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Dynamics of mentoring relationships in India: A qualitative, exploratory study
2010-01-01
To supplement the extant mentoring literature that has taken a predominantly Western/U.S. perspective, the present study examined the nature of mentoring relationships in a highly power-distant and collectivistic culture such as India. Twenty-nine Indian masters of business administration (MBA) students participated in a qualitative study (using in-depth interviews) regarding Indian conceptualizations of mentors, the dynamics of mentoring relationships, their mentoring experiences in India, and the practice of mentoring as a career management tool. Content analysis revealed that while some aspects of mentoring seem culturally invariant, other aspects might be influenced by careers and socio-cultural contexts. The findings are discussed from relational and cultural perspectives with theoret...
2009-01-01
This qualitative research implemented in France between 2004 and 2007 is based on 30 in-depth interviews carried out with individuals who consumed hallucinogenic plants or mushrooms at least six times during the year preceding the interview. The interviews were recorded, retranscribed, and an analysis of their content applied for the textual data. The study focuses on drug users and the meanings they attach to their drug use. These meanings involve three different representations of the drugs: "enchanting plants," "disorientation plants," and "visionary plants."
Coping, social relations, and communication: A qualitative exploratory study of children of parents with cancer
2008-01-01
The purpose of this qualitative study of families where a parent has cancer was to explore ways of informing the child of the parent's illness, how the child perceives the parent's emotional state, how the child copes with the parent's illness, and how this coping relates to the parent's coping and concerns for the child. Twenty-one children from 15 families and their parents were interviewed. In 13 families the mother was ill, in two the father. Children were aware of the facts of the illness, but there was limited emotional communication between the generations. The children were very observant of both the ill and the healthy parent's emotional condition. The children's observations and expressions led us to identify five coping strategies the younger generation used: Helping others, parentification, distraction, keeping it in the head, and wishful thinking. Both adaptive and destructive examples of parentification were found. Communication patterns and parental coping seemed to be highly related to the child's coping repertoire. Even though most children seemed to manage rather well, all children were strongly affected by the illness. The 'healthiest' adaptation related to factors within the family system, which has implications for the provision of help.
Development of a qualitative exploratory case study research method to explore sustained delivery of cognitive services
2009-01-01
... b. Elimination of control groups in exploratory studies was recommended ... benchmark values for this type of study exist ... measures (eg, MRI) may be qualitative or non ...
... Communication ? COMM 498R Advanced Qualitative Research Methods ... Policy Studies Journal, 34 (4), 671-698 ... attitude and behavior: An Exploratory Study.Society & ...
Population Pharmacokinetics -- final
... The qualitative aspects of the model should be well known before ... Because of the exploratory nature of population analysis, the study protocol may ...
Guidance for Industry: Human Somatic Cell Therapy and Gene Therapy
... the experimental system and the phase of study. ... be submitted to support beginning exploratory trials than ... assay is available, then a qualitative potency test ...
Guidance for Industry: Guidance for Human Somatic Cell Therapy and ...
... the experimental system and the phase of study. ... be submitted to support beginning exploratory trials than ... assay is available, then a qualitative potency test ...
1983-01-01
A study was made of the question of determining the criterion for proximity of beds and their qualitative characteristics using syntax analysis of the structure of each object.
http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:160290
A primarily qualitative approach to this exploratory study was employed to investigate what qualities/characteristics each group possessed in making their decision to breastfeed or not. Publisher: Centre for Rural and Remote Health, University of Southern Queensland Coverage: 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z
http://www.ojs.unisa.edu.au/index.php/EDEQ/article/view/564
Certain attributes of information and communication technology have many potentially useful applications for qualitative research. With reference to an exploratory study, in this paper we consider how online discussion boards can facilitate the collection of qualitative data from focus group interviews. We also evaluate the advantages and limitations of conducting these interviews through online discussion. Publisher: The Journal of Educational Enquiry Format: application/pdf Coverage: Language: en Source: The Journal of Educational Enquiry; Vol 2, No 1 (2001) Rights:
1990-01-01
Plans to study is at the very forefront of information systems and management research. The first phase of the research objective is exploratory. Exploratory research is longitudinal. During this phase of research, we form objectives, construct qualitative models, emphasize defining relationships and comparisons, make observations to draw implications, corroborate findings, and define directions. The second and third phases are confirmatory. Confirmatory research is cross-sectional. Through confirmatory research we form hypotheses, construct quantitative models, emphasize measurement and evaluation, set up and run experiments, verify results, and draw conclusions. This annual performance report describes the previous years' research efforts and the plan for the upcoming year.
2010-01-01
This qualitative study examined multiple perspectives of participants who experienced a Victim-Offender Mediation (VOM) program in a Midwestern city in the United States. Of particular interest are the roles and skills of mediators. Data consisted of 34 face-to-face interviews with 37 participants including adult crime victims, juvenile offenders and their parents, mediators and representatives from referring agencies. Insider perspectives regarding the roles and skills of the mediators in restorative processes were revealed through personal stories. Although the majority of the participants reported that the roles and skills of mediators were consistent with restorative justice principles, this exploratory study also revealed that some roles and skills exhibited by mediators were inconsis...
Motivational factors for consuming omega-3 PUFAs : An exploratory study with Danish consumers
2008-01-01
Growing consumer awareness of functional foods and understanding of their positive nutritional effects have led to the need of specific studies and have captured more attention than ever before. In Europe, Danish consumers have been found to be relatively negative towards the concept of functional foods. This paper presents the results of a qualitative pilot study that aimed to explore Danish consumers' motives for choosing omega-3/fish oil enriched products. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) was applied as a theoretical framework to understand the process by which people choose healthy foods. By conducting qualitative in-depth interviews the study mostly focused on the role of behavioural intention predictors such as risk perception, outcome expectations and self-efficacy. The results of the study suggest that consumers' understanding of healthy eating as such does not relate to the choice of omega-3/fish oil, whereas perception of omega-3 as an ingredient in selected foods does indeed influence consumers' choice of carrier-ingredient combinations.
Motivational factors for consuming omega-3 PUFAs : An exploratory study with Danish consumers
2008-01-01
Growing consumer awareness of functional foods and understanding of their positive nutritional effects have led to the need of specific studies and have captured more attention than ever before. In Europe, Danish consumers have been found to be relatively negative towards the concept of functional foods. This paper presents the results of a qualitative pilot study that aimed to explore Danish consumers' motives for choosing omega-3/fish oil enriched products. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) was applied as a theoretical framework to understand the process by which people choose healthy foods. By conducting qualitative in-depth interviews the study mostly focused on the role of behavioural intention predictors such as risk perception, outcome expectations and self-efficacy. The results of the study suggest that consumers' understanding of healthy eating as such does not relate to the choice of omega-3/fish oil, whereas perception of omega-3 as an ingredient in selected foods does indeed influence consumers' choice of carrier-ingredient combinations.
Womens opinions about mode of birth in Brazil: a qualitative study in a public teaching hospital
2010-01-01
Objective to describe womens feelings about mode of birth. Design exploratory descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a questionnaire that had been developed previously (categorical data and open- and closed-ended questions). Qualitative analysis of the results was performed through a context analysis technique. Setting the largest public university hospital in Brazil. Participants 48 women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Findings most women expressed a preference for vaginal birth, as they perceived that they would have a faster recovery. Women who expressed a preference for caesarean section did so because of lack of pain during the birth and the need for tubal sterilisation. The majority of women considered it important to have experience with a mode o...
2009-01-01
Drawing on a qualitative exploratory study of the gambling narratives of a group of Chinese men with problem gambling in Hong Kong, this paper proposes an alternative understanding of problem gambling. Rather than identifying problem gambling as a personal deficit or pathology, a narrative analysis of these Chinese men's gambling stories reveals their existential yearnings behind problem gambling. Told from the perspectives of these men, their gambling narratives invite us as researchers and practitioners to explore the meanings gamblers ascribe to gambling which they derived from the interplay between the socioeconomic and cultural ethos of the society and their personal histories. This offers us new insights into their motivations of gambling. As an attempt to fill the methodological gap...
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30006548
This paper reports the initial findings of an exploratory, qualitative study of the life and work of people who are working full-time and also caring for a child with chronic illness. The demands of such a lifestyle are significant. Respondents - all women - often reported 'doing-it-all' while constantly being frustrated and challenged in their mothering role. Publisher: Early Childhood Australia Inc. Relation: isMemberOf: ERA cluster 8 : Public and Allied Health and Health Sciences collection; isMemberOf: School of Management and Marketing collection; isMemberOf: Higher Education Research Group collection Coverage: 2004-03-01 Language: eng Rights: 2004
Spiritual Coping in American Buddhists: An Exploratory Study
2009-01-01
Researchers in the United States have examined spiritual coping in Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, but rarely Buddhists. Using qualitative methodology, the present study represents an initial investigation into Buddhist forms of coping. Twenty-four Buddhists from across the United States were interviewed by phone, examining how their spirituality is used to cope with stress. Thematic analyses revealed six forms of Buddhist coping—right understanding, meditation, mindfulness, spiritual struggles, morality, and finding support in one's sangha. Implications of the study are discussed, including possibilities for future research on Buddhist coping.
Creativity and craft: the information-seeking behavior of theatre artists
2010-01-01
Purpose - The aim of this study is to explore the information needs and behaviors of practicing theatre artists. Psychological research into creativity provides a framework for understanding both theatre artists' information-seeking behavior and the role of information seeking and gathering in the creative process. Design/methodology/approach - The exploratory study presents findings from an online questionnaire of 73 practicing theatre artists and qualitative data gathered from eight interviews with theatre professionals. Findings - The study reveals that theatre artists seek information for six primary purposes: understanding a work's historical, cultural, and critical background; finding sources of inspiration; learning about contemporary or historical theatre productions, artists, and ...
The mobile phone use in Mainland China: Some insights from an exploratory study in Beijing
2010-01-01
China is the primary market for the mobile phone (with almost 700 million of these devices) and one of the world's leading countries in ICT production. Inside Mainland China, the capital Beijing and the other coastal industrialized towns have been the first to adopt and appropriate the mobile phone. Until now a certain amount of qualitative research has been devoted to the study of ICTs in China. However, quantitative studies are scarce. Here we present the results of a research based on empirical data specifically focused on mobile communication and carried out in Beijing. A structured questionnaire was personally administered to 487 respondents. This study investigates mobile phone use, its implementation in public spaces, attitudes towards its increasing complexity, opinions on its adva...
2010-04-06
The Chew-Mandelstam parameterization, which has been used extensively in the two-body hadronic sector, is extended in this exploratory study to the electromagnetic sector by simultaneous fits to the pi- and eta-photoproduction S-wave multipole amplitudes for center-of-mass energies from the pion threshold through 1.61 GeV. The parameterization is unitary at the two-body level, employing four hadronic channels and the gamma-N electromagnetic channel. We compare the resulting fit to the MAID parameterization and find qualitative agreement though, numerically, the solution is somewhat different. Applications of the extended parameterization to global fits of the photoproduction data and to global fits of the combined hadronic and photoproduction data are discussed.
Working with sex offenders: the impact on Australian treatment providers
2010-01-01
This paper reports on an exploratory study of compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and vicarious traumatization amongst sex offender treatment providers in Australia. The research uses a nationwide sample of treatment providers from correctional settings and quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the impact of working compassionately with sex offenders. In addition to assessing levels of negative psychological affect, the study also considers the influence of demographic and work-related variables and explores the coping strategies used and the role of collegial support in mediating any negative effects. Contrary to previous research within this field, the quantitative analysis determined low levels of vicarious trauma, and low to moderate levels of compassion fati...
Dynamics of control in construction project teams
2010-01-01
Control is pervasive in construction project environments. The management of projects through various planning and control tools has therefore been described essentially as rebureaucratization which increases control over individuals, teams and organizations through ideologies of efficiency and performativity. Yet certain characteristics of the project setting make it an ideal climate for the empowerment of individuals and teams. The manifestations of control in five construction project management teams involved in two ongoing construction projects in Hong Kong are examined. The interpretive and exploratory focus of the study favoured the use of a qualitative research design and the case study approach in particular. Control is viewed as all devices and systems employed to ensure that act...
How women manage fatigue after childbirth
2010-01-01
Objective to explore the strategies used by women to manage fatigue in the first six months following childbirth. Design a qualitative study using an exploratory descriptive design. Data were collected using open-ended questions contained in surveys posted to participants six, 12 and 24 weeks after birth. Setting Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Participants 59 well women, 27 primipara and 32 multipara, aged 20-40 years, who gave birth in the Australian Capital Territory. Findings three themes emerged from the analysis:`Looking after me' or self-care practices; `Managing the load' or balancing the work to be done with the aim of managing the womans fatigue; and `How it worked', describing how useful the strategies had been in managing fatigue. From six weeks to six months...
Situation-related tasks for mobile services in retailing
2009-01-01
This research investigates the opportunities in multichannel retailing that may enable firms to integrate mobile services in accordance with their overall marketing objectives. Using a multiple case study method, the authors conduct an exploratory study, followed by survey research to verify the qualitative findings through confirmatory factor analysis. When they add mobile services, retailers can influence the situational prerequisites of consumption during the buying process, particularly in three identified fields of application. With occasion-based services, retailers create a situation that fosters immediate purchase in a specific time frame. Location-based services affect the spatial dimension of a consumer's decision process and thus the choice of retailer. Using target group-based ...
http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/usc:6128
The purpose of this research was to determine the predictors of first-year students’ transfer intentions as a means to more effectively address student attrition. Based upon the literature and a qualitative exploratory study (n = 29), 17 factors associated with student attrition were identified. Data collected from the ensuing quantitative main study (n = 334) across three universities was analysed using multinomial and binary logistic regression. The results revealed that a) students’ plans at commencement to complete their study at their current university; and b) students’ inertia once enrolled at a university significantly differentiated between those students who intended to stay, those who intended to leave and those that were undecided at the end of their first year at university. Publisher: Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Relation: 2009 ANZMAC Conference: Sustainable Management and Marketing, Melbourne 30 November - 2 December 2009; Proceedings of the 2009 ANZMAC Conference: Other identifier: URN:ISBN: 1-86308-158-5 Language: eng
Virtual HRM: A Case of e-Recruitment
2009-01-01
Although electronic recruitment is a widespread managerial practice of acquiring personnel, it still remains unclear exactly which organisational processes fall under its existing definitions. The research presented in this paper attempts to answer the fundamental question whether e-recruitment should be understood as means of automating the process of recruitment, or rather be treated as a more complex organisational concept. To clarify this issue the paper discusses the phenomenon from the open-system organisational perspective of virtual organising. The paper draws on the results of the qualitative exploratory study conducted in Denmark in 2008-2009. It concludes that as organisational concept e-recruitment is not only about application of technology to recruitment tasks. The process of e-recruiting spans organisational boundaries and directed to and affected by external environment of organizations.Â
Virtual HRM: A Case of e-Recruitment
2009-01-01
Although electronic recruitment is a widespread managerial practice of acquiring personnel, it still remains unclear exactly which organisational processes fall under its existing definitions. The research presented in this paper attempts to answer the fundamental question whether e-recruitment should be understood as means of automating the process of recruitment, or rather be treated as a more complex organisational concept. To clarify this issue the paper discusses the phenomenon from the open-system organisational perspective of virtual organising. The paper draws on the results of the qualitative exploratory study conducted in Denmark in 2008-2009. It concludes that as organisational concept e-recruitment is not only about application of technology to recruitment tasks. The process of e-recruiting spans organisational boundaries and directed to and affected by external environment of organizations.Â
2010-01-01
Understanding of risk views in multiethnic Canadian society may be enhanced by including perceptions of a closed, ethno-religious Old Order Mennonite (OOM) community, farming along the most contaminated tributary of the Grand River, Ontario, Canada. This study represents the first time that these Old Order women have participated in any research. For this exploratory study, qualitative methods were the preferred approach. To understand environmental concerns of mothers living in the contaminated area, 34 semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers from mainstream society and from the OOM community. Emergent themes revealed concerns about exposure to toxicants, children's exposure reflected in their behaviour, and exposure differences determined by lifestyle. When links between p...
http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/44908
This paper reports on one of the many dilemmas that was uncovered for working women who also cared for a child with a significant chronic illness (or disability). This qualitative, exploratory study involved two rounds of in-depth interviews, and a culminating group seminar, where women spoke of their experiences of juggling work and home while caring for a child with chronic illness. Here, I explore their concerns with disclosing their child’s illness at their place of work.2005E1Yes Publisher: Canberra, A.C.T. ANZAM Format: 14 Other identifier: ; URN:ISBN:1740882488; URN:ISBN:1740882458 Language: eng Source: Engaging the Multiple Contexts of Management: Convergence and Divergence of Management Theory and Practice: Proceedings of the 19th ANZAM Conference pp:14 - 1
Measuring dementia carers' unmet need for services - an exploratory mixed method study
Full Text Available.BackgroundTo ensure carers of people with dementia receive support, community services increasingly use measures of caregiver (carer) burden to assess for unmet need. This study used Bradshaw's taxonomy of need to explore the link between measures of carer burden (normative need), service use (expressed need), and carer's stated need (felt need).MethodsThis mixed method exploratory study compared measures of carer burden with community services received and unmet needs, for 20 community-dwelling carer/care-recipient pairs.ResultsA simple one-item measure of carers' felt need for more services was significantly related to carer stress as measured on the GHQ-30. Qualitative data showed that there are many potential stressors for carers, other than those related to the care-giving role. We found a statistically significant rank correlation (p = 0.01) between carer's use of in-home respite and the care-recipient's cognitive and functional status which is likely to have been related to increased requirement for carer vigilance, effort and the isolation of spouse carers. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant relationships between carer burden or stress and level of service provision.ConclusionWhen carers are stressed or depressed, they can recognise that they would like more help from services, even if measures of carer burden and care recipient status do not clearly indicate unmet service needs. A question designed to elicit carer' felt need may be a better indicator of service need, and a red flag for recognising growing stress in carers of people with dementia. Assessment of service needs should recognise the fallibility of carer burden measures, given that carer stress may not only come from caring for someone with dementia, but can be significantly compounded by other life situations.
Effects of dynamic elastomeric fabric orthoses on children with cerebral palsy
2009-01-01
This phase 1 exploratory study aimed to establish proof of concept of the effects of dynamic elastomeric fabric orthoses (DEFOs) on the gait of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Replicated single case experiments employing an ABA methodology were carried out on eight subjects (median age 5.5 years, range 3-13 years; 4 girls/boys) utilizing quantitative/qualitative data collection. Outcome measures were: Ten metre walking test (10MWT); physiological cost index (PCI); visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring of perceived gait changes; functional mobility changes using Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS); subject/carer perceptions recorded in daily diaries. Results identified following analysis of quantitative data indicated a treatment effect from the orthoses which could be cor...
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/52694
The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comThis article draws on the results of a qualitative, exploratory study of 20 Australian women business owners to demonstrate how using a ‹gender as social identity’ lens provides new insights into the influence of gender on exporting and entrepreneurial behaviour. Interview data reveal perceptions of gender identity and gender relations varied and influenced the interpretations which women business owners placed on their exporting activities. Women in the study used different terms to describe exporter and entrepreneurial characteristics to those found in extant literature. A strong theme was exporting as a life-changing experience that allowed the women to grow personally as well as grow the business and succeed as exporters.Catherine L. Welch, Denice E. Welch and Lisa Hewerdine Publisher: Kluwer / Springer Contributor: Business School Other identifier: Journal of Business Ethics, 2008; 83 (1):113-126; 0167-4544; 0020080045; 10.1007/s10551-007-9652-5; 000260281900010 Language: en
Can MarketTREK be done when you`re under the gun? A case study in DSM penetration forecasting
1995-05-01
Electric utilities are under severe pressures to launch Demand Side Management (DSM) programs. Georgia Power Company (GPC) asked Southern Company Services (SCS) to produce credible and well-documented market penetration forecasts of three commercial and industrial DSM programs within three months during the fall of 1992. SCS met these demands of Georgia Power using a new EPRI analysis tool, MarketTREK, designed for DSM market penetration forecasting. SCS implemented a unique approach we chose to call {open_quotes}pilot{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}exploratory{close_quotes} forecasting. This methodology employs qualitative and quantitative studies that can be implemented quickly and inexpensively to gather necessary information. Exploratory forecasting is conceived as an initial phase in the forecasting effort which should be followed by a second phase that incorporates findings and lessons learned from the first. In Phase I of th SCS experience, the EPRI MarketTREK tool dictated the scope of tasks. These included market size analysis using company billing data and facility group studies projected with floorspace economic drivers. Customer choice probabilities necessary for market timing analysis came from qualitative and conjoint analysis using data collected in fourteen small-sample focus groups. The timeliness of the SCS effort was significantly helped by the use of an interdisciplinary team of analysts with backgrounds in forecasting, customer research, load research, and DSM analysis. This case study describes our experience with MarketTREK and the benefits we gained by using the pilot forecasting approach.
An exploratory study of the rehabilitation process of people with stress-related disorders
2010-01-01
The aim was to describe how former clients with stress-related disorders and rehabilitation team members experience the rehabilitation process, and to describe how experiences from the rehabilitation have been integrated into the former clients' everyday lives. A qualitative grounded theory approach was used. The sample consisted of seven team members working at a vocational rehabilitation clinic and eight former clients who were interviewed. The participants were involved in four different rehabilitation programmes, all of which used cognitive approaches. In addition, two of the programmes offered activities in a therapeutic garden. The result highlighted experiences that might have contributed to changes in the former clients' self-image, development of conscious strategies for handling ...
http://apo.org.au/?q=node/19678
This paper describes how women experienced what came to be labelled as ‘bullying’ by a small number of midwives when they were evacuated from their rural and remote areas of NSW, Australia to a maternity unit to birth. Forty-two participants together with a number of their partners/support people were interviewed indepth for this qualitative, exploratory study. Upon thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews, an unexpected finding was that four participants (plus one partner) described experiences which were interpreted as bullying, by a small number of midwives working with them. Women identifying as Aboriginal were especially likely to share stories of midwifery bullying. Emotional and cultural safety of women must be a prime consideration of midwives. Strategies to reverse power differentials between midwives and women are urgently required to eradicate bullying by any midwife. Authors: Elaine Dietsch, Pamela Shackleton, Carmel Davies, Margaret McLeod and Margaret Alston Publisher: Science Direct Coverage: Australia; New South Wales
http://eprints.usq.edu.au/5336/
[aBSTRACT]: The advent of mobile devices has provided a new direction to the current models of e-learning. While current models warrant students to access educational resources using a desktop computer with Internet technology, mobile devices extend the concept to directing educational resources to students' devices and added a new dimension of 'anyhow', realizing mobility. This research looks at the tertiary students view point to understand how mobile technology can be utilized in an effective and efficient manner in order to realize educational strategies. Students' opinions were extracted using a focus group discussion and the preliminary results are reported in this paper. Publisher: Common Ground Publishing Format: application/pdf Other identifier: Gururajan, Raj and McDonald, Jacquelin and Gururajan, Vijaya and Genrich, Rohan (2007) An exploratory qualitative study to determine factors influencing the adoption of mobile learning for tertiary education. The International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, 2 (6). pp. 33-40. ISSN 1832-3669
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30001221
• Despite increasing interest in consumer awareness and participation in health care service delivery, there has been little exploration of consumer views in relation to services for people with type I diabetes. • The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to identify strategies people with type I diabetes used to access health services and the barriers they perceived in accessing the services they needed. • Data gathered in semi-structured interviews revealed that consumers experience significant barriers when navigating the health care system. • Three dominant themes were identified. They relate to access to specialist medical skill, to the transition from teenager to young adult and to pre-pregnancy and obstetric care. • Directions for change in service delivery and policy development are discussed. Publisher: Blackwell Science Ltd Relation: isMemberOf: ERA cluster 8 : Public and Allied Health and Health Sciences collection; isMemberOf: School of Nursing collection Coverage: 2001-01-01 Language: eng Rights: 2001, Blackwell Science Ltd
http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/2532
Service firms often look beyond their domestic markets to those defined as transitional or newly emerging markets (NEMs). Additionally, enterprises in the professional services arena have become active players in international markets in recent times. There is a greater need to understand the foreign market entry (FME) processes of professional service organisations. A critical element impacting FME are business relationships and the concept of networks. From an internationalisation perspective, the network theory stresses the influence that relationships and actors in the network have on the FME process. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study is to examine the FME process of an Australian based law firm into Thailand to provide preliminary understanding of current FME models in NEMs. The analysis will be undertaken from a network perspective. Broadly, the significance of the study is that it will assist in further developing our theoretical understanding of, and the managerial implications surrounding, the process of FME by professional service firms into NEMs. More specifically, this paper highlights the importance of network relationships and the key elements of orientating, positioning and timing in the FME process in NEMs. Contributor: Monash University. Faculty of Business and Economics. Department of Management Format: application/pdf Other identifier: monash:2532 Language: eng
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/35919
Research commercialisation and technology transfer have become buzzwords in today's scientific and business community, with research suppliers, customers and policymakers spending increasing amounts of resources on achieving commercialisation success. Given a lack of research on university-industry relationships, this paper uses established knowledge in the relationship marketing area, traditionally focused on relationships between private sector enterprises, and extends its application to the analysis and management of science-to-business linkages. Based on a qualitative exploratory study on science-to-business linkages in Australia, a survey was conducted showing a positive effect of academics' engagement on the market orientation of their research group, which in turn positively influenced the industry partner's commitment. Interestingly, while a research group's market orientation was expected to influence the industry partner's trust, the analysis revealed the reverse effect. Furthermore, the study confirmed the relations between the industry partner's trust, commitment, communication and satisfaction. The paper concludes with managerial implications, limitations and directions for future research. Publisher: Inderscience Publishers Contributor: School of Commerce; Business School Other identifier: International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2006; 2 (2):160-177; 1740-2832; 0020062300; 10.1504/IJTIP.2006.011306 Language: en
Site Characterization Data from the U3ax/bl Exploratory Boreholes at the Nevada Test Site
2005-08-01
This report provides qualitative analyses and preliminary interpretations of hydrogeologic data obtained from two 45-degree, slanted exploratory boreholes drilled within the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site. Borehole UE-3bl-D1 was drilled beneath the U3ax/bl mixed waste disposal unit, and Borehole UE-3bl-U1 was drilled in undisturbed alluvium adjacent to the disposal unit. The U3ax/bl disposal unit is located within two conjoined subsidence craters, U3ax and U3bl, which were created by underground nuclear testing. Data from these boreholes were collected to support site characterization activities for the U3ax/bl disposal unit and the entire Area 3 RWMS. Site characterization at disposal units within the Area 3 RWMS must address the possibility that subsidence craters and associated disturbed alluvium of the chimneys beneath the craters might serve as pathways for contaminant migration. The two boreholes were drilled and sampled to compare hydrogeologic properties of alluvium below the waste disposal unit with those of adjacent undisturbed alluvium. Whether Borehole UE-3bl-D1 actually penetrated the chimney of the U3bl crater is uncertain. Analyses of core samples showed little difference in hydrogeologic properties between the two boreholes. Important findings of this study include the following: No hazardous or radioactive constituents of waste disposal concern were found in the samples obtained from either borehole. No significant differences in physical and hydrogeologic properties between boreholes is evident, and no evidence of significant trends with depth for any of these properties was observed. The values observed are typical of sandy materials. The alluvium is dry, with volumetric water content ranging from 5.6 to 16.2 percent. Both boreholes exhibit a slight increase in water content with depth, the only such trend observed. Water potential measurements on core samples from both boreholes show a large positive potential gradient (water moves upward, via evapotranspiration) for the entire vertical depth. Very little liquid flow occurs through the vadose zone. The direction of flow in the upper vadose zone (approximately the upper 35 meters) is upward, based on unsaturated hydraulic conductivity data, water potential data, and environmental tracer data.
http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/usc:567
Engaging first-year students through relationships is a plausible strategy to minimise attrition with both education and marketing literature noting the important role of relationships in retention. This research examined relationship marketing (RM) focusing upon five themes, being relationship definition, relationship propensity, relationship formation, switching costs and retention intentions. The findings of a qualitative exploratory study and quantitative main study of first-year student perceptions across three regional universities generated meaningful insights that may assist institutions in their relational endeavours. It was found that students could articulate a definition of relationships, most desired a relationship with their lecturer/tutor and that these relationships were best initiated by the instructor. There are five switching costs that prevented students transferring to other institutions and the minority of students who intended to transfer to another university cited course inadequacy, a desire to live elsewhere, ‘stepping stone’ experience and other circumstantial factors as influencing their decision. Publisher: Queensland University of Technology Relation: 9th Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference: Engaging students, Gold Coast 30 June - 2 July 2006; Proceedings of the 9th Pacific Rim First Year in Higher Education Conference: Engaging students: Other identifier: URN:ISBN: 0-646-46313-6 Language: eng
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/13887/
Business processes that involve creativity differ from conventional business processes in many respects: they have a low level of repeatability, typically are high value-add processes, are knowledge-intensive, involve creative persons, have a high demand for flexibility and are characterized by particular (creative) risks. Consequently, for the IS discipline there arise a couple of research questions in this context. The goal of this interpretive research is to develop a theory of creativity-intensive processes that can inform organizational design and the design of information systems. The central theme of this research is the awareness that creativity must be perceived as a part of business processes – that is, part of goal-oriented acting within an organization that comprises of both creative and non-creative activities. In this paper, we introduce an initial model of the creativity-intensive process based on a qualitative exploratory study. To do so, we introduce research method and concepts as well as relationships and interactions between concepts. With this paper we aim to motivate further research on the impact of creativity on business processes and business process management within the IS discipline. Relation: Seidel, Stefan and Rosemann, Michael and Becker, Jorg (2008) How does Creativity Impact Business Processes? In: 16th European Conference on Information Systems, June 9 - 11, 2008, Galway, Ireland. Format: application/pdf Rights: Copyright 2008 (please consult author)
ArtAbilitation®: An Interactive Installation for the Study of Action and Stillness Cycles in Responsive Environments
2007-01-01
The paper presents an exploratory investigation that features computer technology use where non-formal learning is targeted through action and stillness cycles. Six workshops designed for accessible participation attracted 91 attendees; including 61 from special care institutes, of which 39 had profound disability; and 30 who were from music teacher higher education. Stillness issues were addressed in a hall size interactive installation designed to enquire two questions; (a) whether, and how, a private space could be optimised for participant personalised interactive expression through progressive temporal intuitive understanding that originated from a stillness confrontation with multimedia, and (b) how a specific graphical interface could be created as an element in a public space and used to questioned participant recognized associations and subsequent choices in respect of scalar and axial dimensions. Participant perceptual abilities and associated learning curve when confronted with control of an interactive environment was in focus for the research. Evaluations of user experience were based on triangulated qualitative methodologies, including interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Results from the analysis of use showed the power of the participants' increased ability to express themselves as well as problems according to the experience of stillness. Furthermore the results indicated associations with minimal learning curve.
2001-09-24
This exploratory and descriptive research compares the policy-making processes and policy recommendations regarding universal service and universal access developed by the U.S. National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIIAC) and the Canadian Information Highway Advisory Council (IHAC) in conjunction with related federal government agencies. Created in 1993 and 1994, respectively, the Councils were charged with "bringing forward" the concepts of universal service and universal access to adjust to the effects of deregulation, new and converged Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and neo-liberal economic competition and globalization that included acknowledging the private sector as the primary creator of the Information Highway.This qualitative study used as its methodology organizational, policy, narrative, and discourse analyses to create a picture of what universal service and universal access were and what they became in the hands of NIIAC, IHAC. The U.S. had started with a more clearly defined universal service tradition than Canada, and undertook a more complex policy-making process with more experienced personnel. It was also clear that IHAC had in many ways followed the U.S. model and arrived at many similar recommendations as NIIAC. Because of the inevitability of technical, economic, and social change related to the Information Highway, no definitive outcome to the Universal Service and Universal Access "story" can be determined. Because the Canadian government did not follow up on some of IHAC's most crucial recommendations, the Canadian Information Highway "story," in particular, has been left less complete than that of the U.S.
http://hdl.handle.net/10072/22263
This paper introduces the new notion of 'multicultural capital', drawing on economic theory and sociology to illuminate empirical data from middle schools. This paper identifies five types of capital (physical capital, human capital, natural capital, social capital, and cultural capital) from the literature. Further, the authors integrate these five types of capital with notions of “culturally problematic” and “interculturally proactive” schools (Hickling Hudson, 2003) to assist the assessment of multicultural assets of schools. This qualitative, exploratory study reports three major findings. First, each school has its own unique multicultural capital and this influences whether a school can be described as “culturally problematic” or the degree to which it is “interculturally proactive”. Second, principals and teachers play an important role in the conceptualisation of a school's multiculturalism. Third, analysis indicates that the multicultural capital of each school influences the pedagogic choices made thereby affecting how the school enacts what we see as a form of multicultural education. Finally, the article acknowledges the study's major limitation, which is the small size of the sample and its urban nature. Therefore further research is recommended to continue the discussion on multicultural capital initiated here. Publisher: http://www.Diversity-Journal.com; Common Ground; Australia; http://commongroundpublishing.com/ Contributor: Kathryn Otte Relation: 2; International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations; 1; 17; N; 8 Format: 454917 bytes; application/pdf Other identifier: 1447-9532 Language: en_AU Rights: Copyright remains with the authors 2008. The attached file is posted here with permission of the copyright owners for your personal use only. No further distribution permitted. For information about this journal please refer to the publisher's website or contact the authors.; Y
http://hdl.handle.net/10072/29942
Educational institutions are agents that can support culturally and linguistically diverse communities and promote transformative change in preparing global citizens. The degree of preparedness of citizens to deal with the new multicultural reality that constitutes modern life has real economic implications for a nation's success. By adopting a multicultural capital framework that synthesises current capital theories across fields, we seek to understand how educational institutions can prepare students for a world in which the ability to move across cultures and languages significantly determines an individual's ability to succeed. Middle schooling has been increasingly identified in educational literature as an identifiable stage in schooling that spans traditional notions of primary and secondary schooling and that holds distinct characteristics and needs. Drawing upon ethnographic data from a qualitative, exploratory study, this paper maps educational practices (both pedagogic and institutional) across six middle schools in urban Australia. By mapping these practices to the proposed multicultural capital framework, we identify how culturally proactive school communities productively draw upon multicultural capital to foster and promote a distinctly Australian perspective of what constitutes multicultural education. Publisher: Common Ground; Australia; http://thelearner.com/Journal/ Relation: 10; The International Journal of Learning; 379; 395; N; 16 Format: 504913 bytes; application/pdf Other identifier: 1447-9494 Language: en_AU Rights: Copyright remains with the authors 2009 .The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. For information about this journal please refer to the journal's website or contact the authors; Y
First Responses to Submissions : reasons for bad news
2008-01-01
The past 20-30 years have seen much scholarly interest in English for academic purposes, be it in the form of academic writing, academic English in general, or the various genres characteristic of academic communication in English. Over the same period of time, researchers at institutions of higher education have faced intensifying pressure to publish internationally in high-ranking academic journals. Nevertheless, there has been little research on the publishing process involved. One notable exception is that of Flowerdew and Dudley-Evans (2002), which, on the basis of the genre analysis framework developed by Swales (1981, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000), analyses the 'occluded genre' (Swales 1996) of editorial letters to international journal contributors and specifically studies letters conveying one editor's publishing decisions. Although the criteria applied by academic journal editors inreaching publishing decisions are likely to be of considerable interest to both established and potential authors, there seems to be a lack of studies investigating reasons for non-acceptance. Focussing on such reasons and on the encoding of them in editors' letters to one international journal contributor (and any co-authors), this paper reports on an exploratory and qualitative study of a set of first letters from editors of a variety of international journals in the social sciences conveying their decisions not to publish but to offer the author(s) an opportunity to 'revise and resubmit'. The results of this study may be viewed as contributing to further equipping authors with keys to wield in their attempts to open the gates to international journals. References Flowerdew, J. and T. Dudley-Evans (2002): "Genre Analysis of Editorial Letters to International Journal Contributors", Applied Linguistics 23.4, 463-489. Swales, J.M. (1981): Aspects of Article Introductions. ESP Monographs No 1. Language Studies Unit, Aston University. - (1990): Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. - (1996): "Occluded genres in the academy: the case of the submission letter", in E. Ventola and A Mauranen (eds): Academic Writing: Intercultural and Textual Issues. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp 45-58. Â - and C.B. Feak (2000): English in Today's Research World: A Writer's Guide. Michigan University Press, Michigan.
First Responses to Submissions : reasons for bad news
2008-01-01
The past 20-30 years have seen much scholarly interest in English for academic purposes, be it in the form of academic writing, academic English in general, or the various genres characteristic of academic communication in English. Over the same period of time, researchers at institutions of higher education have faced intensifying pressure to publish internationally in high-ranking academic journals. Nevertheless, there has been little research on the publishing process involved. One notable exception is that of Flowerdew and Dudley-Evans (2002), which, on the basis of the genre analysis framework developed by Swales (1981, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000), analyses the 'occluded genre' (Swales 1996) of editorial letters to international journal contributors and specifically studies letters conveying one editor's publishing decisions. Although the criteria applied by academic journal editors in reaching publishing decisions are likely to be of considerable interest to both established and potential authors, there seems to be a lack of studies investigating reasons for non-acceptance. Focussing on such reasons and on the encoding of them in editors' letters to one international journal contributor (and any co-authors), this paper reports on an exploratory and qualitative study of a set of first letters from editors of a variety of international journals in the social sciences conveying their decisions not to publish but to offer the author(s) an opportunity to 'revise and resubmit'. The results of this study may be viewed as contributing to further equipping authors with keys to wield in their attempts to open the gates to international journals. References Flowerdew, J. and T. Dudley-Evans (2002): "Genre Analysis of Editorial Letters to International Journal Contributors", Applied Linguistics 23.4, 463-489. Swales, J.M. (1981): Aspects of Article Introductions. ESP Monographs No 1. Language Studies Unit, Aston University. - (1990): Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. - (1996): "Occluded genres in the academy: the case of the submission letter", in E. Ventola and A Mauranen (eds): Academic Writing: Intercultural and Textual Issues. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp 45-58. Â - and C.B. Feak (2000): English in Today's Research World: A Writer's Guide. Michigan University Press, Michigan.
An exploratory study of nucleon-nucleon scattering lengths in lattice QCD
1994-07-19
An exploratory study is made of the nucleon-nucleon s-wave scattering lengths in quenched lattice QCD with the Wilson quark action. The \pi-N and \pi-\pi scattering lengths are also calculated for comparison. The calculations are made with heavy quarks corresponding to m_\pi/m_\rho\approx 0.73-0.95. The results show that the N-N system has an attractive force in both spin-singlet and triplet channels, with their scattering lengths significantly larger than those for the \pi-N and \pi-\pi cases, a trend which is qualitatively consistent with the experiment. Problems toward a more realistic calculation for light quarks are discussed.
Rate phenomena in uranium extraction by amines
1979-01-01
Kinetics studies and other rate measurements are reviewed in the amine extraction of uranium and of some other related and associated metal ions. Equilibration is relatively fast in the uranium sulfate systems most important to uranium hydrometallurgy. Significantly slow equilibration has been encountered in some other systems. Most of the recorded rate information, both qualitative and quantitative, has come from exploratory and process-development work, while some kinetics studies have been directed specifically toward elucidation of extraction mechanisms. 71 references.
Internationalization of emerging market firms: the case of Turkish retailers
2010-01-01
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand the internationalization process (IP) of retailing firms from emerging markets and to determine a new focus and/or modifications if necessary in the established Western-based theories. Design/methodology/approach - The paper follows an exploratory approach utilizing qualitative multiple case studies. Data are collected through eight in-depth interviews with senior managers of four Turkish retail firms in textile and ready-to-wear industry. An inductive approach is followed. Findings - It is found that internal drivers, home and host country characteristics and matching have an impact on the IP of retail firms from emerging markets. A table is formed to compare and contrast IP in the context of developed country, emerging market, and Turk...
Theoretical modelling of late-type giant atmospheres: preparing for Gaia
2005-03-09
Late type giants (RGB/AGB stars) will be important tracers of the Galactic morphology and evolution in the framework of Gaia, as they are intrinsically bright and thus can probe distant stellar populations or those obscured by interstellar extinction. A realistic representation of their atmospheres and spectra with stellar atmosphere models is thus of crucial importance, both for the design and optimization of Gaia instruments, as well as the interpretation of provided astrophysical data. Our analysis of synthetic photometric colors of late-type giants based on PHOENIX, MARCS and ATLAS model atmospheres indicates a general agreement between the current theoretical predictions and observations in the framework of stationary 1-D model atmospheres. Presently available models allow temperature determinations of RGB/AGB stars to an accuracy of ~\pm100 K. In an exploratory study we try to quantify possible residual systematic effects due to the approximations made in 1-D models using full 3-D hydrodynamical models. We find that differences in broad-band photometric colors calculated with 1-D and 3-D models are significant, translating to the offsets in effective temperature of up to ~70 K. Clearly, full 3-D hydrodynamical models will help to alleviate such ambiguities in current theoretical modeling. Additionally, they will allow to study new phenomena, to open qualitatively new windows for stellar astrophysics in the Gaia-era.
http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/2599
None Available Publisher: Department of Nursing Source: University of Wollongong Thesis Collection
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/43553
© 2007 Mikocka-Walus et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.Background: Interest in psychological factors in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased in recent years. It has even been proposed that treating psychological co-morbidities with antidepressants may control disease activity and improve quality of life. Despite this, there is no data on gastroenterologists' attitudes to, and experiences with, antidepressant therapy in patients with IBD. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 gastroenterologists associated with metropolitan teaching hospitals. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine their responses. Results: Seventy-eight percent of gastroenterologists had treated IBD patients with antidepressants for pain, depression and/or anxiety, and insomnia. Antidepressants were reported to be useful in improving psychosocial well-being, quality of life, and self-management of the disease by patients. However, in this group of gastroenterologists, there appears to be skepticism towards psychological disorders themselves or antidepressant therapy having a central role in either the causation of IBD or its clinical course. Nevertheless, these gastroenterologists were receptive to the idea of conducting a trial of the role of antidepressants in IBD. Conclusion: While the majority of specialists have treated IBD patients with antidepressants, there is considerable skepticism with regard to efficacy of antidepressive therapy or the role of psychological factors in the outcome of IBD patients.Antonina A Mikocka-Walus, Deborah A Turnbull, Nicole T Moulding, Ian G Wilson, Jane M Andrews and Gerald J Holtmann Publisher: Biomedcentral Ltd Contributor: School of Psychology; School of Population Health and Clinical Practice : General Practice Other identifier: BMC Gastroenterology [serial online], 2007; 7:www1-www8; 1471-230X; 0020073451; 10.1186/1471-230X-7-38 Language: en
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/4038
None Available Other identifier: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 23(2):201-203; 1326-0200; 0019991484 Language: en_US
http://hdl.handle.net/10072/2839
Group projects are often assigned in business schools to improve student comprehension of course content and build teamwork skills. Although the literature examining the usefulness of group projects is extensive, the link between cooperative leaning, group performance and skills transfer in workplace contexts, remains unclear. In addition, group-learning research within the marketing discipline in Australian higher education institutions is limited. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of 107 postgraduate and undergraduate marketing students. Results confirm that group work facilitates the development of interpersonal skills and higher-level learning. In addition, there is the promise of transfer of learning to other situations. However, students appear to be negatively disposed to group work at the start of a teaching semester, signaling the need for instructors to prepare, coach and debrief students as to the expected benefits associated with participation in group exercises throughout teaching periods. Publisher: http://www.anzmac.org/; University of Western Australia; Perth; http://smib.vuw.ac.nz:8081/WWW/ANZMAC2005/index.html Contributor: ANZMAC 2005; Associate Professor Jill Sweeney and Professor Geoff Soutar Relation: ANZMAC 2005: Broadening the Boundaries; Proceedings of ANZMAC 2005; 2005-12-05; 2005-12-07; Freemantle, Western Australia; N Format: 208848 bytes; application/pdf Language: en_AU Rights: Copyright remains with the authors 2005. The attached file is posted here with permission of the copyright owners for your personal use only. No further distribution permitted. For information about this conference please refer to the publisher's website or contact the authors.; Y
http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=11587
The aim of this research is to talk to a sample of exhibitionists who are currently under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in Perth, Western Australia in order to ascertain whether current treatment approaches used within the MOJ are the most effective and appropriate for this group of sex offenders. It was considered that the most effective research method would be a qualitative approach in order to gain insight into the offender's understanding of their offending behaviour and to attempt to identify their areas of treatment need. Through personal observations in working with exhibitionists and supported by the literature, an interview schedule was developed to combine a detailed social history with questions on communication, childhood issues, father issues and stress. Twenty voluntary participants were interviewed, having been accessed through the correctional community and prison environments. The objectives were (1) To identify any categories of exhibitionists and therefore better utilise treatment resources, (2) To identify the role of stress and communication deficits in offending behaviour of exhibitionists, (3) To determine whether exhibitionists would be more effectively treated within their own discrete population or with other types of sex offenders and (4) To identify a more appropriate treatment model. Another area of interest which was not specifically focussed on was whether findings would emerge which could predict which exhibitionists would progress to more serious sexual offending.The study found 3 categories of exhibitionist (1) Adolescent Onset Career Exhibitionists, (2) Adult Onset Career Exhibitionists and (3) Situational Response Exhibitionists. Whilst the first 2 categories contained participants whose offending was entrenched once commenced, either in early adolescence or adulthood, the latter group appeared to offend as a ++specific response to a life crisis. Further, findings indicated that there were 3 levels of communication deficits ranging from poor communication (65% of participants) to an inability to express negatively perceived emotions such as sadness or fear. All but one participant experienced high levels of stress and had difficulty coping with their symptoms. Again, all but one participant expressed unsatisfactory relationships with their fathers ranging from abandonment to emotional distance and 50% of the participants experienced physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse.A model of treatment was recommended which allowed for increased flexibility, allowing resources to be focussed on those offenders with the highest need. Further recommendations included increased liaison with the courts and Community Corrections in order to facilitate a more integrated approach to the client. It was also considered that exhibitionists should continue working within groups which contained other types of sex offenders. Publisher: Curtin University of Technology, School of Social Work. Language: en Rights: unrestricted
`They don't know how to defend themselves': Talk about disability and HIV risk in South Africa
2010-01-01
Purpose. Disabled people in South Africa have been included, for the first time, in policy documents on HIV prevention. However, little is known about how persons with disabilities in South Africa may be at risk, or not. For policy to be implemented in effective practice, we need to know what the risk issues are for disabled people in South Africa. Methods. This study draws on qualitative findings from a survey and interview study exploring organisational responses to the HIV epidemic for disabled people. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic and discourse analysis. Results. An analysis of comments made about risk factors for HIV, identified sexual abuse as a key risk. Furthermore, findings suggest that disability stigma may be a key factor on increasing disabled people's vulnerabi...
Zimbabwean diabetics' beliefs about health and illness: an interview study
Full Text Available.BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing globally, with the greatest increase in Africa and Asia. In Zimbabwe a threefold increase was shown in the 1990s. Health-related behaviour is important in maintaining health and is determined by individual beliefs about health and illness but has seen little study. The purpose of the study was to explore beliefs about health and illness that might affect self-care practice and health care seeking behaviour in persons diagnosed with DM, living in Zimbabwe.MethodsExploratory study. Consecutive sample from a diabetes clinic at a central hospital. Semi-structured interviews were held with 21 persons aged 19-65 years. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsHealth was described as freedom from disease and well-being, and individual factors such as compliance with advice received and drugs were considered important to promote health. A mixture of causes of DM, predominantly individual factors such as heredity, overweight and wrong diet in combination with supernatural factors such as fate, punishment from God and witchcraft were mentioned. Most respondents did not recognize the symptoms of DM when falling ill but related the problems to other diseases, e.g. HIV, malaria etc. Limited knowledge about DM and the body was indicated. Poor economy was mentioned as harmful to health and a consequence of DM because the need to buy expensive drugs, food and attend check-ups. Self-care was used to a limited extent but if used, a combination of individual measures, household remedies or herbs and religious acts such as prayers and holy water were frequently used, and in some cases health care professionals were consulted.ConclusionsLimited knowledge about DM, based on beliefs about health and illness including biomedical and traditional explanations related to the influence of supernatural forces, e.g. fate, God etc., were found, which affected patients' self-care and care-seeking behaviour. Strained economy was stated to be a factor of the utmost importance affecting the management of DM and thus health. To develop cost-effective and optimal diabetes care in a country with limited resources, not only educational efforts based on individual beliefs are needed but also considering systemic and structural conditions in order to promote health and to prevent costly consequences of DM.
Zimbabwean diabetics' beliefs about health and illness: an interview study
BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing globally, with the greatest increase in Africa and Asia. In Zimbabwe a threefold increase was shown in the 1990s. Health-related behaviour...Full Text Available
Volume reduction and salvage considerations for plutonium-contaminated ferrous metal
1975-01-01
A survey of the literature and discussions at pertinent sites operated for ERDA disclosed an inventory exists of plutonium-contaminated metal. Reliable assay of much of the waste for plutonium content requires reliable sampling and is virtually impossible because of its heterogeneous nature. Work on assay methods, particularly nondestructive assay (NDA) techniques, continues to be monitored. Transforming the metal waste to a standard form such as an ingot or slab by melting (melt-refining) should facilitate both sampling and assay and has been selected for exploratory study. Present emphasis of work is on ferrous materials. Small-scale studies on the melt-refining of steel contaminated with plutonium are just getting started in a glove box facility. Support work on noncontaminated steel is in progress using UO2 as a stand-in for PuO2. ... >>
Vivencia del enfermero al cuidar sordos y/o portadores de deficiencia auditiva
2009-10-01
Full Text Available
The importance of artificial neural networks in biomedicine
1995-12-31
The future explanatory power in biomedicine will be at the molecular-genetic level of analysis (rather than the epidemiologic-demographic or anatomic-cellular levels). This is the level of complex systems. Complex systems are characterized by nonlinearity and complex interactions. It is difficult for traditional statistical methods to capture complex systems because traditional methods attempt to find the model that best fits the statistician`s understanding of the phenomenon; complex systems are difficult to understand and therefore difficult to fit with a simple model. Artificial neural networks are nonparametric regression models. They can capture any phenomena, to any degree of accuracy (depending on the adequacy of the data and the power of the predictors), without prior knowledge of the phenomena. Further, artificial neural networks can be represented, not only as formulae, but also as graphical models. Graphical models can increase analytic power and flexibility. Artificial neural networks are a powerful method for capturing complex phenomena, but their use requires a paradigm shift, from exploratory analysis of the data to exploratory analysis of the model.
The effect of spherical additives on a liquid crystal colloid
2004-01-01
We present a computer simulation study of a colloidal particle immersed in a solvent comprising liquid crystalline rod-shaped particles and a 10% number concentration of small spherical additives. The presence of the colloidal particle (and its periodic images) is found to induce qualitative changes in the phase behaviour of the rod-sphere mixture. When the colloidal particle favours radial anchoring, it is found that the small spheres spontaneously aggregate to form a droplet which resides in the equatorial plane of the colloidal particle. When the colloidal particle favours tangential anchoring, however, the small spheres aggregate to form droplets at each of the boojums seen experimentally. These findings confirm expectations that small additives to liquid crystalline systems should preferentially reside in disordered regions, whilst also reflecting the ... >>
Full Text Available.BackgroundAlthough maternal common mental disorder (CMD) appears to be a risk factor for infant undernutrition in South Asian countries, the position in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is unclearMethodsA population-based cohort of 1065 women, in the third trimester of pregnancy, was identified from the demographic surveillance site (DSS) in Butajira, to investigate the effect of maternal CMD on infant undernutrition in a predominantly rural Ethiopian population. Participants were interviewed at recruitment and at two months post-partum. Maternal CMD was measured using the locally validated Self-Reported Questionnaire (score of ≥ six indicating high levels of CMD). Infant anthropometry was recorded at six and twelve months of age.ResultThe prevalence of CMD was 12% during pregnancy and 5% at the two month postnatal time-point. In bivariate analysis antenatal CMD which had resolved after delivery predicted underweight at twelve months (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.50). There were no other statistically significant differences in the prevalence of underweight or stunted infants in mothers with high levels of CMD compared to those with low levels. The associations between CMD and infant nutritional status were not significant after adjusting for pre-specified potential confounders.ConclusionOur negative finding adds to the inconsistent picture emerging from SSA. The association between CMD and infant undernutrition might be modified by study methodology as well as degree of shared parenting among family members, making it difficult to extrapolate across low- and middle-income countries.
BackgroundAlthough maternal common mental disorder (CMD) appears to be a risk factor for infant undernutrition in South Asian countries, the position in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
In the search for factors affecting the use of ICT in educational settings, several authors have presented holistic conceptual frameworks. In this study, we argue that while these models are valuable sources for conducting qualitative research, they are less useful for quantitative research since few measurement scales have been created. We present an empirically tested conceptual framework to further examine the complex process of integrating ICT for instructional purposes. This model has been developed from a school improvement perspective and considers the e-capacity of a school as an overarching concept. E-capacity refers to the schools' ability to create and optimise sustainable school level and teacher level conditions to bring about effective ICT change. The conditions identified ar...
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) and the issue of nonproliferation. Final study
1995-12-19
NIF, the next step proposed by DOE in a progression of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) facilities, is expected to reach the goal of ICF capsule ignition in the laboratory. This report is in response to a request of a Congressman that DOE resolve the question of whether NIF will aid or hinder U.S. nonproliferation efforts. Both technical and policy aspects are addressed, and public participation was part of the decision process. Since the technical proliferation concerns at NIF are manageable and can be made acceptable, and NIF can contribute positively to U.S. arms control and nonproliferation policy goals, it is concluded that NIF supports the nuclear nonproliferation objectives of the United States.
2010-05-01
Full Text Available.BackgroundAlthough 80% of children with disabilities live in developing countries, there are few culturally appropriate developmental assessment tools available for these settings. Often tools from the West provide misleading findings in different cultural settings, where some items are unfamiliar and reference values are different from those of Western populations.Methods and FindingsFollowing preliminary and qualitative studies, we produced a draft developmental assessment tool with 162 items in four domains of development. After face and content validity testing and piloting, we expanded the draft tool to 185 items. We then assessed 1,426 normal rural children aged 0–6 y from rural Malawi and derived age-standardized norms for all items. We examined performance of items using logistic regression and reliability using kappa statistics. We then considered all items at a consensus meeting and removed those performing badly and those that were unnecessary or difficult to administer, leaving 136 items in the final Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT). We validated the tool by comparing age-matched normal children with those with malnutrition (120) and neurodisabilities (80). Reliability was good for items remaining with 94%–100% of items scoring kappas >0.4 for interobserver immediate, delayed, and intra-observer testing. We demonstrated significant differences in overall mean scores (and individual domain scores) for children with neurodisabilities (35 versus 99 [p<0.001]) when compared to normal children. Using a pass/fail technique similar to the Denver II, 3% of children with neurodisabilities passed in comparison to 82% of normal children, demonstrating good sensitivity (97%) and specificity (82%). Overall mean scores of children with malnutrition (weight for height <80%) were also significantly different from scores of normal controls (62.5 versus 77.4 [p<0.001]); scores in the separate domains, excluding social development, also differed between malnourished children and controls. In terms of pass/fail, 28% of malnourished children versus 94% of controls passed the test overall.ConclusionsA culturally relevant developmental assessment tool, the MDAT, has been created for use in African settings and shows good reliability, validity, and sensitivity for identification of children with neurodisabilities.Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
2010-05-01
BackgroundAlthough 80% of children with disabilities live in developing countries, there are few culturally appropriate developmental assessment tools available for these...Full Text Available
2008-01-01
Full Text Available
2008-01-01
Based on the EC directive 96/92, the liberalization of electricity markets is forcing electricity companies, to rethink their product and market strategy. However, neither the level of the initiated diversification efforts of former monopolies, nor their direction or their success are known or have been analyzed before. Therefore, Mueller [2006. Diversifikationsstrategien von Stromversorgungsunternehmen: Handlungsempfehlungen fuer schweizerische Stromversorgungsunternehmen auf der Basis einer empirischen Analyse des liberalisierten deutschen Strommarktes. IIMT University Press, Fribourg] has quantitatively determined the extent and direction of the diversification efforts in the electricity sector. Additionally, based on an exploratory case study research, successful diversification strategies have been identified and incorporated into 73 ... >>
2008-01-01
Based on the EC directive 96/92, the liberalization of electricity markets is forcing electricity companies, to rethink their product and market strategy. However, neither the level of the initiated diversification efforts of former monopolies, nor their direction or their success are known or have been analyzed before. Therefore, Mueller [2006. Diversifikationsstrategien von Stromversorgungsunternehmen: Handlungsempfehlungen fuer schweizerische Stromversorgungsunternehmen auf der Basis einer empirischen Analyse des liberalisierten deutschen Strommarktes. IIMT University Press, Fribourg] has quantitatively determined the extent and direction of the diversification efforts in the electricity sector. Additionally, based on an exploratory case study research, successful diversification strategies have been identified and incorporated into 73 ... >>
Stigmatization of Illicit Drug Use among Puerto Rican Health Professionals in Training1
2010-06-01
Social stigma continues to be a barrier for health promotion in our society. One of the most stigmatized health conditions in our time continues to be addiction to illicit drug use. Although...Full Text Available
Stigmatization of Illicit Drug Use among Puerto Rican Health Professionals in Training1
2010-06-01
Full Text Available.Social stigma continues to be a barrier for health promotion in our society. One of the most stigmatized health conditions in our time continues to be addiction to illicit drug use. Although it has been widely recognized as a health concern, criminalizing approaches continue to be common in Puerto Rico. Health professionals need to engage in challenging the stigma of illicit drug use in order to foster policies and government efforts with health-oriented approaches. Still, personal stigmatizing attitudes among them continue to be a barrier for the implementation of this agenda. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to document stigma towards illicit drug use among a sample of health professionals in training, and explore differences in such attitudes among participants from different areas of training. In order to achieve this objective we carried out a sequential mixed method approach with a sample of 501 health professionals in training or practice from the disciplines of medicine, nursing, psychology and social work. Results evidence the continued existence of stigmatizing attitudes among this population. We discuss some of the implications for public health and potential strategies for action.
Stereotypes contribute to older men seeking, receiving depression care less frequently
A man's stereotypical self-image as the "strong, silent type" and the stigma of depression are major reasons why older men are less likely than women to be referred to studies of depression, to seek treatment for ...
2010-01-01
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to elaborate how source preference criteria are defined in the context of everyday projects that require the seeking of problem-specific information. More specifically, to find out how information seekers explain their preference criteria by characterizing the perceived strengths and weaknesses of diverse sources. Design/methodology/approach - The approach takes the form of qualitative content analysis of empirical data gathered by semi-structured interviews with 16 prospective home buyers in 2008. The source preference criteria were elicited by making use of the construct of information source horizon. Findings - Networked sources were favoured most strongly, followed by printed media, human sources and organizational sources. Content of information ...
Site Characterization Data from the U3ax/bl Exploratory Boreholes at the Nevada Test Site
2005-01-01
This report provides qualitative analyses and preliminary interpretations of hydrogeologic data obtained from two 45-degree, slanted exploratory boreholes drilled within the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site. Borehole UE-3bl-D1 was drilled beneath the U3ax/bl mixed waste disposal unit, and Borehole UE-3bl-U1 was drilled in undisturbed alluvium adjacent to the disposal unit. The U3ax/bl disposal unit is located within two conjoined subsidence craters, U3ax and U3bl, which were created by underground nuclear testing. Data from these boreholes were collected to support site characterization activities for the U3ax/bl disposal unit and the entire Area 3 RWMS. Site characterization at disposal units within the Area 3 RWMS must address the possibility that subsidence craters and associated disturbed alluvium of the chimneys ... >>
Self-Reported Serious Illnesses in Rural Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Full Text Available.BackgroundThere is substantial evidence that ill-health is a major cause of impoverishment in developing countries. Major illnesses can have a serious economic impact on poor households through treatment costs and income loss. However, available methods for measuring the impact of ill-health on household welfare display several shortcomings and new methods are thus needed. To understand the potential complex impact of major illnesses on household livelihoods, a study on poverty and illness was conducted in rural Cambodia, as part of an international comparative research project. A cross-sectional survey was performed to identify households affected by major illness for further in-depth interviews.Methodology and Principal Findings5,975 households in three rural health districts were randomly selected through a two-stage cluster sampling and interviewed. 27% of the households reported at least one member with a serious illness in the year preceding the survey and 15% of the household members reported suffering from at least one serious illness. The most reported conditions include common tropical infectious diseases, chronic diseases (notably hypertension and heart diseases) and road traffic accidents. Such conditions were particularly concentrated among the poor, children under five, women, and the elderly. Poor women often reported complications related to pregnancy and delivery as serious illnesses.Conclusions and SignificanceDespite some methodological limitations, this study provides new information on the frequency of self-reported serious illnesses among the rural Cambodia's population, which serves as a basis for further in-depth investigation on ‘major illnesses’ and their economic consequences on poor households. This can in turn help policy makers to formulate appropriate interventions to protect the poor from the financial burden associated with ill-health. Our findings suggest that every year a considerable proportion of rural population in Cambodia, especially the poor and vulnerable, are affected by serious illnesses, both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Self-Reported Serious Illnesses in Rural Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Survey
BackgroundThere is substantial evidence that ill-health is a major cause of impoverishment in developing countries. Major illnesses can have a serious economic impact on poor households...Full Text Available
1988-01-01
A review of the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalyses in the study of dental calculus showed that such studies provided confirmatory and supplementary data on the morphological features of human dental calculi but gave only limited information on the identity of the crystalline or inorganic components. This study aimed to explore the potential of combined SEM and microanalyses in the identification of the crystalline components of the human and animal dental calculi. Human and animal calculi were analyzed. Identification of the crystalline components were made based on the combined information of the morphology (SEM) and Ca/P molar ratios of the crystals with the morphology and Ca/P molar ratio of synthetic calcium phosphates (brushite or DCPD. Octacalcium phosphate, OCP. Mg-substituted whitlockite, beta-TCMP. ... >>
Representações sociais da Escola rural de meados do século XX em Portugal
2007-01-01
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Saba Bank is a 2,200 km2 submerged carbonate platform in the northeastern Caribbean Sea off Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles. The presence of reef-like geomorphic features and significant...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.Saba Bank is a 2,200 km2 submerged carbonate platform in the northeastern Caribbean Sea off Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles. The presence of reef-like geomorphic features and significant shelf edge coral development on Saba Bank have led to the conclusion that it is an actively growing, though wholly submerged, coral reef atoll. However, little information exists on the composition of benthic communities or associated reef fish assemblages of Saba Bank. We selected a 40 km2 area of the bank for an exploratory study. Habitat and reef fish assemblages were investigated in five shallow-water benthic habitat types that form a gradient from Saba Bank shelf edge to lagoon. Significant coral cover was restricted to fore reef habitat (average cover 11.5%) and outer reef flat habitat (2.4%) and declined to near zero in habitats of the central lagoon zone. Macroalgae dominated benthic cover in all habitats (average cover: 32.5 – 48.1%) but dominant algal genera differed among habitats. A total of 97 fish species were recorded. The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages differed among habitat types. Highest fish density and diversity occurred in the outer reef flat, fore reef and inner reef flat habitats. Biomass estimates for commercially valued species in the reef zone (fore reef and reef flat habitats) ranged between 52 and 83 g/m2. The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages reflects the absence of important nursery habitats, as well as the effects of past fishing. The relatively high abundance of large predatory fish (i.e. groupers and sharks), which is generally considered an indicator of good ecosystem health for tropical reef systems, shows that an intact trophic network is still present on Saba Bank.
Full Text Available.BackgroundCurrent healthcare systems have extended the evidence-based medicine (EBM) approach to health policy and delivery decisions, such as access-to-care, healthcare funding and health program continuance, through attempts to integrate valid and reliable evidence into the decision making process. These policy decisions have major impacts on society and have high personal and financial costs associated with those decisions. Decision models such as these function under a shared assumption of rational choice and utility maximization in the decision-making process.DiscussionWe contend that health policy decision makers are generally unable to attain the basic goals of evidence-based decision making (EBDM) and evidence-based policy making (EBPM) because humans make decisions with their naturally limited, faulty, and biased decision-making processes. A cognitive information processing framework is presented to support this argument, and subtle cognitive processing mechanisms are introduced to support the focal thesis: health policy makers' decisions are influenced by the subjective manner in which they individually process decision-relevant information rather than on the objective merits of the evidence alone. As such, subsequent health policy decisions do not necessarily achieve the goals of evidence-based policy making, such as maximizing health outcomes for society based on valid and reliable research evidence.SummaryIn this era of increasing adoption of evidence-based healthcare models, the rational choice, utility maximizing assumptions in EBDM and EBPM, must be critically evaluated to ensure effective and high-quality health policy decisions. The cognitive information processing framework presented here will aid health policy decision makers by identifying how their decisions might be subtly influenced by non-rational factors. In this paper, we identify some of the biases and potential intervention points and provide some initial suggestions about how the EBDM/EBPM process can be improved.
BackgroundCurrent healthcare systems have extended the evidence-based medicine (EBM) approach to health policy and delivery decisions, such as access-to-care, healthcare funding...Full Text Available
1987-01-01
This report documents the peer review conducted by Argonne National Laboratory of a document entitled ''Draft Test Plan for In Situ Testing in an Exploratory Shaft in Salt,'' prepared for Battelle Memorial Institute's Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation by Golder Associates, Inc. In general, the peer review panelists found the test plan to be technically sound, although some deficiencies were identified. Recommendations for improving the test plan are presented in this review report. A microfiche copy of the following unpublished report is attached to the inside back cover of this report: ''Draft Test Plan for In Situ Testing in an Exploratory Shaft in Salt,'' prepared by Golder Associates, Inc., for Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio (March 1985).
Quantification of uncertain outcomes from site characterization: Insights from the ESF-AS
1992-01-01
As part of the Exploratory Studies Facility Alternatives Study (ESF-AS) the uncertain outcomes from site characterization were quantified using a probabilistic tree known as ``Nature`s Tree.`` Nature`s Tree distinguished the true characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site from the perceived characteristics deduced from testing. Bayesian probabilistic calculations converted probabilities in Nature`s Tree to the probabilistic estimates required for the comparative analysis of Exploratory Studies Facility-repository options. Experts on characterization testing explicitly addressed several site characterization issues that are considered implicitly in many site characterization programs.
Public Attitudes Toward Nanotechnology
2002-01-01
Data from 3909 respondents to an Internet survey questionnaire provide the first insights into public perceptions of nanotechnology. Quantitative analysis of statistics about agreement and disagreement with two statements, one positive and the other negative, reveals high levels of enthusiasm for the potential benefits of nanotechnology and little concern about possible dangers. The respondents mentally connect nanotechnology with the space program, nuclear power, and cloning research, but rate it more favorably. In contrast, they do not associate nanotechnology with pseudoscience, despite its imaginative exploitation by science fiction writers. Qualitative analysis of written comments from 598 respondents indicates that many ideas about the value of nanotechnology have entered popular culture, and it provides material for an additional 108 questionnaire ... >>
Práticas de cuidado na perspectiva interdisciplinar: um caminho promissor
2009-06-01
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Proposed geologic model based on geophysical well logs
1981-01-01
An investigation of the subsurface based on a qualitative interpretation of well logs was carried out at Cerro Prieto to obtain information on the distribution of the different lithofacies that make up a deltaic depositional system. The sedimentological interpretation derived from the resistivity and spontaneous potential are shown in several cross-sections of the field. In addition to the sedimentological interpretation, a map of the structural geology of the region based on well logs and available geophysical information was prepared, including the results of gravity and seismic refraction surveys. The depth to the zone of hydrothermal alteration described by Elders (1980) was found by means of temperature, electrical, and radioactive logs. Two maps showing the configuration of the top of this anomaly show a clear correlation with the gravity anomalies found in the area.
The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the way people using modern health care perceive its consequences in Ouraman-e-Takht region of Iranian Kurdistan. Ouraman-e-Takht...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the way people using modern health care perceive its consequences in Ouraman-e-Takht region of Iranian Kurdistan. Ouraman-e-Takht is a rural, highly mountainous and dry region located in the southwest Kurdistan province of Iran. Recently, modern health practices have been introduced to the region. The purpose of this study was to investigate, from the Ouramains' point of view, the impact that modern health services and practices have had on the Ouraman traditional way of life. Interview data from respondents were analyzed by using grounded theory. Promoting survival was the core category that explained the impact that modern health practices have had on the Ouraman region. The people of Ouraman interpreted modern health practices as increasing their quality of life and promoting their survival. Results are organized around this core category in a paradigm model consisting of conditions, interactions, and consequences. This model can be used to understand the impact of change from the introduction of modern health on a traditional society.
1998-09-01
Discrete-fracture modeling is part of site characterization for evaluating Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada, as a potential high-level radioactive-waste repository site. Because most of the water and gas flow may be in fractures in low-porosity units, conventional equivalent-continuum models do not adequately represent the flow system. Discrete-fracture modeling offers an alternative to the equivalent-continuum method. This report describes how discrete-fracture networks can be constructed and used to answer concerns about the flow system at Yucca Mountain, including quantifying fracture connectivity, deriving directional-permeability distributions for one-and two-phase flow, determining parameters of anisotropy at different scales, and determining at what scale the rock functions as an equivalent continuum. A three-dimensional discrete-fracture model was developed to investigate the effects of fractures on flow of water and gas in the Topopah Spring tuff of Miocene age in the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain. Fracture data, used as model input, were taken exclusively from detailed line surveys in the Exploratory Studies Facility and converted into input parameters for simulation. A simulated fracture network was calibrated to field data. The simulated discrete fracture network was modified by eliminating nonconductive fractures determined from field-derived permeabilities. Small fractures also were removed from the simulated network without affecting the overall connectivity. Fractures, as much as 1.50 meters in length, were eliminated (a large percentage of the total number of fractures) from the network without altering the number of connected pathways. The analysis indicates that the fracture system in the Exploratory Studies Facility has numerous connected fractures that have relatively large permeabilities, but there are relatively few connected pathways across the simulated region. The fracture network was, therefore, sparse.
Preliminary evaluation of a process using plasma reactions to desulfurize heavy oils. Final report
1997-09-01
Western Research Institute (WRI) has conducted exploratory experiments on the use of microwave-induced plasmas to desulfurize heavy oils. Batch mode experiments were conducted in a quartz reactor system using various reactive and nonreactive plasmas. In these experiments a high-sulfur asphalt was exposed to various plasmas, and the degree of conversion to distillate, gas, and solids was recorded. Products from selected experiments were analyzed to determine if the plasma exposure had resulted in a significant reduction in sulfur content. Exploratory experiments were conducted using reactive plasmas generated from hydrogen and methane and nonreactive plasmas generated from nitrogen. The effects of varying exposure duration, sample temperature, and location of the sample with respect to the plasma discharge were investigated. For comparative purposes two experiments were conducted in which the sample was heated under nitrogen with no plasma exposure. Distillates containing approximately 28% less sulfur than the feedstock represented the maximum desulfurization attained in the plasma experiments. It does not appear that plasma reactions using the simple configurations employed in this study represent a viable method for the desulfurization of heavy oils.
Full Text Available.BackgroundThe polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of (nerve) cell membranes may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Studies so far, focussed mainly on omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs. In the present study, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and PUFAs of the omega-3, -6 and -9 series in plasma and erythrocytes of patients with recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD-R) were compared with controls.Methodology and Principal FindingsWe carried out a case-control study. The sample consisted of 137 patients with MDD-R and 65 matched non-depressed controls. In plasma and erythrocytes of patients with MDD-R the concentrations of most of the SFAs and MUFAs, and additionally erythrocyte PUFAs, all with a chain length >20 carbon (C) atoms, were significantly lower than in the controls. In contrast, the concentrations of most of the shorter chain members (≤18C) of the SFAs and MUFAs were significantly higher in the patients. Estimated activities of several elongases in plasma of patients were significantly altered, whereas delta-9 desaturase activity for C14∶0 and C18∶0 was significantly higher.Conclusions/SignificanceThe fatty acid status of patients with MDD-R not only differs with regard to omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, but also concerns other fatty acids. These alterations may be due to: differences in diet, changes in synthesizing enzyme activities, higher levels of chronic (oxidative) stress but may also result from adaptive strategies by providing protection against enhanced oxidative stress and production of free radicals.
BackgroundThe polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of (nerve) cell membranes may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Studies so far, focussed mainly on omega-3...Full Text Available
Perspectives of Family Physicians on Computer-assisted Health-risk Assessments
Full Text Available.BackgroundThe firsthand experience of physicians using computer-assisted health-risk assessment is salient for designing practical eHealth solutions.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to enhance understanding about computer-assisted health-risk assessments from physicians’ perspectives after completion of a trial at a Canadian, urban, multi-doctor, hospital-affiliated family practice clinic.MethodsA qualitative approach of face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews was used. All interviews were audio recorded and field notes taken. Analytic induction and constant comparative techniques were used for coding and analyses. Interpretation was facilitated by peer audit and insights gained from the social exchange theoretical perspective.ResultsTen physicians (seven female and three male) participated in the interviews. Three overarching themes emerged in relation to computer-assisted health-risk assessments: (1) perceived benefits, (2) perceived concerns or challenges, and (3) feasibility. Physicians unanimously acknowledged the potential of computer-assisted health-risk assessments to open dialogue on psychosocial health risks. They also appreciated the general facilitative roles of the tool, such as improving time-efficiency by asking questions on health risks prior to the consultation and triggering patients’ self-reflections on the risks. However, in the context of ongoing physician-patient relationships, physicians expressed concerns about the impact of the computer-assisted health-risk assessment tool on visit time, patient readiness to talk about psychosocial issues when the purpose of the visit was different, and the suitability of such risk assessment for all visits to detect new risk information. In terms of feasibility, physicians displayed general acceptance of the risk assessment tool but considered it most feasible for periodic health exams and follow-up visits based on their perceived concerns or challenges and the resources needed to implement such programs. These included clinic level (staff training, space, confidentiality) and organizational level (time, commitment and finances) support.ConclusionsParticipants perceived computer-assisted health-risk assessment as a useful tool in family practice, particularly for identifying psychosocial issues. Physicians displayed a general acceptance of the computer tool and indicated its greater feasibility for periodic health exams and follow-up visits than all visits. Future physician training on psychosocial issues should address physicians’ concerns by emphasizing the varying forms of “clinical success” for the management of chronic psychosocial issues. Future research is needed to examine the best ways to implement this program in diverse clinical settings and patient populations.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT00385034; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00385034 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5pV8AGRgt)
Perspectives of Family Physicians on Computer-assisted Health-risk Assessments
BackgroundThe firsthand experience of physicians using computer-assisted health-risk assessment is salient for designing practical eHealth solutions.Full Text Available
2010-06-01
Full Text Available.BackgroundTranscultural studies have found lack of insight to be an almost invariable feature of acute and chronic schizophrenia, but its influence on prognosis is unclear.AimsTo investigate the relationship between insight, psychopathology and outcome of first-episode schizophrenia in Vellore, India.MethodPatients with a DSM–IV diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 131) were assessed prospectively at baseline and at 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Demographic and clinical measures included insight, psychopathology, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and social functioning. Linear and logistic regression was used to measure predictors of outcome.ResultsFollow-up data were available for 115 patients at 1 year. All achieved remission, half of them with and half without residual symptoms. Changes in psychopathology and insight during the first 6 months and DUP strongly predicted outcome (relapse or functional impairment), controlling for baseline measures.ConclusionsOutcome of schizophrenia in this setting is driven by early symptomatic improvement and is relatively favourable, in line with other studies from low- and middle-income countries. Early improvement in insight might be a useful clinical guide to future outcome. Reduction of DUP should be a target for intervention.
2010-06-01
BackgroundTranscultural studies have found lack of insight to be an almost invariable feature of acute and chronic schizophrenia, but its influence on prognosis is unclear.AimsTo...Full Text Available
1993-09-01
Accomplishments for the past quarter are briefly described for the following areas of research: oil shale; tar sand; coal; advanced exploratory process technology; and jointly sponsored research. Oil shale and tar sand researches cover processing studies. Coal research includes: coal combustion; integrated coal processing concepts; and solid waste management. Advanced exploratory process technology covers: advanced process concepts; advanced mitigation concepts; and oil and gas technology. Jointly sponsored research includes: organic and inorganic hazardous waste stabilization; CROW{sup TM} field demonstration with Bell Lumber and Pole; development and validation of a standard test method for sequential batch extraction fluid; operation and evaluation of the CO{sub 2} HUFF-N-PUFF Process; fly ash binder for unsurfaced road aggregates; solid-state NMR analysis of Mesaverde Group, Greater Green River Basin tight gas sands; characterization of petroleum residue; shallow oil production using horizontal wells with enhanced oil recovery techniques; surface process study for oil recovery using a thermal extraction process; oil field waste cleanup using tank bottom recovery process; remote chemical sensor development; in situ treatment of manufactured gas plant contaminated soils demonstration program; solid-state NMR analysis of naturally and artificially matured kerogens; and development of an effective method for the clean-up of natural gas.
1992-12-31
Accomplishments for the past quarter are presented for the following five tasks: oil shale; tar sand; coal; advanced exploratory process technology; and jointly sponsored research. Oil shale research covers oil shale process studies. Tar sand research is on process development of Recycle Oil Pyrolysis and Extraction (ROPE) Process. Coal research covers: coal combustion; integrated coal processing concepts; and solid waste management. Advanced exploratory process technology includes: advanced process concepts;advanced mitigation concepts; and oil and gas technology. Jointly sponsored research includes: organic and inorganic hazardous waste stabilization; CROW field demonstration with Bell Lumber and Pole; development and validation of a standard test method for sequential batch extraction fluid; PGI demonstration project; operation and evaluation of the CO{sub 2} HUFF-N-PUFF Process; fly ash binder for unsurfaced road aggregates; solid state NMR analysis of Mesaverde Group, Greater Green River Basin, tight gas sands; flow-loop testing of double-wall pipe for thermal applications; characterization of petroleum residue; shallow oil production using horizontal wells with enhanced oil recovery techniques; surface process study for oil recovery using a thermal extraction process; NMR analysis of samples from the ocean drilling program; in situ treatment of manufactured gas plant contaminated soils demonstration program; and solid state NMR analysis of naturally and artificially matured kerogens.
Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations: exploratory shaft. Phase I. Conceptual design report
1982-06-01
It is proposed that an Exploratory Shaft (ES) be constructed in Yucca Mountain on or near the southwest portion of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) as part of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations. This document describes a conceptual design for an ES and a cost estimate based on a set of construction assumptions. Included in this document are appendixes consisting of supporting studies done at NTS by Fenix and Scisson, Inc. and Holmes and Narver, Inc. These appendixes constitute a history of the development of the design and are included as part of the record.
Necesidades de los profesionales de salud en la atención a la población inmigrante
2009-10-01
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2010-06-01
Research addressing parent-child communication on the topic of alcohol use relies heavily on assessing frequency of discussions and general assessments of openness in parent-child communication,...Full Text Available
2010-06-01
Full Text Available.Research addressing parent-child communication on the topic of alcohol use relies heavily on assessing frequency of discussions and general assessments of openness in parent-child communication, ignoring the complexity of this communication phenomenon. This study adds to the literature by articulating a conceptualization and developing a measurement of parent-child communication—targeted parent-child communication about alcohol—and comparing the efficacy of targeted parent-child communication about alcohol in predicting positive expectancies of alcohol use and recent alcohol use. The predictive power of general openness in parent-child communication and frequency of communication about alcohol also were assessed. Students in 5th and 6th grade (N = 1407) from 29 public schools completed surveys. Targeted parent-child communication about alcohol was negatively associated with both outcomes. Frequency and general openness were only negatively associated with positive expectancies regarding alcohol. Implications of these findings for the etiology and prevention of substance use are discussed.
Measuring dementia carers' unmet need for services - an exploratory mixed method study
BackgroundTo ensure carers of people with dementia receive support, community services increasingly use measures of caregiver (carer) burden to assess for unmet need. This study...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.BackgroundEthnic, intersubject, interoperator and intermachine differences in measured macular thickness seem to exist. Our purpose was to collect normative macular thickness data in Norwegians and to evaluate the association between macular thickness and age, gender, parity, and contraception status.MethodsRetinal thickness was measured by Stratus Optical Coherence Tomography in healthy subjects. Mean macular thickness (MMT) was analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA with three dependent regional MMT-variables for interaction with age, gender, parity and oral contraception use. Exploratory correlation with age by the Pearson correlation test, both before and after stratification by gender was performed. Differences in MMT between older and younger subjects, between oral contraception users and non-users, as well as parous and nulliparous women were studied by post-hoc Student's t-tests.ResultsCentral MMT in Norwegians was similar to values earlier reported in whites. MMT in central areas of 1 and 2.25 mm in diameter were higher in males than in females. In younger subjects (≤43 years) differences in MMT between genders were larger than in the mixed age group, whereas in older subjects (>43 years) the small differences did not reach the set significance level. No differences were found in minimal foveolar thickness (MMFT) between the genders in any age group.Mean foveal thickness (1 mm in diameter) was positively associated with age in females (r = 0.28, p = 0.03). MMFT was positively associated with age in all groups and reached significance both in females and in mixed gender group (r = 0.20, p = 0.041 and r = 0.26, p = 0.044 respectively).Mean foveal thickness and MMFT were significantly higher in parous than in nulliparous women, and age-adjusted ANOVA for MMFT revealed a borderline effect of parity.ConclusionsAge and gender should be taken into consideration when establishing normal ranges for MMT in younger subjects. The gender difference in retinal thickness in young, but not older adults suggests a gonadal hormonal influence. The possible association between parity and retinal structure and its clinical relevance, should be studied further.
BackgroundEthnic, intersubject, interoperator and intermachine differences in measured macular thickness seem to exist. Our purpose was to collect normative macular thickness data...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.BackgroundThe evidence gained from effective self-management interventions is often criticised for the ambiguity of its active components, and consequently the obstruction of their implementation into daily practice.Our aim is to report how an intervention development model aids the careful selection of active components in an intervention for people with dysglycaemia.MethodsThe first three phases of the UK Medical Research Council's model for developing complex interventions in primary care were used to develop a self-management intervention targeting people with screen-detected dysglycaemia. In the preclinical phase, the expected needs of the target group were assessed by review of empirical literature and theories. In phase I, a preliminary intervention was modelled and in phase II, the preliminary intervention was pilot tested.ResultsIn the preclinical phase the achievement of health-related action competence was defined as the overall intervention goal and four learning objectives were identified: motivation, informed decision-making, action experience and social involvement. In Phase I, the educational activities were defined and the pedagogical tools tested. In phase II, the intervention was tested in two different primary healthcare settings and adjusted accordingly. The 18-hour intervention "Ready to Act" ran for 3 months and consisted of two motivational one-to-one sessions conducted by nurses and eight group meetings conducted by multidisciplinary teams.ConclusionsAn intervention aimed at health-related action competence was successfully developed for people with screen-detected dysglycaemia. The systematic and transparent developmental process is expected to facilitate future clinical research. The MRC model provides the necessary steps to inform intervention development but should be prioritised according to existing evidence in order to save time.
BackgroundThe evidence gained from effective self-management interventions is often criticised for the ambiguity of its active components, and consequently the obstruction of their...Full Text Available
La autovaloración y su papel en el desarrollo profesional: Una experiencia
2009-06-01
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Inductive Game Theory and the Dynamics of Animal Conflict
2010-05-01
Full Text Available.Conflict destabilizes social interactions and impedes cooperation at multiple scales of biological organization. Of fundamental interest are the causes of turbulent periods of conflict. We analyze conflict dynamics in an monkey society model system. We develop a technique, Inductive Game Theory, to extract directly from time-series data the decision-making strategies used by individuals and groups. This technique uses Monte Carlo simulation to test alternative causal models of conflict dynamics. We find individuals base their decision to fight on memory of social factors, not on short timescale ecological resource competition. Furthermore, the social assessments on which these decisions are based are triadic (self in relation to another pair of individuals), not pairwise. We show that this triadic decision making causes long conflict cascades and that there is a high population cost of the large fights associated with these cascades. These results suggest that individual agency has been over-emphasized in the social evolution of complex aggregates, and that pair-wise formalisms are inadequate. An appreciation of the empirical foundations of the collective dynamics of conflict is a crucial step towards its effective management.
Inductive Game Theory and the Dynamics of Animal Conflict
2010-05-01
Conflict destabilizes social interactions and impedes cooperation at multiple scales of biological organization. Of fundamental interest are the causes of turbulent periods of conflict. We analyze conflict...Full Text Available
Impacto de un sistema de compra capitativo en la coordinación asistencial
2008-06-01
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From Question Answering to Visual Exploration
2006-08-11
Research in Question Answering has focused on the quality of information retrieval or extraction using the metrics of precision and recall to judge success; these metrics drive toward finding the specific best answer(s) and are best supportive of a lookup type of search. These do not address the opportunity that users? natural language questions present for exploratory interactions. In this paper, we present an integrated Question Answering environment that combines a visual analytics tool for unstructured text and a state-of-the-art query expansion tool designed to compliment the cognitive processes associated with an information analysts work flow. Analysts are seldom looking for factoid answers to simple questions; their information needs are much more complex in that they may be interested in patterns of answers over time, conflicting information, and even related non-answer data may be critical to learning about a problem or reaching prudent conclusions. In our visual analytics tool, questions result in a comprehensive answer space that allows users to explore the variety within the answers and spot related information in the rest of the data. The exploratory nature of the dialog between the user and this system requires tailored evaluation methods that better address the evolving user goals and counter cognitive biases inherent to exploratory search tasks.
Factors Affecting Decisions About Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy in Black and Latina Women
Breast Cancer; Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment
El derecho a la salud de las mujeres y su garantía constitucional en Argentina
2008-01-01
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El caso de Lucina para el estudio de las fracciones en la escuela de adultos
2008-03-01
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1995-08-01
The feasibility of using a 30-watt pulsed NdYAG laser to ablate or evaporate material directly into the ECR had some initial exploratory runs and produced two distinctly interesting results. This technique holds the possibility of using small quantities of material, with a high efficiency, and being applicable to all solids. The laser illuminates a sample through one of the radial ports in the ECR main plasma chamber. The off-line tests indicated that our surplus (free) laser is capable of ablating significant quantities of interesting materials. The first tests of the laser ablation idea were carried out using a bismuth sample. The inherent pulsed nature of the technique allowed us to immediately study the time evolution of charge states in the ECR plasma. The results are directly comparable to model calculations and are completely consistent with the sequential stepwise stripping process which was assumed to dominate the high charge state production process. A paper describing our results will be presented at the 1995 International Ion Source Conference.
DELTA degrees of freedom in trinuclei. III. The Argonne DELTA model
1992-01-01
The Argonne DELTA model is used to study the effect of one-DELTA and DELTADELTA degrees of freedom on the triton binding energy (ET). Exploratory calculations decompose the J>
Crisis sociales y psicosociales hombres jóvenes: abordaje cualitativo
2005-01-01
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Consumer interest in fish information and labelling : Exploratory insights
2007-01-01
Consumers' cognitive mechanisms and their perception of product properties are markedly affected by information. This paper focuses on consumers' information needs and interests related to fish. The objective is to explore consumers' use of internal and external information sources and their use of information cues with regard to fish. Qualitative exploratory research was performed in May 2004 through focus group discussions in two European countries: Belgium and Spain. Personal sources are found as the most important information sources with regard to fish. Although a majority of consumers use mandatory information cues on fish labels, they express doubts whether information provided on the labels can be trusted. People who are more experienced and have higher familiarity with fish, seem to be more efficient in searching and using information. Instead of providing one message for the consumers, segmentation and targeted information provision is recommended.
Consumer interest in fish information and labelling : Exploratory insights
2007-01-01
Consumers' cognitive mechanisms and their perception of product properties are markedly affected by information. This paper focuses on consumers' information needs and interests related to fish. The objective is to explore consumers' use of internal and external information sources and their use of information cues with regard to fish. Qualitative exploratory research was performed in May 2004 through focus group discussions in two European countries: Belgium and Spain. Personal sources are found as the most important information sources with regard to fish. Although a majority of consumers use mandatory information cues on fish labels, they express doubts whether information provided on the labels can be trusted. People who are more experienced and have higher familiarity with fish, seem to be more efficient in searching and using information. Instead of providing one message for the consumers, segmentation and targeted information provision is recommended.
Full Text Available.BackgroundPrevalence rates of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) co-infection, the distribution of HCV genotypes, and the frequency of spontaneous resolution of hepatitis C in patients infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have a worldwide disparity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) in patients with HIV, the proportion and correlates of infection by different HCV genotypes, and rates of spontaneous resolution of HCV infection.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 1143 HIV patients under follow-up in a HIV/AIDS outpatient reference center of the Brazilian public health system. From 357 anti-HCV positive patients, a consecutive sample of 227 individuals HCV treatment-naïve was interviewed and 207 was tested for HCV-RNA and genotypes.ResultsAnti-HCV was detected in 357 patients (31.2%). HCV-RNA was undetectable in 16.4% of 207 anti-HCV positive individuals. Genotype 1 was diagnosed in 81.5% of the sample, genotype 2 in 1.7% and genotype 3 in 16.2%. Male gender was the unique characteristic associated with higher prevalence of genotype 1 HCV.ConclusionsCo-infection by HCV is frequent among patients with HIV in our State, and it is particularly high the infection by HCV genotype 1. Further investigation is necessary to explain the important regional variation in the proportion of infection by the different HCV genotypes and to better understand rates of spontaneous HCV clearance.
BackgroundPrevalence rates of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) co-infection, the distribution of HCV genotypes, and the frequency of spontaneous resolution of hepatitis C in patients infected...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.BackgroundChronic (systolic) heart failure (CHF) represents a clinical syndrome with high individual and societal burden of disease. Multifaceted interventions like case management are seen as promising ways of improving patient outcomes, but lack a robust evidence base, especially for primary care. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of a new model of CHF case management conducted by doctors' assistants (DAs, equivalent to a nursing role) and supported by general practitioners (GPs).MethodsThis patient-randomised controlled trial (phase II) included 31 DAs and employing GPs from 29 small office-based practices in Germany. Patients with CHF received either case management (n = 99) consisting of telephone monitoring and home visits or usual care (n = 100) for 12 months. We obtained clinical data, health care utilisation data, and patient-reported data on generic and disease-specific quality of life (QoL, SF-36 and KCCQ), CHF self-care (EHFScBS) and on quality of care (PACIC-5A). To compare between groups at follow-up, we performed analyses of covariance and logistic regression models.ResultsBaseline measurement showed high guideline adherence to evidence-based pharmacotherapy and good patient self-care: Patients received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (or angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists) in 93.8% and 95%, and betablockers in 72.2% and 84%, and received both in combination in 68% and 80% of cases respectively. EHFScBS scores (SD) were 25.4 (8.4) and 25.0 (7.1). KCCQ overall summary scores (SD) were 65.4 (22.6) and 64.7 (22.7). We found low hospital admission and mortality rates. EHFScBS scores (-3.6 [-5.7;-1.6]) and PACIC and 5A scores (both 0.5, [0.3;0.7/0.8]) improved in favour of CM but QoL scores showed no significant group differences (Physical/Mental SF-36 summary scores/KCCQ-os [95%CI]: -0.3 [-3.0;2.5]/-0.1 [-3.4;3.1]/1.7 [-3.0;6.4]).ConclusionsIn this sample, with little room for improvement regarding evidence-based pharmacotherapy and CHF self-care, case management showed no improved health outcomes or health care utilisation. However, case management significantly improved performance and key intermediate outcomes. Our study provides evidence for the feasibility of the case management model.Trial registration numberISRCTN30822978
BackgroundChronic (systolic) heart failure (CHF) represents a clinical syndrome with high individual and societal burden of disease. Multifaceted interventions like case management...Full Text Available
1998-11-01
Tunneling of the Exploratory Studies Facility has offered the opportunity to sample and examine occurrences of secondary mineralization found in the unsaturated-zone tuffs of Yucca Mountain, nevada. Petrographic and paragenetic analyses, calcite and silica-phase stable isotopic analyses, and preliminary strontium tracer isotope and radiocarbon age analyses of these samples indicate that (1) an early stage of secondary mineralization consisting largely of chalcedony and quartz, but possibly with or slightly preceded by calcite, probably formed at warmer than ambient temperatures; (2) later secondary mineralization consisting of calcite and opal appears completely consistent with formation from percolation of surface infiltration whose solute load and carbon isotopic compositions reflect passage through the overlying soils; (3) based on textural studies, all unsaturated-zone secondary mineral occurrences exposed within the Exploratory Studies Facility tunnel, with the exception of the vapor-phase assemblages that formed at high temperatures during cooling of the tuffs, probably formed in unsaturated settings; and (4) calcite radiocarbon ages, based on preliminary results, have not been compromised by post-depositional exchange with carbon-bearing water and gases in the unsaturated zone.
Apego e Hiperactividad: Un Estudio Exploratorio del Vínculo Madre-Hijo
2007-01-01
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Análisis bibliométrico de la revista Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición
2007-06-01
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2010-01-01
Background: Amongst a long list of health issues driving the disparity experienced by Indigenous Australians, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the primary target. It is the principal cause of death and of excess death among Indigenous people in Australia, and accounts for almost one-third of the life expectancy gap. Most attention has focused on the higher burden of traditional risk factors experienced by Indigenous people to explain CVD disparity. Far less attention has focused on the quality and outcomes of health system performance in explaining these differentials. The CASPA study was a retrospective, mixed-methods clinical registry and quality improvement program established in the NT of Australia, focused on the patterns, burdens, provision of care, experience of services, advers...
Acetaminophen Modulates the Transcriptional Response to Recombinant Interferon-β
Full Text Available.BackgroundRecombinant interferon treatment can result in several common side effects including fever and injection-site pain. Patients are often advised to use acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain medications as needed. Little is known regarding the transcriptional changes induced by such co-administration.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe tested whether the administration of acetaminophen causes a change in the response normally induced by interferon-β treatment. CD-1 mice were administered acetaminophen (APAP), interferon-β (IFN-β) or a combination of IFN-β+APAP and liver and serum samples were collected for analysis. Differential gene expression was determined using an Agilent 22 k whole mouse genome microarray. Data were analyzed by several methods including Gene Ontology term clustering and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. We observed a significant change in the transcription profile of hepatic cells when APAP was co-administered with IFN-β. These transcriptional changes included a marked up-regulation of genes involved in signal transduction and cell differentiation and down-regulation of genes involved in cellular metabolism, trafficking and the IκBK/NF-κB cascade. Additionally, we observed a large decrease in the expression of several IFN-induced genes including Ifit-3, Isg-15, Oasl1, Zbp1 and predicted gene EG634650 at both early and late time points.Conclusions/SignificanceA significant change in the transcriptional response was observed following co-administration of IFN-β+APAP relative to IFN-β treatment alone. These results suggest that administration of acetaminophen has the potential to modify the efficacy of IFN-β treatment.
Acetaminophen Modulates the Transcriptional Response to Recombinant Interferon-β
BackgroundRecombinant interferon treatment can result in several common side effects including fever and injection-site pain. Patients are often advised to use acetaminophen or other...Full Text Available
A vivência da enfermeira no processo de morte e morrer dos pacientes oncológicos
2009-03-01
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A família do portador de transtorno mental: identificando recursos adaptativos
2008-01-01
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Exploratory research and development FY90
1990-01-01
In general, the Exploratory Research and Development (ER D) Program supports research projects considered too basic or long-range to be funded by other Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) programs. This Program is managed for the Laboratory Director by a special assistant who chairs the LLNL's IR D Review Committee. Membership in the Review Committee comprises senior LLNL scientists, engineers, and managers whose areas of expertise span the range of scientific disciplines pursued at the Laboratory. The research supported by the Program falls into three categories: Exploratory Research in the Disciplines, Director's Initiatives, and Laboratory-Wide Competition. The first two, Exploratory Research and Director's Initiatives, promote pioneering work in the various scientific disciplines and programmatic areas. Laboratory departments and divisions propose and manage projects in the Exploratory Research category. The Laboratory Director, with the advice of the Review Committee, selects several larger projects to fund as Director's Initiative. These projects, which are proposed and managed by the responsible associate director, are intended to enhance the scope of existing programs or establish new technical directions and programs for the Laboratory. All FY90 projects are described in detail in this report. Other publications on ER D projects are included in the Publications List at the back of this report.
Exploratory data analysis on data generated in the DOE subsurface microbiology program
1990-06-01
The preliminary results from the innovative subsurface microbiology research program indicate that new data on the nature of the link between the geosphere and biosphere have been generated. The diversity of scientific disciplines represented in the subsurface microbiology program reflects the complexity of the system under study. The research carried out by national laboratory and university research scientists is addressing fundamental questions about the abundance of microorganisms and factors controlling microbial activity in the complex subsurface hydrologic and geochemical environment. Long-term implications of this research for mitigating contamination are clear and researchers share the broader objective of linking the basic science with applied work.
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