Bibliography--Unclassified Technical Reports, Special Reports, and Technical Notes: FY 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

in each category are listed in chronological order under seven areas: manpower management, personnel administration , organization management, education...7633). Technical reports listed that have unlimited distribution can also be obtained from the National Technical Information Service , 5285 Port Royal...simulations of manpower systems. This research exploits the technology of computer-managed large-scale data bases. PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION The personnel

Technical Note: Introduction of variance component analysis to setup error analysis in radiotherapy

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

Matsuo, Yukinori, E-mail: ymatsuo@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.

Purpose: The purpose of this technical note is to introduce variance component analysis to the estimation of systematic and random components in setup error of radiotherapy. Methods: Balanced data according to the one-factor random effect model were assumed. Results: Analysis-of-variance (ANOVA)-based computation was applied to estimate the values and their confidence intervals (CIs) for systematic and random errors and the population mean of setup errors. The conventional method overestimates systematic error, especially in hypofractionated settings. The CI for systematic error becomes much wider than that for random error. The ANOVA-based estimation can be extended to a multifactor model considering multiplemore » causes of setup errors (e.g., interpatient, interfraction, and intrafraction). Conclusions: Variance component analysis may lead to novel applications to setup error analysis in radiotherapy.« less

Technical note: The calibration of {sup 90}Y-labeled SIR-Spheresusing a nondestructive spectroscopic assay

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

Selwyn, R.; Micka, J.; DeWerd, L.

2008-04-15

{sup 90}Y-labeled SIR-Spheres are currently used to treat patients with hepatic metastases secondary to colorectal adenocarcinoma. In general, the prescribed activity is based on empirical data collected during clinical trials. The activity of the source vial is labeled by the manufacturer as 3.0 GBq{+-}10% and is not independently verified by the end user. This technical note shows that the results of a nondestructive spectroscopic assay of a SIR-Spheressample was 26% higher than the activity stated by the manufacturer. This difference should not impact the current empirical prescription method but may be problematic for patient-specific dosimetry applications, such as image-based dosimetry.

Documentation of the runqual module for ADDAMS: Comparison of predicted runoff water quality with standards. Environmental effects of dredging. Technical notes

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

Schroeder, P.R.; Gibson, A.C.; Dardeau, E.A.

This technical note has a twofold purpose: to describe a technique for comparing the predicted quality of surface runoff from confined dredged material disposal areas with applicable water quality standards and to document a computer program called RUNQUAL, written for that purpose as a part of the Automated Dredging and Disposal Alternatives Management System (ADDAMS).

Virtual surgical planning and 3D printing in repeat calvarial vault reconstruction for craniosynostosis: technical note.

PubMed

LoPresti, Melissa; Daniels, Bradley; Buchanan, Edward P; Monson, Laura; Lam, Sandi

2017-04-01

Repeat surgery for restenosis after initial nonsyndromic craniosynostosis intervention is sometimes needed. Calvarial vault reconstruction through a healed surgical bed adds a level of intraoperative complexity and may benefit from preoperative and intraoperative definitions of biometric and aesthetic norms. Computer-assisted design and manufacturing using 3D imaging allows the precise formulation of operative plans in anticipation of surgical intervention. 3D printing turns virtual plans into anatomical replicas, templates, or customized implants by using a variety of materials. The authors present a technical note illustrating the use of this technology: a repeat calvarial vault reconstruction that was planned and executed using computer-assisted design and 3D printed intraoperative guides.

1. On note taking.

PubMed

Plaut, Alfred B J

2005-02-01

In this paper the author explores the theoretical and technical issues relating to taking notes of analytic sessions, using an introspective approach. The paper discusses the lack of a consistent approach to note taking amongst analysts and sets out to demonstrate that systematic note taking can be helpful to the analyst. The author describes his discovery that an initial phase where as much data was recorded as possible did not prove to be reliably helpful in clinical work and initially actively interfered with recall in subsequent sessions. The impact of the nature of the analytic session itself and the focus of the analyst's interest on recall is discussed. The author then describes how he modified his note taking technique to classify information from sessions into four categories which enabled the analyst to select which information to record in notes. The characteristics of memory and its constructive nature are discussed in relation to the problems that arise in making accurate notes of analytic sessions.

Technical Secondary Education in Togo and Cameroon--Research Note.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Jean-Jacques

1990-01-01

Evaluates technical secondary education in Togo and Cameroon from the market perspective, using tracer study data. To help overcome difficulties in finding employment after training, many individuals secure work in the low-paying informal sector. One solution is to stimulate and enhance the role of informal training through apprentice training…

Teaching Notes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-03-01

If you would like to contribute a teaching note for any of these sections please contact ped@iop.org. Contents: PHYSICS ON A SHOESTRING: Demonstrating resolution Magnetic tea patterns LET'S INVESTIGATE: Conducting foam TECHNICAL TRIMMINGS: Polarimeter Old experiments on air-tracks gain new fans MY WAY: Newton's laws ON THE MAP: The International School of Lusaka CURIOSITY: Inflation theory PHYSICS ON A SHOESTRING

Naval Training Device Center Index of Technical Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Lemuel E.

Published Naval Training Device Center technical reports and some technical notes (those available through the Defense Documentation Center-DDC) which have resulted from basic research, exploratory development, and advanced development type projects are listed. The reports are indexed by technical note number, by title, and by contractor code. The…

Precision in robotic rectal surgery using the da Vinci Xi system and integrated table motion, a technical note.

PubMed

Panteleimonitis, Sofoklis; Harper, Mick; Hall, Stuart; Figueiredo, Nuno; Qureshi, Tahseen; Parvaiz, Amjad

2017-09-15

Robotic rectal surgery is becoming increasingly more popular among colorectal surgeons. However, time spent on robotic platform docking, arm clashing and undocking of the platform during the procedure are factors that surgeons often find cumbersome and time consuming. The newest surgical platform, the da Vinci Xi, coupled with integrated table motion can help to overcome these problems. This technical note aims to describe a standardised operative technique of single docking robotic rectal surgery using the da Vinci Xi system and integrated table motion. A stepwise approach of the da Vinci docking process and surgical technique is described accompanied by an intra-operative video that demonstrates this technique. We also present data collected from a prospectively maintained database. 33 consecutive rectal cancer patients (24 male, 9 female) received robotic rectal surgery with the da Vinci Xi during the preparation of this technical note. 29 (88%) patients had anterior resections, and four (12%) had abdominoperineal excisions. There were no conversions, no anastomotic leaks and no mortality. Median operation time was 331 (249-372) min, blood loss 20 (20-45) mls and length of stay 6.5 (4-8) days. 30-day readmission rate and re-operation rates were 3% (n = 1). This standardised technique of single docking robotic rectal surgery with the da Vinci Xi is safe, feasible and reproducible. The technological advances of the new robotic system facilitate the totally robotic single docking approach.

TECHNICAL DESIGN NOTE: Picosecond resolution programmable delay line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchenek, Mariusz

2009-11-01

The note presents implementation of a programmable delay line for digital signals. The tested circuit has a subnanosecond delay range programmable with a resolution of picoseconds. Implementation of the circuit was based on low-cost components, easily available on the market.

Computer-assisted spinal osteotomy: a technical note and report of four cases.

PubMed

Fujibayashi, Shunsuke; Neo, Masashi; Takemoto, Mitsuru; Ota, Masato; Nakayama, Tomitaka; Toguchida, Junya; Nakamura, Takashi

2010-08-15

A report of 4 cases of spinal osteotomy performed under the guidance of a computer-assisted navigation system and a technical note about the use of the navigation system for spinal osteotomy. To document the surgical technique and usefulness of computer-assisted surgery for spinal osteotomy. A computer-assisted navigation system provides accurate 3-dimensional (3D) real-time surgical information during the operation. Although there are many reports on the accuracy and usefulness of a navigation system for pedicle screw placement, there are few reports on the application for spinal osteotomy. We report on 4 complex cases including 3 solitary malignant spinal tumors and 1 spinal kyphotic deformity of ankylosing spondylitis, which were treated surgically using a computer-assisted spinal osteotomy. The surgical technique and postoperative clinical and radiologic results are presented. 3D spinal osteotomy under the guidance of a computer-assisted navigation system was performed successfully in 4 patients. All malignant tumors were resected en bloc, and the spinal deformity was corrected precisely according to the preoperative plan. Pathologic analysis confirmed the en bloc resection without tumor exposure in the 3 patients with a spinal tumor. The use of a computer-assisted navigation system will help ensure the safety and efficacy of a complex 3D spinal osteotomy.

Prevention of neurological injuries during mandibular third molar surgery: technical notes

PubMed Central

La Monaca, Gerardo; Vozza, Iole; Giardino, Rita; Annibali, Susanna; Pranno, Nicola; Cristalli, Maria Paola

2017-01-01

Summary Surgery to the mandibular third molar is common, and injuries to the inferior alveolar nerve and the lingual nerve are well-recognized complications of this procedure. The aim of these technical notes is to describe operative measures for reducing neurological complications during mandibular third molar surgery. The following procedure should be used to prevent damage to the inferior alveolar nerve: a well-designed mucoperiosteal flap, to obtain appropriate access to the surgical area; a conservative ostectomy on the distal and distal-lingual side; tooth sectioning, to facilitate its removal by decreasing the retention zones; tooth dislocation in the path of withdrawal imposed by the curvature of the root apex; and careful socket debridement, when the roots of the extracted tooth are in intimate contact with the mandibular canal. To prevent injury to the lingual nerve, it is important (I) to assess the integrity of the mandibular inner cortex and exclude the presence of fenestration, which could cause the dislocation of the tooth or its fragment into the sublingual or submandibular space; (II) to avoid inappropriate or excessive dislocation proceedings, in order to prevent lingual cortex fracture; (III) to perform horizontal mesial-distal crown sectioning of the lingually inclined tooth; (IV) to protect the lingual flap with a retractor showing the cortical ridge; and (V) to pass the suture not too apically and from the inner side in a buccal-lingual direction in the retromolar area. PMID:29299188

PLAY HANDS PROTECTIVE GLOVES: TECHNICAL NOTE ON DESIGN AND CONCEPT.

PubMed

Houston-Hicks, Michele; Lura, Derek J; Highsmith, M Jason

2016-09-01

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood motor disability, with a global incidence of 1.6 to 2.5/1,000 live births. Approximately 23% of children with CP are dependent upon assistive technologies. Some children with developmental disabilities have self-injurious behaviors such as finger biting but also have therapeutic needs. The purpose of this technical note is to describe design considerations for a protective glove and finger covering that maintains finger dexterity for children who exhibit finger and hand chewing (dermatophagia) and require therapeutic range of motion and may benefit from sensory stimulation resulting from constant contact between glove and skin. Protecting Little and Adolescent Youth (PLAY) Hands are protective gloves for children with developmental disorders such as CP who injure themselves by biting their hands due to pain or sensory issues. PLAY Hands will be cosmetically appealing gloves that provide therapeutic warmth, tactile sensory feedback, range of motion for donning/ doffing, and protection to maximize function and quality of life for families of children with developmental disorders. The technology is either a per-finger protective orthosis or an entire glove solution designed from durable 3D-printed biodegradable/bioabsorbable materials such as thermoplastics. PLAY Hands represent a series of protective hand wear interventions in the areas of self-mutilating behavior, kinematics, and sensation. They will be made available in a range of protective iterations from single- or multi-digit finger orthoses to a basic glove design to a more structurally robust and protective iteration. To improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers, they are conceptualized to be cosmetically appealing, protective, and therapeutic.

Low Cost Technical Solutions to Jump Start an Insider Threat Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-11

Low Cost Technical Solutions to Jump Start an Insider Threat Program George J. Silowash Derrick L. Spooner Daniel L. Costa Michael J...Albrethsen May 2016 TECHNICAL NOTE CMU/SEI-2016-TN-004 CERT Division http://www.sei.cmu.edu Copyright 2016 Carnegie Mellon University This... technical note will explore tools that may be suitable for satisfying the basic technical needs of an insider threat program, giving organizations a

Environmental effects of dredging. Documentation of the settle module for ADDAMS: Design of confined disposal facilities for solids retention and initial storage. Technical notes

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

Hayes, D.F.; Schroeder, P.R.

This technical note documents the SETTLE computer program which facilitates the design of a confined disposal facility (CDF) to retain solids, provide initial storage, and meet effluent discharge limitations for suspended solids during a dredged matenal disposal operation. Detailed information can be found in Engineer Manual 1110-2-5027, Confined Dredged Material Disposal. SETTLE is a part of the Automated Dredging and Disposal Alternatives Management System (ADDAMS).

EDJJ Notes. Volume 3, Number 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Joe, Ed.

2004-01-01

This issue of "EDJJ Notes" contains the following articles: (1) "In the News: Suspension, Race, and Disability in Maryland" (Michael Krezmien and Peter Leone); (2) "Establishing and Maintaining Quality Education Programs in Juvenile Corrections" (Lucky Mason); (3) "Resources for Parents: The Technical Assistance…

Arthroscopic all-inside repair for a tear of posterior root of the medial meniscus: a technical note.

PubMed

Choi, Nam-Hong; Son, Kyung-Mo; Victoroff, Brian N

2008-09-01

This technical note describes a new arthroscopic technique to repair a tear of posterior root of the medial meniscus. Cartilage at the insertion area of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (PHMM) was removed using a curved curette inserted through an anteromedial portal. A metal anchor loaded with two FiberWires (Arthrex, Naples, FL) was placed at the insertion area of the PHMM through a high posteromedial portal. A PDS suture was passed the PHMM by curved suture hook through the anteromedial portal. Two limbs of the PDS were then used to pass two limbs of the FiberWire through the meniscus. The same procedure was repeated for the second FiberWire suture. The sutures were tied, achieving secure fixation of the posterior meniscal root at the anatomic insertion.

Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations Embolized Using a Micro Vascular Plug System: Technical Note on a Preliminary Experience

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

Boatta, Emanuele, E-mail: emanuele.boatta@yahoo.it; Jahn, Christine, E-mail: christine.jahn@chru-strasbourg.fr; Canuet, Matthieu, E-mail: matthieu.canuet@chru-strasbourg.fr

AIMTo report our preliminary experience using a Micro Vascular Plug (MVP) deployed through a 2.8Fr micro-catheter for the treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) in a cohort of patients affected by Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).Materials and MethodsFour consecutive female patients (mean age 38.0 years; range 25–55 years) with PAVMs diagnosed on echocardiogram/bubble test and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) underwent MVP embolization. One patient was symptomatic with recent transient ischaemic attack. Follow-up was undertaken at 1-month post-procedure with CECT to assess PAVMs permeability and MVP positioning and at 1-, 6-, and 12-month post-procedure, with echocardiography/bubble test and standard neurological history, to confirm absence ofmore » right-to-left shunts and recurrent symptoms.ResultsEight PAVMs were treated in 4 patients over 5 interventional sessions (mean 1.6 PAVMs per session). All PAVMs were simple, with mean feeding artery diameter of 4.25 mm. Eight 6.5 mm MVPs were deployed in total (one per lesion). Technical success was 100%. Mean procedural time and patient dose per session were 70 min (range 40–70 min) and 53418 mGy.cm{sup 2} (range 6113–101628 mGy.cm{sup 2}), respectively. No signs of reperfusion neither of MPV migration were noted at 1-month CECT follow-up. At early follow-up (mean 3.75 months; range 1–12 months), clinical success was 100% with no evidence of recurrent right-to-left shunt, and no neurological symptoms. No immediate or late complications were observed.ConclusionsMVP embolization of PAVMs appears technically feasible, safe, and effective at early follow-up. Further prospective studies are required to confirm long-term safety and efficacy of this promising technique.« less

Flat-Panel Cone-Beam Ct-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Very Small (≤1.5 cm) Liver Tumors: Technical Note on a Preliminary Experience

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

Cazzato, Roberto Luigi, E-mail: r.cazzato@unicampus.it; Buy, Xavier, E-mail: x.buy@bordeaux.unicancer.fr; Alberti, Nicolas, E-mail: nicoalbertibdx@gmail.com

2015-02-15

PurposeThe aim of the present study was to investigate the technical feasibility of flat-panel cone-beam CT (CBCT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of very small (<1.5 cm) liver tumors.Materials and MethodsPatients included were candidates for hepatic percutaneous RFA as they had single biopsy-proven hepatic tumors sized ≤1.5 cm and poorly defined on ultrasonography. Following apnea induction, unenhanced CBCT scans were acquired and used to deploy the RF electrode with the aid of a virtual navigation system. If the tumor was not clearly identified on the unenhanced CBCT scan, a right retrograde arterial femoral access was established to carry out hepatic angiography and localize themore » tumor. Patients’ lesions and procedural variables were recorded and analyzed.ResultsThree patients (2 male and 1 female), aged 68, 76, and 87 years were included; 3 lesions (2 hepato-cellular carcinoma and 1 metastasis from colorectal cancer) were treated. One patient required hepatic angiography. Cycles of apnea used to acquire CBCT images and to deploy the electrode lasted <120 s. Mean fluoroscopic time needed to deploy the electrode was 36.6 ± 5.7 min. Mean overall procedural time was 66.0 ± 22.9 min. No peri- or post-procedural complications were noted. No cases of incomplete ablation were noted at 1-month follow-up.ConclusionPercutaneous CBCT-guided liver RFA with or without arterial hepatic angiography is technically feasible.« less

Technical note: A simple rumen collection device for calves: An adaptation of a manual rumen drenching system.

PubMed

Klopp, R N; Oconitrillo, M J; Sackett, A; Hill, T M; Schlotterbeck, R L; Lascano, G J

2018-07-01

A limited amount of research is available related to the rumen microbiota of calves, yet there has been a recent spike of interest in determining the diversity and development of calf rumen microbial populations. To study the microbial populations of a calf's rumen, a sample of the rumen fluid is needed. One way to take a rumen fluid sample from a calf is by fistulating the animal. This method requires surgery and can be very stressful on a young animal that is trying to adapt to a new environment and has a depressed immune system. Another method that can be used instead of fistulation surgery is a rumen pump. This method requires a tube to be inserted into the rumen through the calf's esophagus. Once inside the rumen, fluid can be pumped out and collected in a few minutes. This method is quick, inexpensive, and does not cause significant stress on the animal. This technical note presents the materials and methodology used to convert a drenching system into a rumen pump and its respective utilization in 2 experiments using dairy bull calves. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TADS and Technical Assistance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trohanis, Pascal L.

1983-01-01

Accomplishments of the Technical Assistance Development System (TADS) are cited, current challenges (including program development, and communication and coordination) are noted, and the mission mandated for TADS is outlined. (CL)

42 CFR 493.1411 - Standard; Technical consultant qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... training or experience to provide technical consultation for each of the specialties and subspecialties of... responsible. Note: The technical consultant requirements for “laboratory training or experience, or both” in... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard; Technical consultant qualifications. 493...

Technical Writing across the Curriculum: Epics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olds, Barbara M.

Noting that technically competent graduates of professional schools need additional skills to function effectively in an increasingly complex and global society, this paper describes an innovative program in technical writing developed for undergraduate engineering students at the Colorado School of Mines. The paper first provides background…

Open Oncology Notes: A Qualitative Study of Oncology Patients' Experiences Reading Their Cancer Care Notes.

PubMed

Kayastha, Neha; Pollak, Kathryn I; LeBlanc, Thomas W

2018-04-01

Electronic medical records increasingly allow patients access to clinician notes. Although most believe that open notes benefits patients, some suggest negative consequences. Little is known about the experiences of patients with cancer reading their medical notes; thus we aimed to describe this qualitatively. We interviewed 20 adults with metastatic or incurable cancer receiving cancer treatment. The semistructured qualitative interviews included four segments: assessing their overall experience reading notes, discussing how notes affected their cancer care experiences, reading a real note with the interviewer, and making suggestions for improvement. We used a constant comparison approach to analyze these qualitative data. We found four themes. Patients reported that notes resulted in the following: (1) increased comprehension; (2) ameliorated uncertainty, relieved anxiety, and facilitated control; (3) increased trust; and (4) for a subset of patients, increased anxiety. Patients described increased comprehension because notes refreshed their memory and clarified their understanding of visits. This helped mitigate the unfamiliarity of cancer, addressing uncertainty and relieving anxiety. Notes facilitated control, empowering patients to ask clinicians more questions. The transparency of notes also increased trust in clinicians. For a subset of patients, however, notes were emotionally difficult to read and raised concerns. Patients identified medical jargon and repetition in notes as areas for improvement. Most patients thought that reading notes improved their care experiences. A small subset of patients experienced increased distress. As reading notes becomes a routine part of the patient experience, physicians might want to elicit and address concerns that arise from notes, thereby further engaging patients in their care.

Research Notes - An Introduction to Openness and Evolvability Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

importance of different business and technical characteristics that combine to achieve an open solution. The complexity of most large-scale systems of...process characteristic)  Granularity of the architecture (size of functional blocks)  Modularity (cohesion and coupling)  Support for multiple...Description)  OV-3 (Operational Information Exchange Matrix)  SV-1 (Systems Interface Description)  TV-1 ( Technical Standards Profile). Note that there

Preformed titanium cranioplasty after resection of skull base meningiomas - a technical note.

PubMed

Schebesch, Karl-Michael; Höhne, Julius; Gassner, Holger G; Brawanski, Alexander

2013-12-01

Meningiomas of the fronto-basal skull are difficult to manage as the treatment usually includes extensive resection of the lesion, consecutive reconstruction of the meninges and of the skull. Especially after removal of spheno-orbital and sphenoid-wing meningiomas, the cosmetic result is of utmost importance. In this technical note, we present our institutional approach in the treatment of skull base meningiomas, focussing on the reconstruction of the neurocranium with individually preformed titanium cranioplasty (CRANIOTOP(®), CL Instruments, Germany). Two female patients (40 years, 64 years) are presented. Both patients presented with skull base lesions suggestive of meningiomas. The preoperative thin-sliced CT scan was processed to generate a 3D-model of the skull. On it, the resection was mapped and following a simulated resection, the cranioplasty was manufactured. Intra-operatively, the titanium plate served as a template for the skull resection and was implanted after microsurgical tumour removal, consecutively. The cosmetic result was excellent. Immediate postoperative CT scan revealed accurate fitting and complete tumour removal. Control Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) within 12 weeks was possible without any artifacts. The comprehensive approach described indicates only one surgical procedure for tumour removal and for reconstruction of the skull. The titanium plate served as an exact template for complete resection of the osseous parts of the tumour. Cosmetic outcome was excellent and control MRI was possible post operatively. CRANIOTOP(®) cranioplasty is a safe and practical tool for reconstruction of the skull after meningioma surgery. Copyright © 2013 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technical note: Evaluation of the simultaneous measurements of mesospheric OH, HO2, and O3 under a photochemical equilibrium assumption - a statistical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulikov, Mikhail Y.; Nechaev, Anton A.; Belikovich, Mikhail V.; Ermakova, Tatiana S.; Feigin, Alexander M.

2018-05-01

This Technical Note presents a statistical approach to evaluating simultaneous measurements of several atmospheric components under the assumption of photochemical equilibrium. We consider simultaneous measurements of OH, HO2, and O3 at the altitudes of the mesosphere as a specific example and their daytime photochemical equilibrium as an evaluating relationship. A simplified algebraic equation relating local concentrations of these components in the 50-100 km altitude range has been derived. The parameters of the equation are temperature, neutral density, local zenith angle, and the rates of eight reactions. We have performed a one-year simulation of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere using a 3-D chemical-transport model. The simulation shows that the discrepancy between the calculated evolution of the components and the equilibrium value given by the equation does not exceed 3-4 % in the full range of altitudes independent of season or latitude. We have developed a statistical Bayesian evaluation technique for simultaneous measurements of OH, HO2, and O3 based on the equilibrium equation taking into account the measurement error. The first results of the application of the technique to MLS/Aura data (Microwave Limb Sounder) are presented in this Technical Note. It has been found that the satellite data of the HO2 distribution regularly demonstrate lower altitudes of this component's mesospheric maximum. This has also been confirmed by model HO2 distributions and comparison with offline retrieval of HO2 from the daily zonal means MLS radiance.

Head Start Impact Study. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puma, Michael; Bell, Stephen; Cook, Ronna; Heid, Camilla; Shapiro, Gary; Broene, Pam; Jenkins, Frank; Fletcher, Philip; Quinn, Liz; Friedman, Janet; Ciarico, Janet; Rohacek, Monica; Adams, Gina; Spier, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

This Technical Report is designed to provide technical detail to support the analysis and findings presented in the "Head Start Impact Study Final Report" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). Chapter 1 provides an overview of the Head Start Impact Study and its findings. Chapter 2 provides technical information on the…

TECHNICAL NOTE: Actuation displacement performance change of pre-stressed piezoelectric actuators attached to a flat surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goo, Nam Seo; Phuoc Phan, Van; Park, Hoon Cheol

2009-03-01

Pre-stressed piezoelectric actuators such as RAINBOW, THUNDER™, and LIPCA have a curvature due to a mismatch of the coefficient of thermal expansion, which inevitably exists during the manufacturing process. This technical note provides an answer to the question of how their actuation displacement performance changes when the curved pre-stressed piezoelectric actuators are attached to a flat surface. Finite element analysis with the ANSYS™ program was used to calculate the stress distribution inside a LIPCA, one of the pre-stressed piezoelectric actuators, after the LIPCA was cured and attached to the flat surface. The change of actuation displacement performance can be explained in terms of the relation between the piezoelectric strain constants and internal stress. As a result of the curing and attachment to a flat surface, the two-dimensional stress state inside the piezoceramic layer leads to an expected increase of around 51% for the longitudinal piezoelectric strain constant. To confirm this result, we reconsider the experimental results of the actuation moment measurement of the LIPCA and bare lead zirconium titanate.

Technical note: GODESS - a profiling mooring in the Gotland Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prien, Ralf D.; Schulz-Bull, Detlef E.

2016-07-01

This note describes a profiling mooring with an interdisciplinary suite of sensors taking profiles between 180 and 30 m depth. It consists of an underwater winch, moored below 180 m depth, and a profiling instrumentation platform. In its described setup it can take about 200 profiles at pre-programmed times or intervals with one set of batteries. This allows for studies over an extended period of time (e.g. two daily profiles over a time of 3 months). The Gotland Deep Environmental Sampling Station (GODESS) in the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea is aimed at investigations of redoxcline dynamics. The described system can be readily adapted to other research foci by changing the profiling instrumentation platform and its payload.

The Effect of Note-Taking on University Students' Listening Comprehension of Lectures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiliçkaya, Ferit; Çokal Karadas, Derya

2009-01-01

The study investigated the effect of note-taking on comprehension of lectures by 44 undergraduate EFL students who are in the first year of their undergraduate level in the Department of Foreign Language Education in Middle East Technical University. The participants were divided into two groups, namely experimental and control groups. The…

Notes on the Early History of Technical Higher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teodorescu, Horia Nicolai

We perform a brief analysis of the economical and political context of establishing the first technical higher school in Romania. We urge for a revision of the current point of view on the educational level in Yashi (Iaši) and Bucharest at the epoch, highlighting that these were, at the time, important academic centers we may not recognize or may not be aware of today. We also plead for a long due serious approach about the history of early modern education in Romania.

Mandibular angle resection and masticatory muscle hypertrophy - a technical note and morphological optimization.

PubMed

Andreishchev, A R; Nicot, R; Ferri, J

2014-11-01

Mandibular angle resection is rarely used, but is a highly effective means of correcting facial defects. We report a mandibular angle resection technique associated with the removal of a part of hypertrophic masseter muscles and resection of buccal fat pad. Anatomical reminders: the most important entities are the facial artery and vein, crossing the lower margin of the jaw just in front of the anterior boarder of the masseter muscle and the temporomaxillary vein, passing through the temporomaxillary fossa; preoperative aspects: the preoperative examination included a radiological assessment of the shape and size of the mandibular angle; surgical technique: an intra-oral approach was usually used. The most effective and convenient method for the osteotomy was using a reciprocating saw. This technique allowed achieving a smooth contour of masseter muscles during masticatory movements or at rest. Eleven mandibular angle resections were performed from 2001 to 2009. The surgery was supplemented by remodeling the lower margin of the jaw for 5 other patients. No permanent facial palsy was noted. One patient presented a unilateral long-term loss of sensitivity of the lower lip and chin. This surgical technique if simple even requires using good technical equipment, and observing a set of rules. Using these principles allows simplifying the surgical technique, and decreasing its morbidity. A part of the masseter muscles and the buccal fat pad can sometimes be resected to improve the morphological results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Testing REACH draft technical guidance notes for conducting chemical safety assessments-the experience of a downstream user of a preparation.

PubMed

Gade, Anne Lill; Ovrebø, Steinar; Hylland, Ketil

2008-07-01

The goal of REACH is the safe use of chemicals. This study examines the efficiency and usefulness of two draft technical guidance notes in the REACH Interim Project 3.2-2 for the development of the chemical safety report and exposure scenarios. A case study was carried out for a paint system for protection of structural steel. The focuses of the study were risk assessment of preparations based on Derived No Effect Level (DNEL) and Predicted No Effect Concentrations (PNEC) and on effective and accurate communication in the supply chain. Exposure scenarios and generic descriptions of uses, risk management measures, and exposure determinants were developed. The study showed that communication formats, software tools, and guidelines for chemical risk assessment need further adjustment to preparations and real-life situations. Web platforms may simplify such communication. The downstream formulator needs basic substance data from the substance manufacturer during the pre-registration phase to develop exposure scenarios for preparations. Default values need to be communicated in the supply chain because these were critical for the derivation of applicable risk management demands. The current guidelines which rely on the available toxicological knowledge are insufficient to advise downstream users on how to develop exposure scenarios for preparations.

Note-Taking Made Easy. The Study Smart Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesselman-Turkel, Judi; Peterson, Franklynn

This book describes two successful methods of organizing notes (outlining and patterning), providing shortcuts to make note taking easy. Eight chapters include: (1) "There's No Substitute for Taking Your Own Good Notes" (e.g., note taking helps in paying attention and remembering); (2) "How to Tell What's Worth Noting" (criteria for deciding what…

Describing Acupuncture: A New Challenge for Technical Communicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karanikas, Marianthe

1997-01-01

Considers acupuncture as an increasingly popular alternative medical therapy, but difficult to describe in technical communication. Notes that traditional Chinese medical explanations of acupuncture are unscientific, and that scientific explanations of acupuncture are inconclusive. Finds that technical communicators must translate acupuncture for…

75 FR 33989 - Export Administration Regulations: Technical Corrections

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

... 0694-AE69 Export Administration Regulations: Technical Corrections AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and... section of Export Control Classification Number 2B001 and the other is in the Technical Note on Adjusted... language regarding certain performance criteria of turning machines covered by Export Control...

Fiscal year 1981 scientific and technical reports, articles, papers, and presentations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thacker, S. S. (Compiler)

1981-01-01

This bibliography lists approximately 503 formal NASA technical reports, papers published in technical journals, and presentations by MSFC personnel in FY-1981. It also includes papers of MSFC contractors. Citations announced in the NASA scientific and technical information system are noted.

Some technical notes on using UAV-based remote sensing for post disaster assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rokhmana, Catur Aries; Andaru, Ruli

2017-07-01

Indonesia is located in an area prone to disasters, which are various kinds of natural disasters happen. In disaster management, the geoinformation data are needed to be able to evaluate the impact area. The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)-Based remote sensing technology is a good choice to produce a high spatial resolution of less than 15 cm, while the current resolution of the satellite imagery is still greater than 50 cm. This paper shows some technical notes that should be considered when using UAV-Based remote sensing system in post disaster for rapid assessment. Some cases are Aceh Earthquake in years 2013 for seeing infrastructure damages, Banjarnegara landslide in year 2014 for seeing the impact; and Kelud volcano eruption in year 2014 for seeing the impact and volumetric material calculation. The UAV-Based remote sensing system should be able to produce the Orthophoto image that can provide capabilities for visual interpretation the individual damage objects, and the changes situation. Meanwhile the DEM (digital Elevation model) product can derive terrain topography, and volumetric calculation with accuracy 3-5 pixel or sub-meter also. The UAV platform should be able for working remotely and autonomously in dangerous area and limited infrastructures. In mountainous or volcano area, an unconventional flight plan should implemented. Unfortunately, not all impact can be seen from above such as wall crack, some parcel boundaries, and many objects that covered by others higher object. The previous existing geoinformation data are also needed to be able to evaluate the change detection automatically.

Linking Bibliographic Data Bases: A Discussion of the Battelle Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, C. Lee

This document establishes the context, summarizes the contents, and discusses the Battelle technical report, noting certain constraints of the study. Further steps for the linking of bibliographic databases for use by academic and public libraries are suggested. (RAA)

Exploration studies technical report, FY1988 status. Volume 1: Technical summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The Office of Exploration (OEXP) at NASA Headquarters has been tasked with defining and recommending alternatives for an early 1990's nationaL decision on a focused program of human exploration of the solar system. The Mission Analysis and System Engineering (MASE) group, which is managed by the Exploration Studies Office at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, is responsible for coordinating the technical studies necessary for accomplishing such a task. This technical report, produced by the MASE, describes the process that has been developed in a case study approach. The four case studies developed in FY88 include: (1) Human Expedition to Phobos; (2) Human Expedition to Mars; (3) Lunar Observatory; and (4) Lunar Outpost to Early Mars Evolution. The final outcome of this effort is a set of programmatic and technical conclusions and recommendations for the following year's work.

Assessing Technical Training Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwaller, Anthony E.; Slipy, Dave

1985-01-01

Describes the results of a joint project of St. Cloud State University (Minnesota) and DeZURIK Corporation (a manufacturer and distributor of industrial valves) which developed and implemented a technical training needs questionnaire for use with the company's employees. Student involvement in the process is noted. (MBR)

TECHNICAL BASIS FOR A CANDIDATE BUILDING MATERIALS RADIUM STANDARD

EPA Science Inventory

The report summarizes the technical basis for a candidate building materials radium standard. It contains the standard and a summary of the technical basis for the standard. (NOTE: The Florida Radon Research Program (FRRP), sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the...

Undocumented College Students, Taxation, and Financial Aid: A Technical Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivas, Michael A.

2009-01-01

A surprising amount of litigation and legislation has erupted over undocumented college students. Victims at the federal level are the DREAM Act and immigration reform. Financial aid raises technical issues for undocumented college applicants and for the citizen children of undocumented parents. Generally, the undocumented are ineligible for…

Technical Notes on the Multifactor Method of Elementary School Closing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puleo, Vincent T.

This report provides preliminary technical information on a method for analyzing the factors involved in the closing of elementary schools. Included is a presentation of data and a brief discussion bearing on descriptive statistics, reliability, and validity. An intercorrelation matrix is also examined. The method employs 9 factors that have a…

Technical Note: Phantom study to evaluate the dose and image quality effects of a computed tomography organ-based tube current modulation technique

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

Gandhi, Diksha; Schmidt, Taly Gilat, E-mail: taly.gilat-schmidt@marquette.edu; Crotty, Dominic J.

Purpose: This technical note quantifies the dose and image quality performance of a clinically available organ-dose-based tube current modulation (ODM) technique, using experimental and simulation phantom studies. The investigated ODM implementation reduces the tube current for the anterior source positions, without increasing current for posterior positions, although such an approach was also evaluated for comparison. Methods: Axial CT scans at 120 kV were performed on head and chest phantoms on an ODM-equipped scanner (Optima CT660, GE Healthcare, Chalfont St. Giles, England). Dosimeters quantified dose to breast, lung, heart, spine, eye lens, and brain regions for ODM and 3D-modulation (SmartmA) settings.more » Monte Carlo simulations, validated with experimental data, were performed on 28 voxelized head phantoms and 10 chest phantoms to quantify organ dose and noise standard deviation. The dose and noise effects of increasing the posterior tube current were also investigated. Results: ODM reduced the dose for all experimental dosimeters with respect to SmartmA, with average dose reductions across dosimeters of 31% (breast), 21% (lung), 24% (heart), 6% (spine), 19% (eye lens), and 11% (brain), with similar results for the simulation validation study. In the phantom library study, the average dose reduction across all phantoms was 34% (breast), 20% (lung), 8% (spine), 20% (eye lens), and 8% (brain). ODM increased the noise standard deviation in reconstructed images by 6%–20%, with generally greater noise increases in anterior regions. Increasing the posterior tube current provided similar dose reduction as ODM for breast and eye lens, increased dose to the spine, with noise effects ranging from 2% noise reduction to 16% noise increase. At noise equal to SmartmA, ODM increased the estimated effective dose by 4% and 8% for chest and head scans, respectively. Increasing the posterior tube current further increased the effective dose by 15% (chest) and 18% (head

Technical Note: Phantom study to evaluate the dose and image quality effects of a computed tomography organ-based tube current modulation technique.

PubMed

Gandhi, Diksha; Crotty, Dominic J; Stevens, Grant M; Schmidt, Taly Gilat

2015-11-01

This technical note quantifies the dose and image quality performance of a clinically available organ-dose-based tube current modulation (ODM) technique, using experimental and simulation phantom studies. The investigated ODM implementation reduces the tube current for the anterior source positions, without increasing current for posterior positions, although such an approach was also evaluated for comparison. Axial CT scans at 120 kV were performed on head and chest phantoms on an ODM-equipped scanner (Optima CT660, GE Healthcare, Chalfont St. Giles, England). Dosimeters quantified dose to breast, lung, heart, spine, eye lens, and brain regions for ODM and 3D-modulation (SmartmA) settings. Monte Carlo simulations, validated with experimental data, were performed on 28 voxelized head phantoms and 10 chest phantoms to quantify organ dose and noise standard deviation. The dose and noise effects of increasing the posterior tube current were also investigated. ODM reduced the dose for all experimental dosimeters with respect to SmartmA, with average dose reductions across dosimeters of 31% (breast), 21% (lung), 24% (heart), 6% (spine), 19% (eye lens), and 11% (brain), with similar results for the simulation validation study. In the phantom library study, the average dose reduction across all phantoms was 34% (breast), 20% (lung), 8% (spine), 20% (eye lens), and 8% (brain). ODM increased the noise standard deviation in reconstructed images by 6%-20%, with generally greater noise increases in anterior regions. Increasing the posterior tube current provided similar dose reduction as ODM for breast and eye lens, increased dose to the spine, with noise effects ranging from 2% noise reduction to 16% noise increase. At noise equal to SmartmA, ODM increased the estimated effective dose by 4% and 8% for chest and head scans, respectively. Increasing the posterior tube current further increased the effective dose by 15% (chest) and 18% (head) relative to SmartmA. ODM reduced

Technical note: Bayesian calibration of dynamic ruminant nutrition models.

PubMed

Reed, K F; Arhonditsis, G B; France, J; Kebreab, E

2016-08-01

Mechanistic models of ruminant digestion and metabolism have advanced our understanding of the processes underlying ruminant animal physiology. Deterministic modeling practices ignore the inherent variation within and among individual animals and thus have no way to assess how sources of error influence model outputs. We introduce Bayesian calibration of mathematical models to address the need for robust mechanistic modeling tools that can accommodate error analysis by remaining within the bounds of data-based parameter estimation. For the purpose of prediction, the Bayesian approach generates a posterior predictive distribution that represents the current estimate of the value of the response variable, taking into account both the uncertainty about the parameters and model residual variability. Predictions are expressed as probability distributions, thereby conveying significantly more information than point estimates in regard to uncertainty. Our study illustrates some of the technical advantages of Bayesian calibration and discusses the future perspectives in the context of animal nutrition modeling. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of actions in operative notes.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Pakhomov, Serguei; Burkart, Nora E; Ryan, James O; Melton, Genevieve B

2012-01-01

Operative notes contain rich information about techniques, instruments, and materials used in procedures. To assist development of effective information extraction (IE) techniques for operative notes, we investigated the sublanguage used to describe actions within the operative report 'procedure description' section. Deep parsing results of 362,310 operative notes with an expanded Stanford parser using the SPECIALIST Lexicon resulted in 200 verbs (92% coverage) including 147 action verbs. Nominal action predicates for each action verb were gathered from WordNet, SPECIALIST Lexicon, New Oxford American Dictionary and Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Coverage gaps were seen in existing lexical, domain, and semantic resources (Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus, SPECIALIST Lexicon, WordNet and FrameNet). Our findings demonstrate the need to construct surgical domain-specific semantic resources for IE from operative notes.

Teaching Technical Report Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Pasquale, Joseph A.

1977-01-01

A high school electronics teacher describes the integration of technical report writing in the electronics program for trade and industrial students. He notes that the report writing rather than just recording data seemed to improve student laboratory experience but further improvements in the program are needed. A sample lab report is included.…

Technical efficiency in milk production in underdeveloped production environment of India*.

PubMed

Bardhan, Dwaipayan; Sharma, Murari Lal

2013-12-01

The study was undertaken in Kumaon division of Uttarakhand state of India with the objective of estimating technical efficiency in milk production across different herd-size category households and factors influencing it. Total of 60 farm households having representation from different herd-size categories drawn from six randomly selected villages of plain and hilly regions of the division constituted the ultimate sampling units of the study. Stochastic frontier production function analysis was used to estimate the technical efficiency in milk production. Multivariate regression equations were fitted taking technical efficiency index as the regressand to identify the factors significantly influencing technical efficiency in milk production. The study revealed that variation in output across farms in the study area was due to difference in their technical efficiency levels. However, it was interesting to note that smallholder producers were more technically efficient in milk production than their larger counterparts, especially in the plains. Apart from herd size, intensity of market participation had significant and positive impact on technical efficiency in the plains. This provides definite indication that increasing the level of commercialization of dairy farms would have beneficial impact on their production efficiency.

Technical note: Improving modeling of coagulation, curd firming, and syneresis of sheep milk.

PubMed

Cipolat-Gotet, Claudio; Pazzola, Michele; Ferragina, Alessandro; Cecchinato, Alessio; Dettori, Maria L; Vacca, Giuseppe M

2018-04-18

The importance of milk coagulation properties for milk processing, cheese yield, and quality is widely recognized. The use of traditional coagulation traits presents several limitations for testing bovine milk and even more for sheep milk, due to its rapid coagulation and curd firming, and early syneresis of coagulum. The aim of this technical note is to test and improve model fitting for assessing coagulation, curd firming, and syneresis of sheep milk. Using milk samples from 87 Sarda ewes, we performed in duplicate lactodynamographic testing. On each of the 174 analyzed milk aliquots, using 180 observations from each aliquot (one every 15 s for 45 min after rennet addition), we compared 4 different curd firming models as a function of time (CF t , mm) using a nonlinear procedure. The most accurate and informative results were observed using a modified 4-parameter model, structured as follows: [Formula: see text] , where t is time, RCT eq (min) is the gelation time, CF P (mm) is the potential asymptotical CF at an infinite time, k CF (%/min) is the curd firming rate constant, and k SR (%/min) is the curd syneresis rate constant. To avoid nonconvergence and computational problems due to interrelations among the equation parameters, CF P was preliminarily defined as a function of maximum observed curd firmness (CF max , mm) recorded during the analysis. For this model, all the modeling equations of individual sheep milk aliquots were converging, with a negligible standard error of the estimates (coefficient of determination >0.99 for all individual sample equations). Repeatability of the modeled parameters was acceptable, also in the presence of curd syneresis during the lactodynamographic analysis. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Planet-B: Technical notes and drawings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carignan, George R.

1996-01-01

The design of the transformer designated as T101 (061-0351) in the Filament/Bias module (061-0119) in the Planet-B NMS instrument was verified because of the differences from the GCMS and INMS instrument designs. A breadboard of a representation of the Hybrid 2301065, Bias Drive A driving a 2N3700 NPN transistor, with dual 75V secondaries, with loads, was used to test the circuit. The initial transformer design that was wound with bifilar secondaries was too unstable to test. The second 1408 transformer with a split bobbin and the feedback winding below the primary was also found to be unstable. (It was nearly impossible to keep the circuit from squeeging). The third transformer tested has the feedback on the outside of the resonant winding. The primary goal of the design was to have as tight a magnetic coupling as possible to the resonant winding, and as loose a coupling as possible to the primary. Further, the circuit AC ground is connected to the winding at the feedback end of the secondary winding. This transformer proved to be very stable - it is virtually impossible to make this design squeg. An emitter resistor (Rl29A) was added to this circuit, as referenced to the GCMS design, to protect Q102 from thermal runaway in the event of a turn on with a non- resonate circuit or load short. This was verified to protect Q102 for at least 30 seconds in the event of a short. Approximately 1% of the 4lmW input power is lost in this protection resistor under normal operation. The circuit was verified to operate normally when a radiated Q102 (2N3700), (low Beta) transistor was substituted for the normal 2N3700. It should be noted that the monitored drive voltage went to approximately 2.7V with this low gain transistor.

Quad Charts in the Classroom to Reinforce Technical Communication Fundamentals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Julie Dyke; Wei, Tie

2015-01-01

Quad charts are a genre frequently used in scientific and technical environments, yet little prior work has evaluated their potential for reinforcing technical communication fundamentals. This article provides background information about quad charts and notes the benefits of implementing quad charts in the classroom. In particular, introducing…

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 67 - Technical Support Document

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technical Support Document A Appendix A to Part 67 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS...—Technical Support Document Note: EPA will make copies of appendix A available from: Director, Stationary...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 66 - Technical Support Document

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technical Support Document A Appendix A to Part 66 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS...—Technical Support Document Note: For text of appendix A see appendix A to part 67. ...

Revising Lecture Notes: How Revision, Pauses, and Partners Affect Note Taking and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Linlin; Kiewra, Kenneth A.; Samuelson, Lydia

2016-01-01

Note taking has been categorized as a two-stage process: the recording of notes and the review of notes. We contend that note taking might best involve a three-stage process where the missing stage is revision. This study investigated the benefits of revising lecture notes and addressed two questions: First, is revision more effective than…

"You Will": Technology, Magic, and the Cultural Contexts of Technical Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitalong, Karla Saari

2000-01-01

Provides some background on the use of magical language in technical contexts, gives examples of magical discourse in technology advertisements and newsmagazine articles, and proposes a technical communication pedagogy of media analysis. Notes that the proposed pedagogy involves students conducting diagnostic critiques of media texts and affords…

Progress Report on Reactivity Analyses (October-December Test Data). Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study. Technical Note Series. Technical Note III-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filby, Nikola N.

The development and refinement of the measures of student achievement in reading and mathematics for the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study are described. The concept of reactivity to instruction is introduced: the tests used to evaluate instructional processes must be sensitive indicators of classroom learning overtime. Data collection activities…

Technical Note: Millimeter precision in ultrasound based patient positioning: Experimental quantification of inherent technical limitations

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

Ballhausen, Hendrik, E-mail: hendrik.ballhausen@med.uni-muenchen.de; Hieber, Sheila; Li, Minglun

2014-08-15

Purpose: To identify the relevant technical sources of error of a system based on three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) for patient positioning in external beam radiotherapy. To quantify these sources of error in a controlled laboratory setting. To estimate the resulting end-to-end geometric precision of the intramodality protocol. Methods: Two identical free-hand 3D US systems at both the planning-CT and the treatment room were calibrated to the laboratory frame of reference. Every step of the calibration chain was repeated multiple times to estimate its contribution to overall systematic and random error. Optimal margins were computed given the identified and quantified systematicmore » and random errors. Results: In descending order of magnitude, the identified and quantified sources of error were: alignment of calibration phantom to laser marks 0.78 mm, alignment of lasers in treatment vs planning room 0.51 mm, calibration and tracking of 3D US probe 0.49 mm, alignment of stereoscopic infrared camera to calibration phantom 0.03 mm. Under ideal laboratory conditions, these errors are expected to limit ultrasound-based positioning to an accuracy of 1.05 mm radially. Conclusions: The investigated 3D ultrasound system achieves an intramodal accuracy of about 1 mm radially in a controlled laboratory setting. The identified systematic and random errors require an optimal clinical tumor volume to planning target volume margin of about 3 mm. These inherent technical limitations do not prevent clinical use, including hypofractionation or stereotactic body radiation therapy.« less

Online Class Size, Note Reading, Note Writing and Collaborative Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qiu, Mingzhu; Hewitt, Jim; Brett, Clare

2012-01-01

Researchers have long recognized class size as affecting students' performance in face-to-face contexts. However, few studies have examined the effects of class size on exact reading and writing loads in online graduate-level courses. This mixed-methods study examined relationships among class size, note reading, note writing, and collaborative…

Expanding the Scope of Technical Communication: Examples from the Department of Technical Communication at the University of Washington.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haselkorn, Mark P.; Sauer, Geoffrey; Turns, Jennifer; Illman, Deborah L.; Tsutsui, Michio; Plumb, Carolyn; Williams, Tom; Kolko, Beth; Spyridakis, Jan

2003-01-01

Presents eight current projects involving faculty in the University of Washington's Department of Technical Communication that illustrate the broadening of the field. Notes these projects address: the cognitive processing of visual material; Web-based education; strategic management of information; communicating science and technology in the…

Trans-falcine and contralateral sub-frontal electrode placement in pediatric epilepsy surgery: technical note.

PubMed

Pindrik, Jonathan; Hoang, Nguyen; Tubbs, R Shane; Rocque, Brandon J; Rozzelle, Curtis J

2017-08-01

Phase II monitoring with intracranial electroencephalography (ICEEG) occasionally requires bilateral placement of subdural (SD) strips, grids, and/or depth electrodes. While phase I monitoring often demonstrates a preponderance of unilateral findings, individual studies (video EEG, single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT], and positron emission tomography [PET]) can suggest or fail to exclude a contralateral epileptogenic onset zone. This study describes previously unreported techniques of trans-falcine and sub-frontal insertion of contralateral SD grids and depth electrodes for phase II monitoring in pediatric epilepsy surgery patients when concern about bilateral abnormalities has been elicited during phase I monitoring. Pediatric patients with medically refractory epilepsy undergoing stage I surgery for phase II monitoring involving sub-frontal and/or trans-falcine insertion of SD grids and/or depth electrodes at the senior author's institution were retrospectively reviewed. Intra-operative technical details of sub-frontal and trans-falcine approaches were studied, while intra-operative complications or events were noted. Operative techniques included gentle subfrontal retraction and elevation of the olfactory tracts (while preserving the relationship between the olfactory bulb and cribriform plate) to insert SD grids across the midline for coverage of the contralateral orbito-frontal regions. Trans-falcine approaches involved accessing the inter-hemispheric space, bipolar cauterization of the anterior falx cerebri below the superior sagittal sinus, and sharp dissection using a blunt elevator and small blade scalpel. The falcine window allowed contralateral SD strip, grid, and depth electrodes to be inserted for coverage of the contralateral frontal regions. The study cohort included seven patients undergoing sub-frontal and/or trans-falcine insertion of contralateral SD strip, grid, and/or depth electrodes from February 2012 through June 2015. Five

Towards scar-free surgery: An analysis of the increasing complexity from laparoscopic surgery to NOTES

PubMed Central

Chellali, Amine; Schwaitzberg, Steven D.; Jones, Daniel B.; Romanelli, John; Miller, Amie; Rattner, David; Roberts, Kurt E.; Cao, Caroline G.L.

2014-01-01

Background NOTES is an emerging technique for performing surgical procedures, such as cholecystectomy. Debate about its real benefit over the traditional laparoscopic technique is on-going. There have been several clinical studies comparing NOTES to conventional laparoscopic surgery. However, no work has been done to compare these techniques from a Human Factors perspective. This study presents a systematic analysis describing and comparing different existing NOTES methods to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods Videos of endoscopic/laparoscopic views from fifteen live cholecystectomies were analyzed to conduct a detailed task analysis of the NOTES technique. A hierarchical task analysis of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and several hybrid transvaginal NOTES cholecystectomies was performed and validated by expert surgeons. To identify similarities and differences between these techniques, their hierarchical decomposition trees were compared. Finally, a timeline analysis was conducted to compare the steps and substeps. Results At least three variations of the NOTES technique were used for cholecystectomy. Differences between the observed techniques at the substep level of hierarchy and on the instruments being used were found. The timeline analysis showed an increase in time to perform some surgical steps and substeps in NOTES compared to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conclusion As pure NOTES is extremely difficult given the current state of development in instrumentation design, most surgeons utilize different hybrid methods – combination of endoscopic and laparoscopic instruments/optics. Results of our hierarchical task analysis yielded an identification of three different hybrid methods to perform cholecystectomy with significant variability amongst them. The varying degrees to which laparoscopic instruments are utilized to assist in NOTES methods appear to introduce different technical issues and additional tasks leading to an increase in the surgical time. The

Euro-NOTES Status Paper: from the concept to clinical practice.

PubMed

Fuchs, K H; Meining, A; von Renteln, D; Fernandez-Esparrach, G; Breithaupt, W; Zornig, C; Lacy, A

2013-05-01

The concept of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) consists of the reduction of access trauma by using a natural orifice access to the intra-abdominal cavity. This could possibly lead to less postoperative pain, quicker recovery from surgery, fewer postoperative complications, fewer wound infections, and fewer long-term problems such as hernias. The Euro-NOTES Foundation has organized yearly meetings to work on this concept to bring it safely into clinical practice. The aim of this Euro-NOTES status update is to assess the yearly scientific working group reports and provide an overview on the current clinical practice of NOTES procedures. After the Euro-NOTES meeting 2011 in Frankfurt, Germany, an analysis was started regarding the most important topics of the European working groups. All prospectively documented information was gathered from Euro-NOTES and D-NOTES working groups from 2007 to 2011. The top five topics were analyzed. The statements of the working group activities demonstrate the growing information and changing insights. The most important selected topics were infection issue, peritoneal access, education and training, platforms and new technology, closure, suture, and anastomosis. The focus on research topics changed over time. The principle of hybrid access has overcome the technical and safety limitations of pure NOTES. Currently the following NOTES access routes are established for several indications: transvaginal access for cholecystectomy, appendectomy and colon resections; transesophageal access for myotomy; transgastric access for full-thickness small-tumor resections; and transanal/transcolonic access for rectal and colon resections. NOTES and hybrid NOTES techniques have emerged for all natural orifices and were introduced into clinical practice with a good safety record. There are different indications for different natural orifices. Each technique has been optimized for the purpose of finding a safe and realistic

Note Taking and Recall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Judith L.; Harris, Mary B.

1974-01-01

To study the effect of note taking and opportunity for review on subsequent recall, 88 college students were randomly assigned to five treatment groups utilizing different note taking and review combinations. No treatment effects were found, although quality of notes was positively correlated with free recall an multiple-choice measures.…

Miniature surgical robots in the era of NOTES and LESS: dream or reality?

PubMed

Zygomalas, Apollon; Kehagias, Ioannis; Giokas, Konstantinos; Koutsouris, Dimitrios

2015-02-01

Laparoscopy is an established method for the treatment of numerous surgical conditions. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a novel surgical technique that uses the natural orifices of the human body as entrances to the abdominal cavity. An alternative concept of minimally invasive approach to the abdominal cavity is to insert all the laparoscopic instruments through ports using a single small incision on the abdominal wall. A suggested name for this technique is laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). Considering the technical difficulties in NOTES and LESS and the progress in informatics and robotics, the use of robots seems ideal. The aim of this study is to investigate if there is at present, a realistic possibility of using miniature robots in NOTES or LESS in daily clinical practice. An up-to-date review on in vivo surgical miniature robots is made. A Web-based research of the English literature up to March 2013 using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar as search engines was performed. The development of in vivo miniature robots for use in NOTES or LESS is a reality with great advancements, potential advantages, and possible application in minimally invasive surgery in the future. However, true totally NOTES or LESS procedures on humans using miniature robots either solely or as assistance, remain a dream at present. © The Author(s) 2014.

WOOD PRODUCTS IN THE WASTE STREAM: CHARACTERIZATION AND COMBUSTION EMISSIONS - VOLUME 1. TECHNICAL REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a study of technical, public policy, and regulatory issues that affect the processing and combustion of waste wood for fuel. (NOTE: Waste wood is wood that is separated from a solid-waste stream, processed into a uniform-sized product, and reused for o...

Ultrasound-Guided Intermediate Site Greater Occipital Nerve Infiltration: A Technical Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Zipfel, Jonathan; Kastler, Adrian; Tatu, Laurent; Behr, Julien; Kechidi, Rachid; Kastler, Bruno

2016-01-01

Two studies recently reported that computed tomography (CT) guided infiltration of the greater occipital nerve at its intermediate site allows a high efficacy rate with long-lasting pain relief following procedure in occipital neuralgia and in various craniofacial pain syndromes. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided intermediate site greater occipital nerve infiltration. Retrospective study. This study was conducted at the imaging department of a 1,409 bed university hospital. Local institutional review board approval was obtained and written consent was waived. In this retrospective study, 12 patients suffering from refractory occipital neuralgia or craniofacial pain syndromes were included between April and October 2014. They underwent a total of 21 ultrasound-guided infiltrations. Infiltration of the greater occipital nerve was performed at the intermediate site of the greater occipital nerve, at its first bend between obliqus capitis inferior and semispinalis capitis muscles with local anestetics and cortivazol. Technical success was defined as satisfactory diffusion of added iodinated contrast media in the fatty space between these muscles depicted on control CT scan. We also reported first data of immediate block test efficacy and initial clinical efficacy at 7 days, one month, and 3 months, defined by a decrease of at least 50% of visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Technical success rate was 95.24%. Patients suffered from right unilateral occipital neuralgia in 3 cases, left unilateral occipital neuralgia in 2 cases, bilateral occipital neuralgia in 2 cases, migraine in one case, cervicogenic headache in one case, tension-type headache in 2 cases, and cluster headache in one case. Block test efficacy was found in 93.3% (14/15) cases. Clinical efficacy was found in 80% of cases at 7 days, in 66.7% of cases at one month and in 60% of cases at 3 months. No major complications were noted. Some of the

Technical Communications in Aeronautics: Results of an Exploratory Study. NASA Technical Memorandum 101534, Parts 1 and 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; And Others

An exploratory study investigated technical communications in aeronautics by surveying aeronautical engineers and scientists. The study had five specific objectives: to solicit the opinions of aeronautical engineers and scientists regarding the importance of technical communications to their profession; to determine their use and production of…

76 FR 72885 - FM Asymmetric Sideband Operation and Associated Technical Studies

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-28

... Sideband Operation and Associated Technical Studies AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION... Asymmetric Sideband Operation and Associated Technical Studies, MM Docket No. 99-325, Public Notice, DA 11-1832 (MB rel. Nov. 1, 2011). The iBiquity and NPR request and the iBiquity and NPR technical studies...

The Social Perspective and Pedagogy in Technical Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thralls, Charlotte; Blyler, Nancy Roundy

1993-01-01

Notes that as teachers integrate social theory into the technical communication classroom, they interpret the connection between writing and culture in different ways. Describes four social pedagogies of writing--the social constructionist, the ideologic, the social cognitive, and the paralogic hermeneutic--distinguishing them by their pedagogic…

Versatile utilization of real-time intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound in cranial neurosurgery: technical note and retrospective case series.

PubMed

Lekht, Ilya; Brauner, Noah; Bakhsheshian, Joshua; Chang, Ki-Eun; Gulati, Mittul; Shiroishi, Mark S; Grant, Edward G; Christian, Eisha; Zada, Gabriel

2016-03-01

Intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (iCEUS) offers dynamic imaging and provides functional data in real time. However, no standardized protocols or validated quantitative data exist to guide its routine use in neurosurgery. The authors aimed to provide further clinical data on the versatile application of iCEUS through a technical note and illustrative case series. Five patients undergoing craniotomies for suspected tumors were included. iCEUS was performed using a contrast agent composed of lipid shell microspheres enclosing perflutren (octafluoropropane) gas. Perfusion data were acquired through a time-intensity curve analysis protocol obtained using iCEUS prior to biopsy and/or resection of all lesions. Three primary tumors (gemistocytic astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme, and meningioma), 1 metastatic lesion (melanoma), and 1 tumefactive demyelinating lesion (multiple sclerosis) were assessed using real-time iCEUS. No intraoperative complications occurred following multiple administrations of contrast agent in all cases. In all neoplastic cases, iCEUS replicated enhancement patterns observed on preoperative Gd-enhanced MRI, facilitated safe tumor debulking by differentiating neoplastic tissue from normal brain parenchyma, and helped identify arterial feeders and draining veins in and around the surgical cavity. Intraoperative CEUS was also useful in guiding a successful intraoperative needle biopsy of a cerebellar tumefactive demyelinating lesion obtained during real-time perfusion analysis. Intraoperative CEUS has potential for safe, real-time, dynamic contrast-based imaging for routine use in neurooncological surgery and image-guided biopsy. Intraoperative CEUS eliminates the effect of anatomical distortions associated with standard neuronavigation and provides quantitative perfusion data in real time, which may hold major implications for intraoperative diagnosis, tissue differentiation, and quantification of extent of resection. Further

Transesophageal NOTES--a critical analysis of relevant problems.

PubMed

Grund, Karl E; Lehmann, Thorsten G

2010-10-01

The transesophageal access route has not become a principal topic in the discussion about NOTES up to now. Analyzing the problems in this new field of surgery, however, the transesophageal route shows high relevance. Here, all possibilities, limitations, and problems of NOTES become obvious. This paper contains a critical analysis of the literature published to date (nine full papers, five abstracts). Nearly all publications represent experimental studies in living pigs. In most cases a submucosal tunnel technique is performed as access route to mediastinum, pleural cavity, and heart. Interventions and operations include simple mediastinoscopies as well as epicardial operations after exposition of the heart. For access and manipulation, conventional flexible endoscopes and instruments are used. Clips, T-bars, or a combination of both achieve the closure. Some studies rely on spontaneous closure of the incision without any suturing or approximation. In such experimental settings, the following results are presented: Access is achieved in 90% of cases, the aim of the operation is met in 92%, technical success in closure is achieved in 90%, healing of incision assessed as good in two of five studies, satisfactory in three of five studies. Mortality, ranging from 6 to 25%, and complication rates were (surprisingly) high. It has to be stressed that analyzing these papers published to date, no adequate attention is paid to basic facts and problems of general and thoracic surgery (e.g. different forms, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of pneumothorax or differentiated forms of ventilation). Relevant differences in the anatomy and physiology of the esophagus and mediastinum between humans and pigs should additionally be taken into account to choose optimal experimental parameters when transferring results to human settings. Moreover, requirements regarding sterility and hygiene in a structure like the mediastinum, which is at high risk from the point of view of infection

OpenNotes in oncology: oncologists' perceptions and a baseline of the content and style of their clinician notes.

PubMed

Alpert, Jordan M; Morris, Bonny B; Thomson, Maria D; Matin, Khalid; Geyer, Charles E; Brown, Richard F

2018-03-27

Patients' ability to access their provider's clinical notes (OpenNotes) has been well received and has led to greater transparency in health systems. However, the majority of this research has occurred in primary care, and little is known about how patients' access to notes is used in oncology. This study aims to understand oncologists' perceptions of OpenNotes, while also establishing a baseline of the linguistic characteristics and patterns used in notes.Data from 13 in-depth, semistructured interviews with oncologists were thematically analyzed. In addition, the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program evaluated over 200 clinician notes, measuring variables encompassing emotions, thinking styles, social concerns, and parts of speech. Analysis from LIWC revealed that notes contained negative emotional tone, low authenticity, high clout, and high analytical writing. Oncologists' use of stigmatized and sensitive words, such as "obese" and "distress," was mainly absent. Themes from interviews revealed that oncologists were uncertain about patients' access to their notes and may edit their notes to avoid problematic terminology. Despite their reluctance to embrace OpenNotes, they envisioned opportunities for an improved patient-provider relationship due to patients initiating interactions from viewing notes.Oncologists believe notes are not intended for patients and altering their content may compromise the integrity of the note. This study established a baseline for further study to compare notes pre-implementation to post-implementation. Further analysis will clarify whether oncologists are altering the style and content of their notes and determine the presence of patient-centered language.

A pilot study on the evaluation of medical student documentation: assessment of SOAP notes.

PubMed

Seo, Ji-Hyun; Kong, Hyun-Hee; Im, Sun-Ju; Roh, HyeRin; Kim, Do-Kyong; Bae, Hwa-Ok; Oh, Young-Rim

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was evaluation of the current status of medical students' documentation of patient medical records. We checked the completeness, appropriateness, and accuracy of 95 Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan (SOAP) notes documented by third-year medical students who participated in clinical skill tests on December 1, 2014. Students were required to complete the SOAP note within 15 minutes of an standard patient (SP)-encounter with a SP complaining rhinorrhea and warring about meningitis. Of the 95 SOAP notes reviewed, 36.8% were not signed. Only 27.4% documented the patient's symptoms under the Objective component, although all students completed the Subjective notes appropriately. A possible diagnosis was assessed by 94.7% students. Plans were described in 94.7% of the SOAP notes. Over half the students planned workups (56.7%) for diagnosis and treatment (52.6%). Accurate documentation of the symptoms, physical findings, diagnoses, and plans were provided in 78.9%, 9.5%, 62.1%, and 38.0% notes, respectively. Our results showed that third-year medical students' SOAP notes were not complete, appropriate, or accurate. The most significant problems with completeness were the omission of students' signatures, and inappropriate documentation of the physical examinations conducted. An education and assessment program for complete and accurate medical recording has to be developed.

Socio-Technical Perspective on Interdisciplinary Interactions During the Development of Complex Engineered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria R.; Daly, Shanna; Baker, Wayne; Papalambros, panos; Seifert, Colleen

2013-01-01

This study investigates interdisciplinary interactions that take place during the research, development, and early conceptual design phases in the design of large-scale complex engineered systems (LaCES) such as aerospace vehicles. These interactions, that take place throughout a large engineering development organization, become the initial conditions of the systems engineering process that ultimately leads to the development of a viable system. This paper summarizes some of the challenges and opportunities regarding social and organizational issues that emerged from a qualitative study using ethnographic and survey data. The analysis reveals several socio-technical couplings between the engineered system and the organization that creates it. Survey respondents noted the importance of interdisciplinary interactions and their benefits to the engineered system as well as substantial challenges in interdisciplinary interactions. Noted benefits included enhanced knowledge and problem mitigation and noted obstacles centered on organizational and human dynamics. Findings suggest that addressing the social challenges may be a critical need in enabling interdisciplinary interactions

The Use of Enhanced Guided Notes in an Electric Circuit Class: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawanto, O.

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate students' (n=70) learning performance after their participation in lectures using enhanced guided notes (EGN) in an electric circuits course for non-electrical engineering students. Unlike traditional guided notes, EGN include questions that prompt students to evaluate their metacognitive knowledge. The results…

Technical Note: Seasonality in alpine water resources management - a regional assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanham, D.; Fleischhacker, E.; Rauch, W.

2008-01-01

Alpine regions are particularly affected by seasonal variations in water demand and water availability. Especially the winter period is critical from an operational point of view, as being characterised by high water demands due to tourism and low water availability due to the temporal storage of precipitation as snow and ice. The clear definition of summer and winter periods is thus an essential prerequisite for water resource management in alpine regions. This paper presents a GIS-based multi criteria method to determine the winter season. A snow cover duration dataset serves as basis for this analysis. Different water demand stakeholders, the alpine hydrology and the present day water supply infrastructure are taken into account. Technical snow-making and (winter) tourism were identified as the two major seasonal water demand stakeholders in the study area, which is the Kitzbueheler region in the Austrian Alps. Based upon different geographical datasets winter was defined as the period from December to March, and summer as the period from April to November. By determining potential regional water balance deficits or surpluses in the present day situation and in future, important management decisions such as water storage and allocation can be made and transposed to the local level.

Bioethics for Technical Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asano, Shigetaka

Along with rapidly expanding applications of life science and technology, technical experts have been implicated more and more often with ethical, social, and legal problems than before. It should be noted that in this background there are scientific and social uncertainty elements which are inevitable during the progress of life science in addition to the historically-established social unreliability to scientists and engineers. In order to solve these problems, therefore, we should establish the social governance with ‘relief’ and ‘reliance’ which enables for both citizens and engineers to share the awareness of the issues, to design social orders and criterions based on hypothetical sense of values for bioethics, to carry out practical use management of each subject carefully, and to improve the sense of values from hypothetical to universal. Concerning these measures, the technical experts can learn many things from the present performance in the medical field.

Transdural Indocyanine Green Videography for Superficial Temporal Artery-to-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass-Technical Note.

PubMed

Yokota, Hiroshi; Yonezawa, Taiji; Yamada, Tomonori; Miyamae, Seisuke; Kim, Taekyun; Takamura, Yoshiaki; Masui, Katsuya; Aketa, Shuta

2017-10-01

Neurosurgical application of indocyanine green (ICG) videography before performing a dural opening, known as transdural ICG videography, has been used during surgery of meningiomas associated with venous sinuses as well as cranial and spinal arteriovenous malformations. However, its use for a superficial temporal artery (STA)-to-middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass has not been reported. We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients who underwent transdural ICG videography during STA-MCA bypass performed between January 2012 and March 2015. The primary outcome was visualization of recipient cortical arteries; secondary outcomes were surgical modifications and complications as well as any adverse events associated with transdural ICG videography. We analyzed 29 STA-MCA bypass procedures performed in 30 hemispheres with atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease and found that the proper recipient was identified in 28 hemispheres. Subsequently modified procedures for those were a tailored dural incision and craniotomy correction. No complications associated with ICG administration were encountered; during the postoperative course, transient aphasia was noted in 1 case, chronic subdural hematoma was noted in 1 case, and subdural effusion was noted in 2 cases. Transdural ICG videography for atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease facilitates modifications during STA-MCA bypass procedures. Recognition of the proper recipient cortical arteries before a dural incision allows the neurosurgeon to perform a tailored dural incision and extension of the bone window, although the contribution to surgical outcome has yet to be determined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of random study checks and guided notes study cards on middle school special education students' notetaking accuracy and science vocabulary quiz scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Charles L.

Federal legislation mandates that all students with disabilities have meaningful access to the general education curriculum and that students with and without disabilities be held equally accountable to the same academic standards (IDEIA, 2004; NCLB, 2001). Many students with disabilities, however, perform poorly in academic content courses, especially at the middle and secondary school levels. Previous research has reported increased notetaking accuracy and quiz scores over lecture content when students completed guided notes compared to taking their own notes. This study evaluated the effects of a pre-quiz review procedure and specially formatted guided notes on middle school special education students' learning of science vocabulary. This study compared the effects of three experimental conditions. (a) Own Notes (ON), (b) Own Notes+Random Study Checks (ON+RSC), and (c) Guided Notes Study Cards+Random Study Checks (GNSC+RSC) on each student's accuracy of notes, next-day quiz scores, and review quiz scores. Each session, the teacher presented 12 science vocabulary terms and definitions during a lecture and students took notes. The students were given 5 minutes to study their notes at the end of each session and were reminded to study their notes at home and in study hall period. In the ON condition students took notes on a sheet of paper with numbered lines from 1 to 12. Just before each next-day quiz in the ON+RSC condition students used write-on response cards to answer two teacher-posed questions over randomly selected vocabulary terms from the previous day's lecture. If the answer on a randomly selected student's response card was correct, that student earned a lottery ticket for inexpensive prizes and a quiz bonus point for herself and each classmate. In the GNSC+RSC condition students took notes on specially formatted guided notes that after the lecture they cut into a set of flashcards that could used for study. The students' mean notetaking accuracy was 75

Understanding Digital Note-Taking Practice for Visualization.

PubMed

Willett, Wesley; Goffin, Pascal; Isenberg, Petra

2015-05-13

We present results and design implications from a study of digital note-taking practice to examine how visualization can support revisitation, reflection, and collaboration around notes. As digital notebooks become common forms of external memory, keeping track of volumes of content is increasingly difficult. Information visualization tools can help give note-takers an overview of their content and allow them to explore diverse sets of notes, find and organize related content, and compare their notes with their collaborators. To ground the design of such tools, we conducted a detailed mixed-methods study of digital note-taking practice. We identify a variety of different editing, organization, and sharing methods used by digital note-takers, many of which result in notes becoming "lost in the pile''. These findings form the basis for our design considerations that examine how visualization can support the revisitation, organization, and sharing of digital notes.

Studying Quality beyond Technical Rationality: Political and Symbolic Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanco Ramírez, Gerardo

2013-01-01

The underlying paradigms that influence research on quality have remained alarmingly under-researched; this article analyses the constraints that a technical-rational approach for the study of quality in higher education imposes. Technical rationality has been the dominant paradigm that shapes research on quality in higher education.…

Fiscal year 1977 scientific and technical reports, articles, papers, and presentations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, O. L. (Compiler)

1977-01-01

This bibliography lists 78 NASA technical memoranda, notes, papers, and reports presented by Marshall Space Flight Center personnel in FY 1977. In addition, 525 papers by contractors to that facility are cited along with 129 papers cleared for presentation.

Scientific and Technical Information Output of the Langley Research Center, for calendar year 1976

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Documents listed include NASA Technical Reports, Technical Notes, Technical Memorandums, Special Publications, Contractor Reports, journal articles, and technical presentations made at Society meetings. NASA formal reports listed are those that were mailed and distributed to the ultimate user. The material presented here is listed first by Division and then under the following headings: (a) Formal Reports, (b) Contractor Reports, (c) Articles and Meeting Presentations, and (d) High Number Technical Memorandums (High TMX's). Under each heading, the material cited authors in alphabetical order. If a report has more than one author and these authors are from different Divisions, the report is listed only once, under the senior author's name.

Socio-technical issues and challenges in implementing safe patient handovers: insights from ethnographic case studies.

PubMed

Balka, Ellen; Tolar, Marianne; Coates, Shannon; Whitehouse, Sandra

2013-12-01

Ineffective handovers in patient care, including those where information loss occurs between care providers, have been identified as a risk to patient safety. Computerization of health information is often offered as a solution to improve the quality of care handovers and decrease adverse events related to patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to broaden our understanding of clinical handover as a patient safety issue, and to identify socio-technical issues which may come to bear on the success of computer based handover tools. Three in depth ethnographic case studies were undertaken. Field notes were transcribed and analyzed with the aid of qualitative data analysis software. Within case analysis was performed on each case, and subsequently, cross case analyses were performed. We identified five types of socio-technical issues which must be addressed if electronic handover tools are to succeed. The inter-dependencies of these issues are addressed in relation to arenas in which health care work takes place. We suggest that the contextual nature of information, ethical and medico-legal issues arising in relation to information handover, and issues related to data standards and system interoperability must be addressed if computerized health information systems are to achieve improvements in patient safety related to handovers in care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Office of Exploration: Exploration studies technical report. Volume 2: Studies approach and results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Barney B.; Bland, Dan

1988-01-01

The NASA Office of Exploration has been tasked with defining and recommending alternatives for an early 1990's national decision on a focused program of human exploration of the solar system. The Mission Analysis and System Engineering (MASE) group, which is managed by the Exploration Studies Office at the Johnson Space Center, is responsible for coordinating the technical studies necessary for accomplishing such a task. This technical report describes the process that has been developed in a case study approach. The four case studies that were developed in FY88 include: (1) human expedition to Phobos; (2) human expeditions to Mars; (3) lunar observatory; and (4) lunar outpost to early Mars evolution. The final outcome of this effort is a set of programmatic and technical conclusions and recommendations for the following year's work. Volume 2 describes the case study process, the technical results of each of the case studies, and opportunities for additional study. Included in the discussion of each case study is a description of the mission key features and profile. Mission definition and manifesting are detailed, followed by a description of the mission architecture and infrastructure. Systems concepts for the required orbital nodes, transportation systems, and planetary surface systems are discussed. Prerequisite implementation plans resulting from the synthesized case studies are described and in-depth assessments are presented.

Occupational-Technical Curriculum Development TV Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Lyndon

Section I of this report provides a brief review of various experiments and studies conducted in the United States and abroad on the effectiveness of televised occupational-technical courses. Issues discussed include the packaging of televised instruction; the need for preproduction testing; the limitations of television teaching; teacher and…

Suicide notes.

PubMed

O'Donnell, I; Farmer, R; Catalan, J

1993-07-01

Detailed case reports of incidents of suicide and attempted suicide on the London Underground railway system between 1985 and 1989 were examined for the presence of suicide notes. The incidence of note-leaving was 15%. Notes provided little insight into the causes of suicide as subjectively perceived, or strategies for suicide prevention.

What Predicts Skill in Lecture Note Taking?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peverly, Stephen T.; Ramaswamy, Vivek; Brown, Cindy; Sumowski, James; Alidoost, Moona; Garner, Joanna

2007-01-01

Despite the importance of good lecture notes to test performance, very little is known about the cognitive processes that underlie effective lecture note taking. The primary purpose of the 2 studies reported (a pilot study and Study 1) was to investigate 3 processes hypothesized to be significantly related to quality of notes: transcription…

Programs of Study: Year 2 Joint Technical Report. Research Snapshot

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, 2010

2010-01-01

In January 2010, the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) issued a progress report on three studies being conducted by the Center that examine the implementation and outcomes of Programs of Study (POS), which were required in the 2006 reauthorization of the federal legislation for career and technical education…

A Comparative Study of Leadership Characteristics of Virginia Regional Technical Center Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Bernard Trey S., III

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify leadership characteristics of technical school principals as perceived by technical center school principals, the superintendents, and the center's Joint Control Board of the regional technical centers of the Commonwealth of Virginia. A regional technical center principal position deals with a different…

Study of job burnout in technical writers and technical illustrators/designers at LLNL

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

Rice, J A

According to the American Institute of Stress, job stress is estimated to cost American industry more than $200 billion a year. These costs are, in part, related to the estimated 1 million employees that will be absent on an average workday because of stress; 75 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems. California workers' compensation claims for stress cost $1 billion for medical and legal fees alone (Murphy, 1997). But, there is another dimension to stress that needs to be addressed. Job stress can be a precursor to job burnout. Burnout is a loss of motivation,more » and antidotes for job stress will not necessarily alleviate or stop job burnout. Job burnout is experienced as exhaustion on physical, emotional, and cognitive levels. Burnout can include withdrawal and decreasing involvement on the job, seriously affecting job satisfaction, turnover, absenteeism, and productivity (Dwyer & Ganster, 1991; Erickson & Gunderson, 1972; Spector & Jex, 1991). The research project described in this paper examined whether job burnout exists in the technical writer and technical illustrator/designer occupations in the Technical Information Department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This study also determined at what age and after how many years of service these employees were most likely to experience job burnout, whether it affects men or women most, and if writers in a technical organization experience job burnout more than illustrators/designers in that organization.« less

Clinically Relevant Subregions of Articular Cartilage of the Hip for Analysis and Reporting Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Technical Note.

PubMed

Surowiec, Rachel K; Lucas, Erin P; Wilson, Katharine J; Saroki, Adriana J; Ho, Charles P

2014-01-01

Before quantitative imaging techniques can become clinically valuable, the method, and more specifically, the regions of locating and reporting these values should be standardized toward reproducibility comparisons across centers and longitudinal follow-up of individual patients. The purpose of this technical note is to describe a rigorous and reproducible method of locating, analyzing, and reporting quantitative MRI values in hip articular cartilage with an approach that is consistent with current orthopedic literature. To demonstrate this localization and documentation, 3 patients (age, 23 ± 5.1 years; 2 males, 1 female) who presented with symptomatic mixed-type femoroacetabular impingement (α angle, 63.3° ± 2.1°; center edge angle, 39° ± 4.2°) were evaluated with T2-mapping at 3 T MRI prior to hip arthroscopy. Manual segmentation was performed and cartilage of the acetabulum and femur was divided into 12 subregions adapted from the geographic zone method. Bone landmarks in the acetabulum and femur, identifiable both in arthroscopy and MR images, were manually selected and the coordinates exported for division of cartilage. Mean T2 values in each zone are presented. The current work outlines a standardized system to locate and describe quantitative mapping values that could aid in surgical decision making, planning, and the noninvasive longitudinal follow-up of implemented cartilage preservation and restoration techniques.

Necessity of creating digital tools to ensure efficiency of technical means

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakov, V. I.; Zakharova, O. V.

2018-05-01

The authors estimated the problems of functioning of technical objects. The article notes that the increasing complexity of automation systems may lead to an increase of the redundant resource in proportion to the number of components and relationships in the system, and to the need of the redundant resource constant change that can make implementation of traditional structures with redundancy unnecessarily costly (Standby System, Fault Tolerance, High Availability). It proposes the idea of creating digital tools to ensure efficiency of technical facilities.

Active Remote Sensing of Natural Resources: Course Notes. Science Series No. 5. Final Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Eugene L.

Presented is a portion of a research project which developed materials for teaching remote sensing of natural resources on an interdisciplinary basis at the graduate level. This volume contains notes developed for a course in active remote sensing. It is concerned with those methods or systems which generate the electromagnetic energy…

Do technical skills correlate with non-technical skills in crisis resource management: a simulation study.

PubMed

Riem, N; Boet, S; Bould, M D; Tavares, W; Naik, V N

2012-11-01

Both technical skills (TS) and non-technical skills (NTS) are key to ensuring patient safety in acute care practice and effective crisis management. These skills are often taught and assessed separately. We hypothesized that TS and NTS are not independent of each other, and we aimed to evaluate the relationship between TS and NTS during a simulated intraoperative crisis scenario. This study was a retrospective analysis of performances from a previously published work. After institutional ethics approval, 50 anaesthesiology residents managed a simulated crisis scenario of an intraoperative cardiac arrest secondary to a malignant arrhythmia. We used a modified Delphi approach to design a TS checklist, specific for the management of a malignant arrhythmia requiring defibrillation. All scenarios were recorded. Each performance was analysed by four independent experts. For each performance, two experts independently rated the technical performance using the TS checklist, and two other experts independently rated NTS using the Anaesthetists' Non-Technical Skills score. TS and NTS were significantly correlated to each other (r=0.45, P<0.05). During a simulated 5 min resuscitation requiring crisis resource management, our results indicate that TS and NTS are related to one another. This research provides the basis for future studies evaluating the nature of this relationship, the influence of NTS training on the performance of TS, and to determine whether NTS are generic and transferrable between crises that require different TS.

Third International Mathematics and Science Study 1999 Video Study Technical Report: Volume 2--Science. Technical Report. NCES 2011-049

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnier, Helen E.; Lemmens, Meike; Druker, Stephen L.; Roth, Kathleen J.

2011-01-01

This second volume of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 Video Study Technical Report focuses on every aspect of the planning, implementation, processing, analysis, and reporting of the science components of the TIMSS 1999 Video Study. The report is intended to serve as a record of the actions and documentation of…

'Buildings in Use' Study. Technical Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee. School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

The second report of the 'Buildings in Use' study documents the results of over 100 field tests conducted at four elementary schools, as well as discussion of these results and relevant technical specifications and details. The procedural framework used in the Field Tests Manual is followed and test results are rated numerically wherever possible.…

Vocational-Technical Education Financial Study. Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Board of Vocational and Technical Education, Indianapolis.

A review of Indiana's current system of financing public vocational-technical education was limited to these concerns: the resource needs of vocational-technical education to keep the current delivery system up-to-date and the resources necessary to expand vocational-technical education services to those not being served. Although the current…

"Technical note. Harmonization of the multi-scale multi-model activities HTAP, AQMEII and MICS-Asia: simulations, emission inventories, boundary conditions and output formats." For submission to ACP Special Issue on "Global and regional assessment of intercontinental transport of air pollution: results from HTAP, AQMEII and MICS"

EPA Science Inventory

The ACP Special Issue is being organized to draw together analysis of a set of cooperative modeling experiments (referred to as HTAP2). The purpose of this technical note is to provide a common description of the experimental design and set up for HTAP2 that can be referred to b...

Fit for purpose? Using the fit note with patients with chronic pain: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Wainwright, Elaine; Wainwright, David; Keogh, Edmund; Eccleston, Christopher

2011-01-01

Background Staying in work may benefit patients with chronic pain, but can be difficult for GPs to negotiate with patients and their employers. The new fit note is designed to help this process, but little is known of how it is operating. Aim To explore GPs' views on the fit note, with particular reference to sickness certification for patients with chronic pain. Design and setting Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews in eight primary care trusts in south-west England. Method In-depth interviews with 13 GPs. Results GPs reported that the rationale behind the fit note is sound and that it may help patients with chronic pain to return to work earlier. However, GPs also reported barriers to successful fit note use, including the need to preserve doctor–patient relationships, inconsistent engagement from employers, GPs' lack of specialist occupational health knowledge, issues with fit note training, and whether a new form can achieve cultural shift. Conclusion While doctors agree that good work improves health outcomes, they do not think that fit notes will greatly alter sickness-certification rates without more concerted initiatives to manage the tripartite negotiation between doctor, patient, and employer. PMID:22137416

The Relative Effectiveness of Three Types of Notes Used as Adjunct Study Activities to Group Audiovisual Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavin, Marvin H.

A graduate thesis investigated the value of notetaking and prepared notes as adjunctive activities in audiovisual instruction. In the first experiment, taking notes on prepared topic outlines was found to be better than taking notes on blank paper. In the second experiment, not taking on topic outlines and the use of study guides were shown to be…

Scope Notes for LISA Subject Headings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Glenda

1992-01-01

Reports on a study that examined scope notes added to subject headings in the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) Online User Manual. Types of messages conveyed by scope notes and word patterns within the notes are identified, and comparisons between the 1982 and 1987 editions of the manual are made. (16 references) (MES)

Notes from Underground: Technical Writing and the Hermetic Tradition in Agricola's "De Re Metallica."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longo, Bernadette

The roots of technical writing are deeply planted in the field of mining engineering, with its emphasis on economics, value, and social stability. In the mid-16th century, Georgius Agricola published "De Re Metallica," a compilation of knowledge about mining and metallurgy. Agricola sought to explain the reasoning behind some of the…

Transcolonic Perirectal NOTES Access (PNA): A feasibility study with survival in swine model.

PubMed

Oliveira, André L A; Zorron, Ricardo; Oliveira, Flavio M M DE; Santos, Marcelo B Dos; Scheffer, Jussara P; Rios, Marcelo; Antunes, Fernanda

2017-05-01

Transrectal access still has some unsolved issues such as spatial orientation, infection, access and site closure. This study presents a simple technique to perform transcolonic access with survival in a swine model series. A new technique for NOTES perirectal access to perform retroperitoneoscopy, peritoneoscopy, liver and lymphnode biopsies was performed in 6 pigs, using Totally NOTES technique. The specimens were extracted transanally. The flexible endoscope was inserted through a posterior transmural incision and the retrorectal space. Cultures of bacteria were documented for the retroperitoneal space and intra abdominal cavity after 14 days. Rectal site was closed using non-absorbable sutures. There was no bowel cleansing, nor preoperative fasting. The procedures were performed in 6 pigs through transcolonic natural orifice access using available endoscopic flexible instruments. All animals survived 14 days without complications, and cultures were negative. Histopathologic examination of the rectal closure site showed adequate healing of suture line and no micro abscesses. The results of feasibility and safety of experimental Transcolonic NOTES potentially brings new frontiers and future wider applications for minimally invasive surgery. The treatment of colorectal, abdominal and retroperitoneal diseases through a flexible Perirectal NOTES Access (PNA) is a promising new approach.

VA OpenNotes: exploring the experiences of early patient adopters with access to clinical notes.

PubMed

Nazi, Kim M; Turvey, Carolyn L; Klein, Dawn M; Hogan, Timothy P; Woods, Susan S

2015-03-01

To explore the experience of early patient adopters who accessed their clinical notes online using the Blue Button feature of the My HealtheVet portal. A web-based survey of VA patient portal users from June 22 to September 15, 2013. 33.5% of respondents knew that clinical notes could be viewed, and nearly one in four (23.5%) said that they had viewed their notes at least once. The majority of VA Notes users agreed that accessing their notes will help them to do a better job of taking medications as prescribed (80.1%) and be better prepared for clinic visits (88.6%). Nine out of 10 users agreed that use of visit notes will help them understand their conditions better (91.8%), and better remember the plan for their care (91.9%). In contrast, 87% disagreed that VA Notes will make them worry more, and 88.4% disagreed that access to VA Notes will be more confusing than helpful. Users who had either contacted their provider or healthcare team (11.9%) or planned to (13.5%) primarily wanted to learn more about a health issue, medication, or test results (53.7%). Initial assessment of the patient experience within the first 9 months of availability provides evidence that patients both value and benefit from online access to clinical notes. These findings are congruent with OpenNotes study findings on a broader scale. Additional outreach and education is needed to enhance patient awareness. Healthcare professionals should author notes keeping in mind the opportunity patient access presents for enhanced communication. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Note Taking on Trial: A Legal Application of Note-Taking Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiewra, Kenneth A.

2016-01-01

This article is about note taking, but it is not an exhaustive review of note-taking literature. Instead, it portrays the application of note-taking research to an unusual and important area of practice--the law. I was hired to serve as an expert witness on note taking in a legal case that hinged, in part, on the completeness and accuracy of…

Development of NASA Technical Standards Program Relative to Enhancing Engineering Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, William W.

2003-01-01

The enhancement of engineering capabilities is an important aspect of any organization; especially those engaged in aerospace development activities. Technical Standards are one of the key elements of this endeavor. The NASA Technical Standards Program was formed in 1997 in response to the NASA Administrator s directive to develop an Agencywide Technical Standards Program. The Program s principal objective involved the converting Center-unique technical standards into Agency wide standards and the adoption/endorsement of non-Government technical standards in lieu of government standards. In the process of these actions, the potential for further enhancement of the Agency s engineering capabilities was noted relative to value of being able to access Agencywide the necessary full-text technical standards, standards update notifications, and integration of lessons learned with technical standards, all available to the user from one Website. This was accomplished and is now being enhanced based on feedbacks from the Agency's engineering staff and supporting contractors. This paper addresses the development experiences with the NASA Technical Standards Program and the enhancement of the Agency's engineering capabilities provided by the Program s products. Metrics are provided on significant aspects of the Program.

Suicide note themes and suicide prevention.

PubMed

Foster, Tom

2003-01-01

The aim was to determine if suicide note themes might inform suicide prevention strategies. The themes of 42 suicide notes from the Northern Ireland Suicide Study (major psychological autopsy study) were examined. The commonest themes were "apology/shame" (74%), "love for those left behind" (60%), "life too much to bear" (48%), "instructions regarding practical affairs post-mortem" (36%), "hopelessness/nothing to live for" (21%) and "advice for those left behind" (21%). Notes of suicides with major unipolar depression were more likely than notes of suicides without major unipolar depression to contain the themes "instructions regarding practical affairs post-mortem" (67% versus 19%, p = 0.005) and "hopelessness/nothing to live for" (40% versus 11%, p = 0.049). Notes of suicides with a previous history of deliberate self-harm were less likely than notes of suicides without a history of deliberate self-harm to contain the theme "apology/shame" (58% versus 87%, p = 0.04). Notes of elderly suicides were more likely than non-elderly notes to contain the theme "burden to others" (40% versus 3%, p = 0.03). The fact that three quarters of suicide notes contained the theme "apology/shame" suggests that the deceased may have welcomed alternative solutions for their predicaments. Scrutiny of suicide note themes in the light of previous research findings suggests that cognitive therapy techniques, especially problem solving, may have an important role to play in suicide prevention and that potential major unipolar depressive (possibly less impulsive) suicides, in particular, may provide fertile ground for therapeutic intervention (physical and psychological). Ideally all primary care doctors and mental health professionals working with (potentially) suicidal people should be familiar with basic cognitive therapy techniques, especially problem solving skills training.

OEXP exploration studies technical report. Volume 3: Special reports, studies, and indepth systems assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Barney B.; Bland, Dan

1988-01-01

The Office of Exploration (OEXP) at NASA has been tasked with defining and recommending alternatives for an early 1990's national decision on a focused program of manned exploration of the Solar System. The Mission analysis and System Engineering (MASE) group, which is managed by the Exploration Studies Office at the Johnson Space Center, is responsible for coordinating the technical studies necessary for accomplishing such a task. This technical report, produced by the MASE, describes the process used to conduct exploration studies and discusses the mission developed in a case study approach. The four case studies developed in FY88 include: (1) a manned expedition to PHOBOS; (2) a manned expedition to MARS; (3) a lunar surface observatory; and a lunar outpost to early Mars evolution. The final outcome of this effort is a set of programmatic and technical conclusions and recommendations for the following year's work.

The impact of note taking style and note availability at retrieval on mock jurors' recall and recognition of trial information.

PubMed

Thorley, Craig; Baxter, Rebecca E; Lorek, Joanna

2016-01-01

Jurors forget critical trial information and what they do recall can be inaccurate. Jurors' recall of trial information can be enhanced by permitting them to take notes during a trial onto blank sheets of paper (henceforth called freestyle note taking). A recent innovation is the trial-ordered-notebook (TON) for jurors, which is a notebook containing headings outlining the trial proceedings and which has space beneath each heading for notes. In a direct comparison, TON note takers recalled more trial information than freestyle note takers. This study investigated whether or not note taking improves recall as a result of enhanced encoding or as a result of note access at retrieval. To assess this, mock jurors watched and freely recalled a trial video with one-fifth taking no notes, two-fifths taking freestyle notes and two-fifths using TONs. During retrieval, half of the freestyle and TON note takers could access their notes. Note taking enhanced recall, with the freestyle note takers and TON note takers without note access performing equally as well. Note taking therefore enhances encoding. Recall was greatest for the TON note takers with note access, suggesting a retrieval enhancement unique to this condition. The theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.

Building Science-Relevant Literacy with Technical Writing in High School

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

Girill, T R

2006-06-02

By drawing on the in-class work of an on-going literacy outreach project, this paper explains how well-chosen technical writing activities can earn time in high-school science courses by enabling underperforming students (including ESL students) to learn science more effectively. We adapted basic research-based text-design and usability techniques into age-appropriate exercises and cases using the cognitive apprenticeship approach. This enabled high-school students, aided by explicit guidelines, to build their cognitive maturity, learn how to craft good instructions and descriptions, and apply those skills to better note taking and technical talks in their science classes.

[The students' page. Notes about patient records and the production and reproduction of knowledge. Written and oral presentations].

PubMed

de Almeida, L B; dos Santos, E S; Alves, D de B

1995-01-01

This paper relates a description about nursing notes in pactients promptuaries in relation to the distribution/reproduction/production process of knowledge in nursing. It was developed on an Intensive Care Unity from a Hospital in the teaching/assistance Sanitary District Barra/Rio Vermelho (Salvador-Bahia). The basic premise is that the nursing personal work superficial and sporadic notes just related to patients. Distribution/ reproduction/production process, that happen in the nursing work process isn't considered by it devaluation or just because, for nursing agents, only information about technical procedures related to patient care, expresses the nursing knowledge and so, must be registered. In order to reach the objective, 30% of the promptuaries of patients discharge from the ICU were studied and the nursing team was interviewed, during the months-november, december 1994. The analysis indicates that the way how the nursing notes are been made, results in hard communication among agents of health area and contributes to disqualify the nursing assistance that is given to patients, besides to limit the advance of the distribution/reproduction/production of knowledge in nursing.

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3

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

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-03-31

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3(NOTE: Part II A item 1 indicates ''PAPER'', but a report is attached electronically)

Women and Feminism in Technical Communication: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Journal Articles Published in 1989 through 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Isabelle

1999-01-01

Identifies 40 articles about women and feminism published in five technical communication journals in a period of nine years. Notes major themes, all concerning inclusion. Concludes that although research about women and feminism has been accepted as part of the scholarly purview of technical communication, the ways in which this research has…

Farewell to the World: Suicide Notes from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirel, Birol; Akar, Taner; Sayin, Aslihan; Candansayar, Selcuk; Leenaars, Antoon A.

2008-01-01

There has been limited study of suicide in Islamic countries. This paper marks the first study of suicide notes in Turkey, an Islamic country. Using a classification scheme, 49 suicide notes (a rate of 34.5%) were studied. The results show that note writers do not differ greatly from other suicides. Further analysis of younger (less than 40) and…

Apparatus Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Bruce G., Ed.

1980-01-01

Presents four notes that report new equipment and techniques of interest to physics teachers. These notes deal with collosions of atoms in solids, determining the viscosity of a liquid, measuring the speed of sound and demonstrating Doppler effect. (HM)

Career and Technical Education at a Crossroads: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutright, Michael W.

2011-01-01

Career and technical education in the United States has reached a critical juncture. A three round Delphi method was used to determine a consensus on the future events of career and technical education to better inform educational decision makers. Forty-one individual experts in the field were invited to serve as panelists for the Delphi study and…

Spatial Visualization ability improves with and without studying Technical Drawing.

PubMed

Contreras, María José; Escrig, Rebeca; Prieto, Gerardo; Elosúa, M Rosa

2018-03-27

The results of several studies suggest that spatial ability can be improved through direct training with tasks similar to those integrated in the tests used to measure the ability. However, there is a greater interest in analyzing the effectiveness of indirect training such as games or of learning subjects that involve spatial processes to a certain extent. Thus, the objective of the present study was to analyze whether the indirect training in Technical Drawing improved the Spatial Visualization ability of Architecture students. For this purpose, a group of students enrolled in Fundamentals of Architecture were administered two tests, a Spatial Visualization task and an Abstract Reasoning task, at the beginning and the end of a semester, after having received training through the subjects "Technical Drawing I: Geometry and Perception" and "Projects I." The results of this group were compared with those of a control group of students enrolled in a Mathematics degree, who were also pre-post evaluated but had not received the training in Technical Drawing. The study showed a significant pre-post improvement in both, Visualization and reasoning. However, this improvement occurred in both groups, thereby concluding that this improvement was not due to indirect training. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between men and women in any of the groups or conditions. These results clarify those of an earlier study where improvement in Visualization after training in Technical Drawing was found but did not include a comparison with a control condition. The control condition has proved to be important in order to consider the limitations of the effect of Technical Drawing on said improvement.

Heuristic evaluation of eNote: an electronic notes system.

PubMed

Bright, Tiffani J; Bakken, Suzanne; Johnson, Stephen B

2006-01-01

eNote is an electronic health record (EHR) system based on semi-structured narrative documents. A heuristic evaluation was conducted with a sample of five usability experts. eNote performed highly in: 1)consistency with standards and 2)recognition rather than recall. eNote needs improvement in: 1)help and documentation, 2)aesthetic and minimalist design, 3)error prevention, 4)helping users recognize, diagnosis, and recover from errors, and 5)flexibility and efficiency of use. The heuristic evaluation was an efficient method of evaluating our interface.

Technical Communications in Aeronautics: Results of an Exploratory Study. An Analysis of Managers' and Nonmanagers' Responses. NASA Technical Memorandum 101625.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; And Others

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that aerospace managers and nonmanagers have different technical communications practices. Five secondary assumptions were established for the analysis: (1) that the…

Canine ovariectomy by hybrid or total natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery: technical feasibility study and pain assessment.

PubMed

Linhares, Marcella Teixeira; Feranti, João Pedro Scussel; Coradini, Gabriela Pesamosca; Martins, Letícia Reginato; Martins, Arthur Rodrigues; Sarturi, Vanessa Zanchi; Gavioli, Felipe Baldissarella; Machado Silva, Marco Augusto; de Ataíde, Michelli Westphal; Teixeira, Luciana Gonçalves; Brun, Maurício Veloso

2018-06-13

To compare technical feasibility, surgical time, surgical complications, and postoperative pain in ovariectomy (OVE) by hybrid and total natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). Prospective randomized clinical trial. Sixteen healthy and sexually intact bitches. Dogs were randomly assigned to the hybrid NOTES group (HNG; n = 8) and the total NOTES group (TNG; n = 8) to compare surgical time, pain scores and complications. Pain was assessed by using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Melbourne pain scale (MPS). Surgical time did not differ between the experimental groups (HNG = 46.3 ± 18.5 minutes, TNG = 54.6 ± 31.1 minutes). Exteriorization of the ovaries through the vaginal wound was the major difficulty. Complications were minor in both groups and occurred intraoperatively only in the HNG, and in both groups post operatively. No dogs required rescue analgesia in the intraoperative or postoperative period. There were no differences in VAS or MPS scores between the groups for any surgical times except for the VAS assessment at 72 hours after extubation (HNG = 1.1 ± 0.3, TNG = 0.7 ± 0.4, P = .0221). Both NOTES techniques were comparable for canine OVE, with no requirement for additional analgesia in the postoperative periods. It was not possible to determine whether there was a clear advantage of one technique rather than the other. The minimally invasive techniques proposed for laparoscopic OVE are feasible for dogs with low pain scores and low rates of complications for both groups. © 2018 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

NCEL (Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory) Quarterly Abstracts of Technical Documents, 1 April to 30 June 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-30

release; distribution unlimited. 87 8 3075 TABLE OF CONTENTS page TECHNICAL NOTES N-1764 Validation of Nitronic 33 in Reinforced and Prestressed...TECHNICAL WES K- 1764 Validation of Nitrovic 33 In Reeinforced and Prestressed Concrete, Apr 1987, James F. Jenkins (public release) Nitronic 33...prestressing strand are not acceptable. Before Nitronic 33 stainless steel prestressed concrete waterfront structures were constructed, it was necessary to

At-Risk Learner Preference in Engineering/Technical Graphics: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Jeremy V.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study investigated learner preferences of secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Engineering/Technical Graphics students using the VARK Questionnaire. The VARK Questionnaire is an instrument that assists in determining students' dominant preferred learning styles, whether visual, aural, reading, or kinesthetic. This study…

Pattern Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Alan

1980-01-01

Looks at an alternative method to linear notes for organizing thoughts when preparing a talk or paper. This method displays the manner in which the relationships of a subject are organized and offers a format for displaying complex inter-dependencies in place of linear notes. (Author/MER)

A Study of Search Intermediary Working Notes: Implications for IR System Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spink, Amanda; Goodrum, Abby

1996-01-01

Reports findings from an exploratory study investigating working notes created during encoding and external storage (EES) processes by human search intermediaries (librarians at the University of North Texas) using a Boolean information retrieval (IR) system. Implications for the design of IR interfaces and further research is discussed.…

Descriptive analysis of context evaluation instrument for technical oral presentation skills evaluation: A case study in English technical communication course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Abdullah-Adnan; Asmawi, Adelina; Hamid, Mohd Rashid Ab; Mustafa, Zainol bin

2015-02-01

This paper reports a pilot study of Context Evaluation using a self-developed questionnaire distributed among engineering undergraduates at a university under study. The study aims to validate the self-developed questionnaires used in the Context evaluation, a component in the CIPP Model. The Context evaluation assesses background information for needs, assets, problems and opportunities relevant to beneficiaries of the study in a defined environment. Through the questionnaire, background information for the assessment of needs, assets and problems related to the engineering undergraduates' perceptions on the teaching and learning of technical oral presentation skills was collected and analysed. The questionnaire was developed using 5-points Likert scale to measure the constructs under study. They were distributed to 100 respondents with 79 returned. The respondents consisted of engineering undergraduates studied at various faculties at one technical university in Malaysia. The descriptive analysis of data for each item which makes up the construct for Context evaluation is found to be high. This implied that engineering undergraduates showed high interest in teaching and learning of technical oral presentation skills, thus their needs are met. Also, they agreed that assets and facilities are conducive to their learning. In conclusion, the context evaluation involving needs and assets factors are both considerably important; their needs are met and the assets and facilities do support their technical oral presentation skills learning experience.

A note on notes: note taking and containment.

PubMed

Levine, Howard B

2007-07-01

In extreme situations of massive projective identification, both the analyst and the patient may come to share a fantasy or belief that his or her own psychic reality will be annihilated if the psychic reality of the other is accepted or adopted (Britton 1998). In the example of' Dr. M and his patient, the paradoxical dilemma around note taking had highly specific transference meanings; it was not simply an instance of the generalized human response of distracted attention that Freud (1912) had spoken of, nor was it the destabilization of analytic functioning that I tried to describe in my work with Mr. L. Whether such meanings will always exist in these situations remains a matter to be determined by further clinical experience. In reopening a dialogue about note taking during sessions, I have attempted to move the discussion away from categorical injunctions about what analysis should or should not do, and instead to foster a more nuanced, dynamic, and pair-specific consideration of the analyst's functioning in the immediate context of the analytic relationship. There is, of course, a wide variety of listening styles among analysts, and each analyst's mental functioning may be affected differently by each patient whom the analyst sees. I have raised many questions in the hopes of stimulating an expanded discussion that will allow us to share our experiences and perhaps reach additional conclusions. Further consideration may lead us to decide whether note taking may have very different meanings for other analysts and analyst-patient pairs, and whether it may serve useful functions in addition to the one that I have described.

Note taking, review, memory, and comprehension.

PubMed

Bohay, Mark; Blakely, Daniel P; Tamplin, Andrea K; Radvansky, Gabriel A

2011-01-01

In previous work assessing memory at various levels of representation, namely the surface form, textbase, and situation model levels, participants read texts but were otherwise not actively engaged with the texts. The current study tested the influence of active engagement with the material via note taking, along with the opportunity to review such notes, and the modality of presentation (text vs. spoken). The influence of these manipulations was assessed both immediately and 1 week later. In Experiment 1 participants read a text, whereas in Experiment 2 participants watched a video recording of the material being read as a lecture. For each experiment the opportunity to take notes was manipulated within participants, and the opportunity to review these notes before the test was manipulated between participants. Note taking improved performance at the situation model level in both experiments, although there was also some suggestion of benefit for the surface form. Thus, active engagement with material, such as note taking, appears to have the greatest benefit at the deeper levels of understanding.

The Role of the U.S. Government Technical Report in Aeronautics: An Exploratory Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

survey questionnaire. 14 23. Technical Discipline -- for purposes of this study technical disciplines include aeronautics, astronautics, chemistry ...report varies because it serves different roles in communicating within and between organizations. The technical report has been defined etymologically ...and Information Systems - Administrative/Management - Other o Technical Discipline * - Aeronautics - Astronautics - Chemistry and Materials

Analysis of nonintervention studies: technical supplement.

PubMed

Aickin, Mikel

2012-01-01

Methods for analyzing data in nonintervention clinical studies are substantially different from those that are appropriate for randomized clinical trials. Although the latter methods are well known, the former are not. A systematic approach for dealing with statistical confounding in nonintervention research has been developed over the past 30 to 40 years, and the essence of this theory constitutes the contents of this article. An accompanying, less technical article explains the implications of these results for clinical research.

Technical Writing Redesign and Assessment: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Gaye Bush

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare scores on writing assignments from traditional, fully online courses in technical writing to pilot, hybrid courses at a southern university. A total of 232 students' assignments were compared in this study. All writing assignments were scored by six trained instructors of English using the same five point…

Electrification Futures Study: A Technical Evaluation of the Impacts of an

Science.gov Websites

Technical Evaluation of the Impacts of an Electrified U.S. Energy System Electrification Futures Study: A Technical Evaluation of the Impacts of an Electrified U.S. Energy System Illustration showing various impacts of widespread electrification in the United States. In addition to NREL, the research team

Intentional forgetting: note-taking as a naturalistic example.

PubMed

Eskritt, Michelle; Ma, Sierra

2014-02-01

In the present study, we examined whether note-taking as a memory aid may provide a naturalistic example of intentional forgetting. In the first experiment, participants played Concentration, a memory card game in which the identity and location of pairs of cards need to be remembered. Before the game started, half of the participants were allowed to study the cards, and the other half made notes that were then unexpectedly taken away. No significant differences emerged between the two groups for remembering identity information, but the study group remembered significantly more location information than did the note-taking group. In a second experiment, we examined whether note-takers would show signs of proactive interference while playing Concentration repeatedly. The results indicated that they did not. The findings suggest that participants adopted an intentional-forgetting strategy when using notes to store certain types of information.

Children's note taking as a mnemonic tool.

PubMed

Eskritt, Michelle; McLeod, Kellie

2008-09-01

When given the opportunity to take notes in memory tasks, children sometimes make notes that are not useful. The current study examined the role that task constraints might play in the production of nonmnemonic notes. In Experiment 1, children played one easy and one difficult memory game twice, once with the opportunity to make notes and once without that opportunity. More children produced functional notations for the easier task than for the more difficult task, and their notations were beneficial to memory performance. Experiment 2 found that the majority of children who at first made nonmnemonic notations were able to produce functional notations with minimal training, and there was no significant difference in notation quality or memory performance between spontaneous and trained note takers. Experiment 3 revealed that the majority of children could transfer their training to a novel task. The results suggest that children's production of nonmnemonic notes may be due in part to a lack of knowledge regarding what task information is important to represent or how to represent it in their notes rather than to an inability to make functional notes in general.

Technical Education as a Tool for Ensuring Sustainable Development: A Case of India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Gagan Deep; Uppal, Raminder Singh; Mahendru, Mandeep

2016-01-01

This paper notes that education needs to essentially lead to sustainable development serving two-fold purpose--eradicating the problems of unemployment and poverty; and ensuring equitable distribution of wealth while ensuring the right understanding leading to a peaceful, prosperous and developed world. In its current state, technical education…

Assessing Technical Writing in Institutional Contexts: Using Outcomes-Based Assessment for Programmatic Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Michael; Anson, Chris M.; Miller, Carolyn R.

2003-01-01

Notes that technical writing instruction often operates in isolation from other components of students' communication education. Argues for altering this isolation by moving writing instruction to a place of increased programmatic perspective, which may be attained through a means of assessment based on educational outcomes. Discusses two models…

Technical Note: Ethical Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blodgett, J.

Ethical economics is inspirational, expanding our vision beyond the narrow self-interest of the theoretical economic man. Ethical economics sees more value in space settlement than conventional economic calculations that can inappropriately discount the value of the future.

Blue Note

ScienceCinema

Murray Gibson

2017-12-09

Argonne's Murray Gibson is a physicist whose life's work includes finding patterns among atoms. The love of distinguishing patterns also drives Gibson as a musician and Blues enthusiast."Blue" notes are very harmonic notes that are missing from the equal temperament scale.The techniques of piano blues and jazz represent the melding of African and Western music into something totally new and exciting.

Blue Note

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

Murray Gibson

2007-04-27

Argonne's Murray Gibson is a physicist whose life's work includes finding patterns among atoms. The love of distinguishing patterns also drives Gibson as a musician and Blues enthusiast."Blue" notes are very harmonic notes that are missing from the equal temperament scale.The techniques of piano blues and jazz represent the melding of African and Western music into something totally new and exciting.

Relationship between intraoperative non-technical performance and technical events in bariatric surgery.

PubMed

Fecso, A B; Kuzulugil, S S; Babaoglu, C; Bener, A B; Grantcharov, T P

2018-03-30

The operating theatre is a unique environment with complex team interactions, where technical and non-technical performance affect patient outcomes. The correlation between technical and non-technical performance, however, remains underinvestigated. The purpose of this study was to explore these interactions in the operating theatre. A prospective single-centre observational study was conducted at a tertiary academic medical centre. One surgeon and three fellows participated as main operators. All patients who underwent a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and had the procedures captured using the Operating Room Black Box ® platform were included. Technical assessment was performed using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills and Generic Error Rating Tool instruments. For non-technical assessment, the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) and Scrub Practitioners' List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS) tools were used. Spearman rank-order correlation and N-gram statistics were conducted. Fifty-six patients were included in the study and 90 procedural steps (gastrojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy) were analysed. There was a moderate to strong correlation between technical adverse events (r s  = 0·417-0·687), rectifications (r s  = 0·380-0·768) and non-technical performance of the surgical and nursing teams (NOTSS and SPLINTS). N-gram statistics showed that after technical errors, events and prior rectifications, the staff surgeon and the scrub nurse exhibited the most positive non-technical behaviours, irrespective of operator (staff surgeon or fellow). This study demonstrated that technical and non-technical performances are related, on both an individual and a team level. Valuable data can be obtained around intraoperative errors, events and rectifications. © 2018 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Suicide Notes in Hong Kong in 2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Paul W. C.; Yeung, April W. M.; Chan, Wincy S. C.; Yip, Paul S. F.; Tang, Arthur K. H.

2009-01-01

Suicide notes have been regarded as one of the most informative data sources to understand the reasons why people commit suicide. However, there is a paucity of suicide note studies, leaving researchers with an assumption that this phenomenon remains static over time. This study examines this assumption by comparing the characteristics of…

Bachelor Studies in the Czech Technical Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polak, Jaromir

Universities are the highest level of the Czech school education system, as well as important scientific institutions that are granted full autonomy under the law. There are five technical universities and one military school with technical courses in the Czech Republic. Until the 1990s, the universities had provided only the five years magister…

Management Studies Educational Knowledge: Technical, Elite or Political?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hordern, Jim

2014-01-01

This paper draws on the technical, elite and political interpretations of the purpose of management, to identify demands for particular forms of educational knowledge in the management studies curriculum. The varied character of this knowledge is discussed using Bernsteinian concepts of verticality, grammaticality, classification and framing, and…

Endovascular Treatment of Autogenous Radiocephalic Fistulas with the 'Eighth Note' Deformity for Hemodialysis

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

Weng Meijui; Chen, Matt Chiung-Yu, E-mail: jjychen@gmail.co; Chi Wenche

2010-02-15

The purpose of this paper is to describe a unique 'eighth note' deformity of the autogenous radiocephalic fistula for hemodialysis and to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of its endovascular treatment. Over 3 years, a total of 808 patients and 558 autogenous radiocephalic fistulas were treated for vascular access dysfunction or thrombosis. These included 14 fistulas in 14 patients (9 men, 5 women; mean age, 58.2 {+-} 2.8 years; range 27-79 years) whose fistulograms before treatment resembled a musical note, the eighth note. Endovascular treatment sought to remodel the deformed vascular access to a classic radiocephalic fistula and increasemore » the number of cannulation sites available for hemodialysis. The technical and clinical success rates were each 92.8% (13/14). Fistula remodeling was successful in 13 patients. The postintervention primary patency was 100% at 90 days, 91.7 {+-} 0.8% at 120 days, 78.6 {+-} 13.9% at 180 days, 62.9 {+-} 17.9% at 360 days, 31.4 {+-} 24.0% at 540 days, and 0% at 720 days. The postintervention secondary patency was 100% at 90 days, 100% at 120 days, 100% at 180 days, 85.7 {+-} 13.2% at 360 days, and 85.7 {+-} 13.2% at 720 days. No major complications were noted. Minor complications were found in 71.4% of patients, all of which resolved spontaneously. In conclusion, endovascular treatment of fistulas with the eighth note deformity can effectively increase the number of available cannulation sites, facilitate fistula maturation, and facilitate thromboaspiration after fistula thrombosis.« less

A Case Study of Technical Assistance to Demonstration Programs for Young Handicapped Children. Part I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behr, Shirley K.; And Others

The interim report presents an evaluation of TADS (Technical Assistance Development System) through case studies of TADS technical assistance to the staffs of two demonstration programs for preschool handicapped children and their families. Purposes of the study included obtaining indepth descriptions of the technical assistance process to…

Insight into the da Vinci® Xi - technical notes for single-docking left-sided colorectal procedures.

PubMed

Ngu, James Chi-Yong; Sim, Sarah; Yusof, Sulaiman; Ng, Chee-Yung; Wong, Andrew Siang-Yih

2017-12-01

The adoption of robot-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery has been hampered by issues with docking, operative duration, technical difficulties in multi-quadrant access, and cost. The da Vinci® Xi has been designed to overcome some of these limitations. We describe our experience with the system and offer technical insights to its application in left-sided colorectal procedures. Our initial series of left-sided robotic colorectal procedures was evaluated. Patient demographics and operative outcomes were recorded prospectively using a predefined database. Between March 2015 and April 2016, 54 cases of robot-assisted laparoscopic left-sided colorectal procedures were successfully completed with no cases of conversion. The majority were low anterior resections for colorectal malignancies. Using the da Vinci® Xi Surgical System, multi-quadrant surgery involving dissection from the splenic flexure to the pelvis was possible without redocking. The da Vinci® Xi simplifies the docking procedure and makes single-docking feasible for multi-quadrant left-sided colorectal procedures. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Technical note: The Linked Paleo Data framework - a common tongue for paleoclimatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Nicholas P.; Emile-Geay, Julien

2016-04-01

Paleoclimatology is a highly collaborative scientific endeavor, increasingly reliant on online databases for data sharing. Yet there is currently no universal way to describe, store and share paleoclimate data: in other words, no standard. Data standards are often regarded by scientists as mere technicalities, though they underlie much scientific and technological innovation, as well as facilitating collaborations between research groups. In this article, we propose a preliminary data standard for paleoclimate data, general enough to accommodate all the archive and measurement types encountered in a large international collaboration (PAGES 2k). We also introduce a vehicle for such structured data (Linked Paleo Data, or LiPD), leveraging recent advances in knowledge representation (Linked Open Data).The LiPD framework enables quick querying and extraction, and we expect that it will facilitate the writing of open-source community codes to access, analyze, model and visualize paleoclimate observations. We welcome community feedback on this standard, and encourage paleoclimatologists to experiment with the format for their own purposes.

Influenceable and Avoidable Risk Factors for Systemic Air Embolism due to Percutaneous CT-Guided Lung Biopsy: Patient Positioning and Coaxial Biopsy Technique—Case Report, Systematic Literature Review, and a Technical Note

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Following the first case of a systemic air embolism due to percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy in our clinic we analysed the literature regarding this matter in view of influenceable or avoidable risk factors. A systematic review of literature reporting cases of systemic air embolism due to CT-guided lung biopsy was performed to find out whether prone positioning might be a risk factor regarding this issue. In addition, a technical note concerning coaxial biopsy practice is presented. Prone position seems to have relevance for the development and/or clinical manifestation of air embolism due to CT-guided lung biopsy and should be considered a risk factor, at least as far as lesions in the lower parts of the lung are concerned. Biopsies of small or cavitary lesions in coaxial technique should be performed using a hemostatic valve. PMID:25431666

Technical writing versus technical writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dillingham, J. W.

1981-01-01

Two terms, two job categories, 'technical writer' and 'technical author' are discussed in terms of industrial and business requirements and standards. A distinction between 'technical writing' and technical 'writing' is made. The term 'technical editor' is also considered. Problems inherent in the design of programs to prepare and train students for these jobs are discussed. A closer alliance between industry and academia is suggested as a means of preparing students with competent technical communication skills (especially writing and editing skills) and good technical skills.

Bank note recognition for the vision impaired.

PubMed

Hinwood, A; Preston, P; Suaning, G J; Lovell, N H

2006-06-01

Blind Australians find great difficulty in recognising bank notes. Each note has the same feel, with no Braille markings, irregular edges or other tangible features. In Australia, there is only one device available that can assist blind people recognise their notes. Internationally, there are devices available; however they are expensive, complex and have not been developed to cater for Australian currency. This paper discusses a new device, the MoneyTalker that takes advantage of the largely different colours and patterns on each Australian bank note and recognises the notes electronically, using the reflection and transmission properties of light. Different coloured lights are transmitted through the inserted note and the corresponding sensors detect distinct ranges of values depending on the colour of the note. Various classification algorithms were studied and the final algorithm was chosen based on accuracy and speed of recognition. The MoneyTalker has shown an accuracy of more than 99%. A blind subject has tested the device and believes that it is usable, compact and affordable. Based on the devices that are available currently in Australia, the MoneyTalker is an effective alternative in terms of accuracy and usability.

Technical nuances to minimize common complications of deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

House, Paul

2017-04-01

The implantation of deep brain stimulator electrodes is associated with infrequent complications. These complications are consistent across prospective trials and include infection, skin erosion, hemorrhage, and lead misplacement. Nuances of surgical technique can be used to minimize the risk of these commonly noted complications. Several of these technical nuances are highlighted in this video submission. The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/GL09W9p013g .

Electronic health records improve clinical note quality.

PubMed

Burke, Harry B; Sessums, Laura L; Hoang, Albert; Becher, Dorothy A; Fontelo, Paul; Liu, Fang; Stephens, Mark; Pangaro, Louis N; O'Malley, Patrick G; Baxi, Nancy S; Bunt, Christopher W; Capaldi, Vincent F; Chen, Julie M; Cooper, Barbara A; Djuric, David A; Hodge, Joshua A; Kane, Shawn; Magee, Charles; Makary, Zizette R; Mallory, Renee M; Miller, Thomas; Saperstein, Adam; Servey, Jessica; Gimbel, Ronald W

2015-01-01

The clinical note documents the clinician's information collection, problem assessment, clinical management, and its used for administrative purposes. Electronic health records (EHRs) are being implemented in clinical practices throughout the USA yet it is not known whether they improve the quality of clinical notes. The goal in this study was to determine if EHRs improve the quality of outpatient clinical notes. A five and a half year longitudinal retrospective multicenter quantitative study comparing the quality of handwritten and electronic outpatient clinical visit notes for 100 patients with type 2 diabetes at three time points: 6 months prior to the introduction of the EHR (before-EHR), 6 months after the introduction of the EHR (after-EHR), and 5 years after the introduction of the EHR (5-year-EHR). QNOTE, a validated quantitative instrument, was used to assess the quality of outpatient clinical notes. Its scores can range from a low of 0 to a high of 100. Sixteen primary care physicians with active practices used QNOTE to determine the quality of the 300 patient notes. The before-EHR, after-EHR, and 5-year-EHR grand mean scores (SD) were 52.0 (18.4), 61.2 (16.3), and 80.4 (8.9), respectively, and the change in scores for before-EHR to after-EHR and before-EHR to 5-year-EHR were 18% (p<0.0001) and 55% (p<0.0001), respectively. All the element and grand mean quality scores significantly improved over the 5-year time interval. The EHR significantly improved the overall quality of the outpatient clinical note and the quality of all its elements, including the core and non-core elements. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that the EHR significantly improves the quality of clinical notes. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Technical Communications in Aeronautics: Results of an Exploratory Study. An Analysis of Profit Managers' and Nonprofit Managers' Responses. NASA Technical Memorandum 101626.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; And Others

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that profit and nonprofit managers in the aerospace community have different technical communications practices. Profit and nonprofit managers were compared in five…

How college science students engage in note-taking strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonner, Janice M.; Holliday, William G.

2006-10-01

A composite theory of college science student note-taking strategies was derived from a periodic series of five interviews with 23 students and with other variables, including original and final versions of notes analyzed during a semester-long genetics course. This evolving composite theory was later compared with Van Meter, Yokoi, and Pressley's (Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 323-338, 1994) corresponding composite college students' theory of note-taking. Students' notes in this long-term study were also compared with a standard of adequate note-taking established by experts. Analyses detected many similarities between the two composite theories. Analyses also provided evidence of inadequate note-taking strategies, inconsistencies between what students claimed and evidently did with their notes, and weak self-regulating learning strategies. Recommendations included prompting students during class on how to take notes.

Usability Evaluation of Electronic Health Record System around Clinical Notes Usage-An Ethnographic Study.

PubMed

Rizvi, Rubina F; Marquard, Jenna L; Hultman, Gretchen M; Adam, Terrence J; Harder, Kathleen A; Melton, Genevieve B

2017-10-01

Background A substantial gap exists between current Electronic Health Record (EHR) usability and potential optimal usability. One of the fundamental reasons for this discrepancy is poor incorporation of a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach during the Graphical User Interface (GUI) development process. Objective To evaluate usability strengths and weaknesses of two widely implemented EHR GUIs for critical clinical notes usage tasks. Methods Twelve Internal Medicine resident physicians interacting with one of the two EHR systems (System-1 at Location-A and System-2 at Location-B) were observed by two usability evaluators employing an ethnographic approach. User comments and observer findings were analyzed for two critical tasks: (1) clinical notes entry and (2) related information-seeking tasks. Data were analyzed from two standpoints: (1) usability references categorized by usability evaluators as positive, negative, or equivocal and (2) usability impact of each feature measured through a 7-point severity rating scale. Findings were also validated by user responses to a post observation questionnaire. Results For clinical notes entry, System-1 surpassed System-2 with more positive (26% vs. 12%) than negative (12% vs. 34%) usability references. Greatest impact features on EHR usability (severity score pertaining to each feature) for clinical notes entry were: autopopulation (6), screen options (5.5), communication (5), copy pasting (4.5), error prevention (4.5), edit ability (4), and dictation and transcription (3.5). Both systems performed equally well on information-seeking tasks and features with greatest impacts on EHR usability were navigation for notes (7) and others (e.g., looking for ancillary data; 5.5). Ethnographic observations were supported by follow-up questionnaire responses. Conclusion This study provides usability-specific insights to inform future, improved, EHR interface that is better aligned with UCD approach.

[Notes on vital statistics for the study of perinatal health].

PubMed

Juárez, Sol Pía

2014-01-01

Vital statistics, published by the National Statistics Institute in Spain, are a highly important source for the study of perinatal health nationwide. However, the process of data collection is not well-known and has implications both for the quality and interpretation of the epidemiological results derived from this source. The aim of this study was to present how the information is collected and some of the associated problems. This study is the result of an analysis of the methodological notes from the National Statistics Institute and first-hand information obtained from hospitals, the Central Civil Registry of Madrid, and the Madrid Institute for Statistics. Greater integration between these institutions is required to improve the quality of birth and stillbirth statistics. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Temporary cerebral revascularization using a radial artery in the hand-eyeshade posture: technical note.

PubMed

Hiramoto, Jun; Tanaka, Yuichiro

2014-06-17

Kamiyama introduced a unique method of temporary cerebral revascularization using a radial artery graft (RAG) in his technical review. We tried original method with Sugita frame, and pointed out some disadvantages that include to avoid taking instruments or hands in and out, stability of hands, and unrestricted usage of brain retractors during temporary bypass between radial artery and M2 potion of middle cerebral artery (RA-M2 bypass). To solve those disadvantages, especially for Sugita head frame users, we here present a modified Kamiyama's method of temporary cerebral revascularization with the forearm elevated over the face like as hand-eyeshade posture.

Electronic Nursing Notes: A Case Study on Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Elizabeth V.; Teets, Janet

2006-01-01

In an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Computer & Information Technology (CIT) and Nursing (NSG) Departments at the Middletown and Hamilton regional campuses of Miami University (of Ohio), student team members created a Web-based application to create Electronic Nursing Notes. Students from the two departments worked together to…

On that Note...

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Harry

1988-01-01

Provides suggestions for note-taking from books, lectures, visual presentations, and laboratory experiments to enhance student knowledge, memory, and length of attention span during instruction. Describes topical and structural outlines, visual mapping, charting, three-column note-taking, and concept mapping. Benefits and application of…

Study of Membrane Reflector Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knapp, K.; Hedgepeth, J.

1979-01-01

Very large reflective surfaces are required by future spacecraft for such purposes as solar energy collection, antenna surfaces, thermal control, attitude and orbit control with solar pressure, and solar sailing. The performance benefits in large membrane reflector systems, which may be derived from an advancement of this film and related structures technology, are identified and qualified. The results of the study are reported and summarized. Detailed technical discussions of various aspects of the study are included in several separate technical notes which are referenced.

A technical platform for environments for ageing--lessons learned from three field studies.

PubMed

Eichelberg, Marco; Büsching, Felix; Steen, Enno-Edzard; Helmer, Axel; Thiel, Andreas; Hein, Andreas; Wolf, Lars

2014-01-01

The Lower Saxony Research Network "Design of Environments for Ageing" (GAL) studied possible applications of assistive technology for enabling older adults to live longer and independent in their own home. As part of this work, a technical platform was developed as a common technical basis for all assistive systems in the project. This article presents an overview of the architecture and core functionality of the technical platform, which in the first generation was developed for use in a laboratory setting, and in a second generation was extended for use in the project's field studies, i.e. prototype installations in end-users homes. The field studies' primary objective was the evaluation of the assistive technologies, that were developed within the overall project. However, these studies also confirmed that the fundamental concept of the technical platform is valid, and the prototypes continuously worked 24 h a day for several months. However, there were some problems related to lack of infrastructure in the older adults' homes and human factors such as inadvertent placement of objects across sensors' field of view, acceptance problems due to aesthetical reasons or simply communication problems, which show that making complex technologies work for users with little technical experience is well possible, but requires a careful consideration of the complete service chain and related "soft factors".

[Home hemodialysis: the technical overview. A 2010 survey].

PubMed

Ponson, Laurent; Arkouche, Walid; Laville, Maurice

2012-04-01

Compared to the daily work in dialysis units, home haemodialysis represents a particular task for the technical services of healthcare facilities. This survey concerns this modality of treatment of end-stage chronic renal failure, and was led to three objectives: to make a snapshot of the practices done by the technical staff, to point out significant differences, and to identify common issues. This is also an opportunity to discuss about the future of this treatment. Numbers of registries show a continuous decline of home haemodialysis during past decades. This could be explained by many factors, but on the other hand several points tend to forecast a renewed interest for this method of treatment. A questionnaire was sent to every technical service of health organizations dispensing dialysis in France. Seventeen health facilities providing home haemodialysis have sent back their information, representing 238 patients, that to say almost the totality of the patients of the country. These data were analysed, relevant indicators were sorted out, so that initial objectives could be completed. The results are explained as follows: site activities, procedures before and during patient installation, equipment, preventive visits, and corrective maintenance. In lack of a precise regulation on the technical support of these patients, significant differences of operations were noted and are detailed, as well as several common difficulties. All these elements can be used as a basis for the development of a practical guide intended to technical services. This work is voluntarily centered on the technical aspects, but other levers exist to revitalize this method. Copyright © 2012 Association Société de néphrologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Benefits of an Electronic Consultation-Liaison Note System: Better Notes Faster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sola, Christopher L.; Bostwick, J. Michael; Sampson, Shirlene

2007-01-01

Objective: The authors determined the efficiency of electronic documentation in consultation-liaison psychiatry. METHOD: An electronic note system was customized for a psychiatric consultation note. Specific attention given to common diagnoses permitted rapid documentation. Results: Residents learned the system quickly. The standardized nature of…

Technical Note: Approximate Bayesian parameterization of a complex tropical forest model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartig, F.; Dislich, C.; Wiegand, T.; Huth, A.

2013-08-01

Inverse parameter estimation of process-based models is a long-standing problem in ecology and evolution. A key problem of inverse parameter estimation is to define a metric that quantifies how well model predictions fit to the data. Such a metric can be expressed by general cost or objective functions, but statistical inversion approaches are based on a particular metric, the probability of observing the data given the model, known as the likelihood. Deriving likelihoods for dynamic models requires making assumptions about the probability for observations to deviate from mean model predictions. For technical reasons, these assumptions are usually derived without explicit consideration of the processes in the simulation. Only in recent years have new methods become available that allow generating likelihoods directly from stochastic simulations. Previous applications of these approximate Bayesian methods have concentrated on relatively simple models. Here, we report on the application of a simulation-based likelihood approximation for FORMIND, a parameter-rich individual-based model of tropical forest dynamics. We show that approximate Bayesian inference, based on a parametric likelihood approximation placed in a conventional MCMC, performs well in retrieving known parameter values from virtual field data generated by the forest model. We analyze the results of the parameter estimation, examine the sensitivity towards the choice and aggregation of model outputs and observed data (summary statistics), and show results from using this method to fit the FORMIND model to field data from an Ecuadorian tropical forest. Finally, we discuss differences of this approach to Approximate Bayesian Computing (ABC), another commonly used method to generate simulation-based likelihood approximations. Our results demonstrate that simulation-based inference, which offers considerable conceptual advantages over more traditional methods for inverse parameter estimation, can

Feasibility, efficacy, and predictive factors for the technical success of endoscopic nasogallbladder drainage: a prospective study.

PubMed

Yane, Kei; Maguchi, Hiroyuki; Katanuma, Akio; Takahashi, Kuniyuki; Osanai, Manabu; Kin, Toshifumi; Takaki, Ryo; Matsumoto, Kazuyuki; Gon, Katsushige; Matsumori, Tomoaki; Tomonari, Akiko; Nojima, Masanori

2015-03-01

Several studies have shown the useful-ness of endoscopic nasogallbladder drainage (ENGBD) in patients with acute cholecystitis. However, the procedure is difficult, and factors that affect technical success have not yet been clarified. We conducted a prospective study to eval-uate the technical feasibility, efficacy, and predictive factors for the technical success of ENGBD in patients with acute cholecystitis. All patients with moderate or severe acute cholecystitis who were enrolled underwent ENGBD between April 2009 and April 2011. Patients with surgically altered anatomy or pancreatobiliary malignancies were ex-cluded. The primary outcomes included technical success, clinical success, and complications. Factors that could affect the technical success were also examined. Of the 27 patients who underwent ENGBD during the study period, technical success was achieved in 21 (78%) and clinical improvement was achieved in 20 (95%). Early complications were encountered in four patients (15%). Gallbladder wall thickness (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 2.47) and age (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.35) were effective predictors of technical failure. ENGBD was effective in resolving acute cholecystitis; however, this modality was technically challenging and had a limited suc-cess rate. Because of technical difficulties, ENGBD should be reserved for limited indications. (Gut Liver, 2015;9239-246).

76 FR 59014 - Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads; Technical Amendment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-23

... in 1972 under the authority of the Flammable Fabrics Act (``FFA''), 15 U.S.C. 1191 et seq. When the... NIST Technical Note 1627; and Non-``Fire-Safe Cigarette'' (FSC) The first three descriptors are... the risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death, injury, or significant property damage; (2) is...

Technical Note: Statistical dependences between channels in radiochromic film readings. Implications in multichannel dosimetry.

PubMed

González-López, Antonio; Vera-Sánchez, Juan Antonio; Ruiz-Morales, Carmen

2016-05-01

This note studies the statistical relationships between color channels in radiochromic film readings with flatbed scanners. The same relationships are studied for noise. Finally, their implications for multichannel film dosimetry are discussed. Radiochromic films exposed to wedged fields of 6 MV energy were read in a flatbed scanner. The joint histograms of pairs of color channels were used to obtain the joint and conditional probability density functions between channels. Then, the conditional expectations and variances of one channel given another channel were obtained. Noise was extracted from film readings by means of a multiresolution analysis. Two different dose ranges were analyzed, the first one ranging from 112 to 473 cGy and the second one from 52 to 1290 cGy. For the smallest dose range, the conditional expectations of one channel given another channel can be approximated by linear functions, while the conditional variances are fairly constant. The slopes of the linear relationships between channels can be used to simplify the expression that estimates the dose by means of the multichannel method. The slopes of the linear relationships between each channel and the red one can also be interpreted as weights in the final contribution to dose estimation. However, for the largest dose range, the conditional expectations of one channel given another channel are no longer linear functions. Finally, noises in different channels were found to correlate weakly. Signals present in different channels of radiochromic film readings show a strong statistical dependence. By contrast, noise correlates weakly between channels. For the smallest dose range analyzed, the linear behavior between the conditional expectation of one channel given another channel can be used to simplify calculations in multichannel film dosimetry.

Note-taking in the employment interview: effects on recall and judgments.

PubMed

Middendorf, Catherine Houdek; Macan, Therese Hoff

2002-04-01

Although note-taking in the employment interview is highly recommended, little research has examined its effects. This study investigated the effects of note-taking styles, review of the notes, and content of the notes on participants' cued recall of information and decisions made from videotaped employment interviews. Note-taking increased recall accuracy but not judgment accuracy. Being able to review notes resulted in increased judgment accuracy for those taking conventional-style notes. The content of the notes also had important implications for conventional note-takers, suggesting some benefits of recording notes using the key-points style. The findings suggest that the act of note-taking may be more important for memory and legal reasons than for improving the decisions made by interviewers.

The Boston Study: Analysis of a Major Metropolitan Business- and Technical-Communication Market.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchholz, William J.

1989-01-01

Presents a year-long study of the duties, skills, and knowledge required of business- and technical-communication professionals in Boston, Massachusetts. Focuses on six categories of practice: technical communication, publishing, public relations, marketing, development, and training. Suggests that in the next decade communication practitioners…

Sticky-Note Murals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sands, Ian

2011-01-01

In this article, the author describes a sticky-note mural project that originated from his desire to incorporate contemporary materials into his assignments as well as to inspire collaboration between students. The process takes much more than sticking sticky notes to the wall. It takes critical thinking skills and teamwork to design and complete…

Technical note: a novel method for routine genotyping of horse coat color gene polymorphisms.

PubMed

Royo, L J; Fernández, I; Azor, P J; Alvarez, I; Pérez-Pardal, L; Goyache, F

2008-06-01

The aim of this note is to describe a reliable, fast, and cost-effective real-time PCR method for routine genotyping of mutations responsible for most coat color variation in horses. The melanocortin-1 receptor, Agouti-signaling peptide, and membrane-associated transporter protein alleles were simultaneously determined using 2 PCR protocols. The assay described here is an alternative method for routine genotyping of a defined number of polymorphisms. Allelic variants are detected in real time and no post-PCR manipulations are required, therefore limiting costs and possible carryover contamination. Data can be copied to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for semiautomatic determination of the genotype using a macro freely available at http://www.igijon.com/personales/fgoyache/software_i.htm (last accessed February 26, 2007). The performance of the method is demonstrated on 156 Spanish Purebred horses.

A comparison study of conjunctiva disorders in technical and administrative sawmill workers in Nigeria.

PubMed

Njinaka, Itiyafa; Uhumwangho, Odarosa M; Edema, Omolabake T; Dawodu, Oseluese A; Omoti, Afekhide E

2011-07-01

Workers in the sawmilling industry are at risk of various ocular hazards as a direct result of the sawmilling processes. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of conjunctival disorders between technical and administrative sawmill workers in Benin, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was performed on sawmill workers in Benin, Nigeria, between January and May 2009, with the aid of pre-tested questionnaires. Ocular examination was performed on all subjects. Data obtained were recorded and analysed using SPSS version 13. A total of 553 sawmill workers were studied, among whom 449 (81.2%) and 104 (18.8%) were technical and administrative workers, respectively. There were 496 (89.7%) males and 57 (10.3%) females. The age range was 15-80 years, with a mean of 38.9 years (SD 12.8). Pingueculum was found in 127 (23%) workers, among whom 122 (27.2%) were technical workers and 5 (4.8%) were administrative workers. Pterygium was present in 65 (11.8%) workers, among whom 64 (14.3%) were technical workers and 1 (1%) was an administrative worker. Seven (1.6%) technical workers used protective eyewear; 2 (0.4%) wore this protective eyewear regularly. Technical sawmill workers are at risk of developing conjunctival disorders, which result from chronic ocular irritation. This can be prevented by the provision of protective eye devices in the workplace.

Workplace Skills in Practice. Case Studies of Technical Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stasz, Cathleen; And Others

A study was conducted to explore skills and work-related dispositions in technical work. It used a sociocultural approach to examine skills in seven target jobs in worksites representing diverse industries--health care, traffic management, transportation, and semiconductor manufacturing. It explored employers' strategies for obtaining the skills…

Virtual Preoperative Planning and Intraoperative Navigation in Facial Prosthetic Reconstruction: A Technical Note.

PubMed

Verma, Suzanne; Gonzalez, Marianela; Schow, Sterling R; Triplett, R Gilbert

This technical protocol outlines the use of computer-assisted image-guided technology for the preoperative planning and intraoperative procedures involved in implant-retained facial prosthetic treatment. A contributing factor for a successful prosthetic restoration is accurate preoperative planning to identify prosthetically driven implant locations that maximize bone contact and enhance cosmetic outcomes. Navigational systems virtually transfer precise digital planning into the operative field for placing implants to support prosthetic restorations. In this protocol, there is no need to construct a physical, and sometimes inaccurate, surgical guide. The report addresses treatment workflow, radiologic data specifications, and special considerations in data acquisition, virtual preoperative planning, and intraoperative navigation for the prosthetic reconstruction of unilateral, bilateral, and midface defects. Utilization of this protocol for the planning and surgical placement of craniofacial bone-anchored implants allows positioning of implants to be prosthetically driven, accurate, precise, and efficient, and leads to a more predictable treatment outcome.

Evaluating the impact of patients' online access to doctors' visit notes: designing and executing the OpenNotes project

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Providers and policymakers are pursuing strategies to increase patient engagement in health care. Increasingly, online sections of medical records are viewable by patients though seldom are clinicians' visit notes included. We designed a one-year multi-site trial of online patient accessible office visit notes, OpenNotes. We hypothesized that patients and primary care physicians (PCPs) would want it to continue and that OpenNotes would not lead to significant disruptions to doctors' practices. Methods/Design Using a mixed methods approach, we designed a quasi-experimental study in 3 diverse healthcare systems in Boston, Pennsylvania, and Seattle. Two sites had existing patient internet portals; the third used an experimental portal. We targeted 3 key areas where we hypothesized the greatest impacts: beliefs and attitudes about OpenNotes, use of the patient internet portals, and patient-doctor communication. PCPs in the 3 sites were invited to participate in the intervention. Patients who were registered portal users of participating PCPs were given access to their PCPs' visit notes for one year. PCPs who declined participation in the intervention and their patients served as the comparison groups for the study. We applied the RE-AIM framework to our design in order to capture as comprehensive a picture as possible of the impact of OpenNotes. We developed pre- and post-intervention surveys for online administration addressing attitudes and experiences based on interviews and focus groups with patients and doctors. In addition, we tracked use of the internet portals before and during the intervention. Results PCP participation varied from 19% to 87% across the 3 sites; a total of 114 PCPs enrolled in the intervention with their 22,000 patients who were registered portal users. Approximately 40% of intervention and non-intervention patients at the 3 sites responded to the online survey, yielding a total of approximately 38,000 patient surveys. Discussion

Use of technical skills and medical devices among new registered nurses: A questionnaire study.

PubMed

Ewertsson, Mona; Gustafsson, Margareta; Blomberg, Karin; Holmström, Inger K; Allvin, Renée

2015-12-01

One comprehensive part of nursing practice is performing technical skills and handling of medical equipment. This might be challenging for new registered nurses (RNs) to do in patient-safe way. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the extent to which new RNs perform various technical skills and handle medical devices in different settings, and to investigate their possibility for continued learning in this respect. A further aim was to describe their perceptions of incident reporting related to technical skills and medical devices. A cross-sectional study with descriptive and comparative design. RNs who recently graduated from a nursing programme at three Swedish universities and had worked as a RN for up to 1 year were included in the study (n=113, response rate 57%). Data were collected by means of a postal questionnaire. Half of the RNs reported that they performed several of the listed tasks every day or every week, regardless of workplace. These tasks were most frequently performed in surgical departments. The majority of the participants (76%) stated a need of continued practical training. However, less than half of them (48%) had access to a training environment. Several participants (43%) had been involved in incidents related to technical skills or medical devices, which were not always reported. Nearly a third of the participants (31%) did not use the existing guidelines when performing technical skills, and reflection on performance was uncommon. This study highlights the importance of shared responsibilities between nurse educators and health care employers to provide learning opportunities for new RNs in technical skills, to maintain patient safety. To increase the safety culture where nursing students and new RNs understand the importance of using evidence-based guidelines and taking a reflective approach in the performance of technical tasks is needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Capability of Evaluating Technical Solutions: A Collaborative Study into the Primary Technology Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Björkholm, Eva

2014-01-01

Within the field of technology education, evaluating technical solutions is considered as an important topic. Research indicates that pupils have difficulties in evaluating technical solutions in terms of fitness for purpose, i.e. how effective a technical solution supports its intended function. By using the learning study, which is an iterative…

Bion's Notes on memory and desire--its initial clinical reception in the United States: a note on archival material.

PubMed

Aguayo, Joseph

2014-10-01

While Bion's 1967 memory and desire paper reflected a crucial episode in his clinical thinking during his epistemological period, it was also central to his evolution as a Kleinian psychoanalyst who worked with seriously disturbed adult patients. The author explicates and contextualizes these claims with a new archival document, the Los Angeles Seminars delivered by Bion in April 1967, and the full-length version of Notes on memory and desire. Bion here instigated a radical departure from years of theory-laden work when he made his clinical work and ideas accessible to a new audience of American Freudian analysts. While this new group was keenly interested to hear about Bion's clinical technique with both borderline and psychotic patients, there were varied reactions to Bion's ideas on the technical implications of the analyst's abandonment of memory and desire. Both the Los Angeles Seminars and Notes elicited responses ranging from bewilderment, admiration to skepticism amongst his audience of listeners and readers. These materials also however allow for a more complete and systematic presentation of important ideas about analytic technique - and while his ideas in this domain have been long valued and known by many psychoanalysts, this contribution stresses the crucial aspect of the reception of his ideas about technique in a particular American context. American analysts gained a much more explicit idea of how Bion worked analytically, how he listened, formulated interpretations and factored in the analyst's listening receptivity in the here-and-now. The author concludes with a consideration of the importance of Bion's American reception in 1967. Copyright © 2014 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

A note by any other name: Intonation context rapidly changes absolute note judgments.

PubMed

Van Hedger, Stephen C; Heald, Shannon L M; Uddin, Sophia; Nusbaum, Howard C

2018-04-30

Absolute pitch (AP) judgments, by definition, do not require a reference note, and thus might be viewed as context independent. Here, we specifically test whether short-term exposure to particular intonation contexts influences AP categorization on a rapid time scale and whether such context effects can change from moment to moment. In Experiment 1, participants heard duets in which a "lead" instrument always began before a "secondary" instrument. Both instruments independently varied on intonation (flat, in-tune, or sharp). Despite participants being instructed to judge only the intonation of the secondary instrument, we found that participants treated the lead instrument's intonation as "in-tune" and intonation judgments of the secondary instrument were relativized against this standard. In Experiment 2, participants heard a short antecedent context melody (flat, in-tune, or sharp) followed by an isolated target note (flat, in-tune, or sharp). Target note intonation judgments were once again relativized against the context melody's intonation, though only for notes that were experienced in the context or implied by the context key signature. Moreover, maximally contrastive intonation combinations of context and target engendered systematic note misclassifications. For example, a flat melody resulted in a greater likelihood of misclassifying a "sharp F-sharp" as a "G." These results highlight that both intonation and note category judgments among AP possessors are rapidly modified by the listening environment on the order of seconds, arguing against an invariant mental representation of the absolute pitches of notes. Implications for general auditory theories of perception are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Technical Note: Statistical dependences between channels in radiochromic film readings. Implications in multichannel dosimetry

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

González-López, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.gonzalez7@carm.es; Vera-Sánchez, Juan Antonio; Ruiz-Morales, Carmen

Purpose: This note studies the statistical relationships between color channels in radiochromic film readings with flatbed scanners. The same relationships are studied for noise. Finally, their implications for multichannel film dosimetry are discussed. Methods: Radiochromic films exposed to wedged fields of 6 MV energy were read in a flatbed scanner. The joint histograms of pairs of color channels were used to obtain the joint and conditional probability density functions between channels. Then, the conditional expectations and variances of one channel given another channel were obtained. Noise was extracted from film readings by means of a multiresolution analysis. Two different dosemore » ranges were analyzed, the first one ranging from 112 to 473 cGy and the second one from 52 to 1290 cGy. Results: For the smallest dose range, the conditional expectations of one channel given another channel can be approximated by linear functions, while the conditional variances are fairly constant. The slopes of the linear relationships between channels can be used to simplify the expression that estimates the dose by means of the multichannel method. The slopes of the linear relationships between each channel and the red one can also be interpreted as weights in the final contribution to dose estimation. However, for the largest dose range, the conditional expectations of one channel given another channel are no longer linear functions. Finally, noises in different channels were found to correlate weakly. Conclusions: Signals present in different channels of radiochromic film readings show a strong statistical dependence. By contrast, noise correlates weakly between channels. For the smallest dose range analyzed, the linear behavior between the conditional expectation of one channel given another channel can be used to simplify calculations in multichannel film dosimetry.« less

American Studies and the Technical Curriculum: Man and Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Germain, Amos

An approach to teaching American studies at a Southern institute of engineering technology is described. The curriculum of this school is technically oriented to the professional engineer. Elective humanities courses must attract their own market and justify their places to both the students and the faculty. Two courses entitled "Man and…

A Comparison Study of Conjunctiva Disorders in Technical and Administrative Sawmill Workers in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Njinaka, Itiyafa; Uhumwangho, Odarosa M; Edema, Omolabake T; Dawodu, Oseluese A; Omoti, Afekhide E

2011-01-01

Background: Workers in the sawmilling industry are at risk of various ocular hazards as a direct result of the sawmilling processes. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of conjunctival disorders between technical and administrative sawmill workers in Benin, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on sawmill workers in Benin, Nigeria, between January and May 2009, with the aid of pre-tested questionnaires. Ocular examination was performed on all subjects. Data obtained were recorded and analysed using SPSS version 13. Results: A total of 553 sawmill workers were studied, among whom 449 (81.2%) and 104 (18.8%) were technical and administrative workers, respectively. There were 496 (89.7%) males and 57 (10.3%) females. The age range was 15–80 years, with a mean of 38.9 years (SD 12.8). Pingueculum was found in 127 (23%) workers, among whom 122 (27.2%) were technical workers and 5 (4.8%) were administrative workers. Pterygium was present in 65 (11.8%) workers, among whom 64 (14.3%) were technical workers and 1 (1%) was an administrative worker. Seven (1.6%) technical workers used protective eyewear; 2 (0.4%) wore this protective eyewear regularly. Conclusion: Technical sawmill workers are at risk of developing conjunctival disorders, which result from chronic ocular irritation. This can be prevented by the provision of protective eye devices in the workplace. PMID:22135600

Care networking: a study of technical mediations in a home telecare service.

PubMed

Correa, Gonzalo; Domènech, Miquel

2013-07-22

This article examines the processes of technical mediation within familial care networks based on a study of home telecare targeted at older people. Supported by contributions from the actor-network theory as part of the social psychology of science and technology, these processes of technical mediation are analyzed using a qualitative approach. The data were gathered through six focus groups and four in-depth interviews; the participants in the study included users, relatives and formal carers. Thematic analysis techniques encompassing the information were used, revealing the effects on the patterns of caring relationships. The results show the interplay between presence-absence made possible by the devices; the two-way direction of care between the older people and the artifacts; and the process of sustaining care using the technology. We conclude that care should be seen as a socio-technical network where technology plays an active role in sustaining family relationships.

Technical Note: Approximate Bayesian parameterization of a process-based tropical forest model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartig, F.; Dislich, C.; Wiegand, T.; Huth, A.

2014-02-01

Inverse parameter estimation of process-based models is a long-standing problem in many scientific disciplines. A key question for inverse parameter estimation is how to define the metric that quantifies how well model predictions fit to the data. This metric can be expressed by general cost or objective functions, but statistical inversion methods require a particular metric, the probability of observing the data given the model parameters, known as the likelihood. For technical and computational reasons, likelihoods for process-based stochastic models are usually based on general assumptions about variability in the observed data, and not on the stochasticity generated by the model. Only in recent years have new methods become available that allow the generation of likelihoods directly from stochastic simulations. Previous applications of these approximate Bayesian methods have concentrated on relatively simple models. Here, we report on the application of a simulation-based likelihood approximation for FORMIND, a parameter-rich individual-based model of tropical forest dynamics. We show that approximate Bayesian inference, based on a parametric likelihood approximation placed in a conventional Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler, performs well in retrieving known parameter values from virtual inventory data generated by the forest model. We analyze the results of the parameter estimation, examine its sensitivity to the choice and aggregation of model outputs and observed data (summary statistics), and demonstrate the application of this method by fitting the FORMIND model to field data from an Ecuadorian tropical forest. Finally, we discuss how this approach differs from approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), another method commonly used to generate simulation-based likelihood approximations. Our results demonstrate that simulation-based inference, which offers considerable conceptual advantages over more traditional methods for inverse parameter estimation

Technical Note: Experimental results from a prototype high-field inline MRI-linac

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

Liney, G. P., E-mail: gary.liney@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Purpose: The pursuit of real-time image guided radiotherapy using optimal tissue contrast has seen the development of several hybrid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-treatment systems, high field and low field, and inline and perpendicular configurations. As part of a new MRI-linac program, an MRI scanner was integrated with a linear accelerator to enable investigations of a coupled inline MRI-linac system. This work describes results from a prototype experimental system to demonstrate the feasibility of a high field inline MR-linac. Methods: The magnet is a 1.5 T MRI system (Sonata, Siemens Healthcare) was located in a purpose built radiofrequency (RF) cage enablingmore » shielding from and close proximity to a linear accelerator with inline (and future perpendicular) orientation. A portable linear accelerator (Linatron, Varian) was installed together with a multileaf collimator (Millennium, Varian) to provide dynamic field collimation and the whole assembly built onto a stainless-steel rail system. A series of MRI-linac experiments was performed to investigate (1) image quality with beam on measured using a macropodine (kangaroo) ex vivo phantom; (2) the noise as a function of beam state measured using a 6-channel surface coil array; and (3) electron contamination effects measured using Gafchromic film and an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Results: (1) Image quality was unaffected by the radiation beam with the macropodine phantom image with the beam on being almost identical to the image with the beam off. (2) Noise measured with a surface RF coil produced a 25% elevation of background intensity when the radiation beam was on. (3) Film and EPID measurements demonstrated electron focusing occurring along the centerline of the magnet axis. Conclusions: A proof-of-concept high-field MRI-linac has been built and experimentally characterized. This system has allowed us to establish the efficacy of a high field inline MRI-linac and study a number of the

Factors that influence the non-technical skills performance of scrub nurses: a prospective study.

PubMed

Kang, Evelyn; Massey, Debbie; Gillespie, Brigid M

2015-12-01

To identify and describe the factors that impact on the performance of scrub nurses' non-technical skills performance during the intra-operative phase of surgery. Non-technical skills have been identified as important precursors to errors in the operating room. However, few studies have investigated factors influencing non-technical skills of scrub nurses. Prospective observational study. Structured observations were performed on a sample of 182 surgical procedures across eight specialities by two trained observers from August 2012-April 2013 at two hospital sites. Participants were purposively selected scrub nurses. Bivariate correlations and a multiple linear regression model were used to identify associations among length of surgery, patients' acuity using the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification system, team familiarity, number of occasions scout nurses leave the operating room, change of scout nurse and the outcome, the non-technical skills performance of scrub nurses. Patient acuity and team familiarity were the strongest predictors of scrub nurses' non-technical skills performance at hospital site A. There were no correlations between the predictors and the performance of scrub nurses at hospital site B. A dedicated surgical team and patient acuity potentially influence the performance of scrub nurses' non-technical skills. Familiarity with team members foster advanced planning, thus minimizing distractions and interruptions that impact on scrub nurses' performance. Development of interventions aimed at improving non-technical skills has the potential to make a substantial difference and enhance patient care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Isocentric Navigation of Percutaneous Endoscopic Transforaminal Discectomy at the L5/S1 Level in Difficult Puncture Cases: A Technical Note.

PubMed

Fan, Guoxin; Wang, Teng; Hu, Shuo; Guan, Xiaofei; Gu, Xin; He, Shisheng

2017-05-01

Accurate puncture during percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy at the L5/S1 level in cases with high iliac crest and narrow foramen were difficult, even though the difficulties of foraminoplasty could be overcome by advanced instruments like reamers. The report aimed to describe an isocentric navigation technique with a definite pathway in difficult puncture cases at the L5/S1 level. Technical note. Difficult punctures were defined as over 10 punctures of the needle before obtaining an ideal puncture location by senior surgeons with experience of over 500 percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) cases. A total of 124 punctures were recorded in 11 difficult puncture cases at the L5/S1 level. A definite pathway was created by an isocentric navigation theory, which was based on a surface locator and an arch-guided device. The surface locator was used to rapidly and accurately identify the puncture target with the recognition of the surrounding rods under fluoroscopy. The arch-guided device can ensure that the puncture target always remains at the center of a virtual sphere. We recorded the puncture times, fluoroscopy exposure times, radiation exposure time, operative time, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopeadic Association (JOA) score, and patient satisfaction. The average puncture times were significantly reduced to 1.27 with the arch-guided device compared with conventional puncture methods (P < 0.05). The average operative time was 90.09 ± 11.00 minutes and the fluoroscopy times were 53.36 ± 5.85. The radiation exposure time was 50.91 ± 5.20 seconds. VAS score of leg and back pain, as well as JOA score, were all significantly improved after surgery (P < 0.05). The excellent and good rate of satisfaction was 90.91%. No major complications, including cerebral fluid leakage, surgical infection, and postoperative nerve root injury, were recorded in this small sample. This was a small-sample study with a short follow-up. The

Online access to doctors' notes: patient concerns about privacy.

PubMed

Vodicka, Elisabeth; Mejilla, Roanne; Leveille, Suzanne G; Ralston, James D; Darer, Jonathan D; Delbanco, Tom; Walker, Jan; Elmore, Joann G

2013-09-26

Offering patients online access to medical records, including doctors' visit notes, holds considerable potential to improve care. However, patients may worry about loss of privacy when accessing personal health information through Internet-based patient portals. The OpenNotes study provided patients at three US health care institutions with online access to their primary care doctors' notes and then collected survey data about their experiences, including their concerns about privacy before and after participation in the intervention. To identify patients' attitudes toward privacy when given electronic access to their medical records, including visit notes. The design used a nested cohort study of patients surveyed at baseline and after a 1-year period during which they were invited to read their visit notes through secure patient portals. Participants consisted of 3874 primary care patients from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, MA), Geisinger Health System (Danville, PA), and Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, WA) who completed surveys before and after the OpenNotes intervention. The measures were patient-reported levels of concern regarding privacy associated with online access to visit notes. 32.91% of patients (1275/3874 respondents) reported concerns about privacy at baseline versus 36.63% (1419/3874 respondents) post-intervention. Baseline concerns were associated with non-white race/ethnicity and lower confidence in communicating with doctors, but were not associated with choosing to read notes or desire for continued online access post-intervention (nearly all patients with notes available chose to read them and wanted continued access). While the level of concern among most participants did not change during the intervention, 15.54% (602/3874 respondents, excluding participants who responded "don't know") reported more concern post-intervention, and 12.73% (493/3874 respondents, excluding participants who responded "don't know") reported less

Detecting Protected Health Information in Heterogeneous Clinical Notes.

PubMed

Henriksson, Aron; Kvist, Maria; Dalianis, Hercules

2017-01-01

To enable secondary use of healthcare data in a privacy-preserving manner, there is a need for methods capable of automatically identifying protected health information (PHI) in clinical text. To that end, learning predictive models from labeled examples has emerged as a promising alternative to rule-based systems. However, little is known about differences with respect to PHI prevalence in different types of clinical notes and how potential domain differences may affect the performance of predictive models trained on one particular type of note and applied to another. In this study, we analyze the performance of a predictive model trained on an existing PHI corpus of Swedish clinical notes and applied to a variety of clinical notes: written (i) in different clinical specialties, (ii) under different headings, and (iii) by persons in different professions. The results indicate that domain adaption is needed for effective detection of PHI in heterogeneous clinical notes.

Forward-viewing endoscopic ultrasound-guided NOTES interventions: A study on peritoneoscopic potential

PubMed Central

Jeong, Seung Uk; Aizan, Hassanuddin; Song, Tae Jun; Seo, Dong Wan; Kim, Su-Hui; Park, Do Hyun; Lee, Sang Soo; Lee, Sung Koo; Kim, Myung-Hwan

2013-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of diagnostic and therapeutic transgastric (TG) peritoneoscopic interventions with a forward-viewing endoscopic ultrasound (FV-EUS). METHODS: This prospective endoscopic experimental study used an animal model. Combined TG peritoneoscopic interventions and EUS examination of the intra-abdominal organs were performed using an FV-EUS on 10 animal models (1 porcine and 9 canine). The procedures carried out include EUS evaluation and endoscopic biopsy of intraperitoneal organs, EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA), and argon plasma coagulation (APC) for hemostatic control. The animals were kept alive for 7 d, and then necropsy was performed to evaluate results and complications. RESULTS: In all 10 animals, TG peritoneoscopy, followed by endoscopic biopsy for the liver, spleen, abdominal wall, and omentum, was performed successfully. APC helped control minor bleeding. Visualization of intra-abdominal solid organs with real-time EUS was accomplished with ease. Intraperitoneal EUS-FNA was successfully performed on the liver, spleen, and kidney. Similarly, a successful outcome was achieved with EUS-RFA of the hepatic parenchyma. No adverse events were recorded during the study. CONCLUSION: Peritoneoscopic natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) interventions through FV-EUS were feasible in providing evaluation and performing endoscopic procedures. It promises potential as a platform for future EUS-based NOTES. PMID:24222961

Notes on Linguistics, 1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Notes on Linguistics, 1990

1990-01-01

This document consists of the four issues of "Notes on Linguistics" published during 1990. Articles in the four issues include: "The Indians Do Say Ugh-Ugh" (Howard W. Law); "Constraints of Relevance, A Key to Particle Typology" (Regina Blass); "Whatever Happened to Me? (An Objective Case Study)" (Aretta…

Note-Taking and Memory in Different Media Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Lin; Bigenho, Chris

2011-01-01

Through this study the authors investigated undergraduate students' memory recall in three media environments with three note-taking options, following an A x B design with nine experiments. The three environments included no-distraction, auditory-distraction, and auditory-visual-distraction; while the three note-taking options included…

Technical note: tree truthing: how accurate are substrate estimates in primate field studies?

PubMed

Bezanson, Michelle; Watts, Sean M; Jobin, Matthew J

2012-04-01

Field studies of primate positional behavior typically rely on ground-level estimates of substrate size, angle, and canopy location. These estimates potentially influence the identification of positional modes by the observer recording behaviors. In this study we aim to test ground-level estimates against direct measurements of support angles, diameters, and canopy heights in trees at La Suerte Biological Research Station in Costa Rica. After reviewing methods that have been used by past researchers, we provide data collected within trees that are compared to estimates obtained from the ground. We climbed five trees and measured 20 supports. Four observers collected measurements of each support from different locations on the ground. Diameter estimates varied from the direct tree measures by 0-28 cm (Mean: 5.44 ± 4.55). Substrate angles varied by 1-55° (Mean: 14.76 ± 14.02). Height in the tree was best estimated using a clinometer as estimates with a two-meter reference placed by the tree varied by 3-11 meters (Mean: 5.31 ± 2.44). We determined that the best support size estimates were those generated relative to the size of the focal animal and divided into broader categories. Support angles were best estimated in 5° increments and then checked using a Haglöf clinometer in combination with a laser pointer. We conclude that three major factors should be addressed when estimating support features: observer error (e.g., experience and distance from the target), support deformity, and how support size and angle influence the positional mode selected by a primate individual. individual. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is testing a more effective learning strategy than note-taking?

PubMed

Rummer, Ralf; Schweppe, Judith; Gerst, Kathleen; Wagner, Simon

2017-09-01

The testing effect is both robust and generalizable. However, most of the underlying studies compare testing to a rather ineffective control condition: massed repeated reading. This article therefore compares testing with note-taking, which has been shown to be more effective than repeated reading. Experiment 1 is based on a 3 × 3 between-participants design with the factors learning condition (repeated reading vs. repeated testing vs. repeated note-taking) and final test delay (5 min vs. 1 week vs. 2 weeks). It shows that in the immediate condition, learning performance is best after note-taking. After 1 week, both the note-taking and the testing groups outperform the rereading group, and after 2 weeks, testing is superior to both note-taking and rereading. Since repeated notetaking may not be the most effective (and common) operationalization of note-taking, Experiment 2 contrasts repeated testing with 2 other note-taking conditions: note-taking plus note-reading and note-taking plus testing (with only a 2-week final test delay). Both conditions that include a testing phase result in better long-term learning than note-taking plus note-reading. In summary, our findings indicate that-in the long run-testing is a powerful learning tool both in isolation and in combination with note-taking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Programmable Logic Application Notes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard

2000-01-01

This column will be provided each quarter as a source for reliability, radiation results, NASA capabilities, and other information on programmable logic devices and related applications. This quarter will continue a series of notes concentrating on analysis techniques with this issue's section discussing: Digital Timing Analysis Tools and Techniques. Articles in this issue include: SX and SX-A Series Devices Power Sequencing; JTAG and SXISX-AISX-S Series Devices; Analysis Techniques (i.e., notes on digital timing analysis tools and techniques); Status of the Radiation Hard reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Array Program, Input Transition Times; Apollo Guidance Computer Logic Study; RT54SX32S Prototype Data Sets; A54SX32A - 0.22 micron/UMC Test Results; Ramtron FM1608 FRAM; and Analysis of VHDL Code and Synthesizer Output.

EndNote 7.0.

PubMed

Eapen, Bell Raj

2006-01-01

EndNote is a useful software for online literature search and efficient bibliography management. It helps to format the bibliography according to the citation style of each journal. EndNote stores references in a library file, which can be shared with others. It can connect to online resources like PubMed and retrieve search results as per the search criteria. It can also effortlessly integrate with popular word processors like MS Word. The Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology website has a provision to import references to EndNote.

A Case Study on the Status of Technical and Vocational Education in Thailand. Case Studies on Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoolap, Charoon; Choomnoom, Siripan

This two-part report presents an overview of the vocational and technical education system in Thailand. The first part is a review of the current and likely future situations pertaining to vocational and technical education in that country. An analysis of economic conditions, human resource development, and the existing technical and vocational…

CMSC-130 Introductory Computer Science, Lecture Notes

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-01

Introductory Computer Science lecture notes are used in the classroom for teaching CMSC 130, an introductory computer science course , using the ...Unit Testing 2. The Syntax Of Subunits Will Be Studied In The Subsequent Course CMSC130 -5- Lecture 11 TOP-DOWN TESTING Data Processor Procedure...used in the preparation of these lecture notes: Reference Manual For The Ada Prosramming Language, ANSI/MIL-STD

Intraarticular Sacroiliac Joint Injection Under Computed Tomography Fluoroscopic Guidance: A Technical Note to Reduce Procedural Time and Radiation Dose

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

Paik, Nam Chull, E-mail: pncspine@gmail.com

2016-07-15

PurposeA technique for computed tomography fluoroscopy (CTF)-guided intraarticular (IA) sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injection was devised to limit procedural time and radiation dose.MethodsOur Institutional Review Board approved this retrospective analysis and waived the requirement for informed consent. Overall, 36 consecutive diagnostic or therapeutic IA SIJ injections (unilateral, 20; bilateral, 16) performed in 34 patients (female, 18; male, 16) with a mean age of 45.5 years (range 20–76 years) under CTF guidance were analyzed, assessing technical success (i.e., IA contrast spread), procedural time, and radiation dose.ResultsAll injections were successful from a technical perspective and were free of serious complications. Respective median proceduralmore » times and effective doses of SIJ injection were as follows: unilateral, 5.28 min (range 3.58–8.00 min) and 0.11 millisievert (mSv; range 0.07–0.24 mSv); and bilateral, 6.72 min (range 4.17–21.17 min) and 0.11 mSv (range 0.09–0.51 mSv).ConclusionsGiven the high rate of technical success achieved in limited time duration and with little radiation exposure, CTF-guided IA SIJ injection is a practical and low-risk procedure.« less

Care Networking: A Study of Technical Mediations in a Home Telecare Service

PubMed Central

Correa, Gonzalo; Domènech, Miquel

2013-01-01

This article examines the processes of technical mediation within familial care networks based on a study of home telecare targeted at older people. Supported by contributions from the actor—network theory as part of the social psychology of science and technology, these processes of technical mediation are analyzed using a qualitative approach. The data were gathered through six focus groups and four in-depth interviews; the participants in the study included users, relatives and formal carers. Thematic analysis techniques encompassing the information were used, revealing the effects on the patterns of caring relationships. The results show the interplay between presence-absence made possible by the devices; the two-way direction of care between the older people and the artifacts; and the process of sustaining care using the technology. We conclude that care should be seen as a socio-technical network where technology plays an active role in sustaining family relationships. PMID:23880730

Teaching Notes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-11-01

Where teachers share ideas and teaching solutions with the wider physics teaching community: contact ped@iop.org. Contents: Technical Trimmings: The ALBA interface and logger Technical Trimmings: A constant velocity apparatus based on Lenz's Law On the Map: Ashfield School: A Technology College Let's Investigate: Microwave frustration Physics on a Shoestring: Variation of pressure with depth Starting Out: First Year Fun! My Way: Grüneisen's law for the classroom Curiosity: Aqua-Magic

Measuring SeHCAT retention: a technical note.

PubMed

Notghi, Alp; O'Brien, Joseph; Low, Chen Sheng; Thomson, William

2011-10-01

TauroH-23-((75)Se)selena-25-homocholic acid (SeHCAT) retention has been used for the diagnosis of bile acid malabsorption since the early 1980s. Bile acid malabsorption has been increasingly recognized as an important cause of severe chronic diarroea with subsequent increase in the number of referrals for the SeHCAT test. In this study, we review and discuss the standard techniques for the measurement of SeHCAT retention and describe a simple and modified technique using a noncollimated whole-body scanner, suitable for most modern dual-headed cameras.

Effects of Note-Taking Instruction and Note-Taking Languages on College EFL Students' Listening Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai-Fu, Tsai; Wu, Yongan

2010-01-01

Background: The effect of note-taking has been well-recognized by EFL educators. However, little empirical research has been done to investigate combined effects of note-taking instruction and note-taking language (whether in L1 or L2) in an acquisition-poor environment, where English is used as an instructional language yet the audience is…

Technical note: comparability of Hrdlička's Catalog of Crania data based on measurement landmark definitions.

PubMed

Stojanowski, Christopher M; Euber, Julie K

2011-09-01

Archival sources of data are critical anthropological resources that inform inferences about human biology and evolutionary history. Craniometric data are one of the most widely available sources of information on human population history because craniometrics were critical in early 20th century debates about race and biological variation. As such, extensive databases of raw craniometric data were published at the same time that the field was working to standardize measurement protocol. Hrdlička published between 10 and 16 raw craniometric variables for over 8,000 individuals in a series of seven catalogs throughout his career. With a New World emphasis, Hrdlička's data complement those of Howells (1973, 1989) and the two databases have been combined in the past. In this note we verify the consistency of Hrdlička's measurement protocol throughout the Catalog series and compare these definitions to those used by Howells. We conclude that 12 measurements are comparable throughout the Catalogs, with five of these equivalent to Howells' measurements: maximum cranial breadth (XCB), basion-bregma height (BBH), maximum bizygomatic breadth (ZYB), nasal breadth (NLB), and breadth of the upper alveolar arch (MAB). Most of Hrdlička's measurements are not strictly comparable to those of Howells, thus limiting the utility of combined datasets for multivariate analysis. Four measurements are inconsistently defined by Hrdlička and we recommend not using these data: nasal height, orbit breadth, orbit height, and menton-nasion height. This note promotes Hrdlička's tireless efforts at data collection and re-emphasizes observer error as a legitimate concern in craniometry as the field shifts to morphometric digital data acquisition. 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A phenomenographic study of the ability to address complex socio-technical systems via variation theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza Garcia, John A.

Sometimes engineers fail when addressing the inherent complexity of socio-technical systems because they lack the ability to address the complexity of socio-technical systems. Teaching undergraduate engineering students how to address complex socio-technical systems, has been an educational endeavor at different levels ranging from kindergarten to post-graduate education. The literature presents different pedagogical strategies and content to reach this goal. However, there are no existing empirically-based assessments guided by a learning theory. This may be because at the same time explanations of how the skill is developed are scarce. My study bridges this gap, and I propose a developmental path for the ability to address the complex socio-technical systems via Variation Theory, and according to the conceptual framework provided by Variation Theory, my research question was "What are the various ways in which engineers address complex socio-technical systems?" I chose the research approach of phenomenography to answer my research question. I also chose to use a blended approach, Marton's approach for finding the dimensions of variation, and the developmental approach (Australian) for finding a hierarchical relationship between the dimensions. Accordingly, I recruited 25 participants with different levels of experience with addressing complex socio-technical systems and asked them all to address the same two tasks: A design of a system for a county, and a case study in a manufacturing firm. My outcome space is a nona-dimensional (nine) developmental path for the ability to address the complexity in socio-technical systems, and I propose 9 different ways of experiencing the complexity of a socio-technical system. The findings of this study suggest that the critical aspects that are needed to address the complexity of socio-technical systems are: being aware of the use of models, the ecosystem around, start recognizing different boundaries, being aware of time as a

The influence of jet engine noise on hearing of technical staff.

PubMed

Konopka, Wiesław; Pawlaczyk-Luszczyńska, Małgorzata; Śliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2014-01-01

Due to high sound pressure levels (SPLs), noise produced by jet planes may be harmful to hearing of people working in their proximity. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exposure to jet engine noise on technical staff hearing. The study comprised 60 men, aged 24-50 years, employed in army as technical staff and exposed to jet engine noise for 6-20 years. The control group were 50 non-noise exposed males, aged 25-51 years. Exposure to noise emitted by jet engines was evaluated. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were recorded in both groups. Jet engines emitted broadband noise with spectrum dominated by components in the frequency range 315-6300 Hz (1/3-octave bands). Maximum A-weighted SPL during tests reached values of approx. 120-130 dB. Consequently, engine-servicing personnel (even in the case of a single engine test) was exposed to noise (at A-weighted daily noise exposure level above 95 dB) exceeding permissible levels. Averaged audiometric hearing threshold levels of technical staff were higher (≤ 17 dB HL, p < 0.001) than in the control group. Similarly, the DPOAE amplitude was lower (≤ 17 dB SPL, p < 0.01) in the noise-exposed subjects compared to the non-exposed ones. Significant reduction of DPOAE levels was mainly noted for high frequencies (3-6 kHz). Despite the usage of hearing protection devices, both PTA and DPOAE consistently showed poorer hearing in engine-servicing personnel vs. control group.

Online Access to Doctors' Notes: Patient Concerns About Privacy

PubMed Central

Mejilla, Roanne; Leveille, Suzanne G; Ralston, James D; Darer, Jonathan D; Delbanco, Tom; Walker, Jan; Elmore, Joann G

2013-01-01

Background Offering patients online access to medical records, including doctors’ visit notes, holds considerable potential to improve care. However, patients may worry about loss of privacy when accessing personal health information through Internet-based patient portals. The OpenNotes study provided patients at three US health care institutions with online access to their primary care doctors’ notes and then collected survey data about their experiences, including their concerns about privacy before and after participation in the intervention. Objective To identify patients’ attitudes toward privacy when given electronic access to their medical records, including visit notes. Methods The design used a nested cohort study of patients surveyed at baseline and after a 1-year period during which they were invited to read their visit notes through secure patient portals. Participants consisted of 3874 primary care patients from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, MA), Geisinger Health System (Danville, PA), and Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, WA) who completed surveys before and after the OpenNotes intervention. The measures were patient-reported levels of concern regarding privacy associated with online access to visit notes. Results 32.91% of patients (1275/3874 respondents) reported concerns about privacy at baseline versus 36.63% (1419/3874 respondents) post-intervention. Baseline concerns were associated with non-white race/ethnicity and lower confidence in communicating with doctors, but were not associated with choosing to read notes or desire for continued online access post-intervention (nearly all patients with notes available chose to read them and wanted continued access). While the level of concern among most participants did not change during the intervention, 15.54% (602/3874 respondents, excluding participants who responded “don’t know”) reported more concern post-intervention, and 12.73% (493/3874 respondents, excluding

Hacienda. Technical Note No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoxeng, James

This paper describes a simulation game, "Hacienda," designed to replicate the economic and social realities of the peasants' situation in rural Ecuador. The game involves three to 15 players (and often more), one of whom, by a roll of the dice, takes the role of "hacendado," or hacienda owner, who gains title to all the…

Fotonovela. Technical Note No. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barriga, Patricio; Villacis, Rodrigo

This report contains a description of a program that sought to develop the fotonovela as an instrument for increasing literacy and consciousness awareness in Ecuador. Following a general introduction to the work of the Nonformal Education Project, the creator of this program, the report presents information about the antecedents and…

Exploring the Effects of Digital Note Taking on Student Comprehension of Science Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horney, Mark A.; Anderson-Inman, Lynne; Terra, Fatima

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effects of text notes and voice notes on the comprehension of science texts by fifth grade students. The study was conducted to determine whether digital note taking was an effective reading strategy, and whether one form of digital note taking was more effective than the other. Results revealed that general education…

The evaluator as technical assistant: A model for systemic reform support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Century, Jeanne Rose

This study explored evaluation of systemic reform. Specifically, it focused on the evaluation of a systemic effort to improve K-8 science, mathematics and technology education. The evaluation was of particular interest because it used both technical assistance and evaluation strategies. Through studying the combination of these roles, this investigation set out to increase understanding of potentially new evaluator roles, distinguish important characteristics of the evaluator/project participant relationship, and identify how these roles and characteristics contribute to effective evaluation of systemic science education reform. This qualitative study used interview, document analysis, and participant observation as methods of data collection. Interviews were conducted with project leaders, project participants, and evaluators and focused on the evaluation strategies and process, the use of the evaluation, and technical assistance. Documents analyzed included transcripts of evaluation team meetings and reports, memoranda and other print materials generated by the project leaders and the evaluators. Data analysis consisted of analytic and interpretive procedures consistent with the qualitative data collected and entailed a combined process of coding transcripts of interviews and meetings, field notes, and other documents; analyzing and organizing findings; writing of reflective and analytic memos; and designing and diagramming conceptual relationships. The data analysis resulted in the development of the Multi-Function Model for Systemic Reform Support. This model organizes systemic reform support into three functions: evaluation, technical assistance, and a third, named here as "systemic perspective." These functions work together to support the project's educational goals as well as a larger goal--building capacity in project participants. This model can now serve as an informed starting point or "blueprint" for strategically supporting systemic reform.

The Impact of Gender on Interest in Science Topics and the Choice of Scientific and Technical Vocations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buccheri, Grazia; Gurber, Nadja Abt; Bruhwiler, Christian

2011-01-01

Many countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) note a shortage of highly qualified scientific-technical personnel, whereas demand for such employees is growing. Therefore, how to motivate (female) high performers in science or mathematics to pursue scientific careers is of special interest. The sample…

QNOTE: an instrument for measuring the quality of EHR clinical notes.

PubMed

Burke, Harry B; Hoang, Albert; Becher, Dorothy; Fontelo, Paul; Liu, Fang; Stephens, Mark; Pangaro, Louis N; Sessums, Laura L; O'Malley, Patrick; Baxi, Nancy S; Bunt, Christopher W; Capaldi, Vincent F; Chen, Julie M; Cooper, Barbara A; Djuric, David A; Hodge, Joshua A; Kane, Shawn; Magee, Charles; Makary, Zizette R; Mallory, Renee M; Miller, Thomas; Saperstein, Adam; Servey, Jessica; Gimbel, Ronald W

2014-01-01

The outpatient clinical note documents the clinician's information collection, problem assessment, and patient management, yet there is currently no validated instrument to measure the quality of the electronic clinical note. This study evaluated the validity of the QNOTE instrument, which assesses 12 elements in the clinical note, for measuring the quality of clinical notes. It also compared its performance with a global instrument that assesses the clinical note as a whole. Retrospective multicenter blinded study of the clinical notes of 100 outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had been seen in clinic on at least three occasions. The 300 notes were rated by eight general internal medicine and eight family medicine practicing physicians. The QNOTE instrument scored the quality of the note as the sum of a set of 12 note element scores, and its inter-rater agreement was measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient. The Global instrument scored the note in its entirety, and its inter-rater agreement was measured by the Fleiss κ. The overall QNOTE inter-rater agreement was 0.82 (CI 0.80 to 0.84), and its note quality score was 65 (CI 64 to 66). The Global inter-rater agreement was 0.24 (CI 0.19 to 0.29), and its note quality score was 52 (CI 49 to 55). The QNOTE quality scores were consistent, and the overall QNOTE score was significantly higher than the overall Global score (p=0.04). We found the QNOTE to be a valid instrument for evaluating the quality of electronic clinical notes, and its performance was superior to that of the Global instrument. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Importance of Visit Notes on Patient Portals for Engaging Less Educated or Nonwhite Patients: Survey Study

PubMed Central

Gerard, Macda; Chimowitz, Hannah; Fossa, Alan; Bourgeois, Fabienne; Fernandez, Leonor

2018-01-01

Background OpenNotes, a national initiative to share clinicians’ visit notes with patients, can improve patient engagement, but effects on vulnerable populations are not known very well. Objective Our aim is to examine the importance of visit notes to nonwhite and less educated patients. Methods Patients at an urban academic medical center with an active patient portal account and ≥1 available ambulatory visit note over the prior year were surveyed during June 2016 until September 2016. The survey was designed with patients and families and assessed importance of reading notes (scale 0-10) for (1) understanding health conditions, (2) feeling informed about care, (3) understanding the provider’s thought process, (4) remembering the plan of care, and (5) making decisions about care. We compared the proportion of patients reporting 9-10 (extremely important) for each item stratified by education level, race/ethnicity, and self-reported health. Principal component analysis and correlation measures supported a summary score for the 5 items (Cronbach alpha=.93). We examined factors associated with rating notes as extremely important to engage in care using logistic regression. Results Of 24,722 patients, 6913 (27.96%) completed the survey. The majority (6736/6913, 97.44%) read at least one note. Among note readers, 74.0% (727/982) of patients with ≤high school education, 70.7% (130/184) of black patients, and 69.9% (153/219) of Hispanic/Latino patients reported that notes are extremely important to feel informed about their care. The majority of less educated and nonwhite patients reported notes as extremely important to remember the care plan (62.4%, 613/982 ≤high school education; 62.0%, 114/184 black patients; and 61.6%, 135/219 Hispanic/Latino patients) and to make care decisions (62.3%, 612/982; 59.8%, 110/184; and 58.5%, 128/219, respectively, and P<.003 for all comparisons to more educated and white patients, respectively). Among patients with the

Florida Study of Career and Technical Education. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Louis; Mokher, Christine

2014-01-01

A key goal of the "Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006" ("Perkins IV") is to ensure career and technical education (CTE) programs are widely available for preparing high school and college students for "high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations in current or emerging professions"…

Review and Process Effects of Spontaneous Note-Taking on Text Comprehension.

PubMed

Slotte; Lonka

1999-01-01

This study examines how quantitative and qualitative differences in spontaneously taken notes are related to text comprehension in combination with reviewing or not reviewing previously made notes. High school graduates (N = 226) were allowed to take notes in any way they desired while reading a philosophical text. Approximately half the participants were told that they could review their notes during writing tasks designed to measure the ability to define, compare, and evaluate text content. The other half of the participants answered the subsequent questions without their notes. The process of taking notes was rated on the basis of note quality and quantity. The results revealed significant review and process effects in spontaneous note-taking. Reviewing the notes during essay-writing generally resulted in good performance in an exam calling for deep-level text comprehension. However, this review effect was mainly limited to detailed learning instead of making one's own inferences. Results pertaining to note quality indicated that the participants who summarized the content of the text resulted in better performance in all tasks in comparison with those who produced notes following the text order or verbatim notes. The amount of note-taking was also positively related to text comprehension. The discussion focuses upon the situational appropriateness of note-taking effects that pose challenges to educators. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

The Skills that Technical Communicators Need: An Investigation of Technical Communication Graduates, Managers, and Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteside, Aimee L.

2003-01-01

This study examines the skills that recent technical communication graduates and managers believe technical communication students need before entering business and industry as new technical communicators. Through questionnaires and interviews with recent graduates and managers of technical communication departments as well as an analysis of the…

Noted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunberg, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

Considering how much attention people lavish on the technologies of writing--scroll, codex, print, screen--it's striking how little they pay to the technologies for digesting and regurgitating it. One way or another, there's no sector of the modern world that is not saturated with note-taking--the bureaucracy, the liberal professions, the…

NMC OFFICE NOTE 124

Science.gov Websites

surface reports in the NMC observational files. This revision represents the final update to NMC/NCEP Office Note Number 124. This format for representing meteorological surface observational data at NMC observational data format at NCEP. An accurate version of this Office Note is still necessary for historical

Smartphone application for multi-phasic interventional trials in psychiatry: Technical design of a smart server.

PubMed

Zhang, Melvyn W B; Ho, Roger C M

2017-01-01

Smartphones and their accompanying applications are currently widely utilized in various healthcare interventions. Prior to the deployment of these tools for healthcare intervention, typically, proof of concept feasibility studies, as well as randomized trials are conducted to determine that these tools are efficacious prior to their actual implementation. In the field of psychiatry, most of the current interventions seek to compare smartphone based intervention against conventional care. There remains a paucity of research evaluating different forms of interventions using a single smartphone application. In the field of nutrition, there has been recent pioneering research demonstrating how a multi-phasic randomized controlled trial could be conducted using a single smartphone application. Despite the innovativeness of the previous smartphone conceptualization, there remains a paucity of technical information underlying the conceptualization that would support a multi-phasic interventional trial. It is thus the aim of the current technical note to share insights into an innovative server design that would enable the delivery of multi-phasic trials.

An evaluation of selected NASA scientific and technical information products: Results of a pilot study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Myron

1989-01-01

A pilot study was conducted to evaluate selected NASA scientific and technical information (STI) products. The study, which utilized survey research in the form of a self-administered mail questionnaire, had a two-fold purpose -- to gather baseline data regarding the use and perceived usefulness of selected NASA STI products and to develop/validate questions that could be used in a future study concerned with the role of the U.S. government technical report in aeronautics. The sample frame consisted of 25,000 members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the U.S. with academic, government or industrial affiliation. Simple random sampling was used to select 2000 individuals to participate in the study. Three hundred fifty-three usable questionnaires (17 percent response rate) were received by the established cutoff date. The findings indicate that: (1) NASA STI is used and is generally perceived as being important; (2) the use rate for NASA-authored conference/meeting papers, journal articles, and technical reports is fairly uniform; (3) a considerable number of respondents are unfamiliar with STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports), IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts), SCAN (Selected Current Aerospace Notices), and the RECON on-line retrieval system; (4) a considerable number of respondents who are familiar with these media do not use them; and (5) the perceived quality of NASA-authored journal articles and technical reports is very good.

Technical note: Use of a simplified equation for estimating glomerular filtration rate in beef cattle.

PubMed

Murayama, I; Miyano, A; Sasaki, Y; Hirata, T; Ichijo, T; Satoh, H; Sato, S; Furuhama, K

2013-11-01

This study was performed to clarify whether a formula (Holstein equation) based on a single blood sample and the isotonic, nonionic, iodine contrast medium iodixanol in Holstein dairy cows can apply to the estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for beef cattle. To verify the application of iodixanol in beef cattle, instead of the standard tracer inulin, both agents were coadministered as a bolus intravenous injection to identical animals at doses of 10 mg of I/kg of BW and 30 mg/kg. Blood was collected 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after the injection, and the GFR was determined by the conventional multisample strategies. The GFR values from iodixanol were well consistent with those from inulin, and no effects of BW, age, or parity on GFR estimates were noted. However, the GFR in cattle weighing less than 300 kg, aged<1 yr old, largely fluctuated, presumably due to the rapid ruminal growth and dynamic changes in renal function at young adult ages. Using clinically healthy cattle and those with renal failure, the GFR values estimated from the Holstein equation were in good agreement with those by the multisample method using iodixanol (r=0.89, P=0.01). The results indicate that the simplified Holstein equation using iodixanol can be used for estimating the GFR of beef cattle in the same dose regimen as Holstein dairy cows, and provides a practical and ethical alternative.

Why Did You Stay?: A Case Study of Male Student Persistence in Technical College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froehlich-Mueller, Kerry

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore male student persistence at Central Technical College (CTC), a small public, two-year technical college in Wisconsin. Across the United States, there had been a surge in college enrollments during the recent recession. Interestingly, college enrollment and persistence of females has grown…

To what extent do clinical notes by general practitioners reflect actual medical performance? A study using simulated patients.

PubMed Central

Rethans, J J; Martin, E; Metsemakers, J

1994-01-01

BACKGROUND. Review of clinical notes is used extensively as an indirect method of assessing doctors' performance. However, to be acceptable it must be valid. AIM. This study set out to examine the extent to which clinical notes in medical records of general practice consultations reflected doctors' actual performance during consultations. METHOD. Thirty nine general practitioners in the Netherlands were consulted by four simulated patients who were indistinguishable from real patients and who reported on the consultations. The complaints presented by the simulated patients were tension headache, acute diarrhoea and pain in the shoulder, and one presented for a check up for non-insulin dependent diabetes. Later, the doctors forwarded their medical records of these patients to the researchers. Content of consultations was measured against accepted standards for general practice and then compared with content of clinical notes. An index, or content score, was calculated as the measure of agreement between actions which had actually been recorded and actions which could have been recorded in the clinical notes. A high content score reflected a consultation which had been recorded well in the medical record. The correlation between number of actions across the four complaints recorded in the clinical notes and number of actions taken during the consultations was also calculated. RESULTS. The mean content score (interquartile range) for the four types of complaint was 0.32 (0.27-0.37), indicating that of all actions undertaken, only 32% had been recorded. However, mean content scores for the categories 'medication and therapy' and 'laboratory examination' were much higher than for the categories 'history' and 'guidance and advice' (0.68 and 0.64, respectively versus 0.29 and 0.22, respectively). The correlation between number of actions across the four complaints recorded in the clinical notes and number of actions taken during the consultations was 0.54 (P < 0

[White House Conference on Aging, 1981. Research in Aging. Report and Executive Summary of the Technical Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birren, James E.; And Others

This Technical Committee Report provides an overview and historical sketch of research in aging and proposes a need for new knowledge. An examination of key issues notes the difficulty in assigning priority to research topics, and identifies emerging issues of public concern including: (1) physical health (alcohol and drugs, falls and accidents,…

A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation.

PubMed

Phillippi, Julia; Lauderdale, Jana

2018-02-01

Field notes are widely recommended in qualitative research as a means of documenting needed contextual information. With growing use of data sharing, secondary analysis, and metasynthesis, field notes ensure rich context persists beyond the original research team. However, while widely regarded as essential, there is not a guide to field note collection within the literature to guide researchers. Using the qualitative literature and previous research experience, we provide a concise guide to collection, incorporation, and dissemination of field notes. We provide a description of field note content for contextualization of an entire study as well as individual interviews and focus groups. In addition, we provide two "sketch note" guides, one for study context and one for individual interviews or focus groups for use in the field. Our guides are congruent with many qualitative and mixed methodologies and ensure contextual information is collected, stored, and disseminated as an essential component of ethical, rigorous qualitative research.

Notes on Piezoelectricity

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

Redondo, Antonio

These notes provide a pedagogical discussion of the physics of piezoelectricity. The exposition starts with a brief analysis of the classical (continuum) theory of piezoelectric phenomena in solids. The main subject of the notes is, however, a quantum mechanical analysis. We first derive the Frohlich Hamiltonian as part of the description of the electron-phonon interaction. The results of this analysis are then employed to derive the equations of piezoelectricity. A couple of examples with the zinc blende and and wurtzite structures are presented at the end

Audit of nuclear medicine scientific and technical standards.

PubMed

Jarritt, Peter H; Perkins, Alan C; Woods, Sandra D

2004-08-01

The British Nuclear Medicine Society has developed a process for the service-specific organizational audit of nuclear medicine departments. This process identified the need for a scheme suitable for the audit of the scientific and technical standards of a department providing such a service. This document has evolved following audit visits of a number of UK departments. It is intended to be used as a written document to facilitate the audit procedure and may be used for both external and self-audit purposes. Scientific and technical standards have been derived from a number of sources, including regulatory documents, notes for guidance and peer-reviewed publications. The audit scheme is presented as a series of questions with responses graded according to legal and safety obligations (A), good practice (B) and desirable aspects of service delivery (C). This document should be regarded as part of an audit framework and should be kept under review as the process evolves to meet the future demands of this high-technology-based clinical service.

Technical Feasibility Study for Zero Energy K-12 Schools

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

Pless, Shanti D.; Torcellini, Paul A.; Bonnema, Eric

A simulation-based technical feasibility study was completed to show the types of technologies required to achieve ZEB status with this building type. These technologies are prioritized across the building's subsystem such that design teams can readily integrate the ideas. Energy use intensity (EUI) targets were established for U.S. climate zones such that K-12 schools can be zero-ready or can procure solar panels or other renewable energy production sources to meet the zero energy building definition. Results showed that it is possible for K-12 schools to achieve zero energy when the EUI is between 20 and 26 kBtu/ft2/yr. Temperate climates requiredmore » a smaller percentage of solar panel coverage than very hot or very cold climates. The paper provides a foundation for technically achieving zero energy schools with a vision of transforming the school construction market to mainstream zero energy buildings within typical construction budgets.« less

Technical Note: The Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) - a new approach towards Earth System Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jöckel, P.; Sander, R.; Kerkweg, A.; Tost, H.; Lelieveld, J.

2005-02-01

The development of a comprehensive Earth System Model (ESM) to study the interactions between chemical, physical, and biological processes, requires coupling of the different domains (land, ocean, atmosphere, ...). One strategy is to link existing domain-specific models with a universal coupler, i.e. an independent standalone program organizing the communication between other programs. In many cases, however, a much simpler approach is more feasible. We have developed the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy). It comprises (1) a modular interface structure to connect to a , (2) an extendable set of such for miscellaneous processes, and (3) a coding standard. MESSy is therefore not a coupler in the classical sense, but exchanges data between a and several within one comprehensive executable. The internal complexity of the is controllable in a transparent and user friendly way. This provides remarkable new possibilities to study feedback mechanisms (by two-way coupling). Note that the MESSy and the coupler approach can be combined. For instance, an atmospheric model implemented according to the MESSy standard could easily be coupled to an ocean model by means of an external coupler. The vision is to ultimately form a comprehensive ESM which includes a large set of submodels, and a base model which contains only a central clock and runtime control. This can be reached stepwise, since each process can be included independently. Starting from an existing model, process submodels can be reimplemented according to the MESSy standard. This procedure guarantees the availability of a state-of-the-art model for scientific applications at any time of the development. In principle, MESSy can be implemented into any kind of model, either global or regional. So far, the MESSy concept has been applied to the general circulation model ECHAM5 and a number of process boxmodels.

Teaching a "Critical Accessibility Case Study": Developing Disability Studies Curricula for the Technical Communication Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Ella R.; Cagle, Lauren E.

2017-01-01

As technical communication (TC) instructors, it is vital that we continue reimagining our curricula as the field itself is continually reimagined in light of new technologies, genres, workplace practices, and theories--theories such as those from disability studies scholarship. Here, the authors offer an approach to including disability studies in…

Minimizing Collateral Brain Injury Using a Protective Layer of Fibrin Glue: Technical Note.

PubMed

Basma, Jaafar; Latini, Francesco; Ryttlefors, Mats; Abuelem, Tarek; Krisht, Ali Fadl

2015-12-01

Neurosurgical procedures expose the brain surface to a constant risk of collateral injury. We describe a technique where the brain surface is covered with a protective layer of fibrin glue and discuss its advantages. A thin layer of fibrin glue was applied on the brain surface after its exposure in 34 patients who underwent different craniotomies for tumoral and vascular lesions. Data of 35 more patients who underwent standard microsurgical technique were collected as a control group. Cortical and pial injuries were evaluated using an intraoperative visual scale. Eventual abnormal signals at the early postoperative T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were evaluated in oncological patients. Total pial injury was noted in 63% of cases where fibrin glue was not used. In cases where fibrin glue was applied, a significantly lower percentage of 26% (P < 0.01) had pial injuries. Only 9% had injuries in areas covered with fibrin glue (P < 0.0001). Early postoperative T2FLAIR MRI confirmed the differences of altered signal around the surgical field in the two populations. We propose beside an appropriate and careful microsurgical technique the possible use of fibrin glue as alternative, safe, and helpful protection during complex microsurgical dissections. Its intrinsic features allow the neurosurgeon to minimize the cortical manipulation preventing minor collateral brain injury. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Needs analysis for developing a virtual-reality NOTES simulator.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Matthes, Kai; Nemani, Arun; Ahn, Woojin; Kato, Masayuki; Jones, Daniel B; Schwaitzberg, Steven; De, Suvranu

2013-05-01

INTRODUCTION AND STUDY AIM: Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an emerging surgical technique that requires a cautious adoption approach to ensure patient safety. High-fidelity virtual-reality-based simulators allow development of new surgical procedures and tools and train medical personnel without risk to human patients. As part of a project funded by the National Institutes of Health, we are developing the virtual transluminal endoscopic surgery trainer (VTEST) for this purpose. The objective of this study is to conduct a structured needs analysis to identify the design parameters for such a virtual-reality-based simulator for NOTES. A 30-point questionnaire was distributed at the 2011 National Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research meeting to obtain responses from experts. Ordinal logistic regression and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for analysis. A total of 22 NOTES experts participated in the study. Cholecystectomy (CE, 68 %) followed by appendectomy (AE, 63 %) (CE vs AE, p = 0.0521) was selected as the first choice for simulation. Flexible (FL, 47 %) and hybrid (HY, 47 %) approaches were equally favorable compared with rigid (RI, 6 %) with p < 0.001 for both FL versus RI and HY versus RI. The transvaginal approach was preferred 3 to 1 to the transgastric. Most participants preferred two-channel (2C) scopes (65 %) compared with single (1C) or three (3C) or more channels with p < 0.001 for both 2C versus 1C and 2C versus 3C. The importance of force feedback and the utility of a virtual NOTES simulator in training and testing new tools for NOTES were rated very high by the participants. Our study reinforces the importance of developing a virtual NOTES simulator and clearly presents expert preferences. The results of this analysis will direct our initial development of the VTEST platform.

A Comparison of Suicide Note Writers with Suicides Who Did Not Leave Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callanan, Valerie J.; Davis, Mark S.

2009-01-01

There is disagreement in the suicide literature on the value of suicide notes as a data source, particularly regarding the extent to which suicide decedents who write notes differ from those who do not. Using 10 years of suicide cases from Summit County, Ohio, these two groups were compared on 40 variables including sociodemographic…

Survey Review of Materials for Teaching Advanced Listening and Note-Taking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamp-Lyons, Elizabeth

Eight commercially-available listening and note-taking courses are reviewed and a matrix for comparing their characteristics is presented. "Listening and Note-Taking" (Virginia Yates) was written for college-bound high school students and college students who need to improve listening and note-taking skills, while the "Sack-Yourman Study Skills…

Merging Foreign and Domestic Information Policy Goals: The U.S. Government's Office of Technical Services (1946-1950).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Robert K.

This paper examines the institutional history of the United States government's efforts from 1946 to 1950 to gather, rationalize, and communicate to private industry, in the creation of the Office of Technical Services (OTS), the wealth of information that had been generated by scientists during the Second World War. Noting that U.S. information…

Project Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1978

1978-01-01

Presents sixteen project notes developed by pupils of Chipping Norton School and Bristol Grammar School, in the United Kingdom. These Projects include eight biology A-level projects and eight Chemistry A-level projects. (HM)

Characteristics of suicide notes of children and young adolescents: an examination of the notes from suicide victims 15 years and younger.

PubMed

Freuchen, Anne; Grøholt, Berit

2015-04-01

By analysing the suicide notes from suicide victims 15 years and younger, we attempt to gain insight into the process leading to youth suicide and explore the characteristics of the note writers. During a psychological autopsy on 42 youths, we were entrusted with 23 suicide notes in which we explored the themes and compared the note writers to the non-note writers. The key messages were as follows: explain the reason for suicide, declare love and give instructions. The note writers had showed suicidal behaviour more frequently than non-note writers. In the notes from youth suicide victims they present themselves as fully responsible and without confusion or overwhelming despair. The notes are likely equally informative as the notes of older victims. © The Author(s) 2013.

Technical Secondary Schools and the Labour Market: Some Results from a Tracer Study in Kenya.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narman, Anders

1988-01-01

Reports tracer studies of Kenyan youths leaving technical school to determine their success at obtaining gainful employment. Almost 43% were neither in formal schooling nor training, nor employed a year after leaving, although technical skills were seen as useful, particularly in private life. (DP)

DigiMemo: Facilitating the Note Taking Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurt, Serhat

2009-01-01

Everyone takes notes daily for various reasons. Note taking is very popular in school settings and generally recognized as an effective learning strategy. Further, note taking is a complex process because it requires understanding, selection of information and writing. Some new technological tools may facilitate the note taking process. Among such…

New Training Technologies. Studies on Technical and Vocational Education 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herremans, Albert

This book is the second in a series aiming to promote international exchange of ideas, experiences, and studies relating to technical and vocational education. Information provided is designed to help educators and trainers plan for an intelligent use of new training technologies (NTTs) to improve the access to basic and advanced lifelong learning…

Note-Taking Habits of Online Students: Value, Quality, and Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Ryan; Corry, Michael; Dardick, William; Stella, Julie

2015-01-01

Do online students take notes when reading lecture content or watching video lectures? Can they benefit from note-taking supports, such as graphic organizers, to improve their study skills? These are among the questions explored in a pilot study with student participants enrolled in a 100% online graduate program. Students were provided academic…

STEM integration in middle school career and technical education programs: A Delphi design study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu-Rorrer, Billy Ray

The purpose of this qualitative method study with a Delphi research design sought to determine how STEM programs can be effectively integrated into middle school career and technical education programs by local, state, and national educators, administrators, directors, specialists, and curriculum writers. The significance of the study is to provide leaders in CTE with a greater awareness, insight, and strategies about how CTE programs can more effectively integrate academics into career and technical education programs through STEM-related programming. The findings will increase the limited amount of available literature providing best practice strategies for the integration of STEM curriculum into middle school CTE programs. One basic question has guided this research: How can STEM programs be effectively integrated into middle school career and technical education programs? A total of twelve strategies were identified. The strategies of real-world applications and administrative buy-in were the two predominant strategies consistently addressed throughout the review of literature and all three sub-questions in the research study. The Delphi design study consisted of pilot round and three rounds of data collection on barriers, strategies, and professional development for STEM integration in middle school career and technical education programs. Four panelists participated in the pilot round, and 16 panel members not involved in the pilot round participated in the three rounds of questioning and consensus building. In the future, more comprehensive studies can build upon this foundational investigation of middle school CTE programs.

Mental practice enhances surgical technical skills: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Arora, Sonal; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Sirimanna, Pramudith; Moran, Aidan; Grantcharov, Teodor; Kneebone, Roger; Sevdalis, Nick; Darzi, Ara

2011-02-01

To assess the effects of mental practice on surgical performance. Increasing concerns for patient safety have highlighted a need for alternative training strategies outside the operating room. Mental practice (MP), "the cognitive rehearsal of a task before performance," has been successful in sport and music to enhance skill. This study investigates whether MP enhances performance in laparoscopic surgery. After baseline skills testing, 20 novice surgeons underwent training on an evidence-based virtual reality curriculum. After randomization using the closed envelope technique, all participants performed 5 Virtual Reality (VR) laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC). Mental practice participants performed 30 minutes of MP before each LC; control participants viewed an online lecture. Technical performance was assessed using video Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills-based global ratings scale (scored from 7 to 35). Mental imagery was assessed using a previously validated Mental Imagery Questionnaire. Eighteen participants completed the study. There were no intergroup differences in baseline technical ability. Learning curves were demonstrated for both MP and control groups. Mental practice was superior to control (global ratings) for the first LC (median 20 vs 15, P = 0.005), second LC (20.5 vs 13.5, P = 0.001), third LC (24 vs 15.5, P < 0.001), fourth LC (25.5 vs 15.5, P < 0.001) and the fifth LC (27.5 vs 19.5, P = 0.00). The imagery for the MP group was also significantly superior to the control group across all sessions (P < 0.05). Improved imagery significantly correlated with better quality of performance (ρ 0.51–0.62, Ps < 0.05). This is the first randomized controlled study to show that MP enhances the quality of performance based on VR laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This may be a time- and cost-effective strategy to augment traditional training in the OR thus potentially improving patient care.

A Qualitative Inquiry of Career Exploration in Highly Implemented Career and Technical Education Programs of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stipanovic, Natalie; Stringfield, Sam

2013-01-01

This qualitative study explores career counseling and guidance services as provided to students engaged in career and technical education programs at three sites in the United States. The sites, consisting of high schools and community colleges, were part of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's 5-year studies of…

Technical Note: On the Use of Nudging for Aerosol-Climate Model Intercomparison Studies

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

Zhang, Kai; Wan, Hui; Liu, Xiaohong

2014-08-26

Nudging is an assimilation technique widely used in the development and evaluation of climate models. Con- straining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the artificial forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5, due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the relatively strong sensitivity of homogeneous icemore » nucleation to aerosol concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on longwave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. This suggests that nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy, especially for studies that involve both warm and cold clouds.« less

The composing process of technical writers: A preliminary study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mair, D.; Roundy, N.

1981-01-01

The assumption that technical writers compose as do other writers is tested. The literature on the composing process, not limited to the pure or applied sciences, was reviewed, yielding three areas of general agreement. The composing process (1) consists of several stages, (2) is reflexive, and (3) may be mastered by means of strategies. Data on the ways technical writers compose were collected, and findings were related to the three areas of agreement. Questionnaires and interviews surveying 70 writers were used. The disciplines represented by these writers included civil, chemical, agricultural, geological, mechanical, electrical, and petroleum engineering, chemistry, hydrology, geology, and biology. Those providing consulting services, or performing research. No technical editors or professional writers were surveyed, only technicians, engineers, and researchers whose jobs involved composing reports. Three pedagogical implications are included.

The pen is mightier than the keyboard: advantages of longhand over laptop note taking.

PubMed

Mueller, Pam A; Oppenheimer, Daniel M

2014-06-01

Taking notes on laptops rather than in longhand is increasingly common. Many researchers have suggested that laptop note taking is less effective than longhand note taking for learning. Prior studies have primarily focused on students' capacity for multitasking and distraction when using laptops. The present research suggests that even when laptops are used solely to take notes, they may still be impairing learning because their use results in shallower processing. In three studies, we found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand. We show that whereas taking more notes can be beneficial, laptop note takers' tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental to learning. © The Author(s) 2014.

Classifying clinical notes with pain assessment using machine learning.

PubMed

Fodeh, Samah Jamal; Finch, Dezon; Bouayad, Lina; Luther, Stephen L; Ling, Han; Kerns, Robert D; Brandt, Cynthia

2017-12-26

Pain is a significant public health problem, affecting millions of people in the USA. Evidence has highlighted that patients with chronic pain often suffer from deficits in pain care quality (PCQ) including pain assessment, treatment, and reassessment. Currently, there is no intelligent and reliable approach to identify PCQ indicators inelectronic health records (EHR). Hereby, we used unstructured text narratives in the EHR to derive pain assessment in clinical notes for patients with chronic pain. Our dataset includes patients with documented pain intensity rating ratings > = 4 and initial musculoskeletal diagnoses (MSD) captured by (ICD-9-CM codes) in fiscal year 2011 and a minimal 1 year of follow-up (follow-up period is 3-yr maximum); with complete data on key demographic variables. A total of 92 patients with 1058 notes was used. First, we manually annotated qualifiers and descriptors of pain assessment using the annotation schema that we previously developed. Second, we developed a reliable classifier for indicators of pain assessment in clinical note. Based on our annotation schema, we found variations in documenting the subclasses of pain assessment. In positive notes, providers mostly documented assessment of pain site (67%) and intensity of pain (57%), followed by persistence (32%). In only 27% of positive notes, did providers document a presumed etiology for the pain complaint or diagnosis. Documentation of patients' reports of factors that aggravate pain was only present in 11% of positive notes. Random forest classifier achieved the best performance labeling clinical notes with pain assessment information, compared to other classifiers; 94, 95, 94, and 94% was observed in terms of accuracy, PPV, F1-score, and AUC, respectively. Despite the wide spectrum of research that utilizes machine learning in many clinical applications, none explored using these methods for pain assessment research. In addition, previous studies using large datasets to

25 CFR 169.7 - Field notes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER RIGHTS-OF-WAY OVER INDIAN LANDS § 169.7 Field notes. Field notes of the survey shall appear along the line indicating the right-of-way on the maps, unless the maps would be too crowded thereby to be easily legible, in which event the field notes may be...

Interpersonal Conflict in Collaborative Writing: What We Can Learn from Gender Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lay, Mary M.

1989-01-01

Discusses how gender studies reveal psychological and cultural sources of interpersonal conflict during collaboration. Notes that an awareness of these conflict sources enables scholars and teachers in technical communication to predict and ease interpersonal conflict among collaborators. (MM)

Evolution and simplified terminology of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), and mini-laparoscopy (ML).

PubMed

Georgiou, A N; Rassweiler, J; Herrmann, T R; Stolzenburg, J U; Liatsikos, E N; Do, Eta Mu; Kallidonis, P; de la Teille, A; van Velthoven, R; Burchardt, M

2012-10-01

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) are the next steps in the evolution of laparoscopic surgery, promising reduced morbidity and improved cosmetic result. The inconsistent terminology initially used led to confusion. Understanding the technical evolution, the current status and a unified and simplified terminology are key issues for further acceptance of both approaches. To present LESS and NOTES in its historical context and to clarify the associated terminology. Extensive literature search took place using the PubMed. Several hundred publications in general surgery and urology regarding LESS are present including the expert opinion of members the European Society of Uro-technology (ESUT). The increasing interest on NOTES and LESS is reflected by a raising number of publications during the last 4 years. The initial confusion with the terminology of single-incision surgery represented a significant issue for further evolution of the technique. Thus, consortiums of experts searched a universally acceptable name for single-incision surgery. They determined that 'laparoendoscopic single-site surgery' (LESS) was both scientifically accurate and colloquially appropriate, the term being also ratified by the NOTES working group (Endourological Society) and the ESUT. For additional use of instruments, the terms hybrid NOTES and hybrid LESS should be used. Any single use of miniaturized instruments for laparoscopy should be called mini-laparoscopy. The evolution of LESS and most likely NOTES to a new standard of minimally invasive surgery could represent an evolutionary step even greater than the one performed by the establishment of laparoscopy over open surgery.

Technical Studies Lead to Dream Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suraci, Gary

2008-01-01

Like many young men, Ty Kropp had no idea what he wanted to do when he graduated from high school. Courses he took as a computer design/manufacturing (CDM) technology student at the Ulster County Career and Technical Education center in Port Ewen, NY, gave him valuable skills that opened the door to his dream job at Orange County Choppers (OCC), a…

Differential Effects of Full and Partial Notes on Learning Outcomes and Attendance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Tara L.; Owen-DeSchryver, Jamie

2008-01-01

Although college instructors are increasingly providing students with online notes, research is equivocal on how such notes affect student outcomes. This study examined partial versus full notes in introductory psychology classes while controlling for initial levels of student knowledge and academic ability. Results suggested that students…

Factors Influencing the Pursuit of IT Certifications: A Study of Minnesota Public Community and Technical College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkens, Eric S.

2013-01-01

This quantitative study attempted to understand the factors that influence Minnesota community and technical college students to pursue Information Technology (IT) certification. The study investigated the problem of determining the factors that influence Minnesota community and technical college students to pursue IT certification along with…

"Seeing things in my head": a synesthete's images for music and notes.

PubMed

Mills, Carol Bergfeld; Boteler, Edith Howell; Larcombe, Glenda K

2003-01-01

We explored synesthetic experiences (photisms) elicited by music and notes for GS, a 22-year-old female college student, who is a genuine digit synesthete (Mills et al 1999 Cognitive Neuropsychology 16 181-191). After extensive interviews, we conducted five studies using synthesizer notes in different octaves and in different instrument sounds. GS described, drew, or selected her photisms from alternatives. The results were: (a) her photisms had shape, color, movement, and texture: (b) different instruments had photisms with different shapes and families of instruments had similar shapes; (c) low-pitched notes were darker and larger than high notes; (d) instrument and pitch affected each other; (e) a given note was perceived as darker after a high note than after a low note; and (f) GS's drawings of notes became more consistent with repeated trials. Theoretical observations are discussed on the basis of these results.

A Case Study of Technical Assistance to Demonstration Programs for Young Handicapped Children. Part III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behr, Shirley K.; And Others

The report describes the third and final year of a 3-year case study of the technical assistance process as implemented by the Technical Assistance Development System (TADS) for the staffs of two demonstration programs for preschool handicapped children and their families. Following a review of TADS and the two demonstration programs, the…

Suicide Notes in Mexico: What Do They Tell Us?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chavez-Hernandez, Ana-Maria; Paramo, Daniel; Leenaars, Antoon A.; Leenaars, Lindsey

2006-01-01

According to international and Mexican official statistics, there is a dramatic rise in suicide in Mexico; however, research in this area is severely limited. This is the first study of suicide notes from Mexico in the international literature. From a population of 747 registered suicides, a sample of 106 note-writers and 106 nonnote writers was…

A Prospective Observational Study of Technical Difficulty With GlideScope-Guided Tracheal Intubation in Children.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; Gurnaney, Harshad G; Stricker, Paul A; Galvez, Jorge A; Isserman, Rebecca S; Fiadjoe, John E

2018-05-09

The GlideScope Cobalt is one of the most commonly used videolaryngoscopes in pediatric anesthesia. Although visualization of the airway may be superior to direct laryngoscopy, users need to learn a new indirect way to insert the tracheal tube. Learning this indirect approach requires focused practice and instruction. Identifying the specific points during tube placement, during which clinicians struggle, would help with targeted education. We conducted this prospective observational study to determine the incidence and location of technical difficulties using the GlideScope, the success rates of various corrective maneuvers used, and the impact of technical difficulty on success rate. We conducted this observational study at our quaternary pediatric hospital between February 2014 and August 2014. We observed 200 GlideScope-guided intubations and documented key intubation-related outcomes. Inclusion criteria for patients were <6 years of age and elective surgery requiring endotracheal intubation. We documented the number of advancement maneuvers required to intubate the trachea, the location where technical difficulty occurred, the types of maneuvers used to address difficulties, and the tracheal intubation success rate. We used a bias-corrected bootstrapping method with 300 replicates to determine the 95% confidence interval (CI) around the rate of difficulty with an intubation attempt. After excluding attempts by inexperienced clinicians, there were 225 attempts in 187 patients, 58% (131 of 225; bootstrap CI, 51.6%-64.6%]) of the attempts had technical difficulties. Technical difficulty was most likely to occur when inserting the tracheal tube between the plane of the arytenoid cartilages to just beyond the vocal cords: "zone 3." Clockwise rotation of the tube was the most common successful corrective maneuver in zone 3. The overall tracheal intubation success rate was 98% (CI, 95%-99%); however, the first attempt success rate was only 80% (CI, 74%-86%). Patients

Assessment of technical equipment supply in healthcare institutions: example of Almaty.

PubMed

Kurakbayev, Kuralbai K; Issayev, Daniyar S; Koshimbekov, Murat K; Kumar, Ainur B

2014-09-01

The share of healthcare-related expenditure in the Gross Domestic Product of Kazakhstan is relatively small, and it is strategically important to restructure budgetary expenses in favor of healthcare with simultaneous redistribution of resources in accordance with changing demands and prioritization of high-quality medical care. The aim of this study was to analyze resource provision to healthcare organizations in Kazakhstan and its structure and level assessment. The study is based on a comparative assessment of technical and technological equipment of medical institutions in Almaty, Kazakhstan. We analyzed the scope and structure of the financial component of the resource base in Almaty. We carried out information processing and analysis methods, content analysis, mathematical treatment, as well as conducted case studies. Also, we held opinion poll among medical staff (specialists, managerial staff) (n = 300) P for trend < 0.001 and patients (n = 210) P for trend < 0.001. About 18.8% of patients do not receive medical care because of defects of the equipment, whereas 19.9% of patients claim that the reason of refusal of the provision of medical services is an equipment overload. Most of the respondents referred to on poor technical equipment, mismatch with the world standards of performance and competitiveness. Lack of advanced medical technology, inadequate financing, insufficient supply of domestic medical equipment, and inadequate procurement by tender were also noted. The obtained data point to the need for optimization and upgrading medical equipment at various levels of healthcare.

Michigan Technician Need Study. The Present and Projected Demand for Technically Trained People in Michigan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris State Coll., Big Rapids, MI. Office of Administrative Studies.

This study undertakes to determine (1) the extent of crucial manpower shortages in Michigan by technical area and skill, by the areas of occupation or industry, and whether these shortages will decrease or increase over the next few years, and (2) the opportunities for technical education now available or necessary to assure Michigan industry and…

The Impact of Gender on Interest in Science Topics and the Choice of Scientific and Technical Vocations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buccheri, Grazia; Abt Gürber, Nadja; Brühwiler, Christian

2011-01-01

Many countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) note a shortage of highly qualified scientific-technical personnel, whereas demand for such employees is growing. Therefore, how to motivate (female) high performers in science or mathematics to pursue scientific careers is of special interest. The sample for this study is taken from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006. It comprises 7,819 high performers either in sciences or mathematics from representative countries of four different education systems which generally performed well or around the OECD average in PISA 2006: Switzerland, Finland, Australia, and Korea. The results give evidence that gender specificity and gender inequity in science education are a cross-national problem. Interests in specific science disciplines only partly support vocational choices in scientific-technical fields. Instead, gender and gender stereotypes play a significant role. Enhancing the utility of a scientific vocational choice is expected to soften the gender impact.

NASA thesaurus alphabetical update: Subject terms for indexing scientific and technical information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The NASA THESAURUS - ALPHABETICAL UPDATE is an alphabetical listing of all subject terms (postable and nonpostable) that are currently approved for use in the NASA scientific and technical information system. Contained in the listing are the subject terms that were listed in the Preliminary Edition of the NASA THESAURUS and the additional subject terms that were approved during the period January 1, 1967 June 30, 1971. Complete Thesaurus structuring, including scope notes, category assignments, and cross-references, is provided for each term as appropriate.

Technical Feasibility Study for Zero Energy K-12 Schools

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

Bonnema, Eric; Goldwasser, David; Torcellini, Paul

This technical feasibility study provides documentation and research results supporting a possible set of strategies to achieve source zero energy K-12 school buildings as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) zero energy building (ZEB) definition (DOE 2015a). Under this definition, a ZEB is an energy-efficient building in which, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy.

Aim for the Suprasternal Notch: Technical Note to Avoid Bowstringing after Deep Brain Stimulation.

PubMed

Akram, Harith; Limousin, Patricia; Hyam, Jonathan; Hariz, Marwan I; Zrinzo, Ludvic

2015-01-01

Bowstringing may occur when excessive fibrosis develops around extension cables in the neck after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Though the occurrence of this phenomenon is rare, we have noted that it tends to cause maximal discomfort when the cables cross superficially over the convexity of the clavicle. We hypothesise that bowstringing may be avoided by directing the extension cables towards the suprasternal notch. When connecting DBS leads to an infraclavicular pectoral implantable pulse generator (IPG), tunnelling is directed towards the suprasternal notch, before being directed laterally towards the IPG pocket. In previously operated patients with established fibrosis, the fibrous tunnel is opened and excised as far cranially as possible, allowing medial rerouting of cables. Using this approach, we reviewed our series of patients who underwent DBS surgery over 10 years. In 429 patients, 7 patients (2%) with cables tunnelled over the convexity of the clavicle complaining of bowstringing underwent cable exploration and rerouting. This eliminated bowstringing and provided better cosmetic results. When the cable trajectory was initially directed towards the suprasternal notch, no bowstringing was observed. The tunnelling trajectory appears to influence postoperative incidence of fibrosis associated with DBS cables. Modifying the surgical technique may reduce the incidence of this troublesome adverse event.

The transvaginal hybrid NOTES versus conventionally assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection for diverticular disease (TRANSVERSAL) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Senft, Jonas D; Warschkow, Rene; Diener, Markus K; Tarantino, Ignazio; Steinemann, Daniel C; Lamm, Sebastian; Simon, Thomas; Zerz, Andreas; Müller-Stich, Beat P; Linke, Georg R

2014-11-20

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is the consequence of further development of minimally invasive surgery to reduce abdominal incisions and surgical trauma. The potential benefits are expected to be less postoperative pain, faster convalescence, and reduced risk for incisional hernias and wound infections compared to conventional methods. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of transvaginal NOTES, and transvaginal access is currently the most frequent clinically applied route for NOTES procedures. However, despite increasing clinical application, no firm clinical evidence is available for objective assessment of the potential benefits and risks of transvaginal NOTES compared to the current surgical standard. The TRANSVERSAL trial is designed as a randomized controlled trial to compare transvaginal hybrid NOTES and laparoscopic-assisted sigmoid resection. Female patients referred to elective sigmoid resection due to complicated or reoccurring diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon are considered eligible. The primary endpoint will be pain intensity during mobilization 24 hours postoperatively as measured by the blinded patient and blinded assessor on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes include daily pain intensity and analgesic use, patient mobility, intraoperative complications, morbidity, length of stay, quality of life, and sexual function. Follow-up visits are scheduled 3, 12, and 36 months after surgery. A total sample size of 58 patients was determined for the analysis of the primary endpoint. The confirmatory analysis will be performed based on the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle. The TRANSVERSAL trial is the first study to compare transvaginal hybrid NOTES and conventionally assisted laparoscopic surgery for colonic resection in a randomized controlled setting. The results of the TRANSVERSAL trial will allow objective assessment of the potential benefits and risks of NOTES compared to the

What Limits the Encoding Effect of Note-Taking? A Meta-Analytic Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, K.

2005-01-01

Previous meta-analyses indicate that the overall encoding effect of note-taking is positive but modest. This meta-analysis of 57 note-taking versus no note-taking comparison studies explored what limits the encoding effect by examining the moderating influence of seven variables: intervention, schooling level, presentation mode and length, test…

A Modernization Plan for the Technical Data Department of the Naval Ships Weapon Systems Engineering Station

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-09-01

technology has made possible the deployment of very sophisticated and highly capable weapon systems. Taking advantage of this technology has carried...3) Ancillary Equipment 208 Types Numerous Notes : 1. Number of ships with this system 2. Includes Tartar used only for surface capability 3. These...maintains the Configuration Item Identification File (CIIF) . The CIIF provides storage and retrieval capability for technical and logistics data specified on

Integrating technical and non-technical skills coaching in an acute trauma surgery team training: Is it too much?

PubMed

Alken, Alexander; Luursema, Jan-Maarten; Weenk, Mariska; Yauw, Simon; Fluit, Cornelia; van Goor, Harry

2017-08-25

Research on effective integration of technical and non-technical skills in surgery team training is sparse. In a previous study we found that surgical teachers predominantly coached on technical and hardly on non-technical skills during the Definitive Surgical and Anesthetic Trauma Care (DSATC) integrated acute trauma surgery team training. This study aims to investigate whether the priming of teachers could increase the amount of non-technical skills coaching during such a training. Coaching activities of 12 surgical teachers were recorded on audio and video. Six teachers were primed on non-technical skills coaching prior to the training. Six others received no priming and served as controls. Blind observers reviewed the recordings of 2 training scenario's and scored whether the observed behaviors were directed on technical or non-technical skills. We compared the frequency of the non-technical skills coaching between the primed and the non-primed teachers and analyzed for differences according to the trainees' level of experience. Surgical teachers coached trainees during the highly realistic DSATC integrated acute trauma surgery team training. Trainees performed damage control surgery in operating teams on anesthetized porcine models during 6 training scenario's. Twelve experienced surgical teachers participated in this study. Coaching on non-technical skills was limited to about 5%. The primed teachers did not coach more often on non-technical skills than the non-primed teachers. We found no differences in the frequency of non-technical skills coaching based on the trainees' level of experience. Priming experienced surgical teachers does not increase the coaching on non-technical skills. The current DSATC acute trauma surgery team training seems too complex for integrating training on technical and non-technical skills. Patient care, Practice based learning and improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer Rights and Accountability in Postsecondary Vocational-Technical Education: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Brian; Harmon, Lisa

Beginning in October 1987, Pelavin Associates conducted an exploratory study of consumer rights and accountability in postsecondary vocational-technical (PVT) programs for the U.S. Department of Education. The study focused on how effectively the governance structure--accreditation and federal and state regulation--ensures that consumer rights are…

[Measurement of cognitive constriction in suicide notes].

PubMed

Heinrich, Monika; Berzlanovich, Andrea; Willinger, Ulrike; Eisenwort, Brigitte

2008-01-01

The target of this paper was to quantify the amount of cognitive constriction in German-language suicide notes by studying quantitative psycholinguistic parameters of texts. This should give a better understanding of presuicidal events and encourage improvement in the field of suicide prevention and crisis intervention. The study is based on letters of the "Vienna Corpus of Suicide Notes". To prove various hypotheses a factor analysis, a number of regression analyses, and the General Linear Model were applied, apart from descriptive methods. The 16 parameters could be reduced to five factors of cognitive constriction, such as the writing style, the usage of words, the dichotomy, the length and the grammatical correctness of the suicide notes. Regarding the writing style the highest values of cognitive constriction were found among women (p=0.005), young persons (p< or =0.000), in short letters (p=0.027) and if psychological problems were the motive for suicide (p=0.020). The discovery site of the letters (p=0.002) was important as well. The construct of cognitive constriction is a multidimensional and complex phenomenon. Therefore the quantification must contain variables of the persons and the texts.

A Study on the Impact of Collective Feedback in the Online Technical and Professional Communication Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, Meredith

2016-01-01

This dissertation study seeks to determine whether feedback in the online Technical and Professional Communication classroom impacts student performance. This dissertation proposes that online Technical and Professional Communication instructors consider adopt such a feedback methodology in order to engage students with writing practices that…

"Type Ia Supernovae: Tools for Studying Dark Energy" Final Technical Report

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

Woosley, Stan; Kasen, Dan

2017-05-10

Final technical report for project "Type Ia Supernovae: Tools for the Study of Dark Energy" awarded jointly to scientists at the University of California, Santa Cruz and Berkeley, for computer modeling, theory and data analysis relevant to the use of Type Ia supernovae as standard candles for cosmology.

Urology technical and non-technical skills development: the emerging role of simulation.

PubMed

Rashid, Prem; Gianduzzo, Troy R J

2016-04-01

To review the emerging role of technical and non-technical simulation in urological education and training. A review was conducted to examine the current role of simulation in urology training. A PUBMED search of the terms 'urology training', 'urology simulation' and 'urology education' revealed 11,504 titles. Three hundred and fifty-seven abstracts were identified as English language, peer reviewed papers pertaining to the role of simulation in urology and related topics. Key papers were used to explore themes. Some cross-referenced papers were also included. There is an ongoing need to ensure that training time is efficiently utilised while ensuring that optimal technical and non-technical skills are achieved. Changing working conditions and the need to minimise patient harm by inadvertent errors must be taken into account. Simulation models for specific technical aspects have been the mainstay of graduated step-wise low and high fidelity training. Whole scenario environments as well as non-technical aspects can be slowly incorporated into the curriculum. Doing so should also help define what have been challenging competencies to teach and evaluate. Dedicated time, resources and trainer up-skilling are important. Concurrent studies are needed to help evaluate the effectiveness of introducing step-wise simulation for technical and non-technical competencies. Simulation based learning remains the best avenue of progressing surgical education. Technical and non-technical simulation could be used in the selection process. There are good economic, logistic and safety reasons to pursue the process of ongoing development of simulation co-curricula. While the role of simulation is assured, its progress will depend on a structured program that takes advantage of what can be delivered via this medium. Overall, simulation can be developed further for urological training programs to encompass technical and non-technical skill development at all stages, including

Apparatus Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Bruce G., Ed.

1980-01-01

This collection of notes describes (1) an optoelectronic apparatus for classroom demonstrations of mechanical laws, (2) a more efficient method for demonstrated nuclear chain reactions using electrically energized "traps" and ping-pong balls, and (3) an inexpensive demonstration for qualitative analysis of temperature-dependent resistance. (CS)

Biology Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1984

1984-01-01

Presents information on the teaching of nutrition (including new information relating to many current O-level syllabi) and part 16 of a reading list for A- and S-level biology. Also includes a note on using earthworms as a source of material for teaching meiosis. (JN)

Technical Services Cost Studies in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 125.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoerman, Heidi Lee

Based on a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries in February 1986, this kit is designed to illustrate a wide range of alternative approaches to analyzing the costs of technical services. The kit consists of the following unedited primary-source documents: (1) SPEC Technical Services Costs Survey (Three-Year Update)…

Context and goals: Suicide notes from a linguistic point of view.

PubMed

Galasiński, Dariusz

2017-08-01

The article is a critique of a study of language of suicide notes. It raises the issue of the acontextual approach to language and suggests that suicide notes and their language must be seen within the social context in which they are written. Moreover, the article challenges the assumption that suicide notes have only a representational function. Instead, it argues that they can serve a host of other communicative purposes.

INDOT Technical Training Plan : [Technical Summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

A wide range of job classifications, increasing technical : performance expectations, licensing and certification requirements, : budget restrictions and frequent department : reorganization has made technical training of employees : more difficult, ...

Relational Study of Technical Education in Scotland and Nigeria for Sustainable Skill Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umunadi, E. Kennedy

2014-01-01

This paper was designed to look at technical education curriculum and mode of implementation in Scotland in order to adopt the advantageous attributes of the Scottish technical education in Nigeria. The paper x-rayed the staff perceptions of technical education and its roles in Scotland; history of technical education before the advent of British…

Sick Note to Fit Note: one trust’s project to improve usage by hospital clinicians

PubMed Central

Moran, Amy; Mainwaring, Cathryn; Keane, Oliver; Sanctuary, Thomas; Watson, Kathryn; Lasoye, Tunji

2018-01-01

Introduction In April 2010, the government introduced a new Statement of Fitness to Work or ’Fit Note' for patients requiring time off of work or adaptations to their work due to illness. Responsibility to issue these documents has shifted from primary to secondary care. Hospital clinicians are required to issue for inpatients and for outpatients where clinical responsibility has not been taken over by the general practitioner (GP). However, awareness of this change is lacking. Misdirecting patients to their GP for the sole purpose of receiving a ’Fit Note' is an unnecessary use of appointment time and negatively impacts on patients. King’s College Hospital NHS Trust receives a number of quality alerts from primary care regarding this issue. Methods A trust-wide educational initiative was designed and implemented to increase staff awareness of Fit Notes and their correct usage in order to reduce the number of patients being misdirected to their GP to obtain one. Interventions included direct staff engagement, a trust-wide promotional campaign and creation of an electronic version of the document. Results Uptake of the electronic version of the Fit Note has steadily increased and there has been a fall in the number of quality alerts received by the trust. However, staff awareness on the whole remains low. Conclusions Patients being misdirected to their general practice for Fit Notes is an important issue and one on which the baseline level of awareness among hospital clinicians is low. Challenges during this intervention have been in penetrating a trust of this size and getting the message across to staff. However, digitising the Fit Note can help to increase its use. PMID:29333499

Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Note Taking on Computer-Based Graphic Organizers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crooks, Steven M.; White, David R.; Barnard, Lucy

2007-01-01

Previous research on graphic organizer (GO) note taking has shown that this method is most effective when the GO is presented to the student partially complete with provided notes. This study extended prior research by investigating the effects of provided note type (summary vs. verbatim) and GO bite size (large vs. small) on the transfer…

A procedural skills OSCE: assessing technical and non-technical skills of internal medicine residents.

PubMed

Pugh, Debra; Hamstra, Stanley J; Wood, Timothy J; Humphrey-Murto, Susan; Touchie, Claire; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Bordage, Georges

2015-03-01

Internists are required to perform a number of procedures that require mastery of technical and non-technical skills, however, formal assessment of these skills is often lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and gather validity evidence for a procedural skills objective structured clinical examination (PS-OSCE) for internal medicine (IM) residents to assess their technical and non-technical skills when performing procedures. Thirty-five first to third-year IM residents participated in a 5-station PS-OSCE, which combined partial task models, standardized patients, and allied health professionals. Formal blueprinting was performed and content experts were used to develop the cases and rating instruments. Examiners underwent a frame-of-reference training session to prepare them for their rater role. Scores were compared by levels of training, experience, and to evaluation data from a non-procedural OSCE (IM-OSCE). Reliability was calculated using Generalizability analyses. Reliabilities for the technical and non-technical scores were 0.68 and 0.76, respectively. Third-year residents scored significantly higher than first-year residents on the technical (73.5 vs. 62.2%) and non-technical (83.2 vs. 75.1%) components of the PS-OSCE (p < 0.05). Residents who had performed the procedures more frequently scored higher on three of the five stations (p < 0.05). There was a moderate disattenuated correlation (r = 0.77) between the IM-OSCE and the technical component of the PS-OSCE scores. The PS-OSCE is a feasible method for assessing multiple competencies related to performing procedures and this study provides validity evidence to support its use as an in-training examination.

The Development of Technical and Vocational Education in Indonesia--A Case Study in Quality Improvement. Case Studies on Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakri, Mohamad

After its independence in 1969, Indonesia studied and analyzed its previous colonial system of technical and vocational education (TVE) and took steps to overcome the shortcomings. TVE was required to provide expansion of work opportunities and industrial development to promote national development. Until 1989, attention was given to further…

Technical Vocabulary in Specialised Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Teresa Mihwa; Nation, Paul

2003-01-01

Describes two studies of technical vocabulary, one using an anatomy text and the other an applied linguistics text. Technical vocabulary was found by rating words in the texts on a four-step scale. Found that technical vocabulary made up a very substantial proportion of both the different words and the running words in texts. (Author/VWL)

Predicate Argument Structure Frames for Modeling Information in Operative Notes

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Pakhomov, Serguei; Melton, Genevieve B.

2015-01-01

The rich information about surgical procedures contained in operative notes is a valuable data source for improving the clinical evidence base and clinical research. In this study, we propose a set of Predicate Argument Structure (PAS) frames for surgical action verbs to assist in the creation of an information extraction (IE) system to automatically extract details about the techniques, equipment, and operative steps from operative notes. We created PropBank style PAS frames for the 30 top surgical action verbs based on examination of randomly selected sample sentences from 3,000 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy notes. To assess completeness of the PAS frames to represent usage of same action verbs, we evaluated the PAS frames created on sample sentences from operative notes of 6 other gastrointestinal surgical procedures. Our results showed that the PAS frames created with one type of surgery can successfully denote the usage of the same verbs in operative notes of broader surgical categories. PMID:23920664

Note-Taking Instruction for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Deborah K.; Hallett, Abigail; Rimel, Hillary

2016-01-01

Using a multiple baseline across participants design, this study examines the functional relationship between instruction in note-taking skills and the ability of young adults with autism spectrum disorder to take notes on college lectures. The three participants were enrolled in a program aligned with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public…

[NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 1, part 1:] Technical communications in aeronautics: Results of an exploratory study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1989-01-01

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

RELEASE OF DRIED RADIOACTIVE WASTE MATERIALS TECHNICAL BASIS DOCUMENT

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

KOZLOWSKI, S.D.

2007-05-30

This technical basis document was developed to support RPP-23429, Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for the Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (PDSA) and RPP-23479, Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for the Contact-Handled Transuranic Mixed (CH-TRUM) Waste Facility. The main document describes the risk binning process and the technical basis for assigning risk bins to the representative accidents involving the release of dried radioactive waste materials from the Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (DBVS) and to the associated represented hazardous conditions. Appendices D through F provide the technical basis for assigning risk bins to the representative dried waste release accident and associated represented hazardous conditionsmore » for the Contact-Handled Transuranic Mixed (CH-TRUM) Waste Packaging Unit (WPU). The risk binning process uses an evaluation of the frequency and consequence of a given representative accident or represented hazardous condition to determine the need for safety structures, systems, and components (SSC) and technical safety requirement (TSR)-level controls. A representative accident or a represented hazardous condition is assigned to a risk bin based on the potential radiological and toxicological consequences to the public and the collocated worker. Note that the risk binning process is not applied to facility workers because credible hazardous conditions with the potential for significant facility worker consequences are considered for safety-significant SSCs and/or TSR-level controls regardless of their estimated frequency. The controls for protection of the facility workers are described in RPP-23429 and RPP-23479. Determination of the need for safety-class SSCs was performed in accordance with DOE-STD-3009-94, Preparation Guide for US. Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facility Documented Safety Analyses, as described below.« less

The Oregon Career and Technical Education Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Steven; Richards, Amanda

2008-01-01

Oregon educators, policymakers, and business people are working together to increase the number and quality of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in secondary and postsecondary institutions. CTE is an integral component of Oregon's education and workforce development system and prepares students for careers in areas ranging from the…

A Study on Technical High School Teachers' Views Concerning Corporal Punishment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tas, Said

2016-01-01

Corporal punishment is defined as inflicting pain on body of someone who presents undesired behavior or does not present expected behavior. In the developed world, experiencing information society, corporal punishment is still in the agenda in educational system in Turkey. In this study, it was aimed to determine technical high school teachers'…

Thinking Strategically to Record Notes in Content Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Joseph R.

2011-01-01

Although teachers today use a variety of teaching methods in content-area classrooms, lecture learning and note-taking still comprise a considerable portion of time in these classes. Unfortunately, most students are poor note-takers, typically recording only about one quarter of lecture notes. Strategic note-taking was developed to assist students…

A Concept-Wide Association Study of Clinical Notes to Discover New Predictors of Kidney Failure.

PubMed

Singh, Karandeep; Betensky, Rebecca A; Wright, Adam; Curhan, Gary C; Bates, David W; Waikar, Sushrut S

2016-12-07

Identifying predictors of kidney disease progression is critical toward the development of strategies to prevent kidney failure. Clinical notes provide a unique opportunity for big data approaches to identify novel risk factors for disease. We used natural language processing tools to extract concepts from the preceding year's clinical notes among patients newly referred to a tertiary care center's outpatient nephrology clinics and retrospectively evaluated these concepts as predictors for the subsequent development of ESRD using proportional subdistribution hazards (competing risk) regression. The primary outcome was time to ESRD, accounting for a competing risk of death. We identified predictors from univariate and multivariate (adjusting for Tangri linear predictor) models using a 5% threshold for false discovery rate (q value <0.05). We included all patients seen by an adult outpatient nephrologist between January 1, 2004 and June 18, 2014 and excluded patients seen only by transplant nephrology, with preexisting ESRD, with fewer than five clinical notes, with no follow-up, or with no baseline creatinine values. Among the 4013 patients selected in the final study cohort, we identified 960 concepts in the unadjusted analysis and 885 concepts in the adjusted analysis. Novel predictors identified included high-dose ascorbic acid (adjusted hazard ratio, 5.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.80 to 10.70; q<0.001) and fast food (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.34; 95% confidence interval, 2.55 to 7.40; q<0.001). Novel predictors of human disease may be identified using an unbiased approach to analyze text from the electronic health record. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

A study on technical efficiency of a DMU (review of literature)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkateswarlu, B.; Mahaboob, B.; Subbarami Reddy, C.; Sankar, J. Ravi

2017-11-01

In this research paper the concept of technical efficiency (due to Farell) [1] of a decision making unit (DMU) has been introduced and the measure of technical and cost efficiencies are derived. Timmer’s [2] deterministic approach to estimate the Cobb-Douglas production frontier has been proposed. The idea of extension of Timmer’s [2] method to any production frontier which is linear in parameters has been presented here. The estimation of parameters of Cobb-Douglas production frontier by linear programming approach has been discussed in this paper. Mark et al. [3] proposed a non-parametric method to assess efficiency. Nuti et al. [4] investigated the relationships among technical efficiency scores, weighted per capita cost and overall performance Gahe Zing Samuel Yank et al. [5] used Data envelopment analysis to assess technical assessment in banking sectors.

Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) - Its role in the USAF Scientific and Technical Information Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, Allan D.

1991-01-01

The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), the central repository for DOD scientific and technical information concerning studies and research and engineering efforts, is discussed. The present makeup of DTIC is described and its functions in producing technical reports and technical report bibliographies are examined. DTIC's outreach services are reviewed, as are its DTIC information and technology transfer programs. DTIC's plans for the year 2000 and its relation to the mission of the U.S. Air Force, including the Air Force's STINFO program, are addressed.

32 CFR 806b.5 - Personal notes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Personal notes. 806b.5 Section 806b.5 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE ADMINISTRATION PRIVACY ACT PROGRAM... notes on individuals used as memory aids. Personal notes may become Privacy Act records if they are...

Note-taking and Handouts in The Digital Age.

PubMed

Stacy, Elizabeth Moore; Cain, Jeff

2015-09-25

Most educators consider note-taking a critical component of formal classroom learning. Advancements in technology such as tablet computers, mobile applications, and recorded lectures are altering classroom dynamics and affecting the way students compose and review class notes. These tools may improve a student's ability to take notes, but they also may hinder learning. In an era of dynamic technology developments, it is important for educators to routinely examine and evaluate influences on formal and informal learning environments. This paper discusses key background literature on student note-taking, identifies recent trends and potential implications of mobile technologies on classroom note-taking and student learning, and discusses future directions for note-taking in the context of digitally enabled lifelong learning.

Technical efficiency of public district hospitals and health centres in Ghana: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Osei, Daniel; d'Almeida, Selassi; George, Melvill O; Kirigia, Joses M; Mensah, Ayayi Omar; Kainyu, Lenity H

2005-01-01

Background The Government of Ghana has been implementing various health sector reforms (e.g. user fees in public health facilities, decentralization, sector-wide approaches to donor coordination) in a bid to improve efficiency in health care. However, to date, except for the pilot study reported in this paper, no attempt has been made to make an estimate of the efficiency of hospitals and/or health centres in Ghana. The objectives of this study, based on data collected in 2000, were: (i) to estimate the relative technical efficiency (TE) and scale efficiency (SE) of a sample of public hospitals and health centres in Ghana; and (ii) to demonstrate policy implications for health sector policy-makers. Methods The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach was used to estimate the efficiency of 17 district hospitals and 17 health centres. This was an exploratory study. Results Eight (47%) hospitals were technically inefficient, with an average TE score of 61% and a standard deviation (STD) of 12%. Ten (59%) hospitals were scale inefficient, manifesting an average SE of 81% (STD = 25%). Out of the 17 health centres, 3 (18%) were technically inefficient, with a mean TE score of 49% (STD = 27%). Eight health centres (47%) were scale inefficient, with an average SE score of 84% (STD = 16%). Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated to policy-makers the versatility of DEA in measuring inefficiencies among individual facilities and inputs. There is a need for the Planning and Budgeting Unit of the Ghana Health Services to continually monitor the productivity growth, allocative efficiency and technical efficiency of all its health facilities (hospitals and health centres) in the course of the implementation of health sector reforms. PMID:16188021

The Progression of Podcasting/Vodcasting in a Technical Physics Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glanville, Y. J.

2010-11-01

Technology such as Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, clickers, podcasting, and learning management suites is becoming prevalent in classrooms. Instructors are using these media in both large lecture hall settings and small classrooms with just a handful of students. Traditionally, each of these media is instructor driven. For instance, podcasting (audio recordings) provided my technical physics course with supplemental notes to accompany a traditional algebra-based physics lecture. Podcasting is an ideal tool for this mode of instruction, but podcasting/vodcasting is also an ideal technique for student projects and student-driven learning. I present here the various podcasting/vodcasting projects my students and I have undertaken over the last few years.

A Pedagogic Cycle for EFL Note-Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegel, Joseph

2016-01-01

More attention has been given to note-taking in EFL classrooms in recent years, probably due to growing numbers of EFL students who attend lectures given in English and the importance of note-taking during language proficiency tests. While textbooks and materials for note-taking practice are readily available, classroom techniques for teaching EFL…

Soft Skills in Health Careers Programs: A Case Study of A Regional Vocational Technical High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Chong Myung

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the ways in which educational experiences might differ between a regional vocational technical high school (RVTH) and short-term career-training programs. A particular regional vocational technical high school was selected for its outstanding academic records and placement rates, and a…

Repositioning the Facilities in Technical College Workshops for Efficiency: A Case Study of North Central Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umar, Ibrahim Y.; Ma'aji, Abdullahi S.

2010-01-01

This article focuses on assessing the facilities in Government Technical College workshops in the context of a developing country. A descriptive survey design was adopted. Two research questions and a hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. A 35-item questionnaire was developed based on the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)…

Advanced Risk Reduction Tool (ARRT) Special Case Study Report: Science and Engineering Technical Assessments (SETA) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirsch, Paul J.; Hayes, Jane; Zelinski, Lillian

2000-01-01

This special case study report presents the Science and Engineering Technical Assessments (SETA) team's findings for exploring the correlation between the underlying models of Advanced Risk Reduction Tool (ARRT) relative to how it identifies, estimates, and integrates Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) activities. The special case study was conducted under the provisions of SETA Contract Task Order (CTO) 15 and the approved technical approach documented in the CTO-15 Modification #1 Task Project Plan.

Advanced transportation system studies, technical area 3. Alternate propulsion subsystem concepts: J-2S restart study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilja, John; Levack, Daniel

1993-04-01

The objectives were to assess what design changes would be required to remit late production of the J-2S engine for use as a large high energy upper stage engine. The study assessed design changes required to perform per the J-2S model specification, manufacturing changes required due to obsolescence or improvements in state-of-the-practice, availability issues for supplier provided items, and provided cost and schedule estimates for this configuration. The confidence that J-2S production could be reinitiated within reasonable costs and schedules was provided. No significant technical issues were identified in either the producibility study or in the review of previous technical data. Areas of potential cost reduction were identified which could be quantified to a greater extent with further manufacturing planning. The proposed schedule can be met with no foreseeable impacts. The results of the study provided the necessary foundation for the detailed manufacturing and test plans and non-recurring and recurring cost estimates that are needed to complete the effort to reinitiate production of the J-2S engine system.

Classroom Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2007

2007-01-01

In this issue's "Classroom Notes" section, the following papers are discussed: (1) "Constructing a line segment whose length is equal to the measure of a given angle" (W. Jacob and T. J. Osler); (2) "Generating functions for the powers of Fibonacci sequences" (D. Terrana and H. Chen); (3) "Evaluation of mean and variance integrals without…

Development and evaluation of 'briefing notes' as a novel knowledge translation tool to aid the implementation of sex/gender analysis in systematic reviews: a pilot study.

PubMed

Doull, Marion; Welch, Vivian; Puil, Lorri; Runnels, Vivien; Coen, Stephanie E; Shea, Beverley; O'Neill, Jennifer; Borkhoff, Cornelia; Tudiver, Sari; Boscoe, Madeline

2014-01-01

There is increasing recognition of sex/gender differences in health and the importance of identifying differential effects of interventions for men and women. Yet, to whom the research evidence does or does not apply, with regard to sex/gender, is often insufficiently answered. This is also true for systematic reviews which synthesize results of primary studies. A lack of analysis and reporting of evidence on sex/gender raises concerns about the applicability of systematic reviews. To bridge this gap, this pilot study aimed to translate knowledge about sex/gender analysis (SGA) into a user-friendly 'briefing note' format and evaluate its potential in aiding the implementation of SGA in systematic reviews. Our Sex/Gender Methods Group used an interactive process to translate knowledge about sex/gender into briefing notes, a concise communication tool used by policy and decision makers. The briefing notes were developed in collaboration with three Cochrane Collaboration review groups (HIV/AIDS, Hypertension, and Musculoskeletal) who were also the target knowledge users of the briefing notes. Briefing note development was informed by existing systematic review checklists, literature on sex/gender, in-person and virtual meetings, and consultation with topic experts. Finally, we held a workshop for potential users to evaluate the notes. Each briefing note provides tailored guidance on considering sex/gender to reviewers who are planning or conducting systematic reviews and includes the rationale for considering sex/gender, with examples specific to each review group's focus. Review authors found that the briefing notes provided welcome guidance on implementing SGA that was clear and concise, but also identified conceptual and implementation challenges. Sex/gender briefing notes are a promising knowledge translation tool. By encouraging sex/gender analysis and equity considerations in systematic reviews, the briefing notes can assist systematic reviewers in ensuring the

Learning health 'safety' within non-technical skills interprofessional simulation education: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Gordon, Morris; Fell, Christopher W R; Box, Helen; Farrell, Michael; Stewart, Alison

2017-01-01

Healthcare increasingly recognises and focusses on the phenomena of 'safe practice' and 'patient safety.' Success with non-technical skills (NTS) training in other industries has led to widespread transposition to healthcare education, with communication and teamwork skills central to NTS frameworks. This study set out to identify how the context of interprofessional simulation learning influences NTS acquisition and development of 'safety' amongst learners. Participants receiving a non-technical skills (NTS) safety focussed training package were invited to take part in a focus group interview which set out to explore communication, teamwork, and the phenomenon of safety in the context of the learning experiences they had within the training programme. The analysis was aligned with a constructivist paradigm and took an interactive methodological approach. The analysis proceeded through three stages, consisting of open, axial, and selective coding, with constant comparisons taking place throughout each phase. Each stage provided categories that could be used to explore the themes of the data. Additionally, to ensure thematic saturation, transcripts of observed simulated learning encounters were then analysed. Six themes were established at the axial coding level, i.e., analytical skills, personal behaviours, communication, teamwork, context, and pedagogy. Underlying these themes, two principal concepts emerged, namely: intergroup contact anxiety - as both a result of and determinant of communication - and teamwork, both of which must be considered in relation to context. These concepts have subsequently been used to propose a framework for NTS learning. This study highlights the role of intergroup contact anxiety and teamwork as factors in NTS behaviour and its dissipation through interprofessional simulation learning. Therefore, this should be a key consideration in NTS education. Future research is needed to consider the role of the affective non-technical

Technical note: an R package for fitting sparse neural networks with application in animal breeding.

PubMed

Wang, Yangfan; Mi, Xue; Rosa, Guilherme J M; Chen, Zhihui; Lin, Ping; Wang, Shi; Bao, Zhenmin

2018-05-04

Neural networks (NNs) have emerged as a new tool for genomic selection (GS) in animal breeding. However, the properties of NN used in GS for the prediction of phenotypic outcomes are not well characterized due to the problem of over-parameterization of NN and difficulties in using whole-genome marker sets as high-dimensional NN input. In this note, we have developed an R package called snnR that finds an optimal sparse structure of a NN by minimizing the square error subject to a penalty on the L1-norm of the parameters (weights and biases), therefore solving the problem of over-parameterization in NN. We have also tested some models fitted in the snnR package to demonstrate their feasibility and effectiveness to be used in several cases as examples. In comparison of snnR to the R package brnn (the Bayesian regularized single layer NNs), with both using the entries of a genotype matrix or a genomic relationship matrix as inputs, snnR has greatly improved the computational efficiency and the prediction ability for the GS in animal breeding because snnR implements a sparse NN with many hidden layers.

Individual Differences and Intervention Flaws: A Sequential Explanatory Study of College Students' Copy-and-Paste Note Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Igo, L. Brent; Kiewra, Kenneth A.; Bruning, Roger

2008-01-01

In this study, qualitative themes and quantitative findings from previous research were used to justify the exploration of four experimental, note-taking conditions and the impact of those conditions on student learning from Web-based text. However, puzzling results obtained from dependent measures of student learning were quite inconsistent with…

Note-taking and Handouts in The Digital Age

PubMed Central

Stacy, Elizabeth Moore

2015-01-01

Most educators consider note-taking a critical component of formal classroom learning. Advancements in technology such as tablet computers, mobile applications, and recorded lectures are altering classroom dynamics and affecting the way students compose and review class notes. These tools may improve a student’s ability to take notes, but they also may hinder learning. In an era of dynamic technology developments, it is important for educators to routinely examine and evaluate influences on formal and informal learning environments. This paper discusses key background literature on student note-taking, identifies recent trends and potential implications of mobile technologies on classroom note-taking and student learning, and discusses future directions for note-taking in the context of digitally enabled lifelong learning. PMID:27168620

Possibilities of lasers within NOTES.

PubMed

Stepp, Herbert; Sroka, Ronald

2010-10-01

Lasers possess unique properties that render them versatile light sources particularly for NOTES. Depending on the laser light sources used, diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes can be achieved. The diagnostic potential offered by innovative concepts such as new types of ultra-thin endoscopes and optical probes supports the physician with optical information of ultra-high resolution, tissue discrimination and manifold types of fluorescence detection. In addition, the potential 3-D capability promises enhanced recognition of tissue type and pathological status. These diagnostic techniques might enable or at least contribute to accurate and safe procedures within the spatial restrictions inherent with NOTES. The therapeutic potential ranges from induction of phototoxic effects over tissue welding, coagulation and tissue cutting to stone fragmentation. As proven in many therapeutic laser endoscopic treatment concepts, laser surgery is potentially bloodless and transmits the energy without mechanical forces. Specialized NOTES endoscopes will likely incorporate suitable probes for improving diagnostic procedures, laser fibres with advantageous light delivery possibility or innovative laser beam manipulation systems. NOTES training centres may support the propagation of the complex handling and the safety aspects for clinical use to the benefit of the patient.

Ammunition Cost Research Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-06-01

LIBRARY TECHNICAL REPORT Gerald W. Kalal Patrick J. Gannon COST ANALYSIS DIVISION (DRSAR-CPE) HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY ARMAMENT COMMAND ROCK ISLAND... Kalal trick J. Gannon COST ANALYSIS DIVISION (DRSAR-CPE) HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY ARMAMENT COMMAND ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS 61201 I UNCLASSIFIED...4. DESCRIPTIVE NOTES (Type ot report and Inclusive date») Technical Report 8- AU THOR(S> (flral name, middle Initial, laat name) Gerald W. Kalal

Analysis of Suicide Notes: An experience in Eskişehir City.

PubMed

Karbeyaz, Kenan; Akkaya, Harun; Balci, Yasemin; Urazel, Beyza

2014-09-01

It is estimated that a million people around the world die by suicide each year. It has been reported that a note was left in 5%-43% of the suicides. In this study, it we aimed to evaluate and discuss suicide notes in our city which is situated in Western Anatolia and where several universities are located. All forensic deaths in Eskişehir in 10-year period between 2001 and 2011 were evaluated. Forensic investigation files were assessed. After investigation, Out of 399 cases, 168 (42.1%) cases, who were determined to have left a suicide letter, telephone message (sms) or message via social network sites, were included in the scope of the study. It was found that 95 (56.5%) of all cases had left a suicide letter, 69 (41.1%) cases had sent a telephone message to a person or more than one person, 4 (2.4%) cases had written notes about suicide and death in social networking sites. A suicide note is an important finding in suicide cases to clarify the case. However, the note should be confirmed by investigation to be accepted as evidence.

Endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction to treat basilar invagination: technical note.

PubMed

Yu, Yong; Hu, Fan; Zhang, Xiaobiao; Ge, Junqi; Sun, Chongjing

2013-11-01

Transoral microscopic odontoidectomy has been accepted as a standard procedure to treat basilar invagination over the past several decades. In recent years the emergence of new technologies, including endoscopic odontoidectomy and posterior reduction, has presented a challenge to the traditional treatment algorithm. In this article, the authors describe 1 patient with basilar invagination who was successfully treated with endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction. The purpose of this report is to validate the effectiveness of this treatment algorithm in selected cases and describe several operative nuances and pearls based on the authors' experience. One patient with basilar invagination caused by a congenital osseous malformation underwent endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction in a single operative setting. The purely endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy was first conducted with the patient supine. The favorable anatomical reduction was then achieved through a posterior approach after the patient was moved prone. The patient was extubated after recovery from anesthesia and allowed oral food intake the next day. No complications were noted, and the patient was discharged 4 days after the operation. Postoperative imaging demonstrated excellent decompression of the anterior cervicomedullary junction pathology. The patient was followed up for 12 months and remarkable neurological recovery was observed. The endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy is a better minimally invasive approach for anterior decompression and can make the posterior reduction easier because the anterior resistant force is eliminated. The subsequent posterior reduction can make decompression of the ventral side of the cervicomedullary junction more effective because the C-2 vertebral body is pushed forward. A combination of these 2 approaches has the advantages of minimally invasive access and a faster patient recovery, and thus is a valid

Hospital Readmission and Social Risk Factors Identified from Physician Notes.

PubMed

Navathe, Amol S; Zhong, Feiran; Lei, Victor J; Chang, Frank Y; Sordo, Margarita; Topaz, Maxim; Navathe, Shamkant B; Rocha, Roberto A; Zhou, Li

2018-04-01

To evaluate the prevalence of seven social factors using physician notes as compared to claims and structured electronic health records (EHRs) data and the resulting association with 30-day readmissions. A multihospital academic health system in southeastern Massachusetts. An observational study of 49,319 patients with cardiovascular disease admitted from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for patient characteristics. All-payer claims, EHR data, and physician notes extracted from a centralized clinical registry. All seven social characteristics were identified at the highest rates in physician notes. For example, we identified 14,872 patient admissions with poor social support in physician notes, increasing the prevalence from 0.4 percent using ICD-9 codes and structured EHR data to 16.0 percent. Compared to an 18.6 percent baseline readmission rate, risk-adjusted analysis showed higher readmission risk for patients with housing instability (readmission rate 24.5 percent; p < .001), depression (20.6 percent; p < .001), drug abuse (20.2 percent; p = .01), and poor social support (20.0 percent; p = .01). The seven social risk factors studied are substantially more prevalent than represented in administrative data. Automated methods for analyzing physician notes may enable better identification of patients with social needs. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Assessment of technical equipment supply in healthcare institutions: example of Almaty

PubMed Central

Kurakbayev, Kuralbai K.; Issayev, Daniyar S.; Koshimbekov, Murat K.; Kumar, Ainur B.

2014-01-01

Background: The share of healthcare-related expenditure in the Gross Domestic Product of Kazakhstan is relatively small, and it is strategically important to restructure budgetary expenses in favor of healthcare with simultaneous redistribution of resources in accordance with changing demands and prioritization of high-quality medical care. The aim of this study was to analyze resource provision to healthcare organizations in Kazakhstan and its structure and level assessment. Materials and Methods: The study is based on a comparative assessment of technical and technological equipment of medical institutions in Almaty, Kazakhstan. We analyzed the scope and structure of the financial component of the resource base in Almaty. We carried out information processing and analysis methods, content analysis, mathematical treatment, as well as conducted case studies. Also, we held opinion poll among medical staff (specialists, managerial staff) (n = 300) P for trend < 0.001 and patients (n = 210) P for trend < 0.001. Results: About 18.8% of patients do not receive medical care because of defects of the equipment, whereas 19.9% of patients claim that the reason of refusal of the provision of medical services is an equipment overload. Conclusion: Most of the respondents referred to on poor technical equipment, mismatch with the world standards of performance and competitiveness. Lack of advanced medical technology, inadequate financing, insufficient supply of domestic medical equipment, and inadequate procurement by tender were also noted. The obtained data point to the need for optimization and upgrading medical equipment at various levels of healthcare. PMID:25535494

Submersible Aircraft Concept Design Study - Amendment 1. Additional Assessment of Design Risks & Sensitivities within the Original Study, and an Initial Assessment of Key Control Aspects

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

http://www.redhammer.se/tornado/index.html (3) Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Daniel P. Raymer , AIAA, 1992 (4) (5) Moran, J., Computational...Fluid Dynamics, Wiley & Sons, 1984. Notes on the Stability and Control of Tailless Airplanes, Robert T. Jones, NACA Technical Note No.837, December

The Composer's Program Note for Newly Written Classical Music: Content and Intentions.

PubMed

Blom, Diana M; Bennett, Dawn; Stevenson, Ian

2016-01-01

In concerts of western classical music the provision of a program note is a widespread practice dating back to the 18th century and still commonly in use. Program notes tend to inform listeners and performers about historical context, composer biographical details, and compositional thinking. However, the scant program note research conducted to date reveals that program notes may not foster understanding or enhance listener enjoyment as previously assumed. In the case of canonic works, performers and listeners may already be familiar with much of the program note information. This is not so in the case of newly composed works, which formed the basis of the exploratory study reported here. This article reports the views of 17 living contemporary composers on their writing of program notes for their own works. In particular, the study sought to understand the intended recipient, role and the content of composer-written program notes. Participating composers identified three main roles for their program notes: to shape a performer's interpretation of the work; to guide, engage or direct the listener and/or performer; and as collaborative mode of communication between the composer, performer, and listener. For some composers, this collaboration was intended to result in "performative listening" in which listeners were actively engaged in bringing each composition to life. This was also described as a form of empathy that results in the co-construction of the musical experience. Overall, composers avoided giving too much personal information and they provided performers with more structural information. However, composers did not agree on whether the same information should be provided to both performers and listeners. Composers' responses problematize the view of a program note as a simple statement from writer to recipient, indicating instead a more complex set of relations at play between composer, performer, listener, and the work itself. These relations are

Membership in voluntary organizations on the Colorado Plateau: A reexamination of the technical information quandary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cline, K.; Lamb, B.L.

2005-01-01

Many scholars note the increasing desire of the public to be involved in the policy process. Others observe, however, that public participation in governance is declining. One possible explanation for this is that people do not know the technical and scientific language that is frequently used in these decision processes. Citizens simply lack the information to participate in a meaningful way. This is what is known as the “technical information quandary” (i.e., how citizen desires for increased participation can be balanced against the increasingly technical nature of public policy). Research on public participation suggests membership in voluntary associations or organizations is positively associated with higher levels of technical policy knowledge. Recreation management on the Colorado Plateau provides an excellent opportunity to examine the relationship between membership in voluntary organizations and the level of policy knowledge. In 1998, we surveyed the public living on the Colorado Plateau to ascertain their level of knowledge of technical terms and their level of participation in voluntary organizations. We found that a variety of factors were related to people's membership in these organizations. In particular, our findings indicate that those with higher levels of knowledge were significantly more likely to be members of voluntary organizations and that this knowledge was most likely to come from the organizations. These findings have important implications for environmental managers, as well as for the voluntary organizations themselves.

Patients' Positive and Negative Responses to Reading Mental Health Clinical Notes Online.

PubMed

Denneson, Lauren M; Chen, Jason I; Pisciotta, Maura; Tuepker, Anais; Dobscha, Steven K

2018-05-01

This study describes responses to OpenNotes, clinical notes available online, among patients receiving mental health care and explores whether responses vary by patient demographic or clinical characteristics. Survey data from 178 veterans receiving mental health treatment at a large Veterans Affairs medical center included patient-reported health self-efficacy, health knowledge, alliance with clinicians, and negative emotional responses after reading OpenNotes. Health care data were extracted from the patient care database. Reading OpenNotes helped many participants feel in control of their health care (49%) and have more trust in clinicians (45%), although a few (8%) frequently felt upset after reading their notes. In multivariate models, posttraumatic stress disorder was associated with increased patient-clinician alliance (p=.046) but also with negative emotional responses (p<.01). Patients receiving mental health care frequently reported benefits from reading OpenNotes, yet some experienced negative responses.

Predictors of employer satisfaction: technical and non-technical skills.

PubMed

Danielson, Jared A; Wu, Tsui-Feng; Fales-Williams, Amanda J; Kirk, Ryan A; Preast, Vanessa A

2012-01-01

Employers of 2007-2009 graduates from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine were asked to respond to a survey regarding their overall satisfaction with their new employees as well as their new employees' preparation in several technical and non-technical skill areas. Seventy-five responses contained complete data and were used in the analysis. Four technical skill areas (data collection, data interpretation, planning, and taking action) and five non-technical skill areas (interpersonal skills, ability to deal with legal issues, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving) were identified. All of the skill area subscales listed above had appropriate reliability (Cronbach's alpha>0.70) and were positively and significantly correlated with overall employer satisfaction. Results of two simultaneous regression analyses indicated that of the four technical skill areas, taking action is the most salient predictor of employer satisfaction. Of the five non-technical skill areas, interpersonal skills, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving were the most important skills in predicting employer satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that all technical skills explained 25% of the variation in employer satisfaction; non-technical skills explained an additional 42% of the variation in employer satisfaction.

The Facilitator. Technical Note No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barriga, Patricio; And Others

This paper describes the concept, training, and experiences of community facilitators as change agents in a nonformal education project in rural Ecuador. Presently, the social, economic, and political context of the rural Ecuadorian consists of poverty, racial prejudice, economic exploitation, and psychological dependency. The project attempted to…

Market Rummy. Technical Note No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunter, Jock

A card game, "Mercado," or Market Rummy, designed to teach basic market skills to rural Ecuadorians is described. Two to five people can play the game, which is presently used in night community meetings and in the educational program in coastal cooperatives. The game consists of two decks of cards: one represents money, the other…

A Concept–Wide Association Study of Clinical Notes to Discover New Predictors of Kidney Failure

PubMed Central

Betensky, Rebecca A.; Wright, Adam; Curhan, Gary C.; Bates, David W.; Waikar, Sushrut S.

2016-01-01

Background and objectives Identifying predictors of kidney disease progression is critical toward the development of strategies to prevent kidney failure. Clinical notes provide a unique opportunity for big data approaches to identify novel risk factors for disease. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We used natural language processing tools to extract concepts from the preceding year’s clinical notes among patients newly referred to a tertiary care center’s outpatient nephrology clinics and retrospectively evaluated these concepts as predictors for the subsequent development of ESRD using proportional subdistribution hazards (competing risk) regression. The primary outcome was time to ESRD, accounting for a competing risk of death. We identified predictors from univariate and multivariate (adjusting for Tangri linear predictor) models using a 5% threshold for false discovery rate (q value <0.05). We included all patients seen by an adult outpatient nephrologist between January 1, 2004 and June 18, 2014 and excluded patients seen only by transplant nephrology, with preexisting ESRD, with fewer than five clinical notes, with no follow-up, or with no baseline creatinine values. Results Among the 4013 patients selected in the final study cohort, we identified 960 concepts in the unadjusted analysis and 885 concepts in the adjusted analysis. Novel predictors identified included high–dose ascorbic acid (adjusted hazard ratio, 5.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.80 to 10.70; q<0.001) and fast food (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.34; 95% confidence interval, 2.55 to 7.40; q<0.001). Conclusions Novel predictors of human disease may be identified using an unbiased approach to analyze text from the electronic health record. PMID:27927892

Technology in Note Taking and Assessment: The Effects of Congruence on Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Matthew E.; Swan, Alexander B.; Mamikonian, Ani; Ghajoyan, Inna; Kramarova, Olga; Youmans, Robert J.

2014-01-01

This study examined the encoding specificity principle in relation to traditional and computer-based note taking and assessment formats in higher education. Students (N = 79) took lecture notes either by hand (n = 40) or by computer (n = 39) and then completed either a computer or a paper-based assessment. When note taking and assessment formats…

31 CFR 100.18 - Counterfeit notes to be marked; “redemption” of notes wrongfully so marked.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Counterfeit notes to be marked; âredemptionâ of notes wrongfully so marked. 100.18 Section 100.18 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY EXCHANGE OF PAPER CURRENCY AND...

31 CFR 100.18 - Counterfeit notes to be marked; “redemption” of notes wrongfully so marked.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Counterfeit notes to be marked; âredemptionâ of notes wrongfully so marked. 100.18 Section 100.18 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY EXCHANGE OF PAPER CURRENCY AND...

Pure retroperitoneal natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) transvaginal nephrectomy using standard laparoscopic instruments: a safety and feasibility study in a porcine model.

PubMed

Wei, Dechao; Han, Yili; Li, Mingchuan; Wang, Yongxing; Chen, Yatong; Luo, Yong; Jiang, Yongguang

2016-06-11

Among the different organs used for NOTES (natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery) technique, the transvaginal approach may be the optimal choice because of a simple and secure closure of colpotomy site. Pure and hybrid NOTES transvaginal operations were routinely performed via transperitoneal access. In this study, we investigate the safety and feasibility of pure retroperitoneal natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) transvaginal nephrectomy using conventional laparoscopic techniques in a porcine model. Six female pigs, weighing an average of 30 kg, were used in this study. Under general anesthesia, pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy was conducted using standard laparoscopic instruments. Posterolateral colpotomy was performed, and the incision was enlarged laterally using blunt dissection and pneumatic dilation. A single-port device was inserted to construct the operative channel. The retroperitoneal space was created using sharp and blunt dissection under endoscopic guidance up to the level of the kidney. Dissection and removal of the kidney were performed according to standard surgical procedure, and the colpotomy site was closed using interrupted sutures. The survival and complications were observed 1 week postoperatively. Our results showed that two cases failed because of peritoneal rupture. One case was successful, but required the assistance of an extra 5 mm laparoscopic trocar inserted in the flank. Three cases of pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy were completed, and survived 1 week after the operation. In these three cases, no intra- or postoperative complications were observed. All findings confirmed the safety and feasibility of the retroperitoneal pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy using standard laparoscopic instruments, which suggested the possibility of clinical application in human beings in the future.

Advanced Transportation System Studies Technical Area 2 (TA-2) Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle Development Contract. Volume 2; Technical Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The purpose of the Advanced Transportation System Studies (ATSS) Technical Area 2 (TA-2) Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle Development contract was to provide advanced launch vehicle concept definition and analysis to assist NASA in the identification of future launch vehicle requirements. Contracted analysis activities included vehicle sizing and performance analysis, subsystem concept definition, propulsion subsystem definition (foreign and domestic), ground operations and facilities analysis, and life cycle cost estimation. This document is Volume 2 of the final report for the contract. It provides documentation of selected technical results from various TA-2 analysis activities, including a detailed narrative description of the SSTO concept assessment results, a user's guide for the associated SSTO sizing tools, an SSTO turnaround assessment report, an executive summary of the ground operations assessments performed during the first year of the contract, a configuration-independent vehicle health management system requirements report, a copy of all major TA-2 contract presentations, a copy of the FLO launch vehicle final report, and references to Pratt & Whitney's TA-2 sponsored final reports regarding the identification of Russian main propulsion technologies.

Lecture Notes on Multigrid Methods

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

Vassilevski, P S

The Lecture Notes are primarily based on a sequence of lectures given by the author while been a Fulbright scholar at 'St. Kliment Ohridski' University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria during the winter semester of 2009-2010 academic year. The notes are somewhat expanded version of the actual one semester class he taught there. The material covered is slightly modified and adapted version of similar topics covered in the author's monograph 'Multilevel Block-Factorization Preconditioners' published in 2008 by Springer. The author tried to keep the notes as self-contained as possible. That is why the lecture notes begin with some basic introductory matrix-vectormore » linear algebra, numerical PDEs (finite element) facts emphasizing the relations between functions in finite dimensional spaces and their coefficient vectors and respective norms. Then, some additional facts on the implementation of finite elements based on relation tables using the popular compressed sparse row (CSR) format are given. Also, typical condition number estimates of stiffness and mass matrices, the global matrix assembly from local element matrices are given as well. Finally, some basic introductory facts about stationary iterative methods, such as Gauss-Seidel and its symmetrized version are presented. The introductory material ends up with the smoothing property of the classical iterative methods and the main definition of two-grid iterative methods. From here on, the second part of the notes begins which deals with the various aspects of the principal TG and the numerous versions of the MG cycles. At the end, in part III, we briefly introduce algebraic versions of MG referred to as AMG, focusing on classes of AMG specialized for finite element matrices.« less

New methods of magnet-based instrumentation for NOTES.

PubMed

Magdeburg, Richard; Hauth, Daniel; Kaehler, Georg

2013-12-01

Laparoscopic surgery has displaced open surgery as the standard of care for many clinical conditions. NOTES has been described as the next surgical frontier with the objective of incision-free abdominal surgery. The principal challenge of NOTES procedures is the loss of triangulation and instrument rigidity, which is one of the fundamental concepts of laparoscopic surgery. To overcome these problems necessitates the development of new instrumentation. material and methods: We aimed to assess the use of a very simple combination of internal and external magnets that might allow the vigorous multiaxial traction/counter-traction required in NOTES procedures. The magnet retraction system consisted of an external magnetic assembly and either small internal magnets attached by endoscopic clips to the designated tissue (magnet-clip-approach) or an endoscopic grasping forceps in a magnetic deflector roll (magnet-trocar-approach). We compared both methods regarding precision, time and efficacy by performing transgastric partial uterus resections with better results for the magnet-trocar-approach. This proof-of-principle animal study showed that the combination of external and internal magnets generates sufficient coupling forces at clinically relevant abdominal wall thicknesses, making them suitable for use and evaluation in NOTES procedures, and provides the vigorous multiaxial traction/counter-traction required by the lack of additional abdominal trocars.

Optimising the Use of Note-Taking as an External Cognitive Aid for Increasing Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makany, Tamas; Kemp, Jonathan; Dror, Itiel E.

2009-01-01

Taking notes is of uttermost importance in academic and commercial use and success. Different techniques for note-taking utilise different cognitive processes and strategies. This experimental study examined ways to enhance cognitive performance via different note-taking techniques. By comparing performances of traditional, linear style…

Exploring the Technical Expression of Academic Knowledge: The Science-in-CTE Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Donna; Young, R. Brent; Richardson, George B.

2013-01-01

The Science-in-CTE pilot study tested a curriculum integration model that enhanced the science that oc-curs in CTE curricula. The study replicated the National Research Center for Career and Technical Ed-ucation's (NRCCTE) Math-in-CTE experimental research design (Stone, Alfeld, & Pearson, 2008) with applied science in secondary agricultural…

Bibliography - Technical Reports, Special Reports, and Technical Notes, FY 1981.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

Programs. TR 81-24. September 1981. S. R. Harding , B. Mogford, W. H. Melching, and M. Showel. (AD-AI06 370) This report describes the development of four...apply their training in the field and receive greater command support than do ODAOs. Computer-based Approach to the Navy’s Academic Remedial Training...instructional effectiveness of the performance-related enabling skills training (PREST) program with that of the standard classroom approach , quantify the

Extracting important information from Chinese Operation Notes with natural language processing methods.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Zhang, Weide; Zeng, Qiang; Li, Zuofeng; Feng, Kaiyan; Liu, Lei

2014-04-01

Extracting information from unstructured clinical narratives is valuable for many clinical applications. Although natural Language Processing (NLP) methods have been profoundly studied in electronic medical records (EMR), few studies have explored NLP in extracting information from Chinese clinical narratives. In this study, we report the development and evaluation of extracting tumor-related information from operation notes of hepatic carcinomas which were written in Chinese. Using 86 operation notes manually annotated by physicians as the training set, we explored both rule-based and supervised machine-learning approaches. Evaluating on unseen 29 operation notes, our best approach yielded 69.6% in precision, 58.3% in recall and 63.5% F-score. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communication Requirements of Employees of Business and Industry Represented by Areas of Technological Study at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cary, Penny J.; Sweeney, Kevin F.

A study examined the need and demand for communication skills for employees in the technical fields for which Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute offers programs of academic preparation. Two members of the Institute's English Department interviewed representatives of organizations that have hired technical program graduates. Further…

Technical and conceptual considerations for using animated stimuli in studies of animal behavior

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Gil G.; Reader, Simon M.; Rieucau, Guillaume; Woo, Kevin L.; Gerlai, Robert; Tedore, Cynthia; Ingley, Spencer J.; Stowers, John R.; Frommen, Joachim G.; Dolins, Francine L.; Witte, Klaudia

2017-01-01

Abstract Rapid technical advances in the field of computer animation (CA) and virtual reality (VR) have opened new avenues in animal behavior research. Animated stimuli are powerful tools as they offer standardization, repeatability, and complete control over the stimulus presented, thereby “reducing” and “replacing” the animals used, and “refining” the experimental design in line with the 3Rs. However, appropriate use of these technologies raises conceptual and technical questions. In this review, we offer guidelines for common technical and conceptual considerations related to the use of animated stimuli in animal behavior research. Following the steps required to create an animated stimulus, we discuss (I) the creation, (II) the presentation, and (III) the validation of CAs and VRs. Although our review is geared toward computer-graphically designed stimuli, considerations on presentation and validation also apply to video playbacks. CA and VR allow both new behavioral questions to be addressed and existing questions to be addressed in new ways, thus we expect a rich future for these methods in both ultimate and proximate studies of animal behavior. PMID:29491958

Technical and conceptual considerations for using animated stimuli in studies of animal behavior.

PubMed

Chouinard-Thuly, Laura; Gierszewski, Stefanie; Rosenthal, Gil G; Reader, Simon M; Rieucau, Guillaume; Woo, Kevin L; Gerlai, Robert; Tedore, Cynthia; Ingley, Spencer J; Stowers, John R; Frommen, Joachim G; Dolins, Francine L; Witte, Klaudia

2017-02-01

Rapid technical advances in the field of computer animation (CA) and virtual reality (VR) have opened new avenues in animal behavior research. Animated stimuli are powerful tools as they offer standardization, repeatability, and complete control over the stimulus presented, thereby "reducing" and "replacing" the animals used, and "refining" the experimental design in line with the 3Rs. However, appropriate use of these technologies raises conceptual and technical questions. In this review, we offer guidelines for common technical and conceptual considerations related to the use of animated stimuli in animal behavior research. Following the steps required to create an animated stimulus, we discuss (I) the creation, (II) the presentation, and (III) the validation of CAs and VRs. Although our review is geared toward computer-graphically designed stimuli, considerations on presentation and validation also apply to video playbacks. CA and VR allow both new behavioral questions to be addressed and existing questions to be addressed in new ways, thus we expect a rich future for these methods in both ultimate and proximate studies of animal behavior.

Simulation-based ureteroscopy skills training curriculum with integration of technical and non-technical skills: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Brunckhorst, Oliver; Shahid, Shahab; Aydin, Abdullatif; McIlhenny, Craig; Khan, Shahid; Raza, Syed Johar; Sahai, Arun; Brewin, James; Bello, Fernando; Kneebone, Roger; Khan, Muhammad Shamim; Dasgupta, Prokar; Ahmed, Kamran

2015-09-01

Current training modalities within ureteroscopy have been extensively validated and must now be integrated within a comprehensive curriculum. Additionally, non-technical skills often cause surgical error and little research has been conducted to combine this with technical skills teaching. This study therefore aimed to develop and validate a curriculum for semi-rigid ureteroscopy, integrating both technical and non-technical skills teaching within the programme. Delphi methodology was utilised for curriculum development and content validation, with a randomised trial then conducted (n = 32) for curriculum evaluation. The developed curriculum consisted of four modules; initially developing basic technical skills and subsequently integrating non-technical skills teaching. Sixteen participants underwent the simulation-based curriculum and were subsequently assessed, together with the control cohort (n = 16) within a full immersion environment. Both technical (Time to completion, OSATS and a task specific checklist) and non-technical (NOTSS) outcome measures were recorded with parametric and non-parametric analyses used depending on the distribution of our data as evaluated by a Shapiro-Wilk test. Improvements within the intervention cohort demonstrated educational value across all technical and non-technical parameters recorded, including time to completion (p < 0.01), OSATS scores (p < 0.001), task specific checklist scores (p = 0.011) and NOTSS scores (p < 0.001). Content validity, feasibility and acceptability were all demonstrated through curriculum development and post-study questionnaire results. The current developed curriculum demonstrates that integrating both technical and non-technical skills teaching is both educationally valuable and feasible. Additionally, the curriculum offers a validated simulation-based training modality within ureteroscopy and a framework for the development of other simulation-based programmes.

Evaluation Statistics Computed for the Wave Information Studies (WIS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

Studies (WIS) by Mary A. Bryant, Tyler J. Hesser, and Robert E. Jensen PURPOSE: This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN...describes the statistical metrics used by the Wave Information Studies (WIS) and produced as part of the model evaluation process. INTRODUCTION: The...gauge locations along the Pacific, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico , Atlantic, and Western Alaska coasts. Estimates of wave climatology produced by ocean

Carotid and vertebral artery sacrifice with a combination of Onyx and coils: technical note and case series.

PubMed

Chalouhi, Nohra; Starke, Robert M; Tjoumakaris, Stavropoula I; Jabbour, Pascal M; Gonzalez, L Fernando; Hasan, David; Rosenwasser, Robert H; Dumont, Aaron S

2013-08-01

Permanent vessel sacrifice has become a routine for the management of aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, tumors, and carotid blowouts. The purpose of this study is to describe a new technique for carotid and vertebral artery sacrifice using a combination of Onyx and coils and to assess its feasibility, safety, and efficacy. The technique consists of deploying a few coils in the parent vessel under proximal flow arrest followed by Onyx embolization directly into the coil mass. A total of 41 patients underwent carotid/vertebral artery sacrifice using this technique in our institution. A total of 26 internal carotid arteries and 15 vertebral arteries were treated. In all but one patient, a balloon test occlusion was performed prior to permanent arterial sacrifice. The mean number of coils used was 6.8 (range, 2-19). The total volume of Onyx used was 1.3 ml on average (range, 0.2-5.2 ml). All 41 (100%) parent arteries were successfully occluded. No distal migration of Onyx or coils was noted. Periprocedural complications occurred in 14.6% (6/41) of cases causing permanent morbidity in 7.3% (3/41). No patient developed a recurrence during the follow-up period (mean, 14 months). Parent vessel sacrifice with a combination of Onyx and coils appears to be feasible, safe, and effective and may be an alternative to the traditional deconstruction technique with coils alone. The risk of thromboembolism exists with this technique, but there were no instances of Onyx migration.

RNA-seq: technical variability and sampling

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background RNA-seq is revolutionizing the way we study transcriptomes. mRNA can be surveyed without prior knowledge of gene transcripts. Alternative splicing of transcript isoforms and the identification of previously unknown exons are being reported. Initial reports of differences in exon usage, and splicing between samples as well as quantitative differences among samples are beginning to surface. Biological variation has been reported to be larger than technical variation. In addition, technical variation has been reported to be in line with expectations due to random sampling. However, strategies for dealing with technical variation will differ depending on the magnitude. The size of technical variance, and the role of sampling are examined in this manuscript. Results In this study three independent Solexa/Illumina experiments containing technical replicates are analyzed. When coverage is low, large disagreements between technical replicates are apparent. Exon detection between technical replicates is highly variable when the coverage is less than 5 reads per nucleotide and estimates of gene expression are more likely to disagree when coverage is low. Although large disagreements in the estimates of expression are observed at all levels of coverage. Conclusions Technical variability is too high to ignore. Technical variability results in inconsistent detection of exons at low levels of coverage. Further, the estimate of the relative abundance of a transcript can substantially disagree, even when coverage levels are high. This may be due to the low sampling fraction and if so, it will persist as an issue needing to be addressed in experimental design even as the next wave of technology produces larger numbers of reads. We provide practical recommendations for dealing with the technical variability, without dramatic cost increases. PMID:21645359

Are We "There" Yet? the Treatment of Gender and Feminism in Technical, Business, and Workplace Writing Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Kate; Rumsey, Suzanne Kesler; Amidon, Stevens

2016-01-01

This article reexamines the treatment of gender and feminism in technical, business, and workplace writing studies--areas in which the three of us teach. Surprisingly, the published discourse of our field seems to implicitly minimize the gendered nature of business and technical writing workplaces and classrooms. To understand this apparent lack…

A cautionary note on the rank product statistic.

PubMed

Koziol, James A

2016-06-01

The rank product method introduced by Breitling R et al. [2004, FEBS Letters 573, 83-92] has rapidly generated popularity in practical settings, in particular, detecting differential expression of genes in microarray experiments. The purpose of this note is to point out a particular property of the rank product method, namely, its differential sensitivity to over- and underexpression. It turns out that overexpression is less likely to be detected than underexpression with the rank product statistic. We have conducted both empirical and exact power studies that demonstrate this phenomenon, and summarize these findings in this note. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Classical Electrodynamics: Lecture notes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likharev, Konstantin K.

2018-06-01

Essential Advanced Physics is a series comprising four parts: Classical Mechanics, Classical Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics. Each part consists of two volumes, Lecture notes and Problems with solutions, further supplemented by an additional collection of test problems and solutions available to qualifying university instructors. This volume, Classical Electrodynamics: Lecture notes is intended to be the basis for a two-semester graduate-level course on electricity and magnetism, including not only the interaction and dynamics charged point particles, but also properties of dielectric, conducting, and magnetic media. The course also covers special relativity, including its kinematics and particle-dynamics aspects, and electromagnetic radiation by relativistic particles.

Collection of "Clearinghouse Notes," 1997-98.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

This document is a collection of Education Commission of the States notes that address a wide array of education issues. The notes provide brief overviews of state legislation passed or pending on specific education issues. It analyzes such matters as performance-based accountability systems; state-level policies regarding accreditation in public…

The socio-technical organisation of community pharmacies as a factor in the Electronic Prescription Service Release Two implementation: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Harvey, Jasmine; Avery, Anthony J; Waring, Justin; Barber, Nick

2012-12-20

The introduction of a new method of transmitting prescriptions from general practices to community pharmacies in England (Electronic Prescription Service Release 2 (EPS2)) has generated debate on how it will change work practice. As EPS2 will be a key technical element in dispensing, we reviewed the literature to find that there were no studies on how social and technical elements come together to form work practice in community pharmacies. This means the debate has little point of reference. Our aim therefore was to study the ways social and technical elements of a community pharmacy are used to achieve dispensing through the development of a conceptual model on pharmacy work practice, and to consider how a core technical element such the EPS2 could change work practice. We used ethnographic methods inclusive of case-study observations and interviews to collect qualitative data from 15 community pharmacies that were in the process of adopting or were soon to adopt EPS2. We analysed the case studies thematically and used rigorous multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary interpretive validation techniques to cross analyse findings. In practice, dispensing procedures were not designed to take into account variations in human and technical integration, and assumed that repetitive and collective use of socio-technical elements were at a constant. Variables such as availability of social and technical resources, and technical know-how of staff were not taken into account in formalised procedures. Yet community pharmacies were found to adapt their dispensing in relation to the balance of social and technical elements available, and how much of the social and technical elements they were willing to integrate into dispensing. While some integrated as few technical elements as possible, some depended entirely on technical artefacts. This pattern also applied to the social elements of dispensing. Through the conceptual model development process, we identified three

Programs of Study as a State Policy Mandate: A Longitudinal Study of the South Carolina Personal Pathways to Success Initiative. Technical Appendix B

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Cathy; Drew, Sam F.; Withington, Cairen; Griffith, Cathy; Swiger, Caroline M.; Mobley, Catherine; Sharp, Julia L.; Stringfield, Samuel C.; Stipanovic, Natalie; Daugherty, Lindsay

2013-01-01

This Technical Appendix discusses how researchers from the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) conducted the five-year longitudinal study of South Carolina's Personal Pathway to Success initiative, which was authorized by the state's Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) in 2005, and how they defined and…

7 CFR 1956.97 - Disposition of promissory notes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 14 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Disposition of promissory notes. 1956.97 Section 1956.97 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) RURAL HOUSING SERVICE, RURAL...-Family Housing § 1956.97 Disposition of promissory notes. (a) Notes evidencing debts settled by completed...

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES): emerging trends and specifications for a virtual simulator.

PubMed

Schwaitzberg, Steven D; Dorozhkin, Denis; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Matthes, Kai; Jones, Daniel B; De, Suvranu

2016-01-01

A virtual translumenal endoscopic surgical trainer (VTEST) is being developed to accelerate the development of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedures and devices in a safe and risk-free environment. For a rapidly developing field such as NOTES, a needs analysis must be conducted regularly to discover emerging research trends and areas of potential high impact for a virtual simulator. This paper presents a survey-based study which follows a similar study conducted by this group in 2011 (Sankaranarayanan et al. in Surg Endosc 27:1607-1616, 2013). A 32-point questionnaire was distributed at the 2012 Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research annual meeting. These data were subsequently augmented by an identical online survey, targeted at the members of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, and analyzed. Twenty-eight NOTES experts participated in the 2012 study. Cholecystectomy (CE) procedure remained the most commonly performed NOTES technique, with 18 positive responses (64%). In contrast to 2011, the popularity of the NOTES appendectomy (AE) was significantly lower, with only 2 (7%) instances (CE vs. AE, p < 0.001), while the number of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM, PE) cases had increased significantly, with 11 (39%) positive responses, respectively (PE vs. AE, p = 0.013). Strong preference toward hybrid rather than pure NOTES techniques (82 vs. 11%, p < 0.001) was also expressed. Other responses were similar to those in the 2011 study, with the VTEST™ utility in developing and testing new techniques and instruments ranked particularly high. Based on the results of this study, a decision was made to focus exclusively on the transvaginal hybrid NOTES cholecystectomy procedure, including both rigid and flexible scope techniques. The importance of developing a virtual NOTES simulator was reaffirmed, with POEM identified as a

Relationship between non-technical skills and technical performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: does stress have an influence?

PubMed Central

Krage, Ralf; Zwaan, Laura; Tjon Soei Len, Lian; Kolenbrander, Mark W; van Groeningen, Dick; Loer, Stephan A; Wagner, Cordula; Schober, Patrick

2017-01-01

Background Non-technical skills, such as task management, leadership, situational awareness, communication and decision-making refer to cognitive, behavioural and social skills that contribute to safe and efficient team performance. The importance of these skills during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is increasingly emphasised. Nonetheless, the relationship between non-technical skills and technical performance is poorly understood. We hypothesise that non-technical skills become increasingly important under stressful conditions when individuals are distracted from their tasks, and investigated the relationship between non-technical and technical skills under control conditions and when external stressors are present. Methods In this simulator-based randomised cross-over study, 30 anaesthesiologists and anaesthesia residents from the VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, participated in two different CPR scenarios in random order. In one scenario, external stressors (radio noise and a distractive scripted family member) were added, while the other scenario without stressors served as control condition. Non-technical performance of the team leader and technical performance of the team were measured using the ‘Anaesthetists’ Non-technical Skill’ score and a recently developed technical skills score. Analysis of variance and Pearson correlation coefficients were used for statistical analyses. Results Non-technical performance declined when external stressors were present (adjusted mean difference 3.9 points, 95% CI 2.4 to 5.5 points). A significant correlation between non-technical and technical performance scores was observed when external stressors were present (r=0.67, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.83, p<0.001), while no evidence for such a relationship was observed under control conditions (r=0.15, 95% CI −0.22 to 0.49, p=0.42). This was equally true for all individual domains of the non-technical performance score (task management, team

Vocational Guidance for Equal Access and Opportunity for Girls and Women in Technical and Vocational Education. UNEVOC Studies in Technical and Vocational Education 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Juliet V.; Vetter, Louise

A study examined the relevance of vocational information and guidance for the equal access of girls and women to technical/vocational education in the following countries: Argentina; India; Mexico; Republic of Korea; South Africa; Spain; Sweden; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; and Zambia. Case studies were conducted by using a multiple-strategy…

Using Guided Notes to Enhance Instruction for All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konrad, Moira; Joseph, Laurice M.; Itoi, Madoka

2011-01-01

Taking notes from lectures or reading material can be challenging, especially for those who have learning disabilities. An alternative to traditional note-taking is a method called "guided notes," which has been found to improve the accuracy of students' notes, increase the frequency of student responses, and improve students' quiz and test…

42 CFR 57.308 - Nursing student loan promissory note.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Nursing student loan promissory note. 57.308... Nursing Student Loans § 57.308 Nursing student loan promissory note. (a) Promissory note form. Each nursing student loan must be evidenced by a properly executed promissory note in a form approved by the...

42 CFR 57.308 - Nursing student loan promissory note.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Nursing student loan promissory note. 57.308... Nursing Student Loans § 57.308 Nursing student loan promissory note. (a) Promissory note form. Each nursing student loan must be evidenced by a properly executed promissory note in a form approved by the...

42 CFR 57.308 - Nursing student loan promissory note.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Nursing student loan promissory note. 57.308... Nursing Student Loans § 57.308 Nursing student loan promissory note. (a) Promissory note form. Each nursing student loan must be evidenced by a properly executed promissory note in a form approved by the...

42 CFR 57.308 - Nursing student loan promissory note.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Nursing student loan promissory note. 57.308... Nursing Student Loans § 57.308 Nursing student loan promissory note. (a) Promissory note form. Each nursing student loan must be evidenced by a properly executed promissory note in a form approved by the...

42 CFR 57.308 - Nursing student loan promissory note.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Nursing student loan promissory note. 57.308... Nursing Student Loans § 57.308 Nursing student loan promissory note. (a) Promissory note form. Each nursing student loan must be evidenced by a properly executed promissory note in a form approved by the...

Ophthalmology patients' interest in online access to clinic notes at three US clinics.

PubMed

Lee, Bryan S; Oster, Natalia V; Chen, Galen Y; Ding, Leona L; Walker, Janice D; Elmore, Joann G

2017-07-01

This study aimed to understand patients' perceptions about potential benefits and harms of accessing their own ophthalmology clinic notes via an electronic patient portal as part of the OpenNotes initiative. The authors conducted a cross-sectional, in-person survey of ophthalmology patients at three US eye clinics. The paper survey was self-administered or administered with assistance from study staff before or after patients' clinical visits. The authors used descriptive statistics to summarise patient characteristics and patient attitudes about accessing their ophthalmology notes online. Chi-square and t-tests were performed to assess differences in patient responses between clinic locations. Four hundred and fifty-one patients responded (response rate 65%). Most patients thought that accessing doctors' notes online was a good idea (95%), wanted to view their clinic notes online (94%), and agreed online access would increase their understanding of their eye problems (95%) and help them better remember their care plan (94%); 14% said online access would increase their worry; 43% had privacy concerns; and 96% indicated they would show or discuss their notes with at least one other person. Non-white patients were more likely than white patients to perceive online clinic notes as a useful tool, but they were also more likely to worry and to express greater privacy concerns. Patients at three US eye clinics were strongly in favour of online access to ophthalmology notes and were optimistic this access would improve their understanding and self-care. Ophthalmologists should consider offering online access to their notes to enhance doctor-patient communication and improve clinical outcomes. © 2017 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2017 The College of Optometrists.

Interprofessional non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response: a qualitative study of the Australian perspective.

PubMed

Willems, Anneliese; Waxman, Buce; Bacon, Andrew K; Smith, Julian; Peller, Jennifer; Kitto, Simon

2013-03-01

Interprofessional non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response have not yet been developed. The aims of this study were to identify the non-technical skills required of surgeons in disaster response and training for disaster response and to explore the barriers and facilitators to interprofessional practice in surgical teams responding to disasters. Twenty health professionals, with prior experience in natural disaster response or education, participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. A qualitative matrix analysis design was used to thematically analyze the data. Non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response identified in this study included skills for austere environments, cognitive strategies and interprofessional skills. Skills for austere environments were physical self-care including survival skills, psychological self-care, flexibility, adaptability, innovation and improvisation. Cognitive strategies identified in this study were "big picture" thinking, situational awareness, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Interprofessional attributes include communication, team-player, sense of humor, cultural competency and conflict resolution skills. "Interprofessionalism" in disaster teams also emerged as a key factor in this study and incorporated elements of effective teamwork, clear leadership, role adjustment and conflict resolution. The majority of participants held the belief that surgeons needed training in non-technical skills in order to achieve best practice in disaster response. Surgeons considerring becoming involved in disaster management should be trained in these skills, and these skills should be incorporated into disaster preparation courses with an interprofessional focus.

75 FR 29732 - Career and Technical Education Program-Promoting Rigorous Career and Technical Education Programs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-27

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Career and Technical Education Program--Promoting Rigorous Career and Technical Education Programs of Study Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.051C. AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities...

Can We Predict Technical Aptitude?: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Louridas, Marisa; Szasz, Peter; de Montbrun, Sandra; Harris, Kenneth A; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2016-04-01

To identify background characteristics and cognitive tests that may predict surgical trainees' future technical performance, and therefore be used to supplement existing surgical residency selection criteria. Assessment of technical skills is not commonly incorporated as part of the selection process for surgical trainees in North America. Emerging evidence, however, suggests that not all trainees are capable of reaching technical competence. Therefore, incorporating technical aptitude into selection processes may prove useful. A systematic search was carried out of the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase online databases to identify all studies that assessed associations between surrogate markers of innate technical abilities in surgical trainees, and whether these abilities correlate with technical performance. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. A total of 8035 records were identified. After screening by title, abstract, and full text, 52 studies were included. Very few surrogate markers were found to predict technical performance. Significant associations with technical performance were seen for 1 of 23 participant-reported surrogate markers, 2 of 25 visual spatial tests, and 2 of 19 dexterity tests. The assessment of trainee Basic Performance Resources predicted technical performance in 62% and 75% of participants. To date, no single test has been shown to reliably predict the technical performance of surgical trainees. Strategies that rely on assessing multiple innate abilities, their interaction, and their relationship with technical skill may ultimately be more likely to serve as reliable predictors of future surgical performance.

Generative Effects of Note-Taking during Science Lectures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peper, Richard J.; Mayer, Richard E.

1986-01-01

In two experiments subjects were required to either take notes or not take notes while viewing a videotaped lecture on automobile engines. Results produced a pattern of interaction in which note-takers performed better on far-transfer tasks such as problem solving but worse on near-transfer tasks. (Author/LMO)

Notes and Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Journal of Physics, 1978

1978-01-01

Includes eleven short notes, comments and responses to comments on a variety of topics such as uncertainty in a least-squares fit, display of diffraction patterns, the dark night sky paradox, error in the dynamics of deformable bodies and relative velocities and the runner. (GA)

A Procedural Skills OSCE: Assessing Technical and Non-Technical Skills of Internal Medicine Residents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pugh, Debra; Hamstra, Stanley J.; Wood, Timothy J.; Humphrey-Murto, Susan; Touchie, Claire; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Bordage, Georges

2015-01-01

Internists are required to perform a number of procedures that require mastery of technical and non-technical skills, however, formal assessment of these skills is often lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and gather validity evidence for a procedural skills objective structured clinical examination (PS-OSCE) for internal…

Editing Tips for Technical Publications in the Joint Nuclear Weapons Publication System (JNWPS)

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

ALLEN, TARA S.

2002-12-01

These editing tips contain helpful suggestions to assist writers who are writing, editing, and publishing technical publications in the JNWPS. The suggestions clarify some of the most common writing problems and requirements of two publications used in the JNWPS: ''DOE-DTRA TP 1-1, Joint Nuclear Weapons Publications System Operating Procedures, Specifications, and Standards, and United States Government Printing Office Style Manual''. Topics include requirements for abbreviations, formats for drafts, layouts of illustrations and tables, appropriate wording for interim changes, guidance for creating a list of effective pages, how to insert and delete pages and paragraphs, referencing other technical publications, use ofmore » revision bars, requirements for safety precautions, use of hyphens, and how to place warnings, cautions, and notes. Also included are a writer's checklist, samples of draft title pages, and a section of helpful tips for the writers who use the department's desktop publishing software program, Adobe{reg_sign} FrameMaker{reg_sign}.« less

Determining Primary Care Physician Information Needs to Inform Ambulatory Visit Note Display

PubMed Central

Clarke, M.A.; Steege, L.M.; Moore, J.L.; Koopman, R.J.; Belden, J.L.; Kim, M.S.

2014-01-01

Summary Background With the increase in the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) across the US, primary care physicians are experiencing information overload. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the information needs of primary care physicians (PCPs) as they review clinic visit notes to inform EHR display. Method Data collection was conducted with 15 primary care physicians during semi-structured interviews, including a third party observer to control bias. Physicians reviewed major sections of an artificial but typical acute and chronic care visit note to identify the note sections that were relevant to their information needs. Statistical methods used were McNemar-Mosteller’s and Cochran Q. Results Physicians identified History of Present Illness (HPI), Assessment, and Plan (A&P) as the most important sections of a visit note. In contrast, they largely judged the Review of Systems (ROS) to be superfluous. There was also a statistical difference in physicians’ highlighting among all seven major note sections in acute (p = 0.00) and chronic (p = 0.00) care visit notes. Conclusion A&P and HPI sections were most frequently identified as important which suggests that physicians may have to identify a few key sections out of a long, unnecessarily verbose visit note. ROS is viewed by doctors as mostly “not needed,” but can have relevant information. The ROS can contain information needed for patient care when other sections of the Visit note, such as the HPI, lack the relevant information. Future studies should include producing a display that provides only relevant information to increase physician efficiency at the point of care. Also, research on moving A&P to the top of visit notes instead of having A&P at the bottom of the page is needed, since those are usually the first sections physicians refer to and reviewing from top to bottom may cause cognitive load. PMID:24734131

New woody and ambery notes from cedarwood and turpentine oil.

PubMed

Panten, Johannes; Bertram, Heinz-Jürgen; Surburg, Horst

2004-12-01

The development of a new product in the chemical industry is still driven by needs like technical properties, price/performance ratio, biodegradability, or product safety. However, in terms of improving more and more on ecological criteria, summarized under such catchphrases as sustainable development or green chemistry, another important aspect is to use renewable resources as starting materials. This is not significantly new in fragrance chemistry, and there are a lot of raw materials in the perfume oils that are derived from molecules of renewable resources. Two commonly used materials are: longifolene (from turpentine oil) and cedrene (from cedarwood oil). These compounds are very suitable for the synthesis of woody and ambery notes, and even though it seemed that all possibilities were exhausted, it is actually still feasible to discover new molecules with excellent olfactory properties such as Ambrocenide (50a), which is available in three steps from alpha-cedrene. Some of these molecules will be treated in this review, both with respect to synthesis as well as structural and sensory aspects.

Technical Manual: easyCBM. Technical Report #1408

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Daniel; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald; Farley, Dan; Irvin, P. Shawn; Lai, Cheng-Fei; Saven, Jessica L.; Wray, Kraig A.

2014-01-01

Since the easyCBM© learning system was first published in 2006, over $8 million of federal funding (both from the Office of Special Education Programs and more recently from the Institute of Education Sciences) has been used to develop, study, and refine the assessments available on the system. This Technical Manual summarizes the ongoing research…

The Composer’s Program Note for Newly Written Classical Music: Content and Intentions

PubMed Central

Blom, Diana M.; Bennett, Dawn; Stevenson, Ian

2016-01-01

In concerts of western classical music the provision of a program note is a widespread practice dating back to the 18th century and still commonly in use. Program notes tend to inform listeners and performers about historical context, composer biographical details, and compositional thinking. However, the scant program note research conducted to date reveals that program notes may not foster understanding or enhance listener enjoyment as previously assumed. In the case of canonic works, performers and listeners may already be familiar with much of the program note information. This is not so in the case of newly composed works, which formed the basis of the exploratory study reported here. This article reports the views of 17 living contemporary composers on their writing of program notes for their own works. In particular, the study sought to understand the intended recipient, role and the content of composer-written program notes. Participating composers identified three main roles for their program notes: to shape a performer’s interpretation of the work; to guide, engage or direct the listener and/or performer; and as collaborative mode of communication between the composer, performer, and listener. For some composers, this collaboration was intended to result in “performative listening” in which listeners were actively engaged in bringing each composition to life. This was also described as a form of empathy that results in the co-construction of the musical experience. Overall, composers avoided giving too much personal information and they provided performers with more structural information. However, composers did not agree on whether the same information should be provided to both performers and listeners. Composers’ responses problematize the view of a program note as a simple statement from writer to recipient, indicating instead a more complex set of relations at play between composer, performer, listener, and the work itself. These relations

Safe abortion: WHO technical and policy guidance.

PubMed

Cook, R J; Dickens, B M; Horga, M

2004-07-01

In 2003, the World Health Organization published its well referenced handbook Safe Abortion: Technical and Policy Guidance for Health Systems to address the estimated almost 20 million induced abortions each year that are unsafe, imposing a burden of approximately 67 thousand deaths annually. It is a global injustice that 95% of unsafe abortions occur in developing countries. The focus of guidance is on abortion procedures that are lawful within the countries in which they occur, noting that in almost all countries, the law permits abortion to save a woman's life. The guidance treats unsafe abortion as a public health challenge, and responds to the problem through strategies concerning improved clinical care for women undergoing procedures, and the appropriate placement of necessary services. Legal and policy considerations are explored, and annexes present guidance to further reading, international consensus documents on safe abortion, and on manual vacuum aspiration and post-abortion contraception.

Idea Bank: Duct Tape Note Twister

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHenry, Molly

2008-01-01

In this article, the author relates how she observed a middle school math teacher deliver a miserable class. She realized that she did the same thing to her music students. To engage her students, she developed "Note Twister," a music reading game using duct tape to form musical notes and the basic premise behind the game,…

Communication Platform Payload Definition (CPPD) study. Volume 2: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, E. M.; Driggers, T.; Jorasch, R.

1986-01-01

This is Volume 2 (Technical Report) of the Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation Final Report for the Communication Platform Payload Definition (CPPD) Study program conducted for NASA Lewis Research Center under contract No. NAS3-24235. This report presents the results of the study effort leading to five potential platform payloads to service CONUS and WARC Region 2 traffic demand as projected to the year 2008. The report addresses establishing the data bases, developing service aggregation scenarios, selecting and developing 5 payload concepts, performing detailed definition of the 5 payloads, costing them, identifying critical technology, and finally comparing the payloads with each other and also with non-aggregated equivalent services.

Space Weather Studies at Istanbul Technical University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaymaz, Zerefsan

2016-07-01

This presentation will introduce the Upper Atmosphere and Space Weather Laboratory of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). It has been established to support the educational needs of the Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2011 to conduct scientific research in Space Weather, Space Environment, Space Environment-Spacecraft Interactions, Space instrumentation and Upper Atmospheric studies. Currently the laboratory has some essential infrastructure and the most instrumentation for ionospheric observations and ground induced currents from the magnetosphere. The laboratory has two subunits: SWIFT dealing with Space Weather Instrumentation and Forecasting unit and SWDPA dealing with Space Weather Data Processing and Analysis. The research area covers wide range of upper atmospheric and space science studies from ionosphere, ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling, magnetic storms and magnetospheric substorms, distant magnetotail, magnetopause and bow shock studies, as well as solar and solar wind disturbances and their interaction with the Earth's space environment. We also study the spacecraft environment interaction and novel plasma instrument design. Several scientific projects have been carried out in the laboratory. Operational objectives of our laboratory will be carried out with the collaboration of NASA's Space Weather Laboratory and the facilities are in the process of integration to their prediction services. Educational and research objectives, as well as the examples from the research carried out in our laboratory will be demonstrated in this presentation.

Tech notes: Ongoing or planned hydro research, results of recent studies, and reviews of new books, publications, and software

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

NONE

Ongoing or planned hydro research, results of recent studies, and reviews of new books, publications, and software are covered. This month`s Tech Notes include: (1) a study linking development and reservoir silting in El Salvador, (2) publication of a guide for small hydro operatos, and (3) publication of a text outlining the development of hydroelectric power in Russia.

29 CFR Appendices to Subpart L of... - Note

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Note Appendices to Subpart L of Part 1910 Labor Regulations... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS Fire Protection Pt. 1910, Subpt. L, Apps. Nt. Appendices to Subpart L of Part 1910—Note Note: The following appendices to subpart L, except appendix E, serve as...

Unenhanced Cone Beam Computed Tomography and Fusion Imaging in Direct Percutaneous Sac Injection for Treatment of Type II Endoleak: Technical Note

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

Carrafiello, Gianpaolo, E-mail: gcarraf@gmail.com; Ierardi, Anna Maria; Radaelli, Alessandro

AimTo evaluate safety, feasibility, technical success, and clinical success of direct percutaneous sac injection (DPSI) for the treatment of type II endoleaks (T2EL) using anatomical landmarks on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and fusion imaging (FI).Materials and MethodsEight patients with T2EL were treated with DPSI using CBCT as imaging guidance. Anatomical landmarks on unenhanced CBCT were used for referencing T2EL location in the first five patients, while FI between unenhanced CBCT and pre-procedural computed tomography angiography (CTA) was used in the remaining three patients. Embolization was performed with thrombin, glue, and ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer. Technical and clinical success, iodinated contrastmore » utilization, procedural time, fluoroscopy time, and mean radiation dose were registered.ResultsDPSI was technically successful in all patients: the needle was correctly positioned at the first attempt in six patients, while in two of the first five patients the needle was repositioned once. Neither minor nor major complications were registered. Average procedural time was 45 min and the average administered iodinated contrast was 13 ml. Mean radiation dose of the procedure was 60.43 Gy cm{sup 2} and mean fluoroscopy time was 18 min. Clinical success was achieved in all patients (mean follow-up of 36 months): no sign of T2EL was reported in seven patients until last CT follow-up, while it persisted in one patient with stability of sac diameter.ConclusionsDPSI using unenhanced CBCT and FI is feasible and provides the interventional radiologist with an accurate and safe alternative to endovascular treatment with limited iodinated contrast utilization.« less

Iranian nurses' experience of essential technical competences in disaster response: A qualitative content analysis study.

PubMed

Aliakbari, Fatemeh; Bahrami, Masoud; Aein, Fereshteh; Khankeh, Hamidreza

2014-11-01

Today disasters are a part of many people's lives. Iran has a long history of disaster events and nurses are one of the most significant groups within the Iranian disaster relief operations, providing immediate and long-term care for those affected by the disaster. However, the technical competence of Iranian nurses and their training for this work has received little attention. This article presents the results of a study that aims to explore this context. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews to collect data from 30 nurses, who were deliberately selected from the health centers affiliated to the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Themes were identified using the conventional qualitative content analysis. The trustworthiness of the study was supported by considering the auditability, neutrality, consistency, and transferability. The study lasted from 2011 to 2012. Data analysis undertaken for the qualitative study resulted in the identification of five main themes, which included: (1) Management competences, (2) ethical and legal competences, (3) team working, and (4) personal abilities and the specific technical competences presented in this report. This report presents an overview of the nursing technical capabilities required for Iranian nurses during disaster relief. It is argued that additional competencies are required for nurses who care in high-risk situations, including disasters. Nurses need to prepare themselves more effectively to be responsible and effective in nursing care.

The socio-technical organisation of community pharmacies as a factor in the Electronic Prescription Service Release Two implementation: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The introduction of a new method of transmitting prescriptions from general practices to community pharmacies in England (Electronic Prescription Service Release 2 (EPS2)) has generated debate on how it will change work practice. As EPS2 will be a key technical element in dispensing, we reviewed the literature to find that there were no studies on how social and technical elements come together to form work practice in community pharmacies. This means the debate has little point of reference. Our aim therefore was to study the ways social and technical elements of a community pharmacy are used to achieve dispensing through the development of a conceptual model on pharmacy work practice, and to consider how a core technical element such the EPS2 could change work practice. Method We used ethnographic methods inclusive of case-study observations and interviews to collect qualitative data from 15 community pharmacies that were in the process of adopting or were soon to adopt EPS2. We analysed the case studies thematically and used rigorous multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary interpretive validation techniques to cross analyse findings. Results In practice, dispensing procedures were not designed to take into account variations in human and technical integration, and assumed that repetitive and collective use of socio-technical elements were at a constant. Variables such as availability of social and technical resources, and technical know-how of staff were not taken into account in formalised procedures. Yet community pharmacies were found to adapt their dispensing in relation to the balance of social and technical elements available, and how much of the social and technical elements they were willing to integrate into dispensing. While some integrated as few technical elements as possible, some depended entirely on technical artefacts. This pattern also applied to the social elements of dispensing. Through the conceptual model development process, we

Giving women their own case notes to carry during pregnancy.

PubMed

Brown, Heather C; Smith, Helen J; Mori, Rintaro; Noma, Hisashi

2015-10-14

In many countries women are given their own case notes to carry during pregnancy to increase their sense of control over, and satisfaction with, their care. To evaluate the effects of giving women their own case notes to carry during pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomised controlled trials of women given their own case notes to carry during pregnancy. Two review authors independently applied the inclusion criteria and assessed study quality. One review author extracted data from the included studies using a standard form (checked by second review author). We assessed estimates of effect using risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The quality of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Four trials were included (n = 1176 women). Overall, the quality of the evidence was graded as low to moderate mainly due to the nature of the intervention not allowing blinding. The updated search identified one cluster-randomised trial, which was included.Women carrying their own notes were more likely to feel in control (two trials, RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.06; 450 women; moderate quality evidence), although there is no evidence of difference in women's satisfaction (two trials, average RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.29); 698 women; low quality evidence). More women in the case notes group wanted to carry their own notes in a subsequent pregnancy (three trials, RR 1.79, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.03; 552 women; low quality evidence). Overall, the pooled estimate of the two trials (n = 347) that reported on the risk of notes lost or left at home was not significant (average RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.84). There was no evidence of difference for health-related behaviours (cigarette smoking and breastfeeding (moderate quality evidence)), analgesia needs during labour (low quality evidence), maternal depression, miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal deaths

Adjunctive antipsychotic in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder - A retrospective naturalistic case note study.

PubMed

Rashid, Haroon; Khan, Akif A; Fineberg, Naomi A

2015-06-01

A retrospective naturalistic case note study to determine the frequency, co-morbidity and treatment-response of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Records from 280 patients attending a highly specialised obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)/BDD service were analysed. The clinical outcome was measured either through scoring of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) for OCD/BDD, or textual analysis of case notes for evidence of symptomatic improvement, treatment tolerability, and premature disengagement. A total of 32 patients (11.43%) were diagnosed with BDD. Of these, 28 (87.5%) had at least one co-morbidity. All patients were offered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Adjunctive low-dose antipsychotic was prescribed for 21 (66%) patients. Overall, 18/32 (56%) responded, and 7/32 (22%) disengaged prematurely. Patients offered antipsychotic, SSRI and CBT (n = 21) were compared with those offered SSRI and CBT only (n = 11). The treatment was well-tolerated. Whereas there was no significant inter-group difference in the clinical response rate, premature disengagement occurred less frequently in the antipsychotic-treated patients (9.5% versus 45%; Fisher's Exact Test P = 0.0318). BDD frequently presents with co-morbidity, treatment-resistance and premature disengagement. Adjunctive antipsychotic was associated with significantly better treatment adherence, but responder rates did not differ significantly, possibly related to the small sample-size. A well-powered randomised controlled study is warranted, to determine clinical outcomes with adjunctive antipsychotic in BDD.

Shuttle payload interface verification equipment study. Volume 2: Technical document, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The technical analysis is reported that was performed during the shuttle payload interface verification equipment study. It describes: (1) the background and intent of the study; (2) study approach and philosophy covering all facets of shuttle payload/cargo integration; (3)shuttle payload integration requirements; (4) preliminary design of the horizontal IVE; (5) vertical IVE concept; and (6) IVE program development plans, schedule and cost. Also included is a payload integration analysis task to identify potential uses in addition to payload interface verification.

Technical Note: A Monte Carlo study of magnetic-field-induced radiation dose effects in mice

PubMed Central

Liao, Zhongxing; Melancon, Adam D.; Guindani, Michele; Followill, David S.; Tailor, Ramesh C.; Hazle, John D.; Court, Laurence E.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Magnetic fields are known to alter radiation dose deposition. Before patients receive treatment using an MRI-linear accelerator (MRI-Linac), preclinical studies are needed to understand the biological consequences of magnetic-field-induced dose effects. In the present study, the authors sought to identify a beam energy and magnetic field strength combination suitable for preclinical murine experiments. Methods: Magnetic field dose effects were simulated in a mouse lung phantom using various beam energies (225 kVp, 350 kVp, 662 keV [Cs-137], 2 MV, and 1.25 MeV [Co-60]) and magnetic field strengths (0.75, 1.5, and 3 T). The resulting dose distributions were compared with those in a simulated human lung phantom irradiated with a 6 or 8 MV beam and orthogonal 1.5 T magnetic field. Results: In the human lung phantom, the authors observed a dose increase of 45% and 54% at the soft-tissue-to-lung interface and a dose decrease of 41% and 48% at the lung-to-soft-tissue interface for the 6 and 8 MV beams, respectively. In the mouse simulations, the magnetic fields had no measurable effect on the 225 or 350 kVp dose distribution. The dose increases with the Cs-137 beam for the 0.75, 1.5, and 3 T magnetic fields were 9%, 29%, and 42%, respectively. The dose decreases were 9%, 21%, and 37%. For the 2 MV beam, the dose increases were 16%, 33%, and 31% and the dose decreases were 9%, 19%, and 30%. For the Co-60 beam, the dose increases were 19%, 54%, and 44%, and the dose decreases were 19%, 42%, and 40%. Conclusions: The magnetic field dose effects in the mouse phantom using a Cs-137, 3 T combination or a Co-60, 1.5 or 3 T combination most closely resemble those in simulated human treatments with a 6 MV, 1.5 T MRI-Linac. The effects with a Co-60, 1.5 T combination most closely resemble those in simulated human treatments with an 8 MV, 1.5 T MRI-Linac. PMID:26328998

Relationship between non-technical skills and technical performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: does stress have an influence?

PubMed

Krage, Ralf; Zwaan, Laura; Tjon Soei Len, Lian; Kolenbrander, Mark W; van Groeningen, Dick; Loer, Stephan A; Wagner, Cordula; Schober, Patrick

2017-11-01

Non-technical skills, such as task management, leadership, situational awareness, communication and decision-making refer to cognitive, behavioural and social skills that contribute to safe and efficient team performance. The importance of these skills during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is increasingly emphasised. Nonetheless, the relationship between non-technical skills and technical performance is poorly understood. We hypothesise that non-technical skills become increasingly important under stressful conditions when individuals are distracted from their tasks, and investigated the relationship between non-technical and technical skills under control conditions and when external stressors are present. In this simulator-based randomised cross-over study, 30 anaesthesiologists and anaesthesia residents from the VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, participated in two different CPR scenarios in random order. In one scenario, external stressors (radio noise and a distractive scripted family member) were added, while the other scenario without stressors served as control condition. Non-technical performance of the team leader and technical performance of the team were measured using the 'Anaesthetists' Non-technical Skill' score and a recently developed technical skills score. Analysis of variance and Pearson correlation coefficients were used for statistical analyses. Non-technical performance declined when external stressors were present (adjusted mean difference 3.9 points, 95% CI 2.4 to 5.5 points). A significant correlation between non-technical and technical performance scores was observed when external stressors were present (r=0.67, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.83, p<0.001), while no evidence for such a relationship was observed under control conditions (r=0.15, 95% CI -0.22 to 0.49, p=0.42). This was equally true for all individual domains of the non-technical performance score (task management, team working, situation awareness, decision

Observational study of differences in head position for high notes in famous classical and non-classical male singers.

PubMed

Amarante Andrade, Pedro; Švec, Jan G

2016-07-01

Differences in classical and non-classical singing are due primarily to aesthetic style requirements. The head position can affect the sound quality. This study aimed at comparing the head position for famous classical and non-classical male singers performing high notes. Images of 39 Western classical and 34 non-classical male singers during live performances were obtained from YouTube. Ten raters evaluated the frontal rotational head position (depression versus elevation) and transverse head position (retraction versus protraction) visually using a visual analogue scale. The results showed a significant difference for frontal rotational head position. Most non-classical singers in the sample elevated their heads for high notes while the classical singers were observed to keep it around the neutral position. This difference may be attributed to different singing techniques and phonatory system adjustments utilized by each group.

Developing Human Resources for the Technical Workforce: A Comparative Study of Korea and Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Joshua D.; Paek, Jeeyon

2005-01-01

Asian countries face significant and growing shortages of technically skilled workers. Vocational-technical systems are key components of national human resource development. Using labor market data from Thailand and Korea, this paper analyzes the economic payoff for individual investment in vocational-technical education, and subsequent…

Laboratory Characteristics in Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ives, Quay D.

The research reported is intended to provide a body of information on technical-scientific shop and laboratory education in the field of technological education. The study seeks to address the dearth of organized information on the utilization of laboratories in the technical education context. Various programs involving use of laboratories are…

Challenges of recruiting ESL immigrants into cancer education studies: reflections from practice notes.

PubMed

Thomson, Maria D; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2011-03-01

Changing population demographics and immigration patterns have resulted in increasing numbers of Canadians who report speaking a language other than French or English. Inclusion of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) immigrants in cancer education research is critical if disparities in access and use of preventive health care services are to be addressed. This article describes the challenges experienced recruiting and interviewing older ESL immigrant women for a colon cancer prevention study. Factors influencing the recruitment and interview of ESL immigrant women were identified through regular team meetings, interviews, and reflective practice notes. Issues included the importance of community contacts, language barriers, and the motivations of the women for participating. Recommendations for recruitment and inclusion of ESL immigrants in cancer education research are provided.

Benefits of xiphoidectomy in total gastrectomy: Technical note.

PubMed

Mihmanlı, Mehmet; Köksal, Hakan Mustafa; Demir, Uygar; Işıl, Rıza Gürhan

2016-01-01

The esophago-gastric junction may be challenging during total gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. This situation may compromise the security of both the dissection and anastomosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of xiphoidectomy to overcome this issue. The files of patients who underwent total gastrectomy + D2 lymph node dissection due to proximal gastric cancer or cardia cancer between April 2002-December 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. We assessed the outcome in patients with xiphoidectomy in addition to the midline incision in terms of xiphoidectomy technique, xiphoidectomy time, and operative and postoperative complications. Thirty cases were identified to undergo xiphoidectomy. Nineteen patients were male and 11 were female, with a mean age of 51 (21-80) years. The time required for xiphoidectomy was 7-15 minutes (mean 8.7 minutes). The mean additional time required for the closure of the incision in cases with xiphoidectomy was 2 minutes. There was minimal arterial bleeding from the diaphragmatic surface in one patient, which was controlled by electrocautery. Only two patients developed wound infection. Performing xiphoidectomy is quite easy, after a certain learning phase. The operative time was 7-15 minutes longer due to excision of xiphoid and closure of the related defect. Minor hemorrhage was a problem during surgery. There were no early or late post-operative complications. We suggest that the procedure is beneficial in selected cases with requirement of a wider operative field or better exposure of the esophago-gastric junction during total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and recommend removal of the xiphoid bone.

Prospective experimental study of transrectal viscerotomy closure using transanal endoscopic suture vs. circular stapler: a step toward NOTES.

PubMed

Diana, M; Leroy, J; Wall, J; De Ruijter, V; Lindner, V; Dhumane, P; Mutter, D; Marescaux, J

2012-06-01

Endoluminal full-thickness closure of the rectal wall is critical in emerging procedures including endoscopic submucosal dissection and transrectal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). This study aimed to compare manual suture using the transanal endoscopic operation platform (TEO; Karl Storz, Tüttlingen, Germany) with the end-to-end anastomosis hemorrhoid circular stapler (EEA; Covidien, Dublin, Ireland) for closure of the rectal viscerotomy during transrectal NOTES segmental colectomy. A total of 12 swine underwent transrectal hybrid NOTES partial colectomies. Animals were divided into two groups according to the viscerotomy closure technique: 1) TEO manual suture; 2) EEA circular stapler closure. Mean (± SD) viscerotomy closure time was 67.5 ± 59.5 minutes and 31.5 ± 19.6 minutes for TEO and EEA, respectively. There was one conversion to laparoscopy in the TEO group and a misfiring in the EEA group that required a TEO salvage suture. There was one positive air-leak test in each group. Peritoneal fluid collected at the end of the procedure tested positive for bacterial contamination in all cases. A mild stenosis was present in 4 /6 viscerotomies (67 %) in the TEO group and in 1/6 (17 %) in the EEA group on endoscopic control. Inflammatory changes were mild in 3/5 (60 %) and 4/5 (80 %) viscerotomies in the TEO and EEA groups, respectively, whereas severe inflammation was found in 2/5 (TEO) and 1 /5 (EEA). Transrectal viscerotomy closure using the EEA circular stapler technique is feasible, easy to perform, and histologically comparable to suture closure through a TEO platform. It may offer an attractive alternative for NOTES segmental colectomies and endoscopic resections. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Digital Note-Taking: Discussion of Evidence and Best Practices.

PubMed

Grahame, Jason A

2016-03-01

Balancing active course engagement and comprehension with producing quality lecture notes is challenging. Although evidence suggests that handwritten note-taking may improve comprehension and learning outcomes, many students still self-report a preference for digital note-taking and a belief that it is beneficial. Future research is warranted to determine the effects on performance of digitally writing notes. Independent of the methods or software chosen, best practices should be provided to students with information to help them consciously make an educated decision based on the evidence and their personal preference. Optimal note-taking requires self-discipline, focused attention, sufficient working memory, thoughtful rewording, and decreased distractions. Familiarity with the tools and mediums they choose will help students maximize working memory, produce better notes, and aid in their retention of material presented.

Longitudinal Analysis of New Information Types in Clinical Notes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Rui; Pakhomov, Serguei; Melton, Genevieve B.

2014-01-01

It is increasingly recognized that redundant information in clinical notes within electronic health record (EHR) systems is ubiquitous, significant, and may negatively impact the secondary use of these notes for research and patient care. We investigated several automated methods to identify redundant versus relevant new information in clinical reports. These methods may provide a valuable approach to extract clinically pertinent information and further improve the accuracy of clinical information extraction systems. In this study, we used UMLS semantic types to extract several types of new information, including problems, medications, and laboratory information. Automatically identified new information highly correlated with manual reference standard annotations. Methods to identify different types of new information can potentially help to build up more robust information extraction systems for clinical researchers as well as aid clinicians and researchers in navigating clinical notes more effectively and quickly identify information pertaining to changes in health states. PMID:25717418

Case Study on Technical and Vocational Education in Japan. Case Studies on Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwamoto, Muneharu

In the course of Japan's economic progress, remarkable changes have occurred in the structure of industry and employment. Workers are in extremely short supply in such occupations as mining, manufacturing and construction, services, transportation and communication, sales, and professional and technical. On the basis of recommendations of the…

Using language models to identify relevant new information in inpatient clinical notes.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Pakhomov, Serguei V; Lee, Janet T; Melton, Genevieve B

2014-01-01

Redundant information in clinical notes within electronic health record (EHR) systems is ubiquitous and may negatively impact the use of these notes by clinicians, and, potentially, the efficiency of patient care delivery. Automated methods to identify redundant versus relevant new information may provide a valuable tool for clinicians to better synthesize patient information and navigate to clinically important details. In this study, we investigated the use of language models for identification of new information in inpatient notes, and evaluated our methods using expert-derived reference standards. The best method achieved precision of 0.743, recall of 0.832 and F1-measure of 0.784. The average proportion of redundant information was similar between inpatient and outpatient progress notes (76.6% (SD=17.3%) and 76.7% (SD=14.0%), respectively). Advanced practice providers tended to have higher rates of redundancy in their notes compared to physicians. Future investigation includes the addition of semantic components and visualization of new information.

Using Language Models to Identify Relevant New Information in Inpatient Clinical Notes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Rui; Pakhomov, Serguei V.; Lee, Janet T.; Melton, Genevieve B.

2014-01-01

Redundant information in clinical notes within electronic health record (EHR) systems is ubiquitous and may negatively impact the use of these notes by clinicians, and, potentially, the efficiency of patient care delivery. Automated methods to identify redundant versus relevant new information may provide a valuable tool for clinicians to better synthesize patient information and navigate to clinically important details. In this study, we investigated the use of language models for identification of new information in inpatient notes, and evaluated our methods using expert-derived reference standards. The best method achieved precision of 0.743, recall of 0.832 and F1-measure of 0.784. The average proportion of redundant information was similar between inpatient and outpatient progress notes (76.6% (SD=17.3%) and 76.7% (SD=14.0%), respectively). Advanced practice providers tended to have higher rates of redundancy in their notes compared to physicians. Future investigation includes the addition of semantic components and visualization of new information. PMID:25954438

Benefits of xiphoidectomy in total gastrectomy: Technical note

PubMed Central

Mihmanlı, Mehmet; Köksal, Hakan Mustafa; Demir, Uygar; Işıl, Rıza Gürhan

2016-01-01

Objective: The esophago-gastric junction may be challenging during total gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. This situation may compromise the security of both the dissection and anastomosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of xiphoidectomy to overcome this issue. Material and Methods: The files of patients who underwent total gastrectomy + D2 lymph node dissection due to proximal gastric cancer or cardia cancer between April 2002–December 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. We assessed the outcome in patients with xiphoidectomy in addition to the midline incision in terms of xiphoidectomy technique, xiphoidectomy time, and operative and postoperative complications. Results: Thirty cases were identified to undergo xiphoidectomy. Nineteen patients were male and 11 were female, with a mean age of 51 (21–80) years. The time required for xiphoidectomy was 7–15 minutes (mean 8.7 minutes). The mean additional time required for the closure of the incision in cases with xiphoidectomy was 2 minutes. There was minimal arterial bleeding from the diaphragmatic surface in one patient, which was controlled by electrocautery. Only two patients developed wound infection. Conclusion: Performing xiphoidectomy is quite easy, after a certain learning phase. The operative time was 7–15 minutes longer due to excision of xiphoid and closure of the related defect. Minor hemorrhage was a problem during surgery. There were no early or late post-operative complications. We suggest that the procedure is beneficial in selected cases with requirement of a wider operative field or better exposure of the esophago-gastric junction during total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and recommend removal of the xiphoid bone PMID:26985158

Design Study for Project on Standard Operating Procedures for Technical Library Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libbey, Miles A.; And Others

The overall objective of the Technical Information Support Activities (TISA) Project is the production of a "Post Commander's Handbook." The handbook will be instrumental in achieving greater utilization of available technical information resources to assist army scientists and engineers engaged in the support of army combat and other…

Technical Note: The Initial Stages of Statistical Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Tandy, Richard D.

1998-01-01

Objective: To provide an overview of several important data-related considerations in the design stage of a research project and to review the levels of measurement and their relationship to the statistical technique chosen for the data analysis. Background: When planning a study, the researcher must clearly define the research problem and narrow it down to specific, testable questions. The next steps are to identify the variables in the study, decide how to group and treat subjects, and determine how to measure, and the underlying level of measurement of, the dependent variables. Then the appropriate statistical technique can be selected for data analysis. Description: The four levels of measurement in increasing complexity are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. Nominal data are categorical or “count” data, and the numbers are treated as labels. Ordinal data can be ranked in a meaningful order by magnitude. Interval data possess the characteristics of ordinal data and also have equal distances between levels. Ratio data have a natural zero point. Nominal and ordinal data are analyzed with nonparametric statistical techniques and interval and ratio data with parametric statistical techniques. Advantages: Understanding the four levels of measurement and when it is appropriate to use each is important in determining which statistical technique to use when analyzing data. PMID:16558489

Do Technical Aids for Patient Handling Prevent Musculoskeletal Complaints in Health Care Workers?-A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies.

PubMed

Hegewald, Janice; Berge, Wera; Heinrich, Philipp; Staudte, Ronny; Freiberg, Alice; Scharfe, Julia; Girbig, Maria; Nienhaus, Albert; Seidler, Andreas

2018-03-09

The physical load ensuing from the repositioning and moving of patients puts health care workers at risk of musculoskeletal complaints. Technical equipment developed to aid with patient handling should reduce physical strain and workload; however, the efficacy of these aids in preventing musculoskeletal disorders and complaints is still unclear. A systematic review of controlled intervention studies was conducted to examine if the risk of musculoskeletal complaints and disorders is reduced by technical patient handling equipment. MEDLINE ® /PubMed ® , EMBASE ® , Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL ® ) were searched using terms for nursing, caregiving, technical aids, musculoskeletal injuries, and complaints. Randomized controlled trials and controlled before-after studies of interventions including technical patient handling equipment were included. The titles and abstracts of 9554 publications and 97 full-texts were screened by two reviewers. The qualitative synthesis included one randomized controlled trial (RCT) and ten controlled before-after studies. A meta-analysis of four studies resulted in a pooled risk ratio for musculoskeletal injury claims (post-intervention) of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.68-0.90). Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was poor and the results often based on administrative injury claim data, introducing potential selection bias. Interventions with technical patient handling aids appear to prevent musculoskeletal complaints, but the certainty of the evidence according to GRADE approach ranged from low to very low.

Open Notes in Swedish Psychiatric Care (Part 2): Survey Among Psychiatric Care Professionals.

PubMed

Petersson, Lena; Erlingsdóttir, Gudbjörg

2018-06-21

This is the second of two papers presenting the results from a study of the implementation of patient online access to their electronic health records (here referred to as Open Notes) in adult psychiatric care in Sweden. The study contributes an important understanding of both the expectations and concerns that existed among health care professionals before the introduction of the Open Notes Service in psychiatry and the perceived impact of the technology on their own work and patient behavior after the implementation. The results from the previously published baseline survey showed that psychiatric health care professionals generally thought that Open Notes would influence both the patients and their own practice negatively. The objective of this study was to describe and discuss how health care professionals in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne in southern Sweden experienced the influence of Open Notes on their patients and their own practice, and to compare the results with those of the baseline study. We distributed a full population Web-based questionnaire to psychiatric care professionals in Region Skåne in the spring of 2017, which was one and a half years after the implementation of the service. The response rate was 27.73% (699/2521). Analyses showed that the respondents were representative of the staff as a whole. A statistical analysis examined the relationships between health professional groups and attitudes to the Open Notes Service. A total of 41.5% (285/687) of the health care professionals reported that none of their patients stated that they had read their Open Notes. Few health care professionals agreed with the statements about the potential benefits for patients from Open Notes. Slightly more of the health care professionals agreed with the statements about the potential risks. In addition, the results indicate that there was little impact on practice in terms of longer appointments or health care professionals having to address patients

Core trainee boot camp-A method for improving technical and non-technical skills of novice surgical trainees. A before and after study.

PubMed

Bamford, R; Langdon, L; Rodd, C A; Eastaugh-Waring, S; Coulston, J E

2018-04-10

The transition to surgical training can be a stressful time for trainees and is most evident during national handover periods where new graduates start and senior trainees rotate to new programmes. During this time, patient mortality can increase and Hospital efficiency reduces. This influence is compounded by the impact of working time directives. Intensive, simulation rich training programmes or "Boot Camps" have been postulated as a solution. This article highlights the development of a surgical boot camp for novice surgical trainees and the impact this can have on training. A novel surgical boot camp was developed for all trainees within a surgical training region including nine acute NHS trusts. Participating cohort of trainees completed pre and post course questionnaires to assess technical and non-technical skills. 25 trainees attended and completed the pre and post boot camp questionnaire. Significant improvements were seen with technical skills (p = 0.0429), overall non-technical skills (p < 0.001) including leadership (p = 0.022), communication (p = 0.010), situational awareness (p = 0.022), patient handover (p = 0.003), ward round skills (p = 0.005) and outpatient skill (p = 0.002). Trainees reported significantly increased ability to assess and manage a critically unwell patient (p = 0.001) and a trauma patient (p = 0.001). 96% of trainees have utilised the skills they learnt on Boot Camp and all trainees would recommend it as an induction programme. Surgical Boot Camps offer a timely chance to develop technical and non-technical skills whilst enhancing a trainee's confidence and knowledge and reduce the patient safety impact of the handover period. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Technical Note: Guidelines for the digital computation of 2D and 3D enamel thickness in hominoid teeth.

PubMed

Benazzi, Stefano; Panetta, Daniele; Fornai, Cinzia; Toussaint, Michel; Gruppioni, Giorgio; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2014-02-01

The study of enamel thickness has received considerable attention in regard to the taxonomic, phylogenetic and dietary assessment of human and non-human primates. Recent developments based on two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) digital techniques have facilitated accurate analyses, preserving the original object from invasive procedures. Various digital protocols have been proposed. These include several procedures based on manual handling of the virtual models and technical shortcomings, which prevent other scholars from confidently reproducing the entire digital protocol. There is a compelling need for standard, reproducible, and well-tailored protocols for the digital analysis of 2D and 3D dental enamel thickness. In this contribution we provide essential guidelines for the digital computation of 2D and 3D enamel thickness in hominoid molars, premolars, canines and incisors. We modify previous techniques suggested for 2D analysis and we develop a new approach for 3D analysis that can also be applied to premolars and anterior teeth. For each tooth class, the cervical line should be considered as the fundamental morphological feature both to isolate the crown from the root (for 3D analysis) and to define the direction of the cross-sections (for 2D analysis). Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

U.S. Taxation of Business: Relevance of the European Experience. German Studies Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLure, Charles E., Jr.

American and European business taxation policies are compared in this booklet. Topics discussed in the paper include effects of the corporation income tax, integration of income taxation, and the value added tax. Two major differences between the American and European systems are noted. First, European countries derive substantial portions of…

BBN technical memorandum W1291 infrasound model feasibility study

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

Farrell, T., BBN Systems and Technologies

1998-05-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the need and level of effort required to add existing atmospheric databases and infrasound propagation models to the DOE`s Hydroacoustic Coverage Assessment Model (HydroCAM) [1,2]. The rationale for the study is that the performance of the infrasound monitoring network will be an important factor for both the International Monitoring System (IMS) and US national monitoring capability. Many of the technical issues affecting the design and performance of the infrasound network are directly related to the variability of the atmosphere and the corresponding uncertainties in infrasound propagation. It is clear that the studymore » of these issues will be enhanced by the availability of software tools for easy manipulation and interfacing of various atmospheric databases and infrasound propagation models. In addition, since there are many similarities between propagation in the oceans and in the atmosphere, it is anticipated that much of the software infrastructure developed for hydroacoustic database manipulation and propagation modeling in HydroCAM will be directly extendible to an infrasound capability. The study approach was to talk to the acknowledged domain experts in the infrasound monitoring area to determine: 1. The major technical issues affecting infrasound monitoring network performance. 2. The need for an atmospheric database/infrasound propagation modeling capability similar to HydroCAM. 3. The state of existing infrasound propagation codes and atmospheric databases. 4. A recommended approach for developing the required capabilities. A list of the people who contributed information to this study is provided in Table 1. We also relied on our knowledge of oceanographic and meteorological data sources to determine the availability of atmospheric databases and the feasibility of incorporating this information into the existing HydroCAM geographic database software. This report presents a summary of the need for an

Feasibility Study for a Computerized Serials Control System in the Defense Communications Agency Technical and Management Information Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-20

AD-A162 ±88 FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A COMPUTERIZED SERIALS CONTROL 1/1 SYSTEM IN THE DEFENS (U) DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY WASHINGTON DC TECHNICAL...NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS- 1963-A 0FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A COMPUTERIZED SERIALS CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS 0AGENCY TECHNICAL AND...ABSTRACT 21. ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED R1 SAME AS RPT. 0 DTIC USERS 0 UNCLASSIFIED 22&. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 22b

76 FR 64083 - Reliability Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference Take notice that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a Technical Conference on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and... System. The conference will explore the progress made on the priorities for addressing risks to...

Analysing playing using the note-time playing path.

PubMed

de Graaff, Deborah L E; Schubert, Emery

2011-03-01

This article introduces a new method of data analysis that represents the playing of written music as a graph. The method, inspired by Miklaszewski, charts low-level note timings from a sound recording of a single-line instrument using high-precision audio-to-MIDI conversion software. Note onset times of pitch sequences are then plotted against the score-predicted timings to produce a Note-Time Playing Path (NTPP). The score-predicted onset time of each sequentially performed note (horizontal axis) unfolds in performed time down the page (vertical axis). NTPPs provide a visualisation that shows (1) tempo variations, (2) repetitive practice behaviours, (3) segmenting of material, (4) precise note time positions, and (5) time spent on playing or not playing. The NTPP can provide significant new insights into behaviour and cognition of music performance and may also be used to complement established traditional approaches such as think-alouds, interviews, and video coding.

Intraoperative Hypoglossal Nerve Mapping During Carotid Endarterectomy: Technical Note.

PubMed

Kojima, Atsuhiro; Saga, Isako; Ishikawa, Mami

2018-05-01

Hypoglossal nerve deficit is a possible complication caused by carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The accidental injury of the hypoglossal nerve during surgery is one of the major reasons for permanent hypoglossal nerve palsy. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of intraoperative mapping of the hypoglossal nerve to identify this nerve during CEA. Five consecutive patients who underwent CEA for the treatment of symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis were studied. A hand-held probe was used to detect the hypoglossal nerve in the operative field, and the tongue motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded. The tongue MEPs were obtained in all the patients. The invisible hypoglossal nerve was successfully identified without any difficulty when the internal carotid artery was exposed. Intraoperative mapping was particularly useful for identifying the hypoglossal nerve when the hypoglossal nerve passed beneath the posterior belly of the digastric muscle. In 1 of 2 cases, MEP was also elicited when the ansa cervicalis was stimulated, although the resulting amplitude was much smaller than that obtained by direct stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve. Postoperatively, none of the patients presented with hypoglossal nerve palsy. Intraoperative hypoglossal nerve mapping enabled us to locate the invisible hypoglossal nerve during the exposure of the internal carotid artery accurately without retracting the posterior belly of the digastric muscle and other tissues in the vicinity of the internal carotid artery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predisposition Factors of Career and Technical Education Transfer Students: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hioki, Warren; Lester, Derek; Martinez, Mario

2015-01-01

Six college students, who were career and technical education (CTE) transfer students in the state of Nevada, were interviewed Spring Semester of 2009. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenology framework as the method to identify those predisposition variables that heavily influenced the students in their decision to transfer to a senior…

Note-Taking Interventions for College Students: A Synthesis and Meta-Analysis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Deborah K.; Rimel, Hillary; Hallett, Abigail

2016-01-01

Although note taking is frequently described as an important skill for postsecondary success, there have been few note-taking intervention studies involving multiple sessions spanning more than one week. In a systematic search, we identified seven peer-reviewed articles reporting 10 intervention studies published from 1990-2014. The only…

Non-technical skills evaluation in the critical care air ambulance environment: introduction of an adapted rating instrument--an observational study.

PubMed

Myers, Julia A; Powell, David M C; Psirides, Alex; Hathaway, Karyn; Aldington, Sarah; Haney, Michael F

2016-03-08

In the isolated and dynamic health-care setting of critical care air ambulance transport, the quality of clinical care is strongly influenced by non-technical skills such as anticipating, recognising and understanding, decision making, and teamwork. However there are no published reports identifying or applying a non-technical skills framework specific to an intensive care air ambulance setting. The objective of this study was to adapt and evaluate a non-technical skills rating framework for the air ambulance clinical environment. In the first phase of the project the anaesthetists' non-technical skills (ANTS) framework was adapted to the air ambulance setting, using data collected directly from clinician groups, published literature, and field observation. In the second phase experienced and inexperienced inter-hospital transport clinicians completed a simulated critical care air transport scenario, and their non-technical skills performance was independently rated by two blinded assessors. Observed and self-rated general clinical performance ratings were also collected. Rank-based statistical tests were used to examine differences in the performance of experienced and inexperienced clinicians, and relationships between different assessment approaches and assessors. The framework developed during phase one was referred to as an aeromedical non-technical skills framework, or AeroNOTS. During phase two 16 physicians from speciality training programmes in intensive care, emergency medicine and anaesthesia took part in the clinical simulation study. Clinicians with inter-hospital transport experience performed more highly than those without experience, according to both AeroNOTS non-technical skills ratings (p = 0.001) and general performance ratings (p = 0.003). Self-ratings did not distinguish experienced from inexperienced transport clinicians (p = 0.32) and were not strongly associated with either observed general performance (r(s) = 0.4, p = 0

Training in summarizing notes: Effects of teaching students a self-regulation study strategy in science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nebres, Michelle

The last two decades of national data assessments reveal that there has been a sharp decline in nationwide standardized test scores. International assessment data show that in 2012 a very low amount of American students were performing at proficiency or above in science literacy. Research in science literacy education suggests that students benefit most when they are self-regulated (SR) learners. Unfortunately, SR poses a challenge for many students because students lack these skills. The effects of having learned few SR strategies at an early age may lead to long term learning difficulties--preventing students from achieving academic success in college and beyond. As a result, some researchers have begun to investigate how to best support students' SR skills. In order for studying to be successful, students need to know which SR study strategies to implement. This can be tricky for struggling students because they need study strategies that are well defined. This needs to be addressed through effective classroom instruction, and should be addressed prior to entering high school in order for students to be prepared for higher level learning. In this study, students underwent a treatment in which they were taught a SR study strategy called summarizing notes. A crossover repeated measures design was employed to understand the effectiveness of the treatment. Results indicated a weak, but positive correlation between how well students summarized notes and how well they performed on science tests. Self-regulation skills are needed because these are the types of skills young adults will use as they enter the workforce. As young adults began working in a professional setting, they will be expected to know how to observe and become proficient on their own. This study is pertinent to the educational field because it is an opportunity for students to increase SR, which affords students with the skills needed to be a lifelong learner.

Capital projects: Egypt case study. Technical report

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

Lieberson, J.; Stallard, J.

1994-03-01

This report assesses the US Agency for International Development`s (A.I.D.`s) capital assistance program in Egypt in terms of both its commercial benefits for the United States and its developmental benefits for Egypt. In regard to the first aspect, the study found that few A.I.D.-funded projects or studies generated either participation by other donors or follow-on sales for U.S. companies. The report places much of the blame for this on U.S. firms` failure to take advantage of a clear opportunity to develop the Egyptian commercial market. Findings regarding the developmental benefits of the projects are mixed. (1) The projects helped supportmore » strong private sector growth in Egypt through the 1980`s. Nonetheless, their economic and financial rates of return were generally disappointing. (2) The projects were built to a high technical standard, but their sustainability is in doubt. (3) The pursuit of commercial advantage for U.S. firms did not distort the developmental goals of the projects. Overall, the report attributes the disappointing economic results of A.I.D.`s capital assistance program to a poor policy environment, which the reforms pursued in connection with the program did little to change.« less

Voice-Dictated versus Typed-in Clinician Notes: Linguistic Properties and the Potential Implications on Natural Language Processing

PubMed Central

Zheng, Kai; Mei, Qiaozhu; Yang, Lei; Manion, Frank J.; Balis, Ulysses J.; Hanauer, David A.

2011-01-01

In this study, we comparatively examined the linguistic properties of narrative clinician notes created through voice dictation versus those directly entered by clinicians via a computer keyboard. Intuitively, the nature of voice-dictated notes would resemble that of natural language, while typed-in notes may demonstrate distinctive language features for reasons such as intensive usage of acronyms. The study analyses were based on an empirical dataset retrieved from our institutional electronic health records system. The dataset contains 30,000 voice-dictated notes and 30,000 notes that were entered manually; both were encounter notes generated in ambulatory care settings. The results suggest that between the narrative clinician notes created via these two different methods, there exists a considerable amount of lexical and distributional differences. Such differences could have a significant impact on the performance of natural language processing tools, necessitating these two different types of documents being differentially treated. PMID:22195229

The power of a collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community prevention teams: A correlational and longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Chilenski, Sarah M.; Perkins, Daniel F.; Olson, Jonathan; Hoffman, Lesa; Feinberg, Mark E.; Greenberg, Mark; Welsh, Janet; Crowley, D. Max; Spoth, Richard

2015-01-01

Background Historically, effectiveness of community collaborative prevention efforts has been mixed. Consequently, research has been undertaken to better understand the factors that support their effectiveness; theory and some related empirical research suggests that the provision of technical assistance is one important supporting factor. The current study examines one aspect of technical assistance that may be important in supporting coalition effectiveness, the collaborative relationship between the technical assistance provider and site lead implementer. Methods Four and one-half years of data were collected from technical assistance providers and prevention team members from the 14 community prevention teams involved in the PROSPER project. Results Spearman correlation analyses with longitudinal data show that the levels of the collaborative relationship during one phase of collaborative team functioning associated with characteristics of internal team functioning in future phases. Conclusions Results suggest that community collaborative prevention work should consider the collaborative nature of the technical assistance provider – prevention community team relationship when designing and conducting technical assistance activities, and it may be important to continually assess these dynamics to support high quality implementation. PMID:26476860

The power of a collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community prevention teams: A correlational and longitudinal study.

PubMed

Chilenski, Sarah M; Perkins, Daniel F; Olson, Jonathan; Hoffman, Lesa; Feinberg, Mark E; Greenberg, Mark; Welsh, Janet; Crowley, D Max; Spoth, Richard

2016-02-01

Historically, effectiveness of community collaborative prevention efforts has been mixed. Consequently, research has been undertaken to better understand the factors that support their effectiveness; theory and some related empirical research suggests that the provision of technical assistance is one important supporting factor. The current study examines one aspect of technical assistance that may be important in supporting coalition effectiveness, the collaborative relationship between the technical assistance provider and site lead implementer. Four and one-half years of data were collected from technical assistance providers and prevention team members from the 14 community prevention teams involved in the PROSPER project. Spearman correlation analyses with longitudinal data show that the levels of the collaborative relationship during one phase of collaborative team functioning associated with characteristics of internal team functioning in future phases. Results suggest that community collaborative prevention work should consider the collaborative nature of the technical assistance provider - prevention community team relationship when designing and conducting technical assistance activities, and it may be important to continually assess these dynamics to support high quality implementation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expansion Policy of Secondary Technical Education as a Correlate to the Acquisition of Basic Technical Skills by Students in Cameroon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efande, Lyonga John

2015-01-01

This study aims at investigating the relationship between the expansion of secondary Technical Education on the acquisition of technical skills by students. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been expanding quantitatively yearly without paying enough attention to its adverse effect on quality and the acquisition of the…

Professional technical standards in colleges and schools of pharmacy.

PubMed

Berry, Tricia M; Chichester, Clinton O; Lundquist, Lisa M; Sanoski, Cynthia A; Woodward, Donald A; Worley, Marcia M; Early, Johnnie L

2011-04-11

To determine the prevalence, characteristics, and use of professional technical standards among colleges and schools of pharmacy accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The Web site of every college and school of pharmacy accredited by ACPE was searched to identify information regarding the availability, content, and use of technical standards and to obtain demographic information. Information was obtained from all of the 114 colleges and schools of pharmacy and 67 (59%) had technical standards in place. Common themes for technical standards were: observation; communication; motor; intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities; and behavioral and social attributes. Of those colleges and schools with technical standards, 61 (91%) had standards that addressed all 5 of these themes and 34 (51%) specified that the technical standards were used in their admission, progression, and graduation procedures. More than half of the colleges and schools of pharmacy examined in this study have technical standards; however, 41% have yet to develop and implement them. Colleges and schools of pharmacy looking for guidance in technical standards development could use the technical standards themes identified in this study.

Organising, Providing and Evaluating Technical Training for Early Career Researchers: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Besouw, Rachel M.; Rogers, Katrine S.; Powles, Christopher J.; Papadopoulos, Timos; Ku, Emery M.

2013-01-01

This paper considers the importance of providing technical training opportunities for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) worldwide through the case study of a MATLAB training programme, which was proposed, organised, managed and evaluated by a team of five ECRs at the University of Southampton. The effectiveness of the programme in terms of the…

Parallel Note-Taking: A Strategy for Effective Use of Webnotes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pardini, Eleanor A.; Domizi, Denise P.; Forbes, Daniel A.; Pettis, Gretchen V.

2005-01-01

Many instructors supply online lecture notes but little attention has been given to how students can make the best use of this resource. Based on observations of student difficulties with these notes, a strategy called parallel note-taking was developed for using online notes. The strategy is a hybrid of research-proven strategies for effective…

Bridging the Gap: District Use of Tax Anticipation Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipnick, Linda Hird

1994-01-01

School districts often face unevenly timed state aid and property tax disbursements. As a result, they issue a large volume of short-term, tax-exempt cash-flow operating notes. Offers details about why school districts need to issue notes and discusses the increasing trend of pooled note issues. (MLF)

Course of Study Project. Final Report. Vocational-Technical Education Departmental Report, Vol. 17, No. 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park. Div. of Occupational and Vocational Studies.

Designed for use by area vocational-technical schools and other vocational programs, this project developed courses of study in eight occupational areas: commercial art, appliance repair, automotive mechanics, graphic arts, building trades maintenance, building construction trades, diesel mechanics, and welding. Course-of-study development…

Correlation of technical surgical goals to the GDI and investigation of post-operative GDI change in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Bickley, Christina; Linton, Judi; Scarborough, Nancy; Sullivan, Elroy; Mitchell, Katy; Barnes, Douglas

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to introduce a standardized set of surgical technical achievement goals (TAGs) as part of a comprehensive outcome assessment model for children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) undergoing orthopaedic surgical intervention to improve gait. Examination of relationships of these surgical goals to the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and use of two assessments in tandem provided a thorough picture of technical surgical outcomes. This study also investigated changes in GDI in children with spastic CP after surgery. Data from 269 participants with spastic CP, aged 4 to 19 years with Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I, II, and III who underwent lower extremity orthopaedic surgical intervention to improve gait were retrospectively analyzed. Data were examined as one heterogeneous group and sub-grouped based on pattern of involvement and GMFCS level to determine change in GDI and relationships between GDI and TAGs. Differences in TAG achievement and GDI change by GMFCS level suggest a pairing of GDI with another technical measure to be beneficial. Analysis of the outcome tools individually revealed a significant difference between the pre-operative GDI and post-operative GDI mean for the entire group, as well as each of the subgroups. A significant difference in TAG achievement by GMFCS level was also noted. This paper provides evidence that lower extremity orthopedic intervention for the ambulatory child with spastic diplegic or hemiplegic CP improves gait and that a pairing of the GDI and TAGs system is beneficial to capture an accurate technical outcome assessment in both higher and lower functioning patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creating protective appliances for preventing dental injury during endotracheal intubation using intraoral scanning and 3D printing: a technical note

PubMed Central

Cho, Jin-Hyung; Park, Wonse; Park, Kyeong-Mee; Kim, Seo-Yul

2017-01-01

Digital dentistry has influenced many dental procedures, such as three-dimensional (3D) diagnosis and treatment planning, surgical splints, and prosthetic treatments. Patient-specific protective appliances (PSPAs) prevent dental injury during endotracheal intubation. However, the required laboratory work takes time, and there is the possibility of tooth extraction while obtaining the dental impression. In this technical report, we utilized new digital technology for creating PSPAs, using direct intraoral scanners and 3D printers for dental cast fabrication. PMID:28879329

Creating protective appliances for preventing dental injury during endotracheal intubation using intraoral scanning and 3D printing: a technical note.

PubMed

Cho, Jin-Hyung; Park, Wonse; Park, Kyeong-Mee; Kim, Seo-Yul; Kim, Kee-Deog

2017-03-01

Digital dentistry has influenced many dental procedures, such as three-dimensional (3D) diagnosis and treatment planning, surgical splints, and prosthetic treatments. Patient-specific protective appliances (PSPAs) prevent dental injury during endotracheal intubation. However, the required laboratory work takes time, and there is the possibility of tooth extraction while obtaining the dental impression. In this technical report, we utilized new digital technology for creating PSPAs, using direct intraoral scanners and 3D printers for dental cast fabrication.

Clinical Note Creation, Binning, and Artificial Intelligence

PubMed Central

Deliberato, Rodrigo Octávio; Stone, David J

2017-01-01

The creation of medical notes in software applications poses an intrinsic problem in workflow as the technology inherently intervenes in the processes of collecting and assembling information, as well as the production of a data-driven note that meets both individual and healthcare system requirements. In addition, the note writing applications in currently available electronic health records (EHRs) do not function to support decision making to any substantial degree. We suggest that artificial intelligence (AI) could be utilized to facilitate the workflows of the data collection and assembly processes, as well as to support the development of personalized, yet data-driven assessments and plans. PMID:28778845

Modeling technical change in climate analysis: evidence from agricultural crop damages.

PubMed

Ahmed, Adeel; Devadason, Evelyn S; Al-Amin, Abul Quasem

2017-05-01

This study accounts for the Hicks neutral technical change in a calibrated model of climate analysis, to identify the optimum level of technical change for addressing climate changes. It demonstrates the reduction to crop damages, the costs to technical change, and the net gains for the adoption of technical change for a climate-sensitive Pakistan economy. The calibrated model assesses the net gains of technical change for the overall economy and at the agriculture-specific level. The study finds that the gains of technical change are overwhelmingly higher than the costs across the agriculture subsectors. The gains and costs following technical change differ substantially for different crops. More importantly, the study finds a cost-effective optimal level of technical change that potentially reduces crop damages to a minimum possible level. The study therefore contends that the climate policy for Pakistan should consider the role of technical change in addressing climate impacts on the agriculture sector.

Selling Technical Sales to Engineering Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bumblauskas, Daniel P.; Carberry, Adam R.; Sly, David P.

2017-01-01

Sales engineering or technical sales programs bridge engineering and business to educate engineering students in sales specific to their discipline. Students develop business awareness through such programs, providing the sales workforce with technically knowledgeable salespeople. The following study analyzed cohorts of students enrolled in a…

Technical notes: A detailed study for the provision of measurement uncertainty and traceability for goniospectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peltoniemi, Jouni I.; Hakala, Teemu; Suomalainen, Juha; Honkavaara, Eija; Markelin, Lauri; Gritsevich, Maria; Eskelinen, Juho; Jaanson, Priit; Ikonen, Erkki

2014-10-01

The measurement uncertainty and traceability of the Finnish Geodetic Institutess field gonio-spectro-polarimeter FIGIFIGO have been assessed. First, the reference standard (Spectralon sample) was measured at the National Standard Laboratory of MIKES-Aalto. This standard was transferred to FGIs field reference standard (larger Spectralon sample), and from that to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), reference standards (1 m2 plates). The reflectance measurement uncertainty of FIGIFIGO has been estimated to be 0.01 in ideal laboratory conditions, but about 0.02-0.05 in typical field conditions, larger at larger solar or observation zenith angles. Target specific uncertainties can increase total uncertainty even to 0.1-0.2. The angular reading uncertainty is between 1° and 3°, depending on user selection, and the polarisation uncertainty is around 0.01. For UAV, the transferred reflectance uncertainty is about 0.05-0.1, depending on, how ideal the measurement conditions are. The design concept of FIGIFIGO has been proved to have a number of advantages, such as a well-adopted user-friendly interface, a high level of automation and excellent suitability for the field measurements. It is a perfect instrument for collection of reference data on a given target in natural (and well-recorded) conditions. In addition to the strong points of FIGIFIGO, the current study reveals several issues that need further attention, such as the field of view, illumination quality, polarisation calibration, Spectralon reflectance and polarisation properties in the 1000-2400 nm range.

17 CFR 242.100 - Preliminary note; definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... (CONTINUED) REGULATIONS M, SHO, ATS, AC, AND NMS AND CUSTOMER MARGIN REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY FUTURES Regulation M § 242.100 Preliminary note; definitions. (a) Preliminary note: Any transaction or series of transactions, whether or not effected pursuant to the provisions of Regulation M (§§ 242.100-242.105 of this...

Methodology in Seeking Stakeholder Perceptions of Effective Technical Oral Presentations: An Exploratory Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharyya, Ena; Patil, Arun; Sargunan, Rajeswary Appacutty

2010-01-01

Engineering communication studies indicate the importance of oral presentations as an indispensable component of workplace oral communication activities; however, since there is limited literature regarding stakeholder perceptions of effective presentation skills and attributes in technical oral presentations or final year engineering project…

Applicability of "MEGA"[Eighth Note] to Sexually Abusive Youth with Low Intellectual Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miccio-Fonseca, L. C.; Rasmussen, Lucinda A.

2013-01-01

The study explored the predictive validity of "Multiplex Empirically Guided Inventory of Ecological Aggregates for Assessing Sexually Abusive Children and Adolescents (Ages 4 to 19)" ("MEGA"[eighth note]; Miccio-Fonseca, 2006b), a comprehensive developmentally sensitive risk assessment outcome tool. "MEGA"[eighth note] assesses risk for coarse…

TECHNICAL REPORTS DATABASE

EPA Science Inventory

The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC?) is the central facility for the collection and dissemination of scientific and technical information for the Department of Defense (DoD). Much of this information is made available by DTIC in the form of technical reports about com...

Technical note: Alternatives to reduce adipose tissue sampling bias.

PubMed

Cruz, G D; Wang, Y; Fadel, J G

2014-10-01

Understanding the mechanisms by which nutritional and pharmaceutical factors can manipulate adipose tissue growth and development in production animals has direct and indirect effects in the profitability of an enterprise. Adipocyte cellularity (number and size) is a key biological response that is commonly measured in animal science research. The variability and sampling of adipocyte cellularity within a muscle has been addressed in previous studies, but no attempt to critically investigate these issues has been proposed in the literature. The present study evaluated 2 sampling techniques (random and systematic) in an attempt to minimize sampling bias and to determine the minimum number of samples from 1 to 15 needed to represent the overall adipose tissue in the muscle. Both sampling procedures were applied on adipose tissue samples dissected from 30 longissimus muscles from cattle finished either on grass or grain. Briefly, adipose tissue samples were fixed with osmium tetroxide, and size and number of adipocytes were determined by a Coulter Counter. These results were then fit in a finite mixture model to obtain distribution parameters of each sample. To evaluate the benefits of increasing number of samples and the advantage of the new sampling technique, the concept of acceptance ratio was used; simply stated, the higher the acceptance ratio, the better the representation of the overall population. As expected, a great improvement on the estimation of the overall adipocyte cellularity parameters was observed using both sampling techniques when sample size number increased from 1 to 15 samples, considering both techniques' acceptance ratio increased from approximately 3 to 25%. When comparing sampling techniques, the systematic procedure slightly improved parameters estimation. The results suggest that more detailed research using other sampling techniques may provide better estimates for minimum sampling.

Technical Note: On the use of nudging for aerosol–climate model intercomparison studies

DOE PAGES

Zhang, K.; Wan, H.; Liu, X.; ...

2014-08-26

Nudging as an assimilation technique has seen increased use in recent years in the development and evaluation of climate models. Constraining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the sensitivity ofmore » simulated ice formation to anthropogenic aerosol concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on long-wave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations, and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. Results from both CAM5 and a second aerosol–climate model ECHAM6-HAM2 also indicate that compared to the wind-and-temperature nudging, constraining only winds leads to better agreement with the free-running model in terms of the estimated shortwave cloud forcing and the simulated convective activities. This suggests nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy for the investigation of aerosol indirect effects since it provides well-constrained meteorology without strongly perturbing the model's mean climate.« less

Technical Note: On the use of nudging for aerosol-climate model intercomparison studies

DOE PAGES

Zhang, K.; Wan, H.; Liu, X.; ...

2014-04-24

Nudging is an assimilation technique widely used in the development and evaluation of climate models. Constraining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5, due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the sensitivity of simulated ice formation to anthropogenic aerosolmore » concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on longwave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. This suggests nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy for the investigation of aerosol indirect effects through ice clouds, since it provides well-constrained meteorology without strongly perturbing the model's mean climate.« less

Technical Note: On the use of nudging for aerosol-climate model intercomparison studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, K.; Wan, H.; Liu, X.; Ghan, S. J.; Kooperman, G. J.; Ma, P.-L.; Rasch, P. J.

2014-04-01

Nudging is an assimilation technique widely used in the development and evaluation of climate models. Constraining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5, due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the sensitivity of simulated ice formation to anthropogenic aerosol concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on longwave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. This suggests nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy for the investigation of aerosol indirect effects through ice clouds, since it provides well-constrained meteorology without strongly perturbing the model's mean climate.