42 CFR 414.605 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... unless otherwise specified: Advanced life support (ALS) assessment is an assessment performed by an ALS... the time of dispatch was such that only an ALS crew was qualified to perform the assessment. An ALS assessment does not necessarily result in a determination that the patient requires an ALS level of service...

42 CFR 414.605 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... unless otherwise specified: Advanced life support (ALS) assessment is an assessment performed by an ALS... the time of dispatch was such that only an ALS crew was qualified to perform the assessment. An ALS assessment does not necessarily result in a determination that the patient requires an ALS level of service...

Award-Winning Performance and Consulting: An Interview with Burt Huber.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickelman, Gary

2001-01-01

Burt Huber and his team from Ariel Performance Centered Systems won a performance support design award at last year's Online Learning Conference for their system at Payless shoes. Huber discusses some details of his organization's designs; how he approaches a client; how he assesses organizational readiness for performance support; role of…

Constructivism and the use of performance assessment in science: A comparative study of beliefs among preservice and inservice teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bednarski, Marsha H.

Reform efforts in science education stress the importance of preservice and inservice teacher education in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. A change in current student assessment practices is seen as the catalyst in the reform of curriculum and instruction. Recommended for assessment of the proposed inquiry-based science programs are performance-based assessments (National Research Council, 1996). The constructivist philosophy, the foundation for these reform efforts, proposes that knowledge acquisition by the learner is a result of the interaction between what is brought to the learning situation and what is experienced while in it. Literature supports the use of constructivist-based instructional strategies for preservice and inservice teacher education (American Federation of Teachers, National Council on Measurement in Education, and National Education Association, 1990). Literature also provides support for the importance of teacher beliefs in relation to the successful transfer of these instructional strategies (Keegan, 1992; Nespor, 1987). There is not supporting evidence related to constructivist instructional strategies and teacher beliefs transferring to the use of performance assessment. This study identified whether preservice and inservice teachers differed with respect to their beliefs about constructivist-based learning strategies and performance assessment. It also identified whether teacher beliefs held about constructivist-based learning strategies were related to the construction of assessments they developed for use in their classrooms. Education majors enrolled in a Northeastern university's assessment course and inservice teachers from three Northeast public school districts participated in this study. Results of a 36-item belief survey, administered to preservice and inservice teachers, and a 10-item checklist, used to score assessment examples provided by the teachers, concluded that attitudes toward constructivist-based learning strategies is a predictor for group membership with the inservice teacher group. There is a correlation between attitudes toward constructivism and attitudes related to the benefits of using performance assessments for both the preservice and inservice groups. There is not a significant correlation between constructivist attitudes and using performance assessment. Although teachers in this study hold constructivist attitudes and acknowledge the benefits of using performance assessment, they do not use performance assessments.

Energy and Water Conservation Assessment of the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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

Johnson, Stephanie R.; Koehler, Theresa M.; Boyd, Brian K.

2014-05-31

This report summarizes the results of an energy and water conservation assessment of the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The assessment was performed in October 2013 by engineers from the PNNL Building Performance Team with the support of the dedicated RPL staff and several Facilities and Operations (F&O) department engineers. The assessment was completed for the Facilities and Operations (F&O) department at PNNL in support of the requirements within Section 432 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.

Performance Assessment for Pump-and-Treat Closure or Transition

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

Truex, Michael J.; Johnson, Christian D.; Becker, Dave J.

2015-09-29

A structured performance assessment approach is useful to evaluate pump-and-treat (P&T) groundwater remediation, which has been applied at numerous sites. Consistent with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Groundwater Road Map, performance assessment during remedy implementation may be needed, and should consider remedy optimization, transition to alternative remedies, or remedy closure. In addition, a recent National Research Council study examined groundwater remediation at complex contaminated sites and concluded that it may be beneficial to evaluate remedy performance and the potential need for transition to alternative approaches at these sites. The intent of this document is to provide a structured approach formore » assessing P&T performance to support a decision to optimize, transition, or close a P&T remedy. The process presented in this document for gathering information and performing evaluations to support P&T remedy decisions includes use of decision elements to distinguish between potential outcomes of a remedy decision. Case studies are used to augment descriptions of decision elements and to illustrate each type of outcome identified in the performance assessment approach. The document provides references to resources for tools and other guidance relevant to conducting the P&T assessment.« less

Cyberstalking Victimization, Depression, and Academic Performance: The Role of Perceived Social Support from Parents.

PubMed

Wright, Michelle F

2018-02-01

Little attention has been given to adolescents' experience of cyberstalking and how such experiences relate to their depression and academic performance. It is less clear how other variables, such as perceived social support, might impact these associations. Addressing these gaps in the literature, this study investigated the potential moderating effect of perceived social support from parents on the association between cyberstalking victimization and depression and academic performance, each assessed 1 year later, from 11th to 12th grade. Participants were 413 adolescents (ages 17-19 years old; 54 percent female; M = 17.39 years, SD = 0.53) in the 12th grade from a Midwestern city in the United States. They completed questionnaires on their self-reported face-to-face and cyberstalking victimization, depression, and perceived social support from parents. Adolescents' academic performance was also assessed using their school records. During the 12th grade, depression and academic performance were examined again. The findings indicated that the association between cyberstalking victimization and Time 2 depression was much more positive at lower levels of perceived social support, while such an association was more negative at higher levels of perceived social support. Opposite patterns were found for Time 2 academic performance. The results indicate the need for additional research focused on cyberstalking about adolescents.

Effects of Learning on Performance When Computerized Dynamic Posturography Assessments Are Repeated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Laura C.; Paloski, William H.; Wood, Scott J.

2008-01-01

Background: Computerized dynamic posturography is widely used to measure balance control performance. Clinically, performance is assessed by comparing individual data against standards obtained from a normative population. When performing repeated assessments to track performance changes, one must be concerned with the influence of learning effects. Subjects do not have the opportunity to practice before the first session, and often a second session is not performed prior to an experiment. Thus, the objective of this activity was to examine learning effects on balance control performance. We hypothesize that subjects will perform better on the second session when compared to the first, and that the difference will be greater for more difficult conditions. Methods: Data were collected from 204 subjects using the NeuroCom Equitest system during quiet stance with arms crossed at the chest on up to two sessions. All subjects performed standard sensory organization tests (SOTs) including 1) normal vision, fixed support; 2) absent vision, fixed support; 3) sway-referenced vision, fixed support; 4) normal vision, swayreferenced support; 5) absent vision, sway-referenced support; and 6) sway-referenced vision, sway-referenced support. 120 of these subjects performed modified sensory organization tests (mSOTs 2 and 5) which included static (20 back) and dynamic (20, 0.33Hz) head tilts. Median equilibrium scores (mEQ) were calculated from peak-to-peak anterior-posterior sway across trials. Data collected on the first session were then compared with the second to examine learning effect. Results: There were no differences in mEQ scores between the first and second sessions for SOTs 1, 2, and 4, while mEQ scores were higher for the second session when compared to the first for SOTs 3, 5, and 6 and for all mSOTs. Discussion: An additional familiarization session or practice trials prior to the first session may be necessary for more challenging SOT and mSOT conditions to minimize learning effect.

Effective Science Instruction: Impact on High-Stakes Assessment Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carla C.; Zhang, Danhui; Kahle, Jane Butler

2012-01-01

This longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the impact of effective science instruction on performance on high-stakes high school graduation assessments in science. This study provides powerful findings to support authentic science teaching to enhance long-term retention of learning and performance on state-mandated…

Causes of dissociation between subjective workload measures and performance - Caveats for the use of subjective assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidulich, M. A.; Wickens, C. D.

1985-01-01

Dissociations between subjective workload assessments and performance were investigated. The difficulty of a Sternberg memory search task was manipulated by varying stimulus presentation rate, stimulus discernibility, value of good performance, and automaticity of performance. All Sternberg task conditions were performed both alone and concurrently with a tracking task. Bipolar subjective workload assessments were collected. Dissociations between workload and performance were found related to automaticity, presentation rate, and motivation level. The results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that the specific cognitive processes responsible for subjective assessments can differ from those responsible for performance. The potential contamination these dissociations could inflict on operational workload assessments is discussed.

Occupational therapy with people with depression: using nominal group technique to collate clinician opinion.

PubMed

Hitch, Danielle; Taylor, Michelle; Pepin, Genevieve

2015-05-01

This aim of this study was to obtain a consensus from clinicians regarding occupational therapy for people with depression, for the assessments and practices they use that are not currently supported by research evidence directly related to functional performance. The study also aimed to discover how many of these assessments and practices were currently supported by research evidence. Following a previously reported systematic review of assessments and practices used in occupational therapy for people with depression, a modified nominal group technique was used to discover which assessments and practices occupational therapists currently utilize. Three online surveys gathered initial data on therapeutic options (survey 1), which were then ranked (survey 2) and re-ranked (survey 3) to gain the final consensus. Twelve therapists completed the first survey, whilst 10 clinicians completed both the second and third surveys. Only 30% of the assessments and practices identified by the clinicians were supported by research evidence. A consensus was obtained on a total of 35 other assessments and interventions. These included both occupational-therapy-specific and generic assessments and interventions. Principle conclusion. Very few of the assessments and interventions identified were supported by research evidence directly related to functional performance. While a large number of options were generated, the majority of these were not occupational therapy specific.

The Virtual Shop: A new immersive virtual reality environment and scenario for the assessment of everyday memory.

PubMed

Ouellet, Émilie; Boller, Benjamin; Corriveau-Lecavalier, Nick; Cloutier, Simon; Belleville, Sylvie

2018-06-01

Assessing and predicting memory performance in everyday life is a common assignment for neuropsychologists. However, most traditional neuropsychological tasks are not conceived to capture everyday memory performance. The Virtual Shop is a fully immersive task developed to assess memory in a more ecological way than traditional neuropsychological assessments. Two studies were undertaken to assess the feasibility of the Virtual Shop and to appraise its ecological and construct validity. In study 1, 20 younger and 19 older adults completed the Virtual Shop task to evaluate its level of difficulty and the way the participants interacted with the VR material. The construct validity was examined with the contrasted-group method, by comparing the performance of younger and older adults. In study 2, 35 individuals with subjective cognitive decline completed the Virtual Shop task. Performance was correlated with an existing questionnaire evaluating everyday memory in order to appraise its ecological validity. To add further support to its construct validity, performance was correlated with traditional episodic memory and executive tasks. All participants successfully completed the Virtual Shop. The task had an appropriate level of difficulty that helped differentiate younger and older adults, supporting the feasibility and construct validity of the task. The performance on the Virtual Shop was significantly and moderately correlated with the performance on the questionnaire and on the traditional memory and executive tasks. Results support the feasibility and both the ecological and construct validity of the Virtual Shop. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

May God Guide Our Guns : Visualizing Supernatural Aid Heightens Team Confidence in a Paintball Battle Simulation.

PubMed

Pollack, Jeremy; Holbrook, Colin; Fessler, Daniel M T; Sparks, Adam Maxwell; Zerbe, James G

2018-06-18

The perceived support of supernatural agents has been historically, ethnographically, and theoretically linked with confidence in engaging in violent intergroup conflict. However, scant experimental investigations of such links have been reported to date, and the extant evidence derives largely from indirect laboratory methods of limited ecological validity. Here, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that perceived supernatural aid would heighten inclinations toward coalitional aggression using a realistic simulated coalitional combat paradigm: competitive team paintball. In a between-subjects design, US paintball players recruited for the study were experimentally primed with thoughts of supernatural support using a guided visualization exercise analogous to prayer, or with a control visualization of a nature scene. The participants then competed in a team paintball battle game modeled after "Capture the Flag." Immediately before and after the battle, participants completed surveys assessing confidence in their coalitional and personal battle performance. Participants assessed their coalition's prospects of victory and performance more positively after visualizing supernatural aid. Participants primed with supernatural support also reported inflated assessments of their own performance. Importantly, however, covarying increases in assessments of their overall coalition's performance accounted for the latter effect. This study provided support for the hypothesis that perceived supernatural support can heighten both prospective confidence in coalitional victory and retrospective confidence in the combat performance of one's team, while highlighting the role of competitive play in evoking the coalitional psychology of intergroup conflict. These results accord with and extend convergent prior findings derived from laboratory paradigms far removed from the experience of combat. Accordingly, the field study approach utilized here shows promise as a method for investigating coalitional battle dynamics in a realistic, experientially immersive manner.

Mobile Formative Assessment Tool Based on Data Mining Techniques for Supporting Web-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chih-Ming; Chen, Ming-Chuan

2009-01-01

Current trends clearly indicate that online learning has become an important learning mode. However, no effective assessment mechanism for learning performance yet exists for e-learning systems. Learning performance assessment aims to evaluate what learners learned during the learning process. Traditional summative evaluation only considers final…

Developing Measures of Job Performance for Support Staff in Housing Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton, Chris; Wigham, Sarah; Craig, Jaime

2009-01-01

Background: There is an absence of research concerning the assessment of housing support worker job performance, particularly in the development of job performance measures that reflect the priorities of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Method: A worker-oriented job analysis method was used to develop four short job…

Exploring Systems That Support Good Clinical Care in Indigenous Primary Health-care Services: A Retrospective Analysis of Longitudinal Systems Assessment Tool Data from High-Improving Services.

PubMed

Woods, Cindy; Carlisle, Karen; Larkins, Sarah; Thompson, Sandra Claire; Tsey, Komla; Matthews, Veronica; Bailie, Ross

2017-01-01

Continuous Quality Improvement is a process for raising the quality of primary health care (PHC) across Indigenous PHC services. In addition to clinical auditing using plan, do, study, and act cycles, engaging staff in a process of reflecting on systems to support quality care is vital. The One21seventy Systems Assessment Tool (SAT) supports staff to assess systems performance in terms of five key components. This study examines quantitative and qualitative SAT data from five high-improving Indigenous PHC services in northern Australia to understand the systems used to support quality care. High-improving services selected for the study were determined by calculating quality of care indices for Indigenous health services participating in the Audit and Best Practice in Chronic Disease National Research Partnership. Services that reported continuing high improvement in quality of care delivered across two or more audit tools in three or more audits were selected for the study. Precollected SAT data (from annual team SAT meetings) are presented longitudinally using radar plots for quantitative scores for each component, and content analysis is used to describe strengths and weaknesses of performance in each systems' component. High-improving services were able to demonstrate strong processes for assessing system performance and consistent improvement in systems to support quality care across components. Key strengths in the quality support systems included adequate and orientated workforce, appropriate health system supports, and engagement with other organizations and community, while the weaknesses included lack of service infrastructure, recruitment, retention, and support for staff and additional costs. Qualitative data revealed clear voices from health service staff expressing concerns with performance, and subsequent SAT data provided evidence of changes made to address concerns. Learning from the processes and strengths of high-improving services may be useful as we work with services striving to improve the quality of care provided in other areas.

Twelve tips to promote successful development of a learner performance dashboard within a medical education program.

PubMed

Boscardin, Christy; Fergus, Kirkpatrick B; Hellevig, Bonnie; Hauer, Karen E

2017-11-09

Easily accessible and interpretable performance data constitute critical feedback for learners that facilitate informed self-assessment and learning planning. To provide this feedback, there has been a proliferation of educational dashboards in recent years. An educational (learner) dashboard systematically delivers timely and continuous feedback on performance and can provide easily visualized and interpreted performance data. In this paper, we provide practical tips for developing a functional, user-friendly individual learner performance dashboard and literature review of dashboard development, assessment theory, and users' perspectives. Considering key design principles and maximizing current technological advances in data visualization techniques can increase dashboard utility and enhance the user experience. By bridging current technology with assessment strategies that support learning, educators can continue to improve the field of learning analytics and design of information management tools such as dashboards in support of improved learning outcomes.

The Compass Rose Effectiveness Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiers, Cynthia E.; Kiel, Dorothy; Hohenrink, Brad

2008-01-01

The effectiveness model focuses the institution on mission achievement through assessment and improvement planning. Eleven mission criteria, measured by key performance indicators, are aligned with the accountability interest of internal and external stakeholders. A Web-based performance assessment application supports the model, documenting the…

Enhancing Self-Efficacy and Performance: An Experimental Comparison of Psychological Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Bradley James; O'Halloran, Paul Daniel; Stukas, Arthur Anthony

2016-01-01

Purpose: We assessed how 6 psychological performance enhancement techniques (PETs) differentially improved self-efficacy (SE) and skill performance. We also assessed whether vicarious experiences and verbal persuasion as posited sources of SE (Bandura, 1982) were supported and, further, if the effects of the 6 PETs remained after controlling for…

Performance assessment of small-package-class nonintrusive inspection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spradling, Michael L.; Hyatt, Roger

1997-02-01

The DoD Counterdrug Technology Development Program has addressed the development and demonstration of technology to enhance nonintrusive inspection of small packages such as passenger baggage, commercially delivered parcels, and breakbulk cargo items. Within the past year they have supported several small package-class nonintrusive inspection system performance assessment activities. All performance assessment programs involved the use of a red/blue team concept and were conducted in accordance with approved assessment protocols. This paper presents a discussion related to the systematic performance assessment of small package-class nonintrusive inspection technologies, including transmission, backscatter and computed tomography x-ray imaging, and protocol-related considerations for the assessment of these systems.

From strategy to action: how top managers' support increases middle managers' commitment to innovation implementation in health care organizations.

PubMed

Birken, Sarah A; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J; Chin, Marshall H; Chiu, Michael; Schaefer, Cynthia T

2015-01-01

Evidence suggests that top managers' support influences middle managers' commitment to innovation implementation. What remains unclear is how top managers' support influences middle managers' commitment. Results may be used to improve dismal rates of innovation implementation. We used a mixed-method sequential design. We surveyed (n = 120) and interviewed (n = 16) middle managers implementing an innovation intended to reduce health disparities in 120 U.S. health centers to assess whether top managers' support directly influences middle managers' commitment; by allocating implementation policies and practices; or by moderating the influence of implementation policies and practices on middle managers' commitment. For quantitative analyses, multivariable regression assessed direct and moderated effects; a mediation model assessed mediating effects. We used template analysis to assess qualitative data. We found support for each hypothesized relationship: Results suggest that top managers increase middle managers' commitment by directly conveying to middle managers that innovation implementation is an organizational priority (β = 0.37, p = .09); allocating implementation policies and practices including performance reviews, human resources, training, and funding (bootstrapped estimate for performance reviews = 0.09; 95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.17]); and encouraging middle managers to leverage performance reviews and human resources to achieve innovation implementation. Top managers can demonstrate their support directly by conveying to middle managers that an initiative is an organizational priority, allocating implementation policies and practices such as human resources and funding to facilitate innovation implementation, and convincing middle managers that innovation implementation is possible using available implementation policies and practices. Middle managers may maximize the influence of top managers' support on their commitment by communicating with top managers about what kind of support would be most effective in increasing their commitment to innovation implementation.

From Strategy to Action: How Top Managers’ Support Increases Middle Managers’ Commitment to Innovation Implementation in Healthcare Organizations

PubMed Central

Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J.; Chin, Marshall H.; Chiu, Michael; Schaefer, Cynthia T.

2014-01-01

Background Evidence suggests that top managers’ support influences middle managers’ commitment to innovation implementation. What remains unclear is how top managers’ support influences middle managers’ commitment. Results may be used to improve dismal rates of innovation implementation. Methods We used a mixed-method sequential design. We surveyed (n = 120) and interviewed (n = 16) middle managers implementing an innovation intended to reduce health disparities in 120 US health centers to assess whether top managers’ support influences middle managers’ commitment directly, by allocating implementation policies and practices, or by moderating the influence of implementation policies and practices on middle managers’ commitment. For quantitative analyses, multivariable regression assessed direct and moderated effects; a mediation model assessed mediating effects. We used template analysis to assess qualitative data. Findings We found support for each hypothesized relationship: Results suggest that top managers increase middle managers’ commitment by directly conveying to middle managers that innovation implementation is an organizational priority (β = 0.37, p = 0.09); allocating implementation policies and practices including performance reviews, human resources, training, and funding (bootstrapped estimate for performance reviews = 0.09; 95 percent CI: 0.03, 0.17); and encouraging middle managers to leverage performance reviews and human resources to achieve innovation implementation. Practice Implications Top managers can demonstrate their support by directly conveying to middle managers that an initiative is an organizational priority, allocating implementation policies and practices such as human resources and funding to facilitate innovation implementation, and convincing middle managers that innovation implementation is possible using available implementation policies and practices. Middle managers may maximize the influence of top managers’ support on their commitment by communicating with top managers about what kind of support would be most effective in increasing their commitment to innovation implementation. PMID:24566252

A randomized, controlled trial of in situ pediatric advanced life support recertification ("pediatric advanced life support reconstructed") compared with standard pediatric advanced life support recertification for ICU frontline providers*.

PubMed

Kurosawa, Hiroshi; Ikeyama, Takanari; Achuff, Patricia; Perkel, Madeline; Watson, Christine; Monachino, Annemarie; Remy, Daphne; Deutsch, Ellen; Buchanan, Newton; Anderson, Jodee; Berg, Robert A; Nadkarni, Vinay M; Nishisaki, Akira

2014-03-01

Recent evidence shows poor retention of Pediatric Advanced Life Support provider skills. Frequent refresher training and in situ simulation are promising interventions. We developed a "Pediatric Advanced Life Support-reconstructed" recertification course by deconstructing the training into six 30-minute in situ simulation scenario sessions delivered over 6 months. We hypothesized that in situ Pediatric Advanced Life Support-reconstructed implementation is feasible and as effective as standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support recertification. A prospective randomized, single-blinded trial. Single-center, large, tertiary PICU in a university-affiliated children's hospital. Nurses and respiratory therapists in PICU. Simulation-based modular Pediatric Advanced Life Support recertification training. Simulation-based pre- and postassessment sessions were conducted to evaluate participants' performance. Video-recorded sessions were rated by trained raters blinded to allocation. The primary outcome was skill performance measured by a validated Clinical Performance Tool, and secondary outcome was behavioral performance measured by a Behavioral Assessment Tool. A mixed-effect model was used to account for baseline differences. Forty participants were prospectively randomized to Pediatric Advanced Life Support reconstructed versus standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support with no significant difference in demographics. Clinical Performance Tool score was similar at baseline in both groups and improved after Pediatric Advanced Life Support reconstructed (pre, 16.3 ± 4.1 vs post, 22.4 ± 3.9; p < 0.001), but not after standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support (pre, 14.3 ± 4.7 vs post, 14.9 ± 4.4; p =0.59). Improvement of Clinical Performance Tool was significantly higher in Pediatric Advanced Life Support reconstructed compared with standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support (p = 0.006). Behavioral Assessment Tool improved in both groups: Pediatric Advanced Life Support reconstructed (pre, 33.3 ± 4.5 vs post, 35.9 ± 5.0; p = 0.008) and standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support (pre, 30.5 ± 4.7 vs post, 33.6 ± 4.9; p = 0.02), with no significant difference of improvement between both groups (p = 0.49). For PICU-based nurses and respiratory therapists, simulation-based "Pediatric Advanced Life Support-reconstructed" in situ training is feasible and more effective than standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support recertification training for skill performance. Both Pediatric Advanced Life Support recertification training courses improved behavioral performance.

Modeling and Explaining Content: Definition, Research Support, and Measurement of the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) Assessment Series. Research Memorandum No. RM-16-07

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickler, Leslie; Sykes, Gary

2016-01-01

This report reviews the scholarly and research evidence supporting the construct labeled modeling and explaining content (MEC), which is measured via a performance assessment in the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) assessment series. This construct involves practices at the heart of teaching that deal with how…

Eliciting Student Thinking: Definition, Research Support, and Measurement of the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) Assessment Series. Research Memorandum No. RM-16-06

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qi, Yi; Sykes, Gary

2016-01-01

This report describes and provides research and scholarly support for a core practice of teaching--eliciting student thinking (EST)--that is the target for a performance assessment contributing one component of the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) assessment series. The purpose of this report is to review the…

Reviewing the Self-Assessment of Governing Body Performance in Colleges and Schools in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Ron; James, Ian

2016-01-01

This study considers the rhetoric and practice of self-assessment by governing bodies of schools and colleges. The context expects governing bodies to reflect on their performance and this is supported by theoretical approaches to self-assessment of "boards". However, there are both general notes of caution and interview evidence of the…

User-centered design to improve clinical decision support in primary care.

PubMed

Brunner, Julian; Chuang, Emmeline; Goldzweig, Caroline; Cain, Cindy L; Sugar, Catherine; Yano, Elizabeth M

2017-08-01

A growing literature has demonstrated the ability of user-centered design to make clinical decision support systems more effective and easier to use. However, studies of user-centered design have rarely examined more than a handful of sites at a time, and have frequently neglected the implementation climate and organizational resources that influence clinical decision support. The inclusion of such factors was identified by a systematic review as "the most important improvement that can be made in health IT evaluations." (1) Identify the prevalence of four user-centered design practices at United States Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics and assess the perceived utility of clinical decision support at those clinics; (2) Evaluate the association between those user-centered design practices and the perceived utility of clinical decision support. We analyzed clinic-level survey data collected in 2006-2007 from 170 VA primary care clinics. We examined four user-centered design practices: 1) pilot testing, 2) provider satisfaction assessment, 3) formal usability assessment, and 4) analysis of impact on performance improvement. We used a regression model to evaluate the association between user-centered design practices and the perceived utility of clinical decision support, while accounting for other important factors at those clinics, including implementation climate, available resources, and structural characteristics. We also examined associations separately at community-based clinics and at hospital-based clinics. User-centered design practices for clinical decision support varied across clinics: 74% conducted pilot testing, 62% conducted provider satisfaction assessment, 36% conducted a formal usability assessment, and 79% conducted an analysis of impact on performance improvement. Overall perceived utility of clinical decision support was high, with a mean rating of 4.17 (±.67) out of 5 on a composite measure. "Analysis of impact on performance improvement" was the only user-centered design practice significantly associated with perceived utility of clinical decision support, b=.47 (p<.001). This association was present in hospital-based clinics, b=.34 (p<.05), but was stronger at community-based clinics, b=.61 (p<.001). Our findings are highly supportive of the practice of analyzing the impact of clinical decision support on performance metrics. This was the most common user-centered design practice in our study, and was the practice associated with higher perceived utility of clinical decision support. This practice may be particularly helpful at community-based clinics, which are typically less connected to VA medical center resources. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Performance-based comparison of neonatal intubation training outcomes: simulator and live animal.

PubMed

Andreatta, Pamela B; Klotz, Jessica J; Dooley-Hash, Suzanne L; Hauptman, Joe G; Biddinger, Bea; House, Joseph B

2015-02-01

The purpose of this article was to establish psychometric validity evidence for competency assessment instruments and to evaluate the impact of 2 forms of training on the abilities of clinicians to perform neonatal intubation. To inform the development of assessment instruments, we conducted comprehensive task analyses including each performance domain associated with neonatal intubation. Expert review confirmed content validity. Construct validity was established using the instruments to differentiate between the intubation performance abilities of practitioners (N = 294) with variable experience (novice through expert). Training outcomes were evaluated using a quasi-experimental design to evaluate performance differences between 294 subjects randomly assigned to 1 of 2 training groups. The training intervention followed American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation Program protocols with hands-on practice using either (1) live feline or (2) simulated feline models. Performance assessment data were captured before and directly following the training. All data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures and statistical significance set at P < .05. Content validity, reliability, and consistency evidence were established for each assessment instrument. Construct validity for each assessment instrument was supported by significantly higher scores for subjects with greater levels of experience, as compared with those with less experience (P = .000). Overall, subjects performed significantly better in each assessment domain, following the training intervention (P = .000). After controlling for experience level, there were no significant differences among the cognitive, performance, and self-efficacy outcomes between clinicians trained with live animal model or simulator model. Analysis of retention scores showed that simulator trained subjects had significantly higher performance scores after 18 weeks (P = .01) and 52 weeks (P = .001) and cognitive scores after 52 weeks (P = .001). The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of using valid, reliable assessment instruments to assess clinician competency and self-efficacy in the performance of neonatal intubation. We demonstrated the relative equivalency of live animal and simulation-based models as tools to support acquisition of neonatal intubation skills. Retention of performance abilities was greater for subjects trained using the simulator, likely because it afforded greater opportunity for repeated practice. Outcomes in each assessment area were influenced by the previous intubation experience of participants. This suggests that neonatal intubation training programs could be tailored to the level of provider experience to make efficient use of time and educational resources. Future research focusing on the uses of assessment in the applied clinical environment, as well as identification of optimal training cycles for performance retention, is merited.

Simulation-based assessment to identify critical gaps in safe anesthesia resident performance.

PubMed

Blum, Richard H; Boulet, John R; Cooper, Jeffrey B; Muret-Wagstaff, Sharon L

2014-01-01

Valid methods are needed to identify anesthesia resident performance gaps early in training. However, many assessment tools in medicine have not been properly validated. The authors designed and tested use of a behaviorally anchored scale, as part of a multiscenario simulation-based assessment system, to identify high- and low-performing residents with regard to domains of greatest concern to expert anesthesiology faculty. An expert faculty panel derived five key behavioral domains of interest by using a Delphi process (1) Synthesizes information to formulate a clear anesthetic plan; (2) Implements a plan based on changing conditions; (3) Demonstrates effective interpersonal and communication skills with patients and staff; (4) Identifies ways to improve performance; and (5) Recognizes own limits. Seven simulation scenarios spanning pre-to-postoperative encounters were used to assess performances of 22 first-year residents and 8 fellows from two institutions. Two of 10 trained faculty raters blinded to trainee program and training level scored each performance independently by using a behaviorally anchored rating scale. Residents, fellows, facilitators, and raters completed surveys. Evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the assessment scores was procured, including a high generalizability coefficient (ρ = 0.81) and expected performance differences between first-year resident and fellow participants. A majority of trainees, facilitators, and raters judged the assessment to be useful, realistic, and representative of critical skills required for safe practice. The study provides initial evidence to support the validity of a simulation-based performance assessment system for identifying critical gaps in safe anesthesia resident performance early in training.

Development of an Integrated Team Training Design and Assessment Architecture to Support Adaptability in Healthcare Teams

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

and implementation of embedded, adaptive feedback and performance assessment. The investigators also initiated work designing a Bayesian Belief ...training; Teamwork; Adaptive performance; Leadership; Simulation; Modeling; Bayesian belief networks (BBN) 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION...Trauma teams Team training Teamwork Adaptability Adaptive performance Leadership Simulation Modeling Bayesian belief networks (BBN) 6

Does social insurance enrollment improve citizen assessment of local government performance? Evidence from China.

PubMed

Huang, Xian; Gao, Qin

2018-02-01

Although many studies claim that social policies are "carrots" that authoritarian leaders use to garner public support, the assumption that social benefits can boost public support of government has been rarely tested empirically, especially at the local levels. This article investigates the effects of social insurance enrollment on citizens' assessment of local government performance using data from the 2010 China Family Panel Study. We use propensity score matching to reduce selection bias and ordered probit regressions with fixed effects to examine these possible effects. We find that social insurance enrollment had a significant positive effect on rural citizens' assessment of government performance, but this effect did not exist for their urban and migrant peers. This discrepancy could be largely due to the groups' different expectations for government redistribution and their distinct experiences of China's social welfare reform. We conclude that the Chinese authoritarian government has achieved partial success in its attempt to use social policies to maintain popular support. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Investigating the Effects of Exam Length on Performance and Cognitive Fatigue

PubMed Central

Jensen, Jamie L.; Berry, Dane A.; Kummer, Tyler A.

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of exam length on student performance and cognitive fatigue in an undergraduate biology classroom. Exams tested higher order thinking skills. To test our hypothesis, we administered standard- and extended-length high-level exams to two populations of non-majors biology students. We gathered exam performance data between conditions as well as performance on the first and second half of exams within conditions. We showed that lengthier exams led to better performance on assessment items shared between conditions, possibly lending support to the spreading activation theory. It also led to greater performance on the final exam, lending support to the testing effect in creative problem solving. Lengthier exams did not result in lower performance due to fatiguing conditions, although students perceived subjective fatigue. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to assessment practices. PMID:23950918

A Self-Assessment Framework for Inclusive Schools Supporting Assistive Technology Users.

PubMed

Hoogerwerf, Evert-Jan; Solander-Gross, Andrea; Mavrou, Katerina; Traina, Ivan; Hersh, Marion

2017-01-01

In order to support schools to assess their performance in supporting children with disabilities in their ICT and ICT-AT needs, a self-assessment framework was developed by a task force of partners and associate partners of the ENTELIS project. The self-assessment tool aims to help educational establishments that welcome learners with disabilities to assess their current outcomes and to plan improvements in supporting these students in increasing digital literacy and developing digital skills. This includes the use of mainstream Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and specially designed digital Assistive Technologies (ICT-AT). This can only successfully happen if schools fully embrace an inclusive approach to education. In this paper the authors describe the development of the framework and the further steps for its use.

Training and Assessment of Hysteroscopic Skills: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Savran, Mona Meral; Sørensen, Stine Maya Dreier; Konge, Lars; Tolsgaard, Martin G; Bjerrum, Flemming

2016-01-01

The aim of this systematic review was to identify studies on hysteroscopic training and assessment. PubMed, Excerpta Medica, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched in January 2015. Manual screening of references and citation tracking were also performed. Studies on hysteroscopic educational interventions were selected without restrictions on study design, populations, language, or publication year. A qualitative data synthesis including the setting, study participants, training model, training characteristics, hysteroscopic skills, assessment parameters, and study outcomes was performed by 2 authors working independently. Effect sizes were calculated when possible. Overall, 2 raters independently evaluated sources of validity evidence supporting the outcomes of the hysteroscopy assessment tools. A total of 25 studies on hysteroscopy training were identified, of which 23 were performed in simulated settings. Overall, 10 studies used virtual-reality simulators and reported effect sizes for technical skills ranging from 0.31 to 2.65; 12 used inanimate models and reported effect sizes for technical skills ranging from 0.35 to 3.19. One study involved live animal models; 2 studies were performed in clinical settings. The validity evidence supporting the assessment tools used was low. Consensus between the 2 raters on the reported validity evidence was high (94%). This systematic review demonstrated large variations in the effect of different tools for hysteroscopy training. The validity evidence supporting the assessment of hysteroscopic skills was limited. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a computerized cardiac teletriage decision support system on nurse performance: results of a controlled human factors experiment using a mid-fidelity prototype.

PubMed

Somoza, Kirsten Carroll; Momtahan, Kathryn; Lindgaard, Gitte

2007-01-01

A gap exists in cardiac care between known best practices and the actual level of care administered. To help bridge this gap, a proof of concept interface for a PDA-based decision support system (DSS) was designed for cardiac care nurses engaged in teletriage. This interface was developed through a user-centered design process. Quality of assessment, quality of recommendations, and number of questions asked were measured. Cardiac floor nurses' assessment quality performance, but not their recommendation quality performance, improved with the DSS. Nurses asked more questions with the DSS than without it, and these additional questions were predominantly classifiable as essential or beneficial to a good assessment. The average participant satisfaction score with the DSS was above neutral.

Connecting Teacher Preparation to Teacher Induction: Outcomes for Beginning Teachers in a University-Based Support Program in Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastian, Kevin C.; Marks, Julie T.

2017-01-01

Given concerns with the performance and attrition of novice teachers, North Carolina allocated $7.7 million from Race to the Top to create the New Teacher Support Program (NTSP), an induction model developed and implemented by the state's public university system and targeted at low-performing schools. In this study, we assess the associations…

Early Assessment of VIIRS On-Orbit Calibration and Support Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Chiang, Kwofu; McIntire, Jeffrey; Oudrari, Hassan; Wu, Aisheng; Schwaller, Mathew; Butler, James

2012-01-01

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, formally the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP), provides a bridge between current and future low-Earth orbiting weather and environmental observation satellite systems. The NASA s NPP VIIRS Characterization Support Team (VCST) is designed to assess the long term geometric and radiometric performance of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument onboard the S-NPP spacecraft and to support NPP Science Team Principal Investigators (PI) for their independent evaluation of VIIRS Environmental Data Records (EDRs). This paper provides an overview of Suomi NPP VIIRS on-orbit calibration activities and examples of sensor initial on-orbit performance. It focuses on the radiometric calibration support activities and capabilities provided by the NASA VCST.

Differences between Employees' and Supervisors' Evaluations of Work Performance and Support Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Kyle; Frain, Michael; Brady, Michael P.; Rosenberg, Howard; Surinak, Tricia

2009-01-01

Assessment systems are needed that are sensitive to employees' work performance as well as their need for support, while incorporating the input from both employees and their supervisors. This study examined the correspondence of one such evaluation system, the Job Observation and Behavior Scale (JOBS) and the JOBS: Opportunity for…

The effects of intervention based on supportive leadership behaviour on Iranian nursing leadership performance: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Shirazi, Mandana; Emami, Amir Hossein; Mirmoosavi, Seyed Jamal; Alavinia, Seyed Mohammad; Zamanian, Hadi; Fathollahbeigi, Faezeh; Masiello, Italo

2016-04-01

To assess the effects of a workshop on supportive leadership behaviour (SLB) on the performance of head nurses, using a randomized controlled trial design. The effect of transformational leadership on SLB in nursing management is emphasised. A total of 110 head nurses working at university hospitals were included randomly in two control and intervention groups. The head nurses in the intervention group participated in supportive leadership training, but the control group did not. Performance in supportive leadership was assessed with a validated instrument, which six subordinates used to assess their head nurse (n = 731). There was a significant difference in SLB scores from baseline to the 3 month follow-up (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the post-intervention scores were significantly higher in the intervention group, compared with the control group (P < 0.0001). The results showed that in the intervention group, the effect sizes were greater for males (50%) than for females (36%) and greater for married participants (42%) than for single participants (37%). The workshop on supportive leadership behaviour, particularly the interactive multifaceted training, improved the leadership performance of the head nurses who participated in this study. Health policy decision makers should apply SLB, which is a significant leadership style, to improve the outcomes in other groups of health-care management, such as physicians. Future studies are needed to investigate the effects of such workshops in longer periods of follow up. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding key performance indicators for breast support: An analysis of breast support effects on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running.

PubMed

Risius, Debbie; Milligan, Alexandra; Berns, Jason; Brown, Nicola; Scurr, Joanna

2017-05-01

To assess the effectiveness of breast support previous studies monitored breast kinematics and kinetics, subjective feedback, muscle activity (EMG), ground reaction forces (GRFs) and physiological measures in isolation. Comparing these variables within one study will establish the key performance variables that distinguish between breast supports during activities such as running. This study investigates the effects of changes in breast support on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running. Ten females (34D) ran for 10 min in high and low breast supports, and for 2 min bare breasted (2.8 m·s -1 ). Breast and body kinematics, EMG, expired air and heart rate were recorded. GRFs were recorded during 10 m overground runs (2.8 m·s -1 ) and subjective feedback obtained after each condition. Of the 62 variables measured, 22 kinematic and subjective variables were influenced by changes in breast support. Willingness to exercise, time lag and superio-inferior breast velocity were most affected. GRFs, EMG and physiological variables were unaffected by breast support changes during running. Breast displacement reduction, although previously advocated, was not the most sensitive variable to breast support changes during running. Instead breast support products should be assessed using a battery of performance indicators, including the key kinematic and subjective variables identified here.

Code Verification Capabilities and Assessments in Support of ASC V&V Level 2 Milestone #6035

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

Doebling, Scott William; Budzien, Joanne Louise; Ferguson, Jim Michael

This document provides a summary of the code verification activities supporting the FY17 Level 2 V&V milestone entitled “Deliver a Capability for V&V Assessments of Code Implementations of Physics Models and Numerical Algorithms in Support of Future Predictive Capability Framework Pegposts.” The physics validation activities supporting this milestone are documented separately. The objectives of this portion of the milestone are: 1) Develop software tools to support code verification analysis; 2) Document standard definitions of code verification test problems; and 3) Perform code verification assessments (focusing on error behavior of algorithms). This report and a set of additional standalone documents servemore » as the compilation of results demonstrating accomplishment of these objectives.« less

District Self-Assessment Tool: For Modification of Collective Bargaining Agreements to Achieve Flexible Conditions for School Turnaround

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mass Insight Education (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

The District Self-Assessment Tool is designed to support districts, unions and Lead Partners, when analyzing their existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the intention of making targeted modifications to support the implementation of dramatic reform in the district's lowest-performing schools. By outlining objectives and suggested…

Curriculum Mapping: A Before-and-After Look at Faculty Perceptions of Their Courses and the Mapping Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyner, Helen S.

2016-01-01

The increased interest in program- and university-level assessment over the past few decades has led to increased faculty involvement in developing program learning outcomes and performing program assessment activities. Depending on the level of support and encouragement faculty receive from administration and other entities, they may support or…

Plans for Assessing Contractor Performance for the Camp Lemonnier Base Operations Support Contract Needed Improvement

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-27

ensure the functional assessment plans ( FAP ) for the three services contained all contractor work requiring assessment, measurable performance...review the FAPs after development and revisions to the FAPs , and did not require additional controls over the contractor assessment process in an...revised as follows: • Business Management System B-14.3 was updated to require the contract officer representative conduct a FAP review to ensure

Sensorimotor plasticity after music-supported therapy in chronic stroke patients revealed by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

PubMed

Amengual, Julià L; Rojo, Nuria; Veciana de Las Heras, Misericordia; Marco-Pallarés, Josep; Grau-Sánchez, Jennifer; Schneider, Sabine; Vaquero, Lucía; Juncadella, Montserrat; Montero, Jordi; Mohammadi, Bahram; Rubio, Francisco; Rueda, Nohora; Duarte, Esther; Grau, Carles; Altenmüller, Eckart; Münte, Thomas F; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni

2013-01-01

Several recently developed therapies targeting motor disabilities in stroke sufferers have shown to be more effective than standard neurorehabilitation approaches. In this context, several basic studies demonstrated that music training produces rapid neuroplastic changes in motor-related brain areas. Music-supported therapy has been recently developed as a new motor rehabilitation intervention. In order to explore the plasticity effects of music-supported therapy, this therapeutic intervention was applied to twenty chronic stroke patients. Before and after the music-supported therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied for the assessment of excitability changes in the motor cortex and a 3D movement analyzer was used for the assessment of motor performance parameters such as velocity, acceleration and smoothness in a set of diadochokinetic movement tasks. Our results suggest that the music-supported therapy produces changes in cortical plasticity leading the improvement of the subjects' motor performance. Our findings represent the first evidence of the neurophysiological changes induced by this therapy in chronic stroke patients, and their link with the amelioration of motor performance. Further studies are needed to confirm our observations.

Comparative cath-lab assessment of coronary stenosis by radiology technician, junior and senior interventional cardiologist in patients treated with coronary angioplasty.

PubMed

Brunetti, Natale Daniele; Delli Carri, Felice; Ruggiero, Maria Assunta; Cuculo, Andrea; Ruggiero, Antonio; Ziccardi, Luigi; De Gennaro, Luisa; Di Biase, Matteo

2014-03-01

Exact quantification of plaque extension during coronary angioplasty (PCI) usually falls on interventional cardiologist (IC). Quantitative coronary stenosis assessment (QCA) may be possibly committed to the radiology technician (RT), who usually supports cath-lab nurse and IC during PCI. We therefore sought to investigate the reliability of QCA performed by RT in comparison with IC. Forty-four consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome underwent PCI; target coronary vessel size beneath target coronary lesion (S) and target coronary lesion length (L) were assessed by the RT, junior IC (JIC), and senior IC (SIC) and then compared. SIC evaluation, which determined the final stent selection for coronary stenting, was considered as a reference benchmark. RT performance with QCA support in assessing target vessel size and target lesion length was not significantly different from SIC (r = 0.46, p < 0.01; r = 0.64, p < 0.001, respectively) as well as JIC (r = 0.79, r = 0.75, p < 0.001, respectively). JIC performance was significantly better than RT in assessing target vessel size (p < 0.05), while not significant when assessing target lesion length. RT may reliably assess target lesion by using adequate QCA software in the cath-lab in case of PCI; RT performance does not differ from SIC.

Comparison of performance-based assessment and real world skill in people with serious mental illness: Ecological validity of the Test of Grocery Shopping Skills.

PubMed

Faith, Laura A; Rempfer, Melisa V

2018-05-07

Valid functional measures are essential for clinical and research efforts that address recovery and community functioning in people with serious mental illness. Although there is a great deal of interest in functional assessment, there is limited research supporting how well current evaluation methods provide a true assessment of real world functioning or naturalistic behavior. To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined the performance of individuals with serious mental illness (i.e., diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum, bipolar disorder, or other depression/anxiety diagnoses and accompanying functional disability) on the Test of Grocery Shopping Skills (TOGSS), a performance-based naturalistic task. We compared TOGSS performance to two dimensions of real world functioning: directly observed real world grocery shopping and ratings of community functioning. Results indicated that the TOGSS was significantly associated with real life grocery shopping, in terms of both shopping accuracy (r = 0.424) and time (r = 0.491). Further, self-report and observer-rated methods of assessing real world shopping behaviors were significantly correlated (r = 0.455). To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to directly compare a performance-based naturalistic skill assessment with carefully observed real world performance of that skill in people with serious mental illness. These findings support the feasibility and ecological validity of performance-based naturalistic assessment with the TOGSS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the driving performance of older adult drivers: on-road versus simulated driving.

PubMed

Lee, Hoe C; Cameron, Don; Lee, Andy H

2003-09-01

To validate a laboratory-based driving simulator in measuring on-road driving performance, 129 older adult drivers were assessed with both the simulator and an on-road test. The driving performance of the participants was gauged by appropriate and reliable age-specific assessment criteria, which were found to be negatively correlated with age. Using principal component analysis, two performance indices were developed from the criteria to represent the overall performance in simulated driving and the on-road assessment. There was significant positive association between the two indices, with the simulated driving performance index explaining over two-thirds of the variability of the on-road driving performance index, after adjustment for age and gender of the drivers. The results supported the validity of the driving simulator and it is a safer and more economical method than the on-road testing to assess the driving performance of older adult drivers.

Implementing assessments of robot-assisted technical skill in urological education: a systematic review and synthesis of the validity evidence.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Mitchell G; Lee, Jason Y; Kwong, Jethro C C; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Costello, Anthony

2018-03-31

To systematically review and synthesise the validity evidence supporting intraoperative and simulation-based assessments of technical skill in urological robot-assisted surgery (RAS), and make evidence-based recommendations for the implementation of these assessments in urological training. A literature search of the Medline, PsycINFO and Embase databases was performed. Articles using technical skill and simulation-based assessments in RAS were abstracted. Only studies involving urology trainees or faculty were included in the final analysis. Multiple tools for the assessment of technical robotic skill have been published, with mixed sources of validity evidence to support their use. These evaluations have been used in both the ex vivo and in vivo settings. Performance evaluations range from global rating scales to psychometrics, and assessments are carried out through automation, expert analysts, and crowdsourcing. There have been rapid expansions in approaches to RAS technical skills assessment, both in simulated and clinical settings. Alternative approaches to assessment in RAS, such as crowdsourcing and psychometrics, remain under investigation. Evidence to support the use of these metrics in high-stakes decisions is likely insufficient at present. © 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Monotonic Degradation Assessment Index of Rolling Bearings Using Fuzzy Support Vector Data Description and Running Time

PubMed Central

Shen, Zhongjie; He, Zhengjia; Chen, Xuefeng; Sun, Chuang; Liu, Zhiwen

2012-01-01

Performance degradation assessment based on condition monitoring plays an important role in ensuring reliable operation of equipment, reducing production downtime and saving maintenance costs, yet performance degradation has strong fuzziness, and the dynamic information is random and fuzzy, making it a challenge how to assess the fuzzy bearing performance degradation. This study proposes a monotonic degradation assessment index of rolling bearings using fuzzy support vector data description (FSVDD) and running time. FSVDD constructs the fuzzy-monitoring coefficient ε̄ which is sensitive to the initial defect and stably increases as faults develop. Moreover, the parameter ε̄ describes the accelerating relationships between the damage development and running time. However, the index ε̄ with an oscillating trend disagrees with the irreversible damage development. The running time is introduced to form a monotonic index, namely damage severity index (DSI). DSI inherits all advantages of ε̄ and overcomes its disadvantage. A run-to-failure test is carried out to validate the performance of the proposed method. The results show that DSI reflects the growth of the damages with running time perfectly. PMID:23112591

A monotonic degradation assessment index of rolling bearings using fuzzy support vector data description and running time.

PubMed

Shen, Zhongjie; He, Zhengjia; Chen, Xuefeng; Sun, Chuang; Liu, Zhiwen

2012-01-01

Performance degradation assessment based on condition monitoring plays an important role in ensuring reliable operation of equipment, reducing production downtime and saving maintenance costs, yet performance degradation has strong fuzziness, and the dynamic information is random and fuzzy, making it a challenge how to assess the fuzzy bearing performance degradation. This study proposes a monotonic degradation assessment index of rolling bearings using fuzzy support vector data description (FSVDD) and running time. FSVDD constructs the fuzzy-monitoring coefficient ε⁻ which is sensitive to the initial defect and stably increases as faults develop. Moreover, the parameter ε⁻ describes the accelerating relationships between the damage development and running time. However, the index ε⁻ with an oscillating trend disagrees with the irreversible damage development. The running time is introduced to form a monotonic index, namely damage severity index (DSI). DSI inherits all advantages of ε⁻ and overcomes its disadvantage. A run-to-failure test is carried out to validate the performance of the proposed method. The results show that DSI reflects the growth of the damages with running time perfectly.

Additional Support for the Information Systems Analyst Exam as a Valid Program Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Donald A.; Snyder, Johnny; Slauson, Gayla Jo; Bridge, Morgan K.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a statistical analysis to support the notion that the Information Systems Analyst (ISA) exam can be used as a program assessment tool in addition to measuring student performance. It compares ISA exam scores earned by students in one particular Computer Information Systems program with scores earned by the same students on the…

Family supportive supervisor behaviors and organizational culture: Effects on work engagement and performance.

PubMed

Rofcanin, Yasin; Las Heras, Mireia; Bakker, Arnold B

2017-04-01

Informed by social information processing (SIP) theory, in this study, we assessed the associations among family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSBs) as perceived by subordinates, subordinate work engagement, and supervisor-rated work performance. Moreover, we explored the role of family supportive organizational culture as a contextual variable influencing our proposed associations. Our findings using matched supervisor-subordinate data collected from a financial credit company in Mexico (654 subordinates; 134 supervisors) showed that FSSBs influenced work performance through subordinate work engagement. Moreover, the positive association between subordinates' perceptions of FSSBs and work engagement was moderated by family supportive organizational culture. Our results contribute to emerging theories on flexible work arrangements, particularly on family supportive work policies. Moreover, our findings carry practical implications for improving employee work engagement and work performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

What Do We Really Know about the EdTPA? Research, PACT, and Packaging a Local Teacher Performance Assessment for National Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hébert, Cristyne

2017-01-01

This article calls attention to the overreliance on research about the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT)--often labeled edTPA's predecessor--as justification for the edTPA. The article argues that the distinctions between the assessments are too vast to rely on PACT data to support the edTPA, given the localized nature of PACT…

Statistical analysis in MSW collection performance assessment.

PubMed

Teixeira, Carlos Afonso; Avelino, Catarina; Ferreira, Fátima; Bentes, Isabel

2014-09-01

The increase of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated over the last years forces waste managers pursuing more effective collection schemes, technically viable, environmentally effective and economically sustainable. The assessment of MSW services using performance indicators plays a crucial role for improving service quality. In this work, we focus on the relevance of regular system monitoring as a service assessment tool. In particular, we select and test a core-set of MSW collection performance indicators (effective collection distance, effective collection time and effective fuel consumption) that highlights collection system strengths and weaknesses and supports pro-active management decision-making and strategic planning. A statistical analysis was conducted with data collected in mixed collection system of Oporto Municipality, Portugal, during one year, a week per month. This analysis provides collection circuits' operational assessment and supports effective short-term municipality collection strategies at the level of, e.g., collection frequency and timetables, and type of containers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the design and performance characteristics of pumpable roof supports

PubMed Central

Timothy, Batchler

2017-01-01

Pumpable roof supports are currently being used to provide a safe working environment for longwall mining. Because different pumpable supports are visually similar and installed fundamentally in the same manner as other supports, there is a tendency to believe they all perform the same way. However, there are several design parameters that can affect their performance, including the cementitious material properties and the bag construction practices that influence the degree of confinement provided. A full understanding of the impact of these design parameters is necessary to optimize the support application and to provide a foundation for making further improvements in the support performance. This paper evaluates the impact of various support design parameters by examining full-scale performance tests conducted using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mine Roof Simulator (MRS) as part of manufacturers’ developmental and quality control testing. These tests were analyzed to identify correlations between the support design parameters and the resulting performance. Based on more than 160 tests over 7 years, quantifiable patterns were examined to assess the correlation between the support dimensions, cementitious material type, wire pitch, and single-wall vs. dual-walled bag designs to the support capacity, stiffness, load shedding events, and yield characteristics. PMID:28775910

Practice Guidelines for Operative Performance Assessments.

PubMed

Williams, Reed G; Kim, Michael J; Dunnington, Gary L

2016-12-01

To provide recommended practice guidelines for assessing single operative performances and for combining results of operative performance assessments into estimates of overall operative performance ability. Operative performance is one defining characteristic of surgeons. Assessment of operative performance is needed to provide feedback with learning benefits to surgical residents in training and to assist in making progress decisions for residents. Operative performance assessment has been a focus of investigation over the past 20 years. This review is designed to integrate findings of this research into a set of recommended operative performance practices. Literature from surgery and from other pertinent research areas (psychology, education, business) was reviewed looking for evidence to inform practice guideline development. Guidelines were created along with a conceptual and scientific foundation for each guideline. Ten guidelines are provided for assessing individual operative performances and 10 are provided for combing data from individual operative performances into overall judgments of operative performance ability. The practice guidelines organize available information to be immediately useful to program directors, to support surgical training, and to provide a conceptual framework upon which to build as the base of pertinent knowledge expands through future research and development efforts.

Advanced Technology Composite Fuselage-Structural Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, T. H.; Minguet, P. J.; Flynn, B. W.; Carbery, D. J.; Swanson, G. D.; Ilcewicz, L. B.

1997-01-01

Boeing is studying the technologies associated with the application of composite materials to commercial transport fuselage structure under the NASA-sponsored contracts for Advanced Technology Composite Aircraft Structures (ATCAS) and Materials Development Omnibus Contract (MDOC). This report addresses the program activities related to structural performance of the selected concepts, including both the design development and subsequent detailed evaluation. Design criteria were developed to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and typical company objectives. Accurate analysis methods were selected and/or developed where practical, and conservative approaches were used where significant approximations were necessary. Design sizing activities supported subsequent development by providing representative design configurations for structural evaluation and by identifying the critical performance issues. Significant program efforts were directed towards assessing structural performance predictive capability. The structural database collected to perform this assessment was intimately linked to the manufacturing scale-up activities to ensure inclusion of manufacturing-induced performance traits. Mechanical tests were conducted to support the development and critical evaluation of analysis methods addressing internal loads, stability, ultimate strength, attachment and splice strength, and damage tolerance. Unresolved aspects of these performance issues were identified as part of the assessments, providing direction for future development.

Behavioral Health Support of NASA Astronauts for International Space Station Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sipes, Walter

2000-01-01

Two areas of focus for optimizing behavioral health and human performance during International Space Station missions are 1) sleep and circadian assessment and 2) behavioral medicine. The Mir experience provided the opportunity to examine the use and potential effectiveness of tools and procedures to support the behavioral health of the crew. The experience of NASA has shown that on-orbit performance can be better maintained if behavioral health, sleep, and circadian issues are effectively monitored and properly addressed. For example, schedules can be tailored based upon fatigue level of crews and other behavioral and cognitive indicators to maximize performance. Previous research and experience with long duration missions has resulted in the development and upgrade of tools used to monitor fatigue, stress, cognitive function, and behavioral health. Self-assessment and objective tools such as the Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool have been developed and refined to effectively address behavioral medicine countermeasures in space.

Development of self and peer performance assessment on iodometric titration experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nahadi; Siswaningsih, W.; Kusumaningtyas, H.

2018-05-01

This study aims to describe the process in developing of reliable and valid assessment to measure students’ performance on iodometric titration and the effect of the self and peer assessment on students’ performance. The self and peer-instrument provides valuable feedback for the student performance improvement. The developed assessment contains rubric and task for facilitating self and peer assessment. The participants are 24 students at the second-grade student in certain vocational high school in Bandung. The participants divided into two groups. The first 12 students involved in the validity test of the developed assessment, while the remain 12 students participated for the reliability test. The content validity was evaluated based on the judgment experts. Test result of content validity based on judgment expert show that the developed performance assessment instrument categorized as valid on each task with the realibity classified as very good. Analysis of the impact of the self and peer assessment implementation showed that the peer instrument supported the self assessment.

Comparative cath-lab assessment of coronary stenosis by radiology technician, junior and senior interventional cardiologist in patients treated with coronary angioplasty

PubMed Central

Delli Carri, Felice; Ruggiero, Maria Assunta; Cuculo, Andrea; Ruggiero, Antonio; Ziccardi, Luigi; De Gennaro, Luisa; Di Biase, Matteo

2014-01-01

Background Exact quantification of plaque extension during coronary angioplasty (PCI) usually falls on interventional cardiologist (IC). Quantitative coronary stenosis assessment (QCA) may be possibly committed to the radiology technician (RT), who usually supports cath-lab nurse and IC during PCI. We therefore sought to investigate the reliability of QCA performed by RT in comparison with IC. Methods Forty-four consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome underwent PCI; target coronary vessel size beneath target coronary lesion (S) and target coronary lesion length (L) were assessed by the RT, junior IC (JIC), and senior IC (SIC) and then compared. SIC evaluation, which determined the final stent selection for coronary stenting, was considered as a reference benchmark. Results RT performance with QCA support in assessing target vessel size and target lesion length was not significantly different from SIC (r = 0.46, p < 0.01; r = 0.64, p < 0.001, respectively) as well as JIC (r = 0.79, r = 0.75, p < 0.001, respectively). JIC performance was significantly better than RT in assessing target vessel size (p < 0.05), while not significant when assessing target lesion length. Conclusions RT may reliably assess target lesion by using adequate QCA software in the cath-lab in case of PCI; RT performance does not differ from SIC. PMID:24672672

Visual Arts (9-12): Performance-Based Assessment. Course of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Department of Education, 2004

2004-01-01

In response to a need for curricular support, the Idaho State Department of Education gathered teams of exemplary educators from throughout the state to write courses of study related to all subject areas within Idaho?s Achievement Standards. A need arose to assess areas not tested statewide in a performance-based manner. Teachers involved in…

Foreign Language: Year One (9-12). Performance-Based Assessment. Course of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenner, Peggy J.

2004-01-01

In response to a need for curricular support, the Idaho State Department of Education gathered teams of exemplary educators from throughout the state to write courses of study related to all subject areas within Idaho's Achievement Standards. A need arose to assess areas not tested statewide in a performance-based manner. Teachers involved in…

Using First-Grade Teacher Ratings to Predict Third-Grade English Language Arts and Mathematics Achievement on a High-Stakes Statewide Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallant, Dorinda J.

2013-01-01

Early childhood professional organizations support teachers as the best assessors of students' academic, social, emotional, and physical development. This study investigates the predictive nature of teacher ratings of first-grade students' performance on a standards-based curriculum-embedded performance assessment within the context of a state…

Cognitive Readiness Assessment and Reporting: An Open Source Mobile Framework for Operational Decision Support and Performance Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heric, Matthew; Carter, Jenn

2011-01-01

Cognitive readiness (CR) and performance for operational time-critical environments are continuing points of focus for military and academic communities. In response to this need, we designed an open source interactive CR assessment application as a highly adaptive and efficient open source testing administration and analysis tool. It is capable…

TeenDrivingPlan effectiveness: the effect of quantity and diversity of supervised practice on teens' driving performance.

PubMed

Mirman, Jessica H; Albert, W Dustin; Curry, Allison E; Winston, Flaura K; Fisher Thiel, Megan C; Durbin, Dennis R

2014-11-01

The large contribution of inexperience to the high crash rate of newly licensed teens suggests that they enter licensure with insufficient skills. In a prior analysis, we found moderate support for a direct effect of a web-based intervention, the TeenDrivingPlan (TDP), on teens' driving performance. The purpose of the present study was to identify the mechanisms by which TDP may be effective and to extend our understanding of how teens learn to drive. A randomized controlled trial conducted with teen permit holders and parent supervisors (N = 151 dyads) was used to determine if the effect of TDP on driver performance operated through five hypothesized mediators: (1) parent-perceived social support; (2) teen-perceived social support; (3) parent engagement; (4) practice quantity; and (5) practice diversity. Certified driving evaluators, blinded to teens' treatment allocation, assessed teens' driving performance 24 weeks after enrollment. Mediator variables were assessed on self-report surveys administered periodically over the study period. Exposure to TDP increased teen-perceived social support, parent engagement, and practice diversity. Both greater practice quantity and diversity were associated with better driving performance, but only practice diversity mediated the relationship between TDP and driver performance. Practice diversity is feasible to change and increases teens' likelihood of completing a rigorous on-road driving assessment just before licensure. Future research should continue to identify mechanisms that diversify practice driving, explore complementary ways to help families optimize the time they spend on practice driving, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of TDP. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing health system performance assessment and management approaches in the Netherlands and Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Tawfik-Shukor, Ali R; Klazinga, Niek S; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2007-01-01

Background Given the proliferation and the growing complexity of performance measurement initiatives in many health systems, the Netherlands and Ontario, Canada expressed interests in cross-national comparisons in an effort to promote knowledge transfer and best practise. To support this cross-national learning, a study was undertaken to compare health system performance approaches in The Netherlands with Ontario, Canada. Methods We explored the performance assessment framework and system of each constituency, the embeddedness of performance data in management and policy processes, and the interrelationships between the frameworks. Methods used included analysing governmental strategic planning and policy documents, literature and internet searches, comparative descriptive tables, and schematics. Data collection and analysis took place in Ontario and The Netherlands. A workshop to validate and discuss the findings was conducted in Toronto, adding important insights to the study. Results Both Ontario and The Netherlands conceive health system performance within supportive frameworks. However they differ in their assessment approaches. Ontario's Scorecard links performance measurement with strategy, aimed at health system integration. The Dutch Health Care Performance Report (Zorgbalans) does not explicitly link performance with strategy, and focuses on the technical quality of healthcare by measuring dimensions of quality, access, and cost against healthcare needs. A backbone 'five diamond' framework maps both frameworks and articulates the interrelations and overlap between their goals, themes, dimensions and indicators. The workshop yielded more contextual insights and further validated the comparative values of each constituency's performance assessment system. Conclusion To compare the health system performance approaches between The Netherlands and Ontario, Canada, several important conceptual and contextual issues must be addressed, before even attempting any future content comparisons and benchmarking. Such issues would lend relevant interpretational credibility to international comparative assessments of the two health systems. PMID:17319947

User manual and spreadsheet tool for implementing performance planning for rural planning organizations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

The performance-planning tool developed as part of this project is intended for use with the guidebook for establishing and using rural performance based transportation system assessment, monitoring, planning, and programming to support the rural pla...

Sensorimotor Plasticity after Music-Supported Therapy in Chronic Stroke Patients Revealed by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

PubMed Central

Amengual, Julià L.; Rojo, Nuria; Veciana de las Heras, Misericordia; Marco-Pallarés, Josep; Grau-Sánchez, Jennifer; Schneider, Sabine; Vaquero, Lucía; Juncadella, Montserrat; Montero, Jordi; Mohammadi, Bahram; Rubio, Francisco; Rueda, Nohora; Duarte, Esther; Grau, Carles; Altenmüller, Eckart; Münte, Thomas F.; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni

2013-01-01

Background Several recently developed therapies targeting motor disabilities in stroke sufferers have shown to be more effective than standard neurorehabilitation approaches. In this context, several basic studies demonstrated that music training produces rapid neuroplastic changes in motor-related brain areas. Music-supported therapy has been recently developed as a new motor rehabilitation intervention. Methods and Results In order to explore the plasticity effects of music-supported therapy, this therapeutic intervention was applied to twenty chronic stroke patients. Before and after the music-supported therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied for the assessment of excitability changes in the motor cortex and a 3D movement analyzer was used for the assessment of motor performance parameters such as velocity, acceleration and smoothness in a set of diadochokinetic movement tasks. Our results suggest that the music-supported therapy produces changes in cortical plasticity leading the improvement of the subjects' motor performance. Conclusion Our findings represent the first evidence of the neurophysiological changes induced by this therapy in chronic stroke patients, and their link with the amelioration of motor performance. Further studies are needed to confirm our observations. PMID:23613966

Configuration Management Process Assessment Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Thad

2014-01-01

Purpose: To propose a strategy for assessing the development and effectiveness of configuration management systems within Programs, Projects, and Design Activities performed by technical organizations and their supporting development contractors. Scope: Various entities CM Systems will be assessed dependent on Project Scope (DDT&E), Support Services and Acquisition Agreements. Approach: Model based structured against assessing organizations CM requirements including best practices maturity criteria. The model is tailored to the entity being assessed dependent on their CM system. The assessment approach provides objective feedback to Engineering and Project Management of the observed CM system maturity state versus the ideal state of the configuration management processes and outcomes(system). center dot Identifies strengths and risks versus audit gotcha's (findings/observations). center dot Used "recursively and iteratively" throughout program lifecycle at select points of need. (Typical assessments timing is Post PDR/Post CDR) center dot Ideal state criteria and maturity targets are reviewed with the assessed entity prior to an assessment (Tailoring) and is dependent on the assessed phase of the CM system. center dot Supports exit success criteria for Preliminary and Critical Design Reviews. center dot Gives a comprehensive CM system assessment which ultimately supports configuration verification activities.*

Hypersonic Research Vehicle (HRV) real-time flight test support feasibility and requirements study. Part 2: Remote computation support for flight systems functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rediess, Herman A.; Hewett, M. D.

1991-01-01

The requirements are assessed for the use of remote computation to support HRV flight testing. First, remote computational requirements were developed to support functions that will eventually be performed onboard operational vehicles of this type. These functions which either cannot be performed onboard in the time frame of initial HRV flight test programs because the technology of airborne computers will not be sufficiently advanced to support the computational loads required, or it is not desirable to perform the functions onboard in the flight test program for other reasons. Second, remote computational support either required or highly desirable to conduct flight testing itself was addressed. The use is proposed of an Automated Flight Management System which is described in conceptual detail. Third, autonomous operations is discussed and finally, unmanned operations.

Residual Risk Assessment for the Ferroalloys Source Category in Support of the September Supplemental Proposal

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document contains the methods and the results of baseline risk assessments (i.e., after the implementation of the MACT standard) and the results of the post-control scenario risk assessment performed for the ferroalloys source category.

Engaging Students with Self-Assessment and Tutor Feedback to Improve Performance and Support Assessment Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKevitt, Conor Thomas

2016-01-01

Assessment is one of the most important elements of student life and significantly shapes their learning. Consequently, tutors need to ensure that student awareness regarding assessment is promoted. Students should get the opportunity to practise assessing work and receive tutor feedback so that they might improve on both the work and their…

Routine outcome measurement in mental health service consumers: who should provide support for the self-assessments?

PubMed

Gelkopf, Marc; Pagorek-Eshel, Shira; Trauer, Tom; Roe, David

2015-06-01

This study examined whether mental health community service users completed outcome self-reports differently when assessments were supervised by internal vs. external staff. The examination of potential differences between the two has useful implications for mental health systems that take upon themselves the challenge of Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM), as it might impact allocation of public resources and managed care program planning. 73 consumers completed the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), a shortened version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), and a functioning questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered, once using support provided by internal staff and once using support provided by external professional staff, with a one-month time interval and in random order. A MANOVA Repeated Measures showed no differences in outcomes of quality of life and recovery between internal and external support. Functioning scores were higher for the internal support when the internal assessments were performed first. Overall, except for the differences in functioning assessment, outcome scores were not determined by the supporting agency. This might indicate that when measuring quality of life and recovery, different supporting methods can be used to gather outcome measures and internal staff might be a good default agency to do this. Differences found in functioning assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive assessment of health education and health promotion in five non-communicable disease demonstration districts in China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Xu, Qiaohua; Huang, Yuelong; Chen, Biyun

2017-12-26

This study aims to develop assessment indicators of health education and promotion for non-communicable disease (NCD) demonstration districts in China and to identify significant factors associated with NCD health education and promotion work. Three complementary techniques were used to conduct this study in Hunan Province, China, between late 2013 and 2015. The Delphi technique was used to develop weighted assessment indicators, followed by the rank sum ratio (RSR) to normalise the weights through rank conversion. Lastly, the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution was conducted to assess five randomly selected NCD demonstration districts representing five different orientations in the province. A total of 24 assessment indicators were constructed covering the following sections: organisational management, fund support, personnel supplies, health education and promotion, people's awareness of NCDs, management and control of patients with NCD, satisfaction with health education and promotion and health literacy of residents. Five districts were selected as samples for evaluation (Furong District, Ziyang District, Shaodong County, Shuangfeng County and Luxi County). Performance varied among the sites, with Furong District greatly surpassing the other sites, especially in fund support, media promotion, technical support for publicity materials, community promotion and supportive environment supplies. The latter four factors were also much greater in the second-ranked Luxi County site than those in the other sites (except Furong District). There were gaps in health education and promotion work in NCD demonstration districts in Hunan Province. The districts that performed better had obvious advantages in fund support, media promotion, technical support, community promotion and supportive environment supplies. Our study provided both a methodological reference and an assessment indicator framework for similar future studies. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Relationship of Social Support and Neighborhood Perceptions among Individuals with HIV.

PubMed

Shacham, Enbal; López, Julia D; Önen, Nur F; Overton, Edgar T

Social support has been noted to improve health outcomes for individuals with HIV. Understanding how neighborhoods contribute to feelings of social support is beneficial to create environments where populations with HIV can be supported. This study assessed the relationship between neighborhood perceptions and social support with HIV management. A total of 201 individuals were recruited; individuals with HIV, 18 years or older, who were eligible to participate in the 2-hour interview. Psychiatric diagnostic interviews were conducted alongside assessments of social support and neighborhood perceptions; biomedical markers were abstracted from medical records. Correlations and linear regression analyses were performed to assess relationships between social support and neighborhood perceptions with HIV management biomarkers. The majority of the sample was male (68.8%) and African American (72.3%), with a mean age of 43.1 years. Overall, 78% were receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) prescriptions, with 69% being virally suppressed. Fear of neighborhood activities was independently associated with receiving current cART. Reports of social support and neighborhood perceptions were highly correlated. Findings suggest that supportive home environments likely would improve perceptions of social support.

Recognition Memory and the Hippocampus: A Test of the Hippocampal Contribution to Recollection and Familiarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeneson, Annette; Kirwan, C. Brock; Hopkins, Ramona O.; Wixted, John T.; Squire, Larry R.

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that the hippocampus selectively supports recollection and that adjacent cortex in the medial temporal lobe can support familiarity. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the hippocampus supports both recollection and familiarity. We tested these suggestions by assessing the performance of patients with hippocampal…

Objective assessment of movement competence in children using wearable sensors: An instrumented version of the TGMD-2 locomotor subtest.

PubMed

Bisi, Maria Cristina; Pacini Panebianco, G; Polman, R; Stagni, R

2017-07-01

Movement competence (MC) is defined as the development of sufficient skill to assure successful performance in different physical activities. Monitoring children MC during maturation is fundamental to detect early minor delays and define effective intervention. To this purpose, several MC assessment batteries are available. When evaluating movement strategies, with the aim of identifying specific skill components that may need improving, widespread MC assessment is limited by high time consumption for scoring and the need for trained operators to ensure reliability. This work aims to facilitate and support the assessment by designing, implementing and validating an instrumented version of the TGMD-2 locomotor subtest based on Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) to quantify MC in children rapidly and objectively. 45 typically developing children, aged 6-10, performed the TGMD-2 locomotor subtest (six skills). During the tests, children wore five IMUs mounted on lower back, on ankles and on wrists. Sensor and video recordings of the tests were collected. Three expert evaluators performed the standard assessment of TGMD-2. Using theoretical and modelling approaches, algorithms were implemented to automatically score children tests based on IMUs' data. The automatic assessment, compared to the standard one, showed an agreement higher than 87% on average on the entire group for each skill and a reduction of time for scoring from 15 to 2min per participant. Results support the use of IMUs for MC assessment: this approach will allow improving the usability of MC assessment, supporting objectively evaluator decisions and reducing time requirement for the evaluation of large groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A national survey on current practice of preanaesthetic assessment in elective surgery patients in Spain.

PubMed

Mata, J; Cabrera, S; Valldeperas, M I; Fernández, S; Aguilar, J L; Atanassoff, P G

2012-01-01

To analyse the preanaesthetic assessment prior to elective surgery in hospitals of the Spanish National Health Care System. A prospective cross-sectional descriptive observational survey was performed. Primary variables were patient characteristics, type of preanaesthetic evaluation and the evaluator, as well as type of support the evaluator received during patient assessment. Secondary variables included the number of operating rooms available for elective surgery, as well as preanaesthesia clinic facilities. Data were analysed by univariate and bivariate descriptive analysis. A total of 214 hospitals of the Spanish Health Care System were invited to participate, and 203 centres responded, with all of them having a preanaesthesia assessment clinic. In 183 of them (90%), elective surgerypatients were interviewed prior to their surgical intervention, and in 202 hospitals (99.5%) a anaesthesiologist physician performed the interview. In 128 hospitals (63%), anaesthesiologists were helped during preoperative assessment by nurses alone (49%) or together with auxillary nurses (14%). In 68 of hospitals (33%) they were supported only by auxillary nurses and in 7 hospitals (3%) they obtained no help at all. In 14 centres (7%) anaesthesia nurses assessed patients directly (under supervision of an anaesthesiologist physician). Hospitals with a higher volume of patients performed more preanaesthesia interviews. Hospitals with more running operating rooms received more nurse support in the preanaesthesia assessment clinic. Some kind of preanaesthesia assessment clinic exists in all Anaesthesia Departments of public Spanish hospitals, although there are differences in design and organisation. Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

The Development and Validation of a Concise Instrument for Formative Assessment of Team Leader Performance During Simulated Pediatric Resuscitations.

PubMed

Nadkarni, Lindsay D; Roskind, Cindy G; Auerbach, Marc A; Calhoun, Aaron W; Adler, Mark D; Kessler, David O

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of a formative feedback instrument for leaders of simulated resuscitations. This is a prospective validation study with a fully crossed (person × scenario × rater) study design. The Concise Assessment of Leader Management (CALM) instrument was designed by pediatric emergency medicine and graduate medical education experts to be used off the shelf to evaluate and provide formative feedback to resuscitation leaders. Four experts reviewed 16 videos of in situ simulated pediatric resuscitations and scored resuscitation leader performance using the CALM instrument. The videos consisted of 4 pediatric emergency department resuscitation teams each performing in 4 pediatric resuscitation scenarios (cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, seizure, and sepsis). We report on content and internal structure (reliability) validity of the CALM instrument. Content validity was supported by the instrument development process that involved professional experience, expert consensus, focused literature review, and pilot testing. Internal structure validity (reliability) was supported by the generalizability analysis. The main component that contributed to score variability was the person (33%), meaning that individual leaders performed differently. The rater component had almost zero (0%) contribution to variance, which implies that raters were in agreement and argues for high interrater reliability. These results provide initial evidence to support the validity of the CALM instrument as a reliable assessment instrument that can facilitate formative feedback to leaders of pediatric simulated resuscitations.

EPA/ECLSS consumables analyses for the Spacelab 1 flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steines, G. J.; Pipher, M. D.

1976-01-01

The results of electrical power system (EPS) and environmental control/life support system (ECLSS) consumables analyses of the Spacelab 1 mission are presented. The analyses were performed to assess the capability of the orbiter systems to support the proposed mission and to establish the various non propulsive consumables requirements. The EPS analysis was performed using the shuttle electrical power system (SEPS) analysis computer program. The ECLSS analysis was performed using the shuttle environmental consumables requirements evaluation tool (SECRET) program.

Development and validation of an exercise performance support system for people with lower extremity impairment.

PubMed

Minor, M A; Reid, J C; Griffin, J Z; Pittman, C B; Patrick, T B; Cutts, J H

1998-02-01

To identify innovative strategies to support appropriate, self-directed exercise that increase physical activity levels of people with arthritis. This article reports on one interactive, multimedia exercise performance support system (PSS) for people with lower extremity impairments in strength or flexibility. An interdisciplinary team developed the PSS using self-report of lower extremity musculoskeletal impairments (flexibility and strength) to produce an individualized exercise program with video and print educational materials. Initial evaluation has investigated the validity and reliability of program assessments and recommendations. PSS self-report and professional assessments were similar, with more impairments indicated by self-report. PSS exercise recommendations were similar to those made by 3 expert physical therapists using the same exercise data base. Results of PSS impairment assessments were stable over a 1-week period. PSS exercise recommendations appear to be reliable and a valid reflection of current exercise knowledge in rheumatology. Furthermore, users were able to complete the computer-based program with minimal assistance and reported it to be enjoyable and informative.

Computer assessment of interview data using latent semantic analysis.

PubMed

Dam, Gregory; Kaufmann, Stefan

2008-02-01

Clinical interviews are a powerful method for assessing students' knowledge and conceptualdevelopment. However, the analysis of the resulting data is time-consuming and can create a "bottleneck" in large-scale studies. This article demonstrates the utility of computational methods in supporting such an analysis. Thirty-four 7th-grade student explanations of the causes of Earth's seasons were assessed using latent semantic analysis (LSA). Analyses were performed on transcriptions of student responses during interviews administered, prior to (n = 21) and after (n = 13) receiving earth science instruction. An instrument that uses LSA technology was developed to identify misconceptions and assess conceptual change in students' thinking. Its accuracy, as determined by comparing its classifications to the independent coding performed by four human raters, reached 90%. Techniques for adapting LSA technology to support the analysis of interview data, as well as some limitations, are discussed.

HRST architecture modeling and assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comstock, Douglas A.

1997-01-01

This paper presents work supporting the assessment of advanced concept options for the Highly Reusable Space Transportation (HRST) study. It describes the development of computer models as the basis for creating an integrated capability to evaluate the economic feasibility and sustainability of a variety of system architectures. It summarizes modeling capabilities for use on the HRST study to perform sensitivity analysis of alternative architectures (consisting of different combinations of highly reusable vehicles, launch assist systems, and alternative operations and support concepts) in terms of cost, schedule, performance, and demand. In addition, the identification and preliminary assessment of alternative market segments for HRST applications, such as space manufacturing, space tourism, etc., is described. Finally, the development of an initial prototype model that can begin to be used for modeling alternative HRST concepts at the system level is presented.

Borderline personality symptoms and work performance: a population-based survey.

PubMed

Juurlink, Trees T; Ten Have, Margreet; Lamers, Femke; van Marle, Hein J F; Anema, Johannes R; de Graaf, Ron; Beekman, Aartjan T F

2018-06-19

This study aims to elucidate the interplay between borderline personality symptoms and working conditions as a pathway for impaired work performance among workers in the general population. Cross-sectional data from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2) were used, including 3672 workers. Borderline personality symptoms were measured with the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) questionnaire. Working conditions (decision latitude, psychological job demands, job security and co-worker support) were assessed with the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Impaired work performance was assessed as total work loss days per month, defined as the sum of days of three types of impaired work performance (inability to work, cut-down to work, and diminished quality at work). These were assessed with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS). Common mental disorders (CMD) were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Number of borderline personality symptoms was consistently associated with impaired work performance, even after controlling for type or number of adverse working conditions and co-occurrence of CMD. Borderline personality symptoms were associated with low decision latitude, job insecurity and low co-worker support. The relationship between borderline personality symptoms and work performance diminished slightly after controlling for type or number of working conditions. The current study shows that having borderline personality symptoms is a unique determinant of work performance. This association seems partially explained through the impact of borderline personality symptoms on working conditions. Future studies are warranted to study causality and should aim at diminishing borderline personality symptoms and coping with working conditions.

Classroom-Based Measurement and Portfolio Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolet, Victor

1992-01-01

Portfolio assessment involves collecting multiple forms of data to support inferences about student performance in skill or content areas that cannot be sampled directly by a single measure. Portfolio assessment can help to clarify and individualize instructional goals for regular and special education students as well as suggest research and…

The Impact of Interpersonal Discrimination and Stress on Health and Performance for Early Career STEM Academicians

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Katharine R.; McAbee, Samuel T.; Hebl, Michelle R.; Rodgers, John R.

2016-01-01

The present study examines the consequences of perceived interpersonal discrimination on stress, health, and performance in a sample of 210 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academicians. Using a path model, we test the relation that perceived interpersonal discrimination has on stress and the relation of stress to physical health maladies and on current and future performance. In so doing, we assess the link between discrimination and decrements in performance over time. Additionally, we test supervisor social support as a moderator of the discrimination–stress relation. Findings support relations between perceived interpersonal discrimination and stress, which in turn relates to declines in physical health and performance outcomes. Moreover, supervisory support is shown to mitigate the influence of interpersonal discrimination on stress in STEM academicians. PMID:27199848

Is the EdTPA the Right Choice for Evaluating Teacher Readiness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkes, Kelly A.; Powell, Sean R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the edTPA, a performance assessment created by the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) and administered by Pearson, Inc., to assess the professional readiness of student teachers. We challenge claims made in support of using this assessment, specifically within the…

Fun, collaboration and formative assessment: skinquizition, a class wide gaming competition in a medical school with a large class.

PubMed

Schlegel, Elisabeth F M; Selfridge, Nancy J

2014-05-01

Formative assessments are tools for assessing content retention, providing valuable feedback to students and teachers. In medical education, information technology-supported games can accommodate large classes divided into student teams while fostering active engagement. To establish an innovative stimulating approach to formative assessments for large classes furthering collaborative skills that promotes learning and student engagement linked to improvement of academic performance. Using audience response technology, a fast-paced, competitive, interactive quiz game involving dermatology was developed. This stimulating setting, provided on the last day of class, prepares students for high-stakes exams to continue their medical education while training collaborative skills as supported by survey outcomes and average class scores. Educational game competitions provide formative assessments and feedback for students and faculty alike, enhancing learning and teaching processes. In this study, we show an innovative approach to accommodate a large class divided into competing teams furthering collaborative skills reflected by academic performance.

MAXCOG-Maximizing Cognition: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Goal-Oriented Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Regan, Bridget; Wells, Yvonne; Farrow, Maree; O'Halloran, Paul; Workman, Barbara

2017-03-01

To review the efficacy of a home-based four-session individualized face-to-face cognitive rehabilitation (MAXCOG) intervention for clients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia and their close supporters. Randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention group (MAXCOG) with treatment as usual (control). A total of 55 client-supporter dyads were enrolled in the study and 40 completed; 25 client-supporter dyads completed MAXCOG and 15 completed treatment as usual. Both MAXCOG and control groups included more MCI cases than dementia (22 versus 3 and 12 versus 3, respectively). Four weekly individual sessions of MAXCOG consisting of personalized interventions to address individually relevant goals, supported by the provision of the MAXCOG information resource. The primary outcomes were goal performance and satisfaction, assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Questionnaires assessing mood, illness adjustment, quality of life, and carer burden were also administered. The intervention group displayed significantly higher performance and satisfaction with primary goals on the COPM post-intervention than the control group, using a per-protocol analysis. The MAXCOG intervention is effective in improving goal performance and satisfaction in clients with MCI and early dementia. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

Relationships between academic performance of medical students and their workplace performance as junior doctors.

PubMed

Carr, Sandra E; Celenza, Antonio; Puddey, Ian B; Lake, Fiona

2014-07-30

Little recent published evidence explores the relationship between academic performance in medical school and performance as a junior doctor. Although many forms of assessment are used to demonstrate a medical student's knowledge or competence, these measures may not reliably predict performance in clinical practice following graduation. This descriptive cohort study explores the relationship between academic performance of medical students and workplace performance as junior doctors, including the influence of age, gender, ethnicity, clinical attachment, assessment type and summary score measures (grade point average) on performance in the workplace as measured by the Junior Doctor Assessment Tool. There were two hundred participants. There were significant correlations between performance as a Junior Doctor (combined overall score) and the grade point average (r = 0.229, P = 0.002), the score from the Year 6 Emergency Medicine attachment (r = 0.361, P < 0.001) and the Written Examination in Year 6 (r = 0.178, P = 0.014). There was no significant effect of any individual method of assessment in medical school, gender or ethnicity on the overall combined score of performance of the junior doctor. Performance on integrated assessments from medical school is correlated to performance as a practicing physician as measured by the Junior Doctor Assessment Tool. These findings support the value of combining undergraduate assessment scores to assess competence and predict future performance.

How Can You Support RIDM/CRM/RM Through the Use of PRA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DoVemto. Tpmu

2011-01-01

Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) is one of key Risk Informed Decision Making (RIDM) tools. It is a scenario-based methodology aimed at identifying and assessing Safety and Technical Performance risks in complex technological systems.

Decision Support System For Management Of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal At The Nevada Test Site

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

Shott, G.; Yucel, V.; Desotell, L.

2006-07-01

The long-term safety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) low-level radioactive disposal facilities is assessed by conducting a performance assessment -- a systematic analysis that compares estimated risks to the public and the environment with performance objectives contained in DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual. Before site operations, facilities design features such as final inventory, waste form characteristics, and closure cover design may be uncertain. Site operators need a modeling tool that can be used throughout the operational life of the disposal site to guide decisions regarding the acceptance of problematic waste streams, new disposal cell design, environmental monitoringmore » program design, and final site closure. In response to these needs the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) has developed a decision support system for the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site in Frenchman Flat on the Nevada Test Site. The core of the system is a probabilistic inventory and performance assessment model implemented in the GoldSim{sup R} simulation platform. The modeling platform supports multiple graphic capabilities that allow clear documentation of the model data sources, conceptual model, mathematical implementation, and results. The combined models have the capability to estimate disposal site inventory, contaminant concentrations in environmental media, and radiological doses to members of the public engaged in various activities at multiple locations. The model allows rapid assessment and documentation of the consequences of waste management decisions using the most current site characterization information, radionuclide inventory, and conceptual model. The model is routinely used to provide annual updates of site performance, evaluate the consequences of disposal of new waste streams, develop waste concentration limits, optimize the design of new disposal cells, and assess the adequacy of environmental monitoring programs. (authors)« less

Multicomponent Musculoskeletal Movement Assessment Tools: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal of Their Development and Applicability to Professional Practice.

PubMed

Bennett, Hunter; Davison, Kade; Arnold, John; Slattery, Flynn; Martin, Max; Norton, Kevin

2017-10-01

Multicomponent movement assessment tools have become commonplace to measure movement quality, proposing to indicate injury risk and performance capabilities. Despite popular use, there has been no attempt to compare the components of each tool reported in the literature, the processes in which they were developed, or the underpinning rationale for their included content. As such, the objective of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive summary of current movement assessment tools and appraise the evidence supporting their development. A systematic literature search was performed using PRISMA guidelines to identify multicomponent movement assessment tools. Commonalities between tools and the evidence provided to support the content of each tool was identified. Each tool underwent critical appraisal to identify the rigor in which it was developed, and its applicability to professional practice. Eleven tools were identified, of which 5 provided evidence to support their content as assessments of movement quality. One assessment tool (Soccer Injury Movement Screen [SIMS]) received an overall score of above 65% on critical appraisal, with a further 2 tools (Movement Competency Screen [MCS] and modified 4 movement screen [M4-MS]) scoring above 60%. Only the MCS provided clear justification for its developmental process. The remaining 8 tools scored between 40 and 60%. On appraisal, the MCS, M4-MS, and SIMS seem to provide the most practical value for assessing movement quality as they provide the strongest reports of developmental rigor and an identifiable evidence base. In addition, considering the evidence provided, these tools may have the strongest potential for identifying performance capabilities and guiding exercise prescription in athletic and sport-specific populations.

Assessment of Work Performance (AWP)--development of an instrument.

PubMed

Sandqvist, Jan L; Törnquist, Kristina B; Henriksson, Chris M

2006-01-01

Adequate work assessments are a matter of importance both for individuals and society [5,29,31,38,40,46,52]. However, there is a lack of adequate and reliable instruments for use in work rehabilitation [14,15,20,21,31,44]. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an observation instrument for assessing work performance, the AWP (Assessment of Work Performance). The purpose of the 14-item instrument is to assess the individual's observable working skills in three different areas: motor skills, process skills, and communication and interaction skills. This article describes the development and results of preliminary testing of the AWP. The testing indicates a satisfactory face validity and utility for the AWP and supports further research and testing of the instrument.

Excess science accommodation capabilities and excess performance capabilities assessment for Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter: Extended study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, K.; Flacco, A.; Kaskiewicz, P.; Lebsock, K.

1983-01-01

The excess science accommodation and excess performance capabilities of a candidate spacecraft bus for the Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter MGCO mission are assessed. The appendices are included to support the conclusions obtained during this contract extension. The appendices address the mission analysis, the attitude determination and control, the propulsion subsystem, and the spacecraft configuration.

Effects of a Formative Assessment Script on How Vocational Students Generate Formative Feedback to a Peer's or Their Own Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Olaf; Körndle, Hermann; Narciss, Susanne

2018-01-01

The purposes of this study are threefold: It investigates effects of a formative assessment script (FAS) that was designed to support vocational students in generating feedback to (1) a peer's and (2) their own performance. Effects of the FAS are investigated with respect to quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the peer and internal…

Enhancing Self-Efficacy and Performance: An Experimental Comparison of Psychological Techniques.

PubMed

Wright, Bradley James; O'Halloran, Paul Daniel; Stukas, Arthur Anthony

2016-01-01

We assessed how 6 psychological performance enhancement techniques (PETs) differentially improved self-efficacy (SE) and skill performance. We also assessed whether vicarious experiences and verbal persuasion as posited sources of SE (Bandura, 1982 ) were supported and, further, if the effects of the 6 PETs remained after controlling for achievement motivation traits and self-esteem. A within-subject design assessed each individual across 2 trials for 3 disparate PETs. A between-groups design assessed differences between PETs paired against each other for 3 similar novel tasks. Participants (N = 96) performed 2 trials of 10 attempts at each of the tasks (kick, throw, golf putt) in a counterbalanced sequence using their nondominant limb. Participants completed the Sport Orientation Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale and were randomly allocated to either the modeling or imagery, goal-setting or instructional self-statement, or knowledge-of-results or motivational feedback conditions aligned with each task. An instructional self-statement improved performance better than imagery, modeling, goal setting, and motivational and knowledge-of-results augmented feedback. Motivational auditory feedback most improved SE. Increased SE change scores were related to increased performance difference scores on all tasks after controlling for age, sex, achievement motivation, and self-esteem. Some sources of SE may be more influential than others on both SE and performance improvements. We provide partial support for the sources of SE proposed by Bandura's social-cognitive theory with verbal persuasion but not vicarious experiences improving SE.

Performance Assessment Institute-NV

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

Lombardo, Joesph

2012-12-31

The National Supercomputing Center for Energy and the Environment’s intention is to purchase a multi-purpose computer cluster in support of the Performance Assessment Institute (PA Institute). The PA Institute will serve as a research consortium located in Las Vegas Nevada with membership that includes: national laboratories, universities, industry partners, and domestic and international governments. This center will provide a one-of-a-kind centralized facility for the accumulation of information for use by Institutions of Higher Learning, the U.S. Government, and Regulatory Agencies and approved users. This initiative will enhance and extend High Performance Computing (HPC) resources in Nevada to support critical nationalmore » and international needs in "scientific confirmation". The PA Institute will be promoted as the leading Modeling, Learning and Research Center worldwide. The program proposes to utilize the existing supercomputing capabilities and alliances of the University of Nevada Las Vegas as a base, and to extend these resource and capabilities through a collaborative relationship with its membership. The PA Institute will provide an academic setting for interactive sharing, learning, mentoring and monitoring of multi-disciplinary performance assessment and performance confirmation information. The role of the PA Institute is to facilitate research, knowledge-increase, and knowledge-sharing among users.« less

Teams make it work: how team work engagement mediates between social resources and performance in teams.

PubMed

Torrente, Pedro; Salanova, Marisa; Llorens, Susana; Schaufeli, Wilmar B

2012-02-01

In this study we analyze the mediating role of team work engagement between team social resources (i.e., supportive team climate, coordination, teamwork), and team performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role performance) as predicted by the Job Demands-Resources Model. Aggregated data of 533 employees nested within 62 teams and 13 organizations were used, whereas team performance was assessed by supervisor ratings. Structural equation modeling revealed that, as expected, team work engagement plays a mediating role between social resources perceived at the team level and team performance as assessed by the supervisor.

Orbiter Return-To-Flight Entry Aeroheating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Charles H.; Anderson, Brian; Bourland, Gary; Bouslog, Stan; Cassady, Amy; Horvath, Tom; Berry, Scott A.; Gnoffo, Peter; Wood, Bill; Reuther, James;

GRC Payload Hazard Assessment: Supporting the STS-107 Accident Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoren, William R.; Zampino, Edward J.

2004-01-01

A hazard assessment was conducted on the GRC managed payloads in support of a NASA Headquarters Code Q request to examine STS-107 payloads and determine if they were credible contributors to the Columbia accident. This assessment utilized each payload's Final Flight Safety Data Package for hazard identification. An applicability assessment was performed and most of the hazards were eliminated because they dealt with payload operations or crew interactions. A Fault Tree was developed for all the hazards deemed applicable and the safety verification documentation was reviewed for these applicable hazards. At the completion of this hazard assessment, it was concluded that none of the GRC managed payloads were credible contributors to the Columbia accident.

40 CFR 63.1260 - Reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Data and rationale used to support an engineering assessment to calculate uncontrolled emissions from... profiles, performance tests, engineering analyses, design evaluations, or calculations used to demonstrate... required calculations and engineering analyses have been performed. For the initial Periodic report, each...

Maximizing Service Provider Relationships: Best Practices through Blended Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherrens, Maurice W.

This book examines the institutional movement toward outsourcing support services, focusing on the development of outcome-oriented performance indicators and continuous self-assessment. Using 125 "lessons" based on support service theories, philosophies, and practices at George Mason University (Virginia), which collectively are termed…

77 FR 58996 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-25

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Proposed... assess the performance of its child support enforcement program in accordance with standards specified by... child support mandates and providing the best services possible. The report is also intended to be used...

Comparative values of medical school assessments in the prediction of internship performance.

PubMed

Lee, Ming; Vermillion, Michelle

2018-02-01

Multiple undergraduate achievements have been used for graduate admission consideration. Their relative values in the prediction of residency performance are not clear. This study compared the contributions of major undergraduate assessments to the prediction of internship performance. Internship performance ratings of the graduates of a medical school were collected from 2012 to 2015. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine the predictive values of undergraduate measures assessing basic and clinical sciences knowledge and clinical performances, after controlling for differences in the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Four hundred eighty (75%) graduates' archived data were used in the study. Analyses revealed that clinical competencies, assessed by the USMLE Step 2 CK, NBME medicine exam, and an eight-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), were strong predictors of internship performance. Neither the USMLE Step 1 nor the inpatient internal medicine clerkship evaluation predicted internship performance. The undergraduate assessments as a whole showed a significant collective relationship with internship performance (ΔR 2  = 0.12, p < 0.001). The study supports the use of clinical competency assessments, instead of pre-clinical measures, in graduate admission consideration. It also provides validity evidence for OSCE scores in the prediction of workplace performance.

Developing a caries risk registry to support caries risk assessment and management for children: A quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

Ruff, Jesley C; Herndon, Jill Boylston; Horton, Roger A; Lynch, Julie; Mathwig, Dawn C; Leonard, Audra; Aravamudhan, Krishna

2017-10-27

Health registries are commonly used in medicine to support public health activities and are increasingly used in quality improvement (QI) initiatives. Illustrations of dental registries and their QI applications are lacking. Within dentistry, caries risk assessment implementation and documentation are vital to optimal patient care. The purpose of this article is to describe the processes used to develop a caries risk assessment registry as a QI initiative to support clinical caries risk assessment, caries prevention, and disease management for children. Developmental steps reflected Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommendations for planning QI registries and included engaging "champions," defining the project, identifying registry features, defining performance dashboard indicators, and pilot testing with participant feedback. We followed Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines. Registry eligibility is patients aged 0-17 years. QI tools include prompts to register eligible patients; decision support tools grounded in evidence-based guidelines; and performance dashboard reports delivered at the provider and aggregated levels at regular intervals. The registry was successfully piloted in two practices with documented caries risk assessment increasing from 57 percent to 92 percent and positive feedback regarding the potential to improve dental practice patient centeredness, patient engagement and education, and quality of care. The caries risk assessment registry demonstrates how dental registries may be used in QI efforts to promote joint patient and provider engagement, foster shared decision making, and systematically collect patient information to generate timely and actionable data to improve care quality and patient outcomes at the individual and population levels. © 2017 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

A Comparison of Self versus Tutor Assessment among Hungarian Undergraduate Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kun, András István

2016-01-01

This study analyses the self-assessment behaviour and efficiency of 163 undergraduate business students from Hungary. Using various statistical methods, the results support the hypothesis that high-achieving students are more accurate in their pre- and post-examination self-assessments, and also less likely to overestimate their performance, and,…

The role of effort in influencing the effect of anxiety on performance: testing the conflicting predictions of processing efficiency theory and the conscious processing hypothesis.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark; Smith, Nickolas C; Holmes, Paul S

2007-08-01

The aim of this study was to test the conflicting predictions of processing efficiency theory (PET) and the conscious processing hypothesis (CPH) regarding effort's role in influencing the effects of anxiety on a golf putting task. Mid-handicap golfers made a series of putts to target holes under two counterbalanced conditions designed to manipulate the level of anxiety experienced. The effort exerted on each putting task was assessed though self-report, psychophysiological (heart rate variability) and behavioural (pre-putt time and glances at the target) measures. Performance was assessed by putting error. Results were generally more supportive of the predictions of PET rather than the CPH as performance was maintained for some performers despite increased state anxiety and a reduction in processing efficiency. The findings of this study support previous research suggesting that both theories offer useful theoretical frameworks for examining the relationship between anxiety and performance in sport.

Beginning science teachers' performances: Assessment in times of reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budzinsky, Fie K.

2000-10-01

The current reform in science education and the research on effective teaching and student learning have reinforced the importance of teacher competency. To better measure performances in the teaching of science, performance assessment has been added to Connecticut's licensure process for beginning science teachers. Teaching portfolios are used to document teaching and learning over time. Portfolios, however, are not without problems. One of the major concerns with the portfolio assessment process is its subjectivity. Assessors may not have opportunities to ask clarifying or follow-up questions to enhance the interpretation of a teacher's performance. In addition, portfolios often contain components based on self-documentation, which are subjective. Furthermore, the use of portfolios raises test equity issues. These concerns present challenges for persons in charge of establishing the validity of a portfolio-based licensure process. In high-stakes decision processes, such as teaching licensure, the validity of the assessment instruments must be studied. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the criterion-related validity of the Connecticut State Department of Education's Beginning Science Teaching Portfolio by comparing the interpretations of performances from science teaching portfolios to those derived from another assessment method, the Expert Science Teaching Educational and Evaluation Model, (ESTEEM). The analysis of correlations between the Beginning Science Teaching Portfolio and ESTEEM instrument scores was the primary method for establishing support for validity. The results indicated moderate correlations between all Beginning Science Teaching Portfolio and ESTEEM category and total variables. Multiple regression was used to examine whether differences existed in beginning science teachers' performances based on gender, poverty group, school level, and science discipline taught. None of these variables significantly contributed to the explanation of variance in the ESTEEM (p > .05), but poverty group and gender were significant predictors of portfolio performances, accounting for 21% of the total variance. Finally, data from interviews, written surveys, and beginning teacher attendance records at state-supported seminars were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. This information provided insight about the quality and quantity of support beginning science teachers received in their efforts to document, via the science teaching portfolio, their abilities to implement the Connecticut Professional Science Teaching Standards.

Communication Delays Impact Behavior and Performance Aboard the International Space Station.

PubMed

Kintz, Natalie M; Palinkas, Lawrence A

Long-duration space explorations will involve significant communication delays that will likely impact individual and team outcomes. However, the extent of these impacts and the appropriate countermeasures for their mitigation remain largely unknown. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of utilizing the International Space Station (ISS) as a research platform to assess the impacts of communication delays on individual and team behavior and performance. For this study, 3 ISS crewmembers and 18 mission support personnel performed 10 tasks identified by subject matter experts as meeting study criteria, 6 tasks without a delay in communication and 4 tasks with a 50-s one-way delay. Assessments of individual and team performance and behavior were obtained after each task. The completion rate of posttask assessments and postmission interviews with astronauts were used to assess feasibility and acceptability. Posttask assessments were completed in 100% of the instances where a crewmember was assigned to a task and in 83% where mission support personnel were involved. Qualitative analysis of postmission interviews found the study to be important and acceptable to the three astronauts. However, they also reported the study was limited in the number and type of tasks included, limitations in survey questions, and preference for open-ended to scaled items. Although the ISS is considered a high fidelity analog for long-duration space missions, future studies of communication delays on the ISS must take into considerations the constraints imposed by mission operations and subject preferences and priorities. Kintz KM, Palinkas LA. Communication delays impact behavior and performance aboard the International Space Station. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 87(11):940-946.

The SERI solar energy storage program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Copeland, R. J.; Wright, J. D.; Wyman, C. E.

1980-01-01

In support of the DOE thermal and chemical energy storage program, the solar energy storage program (SERI) provides research on advanced technologies, systems analyses, and assessments of thermal energy storage for solar applications in support of the Thermal and Chemical Energy Storage Program of the DOE Division of Energy Storage Systems. Currently, research is in progress on direct contact latent heat storage and thermochemical energy storage and transport. Systems analyses are being performed of thermal energy storage for solar thermal applications, and surveys and assessments are being prepared of thermal energy storage in solar applications. A ranking methodology for comparing thermal storage systems (performance and cost) is presented. Research in latent heat storage and thermochemical storage and transport is reported.

Fossil Energy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeese, L. E.

1981-01-01

Increased utilization of coal and other fossil fuel alternatives as sources of clean energy is reported. The following topics are discussed: coal conversion development, chemical research and development, materials technology, component development and process evaluation studies, technical support to major liquefaction projects, process analysis and engineering evaluations, fossil energy environmental analysis, flue gas desulfurization, solid waste disposal, coal preparation waste utilization, plant control development, atmospheric fluidized bed coal combustor for cogeneration, TVA FBC demonstration plant program technical support, PFBC systems analysis, fossil fuel applications assessments, performance assurance system support for fossil energy projects, international energy technology assessment, and general equilibrium models of liquid and gaseous fuel supplies.

ICESat (GLAS) Science Processing Software Document Series. Volume 1; Science Software Management Plan; 3.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hancock, David W., III

1999-01-01

This document provides the Software Management Plan for the GLAS Standard Data Software (SDS) supporting the GLAS instrument of the EOS ICESat Spacecraft. The SDS encompasses the ICESat Science Investigator-led Processing System (I-SIPS) Software and the Instrument Support Terminal (IST) Software. For the I-SIPS Software, the SDS will produce Level 0, Level 1, and Level 2 data products as well as the associated product quality assessments and descriptive information. For the IST Software, the SDS will accommodate the GLAS instrument support areas of engineering status, command, performance assessment, and instrument health status.

DoD Weapon System Acquisition Reform Product Support Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

can be best effected by working through the Defense Acquisition University, the Logistics Functional IPT, the Acquisition Management Functional... WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Department of Defense,Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and...each year in product support. Reformed stewardship—driven by improving product support and achieving more cost- effective weapon system readiness

Assessment of Supportive, Conflicted, and Controlling Dimensions of Family Functioning: A Principal Components Analysis of Family Environment Scale Subscales in a College Sample.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kronenberger, William G.; Thompson, Robert J., Jr.; Morrow, Catherine

1997-01-01

A principal components analysis of the Family Environment Scale (FES) (R. Moos and B. Moos, 1994) was performed using 113 undergraduates. Research supported 3 broad components encompassing the 10 FES subscales. These results supported previous research and the generalization of the FES to college samples. (SLD)

Assessment of a Hospital Palliative Care Unit (HPCU) for Cancer Patients; A Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Rouhollahi, Mohammad Reza; Saghafinia, Masoud; Zandehdel, Kazem; Motlagh, Ali Ghanbari; Kazemian, Ali; Mohagheghi, Mohammad Ali; Tahmasebi, Mamak

2015-01-01

The first hospital palliative care unit (HPCU) in Iran (FARS-HPCU) has been established in 2008 in the Cancer Institute, which is the largest referral cancer center in the country. We attempted to assess the performance of the HPCU based on a comprehensive conceptual framework. The main aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for assessment of the HPCU performances through designing a value chain in line with the goals and the main processes (core and support). We collected data from a variety of sources, including international guidelines, international best practices, and expert opinions in the country and compared them with national policies and priorities. We also took into consideration the trend of the HPCU development in the Cancer Institute of Iran. Through benchmarking the gap area with the performance standards, some recommendations for better outcome are proposed. The framework for performance assessment consisted of 154 process indicators (PIs), based on which the main stakeholders of the HPCU (including staff, patients, and families) offered their scoring. The outcome revealed the state of the processes as well as the gaps. Despite a significant improvement in many processes and indicators, more development in the comprehensive and integrative aspects of FARS-HPCU performance is required. Consideration of all supportive and palliative requirements of the patients through interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches is recommended.

Assessing Procedural Competence: Validity Considerations.

PubMed

Pugh, Debra M; Wood, Timothy J; Boulet, John R

2015-10-01

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) offers opportunities for trainees to learn how to perform procedures and to be assessed in a safe environment. However, SBME research studies often lack robust evidence to support the validity of the interpretation of the results obtained from tools used to assess trainees' skills. The purpose of this paper is to describe how a validity framework can be applied when reporting and interpreting the results of a simulation-based assessment of skills related to performing procedures. The authors discuss various sources of validity evidence because they relate to SBME. A case study is presented.

Evaluating the impact and costs of deploying an electronic medical record system to support TB treatment in Peru

PubMed Central

Fraser, Hamish SF; Blaya, Joaquin; Choi, Sharon S; Bonilla, Cesar; Jazayeri, Darius

2006-01-01

The PIH-EMR is a Web based electronic medical record that has been in operation for over four years in Peru supporting the treatment of drug resistant TB. We describe here the types of evaluations that have been performed on the EMR to assess its impact on patient care, reporting, logistics and observational research. Formal studies have been performed on components for drug order entry, drug requirements prediction tools and the use of PDAs to collect bacteriology data. In addition less formal data on the use of the EMR for reporting and research are reviewed. Experience and insights from porting the PIH-EMR to the Philippines, and modifying it to support HIV treatment in Haiti and Rwanda are discussed. We propose that additional data of this sort is valuable in assessing medical information systems especially in resource poor areas. PMID:17238344

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

Bryan, Charles R.; Weck, Philippe F.; Vaughn, Palmer

Report RWEV-REP-001, Analysis of Postclosure Groundwater Impacts for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada was issued by the DOE in 2009 and is currently being updated. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) provided support for the original document, performing calculations and extracting data from the Yucca Mountain Performance Assessment Model that were used as inputs to the contaminant transport and dose calculations by Jason Associates Corporation, the primary developers of the DOE report. The inputs from SNL were documented in LSA-AR-037, Inputs to Jason Associates Corporation inmore » Support of the Postclosure Repository Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. To support the updating of the original Groundwater Impacts document, SNL has reviewed the inputs provided in LSA-AR-037 to verify that they are current and appropriate for use. The results of that assessment are documented here.« less

Evaluating the impact and costs of deploying an electronic medical record system to support TB treatment in Peru.

PubMed

Fraser, Hamish S F; Blaya, Joaquin; Choi, Sharon S; Bonilla, Cesar; Jazayeri, Darius

2006-01-01

The PIH-EMR is a Web based electronic medical record that has been in operation for over four years in Peru supporting the treatment of drug resistant TB. We describe here the types of evaluations that have been performed on the EMR to assess its impact on patient care, reporting, logistics and observational research. Formal studies have been performed on components for drug order entry, drug requirements prediction tools and the use of PDAs to collect bacteriology data. In addition less formal data on the use of the EMR for reporting and research are reviewed. Experience and insights from porting the PIH-EMR to the Philippines, and modifying it to support HIV treatment in Haiti and Rwanda are discussed. We propose that additional data of this sort is valuable in assessing medical information systems especially in resource poor areas.

Using Dynamic Assessment to Evaluate the Expressive Syntax of Children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

PubMed Central

King, Marika R.; Binger, Cathy; Kent-Walsh, Jennifer

2015-01-01

The developmental readiness of four 5-year-old children to produce basic sentences using graphic symbols on an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device during a dynamic assessment (DA) task was examined. Additionally, the ability of the DA task to predict performance on a subsequent experimental task was evaluated. A graduated prompting framework was used during DA. Measures included amount of support required to produce the targets, modifiability (change in participant performance) within a DA session, and predictive validity of DA. Participants accurately produced target structures with varying amounts of support. Modifiability within DA sessions was evident for some participants, and partial support was provided for the measures of predictive validity. These initial results indicate that DA may be a viable way to measure young children’s developmental readiness to learn how to sequence simple, rule-based messages via aided AAC. PMID:25621928

Performance Assessment of Single Electrode-Supported Solid Oxide Cells Operating in the Steam Electrolysis Mode

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

X. Zhang; J. E. O'Brien; R. C. O'Brien

2011-11-01

An experimental study is under way to assess the performance of electrode-supported solid-oxide cells operating in the steam electrolysis mode for hydrogen production. Results presented in this paper were obtained from single cells, with an active area of 16 cm{sup 2} per cell. The electrolysis cells are electrode-supported, with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes ({approx}10 {mu}m thick), nickel-YSZ steam/hydrogen electrodes ({approx}1400 {mu}m thick), and modified LSM or LSCF air-side electrodes ({approx}90 {mu}m thick). The purpose of the present study is to document and compare the performance and degradation rates of these cells in the fuel cell mode and in the electrolysismore » mode under various operating conditions. Initial performance was documented through a series of voltage-current (VI) sweeps and AC impedance spectroscopy measurements. Degradation was determined through long-term testing, first in the fuel cell mode, then in the electrolysis mode. Results generally indicate accelerated degradation rates in the electrolysis mode compared to the fuel cell mode, possibly due to electrode delamination. The paper also includes details of an improved single-cell test apparatus developed specifically for these experiments.« less

Simplified Aircraft-Based Paired Approach: Concept Definition and Initial Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Sally C.; Lohr, Gary W.; McKissick, Burnell T.; Abbott, Terence S.; Geurreiro, Nelson M.; Volk, Paul

2013-01-01

Simplified Aircraft-based Parallel Approach (SAPA) is an advanced concept proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support dependent parallel approach operations to runways with lateral spacing closer than 2500 ft. At the request of the FAA, NASA performed an initial assessment of the potential performance and feasibility of the SAPA concept, including developing and assessing an operational implementation of the concept and conducting a Monte Carlo wake simulation study to examine the longitudinal spacing requirements. The SAPA concept was shown to have significant operational advantages in supporting the pairing of aircraft with dissimilar final approach speeds. The wake simulation study showed that support for dissimilar final approach speeds could be significantly enhanced through the use of a two-phased altitudebased longitudinal positioning requirement, with larger longitudinal positioning allowed for higher altitudes out of ground effect and tighter longitudinal positioning defined for altitudes near and in ground effect. While this assessment is preliminary and there are a number of operational issues still to be examined, it has shown the basic SAPA concept to be technically and operationally feasible.

Sustainability of National Immunization Programme (NIP) performance and financing following Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) support to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

PubMed

Le Gargasson, Jean-Bernard; Breugelmans, J Gabrielle; Mibulumukini, Benoît; Da Silva, Alfred; Colombini, Anaïs

2013-04-08

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) is a public-private global health partnership aiming to increase access to immunisation in poor countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the third largest recipient of GAVI funds in terms of cumulative disbursed support. We provided a comprehensive assessment of GAVI support and analysed trends in immunisation performance and financing in the DRC from 2002 to 2010. The scope of the analysis includes GAVI's total financial support and the value of vaccines and syringes purchased by GAVI for the DRC from 2002 to 2010. Data were collected through a review of published and grey literature and interviews with key stakeholders in the DRC. We assessed the allocation and use of GAVI funds for each of GAVI's support areas, as well as trends in immunisation performance and financing. DTP3 coverage increased from 2002 (38%) to 2007 (72%) but had decreased to a level below 70% in 2008 (68%) and 2010 (63%). The overall funding for vaccines increased from US$5.4 million in 2006 to US$30.5 million in 2010 (mostly from GAVI support for new vaccines). However, during the same period, the funding from national (government) and international (GAVI and other donors) sources for routine immunisation services (except vaccines) decreased from US$36.4 million to US$24.4 million. This drop in overall funding (33%) primarily affected surveillance, transport, and cold chain equipment. GAVI support to DRC has enhanced significant progress in routine immunisation performance and financing during 2002-2010. Although progress has been partly sustained, the initial observed increase in DTP3 coverage and available funding for routine immunisation halted towards the end of the analysis period, coinciding with tetravalent and pentavalent vaccine introduction. These findings highlight the need for additional efforts to ensure the sustainability of routine immunization program performance and financing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NUMERICAL FLOW AND TRANSPORT SIMULATIONS SUPPORTING THE SALTSTONE FACILITY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

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

Flach, G.

2009-02-28

The Saltstone Disposal Facility Performance Assessment (PA) is being revised to incorporate requirements of Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA), and updated data and understanding of vault performance since the 1992 PA (Cook and Fowler 1992) and related Special Analyses. A hybrid approach was chosen for modeling contaminant transport from vaults and future disposal cells to exposure points. A higher resolution, largely deterministic, analysis is performed on a best-estimate Base Case scenario using the PORFLOW numerical analysis code. a few additional sensitivity cases are simulated to examine alternative scenarios andmore » parameter settings. Stochastic analysis is performed on a simpler representation of the SDF system using the GoldSim code to estimate uncertainty and sensitivity about the Base Case. This report describes development of PORFLOW models supporting the SDF PA, and presents sample results to illustrate model behaviors and define impacts relative to key facility performance objectives. The SDF PA document, when issued, should be consulted for a comprehensive presentation of results.« less

Influence of learning styles on the practical performance after the four-step basic life support training approach – An observational cohort study

PubMed Central

Henke, Alexandra; Stieger, Lina; Beckers, Stefan; Biermann, Henning; Rossaint, Rolf; Sopka, Saša

2017-01-01

Background Learning and training basic life support (BLS)—especially external chest compressions (ECC) within the BLS-algorithm—are essential resuscitation training for laypersons as well as for health care professionals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of learning styles on the performance of BLS and to identify whether all types of learners are sufficiently addressed by Peyton’s four-step approach for BLS training. Methods A study group of first-year medical students (n = 334) without previous medical knowledge was categorized according to learning styles using the German Lernstilinventar questionnaire based on Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory. Students’ BLS performances were assessed before and after a four-step BLS training approach lasting 4 hours. Standardized BLS training was provided by an educational staff consisting of European Resuscitation Council-certified advanced life support providers and instructors. Pre- and post-intervention BLS performance was evaluated using a single-rescuer-scenario and standardized questionnaires (6-point-Likert-scales: 1 = completely agree, 6 = completely disagree). The recorded points of measurement were the time to start, depth, and frequency of ECC. Results The study population was categorized according to learning styles: diverging (5%, n = 16), assimilating (36%, n = 121), converging (41%, n = 138), and accommodating (18%, n = 59). Independent of learning styles, both male and female participants showed significant improvement in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance. Based on the Kolb learning styles, no significant differences between the four groups were observed in compression depth, frequency, time to start CPR, or the checklist-based assessment within the baseline assessment. A significant sex effect on the difference between pre- and post-interventional assessment points was observed for mean compression depth and mean compression frequency. Conclusions The findings of this work show that the four-step-approach for BLS training addresses all types of learners independent of their learning styles and does not lead to significant differences in the performance of CPR. PMID:28542636

Influence of learning styles on the practical performance after the four-step basic life support training approach - An observational cohort study.

PubMed

Schröder, Hanna; Henke, Alexandra; Stieger, Lina; Beckers, Stefan; Biermann, Henning; Rossaint, Rolf; Sopka, Saša

2017-01-01

Learning and training basic life support (BLS)-especially external chest compressions (ECC) within the BLS-algorithm-are essential resuscitation training for laypersons as well as for health care professionals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of learning styles on the performance of BLS and to identify whether all types of learners are sufficiently addressed by Peyton's four-step approach for BLS training. A study group of first-year medical students (n = 334) without previous medical knowledge was categorized according to learning styles using the German Lernstilinventar questionnaire based on Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory. Students' BLS performances were assessed before and after a four-step BLS training approach lasting 4 hours. Standardized BLS training was provided by an educational staff consisting of European Resuscitation Council-certified advanced life support providers and instructors. Pre- and post-intervention BLS performance was evaluated using a single-rescuer-scenario and standardized questionnaires (6-point-Likert-scales: 1 = completely agree, 6 = completely disagree). The recorded points of measurement were the time to start, depth, and frequency of ECC. The study population was categorized according to learning styles: diverging (5%, n = 16), assimilating (36%, n = 121), converging (41%, n = 138), and accommodating (18%, n = 59). Independent of learning styles, both male and female participants showed significant improvement in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance. Based on the Kolb learning styles, no significant differences between the four groups were observed in compression depth, frequency, time to start CPR, or the checklist-based assessment within the baseline assessment. A significant sex effect on the difference between pre- and post-interventional assessment points was observed for mean compression depth and mean compression frequency. The findings of this work show that the four-step-approach for BLS training addresses all types of learners independent of their learning styles and does not lead to significant differences in the performance of CPR.

Language Ideologies and Literacy Achievement: Six Multilingual Countries and Two International Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arya, Diana J.; McClung, Nicola A.; Katznelson, Noah; Scott, Lyn

2016-01-01

Social psychologists have suggested that language-based ideologies related to "stereotype threat" (i.e. variations in performance-based on ability perceptions of language groups) may affect students' academic achievement regardless of school language support. However, it is unclear whether efforts to support students' first language…

24 CFR 902.79 - Verification and records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... All project and PHA certifications, year-end financial information, and supporting documentation are... supporting documents for any certifications and for asset management reviews for at least 3 years. Failure to...), or other methods used to assess performance shall result in a score of zero for the indicator(s) or...

Estimating the Impact of Vadose Zone Sources on Groundwater to Support Performance Assessment of Soil Vapor Extraction

EPA Science Inventory

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is a prevalent remediation approach for volatile contaminants in the vadose zone. To support selection of an appropriate endpoint for the SVE remedy, an evaluation is needed to determine whether vadose zone contamination has been diminished sufficient...

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is not a model per se, but is a multipurpose environmental decision support system for use by regional, state, and local agencies in performing watershed- and water-quality-based studies. BASI...

75 FR 63213 - Northern States Power Company-Minnesota; Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

... Company--Minnesota; Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and... accordance with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC performed an environmental assessment in support of this requested exemption. Based on the results of the environmental assessment, the NRC is issuing a finding of no...

Proceedings of the USAF Logistics Capability Assessment Symposium LOGCAS 82 Held at USAF Academy, Colorado on 15-19 March 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

Ohio. General Merkling , fZ" and graduated from Hamilton High School, Los Angeles. He has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering...navigation, navigation radar and doppler radar systems on bomber, cargo , fighter, and drone aircraft. He also performed duties as maintenance debriefer...measure supply support for those items. ihe model will also project future performance and provide a cost/support relationship. 11-13

Ares I-X Upper Stage Simulator Structural Analyses Supporting the NESC Critical Initial Flaw Size Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, Norman F., Jr.; Phillips, Dawn R.; Raju, Ivatury S.

2008-01-01

The structural analyses described in the present report were performed in support of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Critical Initial Flaw Size (CIFS) assessment for the ARES I-X Upper Stage Simulator (USS) common shell segment. The structural analysis effort for the NESC assessment had three thrusts: shell buckling analyses, detailed stress analyses of the single-bolt joint test; and stress analyses of two-segment 10 degree-wedge models for the peak axial tensile running load. Elasto-plastic, large-deformation simulations were performed. Stress analysis results indicated that the stress levels were well below the material yield stress for the bounding axial tensile design load. This report also summarizes the analyses and results from parametric studies on modeling the shell-to-gusset weld, flange-surface mismatch, bolt preload, and washer-bearing-surface modeling. These analyses models were used to generate the stress levels specified for the fatigue crack growth assessment using the design load with a factor of safety.

Leading a Classroom Discussion: Definition, Supportive Evidence, and Measurement of the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) Assessment Series. Research Memorandum No. RM-16-09

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witherspoon, Margaret; Sykes, Gary; Bell, Courtney

2016-01-01

This paper provides a description and rationale for a performance assessment of a teaching practice--leading a classroom discussion (LCD)--included in the ETS® National Observational Teaching Examination (NOTE) assessment series. In this assessment, candidates interact with a small class of virtual students represented by avatars in a…

Comparing multi-criteria decision analysis and integrated assessment to support long-term water supply planning

PubMed Central

Maurer, Max; Lienert, Judit

2017-01-01

We compare the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)–or more precisely, models used in multi-attribute value theory (MAVT)–to integrated assessment (IA) models for supporting long-term water supply planning in a small town case study in Switzerland. They are used to evaluate thirteen system scale water supply alternatives in four future scenarios regarding forty-four objectives, covering technical, social, environmental, and economic aspects. The alternatives encompass both conventional and unconventional solutions and differ regarding technical, spatial and organizational characteristics. This paper focuses on the impact assessment and final evaluation step of the structured MCDA decision support process. We analyze the performance of the alternatives for ten stakeholders. We demonstrate the implications of model assumptions by comparing two IA and three MAVT evaluation model layouts of different complexity. For this comparison, we focus on the validity (ranking stability), desirability (value), and distinguishability (value range) of the alternatives given the five model layouts. These layouts exclude or include stakeholder preferences and uncertainties. Even though all five led us to identify the same best alternatives, they did not produce identical rankings. We found that the MAVT-type models provide higher distinguishability and a more robust basis for discussion than the IA-type models. The needed complexity of the model, however, should be determined based on the intended use of the model within the decision support process. The best-performing alternatives had consistently strong performance for all stakeholders and future scenarios, whereas the current water supply system was outperformed in all evaluation layouts. The best-performing alternatives comprise proactive pipe rehabilitation, adapted firefighting provisions, and decentralized water storage and/or treatment. We present recommendations for possible ways of improving water supply planning in the case study and beyond. PMID:28481881

OHRQoL, masticatory performance and crestal bone loss with single-implant, magnet-retained mandibular overdentures with conventional and shortened dental arch.

PubMed

Grover, Manita; Vaidyanathan, Anand Kumar; Veeravalli, Padmanabhan Thallam

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the use of single implant-supported, magnet-retained mandibular overdentures to improve the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and masticatory performance of patients wearing conventional complete dentures. The study also aimed at comparing the OHRQoL, masticatory performance, and crestal bone loss with two different types of overdenture prosthesis. Ten completely edentulous patients with atrophic mandibular residual alveolar ridges and having difficulty coping with technically adequate mandibular dentures were selected for implant-supported overdentures (ISOD). To assess the success of the implant fixture clinically, a crossover study design was followed, and the patients were divided into two groups. Group A received ISOD with conventional complete dental arch, and group B received ISOD with a shortened dental arch for the first 3 months and vice versa for the next 3 months. The OHRQoL was measured with the OHIP-49 questionnaire, and masticatory performance was assessed with the sieve method using peanuts as test food. Peri-apical radiographs were taken to evaluate the crestal bone loss. A significant improvement was seen both subjectively and objectively when conventional complete dentures were modified to implant-supported prosthesis. When comparing the implant overdenture prosthesis, patients were more satisfied with conventional arch than with the shortened dental arch. In the first 3 months following implant placement, less bone loss was seen with the shortened dental arch overdenture (P < 0.05). Single implant-supported, magnet-retained mandibular overdentures significantly improve the OHRQoL of completely edentulous patients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Basic life support skills of high school students before and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: a longitudinal investigation.

PubMed

Meissner, Theresa M; Kloppe, Cordula; Hanefeld, Christoph

2012-04-14

Immediate bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) significantly improves survival after a sudden cardiopulmonary collapse. This study assessed the basic life support (BLS) knowledge and performance of high school students before and after CPR training. This study included 132 teenagers (mean age 14.6 ± 1.4 years). Students completed a two-hour training course that provided theoretical background on sudden cardiac death (SCD) and a hands-on CPR tutorial. They were asked to perform BLS on a manikin to simulate an SCD scenario before the training. Afterwards, participants encountered the same scenario and completed a questionnaire for self-assessment of their pre- and post-training confidence. Four months later, we assessed the knowledge retention rate of the participants with a BLS performance score. Before the training, 29.5% of students performed chest compressions as compared to 99.2% post-training (P < 0.05). At the four-month follow-up, 99% of students still performed correct chest compressions. The overall improvement, assessed by the BLS performance score, was also statistically significant (median of 4 and 10 pre- and post-training, respectively, P < 0.05). After the training, 99.2% stated that they felt confident about performing CPR, as compared to 26.9% (P < 0.05) before the training. BLS training in high school seems highly effective considering the minimal amount of previous knowledge the students possess. We observed significant improvement and a good retention rate four months after training. Increasing the number of trained students may minimize the reluctance to conduct bystander CPR and increase the number of positive outcomes after sudden cardiopulmonary collapse.

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the life support and airlock support systems, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barickman, K.

1988-01-01

The McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC) was selected in June 1986 to perform an Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL). The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Life Support and Airlock Support Systems (LSS and ALSS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. The discrepancies were flagged for potential future resolution. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter LSS and ALSS hardware. Volume 2 continues the presentation of IOA worksheets and contains the critical items list and NASA FMEA to IOA worksheet cross reference and recommendations.

Central Data Processing System (CDPS) user's manual: Solar heating and cooling program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The software and data base management system required to assess the performance of solar heating and cooling systems installed at multiple sites is presented. The instrumentation data associated with these systems is collected, processed, and presented in a form which supported continuity of performance evaluation across all applications. The CDPS consisted of three major elements: communication interface computer, central data processing computer, and performance evaluation data base. Users of the performance data base were identified, and procedures for operation, and guidelines for software maintenance were outlined. The manual also defined the output capabilities of the CDPS in support of external users of the system.

Comparison of the Belgian Rheumatoid Arthritis Disability Assessment and Health Assessment Questionnaires as Tools to Predict the Need for Support Measures in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Janssens, Xavier; Decuman, Saskia; De Keyser, Filip

2016-01-01

Objective Scores on the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) predict the need for support measures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we compare the performance of the HAQ in this context with that of the more disease-specific Belgian Rheumatoid Arthritis Disability Assessment (BRADA) questionnaire. Methods In this multicenter observational study, patients with RA and disease duration of at least one year who consulted their rheumatologist for a routine follow-up visit filled out the HAQ, and BRADA questionnaires. The performance of HAQ and BRADA to predict the need for support measures available to patients with RA was evaluated using Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves, with the expert opinion of the rheumatologist as a reference. Results The study analyzed data of 301 patients with RA (70.8% females) with mean age 59.8±12.8, disease duration 11.4±9.3 years, and DAS28 values of 2.84±1.18. HAQ scores averaged 0.97±0.73 and BRADA scores were 3.92±3.49 over the last week and 3.89±3.50 over the last 3 months. The area under the ROC curves for the BRADA scores for the support measures investigated ranged from 0.702 to 0.862 and did not differ significantly from those of the HAQ (range 0.725–0.860). Conclusion The disease-specific BRADA questionnaire is equivalent to the HAQ in predicting the need for support measures in patients with stable RA. PMID:26800345

Comparison of the Belgian Rheumatoid Arthritis Disability Assessment and Health Assessment Questionnaires as Tools to Predict the Need for Support Measures in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Janssens, Xavier; Decuman, Saskia; De Keyser, Filip

2016-01-01

Scores on the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) predict the need for support measures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we compare the performance of the HAQ in this context with that of the more disease-specific Belgian Rheumatoid Arthritis Disability Assessment (BRADA) questionnaire. In this multicenter observational study, patients with RA and disease duration of at least one year who consulted their rheumatologist for a routine follow-up visit filled out the HAQ, and BRADA questionnaires. The performance of HAQ and BRADA to predict the need for support measures available to patients with RA was evaluated using Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves, with the expert opinion of the rheumatologist as a reference. The study analyzed data of 301 patients with RA (70.8% females) with mean age 59.8 ± 12.8, disease duration 11.4 ± 9.3 years, and DAS28 values of 2.84 ± 1.18. HAQ scores averaged 0.97 ± 0.73 and BRADA scores were 3.92 ± 3.49 over the last week and 3.89 ± 3.50 over the last 3 months. The area under the ROC curves for the BRADA scores for the support measures investigated ranged from 0.702 to 0.862 and did not differ significantly from those of the HAQ (range 0.725-0.860). The disease-specific BRADA questionnaire is equivalent to the HAQ in predicting the need for support measures in patients with stable RA.

Validity evidence as a key marker of quality of technical skill assessment in OTL-HNS.

PubMed

Labbé, Mathilde; Young, Meredith; Nguyen, Lily H P

2018-01-13

Quality monitoring of assessment practices should be a priority in all residency programs. Validity evidence is one of the main hallmarks of assessment quality and should be collected to support the interpretation and use of assessment data. Our objective was to identify, synthesize, and present the validity evidence reported supporting different technical skill assessment tools in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTL-HNS). We performed a secondary analysis of data generated through a systematic review of all published tools for assessing technical skills in OTL-HNS (n = 16). For each tool, we coded validity evidence according to the five types of evidence described by the American Educational Research Association's interpretation of Messick's validity framework. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted. All 16 tools included in our analysis were supported by internal structure and relationship to variables validity evidence. Eleven articles presented evidence supporting content. Response process was discussed only in one article, and no study reported on evidence exploring consequences. We present the validity evidence reported for 16 rater-based tools that could be used for work-based assessment of OTL-HNS residents in the operating room. The articles included in our review were consistently deficient in evidence for response process and consequences. Rater-based assessment tools that support high-stakes decisions that impact the learner and programs should include several sources of validity evidence. Thus, use of any assessment should be done with careful consideration of the context-specific validity evidence supporting score interpretation, and we encourage deliberate continual assessment quality-monitoring. NA. Laryngoscope, 2018. © 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

HRST architecture modeling and assessments

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

Comstock, D.A.

1997-01-01

This paper presents work supporting the assessment of advanced concept options for the Highly Reusable Space Transportation (HRST) study. It describes the development of computer models as the basis for creating an integrated capability to evaluate the economic feasibility and sustainability of a variety of system architectures. It summarizes modeling capabilities for use on the HRST study to perform sensitivity analysis of alternative architectures (consisting of different combinations of highly reusable vehicles, launch assist systems, and alternative operations and support concepts) in terms of cost, schedule, performance, and demand. In addition, the identification and preliminary assessment of alternative market segmentsmore » for HRST applications, such as space manufacturing, space tourism, etc., is described. Finally, the development of an initial prototype model that can begin to be used for modeling alternative HRST concepts at the system level is presented. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Ada and software management in NASA: Assessment and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Recent NASA missions have required software systems that are larger, more complex, and more critical than NASA software systems of the past. The Ada programming language and the software methods and support environments associated with it are seen as potential breakthroughs in meeting NASA's software requirements. The findings of a study by the Ada and Software Management Assessment Working Group (ASMAWG) are presented. The study was chartered to perform three tasks: (1) assess the agency's ongoing and planned Ada activities; (2) assess the infrastructure (standards, policies, and internal organizations) supporting software management and the Ada activities; and (3) present an Ada implementation and use strategy appropriate for NASA over the next 5 years.

Unsteady Full Annulus Simulations of a Transonic Axial Compressor Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrick, Gregory P.; Hathaway, Michael D.; Chen, Jen-Ping

2009-01-01

Two recent research endeavors in turbomachinery at NASA Glenn Research Center have focused on compression system stall inception and compression system aerothermodynamic performance. Physical experiment and computational research are ongoing in support of these research objectives. TURBO, an unsteady, three-dimensional, Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code commissioned and developed by NASA, has been utilized, enhanced, and validated in support of these endeavors. In the research which follows, TURBO is shown to accurately capture compression system flow range-from choke to stall inception-and also to accurately calculate fundamental aerothermodynamic performance parameters. Rigorous full-annulus calculations are performed to validate TURBO s ability to simulate the unstable, unsteady, chaotic stall inception process; as part of these efforts, full-annulus calculations are also performed at a condition approaching choke to further document TURBO s capabilities to compute aerothermodynamic performance data and support a NASA code assessment effort.

NASA Technical Management Report (533Q)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klosko, S. M.; Sanchez, B. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The objective of this task is analytical support of the NASA Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) program in the areas of SLR data analysis, software development, assessment of SLR station performance, development of improved models for atmospheric propagation and interpretation of station calibration techniques, and science coordination and analysis functions for the NASA led Central Bureau of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS). The contractor shall in each year of the five year contract: (1) Provide software development and analysis support to the NASA SLR program and the ILRS. Attend and make analysis reports at the monthly meetings of the Central Bureau of the ILRS covering data received during the previous period. Provide support to the Analysis Working Group of the ILRS including special tiger teams that are established to handle unique analysis problems. Support the updating of the SLR Bibliography contained on the ILRS web site; (2) Perform special assessments of SLR station performance from available data to determine unique biases and technical problems at the station; (3) Develop improvements to models of atmospheric propagation and for handling pre- and post-pass calibration data provided by global network stations; (4) Provide review presentation of overall ILRS network data results at one major scientific meeting per year; (5) Contribute to and support the publication of NASA SLR and ILRS reports highlighting the results of SLR analysis activity.

Specification and implementation of IFC based performance metrics to support building life cycle assessment of hybrid energy systems

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

Morrissey, Elmer; O'Donnell, James; Keane, Marcus

2004-03-29

Minimizing building life cycle energy consumption is becoming of paramount importance. Performance metrics tracking offers a clear and concise manner of relating design intent in a quantitative form. A methodology is discussed for storage and utilization of these performance metrics through an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) instantiated Building Information Model (BIM). The paper focuses on storage of three sets of performance data from three distinct sources. An example of a performance metrics programming hierarchy is displayed for a heat pump and a solar array. Utilizing the sets of performance data, two discrete performance effectiveness ratios may be computed, thus offeringmore » an accurate method of quantitatively assessing building performance.« less

Use of human patient simulation and the situation awareness global assessment technique in practical trauma skills assessment.

PubMed

Hogan, Michael P; Pace, David E; Hapgood, Joanne; Boone, Darrell C

2006-11-01

Situation awareness (SA) is defined as the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future. This construct is vital to decision making in intense, dynamic environments. It has been used in aviation as it relates to pilot performance, but has not been applied to medical education. The most widely used objective tool for measuring trainee SA is the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). The purpose of this study was to design and validate SAGAT for assessment of practical trauma skills, and to compare SAGAT results to traditional checklist style scoring. Using the Human Patient Simulator, we designed SAGAT for practical trauma skills assessment based on Advanced Trauma Life Support objectives. Sixteen subjects (four staff surgeons, four senior residents, four junior residents, and four medical students) participated in three scenarios each. They were assessed using SAGAT and traditional checklist assessment. A questionnaire was used to assess possible confounding factors in attaining SA and overall trainee satisfaction. SAGAT was found to show significant difference (analysis of variance; p < 0.001) in scores based on level of training lending statistical support to construct validity. SAGAT was likewise found to display reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.767), and significant scoring correlation with traditional checklist performance measures (Pearson's coefficient 0.806). The questionnaire revealed no confounding factors and universal satisfaction with the human patient simulator and SAGAT. SAGAT is a valid, reliable assessment tool for trauma trainees in the dynamic clinical environment created by human patient simulation. Information provided by SAGAT could provide specific feedback, direct individualized teaching, and support curriculum change. Introduction of SAGAT could improve the current assessment model for practical trauma education.

Perceived organizational support and extra-role performance: which leads to which?

PubMed

Chen, Zhixia; Eisenberger, Robert; Johnson, Kelly M; Sucharski, Ivan L; Aselage, Justin

2009-02-01

L. Rhoades and R. Eisenberger (2002) reported the meta-analytic finding of a highly statistically significant relation between perceived organizational support (POS) and performance but concluded that the reviewed studies' methodology allowed no conclusion concerning the direction of the association. To investigate this issue, the authors assessed POS and extra-role performance 2 times, separated by a 3-year interval, among 199 employees of an electronic and appliance sales organization. Using a cross-lagged panel design, the authors found that POS was positively associated with a temporal change in extra-role performance. In contrast, the relation between extra-role performance and temporal change in POS was not statistically significant. These findings provide evidence that POS leads to extra-role performance.

48 CFR 15.305 - Proposal evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... comparative assessment of past performance information is separate from the responsibility determination... requirements; and (ii) A summary, matrix, or quantitative ranking, along with appropriate supporting narrative...

48 CFR 15.305 - Proposal evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... comparative assessment of past performance information is separate from the responsibility determination... requirements; and (ii) A summary, matrix, or quantitative ranking, along with appropriate supporting narrative...

48 CFR 15.305 - Proposal evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... comparative assessment of past performance information is separate from the responsibility determination... requirements; and (ii) A summary, matrix, or quantitative ranking, along with appropriate supporting narrative...

48 CFR 15.305 - Proposal evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... comparative assessment of past performance information is separate from the responsibility determination... requirements; and (ii) A summary, matrix, or quantitative ranking, along with appropriate supporting narrative...

48 CFR 15.305 - Proposal evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... comparative assessment of past performance information is separate from the responsibility determination... requirements; and (ii) A summary, matrix, or quantitative ranking, along with appropriate supporting narrative...

An Application of Brief Experimental Analysis with Early Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, David C.; Dickey, Bradley N.; Burns, Matthew K.; McMaster, Kristen L.

2012-01-01

Students' poor performance on national assessments of writing suggests that educators need effective approaches to assess and intervene with writing problems. Brief experimental analysis (BEA) has supporting evidence for identifying interventions in reading, but little research has investigated BEA with writing. Early writing is an especially…

45 CFR 305.60 - Types and scope of Federal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... self-assessments, or that those deficiencies are determined to seriously impact the performance of the... (CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM), ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... assessments of: (1) Whether funds to carry out the State program are being appropriately expended, and are...

45 CFR 305.60 - Types and scope of Federal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... self-assessments, or that those deficiencies are determined to seriously impact the performance of the... (CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM), ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... assessments of: (1) Whether funds to carry out the State program are being appropriately expended, and are...

45 CFR 305.60 - Types and scope of Federal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... self-assessments, or that those deficiencies are determined to seriously impact the performance of the... (CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM), ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... assessments of: (1) Whether funds to carry out the State program are being appropriately expended, and are...

ResourceCheck: Assess Your District's Resource Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Resource Strategies, 2013

2013-01-01

For over a decade, Education Resource Strategies, Inc. (ERS) has helped leaders of urban school districts strategically reallocate their resources to improve student performance. This work identifies seven Core Transformational Strategies that support high-performing schools; in high-functioning districts, resources (people, time, and money) are…

Research Program Overview

Science.gov Websites

coordinates research in support of the PEER mission in performance-based earthquake engineering. The broad system dynamic response; assessment of the performance of the structural and nonstructural systems ; consequences in terms of casualties, capital costs, and post-earthquake functionality; and decision-making to

XWeB: The XML Warehouse Benchmark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahboubi, Hadj; Darmont, Jérôme

With the emergence of XML as a standard for representing business data, new decision support applications are being developed. These XML data warehouses aim at supporting On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) operations that manipulate irregular XML data. To ensure feasibility of these new tools, important performance issues must be addressed. Performance is customarily assessed with the help of benchmarks. However, decision support benchmarks do not currently support XML features. In this paper, we introduce the XML Warehouse Benchmark (XWeB), which aims at filling this gap. XWeB derives from the relational decision support benchmark TPC-H. It is mainly composed of a test data warehouse that is based on a unified reference model for XML warehouses and that features XML-specific structures, and its associate XQuery decision support workload. XWeB's usage is illustrated by experiments on several XML database management systems.

Impact of a web based interactive simulation game (PULSE) on nursing students' experience and performance in life support training--a pilot study.

PubMed

Cook, Neal F; McAloon, Toni; O'Neill, Philip; Beggs, Richard

2012-08-01

The delivery of effective life support measures is highly associated with the quality, design and implementation of the education that underpins it. Effectively responding to a critical event is a requirement for all nurses illustrating the need for effective educational approaches from pre-registration training through to enhancing and maintaining life support skills after qualification. This paper reports the findings of utilising a web-based multimedia simulation game PULSE (Platform for Undergraduate Life Support Education). The platform was developed to enhance the student experience of life support education, to motivate on-going learning and engagement and to improve psychomotor skills associated with the provision of Intermediate Life Support (ILS) training. Pre training participants played PULSE and during life support training data was collected from an intervention and a control group of final year undergraduate nursing students (N=34). Quantitative analysis of performance took place and qualitative data was generated from a questionnaire assessing the learning experience. A statistically significant difference was found between the competence the groups displayed in the three skills sets of checking equipment, airway assessment and the safe/effective use of defibrillator at ILS level, and PULSE was positively evaluated as an educational tool when used alongside traditional life support training. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Configuration development for ROMENET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhue, Lawrence

1989-10-01

A plan prepared by RJO Enterprises and BBN Communications Corporation (BBNCC) for the design of ROMENET, a DDN-like testbed for the Rome Air Development Center (RADC) Wide Area Networks (WAN) laboratory is presented. The ROMENET is intended to provide RADC with the ability to test and evaluate the performance and vulnerability of the Defense Data Network (DDN) technologies in support of specific Major Command programs and activities at RADC. It will also support experimentation with packet switched network technologies and includes facilities to analytically evaluate the performance of the network and its associated equipment and media. In addition, ROMENET will provide a simulation vehicle for controlled interference or jamming into the media for vulnerability assessment. Through interfaces with the RADC Battle Management Laboratory (BML), ROMENET will allow the Air Force to assess the restorative and performance characteristics of the network under stressed conditions. The closed environment of ROMENET makes it ideal for creating and testing routing algorithms and network control protocols.

Video prompting versus other instruction strategies for persons with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Perilli, Viviana; Lancioni, Giulio E; Hoogeveen, Frans; Caffó, Alessandro; Singh, Nirbhay; O'Reilly, Mark; Sigafoos, Jeff; Cassano, Germana; Oliva, Doretta

2013-06-01

Two studies assessed the effectiveness of video prompting as a strategy to support persons with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease in performing daily activities. In study I, video prompting was compared to an existing strategy relying on verbal instructions. In study II, video prompting was compared to another existing strategy relying on static pictorial cues. Video prompting and the other strategies were counterbalanced across tasks and participants and compared within alternating treatments designs. Video prompting was effective in all participants. Similarly effective were the other 2 strategies, and only occasional differences between the strategies were reported. Two social validation assessments showed that university psychology students and graduates rated the patients' performance with video prompting more favorably than their performance with the other strategies. Video prompting may be considered a valuable alternative to the other strategies to support daily activities in persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Introducing a design exigency to promote student learning through assessment: A case study.

PubMed

Grealish, Laurie A; Shaw, Julie M

2018-02-01

Assessment technologies are often used to classify student and newly qualified nurse performance as 'pass' or 'fail', with little attention to how these decisions are achieved. Examining the design exigencies of classification technologies, such as performance assessment technologies, provides opportunities to explore flexibility and change in the process of using those technologies. Evaluate an established assessment technology for nursing performance as a classification system. A case study analysis that is focused on the assessment approach and a priori design exigencies of performance assessment technology, in this case the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool 2016. Nurse assessors are required to draw upon their expertise to judge performance, but that judgement is described as a source of bias, creating confusion. The definition of satisfactory performance is 'ready to enter practice'. To pass, the performance on each criterion must be at least satisfactory, indicating to the student that no further improvement is required. The Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool 2016 does not have a third 'other' category, which is usually found in classification systems. Introducing a 'not yet competent' category and creating a two-part, mixed methods assessment process can improve the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool 2016 assessment technology. Using a standards approach in the first part, judgement is valued and can generate learning opportunities across a program. Using a measurement approach in the second part, student performance can be 'not yet competent' but still meet criteria for year level performance and a graded pass. Subjecting the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool 2016 assessment technology to analysis as a classification system provides opportunities for innovation in design. This design innovation has the potential to support students who move between programs and clinicians who assess students from different universities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ergonomics Climate Assessment: A measure of operational performance and employee well-being.

PubMed

Hoffmeister, Krista; Gibbons, Alyssa; Schwatka, Natalie; Rosecrance, John

2015-09-01

Ergonomics interventions have the potential to improve operational performance and employee well-being. We introduce a framework for ergonomics climate, the extent to which an organization emphasizes and supports the design and modification of work to maximize both performance and well-being outcomes. We assessed ergonomics climate at a large manufacturing facility twice during a two-year period. When the organization used ergonomics to promote performance and well-being equally, and at a high level, employees reported less work-related pain. A larger discrepancy between measures of operational performance and employee well-being was associated with increased reports of work-related pain. The direction of this discrepancy was not significantly related to work-related pain, such that it didn't matter which facet was valued more. The Ergonomics Climate Assessment can provide companies with a baseline assessment of the overall value placed on ergonomics and help prioritize areas for improving operational performance and employee well-being. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

A computer analysis of the RF performance of a ground-mounted, air-supported radome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Punnett, M. B.; Joy, E. B.

Several reports and actual operating experience have highlighted the degradation of RF Performance which can occur when SSR or IFF antenna are mounted above primary search antenna within metal space frame or dielectric space frame radomes. These effects are usually attributed to both the high incidence angles and sensitivity of the low gain antennae to sidelobe changes due to scattered energy. Although it has been widely accepted that thin membrane radomes would provide superior performance for this application, there has been little supporting documentation. A plane-wave-spectrum (PWS) computer-based radome analysis was conducted to assess the performance of a specific air-supported radome for the SSR application. In conducting the analysis a mathematical model of a modern SSR antenna was combined with a model of an existing Birdair radome design.

Analysis of Alternatives for Risk Assessment Methodologies and Tools

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

Nachtigal, Noel M.; Fruetel, Julia A.; Gleason, Nathaniel J.

The purpose of this document is to provide a basic overview and understanding of risk assessment methodologies and tools from the literature and to assess the suitability of these methodologies and tools for cyber risk assessment. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) performed this review in support of risk modeling activities performed for the Stakeholder Engagement and Cyber Infrastructure Resilience (SECIR) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Cybersecurity and Communications (CS&C). The set of methodologies and tools covered in this document is not intended to be exhaustive; instead, it focuses on those that are commonly used in themore » risk assessment community. The classification of methodologies and tools was performed by a group of analysts with experience in risk analysis and cybersecurity, and the resulting analysis of alternatives has been tailored to address the needs of a cyber risk assessment.« less

An empirical assessment of high-performing medical groups: results from a national study.

PubMed

Shortell, Stephen M; Schmittdiel, Julie; Wang, Margaret C; Li, Rui; Gillies, Robin R; Casalino, Lawrence P; Bodenheimer, Thomas; Rundall, Thomas G

2005-08-01

The performance of medical groups is receiving increased attention. Relatively little conceptual or empirical work exists that examines the various dimensions of medical group performance. Using a national database of 693 medical groups, this article develops a scorecard approach to assessing group performance and presents a theory-driven framework for differentiating between high-performing versus low-performing medical groups. The clinical quality of care, financial performance, and organizational learning capability of medical groups are assessed in relation to environmental forces, resource acquisition and resource deployment factors, and a quality-centered culture. Findings support the utility of the performance scorecard approach and identification of a number of key factors differentiating high-performing from low-performing groups including, in particular, the importance of a quality-centered culture and the requirement of outside reporting from third party organizations. The findings hold a number of important implications for policy and practice, and the framework presented provides a foundation for future research.

Improving health worker performance of abortion services: an assessment of post-training support to providers in India, Nepal and Nigeria.

PubMed

Benson, Janie; Healy, Joan; Dijkerman, Sally; Andersen, Kathryn

2017-11-21

Health worker performance has been the focus of numerous interventions and evaluation studies in low- and middle-income countries. Few have examined changes in individual provider performance with an intervention encompassing post-training support contacts to improve their clinical practice and resolve programmatic problems. This paper reports the results of an intervention with 3471 abortion providers in India, Nepal and Nigeria. Following abortion care training, providers received in-person visits and virtual contacts by a clinical and programmatic support team for a 12-month period, designed to address their individual practice issues. The intervention also included technical assistance to and upgrades in facilities where the providers worked. Quantitative measures to assess provider performance were established, including: 1) Increase in service provision; 2) Consistent service provision; 3) Provision of high quality of care through use of World Health Organization-recommended uterine evacuation technologies, management of pain and provision of post-abortion contraception; and 4) Post-abortion contraception method mix. Descriptive univariate analysis was conducted, followed by examination of the bivariate relationships between all independent variables and the four dependent performance outcome variables by calculating unadjusted odds ratios, by country and overall. Finally, multivariate logistic regression was performed for each outcome. Providers received an average of 5.7 contacts. Sixty-two percent and 46% of providers met measures for consistent service provision and quality of care, respectively. Fewer providers achieved an increased number of services (24%). Forty-six percent provided an appropriate postabortion contraceptive mix to clients. Most providers met the quality components for use of WHO-recommended abortion methods and provision of pain management. Factors significantly associated with achievement of all measures were providers working in sites offering community outreach and those trained in intervention year two. The number of in-person contacts was significantly associated with achievement of three of four measures. Post-training support holds promise for strengthening health worker performance. Further research is needed to compare this intervention with other approaches and assess how post-training contacts could be incorporated into current health system supervision.

Assess program: Interactive data management systems for airborne research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munoz, R. M.; Reller, J. O., Jr.

1974-01-01

Two data systems were developed for use in airborne research. Both have distributed intelligence and are programmed for interactive support among computers and with human operators. The C-141 system (ADAMS) performs flight planning and telescope control functions in addition to its primary role of data acquisition; the CV-990 system (ADDAS) performs data management functions in support of many research experiments operating concurrently. Each system is arranged for maximum reliability in the first priority function, precision data acquisition.

A rotor technology assessment of the advancing blade concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pleasants, W. A.

1983-01-01

A rotor technology assessment of the Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) was conducted in support of a preliminary design study. The analytical methodology modifications and inputs, the correlation, and the results of the assessment are documented. The primary emphasis was on the high-speed forward flight performance of the rotor. The correlation data base included both the wind tunnel and the flight test results. An advanced ABC rotor design was examined; the suitability of the ABC for a particular mission was not considered. The objective of this technology assessment was to provide estimates of the performance potential of an advanced ABC rotor designed for high speed forward flight.

Medical engagement: a crucial underpinning to organizational performance.

PubMed

Spurgeon, Peter; Mazelan, Patti M; Barwell, Fred

2011-08-01

Medical Engagement has long been advocated as a critical component relating to organizational performance. Relatively little data though existed to support this contention. Using the Medical Engagement Scale (MES) This study demonstrates a persuasive linkage between assessed levels of Medical Engagement in secondary care organizations and independently gathered performance measures. Implications of executive leaders in promoting engagement are explored.

HSI top-down requirements analysis for ship manpower reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malone, Thomas B.; Bost, J. R.

2000-11-01

U.S. Navy ship acquisition programs such as DD 21 and CVNX are increasingly relying on top down requirements analysis (TDRA) to define and assess design approaches for workload and manpower reduction, and for ensuring required levels of human performance, reliability, safety, and quality of life at sea. The human systems integration (HSI) approach to TDRA begins with a function analysis which identifies the functions derived from the requirements in the Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The function analysis serves as the function baseline for the ship, and also supports the definition of RDT&E and Total Ownership Cost requirements. A mission analysis is then conducted to identify mission scenarios, again based on requirements in the ORD, and the Design Reference Mission (DRM). This is followed by a mission/function analysis which establishes the function requirements to successfully perform the ship's missions. Function requirements of major importance for HSI are information, performance, decision, and support requirements associated with each function. An allocation of functions defines the roles of humans and automation in performing the functions associated with a mission. Alternate design concepts, based on function allocation strategies, are then described, and task networks associated with the concepts are developed. Task network simulations are conducted to assess workloads and human performance capabilities associated with alternate concepts. An assessment of the affordability and risk associated with alternate concepts is performed, and manning estimates are developed for feasible design concepts.

Improving Team Performance for Public Health Preparedness.

PubMed

Peck, Megan; Scullard, Mickey; Hedberg, Craig; Moilanen, Emily; Radi, Deborah; Riley, William; Bowen, Paige Anderson; Petersen-Kroeber, Cheryl; Stenberg, Louise; Olson, Debra K

2017-02-01

Between May 2010 and September 2011, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to assess the effect of exercises on team performance during public health emergency response. Participants were divided into 3 research teams exposed to various levels of intervention. Groups consisted of a control group that was given standard MDH training exercises, a didactic group exposed to team dynamics and communication training, and a treatment group that received the didactic training in addition to a post-exercise facilitated debriefing. To assess differences in team performance, teams engaged in 15 functional exercises. Differences in team performance across the 3 groups were identified, although there was no trend in team performance over time for any of the groups. Groups demonstrated fluctuation in team performance during the study period. Attitudinal surveys demonstrated an increase in workplace satisfaction and confidence in training among all groups throughout the study period. Findings from this research support that a critical link exists between training type and team performance during public health emergency response. This research supports that intentional teamwork training for emergency response workers is essential for effective public health emergency response. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:7-10).

The College President's Critical Role in Modeling Assessment: A Lesson in Leadership by Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somera, R. Ray D.

2007-01-01

The college president's role in supporting and promoting student learning outcomes and institutional assessment is a herculean one. At Guam Community College (GCC), the president has been performing a crucial role in setting an assessment example for the rest of the college community since he took office on June 16, 2001. Seeking to model an…

Linking Course-Embedded Assessment Measures and Performance on the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barboza, Gustavo A.; Pesek, James

2012-01-01

Assessment of the business curriculum and its learning goals and objectives has become a major field of interest for business schools. The exploratory results of the authors' model using a sample of 173 students show robust support for the hypothesis that high marks in course-embedded assessment on business-specific analytical skills positively…

Lights, camera, condoms! Assessing college men's attitudes toward condom use in pornography.

PubMed

Kraus, Shane W; Rosenberg, Harold

2016-01-01

Investigate male college students' attitudes toward actors' use of condoms in pornography. Two hundred thirteen undergraduate males attending a large, state-supported midwestern university in the fall semester, 2012. Using a Web-based procedure, participants completed questionnaires assessing their pornography use, sexual history characteristics, and their attitudes toward condom use by adult performers. Factor analysis of the 11-item condom use attitudes questionnaire supported 2 distinct subscales: Condom Supportive Attitudes and Condom Critical Attitudes. Although participants typically agreed with statements supportive of condom use and generally disagreed with statements critical of condom use in pornography, gay men had significantly higher condom supportive subscale scores than did heterosexual men. Neither subscale was correlated with weekly viewing of pornography. Although some producers of adult films argue that actors wearing condoms will displease many viewers, current findings suggest that young men express support for use of condoms by pornographic film actors.

Universal immunogenicity validation and assessment during early biotherapeutic development to support a green laboratory.

PubMed

Bautista, Ami C; Zhou, Lei; Jawa, Vibha

2013-10-01

Immunogenicity support during nonclinical biotherapeutic development can be resource intensive if supported by conventional methodologies. A universal indirect species-specific immunoassay can eliminate the need for biotherapeutic-specific anti-drug antibody immunoassays without compromising quality. By implementing the R's of sustainability (reduce, reuse, rethink), conservation of resources and greener laboratory practices were achieved in this study. Statistical analysis across four biotherapeutics supported identification of consistent product performance standards (cut points, sensitivity and reference limits) and a streamlined universal anti-drug antibody immunoassay method implementation strategy. We propose an efficient, fit-for-purpose, scientifically and statistically supported nonclinical immunogenicity assessment strategy. Utilization of a universal method and streamlined validation, while retaining comparability to conventional immunoassays and meeting the industry recommended standards, provides environmental credits in the scientific laboratory. Collectively, individual reductions in critical material consumption, energy usage, waste and non-environment friendly consumables, such as plastic and paper, support a greener laboratory environment.

Performance Assessment of IT Governance with Balanced Score Card and COBIT 4.1 of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijayanti, N. Y.; Setiawan, W.; Sukamto, R. A.

2017-02-01

Information technology’s application has become an important daily support for all sectors. Educational institutions, including Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), enable information technology as the main asset to increase its qualities and global’s competitive power. By the importances of using information technology for almost every scope, measurement is needed to identify how optimal the IT governance is. Based on these facts, the purposes of this reaseacrh are identify the IT governance’s performance assessment indicators, discover the scores based on the indicators, and analyse IT governance’s performance in UPI. This research is using the combination of Balanced Score Card (BSC) and COBIT 4.1 as the framework to establish assessment indicators in questionnaire’s form. By combining both methods, the final scores of IT governance’s performance will represent UPI’s business goals and objectives in all sectors. This research used 26 COBIT’s processes as assessment indicator of IT performance from the maping 15 IT and business goals of COBIT, and 17 UPI’s strategic plans. The final score are 3.80 for financial perspective, 3.63 for customer perspective, 3.62 for internal business process perspective, and 3.72 for learning and growth perspective. With these scores, then the final result is each perspectives of Balanced Score Card’s current maturity levels are at level 4, which is IT process criticality is regularly defined with full support and agreement from the relevant business process owners.

Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

2014-01-01

In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

The management of technology assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayo, L. H.

1972-01-01

The total problem concept of technology assessment, involving a comprehensive information management activity with an objective orientation to the assessment function is discussed. A brief overview of the technology assessment function and some past experiences are given. Fragmentation of assessment systems, optimum social subsystem for examination in particular assessments, and adequacy of assessments are studied. The magnitude of the technology assessment function and the level of support required for the effective performance of this function are also discussed. One type of institutional arrangement which might produce a close approximation to the total problem assessment approach is suggested.

Endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention: Contributions to learning in kindergarten children.

PubMed

Erickson, Lucy C; Thiessen, Erik D; Godwin, Karrie E; Dickerson, John P; Fisher, Anna V

2015-10-01

Selective sustained attention is vital for higher order cognition. Although endogenous and exogenous factors influence selective sustained attention, assessment of the degree to which these factors influence performance and learning is often challenging. We report findings from the Track-It task, a paradigm that aims to assess the contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors to selective sustained attention within the same task. Behavioral accuracy and eye-tracking data on the Track-It task were correlated with performance on an explicit learning task. Behavioral accuracy and fixations to distractors during the Track-It task did not predict learning when exogenous factors supported selective sustained attention. In contrast, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, fixations to distractors were negatively correlated with learning. Similarly, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, higher behavioral accuracy was correlated with greater learning. These findings suggest that endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention, as measured through different conditions of the Track-It task, may support different kinds of learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing NETS.T Performance in Teacher Candidates: Exploring the Wayfind Teacher Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banister, Savilla; Vannatta Reinhart, Rachel

2013-01-01

To effectively integrate digital technologies in K-12 schools, teachers must be provided with undergraduate experiences that strongly support these integration resources and strategies. The National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS.T) provide a framework for teacher candidates and inservice teachers to identify their…

Design Rationale for a Complex Performance Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, David M.; Bauer, Malcolm; Steinberg, Linda S.; Mislevy, Robert J.; Behrens, John T.; DeMark, Sarah F.

2004-01-01

In computer-based interactive environments meant to support learning, students must bring a wide range of relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities to bear jointly as they solve meaningful problems in a learning domain. To function effectively as an assessment, a computer system must additionally be able to evoke and interpret observable evidence…

Students' Responses to Authentic Assessment Designed to Develop Commitment to Performing at Their Best

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzzomi, Andrew L.; Male, Sally A.; Miller, Karol

2017-01-01

Engineering educators should motivate and support students in developing not only technical competence but also professional competence including commitment to excellence. We developed an authentic assessment to improve students' understanding of the importance of "perfection" in engineering--whereby 50% good enough will not be…

Validity: Applying Current Concepts and Standards to Gynecologic Surgery Performance Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeClaire, Edgar L.; Nihira, Mikio A.; Hardré, Patricia L.

2015-01-01

Validity is critical for meaningful assessment of surgical competency. According to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, validation involves the integration of data from well-defined classifications of evidence. In the authoritative framework, data from all classifications support construct validity claims. The two aims of this…

Designing and Assessing Productive Group Work in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaca, Javier; Lapp, Diane; Fisher, Douglas

2011-01-01

A history teacher examines what is successful and not successful in group work in his high school classroom and gives concrete suggestions for improving group practice. Topics discussed include preparing students for group work, supporting collaboration, inviting critical analysis, and assessing both group and individual performance. (Contains 2…

Handwriting Skills in Children with Spina Bifida: Assessment, Monitoring and Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hancock, Julie; Alston, Jean

1986-01-01

Case studies of three students with spina bifida (ages 8-11) illustrate an individualized six-week handwriting intervention program which stressed assessment, monitoring, and measurement of changes in writing performance. Appropriate changes in physical support (sitting position, writing surface, and choice of writing tool) are recommended. (JW)

COMPARISONS OF ACUTE REFERENCE VALUES IN DEVELOPING AN ACUTE INHALATION ASSESSMENT METHOD

EPA Science Inventory

A method is being developed for performing assessments of human health risk from acute (less than 24 hour) inhalation exposures. The methodology will be flexible in its ability to utilize variously robust data sets of dose-response information. A supporting task is a comparati...

NASA Astronaut Selection 2009: Behavioral Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, A.; Sipes, W.; Bevan, G.; Schmidt, L.; Slack, K.; Moomaw, R.; Vanderark, S.

2011-01-01

Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) is an operational group under medical sciences at NASA/Johnson Space Center. Astronaut applicant screening and assessment is one function of this group, along with psychological training, inflight behavioral support and family services. Direct BHP assessment spans 6-7 months of a 17-month overall selection process.

An Interactive Decision Support System for Technology Transfer Pertaining to Organization and Management

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-07-01

and concludes that task is a vital ingredient in assessing overall organizational climate. He identifies satisfaction , tension performance and...Generation Performances and Perceived Satisfaction Levels...", Proceedings of the American Institute of Decision Sciences , 1978, pp. 171-173. Jackson...to Organization and Management Technical S. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHORS 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERfsj Ronald J. Roland 9. PERFORMING

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers' and Parents' Emotional Support on Children's Working Memory Performance.

PubMed

Vandenbroucke, Loren; Spilt, Jantine; Verschueren, Karine; Baeyens, Dieter

2017-01-01

Working memory, used to temporarily store and mentally manipulate information, is important for children's learning. It is therefore valuable to understand which (contextual) factors promote or hinder working memory performance. Recent research shows positive associations between positive parent-child and teacher-student interactions and working memory performance and development. However, no study has yet experimentally investigated how parents and teachers affect working memory performance. Based on attachment theory, the current study investigated the role of parent and teacher emotional support in promoting working memory performance by buffering the negative effect of social stress. Questionnaires and an experimental session were completed by 170 children from grade 1 to 2 ( M age = 7 years 6 months, SD = 7 months). Questionnaires were used to assess children's perceptions of the teacher-student and parent-child relationship. During an experimental session, working memory was measured with the Corsi task backward (Milner, 1971) in a pre- and post-test design. In-between the tests stress was induced in the children using the Cyberball paradigm (Williams et al., 2000). Emotional support was manipulated (between-subjects) through an audio message (either a weather report, a supportive message of a stranger, a supportive message of a parent, or a supportive message of a teacher). Results of repeated measures ANOVA showed no clear effect of the stress induction. Nevertheless, an effect of parent and teacher support was found and depended on the quality of the parent-child relationship. When children had a positive relationship with their parent, support of parents and teachers had little effect on working memory performance. When children had a negative relationship with their parent, a supportive message of that parent decreased working memory performance, while a supportive message from the teacher increased performance. In sum, the current study suggests that parents and teachers can support working memory performance by being supportive for the child. Teacher support is most effective when the child has a negative relationship with the parent. These insights can give direction to specific measures aimed at preventing and resolving working memory problems and related issues.

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers’ and Parents’ Emotional Support on Children’s Working Memory Performance

PubMed Central

Vandenbroucke, Loren; Spilt, Jantine; Verschueren, Karine; Baeyens, Dieter

2017-01-01

Working memory, used to temporarily store and mentally manipulate information, is important for children’s learning. It is therefore valuable to understand which (contextual) factors promote or hinder working memory performance. Recent research shows positive associations between positive parent–child and teacher–student interactions and working memory performance and development. However, no study has yet experimentally investigated how parents and teachers affect working memory performance. Based on attachment theory, the current study investigated the role of parent and teacher emotional support in promoting working memory performance by buffering the negative effect of social stress. Questionnaires and an experimental session were completed by 170 children from grade 1 to 2 (Mage = 7 years 6 months, SD = 7 months). Questionnaires were used to assess children’s perceptions of the teacher–student and parent–child relationship. During an experimental session, working memory was measured with the Corsi task backward (Milner, 1971) in a pre- and post-test design. In-between the tests stress was induced in the children using the Cyberball paradigm (Williams et al., 2000). Emotional support was manipulated (between-subjects) through an audio message (either a weather report, a supportive message of a stranger, a supportive message of a parent, or a supportive message of a teacher). Results of repeated measures ANOVA showed no clear effect of the stress induction. Nevertheless, an effect of parent and teacher support was found and depended on the quality of the parent–child relationship. When children had a positive relationship with their parent, support of parents and teachers had little effect on working memory performance. When children had a negative relationship with their parent, a supportive message of that parent decreased working memory performance, while a supportive message from the teacher increased performance. In sum, the current study suggests that parents and teachers can support working memory performance by being supportive for the child. Teacher support is most effective when the child has a negative relationship with the parent. These insights can give direction to specific measures aimed at preventing and resolving working memory problems and related issues. PMID:28421026

Data Packages for the Hanford Immobilized Low Activity Tank Waste Performance Assessment 2001 Version [SEC 1 THRU 5

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

MANN, F.M.

Data package supporting the 2001 Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Performance Analysis. Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, facility, waste form, and dosimetry data based on recent investigation are provided. Verification and benchmarking packages for selected software codes are provided.

Development of safety performance functions and other decision support tools to assess pedestrian and bicycle safety : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-09-30

field study was performed at 40 uncontrolled midblock crosswalks and 26 signalized intersections on low-speed roadways selected from the areas surrounding three major urban college campuses across lower Michigan. An array of existing traffic control ...

Underground Test Area Subproject Phase I Data Analysis Task. Volume VIII - Risk Assessment Documentation Package

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

None

Volume VIII of the documentation for the Phase I Data Analysis Task performed in support of the current Regional Flow Model, Transport Model, and Risk Assessment for the Nevada Test Site Underground Test Area Subproject contains the risk assessment documentation. Because of the size and complexity of the model area, a considerable quantity of data was collected and analyzed in support of the modeling efforts. The data analysis task was consequently broken into eight subtasks, and descriptions of each subtask's activities are contained in one of the eight volumes that comprise the Phase I Data Analysis Documentation.

The Role of Physical Context, Verbal Skills, Non-Parental Care, Social Support, and Type of Parental Discipline in the Development of ToM Capacity in Five-Year-Old Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galende, Nuria; de Miguel, Manuel Sanchez; Arranz, Enrique

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of family context on the performance of 5-year-old children (N = 70) in theory of mind (ToM) tasks. The children's performances were assessed during individual sessions held at school. Children's verbal skills were assessed using the Peabody picture vocabulary test (PPVT). Interviews were also…

Technical assessment of Mir-1 life support hardware for the international space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, K. L.; Bagdigian, R. M.; Carrasquillo, R. L.; Carter, D. L.; Franks, G. D.; Holder, D. W., Jr.; Hutchens, C. F.; Ogle, K. Y.; Perry, J. L.; Ray, C. D.

1994-01-01

NASA has been progressively learning the design and performance of the Russian life support systems utilized in their Mir space station. In 1992, a plan was implemented to assess the benefits of the Mir-1 life support systems to the Freedom program. Three primary tasks focused on: evaluating the operational Mir-1 support technologies and understanding if specific Russian systems could be directly utilized on the American space station and if Russian technology design information could prove useful in improving the current design of the planned American life support equipment; evaluating the ongoing Russian life support technology development activities to determine areas of potential long-term application to the U.S. space station; and utilizing the expertise of their space station life support systems to evaluate the benefits to the current U.S. space station program which included the integration of the Russian Mir-1 designs with the U.S. designs to support a crew of six.

Assessing executive and community functioning among homeless persons with substance use disorders using the executive function performance test.

PubMed

Raphael-Greenfield, Emily

2012-09-01

This study investigates the utility of an occupational therapy assessment of executive and performance functioning and indicators of community adjustment among adults with histories of homelessness and substance abuse. A sample of 60 individuals living in a supported housing programme was interviewed about community living experiences and was assessed using the Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT). A descriptive and correlational study design was used. Measurable levels of cognitive and task impairment were documented, in older adults, non-US citizens and those diagnosed with cognitive impairments. Those who had completed a supported education/employment programme (Total EFPT t = -2.83, 0.008) performed better as did those who were employed (Total EFPT t = -2.33, 0.03), met regularly with their case managers (cooking t = -2.07, 0.04), had hobbies (paying bills r = -0.31, 0.02) and had longer periods of abstinence (organization/planning t = -3.59, 0.001). Limitations of the study include the unanticipated need by the clients for additional translation services. Future directions include a randomized controlled intervention study using the EFPT. An implication of this study for occupational therapists working with homeless clients who abuse substances is the importance of assessing and treating their cognitive impairments as well as providing these services within housing first agencies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Peer assessment of aviation performance: inconsistent for good reasons.

PubMed

Roth, Wolff-Michael; Mavin, Timothy J

2015-03-01

Research into expertise is relatively common in cognitive science concerning expertise existing across many domains. However, much less research has examined how experts within the same domain assess the performance of their peer experts. We report the results of a modified think-aloud study conducted with 18 pilots (6 first officers, 6 captains, and 6 flight examiners). Pairs of same-ranked pilots were asked to rate the performance of a captain flying in a critical pre-recorded simulator scenario. Findings reveal (a) considerable variance within performance categories, (b) differences in the process used as evidence in support of a performance rating, (c) different numbers and types of facts (cues) identified, and (d) differences in how specific performance events affect choice of performance category and gravity of performance assessment. Such variance is consistent with low inter-rater reliability. Because raters exhibited good, albeit imprecise, reasons and facts, a fuzzy mathematical model of performance rating was developed. The model provides good agreement with observed variations. Copyright © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Knowledge, attitude and anxiety pertaining to basic life support and medical emergencies among dental interns in Mangalore City, India.

PubMed

Somaraj, Vinej; Shenoy, Rekha P; Panchmal, Ganesh Shenoy; Jodalli, Praveen S; Sonde, Laxminarayan; Karkal, Ravichandra

2017-01-01

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and anxiety pertaining to basic life support (BLS) and medical emergencies among interns in dental colleges of Mangalore city, Karnataka, India. The study subjects comprised of interns who volunteered from the four dental colleges. The knowledge and attitude of interns were assessed using a 30-item questionnaire prepared based on the Basic Life Support Manual from American Heart Association and the anxiety of interns pertaining to BLS and medical emergencies were assessed using a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Questionnaire. Chi-square test was performed on SPSS 21.0 (IBM Statistics, 2012) to determine statistically significant differences ( P <0.05) between assessed knowledge and anxiety. Out of 183 interns, 39.89% had below average knowledge. A total of 123 (67.21%) reported unavailability of professional training. The majority (180, 98.36%) felt the urgent need of training in basic life support procedures. Assessment of stress showed a total of 27.1% participants to be above high-stress level. Comparison of assessed knowledge and stress was found to be insignificant ( P =0.983). There was an evident lack of knowledge pertaining to the management of medical emergencies among the interns. As oral health care providers moving out to the society, a focus should be placed on the training of dental interns with respect to Basic Life Support procedures.

Air Mobility Command’s En Route Support Infrastructure: A Construct of Aircraft Type and Geographic Location Utilized to Assess En Route Aircraft Logistic Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

or JTF air mobility operations (AFDC, 2000). As stated in the following definition, the NAMS integrates the primary functions of airlift, air...control, and communications (C3), logistics support, and aerial port functions . The goal of the en route is to minimize delays for AMC mission...process. The resulting data was used to perform a statistical analysis of AMC off-station aircraft logistic support records for AMC’s six primary

Solar array electrical performance assessment for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Bryan K.; Brisco, Holly

1993-01-01

Electrical power for Space Station Freedom will be generated by large Photovoltaic arrays with a beginning of life power requirement of 30.8 kW per array. The solar arrays will operate in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) over a design life of fifteen years. This paper provides an analysis of the predicted solar array electrical performance over the design life and presents a summary of supporting analysis and test data for the assigned model parameters and performance loss factors. Each model parameter and loss factor is assessed based upon program requirements, component analysis, and test data to date. A description of the LMSC performance model, future test plans, and predicted performance ranges are also given.

Solar array electrical performance assessment for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Bryan K.; Brisco, Holly

1993-01-01

Electrical power for Space Station Freedom will be generated by large photovoltaic arrays with a beginning of life power requirement of 30.8 kW per array. The solar arrays will operate in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) over a design life of fifteen years. This paper provides an analysis of the predicted solar array electrical performance over the design life and presents a summary of supporting analysis and test data for the assigned model parameters and performance loss factors. Each model parameter and loss factor is assessed based upon program requirements, component analysis and test data to date. A description of the LMSC performance model future test plans and predicted performance ranges are also given.

The Reciprocal Effect of Psychosocial Aspects on Nurses' Working Conditions

PubMed Central

Kowalczuk, Krystyna; Krajewska-Kułak, Elżbieta; Sobolewski, Marek

2017-01-01

Objectives: Psychosocial work risks are most often considered in the context of occupational stress. The aim of this article is to evaluate the correlations between different aspects of nurses' psychosocial working conditions. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using the questionnaire: Psychosocial aspects of work. A total of 789 nurses working in inpatient health care facilities in Bialystok were included in the study. Correlation analysis was performed by determining Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Correlations between the primary scales, such as job demands, control, social support, well-being, and expectations of changes, were evaluated. The weakest correlation was shown between the assessment of job demands and other work aspects. The strongest correlation was found between the ability to control and social support. Perception of the need for changes was influenced by the assessment of job demands, components of the control scale and, most of all, the scale of social support. A strong correlation was found between physical and psychological well-being and support from superiors and coworkers. Conclusions: The state of well-being had no effects on nurses' assessment of the demands they were faced with. Nurses' well-being depended only on social support provided by their superiors and colleagues, the sense of being able to have an effect on the performed work, minimal conflicts, and absence of overload.Management should enable adequate working conditions in order to ensure nurses' physical and psychological well-being, as both these aspects were closely correlated.Poor social support, lack of a sense of control over one's work, conflicts, and work overload were factors that promoted nurses' expectations of changes. PMID:28861019

Analysis and methodology for aeronautical systems technology program planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, M. J.; Gershkoff, I.; Lamkin, S.

1983-01-01

A structured methodology was developed that allows the generation, analysis, and rank-ordering of system concepts by their benefits and costs, indicating the preferred order of implementation. The methodology is supported by a base of data on civil transport aircraft fleet growth projections and data on aircraft performance relating the contribution of each element of the aircraft to overall performance. The performance data are used to assess the benefits of proposed concepts. The methodology includes a computer program for performing the calculations needed to rank-order the concepts and compute their cumulative benefit-to-cost ratio. The use of the methodology and supporting data is illustrated through the analysis of actual system concepts from various sources.

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) for preventive management of COPD patients.

PubMed

Velickovski, Filip; Ceccaroni, Luigi; Roca, Josep; Burgos, Felip; Galdiz, Juan B; Marina, Nuria; Lluch-Ariet, Magí

2014-11-28

The use of information and communication technologies to manage chronic diseases allows the application of integrated care pathways, and the optimization and standardization of care processes. Decision support tools can assist in the adherence to best-practice medicine in critical decision points during the execution of a care pathway. The objectives are to design, develop, and assess a clinical decision support system (CDSS) offering a suite of services for the early detection and assessment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can be easily integrated into a healthcare providers' work-flow. The software architecture model for the CDSS, interoperable clinical-knowledge representation, and inference engine were designed and implemented to form a base CDSS framework. The CDSS functionalities were iteratively developed through requirement-adjustment/development/validation cycles using enterprise-grade software-engineering methodologies and technologies. Within each cycle, clinical-knowledge acquisition was performed by a health-informatics engineer and a clinical-expert team. A suite of decision-support web services for (i) COPD early detection and diagnosis, (ii) spirometry quality-control support, (iii) patient stratification, was deployed in a secured environment on-line. The CDSS diagnostic performance was assessed using a validation set of 323 cases with 90% specificity, and 96% sensitivity. Web services were integrated in existing health information system platforms. Specialized decision support can be offered as a complementary service to existing policies of integrated care for chronic-disease management. The CDSS was able to issue recommendations that have a high degree of accuracy to support COPD case-finding. Integration into healthcare providers' work-flow can be achieved seamlessly through the use of a modular design and service-oriented architecture that connect to existing health information systems.

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) for preventive management of COPD patients

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The use of information and communication technologies to manage chronic diseases allows the application of integrated care pathways, and the optimization and standardization of care processes. Decision support tools can assist in the adherence to best-practice medicine in critical decision points during the execution of a care pathway. Objectives The objectives are to design, develop, and assess a clinical decision support system (CDSS) offering a suite of services for the early detection and assessment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can be easily integrated into a healthcare providers' work-flow. Methods The software architecture model for the CDSS, interoperable clinical-knowledge representation, and inference engine were designed and implemented to form a base CDSS framework. The CDSS functionalities were iteratively developed through requirement-adjustment/development/validation cycles using enterprise-grade software-engineering methodologies and technologies. Within each cycle, clinical-knowledge acquisition was performed by a health-informatics engineer and a clinical-expert team. Results A suite of decision-support web services for (i) COPD early detection and diagnosis, (ii) spirometry quality-control support, (iii) patient stratification, was deployed in a secured environment on-line. The CDSS diagnostic performance was assessed using a validation set of 323 cases with 90% specificity, and 96% sensitivity. Web services were integrated in existing health information system platforms. Conclusions Specialized decision support can be offered as a complementary service to existing policies of integrated care for chronic-disease management. The CDSS was able to issue recommendations that have a high degree of accuracy to support COPD case-finding. Integration into healthcare providers' work-flow can be achieved seamlessly through the use of a modular design and service-oriented architecture that connect to existing health information systems. PMID:25471545

An Integrated Web-based Decision Support System in Disaster Risk Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aye, Z. C.; Jaboyedoff, M.; Derron, M. H.

2012-04-01

Nowadays, web based decision support systems (DSS) play an essential role in disaster risk management because of their supporting abilities which help the decision makers to improve their performances and make better decisions without needing to solve complex problems while reducing human resources and time. Since the decision making process is one of the main factors which highly influence the damages and losses of society, it is extremely important to make right decisions at right time by combining available risk information with advanced web technology of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Decision Support System (DSS). This paper presents an integrated web-based decision support system (DSS) of how to use risk information in risk management efficiently and effectively while highlighting the importance of a decision support system in the field of risk reduction. Beyond the conventional systems, it provides the users to define their own strategies starting from risk identification to the risk reduction, which leads to an integrated approach in risk management. In addition, it also considers the complexity of changing environment from different perspectives and sectors with diverse stakeholders' involvement in the development process. The aim of this platform is to contribute a part towards the natural hazards and geosciences society by developing an open-source web platform where the users can analyze risk profiles and make decisions by performing cost benefit analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) with the support of others tools and resources provided. There are different access rights to the system depending on the user profiles and their responsibilities. The system is still under development and the current version provides maps viewing, basic GIS functionality, assessment of important infrastructures (e.g. bridge, hospital, etc.) affected by landslides and visualization of the impact-probability matrix in terms of socio-economic dimension.

Evaluation of perioperative nutritional status with subjective global assessment method in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

PubMed

Erdim, Aylin; Aktan, Ahmet Özdemir

2017-01-01

This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative nutritional status of patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer using Subjective Global Assessment and surgeon behavior on nutritional support. We recruited 100 patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer in one university and two state teaching hospitals. Subjective Global Assessment was administered to evaluate preoperative and postoperative nutritional status. Fifty-two patients in the state hospitals (Group 1) and 48 in the university hospital were assessed. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed. Changes in preoperative Subjective Global Assessment scores and scores at the time of discharge and types of nutritional support were compared. Subjective Global Assessment-B was regarded as moderate and Subjective Global Assessment-C as heavy malnutrition. Ten patients had Subjective Global Assessment-B and 29 had Subjective Global Assessment-C malnutrition in Group 1 and nine had Subjective Global Assessment-B and 31 had Subjective Global Assessment-C malnutrition in Group 2 during preoperative assessment. Respective numbers in postoperative assessment were 12 for Subjective Global Assessment-B and 30 for Subjective Global Assessment-C in Group 1 and 14 for Subjective Global Assessment-B and 26 for Subjective Global Assessment-C in Group 2. There was no difference between two groups. Nutritional methods according to Subjective Global Assessment evaluation in pre- and postoperative periods were not different between the groups. This study demonstrated that the malnutrition rate is high among patients scheduled for gastrointestinal cancer surgery and the number of surgeons were inadequate to provide perioperative nutritional support. Both university and state hospitals had similar shortcomings. Subjective Global Assessment is an easy and reliable test and if utilized will be helpful to detect patients requiring nutritional support.

Advancing Resident Assessment in Graduate Medical Education

PubMed Central

Swing, Susan R.; Clyman, Stephen G.; Holmboe, Eric S.; Williams, Reed G.

2009-01-01

Background The Outcome Project requires high-quality assessment approaches to provide reliable and valid judgments of the attainment of competencies deemed important for physician practice. Intervention The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) convened the Advisory Committee on Educational Outcome Assessment in 2007–2008 to identify high-quality assessment methods. The assessments selected by this body would form a core set that could be used by all programs in a specialty to assess resident performance and enable initial steps toward establishing national specialty databases of program performance. The committee identified a small set of methods for provisional use and further evaluation. It also developed frameworks and processes to support the ongoing evaluation of methods and the longer-term enhancement of assessment in graduate medical education. Outcome The committee constructed a set of standards, a methodology for applying the standards, and grading rules for their review of assessment method quality. It developed a simple report card for displaying grades on each standard and an overall grade for each method reviewed. It also described an assessment system of factors that influence assessment quality. The committee proposed a coordinated, national-level infrastructure to support enhancements to assessment, including method development and assessor training. It recommended the establishment of a new assessment review group to continue its work of evaluating assessment methods. The committee delivered a report summarizing its activities and 5 related recommendations for implementation to the ACGME Board in September 2008. PMID:21975993

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) 2016 Self-Assessment Report for Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

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

Alvarez, Juan

This report provides Battelle Energy Alliance’s (BEA) self-assessment of performance for the period of October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016, as evaluated against the goals, performance objectives, and notable outcomes defined in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan (PEMP). BEA took into consideration and consolidated all input provided from internal and external sources (e.g., Contractor Assurance System [CAS], program and customer feedback, external and independent reviews, and Department of Energy [DOE] Idaho Operations Office [ID] quarterly PEMP reports and Quarterly Evaluation Reports). The overall performance of BEA during this rating period was self-assessed as “Excellent,”more » exceeding expectations of performance in Goal 1.0, “Efficient and Effective Mission Accomplishment”; Goal 2.0, “Efficient and Effective Stewardship and Operation of Research Facilities”; and Goal 3.0, “Sound and Competent Leadership and Stewardship of the Laboratory.” BEA met or exceeded expectations for Mission Support Goals 4.0 through 7.0 assessing a final multiplier of 1.0. Table 1 documents BEA’s assessment of performance to the goals and individual performance objectives. Table 2 documents completion of the notable outcomes. A more-detailed assessment of performance for each individual performance objective is documented in the closeout reports (see the PEMP reporting system). Table 3 includes an update to “Performance Challenges” as reported in the FY 2015 Self-Assessment Report.« less

Development of decision support tools to assess pedestrian and bicycle safety : development of safety performance functions : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-15

While a number of studies have developed Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) for : motorized traffic, there has been a very limited focus on developing SPFs for non-motorized : traffic. Lack of exposure measures for pedestrians and bicyclists has bee...

Development of Malayalam Handwriting Scale for School Students in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul; Naseer, A. R.

2015-01-01

With a view to support instruction, formative and summative assessment and to provide model handwriting performance for students to compare their own performance, a Malayalam handwriting scale is developed. Data from 2640 school students belonging to Malappuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode districts, sampled by taking 240 students per each grade…

Evaluation of the performance of the OneTouch Select Plus blood glucose test system against ISO 15197:2013.

PubMed

Setford, Steven; Smith, Antony; McColl, David; Grady, Mike; Koria, Krisna; Cameron, Hilary

2015-01-01

Assess laboratory and in-clinic performance of the OneTouch Select(®) Plus test system against ISO 15197:2013 standard for measurement of blood glucose. System performance assessed in laboratory against key patient, environmental and pharmacologic factors. User performance was assessed in clinic by system-naïve lay-users. Healthcare professionals assessed system accuracy on diabetes subjects in clinic. The system demonstrated high levels of performance, meeting ISO 15197:2013 requirements in laboratory testing (precision, linearity, hematocrit, temperature, humidity and altitude). System performance was tested against 28 interferents, with an adverse interfering effect only being recorded for pralidoxime iodide. Clinic user performance results fulfilled ISO 15197:2013 accuracy criteria. Subjects agreed that the color range indicator clearly showed if they were low, in-range or high and helped them better understand glucose results. The system evaluated is accurate and meets all ISO 15197:2013 requirements as per the tests described. The color range indicator helped subjects understand glucose results and supports patients in following healthcare professional recommendations on glucose targets.

Testing and Oxygen Assessment Results for a Next Generation Extravehicular Activity Portable Life Support System Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, Heather L.; Jennings, Mallory A.; Rivera, Fatonia L.; Martin, Devin

2011-01-01

NASA is designing a next generation Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) for use in future surface exploration endeavors. To meet the new requirements for ventilation flow at nominal and buddy modes, a fan has been developed and tested. This paper summarizes the results of the performance and life cycle testing efforts conducted at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Additionally, oxygen compatibility assessment results from an evaluation conducted at White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) are provided, and lessons learned and future recommendations are outlined.

Ankle antagonist coactivation in the double-support phase of walking: Stroke vs. healthy subjects.

PubMed

Silva, Augusta; Sousa, Andreia S P; Silva, Cláudia; Tavares, João Manuel R S; Santos, Rubim; Sousa, Filipa

2015-01-01

Lesions in ipsilateral systems related to postural control in the ipsilesional side may justify the lower performance of stroke subjects during walking. To analyze bilateral ankle antagonist coactivation during double support in stroke subjects. Sixteen (8 females; 8 males) subjects with a first isquemic stroke and 22 controls (12 females; 10 males) participated in this study. The double-support phase was assessed through ground reaction forces and the electromyography of ankle muscles was assessed in both limbs. The ipsilesional limb presented statistically significant differences from the control when assuming specific roles during double support. The tibialis anterior and soleus pair was the one in which this atypical behavior was more pronounced. The ipsilesional limb presents a dysfunctional behavior when a higher postural control activity was demanded.

Psychometric Properties of the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist," the "Anxiety, Depression and Mood Scale," the "Assessment of Dual Diagnosis" and the "Social Performance Survey Schedule" in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojahn, Johannes; Rowe, Ellen W.; Kasdan, Shana; Moore, Linda; van Ingen, Daniel J.

2011-01-01

Progress in clinical research and in empirically supported interventions in the area of psychopathology in intellectual disabilities (ID) depends on high-quality assessment instruments. To this end, psychometric properties of four instruments were examined: the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist" (ABC), the "Assessment of Dual…

Validating workplace performance assessments in health sciences students: a case study from speech pathology.

PubMed

McAllister, Sue; Lincoln, Michelle; Ferguson, Allison; McAllister, Lindy

2013-01-01

Valid assessment of health science students' ability to perform in the real world of workplace practice is critical for promoting quality learning and ultimately certifying students as fit to enter the world of professional practice. Current practice in performance assessment in the health sciences field has been hampered by multiple issues regarding assessment content and process. Evidence for the validity of scores derived from assessment tools are usually evaluated against traditional validity categories with reliability evidence privileged over validity, resulting in the paradoxical effect of compromising the assessment validity and learning processes the assessments seek to promote. Furthermore, the dominant statistical approaches used to validate scores from these assessments fall under the umbrella of classical test theory approaches. This paper reports on the successful national development and validation of measures derived from an assessment of Australian speech pathology students' performance in the workplace. Validation of these measures considered each of Messick's interrelated validity evidence categories and included using evidence generated through Rasch analyses to support score interpretation and related action. This research demonstrated that it is possible to develop an assessment of real, complex, work based performance of speech pathology students, that generates valid measures without compromising the learning processes the assessment seeks to promote. The process described provides a model for other health professional education programs to trial.

Automation of motor dexterity assessment.

PubMed

Heyer, Patrick; Castrejon, Luis R; Orihuela-Espina, Felipe; Sucar, Luis Enrique

2017-07-01

Motor dexterity assessment is regularly performed in rehabilitation wards to establish patient status and automatization for such routinary task is sought. A system for automatizing the assessment of motor dexterity based on the Fugl-Meyer scale and with loose restrictions on sensing technologies is presented. The system consists of two main elements: 1) A data representation that abstracts the low level information obtained from a variety of sensors, into a highly separable low dimensionality encoding employing t-distributed Stochastic Neighbourhood Embedding, and, 2) central to this communication, a multi-label classifier that boosts classification rates by exploiting the fact that the classes corresponding to the individual exercises are naturally organized as a network. Depending on the targeted therapeutic movement class labels i.e. exercises scores, are highly correlated-patients who perform well in one, tends to perform well in related exercises-; and critically no node can be used as proxy of others - an exercise does not encode the information of other exercises. Over data from a cohort of 20 patients, the novel classifier outperforms classical Naive Bayes, random forest and variants of support vector machines (ANOVA: p < 0.001). The novel multi-label classification strategy fulfills an automatic system for motor dexterity assessment, with implications for lessening therapist's workloads, reducing healthcare costs and providing support for home-based virtual rehabilitation and telerehabilitation alternatives.

Quality assessment of practice nurse communication with type 2 diabetes patients.

PubMed

Mulder, Bob C; van Belzen, Milou; Lokhorst, Anne Marike; van Woerkum, Cees M J

2015-02-01

Nurse self-management support for type 2 diabetes patients may benefit from applying theory-based behavior change counseling. The 5As model was used to assess if, and how, nurses applied the five key elements of self-management support in standard care. Seven practice nurses audio-recorded consultations with 66 patients. An existing instrument for assessing counseling quality was used to determine if the 5As were applied. Applied As were compared with quality criteria, to provide an in-depth assessment. In almost every consultation, nurses assessed health behaviors, and arranged a follow-up meeting. However, nurses advised behavior change in less than half of the consultations, while setting goals and assisting patients to overcome barriers were used even less. Comparing applied As with quality criteria revealed several issues that could be improved. Nurses consistently discussed health behaviors with patients, but important elements of self-management support were not applied. Self-management support may benefit from training nurses in performing assessments that form the base for specific advice, setting goals, and addressing barriers to behavior change. Nurses also have to learn how to combine being medical expert and behavioral counselor. Clarifying both roles to patients may facilitate communication and establishing a collaborative relationship. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Increment 2 Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for Performance Assessments and Root Cause Analyses (PARCA)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

for issuing this critical change:  Inability to achieve PKI Increment 2 Full Deployment Decision ( FDD ) within five years of program initiation...March 1, 2014 deadline), and  Delay of over one year in the original FDD estimate provided to the Congress (1 March 2014 deadline). The proximate...to support a 1 March 2014 FDD .” The Director, Performance Assessments and Root Cause Analyses (PARCA), asked the Institute for Defense Analyses

e-Learning in Advanced Life Support-What factors influence assessment outcome?

PubMed

Thorne, C J; Lockey, A S; Kimani, P K; Bullock, I; Hampshire, S; Begum-Ali, S; Perkins, G D

2017-05-01

To establish variables which are associated with favourable Advanced Life Support (ALS) course assessment outcomes, maximising learning effect. Between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014, 8218 individuals participated in a Resuscitation Council (UK) e-learning Advanced Life Support (e-ALS) course. Participants completed 5-8h of online e-learning prior to attending a one day face-to-face course. e-Learning access data were collected through the Learning Management System (LMS). All participants were assessed by a multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ) before and after the face-to-face aspect alongside a practical cardiac arrest simulation (CAS-Test). Participant demographics and assessment outcomes were analysed. The mean post e-learning MCQ score was 83.7 (SD 7.3) and the mean post-course MCQ score was 87.7 (SD 7.9). The first attempt CAS-Test pass rate was 84.6% and overall pass rate 96.6%. Participants with previous ALS experience, ILS experience, or who were a core member of the resuscitation team performed better in the post-course MCQ, CAS-Test and overall assessment. Median time spent on the e-learning was 5.2h (IQR 3.7-7.1). There was a large range in the degree of access to e-learning content. Increased time spent accessing e-learning had no effect on the overall result (OR 0.98, P=0.367) on simulated learning outcome. Clinical experience through membership of cardiac arrest teams and previous ILS or ALS training were independent predictors of performance on the ALS course whilst time spent accessing e-learning materials did not affect course outcomes. This supports the blended approach to e-ALS which allows participants to tailor their e-learning experience to their specific needs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Causal-Comparative Analysis of the Effects of a Student Support Team (SST) Intervention Model at a Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Mid D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research was to identify and examine the effectiveness of a "Student Support Team" (SST) intervention model designed to increase the performance of struggling secondary students and to help them achieve prescribed state standards on the mathematics "Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)"…

Administration and Research of Competency-/Performance-Based Teacher Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trzasko, Joseph A.

This paper describes the proposed Assessment Center at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The center is intended to provide statistical and technical support for the Mercy College elementary education, special education, and speech and hearing departments in the areas of student assessment, student guidance, and program evaluation. Evaluation…

OPASS: An Online Portfolio Assessment and Diagnosis Scheme to Support Web-Based Scientific Inquiry Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Su, Jun-Ming; Lin, Huan-Yu; Tseng, Shian-Shyong; Lu, Chia-Jung

2011-01-01

Promoting the development of students' scientific inquiry capabilities is a major learning objective in science education. As a result, teachers require effective assessment approaches to evaluate students' scientific inquiry-related performance. Teachers must also be able to offer appropriate supplementary instructions, as needed, to students.…

76 FR 21985 - Notice of Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-19

... only after a research base has been established to support the use of the assessments for such purposes..., research-based assessment practices. Discussion: We agree that the selection criteria should address the... selection criterion, which addresses methods of scoring, to allow for self-scoring of student performance on...

Assessing and Promoting Resilience: An Additional Tool to Address the Increasing Number of College Students with Psychological Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Michael T.

2012-01-01

This study examined the assessment of resilience in undergraduate college students. Multigroup comparisons of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) were performed on general population students and students recruited from campus mental health offices offering college counseling, psychiatric-support, and…

Point Cloud-Based Automatic Assessment of 3D Computer Animation Courseworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paravati, Gianluca; Lamberti, Fabrizio; Gatteschi, Valentina; Demartini, Claudio; Montuschi, Paolo

2017-01-01

Computer-supported assessment tools can bring significant benefits to both students and teachers. When integrated in traditional education workflows, they may help to reduce the time required to perform the evaluation and consolidate the perception of fairness of the overall process. When integrated within on-line intelligent tutoring systems,…

Evaluating Multiple Perspectives: Approaching the Synthesis Task through Assessing Credibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lafferty, Karen Elizabeth; Summers, Amy; Tanaka, Stephanie; Cavanagh, Jeanne

2016-01-01

Introduction of the Common Core State Standards and assessments like the synthesis performance task pose new challenges for secondary English teachers. As students of all ability levels engage with complex text and in tasks that target higher level cognitive skills, teachers need strategies to support their understanding. This article describes…

Training and Generalization Effects of a Reading Comprehension Learning Strategy on Computer and Paper-Pencil Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worrell, Jamie; Duffy, Mary Lou; Brady, Michael P.; Dukes, Charles; Gonzalez-DeHass, Alyssa

2016-01-01

Many schools use computer-based testing to measure students' progress for end-of-the-year and statewide assessments. There is little research to support whether computer-based testing accurately reflects student progress, particularly among students with learning, performance, and generalization difficulties. This article summarizes an…

Interventions to Modify Health Care Provider Adherence to Asthma Guidelines: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Okelo, Sande O.; Butz, Arlene M.; Sharma, Ritu; Diette, Gregory B.; Pitts, Samantha I.; King, Tracy M.; Linn, Shauna T.; Reuben, Manisha; Chelladurai, Yohalakshmi

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Health care provider adherence to asthma guidelines is poor. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of interventions to improve health care providers’ adherence to asthma guidelines on health care process and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Data sources included Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Educational Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, and Research and Development Resource Base in Continuing Medical Education up to July 2012. Paired investigators independently assessed study eligibility. Investigators abstracted data sequentially and independently graded the evidence. RESULTS: Sixty-eight eligible studies were classified by intervention: decision support, organizational change, feedback and audit, clinical pharmacy support, education only, quality improvement/pay-for-performance, multicomponent, and information only. Half were randomized trials (n = 35). There was moderate evidence for increased prescriptions of controller medications for decision support, feedback and audit, and clinical pharmacy support and low-grade evidence for organizational change and multicomponent interventions. Moderate evidence supports the use of decision support and clinical pharmacy interventions to increase provision of patient self-education/asthma action plans. Moderate evidence supports use of decision support tools to reduce emergency department visits, and low-grade evidence suggests there is no benefit for this outcome with organizational change, education only, and quality improvement/pay-for-performance. CONCLUSIONS: Decision support tools, feedback and audit, and clinical pharmacy support were most likely to improve provider adherence to asthma guidelines, as measured through health care process outcomes. There is a need to evaluate health care provider-targeted interventions with standardized outcomes. PMID:23979092

The occupational impact of sleep quality and insomnia symptoms.

PubMed

Kucharczyk, Erica R; Morgan, Kevin; Hall, Andrew P

2012-12-01

While the importance of assessing the occupational consequences of insomnia is emphasized in clinical nosologies and research guidelines, there is little consensus on which aspects of occupational performance should be assessed, the most methodologically justifiable measures of insomnia and work performance, and how outcomes should be reported. The present review was designed to summarize and methodologically critique the assessment of those aspects of occupational performance most impacted by (or most frequently associated with) insomnia symptoms. The 30 studies which met the review inclusion criteria broadly addressed six domains of occupational functioning: absenteeism; workplace accidents; productivity; punctuality; job satisfaction and career progression. Collectively, study outcomes support the conclusions that insomnia symptoms: are consistently associated with excess absenteeism; elevate accident risk in the workplace; reduce subjectively experienced workplace productivity (at least in the shorter term); inhibit career progression; and can degrade job satisfaction. Study outcomes do not support the conclusion that people with insomnia are significantly less punctual than other workers. The overall value of the occupational sleep-health literature, however, is limited by a lack of comparability among studies. In particular, there is a clear need to standardize definitions of sleep and occupational outcomes, and to recognize the confounding influence of health variables on occupational performance and sleep. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk-adjusted payment and performance assessment for primary care.

PubMed

Ash, Arlene S; Ellis, Randall P

2012-08-01

Many wish to change incentives for primary care practices through bundled population-based payments and substantial performance feedback and bonus payments. Recognizing patient differences in costs and outcomes is crucial, but customized risk adjustment for such purposes is underdeveloped. Using MarketScan's claims-based data on 17.4 million commercially insured lives, we modeled bundled payment to support expected primary care activity levels (PCAL) and 9 patient outcomes for performance assessment. We evaluated models using 457,000 people assigned to 436 primary care physician panels, and among 13,000 people in a distinct multipayer medical home implementation with commercially insured, Medicare, and Medicaid patients. Each outcome is separately predicted from age, sex, and diagnoses. We define the PCAL outcome as a subset of all costs that proxies the bundled payment needed for comprehensive primary care. Other expected outcomes are used to establish targets against which actual performance can be fairly judged. We evaluate model performance using R(2)'s at patient and practice levels, and within policy-relevant subgroups. The PCAL model explains 67% of variation in its outcome, performing well across diverse patient ages, payers, plan types, and provider specialties; it explains 72% of practice-level variation. In 9 performance measures, the outcome-specific models explain 17%-86% of variation at the practice level, often substantially outperforming a generic score like the one used for full capitation payments in Medicare: for example, with grouped R(2)'s of 47% versus 5% for predicting "prescriptions for antibiotics of concern." Existing data can support the risk-adjusted bundled payment calculations and performance assessments needed to encourage desired transformations in primary care.

A Retrospective Performance Assessment of the Developmental Neurotoxicity Study in Support of OECD Test Guideline 426

PubMed Central

Makris, Susan L.; Raffaele, Kathleen; Allen, Sandra; Bowers, Wayne J.; Hass, Ulla; Alleva, Enrico; Calamandrei, Gemma; Sheets, Larry; Amcoff, Patric; Delrue, Nathalie; Crofton, Kevin M.

2009-01-01

Objective We conducted a review of the history and performance of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing in support of the finalization and implementation of Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) DNT test guideline 426 (TG 426). Information sources and analysis In this review we summarize extensive scientific efforts that form the foundation for this testing paradigm, including basic neurotoxicology research, interlaboratory collaborative studies, expert workshops, and validation studies, and we address the relevance, applicability, and use of the DNT study in risk assessment. Conclusions The OECD DNT guideline represents the best available science for assessing the potential for DNT in human health risk assessment, and data generated with this protocol are relevant and reliable for the assessment of these end points. The test methods used have been subjected to an extensive history of international validation, peer review, and evaluation, which is contained in the public record. The reproducibility, reliability, and sensitivity of these methods have been demonstrated, using a wide variety of test substances, in accordance with OECD guidance on the validation and international acceptance of new or updated test methods for hazard characterization. Multiple independent, expert scientific peer reviews affirm these conclusions. PMID:19165382

Verification and Validation of NASA-Supported Enhancements to Decision Support Tools of PECAD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Kenton W.; McKellip, Rodney; Moore, Roxzana F.; Fendley, Debbie

2005-01-01

This section of the evaluation report summarizes the verification and validation (V&V) of recently implemented, NASA-supported enhancements to the decision support tools of the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division (PECAD). The implemented enhancements include operationally tailored Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products and products of the Global Reservoir and Lake Monitor (GRLM). The MODIS products are currently made available through two separate decision support tools: the MODIS Image Gallery and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) Database. Both the Global Reservoir and Lake Monitor and MODIS Image Gallery provide near-real-time products through PECAD's CropExplorer. This discussion addresses two areas: 1. Assessments of the standard NASA products on which these enhancements are based. 2. Characterizations of the performance of the new operational products.

The influence of lower limb impairments on RaceRunning performance in athletes with hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis.

PubMed

van der Linden, Marietta L; Jahed, Sadaf; Tennant, Nicola; Verheul, Martine H G

2018-03-01

RaceRunning enables athletes with limited or no walking ability to propel themselves independently using a three-wheeled running bike that has a saddle and a chest plate for support but no pedals. For RaceRunning to be included as a Para athletics event, an evidence-based classification system is required. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the association between a range of impairment measures and RaceRunning performance. The following impairment measures were recorded: lower limb muscle strength assessed using Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), selective voluntary motor control assessed using the Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE), spasticity recorded using both the Australian Spasticity Assessment Score (ASAS) and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), passive range of motion (ROM) of the lower extremities and the maximum static step length achieved on a stationary bike (MSSL). Associations between impairment measures and 100-meter race speed were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. Sixteen male and fifteen female athletes (27 with cerebral palsy), aged 23 (SD = 7) years, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels ranging from II to V, participated. The MSSL averaged over both legs and the ASAS, MAS, SCALE, and MMT summed over all joints and both legs, significantly correlated with 100 m race performance (rho: 0.40-0.54). Passive knee extension was the only ROM measure that was significantly associated with race speed (rho = 0.48). These results suggest that lower limb spasticity, isometric leg strength, selective voluntary motor control and passive knee extension impact performance in RaceRunning athletes. This supports the potential use of these measures in a future evidence-based classification system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methylphenidate Reduces State Anxiety During a Continuous Performance Test That Distinguishes Adult ADHD Patients From Controls.

PubMed

Bloch, Yuval; Aviram, Shai; Segev, Aviv; Nitzan, Uri; Levkovitz, Yechiel; Braw, Yoram; Mimouni Bloch, Aviva

2017-01-01

We hypothesized that patients with ADHD were typified by distress more than by functional difficulties. Thus, a decline in state anxiety while performing a cognitive task when taking methylphenidate would discriminate between ADHD patients and controls. State anxiety and cognitive performance on a continuous performance test were assessed in ADHD patients and controls with and without taking methylphenidate. State anxiety and cognitive performance improved from baseline in 36 ADHD adults after taking methylphenidate. In 25 controls, cognitive performance improved, but state anxiety did not abate after a recess. In two additional studies, 5 controls were evaluated at baseline and after receiving methylphenidate, and showed improvement in cognitive assessment but not in state anxiety. Five ADHD adults were assessed at baseline and after a recess, and showed no improvement. Our results support the hypothesis that adult ADHD patients are characterized by distress and the relief of this distress under effective therapy as expressed by a decline in state anxiety while they perform a cognitive task.

Synergistic interaction between job control and social support at work on depression, burnout, and insomnia among Japanese civil servants.

PubMed

Saijo, Yasuaki; Chiba, Shigeru; Yoshioka, Eiji; Nakagi, Yoshihiko; Ito, Toshihiro; Kitaoka-Higashiguchi, Kazuyo; Yoshida, Takahiko

2015-02-01

To elucidate whether low job control and low social support at work have synergistic interaction on mental health. The synergistic interaction was also analyzed after stratification by high and low job demands. Participants were 2,121 local government employees in Asahikawa city, Japan. The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to assess job demands, job control, and social support. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey was used to assess burnout. Insomnia was assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale. Possible confounder-adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to obtain odds ratios for depression, burnout, and insomnia, and synergy indices between job control and social support at work were assessed. The synergy indices among men and women, respectively, were 2.08 (80 % confidence interval: 1.01, 4.27) and 1.98 (0.67, 5.89) for depression, 1.79 (1.28, 2.51) and 2.62 (1.07, 6.40) for burnout, and 1.92 (1.22, 3.02) and 2.77 (0.43, 18.01) for insomnia. Men with high job demands had higher synergistic interaction on depression and burnout, compared to men with low job demands, and women with low job demands had higher synergistic interaction between job control and social support at work on burnout and insomnia, compared to women with high job demands. There were more-than-additive interactions of job control and social support at work on depression, burnout, and insomnia. After stratification by job demands, the synergistic interaction may be different between men and women. To assess job stress, it is necessary to consider the interactive effect of not only job demands and job control but also job control and social support at work.

Development of an instrument for the evaluation of advanced life support performance.

PubMed

Peltonen, L-M; Peltonen, V; Salanterä, S; Tommila, M

2017-10-01

Assessing advanced life support (ALS) competence requires validated instruments. Existing instruments include aspects of technical skills (TS), non-technical skills (NTS) or both, but one instrument for detailed assessment that suits all resuscitation situations is lacking. This study aimed to develop an instrument for the evaluation of the overall ALS performance of the whole team. This instrument development study had four phases. First, we reviewed literature and resuscitation guidelines to explore items to include in the instrument. Thereafter, we interviewed resuscitation team professionals (n = 66), using the critical incident technique, to determine possible additional aspects associated with the performance of ALS. Second, we developed an instrument based on the findings. Third, we used an expert panel (n = 20) to assess the validity of the developed instrument. Finally, we revised the instrument based on the experts' comments and tested it with six experts who evaluated 22 video recorded resuscitations. The final version of the developed instrument had 69 items divided into adherence to guidelines (28 items), clinical decision-making (5 items), workload management (12 items), team behaviour (8 items), information management (6 items), patient integrity and consideration of laymen (4 items) and work routines (6 items). The Cronbach's α values were good, and strong correlations between the overall performance and the instrument were observed. The instrument may be useful for detailed assessment of the team's overall performance, but the numerous items make the use demanding. The instrument is still under development, and more research is needed to determine its psychometric properties. © 2017 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychometric evaluation of Self-Assessed Support Needs of women with breast cancer Scale.

PubMed

Erci, Behice

2007-10-01

The issue of self-assessed support needs of women with breast cancer has not been studied enough although it is an important subject for women's health in Turkey. Most of the studies concerning breast cancer patients are about quality of life and life satisfaction. This study aimed to adapt an English version of the Self-Assessed Support Needs of women with breast cancer Scale for Turkish women with breast cancer and to evaluate its psychometric properties. A descriptive study. The sample consisted of 143 women with breast cancer who attended the outpatient and inpatient oncology clinics. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire including demographic characteristics and the Self-Assessed Support Needs of women with breast cancer Scale. Item analysis, principal components analysis, internal consistency reliability and Cronbach's alpha were used to measure the psychometric properties of the 54-item scale. In the assessment of construct validity, the principal components method of factor analysis was performed. Seven factors were identified with eigenvalues >1 explained 52.1% of the total variance (diagnosis, treatment, support, femininity and body image, family and friends, information and after care). Internal reliability coefficients of these seven factor-based scales were found to be substantial, ranging from 0.71 to 0.84. The present study provides evidence of the Self-Assessed Support Needs of women with breast cancer Scale's validity, reliability and acceptability. This scale should be further evaluated; with a large enough sample size, in different regions in Turkey and diverse populations of world. The scale has potential applications. It can be used both as a research or a regular screening tool with clinical settings. The use of the scale in clinics will enable identification of self-management activities in patients with breast cancer. Assessment of the self-assessed support needs of women with breast cancer should be an essential part of nursing practice.

NASA Glenn Research Center Support of the ASRG Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Scott D.; Wong, Wayne A.

2014-01-01

A high efficiency radioisotope power system is being developed for long-duration NASA space science missions. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) managed a flight contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) to build Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators (ASRGs), with support from NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Sunpower Inc. held two parallel contracts to produce Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs), one with DOELockheed Martin to produce ASC-F flight units, and one with GRC for the production of ASC-E3 engineering unit pathfinders that are built to the flight design. In support of those contracts, GRC provided testing, materials expertise, government furnished equipment, inspections, and related data products to DOELockheed Martin and Sunpower. The technical support includes material evaluations, component tests, convertor characterization, and technology transfer. Material evaluations and component tests have been performed on various ASC components in order to assess potential life-limiting mechanisms and provide data for reliability models. Convertor level tests have been used to characterize performance under operating conditions that are representative of various mission conditions. Technology transfers enhanced contractor capabilities for specialized production processes and tests. Despite termination of flight ASRG contract, NASA continues to develop the high efficiency ASC conversion technology under the ASC-E3 contract. This paper describes key government furnished services performed for ASRG and future tests used to provide data for ongoing reliability assessments.

Privacy Impact Assessment for the TRIO Programs Annual Performance Report (APR) System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The TRIO Programs Annual Performance Report (APR) System collects individual student records on individuals served by the following Federal TRIO Programs: Upward Bound (which includes regular Upward Bound (UB), Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS), and Veterans Upward Bound (VUB)); Student Support Services (SSS); and the Ronald E. McNair Post…

DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND METHODS TO SUPPORT ASSESSMENT OF SOIL VENTING PERFORMANCE AND CLOSURE: PUBLISHED REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this document is to improve the current "state of the art" and "state of the science" of soil venting application. A strategy is proposed for venting closure. A vadose zone paradigm is developed to dynamically link the performance of ground-water remediation to va...

Learning and performance under alternative instructional manifestations of experimental practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Michael J.

Before we can understand how students learn "to do" science, we must make explicit our assumptions about what scientific practice is. This study compares the learning outcomes of two sixth-grade instructional units on experimentation, each based on a particular characterization of practice. In one unit, instruction focused on acquisition and application of the control of variables strategy (CVS; Chen & Klahr, 1999), which is consistent with a popular conception of science education, stemming from Piaget, as the mastery of logical forms. In the other unit, students designed experimental apparatus to answer a target question, and instruction emphasized practices of rendering and transforming the material world in ways that support scientific understanding. Students in both groups were assessed for CVS acquisition and subsequent experimental performance on a novel task, and group performances on these assessments different across instructional conditions. I will argue that student understandings of goals, norms of instructional expectation, and strategies explain these differences, in some cases by supporting performance and in other cases by hindering it. I will also argue that the results question the role typically attributed to logical method in learning to design experiments.

The Effect of Picture Task Cards on Performance of the Test of Gross Motor Development by Preschool-Aged Children: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breslin, Casey M.; Robinson, Leah E.; Rudisill, Mary E.

2013-01-01

Performance on the Test of Gross Motor Development (Second Edition; TGMD-2) by children with autism spectrum disorders improves when picture task cards were implemented into the assessment protocol [Breslin, C.M., & Rudisill, M.E. (2011). "The effect of visual supports on performance of the TGMD-2 for children with autism spectrum…

A Comparative Evaluation of Group IV Personnel Assigned to the U.S.S. Catskill; Followup Performance Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Matre, Nicholas H.; Harrigan, Robert J.

A followup performance evaluation was conducted on a sample of Group 4 (low ability) personnel who had served 14 months aboard the mine contermeasures support ship U.S.S. Catskill (MCS-1). Shipboard assessments were made of the Group 4 sample and the non-Group 4 comparison sample in terms of performance test proficiency, supervisors' ratings, and…

Evaluation of machine learning algorithms for improved risk assessment for Down's syndrome.

PubMed

Koivu, Aki; Korpimäki, Teemu; Kivelä, Petri; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sairanen, Mikko

2018-05-04

Prenatal screening generates a great amount of data that is used for predicting risk of various disorders. Prenatal risk assessment is based on multiple clinical variables and overall performance is defined by how well the risk algorithm is optimized for the population in question. This article evaluates machine learning algorithms to improve performance of first trimester screening of Down syndrome. Machine learning algorithms pose an adaptive alternative to develop better risk assessment models using the existing clinical variables. Two real-world data sets were used to experiment with multiple classification algorithms. Implemented models were tested with a third, real-world, data set and performance was compared to a predicate method, a commercial risk assessment software. Best performing deep neural network model gave an area under the curve of 0.96 and detection rate of 78% with 1% false positive rate with the test data. Support vector machine model gave area under the curve of 0.95 and detection rate of 61% with 1% false positive rate with the same test data. When compared with the predicate method, the best support vector machine model was slightly inferior, but an optimized deep neural network model was able to give higher detection rates with same false positive rate or similar detection rate but with markedly lower false positive rate. This finding could further improve the first trimester screening for Down syndrome, by using existing clinical variables and a large training data derived from a specific population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multidimensional Profiling of Task Stress States for Human Factors: A Brief Review.

PubMed

Matthews, Gerald

2016-09-01

This article advocates multidimensional assessment of task stress in human factors and reviews the use of the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (DSSQ) for evaluation of systems and operators. Contemporary stress research has progressed from an exclusive focus on environmental stressors to transactional perspectives on the stress process. Performance impacts of stress reflect the operator's dynamic attempts to understand and cope with task demands. Multidimensional stress assessments are necessary to gauge the different forms of system-operator interaction. This review discusses the theoretical and practical use of the DSSQ in evaluating multidimensional patterns of stress response. It presents psychometric evidence for the multidimensional perspective and illustrative profiles of subjective state response to task stressors and environments. Evidence is also presented on stress state correlations with related variables, including personality, stress process measures, psychophysiological response, and objective task performance. Evidence supports the validity of the DSSQ as a task stress measure. Studies of various simulated environments show that different tasks elicit different profiles of stress state response. Operator characteristics such as resilience predict individual differences in state response to stressors. Structural equation modeling may be used to understand performance impacts of stress states. Multidimensional assessment affords insight into the stress process in a variety of human factors contexts. Integrating subjective and psychophysiological assessment is a priority for future research. Stress state measurement contributes to evaluating system design, countermeasures to stress and fatigue, and performance vulnerabilities. It may also support personnel selection and diagnostic monitoring of operators. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Using virtual robot-mediated play activities to assess cognitive skills.

PubMed

Encarnação, Pedro; Alvarez, Liliana; Rios, Adriana; Maya, Catarina; Adams, Kim; Cook, Al

2014-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility of using virtual robot-mediated play activities to assess cognitive skills. Children with and without disabilities utilized both a physical robot and a matching virtual robot to perform the same play activities. The activities were designed such that successfully performing them is an indication of understanding of the underlying cognitive skills. Participants' performance with both robots was similar when evaluated by the success rates in each of the activities. Session video analysis encompassing participants' behavioral, interaction and communication aspects revealed differences in sustained attention, visuospatial and temporal perception, and self-regulation, favoring the virtual robot. The study shows that virtual robots are a viable alternative to the use of physical robots for assessing children's cognitive skills, with the potential of overcoming limitations of physical robots such as cost, reliability and the need for on-site technical support. Virtual robots can provide a vehicle for children to demonstrate cognitive understanding. Virtual and physical robots can be used as augmentative manipulation tools allowing children with disabilities to actively participate in play, educational and therapeutic activities. Virtual robots have the potential of overcoming limitations of physical robots such as cost, reliability and the need for on-site technical support.

Life support technology investment strategies for flight programs: An application of decision analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlater, Nelson J.; Simonds, Charles H.; Ballin, Mark G.

1993-01-01

Applied research and technology development (R&TD) is often characterized by uncertainty, risk, and significant delays before tangible returns are obtained. Given the increased awareness of limitations in resources, effective R&TD today needs a method for up-front assessment of competing technologies to help guide technology investment decisions. Such an assessment approach must account for uncertainties in system performance parameters, mission requirements and architectures, and internal and external events influencing a development program. The methodology known as decision analysis has the potential to address these issues. It was evaluated by performing a case study assessment of alternative carbon dioxide removal technologies for NASA"s proposed First Lunar Outpost program. An approach was developed that accounts for the uncertainties in each technology's cost and performance parameters as well as programmatic uncertainties such as mission architecture. Life cycle cost savings relative to a baseline, adjusted for the cost of money, was used as a figure of merit to evaluate each of the alternative carbon dioxide removal technology candidates. The methodology was found to provide a consistent decision-making strategy for the develpoment of new life support technology. The case study results provided insight that was not possible from more traditional analysis approaches.

Life support technology investment strategies for flight programs: An application of decision analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlater, Nelson J.; Simonds, Charles H.; Ballin, Mark G.

1993-01-01

Applied research and technology development (R&TD) is often characterized by uncertainty, risk, and significant delays before tangible returns are obtained. Given the increased awareness of limitations in resources, effective R&TD today needs a method for up-front assessment of competing technologies to help guide technology investment decisions. Such an assessment approach must account for uncertainties in system performance parameters, mission requirements and architectures, and internal and external events influencing a development program. The methodology known as decision analysis has the potential to address these issues. It was evaluated by performing a case study assessment of alternative carbon dioxide removal technologies for NASA's proposed First Lunar Outpost program. An approach was developed that accounts for the uncertainties in each technology's cost and performance parameters as well as programmatic uncertainties such as mission architecture. Life cycle cost savings relative to a baseline, adjusted for the cost of money, was used as a figure of merit to evaluate each of the alternative carbon dioxide removal technology candidates. The methodology was found to provide a consistent decision-making strategy for development of new life support technology. The case study results provided insight that was not possible from more traditional analysis approaches.

The Mission Assessment Post Processor (MAPP): A New Tool for Performance Evaluation of Human Lunar Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Jacob; Stewart, Shaun M.; Lee, David E.; Davis, Elizabeth C.; Condon, Gerald L.; Senent, Juan

2010-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Constellation Program paves the way for a series of lunar missions leading to a sustained human presence on the Moon. The proposed mission design includes an Earth Departure Stage (EDS), a Crew Exploration Vehicle (Orion) and a lunar lander (Altair) which support the transfer to and from the lunar surface. This report addresses the design, development and implementation of a new mission scan tool called the Mission Assessment Post Processor (MAPP) and its use to provide insight into the integrated (i.e., EDS, Orion, and Altair based) mission cost as a function of various mission parameters and constraints. The Constellation architecture calls for semiannual launches to the Moon and will support a number of missions, beginning with 7-day sortie missions, culminating in a lunar outpost at a specified location. The operational lifetime of the Constellation Program can cover a period of decades over which the Earth-Moon geometry (particularly, the lunar inclination) will go through a complete cycle (i.e., the lunar nodal cycle lasting 18.6 years). This geometry variation, along with other parameters such as flight time, landing site location, and mission related constraints, affect the outbound (Earth to Moon) and inbound (Moon to Earth) translational performance cost. The mission designer must determine the ability of the vehicles to perform lunar missions as a function of this complex set of interdependent parameters. Trade-offs among these parameters provide essential insights for properly assessing the ability of a mission architecture to meet desired goals and objectives. These trades also aid in determining the overall usable propellant required for supporting nominal and off-nominal missions over the entire operational lifetime of the program, thus they support vehicle sizing.

[Primary care screening of problems in the elderly and a proposal for a screening protocol with a multidimensional approach].

PubMed

Lino, Valéria Teresa Saraiva; Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo; Camacho, Luiz Antonio Bastos; Rodrigues, Nadia Cristina Pinheiro; Andrade, Monica Kramer de Noronha; O'Dwyer, Gisele

2016-07-21

The objectives were to examine psychometric properties of a screening test for the elderly and to propose a protocol for use in primary care. The method consisted of four stages: (1) inter-evaluator reliability for performance tests and self-assessment questions for eight functions; (2) sensitivity and specificity of questions on depression and social support; (3) meeting of experts to select instrumental activities of daily living (IADL); and (4) elaboration of the protocol. Screening lasted 16 minutes. Inter-evaluator reliability was excellent for performance tests but poor for questions. Depression and social support showed satisfactory sensitivity and specificity (0.74/0.77 and 0.77/0.96). Four IADL were selected by more than 55% of the experts. Following the results, a screening protocol was elaborated that prioritized the use of performance tests, maintaining questions on mood, social support, and IADL. The study suggests better reproducibility of performance tests when compared to questions. For mood and social support, the questions may provide a first screening stage. The proposed protocol allows rapid screening of problems.

Influence of an Integrated Learning Diagnosis and Formative Assessment-Based Personalized Web Learning Approach on Students' Learning Performances and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wongwatkit, Charoenchai; Srisawasdi, Niwat; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Panjaburee, Patcharin

2017-01-01

The advancement of computer and communication technologies has enabled students to learn across various real-world contexts with supports from the learning system. In the meantime, researchers have emphasized the necessity of providing personalized learning guidance or support by considering individual students' status and needs in order to…

Computational Support for Technology- Investment Decisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adumitroaie, Virgil; Hua, Hook; Lincoln, William; Block, Gary; Mrozinski, Joseph; Shelton, Kacie; Weisbin, Charles; Elfes, Alberto; Smith, Jeffrey

2007-01-01

Strategic Assessment of Risk and Technology (START) is a user-friendly computer program that assists human managers in making decisions regarding research-and-development investment portfolios in the presence of uncertainties and of non-technological constraints that include budgetary and time limits, restrictions related to infrastructure, and programmatic and institutional priorities. START facilitates quantitative analysis of technologies, capabilities, missions, scenarios and programs, and thereby enables the selection and scheduling of value-optimal development efforts. START incorporates features that, variously, perform or support a unique combination of functions, most of which are not systematically performed or supported by prior decision- support software. These functions include the following: Optimal portfolio selection using an expected-utility-based assessment of capabilities and technologies; Temporal investment recommendations; Distinctions between enhancing and enabling capabilities; Analysis of partial funding for enhancing capabilities; and Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. START can run on almost any computing hardware, within Linux and related operating systems that include Mac OS X versions 10.3 and later, and can run in Windows under the Cygwin environment. START can be distributed in binary code form. START calls, as external libraries, several open-source software packages. Output is in Excel (.xls) file format.

Technology for noninvasive mechanical ventilation: looking into the black box

PubMed Central

Navajas, Daniel; Montserrat, Josep M.

2016-01-01

Current devices for providing noninvasive respiratory support contain sensors and built-in intelligence for automatically modifying ventilation according to the patient's needs. These devices, including automatic continuous positive airway pressure devices and noninvasive ventilators, are technologically complex and offer a considerable number of different modes of ventilation and setting options, the details of which are sometimes difficult to capture by the user. Therefore, better predicting and interpreting the actual performance of these ventilation devices in clinical application requires understanding their functioning principles and assessing their performance under well controlled bench test conditions with simulated patients. This concise review presents an updated perspective of the theoretical basis of intelligent continuous positive airway pressure and noninvasive ventilation devices, and of the tools available for assessing how these devices respond under specific ventilation phenotypes in patients requiring breathing support. PMID:27730162

Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report. Volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Donald J. (Editor); Goodman, Patrick A. (Editor); Reingold, Lester A. (Editor); Kirchhoff, Christopher M. (Editor); Simon, Ariel H. (Editor)

2003-01-01

This report describes the results of an investigative analysis performed by the Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate at th the specific request of the Defense Columbia Investigation Support Team (DCIST) who was supporting the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). The work was performed during the period February 20, 2003 through 20 July 2003. An interim release of measurement findings was provided the CAIB on 24 April 2003, and the information was released in public testimony to the CAIB on May 6, 2003 at the Hilton Hotel, Houston, Texas. The overall assessment and conclusions of this report are consistent with the CAIB 6 May 2003 testimony, with one notable exception discussed in Section VI. This report has been reviewed by the AFRL/SN Flight Day Two DCIST appointed assessment team, and is hereby released to the CAIB and DCIST for final disposition.

Environmental assessment in support of proposed interim energy conservation voluntary performance standards for new non-federal residential buildings: Volume 7

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

NONE

1989-09-01

The objective of this environmental assessment (EA) is to identify the potential environmental impacts that could result from the proposed voluntary residential standard (VOLRES) on private sector construction of new residential buildings. In this report, the scope, objectives, and approach of this EA are presented.

Strategies That Challenge: Exploring the Use of Differentiated Assessment to Challenge High-Achieving Students in Large Enrolment Undergraduate Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varsavsky, Cristina; Rayner, Gerry

2013-01-01

Academics teaching large and highly diverse classes are familiar with the inevitable effect this has on promulgating teaching and assessment practices to "middle of the distribution", thus ignoring the distribution extremes. Although the literature documents a wide range of strategies for supporting poor-performing students in large…

Integration of classroom science performance assessment tasks by participants of the Wisconsin Performance Assessment Development Project (WPADP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonnis, Dorothy Ann

The goals of this interpretive study were to examine selected Wisconsin science teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning science, to describe the scope of classroom performance assessment practices, and to gain an understanding of teachers' personal and professional experiences that influenced their belief systems of teaching, learning and assessment. The study was designed to answer the research questions: (1) How does the integration of performance assessment relate to the teachers' views of teaching and learning? (2) How are the selected teachers integrating performance assessment in their teaching? (3) What past personal and professional experiences have influenced teachers' attitudes and beliefs related to their classroom performance assessment practices? Purposeful sampling was used to select seven Wisconsin elementary, middle and high school science teachers who participated in the WPADP initiative from 1993-1995. Data collection methods included a Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI), semi-structured interviews, teacher developed portfolios, portfolio conferences, and classroom observations. Four themes and multiple categories emerged through data analysis to answer the research questions and to describe the results. Several conclusions were drawn from this research. First, science teachers who appeared to effectively integrate performance assessment, demonstrated transformational thinking in their attitudes and beliefs about teaching and learning science. In addition, these teachers viewed assessment and instructional practices as interdependent. Third, transformational teachers generally used well defined criteria to judge student work and made it public to the students. Transformational teachers provided students with real-world performance assessment tasks that were also learning events. Furthermore, student task responses informed the transformational teachers about effectiveness of instruction, students' complex thinking skills, quality of assessment instruments, students' creativity, and students' self-assessment skills. Finally, transformational teachers maintained integration of performance assessment practices through sustaining teacher support networks, engaging in professional development programs, and reflecting upon past personal and professional experiences related to teaching, learning and assessment. Salient conflicts overcome or minimized by transformational teachers include the conflict between assessment scoring and grading issues, validity and reliability concerns about the performance assessment tasks used, and the difficulty for teachers to consistently provide public criteria to students before task administration.

Assessing Children's Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales.

PubMed

Power, Thomas J; Dombrowski, Stefan C; Watkins, Marley W; Mautone, Jennifer A; Eagle, John W

2007-06-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire - Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented.

Assessing Children’s Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales

PubMed Central

Power, Thomas J.; Dombrowski, Stefan C.; Watkins, Marley W.; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Eagle, John W.

2007-01-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire – Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented. PMID:18516211

Aquarius's Instrument Science Data System (ISDS) Automated to Acquire, Process, Trend Data and Produce Radiometric System Assessment Reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The Aquarius Radiometer, a subsystem of the Aquarius Instrument required a data acquisition ground system to support calibration and radiometer performance assessment. To support calibration and compose performance assessments, we developed an automated system which uploaded raw data to a ftp server and saved raw and processed data to a database. This paper details the overall functionalities of the Aquarius Instrument Science Data System (ISDS) and the individual electrical ground support equipment (EGSE) which produced data files that were infused into the ISDS. Real time EGSEs include an ICDS Simulator, Calibration GSE, Labview controlled power supply, and a chamber data acquisition system. ICDS Simulator serves as a test conductor primary workstation, collecting radiometer housekeeping (HK) and science data and passing commands and HK telemetry collection request to the radiometer. Calibration GSE (Radiometer Active Test Source) provides source choice from multiple targets for the radiometer external calibration. Power Supply GSE, controlled by labview, provides real time voltage and current monitoring of the radiometer. And finally the chamber data acquisition system produces data reflecting chamber vacuum pressure, thermistor temperatures, AVG and watts. Each GSE system produce text based data files every two to six minutes and automatically copies the data files to the Central Archiver PC. The Archiver PC stores the data files, schedules automated uploads of these files to an external FTP server, and accepts request to copy all data files to the ISDS for offline data processing and analysis. Aquarius Radiometer ISDS contains PHP and MATLab programs to parse, process and save all data to a MySQL database. Analysis tools (MATLab programs) in the ISDS system are capable of displaying radiometer science, telemetry and auxiliary data in near real time as well as performing data analysis and producing automated performance assessment reports of the Aquarius Radiometer.

A Consensus Model: Shifting assessment practices in dietetics tertiary education.

PubMed

Bacon, Rachel; Kellett, Jane; Dart, Janeane; Knight-Agarwal, Cathy; Mete, Rebecca; Ash, Susan; Palermo, Claire

2018-02-21

The aim of this research was to evaluate a Consensus Model for competency-based assessment. An evaluative case study was used to allow a holistic examination of a constructivist-interpretivist programmatic model of assessment. Using a modified Delphi process, the competence of all 29 students enrolled in their final year of a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics course was assessed by a panel (with expertise in competency-based assessment; industry and academic representation) from a course e-portfolio (that included the judgements of student performance made by worksite educators) and a panel interview. Data were triangulated with assessments from a capstone internship. Qualitative descriptive studies with worksite educators (focus groups n = 4, n = 5, n = 8) and students (personal interviews n = 29) explored stakeholder experiences analysed using thematic analysis. Panel consensus was achieved for all cases by the third-round and corroborated by internship outcomes. For 34% of students this differed to the 'interpretations' of their performance made by their worksite educator/s. Emerging qualitative themes from stakeholder data found the model: (i) supported sustainable assessment practices; (ii) shifted the power relationship between students and worksite educators and (iii) provided a fair method to assess competence. To maximise benefits, more refinement, resources and training are required. This research questions competency-based assessment practices based on discrete placement units and supports a constructivist-interpretivist programmatic approach where evidence across a whole course of study is considered by a panel of assessors. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

critcial human health issues in connection with future human missions to mMars: the HUMEX study of ESA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horneck, G.; Humex Team

ESA has recently initiated a study of the human responses, limits and needs with regard to the stress environments of interplanetary and planetary missions. Emphasis was laid on human health and performance care as well as Advanced Life Support Developments including Bioregenerative Life Support Systems and environmental monitoring. The overall study goals were as follows: (i) to define reference scenarios for a European participation in human exploration and to estimate their influence on the Life Sciences and Life Support requirements; (ii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the limiting factors for human health, wellbeing, and performance and to recommend relevant countermeasures; (iii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the potential of Advanced Life Support Developments and to pro-pose a European strategy including terrestrial applications; (iv) to critically assess the feasibility of existing facilities and technologies on ground and in space as test-beds in preparation for human exploratory missions and to develop a test plan for ground and ISS campaigns; (v) to develop a roadmap for a future European strategy towards human exploratory missions, including preparatory activities and terrestrial applications and benefits. Two scenarios for a Mars mission were selected: (i) with a 30 days stay on Mars, and (ii) with about 500 days stay on Mars. The impact on human health, perform-ance and well being has been investigated from the view point of (i) the effects of microgravity (during space travel), reduced gravity (on Mars) and abrupt gravity changes (during launch and landing), (ii) the effects of cosmic radiation including solar particle events, (iii) psychological issues as well as general health care. Coun-termeasures as well as necessary research using ground-based testbeds and/or the ISS have been defined. The need for highly intelligent autonomous diagnostic and therapy systems was emphasized. Advanced life support systems with a high degree of autonomy and regenerative capacity and synergy effects were considered where bioregenerative life support systems and biodiagnostic systems become essential especially for the long-term Mars scenario. The considerations have been incorpo-rated into a roadmap for a future European strategy in human health issues for a potential European participation in a cooperative international exploration of our solar system by humans. Ref. Horneck et al, 2003, HUMEX, study on the Survivability and Adaptation of Humans to Long-Duration Exploratory Missions, ESA SP 1264

Human Engineering Operations and Habitability Assessment: A Process for Advanced Life Support Ground Facility Testbeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Janis H.; Arch, M.; Elfezouaty, Eileen Schultz; Novak, Jennifer Blume; Bond, Robert L. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Design and Human Engineering (HE) processes strive to ensure that the human-machine interface is designed for optimal performance throughout the system life cycle. Each component can be tested and assessed independently to assure optimal performance, but it is not until full integration that the system and the inherent interactions between the system components can be assessed as a whole. HE processes (which are defining/app lying requirements for human interaction with missions/systems) are included in space flight activities, but also need to be included in ground activities and specifically, ground facility testbeds such as Bio-Plex. A unique aspect of the Bio-Plex Facility is the integral issue of Habitability which includes qualities of the environment that allow humans to work and live. HE is a process by which Habitability and system performance can be assessed.

NASA Conjunction Assessment Organizational Approach and the Associated Determination of Screening Volume Sizes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Lauri K.; Hejduk, Matthew D.

2015-01-01

NASA is committed to safety of flight for all of its operational assets Performed by CARA at NASA GSFC for robotic satellites Focus of this briefing Performed by TOPO at NASA JSC for human spaceflight he Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) was stood up to offer this service to all NASA robotic satellites Currently provides service to 70 operational satellites NASA unmanned operational assets Other USG assets (USGS, USAF, NOAA) International partner assets Conjunction Assessment (CA) is the process of identifying close approaches between two orbiting objects; sometimes called conjunction screening The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) a USAF unit at Vandenberg AFB, maintains the high accuracy catalog of space objects, screens CARA-supported assets against the catalog, performs OD tasking, and generates close approach data.

Integrated Campaign Probabilistic Cost, Schedule, Performance, and Value for Program Office Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornelius, David; Sasamoto, Washito; Daugherty, Kevin; Deacon, Shaun

2012-01-01

This paper describes an integrated assessment tool developed at NASA Langley Research Center that incorporates probabilistic analysis of life cycle cost, schedule, launch performance, on-orbit performance, and value across a series of planned space-based missions, or campaign. Originally designed as an aid in planning the execution of missions to accomplish the National Research Council 2007 Earth Science Decadal Survey, it utilizes Monte Carlo simulation of a series of space missions for assessment of resource requirements and expected return on investment. Interactions between simulated missions are incorporated, such as competition for launch site manifest, to capture unexpected and non-linear system behaviors. A novel value model is utilized to provide an assessment of the probabilistic return on investment. A demonstration case is discussed to illustrate the tool utility.

Virtual reality and neuropsychological assessment: The reliability of a virtual kitchen to assess daily-life activities in victims of traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Besnard, Jeremy; Richard, Paul; Banville, Frederic; Nolin, Pierre; Aubin, Ghislaine; Le Gall, Didier; Richard, Isabelle; Allain, Phillippe

2016-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes impairments affecting instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). However, few studies have considered virtual reality as an ecologically valid tool for the assessment of IADL in patients who have sustained a TBI. The main objective of the present study was to examine the use of the Nonimmersive Virtual Coffee Task (NI-VCT) for IADL assessment in patients with TBI. We analyzed the performance of 19 adults suffering from TBI and 19 healthy controls (HCs) in the real and virtual tasks of making coffee with a coffee machine, as well as in global IQ and executive functions. Patients performed worse than HCs on both real and virtual tasks and on all tests of executive functions. Correlation analyses revealed that NI-VCT scores were related to scores on the real task. Moreover, regression analyses demonstrated that performance on NI-VCT matched real-task performance. Our results support the idea that the virtual kitchen is a valid tool for IADL assessment in patients who have sustained a TBI.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN THE DOE COMPLEX

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

Seitz, R.

2012-01-23

The United States Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) has established a Performance Assessment Community of Practice (PA CoP) to foster the sharing of information among performance assessment (PA) and risk assessment practitioners, regulators and oversight personnel. The general intent is to contribute to continuous improvement in the consistency, technical adequacy and quality of implementation of PAs and risk assessments around the DOE Complex. The PA CoP activities have involved commercial disposal facilities and international participants to provide a global perspective. The PA CoP has also sponsored annual technical exchanges as a means to foster improved communication andmore » to share lessons learned from on-going modelling activities. The PA CoP encourages activities to provide programmatic and technical assistance in the form of sharing experience and lessons learned with practitioners during the development of PAs and risk assessments. This assistance complements DOE-EM reviews through the Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Federal Review Group (LFRG) that are conducted after modelling efforts are completed. Such up-front assistance is providing additional value in terms of improving consistency and sharing of information. There has been a substantial increase in the amount of assistance being provided. The assistance has been well received by practitioners and regulators that have been involved. The paper highlights assistance and sharing of information that has been conducted in the last two years to support activities underway in support of proposed disposal facilities at Paducah, Portsmouth, and the Idaho National Laboratory and tank closure at Hanford.« less

An assessment of waste processing/resource recovery technologies for lunar/Mars life applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verostko, Charles E.; Packham, Nigel J. C.; Henninger, Donald H.

1992-01-01

NASA's future manned missions to explore the solar system are by nature of long duration, mandating extensive regeneration of life support consumables from wastes generated in space-based habitats. Long-duration exploration missions would otherwise be prohibitive due to the number and frequency of energy-intensive resupply missions from Earth. Resource recovery is therefore a critical component of the controlled ecological life support system (CELSS). In order to assess resource recovery technologies for CELSS applications, the Crew and Thermal Systems Division at NASA-Johnson Space Center convened a three-day workshop to assess potential resource recovery technologies for application in a space-based CELSS. This paper describes the methodology of assessing and ranking of these technologies. Recommendations and issues are identified. Evaluations focused on the processes for handling and treatment of inedible plant biomass, human waste, and human generated trash. Technologies were assessed on the basis of safety, reliability, technology readiness, and performance characteristics.

Graphic support resources for workers with intellectual disability engaged in office tasks: a comparison with verbal instructions from a work mate.

PubMed

Becerra, María-Teresa; Montanero, Manuel; Lucero, Manuel

2018-02-01

Research into workplace adjustments for people with disabilities is a fundamental challenge of supported employment. The aim of the present work is to investigate the effect of several graphic resources as natural support for workers with intellectual disability. Two case studies were conducted to assess the performance of five workers engaged in office tasks, with three different support conditions. Results reveal a 20% increase in quality of performance of the tasks undertaken with graphic support as compared to support in which the participants received verbal instructions (VIs) from a work mate; and between 25 and 30% as compared to a control condition which included no help of any kind. These findings are consistent with previous studies which support the possibility of generating, at low cost, iconic materials (with maps or simple graphics), which progressively facilitate workers' autonomy, without dependence or help from the job trainer. We observed that the worst performance is in the support condition with VIs, this shows the limitations of this type of natural support, which is provided on demand by work mates without specialist knowledge of work support. Implications for Rehabilitation We studied the use of various types of natural support for people with intellectual disability in their workplace. The findings suggest that, with some brief training, the simple use in the workplace of graphic help on a card can increase between 20 and 30% the quality of performance of certain work tasks carried out by workers with intellectual disability. This advantage contrasts with the high cost or lower "manageability" of other material resources of natural support based on the use of technology.

National assessment of oil and gas project; petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollastro, R. M.; Schenk, C.J.

2001-01-01

This CD-ROM contains coverages that define and outline the geographic boundaries of petroleum systems and assessment units and text that describes the geology and reasoning to support the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the South Florida Basin for a forecast period of 30 years. This assessment was performed by using the best geological information and scientific theory available to the USGS; however, the USGS did not have access to seismic survey data for the South Florida Basin.

Use of a Common Assessment Methodology in Support of Joint Training, Capability Development, and Experimentation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

at the joint level on the actual functions they perform. The generic terms include Air Command and Control Agency ( ACCA ), Air Support Control...in the supporting text. USJFCOM 10/22/2007 16UNCLASSIFIED Naval Surface Fires Corps/MEF FSCA JTAC ACCA ASCA Div FSCA BCT/Regt FSCA Bn FSCA TACP TACP...FSCA/ ACCA CAS Aircraft FAC(A) Indirect Surface Fires Hostile Targets WOC TACP GLO Legend ACCA Air Command and Control Agency ISR Intelligence

Student Evaluations of Teaching Are an Inadequate Assessment Tool for Evaluating Faculty Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hornstein, Henry A.

2017-01-01

Literature is examined to support the contention that student evaluations of teaching (SET) should not be used for summative evaluation of university faculty. Recommendations for alternatives to SET are provided.

Marijuana effects on long-term memory assessment and retrieval.

PubMed

Darley, C F; Tinklenberg, J R; Roth, W T; Vernon, S; Kopell, B S

1977-05-09

The ability of 16 college-educated male subjects to recall from long-term memory a series of common facts was tested during intoxication with marijuana extract calibrated to 0.3 mg/kg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and during placebo conditions. The subjects' ability to assess their memory capabilities was then determined by measuring how certain they were about the accuracy of their recall performance and by having them predict their performance on a subsequent recognition test involving the same recall items. Marijuana had no effect on recall or recognition performance. These results do not support the view that marijuana provides access to facts in long-term storage which are inaccessible during non-intoxication. During both marijuana and placebo conditions, subjects could accurately predict their recognition memory performance. Hence, marijuana did not alter the subjects' ability to accurately assess what information resides in long-term memory even though they did not have complete access to that information.

Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in Assessment and Intervention of School-Aged Children With Language Impairments.

PubMed

Westby, Carol; Washington, Karla N

2017-07-26

The aim of this tutorial is to support speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in assessment and treatment practices with children with language impairment. This tutorial reviews the framework of the ICF, describes the implications of the ICF for SLPs, distinguishes between students' capacity to perform a skill in a structured context and the actual performance of that skill in naturalistic contexts, and provides a case study of an elementary school child to demonstrate how the principles of the ICF can guide assessment and intervention. The Scope of Practice and Preferred Practice documents for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association identify the ICF as the framework for practice in speech-language pathology. This tutorial will facilitate clinicians' ability to identify personal and environmental factors that influence students' skill capacity and skill performance, assess students' capacity and performance, and develop impairment-based and socially based language goals linked to Common Core State Standards that build students' language capacity and their communicative performance in naturalistic contexts.

Scale-Dependent Solute Dispersion in Variably Saturated Porous Media

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

Rockhold, Mark L.; Zhang, Z. F.; Bott, Yi-Ju

2016-03-29

This work was performed to support performance assessment (PA) calculations for the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) at the Hanford Site. PA calculations require defensible estimates of physical, hydraulic, and transport parameters to simulate subsurface water flow and contaminant transport in both the near- and far-field environments. Dispersivity is one of the required transport parameters.

Assessing Constraints on Soldier Cognitive and Perceptual Motor Performance During Vehicle Motion

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

vehicle systems are biomechanical (Sirouspour & Salcudean, 2003; Sövényi & Gillespie, 2007), cognitive (Parasuraman & Riley, 1997), and psychomotor...vs. velocity), pedals for braking/acceleration Environmental constraints associated with the support surface (Seat): Damping, inclination...steering and secondarily, performance differences between a joystick and pedals for throttle and brake control. Eleven participants com- pleted three

Developing an Energy Performance Modeling Startup Kit

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

none,

2012-10-01

In 2011, the NAHB Research Center began assessing the needs and motivations of residential remodelers regarding energy performance remodeling. This report outlines: the current remodeling industry and the role of energy efficiency; gaps and barriers to adding energy efficiency into remodeling; and support needs of professional remodelers to increase sales and projects involving improving home energy efficiency.

Assessment of Food Chain Pathway Parameters in Biosphere Models: Annual Progress Report for Fiscal Year 2004

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

Napier, Bruce A.; Krupka, Kenneth M.; Fellows, Robert J.

2004-12-02

This Annual Progress Report describes the work performed and summarizes some of the key observations to date on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s project Assessment of Food Chain Pathway Parameters in Biosphere Models, which was established to assess and evaluate a number of key parameters used in the food-chain models used in performance assessments of radioactive waste disposal facilities. Section 2 of this report describes activities undertaken to collect samples of soils from three regions of the United States, the Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest, and perform analyses to characterize their physical and chemical properties. Section 3 summarizes information gathered regardingmore » agricultural practices and common and unusual crops grown in each of these three areas. Section 4 describes progress in studying radionuclide uptake in several representative crops from the three soil types in controlled laboratory conditions. Section 5 describes a range of international coordination activities undertaken by Project staff in order to support the underlying data needs of the Project. Section 6 provides a very brief summary of the status of the GENII Version 2 computer program, which is a “client” of the types of data being generated by the Project, and for which the Project will be providing training to the US NRC staff in the coming Fiscal Year. Several appendices provide additional supporting information.« less

Patterns of Change in Psychological Variables Leading up to Competition in Superior Versus Inferior Performers.

PubMed

Boat, Ruth; Taylor, Ian M

2015-06-01

The study explored patterns of change in a number of potentially performance-related variables (i.e., fatigue, social support, self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, mental skills) during the lead-up to a competitive triathlon, and whether these patterns of change differed for relatively superior versus inferior performers. Forty-two triathletes completed an inventory measuring the study variables every other day during a 2-week period leading up to competition. Performance was assessed using participants' race time, and using a self-referenced relative score compared with personal best times. Multilevel growth curve analyses revealed significant differences in growth trajectories over the 2-week period in mental skills use, social support, and fatigue. The results provide novel insight into how athletes' fluctuating psychological state in the 2 weeks before competition may be crucial in determining performance.

Issues in ATM Support of High-Performance, Geographically Distributed Computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Claus, Russell W.; Dowd, Patrick W.; Srinidhi, Saragur M.; Blade, Eric D.G

1995-01-01

This report experimentally assesses the effect of the underlying network in a cluster-based computing environment. The assessment is quantified by application-level benchmarking, process-level communication, and network file input/output. Two testbeds were considered, one small cluster of Sun workstations and another large cluster composed of 32 high-end IBM RS/6000 platforms. The clusters had Ethernet, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI), Fibre Channel, and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network interface cards installed, providing the same processors and operating system for the entire suite of experiments. The primary goal of this report is to assess the suitability of an ATM-based, local-area network to support interprocess communication and remote file input/output systems for distributed computing.

Tabular data and graphical images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Assessment -- San Joaquin Basin (5010): Chapter 28 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.; Le, P.A.

2007-01-01

This chapter describes data used in support of the assessment process. Digital tabular data used in this report and archival data that permit the user to perform further analyses are available elsewhere on this CD–ROM. Computers and software may import the data without transcription from the portable document format (.pdf) files of the text by the reader. Because of the number and variety of platforms and software available, graphical images are provided as .pdf files and tabular data are provided in a raw form as tab-delimited text files (.tab files).

Wearable-Sensor-Based Classification Models of Faller Status in Older Adults.

PubMed

Howcroft, Jennifer; Lemaire, Edward D; Kofman, Jonathan

2016-01-01

Wearable sensors have potential for quantitative, gait-based, point-of-care fall risk assessment that can be easily and quickly implemented in clinical-care and older-adult living environments. This investigation generated models for wearable-sensor based fall-risk classification in older adults and identified the optimal sensor type, location, combination, and modelling method; for walking with and without a cognitive load task. A convenience sample of 100 older individuals (75.5 ± 6.7 years; 76 non-fallers, 24 fallers based on 6 month retrospective fall occurrence) walked 7.62 m under single-task and dual-task conditions while wearing pressure-sensing insoles and tri-axial accelerometers at the head, pelvis, and left and right shanks. Participants also completed the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale, Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire, six minute walk test, and ranked their fear of falling. Fall risk classification models were assessed for all sensor combinations and three model types: multi-layer perceptron neural network, naïve Bayesian, and support vector machine. The best performing model was a multi-layer perceptron neural network with input parameters from pressure-sensing insoles and head, pelvis, and left shank accelerometers (accuracy = 84%, F1 score = 0.600, MCC score = 0.521). Head sensor-based models had the best performance of the single-sensor models for single-task gait assessment. Single-task gait assessment models outperformed models based on dual-task walking or clinical assessment data. Support vector machines and neural networks were the best modelling technique for fall risk classification. Fall risk classification models developed for point-of-care environments should be developed using support vector machines and neural networks, with a multi-sensor single-task gait assessment.

Project Assessment Framework through Design (PAFTD) - A Project Assessment Framework in Support of Strategic Decision Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Depenbrock, Brett T.; Balint, Tibor S.; Sheehy, Jeffrey A.

2014-01-01

Research and development organizations that push the innovation edge of technology frequently encounter challenges when attempting to identify an investment strategy and to accurately forecast the cost and schedule performance of selected projects. Fast moving and complex environments require managers to quickly analyze and diagnose the value of returns on investment versus allocated resources. Our Project Assessment Framework through Design (PAFTD) tool facilitates decision making for NASA senior leadership to enable more strategic and consistent technology development investment analysis, beginning at implementation and continuing through the project life cycle. The framework takes an integrated approach by leveraging design principles of useability, feasibility, and viability and aligns them with methods employed by NASA's Independent Program Assessment Office for project performance assessment. The need exists to periodically revisit the justification and prioritization of technology development investments as changes occur over project life cycles. The framework informs management rapidly and comprehensively about diagnosed internal and external root causes of project performance.

Hanford Tank 241-C-103 Residual Waste Contaminant Release Models and Supporting Data

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

Cantrell, Kirk J.; Krupka, Kenneth M.; Deutsch, William J.

2008-01-15

This report tabulates data generated by laboratory characterization and testing of three samples collected from tank C-103. The data presented here will form the basis for a release model that will be developed for tank C-103. These release models are being developed to support the tank risk assessments performed by CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. for DOE.

Nano-Launcher Technologies, Approaches, and Life Cycle Assessment. Phase II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zapata, Edgar

2014-01-01

Assist in understanding NASA technology and investment approaches, and other driving factors, necessary for enabling dedicated nano-launchers by industry at a cost and flight rate that (1) could support and be supported by an emerging nano-satellite market and (2) would benefit NASAs needs. Develop life-cycle cost, performance and other NASA analysis tools or models required to understand issues, drivers and challenges.

Apollo 15 Mission Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

A detailed discussion is presented of the Apollo 15 mission, which conducted exploration of the moon over longer periods, greater ranges, and with more instruments of scientific data acquisition than previous missions. The topics include trajectory, lunar surface science, inflight science and photography, command and service module performance, lunar module performance, lunar surface operational equipment, pilot's report, biomedical evaluation, mission support performance, assessment of mission objectives, launch phase summary, anomaly summary, and vehicle and equipment descriptions. The capability of transporting larger payloads and extending time on the moon were demonstrated. The ground-controlled TV camera allowed greater real-time participation by earth-bound personnel. The crew operated more as scientists and relied more on ground support team for systems monitoring. The modified pressure garment and portable life support system provided better mobility and extended EVA time. The lunar roving vehicle and the lunar communications relay unit were also demonstrated.

Humans vs Hardware: The Unique World of NASA Human System Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anton, W.; Havenhill, M.; Overton, Eric

2016-01-01

Understanding spaceflight risks to crew health and performance is a crucial aspect of preparing for exploration missions in the future. The research activities of the Human Research Program (HRP) provide substantial evidence to support most risk reduction work. The Human System Risk Board (HSRB), acting on behalf of the Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO), assesses these risks and assigns likelihood and consequence ratings to track progress. Unfortunately, many traditional approaches in risk assessment such as those used in the engineering aspects of spaceflight are difficult to apply to human system risks. This presentation discusses the unique aspects of risk assessment from the human system risk perspective and how these limitations are accommodated and addressed in order to ensure that reasonable inputs are provided to support the OCHMO's overall risk posture for manned exploration missions.

Assessing nursing students' knowledge and skills in performing venepuncture and inserting peripheral venous catheters.

PubMed

Ahlin, C; Klang-Söderkvist, B; Johansson, E; Björkholm, M; Löfmark, A

2017-03-01

Venepuncture and the insertion of peripheral venous catheters are common tasks in health care, and training in these procedures is included in nursing programmes. Evidence of nursing students' knowledge and skills in these procedures is limited. The main aim of this study was to assess nursing students' knowledge and skills when performing venepuncture and inserting peripheral venous catheters. Potential associations between level of knowledge and skills, self-training, self-efficacy, and demographic characteristics were also investigated. The assessment was performed by lecturers at a university college in Sweden using the two previously tested instruments "Assess Venepuncture" and "Assess Peripheral Venous Catheter Insertion". Between 81% and 100% of steps were carried out correctly by the students. The step with the highest rating was "Uses gloves", and lowest rating was 'Informs the patients about the possibility of obtaining local anaesthesia'. Significant correlations between degree of self-training and correct performance were found in the group of students who registered their self-training. No associations between demographic characteristics and correct performances were found. Assessing that students have achieved adequate levels of knowledge and skills in these procedures at different levels of the nursing education is of importance to prevent complications and support patient safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

System design package for the solar heating and cooling central data processing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The central data processing system provides the resources required to assess the performance of solar heating and cooling systems installed at remote sites. These sites consist of residential, commercial, government, and educational types of buildings, and the solar heating and cooling systems can be hot-water, space heating, cooling, and combinations of these. The instrumentation data associated with these systems will vary according to the application and must be collected, processed, and presented in a form which supports continuity of performance evaluation across all applications. Overall software system requirements were established for use in the central integration facility which transforms raw data collected at remote sites into performance evaluation information for assessing the performance of solar heating and cooling systems.

Advanced Launch System Multi-Path Redundant Avionics Architecture Analysis and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Robert L.

1993-01-01

The objective of the Multi-Path Redundant Avionics Suite (MPRAS) program is the development of a set of avionic architectural modules which will be applicable to the family of launch vehicles required to support the Advanced Launch System (ALS). To enable ALS cost/performance requirements to be met, the MPRAS must support autonomy, maintenance, and testability capabilities which exceed those present in conventional launch vehicles. The multi-path redundant or fault tolerance characteristics of the MPRAS are necessary to offset a reduction in avionics reliability due to the increased complexity needed to support these new cost reduction and performance capabilities and to meet avionics reliability requirements which will provide cost-effective reductions in overall ALS recurring costs. A complex, real-time distributed computing system is needed to meet the ALS avionics system requirements. General Dynamics, Boeing Aerospace, and C.S. Draper Laboratory have proposed system architectures as candidates for the ALS MPRAS. The purpose of this document is to report the results of independent performance and reliability characterization and assessment analyses of each proposed candidate architecture and qualitative assessments of testability, maintainability, and fault tolerance mechanisms. These independent analyses were conducted as part of the MPRAS Part 2 program and were carried under NASA Langley Research Contract NAS1-17964, Task Assignment 28.

Segmentation of HER2 protein overexpression in immunohistochemically stained breast cancer images using Support Vector Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pezoa, Raquel; Salinas, Luis; Torres, Claudio; Härtel, Steffen; Maureira-Fredes, Cristián; Arce, Paola

2016-10-01

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. Patient therapy is widely supported by analysis of immunohistochemically (IHC) stained tissue sections. In particular, the analysis of HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry helps to determine when patients are suitable to HER2-targeted treatment. Computational HER2 overexpression analysis is still an open problem and a challenging task principally because of the variability of immunohistochemistry tissue samples and the subjectivity of the specialists to assess the samples. In addition, the immunohistochemistry process can produce diverse artifacts that difficult the HER2 overexpression assessment. In this paper we study the segmentation of HER2 overexpression in IHC stained breast cancer tissue images using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. We asses the SVM performance using diverse color and texture pixel-level features including the RGB, CMYK, HSV, CIE L*a*b* color spaces, color deconvolution filter and Haralick features. We measure classification performance for three datasets containing a total of 153 IHC images that were previously labeled by a pathologist.

Effects of semi-rigid arch-support orthotics: an investigation with potential ergonomic implications.

PubMed

Kelaher, D; Mirka, G A; Dudziak, K Q

2000-10-01

For many years, arch-support orthotics have been prescribed for individuals with discomfort and/or abnormal skeletal alignments in the structures of the lower extremity. Recently there has been an increased interest in promoting semi-rigid orthotics as an ergonomic aid for asymptomatic workers who must stand all day at their workplace. A laboratory study was performed to assess the biomechanical impact of prefabricated semi-rigid orthotics on asymptomatic individuals. Ten subjects wore semi-rigid arch-support orthotics (experimental condition) for two months and flexible polyurethane/Sorbothane shoe inserts (control condition) for two months. Throughout this 18-week testing period, the subjects returned to the lab to perform a battery of assessment tests at regularly scheduled intervals. These tests examined subject strength, standing posture, stability, fatigue effects, and body part discomfort. The results of this study showed no significant changes in the strength, posture, or stability as a function of insert type. The subjects reported a reduction in low-back discomfort along with an increase in foot discomfort during a fatiguing exertion task while wearing the semi-rigid orthotics as compared to the control condition.

A concept for performance management for Federal science programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whalen, Kevin G.

2017-11-06

The demonstration of clear linkages between planning, funding, outcomes, and performance management has created unique challenges for U.S. Federal science programs. An approach is presented here that characterizes science program strategic objectives by one of five “activity types”: (1) knowledge discovery, (2) knowledge development and delivery, (3) science support, (4) inventory and monitoring, and (5) knowledge synthesis and assessment. The activity types relate to performance measurement tools for tracking outcomes of research funded under the objective. The result is a multi-time scale, integrated performance measure that tracks individual performance metrics synthetically while also measuring progress toward long-term outcomes. Tracking performance on individual metrics provides explicit linkages to root causes of potentially suboptimal performance and captures both internal and external program drivers, such as customer relations and science support for managers. Functionally connecting strategic planning objectives with performance measurement tools is a practical approach for publicly funded science agencies that links planning, outcomes, and performance management—an enterprise that has created unique challenges for public-sector research and development programs.

Exogenous Variables and Value-Added Assessments: A Fatal Flaw

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berliner, David C.

2014-01-01

Background: There has been rapid growth in value-added assessment of teachers to meet the widely supported policy goal of identifying the most effective and the most ineffective teachers in a school system. The former group is to be rewarded while the latter group is to be helped or fired for their poor performance. But, value-added approaches to…

Space Tug Point Design Study. Volume 3: Design Definition. Part 2: Insulation, Meteoroid Protection, Structures, Mass Properties, GSE, Reliability and Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the configuration and performance of a space tug. Detailed descriptions of the insulation, meteoroid protection, primary structure, and ground support equipment are presented. Technical assessments leading to the concept selection are analyzed. The tug mass properties, reliability, and safety assessments are included.

Chinese Spacesuit Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Croog, Lewis

2010-01-01

In 2008, China became only the 3rd nation to perform an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) from a spacecraft. An overview of the Chinese spacesuit and life support system were assessed from video downlinks during their EVA; from those assessments, spacesuit characteristics were identified. The spacesuits were compared against the Russian Orlan Spacesuit and the U.S. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). China's plans for future missions also were presented.

Effects of push-off ability and handcycle type on handcycling performance in able-bodied participants.

PubMed

Kouwijzer, Ingrid; Nooijen, Carla F J; Breukelen, Kees van; Janssen, Thomas W J; de Groot, Sonja

2018-05-14

To assess the effects on handcycling performance and physiological responses, of: (i) making a closed chain by comparing handcycling in a recumbent bike with 2-feet footrest (closed chain) with handcycling with 1 footrest (partial closed chain) and without a footrest (no closed chain); (ii) equipment by comparing handcycling in a recumbent bike with a kneeling bike. Ten able-bodied participants performed submaximal exercise and sprint tests, once in a knee-ling bike and 3 times on a recumbent: 2-feet support, 1-foot support and without foot support. Physical strain (submaximal oxygen uptake and heart rate), peak (POpeak) and mean power output (POmean) were measured. Significantly higher POpeak and POmean were found with 2-feet support (mean 415 W (standard deviation (SD) 163) and mean 281 W (SD 96)) and higher POmean with 1-foot support (mean 279 W (SD 104)) compared with no foot support (mean 332 W (SD 127) and mean 254 W (SD 101)), p < 0.05. No differences were found for physical strain. In the kneeling bike, POpeak and POmean were significantly higher (mean 628 W (SD 231) and 391 W (SD 121)) than in the recumbent (mean 415 W (SD 163) and 281 W (SD 96)), p = 0.001. The ability to make a closed chain has a significant positive effect on handcycling sprint performance; therefore, this ability may be a discriminating factor. Sprint performance was significantly higher in kneeling compared with recumbent handcycling.

U.S. Department of Energy worker health risk evaluation methodology for assessing risks associated with environmental restoration and waste management

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

Blaylock, B.P.; Legg, J.; Travis, C.C.

1995-06-01

This document describes a worker health risk evaluation methodology for assessing risks associated with Environmental Restoration (ER) and Waste Management (WM). The methodology is appropriate for estimating worker risks across the Department of Energy (DOE) Complex at both programmatic and site-specific levels. This document supports the worker health risk methodology used to perform the human health risk assessment portion of the DOE Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) although it has applications beyond the PEIS, such as installation-wide worker risk assessments, screening-level assessments, and site-specific assessments.

Is premium support the right medicine for Medicare?

PubMed

Oberlander, J

2000-01-01

This paper assesses the desirability of transforming Medicare into a premium-support system. I focus on three areas crucial to the future of Medicare: cost savings, beneficiary choice, and the stability of traditional Medicare. Based on my analysis of the Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare plan, I find substantial problems with adopting premium support for Medicare. In particular, projections of premium-support savings are based on questionable assumptions that the slowdown in health spending during 1993-1997 can be sustained and extrapolated to future Medicare performance. Consequently, premium support may inadvertently destabilize public Medicare and erode beneficiary choice without achieving substantial savings.

Development of hydropower sustainability assessment method in Malaysia context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turan, Faiz Mohd; Johan, Kartina; Atiqah Omar, Nur

2018-03-01

Nowadays, sustainability is becoming one of the crucial requirement to business success today. This requirement is strongly supported by Bursa Malaysia. In their webpage, they stated that an entire way to business management, incorporating economic, environmental, social and governance considerations alongside financial ones, will serve as a sound business model that supports business continuity and long term value creation for stakeholders and society at large (Bursa Malaysia website, 21th April 2016). This proved that companies need to take sustainability as one of their aspect performance as well as an energy company. Apart from that, energy companies in Malaysia are facing problems as there is still no systematic assessment of sustainability. Before this, Malaysia energy companies assess their large projects based on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) requirement. However, the EIAs mostly covers the environmental issues related to the projects. The EIAs give less attention to the social aspects and economical aspects. In addition, there are still not many companies comply all the three aspects together. So, this study is to help the energy companies to discover the systematic assessment of sustainability. In developing sustainable project, they need to include many criteria that cover the environmental, economic and social aspects at all stages. Thus, the new version of Systematic Sustainability Assessment (SSA) that apply the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) is used as a guideline to achieve sustainability in Malaysia energy companies. This tool will guide the energy company on how to assess the sustainability in their project and see the performance of the project.

An SEM Assessment of the Internal Structure and Predictive Validity of the Abbreviated Early Adolescent HOME Inventory.

PubMed

Green, Samuel B; Pennar, Amy L; Bradley, Robert H

2018-05-01

The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory is designed to assess the quality and quantity of support, stimulation, and structure provided to children in the home environment. HOME has been widely used for research and applied purposes. We focused on an abbreviated version of the Early Adolescent HOME (EA-HOME-A) that was administered to 15-year-old adolescents and their parents ( N = 958) as part of the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Our study had two objectives. First, we hypothesized and tested a bifactor model that specified a general factor in support of the use of the HOME total score and group factors for subsets of items in support of the content domain scores. Second, we applied structural equation modeling to relate the EA-HOME-A factors to outcome factors assessing maladaptive behaviors, autonomy, self-control, and cognitive-academic performance. The results supported the construct validity of the EA-HOME-A with respect to its internal structure as well as its correlates.

TiO2-nanowire/MWCNT composite with enhanced performance and durability for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvaganesh, S. Vinod; Dhanasekaran, P.; Bhat, Santoshkumar D.

2017-12-01

Durability is a major issue and has been the growing focus of research for the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Corrosion of carbon support is a key parameter as it triggers the Pt catalyst degradation and affects cell performance, which in turn affects the longevity of the cells. Herein, we describe a hybrid composite support of TiO2-nanowires and Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) that offers resistance to corrosion under stressful operating conditions. Titania nanowireswhich have been shown to be more efficient and catalytically active than spherically shaped TiO2. TiO2-MWCNT composites are prepared through a hydrothermal method, followed by Pt deposition using a polyol method. Crystal structure, morphology, and oxidation state are examined through various characterization techniques. Electrochemical performance of TiO2-nanowire/MWCNT composite-supported Pt at various ratios of TiO2/MWCNT is assessed in PEFCs. Pt on support with optimum composition of TiO2-nanowires to MWCNTs exhibits fuel cell performance superior to Pt onMWCNTs. Accelerated stress testing (AST) between 1 and 1.5 V reveals that the designed catalyst on nanocomposite support possesses superior electrochemical activity and shows only 16% loss in catalytic activity in relation to 35% for Pt/MWCNTs even after 6000 potential cycles. Subsequently, the samples were characterized after AST to correlate the loss in fuel cell performance

77 FR 36550 - Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

...-supported program is to train clinical educators on methods to teach and assess trainee competencies for...'s development of performance measures and methods of longitudinal evaluation for Public Health...

About the Environmental Public Health Division (EPHD) of EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPHD performs integrated epidemiological, clinical, animal and cellular biological research and statistical modeling to provide the scientific foundation in support of hazard identification, risk assessment, and standard setting.

Are two spaces better than one? The effect of spacing following periods and commas during reading.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca L; Bui, Becky; Schmitt, Lindsay L

2018-04-24

The most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Manual states that two spaces should follow the punctuation at the end of a sentence. This is in contrast to the one-space requirement from previous editions. However, to date, there has been no empirical support for either convention. In the current study, participants performed (1) a typing task to assess spacing usage and (2) an eye-tracking experiment to assess the effect that punctuation spacing has on reading performance. Although comprehension was not affected by punctuation spacing, the eye movement record suggested that initial processing of the text was facilitated when periods were followed by two spaces, supporting the change made to the APA Manual. Individuals' typing usage also influenced these effects such that those who use two spaces following a period showed the greatest overall facilitation from reading with two spaces.

Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods (PSAM) for select space propulsion system components, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The technical effort and computer code enhancements performed during the sixth year of the Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods program are summarized. Various capabilities are described to probabilistically combine structural response and structural resistance to compute component reliability. A library of structural resistance models is implemented in the Numerical Evaluations of Stochastic Structures Under Stress (NESSUS) code that included fatigue, fracture, creep, multi-factor interaction, and other important effects. In addition, a user interface was developed for user-defined resistance models. An accurate and efficient reliability method was developed and was successfully implemented in the NESSUS code to compute component reliability based on user-selected response and resistance models. A risk module was developed to compute component risk with respect to cost, performance, or user-defined criteria. The new component risk assessment capabilities were validated and demonstrated using several examples. Various supporting methodologies were also developed in support of component risk assessment.

Rater Training to Support High-Stakes Simulation-Based Assessments

PubMed Central

Feldman, Moshe; Lazzara, Elizabeth H.; Vanderbilt, Allison A.; DiazGranados, Deborah

2013-01-01

Competency-based assessment and an emphasis on obtaining higher-level outcomes that reflect physicians’ ability to demonstrate their skills has created a need for more advanced assessment practices. Simulation-based assessments provide medical education planners with tools to better evaluate the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) core competencies by affording physicians opportunities to demonstrate their skills within a standardized and replicable testing environment, thus filling a gap in the current state of assessment for regulating the practice of medicine. Observational performance assessments derived from simulated clinical tasks and scenarios enable stronger inferences about the skill level a physician may possess, but also introduce the potential of rater errors into the assessment process. This article reviews the use of simulation-based assessments for certification, credentialing, initial licensure, and relicensing decisions and describes rater training strategies that may be used to reduce rater errors, increase rating accuracy, and enhance the validity of simulation-based observational performance assessments. PMID:23280532

Predicting performance of junior doctors: Association of workplace based assessment with demographic characteristics, emotional intelligence, selection scores, and undergraduate academic performance.

PubMed

Carr, Sandra E; Celenza, Antonio; Mercer, Annette M; Lake, Fiona; Puddey, Ian B

2018-01-21

Predicting workplace performance of junior doctors from before entry or during medical school is difficult and has limited available evidence. This study explored the association between selected predictor variables and workplace based performance in junior doctors during their first postgraduate year. Two cohorts of medical students (n = 200) from one university in Western Australia participated in the longitudinal study. Pearson correlation coefficients and multivariate analyses utilizing linear regression were used to assess the relationships between performance on the Junior Doctor Assessment Tool (JDAT) and its sub-components with demographic characteristics, selection scores for medical school entry, emotional intelligence, and undergraduate academic performance. Grade Point Average (GPA) at the completion of undergraduate studies had the most significant association with better performance on the overall JDAT and each subscale. Increased age was a negative predictor for junior doctor performance on the Clinical management subscale and understanding emotion was a predictor for the JDAT Communication subscale. Secondary school performance measured by Tertiary Entry Rank on entry to medical school score predicted GPA but not junior doctor performance. The GPA as a composite measure of ability and performance in medical school is associated with junior doctor assessment scores. Using this variable to identify students at risk of difficulty could assist planning for appropriate supervision, support, and training for medical graduates transitioning to the workplace.

Using composite images to assess accuracy in personality attribution to faces.

PubMed

Little, Anthony C; Perrett, David I

2007-02-01

Several studies have demonstrated some accuracy in personality attribution using only visual appearance. Using composite images of those scoring high and low on a particular trait, the current study shows that judges perform better than chance in guessing others' personality, particularly for the traits conscientiousness and extraversion. This study also shows that attractiveness, masculinity and age may all provide cues to assess personality accurately and that accuracy is affected by the sex of both of those judging and being judged. Individuals do perform better than chance at guessing another's personality from only facial information, providing some support for the popular belief that it is possible to assess accurately personality from faces.

Comparison of the quality of basic life support provided by rescuers trained using the 2005 or 2010 ERC guidelines.

PubMed

Jones, Christopher M; Owen, Andrew; Thorne, Christopher J; Hulme, Jonathan

2012-08-09

Effective delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and prompt defibrillation following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is vital. Updated guidelines for adult basic life support (BLS) were published in 2010 by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) in an effort to improve survival following SCA. There has been little assessment of the ability of rescuers to meet the standards outlined within these new guidelines. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the performance of first year healthcare students trained and assessed using either the new 2010 ERC guidelines or their 2005 predecessor, within the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. All students were trained as lay rescuers during a standardised eight hour ERC-accredited adult BLS course. We analysed the examination records of 1091 students. Of these, 561 were trained and assessed using the old 2005 ERC guidelines and 530 using the new 2010 guidelines. A significantly greater proportion of candidates failed in the new guideline group (16.04% vs. 11.05%; p < 0.05), reflecting a significantly greater proportion of lay-rescuers performing chest compressions at too fast a rate when trained and assessed with the 2010 rather than 2005 guidelines (6.04% vs. 2.67%; p < 0.05). Error rates for other skills did not differ between guideline groups. The new ERC guidelines lead to a greater proportion of lay rescuers performing chest compressions at an erroneously fast rate and may therefore worsen BLS efficacy. Additional study is required in order to define the clinical impact of compressions performed to a greater depth and at too fast a rate.

The mariner 9 power subsystem design and flight performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Josephs, R. H.

1973-01-01

The design and flight performance of the Mariner Mars 1971 power subsystem are presented. Mariner 9 was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet, and some of the power management techniques employed to support an orbital mission far from earth with marginal sunlight for its photovoltaic-battery power source are described. The performance of its nickel-cadmium battery during repetitive sun occultation phases of the mission, and the results of unique tests in flight to assess the performance capability of its solar array are reported.

Literature Survey for Issues in Naval Decision Support: Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

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

Wind tunnel performance results of an aeroelastically scaled 2/9 model of the PTA flight test prop-fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefko, George L.; Rose, Gayle E.; Podboy, Gary G.

1987-01-01

High speed wind tunnel aerodynamic performance tests of the SR-7A advanced prop-fan have been completed in support of the Prop-Fan Test Assessment (PTA) flight test program. The test showed that the SR-7A model performed aerodynamically very well. At the cruise design condition, the SR-7A prop fan had a high measured net efficiency of 79.3 percent.

Social Support and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Low-Income Women: Findings from Community-Based Participatory Research.

PubMed

Salihu, Hamisu M; Adegoke, Korede; Turner, DeAnne; Al Agili, Dania; Berry, Estrellita Lo

2017-04-01

This study examined the association between social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among low-income women in the southeastern region of the United States. Analysis was performed on data from a community needs assessment survey that was designed to explore social determinants of health and QoL indicators using a community-based participatory research approach. The study sample comprised 132 women aged 18 years old and older. Bivariate analysis and logistic regressions with bootstrapping were performed. Social support was predictive of physical and mental HRQoL in a contrasting fashion, suggesting a complex relation. Other social determinants of global HRQoL independent of social support status include marital and employment status, maternal age, and income. Our results also demonstrate complex interaction patterns across race, social support, and HRQoL. The linkage between social support and HRQoL may not be a simple relation, as previously assumed. Rather, it is characterized by multifaceted interactions through which social determinants of health modulate the impact of social support on HRQoL. These are new findings.

Accuracy of a computerized clinical decision-support system for asthma assessment and management.

PubMed

Hoeksema, Laura J; Bazzy-Asaad, Alia; Lomotan, Edwin A; Edmonds, Diana E; Ramírez-Garnica, Gabriela; Shiffman, Richard N; Horwitz, Leora I

2011-05-01

To evaluate the accuracy of a computerized clinical decision-support system (CDSS) designed to support assessment and management of pediatric asthma in a subspecialty clinic. Cohort study of all asthma visits to pediatric pulmonology from January to December, 2009. CDSS and physician assessments of asthma severity, control, and treatment step. Both the clinician and the computerized CDSS generated assessments of asthma control in 767/1032 (74.3%) return patients, assessments of asthma severity in 100/167 (59.9%) new patients, and recommendations for treatment step in 66/167 (39.5%) new patients. Clinicians agreed with the CDSS in 543/767 (70.8%) of control assessments, 37/100 (37%) of severity assessments, and 19/66 (29%) of step recommendations. External review classified 72% of control disagreements (21% of all control assessments), 56% of severity disagreements (37% of all severity assessments), and 76% of step disagreements (54% of all step recommendations) as CDSS errors. The remaining disagreements resulted from pulmonologist error or ambiguous guidelines. Many CDSS flaws, such as attributing all 'cough' to asthma, were easily remediable. Pediatric pulmonologists failed to follow guidelines in 8% of return visits and 18% of new visits. The authors relied on chart notes to determine clinical reasoning. Physicians may have changed their assessments after seeing CDSS recommendations. A computerized CDSS performed relatively accurately compared to clinicians for assessment of asthma control but was inaccurate for treatment. Pediatric pulmonologists failed to follow guideline-based care in a small proportion of patients.

Perimysial fibroblasts of extraocular muscle, as unique as the muscle fibers.

PubMed

Kusner, Linda L; Young, Andrew; Tjoe, Steven; Leahy, Patrick; Kaminski, Henry J

2010-01-01

Extraocular muscle (EOM) has a distinct skeletal muscle phenotype. The hypothesis for the study was that fibroblasts support the unique EOM phenotype and that perimysial fibroblasts derived from EOM have properties that distinguish them from fibroblasts derived from other skeletal muscle. Perimysial fibroblasts from leg muscle (LM-Fibro) and EOM (EOM-Fibro) of mice were derived and maintained in culture. EOM- and LM-Fibro were assessed morphologically and for vimentin, smooth muscle actin, and Thy-1 immunoreactivity. DNA microarray analysis was performed on LM- and EOM-Fibro grown in conditions that support myoblast differentiation. To assess trophic interactions, co-cultures of myoblasts from established cell lines, CL-EOM and CL-LM with, EOM- or LM-Fibro were performed in direct contact and in a permeable filter support culture. The degree of myotube maturation was assessed by the percentage of myotubes with more than three myonuclei per myotube. EOM- and LM-Fibro cells exhibited distinct morphologies. Both cell types proliferated as a monolayer and expressed vimentin. Fifty-five percent (SD 4.4%) of EOM-Fibro were Thy-1 positive compared with only 24% (SD 4.4%) of LM-Fibro. DNA microarray analysis demonstrated differential expression of structural, immune response, and metabolism-related genes between EOM- and LM-Fibro. Co-cultures demonstrated that mature myotube formation in EOM-derived cell lines was supported to a greater extent by EOM-Fibro than by LM-Fibro, compared with CL-EOM grown with LM-Fibro. Fibroblasts from EOM demonstrate distinct properties that distinguish them from leg muscle-derived fibroblasts. The distinct properties of EOM-Fibro may support the unique EOM phenotype and contribute to their differential involvement in disease.

Relationship of Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors and Fitness Measures to Academic Performance for Sixth Graders in a Midwest City School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jane U.; Mauch, Lois; Winkelman, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Background: To support curriculum and policy, a midwest city school district assessed the association of selected categories of nutrition and physical activity (NUTR/PA) behaviors, fitness measures, and body mass index (BMI) with academic performance (AP) for 800 sixth graders. Methods: Students completed an adapted Youth Risk Behavior…

Augmented Affordances Support Learning: Comparing the Instructional Effects of the Augmented Reality Sandbox and Conventional Maps to Teach Topographic Map Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, R. Thomas; Sammons, Dotty; Del-Parte, Donna

2018-01-01

This study compared learning performance during and following AR and non-AR topographic map instruction and practice Two-way ANOVA testing indicated no significant differences on a posttest assessment between map type and spatial ability. Prior learning activity results revealed a significant performance difference between AR and non-AR treatment…

The Effects of the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) on Children's School Performance at the End of the Program and One Year Later.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Amy J. L.; Piotrkowski, Chaya S.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

1998-01-01

Evaluated whether participation in HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) has a positive impact on young children's performance in school. Assessed 182 children at baseline, the program's end, and one year later. Interpreted findings as mixed support for the effectiveness of the HIPPY program. (JS)

The Relationship among Training Policy, Knowledge Transfer, and Performance Improvement: A Study of Private Sector Organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafloot, Fayez M.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore human resource (HR) managers' perceptions of training practices (i.e., needs assessment, trainee preparation, training program review, accountability, management support, knowledge transfer, and performance improvement) in Saudi private sector organizations. The research questions were: (1) How do HR…

Effects of Progressive Body Weight Support Treadmill Forward and Backward Walking Training on Stroke Patients' Affected Side Lower Extremity's Walking Ability.

PubMed

Kim, Kyunghoon; Lee, Sukmin; Lee, Kyoungbo

2014-12-01

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of progressive body weight supported treadmill forward and backward walking training (PBWSTFBWT), progressive body weight supported treadmill forward walking training (PBWSTFWT), progressive body weight supported treadmill backward walking training (PBWSTBWT), on stroke patients' affected side lower extremity's walking ability. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 36 chronic stroke patients were divided into three groups with 12 subjects in each group. Each of the groups performed one of the progressive body weight supported treadmill training methods for 30 minute, six times per week for three weeks, and then received general physical therapy without any other intervention until the follow-up tests. For the assessment of the affected side lower extremity's walking ability, step length of the affected side, stance phase of the affected side, swing phase of the affected side, single support of the affected side, and step time of the affected side were measured using optogait and the symmetry index. [Results] In the within group comparisons, all the three groups showed significant differences between before and after the intervention and in the comparison of the three groups, the PBWSTFBWT group showed more significant differences in all of the assessed items than the other two groups. [Conclusion] In the present study progressive body weight supported treadmill training was performed in an environment in which the subjects were actually walked, and PBWSTFBWT was more effective at efficiently training stroke patients' affected side lower extremity's walking ability.

International Space Station Sustaining Engineering: A Ground-Based Test Bed for Evaluating Integrated Environmental Control and Life Support System and Internal Thermal Control System Flight Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Charles D.; Perry, Jay L.; Callahan, David M.

2000-01-01

As the International Space Station's (ISS) various habitable modules are placed in service on orbit, the need to provide for sustaining engineering becomes increasingly important to ensure the proper function of critical onboard systems. Chief among these are the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) and the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS). Without either, life onboard the ISS would prove difficult or nearly impossible. For this reason, a ground-based ECLSS/ITCS hardware performance simulation capability has been developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The ECLSS/ITCS Sustaining Engineering Test Bed will be used to assist the ISS Program in resolving hardware anomalies and performing periodic performance assessments. The ISS flight configuration being simulated by the test bed is described as well as ongoing activities related to its preparation for supporting ISS Mission 5A. Growth options for the test facility are presented whereby the current facility may be upgraded to enhance its capability for supporting future station operation well beyond Mission 5A. Test bed capabilities for demonstrating technology improvements of ECLSS hardware are also described.

Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation among jobseekers: a community-level investigation using multidimensional work ability assessments

PubMed Central

Kerätär, Raija; Taanila, Anja; Jokelainen, Jari; Soukainen, Jouko; Ala-Mursula, Leena

2016-01-01

Objective Comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and quality of work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation to support return to work (RTW) among jobseekers. Design Community-level, cross-sectional analysis with multidimensional clinical work ability assessments. Setting Paltamo, Finland. Participants Unemployed citizens either participating in the Full-Employment Project or long-term unemployed (n = 230, 81%). Main outcome measures Based on data from theme interviews, patient records, supervisors’ observations of work performance and clinical examinations, a physician concluded the individual’s work ability, categorised into four groups: good work ability, good work ability expected after RTW support, able to transitional work only or unable to work. These groups were cross tabulated with primary diagnoses, types of plans to support RTW, as well as categories of social functioning and motivation, for which sensitivity and specificity scores in detecting work disability were calculated. Results Only about half of the jobseekers had good work ability, 27% were found unable to work in the open labour market and 15% even eligible for a disability pension. For 20%, care or rehabilitation was seen necessary to enable RTW. Poor supervisor- and self-rated performance at work or poor social functioning appeared as sensitive measures in detecting work disability. Conclusions Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation are highly prevalent among jobseekers, as depicted using a multidimensional work ability assessment procedure inspired by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Further development of work ability assessment practices is clearly needed. KEY POINTSAlthough the association of unemployment with poor health is well known, evidence on the work ability of the unemployed remains scarce.Work disabilities are common among the unemployed.Multidimensional work ability assessment among the unemployed reveals unmet needs for care and rehabilitation to support return to work.Context sensitivity may add to the accuracy of the doctor’s conclusions on work ability. PMID:27804309

Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation among jobseekers: a community-level investigation using multidimensional work ability assessments.

PubMed

Kerätär, Raija; Taanila, Anja; Jokelainen, Jari; Soukainen, Jouko; Ala-Mursula, Leena

2016-12-01

Comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and quality of work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation to support return to work (RTW) among jobseekers. Community-level, cross-sectional analysis with multidimensional clinical work ability assessments. Paltamo, Finland. Unemployed citizens either participating in the Full-Employment Project or long-term unemployed (n = 230, 81%). Based on data from theme interviews, patient records, supervisors' observations of work performance and clinical examinations, a physician concluded the individual's work ability, categorised into four groups: good work ability, good work ability expected after RTW support, able to transitional work only or unable to work. These groups were cross tabulated with primary diagnoses, types of plans to support RTW, as well as categories of social functioning and motivation, for which sensitivity and specificity scores in detecting work disability were calculated. Only about half of the jobseekers had good work ability, 27% were found unable to work in the open labour market and 15% even eligible for a disability pension. For 20%, care or rehabilitation was seen necessary to enable RTW. Poor supervisor- and self-rated performance at work or poor social functioning appeared as sensitive measures in detecting work disability. Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation are highly prevalent among jobseekers, as depicted using a multidimensional work ability assessment procedure inspired by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Further development of work ability assessment practices is clearly needed. KEY POINTS Although the association of unemployment with poor health is well known, evidence on the work ability of the unemployed remains scarce. Work disabilities are common among the unemployed. Multidimensional work ability assessment among the unemployed reveals unmet needs for care and rehabilitation to support return to work. Context sensitivity may add to the accuracy of the doctor's conclusions on work ability.

Invisible players: a family systems model.

PubMed

Hellstedt, Jon

2005-10-01

This article attempts to demonstrate that the family is a key player in the athlete's development and performance, sometimes invisible, but often all too visible. The practice of clinical sport psychology is enriched by a family-based orientation to the assessment and treatment of athletes. Creating a workable family system is a challenge for parents. They have many difficult decisions to make, and are often without support and direction in making those choices. Sport psychiatrists and psychologists can be helpful to parents as well as athletes by using family-based assessments and treatment interventions that provide education, challenge, and support as they negotiate the tasks and transitions in the family life cycle.

Material Stream Strategy for Lithium and Inorganics (U)

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

Safarik, Douglas Joseph; Dunn, Paul Stanton; Korzekwa, Deniece Rochelle

Design Agency Responsibilities: Manufacturing Support to meet Stockpile Stewardship goals for maintaining the nuclear stockpile through experimental and predictive modeling capability. Development and maintenance of Manufacturing Science expertise to assess material specifications and performance boundaries, and their relationship to processing parameters. Production Engineering Evaluations with competence in design requirements, material specifications, and manufacturing controls. Maintenance and enhancement of Aging Science expertise to support Stockpile Stewardship predictive science capability.

Integrated Environment for Performance Measurements and Assessment of Intelligent Transportation Systems Operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

This project has developed and implemented a software environment to utilize data collected by Traffic Management Centers (TMC) in Florida, in combination with data from other sources to support various applications. The environment allows capturing ...

Developmental delay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutrition support is essential for the care of the child with developmental delay. After a thorough evaluation, an individualized intervention plan that accounts for the child’s nutrition status, feeding ability, and medical condition may be determined. Nutrition assessments may be performed at leas...

Report: Measuring and Reporting Performance Results for the Pollution Prevention Program Need Improvement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #09-P-0088, January 28, 2009. The P2 Program’s data provided in response to the OMB PART assessment generally addressed the PART questions and supported the moderately effective rating received.

76 FR 71007 - Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Notice of Availability of Supplemental Environmental Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... Company's (PG&E) proposal to perform Commission-required seismic remediation work at Crane Valley Dam... remediation work and supporting activities analyzed in the February 19, 2010 Final EA. PG&E is proposing two...

45 CFR 307.10 - Functional requirements for computerized support enforcement systems in operation by October 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... information such as social security numbers, names, dates of birth, home addresses and mailing addresses... enable the Office to monitor State operations and assess program performance through the audit conducted...

Behavioral Assessment of Spaceflight Effects on Neurocognitive Performance: Extent and Longevity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Dios, Y. E.; Kofman, I. S.; Gadd, N. E.; Kreutzberg, G. A.; Peters, B. T.; Taylor, L. C.; Campbell, D. J.; Wood, S. J.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Seidler, R. D.;

The Association between Health Behaviours and Academic Performance in Canadian Elementary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D.; Kirk, Sara F. L.; Kuhle, Stefan

2015-01-01

Background: Establishing early healthy eating and physical activity behaviours is critical in supporting children’s long-term health and well-being. The objective of the current paper was to examine the association between health behaviours and academic performance in elementary school students in a school board in Nova Scotia, Canada. Methods: Our population-based study included students in grades 4–6 across 18 schools in a rural school board. Diet and physical activity were assessed through validated instruments. Academic performance measures were obtained from the school board for Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). Associations between health behaviours and academic performance were assessed using multilevel logistic regression. Results: Students with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours were more likely to have poor academic performance for both ELA and Mathematics compared to students with healthy lifestyle behaviours; associations were statistically significant for diet quality, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption for ELA; and breakfast skipping, not being physically active at morning recess, and not being physically active after school for Mathematics. The effects of diet and physical activity were independent of each other and there was no interaction between the two exposures. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that support for healthy behaviours may help to improve academic outcomes of students. PMID:26610537

Social support for healthy eating: development and validation of a questionnaire for the French-Canadian population.

PubMed

Carbonneau, Elise; Bradette-Laplante, Maude; Lamarche, Benoît; Provencher, Véronique; Bégin, Catherine; Robitaille, Julie; Desroches, Sophie; Vohl, Marie-Claude; Corneau, Louise; Lemieux, Simone

2018-05-28

The present study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing social support for healthy eating in a French-Canadian population. A twenty-one-item questionnaire was developed. For each item, participants were asked to rate the frequency, in the past month, with which the actions described had been done by family and friends in two different environments: (i) at home and (ii) outside of home. The content was evaluated by an expert panel. A validation study sample was recruited and completed the questionnaire twice. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on items to assess the number of subscales. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's ɑ. Test-retest reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlations between scores of the two completions. Online survey. Men and women from the Québec City area (n 150). The content validity assessment led to a few changes, resulting in a twenty-two-item questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure for both environments, resulting in four subscales: supportive actions at home; non-supportive actions at home; supportive actions outside of home; and non-supportive actions outside of home. Two items were removed from the questionnaire due to low loadings. The four subscales were found to be reliable (Cronbach's ɑ=0·82-0·94; test-retest intraclass correlation=0·51-0·70). The Social Support for Healthy Eating Questionnaire was developed for a French-Canadian population and demonstrated good psychometric properties. This questionnaire will be useful to explore the role of social support and its interactions with other factors in predicting eating behaviours.

Development and implementation of a clinical needs assessment to support nursing and midwifery students with a disability in clinical practice: part 1.

PubMed

Howlin, Frances; Halligan, Phil; O'Toole, Sinead

2014-09-01

Equality and disability legislation, coupled with increasing numbers of students with a disability, and inadequate supports in clinical practice, acted as catalysts to explore how best to support undergraduate nursing and midwifery students on clinical placements. Historically, higher education institutions provide reasonable accommodations for theoretical rather than clinical modules for practice placements. This paper describes the development and implementation of a Clinical Needs Assessment designed to identify the necessary supports or reasonable accommodations for nursing and midwifery students with a disability undertaking work placements in clinical practice. The existing literature, and consultation with an expert panel, revealed that needs assessments should be competency based and clearly identify the core skills or elements of practice that the student must attain to achieve proficiency and competence. The five Domains of Competence, advocated by An Bord Altranais, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, formed the framework for the Clinical Needs Assessment. A panel of experts generated performance indicators to enable the identification of individualised reasonable accommodations for year 1 nursing and midwifery students in one Irish University. Development and implementation of the Clinical Needs Assessment promoted equality, inclusion and a level playing field for nursing and midwifery students with a disability in clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large sex difference in adolescents on a timed line judgment task: attentional contributors and task relationship to mathematics.

PubMed

Collaer, Marcia L; Hill, Erica M

2006-01-01

Visuospatial performance, assessed with the new, group-administered Judgment of Line Angle and Position test (JLAP-13), varied with sex and mathematical competence in a group of adolescents. The JLAP-13, a low-level perceptual task, was modeled after a neuropsychological task dependent upon functioning of the posterior region of the right hemisphere [Benton et al, 1994 Contributions to Neuropsychological Assessment: A Clinical Manual (New York: Oxford University Press)]. High-school boys (N = 52) performed better than girls (N = 62), with a large effect for sex (d = 1.11). Performance increased with mathematical competence, but the sex difference did not vary significantly across different levels of mathematics coursework. On the basis of earlier work, it was predicted that male, but not female, performance in line judgment would decline with disruptions to task geometry (page frame), and that the sex difference would disappear with disruptions to geometry. These predictions were supported by a number of univariate and sex-specific analyses, although an omnibus repeated-measures analysis did not detect the predicted interaction, most likely owing to limitations in power. Thus, there is partial support for the notion that attentional predispositions or strategies may contribute to visuospatial sex differences, with males more likely than females to attend to, and rely upon, internal or external representations of task geometry. Additional support for this hypothesis may require development of new measures or experimental manipulations with more powerful geometrical disruptions.

Prospective memory, level of disability, and return to work in severe mental illness.

PubMed

Burton, Cynthia Z; Vella, Lea; Twamley, Elizabeth W

2018-02-25

Prospective memory (the ability to remember to do things) has clear implications for everyday functioning, including employment, in people with severe mental illnesses (SMI). This study aimed to evaluate prospective memory performance and its relationship to real-world functional variables in an employment-seeking sample of people with SMI (Clinical Trial registration number NCT00895258). 153 individuals with DSM-IV diagnosis of depression (n = 58), bipolar disorder (n = 37), or schizophrenia (n = 58) who were receiving outpatient psychiatric care at a university clinic enrolled in a trial of supported employment and completed a baseline assessment. Prospective memory was measured with the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST); real-world functional status included work history variables, clinical history variables, baseline functional capacity (UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment-Brief), and work outcomes (weeks worked and wages earned during two years of supported employment). Participants with schizophrenia performed worse on the MIST than did those with affective disorders. Independent of diagnosis, education, and estimated intellectual functioning, prospective memory significantly predicted variance in measures of disability and illness burden (disability benefits, hospitalization history, current functional capacity), and work outcomes over two years of supported employment (weeks worked). Worse prospective memory appears to be associated with greater illness burden and functional disability in SMI. Mental health clinicians and employment specialists may counsel clients to use compensatory prospective memory strategies to improve work performance and decrease functional disability associated with SMI.

Use of LOGIC to support lidar operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis-Lunde, Kimberley; Jugan, Laurie A.; Shoemaker, J. Todd

1999-10-01

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and Planning Systems INcorporated are developing the Littoral Optics Geospatial Integrated Capability (LOGIC). LOGIC supports NAVOCEANO's directive to assess the impact of the environment on Fleet systems in areas of operational interest. LOGIC is based in the Geographic Information System (GIS) ARC/INFO and offers a method to view and manipulate optics and ancillary data to support emerging Fleet lidar systems. LOGIC serves as a processing (as required) and quality-checking mechanism for data entering NAVOCEANO's Data Warehouse and handles both remotely sensed and in-water data. LOGIC provides a link between these data and the GIS-based Graphical User Interface, allowing the user to select data manipulation routines and/or system support products. The results of individual modules are displayed via the GIS to provide such products as lidar system performance, laser penetration depth, and asset vulnerability from a lidar threat. LOGIC is being developed for integration into other NAVOCEANO programs, most notably for Comprehensive Environmental Assessment System, an established tool supporting sonar-based systems. The prototype for LOGIC was developed for the Yellow Sea, focusing on a diver visibility support product.

The role of autonomy and social support in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers.

PubMed

Havermans, Bo M; Boot, Cécile R L; Houtman, Irene L D; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J

2017-06-08

Health care workers are exposed to psychosocial work factors. Autonomy and social support are psychosocial work factors that are related to stress, and are argued to largely result from the psychosocial safety climate within organisations. This study aimed to assess to what extent the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers can be explained by autonomy and social support. In a cross-sectional study, psychosocial safety climate, stress, autonomy, co-worker support, and supervisor support were assessed using questionnaires, in a sample of health care workers (N = 277). Linear mixed models analyses were performed to assess to what extent social support and autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. A lower psychosocial safety climate score was associated with significantly higher stress (B = -0.21, 95% CI = -0.27 - -0.14). Neither co-worker support, supervisor support, nor autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. Taken together, autonomy and both social support measures diminished the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress by 12% (full model: B = -0.18, 95% CI = -0.25 - -0.11). Autonomy and social support together seemed to bring about a small decrease in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers. Future research should discern whether other psychosocial work factors explain a larger portion of this relation. This study was registered in the Netherlands National Trial Register, trial code: NTR5527 .

Effects of ranitidine (antacid), food, and formulation on the pharmacokinetics of fostamatinib: results from five phase I clinical studies.

PubMed

Flanagan, Talia; Martin, Paul; Gillen, Michael; Mathews, David; Lisbon, Eleanor; Kruusmägi, Martin

2017-02-01

Fostamatinib is an orally dosed phosphate prodrug that is cleaved by intestinal alkaline phosphatase to the active metabolite R406. Clinical studies were performed to assess the effect of food and ranitidine on exposure, to support in vitro-in vivo relationships (IVIVR) understanding and formulation transitions and to investigate absolute oral bioavailability. A series of in vitro dissolution and clinical pharmacokinetic studies were performed to support the design and introduction of a new formulation, understand the impact of changes in in vitro dissolution on in vivo performance for two fostamatinib formulations, to characterize the effects of food and ranitidine on exposure, and determine the absolute oral bioavailability. The in vivo performance of fostamatinib was generally insensitive to changes in in vitro dissolution performance, although marked slowing of the dissolution rate did impact exposures. Food and ranitidine had minor effects on R406 exposure that were not considered clinically relevant. The absolute oral bioavailability of fostamatinib was 54.6 %. The absolute oral bioavailability of fostamatinib was ~55 %. Food and ranitidine had minor effects on R406 exposure. An in vitro dissolution versus clinical performance relationship was determined that supported formulation transitions.

Strength Performance Assessment in a Simulated Men’s Gymnastics Still Rings Cross

PubMed Central

Dunlavy, Jennifer K.; Sands, William A.; McNeal, Jeni R.; Stone, Michael H.; Smith, Sarah L.; Jemni, Monem; Haff, G. Gregory

2007-01-01

Athletes in sports such as the gymnastics who perform the still rings cross position are disadvantaged due to a lack of objective and convenient measurement methods. The gymnastics “cross ”is a held isometric strength position considered fundamental to all still rings athletes. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if two small force platforms (FPs) placed on supports to simulate a cross position could demonstrate the fidelity necessary to differentiate between athletes who could perform a cross from those who could not. Ten gymnasts (5 USA Gymnastics, Senior National Team, and 5 Age Group Level Gymnasts) agreed to participate. The five Senior National Team athletes were grouped as cross Performers; the Age Group Gymnasts could not successfully perform the cross position and were grouped as cross Non- Performers. The two small FPs were first tested for reliability and validity and were then used to obtain a force-time record of a simulated cross position. The simulated cross test consisted of standing between two small force platforms placed on top of large solid gymnastics spotting blocks. The gymnasts attempted to perform a cross position by placing their hands at the center of the FPs and pressing downward with sufficient force that they could remove the support of their feet from the floor. Force-time curves (100 Hz) were obtained and analyzed for the sum of peak and mean arm ground reaction forces. The summed arm forces, mean and peak, were compared to body weight to determine how close the gymnasts came to achieving forces equal to body weight and thus the ability to perform the cross. The mean and peak summed arm forces were able to statistically differentiate between athletes who could perform the cross from those who could not (p < 0.05). The force-time curves and small FPs showed sufficient fidelity to differentiate between Performer and Non- Performer groups. This experiment showed that small and inexpensive force platforms may serve as useful adjuncts to athlete performance measurement such as the gymnastics still rings cross. Key pointsStrength-related skills are difficult to assess in some sports and thus require special means.Small force platforms have sufficient fidelity to assess the differences between gymnasts who can perform a still rings cross from those who cannot.Strength assessment via small force platforms may serve as a means of assessing skill readiness, strength symmetry, and progress in learning a still rings cross. PMID:24149230

Identifying Cross-Disciplinary Interactions to Assess and Promote Functional Resilience in Flight Crews During Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelhamer, M.; Mindock, J.; Lumpkins, S.

2015-01-01

NASA supports research to mitigate risks to health and performance on extended missions. Typically these risks are investigated independently. In reality, physiological systems are tightly coupled, and related to psychological and inter-individual factors (team cohesion, conflict). We draw on ideas from network theory to assess these interactions and better design a research framework to address them.

A temporal importance-performance analysis of recreation attributes on national forests: a technical document supporting the Forest Service update of the 2010 RPA Assessment

Treesearch

Ashley E. Askew; J.M. Bowker; Donald B.K. English; Stanley J. Zarnoch; Gary T. Green

2017-01-01

The outdoor recreation component of the 2010 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment provided projections and modeling of participation and intensity by activity. Results provided insight into the future of multiple outdoor recreation activities through projections of participation rates, numbers of participants, days per participant, and total activity days. These...

CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING OF YOUNG ATHLETES: A REVIEW OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS.

PubMed

Gerkens, Sophie; Van Brabandt, Hans; Desomer, Anja; Leonard, Christian; Neyt, Mattias

2017-01-01

Some experts have promoted preparticipative cardiovascular screening programs for young athletes and have claimed that such programs were cost-effective without performing a critical analysis of studies supporting this statement. In this systematic review, a critical assessment of economic evaluations on these programs is performed to determine if they really provide value for money. A systematic review of economic evaluations was performed on December 24, 2014. Web sites of health technology assessment agencies, the Cochrane database of systematic review, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database of the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, Psychinfo, and EconLit were searched to retrieve (reviews of) economic evaluations. No language or time restrictions were imposed and predefined selection criteria were used. Selected studies were critically assessed applying a structured data extraction sheet. Five relevant economic evaluations were critically assessed. Results of these studies were mixed. However, those in favor of screening made (methodological) incorrect choices, of which the most important one was not taking into account a no-screening alternative as comparator. Compared with no screening, other strategies (history and physical examination or history and physical examination plus electrocardiogram) were not considered cost-effective. Results of primary economic evaluations should not be blindly copied without critical assessment. Economic evaluations in this field lack the support of robust evidence. Negative consequences of screening (false positive findings, overtreatment) should also be taken into account and may cause more harm than good. A mass screening of young athletes for cardiovascular diseases does not provide value for money and should be discouraged.

Validity and feasibility of the EMG direct observation tool (EMG-DOT).

PubMed

Leep Hunderfund, Andrea N; Rubin, Devon I; Laughlin, Ruple S; Sorenson, Eric J; Watson, James C; Jones, Lyell K; Juul, Dorthea; Park, Yoon Soo

2016-04-26

To develop a new workplace-based EMG direct observation tool (EMG-DOT) and gather validity evidence supporting its use for assessing electrodiagnostic skills among postgraduate medical trainees. The EMG-DOT was developed by experts using an iterative process. Validity evidence from content, response process, internal structure, relations to other variables, and consequences of testing was collected during the 2013-2014 academic year. Of 3,412 studies performed by trainees during the study period, 299 (9%) were assessed using the EMG-DOT. Of these, 203 (68%) involved a physician rater and 96 (32%) involved a technician rater. The 14-item EMG-DOT had excellent internal-consistency reliability (Cronbach α 0.94). Correlations between individual items and criterion-referenced global ratings of performance ranged from 0.36 to 0.72 (all p < 0.001). Mean total scores increased from 70% to 80% over 4 months of the EMG rotation (p < 0.001) despite a corresponding significant increase in case complexity (0.21-0.74 on a 3-point rating scale; p < 0.001). Trainees reported that the observational assessment exercise improved their knowledge or skills in 82% of encounters (188/230) and that feedback generated by the EMG-DOT improved the quality of care provided to patients in 58% (133/230). Trainees were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the observational assessment exercise in 96% of encounters (234/243). This study provides validity evidence supporting the use of EMG-DOT scores to assess electrodiagnostic skills of residents and fellows. The EMG-DOT can be used to inform milestone-based assessments of trainee performance in neurology, child neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neuromuscular, and clinical neurophysiology training programs. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Innovative assessment paradigm to enhance student learning in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Maaddawy, Tamer

2017-11-01

Incorporation of student self-assessment (SSA) in engineering education offers opportunities to support and encourage learner-led-learning. This paper presents an innovative assessment paradigm that integrates formative, summative, and SSA to enhance student learning. The assessment innovation was implemented in a senior-level civil engineering design course. Direct evidence of the impact of employing this innovation on student learning and achievement was derived by monitoring student academic performance in direct assessment tasks throughout the semester. Students' feedback demonstrated the effectiveness of this innovation to improve their understanding of course topics build their autonomy, independent judgement, and self-regulated learning skills.

[Walking performance of elderly practitioners of psychomotricity].

PubMed

dos Santos, Sarah Lins; Soares, Maria Júlia Guimarães Oliveira; Ravagni, Eduardo; Costa, Marta Miriam Lopes; Fernandes, Maria das Graças Melo

2014-01-01

Quasi-experimental study conducted with fifteen elderlies, developed at the Physiotherapy Clinical School, Federal University of Paraíba, in 2011. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of gait in elderly practitioners of psychomotor activities. It was conducted a structured interview focusing on social, clinical and functional data, in order to be able to correlate various information which supported the aim of the study. The average cognitive performance was 19.4 at the first assessment and 23.2 in the second. The average performance of activities related to the gait was 11.6 at the first assessment, and 15.5 in the second, after the practice of psychomotor activities. It was found a significant improvement in the performance of activities related to the gait, with irregularities persisting in height and continuity of the step, as well as in the midline deviation.

Space Launch System Complex Decision-Making Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyles, Garry; Flores, Tim; Hundley, Jason; Monk, Timothy; Feldman,Stuart

2012-01-01

The Space Shuttle program has ended and elements of the Constellation Program have either been cancelled or transitioned to new NASA exploration endeavors. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has worked diligently to select an optimum configuration for the Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy lift vehicle that will provide the foundation for future beyond low earth orbit (LEO) large-scale missions for the next several decades. From Fall 2010 until Spring 2011, an SLS decision-making framework was formulated, tested, fully documented, and applied to multiple SLS vehicle concepts at NASA from previous exploration architecture studies. This was a multistep process that involved performing figure of merit (FOM)-based assessments, creating Pass/Fail gates based on draft threshold requirements, performing a margin-based assessment with supporting statistical analyses, and performing sensitivity analysis on each. This paper focuses on the various steps and methods of this process (rather than specific data) that allowed for competing concepts to be compared across a variety of launch vehicle metrics in support of the successful completion of the SLS Mission Concept Review (MCR) milestone.

Well-being improvement in a midsize employer: changes in well-being, productivity, health risk, and perceived employer support after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy.

PubMed

Hamar, Brent; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2015-04-01

To evaluate employee well-being change and associated change in productivity, health risk including biometrics, and workplace support over 2 years after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy. This was an employer case study evaluation of well-being, productivity (presenteeism, absenteeism, and job performance), health risk, and employer support across three employee assessment spanning 2 years. Employee well-being was compared with an independent sample of workers in the community. Well-being and job performance increased and presenteeism and health risk decreased significantly over the 2 years. Employee well-being started lower and increased to exceed community worker averages, approaching significance. Well-being improvement was associated with higher productivity across all measures. Increases in employer support for well-being were associated with improved well-being and productivity. This employer's well-being strategy, including a culture supporting well-being, was associated with improved health and productivity.

C3 generic workstation: Performance metrics and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eddy, Douglas R.

1988-01-01

The large number of integrated dependent measures available on a command, control, and communications (C3) generic workstation under development are described. In this system, embedded communications tasks will manipulate workload to assess the effects of performance-enhancing drugs (sleep aids and decongestants), work/rest cycles, biocybernetics, and decision support systems on performance. Task performance accuracy and latency will be event coded for correlation with other measures of voice stress and physiological functioning. Sessions will be videotaped to score non-verbal communications. Physiological recordings include spectral analysis of EEG, ECG, vagal tone, and EOG. Subjective measurements include SWAT, fatigue, POMS and specialized self-report scales. The system will be used primarily to evaluate the effects on performance of drugs, work/rest cycles, and biocybernetic concepts. Performance assessment algorithms will also be developed, including those used with small teams. This system provides a tool for integrating and synchronizing behavioral and psychophysiological measures in a complex decision-making environment.

Training and subjective workload in a category search task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidulich, Michael A.; Pandit, Parimal

1986-01-01

This study examined automaticity as a means by which training influences mental workload. Two groups were trained in a category search task. One group received a training paradigm designed to promote the development of automaticity; the other group received a training paradigm designed to prohibit it. Resultant performance data showed the expected improvement as a result of the development of automaticity. Subjective workload assessments mirrored the performance results in most respects. The results supported the position that subjective mental workload assessments may be sensitive to the effect of training when it produces a lower level of cognitive load.

Laboratory Testing of Bulk Vitrified Low-Activity Waste Forms to Support the 2005 Integrated Disposal Facility Performance Assessment. Erratum

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

Smith, Gary L.

2016-09-06

This report refers to or contains K g values for glasses LAWA44, LAWB45 and LAWC22 affected by calculations errors as identified by Papathanassiu et al. (2011). The corrected K g values are reported in an erratum included in the revised version of the original report. The revised report can be referenced as follows: Pierce E. M. et al. (2004) Waste Form Release Data Package for the 2005 Integrated Disposal Facility Performance Assessment. PNNL-14805 Rev. 0 Erratum. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.

Development and validity of a scale to measure workplace culture of health.

PubMed

Kwon, Youngbum; Marzec, Mary L; Edington, Dee W

2015-05-01

To describe the development of and test the validity and reliability of the Workplace Culture of Health (COH) scale. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed on data from a health care organization (N = 627). To verify the factor structure, confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a second data set from a medical equipment manufacturer (N = 226). The COH scale included a structure of five orthogonal factors: senior leadership and polices, programs and rewards, quality assurance, supervisor support, and coworker support. With regard to construct validity (convergent and discriminant) and reliability, two different US companies showed the same factorial structure, satisfactory fit statistics, and suitable internal and external consistency. The COH scale represents a reliable and valid scale to assess the workplace environment and culture for supporting health.

Prior academic background and student performance in assessment in a graduate entry programme.

PubMed

Craig, P L; Gordon, J J; Clark, R M; Langendyk, V

2004-11-01

This study aims to identify whether non-science graduates perform as well as science graduates in Basic and Clinical Sciences (B & CS) assessments during Years 1-3 of a four-year graduate-entry programme at the University of Sydney (the 'USydMP'). Students were grouped into five categories: Health Professions (HP), Biomedical Sciences (BMS), Other Biology (BIOL), Physical Sciences (PHYS) or Non-Science (NONS). We examined the performance rank of students in each of the five groups for single best answer (SBA) and modified essay (MEQ) assessments separately, and also calculated the relative risk of failure in the summative assessments in Years 2 and 3. Students with science-based prior degrees performed better in the SBA assessments. The same occurred initially in the MEQs, but the effect diminished with time. The HP students performed consistently better but converged with other groups over time, particularly in the MEQs. Relative performance by the NONS students improved with time in both assessment formats. Overall, differences between the highest and lowest groups were small and very few students failed to meet the overall standard for the summative assessments. HP and BMS students had the lowest failure rate. NONS students were more likely to fail the assessments in Year 2 and 3, but their pass rates were still high. Female students performed significantly better overall at the end of Year 2 and in Year 3. There were only minor differences between Australian resident and International students. While there are small differences in performance in B & CS early in the programme, these lessen with time. The study results will inform decisions regarding timing of summative assessments, selection policy and for providing additional support to students who need it to minimize their risk of failure. Readers should note that this paper refers to student performance in only one of the four curriculum themes, where health professional and science graduates would be expected to have a significant advantage.

Assessment of simple colorimetric procedures to determine smoking status of diabetic subjects.

PubMed

Smith, R F; Mather, H M; Ellard, G A

1998-02-01

The performance of a simple colorimetric assay for urinary nicotine metabolites to assess smoking status in diabetic subjects (n = 251) was investigated. Several variations of the colorimetric assay and a qualitative extraction procedure were evaluated in comparison with a cotinine immunoassay as the "gold standard." Among these, the best overall performance was achieved with the qualitative test (sensitivity 95%; specificity 100%). The quantitative measurement of total nicotine metabolites performed less well (sensitivity 92%; specificity 97%) but could be improved by incorporating a blank extraction (sensitivity 98%; specificity 98%). Allowance for diuresis appeared to offer no advantage over the other methods. These results support previous findings regarding the use of these colorimetric procedures in nondiabetic subjects and, contrary to other recent observations, their performance was not impaired in diabetic patients.

The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance

PubMed Central

Myer, Gregory D.; Kushner, Adam M.; Brent, Jensen L.; Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Hugentobler, Jason; Lloyd, Rhodri S.; Vermeil, Al; Chu, Donald A.; Harbin, Jason; McGill, Stuart M.

2014-01-01

Fundamental movement competency is essential for participation in physical activity and for mitigating the risk of injury, which are both key elements of health throughout life. The squat movement pattern is arguably one of the most primal and critical fundamental movements necessary to improve sport performance, to reduce injury risk and to support lifelong physical activity. Based on current evidence, this first (1 of 2) report deconstructs the technical performance of the back squat as a foundation training exercise and presents a novel dynamic screening tool that incorporates identification techniques for functional deficits that limit squat performance and injury resilience. The follow-up report will outline targeted corrective methodology for each of the functional deficits presented in the assessment tool. PMID:25506270

Coping Styles in Heart Failure Patients with Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Trivedi, Ranak B.; Blumenthal, James A.; O'Connor, Christopher; Adams, Kirkwood; Hinderliter, Alan; Sueta-Dupree, Carla; Johnson, Kristy; Sherwood, Andrew

2009-01-01

Objective Elevated depressive symptoms have been linked to poorer prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Our objective was to identify coping styles associated with depressive symptoms in HF patients. Methods 222 stable HF patients (32.75% female, 45.4% non-Hispanic Black) completed multiple questionnaires. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assessed depressive symptoms, Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) assessed optimism, ENRICHD Social Support Inventory (ESSI) and Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) assessed social support, and COPE assessed coping styles. Linear regression analyses were employed to assess the association of coping styles with continuous BDI scores. Logistic regression analyses were performed using BDI scores dichotomized into BDI<10 versus BDI≥10, to identify coping styles accompanying clinically significant depressive symptoms. Results In linear regression models, higher BDI scores were associated with lower scores on the acceptance (β=-.14), humor (β=-.15), planning (β=-.15), and emotional support (β=-.14) subscales of the COPE, and higher scores on the behavioral disengagement (β=.41), denial (β=.33), venting (β=.25), and mental disengagement (β=.22) subscales. Higher PSSS and ESSI scores were associated with lower BDI scores (β=-.32 and -.25, respectively). Higher LOT-R scores were associated with higher BDI scores (β=.39, p<.001). In logistical regression models, BDI≥10 was associated with greater likelihood of behavioral disengagement (OR=1.3), denial (OR=1.2), mental disengagement (OR=1.3), venting (OR=1.2), and pessimism (OR=1.2), and lower perceived social support measured by PSSS (OR=.92) and ESSI (OR=.92). Conclusion Depressive symptoms in HF patients are associated with avoidant coping, lower perceived social support, and pessimism. Results raise the possibility that interventions designed to improve coping may reduce depressive symptoms. PMID:19773027

Coping styles in heart failure patients with depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Trivedi, Ranak B; Blumenthal, James A; O'Connor, Christopher; Adams, Kirkwood; Hinderliter, Alan; Dupree, Carla; Johnson, Kristy; Sherwood, Andrew

2009-10-01

Elevated depressive symptoms have been linked to poorer prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Our objective was to identify coping styles associated with depressive symptoms in HF patients. A total of 222 stable HF patients (32.75% female, 45.4% non-Hispanic black) completed multiple questionnaires. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assessed depressive symptoms, Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) assessed optimism, ENRICHD Social Support Inventory (ESSI) and Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) assessed social support, and COPE assessed coping styles. Linear regression analyses were employed to assess the association of coping styles with continuous BDI scores. Logistic regression analyses were performed using BDI scores dichotomized into BDI<10 vs. BDI> or =10, to identify coping styles accompanying clinically significant depressive symptoms. In linear regression models, higher BDI scores were associated with lower scores on the acceptance (beta=-.14), humor (beta=-.15), planning (beta=-.15), and emotional support (beta=-.14) subscales of the COPE, and higher scores on the behavioral disengagement (beta=.41), denial (beta=.33), venting (beta=.25), and mental disengagement (beta=.22) subscales. Higher PSSS and ESSI scores were associated with lower BDI scores (beta=-.32 and -.25, respectively). Higher LOT-R scores were associated with higher BDI scores (beta=.39, P<.001). In logistical regression models, BDI> or =10 was associated with greater likelihood of behavioral disengagement (OR=1.3), denial (OR=1.2), mental disengagement (OR=1.3), venting (OR=1.2), and pessimism (OR=1.2), and lower perceived social support measured by PSSS (OR=.92) and ESSI (OR=.92). Depressive symptoms in HF patients are associated with avoidant coping, lower perceived social support, and pessimism. Results raise the possibility that interventions designed to improve coping may reduce depressive symptoms.

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) Team: Overview and IKONOS Joint Characterization Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zanoni, Vicki; Ryan, Robert; Pagnutti, Mary; Baldridge, Braxton; Roylance, Spencer; Snyder, Greg; Lee, George; Stanley, Tom

2002-01-01

An overview of the Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evalation (JACIE) team is presented. JACIE, composed of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), was formed to leverage government agencies' capabilities for the characterization of commercial remote sensing data. Each JACIE agency purchases, or plans to purchase, commercial imagery to support its research and applications. It is critical that the data be assessed for its accuracy and utility. Through JACIE, NASA, NIMA, and USGS jointly characterized image products from Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite. Each JACIE agency performed an aspect of the characterization based on its expertise. NASA and its university partners performed a system characterization focusing on radiometric calibration, geopositional accuracy, and spatial resolution assessment; NIMA performed image interpretability and feature extraction evaluations; and USGS assessed geopositional accuracy of several IKONOS products. The JACIE team purchased IKONOS imagery of several study sites to perform the assessments and presented results at an industry-government workshop. Future plans for JACIE include the characterization of DigitalGlobe's QuickBird-2 image products.

Coaxial plasma thrusters for high specific impulse propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenberg, Kurt F.; Gerwin, Richard A.; Barnes, Cris W.; Henins, Ivars; Mayo, Robert; Moses, Ronald, Jr.; Scarberry, Richard; Wurden, Glen

1991-01-01

A fundamental basis for coaxial plasma thruster performance is presented and the steady-state, ideal MHD properties of a coaxial thruster using an annular magnetic nozzle are discussed. Formulas for power usage, thrust, mass flow rate, and specific impulse are acquired and employed to assess thruster performance. The performance estimates are compared with the observed properties of an unoptimized coaxial plasma gun. These comparisons support the hypothesis that ideal MHD has an important role in coaxial plasma thruster dynamics.

Performance Against WELCOA's Worksite Health Promotion Benchmarks Across Years Among Selected US Organizations.

PubMed

Weaver, GracieLee M; Mendenhall, Brandon N; Hunnicutt, David; Picarella, Ryan; Leffelman, Brittanie; Perko, Michael; Bibeau, Daniel L

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify the performance of organizations' worksite health promotion (WHP) activities against the benchmarking criteria included in the Well Workplace Checklist (WWC). The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) developed a tool to assess WHP with its 100-item WWC, which represents WELCOA's 7 performance benchmarks. Workplaces. This study includes a convenience sample of organizations who completed the checklist from 2008 to 2015. The sample size was 4643 entries from US organizations. The WWC includes demographic questions, general questions about WHP programs, and scales to measure the performance against the WELCOA 7 benchmarks. Descriptive analyses of WWC items were completed separately for each year of the study period. The majority of the organizations represented each year were multisite, multishift, medium- to large-sized companies mostly in the services industry. Despite yearly changes in participating organizations, results across the WELCOA 7 benchmark scores were consistent year to year. Across all years, benchmarks that organizations performed the lowest were senior-level support, data collection, and programming; wellness teams and supportive environments were the highest scoring benchmarks. In an era marked with economic swings and health-care reform, it appears that organizations are staying consistent in their performance across these benchmarks. The WWC could be useful for organizations, practitioners, and researchers in assessing the quality of WHP programs.

The hybrid assisted limb (HAL) for Care Support, a motion assisting robot providing exoskeletal lumbar support, can potentially reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements.

PubMed

Miura, Kousei; Kadone, Hideki; Koda, Masao; Abe, Tetsuya; Endo, Hirooki; Murakami, Hideki; Doita, Minoru; Kumagai, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Katsuya; Fujii, Kengo; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Funayama, Toru; Kawamoto, Hiroaki; Sankai, Yoshiyuki; Yamazaki, Masashi

2018-03-01

An excessive lumbar load with snow-shoveling is a serious problem in snowfall areas. Various exoskeletal robots have been developed to reduce lumbar load in lifting work. However, few studies have reported the attempt of snow-shoveling work using exoskeletal robots. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the HAL for Care Support robot would reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements. Nine healthy male volunteers performed repetitive snow-shoveling movements outdoors in a snowfall area for as long as possible until they were fatigued. The snow-shoveling trial was performed under two conditions: with and without HAL for Care Support. Outcome measures were defined as the lumbar load assessed by the VAS of lumbar fatigue after the snow-shoveling trial and the snow-shoveling performance, including the number of scoops, and snow shoveling time and distance. The mean of VAS of lumbar fatigue, the number of scoops, and snow-shoveling time and distance without HAL for Care Support were 75.4 mm, 50.3, 145 s, and 9.6 m, while with HAL for Care Support were 39.8 mm, 144, 366 s, and 35.4 m. The reduction of lumbar fatigue and improvement of snow-shoveling performance using HAL for Care Support were statistically significant. There was no adverse event during snow-shoveling with HAL for Care Support. In conclusion, the HAL for Care Support can reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary findings on the Cross Cultural Test Of Face Recognition.

PubMed

O'Bryant, Sid E; McCaffrey, Robert J

2006-01-01

The utility of psychological tests cross-culturally has received a great deal of attention in psychology. However, this same level of attentiveness has yet to be realized in the field of neuropsychology. One such area of neuropsychological assessment that may be negatively impacted by racial and ethnic variables is the assessment of facial memory. There is a plethora of literature in cognitive psychology demonstrating an own-race recognition bias in human face memory. Simply stated, individuals are more apt to accurately remember faces of individuals who are of their own race rather than those of other races. Study 1 was conducted to evaluate the performance of the Cross Cultural Test of Face Recognition (CCTFR) in a diverse sample of non impaired individuals. Results suggested the presence of an own-race recognition bias present, but this had no impact on overall CCTFR performance. Study 2 was conducted to determine if CVA patients would perform more poorly than community controls on the CCTFR. As predicted, community controls significantly outperformed CVA patients, and the CCTFR demonstrated a moderate level of sensitivity and specificity. Combined, the results of these studies provide preliminary support for the utility of the CCTFR in the neuropsychological assessment of diverse patient populations. Clearly more research is needed to support the utility of this new test of face recognition, but preliminary results suggest that it may be a viable option for the assessment of visual memory across a spectrum of ethnic groups.

A Two-Layer Least Squares Support Vector Machine Approach to Credit Risk Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jingli; Li, Jianping; Xu, Weixuan; Shi, Yong

Least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) is a revised version of support vector machine (SVM) and has been proved to be a useful tool for pattern recognition. LS-SVM had excellent generalization performance and low computational cost. In this paper, we propose a new method called two-layer least squares support vector machine which combines kernel principle component analysis (KPCA) and linear programming form of least square support vector machine. With this method sparseness and robustness is obtained while solving large dimensional and large scale database. A U.S. commercial credit card database is used to test the efficiency of our method and the result proved to be a satisfactory one.

Operational support and service concepts for observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emde, Peter; Chapus, Pierre

2014-08-01

The operational support and service for observatories aim at the provision, the preservation and the increase of the availability and performance of the entire structural, mechanical, drive and control systems of telescopes and the related infrastructure. The operational support and service levels range from the basic service with inspections, preventive maintenance, remote diagnostics and spare parts supply over the availability service with telephone hotline, online and on-site support, condition monitoring and spare parts logistics to the extended service with operations and site and facility management. For the level of improvements and lifecycle management support they consist of expert assessments and studies, refurbishments and upgrades including the related engineering and project management activities.

Psychometric assessment of the Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version for nurses in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Albaqawi, Hamdan Mohammad; Alharbi, Sami Melbes; Alicante, Jerico G; Vitorino, Luciano M; Abunab, Hamzeh Y

2017-12-07

To assess the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version for Saudi nurses. Evidence showed that a high level of spiritual climate in the workplace is associated with increased productivity and performance, enhanced emotional intelligence, organisational commitment and job satisfaction among nurses. A convenient sample of 165 Saudi nurses was surveyed in this descriptive, cross-sectional study. Cronbach's α and intraclass correlation coefficient of the 2 week test-retest scores were computed to establish reliability. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to support the validity of the Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version. The Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version manifested excellent content validity. Exploratory factor analysis supported a single factor with an explained variance of 73.2%. The Cronbach's α values of the scale ranged from .79 to .88, while the intraclass correlation coefficient value was .90. The perceived spiritual climate was associated with the respondents' hospital, gender, age and years of experience. Findings of this study support the sound psychometric properties of the Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version. The Spiritual Climate Scale Arabic version can be used by nurse managers to assess the nurses' perception of the spiritual climate in any clinical area. This process can lead to spiritually centred interventions, thereby ensuring a clinical climate that accepts and respects different spiritual beliefs and practices. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

DATA AND ANALYSES

EPA Science Inventory

In order to promote transparency and clarity of the analyses performed in support of EPA's Supplemental Guidance for Assessing Susceptibility from Early-Life Exposure to Carcinogens, the data and the analyses are now available on this web site. The data is presented in two diffe...

Evaluation of Verbal Behavior in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Gross, Amy C.; Fuqua, R. Wayne; Merritt, Todd A.

2013-01-01

Approximately 5% of older adults have a dementia diagnosis, and language deterioration is commonly associated with this disorder (Kempler, 2005). Several instruments have been developed to diagnose dementia and assess language capabilities of elderly adults. However, none of these instruments take a functional approach to language assessment as described by Skinner (1957). The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a function-based assessment for language deficits of older adults. Thirty-one participants were categorized into a control group (n  =  15) and a dementia group (n  =  16) based on their score on the Dementia Rating Scale-2. Individuals with dementia performed significantly worse on the tact assessment than those without dementia. Participants from both groups performed better on measures of tacts than intraverbals or mands, even though topographically identical responses were required in these assessments. The data provide support for Skinner's conceptualization of functionally independent verbal operants. PMID:23814369

Students' responses to authentic assessment designed to develop commitment to performing at their best

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzzomi, Andrew L.; Male, Sally A.; Miller, Karol

2017-05-01

Engineering educators should motivate and support students in developing not only technical competence but also professional competence including commitment to excellence. We developed an authentic assessment to improve students' understanding of the importance of 'perfection' in engineering - whereby 50% good enough will not be acceptable in industry. Subsequently we aimed to motivate them to practise performing at their best when they practice engineering. Students in a third-year mechanical and mechatronic engineering unit completed a team design project designed with authentic assessment features to replicate industry expectations and a novel marking scheme to encourage the pursuit of excellence. We report mixed responses from students. Students' ratings of their levels of effort on this assessment indicate that many perceived a positive influence on their effort. However, students' comments included several that were consistent with students experiencing the assessment as alienating.

Fifteen years of portfolio assessment of dental hygiene student competency: lessons learned.

PubMed

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Bray, Kimberly Krust; Austin, Kylie J

2014-10-01

Adoption of portfolio assessment in the educational environment is gaining attention as a means to incorporate self-assessment into the curriculum and to use evidence to support learning outcomes and to demonstrate competency. Portfolios provide a medium for students to demonstrate and document their personal and professional growth across the curriculum. The purpose of this literature review is to discuss the drivers for portfolio education, the benefits to both students and program faculty/administrators, the barriers associated with portfolio use, and suggested solutions that have been determined through several years of "lessons learned." The University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry, Division of Dental Hygiene department has been utilizing portfolio assessment for over 15 years and has collected data related to portfolio performance since 2001. Results from correlational statistics calculated on the 312 dental hygiene students that graduated from 2001 to 2013 demonstrate a positive and significant relationship between portfolio performance and overall GPA as well as portfolio performance and NBDHE scores. Copyright © 2014 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Defense Organization Officials Did Not Consistently Comply With Requirements for Assessing Contractor Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

must evaluate compliance with reporting requirements frequently so they can readily identify delinquent past performance reports.24 The FAR also...problems the contractor recovered from without impact to the contract/ order. There should have been no significant weaknesses identified. A...contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the Government. A Marginal rating should be supported by referencing the management tool

Miami-Dade Community College 1984 Institutional Self-Study. Volume IV: Student Information and Performance Standards (Advisement and Graduation Information System, Academic Alert, Standards of Academic Progress).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miami-Dade Community Coll., FL.

Part of a systematic, in-depth assessment of Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) educational programs, student support systems, and selected campus-level activities, this volume of the college's institutional self-study report examines the impact and effectiveness of student information systems and performance standards. This report presents…

L-Band System Engineering - Concepts of Use, Systems Performance Requirements, and Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henriksen, Stephen; Zelkin, Natalie

2011-01-01

This document is being provided as part of ITT s NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: New ATM Requirements-Future Communications, C-band and L-band Communications Standard Development. Task 7 was motivated by the five year technology assessment performed for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the joint FAA-EUROCONTROL cooperative research Action Plan (AP-17), also known as the Future Communications Study (FCS). It was based on direction provided by the FAA project-level agreement (PLA FY09_G1M.02-02v1) for "New ATM Requirements-Future Communications." Task 7 was separated into two distinct subtasks, each aligned with specific work elements and deliverable items. Subtask 7-1 addressed C-band airport surface data communications standards development, systems engineering, test bed development, and tests/demonstrations to establish operational capability for what is now referred to as the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). Subtask 7-2, which is the subject of this report, focused on preliminary systems engineering and support of joint FAA/EUROCONTROL development and evaluation of a future L-band (960 to 1164 MHz) air/ground (A/G) communication system known as the L-band digital aeronautical communications system (L-DACS), which was defined during the FCS. The proposed L-DACS will be capable of providing ATM services in continental airspace in the 2020+ timeframe. Subtask 7-2 was performed in two phases. Phase I featured development of Concepts of Use, high level functional analyses, performance of initial L-band system safety and security risk assessments, and development of high level requirements and architectures. It also included the aforementioned support of joint L-DACS development and evaluation, including inputs to L-DACS design specifications. Phase II provided a refinement of the systems engineering activities performed during Phase I, along with continued joint FAA/EUROCONTROL L-DACS development and evaluation support.

Using In-Training Evaluation Report (ITER) Qualitative Comments to Assess Medical Students and Residents: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hatala, Rose; Sawatsky, Adam P; Dudek, Nancy; Ginsburg, Shiphra; Cook, David A

2017-06-01

In-training evaluation reports (ITERs) constitute an integral component of medical student and postgraduate physician trainee (resident) assessment. ITER narrative comments have received less attention than the numeric scores. The authors sought both to determine what validity evidence informs the use of narrative comments from ITERs for assessing medical students and residents and to identify evidence gaps. Reviewers searched for relevant English-language studies in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and ERIC (last search June 5, 2015), and in reference lists and author files. They included all original studies that evaluated ITERs for qualitative assessment of medical students and residents. Working in duplicate, they selected articles for inclusion, evaluated quality, and abstracted information on validity evidence using Kane's framework (inferences of scoring, generalization, extrapolation, and implications). Of 777 potential articles, 22 met inclusion criteria. The scoring inference is supported by studies showing that rich narratives are possible, that changing the prompt can stimulate more robust narratives, and that comments vary by context. Generalization is supported by studies showing that narratives reach thematic saturation and that analysts make consistent judgments. Extrapolation is supported by favorable relationships between ITER narratives and numeric scores from ITERs and non-ITER performance measures, and by studies confirming that narratives reflect constructs deemed important in clinical work. Evidence supporting implications is scant. The use of ITER narratives for trainee assessment is generally supported, except that evidence is lacking for implications and decisions. Future research should seek to confirm implicit assumptions and evaluate the impact of decisions.

The effect of language on functional capacity assessment in middle-aged and older US Latinos with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Bengoetxea, Eneritz; Burton, Cynthia Z; Mausbach, Brent T; Patterson, Thomas L; Twamley, Elizabeth W

2014-08-15

The U.S. Latino population is steadily increasing, prompting a need for cross-cultural outcome measures in schizophrenia research. This study examined the contribution of language to functional assessment in middle-aged Latino patients with schizophrenia by comparing 29 monolingual Spanish-speakers, 29 Latino English-speakers, and 29 non-Latino English-speakers who were matched on relevant demographic variables and who completed cognitive and functional assessments in their native language. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on the four everyday functioning variables (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment [UPSA], Social Skills Performance Assessment [SSPA], Medication Management Ability Assessment [MMAA], and the Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF]). The results support the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural acceptability of these functional assessment instruments. It appears that demographic variables other than language (e.g., age, education) better explain differences in functional assessment among ethnically diverse subpopulations. Considering the influence of these other factors in addition to language on functional assessments will help ensure that measures can be appropriately interpreted among the diverse residents of the United States. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The effect of language on functional capacity assessment in middle-aged and older US Latinos with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Bengoetxea, Eneritz; Burton, Cynthia Z.; Mausbach, Brent T.; Patterson, Thomas L.; Twamley, Elizabeth W.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Latino population is steadily increasing, prompting a need for cross-cultural outcome measures in schizophrenia research. This study examined the contribution of language to functional assessment in middle-aged Latino patients with schizophrenia by comparing 29 monolingual Spanish-speakers, 29 Latino English-speakers, and 29 non-Latino English-speakers who were matched on relevant demographic variables and who completed cognitive and functional assessments in their native language. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on the four everyday functioning variables (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment [UPSA], Social Skills Performance Assessment [SSPA], Medication Management Ability Assessment [MMAA], and the Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF]). The results support the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural acceptability of these functional assessment instruments. It appears that demographic variables other than language (e.g., age, education) better explain differences in functional assessment among ethnically diverse subpopulations. Considering the influence of these other factors in addition to language on functional assessments will help ensure that measures can be appropriately interpreted among the diverse residents of the United States. PMID:24751379

The relationship between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Livesey, D; Lum Mow, M; Toshack, T; Zheng, Y

2011-07-01

Poor motor skills have been associated with peer relationship difficulties, with lower peer preference and greater likelihood of suffering from withdrawal and low self-worth. Most research into these relationships has focused upon children with motor problems and on activities involving physical skills (play/sport). The current study examined the link between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children in both physical and non-physical (schoolwork) settings using a community sample. Participants were 192 school children whose motor performance was tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Peer acceptance was assessed using the Peer Rating Scale and teachers completed the Peer Exclusion subscale of the Child Behaviour Scale to indicate each child's peer status. Children were also asked to indicate their level of physical activity and their perceived freedom in leisure using self-report questionnaires. Children with poor motor performance had lower levels of physical activity, and freedom in leisure and were less preferred by their peers in both play and classroom settings. These effects were stronger for boys than for girls. Teacher indicated that children with poorer motor skills experienced higher levels of peer rejection in the classroom setting. When motor performance was separated into fine- and gross-motor performance it was found that only the latter was significantly correlated with peer acceptance in the play context but that fine-motor skills contributed significantly to variance in teacher ratings of peer exclusion in the classroom setting. The results support and extend earlier findings that children with poor motor performance are less accepted by their peers in play settings and provide some support for this extending to settings involving low levels of physical activity (classroom settings). The results similarly support previous findings that motor performance is associated with perceived freedom in leisure and with the likelihood of participating in active pursuits. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Assessment of Age-Related Differences in Functional Capacity Using the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT)

PubMed Central

Atkins, A.S.; Stroescu, I.; Spagnola, N.B.; Davis, V.G.; Patterson, T.D.; Narasimhan, M.; Harvey, P.D.; Keefe, R.S.E.

2015-01-01

Clinical trials for primary prevention and early intervention in preclinical AD require measures of functional capacity with improved sensitivity to deficits in healthier, non-demented individuals. To this end, the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) was developed as a direct performance-based assessment of functional capacity that is sensitive to changes in function across multiple populations. Using a realistic virtual reality environment, the VRFCAT assesses a subject's ability to complete instrumental activities associated with a shopping trip. The present investigation represents an initial evaluation of the VRFCAT as a potential co-primary measure of functional capacity in healthy aging and preclinical MCI/AD by examining test-retest reliability and associations with cognitive performance in healthy young and older adults. The VRFCAT was compared and contrasted with the UPSA-2-VIM, a traditional performance-based assessment utilizing physical props. Results demonstrated strong age-related differences in performance on each VRFCAT outcome measure, including total completion time, total errors, and total forced progressions. VRFCAT performance showed strong correlations with cognitive performance across both age groups. VRFCAT Total Time demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ICC=.80 in young adults; ICC=.64 in older adults) and insignificant practice effects, indicating the measure is suitable for repeated testing in healthy populations. Taken together, these results provide preliminary support for the VRFCAT as a potential measure of functionally relevant change in primary prevention and preclinical AD/MCI trials. PMID:26618145

Environmental assessment of PSS, feedback on 2 years of experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allais, Romain; Gobert, Julie

2018-05-01

This communication details the sustainability assessment of the partial transition of business model from selling products to product renting for small household equipment (SHE). Perceived by the French SHE manufacturer as a strategic opportunity to meet customers' expectations and environmental regulation, 2-years experimentation was performed on a specific territory with the support of a network of new competencies (B-to-B-to-C market). Researchers were mandated for the sustainability assessment of such a transition but this communication focuses on the environmental performance of the experimentation. The results of the comparative LCA are presented and the main environmental impacts linked to this business model transition are specified and discussed. Then, different eco-design scenarios are explored and recommendations for this specific case are proposed.

Supplemental Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment - Hydrotreater

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

Lowry, Peter P.; Wagner, Katie A.

A supplemental hazard analysis was conducted and quantitative risk assessment performed in response to an independent review comment received by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) from the U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest Field Office (PNSO) against the Hydrotreater/Distillation Column Hazard Analysis Report issued in April 2013. The supplemental analysis used the hazardous conditions documented by the previous April 2013 report as a basis. The conditions were screened and grouped for the purpose of identifying whether additional prudent, practical hazard controls could be identified, using a quantitative risk evaluation to assess the adequacy of the controls and establish amore » lower level of concern for the likelihood of potential serious accidents. Calculations were performed to support conclusions where necessary.« less

Assessment, design and control strategy development of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle for CSU's EcoCAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, Matthew D.

Advanced automotive technology assessment and powertrain design are increasingly performed through modeling, simulation, and optimization. But technology assessments usually target many competing criteria making any individual optimization challenging and arbitrary. Further, independent design simulations and optimizations take considerable time to execute, and design constraints and objectives change throughout the design process. Changes in design considerations usually require re-processing of simulations and more time. In this thesis, these challenges are confronted through CSU's participation in the EcoCAR2 hybrid vehicle design competition. The complexity of the competition's design objectives leveraged development of a decision support system tool to aid in multi-criteria decision making across technologies and to perform powertrain optimization. To make the decision support system interactive, and bypass the problem of long simulation times, a new approach was taken. The result of this research is CSU's architecture selection and component sizing, which optimizes a composite objective function representing the competition score. The selected architecture is an electric vehicle with an onboard range extending hydrogen fuel cell system. The vehicle has a 145kW traction motor, 18.9kWh of lithium ion battery, a 15kW fuel cell system, and 5kg of hydrogen storage capacity. Finally, a control strategy was developed that improves the vehicles performance throughout the driving range under variable driving conditions. In conclusion, the design process used in this research is reviewed and evaluated against other common design methodologies. I conclude, through the highlighted case studies, that the approach is more comprehensive than other popular design methodologies and is likely to lead to a higher quality product. The upfront modeling work and decision support system formulation will pay off in superior and timely knowledge transfer and more informed design decisions. The hypothesis is supported by the three case studies examined in this thesis.

Sustainable hydropower in Lower Mekong Countries: Technical assessment and training travel report

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

Hadjerioua, Boualem; Witt, Adam M.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through their partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), requested the support of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide specialized technical assistance as part of the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM) Program in Thailand. Introduced in July 2013 by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, SIM is a U.S. Government Inter-Agency program that provides Lower Mekong partner countries with targeted, demand-driven technical and scientific assistance to support environmentally sound, climate conscious and socially equitable infrastructure, clean energy development, and water resources optimization. The U.S. Government is committed to supportingmore » sustainable economic development within the region by providing tools, best practices, technical assistance, and lessons learned for the benefit of partner countries. In response to a request from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), a SIM project was developed with two main activities: 1) to promote hydropower sustainability and efficiency through technical assessment training at two existing hydropower assets in Thailand, and 2) the design and implementation of one national and two or three regional science and policy workshops, to be co-hosted with EGAT, to build common understanding of and commitment to environmental and social safeguards for Mekong Basin hydropower projects. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading the technical assessment (Activity 1), and has contracted ORNL to provide expert technical assistance focused on increasing efficiency at existing projects, with the goal of increasing renewable energy generation at little to no capital cost. ORNL is the leading national laboratory in hydropower analysis, with a nationally recognized and highly qualified team of scientists addressing small to large-scale systems (basin-, regional-, and national-scale) energy generation optimization analysis for DOE. The mission of the ORNL Water Power Program is to develop technologies, decision-support tools, and methods of analysis that enable holistic management of water-dependent energy infrastructure and natural resources in support of the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office (DOE-EERE), Federal hydropower agencies, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), energy producers, and other entities. In support of SIM, ORNL completed technical assessments of two hydropower plants owned and operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT): Vajiralongkorn (VRK), with an installed capacity of 300 MW, and Rajjaprabha (RPB), with an installed capacity of 240MW. Technical assessment is defined as the assessment of hydropower operation and performance, and the identification of potential opportunities for performance improvement through plant optimization. At each plant, the assessment included an initial analysis of hydropower operating and performance metrics, provided by dam owners. After this analysis, ORNL engaged with the plant management team in a skills exchange, where best practices, operational methods, and technical challenges were discussed. The technical assessment process was outlined to plant management followed by a presentation of preliminary results and analysis based on 50 days of operational data. EGAT has agreed to provide a full year of operational data so a complete and detailed assessment that captures seasonal variability can be completed. The results of these assessments and discussions will be used to develop a set of best practices, training, and procedure recommendations to improve the efficiency of the two assessed plants« less

Managing poorly performing clinicians: health care providers' willingness to pay for independent help.

PubMed

Watson, Verity; Sussex, Jon; Ryan, Mandy; Tetteh, Ebenezer

2012-03-01

To determine the willingness to pay (WTP) of senior managers in the UK National Health Service (NHS) for services to help manage performance concerns with doctors, dentists and pharmacists. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to elicit senior managers' preferences for a support service to help manage clinical performance concerns. The DCE was based on: a literature review; interviews with support service providers and clinical professional bodies; and discussion groups with managers. From the DCE responses, we estimate marginal WTP for aspects of support services. 451 NHS managers completed the DCE questionnaire. NHS managers are willing to pay for: advice, 'facilitation', and behavioural, health, clinical and organisational assessments. Telephone advice with written confirmation was valued most highly. NHS managers were willing to pay £161.56 (CI: £160.81-£162.32) per year per whole time equivalent doctor, dentist or pharmacist, for support to help manage clinical performance concerns. Marginal WTP varied across respondent subgroups but was always positive. Health care managers valued help in managing the clinicians' performance, and were willing to pay for it from their organisations' limited funds. Their WTP exceeds the current cost of a UK body providing similar support. Establishing a central body to provide such services across a health care system, with the associated economies of scale including cumulative experience, is an option that policy makers should consider seriously. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sail film materials and supporting structure for a solar sail, a preliminary design, volume 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, W. M. (Editor)

1978-01-01

Solar sailing technology was examined in relation to a mission to rendezvous with Halley's Comet. Development of an ultra-light, highly reflecting material system capable of operating at high solar intensity for long periods of time was emphasized. Data resulting from the sail materials study are reported. Topics covered include: basic film; coatings and thermal control; joining and handling; system performance; and supporting structures assessment for the heliogyro.

Relationship between alertness, performance, and body temperature in humans.

PubMed

Wright, Kenneth P; Hull, Joseph T; Czeisler, Charles A

2002-12-01

Body temperature has been reported to influence human performance. Performance is reported to be better when body temperature is high/near its circadian peak and worse when body temperature is low/near its circadian minimum. We assessed whether this relationship between performance and body temperature reflects the regulation of both the internal biological timekeeping system and/or the influence of body temperature on performance independent of circadian phase. Fourteen subjects participated in a forced desynchrony protocol allowing assessment of the relationship between body temperature and performance while controlling for circadian phase and hours awake. Most neurobehavioral measures varied as a function of internal biological time and duration of wakefulness. A number of performance measures were better when body temperature was elevated, including working memory, subjective alertness, visual attention, and the slowest 10% of reaction times. These findings demonstrate that an increased body temperature, associated with and independent of internal biological time, is correlated with improved performance and alertness. These results support the hypothesis that body temperature modulates neurobehavioral function in humans.

Relationship between alertness, performance, and body temperature in humans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth P Jr; Hull, Joseph T.; Czeisler, Charles A.

2002-01-01

Body temperature has been reported to influence human performance. Performance is reported to be better when body temperature is high/near its circadian peak and worse when body temperature is low/near its circadian minimum. We assessed whether this relationship between performance and body temperature reflects the regulation of both the internal biological timekeeping system and/or the influence of body temperature on performance independent of circadian phase. Fourteen subjects participated in a forced desynchrony protocol allowing assessment of the relationship between body temperature and performance while controlling for circadian phase and hours awake. Most neurobehavioral measures varied as a function of internal biological time and duration of wakefulness. A number of performance measures were better when body temperature was elevated, including working memory, subjective alertness, visual attention, and the slowest 10% of reaction times. These findings demonstrate that an increased body temperature, associated with and independent of internal biological time, is correlated with improved performance and alertness. These results support the hypothesis that body temperature modulates neurobehavioral function in humans.

Ready, Set, Change! Development and usability testing of an online readiness for change decision support tool for healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Timmings, Caitlyn; Khan, Sobia; Moore, Julia E; Marquez, Christine; Pyka, Kasha; Straus, Sharon E

2016-02-24

To address challenges related to selecting a valid, reliable, and appropriate readiness assessment measure in practice, we developed an online decision support tool to aid frontline implementers in healthcare settings in this process. The focus of this paper is to describe a multi-step, end-user driven approach to developing this tool for use during the planning stages of implementation. A multi-phase, end-user driven approach was used to develop and test the usability of a readiness decision support tool. First, readiness assessment measures that are valid, reliable, and appropriate for healthcare settings were identified from a systematic review. Second, a mapping exercise was performed to categorize individual items of included measures according to key readiness constructs from an existing framework. Third, a modified Delphi process was used to collect stakeholder ratings of the included measures on domains of feasibility, relevance, and likelihood to recommend. Fourth, two versions of a decision support tool prototype were developed and evaluated for usability. Nine valid and reliable readiness assessment measures were included in the decision support tool. The mapping exercise revealed that of the nine measures, most measures (78 %) focused on assessing readiness for change at the organizational versus the individual level, and that four measures (44 %) represented all constructs of organizational readiness. During the modified Delphi process, stakeholders rated most measures as feasible and relevant for use in practice, and reported that they would be likely to recommend use of most measures. Using data from the mapping exercise and stakeholder panel, an algorithm was developed to link users to a measure based on characteristics of their organizational setting and their readiness for change assessment priorities. Usability testing yielded recommendations that were used to refine the Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool . Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool is an implementation support that is designed to facilitate the routine incorporation of a readiness assessment as an early step in implementation. Use of this tool in practice may offer time and resource-saving implications for implementation.

A Program Manager's Guide for Program Improvement in Ongoing Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Programs.

PubMed

Ryan, Gery W; Farmer, Carrie M; Adamson, David M; Weinick, Robin M

2014-01-01

Between 2001 and 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense has implemented numerous programs to support service members and their families in coping with the stressors from a decade of the longstanding conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These programs, which address both psychological health and traumatic brain injury (TBI), number in the hundreds and vary in their size, scope, and target population. To ensure that resources are wisely invested and maximize the benefits of such programs, RAND developed a tool to help assess program performance, consider options for improvement, implement solutions, then assess whether the changes worked, with the intention of helping those responsible for managing or implementing programs to conduct assessments of how well the program is performing and to implement solutions for improving performance. Specifically, the tool is intended to provide practical guidance in program improvement and continuous quality improvement for all programs.

Facilitating the quality of care in a specialist Pacific ophthalmic nursing workforce.

PubMed

du Toit, R; Hughes, F; Mason, I; Tousignant, B

2011-03-01

Sufficient, appropriately trained health personnel need to be retained in the workforce, and their performance maintained, to achieve quality care. Mid-level ophthalmic personnel in Western Pacific Island Countries and Territories (WPICT) are no exception. The study aims to assess influences on the quality of care provided by specialist mid-level ophthalmic personnel in WPICT and devise strategies to train, retain and maintain performance of these personnel. A situational assessment employed a checklist and semi-structured interviews with specialist mid-level ophthalmic personnel, nursing bodies and Ministry of Health representatives from seven WPICT. A selective literature review guided strategies to address the issues identified. Appropriate training allows nurses to fulfill a mid-level role in WPICT as specialist ophthalmic nurses. Resources generally do not restrict practice. Nursing structures have generally failed to support professionalism: scope and conditions of service, clinical supervision, career structures, professional recognition and opportunities for continuing professional development are rudimentary. Ophthalmic nurses were dissatisfied with the lack of specialty recognition, career progression and salary increase. Regional and local strategies tailored to each country have been devised to establish sustainable processes for support. Salary was a major cause of dissatisfaction. It should be addressed along with professional recognition and related processes. Without professional support, specialist and advanced cadres within nursing may cease to exist, nurses' performance may be affected or they may leave. Specialist ophthalmic nursing, recognized, situated within and properly supported by nursing structures can provide a model for specialist clinical care for other specialties and in other countries. © 2010 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2010 International Council of Nurses.

Updated Liquid Secondary Waste Grout Formulation and Preliminary Waste Form Qualification

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

Saslow, Sarah A.; Um, Wooyong; Russell, Renee L.

This report describes the results from liquid secondary waste grout (LSWG) formulation and cementitious waste form qualification tests performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS). New formulations for preparing a cementitious waste form from a high-sulfate liquid secondary waste stream simulant, developed for Effluent Management Facility (EMF) process condensates merged with low activity waste (LAW) caustic scrubber, and the release of key constituents (e.g. 99Tc and 129I) from these monoliths were evaluated. This work supports a technology development program to address the technology needs for Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) liquid secondarymore » waste (LSW) solidification and supports future Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) operations. High-priority activities included simulant development, LSWG formulation, and waste form qualification. The work contained within this report relates to waste form development and testing and does not directly support the 2017 integrated disposal facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA). However, this work contains valuable information for use in PA maintenance past FY17, and for future waste form development efforts. The provided data should be used by (i) cementitious waste form scientists to further understanding of cementitious dissolution behavior, (ii) IDF PA modelers who use quantified constituent leachability, effective diffusivity, and partitioning coefficients to advance PA modeling efforts, and (iii) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contractors and decision makers as they assess the IDF PA program. The results obtained help fill existing data gaps, support final selection of a LSWG waste form, and improve the technical defensibility of long-term waste form performance estimates.« less

Dissociation of spatial memory systems in Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Bostelmann, Mathilde; Fragnière, Emilie; Costanzo, Floriana; Di Vara, Silvia; Menghini, Deny; Vicari, Stefano; Lavenex, Pierre; Lavenex, Pamela Banta

2017-11-01

Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic deletion syndrome, is characterized by severe visuospatial deficits affecting performance on both tabletop spatial tasks and on tasks which assess orientation and navigation. Nevertheless, previous studies of WS spatial capacities have ignored the fact that two different spatial memory systems are believed to contribute parallel spatial representations supporting navigation. The place learning system depends on the hippocampal formation and creates flexible relational representations of the environment, also known as cognitive maps. The spatial response learning system depends on the striatum and creates fixed stimulus-response representations, also known as habits. Indeed, no study assessing WS spatial competence has used tasks which selectively target these two spatial memory systems. Here, we report that individuals with WS exhibit a dissociation in their spatial abilities subserved by these two memory systems. As compared to typically developing (TD) children in the same mental age range, place learning performance was impaired in individuals with WS. In contrast, their spatial response learning performance was facilitated. Our findings in individuals with WS and TD children suggest that place learning and response learning interact competitively to control the behavioral strategies normally used to support human spatial navigation. Our findings further suggest that the neural pathways supporting place learning may be affected by the genetic deletion that characterizes WS, whereas those supporting response learning may be relatively preserved. The dissociation observed between these two spatial memory systems provides a coherent theoretical framework to characterize the spatial abilities of individuals with WS, and may lead to the development of new learning strategies based on their facilitated response learning abilities. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Managing adaptively for multifunctionality in agricultural systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodbod, Jennifer; Barreteau, Olivier; Allen, Craig R.; Magda, Danièle

2016-01-01

The critical importance of agricultural systems for food security and as a dominant global landcover requires management that considers the full dimensions of system functions at appropriate scales, i.e. multifunctionality. We propose that adaptive management is the most suitable management approach for such goals, given its ability to reduce uncertainty over time and support multiple objectives within a system, for multiple actors. As such, adaptive management may be the most appropriate method for sustainably intensifying production whilst increasing the quantity and quality of ecosystem services. However, the current assessment of performance of agricultural systems doesn’t reward ecosystem service provision. Therefore, we present an overview of the ecosystem functions agricultural systems should and could provide, coupled with a revised definition for assessing the performance of agricultural systems from a multifunctional perspective that, when all satisfied, would create adaptive agricultural systems that can increase production whilst ensuring food security and the quantity and quality of ecosystem services. The outcome of this high level of performance is the capacity to respond to multiple shocks without collapse, equity and triple bottom line sustainability. Through the assessment of case studies, we find that alternatives to industrialized agricultural systems incorporate more functional goals, but that there are mixed findings as to whether these goals translate into positive measurable outcomes. We suggest that an adaptive management perspective would support the implementation of a systematic analysis of the social, ecological and economic trade-offs occurring within such systems, particularly between ecosystem services and functions, in order to provide suitable and comparable assessments. We also identify indicators to monitor performance at multiple scales in agricultural systems which can be used within an adaptive management framework to increase resilience at multiple scales.

Managing adaptively for multifunctionality in agricultural systems.

PubMed

Hodbod, Jennifer; Barreteau, Olivier; Allen, Craig; Magda, Danièle

2016-12-01

The critical importance of agricultural systems for food security and as a dominant global landcover requires management that considers the full dimensions of system functions at appropriate scales, i.e. multifunctionality. We propose that adaptive management is the most suitable management approach for such goals, given its ability to reduce uncertainty over time and support multiple objectives within a system, for multiple actors. As such, adaptive management may be the most appropriate method for sustainably intensifying production whilst increasing the quantity and quality of ecosystem services. However, the current assessment of performance of agricultural systems doesn't reward ecosystem service provision. Therefore, we present an overview of the ecosystem functions agricultural systems should and could provide, coupled with a revised definition for assessing the performance of agricultural systems from a multifunctional perspective that, when all satisfied, would create adaptive agricultural systems that can increase production whilst ensuring food security and the quantity and quality of ecosystem services. The outcome of this high level of performance is the capacity to respond to multiple shocks without collapse, equity and triple bottom line sustainability. Through the assessment of case studies, we find that alternatives to industrialized agricultural systems incorporate more functional goals, but that there are mixed findings as to whether these goals translate into positive measurable outcomes. We suggest that an adaptive management perspective would support the implementation of a systematic analysis of the social, ecological and economic trade-offs occurring within such systems, particularly between ecosystem services and functions, in order to provide suitable and comparable assessments. We also identify indicators to monitor performance at multiple scales in agricultural systems which can be used within an adaptive management framework to increase resilience at multiple scales. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Assessment During Long-Duration Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seaton, Kimberly; Kane, R. L.; Sipes, Walter

2010-01-01

The Space Flight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) is a computer-based, self-administered battery of five cognitive assessment tests developed for medical operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. WinSCAT is a medical requirement for U.S. long-duration astronauts and has been implemented with U.S. astronauts from one NASA/Mir mission (NASA-7 mission) and all expeditions to date on the International Space Station (ISS). Its purpose is to provide ISS crew surgeons with an objective clinical tool after an unexpected traumatic event, a medical condition, or the cumulative effects of space flight that could negatively affect an astronaut's cognitive status and threaten mission success. WinSCAT was recently updated to add network capability to support a 6-person crew on the station support computers. Additionally, WinSCAT Version 2.0.28 has increased difficulty of items in Mathematics, increased number of items in Match-to-Sample, incorporates a moving rather than a fixed baseline, and implements stricter interpretation rules. ISS performance data were assessed to compare initial to modified interpretation rules for detecting potential changes in cognitive functioning during space flight. WinSCAT tests are routinely taken monthly during an ISS mission. Performance data from these ISS missions do not indicate significant cognitive decrements due to microgravity/space flight alone but have shown decrements. Applying the newly derived rules to ISS data results in a number of off-nominal performances at various times during and after flight.. Correlation to actual events is needed, but possible explanations for off-nominal performances could include actual physical factors such as toxic exposure, medication effects, or fatigue; emotional factors including stress from the mission or life events; or failure to exert adequate effort on the tests.

Improving Pediatric Basic Life Support Performance Through Blended Learning With Web-Based Virtual Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lehmann, Ronny; Thiessen, Christiane; Frick, Barbara; Bosse, Hans Martin; Nikendei, Christoph; Hoffmann, Georg Friedrich; Tönshoff, Burkhard; Huwendiek, Sören

2015-07-02

E-learning and blended learning approaches gain more and more popularity in emergency medicine curricula. So far, little data is available on the impact of such approaches on procedural learning and skill acquisition and their comparison with traditional approaches. This study investigated the impact of a blended learning approach, including Web-based virtual patients (VPs) and standard pediatric basic life support (PBLS) training, on procedural knowledge, objective performance, and self-assessment. A total of 57 medical students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=30) and a control group (n=27). Both groups received paper handouts in preparation of simulation-based PBLS training. The intervention group additionally completed two Web-based VPs with embedded video clips. Measurements were taken at randomization (t0), after the preparation period (t1), and after hands-on training (t2). Clinical decision-making skills and procedural knowledge were assessed at t0 and t1. PBLS performance was scored regarding adherence to the correct algorithm, conformance to temporal demands, and the quality of procedural steps at t1 and t2. Participants' self-assessments were recorded in all three measurements. Procedural knowledge of the intervention group was significantly superior to that of the control group at t1. At t2, the intervention group showed significantly better adherence to the algorithm and temporal demands, and better procedural quality of PBLS in objective measures than did the control group. These aspects differed between the groups even at t1 (after VPs, prior to practical training). Self-assessments differed significantly only at t1 in favor of the intervention group. Training with VPs combined with hands-on training improves PBLS performance as judged by objective measures.

Technology assessment and requirements analysis: a process to facilitate decision making in picture archiving and communications system implementation.

PubMed

Radvany, M G; Chacko, A K; Richardson, R R; Grazdan, G W

1999-05-01

In a time of decreasing resources, managers need a tool to manage their resources effectively, support clinical requirements, and replace aging equipment in order to ensure adequate clinical care. To do this successfully, one must be able to perform technology assessment and capital equipment asset management. The lack of a commercial system that adequately performed technology needs assessment and addressed the unique needs of the military led to the development of an in-house Technology Assessment and Requirements Analysis (TARA) program. The TARA is a tool that provides an unbiased review of clinical operations and the resulting capital equipment requirements for military hospitals. The TARA report allows for the development of acquisition strategies for new equipment, enhances personnel management, and improves and streamlines clinical operations and processes.

Validity Evidence for a Serious Game to Assess Performance on Critical Pediatric Emergency Medicine Scenarios.

PubMed

Gerard, James M; Scalzo, Anthony J; Borgman, Matthew A; Watson, Christopher M; Byrnes, Chelsie E; Chang, Todd P; Auerbach, Marc; Kessler, David O; Feldman, Brian L; Payne, Brian S; Nibras, Sohail; Chokshi, Riti K; Lopreiato, Joseph O

2018-06-01

We developed a first-person serious game, PediatricSim, to teach and assess performances on seven critical pediatric scenarios (anaphylaxis, bronchiolitis, diabetic ketoacidosis, respiratory failure, seizure, septic shock, and supraventricular tachycardia). In the game, players are placed in the role of a code leader and direct patient management by selecting from various assessment and treatment options. The objective of this study was to obtain supportive validity evidence for the PediatricSim game scores. Game content was developed by 11 subject matter experts and followed the American Heart Association's 2011 Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider Manual and other authoritative references. Sixty subjects with three different levels of experience were enrolled to play the game. Before game play, subjects completed a 40-item written pretest of knowledge. Game scores were compared between subject groups using scoring rubrics developed for the scenarios. Validity evidence was established and interpreted according to Messick's framework. Content validity was supported by a game development process that involved expert experience, focused literature review, and pilot testing. Subjects rated the game favorably for engagement, realism, and educational value. Interrater agreement on game scoring was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91, 95% confidence interval = 0.89-0.9). Game scores were higher for attendings followed by residents then medical students (Pc < 0.01) with large effect sizes (1.6-4.4) for each comparison. There was a very strong, positive correlation between game and written test scores (r = 0.84, P < 0.01). These findings contribute validity evidence for PediatricSim game scores to assess knowledge of pediatric emergency medicine resuscitation.

How Can Online Observation Support the Assessment and Feedback, on Classroom Performance, to Trainee Teachers at a Distance and in Real Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyke, Martin; Harding, Alan; Liddon, Sue

2008-01-01

This article reports the key findings of a project commissioned in 2005 by the UK Department for Education and Skills to consider the use of synchronous digital video for observation, feedback and assessment of teaching practice in post-compulsory education and training. A protocol for the remote observation of teaching is presented that was…

2014 Assessment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-23

for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of...take several more years to collect the test data needed to adequately VV&A the BMDS M&S required to perform such assessments. As data are collected ...Accreditation is possible only if a sufficient quantity and quality of flight test data have been collected to support model verification and

From Data to Assessments and Decisions: Epi-Spline Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-08

From Data to Assessments and Decisions: Epi-Spline Technology∗ Johannes O. Royset Roger J-B Wets Department of Operations Research Department of...2014 ∗This material is based upon work supported in part by the U. S. Army Research Laboratory and the U. S. Army Research Office under grant numbers...ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School,Department of Operations Research ,Monterey,CA,93943 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING

Performance assessments of Android-powered military applications operating on tactical handheld devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Brian A.; Fronczek, Lisa; Morse, Emile; Kootbally, Zeid; Schlenoff, Craig

2013-05-01

Transformative Apps (TransApps) is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded program whose goal is to develop a range of militarily-relevant software applications ("apps") to enhance the operational-effectiveness of military personnel on (and off) the battlefield. TransApps is also developing a military apps marketplace to facilitate rapid development and dissemination of applications to address user needs by connecting engaged communities of endusers with development groups. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) role in the TransApps program is to design and implement evaluation procedures to assess the performance of: 1) the various software applications, 2) software-hardware interactions, and 3) the supporting online application marketplace. Specifically, NIST is responsible for evaluating 50+ tactically-relevant applications operating on numerous Android™-powered platforms. NIST efforts include functional regression testing and quantitative performance testing. This paper discusses the evaluation methodologies employed to assess the performance of three key program elements: 1) handheld-based applications and their integration with various hardware platforms, 2) client-based applications and 3) network technologies operating on both the handheld and client systems along with their integration into the application marketplace. Handheld-based applications are assessed using a combination of utility and usability-based checklists and quantitative performance tests. Client-based applications are assessed to replicate current overseas disconnected (i.e. no network connectivity between handhelds) operations and to assess connected operations envisioned for later use. Finally, networked applications are assessed on handhelds to establish baselines of performance for when connectivity will be common usage.

An assessment of the safety performance of farm vehicles subject to exemptions under MAP-21.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

This report presents the methodology and findings from an analysis conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations (FMCSAs) Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology, with support from the Office of Field Operations, in respons...

Assessment of current and proposed audio alarms in terminal air traffic control.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-09-01

The National Airspace System Human Factors Branch (ACT-530) has been engaged in research on the characteristics and use of audio : alerts and alarms in Air Traffic Control. In support of this program, Federal Data Corporation performed a comparative ...

Performance-based classrooms: A case study of two elementary teachers of mathematics and science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Kenneth W.

This case study depicts how two elementary teachers develop classrooms devoted to performance-based instruction in mathematics and science. The purpose is to develop empirical evidence of classroom practices that leads to a conceptual framework about the nature of performance-based instruction. Performance-based assessment and instruction are defined from the literature to entail involving students in tasks that are complex and engaging, requiring them to apply knowledge and skills in authentic contexts. In elementary mathematics and science, such an approach emphasizes problem solving, exploration, inquiry, and reasoning. The body of the work examines teacher beliefs, curricular orientations, instructional strategies, assessment approaches, management and organizational skills, and interpersonal relationships. The focus throughout is on those aspects that foster student performance in elementary mathematics and science. The resulting framework describes five characteristics that contribute to performance-based classrooms: a caring classroom community, a connectionist learning theory, a thinking and doing curriculum, diverse opportunities for learning, and ongoing assessment, feedback, and adjustment. The conclusion analyzes factors external to the classroom that support or constrain the development of performance-based classrooms and discusses the implications for educational policy and further research.

Combined Vision and Wearable Sensors-based System for Movement Analysis in Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Spasojević, Sofija; Ilić, Tihomir V; Milanović, Slađan; Potkonjak, Veljko; Rodić, Aleksandar; Santos-Victor, José

2017-03-23

Traditional rehabilitation sessions are often a slow, tedious, disempowering and non-motivational process, supported by clinical assessment tools, i.e. evaluation scales that are prone to subjective rating and imprecise interpretation of patient's performance. Poor patient motivation and insufficient accuracy are thus critical factors that can be improved by new sensing / processing technologies. We aim to develop a portable and affordable system, suitable for home rehabilitation, which combines vision-based and wearable sensors. We introduce a novel approach for examining and characterizing the rehabilitation movements, using quantitative descriptors. We propose new Movement Performance Indicators (MPIs) that are extracted directly from sensor data and quantify the symmetry, velocity, and acceleration of the movement of different body/hand parts, and that can potentially be used by therapists for diagnosis and progress assessment. First, a set of rehabilitation exercises is defined, with the supervision of neurologists and therapists for the specific case of Parkinson's disease. It comprises full-body movements measured with a Kinect device and fine hand movements, acquired with a data glove. Then, the sensor data is used to compute 25 Movement Performance Indicators, to assist the diagnosis and progress monitoring (assessing the disease stage) in Parkinson's disease. A kinematic hand model is developed for data verification and as an additional resource for extracting supplementary movement information. Our results show that the proposed Movement Performance Indicators are relevant for the Parkinson's disease assessment. This is further confirmed by correlation of the proposed indicators with clinical tapping test and UPDRS clinical scale. Classification results showed the potential of these indicators to discriminate between the patients and controls, as well as between the stages that characterize the evolution of the disease. The proposed sensor system, along with the developed approach for rehabilitation movement analysis have a significant potential to support and advance traditional rehabilitation therapy. The main impact of our work is two-fold: (i) the proposition of an approach for supporting the therapists during the diagnosis and monitoring evaluations by reducing subjectivity and imprecision, and (ii) offering the possibility of the system to be used at home for rehabilitation exercises in between sessions with doctors and therapists.

NASA Glenn Research Center Support of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Scott D.; Wong, Wayne A.

2015-01-01

A high-efficiency radioisotope power system was being developed for long-duration NASA space science missions. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) managed a flight contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to build Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators (ASRGs), with support from NASA Glenn Research Center. DOE initiated termination of that contract in late 2013, primarily due to budget constraints. Sunpower, Inc., held two parallel contracts to produce Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs), one with Lockheed Martin to produce ASC-F flight units, and one with Glenn for the production of ASC-E3 engineering unit "pathfinders" that are built to the flight design. In support of those contracts, Glenn provided testing, materials expertise, Government-furnished equipment, inspection capabilities, and related data products to Lockheed Martin and Sunpower. The technical support included material evaluations, component tests, convertor characterization, and technology transfer. Material evaluations and component tests were performed on various ASC components in order to assess potential life-limiting mechanisms and provide data for reliability models. Convertor level tests were conducted to characterize performance under operating conditions that are representative of various mission conditions. Despite termination of the ASRG flight development contract, NASA continues to recognize the importance of high-efficiency ASC power conversion for Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) and continues investment in the technology, including the continuation of the ASC-E3 contract. This paper describes key Government support for the ASRG project and future tests to be used to provide data for ongoing reliability assessments.

Is the evidence supporting dental procedures strong? A survey of Cochrane systematic reviews in oral health.

PubMed

Faggion, Clovis Mariano

2012-09-01

Every day a large number and variety of dental procedures are performed in clinical dental practice. There is, however, no information on the overall quality of evidence supporting these procedures. The objective of this study was to assess whether several common dental procedures are based on sound evidence. All Cochrane systematic reviews (CSR) published in dentistry were surveyed. The authors' conclusions about the quality of evidence supporting a specific clinical treatment were used as the measure of outcome. The evidence was considered adequate if the authors did not clearly state the evidence was weak in the conclusions while also suggesting some evidence of the effectiveness of the therapy. Of 120 CSRs assessed, in only 26 (22.0% of the reviews) was the quality of evidence regarded as adequate for supporting clinical decisions, although some methodological limitations were identified in the full text of these reviews. Moreover, the authors of most reviews reported weak or unavailable evidence. On the basis of CSRs, the overall quality of evidence can be regarded as low or nonexistent for most of the dental procedures assessed. The information reported may guide future research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Innovative Emergency Department Information Displays in a Clinical Simulation Center

PubMed Central

McGeorge, Nicolette; Hegde, Sudeep; Berg, Rebecca L.; Guarrera-Schick, Theresa K.; LaVergne, David T.; Casucci, Sabrina N.; Hettinger, A. Zachary; Clark, Lindsey N.; Lin, Li; Fairbanks, Rollin J.; Benda, Natalie C.; Sun, Longsheng; Wears, Robert L.; Perry, Shawna; Bisantz, Ann

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to assess the functional utility of new display concepts for an emergency department information system created using cognitive systems engineering methods, by comparing them to similar displays currently in use. The display concepts were compared to standard displays in a clinical simulation study during which nurse-physician teams performed simulated emergency department tasks. Questionnaires were used to assess the cognitive support provided by the displays, participants’ level of situation awareness, and participants’ workload during the simulated tasks. Participants rated the new displays significantly higher than the control displays in terms of cognitive support. There was no significant difference in workload scores between the display conditions. There was no main effect of display type on situation awareness, but there was a significant interaction; participants using the new displays showed improved situation awareness from the middle to the end of the session. This study demonstrates that cognitive systems engineering methods can be used to create innovative displays that better support emergency medicine tasks, without increasing workload, compared to more standard displays. These methods provide a means to develop emergency department information systems—and more broadly, health information technology—that better support the cognitive needs of healthcare providers. PMID:27974881

Assessment of Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Facility and Capability Needs

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

James Werner

The development of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system rests heavily upon being able to fabricate and demonstrate the performance of a high temperature nuclear fuel as well as demonstrating an integrated system prior to launch. A number of studies have been performed in the past which identified the facilities needed and the capabilities available to meet the needs and requirements identified at that time. Since that time, many facilities and capabilities within the Department of Energy have been removed or decommissioned. This paper provides a brief overview of the anticipated facility needs and identifies some promising concepts to bemore » considered which could support the development of a nuclear thermal propulsion system. Detailed trade studies will need to be performed to support the decision making process.« less

Manager traits and quality-of-care performance in hospitals.

PubMed

Aij, Kjeld Harald; Aernoudts, René L M C; Joosten, Gepke

2015-07-06

This paper aims to assess the impact of the leadership traits of chief executive officers (CEOs) on hospital performance in the USA. The effectiveness and efficiency of the CEO is of critical importance to the performance of any organization, including hospitals. Management systems and manager behaviours (traits) are of crucial importance to any organization because of their connection with organizational performance. To identify key factors associated with the quality of care delivered by hospitals, the authors gathered perceptions of manager traits from chief executive officers (CEOs) and followers in three groups of US hospitals delivering different levels of quality of care performance. Three high- and three low-performing hospitals were selected from the top and bottom 20th percentiles, respectively, using a national hospital ranking system based on standard quality of care performance measures. Three lean hospitals delivering intermediate performance were also selected. A survey was used to gather perceptions of manager traits (providing a modern or lean management system inclination) from CEOs and their followers in the three groups, which were compared. Four traits were found to be significantly different (alpha < 0.05) between lean (intermediate-) and low-performing hospitals. The different perceptions between these two hospital groups were all held by followers in the low-performing hospitals and not the CEOs, and all had a modern management inclination. No differences were found between lean (intermediate-) and high-performing hospitals, or between high- and low-performing hospitals. These findings support a need for hospital managers to acquire appropriate traits to achieve lean transformation, support a benefit of measuring manager traits to assess progress towards lean transformation and lend weight to improved quality of care that can be delivered by hospitals adopting a lean system of management.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Support of Non-light Water Reactor Technologies: Capabilities Assessment for NRC Near-term Implementation Action Plans for Non-light Water Reactors

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

Belles, Randy; Jain, Prashant K.; Powers, Jeffrey J.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a rich history of support for light water reactor (LWR) and non-LWR technologies. The ORNL history involves operation of 13 reactors at ORNL including the graphite reactor dating back to World War II, two aqueous homogeneous reactors, two molten salt reactors (MSRs), a fast-burst health physics reactor, and seven LWRs. Operation of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) has been ongoing since 1965. Expertise exists amongst the ORNL staff to provide non-LWR training; support evaluation of non-LWR licensing and safety issues; perform modeling and simulation using advanced computational tools; run laboratory experiments usingmore » equipment such as the liquid salt component test facility; and perform in-depth fuel performance and thermal-hydraulic technology reviews using a vast suite of computer codes and tools. Summaries of this expertise are included in this paper.« less

Attachment styles and clinical communication performance in trainee doctors.

PubMed

Fletcher, Ian; McCallum, Rachel; Peters, Sarah

2016-11-01

To investigate the relationship between trainee doctors' attachment style and their performance in qualifying clinical and communication skills assessments. Participants were 190 undergraduate medical students whose performance was assessed by examiners across two areas (communication and clinical skills) during their qualifying Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Simulated patients also rated communication skills. Participants' attachment style was rated across two dimensions, avoidance and anxiety, using the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ). Lower levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety significantly predicted higher performance in both communication and clinical skills. Trainee doctors' attachment styles are associated with patient communication and clinical performance. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of attachment on consultations between doctors and patients within clinical settings. Attachment theory can inform our understanding why, for some student doctors, interacting with patients may be particularly challenging and require additional support by medical educators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Centre of pressure correlates with pyramid performance in acrobatic gymnastics.

PubMed

Floría, Pablo; Gómez-Landero, Luis Arturo; Harrison, Andrew J

2015-01-01

Acrobatic gymnasts need excellent balance control to execute pyramids where one gymnast is supported by another. The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe balance performance by assessing the centre of pressure displacement in a group of acrobatic gymnasts executing pyramids; (2) to determine the relationship between the parameters describing the centre of pressure oscillations and pyramid score; and (3) to examine the role of each foot in providing a solid base of support to maintain the balance of the pyramid. Sixteen acrobatic gymnasts grouped in pairs performed a Half pyramid and a Straddle pyramid held for 7 s on two force platforms. Path length, variance, range trajectory, and surface area of the centre of pressure of each foot were examined to analyse the balance of the pyramid. The path length was correlated with the pyramid score (Straddle: p = 0.692 [large]; Half: p = 0.407 [moderate]). There were differences in the functions of each leg to maintain balance, with the non-preferred leg supporting a higher weight of the pyramid while the preferred leg performed control movements to maintain balance. The results suggested that quantitative analysis of balance can provide important information on pyramid performance.

Space shuttle orbiter leading-edge flight performance compared to design goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curry, D. M.; Johnson, D. W.; Kelly, R. E.

1983-01-01

Thermo-structural performance of the Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia's leading-edge structural subsystem for the first five (5) flights is compared with the design goals. Lessons learned from thse initial flights of the first reusable manned spacecraft are discussed in order to assess design maturity, deficiencies, and modifications required to rectify the design deficiencies. Flight data and post-flight inspections support the conclusion that the leading-edge structural subsystem hardware performance was outstanding for the initial five (5) flights.

Caffeinated Tube Food Effect on Pilot Performance During a 9-Hour, Simulated Nighttime U-2 Mission

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

Tube foods are the only foods that can be consumed during a U-2 mission due to the confining and encapsulating nature of required support equipment...Caffeinated (200 mg each) or placebo tube food was consumed at 00:00 and 04:00. Dependent measures assessed included standardized tests of cognitive...performance decrements were attenuated by 200 mg of caffeine in tube food consumed every 4 h, and in some cases, performance was improved beyond

Correlation based system to assess the completeness and correctness of cognitive stimulation activities of elders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Fraga, J. A.; Morán, A. L.; Meza-Kubo, V.; Tentori, M.; Santiago, E.

2009-08-01

During a cognitive stimulation session where elders with cognitive decline perform stimulation activities, such as solving puzzles, we observed that they require constant supervision and support from their caregivers, and caregivers must be able to monitor the stimulation activity of more than one patient at a time. In this paper, aiming at providing support for the caregiver, we developed a vision-based system using an Phase-SDF filter that generates a composite reference image which is correlated to a captured wooden-puzzle image. The output correlation value allows to automatically verify the progress on the puzzle solving task, and to assess its completeness and correctness.

FRamework Assessing Notorious Contributing Influences for Error (FRANCIE): Perspective on Taxonomy Development to Support Error Reporting and Analysis

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

Lon N. Haney; David I. Gertman

2003-04-01

Beginning in the 1980s a primary focus of human reliability analysis was estimation of human error probabilities. However, detailed qualitative modeling with comprehensive representation of contextual variables often was lacking. This was likely due to the lack of comprehensive error and performance shaping factor taxonomies, and the limited data available on observed error rates and their relationship to specific contextual variables. In the mid 90s Boeing, America West Airlines, NASA Ames Research Center and INEEL partnered in a NASA sponsored Advanced Concepts grant to: assess the state of the art in human error analysis, identify future needs for human errormore » analysis, and develop an approach addressing these needs. Identified needs included the need for a method to identify and prioritize task and contextual characteristics affecting human reliability. Other needs identified included developing comprehensive taxonomies to support detailed qualitative modeling and to structure meaningful data collection efforts across domains. A result was the development of the FRamework Assessing Notorious Contributing Influences for Error (FRANCIE) with a taxonomy for airline maintenance tasks. The assignment of performance shaping factors to generic errors by experts proved to be valuable to qualitative modeling. Performance shaping factors and error types from such detailed approaches can be used to structure error reporting schemes. In a recent NASA Advanced Human Support Technology grant FRANCIE was refined, and two new taxonomies for use on space missions were developed. The development, sharing, and use of error taxonomies, and the refinement of approaches for increased fidelity of qualitative modeling is offered as a means to help direct useful data collection strategies.« less

I Get to Use an iPod in School? Using Technology-Based Advance Organizers to Support the Academic Success of English Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billings, Elsa S.; Mathison, Carla

2012-08-01

This study investigated the impact of technology-based advance organizers (TBAOs) on the academic performance of 240 4th grade English learners (ELs) participating in a science class in School in the Park (SITP), a museum-school collaboration. While SITP provides a rich, hands-on learning environment, ELs face significant linguistic challenges in their ability to access the dense academic language and concepts provided in SITP's English only curriculum, thus negatively impacting ELs' engagement and learning. The TBAOs were designed in response to this issue. The study investigated two forms of treatment: TBAOs viewed on individual handheld mobile devices (HMDs), specifically iPods; and, TBAOs viewed as a whole class on DVD. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative data sources, including a pre- and posttest, hands-on and performance-based assessments, as well as focus interviews. Results showed a significant interaction effect between group assignment, language status and application assessments, indicating ELs performed significantly better in the treatment groups. Students who used the HMD instead of the DVD or no treatment improved their total scores significantly on hands-on, performance-based measurements. Differences between treatment and control groups' performance on pre-/posttests approached significance. Furthermore, students reported TBAOs supported learning by introducing new material, introducing and reviewing daily academic vocabulary, and helping them anticipate behavioral and procedural expectations of hands-on activities. Classroom and museum educators reported an increase in the treatment groups' motivation and engagement. The study provided important implications in the use and power of learner-controlled technology in supporting ELs' linguistic and academic success.

Retention of knowledge and skills in pediatric basic life support amongst pediatricians.

PubMed

Binkhorst, Mathijs; Coopmans, Michelle; Draaisma, Jos M T; Bot, Petra; Hogeveen, Marije

2018-05-07

Retention of resuscitation skills is usually assessed at a predefined moment, which enables participants to prepare themselves, possibly introducing bias. In this multicenter study, we evaluated the retention of knowledge and skills in pediatric basic life support (PBLS) amongst 58 pediatricians and pediatric residents with an unannounced examination. Practical PBLS skills were assessed with a validated scoring instrument, theoretical knowledge with a 10-item multiple-choice test (MCQ). Participants self-assessed their PBLS capabilities using five-point Likert scales. Background data were collected with a questionnaire. Of our participants, 21% passed the practical PBLS exam: 29% failed on compressions/ventilations, 31% on other parts of the algorithm, 19% on both. Sixty-nine percent passed the theoretical test. Participants who more recently completed a PBLS course performed significantly better on the MCQ (p = 0.03). This association was less clear-cut for performance on the practical exam (p = 0.11). Older, attending pediatricians with more years of experience in pediatrics performed less well than their younger colleagues (p < 0.05). Fifty-one percent of the participants considered themselves competent in PBLS. No correlation was found between self-assessed PBLS capabilities and actual performance on the practical exam (p = 0.25). Retention of PBLS skills appears to be poor amongst pediatricians and residents, whereas PBLS knowledge is retained somewhat better. What is Known: • Pediatricians and pediatric residents are not always competent in pediatric basic life support (PBLS) in daily practice. Poor retention of skills supposedly accounts for this incompetence. Without regular exposure, resuscitation skills usually deteriorate within 3 to 6 months after training. • Examination of resuscitation skills usually takes place after training. Also, in most studies evaluating retention of skills, participants are tested at a predefined moment. Inasmuch as participants are able to prepare themselves, these assessments do not reflect the ad hoc resuscitation capabilities of pediatricians and residents. What is New: • In this study, pediatricians and pediatric residents had to complete an unannounced PBLS exam at variable time intervals from last certification. Retention of PBLS skills was rather poor (pass rate 21%). • The PBLS skills of older, attending pediatricians with many working years in pediatrics appeared to be inferior to those of their younger colleagues.

Linking quality and performance. Quality orientation can be a competitive strategy for health care providers.

PubMed

Rapert, M I; Babakus, E

1996-01-01

Many organizations are not convinced a quality orientation pays off and are looking for ways to link quality with performance. The authors' exploratory study found that a quality orientation is a differentiating factor between low-performing and high-performing general service hospitals. They also developed a quality scale to assess the performance implications of quality-based strategies in the health care industry. Successful health care organizations (1) develop a strategic quality orientation at the management level, (2) support the pursuit of quality at the contact level, and (3) monitor external customers' perceptions of quality.

Clinical skills assessment of procedural and advanced communication skills: performance expectations of residency program directors.

PubMed

Langenau, Erik E; Zhang, Xiuyuan; Roberts, William L; DeChamplain, Andre F; Boulet, John R

2012-01-01

High stakes medical licensing programs are planning to augment and adapt current examinations to be relevant for a two-decision point model for licensure: entry into supervised practice and entry into unsupervised practice. Therefore, identifying which skills should be assessed at each decision point is critical for informing examination development, and gathering input from residency program directors is important. Using data from previously developed surveys and expert panels, a web-delivered survey was distributed to 3,443 residency program directors. For each of the 28 procedural and 18 advanced communication skills, program directors were asked which clinical skills should be assessed, by whom, when, and how. Descriptive statistics were collected, and Intraclass Correlations (ICC) were conducted to determine consistency across different specialties. Among 347 respondents, program directors reported that all advanced communication and some procedural tasks are important to assess. The following procedures were considered 'important' or 'extremely important' to assess: sterile technique (93.8%), advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) (91.1%), basic life support (BLS) (90.0%), interpretation of electrocardiogram (89.4%) and blood gas (88.7%). Program directors reported that most clinical skills should be assessed at the end of the first year of residency (or later) and not before graduation from medical school. A minority were considered important to assess prior to the start of residency training: demonstration of respectfulness (64%), sterile technique (67.2%), BLS (68.9%), ACLS (65.9%) and phlebotomy (63.5%). Results from this study support that assessing procedural skills such as cardiac resuscitation, sterile technique, and phlebotomy would be amenable to assessment at the end of medical school, but most procedural and advanced communications skills would be amenable to assessment at the end of the first year of residency training or later. Gathering data from residency program directors provides support for developing new assessment tools in high-stakes licensing examinations.

Clinical skills assessment of procedural and advanced communication skills: performance expectations of residency program directors

PubMed Central

Langenau, Erik E.; Zhang, Xiuyuan; Roberts, William L.; DeChamplain, Andre F.; Boulet, John R.

2012-01-01

Background High stakes medical licensing programs are planning to augment and adapt current examinations to be relevant for a two-decision point model for licensure: entry into supervised practice and entry into unsupervised practice. Therefore, identifying which skills should be assessed at each decision point is critical for informing examination development, and gathering input from residency program directors is important. Methods Using data from previously developed surveys and expert panels, a web-delivered survey was distributed to 3,443 residency program directors. For each of the 28 procedural and 18 advanced communication skills, program directors were asked which clinical skills should be assessed, by whom, when, and how. Descriptive statistics were collected, and Intraclass Correlations (ICC) were conducted to determine consistency across different specialties. Results Among 347 respondents, program directors reported that all advanced communication and some procedural tasks are important to assess. The following procedures were considered ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ to assess: sterile technique (93.8%), advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) (91.1%), basic life support (BLS) (90.0%), interpretation of electrocardiogram (89.4%) and blood gas (88.7%). Program directors reported that most clinical skills should be assessed at the end of the first year of residency (or later) and not before graduation from medical school. A minority were considered important to assess prior to the start of residency training: demonstration of respectfulness (64%), sterile technique (67.2%), BLS (68.9%), ACLS (65.9%) and phlebotomy (63.5%). Discussion Results from this study support that assessing procedural skills such as cardiac resuscitation, sterile technique, and phlebotomy would be amenable to assessment at the end of medical school, but most procedural and advanced communications skills would be amenable to assessment at the end of the first year of residency training or later. Conclusions Gathering data from residency program directors provides support for developing new assessment tools in high-stakes licensing examinations. PMID:22833698

US DOE-EM On-Site Disposal Cell Working Group - Fostering Communication On Performance Assessment Challenges

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

Seitz, Roger R.; Suttora, Linda C.; Phifer, Mark

On-site disposal cells are in use and being considered at several U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) sites as the final disposition for large amounts of waste associated with cleanup of contaminated areas and facilities. These facilities are typically developed with regulatory oversight from States and/or the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in addition to USDOE. The facilities are developed to meet design standards for disposal of hazardous waste as well as the USDOE performance based standards for disposal of radioactive waste. The involvement of multiple and different regulators for facilities across separate sites has resulted in some differences in expectationsmore » for performance assessments and risk assessments (PA/RA) that are developed for the disposal facilities. The USDOE-EM Office of Site Restoration formed a working group to foster improved communication and sharing of information for personnel associated with these Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) disposal cells and work towards more consistent assumptions, as appropriate, for technical and policy considerations related to performance and risk assessments in support of a Record of Decision and Disposal Authorization Statement. The working group holds teleconferences, as needed, focusing on specific topics of interest. The topics addressed to date include an assessment of the assumptions used for performance assessments and risk assessments (PA/RAs) for on-site disposal cells, requirements and assumptions related to assessment of inadvertent intrusion, DOE Manual 435.1-1 requirements, and approaches for consideration of the long-term performance of liners and covers in the context of PAs. The working group has improved communication among the staff and oversight personnel responsible for onsite disposal cells and has provided a forum to identify and resolve common concerns.« less

Value impact assessment: A preliminary assessment of improvement opportunities at the Quantico Central Heating Plant

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

Brambley, M.R.; Weakley, S.A.

1990-09-01

This report presents the results of a preliminary assessment of opportunities for improvement at the US Marine Corps (USMC) Quantico, Virginia, Central Heating Plant (CHP). This study is part of a program intended to provide the CHP staff with a computerized Artificial Intelligence (AI) decision support system that will assist in a more efficient, reliable, and safe operation of their plant. As part of the effort to provide the AI decision support system, a team of six scientists and engineers from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) visited the plant to characterize the conditions and environment of the CHP. This assessmentmore » resulted in a list of potential performance improvement opportunities at the CHP. In this report, 12 of these opportunities are discussed and qualitatively analyzed. 70 refs., 7 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Safety assessment of underground vehicles passing over highly resilient curved tracks in the presence of a broken rail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suárez, B.; Rodriguez, P.; Vázquez, M.; Fernández, I.

2012-01-01

Vehicle-track interaction for a new resilient slab track designed to reduce noise and vibration levels was analysed, in order to assess the derailment risk on a curved track when encountering a broken rail. Sensitivity of the rail support spacing of the relative position of the rail breakage between two adjacent rail supports and of running speed were analysed for two different elasticities of the rail fastening system. In none of the cases analysed was observed an appreciable difference between either of the elastic systems. As was expected, the most unfavourable situations were those with greater rail support spacing and those with greater distance from the breakage to the nearest rail support, although in none of the simulations performed did a derailment occur when running over the broken rail. When varying the running speed, the most favourable condition was obtained for an intermediate speed, due to the superposition of two antagonistic effects.

HUMEX, a study on the survivability and adaptation of humans to long-duration exploratory missions, part I: lunar missions.

PubMed

Horneck, G; Facius, R; Reichert, M; Rettberg, P; Seboldt, W; Manzey, D; Comet, B; Maillet, A; Preiss, H; Schauer, L; Dussap, C G; Poughon, L; Belyavin, A; Reitz, G; Baumstark-Khan, C; Gerzer, R

2003-01-01

The European Space Agency has recently initiated a study of the human responses, limits and needs with regard to the stress environments of interplanetary and planetary missions. Emphasis has been laid on human health and performance care as well as advanced life support developments including bioregenerative life support systems and environmental monitoring. The overall study goals were as follows: (i) to define reference scenarios for a European participation in human exploration and to estimate their influence on the life sciences and life support requirements; (ii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the limiting factors for human health, wellbeing, and performance and to recommend relevant countermeasures; (iii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the potential of advanced life support developments and to propose a European strategy including terrestrial applications; (iv) to critically assess the feasibility of existing facilities and technologies on ground and in space as testbeds in preparation for human exploratory missions and to develop a test plan for ground and space campaigns; (v) to develop a roadmap for a future European strategy towards human exploratory missions, including preparatory activities and terrestrial applications and benefits. This paper covers the part of the HUMEX study dealing with lunar missions. A lunar base at the south pole where long-time sunlight and potential water ice deposits could be assumed was selected as the Moon reference scenario. The impact on human health, performance and well being has been investigated from the view point of the effects of microgravity (during space travel), reduced gravity (on the Moon) and abrupt gravity changes (during launch and landing), of the effects of cosmic radiation including solar particle events, of psychological issues as well as general health care. Countermeasures as well as necessary research using ground-based test beds and/or the International Space Station have been defined. Likewise advanced life support systems with a high degree of autonomy and regenerative capacity and synergy effects were considered where bioregenerative life support systems and biodiagnostic systems become essential. Finally, a European strategy leading to a potential European participation in future human exploratory missions has been recommended. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HUMEX, a study on the survivability and adaptation of humans to long-duration exploratory missions, part I: lunar missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horneck, G.; Facius, R.; Reichert, M.; Rettberg, P.; Seboldt, W.; Manzey, D.; Comet, B.; Maillet, A.; Preiss, H.; Schauer, L.;

HUMEX, a study on the survivability and adaptation of humans to long- duration exploratory missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horneck, G.

ESA has recently initiated a study of the human responses, limits and needs with regard to the stress environments of interplanetary and planetary missions. Emphasis was laid on human health and performance care as well as Advanced Life Support Developments including Bioregenerative Life Support Systems and environmental monitoring. The overall study goals were as follows: (i) to define reference scenarios for a European participation in human exploration and to estimate their influence on the Life Sciences and Life Support requirements; (ii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the limiting factors for human health, wellbeing, and performance and to recommend relevant countermeasures; (iii) for selected mission scenarios, to critically assess the potential of Advanced Life Support Developments and to propose a European strategy including terrestrial applications; (iv) to critically assess the feasibility of existing facilities and technologies on ground and in space as testbeds in preparation for human exploratory missions and to develop a test plan for ground and ISS campaigns; (v) to develop a roadmap for a future European strategy towards human exploratory missions, including preparatory activities and terrestrial applications and benefits. A lunar base at the south pole where constant sunlight and potential water ice deposits could be assumed was selected as the moon scenario. the impact on human health, performance and well being has been investigated from the view point of the effects of microgravity (during space travel), reduced gravity (on the Moon) and abrupt gravity changes (during launch and landing), of the effects of cosmic radiation including solar particle events, of psychological issues as well as general health care. Countermeasures as well as necessary research using ground- based testbeds and/or the ISS have been defined. The need for highly intelligent autonomous diagnostic and therapy systems was considered as a driver also for terrestrial applications. Likewise advanced life support systems with a high degree of autonomy and regenerative capacity and synergy effects were considered where bioregenerative life support systems and biodiagnistic systems become essential especially for the long-term Mars scenario. A roadmap for a future European strategy leading to a potential European participation in a cooperative human exploratory mission, either to the Moon or to Mars, was produced. Ref. Horneck et al. HUMEX, study on the Survivability and Adaptation of Humans to Long-Duration Exploratory Missions, ESA SP (in press)

Perceived autonomy support, personal goal content, and emotional well-being among elite athletes: mediating effects of reasons for goals.

PubMed

Solberg, Paul André; Halvari, Hallgeir

2009-06-01

The relations between perceived support of autonomy from coaches, characteristics of personal goals, and emotional well-being from the perspective of self-determination theory was examined among 95 elite athletes (59% men; M = 21.6 yr., SD = 6.1) from Track and Field, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Taekwondo, and Power Lifting. Elite athletes were those representing their country in their sport. It was hypothesized that having autonomous reasons for goals would mediate the positive associations between perceived autonomy support and intrinsic goal content with subjective positive emotional well-being, and that controlled reasons for goals would mediate the association between extrinsic goal content and subjective negative emotional well-being. An idiographic approach to measures of personal goals and the autonomous and controlled reasons and intrinsic and extrinsic contents were performed. Perceived autonomy support from the coach was assessed with the Sport Climate Questionnaire and subjective emotional well-being was assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. All hypotheses were supported by path analyses using LISREL.

Best-worst scaling to assess the most important barriers and facilitators for the use of health technology assessment in Austria.

PubMed

Feig, Chiara; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia M A A; Simon, Judit; Mayer, Susanne

2018-04-01

Although Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is increasingly used to support evidence-based decision-making in health care, several barriers and facilitators for the use of HTA have been identified. This best-worst scaling (BWS) study aims to assess the relative importance of selected barriers and facilitators of the uptake of HTA studies in Austria. A BWS object case survey was conducted among 37 experts in Austria to assess the relative importance of HTA barriers and facilitators. Hierarchical Bayes estimation was applied, with the best-worst count analysis as sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analyses were also performed on professional role and HTA experience. The most important barriers were 'lack of transparency in the decision-making process', 'fragmentation', 'absence of appropriate incentives', 'no explicit framework for decision-making process', and 'insufficient legal support'. The most important facilitators were 'transparency in the decision-making process', 'availability of relevant HTA research for policy makers', 'availability of explicit framework for decision-making process', 'sufficient legal support', and 'appropriate incentives'. This study suggests that HTA barriers and facilitators related to the context of decision makers, especially 'policy characteristics' and 'organization and resources' are the most important in Austria. A transparent and participatory decision-making process could improve the adoption of HTA evidence.

A longitudinal analysis of sex differences in math and spatial skills in primary school age children☆

PubMed Central

Lachance, Jennifer A.; Mazzocco, Michèle M.M.

2009-01-01

We report on a longitudinal study designed to assess possible sex differences in math achievement, math ability, and math-related tasks during the primary school age years. Participants included over 200 children from one public school district. Annual assessments included measures of math ability, math calculation achievement scores, rapid naming and decoding tasks, visual perception tests, visual motor tasks, and reading skills. During select years of the study we also administered tests of counting and math facts skills. We examined whether girls or boys were overrepresented among the bottom or top performers on any of these tasks, relative to their peers, and whether growth rates or predictors of math-related skills differed for boys and girls. Our findings support the notion that sex differences in math are minimal or nonexistent on standardized psychometric tests routinely given in assessments of primary school age children. There was no persistent finding suggesting a male or female advantage in math performance overall, during any single year of the study, or in any one area of math or spatial skills. Growth rates for all skills, and early correlates of later math performance, were comparable for boys and girls. The findings fail to support either persistent or emerging sex differences on non-specialized math ability measures during the primary school age years. PMID:20463851

Can Item Keyword Feedback Help Remediate Knowledge Gaps?

PubMed

Feinberg, Richard A; Clauser, Amanda L

2016-10-01

In graduate medical education, assessment results can effectively guide professional development when both assessment and feedback support a formative model. When individuals cannot directly access the test questions and responses, a way of using assessment results formatively is to provide item keyword feedback. The purpose of the following study was to investigate whether exposure to item keyword feedback aids in learner remediation. Participants included 319 trainees who completed a medical subspecialty in-training examination (ITE) in 2012 as first-year fellows, and then 1 year later in 2013 as second-year fellows. Performance on 2013 ITE items in which keywords were, or were not, exposed as part of the 2012 ITE score feedback was compared across groups based on the amount of time studying (preparation). For the same items common to both 2012 and 2013 ITEs, response patterns were analyzed to investigate changes in answer selection. Test takers who indicated greater amounts of preparation on the 2013 ITE did not perform better on the items in which keywords were exposed compared to those who were not exposed. The response pattern analysis substantiated overall growth in performance from the 2012 ITE. For items with incorrect responses on both attempts, examinees selected the same option 58% of the time. Results from the current study were unsuccessful in supporting the use of item keywords in aiding remediation. Unfortunately, the results did provide evidence of examinees retaining misinformation.

Reducing the socio-economic status achievement gap at University by promoting mastery-oriented assessment.

PubMed

Smeding, Annique; Darnon, Céline; Souchal, Carine; Toczek-Capelle, Marie-Christine; Butera, Fabrizio

2013-01-01

In spite of official intentions to reduce inequalities at University, students' socio-economic status (SES) is still a major determinant of academic success. The literature on the dual function of University suggests that University serves not only an educational function (i.e., to improve students' learning), but also a selection function (i.e., to compare people, and orient them towards different positions in society). Because current assessment practices focus on the selection more than on the educational function, their characteristics fit better with norms and values shared by dominant high-status groups and may favour high-SES students over low-SES students in terms of performances. A focus on the educational function (i.e., mastery goals), instead, may support low-SES students' achievement, but empirical evidence is currently lacking. The present research set out to provide such evidence and tested, in two field studies and a randomised field experiment, the hypothesis that focusing on University's educational function rather than on its selection function may reduce the SES achievement gap. Results showed that a focus on learning, mastery-oriented goals in the assessment process reduced the SES achievement gap at University. For the first time, empirical data support the idea that low-SES students can perform as well as high-SES students if they are led to understand assessment as part of the learning process, a way to reach mastery goals, rather than as a way to compare students to each other and select the best of them, resulting in performance goals. This research thus provides a theoretical framework to understand the differential effects of assessment on the achievement of high and low-SES students, and paves the way toward the implementation of novel, theory-driven interventions to reduce the SES-based achievement gap at University.

Validation of the Virtual MET as an assessment tool for executive functions.

PubMed

Rand, Debbie; Basha-Abu Rukan, Soraya; Weiss, Patrice L Tamar; Katz, Noomi

2009-08-01

The purpose of this study was to establish ecological validity and initial construct validity of a Virtual Multiple Errands Test (VMET) as an assessment tool for executive functions. It was implemented within the Virtual Mall (VMall), a novel functional video-capture virtual shopping environment. The main objectives were (1) to examine the relationships between the performance of three groups of participants in the Multiple Errands Test (MET) carried out in a real shopping mall and their performance in the VMET, (2) to assess the relationships between the MET and VMET of the post-stroke participant's level of executive functioning and independence in instrumental activities of daily living, and (3) to compare the performance of post-stroke participants to those of healthy young and older controls in both the MET and VMET. The study population included three groups; post-stroke participants (n = 9), healthy young participants (n = 20), and healthy older participants (n = 20). The VMET was able to differentiate between two age groups of healthy participants and between healthy and post-stroke participants thus demonstrating that it is sensitive to brain injury and ageing and supports construct validity between known groups. In addition, significant correlations were found between the MET and the VMET for both the post-stroke participants and older healthy participants. This provides initial support for the ecological validity of the VMET as an assessment tool of executive functions. However, further psychometric data on temporal stability are needed, namely test-retest reliability and responsiveness, before it is ready for clinical application. Further research using the VMET as an assessment tool within the VMall with larger groups and in additional populations is also recommended.

Should Student Evaluation of Teaching Play a Significant Role in the Formal Assessment of Dental Faculty? Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint 1: Formal Faculty Assessment Should Include Student Evaluation of Teaching and Viewpoint 2: Student Evaluation of Teaching Should Not Be Part of Formal Faculty Assessment.

PubMed

Rowan, Susan; Newness, Elmer J; Tetradis, Sotirios; Prasad, Joanne L; Ko, Ching-Chang; Sanchez, Arlene

2017-11-01

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is often used in the assessment of faculty members' job performance and promotion and tenure decisions, but debate over this use of student evaluations has centered on the validity, reliability, and application of the data in assessing teaching performance. Additionally, the fear of student criticism has the potential of influencing course content delivery and testing measures. This Point/Counterpoint article reviews the potential utility of and controversy surrounding the use of SETs in the formal assessment of dental school faculty. Viewpoint 1 supports the view that SETs are reliable and should be included in those formal assessments. Proponents of this opinion contend that SETs serve to measure a school's effectiveness in support of its core mission, are valid measures based on feedback from the recipients of educational delivery, and provide formative feedback to improve faculty accountability to the institution. Viewpoint 2 argues that SETs should not be used for promotion and tenure decisions, asserting that higher SET ratings do not correlate with improved student learning. The advocates of this viewpoint contend that faculty members may be influenced to focus on student satisfaction rather than pedagogy, resulting in grade inflation. They also argue that SETs are prone to gender and racial biases and that SET results are frequently misinterpreted by administrators. Low response rates and monotonic response patterns are other factors that compromise the reliability of SETs.

Performance of an Abbreviated Version of the Lubben Social Network Scale among Three European Community-Dwelling Older Adult Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubben, James; Blozik, Eva; Gillmann, Gerhard; Iliffe, Steve; von Renteln-Kruse, Wolfgang; Beck, John C.; Stuck, Andreas E.

2006-01-01

Purpose: There is a need for valid and reliable short scales that can be used to assess social networks and social supports and to screen for social isolation in older persons. Design and Methods: The present study is a cross-national and cross-cultural evaluation of the performance of an abbreviated version of the Lubben Social Network Scale…

Preliminary assessment of the diagnostic performances of a new rapid diagnostic test for the serodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis.

PubMed

Vola, Ambra; Tamarozzi, Francesca; Noordin, Rahmah; Yunus, Muhammad Hafiznur; Khanbabaie, Sam; De Silvestri, Annalisa; Brunetti, Enrico; Mariconti, Mara

2018-04-14

Rapid diagnostic tests for cystic echinococcosis (CE) are convenient to support ultrasound diagnosis in uncertain cases, especially in resource-limited settings. We found comparable diagnostic performances of the experimental Hyd Rapid Test and the commercial VIRapid HYDATIDOSIS Test, used in our diagnostic laboratory, using samples from well-characterized hepatic CE cases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of the Duration of Basic Life Support Training on the Learners' Cardiopulmonary and Automated External Defibrillator Skills

PubMed Central

Kang, Ku Hyun; Song, Keun Jeong; Lee, Chang Hee

2016-01-01

Background. Basic life support (BLS) training with hands-on practice can improve performance during simulated cardiac arrest, although the optimal duration for BLS training is unknown. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of various BLS training durations for acquiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) skills. Methods. We randomised 485 South Korean nonmedical college students into four levels of BLS training: level 1 (40 min), level 2 (80 min), level 3 (120 min), and level 4 (180 min). Before and after each level, the participants completed questionnaires regarding their willingness to perform CPR and use AEDs, and their psychomotor skills for CPR and AED use were assessed using a manikin with Skill-Reporter™ software. Results. There were no significant differences between levels 1 and 2, although levels 3 and 4 exhibited significant differences in the proportion of overall adequate chest compressions (p < 0.001) and average chest compression depth (p = 0.003). All levels exhibited a greater posttest willingness to perform CPR and use AEDs (all, p < 0.001). Conclusions. Brief BLS training provided a moderate level of skill for performing CPR and using AEDs. However, high-quality skills for CPR required longer and hands-on training, particularly hands-on training with AEDs. PMID:27529066

32 CFR 701.108 - Amendment of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... opinion (e.g., evaluations of work performance and assessments of promotion potential contained in...); and copies of available documentary evidence that support the request. (2) The burden of proof rests... permit the alteration of evidence presented in the course of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. Any...

32 CFR 701.108 - Amendment of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... opinion (e.g., evaluations of work performance and assessments of promotion potential contained in...); and copies of available documentary evidence that support the request. (2) The burden of proof rests... permit the alteration of evidence presented in the course of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. Any...

32 CFR 701.108 - Amendment of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... opinion (e.g., evaluations of work performance and assessments of promotion potential contained in...); and copies of available documentary evidence that support the request. (2) The burden of proof rests... permit the alteration of evidence presented in the course of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. Any...

32 CFR 701.108 - Amendment of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... opinion (e.g., evaluations of work performance and assessments of promotion potential contained in...); and copies of available documentary evidence that support the request. (2) The burden of proof rests... permit the alteration of evidence presented in the course of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. Any...

32 CFR 701.108 - Amendment of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... opinion (e.g., evaluations of work performance and assessments of promotion potential contained in...); and copies of available documentary evidence that support the request. (2) The burden of proof rests... permit the alteration of evidence presented in the course of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. Any...

Developing leadership talent in healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Wells, Wendy; Hejna, William

2009-01-01

Effective initiatives for developing and retaining leadership talent are built around five supporting elements: Identification of key leader competencies. Effective job design. A strong focus on leadership recruitment, development, and retention. Leadership training and development throughout all levels of the organization. Ongoing leadership assessment and performance management.

Evaluation tools to support ITS planning process : development of a sketch planning tool in FSUTMS/cube environment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-15

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) planning requires the use of tools to assess the performance of ITS deployment alternatives relative to each other and to other types of transportation system improvement alternatives. This research project in...

Alaska road weather project : technical performance assessment report Fairbanks field demonstration 2013-2014.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-02-01

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities began implementation of a Maintenance Decision Support System in an : effort to improve snow and ice control in the Fairbanks area. As part of the project the reliability of the weather fo...

75 FR 81209 - Information Collection; National Incident Support Stakeholder Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-27

... define best practices. Stakeholders include Forest Service employees, other Federal agencies, industry... goal of determining the acquisition method which is in the best interest of the Federal government, imposes a reasonable risk on the contractor, yet also motivates effective contractor performance. The...

Reliability of Speech Diadochokinetic Test Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadesmann, Miriam; Miller, Nick

2008-01-01

Background: Measures of articulatory diadochokinesis (DDK) are widely used in the assessment of motor speech disorders and they play a role in detecting abnormality, monitoring speech performance changes and classifying syndromes. Although in clinical practice DDK is generally measured perceptually, without support from instrumental methods that…

School Curriculum in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakayasu, Chie

2016-01-01

This article examines Japanese education system especially relevant to the school curriculum, which might support Japanese high performance in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), mainly through Japanese policy documents. The Japanese education systems have been constructed by the local context of society and politics,…

THE EPA NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY CHILDREN'S PESTICIDE EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) is performing research in support of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996. This act requires that pesticide exposure assessments to be conducted for all potential sources, rou...

Data, Our GPS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Rich; Johnson, Marcus; Thompson, Karen D.

2012-01-01

A low-performing California school district experienced a dramatic turnaround when faculty members began studying student assessment data and working together to ensure students had the support they needed. Sanger Unified School District began its reform journey in 2004 when district leaders launched an effort to focus deliberately on student…

Assessing Vertical Development in Experiential Learning Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spence, Kirsty K.; McDonald, Mark A.

2015-01-01

For 30 years, management educators have supported competency-based management education (CBME). When applying CBME, educators stimulate students' "lateral development", known as the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and competencies that deepen their current perceptions and task performance. We contend CBME is necessary but not…

Hypervelocity Impact of Unstressed and Stressed Titanium in a Whipple Configuration in Support of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module Propellant Tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nahra, Henry K.; Christiansen, Eric; Piekutowski, Andrew; Lyons, Frankel; Keddy, Christopher; Salem, Jonathan; Miller, Joshua; Bohl, William; Poormon, Kevin; Greene, Nathanel;

Hypervelocity Impact of Unstressed and Stressed Titanium in a Whipple Configuration in Support of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module Propellant Tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nahra, Henry K.; Christiansen, Eric; Piekutowski, Andrew; Lyons, Frankel; Keddy, Christopher; Salem, Jonathan; Poormon, Kevin; Bohl, William; Miller, Joshua; Greene, Nathanael;

A usability study of CPOE's medication administration functions: impact on physician-nurse cooperation.

PubMed

Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie Catherine; Pelayo, Sylvia; Degoulet, Patrice; Anceaux, Françoise; Guerlinger, Sandra; Meaux, Jean-Jacques

2004-01-01

Implementation of CPOE systems in Healthcare Institutions has proven efficient in reducing medication errors but it also induces hidden side-effects on Doctor-Nurse cooperation. We propose a usability engineering approach to this problem. An extensive activity analysis of the medication ordering and administration process was performed in several departments of 3 different hospitals. Two of these hospitals are still using paper-based orders, while the 3rd one is in the roll-out phase of medication functions of its CPOE system. We performed a usability assessment of this CPOE system. The usability assessment uncovered usability problems for the entry of medication administration time scheduling by the physician and revealed that the information can be ambiguous for the nurse. The comparison of cooperation models in both situation shows that users tend to adopt a distributed decision making paradigm in the paper-based situation, while the CPOE system supports a centralized decision making process. This analysis can support recommendation for the re-engineering of the Human-Computer Interface.

GSFC Supplier Surveillance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Michael P.

2011-01-01

Topics covered include: Develop Program/Project Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans The work activities performed by the developer and/or his suppliers are subject to evaluation and audit by government-designated representatives. CSO supports project by selecting on-site supplier representative s by one of several methods: (1) a Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) person via a Letter Of Delegation (LOD), (2) an independent assurance contractor (IAC) via a contract Audits, Assessments, and Assurance (A3) Contract Code 300 Mission Assurance Support Contract (MASC)

Is there agreement between worker self and supervisor assessment of worker safety performance? An examination in the construction industry.

PubMed

Xia, Nini; Griffin, Mark A; Wang, Xueqing; Liu, Xing; Wang, Dan

2018-06-01

Individual safety performance (behavior) critically influences safety outcomes in high-risk workplaces. Compared to the study of generic work performance on different measurements, few studies have investigated different measurements of safety performance, typically relying on employees' self-reflection of their safety behavior. This research aims to address this limitation by including worker self-reflection and other (i.e., supervisor) assessment of two worker safety performance dimensions, safety compliance and safety participation. A sample of 105 workers and 17 supervisors in 17 groups in the Chinese construction industry participated in this study. Comparisons were made between worker compliance and participation in each measurement, and between workers' and supervisors' assessment of workers' compliance and participation. Multilevel modeling was adopted to test the moderating effects on the worker self-reflection and supervisor-assessment relationship by group safety climate and the work experience of supervisors. Higher levels of safety compliance than participation were found for self-reflection and supervisor assessment. The discrepancy between the two measurements in each safety performance dimension was significant. The work experience of supervisors attenuated the discrepancy between self- and supervisor-assessment of compliance. Contrary to our expectations, the moderating effect of group safety climate was not supported. The discrepancy between worker self- and supervisor-assessment of worker safety performance, thus, suggests the importance of including alternative measurements of safety performance in addition to self-reflection. Lower levels of participation behavior in both raters suggest more research on the motivators of participatory behavior. Practical applications The discrepancy between different raters can lead to negative reactions of ratees, suggesting that managers should be aware of that difference. Assigning experienced supervisors as raters can be effective at mitigating interrater discrepancy and conflicts in the assessment of compliance behavior. Copyright © 2018 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing Models of Spontaneous Variations, Maneuvers and Indexes to Assess Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation.

PubMed

Chacón, Max; Noh, Sun-Ho; Landerretche, Jean; Jara, José L

2018-01-01

We analyzed the performance of linear and nonlinear models to assess dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) from spontaneous variations in healthy subjects and compared it with the use of two known maneuvers to abruptly change arterial blood pressure (BP): thigh cuffs and sit-to-stand. Cerebral blood flow velocity and BP were measured simultaneously at rest and while the maneuvers were performed in 20 healthy subjects. To analyze the spontaneous variations, we implemented two types of models using support vector machine (SVM): linear and nonlinear finite impulse response models. The classic autoregulation index (ARI) and the more recently proposed model-free ARI (mfARI) were used as measures of dCA. An ANOVA analysis was applied to compare the different methods and the coefficient of variation was calculated to evaluate their variability. There are differences between indexes, but not between models and maneuvers. The mfARI index with the sit-to-stand maneuver shows the least variability. Support vector machine modeling of spontaneous variation with the mfARI index could be used for the assessment of dCA as an alternative to maneuvers to introduce large BP fluctuations.

A novel collaborative e-learning platform for medical students - ALERT STUDENT

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The increasing complexity of medical curricula would benefit from adaptive computer supported collaborative learning systems that support study management using instructional design and learning object principles. However, to our knowledge, there are scarce reports regarding applications developed to meet this goal and encompass the complete medical curriculum. The aim of ths study was to develop and assess the usability of an adaptive computer supported collaborative learning system for medical students to manage study sessions. Results A study platform named ALERT STUDENT was built as a free web application. Content chunks are represented as Flashcards that hold knowledge and open ended questions. These can be created in a collaborative fashion. Multiple Flashcards can be combined into custom stacks called Notebooks that can be accessed in study Groups that belong to the user institution. The system provides a Study Mode that features text markers, text notes, timers and color-coded content prioritization based on self-assessment of open ended questions presented in a Quiz Mode. Time spent studying and Perception of knowledge are displayed for each student and peers using charts. Computer supported collaborative learning is achieved by allowing for simultaneous creation of Notebooks and self-assessment questions by many users in a pre-defined Group. Past personal performance data is retrieved when studying new Notebooks containing previously studied Flashcards. Self-report surveys showed that students highly agreed that the system was useful and were willing to use it as a reference tool. Conclusions The platform employs various instructional design and learning object principles in a computer supported collaborative learning platform for medical students that allows for study management. The application broadens student insight over learning results and supports informed decisions based on past learning performance. It serves as a potential educational model for the medical education setting that has gathered strong positive feedback from students at our school. This platform provides a case study on how effective blending of instructional design and learning object principles can be brought together to manage study, and takes an important step towards bringing information management tools to support study decisions and improving learning outcomes. PMID:25017028

A novel collaborative e-learning platform for medical students - ALERT STUDENT.

PubMed

Taveira-Gomes, Tiago; Saffarzadeh, Areo; Severo, Milton; Guimarães, M Jorge; Ferreira, Maria Amélia

2014-07-14

The increasing complexity of medical curricula would benefit from adaptive computer supported collaborative learning systems that support study management using instructional design and learning object principles. However, to our knowledge, there are scarce reports regarding applications developed to meet this goal and encompass the complete medical curriculum. The aim of ths study was to develop and assess the usability of an adaptive computer supported collaborative learning system for medical students to manage study sessions. A study platform named ALERT STUDENT was built as a free web application. Content chunks are represented as Flashcards that hold knowledge and open ended questions. These can be created in a collaborative fashion. Multiple Flashcards can be combined into custom stacks called Notebooks that can be accessed in study Groups that belong to the user institution. The system provides a Study Mode that features text markers, text notes, timers and color-coded content prioritization based on self-assessment of open ended questions presented in a Quiz Mode. Time spent studying and Perception of knowledge are displayed for each student and peers using charts. Computer supported collaborative learning is achieved by allowing for simultaneous creation of Notebooks and self-assessment questions by many users in a pre-defined Group. Past personal performance data is retrieved when studying new Notebooks containing previously studied Flashcards. Self-report surveys showed that students highly agreed that the system was useful and were willing to use it as a reference tool. The platform employs various instructional design and learning object principles in a computer supported collaborative learning platform for medical students that allows for study management. The application broadens student insight over learning results and supports informed decisions based on past learning performance. It serves as a potential educational model for the medical education setting that has gathered strong positive feedback from students at our school.This platform provides a case study on how effective blending of instructional design and learning object principles can be brought together to manage study, and takes an important step towards bringing information management tools to support study decisions and improving learning outcomes.

Predicting Minority Student Performance in the First Medical School Year

PubMed Central

Roman, Stanford A.; Sorenson, James R.; Davis, Walter I.; Erickson, Regina

1979-01-01

Impressions and anecdotal evidence have raised concerns that traditional cognitive measures of past performance may not be predictive of the performance among minority students in medical school. This study assessed the relationship between nine objective measures and actual first year academic performance for cohorts of minority students enrolled in a single medical school between 1973 and 1976. The findings support previous impressions that objective measures together explain less than half of the variance in academic performance. Furthermore, the cumulative undergraduate college average and the competitiveness of the undergraduate college are consistently the strongest predictors of academic performance among this group. PMID:529325

Where we are now and how we can improve: a qualitative study of practitioners' perspectives on providing ART adherence support in Romania.

PubMed

Dima, Alexandra Lelia; Linn, Annemiek J; Schweitzer, Ana-Maria

2016-01-01

Supporting medication adherence is a priority in HIV care worldwide as low adherence threatens the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment (ART). While evidence on adherence causes and consequences has steadily accumulated, investigating current practice and relevant determinants of practitioners' behaviors has only recently been highlighted as essential for developing effective and sustainable interventions. In Romania, ART adherence is low despite universal access to HIV care, and improving support services is a priority. We report a qualitative exploration of practitioners' experiences and views on ART adherence support, guided by current behavioral theory. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 10 practitioners from six HIV centers, aiming for maximum variation sampling on professional experience, location, and organization type. Questions addressed practitioners' views and experiences on assessing patients' adherence behaviors and determinants, content and format of adherence support, and perceived influences on their capacity to deliver support. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed via template analysis. Results show that adherence support is provided in Romania by trained psychologists in multidisciplinary teams that operate flexibly and perform multiple HIV care activities. Assessment of adherence behaviors and determinants is primarily interview-based, and practitioners use mostly psychotherapeutic techniques and theories with a degree of intervention tailoring. Practitioners' descriptions covered a broad range of common determinants and behavior change techniques, but showed limited use of behavioral theory. Participants also described difficulties to cope with limited resources, and lack of support for managing practical and emotional challenges. Several opportunities for improvement were identified, such as standardizing patient profiling and intervention delivery, conceptualizing and recording active intervention content based on behavioral theory, and actively monitoring intervention effectiveness. This qualitative inquiry provided valuable information for improving adherence support in this clinical context. Understanding practitioners' perspectives based on behavioral theory-informed analyses can help intervention developers increase intervention fidelity by integrating current practice information in program design.

Human Factors Virtual Analysis Techniques for NASA's Space Launch System Ground Support using MSFC's Virtual Environments Lab (VEL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Searcy, Brittani

2017-01-01

Using virtual environments to assess complex large scale human tasks provides timely and cost effective results to evaluate designs and to reduce operational risks during assembly and integration of the Space Launch System (SLS). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) uses a suite of tools to conduct integrated virtual analysis during the design phase of the SLS Program. Siemens Jack is a simulation tool that allows engineers to analyze human interaction with CAD designs by placing a digital human model into the environment to test different scenarios and assess the design's compliance to human factors requirements. Engineers at MSFC are using Jack in conjunction with motion capture and virtual reality systems in MSFC's Virtual Environments Lab (VEL). The VEL provides additional capability beyond standalone Jack to record and analyze a person performing a planned task to assemble the SLS at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The VEL integrates Vicon Blade motion capture system, Siemens Jack, Oculus Rift, and other virtual tools to perform human factors assessments. By using motion capture and virtual reality, a more accurate breakdown and understanding of how an operator will perform a task can be gained. By virtual analysis, engineers are able to determine if a specific task is capable of being safely performed by both a 5% (approx. 5ft) female and a 95% (approx. 6'1) male. In addition, the analysis will help identify any tools or other accommodations that may to help complete the task. These assessments are critical for the safety of ground support engineers and keeping launch operations on schedule. Motion capture allows engineers to save and examine human movements on a frame by frame basis, while virtual reality gives the actor (person performing a task in the VEL) an immersive view of the task environment. This presentation will discuss the need of human factors for SLS and the benefits of analyzing tasks in NASA MSFC's VEL.

A composite CBRN surveillance and testing service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niemeyer, Debra M.

2004-08-01

The terrorist threat coupled with a global military mission necessitates quick and accurate identification of environmental hazards, and CBRN early warning. The Air Force Institute for Operational Health (AFIOH) provides fundamental support to protect personnel from and mitigate the effects of untoward hazards exposures. Sustaining healthy communities since 1955, the organizational charter is to enhance warfighter mission effectiveness, protect health, improve readiness and reduce costs, assess and manage risks to human heath and safety, operational performance and the environment. The AFIOH Surveillance Directorate provides forward deployed and reach-back surveillance, agent identification, and environ-mental regulatory compliance testing. Three unique laboratories process and analyze over two million environmental samples and clinical specimens per year, providing analytical chemistry, radiological assessment, and infectious disease testing, in addition to supporting Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) clinical reference laboratory and force health protection testing. Each laboratory has an applied or investigational testing section where new technologies and techniques are evaluated, and expert consultative support to assist in technology assessments and test analyses. The Epidemiology Surveillance Laboratory and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory are critical assets of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Laboratory Response Network. Deployable assets provide direct support to the Combatant Commander and include the Air Force Radiological Assessment Team, and the Biological Augmentation Team. A diverse directorate, the synergistic CBRN response capabilities are a commander"s force protection tool, critical to maintaining combat power.

CES_EHP_Figure_2

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The increasing number of chemicals for which SHEDS probabilistic exposure assessment has been performed over the yearsThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Egeghy , P., L. Sheldon, K. Isaacs , H. Ozkaynak, M. Goldsmith, J. Wambaugh , R. Judson , and T. Buckley. Computational Exposure Science: An Emerging Discipline to Support 21st-Century Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, 124(6): 697–702, (2016).

Tiger Team Assessment of the Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Not Available

1991-11-01

The purpose of the safety and health assessment was to determine the effectiveness of representative safety and health programs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Within the safety and health programs at LANL, performance was assessed in the following technical areas: Organization and Administration, Quality Verification, Operations, Maintenance, Training and Certification, Auxiliary Systems, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Support, Packaging and Transportation, Nuclear Criticality Safety, Security/Safety Interface, Experimental Activities, Site/Facility Safety Review, Radiological Protection, Personnel Protection, Worker Safety and Health (OSHA) Compliance, Fire Protection, Aviation Safety, Explosives Safety, Natural Phenomena, and Medical Services.

Assessment & Commitment Tracking System (ACTS)

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

Bryant, Robert A.; Childs, Teresa A.; Miller, Michael A.

2004-12-20

The ACTS computer code provides a centralized tool for planning and scheduling assessments, tracking and managing actions associated with assessments or that result from an event or condition, and "mining" data for reporting and analyzing information for improving performance. The ACTS application is designed to work with the MS SQL database management system. All database interfaces are written in SQL. The following software is used to develop and support the ACTS application: Cold Fusion HTML JavaScript Quest TOAD Microsoft Visual Source Safe (VSS) HTML Mailer for sending email Microsoft SQL Microsoft Internet Information Server

Developing an SSAC Self-Assessment Tool for Operators and Regulators

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

Frazar, Sarah L.; Innes-Jones, Gemma; Hamilton, Ian

Enabling an SSAC to understand why it is performing inefficiently can help it allocate resources more effectively to better support IAEA safeguards implementation. In collaboration with international consulting firm, Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and a U.S. based nuclear fuel cycle facility, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been developing a framework for a future self-assessment tool for nuclear operators and regulators. This paper will describe the effort to date, with particular emphasis on the steps the team took to align the framework with relevant IAEA self-assessment tools.

Efficiency of nuclear and mitochondrial markers recovering and supporting known amniote groups.

PubMed

Lambret-Frotté, Julia; Perini, Fernando Araújo; de Moraes Russo, Claudia Augusta

2012-01-01

We have analysed the efficiency of all mitochondrial protein coding genes and six nuclear markers (Adora3, Adrb2, Bdnf, Irbp, Rag2 and Vwf) in reconstructing and statistically supporting known amniote groups (murines, rodents, primates, eutherians, metatherians, therians). The efficiencies of maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining and UPGMA were also evaluated, by assessing the number of correct and incorrect recovered groupings. In addition, we have compared support values using the conservative bootstrap test and the Bayesian posterior probabilities. First, no correlation was observed between gene size and marker efficiency in recovering or supporting correct nodes. As expected, tree-building methods performed similarly, even UPGMA that, in some cases, outperformed other most extensively used methods. Bayesian posterior probabilities tend to show much higher support values than the conservative bootstrap test, for correct and incorrect nodes. Our results also suggest that nuclear markers do not necessarily show a better performance than mitochondrial genes. The so-called dependency among mitochondrial markers was not observed comparing genome performances. Finally, the amniote groups with lowest recovery rates were therians and rodents, despite the morphological support for their monophyletic status. We suggest that, regardless of the tree-building method, a few carefully selected genes are able to unfold a detailed and robust scenario of phylogenetic hypotheses, particularly if taxon sampling is increased.

Needs, Perceived Support, and Hospital Readmissions in Patients with Severe Mental Illness.

PubMed

Guzman-Parra, Jose; Moreno-Küstner, Berta; Rivas, Fabio; Alba-Vallejo, Mercedes; Hernandez-Pedrosa, Javier; Mayoral-Cleries, Fermin

2018-02-01

People with severe mental illness have multiple and complex needs that often are not addressed. The purpose of this study was to analyse needs and support perceived and the relationship with hospital readmission. We assessed 100 patients with severe mental illness at discharge from an acute inpatient unit in terms of needs (Camberwell Assessment of Needs), clinical status (The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale), and social functioning (Personal and Social Performance); we also followed up these patients for 1 year. The group of patients who were readmitted had more total needs than did the non-readmitted, in addition to more unmet needs, although the differences were not significant. The highest risk factor for rehospitalisation was the number of previous admissions. In addition, the help of informal carers in alleviating psychological distress was associated with the risk of readmission. The main conclusion concerns the role of the psychological support provided by informal networks in preventing readmission.

What physicians reason about during admission case review.

PubMed

Juma, Salina; Goldszmidt, Mark

2017-08-01

Research suggests that physicians perform multiple reasoning tasks beyond diagnosis during patient review. However, these remain largely theoretical. The purpose of this study was to explore reasoning tasks in clinical practice during patient admission review. The authors used a constant comparative approach-an iterative and inductive process of coding and recoding-to analyze transcripts from 38 audio-recorded case reviews between junior trainees and their senior residents or attendings. Using a previous list of reasoning tasks, analysis focused on what tasks were performed, when they occurred, and how they related to the other tasks. All 24 tasks were observed in at least one review with a mean of 17.9 (Min = 15, Max = 22) distinct tasks per review. Two new tasks-assess illness severity and patient decision-making capacity-were identified, thus 26 tasks were examined. Three overarching tasks were identified-assess priorities, determine and refine the most likely diagnosis and establish and refine management plans-that occurred throughout all stages of the case review starting from patient identification and continuing through to assessment and plan. A fourth possible overarching task-reflection-was also identified but only observed in four instances across three cases. The other 22 tasks appeared to be context dependent serving to support, expand, and refine one or more overarching tasks. Tasks were non-sequential and the same supporting task could serve more than one overarching task. The authors conclude that these findings provide insight into the 'what' and 'when' of physician reasoning during case review that can be used to support professional development, clinical training and patient care. In particular, they draw attention to the iterative way in which each task is addressed during a case review and how this finding may challenge conventional ways of teaching and assessing clinical communication and reasoning. They also suggest that further research is needed to explore how physicians decide why a supporting task is required in a particular context.

A multiple-scenario assessment of the effect of a continuous-care, guideline-based decision support system on clinicians' compliance to clinical guidelines.

PubMed

Shalom, Erez; Shahar, Yuval; Parmet, Yisrael; Lunenfeld, Eitan

2015-04-01

To quantify the effect of a new continuous-care guideline (GL)-application engine, the Picard decision support system (DSS) engine, on the correctness and completeness of clinicians' decisions relative to an established clinical GL, and to assess the clinicians' attitudes towards a specific DSS. Thirty-six clinicians, including residents at different training levels and board-certified specialists at an academic OB/GYN department that handles around 15,000 deliveries annually, agreed to evaluate our continuous-care guideline-based DSS and to perform a cross-over assessment of the effects of using our guideline-based DSS. We generated electronic patient records that realistically simulated the longitudinal course of six different clinical scenarios of the preeclampsia/eclampsia/toxemia (PET) GL, encompassing 60 different decision points in total. Each clinician managed three scenarios manually without the Picard DSS engine (Non-DSS mode) and three scenarios when assisted by the Picard DSS engine (DSS mode). The main measures in both modes were correctness and completeness of actions relative to the PET GL. Correctness was further decomposed into necessary and redundant actions, relative to the guideline and the actual patient data. At the end of the assessment, a questionnaire was administered to the clinicians to assess their perceptions regarding use of the DSS. With respect to completeness, the clinicians applied approximately 41% of the GL's recommended actions in the non-DSS mode. Completeness increased to the performance of approximately 93% of the guideline's recommended actions, when using the DSS mode. With respect to correctness, approximately 94.5% of the clinicians' decisions in the non-DSS mode were correct. However, these included 68% of the actions that were correct but redundant, given the patient's data (e.g., repeating tests that had been performed), and 27% of the actions, which were necessary in the context of the GL and of the given scenario. Only 5.5% of the decisions were definite errors. In the DSS mode, 94% of the clinicians' decisions were correct, which included 3% that were correct but redundant, and 91% of the actions that were correct and necessary in the context of the GL and of the given scenario. Only 6% of the DSS-mode decisions were erroneous. The DSS was assessed by the clinicians as potentially useful. Support from the GL-based DSS led to uniformity in the quality of the decisions, regardless of the particular clinician, any particular clinical scenario, any particular decision point, or any decision type within the scenarios. Using the DSS dramatically enhances completeness (i.e., performance of guideline-based recommendations) and seems to prevent the performance of most of the redundant actions, but does not seem to affect the rate of performance of incorrect actions. The redundancy rate is enhanced by similar recent findings in recent studies. Clinicians mostly find this support to be potentially useful for their daily practice. A continuous-care GL-based DSS, such as the Picard DSS engine, has the potential to prevent most errors of omission by ensuring uniformly high quality of clinical decision making (relative to a GL-based norm), due to the increased adherence (i.e., completeness) to the GL, and most of the errors of commission that increase therapy costs, by reducing the rate of redundant actions. However, to prevent clinical errors of commission, the DSS needs to be accompanied by additional modules, such as automated control of the quality of the physician's actual actions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

National trends in safety performance of electronic health record systems in children's hospitals.

PubMed

Chaparro, Juan D; Classen, David C; Danforth, Melissa; Stockwell, David C; Longhurst, Christopher A

2017-03-01

To evaluate the safety of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and associated clinical decision support (CDS) systems in electronic health record (EHR) systems at pediatric inpatient facilities in the US using the Leapfrog Group's pediatric CPOE evaluation tool. The Leapfrog pediatric CPOE evaluation tool, a previously validated tool to assess the ability of a CPOE system to identify orders that could potentially lead to patient harm, was used to evaluate 41 pediatric hospitals over a 2-year period. Evaluation of the last available test for each institution was performed, assessing performance overall as well as by decision support category (eg, drug-drug, dosing limits). Longitudinal analysis of test performance was also carried out to assess the impact of testing and the overall trend of CPOE performance in pediatric hospitals. Pediatric CPOE systems were able to identify 62% of potential medication errors in the test scenarios, but ranged widely from 23-91% in the institutions tested. The highest scoring categories included drug-allergy interactions, dosing limits (both daily and cumulative), and inappropriate routes of administration. We found that hospitals with longer periods since their CPOE implementation did not have better scores upon initial testing, but after initial testing there was a consistent improvement in testing scores of 4 percentage points per year. Pediatric computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems on average are able to intercept a majority of potential medication errors, but vary widely among implementations. Prospective and repeated testing using the Leapfrog Group's evaluation tool is associated with improved ability to intercept potential medication errors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com