Examiner Reliability of Fluorosis Scoring: A Comparison of Photographic and Clinical Examination Findings

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Orcutt, Noemi; Warren, John J.; Broffitt, Barbara; Levy, Steven M.; Weber-Gasparoni, Karin

2012-01-01

Objective To assess and compare examiner reliability of clinical and photographic fluorosis examinations using the Fluorosis Risk Index (FRI) among children in the Iowa Fluoride Study (IFS). Methods The IFS examined 538 children for fluorosis and dental caries at age 13 and obtained intra-oral photographs from nearly all of them. To assess examiner reliability, duplicate clinical examinations were conducted for 40 of the subjects. In addition, 200 of the photographs were scored independently for fluorosis by two examiners in a standardized manner. Fluorosis data were compared between examiners for the clinical exams and separately for the photographic exams, and a comparison was made between clinical and photographic exams. For all 3 comparisons, examiner reliability was assessed using kappa statistics at the tooth level. Results Inter-examiner reliability for the duplicate clinical exams on the sample of 40 subjects as measured by kappa was 0.59, while the repeat exams of the 200 photographs yielded a kappa of 0.64. For the comparison of photographic and clinical exams, inter-examiner reliability, as measured by weighted kappa, was 0.46. FRI scores obtained using the photographs were higher on average than those obtained from the clinical exams. Fluorosis prevalence was higher for photographs (33%) than found for clinical exam (18%). Conclusion Results suggest inter-examiner reliability is greater and fluorosis scores higher when using photographic compared to clinical examinations. PMID:22316120

Associations between United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Furman S; Zeger, Scott L; Kolars, Joseph C

2008-07-01

Little is known about the associations of previous standardized examination scores with scores on subsequent standardized examinations used to assess medical knowledge in internal medicine residencies. To examine associations of previous standardized test scores on subsequent standardized test scores. Retrospective cohort study. One hundred ninety-five internal medicine residents. Bivariate associations of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores were determined. Random effects analysis adjusting for repeated administrations of the IM-ITE and other variables known or hypothesized to affect IM-ITE score allowed for discrimination of associations of individual USMLE Step scores on IM-ITE scores. In bivariate associations, USMLE scores explained 17% to 27% of the variance in IME-ITE scores, and previous IM-ITE scores explained 66% of the variance in subsequent IM-ITE scores. Regression coefficients (95% CI) for adjusted associations of each USMLE Step with IM-ITE scores were USMLE-1 0.19 (0.12, 0.27), USMLE-2 0.23 (0.17, 0.30), and USMLE-3 0.19 (0.09, 0.29). No single USMLE Step is more strongly associated with IM-ITE scores than the others. Because previous IM-ITE scores are strongly associated with subsequent IM-ITE scores, appropriate modeling, such as random effects methods, should be used to account for previous IM-ITE administrations in studies for which IM-ITE score is an outcome.

Sequential Participation in a Multi-Institutional Mock Oral Examination Is Associated With Improved American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination First-Time Pass Rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Fingeret, Abbey L; Arnell, Tracey; McNelis, John; Statter, Mindy; Dresner, Lisa; Widmann, Warren

We sought to determine whether sequential participation in a multi-institutional mock oral examination affected the likelihood of passing the American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination (ABSCE) in first attempt. Residents from 3 academic medical centers were able to participate in a regional mock oral examination in the fall and spring of their fourth and fifth postgraduate year from 2011 to 2014. Candidate׳s highest composite score of all mock orals attempts was classified as risk for failure, intermediate, or likely to pass. Factors including United States Medical Licensing Examination steps 1, 2, and 3, number of cases logged, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination performance, American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination (ABSQE) performance, number of attempts, and performance in the mock orals were assessed to determine factors predictive of passing the ABSCE. A total of 128 mock oral examinations were administered to 88 (71%) of 124 eligible residents. The overall first-time pass rate for the ABSCE was 82%. There was no difference in pass rates between participants and nonparticipants. Of them, 16 (18%) residents were classified as at risk, 47 (53%) as intermediate, and 25 (29%) as likely to pass. ABSCE pass rate for each group was as follows: 36% for at risk, 84% for intermediate, and 96% for likely pass. The following 4 factors were associated with first-time passing of ABSCE on bivariate analysis: mock orals participation in postgraduate year 4 (p = 0.05), sequential participation in mock orals (p = 0.03), ABSQE performance (p = 0.01), and best performance on mock orals (p = 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, the following 3 factors remained associated with ABSCE passing: ABSQE performance, odds ratio (OR) = 2.9 (95% CI: 1.3-6.1); mock orals best performance, OR = 1.7 (1.2-2.4); and participation in multiple mock oral examinations, OR = 1.4 (1.1-2.7). Performance on a multi-institutional mock oral examination can identify

Examining changes in certification/licensure requirements and the international medical graduate examinee pool.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinley, Danette W; Hess, Brian J; Boulet, John R; Lipner, Rebecca S

2014-03-01

Changes in certification requirements and examinee characteristics are likely to influence the validity of the evidence associated with interpretations made based on test data. We examined whether changes in Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification requirements over time were associated with changes in internal medicine (IM) residency program director ratings and certification examination scores. Comparisons were made between physicians who were ECFMG-certified before and after the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) requirement. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to examine the differences in program director ratings based on CSA cohort and whether the examinees emigrated for undergraduate medical education (national vs. international students). A univariate analysis of covariance was conducted to examine differences in scores from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Internal Medicine Certification Examination. For both analyses, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 scores were used as covariates. Results indicate that, of those certified by ECFMG between 1993 and 1997, 17 % (n = 1,775) left their country of citizenship for undergraduate medical education. In contrast, 38 % (n = 1,874) of those certified between 1999 and 2003 were international students. After adjustment by covariates, the main effect of cohort membership on the program director ratings was statistically significant (Wilks' λ = 0.99, F 5, 15391 = 19.9, P migration status was statistically significant and weak (Wilks' λ = 0.98, F 5,15391 = 45.3, P Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores based on whether or not CSA were required was statistically significant, although the magnitude of the association between these variables was very small. The findings suggest that the implementation of an additional evaluation of skills (e.g., history-taking, physical examination) as a

Advancing the Certified in Public Health Examination: A Job Task Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, Richard S; Yager, Christopher; Yager, James D; Foster, Allison; Breidenbach, Daniel H; Irwin, Zachary

In 2014, the National Board of Public Health Examiners performed a job task analysis (JTA) to revise the Certified in Public Health (CPH) examination. The objectives of this study were to describe the development, administration, and results of the JTA survey; to present an analysis of the survey results; and to review the implications of this first-ever public health JTA. An advisory committee of public health professionals developed a list of 200 public health job tasks categorized into 10 work domains. The list of tasks was incorporated into a web-based survey, and a snowball sample of public health professionals provided 4850 usable responses. Respondents rated job tasks as essential (4), very important (3), important (2), not very important (1), and never performed (0). The mean task importance ratings ranged from 2.61 to 3.01 (important to very important). The highest mean ratings were for tasks in the ethics domain (mean rating, 3.01). Respondents ranked 10 of the 200 tasks as the most important, with mean task rankings ranging from 2.98 to 3.39. We found subtle differences between male and female respondents and between master of public health and doctor of public health respondents in their rankings. The JTA established a set of job tasks in 10 public health work domains, and the results provided a foundation for refining the CPH examination. Additional steps are needed to further modify the content outline of the examination. An empirical assessment of public health job tasks, using methods such as principal components analysis, may provide additional insight.

Impact of Time Lapse on ASCP Board of Certification Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Examination Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Karen A; Fenn, JoAnn P; Freeman, Vicki S; Fisher, Patrick B; Genzen, Jonathan R; Goodyear, Nancy; Houston, Mary Lunz; O'Brien, Mary Elizabeth; Tanabe, Patricia A

2015-01-01

Research in several professional fields has demonstrated that delays (time lapse) in taking certification examinations may result in poorer performance by examinees. Thirteen states and/or territories require licensure for laboratory personnel. A core component of licensure is passing a certification exam. Also, many facilities in states that do not require licensure require certification for employment or preferentially hire certified individuals. To analyze examinee performance on the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification examinations to determine whether delays in taking the examination from the time of program completion are associated with poorer performance. We obtained examination data from April 2013 through December 2014 to look for changes in mean (SD) exam scaled scores and overall pass/fail rates. First-time examinees (MLS: n = 6037; MLT, n = 3920) were divided into 3-month categories based on the interval of time between date of program completion and taking the certification exam. We observed significant decreases in mean (SD) scaled scores and pass rates after the first quarter in MLS and MLT examinations for applicants who delayed taking their examination until the second, third, and fourth quarter after completing their training programs. Those who take the ASCP BOC MLS and MLT examinations are encouraged to do so shortly after completion of their educational training programs. Delays in taking an exam are generally not beneficial to the examinee and result in poorer performance on the exam. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Reference to the Safety Engineering Undergraduate Courses to Improve the Subjects and Contents of the Certified Safety Engineer Qualification and Examination System of China

OpenAIRE

Haibin Qiu; Shanghong Shi; Tingdi Zhao; Yiwei Qiao; Jiangshi Zhang

2013-01-01

The aim of this paper is to recommend that the subjects and contents of certified safety engineers use safety engineering undergraduate curriculum system for reference. Human resources play an important role in accident prevention and loss control. Education on safety engineering develops quickly in China. Moreover, the State Administration of Work Safety and the National Human Resources and Social Security Ministry have implemented a certified safety engineer qualification and examination sy...

Nonparametric decision tree: The impact of ISO 9000 on certified and non certified companies Nonparametric decision tree: The impact of ISO 9000 on certified and non certified companies Nonparametric decision tree: The impact of ISO 9000 on certified and non certified companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joaquín Texeira Quirós

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This empirical study analyzes a questionnaire answered by a sample of ISO 9000 certified companies and a control sample of companies which have not been certified, using a multivariate predictive model. With this approach, we assess which quality practices are associated to the likelihood of the firm being certified. Design/methodology/approach: We implemented nonparametric decision trees, in order to see which variables influence more the fact that the company be certified or not, i.e., the motivations that lead companies to make sure. Findings: The results show that only four questionnaire items are sufficient to predict if a firm is certified or not. It is shown that companies in which the respondent manifests greater concern with respect to customers relations; motivations of the employees and strategic planning have higher likelihood of being certified. Research implications: the reader should note that this study is based on data from a single country and, of course, these results capture many idiosyncrasies if its economic and corporate environment. It would be of interest to understand if this type of analysis reveals some regularities across different countries. Practical implications: companies should look for a set of practices congruent with total quality management and ISO 9000 certified. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature on the internal motivation of companies to achieve certification under the ISO 9000 standard, by performing a comparative analysis of questionnaires answered by a sample of certified companies and a control sample of companies which have not been certified. In particular, we assess how the manager’s perception on the intensity in which quality practices are deployed in their firms is associated to the likelihood of the firm being certified.Purpose: This empirical study analyzes a questionnaire answered by a sample of ISO 9000 certified companies and a control sample of companies

Could Bad Certifiers Certify Best?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bizotto, Jacopo; Rudiger, Jesper; Vigier, Adrien

2017-01-01

We study product certification in settings where the certifier maximizes social welfare and bases his decisions on a mixture of information, some of which is voluntarily disclosed by the sellers, and some of which he acquires first hand by testing products. We show that unless the certifier is able...... to pre-commit to a testing strategy, then having better access to information may lead to worse certification quality, by crowding out information disclosed by the sellers. Policy implications are discussed....

Examination of factors which may contribute to the underrepresentation of African American teachers certified in science

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Rita C. F.

Throughout this country the student population is becoming increasingly diverse, yet the teacher population does not reflect this diversity. This lack of diversity in the teacher population deprives students of color from having role models of the same race/ethnicity who look like them and who might have experiences which are similar to theirs (Epstein, 2005; Nettles & Perna, 1997). Having role models from their own race in the classroom could have a positive impact on students' attitudes about science (Perine, 2003), and facilitate their learning of the subject matter, and give students an incentive to do well in school (Vegas, Murnane, & Willett, 2001). In 2000, a national survey study of math and science teachers was conducted (Horizon Research, 2001). The majority of biology (90%), chemistry (93%), and physics (94%) teachers who participated in the study were White. Findings of the study revealed that only 55% to 60% of these teachers considered themselves well prepared to effectively teach a culturally diverse student population (Banilower, 2002; Smith, 2002; Wood, 2002). The majority of the teacher pool, which is White, prefer not to teach in urban communities as they have a preference for teaching jobs in the nonurban communities that are similar to those in which they were raised (Boyd, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2005; Epstein, 2005). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine factors that may contribute to the underrepresentation of African American teachers certified in science. More specifically, it was decided to examine the high school experiences of in-service teachers. Study participants were teachers and other certificated faculty in two school districts located in the southern portion of the United States. Findings of the study revealed a statistically significant relationship between a teacher's decision to become certified in science and the following high school experiences: teachers and guidance counselors encouraging students to

Examining the reliability of ADAS-Cog change scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Grochowalski, Joseph H; Liu, Ying; Siedlecki, Karen L

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate and examine ways to improve the reliability of change scores on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, Cognitive Subtest (ADAS-Cog). The sample, provided by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, included individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 153) and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 352). All participants were administered the ADAS-Cog at baseline and 1 year, and change scores were calculated as the difference in scores over the 1-year period. Three types of change score reliabilities were estimated using multivariate generalizability. Two methods to increase change score reliability were evaluated: reweighting the subtests of the scale and adding more subtests. Reliability of ADAS-Cog change scores over 1 year was low for both the AD sample (ranging from .53 to .64) and the MCI sample (.39 to .61). Reweighting the change scores from the AD sample improved reliability (.68 to .76), but lengthening provided no useful improvement for either sample. The MCI change scores had low reliability, even with reweighting and adding additional subtests. The ADAS-Cog scores had low reliability for measuring change. Researchers using the ADAS-Cog should estimate and report reliability for their use of the change scores. The ADAS-Cog change scores are not recommended for assessment of meaningful clinical change.

Personality and Examination Score Correlates of Abnormal Psychology Course Ratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauker, Jerome D.

The relationship between the ratings students assigned to an evening undergraduate abnormal psychology class and their scores on objective personality tests and course examinations was investigated. Students (N=70) completed the MMPI and made global ratings of the course; these scores were correlated separately by sex with the T scores of 13 MMPI…

NBME subject examination in surgery scores correlate with surgery clerkship clinical experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Jonathan A; Vigneswaran, Yalini; Gabryszak, Beth; Fogg, Louis F; Francescatti, Amanda B; Golner, Christine; Bines, Steven D

2014-01-01

Most medical schools in the United States use the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examinations as a method of at least partial assessment of student performance, yet there is still uncertainty of how well these examination scores correlate with clinical proficiency. Thus, we investigated which factors in a surgery clerkship curriculum have a positive effect on academic achievement on the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery. A retrospective analysis of 83 third-year medical students at our institution with 4 unique clinical experiences on the general surgery clerkship for the 2007-2008 academic year was conducted. Records of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores, National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores, and essay examination scores for the groups were compared using 1-way analysis of variance testing. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL, an academic institution and tertiary care center. Our data demonstrated National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores from the group with the heavier clinical loads and least time for self-study were statistically higher than the group with lighter clinical services and higher rated self-study time (p = 0.036). However, there was no statistical difference of National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores between the groups with equal clinical loads (p = 0.751). Students experiencing higher clinical volumes on surgical services, but less self-study time demonstrated statistically higher academic performance on objective evaluation, suggesting clinical experience may be of higher value than self-study and reading. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conference attendance does not correlate with emergency medicine residency in-training examination scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Gene Hern, H; Wills, Charlotte; Alter, Harrison; Bowman, Steven H; Katz, Eric; Shayne, Philip; Vahidnia, Farnaz

2009-12-01

The residency review committee for emergency medicine (EM) requires residents to have greater than 70% attendance of educational conferences during residency training, but it is unknown whether attendance improves clinical competence or scores on the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) in-training examination (ITE). This study examined the relationship between conference attendance and ITE scores. The hypothesis was that greater attendance would correlate to a higher examination score. This was a multi-center retrospective cohort study using conference attendance data and examination results from residents in four large county EM residency training programs. Longitudinal multi-level models, adjusting for training site, U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 score, and sex were used to explore the relationship between conference attendance and in-training examination scores according to year of training. Each year of training was studied, as well as the overall effect of mean attendance as it related to examination score. Four training sites reported data on 405 residents during 2002 to 2008; 386 residents had sufficient data to analyze. In the multi-level longitudinal models, attendance at conference was not a significant predictor of in-training percentile score (coefficient = 0.005, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.053 to 0.063, p = 0.87). Score on the USMLE Step 1 examination was a strong predictor of ITE score (coefficient = 0.186, 95% CI = 0.155 to 0.217; p ITE scores. Conference attendance may represent an important part of EM residency training but perhaps not of ITE performance. (c) 2009 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

North Korean refugee doctors' preliminary examination scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung Uk Chae

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose Although there have been studies emphasizing the re-education of North Korean (NK doctors for post-unification of the Korean Peninsula, study on the content and scope of such re-education has yet to be conducted. Researchers intended to set the content and scope of re-education by a comparative analysis for the scores of the preliminary examination, which is comparable to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE. Methods The scores of the first and second preliminary exams were analyzed by subject using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The passing status of the group of NK doctors for KMLE in recent 3 years were investigated. The multiple-choice-question (MCQ items of which difficulty indexes of NK doctors were lower than those of South Korean (SK medical students by two times of the standard deviation of the scores of SK medical students were selected to investigate the relevant reasons. Results The average scores of nearly all subjects were improved in the second exam compared with the first exam. The passing rate of the group of NK doctors was 75%. The number of MCQ items of which difficulty indexes of NK doctors were lower than those of SK medical students was 51 (6.38%. NK doctors’ lack of understandings for Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures, Therapeutics, Prenatal Care, and Managed Care Programs was suggested as the possible reason. Conclusion The education of integrated courses focusing on Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures and Therapeutics, and apprenticeship-style training for clinical practice of core subjects are needed. Special lectures on the Preventive Medicine are likely to be required also.

National Board Certified Teachers andTheir Students' Achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie G. Vandevoort

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Contemporary research on teaching indicates that teachers are powerful contributors to students’ academic achievement, though the set and interrelationships of characteristics that make for high-quality and effective teaching have yet to be satisfactorily determined. Nevertheless, on the basis of the extant research and a vision of exemplary teaching, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards stipulated a definition of a superior teacher. The Board did this without empirical evidence to support their claim that teachers’ who meet the standards set by the Board were superior in promoting academic achievement to those who did not meet those standards. In the 17 years since the founding of the National Board, only a few empirical studies have addressed this important issue. In this study we compare the academic performance of students in the elementary classrooms of 35 National Board Certified teachers and their non-certified peers, in 14 Arizona school districts. Board Certified teachers and their principals provide additional information about these teachers and their schools. Four years of results from the Stanford Achievement Tests in reading, mathematics and language arts, in grades three through six, were analyzed. In the 48 comparisons (four grades, four years of data, three measures of academic performance, using gain scores adjusted for students’ entering ability, the students in the classes of National Board Certified Teachers surpassed students in the classrooms of non-Board certified teachers in almost threequarters of the comparisons. Almost one-third of these differences were statistically significant. In the cases where the students of non-Board certified teachers gained more in an academic year, none of the differences found were statistically significant. Effect size, translated into grade equivalents, informs us that the gains made by students of Board Certified teachers were over one month greater than the

The Relationship between Preservice Teachers' Reading Ability and Their Achievement on Teacher Certification Examinations

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Martin J.; Wells, Tim J.

2006-01-01

Graduates of teacher education programs throughout the nation must pass state-mandated standardized paper-and-pencil exit tests to become certified teachers. This study examines the relationship between the reading levels of preservice teachers enrolled in a south Texas university and their scores on the Texas Examinations of Educator…

Association of Fellowship Training With Otolaryngology Training Examination Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Akinboyewa, Ibukun; Cabrera-Muffly, Cristina

2016-03-01

No prior studies have evaluated whether residents who pursue fellowship training achieve higher performance on the Otolaryngology Training Examination (OTE) and whether a specific fellowship will demonstrate a correlation with the corresponding specialty-specific OTE score. To determine whether residents pursuing fellowship training achieve higher performance on the OTE and whether fellowship choice is correlated with higher scores on the related subspecialty section of the OTE. This retrospective analysis included 35 residents training in an academic otolaryngology residency program from July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2014. The OTE scores for postgraduate years 2 through 5 and the type of fellowship were collected for all residents meeting inclusion criteria. Data were collected from September 1 to October 15, 2014, and analyzed from October 16 to December 1, 2014. Residents were divided by whether they pursued fellowship training and by the type of fellowship chosen. Outcome measures included comparison of scores between residents who pursued vs those who did not pursue fellowship training and comparison of subspecialty OTE scores between residents who pursued the corresponding fellowship and those who did not. Of the 35 residents who met the inclusion criteria (24 men and 11 women), 17 (49%) pursued fellowship training. The 3 most common fellowship choices were facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, and rhinology (4 residents each [24%]). For all residents, mean scores on the OTE improved each subsequent training year, but this difference was only significant between postgraduate years 2 and 3 (from 60.9% to 68.6% correct; P otolaryngology, 72.9% vs 71.3% [P = .79]; and for rhinology, 72.2% vs 71.2% [P = .91]). Residents who pursued fellowship training did not achieve higher scores on the OTE in any examination year compared with residents who did not pursue fellowship training and did not achieve higher scores within the OTE

Predictive value of grade point average (GPA), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), internal examinations (Block) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) scores on Medical Council of Canada qualifying examination part I (MCCQE-1) scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Banibrata; Ripstein, Ira; Perry, Kyle; Cohen, Barry

2016-01-01

To determine whether the pre-medical Grade Point Average (GPA), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Internal examinations (Block) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) scores are correlated with and predict the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I (MCCQE-1) scores. Data from 392 admitted students in the graduating classes of 2010-2013 at University of Manitoba (UofM), College of Medicine was considered. Pearson's correlation to assess the strength of the relationship, multiple linear regression to estimate MCCQE-1 score and stepwise linear regression to investigate the amount of variance were employed. Complete data from 367 (94%) students were studied. The MCCQE-1 had a moderate-to-large positive correlation with NBME scores and Block scores but a low correlation with GPA and MCAT scores. The multiple linear regression model gives a good estimate of the MCCQE-1 (R2 =0.604). Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that 59.2% of the variation in the MCCQE-1 was accounted for by the NBME, but only 1.9% by the Block exams, and negligible variation came from the GPA and the MCAT. Amongst all the examinations used at UofM, the NBME is most closely correlated with MCCQE-1.

Implementation plans for the Korean certified tumor registrar qualification system.

Science.gov (United States)

Boo, Yoo-Kyung; Lim, Hyun-Sook; Won, Young-Joo

2014-01-01

Cancer registration data is used to understand the nation's cancer burden, and to provide significant baseline data for cancer control efforts, as well as, research on cancer incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence. A system that approves, assesses, and manages the qualification of specialists, responsible for performing cancer registration, has not been developed in Korea. This study presents ways to implement a certification system designed for the qualification of tumor registrars in Korea. Requirements for implementing a certified tumor registrar qualification system were determined by reviewing the system for establishing qualifications in Korea and the American qualification system via the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA). Moreover, a survey was conducted on Korean medical records administrators, who had taken the U.S. Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) examination, in order to review their opinions regarding these requirements. This study verified the feasibility of a qualification examination based on the opinions of CTR specialists by determining the following: items, and the associated ratings, of the qualifications necessary to register individuals as certified tumor registrars in a private qualification system; status of human resources required for the examination or training processes; plans regarding the organization needed for management, and operation of qualifications, examination standards, subject areas, examination methods, examination qualifications, or education and training programs. The implementation of a certified tumor registrar qualification system will lead to enhanced job competency for specialists and a qualitative improvement of cancer registration data. It will also reliably foster human resources that will lay the groundwork needed to establish scientific and reasonable national cancer management policies.

The in-training examination: an analysis of its predictive value on performance on the general pediatrics certification examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Althouse, Linda A; McGuinness, Gail A

2008-09-01

This study investigates the predictive validity of the In-Training Examination (ITE). Although studies have confirmed the predictive validity of ITEs in other medical specialties, no study has been done for general pediatrics. Each year, residents in accredited pediatric training programs take the ITE as a self-assessment instrument. The ITE is similar to the American Board of Pediatrics General Pediatrics Certifying Examination. First-time takers of the certifying examination over a 5-year period who took at least 1 ITE examination were included in the sample. Regression models analyzed the predictive value of the ITE. The predictive power of the ITE in the first training year is minimal. However, the predictive power of the ITE increases each year, providing the greatest power in the third year of training. Even though ITE scores provide information regarding the likelihood of passing the certification examination, the data should be used with caution, particularly in the first training year. Other factors also must be considered when predicting performance on the certification examination. This study continues to support the ITE as an assessment tool for program directors, as well as a means of providing residents with feedback regarding their acquisition of pediatric knowledge.

Nursing Distance Learning Course Comparison of Assignments and Examination Scores

Science.gov (United States)

Mundine, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Nursing programs have embraced distance learning in their curricula, but discussion is ongoing about course assignments and grading criteria to increase examination scores in nursing distance learning courses. Because course examinations are a predictor of success on the postgraduate licensing examination (NCLEX-RN), the purpose of this study was…

An investigation of safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified and non-certified organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghahramani, Abolfazl

2016-09-01

Many organizations worldwide have implemented Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 in their premises because of the assumed positive effects of this standard on safety. Few studies have analyzed the effect of the safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organizations. This case-control study used a new safety climate questionnaire to evaluate three OHSAS 18001-certified and three non-certified manufacturing companies in Iran. Hierarchical regression indicated that the safety climate was influenced by OHSAS implementation and by safety training. Employees who received safety training had better perceptions of the safety climate and its dimensions than other respondents within the certified companies. This study found that the implementation of OHSAS 18001 does not guarantee improvement of the safety climate. This study also emphasizes the need for high-quality safety training for employees of the certified companies to improve the safety climate.

Attributes of Candidates Passing the ABS Certifying Examination on the First Attempt-Program Directors׳ Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikh, Mohd Raashid; Hulme, Michael

2016-01-01

The American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination (CE) is a pivotal event in a surgeon's career development, as it is the last challenge before achieving Board certification. First-time pass rate on the CE is one of the key metrics of surgery residency programs. The overall pass rate on the CE has declined significantly in recent years. The goal of this study was the identification of attributes of general surgery residents that are associated with passing the CE at the first attempt. The modified Delphi process was used to survey general surgery program directors. The study was conducted in 2 rounds in the interest of time available for surgical education research fellowship project. All 259 program directors were contacted in each round of surveys. In all, 49 (19%) responded to the first round and 54 (21%) responded to the second round of survey. The characteristics of a successful resident on CE include confidence, self-motivation, sound knowledge base, strong performance on the Board's training examination (American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination), and mock orals, and good communication skills. Postgraduate years 4 and 5 are the most likely resident levels at which failure could be predicted. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Causes of fatal accidents for instrument-certified and non-certified private pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Bob Siyuan; Guindani, Michele; Boyd, Douglas D

2014-11-01

Instrument certification (IFR) enhances a pilot's skills in precisely controlling the aircraft and requires a higher level of standards in maintaining heading and altitude compared with the less stringent private pilot certificate. However, there have been no prior studies to compare fatal accident causes for airmen with, and without, this rating, The NTSB accident database was queried for general aviation fatal accidents for private pilots with, and without IFR certification. Exact Poisson tests were used to calculate whether two rate parameters were equal (ratio of 1), normalized to the number of IFR-rated pilots and flight hours in the given time period. Proportion tests were used to determine whether there were significant differences in fatal accident causes between IFR-certified and non-certified pilots. A logistic regression for log-odds success was used in determining the trend and effect of age on fatal accident rates. IFR certification was associated with a reduced risk of accidents due to failure to maintain obstacle/terrain clearance and spatial disorientation for day and night operations respectively. In contrast, the likelihood of fatal accident due to equipment malfunction during day operations was higher for IFR-certified pilots. The fatal accident rate decreased over the last decade for IFR-certified but not for non-IFR-certified private pilots. However, the overall accident rate for IFR-certified private pilots was more than double that of the cohort lacking this certification. Finally, we found a trend for an increased fatality rate with advancing age for both group of pilots. Our findings informs on where training and/or technology should be focused. Both training for aerodynamic stalls, which causes over a quarter of all fatal accidents, should be intensified for both IFR-certified and non-certified private pilots. Similarly, adherence to minimum safe altitudes for both groups of pilots should be encouraged toward reducing the fatal accidents

A Study of How Certified and Noncertified Automotive Curriculum Impact Student Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

VanDalsem, B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to examine whether written curriculum for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified and non-certified training programs better prepares students for entry-level positions. The theoretical framework based on research by Frase described methodologies for comparing curricula at the system, school, and classroom…

Difficulties of Alternatively Certified Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Schonfeld, Irvin Sam; Feinman, Samantha J.

2012-01-01

This daily diary study followed, over a 2-week period, 252 beginning New York City public school teachers. Seventy percent were alternatively certified (New York City Teaching Fellows) and the rest, traditionally certified teachers. Alternatively certified teachers were more likely to experience stressors such as violent incidents and classroom…

Examining the therapeutic relationship and confronting resistances in psychodynamic psychotherapy: a certified public accountant case.

Science.gov (United States)

Manetta, Christopher T; Gentile, Julie P; Gillig, Paulette Marie

2011-05-01

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a variety of mental health symptoms. This form of psychotherapy uses patient self reflection and self examination, as well as the therapeutic relationship between the patient and psychiatrist, to explore maladaptive coping strategies and relationship patterns of the patient. A thorough understanding of resistance and the core conflictual relationship theme afford the psychiatrist the ability to facilitate this work. In this article, the composite case illustrates some of the psychodynamic psychotherapy techniques that can be employed in a psychotherapy case. In this example, the case is about a certified public accountant that came to treatment because of an acute stressor that put her career goals at risk. An acute episode or event can bring to light chronic and ongoing symptoms, which have had a remitting and relapsing course, and leave the patient unable to compensate on his or her own.

Organisational learning and continuous improvement of health and safety in certified manufacturers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Granerud, Lise; Rocha, Robson Sø

2011-01-01

and raise goals within health and safety on a continuous basis. The article examines how certified occupational and health management systems influence this process to evaluate how far they hinder or support learning. It presents a model with which it is possible to identify and analyse improvement......Certified management systems have increasingly been applied by firms in recent decades and now cover the management of health and safety, principally through the OHSAS 18001 standard. In order to become certified, firms must not only observe the relevant legislation, but also improve performance...... processes. The model is applied to five cases from a qualitative study of Danish manufacturers with certified health and safety management systems. The cases illustrate the wide variation in health and safety management among certified firms. Certification is found to support lower levels of continuous...

Evaluation of Business Excellence among Halal Certified Food Manufacturers in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masrom Nor Ratna binti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Business excellence is a key tool to improve the efficiency of the company. Through the business excellence model, the organization can execute their strategies to determine, forecast and survive in highly competitive market. This paper presents on identifying those elements in business excellence model (leadership, strategy and planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, operation focus this paper provides empirical support for halal food certified companies reviewing and improvement. Survey has been done and analyzed among halal food certified manufacturers in Malaysia. Thus, seven categories with 35 key elements regarding American MBNQA and eight equations are examined. The main conclusions are that, strategy and measurement, analysis and knowledge management are the main weakness of the halal food certified manufacturers in Malaysia. Overall, halal food certified manufacturers in Malaysia is at the silver level of excellence based on the calculation.

Sports Nutrition Knowledge, Perceptions, Resources, and Advice Given by Certified CrossFit Trainers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cassie Maxwell

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: CrossFit is a large, growing force in the fitness community. Currently, Level 1 and 2 CrossFit certification classes do not include nutrition education. The purpose of this study was to identify sports nutrition knowledge, perceptions, resources, and advice given by Certified CrossFit Trainers. Methods: An online questionnaire that measured these four constructs was placed on a private Facebook community, open only to certified CrossFit trainers, for 10 days. Results: Complete surveys were obtained from 289 CrossFit trainers. The mean Sport Nutrition Knowledge (SNK score was 11.1 ± 2.1, equivalent to 65.3% ± 12.4% correct. The trainers perceived nutrition to be extremely important to athletic performance (9.4 ± 0.9 on a 10 point scale. Overall, the trainers graded their SNK higher than that of their CrossFit peers. The internet and CrossFit peers were the most frequently reported sources for nutrition information; Registered Dietitians were the least reported source. The Paleo and Zone diets were the most common dietary regimens recommended by CrossFit trainers. Results indicated a positive correlation between a CrossFit trainer’s self-reported hours of nutrition education and their SNK score (r = 0.17; p < 0.01. Conclusion: Nutrition education modules for Level 1 and 2 CrossFit trainers, developed with input from Board Certified Specialists in Sports Dietetics, are recommended.

Sports Nutrition Knowledge, Perceptions, Resources, and Advice Given by Certified CrossFit Trainers

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, Cassie; Ruth, Kyle; Friesen, Carol

2017-01-01

Background: CrossFit is a large, growing force in the fitness community. Currently, Level 1 and 2 CrossFit certification classes do not include nutrition education. The purpose of this study was to identify sports nutrition knowledge, perceptions, resources, and advice given by Certified CrossFit Trainers. Methods: An online questionnaire that measured these four constructs was placed on a private Facebook community, open only to certified CrossFit trainers, for 10 days. Results: Complete surveys were obtained from 289 CrossFit trainers. The mean Sport Nutrition Knowledge (SNK) score was 11.1 ± 2.1, equivalent to 65.3% ± 12.4% correct. The trainers perceived nutrition to be extremely important to athletic performance (9.4 ± 0.9 on a 10 point scale). Overall, the trainers graded their SNK higher than that of their CrossFit peers. The internet and CrossFit peers were the most frequently reported sources for nutrition information; Registered Dietitians were the least reported source. The Paleo and Zone diets were the most common dietary regimens recommended by CrossFit trainers. Results indicated a positive correlation between a CrossFit trainer’s self-reported hours of nutrition education and their SNK score (r = 0.17; p CrossFit trainers, developed with input from Board Certified Specialists in Sports Dietetics, are recommended.

A Comparison of Retention Rates of Alternatively Certified and Traditional Certified Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dial, Micah

1992-01-01

A survey of 2,500 teachers entering a large urban school district over the last 7 years showed that alternatively certified teachers were as likely as traditional, university-certified teachers to remain in the profession and pay back the school district's initial investment in teacher training. Many become committed to teaching as a meaningful…

Association Between National Board Dental Examination Part II Scores and Comprehensive Examinations at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Min Kyeong; Allareddy, Veerasathpurush; Howell, T Howard; Karimbux, Nadeem Y

2011-01-01

Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) uses a hybrid problem-based approach to teaching in the predoctoral program. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a formative examination designed to assess the performance of students in the problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. At HSDM three comprehensive examinations with OSCE components are administered during the third and fourth years of clinical training. The National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II is taken in the final year of the predoctoral program. This study examines the association between the NBDE Part II and the comprehensive exams held at HSDM. Predoctoral students from the HSDM classes of 2005 and 2006 were included in this study. The outcome variable of interest was the scores obtained by students in the NBDE Part II, and the main independent variable of interest was the performance of students in the comprehensive exams (honors, pass, make-up exam to pass). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to examine the association between the grades obtained in the each of the three comprehensive exams and the NBDE Part II scores. Multivariable linear regression analysis was also used to examine the association between the NBDE Part II scores and the comprehensive exam grades. The effect of potential confounding factors including age, sex, and race/ethnicity was adjusted. The results suggest that students who performed well in the comprehensive exams performed better on the NBDE Part II, even after adjusting for confounding factors. Future studies will examine the long-term impact of PBL on postdoctoral plans and career choices.

The Effectiveness of Public Simulated Oral Examinations in Preparation for the American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pennell, Christopher; McCulloch, Peter

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination (CE) performance is improved among residents who prepare using simulated oral examinations (SOEs). EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched using predefined search terms. No language restrictions were imposed and the latest search date was in November 2014. Included studies must have reported on residents training in a general surgery residency in the United States who used SOEs to prepare for the CE and have measured their performance against those without exposure to SOEs. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed and a fixed effects meta-analysis was performed to determine the net effect of SOEs on CE performance. Overall, 4 of 25 abstracts reviewed met inclusion criteria and are included in this review. The most common simulation format included public examinations in front of resident peers during scheduled education sessions. All 4 included studies trended toward improved performance with SOEs and in 2 of these studies the improvement was statistically significant. Overall, 3 studies were of adequate quality to perform a meta-analysis and demonstrated a relative risk for first-attempt CE success of 1.22 (95% CI: 1.07-1.39, p = 0.003) for residents preparing with SOEs compared to those without SOEs. The published literature evaluating SOEs is limited and generally of fair quality. A modest improvement in CE performance was identified when public SOEs were used as an educational tool aimed to improve professionalism and communication skills, encourage reading at home, and provide a regular review of clinically relevant topics. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 1221.4 - Certified organization.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certified organization. 1221.4 Section 1221.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING... organization. Certified organization means any organization that has been certified by the Secretary pursuant...

7 CFR 1280.103 - Certified organization.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certified organization. 1280.103 Section 1280.103 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING... organization. Certified organization means any organization which has been certified by the Secretary pursuant...

Evaluation of Romblon State University’s Adopt-a-Reviewee Project for Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sherryll M. Fetalvero

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study is part of a bigger evaluation research about the Adopt-a-Reviewee Project for Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (ADOPT of the College of Business and Accountancy of Romblon State University. The project was assessed using Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP evaluation model. This paper however, focuses only on CIPP’s product evaluation component which is essential in making decisions as to the continuation or abortion of the project. A mixed method research was employed in gathering information from 16 beneficiaries and their respective families using two parallel forms of validated evaluation questionnaire complemented with interviews. These data were triangulated in a focus group composed of beneficiaries, benefactors, administrative officials, college dean and accounting teachers. To determine the effect of ADOPT on RSU’s passing performance in the CPA Licensure Examination (CPALE, a series of comparative tests was done. Results reveal that ADOPT is an effective intervention in improving RSU’s performance in CPALE as well as the socio- economic condition and well-being of the beneficiaries and their families. Workable measures are advanced in order to sustain the project despite challenges in fund sourcing and generation.

7 CFR 945.7 - Certified seed potatoes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certified seed potatoes. 945.7 Section 945.7... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IRISH POTATOES GROWN IN CERTAIN... Certified seed potatoes. Certified seed potatoes means and includes all potatoes officially certified and...

7 CFR 983.7 - Certified pistachios.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certified pistachios. 983.7 Section 983.7 Agriculture... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PISTACHIOS GROWN IN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO Definitions § 983.7 Certified pistachios. Certified pistachios are those that meet...

Correlation of USMLE Step 1 scores with performance on dermatology in-training examinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fening, Katherine; Vander Horst, Anthony; Zirwas, Matthew

2011-01-01

Although United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 was not designed to predict resident performance, scores are used to compare residency applicants. Multiple studies have displayed a significant correlation among Step 1 scores, in-training examination (ITE) scores, and board passage, although no such studies have been performed in dermatology. The purpose of this study is to determine if this correlation exists in dermatology, and how much of the variability in ITE scores is a result of differences in Step 1 scores. This study also seeks to determine if it is appropriate to individualize expectations for resident ITE performance. This project received institutional review board exemption. From 5 dermatology residency programs (86 residents), we collected Step 1 and ITE scores for each of the 3 years of dermatology residency, and recorded passage/failure on boards. Bivariate Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess correlation between USMLE and ITE scores. Ordinary least squares regression was computed to determine how much USMLE scores contribute to ITE variability. USMLE and ITE score correlations were highly significant (P ITE in years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Variability in ITE scores caused by differences in USMLE scores were: ITE first-year residency = 21.8%, ITE second-year residency = 29.3%, and ITE third-year residency = 27.8%. This study had a relatively small sample size, with data from only 5 programs. There is a moderate correlation between USMLE and ITE scores, with USMLE scores explaining ∼26% of the variability in ITE scores. Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher quality: a comparison of National Board-certified and non-Board-certified teachers of deaf students.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheetz, Nanci A; Martin, David S

2006-01-01

THE STUDY was designed to identify specific components of teacher excellence, focusing initially on the characteristics of the small number of teachers of the deaf who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), then comparing those with the characteristics of other teachers identified as master teachers by university faculty in teacher preparation in deafness. Classroom observation, written lesson plans, teacher questionnaires on beliefs, and content analysis of interactive electronic focus groups were used to compare the two groups of teachers. Results indicated similarities between Board-certified and non-Board-certified master teachers in regard to teacher behaviors and commitment to well-founded pedagogical principles. Differences were found in classroom priorities and in the greater level of interconnectivity expressed by Board-certified teachers as the result of becoming Board certified. Recommendations are made for preparing teachers of deaf students.

Correlation of United States Medical Licensing Examination and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Jose A; Greer, Sharon

2009-12-01

The Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (ITE) is administered during residency training in the United States as a self-assessment and program assessment tool. Performance on this exam correlates with outcome on the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying examination. Internal Medicine Program Directors use the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to make decisions in recruitment of potential applicants. This study was done to determine a correlation of USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 results with ITE scores in each level of Internal Medicine training. A retrospective review of all residents graduating from an Internal Medicine program from 1999 to 2006 was done. Subjects included had data for all USMLE Steps and ITE during all years of training. Thirty-one subjects were included in the study. Correlations of USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 were done with ITE scores (percent correct) in each year of training. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was determined for each pairing and a t test to determine statistical significance of the correlation was done. Statistical significance was defined as P value ITE percent correct in PGY I, II and III were 0.46, 0.55 and 0.51 respectively. Corresponding r values for USMLE Step 2 and ITE percent correct were 0.79, 0.70 and 0.72; for USMLE Step 3 these values were 0.51, 0.37 and 0.51 respectively for each training year. USMLE scores are correlated with ITE scores. This correlation was strongest for USMLE Step 2.

Certified Schools

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Certified schools must provide specific information regarding the school, the nature and requirements of the educational program, location and contact information,...

The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNaughton, Piers; Satish, Usha; Laurent, Jose Guillermo Cedeno; Flanigan, Skye; Vallarino, Jose; Coull, Brent; Spengler, John D; Allen, Joseph G

2017-03-01

Thirty years of public health research have demonstrated that improved indoor environmental quality is associated with better health outcomes. Recent research has demonstrated an impact of the indoor environment on cognitive function. We recruited 109 participants from 10 high-performing buildings (i.e. buildings surpassing the ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 ventilation requirement and with low total volatile organic compound concentrations) in five U.S. cities. In each city, buildings were matched by week of assessment, tenant, type of worker and work functions. A key distinction between the matched buildings was whether they had achieved green certification. Workers were administered a cognitive function test of higher order decision-making performance twice during the same week while indoor environmental quality parameters were monitored. Workers in green certified buildings scored 26.4% (95% CI: [12.8%, 39.7%]) higher on cognitive function tests, controlling for annual earnings, job category and level of schooling, and had 30% fewer sick building symptoms than those in non-certified buildings. These outcomes may be partially explained by IEQ factors, including thermal conditions and lighting, but the findings suggest that the benefits of green certification standards go beyond measureable IEQ factors. We describe a holistic "buildingomics" approach for examining the complexity of factors in a building that influence human health.

48 CFR 52.215-21 - Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data-Modifications. 52.215-21... Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data... Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data—Modifications (OCT 2010) (a) Exceptions...

Leakage from medically-certified to self-certified workplace absence among norwegian employees

OpenAIRE

Karlsen, Geir Runar; Ytterstad, Elinor

2017-01-01

Source at https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20021518.2017.1411119 There are two different kinds of sickness absence in Norway: self-certified absence (SCA), and medically-certified absence (MCA). In this study of 6437 Norwegian employees, we applied logistic regression models for a dichotomous SCA variable on initially 38 independent vari- ables including age and gender. Our findings showed that employees reporting long-term health issues but no record of MCA in the past 12 months (...

Predicting United States Medical Licensure Examination Step 2 clinical knowledge scores from previous academic indicators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monteiro KA

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Kristina A Monteiro, Paul George, Richard Dollase, Luba Dumenco Office of Medical Education, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Abstract: The use of multiple academic indicators to identify students at risk of experiencing difficulty completing licensure requirements provides an opportunity to increase support services prior to high-stakes licensure examinations, including the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE Step 2 clinical knowledge (CK. Step 2 CK is becoming increasingly important in decision-making by residency directors because of increasing undergraduate medical enrollment and limited available residency vacancies. We created and validated a regression equation to predict students’ Step 2 CK scores from previous academic indicators to identify students at risk, with sufficient time to intervene with additional support services as necessary. Data from three cohorts of students (N=218 with preclinical mean course exam score, National Board of Medical Examination subject examinations, and USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK between 2011 and 2013 were used in analyses. The authors created models capable of predicting Step 2 CK scores from academic indicators to identify at-risk students. In model 1, preclinical mean course exam score and Step 1 score accounted for 56% of the variance in Step 2 CK score. The second series of models included mean preclinical course exam score, Step 1 score, and scores on three NBME subject exams, and accounted for 67%–69% of the variance in Step 2 CK score. The authors validated the findings on the most recent cohort of graduating students (N=89 and predicted Step 2 CK score within a mean of four points (SD=8. The authors suggest using the first model as a needs assessment to gauge the level of future support required after completion of preclinical course requirements, and rescreening after three of six clerkships to identify students who might benefit from

30 CFR 70.202 - Certified person; sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certified person; sampling. 70.202 Section 70... HEALTH MANDATORY HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Sampling Procedures § 70.202 Certified person; sampling. (a) The respirable dust sampling required by this part shall be done by a certified person. (b...

48 CFR 52.215-20 - Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data. 52.215-20 Section 52.215-20... Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data. As prescribed in 15.408(l), insert the following provision: Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than...

30 CFR 71.202 - Certified person; sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certified person; sampling. 71.202 Section 71... Sampling Procedures § 71.202 Certified person; sampling. (a) The respirable dust sampling required by this... on sampling of respirable coal mine dust. (c) A person may be temporarily certified by MSHA to take...

Do medical French students know how to properly score a mini mental state examination?

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandorena, Intza; Chauvelier, Sophie; Vidal, Jean-Sébastien; Piccoli, Matthieu; Coulon, Joséphine; Hugonot-Diener, Laurence; Rigaud, Anne-Sophie; Hanon, Olivier; Duron, Emmanuelle

2017-06-01

The mini mental state examination (MMSE) is a validated tool to assess global cognitive function. Training is required before scoring. Inaccurate scoring can lead to inappropriate medical decisions. In France, MMSE is usually scored by medical students. To assess if medical French students know how to properly score a mini mental state examination. Two « physician-patient » role playings performed by 2 specialized physicians, were performed in front of University Paris V medical students. Role playing A: Scoring of a MMSE according to a script containing five tricks; Role playing B: Find the 5 errors committed in a pre-filled MMSE form, according to the second script. One hundred and five students (64.4% of women, 49.5% in fifth medical school year) anonymously participated. Eighty percent of students had already scored a MMSE and 40% had been previously trained to MMSE scoring. Forty five percent of students previously scored an MMSE, without previously being trained. In test A, 16% of students did not commit any errors, 45.7% one error and 38.1% two errors. In test B, the proportion of students who provided 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 good answers was 3.3%, 29.7%, 29.7%, 25.3%, 7.7% and 4.4% respectively. No association between medical school year, previous training to MMSE scoring and performances at both tests were found. French students do not properly score MMSE. MMSE scoring is not enough or accurately taught (by specialists). The university will provide on line the tests and a short filmed teaching course performed by neuropsychological specialists.

The Meaning of Reflective Teaching to National Board Certified Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Sharlotte F.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examined how National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) perceive the meaning of reflective teaching and how their perceptions compare to the literature on reflective thinking and teaching. The study included five participants who had completed the National Board certification process. Data collection included three…

Certified Electronics Recyclers

Science.gov (United States)

Learn how EPA encourages all electronics recyclers become certified by demonstrating to an accredited, independent third-party auditor and that they meet specific standards to safely recycle and manage electronics.

Training and Certification Program for Certified Energy Auditors (CEA) and Certified Building Commissioning Professionals (CBCP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kent, Bill

2012-08-24

The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) has offered energy efficiency training and certification programs for over 30 years. During that time AEE has certified more than 22,000 professionals. All of our certification programs are the result of extensive industry research and program development and oversight by certification boards. For this project award, AEE proposed to work with the Department of Energy to utilize and extend existing industry recognized Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) and Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP) programs under this Training Program Development Announcement. These expanded training programs will have significant impact in training professionals for building commissioning and energy auditing to achieve the goal of bringing existing buildings up to their optimal energy performance potential and ensuring that new buildings maintain their expected optimal level of performance. The goals and objectives of the training development project were achieved with the development of new training programs that are now being offered as self-sustaining commercial training and certification programs. These new programs are training and certifying professionals who are accomplishing the goal of increasing building energy performance in both existing and new buildings.

Using Raters from India to Score a Large-Scale Speaking Test

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Xiaoming; Mollaun, Pam

2011-01-01

We investigated the scoring of the Speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language[TM] Internet-based (TOEFL iBT[R]) test by speakers of English and one or more Indian languages. We explored the extent to which raters from India, after being trained and certified, were able to score the TOEFL examinees with mixed first languages…

Undergraduate grade point average and graduate record examination scores: the experience of one graduate nursing program.

Science.gov (United States)

Newton, Sarah E; Moore, Gary

2007-01-01

Graduate nursing programs frequently use undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for admission decisions. The literature indicates that both UGPA and GRE scores are predictive of graduate school success, but that UGPA may be the better predictor. If that is so, one must ask if both are necessary for graduate nursing admission decisions. This article presents research on one graduate nursing program's experience with UGPA and GRE scores and offers a perspective regarding their continued usefulness for graduate admission decisions. Data from 120 graduate students were examined, and regression analysis indicated that UGPA significantly predicted GRE verbal and quantitative scores (p < .05). Regression analysis also determined a UGPA score above which the GRE provided little additional useful data for graduate nursing admission decisions.

Impact of Science Tutoring on African Americans' Science Scores on the High School Students' Graduation Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Edward

This study investigated the relationship between an after-school tutorial program for African American high school students at a Title I school and scores on the science portion of the High School Graduation Examination (HSGE). Passing the examination was required for graduation. The target high school is 99% African American and the passing rate of the target high school was 42%---lower than the state average of 76%. The purpose of the study was to identify (a) the relationship between a science tutorial program and scores on the science portion of the HSGE, (b) the predictors of tutoring need by analyzing the relationship between biology grades and scores on the science portion of the HSGE, and (c) the findings between biology grades and scores on the science portion of the HSGE by analyzing the relationship between tutorial attendance and HSGE scores. The study was based on Piaget's cognitive constructivism, which implied the potential benefits of tutorials on high-stakes testing. This study used a 1-group pretest-posttest, quantitative methodology. Results showed a significant relationship between tutoring and scores on the biology portion of the HSGE. Results found no significant relationship between the tutorial attendance and the scores on the biology portion of the HSGE or between the biology grades and scores on the biology portion of the HSGE before tutoring. It has implications for positive social change by providing educational stakeholders with empirically-based guidance in determining the potential benefit of tutorial intervention strategies on high school graduation examination scores.

Variability in interhospital trauma data coding and scoring: A challenge to the accuracy of aggregated trauma registries.

Science.gov (United States)

Arabian, Sandra S; Marcus, Michael; Captain, Kevin; Pomphrey, Michelle; Breeze, Janis; Wolfe, Jennefer; Bugaev, Nikolay; Rabinovici, Reuven

2015-09-01

Analyses of data aggregated in state and national trauma registries provide the platform for clinical, research, development, and quality improvement efforts in trauma systems. However, the interhospital variability and accuracy in data abstraction and coding have not yet been directly evaluated. This multi-institutional, Web-based, anonymous study examines interhospital variability and accuracy in data coding and scoring by registrars. Eighty-two American College of Surgeons (ACS)/state-verified Level I and II trauma centers were invited to determine different data elements including diagnostic, procedure, and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) coding as well as selected National Trauma Data Bank definitions for the same fictitious case. Variability and accuracy in data entries were assessed by the maximal percent agreement among the registrars for the tested data elements, and 95% confidence intervals were computed to compare this level of agreement to the ideal value of 100%. Variability and accuracy in all elements were compared (χ testing) based on Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) membership, level of trauma center, ACS verification, and registrar's certifications. Fifty registrars (61%) completed the survey. The overall accuracy for all tested elements was 64%. Variability was noted in all examined parameters except for the place of occurrence code in all groups and the lower extremity AIS code in Level II trauma centers and in the Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry- and Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist-certified registrar groups. No differences in variability were noted when groups were compared based on TQIP membership, level of center, ACS verification, and registrar's certifications, except for prehospital Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), where TQIP respondents agreed more than non-TQIP centers (p = 0.004). There is variability and inaccuracy in interhospital data coding and scoring of injury information. This finding casts doubt on the

ENERGY STAR Certified Data Center Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Data Center Storage that are effective as of December 2, 2013. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at http://www.energystar.gov/certified-products/detail/data_center_storage

Correlation of the National Board of Medical Examiners Emergency Medicine Advanced Clinical Examination Given in July to Intern American Board of Emergency Medicine in-training Examination Scores: A Predictor of Performance?

Science.gov (United States)

Hiller, Katherine; Franzen, Doug; Heitz, Corey; Emery, Matthew; Poznanski, Stacy

2015-11-01

There is great variation in the knowledge base of Emergency Medicine (EM) interns in July. The first objective knowledge assessment during residency does not occur until eight months later, in February, when the American Board of EM (ABEM) administers the in-training examination (ITE). In 2013, the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) released the EM Advanced Clinical Examination (EM-ACE), an assessment intended for fourth-year medical students. Administration of the EM-ACE to interns at the start of residency may provide an earlier opportunity to assess the new EM residents' knowledge base. The primary objective of this study was to determine the correlation of the NBME EM-ACE, given early in residency, with the EM ITE. Secondary objectives included determination of the correlation of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 or 2 scores with early intern EM-ACE and ITE scores and the effect, if any, of clinical EM experience on examination correlation. This was a multi-institutional, observational study. Entering EM interns at six residencies took the EM-ACE in July 2013 and the ABEM ITE in February 2014. We collected scores for the EM-ACE and ITE, age, gender, weeks of clinical EM experience in residency prior to the ITE, and USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores. Pearson's correlation and linear regression were performed. Sixty-two interns took the EM-ACE and the ITE. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between the ITE and the EM-ACE was 0.62. R-squared was 0.5 (adjusted 0.4). The coefficient of determination was 0.41 (95% CI [0.3-0.8]). For every increase of one in the scaled EM-ACE score, we observed a 0.4% increase in the EM in-training score. In a linear regression model using all available variables (EM-ACE, gender, age, clinical exposure to EM, and USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores), only the EM-ACE score was significantly associated with the ITE (pcorrelation with ITE. Clinical EM experience prior to the in-training exam did not affect the

30-Day Mortality and Readmission after Hemorrhagic Stroke among Medicare Beneficiaries in Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certified and Non-Certified Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtman, Judith H.; Jones, Sara B.; Leifheit-Limson, Erica C.; Wang, Yun; Goldstein, Larry B.

2012-01-01

Background and Purpose Ischemic stroke patients treated at Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center (JC-PSC) certified hospitals have better outcomes. Data reflecting the impact of JC-PSC status on outcomes after hemorrhagic stroke are limited. We determined whether 30-day mortality and readmission rates after hemorrhagic stroke differed for patients treated at JC-PSC certified versus non-certified hospitals. Methods The study included all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years old with a primary discharge diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in 2006. Covariate-adjusted logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the effect of care at a JC-PSC certified hospital on 30-day mortality and readmission. Results There were 2,305 SAH and 8,708 ICH discharges from JC-PSC certified hospitals and 3,892 SAH and 22,564 ICH discharges from non-certified hospitals. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality (SAH: 27.5% vs. 33.2%, pmortality (SAH: 35.1% vs. 44.0%, pmortality was 34% lower (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.76) after SAH and 14% lower (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.80–0.92) after ICH for patients discharged from JC-PSC certified hospitals. There was no difference in 30-day risk-adjusted readmission rates for SAH or ICH based on JC-PSC status. Conclusions Patients treated at JC-PSC certified hospitals had lower risk-adjusted mortality rates for both SAH and ICH but similar 30-day readmission rates as compared with non-certified hospitals. PMID:22033986

Sharing the Wealth:National Board Certified Teachers and the Students Who Need Them Most

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel C. Humphrey

2005-03-01

Full Text Available It is a commonly understood problem in education that many highly qualified teachers tend to gravitate toward higher performing schools, including schools with lower minority enrollments and lower incidence of poverty. This article explores the distribution of a subset of teachers, namely, those who are National Board Certified. To what extent do these teachers' assignment choices mirror the pattern of their non-Board Certified colleagues and to what extent are they different? Part of a larger study of Board Certified Teachers in lower performing schools, the article examines the distribution of NBCTs in the six states with the largest number of them'California, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina. The research finds that, with the exception of California, Board Certified Teachers are not equitably distributed across schools that serve different populations of students. In five of the six states examined, poor, minority, and lower performing students are far less likely to benefit from the teaching of an NBCT than are their more affluent, majority, higher performing peers. The article explores some possible explanations for the California distribution pattern as well as the kinds of incentives provided across the states for teachers to seek Board Certification and for those who earn it. The authors conclude with a rationale and a set of policy suggestions for realigning the distribution of NBCTs.

Scoring and setting pass/fail standards for an essay certification examination in nurse-midwifery.

Science.gov (United States)

Fullerton, J T; Greener, D L; Gross, L J

1992-03-01

Examination for certification or licensure of health professionals (credentialing) in the United States is almost exclusively of the multiple choice format. The certification examination for entry into the practice of the profession of nurse-midwifery has, however, used a modified essay format throughout its twenty-year history. The examination has recently undergone a revision in the method for score interpretation and for pass/fail decision-making. The revised method, described in this paper, has important implications for all health professional credentialing agencies which use modified essay, oral or practical methods of competency assessment. This paper describes criterion-referenced scoring, the process of constructing the essay items, the methods for assuring validity and reliability for the examination, and the manner of standard setting. In addition, two alternative methods for increasing the validity of the pass/fail decision are evaluated, and the rationale for decision-making about marginal candidates is described.

Differences in pain measures by mini-mental state examination scores of residents in aged care facilities: examining the usability of the Abbey pain scale-Japanese version.

Science.gov (United States)

Takai, Yukari; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko; Ko, Ayako; Heilemann, Marysue V

2014-03-01

The validity and reliability of the Abbey Pain Scale-Japanese version (APS-J) have been examined. However, the range of cognitive levels for which the APS-J can be accurately used in older adults has not been investigated. This study aimed to examine the differences between total/item scores of the APS-J and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of residents in aged care facilities who self-reported the presence or absence of pain. This descriptive study included 252 residents in aged care facilities. Self-reported pain, MMSE scores, and item/total APS-J scores for pain intensity were collected. The MMSE scores were used to create four groups on the basis of the cognitive impairment level. Self-reports of pain and the APS-J scores were compared with different MMSE score groups. The total APS-J score for pain intensity as well as scores for individual items such as "vocalization" and "facial expression" were significantly higher in those who reported pain than in those reporting no pain across all MMSE groups. The total APS-J score and item scores for "vocalization," "change in body language," and "behavioral changes" showed significant differences in the four MMSE groups. Pain intensity tended to be overestimated by the APS-J, especially among those with low MMSE scores. The APS-J can be used to assess pain intensity in residents despite their cognitive levels. However, caution is required when using it to compare scores among older adults with different cognitive capacity because of the possibility of overestimation of pain among residents with low cognitive capacity. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation of the National Board of Medical Examiners Emergency Medicine Advanced Clinical Examination given in July to intern American Board of Emergency Medicine in-training examination scores, a predictor of performance?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine Hiller

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: There is great variation in the knowledge base of Emergency Medicine (EM interns in July. The first objective knowledge assessment during residency does not occur until eight months later, in February, when the American Board of EM (ABEM administers the in-training examination (ITE. In 2013, the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME released the EM Advanced Clinical Examination (EM-ACE, an assessment intended for fourth-year medical students. Administration of the EM-ACE to interns at the start of residency may provide an earlier opportunity to assess the new EM residents’ knowledge base. The primary objective of this study was to determine the correlation of the NBME EM-ACE, given early in residency, with the EM ITE. Secondary objectives included determination of the correlation of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE Step 1 or 2 scores with early intern EM-ACE and ITE scores and the effect, if any, of clinical EM experience on examination correlation. Methods: This was a multi-institutional, observational study. Entering EM interns at six residencies took the EM-ACE in July 2013 and the ABEM ITE in February 2014. We collected scores for the EMACE and ITE, age, gender, weeks of clinical EM experience in residency prior to the ITE, and USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores. Pearson’s correlation and linear regression were performed. Results: Sixty-two interns took the EM-ACE and the ITE. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the ITE and the EM-ACE was 0.62. R-squared was 0.5 (adjusted 0.4. The coefficient of determination was 0.41 (95% CI [0.3-0.8]. For every increase of one in the scaled EM-ACE score, we observed a 0.4% increase in the EM in-training score. In a linear regression model using all available variables (EM-ACE, gender, age, clinical exposure to EM, and USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores, only the EM-ACE score was significantly associated with the ITE (p<0.05. We observed significant colinearity

76 FR 19310 - Information Collection; Certified State Mediation Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-07

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Certified State Mediation... supports the Certified State Mediation Program. The information collection is necessary to ensure the grant... submit comments by any of the following methods: Mail: Carol Wagner, Certified State Mediation Program...

[A school-level longitudinal study of clinical performance examination scores].

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jang Hee

2015-06-01

This school-level longitudinal study examined 7 years of clinical performance data to determine differences (effects) in students and annual changes within a school and between schools; examine how much their predictors (characteristics) influenced the variation in student performance; and calculate estimates of the schools' initial status and growth. A school-level longitudinal model was tested: level 1 (between students), level 2 (annual change within a school), and level 3 (between schools). The study sample comprised students who belonged to the CPX Consortium (n=5,283 for 2005~2008 and n=4,337 for 2009~2011). Despite a difference between evaluation domains, the performance outcomes were related to individual large-effect differences and small-effect school-level differences. Physical examination, clinical courtesy, and patient education were strongly influenced by the school effect, whereas patient-physician interaction was not affected much. Student scores are influenced by the school effect (differences), and the predictors explain the variation in differences, depending on the evaluation domain.

30 CFR 90.203 - Certified person; maintenance and calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY HEALTH STANDARDS-COAL MINERS WHO HAVE EVIDENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS Sampling Procedures § 90.203 Certified person; maintenance and calibration. (a) Approved sampling devices shall be maintained and calibrated by a certified person. (b) To be certified, a...

Using Score Equating and Measurement Invariance to Examine the Flynn Effect in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Nicholas; Beaujean, A Alexander; Taub, Gordon E

2015-01-01

The Flynn effect (FE; i.e., increase in mean IQ scores over time) is commonly viewed as reflecting population shifts in intelligence, despite the fact that most FE studies have not investigated the assumption of score comparability. Consequently, the extent to which these mean differences in IQ scores reflect population shifts in cognitive abilities versus changes in the instruments used to measure these abilities is unclear. In this study, we used modern psychometric tools to examine the FE. First, we equated raw scores for each common subtest to be on the same scale across instruments. This enabled the combination of scores from all three instruments into one of 13 age groups before converting raw scores into Z scores. Second, using age-based standardized scores for standardization samples, we examined measurement invariance across the second (revised), third, and fourth editions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Results indicate that while scores were equivalent across the third and fourth editions, they were not equivalent across the second and third editions. Results suggest that there is some evidence for an increase in intelligence, but also call into question many published FE findings as presuming the instruments' scores are invariant when this assumption is not warranted.

The Effectiveness of "Teach for America" and Other Under-certified Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ildiko Laczko-Kerr

2002-09-01

Full Text Available The academic achievements of students taught by under-certified primary school teachers were compared to the academic achievements of students taught by regularly certified primary school teachers.  This sample of under-certified teachers included three types of under-qualified personnel: emergency, temporary and provisionally certified teachers.  One subset of these under-certified teachers was from the national program "Teach For America (TFA."  Recent college graduates are placed by TFA where other under-qualified under-certified teachers are often called upon to work, namely, low-income urban and rural school districts. Certified teachers in this study were from accredited universities and all met state requirements for receiving the regular initial certificate to teach.  Recently hired under-certified and certified teachers (N=293 from five low-income school districts were matched on a number of variables, resulting in 109 pairs of teachers whose students all took the mandated state achievement test. Results indicate 1 that students of TFA teachers did not perform significantly different from students of other under-certified teachers, and 2 that students of certified teachers out-performed students of teachers who were under-certified.  This was true on all three subtests of the SAT 9—reading, mathematics and language arts.  Effect sizes favoring the students of certified teachers were substantial.  In reading, mathematics, and language, the students of certified teachers outperformed students of under-certified teachers, including the students of the TFA teachers, by about 2 months on a grade equivalent scale.  Students of under-certified teachers make about 20% less academic growth per year than do students of teachers with regular certification.  Traditional programs of teacher preparation apparently result in positive effects on the academic achievement of low-income primary school children.  Present

30 CFR 90.202 - Certified person; sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certified person; sampling. 90.202 Section 90... HEALTH MANDATORY HEALTH STANDARDS-COAL MINERS WHO HAVE EVIDENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS Sampling Procedures § 90.202 Certified person; sampling. (a) The respirable dust sampling required by this...

Development of solid water-equivalent radioactive certified reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finke, E.; Greupner, H.; Groche, K.; Rittwag, R.; Geske, G.

1991-01-01

This paper presents a brief description of the development of solid water-equivalent beta volume radioactive certified reference materials. These certified reference materials were prepared for the beta fission nuclides 90 Sr/ 90 Y, 137 Cs, 147 Pm and 204 Tl. Comparative measurements of liquid and solid water-equivalent beta volume radioactive certified reference materials are discussed. (author)

The Effectiveness of "Teach for America" and Other Under-certified Teachers

OpenAIRE

Ildiko Laczko-Kerr; David C. Berliner

2002-01-01

The academic achievements of students taught by under-certified primary school teachers were compared to the academic achievements of students taught by regularly certified primary school teachers.  This sample of under-certified teachers included three types of under-qualified personnel: emergency, temporary and provisionally certified teachers.  One subset of these under-certified teachers was from the national program "Teach For America (TFA)."  Recent college graduates are placed by TF...

ENERGY STAR Certified Telephones

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Telephony (cordless telephones and VoIP...

ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifiers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Dehumidifiers that are effective as of October...

19 CFR 159.36 - Multiple certified rates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... multiple rates have been certified for a foreign currency, the rate to be used for Customs purposes shall... TREASURY (CONTINUED) LIQUIDATION OF DUTIES Conversion of Foreign Currency § 159.36 Multiple certified rates... rates of exchange (e.g., official and free) for a foreign currency: (a) Rates to be published. When the...

Computer-Assisted Automated Scoring of Polysomnograms Using the Somnolyzer System.

Science.gov (United States)

Punjabi, Naresh M; Shifa, Naima; Dorffner, Georg; Patil, Susheel; Pien, Grace; Aurora, Rashmi N

2015-10-01

Manual scoring of polysomnograms is a time-consuming and tedious process. To expedite the scoring of polysomnograms, several computerized algorithms for automated scoring have been developed. The overarching goal of this study was to determine the validity of the Somnolyzer system, an automated system for scoring polysomnograms. The analysis sample comprised of 97 sleep studies. Each polysomnogram was manually scored by certified technologists from four sleep laboratories and concurrently subjected to automated scoring by the Somnolyzer system. Agreement between manual and automated scoring was examined. Sleep staging and scoring of disordered breathing events was conducted using the 2007 American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria. Clinical sleep laboratories. A high degree of agreement was noted between manual and automated scoring of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The average correlation between the manually scored AHI across the four clinical sites was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.90-0.93). Similarly, the average correlation between the manual and Somnolyzer-scored AHI values was 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.91-0.96). Thus, interscorer correlation between the manually scored results was no different than that derived from manual and automated scoring. Substantial concordance in the arousal index, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency between manual and automated scoring was also observed. In contrast, differences were noted between manually and automated scored percentages of sleep stages N1, N2, and N3. Automated analysis of polysomnograms using the Somnolyzer system provides results that are comparable to manual scoring for commonly used metrics in sleep medicine. Although differences exist between manual versus automated scoring for specific sleep stages, the level of agreement between manual and automated scoring is not significantly different than that between any two human scorers. In light of the burden associated with manual scoring, automated

Does the Length of Fielding Period Matter? Examining Response Scores of Early Versus Late Responders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigman Richard

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the potential effects of a shortened fielding period on an employee survey’s item and index scores and respondent demographics. Using data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2011 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, we investigate whether early responding employees differ from later responding employees. Specifically, we examine differences in item and index scores related to employee engagement and global satisfaction. Our findings show that early responders tend to be less positive, even after adjusting their weights for nonresponse. Agencies vary in their prevalence of late responders, and score differences become magnified as this proportion increases. We also examine the extent to which early versus late responders differ on demographic characteristics such as grade level, supervisory status, gender, tenure with agency, and intention to leave, noting that nonminorities and females are the two demographic characteristics most associated with responding early.

Development of solid water-equivalent radioactive certified reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finke, E.; Greupner, H.; Groche, K.; Rittwag, R. (Office for Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control (ASMW), Berlin (Germany, F.R.)); Geske, G. (Jena Univ. (Germany, F.R.))

1991-01-01

This paper presents a brief description of the development of solid water-equivalent beta volume radioactive certified reference materials. These certified reference materials were prepared for the beta fission nuclides {sup 90}Sr/{sup 90}Y, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 147}Pm and {sup 204}Tl. Comparative measurements of liquid and solid water-equivalent beta volume radioactive certified reference materials are discussed. (author).

ENERGY STAR Certified Televisions

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 7.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Televisions that are effective as of October 30,...

ENERGY STAR Certified Boilers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Boilers that are effective as of October 1,...

Study of the Impact of Certified Staff Perception of Digital Citizenship upon Teacher Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Ashmeade, Lisa Ann

2016-01-01

This record of study examines the relationship between certified staff personnel perception of digital citizenship and the impact upon professional development. Quantitative and qualitative data was used to examine responses to teacher familiarity with the concept of digital citizenship and status of teaching digital citizenship culminating with…

19 CFR 159.35 - Certified daily rate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... TREASURY (CONTINUED) LIQUIDATION OF DUTIES Conversion of Foreign Currency § 159.35 Certified daily rate. The daily buying rate of foreign currency which is determined by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and certified to the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 5151(e) shall be used for...

Development and validation of a score for evaluating comprehensive stroke care capabilities: J-ASPECT Study

OpenAIRE

Kada, Akiko; Nishimura, Kunihiro; Nakagawara, Jyoji; Ogasawara, Kuniaki; Ono, Junichi; Shiokawa, Yoshiaki; Aruga, Toru; Miyachi, Shigeru; Nagata, Izumi; Toyoda, Kazunori; Matsuda, Shinya; Suzuki, Akifumi; Kataoka, Hiroharu; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Kamitani, Satoru

2017-01-01

Background Although the Brain Attack Coalition recommended establishing centers of comprehensive care for stroke and cerebrovascular disease patients, a scoring system for such centers was lacking. We created and validated a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) score, adapted to Japanese circumstances. Methods Of the selected 1369 certified training institutions in Japan, 749 completed an acute stroke care capabilities survey. Hospital performance was determined using a 25-item score, evaluating...

Screening applicants for risk of poor academic performance: a novel scoring system using preadmission grade point averages and graduate record examination scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Luce, David

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an effective screening tool for identifying physician assistant (PA) program applicants at highest risk for poor academic performance. Prior to reviewing applications for the class of 2009, a retrospective analysis of preadmission data took place for the classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008. A single composite score was calculated for each student who matriculated (number of subjects, N=228) incorporating the total undergraduate grade point average (UGPA), the science GPA (SGPA), and the three component Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores: verbal (GRE-V), quantitative (GRE-Q), analytical (GRE-A). Individual applicant scores for each of the five parameters were ranked in descending quintiles. Each applicant's five quintile scores were then added, yielding a total quintile score ranging from 25, which indicated an excellent performance, to 5, which indicated poorer performance. Thirteen of the 228 students had academic difficulty (dismissal, suspension, or one-quarter on academic warning or probation). Twelve of the 13 students having academic difficulty had a preadmission total quintile score 12 (range, 6-14). In response to this descriptive analysis, when selecting applicants for the class of 2009, the admissions committee used the total quintile score for screening applicants for interviews. Analysis of correlations in preadmission, graduate, and postgraduate performance data for the classes of 2009-2013 will continue and may help identify those applicants at risk for academic difficulty. Establishing a threshold total quintile score of applicant GPA and GRE scores may significantly decrease the number of entering PA students at risk for poor academic performance.

ENERGY STAR Certified Displays

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 7.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Displays that are effective as of July 1, 2016....

Beliefs of Certified Public Accountants toward Distance Education: A Statewide Georgia Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Perdue, Kathy J.; Valentine, Thomas

1998-01-01

Examines the beliefs of certified public accountants (CPAs) in the state of Georgia concerning the effectiveness of distance education in providing continuing professional education (CPE). Findings indicate that the CPAs believe distance education to be an effective mode of learning, and that necessary technological capabilities are available to…

The importance of using certified seed

OpenAIRE

Bogdanović Sandra; Mladenov Velimir; Balešević-Tubić Svetlana

2015-01-01

Certified seed is produced from the seed of known genetic origin and genetic purity with controlled and tested production, processed and declared in accordance with the Law on Seeds. Production of certified seed is carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, by seed producers formally listed in the Seed Register. Seed is processed in registered seed processing centres and quality is tested in laboratories accredited for seed testing. The orga...

7 CFR 457.145 - Potato crop insurance-certified seed endorsement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Potato crop insurance-certified seed endorsement. 457... INSURANCE CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.145 Potato crop insurance—certified seed endorsement. The Potato Crop Insurance Certified Seed Endorsement Provisions for...

19 CFR 115.9 - Certifying Authorities responsibilities-containers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certifying Authorities responsibilities-containers...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CARGO CONTAINER AND ROAD VEHICLE CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS CONVENTIONS Administration § 115.9 Certifying Authorities responsibilities—containers. (a) General. Containers...

7 CFR 785.4 - Grants to certified State mediation programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Grants to certified State mediation programs. 785.4..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL PROGRAMS CERTIFIED STATE MEDIATION PROGRAM § 785.4 Grants to certified State mediation programs. (a) Eligibility. To be eligible to receive a grant, a State mediation program...

Comparative Analyses of Physics Candidates Scores in West African and National Examinations Councils

Science.gov (United States)

Utibe, Uduak James; Agah, John Joseph

2015-01-01

The study is a comparative analysis of physics candidates' scores in West African and National Examinations Councils. It also investigates influence of gender. Results of 480 candidates were randomly selected form three randomly selected Senior Science Colleges using the WASSCE and NECOSSCE computer printout sent to the schools, transformed using…

76 FR 80741 - TRICARE: Certified Mental Health Counselors

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

...] TRICARE: Certified Mental Health Counselors AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Defense. ACTION... would allow licensed or certified mental health counselors to be able to independently provide care to... mental health counselors (CMHCs), who will be authorized to practice independently under TRICARE. During...

Emergency Medicine Evaluation of Community-Acquired Pneumonia: History, Examination, Imaging and Laboratory Assessment, and Risk Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Brit; Long, Drew; Koyfman, Alex

2017-11-01

Pneumonia is a common infection, accounting for approximately one million hospitalizations in the United States annually. This potentially life-threatening disease is commonly diagnosed based on history, physical examination, and chest radiograph. To investigate emergency medicine evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia including history, physical examination, imaging, and the use of risk scores in patient assessment. Pneumonia is the number one cause of death from infectious disease. The condition is broken into several categories, the most common being community-acquired pneumonia. Diagnosis centers on history, physical examination, and chest radiograph. However, all are unreliable when used alone, and misdiagnosis occurs in up to one-third of patients. Chest radiograph has a sensitivity of 46-77%, and biomarkers including white blood cell count, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein provide little benefit in diagnosis. Biomarkers may assist admitting teams, but require further study for use in the emergency department. Ultrasound has shown utility in correctly identifying pneumonia. Clinical gestalt demonstrates greater ability to diagnose pneumonia. Clinical scores including Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI); Confusion, blood Urea nitrogen, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, age 65 score (CURB-65); and several others may be helpful for disposition, but should supplement, not replace, clinical judgment. Patient socioeconomic status must be considered in disposition decisions. The diagnosis of pneumonia requires clinical gestalt using a combination of history and physical examination. Chest radiograph may be negative, particularly in patients presenting early in disease course and elderly patients. Clinical scores can supplement clinical gestalt and assist in disposition when used appropriately. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Clinical diagnosis of distal diabetic polyneuropathy using neurological examination scores: correlation with nerve conduction studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shereen R Kamel

2015-01-01

Conclusion Neurological examination scores can detect and grade neuropathy in the majority of cases. However, NCS was accurate for detection of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy, especially for the subclinical neuropathies.

Certified safe farm: identifying and removing hazards on the farm.

Science.gov (United States)

Rautiainen, R H; Grafft, L J; Kline, A K; Madsen, M D; Lange, J L; Donham, K J

2010-04-01

This article describes the development of the Certified Safe Farm (CSF) on-farm safety review tools, characterizes the safety improvements among participating farms during the study period, and evaluates differences in background variables between low and high scoring farms. Average farm review scores on 185 study farms improved from 82 to 96 during the five-year study (0-100 scale, 85 required for CSF certification). A total of 1292 safety improvements were reported at an estimated cost of $650 per farm. A wide range of improvements were made, including adding 9 rollover protective structures (ROPS), 59 power take-off (PTO) master shields, and 207 slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblems; improving lighting on 72 machines: placing 171 warning decals on machinery; shielding 77 moving parts; locking up 17 chemical storage areas, adding 83 lockout/tagout improvements; and making general housekeeping upgrades in 62 farm buildings. The local, trained farm reviewers and the CSF review process overall were well received by participating farmers. In addition to our earlier findings where higher farm review scores were associated with lower self-reported health outcome costs, we found that those with higher farm work hours, younger age, pork production in confinement, beef production, poultry production, and reported exposure to agrichemicals had higher farm review scores than those who did not have these characteristics. Overall, the farm review process functioned as expected. encouraging physical improvements in the farm environment, and contributing to the multi-faceted CSF intervention program.

Examining the Predictive Validity of GRE Scores on Doctoral Education: Students' Success and Methodology Choices in the Dissertation Process

Science.gov (United States)

Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.; Bray, Oliver R., Jr.; Spaulding, Lucinda S.

2014-01-01

This study examines how GRE scores can be used to better understand Education doctoral candidates' methodology choices for the dissertation as well as their persistence behaviors. Candidates' of one online doctoral education program were examined. Results of a MANOVA suggested that there is no difference in GRE scores based on doctoral candidates'…

The Impact of Mentoring on Alternatively Certified Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Kesler, Becky

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived effectiveness of mentoring for teachers certified through non-traditional avenues. This quantitative study investigated the type and amount of support teachers certified through the Arkansas Non-traditional Licensure Program (NTLP) and the Master of Arts in Teaching Program (MATP) received…

43 CFR 44.23 - How does the Department certify payment computations?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Certified Public Accountant, or an independent public accountant, that the statement has been audited in... guidelines that State auditors, independent Certified Public Accountants, or independent public accountants... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How does the Department certify payment...

ENERGY STAR Certified Products - Lighting

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This data set contains a simplified list of all currently certified ENERGY STAR Lighting models with basic model information collected across all product categories...

Financing of certified centers: a willingness-to-pay analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiel, Falk C; Scharl, Anton; Hildebrandt, Thomas; Kotziabassis, Efstratios; Schrauder, Michael G; Bani, Mayada R; Müller, Andreas; Hauzenberger, Tanja; Loehberg, Christian R; Jud, Sebastian M; Fasching, Peter A; Hartmann, Arndt; Schulz-Wendtland, Rüdiger; Strnad, Vratislav; Beckmann, Matthias W; Lux, Michael Patrick

2013-03-01

Although care in certified breast centers is now established throughout Germany, numerous services are still not being reimbursed. This also affects other centers involved in the specialty of gynecology such as gynecological cancer centers, perinatal centers, and endometriosis centers. Although a certified center is entitled to charge additional fees, these are in most cases not reimbursed. Calculation of additional costs is limited by the fact that data from the Institute for the Hospital Reimbursement System (Institut für das Entgeltsystem im Krankenhaus, InEK) do not reflect interdisciplinary services and procedures. For decision-makers, society's willingness to pay is an important factor in guiding decisions on the basis of social priorities. A hypothetical maximum willingness to pay can be calculated using a willingness-to-pay analysis, making it possible to identify deficiencies in the arbitrary setting of health budgets at the macro-level. In a multicenter study conducted between November 2009 and December 2010, 2,469 patients at a university hospital and at a non-university hospital were asked about the extent of their awareness of certified centers, the influence of centers on hospital presentation, and about personal attitudes toward quality-oriented reimbursement. A subjective assessment of possible additional charges was calculated using a willingness-to-pay analysis. In the overall group, 53.4 % of the patients were aware of what a certified center is and 27.4 % had specific information (obstetrics 40.0/32.3 %; mastology 66.8/23.2 %; gynecological oncology 54.7/27.3 %; P < 0.001). For 43.8 %, a certified center was one reason or the major reason for presentation (obstetrics 26.2 %; mastology 66.8 %; gynecological oncology 46.6 %; P < 0.001). A total of 72.6 % were in favor of quality-oriented reimbursement and 69.7 % were in favor of an additional charge for a certified center amounting to €538.56 (mastology €643.65, obstetrics €474

[Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE): determination of cutoff scores according to age and educational level].

Science.gov (United States)

Solias, A; Skapinakis, P; Degleris, N; Pantoleon, M; Katirtzoglou, E; Politis, A

2014-01-01

For the last 38 years, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) has been widely used as a dementia screening measure in everyday clinical practice as well as in both cohort and cross-sectional studies. Its validity and reliability for the Greek population has explicitly been documented. However, the effect of age and education on the subject's performance makes it necessary to reckon them in the estimation of the "cutoff score". The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of dementia in Greek population and determine the "cutoff score" by age and education-corrected norms. Cross sectional study of 630 patients older than 55 years, who live independently in Ilion and Helioupolis Municipalities was conducted, 27.3% of the subjects tested in the study were diagnosed with memory disorder according to their MMSE scores and the validation for the Greek population. The effect of age and education to the subjects' performance was statistically significant (p=.000). The use of standard "cutoff score" was not proved to be useful for the personalized interpretation of the results, as documented by the fact that older individuals with lower education had a poorer performance relatively to younger, highly educated subjects. Comparatively to the group age of 55-60 years, the odds ratio after the age of 75 years varies from 2.58 to 4.91. Regarding the variable factor of education, the odds ratio for the first degree education graduates decreases from 1.43 to 3.19 for the third degree education graduates in comparison with the group of illiterates. In conclusion, the use of the "cutoff score" algorithm and the simultaneous estimation of age and education effect on MMSE score may prove useful for the proper evaluation of MMSE performance. According to the age and education of examine candidates in the community and the primary care, we propose the use of the 25th percentile as a more useful cutoff score in order to decrease the false positive results.

Effect of management, marketing, and certified health programs on the sale price of beef calves sold through a livestock video auction service from 1995 through 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Seeger, Jon T; King, Michael E; Grotelueschen, Dale M; Rogers, Glenn M; Stokka, Gerald S

2011-08-15

To evaluate and update the previously quantified effects of management, marketing, and certified health programs on the sale price of beef calves sold through a livestock video auction service. Longitudinal study. 41,657 lots representing 5,042,272 beef calves sold from 1995 through 2009. Data describing each lot of beef calves marketed from 1995 through 2009 by a livestock video auction service were obtained from sale catalogues. For each year of the study, multiple regression analysis was used to quantify the effect of management, marketing, and certified health programs on sale price. Sale date, base sale weight, quadratic effect of base weight, sex of calf, region of origin, breed description, inclusion in a certified health program, and number of calves in the lot significantly affected sale price for every year of the study. Variation in body weight, flesh score, and number of days between sale and delivery date had significant effects on price in most of the years; frame score and calves with horns affected price in 7 of 15 years; age and source verification influenced sale price in every year since source verification was introduced in 2005; and the auction service's progressive genetics program increased price during the 1 year that program was available. Some management, marketing, and certified health initiatives have consistently increased the sale price of beef calves, and producers can increase the price of their calves by implementing these practices.

ENERGY STAR Certified Vending Machines

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines that are...

ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Freezers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Residential Refrigerators and Freezers that are...

ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Refrigerators

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Residential Refrigerators and Freezers that are...

ENERGY STAR Certified Smart Thermostats

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Connected Thermostats that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Dishwashers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Residential Dishwashers that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Dishwashers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Dishwashers that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Ovens

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.2 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Ovens that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Boilers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Boilers that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Ventilating Fans

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Ventilating Fans that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Imaging Equipment

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Imaging Equipment that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Fryers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Fryers that are effective as of...

Diagnosis of poor safety culture as a major shortcoming in OHSAS 18001-certified companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghahramani, Abolfazl

2017-04-07

The evaluation of safety performance in occupational health and safety assessment series (OHSAS) 18001-certified companies provides useful information about the quality of the management system. A certified organization should employ an adequate level of safety management and a positive safety culture to achieve a satisfactory safety performance. The present study conducted in six manufacturing companies: three OHSAS 18001-certified, and three non-certified to assess occupational health and safety (OHS) as well as OHSAS 18001 practices. The certified companies had a better OHS practices compared with the non-certified companies. The certified companies slightly differed in OHS and OHSAS 18001 practices and one of the certified companies had the highest activity rates for both practices. The results indicated that the implemented management systems have not developed and been maintained appropriately in the certified companies. The in-depth analysis of the collected evidence revealed shortcomings in safety culture improvement in the certified companies. This study highlights the importance of safety culture to continuously improve the quality of OHSAS 18001 and to properly perform OHS/OHSAS 18001 practices in the certified companies.

Organic Coasts? Regulatory Challenges of Certifying Integrated Shrimp-Mangrove Production Systems in Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Tran Thi Thu; Bush, Simon R.; Mol, Arthur P. J.; van Dijk, Han

2012-01-01

The Vietnamese government aims to expand the scale of Naturland certified organic production in integrated shrimp-mangrove farming systems across the coast of Ca Mau province by 2015. In doing so the division between public and private regulation has become blurred. We analyze the government's goal by examining the regulatory challenges of using…

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Griddles

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.2 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Griddles that are effective as of May...

ENERGY STAR Certified Water Coolers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Water Coolers that are effective as of February...

ENERGY STAR Certified Audio Video

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Audio Video Equipment that are effective as of...

Understanding the Intentions of Accounting Students in China to Pursue Certified Public Accountant Designation

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Lei; Hao, Qian; Bu, Danlu

2015-01-01

Based on the theory of planned behavior [Ajzen, I. (1991). "The theory of planned behavior." "Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes," 50(2), 179-211], we examine the factors influencing the decisions of accounting students in China concerning the certified public accountant (CPA) designation. Surveying 288…

ENERGY STAR Certified Roof Products

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Roof Products that are effective as of July 1,...

ENERGY STAR Certified Pool Pumps

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Pool Pumps that are effective as of February 15,...

Find a NCCAOM Certified Practitioner

Science.gov (United States)

... in finding a NCCAOM Certified Diplomate. The NCCAOM Find a Practitioner Directory is a voluntary directory designed ... by the NCCAOM. If you are unable to find an individual in our registry and would like ...

ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Ceiling Fans that are effective as of April 1,...

Synthesizing Certified Code

Science.gov (United States)

Whalen, Michael; Schumann, Johann; Fischer, Bernd

2002-01-01

Code certification is a lightweight approach to demonstrate software quality on a formal level. Its basic idea is to require producers to provide formal proofs that their code satisfies certain quality properties. These proofs serve as certificates which can be checked independently. Since code certification uses the same underlying technology as program verification, it also requires many detailed annotations (e.g., loop invariants) to make the proofs possible. However, manually adding theses annotations to the code is time-consuming and error-prone. We address this problem by combining code certification with automatic program synthesis. We propose an approach to generate simultaneously, from a high-level specification, code and all annotations required to certify generated code. Here, we describe a certification extension of AUTOBAYES, a synthesis tool which automatically generates complex data analysis programs from compact specifications. AUTOBAYES contains sufficient high-level domain knowledge to generate detailed annotations. This allows us to use a general-purpose verification condition generator to produce a set of proof obligations in first-order logic. The obligations are then discharged using the automated theorem E-SETHEO. We demonstrate our approach by certifying operator safety for a generated iterative data classification program without manual annotation of the code.

Clinical diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy with the diabetic neuropathy symptom and diabetic neuropathy examination scores

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, J.W.; Lefrandt, J.D.; Links, T.P.; Smit, J.A.; Stewart, R.E.; van der Hoeven, J.H.; Hoogenberg, K.

OBJECTIVE - To evaluate the discriminative power of the Diabetic Neuropathy Symptom (DNS) and Diabetic Neuropathy Examination (DNE) scores for diagnosing diabetic polyneuropathy (PNP), as well as their relation with cardiovascular autonomic function testing (cAFT) and electro-diagnostic studies

78 FR 27343 - Medical Examiner's Certification Integration

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-10

... efficiency; (2) reflect current medical terminology and examination components; and (3) be a self-contained... 391 [Docket No. FMCSA-2012-0178] RIN 2126-AB40 Medical Examiner's Certification Integration AGENCY...: FMCSA proposes to require certified medical examiners (MEs) performing physical examinations on drivers...

Correlation of United States Medical Licensing Examination and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Jose A., Jr.; Greer, Sharon

2009-01-01

The Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (ITE) is administered during residency training in the United States as a self-assessment and program assessment tool. Performance on this exam correlates with outcome on the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying examination. Internal Medicine Program Directors use the United States Medical…

Preoptometry and optometry school grade point average and optometry admissions test scores as predictors of performance on the national board of examiners in optometry part I (basic science) examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, J E; Yackle, K A; Yuen, M T; Voorhees, L I

2000-04-01

To evaluate preoptometry and optometry school grade point averages and Optometry Admission Test (OAT) scores as predictors of performance on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry NBEO Part I (Basic Science) (NBEOPI) examination. Simple and multiple correlation coefficients were computed from data obtained from a sample of three consecutive classes of optometry students (1995-1997; n = 278) at Southern California College of Optometry. The GPA after year two of optometry school was the highest correlation (r = 0.75) among all predictor variables; the average of all scores on the OAT was the highest correlation among preoptometry predictor variables (r = 0.46). Stepwise regression analysis indicated a combination of the optometry GPA, the OAT Academic Average, and the GPA in certain optometry curricular tracks resulted in an improved correlation (multiple r = 0.81). Predicted NBEOPI scores were computed from the regression equation and then analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (roc) and statistic of agreement (kappa) methods. From this analysis, we identified the predicted score that maximized identification of true and false NBEOPI failures (71% and 10%, respectively). Cross validation of this result on a separate class of optometry students resulted in a slightly lower correlation between actual and predicted NBEOPI scores (r = 0.77) but showed the criterion-predicted score to be somewhat lax. The optometry school GPA after 2 years is a reasonably good predictor of performance on the full NBEOPI examination, but the prediction is enhanced by adding the Academic Average OAT score. However, predicting performance in certain subject areas of the NBEOPI examination, for example Psychology and Ocular/Visual Biology, was rather insubstantial. Nevertheless, predicting NBEOPI performance from the best combination of year two optometry GPAs and preoptometry variables is better than has been shown in previous studies predicting optometry GPA from the best

30 CFR 75.361 - Supplemental examination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Supplemental examination. 75.361 Section 75.361... MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Ventilation § 75.361 Supplemental examination. (a) Except for certified persons conducting examinations required by this subpart, within 3 hours before anyone...

Can we predict final outcome of internal medicine residents with in-training evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chierakul, Nitipatana; Pongprasobchai, Supot; Boonyapisit, Kanokwan; Chinthammitr, Yingyong; Pithukpakorn, Manop; Maneesai, Adisak; Srivijitkamol, Apiradee; Koomanachai, Pornpan; Koolvisoot, Ajchara; Tanwandee, Tawesak; Shayakul, Chairat; Kachintorn, Udom

2011-02-01

To assess the predictive value of in-training evaluation for determining future success in the internal medicine board certifying examination. Ninety-seven internal medicine residents from Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital who undertake the Thai Board examination during the academic year 2006-2008 were enrolled. Correlation between the scores during internal medicine rotation and final scores in board examination were then examined. Significant positive linear correlation was found between scores from both written and clinical parts of board certifying examination and scores from the first-year summative written and clinical examinations and also the second-year formative written examination (r = 0.43-0.68, p evaluation by attending staffs was less well correlated (r = 0.29-0.36) and the evaluation by nurses or medical students demonstrated inverse relationship (r = -0.2, p = 0.27 and r = -0.13, p = 0.48). Some methods of in-training evaluation can predict successful outcome of board certifying examination. Multisource assessments cannot well extrapolate some aspects of professional competences and qualities.

Graduate Student WAIS-III Scoring Accuracy Is a Function of Full Scale IQ and Complexity of Examiner Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Hopwood, Christopher J.; Richard, David C. S.

2005-01-01

Research on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) suggests that practicing clinical psychologists and graduate students make item-level scoring errors that affect IQ, index, and subtest scores. Studies have been limited in that Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) and examiner administration,…

ENERGY STAR Certified Vending Machines

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines that are effective as of March 1, 2013. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at

Total Mini-Mental State Examination score and regional cerebral blood flow using Z score imaging and automated ROI analysis software in subjects with memory impairment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Eiji; Shiozaki, Kazumasa; Takahashi, Nobukazu; Togo, Takashi; Odawara, Toshinari; Oka, Takashi; Inoue, Tomio; Hirayasu, Yoshio

2008-01-01

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is considered a useful supplementary method to diagnose dementia and evaluate the severity of cognitive disturbance. However, the region of the cerebrum that correlates with the MMSE score is not clear. Recently, a new method was developed to analyze regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using a Z score imaging system (eZIS). This system shows changes of rCBF when compared with a normal database. In addition, a three-dimensional stereotaxic region of interest (ROI) template (3DSRT), fully automated ROI analysis software was developed. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between rCBF changes and total MMSE score using these new methods. The association between total MMSE score and rCBF changes was investigated in 24 patients (mean age±standard deviation (SD) 71.5±9.2 years; 6 men and 18 women) with memory impairment using eZIS and 3DSRT. Step-wise multiple regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis, with the total MMSE score as the dependent variable and rCBF change in 24 areas as the independent variable. Total MMSE score was significantly correlated only with the reduction of left hippocampal perfusion but not with right (P<0.01). Total MMSE score is an important indicator of left hippocampal function. (author)

What Is the Value of Nurse Educator Certification? A Comparison Study of Certified and Noncertified Nurse Educators.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbé, Tammy; Kimble, Laura P

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in how certified nurse educators and noncertified nurse educators valued nurse educator certification. No studies have investigated the differences in perceptions of certified and noncertified nurse educators. Understanding these differences may influence how the nursing profession recognizes and promotes excellence within the academic nursing specialty. Perceived Value of Certification Tool-Nurse Educator and demographic survey were administered via a web-based survey to a national sample of nursing faculty. Certified nurse educators valued certification with greater agreement than noncertified nurse educators. Personal accomplishment, personal satisfaction, and validation of knowledge were identified as the greatest rewards to certification. Nurse educators identified with intrinsic rewards of certification. Despite overall positive perceptions of nurse educator certification, strategies focused on extrinsic rewards may be necessary to increase certification rates. Such strategies may help overcome factors preventing educators from attaining certification.

Norwegian farmers ceasing certified organic production: characteristics and reasons.

Science.gov (United States)

Flaten, Ola; Lien, Gudbrand; Koesling, Matthias; Løes, Anne-Kristin

2010-12-01

This article examines the characteristics of and reasons for Norwegian farmers' ceasing or planning to cease certified organic production. We gathered cross-sectional survey data in late 2007 from organic farmers deregistering between January 2004 and September 2007 (n=220), and similar data from a random sample of farmers with certified organic management in 2006 (n=407). Of the respondents deregistering by November 2007, 17% had quit farming altogether, 61% now farmed conventionally, and 21% were still farming by organic principles, but without certification. Nearly one in four organic farmers in 2007 indicated that they planned to cease certification within the next 5-10 years. From the two survey samples, we categorised farmers who expect to be deregistered in 5-10 years into three groups: conventional practices (n=139), continuing to farm using organic principles (uncertified organic deregistrants, n=105), and stopped farming (n=33). Of the numerous differences among these groups, two were most striking: the superior sales of uncertified organic deregistrants through consumer-direct marketing and the lowest shares of organic land among conventional deregistrants. We summarised a large number of reasons for deregistering into five factors through factor analysis: economics, regulations, knowledge-exchange, production, and market access. Items relating to economics and regulations were the primary reasons offered for opting out. The regression analysis showed that the various factors were associated with several explanatory variables. Regulations, for example, figured more highly among livestock farmers than crop farmers. The economic factor strongly reflected just a few years of organic management. Policy recommendations for reducing the number of dropouts are to focus on economics, environmental attitudes, and the regulatory issues surrounding certified organic production. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Authorized Qualifications of Staff Conducting Examinations in the Field of Clinical Microbiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiyama, Hiroyuki

2015-04-01

Because of the increase in healthcare-associated infections, appearance of highly resistant bacteria, and that of emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases, it is necessary for the skills of clinical microbiological technologists and the associated technology to be improved. Technologist in Microbiology (4,717 certified) and Specialist in Microbiology (58 certified) are authorized qualifications in the field of examination for clinical microbiology, with a history of 60 years, and Clinical Microbiological Technologist (670 certified) and Infection Control Microbiological Technologist (ICMT) (528 certified) are necessary qualifications to become a member of an infection control team. As problems to be resolved, clarifying the relationships among the authorized qualifications, reconsidering the fairness of evaluating written examinations, and further consideration of the administration method for an increasing number of examinees need to be tackled.

Validity Evidence and Scoring Guidelines for Standardized Patient Encounters and Patient Notes From a Multisite Study of Clinical Performance Examinations in Seven Medical Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yoon Soo; Hyderi, Abbas; Heine, Nancy; May, Win; Nevins, Andrew; Lee, Ming; Bordage, Georges; Yudkowsky, Rachel

2017-11-01

To examine validity evidence of local graduation competency examination scores from seven medical schools using shared cases and to provide rater training protocols and guidelines for scoring patient notes (PNs). Between May and August 2016, clinical cases were developed, shared, and administered across seven medical schools (990 students participated). Raters were calibrated using training protocols, and guidelines were developed collaboratively across sites to standardize scoring. Data included scores from standardized patient encounters for history taking, physical examination, and PNs. Descriptive statistics were used to examine scores from the different assessment components. Generalizability studies (G-studies) using variance components were conducted to estimate reliability for composite scores. Validity evidence was collected for response process (rater perception), internal structure (variance components, reliability), relations to other variables (interassessment correlations), and consequences (composite score). Student performance varied by case and task. In the PNs, justification of differential diagnosis was the most discriminating task. G-studies showed that schools accounted for less than 1% of total variance; however, for the PNs, there were differences in scores for varying cases and tasks across schools, indicating a school effect. Composite score reliability was maximized when the PN was weighted between 30% and 40%. Raters preferred using case-specific scoring guidelines with clear point-scoring systems. This multisite study presents validity evidence for PN scores based on scoring rubric and case-specific scoring guidelines that offer rigor and feedback for learners. Variability in PN scores across participating sites may signal different approaches to teaching clinical reasoning among medical schools.

12 CFR 327.2 - Certified statements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... the FDIC's e-business Web site FDICconnect a quarterly certified statement invoice each assessment... of the Assessments Section. (4) Each assessment period, the FDIC will provide courtesy e-mail...

Cognitive Deficits in Healthy Elderly Population With "Normal" Scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Votruba, Kristen L; Persad, Carol; Giordani, Bruno

2016-05-01

This study investigated whether healthy older adults with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores above 23 exhibit cognitive impairment on neuropsychological tests. Participants completed the MMSE and a neuropsychological battery including tests of 10 domains. Results were compared to published normative data. On neuropsychological testing, participants performed well on measures of naming and recall but showed mild to moderate impairment in working memory and processing speed and marked impairment in inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functioning. Almost everyone (91%) scored at least 1 standard deviation (SD) below the mean in at least 1 domain. The median number of domains in which individuals scored below 1 SD was 3.0 of 10.0, whereas over 21% scored below 1 SD in 5 domains or more. With the strictest of definitions for impairment, 20% of this population scored below 2.0 SDs below the norm in at least 2 domains, a necessary condition for a diagnosis of dementia. The finding that cognitive impairment, particularly in attention and executive functioning, is found in healthy older persons who perform well on the MMSE has clinical and research implications in terms of emphasizing normal variability in performance and early identification of possible impairment. © The Author(s) 2016.

Association Between American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination Scores and Resident Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Juliet J; Sznol, Joshua A; Teisch, Laura F; Meizoso, Jonathan P; Allen, Casey J; Namias, Nicholas; Pizano, Louis R; Sleeman, Danny; Spector, Seth A; Schulman, Carl I

2016-01-01

The American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) is designed to measure progress, applied medical knowledge, and clinical management; results may determine promotion and fellowship candidacy for general surgery residents. Evaluations are mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education but are administered at the discretion of individual institutions and are not standardized. It is unclear whether the ABSITE and evaluations form a reasonable assessment of resident performance. To determine whether favorable evaluations are associated with ABSITE performance. Cross-sectional analysis of preliminary and categorical residents in postgraduate years (PGYs) 1 through 5 training in a single university-based general surgery program from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014, who took the ABSITE. Evaluation overall performance and subset evaluation performance in the following categories: patient care, technical skills, problem-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, systems-based practice, and medical knowledge. Passing the ABSITE (≥30th percentile) and ranking in the top 30% of scores at our institution. The study population comprised residents in PGY 1 (n = 44), PGY 2 (n = 31), PGY 3 (n = 26), PGY 4 (n = 25), and PGY 5 (n = 24) during the 4-year study period (N = 150). Evaluations had less variation than the ABSITE percentile (SD = 5.06 vs 28.82, respectively). Neither annual nor subset evaluation scores were significantly associated with passing the ABSITE (n = 102; for annual evaluation, odds ratio = 0.949; 95% CI, 0.884-1.019; P = .15) or receiving a top 30% score (n = 45; for annual evaluation, odds ratio = 1.036; 95% CI, 0.964-1.113; P = .33). There was no difference in mean evaluation score between those who passed vs failed the ABSITE (mean [SD] evaluation score, 91.77 [5.10] vs 93.04 [4.80], respectively; P = .14) or between those who

ENERGY STAR Certified Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Uninterruptible Power Supplies that are...

Evaluation of Certified Teachers’ Perfomance at SMPN 6 Luwuk Banggai Regency, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suhartini Salingkat

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This study investigated certified teachers’ performance at SMPN 6 Luwuk of Banggai Regency, with a focus on the teachers’ performance in planning the lesson, implementing the lesson, and conducting the lesson evaluation. It lasted for nine months, from March to December 2011. Qualitative method was used. More specifically, the evaluation research method was followed which involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data for decision making. The evaluation system used in this study was based on the quality of the certified teachers’ performances. The real condition in the field is that many of the certified teachers are still unable to design lessons and implement them professionally as expected from certified teachers. Currently there are many teachers in need of trainings. This study showed that the quality of the performance of the certified teachers in SMPN 6 Luwuk in planning the lesson was low. This could indicate that the certification process has not yet resulted in an increase in the quality of performance of the certified teachers, particularly as long as the quality of their performance in planning lessons is concerned.

A comparison of certified and noncertified pet foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, R G

1997-11-01

The market presents the buyer with a wide array of pet food choices. Marketing pet foods has changed in the last decade and today foods may be bought at a variety of outlets. The present study compares nutrient composition, digestibility, and effect on urine pH (cat foods only) of selected certified and noncertified pet foods from different outlets. The selected foods were considered analogous in terms of declared ingredients and macronutrient profiles. The analytical methods used were those of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists as described in the Pet Food Certification Protocol of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. The test foods were sampled 4 times from August 1994 to July 1995. Both certified and noncertified products met the nutritional requirements on a consistent basis, although 1 of the noncertified dog foods consistently failed to meet the zinc requirements. This same product also failed to meet the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association's standards for concentrations of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. One of the noncertified cat foods failed to meet the recommended calcium level. With the exception of fat digestion in 1 noncertified food, there were no statistically significant differences in major nutrient digestibility between certified and noncertified pet foods. There were some statistically significant differences in digestibility within both the certified and noncertified groups of foods. The practical significance of any of the statistical differences in digestibility is uncertain. Urine pH observed in cats fed noncertified test diets was variable, with some values greater than 7.0 as a maximum or 6.5 as an average. The general conclusion of this study was that the commonly available certified products were the nutritional equal of those foods that position themselves as "premium."

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Ice Machines

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Automatic Commercial Ice Makers that are...

77 FR 5415 - National Organic Program: Notice of Draft Guidance for Accredited Certifying Agents, Certified...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-03

... in order to be excluded from the organic certification requirements of Part 205. The NOSB recommended... handling operations that are or are not excluded from organic certification. The draft guidance proposes... excluded from certification and, therefore, must be certified organic operations. \\1\\ NOSB Recommendation...

ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Clothes Washers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 8.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Clothes Washers that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Clothes Washers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 8.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Clothes Washers that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Steam Cookers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.2 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Steam Cookers that are effective as...

ENERGY STAR Certified Small Network Equipment

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Small Networking Equipment that are effective as...

19 CFR 115.16 - Notification of Certifying Authority by manufacturer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Notification of Certifying Authority by manufacturer. 115.16 Section 115.16 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS CONVENTIONS Administration § 115.16 Notification of Certifying Authority by manufacturer...

ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Clothes Dryers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Clothes Dryers that are effective as of January...

ENERGY STAR Certified Light Commercial HVAC

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Light Commercial HVAC that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Conditioners

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Room Air Conditioners that are effective as of...

ENERGY STAR Certified Geothermal Heat Pumps

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Geothermal Heat Pumps that are effective as of...

A new career path in radiation protection training. Certified power plant shift supervisor. Radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terbeek, Christoph

2011-01-01

Apart from theoretical knowledge, effective day-to-day radiation protection operations also require a certain measure of practical experience. Therefore, the professional degree of 'Certified Radiation Worker', issued by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC) Aachen, Germany, established at an early stage. In order to provide experienced radiation protection specialists with an attractive career path, POWERTECH TRAINING CENTER e.V., in co-operation with VGB PowerTech. e.V., the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) and the Swiss Atomic Energy Agency (ENSI), has devised a new power plant shift supervisor training course specialising in radiation protection. The vocational training degree called 'Certified Power Plant Shift Supervisor - Radiation Protection' is awarded after successful completion of the advanced training examination conducted by the CIC in Essen, Germany. (orig.)

ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Cleaners

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.2 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Room Air Cleaners that are effective as of July...

7 CFR 201.73 - Processors and processing of all classes of certified seed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.73 Processors and processing... of certified seed: (a) Facilities shall be available to perform processing without introducing... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Processors and processing of all classes of certified...

Farmers’ decision analysis to select certified palm oil seedlings in Lampung, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Utoyo, Bambang; Yolandika, Clara

2018-03-01

This research aimed to analyse (1) decission making process of certified and uncertified palm oil seedlings and (2) factors that influence farmer decision to select certified and uncertified palm oil seedlings. This research was conducted in some districts in Lampung, such as Mesuji, Central Lampung, Tulang Bawang, North Lampung, Way Kanan and South Lampung. The respondents consisted of 30 farmers using certified seeds and 30 farmers using uncertified seeds. The study was conducted from January to May 2017. In addition, factors that influence farmer decision was analysed by logistic regression model. The results showed that decision making on the use of certified or uncertified palm seeds by farmers through the stages: introduction of problems or needs, searching of information, alternative evaluation, purchasing decisions, and post-purchase behaviour. Factors that significantly influence farmer's decision to use certified seeds were land area, seeds price, external influenced, and farmers’ perception.

Get Your Automotive Program Nationally Certified!

Science.gov (United States)

Lundquist, Patricia A.

2000-01-01

Automotive programs that nationally certified enhance student recruitment and give students better employment opportunities. Technicians who earn the Automotive Service Excellence credential have joined the ranks of professionals in the automotive service industry. (Author/JOW)

17 CFR 274.128 - Form N-CSR, certified shareholder report.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Form N-CSR, certified shareholder report. This form shall be used by registered management investment... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form N-CSR, certified... Form N-CSR, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the...

Infant outcomes of certified nurse midwife attended home births: United States 2000 to 2004.

Science.gov (United States)

Malloy, M H

2010-09-01

Home births attended by certified nurse midwives (CNMs) make up an extremely small proportion of births in the United States (home deliveries compared with certified nurse midwife in-hospital deliveries in the United States as measured by the risk of adverse infant outcomes among women with term, singleton, vaginal deliveries. United States linked birth and infant death files for the years 2000 to 2004 were used for the analysis. Adverse neonatal outcomes including death were determined by place of birth and attendant type for in-hospital certified nurse midwife, in-hospital 'other' midwife, home certified nurse midwife, home 'other' midwife, and free-standing birth center certified nurse midwife deliveries. For the 5-year period there were 1 237 129 in-hospital certified nurse midwife attended births; 17 389 in-hospital 'other' midwife attended births; 13 529 home certified nurse midwife attended births; 42 375 home 'other' midwife attended births; and 25 319 birthing center certified nurse midwife attended births. The neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births for each of these categories was, respectively, 0.5 (deaths=614), 0.4 (deaths=7), 1.0 (deaths=14), 1.8 (deaths=75), and 0.6 (deaths=16). The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for neonatal mortality for home certified nurse midwife attended deliveries vs in-hospital certified nurse midwife attended deliveries was 2.02 (1.18, 3.45). Deliveries at home attended by CNMs and 'other midwives' were associated with higher risks for mortality than deliveries in-hospital by CNMs.

REIMEP-22 inter-laboratory comparison. ''U Age Dating - determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample''

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venchiarutti, Celia; Richter, Stephan; Jakopic, Rozle; Aregbe, Yetunde [European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel (Belgium). Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM); Varga, Zsolt; Mayer, Klaus [European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Karlsruhe (Germany). Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU)

2015-07-01

The REIMEP-22 inter-laboratory comparison aimed at determining the production date of a uranium certified test sample (i.e. the last chemical separation date of the material). Participants in REIMEP-22 on ''U Age Dating - Determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample'' received one low-enriched 20 mg uranium sample for mass spectrometry measurements and/or one 50 mg uranium sample for a-spectrometry measurements, with an undisclosed value for the production date. They were asked to report the isotope amount ratios n({sup 230}Th)/n({sup 234}U) for the 20 mg uranium sample and/or the activity ratios A({sup 230}Th)/A({sup 234}U) for the 50 mg uranium sample in addition to the calculated production date of the certified test samples with its uncertainty. Reporting of the {sup 231}Pa/{sup 235}U ratio and the respective calculated production date was optional. Eleven laboratories reported results in REIMEP-22. Two of them reported results for both the 20 mg and 50 mg uranium certified test samples. The measurement capability of the participants was assessed against the independent REIMEP-22 reference value by means of z- and zeta-scores in compliance with ISO 13528:2005. Furthermore a performance assessment criterion for acceptable uncertainty was applied to evaluate the participants' results. In general, the REIMEP-22 participants' results were satisfactory. This confirms the analytical capabilities of laboratories to determine accurately the age of uranium materials with low amount of ingrown thorium (young certified test sample). The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC) organised REIMEP-22 in parallel to the preparation and certification of a uranium reference material certified for the production date (IRMM-1000a and IRMM-1000b).

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INNOVATION PERFORMANCE IN CERTIFIED FIRMS IN MONTENEGRO AND REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdravko Krivokapic

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Research subjects of this study are certified companies and their commitment to innovation, as well as their own development and implementation of innovation. Certified companies are those companies that have set one or more standards: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001: 2004, HACCP, OHSAS 18001, ISO 17025:2006, ISO 27001. The research is based on 60 certified companies in Montenegro and 165 certified companies Republic of Srpska. The research was conducted at certified companies from all regions, for every activity and sizes. For this purpose it was used questionnaire with 91 questions and it was filled in like interview.

Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination and Individual Domain Cut-Off Scores for Discriminating between Different Cognitive Subtypes of Parkinson's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Berankova, Dagmar; Janousova, Eva; Mrackova, Martina; Eliasova, Ilona; Kostalova, Milena; Skutilova, Svetlana; Rektorova, Irena

2015-01-01

Objective. The main aim of this study was to verify the sensitivity and specificity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) in discriminating between Parkinson's disease (PD) with normal cognition (PD-NC) and PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and between PD-MCI and PD with dementia (PD-D). We also evaluated how ACE-R correlates with neuropsychological cognitive tests in PD. Methods. We examined three age-matched groups of PD patients diagnosed according to the Movement Disorder Society Task Force criteria: PD-NC, PD-MCI, and PD-D. ROC analysis was used to establish specific cut-off scores of ACE-R and its domains. Correlation analyses were performed between ACE-R and its subtests with relevant neuropsychological tests. Results. Statistically significant differences between groups were demonstrated in global ACE-R scores and subscores, except in the language domain. ACE-R cut-off score of 88.5 points discriminated best between PD-MCI and PD-NC (sensitivity 0.68, specificity 0.91); ACE-R of 82.5 points distinguished best between PD-MCI and PD-D (sensitivity 0.70, specificity 0.73). The verbal fluency domain of ACE-R demonstrated the best discrimination between PD-NC and PD-MCI (cut-off score 11.5; sensitivity 0.70, specificity 0.73) while the orientation/attention subscore was best between PD-MCI and PD-D (cut-off score 15.5; sensitivity 0.90, specificity 0.97). ACE-R scores except for ACE-R language correlated with specific cognitive tests of interest.

17 CFR 249.331 - Form N-CSR, certified shareholder report.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form N-CSR, certified... Required Under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 § 249.331 Form N-CSR, certified shareholder report. This form shall be used by registered management investment companies to file reports...

ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Ceiling Fans that are effective as of April 1, 2012. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=ceiling_fans.pr_crit_ceiling_fans

ENERGY STAR Certified Ventilating Fans

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Ventilating Fans that are effective as of October 1, 2015. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=vent_fans.pr_crit_vent_fans

CEH certified ethical hacker : version 8 : study guide

CERN Document Server

Oriyano, Sean-Philip

2014-01-01

Prepare for the new Certified Ethical Hacker version 8 exam with this Sybex guide Security professionals remain in high demand. The Certified Ethical Hacker is a one-of-a-kind certification designed to give the candidate a look inside the mind of a hacker. This study guide provides a concise, easy-to-follow approach that covers all of the exam objectives and includes numerous examples and hands-on exercises. Coverage includes cryptography, footprinting and reconnaissance, scanning networks, enumeration of services, gaining access to a system, Trojans, viruses, worms, covert channels, and muc

The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) and its sub-scores: normative values in an Italian population sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Siciliano, Mattia; Raimo, Simona; Tufano, Dario; Basile, Giuseppe; Grossi, Dario; Santangelo, Franco; Trojano, Luigi; Santangelo, Gabriella

2016-03-01

The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) is a rapid screening battery, including five sub-scales to explore different cognitive domains: attention/orientation, memory, fluency, language and visuospatial. ACE-R is considered useful in discriminating cognitively normal subjects from patients with mild dementia. The aim of present study was to provide normative values for ACE-R total score and sub-scale scores in a large sample of Italian healthy subjects. Five hundred twenty-six Italian healthy subjects (282 women and 246 men) of different ages (age range 20-93 years) and educational level (from primary school to university) underwent ACE-R and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age and education significantly influenced performance on ACE-R total score and sub-scale scores. A significant effect of gender was found only in sub-scale attention/orientation. From the derived linear equation, a correction grid for raw scores was built. Inferential cut-offs score were estimated using a non-parametric technique and equivalent scores (ES) were computed. Correlation analysis showed a good significant correlation between ACE-R adjusted scores with MoCA adjusted scores (r = 0.612, p < 0.001). The present study provided normative data for the ACE-R in an Italian population useful for both clinical and research purposes.

A score card for upper GI endoscopy: Evaluation of interobserver variability in examiners with various levels of experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, M; Friedl, S; Meining, A; Egger, K; Heldwein, W; Rey, J F; Hochberger, J; Classen, M; Hohenberger, W; Rösch, T

2002-10-01

In most European countries, training in GI endoscopy has largely been based on hands-on acquisition of experience in patients rather than on a structured training programme. With the development of training models systematic hands-on training in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy techniques was achieved. Little, however, is known about methods of objectively assessing trainees' performance. We therefore developed an assessment 'score card' for upper GI endoscopy and tested it in endoscopists with various levels of experience. The aim of the study was therefore to assess interobserver variations in the evaluation of trainees. On the basis of textbook and expert opinions a consensus group of eight experienced endoscopists developed a score card for diagnostic upper GI endoscopy with biopsy. The score card includes an assessment of the single steps of the procedure as well as of the times needed to complete each step. This score card was then evaluated in a further conference including ten experts who blindly assessed videotapes of 15 endoscopists performing upper GI endoscopy in a training bio-simulation model (the 'Erlangen Endo-Trainer'). On the basis of their previous experience (i. e. the number of endoscopies performed) these 15 endoscopists were classified into four groups: very experienced, experienced, having some experience and inexperienced. Interobserver variability (IOV) was tested for the various score card parameters (Kendall's rank-correlation coefficient 0.0-0.5 poor, 0.5-1.0 good agreement). In addition, the correlation between the score card assessment and the examiners' experience levels was analysed. Despite poor IOV results for all the parameters tested (Kendall coefficient account (correlation coefficient 0.59-0.89, p < 0.05). The score card parameters were suitable for differentiating between the four groups of examiners with different levels of endoscopic experience. As expected with scores involving subjective assessment of

20 CFR 416.804 - Certified copy in lieu of original.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certified copy in lieu of original. 416.804... AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Determination of Age § 416.804 Certified copy in lieu of original. In lieu of the original of any record, except a Bible or other family record, there may be submitted as evidence...

An Analysis of the Future Need for Certified Animal Health Technicians and Instructional Program Content.

Science.gov (United States)

Nevada State Council on Occupational Education, Carson City.

A study examined the future need for certified animal health technicians (CAHT) in Nevada and the skills/knowledge that future CAHTs will need. Questionnaires were mailed to all of Nevada's 306 licensed veterinarians; 100 (32.68%) responded. The estimated numbers of CAHTs needed by the state's veterinarians in 1, 3, and 5 years were 62, 142, and…

Mastitis and related management factors in certified organic dairy herds in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hansson Ingrid

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mastitis is one of the major threats to animal health, in organic farming as well as conventional. Preliminary studies of organic dairy herds have indicated better udder health in such herds, as compared to conventional herds. The aim of this paper was to further study mastitis and management related factors in certified organic dairy herds. Methods An observational study of 26 certified organic dairy herds in mid-eastern Sweden was conducted during one year. A large-animal practitioner visited the herds three times and clinically examined and sampled cows, and collected information about general health and management routines. Data on milk production and disorders treated by a veterinarian in the 26 herds, as well as in 1102 conventional herds, were retrieved from official records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between herd type (organic vs. conventional and incidence of disorders. Results The organic herds that took part in the study ranged in size from 12 to 64 cows, in milk production from 3772 to 10334 kg per cow and year, and in bulk milk somatic cell counts from 83000 to 280000 cells/ml. The organic herds were found to have a lower incidence of clinical mastitis, teat injuries, and a lower proportion of cows with a high somatic cell count (as indicated by the UDS, Udder Disease Score compared to conventional herds. The spectrum of udder pathogenic bacteria was similar to that found in other Swedish studies. Treatment of mastitis was found to be similar to what is practised in conventional herds. Homeopathic remedies were not widely used in the treatment of clinical mastitis. The calves in most of these organic herds suckled their dams for only a few days, which were not considered to substantially affect the udder health. The main management factor that was different from conventional herds was the feeding strategy, where organic herds used a larger share of forage. Conclusion Udder

28 CFR 33.32 - Certified programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Statistics, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, certifies that the following... the National Institute of Justice, Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, as having proved successful. (15)(i...

NEW CZECH & CERTIFIED METHODOLOGY „TOOLS OF RESILIENCE“

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel DOBEŠ

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with possibilities of better governance regarding natural and anthropogenic risks and building of resilience of medium towns and cities against disasters. Such systematic approach could be applied for example using new Czech certified methodology “Tools Of Resilience”, which has been developed recently within the short project number no. VF20152016047 under the grant of Czech Ministry of the Interior in period 2015 - 2016 and afterwards certified in 2017 by Czech Ministry of the Environment. Basic starting points, used methods, steps of new methodology and its annexes, will be breafly described in the topic.

Radioactive certified reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Kazuo

2010-01-01

Outline of radioactive certified reference materials (CRM) for the analysis of nuclear materials and radioactive nuclides were described. The nuclear fuel CRMs are supplied by the three institutes: NBL in the US, CETAMA in France and IRMM in Belgium. For the RI CRMs, the Japan Radioisotope Association is engaged in activities concerning supply. The natural-matrix CRMs for the analysis of trace levels of radio-nuclides are prepared and supplied by NIST in the US and the IAEA. (author)

Formulating evidence-based guidelines for certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives attending home births.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Elizabeth; Avery, Melissa; Frisvold, Melissa

2014-01-01

Implementing national home birth guidelines for certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States may facilitate a common approach to safe home birth practices. Guidelines are evidence-based care recommendations for specified clinical situations that can be modified by individual providers to meet specific client needs. Following a review of home birth guidelines from multiple countries, a set of home birth practices guidelines for US CNMs/CMs was drafted. Fifteen American Midwifery Certification Board, Inc. (AMCB)-certified home birth midwives who participate in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) home birth electronic mailing list considered the use of such a document in their practices and reviewed and commented on the guidelines. The proposed guidelines addressed client screening, informed consent, antepartum care, routine intrapartum care, obstetric complications and hospital transports, postpartum care, neonatal care, gynecologic care, primary care, peer reviews, recordkeeping, and physician collaboration. The reviewers had varying assessments as to whether the guidelines reflected international standards and current best evidence. The primary concern expressed was that an adoption of national guidelines could compromise provider autonomy. Incorporation of evidence-based guidelines is an ACNM standard and was recommended by the Home Birth Consensus Summit. Clinical practice guidelines are informed by current evidence and supported by experts in a given discipline. Implementation of guidelines ensures optimal patient care and is becoming increasingly central to reimbursement and to medicolegal support. A set of practice guidelines based on current best evidence and internationally accepted standards was developed and reviewed by an interested group of US CNMs/CMs. Further discussion with home birth midwives and other stakeholders about the development and implementation of home birth guidelines is needed, especially in

Exploring the Relationships Between USMLE Performance and Disciplinary Action in Practice: A Validity Study of Score Inferences From a Licensure Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuddy, Monica M; Young, Aaron; Gelman, Andrew; Swanson, David B; Johnson, David A; Dillon, Gerard F; Clauser, Brian E

2017-12-01

Physicians must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to obtain an unrestricted license to practice allopathic medicine in the United States. Little is known, however, about how well USMLE performance relates to physician behavior in practice, particularly conduct inconsistent with safe, effective patient care. The authors examined the extent to which USMLE scores relate to the odds of receiving a disciplinary action from a U.S. state medical board. Controlling for multiple factors, the authors used non-nested multilevel logistic regression analyses to estimate the relationships between scores and receiving an action. The sample included 164,725 physicians who graduated from U.S. MD-granting medical schools between 1994 and 2006. Physicians had a mean Step 1 score of 214 (standard deviation [SD] = 21) and a mean Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) score of 213 (SD = 23). Of the physicians, 2,205 (1.3%) received at least one action. Physicians with higher Step 2 CK scores had lower odds of receiving an action. A 1-SD increase in Step 2 CK scores corresponded to a decrease in the chance of disciplinary action by roughly 25% (odds ratio = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.70-0.80). After accounting for Step 2 CK scores, Step 1 scores were unrelated to the odds of receiving an action. USMLE Step 2 CK scores provide useful information about the odds a physician will receive an official sanction for problematic practice behavior. These results provide validity evidence supporting current interpretation and use of Step 2 CK scores.

Exploring a Source of Uneven Score Equity across the Test Score Range

Science.gov (United States)

Huggins-Manley, Anne Corinne; Qiu, Yuxi; Penfield, Randall D.

2018-01-01

Score equity assessment (SEA) refers to an examination of population invariance of equating across two or more subpopulations of test examinees. Previous SEA studies have shown that score equity may be present for examinees scoring at particular test score ranges but absent for examinees scoring at other score ranges. No studies to date have…

48 CFR 52.215-12 - Subcontractor Certified Cost or Pricing Data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Cost or Pricing Data. 52.215-12 Section 52.215-12 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.215-12 Subcontractor Certified Cost or Pricing Data. As prescribed in 15.408(d), insert the following clause: Subcontractor Certified Cost or Pricing Data (OCT 2010) (a) Before awarding...

ENERGY STAR Certified Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment that are...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers that are...

31 CFR 357.31 - Certifying individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certifying individuals. 357.31 Section 357.31 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL... institutions, corporate central credit unions, and institutions that are members of Treasury-recognized...

Final Report - Certifying the Performance of Small Wind Turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherwood, Larry [Small Wind Certification Council, Clifton Park, NY (United States)

2015-08-28

The Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) created a successful accredited certification program for small and medium wind turbines using the funding from this grant. SWCC certifies small turbines (200 square meters of swept area or less) to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Small Wind Turbine Performance and Safety Standard (AWEA Standard 9.1 – 2009). SWCC also certifies medium wind turbines to the International Electrical Commission (IEC) Power Performance Standard (IEC 61400-12-1) and Acoustic Performance Standard (IEC 61400-11).

Predictive validity of the comprehensive basic science examination mean score for assessment of medical students' performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firouz Behboudi

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Background Medical education curriculum improvements can be achieved bye valuating students performance. Medical students have to pass two undergraduate comprehensive examinations, basic science and preinternship, in Iran. Purpose To measure validity of the students' mean score in comprehensive basic science exam (CBSE for predicting their performance in later curriculum phases. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 95 (38 women and 55 men Guilan medical university students. Their admission to the university was 81% by regional quota and 12% by shaheed and other organizations' share. They first enrolled in 1994 and were able to pass CBS£ at first try. Data on gender, regional quota, and average grades of CBS£, PC, and CPIE were collected by a questionnaire. The calculations were done by SPSS package. Results The correlation coefficient between CBS£ and CPIE mean scores (0.65 was higher than correlation coefficient between CBS£ and PC mean scores (0.49. The predictive validity of CBS£ average grade was significant for students' performance in CPIE; however, the predictive validity of CBSE mean scores for students I pe1jormance in PC was lower. Conclusion he students' mean score in CBSE can be a good denominator for their further admission. We recommend further research to assess the predictive validity for each one of the basic courses. Keywords predictive validity, comprehensive basic exam

Development of a certified reference materials for composition of citric acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. H. Kulev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a summary of analyzing Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR TC 029/2012 "Safety Requirements for Food Additives, Flavorings and Technological Processing Aids". Information on certified reference materials (RMs for composition of citric acid is provided. Certified characteristics of the RM are, on the one hand, mass fraction of the base substance and, on the other hand, mass fraction of impurities - toxic elements (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury. The first batches of the given RMs are produced, which are registered in the State Register of the approved types of certified reference materials GS010300-2013 and GS010143-2012.

Supply and demand of board-certified emergency physicians by U.S. state, 2005.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Ashley F; Ginde, Adit A; Espinola, Janice A; Camargo, Carlos A

2009-10-01

The objective was to estimate the emergency medicine (EM) board-certified emergency physician (EP) workforce supply and demand by U.S. state. The 2005 National Emergency Department Inventories-USA provided annual visit volumes for U.S. emergency departments (EDs). We estimated full-time equivalent (FTE) EP demand at each ED by dividing the actual number of visits by the estimated average EP visit volume (3,548 visits/year) and then summing FTEs by state. Our model assumed that at least one EP should be present 24/7 in each ED. The number of EM board-certified EPs per state was provided by the American Board of Medical Specialties (American Board of Emergency Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics) and the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine. We used U.S. Census Bureau civilian population estimates to calculate EP population density by state. The supply of EM board-certified EPs was 58% of required FTEs to staff all EDs nationally and ranged from 10% in South Dakota to 104% in Hawai'i (i.e., there were more EPs than the estimated need). Texas and Florida had the largest absolute shortages of EM board-certified EPs (2,069 and 1,146, respectively). The number of EM board-certified EPs per 100,000 U.S. civilian population ranged from 3.6 in South Dakota to 13.8 in Washington, DC. States with a higher population density of EM board-certified EPs had higher percent high school graduates and a lower percent rural population and whites. The supply and demand of EM board-certified EPs varies by state. Only one state had an adequate supply of EM board-certified EPs to fully staff its EDs.

The Stress and Coping Responses of Certified Graduate Athletic Training Students

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Sarah

2004-01-01

Objective: To assess the sources of stress and coping responses of certified graduate athletic training students. Design and Setting: We interviewed certified graduate athletic training students 3 times over a 9-month period. We transcribed the interviews verbatim and used grounded theory analytic procedures to inductively analyze the participants' sources of stress and coping responses. Subjects: Three male and 3 female certified graduate athletic training students from a postcertification graduate athletic training program volunteered to participate in this investigation. The participants were full-time graduate students, with a mean age of 23 years, who had worked an average of 1.5 years as certified athletic trainers at the time of the first interview. Measurements: We used grounded theory analytic procedures to inductively analyze the participants' sources of stress and coping responses. Results: A total of 6 general sources of stress and 11 coping dimensions were revealed. The stress dimensions were labeled athletic training duties, comparing job duties, responsibilities as student, time management, social evaluation, and future concerns. The coping responses were planning, instrumental social support, adjusting to job responsibilities, positive evaluations, emotional social support, humor, wishful thinking, religion, mental or behavioral disengagement, activities outside the profession, and other outcomes. Conclusions: Certified graduate athletic training students should be encouraged to use problem-focused (eg, seeking advice, planning) and emotion-focused (eg, positive evaluations, humor) forms of coping with stress. PMID:15173872

31 CFR 306.45 - Certifying individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certifying individuals. 306.45 Section 306.45 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL... employees of depository institutions, corporate central credit unions, and institutions that are members of...

Production of quality/certified seed of fodder-crops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhutta, A.R.; Hussain, A.

2006-01-01

Although, Pakistan has well developed Seed-production and certification Programme for major crops, but seed programme for fodder-crops is still not well organized. Availability of local certified seed, remained 250-350 mt for Berseem, Sorghum, maize, barley and oat. About 5000 to 9000 mt of seed has being imported during 2003-04 to 2005-06. Fodder Research Institute and jullundhur Seed Corporation have demonstrated a model of public/private partnership for initiation of certified seed of a few fodder crops. To produce quality seeds of fodder crops, various steps, procedures and prescribed standards have been given, which will help in production of quality seed of fodder crops in Pakistan. (author)

Comparison of 4 established DASH diet indexes: examining associations of index scores and colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Paige E; Cross, Amanda J; Subar, Amy F; Krebs-Smith, Susan M; Park, Yikyung; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany; Hollenbeck, Albert; Reedy, Jill

2013-09-01

Multiple diet indexes have been developed to capture the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and examine relations with health outcomes but have not been compared within the same study population to our knowledge. We compared 4 established DASH indexes and examined associations with colorectal cancer. Scores were generated from a food-frequency questionnaire in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study (n = 491,841). Separate indexes defined by Dixon (7 food groups, saturated fat, and alcohol), Mellen (9 nutrients), Fung (7 food groups and sodium), and Günther (8 food groups) were used. HRs and 95% CIs for colorectal cancer were generated by using Cox proportional hazard models. From 1995 through 2006, 6752 incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained. In men, higher scores were associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence by comparing highest to lowest quintiles for all indexes as follows: Dixon (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.87), Mellen (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.86), Fung (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.83), and Günther (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.90). Higher scores in women were inversely associated with colorectal cancer incidence by using methods defined by Mellen (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91), Fung (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), and Günther (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73.0.97) but not Dixon (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.28). The consistency in findings, particularly in men, suggests that all indexes capture an underlying construct inherent in the DASH dietary pattern, although the specific index used can affect results.

Certified pediatric nurses' perceptions of job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyatt, Janet; Harrison, Margaret

2010-01-01

The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board surveyed a national sample of 1354 hospital-based certified pediatric nurses (CPNs) to determine their perceptions of certification on job satisfaction and other factors. There is a substantial body of literature that demonstrates job satisfaction among nurses positively increases retention and reduces absenteeism and burnout. CPNs seek certification for a personal sense of achievement, professional recognition, and validation of clinical competency. The certified nurse survey respondents had self-reported high levels of job satisfaction and indicated that relationships with colleagues and a supportive work environment were very important to their levels of job satisfaction. The results of this study highlight important factors for hospitals to consider as they plan strategies and cost-effective ways to positively affect patient care and retain qualified pediatric nurses at the bedside.

31 CFR 346.14 - Certifying officers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certifying officers. 346.14 Section 346.14 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL... imprint of the corporate seal, or, where the institution is an authorized issuing agent for United States...

31 CFR 341.14 - Certifying officers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certifying officers. 341.14 Section 341.14 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL... imprint of the corporate seal, or, where the institution is an authorized issuing agent for United States...

48 CFR 15.407-1 - Defective certified cost or pricing data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...—Modifications. The clauses give the Government the right to a price adjustment for defects in certified cost or... recognize that the Government's right to a price adjustment is not affected by any of the following... certified, cost or pricing data, the Government has the right, under the clauses at 52.215-10, Price...

Elemental Quantification and Residues Characterization of Wet Digested Certified and Commercial Carbon Materials

KAUST Repository

Simoes, Filipa R. F.; Batra, Nitin M.; Warsama, Bashir H.; Canlas, Christian; Patole, Shashikant; Yapici, Tahir F.; Costa, Pedro M. F. J.

2016-01-01

.g., graphene and nanotubes) has suffered from the lack of efficient digestion steps and certified reference materials (CRM). Here, various commercial and certified graphitic carbon materials were subjected to a

Certified reference materials for organic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

QianChuanfan

2002-01-01

This presentation discusses the requirements for certified reference materials (CRMs) to be used in measurements of residues of pesticides in food and environmental samples. It deals with the types of CRMs, matrix selection, sample preparation and representativeness. It also discusses CRM validity period and gives some examples of CRM preparation

Predicting Pre-Service Classroom Teachers' Civil Servant Recruitment Examination's Educational Sciences Test Scores Using Artificial Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Demir, Metin

2015-01-01

This study predicts the number of correct answers given by pre-service classroom teachers in Civil Servant Recruitment Examination's (CSRE) educational sciences test based on their high school grade point averages, university entrance scores, and grades (mid-term and final exams) from their undergraduate educational courses. This study was…

Psycho-oncological care in certified cancer centres--a nationwide analysis in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Susanne; Dieng, Sebastian; Wesselmann, Simone

2013-06-01

Over the last few years, a nationwide voluntary certification system for cancer centres has been established in Germany. To qualify for certification, cancer centres must provide psycho-oncological care to every patient who needs it. The aim of this study was to find out how many patients have been treated by a psycho-oncologist in the certified centres. All cancer centres in Germany that were re-certified in 2010 provided data documenting how many patients with primary cancer received at least 30 min of psycho-oncological consultation in 2009. Data from n = 456 certified cancer centres were available. In the centres, a total of 36,165 patients were seen by a psycho-oncologist for at least 30 min, representing 37.3% of all patients in the centres. The highest percentage of patients who received psycho-oncological care was found in breast cancer centres (66.7%), and the lowest in prostate cancer centres (6.8%). Half of the patients (50.0%) in gynaecological cancer centres, 37.7% in colon cancer centres and 25.4% in lung cancer centres received psycho-oncological care. Compared with non-certified centres, the proportion of patients receiving psycho-oncological care in certified cancer centres has increased. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Overview and current management of computerized adaptive testing in licensing/certification examinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Gi Seo

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Computerized adaptive testing (CAT has been implemented in high-stakes examinations such as the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses in the United States since 1994. Subsequently, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States adopted CAT for certifying emergency medical technicians in 2007. This was done with the goal of introducing the implementation of CAT for medical health licensing examinations. Most implementations of CAT are based on item response theory, which hypothesizes that both the examinee and items have their own characteristics that do not change. There are 5 steps for implementing CAT: first, determining whether the CAT approach is feasible for a given testing program; second, establishing an item bank; third, pretesting, calibrating, and linking item parameters via statistical analysis; fourth, determining the specification for the final CAT related to the 5 components of the CAT algorithm; and finally, deploying the final CAT after specifying all the necessary components. The 5 components of the CAT algorithm are as follows: item bank, starting item, item selection rule, scoring procedure, and termination criterion. CAT management includes content balancing, item analysis, item scoring, standard setting, practice analysis, and item bank updates. Remaining issues include the cost of constructing CAT platforms and deploying the computer technology required to build an item bank. In conclusion, in order to ensure more accurate estimations of examinees’ ability, CAT may be a good option for national licensing examinations. Measurement theory can support its implementation for high-stakes examinations.

The Perception of "Training Availability" among Certified Nurse Aides: Relationship to CNA Performance, Turnover, Attitudes, Burnout, and Empowerment

Science.gov (United States)

Yeatts, Dale E.; Cready, Cynthia; Swan, James; Shen, Yuying

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the certified nurse aides' (CNAs) perception that "training is always available when needed" and the CNAs' performance, turnover, attitudes, burnout, and empowerment. The data came from a larger study where a self-administered survey instrument was completed by 359 CNAs…

ENERGY STAR Certified Geothermal Heat Pumps

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Geothermal Heat Pumps that are effective as of January 1, 2012. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=geo_heat.pr_crit_geo_heat_pumps

Recertification in allergy and immunology: an historical review with special emphasis on the 1983 examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavin, R G; Des Prez, L; Mansmann, H C; Meskauskas, J A; Pierson, W

1985-03-01

Recertification offers a method of evaluating a diplomate's cognitive knowledge of allergy and immunology. In 1983 candidates for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology recertification examination were offered the entire certifying examination but were informed that they would, for recertification purposes, be held responsible only for a subset of questions judged to be particularly clinically relevant. All 40 candidates elected to take the entire certifying examination. Differences between the performance of certifying and recertifying candidates on the recertifying questions were small. Except for the five-choice questions, the differences in performance between the two groups on the remaining questions were also small in an absolute sense. Recertification performance was not related to the time of original certification. Ninety-eight percent of the candidates completed a questionnaire after the examination. Ninety percent stated that they would encourage their colleagues to participate in the recertification process.

Reflections on International Certified Nursing Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Penelope Ann

2017-01-01

The author, a former university faculty member who taught English to speakers of other languages and now a nursing home resident, shares her observations about how English language proficiency, culture, and religious differences affect her care. She provides examples of communication challenges that can be annoying or cause harm, her coping strategies, and reasons many certified nursing assistants might never be fully fluent in English. She explains how international certified nursing assistants can benefit residents because of skills developed by family-centered care in their countries of origin. She also discusses related issues-the importance of being culturally competent about U.S. culture. She points out how religiousness not only affects residents but is a buffer for staff against the stress of physically and emotionally demanding low-wage work. Overall, the author likes receiving care from individuals from other countries, finding reward in comparing how her personal struggle with illness and paralysis resonates with the trauma of migration and how learning firsthand about varying beliefs and attitudes clarifies her identity and place in world history.

The effect of surgical resident learning style preferences on American Board of Surgery In-training Examination scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Roger H; Gilbert, Timothy; Ristig, Kyle

2015-01-01

There is a growing body of literature that suggests that learners assimilate information differently, depending on their preferred learning style. The VARK model categorizes learners as visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R), kinesthetic (K), or multimodal (MM). We hypothesized that resident VARK learning style preferences and American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) performance are associated. The Fleming VARK learning styles inventory was administered to all general surgery residents at a university hospital-based program each year to determine their preferred learning style. Resident scores from the 2012 and 2013 ABSITE were examined to identify any correlation with learning style preferences. Over a 2-year period, residents completed 53 VARK inventory assessments. Most (51%) had a multimodal preference. Dominant aural and read/write learners had the lowest and highest mean ABSITE scores, respectively (p = 0.03). Residents with dominant read/write learning preferences perform better on the ABSITE than their peers did, whereas residents with dominant aural learning preferences underperform on the ABSITE. This may reflect an inherent and inadvertent bias of the examination against residents who prefer to learn via aural modalities. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differences of wells scores accuracy, caprini scores and padua scores in deep vein thrombosis diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Gatot, D.; Mardia, A. I.

2018-03-01

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the venous thrombus in lower limbs. Diagnosis is by using venography or ultrasound compression. However, these examinations are not available yet in some health facilities. Therefore many scoring systems are developed for the diagnosis of DVT. The scoring method is practical and safe to use in addition to efficacy, and effectiveness in terms of treatment and costs. The existing scoring systems are wells, caprini and padua score. There have been many studies comparing the accuracy of this score but not in Medan. Therefore, we are interested in comparative research of wells, capriniand padua score in Medan.An observational, analytical, case-control study was conducted to perform diagnostic tests on the wells, caprini and padua score to predict the risk of DVT. The study was at H. Adam Malik Hospital in Medan.From a total of 72 subjects, 39 people (54.2%) are men and the mean age are 53.14 years. Wells score, caprini score and padua score has a sensitivity of 80.6%; 61.1%, 50% respectively; specificity of 80.65; 66.7%; 75% respectively, and accuracy of 87.5%; 64.3%; 65.7% respectively.Wells score has better sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than caprini and padua score in diagnosing DVT.

The Study of Electronic Medical Record Adoption in a Medicare Certified Home Health Agency Using a Grounded Theory Approach

Science.gov (United States)

May, Joy L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine the experiences of clinicians in the adoption of Electronic Medical Records in a Medicare certified Home Health Agency. An additional goal for this study was to triangulate qualitative research between describing, explaining, and exploring technology acceptance. The experiences…

Environmental-economic benefits and trade-offs on sustainably certified coffee farms

OpenAIRE

Haggar, Jeremy; Soto, Gabriela; Casanoves, Fernando; de Melo Virginio, Elias

2017-01-01

Coffee with diverse shade trees is recognized as conserving greater biodiversity than more intensive production methods. Sustainable certification has been proposed as an incentive to conserve shade grown coffee. With 40% of global coffee production certified as sustainable, evidence is needed to demonstrate whether certification supports the environmental benefits of shade coffee. Environmen-tal and economic data were taken from 278 coffee farms in Nicaragua divided between non-certified and...

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Hot Food Holding Cabinet

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Commercial Hot Food Holding Cabinets that are...

DGNB certified Healthcare Centres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsgaard, Camilla; Larsen, Tine Steen

2015-01-01

for sustainability and wants a certification. This research investigates the decision‐making and design process (DMaDP) behind four DGNB certified Healthcare Centres (HCC) in Northern Jutland in Denmark. In general, knowledge about the DMaDP is important. However it is important to know what part DGNB plays...... a dialog about DGNB and energy concept is important even before anyone start sketching. Experiences with the different approaches will be further outlined in the paper.Future research has the intention to collect further knowledge about DGNB and DMaDP in practise. This project was limited to Healthcare...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

Implementing Assessment Engineering in the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Matthew; Devore, Richard; Stopek, Josh

2013-01-01

This paper describes efforts to bring principled assessment design to a large-scale, high-stakes licensure examination by employing the frameworks of Assessment Engineering (AE), the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT), and Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA). The Uniform CPA Examination is practice-oriented and focuses on the skills of accounting. In…

Exponential gain of randomness certified by quantum contextuality

Science.gov (United States)

Um, Mark; Zhang, Junhua; Wang, Ye; Wang, Pengfei; Kim, Kihwan

2017-04-01

We demonstrate the protocol of exponential gain of randomness certified by quantum contextuality in a trapped ion system. The genuine randomness can be produced by quantum principle and certified by quantum inequalities. Recently, randomness expansion protocols based on inequality of Bell-text and Kochen-Specker (KS) theorem, have been demonstrated. These schemes have been theoretically innovated to exponentially expand the randomness and amplify the randomness from weak initial random seed. Here, we report the experimental evidence of such exponential expansion of randomness. In the experiment, we use three states of a 138Ba + ion between a ground state and two quadrupole states. In the 138Ba + ion system, we do not have detection loophole and we apply a methods to rule out certain hidden variable models that obey a kind of extended noncontextuality.

Certified reference materials of trace elements in water

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Many decisions regarding the suitability of material/products are based on the ... In the present scenario of globalization of economy, use of certified reference ... our national accreditation body, National Accreditation Board for Testing and ...

Comparison of 4 established DASH diet indexes: examining associations of index scores and colorectal cancer123

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Amanda J; Subar, Amy F; Krebs-Smith, Susan M; Park, Yikyung; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany; Hollenbeck, Albert; Reedy, Jill

2013-01-01

Background: Multiple diet indexes have been developed to capture the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and examine relations with health outcomes but have not been compared within the same study population to our knowledge. Objective: We compared 4 established DASH indexes and examined associations with colorectal cancer. Design: Scores were generated from a food-frequency questionnaire in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study (n = 491,841). Separate indexes defined by Dixon (7 food groups, saturated fat, and alcohol), Mellen (9 nutrients), Fung (7 food groups and sodium), and Günther (8 food groups) were used. HRs and 95% CIs for colorectal cancer were generated by using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: From 1995 through 2006, 6752 incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained. In men, higher scores were associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence by comparing highest to lowest quintiles for all indexes as follows: Dixon (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.87), Mellen (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.86), Fung (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.83), and Günther (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.90). Higher scores in women were inversely associated with colorectal cancer incidence by using methods defined by Mellen (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91), Fung (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), and Günther (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73.0.97) but not Dixon (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.28). Conclusion: The consistency in findings, particularly in men, suggests that all indexes capture an underlying construct inherent in the DASH dietary pattern, although the specific index used can affect results. PMID:23864539

Measuring Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Organizational Climate: Instrument Adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Donald; Poghosyan, Lusine

2017-08-01

No tool exists measuring certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) organizational climate. The study's purpose is to adapt a validated tool to measure CRNA organizational climate. Content validity of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Organizational Climate Questionnaire (CRNA-OCQ) was established. Pilot testing was conducted to determine internal reliability consistency of the subscales. Experts rated the tool as content valid. The subscales had high internal consistency reliability (with respective Cronbach's alphas): CRNA-Anesthesiologist Relations (.753), CRNA-Physician Relations (.833), CRNA-Administration Relations (.895), Independent Practice (.830), Support for CRNA Practice (.683), and Professional Visibility (.772). Further refinement of the CRNA-OCQ is necessary. Measurement and assessment of CRNA organizational climate may produce evidence needed to improve provider and patient outcomes.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment Performance in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease with “Normal” Global Cognition According to Mini-Mental State Examination Score

Science.gov (United States)

Nazem, Sarra; Siderowf, Andrew D.; Duda, John E.; Have, Tom Ten; Colcher, Amy; Horn, Stacy S.; Moberg, Paul J.; Wilkinson, Jayne R.; Hurtig, Howard I.; Stern, Matthew B.; Weintraub, Daniel

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES To examine Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performance in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with “normal” global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. DESIGN A cross-sectional comparison of the MoCA and the MMSE. SETTING Two movement disorders centers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of 131 patients with idiopathic PD who were screened for cognitive and psychiatric complications. MEASUREMENTS Subjects were administered the MoCA and MMSE, and only subjects defined as having a normal age- and education-adjusted MMSE score were included in the analyses (N = 100). As previously recommended in patients without PD, a MoCA score less than 26 was used to indicate the presence of at least mild cognitive impairment (MCI). RESULTS Mean MMSE and MoCA scores ± standard deviation were 28.8 ± 1.1 and 24.9 ± 3.1, respectively. More than half (52.0%) of subjects with normal MMSE scores had cognitive impairment according to their MoCA score. Impairments were seen in numerous cognitive domains, including memory, visuospatial and executive abilities, attention, and language. Predictors of cognitive impairment on the MoCA using univariate analyses were male sex, older age, lower educational level, and greater disease severity; older age was the only predictor in a multivariate model. CONCLUSION Approximately half of patients with PD with a normal MMSE score have cognitive impairment based on the recommended MoCA cutoff score. These results suggest that MCI is common in PD and that the MoCA is a more sensitive instrument than the MMSE for its detection. PMID:19170786

The Effects of the 150-Credit-Hour Requirement for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam On the Career Intentions of Women and Minorities

Science.gov (United States)

Bierstaker, James Lloyd; Howe, Martha A.; Seol, Inshik

2005-01-01

In most states, students who sit for the certified public accountant (CPA) examination are now required to have 150 credit hours of college education. In this article, the authors examined the effects of this requirement on the career intentions of women and minorities. The authors collected data from 600 accounting students and the results…

Recognising and Certifying Lifelong Skills: Impact on Labour Market Integration of the Unemployed

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Pedro Afonso

2009-01-01

The process for recognising, validating and certifying (RVC) non-formally or informally acquired lifelong learning, launched in 2000, is now part of mainstream education and training policies in Portugal. This article aims to determine how much the labour-market behaviour of the RVC-certified unemployed differs from that of other unemployed…

Examining the association of injury with the Functional Movement Screen and Landing Error Scoring System in military recruits undergoing 16 weeks of introductory fitness training.

Science.gov (United States)

Everard, Eoin; Lyons, Mark; Harrison, Andrew J

2018-06-01

To examine the association of injury with the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) in military recruits undergoing an intensive 16-week training block. Prospective cohort study. One hundred and thirty-two entry-level male soldiers (18-25years) were tested using the FMS and LESS. The participants underwent an intensive 16-week training program with injury data recorded daily. Chi-squared statistics were used to examine associations between injury risk and (1) poor LESS scores, (2) any score of 1 on the FMS and (3) composite FMS score of ≤14. A composite FMS score of ≤14 was not a significant predictor of injury. LESS scores of >5 and having a score of 1 on any FMS test were significantly associated with injury. LESS scores had greater relative risk, sensitivity and specificity (2.2 (95% CI=1.48-3.34); 71% and 87% respectively) than scores of 1 on the FMS (relative risk=1.32 (95% CI=1.0-1.7); sensitivity=50% and specificity=76%). There was no association between composite FMS score and injury but LESS scores and scores of 1 in the FMS test were significantly associated with injury in varying degrees. LESS scores had a much better association with injury than both any scores of 1 on the FMS and a combination of LESS scores and scores of 1 on the FMS. Furthermore, the LESS provides comparable information related to injury risk as other well-established markers associated with injury such as age, muscular strength and previous injury. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

19 CFR 159.34 - Certified quarterly rate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico... Customs purposes in connection with merchandise exported on such date. (2) Certified daily rate. If the... merchandise exported on such day. [T.D. 73-175, 38 FR 17482, July 2, 1973, as amended by T.D. 81-117, 46 FR...

Development of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes certified gaseous reference materials

Science.gov (United States)

Brum, M. C.; Sobrinho, D. C. G.; Fagundes, F. A.; Oudwater, R. J.; Augusto, C. R.

2016-07-01

The work describes the production of certified gaseous reference materials of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) in nitrogen from the gravimetric production up to the long term stability tests followed by the certifying step. The uncertainty in the amount fractions of the compounds in these mixtures was approximately 4% (relative) for the range studied from 2 to 16 µmol/mol. Also the adsorption of the BTEX on the cylinder surface and the tubing were investigated as potential uncertainty source.

13 CFR 124.1003 - How does a firm become certified as an SDB?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How does a firm become certified... Protests Relating to Federal Small Disadvantaged Business Programs § 124.1003 How does a firm become certified as an SDB? (a) All firms that are current Participants in SBA's 8(a) BD program are automatically...

The Dental Hygiene Aptitude Tests and the American College Testing Program Tests as Predictors of Scores on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Longenbecker, Sueann; Wood, Peter H.

1984-01-01

Scores from the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) served as the criterion variable in a comparison of the predictive validity of the Dental Hygiene Aptitude Tests (DHAT) and the ACT Assessment tests. The DHAT-Science and Verbal tests combined to produce the highest multiple correlation with NBDHE scores. (Author/DWH)

Neuropsychological profile in Chinese patients with Parkinson's disease and normal global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination Score.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Jin; Zheng, Xiyuan; Wang, Xiaoyan; Lu, Wenhui; Cao, Hongmei; Qin, Xing

2015-01-01

Cognitive impairments have been reported to be more common in non-demented patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and education levels play an important role in intelligence. The studies on cognitive impairments in Chinese PD patients with higher education levels and normal global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination Score (MMSE) have not been reported. We enrolled 69 consecutive PD patients with over 6 years education levels and a MMSE score above 24 (of 30) and performed a battery of neuropsychological scales. There are extensive cognitive domain impairments in PD patients with "normal" global cognitive according to MMSE. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a highly sensitive scale to screen cognitive impairments in PD. The cutoff score of 28 on the MMSE screening for cognitive impairment in Chinese PD patients with high education levels may be more appropriate.

Certifiable Java for Embedded Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoeberl, Martin; Dalsgaard, Andreas Engelbredt; Hansen, Rene Rydhof

2014-01-01

The Certifiable Java for Embedded Systems (CJ4ES) project aimed to develop a prototype development environment and platform for safety-critical software for embedded applications. There are three core constituents: A profile of the Java programming language that is tailored for safety......-critical applications, a predictable Java processor built with FPGA technology, and an Eclipse based application development environment that binds the profile and the platform together and provides analyses that help to provide evidence that can be used as part of a safety case. This paper summarizes key contributions...

44 CFR 204.53 - Certifying costs and payments.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

....21 and U. S. Treasury 31 CFR part 205, Cash Management Improvement Act. ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Certifying costs and payments. 204.53 Section 204.53 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...

Do Standardized Tests Penalize Deep-Thinking, Creative, or Conscientious Students?: Some Personality Correlates of Graduate Record Examinations Test Scores

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, Donald E.; Kaufman, James C.

2004-01-01

The objective of the study reported here was to explore the relationship of Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test scores to selected personality traits--conscientiousness, rationality, ingenuity, quickness, creativity, and depth. A sample of 342 GRE test takers completed short personality inventory scales for each trait. Analyses…

30 CFR 18.80 - Approval of machines assembled with certified or explosion-proof components.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Approval of machines assembled with certified... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS ELECTRIC MOTOR-DRIVEN MINE EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES Machines Assembled With Certified or Explosion-Proof Components, Field...

The role of certified reference materials in material control and accounting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turel, S.P.

1979-01-01

One way of providing an adequate material control and accounting system for the nuclear fuel cycle is to calculate material unaccounted for (MUF) after a physical inventory and to compare the limit of error of the MUF value (LEMUF) against prescribed criteria. To achieve a meaningful LEMUF, a programme for the continuing determination of systematic and random errors is necessary. Within this programme it is necessary to achieve traceability of all Special Nuclear Material (SNM) control and accounting measurements to an International/National Measurement System by means of Certified Reference Materials. SNM measurements for control and accounting are made internationally on a great variety of materials using many diverse measurement procedures by a large number of facilities. To achieve valid overall accountability over this great variety of measurements there must be some means of relating all these measurements and their uncertainties to each other. This is best achieved by an International/National Measurement System (IMS/NMS). To this end, all individual measurement systems must be compatible to the IMS/NMS and all measurement results must be traceable to appropriate international/national Primary Certified Reference Materials. To obtain this necessary compatibility for any given SNM measurement system, secondary certified reference materials or working reference materials are needed for every class of SNM and each type of measurement system. Ways to achieve ''traceability'' and the various types of certified reference material are defined and discussed in this paper. (author)

Certifying the absence of quantum nonlocality

OpenAIRE

Miller, Carl A.; Shi, Yaoyun

2016-01-01

Quantum nonlocality is an inherently non-classical feature of quantum mechanics and manifests itself through violation of Bell inequalities for nonlocal games. We show that in a fairly general setting, a simple extension of a nonlocal game can certify instead the absence of quantum nonlocality. Through contraposition, our result implies that a super-classical performance for such a game ensures that a player's output is unpredictable to the other player. Previously such output unpredictabilit...

Assessment of Readiness to Participate in Distance Learning of the Certified Florida Behavioral Workforce

Science.gov (United States)

Baston, George R.

2011-01-01

This research study explored perceptions of readiness to participate in distance learning among the certified behavioral workforce in Florida. The study sought to determine if there were significant differences in perception of readiness to participate in distance learning between certified behavioral health professionals at the administrator…

Conversion between mini-mental state examination, montreal cognitive assessment, and dementia rating scale-2 scores in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

van Steenoven, Inger; Aarsland, Dag; Hurtig, Howard; Chen-Plotkin, Alice; Duda, John E; Rick, Jacqueline; Chahine, Lama M; Dahodwala, Nabila; Trojanowski, John Q; Roalf, David R; Moberg, Paul J; Weintraub, Daniel

2014-12-01

Cognitive impairment is one of the earliest, most common, and most disabling non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, routine screening of global cognitive abilities is important for the optimal management of PD patients. Few global cognitive screening instruments have been developed for or validated in PD patients. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2) have been used extensively for cognitive screening in both clinical and research settings. Determining how to convert the scores between instruments would facilitate the longitudinal assessment of cognition in clinical settings and the comparison and synthesis of cognitive data in multicenter and longitudinal cohort studies. The primary aim of this study was to apply a simple and reliable algorithm for the conversion of MoCA to MMSE scores in PD patients. A secondary aim was to apply this algorithm for the conversion of DRS-2 to both MMSE and MoCA scores. The cognitive performance of a convenience sample of 360 patients with idiopathic PD was assessed by at least two of these cognitive screening instruments. We then developed conversion scores between the MMSE, MoCA, and DRS-2 using equipercentile equating and log-linear smoothing. The conversion score tables reported here enable direct and easy comparison of three routinely used cognitive screening assessments in PD patients. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Relationship of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certified Nurses and Healthcare-Acquired Conditions in Acute Care Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Diane K; Bergquist-Beringer, Sandra; Cramer, Emily

The purpose of this study was to describe the (a) number and types of employed WOC certified nurses in acute care hospitals, (b) rates of hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), and (c) effectiveness of WOC certified nurses with respect to lowering HAPI and CAUTI occurrences. Retrospective analysis of data from National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. The sample comprised 928 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) hospitals that participated in the 2012 NDNQI RN Survey (source of specialty certification data) and collected HAPI, CAUTI, and nurse staffing data during the years 2012 to 2013. We analyzed years 2012 to 2013 data from the NDNQI. Descriptive statistics summarized the number and types of employed WOC certified nurses, the rate of HAPI and CAUTI, and HAPI risk assessment and prevention intervention rates. Chi-square analyses were used to compare the characteristics of hospitals that do and do not employ WOC certified nurses. Analysis-of-covariance models were used to test the association between WOC certified nurses and HAPI and CAUTI occurrences. Just more than one-third of the study hospitals (36.6%) employed WOC certified nurses. Certified continence care nurses (CCCNs) were employed in fewest number. Hospitals employing wound care specialty certified nurses (CWOCN, CWCN, and CWON) had lower HAPI rates and better pressure injury risk assessment and prevention practices. Stage 3 and 4 HAPI occurrences among hospitals employing CWOCNs, CWCNs, and CWONs (0.27%) were nearly half the rate of hospitals not employing these nurses (0.51%). There were no significant relationships between nurses with specialty certification in continence care (CWOCN, CCCN) or ostomy care (CWOCN, COCN) and CAUTI rates. CWOCNs, CWCNs, and CWONs are an important factor in achieving better HAPI outcomes in acute care settings. The role of CWOCNs, CCCNs, and COCNs in CAUTI prevention warrants further

Certified causes of death in patients with mesothelioma in South East England

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peto Julian

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mesothelioma is a highly fatal cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. In many populations, the occurrence of mesothelioma is monitored with the use of mortality data from death certification. We examine certified causes of death of patients who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and assess the validity of death certification data as a proxy for mesothelioma incidence. Methods We extracted mesothelioma registrations in the South East of England area between 2000 and 2004 from the Thames Cancer Registry database. We retained for analysis 2200 patients who had died at the time of analysis, after having excluded seven dead cases where the causes of death were not known to the cancer registry. The 2200 deaths were classified hierarchically to identify (1 mesothelioma deaths, (2 deaths certified as lung cancer deaths or (3 deaths from unspecified cancer, and (4 deaths from other causes. Results 87% of the patients had mesothelioma mentioned on the death certificate. 6% had no mention of mesothelioma but included lung cancer as a cause of death. Another 6% had no mention of mesothelioma or lung cancer, but included an unspecified cancer as a cause of death. Lastly, 2% had other causes of death specified on the death certificate. Conclusion This analysis suggests that official mortality data may underestimate the true occurrence of mesothelioma by around 10%.

48 CFR 15.403-3 - Requiring data other than certified cost or pricing data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... certified cost or pricing data. 15.403-3 Section 15.403-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Contract Pricing 15.403-3 Requiring data other than certified cost or pricing data. (a)(1) In those acquisitions that do...

7 CFR 301.75-17 - Funds for the replacement of certified citrus nursery stock.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Funds for the replacement of certified citrus nursery... nursery stock. Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, a commercial citrus nursery may be eligible to receive funds to replace certified citrus nursery stock in accordance with the provisions of...

Development of certified reference material of mineral composition of natural water designed to control of turbidity measurement accuracy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liudmila I. Gorjaeva

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The results of development of a certified reference material (CRM of mineral composition of natural water are presented. A solution prepared from the material of the CRM specimen imitates mineral composition of natural surface water. The certified values are mass fractions of nitrate ions, chloride ions, fluoride ions, and total iron and turbidity according to formazine scale. Materials and methods. The certified values of mass concentrations of the components were determined using calculated experimental evaluation procedure;the certified turbidity value was determinedusing the certified turbidimetric method. Results. The relative expanded uncertainty (k = 2 of the certified turbidity values does not exceed 5 %, the same value for mass concentrationsis not more than 3.5 %. Relative standard uncertainty from heterogeneity does not exceed 1.0 %. The shelf life of the developed CRM is set to 3 years. Discussion and conclusion. Developed CRM was registered in the State Register of CRM's as GSO 10815-2016. The CRM is designed to control the accuracy of results of the certified characteristics measurements, including proficiency testing of laboratories using interlaboratory comparative tests. The CRM can be used for validation of measurement procedures.

48 CFR 52.215-10 - Price Reduction for Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data. 52.215-10 Section 52.215-10 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Text of Provisions and Clauses 52.215-10 Price Reduction for Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data... or Pricing Data (OCT 2010) (a) If any price, including profit or fee, negotiated in connection with...

Credence quality coordination and consumers' willingness-to-pay for certified halal labelled meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeke, Wim; Rutsaert, Pieter; Bonne, Karijn; Vermeir, Iris

2013-12-01

This paper reports on halal credence quality coordination and Muslim consumers' willingness to buy and pay for certified halal labelled meat at the supermarket and the Islamic butcher. Cross-sectional data were collected through a survey with 202 Muslim consumers in Belgium. Findings indicate that more acculturated and female consumers are more in favour of purchasing certified halal labelled meat in a supermarket. Important conditions are that supermarkets can provide a guarantee of separating halal from non-halal meat and of the organisation of adequate verification and control. Results further show that more Muslim consumers are willing to pay a price premium (of 13% on average) for halal labelled meat at the Islamic butcher shop than at the supermarket. The higher the importance attached to a certified halal label and the more distrust in the actual halal meat status, the higher the likelihood that a Muslim consumer is willing to pay a higher price for certified halal labelled meat at the Islamic butcher shop. Gender and generation determine the actual premium Muslim consumers are willing to pay. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 1068.261 - What provisions apply for selling or shipping certified engines that are not yet in the certified...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... assembly of the engine so it is in its certified configuration when final assembly is complete. This... following approaches: (i) Apply an additional removable label in a way that makes it unlikely that the... certification: (i) How you plan to use the provisions of this section. (ii) A detailed plan for auditing...

MASTERS OF ANALYTICAL TRADECRAFT: CERTIFYING THE STANDARDS AND ANALYTIC RIGOR OF INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

AU/ACSC/2016 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY MASTERS OF ANALYTICAL TRADECRAFT: CERTIFYING THE STANDARDS AND ANALYTIC RIGOR OF...establishing unit level certified Masters of Analytic Tradecraft (MAT) analysts to be trained and entrusted to evaluate and rate the standards and...cues) ideally should meet or exceed effective rigor (based on analytical process).4 To accomplish this, decision makers should not be left to their

Elemental Quantification and Residues Characterization of Wet Digested Certified and Commercial Carbon Materials

KAUST Repository

Simoes, Filipa R. F.

2016-10-25

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is a common, relatively low cost, and straightforward analytical technique for the study of trace quantities of metals in solid materials, but its applicability to nanocarbons (e.g., graphene and nanotubes) has suffered from the lack of efficient digestion steps and certified reference materials (CRM). Here, various commercial and certified graphitic carbon materials were subjected to a

Certified Basic Life Support Instructors Assess Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skills Poorly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Camilla; Rasmussen, Stinne E; Kristensen, Mette Amalie

2016-01-01

Introduction: High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival from cardiac arrest. During basic life support (BLS) training, instructors assess CPR skills to enhance learning outcome. Emergency department staff and senior residents have been shown to assess chest compression...... quality poorly. Currently no studies have evaluated CPR assessment among certified BLS instructors. The aim of this study was to investigate certified BLS instructors’ assessment of chest compressions and rescue breathing.Methods: Data were collected at BLS courses for medical students at Aarhus...... of CPR skills may be beneficial to ensure high-quality learning outcome.Author Disclosures: C. Hansen: None. S.E. Rasmussen: None. M.A. Nebsbjerg: None. M. Stærk: None. B. Løfgren: None....

Conversion Between Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Dementia Rating Scale-2 Scores in Parkinson’s Disease

Science.gov (United States)

van Steenoven, Inger; Aarsland, Dag; Hurtig, Howard; Chen-Plotkin, Alice; Duda, John E.; Rick, Jacqueline; Chahine, Lama M.; Dahodwala, Nabila; Trojanowski, John Q.; Roalf, David R.; Moberg, Paul J.; Weintraub, Daniel

2015-01-01

Cognitive impairment is one of the earliest, most common, and most disabling non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thus, routine screening of global cognitive abilities is important for the optimal management of PD patients. Few global cognitive screening instruments have been developed for or validated in PD patients. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2) have been used extensively for cognitive screening in both clinical and research settings. Determining how to convert the scores between instruments would facilitate the longitudinal assessment of cognition in clinical settings and the comparison and synthesis of cognitive data in multicenter and longitudinal cohort studies. The primary aim of this study was to apply a simple and reliable algorithm for the conversion of MoCA to MMSE scores in PD patients. A secondary aim was to apply this algorithm for the conversion of DRS-2 to both MMSE and MoCA scores. The cognitive performance of a convenience sample of 360 patients with idiopathic PD was assessed by at least two of these cognitive screening instruments. We then developed conversion scores between the MMSE, MoCA, and DRS-2 using equipercentile equating and log-linear smoothing. The conversion score tables reported here enable direct and easy comparison of three routinely used cognitive screening assessments in PD patients. PMID:25381961

Automated simultaneous assembly of multi-stage testing for the uniform CPA examination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breithaupt, Krista; Ariel, A.; Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2004-01-01

Some solutions used in the assembly of the computerized Uniform Certified Public Accountancy (CPA) licensing examination are offered as practical alternatives for operational programs producing large numbers of forms. The Uniform CPA examination will be offered as an adaptive multi-stage test (MST)

Development of a Certified Reference Material (NMIJ CRM 7203-a) for Elemental Analysis of Tap Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yanbei; Narukawa, Tomohiro; Inagaki, Kazumi; Miyashita, Shin-Ichi; Kuroiwa, Takayoshi; Ariga, Tomoko; Kudo, Izumi; Koguchi, Masae; Heo, Sung Woo; Suh, Jung Ki; Lee, Kyoung-Seok; Yim, Yong-Hyeon; Lim, Youngran

2017-01-01

A certified reference material (CRM), NMIJ CRM 7203-a, was developed for the elemental analysis of tap water. At least two independent analytical methods were applied to characterize the certified value of each element. The elements certified in the present CRM were as follows: Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, and Zn. The certified value for each element was given as the (property value ± expanded uncertainty), with a coverage factor of 2 for the expanded uncertainty. The expanded uncertainties were estimated while considering the contribution of the analytical methods, the method-to-method variance, the sample homogeneity, the long-term stability, and the concentrations of the standard solutions for calibration. The concentration of Hg (0.39 μg kg -1 ) was given as the information value, since loss of Hg was observed when the sample was stored at room temperature and exposed to light. The certified values of selected elements were confirmed by a co-analysis carried out independently by the NMIJ (Japan) and the KRISS (Korea).

CWSP Certified Wireless Security Professional Official Study Guide, Exam PW0-204

CERN Document Server

Coleman, David D; Harkins, Bryan E

2010-01-01

Sybex is now the official publisher for Certified Wireless Network Professional, the certifying vendor for the CWSP program. This guide covers all exam objectives, including WLAN discovery techniques, intrusion and attack techniques, 802.11 protocol analysis. Wireless intrusion-prevention systems implementation, layer 2 and 3 VPNs used over 802.11 networks, and managed endpoint security systems. It also covers enterprise/SMB/SOHO/Public-Network Security design models and security solution implementation, building robust security networks, wireless LAN management systems, and much more.

Interrelationship between Mini-Mental State Examination scores and biochemical parameters in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasantharekha, Ramasamy; Priyanka, Hannah P; Swarnalingam, Thangavel; Srinivasan, Avathvadi Venkatesan; ThyagaRajan, Srinivasan

2017-10-01

The aim of the present study was to provide first-hand information about the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India, and examine if there exists a relationship between cognitive functions and biochemical parameters in these patients. Surveys were collected from adults, older men and women (n = 3126) from different regions of Tamil Nadu, which were followed up after 12 months for 1337 participants. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, lipid profile, and liver function tests were carried out in the elderly, MCI and AD patients. Based on the MMSE scores, the elderly population was classified into old control (28.97 ± 1.49; n = 1868), MCI (19.58 ± 1.17; n = 734) and AD (7.18 ± 1.38; n = 304) groups. Peripheral blood samples were collected after overnight fast from both male and female volunteers (n = 40 per group) who were categorized as young adult control, old control, MCI and AD. AD patients showed lower MMSE scores compared with the young adults, old and MCI groups, and MMSE further decreased at follow-up examination a year later. In the serum of AD patients, high-density lipoprotein, alkaline phosphatase activity and bilirubin levels were lower, whereas low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol and triglycerides levels were higher. MMSE was positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein, and negatively correlated with other lipid parameters in AD. Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for AD that might result in neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment. Dysfunction of lipoprotein and heme metabolism might also provide additional targets for AD diagnosis. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1737-1745. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

31 CFR 360.55 - Individuals authorized to certify.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individuals authorized to certify. 360.55 Section 360.55 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... imprint of either the corporate seal of the institution or of the issuing or paying agent's stamp. The...

31 CFR 353.55 - Individuals authorized to certify.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individuals authorized to certify. 353.55 Section 353.55 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... imprint of either the corporate seal of the institution or of the issuing or paying agent's stamp. The...

Performance on the adult rheumatology in-training examination and relationship to outcomes on the rheumatology certification examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohr, Kristine M; Clauser, Amanda; Hess, Brian J; Gelber, Allan C; Valeriano-Marcet, Joanne; Lipner, Rebecca S; Haist, Steven A; Hawley, Janine L; Zirkle, Sarah; Bolster, Marcy B

2015-11-01

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Adult Rheumatology In-Training Examination (ITE) is a feedback tool designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the content knowledge of individual fellows-in-training and the training program curricula. We determined whether scores on the ACR ITE, as well as scores on other major standardized medical examinations and competency-based ratings, could be used to predict performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Rheumatology Certification Examination. Between 2008 and 2012, 629 second-year fellows took the ACR ITE. Bivariate correlation analyses of assessment scores and multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine whether ABIM Rheumatology Certification Examination scores could be predicted on the basis of ACR ITE scores, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores, fellowship directors' ratings of overall clinical competency, and demographic variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether these assessments were predictive of a passing outcome on the Rheumatology Certification Examination. In the initial linear model, the strongest predictors of the Rheumatology Certification Examination score were the second-year fellows' ACR ITE scores (β = 0.438) and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores (β = 0.273). Using a stepwise model, the strongest predictors of higher scores on the Rheumatology Certification Examination were second-year fellows' ACR ITE scores (β = 0.449) and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores (β = 0.276). Based on the findings of logistic regression analysis, ACR ITE performance was predictive of a pass/fail outcome on the Rheumatology Certification Examination (odds ratio 1.016 [95% confidence interval 1.011-1.021]). The predictive value of the ACR ITE score with regard to predicting performance on the Rheumatology Certification Examination

7 CFR 205.665 - Noncompliance procedure for certifying agents.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... applicable State organic program's governing State official all records concerning its certification...) ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ACT PROVISIONS NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM Administrative Compliance § 205.665... agent. (f) Cessation of certification activities. A certifying agent whose accreditation is suspended or...

Characteristic and Preferences of Green Consumer Stratification As Bases to Formulating Marketing Strategies of Ecolabel-Certified Furniture

OpenAIRE

Ririn Wulandari; Budi Suharjo; Agus W. Soehadi; Herry Purnomo

2012-01-01

International furniture markets certify ecolabel has been growing, but the domestic market has not yet developed. Unfortunate, because these products have two advantages that ensure environmental sustainability and promote a furniture market. This study was expected to open and developed the domestic market for ecolabel-certified furniture. The aim of this study was to develop marketing strategies for ecolabel-certified furniture on each of green consumer stratifications. Consumer stratificat...

31 CFR 315.55 - Individuals authorized to certify.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individuals authorized to certify. 315.55 Section 315.55 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... authenticated by a legible imprint either of a corporate stamp of the institution or of the issuing or paying...

Certified randomness in quantum physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Acín, Antonio; Masanes, Lluis

2016-12-07

The concept of randomness plays an important part in many disciplines. On the one hand, the question of whether random processes exist is fundamental for our understanding of nature. On the other, randomness is a resource for cryptography, algorithms and simulations. Standard methods for generating randomness rely on assumptions about the devices that are often not valid in practice. However, quantum technologies enable new methods for generating certified randomness, based on the violation of Bell inequalities. These methods are referred to as device-independent because they do not rely on any modelling of the devices. Here we review efforts to design device-independent randomness generators and the associated challenges.

How to calculate an MMSE score from a MODA score (and vice versa) in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Cazzaniga, R; Francescani, A; Saetti, C; Spinnler, H

2003-11-01

The aim of the present study was to provide a statistically sound way of reciprocally converting scores of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the Milan overall dementia assessment (MODA). A consecutive series of 182 patients with "probable" Alzheimer's disease patients was examined with both tests. MODA and MMSE scores proved to be highly correlated. A formula for converting MODA and MMSE scores was generated.

ENERGY STAR Certified Non-AHRI Central Air Conditioner Equipment and Air Source Heat Pump

Science.gov (United States)

Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Air Source Heat Pump and Central Air Conditioner Equipment that are effective as of September 15, 2015. A detailed listing of key efficiency criteria are available at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=airsrc_heat.pr_crit_as_heat_pumps Listed products have been submitted to EPA by ENERGY STAR partners that do not participate in the AHRI certification program. EPA will continue to update this list with products that are certified by EPA-recognized certification bodies other than AHRI. The majority of ENERGY STAR products, certified by AHRI, can be found on the CEE/AHRI Verified Directory at http://www.ceedirectory.org/

Relevant or determinant: Importance in certified sustainable food consumption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, van Y.K.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

2013-01-01

Perceived relevance and determinance are two distinct constructs, underlying the overall concept of attribute importance. The present study proposes a survey based measure of attribute determinance. Based on construal level theory it is argued and empirically shown that actual choices of certified

Certified Reference Material IAEA-446 for radionuclides in Baltic Sea seaweed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pham, M.K.; Benmansour, M.; Carvalho, F.P.

2014-01-01

A Certified Reference Material (CRM) for radionuclides in seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) from the Baltic Sea (IAEA-446) is described and the results of the certification process are presented. The 40K, 137Cs, 234U and 239þ240Pu radionuclides were certified for this material, and information values...... for 12 other radionuclides (90Sr, 99Tc, 210Pb (210Po), 226Ra, 228Ra, 228Th, 230Th, 232Th, 235U, 238U, 239Pu and 240Pu) are presented. The CRM can be used for Quality Assurance/Quality Control of analysis of radionuclides in seaweed and other biota samples, as well as for development and validation...

A quick guide to API 510 certified pressure vessel inspector syllabus example questions and worked answers

CERN Document Server

Matthews, Clifford

2010-01-01

The API Individual Certification Programs (ICPs) are well established worldwide in the oil, gas, and petroleum industries. This Quick Guide is unique in providing simple, accessible and well-structured guidance for anyone studying the API 510 Certified Pressure Vessel Inspector syllabus by summarizing and helping them through the syllabus and providing multiple example questions and worked answers.Technical standards are referenced from the API 'body of knowledge' for the examination, i.e. API 510 Pressure vessel inspection, alteration, rerating; API 572 Pressure vessel inspection; API

CWAP Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Official Study Guide Exam PW0-270

CERN Document Server

Westcott, David A; Miller, Ben; Mackenzie, Peter

2011-01-01

The official study guide for the Certified Wireless Analysis Professional certification from CWNPFour leading wireless experts thoroughly prepare you for the vendor-neutral CWAP exam administered by CWNP, the industry leader for enterprise Wi-Fi training and certification.  This official study guide not only covers all exam objectives for the CWAP exam, it also prepares you to administer and troubleshoot complex enterprise WLAN environments.Covers all exam objectives for the Certified Wireless Analysis Professional (CWAP) examCovers 802.11 physical (PHY) and 802.11 MAC layer frame formats and

Linkage between company scores and stock returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saban Celik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Previous studies on company scores conducted at firm-level, generally concluded that there exists a positive relation between company scores and stock returns. Motivated by these studies, this study examines the relationship between company scores (Corporate Governance Score, Economic Score, Environmental Score, and Social Score and stock returns, both at portfolio-level analysis and firm-level cross-sectional regressions. In portfolio-level analysis, stocks are sorted based on each company scores and quintile portfolio are formed with different levels of company scores. Then, existence and significance of raw returns and risk-adjusted returns difference between portfolios with the extreme company scores (portfolio 10 and portfolio 1 is tested. In addition, firm-level cross-sectional regression is performed to examine the significance of company scores effects with control variables. While portfolio-level analysis results indicate that there is no significant relation between company scores and stock returns; firm-level analysis indicates that economic, environmental, and social scores have effect on stock returns, however, significance and direction of these effects change, depending on the included control variables in the cross-sectional regression.

48 CFR 15.403 - Obtaining certified cost or pricing data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... or pricing data. 15.403 Section 15.403 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Contract Pricing 15.403 Obtaining certified cost or pricing data. ...

Sports Nutrition Knowledge, Perceptions, Resources, and Advice Given by Certified CrossFit Trainers

OpenAIRE

Cassie Maxwell; Kyle Ruth; Carol Friesen

2017-01-01

Background: CrossFit is a large, growing force in the fitness community. Currently, Level 1 and 2 CrossFit certification classes do not include nutrition education. The purpose of this study was to identify sports nutrition knowledge, perceptions, resources, and advice given by Certified CrossFit Trainers. Methods: An online questionnaire that measured these four constructs was placed on a private Facebook community, open only to certified CrossFit trainers, for 10 days. Results: Complete sur...

77 FR 43535 - Grantee Codes for Certified Radiofrequency Equipment

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-25

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 2 [FCC 12-60] Grantee Codes for Certified Radiofrequency Equipment AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This document... authorization program for radiofrequency (RF) devices under part 2 of its rules. This program is one of the...

CEH Certified Ethical Hacker Study Guide

CERN Document Server

Graves, Kimberly

2010-01-01

Prepare for the new version of CEH certification with this advanced guide. Once you learn the thought processes of unethical hackers, you can figure out how to secure your computer systems to defend against them. That's the philosophy behind ethical hacking, and it's a growing field. Prepare for certification in this important area with this advanced study guide that covers all exam objectives for the challenging CEH Certified Ethical Hackers exam. The book provides full coverage of exam topics, real-world examples, and a CD with additional materials for extra review and practice.:; Covers eth

Impact of Supplier Management Strategies on the Organizational Performance of ISO 9001 Certified Organizations

OpenAIRE

Fonseca, Luis Miguel; Lima, Vanda Marlene

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of Supplier orientation and the resulting Supply Chain Management (SCM) approach, on the organizational performance of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems certified organizations. Methodology/Approach: Following a literature review, a full structural conceptual model was proposed. An online survey was administered to managers of Portuguese organizations with certified ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. Descriptive Statistics a...

A new certified reference material for size analysis of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, Adelina; Kestens, Vikram; Franks, Katrin; Roebben, Gert; Lamberty, Andrée; Linsinger, Thomas P. J.

2012-01-01

A certified reference material, ERM-FD100, for quality assurance and validation of various nanoparticle sizing methods, was developed by the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements. The material was prepared from an industrially sourced colloidal silica containing nanoparticles with a nominal equivalent spherical diameter of 20 nm. The homogeneity and stability of the candidate reference material was assessed by means of dynamic light scattering and centrifugal liquid sedimentation. Certification of the candidate reference material was based on a global interlaboratory comparison in which 34 laboratories participated with various analytical methods (DLS, CLS, EM, SAXS, ELS). After scrutinising the interlaboratory comparison data, 4 different certified particle size values, specific for the corresponding analytical method, could be assigned. The good comparability of results allowed the certification of the colloidal silica material for nanoparticle size analysis.

Relationship between Students' Scores on Research Methods and Statistics, and Undergraduate Project Scores

Science.gov (United States)

Ossai, Peter Agbadobi Uloku

2016-01-01

This study examined the relationship between students' scores on Research Methods and statistics, and undergraduate project at the final year. The purpose was to find out whether students matched knowledge of research with project-writing skill. The study adopted an expost facto correlational design. Scores on Research Methods and Statistics for…

19 CFR 115.7 - Designation of additional Certifying Authorities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Designation of additional Certifying Authorities. 115.7 Section 115.7 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CARGO CONTAINER AND ROAD VEHICLE CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS...

19 CFR 115.12 - Records maintained by Certifying Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Records maintained by Certifying Authority. 115.12 Section 115.12 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CARGO CONTAINER AND ROAD VEHICLE CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS...

Developing the Blueprint for a General Surgery Technical Skills Certification Examination: A Validation Study.

Science.gov (United States)

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

There is a recognized need to develop high-stakes technical skills assessments for decisions of certification and resident promotion. High-stakes examinations requires a rigorous approach in accruing validity evidence throughout the developmental process. One of the first steps in development is the creation of a blueprint which outlines the potential content of examination. The purpose of this validation study was to develop an examination blueprint for a Canadian General Surgery assessment of technical skill certifying examination. A Delphi methodology was used to gain consensus amongst Canadian General Surgery program directors as to the content (tasks or procedures) that could be included in a certifying Canadian General Surgery examination. Consensus was defined a priori as a Cronbach's α ≥ 0.70. All procedures or tasks reaching a positive consensus (defined as ≥80% of program directors rated items as ≥4 on the 5-point Likert scale) were then included in the final examination blueprint. Two Delphi rounds were needed to reach consensus. Of the 17 General Surgery Program directors across the country, 14 (82.4%) and 10 (58.8%) program directors responded to the first and second round, respectively. A total of 59 items and procedures reached positive consensus and were included in the final examination blueprint. The present study has outlined the development of an examination blueprint for a General Surgery certifying examination using a consensus-based methodology. This validation study will serve as the foundational work from which simulated model will be developed, pilot tested and evaluated. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound examination and behavior scoring of captive broadnose sevengill sharks, Notorynchus cepedianus (Peron, 1807).

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, Jonathan; Gunn, Ian; Kirby, Nick; Jones, Robert; Galloway, David

2007-09-01

Serial ultrasound examination of four mature female sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) was carried out over 18 months. Monitoring the reproductive cycle and development of follicles and fetuses in sharks in a noninvasive manner using this technique has not been reported previously. Sharks were caught out of the "Oceanarium" tank by divers using a specially made catch-out bag, and brought to a holding area for examination. A behavior scoring system was used to monitor the impact of regular handling on the well-being of the animals. Ultrasound showed the growth and regression of follicles in sevengill ovaries, and allowed an approximation of the reproductive stage of these sharks. Monitoring behavior at five time points during the procedure showed that regular handling of sharks for clinical studies could be done with minimal impact on animal welfare. The ability to follow reproductive events in elasmobranches using ultrasonography is an important step in the application of assisted reproductive technology in these species. Assisted reproductive technology, such as monitoring female reproductive cycles and artificial insemination, could potentially be used to maintain genetic diversity and compliment aquaria-based breeding programs for endangered species such as the gray nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). Zoo Biol 26:383-395, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Experimentally Generated Random Numbers Certified by the Impossibility of Superluminal Signaling

Science.gov (United States)

Bierhorst, Peter; Shalm, Lynden K.; Mink, Alan; Jordan, Stephen; Liu, Yi-Kai; Rommal, Andrea; Glancy, Scott; Christensen, Bradley; Nam, Sae Woo; Knill, Emanuel

Random numbers are an important resource for applications such as numerical simulation and secure communication. However, it is difficult to certify whether a physical random number generator is truly unpredictable. Here, we exploit the phenomenon of quantum nonlocality in a loophole-free photonic Bell test experiment to obtain data containing randomness that cannot be predicted by any theory that does not also allow the sending of signals faster than the speed of light. To certify and quantify the randomness, we develop a new protocol that performs well in an experimental regime characterized by low violation of Bell inequalities. Applying an extractor function to our data, we obtain 256 new random bits, uniform to within 10- 3 .

The Anesthesiologist-Informatician: A Survey of Physicians Board-Certified in Both Anesthesiology and Clinical Informatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Poterack, Karl A; Epstein, Richard H; Dexter, Franklin

2018-03-12

All 36 physicians board-certified in both anesthesiology and clinical informatics as of January 1, 2016, were surveyed via e-mail, with 26 responding. Although most (25/26) generally expressed satisfaction with the clinical informatics boards, and view informatics expertise as important to anesthesiology, most (24/26) thought it unlikely or highly unlikely that substantial numbers of anesthesiology residents would pursue clinical informatics fellowships. Anesthesiologists wishing to qualify for the clinical informatics board examination under the practice pathway need to devote a substantive amount of worktime to informatics. There currently are options outside of formal fellowship training to acquire the knowledge to pass.

VCA-DVC VMware certified associate on vSphere study guide VCAD-510

CERN Document Server

Schmidt, Robert

2015-01-01

Use this expert guide to prepare for the VCA-DCV exam VCA-DCV VMware Certified Associate on vSphere Study Guide: VCAD-510 is a comprehensive study guide for the VMware Certified Associate - Data Center Virtualization exam. Hands-on examples, real-world scenarios, and expert review questions cover the full exam blueprint, and the companion website offers a suite of tools to help you prepare for the exam including practice exams, electronic flashcards, and a glossary of key terms. In addition, the website includes videos that demonstrate how to complete the more challenging tasks. Focused on p

School Library Policy and Legal Opinions of Texas Public School Principals and Certified Librarians

OpenAIRE

Andrew Shupala

2006-01-01

This study involved a survey of the attitudes of Texas public school principals and certified librarians, perceptions andexperiences with regard to school library policy for media selection, and procedures for responding to complaints againstlibrary media. Analysis of the data included a methodology of mixed-methods explanatory design. Selection of the principalsand certified librarians was proportionate and stratified according to the state's 20 Education Service Centerregions. Of the 1,036 ...

Software testing an ISTQB-BCS certified tester foundation guide

CERN Document Server

Hambling, Brian; Samaroo, Angelina; Thompson, Geoff; Williams, Peter; Hambling, Brian

2015-01-01

This practical guide provides insight into software testing, explaining the basics of the testing process and how to perform effective tests. It provides an overview of different techniques and how to apply them. It is the best-selling official textbook of the ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Foundation Level.

The Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant program at the INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKinley, K.B.; Anderson, B.C.; Clements, T.L.; Hinckley, J.P.; Mayberry, J.L.; Smith, T.H.

1983-01-01

Since 1970, defense transuranic waste has been placed into 20-year retrievable storage at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). A major objective of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Waste Management Program is to remove all retrievably stored transuranic waste from the INEL. The January 1981 DOE Record of Decision on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) stated, ''The WIPP facility will dispose of defense transuranic waste stored retrievably at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.'' After retrieval and before shipment, processing may be necessary to prepare the waste for acceptance, handling, and enhanced long-term isolation in the WIPP. However, some of the waste is certifiable to the WIPP waste acceptance criteria without container opening or waste processing. To minimize costs, the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) is being developed to certify INEL stored transuranic waste without container opening or waste processing. The SWEPP certification concept is based on records assessment, nondestructive examination techniques, assay techniques, health physics examinations, and limited opening of containers at another facility for quality control

Predicting occupational personality test scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Furnham, A; Drakeley, R

2000-01-01

The relationship between students' actual test scores and their self-estimated scores on the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI; R. Hogan & J. Hogan, 1992), an omnibus personality questionnaire, was examined. Despite being given descriptive statistics and explanations of each of the dimensions measured, the students tended to overestimate their scores; yet all correlations between actual and estimated scores were positive and significant. Correlations between self-estimates and actual test scores were highest for sociability, ambition, and adjustment (r = .62 to r = .67). The results are discussed in terms of employers' use and abuse of personality assessment for job recruitment.

40 CFR 85.1505 - Final admission of certified vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM MOBILE SOURCES Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor... vehicle or engine from the previous test (e.g., adjusting the RPM, timing, air-to-fuel ratio, etc.) other... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Final admission of certified vehicles...

Are green building features safe for preventive maintenance workers? Examining the evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Omar, Mohamed Shamun; Quinn, Margaret M; Buchholz, Bryan; Geiser, Ken

2013-04-01

Many newly constructed green buildings (GB) are certified using the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for new construction and major renovation which focuses on architectural and mechanical design to conserve energy, reduce environmental harm, and enhance indoor quality for occupants. This study evaluated the preventive maintenance (PM) worker occupational safety and health (OSH) risks related to the design of GB. PM job hazard analyses (JHA) were performed on the tasks required to operate and maintain five GB features selected from 13 LEED certified GB. A 22-item JHA and OSH risk scoring system were developed. Potentially serious OSH hazards included: green roofs made of slippery material without fall protection; energy recovery wheels and storm water harvesting systems in confined spaces; skylights without guard rails; and tight geothermal well mechanical rooms constraining safe preventive practices. GB can present PM OSH risks and these should be eliminated in the building design phase. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationship between internal medicine program board examination pass rates, accreditation standards, and program size.

Science.gov (United States)

Falcone, John L; Gonzalo, Jed D

2014-01-19

To determine Internal Medicine residency program compliance with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education 80% pass-rate standard and the correlation between residency program size and performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination. Using a cross-sectional study design from 2010-2012 American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination data of all Internal Medicine residency pro-grams, comparisons were made between program pass rates to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education pass-rate standard. To assess the correlation between program size and performance, a Spearman's rho was calculated. To evaluate program size and its relationship to the pass-rate standard, receiver operative characteristic curves were calculated. Of 372 Internal Medicine residency programs, 276 programs (74%) achieved a pass rate of =80%, surpassing the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education minimum standard. A weak correlation was found between residency program size and pass rate for the three-year period (p=0.19, pInternal Medicine residency programs complied with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education pass-rate standards, a quarter of the programs failed to meet this requirement. Program size is positively but weakly associated with American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination performance, suggesting other unidentified variables significantly contribute to program performance.

A qualitative examination of lead scoring in B2B marketing automation, with a recommendation for its practice.

OpenAIRE

Lindahl, Elin

2017-01-01

Digital marketing has become an important part for companies in the process of attracting new customers. The digitalisation has led to substantial changes in the ways consumers and businesses search for information and do their research before making a purchase. A major shift has been observed regarding how digital communication influences the purchasing decision within the B2B sector. The purpose of this research project was to examine lead scoring in the perspective of B2B marketing automat...

Strategic Behavior in Certifying Green Buildings: An Inquiry of the Non-building Performance Value.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang Hsieh, Lin-Han; Noonan, Douglas

2017-08-01

This study determines the magnitude of the market signaling effect arising from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for green buildings and explores the mechanisms behind the signaling effect. Previous studies have shown that signaling or marketability plays an important role in the pursuit for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and equivalent green-building certification. By analyzing all new construction projects receiving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from 2000 to 2012 in the US, this study estimates the relative importance of 'green' signaling. This broad perspective using project-level data enables an analysis of some drivers of signaling and the pursuit of marketing benefits. The roles of local competition and market conditions, as well as municipal regulations are examined, especially as they differ between types of building owners (e.g., for-profit firms, governments, nonprofits). The results indicate that the non-building performance value-value captured by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design signals above and beyond the specific building attributes that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifies-dominates the attainment of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scores around certification tier thresholds. Further, strong evidence of spatial clustering of this non-building performance value for some owner types indicates that for-profit owners may be more responsive to local competition than non-profit owners. Local legislative mandates predict greater signaling intensity by government-owned buildings, as expected, but for-profit-owned projects tend to signal less, even after controls for local conditions. The results highlight the importance of local conditions, including peer effects and regulations, in driving non-building performance values across a wide range of green buildings.

Transuranic waste examination quality assurance at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bower, J.M.

1987-01-01

Since 1954, defense-generated transuranic (TRU) waste has been received at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). A major objective of the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Waste Management Programs is the proper management of the defense-generated TRU waste. The Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) is providing nondestructive examination and assay of retrievably stored contact handled TRU waste in order to certify it to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Waste Acceptance Crtieria (WIPP-WAC). SWEPP's capabilities for certifying contact handled waste containers include weighing, real-time radiographic examination, fissile material assay examination, container integrity examination, radiological surveys and labeling of waste containers. These processes involve not only instrument accuracy but also a wide range of technician interpretation from moderate on the assay to 100% on the radiograph. This, therefore, requires a variety of quality assurance techniques to ensure that the examinations and certifications are being performed correctly. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the methods utilized by SWEPP for checking on the examination process and to ensure that waste certifications are being properly performed. Included is the application of the quality assurance techniques to each examination system, the management of the data generated by the examination, and the verifications to ensure accurate certification. 1 ref

40 CFR 85.1407 - Notification of intent to certify.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... handling costs and taxes; (ii) A detailed breakout of the total number of hours necessary to install the... documentation that demonstrate compliance with the life cycle cost requirements specified in § 85.1403(b)(1)(ii... by the equipment certifier as evidence of compliance with the emission requirements specified in § 85...

Do medical students’ scores using different assessment instruments predict their scores in clinical reasoning using a computer-based simulation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fida M

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Mariam Fida,1 Salah Eldin Kassab2 1Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain; 2Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt Purpose: The development of clinical problem-solving skills evolves over time and requires structured training and background knowledge. Computer-based case simulations (CCS have been used for teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning skills. However, previous studies examining the psychometric properties of CCS as an assessment tool have been controversial. Furthermore, studies reporting the integration of CCS into problem-based medical curricula have been limited. Methods: This study examined the psychometric properties of using CCS software (DxR Clinician for assessment of medical students (n=130 studying in a problem-based, integrated multisystem module (Unit IX during the academic year 2011–2012. Internal consistency reliability of CCS scores was calculated using Cronbach's alpha statistics. The relationships between students' scores in CCS components (clinical reasoning, diagnostic performance, and patient management and their scores in other examination tools at the end of the unit including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE, and real patient encounters were analyzed using stepwise hierarchical linear regression. Results: Internal consistency reliability of CCS scores was high (α=0.862. Inter-item correlations between students' scores in different CCS components and their scores in CCS and other test items were statistically significant. Regression analysis indicated that OSCE scores predicted 32.7% and 35.1% of the variance in clinical reasoning and patient management scores, respectively (P<0.01. Multiple-choice question scores, however, predicted only 15.4% of the variance in diagnostic performance scores (P<0.01, while

Sharing the Wealth:National Board Certified Teachers and the Students Who Need Them Most

OpenAIRE

Daniel C. Humphrey; Julia E. Koppich; Heather J. Hough

2005-01-01

It is a commonly understood problem in education that many highly qualified teachers tend to gravitate toward higher performing schools, including schools with lower minority enrollments and lower incidence of poverty. This article explores the distribution of a subset of teachers, namely, those who are National Board Certified. To what extent do these teachers' assignment choices mirror the pattern of their non-Board Certified colleagues and to what extent are they different? Part of a large...

INTER-EXAMINER VARIABILITY

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To establish whether inter-examiner variability is still a significant factor for the undergraduate orthopaedic clinical ... D. The scores for each student were tabulated and the range, mean, and pass rate determined for each of the examiners. ... has not the heart to reject the man”, consistently gave higher scores (1).

18 CFR 41.10 - Examination of accounts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... thereafter until December 31, 1975, the services of an independent certified public accountant, or independent licensed public accountant, certified or licensed by a regulatory authority of a State or other...) Beginning January 1, 1976, and each year thereafter, only independent certified public accountants, or...

5 CFR 1330.405 - Procedures for certifying agency appraisal systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Certification for Pay Purposes § 1330.405 Procedures for certifying agency appraisal systems. (a) General. To... senior employees based on appraisals of their relative performance against performance expectations in... responsibilities— (A) The performance standards, requirements, or expectations for the employees they supervise to...

Defense Waste Management Plan for buried transuranic-contaminated waste, transuranic-contaminated soil, and difficult-to-certify transuranic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-06-01

GAO recommended that DOE provide specific plans for permanent disposal of buried TRU-contaminated waste, TRU-contaminated soil, and difficult-to-certify TRU waste; cost estimates for permanent disposal of all TRU waste, including the options for the buried TRU-contaminated waste, TRU-contaminated soil, and difficult-to-certify TRU waste; and specific discussions of environmental and safety issues for the permanent disposal of TRU waste. Purpose of this document is to respond to the GAO recommendations by providing plans and cost estimates for the long-term isolation of the buried TRU-contaminated waste, TRU-contaminated soil, and difficult-to-certify TRU waste. This report also provides cost estimates for processing and certifying stored and newly generated TRU waste, decontaminating and decommissioning TRU waste processing facilities, and interim operations

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection: Diagnostic Accuracy of Physical Examination, Imaging, and LRINEC Score: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, Shannon M; Tran, Alexandre; Cheng, Wei; Rochwerg, Bram; Kyeremanteng, Kwadwo; Seely, Andrew J E; Inaba, Kenji; Perry, Jeffrey J

2018-04-18

We sought to summarize accuracy of physical examination, imaging, and Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score in diagnosis of necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) in adults with a soft tissue infection clinically concerning for NSTI. NSTI is a life-threatening diagnosis. Delay to diagnosis and surgical management is associated with increased mortality. We searched 6 databases from inception through November 2017. We included English-language studies reporting diagnostic accuracy of testing or LRINEC Score. Outcome was NSTI confirmed by surgery or histopathology. Two reviewers screened all citations and extracted data independently. Summary measures were obtained from the Hierarchical Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic model. From 2,290 citations, we included 23 studies (n = 5982). Of physical examination signs, pooled sensitivity and specificity for fever was 46.0% and 77.0% respectively, for hemorrhagic bullae 25.2% and 95.8%, and for hypotension 21.0% and 97.7%. Computed tomography (CT) had sensitivity of 88.5% and specificity of 93.3%, while plain radiography had sensitivity of 48.9% and specificity of 94.0%. Finally, LRINEC ≥ 6 had sensitivity of 68.2% and specificity of 84.8%, while LRINEC ≥ 8 had sensitivity of 40.8% and specificity of 94.9%. Absence of any 1 physical examination feature (eg, fever or hypotension) is not sufficient to rule-out NSTI. CT is superior to plain radiography. LRINEC had poor sensitivity, and should not be used to rule-out NSTI. Given the poor sensitivity of these tests, a high clinical suspicion warrants early surgical consultation for definitive diagnosis and management.

A Study on the Preferences of Consumers of Halal - Certified Products A Case Study of İstanbul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hüseyin Özdemir

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, consumer’s demographic characteristics, the attitude of halal food and religious life styles aimed to investigate whether there is a significant relationship between preference of halal certified products. The target population of the study is the markets costumers, products are sold is halal certified in İstanbul. The sample of the study is 400 costumers over the age of 18, who agreed to participate in the study. The data collection technique used in the survey technique. Frequency distribution analysis of the data, descriptive statistic, t–test, one-factor analysis of variance and Pearson correlation matrix tests were used for analysis of the data. Of the analyzed demographic variables, gender and income level was found significant difference between religious life style. Marital status, job –carrier and income was a found significant difference between the attitude of halal food. Marital status, job –carrier, income and education was found significant difference between the preference of the halal-certified product. Also there are weak significant relationship between religious life styles and the attitude of halal food, there are very weak significant relationship between religious life styles and preference of halal certified products and there are weak significant relationship between the attitude of halal food and preference of halal certified products

Checklist and scoring system for the assessment of soft tissue preservation in CT examinations of human mummies. Application to the Tyrolean Iceman

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panzer, Stephanie [Trauma Center Murnau (Germany). Dept. of Radiology; Trauma Center Murnau and Paracelsus Medical Univ. Salzburg, Murnau (Germany). Inst. of Biomechanics; Pernter, Patrizia [Central Hospital, Bozen (Italy). Dept. of Radiodiagnostics; Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Jankauskas, Rimantas [Vilnius Univ. (Lithuania). Dept. of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology; Zesch, Stephanie; Rosendahl, Wilfried [Reiss-Engelhorn Museen, Mannheim (Germany). German Mummy Project; Hotz, Gerhard [Natural History Museum of Basel (Switzerland). Anthropology; Zink, Albert R. [EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman, Bolzano (Italy)

2017-12-15

Soft tissues make a skeleton into a mummy and they allow for a diagnosis beyond osteology. Following the approach of structured reporting in clinical radiology, a recently developed checklist was used to evaluate the soft tissue preservation status of the Tyrolean Iceman using computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study was to apply the ''Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies'' to the Tyrolean Iceman, and to compare the Iceman's soft tissue preservation score to the scores calculated for other mummies. A whole-body (CT) (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) consisting of five scans, performed in January 2013 in the Department of Radiodiagnostics, Central Hospital, Bolzano, was used (slice thickness 0.6mm; kilovolt ranging from80 to 140). For standardized evaluation the ''CT Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in Human Mummies'' was used. All checkpoints under category ''A. Soft Tissues of Head and Musculoskeletal System'' and more than half in category ''B. Organs and Organ Systems'' were observed. The scoring system accounted for a total score of 153 (out of 200). The comparison of the scores between the Iceman and three mummy collections from Vilnius, Lithuania, and Palermo, Sicily, as well as one Egyptian mummy resulted in overall higher soft tissue preservation scores for the Iceman. Application of the checklist allowed for standardized assessment and documentation of the Iceman's soft tissue preservation status. The scoring system allowed for a quantitative comparison between the Iceman and other mummies. The Iceman showed remarkable soft tissue preservation.

Checklist and scoring system for the assessment of soft tissue preservation in CT examinations of human mummies. Application to the Tyrolean Iceman

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panzer, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Soft tissues make a skeleton into a mummy and they allow for a diagnosis beyond osteology. Following the approach of structured reporting in clinical radiology, a recently developed checklist was used to evaluate the soft tissue preservation status of the Tyrolean Iceman using computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study was to apply the ''Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies'' to the Tyrolean Iceman, and to compare the Iceman's soft tissue preservation score to the scores calculated for other mummies. A whole-body (CT) (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) consisting of five scans, performed in January 2013 in the Department of Radiodiagnostics, Central Hospital, Bolzano, was used (slice thickness 0.6mm; kilovolt ranging from80 to 140). For standardized evaluation the ''CT Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in Human Mummies'' was used. All checkpoints under category ''A. Soft Tissues of Head and Musculoskeletal System'' and more than half in category ''B. Organs and Organ Systems'' were observed. The scoring system accounted for a total score of 153 (out of 200). The comparison of the scores between the Iceman and three mummy collections from Vilnius, Lithuania, and Palermo, Sicily, as well as one Egyptian mummy resulted in overall higher soft tissue preservation scores for the Iceman. Application of the checklist allowed for standardized assessment and documentation of the Iceman's soft tissue preservation status. The scoring system allowed for a quantitative comparison between the Iceman and other mummies. The Iceman showed remarkable soft tissue preservation.

Home birth in North America: attitudes and practice of US certified nurse-midwives and Canadian registered midwives.

Science.gov (United States)

Vedam, Saraswathi; Stoll, Kathrin; Schummers, Laura; Rogers, Judy; Paine, Lisa L

2014-01-01

Scope of practice, competencies, and philosophy of maternity practice are similar among midwives in the United States and Canada. However, there are marked differences in intrapartum practice sites between registered midwives (RMs) and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). This study linked data from 2 national surveys: 1) a 2007 survey of CNM members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (n = 1893); and 2) the Canadian Birth Place Study of maternity providers, including RM members of the Canadian Association of Midwives (n = 451) to compare the demographics, practice experience, and attitudes to home birth between these 2 types of North American midwives. A Provider Attitudes To Planned Home Birth scale-international (PAPHB-i) was developed for this analysis. Descriptive and bivariate analyses are presented. Educational exposure to planned home birth varied greatly when comparing CNMs and RMs, as did practice patterns regarding continuity of care, primary and gynecologic care, and involvement with research and teaching. Registered midwives were almost 4 times more likely than CNMs to have practiced in the home (99.1% vs 26.0%). Certified nurse-midwives scored significantly lower than RMs on the PAPHB-i scale (36.5 vs 41.0), indicating less favorable attitudes toward home birth overall. Certified nurse-midwives were less confident than RMs in their management skills for home birth practice. Age, exposure to planned home birth during midwifery education, and practice experience in the home setting emerged as significant covariates of attitudes toward home birth. Significantly more RMs and CNMs with home birth experience expressed concerns about disapproval of hospital-based peers, but they were significantly less likely to agree that midwives face other systemic barriers than CNMs with no home birth experience. Differences in favorability toward and confidence with practice during planned home births among CNMs and RMs were predicted associated with differences in

Five Methods to Score the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation Checklist and to Examine Group Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ze; Rohrer, David; Chuang, Chi-ching; Fujiki, Mayo; Herman, Keith; Reinke, Wendy

2015-01-01

This study compared 5 scoring methods in terms of their statistical assumptions. They were then used to score the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation Checklist, a measure consisting of 3 subscales and 21 Likert-type items. The 5 methods used were (a) sum/average scores of items, (b) latent factor scores with continuous indicators, (c)…

[Analysis of qualifications of medical and health institutions and certified doctors for providing occupational disease diagnosis in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huan-qiang; Li, Tao; Qi, Fang; Wu, Rui; Nie, Wu; Yu, Chen

2013-10-01

To investigate the qualifications and current situations of the medical and health institutions and certified doctors for providing occupational disease diagnosis in China and to provide a reference for developing relevant policies. Work reports and questionnaires survey were used to investigate the qualifications of all medical and health institutions and certified doctors for providing occupational disease diagnosis in China and their acceptance and diagnosis of occupational disease cases from 2006 to 2010. The rate for the work reports was 100%, and the response rate for the questionnaires was 71.0%. By the end of 2010, in the 31 provincial-level regions (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) in China, there had been 503 medical and health institutions which were qualified for providing occupational disease diagnosis, including 207 centers for disease control and prevention, accounting for 41.2%, 145 general hospitals, accounting for 28.8%, 69 enterprise-owned hospitals, accounting for 13.7%, and 64 institutes or centers for occupational disease prevention and control, accounting for 12.7%; 4986 certified doctors got the qualification for providing occupational disease diagnosis, with 9.4 certified doctors on average in each institution, and there was 0.65 certified doctor per 100 000 employees. In addition, 16.5% of the institutions got all the qualifications for diagnosing 9 occupational diseases, and 17.1% of the institutions got the qualification for diagnosing one occupational disease. Each certified doctor accepted diagnosis of 16.8 cases of occupational diseases on average every year. A national occupational disease diagnosis network has been established in China, but the imbalance in regional distribution and specialty programs still exists among the qualified medical and health institutions and certified doctors. It is essential to further strengthen the development of regional qualified medical and health institutions and training of qualified

International directory of certified radioactive sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grosse, G; Bambynek, W

1983-01-01

This directory lists the products of 16 suppliers of certified reference materials (CRM) of radioactivity as given in their catalogues. Included are only products for which certificates are delivered and whose uncertainties are given according to the rules defined in ICRU Report No. 12, ''Certification of Standardized Radioactive Sources'' (International Commission on Radiation and Measurements, Washington, 1968). Only those products are included of which the standard uncertainties according to the above rules are less than 10%. Prices of the products are not mentioned since they frequently change. The products are divided into four groups: Radioactive Solutions, Radioactive Gases, Solid Sources and Sources for Liquid Scintillation Counting).

International directory of certified radioactive sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosse, G.; Bambynek, W.

1983-01-01

This directory lists the products of 16 suppliers of certified reference materials (CRM) of radioactivity as given in their catalogues. Included are only products for which certificates are delivered and whose uncertainties are given according to the rules defined in ICRU Report No. 12, ''Certification of Standardized Radioactive Sources'' (International Commission on Radiation and Measurements, Washington, 1968). Only those products are included of which the standard uncertainties according to the above rules are less than 10%. Prices of the products are not mentioned since they frequently change. The products are divided into four groups: Radioactive Solutions, Radioactive Gases, Solid Sources and Sources for Liquid Scintillation Counting). (orig./WL)

Reliability analysis of visual ranking of coronary artery calcification on low-dose CT of the thorax for lung cancer screening: comparison with ECG-gated calcium scoring CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yoon Kyung; Sung, Yon Mi; Cho, So Hyun; Park, Young Nam; Choi, Hye-Young

2014-12-01

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is frequently detected on low-dose CT (LDCT) of the thorax. Concurrent assessment of CAC and lung cancer screening using LDCT is beneficial in terms of cost and radiation dose reduction. The aim of our study was to evaluate the reliability of visual ranking of positive CAC on LDCT compared to Agatston score (AS) on electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated calcium scoring CT. We studied 576 patients who were consecutively registered for health screening and undergoing both LDCT and ECG-gated calcium scoring CT. We excluded subjects with an AS of zero. The final study cohort included 117 patients with CAC (97 men; mean age, 53.4 ± 8.5). AS was used as the gold standard (mean score 166.0; range 0.4-3,719.3). Two board-certified radiologists and two radiology residents participated in an observer performance study. Visual ranking of CAC was performed according to four categories (1-10, 11-100, 101-400, and 401 or higher) for coronary artery disease risk stratification. Weighted kappa statistics were used to measure the degree of reliability on visual ranking of CAC on LDCT. The degree of reliability on visual ranking of CAC on LDCT compared to ECG-gated calcium scoring CT was excellent for board-certified radiologists and good for radiology residents. A high degree of association was observed with 71.6% of visual rankings in the same category as the Agatston category and 98.9% varying by no more than one category. Visual ranking of positive CAC on LDCT is reliable for predicting AS rank categorization.

The Nevada Proficiency Examination Program: Evaluating the Writing Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Edward H.

Writing tests are part of the mandated statewide proficiency examination in Nevada. The ninth-grade screening test and the eleventh-grade diploma-certifying test require that a student write a paragraph and a business letter, each on an assigned topic and each at an acceptable level of proficiency. Pilot tests, extended discussion, and statistical…

The use of office-based sedation and general anesthesia by board certified pediatric dentists practicing in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Olabi, Nassim F; Jones, James E; Saxen, Mark A; Sanders, Brian J; Walker, Laquia A; Weddell, James A; Schrader, Stuart M; Tomlin, Angela M

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of office-based sedation by board-certified pediatric dentists practicing in the United States. Pediatric dentists have traditionally relied upon self-administered sedation techniques to provide office-based sedation. The use of dentist anesthesiologists to provide office-based sedation is an emerging trend. This study examines and compares these two models of office-based sedations. A survey evaluating office-based sedation of diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) based on gender, age, years in practice, practice types, regions, and years as a diplomate of the ABPD was completed by 494 active members. The results were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Relationships of dentist age, gender, and number of years in practice with the use of intravenous (IV) sedation was completed using two-way contingency tables and Mantel-Haenszel tests for ordered categorical data. Relationships of office-based sedation use and the type of one's practice were examined using Pearson chi-square tests. Of the 1917 surveys e-mailed, 494 completed the survey for a response rate of 26%. Over 70% of board-certified US pediatric dentists use some form of sedation in their offices. Less than 20% administer IV sedation, 20 to 40% use a dentist anesthesiologist, and 60 to 70% would use dentist anesthesiologists if one were available.

78 FR 79010 - Criteria to Certify Coal Mine Rescue Teams

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

... coal requires more heat to combust; (3) anthracite dust does not propagate an explosion; and (4) there... to Certify Coal Mine Rescue Teams AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor. ACTION... updated the coal mine rescue team certification criteria. The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response...

A Laplace transform certified reduced basis method; application to the heat equation and wave equation

OpenAIRE

Knezevic, David; Patera, Anthony T.; Huynh, Dinh Bao Phuong

2010-01-01

We present a certified reduced basis (RB) method for the heat equation and wave equation. The critical ingredients are certified RB approximation of the Laplace transform; the inverse Laplace transform to develop the time-domain RB output approximation and rigorous error bound; a (Butterworth) filter in time to effect the necessary “modal” truncation; RB eigenfunction decomposition and contour integration for Offline–Online decomposition. We present numerical results to demonstrate the accura...

76 FR 2720 - Trade Adjustment Assistance Program; Designation of Certifying Officers

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-14

... their employment by certain types of foreign trade. The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Trade Adjustment Assistance Program; Designation of Certifying Officers AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor. ACTION: Notice...

A Comparison of Alienation among Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoho, Alan R.; Martin, Nancy K.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of alienation among alternatively and traditionally certified teachers. A total of 228 teachers in grades K-12 from a public university offering both traditional certification (TC) and cooperative alternative certification (AC) graduate programs were assessed using the School Alienation…

48 CFR 5215.804-3 - Exemptions from or waiver of submission of certified cost or pricing data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... of submission of certified cost or pricing data. 5215.804-3 Section 5215.804-3 Federal Acquisition... 5215.804-3 Exemptions from or waiver of submission of certified cost or pricing data. (a) General. As explained in 5215.402, cost or pricing data would not normally be obtained because the predominant portion...

Certified reference materials for analytical quality control in neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wee Boon Siong; Abdul Khalik Wood; Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah; Shamsiah Abdul Rahman; Mohd Suhaimi Elias; Nazaratul Ashifa Abdul Salim

2007-01-01

Analytical quality control in neutron activation analysis (NAA) requires the use of certified reference materials (CRM) in order to produce reliable analytical results. It is essential to evaluate the performance of NAA method when analyzing various sample matrices. Therefore, the CRM selected for an analysis should be suitable for the type of samples. There are many aspects such as concentration range, matrix match, sample size and uncertainty, which need to be considered when selecting a suitable CRM. Eventually, results of analysis of CRM were plotted into control charts in order to evaluate the qualify of the data. This is to ensure that the results are within the 95 % confidence interval as stipulated in the certificate of CRM. Thus, this article aims to discuss the uses of certified reference materials for quality control purposes in NAA involving various sample matrices. (author)

[Quality management in acute pain therapy: results from a survey of certified hospitals].

Science.gov (United States)

Böhmer, A B; Poels, M; Simanski, C; Trojan, S; Messer, K; Wirtz, M D; Neugebauer, E A M; Wappler, F; Joppich, R

2012-08-01

Systems for and methods of quality management are increasingly being implemented in public health services. The aim of our study was to analyze the current state of the integrated quality management concept "quality management acute pain therapy" of the TÜV Rheinland® (TÜV) after a 5-year project period. General characteristics of the participating hospitals, number of departments certified by the TÜV and implementation of structures and processes according to the TÜV guidelines were evaluated by a mail questionnaire. Furthermore, positive and negative aspects concerning the effects of certification were evaluated by the hospitals' representatives of certification. A total of 36 questionnaires were returned. Since 2006 the number of certified hospitals (2011: n = 48) and surgical departments (2011: n = 202) has increased continuously. The number of certified medical departments is low (2011: n = 39); however, in the last 3 years, it has increased by about 200-300% annually. Standard operative procedures for pain therapy and measurement of pain intensity at regular intervals were implemented in all certified clinics (100%). Although 41% take part in the benchmarking project QUIPS (Quality Improvement in Postoperative Pain Therapy), 24% do not systematically check the quality of the outcome of pain management. Acceptance of the new pain therapy concepts among nursing staff was rated positively (ratio positive:negative 16:1); however, acceptance among physicians was rated negatively (1:15). Certification by the TÜV leads to sustainable implementation of quality management principles. Future efforts should focus on better integration of physicians in acute pain therapy and the development of an integrated tool to measure patients' outcome.

Using the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT) in Long-Term Care: An Update on Psychometrics and Scoring Standardization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennerly, Susan; Heggestad, Eric D; Myers, Haley; Yap, Tracey L

2015-07-29

An effective workforce performing within the context of a positive cultural environment is central to a healthcare organization's ability to achieve quality outcomes. The Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT) provides nurses with a valid and reliable tool that captures the general aspects of nursing culture. This study extends earlier work confirming the tool's construct validity and dimensionality by standardizing the scoring approach and establishing norm-referenced scoring. Scoring standardization provides a reliable point of comparison for NCAT users. NCAT assessments support nursing's ability to evaluate nursing culture, use results to shape the culture into one that supports change, and advance nursing's best practices and care outcomes. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants from 54 long-term care facilities in Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oregon were surveyed. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded six first order factors forming the NCAT's subscales (Expectations, Behaviors, Teamwork, Communication, Satisfaction, Commitment) (Comparative Fit Index 0.93) and a second order factor-The Total Culture Score. Aggregated facility level comparisons of observed group variance with expected random variance using rwg(J) statistics is presented. Normative scores and cumulative rank percentages and how the NCAT can be used in implementing planned change are provided.

Technical plan for nondestructive examination technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, B.C.

1982-12-01

This report provides a description of the development of the nondestructive examination (NDE) equipment to be used in the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) for certifying transuranic (TRU) waste for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). NDE equipment is being developed for waste identification and container integrity. Real-time x-ray radiography is the basic method being used for waste identification. Acoustic (ultrasonic) testing is being used to obtain measurements to verify container integrity. This report describes the decisions made to date, the decisions to be made, and the activities planned for FY 1983 through FY 1985

An ultrasound score for knee osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riecke, B F; Christensen, R.; Torp-Pedersen, S

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop standardized musculoskeletal ultrasound (MUS) procedures and scoring for detecting knee osteoarthritis (OA) and test the MUS score's ability to discern various degrees of knee OA, in comparison with plain radiography and the 'Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score' (KOOS......) domains as comparators. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of MUS examinations in 45 patients with knee OA. Validity, reliability, and reproducibility were evaluated. RESULTS: MUS examination for knee OA consists of five separate domains assessing (1) predominantly morphological changes in the medial...... coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.97 for the five domains. Construct validity was confirmed with statistically significant correlation coefficients (0.47-0.81, P knee OA. In comparison with standing radiographs...

Performance on the Cardiovascular In-Training Examination in Relation to the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Indik, Julia H; Duhigg, Lauren M; McDonald, Furman S; Lipner, Rebecca S; Rubright, Jonathan D; Haist, Steven A; Botkin, Naomi F; Kuvin, Jeffrey T

2017-06-13

The American College of Cardiology In-Training Exam (ACC-ITE) is incorporated into most U.S. training programs, but its relationship to performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine Cardiovascular Disease (ABIM CVD) Certification Examination is unknown. ACC-ITE scores from third-year fellows from 2011 to 2014 (n = 1,918) were examined. Covariates for regression analyses included sex, age, medical school country, U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step, and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores. A secondary analysis examined fellows (n = 511) who took the ACC-ITE in the first and third years. ACC-ITE scores were the strongest predictor of ABIM CVD scores (p ITE scores from first to third year was a strong predictor of the ABIM CVD score (p ITE is strongly associated with performance on the ABIM CVD Certification Examination. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between state regulations, training length, perceived quality and job satisfaction among certified nursing assistants: cross-sectional secondary data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kihye; Trinkoff, Alison M; Storr, Carla L; Lerner, Nancy; Johantgen, Meg; Gartrell, Kyungsook

2014-08-01

In the U.S., there are federal requirements on how much training and annual continuing education a certified nursing assistant must complete in order to be certified. The requirements are designed to enable them to provide competent and quality care to nursing home residents. Many states also require additional training and continuing education hours as improved nursing home quality indicators have been found to be related to increased training. This study investigated the associations among state level regulations, initial training quality and focus, and job satisfaction in certified nursing assistants. Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. This study used the National Nursing Home Survey and National Nursing Assistant Survey as well as data on state regulations of certified nursing assistant training. 2897 certified nursing assistants in 580 nursing homes who were currently working at a nursing home facility, who represented 680,846 certified nursing assistants in US. State regulations were related to initial training and job satisfaction among certified nursing assistants using chi square tests and binomial logistic regression models. Analyses were conducted using SAS-callable SUDAAN to correct for complex sampling design effects in the National Nursing Home Survey and National Nursing Assistant Survey. Models were adjusted for personal and facility characteristics. Certified nursing assistants reporting high quality training were more likely to work in states requiring additional initial training hours (p=0.02) and were more satisfied with their jobs (OR=1.51, 95% CI=1.09-2.09) than those with low quality training. In addition, those with more training focused on work life skills were 91% more satisfied (OR=1.91, 95% CI=1.41-2.58) whereas no relationship was found between training focused on basic care skills and job satisfaction (OR=1.36, 95% CI=0.99-1.84). Certified nursing assistants with additional initial training were more likely to report that their

Development of C-reactive protein certified reference material NMIJ CRM 6201-b: optimization of a hydrolysis process to improve the accuracy of amino acid analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Megumi; Kinumi, Tomoya; Yoshioka, Mariko; Goto, Mari; Fujii, Shin-Ichiro; Takatsu, Akiko

2015-04-01

To standardize C-reactive protein (CRP) assays, the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) has developed a C-reactive protein solution certified reference material, CRM 6201-b, which is intended for use as a primary reference material to enable the SI-traceable measurement of CRP. This study describes the development process of CRM 6201-b. As a candidate material of the CRM, recombinant human CRP solution was selected because of its higher purity and homogeneity than the purified material from human serum. Gel filtration chromatography was used to examine the homogeneity and stability of the present CRM. The total protein concentration of CRP in the present CRM was determined by amino acid analysis coupled to isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS-AAA). To improve the accuracy of IDMS-AAA, we optimized the hydrolysis process by examining the effect of parameters such as the volume of protein samples taken for hydrolysis, the procedure of sample preparation prior to the hydrolysis, hydrolysis temperature, and hydrolysis time. Under optimized conditions, we conducted two independent approaches in which the following independent hydrolysis and liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS) were combined: one was vapor-phase acid hydrolysis (130 °C, 24 h) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) method, and the other was microwave-assisted liquid-phase acid hydrolysis (150 °C, 3 h) and pre-column derivatization liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. The quantitative values of the two different amino acid analyses were in agreement within their uncertainties. The certified value was the weighted mean of the results of the two methods. Uncertainties from the value-assignment method, between-method variance, homogeneity, long-term stability, and short-term stability were taken into account in evaluating the uncertainty for a certified value. The certified value and the

A comparison of certified and noncertified pet foods.

OpenAIRE

Brown, R G

1997-01-01

The market presents the buyer with a wide array of pet food choices. Marketing pet foods has changed in the last decade and today foods may be bought at a variety of outlets. The present study compares nutrient composition, digestibility, and effect on urine pH (cat foods only) of selected certified and noncertified pet foods from different outlets. The selected foods were considered analogous in terms of declared ingredients and macronutrient profiles. The analytical methods used were those ...

Animal Certifié Conforme: Déchiffrer nos Relations avec le Vivant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel W. Gade

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Review of Animal Certifié Conforme: Déchiffrer nos Relations avec le Vivant. Bernadette Lizet and Jacqueline Milliet, eds. 2012. Dunod/Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Pp 256. €22 (paperback. ISBN 9782100582853.

Technical efficiency of certified maize seed in Palpa district, Nepal: A stochastic frontier production approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahima Bajracharya

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The cereal crop, maize is regarded as staple food mainly in hill areas of Nepal. Seed is one of the vital input which determines the production and yield of any crop. Farmers are found using the required inputs in haphazard way which had increased the cost of production and inefficiency of resources used. The study on seed sector is limited. For such a backdrop, this study was aimed to assess the level of technical efficiency (TE of certified maize seed production. The total of 164 certified seed producer were interviewed in June, 2016 using simple random sampling technique in Palpa district of Nepal. The result revealed that increase in amount of seed and labor by one percent would increase the yield of certified maize seed by 0.29 and 0.34 percent respectively. The TE was estimated using stochastic production frontier model in Stata software. The average TE was found 70 percent which revealed the scope of increasing TE by 30 percent using the existing available resources. There were about 29 percent farmers who had TE of ≥0.7-0.8 followed by 27.44 percent at ≥0.8-0.9. Government and other stakeholders should prioritize to provide technical knowledge via training and increase the visit of extension worker to increase TE of certified maize seed producer in the district.

Impact of HIV/AIDS on deaths certified at Mosvold Hospital ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Age. • Sex. • Race. • Pregnant. • Smoker. • Underlying (or only given) diagnosis. • Diagnosis presumed to be HIV/AIDS. (if applicable). • Immediate diagnosis. • Other significant diagnosis .... Impact of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy, based on deaths certified at Mosvold Hospital, Ingwavuma, KwaZulu-Natal,. Jan-Aug 2003.

Conversion of the Mini-Mental State Examination to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health terminology and scoring system.

Science.gov (United States)

De Vriendt, P; Gorus, E; Bautmans, I; Mets, T

2012-01-01

In older patients, evaluation of the cognitive status is crucial. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used for screening of cognition, providing fairly high sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. Recently, a consensus emerged on the necessity of an international and transparent language, as provided by the WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Most assessment tools however are not in accordance with the ICF. To reformulate the MMSE according to the ICF, both for the individual items and for the scoring system. MMSE data (scores varying from 3 to 30/30) of (1) 217 cognitively healthy elderly, (2) 60 persons with mild cognitive impairment, (3) 60 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), and (4) 60 patients with moderate/severe AD were obtained from studies at a university hospital setting. Subjects were aged 65 years or more and recruited either through advertisement (group 1), from the geriatric day hospital (groups 2 and 3), or the geriatric ward (group 4). The allocation to the groups was done after multidisciplinary evaluation. The conversion of the MMSE to ICF-MMSE was done by content comparison and by subsequent translation of the scoring system using automatic algorithms. All MMSE items were converted to the corresponding ICF categories. Three ICF domains were addressed: global and specific mental functions, general tasks and demands, divided over 6 ICF categories (orientation time/place, sustaining attention, memory functions, mental functions of language, undertaking a simple task). Scores on individual items were transformed according to their relative weight on the original MMSE scale, and a total ICF-MMSE score from 0 (no problem) to 100 (complete problem) was generated. Translation was satisfying, as illustrated by a good correlation between MMSE and ICF-MMSE. The diagnostic groups were distributed over the ICF-MMSE scores as expected. For each ICF domain, ICF-MMSE subscores were higher

Web-based pathology practice examination usage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward C Klatt

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Context: General and subject specific practice examinations for students in health sciences studying pathology were placed onto a free public internet web site entitled web path and were accessed four clicks from the home web site menu. Subjects and Methods: Multiple choice questions were coded into. html files with JavaScript functions for web browser viewing in a timed format. A Perl programming language script with common gateway interface for web page forms scored examinations and placed results into a log file on an internet computer server. The four general review examinations of 30 questions each could be completed in up to 30 min. The 17 subject specific examinations of 10 questions each with accompanying images could be completed in up to 15 min each. The results of scores and user educational field of study from log files were compiled from June 2006 to January 2014. Results: The four general review examinations had 31,639 accesses with completion of all questions, for a completion rate of 54% and average score of 75%. A score of 100% was achieved by 7% of users, ≥90% by 21%, and ≥50% score by 95% of users. In top to bottom web page menu order, review examination usage was 44%, 24%, 17%, and 15% of all accessions. The 17 subject specific examinations had 103,028 completions, with completion rate 73% and average score 74%. Scoring at 100% was 20% overall, ≥90% by 37%, and ≥50% score by 90% of users. The first three menu items on the web page accounted for 12.6%, 10.0%, and 8.2% of all completions, and the bottom three accounted for no more than 2.2% each. Conclusions: Completion rates were higher for shorter 10 questions subject examinations. Users identifying themselves as MD/DO scored higher than other users, averaging 75%. Usage was higher for examinations at the top of the web page menu. Scores achieved suggest that a cohort of serious users fully completing the examinations had sufficient preparation to use them to support

Effort--reward imbalance and medically certified absence for mental health problems: a prospective study of white-collar workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ndjaboué, R; Brisson, C; Vézina, M; Blanchette, C; Bourbonnais, R

2014-01-01

Little is known about the effects of psychosocial work factors on objectively assessed mental health problems leading to medically certified absence. Only one study has evaluated the prospective effects of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) at work with regards to this outcome. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of ERI on the incidence of medically certified absence for mental health problems. The study included 2086 white-collar workers (63.3% women) employed in public organisations in Quebec city. Participants were followed over a 9-year period. Medical absences from work were collected from employers' files and psychosocial factors were measured using the ERI questionnaire. Cox regression models were used to estimate the incidence of certified sickness absence due to mental health problems that lasted 5 workdays or more, while controlling for confounders. Workers exposed to ERI had a higher risk of a first spell of medically certified absence for mental health problems (HR=1.38, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.76) compared with unexposed workers. Low reward was significantly associated with a high risk among men (HR=2.80, 95% CI 1.34 to 5.89) but not in women. (HR=1.24, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.73). Effort at work had no effect on certified absence. All these effects were adjusted for potential confounders. ERI and low reward at work were prospectively associated with medically certified absence for mental health problems. These effects seem to differ by gender. Primary prevention that is aimed at reducing these stressors should be considered to help reduce the incidence of such severe mental health problems.

CISA Certified Information Systems Auditor : study guide

CERN Document Server

Cannon, David L

2011-01-01

The industry-leading study guide for the CISA exam, fully updated. More than 27,000 IT professionals take the Certified Information Systems Auditor exam each year. SC Magazine lists the CISA as the top certification for security professionals. Compliances, regulations, and best practices for IS auditing are updated twice a year, and this is the most up-to-date book available to prepare aspiring CISAs for the next exam.: CISAs are among the five highest-paid IT security professionals; more than 27,000 take the exam each year and the numbers are growing; Standards are updated twice a year, and t

School-based assessments in high-stakes examinations in Bhutan: a question of trust? : exploring inconsistencies between external exam scores, school-based assessments, detailed teacher ratings, and student self-ratings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luyten, Johannes W.; Dolkar, Dechen

2010-01-01

This study explores the validity of school-based assessments when they serve to supplement scores on central tests in high-stakes examinations. The school-based continuous assessment (CA) marks are compared to the marks scored on the central written Bhutan Certificate of Secondary Education (BCSE)

Westinghouse Hanford Company plan for certifying newly generated contact-handled transuranic waste for emplacement in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipinski, R.M.; Sheehan, J.S.

1992-07-01

Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford) currently manages an interim storage site for Westinghouse Hanford and non-Westinghouse Hanford-generated transuranic (TRU) waste and operates TRU waste generating facilities within the Hanford Site in Washington State. Approval has been received from the Waste Acceptance Criteria Certification Committee (WACCC) and Westinghouse Hanford TRU waste generating facilities to certify newly generated contact-handled TRU (CH-TRU) solid waste to meet the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC). This document describes the plan for certifying newly generated CH-TRU solid waste to meet the WAC requirements for storage at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site. Attached to this document are facility-specific certification plans for the Westinghouse Hanford TRU waste generators that have received WACCC approval. The certification plans describe operations that generate CH-TRU solid waste and the specific procedures by which these wastes will be certified and segregated from uncertified wastes at the generating facilities. All newly generated CH-TRU solid waste is being transferred to the Transuranic Storage and Assay Facility (TRUSAF) and/or a controlled storage facility. These facilities will store the waste until the certified TRU waste can be sent to the WIPP site and the non-certified TRU waste can be sent to the Waste Receiving and Processing Facility. All non-certifiable TRU waste will be segregated and clearly identified

Characterizations of a quality certified athletic trainer.

Science.gov (United States)

Raab, Scot; Wolfe, Brent D; Gould, Trenton E; Piland, Scott G

2011-01-01

Didactic proficiency does not ensure clinical aptitude. Quality athletic health care requires clinical knowledge and affective traits. To develop a grounded theory explaining the constructs of a quality certified athletic trainer (AT). Delphi study. Interviews in conference rooms or business offices and by telephone. Thirteen ATs (men = 8, women = 5) stratified across the largest employment settings (high school, college, clinical) in the 4 largest districts of the National Athletic Trainers? Association (2, 3, 4, 9). Open-ended interview questions were audio recorded, transcribed, and reviewed before condensing. Two member checks ensured trustworthiness. Open coding reduced text to descriptive adjectives. We grouped adjectives into 5 constructs (care, communication, commitment, integrity, knowledge) and grouped these constructs into 2 higher-order constructs (affective traits, effective traits). According to participants, ATs who demonstrate the ability to care, show commitment and integrity, value professional knowledge, and communicate effectively with others can be identified as quality ATs. These abilities facilitate the creation of positive relationships. These relationships allow the quality AT to interact with patients and other health care professionals on a knowledgeable basis that ultimately improves health care delivery. Our resulting theory supported the examination of characteristics not traditionally assessed in an athletic training education program. If researchers can show that these characteristics develop ATs into quality ATs (eg, those who work better with others, relate meaningfully with patients, and improve the standard of health care), they must be cultivated in the educational setting.

78 FR 22895 - Test To Allow Customs Brokers To Pre-Certify Importers for Participation in the Importer Self...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-17

... role in the success of various CBP commercial initiatives, automation efforts, and security programs... communication with importers, the ISA pre-certifiers will provide information on the ISA program and work to... import data that CBP possesses, as well as help to focus the ISA pre-certifier's efforts on the areas for...

Examining the Impact of Unscorable Item Responses on the Validity and Interpretability of MMPI-2/MMPI-2-RF Restructured Clinical (RC) Scale Scores

Science.gov (United States)

Dragon, Wendy R.; Ben-Porath, Yossef S.; Handel, Richard W.

2012-01-01

This article examined the impact of unscorable item responses on the psychometric validity and practical interpretability of scores on the Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2/Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2/MMPI-2-RF). In analyses conducted with five…

7 CFR 201.72 - Production of all classes of certified seed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... stages of certification including seeding, harvesting, processing, and labeling of the seed. (b) The unit... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Production of all classes of certified seed. 201.72... SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED...

Evaluation of the Quality of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Based on Key Performance Indicators in Certified Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadfam, Iraj; Kamalinia, Mojtaba; Momeni, Mansour; Golmohammadi, Rostam; Hamidi, Yadollah; Soltanian, Alireza

2017-06-01

Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems are becoming more widespread in organizations. Consequently, their effectiveness has become a core topic for researchers. This paper evaluates the performance of the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001 specification in certified companies in Iran. The evaluation is based on a comparison of specific criteria and indictors related to occupational health and safety management practices in three certified and three noncertified companies. Findings indicate that the performance of certified companies with respect to occupational health and safety management practices is significantly better than that of noncertified companies. Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001-certified companies have a better level of occupational health and safety; this supports the argument that Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems play an important strategic role in health and safety in the workplace.

How does preclinical laboratory training impact physical examination skills during the first clinical year? A retrospective analysis of routinely collected objective structured clinical examination scores among the first two matriculating classes of a reformed curriculum in one Polish medical school.

Science.gov (United States)

Świerszcz, Jolanta; Stalmach-Przygoda, Agata; Kuźma, Marcin; Jabłoński, Konrad; Cegielny, Tomasz; Skrzypek, Agnieszka; Wieczorek-Surdacka, Ewa; Kruszelnicka, Olga; Chmura, Kaja; Chyrchel, Bernadeta; Surdacki, Andrzej; Nowakowski, Michał

2017-09-01

As a result of a curriculum reform launched in 2012 at our institution, preclinical training was shortened to 2 years instead of the traditional 3 years, creating additional incentives to optimise teaching methods. In accordance with the new curriculum, a semester-long preclinical module of clinical skills (CS) laboratory training takes place in the second year of study, while an introductory clinical course (ie, brief introductory clerkships) is scheduled for the Fall semester of the third year. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are carried out at the conclusion of both the preclinical module and the introductory clinical course. Our aim was to compare the scores at physical examination stations between the first and second matriculating classes of a newly reformed curriculum on preclinical second-year OSCEs and early clinical third-year OSCEs. Analysis of routinely collected data. One Polish medical school. Complete OSCE records for 462 second-year students and 445 third-year students. OSCE scores by matriculation year. In comparison to the first class of the newly reformed curriculum, significantly higher (ie, better) OSCE scores were observed for those students who matriculated in 2013, a year after implementing the reformed curriculum. This finding was consistent for both second-year and third-year cohorts. Additionally, the magnitude of the improvement in median third-year OSCE scores was proportional to the corresponding advancement in preceding second-year preclinical OSCE scores for each of two different sets of physical examination tasks. In contrast, no significant difference was noted between the academic years in the ability to interpret laboratory data or ECG - tasks which had not been included in the second-year preclinical training. Our results suggest the importance of preclinical training in a CS laboratory to improve students' competence in physical examination at the completion of introductory clinical clerkships during

Factoring RSA keys from certified smart cards : Coppersmith in the wild

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bernstein, D.J.; Chang, Y.A.; Cheng, C.M.; Chou, L.P.; Heninger, N.; Lange, T.; Someren, van N.

2013-01-01

An attacker can efficiently factor at least 184 distinct 1024-bit RSA keys from Taiwan's national "Citizen Digital Certificate" database. The big story here is that these keys were generated by government-issued smart cards that were certified secure. The certificates had all the usual buzzwords:

Development of certified matrix reference materials for quality assurance of screening 134Cs and 137Cs in food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizu, H.; Yamada, T.

2013-01-01

A certified reference material using activated alumina powder certified for activity of 134 Cs and 137 Cs was developed. The results of the verification and the certification are described. The certified reference material can be used for quality assurance of screening activity measurements of 134 Cs and 137 Cs in food/foodstuffs. Commercially available equipments were experimentally tested using the CRM and another CRM including 40 K. The results of these tests are also shown. - Highlights: • CRM of 134 Cs and 137 Cs using activated alumina was developed. • CRM including 134 Cs, 137 Cs and 40 K was also developed. • Results of experimental performance test of commercial inspection equipments using CRMs were shown

Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum, L. Seed Quality of Certified Seed and Farm-Saved Seed in Three Provinces of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khazaei Fardin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to study the seed quality aspects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and the extent of weed seed contamination present in wheat seeds produced in different regions of Iran. Four districts (cities, each including 12 fields (six certified seed fields and six farm-saved seed fields, were selected in each regions (provinces. One kilogram of the wheat seed sample was collected from each field for analysis in the laboratory. Wheat seeding was commonly done by farm-saved seed sourced from within the farm due to the high costs of certified seeds purchased from outside sources, followed by the low seed quality. The use of a farm-saved seed resulted in a higher germination rate and a lower mean time to germination compared with another system. The more positive temperatures experienced by mother plants could decrease the number of normal seedling and seedling length vigor index. Generally there was virtually no difference about physiological quality between certified seed and farm-saved seed sector that is related to lower quality of certified seed. The certified produced seeds had the lower number of weed seed, species and genus before and after cleaning. The highest seed purity and 1000 seed weight was obtained from the certified seed production system. The need for cleaning the farm-saved seed samples before sowing is one of the important findings of this survey.

On the system of provision of ojsc "MMC 'Norilsk Nickel'" with interstate and State certified reference materials for quality control of cobalt, nickel, copper and promproducts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. V. Shabelnikova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In order to manage the quality of OJSC "MMC "Norilsk Nickel" products the Centre of Certified Reference Material Development has developed and is currently successfully implementing a system of operations provision with interstate and state certified reference materials of nickel, cobalt and copper composition. The system wholly corresponds to modern metrological requirements. The Centre of Reference Materials Development, fulfilling leading function in the field of state certified reference material production and supply to the Company's operations, aims its activity both at the development of new types of certified reference materials in the form of metals and at widening the range of synthetic oxide certified reference materials. Developed for the first time, metallic state certified reference materials of nickel, cobalt composition with certified mass fractions of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and carbon were put into practice of the Company's analytical services work. Certified reference material use provides the possibility to take into account requirements of some consumers to the quality of nickel and produce by OJSC "MMC "Norilsk Nickel" and also helps to raise competitive ability of the products on the world metals market. Over recent years the Centre fulfilled the work on the development, certification in established order, approval and entering into the State Register twenty five types of state certified reference materials. Certified reference materials are intended for fulfillment of the analysis of chemical composition of nickel, cobalt and copper in terms of their conformity with both national and international standards.

Quantifying radioxerostomia: salivary flow rate, examiner's score, and quality of life questionnaire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Nawas, B.; Al-Nawas, K.; Kunkel, M.; Groetz, K.A.

2006-01-01

Background and purpose: salivary flow rates alone are not sufficient to quantify all aspects of radioxerostomia. This is a problem in studies aiming to reduce radioxerostomia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between objectively measured salivary flow rate and subjective xerostomia ratings by the physician (RTOG scale) or the patients (quality of life [QoL] questionnaire). Patients and methods: in a case-control study patients who underwent recall for oral cancer were screened. Inclusion criteria for this diagnostic, noninterventional study were: history of oral carcinoma, surgical and radiation therapy, time interval from start of radiation therapy > 90 days, salivary glands within the radiation field. The control group consisted of patients, who had not received radiotherapy. RTOG salivary gland score, quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 and H and N35), and sialometry were recorded. Results: patients with RTOG score 0 had mean salivary flow rates of 0.3 ml/min, those with RTOG 1 0.12 ml/min, RTOG 2 0.02 ml/min, and RTOG 3 < 0.01 ml/min. RTOG score 4 (total fibrosis) did not occur. Based on salivary flow rates, all patients were grouped into xerostomia < 0.2 ml/min (30 patients) and nonxerostomia (twelve patients). QoL results revealed significant differences between patients with xerostomia and nonxerostomia for physical function, dyspnea, swallowing, social eating, dry mouth, nutritional support, and a tendency to higher values for appetite loss. Conclusion: the correlation between ''subjective'' QoL parameters and salivary flow was confirmed. The different subjective aspects of radioxerostomia seem to be better differentiated by the EORTC QoL questionnaire. (orig.)

42 CFR 410.77 - Certified nurse-midwives' services: Qualifications and conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICARE PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL INSURANCE (SMI) BENEFITS... nurse-midwives that is accredited by an accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education; and (3) Be certified as a nurse-midwife by the American College of Nurse-Midwives or the American...

76 FR 72619 - User Fee To Take the Registered Tax Return Preparer Competency Examination

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-25

..., 2011)), provide that only attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, and registered tax... Fee To Take the Registered Tax Return Preparer Competency Examination AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service... regulations. The final regulations redesignate rules pertaining to fees for obtaining a preparer tax...

Going the distance for certified cancer registrars.

Science.gov (United States)

Backus, Amanda; Kolender, Ellen R

2009-01-01

Cancer registry departments are using electronic technology to solve the local and national Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) shortages. As demand for CTRs continues to increase without an accompanied increase in the supply of qualified personnel, cancer registry departments are looking for new solutions to this growing local and national trend. In order to solve this problem, some cancer registries have started using telecommunication to fill the empty positions within their departments. This is the case at Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) in Charleston, SC, where Cancer Registry Manager, Ellen Kolender, RHIA, CTR, used telecommuting to fill one full-time and one part-time CTR position.

Vehicle Authentication via Monolithically Certified Public Key and Attributes

OpenAIRE

Dolev, Shlomi; Krzywiecki, Łukasz; Panwar, Nisha; Segal, Michael

2015-01-01

Vehicular networks are used to coordinate actions among vehicles in traffic by the use of wireless transceivers (pairs of transmitters and receivers). Unfortunately, the wireless communication among vehicles is vulnerable to security threats that may lead to very serious safety hazards. In this work, we propose a viable solution for coping with Man-in-the-Middle attacks. Conventionally, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is utilized for a secure communication with the pre-certified public key. H...

Cost analysis of LEED certified United States navy buildings

OpenAIRE

Kirar, Carl V.

2011-01-01

CIVINS (Civilian Institutions) Thesis document A study was completed at UW-Madison in 2010 that reviewed the energy consumption of US Navy buildings which earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The research compared LEED certified buildings to a commercial counterpart within the US Navy inventory against Executive Order (EO) 13423. The EO mandated that all federal agencies meet a 30 percent reduction of...

Nursing home practices following resident death: the experience of Certified Nursing Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Barooah, Adrita; Boerner, Kathrin; van Riesenbeck, Isabelle; Burack, Orah R

2015-01-01

This study examined certified nursing assistants' (CNAs) experiences of nursing home practices following resident death. Participants were 140 CNAs who had experienced recent resident death. In semi-structured, in-person interviews, CNAs were asked about their experiences with the removal of the resident's body, filling the bed with a new resident, and how they were notified about the death. The facilities' practice of filling the bed quickly was most often experienced as negative. Responses to body removal and staff notification varied, but negative experiences were reported by a substantial minority. Being notified prior to returning to work was associated with a more positive experience. Learning about the death by walking into a room to find the bed empty or already filled was the most negative experience. Study findings suggest that more mindful approaches to the transitions related to resident deaths would be valued by CNAs and could improve their work experience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using the Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT in Long-Term Care: An Update on Psychometrics and Scoring Standardization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Kennerly

2015-07-01

Full Text Available An effective workforce performing within the context of a positive cultural environment is central to a healthcare organization’s ability to achieve quality outcomes. The Nursing Culture Assessment Tool (NCAT provides nurses with a valid and reliable tool that captures the general aspects of nursing culture. This study extends earlier work confirming the tool’s construct validity and dimensionality by standardizing the scoring approach and establishing norm-referenced scoring. Scoring standardization provides a reliable point of comparison for NCAT users. NCAT assessments support nursing’s ability to evaluate nursing culture, use results to shape the culture into one that supports change, and advance nursing’s best practices and care outcomes. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants from 54 long-term care facilities in Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oregon were surveyed. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded six first order factors forming the NCAT’s subscales (Expectations, Behaviors, Teamwork, Communication, Satisfaction, Commitment (Comparative Fit Index 0.93 and a second order factor—The Total Culture Score. Aggregated facility level comparisons of observed group variance with expected random variance using rwg(J statistics is presented. Normative scores and cumulative rank percentages and how the NCAT can be used in implementing planned change are provided.

Mini-Mental State Examination score trajectories and incident disabling dementia among community-dwelling older Japanese adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Yu; Kitamura, Akihiko; Murayama, Hiroshi; Amano, Hidenori; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Yokota, Isao; Seino, Satoshi; Nofuji, Yu; Nishi, Mariko; Yokoyama, Yuri; Matsuyama, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Shinkai, Shoji

2017-11-01

The present prospective study used repeated measures analysis to identify potential Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score trajectories and determine whether MMSE trajectory was associated with incident disabling dementia among community-dwelling older Japanese adults. A total of 1724 non-demented adults (mean age 71.4 years [SD 5.7]; 56.7% women) aged 65-90 years participated in annual geriatric health assessments during the period from June 2002 through July 2014. The total number of observations was 6755, and the average number of follow-up assessments was 3.9. A review of municipal databases in the Japanese public long-term care insurance system showed that 205 (11.9%) participants developed disabling dementia through December 2014. We identified three distinct MMSE score trajectory patterns (high, middle and low) in adults aged 65-90 years. After adjusting for important confounders, participants with middle (42.8%) and low (5.1%) MMSE trajectories had hazard ratios of 2.46 (95% confidence interval 1.64-3.68) and 10.73 (95% confidence interval 4.91-23.45), respectively, for incident disabling dementia, as compared with those in the high (52.1%) trajectory group. Approximately half of the participants were classified as having a high MMSE trajectory, whereas 43% and 5% had middle and low MMSE trajectories, respectively, in this population. Individuals with middle and low MMSE trajectories had a higher risk for incident disabling dementia, which suggests that a high-risk approach to dementia prevention should target people with mild and more rapid cognitive decline. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1928-1935. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

The SPOTS System: An Ocular Scoring System Optimized for Use in Modern Preclinical Drug Development and Toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Joshua Seth; Miller, Paul E; Bentley, Ellison; Thomasy, Sara M; Murphy, Christopher J

2017-12-01

To present a semiquantitative ocular scoring system comprising elements and criteria that address many of the limitations associated with systems commonly used in preclinical studies, providing enhanced cross-species applicability and predictive value in modern ocular drug and device development. Revisions to the ocular scoring systems of McDonald-Shadduck and Hackett-McDonald were conducted by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists at Ocular Services On Demand (OSOD) over the execution of hundreds of in vivo preclinical ocular drug and device development studies and general toxicological investigations. This semiquantitative preclinical ocular toxicology scoring (SPOTS) system was driven by limitations of previously published systems identified by our group's recent review of slit lamp-based scoring systems in clinical ophthalmology, toxicology, and vision science. The SPOTS system provides scoring criteria for the anterior segment, posterior segment, and characterization of intravitreal test articles. Key elements include: standardized slit lamp settings; expansion of criteria to enhance applicability to nonrabbit species; refinement and disambiguation of scoring criteria for corneal opacity, fluorescein staining severity, and aqueous flare; introduction of novel criteria for scoring of aqueous and anterior vitreous cell; and introduction of criteria for findings observed with drugs/devices targeting the posterior segment. A modified Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) system is also introduced to facilitate accurate use of SUN's criteria in laboratory species. The SPOTS systems provide criteria that stand to enhance the applicability of semiquantitative scoring criteria to the full range of laboratory species, in the context of modern approaches to ocular therapeutics and drug delivery and drug and device development.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry diagnostic discordance between Z-scores and T-scores in young adults.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Carey, John J

2009-01-01

Diagnostic criteria for postmenopausal osteoporosis using central dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) T-scores have been widely accepted. The validity of these criteria for other populations, including premenopausal women and young men, has not been established. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) recommends using DXA Z-scores, not T-scores, for diagnosis in premenopausal women and men aged 20-49 yr, though studies supporting this position have not been published. We examined diagnostic agreement between DXA-generated T-scores and Z-scores in a cohort of men and women aged 20-49 yr, using 1994 World Health Organization and 2005 ISCD DXA criteria. Four thousand two hundred and seventy-five unique subjects were available for analysis. The agreement between DXA T-scores and Z-scores was moderate (Cohen\\'s kappa: 0.53-0.75). The use of Z-scores resulted in significantly fewer (McNemar\\'s p<0.001) subjects diagnosed with "osteopenia," "low bone mass for age," or "osteoporosis." Thirty-nine percent of Hologic (Hologic, Inc., Bedford, MA) subjects and 30% of Lunar (GE Lunar, GE Madison, WI) subjects diagnosed with "osteoporosis" by T-score were reclassified as either "normal" or "osteopenia" when their Z-score was used. Substitution of DXA Z-scores for T-scores results in significant diagnostic disagreement and significantly fewer persons being diagnosed with low bone mineral density.

Contextual factors and clinical reasoning: differences in diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning in board certified versus resident physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

McBee, Elexis; Ratcliffe, Temple; Picho, Katherine; Schuwirth, Lambert; Artino, Anthony R; Yepes-Rios, Ana Monica; Masel, Jennifer; van der Vleuten, Cees; Durning, Steven J

2017-11-15

The impact of context on the complex process of clinical reasoning is not well understood. Using situated cognition as the theoretical framework and videos to provide the same contextual "stimulus" to all participants, we examined the relationship between specific contextual factors on diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning accuracy in board certified internists versus resident physicians. Each participant viewed three videotaped clinical encounters portraying common diagnoses in internal medicine. We explicitly modified the context to assess its impact on performance (patient and physician contextual factors). Patient contextual factors, including English as a second language and emotional volatility, were portrayed in the videos. Physician participant contextual factors were self-rated sleepiness and burnout.. The accuracy of diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning was compared with covariates using Fisher Exact, Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman Rho's correlations as appropriate. Fifteen board certified internists and 10 resident physicians participated from 2013 to 2014. Accuracy of diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning did not differ between groups despite residents reporting significantly higher rates of sleepiness (mean rank 20.45 vs 8.03, U = 0.5, p reasoning performance. Further, the processes of diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning, although related, may not be interchangeable. This raises important questions about the impact that contextual factors have on clinical reasoning and provides insight into how clinical reasoning processes in more authentic settings may be explained by situated cognition theory.

Effect of Memo®, a natural formula combination, on Mini-Mental State Examination scores in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakoot M

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Mostafa Yakoot,1 Amel Salem,2 Sherine Helmy3 1Green Clinic and Research Center, 2Mabarrah Clinics, 3Pharco Pharmaceutical Industries, Alexandria, Egypt Background: Mild cognitive impairment encompasses the clinical continuum between physiologic age-related cognitive changes and dementia. A variety of medications, including herbal preparations (in particular Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng, have been advocated as treatments for cognitive impairment in the elderly. In this study, we investigated the effect of an already marketed dietary supplement (Memo® combining 750 mg of lyophilized royal jelly with standardized extracts of G. biloba 120 mg and P. ginseng 150 mg on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE scores in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: Sixty-six subjects presenting with forgetfulness and satisfying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR clinical criteria for mild cognitive impairment were randomly divided into an experimental group treated with one Memo capsule before breakfast daily for 4 weeks and a control group who took placebo. The mean change in MMSE score from baseline and reported adverse effects were compared between the two groups. Results: The mean change in MMSE score in the group treated with Memo for 4 weeks was significantly greater than in the control group (+2.07 versus +0.13, respectively by the Student’s t-test (t = 6.485, P < 0.0001. This was also true after adjusting for age as a covariate and educational level as a factor nested within the treatment groups in a general linear model (analysis of covariance, F = 9.675 [corrected model], P < 0.0001. Conclusion: This combined triple formula may be beneficial in treating the cognitive decline that occurs during the aging process as well as in the early phases of pathologic cognitive impairment typical of insidious-onset vascular dementia and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Larger

Development of a candidate certified reference material of cypermethrin in green tea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sin, Della W.M.; Chan, Pui-kwan; Cheung, Samuel T.C.; Wong, Yee-Lok; Wong, Siu-kay; Mok, Chuen-shing; Wong Yiuchung

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A cypermethrin CRM in green tea was developed. ► Using two isotope dilution mass spectrometry techniques for characterization. ► Certified value of 148 μg kg −1 with expanded uncertainty of ±9.2%. ► Support quality assurance of pesticide residue analysis in tea to testing. - Abstract: This paper presents the preparation of a candidate certified reference material (CRM) of cypermethrin in green tea, GLHK-11-01a according to the requirements of ISO Guide 34 and 35. Certification of the material was performed using a newly developed isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) approach, with gas chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HRMS) and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) showed excellent agreement of the analytical data sets generated from the two mass spectrometric detections. The characterization methods have also been satisfactorily applied in an Asia-Pacific Metrology Program (APMP) interlaboratory comparison study. Both the GC–HRIDMS and GC–IDMS/MS methods proved to be sufficiently reliable and accurate for certification purpose. The certified value of cypermethrin in dry mass fraction was 148 μg kg −1 and the associated expanded uncertainty was 14 μg kg −1 . The uncertainty budget was evaluated from sample in homogeneity, long-term and short-term stability and variability in the characterization procedure. GLHK-11-01a is primarily developed to support the local and wider testing community on need basis in quality assurance work and in seeking accreditation.

Application of the 226Ra-230Th-234U and 227Ac-231Pa-235U radiochronometers to uranium certified reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolison, J.M.; Treinen, K.C.; McHugh, K.C.; Gaffney, A.M.; Williams, R.W.

2017-01-01

Uranium certified reference materials (CRM) issued by New Brunswick Laboratory were subjected to dating using four independent uranium-series radiochronometers. In all cases, there was acceptable agreement between the model ages calculated using the 231 Pa- 235 U, 230 Th- 234 U, 227 Ac- 235 U or 226 Ra- 234 U radiochronometers and either the certified 230 Th- 234 U model date (CRM 125-A and CRM U630), or the known purification date (CRM U050 and CRM U100). The agreement between the four independent radiochronometers establishes these uranium certified reference materials as ideal informal standards for validating dating techniques utilized in nuclear forensic investigations in the absence of standards with certified model ages for multiple radiochronometers. (author)

30-day mortality and readmission after hemorrhagic stroke among Medicare beneficiaries in Joint Commission primary stroke center-certified and noncertified hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtman, Judith H; Jones, Sara B; Leifheit-Limson, Erica C; Wang, Yun; Goldstein, Larry B

2011-12-01

Ischemic stroke patients treated at Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center (JC-PSC)-certified hospitals have better outcomes. Data reflecting the impact of JC-PSC status on outcomes after hemorrhagic stroke are limited. We determined whether 30-day mortality and readmission rates after hemorrhagic stroke differed for patients treated at JC-PSC-certified versus noncertified hospitals. The study included all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with a primary discharge diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in 2006. Covariate-adjusted logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the effect of care at a JC-PSC-certified hospital on 30-day mortality and readmission. There were 2305 SAH and 8708 ICH discharges from JC-PSC-certified hospitals and 3892 SAH and 22 564 ICH discharges from noncertified hospitals. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality (SAH: 27.5% versus 33.2%, Pmortality (SAH: 35.1% versus 44.0%, Pmortality was 34% lower (odds ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.76) after SAH and 14% lower (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.92) after ICH for patients discharged from JC-PSC-certified hospitals. There was no difference in 30-day risk-adjusted readmission rates for SAH or ICH based on JC-PSC status. Patients treated at JC-PSC-certified hospitals had lower risk-adjusted mortality rates for both SAH and ICH but similar 30-day readmission rates as compared with noncertified hospitals.

Self-reported Occupational Skin Exposure and Risk of Physician-certified Long-term Sick Leave

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alfonso, Jose H; Tynes, Tore; Thyssen, Jacob P

2016-01-01

Little is known about the contribution of occupational skin exposure as a risk factor for physician-certified long-term sick leave in the general working population of Norway. This study drew a cohort (n = 12,255; response at baseline 69.9%) randomly from the general population of Norway. Occupat......Little is known about the contribution of occupational skin exposure as a risk factor for physician-certified long-term sick leave in the general working population of Norway. This study drew a cohort (n = 12,255; response at baseline 69.9%) randomly from the general population of Norway....... Occupational skin exposure (in 2009) was measured based on 5 items. The outcome of interest was physician-certified long-term sick leave ≥ 16 days during 2010. Statistical adjustment for psychosocial and mechanical occupational exposures was performed. Long-term sick leave was predicted by occupational skin...... exposure to cleaning products (odds ratio (OR) 1.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1-2.5) and waste (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.1-3.7) among men, and occupational skin exposure to water (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0-1.6) among women. The estimated population attributable risk for occupational skin exposure was 14...

30 CFR 778.9 - Certifying and updating existing permit application information.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... you have previously applied for a permit and the required information is already in AVS, then you may... information already in AVS is accurate and complete may certify to us by swearing or affirming, under oath and in writing, that the relevant information in AVS is accurate, complete, and up to date. (2) Part of...

The new era of postgraduate certified general practice training in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Takamura, Akiteru

2016-09-01

This paper describes the background to, and the recent evolution of general practice as a recognised medical specialism in Japan (2015), and the evolution of a system of training to support this development. We, the general practitioners (GPs) in Japan have not been recognised as one body of medical specialists and have been training in our own way. A new certified training system will commence in 2018, authorised by a new third organisation, the Japanese Medical Specialty Board. An effective educational system has been developed for medical graduates that have a career intention in general practice that is distinct from other basic medical fields, but collaborates with them. A challenge exists to provide clarity to the Japanese population about what the specialty of general practice is, and what professionals in general practice can do for them. Japan currently has approximately 500 certified GPs and it is unclear at present what numbers will eventually be required. This paper reviews some of the challenges facing the development of general practice from the perspective of the Japan Primary Care Association.

Ripasa score: a new diagnostic score for diagnosis of acute appendicitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, M.Q.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the usefulness of RIPASA score for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis using histopathology as a gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of General Surgery, Combined Military Hospital, Kohat, from September 2011 to March 2012. Methodology: A total of 267 patients were included in this study. RIPASA score was assessed. The diagnosis of appendicitis was made clinically aided by routine sonography of abdomen. After appendicectomies, resected appendices were sent for histopathological examination. The 15 parameters and the scores generated were age (less than 40 years = 1 point; greater than 40 years = 0.5 point), gender (male = 1 point; female = 0.5 point), Right Iliac Fossa (RIF) pain (0.5 point), migration of pain to RIF (0.5 point), nausea and vomiting (1 point), anorexia (1 point), duration of symptoms (less than 48 hours = 1 point; more than 48 hours = 0.5 point), RIF tenderness (1 point), guarding (2 points), rebound tenderness (1 point), Rovsing's sign (2 points), fever (1 point), raised white cell count (1 point), negative urinalysis (1 point) and foreign national registration identity card (1 point). The optimal cut-off threshold score from the ROC was 7.5. Sensitivity analysis was done. Results: Out of 267 patients, 156 (58.4%) were male while remaining 111 patients (41.6%) were female with mean age of 23.5 +- 9.1 years. Sensitivity of RIPASA score was 96.7%, specificity 93.0%, diagnostic accuracy was 95.1%, positive predictive value was 94.8% and negative predictive value was 95.54%. Conclusion: RIPASA score at a cut-off total score of 7.5 was a useful tool to diagnose appendicitis, in equivocal cases of pain. (author)

Correlating continuous assessment scores to junior secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the relationship between continuous assessment scores and junior secondary school certificate examination(JSCE) final scores in Imo State. A sample of four hundred students were purposively selected from thirty eight thousand students who took the 1997 JSCE in Imo State. The data used were ...

REIMEP-22 U age dating - Determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample Inter-laboratory comparison, Report to participants

OpenAIRE

VENCHIARUTTI CELIA; VARGA ZSOLT; RICHTER Stephan; NICHOLL Adrian; KRAJKO JUDIT; JAKOPIC Rozle; MAYER Klaus; AREGBE Yetunde

2015-01-01

The REIMEP-22 inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) "U Age Dating - Determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample" was organised by JRC-IRMM as support to the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group (ITWG) This ILC was organised prior to the release of the candidate certified reference material IRMM-1000, produced in cooperation with JRC-ITU. The aim of REIMEP-22 was to determine the production date of the uranium certified test sample (i.e. the last chem...

Analysis of impact of HIV/AIDS on deaths certified at Mosvold ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The antiretroviral roll-out programme commenced at Mosvold Hospital on 16 September ... Of the deaths between 2003 and 2006, 53% were certified as having ... and poor, with adult unemployment at. 60%. Five per cent of households have ..... 2. Female total deaths 2006. 36. 4. 8. 9. 37. 48. 70. 51. 34. 30. 26. 12. 19. 23.

Strategic Factors on Interpreting Remanufacturing Quality-Certifying Framework to Address Warranty Aftermarket for Malaysian Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, N.; Saman, M. Z. M.; Sharif, S.; Hamzah, H. S.

2018-03-01

While the concept of remanufacturing is gaining popularity globally, literature and theory on strategic decision-making on certifying for warranty in this area remain limited. A strategic and establish concept flow is developed based on extensive literature review and surveys with experienced experts who are dealing with remanufactured, reconditioned, rebuilt and reused components. The remanufacturing research on evaluating quality assurance of remanufactured component targets macro-level parameters and the indicators which must be confirmed for evaluation. The strategic remanufacturing factors identified from the literature review are discussed in a brainstorming session with a number of remanufacturing researchers and academic experts. The study is further broadened by industrial surveys and case studies to justify the inputs on developing a framework to certify remanufactured components. Preliminary results have established the key factors of remanufacturing quality control that might lead to the strict quality assurance of remanufactured components. Later, the developed framework can be used as a benchmarking tool to certify remanufactured components and warranty issuance. The findings serve as the foundation for further research concerning Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or Original Equipment Remanufacturer (OER) and Independent Equipment Remanufacturer (IER) in the Malaysian Remanufacturing Industry.

13 CFR 127.303 - How will SBA select and identify approved certifiers?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How will SBA select and identify approved certifiers? 127.303 Section 127.303 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS FEDERAL CONTRACT ASSISTANCE PROCEDURES Certification of EDWOSB or WOSB Status...

A certified reference material for radionuclides in the water sample from Irish Sea (IAEA-443)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pham, M.K.; Betti, M.; Povinec, P.P.

2011-01-01

A new certified reference material (CRM) for radionuclides in sea water from the Irish sea (IAEA-443) is described and the results of the certification process are presented. Ten radionuclides (3H, 40K, 90Sr, 137Cs, 234U, 235U, 238U, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am) have been certified, and information...... values on massic activities with 95% confidence intervals are given for four radionuclides (230Th, 232Th, 239Pu and 240Pu). Results for less frequently reported radionuclides (99Tc, 228Th, 237Np and 241Pu) are also reported. The CRM can be used for quality assurance/quality control of the analysis...

Validity of GRE General Test scores and TOEFL scores for graduate admission to a technical university in Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Judith; von Davier, Alina A.; Buhmann, Joachim M.; Heinimann, Hans R.

2018-01-01

Graduate admission has become a critical process in tertiary education, whereby selecting valid admissions instruments is key. This study assessed the validity of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores for admission to Master's programmes at a technical university in Europe. We investigated the indicative value of GRE scores for the Master's programme grade point average (GGPA) with and without the addition of the undergraduate GPA (UGPA) and the TOEFL score, and of GRE scores for study completion and Master's thesis performance. GRE scores explained 20% of the variation in the GGPA, while additional 7% were explained by the TOEFL score and 3% by the UGPA. Contrary to common belief, the GRE quantitative reasoning score showed only little explanatory power. GRE scores were also weakly related to study progress but not to thesis performance. Nevertheless, GRE and TOEFL scores were found to be sensible admissions instruments. Rigorous methodology was used to obtain highly reliable results.

Workplace-based assessments of junior doctors: do scores predict training difficulties?

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Colin; Bhat, Sarita; Herbert, Anne; Baker, Paul

2011-12-01

scores is, however, not a valid way of screening for trainees in difficulty. Workplace-based assessments have value as formative assessments that prompt supervision, feedback and reflection. They should not be relied upon to certify competence and their use for such ends may reduce their effectiveness in training. Their results should be interpreted in the context of multiple other methods of assessment, with the aim of achieving a genuinely holistic and representative assessment of professional competence. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON THE CORPORATE WEBSITE OF THE CERTIFIED PORTUGUESE ORGANIZATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe Carvalho

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The Internet is a privileged means of communication towards Sustainable Development (SD, where information disclosed knows no borders. The aim of the study is to determine the nature of the content that is disclosed on the corporate website and the profile of the certified Portuguese organizations which disclose information on SD, that is, about Integrated Management Systems (IMS, Corporate Sustainability (CS and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR. This research consists of an exploratory analysis of the institutional website of 422 organizations with certified management systems in quality (ISO 9001, environment (ISO 14001 and occupational health and safety (BS OHSAS 18001. The research was based on the content analysis method, which allowed quantifying the contents of the information disclosed on the website by category and subcategories of analysis. The content available on the website was quantified using the Information Disclosure Index (IDI. The certified Portuguese organizations with greater business volume (turnover and the public limited companies (PLC disclose more information on SD on their website than the others.

Promoting landscape heterogeneity to improve the biodiversity benefits of certified palm oil production: Evidence from Peninsular Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badrul Azhar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO is responsible for the certification of palm oil producers that comply with sustainability standards. However, it is not known whether RSPO-certified plantations are effective in maintaining biodiversity. Focusing on Peninsular Malaysia, we show that both RSPO-certified plantations and uncertified large-scale plantations are characterized by very low levels of landscape heterogeneity. By contrast, heterogeneity measures were many times higher in palm oil producing smallholdings, despite their lack of RSPO certification. The low heterogeneity of large-scale oil palm plantations, including those certified by the RSPO, is likely to severely limit their value for biodiversity conservation. Uncertified smallholdings, in contrast, are much more heterogeneous and therefore hold substantially greater promise for the integration of palm oil production and biodiversity conservation than large-scale plantations. With oil palm agriculture further expanding, certification schemes should mandate producers to improve biodiversity conservation through landscape management that promotes greater landscape heterogeneity.

Examining Health Information Technology Implementations: Case of the Patient-Centered Medical Home

Science.gov (United States)

Behkami, Nima A.

2012-01-01

It has been shown that the use of Health Information Technology (HIT) is associated with reduced cost and increased quality of care. This dissertation examined the use of registries in Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practices. A survey questionnaire was sent to a nationwide group of clinics certified for being a PCMH. They were asked to…

Sustaining without Changing: The Metabolic Rift of Certified Organic Farming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julius Alexander McGee

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Many proponents of organic farming claim that it is a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture due to its reliance on natural agro-inputs, such as manure based fertilizers and organic pesticides. However, in this analysis we argue that although particular organic farming practices clearly benefit ecosystems and human consumers, the social context in which some organic farms develop, limit the potential environmental benefits of organic agriculture. Specifically, we argue that certified organic farming’s increased reliance on agro-inputs, such as organic fertilizers and pesticides, reduces its ability to decrease global water pollution. We review recent research that demonstrates the environmental consequences of specific organic practices, as well as literature showing that global organic farming is increasing its reliance on agro-inputs, and contend that organic farming has its own metabolic rift with natural water systems similar to conventional agriculture. We use a fixed-effects panel regression model to explore how recent rises in certified organic farmland correlate to water pollution (measured as biochemical oxygen demand. Our findings indicate that increases in the proportion of organic farmland over time increases water pollution. We conclude that this may be a result of organic farms increasing their reliance on non-farm agro-inputs, such as fertilizers.

Validity of GRE General Test Scores and TOEFL Scores for Graduate Admission to a Technical University in Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Judith; von Davier, Alina A.; Buhmann, Joachim M.; Heinimann, Hans R.

2018-01-01

Graduate admission has become a critical process in tertiary education, whereby selecting valid admissions instruments is key. This study assessed the validity of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores for admission to Master's programmes at a technical university in Europe. We investigated the indicative value of GRE scores for the…

18 CFR 158.10 - Examination of accounts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... to January 1, 1984 shall secure for each year, the services of an independent certified public accountant, or independent licensed public accountant (licensed on or before December 31, 1970), certified or... matters by the independent accountant will facilitate their early resolution and that the independent...

Development of anabolic-androgenic steroids purity certified reference materials for anti-doping.

Science.gov (United States)

Quan, Can; Su, Fuhai; Wang, Haifeng; Li, Hongmei

2011-12-20

The need for certified reference materials (CRM) of anabolic-androgenic steroids reference materials was emphasized by the Beijing 2008 Olympic game as a tool to improve comparability, ensuring accuracy and traceability of analytical results for competing athletes. The China National Institute of Metrology (NIM) responded to the state request by providing seven anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) reference materials for Beijing Olympic anti-doping, GBW (E) 100086-GBW (E) 100092. This work describes the production of the series of AAS CRMs, according to ISO Guides 34 and 35 [1,2], which comprises the material processing, homogeneity and stability assessment, CRMs' characterization including moisture content, trace metal content. The AASs' purity values were assigned with collaborative study involved eight laboratories applying high resolution liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Homogeneity of the AAS CRMs were determined by an in-house validated liquid chromatographic methodology. Potential degradation during storage was also investigated and a shelf-life based on this value was established. The certified values of CRMs were 99.76±0.079%, 99.76±0.25%, 99.63±0.09%, 99.67±0.11%, 98.82±0.56%, 96.30±0.39% and 99.71±0.49% (purity±expanded uncertainty with confidence level of 95%) for methyltestosterone, testosterone propionate, nandrolone, nandrolone 17-propionate, boldenone, trenbolone acetate and testosterone respectively. The certified values for all the studied AAS reference materials are traceable to the international system of units (SI). The CRMs developed were applied by 32 laboratory including sports organizations and analytical laboratories during the 2008 Olympic game for anti-doping control. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Certified reference materials for food packaging specific migration tests: development, validation and modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stoffers, N.H.

2005-01-01

Keywords:certified reference materials; diffusion; food contact materials; food packaging; laurolactam; migration modelling; nylon; specific migration This thesis compiles several research topics

REUSABILITY OF BOND ELUT CERTIFY COLUMNS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF DRUGS FROM PLASMA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

CHEN, XH; FRANKE, JP; WIJSBEEK, J; DEZEEUW, RA

1993-01-01

The reusability of Bond Elut Certify columns for the extraction of toxicologically relevant drugs from plasma has been evaluated. Pentobarbital, hexobarbital, mepivacaine, trimipramine and clonazepam were selected as test drugs to represent various classes of drugs. The columns were regenerated

Certified metamodels for sensitivity indices estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prieur Clémentine

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Global sensitivity analysis of a numerical code, more specifically estimation of Sobol indices associated with input variables, generally requires a large number of model runs. When those demand too much computation time, it is necessary to use a reduced model (metamodel to perform sensitivity analysis, whose outputs are numerically close to the ones of the original model, while being much faster to run. In this case, estimated indices are subject to two kinds of errors: sampling error, caused by the computation of the integrals appearing in the definition of the Sobol indices by a Monte-Carlo method, and metamodel error, caused by the replacement of the original model by the metamodel. In cases where we have certified bounds for the metamodel error, we propose a method to quantify both types of error, and we compute confidence intervals for first-order Sobol indices. L’analyse de sensibilité globale d’un modèle numérique, plus précisément l’estimation des indices de Sobol associés aux variables d’entrée, nécessite généralement un nombre important d’exécutions du modèle à analyser. Lorsque celles-ci requièrent un temps de calcul important, il est judicieux d’effectuer l’analyse de sensibilité sur un modèle réduit (ou métamodèle, fournissant des sorties numériquement proches du modèle original mais pour un coût nettement inférieur. Les indices estimés sont alors entâchés de deux sortes d’erreur : l’erreur d’échantillonnage, causée par l’estimation des intégrales définissant les indices de Sobol par une méthode de Monte-Carlo, et l’erreur de métamodèle, liée au remplacement du modèle original par le métamodèle. Lorsque nous disposons de bornes d’erreurs certifiées pour le métamodèle, nous proposons une méthode pour quantifier les deux types d’erreurs et fournir des intervalles de confiance pour les indices de Sobol du premier ordre.

Climate change and WTO : boundary mediation on certified emission reductions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ho Cheol

2011-07-01

This book mentions climate change and WTO with is climate change true? International effort for reduce of greenhouse gas with UNFCCC, Kyoto protocol, Copenhagen Accord and Cancun Agreement, WTO norm, discussion on introduction of boundary mediation on certified emission reductions, analysis on regulation related WTO norm, violation of regulation on border measure of prohibition, violation of principle on GATT, justification, except through Article 20 of GATT, assessment of policy and supplementation on the law.

Prediction of true test scores from observed item scores and ancillary data.

Science.gov (United States)

Haberman, Shelby J; Yao, Lili; Sinharay, Sandip

2015-05-01

In many educational tests which involve constructed responses, a traditional test score is obtained by adding together item scores obtained through holistic scoring by trained human raters. For example, this practice was used until 2008 in the case of GRE(®) General Analytical Writing and until 2009 in the case of TOEFL(®) iBT Writing. With use of natural language processing, it is possible to obtain additional information concerning item responses from computer programs such as e-rater(®). In addition, available information relevant to examinee performance may include scores on related tests. We suggest application of standard results from classical test theory to the available data to obtain best linear predictors of true traditional test scores. In performing such analysis, we require estimation of variances and covariances of measurement errors, a task which can be quite difficult in the case of tests with limited numbers of items and with multiple measurements per item. As a consequence, a new estimation method is suggested based on samples of examinees who have taken an assessment more than once. Such samples are typically not random samples of the general population of examinees, so that we apply statistical adjustment methods to obtain the needed estimated variances and covariances of measurement errors. To examine practical implications of the suggested methods of analysis, applications are made to GRE General Analytical Writing and TOEFL iBT Writing. Results obtained indicate that substantial improvements are possible both in terms of reliability of scoring and in terms of assessment reliability. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Fostering dental student self-assessment of knowledge by confidence scoring of multiple-choice examinations.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahan, C Alex; Pinckard, R Neal; Jones, Anne Cale; Hendricson, William D

2014-12-01

Creating a learning environment that fosters student acquisition of self-assessment behaviors and skills is critically important in the education and training of health professionals. Self-assessment is a vital component of competent practice and lifelong learning. This article proposes applying a version of confidence scoring of multiple-choice questions as one avenue to address this crucial educational objective for students to be able to recognize and admit what they do not know. The confidence scoring algorithm assigns one point for a correct answer, deducts fractional points for an incorrect answer, but rewards students fractional points for leaving the question unanswered in admission that they are unsure of the correct answer. The magnitude of the reward relative to the deduction is selected such that the expected gain due to random guessing, even after elimination of all but one distractor, is never greater than the reward. Curricular implementation of this confidence scoring algorithm should motivate health professions students to develop self-assessment behaviors and enable them to acquire the skills necessary to critically evaluate the extent of their current knowledge throughout their professional careers. This is a professional development competency that is emphasized in the educational standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

ENERGY STAR Certified Non-AHRI Central Air Conditioner Equipment and Air Source Heat Pump

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Air Source Heat Pump and Central Air Conditioner...

Job dissatisfaction among certified adapted physical education specialists in the USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucie Ješinová

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Professionals working in the area of special education are exposed to the unique situation of occupational stress. Adapted physical education teachers are experiencing several symptoms of the burnout phenomenon. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors causing job dissatisfaction among certified adapted physical education specialists in the USA. Methods: The survey was developed based (a on Herzberg's (1959 theory of job satisfaction, and (b a pilot study, which examined specific factors of job dissatisfaction among adapted physical education (APE teachers in the USA. The survey consisted of three parts: (a demographic information, (b paired comparison of nine general factors which could cause job dissatisfaction, and (c paired comparison of ten APE specific factors which could cause job dissatisfaction. The participants were 113 certified adapted physical education specialists (CAPES (88 females, 25 males, a 38% return rate of all mailed surveys. Results: The results indicated that 39% of CAPES have seriously considered another job outside of APE and 26% of CAPES have actively searched for job outside of APE in the last two years. 113 CAPES indicated the general factors that they found the most dissatisfying in their job (listed accordingly to rank, frequency and percent of times chosen, N for each factor = 1017 were working conditions (644, 71%; policies and administration (619, 68%; interpersonal relationship with supervisors (552, 61%; supervision (484, 54%; salary (404, 45%; interpersonal relationship with subordinates (404, 45%; benefits on job (301, 33%; interpersonal relationship with peers (293, 32%; and job security (245, 27%. 110 CAPES indicated the APE specific factors they found the most dissatisfying on their job (listed accordingly to rank, frequency and percent of times chosen, N for each factor = 990 were paperwork (687, 69%; scheduling (659, 67%; facilities (617, 62%; individualized education

Imbalances in the German public health system - numbers of state-certified occupational physicians and relation to socioeconomic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyo, Christoph; Boll, Michael; Brüggmann, Dörthe; Klingelhöfer, Doris; Quarcoo, David; Groneberg, David A

2016-01-01

State-certified occupational physicians who work as civil servants in the Federal Republic of Germany are key players in the German Public Health system. They control i.e. the legal compliance in occupational health and participate in the occupational disease procedures. Despite the role model function of the German Public health system for many developing countries, this area of Public health is debated to have been hampered in the past years by a disregard concerning structural developments. Different databases were screened for occupational health benchmarks. Obtained data were compared to socioeconomic data and indices were calculated. The overall numbers of State-certified occupational physicians decreased in Germany between 1992 and 2012 from 136 to 86 (63 %). On the single state level, the ratios of State-certified occupational physicians per 1 Mio. working population ranged from 8 for the state of Saarland to 0.8 for the state of North Rhine Westphalia. A general difference was found for old versus new German states. Also, large differences were present for the ratios of State-certified occupational physicians per 10 6 employees towards public debt per capita (€) and the ratios of State-certified occupational physicians per Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 16 German states in 2012. In striking contrast to the WHO document on the Occupational safety and health (OSH) system that states in its executive summary that the human and institutional capacities of the German occupational health system are very strong in both quantity and quality, we here show extreme imbalances present at the single state levels that developed over the past 20 years. With a regard to the increasing complexity of the economic system a reversal of this trend should be demanded.

Self-assessment of Certified EFL Teachers in Central Sulawesi on Their Professional Competence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anshari Syafar

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The study intends to describe the level of certified EFL teachers’ self-assessment of their competence to teach English. A cross-sectional survey design and systematic random sampling strategy were applied to take 227 research respondents. Questionnaire and interview were used for collecting data whereas frequency, percentage and descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. Most respondents self-rated their abilities to teach English at ‘competent’ and ‘strongly competent’ levels. Yet, their self-rating of English teaching competence did not match up with the re-sults of teacher competence test done by the government. Accordingly, the self-assessment should be endorsed with teaching performance assessment to have more reliable data for validating EFL teachers’ self-grading abilities in English teaching practices.  Key Words: self-assessment, teacher certification program, teacher standard of competence, certified EFL teachers, english teaching practices

Investigating Kindergarteners' Number Sense and Self-Regulation Scores in Relation to Their Mathematics and Turkish Scores in Middle School

Science.gov (United States)

Ivrendi, Asiye

2016-01-01

Number sense and self-regulation are considered foundational skills for later school learning. This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of kindergarten children's number sense and self-regulation scores on their mathematics and Turkish language examination scores in the 5th and 6th grades. The participants in this study were 5th grade…

Certified Nursing Assistants’ Explanatory Models of Nursing Home Resident Depression

OpenAIRE

Piven, Mary Lynn; Anderson, Ruth A.; Colón-Emeric, Cathleen S.; Sandelowski, Margarete

2008-01-01

In this study, we explored how Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) understood resident depression. Interviews with 18 CNAs, working in two nursing homes were guided by Kleinman’s Explanatory Models of Illness framework. Interview data were content analyzed and CNAs’ descriptions of depression were compared to the MDS 2.0 Mood Screen and to DSM-IV-TR Depression Criteria. CNAs identified causes, signs, and symptoms of depression, but they were unsure about the duration and normalcy of depressio...

A proposed evolution for the Italian certified electronic mail system

OpenAIRE

Buzzi, Marina; Ferrucci, Luca; Francesco, Gennai; Petrucci, Claudio

2016-01-01

One the main objective of the European Commission is to innovate and bring ICT to its full potential in any sector, including eGovernment, eCommerce, and eHealth services. Certified Electronic Mail (CEM) systems of Member States are currently not interoperable, thus impacting on economic growth and competitiveness. The paper investigates the use of the DNSSec technology as a technological evolution of the Italian CEM System and the first step towards interoperability and adherence to internat...

40 CFR 85.1412 - Maintenance and submittal of records for equipment certifiers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM MOBILE SOURCES Urban Bus... affected urban bus operators under § 85.1403(b) and § 85.1407, then the equipment certifier shall submit to EPA, at the time an offer is made, a copy of all offers made to affected urban bus operators for which...

Quality scores for 32,000 genomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Land, Miriam L.; Hyatt, Doug; Jun, Se-Ran

2014-01-01

Background More than 80% of the microbial genomes in GenBank are of ‘draft’ quality (12,553 draft vs. 2,679 finished, as of October, 2013). We have examined all the microbial DNA sequences available for complete, draft, and Sequence Read Archive genomes in GenBank as well as three other major...... public databases, and assigned quality scores for more than 30,000 prokaryotic genome sequences. Results Scores were assigned using four categories: the completeness of the assembly, the presence of full-length rRNA genes, tRNA composition and the presence of a set of 102 conserved genes in prokaryotes....... Most (~88%) of the genomes had quality scores of 0.8 or better and can be safely used for standard comparative genomics analysis. We compared genomes across factors that may influence the score. We found that although sequencing depth coverage of over 100x did not ensure a better score, sequencing read...

Fertilizers applied to certified organic tomato culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, T.C.G.; De Nadai Fernandes, E.A.; Ferrari, A.A.; Bacchi, M.A.; Tagliaferro, F.S.

2010-01-01

The tomato culture demands large quantities of mineral nutrients, which are supplied by synthetic fertilizers in the conventional cultivation system. In the organic cultivation system only alternative fertilizers are allowed by the certifiers and accepted as safe for humans and environment. The chemical composition of rice bran, oyster flour, cattle manure and ground charcoal, as well as soils and tomato fruits were evaluated by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The potential contribution of organic fertilizers to the enrichment of chemical elements in soil and their transfer to fruits was investigated using concentration ratios for fertilizer and soil samples, and also for soil and tomato. Results evidenced that these alternative fertilizers could be taken as important sources of Br, Ca, Ce, K, Na and Zn for the organic tomato culture. (author)

Sociodemographic Differences in the Association Between Obesity and Stress: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Science.gov (United States)

Mak, Kwok-Kei; Kim, Dae-Hwan; Leigh, J Paul

2015-01-01

Few population-based studies have used an econometric approach to understand the association between two cancer risk factors, obesity and stress. This study investigated sociodemographic differences in the association between obesity and stress among Korean adults (6,546 men and 8,473 women). Data were drawn from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Ordered logistic regression models and propensity score matching methods were used to examine the associations between obesity and stress, stratified by gender and age groups. In women, the stress level of the obese group was found to be 27.6% higher than the nonobese group in the ordered logistic regression; the obesity effect on stress was statistically significant in the propensity score-matched analysis. Corresponding evidence for the effect of obesity on stress was lacking among men. Participants who were young, well-educated, and working were more likely to report stress. In Korea, obesity causes stress in women but not in men. Young women are susceptible to a disproportionate level of stress. More cancer prevention programs targeting young and obese women are encouraged in developed Asian countries.

7 CFR Appendix D to Subpart B of... - Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...—Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to 7 CFR 1744.30... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to 7 CFR 1744.30 D Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 1744...

7 CFR Appendix B to Subpart B of... - Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...—Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to 7 CFR 1744.30... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certification of Independent Certified Public Accountant Regarding Notes To Be Issued Pursuant to 7 CFR 1744.30(c) B Appendix B to Subpart B of Part 1744...

Exploring the Influence of National Board Certified Teachers in Their Schools and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Cannata, Marisa; McCrory, Raven; Sykes, Gary; Anagnostopoulos, Dorothea; Frank, Kenneth A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: This article explores the relative influence over schoolwide policy and leadership activities of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Interest centers on teacher leadership activities and perceived influence over schoolwide policy and decision making. In particular, the study asks whether National…

Relationship of candidate communication and organization skills to oral certification examination scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Houston, James E; Smith, Everett V

2008-12-01

This study investigated the relationship between candidate's proficiency in communication/organization and ability measures derived from judges' oral examination ratings on a medical specialty certification examination. Judges who rated candidates on the oral examination also provided a separate rating for candidates' communication/organization skills. ANOVA was used to examine differences among levels of communication/organizational skills with respect to candidates' ability measures on the oral examination. There was a statistically significant increase in oral examination measures for candidates with higher levels of communication/organization skills. This supports the hypothesis that candidates who were more proficient in organizing and presenting their responses were more likely to have better performance on the oral examination. Given communication and oral examination ratings were provided by the same judges, future research should investigate whether these preliminary findings generalize to situations in which communication ratings are obtained from independent ratings during and outside the oral examination.

Safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations: antecedents and consequences of safety behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Muñiz, Beatriz; Montes-Peón, José Manuel; Vázquez-Ordás, Camilo José

2012-03-01

The occupational health and safety standard OHSAS 18001 has gained considerable acceptance worldwide, and firms from diverse sectors and of varying sizes have implemented it. Despite this, very few studies have analysed safety management or the safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations. The current work aims to analyse the safety climate in these organisations, identify its dimensions, and propose and test a structural equation model that will help determine the antecedents and consequences of employees' safety behaviour. For this purpose, the authors carry out an empirical study using a sample of 131 OHSAS 18001-certified organisations located in Spain. The results show that management's commitment, and particularly communication, have an effect on safety behaviour and on safety performance, employee satisfaction, and firm competitiveness. These findings are particularly important for management since they provide evidence about the factors that should be encouraged to reduce risks and improve performance in this type of organisation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Material synthesis and evaluation of metrological characteristics of potassium fluozirconate certified reference material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. G. Lisienko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The relevance of the study. For metrological support of control methods for composition ofpotassium fluozirconate, used in the production of metallic zirconium, applied in various technical fields, including nuclear power, electronics, chemical engineering. The purpose: development of synthesis technology, and determination of metrological characteristics of certified reference material for composition ofpotassium fluozirconate (set, intended for metrological support of measuring element mass fraction: hafnium (Hf, silicon (Si, iron (Fe, aluminium (Al, chromium (Cr, tin (Sn, titanium (Ti in potassium fluozirconate. Research methods: X-ray diffraction, differential scanning colorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic-emission spectral analysis with arc excitation, mass spectral analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis. Results. As a result of research a set of certified reference materials for composition of potassium fluozirconate is developed and produced. The CRM type is approved by Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology and registered in State Register of Approved Reference Material Types under number GSO 10593-2015.

Determination of Al, Si and P in certified reference materials by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noyori, Amanda; Saiki, Mitiko, E-mail: anoyori@gmail.com, E-mail: mitiko@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-11-01

Neutron analysis activation is not commonly used for aluminum, phosphorus and silicon determination, due to the difficulty to obtain reliable results. In this study, Al was determined by measuring {sup 28}Al and the contribution of P and Si due to {sup 28}Al formed in {sup 31}P(n,α){sup 28}Al and {sup 28}Si(n,p){sup 28}Al reactions were corrected using correction factors determined experimentally. Phosphorus was determined by measuring {sup 32}P (pure beta emitter) formed in reaction {sup 31}P(n,γ){sup 32}P. Silicon was determined by epithermal neutron analysis activation (ENAA) and measuring {sup 29}Al radionuclide formed in {sup 29}Si(n,p){sup 29}Al reaction. Aliquots of certified reference materials (CRMs) and synthetic standards of the elements were irradiated together, using the pneumatic transfer station of IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. Results obtained for biological and geological CRMs showed good precision and accuracy with |Z-score| < 2 for Al, P and Si determinations. The detection limits for Al, P and Si determinations CRMs were also evaluated. Results obtained in this study demonstrated the viability of applying INAA procedures in the determination of Al, P and Si. (author)

Empowering certified nurse's aides to improve quality of work life through a team communication program.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Erin E

2014-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the impact of a certified nurse's aide (CNA)-led interdisciplinary teamwork and communication intervention on perceived quality of work environment and six-month job intentions. CNAs are frequently excluded from team communication and decision-making, which often leads to job dissatisfaction with high levels of staff turnover. Using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach with pre- post-program design, the intervention utilized the strategy of debriefing from the national patient safety initiative, TeamSTEPPS. Inherent in the program design, entitled Long Term Care (LTC) Team Talk, was the involvement of the CNAs in the development of the intervention as an empowering process on two wings of a transitional care unit in a long-term care facility in upstate NY. CNAs' perceptions of work environment quality were measured using a Quality of Work Life (QWL) instrument. Additionally, job turnover intent within six months was assessed. Results indicated improved scores on nearly all QWL subscales anticipated to be impacted, and enhanced perceived empowerment of the CNAs on each wing albeit through somewhat different experiential processes. The program is highly portable and can potentially be implemented in a variety of long-term care settings. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of Al, Si and P in certified reference materials by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noyori, Amanda; Saiki, Mitiko

2017-01-01

Neutron analysis activation is not commonly used for aluminum, phosphorus and silicon determination, due to the difficulty to obtain reliable results. In this study, Al was determined by measuring "2"8Al and the contribution of P and Si due to "2"8Al formed in "3"1P(n,α)"2"8Al and "2"8Si(n,p)"2"8Al reactions were corrected using correction factors determined experimentally. Phosphorus was determined by measuring "3"2P (pure beta emitter) formed in reaction "3"1P(n,γ)"3"2P. Silicon was determined by epithermal neutron analysis activation (ENAA) and measuring "2"9Al radionuclide formed in "2"9Si(n,p)"2"9Al reaction. Aliquots of certified reference materials (CRMs) and synthetic standards of the elements were irradiated together, using the pneumatic transfer station of IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. Results obtained for biological and geological CRMs showed good precision and accuracy with |Z-score| < 2 for Al, P and Si determinations. The detection limits for Al, P and Si determinations CRMs were also evaluated. Results obtained in this study demonstrated the viability of applying INAA procedures in the determination of Al, P and Si. (author)

Certified reference materials for organic contaminants for use in monitoring of the aquatic environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, de J.; McGovern, E.

2001-01-01

Over the last three decades organic contaminants have been of increasing importance in environmental monitoring. Dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides have determined the environmental research agenda. This has led to an increasing demand for certified reference

The American Board of Emergency Medicine ConCert Examination: Emergency Physicians' Perceptions of Learning and Career Benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

Marco, Catherine A; Wahl, Robert P; Counselman, Francis L; Heller, Barry N; Harvey, Anne L; Joldersma, Kevin B; Kowalenko, Terry; Coombs, Andrea B; Reisdorff, Earl J

2016-09-01

As part of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, ABEM-certified physicians are required to pass the Continuous Certification (ConCert) examination at least every 10 years. With the 2015 ConCert examination, ABEM sought to better understand emergency physicians' perceptions of the benefits of preparing for and taking the examination and the career benefits of staying ABEM-certified. This was a prospective survey study. A voluntary postexamination survey was administered at the end of the 2015 ABEM ConCert examination (September 21-26, 2015). Physicians were asked about the benefits of preparing for the examination and maintaining ABEM certification. Examination performance was compared to perceptions of learning and career benefits. Of the 2,601 on-time test takers, 2,511 respondents participated (96.5% participation rate). The majority of participants (92.0%) identified a benefit to preparing for the ConCert examination, which included reinforced medical knowledge (73.9%), increased knowledge (66.8%), and making them a better clinician (39.4%). The majority of respondents (90.8%) identified a career benefit of maintaining ABEM certification, which included more employment options (73.8%), more positively viewed by other physicians (56.8%), and better financial outcomes (29.8%). There was a statistically significant association between the perception of knowledge reinforcement and examination performance (p Medicine.

Evaluation of the Quality of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Based on Key Performance Indicators in Certified Organizations

OpenAIRE

Iraj Mohammadfam; Mojtaba Kamalinia; Mansour Momeni; Rostam Golmohammadi; Yadollah Hamidi; Alireza Soltanian

2017-01-01

Background: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems are becoming more widespread in organizations. Consequently, their effectiveness has become a core topic for researchers. This paper evaluates the performance of the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001 specification in certified companies in Iran. Methods: The evaluation is based on a comparison of specific criteria and indictors related to occupational health and safety management practices in three certified...

10.6% Certified Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells via Solvent-Polarity-Engineered Halide Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Xinzheng; Voznyy, Oleksandr; García de Arquer, F Pelayo; Liu, Mengxia; Xu, Jixian; Proppe, Andrew H; Walters, Grant; Fan, Fengjia; Tan, Hairen; Liu, Min; Yang, Zhenyu; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H

2016-07-13

Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells are solution-processed photovoltaics with broad spectral absorption tunability. Major advances in their efficiency have been made via improved CQD surface passivation and device architectures with enhanced charge carrier collection. Herein, we demonstrate a new strategy to improve further the passivation of CQDs starting from the solution phase. A cosolvent system is employed to tune the solvent polarity in order to achieve the solvation of methylammonium iodide (MAI) and the dispersion of hydrophobic PbS CQDs simultaneously in a homogeneous phase, otherwise not achieved in a single solvent. This process enables MAI to access the CQDs to confer improved passivation. This, in turn, allows for efficient charge extraction from a thicker photoactive layer device, leading to a certified solar cell power conversion efficiency of 10.6%, a new certified record in CQD photovoltaics.

An Examination of Forest Certification Status among Logging Companies in Cameroon.

Science.gov (United States)

Nukpezah, Daniel; Alemagi, Dieudonne; Duguma, Lalisa; Minang, Peter; Mbosso, Charlie; Tchoundjeu, Zac

2014-01-01

This paper assesses the level of interest, awareness, and adoption of ISO 14001 and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification schemes among logging companies in Cameroon. Eleven logging companies located in Douala in the Littoral Region of Cameroon were assessed through a structured interview using an administered questionnaire which was mostly analyzed qualitatively thereafter. The findings indicated that none of the companies was certified for ISO 14001; however 63.64% of them were already FSC-certified. Four companies (36.36%) were neither FSC- nor ISO 14001 EMS-certified. Among the factors found to influence the adoption rate was the level of awareness about ISO 14001 and FSC certification schemes. The main drivers for pursuing FSC certification were easy penetration into international markets, tax holiday benefits, and enhancement of corporate image of the logging companies through corporate social responsibility fulfillments. Poor domestic market for certified products was found to be the major impediment to get certified. To make logging activities more environmentally friendly and socially acceptable, logging companies should be encouraged to get certified through the ISO 14001 EMS scheme which is almost nonexistent so far. This requires awareness creation about the scheme, encouraging domestic markets for certified products and creating policy incentives.

On being a certifying abortion consultant: an ethical dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkson, S E

1980-05-14

The medical profession was relieved when the Contraceptive, Sterilization and Abortion Act was passed in New Zealand in 1977, but it now appears that there are continuing problems with the implementation of the law. Most of the law's clauses are concerned with the practical aspects of the performance of abortions in New Zealand. Outlined in the law are requirements for licenses of hospitals, certifying consultants and operating surgeons, and the tasks of the supervising committee are specified. Thus, the medical profession accepted the impossible job of becoming the arbiter of morals of New Zealand society. There have been problems, since passage of the law, with inadequate numbers of certifying consultants being recruited, the resignation of the chair of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, a lack of resources to provide the required counseling services, and local variation in interpretations resulting in inconsistent treatment of abortion requests in different parts of the country. The basis of the problem is the fact that this law requires a moral rather than a medical decision to be made. Although at 1st glance the phrase serious risk to mental health would appear to be easily interpreted, this is not so. The morality of an act of abortion depends on the right afforded the fetus, and no society has as yet achieved a consensus on this. Thus, this must remain the conviction of each separate individual. Some guidance may come from medidal and legal advisers in this moral decision, but it is impossible to delegate personal moral decisions.

13 CFR 121.405 - May a business concern self-certify its small business size status?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Eligibility Requirements for Government Procurement § 121.405 May a business concern self-certify its small... may accept a concern's self-certification as true for the particular procurement involved in the...

34 CFR 222.162 - What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in current expenditures or revenues per pupil measured? 222.162... of the Act § 222.162 What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are...

Family Functioning and Child Psychopathology: Individual Versus Composite Family Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathijssen, Jolanda J. J. P.; Koot, Hans M.; Verhulst, Frank C.; De Bruyn, Eric E. J.; Oud, Johan H. L.

1997-01-01

Examines the relationship of individual family members' perceptions and family mean and discrepancy scores of cohesion and adaptability with child psychopathology in a sample of 138 families. Results indicate that family mean scores, contrary to family discrepancy scores, explain more of the variance in parent-reported child psychopathology than…

Evaluation of Business Excellence among Halal Certified Food Manufacturers in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Masrom Nor Ratna binti; Mohd Rasi Raja Zuraidah binti Raja; Daut Badru At Tamam bin

2017-01-01

Business excellence is a key tool to improve the efficiency of the company. Through the business excellence model, the organization can execute their strategies to determine, forecast and survive in highly competitive market. This paper presents on identifying those elements in business excellence model (leadership, strategy and planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, operation focus) this paper provides empirical support for halal food certified companies r...

Development of a new ferulic acid certified reference material for use in clinical chemistry and pharmaceutical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dezhi Yang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This study compares the results of three certified methods, namely differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, the mass balance (MB method and coulometric titrimetry (CT, in the purity assessment of ferulic acid certified reference material (CRM. Purity and expanded uncertainty as determined by the three methods were respectively 99.81%, 0.16%; 99.79%, 0.16%; and 99.81%, 0.26% with, in all cases, a coverage factor (k of 2 (P=95%. The purity results are consistent indicating that the combination of DSC, the MB method and CT provides a confident assessment of the purity of suitable CRMs like ferulic acid.

Development of a new ferulic acid certified reference material for use in clinical chemistry and pharmaceutical analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dezhi; Wang, Fengfeng; Zhang, Li; Gong, Ningbo; Lv, Yang

2015-05-01

This study compares the results of three certified methods, namely differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the mass balance (MB) method and coulometric titrimetry (CT), in the purity assessment of ferulic acid certified reference material (CRM). Purity and expanded uncertainty as determined by the three methods were respectively 99.81%, 0.16%; 99.79%, 0.16%; and 99.81%, 0.26% with, in all cases, a coverage factor (k) of 2 (P=95%). The purity results are consistent indicating that the combination of DSC, the MB method and CT provides a confident assessment of the purity of suitable CRMs like ferulic acid.

Celiac disease is associated with reduced bone mineral density and increased FRAX scores in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamycheva, E; Goto, T; Camargo, C A

2017-03-01

We investigated the association between celiac disease (CD) and bone mass density (BMD) and risk of osteoporotic fractures in the general US population. In children and men ≥18 years, CD was associated with reduced BMD, and in men ≥40 years, CD was associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures. Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition, characterized by inflammation of the small intestine. CD has an increasing prevalence, and if unrecognized or untreated, CD can lead to complications from malabsorption and micronutrient deficiencies. We aimed to study whether CD is an independent predictor of reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and FRAX scores in the general US population. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2010 and 2013-2014. CD was defined by positive tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody test. Multivariable models of BMD and FRAX scores were adjusted for BMI, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D and calcium supplements, milk intake, serum calcium, and smoking status, when available. In children, aged 8-17 years, CD was associated with decreased Z-scores, by 0.85 for hip and 0.46 for spine (both P hip and with 0.11 g/cm 2 decrease in BMD in spine (P = 0.08 and P hip fracture and by 2.43 % (P = 0.05) for major osteoporotic fracture. CD did not predict FRAX scores in women aged ≥40 years. CD is independently associated with reduced BMD in children and adults aged ≥18 years and is an independent risk factor of osteoporotic fractures in men aged ≥40 years.

Aeromedical Hazard Comparison of FAA Medically Certified Third-Class and Medically Uncertified Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricaurte, Eduard M; Mills, William D; DeJohn, Charles A; Laverde-Lopez, Maria C; Porras-Sanchez, Daniel F

2016-07-01

Since 2004, in the United States, light sport aircraft (LSA) and some aircraft with standard airworthiness certificates can be operated for recreational purposes with a valid state driver's license rather than a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-issued aeromedical certificate. There have been recent efforts to allow operation of much larger, heavier, faster, and more complex aircraft without requiring a medical certificate. The primary objective of this research was to compare hazards to flight safety identified in fatally injured pilots required to possess a valid FAA third-class medical certificate to hazards in fatally injured pilots who were not required to possess a valid medical certificate. A search of all fatal U.S. aircraft accidents in the FAA Medical ANalysis and TRAcking (MANTRA) registry between January 1, 2011, and April 30, 2014, identified 1084 individuals. A review of accident pilots' medical, autopsy, and toxicological data was conducted. After applying exclusion criteria, 467 pilots remained, including 403 medically certified and 64 medically uncertified pilots. A significant difference was found in a surrogate measure for risk between medically certified and uncertified pilots (25% vs. 59%). This difference remained significant after adjustment for age. No significant difference was found in the proportions of hazards identified on toxicological review. The results of this study suggest that the risk of an adverse medical event is reduced in pilots required to possess a valid medical certificate. Ricaurte EM, Mills WD, DeJohn CA, Laverde-Lopez MC, Porras-Sanchez DF. Aeromedical hazard comparison of FAA medically certified third-class and medically uncertified pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(7):618-621.

Hematoma Shape, Hematoma Size, Glasgow Coma Scale Score and ICH Score: Which Predicts the 30-Day Mortality Better for Intracerebral Hematoma?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chih-Wei; Liu, Yi-Jui; Lee, Yi-Hsiung; Hueng, Dueng-Yuan; Fan, Hueng-Chuen; Yang, Fu-Chi; Hsueh, Chun-Jen; Kao, Hung-Wen; Juan, Chun-Jung; Hsu, Hsian-He

2014-01-01

Purpose To investigate the performance of hematoma shape, hematoma size, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, and intracerebral hematoma (ICH) score in predicting the 30-day mortality for ICH patients. To examine the influence of the estimation error of hematoma size on the prediction of 30-day mortality. Materials and Methods This retrospective study, approved by a local institutional review board with written informed consent waived, recruited 106 patients diagnosed as ICH by non-enhanced computed tomography study. The hemorrhagic shape, hematoma size measured by computer-assisted volumetric analysis (CAVA) and estimated by ABC/2 formula, ICH score and GCS score was examined. The predicting performance of 30-day mortality of the aforementioned variables was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, paired t test, nonparametric test, linear regression analysis, and binary logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristics curves were plotted and areas under curve (AUC) were calculated for 30-day mortality. A P value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results The overall 30-day mortality rate was 15.1% of ICH patients. The hematoma shape, hematoma size, ICH score, and GCS score all significantly predict the 30-day mortality for ICH patients, with an AUC of 0.692 (P = 0.0018), 0.715 (P = 0.0008) (by ABC/2) to 0.738 (P = 0.0002) (by CAVA), 0.877 (Phematoma shape, hematoma size, ICH scores and GCS score all significantly predict the 30-day mortality in an increasing order of AUC. The effect of overestimation of hematoma size by ABC/2 formula in predicting the 30-day mortality could be remedied by using ICH score. PMID:25029592

REIMEP-22 inter-laboratory comparison: "U Age Dating - Determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample"

OpenAIRE

VENCHIARUTTI CELIA; VARGA ZSOLT; RICHTER Stephan; JAKOPIC Rozle; MAYER Klaus; AREGBE Yetunde

2015-01-01

The REIMEP-22 inter-laboratory comparison aimed at determining the production date of a uranium certified test sample (i.e. the last chemical separation date of the material). Participants in REIMEP-22 on "U Age Dating - Determination of the production date of a uranium certified test sample" received one low-enriched 20 mg uranium sample for mass spectrometry measurements and/or one 50 mg uranium sample for D-spectrometry measurements, with an undisclosed value for the production date. They ...

Physical strength is associated with Mini-Mental State Examination scores in Spanish institutionalized elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedrero-Chamizo, Raquel; Albers, Ulrike; Tobaruela, José L; Meléndez, Agustín; Castillo, Manuel J; González-Gross, Marcela

2013-10-01

The present cross-sectional study aimed at assessing muscle strength of hands, the dominant arm and legs in Spanish institutionalized elderly people according to sex, age and cognitive status. A total of 153 elderly subjects (102 females, 51 males, mean age 83.6 ± 6.8 years) living in the region of Madrid were measured for handgrip strength (kg) with a Takei TKK 5101 digital dynamometer (range 5-100 kg, precision 0.1 kg), and arm and leg endurance strength (repetitions) according to the Rikli and Jones tests. Cognitive status was determined with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The values for men and women were, respectively: 23.5 ± 7.3 kg and 11.6 ± 4.6 kg (right handgrip), 22.0 ± 7.8 kg and 10.7 ± 4.8 kg (left handgrip), 13 ± 5 and 10 ± 5 repetitions (arm strength), 8 ± 5 and 5 ± 4 repetitions (legs strength), and 21 ± 6 and 17 ± 7 (MMSE score). All parameters were significantly higher for men (P ≤ 0.01), but strength decline with age was less pronounced in women. In all MMSE groups, lower strength was associated with lower cognitive status. Strength values were lower in older subjects in both sexes; this difference was higher in men than in women. Higher strength values were associated with better cognitive status, which was the most influencing variable, even more than sex and age. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Severity scoring in the critically ill: part 2: maximizing value from outcome prediction scoring systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Breslow, Michael J; Badawi, Omar

2012-02-01

Part 2 of this review of ICU scoring systems examines how scoring system data should be used to assess ICU performance. There often are two different consumers of these data: lCU clinicians and quality leaders who seek to identify opportunities to improve quality of care and operational efficiency, and regulators, payors, and consumers who want to compare performance across facilities. The former need to know how to garner maximal insight into their care practices; this includes understanding how length of stay (LOS) relates to quality, analyzing the behavior of different subpopulations, and following trends over time. Segregating patients into low-, medium-, and high-risk populations is especially helpful, because care issues and outcomes may differ across this severity continuum. Also, LOS behaves paradoxically in high-risk patients (survivors often have longer LOS than nonsurvivors); failure to examine this subgroup separately can penalize ICUs with superior outcomes. Consumers of benchmarking data often focus on a single score, the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). However, simple SMRs are disproportionately affected by outcomes in high-risk patients, and differences in population composition, even when performance is otherwise identical, can result in different SMRs. Future benchmarking must incorporate strategies to adjust for differences in population composition and report performance separately for low-, medium- and high-acuity patients. Moreover, because many ICUs lack the resources to care for high-acuity patients (predicted mortality >50%), decisions about where patients should receive care must consider both ICU performance scores and their capacity to care for different types of patients.

Remote nursing certified practice: viewing nursing and nurse practitioner practice through a social justice lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarlier, Denise S; Browne, Annette J

2011-06-01

Remote Nursing Certified Practice (RNCP) was introduced in 2010 to regulate nursing practice in remote, largely First Nations communities in British Columbia, Canada. These are communities that often experience profound health and health-care inequities. Typically nurses are the main health-care providers. Using a critical social justice lens, the authors explore the clinical and ethical implications of RNCP in terms of access to equitable, high-quality primary health care.They examine the fit between the level and scope of health services provided by registered nurses working under RNCP and the health needs of remote First Nations communities. In doing so, they draw comparisons between nurse practitioners (NPs) and outpost nurses working in NP roles who historically were employed to provide health care in these communities.The authors conclude by calling for nursing regulations that support equitable, high-quality primary care for all British Columbians.

Correcting Grade Deflation Caused by Multiple-Choice Scoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranchik, Alvin; Cherkas, Barry

2000-01-01

Presents a study involving three sections of pre-calculus (n=181) at four-year college where partial credit scoring on multiple-choice questions was examined over an entire semester. Indicates that grades determined by partial credit scoring seemed more reflective of both the quantity and quality of student knowledge than grades determined by…

Relationships Between Agritourism and Certified Quality Food in Italian Rural Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NICOLA GALLUZZO

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Since the early 1960, farms are one of the alternatively forms of hospitality in few Italian regions located predominately in the north and in the centre of peninsula. In 1985, Italian government promulgated a law in order to regulate this non-conventional form of tourism, by delegating to the regions the direct management of administrative procedures and inspections in farms. Nowadays, Italian agritourist farms represent a good chance to give value in favour of farm by the diversification of agrarian activities and also by holistically promoting local food in a direct connection to local gastronomy, rural heritage and tradition, with positive effects on the endogenous development in rural areas. The aim of the paper was to assess the role of agritourism in raising the socio-economic development of rural space by the diffusion of certified quality food using a quantitative approach and to assess if agritourist and certified quality food were tools able to implement the living conditions in the countryside. The findings have disclosed that tourists from abroad have increased the level of farmer income giving value towards high quality food and farm holidays farms. Instead, the impact of Italian agritourists has been relatively poor because of the economic crisis.

Benchmarking the Importance and Use of Labor Market Surveys by Certified Rehabilitation Counselors

Science.gov (United States)

Barros-Bailey, Mary; Saunders, Jodi L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to benchmark the importance and use of labor market survey (LMS) among U.S. certified rehabilitation counselors (CRCs). A secondary post hoc analysis of data collected via the "Rehabilitation Skills Inventory--Revised" for the 2011 Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification job analysis resulted in…

Applications of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to certifiable food colors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marmion, D.M.

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was found suitable for the identification of individual colours, for distinguishing individual colours from colour mixtures, for the identification and semi-quantitative determination of the individual colours in mixtures and for proofs of the adulteration of certified colours adding noncertified colours. The method is well suited for observing the purity of colours and may also be used as the control method in the manufacture of colours and in assessing their stability and their resistance to increased temperature and light. (M.K.)

Evaluation of a fungal collection as certified reference material producer and as a biological resource center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiana Forti

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Considering the absence of standards for culture collections and more specifically for biological resource centers in the world, in addition to the absence of certified biological material in Brazil, this study aimed to evaluate a Fungal Collection from Fiocruz, as a producer of certified reference material and as Biological Resource Center (BRC. For this evaluation, a checklist based on the requirements of ABNT ISO GUIA34:2012 correlated with the ABNT NBR ISO/IEC17025:2005, was designed and applied. Complementing the implementation of the checklist, an internal audit was performed. An evaluation of this Collection as a BRC was also conducted following the requirements of the NIT-DICLA-061, the Brazilian internal standard from Inmetro, based on ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ABNT ISO GUIA 34:2012 and OECD Best Practice Guidelines for BRCs. This was the first time that the NIT DICLA-061 was applied in a culture collection during an internal audit. The assessments enabled the proposal for the adequacy of this Collection to assure the implementation of the management system for their future accreditation by Inmetro as a certified reference material producer as well as its future accreditation as a Biological Resource Center according to the NIT-DICLA-061.

Certified meter data managers provide potent tool : Utilities, customers benefit from accurate energy data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, V.

2004-02-01

The use of customer energy information and its importance in building business-to-business and business-to-consumer demographic profiles, and the role of certified meter data management agents, i.e. companies that have created infrastructures to manage large volumes of energy data that can be used to drive marketing to energy customers, is discussed. Short and long-term load management planning, distribution planning, outage management and demand response programs, efforts to streamline billing and create revenue-generating value-added services, are just some of the areas that can benefit from comprehensively collected and accurate consumer data. The article emphasizes the process of certification, the benefits certified meter data management companies can provide to utilities as well as to consumers, their role in disaster recovery management, and characteristics of the way such companies bring the benefits of their operations to their client utilities and consumers. 1 tab.

Multiple Score Comparison: a network meta-analysis approach to comparison and external validation of prognostic scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah R. Haile

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prediction models and prognostic scores have been increasingly popular in both clinical practice and clinical research settings, for example to aid in risk-based decision making or control for confounding. In many medical fields, a large number of prognostic scores are available, but practitioners may find it difficult to choose between them due to lack of external validation as well as lack of comparisons between them. Methods Borrowing methodology from network meta-analysis, we describe an approach to Multiple Score Comparison meta-analysis (MSC which permits concurrent external validation and comparisons of prognostic scores using individual patient data (IPD arising from a large-scale international collaboration. We describe the challenges in adapting network meta-analysis to the MSC setting, for instance the need to explicitly include correlations between the scores on a cohort level, and how to deal with many multi-score studies. We propose first using IPD to make cohort-level aggregate discrimination or calibration scores, comparing all to a common comparator. Then, standard network meta-analysis techniques can be applied, taking care to consider correlation structures in cohorts with multiple scores. Transitivity, consistency and heterogeneity are also examined. Results We provide a clinical application, comparing prognostic scores for 3-year mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using data from a large-scale collaborative initiative. We focus on the discriminative properties of the prognostic scores. Our results show clear differences in performance, with ADO and eBODE showing higher discrimination with respect to mortality than other considered scores. The assumptions of transitivity and local and global consistency were not violated. Heterogeneity was small. Conclusions We applied a network meta-analytic methodology to externally validate and concurrently compare the prognostic properties

Development of SI-traceable C-peptide certified reference material NMIJ CRM 6901-a using isotope-dilution mass spectrometry-based amino acid analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinumi, Tomoya; Goto, Mari; Eyama, Sakae; Kato, Megumi; Kasama, Takeshi; Takatsu, Akiko

2012-07-01

A certified reference material (CRM) is a higher-order calibration material used to enable a traceable analysis. This paper describes the development of a C-peptide CRM (NMIJ CRM 6901-a) by the National Metrology Institute of Japan using two independent methods for amino acid analysis based on isotope-dilution mass spectrometry. C-peptide is a 31-mer peptide that is utilized for the evaluation of β-cell function in the pancreas in clinical testing. This CRM is a lyophilized synthetic peptide having the human C-peptide sequence, and contains deamidated and pyroglutamylated forms of C-peptide. By adding water (1.00 ± 0.01) g into the vial containing the CRM, the C-peptide solution in 10 mM phosphate buffer saline (pH 6.6) is reconstituted. We assigned two certified values that represent the concentrations of total C-peptide (mixture of C-peptide, deamidated C-peptide, and pyroglutamylated C-peptide) and C-peptide. The certified concentration of total C-peptide was determined by two amino acid analyses using pre-column derivatization liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and hydrophilic chromatography-mass spectrometry following acid hydrolysis. The certified concentration of C-peptide was determined by multiplying the concentration of total C-peptide by the ratio of the relative area of C-peptide to that of the total C-peptide measured by liquid chromatography. The certified value of C-peptide (80.7 ± 5.0) mg/L represents the concentration of the specific entity of C-peptide; on the other hand, the certified value of total C-peptide, (81.7 ± 5.1) mg/L can be used for analyses that does not differentiate deamidated and pyroglutamylated C-peptide from C-peptide itself, such as amino acid analyses and immunochemical assays.

The Effect of English Language on Multiple Choice Question Scores of Thai Medical Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Phisalprapa, Pochamana; Muangkaew, Wayuda; Assanasen, Jintana; Kunavisarut, Tada; Thongngarm, Torpong; Ruchutrakool, Theera; Kobwanthanakun, Surapon; Dejsomritrutai, Wanchai

2016-04-01

Universities in Thailand are preparing for Thailand's integration into the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by increasing the number of tests in English language. English language is not the native language of Thailand Differences in English language proficiency may affect scores among test-takers, even when subject knowledge among test-takers is comparable and may falsely represent the knowledge level of the test-taker. To study the impact of English language multiple choice test questions on test scores of medical students. The final examination of fourth-year medical students completing internal medicine rotation contains 120 multiple choice questions (MCQ). The languages used on the test are Thai and English at a ratio of 3:1. Individual scores of tests taken in both languages were collected and the effect of English language on MCQ was analyzed Individual MCQ scores were then compared with individual student English language proficiency and student grade point average (GPA). Two hundred ninety five fourth-year medical students were enrolled. The mean percentage of MCQ scores in Thai and English were significantly different (65.0 ± 8.4 and 56.5 ± 12.4, respectively, p English was fair (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.41, p English than in Thai language. Students were classified into six grade categories (A, B+, B, C+, C, and D+), which cumulatively measured total internal medicine rotation performance score plus final examination score. MCQ scores from Thai language examination were more closely correlated with total course grades than were the scores from English language examination (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.73 (p English proficiency score was very high, at 3.71 ± 0.35 from a total of 4.00. Mean student GPA was 3.40 ± 0.33 from a possible 4.00. English language MCQ examination scores were more highly associated with GPA than with English language proficiency. The use of English language multiple choice question test may decrease scores

Development of a new certified reference material of diosgenin using mass balance approach and Coulometric titration method.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Ningbo; Zhang, Baoxi; Hu, Fan; Du, Hui; Du, Guanhua; Gao, Zhaolin; Lu, Yang

2014-12-01

Certified reference materials (CRMs) can be used as a valuable tool to validate the trueness of measurement methods and to establish metrological traceability of analytical results. Diosgenin has been selected as a candidate reference material. Characterization of the material relied on two different methods, mass balance method and Coulometric titration method (CT). The certified value of diosgenin CRM is 99.80% with an expanded uncertainty of 0.37% (k=2). The new CRM of diosgenin can be used to validate analytical methods, improve the accuracy of measurement data and control the quality of diosgenin in relevant pharmaceutical formulations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hematoma shape, hematoma size, Glasgow coma scale score and ICH score: which predicts the 30-day mortality better for intracerebral hematoma?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Wei Wang

Full Text Available To investigate the performance of hematoma shape, hematoma size, Glasgow coma scale (GCS score, and intracerebral hematoma (ICH score in predicting the 30-day mortality for ICH patients. To examine the influence of the estimation error of hematoma size on the prediction of 30-day mortality.This retrospective study, approved by a local institutional review board with written informed consent waived, recruited 106 patients diagnosed as ICH by non-enhanced computed tomography study. The hemorrhagic shape, hematoma size measured by computer-assisted volumetric analysis (CAVA and estimated by ABC/2 formula, ICH score and GCS score was examined. The predicting performance of 30-day mortality of the aforementioned variables was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, paired t test, nonparametric test, linear regression analysis, and binary logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristics curves were plotted and areas under curve (AUC were calculated for 30-day mortality. A P value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.The overall 30-day mortality rate was 15.1% of ICH patients. The hematoma shape, hematoma size, ICH score, and GCS score all significantly predict the 30-day mortality for ICH patients, with an AUC of 0.692 (P = 0.0018, 0.715 (P = 0.0008 (by ABC/2 to 0.738 (P = 0.0002 (by CAVA, 0.877 (P<0.0001 (by ABC/2 to 0.882 (P<0.0001 (by CAVA, and 0.912 (P<0.0001, respectively.Our study shows that hematoma shape, hematoma size, ICH scores and GCS score all significantly predict the 30-day mortality in an increasing order of AUC. The effect of overestimation of hematoma size by ABC/2 formula in predicting the 30-day mortality could be remedied by using ICH score.

Modelling the predictive performance of credit scoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Wei Shen

2013-07-01

Research purpose: The purpose of this empirical paper was to examine the predictive performance of credit scoring systems in Taiwan. Motivation for the study: Corporate lending remains a major business line for financial institutions. However, in light of the recent global financial crises, it has become extremely important for financial institutions to implement rigorous means of assessing clients seeking access to credit facilities. Research design, approach and method: Using a data sample of 10 349 observations drawn between 1992 and 2010, logistic regression models were utilised to examine the predictive performance of credit scoring systems. Main findings: A test of Goodness of fit demonstrated that credit scoring models that incorporated the Taiwan Corporate Credit Risk Index (TCRI, micro- and also macroeconomic variables possessed greater predictive power. This suggests that macroeconomic variables do have explanatory power for default credit risk. Practical/managerial implications: The originality in the study was that three models were developed to predict corporate firms’ defaults based on different microeconomic and macroeconomic factors such as the TCRI, asset growth rates, stock index and gross domestic product. Contribution/value-add: The study utilises different goodness of fits and receiver operator characteristics during the examination of the robustness of the predictive power of these factors.

The HAT Score-A Simple Risk Stratification Score for Coagulopathic Bleeding During Adult Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonergan, Terence; Herr, Daniel; Kon, Zachary; Menaker, Jay; Rector, Raymond; Tanaka, Kenichi; Mazzeffi, Michael

2017-06-01

The study objective was to create an adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) coagulopathic bleeding risk score. Secondary analysis was performed on an existing retrospective cohort. Pre-ECMO variables were tested for association with coagulopathic bleeding, and those with the strongest association were included in a multivariable model. Using this model, a risk stratification score was created. The score's utility was validated by comparing bleeding and transfusion rates between score levels. Bleeding also was examined after stratifying by nadir platelet count and overanticoagulation. Predictive power of the score was compared against the risk score for major bleeding during anti-coagulation for atrial fibrillation (HAS-BLED). Tertiary care academic medical center. The study comprised patients who received venoarterial or venovenous ECMO over a 3-year period, excluding those with an identified source of surgical bleeding during exploration. None. Fifty-three (47.3%) of 112 patients experienced coagulopathic bleeding. A 3-variable score-hypertension, age greater than 65, and ECMO type (HAT)-had fair predictive value (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.66) and was superior to HAS-BLED (AUC = 0.64). As the HAT score increased from 0 to 3, bleeding rates also increased as follows: 30.8%, 48.7%, 63.0%, and 71.4%, respectively. Platelet and fresh frozen plasma transfusion tended to increase with the HAT score, but red blood cell transfusion did not. Nadir platelet count less than 50×10 3 /µL and overanticoagulation during ECMO increased the AUC for the model to 0.73, suggesting additive risk. The HAT score may allow for bleeding risk stratification in adult ECMO patients. Future studies in larger cohorts are necessary to confirm these findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Description and validation of a scoring system for tomosynthesis in pulmonary cystic fibrosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vult von Steyern, Kristina; Bjoerkman-Burtscher, Isabella M.; Bozovic, Gracijela; Wiklund, Marie; Geijer, Mats [Skaane University Hospital, Lund University, Centre for Medical Imaging and Physiology, Lund (Sweden); Hoeglund, Peter [Skaane University Hospital, Competence Centre for Clinical Research, Lund (Sweden)

2012-12-15

To design and validate a scoring system for tomosynthesis (digital tomography) in pulmonary cystic fibrosis. A scoring system dedicated to tomosynthesis in pulmonary cystic fibrosis was designed. Three radiologists independently scored 88 pairs of radiographs and tomosynthesis examinations of the chest in 60 patients with cystic fibrosis and 7 oncology patients. Radiographs were scored according to the Brasfield scoring system and tomosynthesis examinations were scored using the new scoring system. Observer agreements for the tomosynthesis score were almost perfect for the total score with square-weighted kappa >0.90, and generally substantial to almost perfect for subscores. Correlation between the tomosynthesis score and the Brasfield score was good for the three observers (Kendall's rank correlation tau 0.68, 0.77 and 0.78). Tomosynthesis was generally scored higher as a percentage of the maximum score. Observer agreements for the total score for Brasfield score were almost perfect (square-weighted kappa 0.80, 0.81 and 0.85). The tomosynthesis scoring system seems robust and correlates well with the Brasfield score. Compared with radiography, tomosynthesis is more sensitive to cystic fibrosis changes, especially bronchiectasis and mucus plugging, and the new tomosynthesis scoring system offers the possibility of more detailed and accurate scoring of disease severity. (orig.)

Description and validation of a scoring system for tomosynthesis in pulmonary cystic fibrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vult von Steyern, Kristina; Bjoerkman-Burtscher, Isabella M.; Bozovic, Gracijela; Wiklund, Marie; Geijer, Mats; Hoeglund, Peter

2012-01-01

To design and validate a scoring system for tomosynthesis (digital tomography) in pulmonary cystic fibrosis. A scoring system dedicated to tomosynthesis in pulmonary cystic fibrosis was designed. Three radiologists independently scored 88 pairs of radiographs and tomosynthesis examinations of the chest in 60 patients with cystic fibrosis and 7 oncology patients. Radiographs were scored according to the Brasfield scoring system and tomosynthesis examinations were scored using the new scoring system. Observer agreements for the tomosynthesis score were almost perfect for the total score with square-weighted kappa >0.90, and generally substantial to almost perfect for subscores. Correlation between the tomosynthesis score and the Brasfield score was good for the three observers (Kendall's rank correlation tau 0.68, 0.77 and 0.78). Tomosynthesis was generally scored higher as a percentage of the maximum score. Observer agreements for the total score for Brasfield score were almost perfect (square-weighted kappa 0.80, 0.81 and 0.85). The tomosynthesis scoring system seems robust and correlates well with the Brasfield score. Compared with radiography, tomosynthesis is more sensitive to cystic fibrosis changes, especially bronchiectasis and mucus plugging, and the new tomosynthesis scoring system offers the possibility of more detailed and accurate scoring of disease severity. (orig.)

Quantifying radioxerostomia: salivary flow rate, examiner's score, and quality of life questionnaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Nawas, B.; Al-Nawas, K.; Kunkel, M.; Groetz, K.A. [Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the Johannes Gutenberg Univ., Mainz (Germany)

2006-06-15

Background and purpose: salivary flow rates alone are not sufficient to quantify all aspects of radioxerostomia. This is a problem in studies aiming to reduce radioxerostomia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between objectively measured salivary flow rate and subjective xerostomia ratings by the physician (RTOG scale) or the patients (quality of life [QoL] questionnaire). Patients and methods: in a case-control study patients who underwent recall for oral cancer were screened. Inclusion criteria for this diagnostic, noninterventional study were: history of oral carcinoma, surgical and radiation therapy, time interval from start of radiation therapy > 90 days, salivary glands within the radiation field. The control group consisted of patients, who had not received radiotherapy. RTOG salivary gland score, quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 and H and N35), and sialometry were recorded. Results: patients with RTOG score 0 had mean salivary flow rates of 0.3 ml/min, those with RTOG 1 0.12 ml/min, RTOG 2 0.02 ml/min, and RTOG 3 < 0.01 ml/min. RTOG score 4 (total fibrosis) did not occur. Based on salivary flow rates, all patients were grouped into xerostomia < 0.2 ml/min (30 patients) and nonxerostomia (twelve patients). QoL results revealed significant differences between patients with xerostomia and nonxerostomia for physical function, dyspnea, swallowing, social eating, dry mouth, nutritional support, and a tendency to higher values for appetite loss. Conclusion: the correlation between ''subjective'' QoL parameters and salivary flow was confirmed. The different subjective aspects of radioxerostomia seem to be better differentiated by the EORTC QoL questionnaire. (orig.)

Interrater reliability of Violence Risk Appraisal Guide scores provided in Canadian criminal proceedings.

Science.gov (United States)

Edens, John F; Penson, Brittany N; Ruchensky, Jared R; Cox, Jennifer; Smith, Shannon Toney

2016-12-01

Published research suggests that most violence risk assessment tools have relatively high levels of interrater reliability, but recent evidence of inconsistent scores among forensic examiners in adversarial settings raises concerns about the "field reliability" of such measures. This study specifically examined the reliability of Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) scores in Canadian criminal cases identified in the legal database, LexisNexis. Over 250 reported cases were located that made mention of the VRAG, with 42 of these cases containing 2 or more scores that could be submitted to interrater reliability analyses. Overall, scores were skewed toward higher risk categories. The intraclass correlation (ICCA1) was .66, with pairs of forensic examiners placing defendants into the same VRAG risk "bin" in 68% of the cases. For categorical risk statements (i.e., low, moderate, high), examiners provided converging assessment results in most instances (86%). In terms of potential predictors of rater disagreement, there was no evidence for adversarial allegiance in our sample. Rater disagreement in the scoring of 1 VRAG item (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised; Hare, 2003), however, strongly predicted rater disagreement in the scoring of the VRAG (r = .58). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Pennsylvania certified safety committee program: an evaluation of participation and effects on work injury rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hangsheng; Burns, Rachel M; Schaefer, Agnes G; Ruder, Teague; Nelson, Christopher; Haviland, Amelia M; Gray, Wayne B; Mendeloff, John

2010-08-01

Since 1994, Pennsylvania, like several other states, has provided a 5% discount on workers' compensation insurance premiums for firms with a certified joint labor management safety committee. This study explored the factors affecting program participation and evaluated the effect of this program on work injuries. Using Pennsylvania unemployment insurance data (1996-2006), workers' compensation data (1998-2005), and the safety committee audit data (1999-2007), we conducted propensity score matching and regression analysis on the program's impact on injury rates. Larger firms, firms with higher injury rates, firms in high risk industries, and firms without labor unions were more likely to join the safety committee program and less likely to drop out of the program. The injury rates of participants did not decline more than the rates for non-participants; however, rates at participant firms with good compliance dropped more than the rates at participant firms with poor compliance. Firm size and prior injury rates are key predictors of program participation. Firms that complied with the requirement to train their safety committee members did experience reductions in injuries, but non-compliance with that and other requirements was so widespread that no overall impact of the program could be detected. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The relationship between performance on the Infectious Diseases In-Training and Certification Examinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabovsky, Irina; Hess, Brian J; Haist, Steven A; Lipner, Rebecca S; Hawley, Janine L; Woodward, Stephanie; Engleberg, N Cary

2015-03-01

The Infectious Diseases Society of America In-Training Examination (IDSA ITE) is a feedback tool used to help fellows track their knowledge acquisition during fellowship training. We determined whether the scores on the IDSA ITE and from other major medical knowledge assessments predict performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Infectious Disease Certification Examination. The sample was 1021 second-year fellows who took the IDSA ITE and ABIM Infectious Disease Certification Examination from 2008 to 2012. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine if ABIM Infectious Disease Certification Examination scores were predicted by IDSA ITE scores, prior United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores, fellowship director ratings of medical knowledge, and demographic variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate if these same assessments predicted a passing outcome on the certification examination. IDSA ITE scores were the strongest predictor of ABIM Infectious Disease Certification Examination scores (β = .319), followed by prior ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores (β = .258), USMLE Step 1 scores (β = .202), USMLE Step 3 scores (β = .130), and fellowship directors' medical knowledge ratings (β = .063). IDSA ITE scores were also a significant predictor of passing the Infectious Disease Certification Examination (odds ratio, 1.017 [95% confidence interval, 1.013-1.021]). The significant relationship between the IDSA ITE score and performance on the ABIM Infectious Disease Certification Examination supports the use of the ITE as a valid feedback tool in fellowship training. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development studies of captopril certified reference material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Nogueira

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the studies performed with the candidate Certified Reference Material (CRM of captopril, the first CRM of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API in Brazil, including determination of impurities (organic, inorganic and volatiles, homogeneity testing, short- and long-term stability studies, calculation of captopril content using the mass balance approach, and estimation of the associated measurement uncertainty.Este artigo descreve os estudos realizados com o candidato a Material de Referência Certificado (MRC de captopril, primeiro MRC de fármacos no Brasil, incluindo a determinação de impurezas (orgânicas, inorgânicas e voláteis, testes de homogeneidade, testes de estabilidade de curta e longa duração, cálculo do teor de captopril por balanço de massa e estimativa da incerteza de medição associada ao valor certificado.

Governing "Eco-Certified Children" through Pastoral Power: Critical Perspectives on Education for Sustainable Development

Science.gov (United States)

Ideland, Malin; Malmberg, Claes

2015-01-01

This article analyses how "eco-certified children" are constructed as desirable subjects in teaching materials addressing education for sustainable development. We are interested in how discourses structure this cherished practice and how this practice has become "natural" and obvious for us. A discourse analysis is carried out…

40 CFR 1048.140 - What are the provisions for certifying Blue Sky Series engines?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Blue Sky Series engines? 1048.140 Section 1048.140 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Sky Series engines? This section defines voluntary standards for a recognized level of superior emission control for engines designated as “Blue Sky Series” engines. If you certify an engine family under...

The Veterans Affairs Cardiac Risk Score: Recalibrating the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Score for Applied Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Sussman, Jeremy B; Wiitala, Wyndy L; Zawistowski, Matthew; Hofer, Timothy P; Bentley, Douglas; Hayward, Rodney A

2017-09-01

Accurately estimating cardiovascular risk is fundamental to good decision-making in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, but risk scores developed in one population often perform poorly in dissimilar populations. We sought to examine whether a large integrated health system can use their electronic health data to better predict individual patients' risk of developing CVD. We created a cohort using all patients ages 45-80 who used Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ambulatory care services in 2006 with no history of CVD, heart failure, or loop diuretics. Our outcome variable was new-onset CVD in 2007-2011. We then developed a series of recalibrated scores, including a fully refit "VA Risk Score-CVD (VARS-CVD)." We tested the different scores using standard measures of prediction quality. For the 1,512,092 patients in the study, the Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score had similar discrimination as the VARS-CVD (c-statistic of 0.66 in men and 0.73 in women), but the Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease model had poor calibration, predicting 63% more events than observed. Calibration was excellent in the fully recalibrated VARS-CVD tool, but simpler techniques tested proved less reliable. We found that local electronic health record data can be used to estimate CVD better than an established risk score based on research populations. Recalibration improved estimates dramatically, and the type of recalibration was important. Such tools can also easily be integrated into health system's electronic health record and can be more readily updated.

Development of a certified reference material for calibration of DSC and DTA below room temperature: NMIJ CRM 5401-a, Cyclohexane for Thermal Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimizu, Yoshitaka, E-mail: y-shimizu@aist.go.jp; Ohte, Yoko; Kato, Kenji

2013-09-20

Highlights: • We developed a new CRM for quality assurance of DSC and DTA below room temperature. • Certified values are temperatures and enthalpies of two phase transitions. • Certified values agree with literature values. • Certified values are determined by adiabatic calorimetry and traceable to the SI. • Purity of this CRM was confirmed more than 0.9999. - Abstract: For the quality assurance of performance of differential scanning calorimeters (DSC) and differential thermal analyzers (DTA) below room temperature, we have developed “NMIJ CRM 5401-a, Cyclohexane for Thermal Analysis” applicable to calibration of DSC and DTA in the low temperature. Adiabatic calorimetry was used to measure the temperatures and enthalpies of solid–solid phase transition and fusion as certified values, and to determine the purity in amount of substance fraction as information. The certified values are consistent with their corresponding literature values within expanded uncertainties and have traceability to the SI. Purity in amount of substance fraction was measured by fractional melting method based on freezing point depression method and was confirmed to be more than 0.9999. NMIJ CRM 5401-a was produced based on a quality system in compliance with ISO Guide 34: 2000. We demonstrate the usefulness of NMIJ CRM 5401-a in the calibration, quality control, and validation aspects of DSC and DTA.

The Impact of Business Excellence on Operational Performance among Halal Certified Food Manufacturers in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masrom Nor Ratna

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of business excellence with key elements embedded can be a tool for organization to determine opportunities and gain knowledge. This will help the organization to learn how to adopt highperformance and achieve competitive advantage. Through the business excellence model, the organization can execute their strategies to determine, forecast and survive in highly competitive market. This paper presents on identifying those elements in business excellence model (leadership, strategy and planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, operation focus that impact on operational performance in halal certified food manufacturers in Malaysia. Data for the study were collected from 100 halal certified food manufacturers and the relationship proposed in the framework were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM. The result indicated that all the elements of Business Excellence cannot lead to operational performance except for customer focus.

Individual and contextual antecedents of workplace aggression in aged care nurses and certified nursing assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodwell, John; Demir, Defne; Gulyas, Andre

2015-08-01

Employees in aged care are at high risk of workplace aggression. Research rarely examines the individual and contextual antecedents of aggression for specific types of workers within these settings, such as nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). The study aimed to explore characteristics of the job demands-resources model (JD-R), negative affectivity (NA) and demographics related to workplace aggression for aged care workers. The survey study was based on 208 nurses and 83 CNAs working within aged care. Data from each group were analysed separately using ordinal regressions. Both aged care nurses and CNAs reported high rates of bullying, external emotional abuse, threat of assault and physical assault. Elements of the JD-R model and individual characteristics were related to aggression types for both groups. Characteristics of the JD-R model, NA and demographics are important in understanding the antecedents of aggression observed among aged care workers. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The Predictive Validity of the ABFM's In-Training Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Thomas R; Li, Zijia; Peabody, Michael R; Lybarger, Melanie; Royal, Kenneth; Puffer, James C

2015-05-01

Our objective was to examine the predictive validity of the American Board of Family Medicine's (ABFM) In-Training Examination (ITE) with regard to predicting outcomes on the ABFM certification examination. This study used a repeated measures design across three levels of medical training (PGY1--PGY2, PGY2--PGY3, and PGY3--initial certification) with three different cohorts (2010--2011, 2011--2012, and 2012--2013) to examine: (1) how well the residents' ITE scores correlated with their test scores in the following year, (2) what the typical score increase was across training years, and (3) what was the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the PGY3 scores with regard to predicting future results on the MC-FP Examination. ITE scores generally correlate at about .7 with the following year's ITE or with the following year's certification examination. The mean growth from PGY1 to PGY2 was 52 points, from PGY2 to PGY3 was 34 points, and from PGY3 to initial certification was 27 points. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were .91, .47, .96, and .27, respectively. The ITE is a useful predictor of future ITE and initial certification examination performance.

Evaluation of modified Alvarado scoring system and RIPASA scoring system as diagnostic tools of acute appendicitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shuaib, Abdullah; Shuaib, Ali; Fakhra, Zainab; Marafi, Bader; Alsharaf, Khalid; Behbehani, Abdullah

2017-01-01

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical condition presented in emergency departments worldwide. Clinical scoring systems, such as the Alvarado and modified Alvarado scoring systems, were developed with the goal of reducing the negative appendectomy rate to 5%-10%. The Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) scoring system was established in 2008 specifically for Asian populations. The aim of this study was to compare the modified Alvarado with the RIPASA scoring system in Kuwait population. This study included 180 patients who underwent appendectomies and were documented as having "acute appendicitis" or "abdominal pain" in the operating theatre logbook (unit B) from November 2014 to March 2016. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), diagnostic accuracy, predicted negative appendectomy and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the modified Alvarado and RIPASA scoring systems were derived using SPSS statistical software. A total of 136 patients were included in this study according to our criteria. The cut-off threshold point of the modified Alvarado score was set at 7.0, which yielded a sensitivity of 82.8% and a specificity of 56%. The PPV was 89.3% and the NPV was 42.4%. The cut-off threshold point of the RIPASA score was set at 7.5, which yielded a 94.5% sensitivity and an 88% specificity. The PPV was 97.2% and the NPV was 78.5%. The predicted negative appendectomy rates were 10.7% and 2.2% for the modified Alvarado and RIPASA scoring systems, respectively. The negative appendectomy rate decreased significantly, from 18.4% to 10.7% for the modified Alvarado, and to 2.2% for the RIPASA scoring system, which was a significant difference (PAsian populations. It consists of 14 clinical parameters that can be obtained from a good patient history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. The RIPASA scoring system is more accurate and specific than the modified Alvarado

Evaluation of a fungal collection as certified reference material producer and as a biological resource center.

Science.gov (United States)

Forti, Tatiana; Souto, Aline da S S; do Nascimento, Carlos Roberto S; Nishikawa, Marilia M; Hubner, Marise T W; Sabagh, Fernanda P; Temporal, Rosane Maria; Rodrigues, Janaína M; da Silva, Manuela

2016-01-01

Considering the absence of standards for culture collections and more specifically for biological resource centers in the world, in addition to the absence of certified biological material in Brazil, this study aimed to evaluate a Fungal Collection from Fiocruz, as a producer of certified reference material and as Biological Resource Center (BRC). For this evaluation, a checklist based on the requirements of ABNT ISO GUIA34:2012 correlated with the ABNT NBR ISO/IEC17025:2005, was designed and applied. Complementing the implementation of the checklist, an internal audit was performed. An evaluation of this Collection as a BRC was also conducted following the requirements of the NIT-DICLA-061, the Brazilian internal standard from Inmetro, based on ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ABNT ISO GUIA 34:2012 and OECD Best Practice Guidelines for BRCs. This was the first time that the NIT DICLA-061 was applied in a culture collection during an internal audit. The assessments enabled the proposal for the adequacy of this Collection to assure the implementation of the management system for their future accreditation by Inmetro as a certified reference material producer as well as its future accreditation as a Biological Resource Center according to the NIT-DICLA-061. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 564.3 - Appraisals required; transactions requiring a State certified or licensed appraiser.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Appraisals required; transactions requiring a State certified or licensed appraiser. 564.3 Section 564.3 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY APPRAISALS § 564.3 Appraisals required; transactions requiring a State...

13 CFR 127.300 - How is a concern certified as an EDWOSB or WOSB?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How is a concern certified as an EDWOSB or WOSB? 127.300 Section 127.300 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS FEDERAL CONTRACT ASSISTANCE PROCEDURES Certification of EDWOSB or WOSB Status...

13 CFR 127.304 - How does a concern obtain certification from an approved certifier?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How does a concern obtain certification from an approved certifier? 127.304 Section 127.304 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS FEDERAL CONTRACT ASSISTANCE PROCEDURES Certification of EDWOSB or WOSB...

Certifying Effect and Consumer Effect: Some Remarks on Strategies Employed by Higher Education Institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Girod de l'Ain, Bertrand

1981-01-01

Institutions wishing to increase the perceived value of their degrees or awards do so by increasing demand for those degrees, by stimulating applications for admission (the certifying effect) and even reducing graduates. Receipt of one of these degrees increases chances of success and affluence (the consumer effect). (MSE)

SU-B-213-06: Development of ABR Examination Questions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allison, J.

2015-01-01

The North American medical physics community validates the education received by medical physicists and the clinical qualifications for medical physicists through accreditation of educational programs and certification of medical physicists. Medical physics educational programs (graduate education and residency education) are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), whereas medical physicists are certified by several organizations, the most familiar of which is the American Board of Radiology (ABR). In order for an educational program to become accredited or a medical physicist to become certified, the applicant must meet certain specified standards set by the appropriate organization. In this Symposium, representatives from both CAMPEP and the ABR will describe the process by which standards are established as well as the process by which qualifications of candidates for accreditation or certification are shown to be compliant with these standards. The Symposium will conclude with a panel discussion. Learning Objectives: Recognize the difference between accreditation of an educational program and certification of an individual Identify the two organizations primarily responsible for these tasks Describe the development of educational standards Describe the process by which examination questions are developed GS is Executive Secretary of CAMPEP