Teaching and Learning with Flexible Hypermedia Learning Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wedekind, Joachim; Lechner, Martin; Tergan, Sigmar-Olaf

This paper presents an approach for developing flexible Hypermedia Learning Environments (HMLE) and applies this theoretical framework to the creation of a layered model of a hypermedia system, called HyperDisc, developed at the German Institute for Research on Distance Education. The first section introduces HMLE and suggests that existing…

A Place We Call "Home"--International Students in Virtual Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Zheng

2012-01-01

This paper examines how Chinese international students from a public land-grant university used online community to construct their cultural and ethnic identities. The author delves into the question of how online community enables these students to gain successful cultural assimilation. Extending on Baym's (2000) theoretical framework of online…

Connecting Worlds: Interculturality, Identity and Multilingual Digital Stories in the Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Jim; Macleroy, Vicky

2017-01-01

Based on findings from a 5-year research project called "Critical Connections", this article sets out an integrated framework for language learning in the context of multilingual digital storytelling. Following an explanation of the theoretical approach, four vignettes are presented which illustrate the principles in practice.…

Engaging Indigenous Urban Youth in Environmental Learning: The Importance of Place Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swayze, Natalie

2009-01-01

This paper describes the evolution of an environmental learning program for Indigenous, urban youth called Bridging the Gap. A critical pedagogy of place provides a theoretical framework to engage in practitioner-reflection, exploring the decisions made while revising the original program to make it both culturally and ecologically relevant. Using…

Erotic Education: Elaborating a Feminist and Faith-Based Pedagogy for Experiential Learning in Religious Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carbine, Rosemary P.

2010-01-01

This essay explores intersections among Jesuit, Quaker, and feminist theologies and pedagogies of social justice education in order to propose and elaborate an innovative theoretical and theological framework for experiential learning in religious studies that prioritizes relationality, called erotic education. This essay then applies the…

Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Couple Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forman, Bruce D.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a method of understanding the organization of subjective human experience. The NLP model provides a theoretical framework for directing or guiding therapeutic change. According to NLP, people experience the so-called real world indirectly and operate on the real world as if it were like the model of it they…

Latin American Investigative Journalism Education: Learning Practices, Learning Gaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz Weiss, Amy; de Macedo Higgins Joyce, Vanessa; Saldaña, Magdalena; Alves, Rosental Calmon

2017-01-01

This study seeks to examine the state of investigative journalism practices used in higher education in Latin America. Using a meta-theoretical framework called the Community of Practice (CoP), this study seeks to identify whether a particular learning practice exists in this region. Based on an online survey conducted on Latin American educators…

The End of School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berube, Maurice R.; Berube, Clair T.

2006-01-01

Education as a major social movement is coming to an end. This book derives its theoretical framework from the ideas of Hegel, who perceived an end to history, and Thomas Kuhn, who theorized that history does not follow a linear path but that the scientific landscape changes through large-scale movements called "paradigm shifts". This book…

Preservice Teachers' Views on the Global Dimensions of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oikonomidoy, Eleni

2008-01-01

The impact of globalization on many aspects of current social life has not left the field of multicultural education unaffected. Yet the theoretical call for the creation of global multicultural frameworks has not translated into teacher education practice. In one multicultural education class, I attempted to explicitly infuse global insights and…

Equity and Music Education: Euphemisms, Terminal Naivety, and Whiteness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Juliet

2017-01-01

In this paper, I advocate for the use of explicit language for discussions of race and call for music education to move out of terminal naivety (Vaugeois 2013) toward a heightened consciousness of political issues and racial oppressions. Employing critical race theory (CRT) as a theoretical framework, this paper examines race-related silences and…

Implementing Marzano's Model: The Reality of Educational Leadership and School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keaveny, Stacy M.

2013-01-01

Federal and state guidelines for school reform dominate the landscape of public education. Florida and its school districts, as a Race to the Top state, are in the process of fully implementing a value-added model of teacher evaluation. Effective school leaders are calling upon the theoretical framework of transformational, visionary and…

Mentoring for New-Hire Success in Any Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runyan, Charles K.

2013-01-01

The paper focuses on the need for trained mentors in developing new hires in any profession and outlines a developmental theoretical framework as a basis for mentor training. To illustrate the success of trained developmental mentoring, a unique mentoring program called the Kansas Early Career/Mentor Teacher Academy is reviewed. The paper shares…

Single atom emission in an optical resonator

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

Childs, J.J.; An, K.; Dasari, R.R.

A single atom coupled to a single mode of a radiation field is a fundamental system for studying the interaction of radiation with matter. The study of such systems has come to be called cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED). Atoms coupled to a single mode of a resonator have been studied experimentally and theoretically in several interesting regimes since this basic system was first considered theoretically by Janes and Cummings. The objective of the present chapter is to provide a theoretical framework and present a unifying picture of the various phenomena which can occur in such a system. 35 refs., 11more » figs.« less

Non-extensitivity vs. informative moments for financial models —A unifying framework and empirical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, K.

2009-11-01

Information-theoretic approaches still play a minor role in financial market analysis. Nonetheless, there have been two very similar approaches evolving during the last years, one in the so-called econophysics and the other in econometrics. Both generalize the notion of GARCH processes in an information-theoretic sense and are able to capture kurtosis better than traditional models. In this article we present both approaches in a more general framework. The latter allows the derivation of a wide range of new models. We choose a third model using an entropy measure suggested by Kapur. In an application to financial market data, we find that all considered models - with similar flexibility in terms of skewness and kurtosis - lead to very similar results.

Difficult Collective Deliberations: Anthropological Notes toward a Theory of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varenne, Herve

2007-01-01

Background/Context: In the 1970s, Lawrence Cremin urged researchers to remember that education is more than schooling. Few heeded this call, perhaps because of the absence of the theoretical framework needed to make this more than a platitude. As a cultural anthropologist, I argue that education is a fundamental human activity that is infinitely…

A Note on the Treatment of Uncertainty in Economics and Finance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carilli, Anthony M.; Dempster, Gregory M.

2003-01-01

The treatment of uncertainty in the business classroom has been dominated by the application of risk theory to the utility-maximization framework. Nonetheless, the relevance of the standard risk model as a positive description of economic decision making often has been called into question in theoretical work. In this article, the authors offer an…

Potential Originality and Effectiveness: The Dynamic Definition of Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corazza, Giovanni Emanuele

2016-01-01

Given the central role of creativity in the future post-information society, a call for a pragmatist approach to the study of creativity is advocated, that brings as a consequence the recognition of the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. At the foundation of the proposed new theoretical framework lies the definition of creativity itself, which is…

The Mediating Role of Responsive Digital Materials: A Conceptual Investigation and Analytic Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiltse, Heather

2013-01-01

Digital technologies have become thoroughly enmeshed in everyday life, forming a backdrop of experience. We live not only with these technologies but also through them as they mediate our engagement with the world. This mediation calls for closer attention with respect to practical design concerns as well as more theoretical and philosophical…

Klein-Weyl's program and the ontology of gauge and quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catren, Gabriel

2018-02-01

We distinguish two orientations in Weyl's analysis of the fundamental role played by the notion of symmetry in physics, namely an orientation inspired by Klein's Erlangen program and a phenomenological-transcendental orientation. By privileging the former to the detriment of the latter, we sketch a group(oid)-theoretical program-that we call the Klein-Weyl program-for the interpretation of both gauge theories and quantum mechanics in a single conceptual framework. This program is based on Weyl's notion of a "structure-endowed entity" equipped with a "group of automorphisms". First, we analyze what Weyl calls the "problem of relativity" in the frameworks provided by special relativity, general relativity, and Yang-Mills theories. We argue that both general relativity and Yang-Mills theories can be understood in terms of a localization of Klein's Erlangen program: while the latter describes the group-theoretical automorphisms of a single structure (such as homogenous geometries), local gauge symmetries and the corresponding gauge fields (Ehresmann connections) can be naturally understood in terms of the groupoid-theoretical isomorphisms in a family of identical structures. Second, we argue that quantum mechanics can be understood in terms of a linearization of Klein's Erlangen program. This stance leads us to an interpretation of the fact that quantum numbers are "indices characterizing representations of groups" ((Weyl, 1931a), p.xxi) in terms of a correspondence between the ontological categories of identity and determinateness.

A Framework of Working Across Disciplines in Early Design and R&D of Large Complex Engineered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria Rivas; Papalambros, Panos Y.; Baker, Wayne E.

2015-01-01

This paper examines four primary methods of working across disciplines during R&D and early design of large-scale complex engineered systems such as aerospace systems. A conceptualized framework, called the Combining System Elements framework, is presented to delineate several aspects of cross-discipline and system integration practice. The framework is derived from a theoretical and empirical analysis of current work practices in actual operational settings and is informed by theories from organization science and engineering. The explanatory framework may be used by teams to clarify assumptions and associated work practices, which may reduce ambiguity in understanding diverse approaches to early systems research, development and design. The framework also highlights that very different engineering results may be obtained depending on work practices, even when the goals for the engineered system are the same.

Theoretical aspect of suitable spatial boundary condition specified for adjoint model on limited area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuan; Wu, Rongsheng

2001-12-01

Theoretical argumentation for so-called suitable spatial condition is conducted by the aid of homotopy framework to demonstrate that the proposed boundary condition does guarantee that the over-specification boundary condition resulting from an adjoint model on a limited-area is no longer an issue, and yet preserve its well-poseness and optimal character in the boundary setting. The ill-poseness of over-specified spatial boundary condition is in a sense, inevitable from an adjoint model since data assimilation processes have to adapt prescribed observations that used to be over-specified at the spatial boundaries of the modeling domain. In the view of pragmatic implement, the theoretical framework of our proposed condition for spatial boundaries indeed can be reduced to the hybrid formulation of nudging filter, radiation condition taking account of ambient forcing, together with Dirichlet kind of compatible boundary condition to the observations prescribed in data assimilation procedure. All of these treatments, no doubt, are very familiar to mesoscale modelers.

Replacing Old Spatial Empires of the Mind: Rethinking Space and Place through Network Spatiality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beech, Jason; Larsen, Marianne A.

2014-01-01

In this article we argue for the spatialization of research on educational transfer in the field of comparative education within a theoretical framework that focuses on networks, connections, and flows. We present what we call a "spatial empire of the mind," which is comprised of a set of taken-for-granted "truths" about space…

Quadratic Optimisation with One Quadratic Equality Constraint

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

This report presents a theoretical framework for minimising a quadratic objective function subject to a quadratic equality constraint. The first part of the report gives a detailed algorithm which computes the global minimiser without calling special nonlinear optimisation solvers. The second part of the report shows how the developed theory can be applied to solve the time of arrival geolocation problem.

The Gothic Folk Devils Strike Back! Theorizing Folk Devil Reaction in the Post-Columbine Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Richard

2010-01-01

Folk devils have to date been significantly overlooked in previous studies of moral panics. While several studies have called attention to this problematic (Thornton and McRobbie 1995, De Young 2004, Lumsden 2009), no specific theoretical framework has been proposed for reading this dimension of a moral panic. This paper argues that a moral panic…

Quantitative force measurements using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy—theoretical foundations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sader, John E.; Uchihashi, Takayuki; Higgins, Michael J.; Farrell, Alan; Nakayama, Yoshikazu; Jarvis, Suzanne P.

2005-03-01

Use of the atomic force microscope (AFM) in quantitative force measurements inherently requires a theoretical framework enabling conversion of the observed deflection properties of the cantilever to an interaction force. In this paper, the theoretical foundations of using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) in quantitative force measurements are examined and rigorously elucidated, with consideration being given to both 'conservative' and 'dissipative' interactions. This includes a detailed discussion of the underlying assumptions involved in such quantitative force measurements, the presentation of globally valid explicit formulae for evaluation of so-called 'conservative' and 'dissipative' forces, discussion of the origin of these forces, and analysis of the applicability of FM-AFM to quantitative force measurements in liquid.

Integrating Sustainable Development in Higher Education through Experience-Based Learning: Insights from Experts in Team (EiT) for Developing a Combined Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otte, Pia Piroschka

2016-01-01

Universities are understood to play an essential role in the promotion of sustainable development. However, the recognition of sustainable development in higher education poses multiple challenges to the traditional higher education system. This article introduces a course concept called "Experts in Teams" (EiT) as a new platform of…

Turning Teacher Education Upside Down: Enacting the Inversion of Teacher Preparation through the Symbiotic Relationship of Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelfuso, Andrea; Dennis, Danielle V.; Parker, Audra

2015-01-01

Recent calls for a shift to clinically-based models of teacher preparation prompt a research focus on the quality of classroom experiences in which pre-service teachers engage and the level to which theory and practice connect to inform those experiences. Developing a theoretical framework to conceptualize an approach to this work is an essential…

Why Is an Application of Multiple Intelligences Theory Important for Language Learning and Teaching Speaking Ability?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonma, Malai; Phaiboonnugulkij, Malinee

2014-01-01

This article calls for a strong need to propose the theoretical framework of the Multiple Intelligences theory (MI) and provide a suitable answer of the doubt in part of foreign language teaching. The article addresses the application of MI theory following various sources from Howard Gardner and the authors who revised this theory for use in the…

Charting the future course of rural health and remote health in Australia: Why we need theory.

PubMed

Bourke, Lisa; Humphreys, John S; Wakerman, John; Taylor, Judy

2010-04-01

This paper argues that rural and remote health is in need of theoretical development. Based on the authors' discussions, reflections and critical analyses of literature, this paper proposes key reasons why rural and remote health warrants the development of theoretical frameworks. The paper cites five reasons why theory is needed: (i) theory provides an approach for how a topic is studied; (ii) theory articulates key assumptions in knowledge development; (iii) theory systematises knowledge, enabling it to be transferable; (iv) theory provides predictability; and (v) theory enables comprehensive understanding. This paper concludes with a call for theoretical development in both rural and remote health to expand its knowledge and be more relevant to improving health care for rural Australians.

A Theoretical Framework for Calibration in Computer Models: Parametrization, Estimation and Convergence Properties

DOE PAGES

Tuo, Rui; Jeff Wu, C. F.

2016-07-19

Calibration parameters in deterministic computer experiments are those attributes that cannot be measured or available in physical experiments. Here, an approach to estimate them by using data from physical experiments and computer simulations. A theoretical framework is given which allows us to study the issues of parameter identifiability and estimation. We define the L 2-consistency for calibration as a justification for calibration methods. It is shown that a simplified version of the original KO method leads to asymptotically L 2-inconsistent calibration. This L 2-inconsistency can be remedied by modifying the original estimation procedure. A novel calibration method, called the Lmore » 2 calibration, is proposed and proven to be L 2-consistent and enjoys optimal convergence rate. Furthermore a numerical example and some mathematical analysis are used to illustrate the source of the L 2-inconsistency problem.« less

Reply to comment by Fred L. Ogden et al. on "Beyond the SCS-CN method: A theoretical framework for spatially lumped rainfall-runoff response"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, M. S.; Parolari, A. J.; McDonnell, J. J.; Porporato, A.

2017-07-01

Though Ogden et al. list several shortcomings of the original SCS-CN method, fit for purpose is a key consideration in hydrological modelling, as shown by the adoption of SCS-CN method in many design standards. The theoretical framework of Bartlett et al. [2016a] reveals a family of semidistributed models, of which the SCS-CN method is just one member. Other members include event-based versions of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model and TOPMODEL. This general model allows us to move beyond the limitations of the original SCS-CN method under different rainfall-runoff mechanisms and distributions for soil and rainfall variability. Future research should link this general model approach to different hydrogeographic settings, in line with the call for action proposed by Ogden et al.

Low Fertility, Socioeconomic Development, and Gender Equity1

PubMed Central

Anderson, Thomas; Kohler, Hans-Peter

2015-01-01

While new empirical findings and theoretical frameworks provide insight into the interrelations between socioeconomic development, gender equity, and low fertility, puzzling exceptions and outliers in these findings call for a more all-encompassing framework to understand the interplay between these processes. We argue that the pace and onset of development are two important factors to be considered when analyzing gender equity and fertility. Within the developed world, “first-wave developers”—or countries that began socioeconomic development in the 19th/early 20th century – currently have much higher fertility levels than “late developers”. We lay out a novel theoretical approach to explain why this is the case and provide empirical evidence to support our argument. Our approach not only explains historical periods of low fertility but also sheds light on why there exists such large variance in fertility rates among today’s developed countries. PMID:26526031

A new framework for comprehensive, robust, and efficient global sensitivity analysis: 2. Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, Saman; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2016-01-01

Based on the theoretical framework for sensitivity analysis called "Variogram Analysis of Response Surfaces" (VARS), developed in the companion paper, we develop and implement a practical "star-based" sampling strategy (called STAR-VARS), for the application of VARS to real-world problems. We also develop a bootstrap approach to provide confidence level estimates for the VARS sensitivity metrics and to evaluate the reliability of inferred factor rankings. The effectiveness, efficiency, and robustness of STAR-VARS are demonstrated via two real-data hydrological case studies (a 5-parameter conceptual rainfall-runoff model and a 45-parameter land surface scheme hydrology model), and a comparison with the "derivative-based" Morris and "variance-based" Sobol approaches are provided. Our results show that STAR-VARS provides reliable and stable assessments of "global" sensitivity across the full range of scales in the factor space, while being 1-2 orders of magnitude more efficient than the Morris or Sobol approaches.

Coarse-graining errors and numerical optimization using a relative entropy framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaimovich, Aviel; Shell, M. Scott

2011-03-01

The ability to generate accurate coarse-grained models from reference fully atomic (or otherwise "first-principles") ones has become an important component in modeling the behavior of complex molecular systems with large length and time scales. We recently proposed a novel coarse-graining approach based upon variational minimization of a configuration-space functional called the relative entropy, Srel, that measures the information lost upon coarse-graining. Here, we develop a broad theoretical framework for this methodology and numerical strategies for its use in practical coarse-graining settings. In particular, we show that the relative entropy offers tight control over the errors due to coarse-graining in arbitrary microscopic properties, and suggests a systematic approach to reducing them. We also describe fundamental connections between this optimization methodology and other coarse-graining strategies like inverse Monte Carlo, force matching, energy matching, and variational mean-field theory. We suggest several new numerical approaches to its minimization that provide new coarse-graining strategies. Finally, we demonstrate the application of these theoretical considerations and algorithms to a simple, instructive system and characterize convergence and errors within the relative entropy framework.

Theoretical Foundation of Copernicus: A Unified System for Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ocampo, Cesar; Senent, Juan S.; Williams, Jacob

2010-01-01

The fundamental methods are described for the general spacecraft trajectory design and optimization software system called Copernicus. The methods rely on a unified framework that is used to model, design, and optimize spacecraft trajectories that may operate in complex gravitational force fields, use multiple propulsion systems, and involve multiple spacecraft. The trajectory model, with its associated equations of motion and maneuver models, are discussed.

Theoretical models of parental HIV disclosure: a critical review.

PubMed

Qiao, Shan; Li, Xiaoming; Stanton, Bonita

2013-01-01

This study critically examined three major theoretical models related to parental HIV disclosure (i.e., the Four-Phase Model [FPM], the Disclosure Decision Making Model [DDMM], and the Disclosure Process Model [DPM]), and the existing studies that could provide empirical support to these models or their components. For each model, we briefly reviewed its theoretical background, described its components and/or mechanisms, and discussed its strengths and limitations. The existing empirical studies supported most theoretical components in these models. However, hypotheses related to the mechanisms proposed in the models have not yet tested due to a lack of empirical evidence. This study also synthesized alternative theoretical perspectives and new issues in disclosure research and clinical practice that may challenge the existing models. The current study underscores the importance of including components related to social and cultural contexts in theoretical frameworks, and calls for more adequately designed empirical studies in order to test and refine existing theories and to develop new ones.

The 'whole-animal approach' as a heuristic principle in neuroscience research.

PubMed

Serani-Merlo, Alejandro; Paz, Rodrigo; Castillo, Andrés

2005-01-01

Neuroscience embraces a heterogeneous group of disciplines. A conceptual framework that allows a better articulation of these different theoretical and experimental perspectives is needed. A 'whole-animal approach is proposed as a theoretical and hermeneutic tool. To illustrate the potential of this point of view, an overview of the research that has been performed in the extinction of fear-conditioned responses from Pavlov to the present is discussed. This is an example of how a whole-animal-based approach may help to organize and integrate basic and clinical neuroscience research. Our proposal is in agreement with recent statements calling for more integrative approaches in biological and neuropsychiatric research.

Very Long (> 48 hours) Shifts and Cardiovascular Strain in Firefighters: a Theoretical Framework

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Shift work and overtime have been implicated as important work-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many firefighters who contractually work on a 24-hr work schedule, often do overtime (additional 24-hr shifts) which can result in working multiple, consecutive 24-hr shifts. Very little research has been conducted on firefighters at work that examines the impact of performing consecutive 24-hr shifts on cardiovascular physiology. Also, there have been no standard field methods for assessing in firefighters the cardiovascular changes that result from 24-hr shifts, what we call “cardiovascular strain”. The objective of this study, as the first step toward elucidating the role of very long (> 48 hrs) shifts in the development of CVD in firefighters, is to develop and describe a theoretical framework for studying cardiovascular strain in firefighters on very long shifts (i.e., > 2 consecutive 24-hr shifts). The developed theoretical framework was built on an extensive literature review, our recently completed studies with firefighters in Southern California, e-mail and discussions with several firefighters on their experiences of consecutive shifts, and our recently conducted feasibility study in a small group of firefighters of several ambulatory cardiovascular strain biomarkers (heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and salivary C-reactive protein). The theoretical framework developed in this study will facilitate future field studies on consecutive 24-hr shifts and cardiovascular health in firefighters. Also it will increase our understanding of the mechanisms by which shift work or long work hours can affect CVD, particularly through CVD biological risk factors, and thereby inform policy about sustainable work and rest schedules for firefighters. PMID:24602344

Very Long (> 48 hours) Shifts and Cardiovascular Strain in Firefighters: a Theoretical Framework.

PubMed

Choi, Bongkyoo; Schnall, Peter L; Dobson, Marnie; Garcia-Rivas, Javier; Kim, Hyoungryoul; Zaldivar, Frank; Israel, Leslie; Baker, Dean

2014-03-06

Shift work and overtime have been implicated as important work-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many firefighters who contractually work on a 24-hr work schedule, often do overtime (additional 24-hr shifts) which can result in working multiple, consecutive 24-hr shifts. Very little research has been conducted on firefighters at work that examines the impact of performing consecutive 24-hr shifts on cardiovascular physiology. Also, there have been no standard field methods for assessing in firefighters the cardiovascular changes that result from 24-hr shifts, what we call "cardiovascular strain". The objective of this study, as the first step toward elucidating the role of very long (> 48 hrs) shifts in the development of CVD in firefighters, is to develop and describe a theoretical framework for studying cardiovascular strain in firefighters on very long shifts (i.e., > 2 consecutive 24-hr shifts). The developed theoretical framework was built on an extensive literature review, our recently completed studies with firefighters in Southern California, e-mail and discussions with several firefighters on their experiences of consecutive shifts, and our recently conducted feasibility study in a small group of firefighters of several ambulatory cardiovascular strain biomarkers (heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and salivary C-reactive protein). The theoretical framework developed in this study will facilitate future field studies on consecutive 24-hr shifts and cardiovascular health in firefighters. Also it will increase our understanding of the mechanisms by which shift work or long work hours can affect CVD, particularly through CVD biological risk factors, and thereby inform policy about sustainable work and rest schedules for firefighters.

Cancer surviving patients' rehabilitation – understanding failure through application of theoretical perspectives from Habermas

PubMed Central

Mikkelsen, Thorbjørn H; Soendergaard, Jens; Jensen, Anders B; Olesen, Frede

2008-01-01

This study aims to analyze whether the rehabilitation of cancer surviving patients (CSPs) can be better organized. The data for this paper consists of focus group interviews (FGIs) with CSPs, general practitioners (GPs) and hospital physicians. The analysis draws on the theoretical framework of Jürgen Habermas, utilizing his notions of 'the system and the life world' and 'communicative and strategic action'. In Habermas' terminology, the social security system and the healthcare system are subsystems that belong to what he calls the 'system', where actions are based on strategic actions activated by the means of media such as money and power which provide the basis for other actors' actions. The social life, on the other hand, in Habermas' terminology, belongs to what he calls the 'life world', where communicative action is based on consensual coordination among individuals. Our material suggests that, within the hospital world, the strategic actions related to diagnosis, treatment and cure in the biomedical discourse dominate. They function as inclusion/exclusion criteria for further treatment. However, the GPs appear to accept the CSPs' previous cancer diagnosis as a precondition sufficient for providing assistance. Although the GPs use the biomedical discourse and often give biomedical examples to exemplify rehabilitation needs, they find psychosocial aspects, so-called lifeworld aspects, to be an important component of their job when helping CSPs. In this way, they appear more open to communicative action in relation to the CSPs' lifeworld than do the hospital physicians. Our data also suggests that the CSPs' lifeworld can be partly colonized by the system during hospitalization, making it difficult for CSPs when they are discharged at the end of treatment. This situation seems to be crucial to our understanding of why CSPs often feel left in limbo after discharge. We conclude that the distinction between the system and the lifeworld and the implications of a possible colonization during hospitalization offers an important theoretical framework for determining and addressing different types of rehabilitation needs. PMID:18538001

Testing Relativity with Electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Quentin; Kostelecky, Alan

2004-04-01

Lorentz and CPT violation is a promising candidate signal for Planck-scale physics. Low-energy effects of Lorentz and CPT violation are described by the general theoretical framework called the Standard-Model Extension (SME). This talk focuses on Lorentz-violating effects arising in the classical electrodynamics limit of the SME. Analysis of the theory shows that suitable experiments could improve by several orders of magnitude certain sensitivities achieved in modern Michelson-Morley and Kennedy-Thorndike tests.

Tests of Lorentz Symmetry with Electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Quentin; Kostelecky, Alan

2004-05-01

Lorentz and CPT violation is a promising candidate signal for Planck-scale physics. Low-energy effects of Lorentz and CPT violation are described by the general theoretical framework called the Standard-Model Extension (SME). This talk focuses on Lorentz-violating effects arising in the limit of classical electrodynamics. Analysis of the theory shows that suitable experiments could improve by several orders of magnitude on the sensitivities achieved in modern Michelson-Morley and Kennedy-Thorndike tests.

Integrated Reconfigurable Intelligent Systems (IRIS) for Complex Naval Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-31

written. The new implementation supports the XML dialect called dashML. The plug-in is written in Java script using a flexible extension of the...human in the loop control was improved and documented, and the script for integration was developed; further study on theoretical framework for...reference damage controller was developed and tested; the model of human in the loop control was improved and documented, and the script for integrating

The family medicine curriculum resource project structural framework.

PubMed

Stearns, Jeffrey A; Stearns, Marjorie A; Davis, Ardis K; Chessman, Alexander W

2007-01-01

In the original contract for the Family Medicine Curricular Resource Project (FMCRP), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Division of Medicine and Dentistry, charged the FMCRP executive committee with reviewing recent medical education reform proposals and relevant recent curricula to develop an analytical framework for the project. The FMCRP executive and advisory committees engaged in a review and analysis of a variety of curricular reform proposals generated during the last decade of the 20th century. At the same time, in a separate and parallel process, representative individuals from all the family medicine organizations, all levels of learners, internal medicine and pediatric faculty, and the national associations of medical and osteopathic colleges (Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) were involved in group discussions to identify educational needs for physicians practicing in the 21st century. After deliberation, a theoretical framework was chosen for this undergraduate medical education resource that mirrors the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies, a conceptual design originated for graduate medical education. In addition to reflecting the current environment calling for change and greater accountability in medical education, use of the ACGME competencies as the theoretical framework for the FMCR provides a continuum of focus between the two major segments of physician education: medical school and residency.

A self-organizing learning account of number-form synaesthesia.

PubMed

Makioka, Shogo

2009-09-01

Some people automatically and involuntarily "see" mental images of numbers in spatial arrays when they think of numbers. This phenomenon, called number forms, shares three key characteristics with the other types of synaesthesia, within-individual consistency, between-individual variety, and mixture of regularity and randomness. A theoretical framework called SOLA (self-organizing learning account of number forms) is proposed, which explains the generation process of number forms and the origin of those three characteristics. The simulations replicated the qualitative properties of the shapes of number forms, the property that numbers are aligned in order of size, that discontinuity usually occurs at the point of carry, and that continuous lines tend to have many bends.

The physician as a patient educator. From theory to practice.

PubMed Central

McCann, D. P.; Blossom, H. J.

1990-01-01

Patient nonadherence to therapeutic regimens is a serious issue in the practice of medicine. Empiric studies done by professionals from diverse backgrounds have shown that physicians who use educational strategies can be effective in gaining the cooperation of patients to follow their recommendations. The educational model that currently is most familiar to physicians and the one they use most frequently when educating patients is pedagogy, the theoretic basis for teaching children. Andragogy, a theoretic basis for teaching adults, is now being suggested by medical educators as an alternative model. To illustrate the clinical relevance and application of the andragogic approach, studies focusing on physician behaviors associated with behavioral measures of adherence were reviewed, analyzed, and categorized according to a framework called the "ADULT" model. Physicians in a postgraduate training program who have had exposure to this framework and have incorporated it into their practices report less difficulty functioning as patient educators. The systematic use of this approach can have a positive effect on patient adherence. PMID:2202158

Developing a Theoretical Framework Using a Nursing Perspective to Investigate Perceived Health in the "Sandwich Generation" Group.

PubMed

Oulevey Bachmann, Annie; Danuser, Brigitta; Morin, Diane

2015-10-01

Coexisting workloads from professional, household and family, and caregiving activities for frail parents expose middle-aged individuals, the so-called "Sandwich Generation", to potential health risks. Current trends suggest that this situation will continue or increase. Thus SG health promotion has become a nursing concern. Most existing research considers coexisting workloads a priori pathogenic. Most studies have examined the association of one, versus two, of these three activities with health. Few studies have used a nursing perspective. This article presents the development of a framework based on a nursing model. We integrated Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance middle-range theory into "Neuman Systems Model". The latter was chosen for its salutogenic orientation, its attention to preventive nursing interventions and the opportunity it provides to simultaneously consider positive and negative perceptions of SG health and SG coexisting workloads. Finally, it facilitated a theoretical identification of health protective factors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Environmental statistics and optimal regulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivak, David; Thomson, Matt

2015-03-01

The precision with which an organism can detect its environment, and the timescale for and statistics of environmental change, will affect the suitability of different strategies for regulating protein levels in response to environmental inputs. We propose a general framework--here applied to the enzymatic regulation of metabolism in response to changing nutrient concentrations--to predict the optimal regulatory strategy given the statistics of fluctuations in the environment and measurement apparatus, and the costs associated with enzyme production. We find: (i) relative convexity of enzyme expression cost and benefit influences the fitness of thresholding or graded responses; (ii) intermediate levels of measurement uncertainty call for a sophisticated Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) in dynamic contexts, intermediate levels of uncertainty call for retaining memory of the past. Statistical properties of the environment, such as variability and correlation times, set optimal biochemical parameters, such as thresholds and decay rates in signaling pathways. Our framework provides a theoretical basis for interpreting molecular signal processing algorithms and a classification scheme that organizes known regulatory strategies and may help conceptualize heretofore unknown ones.

Dual algebraic formulation of differential GPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lannes, A.; Dur, S.

2003-05-01

A new approach to differential GPS is presented. The corresponding theoretical framework calls on elementary concepts of algebraic graph theory. The notion of double difference, which is related to that of closure in the sense of Kirchhoff, is revisited in this context. The Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse of the closure operator plays a key role in the corresponding dual formulation. This approach, which is very attractive from a conceptual point of view, sheds a new light on the Teunissen formulation.

Developing a theoretical framework for complex community-based interventions.

PubMed

Angeles, Ricardo N; Dolovich, Lisa; Kaczorowski, Janusz; Thabane, Lehana

2014-01-01

Applying existing theories to research, in the form of a theoretical framework, is necessary to advance knowledge from what is already known toward the next steps to be taken. This article proposes a guide on how to develop a theoretical framework for complex community-based interventions using the Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program as an example. Developing a theoretical framework starts with identifying the intervention's essential elements. Subsequent steps include the following: (a) identifying and defining the different variables (independent, dependent, mediating/intervening, moderating, and control); (b) postulating mechanisms how the independent variables will lead to the dependent variables; (c) identifying existing theoretical models supporting the theoretical framework under development; (d) scripting the theoretical framework into a figure or sets of statements as a series of hypotheses, if/then logic statements, or a visual model; (e) content and face validation of the theoretical framework; and (f) revising the theoretical framework. In our example, we combined the "diffusion of innovation theory" and the "health belief model" to develop our framework. Using the Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program as the model, we demonstrated a stepwise process of developing a theoretical framework. The challenges encountered are described, and an overview of the strategies employed to overcome these challenges is presented.

Coarse-graining errors and numerical optimization using a relative entropy framework.

PubMed

Chaimovich, Aviel; Shell, M Scott

2011-03-07

The ability to generate accurate coarse-grained models from reference fully atomic (or otherwise "first-principles") ones has become an important component in modeling the behavior of complex molecular systems with large length and time scales. We recently proposed a novel coarse-graining approach based upon variational minimization of a configuration-space functional called the relative entropy, S(rel), that measures the information lost upon coarse-graining. Here, we develop a broad theoretical framework for this methodology and numerical strategies for its use in practical coarse-graining settings. In particular, we show that the relative entropy offers tight control over the errors due to coarse-graining in arbitrary microscopic properties, and suggests a systematic approach to reducing them. We also describe fundamental connections between this optimization methodology and other coarse-graining strategies like inverse Monte Carlo, force matching, energy matching, and variational mean-field theory. We suggest several new numerical approaches to its minimization that provide new coarse-graining strategies. Finally, we demonstrate the application of these theoretical considerations and algorithms to a simple, instructive system and characterize convergence and errors within the relative entropy framework. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Turnover intentions in a call center: The role of emotional dissonance, job resources, and job satisfaction.

PubMed

Zito, Margherita; Emanuel, Federica; Molino, Monica; Cortese, Claudio Giovanni; Ghislieri, Chiara; Colombo, Lara

2018-01-01

Turnover intentions refer to employees' intent to leave the organization and, within call centers, it can be influenced by factors such as relational variables or the perception of the quality of working life, which can be affected by emotional dissonance. This specific job demand to express emotions not felt is peculiar in call centers, and can influence job satisfaction and turnover intentions, a crucial problem among these working contexts. This study aims to detect, within the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Resources Model, the role of emotional dissonance (job demand), and two resources, job autonomy and supervisors' support, in the perception of job satisfaction and turnover intentions among an Italian call center. The study involved 318 call center agents of an Italian Telecommunication Company. Data analysis first performed descriptive statistics through SPSS 22. A path analysis was then performed through LISREL 8.72 and tested both direct and indirect effects. Results suggest the role of resources in fostering job satisfaction and in decreasing turnover intentions. Emotional dissonance reveals a negative relation with job satisfaction and a positive relation with turnover. Moreover, job satisfaction is negatively related with turnover and mediates the relationship between job resources and turnover. This study contributes to extend the knowledge about the variables influencing turnover intentions, a crucial problem among call centers. Moreover, the study identifies theoretical considerations and practical implications to promote well-being among call center employees. To foster job satisfaction and reduce turnover intentions, in fact, it is important to make resources available, but also to offer specific training programs to make employees and supervisors aware about the consequences of emotional dissonance.

Turnover intentions in a call center: The role of emotional dissonance, job resources, and job satisfaction

PubMed Central

Zito, Margherita; Molino, Monica; Cortese, Claudio Giovanni; Ghislieri, Chiara; Colombo, Lara

2018-01-01

Background Turnover intentions refer to employees’ intent to leave the organization and, within call centers, it can be influenced by factors such as relational variables or the perception of the quality of working life, which can be affected by emotional dissonance. This specific job demand to express emotions not felt is peculiar in call centers, and can influence job satisfaction and turnover intentions, a crucial problem among these working contexts. This study aims to detect, within the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Resources Model, the role of emotional dissonance (job demand), and two resources, job autonomy and supervisors’ support, in the perception of job satisfaction and turnover intentions among an Italian call center. Method The study involved 318 call center agents of an Italian Telecommunication Company. Data analysis first performed descriptive statistics through SPSS 22. A path analysis was then performed through LISREL 8.72 and tested both direct and indirect effects. Results Results suggest the role of resources in fostering job satisfaction and in decreasing turnover intentions. Emotional dissonance reveals a negative relation with job satisfaction and a positive relation with turnover. Moreover, job satisfaction is negatively related with turnover and mediates the relationship between job resources and turnover. Conclusion This study contributes to extend the knowledge about the variables influencing turnover intentions, a crucial problem among call centers. Moreover, the study identifies theoretical considerations and practical implications to promote well-being among call center employees. To foster job satisfaction and reduce turnover intentions, in fact, it is important to make resources available, but also to offer specific training programs to make employees and supervisors aware about the consequences of emotional dissonance. PMID:29401507

Landscape and Health: Connecting Psychology, Aesthetics, and Philosophy through the Concept of Affordance.

PubMed

Menatti, Laura; Casado da Rocha, Antonio

2016-01-01

In this paper we address a frontier topic in the humanities, namely how the cultural and natural construction that we call landscape affects well-being and health. Following an updated review of evidence-based literature in the fields of medicine, psychology, and architecture, we propose a new theoretical framework called "processual landscape," which is able to explain both the health-landscape and the medical agency-structure binomial pairs. We provide a twofold analysis of landscape, from both the cultural and naturalist points of view: in order to take into account its relationship with health, the definition of landscape as a cultural product needs to be broadened through naturalization, grounding it in the scientific domain. Landscape cannot be distinguished from the ecological environment. For this reason, we naturalize the idea of landscape through the notion of affordance and Gibson's ecological psychology. In doing so, we stress the role of agency in the theory of perception and the health-landscape relationship. Since it is the result of continuous and co-creational interaction between the cultural agent, the biological agent and the affordances offered to the landscape perceiver, the processual landscape is, in our opinion, the most comprehensive framework for explaining the health-landscape relationship. The consequences of our framework are not only theoretical, but ethical also: insofar as health is greatly affected by landscape, this construction represents something more than just part of our heritage or a place to be preserved for the aesthetic pleasure it provides. Rather, we can talk about the right to landscape as something intrinsically linked to the well-being of present and future generations.

Landscape and Health: Connecting Psychology, Aesthetics, and Philosophy through the Concept of Affordance

PubMed Central

Menatti, Laura; Casado da Rocha, Antonio

2016-01-01

In this paper we address a frontier topic in the humanities, namely how the cultural and natural construction that we call landscape affects well-being and health. Following an updated review of evidence-based literature in the fields of medicine, psychology, and architecture, we propose a new theoretical framework called “processual landscape,” which is able to explain both the health-landscape and the medical agency-structure binomial pairs. We provide a twofold analysis of landscape, from both the cultural and naturalist points of view: in order to take into account its relationship with health, the definition of landscape as a cultural product needs to be broadened through naturalization, grounding it in the scientific domain. Landscape cannot be distinguished from the ecological environment. For this reason, we naturalize the idea of landscape through the notion of affordance and Gibson’s ecological psychology. In doing so, we stress the role of agency in the theory of perception and the health-landscape relationship. Since it is the result of continuous and co-creational interaction between the cultural agent, the biological agent and the affordances offered to the landscape perceiver, the processual landscape is, in our opinion, the most comprehensive framework for explaining the health-landscape relationship. The consequences of our framework are not only theoretical, but ethical also: insofar as health is greatly affected by landscape, this construction represents something more than just part of our heritage or a place to be preserved for the aesthetic pleasure it provides. Rather, we can talk about the right to landscape as something intrinsically linked to the well-being of present and future generations. PMID:27199808

Meaningful participation of minors with HIV/AIDS in decisions regarding medical treatment. Balancing the rights of children, parents, and state.

PubMed

Walker, Nancy E

2002-01-01

The ability to define clinical classifications and articulate theoretical frameworks must be balanced with deep respect for and awareness of the impact of HIV on clients' lives. Working with these youngsters and their families calls us to dare to be in touch with their very spirits as well as with their clinical issues. So, what should we do for the children? At the risk of oversimplifying, the best answer still is to walk with them.

Beyond the SCS-CN method: A theoretical framework for spatially lumped rainfall-runoff response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, M. S.; Parolari, A. J.; McDonnell, J. J.; Porporato, A.

2016-06-01

Since its introduction in 1954, the Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method has become the standard tool, in practice, for estimating an event-based rainfall-runoff response. However, because of its empirical origins, the SCS-CN method is restricted to certain geographic regions and land use types. Moreover, it does not describe the spatial variability of runoff. To move beyond these limitations, we present a new theoretical framework for spatially lumped, event-based rainfall-runoff modeling. In this framework, we describe the spatially lumped runoff model as a point description of runoff that is upscaled to a watershed area based on probability distributions that are representative of watershed heterogeneities. The framework accommodates different runoff concepts and distributions of heterogeneities, and in doing so, it provides an implicit spatial description of runoff variability. Heterogeneity in storage capacity and soil moisture are the basis for upscaling a point runoff response and linking ecohydrological processes to runoff modeling. For the framework, we consider two different runoff responses for fractions of the watershed area: "prethreshold" and "threshold-excess" runoff. These occur before and after infiltration exceeds a storage capacity threshold. Our application of the framework results in a new model (called SCS-CNx) that extends the SCS-CN method with the prethreshold and threshold-excess runoff mechanisms and an implicit spatial description of runoff. We show proof of concept in four forested watersheds and further that the resulting model may better represent geographic regions and site types that previously have been beyond the scope of the traditional SCS-CN method.

Thresholds of Principle and Preference: Exploring Procedural Variation in Postgraduate Surgical Education.

PubMed

Apramian, Tavis; Cristancho, Sayra; Watling, Chris; Ott, Michael; Lingard, Lorelei

2015-11-01

Expert physicians develop their own ways of doing things. The influence of such practice variation in clinical learning is insufficiently understood. Our grounded theory study explored how residents make sense of, and behave in relation to, the procedural variations of faculty surgeons. We sampled senior postgraduate surgical residents to construct a theoretical framework for how residents make sense of procedural variations. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we used marginal participant observation in the operating room across 56 surgical cases (146 hours), field interviews (38), and formal interviews (6) to develop a theoretical framework for residents' ways of dealing with procedural variations. Data analysis used constant comparison to iteratively refine the framework and data collection until theoretical saturation was reached. The core category of the constructed theory was called thresholds of principle and preference and it captured how faculty members position some procedural variations as negotiable and others not. The term thresholding was coined to describe residents' daily experiences of spotting, mapping, and negotiating their faculty members' thresholds and defending their own emerging thresholds. Thresholds of principle and preference play a key role in workplace-based medical education. Postgraduate medical learners are occupied on a day-to-day level with thresholding and attempting to make sense of the procedural variations of faculty. Workplace-based teaching and assessment should include an understanding of the integral role of thresholding in shaping learners' development. Future research should explore the nature and impact of thresholding in workplace-based learning beyond the surgical context.

Variogram Analysis of Response surfaces (VARS): A New Framework for Global Sensitivity Analysis of Earth and Environmental Systems Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, S.; Gupta, H. V.

2015-12-01

Earth and environmental systems models (EESMs) are continually growing in complexity and dimensionality with continuous advances in understanding and computing power. Complexity and dimensionality are manifested by introducing many different factors in EESMs (i.e., model parameters, forcings, boundary conditions, etc.) to be identified. Sensitivity Analysis (SA) provides an essential means for characterizing the role and importance of such factors in producing the model responses. However, conventional approaches to SA suffer from (1) an ambiguous characterization of sensitivity, and (2) poor computational efficiency, particularly as the problem dimension grows. Here, we present a new and general sensitivity analysis framework (called VARS), based on an analogy to 'variogram analysis', that provides an intuitive and comprehensive characterization of sensitivity across the full spectrum of scales in the factor space. We prove, theoretically, that Morris (derivative-based) and Sobol (variance-based) methods and their extensions are limiting cases of VARS, and that their SA indices can be computed as by-products of the VARS framework. We also present a practical strategy for the application of VARS to real-world problems, called STAR-VARS, including a new sampling strategy, called "star-based sampling". Our results across several case studies show the STAR-VARS approach to provide reliable and stable assessments of "global" sensitivity across the full range of scales in the factor space, while being at least 1-2 orders of magnitude more efficient than the benchmark Morris and Sobol approaches.

Capacity-Delay Trade-Off in Collaborative Hybrid Ad-Hoc Networks with Coverage Sensing.

PubMed

Chen, Lingyu; Luo, Wenbin; Liu, Chen; Hong, Xuemin; Shi, Jianghong

2017-01-26

The integration of ad hoc device-to-device (D2D) communications and open-access small cells can result in a networking paradigm called hybrid the ad hoc network, which is particularly promising in delivering delay-tolerant data. The capacity-delay performance of hybrid ad hoc networks has been studied extensively under a popular framework called scaling law analysis. These studies, however, do not take into account aspects of interference accumulation and queueing delay and, therefore, may lead to over-optimistic results. Moreover, focusing on the average measures, existing works fail to give finer-grained insights into the distribution of delays. This paper proposes an alternative analytical framework based on queueing theoretic models and physical interference models. We apply this framework to study the capacity-delay performance of a collaborative cellular D2D network with coverage sensing and two-hop relay. The new framework allows us to fully characterize the delay distribution in the transform domain and pinpoint the impacts of coverage sensing, user and base station densities, transmit power, user mobility and packet size on the capacity-delay trade-off. We show that under the condition of queueing equilibrium, the maximum throughput capacity per device saturates to an upper bound of 0.7239 λ b / λ u bits/s/Hz, where λ b and λ u are the densities of base stations and mobile users, respectively.

Capacity-Delay Trade-Off in Collaborative Hybrid Ad-Hoc Networks with Coverage Sensing

PubMed Central

Chen, Lingyu; Luo, Wenbin; Liu, Chen; Hong, Xuemin; Shi, Jianghong

2017-01-01

The integration of ad hoc device-to-device (D2D) communications and open-access small cells can result in a networking paradigm called hybrid the ad hoc network, which is particularly promising in delivering delay-tolerant data. The capacity-delay performance of hybrid ad hoc networks has been studied extensively under a popular framework called scaling law analysis. These studies, however, do not take into account aspects of interference accumulation and queueing delay and, therefore, may lead to over-optimistic results. Moreover, focusing on the average measures, existing works fail to give finer-grained insights into the distribution of delays. This paper proposes an alternative analytical framework based on queueing theoretic models and physical interference models. We apply this framework to study the capacity-delay performance of a collaborative cellular D2D network with coverage sensing and two-hop relay. The new framework allows us to fully characterize the delay distribution in the transform domain and pinpoint the impacts of coverage sensing, user and base station densities, transmit power, user mobility and packet size on the capacity-delay trade-off. We show that under the condition of queueing equilibrium, the maximum throughput capacity per device saturates to an upper bound of 0.7239 λb/λu bits/s/Hz, where λb and λu are the densities of base stations and mobile users, respectively. PMID:28134769

Theoretical foundations guiding culture change: The work of the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance

PubMed Central

Dupuis, Sherry; McAiney, Carrie A; Ploeg, Jenny; de Witt, Lorna

2016-01-01

Longstanding concerns about quality care provision, specifically in the area of long-term care, have prompted calls for changing the culture of care to reflect more client-driven and relationship-centred models. Despite an increase in culture change initiatives in both Canada and the United States, there is insufficient information about the theories and approaches that guide culture change. The purpose of this paper is to describe a culture change initiative currently underway in Canada, the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance, and the theoretical foundations informing our work. More specifically, we describe how the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias framework, the authentic partnership approach, participatory action research and Appreciative Inquiry have been integrated to guide a culture change process that encourages working collaboratively, thinking and doing differently and re-imagining new possibilities for changing the culture of dementia care. PMID:24419355

Theoretical foundations guiding culture change: The work of the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance.

PubMed

Dupuis, Sherry; McAiney, Carrie A; Fortune, Darla; Ploeg, Jenny; Witt, Lorna de

2016-01-01

Longstanding concerns about quality care provision, specifically in the area of long-term care, have prompted calls for changing the culture of care to reflect more client-driven and relationship-centred models. Despite an increase in culture change initiatives in both Canada and the United States, there is insufficient information about the theories and approaches that guide culture change. The purpose of this paper is to describe a culture change initiative currently underway in Canada, the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance, and the theoretical foundations informing our work. More specifically, we describe how the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias framework, the authentic partnership approach, participatory action research and Appreciative Inquiry have been integrated to guide a culture change process that encourages working collaboratively, thinking and doing differently and re-imagining new possibilities for changing the culture of dementia care. © The Author(s) 2014.

The need for international nursing diagnosis research and a theoretical framework.

PubMed

Lunney, Margaret

2008-01-01

To describe the need for nursing diagnosis research and a theoretical framework for such research. A linguistics theory served as the foundation for the theoretical framework. Reasons for additional nursing diagnosis research are: (a) file names are needed for implementation of electronic health records, (b) international consensus is needed for an international classification, and (c) continuous changes occur in clinical practice. A theoretical framework used by the author is explained. Theoretical frameworks provide support for nursing diagnosis research. Linguistics theory served as an appropriate exemplar theory to support nursing research. Additional nursing diagnosis studies based upon a theoretical framework are needed and linguistics theory can provide an appropriate structure for this research.

PGT: A Statistical Approach to Prediction and Mechanism Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolpert, David H.; Bono, James W.

One of the biggest challenges facing behavioral economics is the lack of a single theoretical framework that is capable of directly utilizing all types of behavioral data. One of the biggest challenges of game theory is the lack of a framework for making predictions and designing markets in a manner that is consistent with the axioms of decision theory. An approach in which solution concepts are distribution-valued rather than set-valued (i.e. equilibrium theory) has both capabilities. We call this approach Predictive Game Theory (or PGT). This paper outlines a general Bayesian approach to PGT. It also presents one simple example to illustrate the way in which this approach differs from equilibrium approaches in both prediction and mechanism design settings.

New statistical scission-point model to predict fission fragment observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaître, Jean-François; Panebianco, Stefano; Sida, Jean-Luc; Hilaire, Stéphane; Heinrich, Sophie

2015-09-01

The development of high performance computing facilities makes possible a massive production of nuclear data in a full microscopic framework. Taking advantage of the individual potential calculations of more than 7000 nuclei, a new statistical scission-point model, called SPY, has been developed. It gives access to the absolute available energy at the scission point, which allows the use of a parameter-free microcanonical statistical description to calculate the distributions and the mean values of all fission observables. SPY uses the richness of microscopy in a rather simple theoretical framework, without any parameter except the scission-point definition, to draw clear answers based on perfect knowledge of the ingredients involved in the model, with very limited computing cost.

Hip and pelvic fracture patients with fear of falling: development and description of the "Step by Step" treatment protocol.

PubMed

Kampe, Karin; Kohler, Michaela; Albrecht, Diana; Becker, Clemens; Hautzinger, Martin; Lindemann, Ulrich; Pfeiffer, Klaus

2017-05-01

Based on a theoretical framework and sound evidence, this article describes a rehabilitation programme for patients with fear of falling after hip and pelvic fracture. Based on exercise science principles, current knowledge from fall prevention, emotion regulation, and the Health Action Process Approach we developed a theoretical framework, from which the components of the intervention were derived. Description of the intervention: The intervention consists of 6 components: (1) relaxation, (2) meaningful activities and mobility-based goals, (3) falls related cognitions and emotions, coping with high risk tasks and situations, (4) individual exercise programme, (5) planning and implementing exercises and activities, and (6) fall risks and hazards. The intervention comprises of 8 individual sessions during 3 to 5 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation and 4 telephone calls and 1 home visit over a 2-month post-discharge period. Each session or telephone call takes about 30-60 minutes. It is provided to geriatric hip and pelvic fracture patients with concerns about falling and no cognitive impairment. To ensure completeness of reporting, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDierR) is used. Fifty-seven patients were assigned to the intervention group. All 46 completers met all pre-defined criteria for an intervention per protocol. The programme is feasible to administer. We have completed a randomised controlled trial, which will be submitted in due time (for trial protocol: www.isrctn.org ; ISRCTN79191813).

Peace Data Standard: A Practical and Theoretical Framework for Using Technology to Examine Intergroup Interactions

PubMed Central

Guadagno, Rosanna E.; Nelson, Mark; Lock Lee, Laurence

2018-01-01

The current paper presents a theoretical framework for standardizing Peace Data as a means of understanding the conditions under which people’s technology use results in positive engagement and peace. Thus, the main point of our paper is that Big Data can be conceptualized in terms of its value to peace. We define peace as a set of positive, prosocial behaviors that maximize mutually beneficial positive outcomes resulting from interactions with others. To accomplish this goal, we present hypothetical and real-world, data driven examples that illustrate our thinking in this domain and present guidelines for how to identify, collect, utilize, and evaluate Peace Data generated during mediated interactions and further suggest that Peace Data has four primary components: group identity information, behavior data, longitudinal data, and metadata. This paper concludes with a call for participation in a Peace Data association and suggested for guidelines for how scholars and practitioners can identify Peace Data in their own domains. Ethical considerations and suggestions for future research are also discussed. PMID:29892239

Participation without representation? Senior opinion, legislative behavior, and federal health reform.

PubMed

Bradley, Katharine W V; Chen, Jowei

2014-04-01

Why do legislators sometimes engage in behavior that deviates from the expressed policy preferences of constituents who participate in politics at high rates? We examine this puzzle in the context of Democratic legislators' representation of their senior citizen constituents on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). We find that legislators' roll-call votes on the ACA did not reflect the stated preferences of their respective senior constituents; by contrast, these roll-call votes did reflect the preferences of nonsenior adults. We draw upon a theoretical framework developed by Mansbridge to explain this apparent nonresponsiveness to seniors on the ACA. This framework distinguishes between promissory representation, whereby legislators merely respond to constituents' preferences, and anticipatory representation, whereby legislators respond to constituents' underlying policy interests, even when such interests conflict with expressed preferences. By considering the Medicare provisions in the ACA and analyzing Democratic legislators' floor speeches on health reform, we provide preliminary evidence that members of Congress engaged in anticipatory representation of their senior constituents by attempting to educate seniors about how the ACA serves their policy interests.

[Difficulties/suffering experienced by nurses : strategies for maintaining their mental health, the calling of the profession and their job performance].

PubMed

Boivin-Desrochers, Camille; Alderson, Marie

2014-10-01

The nursing profession is faced with an issue of growing concern, that of the mental health of its practitioners. The many difficulties that nurses experience in the workplace may prove to be detrimental to the maintenance of an optimal mental state. With respect to these difficulties, several strategies can be implemented and used by nurses and managers. The present literature review aims to identify the difficulties and suffering experienced by nurses and the strategies employed to ensure the preservation of mental health, as well as maintaining the calling of the profession and job performance. It also aims to provide nurses and managers of the health care system with ideas to promote optimal mental health for nurses. In this context, « psychodynamique du travail » was chosen as the framework to structure the analysis of the literature dealing with elements surrounding the suffering and difficulties experienced by nurses. The use of this theoretical framework deepens and supports the relationship between the suffering experienced at work and the mental health of nurses.

Ethics and Reverence for the Discipline of Nursing.

PubMed

Milton, Constance L

2017-01-01

Healthcare disciplines, including nursing, are emerging sciences that contain discipline-specific theories that guide the activities of research, practice, and education. The term nursing science calls forth meaning that has long been accepted and referred to as the extant nursing theories undergirded with philosophy of science. Recent writings dispute the purposes and future usage of nursing theoretical frameworks in the science of nursing. The author of this article proposes new thinking about the importance of reverence and ethical implications for the future of formal inquiry in nursing science.

Primary Care Practice Transformation Is Hard Work

PubMed Central

Crabtree, Benjamin F.; Nutting, Paul A.; Miller, William L.; McDaniel, Reuben R.; Stange, Kurt C.; Jaén, Carlos Roberto; Stewart, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Background Serious shortcomings remain in clinical care in the United States despite widespread use of improvement strategies for enhancing clinical performance based on knowledge transfer approaches. Recent calls to transform primary care practice to a patient-centered medical home present even greater challenges and require more effective approaches. Methods Our research team conducted a series of National Institutes of Health funded descriptive and intervention projects to understand organizational change in primary care practice settings, emphasizing a complexity science perspective. The result was a developmental research effort that enabled the identification of critical lessons relevant to enabling practice change. Results A summary of findings from a 15-year program of research highlights the limitations of viewing primary care practices in the mechanistic terms that underlie current or traditional approaches to quality improvement. A theoretical perspective that views primary care practices as dynamic complex adaptive systems with “agents” who have the capacity to learn, and the freedom to act in unpredictable ways provides a better framework for grounding quality improvement strategies. This framework strongly emphasizes that quality improvement interventions should not only use a complexity systems perspective, but also there is a need for continual reflection, careful tailoring of interventions, and ongoing attention to the quality of interactions among agents in the practice. Conclusions It is unlikely that current strategies for quality improvement will be successful in transforming current primary care practice to a patient-centered medical home without a stronger guiding theoretical foundation. Our work suggests that a theoretical framework guided by complexity science can help in the development of quality improvement strategies that will more effectively facilitate practice change. PMID:20856145

Thresholds of Principle and Preference: Exploring Procedural Variation in Postgraduate Surgical Education

PubMed Central

Apramian, Tavis; Cristancho, Sayra; Watling, Chris; Ott, Michael; Lingard, Lorelei

2017-01-01

Background Expert physicians develop their own ways of doing things. The influence of such practice variation in clinical learning is insufficiently understood. Our grounded theory study explored how residents make sense of, and behave in relation to, the procedural variations of faculty surgeons. Method We sampled senior postgraduate surgical residents to construct a theoretical framework for how residents make sense of procedural variations. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we used marginal participant observation in the operating room across 56 surgical cases (146 hours), field interviews (38), and formal interviews (6) to develop a theoretical framework for residents’ ways of dealing with procedural variations. Data analysis used constant comparison to iteratively refine the framework and data collection until theoretical saturation was reached. Results The core category of the constructed theory was called thresholds of principle and preference and it captured how faculty members position some procedural variations as negotiable and others not. The term thresholding was coined to describe residents’ daily experiences of spotting, mapping, and negotiating their faculty members’ thresholds and defending their own emerging thresholds. Conclusions Thresholds of principle and preference play a key role in workplace-based medical education. Postgraduate medical learners are occupied on a day-to-day level with thresholding and attempting to make sense of the procedural variations of faculty. Workplace-based teaching and assessment should include an understanding of the integral role of thresholding in shaping learners’ development. Future research should explore the nature and impact of thresholding in workplace-based learning beyond the surgical context. PMID:26505105

A Theoretical Framework for Examining Geographical Variability in the Microphysical Mechanisms of Precipitation Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

Energy and Natural Resources SWS Contract Report 391 FINAL REPORT A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING GEOGRAPHICAL VARIABILITY IN THE MICROPHYSICAL...U) A Theoretical Framework for Examining Geographical Variability in the Microphysical Mechanisms of Precipitation Development 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S...concentration. Oter key parameters include the degree of entrainment and stability of the environment. I 5 - T17 Unclassified ,.-. . A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR

Intergroup conflict: individual, group, and collective interests.

PubMed

Bornstein, Gary

2003-01-01

Intergroup conflicts generally involve conflicts of interests within the competing groups as well. This article outlines a taxonomy of games, called team games, which incorporates the intragroup and intergroup levels of conflict. Its aims are to provide a coherent framework for analyzing the prototypical problems of cooperation and competition that arise within and between groups, and to review an extensive research program that has used this framework to study individual and group behavior in the laboratory. Depending on the game's payoff structure, contradictions or conflicts are created among the rational choices at the individual, group, and collective levels-a generalization of the contradiction between individual and collective rationality occurring in the traditional mixed-motive games. These contradictions are studied so as to identify the theoretical and behavioral conditions that determine which level of rationality prevails.

Analysis of Implicit Uncertain Systems. Part 1: Theoretical Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-12-07

Analysis of Implicit Uncertain Systems Part I: Theoretical Framework Fernando Paganini * John Doyle 1 December 7, 1994 Abst rac t This paper...Analysis of Implicit Uncertain Systems Part I: Theoretical Framework 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S...model and a number of constraints relevant to the analysis problem under consideration. In Part I of this paper we propose a theoretical framework which

A Holistic Theoretical Approach to Intellectual Disability: Going Beyond the Four Current Perspectives.

PubMed

Schalock, Robert L; Luckasson, Ruth; Tassé, Marc J; Verdugo, Miguel Angel

2018-04-01

This article describes a holistic theoretical framework that can be used to explain intellectual disability (ID) and organize relevant information into a usable roadmap to guide understanding and application. Developing the framework involved analyzing the four current perspectives on ID and synthesizing this information into a holistic theoretical framework. Practices consistent with the framework are described, and examples are provided of how multiple stakeholders can apply the framework. The article concludes with a discussion of the advantages and implications of a holistic theoretical approach to ID.

Use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks in qualitative research.

PubMed

Green, Helen Elise

2014-07-01

To debate the definition and use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks in qualitative research. There is a paucity of literature to help the novice researcher to understand what theoretical and conceptual frameworks are and how they should be used. This paper acknowledges the interchangeable usage of these terms and researchers' confusion about the differences between the two. It discusses how researchers have used theoretical and conceptual frameworks and the notion of conceptual models. Detail is given about how one researcher incorporated a conceptual framework throughout a research project, the purpose for doing so and how this led to a resultant conceptual model. Concepts from Abbott (1988) and Witz ( 1992 ) were used to provide a framework for research involving two case study sites. The framework was used to determine research questions and give direction to interviews and discussions to focus the research. Some research methods do not overtly use a theoretical framework or conceptual framework in their design, but this is implicit and underpins the method design, for example in grounded theory. Other qualitative methods use one or the other to frame the design of a research project or to explain the outcomes. An example is given of how a conceptual framework was used throughout a research project. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks are terms that are regularly used in research but rarely explained. Textbooks should discuss what they are and how they can be used, so novice researchers understand how they can help with research design. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks need to be more clearly understood by researchers and correct terminology used to ensure clarity for novice researchers.

Crisis in science: in search for new theoretical foundations.

PubMed

Schroeder, Marcin J

2013-09-01

Recognition of the need for theoretical biology more than half century ago did not bring substantial progress in this direction. Recently, the need for new methods in science, including physics became clear. The breakthrough should be sought in answering the question "What is life?", which can help to explain the mechanisms of consciousness and consequently give insight into the way we comprehend reality. This could help in the search for new methods in the study of both physical and biological phenomena. However, to achieve this, new theoretical discipline will have to be developed with a very general conceptual framework and rigor of mathematical reasoning, allowing it to assume the leading role in science. Since its foundations are in the recognition of the role of life and consciousness in the epistemic process, it could be called biomathics. The prime candidates proposed here for being the fundamental concepts for biomathics are 'information' and 'information integration', with an appropriately general mathematical formalism. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vaccine hesitancy: clarifying a theoretical framework for an ambiguous notion.

PubMed

Peretti-Watel, Patrick; Larson, Heidi J; Ward, Jeremy K; Schulz, William S; Verger, Pierre

2015-02-25

Today, according to many public health experts, public confidence in vaccines is waning. The term "vaccine hesitancy" (VH) is increasingly used to describe the spread of such vaccine reluctance. But VH is an ambiguous notion and its theoretical background appears uncertain. To clarify this concept, we first review the current definitions of VH in the public health literature and examine its most prominent characteristics. VH has been defined as a set of beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours, or some combination of them, shared by a large and heterogeneous portion of the population and including people who exhibit reluctant conformism (they may either decline a vaccine, delay it or accept it despite their doubts) and vaccine-specific behaviours. Secondly, we underline some of the ambiguities of this notion and argue that it is more a catchall category than a real concept. We also call into question the usefulness of understanding VH as an intermediate position along a continuum ranging from anti-vaccine to pro-vaccine attitudes, and we discuss its qualification as a belief, attitude or behaviour. Thirdly, we propose a theoretical framework, based on previous literature and taking into account some major structural features of contemporary societies, that considers VH as a kind of decision-making process that depends on people's level of commitment to healthism/risk culture and on their level of confidence in the health authorities and mainstream medicine.

Context-Aware Generative Adversarial Privacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chong; Kairouz, Peter; Chen, Xiao; Sankar, Lalitha; Rajagopal, Ram

2017-12-01

Preserving the utility of published datasets while simultaneously providing provable privacy guarantees is a well-known challenge. On the one hand, context-free privacy solutions, such as differential privacy, provide strong privacy guarantees, but often lead to a significant reduction in utility. On the other hand, context-aware privacy solutions, such as information theoretic privacy, achieve an improved privacy-utility tradeoff, but assume that the data holder has access to dataset statistics. We circumvent these limitations by introducing a novel context-aware privacy framework called generative adversarial privacy (GAP). GAP leverages recent advancements in generative adversarial networks (GANs) to allow the data holder to learn privatization schemes from the dataset itself. Under GAP, learning the privacy mechanism is formulated as a constrained minimax game between two players: a privatizer that sanitizes the dataset in a way that limits the risk of inference attacks on the individuals' private variables, and an adversary that tries to infer the private variables from the sanitized dataset. To evaluate GAP's performance, we investigate two simple (yet canonical) statistical dataset models: (a) the binary data model, and (b) the binary Gaussian mixture model. For both models, we derive game-theoretically optimal minimax privacy mechanisms, and show that the privacy mechanisms learned from data (in a generative adversarial fashion) match the theoretically optimal ones. This demonstrates that our framework can be easily applied in practice, even in the absence of dataset statistics.

Validity in work-based assessment: expanding our horizons.

PubMed

Govaerts, Marjan; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2013-12-01

Although work-based assessments (WBA) may come closest to assessing habitual performance, their use for summative purposes is not undisputed. Most criticism of WBA stems from approaches to validity consistent with the quantitative psychometric framework. However, there is increasing research evidence that indicates that the assumptions underlying the predictive, deterministic framework of psychometrics may no longer hold. In this discussion paper we argue that meaningfulness and appropriateness of current validity evidence can be called into question and that we need alternative strategies to assessment and validity inquiry that build on current theories of learning and performance in complex and dynamic workplace settings. Drawing from research in various professional fields we outline key issues within the mechanisms of learning, competence and performance in the context of complex social environments and illustrate their relevance to WBA. In reviewing recent socio-cultural learning theory and research on performance and performance interpretations in work settings, we demonstrate that learning, competence (as inferred from performance) as well as performance interpretations are to be seen as inherently contextualised, and can only be under-stood 'in situ'. Assessment in the context of work settings may, therefore, be more usefully viewed as a socially situated interpretive act. We propose constructivist-interpretivist approaches towards WBA in order to capture and understand contextualised learning and performance in work settings. Theoretical assumptions underlying interpretivist assessment approaches call for a validity theory that provides the theoretical framework and conceptual tools to guide the validation process in the qualitative assessment inquiry. Basic principles of rigour specific to qualitative research have been established, and they can and should be used to determine validity in interpretivist assessment approaches. If used properly, these strategies generate trustworthy evidence that is needed to develop the validity argument in WBA, allowing for in-depth and meaningful information about professional competence. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Parallel Distributed Processing at 25: further explorations in the microstructure of cognition.

PubMed

Rogers, Timothy T; McClelland, James L

2014-08-01

This paper introduces a special issue of Cognitive Science initiated on the 25th anniversary of the publication of Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP), a two-volume work that introduced the use of neural network models as vehicles for understanding cognition. The collection surveys the core commitments of the PDP framework, the key issues the framework has addressed, and the debates the framework has spawned, and presents viewpoints on the current status of these issues. The articles focus on both historical roots and contemporary developments in learning, optimality theory, perception, memory, language, conceptual knowledge, cognitive control, and consciousness. Here we consider the approach more generally, reviewing the original motivations, the resulting framework, and the central tenets of the underlying theory. We then evaluate the impact of PDP both on the field at large and within specific subdomains of cognitive science and consider the current role of PDP models within the broader landscape of contemporary theoretical frameworks in cognitive science. Looking to the future, we consider the implications for cognitive science of the recent success of machine learning systems called "deep networks"-systems that build on key ideas presented in the PDP volumes. Copyright © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

8D likelihood effective Higgs couplings extraction framework in h → 4ℓ

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yi; Di Marco, Emanuele; Lykken, Joe; ...

2015-01-23

We present an overview of a comprehensive analysis framework aimed at performing direct extraction of all possible effective Higgs couplings to neutral electroweak gauge bosons in the decay to electrons and muons, the so called ‘golden channel’. Our framework is based primarily on a maximum likelihood method constructed from analytic expressions of the fully differential cross sections for h → 4l and for the dominant irreduciblemore » $$ q\\overline{q} $$ → 4l background, where 4l = 2e2μ, 4e, 4μ. Detector effects are included by an explicit convolution of these analytic expressions with the appropriate transfer function over all center of mass variables. Utilizing the full set of observables, we construct an unbinned detector-level likelihood which is continuous in the effective couplings. We consider possible ZZ, Zγ, and γγ couplings simultaneously, allowing for general CP odd/even admixtures. A broad overview is given of how the convolution is performed and we discuss the principles and theoretical basis of the framework. This framework can be used in a variety of ways to study Higgs couplings in the golden channel using data obtained at the LHC and other future colliders.« less

The biomarket.

PubMed

Maruthappu, Mahiben; Williams, Callum

2013-01-01

Political analysis can enrich our understanding of the interface between health and society. Here, a theoretical framework called 'the biomarket' is proposed, one that describes the interaction between life, power and the market, and the progressive institutionalisation of this dynamic by state actors. This framework expands upon 'biopower', a social concept developed by Michel Foucault. The role of the biomarket is illustrated by analysis of a range of cases, namely the relationships between global health and the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries. The potential adverse consequences of the biomarket are demonstrated, revealing how in some instances, important social measures of welfare are discarded for the sake of economic efficiency and profit. The authors conclude that the biomarket may serve to deepen our understanding of the authority and control exerted by corporations over life, positing that the biomarket must be further regulated for sustainable advances in global health.

Psychological theory and pedagogical effectiveness: the learning promotion potential framework.

PubMed

Tomlinson, Peter

2008-12-01

After a century of educational psychology, eminent commentators are still lamenting problems besetting the appropriate relating of psychological insights to teaching design, a situation not helped by the persistence of crude assumptions concerning the nature of pedagogical effectiveness. To propose an analytical or meta-theoretical framework based on the concept of learning promotion potential (LPP) as a basis for understanding the basic relationship between psychological insights and teaching strategies, and to draw out implications for psychology-based pedagogical design, development and research. This is a theoretical and meta-theoretical paper relying mainly on conceptual analysis, though also calling on psychological theory and research. Since teaching consists essentially in activity designed to promote learning, it follows that a teaching strategy has the potential in principle to achieve particular kinds of learning gains (LPP) to the extent that it embodies or stimulates the relevant learning processes on the part of learners and enables the teacher's functions of on-line monitoring and assistance for such learning processes. Whether a teaching strategy actually does realize its LPP by way of achieving its intended learning goals depends also on the quality of its implementation, in conjunction with other factors in the situated interaction that teaching always involves. The core role of psychology is to provide well-grounded indication of the nature of such learning processes and the teaching functions that support them, rather than to directly generate particular ways of teaching. A critically eclectic stance towards potential sources of psychological insight is argued for. Applying this framework, the paper proposes five kinds of issue to be attended to in the design and evaluation of psychology-based pedagogy. Other work proposing comparable ideas is briefly reviewed, with particular attention to similarities and a key difference with the ideas of Oser and Baeriswyl (2001).

Social challenges when implementing information systems in everyday work in a nursing context.

PubMed

Nilsson, Lina; Eriksén, Sara; Borg, Christel

2014-09-01

Implementation of information systems in healthcare has become a lengthy process where healthcare staff (eg, nurses) are expected to put information into systems without getting the overall picture of the potential usefulness for their own work. The aim of this study was to explore social challenges when implementing information systems in everyday work in a nursing context. Moreover, this study aimed at putting perceived social challenges in a theoretical framework to address them more constructively when implementing information systems in healthcare. Influenced by institutional ethnography, the findings are based on interviews, observations, and written reflections. Power (changing the existing hierarchy, alienation), professional identity (calling on hold, expert becomes novice, changed routines), and encounter (ignorant introductions, preconceived notions) were categories (subcategories) presented in the findings. Social Cognitive Theory, Diffusion of Innovations, organizational culture, and dramaturgical analysis are proposed to set up a theoretical framework. If social challenges are not considered and addressed in the implementation process, it will be affected by nurses' solidarity to existing power structures and their own professional identity. Thus, implementation of information systems affects more aspects in the organization than might have been intended. These aspects need to be taken in to account in the implementation process.

A comprehensive test of clinical reasoning for medical students: An olympiad experience in Iran.

PubMed

Monajemi, Alireza; Arabshahi, Kamran Soltani; Soltani, Akbar; Arbabi, Farshid; Akbari, Roghieh; Custers, Eugene; Hadadgar, Arash; Hadizadeh, Fatemeh; Changiz, Tahereh; Adibi, Peyman

2012-01-01

Although some tests for clinical reasoning assessment are now available, the theories of medical expertise have not played a major role in this filed. In this paper, illness script theory was chose as a theoretical framework and contemporary clinical reasoning tests were put together based on this theoretical model. This paper is a qualitative study performed with an action research approach. This style of research is performed in a context where authorities focus on promoting their organizations' performance and is carried out in the form of teamwork called participatory research. Results are presented in four parts as basic concepts, clinical reasoning assessment, test framework, and scoring. we concluded that no single test could thoroughly assess clinical reasoning competency, and therefore a battery of clinical reasoning tests is needed. This battery should cover all three parts of clinical reasoning process: script activation, selection and verification. In addition, not only both analytical and non-analytical reasoning, but also both diagnostic and management reasoning should evenly take into consideration in this battery. This paper explains the process of designing and implementing the battery of clinical reasoning in the Olympiad for medical sciences students through an action research.

Using a Systematic Approach and Theoretical Framework to Design a Curriculum for the Shaping Healthy Choices Program.

PubMed

Linnell, Jessica D; Zidenberg-Cherr, Sheri; Briggs, Marilyn; Scherr, Rachel E; Brian, Kelley M; Hillhouse, Carol; Smith, Martin H

2016-01-01

To examine the use of a systematic approach and theoretical framework to develop an inquiry-based, garden-enhanced nutrition curriculum for the Shaping Healthy Choices Program. Curriculum development occurred in 3 steps: identification of learning objectives, determination of evidence of learning, and activity development. Curriculum activities were further refined through pilot-testing, which was conducted in 2 phases. Formative data collected during pilot-testing resulted in improvements to activities. Using a systematic, iterative process resulted in a curriculum called Discovering Healthy Choices, which has a strong foundation in Social Cognitive Theory and constructivist learning theory. Furthermore, the Backward Design method provided the design team with a systematic approach to ensure activities addressed targeted learning objectives and overall Shaping Healthy Choices Program goals. The process by which a nutrition curriculum is developed may have a direct effect on student outcomes. Processes by which nutrition curricula are designed and learning objectives are selected, and how theory and pedagogy are applied should be further investigated so that effective approaches to developing garden-enhanced nutrition interventions can be determined and replicated. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical dialogical approach: A methodological direction for occupation-based social transformative work.

PubMed

Farias, Lisette; Laliberte Rudman, Debbie; Pollard, Nick; Schiller, Sandra; Serrata Malfitano, Ana Paula; Thomas, Kerry; van Bruggen, Hanneke

2018-05-03

Calls for embracing the potential and responsibility of occupational therapy to address socio-political conditions that perpetuate occupational injustices have materialized in the literature. However, to reach beyond traditional frameworks informing practices, this social agenda requires the incorporation of diverse epistemological and methodological approaches to support action commensurate with social transformative goals. Our intent is to present a methodological approach that can help extend the ways of thinking or frameworks used in occupational therapy and science to support the ongoing development of practices with and for individuals and collectives affected by marginalizing conditions. We describe the epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of a methodological approach drawing on Freire and Bakhtin's work. Integrating our shared experience taking part in an example study, we discuss the unique advantages of co-generating data using two methods aligned with this approach; dialogical interviews and critical reflexivity. Key considerations when employing this approach are presented, based on its proposed epistemological and theoretical stance and our shared experiences engaging in it. A critical dialogical approach offers one way forward in expanding occupational therapy and science scholarship by promoting collaborative knowledge generation and examination of taken-for-granted understandings that shape individuals assumptions and actions.

Asymptotic theory of time-varying social networks with heterogeneous activity and tie allocation.

PubMed

Ubaldi, Enrico; Perra, Nicola; Karsai, Márton; Vezzani, Alessandro; Burioni, Raffaella; Vespignani, Alessandro

2016-10-24

The dynamic of social networks is driven by the interplay between diverse mechanisms that still challenge our theoretical and modelling efforts. Amongst them, two are known to play a central role in shaping the networks evolution, namely the heterogeneous propensity of individuals to i) be socially active and ii) establish a new social relationships with their alters. Here, we empirically characterise these two mechanisms in seven real networks describing temporal human interactions in three different settings: scientific collaborations, Twitter mentions, and mobile phone calls. We find that the individuals' social activity and their strategy in choosing ties where to allocate their social interactions can be quantitatively described and encoded in a simple stochastic network modelling framework. The Master Equation of the model can be solved in the asymptotic limit. The analytical solutions provide an explicit description of both the system dynamic and the dynamical scaling laws characterising crucial aspects about the evolution of the networks. The analytical predictions match with accuracy the empirical observations, thus validating the theoretical approach. Our results provide a rigorous dynamical system framework that can be extended to include other processes shaping social dynamics and to generate data driven predictions for the asymptotic behaviour of social networks.

Asymptotic theory of time-varying social networks with heterogeneous activity and tie allocation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubaldi, Enrico; Perra, Nicola; Karsai, Márton; Vezzani, Alessandro; Burioni, Raffaella; Vespignani, Alessandro

2016-10-01

The dynamic of social networks is driven by the interplay between diverse mechanisms that still challenge our theoretical and modelling efforts. Amongst them, two are known to play a central role in shaping the networks evolution, namely the heterogeneous propensity of individuals to i) be socially active and ii) establish a new social relationships with their alters. Here, we empirically characterise these two mechanisms in seven real networks describing temporal human interactions in three different settings: scientific collaborations, Twitter mentions, and mobile phone calls. We find that the individuals’ social activity and their strategy in choosing ties where to allocate their social interactions can be quantitatively described and encoded in a simple stochastic network modelling framework. The Master Equation of the model can be solved in the asymptotic limit. The analytical solutions provide an explicit description of both the system dynamic and the dynamical scaling laws characterising crucial aspects about the evolution of the networks. The analytical predictions match with accuracy the empirical observations, thus validating the theoretical approach. Our results provide a rigorous dynamical system framework that can be extended to include other processes shaping social dynamics and to generate data driven predictions for the asymptotic behaviour of social networks.

Validation of the theoretical domains framework for use in behaviour change and implementation research.

PubMed

Cane, James; O'Connor, Denise; Michie, Susan

2012-04-24

An integrative theoretical framework, developed for cross-disciplinary implementation and other behaviour change research, has been applied across a wide range of clinical situations. This study tests the validity of this framework. Validity was investigated by behavioural experts sorting 112 unique theoretical constructs using closed and open sort tasks. The extent of replication was tested by Discriminant Content Validation and Fuzzy Cluster Analysis. There was good support for a refinement of the framework comprising 14 domains of theoretical constructs (average silhouette value 0.29): 'Knowledge', 'Skills', 'Social/Professional Role and Identity', 'Beliefs about Capabilities', 'Optimism', 'Beliefs about Consequences', 'Reinforcement', 'Intentions', 'Goals', 'Memory, Attention and Decision Processes', 'Environmental Context and Resources', 'Social Influences', 'Emotions', and 'Behavioural Regulation'. The refined Theoretical Domains Framework has a strengthened empirical base and provides a method for theoretically assessing implementation problems, as well as professional and other health-related behaviours as a basis for intervention development.

A new discriminative kernel from probabilistic models.

PubMed

Tsuda, Koji; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Rätsch, Gunnar; Sonnenburg, Sören; Müller, Klaus-Robert

2002-10-01

Recently, Jaakkola and Haussler (1999) proposed a method for constructing kernel functions from probabilistic models. Their so-called Fisher kernel has been combined with discriminative classifiers such as support vector machines and applied successfully in, for example, DNA and protein analysis. Whereas the Fisher kernel is calculated from the marginal log-likelihood, we propose the TOP kernel derived; from tangent vectors of posterior log-odds. Furthermore, we develop a theoretical framework on feature extractors from probabilistic models and use it for analyzing the TOP kernel. In experiments, our new discriminative TOP kernel compares favorably to the Fisher kernel.

Multiobject relative fuzzy connectedness and its implications in image segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udupa, Jayaram K.; Saha, Punam K.

2001-07-01

The notion of fuzzy connectedness captures the idea of hanging-togetherness of image elements in an object by assigning a strength of connectedness to every possible path between every possible pair of image elements. This concept leads to powerful image segmentation algorithms based on dynamic programming whose effectiveness has been demonstrated on 1000s of images in a variety of applications. In a previous framework, we introduced the notion of relative fuzzy connectedness for separating a foreground object from a background object. In this framework, an image element c is considered to belong to that among these two objects with respect to whose reference image element c has the higher strength of connectedness. In fuzzy connectedness, a local fuzzy reflation called affinity is used on the image domain. This relation was required for theoretical reasons to be of fixed form in the previous framework. In the present paper, we generalize relative connectedness to multiple objects, allowing all objects (of importance) to compete among themselves to grab membership of image elements based on their relative strength of connectedness to reference elements. We also allow affinity to be tailored to the individual objects. We present a theoretical and algorithmic framework and demonstrate that the objects defined are independent of the reference elements chosen as long as they are not in the fuzzy boundary between objects. Examples from medical imaging are presented to illustrate visually the effectiveness of multiple object relative fuzzy connectedness. A quantitative evaluation based on 160 mathematical phantom images demonstrates objectively the effectiveness of relative fuzzy connectedness with object- tailored affinity relation.

Penetration with Long Rods: A Theoretical Framework and Comparison with Instrumented Impacts,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

theoretical framework for an experimental program is described. The theory of one dimensional wave propagation is used to show how data from instrumented long rods and targets may be fitted together to give a...the theoretical framework . In the final section the results to date are discussed.

Cosmopolitanism: Extending Our Theoretical Framework for Transcultural Technical Communication Research and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Zsuzsanna Bacsa

2013-01-01

The effects of globalization on communication products and processes have resulted in document features and interactional practices that are sometimes difficult to describe within current theoretical frameworks of inter/transcultural technical communication. Although it has been recognized in our field that the old theoretical frameworks and…

Navigation in Unfamiliar Cities: A Review of the Literature and a Theoretical Framework (Navigeren in Onbekende Steden: Een Literatuurstudie en een Theoretisch Kader)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-02

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND A J.M.C. Schraagen THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2 Nothing from this issue may be reproduced and/or published by print, photoprint...Availability Codes Dist Special 5 Report No.: IZF 1989-36 Title: Navigation in unfamiliar cities: a review of the literature and a theoretical framework Author... theoretical framework sketched above suggests that some people may be better in encoding spatial informa- tion than others. This may be because of their

A Social-Cognitive Theoretical Framework for Examining Music Teacher Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClellan, Edward

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine a diverse range of research literature to provide a social-cognitive theoretical framework as a foundation for definition of identity construction in the music teacher education program. The review of literature may reveal a theoretical framework based around tenets of commonly studied constructs in the…

Penetration with Long Rods: A Theoretical Framework and Comparison with Instrumented Impacts

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

program to begin probing the details of the interaction process. The theoretical framework underlying such a program is explained in detail. The theory of...of the time sequence of events during penetration. Data from one series of experiments, reported in detail elsewhere, is presented and discussed within the theoretical framework .

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks Used in Research on Family-School Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamauchi, Lois A.; Ponte, Eva; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Traynor, Kevin

2017-01-01

This study investigated the theoretical frameworks used to frame research on family-school partnerships over a five-year period. Although many researchers have described their theoretical approaches, little has been written about the diversity of frameworks used and how they are applied. Coders analyzed 215 journal articles published from 2007 to…

Seven Basic Steps to Solving Ethical Dilemmas in Special Education: A Decision-Making Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockall, Nancy; Dennis, Lindsay R.

2015-01-01

This article presents a seven-step framework for decision making to solve ethical issues in special education. The authors developed the framework from the existing literature and theoretical frameworks of justice, critique, care, and professionalism. The authors briefly discuss each theoretical framework and then describe the decision-making…

What Constitutes a "Good" Sensitivity Analysis? Elements and Tools for a Robust Sensitivity Analysis with Reduced Computational Cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, Saman; Gupta, Hoshin; Haghnegahdar, Amin

2016-04-01

Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is a systems theoretic approach to characterizing the overall (average) sensitivity of one or more model responses across the factor space, by attributing the variability of those responses to different controlling (but uncertain) factors (e.g., model parameters, forcings, and boundary and initial conditions). GSA can be very helpful to improve the credibility and utility of Earth and Environmental System Models (EESMs), as these models are continually growing in complexity and dimensionality with continuous advances in understanding and computing power. However, conventional approaches to GSA suffer from (1) an ambiguous characterization of sensitivity, and (2) poor computational efficiency, particularly as the problem dimension grows. Here, we identify several important sensitivity-related characteristics of response surfaces that must be considered when investigating and interpreting the ''global sensitivity'' of a model response (e.g., a metric of model performance) to its parameters/factors. Accordingly, we present a new and general sensitivity and uncertainty analysis framework, Variogram Analysis of Response Surfaces (VARS), based on an analogy to 'variogram analysis', that characterizes a comprehensive spectrum of information on sensitivity. We prove, theoretically, that Morris (derivative-based) and Sobol (variance-based) methods and their extensions are special cases of VARS, and that their SA indices are contained within the VARS framework. We also present a practical strategy for the application of VARS to real-world problems, called STAR-VARS, including a new sampling strategy, called "star-based sampling". Our results across several case studies show the STAR-VARS approach to provide reliable and stable assessments of "global" sensitivity, while being at least 1-2 orders of magnitude more efficient than the benchmark Morris and Sobol approaches.

A social-ecological systems approach for environmental management.

PubMed

Virapongse, Arika; Brooks, Samantha; Metcalf, Elizabeth Covelli; Zedalis, Morgan; Gosz, Jim; Kliskey, Andrew; Alessa, Lilian

2016-08-01

Urgent environmental issues are testing the limits of current management approaches and pushing demand for innovative approaches that integrate across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Practitioners, scholars, and policy-makers alike call for increased integration of natural and social sciences to develop new approaches that address the range of ecological and societal impacts of modern environmental issues. From a theoretical perspective, social-ecological systems (SES) science offers a compelling approach for improved environmental management through the application of transdisciplinary and resilience concepts. A framework for translating SES theory into practice, however, is lacking. In this paper, we define the key components of an SES-based environmental management approach. We offer recommendations for integrating an SES approach into existing environmental management practices. Results presented are useful for management professionals that seek to employ an SES environmental management approach and scholars aiming to advance the theoretical foundations of SES science for practical application. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A theoretical basis for the analysis of multiversion software subject to coincident errors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckhardt, D. E., Jr.; Lee, L. D.

1985-01-01

Fundamental to the development of redundant software techniques (known as fault-tolerant software) is an understanding of the impact of multiple joint occurrences of errors, referred to here as coincident errors. A theoretical basis for the study of redundant software is developed which: (1) provides a probabilistic framework for empirically evaluating the effectiveness of a general multiversion strategy when component versions are subject to coincident errors, and (2) permits an analytical study of the effects of these errors. An intensity function, called the intensity of coincident errors, has a central role in this analysis. This function describes the propensity of programmers to introduce design faults in such a way that software components fail together when executing in the application environment. A condition under which a multiversion system is a better strategy than relying on a single version is given.

Imaging neural signatures of consciousness: 'what', 'when', 'where' and 'how' does it work?

PubMed

Sergent, C; Naccache, L

2012-01-01

'What' do we call consciousness? 'When' and 'Where' in the brain do conscious states occur, and 'How' conscious processing and conscious access to a given content work? In the present paper, we present a non-exhaustive overview of each of these 4 major issues, we provide the reader with a brief description of the major difficulties related to these issues, we highlight the current theoretical points of debate, and we advocate for the explanatory power of the "global workspace" model of consciousness (Baars 1989; Dehaene and Naccache 2001; Dehaene, Changeux et al. 2006) which can accommodate for a fairly large proportion of current experimental findings, and which can be used to reinterpret apparent contradictory findings within a single theoretical framework. Most notably, we emphasize the crucial importance to distinguish genuine neural signatures of conscious access from neural events correlated with consciousness but occurring either before ('upstream') or after ('downstream').

POPEYE: A production rule-based model of multitask supervisory control (POPCORN)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, James T.; Kadlec, Helena; Kantowitz, Barry H.

1988-01-01

Recent studies of relationships between subjective ratings of mental workload, performance, and human operator and task characteristics have indicated that these relationships are quite complex. In order to study the various relationships and place subjective mental workload within a theoretical framework, we developed a production system model for the performance component of the complex supervisory task called POPCORN. The production system model is represented by a hierarchial structure of goals and subgoals, and the information flow is controlled by a set of condition-action rules. The implementation of this production system, called POPEYE, generates computer simulated data under different task difficulty conditions which are comparable to those of human operators performing the task. This model is the performance aspect of an overall dynamic psychological model which we are developing to examine and quantify relationships between performance and psychological aspects in a complex environment.

Conducting Human Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-05

Socio-cultural data acquisition, extraction, and management.??? First the idea of a theoretical framework will be very briefly discussed as well as...SUBJECT TERMS human behavior, theoretical framework , hypothesis development, experimental design, ethical research, statistical power, human laboratory...who throw rocks? • How can we make them stay too far away to throw rocks? UNCLASSIFIED – Approved for Public Release Theoretical Framework / Conceptual

An Overview of a Theoretical Framework of Phenomenography in Qualitative Education Research: An Example from Physics Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornek, Funda

2008-01-01

One or more theoretical frameworks or orientations are used in qualitative education research. In this paper, the main tenets, the background and the appropriateness of phenomenography, which is one of the theoretical frameworks used in qualitative research, will be depicted. Further, the differences among phenomenography, phenomenology and…

Using a Theoretical Framework of Institutional Culture to Analyse an Institutional Strategy Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Anthea Hydi Maxine

2016-01-01

This paper builds on a conceptual analysis of institutional culture in higher education. A theoretical framework was proposed to analyse institutional documents of two higher education institutions in the Western Cape, for the period 2002 to 2012 (Jacobs 2012). The elements of this theoretical framework are "shared values and beliefs",…

Factors Influencing the Use of Learning Management System in Saudi Arabian Higher Education: A Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asiri, Mohammed J. Sherbib; Mahmud, Rosnaini bt; Bakar, Kamariah Abu; Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi bin Mohd

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the theoretical framework underlying a research on factors that influence utilization of the Jusur Learning Management System (Jusur LMS) in Saudi Arabian public universities. Development of the theoretical framework was done based on library research approach. Initially, the existing literature relevant to…

Perspectives on the role of mobility, behavior, and time scales in the spread of diseases.

PubMed

Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Bichara, Derdei; Morin, Benjamin R

2016-12-20

The dynamics, control, and evolution of communicable and vector-borne diseases are intimately connected to the joint dynamics of epidemiological, behavioral, and mobility processes that operate across multiple spatial, temporal, and organizational scales. The identification of a theoretical explanatory framework that accounts for the pattern regularity exhibited by a large number of host-parasite systems, including those sustained by host-vector epidemiological dynamics, is but one of the challenges facing the coevolving fields of computational, evolutionary, and theoretical epidemiology. Host-parasite epidemiological patterns, including epidemic outbreaks and endemic recurrent dynamics, are characteristic to well-identified regions of the world; the result of processes and constraints such as strain competition, host and vector mobility, and population structure operating over multiple scales in response to recurrent disturbances (like El Niño) and climatological and environmental perturbations over thousands of years. It is therefore important to identify and quantify the processes responsible for observed epidemiological macroscopic patterns: the result of individual interactions in changing social and ecological landscapes. In this perspective, we touch on some of the issues calling for the identification of an encompassing theoretical explanatory framework by identifying some of the limitations of existing theory, in the context of particular epidemiological systems. Fostering the reenergizing of research that aims at disentangling the role of epidemiological and socioeconomic forces on disease dynamics, better understood as complex adaptive systems, is a key aim of this perspective.

Professional Development and Use of Digital Technologies by Science Teachers: a Review of Theoretical Frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Geraldo W. Rocha; Rodrigues, António M.; Ferreira, Carlos Alberto

2018-03-01

This article aims to characterise the research on science teachers' professional development programs that support the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the main trends concerning the theoretical frameworks (theoretical foundation, literature review or background) that underpin these studies. Through a systematic review of the literature, 76 articles were found and divided into two axes on training science teachers and the use of digital technologies with their categories. The first axis (characterisation of articles) presents the category key features that characterise the articles selected (major subjects, training and actions for the professional development and major ICT tools and digital resources). The second axis (trends of theoretical frameworks) has three categories organised in theoretical frameworks that emphasise the following: (a) the digital technologies, (b) prospects of curricular renewal and (c) cognitive processes. It also characterised a group of articles with theoretical frameworks that contain multiple elements without deepening them or that even lack a theoretical framework that supports the studies. In this review, we found that many professional development programs for teachers still use inadequate strategies for bringing about change in teacher practices. New professional development proposals are emerging with the objective of minimising such difficulties and this analysis could be a helpful tool to restructure those proposals.

A theoretical framework to support research of health service innovation.

PubMed

Fox, Amanda; Gardner, Glenn; Osborne, Sonya

2015-02-01

Health service managers and policy makers are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of innovations implemented in health care settings. The increasing demand on health services requires that innovations are both effective and sustainable; however, research in this field is limited, with multiple disciplines, approaches and paradigms influencing the field. These variations prevent a cohesive approach, and therefore the accumulation of research findings, in the development of a body of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough examination of the research findings and provide an appropriate theoretical framework to examine sustainability of health service innovation. This paper presents an integrative review of the literature available in relation to sustainability of health service innovation and provides the development of a theoretical framework based on integration and synthesis of the literature. A theoretical framework serves to guide research, determine variables, influence data analysis and is central to the quest for ongoing knowledge development. This research outlines the sustainability of innovation framework; a theoretical framework suitable for examining the sustainability of health service innovation. If left unaddressed, health services research will continue in an ad hoc manner, preventing full utilisation of outcomes, recommendations and knowledge for effective provision of health services. The sustainability of innovation theoretical framework provides an operational basis upon which reliable future research can be conducted.

An Automated Design Framework for Multicellular Recombinase Logic.

PubMed

Guiziou, Sarah; Ulliana, Federico; Moreau, Violaine; Leclere, Michel; Bonnet, Jerome

2018-05-18

Tools to systematically reprogram cellular behavior are crucial to address pressing challenges in manufacturing, environment, or healthcare. Recombinases can very efficiently encode Boolean and history-dependent logic in many species, yet current designs are performed on a case-by-case basis, limiting their scalability and requiring time-consuming optimization. Here we present an automated workflow for designing recombinase logic devices executing Boolean functions. Our theoretical framework uses a reduced library of computational devices distributed into different cellular subpopulations, which are then composed in various manners to implement all desired logic functions at the multicellular level. Our design platform called CALIN (Composable Asynchronous Logic using Integrase Networks) is broadly accessible via a web server, taking truth tables as inputs and providing corresponding DNA designs and sequences as outputs (available at http://synbio.cbs.cnrs.fr/calin ). We anticipate that this automated design workflow will streamline the implementation of Boolean functions in many organisms and for various applications.

Structural qualia: a solution to the hard problem of consciousness.

PubMed

Loorits, Kristjan

2014-01-01

The hard problem of consciousness has been often claimed to be unsolvable by the methods of traditional empirical sciences. It has been argued that all the objects of empirical sciences can be fully analyzed in structural terms but that consciousness is (or has) something over and above its structure. However, modern neuroscience has introduced a theoretical framework in which also the apparently non-structural aspects of consciousness, namely the so called qualia or qualitative properties, can be analyzed in structural terms. That framework allows us to see qualia as something compositional with internal structures that fully determine their qualitative nature. Moreover, those internal structures can be identified which certain neural patterns. Thus consciousness as a whole can be seen as a complex neural pattern that misperceives some of its own highly complex structural properties as monadic and qualitative. Such neural pattern is analyzable in fully structural terms and thereby the hard problem is solved.

Structural qualia: a solution to the hard problem of consciousness

PubMed Central

Loorits, Kristjan

2014-01-01

The hard problem of consciousness has been often claimed to be unsolvable by the methods of traditional empirical sciences. It has been argued that all the objects of empirical sciences can be fully analyzed in structural terms but that consciousness is (or has) something over and above its structure. However, modern neuroscience has introduced a theoretical framework in which also the apparently non-structural aspects of consciousness, namely the so called qualia or qualitative properties, can be analyzed in structural terms. That framework allows us to see qualia as something compositional with internal structures that fully determine their qualitative nature. Moreover, those internal structures can be identified which certain neural patterns. Thus consciousness as a whole can be seen as a complex neural pattern that misperceives some of its own highly complex structural properties as monadic and qualitative. Such neural pattern is analyzable in fully structural terms and thereby the hard problem is solved. PMID:24672510

Environmental statistics and optimal regulation.

PubMed

Sivak, David A; Thomson, Matt

2014-09-01

Any organism is embedded in an environment that changes over time. The timescale for and statistics of environmental change, the precision with which the organism can detect its environment, and the costs and benefits of particular protein expression levels all will affect the suitability of different strategies--such as constitutive expression or graded response--for regulating protein levels in response to environmental inputs. We propose a general framework-here specifically applied to the enzymatic regulation of metabolism in response to changing concentrations of a basic nutrient-to predict the optimal regulatory strategy given the statistics of fluctuations in the environment and measurement apparatus, respectively, and the costs associated with enzyme production. We use this framework to address three fundamental questions: (i) when a cell should prefer thresholding to a graded response; (ii) when there is a fitness advantage to implementing a Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) when retaining memory of the past provides a selective advantage. We specifically find that: (i) relative convexity of enzyme expression cost and benefit influences the fitness of thresholding or graded responses; (ii) intermediate levels of measurement uncertainty call for a sophisticated Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) in dynamic contexts, intermediate levels of uncertainty call for retaining memory of the past. Statistical properties of the environment, such as variability and correlation times, set optimal biochemical parameters, such as thresholds and decay rates in signaling pathways. Our framework provides a theoretical basis for interpreting molecular signal processing algorithms and a classification scheme that organizes known regulatory strategies and may help conceptualize heretofore unknown ones.

Practical use of a framework for network science experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toth, Andrew; Bergamaschi, Flavio

2014-06-01

In 2006, the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) established a collaborative research alliance with academia and industry, called the International Technology Alliance (ITA)1 In Network and Information Sciences, to address fundamental issues concerning Network and Information Sciences that will enhance decision making for coalition operations and enable rapid, secure formation of ad hoc teams in coalition environments and enhance US and UK capabilities to conduct coalition warfare. Research conducted under the ITA was extended through collaboration between ARL and IBM UK to characterize and dene a software stack and tooling that has become the reference framework for network science experimentation in support for validation of theoretical research. This paper discusses the composition of the reference framework for experimentation resulting from the ARL/IBM UK collaboration and its use, by the Network Science Collaborative Technology Alliance (NS CTA)2 , in a recent network science experiment conducted at ARL. It also discusses how the experiment was modeled using the reference framework, the integration of two new components, the Apollo Fact-Finder3 tool and the Medusa Crowd Sensing4 application, the limitations identified and how they shall be addressed in future work.

A new framework for comprehensive, robust, and efficient global sensitivity analysis: 1. Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, Saman; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2016-01-01

Computer simulation models are continually growing in complexity with increasingly more factors to be identified. Sensitivity Analysis (SA) provides an essential means for understanding the role and importance of these factors in producing model responses. However, conventional approaches to SA suffer from (1) an ambiguous characterization of sensitivity, and (2) poor computational efficiency, particularly as the problem dimension grows. Here, we present a new and general sensitivity analysis framework (called VARS), based on an analogy to "variogram analysis," that provides an intuitive and comprehensive characterization of sensitivity across the full spectrum of scales in the factor space. We prove, theoretically, that Morris (derivative-based) and Sobol (variance-based) methods and their extensions are special cases of VARS, and that their SA indices can be computed as by-products of the VARS framework. Synthetic functions that resemble actual model response surfaces are used to illustrate the concepts, and show VARS to be as much as two orders of magnitude more computationally efficient than the state-of-the-art Sobol approach. In a companion paper, we propose a practical implementation strategy, and demonstrate the effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability (robustness) of the VARS framework on real-data case studies.

Theoretical Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy of Peptides

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) has become a very promising technique for the study of proteins at interfaces, and it has been applied to important systems such as anti-microbial peptides, ion channel proteins, and human islet amyloid polypeptide. Moreover, so-called “chiral” SFG techniques, which rely on polarization combinations that generate strong signals primarily for chiral molecules, have proven to be particularly discriminatory of protein secondary structure. In this work, we present a theoretical strategy for calculating protein amide I SFG spectra by combining line-shape theory with molecular dynamics simulations. We then apply this method to three model peptides, demonstrating the existence of a significant chiral SFG signal for peptides with chiral centers, and providing a framework for interpreting the results on the basis of the dependence of the SFG signal on the peptide orientation. We also examine the importance of dynamical and coupling effects. Finally, we suggest a simple method for determining a chromophore’s orientation relative to the surface using ratios of experimental heterodyne-detected signals with different polarizations, and test this method using theoretical spectra. PMID:25203677

Interfacial effect on physical properties of composite media: Interfacial volume fraction with non-spherical hard-core-soft-shell-structured particles.

PubMed

Xu, Wenxiang; Duan, Qinglin; Ma, Huaifa; Chen, Wen; Chen, Huisu

2015-11-02

Interfaces are known to be crucial in a variety of fields and the interfacial volume fraction dramatically affects physical properties of composite media. However, it is an open problem with great significance how to determine the interfacial property in composite media with inclusions of complex geometry. By the stereological theory and the nearest-surface distribution functions, we first propose a theoretical framework to symmetrically present the interfacial volume fraction. In order to verify the interesting generalization, we simulate three-phase composite media by employing hard-core-soft-shell structures composed of hard mono-/polydisperse non-spherical particles, soft interfaces, and matrix. We numerically derive the interfacial volume fraction by a Monte Carlo integration scheme. With the theoretical and numerical results, we find that the interfacial volume fraction is strongly dependent on the so-called geometric size factor and sphericity characterizing the geometric shape in spite of anisotropic particle types. As a significant interfacial property, the present theoretical contribution can be further drawn into predicting the effective transport properties of composite materials.

Interfacial effect on physical properties of composite media: Interfacial volume fraction with non-spherical hard-core-soft-shell-structured particles

PubMed Central

Xu, Wenxiang; Duan, Qinglin; Ma, Huaifa; Chen, Wen; Chen, Huisu

2015-01-01

Interfaces are known to be crucial in a variety of fields and the interfacial volume fraction dramatically affects physical properties of composite media. However, it is an open problem with great significance how to determine the interfacial property in composite media with inclusions of complex geometry. By the stereological theory and the nearest-surface distribution functions, we first propose a theoretical framework to symmetrically present the interfacial volume fraction. In order to verify the interesting generalization, we simulate three-phase composite media by employing hard-core-soft-shell structures composed of hard mono-/polydisperse non-spherical particles, soft interfaces, and matrix. We numerically derive the interfacial volume fraction by a Monte Carlo integration scheme. With the theoretical and numerical results, we find that the interfacial volume fraction is strongly dependent on the so-called geometric size factor and sphericity characterizing the geometric shape in spite of anisotropic particle types. As a significant interfacial property, the present theoretical contribution can be further drawn into predicting the effective transport properties of composite materials. PMID:26522701

Contact sensing from force measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bicchi, Antonio; Salisbury, J. K.; Brock, David L.

1993-01-01

This article addresses contact sensing (i.e., the problem of resolving the location of a contact, the force at the interface, and the moment about the contact normals). Called 'intrinsic' contact sensing for the use of internal force and torque measurements, this method allows for practical devices that provide simple, relevant contact information in practical robotic applications. Such sensors have been used in conjunction with robot hands to identify objects, determine surface friction, detect slip, augment grasp stability, measure object mass, probe surfaces, and control collision and for a variety of other useful tasks. This article describes the theoretical basis for their operation and provides a framework for future device design.

Delayed luminescence in a multiparameter approach to evaluation and reduction of radiobiological risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasso, Rosaria; Cammarata, Francesco Paolo; Minafra, Luigi; Marchese, Valentina; Russo, Giorgio; Manti, Lorenzo; Musumeci, Francesco; Scordino, Agata

2017-07-01

In the framework of the research project ETHICS "Pre-clinical experimental and theoretical studies to improve treatment and protection by charged particles" funded by the National Nuclear Physics Institute, Italy, we studied the phenomenon called delayed luminescence emitted by non-tumorigenic breast epithelial MCF10A cell line after proton irradiation at different doses (0.5, 2, 6, 9 Gy). The aim is to found possible correlations between delayed luminescence and in vitro damaging induced by ion irradiation. The first results of this research show that the delayed luminescence kinetics is proton dose dependent. An interesting correlation between delayed luminescence and clonogenic potential was observed.

Abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neuzil, C.E.

1995-01-01

So-called abnormal pressures, subsurface fluid pressures significantly higher or lower than hydrostatic, have excited speculation about their origin since subsurface exploration first encountered them. Two distinct conceptual models for abnormal pressures have gained currency among earth scientists. The static model sees abnormal pressures generally as relict features preserved by a virtual absence of fluid flow over geologic time. The hydrodynamic model instead envisions abnormal pressures as phenomena in which flow usually plays an important role. This paper develops the theoretical framework for abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena, shows that it explains the manifold occurrences of abnormal pressures, and examines the implications of this approach. -from Author

Validation of the theoretical domains framework for use in behaviour change and implementation research

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background An integrative theoretical framework, developed for cross-disciplinary implementation and other behaviour change research, has been applied across a wide range of clinical situations. This study tests the validity of this framework. Methods Validity was investigated by behavioural experts sorting 112 unique theoretical constructs using closed and open sort tasks. The extent of replication was tested by Discriminant Content Validation and Fuzzy Cluster Analysis. Results There was good support for a refinement of the framework comprising 14 domains of theoretical constructs (average silhouette value 0.29): ‘Knowledge’, ‘Skills’, ‘Social/Professional Role and Identity’, ‘Beliefs about Capabilities’, ‘Optimism’, ‘Beliefs about Consequences’, ‘Reinforcement’, ‘Intentions’, ‘Goals’, ‘Memory, Attention and Decision Processes’, ‘Environmental Context and Resources’, ‘Social Influences’, ‘Emotions’, and ‘Behavioural Regulation’. Conclusions The refined Theoretical Domains Framework has a strengthened empirical base and provides a method for theoretically assessing implementation problems, as well as professional and other health-related behaviours as a basis for intervention development. PMID:22530986

Intelligent Control of a Sensor-Actuator System via Kernelized Least-Squares Policy Iteration

PubMed Central

Liu, Bo; Chen, Sanfeng; Li, Shuai; Liang, Yongsheng

2012-01-01

In this paper a new framework, called Compressive Kernelized Reinforcement Learning (CKRL), for computing near-optimal policies in sequential decision making with uncertainty is proposed via incorporating the non-adaptive data-independent Random Projections and nonparametric Kernelized Least-squares Policy Iteration (KLSPI). Random Projections are a fast, non-adaptive dimensionality reduction framework in which high-dimensionality data is projected onto a random lower-dimension subspace via spherically random rotation and coordination sampling. KLSPI introduce kernel trick into the LSPI framework for Reinforcement Learning, often achieving faster convergence and providing automatic feature selection via various kernel sparsification approaches. In this approach, policies are computed in a low-dimensional subspace generated by projecting the high-dimensional features onto a set of random basis. We first show how Random Projections constitute an efficient sparsification technique and how our method often converges faster than regular LSPI, while at lower computational costs. Theoretical foundation underlying this approach is a fast approximation of Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Finally, simulation results are exhibited on benchmark MDP domains, which confirm gains both in computation time and in performance in large feature spaces. PMID:22736969

Stress and adolescent well-being: the need for an interdisciplinary framework

PubMed Central

Sigfusdottir, Inga Dora; Kristjansson, Alfgeir Logi; Thorlindsson, Thorolfur; Allegrante, John P

2017-01-01

Abstract Stress and strain among adolescents have been investigated and discussed largely within three separate disciplines: mental health, where the focus has been on the negative effects of stress on emotional health; criminology, where the emphasis has been on the effects of strain on delinquency; and biology, where the focus has been to understand the effects of stress on physiology. Recently, scholars have called for increased multilevel developmental analyses of the bio-psychosocial nature of risk and protection for behaviors of individuals. This paper draws on several different but converging theoretical perspectives in an attempt to provide an overview of research relevant to stress in adolescence and puts forth a new framework that aims to provide both a common language and consilience by which future research can analyze the effects of multiple biological, social and environmental factors experienced during specific developmental periods, and cumulatively over time, on harmful behavior during adolescence. We present a framework to examine the effects of stress on diverse behavioral outcomes among adolescents, including substance use, suicidal behavior, self-inflicted harm, and delinquency. PMID:27153917

A comprehensive test of clinical reasoning for medical students: An olympiad experience in Iran

PubMed Central

Monajemi, Alireza; Arabshahi, Kamran Soltani; Soltani, Akbar; Arbabi, Farshid; Akbari, Roghieh; Custers, Eugene; Hadadgar, Arash; Hadizadeh, Fatemeh; Changiz, Tahereh; Adibi, Peyman

2012-01-01

Background: Although some tests for clinical reasoning assessment are now available, the theories of medical expertise have not played a major role in this filed. In this paper, illness script theory was chose as a theoretical framework and contemporary clinical reasoning tests were put together based on this theoretical model. Materials and Methods: This paper is a qualitative study performed with an action research approach. This style of research is performed in a context where authorities focus on promoting their organizations’ performance and is carried out in the form of teamwork called participatory research. Results: Results are presented in four parts as basic concepts, clinical reasoning assessment, test framework, and scoring. Conclusion: we concluded that no single test could thoroughly assess clinical reasoning competency, and therefore a battery of clinical reasoning tests is needed. This battery should cover all three parts of clinical reasoning process: script activation, selection and verification. In addition, not only both analytical and non-analytical reasoning, but also both diagnostic and management reasoning should evenly take into consideration in this battery. This paper explains the process of designing and implementing the battery of clinical reasoning in the Olympiad for medical sciences students through an action research. PMID:23555113

Understanding Decision-Making in Specialized Domestic Violence Courts: Can Contemporary Theoretical Frameworks Help Guide These Decisions?

PubMed

Pinchevsky, Gillian M

2016-05-22

This study fills a gap in the literature by exploring the utility of contemporary courtroom theoretical frameworks-uncertainty avoidance, causal attribution, and focal concerns-for explaining decision-making in specialized domestic violence courts. Using data from two specialized domestic violence courts, this study explores the predictors of prosecutorial and judicial decision-making and the extent to which these factors are congruent with theoretical frameworks often used in studies of court processing. Findings suggest that these theoretical frameworks only partially help explain decision-making in the courts under study. A discussion of the findings and implications for future research is provided. © The Author(s) 2016.

Partial information decomposition as a unified approach to the specification of neural goal functions.

PubMed

Wibral, Michael; Priesemann, Viola; Kay, Jim W; Lizier, Joseph T; Phillips, William A

2017-03-01

In many neural systems anatomical motifs are present repeatedly, but despite their structural similarity they can serve very different tasks. A prime example for such a motif is the canonical microcircuit of six-layered neo-cortex, which is repeated across cortical areas, and is involved in a number of different tasks (e.g. sensory, cognitive, or motor tasks). This observation has spawned interest in finding a common underlying principle, a 'goal function', of information processing implemented in this structure. By definition such a goal function, if universal, cannot be cast in processing-domain specific language (e.g. 'edge filtering', 'working memory'). Thus, to formulate such a principle, we have to use a domain-independent framework. Information theory offers such a framework. However, while the classical framework of information theory focuses on the relation between one input and one output (Shannon's mutual information), we argue that neural information processing crucially depends on the combination of multiple inputs to create the output of a processor. To account for this, we use a very recent extension of Shannon Information theory, called partial information decomposition (PID). PID allows to quantify the information that several inputs provide individually (unique information), redundantly (shared information) or only jointly (synergistic information) about the output. First, we review the framework of PID. Then we apply it to reevaluate and analyze several earlier proposals of information theoretic neural goal functions (predictive coding, infomax and coherent infomax, efficient coding). We find that PID allows to compare these goal functions in a common framework, and also provides a versatile approach to design new goal functions from first principles. Building on this, we design and analyze a novel goal function, called 'coding with synergy', which builds on combining external input and prior knowledge in a synergistic manner. We suggest that this novel goal function may be highly useful in neural information processing. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Theoretically Consistent Framework for Modelling Lagrangian Particle Deposition in Plant Canopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Brian N.; Stoll, Rob; Pardyjak, Eric R.

2018-06-01

We present a theoretically consistent framework for modelling Lagrangian particle deposition in plant canopies. The primary focus is on describing the probability of particles encountering canopy elements (i.e., potential deposition), and provides a consistent means for including the effects of imperfect deposition through any appropriate sub-model for deposition efficiency. Some aspects of the framework draw upon an analogy to radiation propagation through a turbid medium with which to develop model theory. The present method is compared against one of the most commonly used heuristic Lagrangian frameworks, namely that originally developed by Legg and Powell (Agricultural Meteorology, 1979, Vol. 20, 47-67), which is shown to be theoretically inconsistent. A recommendation is made to discontinue the use of this heuristic approach in favour of the theoretically consistent framework developed herein, which is no more difficult to apply under equivalent assumptions. The proposed framework has the additional advantage that it can be applied to arbitrary canopy geometries given readily measurable parameters describing vegetation structure.

Relationships among Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory Frameworks via Factor Analytic Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohli, Nidhi; Koran, Jennifer; Henn, Lisa

2015-01-01

There are well-defined theoretical differences between the classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) frameworks. It is understood that in the CTT framework, person and item statistics are test- and sample-dependent. This is not the perception with IRT. For this reason, the IRT framework is considered to be theoretically superior…

Integrated Language Skills CALL Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kevin; Agawa, Grant

2013-01-01

The importance of a structured learning framework or interrelated frameworks is the cornerstone of a solid English as a foreign language (EFL) computer-assisted language learning (CALL) curriculum. While the benefits of CALL are widely promoted in the literature, there is often an endemic discord separating theory and practice. Oftentimes the…

The Community-First Land-Centred Theoretical Framework: Bringing a "Good Mind" to Indigenous Education Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Styres, Sandra D.; Zinga, Dawn M.

2013-01-01

This article introduces an emergent research theoretical framework, the community-first Land-centred research framework. Carefully examining the literature within Indigenous educational research, we noted the limited approaches for engaging in culturally aligned and relevant research within Indigenous communities. The community-first Land-centred…

An e-Learning Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aparicio, Manuela; Bacao, Fernando; Oliveira, Tiago

2016-01-01

E-learning systems have witnessed a usage and research increase in the past decade. This article presents the e-learning concepts ecosystem. It summarizes the various scopes on e-learning studies. Here we propose an e-learning theoretical framework. This theory framework is based upon three principal dimensions: users, technology, and services…

Threshold Capabilities: Threshold Concepts and Knowledge Capability Linked through Variation Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baillie, Caroline; Bowden, John A.; Meyer, Jan H. F.

2013-01-01

The Threshold Capability Integrated Theoretical Framework (TCITF) is presented as a framework for the design of university curricula, aimed at developing graduates' capability to deal with previously unseen situations in their professional, social, and personal lives. The TCITF is a new theoretical framework derived from, and heavily dependent…

Crossing boundaries in interprofessional education: A call for instructional integration of two script concepts.

PubMed

Kiesewetter, Jan; Kollar, Ingo; Fernandez, Nicolas; Lubarsky, Stuart; Kiessling, Claudia; Fischer, Martin R; Charlin, Bernard

2016-09-01

Clinical work occurs in a context which is heavily influenced by social interactions. The absence of theoretical frameworks underpinning the design of collaborative learning has become a roadblock for interprofessional education (IPE). This article proposes a script-based framework for the design of IPE. This framework provides suggestions for designing learning environments intended to foster competences we feel are fundamental to successful interprofessional care. The current literature describes two script concepts: "illness scripts" and "internal/external collaboration scripts". Illness scripts are specific knowledge structures that link general disease categories and specific examples of diseases. "Internal collaboration scripts" refer to an individual's knowledge about how to interact with others in a social situation. "External collaboration scripts" are instructional scaffolds designed to help groups collaborate. Instructional research relating to illness scripts and internal collaboration scripts supports (a) putting learners in authentic situations in which they need to engage in clinical reasoning, and (b) scaffolding their interaction with others with "external collaboration scripts". Thus, well-established experiential instructional approaches should be combined with more fine-grained script-based scaffolding approaches. The resulting script-based framework offers instructional designers insights into how students can be supported to develop the necessary skills to master complex interprofessional clinical situations.

Clinical simulation practise framework.

PubMed

Khalili, Hossein

2015-02-01

Historically, simulation has mainly been used to teach students hands-on skills in a relatively safe environment. With changes in the patient population, professional regulations and clinical environments, clinical simulation practise (CSP) must assist students to integrate and apply their theoretical knowledge and skills with their critical thinking, clinical judgement, prioritisation, problem solving, decision making, and teamwork skills to provide holistic care and treatment to their patients. CSP holds great potential to derive a positive transformation in students' transition into the workplace, by associating and consolidating learning from classrooms to clinical settings, and creating bridges between theory and practice. For CSP to be successful in filling the gap, the design and management of the simulation is crucial. In this article a new framework called 'Clinical simulation practise framework: A knowledge to action strategy in health professional education' is being introduced that aims to assist educators and curriculum developers in designing and managing their simulations. This CSP framework theorises that simulation as an experiential educational tool could improve students' competence, confidence and collaboration in performing professional practice in real settings if the CSP provides the following three dimensions: (1) a safe, positive, reflective and fun simulated learning environment; (2) challenging, but realistic, and integrated simulated scenarios; and (3) interactive, inclusive, interprofessional patient-centred simulated practise. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurement-device-independent quantum cryptography

DOE PAGES

Xu, Feihu; Curty, Marcos; Qi, Bing; ...

2014-12-18

In theory, quantum key distribution (QKD) provides information-theoretic security based on the laws of physics. Owing to the imperfections of real-life implementations, however, there is a big gap between the theory and practice of QKD, which has been recently exploited by several quantum hacking activities. To fill this gap, a novel approach, called measurement-device-independent QKD (mdiQKD), has been proposed. In addition, it can remove all side-channels from the measurement unit, arguably the most vulnerable part in QKD systems, thus offering a clear avenue toward secure QKD realisations. In this study, we review the latest developments in the framework of mdiQKD,more » together with its assumptions, strengths, and weaknesses.« less

From Bethe–Salpeter Wave functions to Generalised Parton Distributions

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

Mezrag, C.; Moutarde, H.; Rodríguez-Quintero, J.

2016-06-06

We review recent works on the modelling of Generalised Parton Distributions within the Dyson-Schwinger formalism. We highlight how covariant computations, using the impulse approximation, allows one to fulfil most of the theoretical constraints of the GPDs. A specific attention is brought to chiral properties and especially the so-called soft pion theorem, and its link with the Axial-Vector Ward-Takahashi identity. The limitation of the impulse approximation are also explained. Beyond impulse approximation computations are reviewed in the forward case. Finally, we stress the advantages of the overlap of lightcone wave functions, and possible ways to construct covariant GPD models within thismore » framework, in a two-body approximation« less

Proposed software system for atomic-structure calculation

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

Fischer, C.F.

1981-07-01

Atomic structure calculations are understood well enough that, at a routine level, an atomic structure software package can be developed. At the Atomic Physics Conference in Riga, 1978 L.V. Chernysheva and M.Y. Amusia of Leningrad University, presented a paper on Software for Atomic Calculations. Their system, called ATOM is based on the Hartree-Fock approximation and correlation is included within the framework of RPAE. Energy level calculations, transition probabilities, photo-ionization cross-sections, electron scattering cross-sections are some of the physical properties that can be evaluated by their system. The MCHF method, together with CI techniques and the Breit-Pauli approximation also provides amore » sound theoretical basis for atomic structure calculations.« less

Stochastic optimal control of ultradiffusion processes with application to dynamic portfolio management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcozzi, Michael D.

2008-12-01

We consider theoretical and approximation aspects of the stochastic optimal control of ultradiffusion processes in the context of a prototype model for the selling price of a European call option. Within a continuous-time framework, the dynamic management of a portfolio of assets is effected through continuous or point control, activation costs, and phase delay. The performance index is derived from the unique weak variational solution to the ultraparabolic Hamilton-Jacobi equation; the value function is the optimal realization of the performance index relative to all feasible portfolios. An approximation procedure based upon a temporal box scheme/finite element method is analyzed; numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the viability of the approach.

Evidence - competence - discourse: the theoretical framework of the multi-centre clinical ethics support project METAP.

PubMed

Reiter-Theil, Stella; Mertz, Marcel; Schürmann, Jan; Stingelin Giles, Nicola; Meyer-Zehnder, Barbara

2011-09-01

In this paper we assume that 'theory' is important for Clinical Ethics Support Services (CESS). We will argue that the underlying implicit theory should be reflected. Moreover, we suggest that the theoretical components on which any clinical ethics support (CES) relies should be explicitly articulated in order to enhance the quality of CES. A theoretical framework appropriate for CES will be necessarily complex and should include ethical (both descriptive and normative), metaethical and organizational components. The various forms of CES that exist in North-America and in Europe show their underlying theory more or less explicitly, with most of them referring to some kind of theoretical components including 'how-to' questions (methodology), organizational issues (implementation), problem analysis (phenomenology or typology of problems), and related ethical issues such as end-of-life decisions (major ethical topics). In order to illustrate and explain the theoretical framework that we are suggesting for our own CES project METAP, we will outline this project which has been established in a multi-centre context in several healthcare institutions. We conceptualize three 'pillars' as the major components of our theoretical framework: (1) evidence, (2) competence, and (3) discourse. As a whole, the framework is aimed at developing a foundation of our CES project METAP. We conclude that this specific integration of theoretical components is a promising model for the fruitful further development of CES. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A model for the role of emotional intelligence in patient safety

PubMed Central

Codier, Estelle; Codier, David

2015-01-01

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the USA, resulting in over 440,000 deaths/year. Although over a decade has passed since the first Institute of Medicine study that documented such horrific statistics and despite significant safety improvement efforts, serious progress has yet to be achieved. It is estimated that 80% of medical errors result from miscommunication among health care providers and between providers and patients. There is preliminary research evidence that communication skills programs can improve safety outcomes, but a systematic theoretical framework for such programs has not been identified. Because of the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) ability and communication effectiveness, EI has been called by some “one of the largest drivers of patient safety.” Little literature has explored this relationship. The purpose of this article was to present a theoretical model for the relationship between EI, communication and patient safety, with conceptual and clinical illustrations used to describe such a relationship. PMID:27981102

[Health care innovation from a territorial perspective: a call for a new approach].

PubMed

Costa, Laís Silveira; Gadelha, Carlos Augusto Grabois; Maldonado, José

2012-12-01

Innovation plays an increasingly important role in health care, partly because it is responsible for a significant share of national investment in research and development, and partly because of its industrial and service provision base, which provides a conduit to future technology. The relationship between health care and development is also strengthened as a result of the leading role of health care in generating innovation. Nevertheless, Brazil's health care production base is persistently weak, hindering both universal provision of health care services and international competitiveness. This article, based on the theoretical framework of Political Economy and innovation systems, has sought to identify variables in subnational contexts that influence the dynamic of innovation generation in health care. To this end, the theoretical approach used lies on the assumption that innovation is a contextualized social process and that the production base in healthcare will remain weak if new variables involved in the dynamic of innovation are not taken into account.

Quantifying the transport properties of lipid mesophases by theoretical modelling of diffusion experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antognini, Luca M.; Assenza, Salvatore; Speziale, Chiara; Mezzenga, Raffaele

2016-08-01

Lyotropic Liquid Crystals (LLCs) are a class of lipid-based membranes with a strong potential for drug-delivery employment. The characterization and control of their transport properties is a central issue in this regard, and has recently prompted a notable volume of research on the topic. A promising experimental approach is provided by the so-called diffusion setup, where the drug molecules diffuse from a feeding chamber filled with water to a receiving one passing through a LLC. In the present work we provide a theoretical framework for the proper description of this setup, and validate it by means of targeted experiments. Due to the inhomogeneity of the system, a rich palette of different diffusion dynamics emerges from the interplay of the different time- and lengthscales thereby present. Our work paves the way to the employment of diffusion experiments to quantitatively characterize the transport properties of LLCs, and provides the basic tools for device diffusion setups with controlled kinetic properties.

Theoretical Framework of Leadership in Higher Education of England and Wales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukan, Nataliya; Havrylyuk, Marianna; Stolyarchuk, Lesia

2015-01-01

In the article the theoretical framework of leadership in higher education of England and Wales has been studied. The main objectives of the article are defined as analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, which highlights different aspects of the problem under research; characteristic of the theoretical fundamentals of educational…

Towards Developing a Theoretical Framework for Measuring Public Sector Managers' Career Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasdi, Roziah Mohd; Ismail, Maimunah; Uli, Jegak; Noah, Sidek Mohd

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework for measuring public sector managers' career success. Design/methodology/approach: The theoretical foundation used in this study is social cognitive career theory. To conduct a literature search, several keywords were identified, i.e. career success, objective and subjective…

The Importance of Theoretical Frameworks and Mathematical Constructs in Designing Digital Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trinter, Christine

2016-01-01

The increase in availability of educational technologies over the past few decades has not only led to new practice in teaching mathematics but also to new perspectives in research, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks within mathematics education. Hence, the amalgamation of theoretical and pragmatic considerations in digital tool design…

Measuring Primary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Teaching Science: Development of the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra; Walma van der Molen, Juliette

2013-03-01

In this article, we present a valid and reliable instrument which measures the attitude of in-service and pre-service primary teachers toward teaching science, called the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument. Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers toward teaching science is of fundamental importance to the professionalization of these teachers in the field of primary science education. With the development of this instrument, we sought to fulfill the need for a statistically and theoretically valid and reliable instrument to measure pre-service and in-service teachers' attitudes. The DAS Instrument is based on a comprehensive theoretical framework for attitude toward (teaching) science. After pilot testing, the DAS was revised and subsequently validated using a large group of respondents (pre-service and in-service primary teachers) (N = 556). The theoretical underpinning of the DAS combined with the statistical data indicate that the DAS possesses good construct validity and that it proves to be a promising instrument that can be utilized for research purposes, and also as a teacher training and coaching tool. This instrument can therefore make a valuable contribution to progress within the field of science education.

A Theoretically Grounded Framework for Integrating the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walls, Jill K.

2016-01-01

SoTL scholars have written about the importance and utility of teaching from a guiding theoretical framework. In this paper, ecological theory and specifically Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, is examined as a potential framework for synthesizing SoTL research findings to inform teaching and learning scholarship at the college level. A…

Health Sector Reform and Social Determinants of Health: building up theoretical and methodological interconnections to approach complex global challenges.

PubMed

Junior, Garibaldi Dantas Gurgel

2014-01-01

Health Sector Reform and Social Determinants of Health are central issues for the current international policy debate, considering the turbulent scenario and the threat of economic recession in a global scale. Although these themes have been discussed for a long time, three major issues still calls the attention of the scientific community and health policymakers. The first one is the matter of how to approach scientifically the intricate connections between them in order to understand the consequences of policies for healthcare services, once this debate will become much more tensioned in the coming years. The second one is the lack of explanatory frameworks to investigate the policies of reform strategies, simultaneously observed in a variety of countries within distinct health services, which aim to achieve multiple and contradictory goals vis-à-vis the so-called social determinants of health. The third one is the challenge that governments face in developing and sustaining equitable health services, bearing in mind the intense political dispute behind the health sector reform processes. This article discusses an all-embracing theoretical and methodological scheme to address these questions. The aim is to connect macro- and middle-range theories to examine Social Determinants and Health Sector Reform interdependent issues, with view to developing new knowledge and attaining scientific understanding upon the role of universal and equitable healthcare systems, in order to avoid deepening economic crises.

The dynamics of perception and action.

PubMed

Warren, William H

2006-04-01

How might one account for the organization in behavior without attributing it to an internal control structure? The present article develops a theoretical framework called behavioral dynamics that integrates an information-based approach to perception with a dynamical systems approach to action. For a given task, the agent and its environment are treated as a pair of dynamical systems that are coupled mechanically and informationally. Their interactions give rise to the behavioral dynamics, a vector field with attractors that correspond to stable task solutions, repellers that correspond to avoided states, and bifurcations that correspond to behavioral transitions. The framework is used to develop theories of several tasks in which a human agent interacts with the physical environment, including bouncing a ball on a racquet, balancing an object, braking a vehicle, and guiding locomotion. Stable, adaptive behavior emerges from the dynamics of the interaction between a structured environment and an agent with simple control laws, under physical and informational constraints. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

A pilot study to assess feasibility of value based pricing in Cyprus through pharmacoeconomic modelling and assessment of its operational framework: sorafenib for second line renal cell cancer.

PubMed

Petrou, Panagiotis; Talias, Michael A

2014-01-01

The continuing increase of pharmaceutical expenditure calls for new approaches to pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals. Value based pricing of pharmaceuticals is emerging as a useful tool and possess theoretical attributes to help health system cope with rising pharmaceutical expenditure. To assess the feasibility of introducing a value-based pricing scheme of pharmaceuticals in Cyprus and explore the integrative framework. A probabilistic Markov chain Monte Carlo model was created to simulate progression of advanced renal cell cancer for comparison of sorafenib to standard best supportive care. Literature review was performed and efficacy data were transferred from a published landmark trial, while official pricelists and clinical guidelines from Cyprus Ministry of Health were utilised for cost calculation. Based on proposed willingness to pay threshold the maximum price of sorafenib for the indication of second line renal cell cancer was assessed. Sorafenib value based price was found to be significantly lower compared to its current reference price. Feasibility of Value Based Pricing is documented and pharmacoeconomic modelling can lead to robust results. Integration of value and affordability in the price are its main advantages which have to be weighed against lack of documentation for several theoretical parameters that influence outcome. Smaller countries such as Cyprus may experience adversities in establishing and sustaining essential structures for this scheme.

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

Kobos, Peter Holmes; Malczynski, Leonard A.; Walker, La Tonya Nicole

People save for retirement throughout their career because it is virtually impossible to save all you’ll need in retirement the year before you retire. Similarly, without installing incremental amounts of clean fossil, renewable or transformative energy technologies throughout the coming decades, a radical and immediate change will be near impossible the year before a policy goal is set to be in place. This notion of steady installation growth over acute installations of technology to meet policy goals is the core topic of discussion for this research. This research operationalizes this notion by developing the theoretical underpinnings of regulatory and marketmore » acceptance delays by building upon the common Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework and offers two new additions to the research community. The new and novel Regulatory Readiness Level (RRL) and Market Readiness Level (MRL) frameworks were developed. These components, collectively called the Technology, Regulatory and Market (TRM) readiness level framework allow one to build new constraints into existing Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) to address research questions such as, ‘To meet our desired technical and policy goals, what are the factors that affect the rate we must install technology to achieve these goals in the coming decades?’« less

Mathematical Abstraction: Constructing Concept of Parallel Coordinates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhasanah, F.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Sabandar, J.; Suryadi, D.

2017-09-01

Mathematical abstraction is an important process in teaching and learning mathematics so pre-service mathematics teachers need to understand and experience this process. One of the theoretical-methodological frameworks for studying this process is Abstraction in Context (AiC). Based on this framework, abstraction process comprises of observable epistemic actions, Recognition, Building-With, Construction, and Consolidation called as RBC + C model. This study investigates and analyzes how pre-service mathematics teachers constructed and consolidated concept of Parallel Coordinates in a group discussion. It uses AiC framework for analyzing mathematical abstraction of a group of pre-service teachers consisted of four students in learning Parallel Coordinates concepts. The data were collected through video recording, students’ worksheet, test, and field notes. The result shows that the students’ prior knowledge related to concept of the Cartesian coordinate has significant role in the process of constructing Parallel Coordinates concept as a new knowledge. The consolidation process is influenced by the social interaction between group members. The abstraction process taken place in this group were dominated by empirical abstraction that emphasizes on the aspect of identifying characteristic of manipulated or imagined object during the process of recognizing and building-with.

Towards Culturally Relevant Classroom Science: A Theoretical Framework Focusing on Traditional Plant Healing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mpofu, Vongai; Otulaja, Femi S.; Mushayikwa, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

A theoretical framework is an important component of a research study. It grounds the study and guides the methodological design. It also forms a reference point for the interpretation of the research findings. This paper conceptually examines the process of constructing a multi-focal theoretical lens for guiding studies that aim to accommodate…

A theoretical stochastic control framework for adapting radiotherapy to hypoxia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saberian, Fatemeh; Ghate, Archis; Kim, Minsun

2016-10-01

Hypoxia, that is, insufficient oxygen partial pressure, is a known cause of reduced radiosensitivity in solid tumors, and especially in head-and-neck tumors. It is thus believed to adversely affect the outcome of fractionated radiotherapy. Oxygen partial pressure varies spatially and temporally over the treatment course and exhibits inter-patient and intra-tumor variation. Emerging advances in non-invasive functional imaging offer the future possibility of adapting radiotherapy plans to this uncertain spatiotemporal evolution of hypoxia over the treatment course. We study the potential benefits of such adaptive planning via a theoretical stochastic control framework using computer-simulated evolution of hypoxia on computer-generated test cases in head-and-neck cancer. The exact solution of the resulting control problem is computationally intractable. We develop an approximation algorithm, called certainty equivalent control, that calls for the solution of a sequence of convex programs over the treatment course; dose-volume constraints are handled using a simple constraint generation method. These convex programs are solved using an interior point algorithm with a logarithmic barrier via Newton’s method and backtracking line search. Convexity of various formulations in this paper is guaranteed by a sufficient condition on radiobiological tumor-response parameters. This condition is expected to hold for head-and-neck tumors and for other similarly responding tumors where the linear dose-response parameter is larger than the quadratic dose-response parameter. We perform numerical experiments on four test cases by using a first-order vector autoregressive process with exponential and rational-quadratic covariance functions from the spatiotemporal statistics literature to simulate the evolution of hypoxia. Our results suggest that dynamic planning could lead to a considerable improvement in the number of tumor cells remaining at the end of the treatment course. Through these simulations, we also gain insights into when and why dynamic planning is likely to yield the largest benefits.

Integrated primary care, the collaboration imperative inter-organizational cooperation in the integrated primary care field: a theoretical framework

PubMed Central

Valentijn, Pim P; Bruijnzeels, Marc A; de Leeuw, Rob J; Schrijvers, Guus J.P

2012-01-01

Purpose Capacity problems and political pressures have led to a rapid change in the organization of primary care from mono disciplinary small business to complex inter-organizational relationships. It is assumed that inter-organizational collaboration is the driving force to achieve integrated (primary) care. Despite the importance of collaboration and integration of services in primary care, there is no unambiguous definition for both concepts. The purpose of this study is to examine and link the conceptualisation and validation of the terms inter-organizational collaboration and integrated primary care using a theoretical framework. Theory The theoretical framework is based on the complex collaboration process of negotiation among multiple stakeholder groups in primary care. Methods A literature review of health sciences and business databases, and targeted grey literature sources. Based on the literature review we operationalized the constructs of inter-organizational collaboration and integrated primary care in a theoretical framework. The framework is being validated in an explorative study of 80 primary care projects in the Netherlands. Results and conclusions Integrated primary care is considered as a multidimensional construct based on a continuum of integration, extending from segregation to integration. The synthesis of the current theories and concepts of inter-organizational collaboration is insufficient to deal with the complexity of collaborative issues in primary care. One coherent and integrated theoretical framework was found that could make the complex collaboration process in primary care transparent. This study presented theoretical framework is a first step to understand the patterns of successful collaboration and integration in primary care services. These patterns can give insights in the organization forms needed to create a good working integrated (primary) care system that fits the local needs of a population. Preliminary data of the patterns of collaboration and integration will be presented.

IEP goals for school-age children with speech sound disorders.

PubMed

Farquharson, Kelly; Tambyraja, Sherine R; Justice, Laura M; Redle, Erin E

2014-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to describe the current state of practice for writing Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for children with speech sound disorders (SSDs). IEP goals for 146 children receiving services for SSDs within public school systems across two states were coded for their dominant theoretical framework and overall quality. A dichotomous scheme was used for theoretical framework coding: cognitive-linguistic or sensory-motor. Goal quality was determined by examining 7 specific indicators outlined by an empirically tested rating tool. In total, 147 long-term and 490 short-term goals were coded. The results revealed no dominant theoretical framework for long-term goals, whereas short-term goals largely reflected a sensory-motor framework. In terms of quality, the majority of speech production goals were functional and generalizable in nature, but were not able to be easily targeted during common daily tasks or by other members of the IEP team. Short-term goals were consistently rated higher in quality domains when compared to long-term goals. The current state of practice for writing IEP goals for children with SSDs indicates that theoretical framework may be eclectic in nature and likely written to support the individual needs of children with speech sound disorders. Further investigation is warranted to determine the relations between goal quality and child outcomes. (1) Identify two predominant theoretical frameworks and discuss how they apply to IEP goal writing. (2) Discuss quality indicators as they relate to IEP goals for children with speech sound disorders. (3) Discuss the relationship between long-term goals level of quality and related theoretical frameworks. (4) Identify the areas in which business-as-usual IEP goals exhibit strong quality.

Intellect: a theoretical framework for personality traits related to intellectual achievements.

PubMed

Mussel, Patrick

2013-05-01

The present article develops a theoretical framework for the structure of personality traits related to intellectual achievements. We postulate a 2-dimensional model, differentiating between 2 processes (Seek and Conquer) and 3 operations (Think, Learn, and Create). The framework was operationalized by a newly developed measure, which was validated based on 2 samples. Subsequently, in 3 studies (overall N = 1,478), the 2-dimensional structure of the Intellect framework was generally supported. Additionally, subdimensions of the Intellect framework specifically predicted conceptually related criteria, including scholastic performance, vocational interest, and leisure activities. Furthermore, results from multidimensional scaling and higher order confirmatory factor analyses show that the framework allows for the incorporation of several constructs that have been proposed on different theoretical backgrounds, such as need for cognition, typical intellectual engagement, curiosity, intrinsic motivation, goal orientation, and openness to ideas. It is concluded that based on the Intellect framework, these constructs, which have been researched separately in the literature, can be meaningfully integrated.

Nursing management of sensory overload in psychiatry – Theoretical densification and modification of the framework model

PubMed

Scheydt, Stefan; Needham, Ian; Behrens, Johann

2017-01-01

Background: Within the scope of the research project on the subjects of sensory overload and stimulus regulation, a theoretical framework model of the nursing care of patients with sensory overload in psychiatry was developed. In a second step, this theoretical model should now be theoretically compressed and, if necessary, modified. Aim: Empirical verification as well as modification, enhancement and theoretical densification of the framework model of nursing care of patients with sensory overload in psychiatry. Method: Analysis of 8 expert interviews by summarizing and structuring content analysis methods based on Meuser and Nagel (2009) as well as Mayring (2010). Results: The developed framework model (Scheydt et al., 2016b) could be empirically verified, theoretically densificated and extended by one category (perception modulation). Thus, four categories of nursing care of patients with sensory overload can be described in inpatient psychiatry: removal from stimuli, modulation of environmental factors, perceptual modulation as well as help somebody to help him- or herself / coping support. Conclusions: Based on the methodological approach, a relatively well-saturated, credible conceptualization of a theoretical model for the description of the nursing care of patients with sensory overload in stationary psychiatry could be worked out. In further steps, these measures have to be further developed, implemented and evaluated regarding to their efficacy.

Patterns of Control over the Teaching-Studying-Learning Process and Classrooms as Complex Dynamic Environments: A Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harjunen, Elina

2012-01-01

In this theoretical paper the role of power in classroom interactions is examined in terms of a dominance continuum to advance a theoretical framework justifying the emergence of three ways of distributing power when it comes to dealing with the control over the teaching-studying-learning (TSL) "pattern of teacher domination," "pattern of…

Resolving the iterated prisoner's dilemma: theory and reality.

PubMed

Raihani, N J; Bshary, R

2011-08-01

Pairs of unrelated individuals face a prisoner's dilemma if cooperation is the best mutual outcome, but each player does best to defect regardless of his partner's behaviour. Although mutual defection is the only evolutionarily stable strategy in one-shot games, cooperative solutions based on reciprocity can emerge in iterated games. Among the most prominent theoretical solutions are the so-called bookkeeping strategies, such as tit-for-tat, where individuals copy their partner's behaviour in the previous round. However, the lack of empirical data conforming to predicted strategies has prompted the suggestion that the iterated prisoner's dilemma (IPD) is neither a useful nor realistic basis for investigating cooperation. Here, we discuss several recent studies where authors have used the IPD framework to interpret their data. We evaluate the validity of their approach and highlight the diversity of proposed solutions. Strategies based on precise accounting are relatively uncommon, perhaps because the full set of assumptions of the IPD model are rarely satisfied. Instead, animals use a diverse array of strategies that apparently promote cooperation, despite the temptation to cheat. These include both positive and negative reciprocity, as well as long-term mutual investments based on 'friendships'. Although there are various gaps in these studies that remain to be filled, we argue that in most cases, individuals could theoretically benefit from cheating and that cooperation cannot therefore be explained with the concept of positive pseudo-reciprocity. We suggest that by incorporating empirical data into the theoretical framework, we may gain fundamental new insights into the evolution of mutual reciprocal investment in nature. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Systematic development of a self-help and motivational enhancement intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Van Kesteren, Nicole M C; Kok, Gerjo; Hospers, Harm J; Schippers, Jan; De Wildt, Wencke

2006-12-01

The objective of this study was to describe the application of a systematic process-Intervention Mapping-to developing a theory- and evidence-based intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Intervention Mapping provides a framework that gives program planners a systematic method for decision-making in each phase of intervention development. In Step 1, we focused on the improvement of two health-promoting behaviors: satisfactory sexual functioning and safer sexual behavior. These behaviors were then linked with selected personal and external determinants, such as attitudes and social support, to produce a set of proximal program objectives. In Step 2, theoretical methods were identified to influence the proximal program objectives and were translated into practical strategies. Although theoretical methods were derived from various theories, self-regulation theory and a cognitive model of behavior change provided the main framework for selecting the intervention methods. The main strategies chosen were bibliotherapy (i.e., the use of written material to help people solve problems or change behavior) and motivational interviewing. In Step 3, the theoretical methods and practical strategies were applied in a program that comprised a self-help guide, a motivational interviewing session and a motivational interviewing telephone call, both delivered by specialist nurses in HIV treatment centers. In Step 4, implementation was anticipated by developing a linkage group to ensure involvement of program users in the planning process and conducting additional research to understand how to implement our program better. In Step 5, program evaluation was anticipated based on the planning process from the previous Intervention Mapping steps.

Upping the "Anti-": The Value of an Anti-Racist Theoretical Framework in Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Juliet

2015-01-01

In a time that some have argued is "postracial" following the election and reelection of Barack Obama (see Wise 2010, for discussion), this paper argues that antiracism is a crucial theoretical framework for music education. I explore three areas of music education, in which such a framework can push toward change. The first area speaks…

Divergences and estimating tight bounds on Bayes error with applications to multivariate Gaussian copula and latent Gaussian copula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thelen, Brian J.; Xique, Ismael J.; Burns, Joseph W.; Goley, G. Steven; Nolan, Adam R.; Benson, Jonathan W.

2017-04-01

In Bayesian decision theory, there has been a great amount of research into theoretical frameworks and information- theoretic quantities that can be used to provide lower and upper bounds for the Bayes error. These include well-known bounds such as Chernoff, Battacharrya, and J-divergence. Part of the challenge of utilizing these various metrics in practice is (i) whether they are "loose" or "tight" bounds, (ii) how they might be estimated via either parametric or non-parametric methods, and (iii) how accurate the estimates are for limited amounts of data. In general what is desired is a methodology for generating relatively tight lower and upper bounds, and then an approach to estimate these bounds efficiently from data. In this paper, we explore the so-called triangle divergence which has been around for a while, but was recently made more prominent in some recent research on non-parametric estimation of information metrics. Part of this work is motivated by applications for quantifying fundamental information content in SAR/LIDAR data, and to help in this, we have developed a flexible multivariate modeling framework based on multivariate Gaussian copula models which can be combined with the triangle divergence framework to quantify this information, and provide approximate bounds on Bayes error. In this paper we present an overview of the bounds, including those based on triangle divergence and verify that under a number of multivariate models, the upper and lower bounds derived from triangle divergence are significantly tighter than the other common bounds, and often times, dramatically so. We also propose some simple but effective means for computing the triangle divergence using Monte Carlo methods, and then discuss estimation of the triangle divergence from empirical data based on Gaussian Copula models.

Testing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research on health care innovations from South Yorkshire.

PubMed

Ilott, Irene; Gerrish, Kate; Booth, Andrew; Field, Becky

2013-10-01

There is an international imperative to implement research into clinical practice to improve health care. Understanding the dynamics of change requires knowledge from theoretical and empirical studies. This paper presents a novel approach to testing a new meta theoretical framework: the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The utility of the Framework was evaluated using a post hoc, deductive analysis of 11 narrative accounts of innovation in health care services and practice from England, collected in 2010. A matrix, comprising the five domains and 39 constructs of the Framework was developed to examine the coherence of the terminology, to compare results across contexts and to identify new theoretical developments. The Framework captured the complexity of implementation across 11 diverse examples, offering theoretically informed, comprehensive coverage. The Framework drew attention to relevant points in individual cases together with patterns across cases; for example, all were internally developed innovations that brought direct or indirect patient advantage. In 10 cases, the change was led by clinicians. Most initiatives had been maintained for several years and there was evidence of spread in six examples. Areas for further development within the Framework include sustainability and patient/public engagement in implementation. Our analysis suggests that this conceptual framework has the potential to offer useful insights, whether as part of a situational analysis or by developing context-specific propositions for hypothesis testing. Such studies are vital now that innovation is being promoted as core business for health care. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Blending Velocities In Task Space In Computing Robot Motions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volpe, Richard A.

1995-01-01

Blending of linear and angular velocities between sequential specified points in task space constitutes theoretical basis of improved method of computing trajectories followed by robotic manipulators. In method, generalized velocity-vector-blending technique provides relatively simple, common conceptual framework for blending linear, angular, and other parametric velocities. Velocity vectors originate from straight-line segments connecting specified task-space points, called "via frames" and represent specified robot poses. Linear-velocity-blending functions chosen from among first-order, third-order-polynomial, and cycloidal options. Angular velocities blended by use of first-order approximation of previous orientation-matrix-blending formulation. Angular-velocity approximation yields small residual error, quantified and corrected. Method offers both relative simplicity and speed needed for generation of robot-manipulator trajectories in real time.

An ecological process model of systems change.

PubMed

Peirson, Leslea J; Boydell, Katherine M; Ferguson, H Bruce; Ferris, Lorraine E

2011-06-01

In June 2007 the American Journal of Community Psychology published a special issue focused on theories, methods and interventions for systems change which included calls from the editors and authors for theoretical advancement in this field. We propose a conceptual model of systems change that integrates familiar and fundamental community psychology principles (succession, interdependence, cycling of resources, adaptation) and accentuates a process orientation. To situate our framework we offer a definition of systems change and a brief review of the ecological perspective and principles. The Ecological Process Model of Systems Change is depicted, described and applied to a case example of policy driven systems level change in publicly funded social programs. We conclude by identifying salient implications for thinking and action which flow from the Model.

First-principles definition and measurement of planetary electromagnetic-energy budget.

PubMed

Mishchenko, Michael I; Lock, James A; Lacis, Andrew A; Travis, Larry D; Cairns, Brian

2016-06-01

The imperative to quantify the Earth's electromagnetic-energy budget with an extremely high accuracy has been widely recognized but has never been formulated in the framework of fundamental physics. In this paper we give a first-principles definition of the planetary electromagnetic-energy budget using the Poynting-vector formalism and discuss how it can, in principle, be measured. Our derivation is based on an absolute minimum of theoretical assumptions, is free of outdated notions of phenomenological radiometry, and naturally leads to the conceptual formulation of an instrument called the double hemispherical cavity radiometer (DHCR). The practical measurement of the planetary energy budget would require flying a constellation of several dozen planet-orbiting satellites hosting identical well-calibrated DHCRs.

Constraint-based Data Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulicaut, Jean-Francois; Jeudy, Baptiste

Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) is a complex interactive process. The promising theoretical framework of inductive databases considers this is essentially a querying process. It is enabled by a query language which can deal either with raw data or patterns which hold in the data. Mining patterns turns to be the so-called inductive query evaluation process for which constraint-based Data Mining techniques have to be designed. An inductive query specifies declaratively the desired constraints and algorithms are used to compute the patterns satisfying the constraints in the data. We survey important results of this active research domain. This chapter emphasizes a real breakthrough for hard problems concerning local pattern mining under various constraints and it points out the current directions of research as well.

Optimal indolence: a normative microscopic approach to work and leisure

PubMed Central

Niyogi, Ritwik K.; Breton, Yannick-Andre; Solomon, Rebecca B.; Conover, Kent; Shizgal, Peter; Dayan, Peter

2014-01-01

Dividing limited time between work and leisure when both have their attractions is a common everyday decision. We provide a normative control-theoretic treatment of this decision that bridges economic and psychological accounts. We show how our framework applies to free-operant behavioural experiments in which subjects are required to work (depressing a lever) for sufficient total time (called the price) to receive a reward. When the microscopic benefit-of-leisure increases nonlinearly with duration, the model generates behaviour that qualitatively matches various microfeatures of subjects’ choices, including the distribution of leisure bout durations as a function of the pay-off. We relate our model to traditional accounts by deriving macroscopic, molar, quantities from microscopic choices. PMID:24284898

First-principles definition and measurement of planetary electromagnetic-energy budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishchenko, M. I.; James, L.; Lacis, A. A.; Travis, L. D.; Cairns, B.

2016-12-01

The imperative to quantify the Earth's electromagnetic-energy budget with an extremely high accuracy has been widely recognized but has never been formulated in the framework of fundamental physics. In this talk we give a first-principles definition of the planetary electromagnetic-energy budget using the Poynting-vector formalism and discuss how it can, in principle, be measured. Our derivation is based on an absolute minimum of theoretical assumptions, is free of outdated concepts of phenomenological radiometry, and naturally leads to the conceptual formulation of an instrument called the double hemispherical cavity radiometer (DHCR). The practical measurement of the planetary energy budget would require flying a constellation of several dozen planet-orbiting satellites hosting identical well-calibrated DHCRs.

First-Principles Definition and Measurement of Planetary Electromagnetic-Energy Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Lock, James A.; Lacis, Andrew A.; Travis, Larry D.; Cairns, Brian

2016-01-01

The imperative to quantify the Earths electromagnetic-energy budget with an extremely high accuracy has been widely recognized but has never been formulated in the framework of fundamental physics. In this paper we give a first-principles definition of the planetary electromagnetic-energy budget using the Poynting- vector formalism and discuss how it can, in principle, be measured. Our derivation is based on an absolute minimum of theoretical assumptions, is free of outdated notions of phenomenological radiometry, and naturally leads to the conceptual formulation of an instrument called the double hemispherical cavity radiometer (DHCR). The practical measurement of the planetary energy budget would require flying a constellation of several dozen planet-orbiting satellites hosting identical well-calibrated DHCRs.

Answering Schrödinger's question: A free-energy formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramstead, Maxwell James Désormeau; Badcock, Paul Benjamin; Friston, Karl John

2018-03-01

The free-energy principle (FEP) is a formal model of neuronal processes that is widely recognised in neuroscience as a unifying theory of the brain and biobehaviour. More recently, however, it has been extended beyond the brain to explain the dynamics of living systems, and their unique capacity to avoid decay. The aim of this review is to synthesise these advances with a meta-theoretical ontology of biological systems called variational neuroethology, which integrates the FEP with Tinbergen's four research questions to explain biological systems across spatial and temporal scales. We exemplify this framework by applying it to Homo sapiens, before translating variational neuroethology into a systematic research heuristic that supplies the biological, cognitive, and social sciences with a computationally tractable guide to discovery.

Optimal versus observed vegetation responses to CO2 over the last 40 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roderick, M. L.; Yang, Y.; Donohue, R. J.; Farquhar, G. D.; McVicar, T.

2016-12-01

The ongoing increase in atmospheric CO2 presents an interesting opportunity for primary producers. Understanding the impacts on agriculture, natural ecological communities and water resources presents considerable challenges. We investigate this problem using a Budyko-type framework based around two end-members: (i) warm arid environments (e.g. warm deserts) and (ii) warm wet environments (e.g. tropical rainforests). We first make predictions of the effect of a change in atmospheric CO2 on the partitioning of precipitation between evapotranspiration and streamflow. We then use satellite observation of greenness and in-situ streamflow data to assess the predictions. We finish by contrasting the observed responses against those expected from a purely theoretical construct: the so-called optimal vegetation.

Fraying connections of caring women: an exemplar of including difference in the development of explanatory frameworks.

PubMed

Wuest, J

1997-01-01

While research exploring diverse groups enhances understanding of their unique perspectives and experiences, it also contributes to the exclusion of such groups from mainstream frameworks and solutions. The feminist grounded theory method allows for inclusion of marginalized groups through theoretical sensitivity to feminist theory and theoretical sampling. This paper demonstrates how this approach results in an explanatory framework that accounts for diverse realities in a study of women's caring. Fraying connections were identified as women's initial response to competing and changing caring demands. The range of dimensions and properties of fraying connections was identified through theoretical sampling guided by the emerging themes and theoretical sensitivity to issues of gender, culture, age, ability, class, and sexual orientation.

Theoretical framework to study exercise motivation for breast cancer risk reduction.

PubMed

Wood, Maureen E

2008-01-01

To identify an appropriate theoretical framework to study exercise motivation for breast cancer risk reduction among high-risk women. An extensive review of the literature was conducted to gather relevant information pertaining to the Health Promotion Model, self-determination theory, social cognitive theory, Health Belief Model, Transtheoretical Model, theory of planned behavior, and protection motivation theory. An iterative approach was used to summarize the literature related to exercise motivation within each theoretical framework. Protection motivation theory could be used to examine the effects of perceived risk and self-efficacy in motivating women to exercise to facilitate health-related behavioral change. Evidence-based research within a chosen theoretical model can aid practitioners when making practical recommendations to reduce breast cancer risk.

Ideals and Realities: Articulating Feminist Perspectives in Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeal, Georgia; And Others

1994-01-01

Information from feminist physical educators helps examine relationships between theoretical debates in feminism and feminist practice in secondary schools. The article discusses debates over equality, how theoretical struggles between feminists are handled in sport and physical education, and how calls for equality are understood as calls for…

Innovation value chain capability in Malaysian-owned company: A theoretical framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Norkisme Zainal; Suradi, Nur Riza Mohd

2014-09-01

Good quality products or services are no longer adequate to guarantee the sustainability of a company in the present competitive business. Prior research has developed various innovation models with the hope to better understand the innovativeness of the company. Due to countless definitions, indicators, factors, parameter and approaches in the study of innovation, it is difficult to ensure which one will best suit the Malaysian-owned company innovativeness. This paper aims to provide a theoretical background to support the framework of the innovation value chain capability in Malaysian-owned Company. The theoretical framework was based on the literature reviews, expert interviews and focus group study. The framework will be used to predict and assess the innovation value chain capability in Malaysian-owned company.

A framework for biodynamic feedthrough analysis--part I: theoretical foundations.

PubMed

Venrooij, Joost; van Paassen, Marinus M; Mulder, Mark; Abbink, David A; Mulder, Max; van der Helm, Frans C T; Bulthoff, Heinrich H

2014-09-01

Biodynamic feedthrough (BDFT) is a complex phenomenon, which has been studied for several decades. However, there is little consensus on how to approach the BDFT problem in terms of definitions, nomenclature, and mathematical descriptions. In this paper, a framework for biodynamic feedthrough analysis is presented. The goal of this framework is two-fold. First, it provides some common ground between the seemingly large range of different approaches existing in the BDFT literature. Second, the framework itself allows for gaining new insights into BDFT phenomena. It will be shown how relevant signals can be obtained from measurement, how different BDFT dynamics can be derived from them, and how these different dynamics are related. Using the framework, BDFT can be dissected into several dynamical relationships, each relevant in understanding BDFT phenomena in more detail. The presentation of the BDFT framework is divided into two parts. This paper, Part I, addresses the theoretical foundations of the framework. Part II, which is also published in this issue, addresses the validation of the framework. The work is presented in two separate papers to allow for a detailed discussion of both the framework's theoretical background and its validation.

The Roy Adaptation Model: A Theoretical Framework for Nurses Providing Care to Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Jennings, Karen M

Using a nursing theoretical framework to understand, elucidate, and propose nursing research is fundamental to knowledge development. This article presents the Roy Adaptation Model as a theoretical framework to better understand individuals with anorexia nervosa during acute treatment, and the role of nursing assessments and interventions in the promotion of weight restoration. Nursing assessments and interventions situated within the Roy Adaptation Model take into consideration how weight restoration does not occur in isolation but rather reflects an adaptive process within external and internal environments, and has the potential for more holistic care.

National Strategic Planning: Linking DIMEFIL/PMESII to a Theory of Victory

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

theoretical and one practical, and both are interlinked, The theoretical problem is the lack of a mental framework tying the desired end state...mental framework tying the desired end state (usually broadly stated) to the activities undertaken with the instruments of national power. This is a... FRAMEWORK TO DIMEFIL/PMESII ............ 39 CHAPTER 4. HOLY GRAIL OR WITCHES’ BREW? RECORDING REASONING IN SOFTWARE

Understanding the Theoretical Framework of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Collaborative Self-Study to Understand Teaching Practice and Aspects of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fransson, Goran; Holmberg, Jorgen

2012-01-01

This paper describes a self-study research project that focused on our experiences when planning, teaching, and evaluating a course in initial teacher education. The theoretical framework of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) was used as a conceptual structure for the self-study. Our understanding of the framework in relation to…

A Critical Review of the Use of Wenger's Community of Practice (CoP) Theoretical Framework in Online and Blended Learning Research, 2000-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Sedef Uzuner; Hayes, Suzanne; Shea, Peter

2017-01-01

After presenting a brief overview of the key elements that underpin Etienne Wenger's communities of practice (CoP) theoretical framework, one of the most widely cited and influential conceptions of social learning, this paper reviews extant empirical work grounded in this framework to investigate online/blended learning in higher education and in…

A Theoretical Framework for Studying Adolescent Contraceptive Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urberg, Kathryn A.

1982-01-01

Presents a theoretical framework for viewing adolescent contraceptive usage. The problem-solving process is used for developmentally examining the competencies that must be present for effective contraceptive use, including: problem recognition, motivation, generation of alternatives, decision making and implementation. Each aspect is discussed…

The problem with the phrase women and minorities: intersectionality-an important theoretical framework for public health.

PubMed

Bowleg, Lisa

2012-07-01

Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that posits that multiple social categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status) intersect at the micro level of individual experience to reflect multiple interlocking systems of privilege and oppression at the macro, social-structural level (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism). Public health's commitment to social justice makes it a natural fit with intersectionality's focus on multiple historically oppressed populations. Yet despite a plethora of research focused on these populations, public health studies that reflect intersectionality in their theoretical frameworks, designs, analyses, or interpretations are rare. Accordingly, I describe the history and central tenets of intersectionality, address some theoretical and methodological challenges, and highlight the benefits of intersectionality for public health theory, research, and policy.

The Problem With the Phrase Women and Minorities: Intersectionality—an Important Theoretical Framework for Public Health

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that posits that multiple social categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status) intersect at the micro level of individual experience to reflect multiple interlocking systems of privilege and oppression at the macro, social-structural level (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism). Public health’s commitment to social justice makes it a natural fit with intersectionality’s focus on multiple historically oppressed populations. Yet despite a plethora of research focused on these populations, public health studies that reflect intersectionality in their theoretical frameworks, designs, analyses, or interpretations are rare. Accordingly, I describe the history and central tenets of intersectionality, address some theoretical and methodological challenges, and highlight the benefits of intersectionality for public health theory, research, and policy. PMID:22594719

Adopting Health Behavior Change Theory throughout the Clinical Practice Guideline Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceccato, Natalie E.; Ferris, Lorraine E.; Manuel, Douglas; Grimshaw, Jeremy M.

2007-01-01

Adopting a theoretical framework throughout the clinical practice guideline (CPG) process (development, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation) can be useful in systematically identifying, addressing, and explaining behavioral influences impacting CPG uptake and effectiveness. This article argues that using a theoretical framework should…

[A framework for evaluating ethical issues of public health initiatives: practical aspects and theoretical implications].

PubMed

Petrini, Carlo

2015-01-01

The "Framework for the Ethical Conduct of Public Health Initiatives", developed by Public Health Ontario, is a practical guide for assessing the ethical implications of evidence-generating public health initiatives, whether research or non-research activities, involving people, their biological materials or their personal information. The Framework is useful not only to those responsible for determining the ethical acceptability of an initiative, but also to investigators planning new public health initiatives. It is informed by a theoretical approach that draws on widely shared bioethical principles. Two considerations emerge from both the theoretical framework and its practical application: the line between practice and research is often blurred; public health ethics and biomedical research ethics are based on the same common heritage of values.

Identification of source velocities on 3D structures in non-anechoic environments: Theoretical background and experimental validation of the inverse patch transfer functions method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucejo, M.; Totaro, N.; Guyader, J.-L.

2010-08-01

In noise control, identification of the source velocity field remains a major problem open to investigation. Consequently, methods such as nearfield acoustical holography (NAH), principal source projection, the inverse frequency response function and hybrid NAH have been developed. However, these methods require free field conditions that are often difficult to achieve in practice. This article presents an alternative method known as inverse patch transfer functions, designed to identify source velocities and developed in the framework of the European SILENCE project. This method is based on the definition of a virtual cavity, the double measurement of the pressure and particle velocity fields on the aperture surfaces of this volume, divided into elementary areas called patches and the inversion of impedances matrices, numerically computed from a modal basis obtained by FEM. Theoretically, the method is applicable to sources with complex 3D geometries and measurements can be carried out in a non-anechoic environment even in the presence of other stationary sources outside the virtual cavity. In the present paper, the theoretical background of the iPTF method is described and the results (numerical and experimental) for a source with simple geometry (two baffled pistons driven in antiphase) are presented and discussed.

The role of language in learning physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brookes, David T.

Many studies in PER suggest that language poses a serious difficulty for students learning physics. These difficulties are mostly attributed to misunderstanding of specialized terminology. This terminology often assigns new meanings to everyday terms used to describe physical models and phenomena. In this dissertation I present a novel approach to analyzing of the role of language in learning physics. This approach is based on the analysis of the historical development of physics ideas, the language of modern physicists, and students' difficulties in the areas of quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, and thermodynamics. These data are analyzed using linguistic tools borrowed from cognitive linguistics and systemic functional grammar. Specifically, I combine the idea of conceptual metaphor and grammar to build a theoretical framework that accounts for: (1) the role and function that language serves for physicists when they speak and reason about physical ideas and phenomena, (2) specific features of students' reasoning and difficulties that may be related to or derived from language that students read or hear. The theoretical framework is developed using the methodology of a grounded theoretical approach. The theoretical framework allows us to make predictions about the relationship between student discourse and their conceptual and problem solving difficulties. Tests of the theoretical framework are presented in the context of "heat" in thermodynamics and "force" in dynamics. In each case the language that students use to reason about the concepts of "heat" and "force" is analyzed using the theoretical framework. The results of this analysis show that language is very important in students' learning. In particular, students are (1) using features of physicists' conceptual metaphors to reason about physical phenomena, often overextending and misapplying these features, (2) drawing cues from the grammar of physicists' speech and writing to categorize physics concepts; this categorization of physics concepts plays a key role in students' ability to solve physics problems. In summary, I present a theoretical framework that provides a possible explanation of the role that language plays in learning physics. The framework also attempts to account for how and why physicists' language influences students in the way that it does.

Understanding the Role of Numeracy in Health: Proposed Theoretical Framework and Practical Insights

PubMed Central

Lipkus, Isaac M.; Peters, Ellen

2009-01-01

Numeracy, that is how facile people are with mathematical concepts and their applications, is gaining importance in medical decision making and risk communication. This paper proposes six critical functions of health numeracy. These functions are integrated into a theoretical framework on health numeracy that has implications for risk-communication and medical-decision-making processes. We examine practical underpinnings for targeted interventions aimed at improving such processes as a function of health numeracy. It is hoped that the proposed functions and theoretical framework will spur more research to determine how an understanding of health numeracy can lead to more effective communication and decision outcomes. PMID:19834054

Grandparental investment: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Coall, David A; Hertwig, Ralph

2010-02-01

What motivates grandparents to their altruism? We review answers from evolutionary theory, sociology, and economics. Sometimes in direct conflict with each other, these accounts of grandparental investment exist side-by-side, with little or no theoretical integration. They all account for some of the data, and none account for all of it. We call for a more comprehensive theoretical framework of grandparental investment that addresses its proximate and ultimate causes, and its variability due to lineage, values, norms, institutions (e.g., inheritance laws), and social welfare regimes. This framework needs to take into account that the demographic shift to low fecundity and mortality in economically developed countries has profoundly altered basic parameters of grandparental investment. We then turn to the possible impact of grandparental acts of altruism, and examine whether benefits of grandparental care in industrialized societies may manifest in terms of less tangible dimensions, such as the grandchildren's cognitive and verbal ability, mental health, and well-being. Although grandparents in industrialized societies continue to invest substantial amounts of time and money in their grandchildren, we find a paucity of studies investigating the influence that this investment has on grandchildren in low-risk family contexts. Under circumstances of duress - for example, teenage pregnancy or maternal depression - there is converging evidence that grandparents can provide support that helps to safeguard their children and grandchildren against adverse risks. We conclude by discussing the role that grandparents could play in what has been referred to as Europe's demographic suicide.

A pilot study to assess feasibility of value based pricing in Cyprus through pharmacoeconomic modelling and assessment of its operational framework: sorafenib for second line renal cell cancer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The continuing increase of pharmaceutical expenditure calls for new approaches to pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals. Value based pricing of pharmaceuticals is emerging as a useful tool and possess theoretical attributes to help health system cope with rising pharmaceutical expenditure. Aim To assess the feasibility of introducing a value-based pricing scheme of pharmaceuticals in Cyprus and explore the integrative framework. Methods A probabilistic Markov chain Monte Carlo model was created to simulate progression of advanced renal cell cancer for comparison of sorafenib to standard best supportive care. Literature review was performed and efficacy data were transferred from a published landmark trial, while official pricelists and clinical guidelines from Cyprus Ministry of Health were utilised for cost calculation. Based on proposed willingness to pay threshold the maximum price of sorafenib for the indication of second line renal cell cancer was assessed. Results Sorafenib value based price was found to be significantly lower compared to its current reference price. Conclusion Feasibility of Value Based Pricing is documented and pharmacoeconomic modelling can lead to robust results. Integration of value and affordability in the price are its main advantages which have to be weighed against lack of documentation for several theoretical parameters that influence outcome. Smaller countries such as Cyprus may experience adversities in establishing and sustaining essential structures for this scheme. PMID:24910539

A unified account of perceptual layering and surface appearance in terms of gamut relativity.

PubMed

Vladusich, Tony; McDonnell, Mark D

2014-01-01

When we look at the world--or a graphical depiction of the world--we perceive surface materials (e.g. a ceramic black and white checkerboard) independently of variations in illumination (e.g. shading or shadow) and atmospheric media (e.g. clouds or smoke). Such percepts are partly based on the way physical surfaces and media reflect and transmit light and partly on the way the human visual system processes the complex patterns of light reaching the eye. One way to understand how these percepts arise is to assume that the visual system parses patterns of light into layered perceptual representations of surfaces, illumination and atmospheric media, one seen through another. Despite a great deal of previous experimental and modelling work on layered representation, however, a unified computational model of key perceptual demonstrations is still lacking. Here we present the first general computational model of perceptual layering and surface appearance--based on a boarder theoretical framework called gamut relativity--that is consistent with these demonstrations. The model (a) qualitatively explains striking effects of perceptual transparency, figure-ground separation and lightness, (b) quantitatively accounts for the role of stimulus- and task-driven constraints on perceptual matching performance, and (c) unifies two prominent theoretical frameworks for understanding surface appearance. The model thereby provides novel insights into the remarkable capacity of the human visual system to represent and identify surface materials, illumination and atmospheric media, which can be exploited in computer graphics applications.

A Unified Account of Perceptual Layering and Surface Appearance in Terms of Gamut Relativity

PubMed Central

Vladusich, Tony; McDonnell, Mark D.

2014-01-01

When we look at the world—or a graphical depiction of the world—we perceive surface materials (e.g. a ceramic black and white checkerboard) independently of variations in illumination (e.g. shading or shadow) and atmospheric media (e.g. clouds or smoke). Such percepts are partly based on the way physical surfaces and media reflect and transmit light and partly on the way the human visual system processes the complex patterns of light reaching the eye. One way to understand how these percepts arise is to assume that the visual system parses patterns of light into layered perceptual representations of surfaces, illumination and atmospheric media, one seen through another. Despite a great deal of previous experimental and modelling work on layered representation, however, a unified computational model of key perceptual demonstrations is still lacking. Here we present the first general computational model of perceptual layering and surface appearance—based on a boarder theoretical framework called gamut relativity—that is consistent with these demonstrations. The model (a) qualitatively explains striking effects of perceptual transparency, figure-ground separation and lightness, (b) quantitatively accounts for the role of stimulus- and task-driven constraints on perceptual matching performance, and (c) unifies two prominent theoretical frameworks for understanding surface appearance. The model thereby provides novel insights into the remarkable capacity of the human visual system to represent and identify surface materials, illumination and atmospheric media, which can be exploited in computer graphics applications. PMID:25402466

Systematic text condensation: a strategy for qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Malterud, Kirsti

2012-12-01

To present background, principles, and procedures for a strategy for qualitative analysis called systematic text condensation and discuss this approach compared with related strategies. Giorgi's psychological phenomenological analysis is the point of departure and inspiration for systematic text condensation. The basic elements of Giorgi's method and the elaboration of these in systematic text condensation are presented, followed by a detailed description of procedures for analysis according to systematic text condensation. Finally, similarities and differences compared with other frequently applied methods for qualitative analysis are identified, as the foundation of a discussion of strengths and limitations of systematic text condensation. Systematic text condensation is a descriptive and explorative method for thematic cross-case analysis of different types of qualitative data, such as interview studies, observational studies, and analysis of written texts. The method represents a pragmatic approach, although inspired by phenomenological ideas, and various theoretical frameworks can be applied. The procedure consists of the following steps: 1) total impression - from chaos to themes; 2) identifying and sorting meaning units - from themes to codes; 3) condensation - from code to meaning; 4) synthesizing - from condensation to descriptions and concepts. Similarities and differences comparing systematic text condensation with other frequently applied qualitative methods regarding thematic analysis, theoretical methodological framework, analysis procedures, and taxonomy are discussed. Systematic text condensation is a strategy for analysis developed from traditions shared by most of the methods for analysis of qualitative data. The method offers the novice researcher a process of intersubjectivity, reflexivity, and feasibility, while maintaining a responsible level of methodological rigour.

Information Flow in Interaction Networks II: Channels, Path Lengths, and Potentials

PubMed Central

Stojmirović, Aleksandar

2012-01-01

Abstract In our previous publication, a framework for information flow in interaction networks based on random walks with damping was formulated with two fundamental modes: emitting and absorbing. While many other network analysis methods based on random walks or equivalent notions have been developed before and after our earlier work, one can show that they can all be mapped to one of the two modes. In addition to these two fundamental modes, a major strength of our earlier formalism was its accommodation of context-specific directed information flow that yielded plausible and meaningful biological interpretation of protein functions and pathways. However, the directed flow from origins to destinations was induced via a potential function that was heuristic. Here, with a theoretically sound approach called the channel mode, we extend our earlier work for directed information flow. This is achieved by constructing a potential function facilitating a purely probabilistic interpretation of the channel mode. For each network node, the channel mode combines the solutions of emitting and absorbing modes in the same context, producing what we call a channel tensor. The entries of the channel tensor at each node can be interpreted as the amount of flow passing through that node from an origin to a destination. Similarly to our earlier model, the channel mode encompasses damping as a free parameter that controls the locality of information flow. Through examples involving the yeast pheromone response pathway, we illustrate the versatility and stability of our new framework. PMID:22409812

X-space MPI: magnetic nanoparticles for safe medical imaging.

PubMed

Goodwill, Patrick William; Saritas, Emine Ulku; Croft, Laura Rose; Kim, Tyson N; Krishnan, Kannan M; Schaffer, David V; Conolly, Steven M

2012-07-24

One quarter of all iodinated contrast X-ray clinical imaging studies are now performed on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. Unfortunately, the iodine contrast agent used in X-ray is often toxic to CKD patients' weak kidneys, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Hence, we are pioneering a new medical imaging method, called Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI), to replace X-ray and CT iodinated angiography, especially for CKD patients. MPI uses magnetic nanoparticle contrast agents that are much safer than iodine for CKD patients. MPI already offers superb contrast and extraordinary sensitivity. The iron oxide nanoparticle tracers required for MPI are also used in MRI, and some are already approved for human use, but the contrast agents are far more effective at illuminating blood vessels when used in the MPI modality. We have recently developed a systems theoretic framework for MPI called x-space MPI, which has already dramatically improved the speed and robustness of MPI image reconstruction. X-space MPI has allowed us to optimize the hardware for fi ve MPI scanners. Moreover, x-space MPI provides a powerful framework for optimizing the size and magnetic properties of the iron oxide nanoparticle tracers used in MPI. Currently MPI nanoparticles have diameters in the 10-20 nanometer range, enabling millimeter-scale resolution in small animals. X-space MPI theory predicts that larger nanoparticles could enable up to 250 micrometer resolution imaging, which would represent a major breakthrough in safe imaging for CKD patients.

Towards a Theoretical Framework for Educational Simulations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winer, Laura R.; Vazquez-Abad, Jesus

1981-01-01

Discusses the need for a sustained and systematic effort toward establishing a theoretical framework for educational simulations, proposes the adaptation of models borrowed from the natural and applied sciences, and describes three simulations based on such a model adapted using Brunerian learning theory. Sixteen references are listed. (LLS)

Evolution or Revolution: Mobility Requirements for the AirLand Battle Future Concept

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-20

analysis and the model a theoretical framework for tactical mobility is established. The considerations for tactical mobility on the future battlefield are...examined in the context of the theoretical framework . Finally, using the criteria of sufficiency, feasibility, and the time/space continuum, the

Formulating a Theoretical Framework for Assessing Network Loads for Effective Deployment in Network-Centric Operations and Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

is particularly important in order to design a network that is realistically deployable. The goal of this project is the design of a theoretical ... framework to assess and predict the effectiveness and performance of networks and their loads.

School District Organization and Student Dropout.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelhard, George, Jr.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a theoretical framework that would examine the structural relationships between select organizational and environmental variables and school district effectiveness in Michigan. The theoretical framework was derived from organizational theory and represents a social-ecological approach to the study…

Educational Communities of Inquiry: Theoretical Framework, Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyol, Zehra; Garrison, D. Randy

2013-01-01

Communications technologies have been continuously integrated into learning and training environments which has revealed the need for a clear understanding of the process. The Community of Inquiry (COI) Theoretical Framework has a philosophical foundation which provides planned guidelines and principles to development useful learning environments…

Exploring How Globalization Shapes Education: Methodology and Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Su-Yan

2010-01-01

This is a commentary on some major issues raised in Carter and Dediwalage's "Globalisation and science education: The case of "Sustainability by the bay"" (this issue), particularly their methodology and theoretical framework for understanding how globalisation shapes education (including science education). While acknowledging the authors'…

Childhood Bullying: A Review of Constructs, Contexts, and Nursing Implications

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Graves, Nicola

2011-01-01

Bullying among children as a pervasive problem has been increasingly recognized as an important public health issue. However, while much attention has been given to understanding the impact of bullying on victims, it is equally important to examine predictors of bullying and potential outcomes for bullies themselves. The current literature on bullying lacks consensus on a utilizable definition of bullying in research, which can vary by theoretical framework. In an attempt to bridge the gaps in the literature, this paper will provide a review of the state of the science on bullying among children, including the major theoretical constructs of bullying and their respective viewpoints on predictors and correlates of bullying. A secondary aim for this paper is to summarize empirical evidence for predictors of bullying and victimization, which can provide strategies for intervention and prevention by public health nursing professionals. By calling attention to the variability in the bullying literature and the limitations of current evidence available, researchers can better address methodological gaps and effectively move toward developing studies to inform nursing treatment programs and enhance public health initiatives that reduce violence in school settings. PMID:22092466

Cognitive control predicts use of model-based reinforcement learning.

PubMed

Otto, A Ross; Skatova, Anya; Madlon-Kay, Seth; Daw, Nathaniel D

2015-02-01

Accounts of decision-making and its neural substrates have long posited the operation of separate, competing valuation systems in the control of choice behavior. Recent theoretical and experimental work suggest that this classic distinction between behaviorally and neurally dissociable systems for habitual and goal-directed (or more generally, automatic and controlled) choice may arise from two computational strategies for reinforcement learning (RL), called model-free and model-based RL, but the cognitive or computational processes by which one system may dominate over the other in the control of behavior is a matter of ongoing investigation. To elucidate this question, we leverage the theoretical framework of cognitive control, demonstrating that individual differences in utilization of goal-related contextual information--in the service of overcoming habitual, stimulus-driven responses--in established cognitive control paradigms predict model-based behavior in a separate, sequential choice task. The behavioral correspondence between cognitive control and model-based RL compellingly suggests that a common set of processes may underpin the two behaviors. In particular, computational mechanisms originally proposed to underlie controlled behavior may be applicable to understanding the interactions between model-based and model-free choice behavior.

Intermodulation Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutter, Carsten; Platz, Daniel; Tholen, Erik; Haviland, David; Hansson, Hans

2009-03-01

We present a powerful new method of dynamic AFM, which allows to gain far more information about the tip-surface interaction than standard amplitude or phase imaging, while scanning at comparable speed. Our method, called intermodulation atomic force microscopy (ImAFM), employs the manifestly nonlinear phenomenon of intermodulation to extract information about tip-surface forces. ImAFM uses one eigenmode of a mechanical resonator, the latter driven at two frequencies to produce many spectral peaks near its resonace, where sensitivity is highest [1]. We furthermore present a protocol for decoding the combined information encoded in the spectrum of intermodulation peaks. Our theoretical framework suggests methods to enhance the gained information by using a different parameter regime as compared to Ref. [1]. We also discuss strategies for solving the inverse problem, i.e., for extracting the nonlinear tip-surface interaction from the response, also naming limitations of our theoretical analysis. We will further report on latest progress to experimentally employ our new protocol.[3pt] [1] D. Platz, E. A. Tholen, D. Pesen, and D. B. Haviland, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 153106 (2008).

Differentiating among pragmatic uses of words through timed sensicality judgments.

PubMed

Bambini, Valentina; Ghio, Marta; Moro, Andrea; Schumacher, Petra B

2013-01-01

Pragmatic and cognitive accounts of figurative language posit a difference between metaphor and metonymy in terms of underlying conceptual operations. Recently, other pragmatic uses of words have been accounted for in the Relevance Theory framework, such as approximation, described in terms of conceptual adjustment that varies in degree and direction with respect to the case of metaphor. Despite the theoretical distinctions, there is very poor experimental evidence addressing the metaphor/metonymy distinction, and none concerning approximation. Here we used meticulously built materials to investigate the interpretation mechanisms of these three phenomena through timed sensicality judgments. Results revealed that interpreting metaphors and approximations differs from literal interpretation both in accuracy and reaction times, with higher difficulty and costs for metaphors than for approximations. This suggests similar albeit gradual interpretative costs, in line with the latest account of Relevance Theory. Metonymy, on the contrary, almost equates literal comprehension and calls for a theoretical distinction from metaphor. Overall, this work represents a first attempt to provide an empirical basis for a theory-sound and psychologically-grounded taxonomy of figurative and loose uses of language.

Differentiating among pragmatic uses of words through timed sensicality judgments

PubMed Central

Bambini, Valentina; Ghio, Marta; Moro, Andrea; Schumacher, Petra B.

2013-01-01

Pragmatic and cognitive accounts of figurative language posit a difference between metaphor and metonymy in terms of underlying conceptual operations. Recently, other pragmatic uses of words have been accounted for in the Relevance Theory framework, such as approximation, described in terms of conceptual adjustment that varies in degree and direction with respect to the case of metaphor. Despite the theoretical distinctions, there is very poor experimental evidence addressing the metaphor/metonymy distinction, and none concerning approximation. Here we used meticulously built materials to investigate the interpretation mechanisms of these three phenomena through timed sensicality judgments. Results revealed that interpreting metaphors and approximations differs from literal interpretation both in accuracy and reaction times, with higher difficulty and costs for metaphors than for approximations. This suggests similar albeit gradual interpretative costs, in line with the latest account of Relevance Theory. Metonymy, on the contrary, almost equates literal comprehension and calls for a theoretical distinction from metaphor. Overall, this work represents a first attempt to provide an empirical basis for a theory-sound and psychologically-grounded taxonomy of figurative and loose uses of language. PMID:24391608

A paradigm to guide health promotion into the 21st century: the integral idea whose time has come.

PubMed

Lundy, Tam

2010-09-01

The field of health promotion and education is at a turning point as it steps up to address the interconnected challenges of health, equity and sustainable development. Professionals and policy makers recognize the need for an integrative thinking and practice approach to foster comprehensive and coherent action in each of these complex areas. An integrative approach to policy and practice builds bridges across disciplines and discourses, supporting our efforts to take important next steps to generate sustainability and health for all. Comprehensive and coherent practice requires comprehensive and coherent theory. This article offers a brief introduction to Ken Wilber's influential Integral model, inviting its consideration as a promising paradigmatic framework that can guide thinking, practice, research and evidence as health promotion and education enter a new era. Currently influencing thought and practice leaders in diverse disciplines and sectors, the Integral approach presents a practical response to the current call for cross-disciplinary collaboration to address health, equity and sustainability. In addition, it addresses the disciplinary call for evidence-based practice that is grounded in, and accountable to, robust theoretical foundations.

An Expanded Theoretical Framework of Care Coordination Across Transitions in Care Settings.

PubMed

Radwin, Laurel E; Castonguay, Denise; Keenan, Carolyn B; Hermann, Cherice

2016-01-01

For many patients, high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective health care requires coordination among multiple clinicians and settings. Ensuring optimal care coordination requires a clear understanding of how clinician activities and continuity during transitions affect patient-centeredness and quality outcomes. This article describes an expanded theoretical framework to better understand care coordination. The framework provides clear articulation of concepts. Examples are provided of ways to measure the concepts.

A generalized quantitative interpretation of dark-field contrast for highly concentrated microsphere suspensions

PubMed Central

Gkoumas, Spyridon; Villanueva-Perez, Pablo; Wang, Zhentian; Romano, Lucia; Abis, Matteo; Stampanoni, Marco

2016-01-01

In X-ray grating interferometry, dark-field contrast arises due to partial extinction of the detected interference fringes. This is also called visibility reduction and is attributed to small-angle scattering from unresolved structures in the imaged object. In recent years, analytical quantitative frameworks of dark-field contrast have been developed for highly diluted monodisperse microsphere suspensions with maximum 6% volume fraction. These frameworks assume that scattering particles are separated by large enough distances, which make any interparticle scattering interference negligible. In this paper, we start from the small-angle scattering intensity equation and, by linking Fourier and real-space, we introduce the structure factor and thus extend the analytical and experimental quantitative interpretation of dark-field contrast, for a range of suspensions with volume fractions reaching 40%. The structure factor accounts for interparticle scattering interference. Without introducing any additional fitting parameters, we successfully predict the experimental values measured at the TOMCAT beamline, Swiss Light Source. Finally, we apply this theoretical framework to an experiment probing a range of system correlation lengths by acquiring dark-field images at different energies. This proposed method has the potential to be applied in single-shot-mode using a polychromatic X-ray tube setup and a single-photon-counting energy-resolving detector. PMID:27734931

Baryon and lepton number violating effective operators in a non-universal extension of the standard model

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

Fuentes-Martín, J.

2016-01-22

It is well known that non-abelian Yang-Mills theories present non-trivial minima of the action, the so-called instantons. In the context of electroweak theories these instanton solutions may induce violations of baryon and lepton number of the form ΔB = ΔL = n{sub f}, with n{sub f} being the number of families coupled to the gauge group. An interesting feature of these violations is that the flavor structure of the gauge couplings is inherited by the instanton transitions. This effect is generally neglected in the literature. We will show that the inclusion of flavor interactions in the instanton solutions may bemore » interesting in certain theoretical frameworks and will provide an approach to include these effects. In particular we will perform this implementation in the non-universal SU (2){sub l} ⊗SU (2){sub h} ⊗U (1){sub Y} model that singularizes the third family. Within this framework, we will use the instanton transitions to set a bound on the SU (2){sub h} gauge coupling.« less

Evidence-based practice: how nurse leaders can facilitate innovation.

PubMed

Shirey, Maria R

2006-01-01

Evidence-based nursing practice (EBNP) is the wave of the future. Increasingly, EBNP is being identified as a key to quality and excellence in nursing services. Incorporating evidence into practice is necessary to deliver scientifically sound patient care. In addition, understanding the importance of evidence is crucial for meeting the excellence requirements of Magnet designation. Despite the growing popularity of EBNP and its documented significant benefits, the literature demonstrates that only 15% of the nursing workforce consistently practices within an EBNP framework. If EBNP adoption is to increase in the profession, it will require the active efforts of nurse leaders to pursue an aggressive innovation diffusion strategy. The purpose of this article is to discuss the nurse leader's role in facilitating EBNP in nursing using a theoretical framework grounded in innovation diffusion theory. The article develops 4 areas of focus. First, the components of innovation diffusion theory are discussed. Second, a pertinent empirical review of the EBNP adoption literature is presented. Third, strategies for applying innovation diffusion theory to facilitate EBNP adoption are proposed. Lastly, the article ends with a leadership call to action.

Thematic Processes in the Comprehension of Technical Prose.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-20

theoretical framework for this process is that the important content of a passage is constructed by the reader based on the semantic content of the...against actual reader behavior. These models represent the general theoretical framework in a highly specific way, and thus summarize the major results of the project. (Author)

Optimizing the Long-Term Retention of Skills: Structural and Analytic Approaches to Skill Maintenance

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

evidence for a surprising degree of long-term skill retention. We formulated a theoretical framework , focusing on the importance of procedural reinstatement...considerable forgetting over even relatively short retention intervals. We have been able to place these studies in the same general theoretical framework developed

Time, Space, and Mass at the Operational Level of War: The Dynamics of the Culminating Point,

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-28

theoretical framework for operational culmination and then examining the theory as reflected in recent history. This paper focuses on the concept of...the paper first examines key definitions and provides a theoretical framework for understanding culmination. Next, it considers the application of the

Strategic Innovation in HE: The Roles of Academic Middle Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallenberg, Ton

2007-01-01

This article explains the development of, and presents a theoretical framework for, harnessing the roles of the academic middle manager in strategic innovation in Dutch higher education, thereby increasing higher education's ability to learn, innovate and develop a competitive advantage. The framework is developed from theoretical models of role…

Implicit Theoretical Leadership Frameworks of Higher Education Administrators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lees, Kimberly; And Others

Colleges and universities have a unique organizational culture that influences the decision-making processes used by leaders of higher education. This paper presents findings of a study that attempted to identify the theoretical frameworks that administrators of higher education use to guide their decision-making processes. The following…

A New Theoretical Approach to Postsecondary Student Disability: Disability-Diversity (Dis)Connect Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aquino, Katherine C.

2016-01-01

Disability is often viewed as an obstacle to postsecondary inclusion, but not a characteristic of student diversity. Additionally, current theoretical frameworks isolate disability from other student diversity characteristics. In response, a new conceptual framework, the Disability-Diversity (Dis)Connect Model (DDDM), was created to address…

A Theoretical Framework towards Understanding of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulou, Maria S.

2014-01-01

Children's emotional and behavioural difficulties are the result of multiple individual, social and contextual factors working in concert. The current paper proposes a theoretical framework to interpret students' emotional and behavioural difficulties in schools, by taking into consideration teacher-student relationships, students'…

Couples coping with cancer: exploration of theoretical frameworks from dyadic studies.

PubMed

Regan, Tim W; Lambert, Sylvie D; Kelly, Brian; Falconier, Mariana; Kissane, David; Levesque, Janelle V

2015-12-01

A diagnosis of cancer and subsequent treatment are distressing not only for the person directly affected, but also for their intimate partner. The aim of this review is to (a) identify the main theoretical frameworks underpinning research addressing dyadic coping among couples affected by cancer, (b) summarise the evidence supporting the concepts described in these theoretical frameworks, and (c) examine the similarities and differences between these theoretical perspectives. A literature search was undertaken to identify descriptive studies published between 1990 and 2013 (English and French) that examined the interdependence of patients' and partners' coping, and the impact of coping on psychosocial outcomes. Data were extracted using a standardised form and reviewed by three of the authors. Twenty-three peer-reviewed manuscripts were identified, from which seven theoretical perspectives were derived: Relationship-Focused Coping, Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, Systemic-Transactional Model (STM) of dyadic coping, Collaborative Coping, Relationship Intimacy model, Communication models, and Coping Congruence. Although these theoretical perspectives emphasised different aspects of coping, a number of conceptual commonalities were noted. This review identified key theoretical frameworks of dyadic coping used in cancer. Evidence indicates that responses within the couple that inhibit open communication between partner and patient are likely to have an adverse impact on psychosocial outcomes. Models that incorporate the interdependence of emotional responses and coping behaviours within couples have an emerging evidence base in psycho-oncology and may have greatest validity and clinical utility in this setting. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Theories of behaviour change synthesised into a set of theoretical groupings: introducing a thematic series on the theoretical domains framework.

PubMed

Francis, Jill J; O'Connor, Denise; Curran, Janet

2012-04-24

Behaviour change is key to increasing the uptake of evidence into healthcare practice. Designing behaviour-change interventions first requires problem analysis, ideally informed by theory. Yet the large number of partly overlapping theories of behaviour makes it difficult to select the most appropriate theory. The need for an overarching theoretical framework of behaviour change was addressed in research in which 128 explanatory constructs from 33 theories of behaviour were identified and grouped. The resulting Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) appears to be a helpful basis for investigating implementation problems. Research groups in several countries have conducted TDF-based studies. It seems timely to bring together the experience of these teams in a thematic series to demonstrate further applications and to report key developments. This overview article describes the TDF, provides a brief critique of the framework, and introduces this thematic series.In a brief review to assess the extent of TDF-based research, we identified 133 papers that cite the framework. Of these, 17 used the TDF as the basis for empirical studies to explore health professionals' behaviour. The identified papers provide evidence of the impact of the TDF on implementation research. Two major strengths of the framework are its theoretical coverage and its capacity to elicit beliefs that could signify key mediators of behaviour change. The TDF provides a useful conceptual basis for assessing implementation problems, designing interventions to enhance healthcare practice, and understanding behaviour-change processes. We discuss limitations and research challenges and introduce papers in this series.

Theories of behaviour change synthesised into a set of theoretical groupings: introducing a thematic series on the theoretical domains framework

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Behaviour change is key to increasing the uptake of evidence into healthcare practice. Designing behaviour-change interventions first requires problem analysis, ideally informed by theory. Yet the large number of partly overlapping theories of behaviour makes it difficult to select the most appropriate theory. The need for an overarching theoretical framework of behaviour change was addressed in research in which 128 explanatory constructs from 33 theories of behaviour were identified and grouped. The resulting Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) appears to be a helpful basis for investigating implementation problems. Research groups in several countries have conducted TDF-based studies. It seems timely to bring together the experience of these teams in a thematic series to demonstrate further applications and to report key developments. This overview article describes the TDF, provides a brief critique of the framework, and introduces this thematic series. In a brief review to assess the extent of TDF-based research, we identified 133 papers that cite the framework. Of these, 17 used the TDF as the basis for empirical studies to explore health professionals’ behaviour. The identified papers provide evidence of the impact of the TDF on implementation research. Two major strengths of the framework are its theoretical coverage and its capacity to elicit beliefs that could signify key mediators of behaviour change. The TDF provides a useful conceptual basis for assessing implementation problems, designing interventions to enhance healthcare practice, and understanding behaviour-change processes. We discuss limitations and research challenges and introduce papers in this series. PMID:22531601

Culpability and pain management/control in peripheral vascular disease using the ethics of principles and care.

PubMed

Omery, A

1991-09-01

The purposes of this article were to provide insight into the process of ethics and ethical inquiry and to explore the ethical issues of culpability and pain management/control. Critical care nurses who currently care for vascular patients identified these issues as occurring frequently in their practice. Authors in critical care nursing generally have limited the process of ethical inquiry to a theoretical framework built around an ethic of principles. The message many critical care nurses heard was that this one type of theoretical ethical framework was the totality of ethics. The application of these principles was ethical inquiry. For some nurses, the ethic of principles is sufficient. For others, an ethic of principles is either incomplete or foreign. This second group of nurses may believe that they have no moral voice if the language of ethics is only the language of principles. The language of principles, however, is not the only theoretical framework available. There is also the ethic of care, and ethical inquiry can include the application of that framework. Indeed, the language of the ethic of care may give a voice to nurses who previously felt morally mute. In fact, these two theoretical frameworks are not the only frameworks available to nurses. There is also virtue ethics, a framework not discussed in this article. A multiplicity of ethical frameworks is available for nurses to use in analyzing their professional and personal dilemmas. Recognizing that multiplicity, nurses can analyze their ethical dilemmas more comprehensively and effectively. Applying differing ethical frameworks can result in the same conclusions. This was the case for the issue of culpability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The functional-cognitive meta-theoretical framework: Reflections, possible clarifications and how to move forward.

PubMed

Barnes-Holmes, Dermot; Hussey, Ian

2016-02-01

The functional-cognitive meta-theoretical framework has been offered as a conceptual basis for facilitating greater communication and cooperation between the functional/behavioural and cognitive traditions within psychology, thus leading to benefits for both scientific communities. The current article is written from the perspective of two functional researchers, who are also proponents of the functional-cognitive framework, and attended the "Building Bridges between the Functional and Cognitive Traditions" meeting at Ghent University in the summer of 2014. The article commences with a brief summary of the functional approach to theory, followed by our reflections upon the functional-cognitive framework in light of that meeting. In doing so, we offer three ways in which the framework could be clarified: (a) effective communication between the two traditions is likely to be found at the level of behavioural observations rather than effects or theory, (b) not all behavioural observations will be deemed to be of mutual interest to both traditions, and (c) observations of mutual interest will be those that serve to elaborate and extend existing theorising in the functional and/or cognitive traditions. The article concludes with a summary of what we perceive to be the strengths and weaknesses of the framework, and a suggestion that there is a need to determine if the framework is meta-theoretical or is in fact a third theoretical approach to doing psychological science. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Model-theoretic framework for sensor data fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavoleas, Kyriakos P.; Kokar, Mieczyslaw M.

1993-09-01

The main goal of our research in sensory data fusion (SDF) is the development of a systematic approach (a methodology) to designing systems for interpreting sensory information and for reasoning about the situation based upon this information and upon available data bases and knowledge bases. To achieve such a goal, two kinds of subgoals have been set: (1) develop a theoretical framework in which rational design/implementation decisions can be made, and (2) design a prototype SDF system along the lines of the framework. Our initial design of the framework has been described in our previous papers. In this paper we concentrate on the model-theoretic aspects of this framework. We postulate that data are embedded in data models, and information processing mechanisms are embedded in model operators. The paper is devoted to analyzing the classes of model operators and their significance in SDF. We investigate transformation abstraction and fusion operators. A prototype SDF system, fusing data from range and intensity sensors, is presented, exemplifying the structures introduced. Our framework is justified by the fact that it provides modularity, traceability of information flow, and a basis for a specification language for SDF.

Ethics in Publishing: Complexity Science and Human Factors Offer Insights to Develop a Just Culture.

PubMed

Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu

2016-12-01

While ethics in publishing has been increasingly debated, there seems to be a lack of a theoretical framework for making sense of existing rules of behavior as well as for designing, managing and enforcing such rules. This letter argues that systems-oriented disciplines, such as complexity science and human factors, offer insights into new ways of dealing with ethics in publishing. Some examples of insights are presented. Also, a call is made for empirical studies that unveil the context and details of both retracted papers and the process of writing and publishing academic papers. This is expected to shed light on the complexity of the publication system as well as to support the development of a just culture, in which all participants are accountable.

Towards the Integration of Niche and Network Theories.

PubMed

Godoy, Oscar; Bartomeus, Ignasi; Rohr, Rudolf P; Saavedra, Serguei

2018-04-01

The quest for understanding how species interactions modulate diversity has progressed by theoretical and empirical advances following niche and network theories. Yet, niche studies have been limited to describe coexistence within tropic levels despite incorporating information about multi-trophic interactions. Network approaches could address this limitation, but they have ignored the structure of species interactions within trophic levels. Here we call for the integration of niche and network theories to reach new frontiers of knowledge exploring how interactions within and across trophic levels promote species coexistence. This integration is possible due to the strong parallelisms in the historical development, ecological concepts, and associated mathematical tools of both theories. We provide a guideline to integrate this framework with observational and experimental studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards understanding the guessing game: a dynamical systems’ perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimann, Stefan

2004-08-01

The so-called “Guessing Game” or α-Beauty Contest serves as a paradigmatic conceptual framework for competitive price formation on financial markets beyond traditional equilibrium finance. It highlights features that are reasonable to consider when dealing with price formation on real markets. Nonetheless this game is still poorly understood. We propose a model which is essentially based on two assumptions: (1) players consider intervals rather than exact numbers to cope with incomplete knowledge and (2) players iteratively update their recent guesses. It provides an explanation for typical patterns observed in real data, such as the strict positivity of outcomes in the 1-shot setting, the skew background distribution of guessed numbers, as well as the polynomial convergence towards the game-theoretic Nash equilibrium in the iterative setting.

Attenuation of species abundance distributions by sampling

PubMed Central

Shimadzu, Hideyasu; Darnell, Ross

2015-01-01

Quantifying biodiversity aspects such as species presence/ absence, richness and abundance is an important challenge to answer scientific and resource management questions. In practice, biodiversity can only be assessed from biological material taken by surveys, a difficult task given limited time and resources. A type of random sampling, or often called sub-sampling, is a commonly used technique to reduce the amount of time and effort for investigating large quantities of biological samples. However, it is not immediately clear how (sub-)sampling affects the estimate of biodiversity aspects from a quantitative perspective. This paper specifies the effect of (sub-)sampling as attenuation of the species abundance distribution (SAD), and articulates how the sampling bias is induced to the SAD by random sampling. The framework presented also reveals some confusion in previous theoretical studies. PMID:26064626

Optimal Decision Stimuli for Risky Choice Experiments: An Adaptive Approach.

PubMed

Cavagnaro, Daniel R; Gonzalez, Richard; Myung, Jay I; Pitt, Mark A

2013-02-01

Collecting data to discriminate between models of risky choice requires careful selection of decision stimuli. Models of decision making aim to predict decisions across a wide range of possible stimuli, but practical limitations force experimenters to select only a handful of them for actual testing. Some stimuli are more diagnostic between models than others, so the choice of stimuli is critical. This paper provides the theoretical background and a methodological framework for adaptive selection of optimal stimuli for discriminating among models of risky choice. The approach, called Adaptive Design Optimization (ADO), adapts the stimulus in each experimental trial based on the results of the preceding trials. We demonstrate the validity of the approach with simulation studies aiming to discriminate Expected Utility, Weighted Expected Utility, Original Prospect Theory, and Cumulative Prospect Theory models.

Financial Data Analysis by means of Coupled Continuous-Time Random Walk in Rachev-Rűschendorf Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurlewicz, A.; Wyłomańska, A.; Żebrowski, P.

2008-09-01

We adapt the continuous-time random walk formalism to describe asset price evolution. We expand the idea proposed by Rachev and Rűschendorf who analyzed the binomial pricing model in the discrete time with randomization of the number of price changes. As a result, in the framework of the proposed model we obtain a mixture of the Gaussian and a generalized arcsine laws as the limiting distribution of log-returns. Moreover, we derive an European-call-option price that is an extension of the Black-Scholes formula. We apply the obtained theoretical results to model actual financial data and try to show that the continuous-time random walk offers alternative tools to deal with several complex issues of financial markets.

Quantifying heterogeneity attributable to polythetic diagnostic criteria: theoretical framework and empirical application.

PubMed

Olbert, Charles M; Gala, Gary J; Tupler, Larry A

2014-05-01

Heterogeneity within psychiatric disorders is both theoretically and practically problematic: For many disorders, it is possible for 2 individuals to share very few or even no symptoms in common yet share the same diagnosis. Polythetic diagnostic criteria have long been recognized to contribute to this heterogeneity, yet no unified theoretical understanding of the coherence of symptom criteria sets currently exists. A general framework for analyzing the logical and mathematical structure, coherence, and diversity of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual diagnostic categories (DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR) is proposed, drawing from combinatorial mathematics, set theory, and information theory. Theoretical application of this framework to 18 diagnostic categories indicates that in most categories, 2 individuals with the same diagnosis may share no symptoms in common, and that any 2 theoretically possible symptom combinations will share on average less than half their symptoms. Application of this framework to 2 large empirical datasets indicates that patients who meet symptom criteria for major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder tend to share approximately three-fifths of symptoms in common. For both disorders in each of the datasets, pairs of individuals who shared no common symptoms were observed. Any 2 individuals with either diagnosis were unlikely to exhibit identical symptomatology. The theoretical and empirical results stemming from this approach have substantive implications for etiological research into, and measurement of, psychiatric disorders.

Health information systems: a survey of frameworks for developing countries.

PubMed

Marcelo, A B

2010-01-01

The objective of this paper is to perform a survey of excellent research on health information systems (HIS) analysis and design, and their underlying theoretical frameworks. It classifies these frameworks along major themes, and analyzes the different approaches to HIS development that are practical in resource-constrained environments. Literature review based on PubMed citations and conference proceedings, as well as Internet searches on information systems in general, and health information systems in particular. The field of health information systems development has been studied extensively. Despite this, failed implementations are still common. Theoretical frameworks for HIS development are available that can guide implementers. As awareness, acceptance, and demand for health information systems increase globally, the variety of approaches and strategies will also follow. For developing countries with scarce resources, a trial-and-error approach can be very costly. Lessons from the successes and failures of initial HIS implementations have been abstracted into theoretical frameworks. These frameworks organize complex HIS concepts into methodologies that standardize techniques in implementation. As globalization continues to impact healthcare in the developing world, demand for more responsive health systems will become urgent. More comprehensive frameworks and practical tools to guide HIS implementers will be imperative.

Conceptual models for cumulative risk assessment.

PubMed

Linder, Stephen H; Sexton, Ken

2011-12-01

In the absence of scientific consensus on an appropriate theoretical framework, cumulative risk assessment and related research have relied on speculative conceptual models. We argue for the importance of theoretical backing for such models and discuss 3 relevant theoretical frameworks, each supporting a distinctive "family" of models. Social determinant models postulate that unequal health outcomes are caused by structural inequalities; health disparity models envision social and contextual factors acting through individual behaviors and biological mechanisms; and multiple stressor models incorporate environmental agents, emphasizing the intermediary role of these and other stressors. The conclusion is that more careful reliance on established frameworks will lead directly to improvements in characterizing cumulative risk burdens and accounting for disproportionate adverse health effects.

Conceptual Models for Cumulative Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Sexton, Ken

2011-01-01

In the absence of scientific consensus on an appropriate theoretical framework, cumulative risk assessment and related research have relied on speculative conceptual models. We argue for the importance of theoretical backing for such models and discuss 3 relevant theoretical frameworks, each supporting a distinctive “family” of models. Social determinant models postulate that unequal health outcomes are caused by structural inequalities; health disparity models envision social and contextual factors acting through individual behaviors and biological mechanisms; and multiple stressor models incorporate environmental agents, emphasizing the intermediary role of these and other stressors. The conclusion is that more careful reliance on established frameworks will lead directly to improvements in characterizing cumulative risk burdens and accounting for disproportionate adverse health effects. PMID:22021317

Learning Physical Domains: Toward a Theoretical Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbus, Kenneth D.; Gentner, Dedre

People use and extend their knowledge of the physical world constantly. Understanding how this fluency is achieved would be an important milestone in understanding human learning and intelligence, as well as a useful guide for constructing machines that learn. This paper presents a theoretical framework that is being developed in an attempt to…

Memory and the Self in Autism: A Review and Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lind, Sophie E.

2010-01-01

This article reviews research on (a) autobiographical episodic and semantic memory, (b) the self-reference effect, (c) memory for the actions of self versus other (the self-enactment effect), and (d) non-autobiographical episodic memory in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and provides a theoretical framework to account for the bidirectional…

Approximation Methods for Inverse Problems Governed by Nonlinear Parabolic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-17

We present a rigorous theoretical framework for approximation of nonlinear parabolic systems with delays in the context of inverse least squares...numerical results demonstrating the convergence are given for a model of dioxin uptake and elimination in a distributed liver model that is a special case of the general theoretical framework .

A general theoretical framework for decoherence in open and closed systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castagnino, Mario; Fortin, Sebastian; Laura, Roberto; Lombardi, Olimpia

2008-08-01

A general theoretical framework for decoherence is proposed, which encompasses formalisms originally devised to deal just with open or closed systems. The conditions for decoherence are clearly stated and the relaxation and decoherence times are compared. Finally, the spin-bath model is developed in detail from the new perspective.

21st Century Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Science Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slough, Scott; Chamblee, Gregory

2017-01-01

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a theoretical framework that has enjoyed widespread applications as it applies to the integration of technology in the teaching and learning process. This paper reviews the background for TPACK, discusses some of its limitations, and reviews and introduces a new theoretical framework, 21st…

Analysing Theoretical Frameworks of Moral Education through Lakatos's Philosophy of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Hyemin

2014-01-01

The structure of studies of moral education is basically interdisciplinary; it includes moral philosophy, psychology, and educational research. This article systematically analyses the structure of studies of moral educational from the vantage points of philosophy of science. Among the various theoretical frameworks in the field of philosophy of…

Applying the Grossman et al. Theoretical Framework: The Case of Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucan, Linda; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan; Busse, Tracy; Heisey, Natalie; Klingelhofer, Rachel; Rimbey, Michelle; Schutz, Kristine

2011-01-01

Background/Context: This article describes the application of the theoretical framework proposed by Grossman and her colleagues to a research effort focusing on text-based discussion as a context for comprehension instruction. According to Grossman and her colleagues, a useful way to consider the teaching of complex practices to candidates is to…

Unifying Different Theories of Learning: Theoretical Framework and Empirical Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Huy Phuong

2008-01-01

The main aim of this research study was to test out a conceptual model encompassing the theoretical frameworks of achievement goals, study processing strategies, effort, and reflective thinking practice. In particular, it was postulated that the causal influences of achievement goals on academic performance are direct and indirect through study…

Internet Use and Cognitive Development: A Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Genevieve

2006-01-01

The number of children and adolescents accessing the Internet as well as the amount of time online are steadily increasing. The most common online activities include playing video games, accessing web sites, and communicating via chat rooms, email, and instant messaging. A theoretical framework for understanding the effects of Internet use on…

Growth in Mathematical Understanding While Learning How To Teach: A Theoretical Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavey, Laurie O.

This theoretical paper outlines a conceptual framework for examining growth in prospective teachers' mathematical understanding as they engage in thinking about and planning for the mathematical learning of others. The framework is based on the Pirie-Kieren (1994) Dynamical Theory for the Growth of Mathematical Understanding and extends into the…

Design-Based Research: Case of a Teaching Sequence on Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiberghien, Andree; Vince, Jacques; Gaidioz, Pierre

2009-01-01

Design-based research, and particularly its theoretical status, is a subject of debate in the science education community. In the first part of this paper, a theoretical framework drawn up to develop design-based research will be presented. This framework is mainly based on epistemological analysis of physics modelling, learning and teaching…

Proposing a Theoretical Framework for Digital Age Youth Information Behavior Building upon Radical Change Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kyungwon

2011-01-01

Contemporary young people are engaged in a variety of information behaviors, such as information seeking, using, sharing, and creating. The ways youth interact with information have transformed in the shifting digital information environment; however, relatively little empirical research exists and no theoretical framework adequately explains…

The Influence of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge Theoretical Framework on Research on Preservice Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mecoli, Storey

2013-01-01

Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Lee S. Shulman's theoretical framework, has had a substantial influence on research in preservice teacher education, and consequently, schools of education. This review builds from Grossman's case studies that concluded that beginning teachers provided with excellent teacher education developed more substantial PCK…

"Theorizing Teacher Mobility": A Critical Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vagi, Robert; Pivovarova, Margarita

2017-01-01

In this critical review of literature, we summarize the major theoretical frameworks that have been used to study teacher mobility. In total we identified 40 teacher mobility studies that met our inclusion criteria. We conclude that relatively few theoretical frameworks have been used to study teacher mobility and those that have been used are…

Utilizing the Theoretical Framework of Collective Identity to Understand Processes in Youth Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Futch, Valerie A.

2016-01-01

This article explores collective identity as a useful theoretical framework for understanding social and developmental processes that occur in youth programs. Through narrative analysis of past participant interviews (n = 21) from an after-school theater program, known as "The SOURCE", it was found that participants very clearly describe…

A Holistic Theoretical Approach to Intellectual Disability: Going beyond the Four Current Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schalock, Robert L.; Luckasson, Ruth; Tassé, Marc J.; Verdugo, Miguel Angel

2018-01-01

This article describes a holistic theoretical framework that can be used to explain intellectual disability (ID) and organize relevant information into a usable roadmap to guide understanding and application. Developing the framework involved analyzing the four current perspectives on ID and synthesizing this information into a holistic…

Can we Build on Social Movement Theories to Develop and Improve Community-Based Participatory Research? A Framework Synthesis Review.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Martin, Debbie H; Macaulay, Ann C; Pluye, Pierre

2017-06-01

A long-standing challenge in community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been to anchor practice and evaluation in a relevant and comprehensive theoretical framework of community change. This study describes the development of a multidimensional conceptual framework that builds on social movement theories to identify key components of CBPR processes. Framework synthesis was used as a general literature search and analysis strategy. An initial conceptual framework was developed from the theoretical literature on social movement. A literature search performed to identify illustrative CBPR projects yielded 635 potentially relevant documents, from which eight projects (corresponding to 58 publications) were retained after record and full-text screening. Framework synthesis was used to code and organize data from these projects, ultimately providing a refined framework. The final conceptual framework maps key concepts of CBPR mobilization processes, such as the pivotal role of the partnership; resources and opportunities as necessary components feeding the partnership's development; the importance of framing processes; and a tight alignment between the cause (partnership's goal), the collective action strategy, and the system changes targeted. The revised framework provides a context-specific model to generate a new, innovative understanding of CBPR mobilization processes, drawing on existing theoretical foundations. © 2017 The Authors American Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Community Research and Action.

Research on CALL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pederson, Kathleen Marshall

The status of research on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is explored beginning with a historical perspective of research on the language laboratory, followed by analyses of applied research on CALL. A theoretical base is provided to illustrate the need for more basic research on CALL that considers computer capabilities, learner…

Optimality conditions for the numerical solution of optimization problems with PDE constraints :

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

Aguilo Valentin, Miguel Alejandro; Ridzal, Denis

2014-03-01

A theoretical framework for the numerical solution of partial di erential equation (PDE) constrained optimization problems is presented in this report. This theoretical framework embodies the fundamental infrastructure required to e ciently implement and solve this class of problems. Detail derivations of the optimality conditions required to accurately solve several parameter identi cation and optimal control problems are also provided in this report. This will allow the reader to further understand how the theoretical abstraction presented in this report translates to the application.

A cognitive framework for analyzing and describing introductory students' use and understanding of mathematics in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuminaro, Jonathan

Many introductory, algebra-based physics students perform poorly on mathematical problem solving tasks in physics. There are at least two possible, distinct reasons for this poor performance: (1) students simply lack the mathematical skills needed to solve problems in physics, or (2) students do not know how to apply the mathematical skills they have to particular problem situations in physics. While many students do lack the requisite mathematical skills, a major finding from this work is that the majority of students possess the requisite mathematical skills, yet fail to use or interpret them in the context of physics. In this thesis I propose a theoretical framework to analyze and describe students' mathematical thinking in physics. In particular, I attempt to answer two questions. What are the cognitive tools involved in formal mathematical thinking in physics? And, why do students make the kinds of mistakes they do when using mathematics in physics? According to the proposed theoretical framework there are three major theoretical constructs: mathematical resources, which are the knowledge elements that are activated in mathematical thinking and problem solving; epistemic games, which are patterns of activities that use particular kinds of knowledge to create new knowledge or solve a problem; and frames, which are structures of expectations that determine how individuals interpret situations or events. The empirical basis for this study comes from videotaped sessions of college students solving homework problems. The students are enrolled in an algebra-based introductory physics course. The videotapes were transcribed and analyzed using the aforementioned theoretical framework. Two important results from this work are: (1) the construction of a theoretical framework that offers researchers a vocabulary (ontological classification of cognitive structures) and grammar (relationship between the cognitive structures) for understanding the nature and origin of mathematical use in the context physics, and (2) a detailed understanding, in terms of the proposed theoretical framework, of the errors that students make when using mathematics in the context of physics.

Field-widened Michelson interferometer for spectral discrimination in high-spectral-resolution lidar: theoretical framework.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhongtao; Liu, Dong; Luo, Jing; Yang, Yongying; Zhou, Yudi; Zhang, Yupeng; Duan, Lulin; Su, Lin; Yang, Liming; Shen, Yibing; Wang, Kaiwei; Bai, Jian

2015-05-04

A field-widened Michelson interferometer (FWMI) is developed to act as the spectral discriminator in high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL). This realization is motivated by the wide-angle Michelson interferometer (WAMI) which has been used broadly in the atmospheric wind and temperature detection. This paper describes an independent theoretical framework about the application of the FWMI in HSRL for the first time. In the framework, the operation principles and application requirements of the FWMI are discussed in comparison with that of the WAMI. Theoretical foundations for designing this type of interferometer are introduced based on these comparisons. Moreover, a general performance estimation model for the FWMI is established, which can provide common guidelines for the performance budget and evaluation of the FWMI in the both design and operation stages. Examples incorporating many practical imperfections or conditions that may degrade the performance of the FWMI are given to illustrate the implementation of the modeling. This theoretical framework presents a complete and powerful tool for solving most of theoretical or engineering problems encountered in the FWMI application, including the designing, parameter calibration, prior performance budget, posterior performance estimation, and so on. It will be a valuable contribution to the lidar community to develop a new generation of HSRLs based on the FWMI spectroscopic filter.

Application of the new scenario framework for climate change research: Future social vulnerability in large urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohat, Guillaume; Flacke, Johannes; Dao, Hy

2016-04-01

It is by now widely acknowledged that future social vulnerability to climate change depends on both future climate state and future socio-economic conditions. Nevertheless, while most of the vulnerability assessments are using climate projections, the integration of socio-economic projections into the assessment of vulnerabilities has been very limited. Up to now, the vast majority of vulnerability assessments has been using current socio-economic conditions, hence has failed to consider the influence of socio-economic developments in the construction of vulnerability. To enhance the use of socio-economic projections into climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability assessments, the climate change research community has been recently involved in the development of a new model for creating scenarios that integrate future changes in climate as well as in society, known under the name of the new scenario framework for climate change research. This theoretical framework is made of a set of alternative futures of socio-economic developments (known as shared socio-economic pathways - SSPs), a set of hypothesis about future climate policies (known as shared policy assumptions - SPAs) and a set of greenhouse gas concentration trajectories (known as representative concentration pathways - RCPs), which are all combined into a scenario matrix architecture (SMA) whose aim is to facilitate the use of this framework. Despite calls by the climate change research community for the use of this conceptual framework in impacts, adaptation and vulnerability research, its use and its assessment has been very limited. Focusing on case-studies (i.e. specific cities as well as specific climate impacts and their associated human exposures and vulnerabilities), the study presented here will attempt to operationalize this theoretical framework for the assessment of future social vulnerability in large urban areas. A particular attention will be paid to less advanced and more vulnerable countries in the global south. We will discuss how this framework can be implemented for large urban agglomerations. To do so, we will examine: (i) by what means globally-developed SSPs can be extended into sector-specific and location-specific socio-economic development scenarios, (ii) in what manner the quantification of key socio-economic indicators (in accordance with the different SSPs), coupled with regional climate projections under different RCPs, can lead to a quantitative and reliable assessment of the evolution of future social vulnerability, and (iii) to which extent the SMA, i.e. the combination of extended SSPs, regional climate projections (under different RCPs) and various locally-developed SPAs, can answer some of the key questions regarding climate change adaptation policies, from a vulnerability perspective.

Moral experience: a framework for bioethics research.

PubMed

Hunt, Matthew R; Carnevale, Franco A

2011-11-01

Theoretical and empirical research in bioethics frequently focuses on ethical dilemmas or problems. This paper draws on anthropological and phenomenological sources to develop an alternative framework for bioethical enquiry that allows examination of a broader range of how the moral is experienced in the everyday lives of individuals and groups. Our account of moral experience is subjective and hermeneutic. We define moral experience as "Encompassing a person's sense that values that he or she deem important are being realised or thwarted in everyday life. This includes a person's interpretations of a lived encounter, or a set of lived encounters, that fall on spectrums of right-wrong, good-bad or just-unjust". In our conceptualisation, moral experience is not limited to situations that are heavily freighted with ethically-troubling ramifications or are sources of debate and disagreement. Important aspects of moral experience are played out in mundane and everyday settings. Moral experience provides a research framework, the scope of which extends beyond the evaluation of ethical dilemmas, processes of moral justification and decision-making, and moral distress. This broad research focus is consistent with views expressed by commentators within and beyond bioethics who have called for deeper and more sustained attention in bioethics scholarship to a wider set of concerns, experiences and issues that better captures what is ethically at stake for individuals and communities. In this paper we present our conceptualisation of moral experience, articulate its epistemological and ontological foundations and discuss opportunities for empirical bioethics research using this framework.

A theoretical framework for psychiatric nursing practice.

PubMed

Onega, L L

1991-01-01

Traditionally, specific theoretical frameworks which are congruent with psychiatric nursing practice have been poorly articulated. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss a philosophical base, a theoretical framework, application to psychiatric nursing, and issues related to psychiatric nursing knowledge development and practice. A philosophical framework that is likely to be congruent with psychiatric nursing, which is based on the nature of human beings, health, psychiatric nursing and reality, is identified. Aaron Antonovsky's Salutogenic Model is discussed and applied to psychiatric nursing. This model provides a helpful way for psychiatric nurses to organize their thinking processes and ultimately improve the health care services that they offer to their clients. Goal setting and nursing interventions using this model are discussed. Additionally, application of the use of Antonovsky's model is made to nursing research areas such as hardiness, uncertainty, suffering, empathy and literary works. Finally, specific issues related to psychiatric nursing are addressed.

Phenotypic switching in bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merrin, Jack

Living matter is a non-equilibrium system in which many components work in parallel to perpetuate themselves through a fluctuating environment. Physiological states or functionalities revealed by a particular environment are called phenotypes. Transitions between phenotypes may occur either spontaneously or via interaction with the environment. Even in the same environment, genetically identical bacteria can exhibit different phenotypes of a continuous or discrete nature. In this thesis, we pursued three lines of investigation into discrete phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial populations: the quantitative characterization of the so-called bacterial persistence, a theoretical model of phenotypic switching based on those measurements, and the design of artificial genetic networks which implement this model. Persistence is the phenotype of a subpopulation of bacteria with a reduced sensitivity to antibiotics. We developed a microfluidic apparatus, which allowed us to monitor the growth rates of individual cells while applying repeated cycles of antibiotic treatments. We were able to identify distinct phenotypes (normal and persistent) and characterize the stochastic transitions between them. We also found that phenotypic heterogeneity was present prior to any environmental cue such as antibiotic exposure. Motivated by the experiments with persisters, we formulated a theoretical model describing the dynamic behavior of several discrete phenotypes in a periodically varying environment. This theoretical framework allowed us to quantitatively predict the fitness of dynamic populations and to compare survival strategies according to environmental time-symmetries. These calculations suggested that persistence is a strategy used by bacterial populations to adapt to fluctuating environments. Knowledge of the phenotypic transition rates for persistence may provide statistical information about the typical environments of bacteria. We also describe a design of artificial genetic networks that would implement a more general theoretical model of phenotypic switching. We will use a new cloning strategy in order to systematically assemble a large number of genetic features, such as site-specific recombination components from the R64 plasmid, which invert several coexisting DNA segments. The inversion of these segments would lead to discrete phenotypic transitions inside a living cell. These artificial phenotypic switches can be controlled precisely in experiments and may serve as a benchmark for their natural counterparts.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Working Memory and its Relationship to Aphasia

PubMed Central

Wright, Heather Harris; Fergadiotis, Gerasimos

2011-01-01

Background General agreement exists in the literature that individuals with aphasia can exhibit a working memory deficit that contributes to their language processing impairments. Though conceptualized within different working memory frameworks, researchers have suggested that individuals with aphasia have limited working memory capacity, impaired attention-control processes as well as impaired inhibitory mechanisms. However, across studies investigating working memory ability in individuals with aphasia, different measures have been used to quantify their working memory ability and identify the relationship between working memory and language performance. Aims The primary objectives of this article are to (1) review current working memory theoretical frameworks, (2) review tasks used to measure working memory, and (3) discuss findings from studies that have investigated working memory as they relate to language processing in aphasia. Main Contribution Though findings have been consistent across studies investigating working memory ability in individuals with aphasia, discussion of how working memory is conceptualized and defined is often missing, as is discussion of results within a theoretical framework. This is critical, as working memory is conceptualized differently across the different theoretical frameworks. They differ in explaining what limits capacity and the source of individual differences as well as how information is encoded, maintained, and retrieved. When test methods are considered within a theoretical framework, specific hypotheses can be tested and stronger conclusions that are less susceptible to different interpretations can be made. Conclusions Working memory ability has been investigated in numerous studies with individuals with aphasia. To better understand the underlying cognitive constructs that contribute to the language deficits exhibited by individuals with aphasia, future investigations should operationally define the cognitive constructs of interest and discuss findings within theoretical frameworks. PMID:22639480

USEEIO Framework Demo

EPA Science Inventory

The code base for creating versions of the USEEIO model and USEEIO-like models is called the USEEIO Modeling Framework. The framework is built in a combination of R and Python languages.This demonstration provides a brief overview and introduction into the framework.

Developing a targeted, theory-informed implementation intervention using two theoretical frameworks to address health professional and organisational factors: a case study to improve the management of mild traumatic brain injury in the emergency department.

PubMed

Tavender, Emma J; Bosch, Marije; Gruen, Russell L; Green, Sally E; Michie, Susan; Brennan, Sue E; Francis, Jill J; Ponsford, Jennie L; Knott, Jonathan C; Meares, Sue; Smyth, Tracy; O'Connor, Denise A

2015-05-25

Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines for the management of mild traumatic brain injury in the emergency department (ED), variations in practice exist. Interventions designed to implement recommended behaviours can reduce this variation. Using theory to inform intervention development is advocated; however, there is no consensus on how to select or apply theory. Integrative theoretical frameworks, based on syntheses of theories and theoretical constructs relevant to implementation, have the potential to assist in the intervention development process. This paper describes the process of applying two theoretical frameworks to investigate the factors influencing recommended behaviours and the choice of behaviour change techniques and modes of delivery for an implementation intervention. A stepped approach was followed: (i) identification of locally applicable and actionable evidence-based recommendations as targets for change, (ii) selection and use of two theoretical frameworks for identifying barriers to and enablers of change (Theoretical Domains Framework and Model of Diffusion of Innovations in Service Organisations) and (iii) identification and operationalisation of intervention components (behaviour change techniques and modes of delivery) to address the barriers and enhance the enablers, informed by theory, evidence and feasibility/acceptability considerations. We illustrate this process in relation to one recommendation, prospective assessment of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) by ED staff using a validated tool. Four recommendations for managing mild traumatic brain injury were targeted with the intervention. The intervention targeting the PTA recommendation consisted of 14 behaviour change techniques and addressed 6 theoretical domains and 5 organisational domains. The mode of delivery was informed by six Cochrane reviews. It was delivered via five intervention components : (i) local stakeholder meetings, (ii) identification of local opinion leader teams, (iii) a train-the-trainer workshop for appointed local opinion leaders, (iv) local training workshops for delivery by trained local opinion leaders and (v) provision of tools and materials to prompt recommended behaviours. Two theoretical frameworks were used in a complementary manner to inform intervention development in managing mild traumatic brain injury in the ED. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the developed intervention is being evaluated in a cluster randomised trial, part of the Neurotrauma Evidence Translation (NET) program.

Ecological Dynamics as a Theoretical Framework for Development of Sustainable Behaviours towards the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brymer, Eric; Davids, Keith

2013-01-01

This paper proposes how the theoretical framework of ecological dynamics can provide an influential model of the learner and the learning process to pre-empt effective behaviour changes. Here we argue that ecological dynamics supports a well-established model of the learner ideally suited to the environmental education context because of its…

An Exploration of E-Learning Benefits for Saudi Arabia: Toward Policy Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alrashidi, Abdulaziz

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine policies and solutions addressing (a) improving education for citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and (b) providing alternative instructional delivery methods, including e-learning for those living in remote areas. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework of this study was based on the…

Applying a Conceptual Design Framework to Study Teachers' Use of Educational Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmberg, Jörgen

2017-01-01

Theoretical outcomes of design-based research (DBR) are often presented in the form of local theory design principles. This article suggests a complementary theoretical construction in DBR, in the form of a "design framework" at a higher abstract level, to study and inform educational design with ICT in different situated contexts.…

A Theoretical Framework to Guide the Re-Engineering of Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Todd; Kellam, Nadia

2009-01-01

Before leaders in technology education are able to identify a theoretical framework upon which a curriculum is to stand, they must first grapple with two opposing views of the purpose of technology education--education for all learners or career/technical education. Dakers (2006) identifies two opposing philosophies that can serve as a framework…

Functional Path Analysis as a Multivariate Technique in Developing a Theory of Participation in Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, James L.

This paper reports on attempts by the author to construct a theoretical framework of adult education participation using a theory development process and the corresponding multivariate statistical techniques. Two problems are identified: the lack of theoretical framework in studying problems, and the limiting of statistical analysis to univariate…

The Relationships between Students' Use of Instant Messaging and Their Psychological Sense of Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Amanda Garland

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which students' psychological sense of community was influenced by IM use using the psychological sense of community theoretical framework created by McMillan and Chavis (1986), and the student development theoretical frameworks created by Schlossberg (1989) and Astin (1984). Thus, this…

Proverbs as Theoretical Frameworks for Lifelong Learning in Indigenous African Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avoseh, Mejai B. M.

2013-01-01

Every aspect of a community's life and values in indigenous Africa provide the theoretical framework for education. The holistic worldview of the traditional system places a strong emphasis on the centrality of the human element and orature in the symmetrical relationship between life and learning. This article focuses on proverbs and the words…

Unpacking Teacher-Researcher Collaboration with Three Theoretical Frameworks: A Case of Expansive Learning Activity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gade, Sharada

2015-01-01

Long association with a mathematics teacher at a Grade 4-6 school in Sweden, is basis for reporting a case of teacher-researcher collaboration. Three theoretical frameworks used to study its development over time are relational knowing, relational agency and cogenerative dialogue. While relational knowing uses narrative perspectives to explore the…

A Theoretical Framework for Organizing the Effect of the Internet on Cognitive Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Genevieve Marie

2006-01-01

The number of children and adolescents accessing the Internet as well as the amount of time online are steadily increasing. The most common online activities include playing video games, navigating web sites, and communicating via chat rooms, email, and instant messaging. A theoretical framework for understanding the effects of Internet use on…

A Theoretical Framework for Serious Game Design: Exploring Pedagogy, Play and Fidelity and Their Implications for the Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rooney, Pauline

2012-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that digital games can provide an engaging, motivating and "fun" experience for students. However an entertaining game does not necessarily constitute a meaningful, valuable learning experience. For this reason, experts espouse the importance of underpinning serious games with a sound theoretical framework which…

Variation Theory: A Theory of Learning and a Useful Theoretical Framework for Chemical Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussey, Thomas J.; Orgill, MaryKay; Crippen, Kent J.

2013-01-01

Instructors are constantly baffled by the fact that two students who are sitting in the same class, who have access to the same materials, can come to understand a particular chemistry concept differently. Variation theory offers a theoretical framework from which to explore possible variations in experience and the resulting differences in…

Developing a Theoretical Framework for Examining Student Understanding of Fractional Concepts: An Historical Accounting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Susan M.; Wilkerson, Trena L.; Montgomery, Mark; Mechell, Sara; Arterbury, Kristin; Moore, Sherrie

2012-01-01

In 2007, a group of mathematics educators and researchers met to examine rational numbers and why children have such an issue with them. An extensive review of the literature on fractional understanding was conducted. The ideas in that literature were then consolidated into a theoretical framework for examining fractions. Once that theoretical…

From individual coping strategies to illness codification: the reflection of gender in social science research on multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).

PubMed

Nadeau, Geneviève; Lippel, Katherine

2014-09-10

Emerging fields such as environmental health have been challenged, in recent years, to answer the growing methodological calls for a finer integration of sex and gender in health-related research and policy-making. Through a descriptive examination of 25 peer-reviewed social science papers published between 1996 and 2011, we explore, by examining methodological designs and theoretical standpoints, how the social sciences have integrated gender sensitivity in empirical work on Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). MCS is a "diagnosis" associated with sensitivities to chronic and low-dose chemical exposures, which remains contested in both the medical and institutional arenas, and is reported to disproportionately affect women. We highlighted important differences between papers that did integrate a gender lens and those that did not. These included characteristics of the authorship, purposes, theoretical frameworks and methodological designs of the studies. Reviewed papers that integrated gender tended to focus on the gender roles and identity of women suffering from MCS, emphasizing personal strategies of adaptation. More generally, terminological confusions in the use of sex and gender language and concepts, such as a conflation of women and gender, were observed. Although some men were included in most of the study samples reviewed, specific data relating to men was undereported in results and only one paper discussed issues specifically experienced by men suffering from MCS. Papers that overlooked gender dimensions generally addressed more systemic social issues such as the dynamics of expertise and the medical codification of MCS, from more consistently outlined theoretical frameworks. Results highlight the place for a critical, systematic and reflexive problematization of gender and for the development of methodological and theoretical tools on how to integrate gender in research designs when looking at both micro and macro social dimensions of environmental health conditions. This paper contributes to a discussion on the methodological and policy implications of taking sex and gender into account appropriately in order to contribute to better equity in health, especially where the critical social contexts of definition and medico-legal recognition play a major role such as in the case of MCS.

von Neumann's Law: Theoretical and Microgravity Experimental Comparison for Coarsening Diffusion in Bubble Lattices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noever, David A.

2000-01-01

The effects of gravity in influencing the theoretical limit for bubble lattice coarsening and aging behavior, otherwise called von Neumann's law, is examined theoretically and experimentally. Preliminary microgravity results will be discussed.

Press Calls | NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration

Science.gov Websites

Projects Near You Strategic Frameworks Monitoring and Adaptive Management Restoration Areas Alabama Florida Archive Home Press Calls Press Calls Gulf Spill Restoration Menu Home Restoration Areas About Us Data How

Measuring implementation behaviour of menu guidelines in the childcare setting: confirmatory factor analysis of a theoretical domains framework questionnaire (TDFQ).

PubMed

Seward, Kirsty; Wolfenden, Luke; Wiggers, John; Finch, Meghan; Wyse, Rebecca; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Presseau, Justin; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Yoong, Sze Lin

2017-04-04

While there are number of frameworks which focus on supporting the implementation of evidence based approaches, few psychometrically valid measures exist to assess constructs within these frameworks. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically assess a scale measuring each domain of the Theoretical Domains Framework for use in assessing the implementation of dietary guidelines within a non-health care setting (childcare services). A 75 item 14-domain Theoretical Domains Framework Questionnaire (TDFQ) was developed and administered via telephone interview to 202 centre based childcare service cooks who had a role in planning the service menu. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was undertaken to assess the reliability, discriminant validity and goodness of fit of the 14-domain theoretical domain framework measure. For the CFA, five iterative processes of adjustment were undertaken where 14 items were removed, resulting in a final measure consisting of 14 domains and 61 items. For the final measure: the Chi-Square goodness of fit statistic was 3447.19; the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) was 0.070; the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) was 0.072; and the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) had a value of 0.78. While only one of the three indices support goodness of fit of the measurement model tested, a 14-domain model with 61 items showed good discriminant validity and internally consistent items. Future research should aim to assess the psychometric properties of the developed TDFQ in other community-based settings.

Obesity in sub-Saharan Africa: development of an ecological theoretical framework.

PubMed

Scott, Alison; Ejikeme, Chinwe Stella; Clottey, Emmanuel Nii; Thomas, Joy Goens

2013-03-01

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is a need for theoretical frameworks to catalyze further research and to inform the development of multi-level, context-appropriate interventions. In this commentary, we propose a preliminary ecological theoretical framework to conceptualize factors that contribute to increases in overweight and obesity in SSA. The framework is based on a Causality Continuum model [Coreil et al. Social and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks] that considers distant, intermediate and proximate influences. The influences incorporated in the model include globalization and urbanization as distant factors; occupation, social relationships, built environment and cultural perceptions of weight as intermediate factors and caloric intake, physical inactivity and genetics as proximate factors. The model illustrates the interaction of factors along a continuum, from the individual to the global marketplace, in shaping trends in overweight and obesity in SSA. The framework will be presented, each influence elucidated and implications for research and intervention development discussed. There is a tremendous need for further research on obesity in SSA. An improved evidence base will serve to validate and develop the proposed framework further.

Steepest entropy ascent model for far-nonequilibrium thermodynamics: Unified implementation of the maximum entropy production principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beretta, Gian Paolo

2014-10-01

By suitable reformulations, we cast the mathematical frameworks of several well-known different approaches to the description of nonequilibrium dynamics into a unified formulation valid in all these contexts, which extends to such frameworks the concept of steepest entropy ascent (SEA) dynamics introduced by the present author in previous works on quantum thermodynamics. Actually, the present formulation constitutes a generalization also for the quantum thermodynamics framework. The analysis emphasizes that in the SEA modeling principle a key role is played by the geometrical metric with respect to which to measure the length of a trajectory in state space. In the near-thermodynamic-equilibrium limit, the metric tensor is directly related to the Onsager's generalized resistivity tensor. Therefore, through the identification of a suitable metric field which generalizes the Onsager generalized resistance to the arbitrarily far-nonequilibrium domain, most of the existing theories of nonequilibrium thermodynamics can be cast in such a way that the state exhibits the spontaneous tendency to evolve in state space along the path of SEA compatible with the conservation constraints and the boundary conditions. The resulting unified family of SEA dynamical models is intrinsically and strongly consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. The non-negativity of the entropy production is a general and readily proved feature of SEA dynamics. In several of the different approaches to nonequilibrium description we consider here, the SEA concept has not been investigated before. We believe it defines the precise meaning and the domain of general validity of the so-called maximum entropy production principle. Therefore, it is hoped that the present unifying approach may prove useful in providing a fresh basis for effective, thermodynamically consistent, numerical models and theoretical treatments of irreversible conservative relaxation towards equilibrium from far nonequilibrium states. The mathematical frameworks we consider are the following: (A) statistical or information-theoretic models of relaxation; (B) small-scale and rarefied gas dynamics (i.e., kinetic models for the Boltzmann equation); (C) rational extended thermodynamics, macroscopic nonequilibrium thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics; (D) mesoscopic nonequilibrium thermodynamics, continuum mechanics with fluctuations; and (E) quantum statistical mechanics, quantum thermodynamics, mesoscopic nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics, and intrinsic quantum thermodynamics.

Multidimensional human dynamics in mobile phone communications.

PubMed

Quadri, Christian; Zignani, Matteo; Capra, Lorenzo; Gaito, Sabrina; Rossi, Gian Paolo

2014-01-01

In today's technology-assisted society, social interactions may be expressed through a variety of techno-communication channels, including online social networks, email and mobile phones (calls, text messages). Consequently, a clear grasp of human behavior through the diverse communication media is considered a key factor in understanding the formation of the today's information society. So far, all previous research on user communication behavior has focused on a sole communication activity. In this paper we move forward another step on this research path by performing a multidimensional study of human sociality as an expression of the use of mobile phones. The paper focuses on user temporal communication behavior in the interplay between the two complementary communication media, text messages and phone calls, that represent the bi-dimensional scenario of analysis. Our study provides a theoretical framework for analyzing multidimensional bursts as the most general burst category, that includes one-dimensional bursts as the simplest case, and offers empirical evidence of their nature by following the combined phone call/text message communication patterns of approximately one million people over three-month period. This quantitative approach enables the design of a generative model rooted in the three most significant features of the multidimensional burst - the number of dimensions, prevalence and interleaving degree - able to reproduce the main media usage attitude. The other findings of the paper include a novel multidimensional burst detection algorithm and an insight analysis of the human media selection process.

Designing effective human-automation-plant interfaces: a control-theoretic perspective.

PubMed

Jamieson, Greg A; Vicente, Kim J

2005-01-01

In this article, we propose the application of a control-theoretic framework to human-automation interaction. The framework consists of a set of conceptual distinctions that should be respected in automation research and design. We demonstrate how existing automation interface designs in some nuclear plants fail to recognize these distinctions. We further show the value of the approach by applying it to modes of automation. The design guidelines that have been proposed in the automation literature are evaluated from the perspective of the framework. This comparison shows that the framework reveals insights that are frequently overlooked in this literature. A new set of design guidelines is introduced that builds upon the contributions of previous research and draws complementary insights from the control-theoretic framework. The result is a coherent and systematic approach to the design of human-automation-plant interfaces that will yield more concrete design criteria and a broader set of design tools. Applications of this research include improving the effectiveness of human-automation interaction design and the relevance of human-automation interaction research.

Environmental Statistics and Optimal Regulation

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Any organism is embedded in an environment that changes over time. The timescale for and statistics of environmental change, the precision with which the organism can detect its environment, and the costs and benefits of particular protein expression levels all will affect the suitability of different strategies–such as constitutive expression or graded response–for regulating protein levels in response to environmental inputs. We propose a general framework–here specifically applied to the enzymatic regulation of metabolism in response to changing concentrations of a basic nutrient–to predict the optimal regulatory strategy given the statistics of fluctuations in the environment and measurement apparatus, respectively, and the costs associated with enzyme production. We use this framework to address three fundamental questions: (i) when a cell should prefer thresholding to a graded response; (ii) when there is a fitness advantage to implementing a Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) when retaining memory of the past provides a selective advantage. We specifically find that: (i) relative convexity of enzyme expression cost and benefit influences the fitness of thresholding or graded responses; (ii) intermediate levels of measurement uncertainty call for a sophisticated Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) in dynamic contexts, intermediate levels of uncertainty call for retaining memory of the past. Statistical properties of the environment, such as variability and correlation times, set optimal biochemical parameters, such as thresholds and decay rates in signaling pathways. Our framework provides a theoretical basis for interpreting molecular signal processing algorithms and a classification scheme that organizes known regulatory strategies and may help conceptualize heretofore unknown ones. PMID:25254493

An integrated organisation-wide data quality management and information governance framework: theoretical underpinnings.

PubMed

Liaw, Siaw-Teng; Pearce, Christopher; Liyanage, Harshana; Liaw, Gladys S S; de Lusignan, Simon

2014-01-01

Increasing investment in eHealth aims to improve cost effectiveness and safety of care. Data extraction and aggregation can create new data products to improve professional practice and provide feedback to improve the quality of source data. A previous systematic review concluded that locally relevant clinical indicators and use of clinical record systems could support clinical governance. We aimed to extend and update the review with a theoretical framework. We searched PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, ABI Inform (Proquest) and Business Source Premier (EBSCO) using the terms curation, information ecosystem, data quality management (DQM), data governance, information governance (IG) and data stewardship. We focused on and analysed the scope of DQM and IG processes, theoretical frameworks, and determinants of the processing, quality assurance, presentation and sharing of data across the enterprise. There are good theoretical reasons for integrated governance, but there is variable alignment of DQM, IG and health system objectives across the health enterprise. Ethical constraints exist that require health information ecosystems to process data in ways that are aligned with improving health and system efficiency and ensuring patient safety. Despite an increasingly 'big-data' environment, DQM and IG in health services are still fragmented across the data production cycle. We extend current work on DQM and IG with a theoretical framework for integrated IG across the data cycle. The dimensions of this theory-based framework would require testing with qualitative and quantitative studies to examine the applicability and utility, along with an evaluation of its impact on data quality across the health enterprise.

Death of a Simulated Pediatric Patient: Toward a More Robust Theoretical Framework.

PubMed

McBride, Mary E; Schinasi, Dana Aronson; Moga, Michael Alice; Tripathy, Shreepada; Calhoun, Aaron

2017-12-01

A theoretical framework was recently proposed that encapsulates learner responses to simulated death due to action or inaction in the pediatric context. This framework, however, was developed at an institution that allows simulated death and thus does not address the experience of those centers at which this technique is not used. To address this, we performed a parallel qualitative study with the intent of augmenting the initial framework. We conducted focus groups, using a constructivist grounded theory approach, using physicians and nurses who have experienced a simulated cardiac arrest. The participants were recruited via e-mail. Transcripts were analyzed by coders blinded to the original framework to generate a list of provisional themes that were iteratively refined. These themes were then compared with the themes from the original article and used to derive a consensus model that incorporated the most relevant features of each. Focus group data yielded 7 themes. Six were similar to those developed in the original framework. One important exception was noted; however, those learners not exposed to patient death due to action or inaction often felt that the mannequin's survival was artificial. This additional theme was incorporated into a revised framework. The original framework addresses most aspects of learner reactions to simulated death. Our work suggests that adding the theme pertaining to the lack of realism that can be perceived when the mannequin is unexpectedly saved results in a more robust theoretical framework transferable to centers that do not allow mannequin death.

Leader or Manager: Academic Library Leader's Leadership Orientation Considered Ideal by Faculty, Administrators and Librarians at Private, Nonprofit, Doctoral Universities in Southern California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripuraneni, Vinaya L.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the leadership orientation of the academic library leader considered ideal by faculty, administrators and librarians in private, non-profit, doctoral universities in Southern California. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework used for this study was Bolman and Deal's Leadership…

Toward an Instructional Philosophy: "A Theoretical Framework for Teaching and Training at Salman Bin Abdulaziz University (SAU)"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qandile, Yasine A.; Al-Qasim, Wajeeh Q.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to construct a clear instructional philosophy for Salman bin Abdulaziz University as a fundamental basis for teaching and training as well as a theoretical framework for curriculum design and development. The study attempts to answer the main questions about pertaining to the basic structure of contemporary higher…

First-Year Biology Students' Understandings of Meiosis: An Investigation Using a Structural Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Frances; Pegg, John; Panizzon, Debra

2009-01-01

Meiosis is a biological concept that is both complex and important for students to learn. This study aims to explore first-year biology students' explanations of the process of meiosis, using an explicit theoretical framework provided by the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) model. The research was based on responses of 334…

Rural Employment, Migration, and Economic Development: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Evidence from Africa. Africa Rural Employment Paper No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byerlee, Derek; Eicher, Carl K.

Employment problems in Africa were examined with special emphasis on rural employment and migration within the context of overall economic development. A framework was provided for analyzing rural employment in development; that framework was used to analyze empirical information from Africa; and theoretical issues were raised in analyzing rural…

Toward an Integrative Theoretical Framework for Explaining Beliefs about Wife Beating: A Study among Students of Nursing from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.; Uysal, Aynur

2011-01-01

An integrative theoretical framework was tested as the basis for explaining beliefs about wife beating among Turkish nursing students. Based on a survey design, 406 nursing students (404 females) in all 4 years of undergraduate studies completed a self-administered questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed and collected from the participants…

The Pedagogy of Primary Historical Sources in Mathematics: Classroom Practice Meets Theoretical Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Janet Heine; Lodder, Jerry; Pengelley, David

2014-01-01

We analyze our method of teaching with primary historical sources within the context of theoretical frameworks for the role of history in teaching mathematics developed by Barbin, Fried, Jahnke, Jankvist, and Kjeldsen and Blomhøj, and more generally from the perspective of Sfard's theory of learning as communication. We present case studies…

Understanding, Selecting, and Integrating a Theoretical Framework in Dissertation Research: Creating the Blueprint for Your "House"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Cynthia; Osanloo, Azadeh

2014-01-01

The theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects in the research process, yet is often misunderstood by doctoral candidates as they prepare their dissertation research study. The importance of theory-driven thinking and acting is emphasized in relation to the selection of a topic, the development of research questions, the…

[Development of the theoretical framework and the item pool of the peri-operative recovery scale for integrative medicine].

PubMed

Su, Bi-ying; Liu, Shao-nan; Li, Xiao-yan

2011-11-01

To study the train of thoughts and procedures for developing the theoretical framework and the item pool of the peri-operative recovery scale for integrative medicine, thus making preparation for the development of this scale and psychometric testing. Under the guidance for Chinese medicine theories and the guidance for developing psychometric scale, the theoretical framework and the item pool of the scale were initially laid out by literature retrieval, and expert consultation, etc. The scale covered the domains of physical function, mental function, activity function, pain, and general assessment. Besides, social function is involved, which is suitable for pre-operative testing and long-term therapeutic efficacy testing after discharge from hospital. Each domain should cover correlated Zang-Fu organs, qi, blood, and the patient-reported outcomes. Totally 122 items were initially covered in the item pool according to theoretical framework of the scale. The peri-operative recovery scale of integrative medicine was the embodiment of the combination of Chinese medicine theories and patient-reported outcome concepts. The scale could reasonably assess the peri-operative recovery outcomes of patients treated by integrative medicine.

Experiences of using the Theoretical Domains Framework across diverse clinical environments: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Phillips, Cameron J; Marshall, Andrea P; Chaves, Nadia J; Jankelowitz, Stacey K; Lin, Ivan B; Loy, Clement T; Rees, Gwyneth; Sakzewski, Leanne; Thomas, Susie; To, The-Phung; Wilkinson, Shelley A; Michie, Susan

2015-01-01

The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) is an integrative framework developed from a synthesis of psychological theories as a vehicle to help apply theoretical approaches to interventions aimed at behavior change. This study explores experiences of TDF use by professionals from multiple disciplines across diverse clinical settings. Mixed methods were used to examine experiences, attitudes, and perspectives of health professionals in using the TDF in health care implementation projects. Individual interviews were conducted with ten health care professionals from six disciplines who used the TDF in implementation projects. Deductive content and thematic analysis were used. Three main themes and associated subthemes were identified including: 1) reasons for use of the TDF (increased confidence, broader perspective, and theoretical underpinnings); 2) challenges using the TDF (time and resources, operationalization of the TDF) and; 3) future use of the TDF. The TDF provided a useful, flexible framework for a diverse group of health professionals working across different clinical settings for the assessment of barriers and targeting resources to influence behavior change for implementation projects. The development of practical tools and training or support is likely to aid the utility of TDF.

Experiences of using the Theoretical Domains Framework across diverse clinical environments: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Phillips, Cameron J; Marshall, Andrea P; Chaves, Nadia J; Jankelowitz, Stacey K; Lin, Ivan B; Loy, Clement T; Rees, Gwyneth; Sakzewski, Leanne; Thomas, Susie; To, The-Phung; Wilkinson, Shelley A; Michie, Susan

2015-01-01

Background The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) is an integrative framework developed from a synthesis of psychological theories as a vehicle to help apply theoretical approaches to interventions aimed at behavior change. Purpose This study explores experiences of TDF use by professionals from multiple disciplines across diverse clinical settings. Methods Mixed methods were used to examine experiences, attitudes, and perspectives of health professionals in using the TDF in health care implementation projects. Individual interviews were conducted with ten health care professionals from six disciplines who used the TDF in implementation projects. Deductive content and thematic analysis were used. Results Three main themes and associated subthemes were identified including: 1) reasons for use of the TDF (increased confidence, broader perspective, and theoretical underpinnings); 2) challenges using the TDF (time and resources, operationalization of the TDF) and; 3) future use of the TDF. Conclusion The TDF provided a useful, flexible framework for a diverse group of health professionals working across different clinical settings for the assessment of barriers and targeting resources to influence behavior change for implementation projects. The development of practical tools and training or support is likely to aid the utility of TDF. PMID:25834455

The Alternative Peer Group: A Developmentally Appropriate Recovery Support Model for Adolescents.

PubMed

Nash, Angela; Collier, Crystal

2016-01-01

Recovery as the goal for substance use disorder treatment has been a key component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's mission for the past decade. Consistent with their mission, there is a call for research and development of recovery-oriented systems of care to support affected individuals through all stages of the recovery process. Evidence is emerging to support recovery practice and research for adults, but recovery-oriented models for adolescents are scant. The Alternative Peer Group (APG) is a comprehensive adolescent recovery support model that integrates recovering peers and prosocial activities into evidence-based clinical practice. Employing APG participants' own words, this article will describe the essential elements and three theoretical frameworks underlying the APG model to illustrate how the APG serves as a developmentally appropriate recovery support service for adolescents with substance use disorder.

Lorentz quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qi; Wu, Biao

2018-01-01

We present a theoretical framework for the dynamics of bosonic Bogoliubov quasiparticles. We call it Lorentz quantum mechanics because the dynamics is a continuous complex Lorentz transformation in complex Minkowski space. In contrast, in usual quantum mechanics, the dynamics is the unitary transformation in Hilbert space. In our Lorentz quantum mechanics, three types of state exist: space-like, light-like and time-like. Fundamental aspects are explored in parallel to the usual quantum mechanics, such as a matrix form of a Lorentz transformation, and the construction of Pauli-like matrices for spinors. We also investigate the adiabatic evolution in these mechanics, as well as the associated Berry curvature and Chern number. Three typical physical systems, where bosonic Bogoliubov quasi-particles and their Lorentz quantum dynamics can arise, are presented. They are a one-dimensional fermion gas, Bose-Einstein condensate (or superfluid), and one-dimensional antiferromagnet.

Optimal Decision Stimuli for Risky Choice Experiments: An Adaptive Approach

PubMed Central

Cavagnaro, Daniel R.; Gonzalez, Richard; Myung, Jay I.; Pitt, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Collecting data to discriminate between models of risky choice requires careful selection of decision stimuli. Models of decision making aim to predict decisions across a wide range of possible stimuli, but practical limitations force experimenters to select only a handful of them for actual testing. Some stimuli are more diagnostic between models than others, so the choice of stimuli is critical. This paper provides the theoretical background and a methodological framework for adaptive selection of optimal stimuli for discriminating among models of risky choice. The approach, called Adaptive Design Optimization (ADO), adapts the stimulus in each experimental trial based on the results of the preceding trials. We demonstrate the validity of the approach with simulation studies aiming to discriminate Expected Utility, Weighted Expected Utility, Original Prospect Theory, and Cumulative Prospect Theory models. PMID:24532856

Harnessing the Interaction Continuum for Subtle Assisted Living

PubMed Central

García-Herranz, Manuel; Olivera, Fernando; Haya, Pablo; Alamán, Xavier

2012-01-01

People interact with each other in many levels of attention, intention and meaning. This Interaction Continuum is used daily to deal with different contexts, adapting the interaction to communication needs and available resources. Nevertheless, computer-supported interaction has mainly focused on the most direct, explicit and intrusive types of human to human Interaction such as phone calls, emails, or video conferences. This paper presents the results of exploring and exploiting the potentials of undemanding interaction mechanisms, paying special attention to subtle communication and background interaction. As we argue the benefits of this type of interaction for people with special needs, we present a theoretical framework to define it and propose a proof of concept based on Augmented Objects and a color codification mechanism. Finally, we evaluate and analyze the strengths and limitations of such approach with people with cognitive disabilities. PMID:23012573

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

Tuo, Rui; Jeff Wu, C. F.

Calibration parameters in deterministic computer experiments are those attributes that cannot be measured or available in physical experiments. Here, an approach to estimate them by using data from physical experiments and computer simulations. A theoretical framework is given which allows us to study the issues of parameter identifiability and estimation. We define the L 2-consistency for calibration as a justification for calibration methods. It is shown that a simplified version of the original KO method leads to asymptotically L 2-inconsistent calibration. This L 2-inconsistency can be remedied by modifying the original estimation procedure. A novel calibration method, called the Lmore » 2 calibration, is proposed and proven to be L 2-consistent and enjoys optimal convergence rate. Furthermore a numerical example and some mathematical analysis are used to illustrate the source of the L 2-inconsistency problem.« less

Medical education... meet Michel Foucault.

PubMed

Hodges, Brian D; Martimianakis, Maria A; McNaughton, Nancy; Whitehead, Cynthia

2014-06-01

There have been repeated calls for the greater use of conceptual frameworks and of theory in medical education. Although it is familiar to few medical educators, Michel Foucault's work is a helpful theoretical and methodological source. This article explores what it means to use a 'Foucauldian approach', presents a sample of Foucault's historical-genealogical studies that are relevant to medical education, and introduces the work of four researchers currently undertaking Foucauldian-inspired medical education research. Although they are not without controversy, Foucauldian approaches are employed by an increasing number of scholars and are helpful in shedding light on what it is possible to think, say and be in medical education. Our hope in sharing this Foucauldian work and perspective is that we might stimulate a dialogue that is forward-looking and optimistic about the possibilities for change in medical education. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Controlling Contagion Processes in Activity Driven Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Suyu; Perra, Nicola; Karsai, Márton; Vespignani, Alessandro

2014-03-01

The vast majority of strategies aimed at controlling contagion processes on networks consider the connectivity pattern of the system either quenched or annealed. However, in the real world, many networks are highly dynamical and evolve, in time, concurrently with the contagion process. Here, we derive an analytical framework for the study of control strategies specifically devised for a class of time-varying networks, namely activity-driven networks. We develop a block variable mean-field approach that allows the derivation of the equations describing the coevolution of the contagion process and the network dynamic. We derive the critical immunization threshold and assess the effectiveness of three different control strategies. Finally, we validate the theoretical picture by simulating numerically the spreading process and control strategies in both synthetic networks and a large-scale, real-world, mobile telephone call data set.

A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF THE PROCESS USED TO NEGOTIATE CONDOM USE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

PubMed

Hunter, Teressa Sanders; Tilley, Donna Scott

2015-01-01

This review of the literature identifies themes, variable, goals, and gaps in the literature related to HIV and AIDS among African American women. Black Feminist Epistemology and symbolic interactionism are used as a theoretical perspective and philosophical framework to examine experiences and social behaviors of African-American women and to guide and framework to explain the findings from the literature. This theoretical perspective/philosophical framework can also be used in understanding processes used by African-American women in behavioral, social, and intimate interactions.

Addressing the need for an infection prevention and control framework that incorporates the role of surveillance: a discussion paper.

PubMed

Mitchell, Brett G; Gardner, Anne

2014-03-01

To present a discussion on theoretical frameworks in infection prevention and control. Infection prevention and control programmes have been in place for several years in response to the incidence of healthcare-associated infections and their associated morbidity and mortality. Theoretical frameworks play an important role in formalizing the understanding of infection prevention activities. Discussion paper. A literature search using electronic databases was conducted for published articles in English addressing theoretical frameworks in infection prevention and control between 1980-2012. Nineteen papers that included a reference to frameworks were identified in the review. A narrative analysis of these papers was completed. Two models were identified and neither included the role of surveillance. To reduce the risk of acquiring a healthcare-associated infection, a multifaceted approach to infection prevention is required. One key component in this approach is surveillance. The review identified two infection prevention and control frameworks, yet these are rarely applied in infection prevention and control programmes. Only one framework considered the multifaceted approach required for infection prevention. It did not, however, incorporate the role of surveillance. We present a framework that incorporates the role of surveillance into a biopsychosocial approach to infection prevention and control. Infection prevention and control programmes and associated research are led primarily by nurses. There is a need for an explicit infection prevention and control framework incorporating the important role that surveillance has in infection prevention activities. This study presents one framework for further critique and discussion. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decision support models for solid waste management: Review and game-theoretic approaches

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

Karmperis, Athanasios C., E-mail: athkarmp@mail.ntua.gr; Army Corps of Engineers, Hellenic Army General Staff, Ministry of Defence; Aravossis, Konstantinos

Highlights: ► The mainly used decision support frameworks for solid waste management are reviewed. ► The LCA, CBA and MCDM models are presented and their strengths, weaknesses, similarities and possible combinations are analyzed. ► The game-theoretic approach in a solid waste management context is presented. ► The waste management bargaining game is introduced as a specific decision support framework. ► Cooperative and non-cooperative game-theoretic approaches to decision support for solid waste management are discussed. - Abstract: This paper surveys decision support models that are commonly used in the solid waste management area. Most models are mainly developed within three decisionmore » support frameworks, which are the life-cycle assessment, the cost–benefit analysis and the multi-criteria decision-making. These frameworks are reviewed and their strengths and weaknesses as well as their critical issues are analyzed, while their possible combinations and extensions are also discussed. Furthermore, the paper presents how cooperative and non-cooperative game-theoretic approaches can be used for the purpose of modeling and analyzing decision-making in situations with multiple stakeholders. Specifically, since a waste management model is sustainable when considering not only environmental and economic but also social aspects, the waste management bargaining game is introduced as a specific decision support framework in which future models can be developed.« less

Why do children and adolescents bully their peers? A critical review of key theoretical frameworks.

PubMed

Thomas, Hannah J; Connor, Jason P; Scott, James G

2018-05-01

Bullying is a significant public health problem for children and adolescents worldwide. Evidence suggests that both being bullied (bullying victimisation) and bullying others (bullying perpetration) are associated with concurrent and future mental health problems. The onset and course of bullying perpetration are influenced by individual as well as systemic factors. Identifying effective solutions to address bullying requires a fundamental understanding of why it occurs. Drawing from multi-disciplinary domains, this review provides a summary and synthesis of the key theoretical frameworks applied to understanding and intervening on the issue of bullying. A number of explanatory models have been used to elucidate the dynamics of bullying, and broadly these correspond with either system (e.g., social-ecological, family systems, peer-group socialisation) or individual-level (e.g., developmental psychopathology, genetic, resource control, social-cognitive) frameworks. Each theory adds a unique perspective; however, no single framework comprehensively explains why bullying occurs. This review demonstrates that the integration of theoretical perspectives achieves a more nuanced understanding of bullying which is necessary for strengthening evidence-based interventions. Future progress requires researchers to integrate both the systems and individual-level theoretical frameworks to further improve current interventions. More effective intervention across different systems as well as tailoring interventions to the specific needs of the individuals directly involved in bullying will reduce exposure to a key risk factor for mental health problems.

Evaluating the Sustainability of School-Based Health Centers.

PubMed

Navarro, Stephanie; Zirkle, Dorothy L; Barr, Donald A

2017-01-01

The United States is facing a surge in the number of school-based health centers (SBHCs) owing to their success in delivering positive health outcomes and increasing access to care. To preserve this success, experts have developed frameworks for creating sustainable SBHCs; however, little research has affirmed or added to these models. This research seeks to analyze elements of sustainability in a case study of three SBHCs in San Diego, California, with the purpose of creating a research-based framework of SBHC sustainability to supplement expertly derived models. Using a mixed methods study design, data were collected from interviews with SBHC stakeholders, observations in SBHCs, and SBHC budgets. A grounded theory qualitative analysis and a quantitative budget analysis were completed to develop a theoretical framework for the sustainability of SBHCs. Forty-one interviews were conducted, 6 hours of observations were completed, and 3 years of SBHC budgets were analyzed to identify care coordination, community buy-in, community awareness, and SBHC partner cooperation as key themes of sustainability promoting patient retention for sustainable billing and reimbursement levels. These findings highlight the unique ways in which SBHCs gain community buy-in and awareness by becoming trusted sources of comprehensive and coordinated care within communities and among vulnerable populations. Findings also support ideas from expert models of SBHC sustainability calling for well-defined and executed community partnerships and quality coordinated care in the procurement of sustainable SBHC funding.

The work is never ending: uncovering teamwork sustainability using realistic evaluation.

PubMed

Frykman, Mandus; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica; Muntlin Athlin, Åsa; Hasson, Henna; Mazzocato, Pamela

2017-03-20

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms influencing the sustainability of behavior changes following the implementation of teamwork. Design/methodology/approach Realistic evaluation was combined with a framework (DCOM®) based on applied behavior analysis to study the sustainability of behavior changes two and a half years after the initial implementation of teamwork at an emergency department. The DCOM® framework was used to categorize the mechanisms of behavior change interventions (BCIs) into the four categories of direction, competence, opportunity, and motivation. Non-participant observation and interview data were used. Findings The teamwork behaviors were not sustained. A substantial fallback in managerial activities in combination with a complex context contributed to reduced direction, opportunity, and motivation. Reduced direction made staff members unclear about how and why they should work in teams. Deterioration of opportunity was evident from the lack of problem-solving resources resulting in accumulated barriers to teamwork. Motivation in terms of management support and feedback was reduced. Practical implications The implementation of complex organizational changes in complex healthcare contexts requires continuous adaption and managerial activities well beyond the initial implementation period. Originality/value By integrating the DCOM® framework with realistic evaluation, this study responds to the call for theoretically based research on behavioral mechanisms that can explain how BCIs interact with context and how this interaction influences sustainability.

SYFSA: A Framework for Systematic Yet Flexible Systems Analysis

PubMed Central

Johnson, Todd R.; Markowitz, Eliz; Bernstam, Elmer V.; Herskovic, Jorge R.; Thimbleby, Harold

2013-01-01

Although technological or organizational systems that enforce systematic procedures and best practices can lead to improvements in quality, these systems must also be designed to allow users to adapt to the inherent uncertainty, complexity, and variations in healthcare. We present a framework, called Systematic Yet Flexible Systems Analysis (SYFSA) that supports the design and analysis of Systematic Yet Flexible (SYF) systems (whether organizational or technical) by formally considering the tradeoffs between systematicity and flexibility. SYFSA is based on analyzing a task using three related problem spaces: the idealized space, the natural space, and the system space. The idealized space represents the best practice—how the task is to be accomplished under ideal conditions. The natural space captures the task actions and constraints on how the task is currently done. The system space specifies how the task is done in a redesigned system, including how it may deviate from the idealized space, and how the system supports or enforces task constraints. The goal of the framework is to support the design of systems that allow graceful degradation from the idealized space to the natural space. We demonstrate the application of SYFSA for the analysis of a simplified central line insertion task. We also describe several information-theoretic measures of flexibility that can be used to compare alternative designs, and to measure how efficiently a system supports a given task, the relative cognitive workload, and learnability. PMID:23727053

Integrating Sediment Connectivity into Water Resources Management Trough a Graph Theoretic, Stochastic Modeling Framework.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, R. J. P.; Castelletti, A.; Bizzi, S.

2014-12-01

Understanding sediment transport processes at the river basin scale, their temporal spectra and spatial patterns is key to identify and minimize morphologic risks associated to channel adjustments processes. This work contributes a stochastic framework for modeling bed-load connectivity based on recent advances in the field (e.g., Bizzi & Lerner, 2013; Czubas & Foufoulas-Georgiu, 2014). It presents river managers with novel indicators from reach scale vulnerability to channel adjustment in large river networks with sparse hydrologic and sediment observations. The framework comprises three steps. First, based on a distributed hydrological model and remotely sensed information, the framework identifies a representative grain size class for each reach. Second, sediment residence time distributions are calculated for each reach in a Monte-Carlo approach applying standard sediment transport equations driven by local hydraulic conditions. Third, a network analysis defines the up- and downstream connectivity for various travel times resulting in characteristic up/downstream connectivity signatures for each reach. Channel vulnerability indicators quantify the imbalance between up/downstream connectivity for each travel time domain, representing process dependent latency of morphologic response. Last, based on the stochastic core of the model, a sensitivity analysis identifies drivers of change and major sources of uncertainty in order to target key detrimental processes and to guide effective gathering of additional data. The application, limitation and integration into a decision analytic framework is demonstrated for a major part of the Red River Basin in Northern Vietnam (179.000 km2). Here, a plethora of anthropic alterations ranging from large reservoir construction to land-use changes results in major downstream deterioration and calls for deriving concerted sediment management strategies to mitigate current and limit future morphologic alterations.

The necessity of a theory of biology for tissue engineering: metabolism-repair systems.

PubMed

Ganguli, Suman; Hunt, C Anthony

2004-01-01

Since there is no widely accepted global theory of biology, tissue engineering and bioengineering lack a theoretical understanding of the systems being engineered. By default, tissue engineering operates with a "reductionist" theoretical approach, inherited from traditional engineering of non-living materials. Long term, that approach is inadequate, since it ignores essential aspects of biology. Metabolism-repair systems are a theoretical framework which explicitly represents two "functional" aspects of living organisms: self-repair and self-replication. Since repair and replication are central to tissue engineering, we advance metabolism-repair systems as a potential theoretical framework for tissue engineering. We present an overview of the framework, and indicate directions to pursue for extending it to the context of tissue engineering. We focus on biological networks, both metabolic and cellular, as one such direction. The construction of these networks, in turn, depends on biological protocols. Together these concepts may help point the way to a global theory of biology appropriate for tissue engineering.

Positioning of Weight Bias: Moving towards Social Justice

PubMed Central

Alberga, Angela S.; Kassan, Anusha; Sesma-Vazquez, Monica

2016-01-01

Weight bias is a form of stigma with detrimental effects on the health and wellness of individuals with large bodies. Researchers from various disciplines have recognized weight bias as an important topic for public health and for professional practice. To date, researchers from various areas have approached weight bias from independent perspectives and from differing theoretical orientations. In this paper, we examined the similarities and differences between three perspectives (i.e., weight-centric, non-weight-centric (health-centric), and health at every size) used to understand weight bias and approach weight bias research with regard to (a) language about people with large bodies, (b) theoretical position, (c) identified consequences of weight bias, and (d) identified influences on weight-based social inequity. We suggest that, despite differences, each perspective acknowledges the negative influences that position weight as being within individual control and the negative consequences of weight bias. We call for recognition and discussion of weight bias as a social justice issue in order to change the discourse and professional practices extended towards individuals with large bodies. We advocate for an emphasis on social justice as a uniting framework for interdisciplinary research on weight bias. PMID:27747099

Cognitive Control Predicts Use of Model-Based Reinforcement-Learning

PubMed Central

Otto, A. Ross; Skatova, Anya; Madlon-Kay, Seth; Daw, Nathaniel D.

2015-01-01

Accounts of decision-making and its neural substrates have long posited the operation of separate, competing valuation systems in the control of choice behavior. Recent theoretical and experimental work suggest that this classic distinction between behaviorally and neurally dissociable systems for habitual and goal-directed (or more generally, automatic and controlled) choice may arise from two computational strategies for reinforcement learning (RL), called model-free and model-based RL, but the cognitive or computational processes by which one system may dominate over the other in the control of behavior is a matter of ongoing investigation. To elucidate this question, we leverage the theoretical framework of cognitive control, demonstrating that individual differences in utilization of goal-related contextual information—in the service of overcoming habitual, stimulus-driven responses—in established cognitive control paradigms predict model-based behavior in a separate, sequential choice task. The behavioral correspondence between cognitive control and model-based RL compellingly suggests that a common set of processes may underpin the two behaviors. In particular, computational mechanisms originally proposed to underlie controlled behavior may be applicable to understanding the interactions between model-based and model-free choice behavior. PMID:25170791

Sourcing dark matter and dark energy from α-attractors

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

Mishra, Swagat S.; Sahni, Varun; Shtanov, Yuri, E-mail: swagat@iucaa.in, E-mail: varun@iucaa.in, E-mail: shtanov@bitp.kiev.ua

In [1], Kallosh and Linde drew attention to a new family of superconformal inflationary potentials, subsequently called α-attractors [2]. The α-attractor family can interpolate between a large class of inflationary models. It also has an important theoretical underpinning within the framework of supergravity. We demonstrate that the α-attractors have an even wider appeal since they may describe dark matter and perhaps even dark energy. The dark matter associated with the α-attractors, which we call α-dark matter (αDM), shares many of the attractive features of fuzzy dark matter, with V (φ) = ½ m {sup 2}φ{sup 2}, while having none ofmore » its drawbacks. Like fuzzy dark matter, αDM can have a large Jeans length which could resolve the cusp-core and substructure problems faced by standard cold dark matter. αDM also has an appealing tracker property which enables it to converge to the late-time dark matter asymptote, ( w ) ≅ 0, from a wide range of initial conditions. It thus avoids the enormous fine-tuning problems faced by the m {sup 2}φ{sup 2} potential in describing dark matter.« less

Self, College Experiences, and Society: Rethinking the Theoretical Foundations of Student Development Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkle-Wagner, Rachelle

2012-01-01

This article examines the psychological theoretical foundations of college student development theory and the theoretical assumptions of this framework. A complimentary, sociological perspective and the theoretical assumptions of this approach are offered. The potential limitations of the overuse of each perspective are considered. The conclusion…

Theory and applications of structured light single pixel imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokoe, Robert J.; Stockton, Patrick A.; Pezeshki, Ali; Bartels, Randy A.

2018-02-01

Many single-pixel imaging techniques have been developed in recent years. Though the methods of image acquisition vary considerably, the methods share unifying features that make general analysis possible. Furthermore, the methods developed thus far are based on intuitive processes that enable simple and physically-motivated reconstruction algorithms, however, this approach may not leverage the full potential of single-pixel imaging. We present a general theoretical framework of single-pixel imaging based on frame theory, which enables general, mathematically rigorous analysis. We apply our theoretical framework to existing single-pixel imaging techniques, as well as provide a foundation for developing more-advanced methods of image acquisition and reconstruction. The proposed frame theoretic framework for single-pixel imaging results in improved noise robustness, decrease in acquisition time, and can take advantage of special properties of the specimen under study. By building on this framework, new methods of imaging with a single element detector can be developed to realize the full potential associated with single-pixel imaging.

Exploring Environmental Factors in Nursing Workplaces That Promote Psychological Resilience: Constructing a Unified Theoretical Model.

PubMed

Cusack, Lynette; Smith, Morgan; Hegney, Desley; Rees, Clare S; Breen, Lauren J; Witt, Regina R; Rogers, Cath; Williams, Allison; Cross, Wendy; Cheung, Kin

2016-01-01

Building nurses' resilience to complex and stressful practice environments is necessary to keep skilled nurses in the workplace and ensuring safe patient care. A unified theoretical framework titled Health Services Workplace Environmental Resilience Model (HSWERM), is presented to explain the environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. The framework builds on a previously-published theoretical model of individual resilience, which identified the key constructs of psychological resilience as self-efficacy, coping and mindfulness, but did not examine environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. This unified theoretical framework was developed using a literary synthesis drawing on data from international studies and literature reviews on the nursing workforce in hospitals. The most frequent workplace environmental factors were identified, extracted and clustered in alignment with key constructs for psychological resilience. Six major organizational concepts emerged that related to a positive resilience-building workplace and formed the foundation of the theoretical model. Three concepts related to nursing staff support (professional, practice, personal) and three related to nursing staff development (professional, practice, personal) within the workplace environment. The unified theoretical model incorporates these concepts within the workplace context, linking to the nurse, and then impacting on personal resilience and workplace outcomes, and its use has the potential to increase staff retention and quality of patient care.

Rehabilitation goal setting with community dwelling adults with acquired brain injury: a theoretical framework derived from clinicians' reflections on practice.

PubMed

Prescott, Sarah; Fleming, Jennifer; Doig, Emmah

2017-06-11

The aim of this study was to explore clinicians' experiences of implementing goal setting with community dwelling clients with acquired brain injury, to develop a goal setting practice framework. Grounded theory methodology was employed. Clinicians, representing six disciplines across seven services, were recruited and interviewed until theoretical saturation was achieved. A total of 22 clinicians were interviewed. A theoretical framework was developed to explain how clinicians support clients to actively engage in goal setting in routine practice. The framework incorporates three phases: a needs identification phase, a goal operationalisation phase, and an intervention phase. Contextual factors, including personal and environmental influences, also affect how clinicians and clients engage in this process. Clinicians use additional strategies to support clients with impaired self-awareness. These include structured communication and metacognitive strategies to operationalise goals. For clients with emotional distress, clinicians provide additional time and intervention directed at new identity development. The goal setting practice framework may guide clinician's understanding of how to engage in client-centred goal setting in brain injury rehabilitation. There is a predilection towards a client-centred goal setting approach in the community setting, however, contextual factors can inhibit implementation of this approach. Implications for Rehabilitation The theoretical framework describes processes used to develop achievable client-centred goals with people with brain injury. Building rapport is a core strategy to engage clients with brain injury in goal setting. Clients with self-awareness impairment benefit from additional metacognitive strategies to participate in goal setting. Clients with emotional distress may need additional time for new identity development.

Episodic Laryngeal Breathing Disorders: Literature Review and Proposal of Preliminary Theoretical Framework.

PubMed

Shembel, Adrianna C; Sandage, Mary J; Verdolini Abbott, Katherine

2017-01-01

The purposes of this literature review were (1) to identify and assess frameworks for clinical characterization of episodic laryngeal breathing disorders (ELBD) and their subtypes, (2) to integrate concepts from these frameworks into a novel theoretical paradigm, and (3) to provide a preliminary algorithm to classify clinical features of ELBD for future study of its clinical manifestations and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. This is a literature review. Peer-reviewed literature from 1983 to 2015 pertaining to models for ELBD was searched using Pubmed, Ovid, Proquest, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar. Theoretical models for ELBD were identified, evaluated, and integrated into a novel comprehensive framework. Consensus across three salient models provided a working definition and inclusionary criteria for ELBD within the new framework. Inconsistencies and discrepancies within the models provided an analytic platform for future research. Comparison among three conceptual models-(1) Irritable larynx syndrome, (2) Dichotomous triggers, and (3) Periodic occurrence of laryngeal obstruction-showed that the models uniformly consider ELBD to involve episodic laryngeal obstruction causing dyspnea. The models differed in their description of source of dyspnea, in their inclusion of corollary behaviors, in their inclusion of other laryngeal-based behaviors (eg, cough), and types of triggers. The proposed integrated theoretical framework for ELBD provides a preliminary systematic platform for the identification of key clinical feature patterns indicative of ELBD and associated clinical subgroups. This algorithmic paradigm should evolve with better understanding of this spectrum of disorders and its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individual behavioral phenotypes: an integrative meta-theoretical framework. Why "behavioral syndromes" are not analogs of "personality".

PubMed

Uher, Jana

2011-09-01

Animal researchers are increasingly interested in individual differences in behavior. Their interpretation as meaningful differences in behavioral strategies stable over time and across contexts, adaptive, heritable, and acted upon by natural selection has triggered new theoretical developments. However, the analytical approaches used to explore behavioral data still address population-level phenomena, and statistical methods suitable to analyze individual behavior are rarely applied. I discuss fundamental investigative principles and analytical approaches to explore whether, in what ways, and under which conditions individual behavioral differences are actually meaningful. I elaborate the meta-theoretical ideas underlying common theoretical concepts and integrate them into an overarching meta-theoretical and methodological framework. This unravels commonalities and differences, and shows that assumptions of analogy to concepts of human personality are not always warranted and that some theoretical developments may be based on methodological artifacts. Yet, my results also highlight possible directions for new theoretical developments in animal behavior research. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

From information to participation and self-organization: Visions for European river basin management.

PubMed

Euler, Johannes; Heldt, Sonja

2018-04-15

The European Union Water Framework Directive (EU WFD, 2000) calls for active inclusion of the public in the governance of waterbodies to enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of water management schemes across the EU. As complex socio-ecological systems, river basins in western Europe could benefit from further support for inclusive management schemes. This paper makes use of case studies from Germany, England and Spain to explore the potential opportunities and challenges of different participatory management approaches. Grounded in theoretical considerations around participation within ecological management schemes, including Arnstein's Ladder of Participation and commons theories, this work provides an evaluation of each case study based on key indicators, such as inclusivity, representativeness, self-organization, decision-making power, spatial fit and temporal continuity. As investors and the public develop a heightened awareness for long-term sustainability of industrial projects, this analysis supports the suggestion that increased participatory river basin management is both desirable and economically feasible, and should thus be considered a viable option for future projects aiming to move beyond current requirements of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

ELPSA as a Lesson Design Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowrie, Tom; Patahuddin, Sitti Maesuri

2015-01-01

This paper offers a framework for a mathematics lesson design that is consistent with the way we learn about, and discover, most things in life. In addition, the framework provides a structure for identifying how mathematical concepts and understanding are acquired and developed. This framework is called ELPSA and represents five learning…

New theoretical framework for designing nonionic surfactant mixtures that exhibit a desired adsorption kinetics behavior.

PubMed

Moorkanikkara, Srinivas Nageswaran; Blankschtein, Daniel

2010-12-21

How does one design a surfactant mixture using a set of available surfactants such that it exhibits a desired adsorption kinetics behavior? The traditional approach used to address this design problem involves conducting trial-and-error experiments with specific surfactant mixtures. This approach is typically time-consuming and resource-intensive and becomes increasingly challenging when the number of surfactants that can be mixed increases. In this article, we propose a new theoretical framework to identify a surfactant mixture that most closely meets a desired adsorption kinetics behavior. Specifically, the new theoretical framework involves (a) formulating the surfactant mixture design problem as an optimization problem using an adsorption kinetics model and (b) solving the optimization problem using a commercial optimization package. The proposed framework aims to identify the surfactant mixture that most closely satisfies the desired adsorption kinetics behavior subject to the predictive capabilities of the chosen adsorption kinetics model. Experiments can then be conducted at the identified surfactant mixture condition to validate the predictions. We demonstrate the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed theoretical framework through a realistic case study by identifying a nonionic surfactant mixture consisting of up to four alkyl poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants (C(10)E(4), C(12)E(5), C(12)E(6), and C(10)E(8)) such that it most closely exhibits a desired dynamic surface tension (DST) profile. Specifically, we use the Mulqueen-Stebe-Blankschtein (MSB) adsorption kinetics model (Mulqueen, M.; Stebe, K. J.; Blankschtein, D. Langmuir 2001, 17, 5196-5207) to formulate the optimization problem as well as the SNOPT commercial optimization solver to identify a surfactant mixture consisting of these four surfactants that most closely exhibits the desired DST profile. Finally, we compare the experimental DST profile measured at the surfactant mixture condition identified by the new theoretical framework with the desired DST profile and find good agreement between the two profiles.

Patient Autonomy in a High-Tech Care Context - A Theoretical Framework.

PubMed

Lindberg, Catharina; Fagerström, Cecilia; Willman, Ania

2018-06-12

To synthesise and interpret previous findings with the aim of developing a theoretical framework for patient autonomy in a high-tech care context. Putting the somewhat abstract concept of patient autonomy into practice can prove difficult since when it is highlighted in healthcare literature the patient perspective is often invisible. Autonomy presumes that a person has experience, education, self-discipline and decision-making capacity. Reference to autonomy in relation to patients in high-tech care environments could therefore be considered paradoxical, as in most cases these persons are vulnerable, with impaired physical and/or metacognitive capacity, thus making extended knowledge of patient autonomy for these persons even more important. Theory development. The basic approaches in theory development by Walker and Avant were used to create a theoretical framework through an amalgamation of the results from three qualitative studies conducted previously by the same research group. A theoretical framework - the control-partnership-transition framework - was delineated disclosing different parts co-creating the prerequisites for patient autonomy in high-tech care environments. Assumptions and propositional statements that guide theory development were also outlined, as were guiding principles for use in day-to-day nursing care. Four strategies used by patients were revealed: the strategy of control, the strategy of partnership, the strategy of trust, and the strategy of transition. An extended knowledge base, founded on theoretical reasoning about patient autonomy, could facilitate nursing care that would allow people to remain/become autonomous in the role of patient in high-tech care environments. The control-partnership-transition framework would be of help in supporting and defending patient autonomy when caring for individual patients, as it provides an understanding of the strategies employed by patients to achieve autonomy in high-tech care contexts. The guiding principles for patient autonomy presented could be used in nursing guidelines. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale theoretical investigation of hydrogen storage in covalent organic frameworks.

PubMed

Tylianakis, Emmanuel; Klontzas, Emmanouel; Froudakis, George E

2011-03-01

The quest for efficient hydrogen storage materials has been the limiting step towards the commercialization of hydrogen as an energy carrier and has attracted a lot of attention from the scientific community. Sophisticated multi-scale theoretical techniques have been considered as a valuable tool for the prediction of materials storage properties. Such techniques have also been used for the investigation of hydrogen storage in a novel category of porous materials known as Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). These framework materials are consisted of light elements and are characterized by exceptional physicochemical properties such as large surface areas and pore volumes. Combinations of ab initio, Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Grand Canonical Monte-Carlo (GCMC) calculations have been performed to investigate the hydrogen adsorption in these ultra-light materials. The purpose of the present review is to summarize the theoretical hydrogen storage studies that have been published after the discovery of COFs. Experimental and theoretical studies have proven that COFs have comparable or better hydrogen storage abilities than other competitive materials such as MOF. The key factors that can lead to the improvement of the hydrogen storage properties of COFs are highlighted, accompanied with some recently presented theoretical multi-scale studies concerning these factors.

Teaching for clinical reasoning - helping students make the conceptual links.

PubMed

McMillan, Wendy Jayne

2010-01-01

Dental educators complain that students struggle to apply what they have learnt theoretically in the clinical context. This paper is premised on the assumption that there is a relationship between conceptual thinking and clinical reasoning. The paper provides a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between conceptual learning and clinical reasoning. A review of current literature is used to explain the way in which conceptual understanding influences clinical reasoning and the transfer of theoretical understandings to the clinical context. The paper argues that the connections made between concepts are what is significant about conceptual understanding. From this point of departure the paper describes teaching strategies that facilitate the kinds of learning opportunities that students need in order to develop conceptual understanding and to be able to transfer knowledge from theoretical to clinical contexts. Along with a variety of teaching strategies, the value of concept maps is discussed. The paper provides a framework for understanding the difficulties that students have in developing conceptual networks appropriate for later clinical reasoning. In explaining how students learn for clinical application, the paper provides a theoretical framework that can inform how dental educators facilitate the conceptual learning, and later clinical reasoning, of their students.

Theory of Change: a theory-driven approach to enhance the Medical Research Council's framework for complex interventions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Medical Research Councils’ framework for complex interventions has been criticized for not including theory-driven approaches to evaluation. Although the framework does include broad guidance on the use of theory, it contains little practical guidance for implementers and there have been calls to develop a more comprehensive approach. A prospective, theory-driven process of intervention design and evaluation is required to develop complex healthcare interventions which are more likely to be effective, sustainable and scalable. Methods We propose a theory-driven approach to the design and evaluation of complex interventions by adapting and integrating a programmatic design and evaluation tool, Theory of Change (ToC), into the MRC framework for complex interventions. We provide a guide to what ToC is, how to construct one, and how to integrate its use into research projects seeking to design, implement and evaluate complex interventions using the MRC framework. We test this approach by using ToC within two randomized controlled trials and one non-randomized evaluation of complex interventions. Results Our application of ToC in three research projects has shown that ToC can strengthen key stages of the MRC framework. It can aid the development of interventions by providing a framework for enhanced stakeholder engagement and by explicitly designing an intervention that is embedded in the local context. For the feasibility and piloting stage, ToC enables the systematic identification of knowledge gaps to generate research questions that strengthen intervention design. ToC may improve the evaluation of interventions by providing a comprehensive set of indicators to evaluate all stages of the causal pathway through which an intervention achieves impact, combining evaluations of intervention effectiveness with detailed process evaluations into one theoretical framework. Conclusions Incorporating a ToC approach into the MRC framework holds promise for improving the design and evaluation of complex interventions, thereby increasing the likelihood that the intervention will be ultimately effective, sustainable and scalable. We urge researchers developing and evaluating complex interventions to consider using this approach, to evaluate its usefulness and to build an evidence base to further refine the methodology. Trial registration Clinical trials.gov: NCT02160249 PMID:24996765

Theory of Change: a theory-driven approach to enhance the Medical Research Council's framework for complex interventions.

PubMed

De Silva, Mary J; Breuer, Erica; Lee, Lucy; Asher, Laura; Chowdhary, Neerja; Lund, Crick; Patel, Vikram

2014-07-05

The Medical Research Councils' framework for complex interventions has been criticized for not including theory-driven approaches to evaluation. Although the framework does include broad guidance on the use of theory, it contains little practical guidance for implementers and there have been calls to develop a more comprehensive approach. A prospective, theory-driven process of intervention design and evaluation is required to develop complex healthcare interventions which are more likely to be effective, sustainable and scalable. We propose a theory-driven approach to the design and evaluation of complex interventions by adapting and integrating a programmatic design and evaluation tool, Theory of Change (ToC), into the MRC framework for complex interventions. We provide a guide to what ToC is, how to construct one, and how to integrate its use into research projects seeking to design, implement and evaluate complex interventions using the MRC framework. We test this approach by using ToC within two randomized controlled trials and one non-randomized evaluation of complex interventions. Our application of ToC in three research projects has shown that ToC can strengthen key stages of the MRC framework. It can aid the development of interventions by providing a framework for enhanced stakeholder engagement and by explicitly designing an intervention that is embedded in the local context. For the feasibility and piloting stage, ToC enables the systematic identification of knowledge gaps to generate research questions that strengthen intervention design. ToC may improve the evaluation of interventions by providing a comprehensive set of indicators to evaluate all stages of the causal pathway through which an intervention achieves impact, combining evaluations of intervention effectiveness with detailed process evaluations into one theoretical framework. Incorporating a ToC approach into the MRC framework holds promise for improving the design and evaluation of complex interventions, thereby increasing the likelihood that the intervention will be ultimately effective, sustainable and scalable. We urge researchers developing and evaluating complex interventions to consider using this approach, to evaluate its usefulness and to build an evidence base to further refine the methodology. Clinical trials.gov: NCT02160249.

Theoretical Models and Operational Frameworks in Public Health Ethics

PubMed Central

Petrini, Carlo

2010-01-01

The article is divided into three sections: (i) an overview of the main ethical models in public health (theoretical foundations); (ii) a summary of several published frameworks for public health ethics (practical frameworks); and (iii) a few general remarks. Rather than maintaining the superiority of one position over the others, the main aim of the article is to summarize the basic approaches proposed thus far concerning the development of public health ethics by describing and comparing the various ideas in the literature. With this in mind, an extensive list of references is provided. PMID:20195441

Unsupervised active learning based on hierarchical graph-theoretic clustering.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Hu, Wei; Xie, Nianhua; Maybank, Steve

2009-10-01

Most existing active learning approaches are supervised. Supervised active learning has the following problems: inefficiency in dealing with the semantic gap between the distribution of samples in the feature space and their labels, lack of ability in selecting new samples that belong to new categories that have not yet appeared in the training samples, and lack of adaptability to changes in the semantic interpretation of sample categories. To tackle these problems, we propose an unsupervised active learning framework based on hierarchical graph-theoretic clustering. In the framework, two promising graph-theoretic clustering algorithms, namely, dominant-set clustering and spectral clustering, are combined in a hierarchical fashion. Our framework has some advantages, such as ease of implementation, flexibility in architecture, and adaptability to changes in the labeling. Evaluations on data sets for network intrusion detection, image classification, and video classification have demonstrated that our active learning framework can effectively reduce the workload of manual classification while maintaining a high accuracy of automatic classification. It is shown that, overall, our framework outperforms the support-vector-machine-based supervised active learning, particularly in terms of dealing much more efficiently with new samples whose categories have not yet appeared in the training samples.

Praxis and reflexivity for interprofessional education: towards an inclusive theoretical framework for learning.

PubMed

Hutchings, Maggie; Scammell, Janet; Quinney, Anne

2013-09-01

While there is growing evidence of theoretical perspectives adopted in interprofessional education, learning theories tend to foreground the individual, focusing on psycho-social aspects of individual differences and professional identity to the detriment of considering social-structural factors at work in social practices. Conversely socially situated practice is criticised for being context-specific, making it difficult to draw generalisable conclusions for improving interprofessional education. This article builds on a theoretical framework derived from earlier research, drawing on the dynamics of Dewey's experiential learning theory and Archer's critical realist social theory, to make a case for a meta-theoretical framework enabling social-constructivist and situated learning theories to be interlinked and integrated through praxis and reflexivity. Our current analysis is grounded in an interprofessional curriculum initiative mediated by a virtual community peopled by health and social care users. Student perceptions, captured through quantitative and qualitative data, suggest three major disruptive themes, creating opportunities for congruence and disjuncture and generating a model of zones of interlinked praxis associated with professional differences and identity, pedagogic strategies and technology-mediated approaches. This model contributes to a framework for understanding the complexity of interprofessional learning and offers bridges between individual and structural factors for engaging with the enablements and constraints at work in communities of practice and networks for interprofessional education.

Supervision of Facilitators in a Multisite Study: Goals, Process, and Outcomes

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Objective To describe the aims, implementation, and desired outcomes of facilitator supervision for both interventions (treatment and control) in Project Eban and to present the Eban Theoretical Framework for Supervision that guided the facilitators’ supervision. The qualifications and training of supervisors and facilitators are also described. Design This article provides a detailed description of supervision in a multisite behavioral intervention trial. The Eban Theoretical Framework for Supervision is guided by 3 theories: cognitive behavior therapy, the Life-long Model of Supervision, and “Empowering supervisees to empower others: a culturally responsive supervision model.” Methods Supervision is based on the Eban Theoretical Framework for Supervision, which provides guidelines for implementing both interventions using goals, process, and outcomes. Results Because of effective supervision, the interventions were implemented with fidelity to the protocol and were standard across the multiple sites. Conclusions Supervision of facilitators is a crucial aspect of multisite intervention research quality assurance. It provides them with expert advice, optimizes the effectiveness of facilitators, and increases adherence to the protocol across multiple sites. Based on the experience in this trial, some of the challenges that arise when conducting a multisite randomized control trial and how they can be handled by implementing the Eban Theoretical Framework for Supervision are described. PMID:18724192

Self-Regulated Learning: The Continuous-Change Conceptual Framework and a Vision of New Paradigm, Technology System, and Pedagogical Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huh, Yeol; Reigeluth, Charles M.

2017-01-01

A modified conceptual framework called the Continuous-Change Framework for self-regulated learning (SRL) is presented. Common elements and limitations among the past frameworks are discussed in relation to the modified conceptual framework. The iterative nature of the goal setting process and overarching presence of self-efficacy and motivational…

Information-Theoretic Approach May Shed a Light to a Better Understanding and Sustaining the Integrity of Ecological-Societal Systems under Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J.

2016-12-01

Considering high levels of uncertainty, epistemological conflicts over facts and values, and a sense of urgency, normal paradigm-driven science will be insufficient to mobilize people and nation toward sustainability. The conceptual framework to bridge the societal system dynamics with that of natural ecosystems in which humanity operates remains deficient. The key to understanding their coevolution is to understand `self-organization.' Information-theoretic approach may shed a light to provide a potential framework which enables not only to bridge human and nature but also to generate useful knowledge for understanding and sustaining the integrity of ecological-societal systems. How can information theory help understand the interface between ecological systems and social systems? How to delineate self-organizing processes and ensure them to fulfil sustainability? How to evaluate the flow of information from data through models to decision-makers? These are the core questions posed by sustainability science in which visioneering (i.e., the engineering of vision) is an essential framework. Yet, visioneering has neither quantitative measure nor information theoretic framework to work with and teach. This presentation is an attempt to accommodate the framework of self-organizing hierarchical open systems with visioneering into a common information-theoretic framework. A case study is presented with the UN/FAO's communal vision of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) which pursues a trilemma of efficiency, mitigation, and resilience. Challenges of delineating and facilitating self-organizing systems are discussed using transdisciplinary toold such as complex systems thinking, dynamic process network analysis and multi-agent systems modeling. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the Korea Meteorological Administration Research and Development Program under Grant KMA-2012-0001-A (WISE project).

Comment on McCall, Trombetta, and Gipe's 2004 proposed impression management explanation for the credit card effect.

PubMed

Spangenberg, Eric R

2005-08-01

There is a dearth of empirically supported theoretical explanation since its introduction; Feinberg's 1986 credit card effect showed greater product valuations and donation intentions by experimental participants when asked to make such estimates in the presence of credit card stimuli. This comment on McCall, Trombetta, and Gipe (2004) notes potential flaws and adjudged over-interpretation of results in their attempt to replicate successfully and derive theoretical explanation for the credit card effect.

Geometrical study of phyllotactic patterns by Bernoulli spiral lattices.

PubMed

Sushida, Takamichi; Yamagishi, Yoshikazu

2017-06-01

Geometrical studies of phyllotactic patterns deal with the centric or cylindrical models produced by ideal lattices. van Iterson (Mathematische und mikroskopisch - anatomische Studien über Blattstellungen nebst Betrachtungen über den Schalenbau der Miliolinen, Verlag von Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1907) suggested a centric model representing ideal phyllotactic patterns as disk packings of Bernoulli spiral lattices and presented a phase diagram now called Van Iterson's diagram explaining the bifurcation processes of their combinatorial structures. Geometrical properties on disk packings were shown by Rothen & Koch (J. Phys France, 50(13), 1603-1621, 1989). In contrast, as another centric model, we organized a mathematical framework of Voronoi tilings of Bernoulli spiral lattices and showed mathematically that the phase diagram of a Voronoi tiling is graph-theoretically dual to Van Iterson's diagram. This paper gives a review of two centric models for disk packings and Voronoi tilings of Bernoulli spiral lattices. © 2017 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.

Transition Manifolds of Complex Metastable Systems: Theory and Data-Driven Computation of Effective Dynamics.

PubMed

Bittracher, Andreas; Koltai, Péter; Klus, Stefan; Banisch, Ralf; Dellnitz, Michael; Schütte, Christof

2018-01-01

We consider complex dynamical systems showing metastable behavior, but no local separation of fast and slow time scales. The article raises the question of whether such systems exhibit a low-dimensional manifold supporting its effective dynamics. For answering this question, we aim at finding nonlinear coordinates, called reaction coordinates, such that the projection of the dynamics onto these coordinates preserves the dominant time scales of the dynamics. We show that, based on a specific reducibility property, the existence of good low-dimensional reaction coordinates preserving the dominant time scales is guaranteed. Based on this theoretical framework, we develop and test a novel numerical approach for computing good reaction coordinates. The proposed algorithmic approach is fully local and thus not prone to the curse of dimension with respect to the state space of the dynamics. Hence, it is a promising method for data-based model reduction of complex dynamical systems such as molecular dynamics.

STATISTICS OF THE VELOCITY GRADIENT TENSOR IN SPACE PLASMA TURBULENT FLOWS

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

Consolini, Giuseppe; Marcucci, Maria Federica; Pallocchia, Giuseppe

2015-10-10

In the last decade, significant advances have been presented for the theoretical characterization and experimental techniques used to measure and model all of the components of the velocity gradient tensor in the framework of fluid turbulence. Here, we attempt the evaluation of the small-scale velocity gradient tensor for a case study of space plasma turbulence, observed in the Earth's magnetosheath region by the CLUSTER mission. In detail, we investigate the joint statistics P(R, Q) of the velocity gradient geometric invariants R and Q, and find that this P(R, Q) is similar to that of the low end of the inertialmore » range for fluid turbulence, with a pronounced increase in the statistics along the so-called Vieillefosse tail. In the context of hydrodynamics, this result is referred to as the dissipation/dissipation-production due to vortex stretching.« less

Strong-Coupling Effects and Shear Viscosity in an Ultracold Fermi Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagamihara, D.; Ohashi, Y.

2017-06-01

We theoretically investigate the shear viscosity η , as well as the entropy density s, in the normal state of an ultracold Fermi gas. Including pairing fluctuations within the framework of a T-matrix approximation, we calculate these quantities in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS)-Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) crossover region. We also evaluate η / s, to compare it with the lower bound of this ratio, conjectured by Kovtun, Son, and Starinets (KSS bound). In the weak-coupling BCS side, we show that the shear viscosity η is remarkably suppressed near the superfluid phase transition temperature Tc, due to the so-called pseudogap phenomenon. In the strong-coupling BEC side, we find that, within the neglect of the vertex corrections, one cannot correctly describe η . We also show that η / s decreases with increasing the interaction strength, to become very close to the KSS bound, \\hbar /4π kB, on the BEC side.

Thinking through every step: how people with spinal cord injuries relearn to walk.

PubMed

Jordan, Meggan M; Berkowitz, Dana; Hannold, Elizabeth; Velozo, Craig A; Behrman, Andrea L

2013-08-01

In this article we explore how people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) create meaning out of their changing bodies as they undergo a therapeutic intervention called locomotor training (LT). Therapeutic interventions like LT are used to promote the recovery of walking ability among individuals with iSCI. The chronological nature of this study--interviews at three points throughout the 12-week intervention--enhances understanding of the recovering self after spinal cord injury. Drawing on a constructivist theoretical framework, we organize data according to three narrative frames. Participants interpreted LT as (a) a physical change that was meaningful because of its social significance, (b) a coping strategy for dealing with the uncertainty of long-term recovery, and (c) a moral strategy to reconstitute the self. We offer findings that lay the conceptual groundwork for generating new knowledge about what is important to people with iSCI as they relearn how to walk.

[Geography of science makes a difference: an appeal for public health].

PubMed

Guimarães, Maria Cristina Soares

2010-01-01

This article introduces a perspective for analyzing the relationship between geographic space and scientific practice and the possible contribution by the geography of science to understanding and developing strategies in favor of public health. Contributions by the field of social studies of science, specifically from the Actor-Network Theory and its concept of translation, and the geography of Milton Santos, form the theoretical framework that allows exploring the spatial dimensions of the production and circulation of scientific knowledge. The article discusses how this approach both enriches and challenges the recent international policies in favor of knowledge translation. The article identifies a possible contribution by the field of Information Science to favor the movement of knowledge, aiming to help minimize the imbalance between what is known in theory and what is applied in practice in health, or the so-called 'know-do gap'.

Educational action research on Facebook®: combining leisure and learning.

PubMed

Labegalini, Célia Maria Gomes; Nogueira, Iara Sescon; Rodrigues, Daysi Mara Murio Ribeiro; Almeida, Elton Carlos; Bueno, Sonia Maria Villela; Baldissera, Vanessa Denardi Antoniassi

2017-04-06

To analyse the path of dialogical education in leisure and mental health in social media. Action research based on the theoretical-methodological framework of Paulo Freire, conducted with 11 nursing students of a public university in the state of Paraná, Brazil, during seven days of June 2015, in a closed group on Facebook®. The dialogues were called, 'Virtual Culture Circles' and preceded by self-administered questionnaires that addressed the relationship between leisure and mental health. The data were analysed in an interpretive way, using the encoding and decoding proposed by Freire. The students related leisure to pleasurable activities and quality of life; however, it is not widely or critically practiced in their personal lives or education. The Virtual Culture Circles provided emancipatory dialogues and a critical analysis of the subject matter, with possible repercussions on the personal and professional lives of the subjects.

Interaction of two walkers: wave-mediated energy and force.

PubMed

Borghesi, Christian; Moukhtar, Julien; Labousse, Matthieu; Eddi, Antonin; Fort, Emmanuel; Couder, Yves

2014-12-01

A bouncing droplet, self-propelled by its interaction with the waves it generates, forms a classical wave-particle association called a "walker." Previous works have demonstrated that the dynamics of a single walker is driven by its global surface wave field that retains information on its past trajectory. Here we investigate the energy stored in this wave field for two coupled walkers and how it conveys an interaction between them. For this purpose, we characterize experimentally the "promenade modes" where two walkers are bound and propagate together. Their possible binding distances take discrete values, and the velocity of the pair depends on their mutual binding. The mean parallel motion can be either rectilinear or oscillating. The experimental results are recovered analytically with a simple theoretical framework. A relation between the kinetic energy of the droplets and the total energy of the standing waves is established.

Replicator equations, maximal cliques, and graph isomorphism.

PubMed

Pelillo, M

1999-11-15

We present a new energy-minimization framework for the graph isomorphism problem that is based on an equivalent maximum clique formulation. The approach is centered around a fundamental result proved by Motzkin and Straus in the mid-1960s, and recently expanded in various ways, which allows us to formulate the maximum clique problem in terms of a standard quadratic program. The attractive feature of this formulation is that a clear one-to-one correspondence exists between the solutions of the quadratic program and those in the original, combinatorial problem. To solve the program we use the so-called replicator equations--a class of straightforward continuous- and discrete-time dynamical systems developed in various branches of theoretical biology. We show how, despite their inherent inability to escape from local solutions, they nevertheless provide experimental results that are competitive with those obtained using more elaborate mean-field annealing heuristics.

Ultra-fast consensus of discrete-time multi-agent systems with multi-step predictive output feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenle; Liu, Jianchang

2016-04-01

This article addresses the ultra-fast consensus problem of high-order discrete-time multi-agent systems based on a unified consensus framework. A novel multi-step predictive output mechanism is proposed under a directed communication topology containing a spanning tree. By predicting the outputs of a network several steps ahead and adding this information into the consensus protocol, it is shown that the asymptotic convergence factor is improved by a power of q + 1 compared to the routine consensus. The difficult problem of selecting the optimal control gain is solved well by introducing a variable called convergence step. In addition, the ultra-fast formation achievement is studied on the basis of this new consensus protocol. Finally, the ultra-fast consensus with respect to a reference model and robust consensus is discussed. Some simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

A model of individualized canonical microcircuits supporting cognitive operations

PubMed Central

Peterson, Andre D. H.; Haueisen, Jens; Knösche, Thomas R.

2017-01-01

Major cognitive functions such as language, memory, and decision-making are thought to rely on distributed networks of a large number of basic elements, called canonical microcircuits. In this theoretical study we propose a novel canonical microcircuit model and find that it supports two basic computational operations: a gating mechanism and working memory. By means of bifurcation analysis we systematically investigate the dynamical behavior of the canonical microcircuit with respect to parameters that govern the local network balance, that is, the relationship between excitation and inhibition, and key intrinsic feedback architectures of canonical microcircuits. We relate the local behavior of the canonical microcircuit to cognitive processing and demonstrate how a network of interacting canonical microcircuits enables the establishment of spatiotemporal sequences in the context of syntax parsing during sentence comprehension. This study provides a framework for using individualized canonical microcircuits for the construction of biologically realistic networks supporting cognitive operations. PMID:29200435

On the vicissitudes of combining individual and group psychotherapy.

PubMed

Schermer, Victor L

2009-01-01

Abstract Reviewing a series of articles in this special issue on combined treatment incorporating individual and group therapy, and in one instance couples therapy and a relationship group, the author provides a synoptic history of combined treatment, noting that the relational perspectives of psychoanalysis and systems theories of groups now provide conceptual frameworks for combined therapies. Taking up each article in turn, he considers that combined treatment poses particular problems while having certain advantages. He discusses the theoretical emphases and biases of each article, whether relational psychology, classical psychoanalysis, object relations theory, or self-psychology. He considers the roles of transference and countertransference, patient-therapist enactments, empathic attunement, "surrogate therapy" by the group members, and ethics in determining outcomes. In addition, the author notes how so-called difficult or regressed patients impact upon and are affected by the use of combined therapy modalities.

Genetic Factors That Increase Male Facial Masculinity Decrease Facial Attractiveness of Female Relatives

PubMed Central

Lee, Anthony J.; Mitchem, Dorian G.; Wright, Margaret J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Keller, Matthew C.; Zietsch, Brendan P.

2014-01-01

For women, choosing a facially masculine man as a mate is thought to confer genetic benefits to offspring. Crucial assumptions of this hypothesis have not been adequately tested. It has been assumed that variation in facial masculinity is due to genetic variation and that genetic factors that increase male facial masculinity do not increase facial masculinity in female relatives. We objectively quantified the facial masculinity in photos of identical (n = 411) and nonidentical (n = 782) twins and their siblings (n = 106). Using biometrical modeling, we found that much of the variation in male and female facial masculinity is genetic. However, we also found that masculinity of male faces is unrelated to their attractiveness and that facially masculine men tend to have facially masculine, less-attractive sisters. These findings challenge the idea that facially masculine men provide net genetic benefits to offspring and call into question this popular theoretical framework. PMID:24379153

Genetic factors that increase male facial masculinity decrease facial attractiveness of female relatives.

PubMed

Lee, Anthony J; Mitchem, Dorian G; Wright, Margaret J; Martin, Nicholas G; Keller, Matthew C; Zietsch, Brendan P

2014-02-01

For women, choosing a facially masculine man as a mate is thought to confer genetic benefits to offspring. Crucial assumptions of this hypothesis have not been adequately tested. It has been assumed that variation in facial masculinity is due to genetic variation and that genetic factors that increase male facial masculinity do not increase facial masculinity in female relatives. We objectively quantified the facial masculinity in photos of identical (n = 411) and nonidentical (n = 782) twins and their siblings (n = 106). Using biometrical modeling, we found that much of the variation in male and female facial masculinity is genetic. However, we also found that masculinity of male faces is unrelated to their attractiveness and that facially masculine men tend to have facially masculine, less-attractive sisters. These findings challenge the idea that facially masculine men provide net genetic benefits to offspring and call into question this popular theoretical framework.

A Method to Categorize 2-Dimensional Patterns Using Statistics of Spatial Organization.

PubMed

López-Sauceda, Juan; Rueda-Contreras, Mara D

2017-01-01

We developed a measurement framework of spatial organization to categorize 2-dimensional patterns from 2 multiscalar biological architectures. We propose that underlying shapes of biological entities can be approached using the statistical concept of degrees of freedom, defining it through expansion of area variability in a pattern. To help scope this suggestion, we developed a mathematical argument recognizing the deep foundations of area variability in a polygonal pattern (spatial heterogeneity). This measure uses a parameter called eutacticity . Our measuring platform of spatial heterogeneity can assign particular ranges of distribution of spatial areas for 2 biological architectures: ecological patterns of Namibia fairy circles and epithelial sheets. The spatial organizations of our 2 analyzed biological architectures are demarcated by being in a particular position among spatial order and disorder. We suggest that this theoretical platform can give us some insights about the nature of shapes in biological systems to understand organizational constraints.

Conceptual Challenges of the Systemic Approach in Understanding Cell Differentiation.

PubMed

Paldi, Andras

2018-01-01

The cells of a multicellular organism are derived from a single zygote and genetically identical. Yet, they are phenotypically very different. This difference is the result of a process commonly called cell differentiation. How the phenotypic diversity emerges during ontogenesis or regeneration is a central and intensely studied but still unresolved issue in biology. Cell biology is facing conceptual challenges that are frequently confused with methodological difficulties. How to define a cell type? What stability or change means in the context of cell differentiation and how to deal with the ubiquitous molecular variations seen in the living cells? What are the driving forces of the change? We propose to reframe the problem of cell differentiation in a systemic way by incorporating different theoretical approaches. The new conceptual framework is able to capture the insights made at different levels of cellular organization and considered previously as contradictory. It also provides a formal strategy for further experimental studies.

Mathematics lecturing in the digital age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenholm, Sven; Alcock, Lara; Robinson, Carol L.

2012-09-01

In this article, we consider the transformation of tertiary mathematics lecture practice. We undertake a focused examination of the related research with two goals in mind. First, we document this research, reviewing the findings of key studies and noting that reflective pieces on individual practice as well as surveys are more prevalent than empirical studies. Second, we investigate issues related to the transformation of lecture practice by the emergence of e-lectures. We discuss the latter in terms of claims about the efficiencies offered by new technologies and contrast these with possible disadvantages in terms of student engagement in a learning community. Overall findings indicate that while survey results appear to trumpet the value of e-lecture provision, empirical study results appear to call that value into question. Two explanatory theoretical frameworks are presented. Issues concerning the instructional context (e.g. the nature of mathematical thinking), inherent complexities and recommendations for implementation are discussed.

Transition Manifolds of Complex Metastable Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bittracher, Andreas; Koltai, Péter; Klus, Stefan; Banisch, Ralf; Dellnitz, Michael; Schütte, Christof

2018-04-01

We consider complex dynamical systems showing metastable behavior, but no local separation of fast and slow time scales. The article raises the question of whether such systems exhibit a low-dimensional manifold supporting its effective dynamics. For answering this question, we aim at finding nonlinear coordinates, called reaction coordinates, such that the projection of the dynamics onto these coordinates preserves the dominant time scales of the dynamics. We show that, based on a specific reducibility property, the existence of good low-dimensional reaction coordinates preserving the dominant time scales is guaranteed. Based on this theoretical framework, we develop and test a novel numerical approach for computing good reaction coordinates. The proposed algorithmic approach is fully local and thus not prone to the curse of dimension with respect to the state space of the dynamics. Hence, it is a promising method for data-based model reduction of complex dynamical systems such as molecular dynamics.

Theoretical investigation of structural, mechanical and electronic properties of GaAs1-xNx alloys under ambient and high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian; Han, Xiuxun; Dong, Chen; Fan, Changzeng

2017-12-01

Using first-principles total energy calculations, we have studied the structural, mechanical and electronic properties of GaAs1-xNx ternary semiconductor alloys with the zinc-blende crystal structure over the whole nitrogen concentration range (with x from 0 to 1) within density functional theory (DFT) framework. To obtain the ideal band gap, we employ the semi-empirical approach called local density approximation plus the multi-orbital mean-field Hubbard model (LDA+U). The calculated results illustrate the varying lattice constants and band gap in GaAs1-xNx alloys as functions of the nitrogen concentration x. According to the pressure dependence of the lattice constants and volume, the higher N concentration alloy exhibits the better anti-compressibility. In addition, an increasing band gap is predicted under 20 GPa pressure for GaAs1-xNx alloys.

Bicyclic Baird-type aromaticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Won-Young; Kim, Taeyeon; Ghosh, Arindam; Zhang, Zhan; Ke, Xian-Sheng; Ali, Rashid; Lynch, Vincent M.; Jung, Jieun; Kim, Woojae; Lee, Sangsu; Fukuzumi, Shunichi; Park, Jung Su; Sessler, Jonathan L.; Chandrashekar, Tavarekere K.; Kim, Dongho

2017-12-01

Classic formulations of aromaticity have long been associated with topologically planar conjugated macrocyclic systems. The theoretical possibility of so-called bicycloaromaticity was noted early on. However, it has yet to be demonstrated by experiment in a simple synthetic organic molecule. Conjugated organic systems are attractive for studying the effect of structure on electronic features. This is because, in principle, they can be modified readily through dedicated synthesis. As such, they can provide useful frameworks for testing by experiment with fundamental insights provided by theory. Here we detail the synthesis and characterization of two purely organic non-planar dithienothiophene-bridged [34]octaphyrins that permit access to two different aromatic forms as a function of the oxidation state. In their neutral forms, these congeneric systems contain competing 26 and 34 π-electronic circuits. When subject to two-electron oxidation, electronically mixed [4n+1]/[4n+1] triplet biradical species in the ground state are obtained that display global aromaticity in accord with Baird's rule.

Exploring Environmental Factors in Nursing Workplaces That Promote Psychological Resilience: Constructing a Unified Theoretical Model

PubMed Central

Cusack, Lynette; Smith, Morgan; Hegney, Desley; Rees, Clare S.; Breen, Lauren J.; Witt, Regina R.; Rogers, Cath; Williams, Allison; Cross, Wendy; Cheung, Kin

2016-01-01

Building nurses' resilience to complex and stressful practice environments is necessary to keep skilled nurses in the workplace and ensuring safe patient care. A unified theoretical framework titled Health Services Workplace Environmental Resilience Model (HSWERM), is presented to explain the environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. The framework builds on a previously-published theoretical model of individual resilience, which identified the key constructs of psychological resilience as self-efficacy, coping and mindfulness, but did not examine environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. This unified theoretical framework was developed using a literary synthesis drawing on data from international studies and literature reviews on the nursing workforce in hospitals. The most frequent workplace environmental factors were identified, extracted and clustered in alignment with key constructs for psychological resilience. Six major organizational concepts emerged that related to a positive resilience-building workplace and formed the foundation of the theoretical model. Three concepts related to nursing staff support (professional, practice, personal) and three related to nursing staff development (professional, practice, personal) within the workplace environment. The unified theoretical model incorporates these concepts within the workplace context, linking to the nurse, and then impacting on personal resilience and workplace outcomes, and its use has the potential to increase staff retention and quality of patient care. PMID:27242567

Towards a neuro-computational account of prism adaptation.

PubMed

Petitet, Pierre; O'Reilly, Jill X; O'Shea, Jacinta

2017-12-14

Prism adaptation has a long history as an experimental paradigm used to investigate the functional and neural processes that underlie sensorimotor control. In the neuropsychology literature, prism adaptation behaviour is typically explained by reference to a traditional cognitive psychology framework that distinguishes putative functions, such as 'strategic control' versus 'spatial realignment'. This theoretical framework lacks conceptual clarity, quantitative precision and explanatory power. Here, we advocate for an alternative computational framework that offers several advantages: 1) an algorithmic explanatory account of the computations and operations that drive behaviour; 2) expressed in quantitative mathematical terms; 3) embedded within a principled theoretical framework (Bayesian decision theory, state-space modelling); 4) that offers a means to generate and test quantitative behavioural predictions. This computational framework offers a route towards mechanistic neurocognitive explanations of prism adaptation behaviour. Thus it constitutes a conceptual advance compared to the traditional theoretical framework. In this paper, we illustrate how Bayesian decision theory and state-space models offer principled explanations for a range of behavioural phenomena in the field of prism adaptation (e.g. visual capture, magnitude of visual versus proprioceptive realignment, spontaneous recovery and dynamics of adaptation memory). We argue that this explanatory framework can advance understanding of the functional and neural mechanisms that implement prism adaptation behaviour, by enabling quantitative tests of hypotheses that go beyond merely descriptive mapping claims that 'brain area X is (somehow) involved in psychological process Y'. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Human Factors of CC-130 Operations. Volume 5: Human Factors in Decision Making

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-02-01

known about human information processing and decision making. Topics for HFDM training come directly from this theoretical framework . The proposed...The proposed training can be distinguished from other approaches with similar goals (either explicit or implicit) by its base within a theoretical ... framework of human information processing. The differences lie less in the content than in the way the material is organized and shaped by theory. The

Toward a Theoretical Framework for the Study of Humor in Literature and the Other Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farber, Jerry

2007-01-01

With a clearer understanding of the way humor works, individuals might be better able to give it the attention it deserves when they study and teach the arts. But where do they turn to find a theoretical framework for the study of humor--one that will help them clarify the role that humor plays in the arts and that will help them as well to…

Towards a middle-range theory of mental health and well-being effects of employment transitions: Findings from a qualitative study on unemployment during the 2009-2010 economic recession.

PubMed

Giuntoli, Gianfranco; Hughes, Skye; Karban, Kate; South, Jane

2015-07-01

This article builds upon previous theoretical work on job loss as a status passage to help explain how people's experiences of involuntary unemployment affected their mental well-being during the 2009-2010 economic recession. It proposes a middle-range theory that interprets employment transitions as status passages and suggests that their health and well-being effects depend on the personal and social meanings that people give to them, which are called properties of the transitions. The analyses, which used a thematic approach, are based on the findings of a qualitative study undertaken in Bradford (North England) consisting of 73 people interviewed in 16 focus groups. The study found that the participants experienced their job losses as divestment passages characterised by three main properties: experiences of reduced agency, disruption of role-based identities, for example, personal identity crises, and experiences of 'spoiled identities', for example, experiences of stigma. The proposed middle-range theory allows us to federate these findings together in a coherent framework which makes a contribution to illuminating not just the intra-personal consequences of unemployment, that is, its impact on subjective well-being and common mental health problems, but also its inter-personal consequences, that is, the hidden and often overlooked social processes that affect unemployed people's social well-being. This article discusses how the study findings and the proposed middle-range theory can help to address the theoretical weaknesses and often contradictory empirical findings from studies that use alternative frameworks, for example, deprivation models and 'incentive theory' of unemployment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Patricia S; Stoddard, Hugh A; Kalishman, Summers

2010-12-01

Medical education researchers are inherently collaborators. This paper presents a discussion of theoretical frameworks, issues and challenges around collaborative research to prepare medical education researchers to enter into successful collaborations. It gives emphasis to the conceptual issues associated with collaborative research and applies these to medical education research. Although not a systematic literature review, the paper provides a rich discussion of issues which medical education researchers might consider when undertaking collaborative studies. Building on the work of others, we have classified collaborative research in three dimensions according to: the number of administrative units represented; the number of academic fields present, and the manner in which knowledge is created. Although some literature on collaboration focuses on the more traditional positivist perspective and emphasises outcomes, other literature comes from the constructivist framework, in which research is not driven by hypotheses and the approaches emphasised, but by the interaction between investigator and subject. Collaborations are more effective when participants overtly clarify their motivations, values, definitions of appropriate data and accepted methodologies. These should be agreed upon prior to commencing a study. The way we currently educate researchers should be restructured if we want them to be able to undertake interdisciplinary research. Despite calls for researchers to be educated differently, most training programmes for developing researchers have demonstrated a limited, if not contrary, response to these calls. Collaborative research in medical education should be driven by the problem being investigated, by the new knowledge gained and by the interpersonal interactions that may be achieved. Success rests on recognising that many of the research problems we, as medical educators, address are fundamentally interdisciplinary in nature. This represents a transition to bridge the dichotomy often presented in medical education between theory building and addressing practical needs. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Extended physics as a theoretical framework for systems biology?

PubMed

Miquel, Paul-Antoine

2011-08-01

In this essay we examine whether a theoretical and conceptual framework for systems biology could be built from the Bailly and Longo (2008, 2009) proposal. These authors aim to understand life as a coherent critical structure, and propose to develop an extended physical approach of evolution, as a diffusion of biomass in a space of complexity. Their attempt leads to a simple mathematical reconstruction of Gould's assumption (1989) concerning the bacterial world as a "left wall of least complexity" that we will examine. Extended physical systems are characterized by their constructive properties. Time is acting and new properties emerge by their history that can open the list of their initial properties. This conceptual and theoretical framework is nothing more than a philosophical assumption, but as such it provides a new and exciting approach concerning the evolution of life, and the transition between physics and biology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organizational culture and organizational effectiveness: a meta-analytic investigation of the competing values framework's theoretical suppositions.

PubMed

Hartnell, Chad A; Ou, Amy Yi; Kinicki, Angelo

2011-07-01

We apply Quinn and Rohrbaugh's (1983) competing values framework (CVF) as an organizing taxonomy to meta-analytically test hypotheses about the relationship between 3 culture types and 3 major indices of organizational effectiveness (employee attitudes, operational performance [i.e., innovation and product and service quality], and financial performance). The paper also tests theoretical suppositions undergirding the CVF by investigating the framework's nomological validity and proposed internal structure (i.e., interrelationships among culture types). Results based on data from 84 empirical studies with 94 independent samples indicate that clan, adhocracy, and market cultures are differentially and positively associated with the effectiveness criteria, though not always as hypothesized. The findings provide mixed support for the CVF's nomological validity and fail to support aspects of the CVF's proposed internal structure. We propose an alternative theoretical approach to the CVF and delineate directions for future research.

Toward a theoretical framework for trustworthy cyber sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shouhuai

2010-04-01

Cyberspace is an indispensable part of the economy and society, but has been "polluted" with many compromised computers that can be abused to launch further attacks against the others. Since it is likely that there always are compromised computers, it is important to be aware of the (dynamic) cyber security-related situation, which is however challenging because cyberspace is an extremely large-scale complex system. Our project aims to investigate a theoretical framework for trustworthy cyber sensing. With the perspective of treating cyberspace as a large-scale complex system, the core question we aim to address is: What would be a competent theoretical (mathematical and algorithmic) framework for designing, analyzing, deploying, managing, and adapting cyber sensor systems so as to provide trustworthy information or input to the higher layer of cyber situation-awareness management, even in the presence of sophisticated malicious attacks against the cyber sensor systems?

Mixing Categories and Modal Logics in the Quantum Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cinà, Giovanni

The study of the foundations of Quantum Mechanics, especially after the advent of Quantum Computation and Information, has benefited from the application of category-theoretic tools and modal logics to the analysis of Quantum processes: we witness a wealth of theoretical frameworks casted in either of the two languages. This paper explores the interplay of the two formalisms in the peculiar context of Quantum Theory. After a review of some influential abstract frameworks, we show how different modal logic frames can be extracted from the category of finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, connecting the Categorical Quantum Mechanics approach to some modal logics that have been proposed for Quantum Computing. We then apply a general version of the same technique to two other categorical frameworks, the `topos approach' of Doering and Isham and the sheaf-theoretic work on contextuality by Abramsky and Brandenburger, suggesting how some key features can be expressed with modal languages.

Callings in Career: A Typological Approach to Essential and Optional Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschi, Andreas

2011-01-01

A sense of calling in career is supposed to have positive implications for individuals and organizations but current theoretical development is plagued with incongruent conceptualizations of what does or does not constitute a calling. The present study used cluster analysis to identify essential and optional components of a presence of calling…

Theoretical Grounding: The "Missing Link" in Suicide Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, James R.

2001-01-01

Discusses the strengths and limitations of the current pragmatic focus of research in suicidology and presents an argument for theoretical grounding as a precursor for continued advancement in this area. Presents an existential-constructivist framework of "meaning creation" as a theoretical heuristic for understanding suicide. Outlines general…

A Future-Oriented Retirement Transition Adjustment Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesketh, Beryl; Griffin, Barbara; Loh, Vanessa

2011-01-01

This theoretical paper presents a person-environment fit framework that extends the Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment to retirement transition and adjustment. The proposed Retirement Transition and Adjustment Framework (RTAF) also accommodates dynamic intra-individual and environment change over time, configural combinations of variables, and an…

Developing theory-informed behaviour change interventions to implement evidence into practice: a systematic approach using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

PubMed

French, Simon D; Green, Sally E; O'Connor, Denise A; McKenzie, Joanne E; Francis, Jill J; Michie, Susan; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Schattner, Peter; Spike, Neil; Grimshaw, Jeremy M

2012-04-24

There is little systematic operational guidance about how best to develop complex interventions to reduce the gap between practice and evidence. This article is one in a Series of articles documenting the development and use of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to advance the science of implementation research. The intervention was developed considering three main components: theory, evidence, and practical issues. We used a four-step approach, consisting of guiding questions, to direct the choice of the most appropriate components of an implementation intervention: Who needs to do what, differently? Using a theoretical framework, which barriers and enablers need to be addressed? Which intervention components (behaviour change techniques and mode(s) of delivery) could overcome the modifiable barriers and enhance the enablers? And how can behaviour change be measured and understood? A complex implementation intervention was designed that aimed to improve acute low back pain management in primary care. We used the TDF to identify the barriers and enablers to the uptake of evidence into practice and to guide the choice of intervention components. These components were then combined into a cohesive intervention. The intervention was delivered via two facilitated interactive small group workshops. We also produced a DVD to distribute to all participants in the intervention group. We chose outcome measures in order to assess the mediating mechanisms of behaviour change. We have illustrated a four-step systematic method for developing an intervention designed to change clinical practice based on a theoretical framework. The method of development provides a systematic framework that could be used by others developing complex implementation interventions. While this framework should be iteratively adjusted and refined to suit other contexts and settings, we believe that the four-step process should be maintained as the primary framework to guide researchers through a comprehensive intervention development process.

Developing theory-informed behaviour change interventions to implement evidence into practice: a systematic approach using the Theoretical Domains Framework

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is little systematic operational guidance about how best to develop complex interventions to reduce the gap between practice and evidence. This article is one in a Series of articles documenting the development and use of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to advance the science of implementation research. Methods The intervention was developed considering three main components: theory, evidence, and practical issues. We used a four-step approach, consisting of guiding questions, to direct the choice of the most appropriate components of an implementation intervention: Who needs to do what, differently? Using a theoretical framework, which barriers and enablers need to be addressed? Which intervention components (behaviour change techniques and mode(s) of delivery) could overcome the modifiable barriers and enhance the enablers? And how can behaviour change be measured and understood? Results A complex implementation intervention was designed that aimed to improve acute low back pain management in primary care. We used the TDF to identify the barriers and enablers to the uptake of evidence into practice and to guide the choice of intervention components. These components were then combined into a cohesive intervention. The intervention was delivered via two facilitated interactive small group workshops. We also produced a DVD to distribute to all participants in the intervention group. We chose outcome measures in order to assess the mediating mechanisms of behaviour change. Conclusions We have illustrated a four-step systematic method for developing an intervention designed to change clinical practice based on a theoretical framework. The method of development provides a systematic framework that could be used by others developing complex implementation interventions. While this framework should be iteratively adjusted and refined to suit other contexts and settings, we believe that the four-step process should be maintained as the primary framework to guide researchers through a comprehensive intervention development process. PMID:22531013

Toward an Analytic Framework of Interdisciplinary Reasoning and Communication (IRC) Processes in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ji; Sung, Shannon; Zhang, Dongmei

2015-11-01

Students need to think and work across disciplinary boundaries in the twenty-first century. However, it is unclear what interdisciplinary thinking means and how to analyze interdisciplinary interactions in teamwork. In this paper, drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and empirical analysis of discourse contents, we formulate a theoretical framework that helps analyze interdisciplinary reasoning and communication (IRC) processes in interdisciplinary collaboration. Specifically, we propose four interrelated IRC processes-integration, translation, transfer, and transformation, and develop a corresponding analytic framework. We apply the framework to analyze two meetings of a project that aims to develop interdisciplinary science assessment items. The results illustrate that the framework can help interpret the interdisciplinary meeting dynamics and patterns. Our coding process and results also suggest that these IRC processes can be further examined in terms of interconnected sub-processes. We also discuss the implications of using the framework in conceptualizing, practicing, and researching interdisciplinary learning and teaching in science education.

Analysis of poetic literature using B. F. Skinner's theoretical framework from verbal behavior

PubMed Central

Luke, Nicole M.

2003-01-01

This paper examines Skinner's work on verbal behavior in the context of literature as a particular class of written verbal behavior. It looks at contemporary literary theory and analysis and the contributions that Skinner's theoretical framework can make. Two diverse examples of poetic literature are chosen and analyzed following Skinner's framework, examining the dynamic interplay between the writer and reader that take place within the bounds of the work presented. It is concluded that Skinner's hypotheses about verbal behavior and the functional approach to understanding it have much to offer literary theorists in their efforts to understand literary works and should be more carefully examined.

A Theoretical Framework for Defense Acquisition Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Carnegie Reports on this issue discuss the need further. Being imaginative in business means having the ability to visualize systematic...Curriculum in Business and Public Administration," Negotiation Journal, 2: 191-204. (April 1987). 15. Cheney, Dick. Defense Management Report to the...Framework, Framework I and Framework II ....... .................. 105 13. Typical Perspective of an American Business Organization

In the Rearview Mirror: Social Skill Development in Deaf Youth, 1990-2015.

PubMed

Cawthon, Stephanie W; Fink, Bentley; Schoffstall, Sarah; Wendel, Erica

2018-01-01

Social skills are a vehicle by which individuals negotiate important relationships. The present article presents historical data on how social skills in deaf students were conceptualized and studied empirically during the period 1990-2015. Using a structured literature review approach, the researchers coded 266 articles for theoretical frameworks used and constructs studied. The vast majority of articles did not explicitly align with a specific theoretical framework. Of the 37 that did, most focused on socioemotional and cognitive frameworks, while a minority drew from frameworks focusing on attitudes, developmental theories, or ecological systems theory. In addition, 315 social-skill constructs were coded across the data set; the majority focused on socioemotional functioning. Trends in findings across the past quarter century and implications for research and practice are examined.

Dimensions of Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Study in a Swedish Sample.

PubMed

Dahlqvist, Heléne Zetterström; Landstedt, Evelina; Young, Robert; Gådin, Katja Gillander

2016-05-01

Sexual harassment is commonly considered unwanted sexual attention and a form of gender-based violence that can take physical, verbal and visual forms and it is assumed to cause later depression in adolescents. There is a dearth of research explicitly testing this assumption and the directional pathway remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to use a feminist theoretical framework to test competing models in respect of the direction of the relationships between dimensions of peer sexual harassment victimization and dimensions of depressive symptoms from ages 14 to 16 in adolescents. The study also aimed to investigate gender differences in these pathways. Cross-lagged models were conducted using a three-wave (2010, 2011 and 2012) longitudinal study of 2330 students (51 % females) from Sweden, adjusted for social background. Girls subjected to sexual harassment in grade seven continued to experience sexual harassment the following 2 years. There was weaker evidence of repeated experience of sexual harassment among boys. Depressive symptoms were stable over time in both genders. Sexual name-calling was the dimension that had the strongest associations to all dimensions of depressive symptoms irrespective of gender. In girls, name-calling was associated with later somatic symptoms and negative affect, while anhedonia (reduced ability to experience pleasure) preceded later name-calling. Physical sexual harassment had a reciprocal relationship to somatic symptoms in girls. In boys, name-calling was preceded by all dimensions of depressive symptoms. It is an urgent matter to prevent sexual harassment victimization, as it is most likely to both cause depressive symptoms or a reciprocal cycle of victimization and depression symptoms in girls as well as boys.

Developing a Theoretical Framework to Illustrate Associations Among Patient Satisfaction, Body Image and Quality of Life for Women Undergoing Breast Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Fingeret, Michelle Cororve; Nipomnick, Summer; Crosby, Melissa A.; Reece, Gregory P.

2013-01-01

Within the field of breast reconstruction there is increasing focus on patient-reported outcomes related to satisfaction, body image, and quality of life. These outcomes are deemed highly relevant because the primary goal of breast reconstruction is to recreate the appearance of a breast (or breasts) that is satisfying to the patient. Prominent researchers have suggested the need to develop improved standards for outcome evaluation which can ultimately benefit patients as well as physicians. The purpose of this article is to summarize key findings in the area of patient-reported outcomes for breast reconstruction and introduce a theoretical framework for advancing research in this field. We conducted an extensive literature review of outcome studies for breast reconstruction focusing on patient-reported results. We developed a theoretical framework illustrating core patient-reported outcomes related to breast reconstruction and factors associated with these outcomes. Our theoretical model highlights domains and distinguishing features of patient satisfaction, body image, and quality of life outcomes for women undergoing breast reconstruction. This model further identifies a broad range of variables (e.g., historical/premorbid influences, disease and treatment-related factors) that have been found to influence patient-reported outcomes and need to be taken into consideration when designing future research in this area. Additional attention is given to examining the relationship between patient reported outcomes and outside evaluation of breast reconstruction. Our proposed theoretical framework suggests key opportunities to expand research in this area with the goal of optimizing body image adjustment, satisfaction, and psychosocial outcomes for the individual patient. PMID:23380309

Exploring end user adoption and maintenance of a telephone-based physical activity counseling service for individuals with physical disabilities using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

PubMed

Tomasone, Jennifer R; Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P; Pila, Eva; Lamontagne, Marie-Eve; Cummings, Isabelle; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Routhier, François

2017-06-01

In Canada, two counseling services are offered to facilitate physical activity participation among persons with physical disabilities, yet both have encountered concerns related to the recruitment and retainment of clients. The purpose of this paper is to explore factors related to service adoption among nonusers, and the barriers and facilitators to maintaining service participation among adopters. Individuals who had never enrolled in the services (nonusers, n = 13) as well as current/previous service clients (adopters, n = 26) participated in interviews based on the Theoretical Domains Framework. Transcripts were subjected to deductive thematic analysis according to participant group. Fifteen themes relating to service adoption within 10 of the 12 theoretical domains were identified for nonusers, while 23 themes relating to maintenence of service participation were identified across all 12 theoretical domains for adopters. The findings provide strategies to improve recruitment, adoption, and retention of clients in counseling services and to enhance the experiences of targeted service users. Implications for Rehabiliation Peer support and education for equipment use should be built into physical activity programs to encourage participation among persons with physical disabilities. Programs that encourage physical activity among individuals with disabilities should be designed by practitioners to be responsive to a variety of needs, which are addressed in the program's advertisements and offerings. The Theoretical Domains Framework is a useful framework for providing valuable insight about clients' experiences of adoption and maintenance of a behavior change service, suggesting merit in other rehabilitation settings.

An appraisal of theoretical approaches to examining behaviours in relation to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young women

PubMed Central

Batista Ferrer, Harriet; Audrey, Suzanne; Trotter, Caroline; Hickman, Matthew

2015-01-01

Background Interventions to increase uptake of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination by young women may be more effective if they are underpinned by an appropriate theoretical model or framework. The aims of this review were: to describe the theoretical models or frameworks used to explain behaviours in relation to HPV vaccination of young women, and: to consider the appropriateness of the theoretical models or frameworks used for informing the development of interventions to increase uptake. Methods Primary studies were identified through a comprehensive search of databases from inception to December 2013. Results Thirty-four relevant studies were identified, of which 31 incorporated psychological health behaviour models or frameworks and three used socio-cultural models or theories. The primary studies used a variety of approaches to measure a diverse range of outcomes in relation to behaviours of professionals, parents, and young women. The majority appeared to use theory appropriately throughout. About half of the quantitative studies presented data in relation to goodness of fit tests and the proportion of the variability in the data. Conclusion Due to diverse approaches and inconsistent findings across studies, the current contribution of theory to understanding and promoting HPV vaccination uptake is difficult to assess. Ecological frameworks encourage the integration of individual and social approaches by encouraging exploration of the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, community and policy levels when examining public health issues. Given the small number of studies using such approach, combined with the importance of these factors in predicting behaviour, more research in this area is warranted. PMID:26314783

Spatio-temporal Granger causality: a new framework

PubMed Central

Luo, Qiang; Lu, Wenlian; Cheng, Wei; Valdes-Sosa, Pedro A.; Wen, Xiaotong; Ding, Mingzhou; Feng, Jianfeng

2015-01-01

That physiological oscillations of various frequencies are present in fMRI signals is the rule, not the exception. Herein, we propose a novel theoretical framework, spatio-temporal Granger causality, which allows us to more reliably and precisely estimate the Granger causality from experimental datasets possessing time-varying properties caused by physiological oscillations. Within this framework, Granger causality is redefined as a global index measuring the directed information flow between two time series with time-varying properties. Both theoretical analyses and numerical examples demonstrate that Granger causality is a monotonically increasing function of the temporal resolution used in the estimation. This is consistent with the general principle of coarse graining, which causes information loss by smoothing out very fine-scale details in time and space. Our results confirm that the Granger causality at the finer spatio-temporal scales considerably outperforms the traditional approach in terms of an improved consistency between two resting-state scans of the same subject. To optimally estimate the Granger causality, the proposed theoretical framework is implemented through a combination of several approaches, such as dividing the optimal time window and estimating the parameters at the fine temporal and spatial scales. Taken together, our approach provides a novel and robust framework for estimating the Granger causality from fMRI, EEG, and other related data. PMID:23643924

Dynamically analyzing cell interactions in biological environments using multiagent social learning framework.

PubMed

Zhang, Chengwei; Li, Xiaohong; Li, Shuxin; Feng, Zhiyong

2017-09-20

Biological environment is uncertain and its dynamic is similar to the multiagent environment, thus the research results of the multiagent system area can provide valuable insights to the understanding of biology and are of great significance for the study of biology. Learning in a multiagent environment is highly dynamic since the environment is not stationary anymore and each agent's behavior changes adaptively in response to other coexisting learners, and vice versa. The dynamics becomes more unpredictable when we move from fixed-agent interaction environments to multiagent social learning framework. Analytical understanding of the underlying dynamics is important and challenging. In this work, we present a social learning framework with homogeneous learners (e.g., Policy Hill Climbing (PHC) learners), and model the behavior of players in the social learning framework as a hybrid dynamical system. By analyzing the dynamical system, we obtain some conditions about convergence or non-convergence. We experimentally verify the predictive power of our model using a number of representative games. Experimental results confirm the theoretical analysis. Under multiagent social learning framework, we modeled the behavior of agent in biologic environment, and theoretically analyzed the dynamics of the model. We present some sufficient conditions about convergence or non-convergence and prove them theoretically. It can be used to predict the convergence of the system.

Construction of an Integrated Positive Youth Development Conceptual Framework for the Prevention of the Use of Psychotropic Drugs among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Lee, Tak Yan

2011-01-01

This is a theoretical paper with an aim to construct an integrated conceptual framework for the prevention of adolescents' use and abuse of psychotropic drugs. This paper first reports the subjective reasons for adolescents' drug use and abuse in Hong Kong and reviews the theoretical underpinnings. Theories of drug use and abuse, including neurological, pharmacological, genetic predisposition, psychological, and sociological theories, were reviewed. It provides a critical re-examination of crucial factors that support the construction of a conceptual framework for primary prevention of adolescents' drug use and abuse building on, with minor revision, the model of victimization and substance abuse among women presented by Logan et al. This revised model provides a comprehensive and coherent framework synthesized from theories of drug abuse. This paper then provides empirical support for integrating a positive youth development perspective in the revised model. It further explains how the 15 empirically sound constructs identified by Catalano et al. and used in a positive youth development program, the Project P.A.T.H.S., relate generally to the components of the revised model to formulate an integrated positive youth development conceptual framework for primary prevention of adolescent drug use. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and recommendations are discussed. PMID:22194671

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

Yuan, Chris, E-mail: cyuan@uwm.edu; Wang, Endong; Zhai, Qiang

Temporal homogeneity of inventory data is one of the major problems in life cycle assessment (LCA). Addressing temporal homogeneity of life cycle inventory data is important in reducing the uncertainties and improving the reliability of LCA results. This paper attempts to present a critical review and discussion on the fundamental issues of temporal homogeneity in conventional LCA and propose a theoretical framework for temporal discounting in LCA. Theoretical perspectives for temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis are discussed first based on the key elements of a scientific mechanism for temporal discounting. Then generic procedures for performing temporal discounting inmore » LCA is derived and proposed based on the nature of the LCA method and the identified key elements of a scientific temporal discounting method. A five-step framework is proposed and reported in details based on the technical methods and procedures needed to perform a temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis. Challenges and possible solutions are also identified and discussed for the technical procedure and scientific accomplishment of each step within the framework. - Highlights: • A critical review for temporal homogeneity problem of life cycle inventory data • A theoretical framework for performing temporal discounting on inventory data • Methods provided to accomplish each step of the temporal discounting framework.« less

Stochastic information transfer from cochlear implant electrodes to auditory nerve fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiao; Grayden, David B.; McDonnell, Mark D.

2014-08-01

Cochlear implants, also called bionic ears, are implanted neural prostheses that can restore lost human hearing function by direct electrical stimulation of auditory nerve fibers. Previously, an information-theoretic framework for numerically estimating the optimal number of electrodes in cochlear implants has been devised. This approach relies on a model of stochastic action potential generation and a discrete memoryless channel model of the interface between the array of electrodes and the auditory nerve fibers. Using these models, the stochastic information transfer from cochlear implant electrodes to auditory nerve fibers is estimated from the mutual information between channel inputs (the locations of electrodes) and channel outputs (the set of electrode-activated nerve fibers). Here we describe a revised model of the channel output in the framework that avoids the side effects caused by an "ambiguity state" in the original model and also makes fewer assumptions about perceptual processing in the brain. A detailed comparison of how different assumptions on fibers and current spread modes impact on the information transfer in the original model and in the revised model is presented. We also mathematically derive an upper bound on the mutual information in the revised model, which becomes tighter as the number of electrodes increases. We found that the revised model leads to a significantly larger maximum mutual information and corresponding number of electrodes compared with the original model and conclude that the assumptions made in this part of the modeling framework are crucial to the model's overall utility.

A framework for analyzing contagion in assortative banking networks

PubMed Central

Hurd, Thomas R.; Gleeson, James P.; Melnik, Sergey

2017-01-01

We introduce a probabilistic framework that represents stylized banking networks with the aim of predicting the size of contagion events. Most previous work on random financial networks assumes independent connections between banks, whereas our framework explicitly allows for (dis)assortative edge probabilities (i.e., a tendency for small banks to link to large banks). We analyze default cascades triggered by shocking the network and find that the cascade can be understood as an explicit iterated mapping on a set of edge probabilities that converges to a fixed point. We derive a cascade condition, analogous to the basic reproduction number R0 in epidemic modelling, that characterizes whether or not a single initially defaulted bank can trigger a cascade that extends to a finite fraction of the infinite network. This cascade condition is an easily computed measure of the systemic risk inherent in a given banking network topology. We use percolation theory for random networks to derive a formula for the frequency of global cascades. These analytical results are shown to provide limited quantitative agreement with Monte Carlo simulation studies of finite-sized networks. We show that edge-assortativity, the propensity of nodes to connect to similar nodes, can have a strong effect on the level of systemic risk as measured by the cascade condition. However, the effect of assortativity on systemic risk is subtle, and we propose a simple graph theoretic quantity, which we call the graph-assortativity coefficient, that can be used to assess systemic risk. PMID:28231324

A framework for testing and comparing binaural models.

PubMed

Dietz, Mathias; Lestang, Jean-Hugues; Majdak, Piotr; Stern, Richard M; Marquardt, Torsten; Ewert, Stephan D; Hartmann, William M; Goodman, Dan F M

2018-03-01

Auditory research has a rich history of combining experimental evidence with computational simulations of auditory processing in order to deepen our theoretical understanding of how sound is processed in the ears and in the brain. Despite significant progress in the amount of detail and breadth covered by auditory models, for many components of the auditory pathway there are still different model approaches that are often not equivalent but rather in conflict with each other. Similarly, some experimental studies yield conflicting results which has led to controversies. This can be best resolved by a systematic comparison of multiple experimental data sets and model approaches. Binaural processing is a prominent example of how the development of quantitative theories can advance our understanding of the phenomena, but there remain several unresolved questions for which competing model approaches exist. This article discusses a number of current unresolved or disputed issues in binaural modelling, as well as some of the significant challenges in comparing binaural models with each other and with the experimental data. We introduce an auditory model framework, which we believe can become a useful infrastructure for resolving some of the current controversies. It operates models over the same paradigms that are used experimentally. The core of the proposed framework is an interface that connects three components irrespective of their underlying programming language: The experiment software, an auditory pathway model, and task-dependent decision stages called artificial observers that provide the same output format as the test subject. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Neuroscience and collective memory: memory schemas linking brain, societies and cultures].

PubMed

Legrand, Nicolas; Gagnepain, Pierre; Peschanski, Denis; Eustache, Francis

2015-01-01

During the last two decades, the effect of intersubjective relationships on cognition has been an emerging topic in cognitive neurosciences leading through a so-called "social turn" to the formation of new domains integrating society and cultures to this research area. Such inquiry has been recently extended to collective memory studies. Collective memory refers to shared representations that are constitutive of the identity of a group and distributed among all its members connected by a common history. After briefly describing those evolutions in the study of human brain and behaviors, we review recent researches that have brought together cognitive psychology, neuroscience and social sciences into collective memory studies. Using the reemerging concept of memory schema, we propose a theoretical framework allowing to account for collective memories formation with a specific focus on the encoding process of historical events. We suggest that (1) if the concept of schema has been mainly used to describe rather passive framework of knowledge, such structure may also be implied in more active fashions in the understanding of significant collective events. And, (2) if some schema researches have restricted themselves to the individual level of inquiry, we describe a strong coherence between memory and cultural frameworks. Integrating the neural basis and properties of memory schema to collective memory studies may pave the way toward a better understanding of the reciprocal interaction between individual memories and cultural resources such as media or education. © Société de Biologie, 2016.

A framework for analyzing contagion in assortative banking networks.

PubMed

Hurd, Thomas R; Gleeson, James P; Melnik, Sergey

2017-01-01

We introduce a probabilistic framework that represents stylized banking networks with the aim of predicting the size of contagion events. Most previous work on random financial networks assumes independent connections between banks, whereas our framework explicitly allows for (dis)assortative edge probabilities (i.e., a tendency for small banks to link to large banks). We analyze default cascades triggered by shocking the network and find that the cascade can be understood as an explicit iterated mapping on a set of edge probabilities that converges to a fixed point. We derive a cascade condition, analogous to the basic reproduction number R0 in epidemic modelling, that characterizes whether or not a single initially defaulted bank can trigger a cascade that extends to a finite fraction of the infinite network. This cascade condition is an easily computed measure of the systemic risk inherent in a given banking network topology. We use percolation theory for random networks to derive a formula for the frequency of global cascades. These analytical results are shown to provide limited quantitative agreement with Monte Carlo simulation studies of finite-sized networks. We show that edge-assortativity, the propensity of nodes to connect to similar nodes, can have a strong effect on the level of systemic risk as measured by the cascade condition. However, the effect of assortativity on systemic risk is subtle, and we propose a simple graph theoretic quantity, which we call the graph-assortativity coefficient, that can be used to assess systemic risk.

The proton FL dipole approximation in the KMR and the MRW unintegrated parton distribution functions frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modarres, M.; Masouminia, M. R.; Hosseinkhani, H.; Olanj, N.

2016-01-01

In the spirit of performing a complete phenomenological investigation of the merits of Kimber-Martin-Ryskin (KMR) and Martin-Ryskin-Watt (MRW) unintegrated parton distribution functions (UPDF), we have computed the longitudinal structure function of the proton, FL (x ,Q2), from the so-called dipole approximation, using the LO and the NLO-UPDF, prepared in the respective frameworks. The preparation process utilizes the PDF of Martin et al., MSTW2008-LO and MSTW2008-NLO, as the inputs. Afterwards, the numerical results are undergone a series of comparisons against the exact kt-factorization and the kt-approximate results, derived from the work of Golec-Biernat and Stasto, against each other and the experimental data from ZEUS and H1 Collaborations at HERA. Interestingly, our results show a much better agreement with the exact kt-factorization, compared to the kt-approximate outcome. In addition, our results are completely consistent with those prepared from embedding the KMR and MRW UPDF directly into the kt-factorization framework. One may point out that the FL, prepared from the KMR UPDF shows a better agreement with the exact kt-factorization. This is despite the fact that the MRW formalism employs a better theoretical description of the DGLAP evolution equation and has an NLO expansion. Such unexpected consequence appears, due to the different implementation of the angular ordering constraint in the KMR approach, which automatically includes the resummation of ln ⁡ (1 / x), BFKL logarithms, in the LO-DGLAP evolution equation.

Pore Space Partition in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

PubMed

Zhai, Quan-Guo; Bu, Xianhui; Zhao, Xiang; Li, Dong-Sheng; Feng, Pingyun

2017-02-21

Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have emerged as one of the favorite crystalline porous materials (CPM) because of their compositional and geometric tunability and many possible applications. In efforts to develop better MOFs for gas storage and separation, a number of strategies including creation of open metal sites and implantation of Lewis base sites have been used to tune host-guest interactions. In addition to these chemical factors, the geometric features such as pore size and shape, surface area, and pore volume also play important roles in sorption energetics and uptake capacity. For efficient capture of small gas molecules such as carbon dioxide under ambient conditions, large surface area or high pore volume are often not needed. Instead, maximizing host-guest interactions or the density of binding sites by encaging gas molecules in snug pockets of pore space can be a fruitful approach. To put this concept into practice, the pore space partition (PSP) concept has been proposed and has achieved a great experimental success. In this account, we will highlight many efforts to implement PSP in MOFs and impact of PSP on gas uptake performance. In the synthetic design of PSP, it is helpful to distinguish between factors that contribute to the framework formation and factors that serve the purpose of PSP. Because of the need for complementary structural roles, the synthesis of MOFs with PSP often involves multicomponent systems including mixed ligands, mixed inorganic nodes, or both. It is possible to accomplish both framework formation and PSP with a single type of polyfunctional ligands that use some functional groups (called framework-forming group) for framework formation and the remaining functional groups (called pore-partition group) for PSP. Alternatively, framework formation and PSP can be shouldered by different chemical species. For example, in a mixed-ligand system, one ligand (called framework-forming agent) can play the role of the framework formation while the other type of ligand (called pore-partition agent) can assume the role of PSP. PSP is sensitive to the types of inorganic secondary building units (SBUs). The coexistence of SBUs complementary in charge, connectivity, and so on can promote PSP. The use of heterometallic systems can promote the diversity of SBUs coexistent under a given condition. Heterometallic system with metal ions of different oxidation states also provides the charge tunability of SBUs and the overall framework, providing an additional level of control in self-assembly and ultimately in the materials' properties. Of particular interest is the PSP in MIL-88 type (acs-type topology) structure, which has led to a huge family of CPMs (called pacs CPMs, pacs = partitioned acs) exhibiting low isosteric heat of adsorption and yet superior CO 2 uptake capacity.

Organizational strategy, structure, and process.

PubMed

Miles, R E; Snow, C C; Meyer, A D; Coleman, H J

1978-07-01

Organizational adaptation is a topic that has received only limited and fragmented theoretical treatment. Any attempt to examine organizational adaptation is difficult, since the process is highly complex and changeable. The proposed theoretical framework deals with alternative ways in which organizations define their product-market domains (strategy) and construct mechanisms (structures and processes) to pursue these strategies. The framework is based on interpretation of existing literature and continuing studies in four industries (college textbook publishing, electronics, food processing, and health care).

The theoretical tools of experimental gravitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Will, C. M.

1972-01-01

Theoretical frameworks for testing relativistic gravity are presented in terms of a system for analyzing theories of gravity invented as alternatives to Einstein. The parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism, based on the Dicke framework and the Eotvos-Dicke-Braginsky experiment, is discussed in detail. The metric theories of gravity, and their post-Newtonian limits are reviewed, and PPN equations of motion are derived. These equations are used to analyze specific effects and experimental tests in the solar system.

Using the TPACK Framework to Facilitate Decision Making on Instructional Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobel, Karen; Grotti, Margaret G.

2013-01-01

Technological pedagogical content knowledge ("TPACK") is a theoretical framework used primarily in the field of education to facilitate the integration of technology into educational endeavors. This framework can be particularly valuable to librarians, who are heavy users of technology, and can provide a structure that can help…

Metacognition, Positioning and Emotions in Mathematical Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daher, Wajeeh; Anabousy, Ahlam; Jabarin, Roqaya

2018-01-01

Researchers of mathematics education have been paying attention to the affective aspect of learning mathematics for more than one decade. Different theoretical frameworks have been suggested to analyze this aspect, where we utilize in the present research the discursive framework of Evans, Morgan and Tsatsaroni. This framework enables to link…

Theoretical Framework of Researcher Knowledge Development in Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kontorovich, Igor'

2016-01-01

The goal of this paper is to present a framework of researcher knowledge development in conducting a study in mathematics education. The key components of the framework are: knowledge germane to conducting a particular study, processes of knowledge accumulation, and catalyzing filters that influence a researcher's decision making. The components…

Adventure Learning and Learner-Engagement: Frameworks for Designers and Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henrickson, Jeni; Doering, Aaron

2013-01-01

There is a recognized need for theoretical frameworks that can guide designers and educators in the development of engagement-rich learning experiences that incorporate emerging technologies in pedagogically sound ways. This study investigated one such promising framework, adventure learning (AL). Data were gathered via surveys, interviews, direct…

Developmental Implications of the Levels of Processing Memory Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naus, Mary J.

The levels of processing framework for understanding memory development has generated little empirical or theoretical work that furthers an understanding of the developmental memory system. Although empirical studies by those testing the levels of processing framework have demonstrated that mnemonic strategies employed by children are the critical…

Peer-Formativity: A Framework for Academic Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Rowena; Thow, Morag

2014-01-01

The system currently deployed to assess research outputs in higher education can influence what, how and for whom academics write; for some it may determine whether or not they write at all. This article offers a framework for negotiating this performative context--the writing meeting. This framework uses the established theoretical underpinning…

A Competency Approach to Developing Leaders--Is This Approach Effective?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Patricia

2008-01-01

This paper examines the underlying assumptions that competency-based frameworks are based upon in relation to leadership development. It examines the impetus for this framework becoming the prevailing theoretical base for developing leaders and tracks the historical path to this phenomenon. Research suggests that a competency-based framework may…

Community Psychology, Planning, and Learning: A U.S. Perspective on Sustainable Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Douglas D.

An ecological framework for predicting citizen participation in grassroots community organizations and predicting community disorder problems (such as crime and fear) was developed and tested. The framework, which is called an ecological framework for sustainable community learning and development, delineates the relevant economic, political,…

Vocational Qualification Frameworks in Asia-Pacific: A Cresting Wave of Educational Reform?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comyn, Paul

2009-01-01

The introduction of national qualification frameworks (NQFs), including frameworks specifically for the vocational sector (NVQFs), are policy initiatives that have far reaching implications for the management and delivery of education and training. Despite the caution called for by researchers and the challenging reality of implementation in both…

Redesigning Orientation in an Intensive Care Unit Using 2 Theoretical Models.

PubMed

Kozub, Elizabeth; Hibanada-Laserna, Maribel; Harget, Gwen; Ecoff, Laurie

2015-01-01

To accommodate a higher demand for critical care nurses, an orientation program in a surgical intensive care unit was revised and streamlined. Two theoretical models served as a foundation for the revision and resulted in clear clinical benchmarks for orientation progress evaluation. The purpose of the project was to integrate theoretical frameworks into practice to improve the unit orientation program. Performance improvement methods served as a framework for the revision, and outcomes were measured before and after implementation. The revised orientation program increased 1- and 2-year nurse retention and decreased turnover. Critical care knowledge increased after orientation for both the preintervention and postintervention groups. Incorporating a theoretical basis for orientation has been shown to be successful in increasing the number of nurses completing orientation and improving retention, turnover rates, and knowledge gained.

The Swedish duty hour enigma.

PubMed

Sundberg, Kristina; Frydén, Hanna; Kihlström, Lars; Nordquist, Jonas

2014-01-01

The Swedish resident duty hour limit is regulated by Swedish and European legal frameworks. With a maximum average of 40 working hours per week, the Swedish duty hour regulation is one of the most restrictive in the world. At the same time, the effects of resident duty hour limits have been neither debated nor researched in the Swedish context. As a result, little is known about the Swedish conceptual framework for resident duty hours, their restriction, or their outcomes: we call this "the Swedish duty hour enigma." This situation poses a further question: How do Swedish residents themselves construct a conceptual framework for duty hour restrictions? A case study was conducted at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm--an urban, research-intensive hospital setting. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 34 residents currently in training in 6 specialties. The empirical data analysis relied on theoretical propositions and was conducted thematically using a pattern-matching technique. The interview guide was based on four main topics: the perceived effect of duty hour restrictions on (1) patient care, (2) resident education, (3) resident well-being, and (4) research. The residents did not perceive the volume of duty hours to be the main determinant of success or failure in the four contextual domains of patient care, resident education, resident well-being, and research. Instead, they emphasized resident well-being and a desire for flexibility. According to Swedish residents' conceptual framework on duty hours, the amount of time spent on duty is not a proxy for the quality of resident training. Instead, flexibility, organization, and scheduling of duty hours are considered to be the factors that have the greatest influence on resident well-being, quality of learning, and opportunities to attain the competence needed for independent practice.

Exploiting the information revolution: call for independent evaluation of the latest English national experiment.

PubMed

Scott, Philip

2015-02-19

The English National Health Service (NHS) has a long history of national experiments with information technology; some successful, others less so. The NHS England Five Year Forward View aspires to 'Exploit the information revolution' through the transformational work of the National Information Board (NIB). NIB has published a 'Framework for Action' that promotes citizen empowerment, information availability, transparency, public trust, innovation, informatics skills and societal value. The framework sets out many laudable and common sense ambitions, but is light on evidence to support its aspirations, or plans for its evaluation. Considerable resource was invested in evaluation studies in the later stages of the National Programme for IT in England, but the analyses do not seem to have been included. Most of the cited evidence is from an unpublished report by management consultants rather than independent peer-reviewed work. National experiments of this importance should be evidence based and properly evaluated so that each iteration of 'information revolution' produces an evidence base to inform subsequent generations of care provision models and technology innovation. Evaluation should be planned from the very start rather than added in as an afterthought. Like any good business plan there should be defined critical success factors for health and social care, and a declaration of how they might be measured. Unintended consequences should be qualitatively explored. Evaluation should also consider critical-interpretive social perspectives to understand the human factors in technology deployment and should seek a theoretically informed insight into the mechanisms of change. The NHS Five Year Forward View and the NIB framework set out challenging ambitions based on transformative use of information technology and collaborative partnerships with commissioners and providers. The framework stands up very well against the Hayes principles, but the learning opportunities associated with this programme should not be missed.

The Swedish duty hour enigma

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Swedish resident duty hour limit is regulated by Swedish and European legal frameworks. With a maximum average of 40 working hours per week, the Swedish duty hour regulation is one of the most restrictive in the world. At the same time, the effects of resident duty hour limits have been neither debated nor researched in the Swedish context. As a result, little is known about the Swedish conceptual framework for resident duty hours, their restriction, or their outcomes: we call this “the Swedish duty hour enigma.” This situation poses a further question: How do Swedish residents themselves construct a conceptual framework for duty hour restrictions? Methods A case study was conducted at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm – an urban, research-intensive hospital setting. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 34 residents currently in training in 6 specialties. The empirical data analysis relied on theoretical propositions and was conducted thematically using a pattern-matching technique. The interview guide was based on four main topics: the perceived effect of duty hour restrictions on (1) patient care, (2) resident education, (3) resident well-being, and (4) research. Results The residents did not perceive the volume of duty hours to be the main determinant of success or failure in the four contextual domains of patient care, resident education, resident well-being, and research. Instead, they emphasized resident well-being and a desire for flexibility. Conclusions According to Swedish residents’ conceptual framework on duty hours, the amount of time spent on duty is not a proxy for the quality of resident training. Instead, flexibility, organization, and scheduling of duty hours are considered to be the factors that have the greatest influence on resident well-being, quality of learning, and opportunities to attain the competence needed for independent practice. PMID:25559074

Estimation and Application of Ecological Memory Functions in Time and Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itter, M.; Finley, A. O.; Dawson, A.

2017-12-01

A common goal in quantitative ecology is the estimation or prediction of ecological processes as a function of explanatory variables (or covariates). Frequently, the ecological process of interest and associated covariates vary in time, space, or both. Theory indicates many ecological processes exhibit memory to local, past conditions. Despite such theoretical understanding, few methods exist to integrate observations from the recent past or within a local neighborhood as drivers of these processes. We build upon recent methodological advances in ecology and spatial statistics to develop a Bayesian hierarchical framework to estimate so-called ecological memory functions; that is, weight-generating functions that specify the relative importance of local, past covariate observations to ecological processes. Memory functions are estimated using a set of basis functions in time and/or space, allowing for flexible ecological memory based on a reduced set of parameters. Ecological memory functions are entirely data driven under the Bayesian hierarchical framework—no a priori assumptions are made regarding functional forms. Memory function uncertainty follows directly from posterior distributions for model parameters allowing for tractable propagation of error to predictions of ecological processes. We apply the model framework to simulated spatio-temporal datasets generated using memory functions of varying complexity. The framework is also applied to estimate the ecological memory of annual boreal forest growth to local, past water availability. Consistent with ecological understanding of boreal forest growth dynamics, memory to past water availability peaks in the year previous to growth and slowly decays to zero in five to eight years. The Bayesian hierarchical framework has applicability to a broad range of ecosystems and processes allowing for increased understanding of ecosystem responses to local and past conditions and improved prediction of ecological processes.

Theoretical and treatment issues of personality disorders in individualistic and collectivistic societies.

PubMed

Kim, H A

1998-12-01

The author will attempt to equate so-called personality disorders with what used to be called psychoneurosis. Some suggestions for theoretical and technical modifications to apply psychoanalysis and psychotherapy on selective cases within the current managed care environment have been offered. In order to develop a comprehensive and effective psychotherapy system, a collaboration of psychotherapists both in collectivistic and individualistic societies is highly desirable. Furthermore, the differences of personality disorder and neurosis in both social structure are either minimal or insignificant from a psychotherapeutic point of view.

Joint graph cut and relative fuzzy connectedness image segmentation algorithm.

PubMed

Ciesielski, Krzysztof Chris; Miranda, Paulo A V; Falcão, Alexandre X; Udupa, Jayaram K

2013-12-01

We introduce an image segmentation algorithm, called GC(sum)(max), which combines, in novel manner, the strengths of two popular algorithms: Relative Fuzzy Connectedness (RFC) and (standard) Graph Cut (GC). We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that GC(sum)(max) preserves robustness of RFC with respect to the seed choice (thus, avoiding "shrinking problem" of GC), while keeping GC's stronger control over the problem of "leaking though poorly defined boundary segments." The analysis of GC(sum)(max) is greatly facilitated by our recent theoretical results that RFC can be described within the framework of Generalized GC (GGC) segmentation algorithms. In our implementation of GC(sum)(max) we use, as a subroutine, a version of RFC algorithm (based on Image Forest Transform) that runs (provably) in linear time with respect to the image size. This results in GC(sum)(max) running in a time close to linear. Experimental comparison of GC(sum)(max) to GC, an iterative version of RFC (IRFC), and power watershed (PW), based on a variety medical and non-medical images, indicates superior accuracy performance of GC(sum)(max) over these other methods, resulting in a rank ordering of GC(sum)(max)>PW∼IRFC>GC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social cognition and psychopathology: a critical overview

PubMed Central

Gallagher, Shaun; Varga, Somogy

2015-01-01

The philosophical and interdisciplinary debate about the nature of social cognition, and the processes involved, has important implications for psychiatry. On one account, mindreading depends on making theoretical inferences about another person's mental states based on knowledge of folk psychology, the so-called “theory theory” (TT). On a different account, “simulation theory” (ST), mindreading depends on simulating the other's mental states within one's own mental or motor system. A third approach, “interaction theory” (IT), looks to embodied processes (involving movement, gesture, facial expression, vocal intonation, etc.) and the dynamics of intersubjective interactions (joint attention, joint action, and processes not confined to an individual system) in highly contextualized situations to explain social cognition, and disruptions of these processes in some psychopathological conditions. In this paper, we present a brief summary of these three theoretical frameworks (TT, ST, IT). We then focus on impaired social abilities in autism and schizophrenia from the perspective of the three approaches. We discuss the limitations of such approaches in the scientific studies of these and other pathologies, and we close with a short reflection on the future of the field. In this regard we argue that, to the extent that TT, ST and IT offer explanations that capture different (limited) aspects of social cognition, a pluralist approach might be best. PMID:25655144

[Prejudice, women, and psychiatry. As crazy as your mom].

PubMed

Sobredo, Laura Dolores

2007-01-01

If being named somehow is condition of human existencies and to a certain extent also makes them determinate, then the dimension of prejudice is perhaps irreducible; at least in this sense, as a previous idea being the site of understanding, reflection and production. The present work starts from the ideas of the production and transformation of reality produced by the theoretical developments that describe and legitimate the practice of a certain discipline and the notion of gender as a socio historical category referring to the social relations of power and subordination established between males and females and are translated, through an extrapolative operation, into social inequalities. By going through the psychoanalytic conceptualisation of the Oedipus Complex in women, an understanding is made possible of some prejudices affecting psychiatrists in thier practice with women pacients. An attempt to read from a particular theoretical framework that makes these women what is called mad, starts from the history of those that name them in such a manner, with reference to the nexus with the mother. Such nexus is transited by each, with a better or worse destiny. Taking into account the responsibility of a determinate creation of subjectivity from the position of subject of the enunciation that is produced in the daily task from a particular ethical position.

Modeling the Population Dynamics of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria:. AN Agent-Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, James T.; Walshe, Ray; Devocelle, Marc

The response of bacterial populations to antibiotic treatment is often a function of a diverse range of interacting factors. In order to develop strategies to minimize the spread of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria, a sound theoretical understanding of the systems of interactions taking place within a colony must be developed. The agent-based approach to modeling bacterial populations is a useful tool for relating data obtained at the molecular and cellular level with the overall population dynamics. Here we demonstrate an agent-based model, called Micro-Gen, which has been developed to simulate the growth and development of bacterial colonies in culture. The model also incorporates biochemical rules and parameters describing the kinetic interactions of bacterial cells with antibiotic molecules. Simulations were carried out to replicate the development of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) colonies growing in the presence of antibiotics. The model was explored to see how the properties of the system emerge from the interactions of the individual bacterial agents in order to achieve a better mechanistic understanding of the population dynamics taking place. Micro-Gen provides a good theoretical framework for investigating the effects of local environmental conditions and cellular properties on the response of bacterial populations to antibiotic exposure in the context of a simulated environment.

Learning with touchscreen devices: game strategies to improve geometric thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldano, Carlotta; Arzarello, Ferdinando

2016-03-01

The aim of this paper is to reflect on the importance of the students' game-strategic thinking during the development of mathematical activities. In particular, we hypothesise that this type of thinking helps students in the construction of logical links between concepts during the "argumentation phase" of the proving process. The theoretical background of our study lies in the works of J. Hintikka, a Finnish logician, who developed a new type of logic, based on game theory, called the logic of inquiry. In order to experiment with this new approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics, we have prepared five game-activities based on geometric theorems in which two players play against each other in a multi-touch dynamic geometric environment (DGE). In this paper, we present the design of the first game-activity and the relationship between it and the logic of inquiry. Then, adopting the theoretical framework of the instrumental genesis by Vérillon and Rabardel (EJPE 10: 77-101, 1995), we will present and analyse significant actions and dialogues developed by students while they are solving the game. We focus on the presence of a particular way of playing the game introduced by the students, the "reflected game", and highlight its functions for the development of the task.

A Theoretical Framework for a Virtual Diabetes Self-Management Community Intervention

PubMed Central

Vorderstrasse, Allison; Shaw, Ryan J.; Blascovich, Jim; Johnson, Constance M.

2015-01-01

Due to its high prevalence, chronic nature, potential complications, and self-management challenges for patients, diabetes presents significant health education and support issues. We developed and pilot-tested a virtual community for adults with type 2 diabetes to promote self-management education and provide social support. Although digital-based programs such as virtual environments can address significant barriers to reaching patients (i.e., child care, transportation, location), they must be strongly grounded in a theoretical basis to be well-developed and effective. In this article, we discuss how we synthesized behavioral and virtual environment theoretical frameworks to guide the development of SLIDES (Second Life Impacts Diabetes Education and Support). PMID:24451083

A theoretical framework for a virtual diabetes self-management community intervention.

PubMed

Vorderstrasse, Allison; Shaw, Ryan J; Blascovich, Jim; Johnson, Constance M

2014-10-01

Due to its high prevalence, chronic nature, potential complications, and self-management challenges for patients, diabetes presents significant health education and support issues. We developed and pilot-tested a virtual community for adults with type 2 diabetes to promote self-management education and provide social support. Although digital-based programs such as virtual environments can address significant barriers to reaching patients (i.e., child care, transportation, location), they must be strongly grounded in a theoretical basis to be well-developed and effective. In this article, we discuss how we synthesized behavioral and virtual environment theoretical frameworks to guide the development of SLIDES (Second Life Impacts Diabetes Education and Support). © The Author(s) 2014.

Understanding HIV disclosure: A review and application of the Disclosure Processes Model

PubMed Central

Chaudoir, Stephenie R.; Fisher, Jeffrey D.; Simoni, Jane M.

2014-01-01

HIV disclosure is a critical component of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts, yet the field lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework with which to study how HIV-positive individuals make decisions about disclosing their serostatus and how these decisions affect them. Recent theorizing in the context of the Disclosure Processes Model has suggested that the disclosure process consists of antecedent goals, the disclosure event itself, mediating processes and outcomes, and a feedback loop. In this paper, we apply this new theoretical framework to HIV disclosure in order to review the current state of the literature, identify gaps in existing research, and highlight the implications of the framework for future work in this area. PMID:21514708

Social energy exchange theory for postpartum depression.

PubMed

Posmontier, Bobbie; Waite, Roberta

2011-01-01

Postpartum depression (PPD), a significant health problem affecting about 19.4% of postpartum women worldwide, may result in long-term cognitive and behavior problems in children, spousal depression, widespread family dysfunction, and chronic and increasingly severe maternal depression. Although current theoretical frameworks provide a rich context for studying PPD,none provides a framework that specifically addresses the dynamic relationship of the inner personal experience with the social and cultural context of PPD. The authors propose the social energy exchange theory for postpartum depression to understand how PPD impedes this dynamic relationship and suggest it as a theoretical framework for the study of interventions that would target intra- and interpersonal disturbance within the social and cultural context.

Experimental and Theoretical Evaluation of the Stability of True MOF Polymorphs Explains Their Mechanochemical Interconversions.

PubMed

Akimbekov, Zamirbek; Katsenis, Athanassios D; Nagabhushana, G P; Ayoub, Ghada; Arhangelskis, Mihails; Morris, Andrew J; Friščić, Tomislav; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2017-06-14

We provide the first combined experimental and theoretical evaluation of how differences in ligand structure and framework topology affect the relative stabilities of isocompositional (i.e., true polymorph) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). We used solution calorimetry and periodic DFT calculations to analyze the thermodynamics of two families of topologically distinct polymorphs of zinc zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) based on 2-methyl- and 2-ethylimidazolate linkers, demonstrating a correlation between measured thermodynamic stability and density, and a pronounced effect of the ligand substituent on their stability. The results show that mechanochemical syntheses and transformations of ZIFs are consistent with Ostwald's rule of stages and proceed toward thermodynamically increasingly stable, more dense phases.

Understanding the environmental issues in diabetes self-management education research: a reexamination of 8 studies in community-based settings.

PubMed

Jack, Leonard; Liburd, Leandris; Spencer, Tirzah; Airhihenbuwa, Collins O

2004-06-01

Eight studies included in a recent systematic review of the efficacy of diabetes self-management education were qualitatively reexamined to determine the presence of theoretical frameworks, methods used to ensure cultural appropriateness, and the quality of the instrument. Theoretical frameworks that help to explain complex pathways that produce health outcomes were lacking; culture indices were not incorporated into diabetes self-management education; and the instruments used to measure outcomes were inadequate. We provide recommendations to improve research on diabetes self-management education in community settings through use of a contextual framework that encourages targeting multiple levels of influence--individual, family, organizational, community, and policy.

Theoretical Grounds for the Propagation of Uncertainties in Monte Carlo Particle Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saracco, Paolo; Pia, Maria Grazia; Batic, Matej

2014-04-01

We introduce a theoretical framework for the calculation of uncertainties affecting observables produced by Monte Carlo particle transport, which derive from uncertainties in physical parameters input into simulation. The theoretical developments are complemented by a heuristic application, which illustrates the method of calculation in a streamlined simulation environment.

A general class of multinomial mixture models for anuran calling survey data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew; Link, W.A.

2005-01-01

We propose a general framework for modeling anuran abundance using data collected from commonly used calling surveys. The data generated from calling surveys are indices of calling intensity (vocalization of males) that do not have a precise link to actual population size and are sensitive to factors that influence anuran behavior. We formulate a model for calling-index data in terms of the maximum potential calling index that could be observed at a site (the 'latent abundance class'), given its underlying breeding population, and we focus attention on estimating the distribution of this latent abundance class. A critical consideration in estimating the latent structure is imperfect detection, which causes the observed abundance index to be less than or equal to the latent abundance class. We specify a multinomial sampling model for the observed abundance index that is conditional on the latent abundance class. Estimation of the latent abundance class distribution is based on the marginal likelihood of the index data, having integrated over the latent class distribution. We apply the proposed modeling framework to data collected as part of the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP).

Mathematical modeling and experimental breakthrough curves of carbon dioxide adsorption on metal organic framework CPM-5.

PubMed

Sabouni, Rana; Kazemian, Hossein; Rohani, Sohrab

2013-08-20

It is essential to capture carbon dioxide from flue gas because it is considered one of the main causes of global warming. Several materials and different methods have been reported for CO2 capturing including adsorption onto zeolites and porous membranes, as well as absorption in amine solutions. All such methods require high energy input and high cost. A new class of porous materials called Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) exhibited excellent performance in extracting carbon dioxide from a gas mixture. In this study, the breakthrough curves for the adsorption of carbon dioxide on CPM-5 (crystalline porous materials) were obtained experimentally and theoretically using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed column at different experimental conditions such as feed flow rate, adsorption temperature, and feed concentration. It was found that the CPM-5 has a dynamic CO2 adsorption capacity of 11.9 wt % (2.7 mmol/g) (corresponding to 8 mL/min, 298 K, and 25% v/v CO2). The tested CPM-5 showed an outstanding adsorption equilibrium capacity (e.g., 2.3 mmol/g (10.2 wt %) at 298 K) compared to other adsorbents, which can be considered as an attractive adsorbent for separation of CO2 from flue gas.

Intrinsic limits to gene regulation by global crosstalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedlander, Tamar; Prizak, Roshan; Guet, Calin; Barton, Nicholas H.; Tkacik, Gasper

Gene activity is mediated by the specificity of binding interactions between special proteins, called transcription factors, and short regulatory sequences on the DNA, where different protein species preferentially bind different DNA targets. Limited interaction specificity may lead to crosstalk: a regulatory state in which a gene is either incorrectly activated due to spurious interactions or remains erroneously inactive. Since each protein can potentially interact with numerous DNA targets, crosstalk is inherently a global problem, yet has previously not been studied as such. We construct a theoretical framework to analyze the effects of global crosstalk on gene regulation, using statistical mechanics. We find that crosstalk in regulatory interactions puts fundamental limits on the reliability of gene regulation that are not easily mitigated by tuning proteins concentrations or by complex regulatory schemes proposed in the literature. Our results suggest that crosstalk imposes a previously unexplored global constraint on the functioning and evolution of regulatory networks, which is qualitatively distinct from the known constraints that act at the level of individual gene regulatory elements. The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA Grant agreement Nr. 291734 (T.F.) and ERC Grant Nr. 250152 (N.B.).

Revisiting Street Intersections Using Slot-Based Systems.

PubMed

Tachet, Remi; Santi, Paolo; Sobolevsky, Stanislav; Reyes-Castro, Luis Ignacio; Frazzoli, Emilio; Helbing, Dirk; Ratti, Carlo

2016-01-01

Since their appearance at the end of the 19th century, traffic lights have been the primary mode of granting access to road intersections. Today, this centuries-old technology is challenged by advances in intelligent transportation, which are opening the way to new solutions built upon slot-based systems similar to those commonly used in aerial traffic: what we call Slot-based Intersections (SIs). Despite simulation-based evidence of the potential benefits of SIs, a comprehensive, analytical framework to compare their relative performance with traffic lights is still lacking. Here, we develop such a framework. We approach the problem in a novel way, by generalizing classical queuing theory. Having defined safety conditions, we characterize capacity and delay of SIs. In the 2-road crossing configuration, we provide a capacity-optimal SI management system. For arbitrary intersection configurations, near-optimal solutions are developed. Results theoretically show that transitioning from a traffic light system to SI has the potential of doubling capacity and significantly reducing delays. This suggests a reduction of non-linear dynamics induced by intersection bottlenecks, with positive impact on the road network. Such findings can provide transportation engineers and planners with crucial insights as they prepare to manage the transition towards a more intelligent transportation infrastructure in cities.

Testing Lorentz Symmetry with Lunar Laser Ranging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgoin, A.; Hees, A.; Bouquillon, S.; Le Poncin-Lafitte, C.; Francou, G.; Angonin, M.-C.

2016-12-01

Lorentz symmetry violations can be parametrized by an effective field theory framework that contains both general relativity and the standard model of particle physics called the standard-model extension (SME). We present new constraints on pure gravity SME coefficients obtained by analyzing lunar laser ranging (LLR) observations. We use a new numerical lunar ephemeris computed in the SME framework and we perform a LLR data analysis using a set of 20 721 normal points covering the period of August, 1969 to December, 2013. We emphasize that linear combination of SME coefficients to which LLR data are sensitive and not the same as those fitted in previous postfit residuals analysis using LLR observations and based on theoretical grounds. We found no evidence for Lorentz violation at the level of 10-8 for s¯T X, 10-12 for s¯X Y and s¯X Z, 10-11 for s¯X X-s¯Y Y and s¯X X+s¯Y Y-2 s¯Z Z-4.5 s¯Y Z, and 10-9 for s¯T Y+0.43 s¯T Z. We improve previous constraints on SME coefficient by a factor up to 5 and 800 compared to postfit residuals analysis of respectively binary pulsars and LLR observations.

A road map for integrating eco-evolutionary processes into biodiversity models.

PubMed

Thuiller, Wilfried; Münkemüller, Tamara; Lavergne, Sébastien; Mouillot, David; Mouquet, Nicolas; Schiffers, Katja; Gravel, Dominique

2013-05-01

The demand for projections of the future distribution of biodiversity has triggered an upsurge in modelling at the crossroads between ecology and evolution. Despite the enthusiasm around these so-called biodiversity models, most approaches are still criticised for not integrating key processes known to shape species ranges and community structure. Developing an integrative modelling framework for biodiversity distribution promises to improve the reliability of predictions and to give a better understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics of species and communities under changing environments. In this article, we briefly review some eco-evolutionary processes and interplays among them, which are essential to provide reliable projections of species distributions and community structure. We identify gaps in theory, quantitative knowledge and data availability hampering the development of an integrated modelling framework. We argue that model development relying on a strong theoretical foundation is essential to inspire new models, manage complexity and maintain tractability. We support our argument with an example of a novel integrated model for species distribution modelling, derived from metapopulation theory, which accounts for abiotic constraints, dispersal, biotic interactions and evolution under changing environmental conditions. We hope such a perspective will motivate exciting and novel research, and challenge others to improve on our proposed approach. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Expanding reproductive justice through a supportability reparative justice framework: the case of abortion in South Africa.

PubMed

Macleod, Catriona Ida

2018-04-03

Theoretical refinement of the concept of reproductive justice has been called for. In this paper, I propose the use of a supportability reparative justice approach. Drawing on intra-categorical intersectionality, the supportability aspect starts from the event of a pregnancy to unravel the interwoven embodied and social realities implicated in women experiencing pregnancy as personally supportable/unsupportable, and socially supported/unsupported. The reparative justice aspect highlights the need for social repair in the case of unsupportable pregnancies and relies on Ernesto Verdeja's critical theory of reparative justice in which he outlines four reparative dimensions. Using abortion within the South African context, I show how this framework may be put to use: (1) the facilitation of autonomous decision-making (individual material dimension) requires understanding women within context, and less emphasis on individual-driven 'choice'; (2) the provision of legal, safe state-sponsored healthcare resources (collective material dimension) demands political will and abortion service provision to be regarded as a moral as well as a healthcare priority; (3) overcoming stigma and the spoiled identities (collective symbolic dimension) requires significant feminist action to deconstruct negative discourses and to foreground positive narratives; and (4) understanding individual lived experiences (individual symbolic dimension) means deep listening within the social dynamics of particular contexts.

A Study on the Security Levels of Spread-Spectrum Embedding Schemes in the WOA Framework.

PubMed

Wang, Yuan-Gen; Zhu, Guopu; Kwong, Sam; Shi, Yun-Qing

2017-08-23

Security analysis is a very important issue for digital watermarking. Several years ago, according to Kerckhoffs' principle, the famous four security levels, namely insecurity, key security, subspace security, and stego-security, were defined for spread-spectrum (SS) embedding schemes in the framework of watermarked-only attack. However, up to now there has been little application of the definition of these security levels to the theoretical analysis of the security of SS embedding schemes, due to the difficulty of the theoretical analysis. In this paper, based on the security definition, we present a theoretical analysis to evaluate the security levels of five typical SS embedding schemes, which are the classical SS, the improved SS (ISS), the circular extension of ISS, the nonrobust and robust natural watermarking, respectively. The theoretical analysis of these typical SS schemes are successfully performed by taking advantage of the convolution of probability distributions to derive the probabilistic models of watermarked signals. Moreover, simulations are conducted to illustrate and validate our theoretical analysis. We believe that the theoretical and practical analysis presented in this paper can bridge the gap between the definition of the four security levels and its application to the theoretical analysis of SS embedding schemes.

Argumentation in Science Education: A Model-based Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böttcher, Florian; Meisert, Anke

2011-02-01

The goal of this article is threefold: First, the theoretical background for a model-based framework of argumentation to describe and evaluate argumentative processes in science education is presented. Based on the general model-based perspective in cognitive science and the philosophy of science, it is proposed to understand arguments as reasons for the appropriateness of a theoretical model which explains a certain phenomenon. Argumentation is considered to be the process of the critical evaluation of such a model if necessary in relation to alternative models. Secondly, some methodological details are exemplified for the use of a model-based analysis in the concrete classroom context. Third, the application of the approach in comparison with other analytical models will be presented to demonstrate the explicatory power and depth of the model-based perspective. Primarily, the framework of Toulmin to structurally analyse arguments is contrasted with the approach presented here. It will be demonstrated how common methodological and theoretical problems in the context of Toulmin's framework can be overcome through a model-based perspective. Additionally, a second more complex argumentative sequence will also be analysed according to the invented analytical scheme to give a broader impression of its potential in practical use.

Innovation adoption: a review of theories and constructs.

PubMed

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Chor, Ka Ho Brian; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; Horwitz, Sarah M

2014-07-01

Many theoretical frameworks seek to describe the dynamic process of the implementation of innovations. Little is known, however, about factors related to decisions to adopt innovations and how the likelihood of adoption of innovations can be increased. Using a narrative synthesis approach, this paper compared constructs theorized to be related to adoption of innovations proposed in existing theoretical frameworks in order to identify characteristics likely to increase adoption of innovations. The overall goal was to identify elements across adoption frameworks that are potentially modifiable and, thus, might be employed to improve the adoption of evidence-based practices. The review identified 20 theoretical frameworks that could be grouped into two broad categories: theories that mainly address the adoption process (N = 10) and theories that address adoption within the context of implementation, diffusion, dissemination, and/or sustainability (N = 10). Constructs of leadership, operational size and structure, innovation fit with norms and values, and attitudes/motivation toward innovations each are mentioned in at least half of the theories, though there were no consistent definitions of measures for these constructs. A lack of precise definitions and measurement of constructs suggests further work is needed to increase our understanding of adoption of innovations.

Innovation Adoption: A Review of Theories and Constructs

PubMed Central

Chor, Ka Ho Brian; Hoagwood, Kimberly E.; Horwitz, Sarah M.

2013-01-01

Many theoretical frameworks seek to describe the dynamic process of the implementation of innovations. Little is known, however, about factors related to decisions to adopt innovations and how the likelihood of adoption of innovations can be increased. Using a narrative synthesis approach, this paper compared constructs theorized to be related to adoption of innovations proposed in existing theoretical frameworks in order to identify characteristics likely to increase adoption of innovations. The overall goal was to identify elements across adoption frameworks that are potentially modifiable and, thus, might be employed to improve the adoption of evidence-based practices. The review identified 20 theoretical frameworks that could be grouped into two broad categories: theories that mainly address the adoption process (N = 10) and theories that address adoption within the context of implementation, diffusion, dissemination, and/or sustainability (N = 10). Constructs of leadership, operational size and structure, innovation fit with norms and values, and attitudes/motivation toward innovations each are mentioned in at least half of the theories, though there were no consistent definitions of measures for these constructs. A lack of precise definitions and measurement of constructs suggests further work is needed to increase our understanding of adoption of innovations. PMID:23549911

Developing a theoretical framework to illustrate associations among patient satisfaction, body image and quality of life for women undergoing breast reconstruction.

PubMed

Fingeret, Michelle Cororve; Nipomnick, Summer W; Crosby, Melissa A; Reece, Gregory P

2013-10-01

Within the field of breast reconstruction there is increasing focus on patient-reported outcomes related to satisfaction, body image, and quality of life. These outcomes are deemed highly relevant because the primary goal of breast reconstruction is to recreate the appearance of a breast (or breasts) that is satisfying to the patient. Prominent researchers have suggested the need to develop improved standards for outcome evaluation which can ultimately benefit patients as well as physicians. The purpose of this article is to summarize key findings in the area of patient-reported outcomes for breast reconstruction and introduce a theoretical framework for advancing research in this field. We conducted an extensive literature review of outcome studies for breast reconstruction focusing on patient-reported results. We developed a theoretical framework illustrating core patient-reported outcomes related to breast reconstruction and factors associated with these outcomes. Our theoretical model highlights domains and distinguishing features of patient satisfaction, body image, and quality of life outcomes for women undergoing breast reconstruction. This model further identifies a broad range of variables (e.g., historical/premorbid influences, disease and treatment-related factors) that have been found to influence patient-reported outcomes and need to be taken into consideration when designing future research in this area. Additional attention is given to examining the relationship between patient reported outcomes and outside evaluation of breast reconstruction. Our proposed theoretical framework suggests key opportunities to expand research in this area with the goal of optimizing body image adjustment, satisfaction, and psychosocial outcomes for the individual patient. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived barriers to reporting adverse drug events in hospitals: a qualitative study using theoretical domains framework approach.

PubMed

Mirbaha, Fariba; Shalviri, Gloria; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Gholami, Kheirollah; Majdzadeh, Reza

2015-08-07

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a major source of morbidity and mortality, estimated as the forth to sixth cause of annual deaths in the USA. Spontaneous reporting of suspected ADEs by health care professionals to a national pharmacovigilance system is recognized as a useful method to detect and reduce harm from medicines; however, underreporting is a major drawback. Understanding the barriers to ADE reporting and thereafter design of interventions to increase ADE reporting requires a systematic approach and use of theory. Since multiple theories in behavior change exist that may have conceptually overlapping constructs, a group of experts suggested an integrative framework called theoretical domains framework (TDF). This approach considers a set of 12 domains, came from 33 theories and 128 constructs, covering the main factors influencing practitioner behavior and barriers to behavior change. The aim of this study is to apply TDF approach to establish an evidence-based understanding of barriers associated with ADE reporting among nurses and pharmacists. A total of three focus group discussions were conducted; among them two consisted of nurses and one involved pharmacists. Discussions were guided by questions designed based on TDF. Transcriptions of discussions were then thematically analyzed, and detected barriers to reporting ADEs were categorized based on extracted themes. A total of 34 nurses and pharmacists attended the group discussions. Six domains were identified to be relevant to barriers of ADE reporting in hospitals. These domains included "Knowledge," "Skills," "Beliefs about consequences," "Motivation and goals (intention)," "Social influences (norms)," and "Environmental constraints." We detected several barriers to ADE reporting, such as lack of knowledge of what should be reported, fear of punishment and criticism, lack of time, lack of teamwork, and lack of active support by hospital managements and other colleagues. Based on detected barriers, "Cognitive and behavioral factors," "Motivational factors and teamwork," in addition to "Organizational processes and resources" could be targeted in designing appropriate interventions. Detection of barriers to reporting ADEs is necessary to design appropriate interventions. The TDF is a comprehensive approach that enables us to better understand barriers to behavior change in reporting ADEs.

Understanding the amplitudes of noise correlation measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tsai, Victor C.

2011-01-01

Cross correlation of ambient seismic noise is known to result in time series from which station-station travel-time measurements can be made. Part of the reason that these cross-correlation travel-time measurements are reliable is that there exists a theoretical framework that quantifies how these travel times depend on the features of the ambient noise. However, corresponding theoretical results do not currently exist to describe how the amplitudes of the cross correlation depend on such features. For example, currently it is not possible to take a given distribution of noise sources and calculate the cross correlation amplitudes one would expect from such a distribution. Here, we provide a ray-theoretical framework for calculating cross correlations. This framework differs from previous work in that it explicitly accounts for attenuation as well as the spatial distribution of sources and therefore can address the issue of quantifying amplitudes in noise correlation measurements. After introducing the general framework, we apply it to two specific problems. First, we show that we can quantify the amplitudes of coherency measurements, and find that the decay of coherency with station-station spacing depends crucially on the distribution of noise sources. We suggest that researchers interested in performing attenuation measurements from noise coherency should first determine how the dominant sources of noise are distributed. Second, we show that we can quantify the signal-to-noise ratio of noise correlations more precisely than previous work, and that these signal-to-noise ratios can be estimated for given situations prior to the deployment of seismometers. It is expected that there are applications of the theoretical framework beyond the two specific cases considered, but these applications await future work.

Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework.

PubMed

Loucks, Eric B; Schuman-Olivier, Zev; Britton, Willoughby B; Fresco, David M; Desbordes, Gaelle; Brewer, Judson A; Fulwiler, Carl

2015-12-01

The purpose of this review is to provide (1) a synopsis on relations of mindfulness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major CVD risk factors, and (2) an initial consensus-based overview of mechanisms and theoretical framework by which mindfulness might influence CVD. Initial evidence, often of limited methodological quality, suggests possible impacts of mindfulness on CVD risk factors including physical activity, smoking, diet, obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes regulation. Plausible mechanisms include (1) improved attention control (e.g., ability to hold attention on experiences related to CVD risk, such as smoking, diet, physical activity, and medication adherence), (2) emotion regulation (e.g., improved stress response, self-efficacy, and skills to manage craving for cigarettes, palatable foods, and sedentary activities), and (3) self-awareness (e.g., self-referential processing and awareness of physical sensations due to CVD risk factors). Understanding mechanisms and theoretical framework should improve etiologic knowledge, providing customized mindfulness intervention targets that could enable greater mindfulness intervention efficacy.

System Theoretic Frameworks for Mitigating Risk Complexity in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

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

Williams, Adam David; Mohagheghi, Amir H.; Cohn, Brian

In response to the expansion of nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) activities -- and the associated suite of risks -- around the world, this project evaluated systems-based solutions for managing such risk complexity in multimodal and multi-jurisdictional international spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation. By better understanding systemic risks in SNF transportation, developing SNF transportation risk assessment frameworks, and evaluating these systems-based risk assessment frameworks, this research illustrated interdependency between safety, security, and safeguards risks is inherent in NFC activities and can go unidentified when each "S" is independently evaluated. Two novel system-theoretic analysis techniques -- dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (DPRA) andmore » system-theoretic process analysis (STPA) -- provide integrated "3S" analysis to address these interdependencies and the research results suggest a need -- and provide a way -- to reprioritize United States engagement efforts to reduce global nuclear risks. Lastly, this research identifies areas where Sandia National Laboratories can spearhead technical advances to reduce global nuclear dangers.« less

Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework

PubMed Central

Schuman-Olivier, Zev; Britton, Willoughby B.; Fresco, David M.; Desbordes, Gaelle; Brewer, Judson A.; Fulwiler, Carl

2016-01-01

The purpose of this review is to provide (1) a synopsis on relations of mindfulness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major CVD risk factors, and (2) an initial consensus-based overview of mechanisms and theoretical framework by which mindfulness might influence CVD. Initial evidence, often of limited methodological quality, suggests possible impacts of mindfulness on CVD risk factors including physical activity, smoking, diet, obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes regulation. Plausible mechanisms include (1) improved attention control (e.g., ability to hold attention on experiences related to CVD risk, such as smoking, diet, physical activity, and medication adherence), (2) emotion regulation (e.g., improved stress response, self-efficacy, and skills to manage craving for cigarettes, palatable foods, and sedentary activities), and (3) self-awareness (e.g., self-referential processing and awareness of physical sensations due to CVD risk factors). Understanding mechanisms and theoretical framework should improve etiologic knowledge, providing customized mindfulness intervention targets that could enable greater mindfulness intervention efficacy. PMID:26482755

A Theoretical Framework for the Studio as a Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Carol B.; Cennamo, Katherine; Douglas, Sarah; Vernon, Mitzi; McGrath, Margarita; Reimer, Yolanda

2013-01-01

In this article we describe a holistic, ecological framework that takes into account the surface structures and pedagogical approaches in the studio and how these elements are connected to the construction of design knowledge: epistemology. In our development of this framework, we came to understand how disciplinary underpinnings and academic…

Internationalization, Globalization and Relationship Networks as an Epistemological Framework Based on Comparative Studies in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García, Amelia Molina; Lara, José Luis Horacio Andrade

2016-01-01

In this paper we present some thoughts on the epistemological framework of comparative studies in education. We present some concepts on the internationalization, globalization and inter-relation networks, based on Jürgen Schriewer, Immanuel Wallerstein, and Norbert Elias's theoretical concepts. These reflections were built within the framework of…

Pubertal Timing, Depression, and Externalizing Problems: A Framework, Review, and Examination of Gender Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Negriff, Sonya; Susman, Elizabeth J.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this report is to synthesize the existing literature on pubertal timing and (a) depression and (b) externalizing behavior within a theoretical framework of risks, transitions, and psychological development during adolescence. This review first proposes a framework for considering pubertal timing and maladaptive behavior. Next, the…

Learning and Motivation in Multiple Contexts: The Development of a Heuristic Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wosnitza, Marold; Beltman, Susan

2012-01-01

This paper presents the development of a heuristic framework that integrates three aspects of context (perspective, content and level) from a number of established theoretical approaches. In this framework, context is viewed from different perspectives (subjective and objective), it comprises different contents (physical, social and formal) and it…

A Framework for Studying Minority Youths' Transitions to Fatherhood: The Case of Puerto Rican Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erkut, Sumru; Szalacha, Laura A.; Coll, Cynthia Garcia

2005-01-01

A theoretical framework is proposed for studying minority young men's involvement with their babies that combines the integrative model of minority youth development and a life course developmental perspective with Lamb's revised four-factor model of father involvement. This framework posits a relationship between demographic and family background…

Flower Power: The Armoured Expert in the CanMEDS Competency Framework?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Cynthia R.; Austin, Zubin; Hodges, Brian D.

2011-01-01

Competency frameworks based on roles definitions are currently being used extensively in health professions education internationally. One of the most successful and widely used models is the CanMEDS Roles Framework. The medical literature has raised questions about both the theoretical underpinnings and the practical application of outcomes-based…

A Theoretical Framework of the Relation between Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Gigi

2014-01-01

A socio-psychological analytical framework will be adopted to illuminate the relation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. The framework puts the emphasis to incorporate micro familial factors into macro factor of the tracking system. Initially, children of the poor families always lack major prerequisite: diminution of cognitive…

Synthesizing Middle Grades Research on Cultural Responsiveness: The Importance of a Shared Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Brianna L.; Brinegar, Kathleen; Hurd, Ellis; Harrison, Lisa

2016-01-01

In conducting a literature review of 133 articles on cultural responsiveness in middle level education, we identified a lack of shared definitions, theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and foci, which made it difficult to synthesize across articles. Using a conceptual framework that required: a) clear definitions of terms; b) a…

Assessing Students' Understandings of Biological Models and Their Use in Science to Evaluate a Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grünkorn, Juliane; Upmeier zu Belzen, Annette; Krüger, Dirk

2014-01-01

Research in the field of students' understandings of models and their use in science describes different frameworks concerning these understandings. Currently, there is no conjoint framework that combines these structures and so far, no investigation has focused on whether it reflects students' understandings sufficiently (empirical evaluation).…

Goal setting and action planning in the rehabilitation setting: development of a theoretically informed practice framework.

PubMed

Scobbie, Lesley; Dixon, Diane; Wyke, Sally

2011-05-01

Setting and achieving goals is fundamental to rehabilitation practice but has been criticized for being a-theoretical and the key components of replicable goal-setting interventions are not well established. To describe the development of a theory-based goal setting practice framework for use in rehabilitation settings and to detail its component parts. Causal modelling was used to map theories of behaviour change onto the process of setting and achieving rehabilitation goals, and to suggest the mechanisms through which patient outcomes are likely to be affected. A multidisciplinary task group developed the causal model into a practice framework for use in rehabilitation settings through iterative discussion and implementation with six patients. Four components of a goal-setting and action-planning practice framework were identified: (i) goal negotiation, (ii) goal identification, (iii) planning, and (iv) appraisal and feedback. The variables hypothesized to effect change in patient outcomes were self-efficacy and action plan attainment. A theory-based goal setting practice framework for use in rehabilitation settings is described. The framework requires further development and systematic evaluation in a range of rehabilitation settings.

The comparative risk assessment framework and tools (CRAFT)

Treesearch

Southern Research Station USDA Forest Service

2010-01-01

To help address these challenges, the USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC) and the University of North Carolina Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC) designed a planning framework, called the Comparative Risk Assessment Framework and Tools (CRAFT). CRAFT is...

A Framework for Analysis of Case Studies of Reading Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlisle, Joanne F.; Kelcey, Ben; Rosaen, Cheryl; Phelps, Geoffrey; Vereb, Anita

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on the development and study of a framework to provide direction and guidance for practicing teachers in using a web-based case studies program for professional development in early reading; the program is called Case Studies Reading Lessons (CSRL). The framework directs and guides teachers' analysis of reading instruction by…

Safe, Positive and Queering Moments in Teaching Education and Schooling: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Tara; Russell, Vanessa; Daley, Andrea

2007-01-01

This article introduces a conceptual framework for thinking about the development of anti-homophobia education in teacher education and schooling contexts. We bring the safe, positive, and queering moments framework to bear on three distinct anti-homophobia education practices: coming out stories, homophobic name-calling analysis, and Pride Week…

"Globalized public health." A transdisciplinary comprehensive framework for analyzing contemporary globalization's influences on the field of public health.

PubMed

Lapaige, Véronique

2009-01-01

The current phase of globalization represents a "double-edged sword" challenge facing public health practitioners and health policy makers. The first "edge" throws light on two constructs in the field of public health: global health (formerly international health) and globalized public health. The second "edge" is that of global governance, and raises the question, "how can we construct public health regulations that adequately respond to both global and local complexities related to the two constructs mentioned earlier (global health and globalized public health)?" The two constructs call for the development of norms that will assure sustained population-wide health improvement and these two constructs have their own conceptual tools and theoretical models that permit a better understanding of them. In this paper, we introduce the "globalized public health" construct and we present an interactive comprehensive framework for critically analyzing contemporary globalization's influences on the field of public health. "Globalized public health", simultaneously a theoretical model and a conceptual framework, concerns the transformation of the field of public health in the sociohistorical context of globalization. The model is the fruit of an original theoretical research study conducted from 2005 to 2008 ("contextualized research," Gibbons' Mode II of knowledge production), founded on a QUAL-quant sequential mixed-method design. This research also reflects our political and ideological position, fuelled with aspirations of social democracy and cosmopolitical values. It is profoundly anchored in the pragmatic approach to globalization, looking to "reconcile" the market and equity. The model offers several features to users: (1) it is transdisciplinary; (2) it is interactive (CD-ROM); (3) it is nonlinear (nonlinear interrelations between the contextual globalization and the field of public health); (4) it is synchronic/diachronic (a double-crossed perspective permits analysis of global social change, the emergence of global agency and the transmutation of the field of public health, in the full complexity of their nonlinear interaction); (5) it offers five characteristics as an auto-eco-organized system of social interactions, or dynamic, nonlinear sociohistorical system. The model features a visual interface (five interrelated figures), a structure of 30 "integrator concepts" that integrates 114 other element-parts via 1,300 hypertext links. The model is both a knowledge translation tool and an interactive heuristic guide designed for practitioners and researchers in public health/community health/population health, as well as for decision-makers at all levels.

“Globalized public health.” A transdisciplinary comprehensive framework for analyzing contemporary globalization’s influences on the field of public health

PubMed Central

Lapaige, Véronique

2009-01-01

The current phase of globalization represents a “double-edged sword” challenge facing public health practitioners and health policy makers. The first “edge” throws light on two constructs in the field of public health: global health (formerly international health) and globalized public health. The second “edge” is that of global governance, and raises the question, “how can we construct public health regulations that adequately respond to both global and local complexities related to the two constructs mentioned earlier (global health and globalized public health)?” The two constructs call for the development of norms that will assure sustained population-wide health improvement and these two constructs have their own conceptual tools and theoretical models that permit a better understanding of them. In this paper, we introduce the “globalized public health” construct and we present an interactive comprehensive framework for critically analyzing contemporary globalization’s influences on the field of public health. “Globalized public health”, simultaneously a theoretical model and a conceptual framework, concerns the transformation of the field of public health in the sociohistorical context of globalization. The model is the fruit of an original theoretical research study conducted from 2005 to 2008 (“contextualized research,” Gibbons’ Mode II of knowledge production), founded on a QUAL-quant sequential mixed-method design. This research also reflects our political and ideological position, fuelled with aspirations of social democracy and cosmopolitical values. It is profoundly anchored in the pragmatic approach to globalization, looking to “reconcile” the market and equity. The model offers several features to users: (1) it is transdisciplinary; (2) it is interactive (CD-ROM); (3) it is nonlinear (nonlinear interrelations between the contextual globalization and the field of public health); (4) it is synchronic/diachronic (a double-crossed perspective permits analysis of global social change, the emergence of global agency and the transmutation of the field of public health, in the full complexity of their nonlinear interaction); (5) it offers five characteristics as an auto-eco-organized system of social interactions, or dynamic, nonlinear sociohistorical system. The model features a visual interface (five interrelated figures), a structure of 30 “integrator concepts” that integrates 114 other element-parts via 1,300 hypertext links. The model is both a knowledge translation tool and an interactive heuristic guide designed for practitioners and researchers in public health/community health/population health, as well as for decision-makers at all levels. PMID:22312210

How Does Sexual Minority Stigma “Get Under the Skin”? A Psychological Mediation Framework

PubMed Central

Hatzenbuehler, Mark L.

2009-01-01

Sexual minorities are at increased risk for multiple mental health burdens compared to heterosexuals. The field has identified two distinct determinants of this risk, including group-specific minority stressors and general psychological processes that are common across sexual orientations. The goal of the present paper is to develop a theoretical framework that integrates the important insights from these literatures. The framework postulates that (a) sexual minorities confront increased stress exposure resulting from stigma; (b) this stigma-related stress creates elevations in general emotion dysregulation, social/interpersonal problems, and cognitive processes conferring risk for psychopathology; and (c) these processes in turn mediate the relationship between stigma-related stress and psychopathology. It is argued that this framework can, theoretically, illuminate how stigma adversely affects mental health and, practically, inform clinical interventions. Evidence for the predictive validity of this framework is reviewed, with particular attention paid to illustrative examples from research on depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. PMID:19702379

A framework for designing and analyzing binary decision-making strategies in cellular systems†

PubMed Central

Porter, Joshua R.; Andrews, Burton W.; Iglesias, Pablo A.

2015-01-01

Cells make many binary (all-or-nothing) decisions based on noisy signals gathered from their environment and processed through noisy decision-making pathways. Reducing the effect of noise to improve the fidelity of decision-making comes at the expense of increased complexity, creating a tradeoff between performance and metabolic cost. We present a framework based on rate distortion theory, a branch of information theory, to quantify this tradeoff and design binary decision-making strategies that balance low cost and accuracy in optimal ways. With this framework, we show that several observed behaviors of binary decision-making systems, including random strategies, hysteresis, and irreversibility, are optimal in an information-theoretic sense for various situations. This framework can also be used to quantify the goals around which a decision-making system is optimized and to evaluate the optimality of cellular decision-making systems by a fundamental information-theoretic criterion. As proof of concept, we use the framework to quantify the goals of the externally triggered apoptosis pathway. PMID:22370552

A theoretical framework for antigay aggression: Review of established and hypothesized effects within the context of the general aggression model⋆

PubMed Central

Parrott, Dominic J.

2008-01-01

Theory and research on antigay aggression has identified different motives that facilitate aggression based on sexual orientation. However, the individual and situational determinants of antigay aggression associated with these motivations have yet to be organized within a single theoretical framework. This limits researchers’ ability to organize existing knowledge, link that knowledge with related aggression theory, and guide the application of new findings. To address these limitations, this article argues for the use of an existing conceptual framework to guide thinking and generate new research in this area of study. Contemporary theories of antigay aggression, and empirical support for these theories, are reviewed and interpreted within the unifying framework of the general aggression model [Anderson, C.A. & Bushman, B.J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 27–51.]. It is concluded that this conceptual framework will facilitate investigation of individual and situational risk factors that may contribute to antigay aggression and guide development of individual-level intervention. PMID:18355952

Theoretical Framework for Integrating Distributed Energy Resources into Distribution Systems

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

Lian, Jianming; Wu, Di; Kalsi, Karanjit

This paper focuses on developing a novel theoretical framework for effective coordination and control of a large number of distributed energy resources in distribution systems in order to more reliably manage the future U.S. electric power grid under the high penetration of renewable generation. The proposed framework provides a systematic view of the overall structure of the future distribution systems along with the underlying information flow, functional organization, and operational procedures. It is characterized by the features of being open, flexible and interoperable with the potential to support dynamic system configuration. Under the proposed framework, the energy consumption of variousmore » DERs is coordinated and controlled in a hierarchical way by using market-based approaches. The real-time voltage control is simultaneously considered to complement the real power control in order to keep nodal voltages stable within acceptable ranges during real time. In addition, computational challenges associated with the proposed framework are also discussed with recommended practices.« less

A framework for analyzing interdisciplinary tasks: implications for student learning and curricular design.

PubMed

Gouvea, Julia Svoboda; Sawtelle, Vashti; Geller, Benjamin D; Turpen, Chandra

2013-06-01

The national conversation around undergraduate science instruction is calling for increased interdisciplinarity. As these calls increase, there is a need to consider the learning objectives of interdisciplinary science courses and how to design curricula to support those objectives. We present a framework that can help support interdisciplinary design research. We developed this framework in an introductory physics for life sciences majors (IPLS) course for which we designed a series of interdisciplinary tasks that bridge physics and biology. We illustrate how this framework can be used to describe the variation in the nature and degree of interdisciplinary interaction in tasks, to aid in redesigning tasks to better align with interdisciplinary learning objectives, and finally, to articulate design conjectures that posit how different characteristics of these tasks might support or impede interdisciplinary learning objectives. This framework will be useful for both curriculum designers and education researchers seeking to understand, in more concrete terms, what interdisciplinary learning means and how integrated science curricula can be designed to support interdisciplinary learning objectives.

A Framework for Analyzing Interdisciplinary Tasks: Implications for Student Learning and Curricular Design

PubMed Central

Gouvea, Julia Svoboda; Sawtelle, Vashti; Geller, Benjamin D.; Turpen, Chandra

2013-01-01

The national conversation around undergraduate science instruction is calling for increased interdisciplinarity. As these calls increase, there is a need to consider the learning objectives of interdisciplinary science courses and how to design curricula to support those objectives. We present a framework that can help support interdisciplinary design research. We developed this framework in an introductory physics for life sciences majors (IPLS) course for which we designed a series of interdisciplinary tasks that bridge physics and biology. We illustrate how this framework can be used to describe the variation in the nature and degree of interdisciplinary interaction in tasks, to aid in redesigning tasks to better align with interdisciplinary learning objectives, and finally, to articulate design conjectures that posit how different characteristics of these tasks might support or impede interdisciplinary learning objectives. This framework will be useful for both curriculum designers and education researchers seeking to understand, in more concrete terms, what interdisciplinary learning means and how integrated science curricula can be designed to support interdisciplinary learning objectives. PMID:23737627

Virtual shelves in a digital library: a framework for access to networked information sources.

PubMed

Patrick, T B; Springer, G K; Mitchell, J A; Sievert, M E

1995-01-01

Develop a framework for collections-based access to networked information sources that addresses the problem of location-dependent access to information sources. This framework uses a metaphor of a virtual shelf. A virtual shelf is a general-purpose server that is dedicated to a particular information subject class. The identifier of one of these servers identifies its subject class. Location-independent call numbers are assigned to information sources. Call numbers are based on standard vocabulary codes. The call numbers are first mapped to the location-independent identifiers of virtual shelves. When access to an information resource is required, a location directory provides a second mapping of these location-independent server identifiers to actual network locations. The framework has been implemented in two different systems. One system is based on the Open System Foundation/Distributed Computing Environment and the other is based on the World Wide Web. This framework applies in new ways traditional methods of library classification and cataloging. It is compatible with two traditional styles of selecting information searching and browsing. Traditional methods may be combined with new paradigms of information searching that will be able to take advantage of the special properties of digital information. Cooperation between the library-informational science community and the informatics community can provide a means for a continuing application of the knowledge and techniques of library science to the new problems of networked information sources.

Can a theoretical framework help to embed alcohol screening and brief interventions in an endoscopy day-unit?

PubMed

O'Neill, G; Masson, S; Bewick, L; Doyle, J; McGovern, R; Stoker, E; Wright, H; Newbury-Birch, D

2016-01-01

The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence recommend that alcohol screening and brief intervention (ASBI) should be routinely implemented in secondary care. This study used theoretical frameworks to understand how health professionals can be supported to adapt their behaviour and clinical practice. Staff training and support was conducted using theoretical frameworks. A 12-week study, delivering ASBI was carried out as part of routine practice in an endoscopy day-unit. Anonymised patient data were collected using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tool (AUDIT) and whether patients received a brief intervention. Staff completed the Shortened Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perceptions Questionnaire at three time points and took part in a focus group both pre and post study. For staff, levels or role adequacy, role legitimacy, motivation to discuss alcohol, security in their role, job satisfaction and commitment to working with patients who drink increased during the time of the study. 1598 individual patients were seen in the department in the timeframe. Of these, 1180 patients were approached (74%); 18% (n=207) of patients were AUDIT positive. This study has shown that it is possible to reach a high number of patients in a busy hospital out-patient department and deliver ASBI by working with staff using theoretical frameworks for training. Embedding evidence-based public health interventions into routine clinical environments is complex. The social system in which professionals operate requires consideration alongside individual professionals' real and perceived barriers and facilitators to change.

Adopting the sensemaking perspective for chronic disease self-management.

PubMed

Mamykina, Lena; Smaldone, Arlene M; Bakken, Suzanne R

2015-08-01

Self-monitoring is an integral component of many chronic diseases; however few theoretical frameworks address how individuals understand self-monitoring data and use it to guide self-management. To articulate a theoretical framework of sensemaking in diabetes self-management that integrates existing scholarship with empirical data. The proposed framework is grounded in theories of sensemaking adopted from organizational behavior, education, and human-computer interaction. To empirically validate the framework the researchers reviewed and analyzed reports on qualitative studies of diabetes self-management practices published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2015. The proposed framework distinguishes between sensemaking and habitual modes of self-management and identifies three essential sensemaking activities: perception of new information related to health and wellness, development of inferences that inform selection of actions, and carrying out daily activities in response to new information. The analysis of qualitative findings from 50 published reports provided ample empirical evidence for the proposed framework; however, it also identified a number of barriers to engaging in sensemaking in diabetes self-management. The proposed framework suggests new directions for research in diabetes self-management and for design of new informatics interventions for data-driven self-management. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Argumentation, critical thinking, nature of science and socioscientific issues: a dialogue between two researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoubian, Hagop A.; Khishfe, Rola

2018-05-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast between two theoretical frameworks for addressing nature of science (NOS) and socioscientific issues (SSI) in school science. These frameworks are critical thinking (CT) and argumentation (AR). For the past years, the first and second authors of this paper have pursued research in this area using CT and AR as theoretical frameworks, respectively. Yacoubian argues that future citizens need to develop a critical mindset as they are guided to (1) practice making judgments on what views of NOS to acquire and (2) practice making decisions on SSI through applying their NOS understandings. Khishfe asserts that AR is an important component of decision making when dealing with SSI and the practice in AR in relation to controversial issues is needed for informed decision making. She argues that AR as a framework may assist in the development of more informed understandings of NOS. In this paper, the authors delve into a dialogue for (1) elucidating strengths and potential of each framework, (2) highlighting challenges that they face in their research using the frameworks in question, (3) exploring the extent to which the frameworks can overlap, and (4) proposing directions for future research.

Stakeholder influence in public sector information systems strategy implementation-The case of public hospitals in South Africa.

PubMed

Hwabamungu, Boroto; Brown, Irwin; Williams, Quentin

2018-01-01

Recent literature on organisational strategy has called for greater emphasis on individuals (stakeholders) and what they do in the process of strategizing. Public sector organisations have to engage with an array of heterogeneous stakeholders in fulfilling their mandate. The public health sector in particular needs to engage with a diversity of stakeholders at local, regional and national levels when strategising. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of stakeholder relations on the implementation of Information Systems (IS) strategy in public hospitals in South Africa. An interpretive approach using two provinces was employed. The Activity Analysis and Development (ActAD) framework, an enhanced form of activity theory, was used as the theoretical framework. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, meetings, documents analysis, physical artefacts and observation. The collected data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that IS strategy implementation in public hospitals involves a large and complex network of stakeholder groups at different levels, and over different time periods. These stakeholder groups act in accordance with formal and informal roles, rules and modalities. Various contextual conditions together with the actions of, and interactions between stakeholder groups give rise to the situationality of stakeholder relations dynamics and strategy implementation. The multiple actions and interactions over time lead to the realisation of some aspects of the IS strategy in public hospitals. Given the complexity and dynamism of the context there are also certain unplanned implementations as well. These relationships are captured in a Stakeholder Relations Influence (SRI) framework. The SRI framework can be assistive in the assessment and mapping of stakeholders and stakeholder relations, and the assessment of the implications of these relations for effective IS strategy implementation in public hospitals. The framework can also provide the basis for the development of appropriate corrective measures in the implementation of strategies and policies in public institutions such as public hospitals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale genetic dynamic modelling II: application to synthetic biology: an algorithmic Markov chain based approach.

PubMed

Kirkilionis, Markus; Janus, Ulrich; Sbano, Luca

2011-09-01

We model in detail a simple synthetic genetic clock that was engineered in Atkinson et al. (Cell 113(5):597-607, 2003) using Escherichia coli as a host organism. Based on this engineered clock its theoretical description uses the modelling framework presented in Kirkilionis et al. (Theory Biosci. doi: 10.1007/s12064-011-0125-0 , 2011, this volume). The main goal of this accompanying article was to illustrate that parts of the modelling process can be algorithmically automatised once the model framework we called 'average dynamics' is accepted (Sbano and Kirkilionis, WMI Preprint 7/2007, 2008c; Kirkilionis and Sbano, Adv Complex Syst 13(3):293-326, 2010). The advantage of the 'average dynamics' framework is that system components (especially in genetics) can be easier represented in the model. In particular, if once discovered and characterised, specific molecular players together with their function can be incorporated. This means that, for example, the 'gene' concept becomes more clear, for example, in the way the genetic component would react under different regulatory conditions. Using the framework it has become a realistic aim to link mathematical modelling to novel tools of bioinformatics in the future, at least if the number of regulatory units can be estimated. This should hold in any case in synthetic environments due to the fact that the different synthetic genetic components are simply known (Elowitz and Leibler, Nature 403(6767):335-338, 2000; Gardner et al., Nature 403(6767):339-342, 2000; Hasty et al., Nature 420(6912):224-230, 2002). The paper illustrates therefore as a necessary first step how a detailed modelling of molecular interactions with known molecular components leads to a dynamic mathematical model that can be compared to experimental results on various levels or scales. The different genetic modules or components are represented in different detail by model variants. We explain how the framework can be used for investigating other more complex genetic systems in terms of regulation and feedback.

Multistage Complexity in Language Proficiency Assessment: A Framework for Aligning Theoretical Perspectives, Test Development, and Psychometrics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luecht, Richard M.

2003-01-01

This article contends that the necessary links between constructs and test scores/decisions in language assessment must be established through principled design procedures that align three models: (1) a theoretical construct model; (2) a test development model; and (3) a psychometric scoring model. The theoretical construct model articulates the…

A Model of Resource Allocation in Public School Districts: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Jay G.

This paper formulates a comprehensive model of resource allocation in a local public school district. The theoretical framework specified could be applied equally well to any number of local public social service agencies. Section 1 develops the theoretical model describing the process of resource allocation. This involves the determination of the…

Towards a Theoretical Framework for the Comparative Understanding of Globalisation, Higher Education, the Labour Market and Inequality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupfer, Antonia

2011-01-01

This paper is a theoretical examination of three major empirical trends that affect many people: globalisation, increasingly close relations between higher education (HE) and labour markets, and increasing social inequality. Its aim is to identify key theoretical resources and their contribution to the development of a comparative theoretical…

Framing new research in science literacy and language use: Authenticity, multiple discourses, and the Third Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, Carolyn S.

2004-11-01

This article presents a theoretical framework in the form of a model on which to base research in scientific literacy and language use. The assumption guiding the framework is that scientific literacy is comprised of the abilities to think metacognitively, to read and write scientific texts, and to apply the elements of a scientific argument. The framework is composed of three theoretical constructs: authenticity, multiple discourses, and Bhabha's Third Space. Some of the implications of the framework are that students need opportunities to (a) use scientific language in everyday situations; (b) negotiate readily among the many discourse genres of science; and (c) collaborate with teachers and peers on the meaning of scientific language. These ideas are illustrated with data excerpts from contemporary research studies. A set of potential research issues for the future is posed at the end of the article.

Possibility of designing catalysts beyond the traditional volcano curve: a theoretical framework for multi-phase surfaces.

PubMed

Wang, Ziyun; Wang, Hai-Feng; Hu, P

2015-10-01

The current theory of catalyst activity in heterogeneous catalysis is mainly obtained from the study of catalysts with mono-phases, while most catalysts in real systems consist of multi-phases, the understanding of which is far short of chemists' expectation. Density functional theory (DFT) and micro-kinetics simulations are used to investigate the activities of six mono-phase and nine bi-phase catalysts, using CO hydrogenation that is arguably the most typical reaction in heterogeneous catalysis. Excellent activities that are beyond the activity peak of traditional mono-phase volcano curves are found on some bi-phase surfaces. By analyzing these results, a new framework to understand the unexpected activities of bi-phase surfaces is proposed. Based on the framework, several principles for the design of multi-phase catalysts are suggested. The theoretical framework extends the traditional catalysis theory to understand more complex systems.

Moles: Tool-Assisted Environment Isolation with Closures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Halleux, Jonathan; Tillmann, Nikolai

Isolating test cases from environment dependencies is often desirable, as it increases test reliability and reduces test execution time. However, code that calls non-virtual methods or consumes sealed classes is often impossible to test in isolation. Moles is a new lightweight framework which addresses this problem. For any .NET method, Moles allows test-code to provide alternative implementations, given as .NET delegates, for which C# provides very concise syntax while capturing local variables in a closure object. Using code instrumentation, the Moles framework will redirect calls to provided delegates instead of the original methods. The Moles framework is designed to work together with the dynamic symbolic execution tool Pex to enable automated test generation. In a case study, testing code programmed against the Microsoft SharePoint Foundation API, we achieved full code coverage while running tests in isolation without an actual SharePoint server. The Moles framework integrates with .NET and Visual Studio.

Advancing patient safety: a framework for accountability and practical action.

PubMed

Wilson, N J; Hatlie, M J

2001-01-01

This article traces the development of the patient safety movement in healthcare from 1997 to the present. It reviews the findings and recommendations in the Institute of Medicine report on medical errors, which issued a call to action. Moving beyond the call to action requires aligning incentives, in both public and private sectors, consistent with complexity theory and the tenets of a systems approach to the reliable delivery of service in dynamic environments in which failure produces severe consequences. Because safety is a fundamental value of healthcare and has money-saving potential, it can be a powerful pathway forcultural change. Thisarticle explains a simple framework that requires alignment among stakeholder groups and communities. It recommends a practical problem-solving approach and explores the roles and responsibilities of each segment within the framework. Finally, it describes a VHA Inc. leadership initiative, based on the framework, to promote change within healthcare systems.

Reviews of theoretical frameworks: Challenges and judging the quality of theory application.

PubMed

Hean, Sarah; Anderson, Liz; Green, Chris; John, Carol; Pitt, Richard; O'Halloran, Cath

2016-06-01

Rigorous reviews of available information, from a range of resources, are required to support medical and health educators in their decision making. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of a review of theoretical frameworks specifically as a supplement to reviews that focus on a synthesis of the empirical evidence alone. Establishing a shared understanding of theory as a concept is highlighted as a challenge and some practical strategies to achieving this are presented. This article also introduces the concept of theoretical quality, arguing that a critique of how theory is applied should complement the methodological appraisal of the literature in a review. We illustrate the challenge of establishing a shared meaning of theory through reference to experiences of an on-going review of this kind conducted in the field of interprofessional education (IPE) and use a high scoring paper selected in this review to illustrate how theoretical quality can be assessed. In reaching a shared understanding of theory as a concept, practical strategies that promote experiential and practical ways of knowing are required in addition to more propositional ways of sharing knowledge. Concepts of parsimony, testability, operational adequacy and empirical adequacy are explored as concepts that establish theoretical quality. Reviews of theoretical frameworks used in medical education are required to inform educational practice. Review teams should make time and effort to reach a shared understanding of the term theory. Theory reviews, and reviews more widely, should add an assessment of theory application to the protocol of their review method.

Free-energy landscape of ion-channel voltage-sensor–domain activation

PubMed Central

Delemotte, Lucie; Kasimova, Marina A.; Klein, Michael L.; Tarek, Mounir; Carnevale, Vincenzo

2015-01-01

Voltage sensor domains (VSDs) are membrane-bound protein modules that confer voltage sensitivity to membrane proteins. VSDs sense changes in the transmembrane voltage and convert the electrical signal into a conformational change called activation. Activation involves a reorganization of the membrane protein charges that is detected experimentally as transient currents. These so-called gating currents have been investigated extensively within the theoretical framework of so-called discrete-state Markov models (DMMs), whereby activation is conceptualized as a series of transitions across a discrete set of states. Historically, the interpretation of DMM transition rates in terms of transition state theory has been instrumental in shaping our view of the activation process, whose free-energy profile is currently envisioned as composed of a few local minima separated by steep barriers. Here we use atomistic level modeling and well-tempered metadynamics to calculate the configurational free energy along a single transition from first principles. We show that this transition is intrinsically multidimensional and described by a rough free-energy landscape. Remarkably, a coarse-grained description of the system, based on the use of the gating charge as reaction coordinate, reveals a smooth profile with a single barrier, consistent with phenomenological models. Our results bridge the gap between microscopic and macroscopic descriptions of activation dynamics and show that choosing the gating charge as reaction coordinate masks the topological complexity of the network of microstates participating in the transition. Importantly, full characterization of the latter is a prerequisite to rationalize modulation of this process by lipids, toxins, drugs, and genetic mutations. PMID:25535341

Free-energy landscape of ion-channel voltage-sensor-domain activation.

PubMed

Delemotte, Lucie; Kasimova, Marina A; Klein, Michael L; Tarek, Mounir; Carnevale, Vincenzo

2015-01-06

Voltage sensor domains (VSDs) are membrane-bound protein modules that confer voltage sensitivity to membrane proteins. VSDs sense changes in the transmembrane voltage and convert the electrical signal into a conformational change called activation. Activation involves a reorganization of the membrane protein charges that is detected experimentally as transient currents. These so-called gating currents have been investigated extensively within the theoretical framework of so-called discrete-state Markov models (DMMs), whereby activation is conceptualized as a series of transitions across a discrete set of states. Historically, the interpretation of DMM transition rates in terms of transition state theory has been instrumental in shaping our view of the activation process, whose free-energy profile is currently envisioned as composed of a few local minima separated by steep barriers. Here we use atomistic level modeling and well-tempered metadynamics to calculate the configurational free energy along a single transition from first principles. We show that this transition is intrinsically multidimensional and described by a rough free-energy landscape. Remarkably, a coarse-grained description of the system, based on the use of the gating charge as reaction coordinate, reveals a smooth profile with a single barrier, consistent with phenomenological models. Our results bridge the gap between microscopic and macroscopic descriptions of activation dynamics and show that choosing the gating charge as reaction coordinate masks the topological complexity of the network of microstates participating in the transition. Importantly, full characterization of the latter is a prerequisite to rationalize modulation of this process by lipids, toxins, drugs, and genetic mutations.