements to the model are suggested.
The Comfortable Cafeteria Program for Promoting Student Participation and Enjoyment: An Outcome Study

PubMed Central

Demirjian, Louise; Horvath, Frances; Doxsey, Lauri

2018-01-01

A mixed-methods design was used to explore the outcomes of a 6-wk, occupational therapist–led Comfortable Cafeteria program designed to build cafeteria supervisors’ and students’ capacity to create a positive mealtime environment so that all students can successfully participate in and enjoy a healthy meal and socialization with peers. Students whose scores were in the low and mid-range at the outset had statistically significant improvements in pretest–posttest visual analog scale ratings of participation and enjoyment. Cafeteria supervisors demonstrated statistically significant improvements in their perceptions of knowledge and skills to supervise and to encourage healthy eating. Qualitative findings add further insight into the program, suggesting that students learned prosocial values (e.g., being kind, helping others), supervisors actively encouraged positive social interaction, and occupational therapists enjoyed implementing the program and recognized positive supervisor and student changes as a result of integrating services in the cafeteria. PMID:29689174
Mediating consolation with suicidal patients.

PubMed

Gilje, Fredricka; Talseth, Anne-Grethe

2007-07-01

Psychiatric nurses frequently encounter suicidal patients. Caring for such patients often raises ethical questions and dilemmas. The research question for this study was: 'What understandings are revealed in texts about consolation and psychiatric nurses' responses to suicidal patients?' A Gadamerian approach guided re-interpretation of published texts. Through synthesizing four interpretive phases, a comprehensive interpretation emerged. This revealed being 'at home' with self, or an ethical way of being, as a hermeneutic understanding of a way to become ready to mediate consolation with suicidal patients. Trustworthiness was addressed by means of the qualities of auditability, credibility and confirmability. This re-interpretation adds to nursing knowledge, enhances understanding of previous research findings, provides pre-understanding for further research and reveals the value of hermeneutic inquiry in nursing. It also deepens understanding of a published model of consolation. These understandings may help to guide nurses who are struggling with suicidal patients.
The many facets of the (non-relativistic) Nuclear Equation of State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, G.; Zheng, H.; Bonasera, A.

2014-05-01

A nucleus is a quantum many body system made of strongly interacting Fermions, protons and neutrons (nucleons). This produces a rich Nuclear Equation of State whose knowledge is crucial to our understanding of the composition and evolution of celestial objects. The nuclear equation of state displays many different features; first neutrons and protons might be treated as identical particles or nucleons, but when the differences between protons and neutrons are spelled out, we can have completely different scenarios, just by changing slightly their interactions. At zero temperature and for neutron rich matter, a quantum liquid-gas phase transition at low densities or a quark-gluon plasma at high densities might occur. Furthermore, the large binding energy of the α particle, a Boson, might also open the possibility of studying a system made of a mixture of Bosons and Fermions, which adds to the open problems of the nuclear equation of state.

Characterisation of Feature Points in Eye Fundus Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvo, D.; Ortega, M.; Penedo, M. G.; Rouco, J.

The retinal vessel tree adds decisive knowledge in the diagnosis of numerous opthalmologic pathologies such as hypertension or diabetes. One of the problems in the analysis of the retinal vessel tree is the lack of information in terms of vessels depth as the image acquisition usually leads to a 2D image. This situation provokes a scenario where two different vessels coinciding in a point could be interpreted as a vessel forking into a bifurcation. That is why, for traking and labelling the retinal vascular tree, bifurcations and crossovers of vessels are considered feature points. In this work a novel method for these retinal vessel tree feature points detection and classification is introduced. The method applies image techniques such as filters or thinning to obtain the adequate structure to detect the points and sets a classification of these points studying its environment. The methodology is tested using a standard database and the results show high classification capabilities.
Smelling directions: Olfaction modulates ambiguous visual motion perception

PubMed Central

Kuang, Shenbing; Zhang, Tao

2014-01-01

Senses of smells are often accompanied by simultaneous visual sensations. Previous studies have documented enhanced olfactory performance with concurrent presence of congruent color- or shape- related visual cues, and facilitated visual object perception when congruent smells are simultaneously present. These visual object-olfaction interactions suggest the existences of couplings between the olfactory pathway and the visual ventral processing stream. However, it is not known if olfaction can modulate visual motion perception, a function that is related to the visual dorsal stream. We tested this possibility by examining the influence of olfactory cues on the perceptions of ambiguous visual motion signals. We showed that, after introducing an association between motion directions and olfactory cues, olfaction could indeed bias ambiguous visual motion perceptions. Our result that olfaction modulates visual motion processing adds to the current knowledge of cross-modal interactions and implies a possible functional linkage between the olfactory system and the visual dorsal pathway. PMID:25052162
Impact of Gender Binarism on Hijras' Life Course and Their Access to Fundamental Human Rights in Pakistan.

PubMed

Alizai, Aurangzaib; Doneys, Philippe; Doane, Donna L

2017-01-01

This study adds to the growing body of knowledge on gender nonconformity aspects of heteronormativity by examining its impact on the life course of hijras and their access to fundamental human rights in Pakistan. Drawing on 50 semistructured interviews conducted in two sites, the findings suggest that the participants' lived experiences associated with gender nonconformity significantly influenced the direction of their life course and their ability to have access to human rights. These experiences spanned from childhood to elderhood across a wide range of settings, such as family, school, guru dera (residence headed by a hijra guru), workplace, and interactions with authorities. The participants' human rights were not recognized, resulting in abuse, social stigma, discrimination against them, and their exclusion from mainstream society. Finally, implications are drawn for public policy and future research on third gender concerns in Pakistan and elsewhere.
Narratives of the double bind: Intersectionality in life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Lily T.; Kachchaf, Rachel R.; Ong, Maria; Hodari, Apriel K.

2013-01-01

This paper presents themes on the life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy. Drawing from our NSF-sponsored project, Beyond the Double Bind: Women of Color in STEM, we share findings from 10 interviews and 41 extant texts (about 23 women in varied life stages). Employing intersectionality theory and narrative analysis, our study contributes a critical analysis of how the intersection of gender and race affects performance, identity, persistence and overall career and education experiences in the physical sciences. Our findings both support existing literature on women of color in STEM, as well as bring to light two major, emergent issues: the importance of activism, and school/work-life balance. This research will add to the knowledge base about strategies for retaining women of color--widely considered an untapped source of domestic talent that could fill the country's scientific workforce needs.
Can nurses trust nurses in recovery reentering the workplace?

PubMed

Cook, Lisa M

2013-03-01

To examine the ability of working direct care nurses to trust nurses in recovery from substance use (or abuse) disorders (SUDs) reentering the workplace. A researcher-designed quantitative survey was used to gather data. Nurses said that they've worked with a nurse with SUD at some time in their career. Nurses are willing to trust their recovering colleagues and strongly agree that nurses in recovery should be allowed to return to the healthcare profession. Many nurses don't know how to provide help or where to locate support such as assistance programs or alternative-to-discipline programs for their impaired colleagues. This study adds to the body of knowledge in the crucial issue of addiction in nursing. Healthcare institutions struggle with best practices in assisting nurses in recovery. By examining underlying issues such as trust, a better understanding of how to implement educational programs may emerge.
A multilocus approach to assessing co-evolutionary relationships between Steinernema spp. (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) and their bacterial symbionts Xenorhabdus spp. (gamma-Proteobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae).

PubMed

Lee, Ming-Min; Stock, S Patricia

2010-09-01

Nematodes of the genus Steinernema Travassos, 1927 (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) and their associated bacteria, Xenorhabdus spp. (gamma-Proteobacteria), are an emergent model of terrestrial animal-microbe symbiosis. Interest in this association initially arose out of their potential as biocontrol agents against insect pests, but, despite advances in their field application and the growing popularity of this model system, relatively little has been published to uncover the evolutionary facets of this beneficial partnership. This study adds to the body of knowledge regarding nematode-bacteria symbiosis by proposing a possible scenario for their historical association in the form of a cophylogenetic hypothesis. Topological and likelihood based testing methods were employed to reconstruct a history of association between 30 host-symbiont pairs and to gauge the level of similarity between their inferred phylogenetic patterns.
The Computer Aided Aircraft-design Package (CAAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yalif, Guy U.

1994-01-01

The preliminary design of an aircraft is a complex, labor-intensive, and creative process. Since the 1970's, many computer programs have been written to help automate preliminary airplane design. Time and resource analyses have identified, 'a substantial decrease in project duration with the introduction of an automated design capability'. Proof-of-concept studies have been completed which establish 'a foundation for a computer-based airframe design capability', Unfortunately, today's design codes exist in many different languages on many, often expensive, hardware platforms. Through the use of a module-based system architecture, the Computer aided Aircraft-design Package (CAAP) will eventually bring together many of the most useful features of existing programs. Through the use of an expert system, it will add an additional feature that could be described as indispensable to entry level engineers and students: the incorporation of 'expert' knowledge into the automated design process.
Nucleation study for an undercooled melt of intermetallic NiZr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobold, R.; Kolbe, M.; Hornfeck, W.; Herlach, D. M.

2018-03-01

Electrostatic levitation is applied in order to undercool liquid glass forming NiZr significantly below its melting temperature. For NiZr large undercoolings are found to be highly reproducible with this experimental method. One single NiZr sample of high purity is undercooled 200 consecutive times which leads to a distribution function of undercooling temperatures. Within a statistical approach of classical nucleation theory, the undercooling distribution is analyzed yielding parameters, e.g., a pre-exponential factor of KV ≈ 1035 m-3 s-1, which indicates homogeneous nucleation. This result is consistent with the crystallization behavior of NiZr at high undercooling and with the corresponding microstructural analysis. Since NiZr is a representative of the very common CrB structure type, with 132 isostructural phases existing, understanding its nucleation behavior adds important knowledge to the nucleation of binary alloys in general.
Psychometric Properties and Norms of the German ABC-Community and PAS-ADD Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeilinger, Elisabeth L.; Weber, Germain; Haveman, Meindert J.

2011-01-01

Aim: The aim of the present study was to standardize and generate psychometric evidence of the German language versions of two well-established English language mental health instruments: the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community" (ABC-C) and the "Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities" (PAS-ADD) Checklist. New…
Project DyAdd: Visual Attention in Adult Dyslexia and ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laasonen, Marja; Salomaa, Jonna; Cousineau, Denis; Leppamaki, Sami; Tani, Pekka; Hokkanen, Laura; Dye, Matthew

2012-01-01

In this study of the project DyAdd, three aspects of visual attention were investigated in adults (18-55 years) with dyslexia (n = 35) or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, n = 22), and in healthy controls (n = 35). Temporal characteristics of visual attention were assessed with Attentional Blink (AB), capacity of visual attention…
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riis, Hans L.; Zimmermann, Sune J.; Hjelm-Hansen, Mogens

Purpose: The delivery of high quality stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) treatments to the patient requires knowledge of the position of the isocenter to submillimeter accuracy. To meet the requirements the deviation between the radiation and mechanical isocenters must be less than 1 mm. The use of add-on micromultileaf collimators ({mu}MLCs) in SRS and SRT is an additional challenge to the anticipated high-level geometric and dosimetric accuracy of the treatment. The aim of this work was to quantify the gantry excursions during rotation with and without an add-on {mu}MLC attached to the gantry head. In addition, the shiftmore » in the position of the isocenter and its correlation to the kV beam center of the cone-beam CT system was included in the study. Methods: The quantification of the gantry rotational performance was done using a pointer supported by an in-house made rigid holder attached to the gantry head of the accelerator. The pointer positions were measured using a digital theodolite. To quantify the effect of an {mu}MLC of 50 kg, the measurements were repeated with the {mu}MLC attached to the gantry head. The displacement of the isocenter due to an add-on {mu}MLC of 50 kg was also investigated. In case of the pointer measurement the {mu}MLC was simulated by weights attached to the gantry head. A method of least squares was applied to determine the position and displacement of the mechanical isocenter. Additionally, the displacement of the radiation isocenter was measured using a ball-bearing phantom and the electronic portal image device system. These measurements were based on 8 MV photon beams irradiated onto the ball from the four cardinal angles and two opposed collimator angles. The measurements and analysis of the data were carried out automatically using software delivered by the manufacturer. Results: The displacement of the mechanical isocenter caused by a 50 kg heavy {mu}MLC was found to be (-0.01 {+-} 0.05, -0.10 {+-} 0.03, -0.26 {+-} 0.05) mm in lateral, longitudinal, and vertical direction, respectively. Similarly, the displacement of the radiation isocenter was found to be (0.00 {+-} 0.03, -0.08 {+-} 0.06, -0.32 {+-} 0.02) mm. Good agreement was found between the displacement of the two isocenters. A displacement of the kV cone-beam CT beam center due to the attached weight of 50 kg could not be detected. Conclusions: General characteristics of the gantry arm excursions and displacements caused by an add-on {mu}MLC have been reported. A 50 kg heavy add-on {mu}MLC results in a isocenter displacement downward of 0.26-0.32 mm. The authors recommend that the beam center of the kV cone-beam CT image system should be matched to the isocenter related to the weight of the {mu}MLC. Consequently, the imperfections in isocenter localizations are transferred to the conventional radiotherapy where the clinical consequences of uncertainties in the submillimeter regime are negligible.« less
The experiences of youth serving as caregivers for mentally ill parents: a background review of the literature.

PubMed

Mechling, Brandy M

2011-03-01

Young caregivers of mentally ill parents are a vulnerable population. These vulnerabilities include risks for developmental issues, poor socialization, and poor school performance. The purpose of this background review of the literature is to explore the experiences of young caregivers of mentally ill parents and detect the gaps in the literature. The guiding research questions were: What is the experience of young caregivers of mentally ill parents? and What is the experience for those who witness or must assist their parent during a crisis? The majority of research has been conducted outside the United States, primarily in the United Kingdom, and studies have focused mostly on young caregivers of parents with physical rather than mental illness. No studies focused on young caregivers who witnessed or assisted their mentally ill parent in crisis. Information gained through this review will add to the body of knowledge for child mental health and build a case for additional research. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.
Obesity in social media: a mixed methods analysis.

PubMed

Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia; Prestin, Abby; Kunath, Stephen

2014-09-01

The escalating obesity rate in the USA has made obesity prevention a top public health priority. Recent interventions have tapped into the social media (SM) landscape. To leverage SM in obesity prevention, we must understand user-generated discourse surrounding the topic. This study was conducted to describe SM interactions about weight through a mixed methods analysis. Data were collected across 60 days through SM monitoring services, yielding 2.2 million posts. Data were cleaned and coded through Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, yielding popular themes and the most retweeted content. Qualitative analyses of selected posts add insight into the nature of the public dialogue and motivations for participation. Twitter represented the most common channel. Twitter and Facebook were dominated by derogatory and misogynist sentiment, pointing to weight stigmatization, whereas blogs and forums contained more nuanced comments. Other themes included humor, education, and positive sentiment countering weight-based stereotypes. This study documented weight-related attitudes and perceptions. This knowledge will inform public health/obesity prevention practice.
Towards population-level conservation in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale: the number and distribution of their populations

PubMed Central

Attard, Catherine R. M.; Beheregaray, Luciano B.; Möller, Luciana M.

2016-01-01

Population-level conservation is required to prevent biodiversity loss within a species, but it first necessitates determining the number and distribution of populations. Many whale populations are still depleted due to 20th century whaling. Whales are one of the most logistically difficult and expensive animals to study because of their mobility, pelagic lifestyle and often remote habitat. We tackle the question of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) – a critically endangered subspecies and the largest extant animal – by capitalizing on the largest genetic dataset to date for Antarctic blue whales. We found evidence of three populations that are sympatric in the Antarctic feeding grounds and likely occupy separate breeding grounds. Our study adds to knowledge of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale. Future research should invest in locating the breeding grounds and migratory routes of Antarctic blue whales through satellite telemetry to confirm their population structure and allow population-level conservation. PMID:26951747
Description and Evaluation of a Measurement Technique for Assessment of Performing Gender

PubMed Central

Harris, Kathleen Mullan; Halpern, Carolyn Tucker

2016-01-01

The influence of masculinity and femininity on behaviors and outcomes has been extensively studied in social science research using various measurement strategies. In the present paper, we describe and evaluate a measurement technique that uses existing survey items to capture the extent to which an individual behaves similarly to their same-gender peers. We use data from the first four waves of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents (age 12–18) in the United States who were re-interviewed at ages 13–19, 18–26, and 24–32. We estimate split-half reliability and provide evidence that supports the validity of this measurement technique. We demonstrate that the resulting measure does not perform as a trait measure and is associated with involvement in violent fights, a pattern consistent with theory and empirical findings. This measurement technique represents a novel approach for gender researchers with the potential for expanding our current knowledge base. PMID:28630528
Using GPS Transmitters to Explore Movement Ecology and to Assess Risk of the Wind Energy Industry for Swainson's Hawks

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

Watson, Katheryn A.; Boal, Clint W.; Groen, Laurie M.

Swainson’s hawks (Buteo swainsoni) are a long-distance migratory species that breed in western North America and winter in Argentina. As a grassland species, they can also be found in agricultural settings, such as croplands and pastures. Wind energy is expanding rapidly across the breeding range of the population we chose to study, and we suspect the industry is also expanding in their wintering range and across the migratory pathway. Wind turbines pose a threat to birds, and migratory species may be especially susceptible to turbine-related mortality when these structures are placed in important migratory pathways. The purposes of this longtermmore » study were to examine potential threats that wind energy might pose to Swainson’s hawks on the breeding range, wintering range, and during migration, add to the body of ecological knowledge on migration and wintering habits, and describe breeding habits in a portion of their range that is relatively understudied.« less
Towards population-level conservation in the critically endangered Antarctic blue whale: the number and distribution of their populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attard, Catherine R. M.; Beheregaray, Luciano B.; Möller, Luciana M.

2016-03-01

Population-level conservation is required to prevent biodiversity loss within a species, but it first necessitates determining the number and distribution of populations. Many whale populations are still depleted due to 20th century whaling. Whales are one of the most logistically difficult and expensive animals to study because of their mobility, pelagic lifestyle and often remote habitat. We tackle the question of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) - a critically endangered subspecies and the largest extant animal - by capitalizing on the largest genetic dataset to date for Antarctic blue whales. We found evidence of three populations that are sympatric in the Antarctic feeding grounds and likely occupy separate breeding grounds. Our study adds to knowledge of population structure in the Antarctic blue whale. Future research should invest in locating the breeding grounds and migratory routes of Antarctic blue whales through satellite telemetry to confirm their population structure and allow population-level conservation.
Clinical nursing informatics. Developing tools for knowledge workers.

PubMed

Ozbolt, J G; Graves, J R

1993-06-01

Current research in clinical nursing informatics is proceeding along three important dimensions: (1) identifying and defining nursing's language and structuring its data; (2) understanding clinical judgment and how computer-based systems can facilitate and not replace it; and (3) discovering how well-designed systems can transform nursing practice. A number of efforts are underway to find and use language that accurately represents nursing and that can be incorporated into computer-based information systems. These efforts add to understanding nursing problems, interventions, and outcomes, and provide the elements for databases from which nursing's costs and effectiveness can be studied. Research on clinical judgment focuses on how nurses (perhaps with different levels of expertise) assess patient needs, set goals, and plan and deliver care, as well as how computer-based systems can be developed to aid these cognitive processes. Finally, investigators are studying not only how computers can help nurses with the mechanics and logistics of processing information but also and more importantly how access to informatics tools changes nursing care.
Characterisation of phenolics, betanins and antioxidant activities in seeds of three Chenopodium quinoa Willd. genotypes.

PubMed

Tang, Yao; Li, Xihong; Zhang, Bing; Chen, Peter X; Liu, Ronghua; Tsao, Rong

2015-01-01

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is known for its exceptional nutritional value and potential health benefits. The present study identified the composition of different forms of extractable phenolics and betacyanins of quinoa cultivars in white, red and black, and how they contribute to antioxidant activities. Results showed that at least 23 phenolic compounds were found in either free or conjugated forms (liberated by alkaline and/or acid hydrolysis); the majority of which were phenolic acids, mainly vanillic acid, ferulic acid and their derivatives as well as main flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol and their glycosides. Betacyanins, mainly betanin and isobetanin, were confirmed for the first time to be the pigments of the red and black quinoa seeds, instead of anthocyanins. Darker quinoa seeds had higher phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity. Findings of these phenolics, along with betacyanins in this study add new knowledge to the functional components of quinoa seeds of different cultivar background. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Semantic framework for mapping object-oriented model to semantic web languages

PubMed Central

Ježek, Petr; Mouček, Roman

2015-01-01

The article deals with and discusses two main approaches in building semantic structures for electrophysiological metadata. It is the use of conventional data structures, repositories, and programming languages on one hand and the use of formal representations of ontologies, known from knowledge representation, such as description logics or semantic web languages on the other hand. Although knowledge engineering offers languages supporting richer semantic means of expression and technological advanced approaches, conventional data structures and repositories are still popular among developers, administrators and users because of their simplicity, overall intelligibility, and lower demands on technical equipment. The choice of conventional data resources and repositories, however, raises the question of how and where to add semantics that cannot be naturally expressed using them. As one of the possible solutions, this semantics can be added into the structures of the programming language that accesses and processes the underlying data. To support this idea we introduced a software prototype that enables its users to add semantically richer expressions into a Java object-oriented code. This approach does not burden users with additional demands on programming environment since reflective Java annotations were used as an entry for these expressions. Moreover, additional semantics need not to be written by the programmer directly to the code, but it can be collected from non-programmers using a graphic user interface. The mapping that allows the transformation of the semantically enriched Java code into the Semantic Web language OWL was proposed and implemented in a library named the Semantic Framework. This approach was validated by the integration of the Semantic Framework in the EEG/ERP Portal and by the subsequent registration of the EEG/ERP Portal in the Neuroscience Information Framework. PMID:25762923

Semantic framework for mapping object-oriented model to semantic web languages.

PubMed

Ježek, Petr; Mouček, Roman

2015-01-01

The article deals with and discusses two main approaches in building semantic structures for electrophysiological metadata. It is the use of conventional data structures, repositories, and programming languages on one hand and the use of formal representations of ontologies, known from knowledge representation, such as description logics or semantic web languages on the other hand. Although knowledge engineering offers languages supporting richer semantic means of expression and technological advanced approaches, conventional data structures and repositories are still popular among developers, administrators and users because of their simplicity, overall intelligibility, and lower demands on technical equipment. The choice of conventional data resources and repositories, however, raises the question of how and where to add semantics that cannot be naturally expressed using them. As one of the possible solutions, this semantics can be added into the structures of the programming language that accesses and processes the underlying data. To support this idea we introduced a software prototype that enables its users to add semantically richer expressions into a Java object-oriented code. This approach does not burden users with additional demands on programming environment since reflective Java annotations were used as an entry for these expressions. Moreover, additional semantics need not to be written by the programmer directly to the code, but it can be collected from non-programmers using a graphic user interface. The mapping that allows the transformation of the semantically enriched Java code into the Semantic Web language OWL was proposed and implemented in a library named the Semantic Framework. This approach was validated by the integration of the Semantic Framework in the EEG/ERP Portal and by the subsequent registration of the EEG/ERP Portal in the Neuroscience Information Framework.
An application of the Hospital-in-the-Home unlearning context.

PubMed

Cegarra-Navarro, Juan-Gabriel; Wensley, Anthony K P; Sánchez-Polo, Maria-Teresa

2010-01-01

Many researchers who have investigated health care organizations have indicated that health care professionals are replete with outdated knowledge, and some researchers go even further to argue that without the presence of a context that facilitates unlearning (forgetting) practitioners may lose the ability to recognize relevant changes with respect to knowledge pertaining to all aspects of the health care sector and they may decide to rely on potentially out-of-date knowledge and inappropriate ways of interpreting data with attendant loss of decision quality and attendant risks. This article presents an analysis and develops a model of the factors that influence unlearning which is focused on the health care industry and is comprised of three constituent components: (1) a framework characterizing the lens through which individuals view situations; (2) a framework for characterizing how individual habits change; and (3) a framework for characterizing the manner in which emergent understandings are consolidated into existing knowledge and knowledge structures. The model was developed and analyzed using qualitative data from the Hospital-in-the-Home Unit of a Spanish Regional Hospital. From a practical perspective the article provides for the identification of factors that influence the nature and effectiveness of the unlearning context in Hospital-in-the-Home-Units in regional hospitals. This not only valuably adds to the knowledge of the way these units function but also may enable actions to be taken to improve the learning processes associated with such units, resulting in an improvement in the quality of knowledge used in day-to-day decision making. It is to be assumed that, as a result of improving the quality of knowledge used in decision making, the quality of decisions will be improved.
Excretion of endogenous boldione in human urine: influence of phytosterol consumption.

PubMed

Verheyden, Karolien; Noppe, Herlinde; Vanhaecke, Lynn; Wille, Klaas; Bussche, Julie Vanden; Bekaert, Karen; Thas, Olivier; Janssen, Colin R; De Brabander, Hubert F

2009-10-01

Boldenone (17-hydroxy-androsta-1,4-diene-3-one, Bol) and boldione (androst-1,4-diene-3,17-dione, ADD), are currently listed as exogenous anabolic steroids by the World Anti-Doping Agency. However, it has been reported that these analytes can be produced endogenously. Interestingly, only for Bol a comment is included in the list on its potential endogenous origin. In this study, the endogenous origin of ADD in human urine was investigated, and the potential influence of phytosterol consumption was evaluated. We carried out a 5-week in vivo trial with both men (n=6) and women (n=6) and measured alpha-boldenone, beta-boldenone, boldione, androstenedione, beta-testosterone and alpha-testosterone in their urine using gas chromatography coupled to multiple mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). The results demonstrate that endogenous ADD is sporadically produced at concentrations ranging from 0.751 ng mL(-1) to 1.73 ng mL(-1), whereas endogenous Bol could not be proven. We also tested the effect of the daily consumption of a commercially available phytosterol-enriched yogurt drink on the presence of these analytes in human urine. Results from this study could not indicate a relation of ADD-excretion with the consumption of phytosterols at the recommended dose. The correlations between ADD and other steroids were consistently stronger for volunteers consuming phytosterols (test) than for those refraining from phytosterol consumption (control). Excretion of AED, bT and aT did not appear to be dependent on the consumption of phytosterols. This preliminary in vivo trial indicates the endogenous origin of boldione or ADD in human urine, independent on the presence of any structural related analytes such as phytosterols.
Staff perspectives on the provision of end-of-life care in a community residence for older adults with developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Kirkendall, Abbie M; Waldrop, Deborah

2013-09-01

The purpose of the study was to describe the perceptions of community residence (CR) staff who have cared for older adults with developmental disabilities (ADDs) that are at the end of life. This exploratory, descriptive study utilized qualitative methods that involved semistructured interviews with CR staff members. The setting was a CR that was also an intermediate care facility (ICF) that provided 24-hour residential treatment for medical and/or behavioral needs. At least one registered nurse was present at all times. A CR with at least one resident who was over the age of 40 and had a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness was chosen. Participants included three frontline workers, four managers, and one registered nurse. In-person interviews included open-ended questions about end-of-life care for older ADDs. Demographics such as age, length of time working with ADDs, and education were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographics such as age, and length of time working with ADDs. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Four themes illuminated unique elements of the provision of end-of-life care in a CR: (1) influence of relationships, (2) expression of individuality, (3) contribution of hospice, (4) grief and bereavement, and (5) challenges to end-of-life care. The results provided insight into the unique needs of older ADDs at the end of life and how this influences their care. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of specialized care that involved collaborations with hospice for older ADDs who remain in a CR at the end of life.
BioPortal: enhanced functionality via new Web services from the National Center for Biomedical Ontology to access and use ontologies in software applications.

PubMed

Whetzel, Patricia L; Noy, Natalya F; Shah, Nigam H; Alexander, Paul R; Nyulas, Csongor; Tudorache, Tania; Musen, Mark A

2011-07-01

The National Center for Biomedical Ontology (NCBO) is one of the National Centers for Biomedical Computing funded under the NIH Roadmap Initiative. Contributing to the national computing infrastructure, NCBO has developed BioPortal, a web portal that provides access to a library of biomedical ontologies and terminologies (http://bioportal.bioontology.org) via the NCBO Web services. BioPortal enables community participation in the evaluation and evolution of ontology content by providing features to add mappings between terms, to add comments linked to specific ontology terms and to provide ontology reviews. The NCBO Web services (http://www.bioontology.org/wiki/index.php/NCBO_REST_services) enable this functionality and provide a uniform mechanism to access ontologies from a variety of knowledge representation formats, such as Web Ontology Language (OWL) and Open Biological and Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) format. The Web services provide multi-layered access to the ontology content, from getting all terms in an ontology to retrieving metadata about a term. Users can easily incorporate the NCBO Web services into software applications to generate semantically aware applications and to facilitate structured data collection.
A multiply-add engine with monolithically integrated 3D memristor crossbar/CMOS hybrid circuit.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, B; Lastras-Montaño, M A; Adam, G; Prezioso, M; Hoskins, B; Payvand, M; Madhavan, A; Ghofrani, A; Theogarajan, L; Cheng, K-T; Strukov, D B

2017-02-14

Silicon (Si) based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has been the driving force of the information-technology revolution. However, scaling of CMOS technology as per Moore's law has reached a serious bottleneck. Among the emerging technologies memristive devices can be promising for both memory as well as computing applications. Hybrid CMOS/memristor circuits with CMOL (CMOS + "Molecular") architecture have been proposed to combine the extremely high density of the memristive devices with the robustness of CMOS technology, leading to terabit-scale memory and extremely efficient computing paradigm. In this work, we demonstrate a hybrid 3D CMOL circuit with 2 layers of memristive crossbars monolithically integrated on a pre-fabricated CMOS substrate. The integrated crossbars can be fully operated through the underlying CMOS circuitry. The memristive devices in both layers exhibit analog switching behavior with controlled tunability and stable multi-level operation. We perform dot-product operations with the 2D and 3D memristive crossbars to demonstrate the applicability of such 3D CMOL hybrid circuits as a multiply-add engine. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a functional 3D CMOL hybrid circuit.
The Founding of the Third World Academy of Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salam, Abdus

Nine hundred years ago, a great physician of Islam, Al Asuli, living in Bokhara, wrote a medical pharmacopeia which he divided into two parts, "Diseases of the Rich" and "Diseases of the Poor". If Al Asuli were alive and writing today about the afflictions wrought upon itself by mankind, I am sure he would divide his pharmacopeia into the same two parts. One part of his book would speak of the threat of the nuclear annihilation inflicted on humanity by its richer half. The second part of his book would speak of the major affliction which poor humanity suffers — underdevelopment, undernourishment and famine. He would add that both these diseases spring from a common cause — excess of science and technology in the case of the rich, and the lack of science and technology in the case of the poor. He might also add that the persistence of the second affliction — underdevelopment — was the harder to understand, considering that resources — scientific and material — are indeed available, to eradicate poverty, disease and early. death for the whole of mankind, in this age of scientific knowledge and scientific miracles…
A multiply-add engine with monolithically integrated 3D memristor crossbar/CMOS hybrid circuit

PubMed Central

Chakrabarti, B.; Lastras-Montaño, M. A.; Adam, G.; Prezioso, M.; Hoskins, B.; Cheng, K.-T.; Strukov, D. B.

2017-01-01

Silicon (Si) based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has been the driving force of the information-technology revolution. However, scaling of CMOS technology as per Moore’s law has reached a serious bottleneck. Among the emerging technologies memristive devices can be promising for both memory as well as computing applications. Hybrid CMOS/memristor circuits with CMOL (CMOS + “Molecular”) architecture have been proposed to combine the extremely high density of the memristive devices with the robustness of CMOS technology, leading to terabit-scale memory and extremely efficient computing paradigm. In this work, we demonstrate a hybrid 3D CMOL circuit with 2 layers of memristive crossbars monolithically integrated on a pre-fabricated CMOS substrate. The integrated crossbars can be fully operated through the underlying CMOS circuitry. The memristive devices in both layers exhibit analog switching behavior with controlled tunability and stable multi-level operation. We perform dot-product operations with the 2D and 3D memristive crossbars to demonstrate the applicability of such 3D CMOL hybrid circuits as a multiply-add engine. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a functional 3D CMOL hybrid circuit. PMID:28195239
FoodWiki: Ontology-Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System

PubMed Central

Çelik, Duygu

2015-01-01

An ontology-driven safe food consumption mobile system is considered. Over 3,000 compounds are being added to processed food, with numerous effects on the food: to add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify, and so forth. According to World Health Organization, governments have lately focused on legislation to reduce such ingredients or compounds in manufactured foods as they may have side effects causing health risks such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, allergens, and obesity. By supervising what and how much to eat as well as what not to eat, we can maximize a patient's life quality through avoidance of unhealthy ingredients. Smart e-health systems with powerful knowledge bases can provide suggestions of appropriate foods to individuals. Next-generation smart knowledgebase systems will not only include traditional syntactic-based search, which limits the utility of the search results, but will also provide semantics for rich searching. In this paper, performance of concept matching of food ingredients is semantic-based, meaning that it runs its own semantic based rule set to infer meaningful results through the proposed Ontology-Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System (FoodWiki). PMID:26221624
Thermal Protection Supplement for Reducing Interface Thermal Mismatch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A. (Inventor); Leiser, Daniel B. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A thermal protection system that reduces a mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients CTE between a first material layer (CTE1) and a second material layer (CTE2) at a first layer-second layer interface. A portion of aluminum borosilicate (abs) or another suitable additive (add), whose CTE value, CTE(add), satisfies (CTE(add)-CTE1)(CTE(add)-CTE2)<0, is distributed with variable additive density,.rho.(z;add), in the first material layer and/or in the second material layer, with.rho.(z;add) near the materials interface being relatively high (alternatively, relatively low) and.rho.(z;add) in a region spaced apart from the interface being relatively low (alternatively, relatively high).
Missing Links Between Genetically Inherited Molecules in Split Cord Malformation and Other Anomaly: A Bench to Bedside Approach

PubMed Central

Barik, Mayadhar; Mishra, Pravash R.; Mohapatra, Ashok Kumar

2018-01-01

Aim: Split cord malformation (SCM) is associated with extensive vertebral fusions (Klippel–Feil anomaly). In light of previous embryological theories and recent research findings, we attempt to document the origin of split cord, and vertebral fusions involvement of spectrum of genes is necessary to know better the etiopathogenesis of SCM and its associated diseases. Materials and Methods: We used the various databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Review, Hinari, and Google Scholar for the recently published medical literature. The women had been living and still born infants had SCM. The relative risk (RR) and possible molecular mechanism are described details of major genes and its variants in details. Although molecular genetics involvement including with recent advances of study add an evidence of both Mendelian and Non-Mendelian fashion is discussed with all genetic components. We mentioned our earlier experience and responsibility of SCM and its associated diseases. Results: Although different mechanisms are suggested for the development of SCM observed in our experience, there is a midline lesion bisecting the neuroepithelium and the notochordal plate, which is responsible for complete splitting of the cervical cord with anterior bony defect. The localized disturbance of cervical neural tube closure accounts for SCM with partial dorsal splitting of the cord with posterior vertebral defect and associated diseases. Conclusions: According to the best of our knowledge, this report is the first one to be documented by wider spectrum of variants from (experimental studies to human subject). This add a complex interaction of mutant variants drive toward an additional second-hit alterations for the SCM. The up-to-date information, documented in proper order, derived the bench-to-bedside approach to overcome this burden of SCM, which is globally noticed with other additional diseases. PMID:29899771
Missing Links Between Genetically Inherited Molecules in Split Cord Malformation and Other Anomaly: A Bench to Bedside Approach.

PubMed

Barik, Mayadhar; Mishra, Pravash R; Mohapatra, Ashok Kumar

2018-01-01

Split cord malformation (SCM) is associated with extensive vertebral fusions (Klippel-Feil anomaly). In light of previous embryological theories and recent research findings, we attempt to document the origin of split cord, and vertebral fusions involvement of spectrum of genes is necessary to know better the etiopathogenesis of SCM and its associated diseases. We used the various databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Review, Hinari, and Google Scholar for the recently published medical literature. The women had been living and still born infants had SCM. The relative risk (RR) and possible molecular mechanism are described details of major genes and its variants in details. Although molecular genetics involvement including with recent advances of study add an evidence of both Mendelian and Non-Mendelian fashion is discussed with all genetic components. We mentioned our earlier experience and responsibility of SCM and its associated diseases. Although different mechanisms are suggested for the development of SCM observed in our experience, there is a midline lesion bisecting the neuroepithelium and the notochordal plate, which is responsible for complete splitting of the cervical cord with anterior bony defect. The localized disturbance of cervical neural tube closure accounts for SCM with partial dorsal splitting of the cord with posterior vertebral defect and associated diseases. According to the best of our knowledge, this report is the first one to be documented by wider spectrum of variants from (experimental studies to human subject). This add a complex interaction of mutant variants drive toward an additional second-hit alterations for the SCM. The up-to-date information, documented in proper order, derived the bench-to-bedside approach to overcome this burden of SCM, which is globally noticed with other additional diseases.
Head Lice in Norwegian Households: Actions Taken, Costs and Knowledge

PubMed Central

Rukke, Bjørn Arne; Birkemoe, Tone; Soleng, Arnulf; Lindstedt, Heidi Heggen; Ottesen, Preben

2012-01-01

Introduction Head lice infestations cause distress in many families. A well-founded strategy to reduce head lice prevalence must shorten the infectious period of individual hosts. To develop such a strategy, information about the actions taken (inspection, treatment and informing others about own infestations), level of knowledge and costs is needed. The present study is the first to consider all these elements combined. Materials and Methods A questionnaire was answered by 6203 households from five geographically separated municipalities in Norway. Results 94% of the households treated members with pediculicides when head lice were discovered. Nearly half of the households checked biannually or not at all. Previous occurrence of head lice and multiple children in a household improved both checking frequency and method. More than 90% of the households informed close contacts about their own pediculosis. Direct costs of pediculosis were low (less than €6.25 yearly) for 70% of the households, but the ability to pay for pediculicides decreased with the number of head lice infestations experienced. One in three households kept children from school because of pediculosis. Other widespread misconceptions, such as that excessive cleaning is necessary to fight head lice, may also add unnecessary burden to households. School affiliation had a significant effect on checking frequency and method, knowledge and willingness to inform others about own pediculosis. Conclusions Increased checking frequencies appear to be the most important element to reduce head lice prevalence in Norway and should be a primary focus of future strategies. National campaigns directed through schools to individual households, might be an important tool to achieve this goal. In addition to improving actions taken, such campaigns should also provide accurate information to reduce costs and enhance the level of knowledge about head lice in households. PMID:22393437
Head lice in Norwegian households: actions taken, costs and knowledge.

PubMed

Rukke, Bjørn Arne; Birkemoe, Tone; Soleng, Arnulf; Lindstedt, Heidi Heggen; Ottesen, Preben

2012-01-01

Head lice infestations cause distress in many families. A well-founded strategy to reduce head lice prevalence must shorten the infectious period of individual hosts. To develop such a strategy, information about the actions taken (inspection, treatment and informing others about own infestations), level of knowledge and costs is needed. The present study is the first to consider all these elements combined. A questionnaire was answered by 6203 households from five geographically separated municipalities in Norway. 94% of the households treated members with pediculicides when head lice were discovered. Nearly half of the households checked biannually or not at all. Previous occurrence of head lice and multiple children in a household improved both checking frequency and method. More than 90% of the households informed close contacts about their own pediculosis. Direct costs of pediculosis were low (less than €6.25 yearly) for 70% of the households, but the ability to pay for pediculicides decreased with the number of head lice infestations experienced. One in three households kept children from school because of pediculosis. Other widespread misconceptions, such as that excessive cleaning is necessary to fight head lice, may also add unnecessary burden to households. School affiliation had a significant effect on checking frequency and method, knowledge and willingness to inform others about own pediculosis. Increased checking frequencies appear to be the most important element to reduce head lice prevalence in Norway and should be a primary focus of future strategies. National campaigns directed through schools to individual households, might be an important tool to achieve this goal. In addition to improving actions taken, such campaigns should also provide accurate information to reduce costs and enhance the level of knowledge about head lice in households.
The effect of formal, neonatal communication-intervention training on mothers in kangaroo care

PubMed Central

van Rooyen, Elise

2014-01-01

Abstract Background Due to low-birth-weight, preterm birth, HIV and/or AIDS and poverty-related factors, South Africa presents with an increased prevalence of infants at risk of language delay. A Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) unit offers unique opportunities for training. Aim The aim of the present study was to determine if formal, neonatal communication-intervention training had an effect on mothers’ knowledge and communication interaction with their high-risk infants. Methods Three groups of mothers participated: Group 1 was trained whilst practicing KMC; Group 2 was not trained but practiced KMC; and Group 3 was also not trained but practiced sporadic KMC. Ten mothers per group were matched for age, education level and birth order of their infants. The individual training was based on graded sensory stimulation and responsive mother-infant communication interaction, which emphasised talking and singing by the mother. Results Significant differences were found in mother-infant communication interaction between all three groups, which indicated a positive effect on Group 1 with training. Group 2, KMC without training, also had a positive effect on interaction. However, Group 1 mothers with training demonstrated better knowledge of their infants and were more responsive during interaction than the other two groups. Conclusion The present study suggests that neonatal communication-intervention training adds value to a KMC programme. PMID:26245414
Tell me who you are and I tell you how you feel: expected emotional reactions to success and failure are influenced by knowledge about a person's personality.

PubMed

Hareli, Shlomo; Sharabi, Moshe; Hess, Ursula

2011-08-01

The present research investigated the influence of knowledge about a person's modesty or arrogance on people's expectations regarding that person's emotional reactions to success and failure. Arrogance and modesty reflect the extent to which someone is likely to publicize their ability. Accordingly, we predicted that observers' expectations regarding a person's tendency to publicize their ability should inform expectations about the person's emotional reactions to success and failure. In two vignette studies, observers predicted the emotional state of a protagonist, as well as the probability that s/he will actually express that emotion and share the experience with others. For success, participants predicted a protagonist's pride, happiness, schadenfreude, and embarrassment if praised for a positive outcome. For failure, participants predicted anger, shame, guilt, sadness, and fear reactions. Across studies, personality information explained more variance than did gender or status. Results showed that the expectations for an arrogant person matched modal expectations for success, whereas for failure the expectations for the modest individual were closest to the modal expectations. Specifically, both modest and arrogant individuals were expected to suppress emotions that do not fit their self-presentational styles rather than to exaggerate expressions that do. This paper adds to our understanding of the information that people use to predict others' emotional reactions.
Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults.

PubMed

Konrath, Sara; Fuhrel-Forbis, Andrea; Lou, Alina; Brown, Stephanie

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of motives for volunteering on respondents' mortality risk 4 years later. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine whether motives for volunteering predicted later mortality risk, above and beyond volunteering itself, in older adults from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Covariates included age, gender, socioeconomic variables, physical, mental, and cognitive health, health risk behaviors, personality traits, received social support, and actual volunteering behavior. Replicating prior work, respondents who volunteered were at lower risk for mortality 4 years later, especially those who volunteered more regularly and frequently. However, volunteering behavior was not always beneficially related to mortality risk: Those who volunteered for self-oriented reasons had a mortality risk similar to nonvolunteers. Those who volunteered for other-oriented reasons had a decreased mortality risk, even in adjusted models. This study adds to the existing literature on the powerful effects of social interactions on health and is the first study to our knowledge to examine the effect of motives on volunteers' subsequent mortality. Volunteers live longer than nonvolunteers, but this is only true if they volunteer for other-oriented reasons.
Materialism, Altruism, Environmental Values, Learning Strategies and Sustainable Claim on Purchase Intention of Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) - A Literature Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syakir Shukor, Muhamad; Sulaiman, Zuraidah; Chin, Thoo Ai; Zakuan, Norhayati; Merlinda Muharam, Farrah

2017-06-01

One of the toughest challenges in social marketing is behaviour intervention. Previous research have developed various models and theories to simultaneously examine behaviour changes and their effects. Due to resources scarcity and global warming, automakers have come out with an innovative idea of Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) which has been a great improvement in the automotive industry. This invention targets for behavioral change or behavioral adoption for consumers to adjust their preferences from conventional vehicle to EEV. High market growth in automotive industry have encouraged social marketers, policymakers, governments and academics to propose suitable intervention approach in motivating preferences toward EEV. This study will explore the causal model of Environmental Responsible Behaviour (ERB) in measuring the purchase intention of EEV in Malaysia. In specific, this study focuses on two types of EEV - hybrid car and fuel efficient car. This study will hopefully add onto the body of knowledge for value orientation that influences green behaviour. From the practical perspective, this study may provide insights in assisting the stakeholders and automotive industry players on promoting the pro-behaviour toward EEV.
Understanding the Etiology of Prescription Opioid Abuse: Implications for Prevention and Treatment

PubMed Central

Rigg, Khary K.; Murphy, John W.

2013-01-01

Although studies on the initiation of substance abuse abound, the body of literature on prescription opioid abuse (POA) etiology is small. Little is known about why and how the onset of POA occurs, especially among high-risk populations. In this study we aimed to fill this important knowledge gap by exploring the POA initiation experiences of 90 prescription opioid abusers currently in treatment and their narrative accounts of the circumstances surrounding their POA onset. This research was conducted within a storyline framework, which operates on the premise that the path to drug abuse represents a biography or a process rather than a static condition. Audiotapes of in-depth interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed. Analyses revealed the presence of four trajectories leading to POA. This study adds to the limited research on POA etiology by not only illuminating the psychosocial factors that contribute to POA onset, but also by situating initiation experiences within broader life processes. The study findings provide crucial insights to policymakers and interventionists in identifying who is at risk for POA, and more important, when and how to intervene most efficaciously. PMID:23656723
Understanding the etiology of prescription opioid abuse: implications for prevention and treatment.

PubMed

Rigg, Khary K; Murphy, John W

2013-07-01

Although studies on the initiation of substance abuse abound, the body of literature on prescription opioid abuse (POA) etiology is small. Little is known about why and how the onset of POA occurs, especially among high-risk populations. In this study we aimed to fill this important knowledge gap by exploring the POA initiation experiences of 90 prescription opioid abusers currently in treatment and their narrative accounts of the circumstances surrounding their POA onset. This research was conducted within a storyline framework, which operates on the premise that the path to drug abuse represents a biography or a process rather than a static condition. Audiotapes of in-depth interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed. Analyses revealed the presence of four trajectories leading to POA. This study adds to the limited research on POA etiology by not only illuminating the psychosocial factors that contribute to POA onset, but also by situating initiation experiences within broader life processes. The study findings provide crucial insights to policymakers and interventionists in identifying who is at risk for POA, and more important, when and how to intervene most efficaciously.

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