Cooperative Learning at a Distance: An Experiment with Wikis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Katherine; Ellingson, Dee Ann

2010-01-01

The merits of incorporating group work into learning environments are well established. Online classes and other distance learning settings, however, can make it challenging to introduce traditional group projects. Wikis use technology to facilitate group work in distance learning settings. Wikis allow individuals in different locations to…

An Analysis of Small Group Interactions of Vietnamese Students under the Bourdieusian Theoretical Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Thanh; Pham, Lam

2018-01-01

Group work has been increasingly encouraged and applied in Vietnamese universities. However, very little has been known about how Vietnamese university students work in a group and what the conditions are that help establish an effective group. This study attempted to redress this gap. The research applied Bourdieu's social field theory to examine…

International Group Work Research: Guidelines in Cultural Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guth, Lorraine J.; Asner-Self, Kimberly K.

2017-01-01

This article offers 10 guidelines for conducting international group work research. These guidelines include the importance of establishing relationships, conducting a needs assessment, co-constructing the research questions/design, determining the approach, choosing culturally relevant instruments, choosing culturally responsive group…

ACHP | News | ACHP Chairman Nau Addresses National Congress of American

Science.gov Websites

Executive Working Group to continue in the next Administration. This working group was established by the organizations on federal historic preservation issues. It also has created a Native American Advisory Group (NAAG) with 13 members, 12 representing Indian tribes and one representing a Native Hawaiian

Comment Deadlines Established Regarding the LightSquared Technical Working Group Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-30

On June 30, 2011, LightSquared Subsidiary LLC (LightSquared) submitted a final report of the : technical working group co-chaired by LightSquared and the United States Global Positioning System : (GPS) Industry Council (USGIC)1 and organized in respo...

76 FR 39974 - Delegation by the Deputy Secretary of State Regarding Department Representation on the Investment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Delegation of Authority No. 337] Delegation by the Deputy Secretary of State Regarding Department Representation on the Investment Working Group Established by the SelectUSA Executive... Group established by the SelectUSA Executive Order of June 15, 2011. The Under Secretary or Assistant...

Becoming Stronger at Broken Places: A Model for Group Work with Young Adult from Divorced Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hage, Sally M.; Nosanow, Mia

2000-01-01

Describes a model for group work with young adults from divorced families using an 8-session psychoeducational group intervention. Goals include reducing isolation, establishing connectedness, and building a stronger sense of identify. By educating young adults on topics such as assertiveness, communication skills, and self-esteem, it will give…

It's Who You Work With: Effects of Workplace Shares of Nonstandard Employees and Women in Japan

PubMed Central

Yu, Wei-hsin

2015-01-01

Previous research on workplace composition has not addressed how the share of nonstandard employees affects individual workers' opportunities and well-being. Moreover, existing studies generally assume that the effect of a group's numerical representation is mediated through the group's relative power and status within establishments. This study asks whether workplace composition matters when the size of each social group has little impact on its relative status. Specifically, I examine the economic and psychological consequences of the proportions of nonstandard employees and women in Japanese workplaces, where both groups are typically secondary workers who lack power regardless of their relative size. The results indicate that working in establishments with modest proportions of nonstandard employees enhances individuals' wages and likelihood of promotion, but working in those with higher proportions is detrimental. Conversely, the greater the share of nonstandard employees in a workplace, the more likely all workers are to suffer psychologically. Workplace gender composition is also linked to Japanese workers' reported chances of promotion and life satisfaction, but it is relevant to fewer worker outcomes than employment-status composition. This analysis underscores the need to consider workplace demography, even if the power and status gaps between different social groups vary little with each group's share within establishments. In addition, the findings suggest that the global trend of increasing nonstandard work arrangements has a more extensive impact on disparities among workers than prior research implies. PMID:25983346

Work improvement factors for the amelioration of work ability, with a focus on individual capacity to deal with stress in an IT company.

PubMed

Ohta, Masanori; Higuchi, Yoshiyuki; Kumashiro, Masaharu; Yamato, Hiroshi; Sugimura, Hisamichi

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to explore factors that ameliorate work ability by focusing on workers' capacity to deal with stress.The subjects were 1,330 workers from the Japanese information technology (IT) sector. Each subject completed questionnaires in 2011 and 2012 that consisted of the work ability index (WAI), the three-item sense of coherence (SOC), and the Mental Health Improvement and Reinforcement Research of Recognition (MIRROR). The results of the WAI were also obtained in 2013. The median SOC score in 2011 was used to divide the subjects into two groups, the Low SOC group and the High SOC group, then we verified the factors that contributed to improved work ability in both of these groups over a two-year period. Results indicate that an improvement in work ability in the Low SOC group could be predicted by giving workers opportunities for education or training, by making efforts to reduce the stress of commuting, by clarifying their assignments, and by establishing support systems when troubles occur. For the High SOC group, such improvements could be predicted by giving workers job control, by giving education or training for the promotion of their abilities, and by establishing a system for assuming responsibility. In conclusion, improvements in the work environment can increase the work ability of Japanese IT workers in conformity with their capacity to deal with stress.

Distribution of authorship in a scientific work.

PubMed

Petroianu, Andy

2012-01-01

To publish became almost compulsory in Medicine. There is no doubt about the importance of publishing research, but the ordering of its authors is not easy. The lack of internationally accepted criteria led to the establishment of several groups or conventions particularized medical and scientific sectors. To present numerical method to establish rule of value to people who carried out the research, and whether or not incorporated as authors. The proposed score is based on the needs of each step when conducting a scientific work. They were divided into topics in which the main ones were: 1) scientific criteria for authorship; 2) create the idea that originated the work and develop hypotheses; 3) structure the method of work; 4) guiding the work; 5) write the manuscript; 6) coordinate the group that carried out the work; 7) reviewing the literature; 8) suggestions incorporated into the work; 9) to solve fundamental problems of labor; 10) to collect data; 11) presentation at scientific meetings; 12 ) lead the job and raise funds; 13) providing patients or material; 14) to do the routine needs; 15) specific fee to participate; 16) criteria for ranking the authors; 17) honorary author; 18) usurpation of the main authorship, 19) acknowledgments . It is important to emphasize that, to prevent major conflicts, the group that is willing to conduct a scientific work should establish at the outset, as objectively as possible, the criteria to be adopted for distribution of authorship. The subjective criteria here proposed avoid interference and prevent conflicts of interest.

Positive and Negative Reinforcement Effects on Behavior in a Three-Person Microsociety.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

Per-hour earning potential uas roughly equivalent among the groups. Prdr The consequences of ompletlng a work trip were varied to assess the effects ...31 abandoned his previously established pattern. These effects are attributable, at least In part, to the style of alternating work that the... working under aversive control. These effects suggest that the functional properties of work (C-.h. oonsequences) were far more significant to the group

Astrophysics at RIA (ARIA) Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Michael S.; Schatz, Hendrik; Timmes, Frank X.; Wiescher, Michael; Greife, Uwe

2006-07-01

The Astrophysics at RIA (ARIA) Working Group has been established to develop and promote the nuclear astrophysics research anticipated at the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA). RIA is a proposed next-generation nuclear science facility in the U.S. that will enable significant progress in studies of core collapse supernovae, thermonuclear supernovae, X-ray bursts, novae, and other astrophysical sites. Many of the topics addressed by the Working Group are relevant for the RIKEN RI Beam Factory, the planned GSI-Fair facility, and other advanced radioactive beam facilities.

Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure. The Report of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, Bruce A.

In February 1993, the Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF) was formed to articulate and implement the Clinton Administration's vision for the National Information Infrastructure (NII). The Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights was established within the Information Policy Committee to examine the intellectual property implications…

Research Data Storage: A Framework for Success. ECAR Working Group Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Douglas; Dawson, Barbara E.; Fary, Michael; Hillegas, Curtis W.; Hopkins, Brian W.; Lyons, Yolanda; McCullough, Heather; McMullen, Donald F.; Owen, Kim; Ratliff, Mark; Williams, Harry

2014-01-01

The EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research Data Management Working Group (ECAR-DM) has created a framework for research data storage as an aid for higher education institutions establishing and evaluating their institution's research data storage efforts. This paper describes areas for consideration and suggests graduated criteria to assist in…

GIS WORK GROUP: AN OVERVIEW (INCLUDES GIS-QA AND AUDITING GIS DATABASE SYSTEMS)

EPA Science Inventory

In order to promote cooperation in the implementation of GIS in regional offices, a GIS Regional Workgroup was established by the ten Regions in 1989. Since that time the GIS Work Group evolved and now consists of members from each of the ten EPA Regional Offices, the Office of A...

A randomized controlled trial of a Return-to-Work Coordinator model of care in a general hospital to facilitate return to work of injured workers.

PubMed

Tan, Heidi Siew Khoon; Yeo, Doreen Sai Ching; Giam, Joanna Yu Ting; Cheong, Florence Wai Fong; Chan, Kay Fei

2016-04-07

Return-to-work (RTW) programmes for injured workers have been prevalent in Western countries with established work injury management policies for decades. In recent years, more Asian countries have started to develop RTW programmes in the absence of work injury management policies. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of RTW programmes in Asia. Return-to-work coordination has been found to be an important facilitator in RTW programmes. This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of a Return-to-work coordinator (RTWC) model of care in facilitating early RTW for injured workers in Singapore. A randomized controlled trial was used. 160 injured workers in a general hospital were randomly allocated to either control (receive usual hospital standard care) or intervention (assigned a RTWC) group. The RTWC closely supported RTW arrangements and proactively liaised with employers and healthcare professionals on RTW solutions for the injured workers. At three months post injury, workers in the intervention group RTW 10 days earlier than the control group, with a higher proportion of workers in the intervention group returning to modified jobs. There were no significant differences in the quality of life measures between the two groups. The addition of a RTWC into the hospital model of care is effective in facilitating early RTW for injured workers. This could be a potential model of care for injured workers in Asian countries where work injury management policies are not yet established.

Women's Participation in Physics Internationally: the IUPAP Working Group on Women

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franz, Judy

2001-04-01

In 1999 the General Assembly of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) voted to establish a Working Group on Women in Physics with the following charge: to survey the situation for women in physics in IUPAP member countries; to analyze and report the data collected along with suggestions on how to improve the situation; to suggest ways that women can become more involved in IUPAP, including the Liaison Committees, the Commissions, the Council, and the General Assemblies; and to report all findings at the next General Assembly in 2002. The Working Group was established in 2000 with 11 members representing North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East/Africa. The Group has been gathering data on women in physics and is planning to hold an International Conference on Women in Physics at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in March, 2002. I will discuss some of the findings and the plans for the future.

The Need for Innovative Methods of Teaching and Learning Chemistry in Higher Education--Reflections from a Project of the European Chemistry Thematic Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eilks, Ingo; Byers, Bill

2010-01-01

This paper summarizes the work and conclusions of a working group established by the European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN). The aim of the working group was to identify potential areas for innovative approaches to the teaching and learning of chemistry in Higher Education, and to survey good practice throughout the EU. The paper starts by…

Options for basing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) on chronic disease endpoints: report from a joint US-/Canadian-sponsored working group123

PubMed Central

Yetley, Elizabeth A; MacFarlane, Amanda J; Greene-Finestone, Linda S; Garza, Cutberto; Ard, Jamy D; Atkinson, Stephanie A; Bier, Dennis M; Carriquiry, Alicia L; Harlan, William R; Hattis, Dale; King, Janet C; Krewski, Daniel; O’Connor, Deborah L; Prentice, Ross L; Rodricks, Joseph V; Wells, George A

2017-01-01

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are used in Canada and the United States in planning and assessing diets of apparently healthy individuals and population groups. The approaches used to establish DRIs on the basis of classical nutrient deficiencies and/or toxicities have worked well. However, it has proved to be more challenging to base DRI values on chronic disease endpoints; deviations from the traditional framework were often required, and in some cases, DRI values were not established for intakes that affected chronic disease outcomes despite evidence that supported a relation. The increasing proportions of elderly citizens, the growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and the persistently high prevalence of overweight and obesity, which predispose to chronic disease, highlight the importance of understanding the impact of nutrition on chronic disease prevention and control. A multidisciplinary working group sponsored by the Canadian and US government DRI steering committees met from November 2014 to April 2016 to identify options for addressing key scientific challenges encountered in the use of chronic disease endpoints to establish reference values. The working group focused on 3 key questions: 1) What are the important evidentiary challenges for selecting and using chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews, 2) what intake-response models can future DRI committees consider when using chronic disease endpoints, and 3) what are the arguments for and against continuing to include chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews? This report outlines the range of options identified by the working group for answering these key questions, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each option. PMID:27927637

Center for Navy Business Excellence: A Catalyst for Business Transformation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

selecting priority strategic initiatives and milestones. Key participants in the strategic planning process are Global Marketing and Sales Group...the Global Marketing Operations Group. This Group works to ensure current, best research practices are tested and utilized; establishing research

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

Support for Autonomous Vehicles The Washington Office of the Governor established a work group to group includes representatives from the Washington Departments of Transportation, Commerce, and Labor group will collaborate with industry representatives, stakeholders, and government representatives, to

The research group, the conference programme and academic training in safety promotion - a report of the activities at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

PubMed

Hörte, Lars-Gunnar; Jansson, Bjarne; Svanström, Leif

2012-01-01

The research group was established in 1967 at Lund University and moved to Karolinska Institutet in 1980. Work began with epidemiological studies of all injuries in the local community in support of various experimental local interventions. An important element was the creation of 'surveillance systems' in healthcare. The work resulted in the establishment of a WHO Collaborating Centre and an international safety-building programme called 'Safe Communities'. In parallel, training at both master's and doctoral level and the building of a conference programme were embarked upon. The research group consists of three sections. Specific efforts are being made by some countries to address their own injury problems.

76 FR 9615 - National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-18

... organizations, Federal management organizations, and senior government officials. The Council was established by...) pilot projects, training of agency staff, and the work of Council working groups--such as the one...

49 CFR 214.353 - Training and qualification of roadway workers who provide on-track safety for roadway work groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... RAILROAD WORKPLACE SAFETY Roadway Worker Protection § 214.353 Training and qualification of roadway workers... workers who provide for the on-track safety of groups of roadway workers through establishment of working...) All the on-track safety training and qualification required of the roadway workers to be supervised...

Undertaking an Institutional "Stock-Take" of SoTL: New Zealand University Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haigh, Neil; Gossman, Peter; Jiao, Xiaomin

2011-01-01

A working group was established at AUT University in 2005 with a brief to identify initiatives that might be taken to promote and support staff engagement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The working group recognized that a "stock-taking" exercise would need to be undertaken before appropriate initiatives could be…

Religiosity and Education: A Report of a Working Group of the Italian Society of Pedagogy (2014-2016)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moscato, Maria Teresa; Triani, Pierpaolo

2017-01-01

The authors are currently Coordinators of the Working Group on "Religiosity and Religious Education" established within the Italian Society of Pedagogy (SIPED). The internal structure of the Society, which gathers all academic scholars of Educational Sciences (including PhDs and subject experts), does not consist of formal sub-branches,…

Financing services for developmentally disabled people: Directions for reform

PubMed Central

Tompkins, Arnold R.; Porter, Margaret E.; Harahan, Mary F.

1988-01-01

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services established a working group to examine current Federal policies affecting the financing of services to persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. This article summarizes the Working Group's Report to the Secretary. The working group concluded that Federal policies can act as a barrier to community and family living opportunities. Policy alternatives were identified that emphasize flexibility in order to provide appropriate services in a variety of settings, targeting services to the most severely disabled and fixing Federal costs. PMID:10318209

The 2017 International Joint Working Group White Paper by INDUSEM, the Emergency Medicine Association and the Academic College of Emergency Experts on Establishing Standardized Regulations, Operational Mechanisms, and Accreditation Pathways for Education and Care Provided by the Prehospital Emergency Medical Service Systems in India

PubMed Central

Sikka, Veronica; Gautam, V.; Galwankar, Sagar; Guleria, Randeep; Stawicki, Stanislaw P.; Paladino, Lorenzo; Chauhan, Vivek; Menon, Geetha; Shah, Vijay; Srivastava, R. P.; Rana, B. K.; Batra, Bipin; Kalra, OP.; Aggarwal, P.; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Krishnan, S. Vimal

2017-01-01

The government of India has done remarkable work on commissioning a government funded prehospital emergency ambulance service in India. This has both public health implications and an economic impact on the nation. With the establishment of these services, there is an acute need for standardization of education and quality assurance regarding prehospital care provided. The International Joint Working Group has been actively involved in designing guidelines and establishing a comprehensive framework for ensuring high-quality education and clinical standards of care for prehospital services in India. This paper provides an independent expert opinion and a proposed framework for general operations and administration of a standardized, national prehospital emergency medical systems program. Program implementation, operational details, and regulations will require close collaboration between key stakeholders, including local, regional, and national governmental agencies of India. PMID:28855780

Travel Survey Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Further studies of shoulder and neck pain and exposures in customer service work with low biomechanical demands.

PubMed

Holte, Kari Anne; Westgaard, Rolf H

2002-10-20

The aim of the study was to establish insight into work exposures that cause shoulder and neck pain among occupational groups that have low biomechanical exposure and experience work stress from client/customer contact, among other exposures. Four occupational groups were studied, in health care (n = 20), retail (n = 22), banking (n = 26), and university secretaries (n = 26), a total of 94 volunteers. Thirty-nine were classified as pain-afflicted in the shoulder and neck, while 55 were pain-free. The subjects' perceptions of biomechanical and psychosocial exposures were established by use of quantitative questionnaires and by explorative interviews with open-ended questions, covering the same themes. Heart rate and trapezius EMG were recorded over a full workday and the following leisure period. Trapezius median and static activity during work were 3.3% and 0.3% EMG(max), only marginally higher than trapezius activity in the leisure period (2.7% and 0.2% EMG(max)). The quantitative questionnaire did not identify any variable that correlated with shoulder and neck pain except perceived general tension. The interviews established that the interaction with clients or customers was an important source of work stress. Such stress appeared to be a complex entity not easily characterized by established psychosocial questionnaires. The physiological variables were at most weakly elevated in periods with high stress as compared to periods with low stress. The authors caution against relying on standardized quantitative questionnaires and/or physiological recordings to characterize work stress in occupations with emotional stress through client/customer service work.

Small Group Cooperative Curriculum and Experimental Evaluation; A Study of Cooperation Training. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Joan R.; And Others

This report describes a project to test the effectiveness of a small-group curriculum designed to teach cooperative group work. The sample of 53 groups of boys and 47 groups of girls was assigned to one of three conditions: (a) established groups, (b) ad hoc groups, and (c) control condition groups. Groups who had training were predicted to choose…

A theory of leadership in human cooperative groups.

PubMed

Hooper, Paul L; Kaplan, Hillard S; Boone, James L

2010-08-21

Two types of models aim to account the origins of rank differentiation and social hierarchy in human societies. Conflict models suggest that the formation of social hierarchies is synonymous with the establishment of relationships of coercive social dominance and exploitation. Voluntary or 'integrative' models, on the other hand, suggest that rank differentiation--the differentiation of leader from follower, ruler from ruled, or state from subject--may sometimes be preferred over more egalitarian social arrangements as a solution to the challenges of life in social groups, such as conflict over resources, coordination failures, and free-riding in cooperative relationships. Little formal theoretical work, however, has established whether and under what conditions individuals would indeed prefer the establishment of more hierarchical relationships over more egalitarian alternatives. This paper provides an evolutionary game theoretical model for the acceptance of leadership in cooperative groups. We propose that the effort of a leader can reduce the likelihood that cooperation fails due to free-riding or coordination errors, and that under some circumstances, individuals would prefer to cooperate in a group under the supervision of a leader who receives a share of the group's productivity than to work in an unsupervised group. We suggest, in particular, that this becomes an optimal solution for individual decision makers when the number of group members required for collective action exceeds the maximum group size at which leaderless cooperation is viable.

Traffic volume trends 1998

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Transportation users' views of quality

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

DGIC Interconnection Insights | Distributed Generation Interconnection

Science.gov Websites

appointed by the "Government/Customer" stakeholder group (one member) or the "DG Industry group. That is, the value of such a group (and the willpower to establish one) may be much less evident Distributed Resources Collaborative, California Smart Inverter Working Group, and Massachusetts Technical

A Study on Work Ability Index and Physical Work Capacity on the Base of Fax Equation VO(2) Max in Male Nursing Hospital Staff in Isfahan, Iran.

PubMed

Habibi, Ehsanollah; Dehghan, Habibollah; Zeinodini, Mohhamad; Yousefi, Hosseinali; Hasanzadeh, Akbar

2012-11-01

The purpose of this research is to establish the ability of employees by work ability index (WAI), physical work capacity (PWC), and finding the correlation between them. Establishing the PWC index with attention to WAI values for the purpose of saving in costs and time of PWC measurements is another aim of this project. The present research is an analytic cross-sectional and one-trail study. The study population consists of 228 randomly selected registered nurses from hospitals in Isfahan (Iran). The WAI and PWC were established through WAI questionnaire and Fax equation and by using ergometer bicycle, respectively. The resulting data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Average WAI and PWC among the study population were 38.25±4.4 and 4.45±0.7, respectively. Pearson test results showed no significant correlation between PWC and WAI in different age groups (r=0.3 and P>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the variables of age and diagnosed diseases were the most effective factors of WAI (β=0.18 and P>0.05). Pearson test revealed a significant correlation between the number of diagnosed diseases and PWC index in age groups of 40-49 years. Average WAI in this research, like other studies on similar jobs is in the acceptable level of >36. Work ability index and PWC index in different age groups did not show a significant correlation and this suggests that there are essential discrepancies in work ability evaluations made by each index and it is not possible to predict PWC index using WAI values. Given the PWC results and the level of nursing staff's activity (low, medium) the WAI is a suitable instrument to establish the professionals' abilities. This study revealed that 27.6% of individuals were subject to medium-low work ability risk (WAI<37), which was 1.8 times that of Finland's professional health Institute, which could be caused by shift working and increased working hours.

‘Working the system’. Achieving change through partnership working: an evaluation of cancer partnership groups

PubMed Central

Richardson, Alison; Sitzia, John; Cotterell, Phil

2005-01-01

Abstract Aims and objectives  To investigate the characteristics and achievements of cancer partnership groups – collaborative service improvement groups formed of NHS staff and service users – in the 34 cancer networks in England, and in particular to explore the influence that such groups had on local cancer services. Design  A qualitative approach employing a structured telephone survey, face‐to‐face interviews and documentary analysis. Participants and setting  Thirty cancer networks in England with an active Partnership Group completed the telephone survey. From these 30 networks, six networks were subsequently selected from which service users and NHS professionals involved in partnership groups and NHS professionals who were non‐members were recruited to take part in face‐to‐face interviews. Results and conclusions  Partnership groups were established in the majority of cancer networks. Typically, these groups were at network level, been established for less than a year, met once every 2 months, and were populated with both service users and health‐care professionals. Five common activities and achievements were identified: establishment of the group itself; acting as a ‘reference’ group for consultation; networking and representation on other groups; patient information and communication and proactive influencing. Activities progressed in scale and complexity as groups evolved. Groups had learnt the basics of change management and some identified a more sophisticated understanding of change processes in the NHS as essential for the group's motivation and survival. When gauging the impact of involvement strategies it would seem important to subscribe to broad indicators of success that include both process and outcome measures. PMID:16098151

[Energy requirements of petroleum workers in Western Siberia].

PubMed

Bondarev, G I; Vissarionova, V Ia; Dupik, V S; Zemlianskaia, T A

1982-01-01

Energy requirements of drillers, derrick mounters and maintenance workers belonging to dispersed collectives were defined on the basis of materials available at the oil field Surgutneft named for the 50th anniversary of October. Energy requirements of the team workers were studied by the method of Douglas-Haldane during autumn-winter in the course of performing various production processes. Energy requirements were established as regards the operations made in the course of the basic technological processes. The budget of the working time was calculated in accordance with a rate-qualification manual. Energy consumption during out-of-work time was established by the method of individual questionnaires, followed by energy consumption calculation during various types of the work according to the generally accepted energy equivalents. The daily energy consumption with regard to the eight-hour work was found to constitute 3100-3660 kcal for drillers and the first assistant drillers, and 3700-3900 kcal for the second and third assistant drillers. The oilmen were distributed into groups in terms of the work intensity: group II--drillers, first assistant drillers and maintenance workers; group III--the second and third assistant drillers, assistant maintenance workers, and derrick mounters.

WOCE Working Group on Numerical Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlin, Worth

A U.S. WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment) Working Group on Numerical Modeling has been established to serve as a forum for the discussion of progress in numerical general circulation modeling and its relationship to WOCE design and data analysis and as an advisory body on resource and manpower requirements for large-scale ocean modeling. The first meeting of this working group was held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., on Monday, December 10, 1984. The working group members who attended were K. Bryan, Y.-J. Han, D. Haidvogel (chairman), W. Holland, H. Hurlburt, J. O'Brien, A. Robinson, B. Semtner, and J. Sarmiento. Observers included F. Bretherton, A. Colin de Verdiere, C. Collins, L. Hua, P. Rizzoli, T. Spence, R. Wall, and S. Wilson.

Working with Men Who Batter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edleson, Jeffrey L.

1984-01-01

Examines factors associated with wife abuse and describes major components of a small group program designed to help men who batter. These include self-observation, cognitive restructuring, interpersonal skills training, relaxation training, and establishing a small group environment for intervention. (JAC)

Doing mental health care integration: a qualitative study of a new work role.

PubMed

Smith-Merry, Jennifer; Gillespie, Jim; Hancock, Nicola; Yen, Ivy

2015-01-01

Mental health care in Australia is fragmented and inaccessible for people experiencing severe and complex mental ill-health. Partners in Recovery is a Federal Government funded scheme that was designed to improve coordination of care and needs for this group. Support Facilitators are the core service delivery component of this scheme and have been employed to work with clients to coordinate their care needs and, through doing so, bring the system closer together. To understand how Partners in Recovery Support Facilitators establish themselves as a new role in the mental health system, their experiences of the role, the challenges that they face and what has enabled their work. In-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with 15 Support Facilitators and team leaders working in Partners in Recovery in two regions in Western Sydney (representing approximately 35 % of those working in these roles in the regions). Analysis of the interview data focused on the work that the Support Facilitators do, how they conceptualise their role and enablers and barriers to their work. The support facilitator role is dominated by efforts to seek out, establish and maintain connections of use in addressing their clients' needs. In doing this Support Facilitators use existing interagency forums and develop their own ad hoc groupings through which they can share knowledge and help each other. Support Facilitators also use these groups to educate the sector about Partners in Recovery, its utility and their own role. The diversity of support facilitator backgrounds are seen as both and asset and a barrier and they describe a process of striving to establish an internally collective identity as well as external role clarity and acceptance. At this early stage of PIR establishment, poor communication was identified as the key barrier to Support Facilitators' work. We find that the Support Facilitators are building the role from within and using trial and error to develop their practice in coordination. We argue that a strong organisational hierarchy is necessary for support facilitation to be effective and to allow the role to develop effectively. We find that their progress is limited by overall program instability caused by changing government policy priorities.

Overlapping topics in advisory reports issued by five well-established European National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups from 2011 to 2014.

PubMed

Nijsten, Daniëlle; Houweling, Hans; Durupt, Antoine; Adjagba, Alex

2016-12-07

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) are facing increasingly complex vaccination issues together with a lack of human resources for evidence assessment and data analysis. One way to reduce these burdens could be to share some of the preparatory work across NITAGs. We conducted an inventory of all the advisory reports issued by five well-established European NITAGs from 2011 to 2014 to assess overlaps in issues and activities. A total of 104 advisory reports were retrieved. Advisory reports on the same issues were compared to identify overlapping activities and processes. Advisory reports issued by the five NITAGs showed little overlap in issues and processes. A first step towards efficient collaboration would be to establish an independent platform to provide insight into each NITAG's work and to facilitate the exchange of agendas, assessment frameworks and evidence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ASPRS research on quantifying the geometric quality of lidar data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sampath, Aparajithan; Heidemann, Hans K.; Stensaas, Gregory L.; Christopherson, Jon B.

2014-01-01

The ASPRS Lidar Cal/Val (calibration/validation) Working Group led by the US Geological Survey (USGS) to establish “Guidelines on Geometric Accuracy and Quality of Lidar Data” has made excellent progress via regular teleconferences and meetings. The group is focused on identifying data quality metrics and establishing a set of guidelines for quantifying the quality of lidar data. The working group has defined and agreed on lidar Data Quality Measures (DQMs) to be used for this purpose. The DQMs are envisaged as the first ever consistent way of checking lidar data. It is expected that these metrics will be used as standard methods for quantifying the geometric quality of lidar data. The goal of this article is to communicate these developments to the readers and the larger geospatial community and invite them to participate in the process.  

Description of a Website Resource for Turbulence Modeling Verification and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumsey, Christopher L.; Smith, Brian R.; Huang, George P.

2010-01-01

The activities of the Turbulence Model Benchmarking Working Group - which is a subcommittee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee - are described. The group s main purpose is to establish a web-based repository for Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence model documentation, including verification and validation cases. This turbulence modeling resource has been established based on feedback from a survey on what is needed to achieve consistency and repeatability in turbulence model implementation and usage, and to document and disseminate information on new turbulence models or improvements to existing models. The various components of the website are described in detail: description of turbulence models, turbulence model readiness rating system, verification cases, validation cases, validation databases, and turbulence manufactured solutions. An outline of future plans of the working group is also provided.

[Quantitative assessment of fungal risk in the case of construction works in healthcare establishments: Proposed indicators for the determination of the impact of management precautions on the risk of fungal infection].

PubMed

Gangneux, J-P; Adjidé, C-C; Bernard, L; Botterel, F; Carel, A; Castel, O; Derouin, F; Hoarau, G; Labussière, H; Lafaurie, M; Millon, L; Pottecher, B; Thiebaut, A; Turco, M; Baron, R

2012-03-01

Construction works in healthcare establishments produce airborne fungal spores and considerably increase the risk of exposure of immunosuppressed patients. It is necessary to reinforce protective measures, or even to implement specific precautions, during this critical phase. The aim of these precautions is to protect both those areas, which are susceptible to dust, and patients at risk of a fungal infection particularly invasive aspergillosis. When construction works are planned in healthcare establishments, the first step consists in the characterisation of the environmental fungal risk and the second one in proposing risk management methods. It is then essential to establish impact indicators in order to evaluate the risk management precautions applied. The working group promoted by the French societies of medical mycology and hospital hygiene (SFMM & SF2H) details here both environmental and epidemiological impact indicators that can be used. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Our Nation's Travel: 1995 NPTS Early Results Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

GP and pharmacist inter-professional learning - a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Cunningham, David E; Ferguson, Julie; Wakeling, Judy; Zlotos, Leon; Power, Ailsa

2016-05-01

Practice Based Small Group Learning (PBSGL) is an established learning resource for primary care clinicians in Scotland and is used by one-third of general practitioners (GPs). Scottish Government and UK professional bodies have called for GPs and pharmacists to work more closely together to improve care. To gain GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of learning together in an inter-professional PBSGL pilot. Qualitative research methods involving established GP PBSGL groups in NHS Scotland recruiting one or two pharmacists to join them. A grounded theory method was used. GPs were interviewed in focus groups by a fellow GP, and pharmacists were interviewed individually by two researchers, neither being a GP or a pharmacist. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory methods. Data saturation was achieved and confirmed. Three themes were identified: GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of inter-professional learning; Inter-professional relationships and team-working; Group identity and purpose of existing GP groups. Pharmacists were welcomed into GP groups and both professions valued inter-professional PBSGL learning. Participants learned from each other and both professions gained a wider perspective of the NHS and of each others' roles in the organisation. Inter-professional relationships, communication and team-working were strengthened and professionals regarded each other as peers and friends.

GGOS working group on ground networks and communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearlman, M.; Altamimi, Z.; Beck, N.; Forsberg, R.; Gurtner, W.; Kenyon, S.; Behrend, D.; Lemoine, F. G.; Ma, C.; Noll, C. E.;

European Working Time Directive and doctors' health: a systematic review of the available epidemiological evidence.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Jareño, Maria Cruz; Demou, Evangelia; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Sanati, Kaveh A; Skerjanc, Alenka; Reis, Pedro G; Helimäki-Aro, Ritva; Macdonald, Ewan B; Serra, Consol

2014-07-07

To summarise the available scientific evidence on the health effects of exposure to working beyond the limit number of hours established by the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) on physicians. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE. Study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were carried out by independent pairs of researchers using pre-established criteria. Physicians of any medical, surgical or community specialty, working in any possible setting (hospitals, primary healthcare, etc), as well as trainees, residents, junior house officers or postgraduate interns, were included. The total number of participants was 14 338. Health effects classified under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Over 3000 citations and 110 full articles were reviewed. From these, 11 studies of high or intermediate quality carried out in North America, Europe and Japan met the inclusion criteria. Six studies included medical residents, junior doctors or house officers and the five others included medical specialists or consultants, medical, dental, and general practitioners and hospital physicians. Evidence of an association was found between percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents with extended long working hours (LWH)/days or very LWH/weeks. The evidence was insufficient for mood disorders and general health. No studies on other health outcomes were identified. LWH could increase the risk of percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents, and possibly other incidents at work through the same pathway. While associations are clear, the existing evidence does not allow for an established causal or 'dose-response' relationship between LWH and incidents at work, or for a threshold number of extended hours above which there is a significantly higher risk and the hours physicians could work and remain safe and healthy. Policymakers should consider safety issues when working on relaxing EWTD for doctors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The IAU Division A Working Group on the Third Realization of the ICRF: Background, Goals, Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaume, Ralph

2015-08-01

The XXVIII General Assembly of the IAU (Beijing, 2012) established the Division A Working Group on the Third Realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). The adopted charter of the ICRF3 Working Group includes a commitment to report on the implementation and execution plans for ICRF3 during the XXIX General Assembly of the IAU along with a targeted completion and presentation of ICRF3 in 2018 to the XXX General Assembly for adoption. This talk will discuss the background, purpose, and overall implementation plan for ICRF3, and motivate the concept, currently under consideration by the ICRF3 Working Group, that future realizations of the ICRF be based on multi-frequency astrometric data, starting with ICRF3.

Review of the transportation planning process in the Denver metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Review of the transportation planning process in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-12

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Incidence of Osteoporosis in Patients with Urolithiasis

PubMed Central

Bijelic, Radojka; Milicevic, Snjezana; Balaban, Jagoda

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction. Clinical researches have shown an increased bone disintegration and lower bone mass in patients with calcium urolithiasis. Goal. The goal of our research was to establish the incidence of osteoporosis in adult patients with calcium urolithiasis, on the basis of measuring mineral bone density, using DEXA method, with a special reflection on age subgroups. Material and methods. Clinical research was prospective and it was implemented at the University Clinical Center of Banja Luka, at the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and at the Urology Clinic. Material in this research consisted of patients divided in two groups, a working and a control group. One hundred and twenty (120) patients were included in both these groups, divided in three age subgroups: 20-40, 40-60 and over 60. The working group consisted of the patients with calcium urolithiasis and the control group consisted of patients without calcium urolithiasis. Establishing of mineral bone density at L2-L4 of lumbal spine vertebrae and hip was done for the patients in both these groups, using DEXA method. Results. Analysis of mineral bone density using DEXA method in patients in age groups of working and control groups, as well as in the total sample of working and control groups, have shown that the patients of the working group, over 60, had a decreased mineral bone density (30% of osteopenia and 15% osteoporosis) significantly more expressed when compared to the other two age groups (12.5% in the subgroup 20-40 and 17.5% in the subgroup 40-60), which presents a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). In the control group, when taking into account age groups, osteopenia and osteoporosis were marked in 37.5% and 2.5% in the group of patients over 60, whereas in the youngest population, 5% of osteopenia was found, which presents a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). When observing the total sample of working and control group, there was a statistically significant difference in the working and control group (p<0.01); incidence of osteoporosis in the working group amounted to 7.5% and in the control group it was 0.8%. Conclusion. Urolithiasis and osteoporosis are two multifactorial diseases which are evidently reciprocal. This is why we suggest that educating the population about the risk factors for occurrence of these diseases as well as preventive measures that may contribute to their decrease should begin as early as possible. PMID:25568567

E-learning for Critical Thinking: Using Nominal Focus Group Method to Inform Software Content and Design.

PubMed

Parker, Steve; Mayner, Lidia; Michael Gillham, David

2015-12-01

Undergraduate nursing students are often confused by multiple understandings of critical thinking. In response to this situation, the Critiique for critical thinking (CCT) project was implemented to provide consistent structured guidance about critical thinking. This paper introduces Critiique software, describes initial validation of the content of this critical thinking tool and explores wider applications of the Critiique software. Critiique is flexible, authorable software that guides students step-by-step through critical appraisal of research papers. The spelling of Critiique was deliberate, so as to acquire a unique web domain name and associated logo. The CCT project involved implementation of a modified nominal focus group process with academic staff working together to establish common understandings of critical thinking. Previous work established a consensus about critical thinking in nursing and provided a starting point for the focus groups. The study was conducted at an Australian university campus with the focus group guided by open ended questions. Focus group data established categories of content that academic staff identified as important for teaching critical thinking. This emerging focus group data was then used to inform modification of Critiique software so that students had access to consistent and structured guidance in relation to critical thinking and critical appraisal. The project succeeded in using focus group data from academics to inform software development while at the same time retaining the benefits of broader philosophical dimensions of critical thinking.

E-learning for Critical Thinking: Using Nominal Focus Group Method to Inform Software Content and Design

PubMed Central

Parker, Steve; Mayner, Lidia; Michael Gillham, David

2015-01-01

Background: Undergraduate nursing students are often confused by multiple understandings of critical thinking. In response to this situation, the Critiique for critical thinking (CCT) project was implemented to provide consistent structured guidance about critical thinking. Objectives: This paper introduces Critiique software, describes initial validation of the content of this critical thinking tool and explores wider applications of the Critiique software. Materials and Methods: Critiique is flexible, authorable software that guides students step-by-step through critical appraisal of research papers. The spelling of Critiique was deliberate, so as to acquire a unique web domain name and associated logo. The CCT project involved implementation of a modified nominal focus group process with academic staff working together to establish common understandings of critical thinking. Previous work established a consensus about critical thinking in nursing and provided a starting point for the focus groups. The study was conducted at an Australian university campus with the focus group guided by open ended questions. Results: Focus group data established categories of content that academic staff identified as important for teaching critical thinking. This emerging focus group data was then used to inform modification of Critiique software so that students had access to consistent and structured guidance in relation to critical thinking and critical appraisal. Conclusions: The project succeeded in using focus group data from academics to inform software development while at the same time retaining the benefits of broader philosophical dimensions of critical thinking. PMID:26835469

Review of the transportation planning process in the Portland, Orgeon, metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Review of the transportation planning process in the southern California metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Review of the transportation planning process in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

Harmonization Task Groups 1 and 3 (HTG1 and 3) were established by the EU-US International Standards Harmonization Working Group to attempt to harmonize standards (including ISO, CEN, ETSI, IEEE) on security (HTG1) and communications protocols (HTG3)...

Exclusively visual analysis of classroom group interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Laura; Scherr, Rachel E.; Zickler, Todd; Mazur, Eric

2016-12-01

Large-scale audiovisual data that measure group learning are time consuming to collect and analyze. As an initial step towards scaling qualitative classroom observation, we qualitatively coded classroom video using an established coding scheme with and without its audio cues. We find that interrater reliability is as high when using visual data only—without audio—as when using both visual and audio data to code. Also, interrater reliability is high when comparing use of visual and audio data to visual-only data. We see a small bias to code interactions as group discussion when visual and audio data are used compared with video-only data. This work establishes that meaningful educational observation can be made through visual information alone. Further, it suggests that after initial work to create a coding scheme and validate it in each environment, computer-automated visual coding could drastically increase the breadth of qualitative studies and allow for meaningful educational analysis on a far greater scale.

Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) work practices report for composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luca, Jackie

1994-01-01

In an effort to gain a better understanding of effective safety and health work practice controls for composite manufacturing operations, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Occupational Safety and Health Committee established a Composites Task Group. The group's task was to provide AIA members with recommendations for minimizing occupational exposure risk and to determine research needs and information gaps. The strategy included a review of toxicological information on composites, a review of member company experience and control methods, and interaction with other professional organizations who share an interest in composite work practices.

Institute Study Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitaker, Ann; Steadman, Jackie; Little, Sally; Underwood, Debra; Blackman, Mack; Simonds, Judy

1997-01-01

This report documents a study conducted by the MSFC working group on Institutes in 1995 on the structure, organization and business arrangements of Institutes at a time when the agency was considering establishing science institutes. Thirteen institutes, ten science centers associated with the state of Georgia, Stanford Research Institute (SRI), and IIT Research Institute (IITRI), and general data on failed institutes were utilized to form this report. The report covers the working group's findings on institute mission, structure, director, board of directors/advisors, the working environment, research arrangements, intellectual property rights, business management, institute funding, and metrics.

Formation of an environmental restoration user group for radiological controls

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

Morris, R.L.

1993-12-31

An Environmental Restoration User Group for Radiological Controls will be proposed. Article 116 of the Radiological Control Manual encourages contractors to establish informal working associations that promote dialogue among similar facilities. Chem-Nuclear Geotech, Inc., is willing to initially organize and lead a users group to work on common problems, define standard methods, publish a Radiological Work Practices Handbook, and recommend regulatory changes to make environmental restoration programs more cost effective without compromising radiological control. A charter for the users group will be proposed. A questionnaire will be distributed to interested persons to assist in development of focus groups and agendamore » items for the first meeting. The first meeting is planned for May 25-26, 1993, in Grand Junction Colorado. All interested persons are welcome to attend.« less

International recognition of basic medical education programmes.

PubMed

Karle, Hans

2008-01-01

This document aims to formulate a World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) policy and to open debate on the subject on international recognition of basic medical education institutions and programmes. We carried out a systematic review of international quality assurance of medical education and recognition methodology, including accreditation procedures and alternative quality assurance methods, with a focus on the role of the WFME in international recognition of basic medical education programmes. In order to further the intentions of the WFME, the Federation will: continue its activity to establish new Global Directories of Health Professions Education Institutions (GDHPEI); set up a planning working group to prepare the work of the international advisory committee for GDHPEI; develop a database of relevant accrediting and recognising agencies; continue its project on the promotion of proper national accreditation; establish a working group to develop principles to be used in the evaluation of medical schools and other health professions education institutions and their programmes for the purpose of international recognition, especially when proper accreditation is not feasible, and work with partners on training programmes for advisors and assessors. The new directory for medical schools, which will include qualitative information about basic medical education programmes, will provide a basis for the meta-recognition of medical schools' programmes by stimulating the establishment of national accreditation systems and other quality assurance instruments.

Radio Astronomy Working Group for SEAAN and RFI Survey in INSTUN, Perak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Zamri Zainal; Ibrahim, Zainol Abidin; Rosli, Zulfazli; Malim, Siti Fatin Fathinah; Anim, Norsuzian Mohd

2010-07-01

The South East Asia Astronomy Network (SEAAN) was established in 2006 at the Special Session of Astronomy for Developing World during the IAU General Assembly in Prague. It held its first meeting in 2007 at the Thai National Astronomy Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. It aims to establish effective mechanisms for nurturing and sharing the development and experiences in astronomy research and education among SEA countries. This working group has a main objective of putting South East Asia on the map of the global radio astronomy community. This paper will discuss the working group's short-term and long-term goals. This paper will also discuss the results of the latest Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) study in Malaysia, particularly the survey at Institut Tanah dan Ukur Negara (INSTUN) in Perak. The RFI level at that site is measured at -94.312 (+/-0.999) dBm or 11.065 (+/-1.505) μV on average, which is considered quite well when compared to the best site in Malaysia, which is Langkawi (-100.352 +/-0.036) dBm or 2.192 lp+/-0.019) μV on average).

Computer tomography urography assisted real-time ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy on renal calculus.

PubMed

Fang, You-Qiang; Wu, Jie-Ying; Li, Teng-Cheng; Zheng, Hao-Feng; Liang, Guan-Can; Chen, Yan-Xiong; Hong, Xiao-Bin; Cai, Wei-Zhong; Zang, Zhi-Jun; Di, Jin-Ming

2017-06-01

This study aimed to assess the role of pre-designed route on computer tomography urography (CTU) in the ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for renal calculus.From August 2013 to May 2016, a total of 100 patients diagnosed with complex renal calculus in our hospital were randomly divided into CTU group and control group (without CTU assistance). CTU was used to design a rational route for puncturing in CTU group. Ultrasound was used in both groups to establish a working trace in the operation areas. Patients' perioperative parameters and postoperative complications were recorded.All operations were successfully performed, without transferring to open surgery. Time of channel establishment in CTU group (6.5 ± 4.3 minutes) was shorter than the control group (10.0 ± 6.7 minutes) (P = .002). In addition, there was shorter operation time, lower rates of blood transfusion, secondary operation, and less establishing channels. The incidence of postoperative complications including residual stones, sepsis, severe hemorrhage, and perirenal hematoma was lower in CTU group than in control group.Pre-designing puncture route on CTU images would improve the puncturing accuracy, lessen establishing channels as well as improve the security in the ultrasound-guided PCNL for complex renal calculus, but at the cost of increased radiation exposure.

The Medical Passport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ineson, Sue; Seeling, Stephen S.

2005-01-01

A Working Group on Medical Passports was established in 2002 by the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities. The goal of this group was to develop a fast-track registration process for highly qualified medical practitioners wishing to move from one jurisdiction to another. A "medical passport" would be available only to…

Learning Communities: A Structure for Educational Coherence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Roberta; And Others

1996-01-01

College and university learning communities build a sense of group identity. Institutions are establishing them for varied purposes and student populations, including first-year interest groups, general education core courses, gateway courses, developmental and basic studies, honors programs, and work in the major or minor. For implementation,…

People Who Work with Animals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center for Vocational and Technical Education.

The purpose of the teacher's guide is to provide the primary student with an awareness of the numerous careers available to people who want to work with animals and to increase knowledge about and interest in animals. Specific occupational groups on which this unit focuses are those associated with commercial pet establishments, zoos,…

An Action-Research Program for Increasing Employee Involvement in Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasmore, William; Friedlander, Frank

1982-01-01

Describes the use of participative action research to solve problems of work-related employee injuries in a rural midwestern electronics plant by increasing employee involvement. The researchers established an employee problem-solving group that interviewed and surveyed workers, analyzed the results, and suggested new work arrangements. (Author/RW)

Handbook for National Unions of Students on Students with a Migrant or Ethnic Minority Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maoláin, Aengus Ó.; Popescu, Cristi; Bergan, Gabriela; Sallinen, Jyri; Savola, Pauliina; de Bruijn, Simone; Dalen, Svea; Servant, Thibaut; Grønne, Viktor

2016-01-01

This handbook has been written by the European Student's Union's Ethnic Minorities Working Group (EMWG) based on the work it conducted from its establishment at ESU's Board Meeting 57 in 2009 until its expiration at the Board Meeting 64 in 2013. The work was undertaken by representatives from ESU's members SAMOK (Finland), NUSUK (UK), LSVb (the…

Gendered Violence: Examining Education's Role. Working Paper Series. Working Paper 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Katherine

Violence is a part of daily life in the United States, the world's leader in the number of homicides, rapes, and assaults. This working paper examines the issue of violence in the United States from a gender equity perspective. Gendered violence is reinforced by cultural beliefs that allow individuals and groups to use violence to establish and…

Evaluation of the work of hospital districts' research ethics committees in Finland.

PubMed

Halila, Ritva

2014-12-01

The main task of research ethics committees (RECs) is to assess research studies before their start. In this study, 24 RECs that evaluate medical research were sent questionnaires about their structure and functions. The RECs were divided into two separate groups: those working in university hospital districts (uRECs) and those in central hospital districts (non-uRECs). The two groups were different in many respects: the uRECs were bigger in size, covered a wider range of disciplines (both medical and non-medical), had better resources and more frequent and regular meetings. After the survey was performed and analysed, the Medical Research Act was amended so that only hospital districts with a medical faculty in their region had a duty to establish ethics committees. After the amendment, the number of RECs evaluating medical research in Finland decreased from 25 to 9. The ethics committees that remained had wider expertise and were better equipped already by the time of this survey. Only one non-uREC was continuing its work, and this was being done under the governance of a university hospital district. Simple measures were used for qualitative analysis of the work of RECs that evaluate medical research. These showed differences between RECs. This may be helpful in establishing an ethics committee network in a research field or administrational area. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Doctoral Study Programs in Social Work at HBCUs: Origin and Program Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubrey, Hal; Jordan, Tina; Stevenson, Andre P.; Boss-Victoria, Rena; Haynes, James; Estreet, Anthony; Smith, Jahmaine; Cameron, Elijah; Williams, Quotasze

2016-01-01

Fisk University began the genesis of HBCU graduate programs in 1880. During the next fifty years, several other HBCUs established graduate programs. That group included Lincoln, Howard, and Morgan State. However, only Lincoln University established a PhD program. The primary goal of this paper is to provide a historical perspective regarding the…

Industrial Simulation Games for Executive Development: Review of the Literature and Implications for Military Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

the effects of two formal training methods in the retail sales arena was reported by Ivancevich and Smith (1981). The methods involved (a) role...now established and that his work has extended the theory. Oligopoly theory also was the focus of the work reported by Lyons (1982). Oligopoly refers...benefit for the group while providing a fair share for each group member. Lyons described a computer-based game designed primarily for management

76 FR 69801 - Conductor Certification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

.... The working group may establish one or more task forces or other subgroups to develop facts and... Group are similar to one another with two exceptions. Unlike ``designated instructor,'' the definition... is not feasible to test each of its certified conductors on one or more of the provisions in 49 CFR...

Scientific Reasoning in School Contexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vellom, R. Paul; Anderson, Charles W.; Palincsar, Annemarie S.

This study investigates the fate of claims made by middle school science students working in collaborative groups in a multicultural urban classroom and the concomitant effects on engagement and understanding. Given problems of a complex and open-ended nature in a learning community setting, students were challenged to establish group positions…

Coordinating Technological Resources in a Non-Technical Profession: The Administrative Computer User Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollo, J. Michael; Marmarchev, Helen L.

1999-01-01

The explosion of computer applications in the modern workplace has required student affairs professionals to keep pace with technological advances for office productivity. This article recommends establishing an administrative computer user groups, utilizing coordinated web site development, and enhancing working relationships as ways of dealing…

Recent modifications of chitosan for adsorption applications: a critical and systematic review.

PubMed

Kyzas, George Z; Bikiaris, Dimitrios N

2015-01-09

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012-2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).

Nigella sativa Oil Enhances the Spatial Working Memory Performance of Rats on a Radial Arm Maze

PubMed Central

Sahak, Mohamad Khairul Azali; Mohamed, Abdul Majid; Hashim, Noor Hashida; Hasan Adli, Durriyyah Sharifah

2013-01-01

Nigella sativa, an established historical and religion-based remedy for a wide range of health problems, is a herbal medicine known to have antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. This present study investigated the effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) administration on the spatial memory performance (SMP) of male adult rats using eight-arm radial arm maze (RAM). Twelve Sprague Dawley rats (7–9 weeks old) were force-fed daily with 6.0 μL/100 g body weight of Nigella sativa oil (NSO group; n = 6) or 0.1 mL/100 g body weight of corn oil (control) (CO group; n = 6) for a period of 20 consecutive weeks. For each weekly evaluation of SMP, one day food-deprived rats were tested by allowing each of them 3 minutes to explore the RAM for food as their rewards. Similar to the control group, the SMP of the treated group was not hindered, as indicated by the establishment of the reference and working memory components of the spatial memory. The results demonstrated that lesser mean numbers of error were observed for the NSO-treated group in both parameters as compared to the CO-treated group. NSO could therefore enhance the learning and memory abilities of the rats; there was a significant decrease in the overall mean number of working memory error (WME) in the NSO-treated group. PMID:24454487

The long-term impact of employment on mental health service use and costs for persons with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Bush, Philip W; Drake, Robert E; Xie, Haiyi; McHugo, Gregory J; Haslett, William R

2009-08-01

Stable employment promotes recovery for persons with severe mental illness by enhancing income and quality of life, but its impact on mental health costs has been unclear. This study examined service cost over ten years among participants in a co-occurring disorders study. Latent-class growth analysis of competitive employment identified trajectory groups. The authors calculated annual costs of outpatient services and institutional stays for 187 participants and examined group differences in ten-year utilization and cost. A steady-work group (N=51) included individuals whose work hours increased rapidly and then stabilized to average 5,060 hours per person over ten years. A late-work group (N=57) and a no-work group (N=79) did not differ significantly in utilization or cost outcomes, so they were combined into a minimum-work group (N=136). More education, a bipolar disorder diagnosis (versus schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder), work in the past year, and lower scores on the expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale predicted membership in the steady-work group. These variables were controlled for in the outcomes analysis. Use of outpatient services for the steady-work group declined at a significantly greater rate than it did for the minimum-work group, while institutional (hospital, jail, or prison) stays declined for both groups without a significant difference. The average cost per participant for outpatient services and institutional stays for the minimum-work group exceeded that of the steady-work group by $166,350 over ten years. Highly significant reductions in service use were associated with steady employment. Given supported employment's well-established contributions to recovery, evidence of long-term reductions in the cost of mental health services should lead policy makers and insurers to promote wider implementation.

Implementation of renal key performance indicators: promoting improved clinical practice.

PubMed

Toussaint, Nigel D; McMahon, Lawrence P; Dowling, Gregory; Soding, Jenny; Safe, Maria; Knight, Richard; Fair, Kathleen; Linehan, Leanne; Walker, Rowan G; Power, David A

2015-03-01

In the Australian state of Victoria, the Renal Health Clinical Network (RHCN) of the Department of Health Victoria established a Renal Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Working Group in 2011. The group developed four KPIs related to chronic kidney disease and dialysis. A transplant working group of the RHCN developed two additional KPIs. The aim was to develop clinical indicators to measure performance of renal services to drive service improvement. A data collection and benchmarking programme was established, with data provided monthly to the Department using a purpose-designed website portal. The KPI Working Group is responsible for analysing data each quarter and ensuring indicators remain accurate and relevant. Each indicator has clear definitions and targets, and assess (i) patient education, (ii) timely creation of vascular access for haemodialysis, (iii) proportion of patients dialysing at home, (iv) incidence of dialysis-related peritonitis, (v) incidence of pre-emptive renal transplantation, and (vi) timely listing of patients for deceased donor transplantation. Most KPIs have demonstrated improved performance over time with limited gains notably in two: the proportion of patients dialysing at home (KPI 3) and timely listing patients for transplantation (KPI 6). KPI implementation has been established in Victoria for 2 years, providing performance data without additional funding. The six Victorian KPIs are measurable, relevant and modifiable, and implementation relies on enthusiasm and goodwill of physicians and nurses involved in collecting data. The KPIs require further evaluation, but adoption of a similar programme by other jurisdictions could lead to improved national outcomes. © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Preventing Exertional Death in Military Trainees: Recommendations and Treatment Algorithms From a Multidisciplinary Working Group.

PubMed

Webber, Bryant J; Casa, Douglas J; Beutler, Anthony I; Nye, Nathaniel S; Trueblood, Wesley E; O'Connor, Francis G

2016-04-01

Despite aggressive prevention programs and strategies, nontraumatic exertional sudden death events in military training continue to prove a difficult challenge for the Department of Defense. In November 2014, the 559th Medical Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, hosted a working group on sudden exertional death in military training. Their objectives were three-fold: (1) determine best practices to prevent sudden exertional death of military trainees, (2) determine best practices to establish safe and ethical training environments for military trainees with sickle cell trait, and (3) develop field-ready algorithms for managing military trainees who collapse during exertion. This article summarizes the major findings and recommendations of the working group. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Validating a work group climate assessment tool for improving the performance of public health organizations

PubMed Central

Perry, Cary; LeMay, Nancy; Rodway, Greg; Tracy, Allison; Galer, Joan

2005-01-01

Background This article describes the validation of an instrument to measure work group climate in public health organizations in developing countries. The instrument, the Work Group Climate Assessment Tool (WCA), was applied in Brazil, Mozambique, and Guinea to assess the intermediate outcomes of a program to develop leadership for performance improvement. Data were collected from 305 individuals in 42 work groups, who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Methods The WCA was initially validated using Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient and exploratory factor analysis. This article presents the results of a second validation study to refine the initial analyses to account for nested data, to provide item-level psychometrics, and to establish construct validity. Analyses included eigenvalue decomposition analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and validity and reliability analyses. Results This study confirmed the validity and reliability of the WCA across work groups with different demographic characteristics (gender, education, management level, and geographical location). The study showed that there is agreement between the theoretical construct of work climate and the items in the WCA tool across different populations. The WCA captures a single perception of climate rather than individual sub-scales of clarity, support, and challenge. Conclusion The WCA is useful for comparing the climates of different work groups, tracking the changes in climate in a single work group over time, or examining differences among individuals' perceptions of their work group climate. Application of the WCA before and after a leadership development process can help work groups hold a discussion about current climate and select a target for improvement. The WCA provides work groups with a tool to take ownership of their own group climate through a process that is simple and objective and that protects individual confidentiality. PMID:16223447

Palliative Care Development in Kyrgyzstan.

PubMed

Mukambetov, Aibek; Sabyrbekova, Taalaigul; Asanalieva, Lola; Sadykov, Ilim; Connor, Stephen R

2018-02-01

Palliative care began in Kyrgyzstan in 2005 as a pilot home-based care program in Osh Cancer Center and was supported by a small group of nurses and one physician from Scotland. In 2010, the Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan and the Open Society Foundation's International Palliative Care Initiative began supporting work on palliative care policy, legislation, essential medicine availability, education, advocacy, and implementation. A Ministry of Health working group was established to lead this initiative, and technical assistance was provided by an international palliative care consultant. Work began with a national needs assessment, which identified the existing barriers to the provision of quality palliative care, and recommendations were made to the working group to address these challenges. Today, palliative care is included in many national health care policies and laws, a national palliative care association has been established, undergraduate medical and nursing education include elements of palliative care, oral morphine and fentanyl patches are now available in parts of the country, inpatient services exist in the National Cancer Center in Osh and Bishkek, two tuberculosis hospitals with multidrug resistant/extensively drug resistant, and home care services in Osh and Bishkek. Public information campaigns and advocacy activities continue to increase public awareness about palliative care and press government action. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 43180 - Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH or Advisory Board), National Institute for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-23

... on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH or Advisory Board), National Institute for Occupational Safety... established under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP) Act of 2000 to... Petition Status Updates; Subcommittee and Work Group Reports; and Board Working Time. The agenda is subject...

How Undergraduate Students Use Social Media Technologies to Support Group Project Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAliney, Peter J.

2013-01-01

Technology continues to evolve and become accessible to students in higher education. Concurrently, teamwork has become an important skill in academia and the workplace and students have adopted established technologies to support their learning in both individual and team project work. Given the emergence of social media technologies, I examined…

[Sixty years of HeLa cell cultures].

PubMed

Gilgenkrantz, Simone

2014-01-01

HeLa cells line was established in 1951 from cervical cancer cells taken from a young AfroAmerican patient, Henrietta Lacks, used without the permission of the family. Finally, in 2013, an agreement was established between the family and NIH: for any study, authorization is needed, first referred to a working group comprising scientists, ethicists and two members of the family.

IAU Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Gil, A.; García, B.; WG3 of Commission C1 Division C of the IAU

2017-03-01

In this talk we present the aims, goals and activities that have been started by the working group on Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion. This working group is part of Commission 1 ''Astronomy Education and Development'' of Division C ''Education, Outreach and Heritage'' of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The working group was born with the aim of developing new strategies and resources to promote the access to Astronomy, both at the profesional and outreach levels, for persons with special needs or for those who could be excluded because of race or sexual orientation (among other reasons). It is composed of astronomers affiliated with the IAU and other volunteers who work in astronomy, education and special needs, as well as partner organizations like the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), Astronomers without Borders (AWB), the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) or Universe Awareness (UNAWE). To reach those goals we have started different initiatives which are outlined at the working group’s website, like a repository of resources or the creation of a document about good practices, and the establishment of a tight collaboration with the Working Group about Accessibility of the American Astronomical Society, which was formed recently too.

Charter for Systems Engineer Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suffredini, Michael T.; Grissom, Larry

2015-01-01

This charter establishes the International Space Station Program (ISSP) Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Systems Engineering Working Group (SEWG). The MSS SEWG is established to provide a mechanism for Systems Engineering for the end-to-end MSS function. The MSS end-to-end function includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), the Mobile Remote Servicer (MRS) Base System (MBS), Robotic Work Station (RWS), Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), Video Signal Converters (VSC), and Operations Control Software (OCS), the Mobile Transporter (MT), and by interfaces between and among these elements, and United States On-Orbit Segment (USOS) distributed systems, and other International Space Station Elements and Payloads, (including the Power Data Grapple Fixtures (PDGFs), MSS Capture Attach System (MCAS) and the Mobile Transporter Capture Latch (MTCL)). This end-to-end function will be supported by the ISS and MSS ground segment facilities. This charter defines the scope and limits of the program authority and document control that is delegated to the SEWG and it also identifies the panel core membership and specific operating policies.

A Psychological Service Contribution to Nurture: Glasgow's Nurturing City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

March, Sam; Kearney, Maura

2017-01-01

This article details the work undertaken in Glasgow to develop a range of nurturing approaches across establishments. Glasgow Psychological Service (GPS), in conjunction with Glasgow education colleagues, used the nurture group principles as developed by the Nurture Group Network, and extended and adapted these to give more detail and direction as…

The Couples Enhancement Workshop: A Brief Approach for Group Work With Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckenbach, John; Patrick, Shawn; Carlino, Gina; Carlino, Stephanie; Gross, Katie; Einig, Katy; Pyle, Emily

2014-01-01

The Couples Enhancement Workshop (CEW) offers a unique time-limited, group-oriented approach to strength building and relationship enhancement. The need for enhancement practices is established, followed by a review of the theoretical influences of the CEW. This includes a review of the Relationship Conflict and Restoration Model, the concept of…

Making Interdisciplinary Collaboration Work: Key Ideas, a Case Study and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Angus; Clarkin, Chantalle; Bangou, Francis; Duplaa, Emmanuel; MacDonald, Colla; Ng-A-Fook, Nicholas; Trumpower, David

2012-01-01

This article discusses the "lessons learned" from an attempt to establish an interdisciplinary education research group. The growth, development and dissolution of the group are treated as an instrumental case study. Current literature on interdisciplinary collaboration is synthesized in order to provide a frame for analysis. Data was collected…

School-Based Mutual Support Groups for Parents: An Intervention Guidebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simoni, Jane M.

This handbook focuses on steps and tasks related to establishing mutual support groups for parents in a school setting. A sequential approach is described that involves: working within the school to get started; recruiting members; training parents how to run their own meetings; and offering off-site consultation as requested. The first section…

Collaborative Learning in Online Study Groups: An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiong, Raymond; Jovanovic, Jelena

2012-01-01

Educational benefits of online collaborative group work have been confirmed in numerous research studies. Most frequently cited advantages include the development of skills of critical thinking and problem solving as well as skills of self-reflection and co-construction of knowledge and meaning. However, the establishment and maintenance of active…

One service, many voices: enhancing consumer participation in a primary health service for multicultural women.

PubMed

Lee, Susan K; Thompson, Sandra C; Amorin-Woods, Deisy

2009-01-01

Consumer participation in primary health care is important in providing quality consumer-focused care, but challenging when working with disadvantaged groups of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Women's Health Services (WHS) works with women from over 60 different nationalities, including many newly arrived migrants and refugees. New arrivals access a wide range of WHS programmes including medical services, counselling, information, community talks and workshops, referral, and outreach, but few ethnic women attended the alcohol and other drug (AOD) services offered by the organisation. To establish an active consumer reference group to assist understanding and reducing the barriers to AOD services for a heterogeneous disadvantaged group that includes individuals from different cultural, language and educational backgrounds. Leaning heavily on experiences from the mental health field, WHS overcame many practical and philosophical considerations which included: agreeing upon the purpose of the group and how it would operate within the structure of the organisation; the level of English language required by participants for the group to function; issues of resourcing the group; and ensuring an appropriate, workable demographic mix in terms of age, language, and migration experiences. The process and the outcome of establishing a consumer reference group (CRG) in a primary healthcare setting has been valuable for consumers' and health service providers within the organisation.

NASA Supportability Engineering Implementation Utilizing DoD Practices and Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David A.; Smith, John V.

2010-01-01

The Ares I design and development program made the determination early in the System Design Review Phase to utilize DoD ILS and LSA approach for supportability engineering as an integral part of the system engineering process. This paper is to provide a review of the overall approach to design Ares-I with an emphasis on a more affordable, supportable, and sustainable launch vehicle. Discussions will include the requirements development, design influence, support concept alternatives, ILS and LSA planning, Logistics support analyses/trades performed, LSA tailoring for NASA Ares Program, support system infrastructure identification, ILS Design Review documentation, Working Group coordination, and overall ILS implementation. At the outset, the Ares I Project initiated the development of the Integrated Logistics Support Plan (ILSP) and a Logistics Support Analysis process to provide a path forward for the management of the Ares-I ILS program and supportability analysis activities. The ILSP provide the initial planning and coordination between the Ares-I Project Elements and Ground Operation Project. The LSA process provided a system engineering approach in the development of the Ares-I supportability requirements; influence the design for supportability and development of alternative support concepts that satisfies the program operability requirements. The LSA planning and analysis results are documented in the Logistics Support Analysis Report. This document was required during the Ares-I System Design Review (SDR) and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) review cycles. To help coordinate the LSA process across the Ares-I project and between programs, the LSA Report is updated and released quarterly. A System Requirement Analysis was performed to determine the supportability requirements and technical performance measurements (TPMs). Two working groups were established to provide support in the management and implement the Ares-I ILS program, the Integrated Logistics Support Working Group (ILSWG) and the Logistics Support Analysis Record Working Group (LSARWG). The Ares I ILSWG is established to assess the requirements and conduct, evaluate analyses and trade studies associated with acquisition logistic and supportability processes and to resolve Ares I integrated logistics and supportability issues. It established a strategic collaborative alliance for coordination of Logistics Support Analysis activates in support of the integrated Ares I vehicle design and development of logistics support infrastructure. A Joint Ares I - Orion LSAR Working Group was established to: 1) Guide the development of Ares-I and Orion LSAR data and serve as a model for future Constellation programs, 2) Develop rules and assumptions that will apply across the Constellation program with regards to the program's LSAR development, and 3) Maintain the Constellation LSAR Style Guide.

Stakeholder Convening and Working Groups | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

. Distributed Generation Interconnection Collaborative Established in 2013 by NREL, the Distributed Generation Interconnection Collaborative (DGIC) provides a forum for the exchange of best practices for distributed

7 CFR 1466.20 - Application for contracts and selecting applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Committee or local working group, may establish ranking pools to address a specific resource concern..., such as the location of the conservation practice, the extent of natural resource degradation, and the...

7 CFR 1466.20 - Application for contracts and selecting applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Committee or local working group, may establish ranking pools to address a specific resource concern..., such as the location of the conservation practice, the extent of natural resource degradation, and the...

76 FR 5779 - Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-02

... U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established the Committee in August 2001 to examine..., commodity purchasing programs, and working group reports and recommendations to the full committee. Those...

75 FR 47535 - Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established the Committee in August 2001 to..., commodity purchasing programs, and working group reports and recommendations to the full committee. Those...

Timeline, Proprietary Data, and Next Steps

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-18

Near Term Schedule (6 Months) [1/2]. September 18, 2014 - GPS Adjacent Band Compatibility Workshop. September/October, 2014 - Possibility of establishing a GPS Adjacent Band Working Group (GABWG). October, 2014 - Schedule checkin's with manufactur...

Advocacy for the Abused Rural Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leistyna, Joseph A.

1978-01-01

Briefly discusses the establishment of a community-based child protection team for working with abused and neglected rural children in a county of 18,000 people. Lists five resources for advocacy groups to contact. (BR)

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Kyzas, George Z.; Bikiaris, Dimitrios N.

2015-01-01

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase). PMID:25584681

[Probe into monitoring mechanism of Chinese materia medica resources].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Li, Da-Ning; Guo, Lan-Ping; Lu, Jian-Wei; Sun, Li-Ying; Huang, Lu-Qi

2013-10-01

Focusing on the problems of Chinese materia medica resources,and combining with the national Chinese materia medica resources survey, the paper probes into monitoring mechanism of Chinese materia medica resources. The establishment of the monitoring mechanism needs one organization and management agencies to supervise and guide monitoring work, one network system to gather data information, a group of people to perform monitoring work, a system of technical methods to assure monitoring work scientific and practical, a series of achievements and products to figure out the methods for solving problems, a group of monitoring index system to accumulate basic data, and a plenty of funds to keep normal operation of monitoring work.

Energy technology evaluation report: Energy security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koopman, R.; Lamont, A.; Schock, R.

1992-09-01

Energy security was identified in the National Energy Strategy (NES) as a major issue for the Department of Energy (DOE). As part of a process designed by the DOE to identify technologies important to implementing the NES, an expert working group was convened to consider which technologies can best contribute to reducing the nation's economic vulnerability to future disruptions of world oil supplies, the working definition of energy security. Other working groups were established to deal with economic growth, environmental quality, and technical foundations. Energy Security working group members were chosen to represent as broad a spectrum of energy supply and end-use technologies as possible and were selected for their established reputations as experienced experts with an ability to be objective. The time available for this evaluation was very short. The group evaluated technologies using criteria taken from the NES which can be summarized for energy security as follows: diversifying sources of world oil supply so as to decrease the increasing monopoly status of the Persian Gulf region; reducing the importance of oil use in the US economy to diminish the impact of future disruptions in oil supply; and increasing the preparedness of the US to deal with oil supply disruptions by having alternatives available at a known price. The result of the first phase of the evaluation process was the identification of technology groups determined to be clearly important for reducing US vulnerability to oil supply disruptions. The important technologies were mostly within the high leverage areas of oil and gas supply and transportation demand but also included hydrogen utilization, biomass, diversion resistant nuclear power, and substitute industrial feedstocks.

Current Status of Efforts on Standardizing Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Report from the OMERACT MRI in JIA Working Group and Health-e-Child.

PubMed

Nusman, Charlotte M; Ording Muller, Lil-Sofie; Hemke, Robert; Doria, Andrea S; Avenarius, Derk; Tzaribachev, Nikolay; Malattia, Clara; van Rossum, Marion A J; Maas, Mario; Rosendahl, Karen

2016-01-01

To report on the progress of an ongoing research collaboration on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and describe the proceedings of a meeting, held prior to Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) 12, bringing together the OMERACT MRI in JIA working group and the Health-e-Child radiology group. The goal of the meeting was to establish agreement on scoring definitions, locations, and scales for the assessment of MRI of patients with JIA for both large and small joints. The collaborative work process included premeeting surveys, presentations, group discussions, consensus on scoring methods, pilot scoring, conjoint review, and discussion of a future research agenda. The meeting resulted in preliminary statements on the MR imaging protocol of the JIA knee and wrist and determination of the starting point for development of MRI scoring systems based on previous studies. It was also considered important to be descriptive rather than explanatory in the assessment of MRI in JIA (e.g., "thickening" instead of "hypertrophy"). Further, the group agreed that well-designed calibration sessions were warranted before any future scoring exercises were conducted. The combined efforts of the OMERACT MRI in JIA working group and Health-e-Child included the assessment of currently available material in the literature and determination of the basis from which to start the development of MRI scoring systems for both the knee and wrist. The future research agenda for the knee and wrist will include establishment of MRI scoring systems, an atlas of MR imaging in healthy children, and MRI protocol requisites.

Group relationships in early and late sessions and improvement in interpersonal problems.

PubMed

Lo Coco, Gianluca; Gullo, Salvatore; Di Fratello, Carla; Giordano, Cecilia; Kivlighan, Dennis M

2016-07-01

Groups are more effective when positive bonds are established and interpersonal conflicts resolved in early sessions and work is accomplished in later sessions. Previous research has provided mixed support for this group development model. We performed a test of this theoretical perspective using group members' (actors) and aggregated group members' (partners) perceptions of positive bonding, positive working, and negative group relationships measured early and late in interpersonal growth groups. Participants were 325 Italian graduate students randomly (within semester) assigned to 1 of 16 interpersonal growth groups. Groups met for 9 weeks with experienced psychologists using Yalom and Leszcz's (2005) interpersonal process model. Outcome was assessed pre- and posttreatment using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, and group relationships were measured at Sessions 3 and 6 using the Group Questionnaire. As hypothesized, early measures of positive bonding and late measures of positive working, for both actors and partners, were positively related to improved interpersonal problems. Also as hypothesized, late measures of positive bonding and early measures of positive working, for both actors and partners, were negatively related to improved interpersonal problems. We also found that early actor and partner positive bonding and negative relationships interacted to predict changes in interpersonal problems. The findings are consistent with group development theory and suggest that group therapists focus on group-as-a-whole positive bonding relationships in early group sessions and on group-as-a-whole positive working relationships in later group sessions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Larry E.; Bangs, Ralph L.

2007-01-01

In 2002, the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh established the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP). CRSP, which is the first race research center to be housed in a school of social work, has six foci: economic disparities; educational disparities; interracial group relations; mental health; youth, families, and elderly;…

Exploring the Relationship between Endurance and Strength Training in Power Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohleva, Mariana

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research work is to track down the level of relation between strength and endurance in training exercises of handball athletes. The most successful ratio has been established during work with two groups of 10 players each, all of whom are university students. They were trained, respectively, according to the general training…

StudyWorks! A Model Project Establishing a Coalition between Two Diverse Groups of Exceptional Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Rebecca Griffeth

The StudyWorks Project was a 1-year unit of study designed for implementation with gifted/talented (G/T) students and developmentally handicapped (DH) students. The project involved four major areas of study (economic development, career education, social/interpersonal skills, and health/nutrition) and provided practical application of these areas…

Working hours and mental and physical fatigue in Japanese workers.

PubMed

Nagashima, Shouji; Suwazono, Yasushi; Okubo, Yasushi; Uetani, Mirei; Kobayashi, Etsuko; Kido, Teruhiko; Nogawa, Koji

2007-09-01

Establishing a threshold number of working hours is very important when making recommendations to protect people from the potentially harmful health effects caused by long working hours. To clarify the influence of working hours on both mental and physical symptoms of fatigue and use the data obtained to determine permissible working hours. Cross-sectional survey of male day-shift workers using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the Cumulative Fatigue Symptoms Index (CFSI). Working hours were subdivided into six groups and odds ratios were calculated for positive outcomes on the SDS and CFSI using logistic regression analysis. A total of 715 workers participated. In the group working 260-279 h/month, the odds ratios for SDS and 'irritability', 'anxiety' and 'chronic tiredness' of the CFSI were significantly increased. In the group working >or=280 h/month, the odds ratios on CFSI for 'general fatigue', 'physical disorders', 'anxiety' and 'chronic tiredness' were likewise significantly increased. The present results clarified that working hours should be <260 h/month in order to minimize fatigue symptoms in male day workers.

Work activities and musculoskeletal discomforts amongst active older Albertans on alternative employment trajectories.

PubMed

Doan, Jon B; Copeland, Jennifer L; Brown, Lesley A; Newman, Jeff T; Hudson, D Shane

2014-01-01

Bridge employment (scheduled paid work after retirement age) may promote successful aging and continued health, as work can be an important component of daily physical activity. Appropriate work demands for older adults are neither well-established nor well-applied, however, and excessive loading or increased perceptions of discomfort may negate the health benefits of work activity. This study examined work status and musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) amongst older Albertans. 1044 Albertans aged 55 years and older participating in an organized 'Games' received a research package. Enclosed in the package were an introductory letter, a return envelope, and modified versions of validated questionnaires examining leisure and work activities, activity frequency, and perceptions of musculoskeletal health. 228 respondents were classified into one of three employment trajectory groups: fully retired, fully employed, or bridge employed. Groups differed in age, and both employed groups more frequently reported MSDs in all body areas. Bridge employed reported increased 'occasional' frequency of musculoskeletal injury risk factors, while both groups reported similar overall ratings of work-related exertion. The increased MSDs reported by bridge employed adults may be the result of irregularity of work activity and soft tissue loading. Detailed examination of work demands and musculoskeletal injuries amongst bridge employed adults could help define safer levels for less regular work activity.

75 FR 8038 - Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-23

... (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established the Committee in August 2001 to..., commodity purchasing programs, and work group assignments and orientation for the new members. Those parties...

Analysis of major risk factors affecting those working in the agrarian sector (based on a sociological survey).

PubMed

Krekoten, Olena M; Dereziuk, Anatolii V; Ihnaschuk, Olena V; Holovchanska, Svitlana E

Issues related to labour potential, its state and problems have consistently been a focus of attention for the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Its respective analysis shows that labour potential problems remain unresolved in many countries of the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adverse working conditions are among major factors of occupational disease development in Europe and the reason for disabilities of economically active population during 2.5% of their lifetime. The aim of the present study is to identify and analyse major risk factors, which have a bearing on people working in agriculture in the course of exercising their occupation, with account of forms of ownership of agricultural enterprises. Carried out was a cross-sectional study involving a sociological survey of 412 respondents - those working in agriculture - who made up the primary group and the control group. The study revealed 21 risk factors, 9 of which were work-related. A modified elementary cybernetic model of studying impact efficiency was developed with the view of carrying out a structural analysis of the sample group and choosing relevant methodological approaches. It has been established that harmful factors related to working environment and one's lifestyle are decisive in the agrarian sector, particularly for workers of privately owned businesses. For one out of three respondents harmful working conditions manifested themselves as industrial noise (31.7±3.4), vibration (29.0±2.1) trunk bending and constrained working posture (36.6±3.4). The vast majority of agricultural workers (91.6±2.5) admitted they could not afford proper rest during their annual leave; male respondents abused alcohol (70.6±3.0) and smoking (41.4±2.0 per 100 workers). The research established the structure of risk factors, which is sequentially represented by the following groups: behavioral (smoking, drinking of alcohol, rest during annual leave, physical culture), working environment and work activities (occupation, work experience, safety measures, working environment, organization and management), socioeconomic (education, financial situation).

Standardization of clinical pharmacist's activities: Methodology.

PubMed

Gregorová, Jana; Rychlíčková, Jitka; Šaloun, Jan

2017-09-01

Establishing standardized and controlled system of work at a clinical pharmacy department and establishing effective recording of activities of a group of four clinical pharmacist when providing clinical pharmaceutical care (CPC) in a hospital. The duration of evaluated period is 5.5 years. The first part was defining the purpose, methods and activities of clinical pharmaceutical care, the next part was designing the software for recording patient's data and CPC activities. To verify the functionality of our system the third part was conducted (from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015). CPC activities were defined precisely. During the 6 months period, 3946 patients were reviewed (17% of patients admitted), in this group, 41% patients was labeled as risk (these patients had one or more risk factor). 1722 repeated reviews were performed, 884 drug therapy recommendations were recorded. The calculated average time necessary for one CPC activity is 28 min. During the 5 year period, standardized system of work in clinical pharmacy department was established. This system is based on clearly defined activities and it enables external control. Our results supply data for negotiations with health insurance companies.

76 FR 50753 - Agency Information Collections Activities; The Pecora Award; Application and Nomination Process

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-16

... groups that make outstanding contributions toward understanding the earth by means of remote sensing. The... motivating force behind the establishment of a program for civil remote sensing of the earth from space. The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals or groups working in the field of remote sensing of the...

Distribution and determinants of maximal physical work capacity of Korean male metal workers.

PubMed

Kang, D; Woo, J H; Shin, Y C

2007-12-01

The distribution of maximal physical work capacity (MPWC) can be used to establish an upper limit for energy expenditure during work (EEwork). If physically demanding work has wearing effects, there will be a negative relationship between MPWC and workload. This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of MPWC among Korean metal workers and to examine the relationship between workload and MPWC. MPWC was estimated with a bicycle ergometer using a submaximal test. Energy expenditure was estimated by measuring heart rates during work. The study subjects were 507 male employees from several metal industries in Korea. They had a lower absolute VO2max than the Caucasian populations described in previous studies. The older workers had a lower physical capacity and a greater overload at work. A negative relationship was found between MPWC and workload across all age groups. Upper limits for EEwork for all age groups and for older age groups are recommended based on the 5th percentile value of MPWC.

[A sense of responsibility in health personnel as a cause of work-related stress].

PubMed

Nedić, Olesja; Jocić, Neda; Filipović, Danka; Solak, Zdravko

2002-01-01

Job stress is a great problem in developed countries of the world, but in Yugoslavia, it is increased due to additional reasons associated with economic crisis in the society. Health services and health workers are in particularly difficult conditions. The aim of this paper was to examine sources and causes of job stress in health workers. The research was undertaken among health workers treated at Health Centre "Hospital" in Novi Sad. The study group included health workers--doctors, nurses and laboratory workers, and the control group included the rest of non-medical staff. Adapted Siegrist questionnaire was used. Three factors were examined: extrinsic efforts (disturbances at work, sense of great job responsibility and the need for overtime work); intrinsinc efforts (major criticism, thinking about the job from the early morning, getting nervous because of minor problems, discontentment because of unsolved problems at work, relaxation at home and so on), and low reward (respect from the superiors and colleagues, support and security at workplace). Answers were scored indicating intensity (high, moderate, low, not at all). Statistic analysis included testing the level of significance in health workers in relation to non-medical staff (t test and Fisher's exact test). Applying the scoring system it has been established that health workers are exposed to greater job stress, great sense of very high job responsibility and frequent overtime work (p < 0.001) than the control group. In regard to answers from the second group--intrinsic effort and low reward, there was no statistiscal significance between the study and control group. Generally, high level of risk factors was established, especially presence of one or more risk factors. Job stress increases absenteeism, reduces work productivity, causes higher expenses of medical treatment, rehabilitation and staff retraining. It is of great importance to identify factors which cause job dissatisfaction in order to decrease them to the lowest level. High sense of responsibility in health workers is a course of job stress.

GPS Integrity Channel RTCA Working Group recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalafus, Rudolph M.

Recommendations made by a working group established by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics are presented for the design of a wide-area broadcast service to provide indications on the status of GPS satellites. The integrity channel requirements and operational goals are outlined. Six integrity channel system concepts are considered and system design and time-to-alarm considerations are examined. The recommended system includes the broadcast of a coarse range measurement for each satellite which will enable the on-board GPS receiver to determine whether or not the navigation accuracy is within prescribed limits.

A model parent group for enhancing aggressive children's social competence in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, Ming-Hui

2009-07-01

This paper presents a semi-structured psychoeducational model of group work for parents of aggressive children based on concepts of co-parenting and bidirectionality. The group was developed for enhancing five Taiwanese aggressive children's social competence by promoting positive interactions within family. Topics covered in the group included identifying parenting styles, forming parental alliances, fostering parent-child mutual initiations/mutual compliances, establishing parent-child co-regulation, and responding to aggressive children's negative emotions. Pre- and post-group comparisons suggested the effectiveness of the group model.

Workplace worries: a preliminary look at online sexual activities at the office-emerging issues for clinicians and employers.

PubMed

Cooper, Al; Safir, Marilyn P; Rosenmann, Amir

2006-02-01

Concerns about the impact of online sexual activities (OSA) on work-life are drastically increasing. This study examined 3,466 respondents who reported OSA, 18.5% of whom reported engaging in OSA at work. They were compared with the 81.5% who engaged in OSA at home, on average time spent in OSA, workplace policies regarding OSA, and relationship status. Two themes were identified and discussed: opportunity and sexual distress. Our findings indicate that participants are cognizant of issues of opportunity (e.g., the OSA from home group was more likely to indicate their workplace has established policies regarding OSA), and privacy, representing an important aspect of this theme (e.g., participants engaging in OSA at work were found to be twice as likely to have extra-marital affairs, compared with the OSA from home group). Secondly, our data suggests that many participants, especially from the OSA at work group, experience OSA-related distress. Engaging in OSA at the workplace may result in decreased productivity, issues of sexual harassment, and concerns about employee well-being. Clearly stated and consistently enforced policies regulating OSA are likely to mitigate workplace OSA. However, a significant minority of employees may have difficulties curbing OSA. Therefore, more sophisticated strategies to deal with workplace OSA should be established. Additional implications of importance for organizations and mental health professionals who support them are discussed.

Listening to young people with special needs: the influence of group activities.

PubMed

Burke, Peter

2005-12-01

The article reports on the experiences of group activities within an area of Yorkshire that helped young people with special needs to express their views and opinions. Significant issues were raised by the ethics of undertaking work with young people and these are reviewed. The young people involved in the research reported that their participation in the groups developed their self-confidence and advocacy skills. This led them to be more confident in expressing their needs at school and in the community. To establish wider generalizability for the study findings, the Yorkshire group activities were compared with another similar group in London where further data were collected from the young people involved. In facilitating group activities, willing staff were an important addition to the group because their presence provided and encouraged positive reactions to the distinctive achievements of the young people themselves. In both groups, members were committed to participation in project-based activities that raised their self-esteem and helped establish a sense of their own identity and purpose.

Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) climatic database revision and expansion

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-07

In 2012, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) established the Health in Transportation Working Group to examine the agencys existing policies and programs and their impacts on health-related issues such as air quality, active transportation, ...

Working with childhood sexual abuse: a survey of mental health professionals.

PubMed

Day, Andrew; Thurlow, Katie; Woolliscroft, Jessica

2003-02-01

This study aimed to establish the views of a group of mental health professionals from various disciplines working in mental health service in a British hospital about the needs of clients who had experienced childhood sexual abuse. Staff members were asked to complete an anonymous survey which asked questions relating to knowledge of sexual abuse and its effects, and the needs of clients and staff in working with this client group. A total of 54 people responded to the survey, 42 were female, 11 male. Most (72%) reported having over 10 years experience working in mental health, working in both in-patient and out-patient settings. While respondents were reasonably knowledgeable about childhood sexual abuse, they were not very comfortable, competent or supported in their work with this client group. There were no differences in responses according to the age or gender of respondents, but less experienced staff were more likely to feel supported. Those that had received training and/or supervision felt significantly more capable in working with this client group. The study offers some support for the development of specialist training, consultancy and supervision programs for mental health staff in the area of child sexual abuse.

Taxonomy of trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs as seen from spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merlin, F.; Hromakina, T.; Perna, D.; Hong, M. J.; Alvarez-Candal, A.

2017-08-01

Context. Taxonomy of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs has been made in previous works using broadband filters in the visible and near infrared ranges. This initial investigation led to the establishment of four groups with the aim to provide the mean colors of the different classes with possible links with any physical or chemical properties. However, this taxonomy was only made with the Johnson-Cousins filter system and the ESO J, H, Ks filters combination, and any association with other filter system is not yet available. Aims: We aim to edit complete visible to near infrared taxonomy and extend this work to any possible filters system. To do this, we generate mean spectra for each individual group, from a data set of 43 spectra. This work also presents new spectra of the TNO (38628) Huya, on which aqueous alteration has been suspected, and the Centaur 2007 VH305. Methods: To generate the mean spectra for each taxonomical group, we first averaged the data for each of the four taxonomical groups and checked that spectroscopic and photometric data were consistent according to their relative errors. Results: We obtained four complete spectra corresponding to the different classes from 0.45 to 2.40 microns. Our results based on spectroscopy are in good agreements with those obtained in photometry for the bluest (BB) and reddest (RR) objects. At the contrary, no clear patterns appear for the two intermediate groups (BR and IR). Both BR and IR mean-spectra are almost intermixed, probably due to the fact that part of these objects have not always clear affiliation to one particular taxonomical group. Conclusions: We provide mean spectra that could be used to edit colors in different filters system working in this wavelength range. This work clearly establish the mean spectra of the BB and RR group while the two other groups need probably further refinement. Part of the data presented here have been performed under ESO Programmes ID 178.C-0867 and ID 091.C-0224.

Tennessee Valley and Eastern Kentucky Wind Working Group

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

Katie Stokes

2012-05-03

In December 2009, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), through a partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission, EKPC, Kentucky's Department for Energy Development and Independence, SACE, Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation, and TVA, and through a contract with the Department of Energy, established the Tennessee Valley and Eastern Kentucky Wind Working Group (TVEKWWG). TVEKWWG consists of a strong network of people and organizations. Working together, they provide information to various organizations and stakeholders regarding the responsible development of wind power in the state. Members include representatives from utility interests, state and federal agencies, economic development organizations, non-government organizations,more » local decision makers, educational institutions, and wind industry representatives. The working group is facilitated by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. TVEKWWG supports the Department of Energy by helping educate and inform key stakeholders about wind energy in the state of Tennessee.« less

The Goal of the IAU/IAG Joint Working Group on the Theory of Earth Rotation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrandiz, J. M.; Gross, R. S.

2013-01-01

In 2012 the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) initiated a process to establish a Joint Working Group (JWG) on theory of Earth rotation with the purpose of promoting the development of improved theories of the Earth rotation which reach the accuracy required to meet the needs of the near future as recommended by, e.g. GGOS, the Global Geodetic Observing System of the IAG. The JWG was approved by both organizations in April 2013 with the chairs being the two authors of this paper. Its structure comprises three Sub Working Groups (SWGs) addressing Precession/Nutation, Polar Motion and UT1, the Numerical Solutions and Validation, respectively. The SWGs should work in parallel for the sake of efficiency, but should keep consistency as an overall goal. This paper offers a view of the objectives and scope of the JWG and reports about its initial activities and plans.

Coming out of the Campus Closet: The Emerging Visibility of Queer Students at the University of Florida, 1970-1982

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clawson, Jessica

2014-01-01

This historical work chronicles the emergence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer (LGBTQ) student visibility at the University of Florida from 1970 to 1982. It focuses on the establishment of an LGBTQ student group and student reactions to queer visibility. This work relies heavily on the student newspaper for the student…

Neonatal transection of the corpus callosum affects paw preference lateralization of adult Swiss mice.

PubMed

Manhães, Alex C; Krahe, Thomas E; Caparelli-Dáquer, Egas; Ribeiro-Carvalho, Anderson; Schmidt, Sergio L; Filgueiras, Cláudio C

2003-09-11

In the present work, the hypothesis that the ontogenetic development of the corpus callosum (CC) affects the establishment of behavioral lateralization was tested by studying paw preference performance in adult Swiss mice that were subjected to mid-sagittal transection of the CC on the first postnatal day. Magnitude and direction of laterality were evaluated independently. No significant differences between groups were found for the magnitude of paw preference. On the other hand, the transected group presented a significant populational bias favoring the left paw that was not present in the control groups. These results lend support to the hypothesis that the development of the CC plays a role in the establishment of the normal pattern of behavioral lateralization.

Interprofessional education in Erlangen: A needs analysis and the conceptual work of a student working group.

PubMed

Konietzko, Raffael; Frank, Luca; Maudanz, Nils; Binder, Johannes

2016-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is receiving growing significance both nationally and internationally. Despite this, organizational and curricular changes are posing challenges. The level of need for IPE and how changes can be made to curricula and infrastructure were investigated at the University of Erlangen in Germany. The student working group for interprofessional teaching (AGIL) has turned its attention to these issues. This group is composed of students from medicine, dentistry, molecular medicine, medical technology and speech therapy. In June, 2015, a needs analysis was carried out among the students in the study programs represented in the working group to assess the actual and target situation concerning IPE (n=1,105). In the search for answers and to better measure any needs, contact was sought with instructors. The majority of students feel that they are insufficiently educated in terms of interprofessional skills. A large proportion of the students wish to see expansion of the IPE offerings. Students also expressed a desire for additional spaces and welcomed the idea of an interprofessional learning center. AGIL began establishing interprofessional electives in October 2015. A concept for an interprofessional learning center was developed. Based on the survey results, a need for improvements to curricula and infrastructure can be seen; however, the results are limited to the student point of view. AGIL would like to establish more interprofessional electives. These courses would then facilitate curricular implementation. Modern ideas about study environments could be applied to IPE, in particular to promote informal forms of learning. Contact with instructors was crucial for the project work and should be expanded. Realizing and financing the learning center in Erlangen are now the future goals of AGIL. The aim is to create a foundation for this purpose.

Patients' Experience of Myositis and Further Validation of a Myositis-specific Patient Reported Outcome Measure - Establishing Core Domains and Expanding Patient Input on Clinical Assessment in Myositis. Report from OMERACT 12.

PubMed

Regardt, Malin; Basharat, Pari; Christopher-Stine, Lisa; Sarver, Catherine; Björn, Anita; Lundberg, Ingrid E; Wook Song, Yeong; Bingham, Clifton O; Alexanderson, Helene

2015-12-01

The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) myositis working group was established to examine patient-reported outcomes (PRO) as well as to validate patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in myositis. Qualitative studies using focus group interviews and cognitive debriefing of the myositis-specific Myositis Activities Profile (MAP) were used to explore the experience of adults living with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). Preliminary results underscore the importance of patient input in the development of PROM to ensure content validity. Results from multicenter focus groups indicate the range of symptoms experienced including pain, fatigue, and impaired cognitive function, which are not currently assessed in myositis. Preliminary cognitive debriefing of the MAP indicated that while content was deemed relevant and important, several activities were not included; and that questionnaire construction and wording may benefit from revision. A research agenda was developed to continue work toward optimizing PRO assessment in myositis with 2 work streams. The first would continue to conduct and analyze focus groups until saturation in the thematic analysis was achieved to develop a framework that encompassed the patient-relevant aspects of myositis. The second would continue cognitive debriefing of the MAP to identify potential areas for revision. There was agreement that further work would be needed for inclusion body myositis and juvenile dermatomyositis, and that the inclusion of additional contributors such as caregivers and individuals from the pharmaceutical/regulatory spheres would be desirable. The currently used PROM do not assess symptoms or the effects of disease that are most important to patients; this emphasizes the necessity of patient involvement. Our work provides concrete examples for PRO identification.

The European Higher Education Area in 2012: Bologna Process Implementation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosier, David; Horvath, Anna; Kerpanova, Viera; Kocanova, Daniela; Parveva, Teodora; Dalferth, Simon; Orr, Dominic; Mejer, Lene; Reis, Fernando; Rauhvargers, Andrejs

2012-01-01

The report, which reflects the framework of the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique, is the result of a joint effort by Eurostat, Eurydice as well as by Eurostudent and has been overseen by the Bologna Follow-up Group and more specifically by a working group established by the latter. In line with the specific mission and methodology of the…

Combining clinical practice and academic work in nursing: A qualitative study about perceived importance, facilitators and barriers regarding clinical academic careers for nurses in university hospitals.

PubMed

van Oostveen, Catharina J; Goedhart, Nicole S; Francke, Anneke L; Vermeulen, Hester

2017-12-01

To obtain in-depth insight into the perceptions of nurse academics and other stakeholders regarding the importance, facilitators and barriers for nurses combining clinical and academic work in university hospitals. Combining clinical practice and academic work facilitates the use of research findings for high-quality patient care. However, nurse academics move away from the bedside because clinical academic careers for nurses have not yet been established in the Netherlands. This qualitative study was conducted in two Dutch university hospitals and their affiliated medical faculties and universities of applied sciences. Data were collected between May 2015 and August 2016. We used purposive sampling for 24 interviews. We asked 14 participants in two focus groups for their perceptions of importance, facilitators and barriers in nurses' combined clinical and academic work in education and research. We audiotaped, transcribed and thematically analysed the interviews and focus groups. Three themes related to perceived importance, facilitators and barriers: culture, leadership and infrastructure. These themes represent deficiencies in facilitating clinical academic careers for nurses. The current nursing culture emphasises direct patient care, which is perceived as an academic misfit. Leadership is lacking at all levels, resulting in the underuse of nurse academics and the absence of supporting structures for nurses who combine clinical and academic work. The present nursing culture appears to be the root cause of the dearth of academic positions and established clinical academic posts. A culture change would require a show of leadership that would promote and enable combined research, teaching and clinical practice and that would introduce clinical academic career pathways for nurses. Meanwhile, nurse academics should collaborate with established medical academics for whom combined roles are mainstream, and they should take advantage of their established infrastructure for success. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The establishment of DOHaD working groups in Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Prescott, S L; Allen, K; Armstrong, K; Collins, C; Dickinson, H; Gardiner, K; Jacka, F; Jasoni, C; Moore, T; Moritz, K M; Muhlhausler, B; Siero, W; Sim, K; Nanan, R; Saffery, R; Singh, G; Vickers, M H; Craig, J M

2016-10-01

The evidence underpinning the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) is overwhelming. As the emphasis shifts more towards interventions and the translational strategies for disease prevention, it is important to capitalize on collaboration and knowledge sharing to maximize opportunities for discovery and replication. DOHaD meetings are facilitating this interaction. However, strategies to perpetuate focussed discussions and collaborations around and between conferences are more likely to facilitate the development of DOHaD research. For this reason, the DOHaD Society of Australia and New Zealand (DOHaD ANZ) has initiated themed Working Groups, which convened at the 2014-2015 conferences. This report introduces the DOHaD ANZ Working Groups and summarizes their plans and activities. One of the first Working Groups to form was the ActEarly birth cohort group, which is moving towards more translational goals. Reflecting growing emphasis on the impact of early life biodiversity - even before birth - we also have a Working Group titled Infection, inflammation and the microbiome. We have several Working Groups exploring other major non-cancerous disease outcomes over the lifespan, including Brain, behaviour and development and Obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic health. The Epigenetics and Animal Models Working Groups cut across all these areas and seeks to ensure interaction between researchers. Finally, we have a group focussed on 'Translation, policy and communication' which focusses on how we can best take the evidence we produce into the community to effect change. By coordinating and perpetuating DOHaD discussions in this way we aim to enhance DOHaD research in our region.

3 CFR - Establishing a Working Group on the Intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women and Girls...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... prevention activities that engage men and boys and highlight their role in the prevention of violence against... research (disaggregated by sex, gender, and gender identity, where practicable); and (v) existing...

77 FR 20277 - Establishing a Working Group on the Intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women and Girls...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

...; (iv) emphasizing evidence-based prevention activities that engage men and boys and highlight their... more comprehensive data and targeted research (disaggregated by sex, gender, and gender identity, where...

Using Action Research to prevent work-related illness among rubber farmers in Northeastern Thailand.

PubMed

Sena, Wijitra; Nilvarangkul, Kessarawan; Saranrittichai, Kesinee; Smith, John F; Phajan, Teerasak; Seetangkham, Sansanee

2018-06-10

This research aimed to enhance self-care among rubber farmers for preventing work-related illness. The project used Action Research's four phase iterative process: fact-finding to understand the problems, action planning, action plan implementation, and evaluation and reflection on action plan impacts. Sixty-six participants (46 rubber farmers and 20 community stakeholders) were purposively recruited from two villages in the top 10 rubber producing provinces in Northeastern Thailand. Demographic and work-related illness data were collected in face-to-face structured interviews, Focus group interviews and participant observations were used to collect data in each project phase. Night group meetings were held throughout the research phases. The intervention included training workshops and establishing a community health education team for ongoing farmer support. Results showed improved farmer self-care behaviors and establishment of a community health education team to encourage farmers to care for themselves properly. Community nurses, other health personnel, and the Thai government can build on initiatives like this to strengthen occupational health and safety practices and services policy for rubber farmers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Data Analysis Expert System For Large Established Distributed Databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnacek, Anne-Marie; An, Y. Kim; Ryan, J. Patrick

1987-05-01

The purpose of this work is to analyze the applicability of artificial intelligence techniques for developing a user-friendly, parallel interface to large isolated, incompatible NASA databases for the purpose of assisting the management decision process. To carry out this work, a survey was conducted to establish the data access requirements of several key NASA user groups. In addition, current NASA database access methods were evaluated. The results of this work are presented in the form of a design for a natural language database interface system, called the Deductively Augmented NASA Management Decision Support System (DANMDS). This design is feasible principally because of recently announced commercial hardware and software product developments which allow cross-vendor compatibility. The goal of the DANMDS system is commensurate with the central dilemma confronting most large companies and institutions in America, the retrieval of information from large, established, incompatible database systems. The DANMDS system implementation would represent a significant first step toward this problem's resolution.

Health status of people with work-related musculoskeletal disorders in return to work programs: a Malaysian study.

PubMed

Murad, Mohd Suleiman; O'Brien, Lisa; Farnworth, Louise; Chien, Chi-Wen

2013-07-01

This study examined the health status of injured workers with musculoskeletal disorders enrolled in the Malaysian Return to Work (RTW) program. The 102 participants were categorized into three RTW groups: Off-work (n = 30, 29.4%), Re-entry (n = 44, 43.1%), and Maintenance (n = 28, 27.5%). Overall health status, as measured by the SF-36 version 2, of the workers exhibited below average compared to the internationally established normative population, with their physical health component summary rated lower than mental health. Across the different groups, significant differences were found in role-physical, vitality, bodily pain, general health, and mental health. However, the mean values of these variables were higher in the Maintenance group and were found significant. The current health status of injured workers at Off-work and Re-entry phases was significantly low and warranted to be improved by involving other health professionals such as occupational therapists, ergonomists, and psychologists.

Improving tsunami resiliency: California's Tsunami Policy Working Group

USGS Publications Warehouse

Real, Charles R.; Johnson, Laurie; Jones, Lucile M.; Ross, Stephanie L.; Kontar, Y.A.; Santiago-Fandiño, V.; Takahashi, T.

2014-01-01

California has established a Tsunami Policy Working Group to facilitate development of policy recommendations for tsunami hazard mitigation. The Tsunami Policy Working Group brings together government and industry specialists from diverse fields including tsunami, seismic, and flood hazards, local and regional planning, structural engineering, natural hazard policy, and coastal engineering. The group is acting on findings from two parallel efforts: The USGS SAFRR Tsunami Scenario project, a comprehensive impact analysis of a large credible tsunami originating from an M 9.1 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands Subduction Zone striking California’s coastline, and the State’s Tsunami Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Program. The unique dual-track approach provides a comprehensive assessment of vulnerability and risk within which the policy group can identify gaps and issues in current tsunami hazard mitigation and risk reduction, make recommendations that will help eliminate these impediments, and provide advice that will assist development and implementation of effective tsunami hazard risk communication products to improve community resiliency.

Emergency department surge capacity: recommendations of the Australasian Surge Strategy Working Group.

PubMed

Bradt, David A; Aitken, Peter; FitzGerald, Gerry; Swift, Roger; O'Reilly, Gerard; Bartley, Bruce

2009-12-01

For more than a decade, emergency medicine (EM) organizations have produced guidelines, training, and leadership for disaster management. However, to date there have been limited guidelines for emergency physicians (EPs) needing to provide a rapid response to a surge in demand. The aim of this project was to identify strategies that may guide surge management in the emergency department (ED). A working group of individuals experienced in disaster medicine from the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Disaster Medicine Subcommittee (the Australasian Surge Strategy Working Group) was established to undertake this work. The Working Group used a modified Delphi technique to examine response actions in surge situations and identified underlying assumptions from disaster epidemiology and clinical practice. The group then characterized surge strategies from their corpus of experience; examined them through available relevant published literature; and collated these within domains of space, staff, supplies, and system operations. These recommendations detail 22 potential actions available to an EP working in the context of surge, along with detailed guidance on surge recognition, triage, patient flow through the ED, and clinical goals and practices. The article also identifies areas that merit future research, including the measurement of surge capacity, constraints to strategy implementation, validation of surge strategies, and measurement of strategy impacts on throughput, cost, and quality of care.

Toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment of water tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrens, H.; Beims, U.; Dieter, H.; Dietze, G.; Eikmann, T.; Grummt, T.; Hanisch, H.; Henseling, H.; Käß, W.; Kerndorff, H.; Leibundgut, C.; Müller-Wegener, U.; Rönnefahrt, I.; Scharenberg, B.; Schleyer, R.; Schloz, W.; Tilkes, F.

2001-06-01

Uncertainties regarding possible negative effects on the environment or on human health of authorizing tracing experiments in groundwater and surface waters led to the establishment of a Working Group at the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt - UBA) for conducting a toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment. A total of 17 water tracers was assessed by the Working Group on the basis of the results of toxicological tests, the available literature, and the group's expert knowledge. In the future, tracers that pose a risk to the environment or to human health should no longer be used. Nevertheless, there are a number of tracers that could be used in hydrogeological and hydrological investigations for water-pollution-control purposes with no adverse environmental impact.

Visibility and social recognition as psychosocial work environment factors among cleaners in a multi-ethnic workplace intervention.

PubMed

Hviid, Kirsten; Smith, Louise Hardman; Frydendall, Karen Bo; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2012-12-24

This article focuses on the psychosocial work environment of immigrant cleaners at a Danish workplace. Today, many cleaners working in Danish cleaning jobs are women from the established immigrant communities, but also labour migrants from the newer EU member states have found their way to the cleaning industry. Studies have drawn attention to immigrants' low position in the cleaning industry and their increased risk of work injuries. This article is based on a case study of an intervention called "Make a Difference" designed to improve the work environment among cleaners at a multi-ethnic workplace. We used semi-structured interviews, photo logs, observation and participation to investigate how the cleaners experienced their work environment. The cleaners reported an overload of heavy work, related to the concept of a classroom's "readiness for cleaning", and they expressed strained social relations and communication in addition to a lack of social recognition and invisibility at the workplace, a school. We analysed these psychosocial work environmental problems by investigating the different forms of social relationships and communication within the group of cleaners, and between the cleaners and the teachers and pupils at the school. Moreover, we discussed why the intervention, based on training of language and cleaning skills and social interaction, only partially improved the cleaners' psychosocial work environment problems. In this article, we argue that social divisions based on ethnicity between the new and the established group of cleaners, combined with their marginal position and poor work organisation at the school, reinforced the cleaners' experiences of psychosocial work environment problems. This article suggests that increased effort towards social inclusion at work and improved work organisation, especially for the new labour migrants from newer EU-countries, should be considered.

Visibility and Social Recognition as Psychosocial Work Environment Factors among Cleaners in A Multi-Ethnic Workplace Intervention

PubMed Central

Hviid, Kirsten; Smith, Louise Hardman; Frydendall, Karen Bo; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2012-01-01

This article focuses on the psychosocial work environment of immigrant cleaners at a Danish workplace. Today, many cleaners working in Danish cleaning jobs are women from the established immigrant communities, but also labour migrants from the newer EU member states have found their way to the cleaning industry. Studies have drawn attention to immigrants’ low position in the cleaning industry and their increased risk of work injuries. This article is based on a case study of an intervention called “Make a Difference” designed to improve the work environment among cleaners at a multi-ethnic workplace. We used semi-structured interviews, photo logs, observation and participation to investigate how the cleaners experienced their work environment. The cleaners reported an overload of heavy work, related to the concept of a classroom’s “readiness for cleaning”, and they expressed strained social relations and communication in addition to a lack of social recognition and invisibility at the workplace, a school. We analysed these psychosocial work environmental problems by investigating the different forms of social relationships and communication within the group of cleaners, and between the cleaners and the teachers and pupils at the school. Moreover, we discussed why the intervention, based on training of language and cleaning skills and social interaction, only partially improved the cleaners’ psychosocial work environment problems. In this article, we argue that social divisions based on ethnicity between the new and the established group of cleaners, combined with their marginal position and poor work organisation at the school, reinforced the cleaners’ experiences of psychosocial work environment problems. This article suggests that increased effort towards social inclusion at work and improved work organisation, especially for the new labour migrants from newer EU-countries, should be considered. PMID:23263660

Has Social Work Met Its Commitment to Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders? A Review of the Periodical Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokuau, Noreen; Garlock-Tuialii, Jessica; Lee, Palama

2008-01-01

Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs) were recognized in the 2000 U.S. census as a distinct racial minority group, with unique histories, values, and traditions. The profession of social work, with its historical commitment to social and cultural diversity, has begun to establish a knowledge base on this population in the…

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Working Group: 15 years of collaborative focal species research and management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simons, Theodore R.

2017-01-01

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Working Group formed spontaneously in 2001 as coastal waterbird biologists recognized the potential for American Oystercatchers to serve as focal species for collaborative research and management. Accomplishments over the past 15 years include the establishment of rangewide surveys, color-banding protocols, mark-resight studies, a revision of the Birds of North America species account, and new mechanisms for sharing ideas and data. Collaborations among State, Federal, and private sector scientists, natural resource managers, and dedicated volunteers have provided insights into the biology and conservation of American Oystercatchers in the United States and abroad that would not have been possible without the relationships formed through the Working Group. These accomplishments illustrate how broad collaborative approaches and the engagement of the public are key elements of effective shorebird conservation programs.

The effect of quality circles on job satisfaction and quality of work-life of staff in emergency medical services.

PubMed

Hosseinabadi, Reza; Karampourian, Arezou; Beiranvand, Shoorangiz; Pournia, Yadollah

2013-10-01

Quality circles, as a participatory management technique, offer one alternative for dealing with frustration and discontent of today's workers. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of implementation of quality circles on nurses' quality of work-life and job satisfaction. In this study, two emergency medical services (EMS) of Hamedan province were selected and randomly assigned as the experimental and control groups. After the experimental group was trained and quality circles were established in this group, the levels of quality of work-life and job satisfaction were measured in the two groups. Then, the statistical analyses were performed using t-test. After the intervention, the results showed significant differences between the scores of motivational factors (p=0.001), the total scores of job satisfaction (p=0.003), and the scores of some quality of work life (QWL) conceptual categories including the use and development of capacities (p=0.008), the total space of life (p=0.003), and the total scores of QWL (p=0.031) in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. This study confirms the effectiveness of quality circles in improving quality of work-life and job satisfaction of nurses working in EMS, and offers their application as a management method that can be used by EMS managers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Conceptual Model for Analysing Collaborative Work and Products in Groupware Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duque, Rafael; Bravo, Crescencio; Ortega, Manuel

Collaborative work using groupware systems is a dynamic process in which many tasks, in different application domains, are carried out. Currently, one of the biggest challenges in the field of CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) research is to establish conceptual models which allow for the analysis of collaborative activities and their resulting products. In this article, we propose an ontology that conceptualizes the required elements which enable an analysis to infer a set of analysis indicators, thus evaluating both the individual and group work and the artefacts which are produced.

The space shuttle payload planning working groups. Volume 7: Earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The findings of the Earth Observations working group of the space shuttle payload planning activity are presented. The objectives of the Earth Observation experiments are: (1) establishment of quantitative relationships between observable parameters and geophysical variables, (2) development, test, calibration, and evaluation of eventual flight instruments in experimental space flight missions, (3) demonstration of the operational utility of specific observation concepts or techniques as information inputs needed for taking actions, and (4) deployment of prototype and follow-on operational Earth Observation systems. The basic payload capability, mission duration, launch sites, inclinations, and payload limitations are defined.

Inter-agency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telemetry Systems (IWGADTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, Chris; Freudinger, Lawrence; Sorenson, Carl; Myers, Jeff; Sullivan, Don; Oolman, Larry

2009-01-01

The Interagency Coordinating Committee for Airborne Geosciences Research and Applications (ICCAGRA) was established to improve cooperation and communication among agencies sponsoring airborne platforms and instruments for research and applications, and to serve as a resource for senior level management on airborne geosciences issues. The Interagency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telecommunications Systems (IWGADTS) is a subgroup to ICCAGRA for the purpose of developing recommendations leading to increased interoperability among airborne platforms and instrument payloads, producing increased synergy among research programs with similar goals, and enabling the suborbital layer of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems.

Defining Outcome Measures for Psoriasis: The IDEOM Report from the GRAPPA 2016 Annual Meeting.

PubMed

Callis Duffin, Kristina; Gottlieb, Alice B; Merola, Joseph F; Latella, John; Garg, Amit; Armstrong, April W

2017-05-01

The International Dermatology Outcome Measures (IDEOM) psoriasis working group was established to develop core domains and measurements sets for psoriasis clinical trials and ultimately clinical practice. At the 2016 annual meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, the IDEOM psoriasis group presented an overview of its progress toward developing this psoriasis core domain set. First, it summarized the February 2016 meeting of all involved with the IDEOM, highlighting patient and payer perspectives on outcome measures. Second, the group presented an overview of the consensus process for developing the core domain set for psoriasis, including previous literature reviews, nominal group exercises, and meeting discussions. Future plans include the development of working groups to review candidate measures for at least 2 of the domains, including primary pathophysiologic manifestations and patient-reported outcomes, and Delphi surveys to gain consensus on the final psoriasis core domain set.

Summary of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-best pharmaceuticals for Children Act Pediatric Formulation Initiatives Workshop-Pediatric Biopharmaceutics Classification System Working Group.

PubMed

Abdel-Rahman, Susan M; Amidon, Gordon L; Kaul, Ajay; Lukacova, Viera; Vinks, Alexander A; Knipp, Gregory T

2012-11-01

The Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) allows compounds to be classified based on their in vitro solubility and intestinal permeability. The BCS has found widespread use in the pharmaceutical community to be an enabling guide for the rational selection of compounds, formulation for clinical advancement, and generic biowaivers. The Pediatric Biopharmaceutics Classification System (PBCS) Working Group was convened to consider the possibility of developing an analogous pediatric-based classification system. Because there are distinct developmental differences that can alter intestinal contents, volumes, permeability, and potentially biorelevant solubilities at different ages, the PBCS Working Group focused on identifying age-specific issues that need to be considered in establishing a flexible, yet rigorous PBCS. We summarized the findings of the PBCS Working Group and provided insights into considerations required for the development of a PBCS. Through several meetings conducted both at The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, Human Development-US Pediatric Formulation Initiative Workshop (November 2011) and via teleconferences, the PBCS Working Group considered several high-level questions that were raised to frame the classification system. In addition, the PBCS Working Group identified a number of knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to develop a rigorous PBCS. It was determined that for a PBCS to be truly meaningful, it needs to be broken down into several different age groups that account for developmental changes in intestinal permeability, luminal contents, and gastrointestinal (GI) transit. Several critical knowledge gaps were identified, including (1) a lack of fully understanding the ontogeny of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters along the GI tract, in the liver, and in the kidney; (2) an incomplete understanding of age-based changes in the GI, liver, and kidney physiology; (3) a clear need to better understand age-based intestinal permeability and fraction absorbed required to develop the PBCS; (4) a clear need for the development and organization of pediatric tissue biobanks to serve as a source for ontogenic research; and (5) a lack of literature published in age-based pediatric pharmacokinetics to build physiologically- and population-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) databases. To begin the process of establishing a PBPK model, 10 pediatric therapeutic agents were selected (based on their adult BCS classifications). These agents should be targeted for additional research in the future. The PBCS Working Group also identified several areas where greater emphasis on research was needed to enable the development of a PBCS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary of the NICHD-BPCA Pediatric Formulation Initiatives Workshop-Pediatric Biopharmaceutics Classification System (PBCS) Working Group

PubMed Central

Abdel-Rahman, Susan; Amidon, Gordon L.; Kaul, Ajay; Lukacova, Viera; Vinks, Alexander A.; Knipp, Gregory

2012-01-01

The Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) allows compounds to be classified based on their in vitro solubility and intestinal permeability. The BCS has found widespread use in the pharmaceutical community as an enabling guide for the rational selection of compounds, formulation for clinical advancement and generic biowaivers. The Pediatric Biopharmaceutics Classification System (PBCS) working group was convened to consider the possibility of developing an analogous pediatric based classification system. Since there are distinct developmental differences that can alter intestinal contents, volumes, permeability and potentially biorelevant solubilities at the different ages, the PBCS working group focused on identifying age specific issues that would need to be considered in establishing a flexible, yet rigorous PBCS. Objective To summarize the findings of the PBCS working group and provide insights into considerations required for the development of a pediatric based biopharmaceutics classification system. Methods Through several meetings conducted both at The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, Human Development (NICHD)-US Pediatric Formulation Initiative (PFI) workshop (November 2011) and via teleconferences, the PBCS working group considered several high level questions that were raised to frame the classification system. In addition, the PBCS working group identified a number of knowledge gaps that would need to be addressed in order to develop a rigorous PBCS. Results It was determined that for a PBCS to be truly meaningful, it would need to be broken down into several different age groups that would account for developmental changes in intestinal permeability, luminal contents, and gastrointestinal transit. Several critical knowledge gaps where identified including: 1) a lack of fully understanding the ontogeny of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, in the liver and in the kidney; 2) an incomplete understanding of age-based changes in the GI, liver and kidney physiology; 3) a clear need to better understand age-based intestinal permeability and fraction absorbed required to develop the PBCS; 4) a clear need for the development and organization of pediatric tissue biobanks to serve as a source for ontogenic research; and 5) a lack of literature published in age-based pediatric pharmacokinetics in order to build Physiologically- and Population-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) databases. Conclusions To begin the process of establishing a PBPK model, ten pediatric therapeutic agents were selected (based on their adult BCS classifications). Those agents should be targeted for additional research in the future. The PBCS working group also identified several areas where a greater emphasis on research is needed to enable the development of a PBCS. PMID:23149009

Wellness and multiple sclerosis: The National MS Society establishes a Wellness Research Working Group and research priorities.

PubMed

Motl, Robert W; Mowry, Ellen M; Ehde, Dawn M; LaRocca, Nicholas G; Smith, Kathy E; Costello, Kathleen; Shinto, Lynne; Ng, Alexander V; Sullivan, Amy B; Giesser, Barbara; McCully, Kevin K; Fernhall, Bo; Bishop, Malachy; Plow, Matthew; Casaccia, Patrizia; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D

2018-03-01

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have identified "wellness" and associated behaviors as a high priority based on "social media listening" undertaken by the National MS Society (i.e. the Society). The Society recently convened a group that consisted of researchers with experience in MS and wellness-related research, Society staff members, and an individual with MS for developing recommendations regarding a wellness research agenda. The members of the group engaged in focal reviews and discussions involving the state of science within three approaches for promoting wellness in MS, namely diet, exercise, and emotional wellness. That process informed a group-mediated activity for developing and prioritizing research goals for wellness in MS. This served as a background for articulating the mission and objectives of the Society's Wellness Research Working Group. The primary mission of the Wellness Research Working Group is the provision of scientific evidence supporting the application of lifestyle, behavioral, and psychosocial approaches for promoting optimal health of mind, body, and spirit (i.e. wellness) in people with MS as well as managing the disease and its consequences.

76 FR 72967 - Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-28

...The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will hold a meeting of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) via telephone conference on December 15, 2011, to establish working groups and set the agenda for future activity. This meeting will be open to the public.

Student Activity Funds: Procedures & Controls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuzzetto, Charles E.

Student activity funds may create educational opportunities for students, but they frequently create problems for business administrators. The first part of this work reviews the types of organizational issues and transactions an organized student group is likely to encounter, including establishing a constitution, participant roles,…

Ideas That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachian Regional Commission, Washington, DC.

This document profiles successful projects designed to develop Appalachia's labor force, economy, and educational opportunities. The 86 project profiles provided are grouped by the following five goals that were established for the region by the Appalachian Regional Commission: (1) Appalachian residents will have the skills and knowledge necessary…

EDITORIAL: LINKAGES AMONG LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose and scope of the landscape sciences pilot study is to establish a working group representative of NATO Member and Partner nations to exchange information about landscape science approaches useful for environmental assessment and to transfer landscape assessment techno...

Electrical Power Working Group report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanommering, Gerrit; Myers, Ira T.

1986-01-01

The status of and need for power technologies for Spacecraft 2000 were assessed and development programs required to establish an achievable and competitive technology base for spacecraft of the 21st century were identified. The results are summarized, including the recommendations and the underlying rationale.

Weighting the Decisive Operation: Updating Army Leadership Doctrine and Training to Meet the Needs of Our Soldiers and Deliver Decisive Victory

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-17

outset of human development. In fact, the cultivation of EI during childhood and early adolescence has far reaching direct and indirect cognitive and...relatively inexpensive and efficient proposal. Early measurement of EI, prior to commissioning, will enable researchers to establish a baseline of...Dimension Working Group, subject: Human Dimension Strategy Update, 7 January 2015. Bullis , Craig and George E. Reed. Assessing Leaders to Establish and

Toward Cooperation or Conflict on the Moon? Considering Lunar Governance in Historical Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Clay Moltz The question of how the moon will be governed once humans return in about a decade and begin to establish permanent bases matters greatly...list in the coming years. Establishing a peaceful framework for lunar governance will be im­ portant, because hostile international relations on the...Press, 2008). The author thanks the members of the Space Futures Working Group at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, for their

Solar Electromagnetic Radiation Study for Solar Cycle 22: Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance, 120 to 300 NM: Report of Working Groups 2 and 3 of SOLERS 22

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rottman, G. J.; Cebula, R. P.; Gillotay, D.; Simon, P. A.

1996-01-01

This report summarizes the activities of Working Group 2 and Working Group 3 of the SOLax Electromagnetic Radiation Study for Solar Cycle 22 (SOLERS22) Program. The international (SOLERS22) is Project 1.2 of the Solar-Terrestrial Energy Program (STEP) sponsored by SCOSTEP, a committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions). SOLERS22 is comprised of five Working Groups, each concentrating on a specific wave-length range: WG-1 - visible and infrared, WG-2 - mid-ultraviolet (200 < A < 300 nm), WG-3 - Far-ultraviolet (lambda greater than 100 and lambda less than 200 nanometers), WG-4 - extreme-ultraviolet (lambda greater than 10 and lambda less than 100 nm), and WG-5 - X-ray (lambda greater than 1 and lambda less than 10 nano meters). The overarching goals of SOLERS22 are to: 1) establish daily solar irradiance values in the specified wavelength ranges, 2) consider the evolving solar structures as the cause of temporal variations, and 3) understand the underlying physical processes driving these changes.

Introducing the AAS Working Group on Astroinformatics and Astrostatistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivezic, Zeljko

2014-01-01

In response to two White Papers submitted to the Astro2010 Decadal Survey (1,2), a new AAS Working Group on Astroinformatics and Astrostatistics (WGAA) has been approved by the AAS Council at the 220th Meeting, June 2012, in Anchorage. The motivation for this WG is the growing importance of the interface between astronomy and various branches of applied mathematics, computer science and the emerging field of data science. With the new data-intensive projects envisioned for the coming decade, the need for advice derived from the focused attention of a group of AAS members who work in these areas is bound to increase. The Working Group is charged with spreading awareness of rapidly advancing computational techniques, sophsticated statistical methods, and highly capble software to further the goals of astronomical and astrophysical research. The three main strategic goals adopted by the WGAA Steering Committee for the next few years are to: (i) develop, organize and maintain methodological resources (such as software tools, papers, books, and lectures); (ii) enhance human resources (such as foster the creation of career paths, establish a Speakers' Bureau, establish and maintain an archived discussion forum, enable periodic news distribution); and (iii) organize topical meetings. The WGAA Steering Committee at this time includes twelve members: Kirk Borne, George Djorgovski, Eric Feigelson, Eric Ford, Alyssa Goodman, Joe Hilbe, Zeljko Ivezic (chair), Ashish Mahabal, Aneta Siemiginowska, Alex Szalay, Rick White, and Padma Yanamandra-Fisher. I will summarize our accomplishments since July 2012. (1) Astroinformatics: A 21st Century Approach to Astronomy (Borne & 90 coauthors), (2) The Astronomical Information Sciences: A Keystone for 21st-Century Astronomy (Loredo & 72 coauthors)

Intermodal Freight Technology Working Group asset tracking and "freight information highway" field operational test evaluation : final report executive summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-09-01

In January 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a solicitation requesting "Cost Sharing Cooperative Agreements" to conduct operational tests to improve efficiencies in the intermodal freight operations and to establish the foundat...

Center Links Academic/Industry Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1980

1980-01-01

Discussed is the establishment of a Center University of MassachusettsIndustry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP) at the University's Amherst campus. CUMIRP involves the university, a group of 13 corporations, and the National Science Foundation working together to forge closer research ties between unversities and industry. (Author/DS)

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION CONFERENCE, BY LAWS, AND STANDARDS

EPA Science Inventory

NELAC is the result of a joint effort by EPA, other federal agencies, the States, and the private sector that began in 1990 when EPA's Environmental Monitoring Management Council (EMMC) established an internal work group to consider the feasibility and advisability of a national ...

75 FR 13646 - Public Meeting With Interested Persons To Discuss the Proposed AC 20-42D, Hand Fire Extinguishers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... Systems Fire Protection Working Group (IASFPWG) to draft a revision to the current AC 20-42C, issued on... approved replacement agents for Halon 1211 and establishes an FAA approved minimum performance standard...

Renewing Professional Organizations and Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, Carol A.

2011-01-01

This account concerns the renewal of established professional organizations though action learning. In order to revitalize one national organization, an executive group of leaders committed to co-leading and co-learning through a friendly, computer-supported governance structure. Manifestations of our work together were an accelerated…

49 CFR 236.929 - Training specific to roadway workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... themselves or roadway work groups. (b) What subject areas must roadway worker training include? (1... control equipment in establishing protection for roadway workers and their equipment. (2) Instruction for roadway workers must ensure recognition of processor-based signal and train control equipment on the...

EU-US ABWG AgENCODE Workshop

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As considerable progress has been made on producing draft quality genomic sequence for many food animal species, the next goal for genomics research is a greater understanding of gene regulation and expression. The EU-US Animal Biotechnology Working Group (ABWG), established by the EU-US Biotechnolo...

Barriers to Clinical Research in Latin America

PubMed Central

Chomsky-Higgins, Kathryn; Miclau, Theodore A.; Mackechnie, Madeline C.; Aguilar, Dino; Avila, Jorge Rubio; dos Reis, Fernando Baldy; Balmaseda, Roberto; Barquet, Antonio; Ceballos, Alfredo; Contreras, Fernando; Escalante, Igor; Elias, Nelson; Vincenti, Sergio Iriarte; Lozano, Christian; Medina, Fryda; Merchan, Gavino; Segovia, Julio; Guerado, Enrique; Quintero, Jose Eduardo; Morshed, Saam; Bhandari, Mohit; Miclau, Theodore

2017-01-01

Enhancing health research capacity in developing countries is a global health priority. Understanding the orthopedic burden of disease in Latin America will require close partnership between more-developed and less-developed countries. To this end, the Osteosynthesis and Trauma Care Foundation assembled a research consortium of Latin-American orthopedic leaders. Prior to the meeting, we surveyed attendees on perceived barriers to conducting research at their institutions. During the event, working groups discussed these barriers, developed strategies for addressing them, and planned future steps for collaboration. The participants established the need for global relationships that allow colleagues from Latin America to access to training and established investigational infrastructure of North American centers to address research questions relevant to their communities. As a result of the discussion, the International Orthopaedic Multicenter Study (INORMUS) in Fracture Care was initiated. Since then, an expanded international working group, Associación de Cirujanos Traumatológicos en las Americas (ACTUAR), has been created with the purpose of promoting increased global partnership for research capacity development. PMID:28459047

Barriers to Clinical Research in Latin America.

PubMed

Chomsky-Higgins, Kathryn; Miclau, Theodore A; Mackechnie, Madeline C; Aguilar, Dino; Avila, Jorge Rubio; Dos Reis, Fernando Baldy; Balmaseda, Roberto; Barquet, Antonio; Ceballos, Alfredo; Contreras, Fernando; Escalante, Igor; Elias, Nelson; Vincenti, Sergio Iriarte; Lozano, Christian; Medina, Fryda; Merchan, Gavino; Segovia, Julio; Guerado, Enrique; Quintero, Jose Eduardo; Morshed, Saam; Bhandari, Mohit; Miclau, Theodore

2017-01-01

Enhancing health research capacity in developing countries is a global health priority. Understanding the orthopedic burden of disease in Latin America will require close partnership between more-developed and less-developed countries. To this end, the Osteosynthesis and Trauma Care Foundation assembled a research consortium of Latin-American orthopedic leaders. Prior to the meeting, we surveyed attendees on perceived barriers to conducting research at their institutions. During the event, working groups discussed these barriers, developed strategies for addressing them, and planned future steps for collaboration. The participants established the need for global relationships that allow colleagues from Latin America to access to training and established investigational infrastructure of North American centers to address research questions relevant to their communities. As a result of the discussion, the International Orthopaedic Multicenter Study (INORMUS) in Fracture Care was initiated. Since then, an expanded international working group, Associación de Cirujanos Traumatológicos en las Americas (ACTUAR), has been created with the purpose of promoting increased global partnership for research capacity development.

Perceived discontinuities and continuities in transdisciplinary scientific working groups.

PubMed

Crowston, Kevin; Specht, Alison; Hoover, Carol; Chudoba, Katherine M; Watson-Manheim, Mary Beth

2015-11-15

We examine the DataONE (Data Observation Network for Earth) project, a transdisciplinary organization tasked with creating a cyberinfrastructure platform to ensure preservation of and access to environmental science and biological science data. Its objective was a difficult one to achieve, requiring innovative solutions. The DataONE project used a working group structure to organize its members. We use organizational discontinuity theory as our lens to understand the factors associated with success in such projects. Based on quantitative and qualitative data collected from DataONE members, we offer recommendations for the use of working groups in transdisciplinary synthesis. Recommendations include welcome diverse opinions and world views, establish shared communication practices, schedule periodic synchronous face-to-face meetings, and ensure the active participation of bridge builders or knowledge brokers such as librarians who know how to ask questions about disciplines not their own. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implementation of evidence on the nurse-patient relationship in psychiatric wards through a mixed method design: study protocol.

PubMed

Moreno-Poyato, Antonio R; Delgado-Hito, Pilar; Suárez-Pérez, Raquel; Leyva-Moral, Juan M; Aceña-Domínguez, Rosa; Carreras-Salvador, Regina; Roldán-Merino, Juan F; Lluch-Canut, Teresa; Montesó-Curto, Pilar

2017-01-01

Psychiatric nurses are aware of the importance of the therapeutic relationship in psychiatric units. Nevertheless, a review of the scientific evidence indicates that theoretical knowledge alone is insufficient to establish an adequate therapeutic alliance. Therefore, strategies are required to promote changes to enhance the establishment of the working relationship. The aims of the study are to generate changes in how nurses establish the therapeutic relationship in acute psychiatric units, based on participative action research and to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of evidence through this method. The study will use a mixed method design. Qualitative methodology, through participative action research, will be employed to implement scientific evidence on the therapeutic relationship. A quasi-experimental, one-group, pre-test/post-test design will also be used to quantitatively measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the evidence. Participants will consist of nurses and patients from two psychiatric units in Barcelona. Nurses will be selected by theoretical sampling, and patients assigned to each nurses will be selected by consecutive sampling. Qualitative data will be gathered through discussion groups and field diaries. Quantitative data will be collected through the Working Alliance Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Qualitative data will be analysed through the technique of content analysis and quantitative data through descriptive and inferential statistics. This study will help to understand the process of change in a nursing team working in an inpatient psychiatric ward and will allow nurses to generate knowledge, identify difficulties, and establish strategies to implement change, as well as to assess whether the quality of the care they provide shows a qualitative improvement.

Sample collections from healthy volunteers for biological variation estimates' update: a new project undertaken by the Working Group on Biological Variation established by the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Carobene, Anna; Strollo, Marta; Jonker, Niels; Barla, Gerhard; Bartlett, William A; Sandberg, Sverre; Sylte, Marit Sverresdotter; Røraas, Thomas; Sølvik, Una Ørvim; Fernandez-Calle, Pilar; Díaz-Garzón, Jorge; Tosato, Francesca; Plebani, Mario; Coşkun, Abdurrahman; Serteser, Mustafa; Unsal, Ibrahim; Ceriotti, Ferruccio

2016-10-01

Biological variation (BV) data have many fundamental applications in laboratory medicine. At the 1st Strategic Conference of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) the reliability and limitations of current BV data were discussed. The EFLM Working Group on Biological Variation is working to increase the quality of BV data by developing a European project to establish a biobank of samples from healthy subjects to be used to produce high quality BV data. The project involved six European laboratories (Milan, Italy; Bergen, Norway; Madrid, Spain; Padua, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Assen, The Netherlands). Blood samples were collected from 97 volunteers (44 men, aged 20-60 years; 43 women, aged 20-50 years; 10 women, aged 55-69 years). Initial subject inclusion required that participants completed an enrolment questionnaire to verify their health status. The volunteers provided blood specimens once per week for 10 weeks. A short questionnaire was completed and some laboratory tests were performed at each sampling consisting of blood collected under controlled conditions to provide serum, K2EDTA-plasma and citrated-plasma samples. Samples from six out of the 97 enroled subjects were discarded as a consequence of abnormal laboratory measurements. A biobank of 18,000 aliquots was established consisting of 120 aliquots of serum, 40 of EDTA-plasma, and 40 of citrated-plasma from each subject. The samples were stored at -80 °C. A biobank of well-characterised samples collected under controlled conditions has been established delivering a European resource to enable production of contemporary BV data.

A compilation of research working groups on drug utilisation across Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The assessment of the benefit-risk of medicines needs careful consideration concerning their patterns of utilization. Systems for the monitoring of medicines consumption have been established in many European countries, and several international groups have identified and described them. No other compilation of European working groups has been published. As part of the PROTECT project, as a first step in searching for European data sources on the consumption of five selected groups of medicines, we aimed to identify and describe the main characteristics of the existing collaborative European working groups. Findings Google and bibliographic searches (PubMed) of articles containing information on databases and other sources of drug consumption data were conducted. For each working group the main characteristics were recorded. Nineteen selected groups were identified, focusing on: a) general drug utilisation (DU) research (EuroDURG, CNC, ISPE’S SIG-DUR, EURO-MED-STAT, PIPERSKA Group, NorPEN, ENCePP, DURQUIM), b) specific DU research: b.1) antimicrobial drugs (ARPAC, ESAC, ARPEC, ESGAP, HAPPY AUDIT), b.2) cardiovascular disease (ARITMO, EUROASPIRE), b.3) paediatrics (TEDDY), and b.4) mental health/central nervous system effects (ESEMeD, DRUID, TUPP/EUPoMMe). Information on their aims, methods and activities is presented. Conclusions We assembled and updated information on European working groups in DU research and in the utilisation of five selected groups of drugs for the PROTECT project. This information should be useful for academic researchers, regulatory and health authorities, and pharmaceutical companies conducting and interpreting post-authorisation and safety studies. European health authorities should encourage national research and collaborations in this important field for public health. PMID:24625054

Minor long-term effects 3-4 years after the ReDO™ intervention for women with stress-related disorders: A focus on sick leave rate, everyday occupations and well-being.

PubMed

Eklund, Mona

2017-01-01

The Redesigning Daily Occupations (ReDO™) work rehabilitation method has been found effective, compared with care as usual (CAU), for women with stress-related disorders. To conduct a long-term follow-up of former ReDO™ and CAU participants with respect to sick leave, well-being and everyday occupations 3-4 years after completed work rehabilitation. Forty-two women in each group participated. An index day was decided to estimate sick-leave rate, retrieved from register data. Fifty-five women also participated in a telephone interview addressing well-being, everyday occupations and life events. Both groups had reduced their sick-leave rate further, but no difference between the groups was established. The ReDO™ women perceived a better balance in the work domain of everyday occupations, whereas the CAU group reported more over-occupation. No differences were found on well-being. The groups had experienced similar important life events, affecting the women's work and private lives. Previous stress and anxiety predicted sick leave at the long-term follow-up. Although the ReDO™ intervention had speeded up return to work in the immediate follow-up perspective, the CAU had caught up in the longer term. Still, the ReDO™ women exhibited better balance in the work domain.

OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY WORKING GROUP ON EXTERNAL EVENTS

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

Nakoski, John A.; Smith, Curtis L.; Kim, Min Kyu

The Orgranisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has established a Working Group on External Events (WGEV) that provides a forum for subject matter experts from the nuclear industry and regulators to improve the understanding and treatment of external hazards that would support the continued safety performance of nuclear installations, and improve the effectiveness of regulatory practices, in NEA member countries. This report provides a description of the ongoing work of the WGEV. The work of the WGEV includes the collection of information and conducting a workshop on severe weather and storm surge that brought togethermore » a diverse group of subject matter experts to identify commendable practices related to the treatment of severe weather and storm surge consideration in regulatory and operational decision-making. Other work of the WGEV includes looking at science-based screening of external events that are factored into decisions on the safe operation of nuclear facilities; and identification of commendable practices and knowledge gaps on riverine flooding.« less

Collaborative group work: effects of group size and assignment structure on learning gain, student satisfaction and perceived participation.

PubMed

Kooloos, Jan G M; Klaassen, Tim; Vereijken, Mayke; Van Kuppeveld, Sascha; Bolhuis, Sanneke; Vorstenbosch, Marc

2011-01-01

Collaborative group sessions in Nijmegen include 15 students who work all together on a group assignment. Sometimes, the group is split-up in three and every subgroup elaborates a part of the assignment. At the end, they peer-teach each other. It is believed that the split-up enhances participation and therefore learning gain. To establish the effect of group size and structure of the assignment on the perceived participation, the satisfaction and learning gain of collaborative group sessions. In this study, 27 groups of 15 students were equally divided into: A-group: all 15 students working on the complete assignment. B-group: subgroups of 5 students working on the complete assignment. C-group: subgroups of 5 students working on a smaller part, and peer-teaching each other at the end of the group session. All students took a pre-test, a post-test and a follow-up test and completed a questionnaire. Questionnaires were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc by multiple comparisons. Learning gain was analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA. A group size effect is observed in favor of working in subgroups. Perceived participation of the students differs between A and B (p ≤ 0.001) and between A and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between B and C. Also, an assignment effect is found in favor of the smaller assignment combined with peer-teaching. The students' satisfaction differs between A and C (p ≤ 0.003) and between B and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between A and B. The C-group also shows higher test results (p ≤ 0.043). The students prefer smaller groups as well as smaller assignments including peer-teaching. A possible larger learning gain of this format needs to be re-investigated.

Systematic Differences in HIV, Syphilis and Risk Behaviors among Street Based and Establishment Based Female Sex Workers in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal.

PubMed

Kakchapati, Sampurna; Paudel, Tarun; Maharjan, Manju; Lim, Apiradee

2016-12-01

Female Sex Workers (FSWs) are main drivers of the HIV epidemic in Nepal. The work environment of sex work in Nepal is differentiated into establishment based (e.g. massage parlors, dance restaurants, hotels and lodges) and street based (e.g. streets, parks and markets). The study compares HIV, syphilis and risk behaviours among establishment-based FSWs and street-based FSWs in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Cross-sectional bio-behavioral surveys in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015 aimed to sample 2093 FSWs using two stage cluster sampling in the Kathmandu valley. Statistical analysis used chi-squared tests and logistic regression models to assess differences of HIV, syphilis and risk behaviors among street-based FSWs and establishment-based FSWs. The study included 39.7% street-based FSWs and 60.3% establishment-based FSWs. The street-based FSWs had lower education levels, older age groups, separated, longer duration of sex work and inconsistent condom used with clients than establishment-based FSWs (p<0.05). Establishment-based FSWs were lower exposure to HIV intervention programs and pervasive alcohol consumption and use of drugs (p<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that street-based FSWs were more likely of HIV test (aOR=1.25, 95%CI=1.04, 1.49), HIV (aOR=4.72, 95%CI=2.19, 10.15) and syphilis (aOR=7.96, 95%CI=3.49, 18.15) than establishment-based FSWs. Street-based FSWs possessed higher risk behaviour and have higher HIV and syphilis prevalence. HIV prevention interventions targeting FSWs should consider risks and vulnerability of street-based FSWs. .

Systematic Differences in HIV, Syphilis and Risk Behaviors among Street Based and Establishment Based Female Sex Workers in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal

PubMed Central

Paudel, Tarun; Maharjan, Manju; Lim, Apiradee

2016-01-01

Background: Female Sex Workers (FSWs) are main drivers of the HIV epidemic in Nepal. The work environment of sex work in Nepal is differentiated into establishment based (e.g. massage parlors, dance restaurants, hotels and lodges) and street based (e.g. streets, parks and markets). The study compares HIV, syphilis and risk behaviours among establishment-based FSWs and street-based FSWs in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional bio-behavioral surveys in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015 aimed to sample 2093 FSWs using two stage cluster sampling in the Kathmandu valley. Statistical analysis used chi-squared tests and logistic regression models to assess differences of HIV, syphilis and risk behaviors among street-based FSWs and establishment-based FSWs. Results: The study included 39.7% street-based FSWs and 60.3% establishment-based FSWs. The street-based FSWs had lower education levels, older age groups, separated, longer duration of sex work and inconsistent condom used with clients than establishment-based FSWs (p<0.05). Establishment-based FSWs were lower exposure to HIV intervention programs and pervasive alcohol consumption and use of drugs (p<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that street-based FSWs were more likely of HIV test (aOR=1.25, 95%CI=1.04, 1.49), HIV (aOR=4.72, 95%CI=2.19, 10.15) and syphilis (aOR=7.96, 95%CI=3.49, 18.15) than establishment-based FSWs. Conclusion: Street-based FSWs possessed higher risk behaviour and have higher HIV and syphilis prevalence. HIV prevention interventions targeting FSWs should consider risks and vulnerability of street-based FSWs. . PMID:28804674

Developing measures of food and nutrition security within an Australian context.

PubMed

Archer, Claire; Gallegos, Danielle; McKechnie, Rebecca

2017-10-01

To develop a measure of food and nutrition security for use among an Australian population that measures all pillars of food security and to establish its content validity. The study consisted of two phases. Phase 1 involved focus groups with experts working in the area of food security. Data were assessed using content analysis and results informed the development of a draft tool. Phase 2 consisted of a series of three online surveys using the Delphi technique. Findings from each survey were used to establish content validity and progressively modify the tool until consensus was reached for all items. Australia. Phase 1 focus groups involved twenty-five experts working in the field of food security, who were attending the Dietitians Association of Australia National Conference, 2013. Phase 2 included twenty-five experts working in food security, who were recruited via email. Findings from Phase 1 supported the need for an Australian-specific tool and highlighted the failure of current tools to measure across all pillars of food security. Participants encouraged the inclusion of items to measure barriers to food acquisition and the previous single item to enable comparisons with previous data. Phase 2 findings informed the selection and modification of items for inclusion in the final tool. The results led to the development of a draft tool to measure food and nutrition security, and supported its content validity. Further research is needed to validate the tool among the Australian population and to establish inter- and intra-rater reliability.

A qualitative evaluation of owner and worker health and safety beliefs in small auto collision repair shops.

PubMed

Parker, David L; Bejan, Anca; Brosseau, Lisa M

2012-05-01

About 223,000 people are employed in approximately 34,500 auto collision repair businesses. In general, employees and owners in these establishments lack knowledge of health and safety practices and do not have the technical expertise to make their place of work safer. Three employee and three owner focus groups were conducted. The goal of these focus groups was to characterize health and safety beliefs of owners and employees and to determine the best methods for motivating safety improvements in collision repair shops. A total of 11 owners and 19 workers participated in these focus groups. Employees and owners were aware of a wide range of hazards. Both groups noted difficulty in staying informed. Employers were hesitant to set and enforce safety and health rules. Employees perceive owners to be unwilling to dedicate the resources to make the workplace safer and provide personal protective equipment. Both groups felt insurance reimbursement practices placed undue pressure on employees. Focus groups provide important insights into intervention development in very small enterprises in general and auto collision shops in specific. Employers were conflicted about allowing employees a certain level of independence while also maintaining a safe workplace. From the employee perspective, owners frequently fail to provide adequate personal protective equipment and make improvements needed to ensure safe work. The unique managerial needs of very small enterprises must be accounted for if health and safety programs are to be implemented in these establishments. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Working Group 1: Software System Design and Implementation for Environmental Modeling (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Nine Federal agencies have been cooperating under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the research and development of multimedia environmental models. The MOU, which was revised in 2012, continues an effort that began in 2001. It establishes a framework for facilit...

75 FR 37826 - Proposed Information Collection to OMB Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Program (Combined and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-30

... Annual Performance Reporting Requirements); Withdrawal of Notice AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information... Housing Plan and Annual Performance Reporting Requirements) proposed information collection published on...-free number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HUD established a working group to streamline the Indian...

Accounting for Teamwork: A Critical Study of Group-Based Systems of Organizational Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezzamel, Mahmoud; Willmott, Hugh

1998-01-01

Examines the role of accounting calculations in reorganizing manufacturing capabilities of a vertically integrated global retailing company. Introducing teamwork to replace line work extended traditional, hierarchical management control systems. Teamwork's self-managing demands contravened workers' established sense of self-identity as…

Attitude Control Working Group report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Daniel F.; Studer, Phillip A.

1986-01-01

The goals were to establish the Attitude Control System (ACS) requirements, constraints, technology assessment, technology shortfalls, expected in the year 2000. These were based upon all missions, military and civil, for LEO and GEO. The critical ACS technology issues were identified and ACS programs developed to address these critical issues.

Reflections of a Latino Associate Professor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peguero, Anthony A.

2018-01-01

The following reflection essay is about my experiences as a Latino Associate Professor who focuses on criminology, youth violence, juvenile justice, and the associated disparities with race, ethnicity, and immigration. I reflect about the "race and justice" job market, pursuing and establishing a Latina/o Criminology working group, often…

IDENTIFICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICITY EFFECTS: A REPORT FROM THE ILSI RESEARCH FOUNDATION/RISK SCIENCE INSTITUTE EXPERT WORKING GROUP ON NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ENDPOINTS

EPA Science Inventory

The reliable detection, measurement, and interpretation of treatment-related developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) effects depend on appropriate study design and execution, using scientifically established methodologies, with appropriate controls to minimize confounding factors. App...

49 CFR 236.1049 - Training specific to roadway workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... who provide protection for themselves or roadway work groups. (b) Training subject areas. (1... control equipment in establishing protection for roadway workers and their equipment. (2) Instruction for... recognition of processor-based signal and train control equipment on the wayside and an understanding of how...

New Start Program Report: September 1985--June 1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winchell, Anne

In 1985, Kingsborough Community College (KCC) in Brooklyn, established the New Start Program to assist students who began their post-secondary education at cooperating senior colleges, but encountered academic difficulties there. The program offers individual and group counseling to help participants overcome previous difficulties and work toward…

Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning.

PubMed

Gillies, Robyn M

2006-06-01

Teachers play a critical role in promoting interactions between students and engaging them in the learning process. This study builds on a study by Hertz-Lazarowitz and Shachar (1990) who found that during cooperative learning teachers' verbal behaviours were more helpful to and encouraging of their students' efforts while during whole-class instruction, their verbal behaviours tended to be more authoritarian, rigid, and impersonal. This study seeks to determine if teachers who implement cooperative learning engage in more facilitative learning interactions with their students than teachers who implement group work only. The study also seeks to determine if students in the cooperative groups model their teachers' behaviours and engage in more positive helping interactions with each other than their peers in the group work groups. The study involved 26 teachers and 303 students in Grades 8 to 10 from 4 large high schools in Brisbane, Australia. All teachers agreed to establish cooperative, small-group activities in their classrooms for a unit of work (4 to 6 weeks) once a term for 3 school terms. The teachers were audiotaped twice during these lessons and samples of the students' language, as they worked in their groups, were also collected at the same time. The results show that teachers who implement cooperative learning in their classrooms engage in more mediated-learning interactions and make fewer disciplinary comments than teachers who implement group work only. Furthermore, the students model many of these interactions in their groups. The study shows that when teachers implement cooperative learning, their verbal behaviour is affected by the organizational structure of the classroom.

Defining a roadmap for harmonizing quality indicators in Laboratory Medicine: a consensus statement on behalf of the IFCC Working Group "Laboratory Error and Patient Safety" and EFLM Task and Finish Group "Performance specifications for the extra-analytical phases".

PubMed

Sciacovelli, Laura; Panteghini, Mauro; Lippi, Giuseppe; Sumarac, Zorica; Cadamuro, Janne; Galoro, César Alex De Olivera; Pino Castro, Isabel Garcia Del; Shcolnik, Wilson; Plebani, Mario

2017-08-28

The improving quality of laboratory testing requires a deep understanding of the many vulnerable steps involved in the total examination process (TEP), along with the identification of a hierarchy of risks and challenges that need to be addressed. From this perspective, the Working Group "Laboratory Errors and Patient Safety" (WG-LEPS) of International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) is focusing its activity on implementation of an efficient tool for obtaining meaningful information on the risk of errors developing throughout the TEP, and for establishing reliable information about error frequencies and their distribution. More recently, the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) has created the Task and Finish Group "Performance specifications for the extra-analytical phases" (TFG-PSEP) for defining performance specifications for extra-analytical phases. Both the IFCC and EFLM groups are working to provide laboratories with a system to evaluate their performances and recognize the critical aspects where improvement actions are needed. A Consensus Conference was organized in Padova, Italy, in 2016 in order to bring together all the experts and interested parties to achieve a consensus for effective harmonization of quality indicators (QIs). A general agreement was achieved and the main outcomes have been the release of a new version of model of quality indicators (MQI), the approval of a criterion for establishing performance specifications and the definition of the type of information that should be provided within the report to the clinical laboratories participating to the QIs project.

Three Year Work Plan (2007--10) of the IUHPE Northern Part of the Western Pacific Region.

PubMed

Nakahara, Toshitaka

2008-09-01

The article presents the work plan of the Vice President for the Northern Part of the Western Pacific Region of the IUHPE. The highlights of the plan include, firstly, the organization of the First Asia-Pacific Conference on Health Promotion and Health Education, which will take place in July 2009. Secondly, the plan proposes the establishment of a liaison office and an Internet journal to facilitate collaboration among individuals, groups and organizations working in health promotion and education in this culturally and linguistically diverse region.

Multifaceted Prospective Memory Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence.

PubMed

Insel, Kathie C; Einstein, Gilles O; Morrow, Daniel G; Koerner, Kari M; Hepworth, Joseph T

2016-03-01

To test whether a multifaceted prospective memory intervention improved adherence to antihypertensive medications and to assess whether executive function and working memory processes moderated the intervention effects. Two-group longitudinal randomized control trial. Community. Individuals aged 65 and older without signs of dementia or symptoms of severe depression who were self-managing prescribed medication. After 4 weeks of initial adherence monitoring using a medication event monitoring system, individuals with 90% or less adherence were randomly assigned to groups. The prospective memory intervention was designed to provide strategies that switch older adults from relying on executive function and working memory processes (that show effects of cognitive aging) to mostly automatic associative processes (that are relatively spared with normal aging) for remembering to take medications. Strategies included establishing a routine, establishing cues strongly associated with medication taking actions, performing the action immediately upon thinking about it, using a medication organizer, and imagining medication taking to enhance encoding and improve cuing. There was significant improvement in adherence in the intervention group (57% at baseline to 78% after the intervention), but most of these gains were lost after 5 months. The control condition started at 68% and was stable during the intervention, but dropped to 62%. Executive function and working memory moderated the intervention effect, with the intervention producing greater benefit for those with lower executive function and working memory. The intervention improved adherence, but the benefits were not sustained. Further research is needed to determine how to sustain the substantial initial benefits. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Proceedings and findings of the 1976 Workshop on Ride Quality. [passenger acceptance of transportation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhlthau, A. R. (Editor)

1976-01-01

The workshop was organized around the study of the three basic transfer functions required to evaluate and/or predict passenger acceptance of transportation systems: These are the vehicle, passenger, and value transfer functions. For the purpose of establishing working groups corresponding to the basic transfer functions, it was decided to split the vehicle transfer function into two distinct groups studying surface vehicles and air/marine vehicles, respectively.

Cyberinfrastructure Initiatives of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, K. R.; Faundeen, J. L.; Petiteville, I.

2005-12-01

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) was established in 1984 in response to a recommendation from the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology, and Employment's Panel of Experts on Satellite Remote Sensing. CEOS participants are Members, who are national or international governmental organizations who operate civil spaceborne Earth observation satellites, and Associates who are governmental organizations with civil space programs in development or international scientific or governmental bodies who have an interest in and support CEOS objectives. The primary objective of CEOS is to optimize benefits of satellite Earth observations through cooperation of its participants in mission planning and in development of compatible data products, formats, services, applications and policies. To pursue its objectives, CEOS establishes working groups and associated subgroups that focus on relevant areas of interest. While the structure of CEOS has evolved over its lifetime, today there are three permanent working groups. One is the Working Group on Calibration and Validation that addresses sensor-specific calibration and validation and geophysical parameter validation. A second is the Working Group on Education, Training, and Capacity Building that facilitates activities that enhance international education and training in Earth observation techniques, data analysis, interpretation and applications, with a particular focus on developing countries. The third permanent working group is the Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS). The purpose of WGISS is to promote collaboration in the development of the systems and services based on international standards that manage and supply the Earth observation data and information from participating agencies' missions. WGISS places great emphasis on the use of demonstration projects involving user groups to solve the critical interoperability issues associated with the achievement of global services and its structure reflects that objective. The Technology and Services Subgroup initiates tasks to explore emerging technologies that can be employed to create data and information systems and to develop interoperable services. The interests of the subgroup span the full range of the information processing chain from the initial ingestion of satellite data into archives through to the incorporation of derived information into end-user applications. The subgroup has overseen the creation of an Interoperable Directory Network and an Interoperable Catalog System and has tasks that are investigating the use of new technologies such as Web Services, Grid, and Open Geographical Information Systems to provide enhanced capabilities. The WGISS Projects and Applications Subgroup works with outside organizations to understand their requirements and then helps them to exploit the tools and services available through WGISS and its members and associates. WGISS has instituted the concept of a WGISS Test Facility to test and develop information systems and services prototypes collaboratively with these organizations to meet their specific requirements. This approach has the dual benefit of addressing real information systems and services needs of science and applications projects and helping WGISS to expand and improve its capabilities based on the experience and lessons learned from working with the projects.

[Osaka Medical Laboratory ISO15189 Study Group: History and Future Prospects of the Group].

PubMed

Iguchi, Ken

2016-02-01

The IS015189 "Medical laboratories: Specific requirements regarding quality and competence" is an international standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in February 2003. In October 2004, pilot surveys were initiated in Japan prior to accreditation surveys scheduled to be started in 2005. In September 2005, the first ever ISO15189-accredited facility was established in Japan. With the background of limited information about and few opportunities to study ISO15189 in 2004, we established the Osaka Medical Laboratory ISO15189 Study Group as a unique association that anyone interested in the ISO is able to join. Approximately 900 people have participated in group meetings, which have been held a total of 11 times. Thus, our group has played a major role in ISO development in Japan. To date, approximately 100 facilities have been ISO15189-accredited in Japan, suggesting the need to take new steps regarding its accreditation. As our group has achieved our initial objective, we are planning to work towards taking new steps, such as interaction with accredited facilities.

The Stitches Stayed: Creating Rapport around Women's Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Mary Clementine; Stasz, Bird

2010-01-01

Establishing rapport between researcher and participants when conducting ethnography is essential to the successful outcome of the research. However, when participants are unwilling to engage, a different approach must be adopted. This article is an examination of the appropriation of a situated learning model during fieldwork with a group of…

77 FR 20273 - Vietnam Veterans Day

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

... Day Memorandum of March 30, 2012--Establishing a Working Group on the Intersection of HIV/AIDS... Veterans Day By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation On January 12, 1962, United... themselves into harm's way to save a friend, who fought hour after hour, day after day to preserve the...

Farm Foundation Annual Report, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farm Foundation, Oak Brook, IL.

The Farm Foundation was established in 1933 as a private agency to help coordinate the work of other public and private groups and agencies to improve agriculture and rural life without taking political positions or supporting specific legislation. An operating rather than a grant-making foundation, the foundation develops national and regional…

Hand to Hand Combatives in the US Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-12

the streets of Baqubah and Kandahar, will always be one of uncertainty, chaos, and violence . Soldiers will have to react instinctively towards...combatives. His inquiry caused the Air Force’s Training Command to establish a working group to look into the best combatives system for the Air Force’s...

Industry Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 2012

2012-01-01

This article illustrates projected employment change by industry and industry sector over 2010-20 decade. Workers are grouped into an industry according to the type of good produced or service provided by the establishment for which they work. Industry employment projections are shown in terms of numeric change (growth or decline in the total…

Development and Implementation of Joint Programs in Laser Ranging and Other Space Geodetic Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearlman, Michael R.; Carter, David (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

On-going activities of the NASA special consultant to WEGENER (Working group of European Geoscientists for the Establishment of Networks for Earth-science Research) program are reported. Topics cover include: the WEGENER 2002 conference in Greece and the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS).

75 FR 38538 - Notice of Intent To Solicit Nominations: Pinedale Anticline Working Group, Wyoming

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-02

... the management of natural resources, land, or water; and 2. An affected member of the public-at-large... charter established membership selection criteria and operational procedures as follows: 1. The PAWG is... indicate its preferred order of appointment selection. Note: The Obama Administration prohibits individuals...

14 CFR 161.7 - Limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... operations, or limit the hours of Stage 2 or Stage 3 aircraft operations, at the airport. (b) The notice... November 5, 1990, where the amendment does not reduce or limit aircraft operations or affect aircraft... working group (outside of the process established by 14 CFR part 150) with a local airport operator to...

Helicopter simulator qualification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hampson, Brian

1992-01-01

CAE has extensive experience in building helicopter simulators and has participated in group working sessions for fixed-wing advisory circulars. Against this background, issues that should be addressed in establishing helicopter approval criteria were highlighted. Some of these issues are not immediately obvious and may, indeed, be more important than the criteria a themselves.

INTERLABORATORY COMPARISON STUDIES FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

A working group of investigators, who are characterizing and quantifying the organic compounds in particulate matter (PM) as part of the US EPA's PM 2.5 research program and related studies, was established three years ago to advance the quality and comparability of data on the...

A framework for assessment and monitoring of arthropods in a lowland tropical forest.

PubMed

Finnamore, Albert; Alonso, Alfonso; Santisteban, Jose; Cordova, Saida; Valencia, Gorky; de la Cruz, Alicia; Polo, Roberto

2002-05-01

By applying principles of adaptive management, and by using the valuable information that arthropods provide from assessment and monitoring programs, managers can identify and reduce possible impacts on biodiversity in development projects. In 1996, the Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity program worked together with Shell Prospecting and Development Peru to establish an adaptive management program to protect biodiversity in a natural gas exploration project in a Peruvian rainforest. In this paper, we outlined the conceptual steps involved in establishing an assessment and monitoring program for arthropods, including setting objectives, evaluating the results and making decisions. We also present the results of the assessment using some of groups of arthropods, and summarize the steps taken to identify appropriate groups for monitoring.

Wellness and multiple sclerosis: The National MS Society establishes a Wellness Research Working Group and research priorities

PubMed Central

Motl, Robert W; Mowry, Ellen M; Ehde, Dawn M; LaRocca, Nicholas G; Smith, Kathy E; Costello, Kathleen; Shinto, Lynne; Ng, Alexander V; Sullivan, Amy B; Giesser, Barbara; McCully, Kevin K; Fernhall, Bo; Bishop, Malachy; Plow, Matthew; Casaccia, Patrizia; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D

2017-01-01

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have identified “wellness” and associated behaviors as a high priority based on “social media listening” undertaken by the National MS Society (i.e. the Society). Objective: The Society recently convened a group that consisted of researchers with experience in MS and wellness-related research, Society staff members, and an individual with MS for developing recommendations regarding a wellness research agenda. Method: The members of the group engaged in focal reviews and discussions involving the state of science within three approaches for promoting wellness in MS, namely diet, exercise, and emotional wellness. Results: That process informed a group-mediated activity for developing and prioritizing research goals for wellness in MS. This served as a background for articulating the mission and objectives of the Society’s Wellness Research Working Group. Conclusion: The primary mission of the Wellness Research Working Group is the provision of scientific evidence supporting the application of lifestyle, behavioral, and psychosocial approaches for promoting optimal health of mind, body, and spirit (i.e. wellness) in people with MS as well as managing the disease and its consequences. PMID:28080254

Families living with acquired brain injury: a multiple family group experience.

PubMed

Charles, Nella; Butera-Prinzi, Franca; Perlesz, Amaryll

2007-01-01

Although the use of multifamily group work is well established within the mental health field, it remains an underutilised method of treatment for families affected by brain injury. This paper reports on a pilot project exploring multifamily group work with families with a parent with an acquired brain injury. Six families met for a total of 12 sessions over a period of 6 months, with session themes informed by the Bouverie Family tasks model of adaptation post-ABI. The project was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative research methods, with pre, post group and 3 month follow up measures of individual, couple and family functioning. Parents reported generally reduced levels of personal distress at follow up but continuing high levels of marital and family dysfunction. Children were generally reported to be well functioning, although parents were particularly concerned about the impact of family disruption and violence on their children. Families were unequivocally positive about their participation in the group with benefits including reduced feelings of shame and isolation, provision of mutual support, increased understanding of brain injury, sharing of difficult experiences and movement from blame to compassion. Further research is warranted on the specific applications of multifamily group work with acquired brain injury.

Development of a Pediatric Adverse Events Terminology

PubMed Central

Gipson, Debbie S.; Kirkendall, Eric S.; Gumbs-Petty, Brenda; Quinn, Theresa; Steen, A.; Hicks, Amanda; McMahon, Ann; Nicholas, Savian; Zhao-Wong, Anna; Taylor-Zapata, Perdita; Turner, Mark; Herreshoff, Emily; Jones, Charlotte; Davis, Jonathan M.; Haber, Margaret; Hirschfeld, Steven

2017-01-01

In 2009, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) established the Pediatric Terminology Harmonization Initiative to establish a core library of terms to facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge between pediatric clinical research, practice, and safety reporting. A coalition of partners established a Pediatric Terminology Adverse Event Working Group in 2013 to develop a specific terminology relevant to international pediatric adverse event (AE) reporting. Pediatric specialists with backgrounds in clinical care, research, safety reporting, or informatics, supported by biomedical terminology experts from the National Cancer Institute’s Enterprise Vocabulary Services participated. The multinational group developed a working definition of AEs and reviewed concepts (terms, synonyms, and definitions) from 16 pediatric clinical domains. The resulting AE terminology contains >1000 pediatric diseases, disorders, or clinical findings. The terms were tested for proof of concept use in 2 different settings: hospital readmissions and the NICU. The advantages of the AE terminology include ease of adoption due to integration with well-established and internationally accepted biomedical terminologies, a uniquely temporal focus on pediatric health and disease from conception through adolescence, and terms that could be used in both well- and underresourced environments. The AE terminology is available for use without restriction through the National Cancer Institute’s Enterprise Vocabulary Services and is fully compatible with, and represented in, the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. The terminology is intended to mature with use, user feedback, and optimization. PMID:28028203

Development of a Pediatric Adverse Events Terminology.

PubMed

Gipson, Debbie S; Kirkendall, Eric S; Gumbs-Petty, Brenda; Quinn, Theresa; Steen, A; Hicks, Amanda; McMahon, Ann; Nicholas, Savian; Zhao-Wong, Anna; Taylor-Zapata, Perdita; Turner, Mark; Herreshoff, Emily; Jones, Charlotte; Davis, Jonathan M; Haber, Margaret; Hirschfeld, Steven

2017-01-01

In 2009, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) established the Pediatric Terminology Harmonization Initiative to establish a core library of terms to facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge between pediatric clinical research, practice, and safety reporting. A coalition of partners established a Pediatric Terminology Adverse Event Working Group in 2013 to develop a specific terminology relevant to international pediatric adverse event (AE) reporting. Pediatric specialists with backgrounds in clinical care, research, safety reporting, or informatics, supported by biomedical terminology experts from the National Cancer Institute's Enterprise Vocabulary Services participated. The multinational group developed a working definition of AEs and reviewed concepts (terms, synonyms, and definitions) from 16 pediatric clinical domains. The resulting AE terminology contains >1000 pediatric diseases, disorders, or clinical findings. The terms were tested for proof of concept use in 2 different settings: hospital readmissions and the NICU. The advantages of the AE terminology include ease of adoption due to integration with well-established and internationally accepted biomedical terminologies, a uniquely temporal focus on pediatric health and disease from conception through adolescence, and terms that could be used in both well- and underresourced environments. The AE terminology is available for use without restriction through the National Cancer Institute's Enterprise Vocabulary Services and is fully compatible with, and represented in, the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. The terminology is intended to mature with use, user feedback, and optimization. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Eating Together at the Firehouse: How Workplace Commensality Relates to the Performance of Firefighters

PubMed Central

Kniffin, Kevin M.; Wansink, Brian; Devine, Carol M.; Sobal, Jeffery

2015-01-01

Cooperative activities among coworkers can provide valuable group-level benefits; however, previous research has often focused on artificial activities that require extraordinary efforts away from the worksite. We investigate organizational benefits that firms might obtain through various supports for coworkers to engage in commensality (i.e., eating together). We conducted field research within firehouses in a large city to explore the role that interacting over food might have for work-group performance. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, our field research shows a significant positive association between commensality and work-group performance. Our findings establish a basis for research and practice that focuses on ways that firms can enhance team performance by leveraging the mundane and powerful activity of eating. PMID:27226698

A User’s Guide for the Software Technology Economic Impact Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

Copy 16 oft22 oples U AD-A248 023 \\\\1\\\\\\i\\~\\1\\1\\\\1\\1\\11\\\\\\l~ IDA DOCUMENT D-971 E Tt USER’S GUIDE FOR THE SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY ECONOMIC IMPACT MODEL I... studied , and they are released by the President of IDA. Group Reports Group Reports record the findings and results of IDA established working groups and...the senior individuals responsible for the project and others as selected by IDA to ensure their high quality and relevance to the problems studied

Implementation of the ground level enhancement alert software at NMDB database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavromichalaki, Helen; Souvatzoglou, George; Sarlanis, Christos; Mariatos, George; Papaioannou, Athanasios; Belov, Anatoly; Eroshenko, Eugenia; Yanke, Victor; NMDB Team

2010-11-01

The European Commission is supporting the real-time database for high-resolution neutron monitor measurements (NMDB) as an e-Infrastructures project in the Seventh Framework Programme in the Capacities section. The realization of the NMDB will provide the opportunity for several applications most of which will be implemented in real-time. An important application will be the establishment of an Alert signal when dangerous solar particle events are heading to the Earth, resulting into a ground level enhancement (GLE) registered by neutron monitors (NMs). The cosmic ray community has been occupied with the question of establishing such an Alert for many years and recently several groups succeeded in creating a proper algorithm capable of detecting space weather threats in an off-line mode. A lot of original work has been done to this direction and every group working in this field performed routine runs for all GLE cases, resulting into statistical analyses of GLE events. The next step was to make this algorithm as accurate as possible and most importantly, working in real-time. This was achieved when, during the last GLE observed so far, a real-time GLE Alert signal was produced. In this work, the steps of this procedure as well as the functionality of this algorithm for both the scientific community and users are being discussed. Nevertheless, the transition of the Alert algorithm to the NMDB is also being discussed.

Sustained Assessment, Version n.0: Efforts of the Sustained Assessment Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidner, A. K.; Barrie, D.; Reidmiller, D.; Lewis, K.

2017-12-01

In parallel with the development of the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3, 2014), the U.S. Global Change Research Program, with inputs from the non-federal climate assessment community, sought to define a sustained assessment process. Although many elements of a sustained process were initiated during NCA3 and continued into the NCA4 era, progress is still needed. To address this need, a new Federal Interagency working group of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) - the Sustained Assessment Working Group (SAWG) - was established in summer 2017. Its formation was motivated by a desire to avoid the sharp peaks in effort that accompanies production of the Congressionally-mandated quadrennial Assessment, followed by the dips in activity after a report is completed. With a goal of distributing and flattening effort, and providing a way to sustain engagement and better connect assessment-relevant activities, the SAWG is using inputs from the thirteen USGCRP agencies, federal advisory groups, and other sources to make recommendations to the agencies of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The group will work with the agencies to implement these recommendations and monitor progress toward creating a sustained - and sustainable - assessment process. This presentation will detail the efforts and goals of SAWG and report on recent milestones.

Translocation of subcutaneously injected chrysotile fibres: potential cocarcinogenic effect on lung cancer induced in rats by inhalation of radon and its daughters.

PubMed

Monchaux, G; Chameaud, J; Morlier, J P; Janson, X; Morin, M; Bignon, J

1989-01-01

Exposure to radon 222 and its daughters has been shown to induce lung cancer in rats. The cocarcinogenic effect of intrapleurally injected mineral fibres in rats which have previously inhaled radon has also been established. The aim of this work was to establish whether a similar process could be induced at a distance from the lungs by subcutaneous injection of chrysotile fibres. Three groups of animals were used: (1) 109 rats which inhaled radon only (dose: 1600 working-level months (WLM]; (2) 109 rats given a subcutaneous injection in the sacrococcygeal region of 20 mg of chrysotile fibres after inhalation of the same dose of radon; and (3) 105 rats injected with fibres only. No mesotheliomas occurred in any of the 3 groups. The incidence of lung cancer was 55% in group 2, 49% in group 1 and 1% in group 3. Statistical analysis using Pike's model showed that the carcinogenic insult was slightly higher in group 2 than in group 1. Electron microscopy analysis of fibre translocation from the injection site showed that less than 1% of injected fibres migrated to the regional lymph-nodes and only about 0.01% to the lungs. After injection, the mean length of the fibres recovered in lung parenchyma increased with time, suggesting that short fibres are cleared by pulmonary macrophages whereas long fibres are trapped in the alveolar walls. Although the high tumour incidence observed in group 1 might have masked the cocarcinogenic effect induced by the fibres, it is possible that this effect can occur only at short distances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Playing the Fertility Game at Work: An Equilibrium Model of Peer Effects.

PubMed

Ciliberto, Federico; Miller, Amalia R; Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Simonsen, Marianne

2016-08-01

We study workplace peer effects in fertility decisions using a game theory model of strategic interactions among coworkers that allows for multiple equilibria. Using register-based data on fertile-aged women working in medium sized establishments in Denmark, we uncover negative average peer effects. Allowing for heterogeneous effects by worker type, we find that positive effects dominate across worker types defined by age or education. Negative effects dominate within age groups and among low-education types. Policy simulations show that these estimated effects make the distribution of where women work an important consideration, beyond simply if they work, in predicting population fertility.

Playing the Fertility Game at Work: An Equilibrium Model of Peer Effects

PubMed Central

Ciliberto, Federico; Miller, Amalia R.; Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Simonsen, Marianne

2016-01-01

We study workplace peer effects in fertility decisions using a game theory model of strategic interactions among coworkers that allows for multiple equilibria. Using register-based data on fertile-aged women working in medium sized establishments in Denmark, we uncover negative average peer effects. Allowing for heterogeneous effects by worker type, we find that positive effects dominate across worker types defined by age or education. Negative effects dominate within age groups and among low-education types. Policy simulations show that these estimated effects make the distribution of where women work an important consideration, beyond simply if they work, in predicting population fertility. PMID:27605729

Exploring opportunities and challenges for establishing a South American Space Agency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva-Martinez, Jackelynne P.; Aguilar, Andrés D.; Sarli, Bruno V.; Pardo Spiess, Monika Johanna; Sorice, Andreia F.; Genaro, Gino; Ojeda, Oscar I.

2018-06-01

The idea of establishing a South American Space Agency (SASA) is not new. There have been many discussions about this topic for a couple of decades, including an agreement by the Union of South American Nations to create such a space agency. Roughly 10 years ago, Argentina was the first to propose this collaboration with a military orientation. As the ideas progressed, Brazil was proposed to host its headquarters. However, not much support from the South American region has been given, either financially or logistically. To this day, a South American Space Agency or a similar concept has not yet been established in the region. The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) hosted the first South American Space Generation Workshop in Argentina in 2015, where one of the working groups was tasked to further investigate the feasibility, advantages and challenges of implementing SASA. This paper presents an extension of the main findings from this working group where South American students and young professionals study and present a rationale in favor of SASA, outlining possible solutions and a structure that could be taken into account for its implementation. This paper pays particular attention to the question: Is it possible for countries in South America to establish the kind of cooperation necessary to stimulate the development and application of capabilities in the space sector, which would then enable undertaking missions far beyond the scope of what any single country in South America could do on its own? The existence of SASA would allow access to a common representative agency, which would lower costs, be accessible to all participating countries, and allow engagement with other emerging and established space agencies around the world.

Logistical considerations for establishing reliable surgical telementoring programs: a report of the SAGES Project 6 Logistics Working Group.

PubMed

Camacho, Diego R; Schlachta, Christopher M; Serrano, Oscar K; Nguyen, Ninh T

2018-03-30

Surgical telementoring programs (STMPs) as educational tools have consistently demonstrated success in the training of surgeons in a variety of surgical disciplines. The goal of an STMP is to train and educate practicing surgeons by improving or remediating surgical skills or assisting in the safe adoption of new procedures. STMPs may even have a role in assisting with recertification. In 2015, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) launched the SAGES Telementoring Initiative at the Project 6 Summit. Herein, we provide a report on the SAGES Project 6 Logistics working group and lay out a plan for the recommended logistical framework to carry out an STMP.

Scientific management of Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odell, C. R.

1981-01-01

A historical summay is given on the science management of the Space Telescope, the inception of which began in 1962, when scientists and engineers first recommended the development of a nearly diffraction limited substantial-size optical telescope. Phase A, the feasibility requirements generation phase, began in 1971 and consisted largely of NASA scientists and a NASA design. Phase B, the preliminary design phase, established a tiered structure of scientists, led by the Large Space Telescope operations and Management Work Group. A Mission Operations Working Group headed six instrument definition teams to develop the essential instrument definitions. Many changes took place during Phase B, before design and development, which began in 1978 and still continues today.

Improving working memory in children with low language abilities

PubMed Central

Holmes, Joni; Butterfield, Sally; Cormack, Francesca; van Loenhoud, Anita; Ruggero, Leanne; Kashikar, Linda; Gathercole, Susan

2015-01-01

This study investigated whether working memory training is effective in enhancing verbal memory in children with low language abilities (LLA). Cogmed Working Memory Training was completed by a community sample of children aged 8–11 years with LLA and a comparison group with matched non-verbal abilities and age-typical language performance. Short-term memory (STM), working memory, language, and IQ were assessed before and after training. Significant and equivalent post-training gains were found in visuo-spatial short-term memory in both groups. Exploratory analyses across the sample established that low verbal IQ scores were strongly and highly specifically associated with greater gains in verbal STM, and that children with higher verbal IQs made greater gains in visuo-spatial short-term memory following training. This provides preliminary evidence that intensive working memory training may be effective for enhancing the weakest aspects of STM in children with low verbal abilities, and may also be of value in developing compensatory strategies. PMID:25983703

Transitioning mental health & psychosocial support: from short-term emergency to sustainable post-disaster development. Humanitarian Action Summit 2011.

PubMed

Patel, P P; Russell, J; Allden, K; Betancourt, T S; Bolton, P; Galappatti, A; Hijazi, Z; Johnson, K; Jones, L; Kadis, L; Leary, K; Weissbecker, I; Nakku, J

2011-12-01

The Working Group (WG) on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support participated in its second Humanitarian Action Summit in 2011. This year, the WG chose to focus on a new goal: reviewing practice related to transitioning mental health and psychosocial support programs from the emergency phase to long-term development. The Working Group's findings draw on a review of relevant literature as well as case examples. The objective of the Working Group was to identify factors that promote or hinder the long term sustainability of emergency mental health and psychosocial interventions in crisis and conflict, and to provide recommendations for transitioning such programs from relief to development. The Working Group (WG) conducted a review of relevant literature and collected case examples based on experiences and observations of working group members in implementing mental and psychosocial programming in the field. The WG focused on reviewing literature on mental health and psychosocial programs and interventions that were established in conflict, disaster, protracted crisis settings, or transition from acute phase to development phase. The WG utilized case examples from programs in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, Sierra Leone, Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and New Orleans (United States). The WG identified five key thematic areas that should be addressed in order to successfully transition lasting and effective mental health and psychosocial programs from emergency settings to the development phase. The five areas identified were as follows: Government and Policy, Human Resources and Training, Programming and Services, Research and Monitoring, and Finance. The group identified several recommendations for each thematic area, which were generated from key lessons learned by working group members through implementing mental health and psychosocial support programs in a variety of settings, some successfully sustained and some that were not.

Lessons learned in acquiring new regulations for shipping advanced electric vehicle batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriksen, Gary; Hammel, Carol; Altemos, Edward A.

1994-12-01

In 1990, the Electric and Hybrid Propulsion Division of the US Department of Energy established its ad hoc EV Battery Readiness Working Group to identify regulatory barriers to the commercialization of advanced EV battery technologies and facilitate the removal of these barriers. A Shipping Sub-Working Group (SSWG) was formed to address the regulatory issues associated with the domestic and international shipment of these new battery technologies. The SSWG invites major industrial developers of advanced battery technologies to join as members and work closely with appropriate domestic and international regulatory authorities to develop suitable regulations and procedures for the safe transport of these new battery technologies. This paper describes the domestic and international regulatory processes for the transport of dangerous goods; reviews the status of shipping regulations for sodium-beta and lithium batteries; and delineates the lessons learned to date in this process. The sodium-beta battery family was the first category of advanced EV batteries to be addressed by the SSWG. It includes both sodium/sulfur and sodium/metal chloride batteries. Their efforts led to the establishment of a UN number (UN 3292) in the UN Recommendations, for cold cells and batteries, and establishment of a US Department of Transportation general exemption (DOT-E-10917) covering cold and hot batteries, as well as cold cells. The lessons learned for sodium-beta batteries, over the period of 1990--94, are now being applied to the development of regulations for shipping a new generation of lithium battery technologies (lithium-polymer and lithium-aluminum/iron sulfide batteries).

Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis.

PubMed

Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2014-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective. To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors. A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80). The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants). The discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available. On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor-student working alliance acts through its flat hierarchy. Nevertheless, tutors cannot represent an adequate substitute for experienced physicians.

Reclaiming Basic Skills: In Defence of Long-Life Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirrie, Anne

2005-01-01

The author draws upon recent experience of providing consultancy services to a working group established by the European Commission in 2001 to facilitate the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy for economic, social, and environmental renewal in the European Union. The article begins with a critique of the "new basic skills" identified…

Feeling "Secrety": Children's Views on Involvement in Landscape Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roe, Maggie

2007-01-01

This paper focuses on a case study pilot project working with a small group of children aged 6- to 10-years-old in a village in the northeast of England. The study was established to examine children's attitudes to environmental issues, particularly their involvement in environmental decisions and their feelings about planning, design and…

Revision of the 590 nutrient management standard: SERA-17 recommendations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In late 2009, NRCS requested a Working Group within SERA-17 be established to review and revise the 590 Nutrient Management Conservation Standard. This was in response to growing concern in certain areas of the U.S., that current risk assessment tools were not bringing about as great a change in pho...

A deconstruction of the I-M-L commitment segmentation of forest recreationists

Treesearch

James D. Absher; Gerard T. Kyle

2007-01-01

Previous work has established the general utility of segmenting forest recreationists according to their commitment profiles into Indifferents, Moderates, and Loyalists (IML) groups. Observed differences between these segments suggest that place identity and affect are more central to management than previously thought. This study extends this finding through the use...

User's guide for Northeast Stand Exam Program (NEST Version 2.1).

Treesearch

Thomas M. Schuler; Brian T. Simpson

1991-01-01

Explains the Northeast Stand Exam (NEST Version 2.1) program. The NEST program was designed for use on the Polycorder 600 Series electronic portable data recorder to record data collected from the standard permanent plot as described by the Stand Culture and Stand Establishment Working Groups of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station.

Refining methods for conducting long-term sediment and water toxicity tests with Chironomus dilutus: Formation of a midge chronic testing work group

EPA Science Inventory

Standard methods have been established by USEPA, ASTM International, Environment Canada and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for conducting sediment toxicity tests with various species of midges including Chironomus dilutus. Short-term 10-day exposures are ty...

Learning from the Grassroots: Exploring Democratic Adult Learning Opportunities Connected to Grassroots Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouthro, Patricia A.

2012-01-01

Grassroots organizations emerge when groups of people decide to work collectively to form an organization as a way to initiate change. Rather than seeking leadership from established government or corporate organizations or departments, the purpose of the organization, the framework for decision making, and the individuals involved in leadership…

Trilingual Families in Mainly Monolingual Societies: Working towards a Typology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braun, Andreas; Cline, Tony

2010-01-01

Trilingualism has often been studied within the framework established for bilingualism. Although there is overlap, the dynamics around trilingualism pose greater variations than is the case with bilingualism. The aim of this study is to analyse the language practices of different groups of trilingual families. Particular attention is paid to the…

The Benefits of Participating in Collaborative Committees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belfiore, Mary Ellen

A study was conducted to show the effect that participation in workplace committees has on committee members. The subjects were 34 members of Workplace Education Center (WEC) projects of ABC Canada who work on establishing and maintaining workplace literacy initiatives; they were interviewed by phone or in group discussions. The study found that,…

National Survey of Professional Administrative, Technical, and Clerical Pay, March 1983. Bulletin 2181.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

This survey, 24th in an annual series, provides nationwide salary data for 24 occupations spanning 101 work level categories. This information was collected from establishments in all areas of the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. The following major industrial groups were surveyed: mining; construction; manufacturing; transportation;…

Improving Reading in Australia's Outback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharratt, Lyn; Hayes, Peter; Coutts, James

2015-01-01

Ten years ago, six teachers established a program of literacy intervention and professional learning in remote northwestern Australia based on the Reading Recovery principles. This group of teachers was determined to learn what had to happen in order for them to make a difference with students and then to make it happen. Their work led to getting…

History of Outreach in National Centers for Foreign Languages and International Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Marylee

Over the past decade, university-based outreach programs, established under the Title VI Higher Education Act in National Centers for Foreign Language and International Studies, have offered a variety of services to schools, community groups, the media, and other colleges and universities. Those outreach programs working in elementary and…

Toward Group Problem Solving Guidelines for 21st Century Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranieri, Kathryn L.

2004-01-01

Effective problem-solving skills are critical in dealing with ambiguous and often complex issues in the present-day leaner and globally diverse organizations. Yet respected, well-established problem-solving models may be misaligned within the current work environment, particularly within a team context. Models learned from a more bureaucratic,…

76 FR 27059 - Solicitation of Written Comments on the Draft Report and Draft Recommendations of the Vaccine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-10

... Draft Recommendations of the Vaccine Safety Working Group for Consideration by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee on the Federal Vaccine Safety System AGENCY: National Vaccine Program Office, Office of.... ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) was established in 1987 to comply...

76 FR 66192 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish; Framework Adjustment 7

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-26

... with the new annual catch target, and establishes revised biomass reference points for the Northern and... biomass reference points in the Monkfish FMP to be consistent with the results of SARC 50. Approved... SARC 50 report, the Southern Demersal Working Group recommended an approach that would set biomass...

In Pursuit of Consensus: Disagreement and Legitimization during Small-Group Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berland, Leema K.; Lee, Victor R.

2012-01-01

In recent years, an emphasis on scientific argumentation in classrooms has brought into focus collaborative consensus-building as an instructional strategy. In these situations, students with differing and competing arguments are asked to work with one another in order to establish a shared perspective. However, the literature suggests that…

Connect the Dots: A Dedicated System for Learning Links Teacher Teams to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ermeling, Bradley A.

2012-01-01

Establishing school-based professional learning appears so simple and straightforward during inspiring presentations at summer workshops, but keeping collaborative work focused on teaching and learning in such a way that it produces consistent results is a highly underestimated task. Investigations and experience from a group of researchers at the…

Culture, Role and Group Work: A Social Network Analysis Perspective on an Online Collaborative Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stepanyan, Karen; Mather, Richard; Dalrymple, Roger

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the patterns of network dynamics within a multicultural online collaborative learning environment. It analyses the interaction of participants (both students and facilitators) within a discussion board that was established as part of a 3-month online collaborative course. The study employs longitudinal probabilistic social…

Modern European monographs for quality control of Chinese herbs.

PubMed

Bauer, Rudolf; Franz, Gerhard

2010-12-01

The actual concern about the safety and efficacy of herbal drugs originating from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on observations that these medicinal plants may have a high risk potential due to insufficient definitions, problems with identity, purity and falsifications. No uniform legal status for these groups of herbal drugs currently exists in the European Union. For quality control, monographs for TCM herbs can mainly be found in the Pharmacopoeia of the Peoples Republic of China. Based on these facts the Commission of the European Pharmacopoeia decided in 2005 to establish TCM-herbal drug monographs for the most important medicinal plants imported from Far East. These new monographs had to be established and evaluated on the basis of existing monographs in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP), English edition 2005. Due to important differences in the overall features of EP and ChP, a simple adapt/adopt procedure was not feasible. Therefore, specialist groups were mandated with a corresponding working programme. Some results and actual problems related to this working programme will be presented and discussed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

NASA's Internal Space Weather Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St. Cyr, O. C.; Guhathakurta, M.; Bell, H.; Niemeyer, L.; Allen, J.

2011-01-01

Measurements from many of NASA's scientific spacecraft are used routinely by space weather forecasters, both in the U.S. and internationally. ACE, SOHO (an ESA/NASA collaboration), STEREO, and SDO provide images and in situ measurements that are assimilated into models and cited in alerts and warnings. A number of years ago, the Space Weather laboratory was established at NASA-Goddard, along with the Community Coordinated Modeling Center. Within that organization, a space weather service center has begun issuing alerts for NASA's operational users. NASA's operational user community includes flight operations for human and robotic explorers; atmospheric drag concerns for low-Earth orbit; interplanetary navigation and communication; and the fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, high altitude aircraft, and launch vehicles. Over the past three years we have identified internal stakeholders within NASA and formed a Working Group to better coordinate their expertise and their needs. In this presentation we will describe this activity and some of the challenges in forming a diverse working group.

USGEO Common Framework For Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.; de la Beaujardiere, J.; Bristol, S.

2015-12-01

The United States Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) Data Management Working Group (DMWG) is an interagency body established by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The primary purpose of this group is to foster interagency cooperation and collaboration for improving the life cycle data management practices and interoperability of federally held earth observation data consistent with White House documents including the National Strategy for Civil Earth Observations, the National Plan for Civil Earth Observations, and the May 2013 Executive Order on Open Data (M-13-13). The members of the USGEO DMWG are working on developing a Common Framework for Earth Observation Data that consists of recommended standards and approaches for realizing these goals as well as improving the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of federally held earth observation data. These recommendations will also guide work being performed under the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI). This talk will summarize the Common Framework, the philosophy behind it, and next steps forward.

The use, publication and future directions of immunocytochemistry in veterinary medicine: a consensus of the Oncology-Pathology Working Group.

PubMed

Priest, H L; Hume, K R; Killick, D; Kozicki, A; Rizzo, V L; Seelig, D; Snyder, L A; Springer, N L; Wright, Z M; Robat, C

2017-09-01

One of the primary objectives of the Oncology Pathology Working Group (OPWG), a joint initiative of the Veterinary Cancer Society and the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, is for oncologists and pathologists to collaboratively generate consensus documents to standardize aspects of and provide guidelines for oncologic pathology. Consensus is established through review of relevant peer-reviewed literature relative to a subgroup's particular focus. In this document, the authors provide descriptions of the literature reviewed, the review process, and a summary of the information gathered on immunocytochemistry. The intent of this publication is to help educate practitioners and pathologists on the process of immunocytochemistry and to provide a guide for the use of this technique in veterinary medicine. This document represents the opinions of the working group and the authors and does not constitute a formal endorsement by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists or the Veterinary Cancer Society. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Feeling well by being together: Study of Swedish auditors.

PubMed

Umans, Timurs; Broberg, Pernilla; Schmidt, Manuela; Nilsson, Sofie; Olsson, Emma

2016-03-09

As guardians of the public interest, auditors represent a unique occupational group. The group that has shown to experience high level of stress and overload is often being associated with environmentally imposed responsibility as well as organizationally imposed performance demands. It is the latter aspects, represented by the concept of organizational culture, that is being highlighted in this paper and its relationship to auditor's well-being The paper aims to explore organizational culture as an antecedent of auditors' well-being, which is assumed to have important consequences for the quality of auditors' work. This study is based on a survey of 207 Swedish auditors. Using established and validated instruments measuring aspects of organizational culture and personal well-being, the study employed correlations and multiple regression analysis in testing the relationship between the two. The results of the study suggest that an increasing degree of collectivistic organizational culture has a positive relationship with three aspects of well-being: Job satisfaction, life balance and life satisfaction. This study is the first attempt to explore well-being of auditors and its antecedents represented by organizational culture. Contrary to the expectation that auditors take an individualistic approach to their work, this study establishes that auditors feel best in a work environment characterized by a collectivist organizational culture.

[Features of the lipid exchange in workers employed in aluminium productions].

PubMed

Kudaeva, I V; Dyakovich, O A; Masnavieva, L B; Popkova, O V; Abramatets, E A

Aluminum production can be referred to the category of industries of the increased health hazard for the workers. During technological process of receiving aluminum the air of a working zone is polluted by a large number of harmful substances. Workers are exposed to the complex of toxicants possessing a polytropic impact on the body. The most significant consequences are violations of different types of metabolism in the organism, including lipid metabolism. The purpose of the study is the investigation of the state of lipid metabolism in persons working in the production of aluminum. The object of research was 108 male workers of aluminum production suffering from occupational pathology of airways. The group of comparison was consisted of 103 men, apparently healthy, not exposed to toxicants. There was determined the content of the total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC and LDLC), triglycerides (TG), phospholipids (PL), atherogenic index (AI). Statistical processing was performed with the use of software «Statistica 6.0». There were established statistically significant differences of indices of lipid exchange in the persons occupied in aluminum production when related to the group of comparison. IA values in persons from the study group proved to be higher than in the comparison group, due to elevated levels of TC and LDLC. The TG and PL level was also higher. The values of IA, TC and TG in workers of aluminum production in more than 50% cases exceeded the reference values. The average concentration of HDL cholesterol in both groups did not differ, and was above the lower reference boundary. Established features of lipid metabolism in workers of aluminum allow us to suggest the distinction in mechanisms of developing proatherogenic disorders from previously established ones for workers exposed to other chemicals. One of the causes of the shaping of these disorders can be oxidative stress, which in turn serves as a response to the exposure of complex of toxic substances to workers.

Our experience as a Health Volunteers Overseas–sponsored team in Huê´, Vietnam

PubMed Central

Denham, Claude A.; Osborne, Cynthia R.; Green, Nathan B.; Divers, Josephine; Pippen, John E.

2013-01-01

A group from Texas Oncology and Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center traveled to Huê´, Vietnam, as part of Health Volunteers Overseas. From February 21 to March 6, 2012, five Baylor Sammons medical oncologists and an oncology nurse worked with a medical oncologist and a surgeon at the Huê´ College of Medicine and Pharmacy, suggesting approaches based on available resources. The two groups worked together to find optimal solutions for the patients. What stood out the most for the Baylor Sammons group was the Huê´ team's remarkable work ethic, empathy for patients, and treatment resourcefulness. The Baylor Sammons group also identified several unmet needs that could potentially be addressed by future volunteers in Huê´, including creation of an outpatient hospice program, establishment of breast cancer screening, modernization of the pathology department, instruction in and better utilization of pain management, better use of clinic space, and the teaching of oncology and English to medical students. There was a mutual exchange of knowledge between the two medical teams. The Baylor Sammons group not only taught but also learned how to take good care of patients with limited resources. PMID:23543968

IAHS/WMO Working Group for GEWEX Progress Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Gert; Colenbrander, H.

The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) undertook the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX). In early 1989 in Pasadena, Calif., the Scientific Steering Group (SSG) for GEWEX of the Joint Scientific Committee (JSC) for the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) held its first meeting. GEWEX objectives were formulated and documented in the “Report of the First Session of the JSC-Scientific Steering Group for GEWEX,” published as WCRP-25, WMO/TD-No. 321.Vit Klemes, Victoria, B.C., Canada, who represented the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) at the SSG meeting, stated the IAHS intention to play an active role in GEWEX. IAHS described GEWEX as “the development, validation and use of large-scale hydrological models, coupled with general circulation models, which make use of data from space observing systems.” IAHS then established the IAHS/WMO Working Group for GEWEX, which held its first meeting during the IAHS Third Scientific Assembly in Baltimore, May 19, 1989. Klemes was the first working group chairman, and passed the title to Gert A. Schultz, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany, in the fall of 1989.

Long-term myocardial preservation: beneficial and additive effects of polarized arrest (Na+-channel blockade), Na+/H+-exchange inhibition, and Na+/K+/2Cl- -cotransport inhibition combined with calcium desensitization.

PubMed

Snabaitis, A K; Chambers, D

1999-11-27

Polarized arrest, induced by tetrodotoxin (TTX) at an optimal concentration of 22 micromol/L, has been shown to reduce ionic imbalance and improve myocardial preservation compared with hyperkalemic (depolarized) arrest. Additional pharmacologic manipulation of ionic changes (involving inhibition of Na+ influx by the Na+/H+ exchanger [HOE694] and Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter [furosemide], and calcium desensitization [BDM]) may further improve long-term preservation. In this study, we (i) established optimal concentrations of each drug, (ii) determined additive effects of optimal concentrations of each drug and (iii) compared our optimal preservation solution to an established depolarizing cardioplegia (St Thomas' Hospital solution No 2: STH2) used during long-term hypothermic storage for clinical transplantation. The isolated working rat heart, perfused with Krebs Henseleit (KH) buffer was used; cardiac function was measured after 20 min aerobic working mode perfusion. The hearts (n=6/group) were arrested with a 2 ml infusion (for 30 sec) of the polarizing (control) solution (22 micromol/L TTX in KH) or control+drug and subjected to 5 hr or 8 hr of storage at 7.5 degrees C in the arresting solution. Postischemic function during reperfusion was measured (expressed as percentage of preischemic function). Dose-response studies established optimal concentrations of HOE694 (10 micromol/L), furosemide (1.0 micromol/L) and BDM (30 mmol/L) in the polarizing (control) solution. Sequential addition to the control solution (Group I) of optimal concentrations of HOE694 (Group II), furosemide (Group III), and BDM (Group IV) were compared with STH2 (Group V); postischemic recovery of aortic flow was 29+/-7%, 49+/-6%*, 56+/-2%*, 76+/-3%*, and 25+/-6%, respectively (*P<0.05 vs. I and V). Creatine kinase leakage was lowest, and myocardial ATP content was highest in Group IV. A polarizing preservation solution (KH+TTX) containing HOE694, furosemide, and BDM significantly enhanced long-term preservation compared with an optimized depolarizing solution (STH2) used clinically for long-term donor heart preservation.

Design and Implementation of a Telephone Triage/Advice Service: An Instrument of Demand Management at USA Medical Department Activity-Heidelberg.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-01

situations. The USAMH population includes 32,793 family members, many who are young spouses with small children . A recent study of USAMH emergency room...software is based on the work of Shiela Q. Wheeler, considered a pioneer in triage nursing and author of Telephone Triage: Theory . Practice and Protocol...personnel at USAMH established personnel levels at the Table of Distribution and Allowances ( TDA ) level with no overhires authorized. The working group

Quality assurance in road traffic analyses in Switzerland.

PubMed

Briellmann, Thomas A; Sigrist, Thomas; Augsburger, Marc; Favrat, Bernard; Oestreich, Andrea; Deom, André

2010-05-20

Swiss laboratories performing toxicological road traffic analyses have been authorized for many years by the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). In 2003 FEDRO signed a contract with the Swiss Society of Legal Medicine (SSLM) to organize the complete quality management concerning road traffic analyses. For this purpose a multidisciplinary working group was established under the name of "road traffic commission (RTC)". RTC has to organize external quality control, to interpret the results of these controls, to perform audits in the laboratories and to report all results to FEDRO. Furthermore the working group can be mandated for special tasks by FEDRO. As an independent organization the Swiss Center for Quality Control (CSCQ) in Geneva manages the external quality controls in the laboratory over the past years. All tested drugs and psychoactive substances are listed in a federal instruction. The so-called 'zero tolerance substances' (THC, morphine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA and MDEA) and their metabolites have to be tested once a year, all other substances (benzodiazepines, zolpidem, phenobarbital, etc.) periodically. Results over the last years show that all laboratories are generally within the confidence interval of +/-30% of the mean value. In cases of non-conformities measures have to be taken immediately and reported to the working group. External audits are performed triennially but accredited laboratories can combine this audit with the approval of the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS). During the audits a special checklist filled in by the laboratory director is assessed. Non-conformities have to be corrected. During the process of establishing a new legislation, RTC had an opportunity of advising FEDRO. In collaboration with FEDRO, RTC and hence SSLM can work actively on improving of quality assurance in road traffic toxicological analyses, and has an opportunity to bring its professional requests to the federal authorities.

Research standardization tools: pregnancy measures in the PhenX Toolkit.

PubMed

Malinowski, Ann Kinga; Ananth, Cande V; Catalano, Patrick; Hines, Erin P; Kirby, Russell S; Klebanoff, Mark A; Mulvihill, John J; Simhan, Hyagriv; Hamilton, Carol M; Hendershot, Tabitha P; Phillips, Michael J; Kilpatrick, Lisa A; Maiese, Deborah R; Ramos, Erin M; Wright, Rosalind J; Dolan, Siobhan M

2017-09-01

Only through concerted and well-executed research endeavors can we gain the requisite knowledge to advance pregnancy care and have a positive impact on maternal and newborn health. Yet the heterogeneity inherent in individual studies limits our ability to compare and synthesize study results, thus impeding the capacity to draw meaningful conclusions that can be trusted to inform clinical care. The PhenX Toolkit (http://www.phenxtoolkit.org), supported since 2007 by the National Institutes of Health, is a web-based catalog of standardized protocols for measuring phenotypes and exposures relevant for clinical research. In 2016, a working group of pregnancy experts recommended 15 measures for the PhenX Toolkit that are highly relevant to pregnancy research. The working group followed the established PhenX consensus process to recommend protocols that are broadly validated, well established, nonproprietary, and have a relatively low burden for investigators and participants. The working group considered input from the pregnancy experts and the broader research community and included measures addressing the mode of conception, gestational age, fetal growth assessment, prenatal care, the mode of delivery, gestational diabetes, behavioral and mental health, and environmental exposure biomarkers. These pregnancy measures complement the existing measures for other established domains in the PhenX Toolkit, including reproductive health, anthropometrics, demographic characteristics, and alcohol, tobacco, and other substances. The preceding domains influence a woman's health during pregnancy. For each measure, the PhenX Toolkit includes data dictionaries and data collection worksheets that facilitate incorporation of the protocol into new or existing studies. The measures within the pregnancy domain offer a valuable resource to investigators and clinicians and are well poised to facilitate collaborative pregnancy research with the goal to improve patient care. To achieve this aim, investigators whose work includes the perinatal population are encouraged to utilize the PhenX Toolkit in the design and implementation of their studies, thus potentially reducing heterogeneity in data measures across studies. Such an effort will enhance the overall impact of individual studies, increasing the ability to draw more meaningful conclusions that can then be translated into clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linear equations and rap battles: how students in a wired classroom utilized the computer as a resource to coordinate personal and mathematical positional identities in hybrid spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer-Osuna, Jennifer

2015-03-01

This paper draws on the constructs of hybridity, figured worlds, and cultural capital to examine how a group of African-American students in a technology-driven, project-based algebra classroom utilized the computer as a resource to coordinate personal and mathematical positional identities during group work. Analyses of several vignettes of small group dynamics highlight how hybridity was established as the students engaged in multiple on-task and off-task computer-based activities, each of which drew on different lived experiences and forms of cultural capital. The paper ends with a discussion on how classrooms that make use of student-led collaborative work, and where students are afforded autonomy, have the potential to support the academic engagement of students from historically marginalized communities.

[ISHAM-WG Symposium: Introduction of Medical Phycology, Retrospective Overview, and Prospective Aspect].

PubMed

Kano, Rui; Matsumoto, Tadahiko

2015-01-01

Protothecosis is an emerging infectious zoonotic disease caused by species of the genus Prototheca (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta), which are classified as achlorophyllous algae closely related to the green algal genus Chlorella. Prototheca lost the ability to photosynthesize and are widely distributed throughout the natural world in sewage, soil, lakes, and marshes. It is therefore necessary to build an interdisciplinary network connecting human medicine, veterinary medicine, microbiological taxonomy, clinical microbiology, and environmental microbiology to increase knowledge in this area. We have established the working group "Medical Phycology : Protothecosis and Chlorellosis" (approved on May 4, 2014) under the umbrella of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) to support all scientific aspects dealing with this topic. We report the current circumstances and future prospects of this working group for the group to become better known by scientists.

Patient grouping for dose surveys and establishment of diagnostic reference levels in paediatric computed tomography.

PubMed

Vassileva, J; Rehani, M

2015-07-01

There has been confusion in literature on whether paediatric patients should be grouped according to age, weight or other parameters when dealing with dose surveys. The present work aims to suggest a pragmatic approach to achieve reasonable accuracy for performing patient dose surveys in countries with limited resources. The analysis is based on a subset of data collected within the IAEA survey of paediatric computed tomography (CT) doses, involving 82 CT facilities from 32 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Data for 6115 patients were collected, in 34.5 % of which data for weight were available. The present study suggests that using four age groups, <1, >1-5, >5-10 and >10-15 y, is realistic and pragmatic for dose surveys in less resourced countries and for the establishment of DRLs. To ensure relevant accuracy of results, data for >30 patients in a particular age group should be collected if patient weight is not known. If a smaller sample is used, patient weight should be recorded and the median weight in the sample should be within 5-10 % from the median weight of the sample for which the DRLs were established. Comparison of results from different surveys should always be performed with caution, taking into consideration the way of grouping of paediatric patients. Dose results can be corrected for differences in patient weight/age group. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Safe and Effective Use of Shared Data Underpinned by Stakeholder Engagement and Evaluation Practice.

PubMed

Georgiou, Andrew; Magrabi, Farah; Hypponen, Hannele; Wong, Zoie Shui-Yee; Nykänen, Pirkko; Scott, Philip J; Ammenwerth, Elske; Rigby, Michael

2018-04-22

 The paper draws attention to: i) key considerations involving the confidentiality, privacy, and security of shared data; and ii) the requirements needed to build collaborative arrangements encompassing all stakeholders with the goal of ensuring safe, secure, and quality use of shared data.  A narrative review of existing research and policy approaches along with expert perspectives drawn from the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Working Group on Technology Assessment and Quality Development in Health Care and the European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI) Working Group for Assessment of Health Information Systems.  The technological ability to merge, link, re-use, and exchange data has outpaced the establishment of policies, procedures, and processes to monitor the ethics and legality of shared use of data. Questions remain about how to guarantee the security of shared data, and how to establish and maintain public trust across large-scale shared data enterprises. This paper identifies the importance of data governance frameworks (incorporating engagement with all stakeholders) to underpin the management of the ethics and legality of shared data use. The paper also provides some key considerations for the establishment of national approaches and measures to monitor compliance with best practice. Data sharing endeavours can help to underpin new collaborative models of health care which provide shared information, engagement, and accountability amongst all stakeholders. We believe that commitment to rigorous evaluation and stakeholder engagement will be critical to delivering health data benefits and the establishment of collaborative models of health care into the future. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.

Diagnosis of pregnancy-associated venous thromboembolism - position paper of the Working Group in Women's Health of the Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (GTH).

PubMed

Linnemann, Birgit; Bauersachs, Rupert; Rott, Hannelore; Halimeh, Susan; Zotz, Rainer; Gerhardt, Andrea; Boddenberg-Pätzold, Barbara; Toth, Bettina; Scholz, Ute

2016-01-01

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Over the past decade, new diagnostic algorithms have been established, combining clinical probability, laboratory testing and imaging studies for the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in the non-pregnant population. However, there is no such generally accepted algorithm for the diagnosis of pregnancy-associated VTE. Studies establishing clinical prediction rules have excluded pregnant women, and prediction scores currently in use have not been prospectively validated in pregnancy or during the postpartum period. D-dimers physiologically increase throughout pregnancy and peak at delivery, so a negative D-dimer test result, based on the reference values of non-pregnant subjects, becomes unlikely in the second and third trimesters. Imaging studies therefore play a major role in confirming suspected DVT or PE in pregnant women. Major concerns have been raised against radiologic imaging because of foetal radiation exposure, and doubts about the diagnostic value of ultrasound techniques in attempting to exclude isolated iliac vein thrombosis grow stronger as pregnancy progresses. As members of the Working Group in Women's Health of the Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (GTH), we summarise evidence from the available literature and aim to establish a more uniform strategy for diagnosing pregnancy-associated VTE.

Measuring Sojourner Adjustment among American students studying abroad

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Eric R.; Neighbors, Clayton; Larimer, Mary E.; Lee, Christine M.

2011-01-01

The literature on “Sojourner Adjustment,” a term expanding on the acculturation concept to apply to groups residing temporarily in foreign environments, suggests that engagement, participation, and temporary integration into the host culture may contribute to less psychological and sociocultural difficulty while abroad. The present study was designed to establish a brief multi-component measure of Sojourner Adjustment (the Sojourner Adjustment Measure; SAM) to be used in work with populations residing temporarily in foreign environments (e.g., international students, foreign aid workers). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on a sample of 248 American study abroad college students, we established a 24-item measure of Sojourner Adjustment composed of four positive factors (social interaction with host nationals, cultural understanding and participation, language development and use, host culture identification) and two negative factors (social interaction with co-nationals, homesickness/feeling out of place). Preliminary convergent validity was examined through correlations with established measures of acculturation. Further research with the SAM is encouraged to explore the relevance of this measure with other groups of sojourners (e.g., foreign aid workers, international businessmen, military personnel) and to determine how SAM factors relate to psychological well-being, health behaviors, and risk behaviors abroad among these diverse groups. PMID:22125351

Executive dysfunction among children with reading comprehension deficits.

PubMed

Locascio, Gianna; Mahone, E Mark; Eason, Sarah H; Cutting, Laurie E

2010-01-01

Emerging research supports the contribution of executive function (EF) to reading comprehension; however, a unique pattern has not been established for children who demonstrate comprehension difficulties despite average word recognition ability (specific reading comprehension deficit; S-RCD). To identify particular EF components on which children with S-RCD struggle, a range of EF skills was compared among 86 children, ages 10 to 14, grouped by word reading and comprehension abilities: 24 average readers, 44 with word recognition deficits (WRD), and 18 S-RCD. An exploratory principal components analysis of EF tests identified three latent factors, used in subsequent group comparisons: Planning/ Spatial Working Memory, Verbal Working Memory, and Response Inhibition. The WRD group exhibited deficits (relative to controls) on Verbal Working Memory and Inhibition factors; S-RCD children performed more poorly than controls on the Planning factor. Further analyses suggested the WRD group's poor performance on EF factors was a by-product of core deficits linked to WRD (after controlling for phonological processing, this group no longer showed EF deficits). In contrast, the S-RCD group's poor performance on the planning component remained significant after controlling for phonological processing. Findings suggest reading comprehension difficulties are linked to executive dysfunction; in particular, poor strategic planning/organizing may lead to reading comprehension problems.

Elevated Psychosocial Stress at Work in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Richter, Jutta G; Muth, Thomas; Li, Jian; Brinks, Ralph; Chehab, Gamal; Koch, Tobias; Siegrist, Johannes; Angerer, Peter; Huscher, Dörte; Schneider, Matthias

2018-02-01

Psychosocial stress at work not only affects the healthy working population, but also workers with chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate the psychosocial work stress levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cross-sectional study applied the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire - an internationally established instrument that measures work stress - to patients with SLE and RA who were capable of work and to a group of controls without these diseases. Participants were recruited through rheumatologists in private practices, hospitals, and from self-help groups by personal communication, paper-based flyers, and online advertisements. Because very few studies tested the ERI's applicability in patient groups, with a lack of evidence in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, internal consistency and construct validity of the ERI measure were evaluated. Data came from 270 patients with RA and 247 with SLE, and 178 controls. Patients showed elevated psychosocial stress at work compared to controls. Across the total sample and all groups, satisfactory internal consistencies of the scales effort, reward, and overcommitment were obtained (Cronbach's alpha coefficients > 0.70), and confirmatory factor analysis replicated the theoretical structure of the ERI model (goodness-of-fit index > 0.80). We found elevated psychosocial stress at work in patients with SLE and RA compared to controls by applying the ERI model. Despite some heterogeneity in the sample, we achieved satisfactory psychometric properties of the ERI questionnaire. Our results suggest that the ERI questionnaire is a psychometrically useful tool to be implemented in epidemiological studies of employed patients with SLE and RA.

Transforming primary care training--patient-centered medical home entrustable professional activities for internal medicine residents.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Bowen, Judith L; Buranosky, Raquel A; Frankel, Richard M; Ghosh, Nivedita; Rosenblum, Michael J; Thompson, Sara; Green, Michael L

2013-06-01

The U.S. faces a critical gap between residency training and clinical practice that affects the recruitment and preparation of internal medicine residents for primary care careers. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) represents a new clinical microsystem that is being widely promoted and implemented to improve access, quality, and sustainability in primary care practice. We address two key questions regarding the training of internal medicine residents for practice in PCMHs. First, what are the educational implications of practice transformations to primary care home models? Second, what must we do differently to prepare internal medicine residents for their futures in PCMHs? The 2011 Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) PCMH Education Summit established seven work groups to address the following topics: resident workplace competencies, teamwork, continuity of care, assessment, faculty development, 'medical home builder' tools, and policy. The output from the competency work group was foundational for the work of other groups. The work group considered several educational frameworks, including developmental milestones, competencies, and entrustable professional activities (EPAs). The competency work group defined 25 internal medicine resident PCMH EPAs. The 2011 National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH standards served as an organizing framework for EPAs. The list of PCMH EPAs has the potential to begin to transform the education of internal medicine residents for practice and leadership in the PCMH. It will guide curriculum development, learner assessment, and clinical practice redesign for academic health centers.

The Case for Unit-Based Teams: A Model for Front-line Engagement and Performance Improvement

PubMed Central

Cohen, Paul M; Ptaskiewicz, Mark; Mipos, Debra

2010-01-01

Unit-based teams (UBTs)—defined as natural work groups of physicians, managers, and frontline staff who work collaboratively to solve problems, improve performance, and enhance quality—were established by the 2005 national agreement between Kaiser Permanente (KP) and the Coalition of KP Unions. They use established performance-improvement techniques and employee-engagement principles (including social-movement theory) to achieve clinical and operational goals. UBT members identify performance gaps and opportunities within their purview—issues they can address in the course of the day-to-day work, such as workflow or process improvement. By focusing on clear, agreed-on goals, UBTs encourage greater accountability and allow members to perform their full scope of work. UBTs are designed to deliver measurable benefits in clinical outcomes and operations, patient-experience enhancements, and physician-team performance or work life. For many physicians, UBTs will require new ways of engaging with their teams. However, evidence suggests that with organizational and physician support, these teams can achieve their goals. This article presents case examples of successful UBTs' outcomes; physicians' comments on their experience working with teams; an overview of UBTs' employee-engagement principles; and advice on how physicians can support and participate in the work of such teams. PMID:20740124

Information basis for developing comprehensive waste management system-US-Japan joint nuclear energy action plan waste management working group phase I report.

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

Nutt, M.; Nuclear Engineering Division

2010-05-25

The activity of Phase I of the Waste Management Working Group under the United States - Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan started in 2007. The US-Japan JNEAP is a bilateral collaborative framework to support the global implementation of safe, secure, and sustainable, nuclear fuel cycles (referred to in this document as fuel cycles). The Waste Management Working Group was established by strong interest of both parties, which arise from the recognition that development and optimization of waste management and disposal system(s) are central issues of the present and future nuclear fuel cycles. This report summarizes the activity of themore » Waste Management Working Group that focused on consolidation of the existing technical basis between the U.S. and Japan and the joint development of a plan for future collaborative activities. Firstly, the political/regulatory frameworks related to nuclear fuel cycles in both countries were reviewed. The various advanced fuel cycle scenarios that have been considered in both countries were then surveyed and summarized. The working group established the working reference scenario for the future cooperative activity that corresponds to a fuel cycle scenario being considered both in Japan and the U.S. This working scenario involves transitioning from a once-through fuel cycle utilizing light water reactors to a one-pass uranium-plutonium fuel recycle in light water reactors to a combination of light water reactors and fast reactors with plutonium, uranium, and minor actinide recycle, ultimately concluding with multiple recycle passes primarily using fast reactors. Considering the scenario, current and future expected waste streams, treatment and inventory were discussed, and the relevant information was summarized. Second, the waste management/disposal system optimization was discussed. Repository system concepts were reviewed, repository design concepts for the various classifications of nuclear waste were summarized, and the factors to consider in repository design and optimization were then discussed. Japan is considering various alternatives and options for the geologic disposal facility and the framework for future analysis of repository concepts was discussed. Regarding the advanced waste and storage form development, waste form technologies developed in both countries were surveyed and compared. Potential collaboration areas and activities were next identified. Disposal system optimization processes and techniques were reviewed, and factors to consider in future repository design optimization activities were also discussed. Then the potential collaboration areas and activities related to the optimization problem were extracted.« less

Employment-based abstinence reinforcement following inpatient detoxification in HIV-positive opioid and/or cocaine-dependent patients

PubMed Central

Dunn, Kelly; Fingerhood, Michael; Wong, Conrad J.; Svikis, Dace S.; Nuzzo, Paul; Silverman, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Employment-based reinforcement interventions have been used to promote abstinence from drugs among chronically unemployed injection drug users. The current study utilized an employment-based reinforcement intervention to promote opiate and cocaine abstinence among opioid-dependent, HIV-positive participants who had recently completed a brief inpatient detoxification. Participants (n=46) were randomly assigned to an Abstinence & Work group that was required to provide negative urine samples in order to enter the workplace and earn incentives for work (n=16), a Work Only group that was permitted to enter the workplace and earn incentives independent of drug use (n=15), and a No Voucher control group that did not receive any incentives for working (n=15) over a 26-week period. The primary outcome was urinalysis-confirmed opiate, cocaine, and combined opiate/cocaine abstinence. Participants were 78% male and 89% African American. Results showed no significant between-group differences in urinalysis-verified drug abstinence or HIV risk behaviors during the 6-month intervention. The Work Only group had significantly greater workplace attendance and worked more minutes per day when compared to the No Voucher group. Several features of the study design, including the lack of an induction period, setting the threshold for entering the workplace too high by requiring immediate abstinence from several drugs, and increasing the risk of relapse by providing a brief detoxification that was not supported by any continued pharmacological intervention, likely prevented the workplace from becoming established as a reinforcer that could be used to promote drug abstinence. However, increases in workplace attendance have important implications for adult training programs. PMID:24490712

Employment-based abstinence reinforcement following inpatient detoxification in HIV-positive opioid and/or cocaine-dependent patients.

PubMed

Dunn, Kelly E; Fingerhood, Michael; Wong, Conrad J; Svikis, Dace S; Nuzzo, Paul; Silverman, Kenneth

2014-02-01

Employment-based reinforcement interventions have been used to promote abstinence from drugs among chronically unemployed injection drug users. The current study used an employment-based reinforcement intervention to promote opioid and cocaine abstinence among opioid and/or cocaine-dependent, HIV-positive participants who had recently completed a brief inpatient detoxification. Participants (n = 46) were randomly assigned to an abstinence and work group that was required to provide negative urine samples in order to enter the workplace and to earn incentives for work (n = 16), a work-only group that was permitted to enter the workplace and to earn incentives independent of drug use (n = 15), and a no-voucher control group that did not receive any incentives for working (n = 15) over a 26-week period. The primary outcome was urinalysis-confirmed opioid, cocaine, and combined opioid/cocaine abstinence. Participants were 78% male and 89% African American. Results showed no significant between-groups differences in urinalysis-verified drug abstinence or HIV risk behaviors during the 6-month intervention. The work-only group had significantly greater workplace attendance, and worked more minutes per day when compared to the no-voucher group. Several features of the study design, including the lack of an induction period, setting the threshold for entering the workplace too high by requiring immediate abstinence from several drugs, and increasing the risk of relapse by providing a brief detoxification that was not supported by any continued pharmacological intervention, likely prevented the workplace from becoming established as a reinforcer that could be used to promote drug abstinence. However, increases in workplace attendance have important implications for adult training programs.

The effect of a health promotion intervention for construction workers on work-related outcomes: results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Viester, Laura; Verhagen, Evert A L M; Bongers, Paulien M; van der Beek, Allard J

2015-08-01

The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of a worksite health promotion intervention on musculoskeletal symptoms, physical functioning, work ability, work-related vitality, work performance, and sickness absence. In a randomized controlled design, 314 construction workers were randomized into an intervention group (n = 162) receiving personal coaching, tailored information, and materials, and a control group (n = 152) receiving usual care. Sickness absence was recorded continuously in company records, and questionnaires were completed before, directly after the 6-month intervention period, and 12 months after baseline measurements. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine intervention effects. No significant changes at 6 or 12 months of follow-up were observed in musculoskeletal symptoms, physical functioning, work ability, work-related vitality, work performance, and sickness absence as a result of the intervention. This study shows that the intervention was not statistically significantly effective on secondary outcomes. Although the intervention improved physical activity, dietary, and weight-related outcomes, it was not successful in decreasing musculoskeletal symptoms and improving other work-related measures. Presumably, more multifaceted interventions are required to establish significant change in these outcomes.

Transition to intensive care nursing: establishing a starting point.

PubMed

Boyle, Martin; Butcher, Rand; Conyers, Vicki; Kendrick, Tina; MacNamara, Mary; Lang, Susie

2008-11-01

There is a shortage of intensive care (IC) nurses. A supported transition to IC nursing has been identified as a key strategy for recruitment and retention. In 2004 a discussion document relating to transition of IC nurses was presented to the New South Wales (NSW) Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). A workshop was held with key stakeholders and a Steering Group was established to develop a state-wide transition to IC nursing program. To survey orientation programs and educational resources and develop definitions, goals, learning objectives and clinical competencies relating to transition to IC nursing practice. A questionnaire and a draft document of definitions, target group, goals, learning objectives and clinical competencies for IC transition was distributed to 43 NSW IC units (ICUs). An iterative process of anonymous feedback and modification was undertaken to establish agreement on content. Responses were received from 29 units (return rate of 67%). The survey of educational resources indicated ICUs had access to educational support and there was evidence of a lack of a common standard or definition for "orientation" or "transition". The definitions, target group, goals and competency statements from the draft document were accepted with minor editorial change. Seventeen learning objectives or psychomotor skills were modified and an additional 19 were added to the draft as a result of the process. This work has established valid definitions, goals, learning objectives and clinical competencies that describe transition to intensive care nursing.

Adlerian Adventure-Based Counseling to Enhance Self-Esteem in School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Holly H.; Elliott, Anna

2014-01-01

This article provides a rationale for using adventure-based counseling (ABC) principles to promote children's self-esteem through group work within the school setting. The effectiveness of combining Adlerian theory with ABC to promote self-esteem is established. The process that would allow a school counselor to plan, organize, facilitate,…

Can Professional Environments in Schools Promote Teacher Development? Explaining Heterogeneity in Returns to Teaching Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraft, Matthew A.; Papay, John P.

2014-01-01

Although wide variation in teacher effectiveness is well established, much less is known about differences in teacher improvement over time. We document that average returns to teaching experience mask large variation across individual teachers and across groups of teachers working in different schools. We examine the role of school context in…

Cooperative Working towards Family-Centred Health Education in Acute Care: Improvement in Client Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastani, Farideh; Golaghaie, Farzaneh; Farahani, Mansoureh A.; Rafeie, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Objective: To establish family-centred health education for patients in a neurosurgery unit and to evaluate its impact on patients' and families' satisfaction. Design: Cooperative participatory research through which a group of clinical nurses and an academic researcher engaged in cycles of action and reflection. Setting: The study was conducted…

America's People: An Imperiled Resource. National Urban Policy Issues for a New Federal Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC.

This report seeks to identify and make policy recommendations concerning major urban issues confronting the Bush Administration. The Division of Urban Affairs of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) established working groups and commissioned papers on the following six key urban policy issues: (1)…

Cityworks: A Strategic Planning Model for Workforce Education and Training. Progress Report, January-June 1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

City Coll. of San Francisco, CA.

"CityWorks" is a strategic plan for improving workforce education and training at California's City College of San Francisco (CCSF). In January 1996, a Project Group was formed to determine a timeline and tasks to be accomplished by the project through June 1996, establishing goals related to project dissemination, forming external…

Development of a Self-Efficacy Scale of Technology Usage in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogru, Mustafa

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale instrument to allow us to establish the self-efficacies of elementary education teachers regarding their use of information technologies when educating their students. The study group comprised a total of 924 teachers from different branches working in central Ankara elementary schools. Based on the…

Student Action Teams: An Evaluation, 1999-2000. Working Paper 21.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holdsworth, Roger; Stafford, John; Stokes, Helen; Tyler, Debra

Student Action Teams (SATs) were established in 20 Victoria, Australia, secondary schools in 1999, with 11 of those schools continuing with their teams in 2000. The Student Action Teams are comprised of groups of students who identify a school or community issue, research it, make plans and proposals about it, and take action on it. Such…

Application of the Margin of Exposure (MoE) Approach to Substances in Food that are Genotoxic and Carcinogenic Example: Benzo[a]pyrene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents the work of an expert group established by the International Life Sciences Institute - European branch (ILSI Europe) to follow up the recommendations of an international conference on "Risk Assessment of Compounds that are both Genotoxic and Carcinogenic: New ...

76 FR 59741 - Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor Affairs; National Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... report. Public Participation: Written data, views, or comments for consideration by the NAC on the agenda...'' or ``NAC''), which was established by the Secretary of Labor. During the inaugural meeting of the NAC... Working Group of the Vice Ministers Responsible for Trade and Labor in the Countries of Central America...

Neotropical migratory landbird species and their habitats of special concern within the Southeast Region

Treesearch

William C. Hunter; David N. Pashley; Ronald E. F. Escano

1993-01-01

The Southeast Management Working Group for Partners in Flight initiated a prioritization scheme in April 1991 to help guide regional and local conservation efforts for Neotropical migratory landbirds. Preliminary breeding season priorities have been established in each of 24 physiographic areas for species and habitats, with some non-breeding season priorities set as...

A Guide for Managers of Child Day Care Agencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Migrant Opportunity Program, Phoenix, AZ.

This guide was compiled by a group of rural Arizona day care center managers working under the Migrant Opportunity Program (MOP) established in 1965. The managers were previously inexperienced and, at the end of two years, were interested in self-improvement and more efficient ways to perform their jobs. Their collaboration and idea exchange,…

Do work-place initiated measures reduce sickness absence? Preventive measures and sickness absence among older workers in Norway.

PubMed

Midtsundstad, Tove I; Nielsen, Roy A

2014-03-01

The article examines whether preventive measures and work adjustments at the establishment level affects sickness absence among workers aged 50 years and older. We combine survey data from a representative sample of 713 Norwegian companies, mapping the prevalence of preventive health measures in the work place in 2005, with register data on sickness absence and demographic variables for workers aged 50 years or older in 2001 and 2007. By means of a difference-in-differences approach, we compare changes and differences in the likelihood of sickness absence among the sample group, with and without the various measures/ instruments in 2005 respectively. In general, work-place preventive measures at the establishment level have not contributed to reducing the probability for sickness absence among workers aged 50 years and older. However, analyses comparing differences between industries find that the work-place measures have had a positive effect on public administration employees. Whether work-place preventive initiatives influence levels of sickness absence seems to be contingent on sector and industry. Therefore, work-place measures may be more effective in the public administration sector where most employees have office jobs compared to sectors such as manufacturing, construction and transportation, where many employees have manual work and more physical demanding jobs. Work-place initiatives thus seem to have less effect on preventing sickness absence in sectors dominated by manual labour.

Conference-EC-US Task Force Joint US-EU Workshop on Metabolomics and Environmental Biotechnology

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

PI: Lily Y. Young

2009-06-04

Since 1990, the EC-US Task Force on Biotechnology Research has been coordinating transatlantic efforts to guide and exploit the ongoing revolution in biotechnology and the life sciences. The Task Force was established in June 1990 by the European Commission and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The Task Force has acted as an effective forum for discussion, coordination, and development of new ideas for the last 18 years. Task Force members are European Commission and US Government science and technology administrators who meet annually to enhance communication across the Atlantic, and to encourage collaborative research. Through sponsoringmore » workshops, and other activities, the Task Force also brings together scientific leaders and early career researchers from both sides of the Atlantic to forecast research challenges and opportunities and to promote better links between researchers. Over the years, by keeping a focus on the future of science, the Task Force has played a key role in establishing a diverse range of emerging scientific fields, including biodiversity research, neuroinformatics, genomics, nanobiotechnology, neonatal immunology, transkingdom molecular biology, biologically-based fuels, and environmental biotechnology. The EC-US Task Force has sponsored a number of Working Groups on topics of mutual transatlantic interest. The idea to create a Working Group on Environmental Biotechnology research was discussed in the Task Force meeting of October 1993. The EC-US Working Group on Environmental Biotechnology set as its mission 'To train the next generation of leaders in environmental biotechnology in the United States and the European Union to work collaboratively across the Atlantic.' Since 1995, the Working Group supported three kinds of activities, all of which focus one early career scientists: (1) Workshops on the use of molecular methods and genomics in environmental biotechnology; (2) Short courses with theoretical, laboratory and field elements; and (3) Short term exchange fellowships. The short term exchange fellowships were created to enable young scientists to develop collaborations with colleagues across the Atlantic and to learn a new skill or expertise in the area of environmental biotechnology.« less

The importance of community building for establishing data management and curation practices for physical samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdeen, S.; Hangsterfer, A.; Stanley, V. L.

2017-12-01

There is growing enthusiasm for curation of physical samples in the Earth Science community (see sessions at AGU, GSA, ESIP). Multiple federally funded efforts aim to develop best practices for curation of physical samples; however, these efforts have not yet been consolidated. Harmonizing these concurrent efforts would enable the community as a whole to build the necessary tools and community standards to move forward together. Preliminary research indicate the various groups focused on this topic are working in isolation, and the development of standards needs to come from the broadest view of `community'. We will investigate the gaps between communities by collecting information about preservation policies and practices from curators, who can provide a diverse cross-section of the grand challenges to the overall community. We will look at existing reports and study results to identify example cases, then develop a survey to gather large scale data to reinforce or clarify the example cases. We will be targeting the various community groups which are working on similar issues, and use the survey to improve the visibility of developed best practices. Given that preservation and digital collection management for physical samples are both important and difficult at present (GMRWG, 2015; NRC, 2002), barriers to both need to be addressed in order to achieve open science goals for the entire community. To address these challenges, EarthCube's iSamples, a research coordination network established to advance discoverability, access, and curation of physical samples using cyberinfrastructure, has formed a working group to collect use cases to examine the breadth of earth scientists' work with physical samples. This research team includes curators of state survey and oceanographic geological collections, and a researcher from information science. In our presentation, we will share our research and the design of the proposed survey. Our goal is to engage the audience in a discussion on next steps towards building this community. References: The Geologic Materials Repository Working Group, 2015, USGS Circular 1410 National Research Council. 2002. Geoscience Data and Collections: National Resources in Peril.

IPHE Regulations Codes and Standards Working Group - Type IV COPV Round Robin Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maes, M.; Starritt, L.; Zheng, J. Y.; Ou, K.; Keller, J.

2017-01-01

This manuscript presents the results of a multi-lateral international activity intended to understand how to execute a cycle stress test as specified in a chosen standard (GTR, SAE, ISO, EIHP...). The purpose of this work was to establish a harmonized test method protocol to ensure that the same results would be achieved regardless of the testing facility. It was found that accurate temperature measurement of the working fluid is necessary to ensure the test conditions remain within the tolerances specified. Continuous operation is possible with adequate cooling of the working fluid but this becomes more demanding if the cycle frequency increases. Recommendations for future test system design and operation are presented.

Changes in Physical Activity Behaviour and Health Risk Factors Following a Randomised Controlled Pilot Workplace Exercise Intervention

PubMed Central

Burn, Naomi; Norton, Lynda Heather; Drummond, Claire; Ian Norton, Kevin

2017-01-01

Background Declining physical activity (PA) and associated health risk factors are well established. Workplace strategies to increase PA may be beneficial to ameliorate extensive sedentary behavior. This study assessed the effectiveness of two PA interventions in workplace settings. Methods Interventions were conducted over 40 days targeting insufficiently active (<150 min/wk PA) and/or obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) adults; participants were randomly allocated to instructor-led exercise sessions either after-work (n = 25) or in-work (n = 23) with a 60 minPA/day common goal, or a wait-listed control group (n = 23). The programme commenced with low-moderate physical activities and progressed to high intensity game style activities by week six. Adherence and compliance were determined using both objective measures of daily PA time from HR monitors and self-report responses to PA questionnaires. Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors were measured pre- and post-intervention. Changes across the study were analysed using Chi square and repeat-measures ANOVA. Results Adherence rates (completed pre and post-testing) were not different between groups (76.0 vs 65.2%). Compliance for the instructor-led sessions was higher for the after-work group (70.4% vs 26.4%, respectively). Increased total PA and aerobic fitness, and decreased weight in both intervention groups were found relative to controls. The after-work group undertook more vigorous PA, and had greater weight loss and fasting blood glucose improvement, relative to in-work participants and controls. Conclusions These workplace interventions resulted in rapid and dramatic increases in PA behaviour and important health benefits. Short, in-work PA sessions were less efficacious than longer after-work sessions. PMID:29546212

Changes in Physical Activity Behaviour and Health Risk Factors Following a Randomised Controlled Pilot Workplace Exercise Intervention.

PubMed

Burn, Naomi; Norton, Lynda Heather; Drummond, Claire; Ian Norton, Kevin

2017-01-01

Declining physical activity (PA) and associated health risk factors are well established. Workplace strategies to increase PA may be beneficial to ameliorate extensive sedentary behavior. This study assessed the effectiveness of two PA interventions in workplace settings. Interventions were conducted over 40 days targeting insufficiently active (<150 min/wk PA) and/or obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) adults; participants were randomly allocated to instructor-led exercise sessions either after-work (n = 25) or in-work (n = 23) with a 60 minPA/day common goal, or a wait-listed control group (n = 23). The programme commenced with low-moderate physical activities and progressed to high intensity game style activities by week six. Adherence and compliance were determined using both objective measures of daily PA time from HR monitors and self-report responses to PA questionnaires. Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors were measured pre- and post-intervention. Changes across the study were analysed using Chi square and repeat-measures ANOVA. Adherence rates (completed pre and post-testing) were not different between groups (76.0 vs 65.2%). Compliance for the instructor-led sessions was higher for the after-work group (70.4% vs 26.4%, respectively). Increased total PA and aerobic fitness, and decreased weight in both intervention groups were found relative to controls. The after-work group undertook more vigorous PA, and had greater weight loss and fasting blood glucose improvement, relative to in-work participants and controls. These workplace interventions resulted in rapid and dramatic increases in PA behaviour and important health benefits. Short, in-work PA sessions were less efficacious than longer after-work sessions.

Pediatric Baseline Patch Test Series: Initial Findings of the Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Workgroup.

PubMed

Yu, JiaDe; Atwater, Amber Reck; Brod, Bruce; Chen, Jennifer K; Chisolm, Sarah S; Cohen, David E; de la Feld, Salma; Gaspari, Anthony A; Martin, Kari Lyn; Montanez-Wiscovich, Marjorie; Sheehan, Michael; Silverberg, Nanette; Lugo-Somolinos, Aida; Thakur, Binod K; Watsky, Kalman; Jacob, Sharon E

2018-06-21

Allergic contact dermatitis is a challenging diagnostic problem in children. Although epicutaneous patch testing is the diagnostic standard for confirmation of contact sensitization, it is less used in children by dermatologists treating children, pediatric dermatologists, and pediatricians, when compared with adult practitioners. The aim of the study was to create and evaluate standardization of a pediatric patch test series for children older than 6 years. We surveyed dermatologists and allergists conducting epicutaneous patch testing in children attending the 2017 American Contact Dermatitis Society meeting held in Washington, DC. This was followed by discussion of collected data and consensus review by a pediatric contact dermatitis working group at the conference. A baseline pediatric patch test panel was established through working group consensus.

Exposure-response relationships for work-related neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders--Analyses of pooled uniform data sets.

PubMed

Nordander, Catarina; Hansson, Gert-Åke; Ohlsson, Kerstina; Arvidsson, Inger; Balogh, Istvan; Strömberg, Ulf; Rittner, Ralf; Skerfving, Staffan

2016-07-01

There is a lack of quantitative data regarding exposure-response relationships between occupational risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and shoulders. We explored such relationships in pooled data from a series of our cross-sectional studies. We recorded the prevalence of complaints/discomfort (Nordic Questionnaire) and diagnoses (physical examination) in 33 groups (24 female and 9 male) within which the workers had similar work tasks (3141 workers, of which 817 were males). In representative sub-groups, we recorded postures and velocities of the head (N = 299) and right upper arm (inclinometry; N = 306), right wrist postures and velocities (electrogoniometry; N = 499), and muscular activity (electromyography) in the right trapezius muscle (N = 431) and forearm extensors (N = 206). We also assessed the psychosocial work environment (Job Content Questionnaire). Uni- and multivariate linear meta-regression analysis revealed several statistically significant group-wise associations. Neck disorders were associated with head inclination, upper arm elevation, muscle activity of the trapezius and forearm extensors and wrist posture and angular velocity. Right-side shoulder disorders were associated with head and upper arm velocity, activity in the trapezius and forearm extensor muscles and wrist posture and angular velocity. The psychosocial work environment (low job control, job strain and isostrain) was also associated with disorders. Women exhibited a higher prevalence of neck and shoulder complaints and tension neck syndrome than men, when adjusting for postures, velocities, muscular activity or psychosocial exposure. In conclusion, the analyses established quantitative exposure-response relationships between neck and shoulder disorders and objective measures of the physical workload on the arm. Such information can be used for risk assessment in different occupations/work tasks, to establish quantitative exposure limits, and for the evaluation of preventive measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The bishops and housing.

PubMed

Shellabarger, Thomas

2005-01-01

According to Catholic social teaching, housing is not a commodity but a human right. To ensure that all people--especially low-income elderly and other vulnerable populations--have access to affordable housing, the church has established a variety of programs, services, and advocacy efforts. Much of this work is based on key concepts: preserving existing housing stock, creating new programs to provide more options for the underserved, empowering residents and communities to deal with housing issues, establishing partnerships to make organizations' efforts more successful, making housing affordable, and ending discrimination in housing. Although church ministries, community groups, the private sector, and other players must work together to find solutions to the housing crisis, federal leadership is essential. Especially with the housing affordability gap growing and the U.S. population aging, the federal government must provide the resources, leadership, and direction for effective housing solutions.

Using evidence-based leadership initiatives to create a healthy nursing work environment.

PubMed

Nayback-Beebe, Ann M; Forsythe, Tanya; Funari, Tamara; Mayfield, Marie; Thoms, William; Smith, Kimberly K; Bradstreet, Harry; Scott, Pamela

2013-01-01

In an effort to create a healthy nursing work environment in a military hospital Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), a facility-level Evidence Based Practice working group composed of nursing.Stakeholders brainstormed and piloted several unit-level evidence-based leadership initiatives to improve the IMCU nursing work environment. These initiatives were guided by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments which encompass: (1) skilled communication, (2) true collaboration, (3) effective decision making, (4) appropriate staffing, (5) meaningful recognition, and (6) authentic leadership. Interim findings suggest implementation of these six evidence-based, relationship-centered principals, when combined with IMCU nurses' clinical expertise, management experience, and personal values and preferences, improved staff morale, decreased staff absenteeism, promoted a healthy nursing work environment, and improved patient care.

Medicine Goes Female: Protocol for Improving Career Options of Females and Working Conditions for Researching Physicians in Clinical Medical Research by Organizational Transformation and Participatory Design

PubMed Central

Hahnenkamp, Klaus; Buhre, Wolfgang F.F.A; de Korte-de Boer, Dianne; Hamaekers, Ankie E.W; Metelmann, Bibiana; Metelmann, Camila; Bortul, Marina; Palmisano, Silvia; Mellin-Olsen, Jannicke; Macas, Andrius; Andres, Janusz; Prokop-Dorner, Anna; Vymazal, Tomáš; Hinkelmann, Juergen; Rodde, Sibyll; Pfleiderer, Bettina

2017-01-01

Background All European countries need to increase the number of health professionals in the near future. Most efforts have not brought the expected results so far. The current notion is that this is mainly related to the fact that female physicians will clearly outnumber their male colleagues within a few years in nearly all European countries. Still, women are underrepresented in leadership and research positions throughout Europe. Objectives The MedGoFem project addresses multiple perspectives with the participation of multiple stakeholders. The goal is to facilitate the implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEP) in university hospitals; thereby, transforming the working conditions for women working as researchers and highly qualified physicians simultaneously. Our proposed innovation, a crosscutting topic in all research and clinical activities, must become an essential part of university hospital strategic concepts. Methods We capture the current status with gender-sensitive demographic data concerning medical staff and conduct Web-based surveys to identify cultural, country-specific, and interdisciplinary factors conducive to women’s academic success. Individual expectations of employees regarding job satisfaction and working conditions will be visualized based on “personal construct theory” through repertory grids. An expert board working out scenarios and a gender topic agenda will identify culture-, nation-, and discipline-specific aspects of gender equality. University hospitals in 7 countries will establish consensus groups, which work on related topics. Hospital management supports the consensus groups, valuates group results, and shares discussion results and suggested measures across groups. Central findings of the consensus groups will be prepared as exemplary case studies for academic teaching on research and work organization, leadership, and management. Results A discussion group on gender equality in academic medicine will be established on an internationally renowned open-research platform. Project results will be published in peer-reviewed journals with high-impact factors. In addition, workshops on gender dimension in research using the principles of Gendered Innovation will be held. Support and consulting services for hospitals will be introduced in order to develop a European consulting service. Conclusions The main impact of the project will be the implementation of innovative GEP tailored to the needs of university hospitals, which will lead to measurable institutional change in gender equality. This will impact the research at university hospitals in general, and will improve career prospects of female researchers in particular. Simultaneously, the gender dimension in medical research as an innovation factor and mandatory topic will be strengthened and integrated in each individual university hospital research activity. Research funding organizations can use the built knowledge to include mandatory topics for funding applications to enforce the use and implementation of GEP in university hospitals. PMID:28768613

[Significance of Matrix-augmented Bone Marrow Stimulation for Treatment of Cartilage Defects of the Knee: A Consensus Statement of the DGOU Working Group on Tissue Regeneration].

PubMed

Niemeyer, Philipp; Becher, Christoph; Buhs, Matthias; Fickert, Stefan; Gelse, Kolja; Günther, Daniel; Kaelin, Raphael; Kreuz, Peter; Lützner, Jörg; Nehrer, Stefan; Madry, Henning; Marlovits, Stefan; Mehl, Julian; Ott, Henning; Pietschmann, Matthias; Spahn, Gunther; Tischer, Thomas; Volz, Martin; Walther, Markus; Welsch, Götz; Zellner, Johannes; Zinser, Wolfgang; Angele, Peter

2018-06-18

Surgical principles for treatment of full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee include bone marrow stimulation techniques (i.e. arthroscopic microfracturing) and transplantation techniques (i.e. autologous chondrocyte implantation and osteochondral transplantation). On the basis of increasing scientific evidence, indications for these established therapeutical concepts have been specified and clear recommendations for practical use have been given. Within recent years, matrix-augmented bone marrow stimulation has been established as a new treatment concept for chondral lesions. To date, scientific evidence is limited and specific indications are still unclear. The present paper gives an overview of available products as well as preclinical and clinical scientific evidence. On the basis of the present evidence and an expert consensus from the "Working Group on Tissue Regeneration" of the German Orthopaedic and Trauma Society (DGOU), indications are specified and recommendations for the use of matrix-augmented bone marrow stimulation are given. In principle, it can be stated that the various products offered in this field differ considerably in terms of the number and quality of related studies (evidence level). Against the background of the current data situation, their application is currently seen in the border area between cell transplantation and bone marrow stimulation techniques, but also as an improvement on traditional bone marrow stimulation within the indication range of microfracturing. The recommendations of the Working Group have preliminary character and require re-evaluation after improvement of the study situation. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Creating an Integrated Community-Wide Effort to Enhance Diversity in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manduca, C. A.; Weingroff, M.

2001-05-01

Supporting the development and sustenance of a diverse geoscience workforce and improving Earth system education for the full diversity of students are important goals for our community. There are numerous established programs and many new efforts beginning. However, these efforts can become more powerful if dissemination of opportunities, effective practices, and web-based resources enable synergies to develop throughout our community. The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE; www.dlese.org) has developed a working group and a website to support these goals. The DLESE Diversity Working Group provides an open, virtual community for those interested in enhancing diversity in the geosciences. The working group has focused its initial effort on 1) creating a geoscience community engaged in supporting increased diversity that builds on and is integrated with work taking place in other venues; 2) developing a web resource designed to engage and support members of underrepresented groups in learning about the Earth; and 3) assisting in enhancing DLESE collections and services to better support learning experiences of students from underrepresented groups. You are invited to join the working group and participate in these efforts. The DLESE diversity website provides a mechanism for sharing information and resources. Serving as a community database, the website provides a structure in which community members can post announcements of opportunities, information on programs, and links to resources and services. Information currently available on the site includes links to professional society activities; mentoring opportunities; grant, fellowship, employment, and internship opportunities for students and educators; information on teaching students from underrepresented groups; and professional development opportunities of high interest to members of underrepresented groups. These tools provide a starting point for developing a community wide effort to enhance diversity in the geosciences that builds on our collective experiences, knowledge and resources and the work that is taking place in communities around us.

Consensus nomenclature rules for radiopharmaceutical chemistry - Setting the record straight.

PubMed

Coenen, Heinz H; Gee, Antony D; Adam, Michael; Antoni, Gunnar; Cutler, Cathy S; Fujibayashi, Yasuhisa; Jeong, Jae Min; Mach, Robert H; Mindt, Thomas L; Pike, Victor W; Windhorst, Albert D

2017-12-01

Over recent years, within the community of radiopharmaceutical sciences, there has been an increased incidence of incorrect usage of established scientific terms and conventions, and even the emergence of 'self-invented' terms. In order to address these concerns, an international Working Group on 'Nomenclature in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and related areas' was established in 2015 to achieve clarification of terms and to generate consensus on the utilisation of a standardised nomenclature pertinent to the field. Upon open consultation, the following consensus guidelines were agreed, which aim to. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional effects of continuity of care on family physicians and the therapeutic relationship.

PubMed

Schultz, Karen; Delva, Dianne; Kerr, Jonathan

2012-02-01

To explore conceptions of continuity of care among family physicians in traditional practices, family medicine-trained physicians working in episodic care, and family medicine residents to better understand the emotional effects on physicians of establishing long-term relationships with patients as a starting point for developing a tool to measure the qualitative connections between physicians and their patients. Qualitative descriptive study using focus groups. Traditional family practice, family medicine residency training, and episodic-care settings in Kingston, Ont. Three groups of first-year family medicine residents (n = 18), 2 groups of family physicians in established traditional practice (n = 9), and 2 groups of family physicians working in episodic-care settings (n = 10). Using focus groups, a semistructured discussion guide, and a phenomenologic approach, we explored residents' and practising physicians' conceptions about continuity of care, predominantly exploring the emotional effects on physicians of providing care for a group of patients over time. Providing care for patients over time and developing a deep knowledge of, and often a deep connection to, patients affected physicians in various ways. Most of these effects were rewarding: feelings of connection, trust, curiosity, enhanced professional competence (diagnostically and therapeutically), personal growth, and being cared for and respected. Some, however, were distressing: anxiety, grief, frustration, boundary issues, and negative effects on personal life. Family physicians experience myriad emotions connected with providing care to patients. Knowledge of what physicians find rewarding from their long-term connections with patients, and of the difficulties that arise, might be useful in further understanding interpersonal continuity of care and the therapeutic relationship, and in informing resident education about developing therapeutic relationships, evaluating resident educational experiences with continuity of care, and addressing physician burnout.

Emotional effects of continuity of care on family physicians and the therapeutic relationship

PubMed Central

Schultz, Karen; Delva, Dianne; Kerr, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To explore conceptions of continuity of care among family physicians in traditional practices, family medicine–trained physicians working in episodic care, and family medicine residents to better understand the emotional effects on physicians of establishing long-term relationships with patients as a starting point for developing a tool to measure the qualitative connections between physicians and their patients. Design Qualitative descriptive study using focus groups. Setting Traditional family practice, family medicine residency training, and episodic-care settings in Kingston, Ont. Participants Three groups of first-year family medicine residents (n = 18), 2 groups of family physicians in established traditional practice (n = 9), and 2 groups of family physicians working in episodic-care settings (n = 10). Methods Using focus groups, a semistructured discussion guide, and a phenomenologic approach, we explored residents’ and practising physicians’ conceptions about continuity of care, predominantly exploring the emotional effects on physicians of providing care for a group of patients over time. Main findings Providing care for patients over time and developing a deep knowledge of, and often a deep connection to, patients affected physicians in various ways. Most of these effects were rewarding: feelings of connection, trust, curiosity, enhanced professional competence (diagnostically and therapeutically), personal growth, and being cared for and respected. Some, however, were distressing: anxiety, grief, frustration, boundary issues, and negative effects on personal life. Conclusion Family physicians experience myriad emotions connected with providing care to patients. Knowledge of what physicians find rewarding from their long-term connections with patients, and of the difficulties that arise, might be useful in further understanding interpersonal continuity of care and the therapeutic relationship, and in informing resident education about developing therapeutic relationships, evaluating resident educational experiences with continuity of care, and addressing physician burnout. PMID:22337743

Study of Regulatory Mechanisms of Activity of Cardiovascular System by Method of Mathematical Analysis of Heart Rhythm in Workers of Chemical Manufactures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyachkova, T. V.; Berseneva, I. A.; Zavaltseva, O. A.; Mishina, O. S.

2018-01-01

The article presents the results of the study of heart rate variability indices of workers engaged in the production of phenol-formaldehyde plastics and plastics at the «Karbodin» plant. 112 people aged from 20 to 50 years were studied: control group-workers with experience up to 1 year, practically healthy (n = 30), 1 group-workers with work experience up to 5 years (n = 40), 2 group workers with work experience from 5 to 10 years (n = 42). As a result of the study, violations of the functioning of the heart regulation system were revealed, depending on the length of employment. The effectiveness of the method for studying the regulation of the physiological functions of the circulatory system as well as the early diagnosis of occupational pathology has been established.

[Tobacco control: an intersectorial experience in Tunja (Colombia)].

PubMed

Panader-Torres, Adriana; Agudelo-Cely, Nancy Aurora; Bolívar-Suárez, Yolima; Cárdenas-Cárdenas, Luz Mery

2014-01-01

Tobacco control in Colombia is regulated by Law 1335 of 2009. The implementation and monitoring of the provisions of this law require strengthening of intersectorial work at the local level. This field note presents an intersectorial work experience that was carried out in the municipality of Tunja (Colombia) to improve tobacco control. The Respirarte Group was established. This group consists of an intersectorial team composed of 15 institutions. The Respirarte Group achieved the following political and community actions: signing of an agreement on tobacco control by government actors, expedition of a local decree to comply with Law 1335 in the municipality, provision of information and communication, and social mobilization and monitoring. This experience serves as a national and international reference and its lessons could be used in the approach to other public health problems. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric, Magnetospheric, and Plasmas in Space (AMPS) spacelab payload definition study, technical summary document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keeley, J. T.

1976-01-01

Some 60 instrument candidates and 80 possible science investigations were evaluated. The early analysis emphasized the science aspect in terms of the functional requirements for each of the potential experiments identified by the AMPS science working group. These requirements were then used for the grouping of instruments into practical payloads which would fit the capabilities of the Shuttle/Spacelab. This analysis resulted in the definition of eleven different AMPS configurations. The data were then used to define a typical set of requirements for a flexible AMPS laboratory. The data gathered to this point showed that a planned sequential buildup of the laboratory would be necessary to meet both physical and funding limitations. This led to the definition of five strawman payloads by the science working group, which were used to establish a conceptual laboratory and to define preliminary design of a configuration which could satisfy AMPS needs during the early program period.

Progress towards a world-wide code of conduct

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

Lee, J.A.N.; Berleur, J.

1994-12-31

In this paper the work of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Task Group on Ethics is described and the recommendations presented to the General Assembly are reviewed. While a common code of ethics or conduct has been not recommended for consideration by the member societies of IMP, a set of guidelines for the establishment and evaluation of codes has been produced and procedures for the assistance of code development have been established within IMP. This paper proposes that the data collected by the Task Group and the proposed guidelines can be used as a tool for the studymore » of codes of practice providing a teachable, learnable educational module in courses related to the ethics of computing and computation, and looks at the next steps in bringing ethical awareness to the IT community.« less

Meeting commentary: Santa Fe Group Salon Expanding Oral Healthcare for America's Seniors, September 28-30, 2016.

PubMed

Wilentz, Joan B; Kleinman, Dushanka V; Alfano, Michael C

2017-04-01

A meeting to explore ways to expand access to oral health care for seniors-possibly by expanding a dental benefit in Medicare-was convened in Arlington, VA, by the Santa Fe Group. Four factors motivated the meeting: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The model Medicare dental benefit presented generated much discussion. There was agreement that any dental benefit must attract participating dentists. Agreement was also reached on the importance of public demonstration projects to further establish cost savings from dental care for patients with comorbid diseases, the need to collaborate with nondental advocacy and policy groups to establish that overall health benefits for seniors are gained by adding oral health care, and the necessity of oral health literacy campaigns working directly at the community level with the general public and others, including educators and the media, as well as with policy makers and providers from all health fields and at all levels of professional training. Copyright © 2017 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer, Including Occupational Exposures

PubMed Central

Meo, Margrethe; Vainio, Harri

2011-01-01

The knowledge on the etiology of breast cancer has advanced substantially in recent years, and several etiological factors are now firmly established. However, very few new discoveries have been made in relation to occupational risk factors. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has evaluated over 900 different exposures or agents to-date to determine whether they are carcinogenic to humans. These evaluations are published as a series of Monographs (www.iarc.fr). For breast cancer the following substances have been classified as "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1): alcoholic beverages, exposure to diethylstilbestrol, estrogen-progestogen contraceptives, estrogen-progestogen hormone replacement therapy and exposure to X-radiation and gamma-radiation (in special populations such as atomic bomb survivors, medical patients, and in-utero exposure). Ethylene oxide is also classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, although the evidence for carcinogenicity in epidemiologic studies, and specifically for the human breast, is limited. The classification "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) includes estrogen hormone replacement therapy, tobacco smoking, and shift work involving circadian disruption, including work as a flight attendant. If the association between shift work and breast cancer, the most common female cancer, is confirmed, shift work could become the leading cause of occupational cancer in women. PMID:22953181

The synthesis of monomers with pendent ethynyl group for modified high performance thermoplastics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nwokogu, Godson C.; Antoine, Miquel D.; Ansong, Omari

1992-01-01

The objectives of this project were to develop synthetic schemes for the following classes of modified monomers: (1) difunctional triarylethanes with pendent acetylenic groups; and (2) tertiary aspartimides with terminal acetylene groups at the two ends. Our efforts have resulted in the successful development of high yield schemes for the syntheses of several diamino and bisphenolic analogs of difunctional triarylethanes with pendent ethynyl group. A scheme for one new tertiary aspartimide was also established. Multi-gram samples of all prepared new monomers were provided to our technical contact at NASA-LaRC and preliminary polymerization studies were encouraging. Details of the accomplished work within the last four years are described.

Participatory ergonomics intervention for improving work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the 'One Tambon One Product' industry in Thailand.

PubMed

Hongsranagon, Prathurng; Somana, Yaowanit; Maha-Udomporn, Somkiet; Siriwong, Wattasit; Havanond, Piyalamporn; Deelertyuenyong, Nathawan; Petchprasit, Viroj; Munkatunyu, Nantawadee; Saksri, Pramrudee

2011-12-01

This paper relates to the first phase one of a three-phase study. Phase 1 investigated and identified risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in 26 'One Tambon One Product' (OTOP) groups working in the informal sector. Data was collected from 93 participants in Khangkoi District, Saraburi Province, Thailand during 2009-2010. Results of inspections and direct observations of work places and interviews of managers and workers showed risk factors related to posture, repetition, force and duration in the workers' operations and the application of a checklist revealed that the OTOP groups had simple work processes. A knowledge-attitude-practice survey of managers and workers indicated that there was a moderate to high awareness regarding ergonomics and occupational safety and health principles and approximately 15% of workers reported WMSDs at a moderate level, mainly associated with lower back and shoulder pains, due to protracted periods of sitting. Specific recommendations in response to OTOP conditions and needs were made. The second phase of the study involves a participatory ergonomics worksite intervention by a number of stakeholders and the final phase deals with an evaluation of the intervention and an establishment of guidelines for ergonomics programs for OTOP groups.

Assessing return on investment of defined-population disease management interventions.

PubMed

Wilson, Thomas W; Gruen, Jeff; William, Thar; Fetterolf, Donald; Minalkumar, Patel; Popiel, Richard G; Lewis, Al; Nash, David B

2004-11-01

Strategies to reduce health expenditures through the improvement of health and quality of care are in high demand. A group of experts formed a nonpartisan, independent work group, under the sponsorship of the National Managed Health Care Congress. Its goal was to establish a list of easy-to-understand, actionable, and usable recommendations to enable disease management program advocates to conduct basic-level evaluations. The work group made recommendations concerning identification of reference and intervention population, population definitions, quantitative methods and data quality, confounding and bias, and stakeholder agreements/contracting. A case study was created to quantitatively illustrate some of the major issues raised by the work group. Five typical errors were simulated by applying different rules to the intervention population than to the reference population: differential inclusion (high versus low risk), differential exclusion (high versus low risk) and differential claims run-out. Compared with the true impact, four of the five errors resulted in a bias toward "intervention effect," while one (differential inclusion of high-risk patients) was biased against the "intervention effect." The direction and magnitude of the bias in natural settings will not necessarily follow this pattern.

[Design of a plan for patient safety in pediatric surgery service].

PubMed

Paredes Esteban, R M; Castillo Fernández, A L; Miñarro del Moral, R; Garrido Pérez, J I; Granero Cendón, R; Gómez Beltrán, O; Berenguer Garcia, M J; Tejedor Fernández, M

2014-10-01

Patient safety is a key priority in quality management for healthcare services providers. Every patient is entitled to receive safe and effective healthcare. The aim of this study was to design a patient safety plan for a Paediatric Surgery Department. We carried out a literature review and we established a work group that included healthcare professionals from the Paediatric Surgery Department and the Quality and Medical Records Department. The group identified potential adverse events, failures and causes and established a rating using Failure Mode Effects Analysis. Potential risks were mapped out and a plan was designed establishing actions to reduce risks. We designated leaders to ensure the effective implementation of the plan. A total of 58 adverse events were identified in the Paediatric Surgery Department. We detected 128 failures that were produced by 211 different causes. The group developed a proposal with 424 specific measures to carry out preventive and/or remedial actions that were then narrowed down to 322. The group designed a plan to apply the programme, which is currently being implemented. The methodology used enabled obtaining key information for improvement of patient safety and developing preventive and/or remedial actions. These measures are applicable in practice, as they were designed using proposals and agreements with professionals that take active part in the care of children with surgical conditions.

Building a sustainable complementary and alternative medicine research network in Europe.

PubMed

Reiter, Bettina; Baumhöfener, Franziska; Dlaboha, Meike; Odde Madsen, Jesper; Regenfelder, Stephanie; Weidenhammer, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

Since CAMbrella is a networking project funded by the European Commission explicitly to build and sustain a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research network in Europe, communication and dissemination play a large role and form a work package of their own. The present article gives an outline of the communication and dissemination work in the CAMbrella consortium. The intensive building of sound internal communication is an essential part in establishing a functioning structure for collaboration in a diverse group of 16 partner institutions from 12 countries, as exists in the CAMbrella project. The means and tools for dissemination of results to the scientific community and the European public at large, as well as to the European policy makers, are presented. The development of the corporate design and a dissemination strategy are described in detail. In addition, some basic information regarding previous CAM research efforts, which might be interesting for future consortium building in the field of CAM research, is given. Internal communication within a heterogeneous research group, the maintenance of a work-oriented style of communication and a consensus oriented effort in establishing dissemination tools and products will be essential for any future consortium in the CAM field. The outlook shows the necessity for active political encouragement of CAM research and the desideratum of a Pan-European institution analogous to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in the USA.

Exchange of Standardized Flight Dynamics Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin-Mur, Tomas J.; Berry, David; Flores-Amaya, Felipe; Folliard, J.; Kiehling, R.; Ogawa, M.; Pallaschke, S.

2004-01-01

Spacecraft operations require the knowledge of the vehicle trajectory and attitude and also that of other spacecraft or natural bodies. This knowledge is normally provided by the Flight Dynamics teams of the different space organizations and, as very often spacecraft operations involve more than one organization, this information needs to be exchanged between Agencies. This is why the Navigation Working Group within the CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems), has been instituted with the task of establishing standards for the exchange of Flight Dynamics data. This exchange encompasses trajectory data, attitude data, and tracking data. The Navigation Working Group includes regular members and observers representing the participating Space Agencies. Currently the group includes representatives from CNES, DLR, ESA, NASA and JAXA. This Working Group meets twice per year in order to devise standardized language, methods, and formats for the description and exchange of Navigation data. Early versions of some of these standards have been used to support mutual tracking of ESA and NASA interplanetary spacecraft, especially during the arrival of the 2003 missions to Mars. This paper provides a summary of the activities carried out by the group, briefly outlines the current and envisioned standards, describes the tests and operational activities that have been performed using the standards, and lists and discusses the lessons learned from these activities.

ACHP | News | Native Hawaiian Federal Interagency Working Group Created

Science.gov Websites

Search skip specific nav links Home arrow News arrow Heritage Tourism Gets Boost with House Vote Heritage Tourism Gets Boost with House Vote On July 22, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4450 to tourism draw to the United States from people all over the world. "Brand USA" was established by

The Goal Wheel: Adapting Navajo Philosophy and the Medicine Wheel to Work with Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Holly; Bruce, Mary Alice; Stellern, John

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe a group counseling model that is based on the indigenous medicine wheel as well as Navajo philosophy by which to help troubled adolescents restore harmony and balance in their lives, through establishing goals and sequential steps to accomplish these goals. The authors call this model the Goal Wheel. A…

TraLaLa Blip: Community Music for the Electronically Abled

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimann, Randolf

2012-01-01

This article presents a personal reflection on the use of electronic music as a vehicle for community music in a disability setting. In order to do this, I draw on my experiences as the founder, facilitator, producer, tutor, sound artist and musician of TraLaLa Blip. I established the group in 2008, after having worked with people with…

BETWEEN THE GRIMMS AND "THE GROUP"--LITERATURE IN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ANDERSON, SCARVIA B.

IN 1963, THE COOPERATIVE TEST DIVISION OF THE EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH A LIST OF THE MAJOR WORKS OF LITERATURE TAUGHT TO ALL STUDENTS IN ANY ENGLISH CLASS IN UNITED STATES SECONDARY SCHOOLS. QUESTIONNAIRES ASKING FOR SUCH A LIST OF EACH GRADE WERE SENT TO RANDOM SAMPLES OF SCHOOLS, AND 222 PUBLIC, 223 CATHOLIC, 192…

Fostering Multilateral Involvement in Analog Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cromwell, Ronita L.

2015-01-01

International collaboration in space flight research is an effective means for conducting investigations and utilizing limited resources to the fullest extent. Through these multilateral collaborations mutual research questions can be investigated and resources contributed by each international partner to maximize the scientific benefits to all parties. Recently the international partners embraced this approach to initiate collaborations in ground-based space flight analog environments. In 2011, the International Analog Research Working Group was established, and later named the International Human Space Flight Analog Research Coordination Group (HANA). Among the goals of this working group are to 1) establish a framework to coordinate research campaigns, as appropriate, to minimize duplication of effort and enhance synergy; 2) define what analogs are best to use for collaborative interests; and 3) facilitate interaction between discipline experts in order to have the full benefit of international expertise. To accomplish these goals, HANA is currently engaged in developing international research campaigns in ground-based analogs. Plans are being made for an international solicitation for proposals to address research of common interest to all international partners. This solicitation with identify an analog environment that will best accommodate the types of investigations requested. Once selected, studies will be integrated into a campaign and implemented at the analog site. Through these combined efforts, research beneficial to all partners will be conducted efficiently to further address human risks of space exploration.

Summary of the Italian inter-society recommendations for radiation protection optimization in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Compagnone, Gaetano; Padovani, Renato; D'Avanzo, Maria Antonietta; Grande, Sveva; Campanella, Francesco; Rosi, Antonella

2018-05-01

A Working Group coordinated by the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) and the National Workers Compensation Authority (Istituto Nazionale per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, INAIL) and consisting of 11 Italian scientific/professional societies involved in the fluoroscopically guided interventional practices has been established to define recommendations for the optimization of patients and staff radiation protection in interventional radiology. A summary of these recommendations is here reported. A multidisciplinary approach was used to establish the Working Group by involving radiologists, interventional radiologists, neuroradiologists, interventional cardiologists, occupational health specialists, medical physicists, radiation protection experts, radiographers and nurses. The Group operated as a "Consensus Conference". Three main topics have been addressed: patient radiation protection (summarized in ten "golden rules"); staff radiation protection (summarized in ten "golden rules"); and education/training of interventional radiology professionals. In the "golden rules", practical and operational recommendations were provided to help the professionals in optimizing dose delivered to patients and reducing their own exposure. Operative indications dealt also with continuing education and training, and recommendations on professional accreditation and certification. The "Consensus Conference" was the methodology adopted for the development of these recommendations. Involvement of all professionals is a winning approach to improve practical implementation of the recommendations, thus getting a real impact on the optimization of the interventional radiology practices.

Working Group 1: Current plans of various organisations for lunar activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balsiger, H.; Pilcher, C.

1994-01-01

Summaries of presentations by representatives of several space agencies and the International Academy of Astronautics concerning lunar activities are presented. Participating space agencies reported two different types of lunar planning, long term planning and scenarios and lunar missions competing within regular programs. The long term plans of the various agencies look remarkably similar. They all involve a phased approach (coincidentally all incorporating four phases) and all address three prime scientific elements: science of, on, and from the Moon. The missions under consideration by the second group of agencies could readily fit as elements in the longer term program. There is great interest in lunar astronomy. There is a great deal of potential infrastructure and lunar transport capability already available. There is also a wide range of interesting technological developments that could form part of a lunar program. A well concerted and coordinated international effort could lead to an affordable program. Recommendations are: an international conference on lunar exploration should be held every other year; an electronic network should be established for the daily exchange of information; and a mechanism should be established for regular working level coordination of activities.

Electronic imaging of the human body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vannier, Michael W.; Yates, Randall E.; Whitestone, Jennifer J.

1992-09-01

The Human Engineering Division of the Armstrong Laboratory (USAF); the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology; the Washington University School of Medicine; and the Lister-Hill National Center for Biomedical Communication, National Library of Medicine are sponsoring a working group on electronic imaging of the human body. Electronic imaging of the surface of the human body has been pursued and developed by a number of disciplines including radiology, forensics, surgery, engineering, medical education, and anthropometry. The applications range from reconstructive surgery to computer-aided design (CAD) of protective equipment. Although these areas appear unrelated, they have a great deal of commonality. All the organizations working in this area are faced with the challenges of collecting, reducing, and formatting the data in an efficient and standard manner; storing this data in a computerized database to make it readily accessible; and developing software applications that can visualize, manipulate, and analyze the data. This working group is being established to encourage effective use of the resources of all the various groups and disciplines involved in electronic imaging of the human body surface by providing a forum for discussing progress and challenges with these types of data.

Low-molecular-weight heparin biosimilars: potential implications for clinical practice. Australian Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Biosimilar Working Group (ALBW).

PubMed

Nandurkar, H; Chong, B; Salem, H; Gallus, A; Ferro, V; McKinnon, R

2014-05-01

A working group of clinicians and scientists was formed to review the clinical considerations for use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) biosimilars. LMWH are biological molecules of significant complexity; the full complexity of chemical structure is still to be elucidated. LMWH biosimilars are products that are biologically similar to their reference product and rely on clinical data from a reference product to establish safety and efficacy. The complex nature of LMWH molecules means that it is uncertain whether a LMWH biosimilar is chemically identical to its reference product; this introduces the possibility of differences in activity and immunogenicity. The challenge for regulators and clinicians is to evaluate the level of evidence required to demonstrate that a LMWH is sufficiently similar to the reference product. The consensus opinion of the working group is that prior to clinical use a LMWH biosimilar should have proven efficacy and safety, similar to the reference product with prospective studies, which should be confirmed with a proactive post-marketing pharmacovigilance programme. © 2014 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Group purchasing of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies by the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

PubMed

Khoja, T A M; Bawazir, S A

2005-01-01

An important issue in health care today is the cost of essential pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. To control the increase of health care expenses, in 1976 the Gulf Cooperation Council states began to study the idea of establishing a group purchasing programme for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. This paper demonstrates the elements of the programme, how it works, what obstacles it faces and how other countries can profit from this experience. It also discusses the future of the group purchasing programme in the light of globalization and how the international changes under the World Trade Organization agreements will affect the programme in future.

Group theoretical derivation of the minimal coupling principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

The group theoretical methods worked out by Bargmann, Mackey and Wigner, which deductively establish the Quantum Theory of a free particle for which Galileian transformations form a symmetry group, are extended to the case of an interacting particle. In doing so, the obstacles caused by loss of symmetry are overcome. In this approach, specific forms of the wave equation of an interacting particle, including the equation derived from the minimal coupling principle, are implied by particular first-order invariance properties that characterize the interaction with respect to specific subgroups of Galileian transformations; moreover, the possibility of yet unknown forms of the wave equation is left open.

NASA deep space network operations planning and preparation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, W. N.

1982-01-01

The responsibilities and structural organization of the Operations Planning Group of NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) Operations are outlined. The Operations Planning group establishes an early interface with a user's planning organization to educate the user on DSN capabilities and limitations for deep space tracking support. A team of one or two individuals works through all phases of the spacecraft launch and also provides planning and preparation for specific events such as planetary encounters. Coordinating interface is also provided for nonflight projects such as radio astronomy and VLBI experiments. The group is divided into a Long Range Support Planning element and a Near Term Operations Coordination element.

The Marine Resources Experiment Program (MAREX)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Satellite Ocean Color Science Working Group was established to consider the scientific utility of repeated satellite measurements of ocean color, especially for measuring global ocean chlorophyll and for studying the fate of global primary productivity in the sea. Results of the group's deliberations are presented. The scientific requirements are given for ocean color data from a CZCS follow on sensor in order to address global primary productivity, fishery, and carbon storage problems. Some specific experiments, called the marine resource experiment and designed to determine critical nutrient fluxes, photosynthetic rates, and primary productivity and biomass, are outlined.

Multilevel selection in a resource-based model.

PubMed

Ferreira, Fernando Fagundes; Campos, Paulo R A

2013-07-01

In the present work we investigate the emergence of cooperation in a multilevel selection model that assumes limiting resources. Following the work by R. J. Requejo and J. Camacho [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 038701 (2012)], the interaction among individuals is initially ruled by a prisoner's dilemma (PD) game. The payoff matrix may change, influenced by the resource availability, and hence may also evolve to a non-PD game. Furthermore, one assumes that the population is divided into groups, whose local dynamics is driven by the payoff matrix, whereas an intergroup competition results from the nonuniformity of the growth rate of groups. We study the probability that a single cooperator can invade and establish in a population initially dominated by defectors. Cooperation is strongly favored when group sizes are small. We observe the existence of a critical group size beyond which cooperation becomes counterselected. Although the critical size depends on the parameters of the model, it is seen that a saturation value for the critical group size is achieved. The results conform to the thought that the evolutionary history of life repeatedly involved transitions from smaller selective units to larger selective units.

Progress in the Development of a Prototype Reuse Enablement System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, J. J.; Downs, R. R.; Gilliam, L. J.; Wolfe, R. E.

2008-12-01

An important part of promoting software reuse is to ensure that reusable software assets are readily available to the software developers who want to use them. Through dialogs with the community, the NASA Earth Science Data Systems Software Reuse Working Group has learned that the lack of a centralized, domain- specific software repository or catalog system addressing the needs of the Earth science community is a major barrier to software reuse within the community. The Working Group has proposed the creation of such a reuse enablement system, which would provide capabilities for contributing and obtaining reusable software, to remove this barrier. The Working Group has recommended the development of a Reuse Enablement System to NASA and has performed a trade study to review systems with similar capabilities and to identify potential platforms for the proposed system. This was followed by an architecture study to determine an expeditious and cost-effective solution for this system. A number of software packages and systems were examined through both creating prototypes and examining existing systems that use the same software packages and systems. Based on the results of the architecture study, the Working Group developed a prototype of the proposed system using the recommended software package, through an iterative process of identifying needed capabilities and improving the system to provide those capabilities. Policies for the operation and maintenance of the system are being established for the system, and the identification of system policies also has contributed to the development process. Additionally, a test plan is being developed for formal testing of the prototype, to ensure that it meets all of the requirements previously developed by the Working Group. This poster summarizes the results of our work to date, focusing on the most recent activities.

Working Memory after Traumatic Brain Injury: The Neural Basis of Improved Performance with Methylphenidate.

PubMed

Manktelow, Anne E; Menon, David K; Sahakian, Barbara J; Stamatakis, Emmanuel A

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often results in cognitive impairments for patients. The aim of this proof of concept study was to establish the nature of abnormalities, in terms of activity and connectivity, in the working memory network of TBI patients and how these relate to compromised behavioral outcomes. Further, this study examined the neural correlates of working memory improvement following the administration of methylphenidate. We report behavioral, functional and structural MRI data from a group of 15 Healthy Controls (HC) and a group of 15 TBI patients, acquired during the execution of the N-back task. The patients were studied on two occasions after the administration of either placebo or 30 mg of methylphenidate. Between group tests revealed a significant difference in performance when HCs were compared to TBI patients on placebo [ F (1, 28) = 4.426, p < 0.05, η p 2 = 0.136]. This difference disappeared when the patients took methylphenidate [ F (1, 28) = 3.665, p = 0.66]. Patients in the middle range of baseline performance demonstrated the most benefit from methylphenidate. Changes in the TBI patient activation levels in the Left Cerebellum significantly and positively correlated with changes in performance ( r = 0.509, df = 13, p = 0.05). Whole-brain connectivity analysis using the Left Cerebellum as a seed revealed widespread negative interactions between the Left Cerebellum and parietal and frontal cortices as well as subcortical areas. Neither the TBI group on methylphenidate nor the HC group demonstrated any significant negative interactions. Our findings indicate that (a) TBI significantly reduces the levels of activation and connectivity strength between key areas of the working memory network and (b) Methylphenidate improves the cognitive outcomes on a working memory task. Therefore, we conclude that methylphenidate may render the working memory network in a TBI group more consistent with that of an intact working memory network.

Measures and effects on prevention of fall: the role of a fall working group at a university hospital.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi; Ando, Kei; Inagaki, Yuko; Suzuki, Yusuke; Nagao, Yoshimasa; Ishiguro, Naoki; Imagama, Shiro

2017-11-01

Fall in hospitalized patients can cause trauma and fractures, which can reduce ADL and QOL, whereas prevention of fall decreases medical expenses. The purpose of this study is to examine prevention of fall due to intervention from a fall working group established in our hospital. The working group focused on three main points. First, colored wrist bands for patients classified as grade 3 risk for fall are used to alert medical staff. Second, information on fall prevention was distributed to patients. Third, standardization of two bed fences and reduced use of slippers for inpatients have been introduced. We investigated falls during hospitalization for 5 years from April 2012 to March 2017. The risk of fall was evaluated as grade 1 (mild) to grade 3 (severe) using an assessment sheet developed by the working group. The incidence of fall decreased over time, with a significant decrease from 2.1% in 2012 to 1.3% in 2016 (p<0.01). Slipper use in fall cases showed a significant decrease from 45.8% in 2012 to 11.0% in 2016 (p<0.01). Among all falls, the percentage of cases with fall risks grade 1 and 2 decreased, while that for grade 3 risk increased from 32.0% in 2012 to 40.3% in 2016 (p<0.05). These results support the efforts of the fall working group have reduced the overall incidence of fall. However, fall in patients with grade 3 risk has not decreased, which suggests that better sharing of information is needed for patients at high risk for fall.

Characterization of a normal control group: are they healthy?

PubMed

Aine, C J; Sanfratello, L; Adair, J C; Knoefel, J E; Qualls, C; Lundy, S L; Caprihan, A; Stone, D; Stephen, J M

2014-01-01

We examined the health of a control group (18-81years) in our aging study, which is similar to control groups used in other neuroimaging studies. The current study was motivated by our previous results showing that one third of the elder control group had moderate to severe white matter hyperintensities and/or cortical volume loss which correlated with poor performance on memory tasks. Therefore, we predicted that cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, high cholesterol) within the control group would account for significant variance on working memory task performance. Fifty-five participants completed 4 verbal and spatial working memory tasks, neuropsychological exams, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and blood tests to assess vascular risk. In addition to using a repeated measures ANOVA design, a cluster analysis was applied to the vascular risk measures as a data reduction step to characterize relationships between conjoint risk factors. The cluster groupings were used to predict working memory performance. The results show that higher levels of systolic blood pressure were associated with: 1) poor spatial working memory accuracy; and 2) lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in multiple brain regions. In contrast, higher levels of total cholesterol corresponded with increased accuracy in verbal working memory. An association between lower FA values and higher cholesterol levels were identified in different brain regions from those associated with systolic blood pressure. The conjoint risk analysis revealed that Risk Cluster Group 3 (the group with the greatest number of risk factors) displayed: 1) the poorest performance on the spatial working memory tasks; 2) the longest reaction times across both spatial and verbal memory tasks; and 3) the lowest FA values across widespread brain regions. Our results confirm that a considerable range of vascular risk factors are present in a typical control group, even in younger individuals, which have robust effects on brain anatomy and function. These results present a new challenge to neuroimaging studies both for defining a cohort from which to characterize 'normative' brain circuitry and for establishing a control group to compare with other clinical populations. © 2013.

Prevention concept in industry: improvement in occupational safety and health protection--an empirical study.

PubMed

Ramsauer, F

2001-12-01

This prevention concept offers a contribution to the expansion of the set of instruments for occupational safety and health protection within workplace prevention. The concept involves the multilateral analysis of work conditions. The utilized instruments include a strategy group, a survey, a health issue round table, and an analysis of work demands, and lead to synergy effects at the results level. Employees are drawn into the analysis of work conditions and workplace design solutions for the improvement of the work situation. The prevention concept was tested in a large company and its application established in practice. It was accepted by all participants, and the comparison with the previous situation (defined only through the analysis of work demands) demonstrated a significant improvement in health protection.

[The evaluation and prognosis of the psychophysiological status of a human operator].

PubMed

Sukhov, A E; Chaĭchenko, G M

1989-01-01

In experiments on 56 healthy subjects (18-20 years old) the quality of their activity was determined during compensatory watching the mark at complicating regimes of work. Depending on the difficulty of the task five groups of subjects were singled out with optimum working capacity in one of four working conditions: normal, ordinary and strenuous work, model of stress situation. It is established that the change of the number of significant correlative connections between main parameters of psychophysiological state of man-operator reflects the condition of his functional systems. On the basis of computation of total range of organization values of both R-R intervals of the ECG and duration of expiration, the success of the man-operator work in complex conditions of activity is predicted.

[Migration and mental disorders in the Chiraguano civilization].

PubMed

Pagés Larraya, F; Servy, E; Marangunich, L

1981-03-01

The ethnographic characteristics of the Chiriguanos allowed us to make up an experimental design to show the relationship between migration and mental pathology. The Chiriguanos are a South American ethnographic population characterized by a traditional migratory tendency. The Chiriguanos group is a resultant of the Tupi-Guaraní migrations. From the 15th century up to the 19th aboriginal guaraníes moved from the current area of Paraguay to the East zone of Bolivia; they conquered and mixed with the group that lived there and after that they resisted the European forces. The Chiriguanos history can be divided in different phases: 1) The establishment in the new zone; 2) The "Chiriguana war" with the dominant group; 3) The grouping with Franciscan missions and its community organization. This study of Transcultural Psychiatry can be considered as an ex post facto experiment in the field of Psychiatric Epidemiology. It allows us to analyse population phenomena related to changes in the prevalence of mental pathology. The facts presented in this report have been established thanks to the use of sampling techniques adequated to each population being studied (original and migratory groups): demographic structure, total fertility Grow's "evolutional intensity index", and mental prevalence rates in both groups. Differences in the biennial prevalence rates of mental morbidity were found. In the original Chiriguana community there is an evident "group endogamy"; on the contrary, the migratory groups integrated by individuals of different aboriginal culture, are really melting-pots, that originate a new genetic groupal structure. We have worked with human situations created by a natural social and cultural reality. We have worked with two ethnographic homogeneous populations, one of them stable and the other a migratory one. We intended to demonstrate: 1) migration changes the rates of mental pathology; 2) those changes are followed by changes in the genetic structure of the individuals.

[Fatigue symptoms and workplace related factors of long-term care workers employed in facilities].

PubMed

Kawamura, Sachiyo; Yamada, Kazuko; Morioka, Ikuharu

2015-01-01

"Regular visiting/on-demand response type long-term care" has recently been established. This will lead to a decrease in the burden on the family, but an increase in the burden of the care personnel who provide this kind of long-term care. The objectives of this study were to clarify the fatigue symptoms of long-term care workers in facilities that provide this kind of long-term care, and examine the related factors in the workplace. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted with 96 workers engaged in long-term care in facilities. The questionnaire was composed of cumulative fatigue symptoms index, work situation, supports in the workplace, and the attributes. The subjects were divided into two groups: those who had night shift between PM 6 to AM 8 with or without day shift (night shift group), and those who had only day shift (day shift group). The relationships between the fatigue symptom levels and work situation etc. were compared between the two groups. The night shift group consisted of 47 workers, whose mean age was 42.3 years and whose mean working experience was 6.0 years. The median number of persons they had visited in the previous month was 9. The day shift group consisted of 49 workers, whose mean age was 44.6 years and whose mean working experience was 5.9 years. The median number of persons they visited in the previous month was 9.5. Age and sex distributions showed no difference between the two groups. There was no difference in the work situations and the supports in the workplace, except for working time and the details of care the subjects were providing. The fatigue symptom levels were high in both groups, but in the night shift group the level of physical disorders was higher than in the day shift group. Satisfaction with work, education and training for mental health and consideration for traffic safety when making home visits were negatively related to fatigue symptom levels in both groups. Learning care during the previous year, and the ease of receiving paid holiday were not related to the fatigue symptom levels in the night shift group. This was different in the day shift group. Measures of fatigue symptoms should be performed for both groups. It is desirable that supports, additional to that given in the workplace to the day shift group, be given to the night shift group, and its efficacy be researched.

The Anthropocene : A Challenge for the History of Science, Technology, and the Environment.

PubMed

Trischler, Helmuth

2016-09-01

In 2000, when atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen and limnologist Eugene F. Stoermer proposed to introduce a new geological era, the Anthropocene, they could not have foreseen the remarkable career of the new term. Within a few years, the geological community began to investigate the scientific evidence for the concept and established the Anthropocene Working Group. While the Working Group has started to examine possible markers and periodizations of the new epoch, scholars from numerous other disciplines have taken up the Anthropocene as a cultural concept. In addition, the media have developed a deep interest in the Anthropocene's broader societal ramifications. The article sheds light on the controversial debate about the Anthropocene and discusses its inextricably linked dual careers, first as a geological term and second as a cultural term. Third, it argues that the debate about the "Age of Humans" is a timely opportunity both to rethink the nature-culture relation and to re-assess the narratives that historians of science, technology, and the environment have written until now. Specifically, it examines both the heuristic and analytical power of the concept. It discusses new histories, new ideas to understand historical change, and new temporalities shaped by scholars who have taken up the challenge of the Anthropocene as a cultural concept that has the ability to question established stories and narratives. Fourth, it ends by stressing the potential of the Anthropocene concept to blur established epistemological boundaries and to stimulate cross-disciplinary collaborations between the sciences and the humanities.

Strengthening and sustainability of national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs) globally: Lessons and recommendations from the founding meeting of the global NITAG network.

PubMed

Adjagba, Alex; MacDonald, Noni E; Ortega-Pérez, Inmaculada; Duclos, Philippe

2017-05-25

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) provide independent, evidence-informed advice to assist their governments in immunization policy formation. However, many NITAGs face challenges in fulfilling their roles. Hence the many requests for formation of a network linking NITAGs together so they can learn from each other. To address this request, the Health Policy and Institutional Development (HPID) Center (a WHO Collaborating Center at the Agence de Médecine Préventive - AMP), in collaboration with WHO, organized a meeting in Veyrier-du-Lac, France, on 11 and 12 May 2016, to establish a Global NITAG Network (GNN). The meeting focused on two areas: the requirements for (a) the establishment of a global NITAG collaborative network; and (b) the global assessment/evaluation of the performance of NITAGs. 35 participants from 26 countries reviewed the proposed GNN framework documents and NITAG performance evaluation. Participants recommended that a GNN should be established, agreed on its governance, function, scope and a proposed work plan as well as setting a framework for NITAG evaluation. Copyright © 2017.

Factor structure and longitudinal measurement invariance of the demand control support model: an evidence from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH).

PubMed

Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Ingre, Michael; Karasek, Robert; Westerlund, Hugo; Theorell, Töres

2013-01-01

To examine the factor structure and to evaluate the longitudinal measurement invariance of the demand-control-support questionnaire (DCSQ), using the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) models within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM) have been used to examine the factor structure and invariance across time. Four factors: psychological demand, skill discretion, decision authority and social support, were confirmed by CFA at baseline, with the best fit obtained by removing the item repetitive work of skill discretion. A measurement error correlation (0.42) between work fast and work intensively for psychological demands was also detected. Acceptable composite reliability measures were obtained except for skill discretion (0.68). The invariance of the same factor structure was established, but caution in comparing mean levels of factors over time is warranted as lack of intercept invariance was evident. However, partial intercept invariance was established for work intensively. Our findings indicate that skill discretion and decision authority represent two distinct constructs in the retained model. However removing the item repetitive work along with either work fast or work intensively would improve model fit. Care should also be taken while making comparisons in the constructs across time. Further research should investigate invariance across occupations or socio-economic classes.

Factor Structure and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of the Demand Control Support Model: An Evidence from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH)

PubMed Central

Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Ingre, Michael; Karasek, Robert; Westerlund, Hugo; Theorell, Töres

2013-01-01

Objectives To examine the factor structure and to evaluate the longitudinal measurement invariance of the demand-control-support questionnaire (DCSQ), using the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). Methods A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) models within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM) have been used to examine the factor structure and invariance across time. Results Four factors: psychological demand, skill discretion, decision authority and social support, were confirmed by CFA at baseline, with the best fit obtained by removing the item repetitive work of skill discretion. A measurement error correlation (0.42) between work fast and work intensively for psychological demands was also detected. Acceptable composite reliability measures were obtained except for skill discretion (0.68). The invariance of the same factor structure was established, but caution in comparing mean levels of factors over time is warranted as lack of intercept invariance was evident. However, partial intercept invariance was established for work intensively. Conclusion Our findings indicate that skill discretion and decision authority represent two distinct constructs in the retained model. However removing the item repetitive work along with either work fast or work intensively would improve model fit. Care should also be taken while making comparisons in the constructs across time. Further research should investigate invariance across occupations or socio-economic classes. PMID:23950957

Astrophysics at the future Rare Isotope Accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Michael; Schatz, Hendrik; Timmes, Frank X.; Wiescher, Michael; Greife, Uwe

PoS(NIC-IX)179 Significant progress in studies of core collapse supernovae, thermonuclear supernovae, X-ray bursts, novae, and other astrophysical phenomena require intense beams of a wide range of unsta- ble nuclei. While some such beams are currently available and being used for important studies in nuclear astrophysics, the beams are often insufficient in intensity, purity, or available isotopes. It is anticipated that a next-generation radioactive beam facility will be built in the U.S. in the next decade to address these shortcomings, and a Working Group has been established to develop and promote nuclear astrophysics research at this new facility. Many of the topics addressed by the Working Group are relevant for the RIKEN RI Beam Factory, the planned GSI-Fair facility, and other advanced radioactive beam facilities around the world.

Assessing collective affect recognition via the Emotional Aperture Measure.

PubMed

Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey; Bartel, Caroline A; Rees, Laura; Huy, Quy

2016-01-01

Curiosity about collective affect is undergoing a revival in many fields. This literature, tracing back to Le Bon's seminal work on crowd psychology, has established the veracity of collective affect and demonstrated its influence on a wide range of group dynamics. More recently, an interest in the perception of collective affect has emerged, revealing a need for a methodological approach for assessing collective emotion recognition to complement measures of individual emotion recognition. This article addresses this need by introducing the Emotional Aperture Measure (EAM). Three studies provide evidence that collective affect recognition requires a processing style distinct from individual emotion recognition and establishes the validity and reliability of the EAM. A sample of working managers further shows how the EAM provides unique insights into how individuals interact with collectives. We discuss how the EAM can advance several lines of research on collective affect.

[New possibilities screening of refractive errors among children].

PubMed

Ondrejková, M; Kyselová, P

2013-06-01

To establish early detection of refractive errors among children in Slovakia. Different screening methods have been evaluated and compared in this work. we have been working on a prospective study. Pre-school children in kindergardens in Central Slovakia were checked up between years 2009-2011. Effectiveness of various screening methods was compared within 2 groups, using test-type and Plusoptix Vision Screener. Parentęs of children positive to refractive errors were recommended to consult a paediatrician ophthalmologist. 3982 children were examined. As a result, 13-14.1% of children who have not been examinated by the specialist, were positive. 53.3% of them went to see the doctor afterwards. establishment of early refractive errors screening is an important method how to prevent strabismus and amblyopia. It is very important to improve parentęs knowledge about the risk of refractive errors and also to improve screening methods with collaboration with kindergarten teachers.

Design and implementation of practical bidirectional texture function measurement devices focusing on the developments at the University of Bonn.

PubMed

Schwartz, Christopher; Sarlette, Ralf; Weinmann, Michael; Rump, Martin; Klein, Reinhard

2014-04-28

Understanding as well as realistic reproduction of the appearance of materials play an important role in computer graphics, computer vision and industry. They enable applications such as digital material design, virtual prototyping and faithful virtual surrogates for entertainment, marketing, education or cultural heritage documentation. A particularly fruitful way to obtain the digital appearance is the acquisition of reflectance from real-world material samples. Therefore, a great variety of devices to perform this task has been proposed. In this work, we investigate their practical usefulness. We first identify a set of necessary attributes and establish a general categorization of different designs that have been realized. Subsequently, we provide an in-depth discussion of three particular implementations by our work group, demonstrating advantages and disadvantages of different system designs with respect to the previously established attributes. Finally, we survey the existing literature to compare our implementation with related approaches.

NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach: Engaging with Scientists and Educators through the Higher Education Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Gregory R.; Gross, Nicholas; Buxner, Sanlyn; Low, Russanne; Moldwin, Mark; Fraknoi, Andrew; Grier, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Forums have established a Higher Education Working Group (HEWG), which has explored and surveyed the higher education landscape with regard to different subjects, such as community colleges and diversity. The HEWG is composed of representatives from each of the SMD EPO Forums, along with 'external' members who have rotated in and out, and the co-authors here constitute the present membership, chaired by Nicholas Gross. Most recently, the HEWG has worked to identify the key characteristics of higher education STEM programs that reach diverse populations. While increasing the involvement of students from diverse backgrounds in SMD EPO is a core goal for our community, engaging these students meaningfully requires a dedicated strategy using proven techniques. In reality, while most educational programs have this goal, undertaking it meaningfully is more challenging. For higher education, diversity is a long-standing issue, and the working group could have taken many different paths to explore this important topic. The HEWG has undertaken a review of programs that involve engaging undergraduates from diverse backgrounds in SMD-related research internships or hands-on STEM experiments. This information will be synthesized and documented so that future education efforts can incorporate the most valuable components. Meanwhile, the working group is exploring ways that NASA SMD can be more helpful to higher education faculty and students, and community input is solicited as part of this presentation.

Men's health promotion interventions: what have we learned from previous programmes.

PubMed

Robertson, Steve; Witty, Karl; Zwolinsky, Steve; Day, Rhiannon

2013-11-01

Concern persists in health-related literature about men's reduced life expectancy and higher premature death rates; this is often linked to difficulties in engaging with men as a client group. However, some innovative projects and programmes, often led by health visitors or other community based nurses, have developed successful health promotion work with men. This article collates existing tacit knowledge (previous learning) about men's health interventions by integrating interview data from nine practitioners who have established such initiatives with data from 35 men's health project reports to consider 'what works'. Five themes stood out as being significant across the data reviewed: using the right setting (often outside statutory services); ensuring the right approach (drawing on male-specific interests and language); actively listening to what local men say; appropriate training (initial and ongoing) for those involved in such work; and partnership working with local community groups, businesses and statutory service providers. While not a panacea for working with any and all men, these themes form a good basis for successful engagement with men and align well with what a recent review of health visitor interventions suggest works in helping bridge service provision-uptake gaps.

Group psychotherapy for parents of patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Gruber, Ema N; Kajević, Milka; Agius, Mark; Martić-Biocina, Sanja

2006-11-01

During a four-month period, the authors provided group psychotherapy combining psychodynamic, supportive and psycho-educational approaches. The aim was to investigate whether this approach would enable parents of patients with schizophrenia to re-establish their psychic balance and the balance of the whole family system by reducing high expressed emotion. The following tools were administered: a socio-cultural questionnaire, MMPI and PIE psychological tests and two questionnaires for group evaluation. The socio-cultural questionnaire showed that the group of parents is heterogeneous. MMPI profiles showed truthful answers and well organized thinking; there were no psychopathological symptoms. The PIE test showed increased dimensions of sociability and trust. The dimensions of fear, sorrow and anger were decreased. Combinations of primary emotions (marked sociability and high self-protection) show that the parents are cautious, responsible and tend to feel guilt. The parents evaluated the group work as interesting and helpful and the group as a place where the parents can overcome the stigma of the disease that affects them, get information, find help and friends and find a way out of their social isolation. This combined approach changes the emotional profile of parents, reduces high expressed emotions (fear, sorrow and anger) in parents and helps re-establish their psychic balance and the balance of the whole family system.

Time-Efficiency Analysis Comparing Digital and Conventional Workflows for Implant Crowns: A Prospective Clinical Crossover Trial.

PubMed

Joda, Tim; Brägger, Urs

2015-01-01

To compare time-efficiency in the production of implant crowns using a digital workflow versus the conventional pathway. This prospective clinical study used a crossover design that included 20 study participants receiving single-tooth replacements in posterior sites. Each patient received a customized titanium abutment plus a computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacture (CAD/CAM) zirconia suprastructure (for those in the test group, using digital workflow) and a standardized titanium abutment plus a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (for those in the control group, using a conventional pathway). The start of the implant prosthetic treatment was established as the baseline. Time-efficiency analysis was defined as the primary outcome, and was measured for every single clinical and laboratory work step in minutes. Statistical analysis was calculated with the Wilcoxon rank sum test. All crowns could be provided within two clinical appointments, independent of the manufacturing process. The mean total production time, as the sum of clinical plus laboratory work steps, was significantly different. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) time was 185.4 ± 17.9 minutes for the digital workflow process and 223.0 ± 26.2 minutes for the conventional pathway (P = .0001). Therefore, digital processing for overall treatment was 16% faster. Detailed analysis for the clinical treatment revealed a significantly reduced mean ± SD chair time of 27.3 ± 3.4 minutes for the test group compared with 33.2 ± 4.9 minutes for the control group (P = .0001). Similar results were found for the mean laboratory work time, with a significant decrease of 158.1 ± 17.2 minutes for the test group vs 189.8 ± 25.3 minutes for the control group (P = .0001). Only a few studies have investigated efficiency parameters of digital workflows compared with conventional pathways in implant dental medicine. This investigation shows that the digital workflow seems to be more time-efficient than the established conventional production pathway for fixed implant-supported crowns. Both clinical chair time and laboratory manufacturing steps could be effectively shortened with the digital process of intraoral scanning plus CAD/CAM technology.

Lessons learned from the Galileo and Ulysses flight safety review experience

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

Bennett, Gary L.

In preparation for the launches of the Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft, a very comprehensive aerospace nuclear safety program and flight safety review were conducted. A review of this work has highlighted a number of important lessons which should be considered in the safety analysis and review of future space nuclear systems. These lessons have been grouped into six general categories: (1) establishment of the purpose, objectives and scope of the safety process; (2) establishment of charters defining the roles of the various participants; (3) provision of adequate resources; (4) provision of timely peer-reviewed information to support the safety program; (5)more » establishment of general ground rules for the safety review; and (6) agreement on the kinds of information to be provided from the safety review process.« less

Get away special the low-cost route to orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prouty, C.

1986-01-01

NASA has established the Get Away Special (GAS) program as a means for providing anyone who wishes the opportunity to place a small self-contained experimental payload aboard a Space Shuttle mission for a very low cost. The GAS program is now well established, and has a respectable history with 53 payloads flown to date. The GAS experimenters are a diverse group who have demonstrated that people from all walks of life, and from many nations, are interested in working in space. This paper traces the history of the program from its concept through the development phase to the present time, and takes a brief look at the future. It also addresses the steps involved in making a payload reservation and the programmatic and technical relationships that are established between NASA and GAS customers.

INMARSAT - The International Maritime Satellite Organization: Origins and structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doyle, S. E.

1977-01-01

The third session of the International Conference on the Establishment of an International Maritime Satellite System established the International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) in 1976. Its main functions are to improve maritime communications via satellite, thereby facilitating more efficient emergency communications, ship management, and maritime public correspondence services. INMARSAT's aims are similar to those of the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the main United Nations organization dealing with maritime affairs. The specific functions of INMARSAT have been established by an Intersessional Working Group (IWG) which met three times between general conference meetings. Initial investment shares for the creation of INMARSAT were shared by the United States (17%), the United Kingdom (12%), the U.S.S.R. (11%), Norway (9.50%), Japan (8.45%), Italy (4.37%), and France (3.50%).

Teacher change in beliefs and practices in science and literacy instruction with English language learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee

2004-01-01

This study examined patterns of change in beliefs and practices as elementary teachers learned to establish instructional congruence, a process of mediating academic disciplines with linguistic and cultural experiences of diverse student groups. The study focused on six bilingual Hispanic teachers working with fourth-grade, mostly Hispanic students. The results indicated that teacher learning and change occurred in different ways in the areas of science instruction, students' language and culture, English language and literacy instruction, and integration of these areas in establishing instructional congruence. The results also indicated that establishing instructional congruence was a gradual and demanding process requiring teacher reflection and insight, formal training, and extensive support and sharing. Implications for further research in promoting achievement for all students are discussed.

Using the online and offline change model to improve efficiency for fast-track patients in an emergency department.

PubMed

Docimo, A B; Pronovost, P J; Davis, R O; Concordia, E B; Gabrish, C M; Adessa, M S; Bessman, E

2000-09-01

In 1998 the emergency department (ED) Work Group at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (Baltimore) worked to reinvigorate the fast-track program within the ED to improve throughput for patients with minor illnesses and injuries who present for care. There had been two prior unsuccessful attempts to overhaul the fast-track process. The work group used a change model intended to improve both processes and relationships for complex organizational problems that span departments and functional units. Before the first work group meeting, the work group evaluated the institutional commitment to address the issue. The next step was to find data to fully understand the issues and establish a baseline for evaluating improvements--for example, patients with minor illnesses and injuries had excessively long total ED (registration to discharge) times: 5 hours 57 minutes on average for nonacute patients. ONLINE AND OFFLINE MEETINGS: The work group identified process problems, but relationship barriers became evident as the new processes were discussed. Yet offline work was needed to minimize the potential for online surprises. The work group leaders met separately in small groups with nursing staff, lab staff, x-ray staff, registrars, and physician's assistants to inform them of data, obtain input about process changes, and address any potential concerns. The group conducted four tests of change (using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) to eliminate the root causes of slow turnaround identified previously. Total ED time decreased to an average of 1 hour 47 minutes; the practice of placing nonacute patients in fast track before all higher-acuity patients were seen gained acceptance. The percentage of higher-acuity patients sent to fast track decreased from 17% of all patients seen in fast track in January 1998 to 8.5% by February 1999. Patients with minor illnesses and injuries no longer had to wait behind higher-acuity patients just to be registered. The average wait for registration decreased from 42 minutes in January 1998 to 14 minutes in February 1999. Physician's assistant, nursing, and technician staff all report improved working relationships and feeling a team spirit. The offline component of the integrated model helped to improve organizational relationships and dialogue among team members, thereby facilitating the effectiveness of online efforts to improve processes. This model has also been applied to improve patient registration (revenue recovery) and the emergency transfer and admissions process.

Interprofessional primary care in academic family medicine clinics: implications for education and training.

PubMed

Drummond, Neil; Abbott, Karen; Williamson, Tyler; Somji, Behnaz

2012-08-01

To explore the status and processes of interprofessional work environments and the implications for interprofessional education in a sample of family medicine teaching clinics. Focus group interviews using a purposive sampling procedure. Four academic family medicine clinics in Alberta. Seven family physicians, 9 registered nurses, 5 licensed practical nurses, 2 residents, 1 psychologist, 1 informatics specialist, 1 pharmacist, 1 dietitian, 1 nurse practitioner, 1 receptionist, and 1 respiratory therapist. Assessment of clinic status and performance in relation to established principles of interprofessional work and education was explored using semistructured focus group interviews. Our data supported the D'Amour and Oandasan model of successful interprofessional collaborative practice in terms of the model's main "factors" (ie, shared goals and vision, sense of belonging, governance, and the structuring of clinical care) and their constituent "elements." It is reasonable to conclude that the extent to which these factors and elements are both present and positively oriented in academic clinic settings is an important contributory factor to the establishment of interprofessional collaborative practice in primary care. Using this model, 2 of the 4 clinics were rated as expressing substantial progress in relation to interprofessional work, while the other 2 clinics were rated as less successful on that dimension. None of the clinics was identified as having a clear and explicit focus on providing interprofessional education. The key factor in relation to the implementation of interprofessional work in primary care appears to be the existence of clear and explicit leadership in that direction. Substantial scope exists for improvement in the organization, conduct, and promotion of interprofessional education for Canadian primary care.

Working hours, sleep, salivary cortisol, fatigue and neuro-behavior during Mars analog mission: five crews study.

PubMed

Rai, Balwant; Foing, Bernard H; Kaur, Jasdeep

2012-05-16

The buoyancy of humans in exploring extreme space environments has been established during missions to the moon. Long duration missions like mission to Mars however, requires humans to adapt to systemic and complex environments beyond the human body's capacity. Astronauts will encounter both physiological and psychological extremes during this trip. Very few studies are conducted on effect of long duration work and sleepiness on cognitive performance. So, this study was planned to find out effects of leadership responsibility, sleepiness and long duration working hours on cognitive performance. The 30 members (leadership: normal; 10:20) were selected from MDRS crews (Mars Desert Research Station, USA). Neurobehavioral test performance, self-ratings of fatigue and sleepiness, and salivary cortisol levels were evaluated during first day, mid and end day of mission. The leadership group did not show any signs of reduced test performance, even in elevated fatigue and sleepiness. The leadership group had faster reaction times on end of mission as compared to first and after 7 day of mission. Salivary cortisol levels were significantly higher in leadership group as compared to normal group. The results suggest that long duration work and sleepiness does not affect the cognitive performance of crew member. Further study is required while taking into account all factors and large sample size to prove this fact. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lessons from the evaluation of the UK's NHS R&D Implementation Methods Programme

PubMed Central

Soper, Bryony; Hanney, Stephen R

2007-01-01

Background Concern about the effective use of research was a major factor behind the creation of the NHS R&D Programme in 1991. In 1994, an advisory group was established to identify research priorities in research implementation. The Implementation Methods Programme (IMP) flowed from this, and its commissioning group funded 36 projects. In 2000 responsibility for the programme passed to the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D, which asked the Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Brunel University, to conduct an evaluation in 2002. By then most projects had been completed. This evaluation was intended to cover: the quality of outputs, lessons to be learnt about the communication strategy and the commissioning process, and the benefits from the projects. Methods We adopted a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods. They included: documentary analysis, interviews with key actors, questionnaires to the funded lead researchers, questionnaires to potential users, and desk analysis. Results Quantitative assessment of outputs and dissemination revealed that the IMP funded useful research projects, some of which had considerable impact against the various categories in the HERG payback model, such as publications, further research, research training, impact on health policy, and clinical practice. Qualitative findings from interviews with advisory and commissioning group members indicated that when the IMP was established, implementation research was a relatively unexplored field. This was reflected in the understanding brought to their roles by members of the advisory and commissioning groups, in the way priorities for research were chosen and developed, and in how the research projects were commissioned. The ideological and methodological debates associated with these decisions have continued among those working in this field. The need for an effective communication strategy for the programme as a whole was particularly important. However, such a strategy was never developed, making it difficult to establish the general influence of the IMP as a programme. Conclusion Our findings about the impact of the work funded, and the difficulties faced by those developing the IMP, have implications for the development of strategic programmes of research in general, as well as for the development of more effective research in this field. PMID:17309803

Factors affecting first return to work following a compensable occupational back injury.

PubMed

Oleinick, A; Gluck, J V; Guire, K

1996-11-01

Occupational back injuries produced $27 billion in direct and indirect costs in 1988. Predictors of prolonged disability have generally been identified in selected clinical populations, but there have been few population-based studies using statewide registries from workers' compensation systems. This study uses a 1986 cohort of 8,628 Michigan workers with compensable back injuries followed to March 1, 1990. Cox proportional hazards analyses with nine categorical covariates identified factors predicting missed worktime for the first disability episode following the injury. The model distinguished factors affecting the acute (< or = 8 weeks) and chronic disability periods (> 8 weeks). The first disability episode following injury contains 69.6% of the missed worktime observed through follow-up. In the acute phase, which contributes 15.2% of first episode missed worktime, gender, age, number of dependents, industry (construction), occupation, and type of accident predict continued work disability. Marital status, weekly wage compensation rate, and establishment size do not. Beyond 8 weeks, age, establishment size and, to a lesser degree, wage compensation rate predict duration of work disability. Graphs show the predicted disability course for injured workers with specific covariate patterns. Future efforts to reduce missed worktime may require modifications in current clinical practice by patient age group and the development of new strategies to encourage small and medium-size employers to find ways to return their injured employees to work sooner. Recent federal statutes covering disabled workers will only partially correct the strong effect of employer establishment size.

Health working with industry to promote fruit and vegetables: a case study of the Western Australian Fruit and Vegetable Campaign with reflection on effectiveness of inter-sectoral action.

PubMed

Miller, Margaret; Pollard, Christina

2005-04-01

In 1990, the Department of Health in Western Australia (DOH) initiated a five-year campaign to increase awareness of the need to eat more fruit and vegetables and to encourage increased consumption. This paper describes aspects of the campaign and reviews the strengths and weaknesses of health and fruit and vegetable industry alliances to extend and sustain the campaign. The fruit and vegetable industry was engaged through information sharing, consultation, working groups and joint promotions. The partnership was examined in terms of six inter-sectoral action dimensions (necessity; opportunity and capacity to work together; established relationships for goal achievement; degree of planning; potential for evaluation; and sustainability of action). There were both need and opportunity for each sector to work together. Health had commitment, expertise and resources to plan, implement and evaluate the campaign. Industry had established channels of communication within the supply chain. Sustained health sector presence provided incentive, endorsement and policy direction. Resources and infrastructure limited partnership sustainability. Greatest potential for success occurred when participants' contributions were closely aligned to their core business and there was a body responsible for co-ordinating action.

Consensus nomenclature rules for radiopharmaceutical chemistry — Setting the record straight

DOE PAGES

Coenen, Heinz H.; Gee, Antony D.; Adam, Michael; ...

2017-10-21

Over recent years, within the community of radiopharmaceutical sciences, there has been an increased incidence of incorrect usage of established scientific terms and conventions, and even the emergence of ‘self-invented’ terms. Here, in order to address these concerns, an international Working Group on ‘Nomenclature in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and related areas’ was established in 2015 to achieve clarification of terms and to generate consensus on the utilisation of a standardised nomenclature pertinent to the field. Upon open consultation, the following consensus guidelines were agreed, which aim to: Provide a reference source for nomenclature good practice in the radiopharma-ceutical sciences; Clarify themore » use of terms and rules concerning exclusively radiopharmaceutical terminology, i.e. nuclear- and radiochemical terms, symbols and expressions; Address gaps and inconsistencies in existing radiochemistry nomenclature rules; Provide source literature for further harmonisation beyond our immediate peer group (publishers, editors, IUPAC, pharmacopoeias, etc.).« less

Discussions about safety criteria and guidelines for radioactive waste management.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Masafumi

2011-07-01

In Japan, the clearance levels for uranium-bearing waste have been established by the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The criteria for uranium-bearing waste disposal are also necessary; however, the NSC has not concluded the discussion on this subject. Meanwhile, the General Administrative Group of the Radiation Council has concluded the revision of its former recommendation 'Regulatory exemption dose for radioactive solid waste disposal', the dose criteria after the institutional control period for a repository. The Standardization Committee on Radiation Protection in the Japan Health Physics Society (The Committee) also has developed the relevant safety criteria and guidelines for existing exposure situations, which are potentially applicable to uranium-bearing waste disposal. A new working group established by The Committee was initially aimed at developing criteria and guidelines specifically for uranium-bearing waste disposal; however, the aim has been shifted to broader criteria applicable to any radioactive wastes.

Consensus nomenclature rules for radiopharmaceutical chemistry — Setting the record straight

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

Coenen, Heinz H.; Gee, Antony D.; Adam, Michael

Over recent years, within the community of radiopharmaceutical sciences, there has been an increased incidence of incorrect usage of established scientific terms and conventions, and even the emergence of ‘self-invented’ terms. Here, in order to address these concerns, an international Working Group on ‘Nomenclature in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and related areas’ was established in 2015 to achieve clarification of terms and to generate consensus on the utilisation of a standardised nomenclature pertinent to the field. Upon open consultation, the following consensus guidelines were agreed, which aim to: Provide a reference source for nomenclature good practice in the radiopharma-ceutical sciences; Clarify themore » use of terms and rules concerning exclusively radiopharmaceutical terminology, i.e. nuclear- and radiochemical terms, symbols and expressions; Address gaps and inconsistencies in existing radiochemistry nomenclature rules; Provide source literature for further harmonisation beyond our immediate peer group (publishers, editors, IUPAC, pharmacopoeias, etc.).« less

Addressing the need for staff support among nurses caring for the AIDS population.

PubMed

Pasacreta, J V; Jacobsen, P B

1989-01-01

More and more nurses are caring for individuals with AIDS-spectrum disorders. When nurses become involved in hospital-based AIDS treatment, major psychosocial issues can arise. In settings where nursing personnel have limited or no experience working with patients with AIDS, fear of contagion is a major issue. This fear has both rational and irrational components. In general, providing up-to-date information in a small group setting can effectively reduce irrational fears. Rational fears, which are not as easily dealt with, should be a stimulus for behavior change (e.g., adoption of precautionary guidelines for reducing the possibility of accidental infection). Different issues arise among nurses specializing in AIDS care and include burnout, a sense of professional isolation, and the need to establish personal boundaries in dealing with patients. Guidelines are offered for establishing a group approach to address these concerns and to handle the sensitive issues that may arise.

CEOS Committee on Earth Observations Satellites Consolidated Report, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

A concise overview of the committee on Earth Observations Satellites (CEOS) and its Working Groups, covering the history and purpose of the Committee and its accomplishments to date are provided. The report will be updated annually before each Plenary meeting, and as developments in the Working Groups warrant. The committee on Earth Observations Satellites (originally named the International Earth Observations Satellite committee, IEOS) was treated in 1984, in response to a recommendation from the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology, and Employment's Panel of Experts on Satellite Remote Sensing. This group recognized the multidisciplinary nature of satellite Earth observations, and the value of coordinating across all proposed missions. Thus, CEOS combined the previously existing groups for coordination on Ocean Remote-Sensing Satellites (CORSS) and coordination on Land Remote-Sensing Satellites (CLRSS), and established a broad framework for coordination across all spaceborne Earth observations missions. The first three LEOS Plenary meetings focused on treating and guiding the Working Groups deemed necessary to carry out the objectives of the CEOS members. After the third meeting, it was agreed that a more active orientation was required by the Plenary, and additional issues were brought before the group at the fourth meeting. At the fifth Plenary, international scientific programs and relevant intergovernmental organizations accepted invitations and participated as affiliate members of CEOS. This enabled progress toward integrating satellite data users' requirements into the CEOS process. Data exchange principles for global change research were also adopted. An interim CEOS Plenary meeting was held in April 1992, in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Brief encapsulations of the Plenary sessions immediately follow the Terms of Reference that govern the activities of CEOS as a whole; Terms of Reference for the individual Working Groups are included as Appendix A. A complete listing of CEOS members is offered as Appendix B.

Promoting Academic Physicists, Their Students, and Their Research through Library Partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozum, B.; Wesolek, A.

2012-12-01

At many institutions, attracting and mentoring quality students is of key importance. Through their developing careers, typically under the tutelage of one primary faculty member, students build portfolios, prepare for graduate school, and apply to post-doc programs or faculty positions. Often though, the corpus of that primary faculty member's work is not available in a single location. This is a disadvantage both for current students, who wish to highlight the importance of their work within the context of a research group and for the department, which can miss opportunities to attract high-quality future students. Utah State University Libraries hosts a thriving institutional repository, DigitalCommons@USU, which provides open access to scholarly works, research, reports, publications, and journals produced by Utah State University faculty, staff, and students. The Library and the Physics Department developed a partnership to transcend traditional library repository architecture and emphasize faculty research groups within the department. Previously, only student theses and dissertations were collected, and they were not associated with the department in any way. Now student presentations, papers, and posters appear with other faculty works all in the same research work space. This poster session highlights the features of the University's repository and describes what is required to establish a similar structure at other academic institutions. We anticipate several long-term benefits of this new structure. Students are pleased with the increased visibility of their research and with having an online presence through their "Selected Works" personal author site. Faculty are pleased with the opportunity to highlight their research and the potential to attract new students to their research groups. This new repository model also allows the library to amplify the existing scientific outreach initiatives of the physics department. One example of this is a recent exhibit created in the Library showcasing a student research group's 30-year history of sending payloads into space. The exhibit was a direct result of archiving the work of student researchers in the institutional repository. From the perspective of the Library, the benefits are also impressive. The Library is able to build its institutional repository, develop strong relations with faculty in the Physics Department, and have access to unpublished reports that otherwise might be lost. Establishing research groups' presence in DigitalCommons@USU provided an opportunity to meet with the Physics graduate students to discuss setting up online web portfolios, archiving their publications, and understanding publisher contracts. Developing partnerships between academic units and libraries is one more method to reach out to potential students, promote research, and showcase the talents of faculty and students. Using the Library's institutional repository to do this is beneficial for everyone.

Training in paediatric clinical pharmacology in the UK

PubMed Central

Choonara, Imti; Dewit, Odile; Harrop, Emily; Howarth, Sheila; Helms, Peter; Kanabar, Dipak; Lenney, Warren; Rylance, George; Vallance, Patrick

2004-01-01

Aims To produce a training programme in paediatric clinical pharmacology. Methods A working group, consisting of clinical pharmacologists (paediatric and adult), general paediatricians and the pharmaceutical industry was established to produce the training programme. Results Following a two year training programme in general paediatrics, a three year training programme in clinical pharmacology has been established. This includes one year of research in clinical pharmacology (paediatric or adult). The other two years involve training in different aspects of paediatric clinical pharmacology and general paediatrics. Conclusion The existence of a formal training programme should result in a significant increase in the number of paediatric clinical pharmacologists. PMID:15255806

A training tool in group dynamics. The camel-trading incident.

PubMed

Henke, B

1982-01-01

The objective of this training tool in group dynamics is to have the participants' experience and identify barriers to the accomplishment of group tasks and to give the trainer an opportunity to observe interaction within a particular group of participants. This exercise works best for groups which have been together long enough to establish mutual trust. There can be 10 to 20 participants and one should allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The materials required are pieces of paper to represent currency, paper for computation and notes, and writing implements. Details of the procedure are given. The material was prepared by INTRAH staff members. Other materials include how to use tracing techniques to create visual aids, how to evaluate teaching and how to create a family health case study.

Local Food Policies Can Help Promote Local Foods and Improve Health: A Case Study from the Federated States of Micronesia

PubMed Central

Lorens, Adelino; Pretrick, Moses; Tara, Mona J; Johnson, Emihner

2011-01-01

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and other countries throughout the Pacific are facing an epidemic of non-communicable disease health problems. These are directly related to the increased consumption of unhealthy imported processed foods, the neglect of traditional food systems, and lifestyle changes, including decreased physical activity. The FSM faces the double burden of malnutrition with both non-communicable diseases and micronutrient deficiencies, including vitamin A deficiency and anemia. To help increase the use of traditional island foods and improve health, the Island Food Community of Pohnpei has initiated a program in the FSM to support and promote local food policies, along with its Go Local awareness campaign. Such local food policies are defined broadly and include individual and family commitments, community group local food policies and policies established by government, including presidential proclamations and increased taxation on soft drinks. The aim of this paper is to describe this work. An inter-agency, community- and research-based, participatory and media approach was used. Partners are both non-governmental and governmental. The use of continuing awareness work along with local food policy establishment and the acknowledgement of the individuals and groups involved are essential. The work is still in the preliminary stage but ad hoc examples show that this approach has had success in increased awareness on health issues and improving dietary intake on both an individual and group basis. This indicates that further use of local food policies could have an instrumental impact in FSM as well as other Pacific Island countries in promoting local foods and improving dietary intake and health, including the control of non-communicable diseases and other dietary-related health problems. PMID:22235156

Local food policies can help promote local foods and improve health: a case study from the Federated States of Micronesia.

PubMed

Englberger, Lois; Lorens, Adelino; Pretrick, Moses; Tara, Mona J; Johnson, Emihner

2011-11-01

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and other countries throughout the Pacific are facing an epidemic of non-communicable disease health problems. These are directly related to the increased consumption of unhealthy imported processed foods, the neglect of traditional food systems, and lifestyle changes, including decreased physical activity. The FSM faces the double burden of malnutrition with both non-communicable diseases and micronutrient deficiencies, including vitamin A deficiency and anemia. To help increase the use of traditional island foods and improve health, the Island Food Community of Pohnpei has initiated a program in the FSM to support and promote local food policies, along with its Go Local awareness campaign. Such local food policies are defined broadly and include individual and family commitments, community group local food policies and policies established by government, including presidential proclamations and increased taxation on soft drinks. The aim of this paper is to describe this work. An inter-agency, community- and research-based, participatory and media approach was used. Partners are both non-governmental and governmental. The use of continuing awareness work along with local food policy establishment and the acknowledgement of the individuals and groups involved are essential. The work is still in the preliminary stage but ad hoc examples show that this approach has had success in increased awareness on health issues and improving dietary intake on both an individual and group basis. This indicates that further use of local food policies could have an instrumental impact in FSM as well as other Pacific Island countries in promoting local foods and improving dietary intake and health, including the control of non-communicable diseases and other dietary-related health problems.

Energy Smart Schools--Applied Research, Field Testing, and Technology Integration

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

Nebiat Solomon; Robin Vieira; William L. Manz

2004-12-01

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) in conjunction with the California Energy Commission, the Energy Center of Wisconsin, the Florida Solar Energy Center, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Energy Efficiency conducted a four-year, cost-share project with the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to focus on energy efficiency and high-performance technologies in our nation's schools. NASEO was the program lead for the MOU-State Schools Working group, established in conjunction with the USDOE Memorandum of Understanding process for collaboration among statemore » and federal energy research and demonstration offices and organizations. The MOU-State Schools Working Group included State Energy Offices and other state energy research organizations from all regions of the country. Through surveys and analyses, the Working Group determined the school-related energy priorities of the states and established a set of tasks to be accomplished, including the installation and evaluation of microturbines, advanced daylighting research, testing of schools and classrooms, and integrated school building technologies. The Energy Smart Schools project resulted in the adoption of advanced energy efficiency technologies in both the renovation of existing schools and building of new ones; the education of school administrators, architects, engineers, and manufacturers nationwide about the energy-saving, economic, and environmental benefits of energy efficiency technologies; and improved the learning environment for the nation's students through use of better temperature controls, improvements in air quality, and increased daylighting in classrooms. It also provided an opportunity for states to share and replicate successful projects to increase their energy efficiency while at the same time driving down their energy costs.« less

Economic consequences of improved temperature forecasts: An experiment with the Florida citrus growers (an update of control group results)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braen, C.

1978-01-01

The economic experiment, the results obtained to date and the work which still remains to be done are summarized. Specifically, the experiment design is described in detail as are the developed data collection methodology and procedures, sampling plan, data reduction techniques, cost and loss models, establishment of frost severity measures, data obtained from citrus growers, National Weather Service and Federal Crop Insurance Corp. Resulting protection costs and crop losses for the control group sample, extrapolation of results of control group to the Florida citrus industry and the method for normalization of these results to a normal or average frost season so that results may be compared with anticipated similar results from test group measurements are discussed.

Worksite interventions for preventing physical deterioration among employees in job-groups with high physical work demands: background, design and conceptual model of FINALE.

PubMed

Holtermann, Andreas; Jørgensen, Marie B; Gram, Bibi; Christensen, Jeanette R; Faber, Anne; Overgaard, Kristian; Ektor-Andersen, John; Mortensen, Ole S; Sjøgaard, Gisela; Søgaard, Karen

2010-03-09

A mismatch between individual physical capacities and physical work demands enhance the risk for musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence, termed physical deterioration. However, effective intervention strategies for preventing physical deterioration in job groups with high physical demands remains to be established. This paper describes the background, design and conceptual model of the FINALE programme, a framework for health promoting interventions at 4 Danish job groups (i.e. cleaners, health-care workers, construction workers and industrial workers) characterized by high physical work demands, musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence. A novel approach of the FINALE programme is that the interventions, i.e. 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 1 exploratory case-control study are tailored to the physical work demands, physical capacities and health profile of workers in each job-group. The RCT among cleaners, characterized by repetitive work tasks and musculoskeletal disorders, aims at making the cleaners less susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders by physical coordination training or cognitive behavioral theory based training (CBTr). Because health-care workers are reported to have high prevalence of overweight and heavy lifts, the aim of the RCT is long-term weight-loss by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and diet. Construction work, characterized by heavy lifting, pushing and pulling, the RCT aims at improving physical capacity and promoting musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. At the industrial work-place characterized by repetitive work tasks, the intervention aims at reducing physical exertion and musculoskeletal disorders by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and participatory ergonomics. The overall aim of the FINALE programme is to improve the safety margin between individual resources (i.e. physical capacities, and cognitive and behavioral skills) and physical work demands, and thereby reduce the physical deterioration in a long term perspective by interventions tailored for each respective job-group. The FINALE programme has the potential to provide evidence-based knowledge of significant importance for public health policy and health promotion strategies for employees at high risk for physical deterioration. ISRCTN96241850, NCT01015716 and NCT01007669.

Worksite interventions for preventing physical deterioration among employees in job-groups with high physical work demands: Background, design and conceptual model of FINALE

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A mismatch between individual physical capacities and physical work demands enhance the risk for musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence, termed physical deterioration. However, effective intervention strategies for preventing physical deterioration in job groups with high physical demands remains to be established. This paper describes the background, design and conceptual model of the FINALE programme, a framework for health promoting interventions at 4 Danish job groups (i.e. cleaners, health-care workers, construction workers and industrial workers) characterized by high physical work demands, musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence. Methods/Design A novel approach of the FINALE programme is that the interventions, i.e. 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 1 exploratory case-control study are tailored to the physical work demands, physical capacities and health profile of workers in each job-group. The RCT among cleaners, characterized by repetitive work tasks and musculoskeletal disorders, aims at making the cleaners less susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders by physical coordination training or cognitive behavioral theory based training (CBTr). Because health-care workers are reported to have high prevalence of overweight and heavy lifts, the aim of the RCT is long-term weight-loss by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and diet. Construction work, characterized by heavy lifting, pushing and pulling, the RCT aims at improving physical capacity and promoting musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. At the industrial work-place characterized by repetitive work tasks, the intervention aims at reducing physical exertion and musculoskeletal disorders by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and participatory ergonomics. The overall aim of the FINALE programme is to improve the safety margin between individual resources (i.e. physical capacities, and cognitive and behavioral skills) and physical work demands, and thereby reduce the physical deterioration in a long term perspective by interventions tailored for each respective job-group. Discussion The FINALE programme has the potential to provide evidence-based knowledge of significant importance for public health policy and health promotion strategies for employees at high risk for physical deterioration. Trial registrations ISRCTN96241850, NCT01015716 and NCT01007669 PMID:20214807

Guidance on individual monitoring programmes for radioisotopic techniques in molecular and cellular biology.

PubMed

Macías, M T; Navarro, T; Lavara, A; Robredo, L M; Sierra, I; Lopez, M A

2003-01-01

The radioisotope techniques used in molecular and cellular biology involve external and internal irradiation risk. The personal dosemeter may be a reasonable indicator for external irradiation. However, it is necessary to control the possible internal contamination associated with the development of these techniques. The aim of this project is to analyse the most usual techniques and to establish programmes of internal monitoring for specific radionuclides (32P, 35S, 14C, 3H, 125I and 131I). To elaborate these programmes it was necessary to analyse the radioisotope techniques. Two models have been applied (NRPB and IAEA) to the more significant techniques, according to the physical and chemical nature of the radionuclides, their potential importance in occupational exposure and the possible injury to the genetic material of the cell. The results allowed the identification of the techniques with possible risk of internal contamination. It was necessary to identify groups of workers that require individual monitoring. The risk groups have been established among the professionals exposed, according to different parameters: the general characteristics of receptor, the radionuclides used (the same user can work with one, two or three radionuclides at the same time) and the results of the models applied. Also a control group was established. The study of possible intakes in these groups has been made by urinalysis and whole-body counter. The theoretical results are coherent with the experimental results. They have allowed guidance to individual monitoring to be proposed. Basically, the document shows: (1) the analysis of the radiosotopic techniques, taking into account the special containment equipment; (2) the establishment of the need of individual monitoring; and (3) the required frequency of measurements in a routine programme.

HELIOS Third Joint Working Group Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ousley, Gilbert; Kutzer, Ants

1970-01-01

During the past six months since the Second Helios Joint Working Group Meeting held 27-30 April 1970 at Goddard Space Flight Center, the TDS Sub-Group supported the Helios Project Office and the other Sub-Groups in the timely disposition of action items and the dissemination of information pertinent to the development of interface documentation. Of particular importance during this time period was the Project's decision to incorporate a single-channel telemetry system design aboard the spacecraft. The TDS Sub-Group participated actively in the process that led to this decision. Still under active study with TDS participation is the pending Project Office decision regarding the incorporation of a ranging capability within the telecommunications design. The TDS Sub-Group assisted the Mission Analysis and Operations Sub-Group in establishment of a study effort concerning the Near-Earth Sequence of Events from launch to launch plus 8 hours. This study, which will provide valuable data for the spacecraft telecommunications design, will include participation by the Experiment, Launch Vehicle, Spacecraft, as well as the TDS and MA&O Sub-Groups. Also during the past 6-month period, the TDS, in conjunction with the Spacecraft Sub-Group, initiated activity to develop the Helios Spacecraft/TDS Compatibility Test Plans and Procedures. Activity concerning the foregoing interface discussions has been and will continue to be based upon the "TDS Estimated Capabilities Document for the Helios Missions" (613-1), and the "DSN/Flight Project Interface Design Handbook" (810-5). These will continue to be considered TDS controlling documents until specific Helios Project/TDS interface documentation is generated and signed off by the respective parties. In addition to the above, the DSN continued the Helios Trainee Program with seven GfW/DFVLR trainees in residence at JPL. Two trainees will complete their year's residency concurrent with the Third Helios Joint Working Group Meeting, while four new trainees are expected to arrive following the Third Helios Joint Working Group Meeting. These and other activities are reported in detail in the paragraphs that follow.

Veterinary Disaster Response at the National Level

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-10

Plans for Pet Disaster Needs, http://www.fema.gov/ plan /prepare/animals.shtm (accessed February 12, 2009). 99 Big Paw Designs , National Pet Holidays...Knebel, RN, DNSc USPHS, OPEO, DHHS U.S. Public Health Service Deputy Director, Preparedness and Planning 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT Office of...Medical Association; and establishing a working group to plan how to accomplish these recommendations and improve federal agency interaction. U15

Proceedings of the Annual Conference on "The Role of the Computer in Education" (5th, Arlington Heights, Illinois, February 20-22, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Micro-Ideas, Glenview, IL.

The 46 papers in this proceedings summarize the work of academic and private groups which seek to provide a means of integrating the utilization of the computer into an established curriculum; descriptions of sample courses are included. The contents include: (1) Four Precollege Computer Curricula: A Symposium; (2) Data Processing Management…

Establishing Teacher Competencies in Early Care and Education: A Review of Current Models and Options for California. Building California's Preschool for All Workforce. A Series of Policy Briefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellm, Dan

2005-01-01

This policy brief provides guidelines grouped into five areas: personal and professional behavior; classroom environment; health, safety and nutrition; working with families and communities; and administration and management. The document discusses the topics that teacher competencies generally cover, options for how they might be developed and…

Short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy with obsessive preadolescents.

PubMed

Ierodiakonou, C S; Ierodiakonou-Benou, I

1997-01-01

The phenomenological and psychodynamic differences between obsessive preadolescents and obsessive adults are pointed out. Case material shows how an effective therapeutic alliance on psychoanalytic lines can be established quite early with preadolescents. The therapy can be shortened mainly by opening up sexual subjects connected with the onset of puberty, and by working through the guilt engendered by the ambivalent relations this age group has with its parents.

Technology Requirements and Development for Affordable High-Temperature Distributed Engine Controls

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-04

long lasting, high temperature modules is to use high temperature electronics on ceramic modules. The electronic components are “ brazed ” onto the...Copyright © 2012 by ISA Technology Requirements and Development for Affordable High - Temperature Distributed Engine Controls Alireza Behbahani 1...with regards to high temperature capability. The Government and Industry Distributed Engine Controls Working Group (DECWG) [5] has been established

Collaborative Curriculum Design to Increase Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velthuis, Chantal; Fisser, Petra; Pieters, Jules

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish whether participation in a teacher design team (TDT) is an effective way to increase the science teaching self-efficacy of primary school teachers who vary in their levels of experience and interest in science. A TDT is a group of at least 2 teachers from the same or related subjects working together to…

TRU waste lead organization -- WIPP Project Office Interface Management semi-annual report

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

Guerrero, J.V.; Gorton, J.M.

1985-05-01

The Charter establishing the Interface Control Board and the administrative organization to manage the interface of the TRU Waste Lead Organization and the WIPP Project Office also requires preparation of a summary report describing significant interface activities.'' This report includes a discussion of Interface Working Group (IWG) recommendations and resolutions considered and implemented'' over the reporting period October 1984 to March 1985.

Making appropriations for the salaries and related expenses of certain Federal employees during a lapse in funding authority for fiscal year 2014, to establish a bicameral working group on deficit reduction and economic growth, and for other purposes.

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Rep. Rogers, Harold [R-KY-5

2013-10-08

Senate - 10/10/2013 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 214. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Work debate spaces: A tool for developing a participatory safety management.

PubMed

Rocha, Raoni; Mollo, Vanina; Daniellou, François

2015-01-01

In recent years, various studies have shown the importance of instituting work debate space within companies in order to address constraints within the organization. However, few of these studies demonstrate the implementation methods of discussion spaces and their contributions. Based on the action research developed in an electric company, this article demonstrates how work debate space (WDS) contribute to the development of an integrated safety culture. After describing the establishment methods and function of WDS within a technical group, we will present the main benefits of these spaces for the organization and its employees, and then discuss the minimal conditions for their implementation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Differentiated leader-member exchanges: the buffering role of justice climate.

PubMed

Erdogan, Berrin; Bauer, Talya N

2010-11-01

The leader-member exchange (LMX) literature has established that leaders differentiate among their followers. Yet little is known about the effects of LMX differentiation (within-group variation in LMX quality). In this study, we contend that the effects of LMX differentiation on the employee outcomes of work attitudes, coworker relations, and employee withdrawal behaviors will be contingent upon the level of procedural and distributive justice climate. Data from 276 employees working in 25 stores of a retail chain in Turkey supported our hypotheses such that LMX differentiation was related to more negative work attitudes and coworker relations, and higher levels of withdrawal behaviors only when justice climate was low. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Review on the importance of measurement technique in micromachine technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umeda, Akira

1996-09-01

In the beginning stage of MITI micromachine project, the committee on the standardization established in Micromachine Center recognized the importance of measurement technique for the promotion and the systemization of the micromachine technology. Micromachine Center is the organizing body for private sectors working in the MITI micromachine project which started in 1991. MITI stands for Ministry of International Trade and Industry in Japan. In order to known the requirements on the measurement technologies, the questionnaire was organized by the measurement working group in the committee. This talk covers the questionnaire and its results, and some research results obtained at National Research Laboratory of Metrology working as a member in the project.

Balint groups - helping trainee psychiatrists make even better use of themselves.

PubMed

McKensey, Andrew; Sullivan, Leonie

2016-02-01

The paper presents a pilot study of Balint group work to establish it as a potential training tool in psychiatry. The aim was to test whether, in the training setting, it was possible for a cohesive group to form, such that trainees could make use of a Balint group experience. Nine psychiatry trainees were offered three 90-minute Balint sessions and provided written feedback. The trainees reported unanimously that group participation was a positive and worthwhile experience. They began to feel supported by their colleagues and experienced the method as an effective way to manage stress and anxiety. They reported that they experienced doctor-patient interactions in a different way, which appeared to correspond with a greater understanding of the patient's experience. The pilot suggested that, within the public health training setting, a cohesive group could form such that trainees were able to make use of a Balint group experience. It suggested that this practice could be beneficial in managing the stresses, isolation and intense feelings of working with patients in this setting. The feedback indicated that the group helped trainees 'think differently' by fostering self-awareness and so furthered their development of psychodynamic skills. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Novel protocol for highly efficient gas-phase chemical derivatization of surface amine groups using trifluoroacetic anhydride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duchoslav, Jiri; Kehrer, Matthias; Hinterreiter, Andreas; Duchoslav, Vojtech; Unterweger, Christoph; Fürst, Christian; Steinberger, Roland; Stifter, David

2018-06-01

In the current work, chemical derivatization of amine (NH2) groups with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) as an analytical method to improve the information scope of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is investigated. TFAA is known to successfully label hydroxyl (OH) groups. With the introduction of a newly developed gas-phase derivatization protocol conducted at ambient pressure and using a catalyst also NH2 groups can now efficiently be labelled with a high yield and without the formation of unwanted by-products. By establishing a comprehensive and self-consistent database of reference binding energies for XPS a promising approach for distinguishing hydroxyl from amine groups is presented. The protocol was verified on different polymers, including poly(allylamine), poly(ethyleneimine), poly(vinylalcohol) and chitosan, the latter one containing both types of addressed chemical groups.

41 CFR 102-5.75 - What circumstances do not establish a basis for authorizing home-to-work transportation for field...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... not establish a basis for authorizing home-to-work transportation for field work? 102-5.75 Section 102... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION GENERAL 5-HOME-TO-WORK TRANSPORTATION Authorizing Home-to-Work Transportation § 102-5.75 What circumstances do not establish a basis for authorizing home-to-work transportation...

Building relations with women's organisations in relief work.

PubMed

Gell, F

1997-02-01

An Oxfam Emergency Team arrived in Ingushetia in the Northern Caucasus region of the former Soviet Union in August 1996 to set up a program of shelter, rehabilitation, and relief in response to the large influx of people displaced by conflicts in the neighboring republics of Chechnya and North Ossetia. The team was also tasked with contacting community organizations such as women's groups and developing a relationship with them through joint relief work. The Chechen population was comprised of mainly women, children, and the elderly. The internally displaced population of 100,000 people is now scattered throughout the republic in collective centers and host families. Small committees of women were formed to help identify the most vulnerable residents and to distribute winter clothing. It was found during the relief work that fledgling women's groups are establishing themselves as vehicles for change, increasingly open to work with and learn from international organizations such as Oxfam. The Chechen branch of the Union of North Caucasian Women and the Ingushetian ALMOS played leading roles in peacemaking, human rights observance, and humanitarian relief.

Usage of noncontact human body measurements for development of Army Work Wear Trousers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabolina, Inga; Lapkovska, Eva; Vilumsone, Ausma

2017-10-01

The paper is based on issues related to imperfections of clothing fit, garment construction solutions and control measurement systems of finished products, which were identified in the research process analysing army soldier work wear trousers. The aim is to obtain target group body measurements using noncontact anthropometrical data acquisition method (3D scanning) for selection and analysis of scanned data suitable for trouser design. Tasks include comparison of scanned data with manually taken body measurements and different corresponding human body measurement standard data for establishing potential advantages of noncontact method usage in solving different trouser design issues.

Work Enabling Opioid Management.

PubMed

Lavin, Robert A; Kalia, Nimisha; Yuspeh, Larry; Barry, Jill A; Bernacki, Edward J; Tao, Xuguang Grant

2017-08-01

This study describes the relationship between opioid prescribing and ability to work. The opioid prescription patterns of 4994 claimants were studied. Three groups were constructed: 1) at least 3 consecutive months prescribed (chronic opioid therapy; COT); 2) less than 3 consecutive months prescribed (acute opioid therapy; AOT); and 3) no opioids prescribed. Variables included sex, age, daily morphine equivalent dose (MED), days opioids were prescribed, temporary total days (TTDs), and medical/indemnity/total costs. The COT versus AOT claimants had higher opioid costs ($8618 vs $94), longer TTD (636.2 vs 182.3), and average MED (66.8 vs 34.9). Only 2% of the COT cohort were not released to work. Fifty-seven percent of patients in the COT category (64 of 112) were released to work while still receiving opioids. COT does not preclude ability to work when prescribing within established guidelines.

Quality of human spermatozoa: relationship between high-magnification sperm morphology and DNA integrity.

PubMed

Maettner, R; Sterzik, K; Isachenko, V; Strehler, E; Rahimi, G; Alabart, J L; Sánchez, R; Mallmann, P; Isachenko, E

2014-06-01

The aim of this work is to establish the relationship between the morphology of Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI)-selected spermatozoa and their DNA integrity. The 45 ejaculates were randomly distributed into three treatment groups: normozoospermic, oligoasthenozoospermic and oligoasthenotheratozoospermic samples. The evaluation of DNA integrity was performed using the sperm chromatin dispersion test. It was established that DNA integrity of spermatozoa is strongly dependent on ejaculate quality (P < 0.05). The count of spermatozoa with nonfragmented DNA in normozoospermic samples was high and independent from IMSI-morphological classes (Class 1 versus Class 3, respectively) (P > 0.1). With decreased ejaculate quality, the percentage of spermatozoa with nonfragmented DNA decreased significantly (P < 0.05) independent from morphological class. Nevertheless, the rate of IMSI-selected spermatozoa with fragmented DNA within of Class 1 in normozoospermic (Group 1), in oligoasthenozoospermic (Group 2) and in oligoasthenotheratozoospermic (Group 3) samples was 21.1%, 31.8% and 54.1%, respectively. In conclusion, there is a direct relationship between morphological parameters of spermatozoa and their DNA integrity. However, the IMSI technique alone is not enough for the selection of spermatozoa with intact nuclei. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Economic consequences of improved temperature forecasts: An experiment with the Florida citrus growers (control group results). [weather forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A demonstration experiment is being planned to show that frost and freeze prediction improvements are possible utilizing timely Synchronous Meteorological Satellite temperature measurements and that this information can affect Florida citrus grower operations and decisions. An economic experiment was carried out which will monitor citrus growers' decisions, actions, costs and losses, and meteorological forecasts and actual weather events and will establish the economic benefits of improved temperature forecasts. A summary is given of the economic experiment, the results obtained to date, and the work which still remains to be done. Specifically, the experiment design is described in detail as are the developed data collection methodology and procedures, sampling plan, data reduction techniques, cost and loss models, establishment of frost severity measures, data obtained from citrus growers, National Weather Service, and Federal Crop Insurance Corp., resulting protection costs and crop losses for the control group sample, extrapolation of results of control group to the Florida citrus industry and the method for normalization of these results to a normal or average frost season so that results may be compared with anticipated similar results from test group measurements.

Community managed services for persons with intellectual disability: Andhra Pradesh experience.

PubMed

Narayan, Jayanthi; Pratapkumar, Raja; Reddy, Sudhakara P

2017-09-01

In resource poor settings innovative and bottom-up approaches are required to provide services to people with with disabilities. In this context, the present paper explains a community-based model of manpower development and coordination of services for people with intellectual disabilities in unified state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Women with disabilities from the village were identified, and those willing to be trained to work as community resource persons (CRPs) were selected and given hands-on training in a phased manner. A total of 130 women were trained in five groups of 25-30 per group and were deployed in the community to screen, identify and refer children with intellectual disabilities. The training content included basic stimulation and interface with functionaries of other government departments of health, education and welfare to ensure comprehensive service delivery. Neighbourhood centres (NHCs) were established where the CRPs could meet with families collectively. The results indicated that the CRPs were welcomed by the families. The NHCs established primarily as recreation centres, promoted inclusion and functioned as information dissemination centre. The services provided by the CRPs were owned and monitored by the Women's self-help group and the disability groups thus ensuring sustainability of the model.

[Study on the occupational stress norm and it's application for the marketing group, public service/safety group and production laborer group].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-Wei; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Jin, Tai-Yi; Lan, Ya-Jia

2006-09-01

A study of the occupational stress norm and it's application for the marketing group, public service/safety group and production laborer group. In this study, cross-sectional study method is used, and a synthetic way of sorting and randomized sampling is adopted to deal with research targets (36 marketing group, 331 public service/safety group, 903 production laborer group). Descriptive statistics for OSI-R scale scores for the marketing group, public service/safety group and production laborer group were modulated. Scale raw score to T-score conversion tables derived from the OSI-R normative sample for marketing group public service/safety group and production laborer group were established. OSI-R profile from for marketing group, public service/safety group and production laborer group were established. For the ORQ and PSQ scales, scores at or above 70 indicate a strong levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score in the range of 60 to 69 suggest middle levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score in the range of 40 to 59 indicate normal levels of stress and strain. Score below 40 indicate a relative absence of occupational stress and strain. For the PRQ scales, score below 30 indicate a significant lack of coping resources. Score in the range of 30 to 39 suggest middle deficits in coping resources. Score in the range of 40 to 59 indicate average coping resources. Scores at or above 60 indicate a strong levels of coping resources. The authors combined subjective and objective environment match model of occupational stress. Different intervention measure should be take to reduce the occupational stress so as to improve the work ability.

Reports and recommendations from COSPAR Planetary Exploration Committee (PEX) & International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Foing, Bernard

2014-05-01

In response to the growing importance of space exploration, the objectives of the COSPAR Panel on Exploration (PEX) are to provide high quality, independent science input to support the development of a global space exploration program while working to safeguard the scientific assets of solar system bodies. PEX engages with COSPAR Commissions and Panels, science foundations, IAA, IAF, UN bodies, and IISL to support in particular national and international space exploration working groups and the new era of planetary exploration. COSPAR's input, as gathered by PEX, is intended to express the consensus view of the international scientific community and should ultimately provide a series of guidelines to support future space exploration activities and cooperative efforts, leading to outstanding scientific discoveries, opportunities for innovation, strategic partnerships, technology progression, and inspiration for people of all ages and cultures worldwide. We shall focus on the lunar exploration aspects, where the COSPAR PEX is building on previous COSPAR, ILEWG and community conferences. An updated COSPAR PEX report is published and available online (Ehrenfreund P. et al, COSPAR planetary exploration panel report, http://www.gwu.edu/~spi/assets/COSPAR_PEX2012.pdf). We celebrate 20 years after the 1st International Conference on Exploration and Utilisation of the Moon at Beatenberg in June 1994. The International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) was established the year after in April 1995 at an EGS meeting in Hamburg, Germany. As established in its charter, this working group reports to COSPAR and is charged with developing an international strategy for the exploration of the Moon (http://sci.esa.int/ilewg/ ). It discusses coordination between missions, and a road map for future international lunar exploration and utilisation. It fosters information exchange or potential and real future lunar robotic and human missions, as well as for new scientific and exploration information about the Moon. We present the GLUC/ICEUM11 declaration (with emphasis on Science and exploration; Technologies and resources, Infrastructures and human aspects; Moon, Space, Society and Young Explorers) (http://sci.esa.int/iceum11). We give a report on ongoing relevant ILEWG community activities. We discuss how lunar missions SMART-1, Kaguya, Chang'E1&2, Chandrayaan-1, LCROSS, LRO, GRAIL, LADEE, Chang'E3 and upcoming missions contribute to lunar exploration objectives & roadmap.

Future Challenges in Managing Human Health and Performance Risks for Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbin, Barbara J.; Barratt, Michael

2013-01-01

The global economy forces many nations to consider their national investments and make difficult decisions regarding their investment in future exploration. To enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration, we must pool global resources to understand and mitigate human health & performance risks prior to embarking on human exploration of deep space destinations. Consensus on the largest risks to humans during exploration is required to develop an integrated approach to mitigating risks. International collaboration in human space flight research will focus research on characterizing the effects of spaceflight on humans and the development of countermeasures or systems. Sharing existing data internationally will facilitate high quality research and sufficient power to make sound recommendations. Efficient utilization of ISS and unique ground-based analog facilities allows greater progress. Finally, a means to share results of human research in time to influence decisions for follow-on research, system design, new countermeasures and medical practices should be developed. Although formidable barriers to overcome, International working groups are working to define the risks, establish international research opportunities, share data among partners, share flight hardware and unique analog facilities, and establish forums for timely exchange of results. Representatives from the ISS partnership research and medical communities developed a list of the top ten human health & performance risks and their impact on exploration missions. They also drafted a multilateral data sharing plan to establish guidelines and principles for sharing human spaceflight data. Other working groups are also developing methods to promote international research solicitations. Collaborative use of analog facilities and shared development of space flight research and medical hardware continues. Establishing a forum for exchange of results between researchers, aerospace physicians and program managers takes careful consideration of researcher concerns and decision maker needs. Active participation by researchers in the development of this forum is essential, and the benefit can be tremendous. The ability to rapidly respond to research results without compromising publication rights and intellectual property will facilitate timely reduction in human health and performance risks in support of international exploration missions.

Image-guided tumor ablation: proposal for standardization of terms and reporting criteria.

PubMed

Goldberg, S Nahum; Charboneau, J William; Dodd, Gerald D; Dupuy, Damian E; Gervais, Debra A; Gillams, Alice R; Kane, Robert A; Lee, Fred T; Livraghi, Tito; McGahan, John P; Rhim, Hyunchul; Silverman, Stuart G; Solbiati, Luigi; Vogl, Thomas J; Wood, Bradford J

2003-08-01

The field of image-guided tumor ablation requires standardization of terms and reporting criteria to facilitate effective communication of ideas and appropriate comparison between treatments with different technologies, such as chemical ablation (ethanol or acetic acid) and thermal therapies, such as radiofrequency, laser, microwave, ultrasound, and cryoablation. On the basis of this premise, a working committee was established with the goal of producing a proposal on such standardization. The intent of the Working Group is to provide a framework that will facilitate the clearest communication between investigators and will provide the greatest flexibility in comparisons between the many new, exciting, and emerging technologies. The members of the Working Group now propose a vehicle for reporting the various aspects of image-guided ablation therapy, including classifications of therapies and procedures, appropriate descriptors of image guidance, and terms to define imaging and pathologic findings. Methods for standardizing the reporting of follow-up findings and complications and other important aspects that require attention when reporting clinical results are addressed. It is the group's hope and intention that adherence to the recommendations of this proposal will facilitate achievement of the group's main objective: improved precision and communication in this field that lead to more accurate comparison of technologies and results and ultimately to improved patient outcomes. Copyright RSNA, 2003.

Executive Dysfunction Among Children With Reading Comprehension Deficits

PubMed Central

Locascio, Gianna; Mahone, E. Mark; Eason, Sarah H.; Cutting, Laurie E.

2010-01-01

Emerging research supports the contribution of executive function (EF) to reading comprehension; however, a unique pattern has not been established for children who demonstrate comprehension difficulties despite average word recognition ability (specific reading comprehension deficit; S-RCD). To identify particular EF components on which children with S-RCD struggle, a range of EF skills was compared among 86 children, ages 10 to 14, grouped by word reading and comprehension abilities: 24 average readers, 44 with word recognition deficits (WRD), and 18 S-RCD. An exploratory principal components analysis of EF tests identified three latent factors, used in subsequent group comparisons: Planning/Spatial Working Memory, Verbal Working Memory, and Response Inhibition. The WRD group exhibited deficits (relative to controls) on Verbal Working Memory and Inhibition factors; S-RCD children performed more poorly than controls on the Planning factor. Further analyses suggested the WRD group’s poor performance on EF factors was a by-product of core deficits linked to WRD (after controlling for phonological processing, this group no longer showed EF deficits). In contrast, the S-RCD group’s poor performance on the planning component remained significant after controlling for phonological processing. Findings suggest reading comprehension difficulties are linked to executive dysfunction; in particular, poor strategic planning/organizing may lead to reading comprehension problems. PMID:20375294

[Intestinal microecology of the adult population of Mongolia, Switzerland, and Russia].

PubMed

Korshunov, V M; Potashnik, L V; Efimov, B A; Korshunova, O V; Smeianov, V V; Gyr, K; Frei, R; Ierendorzh, D

2001-01-01

The study of intestinal microflora was made in clinically healthy young adults living in rural areas of Mongolia, in Russia (Moscow) and in Switzerland, as well as in Swiss citizens of elderly age groups (55-68 and 87-94 years). Essential differences in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of intestinal microflora both in the inhabitants of different countries as well as in people belonging to different age groups in the same country were established. The results of the study demonstrated the expediency of working out the criteria of the norm for intestinal microflora both for the population of different countries and for people living in the same country, but belonging to different age groups.

OAST Space Theme Workshop. Volume 3: Working Group Summary. 5: Propulsion (P-1). A. Summary Statement. B. Technology Needs (Form 1). C. Priority Assessments (Form 2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

All themes require some form of advanced propulsion capabilities to achieve their stated objectives. Requirements cover a broad spectrum ranging from a new generation of heavy lift launch vehicles to low thrust, long lift system for on-orbit operations. The commonality extant between propulsive technologies was established and group technologies were grouped into vehicle classes by functional capability. The five classes of launch vehicles identified by the space transportation theme were augmented with a sixth class, encompassing planetary and on-orbit operations. Propulsion technologies in each class were then ranked, and assigned priority numbers. Prioritized technologies were matched to theme requirements.

Working Group Reports and Presentations: Mars Settlement and Society

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, Chris

2006-01-01

The long-term implications of space exploration must be considered early in the process. With this in mind, the Mars Settlement and Society Group focused on five key areas: Philosophical Framework, Community Infrastructure and Government, Creating Stakeholders, Human Subsystems, and Habitat Design. The team proposes long and short term goals to support getting to and then staying long-term on Mars. All objectives shared the theme that they should engage, inspire, and educate the public with the intent of fostering stakeholders in the exploration of Mars. The objectives of long-term settlement on Mars should not neglect group dynamics, issues of reproduction, and a strong philosophical framework for the establishment of a society.

Associations among temporomandibular disorders, chronic neck pain and neck pain disability in computer office workers: a pilot study.

PubMed

Bragatto, M M; Bevilaqua-Grossi, D; Regalo, S C H; Sousa, J D; Chaves, T C

2016-05-01

Neck pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint among computer office workers. There are several reports about the coexistence of neck pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, there are no studies investigating this association in the context of work involving computers. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between TMD and neck pain in computer office workers. Fifty-two female computer workers who were divided into two groups: (i) those with self-reported chronic neck pain and disability (WNP) (n = 26) and (ii) those without self-reported neck pain (WONP) (n = 26), and a control group (CG) consisting of 26 women who did not work with computers participated in this study. Clinical assessments were performed to establish a diagnosis of TMD, and craniocervical mechanical pain was assessed using manual palpation and pressure pain threshold (PPT). The results of this study showed that the WNP group had a higher percentage of participants with TMD than the WONP group (42·30% vs. 23·07%, χ(2) = 5·70, P = 0·02). PPTs in all cervical sites were significantly lower in the groups WNP and WONP compared to the CG. Regression analysis revealed TMD, neck pain and work-related factors to be good predictors of disability (R(2) = 0·93, P < 0·001). These results highlighted the importance of considering the work conditions of patients with TMD, as neck disability in computer workers is explained by the association among neck pain, TMD and unfavourable workplace conditions. Consequently, this study attempted to emphasise the importance of considering work activity for minimising neck pain-related disability. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patient-reported outcome measures in arthroplasty registries

PubMed Central

Bohm, Eric; Franklin, Patricia; Lyman, Stephen; Denissen, Geke; Dawson, Jill; Dunn, Jennifer; Eresian Chenok, Kate; Dunbar, Michael; Overgaard, Søren; Garellick, Göran; Lübbeke, Anne

2016-01-01

Abstract — The International Society of Arthroplasty Registries (ISAR) Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) Working Group have evaluated and recommended best practices in the selection, administration, and interpretation of PROMs for hip and knee arthroplasty registries. The 2 generic PROMs in common use are the Short Form health surveys (SF-36 or SF-12) and EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D). The Working Group recommends that registries should choose specific PROMs that have been appropriately developed with good measurement properties for arthroplasty patients. The Working Group recommend the use of a 1-item pain question (“During the past 4 weeks, how would you describe the pain you usually have in your [right/left] [hip/knee]?”; response: none, very mild, mild, moderate, or severe) and a single-item satisfaction outcome (“How satisfied are you with your [right/left] [hip/knee] replacement?”; response: very unsatisfied, dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied, or very satisfied). Survey logistics include patient instructions, paper- and electronic-based data collection, reminders for follow-up, centralized as opposed to hospital-based follow-up, sample size, patient- or joint-specific evaluation, collection intervals, frequency of response, missing values, and factors in establishing a PROMs registry program. The Working Group recommends including age, sex, diagnosis at joint, general health status preoperatively, and joint pain and function score in case-mix adjustment models. Interpretation and statistical analysis should consider the absolute level of pain, function, and general health status as well as improvement, missing data, approaches to analysis and case-mix adjustment, minimal clinically important difference, and minimal detectable change. The Working Group recommends data collection immediately before and 1 year after surgery, a threshold of 60% for acceptable frequency of response, documentation of non-responders, and documentation of incomplete or missing data. PMID:27228230

Who helps the leaders? Difficulties experienced by cancer support group leaders.

PubMed

Kirsten, Laura; Butow, Phyllis; Price, Melanie; Hobbs, Kim; Sunquist, Kendra

2006-07-01

Cancer support groups are an important source of support for cancer patients, yet little is known about the challenges and training needs of both professionally trained and untrained leaders. The aim of this study was to discover the difficulties experienced and training desired by cancer support group leaders. Twenty-seven leaders of 34 cancer support groups participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Groups were purposively selected as representative of 173 support groups identified in New South Wales which were for adults with cancer and/or their adult carers and were not therapeutic or education-only groups. Difficulties identified included dealing with people's different communication styles and needs; dealing with recurrence, metastases and death; practical issues, including resources, setting the programme and funding security; maintaining personal balance and preventing burn out; establishing group credibility; dealing with group cycles; and leading groups in rural areas. Leaders also identified benefits and rewards from group leadership such as contributing to others' well-being, self-development and insight into others' lives. Non-professionally trained leaders experienced more difficulties, particularly in dealing with group process and practical issues. Difficulties identified were related both to working with a cancer population specifically and to working with groups in general. While some issues were common to both health professionals and non-health professionals, non-health professionals reported greater supportive needs. Clear guidelines, targeted training and development of better methods of support to reduce the stress and burn out experienced by group leaders are needed.

Biomarkers of exposure to metal dust in exhaled breath condensate: methodology optimization.

PubMed

Félix, P M; Franco, C; Barreiros, M A; Batista, B; Bernardes, S; Garcia, S M; Almeida, A B; Almeida, S M; Wolterbeek, H Th; Pinheiro, T

2013-01-01

In occupational assessments where workers are exposed to metal dust, the liquid condensate of exhaled breath (EBC) may provide unique indication of pulmonary exposure. The main goal of this study was to demonstrate the quality of EBC to biological monitoring of human exposure. A pilot study was performed in a group of metal dust-exposed workers and a group of nonexposed individuals working in offices. Only metal dust-exposed workers were followed along the working week to determine the best time of collection. Metal analyses were performed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Analytical methodology was tested using an EBC sample pool for several occupationally exposed metals: potassium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, strontium, cadmium, antimony, and lead. Metal contents in EBC of exposed workers were higher than controls at the beginning of the shift and remained augmented throughout the working week. The results obtained support the establishment of EBC as an indicator of pulmonary exposure to metals.

Development of a Human Behavior and Performance Training Curriculum for ISS Astronauts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanderArk, Steve; Tomi, Leena; Vassin, Alexander; Inoue, Natsuhiko; Bessone, Lorendana; OConnor, Sharon; Mukai, Chiaki; Coffee, Emily; Sipes, Walter; Salnitskiy, Vyecheslav;

[A study of the occupational stress norm and it' s application for the technical group and scientific research group].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-wei; Liu, Ze-jun; Zhao, Pei-qing; Bai, Shao-ying; Pang, Xing-huo; Wang, Zhi-ming; Jin, Tai-yi; Lan, Ya-jia

2006-11-01

A study of the occupational stress norm and it' s application for the technical group and scientific research group. In this study, cross-sectional study method is used, and a synthetic way of sorting and randomized sampling is adopted to deal with research targets(235 scientific research group, 857 technical group). Descriptive statistics for OSI-R scale scores for the technical group and scientific research group were modulated. Scale raw score to T-score conversion tables derived from the OSI-R normative sample for technical group and scientific research group were established. OSI-R profile from for technical group and scientific research group were established. For the ORQ and PSQ scales, scores at or above 70T indicate a strong levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score in the range of 60T to 69T suggest middle levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score in the range of 40T to 59T indicate normal levels of stress and strain. Score below 40T indicate a relative absence of occupational stress and strain. For the PRQ scales, score below 30T indicate a significant lack of coping resources. Score in the range of 30T to 39T suggest middle deficits in coping resources. Score in the range of 40T to 59T indicate average coping resources. Scores at or above 60T indicate a strong levels of coping resources. Different intervention measure should be take to reduce the occupational stress so as to improve the work ability.

Work-Related Injury Surveillance in Vietnam: A National Reporting System Model

PubMed Central

Marucci-Wellman, Helen; Wegman, David H.; Leamon, Tom B.; Tuyet Binh, Ta Thi; Diep, Nguyen Bich; Kriebel, David

2013-01-01

Developing nations bear a substantial portion of the global burden of injury. Public health surveillance models in developing countries should recognize injury risks for all levels of society and all causes and should incorporate various groups of workers and industries, including subsistence agriculture. However, many developing nations do not have an injury registration system; current data collection methods result in gross national undercounts of injuries, failing to distinguish injuries that occur during work. In 2006, we established an active surveillance system in Vietnam’s Xuan Tien commune and investigated potential methods for surveillance of work-related injuries. On the basis of our findings, we recommend a national model for work-related injury surveillance in Vietnam that builds on the existing health surveillance system. PMID:24028255

Can Professional Environments in Schools Promote Teacher Development? Explaining Heterogeneity in Returns to Teaching Experience

PubMed Central

Kraft, Matthew A.; Papay, John P.

2014-01-01

Although wide variation in teacher effectiveness is well established, much less is known about differences in teacher improvement over time. We document that average returns to teaching experience mask large variation across individual teachers and across groups of teachers working in different schools. We examine the role of school context in explaining these differences using a measure of the professional environment constructed from teachers responses to state-wide surveys. Our analyses show that teachers working in more supportive professional environments improve their effectiveness more over time than teachers working in less supportive contexts. On average, teachers working in schools at the 75th percentile of professional environment ratings improved 38% more than teachers in schools at the 25th percentile after 10 years. PMID:25866426

The Development of Best Practice Recommendations to Support the Hiring, Recruitment, and Advancement of Women Physicians in Emergency Medicine.

PubMed

Choo, Esther K; Kass, Dara; Westergaard, Mary; Watts, Susan H; Berwald, Nicole; Regan, Linda; Promes, Susan B; Clem, Kathleen J; Schneider, Sandra M; Kuhn, Gloria J; Abbuhl, Stephanie; Nobay, Flavia

2016-11-01

Women in medicine continue to experience disparities in earnings, promotion, and leadership roles. There are few guidelines in place defining organization-level factors that promote a supportive workplace environment beneficial to women in emergency medicine (EM). We assembled a working group with the goal of developing specific and feasible recommendations to support women's professional development in both community and academic EM settings. We formed a working group from the leadership of two EM women's organizations, the Academy of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) and the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians (AAWEP). Through a literature search and discussion, working group members identified four domains where organizational policies and practices supportive of women were needed: 1) global approaches to supporting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in EM; 2) recruitment, hiring, and compensation of women emergency physicians; 3) supporting development and advancement of women in EM; and 4) physician health and wellness (in the context of pregnancy, childbirth, and maternity leave). Within each of these domains, the working group created an initial set of specific recommendations. The working group then recruited a stakeholder group of EM physician leaders across the country, selecting for diversity in practice setting, geographic location, age, race, and gender. Stakeholders were asked to score and provide feedback on each of the recommendations. Specific recommendations were retained by the working group if they achieved high rates of approval from the stakeholder group for importance and perceived feasibility. Those with >80% agreement on importance and >50% agreement on feasibility were retained. Finally, recommendations were posted in an open online forum (blog) and invited public commentary. An initial set of 29 potential recommendations was created by the working group. After stakeholder voting and feedback, 16 final recommendations were retained. Recommendations were refined through qualitative comments from stakeholders and blog respondents. Using a consensus building process that included male and female stakeholders from both academic and community EM settings, we developed recommendations for organizations to implement to create a workplace environment supportive of women in EM that were perceived as acceptable and feasible. This process may serve as a model for other medical specialties to establish clear, discrete organization-level practices aimed at supporting women physicians. © 2016 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Promoting Robust Design of Diode Lasers for Space: A National Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tratt, David M.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Kashem, Nasir B.; Shapiro, Andrew A.; Mense, Allan T.

2007-01-01

The Diode-laser Array Working Group (DAWG) is a national-level consumer/provider forum for discussion of engineering and manufacturing issues which influence the reliability and survivability of high-power broad-area laser diode devices in space, with an emphasis on laser diode arrays (LDAs) for optical pumping of solid-state laser media. The goals of the group are to formulate and validate standardized test and qualification protocols, operational control recommendations, and consensus manufacturing and certification standards. The group is using reliability and lifetime data collected by laser diode manufacturers and the user community to develop a set of standardized guidelines for specifying and qualifying laser diodes for long-duration operation in space, the ultimate goal being to promote an informed U.S. Government investment and procurement strategy for assuring the availability and durability of space-qualified LDAs. The group is also working to establish effective implementation of statistical design techniques at the supplier design, development, and manufacturing levels to help reduce product performance variability and improve product reliability for diodes employed in space applications

Implementing the first regional hospice palliative care program in Ontario: the Champlain region as a case study.

PubMed

Pereira, José; Contant, Jocelyne; Barton, Gwen; Klinger, Christopher

2016-07-26

Regionalization promotes planning and coordination of services across settings and providers to meet population needs. Despite the potential advantages of regionalization, no regional hospice palliative care program existed in Ontario, Canada, as of 2010. This paper describes the process and early results of the development of the first regional hospice palliative care program in Ontario. The various activities and processes undertaken and the formal agreements, policies and documents are described. A participative approach, started in April 2009, was used. It brought together over 26 health service providers, including residential hospices, a palliative care unit, community and hospital specialist consultation teams, hospitals, community health and social service agencies (including nursing), individual health professionals, volunteers, patients and families. An extensive stakeholder and community vetting process was undertaken that included work groups (to explore key areas such as home care, the hospital sector, hospice and palliative care unit beds, provision of care in rural settings, e-health and education), a steering committee and input from over 320 individuals via e-mail and town-halls. A Transitional Leadership Group was elected to steer the implementation of the Regional Program over the summer of 2010. This group established the by-laws and details regarding the governance structure of the Regional Program, including its role, responsibilities, reporting structures and initial performance indicators that the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) approved. The Regional Program was formally established in November 2010 with a competency-based Board of 14 elected members to oversee the program. Early work involved establishing standards and performance indicators for the different sectors and settings in the region, and identifying key clinical needs such as the establishment of more residential hospice capacity in Ottawa and a rural framework to ensure access for citizens in rural and remote regions. Challenges encountered are explored as are the process enablers and facilitators. The paper views the development and implementation process from the perspectives of several frameworks and models related to change management. Following on several initial achievements, the long term success of the Regional Program will depend on consolidating the early gains and demonstrating changes based on key measurable outcomes.

Differences in Learning Strategies, Goal Orientations, and Self-Concept between Overachieving, Normal-Achieving, and Underachieving Secondary Students.

PubMed

Castejón, Juan L; Gilar, Raquel; Veas, Alejandro; Miñano, Pablo

2016-01-01

The aims of this work were to identify and establish differential characteristics in learning strategies, goal orientations, and self-concept between overachieving, normal-achieving and underachieving secondary students. A total of 1400 Spanish first and second year high school students from the South-East geographical area participated in this study. Three groups of students were established: a group with underachieving students, a group with a normal level of achievement, and a third group with overachieving students. The students were assigned to each group depending on the residual punctuations obtained from a multiple regression analysis in which the punctuation of an IQ test was the predictor and a measure composed of the school grades of nine subjects was the criteria. The results of one-way ANOVA and the Games-Howell post-hoc test showed that underachieving students had significantly lower punctuations in all of the measures of learning strategies and learning goals, as well as all of the academic self-concept, personal self-concept, parental relationship, honesty, and personal stability factors. In contrast, overachieving students had higher punctuations than underachieving students in the same variables and higher punctuations than normal-achieving students in most of the variables in which significant differences were detected. These results have clear educational implications.

Differences in Learning Strategies, Goal Orientations, and Self-Concept between Overachieving, Normal-Achieving, and Underachieving Secondary Students

PubMed Central

Castejón, Juan L.; Gilar, Raquel; Veas, Alejandro; Miñano, Pablo

2016-01-01

The aims of this work were to identify and establish differential characteristics in learning strategies, goal orientations, and self-concept between overachieving, normal-achieving and underachieving secondary students. A total of 1400 Spanish first and second year high school students from the South-East geographical area participated in this study. Three groups of students were established: a group with underachieving students, a group with a normal level of achievement, and a third group with overachieving students. The students were assigned to each group depending on the residual punctuations obtained from a multiple regression analysis in which the punctuation of an IQ test was the predictor and a measure composed of the school grades of nine subjects was the criteria. The results of one-way ANOVA and the Games-Howell post-hoc test showed that underachieving students had significantly lower punctuations in all of the measures of learning strategies and learning goals, as well as all of the academic self-concept, personal self-concept, parental relationship, honesty, and personal stability factors. In contrast, overachieving students had higher punctuations than underachieving students in the same variables and higher punctuations than normal-achieving students in most of the variables in which significant differences were detected. These results have clear educational implications. PMID:27729879

Working group written presentation: Solar radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slemp, Wayne S.

1989-01-01

The members of the Solar Radiation Working Group arrived at two major solar radiation technology needs: (1) generation of a long term flight data base; and (2) development of a standardized UV testing methodology. The flight data base should include 1 to 5 year exposure of optical filters, windows, thermal control coatings, hardened coatings, polymeric films, and structural composites. The UV flux and wavelength distribution, as well as particulate radiation flux and energy, should be measured during this flight exposure. A standard testing methodology is needed to establish techniques for highly accelerated UV exposure which will correlate well with flight test data. Currently, UV can only be accelerated to about 3 solar constants and can correlate well with flight exposure data. With space missions to 30 years, acceleration rates of 30 to 100X are needed for efficient laboratory testing.

Toward Stronger Ties: The AAS Working Group on Professional-Amateur Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beatty, J. K.; White, J. C.

2004-05-01

Experienced amateur astronomers represent a unique resource for their professional counterparts. Many knowledgeable amateurs now have telescopes in the 0.2- to 0.5-m class equipped with high-grade CCDs and software. To foster stronger ties between these observers and astronomical researchers, the AAS Council established a Working Group for Professional-Amateur Collaboration (WGPAC) during the Society's 193rd meeting in January 1999. Initially given a five-year charter, the WGPAC was made permanent at the 202nd Council meeting in May 2003. Since its creation the WGPAC has coordinated its activities with major amateur-astronomy organizations, sponsored a tutorial workshop at the annual meeting of the Astronomical League, laid the groundwork for a national registry of highly qualified amateur observers, and promoted pro-am collaborations through articles in the AAS Newsletter and leading amateur-astronomy publications.

System-level change in mental health services in North Wales: An observational study using systems thinking.

PubMed

Evans, S; Huxley, P J; Maxwell, N; Huxley, K L S

2014-06-01

To describe changes to mental health services using systems thinking. Structured standardized quality of life assessment (Manchester Short Quality of Life Assessment: MANSA) was used to establish service user priorities for changes to service provision (part of a process known as check in systems thinking). Current service performance in these priority areas was identified, and changes to service arrangements were planned, implemented and monitored by task and finish (T&F) groups (making use of a process known as flow in systems thinking). 81 MANSA assessments were completed at the check stage (by NM). Work finances and leisure activities emerged as service user priority areas for change, and T&F groups were established with representation of all sectors and service users. Ways to make improvements were observed, planned and implemented by T&F groups (the flow stage). The systems approach reveals how services and quality of life have been changed for patients in Wrexham. Further generalizable research is needed into the potential benefits of using systems thinking in mental health service evaluation. © The Author(s) 2013.

Altababa medical volunteer group mission to Almanagil hospital, Sudan: new ideas for long-term partnership, success factors and guidelines for other groups.

PubMed

Ahmed, G Y; Hassan, I; Jafar, S; Alawad, M; Jameel, A; Abdullah, M; Suror, M

2015-09-08

Sudanese medical volunteers have a long history of working in districts with poor health-care infrastructure. Altababa medical volunteer group (AMVG) was established by Sudanese physicians working in Saudi Arabia who desired to contribute to improving clinical services and training in their country of origin. This paper documents steps in the planning and evaluation of AMVG's first mission to Almanagil hospital in Sudan in 2013. Over a 3-day period the visiting team of 4 physicians performed 25 laparoscopic surgical and obstetric/ gynaecological procedures and 36 echocardiogram tests-all with hands-on training-presented 11 lectures and consulted with 137 patients. A total of 247 trainees and patients completed a 22-item evaluation survey. The first mission was highly rated by both trainees (health-care providers) and patients. The results provided a road map for volunteers to accomplish cost-effective goals in small hospitals with modest facilities.

Ageing and the group-reference effect in memory.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeon-Nyeon; Rosa, Nicole M; Gutchess, Angela H

2016-07-01

The present study examines age differences in the memory benefits from group-referncing. While prior work establishes that the memory performance of younger and older adults similarly benefits from relating information to the self, this study assessed whether those benefits extend to referencing a meaningful group membership. Young and older adult participants encoded trait words by judging whether each word describes themselves, describes their group membership (selected for each age group), or is familiar. After a retention interval, participants completed a surprise recognition memory test. The results indicate that group-referencing increased recognition memory performance compared to the familiarity judgements for both young and older groups. However, the group-reference benefit is limited, emerging as smaller than the benefit from self-referencing. These results challenge previous findings of equivalent benefits for group-referencing and self-referencing, suggesting that such effects may not prevail under all conditions, including for older adults. The findings also highlight the need to examine the mechanisms of group-referencing that can lead to variability in the group-reference effect.

Dissemination of colorectal cancer screening by Filipino American community health advisors: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Maxwell, Annette E; Danao, Leda L; Bastani, Roshan

2013-07-01

Filipino Americans underutilize life-saving screening tests for colorectal cancer, resulting in late stage of diagnosis and poor survival relative to other racial/ethnic groups. Education regarding colorectal cancer screening and distribution of free fecal occult blood test (FOBT) kits are evidence-based interventions that can significantly increase screening. However, this community will only benefit if the intervention is broadly disseminated. We assessed the feasibility of promoting colorectal cancer screening in Filipino American community settings working with community health advisors, and the practicality of conducting one-on-one or small group education, in addition to passing out free FOBT kits. Twenty community health advisors from 4 organizations engaged in recruitment and education activities with 132 participants. Community health advisors consistently completed screening questionnaires to establish eligibility and kept logs of FOBT distribution. However, they did not consistently record eligible participants who did not consent to participate. Process checklists that indicated what information was covered in each educational session and postsession follow-up logs were partially completed. Almost all participants reported receipt of intervention components and receipt of screening at 4-month follow-up and reported high acceptability of the program. The pilot study established the feasibility of working with community health advisors to promote colorectal cancer screening in Filipino American community settings. Findings informed the design of a dissemination trial that is currently ongoing with regards to monitoring recruitment, intervention implementation and follow-up and allowing flexibility regarding one-on-one or small group education.

HIV ISSUES AND MAPUCHES IN CHILE

PubMed Central

Cianelli, Rosina; Ferrer, Lilian; Cabieses, Báltica; Araya, Alejandra; Matsumoto, Cristina; Miner, Sarah

2015-01-01

Chile is a country with an incipient HIV epidemic. Just as in other countries, disadvantaged groups in Chile are contributing to the increased incidence of the disease. The Mapuche indigenous population is one such group that has been affected by the spread of HIV. However, no prevention programs are tailored to the culturally specific needs of this community. In recognition of this discrepancy, an academic-community partnership was formed to develop an HIV educational module for a Mapuche community. The module was developed for use as part of an already established health-related program. The aims of the module were to identify perceptions about HIV among Mapuches and present information specific to HIV and its prevention. Focus was placed on cultural sensitivity. The module was carried out in connection with a first-aid course in an attempt to increase effectiveness of the intervention by working jointly with an established community program. Sixteen (16) Mapuches participated voluntarily and demonstrated some knowledge regarding HIV, but they lacked an overall understanding as to how it is transmitted and why prevention strategies are affective. Participants correctly identified sexual contact as a means of transmission, but when asked why, one person stated, “I just know it, I read it.” There were significant barriers to communication within the group, secondary to cultural practices related to age and gender. Major obstacles in controlling HIV are the lack of prevention strategies targeted to disadvantaged groups. The module developed for this intervention was the first effort of the Academic Community Partnership established between the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Mapuche group around HIV prevention. Continued collaboration between academia and affected communities as well as incorporating HIV information into established programs are effective strategies for delivering prevention information to disadvantaged populations and for further understanding their perceptions and healthcare needs. PMID:18457766

Development and quality analysis of the Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS).

PubMed

Nilsson, Petra; Bringsén, Asa; Andersson, H Ingemar; Ejlertsson, Göran

2010-01-01

Instruments related to work are commonly illuminated from an ill-health perspective. The need for a concise and useable instrument in workplace health promotion governed the aim of this paper which is to present the development process and quality assessment of the Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS). A survey, using a questionnaire based on established theories regarding work and health, and a focus group study were performed in hospital settings in 2005 and 2006 respectively. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to statistically develop a model, and focus group interviews were made to compare quantitative and qualitative results for convergence and corroboration. The PCA resulted in a six factor model of dimensions containing items regarding management, reorganization, internal work experience, pressure of time, autonomy and supportive working conditions. In the analysis of the focus group study three themes appeared and their underlying content was compared to, and matched, with the dimensions of the PCA. The reliability, shown by weighted kappa values, ranged from 0.36 to 0.71, and adequate Cronbach's Alpha values of the dimensions were all above 0.7. The study validity, indicated by discriminant validity, with correlation values that ranged from 0.10 to 0.39, in relation to the content validity appeared to be good when the theoretical content of the WEMS was compared to the content of similar instruments. The WEMS presents a multidimensional picture of work experience. Its theoretical base and the psychometric properties give support for applicability and offer a possibility to measure trends in the work experience over time in health care settings. One intention of the WEMS is to stimulate the ability of organizations and the employees themselves to take action on improving their work experience. The conciseness of the instrument is intended to increase its usability.

The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): Feasibility and Psychometric Properties

PubMed Central

Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess the feasibility and psychometric properties of eight scales covering two domains of the newly developed Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): physical function (PF) and behavioral health (BH) function. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community. Participants Adults unable to work due to a physical (n=497) or mental (n=476) disability. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Each disability group responded to a survey consisting of the relevant WD-FAB scales and existing measures of established validity. The WD-FAB scales were evaluated with regard to data quality (score distribution; percent “I don’t know” responses), efficiency of administration (number of items required to achieve reliability criterion; time required to complete the scale) by computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and measurement accuracy as tested by person fit. Construct validity was assessed by examining both convergent and discriminant correlations between the WD-FAB scales and scores on same-domain and cross-domain established measures. Results Data quality was good and CAT efficiency was high across both WD-FAB domains. Measurement accuracy was very good for the PF scales; BH scales demonstrated more variability. Construct validity correlations, both convergent and divergent, between all WD-FAB scales and established measures were in the expected direction and range of magnitude. Conclusions The data quality, CAT efficacy, person fit and construct validity of the WD-FAB scales were well supported and suggest that the WD-FAB could be used to assess physical and behavioral health function related to work disability. Variation in scale performance suggests the need for future work on item replenishment and refinement, particularly regarding the Self-Efficacy scale. PMID:25528263

Disabling musculoskeletal pain in working populations: Is it the job, the person, or the culture?

PubMed Central

Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Palmer, Keith T.; Felli, Vanda E.; Harari, Raul; Barrero, Lope H.; Felknor, Sarah A.; Gimeno, David; Cattrell, Anna; Serra, Consol; Bonzini, Matteo; Solidaki, Eleni; Merisalu, Eda; Habib, Rima R.; Sadeghian, Farideh; Masood Kadir, M.; Warnakulasuriya, Sudath S.P.; Matsudaira, Ko; Nyantumbu, Busisiwe; Sim, Malcolm R.; Harcombe, Helen; Cox, Ken; Marziale, Maria H.; Sarquis, Leila M.; Harari, Florencia; Freire, Rocio; Harari, Natalia; Monroy, Magda V.; Quintana, Leonardo A.; Rojas, Marianela; Salazar Vega, Eduardo J.; Harris, E. Clare; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Martinez, J. Miguel; Delclos, George; Benavides, Fernando G.; Carugno, Michele; Ferrario, Marco M.; Pesatori, Angela C.; Chatzi, Leda; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Oha, Kristel; Sirk, Tuuli; Sadeghian, Ali; Peiris-John, Roshini J.; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Wickremasinghe, A. Rajitha; Yoshimura, Noriko; Kelsall, Helen L.; Hoe, Victor C.W.; Urquhart, Donna M.; Derrett, Sarah; McBride, David; Herbison, Peter; Gray, Andrew

2013-01-01

To compare the prevalence of disabling low back pain (DLBP) and disabling wrist/hand pain (DWHP) among groups of workers carrying out similar physical activities in different cultural environments, and to explore explanations for observed differences, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 countries. Standardised questionnaires were used to ascertain pain that interfered with everyday activities and exposure to possible risk factors in 12,426 participants from 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers). Associations with risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression. The 1-month prevalence of DLBP in nurses varied from 9.6% to 42.6%, and that of DWHP in office workers from 2.2% to 31.6%. Rates of disabling pain at the 2 anatomical sites covaried (r = 0.76), but DLBP tended to be relatively more common in nurses and DWHP in office workers. Established risk factors such as occupational physical activities, psychosocial aspects of work, and tendency to somatise were confirmed, and associations were found also with adverse health beliefs and group awareness of people outside work with musculoskeletal pain. However, after allowance for these risk factors, an up-to 8-fold difference in prevalence remained. Systems of compensation for work-related illness and financial support for health-related incapacity for work appeared to have little influence on the occurrence of symptoms. Our findings indicate large international variation in the prevalence of disabling forearm and back pain among occupational groups carrying out similar tasks, which is only partially explained by the personal and socioeconomic risk factors that were analysed. PMID:23688828

The Perception of Aversiveness of Surgical Procedure Pictures Is Modulated by Personal/Occupational Relevance

PubMed Central

Paes, Juliana; de Oliveira, Leticia; Pereira, Mirtes Garcia; David, Isabel; Souza, Gabriela Guerra Leal; Sobral, Ana Paula; Machado-Pinheiro, Walter; Mocaiber, Izabela

2016-01-01

It is well established that emotions are organized around two motivational systems: the defensive and the appetitive. Individual differences are relevant factors in emotional reactions, making them more flexible and less stereotyped. There is evidence that health professionals have lower emotional reactivity when viewing scenes of situations involving pain. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the rating of pictures of surgical procedure depends on their personal/occupational relevance. Fifty-two female Nursing (health discipline) and forty-eight Social Work (social science discipline) students participated in the experiment, which consisted of the presentation of 105 images of different categories (e.g., neutral, food), including 25 images of surgical procedure. Volunteers judged each picture according to its valence (pleasantness) and arousal using the Self-Assessment Manikin scale (dimensional approach). Additionally, the participants chose the word that best described what they felt while viewing each image (discrete emotion perspective). The average valence score for surgical procedure pictures for the Nursing group (M = 4.57; SD = 1.02) was higher than the score for the Social Work group (M = 3.31; SD = 1.05), indicating that Nursing students classified those images as less unpleasant than the Social Work students did. Additionally, the majority of Nursing students (65.4%) chose “neutral” as the word that best described what they felt while viewing the pictures. In the Social Work group, disgust (54.2%) was the emotion that was most frequently chosen. The evaluation of emotional stimuli differed according to the groups' personal/occupational relevance: Nursing students judged pictures of surgical procedure as less unpleasant than the Social Work students did, possibly reflecting an emotional regulation skill or some type of habituation that is critically relevant to their future professional work. PMID:27518897

The Perception of Aversiveness of Surgical Procedure Pictures Is Modulated by Personal/Occupational Relevance.

PubMed

Paes, Juliana; de Oliveira, Leticia; Pereira, Mirtes Garcia; David, Isabel; Souza, Gabriela Guerra Leal; Sobral, Ana Paula; Machado-Pinheiro, Walter; Mocaiber, Izabela

2016-01-01

It is well established that emotions are organized around two motivational systems: the defensive and the appetitive. Individual differences are relevant factors in emotional reactions, making them more flexible and less stereotyped. There is evidence that health professionals have lower emotional reactivity when viewing scenes of situations involving pain. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the rating of pictures of surgical procedure depends on their personal/occupational relevance. Fifty-two female Nursing (health discipline) and forty-eight Social Work (social science discipline) students participated in the experiment, which consisted of the presentation of 105 images of different categories (e.g., neutral, food), including 25 images of surgical procedure. Volunteers judged each picture according to its valence (pleasantness) and arousal using the Self-Assessment Manikin scale (dimensional approach). Additionally, the participants chose the word that best described what they felt while viewing each image (discrete emotion perspective). The average valence score for surgical procedure pictures for the Nursing group (M = 4.57; SD = 1.02) was higher than the score for the Social Work group (M = 3.31; SD = 1.05), indicating that Nursing students classified those images as less unpleasant than the Social Work students did. Additionally, the majority of Nursing students (65.4%) chose "neutral" as the word that best described what they felt while viewing the pictures. In the Social Work group, disgust (54.2%) was the emotion that was most frequently chosen. The evaluation of emotional stimuli differed according to the groups' personal/occupational relevance: Nursing students judged pictures of surgical procedure as less unpleasant than the Social Work students did, possibly reflecting an emotional regulation skill or some type of habituation that is critically relevant to their future professional work.

Effective Collaboration for Scaling Up Health Technologies: A Case Study of the Chlorhexidine for Umbilical Cord Care Experience

PubMed Central

Coffey, Patricia S; Hodgins, Steve; Bishop, Amie

2018-01-01

The global health field is replete with examples of cross-organizational collaborative partnerships, such as networks, alliances, coalitions, task forces, and working groups, often established to tackle a shared global health concern, condition, or threat affecting low-income countries or communities. The purpose of this article is to review factors influencing the effectiveness of a multi-agency global health collaborative effort using the Chlorhexidine Working Group (CWG) as our case study. The CWG was established to accelerate the introduction and global scale-up of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care to reduce infection-related neonatal morbidity and mortality in low-income countries. Questions included: how current and past CWG members characterized the effectiveness, productivity, collaboration, and leadership of the CWG; what factors facilitated or hindered group function; institutional or individual reasons for participating and length of participation in the CWG; and lessons that might be relevant for future global collaborative partnerships. Data were collected through in-depth, semistructured individual interviews with 19 group members and a review of key guiding documents. Six domains of internal coalition functioning (leadership, interpersonal relationships, task focus, participant benefits and costs, sustainability planning, and community support) were used to frame and describe the functioning of the CWG. Collaboration effectiveness was found to depend on: (1) leadership that maintained a careful balance between discipline and flexibility, (2) a strong secretariat structure that supported the evolution of trust and transparent communication in interpersonal relationships, (3) shared goals that allowed for task focus, (4) diverse membership and active involvement from country-level participants, which created a positive benefit-cost ratio for participants, (5) sufficient resources to support the partnership and build sustainable capacity for members to accelerate the transfer of knowledge, and (6) support from the global health community across multiple organizations. Successful introduction and scale-up of new health interventions require effective collaboration across multiple organizations and disciplines, at both global and country levels. The participatory collaborative partnership approach utilized by the Chlorhexidine Working Group offers an instructive learning case. PMID:29602871

Data Standards for Omics Data: The Basis of Data Sharing and Reuse

PubMed Central

Chervitz, Stephen A.; Deutsch, Eric W.; Field, Dawn; Parkinson, Helen; Quackenbush, John; Rocca-Serra, Phillipe; Sansone, Susanna-Assunta; Stoeckert, Christian J.; Taylor, Chris F.; Taylor, Ronald; Ball, Catherine A.

2014-01-01

To facilitate sharing of Omics data, many groups of scientists have been working to establish the relevant data standards. The main components of data sharing standards are experiment description standards, data exchange standards, terminology standards, and experiment execution standards. Here we provide a survey of existing and emerging standards that are intended to assist the free and open exchange of large-format data. PMID:21370078

JCL Implementation On A Human Spaceflight Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulpa, Vyga; Karpowich, Mike; Abel, Diana; Archiable, Wes; Carson, William

2013-01-01

Joint Confidence Level (JCL) analysis focuses on the integration of traditionally stove-piped programmatic components (schedule, cost and risk) to establish projected resource and schedule requirements at various confidence levels and to identify programmatic cost and schedule risk drivers. SLS Program consists of multiple Prime Contractors managed by independent SLS Elements which are integrated using SE&I and Program Management. SLS further integrates with GSDO and MPCV through ESD integrated working groups.

Improving the Confidence of Pre-Adolescent Girls by Focusing on the Development of Positive Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Assertiveness Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combes, Alice S.

This practicum was designed to focus on: (1) the improvement of the confidence of pre-adolescent girls; (2) the establishment of a positive body image; and (3) the strengthening of assertiveness skills. The writer worked in a group of 20 girls over a period of 8 months using exercises designed to facilitate their growth. A curriculum was developed…

Defining and Assessing Learning: Exploring Competency-Based Initiatives. Report of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative Working Group on Competency-Based Initiatives in Postsecondary Education. Brochure [and] Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Elizabeth A.; Voorhees, Richard A.

This document includes a 3-page brochure describing the main report and the main report. The report explores competency-based models in postsecondary institutions and other learning environments. It is intended primarily as a guide for postsecondary educators who are interested in establishing such efforts at their institutions. The following…

Pediatrics Milestone Project: Next Steps Toward Meaningful Outcomes Assessment

PubMed Central

Hicks, Patricia J.; Englander, Robert; Schumacher, Daniel J.; Burke, Ann; Benson, Bradley J.; Guralnick, Susan; Ludwig, Stephen; Carraccio, Carol

2010-01-01

In the September 2010 issue of JGME, the Pediatric Milestones Working Group published “The Pediatrics Milestones: Conceptual Framework, Guiding Principles, and Approach to Development”, a document that describes the construction of the first iteration of the Pediatric Milestones. These Milestones were developed by the Working Group as a group of practical behavioral expectations for each of the 52 sub-competencies. In constructing these Milestones, the authors were cognizant of the need to ground the Milestones themselves in evidence, theories or other conceptual frameworks that would provide the basis for the ontogeny of development for each sub-competency. During this next phase of the Milestones development, the process will continue with consultation with content experts and consideration of assessment of Milestones. We have described possible measurement tools, explored threats to validity, establishment of benchmarks, and possible approaches to reporting of performance. The vision of the Pediatrics Milestone Project is to understand the development of a pediatrician from entry into medical school through the twilight of a physician’s career, and the work will require a collaborative effort of the undergraduate and graduate medical education communities, and the accrediting and certifying bodies. PMID:22132281

Task and Progress of Iaeg-Sdgs Wggi in Monitoring Sdgs Through a `GEOGRAPHIC Location' Lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, W.; Chen, J.; Zhang, H. P.; Xu, K.

2018-04-01

In September 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations (UN) unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming to transform the world over the next 15 years (ESDN, 2016). To meet the ambitions and demands of the 2030 Agenda, it is necessary for the global indicator framework to adequately and systematically address the issue of alternative data sources and methodologies, including geospatial information and Earth observations in the context of geographic location (UN-GGIM, 2016). For this purpose, the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goals Indicator (IAEG-SDGs) created the Working Group on Geospatial Information (IAEG-SDGs: WGGI) to give full play to the role of geospatial data in SDGs measurement and monitoring. The Working Group reviewed global indicators through a `geographic location' lens to pick out those which geospatial information can significantly support the production, and analyzed the methodological and measurements issues. This paper has discussed the progress in monitoring SDGs ever since the establishment of IAEG-SDGs: WGGI, as well as the existing problems, appropriate solutions and plans for the next stage of work.

An exemplar-based approach to individualized parcellation reveals the need for sex specific functional networks

PubMed Central

Salehi, Mehraveh; Karbasi, Amin; Shen, Xilin; Scheinost, Dustin; Constable, R. Todd

2018-01-01

Recent work with functional connectivity data has led to significant progress in understanding the functional organization of the brain. While the majority of the literature has focused on group-level parcellation approaches, there is ample evidence that the brain varies in both structure and function across individuals. In this work, we introduce a parcellation technique that incorporates delineation of functional networks both at the individual- and group-level. The proposed technique deploys the notion of “submodularity” to jointly parcellate the cerebral cortex while establishing an inclusive correspondence between the individualized functional networks. Using this parcellation technique, we successfully established a cross-validated predictive model that predicts individuals’ sex, solely based on the parcellation schemes (i.e. the node-to-network assignment vectors). The sex prediction finding illustrates that individualized parcellation of functional networks can reveal subgroups in a population and suggests that the use of a global network parcellation may overlook fundamental differences in network organization. This is a particularly important point to consider in studies comparing patients versus controls or even patient subgroups. Network organization may differ between individuals and global configurations should not be assumed. This approach to the individualized study of functional organization in the brain has many implications for both neuroscience and clinical applications. PMID:28882628

Development of a Web-based Glaucoma Registry at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Saudi Arabia: A Cost-Effective Methodology

PubMed Central

Zaman, Babar; Khandekar, Rajiv; Al Shahwan, Sami; Song, Jonathan; Al Jadaan, Ibrahim; Al Jiasim, Leyla; Owaydha, Ohood; Asghar, Nasira; Hijazi, Amar; Edward, Deepak P.

2014-01-01

In this brief communication, we present the steps used to establish a web-based congenital glaucoma registry at our institution. The contents of a case report form (CRF) were developed by a group of glaucoma subspecialists. Information Technology (IT) specialists used Lime Survey softwareTM to create an electronic CRF. A MY Structured Query Language (MySQL) server was used as a database with a virtual machine operating system. Two ophthalmologists and 2 IT specialists worked for 7 hours, and a biostatistician and a data registrar worked for 24 hours each to establish the electronic CRF. Using the CRF which was transferred to the Lime survey tool, and the MYSQL server application, data could be directly stored in spreadsheet programs that included Microsoft Excel, SPSS, and R-Language and queried in real-time. In a pilot test, clinical data from 80 patients with congenital glaucoma were entered into the registry and successful descriptive analysis and data entry validation was performed. A web-based disease registry was established in a short period of time in a cost-efficient manner using available resources and a team-based approach. PMID:24791112

Development of a web-based glaucoma registry at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Saudi Arabia: a cost-effective methodology.

PubMed

Zaman, Babar; Khandekar, Rajiv; Al Shahwan, Sami; Song, Jonathan; Al Jadaan, Ibrahim; Al Jiasim, Leyla; Owaydha, Ohood; Asghar, Nasira; Hijazi, Amar; Edward, Deepak P

2014-01-01

In this brief communication, we present the steps used to establish a web-based congenital glaucoma registry at our institution. The contents of a case report form (CRF) were developed by a group of glaucoma subspecialists. Information Technology (IT) specialists used Lime Survey softwareTM to create an electronic CRF. A MY Structured Query Language (MySQL) server was used as a database with a virtual machine operating system. Two ophthalmologists and 2 IT specialists worked for 7 hours, and a biostatistician and a data registrar worked for 24 hours each to establish the electronic CRF. Using the CRF which was transferred to the Lime survey tool, and the MYSQL server application, data could be directly stored in spreadsheet programs that included Microsoft Excel, SPSS, and R-Language and queried in real-time. In a pilot test, clinical data from 80 patients with congenital glaucoma were entered into the registry and successful descriptive analysis and data entry validation was performed. A web-based disease registry was established in a short period of time in a cost-efficient manner using available resources and a team-based approach.

Orbital transfer vehicle concept definition and system analysis study, 1985. Volume 5: Work breakdown structure and dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, James H.; Callan, Daniel R.

1985-01-01

To establish consistency and visibility within the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) program, a preliminary work breakdown structure (WBS) and dictionary were developed. The dictionary contains definitions of terms to be used in conjunction with the WBS so that a clear understanding of the content of the hardware, function, and cost elements may be established. The OTV WBS matrix is a two-dimensional structure which shows the interrelationship of these dimensions: the hardware elements dimension and the phase and function dimension. The dimension of time cannot be shown graphically, but must be considered. Each cost entry varies with time so that it is necessary to know these cost values by year for budget planning and approval as well as for establishing cost streams for discounting purposes in the economic analysis. While a multiple dimensional approach may at first appear complex, it actually provides benefits which outweigh any concern. This structural interrelationship provides the capability to view and analyze the OTV costs from a number of different financial and management aspects. Cost may be summed by hardware groupings, phases, or functions. The WBS may be used in a number of dimensional or single listing format applications.

Multilevel selection in a resource-based model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Fernando Fagundes; Campos, Paulo R. A.

2013-07-01

In the present work we investigate the emergence of cooperation in a multilevel selection model that assumes limiting resources. Following the work by R. J. Requejo and J. Camacho [Phys. Rev. Lett.0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.108.038701 108, 038701 (2012)], the interaction among individuals is initially ruled by a prisoner's dilemma (PD) game. The payoff matrix may change, influenced by the resource availability, and hence may also evolve to a non-PD game. Furthermore, one assumes that the population is divided into groups, whose local dynamics is driven by the payoff matrix, whereas an intergroup competition results from the nonuniformity of the growth rate of groups. We study the probability that a single cooperator can invade and establish in a population initially dominated by defectors. Cooperation is strongly favored when group sizes are small. We observe the existence of a critical group size beyond which cooperation becomes counterselected. Although the critical size depends on the parameters of the model, it is seen that a saturation value for the critical group size is achieved. The results conform to the thought that the evolutionary history of life repeatedly involved transitions from smaller selective units to larger selective units.

Role of sleep continuity and total sleep time in executive function across the adult lifespan.

PubMed

Wilckens, Kristine A; Woo, Sarah G; Kirk, Afton R; Erickson, Kirk I; Wheeler, Mark E

2014-09-01

The importance of sleep for cognition in young adults is well established, but the role of habitual sleep behavior in cognition across the adult life span remains unknown. We examined the relationship between sleep continuity and total sleep time as assessed with a sleep-detection device, and cognitive performance using a battery of tasks in young (n = 59, mean age = 23.05) and older (n = 53, mean age = 62.68) adults. Across age groups, higher sleep continuity was associated with better cognitive performance. In the younger group, higher sleep continuity was associated with better working memory and inhibitory control. In the older group, higher sleep continuity was associated with better inhibitory control, memory recall, and verbal fluency. Very short and very long total sleep time was associated with poorer working memory and verbal fluency, specifically in the younger group. Total sleep time was not associated with cognitive performance in any domains for the older group. These findings reveal that sleep continuity is important for executive function in both young and older adults, but total sleep time may be more important for cognition in young adults. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The genesis of 'the Neophytes': a writing support group for clinical nurses.

PubMed

Stone, Teresa; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Harris, Margaret; Sinclair, Peter M

2010-10-01

This paper profiles the establishment and evaluation of the Neophyte Writers' Group, run by nurse academics in collaboration with clinical nurses. The growing demand for nurses to write, publish and present their work had inspired the introduction of a series of workshops designed to develop and improve writing and presentation skills, which eventuated in formation of the Neophytes. The group was founded on the basis of Bandura's theory of self-efficacy (1997), a concept which has been discussed extensively in social psychology literature to explain motivation and learning theory. People with high assurance in their capabilities regard difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided (Bandura, 1994). The Neophytes' group employs a collaborative approach intended to increase and reinforce members' self-confidence; the underlying philosophy is to promote and enhance writers' motivation, capacity and self-efficacy in order to achieve future publication goals confidently and independently. Support which engenders these strengths through a program relevant to participants' needs is likely, as this group found, to increase publication productivity. Additional unexpected outcomes resulted, such as engagement by clinical nurses' in academic work, and an increase in research higher degree enrolments. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The effectiveness of physical therapy methods (Bobath and motor relearning program) in rehabilitation of stroke patients].

PubMed

Krutulyte, Grazina; Kimtys, Algimantas; Krisciūnas, Aleksandras

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether two different physiotherapy regimes caused any differences in outcome in the rehabilitation after stroke. We examined 240 patients with stroke. Examination was carried out at the Rehabilitation Center of Kaunas Second Clinical Hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Bobath method was applied to the first (I) group (n=147), motor relearning program (MRP) method was applied to the second (II) group (n=93). In every group of patients we established samples according to sex, age, hospitalization to rehab unit as occurrence of CVA degree of disorder (hemiplegia, hemiparesis). The mobility of patients was evaluated according to European Federation for Research in Rehabilitation (EFRR) scale. Activities of daily living were evaluated by Barthel index. Analyzed groups were evaluated before physical therapy. When preliminary analysis was carried out it proved no statically reliable differences between analyzed groups (reliability 95%). The same statistical analysis was carried out after physical therapy. The results of differences between patient groups were compared using chi(2) method. Bobath method was applied working with the first group of patients. The aim of the method is to improve quality of the affected body side's movements in order to keep both sides working as harmoniously as possible. While applying this method at work, physical therapist guides patient's body on key-points, stimulating normal postural reactions, and training normal movement pattern. MRP method was used while working with the second group patients. This method is based on movement science, biomechanics and training of functional movement. Program is based on idea that movement pattern shouldn't be trained; it must be relearned. CONCLUSION. This study indicates that physiotherapy with task-oriented strategies represented by MRP, is preferable to physiotherapy with facilitation/inhibition strategies, such the Bobath programme, in the rehabilitation of stroke patients (p< 0.05).

Practice patterns and job satisfaction in fellowship-trained endocrine surgeons.

PubMed

Tsinberg, Michael; Duh, Quan-Yang; Cisco, Robin M; Gosnell, Jessica E; Scholten, Anouk; Clark, Orlo H; Shen, Wen T

2012-12-01

Debates about the difficult job market for young endocrine surgeons are ongoing. This study aimed to analyze the practice patterns and work-related satisfaction levels of recently trained endocrine surgeons. An anonymous survey was utilized. Participants were divided into 3 groups: "Young" (<3 years in practice), "middle" (3-5 years), and "older" (>5 years). Fifty-six of 78 surgeons (72%) responded to the survey. Time in practice ranged from 1 to 9 years (mean, 3.9 ± 0.28). Forty-five (80%) described their practice as academic. Participants performed 244.1 ± 17.8 operations within the last year; 75.4 ± 3.3% were endocrine cases. More surgeons in the "young" group have academic practices (92%) and joined established endocrine surgery groups (54%) versus older surgeons (67% and 42%; P = .05). Of surgeons in the "young" group, 4% started their own practice versus 33% in the "older" group (P = .04). Level of satisfaction with financial compensation (3.2 on a 4-point scale versus 2.9) and lifestyle (3.6 vs 3.1) was also higher in the younger group (P = .009). Despite widespread speculation about scarcity of academic jobs after fellowship, recently trained endocrine surgeons are more likely to practice in academic settings and join established endocrine surgery practices when compared with older surgeons. Overall satisfaction level is higher among recently trained surgeons. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Interprofessional primary care in academic family medicine clinics

PubMed Central

Drummond, Neil; Abbott, Karen; Williamson, Tyler; Somji, Behnaz

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To explore the status and processes of interprofessional work environments and the implications for interprofessional education in a sample of family medicine teaching clinics. Design Focus group interviews using a purposive sampling procedure. Setting Four academic family medicine clinics in Alberta. Participants Seven family physicians, 9 registered nurses, 5 licensed practical nurses, 2 residents, 1 psychologist, 1 informatics specialist, 1 pharmacist, 1 dietitian, 1 nurse practitioner, 1 receptionist, and 1 respiratory therapist. Methods Assessment of clinic status and performance in relation to established principles of interprofessional work and education was explored using semistructured focus group interviews. Main findings Our data supported the D’Amour and Oandasan model of successful interprofessional collaborative practice in terms of the model’s main “factors” (ie, shared goals and vision, sense of belonging, governance, and the structuring of clinical care) and their constituent “elements.” It is reasonable to conclude that the extent to which these factors and elements are both present and positively oriented in academic clinic settings is an important contributory factor to the establishment of interprofessional collaborative practice in primary care. Using this model, 2 of the 4 clinics were rated as expressing substantial progress in relation to interprofessional work, while the other 2 clinics were rated as less successful on that dimension. None of the clinics was identified as having a clear and explicit focus on providing interprofessional education. Conclusion The key factor in relation to the implementation of interprofessional work in primary care appears to be the existence of clear and explicit leadership in that direction. Substantial scope exists for improvement in the organization, conduct, and promotion of interprofessional education for Canadian primary care. PMID:22893347

Classification of symmetry-protected phases for interacting fermions in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Meng; Bi, Zhen; You, Yi-Zhuang; Gu, Zheng-Cheng

2018-05-01

Recently, it has been established that two-dimensional bosonic symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases with on-site unitary symmetry G can be completely classified by the group cohomology H3( G ,U (1 ) ) . Later, group supercohomology was proposed as a partial classification for SPT phases of interacting fermions. In this work, we revisit this problem based on the algebraic theory of symmetry and defects in two-dimensional topological phases. We reproduce the partial classifications given by group supercohomology, and we also show that with an additional H1(G ,Z2) structure, a complete classification of SPT phases for two-dimensional interacting fermion systems with a total symmetry group G ×Z2f is obtained. We also discuss the classification of interacting fermionic SPT phases protected by time-reversal symmetry.

Altered standards of care during an influenza pandemic: identifying ethical, legal, and practical principles to guide decision making.

PubMed

Levin, Donna; Cadigan, Rebecca Orfaly; Biddinger, Paul D; Condon, Suzanne; Koh, Howard K

2009-12-01

Although widespread support favors prospective planning for altered standards of care during mass casualty events, the literature includes few, if any, accounts of groups that have formally addressed the overarching policy considerations at the state level. We describe the planning process undertaken by public health officials in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, along with community and academic partners, to explore the issues surrounding altered standards of care in the event of pandemic influenza. Throughout 2006, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness jointly convened a working group comprising ethicists, lawyers, clinicians, and local and state public health officials to consider issues such as allocation of antiviral medications, prioritization of critical care, and state seizure of private assets. Community stakeholders were also engaged in the process through facilitated discussion of case scenarios focused on these and other issues. The objective of this initiative was to establish a framework and some fundamental principles that would subsequently guide the process of establishing specific altered standards of care protocols. The group collectively identified 4 goals and 7 principles to guide the equitable allocation of limited resources and establishment of altered standards of care protocols. Reviewing and analyzing this process to date may serve as a resource for other states.

ASCCP Colposcopy Standards: How Do We Perform Colposcopy? Implications for Establishing Standards.

PubMed

Waxman, Alan G; Conageski, Christine; Silver, Michelle I; Tedeschi, Candice; Stier, Elizabeth A; Apgar, Barbara; Huh, Warner K; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Massad, L Stewart; Khan, Michelle J; Mayeaux, Edward J; Einstein, Mark H; Schiffman, Mark H; Guido, Richard S

2017-10-01

The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) Colposcopy Standards recommendations address the role of and approach to colposcopy and biopsy for cervical cancer prevention in the United States. The recommendations were developed by an expert working group appointed by ASCCP's Board of Directors. Working group 3 defined colposcopy procedure guidelines for minimum and comprehensive colposcopy practice and evaluated the use of colposcopy adjuncts. The working group performed a systematic literature review to identify best practices in colposcopy methodology and to evaluate the use of available colposcopy adjuncts. The literature provided little evidence to support specific elements of the procedure. The working group, therefore, implemented a national survey of current and recent ASCCP members to evaluate common elements of the colposcopy examination. The findings of this survey were modified by expert consensus from the ASCCP Colposcopy Standards Committee members to create guidelines for performing colposcopy. The draft recommendations were posted online for public comment and presented at an open session of the International Federation for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy 2017 World Congress for further comment. All comments were considered in the development of final recommendations. Minimum and comprehensive colposcopy practice guidelines were developed. These guidelines represent recommended practice in all parts of the examination including the following: precolposcopy evaluation, performing the procedure, documentation of findings, biopsy practice, and postprocedure follow-up. These guidelines are intended to serve as a guide to standardize colposcopy across the United States.

Psychodynamic Group Psychoterapy in the Early Intervention Program for Patients with Psychosis (RIPEPP).

PubMed

Restek-Petrović, Branka; Mayer, Nina; Grah, Majda

2018-06-01

Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan" in Zagreb, Croatia, offers an outpatient Early intervention programme for patients with psychotic disorders (RIPEPP), consisting of psychoeducational workshops and group psychodynamic psychotherapy. Psychodynamic group psychotherapy presents a unique conceptual format not offered by other types of psychotherapy, and it is especially useful for population of patients with psychotic disorders. During group work, gradual establishment of communication and interactions, and creating a network of relations through experiences of corrective emotional symbiosis, affect the constellation of internal objects and relationships between members, and their restructuring. The function of group psychotherapy is not only to offer relief, support, and elements of education, but also to enable internal changes. Therapeutic factors contributing to the improvement of people with schizophrenia include supportive aspects such as universality, acceptance, cohesion, hope and altruism. This paper contains vignettes from inpatient and outpatient group dynamics.

International anthropometric study of facial morphology in various ethnic groups/races.

PubMed

Farkas, Leslie G; Katic, Marko J; Forrest, Christopher R; Alt, Kurt W; Bagic, Ivana; Baltadjiev, Georgi; Cunha, Eugenia; Cvicelová, Marta; Davies, Scott; Erasmus, Ilse; Gillett-Netting, Rhonda; Hajnis, Karel; Kemkes-Grottenthaler, Arianne; Khomyakova, Irena; Kumi, Ashizava; Kgamphe, J Stranger; Kayo-daigo, Nakamura; Le, Thuy; Malinowski, Andrzej; Negasheva, Marina; Manolis, Sotiris; Ogetürk, Murat; Parvizrad, Ramin; Rösing, Friedrich; Sahu, Paresh; Sforza, Chiarella; Sivkov, Stefan; Sultanova, Nigar; Tomazo-Ravnik, Tatjana; Tóth, Gábor; Uzun, Ahmet; Yahia, Eman

2005-07-01

When anthropometric methods were introduced into clinical practice to quantify changes in the craniofacial framework, features distinguishing various races/ethnic groups were discovered. To treat congenital or post-traumatic facial disfigurements in members of these groups successfully, surgeons require access to craniofacial databases based on accurate anthropometric measurements. Normative data of facial measurements are indispensable to precise determination of the degree of deviations from the normal. The set of anthropometric measurements of the face in the population studied was gathered by an international team of scientists. Investigators in the country of the given ethnic group, experienced and/or specially trained in anthropometric methods, carried out the measurements. The normal range in each resultant database was then established, providing valuable information about major facial characteristics. Comparison of the ethnic groups' databases with the established norms of the North America whites (NAW) offered the most suitable way to select a method for successful treatment. The study group consisted of 1470 healthy subjects (18 to 30 years), 750 males and 720 females. The largest group (780 subjects, 53.1%) came from Europe, all of them Caucasians. Three were drawn from the Middle-East (180 subjects, 12.2%), five from Asia (300 subjects, 20.4%) and four from peoples of African origin (210 subjects, 14.3%). Their morphological characteristics were determined by 14 anthropometric measurements, 10 of them used already by classic facial artists, Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, complemented by four measurements from the nasal, labio-oral and ear regions. In the regions with single measurements, identical values to NAW in forehead height, mouth width, and ear height were found in 99.7% in both sexes, while in those with multiple measurements, vertical measurements revealed a higher frequency of identical values than horizontal ones. The orbital regions exhibited the greatest variations in identical and contrasting measurements in comparison to NAW. Nose heights and widths contrasted sharply: in relation to NAW the nose was very or extremely significantly wide in both sexes of Asian and Black ethnic groups. Among Caucasians, nose height significantly differed from NAW in three ethnic groups, with one shorter and two greater. In the Middle Eastern groups nose width was identical to those of NAW but the height was significantly greater. The present study, conducted by investigators working separately across the world and with small samples of the population, is clearly preliminary in nature and extent. Yet it may fulfill its mission if medical and anthropological investigators continue the work of establishing normative data of the face. These data are urgently needed by medical professionals but have been lacking up till now in western and northern Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Distance learning ects and flipped classroom in the anatomy learning: comparative study of the use of augmented reality, video and notes.

PubMed

Ferrer-Torregrosa, Javier; Jiménez-Rodríguez, Miguel Ángel; Torralba-Estelles, Javier; Garzón-Farinós, Fernanda; Pérez-Bermejo, Marcelo; Fernández-Ehrling, Nadia

2016-09-01

The establishment of the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is one of the pillars of the European Space of Higher Education. This way of accounting for the time spent in training has two essential parts, classroom teaching (work with the professor) and distance learning (work without the professor, whether in an individual or collective way). Much has been published on the distance learning part, but less on the classroom teaching section. In this work, the authors investigate didactic strategies and associated aids for distance learning work in a concept based on flipped classroom where transmitting information is carried out with aids that the professor prepares, so that the student works in an independent way before the classes, thus being able to dedicate the classroom teaching time to more complex learning and being able to count on the professor's help. Three teaching aids applied to the study of anatomy have been compared: Notes with images, videos, and augmented reality. Four dimensions have been compared: the time spent, the acquired learnings, the metacognitive perception, and the prospects of the use of augmented reality for study. The results show the effectiveness, in all aspects, of augmented reality when compared with the rest of aids. The questionnaire assessed the acquired knowledge through a course exam, where 5.60 points were obtained for the notes group, 6.54 for the video group, and 7.19 for the augmented reality group. That is 0.94 more points for the video group compared with the notes and 1.59 more points for the augmented reality group compared with the notes group. This research demonstrates that, although technology has not been sufficiently developed for education, it is expected that it can be improved in both the autonomous work of the student and the academic training of health science students and that we can teach how to learn. Moreover, one can see how the grades of the students who studied with augmented reality are more grouped and that there is less dispersion in the marks compared with other materials.

Collaboration between nurses and agricultural teachers to prevent adolescent agricultural injuries: the Agricultural Disability Awareness and Risk Education Model.

PubMed

Reed, Deborah B; Kidd, Pamela S

2004-01-01

Nearly 2 million children live or work on America's farms and ranches. Despite the increasing mechanization of production agriculture in the United States, children still constitute a considerable portion of the work force on farms and ranches. When adjusted for actual work exposure time, adolescent injury rates on agricultural establishments surpass those of adults (Castillo, D. N., Landen, D. D., & Layne, L. A. (1994). American Journal of Public Health, 84, 646-649). This project, headed by two public health nurses, developed and tested an agricultural safety curriculum [Agricultural Disability Awareness and Risk Education (AgDARE)] for use in high school agriculture classes. Students who participated in AgDARE scored significantly higher in farm safety attitude and intent to change work behavior than the control group. School and public health nurses, working together with agriculture teachers, may make an effective team in reducing injuries among teen agricultural workers.

Theta oscillations during holeboard training in rats: different learning strategies entail different context-dependent modulations in the hippocampus.

PubMed

Woldeit, M L; Korz, V

2010-02-03

A functional connection between theta rhythms, information processing, learning and memory formation is well documented by studies focusing on the impact of theta waves on motor activity, global context or phase coding in spatial learning. In the present study we analyzed theta oscillations during a spatial learning task and assessed which specific behavioral contexts were connected to changes in theta power and to the formation of memory. Therefore, we measured hippocampal dentate gyrus theta modulations in male rats that were allowed to establish a long-term spatial reference memory in a holeboard (fixed pattern of baited holes) in comparison to rats that underwent similar training conditions but could not form a reference memory (randomly baited holes). The first group established a pattern specific learning strategy, while the second developed an arbitrary search strategy, visiting increasingly more holes during training. Theta power was equally influenced during the training course in both groups, but was significantly higher when compared to untrained controls. A detailed behavioral analysis, however, revealed behavior- and context-specific differences within the experimental groups. In spatially trained animals theta power correlated with the amounts of reference memory errors in the context of the inspection of unbaited holes and exploration in which, as suggested by time frequency analyses, also slow wave (delta) power was increased. In contrast, in randomly trained animals positive correlations with working memory errors were found in the context of rearing behavior. These findings indicate a contribution of theta/delta to long-lasting memory formation in spatially trained animals, whereas in pseudo trained animals theta seems to be related to attention in order to establish trial specific short-term working memory. Implications for differences in neuronal plasticity found in earlier studies are discussed. Copyright 2010 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chernobyl Studies Project: Working group 7.0, Environmental transport and health effects. Progress report, March--September 1994

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

Anspaugh, L.R.; Hendrickson, S.M.

1994-12-01

In April 1988, the US and the former-USSR signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) for Civilian Nuclear Reactor Safety; this MOC was a direct result of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit 4 and the following efforts by the two countries to implement a joint program to improve the safety of nuclear power plants and to understand the implications of environmental releases. A Joint Coordinating Committee for Civilian Nuclear Reactor Safety (JCCCNRS) was formed to implement the MOC. The JCCCNRS established many working groups; most of these were the responsibility of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as farmore » as the US participation was concerned. The lone exception was Working Group 7 on Environmental Transport and Health Effects, for which the US participation was the responsibility of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The purpose of Working Group 7 was succintly stated to be, ``To develop jointly methods to project rapidly the health effects of any future nuclear reactor accident.`` To implement the work DOE then formed two subworking groups: 7.1 to address Environmental Transport and 7.2 to address Health Effects. Thus, the DOE-funded Chernobyl Studies Project began. The majority of the initial tasks for this project are completed or near completion. The focus is now turned to the issue of health effects from the Chernobyl accident. Currently, we are involved in and making progress on the case-control and co-hort studies of thyroid diseases among Belarussian children. Dosimetric aspects are a fundamental part of these studies. We are currently working to implement similar studies in Ukraine. A major part of the effort of these projects is supporting these studies, both by providing methods and applications of dose reconstruction and by providing support and equipment for the medical teams.« less

Recommendations of the Spanish Working Group on Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU) and the Association of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Patients (ACCU) in the management of psychological problems in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients.

PubMed

Barreiro-de Acosta, Manuel; Marín-Jiménez, Ignacio; Panadero, Abel; Guardiola, Jordi; Cañas, Mercedes; Gobbo Montoya, Milena; Modino, Yolanda; Alcaín, Guillermo; Bosca-Watts, Marta Maia; Calvet, Xavier; Casellas, Francesc; Chaparro, María; Fernández Salazar, Luis; Ferreiro-Iglesias, Rocío; Ginard, Daniel; Iborra, Marisa; Manceñido, Noemí; Mañosa, Miriam; Merino, Olga; Rivero, Montserrat; Roncero, Oscar; Sempere, Laura; Vega, Pablo; Zabana, Yamile; Mínguez, Miguel; Nos, Pilar; Gisbert, Javier P

2018-02-01

To establish recommendations for the management of psychological problems affecting patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A meeting of a group of IBD experts made up of doctors, psychologists, nurses and patient representatives was held. The following were presented: 1) Results of a previous focal group, 2) Results of doctor and patient surveys, 3) Results of a systematic review of tools for detecting anxiety and depression. A guided discussion was then held about the most important psychological and emotional problems associated with IBD, appropriate referral criteria and situations to be avoided. The validated instrument most applicable to clinical practice was selected. A recommendations document and a Delphi survey were designed. The survey was sent to the group and to a scientific committee of the GETECCU group in order to establish the level of agreement with these recommendations. Fifteen recommendations were established linked to 3 key processes: 1) What steps should be taken to identify psychological problems at an IBD appointment; 2) What are the criteria for referring patients to a mental health specialist; 3) How to approach psychological problems. Resources should be made available to healthcare professionals so that they can treat these problems during consultations, identify the disorders which could affect the clinical course of the disease and determine their impact on the patient's life in order that these can be treated and followed up by the most suitable professional. These recommendations could serve as a basis for redesigning IBD services or processes and as justification for the training of healthcare personnel. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS): Initial Actions to Enhance Data Sharing to Meet Societal Needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adang, T.

2006-05-01

Over 60 nations and 50 participating organizations are working to make the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) a reality. The U.S. contribution to GEOSS is the Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS), with a vision of enabling a healthy public, economy and planet through an integrated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observation system. The international Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the U.S. Group on Earth Observations have developed strategic plans for both GEOSS and IEOS, respectively, and are now working the first phases of implementation. Many of these initial actions are data architecture related and are being addressed by architecture and data working groups from both organizations - the GEO Architecture and Data Committee and the USGEO Architecture and Data Management Working Group. NOAA has actively participated in both architecture groups and has taken internal action to better support GEOSS and IEOS implementation by establishing the Global Earth Observation Integrated Data Environment (GEO IDE). GEO IDE provides a "system of systems" framework for effective and efficient integration of NOAA's many quasi-independent systems, which individually address diverse mandates in such areas resource management, weather forecasting, safe navigation, disaster response, and coastal mapping among others. GEO IDE will have a services oriented architecture, allowing NOAA Line Offices to retain a high level of independence in many of their data management decisions, and encouraging innovation in pursuit of their missions. Through GEO IDE, NOAA partners (both internal and external) will participate in a well-ordered, standards-based data and information infrastructure that will allow users to easily locate, acquire, integrate and utilize NOAA data and information. This paper describes the initial progress being made by GEO and USGEO architecture and data working groups, a status report on GEO IDE development within NOAA, and an assessment of how GEO IDE can facilitate greater progress in GEOSS and IEOS development.

Development of clinical recommendations for progressive return to activity after military mild traumatic brain injury: guidance for rehabilitation providers.

PubMed

McCulloch, Karen L; Goldman, Sarah; Lowe, Lynn; Radomski, Mary Vining; Reynolds, John; Shapiro, Rita; West, Therese A

2015-01-01

Previously published mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) management guidelines provide very general recommendations to return individuals with mTBI to activity. This lack of specific guidance creates variation in military rehabilitation. The Office of the Army Surgeon General in collaboration with the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, a component center of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, convened an expert working group to review the existing literature and propose clinical recommendations that standardize rehabilitation activity progression following mTBI. A Progressive Activity Working Group consisted of 11 Department of Defense representatives across all service branches, 7 Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury representatives, and 8 academic/research/civilian experts with experience assessing and treating individuals with mTBI for return to activity. An expert working group meeting included the Progressive Activity Working Group and 15 additional subject matter experts. In February 2012, the Progressive Activity Working Group was established to determine the need and purpose of the rehabilitation recommendations. Following literature review, a table was created on the basis of the progression from the Zurich consensus statement on concussion in sport. Issues were identified for discussion with a meeting of the larger expert group during a July 2012 conference. Following development of rehabilitation guidance, the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury coordinated a similar process for military primary care providers. End products for rehabilitation and primary care providers include specific recommendations for return to activity after concussion. A 6-stage progression specifies activities in physical, cognitive, and balance/vestibular domains and allows for resumption of activity for those with low-level or preinjury symptom complaints. The clinical recommendations for progressive return to activity represent an important effort to standardize activity progression across functional domains and offer providers duty-specific activities to incorporate into intervention. Recommendations were released in January 2014.

Antibody-mediated rejection of the lung: A consensus report of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.

PubMed

Levine, Deborah J; Glanville, Allan R; Aboyoun, Christina; Belperio, John; Benden, Christian; Berry, Gerald J; Hachem, Ramsey; Hayes, Don; Neil, Desley; Reinsmoen, Nancy L; Snyder, Laurie D; Sweet, Stuart; Tyan, Dolly; Verleden, Geert; Westall, Glen; Yusen, Roger D; Zamora, Martin; Zeevi, Adriana

2016-04-01

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a recognized cause of allograft dysfunction in lung transplant recipients. Unlike AMR in other solid-organ transplant recipients, there are no standardized diagnostic criteria or an agreed-upon definition. Hence, a working group was created by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation with the aim of determining criteria for pulmonary AMR and establishing a definition. Diagnostic criteria and a working consensus definition were established. Key diagnostic criteria include the presence of antibodies directed toward donor human leukocyte antigens and characteristic lung histology with or without evidence of complement 4d within the graft. Exclusion of other causes of allograft dysfunction increases confidence in the diagnosis but is not essential. Pulmonary AMR may be clinical (allograft dysfunction which can be asymptomatic) or sub-clinical (normal allograft function). This consensus definition will have clinical, therapeutic and research implications. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and Implementation of Practical Bidirectional Texture Function Measurement Devices Focusing on the Developments at the University of Bonn

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Christopher; Sarlette, Ralf; Weinmann, Michael; Rump, Martin; Klein, Reinhard

2014-01-01

Understanding as well as realistic reproduction of the appearance of materials play an important role in computer graphics, computer vision and industry. They enable applications such as digital material design, virtual prototyping and faithful virtual surrogates for entertainment, marketing, education or cultural heritage documentation. A particularly fruitful way to obtain the digital appearance is the acquisition of reflectance from real-world material samples. Therefore, a great variety of devices to perform this task has been proposed. In this work, we investigate their practical usefulness. We first idey a set of necessary attributes and establish a general categorization of different designs that have been realized. Subsequently, we provide an in-depth discussion of three particular implementations by our work group, demonstrating advantages and disadvantages of different system designs with respect to the previously established attributes. Finally, we survey the existing literature to compare our implementation with related approaches. PMID:24787638

Effects of a workplace intervention on sleep in employees' children.

PubMed

McHale, Susan M; Lawson, Katie M; Davis, Kelly D; Casper, Lynne; Kelly, Erin L; Buxton, Orfeu

2015-06-01

The implications of sleep patterns for adolescent health are well established, but we know less about larger contextual influences on youth sleep. We focused on parents' workplace experiences as extrafamilial forces that may affect youth sleep. In a group-randomized trial focused on employee work groups in the information technology division of a Fortune 500 company, we tested whether a workplace intervention improved sleep latency, duration, night-to-night variability in duration, and quality of sleep of employees' offspring, aged 9-17 years. The intervention was aimed at promoting employees' schedule control and supervisor support for personal and family life to decrease employees' work-family conflict and thereby promote the health of employees, their families, and the work organization. Analyses focused on 93 parent-adolescent dyads (57 dyads in the intervention and 46 in the comparison group) that completed baseline and 12-month follow-up home interviews and a series of telephone diary interviews that were conducted on eight consecutive evenings at each wave. Intent-to-treat analyses of the diary interview data revealed main effects of the intervention on youth's sleep latency, night-to-night variability in sleep duration, and sleep quality, but not sleep duration. The intervention focused on parents' work conditions, not on their parenting or parent-child relationships, attesting to the role of larger contextual influences on youth sleep and the importance of parents' work experiences in the health of their children. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NASA AND ESA Partnership on the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Service Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Free, James M.; Schubert, Kathleen; Grantier, Julie

2012-01-01

In March 2011, NASA and ESA made a decision to partially offset the European obligations deriving from the extension of the ISS Program until the end of 2020 with different means than ATVs, following the ATV-5 mission foreseen in mid-2014. NASA and ESA considered a number of barter options, and concluded that the provision by ESA of the Service Module and Spacecraft Adaptor for the NASA Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) was the barter element with the most interest. A joint ESA - NASA working group was established to assess the feasibility of Europe developing this Module based on ATV heritage. The working group was supported by European and US industry namely Astrium, TAS-I and Lockheed-Martin. This paper gives an overview of the results of the on-going study as well as its projected utilization for the global space exploration endeavour.

High Performance Platinum Group Metal Free Membrane Electrode Assemblies through Control of Interfacial Processes

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

Ayers, Katherine; Capuano, Christopher; Atanassov, Plamen

The quantitative goal of this project was to produce a high-performance anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEM-WE) completely free of platinum group metals (PGMs), which could operate for at least 500 hours with less than 50 microV/hour degradation, at 500 mA/cm 2. To achieve this goal, work focused on the optimization of electrocatalyst conductivity, with dispersion and utilization in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) improved through refinement of deposition techniques. Critical factors were also explored with significant work undertaken by Northeastern University to further understand catalyst-membrane-ionomer interfaces and how they differ from liquid electrolyte. Water management and optimal cell operationalmore » parameters were established through the design, fabrication, and test of a new test station at Proton specific for AEM evaluation. Additionally, AEM material stability and robustness at high potentials and gas evolution conditions were advanced at Penn State.« less

Advancement of Women in the Biomedical Workforce: Insights for Success

PubMed Central

Barfield, Whitney L.; Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L.; Clayton, Janine Austin

2016-01-01

Women continue to face unique barriers in the biomedical workforce that affect their advancement and retention in this field. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) formed the Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers to address these issues. Through the efforts of the Working Group, the NIH funded 14 research grants to identify barriers or to develop and/or test interventions to support women in the biomedical workforce. The grantees that were funded through this endeavor later established the grassroots Research Partnership on Women in Biomedical Careers, and they continue to conduct research and disseminate information on the state of women in academic medicine. This Commentary explores the themes introduced in a collection of articles organized by the Research Partnership and published in this issue of Academic Medicine. The authors highlight the role government plays in the advancement of women in academic medicine and highlight the findings put forward in this collection. PMID:27306970

Ethical, legal, and societal issues and recommendations for controlled and uncontrolled DCD.

PubMed

Haase, Bernadette; Bos, Michael; Boffa, Catherine; Lewis, Penney; Rudge, Chris; Valero, Ricard; Wind, Tineke; Wright, Linda

2016-07-01

This report deals with organ retrieval procedures in both controlled and uncontrolled DCD, looking at the ethical, legal, and psychosocial aspects during the different phases of the process. A recently published report by the UK Donation Ethics Committee (UKDEC) has served as an important reference document to outline the steps in the controlled DCD patient-donor pathway (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. UK Donation Ethics Committee. An ethical framework for controlled donation after circulatory death. December 2011). For uncontrolled DCD, the UKDEC pathway description was adapted. At the 6th International Conference in Organ Donation held in Paris in 2013, an established expert European Working Group reviewed the UKDEC reports, which were then considered along with the available published literature. Along this pathway, the crucial ethical, legal, and psychosocial aspects have been flagged, and relevant recommendations have been formulated based on a consensus of the working group. © 2015 Steunstichting ESOT.

Achieving recognition that mental health is part of the mission of CDC.

PubMed

Safran, Marc A

2009-11-01

For much of its history the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considered mental health to be outside of its mission. That assumption persisted even after CDC became a leading public health agency and began to face important mental health issues. This narrative describes how the organizational paradigm indicating that mental health was not mission related was challenged and superseded by a new paradigm recognizing mental health as part of CDC's public health mission. Even after the CDC Mental Health Work Group's establishment in 2000, CDC took eight more years to overcome powerful remnants of the old paradigm that had for so long excluded, minimized, or discouraged attention to mental health. The CDC Mental Health Work Group led the agency's mental health efforts without funding or dedicated staffing but with more than 100 CDC professionals from multiple disciplines and centers serving as voluntary members, in addition to their other CDC responsibilities.

Advancement of Women in the Biomedical Workforce: Insights for Success.

PubMed

Barfield, Whitney L; Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L; Austin Clayton, Janine

2016-08-01

Women continue to face unique barriers in the biomedical workforce that affect their advancement and retention in this field. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) formed the Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers to address these issues. Through the efforts of the working group, the NIH funded 14 research grants to identify barriers or to develop and/or test interventions to support women in the biomedical workforce. The grantees that were funded through this endeavor later established the grassroots Research Partnership on Women in Biomedical Careers, and they continue to conduct research and disseminate information on the state of women in academic medicine. This Commentary explores the themes introduced in a collection of articles organized by the research partnership and published in this issue of Academic Medicine. The authors highlight the role that government plays in the advancement of women in academic medicine and highlight the findings put forward in this collection.

Recommendations on the effect of antidiabetic drugs in bone.

PubMed

Rozas-Moreno, Pedro; Reyes-García, Rebeca; Jódar-Gimeno, Esteban; Varsavsky, Mariela; Luque-Fernández, Inés; Cortés-Berdonces, María; Muñoz-Torres, Manuel

2017-03-01

To provide recommendations on the effect of antidiabetic drugs on bone fragility to help select the most adequate antidiabetic treatment, especially in diabetic patients with high risk of fracture. Members of the Bone Metabolism Working Group of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology. The GRADE system (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) was used to establish both the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. A systematic search was made in MEDLINE (Pubmed) using the following terms associated to the name of each antidiabetic drug: AND "osteoporosis", "fractures", "bone mineral density", "bone markers", "calciotropic hormones". Papers in English with publication date before 30 April 2016 were reviewed. Recommendations were jointly discussed by the Working Group. The document summaries the data on the potential effects of antidiabetic drugs on bone metabolism and fracture risk. Copyright © 2017 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

How multiagency partnerships can successfully address large-scale pollution problems: a Hawaii case study.

PubMed

Donohue, Mary J

2003-06-01

Oceanic circulation patterns deposit significant amounts of marine pollution, including derelict fishing gear from North Pacific Ocean fisheries, in the Hawaiian Archipelago [Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42(12) (2001) 1301]. Management responsibility for these islands and their associated natural resources is shared by several government authorities. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private industry also have interests in the archipelago. Since the marine debris problem in this region is too large for any single agency to manage, a multiagency marine debris working group (group) was established in 1998 to improve marine debris mitigation in Hawaii. To date, 16 federal, state, and local agencies, working with industry and NGOs, have removed 195 tons of derelict fishing gear from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This review details the evolution of the partnership, notes its challenges and rewards, and advocates its continued use as an effective resource management tool.

Visual working memory in deaf children with diverse communication modes: improvement by differential outcomes.

PubMed

López-Crespo, Ginesa; Daza, María Teresa; Méndez-López, Magdalena

2012-01-01

Although visual functions have been proposed to be enhanced in deaf individuals, empirical studies have not yet established clear evidence on this issue. The present study aimed to determine whether deaf children with diverse communication modes had superior visual memory and whether their performance was improved by the use of differential outcomes. Severely or profoundly deaf children who employed spoken Spanish, Spanish Sign Language (SSL), and both spoken Spanish and SSL modes of communication were tested in a delayed matching-to-sample task for visual working memory assessment. Hearing controls were used to compare performance. Participants were tested in two conditions, differential outcome and non-differential outcome conditions. Deaf groups with either oral or SSL modes of communication completed the task with less accuracy than bilingual and control hearing children. In addition, the performances of all groups improved through the use of differential outcomes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activity Levels in Healthy Older Adults: Implications for Joint Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Thorp, Laura E.; Orozco, Diego; Block, Joel A.; Sumner, Dale R.; Wimmer, Markus A.

2012-01-01

This work evaluated activity levels in a group of healthy older adults to establish a target activity level for adults of similar age after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). With the decreasing age of TJA patients, it is essential to have a reference for activity level in younger patients as activity level affects quality of life and implant design. 54 asymptomatic, healthy older adults with no clinical evidence of lower extremity OA participated. The main outcome measure, average daily step count, was measured using an accelerometer-based activity monitor. On average the group took 8813 ± 3611 steps per day, approximately 4000 more steps per day than has been previously reported in patients following total joint arthroplasty. The present work provides a reference for activity after joint arthroplasty which is relevant given the projected number of people under the age of 65 who will undergo joint arthroplasty in the coming years. PMID:23577274

[The general criteria and recommendations for the elaboration of programs for the early detection of breast cancer and cervical cancer in Spain. The Working Group for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer].

PubMed

Ascunze Elizaga, N; González Enríquez, J; González Navarro, A; Herranz Fernández, C; Marqués Bravo, A; Martín Pérez, J

1993-01-01

Cancer screening and primary prevention of cancer are effective strategies to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. The experience gained in several European countries about breast and cervical cancer has been growing in the last decades. This fact facilitates the adoption of the most convenient strategies to implement screening programmes in Spain. The Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs set up a work group of experts and health managers to make recommendations and to define the basic criteria to take into account when planning and implementing these programmes. The article describes those recommendations as well as the priorities to be established regarding the target population, and the strategies to increase efficiency of those programmes. Recommendations were made according with scientific evidences and the current situation and resources in Spain.

Work-related mental disorders and their inclusion in health policies in the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde).

PubMed

Cocchiola-Silva, Rafaela A

2016-03-01

This study discusses the inclusion of mental disorders as work-related diseases in occupational health policies in Brazil. Mental disorders first appeared as a group of occupational diseases in 1999. Establishing mental disorders as occupational diseases was a result of the confluence of several factors: a broader notion of health, a positive shift in public perception regarding preconceived judgements relating to mental disorders and the improvement in the process that defines social security benefit entitlements due to the implementation of a new methodology in 2007. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Study of the occupational stress norm and it's application for the executive group and administrative support group].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-wei; Wang, Zhi-ming; Jin, Tai-yi; Lan, Ya-jia

2006-07-01

A study of the occupational stress norm and it's application for the executive group and administrative support group. In this study, cross-sectional study method is used, and a synthetic way of sorting and randomized sampling is adopted to deal with research targets (263 executive group, 569 administrative support group). Descriptive statistics for OSI-R scale scores for the executive group, administrative support group were modulated. Scale raw score to T-score conversion tables derived from the OSI-R normative sample for executive group, administrative support group were established. OSI-R profile from for executive group, administrative support group were established. For the ORQ and PSQ scales, scores at or above 70 indicate a strong levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score inthe range of 60 to 69 suggest middle levels of maladaptive stress and strain. Score in the range of 40 to 59 indicate normal levels of stress and strain. Score below 40 indicate a relative absence of occupational stress and strain. For the PRQ scales, score below 30 indicate a significant lack of coping resources. Score in the range of 30 to 39 suggest middle deficits in coping resources. Score in the range of 40 to 59 indicate average coping resources. Scores at or above 60 indicate a strong levels of coping resources. Based on occupational Stress norm, raw score to T-score conversion tables, OSI-R profile form and classification criterion, we could estimate the level of occupation stress, stressor, strain and coping resources in different occupation. In addition, we combined subjective and objective environment match model of occupational stress. The various individual and organizational intervention measures should be taken to reduce the occupational stress and to increase coping so as to improve the work ability.

Medicine Goes Female: Protocol for Improving Career Options of Females and Working Conditions for Researching Physicians in Clinical Medical Research by Organizational Transformation and Participatory Design.

PubMed

Hasebrook, Joachim; Hahnenkamp, Klaus; Buhre, Wolfgang F F A; de Korte-de Boer, Dianne; Hamaekers, Ankie E W; Metelmann, Bibiana; Metelmann, Camila; Bortul, Marina; Palmisano, Silvia; Mellin-Olsen, Jannicke; Macas, Andrius; Andres, Janusz; Prokop-Dorner, Anna; Vymazal, Tomáš; Hinkelmann, Juergen; Rodde, Sibyll; Pfleiderer, Bettina

2017-08-02

All European countries need to increase the number of health professionals in the near future. Most efforts have not brought the expected results so far. The current notion is that this is mainly related to the fact that female physicians will clearly outnumber their male colleagues within a few years in nearly all European countries. Still, women are underrepresented in leadership and research positions throughout Europe. The MedGoFem project addresses multiple perspectives with the participation of multiple stakeholders. The goal is to facilitate the implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEP) in university hospitals; thereby, transforming the working conditions for women working as researchers and highly qualified physicians simultaneously. Our proposed innovation, a crosscutting topic in all research and clinical activities, must become an essential part of university hospital strategic concepts. We capture the current status with gender-sensitive demographic data concerning medical staff and conduct Web-based surveys to identify cultural, country-specific, and interdisciplinary factors conducive to women's academic success. Individual expectations of employees regarding job satisfaction and working conditions will be visualized based on "personal construct theory" through repertory grids. An expert board working out scenarios and a gender topic agenda will identify culture-, nation-, and discipline-specific aspects of gender equality. University hospitals in 7 countries will establish consensus groups, which work on related topics. Hospital management supports the consensus groups, valuates group results, and shares discussion results and suggested measures across groups. Central findings of the consensus groups will be prepared as exemplary case studies for academic teaching on research and work organization, leadership, and management. A discussion group on gender equality in academic medicine will be established on an internationally renowned open-research platform. Project results will be published in peer-reviewed journals with high-impact factors. In addition, workshops on gender dimension in research using the principles of Gendered Innovation will be held. Support and consulting services for hospitals will be introduced in order to develop a European consulting service. The main impact of the project will be the implementation of innovative GEP tailored to the needs of university hospitals, which will lead to measurable institutional change in gender equality. This will impact the research at university hospitals in general, and will improve career prospects of female researchers in particular. Simultaneously, the gender dimension in medical research as an innovation factor and mandatory topic will be strengthened and integrated in each individual university hospital research activity. Research funding organizations can use the built knowledge to include mandatory topics for funding applications to enforce the use and implementation of GEP in university hospitals. ©Joachim Hasebrook, Klaus Hahnenkamp, Wolfgang F.F.A. Buhre, Dianne de Korte-de Boer, Ankie E.W. Hamaekers, Bibiana Metelmann, Camila Metelmann, Marina Bortul, Silvia Palmisano, Jannicke Mellin-Olsen, Andrius Macas, Janusz Andres, Anna Prokop-Dorner, Tomáš Vymazal, Juergen Hinkelmann, Sibyll Rodde, Bettina Pfleiderer. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 02.08.2017.

An autonomous rendezvous and docking system using cruise missile technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, ED; Nicholson, Bruce

1991-01-01

In November 1990 General Dynamics demonstrated an AR&D system for members of the Strategic Avionics Technology Working Group. This simulation utilized prototype hardware derived from the Cruise Missile and Centaur avionics systems. The object of this proof of concept demonstration was to show that all the accuracy, reliability, and operational requirements established for a spacecraft to dock with Space Station Freedom could be met by the proposed AR&D system.

The Department of Defense Net-Centric Data Strategy: Implementation Requires a Joint Community of Interest (COI) Working Group and Joint COI Oversight Council

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-17

metadata formats, metadata repositories, enterprise portals and federated search engines that make data visible, available, and usable to users...and provides the metadata formats, metadata repositories, enterprise portals and federated search engines that make data visible, available, and...develop an enterprise- wide data sharing plan, establishment of mission area governance processes for CIOs, DISA development of federated search specifications

AGARD: The History, 1952-1997

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-07-01

Headquarters building by the Chairman of the Standing Group, Gen. Jean Houssay. Gen. Houssay expressed satisfaction at the way that AGARD was working...Medicine, and by Dr Jacques Gilbert of the Defence Research Establishment Valcartier on the development and application of the transversely- excited...1981 C. MENDES JORGE 1981-1982 1990-1992 J.G.C. BORGES 1983-1986 A.A. NOGEUIRA PINTO 1986-1990 A. JORGE AFONSO 1992-1995 F.A. CEBOLA MOGAS 1995-1997

[ASSOSSIATION BETWEEN UNEMPLOYMENT, HEAVY PHYSICAL WORK AND PREMATURITY: RESULTS OF CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN PLEVEN].

PubMed

Kamburova, M

2015-01-01

Many studies confirmed the lower risk of prematurity among working women and established a link between heavy physical work and the prematurity. The aim of the study is to establish the association between unemployment and the heavy physical work of the mother during pregnancy and the birth of a premature baby. In 2011 case-control study of two groups of premature (58) and mature (192) children born in 2007 in the University Hospital "George Stransky"--Pleven was conducted. For the aim of the study documentary method and sociological interview were used. The survey data were processed with statistical software packages. The significance of the results, findings and conclusions determined at p < 0.05. Odds ratio (OR) was used for assessment the strength of the association. In this study we found: more than four times higher risk of giving birth to a premature baby for unemployed mothers (OR = 4.48; 95% C = 2.56-7.83; P = 0.01); more than two times higherrisk of premature child birth among mothers performing heavy physical work during pregnancy (OR = 2.40; 95% CI = 1.03-6.19; P = 0.050) and the protective effect of having a job during pregnancy in association to the birth of a premature baby (OR = 0.26; 95% CI = 0.15-0.45; P = 0.001). We confirm our hypothesis that the unemployment and the heavy physical work during pregnancy increase the risk for birth of a premature baby

Global Trends in Mercury Management

PubMed Central

Choi, Kyunghee

2012-01-01

The United Nations Environmental Program Governing Council has regulated mercury as a global pollutant since 2001 and has been preparing the mercury convention, which will have a strongly binding force through Global Mercury Assessment, Global Mercury Partnership Activities, and establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group on Mercury. The European Union maintains an inclusive strategy on risks and contamination of mercury, and has executed the Mercury Export Ban Act since December in 2010. The US Environmental Protection Agency established the Mercury Action Plan (1998) and the Mercury Roadmap (2006) and has proposed systematic mercury management methods to reduce the health risks posed by mercury exposure. Japan, which experienced Minamata disease, aims vigorously at perfection in mercury management in several ways. In Korea, the Ministry of Environment established the Comprehensive Plan and Countermeasures for Mercury Management to prepare for the mercury convention and to reduce risks of mercury to protect public health. PMID:23230466

Developing a national quality registry for hand surgery: challenges and opportunities

PubMed Central

Arner, Marianne

2016-01-01

The Scandinavian National Healthcare Quality Registries (NQRs) have brought about considerable improvements since their introduction in the 1970s. One such registry – HAKIR (‘hand surgery’) – was established in 2010 and was likely the first NQR for hand surgery. Patient-reported outcome and reoperations due to post-operative complications are registered in HAKIR, as well as hand function in selected groups of surgical procedures. Creating simple logistics for collecting data and careful planning are important factors when establishing a new NQR. Continuous surveillance of data validity and coverage are crucial for success. With perseverance, large databases for clinical research can be created, along with the establishment of national multi-professional collaboration in healthcare improvement work. Cite this article: Arner, M. Developing a national quality registry for hand surgery: challenges and opportunities. EFORT Open Rev 2016;1:100-106. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.1.000045. PMID:28461935

Group-level self-definition and self-investment: a hierarchical (multicomponent) model of in-group identification.

PubMed

Leach, Colin Wayne; van Zomeren, Martijn; Zebel, Sven; Vliek, Michael L W; Pennekamp, Sjoerd F; Doosje, Bertjan; Ouwerkerk, Jaap W; Spears, Russell

2008-07-01

Recent research shows individuals' identification with in-groups to be psychologically important and socially consequential. However, there is little agreement about how identification should be conceptualized or measured. On the basis of previous work, the authors identified 5 specific components of in-group identification and offered a hierarchical 2-dimensional model within which these components are organized. Studies 1 and 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the proposed model of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions, across 3 different group identities. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated the construct validity of the 5 components by examining their (concurrent) correlations with established measures of in-group identification. Studies 5-7 demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the 5 components by examining their (prospective) prediction of individuals' orientation to, and emotions about, real intergroup relations. Together, these studies illustrate the conceptual and empirical value of a hierarchical multicomponent model of in-group identification.

[Common competencies and contents in public health in graduate programs].

PubMed

Davó, M A Carmen; Vives-Cases, Carmen; Benavides, Fernando García; Alvarez-Dardet, Carlos; Segura-Benedicto, Andreu; Icart, Teresa; Astasio, Paloma; Gil, Angel; Ortiz, M Del Rocío; García, Angel; Ronda, Elena; Bosch, Félix

2011-01-01

To identify fundamental public health competencies and contents in nursing, pharmacy, teaching, medicine, human nutrition and dietetics, optics and optometry, labor relations and human resources, and social work in graduate programs and to formulate proposals for their improvement. The workshop on Public health contents in graduate programs in the XXI Menorca Public Health School was organized as follows: eight groups were set up, coordinated by 37 Spanish university teachers participating in the workshop and selected through key informants and snowball techniques. Two studies on public health professional competencies and the participants' own graduate programs were used to discuss public health professional competencies and contents and establish recommendations to improve public health programs. Each group worked on a particular degree course and the results were shared in plenary. Professional competencies for the three essential public health functions were indentified in all the degrees, except teaching, optics and optometry, and social work. Some of the competencies included in degrees in nursing, teaching, human nutrition and dietetics, and social work were rewritten to highlight the role of each type of professional in public health functions. The groups agreed on the introductory topics (basic concepts and health determinants) and intervention strategies. Common competencies and contents were identified in graduate programs. Updating public health contents in graduate programs would help to define and promote the profile of public health professionals. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Establishing Physical and Engineering Science Base to Bridge from ITER to Demo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Y.-K. Martin; Abdou, M.; Gates, D.; Hegna, C.; Hill, D.; Najmabadi, F.; Navratil, G.; Parker, R.

2007-11-01

A Nuclear Component Testing (NCT) Discussion Group emerged recently to clarify how ``a lowered-risk, reduced-cost approach can provide a progressive fusion environment beyond the ITER level to explore, discover, and help establish the remaining, critically needed physical and engineering sciences knowledge base for Demo.'' The group, assuming success of ITER and other contemporary projects, identified critical ``gap-filling'' investigations: plasma startup, tritium self-sufficiency, plasma facing surface performance and maintainability, first wall/blanket/divertor materials defect control and lifetime management, and remote handling. Only standard or spherical tokamak plasma conditions below the advanced regime are assumed to lower the anticipated physics risk to continuous operation (˜2 weeks). Modular designs and remote handling capabilities are included to mitigate the risk of component failure and ease replacement. Aspect ratio should be varied to lower the cost, accounting for the contending physics risks and the near-term R&D. Cost and time-effective staging from H-H, D-D, to D-T will also be considered. *Work supported by USDOE.