Determinants of readiness to adopt mHealth in a rural community of Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Khatun, Fatema; Heywood, Anita E; Ray, Pradeep K; Hanifi, S M A; Bhuiya, Abbas; Liaw, Siaw-Teng

2015-10-01

Evidence in favor of mHealth for healthcare delivery in settings where trained health workforce is limited or unavailable is accumulating. With rapid growth in access to mobile phones and an acute shortage of health workforce in Bangladesh, mHealth initiatives are increasing with more than 20 current initiatives in place. "Readiness" is a crucial prerequisite to the successful implementation of telehealth programs. However, systematic assessment of the community readiness for mHealth-based services in the country is lacking. We report on a recent study describing the influence of community readiness for mHealth of a rural Bangladesh community. A conceptual framework for mHealth readiness was developed, which included three categories: technological, motivational and resource readiness. This guided the questionnaire development for the survey conducted in the Chakaria sub-district of Bangladesh from November 2012 to April 2013. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine ownership of mobile phones, use of the technology, and knowledge regarding awareness of mHealth services as predictors of the community readiness to adopt mHealth. A total of 4915 randomly selected household members aged 18 years and over completed the survey. The data explained the sub-categories of the readiness dimensions. In terms of access, 45% of respondents owned a mobile phone with ownership higher among males, younger participants and those in the highest socioeconomic quintiles. Results related to technological readiness showed that among mobile phone owners, 50% were aware of SMS but only sending and receiving SMS. Only 37% generally read the received SMS. Only 5% of respondents used the internet capabilities on their phone and 25% used voice messages. The majority (73%) of the participants were interested in joining mHealth programs in the future. Multivariate analysis showed that ownership of a mobile phone (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5), younger age (aOR 2.6, 95% CI 2.1-3.3), males

Community readiness for adolescents’ overweight and obesity prevention is low in urban South Africa: a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Pradeilles

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background South Africa is undergoing epidemiological and nutrition transitions with associated increases in the incidence of overweight, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases. With the emergence of the nutrition transition in South Africa, there is an urgent need for interventions to prevent overweight and obesity in children and adolescents as risk factors for chronic diseases in adolescence may track throughout later life. This research explored the potential for faith-based organisations (FBOs to be used as community organisations for overweight and obesity prevention interventions in adolescents by assessing the readiness of religious leaders to engage in such interventions. Methods Surveys and focus group discussions (FGDs were conducted with 51 religious leaders in Johannesburg and Soweto. The Community Readiness Model (CRM survey was chosen to determine the stage of readiness of this community regarding overweight and obesity prevention. Six different dimensions were assessed in the CRM (community efforts, knowledge of efforts, leadership, community climate, knowledge of the issue, resources. The surveys were scored according to the CRM protocol. The survey data were supplemented with findings from FGDs. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the FGDs. Results The mean community readiness score was 2.57 ± 0.76 which equates with the “denial/resistance stage”. The mean readiness score for resources was the highest of all the dimensions (3.77 ± 0.28, followed by knowledge of the issue (3.20 ± 0.51. The lowest score was seen for community knowledge of efforts (1.77 ± 1.50, followed by community climate (2.00 ± 0.64. FGDs helped interpret the CRM scores. FGDs showed that religious leaders were enthusiastic and recognised that their role was not limited solely to spiritual guidance and mentoring, but also to physical well-being. Conclusions Religious leaders recognised that they act as role models

Organizational Readiness for Change in Correctional and Community Substance Abuse Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Lehman, Wayne E. K.; Greener, Jack M.; Rowan-Szal, Grace A.; Flynn, Patrick M.

2012-01-01

Significant needs exist for increased and better substance abuse treatment services in our nation's prisons. The TCU Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) survey has been widely used in community-based treatment programs and evidence is accumulating for relationships between readiness for change and implementation of new clinical practices.…

Strategies to Build Readiness in Community Mobilization Efforts for Implementation in a Multi-Year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhuiya, Nazmim; House, L Duane; Desmarais, Jeffrey; Fletcher, Erica; Conlin, Maeve; Perez-McAdoo, Sarah; Waggett, Jessica; Tendulkar, Shalini A

2017-03-01

This paper describes an assessment of community readiness to implement a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative, Youth First, and presents strategies used to enhance this readiness as informed by the assessment. Twenty-five community stakeholder interviews were conducted to assess four domains of readiness: (1) attitudes, perception, and knowledge of teen pregnancy; (2) perceived level of readiness; (3) resources, existing and current efforts; and (4) leadership. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed to identify key themes. Stakeholders acknowledged teen pregnancy as an issue but lacked contextual information. They also perceived the community as ready to address the issue and recognized some organizations already championing efforts. However, many key players were not involved, and ongoing data collection to assess teen pregnancy and prevention efforts was limited. Though many stakeholders were ready to engage in teen pregnancy prevention efforts, they required additional information and training to appropriately address the issue. In response to the assessment findings, several strategies were applied to address readiness and build Youth First partners' capacity to implement the community-wide initiative. Thus, to successfully implement community-wide prevention efforts, it is valuable to assess the level of community readiness to address health issues. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The readiness of farmer communities in biogas development (A case study: Wiyurejo Village, Malang Regency Indonesia)

Science.gov (United States)

Dinanti, D.; Erlina, D. F.; Meidiana, C.

2017-06-01

Wiyurejo Village has the potential for biogas development with ±75% of breeders wanting to build biogas but do not have enough vacant land. Biogas is a renewable energy source which requires the involvement of the community and public awareness in its implementation. The purpose of this research is to know the readiness of breeders for the development of biogas with limited land availability for the development of biodigester in Wiyurejo Village, Malang Regency, Indonesia. Based on the analysis, the value of the stage of readiness of farmers community in Wiyurejo Village is 2.20, which means that from nine stages of community readiness, the stage of community readiness of Wiyurejo Village is in stage three, namely vague awareness. Vague awareness means most people feel that there is a local concern, but there is no motivation to do anything about it (Plested, Edwards, & Jumper-Thurman, 2006). The value of the dimension that gives the lowest contribution and is below the average value of the community readiness is community knowledge on the issue.

EcoVillage: A Net Zero Energy Ready Community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arena, L. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings, Norwalk, CT (United States); Faakye, O. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings, Norwalk, CT (United States)

2015-02-01

CARB is working with the EcoVillage co-housing community in Ithaca, New York, on their third neighborhood called the Third Residential EcoVillage Experience (TREE). This community scale project consists of 40 housing units --15 apartments and 25 single family residences. The community is pursuing certifications for DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold, and ENERGY STAR for the entire project. Additionally, seven of the 25 homes, along with the four-story apartment building and community center, are being constructed to the Passive House (PH) design standard.

Are you ready! To take early action? Embedding serious gaming into community managed DRR in Bangladesh

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Homberg, M.J.C. van den; Cumiskey, L.; Oprins, E.A.P.B.; Suarez, P.; Hulst, A.H. van der

2015-01-01

This paper applies a Game-based Learning Evaluation Model (GEM) to assess whether the early warning - early action serious game "Ready!" is an effective component to add to existing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training curricula, facilitated by NGO staff and applied at the community level. We

[School readiness and community mobilization: study retrospective in a Montreal area].

Science.gov (United States)

Laurin, Isabelle; Bilodeau, Angèle; Chartrand, Sébastien

2012-02-22

This article presents a modelling of the collective decision-making process by which a community-based population-level intervention transformed the organization of early childhood services in a Montréal community from 2001 to 2006. Multisectoral players from a childhood/family issue table. The chosen territory is one of the most multi-ethnic and poorest neighbourhoods of Montréal. The intervention being examined is Understanding the Early Years (UEY), a Canada-wide initiative aiming to strengthen communities' capacity to use quality information to support the thought process relating to the organization of early childhood services. Twelve Canadian regions took part, including Montréal. The time chart for the collective decision-making process presents the events that significantly influenced the procedure: establishment of an intersectoral working committee, production of a portrait of the neighbourhood, think tank, development and implementation of the Passage maison-école [home-to-school] and Femmes-Relais [relay women] projects, retreats, and inclusion of school readiness as a priority focus area in the neighbourhood's three-year action plan. Also presented are the contextual factors that influenced decision making: the neighbourhood's cooperation and coordination history, the researcher's involvement, financial support and shared leadership. The benefits of UEY-Montréal in this territory extended beyond 2006. With respect to current priorities for action in early childhood, this territory is a good example of mobilization for school readiness.

Assessing change in perceived community leadership readiness in the Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostadinov, Iordan; Daniel, Mark; Jones, Michelle; Cargo, Margaret

2016-02-01

Issue addressed The context of community-based childhood obesity prevention programs can influence the effects of these intervention programs. Leadership readiness for community mobilisation for childhood obesity prevention is one such contextual factor. This study assessed perceived community leadership readiness (PCLR) at two time points in a state-wide, multisite community-based childhood obesity prevention program. Methods PCLR was assessed across 168 suburbs of 20 intervention communities participating in South Australia's Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle (OPAL) program. Using a validated online PCLR tool, four key respondents from each community rated each suburb within their respective community on a nine-point scale for baseline and 2015. Average PCLR and change scores were calculated using the general linear model with suburbs nested in communities. Relationships between demographic variables and change in PCLR were evaluated using multiple regression. Ease of survey use was also assessed. Results Average PCLR increased between baseline (3.51, s.d.=0.82) and 2015 (5.23, s.d.=0.89). PCLR rose in 18 of 20 intervention communities. PCLR was inversely associated with suburb population size (r 2 =0.03, P=0.03, β=-0.25) and positively associated with intervention duration (r 2 change=0.08, P=0.00, β=0.29). Only 8% of survey respondents considered the online assessment tool difficult to use. Conclusions PCLR increased over the course of the OPAL intervention. PCLR varied between and within communities. Online assessment of PCLR has utility for multisite program evaluations. So what? Use of a novel, resource-efficient online tool to measure the key contextual factors of PCLR has enabled a better understanding of the success and generalisability of the OPAL program.

A Model of Feeding Readiness for Preterm Infants

OpenAIRE

Pickler, Rita H.

2004-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical model of bottle feeding readiness in preterm infants, which hypothesizes relationships between bottle feeding readiness, experience, and outcomes. The synactive theory of development provided the conceptual foundation for the model. The model, which is currently being tested, is designed to establish bottle feeding readiness criteria that will help nurses decide when to offer a bottle to a preterm infant The model may also provide a useful framework for deter...

Measuring Success: David Conley's College Readiness Framework and the Illinois College and Career Readiness Act. In Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Baber, Lorenzo D.; Castro, Erin L.; Bragg, Debra D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this brief is to understand the Illinois College and Career Readiness (CCR) Act in light of David Conley's college readiness model. Although not mentioned specifically by the Illinois statute, evaluation results gathered by the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) show alignment between a number of programs…

The Brand's PREACH Model: Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Dorine J; Alston, Reginald J

2017-09-01

Despite many attempts to reduce health disparities, health professionals face obstacles in improving poor health outcomes within the African American (AA) community. To promote change for improved health measures, it is important to implement culturally tailored programming through a trusted institution, such as the AA church. While churches have the potential to play an important role in positively impacting health among AAs, it is unclear what attributes are necessary to predict success or failure for health promotion within these institutions. The purpose of this study was to create a model, the Brand's PREACH ( Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health) Model, to predict the readiness of AA churches to engage in health promotion programming. Thirty-six semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with 12 pastors, 12 health leaders, and 12 congregants to gain information on the relationship between church infrastructure (physical structure, personnel, funding, and social/cultural support), readiness, and health promotion programming. The findings revealed that church infrastructure has an association with and will predict the readiness of a church to engage in health promotion programming. The ability to identify readiness early on will be useful for developing, implementing, and evaluating faith-based interventions, in partnership with churches, which is a key factor for sustainable and effective programs.

Community Mobilization and Readiness: Planning Flaws which Challenge Effective Implementation of 'Communities that Care' (CTC) Prevention System.

Science.gov (United States)

Basic, Josipa

2015-01-01

This article reviews the experience of implementing a community approach to drug use and youth delinquency prevention based on the 'Communities that Care' (CTC) system implemented in one Croatian county consisting of 12 communities, 2002 to 2013 (Hawkins, 1999; Hawkins & Catalano, 2004). This overview explores selected critical issues which are often not considered in substance use(r) community intervention planning, implementation as well as in associated process and outcome assessments. These issues include, among others, the mobilization process of adequate representation of people; the involvement of relevant key individual and organizational stakeholders and being aware of the stakeholders' willingness to participate in the prevention process. In addition, it is important to be aware of the stakeholders' knowledge and perceptions about the 'problems' of drug use and youth delinquency in their communities as well as the characteristics of the targeted population(s). Sometimes there are community members and stakeholders who block needed change and therefore prevention process enablers and 'bridges' should be involved in moving prevention programming forward. Another barrier that is often overlooked in prevention planning is community readiness to change and a realistic assessment of available and accessible resources for initiating the planned change(s) and sustaining them. All of these issues have been found to be potentially related to intervention success. At the end of this article, I summarize perspectives from prevention scientists and practitioners and lessons learned from communities' readiness research and practice in Croatian that has international relevance.

Community-Engaged Attribute Mapping: Exploring Resources and Readiness to Change the Rural Context for Obesity Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

John, Deborah; Winfield, Tammy; Etuk, Lena; Hystad, Perry; Langellotto, Gail; Manore, Melinda; Gunter, Kathy

2017-01-01

Individual risk factors for obesity are well-known, but environmental characteristics that influence individual risk, especially in rural communities, are not confirmed. Rural communities face unique challenges to implementing environmental strategies, such as walkability, aimed at supporting weight healthy lifestyles. Cooperative Extension, a community-embedded weight health partner, convened and engaged community members in self-exploration of local resources and readiness to change environmental characteristics perceived to promote unhealthy eating and inactivity. This approach leveraged Extension's mission, which includes connecting rural communities with land-grant university resources. HEAL MAPPS™ (Healthy Eating Active Living Mapping Attributes using Participatory Photographic Surveys) was developed as a participatory action research methodology. Adopted by Extension community partners, HEAL MAPPS™ involved residents in photomapping, characterizing, and communicating lived experiences of their rural community, and prioritizing interventions to change the obesogenic context. Extension educators serving rural communities in six Western U.S. states were trained to implement HEAL MAPPS™. Extension engaged community members who mapped and evaluated their encounters with environmental attributes that shape their dietary and activity patterns. The method partnered residents with decision makers in identifying issues, assessing resources and readiness, and prioritizing locally relevant environmental strategies to reduce access disparities for rural populations with high obesity risk. HEAL MAPPS™ revealed differences in resource availability, accessibility, and affordability within and among rural communities, as well as in readiness to address the obesogenic context. Extension functioned successfully as the backbone organization, and local community health partner, cooperatively implementing HEAL MAPPS™ and engaging constituents in shaping weight healthy

Using motivational interviewing in the community pharmacy to increase adult immunization readiness: A pilot evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brackett, Amber; Butler, Michell; Chapman, Liza

2015-01-01

To investigate whether the use of motivational interviewing (MI) in the community pharmacy improves immunization readiness and rates for hepatitis B, hepatitis A/B combination, herpes zoster, pneumococcal, and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis immunizations. Kroger Pharmacy. Grocery store pharmacies located in the Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area offering a variety of patient care services, including medication therapy management and immunizations. Patients were identified during workflow, and MI encounters were initiated to those eligible to receive hepatitis A/B combination, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and/or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccines. Following each encounter, pharmacists completed patient demographic information and responses to 5-point Likert scale questions assessing patient readiness to receive immunizations at the beginning and end of the encounter, and if follow-up occurred, 5-point Likert scale questions assessing pharmacists' perception of using MI. Immunization rates at the intervention site did not significantly increase due to the small sample size and other project limitations. Patient readiness to receive immunizations improved from the beginning to the end of the MI encounter and was statistically significant for hepatitis B (P = 0.001) and pneumococcal (P = 0.033) vaccines. Pharmacists agreed MI was an effective tool to discuss immunizations, agreed they could communicate more effectively about immunizations, and agreed MI could be incorporated into the community pharmacy workflow. Motivational interviewing may be a useful tool for community pharmacists to use in discussing immunizations. Larger studies need to be completed to determine the impact MI could have on immunization readiness and rates in the community pharmacy.

Starting school healthy and ready to learn: using social indicators to improve school readiness in Los Angeles County.

Science.gov (United States)

Wold, Cheryl; Nicholas, Will

2007-10-01

School readiness is an important public health outcome, determined by a set of interdependent health and developmental trajectories and influenced by a child's family, school, and community environments. The same factors that influence school readiness also influence educational success and health throughout life. A California cigarette tax ballot initiative (Proposition 10) created new resources for children aged 0 to 5 years and their families statewide through county-level First 5 commissions, including First 5 LA in Los Angeles County. An opportunity to define and promote school readiness indicators was facilitated by collaborative relationships with a strong emphasis on data among First 5 LA, the Children's Planning Council, and the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, and other child-serving organizations. A workgroup developed school readiness goals and indicators based on recommendations of the National Education Goals Panel and five key domains of child well-being: 1) good health, 2) safety and survival, 3) economic well-being, 4) social and emotional well-being, and 5) education/workforce readiness. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and First 5 LA Commission adopted the school readiness indicators. First 5 LA incorporated the indicators into the results-based accountability framework for its strategic plan and developed a community-oriented report designed to educate and spur school readiness-oriented action. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a countywide consensus-building plan designed to engage key stakeholders in the use of the indicators for planning, evaluation, and community-building activities. School readiness indicators in Los Angeles County represent an important step forward for public health practice, namely, the successful blending of an expanded role for assessment with the ecological model.

A Proposed Conceptual Model of Military Medical Readiness

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Van Hall, Brian M

2007-01-01

.... The purpose of this research is to consolidate existing literature on the latent variable of medical readiness, and to propose a composite theoretical model of medical readiness that may provide...

A Multi-level Examination of how the Organizational Context Relates to Readiness to Implement Prevention and Evidence-Based Programming in Community Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Chilenski, Sarah M.; Olson, Jonathan R.; Schulte, Jill A.; Perkins, Daniel F.; Spoth, Richard

2015-01-01

Prior theoretical and empirical research suggests that multiple aspects of an organization’s context are likely related to a number of factors, from their interest and ability to adopt new programming, to client outcomes. A limited amount of the prior research has taken a more community-wide perspective by examining factors that associate with community readiness for change, leaving how these findings generalize to community organizations that conduct prevention or positive youth development programs unknown. Thus for the current study, we examined how the organizational context of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) associates with current attitudes and practices regarding prevention and evidence-based programming. Attitudes and practices have been found in the empirical literature to be key indicators of an organization’s readiness to adopt prevention and evidence-based programming. Based on multi-level mixed models, results indicate that organizational management practices distinct from program delivery may affect an organization’s readiness to adopt and implement new prevention and evidence-based youth programs, thereby limiting the potential public health impact of evidence-based programs. Openness to change, openness of leadership, and communication were the strongest predictors identified within this study. An organization’s morale was also found to be a strong predictor of an organization’s readiness. The findings of the current study are discussed in terms of implications for prevention and intervention. PMID:25463014

Vers un modele d'intervention precoce en lecture en actualisation linguistique (Towards a Model of Early Intervention in Reading Readiness).

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Marie Josee

1999-01-01

Argues that in Ontario's French-medium schools, reading is often a challenge, particularly for those in readiness classes who speak little or no French. A model for early intervention in reading is recommended, combining reading and writing to address the linguistic challenges of students in a minority-language community. (Author/MSE)

Community Readiness for the Promotion of Physical Activity in Older Adults—A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Rural and Urban Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Tilman; Princk, Christina; Zeeb, Hajo

2018-01-01

Communities can play an important role in delivering public health programs to older adults, but they differ in the provision of local structures and resources. The community readiness (CR) approach applies a stage model of change to the community level and analyzes structures and the degree of willingness to take action on a health issue. This study compared the CR regarding the promotion of physical activity as part of healthy ageing for older adults among urban and rural communities in North-West Germany. A cross-sectional CR assessment with key respondents in 23 municipalities (11 urban and 12 rural communities) was conducted using a semi-structured interview. Interviews were scored across the five CR dimensions and global CR score was calculated (scores between 1 = no awareness and 9 = professionalization). Wilcoxon rank-sum test and hierarchical regression models were used to compare urban and rural communities. In total, 118 interviews were conducted (response rate 69.8%). On average, the communities showed moderate CR scores (4.9 ± 0.3; Range: 4.3–5.4; preplanning or preparation phase). The global CR score was slightly higher in rural than in urban communities (regression coefficient = 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.02–0.59). The rural communities showed significantly higher CR scores in the ‘Knowledge of efforts’ dimension (0.70, 95% CI: 0.26–1.14) and in the ‘Knowledge of the issue’ (0.37, 95% CI: 0.04–0.70). Rural communities display a slightly higher CR level than urban communities. In the next step, targeted capacity building activities will be initiated among communities with low CR levels. PMID:29509675

Community Readiness for the Promotion of Physical Activity in Older Adults-A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Rural and Urban Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Gansefort, Dirk; Brand, Tilman; Princk, Christina; Zeeb, Hajo

2018-03-06

Communities can play an important role in delivering public health programs to older adults, but they differ in the provision of local structures and resources. The community readiness (CR) approach applies a stage model of change to the community level and analyzes structures and the degree of willingness to take action on a health issue. This study compared the CR regarding the promotion of physical activity as part of healthy ageing for older adults among urban and rural communities in North-West Germany. A cross-sectional CR assessment with key respondents in 23 municipalities (11 urban and 12 rural communities) was conducted using a semi-structured interview. Interviews were scored across the five CR dimensions and global CR score was calculated (scores between 1 = no awareness and 9 = professionalization). Wilcoxon rank-sum test and hierarchical regression models were used to compare urban and rural communities. In total, 118 interviews were conducted (response rate 69.8%). On average, the communities showed moderate CR scores (4.9 ± 0.3; Range: 4.3-5.4; preplanning or preparation phase). The global CR score was slightly higher in rural than in urban communities (regression coefficient = 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.02-0.59). The rural communities showed significantly higher CR scores in the 'Knowledge of efforts' dimension (0.70, 95% CI: 0.26-1.14) and in the 'Knowledge of the issue' (0.37, 95% CI: 0.04-0.70). Rural communities display a slightly higher CR level than urban communities. In the next step, targeted capacity building activities will be initiated among communities with low CR levels.

Exploring the role of ethnic media and the community readiness to combat stigma attached to mental illness among Vietnamese immigrants: the pilot project Tam An (Inner Peace in Vietnamese).

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Meekyung; Cao, Lien; Anton, Karen

2015-01-01

Vietnamese Americans are at high risk for developing mental health disorders due to multiple risk factors such as trauma and acculturative stress. However, the utilization of mental health services has been low. The pilot project Tam An was implemented to raise mental health awareness by engaging community resources in the Vietnamese population. Informed by the Community Readiness Model and through local ethnic media sources, messages to destigmatize mental health and promote the willingness to initiate mental health treatment were presented. Using an exploratory perspective, findings from focus group data suggest that the project improved the community's stage of readiness.

E-health readiness assessment framework in iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

2012-01-01

Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well.

E-Health Readiness Assessment Framework in Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

2012-01-01

Background: Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. Methods: The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. Results: The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). Conclusion: The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well. PMID:23304661

Framework for Designing The Assessment Models of Readiness SMEs to Adopt Indonesian National Standard (SNI), Case Study: SMEs Batik in Surakarta

Science.gov (United States)

Fahma, Fakhrina; Zakaria, Roni; Fajar Gumilang, Royan

2018-03-01

Since the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is released, the opportunity to expand market share has become very open, but the level of competition is also very high. Standardization is believed to be an important factor in seizing opportunities in the AEC’s era and other free trade agreements in the future. Standardization activities in industry can be proven by obtaining certification of SNI (Indonesian National Standard). This is a challenge for SMEs, considering that currently only 20% of SMEs had SNI certification both product and process. This research will be designed a model of readiness assessment to obtain SNI certification for SMEs. The stages of model development used an innovative approach by Roger (2003). Variables that affect the readiness of SMEs are obtained from product certification requirements established by BSN (National Standardization Agency) and LSPro (Certification body). This model will be used for mapping the readiness for SNI certification of SMEs’product. The level of readiness of SMEs is determined by the percentage of compliance with those requirements. Based on the result of this study, the five variables are determined as main aspects to assess SME readiness. For model validation, trials were conducted on Batik SMEs in Laweyan Surakarta.

A Simulation-Based Quality Improvement Initiative Improves Pediatric Readiness in Community Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitfill, Travis; Gawel, Marcie; Auerbach, Marc

2017-07-17

The National Pediatric Readiness Project Pediatric Readiness Survey (PRS) measured pediatric readiness in 4149 US emergency departments (EDs) and noted an average score of 69 on a 100-point scale. This readiness score consists of 6 domains: coordination of pediatric patient care (19/100), physician/nurse staffing and training (10/100), quality improvement activities (7/100), patient safety initiatives (14/100), policies and procedures (17/100), and availability of pediatric equipment (33/100). We aimed to assess and improve pediatric emergency readiness scores across Connecticut's hospitals. The aim of this study was to compare the National Pediatric Readiness Project readiness score before and after an in situ simulation-based assessment and quality improvement program in Connecticut hospitals. We leveraged in situ simulations to measure the quality of resuscitative care provided by interprofessional teams to 3 simulated patients (infant septic shock, infant seizure, and child cardiac arrest) presenting to their ED resuscitation bay. Assessments of EDs were made based on a composite quality score that was measured as the sum of 4 distinct domains: (1) adherence to sepsis guidelines, (2) adherence to cardiac arrest guidelines, (3) performance on seizure resuscitation, and (4) teamwork. After the simulation, a detailed report with scores, comparisons to other EDs, and a gap analysis were provided to sites. Based on this report, a regional children's hospital team worked collaboratively with each ED to develop action items and a timeline for improvements. The National Pediatric Readiness Project PRS scores, the primary outcome of this study, were measured before and after participation. Twelve community EDs in Connecticut participated in this project. The PRS scores were assessed before and after the intervention (simulation-based assessment and gap analysis/report-out). The average time between PRS assessments was 21 months. The PRS scores significantly improved 12

Not Driven by High-Stakes Tests: Exploring Science Assessment and College Readiness of Students from an Urban Portfolio Community High School

Science.gov (United States)

Fleshman, Robin Earle

This case study seeks to explore three research questions: (1) What science teaching and learning processes, perspectives, and cultures exist within the science classroom of an urban portfolio community high school? (2) In what ways does the portfolio-based approach prepare high school students of color for college level science coursework, laboratory work, and assessment? (3) Are portfolio community high school students of color college ready? Is there a relationship between students' science and mathematics performance and college readiness? The overarching objectives of the study are to learn, understand, and describe an urban portfolio community high school as it relates to science assessment and college readiness; to understand how the administration, teachers, and alumni perceive the use of portfolios in science learning and assessment; and to understand how alumni view their preparation and readiness for college and college science coursework, laboratory work, and assessments. The theoretical framework of this study encompasses four theories: critical theory, contextual assessment, self-regulated learning, and ethic of care. Because the urban high school studied partnered with a community-based organization (CBO), it identifies as a community school. Therefore, I provide context regarding the concept, culture, and services of community schools. Case study is the research design I used to explore in-depth this urban portfolio community high school, which involved mixed methods for data collection and analysis. In total, six alumni/current college students, five school members (administrators and teachers), and three CBO members (administrators, including myself) participated in the study. In addition to school artefacts and student portfolios collected, classroom and portfolio panel presentation observations and 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the portfolio-based approach as it pertains to science learning and assessment and college

A Harmonized Process Model for Digital Forensic Investigation Readiness

OpenAIRE

Valjarevic , Aleksandar; Venter , Hein

2013-01-01

Part 2: FORENSIC MODELS; International audience; Digital forensic readiness enables an organization to prepare itself to perform digital forensic investigations in an efficient and effective manner. The benefits include enhancing the admissibility of digital evidence, better utilization of resources and greater incident awareness. However, a harmonized process model for digital forensic readiness does not currently exist and, thus, there is a lack of effective and standardized implementations...

The Competence Readiness of the Electrical Engineering Vocational High School Teachers in Manado towards the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint in 2025

OpenAIRE

Fid Jantje Tasiam; Djoko Kustono; Purnomo Purnomo; Hakkun Elmunsyah

2017-01-01

This paper presents the competence readiness of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. The objective of this study is to get the competencies readiness description of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. Method used quantitative and qualitative approach which the statistical analysis in quantitative and the inductive analysis use...

Analysis of e-learning implementation readiness based on integrated elr model

Science.gov (United States)

Adiyarta, K.; Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI

2018-04-01

E-learning nowadays has become a requirement for institutions to support their learning activities. To adopt e-learning, an institution requires a large strategy and resources for optimal application. Unfortunately, not all institutions that have used e-learning got the desired results or expectations. This study aims to identify the extent of the level of readiness of e-learning implementation in institution X. The degree of institutional readiness will determine the success of future e-learning utilization. In addition, institutional readiness measurement are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in e-learning development. The research method used is survey with questionnaire designed based on integration of 8 best practice ELR (e-learning readiness) model. The results showed that from 13 factors of integrated ELR model being measured, there are 3 readiness factors included in the category of not ready and needs a lot of work. They are human resource (2.57), technology skill (2.38) and content factors (2.41). In general, e-learning implementation in institutions is in the category of not ready but needs some of work (3.27). Therefore, the institution should consider which factors or areas of ELR factors are considered still not ready and needs improvement in the future.

The Coming Challenge: Are Community Colleges Ready for the New Wave of Contextual Learners?

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Dan; Souders, John C., Jr.

1996-01-01

Defines contextual learning, or presenting new information to students in familiar contexts. Argues that community colleges must be ready for an anticipated increase in contextual learners due to its use in tech prep programs. Describes elements of contextual learning, its application in the classroom, and ways that colleges can prepare for…

Birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Tehulederie district, Northeast Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Endeshaw, Demlie Belete; Gezie, Lema Derseh; Yeshita, Hedija Yenus

2018-01-01

Motherhood is a time of anticipation of joy for a woman, her family, and her community. In spite of this fact, it is not as enjoyable as it should be because of numerous reasons. Insufficiency or lack of birth preparedness and complication readiness is the most common reason. The aim of this study was to assess the practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness and associated factors among pregnant women in Tehuledere district, northeast Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehuledere district, northeast Ethiopia. Participants were selected using the multistage sampling technique, and data were analyzed both descriptively and analytically using the binary logistic regression. Out of the total 507 samples, 500 (response rate 98.6%) pregnant women participated in the study. Less than half (44.6%) and (43.4%) of the respondents had knowledge and practice on birth preparedness and complication readiness, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, knowledge of birth preparedness and complication readiness (AOR = 1.648, 95%CI: 1.073, 2.531), knowledge of danger signs during pregnancy (AOR = 2.802, 95% CI: 1.637, 4.793), gestational age (AOR = 3.379, 95% CI: 2.114, 5.401), and antenatal care follow up starting time (AOR = 2.841, 95% CI: 1.330, 6.068) were significantly associated with the practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness, but pregnant women in rural areas (AOR = 0.442, 95% CI:0.244, 0.803) were less associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness compared to women in urban settlements. This study identified that poor knowledge, inadequate birth preparedness, and complication readiness were prevalent among mothers in the study area. Government officials, partners, and health care providers working in the areas of maternal and child health should operate together to maximize birth preparedness and complication readiness practices.

Children's Readiness Gains in Publically Funded, Community-Based Pre-Kindergarten Programs for 4 Year Olds and Preschool for 3 Year Olds

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Peggy; Warde, Beverly; Peluso, Paul

2013-01-01

Background: Many states provide public funding to facilitate school readiness for community-based pre-K and preschool programs for 4 year old children and "at risk" 3 year old children. Little research exists on the school readiness gains of children participating in these "garden variety" community-based programs. Objective:…

The FORGE AHEAD clinical readiness consultation tool: a validated tool to assess clinical readiness for chronic disease care mobilization in Canada's First Nations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayward, Mariam Naqshbandi; Mequanint, Selam; Paquette-Warren, Jann; Bailie, Ross; Chirila, Alexandra; Dyck, Roland; Green, Michael; Hanley, Anthony; Tompkins, Jordan; Harris, Stewart

2017-03-23

Given the astounding rates of diabetes and related complications, and the barriers to providing care present in Indigenous communities in Canada, intervention strategies that take into account contextual factors such as readiness to mobilize are needed to maximize improvements and increase the likelihood of success and sustainment. As part of the national FORGE AHEAD Program, we sought to develop, test and validate a clinical readiness consultation tool aimed at assessing the readiness of clinical teams working on-reserve in First Nations communities to participate in quality improvement (QI) to enhance diabetes care in Canada. A literature review was conducted to identify existing readiness tools. The ABCD - SAT was adapted using a consensus approach that emphasized a community-based participatory approach and prioritized the knowledge and wisdom held by community members. The tool was piloted with a group of 16 people from 7 provinces and 11 partnering communities to assess language use, clarity, relevance, format, and ease of completion using examples. Internal reliability analysis and convergence validity were conducted with data from 53 clinical team members from 11 First Nations communities (3-5 per community) who have participated in the FORGE AHEAD program. The 27-page Clinical Readiness Consultation Tool (CRCT) consists of five main components, 21 sub-components, and 74 items that are aligned with the Expanded Chronic Care Model. Five-point Likert scale feedback from the pilot ranged from 3.25 to 4.5. Length of the tool was reported as a drawback but respondents noted that all the items were needed to provide a comprehensive picture of the healthcare system. Results for internal consistency showed that all sub-components except for two were within acceptable ranges (0.77-0.93). The Team Structure and Function sub-component scale had a moderately significant positive correlation with the validated Team Climate Inventory, r = 0.45, p < 0.05. The

The Competence Readiness of the Electrical Engineering Vocational High School Teachers in Manado towards the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint in 2025

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fid Jantje Tasiam

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the competence readiness of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. The objective of this study is to get the competencies readiness description of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado towards ASEAN Economic Community blueprint in 2025. Method used quantitative and qualitative approach which the statistical analysis in quantitative and the inductive analysis used in qualitative. There were 46 teachers of the electrical engineering vocational high school in Manado observed. The results have shown that the competencies readiness of the electrical engineering vocational high school teachers in Manado such as: pedagogical, professional, personality, and social were 13.04%, 19.56%, 19.56%, and 19.56% respectively. The results were still far from the focus of the ASEAN economic community blueprint in 2025, so they need to be improved through in-house training, internship programs, school partnerships, distance learning, tiered training and special training, short courses in educational institutions, internal coaching by schools, discussion of educational issues, workshops, research and community service, textbook writing, learning media making, and the creation of technology and art.

THE READINESS OF SMES IN BULUNGAN TO FACE ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC

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Nurus Soimah

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ASEAN Economic Community (AEC is formed on the basis of an agreement in order to create a relationship of closer cooperation among ASEAN countries. The agreement covers four strategic, namely: (1 the achievement of a single market and a unified production base, (2 a competitive economic region, (3 equitable economic growth, and (4 integrated with the global economy. This research aimed to identify the readiness of SMEs Facing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC, which will begin to be realized in December 2015. This research is a qualitative descriptive research. The researcher took a case study on SMEs in Bulungan Regency by selecting informants by using Purposive Sampling. 36 SMEs domiciled in Bulungan Regency were taken as the research subject. The data used in this research was a combination of primary data obtained in the field through interviews and secondary data adapted from various sources as a reference for research writing. Data analysis techniques used was data reduction and validity techniques using triangulation. The result of the research shows that the problem of SMEs in Bulungan Regency is the problem of the production process, capital, marketing, and permit. Further research results indicate that Bulungan Regency Government has been trying to encourage the development of the SMEs, but the implementation of government policy is not maximized. Based on the conditions and problems faced by SMEs in Bulungan Regency, it is not ready to face the AEC.

Root Shock Revisited: Perspectives of Early Head Start Mothers on Community and Policy Environments and Their Effects on Child Health, Development, and School Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Carol L.; Thomas, Tammy L.; Green, Beth L.

2009-01-01

Racial differences in school readiness are a form of health disparity. By examining, from the perspective of low-income minority families participating in an Early Head Start study, community and policy environments as they shape and inform lived experiences, we identified several types of social and economic dislocation that undermine the efforts of parents to ready their children for school. The multiple dislocations of community triggered by housing and welfare reform and “urban renewal” are sources of stress for parents and children and affect the health and development of young children. Our findings suggest that racial differences in school readiness result not from race but from poverty and structural racism in American society. PMID:19059871

The Readiness of English Communication Skills of Tourism Employees in Bangkok for Entering the ASEAN Community

Science.gov (United States)

Kuosuwan, Bavornluck

2016-01-01

The objective of this research was to study the readiness of English communication skills of tourism employees in Bangkok for entering the ASEAN community. The scope of this research included the employees from 26 tourism companies. A sample group was determined by utilizing multiple-stage sampling. At least three samples were collected from each…

Organizational e-readiness web: a model for evaluating e-readiness of Iranian commercial banks in order to develop e-banking

OpenAIRE

Chitsazan, Hasti; Keimasi, Masoud

2015-01-01

E-banking through mutual benefits for customers and banks has become a necessity in the banking industry nowadays. In spite of this, e-banking has not spread in Iran as it is appropriate.In a general categorization it can be said that E-readiness of banks and environmental e-readiness are two effective factors on development of e-banking which have been referred in different studies some models have been proposed in this regard in macro industries and others. However, no specific model has be...

Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ

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Diana Barbosa Cunha

2015-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ, Brazil.METHODS: It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5thgrade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1 "I don't think of changing diet" to (5 "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models.RESULTS: There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet.CONCLUSION: The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, Diana Barbosa; de Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin; da Veiga, Glória Valéria; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

2015-01-01

To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ), Brazil. It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5th grade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1) "I don't think of changing diet" to (5) "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models. There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet. The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

Modeling ready biodegradability of fragrance materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceriani, Lidia; Papa, Ester; Kovarich, Simona; Boethling, Robert; Gramatica, Paola

2015-06-01

In the present study, quantitative structure activity relationships were developed for predicting ready biodegradability of approximately 200 heterogeneous fragrance materials. Two classification methods, classification and regression tree (CART) and k-nearest neighbors (kNN), were applied to perform the modeling. The models were validated with multiple external prediction sets, and the structural applicability domain was verified by the leverage approach. The best models had good sensitivity (internal ≥80%; external ≥68%), specificity (internal ≥80%; external 73%), and overall accuracy (≥75%). Results from the comparison with BIOWIN global models, based on group contribution method, show that specific models developed in the present study perform better in prediction than BIOWIN6, in particular for the correct classification of not readily biodegradable fragrance materials. © 2015 SETAC.

Researcher readiness for participating in community-engaged dissemination and implementation research: a conceptual framework of core competencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Christopher M; Young, Tiffany L; Powell, Byron J; Rohweder, Catherine; Enga, Zoe K; Scott, Jennifer E; Carter-Edwards, Lori; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2017-09-01

Participating in community-engaged dissemination and implementation (CEDI) research is challenging for a variety of reasons. Currently, there is not specific guidance or a tool available for researchers to assess their readiness to conduct CEDI research. We propose a conceptual framework that identifies detailed competencies for researchers participating in CEDI and maps these competencies to domains. The framework is a necessary step toward developing a CEDI research readiness survey that measures a researcher's attitudes, willingness, and self-reported ability for acquiring the knowledge and performing the behaviors necessary for effective community engagement. The conceptual framework for CEDI competencies was developed by a team of eight faculty and staff affiliated with a university's Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). The authors developed CEDI competencies by identifying the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors necessary for carrying out commonly accepted CE principles. After collectively developing an initial list of competencies, team members individually mapped each competency to a single domain that provided the best fit. Following the individual mapping, the group held two sessions in which the sorting preferences were shared and discrepancies were discussed until consensus was reached. During this discussion, modifications to wording of competencies and domains were made as needed. The team then engaged five community stakeholders to review and modify the competencies and domains. The CEDI framework consists of 40 competencies organized into nine domains: perceived value of CE in D&I research, introspection and openness, knowledge of community characteristics, appreciation for stakeholder's experience with and attitudes toward research, preparing the partnership for collaborative decision-making, collaborative planning for the research design and goals, communication effectiveness, equitable distribution of resources and credit, and

Testing of technology readiness index model based on exploratory factor analysis approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ariani, AF; Napitupulu, D.; Jati, RK; Kadar, JA; Syafrullah, M.

2018-04-01

SMEs readiness in using ICT will determine the adoption of ICT in the future. This study aims to evaluate the model of technology readiness in order to apply the technology on SMEs. The model is tested to find if TRI model is relevant to measure ICT adoption, especially for SMEs in Indonesia. The research method used in this paper is survey to a group of SMEs in South Tangerang. The survey measures the readiness to adopt ICT based on four variables which is Optimism, Innovativeness, Discomfort, and Insecurity. Each variable contains several indicators to make sure the variable is measured thoroughly. The data collected through survey is analysed using factor analysis methodwith the help of SPSS software. The result of this study shows that TRI model gives more descendants on some indicators and variables. This result can be caused by SMEs owners’ knowledge is not homogeneous about either the technology that they are used, knowledge or the type of their business.

How Satellites Have Contributed to Building a Weather Ready Nation

Science.gov (United States)

Lapenta, W.

2017-12-01

NOAA's primary mission since its inception has been to reduce the loss of life and property, as well as disruptions from, high impact weather and water-related events. In recent years, significant societal losses resulting even from well forecast extreme events have shifted attention from the forecast alone toward ensuring societal response is equal to the risks that exist for communities, businesses and the public. The responses relate to decisions ranging from coastal communities planning years in advance to mitigate impacts from rising sea level, to immediate lifesaving decisions such as a family seeking adequate shelter during a tornado warning. NOAA is committed to building a "Weather-Ready Nation" where communities are prepared for and respond appropriately to these events. The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) strategic priority is building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather, water, climate and environmental threats. To build a Weather-Ready Nation, NOAA is enhancing Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS), transitioning science and technology advances into forecast operations, applying social science research to improve the communication and usefulness of information, and expanding its dissemination efforts to achieve far-reaching readiness, responsiveness and resilience. These four components of Weather-Ready Nation are helping ensure NOAA data, products and services are fully utilized to minimize societal impacts from extreme events. Satellite data and satellite products have been important elements of the national Weather Service (NWS) operations for more than 40 years. When one examines the uses of satellite data specific to the internal forecast and warning operations of NWS, two main applications are evident. The first is the use of satellite data in numerical weather prediction models; the second is the use of satellite imagery and derived products for mesoscale and short-range weather warning and

What are the characteristics of 'sexually ready' adolescents? Exploring the sexual readiness of youth in urban poor Accra.

Science.gov (United States)

Biney, Adriana A E; Dodoo, F Nii-Amoo

2016-01-05

Adolescent sexual activity, especially among the urban poor, remains a challenge. Despite numerous interventions and programs to address the negative consequences arising from early and frequent sexual activity among youth in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, only slight progress has been made. A plausible explanation is that our understanding of what adolescents think about sex and about their own sexuality is poor. In that sense, examining how adolescents in urban poor communities think about their sexual readiness, and identifying characteristics associated with that sexual self-concept dimension, should deepen our understanding of this topical issue. A total of 196 male and female adolescents, ages 12 to 19, were surveyed in the 2011 RIPS Urban Health and Poverty Project in Accra, Ghana. The youth responded to three statements which determined their levels of sexual readiness. Other background characteristics were also obtained enabling the assessment of the correlates of their preparedness to engage in sex. The data were analyzed using ordered logistic regression models. Overall, the majority of respondents did not consider themselves ready for sex. Multivariate analyses indicated that sexual experience, exposure to pornographic movies, gender, ethnicity and household wealth were significantly linked to their readiness for sex. Sexual readiness is related to sexual activity as well as other characteristics of the adolescents, suggesting the need to consider these factors in the design of programs and interventions to curb early sex. The subject of sexual readiness has to be investigated further to ensure adolescents do not identify with any negative effects of this sexual self-view.

Experiences of parents regarding a school-readiness intervention for pre-school children facilitated by Community Health Nursing students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari Prinsloo

2015-01-01

When CHN students engage with communities through service learning, a school-readiness intervention may serve as a powerful tool to provide parents with the support that is needed to empower them with the skills to contribute towards their children’s early childhood development. It may improve the parent–child relationship which is critical in the development of children.

The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

School readiness includes not only the early academic skills of children but also their physical health, language skills, social and emotional development, motivation to learn, creativity, and general knowledge. Families and communities play a critical role in ensuring children's growth in all of these areas and thus their readiness for school. Schools must be prepared to teach all children when they reach the age of school entry, regardless of their degree of readiness. Research on early brain development emphasizes the effects of early experiences, relationships, and emotions on creating and reinforcing the neural connections that are the basis for learning. Pediatricians, by the nature of their relationships with families and children, may significantly influence school readiness. Pediatricians have a primary role in ensuring children's physical health through the provision of preventive care, treatment of illness, screening for sensory deficits, and monitoring nutrition and growth. They can promote and monitor the social-emotional development of children by providing anticipatory guidance on development and behavior, by encouraging positive parenting practices, by modeling reciprocal and respectful communication with adults and children, by identifying and addressing psychosocial risk factors, and by providing community-based resources and referrals when warranted. Cognitive and language skills are fostered through timely identification of developmental problems and appropriate referrals for services, including early intervention and special education services; guidance regarding safe and stimulating early education and child care programs; and promotion of early literacy by encouraging language-rich activities such as reading together, telling stories, and playing games. Pediatricians are also well positioned to advocate not only for children's access to health care but also for high-quality early childhood education and evidence-based family supports such as

Capacity and readiness for quality improvement among home and community-based service providers.

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Abrahamson, Kathleen; Myers, Jaclyn; Arling, Greg; Davila, Heather; Mueller, Christine; Abery, Brian; Cai, Yun

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore home and community-based service (HCBS) providers' perspectives of organizational readiness for quality improvement (QI). Data were obtained from a survey of participants (N = 56) in a state-sponsored HCBS QI initiative. Quality improvement challenges included lack of time and resources, staff apprehension or resistance, resistance from consumers and families, and project sustainability. Support from leadership was viewed as an important factor in participating organizations' decision to engage in QI. Internal resources available to support QI varied widely between participating organizations, with differences observed between smaller and larger agencies, as well as between provider types and populations served.

Refinement of a Conceptual Model for Adolescent Readiness to Engage in End-of-Life Discussions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Cynthia J; Zimet, Gregory D; Hinds, Pamela S; Broome, Marion E; McDaniel, Anna M; Mays, Rose M; Champion, Victoria L

Adolescents living with incurable cancer require ongoing support to process grief, emotions, and information as disease progresses including treatment options (phase 1 clinical trials and/or hospice/palliative care). Little is known about how adolescents become ready for such discussions. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of adolescent readiness for end-of-life preparedness discussions, generating a theoretical understanding for guiding clinical conversations when curative options are limited. We explored 2 in-depth cases across time using case-study methodology. An à priori conceptual model based on current end-of-life research guided data collection and analysis. Multiple sources including in-depth adolescent interviews generated data collection on model constructs. Analysis followed a logical sequence establishing a chain of evidence linking raw data to study conclusions. Synthesis and data triangulation across cases and time led to theoretical generalizations. Initially, we proposed a linear process of readiness with 3 domains: a cognitive domain (awareness), an emotional domain (acceptance), and a behavioral domain (willingness), which preceded preparedness. Findings led to conceptual model refinement showing readiness is a dynamic internal process that interacts with preparedness. Current awareness context facilitates the type of preparedness discussions (cognitive or emotional). Furthermore, social constraint inhibits discussions. Data support theoretical understanding of the dynamism of readiness. Future research that validates adolescent conceptualization will ensure age-appropriate readiness representation. Understanding the dynamic process of readiness for engaging in end-of-life preparedness provides clinician insight for guiding discussions that facilitate shared decision making and promote quality of life for adolescents and their families.

In silico models for predicting ready biodegradability under REACH: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzo, Fabiola; Lombardo, Anna; Manganaro, Alberto; Benfenati, Emilio

2013-10-01

REACH (Registration Evaluation Authorization and restriction of Chemicals) legislation is a new European law which aims to raise the human protection level and environmental health. Under REACH all chemicals manufactured or imported for more than one ton per year must be evaluated for their ready biodegradability. Ready biodegradability is also used as a screening test for persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances. REACH encourages the use of non-testing methods such as QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) models in order to save money and time and to reduce the number of animals used for scientific purposes. Some QSAR models are available for predicting ready biodegradability. We used a dataset of 722 compounds to test four models: VEGA, TOPKAT, BIOWIN 5 and 6 and START and compared their performance on the basis of the following parameters: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC). Performance was analyzed from different points of view. The first calculation was done on the whole dataset and VEGA and TOPKAT gave the best accuracy (88% and 87% respectively). Then we considered the compounds inside and outside the training set: BIOWIN 6 and 5 gave the best results for accuracy (81%) outside training set. Another analysis examined the applicability domain (AD). VEGA had the highest value for compounds inside the AD for all the parameters taken into account. Finally, compounds outside the training set and in the AD of the models were considered to assess predictive ability. VEGA gave the best accuracy results (99%) for this group of chemicals. Generally, START model gave poor results. Since BIOWIN, TOPKAT and VEGA models performed well, they may be used to predict ready biodegradability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From Readiness to Action: How Motivation Works

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kruglanski Arie W.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We present a new theoretical construct labeled motivational readiness. It is defined as the inclination, whether or not ultimately implemented, to satisfy a desire. A general model of readiness is described which builds on the work of prior theories, including animal learning models and personality approaches, and which aims to integrate a variety of research findings across different domains of motivational research. Components of this model include the Want state (that is, an individual’s currently active desire, and the Expectancy of being able to satisfy that Want. We maintain that the Want concept is the critical ingredient in motivational readiness: without it, readiness cannot exist. In contrast, some motivational readiness can exist without Expectancy. We also discuss the role of incentive in motivational readiness. Incentive is presently conceived of in terms of a Match between a Want and a Perceived Situational Affordance. Whereas in classic models incentive was portrayed as a first order determinant of motivational readiness, here we describe it as a second order factor which affects readiness by influencing Want, Expectancy, or both. The new model’s relation to its theoretical predecessors, and its implications for future research, also are discussed.

Integrating technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model: an empirical study of mobile services.

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Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Ming-Ling; Lin, Chieh-Peng

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to integrate technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) for explaining individuals' continuance of mobile data service usage. After reviewing the ECM and technology readiness, an integrated model was demonstrated via empirical data. Compared with the original ECM, the findings of this study show that the integrated model may offer an ameliorated way to clarify what factors and how they influence the continuous intention toward mobile services. Finally, the major findings are summarized, and future research directions are suggested.

Work readiness tools for young adults with chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Metzinger, Courtney; Berg, Christine

2015-01-01

Young adults with chronic health conditions can experience barriers to work performance, ability, and their present and future worker roles. Work readiness resources can expand individuals' work skills, abilities, and interests. Five work readiness tools are presented (1) building an occupational profile, (2) generating environmental strategies, (3) on-the-job strategy use, and exploration of online tools (4) O*NET® and (5) O*NET® Interest Profiler, along with two theories (Knowles's Andragogy and Lawton's Ecological Model) to guide tool use. Use of these tools can assist young adults to better manage their health and expand their vocational identities for success at work. These approaches and tools support health professionals, community partners, and vocational organizations in their efforts to help young adults with chronic conditions.

Suicide prevention as a community development process: understanding circumpolar youth suicide prevention through community level outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, James; Mohatt, Gerald; Fok, Carlotta Ching Ting; Henry, David

2009-06-01

Community-based models have become increasingly prominent in prevention, and have special relevance for suicide prevention in circumpolar Indigenous communities. It follows that outcomes from circumpolar suicide prevention programs might be more completely understood at the community level. We present here a methodology for analysis at this level. This paper seeks to understand a cultural prevention program for rural Yup'ik youth in Alaska targeting suicide and co-occurring alcohol abuse as a community development process through changes at the community level. Quasi-experimental design with assessment at pre- and post-intervention or at 4 time points. The community development process for this project began in October 2004. The first program baseline assessment began in November 2006, prior to prevention activities with youth and parents, and the post-intervention assessment concluded in March 2008. Five key informants pre- and post-intervention completed a community readiness assessment, which is a structured procedure assessing a community's awareness of suicide as an issue and its, organizational readiness for prevention programming. Forty-three adult caregivers or sponsors of youth in the prevention program completed an assessment of behaviours that contributed to community protective factors from youth suicide and alcohol abuse at 4 time points before, during and after the intervention. The 54 youth who participated in the prevention program completed an assessment of community protective factors, also at 4 time points before, during and after the intervention. The community protective factors from suicide that were assessed included safety, enforcement of alcohol prohibitions, role models, support and opportunities for youth. Community readiness for the prevention efforts increased to new developmental stages of readiness post-intervention, and a trend in the data suggested community protective factors increased in the amount of protective behaviours

A new in silico classification model for ready biodegradability, based on molecular fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, Anna; Pizzo, Fabiola; Benfenati, Emilio; Manganaro, Alberto; Ferrari, Thomas; Gini, Giuseppina

2014-08-01

Regulations such as the European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals) often require chemicals to be evaluated for ready biodegradability, to assess the potential risk for environmental and human health. Because not all chemicals can be tested, there is an increasing demand for tools for quick and inexpensive biodegradability screening, such as computer-based (in silico) theoretical models. We developed an in silico model starting from a dataset of 728 chemicals with ready biodegradability data (MITI-test Ministry of International Trade and Industry). We used the novel software SARpy to automatically extract, through a structural fragmentation process, a set of substructures statistically related to ready biodegradability. Then, we analysed these substructures in order to build some general rules. The model consists of a rule-set made up of the combination of the statistically relevant fragments and of the expert-based rules. The model gives good statistical performance with 92%, 82% and 76% accuracy on the training, test and external set respectively. These results are comparable with other in silico models like BIOWIN developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); moreover this new model includes an easily understandable explanation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritization of in silico models and molecular descriptors for the assessment of ready biodegradability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández, Alberto; Rallo, Robert; Giralt, Francesc

2015-01-01

Ready biodegradability is a key property for evaluating the long-term effects of chemicals on the environment and human health. As such, it is used as a screening test for the assessment of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances. Regulators encourage the use of non-testing methods, such as in silico models, to save money and time. A dataset of 757 chemicals was collected to assess the performance of four freely available in silico models that predict ready biodegradability. They were applied to develop a new consensus method that prioritizes the use of each individual model according to its performance on chemical subsets driven by the presence or absence of different molecular descriptors. This consensus method was capable of almost eliminating unpredictable chemicals, while the performance of combined models was substantially improved with respect to that of the individual models. - Highlights: • Consensus method to predict ready biodegradability by prioritizing multiple QSARs. • Consensus reduced the amount of unpredictable chemicals to less than 2%. • Performance increased with the number of QSAR models considered. • The absence of 2D atom pairs contributed significantly to the consensus model.

Prioritization of in silico models and molecular descriptors for the assessment of ready biodegradability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernández, Alberto [Departament d’Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Catalonia (Spain); Rallo, Robert [Departament d’Enginyeria Informatica i Matematiques, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Catalonia (Spain); Giralt, Francesc [Departament d’Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Catalonia (Spain)

2015-10-15

Ready biodegradability is a key property for evaluating the long-term effects of chemicals on the environment and human health. As such, it is used as a screening test for the assessment of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances. Regulators encourage the use of non-testing methods, such as in silico models, to save money and time. A dataset of 757 chemicals was collected to assess the performance of four freely available in silico models that predict ready biodegradability. They were applied to develop a new consensus method that prioritizes the use of each individual model according to its performance on chemical subsets driven by the presence or absence of different molecular descriptors. This consensus method was capable of almost eliminating unpredictable chemicals, while the performance of combined models was substantially improved with respect to that of the individual models. - Highlights: • Consensus method to predict ready biodegradability by prioritizing multiple QSARs. • Consensus reduced the amount of unpredictable chemicals to less than 2%. • Performance increased with the number of QSAR models considered. • The absence of 2D atom pairs contributed significantly to the consensus model.

Measurement properties of a novel survey to assess stages of organizational readiness for evidence-based interventions in community chronic disease prevention settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stamatakis Katherine A

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a great deal of variation in the existing capacity of primary prevention programs and policies addressing chronic disease to deliver evidence-based interventions (EBIs. In order to develop and evaluate implementation strategies that are tailored to the appropriate level of capacity, there is a need for an easy-to-administer tool to stage organizational readiness for EBIs. Methods Based on theoretical frameworks, including Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations, we developed a survey instrument to measure four domains representing stages of readiness for EBI: awareness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. A separate scale representing organizational climate as a potential mediator of readiness for EBIs was also included in the survey. Twenty-three questions comprised the four domains, with four to nine items each, using a seven-point response scale. Representatives from obesity, asthma, diabetes, and tobacco prevention programs serving diverse populations in the United States were surveyed (N = 243; test-retest reliability was assessed with 92 respondents. Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was used to test and refine readiness scales. Test-retest reliability of the readiness scales, as measured by intraclass correlation, ranged from 0.47–0.71. CFA found good fit for the five-item adoption and implementation scales and resulted in revisions of the awareness and maintenance scales. The awareness scale was split into two two-item scales, representing community and agency awareness. The maintenance scale was split into five- and four-item scales, representing infrastructural maintenance and evaluation maintenance, respectively. Internal reliability of scales (Cronbach’s α ranged from 0.66–0.78. The model for the final revised scales approached good fit, with most factor loadings >0.6 and all >0.4. Conclusions The lack of adequate measurement tools hinders progress in dissemination and implementation

Measuring readiness for sustainable transformation: an application of integral theory in the suburbs of Bangkok

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Panthasen, T.; Santisan, A.; Lambregts, B.

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results of a pilot study into the readiness of a local community to engage in an environmental transformation process. It uses elements of Sufficiency Economy and Integral Theory to explore to what extent a suburban Bangkok community is ready to adopt biological wastewater

First Responder Readiness: A Systems Approach to Readiness Assessment Using Model Based Vulnerability Analysis Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

2005-09-01

to come—if it be not to come, it will be now—if it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. . .” --- Shakespeare , Hamlet , 5.2.215-219...BLANK 1 I. READINESS OVERVIEW A. INTRODUCTION “ Hamlet : . . . There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now ‘tis not

The Sandia MEMS Passive Shock Sensor : FY08 testing for functionality, model validation, and technology readiness.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walraven, Jeremy Allen; Blecke, Jill; Baker, Michael Sean; Clemens, Rebecca C.; Mitchell, John Anthony; Brake, Matthew Robert; Epp, David S.; Wittwer, Jonathan W.

2008-10-01

This report summarizes the functional, model validation, and technology readiness testing of the Sandia MEMS Passive Shock Sensor in FY08. Functional testing of a large number of revision 4 parts showed robust and consistent performance. Model validation testing helped tune the models to match data well and identified several areas for future investigation related to high frequency sensitivity and thermal effects. Finally, technology readiness testing demonstrated the integrated elements of the sensor under realistic environments.

Birth preparedness and complication readiness - a qualitative study among community members in rural Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

August, Furaha; Pembe, Andrea B; Kayombo, Edmund; Mbekenga, Columba; Axemo, Pia; Darj, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) strategies are aimed at reducing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care. Counselling on birth preparedness is provided during antenatal care visits. However, it is not clear why birth preparedness messages do not translate to utilisation of facility delivery. This study explores the perceptions, experiences, and challenges the community faces on BP/CR. A qualitative study design using Focused Group Discussions was conducted. Twelve focus group discussions were held with four separate groups: young men and women and older men and women in a rural community in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The community members expressed a perceived need to prepare for childbirth. They were aware of the importance to attend the antenatal clinics, relied on family support for practical and financial preparations such as saving money for costs related to delivery, moving closer to the nearest hospital, and also to use traditional herbs, in favour of a positive outcome. Community recognised that pregnancy and childbirth complications are preferably treated at hospital. Facility delivery was preferred; however, certain factors including stigma on unmarried women and transportation were identified as hindering birth preparedness and hence utilisation of skilled care. Challenges were related to the consequences of poverty, though the maternal health care should be free, they perceived difficulties due to informal user fees. This study revealed community perceptions that were in favour of using skilled care in BP/CR. However, issues related to inability to prepare in advance hinder the realisation of the intention to use skilled care. It is important to innovate how the community reinforces BP/CR, such as using insurance schemes, using community health funds, and providing information on other birth preparedness messages via community health workers.

A maturity model to assess organisational readiness for change

OpenAIRE

Zephir, Olivier; Minel, Stéphanie; Chapotot, Emilie

2011-01-01

International audience; The presented model which is developed in a European project allows project management teams to assess the organisational maturity to integrate new practices under structural or technological change. Maturity for change is defined here as workforce capability to operate effectively in transformed processes. This methodology is addressed to tackle organisational readiness to fulfil business objectives through technological and structural improvements. The tool integrate...

Contextual factors influencing readiness for dissemination of obesity prevention programs and policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreisinger, Mariah L; Boland, Elizabeth M; Filler, Carl D; Baker, Elizabeth A; Hessel, Amy S; Brownson, Ross C

2012-04-01

Within the realm of obesity prevention research, there have been many promising interventions to improve physical activity and nutrition among diverse target populations. However, very little information is known about the dissemination and replication of these interventions. In 2007 and 2008 as part of a larger obesity prevention initiative, Missouri Foundation for Health funded 19 community-based programs throughout the state that showed promise of being model practices and committed to promoting their dissemination. Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with 64 individuals across the grant sites to help stage their readiness for dissemination. Through these interviews, the project team was able to identify the variables that impact a program's readiness for widespread distribution. Some factors contributing to readiness include: strong intervention planning and an existing sustainability plan; physical space available for the intervention; staff and monetary resources; administrative buy-in; community buy-in and engagement; a strong partner base and an agency with a healthy and active mission. These findings add to the literature by systematically identifying a set of key contextual variables. The qualitative data collected support a proposed framework and helps to establish a process for maintaining successful interventions based on several important factors that impact dissemination.

Moving communities toward policy change: APPEAL's 4-prong policy change model.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Elisa K; Lew, Rod

2013-09-01

Policy change is recognized for underlying much of the success of tobacco control. However, there is little evidence and attention on how Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities may engage in policy change. Challenges for AA and NHPI communities include the racial/ethnic and geographic diversity, and tobacco data accurately representing the communities. Over the past decade, the Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL) has worked to develop and implement policy change for AA and NHPI communities. This article describes APPEAL's 4-prong policy change model, in the context of its overall strategic framework for policy change with communities that accounts for varying levels of readiness and leadership capacity, and targets four different levels of policy change (community, mainstream institution, legislative, and corporate). The health promotion implication of this framework for tobacco control policy engagement is for improving understanding of effective pathways to policy change, promoting innovative methods for policy analysis, and translating them into effective implementation and sustainability of policy initiatives. The APPEAL strategic framework can transcend into other communities and health topics that ultimately may contribute to the elimination of health disparities.

Assessing readiness of cyberinfrastructure resources for cross-domain interoperability: a view from an NSF EarthCube roadmap

Science.gov (United States)

Zaslavsky, Ilya; Couch, Alva; Richard, Stephen; Valentine, David; Lehnert, Kerstin; Stocks, Karen; Murphy, Philip

2013-04-01

EarthCube is a new research initiative of the U.S. National Science Foundation, with the mission to develop community-guided cyberinfrastructure integrating data, models and other resources across geoscience disciplines. Analysis and modeling of physical processes that are not confined to disciplinary or jurisdictional boundaries, requires that data and models can be re-used outside the original context in which they are collected or developed. Infrastructure readiness for cross-domain interoperability encompasses the capabilities that need to be in place to enable such information re-use and ensure that it is both scientifically sound and technically feasible. In an ideal cross-domain information integration scenario, resources can be discovered via federated catalogs and linked nomenclatures from neighboring domains, while standard data services can be used to transparently compile composite data products and to integrate information using commonality in key data characteristics related to shared models of spatial features, time measurements, and observations. The main premise of the cross-domain readiness assessment is that when accessing domain resources from another domain, a user expects to be able to discover these resources, interpret them, retrieve the information, and integrate it with other data. Documentation of the resource must be sufficient for a user in a different context to determine fitness for use, and establish trust in scientific soundness. As part of an EarthCube roadmap focused on cross-domain interoperability, we explored a number of approaches to cyberinfrastructure readiness assessment, addressing both readiness of existing resources, and readiness of processes that enable cross-domain communication and information exchange across disciplinary boundaries. Our initial assessment considers basic infrastructure components required to enable cross-domain interoperability in the geosciences. These components, and the evaluation metrics

Birth preparedness and complication readiness – a qualitative study among community members in rural Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Furaha August

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR strategies are aimed at reducing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care. Counselling on birth preparedness is provided during antenatal care visits. However, it is not clear why birth preparedness messages do not translate to utilisation of facility delivery. This study explores the perceptions, experiences, and challenges the community faces on BP/CR. Design: A qualitative study design using Focused Group Discussions was conducted. Twelve focus group discussions were held with four separate groups: young men and women and older men and women in a rural community in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The community members expressed a perceived need to prepare for childbirth. They were aware of the importance to attend the antenatal clinics, relied on family support for practical and financial preparations such as saving money for costs related to delivery, moving closer to the nearest hospital, and also to use traditional herbs, in favour of a positive outcome. Community recognised that pregnancy and childbirth complications are preferably treated at hospital. Facility delivery was preferred; however, certain factors including stigma on unmarried women and transportation were identified as hindering birth preparedness and hence utilisation of skilled care. Challenges were related to the consequences of poverty, though the maternal health care should be free, they perceived difficulties due to informal user fees. Conclusions: This study revealed community perceptions that were in favour of using skilled care in BP/CR. However, issues related to inability to prepare in advance hinder the realisation of the intention to use skilled care. It is important to innovate how the community reinforces BP/CR, such as using insurance schemes, using community health funds, and providing information on other birth preparedness messages via

Birth preparedness and complication readiness – a qualitative study among community members in rural Tanzania

Science.gov (United States)

August, Furaha; Pembe, Andrea B.; Kayombo, Edmund; Mbekenga, Columba; Axemo, Pia; Darj, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Background Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) strategies are aimed at reducing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care. Counselling on birth preparedness is provided during antenatal care visits. However, it is not clear why birth preparedness messages do not translate to utilisation of facility delivery. This study explores the perceptions, experiences, and challenges the community faces on BP/CR. Design A qualitative study design using Focused Group Discussions was conducted. Twelve focus group discussions were held with four separate groups: young men and women and older men and women in a rural community in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The community members expressed a perceived need to prepare for childbirth. They were aware of the importance to attend the antenatal clinics, relied on family support for practical and financial preparations such as saving money for costs related to delivery, moving closer to the nearest hospital, and also to use traditional herbs, in favour of a positive outcome. Community recognised that pregnancy and childbirth complications are preferably treated at hospital. Facility delivery was preferred; however, certain factors including stigma on unmarried women and transportation were identified as hindering birth preparedness and hence utilisation of skilled care. Challenges were related to the consequences of poverty, though the maternal health care should be free, they perceived difficulties due to informal user fees. Conclusions This study revealed community perceptions that were in favour of using skilled care in BP/CR. However, issues related to inability to prepare in advance hinder the realisation of the intention to use skilled care. It is important to innovate how the community reinforces BP/CR, such as using insurance schemes, using community health funds, and providing information on other birth preparedness messages via community health workers

Moving Communities Toward Policy Change: APPEAL’s 4-Prong Policy Change Model

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Elisa K.; Lew, Rod

2014-01-01

Policy change is recognized for underlying much of the success of tobacco control. However, there is little evidence and attention on how Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities may engage in policy change. Challenges for AA and NHPI communities include the racial/ethnic and geographic diversity, and tobacco data accurately representing the communities. Over the past decade, the Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL) has worked to develop and implement policy change for AA and NHPI communities. This article describes APPEAL’s 4-prong policy change model, in the context of its overall strategic framework for policy change with communities that accounts for varying levels of readiness and leadership capacity, and targets four different levels of policy change (community, mainstream institution, legislative, and corporate). The health promotion implication of this framework for tobacco control policy engagement is for improving understanding of effective pathways to policy change, promoting innovative methods for policy analysis, and translating them into effective implementation and sustainability of policy initiatives. The APPEAL strategic framework can transcend into other communities and health topics that ultimately may contribute to the elimination of health disparities. PMID:23707962

Green IT Readiness: A Framework and Preliminary Proof of Concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alemayehu Molla

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Businesses are under increasing pressure from customers, competitors, regulators and community groups to implement sustainable business practices. Balancing economic and environmental performance to be green and competitive is therefore a key strategic issue. The information technology (IT sector is one of the pioneer sectors which started working on the sustainable development model. However, it is only lately that researchers and organisations have begun to consider the role of IT, not only in contributing to a businesses environmental footprint but also in tackling climate change problems. Usually coined as, “Green Information Technology”, the role of IT in causing and resolving ecological sustainability, in maintaining low cost IT shops, in building green reputation capital and in supporting corporate green strategies has hardly been researched. This paper identifies four main areas of Green IT capability and describes the main pillars of a G-readiness framework to help organisations evaluate their maturity for Green IT. The utility of the framework is demonstrated through a desk-based research case study of seven organisations. The paper argues that just as e-readiness has been, and continues to be, a critical capability in the digital economy, G-readiness is an equally critical capability in the low carbon digital economy. Without a clear understanding of G-readiness, organisations would approach Green IT initiatives on an ad hoc and somewhat reactive basis, which is undesirable.

Enterobacteriaceae Antibiotic Resistance in Ready-to-Eat Foods Collected from Hospital and Community Canteens: Analysis of Prevalence.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincenti, Sara; Raponi, Matteo; Sezzatini, Romina; Giubbini, Gabriele; Laurenti, Patrizia

2018-03-01

Foodborne diseases and antibiotic resistance are serious widespread health problems in the contemporary world. In this study, we compared the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods found in community canteens versus hospital canteens in Rome, Italy, focusing on detection and quantification of Enterobacteriaceae and the antibiotic resistance of these bacteria. Our findings show a remarkable difference in Enterobacteriaceae contamination between RTE foods distributed in community canteens (33.5% of samples) and those distributed in hospital canteens (5.3% of samples). This result highlights greater attention to good manufacturing practices and good hygiene practices by the food operators in hospitals compared with food operators in community canteens. As expected, a higher percentage of cold food samples (70.9%) than of hot food samples (10.8%) were positive for these bacteria. Excluding the intrinsic resistance of each bacterial strain, 92.3% of the isolated strains were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and about half of the isolated strains were classified as multidrug resistant. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains was 50% in the community samples and 33.3% in hospital canteens. Our results indicate that approximately 38% of RTE foods provided in community canteens is not compliant with microbiological food safety criteria and could be a special risk for consumers through spread of antibiotic-resistant strains. Hygienic processing and handling of foods is necessary for both hospital and community canteens.

Stages of Change, Smoking Behaviour and Readiness to Quit in a Large Sample of Indigenous Australians Living in Eight Remote North Queensland Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robyn McDermott

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Tobacco smoking is a major health issue for Indigenous Australians, however there are few interventions with demonstrated efficacy in this population. The Transtheoretical Model may provide a useful framework for describing smoking behaviour and assessing readiness to quit, with the aim of developing better interventions. Interviews were conducted with 593 Indigenous Australians in eight rural and remote communities in north Queensland, to examine stages of change and smoking behaviour. Among current smokers, 39.6% and 43.4% were in Precontemplation and Contemplation stages respectively. A further 13.9% were making preparations to quit (Preparation whilst only 3.2% said they were actively trying to quit (Action. When analysed by stage of change, the pattern of smoking-related behaviours conformed to the results of past research using the model. Importantly however, distribution of individuals across the stages opposes those observed in investigations of smoking behaviour in non-Indigenous Australian populations. The Transtheoretical Model can be used to meaningfully classify Indigenous smokers in remote north Queensland according to stages along the behaviour change continuum. Importantly, in this large sample across eight communities, most Indigenous smokers were not making preparations to change their smoking behaviour. This suggests that interventions should focus on promoting movement toward the Preparation and Action stages of change.

MODELLING THE FUTURE MUSIC TEACHERS’ READINESS TO PERFORMING AND INTERPRETIVE ACTIVITY DURING INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenj Bo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available One of the main fields of training future music teachers in Ukrainian system of higher education is instrumental music one, such as skills of performing and interpretive activities. The aim of the article is to design a model of the future music teachers’ readiness to performing and interpretive activities in musical and instrumental training. The process of modelling is based on several interrelated scientific approaches, including systemic, personality-centered, reflective, competence, active and creative ones. While designing a model of music future teachers’ readinesses to musical interpretive activities, its philosophical, informative, interactive, hedonistic, creative functions are taken into account. Important theoretical and methodological factors are thought to be principles of musical and pedagogical education: culture correspondence and reflection; unity of emotional and conscious, artistic and technical items in musical education; purposeful interrelations and art and pedagogical communication between teachers and students; intensification of music and creative activity. Above-mentioned pedagogical phenomenon is subdivided into four components: motivation-oriented, cognitive-evaluating, performance-independent, creative and productive. For each component relevant criteria and indicators are identified. The stages of future music teachers’ readiness to performing interpretative activity are highlighted: information searching one, which contributes to the implementation of complex diagnostic methods (surveys, questionnaires, testing; regulative and performing one, which is characterized by future music teachers’ immersion into music performing and interpretative activities; operational and reflective stage, which involves activation of mechanisms of future music teachers’ self-knowledge, self-realization, formation of skills of independent artistic and expressive various music genres and styles interpretation; projective and

Stakeholder validation of a model of readiness for transition to adult care.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Lisa A; Brumley, Lauren D; Tuchman, Lisa K; Barakat, Lamia P; Hobbie, Wendy L; Ginsberg, Jill P; Daniel, Lauren C; Kazak, Anne E; Bevans, Katherine; Deatrick, Janet A

2013-10-01

That too few youth with special health care needs make the transition to adult-oriented health care successfully may be due, in part, to lack of readiness to transfer care. There is a lack of theoretical models to guide development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines, assessments, and interventions to improve transition readiness. To further validate the Social-ecological Model of Adolescent and Young Adult Readiness to Transition (SMART) via feedback from stakeholders (patients, parents, and providers) from a medically diverse population in need of life-long follow-up care, survivors of childhood cancer. Mixed-methods participatory research design. A large Mid-Atlantic children's hospital. Adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer (n = 14), parents (n = 18), and pediatric providers (n = 10). Patients and parents participated in focus groups; providers participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Validity of SMART was assessed 3 ways: (1) ratings on importance of SMART components for transition readiness using a 5-point scale (0-4; ratings >2 support validity), (2) nominations of 3 "most important" components, and (3) directed content analysis of focus group/interview transcripts. Qualitative data supported the validity of SMART, with minor modifications to definitions of components. Quantitative ratings met criteria for validity; stakeholders endorsed all components of SMART as important for transition. No additional SMART variables were suggested by stakeholders and the "most important" components varied by stakeholders, thus supporting the comprehensiveness of SMART and need to involve multiple perspectives. SMART represents a comprehensive and empirically validated framework for transition research and program planning, supported by survivors of childhood cancer, parents, and pediatric providers. Future research should validate SMART among other populations with special health care needs.

Development and evaluation of a 16S ribosomal DNA array-based approach for describing complex microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads packed in a modified atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudi, Knut; Flateland, Signe L; Hanssen, Jon Fredrik; Bengtsson, Gunnar; Nissen, Hilde

2002-03-01

There is a clear need for new approaches in the field of microbial community analyses, since the methods used can be severely biased. We have developed a DNA array-based method that targets 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), enabling the direct detection and quantification of microorganisms from complex communities without cultivation. The approach is based on the construction of specific probes from the 16S rDNA sequence data retrieved directly from the communities. The specificity of the assay is obtained through a combination of DNA array hybridization and enzymatic labeling of the constructed probes. Cultivation-dependent assays (enrichment and plating) and cultivation-independent assays (direct fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) were used as reference methods in the development and evaluation of the method. The description of microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads in a modified atmosphere was used as the experimental model. Comparisons were made with respect to the effect of storage at different temperatures for up to 12 days and with respect to the geographic origin of the crisphead lettuce (Spanish or Norwegian), the main salad component. The conclusion drawn from the method comparison was that the DNA array-based method gave an accurate description of the microbial communities. Pseudomonas spp. dominated both of the salad batches, containing either Norwegian or Spanish lettuce, before storage and after storage at 4 degrees C. The Pseudomonas population also dominated the batch containing Norwegian lettuce after storage at 10 degrees C. On the contrary, Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial community of the batch containing Spanish lettuce after storage at 10 degrees C. In that batch, the Enterobacteriaceae also were abundant after storage at 4 degrees C as well as before storage. The practical implications of these results are that microbial communities in ready-to-eat vegetable salads can be

The impact of undergraduate clinical teaching models on the perceptions of work-readiness among new graduate nurses: A cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Emma E B; Boyd, Leanne; Mnatzaganian, George

2017-08-01

Clinical Placements are an essential component of bridging the gap between academic theory and nursing practice. There are multiple clinical models designed to ease the transition from student to professional, yet there has been little exploration of such models and their impact on graduates' perceptions of work-readiness. This cross sectional study examined perceptions of work-readiness of new graduate nurses who attended one of the following clinical teaching models: the University Fellowship Program (UFP), the Traditional Multi-facility Clinical Model (TMCPM), and the Mixed Program (MP). Three groups of first year graduate nurses (UFP, TMCPM, and MP) were compared using the Work-readiness Scale, a validated and reliable tool, which assessed nurses' perceptions of work-readiness in four domains: organizational acumen, personal work characteristics, social intelligence, and work competence. A multivariable Generalized Estimating Equations regression investigated socio-demographic and teaching-modelrelated factors associated with work-readiness. Of 43 nurses approached, 28 completed the survey (65% response rate) of whom 6 were UFP attendants, 8 attended the TMCPM and 14 the MP. Those who had attended the UFP scored higher than the other two in all four domains; however, the crude between-group comparisons did not yield statistically significant results. Only after accounting for age, gender, teaching setting and prior work experience, the multivariable model showed that undertaking the UFP was likely to increase perceptions of work-readiness by 1.4 points (95% CI 0.11-2.69), P=0.03). The UFP was superior to the other two placement models. The study suggests that the UFP may enhance graduate nurses' perceptions of work readiness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Birth preparedness, complication readiness and fathers' participation in maternity care in a northern Nigerian community.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliyasu, Zubairu; Abubakar, Isa S; Galadanci, Hadiza S; Aliyu, Muktar H

2010-03-01

The role of men in maternity care in Africa is understudied, despite their economic dominance and decision making power. In a patriarchal society like northern Nigeria, pregnancy and childbirth are often regarded as exclusively women's affairs. Using data from interviewer administered questionnaires and in-depth interviews; we assessed birth preparedness, complication readiness and male participation in maternity care in Ungogo, a northern Nigerian community. Majority of pregnancies were unplanned (96%). Only 32.1% of men ever accompanied their spouses for maternity care. There was very little preparation for skilled assistance during delivery (6.2%), savings for emergencies (19.5%) or transportation during labour (24.2%). Young paternal age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.6), formal education (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI=1.1-3.4) and non-Hausa Fulani ethnicity (AOR=2.3, 95% CI = 1.4-3.3) were independent predictors of male participation in maternity care. There is a need to increase involvement of men in their partner's maternity care through peer-led, culturally-sensitive community education and appropriate health system reforms.

A Multidimensional Model for Child Maltreatment Prevention Readiness in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Mikton, Christopher; Mehra, Radhika; Butchart, Alexander; Addiss, David; Almuneef, Maha; Cardia, Nancy; Cheah, Irene; Chen, JingQi; Makoae, Mokhantso; Raleva, Marija

2011-01-01

The study's aim was to develop a multidimensional model for the assessment of child maltreatment prevention readiness in low- and middle-income countries. The model was developed based on a conceptual review of relevant existing models and approaches, an international expert consultation, and focus groups in six countries. The final model…

Parents as partners: Building collaborations to support the development of school readiness skills in under-resourced communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Pitt

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary, qualitative review of a therapeutic programme for preschool children and their parents in severely under-resourced contexts to aid the development of the underlying skills required to be ready for formal school. A team of two pairs, each comprising an occupational therapist and a community worker, responded to teachers' requests to assist struggling children in their classes. This led to the development of a programme focusing on Grade R classes, by firstly helping teachers to develop their capability and confidence in assessing and assisting children to develop the abilities underlying vital school-readiness skills during whole-class, therapeutic group sessions. Secondly, parent group sessions were added to empower parents to understand and support their children's development needs at home and so to complement the work done by teachers in the classroom. This second aspect, of working with the parents, developed owing to observations of the children's irregular school attendance, scant parent-school contact, and teachers' reports indicating that parents were not aware of, nor equipped to deal with, the challenges faced by their children. Implications for practice, for planning and for further research are discussed.

The Effects of Ready to Use Bibliometric Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wildgaard, Lorna Elizabeth

2014-01-01

‘Ready to use’ bibliometric indicators are being used by end users as never before. Administrators and evaluators for assessment purposes, whereas researchers add indicators to their CV in a competitive move to show visibility in the academic community. ‘Ready to use’ indicators are important...... as they provide researchers with the opportunity to evaluate the effect of their own published works before being evaluated by others. The numerical values of these indicators have personal significance to the individual as they can be interpreted as criteria of success or failure, therefore the bibliometric...

Structural Equation Modeling towards Online Learning Readiness, Academic Motivations, and Perceived Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Horzum, Mehmet Baris; Kaymak, Zeliha Demir; Gungoren, Ozlem Canan

2015-01-01

The relationship between online learning readiness, academic motivations, and perceived learning was investigated via structural equation modeling in the research. The population of the research consisted of 750 students who studied using the online learning programs of Sakarya University. 420 of the students who volunteered for the research and…

The concept of readiness to change.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, Cindy C; Gottlieb, Laurie N

2003-04-01

Readiness is associated with change, yet there is little understanding of this construct. The purpose of this study was to examine readiness; its referents, associated factors and the resulting consequences. In the course of nursing five clients living with multiple sclerosis over a 7-month period using a Reflective Practice Model, data were systematically gathered using open-ended and then more focused questioning. Data collected during 42 client encounters (28 face-to-face encounters; 14 telephone contacts) were analysed using Chinn and Kramer's concept analysis technique. Findings. The concept of readiness was inductively derived. Readiness is both a state and a process. Before clients can create change they need to become ready to change. A number of factors trigger readiness. These include when: (a) clients perceive that a health concern is not going to resolve, (b) a change in a client's physical condition takes on new significance, (c) clients feel better able to manage their stress, (d) clients have sufficient energy, (e) clients perceive that they have adequate support in undertaking change. When one or more of these factors is present clients become ready to consider change. The process of readiness involves recognizing the need to change, weighing the costs and benefits and, when benefits outweigh costs, planning for change. The desire to change and to take action determines clients' degree of readiness. When they experience a high degree of readiness they report less anger, less depression, and view their condition in a more positive light. In contrast, when they experience a low degree of readiness they report feeling depressed, afraid and vulnerable in the face of change. Nursing has an important role to play in creating conditions to support change. To fulfil this role, nurses need to be able to assess readiness for change and the factors that enable it and then to intervene in ways that facilitate readiness.

A survey on the measure of combat readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Kwong Fook; Nor, Norazman Mohamad; Soon, Lee Lai

2014-09-01

Measuring the combat readiness in military forces involves the measures of tangible and intangible elements of combat power. Though these measures are applicable, the mathematical models and formulae used focus mainly on either the tangible or the intangible elements. In this paper, a review is done to highlight the research gap in the formulation of a mathematical model that incorporates tangible elements with intangible elements to measure the combat readiness of a military force. It highlights the missing link between the tangible and intangible elements of combat power. To bridge the gap and missing link, a mathematical model could be formulated that measures both the tangible and intangible aspects of combat readiness by establishing the relationship between the causal (tangible and intangible) elements and its effects on the measure of combat readiness. The model uses multiple regression analysis as well as mathematical modeling and simulation which digest the capability component reflecting its assets and resources, the morale component reflecting human needs, and the quality of life component reflecting soldiers' state of satisfaction in life. The results of the review provide a mean to bridge the research gap through the formulation of a mathematical model that shows the total measure of a military force's combat readiness. The results also significantly identify parameters for each of the variables and factors in the model.

The modelling of a digital forensic readiness approach for wireless local area networks

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ngobeni, S

2012-06-01

Full Text Available generated by the mobile stations and to conduct a proper digital forensic investigation. This paper attempts to address this issue by proposing a wireless digital forensic readiness model designed to monitor, log and preserve wireless network traffic...

A controlled community-based trial to promote smoke-free policy in rural communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Ellen J; Rayens, Mary Kay; Adkins, Sarah; Begley, Kathy; York, Nancy

2015-01-01

Rural, tobacco-growing areas are disproportionately affected by tobacco use, secondhand smoke, and weak tobacco control policies. The purpose was to test the effects of a stage-specific, tailored policy-focused intervention on readiness for smoke-free policy, and policy outcomes in rural underserved communities. A controlled community-based trial including 37 rural counties. Data were collected annually with community advocates (n = 330) and elected officials (n = 158) in 19 intervention counties and 18 comparison counties over 5 years (average response rate = 68%). Intervention communities received policy development strategies from community advisors tailored to their stage of readiness and designed to build capacity, build demand, and translate and disseminate science. Policy outcomes were tracked over 5 years. Communities receiving the stage-specific, tailored intervention had higher overall community readiness scores and better policy outcomes than the comparison counties, controlling for county-level smoking rate, population size, and education. Nearly one-third of the intervention counties adopted smoke-free laws covering restaurants, bars, and all workplaces compared to none of the comparison counties. The stage-specific, tailored policy-focused intervention acted as a value-added resource to local smoke-free campaigns by promoting readiness for policy, as well as actual policy change in rural communities. Although actual policy change and percent covered by the policies were modest, these areas need additional resources and efforts to build capacity, build demand, and translate and disseminate science in order to accelerate smoke-free policy change and reduce the enormous toll from tobacco in these high-risk communities. © 2014 National Rural Health Association.

Timing Is everything: quantifying regulatory and market readiness levels for technology transition policy analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobos, Peter Holmes [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Malczynski, Leonard A. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Walker, La Tonya Nicole [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Borns, David James [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2014-03-01

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

Process operational readiness and operational readiness follow-on

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nertney, R.J.

1992-11-01

The first document in the System Safety Development Center (SSDC) series deals with the subject of Occupancy-Use Readiness. The material included in that manual provided the basis for development of the SSDC workshop in Operational Readiness. The original Occupancy Readiness Manual, however, deals only generally with the subject of process safety; i.e., the safety of overall ''processes'' such as solar collection systems, nuclear reactors, and coal fired electrical plants. The manual also fails to detail the considerations involved in maintaining the state of readiness on a continuing basis. Both of the latter subjects are dealt with in some detail in the SSDC's Operational Readiness Workshop. The purpose of this document is to provide additional documentary material dealing with subjects introduced in SSDC-1 Occupancy-Use Readiness Manual, and SSDC-12, Safety Considerations in Evaluation of Maintenance Programs. In augmenting SSDC-1, Part I of this manual provides additional material related to process safety; in the case of SSDC-12, the subject of safety considerations in evaluation of maintenance programs is broadened in Part II to include maintenance of personnel systems and procedural systems as well as hardware. ''Maintenance'' is related more directly to the concept of operational readiness and an alternative analytical tree is provided for hardware maintenance program evaluation

Readiness to change criminal women and men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Biel

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The readiness of offenders to social rehabilitation is a new category in our country. Meanwhile, the research conducted in many countries indicates its usefulness in the diagnosis and selection of participants of rehabilitation programmes. This entails more effective interaction with convicted persons and greater responsibility on the part of convicted people for their own social rehabilitation process. The aim of this article is to present the main assumptions and models of readiness for change and their usefulness in social rehabilitation practice and to present pilot studies of readiness for change among criminal women and men in Kraków. Application of the Polish adaptation of the CVTRQ questionnaire made it possible to determine the level of convicted persons’ readiness, taking into account deficits in particular scales of the questionnaire and variables differentiating the group of ready and not ready people. At the end, guidelines for further research will be presented.

College and Career Readiness in the Middle Grades

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Mary Beth; Rivera, Lourdes M.

2012-01-01

The development and implementation of a comprehensive and systemic career development program, The Career Institute, provided the mechanism through which one school community addressed students' career development and college readiness needs while also attending to their academic and personal-social development. The Career Institute consisted of a…

What Are the Costs of Trauma Center Readiness? Defining and Standardizing Readiness Costs for Trauma Centers Statewide.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashley, Dennis W; Mullins, Robert F; Dente, Christopher J; Garlow, Laura; Medeiros, Regina S; Atkins, Elizabeth V; Solomon, Gina; Abston, Dena; Ferdinand, Colville H

2017-09-01

Trauma center readiness costs are incurred to maintain essential infrastructure and capacity to provide emergent services on a 24/7 basis. These costs are not captured by traditional hospital cost accounting, and no national consensus exists on appropriate definitions for each cost. Therefore, in 2010, stakeholders from all Level I and II trauma centers developed a survey tool standardizing and defining trauma center readiness costs. The survey tool underwent minor revisions to provide further clarity, and the survey was repeated in 2013. The purpose of this study was to provide a follow-up analysis of readiness costs for Georgia's Level I and Level II trauma centers. Using the American College of Surgeons Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient guidelines, four readiness cost categories were identified: Administrative, Clinical Medical Staff, Operating Room, and Education/Outreach. Through conference calls, webinars and face-to-face meetings with financial officers, trauma medical directors, and program managers from all trauma centers, standardized definitions for reporting readiness costs within each category were developed. This resulted in a survey tool for centers to report their individual readiness costs for one year. The total readiness cost for all Level I trauma centers was $34,105,318 (avg $6,821,064) and all Level II trauma centers was $20,998,019 (avg $2,333,113). Methodology to standardize and define readiness costs for all trauma centers within the state was developed. Average costs for Level I and Level II trauma centers were identified. This model may be used to help other states define and standardize their trauma readiness costs.

Nurses’ perspectives on readiness of organizations for change: a comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amarneh BH

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Basil Hameed Amarneh Department of Psychiatric and Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate readiness for change perceived by nurses at Jordanian hospitals according to the hospital type and the gender of nurse.Background: There are misconceptions about readiness for change, and only a few health care and nursing studies about organizational readiness for change have been conducted. Nurses’ perceptions of their organizations’ readiness for change are important; they help in introducing, managing, and maintaining the change.Methods: Using a quantitative comparative research design and a validated survey, data were collected in 2010 from a convenience sample of 130 nurses from four government and three private hospitals with a response rate of 59%.Results: There are some issues in Jordanian hospitals, which show that change has to be managed well. Nurses in government hospitals and female nurses perceived their hospitals to be more ready for change, compared with those in private hospitals and male nurses.Conclusion: Government hospitals were more ready to change than private hospitals, particularly in supporting collaborative and multidisciplinary team approaches to patient care. More than male nurses, female nurses perceived that their organizations were ready to use or plan to use advanced practice nurses. One of the recommendations is a need for targeted intervention to improve readiness for change. Keywords: readiness for change, organizations, hospitals, nurses, Jordan

Career success criteria and locus of control as indicators of adaptive readiness in the career adaptation model.

OpenAIRE

Zhou, W.; Guan, Y.; Xin, L.; Mak, M.C.K.; Deng, Y.

2016-01-01

The present research had two goals. The first goal was to identify additional individual characteristics that may contribute to adaptive readiness. The second goal was to test if these characteristics fit the career adaptation model of readiness to resources to responses. We examined whether career success criteria (measured at Time 1) and career locus of control (measured at Time 1) would contribute to adaptivity and predict university students’ career decision-making self-efficacy (measured...

Maximizing College Readiness for All through Parental Support

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Jack

2013-01-01

The lack of college readiness skills is a national problem, particularly for underachieving high school students. One solution is to offer authentic early college coursework to build confidence and academic momentum. This case study explored a partnership between a traditional, suburban high school (600 students) and a community college to…

Conjoint behavioral consultation: implementing a tiered home-school partnership model to promote school readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Brandy L; Sheridan, Susan M; Woods, Kathryn E

2014-01-01

An ecological perspective to school readiness focuses on child and family readiness by enhancing the developmental contexts and relationships within which children reside (e.g., home environment, parent-child relationship, home-school relationships). The Getting Ready intervention is an ecological, relationally based, tiered intervention providing both universal and intensive services to children and families to promote child and family school readiness. Intensive level consultation services were provided via Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC; Sheridan & Kratochwill, 1992 , 2008 ). The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation and effects of CBC within the Getting Ready intervention to promote child and family school readiness. Keys to successful implementation of the CBC intervention and issues needing further investigation are discussed.

System analysis for technology transfer readiness assessment of horticultural postharvest

Science.gov (United States)

Hayuningtyas, M.; Djatna, T.

2018-04-01

Availability of postharvest technology is becoming abundant, but only a few technologies are applicable and useful to a wider community purposes. Based on this problem it requires a significant readiness level of transfer technology approach. This system is reliable to access readiness a technology with level, from 1-9 and to minimize time of transfer technology in every level, time required technology from the selection process can be minimum. Problem was solved by using Relief method to determine ranking by weighting feasible criteria on postharvest technology in each level and PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) to schedule. The results from ranking process of post-harvest technology in the field of horticulture is able to pass level 7. That, technology can be developed to increase into pilot scale and minimize time required for technological readiness on PERT with optimistic time of 7,9 years. Readiness level 9 shows that technology has been tested on the actual conditions also tied with estimated production price compared to competitors. This system can be used to determine readiness of technology innovation that is derived from agricultural raw materials and passes certain stages.

Linking Ready Kids to Ready Schools: A Report on Policy Insights from the Governors' Forum Series. Arizona, Connecticut, Mississippi, Ohio and Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 2009

2009-01-01

This report describes efforts to provide seamless transitions from early to elementary education. Specifically, it details SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids), a five-year initiative funded by the Kellogg Foundation, which has contributed a unique, community-based perspective to the national conversation on what it takes to…

Models of professional readiness of students of higher military schools of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.P. Sergienko

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose : Creating models of professional readiness, namely, physical, mental, psycho-physiological and functional training based on the integral method developed. Material / Methods : The study involved 60 students of the fourth graduating class of 30 people in the control and experimental groups. To confirm the effectiveness of the developed method was used testing the physical qualities, psychological questionnaires, the study of cognitive processes, as well as functional tests. Results: It was established that at the beginning of the experiment between the control and experimental groups was not significant differences in all indicators. After the study of the experimental group experienced an improvement of performance as compared to the control group. So on average, in terms of physical fitness, they increased by 9.34 %, mental qualities to 21.25 %, physiological capacity of 14.7 % and a functional readiness to 21.13 %. The results obtained are reliable. Conclusions : The developed method allowed to increase the individual results of students to build models that characterize the professional readiness of future officers, as well as increase the adaptive processes of all systems to service and combat activities.

Managed Readiness Simulator (MARS) V2: Implementation of the Managed Readiness Model

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

The SRDB architecture is described in detail in [6]. Database VBA VBA Runtime Data Sub run() SQL (“UPDATE Table SET Rank = 5”) Run_query_obj...FilterResources”) Algorithms ( VBA & SQL ) End Sub Arena Process Logic Figure 5: MARS V2 simulation architecture. The MARS managed readiness...database layer below it. Using VBA blocks, the algorithm layer can execute complex data operations on the database layer using SQL and can return

Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Migliore, Donna E.

2006-01-01

"Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators" presents a set of baseline measurements that gauge how well a statewide system of school readiness supports is addressing issues that affect Arizona children's readiness for school. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure the system, rather…

Defining the Application Readiness of Products when Developing Earth Observing Remote Sensing Data Products

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, V. M.

2017-12-01

Satellite remote sensing technology has contributed to the transformation of multiple earth science domains, putting space observations at the forefront of innovation in Earth Science. With new satellite missions being launched every year, new types of Earth Science data are being incorporated into science models and decision-making systems in a broad array of organizations. These applications help hazard mitigation and decision-making in government, private, and civic institutions working to reduce its impact on human wellbeing. Policy guidance and knowledge of product maturity can influence mission design as well as development of product applications in user organizations. Ensuring that satellite missions serve both the scientific and user communities without becoming unfocused and overly expensive is a critical outcome from engagement of user communities. Tracking the applications and product maturity help improve the use of data. NASA's Applications Readiness Levels reduce cost and increase the confidence in applications. ARLs help identify areas where NASA products are most useful while allowing the user to leverage products in early development as well as those ready for operational uses. By considering the needs of the user community early on in the mission-design process, agencies can use ARLs to ensure that satellites meet the needs of multiple constituencies and the development of products are integrated into user organizations organically. ARLs and user integration provide a perspective on the maturity and readiness of a products ability to influence policy and decision-making. This paper describes the mission application development process at NASA and within the Earth Science Directorate. We present the successes and challenges faced by NASA data users and explain how ARLs helps link NASA science to the appropriate policies and decision frameworks. The methods presented here can be adapted to other programs and institutions seeking to rapidly move

Development toward School Readiness: A Holistic Model

Science.gov (United States)

Gaynor, Alan Kibbe

2015-01-01

A systemic analysis of early childhood development factors explains the variance in school readiness among representative U.S. 5-year-olds. The underlying theory incorporates a set of causally interactive endogenous variables that are hypothesized to be driven by the effects of three exogenous variables: parental education, immigrant status and…

Research Ready Program: A First in Regional South Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Penman, Joy; Oliver, Mary

2012-01-01

In response to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) Board's introduction in 2010 of the new Research Project subject, the University of South Australia's Centre for Participation and Community Engagement took the opportunity to engage further with school students by organising the Research Ready Program. The adoption of the program…

Readiness for the next generation of information competence in new product development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Kristina Risom; Søndergaard, Helle Alsted

2007-01-01

Readiness for information methods like communities, simulation and virtual worlds in new product development (NPD) is discussed based on analysis of NPD strategy, market orientation and competitive pressure as generic antecedents of exploitative and explorative information search. The paper...... forwards evolvement as new information competence to leverage holistic information methods, and finds that current information competences of decision-makers are not ready to leverage new information methods enable by technology. Data is collected with an agent-based simulation platform and logistic...

Child Care Subsidies and School Readiness in Kindergarten

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Anna D; Martin, Anne; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2013-01-01

The federal child care subsidy program represents one of the government’s largest investments in early care and education. Using data from the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), this paper examines associations, among subsidy-eligible families, between child care subsidy receipt when children are 4 years old and a range of school readiness outcomes in kindergarten (sample n ≈ 1,400). Findings suggest that subsidy receipt in preschool is not directly linked to subsequent reading or social-emotional skills. However, subsidy receipt predicted lower math scores among children attending community-based centers. Supplementary analyses revealed that subsidies predicted greater use of center care, but this association did not appear to affect school readiness. PMID:23461769

Developing community-driven quality improvement initiatives to enhance chronic disease care in Indigenous communities in Canada: the FORGE AHEAD program protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Naqshbandi Hayward, Mariam; Paquette-Warren, Jann; Harris, Stewart B

2016-07-26

Given the dramatic rise and impact of chronic diseases and gaps in care in Indigenous peoples in Canada, a shift from the dominant episodic and responsive healthcare model most common in First Nations communities to one that places emphasis on proactive prevention and chronic disease management is urgently needed. The Transformation of Indigenous Primary Healthcare Delivery (FORGE AHEAD) Program partners with 11 First Nations communities across six provinces in Canada to develop and evaluate community-driven quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enhance chronic disease care. FORGE AHEAD is a 5-year research program (2013-2017) that utilizes a pre-post mixed-methods observational design rooted in participatory research principles to work with communities in developing culturally relevant innovations and improved access to available services. This intensive program incorporates a series of 10 inter-related and progressive program activities designed to foster community-driven initiatives with type 2 diabetes mellitus as the action disease. Preparatory activities include a national community profile survey, best practice and policy literature review, and readiness tool development. Community-level intervention activities include community and clinical readiness consultations, development of a diabetes registry and surveillance system, and QI activities. With a focus on capacity building, all community-level activities are driven by trained community members who champion QI initiatives in their community. Program wrap-up activities include readiness tool validation, cost-analysis and process evaluation. In collaboration with Health Canada and the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, scale-up toolkits will be developed in order to build on lessons-learned, tools and methods, and to fuel sustainability and spread of successful innovations. The outcomes of this research program, its related cost and the subsequent policy recommendations, will have the potential to

Modeling and optimization of cloud-ready and content-oriented networks

CERN Document Server

Walkowiak, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

This book focuses on modeling and optimization of cloud-ready and content-oriented networks in the context of different layers and accounts for specific constraints following from protocols and technologies used in a particular layer. It addresses a wide range of additional constraints important in contemporary networks, including various types of network flows, survivability issues, multi-layer networking, and resource location. The book presents recent existing and new results in a comprehensive and cohesive way. The contents of the book are organized in five chapters, which are mostly self-contained. Chapter 1 briefly presents information on cloud computing and content-oriented services, and introduces basic notions and concepts of network modeling and optimization. Chapter 2 covers various optimization problems that arise in the context of connection-oriented networks. Chapter 3 focuses on modeling and optimization of Elastic Optical Networks. Chapter 4 is devoted to overlay networks. The book concludes w...

NASA Technology Readiness Level Definitions

Science.gov (United States)

Mcnamara, Karen M.

2012-01-01

This presentation will cover the basic Technology Readiness Level (TRL) definitions used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and their specific wording. We will discuss how they are used in the NASA Project Life Cycle and their effectiveness in practice. We'll also discuss the recent efforts by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to develop a broadly acceptable set of TRL definitions for the international space community and some of the issues brought to light. This information will provide input for further discussion of the use of the TRL scale in manufacturing.

The Naval Aviation Enterprise Type/Model/Series Team and Its Effect on AH-1W Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-23

Team Structure 28 9 Current Readiness Process The Current Readiness Process assesses the readiness metrics, or Key Performance Indicators ( KPIs ...CR CFT and the Marine Corps leadership to shift resources to close the gap. Aircraft Readiness Aircraft availability is one of the KPIs that the T...Commandant of Aviation DRRS Defense Readiness Reporting System FMC Full Mission Capable GAO General Accounting Office GSE Ground Support Equipment KPI

An assessment of the readiness for introduction of the HPV vaccine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Formative research assessing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine readiness in Uganda was conducted in 2007. The objective was to generate evidence for government decision-making and operational planning for HPV vaccine introduction. Qualitative research methods with children, parents, teachers, community ...

A Proposed for Assessing Hotel E-Readiness for Tourism in Southern Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piman Sirot

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article only focuses on an overview of the Hotel E-readiness model and model design for tourism in Southern Thailand. “The convergence of information technology (IT and communications technology (CT” will be an important part of these technological innovations. The global economy has been turbulent during the last several years, and governments and enterprises are doing everything possible to inject momentum and effectuate sustainable growth. All member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN, aims to be ASEAN Economic Community (AEC by December 2015, have come to realize that an integrated ICT technology will enhance the competitiveness and creativity of their economies and fuel the sustainable growth of the global economy. The role that information and communication technologies (ICTs can play to support economic growth, especially on tourism, has never drawn so much attention and research. According to Networked Readiness Index (NRI, Thailand has made improvement in NRI, edging up from 77th to 74th place in 2013 and from 74th to 67th place to the latest measurement released by the World Economic Forum in2014 and ranked 3 out of 10 countries of ASEAN members. Although we still face serious challenges the impact of ICTs on tourism has become more far reaching as its transformational effects spread to several sectors of the economy and society via innovations. On this research we focus on only the hotels division in Southern of Thailand due to tourism’s economic on this area benefits very high income from oversea and ASEAN. We give an overview of the Hotel E-readiness Model that impact to tourism economic with computer networking infrastructures and communication technologies in Southern of Thailand. Our model is described on four majors - business environment, network readiness, network usage and network impacts. It aims to explore the problems and obstacles for improvement on computer networking infrastructure and

Ready or Not...? Teen Sexuality and the Troubling Discourse of Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Ashcraft, Catherine

2006-01-01

In this article, I explore how talk about being "ready" or "not ready" for sex shapes teen and adult understandings of sexuality. I argue that this "discourse of readiness" poses serious threats to teens' identity development, sexual decision making, and educators efforts to help them through these processes. To illustrate, I draw from my…

A Descriptive Model of Patient Readiness, Motivators, and Hepatitis C Treatment Uptake among Australian Prisoners

Science.gov (United States)

Yap, Lorraine; Carruthers, Susan; Thompson, Sandra; Cheng, Wendy; Jones, Jocelyn; Simpson, Paul; Richards, Alun; Thein, Hla-Hla; Haber, Paul; Lloyd, Andrew; Butler, Tony

2014-01-01

Background Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) has a significant global health burden with an estimated 2%–3% of the world's population infected, and more than 350,000 dying annually from HCV-related conditions including liver failure and liver cancer. Prisons potentially offer a relatively stable environment in which to commence treatment as they usually provide good access to health care providers, and are organised around routine and structure. Uptake of treatment of HCV, however, remains low in the community and in prisons. In this study, we explored factors affecting treatment uptake inside prisons and hypothesised that prisoners have unique issues influencing HCV treatment uptake as a consequence of their incarceration which are not experienced in other populations. Method and Findings We undertook a qualitative study exploring prisoners' accounts of why they refused, deferred, delayed or discontinued HCV treatment in prison. Between 2010 and 2013, 116 Australian inmates were interviewed from prisons in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. Prisoners experienced many factors similar to those which influence treatment uptake of those living with HCV infection in the community. Incarceration, however, provides different circumstances of how these factors are experienced which need to be better understood if the number of prisoners receiving treatment is to be increased. We developed a descriptive model of patient readiness and motivators for HCV treatment inside prisons and discussed how we can improve treatment uptake among prisoners. Conclusion This study identified a broad and unique range of challenges to treatment of HCV in prison. Some of these are likely to be diminished by improving treatment options and improved models of health care delivery. Other barriers relate to inmate understanding of their illness and stigmatisation by other inmates and custodial staff and generally appear less amenable to change although there is potential for

A descriptive model of patient readiness, motivators, and hepatitis C treatment uptake among Australian prisoners.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorraine Yap

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV has a significant global health burden with an estimated 2%-3% of the world's population infected, and more than 350,000 dying annually from HCV-related conditions including liver failure and liver cancer. Prisons potentially offer a relatively stable environment in which to commence treatment as they usually provide good access to health care providers, and are organised around routine and structure. Uptake of treatment of HCV, however, remains low in the community and in prisons. In this study, we explored factors affecting treatment uptake inside prisons and hypothesised that prisoners have unique issues influencing HCV treatment uptake as a consequence of their incarceration which are not experienced in other populations. METHOD AND FINDINGS: We undertook a qualitative study exploring prisoners' accounts of why they refused, deferred, delayed or discontinued HCV treatment in prison. Between 2010 and 2013, 116 Australian inmates were interviewed from prisons in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. Prisoners experienced many factors similar to those which influence treatment uptake of those living with HCV infection in the community. Incarceration, however, provides different circumstances of how these factors are experienced which need to be better understood if the number of prisoners receiving treatment is to be increased. We developed a descriptive model of patient readiness and motivators for HCV treatment inside prisons and discussed how we can improve treatment uptake among prisoners. CONCLUSION: This study identified a broad and unique range of challenges to treatment of HCV in prison. Some of these are likely to be diminished by improving treatment options and improved models of health care delivery. Other barriers relate to inmate understanding of their illness and stigmatisation by other inmates and custodial staff and generally appear less amenable to change although there

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Cobblestone Homes — 2014 Model Home, Midland, MI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2014-09-01

This builder's first DOE Zero Energy Ready Home won a Custom Builder award in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards, scored HERS 49 without PV or HERS 44 with 1.4 kW of PV, and served as a prototype and energy efficiency demonstration model while performance testing was conducted.

Application of the transtheoretical model of behaviour change for identifying older clients' readiness for hearing rehabilitation during history-taking in audiology appointments.

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Ekberg, Katie; Grenness, Caitlin; Hickson, Louise

2016-07-01

The transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change focuses on clients' readiness for adopting new health behaviours. This study explores how clients' readiness for change can be identified through their interactions with audiologists during history-taking in initial appointments; and whether clients' readiness has consequences for the rehabilitation decisions they make within the initial appointment. Conversation analysis (CA) was used to examine video-recorded initial audiology appointments with older adults with hearing impairment. The data corpus involved 62 recorded appointments with 26 audiologists and their older adult clients (aged 55+ years). Companions were present in 17 appointments. Clients' readiness for change could be observed through their interaction with the audiologist. Analysis demonstrated that the way clients described their hearing in the history-taking phase had systematic consequences for how they responded to rehabilitation recommendations (in particular, hearing aids) in the management phase of the appointment. In particular, clients identified as being in a pre-contemplation stage-of-change were more likely to display resistance to a recommendation of hearing aids (80% declined). The transtheoretical model of behaviour change can be useful for helping audiologists individualize management planning to be congruent with individual clients' needs, attitudes, desires, and psychological readiness for action in order to optimize clients' hearing outcomes.

Prevention through Design Adoption Readiness Model (PtD ARM): An integrated conceptual model.

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Weidman, Justin; Dickerson, Deborah E; Koebel, Charles T

2015-01-01

Prevention through Design (PtD), eliminating hazards at the design-stage of tools and systems, is the optimal method of mitigating occupational health and safety risks. A recent National Institute of Safety and Health initiative has established a goal to increase adoption of PtD innovation in industry. The construction industry has traditionally lagged behind other sectors in the adoption of innovation, in general; and of safety and health prevention innovation, in particular. Therefore, as a first step toward improving adoption trends in this sector, a conceptual model was developed to describe the parameters and causal relationships that influence and predict construction stakeholder "adoption readiness" for PtD technology innovation. This model was built upon three well-established theoretical frameworks: the Health Belief Model, the Diffusion of Innovation Model, and the Technology Acceptance Model. Earp and Ennett's model development methodology was employed to build a depiction of the key constructs and directionality and magnitude of relationships among them. Key constructs were identified from the literature associated with the three theoretical frameworks, with special emphasis given to studies related to construction or OHS technology adoption. A conceptual model is presented. Recommendations for future research are described and include confirmatory structural equation modeling of model parameters and relationships, additional descriptive investigation of barriers to adoption in some trade sectors, and design and evaluation of an intervention strategy.

Developing and validating a model to predict the success of an IHCS implementation: the Readiness for Implementation Model

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Gustafson, David H; Hawkins, Robert P; Brennan, Patricia F; Dinauer, Susan; Johnson, Pauley R; Siegler, Tracy

2010-01-01

Objective To develop and validate the Readiness for Implementation Model (RIM). This model predicts a healthcare organization's potential for success in implementing an interactive health communication system (IHCS). The model consists of seven weighted factors, with each factor containing five to seven elements. Design Two decision-analytic approaches, self-explicated and conjoint analysis, were used to measure the weights of the RIM with a sample of 410 experts. The RIM model with weights was then validated in a prospective study of 25 IHCS implementation cases. Measurements Orthogonal main effects design was used to develop 700 conjoint-analysis profiles, which varied on seven factors. Each of the 410 experts rated the importance and desirability of the factors and their levels, as well as a set of 10 different profiles. For the prospective 25-case validation, three time-repeated measures of the RIM scores were collected for comparison with the implementation outcomes. Results Two of the seven factors, ‘organizational motivation’ and ‘meeting user needs,’ were found to be most important in predicting implementation readiness. No statistically significant difference was found in the predictive validity of the two approaches (self-explicated and conjoint analysis). The RIM was a better predictor for the 1-year implementation outcome than the half-year outcome. Limitations The expert sample, the order of the survey tasks, the additive model, and basing the RIM cut-off score on experience are possible limitations of the study. Conclusion The RIM needs to be empirically evaluated in institutions adopting IHCS and sustaining the system in the long term. PMID:20962135

R.U. Ready?: Peer Education and Bystander Intervention Sexual Assault Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Schweer, Jen Luettel; Heather, Katie; Kay, Kathryn; Stewart, K. Leigh; Kovach, Laura

2012-01-01

R.U. Ready? at Georgetown University is an annual sexual assault awareness event that incorporates peer education and resources with opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to dialogue about providing bystander intervention throughout the campus community. Beyond dialogue, participants learn about student activism and the resources and…

Recent experiences in the development of locally-produced ready to use foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, Kelsey; Manary, Mark

2014-01-01

Ready-to-use foods for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are micronutrient-fortified, lipid pastes containing roasted peanuts, oil, micronutrients, sugar, soy and/or dairy ingredient powders. The benefits of pastes like ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), and lipid nutrient supplements (LNS) for the treatment of nutritional maladies are that they are shelf-stable due to their low water activity, they are easily transportable, and they can be eaten as-is. Since the development of ready-to-use foods, cost reduction and local production experimentation have been ongoing. Attempts to replace ingredients like skim milk powder with alternate dairy protein ingredients or non-animal ingredients have been reported, but little food and process development information has been revealed. Linear programming or least-cost optimization mathematical models have been employed to help design low cost paste formulas from a selection of ingredients that also meet nutritional requirements. A new user-friendly tool can be used to develop new formulas that incorporate locally-sourced ingredients. New approaches to ingredient utilization are necessary for future ready-to-use food production and will require the development of novel processes for local ingredients compared to traditional pastes. The challenges of incorporating novel ingredients include processing changes, flavor and acceptability, and meeting nutrient requirements. Our research is designed to not only look at substitute ingredients, but also to optimize processing conditions in order to reduce cost by energy savings, extended shelf-life, and lower nutrient degradation. An RUSF using a novel dairy ingredient, whey permeate, was recently developed and is currently being tested in a prospective, double-blind randomized clinical trial for children with MAM in Malawi. Recent research in the development and testing of ready-to-use foods for MAM include a programmatic study

Building Effective Community-University Partnerships: Are Universities Truly Ready?

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Curwood, Susan Eckerle; Munger, Felix; Mitchell, Terry; Mackeigan, Mary; Farrar, Ashley

2011-01-01

Community service learning and community-based research necessitate the development of strong community-university partnerships. In this paper, students, faculty, and a community partner critically reflect upon the process of establishing a long-term community-university partnership through the integration of a community service learning component…

Effects of Preschool Intervention Strategies on School Readiness in Kindergarten

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Ma, Xin; Nelson, Regena F.; Shen, Jianping; Krenn, Huilan Y.

2015-01-01

Using hierarchical linear modeling, the present study aimed to examine whether targeted intervention strategies implemented individually during a preschool program exhibited any short-term and long-term effects on children's school readiness in kindergarten, utilizing data gathered through the Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK)…

And still WE rise: Parent-child relationships, resilience, and school readiness in low-income urban Black families.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Riana Elyse

2018-02-01

The Family Stress Model acknowledges forms of resilience in the face of hardship; however, few studies have emerged on the potentially positive role of familial relationships in the academic, psychological, and prosocial success of impoverished Black children. The current study evaluates how parent-child relationship conflict and financial stress are associated with children's school readiness (i.e., academic, psychosocial, and socioemotional indicators). Latent profile analyses, incorporating financial stress, general stress, and parent-child relationship variables were used to test whether varying family stress profiles differentially predicted children's school readiness in Black families with children entering kindergarten (N = 292). Findings revealed 4 latent classifications with profiles of low, moderate, moderate/high, and high/moderate stress and conflict variables, respectively. Whereas the low-profile was associated with the most desirable school readiness indicators overall, children in the high/moderate-profile were rated as significantly more psychosocially and socioemotionally prepared for school than their moderate/high-profile counterparts. Families with less conflictual parent-child relationships had more optimal school readiness relative to families with higher conflict and less financial strain. The findings of the current study have the potential to contribute to theories of poverty and parent-child relationships, as well as guide therapeutic services focused on family relationships through school- and community-related programs for impoverished urban Black youth and their families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Predicting ready biodegradability of premanufacture notice chemicals.

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Boethling, Robert S; Lynch, David G; Thom, Gary C

2003-04-01

Chemical substances other than pesticides, drugs, and food additives are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), but the United States does not require that new substances be tested automatically for such critical properties as biodegradability. The resulting lack of submitted data has fostered the development of estimation methods, and the BioWIN models for predicting biodegradability from chemical structure have played a prominent role in premanufacture notice (PMN) review. Until now, validation efforts have used only the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) test data and have not included all models. To assess BioWIN performance with PMN substances, we assembled a database of PMNs for which ready biodegradation data had been submitted over the period 1995 through 2001. The 305 PMN structures are highly varied and pose major challenges to chemical property estimation. Despite the variability of ready biodegradation tests, the use of at least six different test methods, and widely varying quality of submitted data, accuracy of four of six BioWIN models (MITI linear, MITI nonlinear, survey ultimate, survey primary) was in the 80+% range for predicting ready biodegradability. Greater accuracy (>90%) can be achieved by using model estimates only when the four models agree (true for 3/4 of the PMNs). The BioWIN linear and nonlinear probability models did not perform as well even when classification criteria were optimized. The results suggest that the MITI and survey BioWIN models are suitable for use in screening-level applications.

General service and child immunization-specific readiness assessment of healthcare facilities in two selected divisions in Bangladesh.

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Shawon, Md Shajedur Rahman; Adhikary, Gourab; Ali, Md Wazed; Shamsuzzaman, Md; Ahmed, Shahabuddin; Alam, Nurul; Shackelford, Katya A; Woldeab, Alexander; Lim, Stephen S; Levine, Aubrey; Gakidou, Emmanuela; Uddin, Md Jasim

2018-01-25

Service readiness of health facilities is an integral part of providing comprehensive quality healthcare to the community. Comprehensive assessment of general and service-specific (i.e. child immunization) readiness will help to identify the bottlenecks in healthcare service delivery and gaps in equitable service provision. Assessing healthcare facilities readiness also helps in optimal policymaking and resource allocation. A health facility survey was conducted between March 2015 and December 2015 in two purposively selected divisions in Bangladesh; i.e. Rajshahi division (high performing) and Sylhet division (low performing). A total of 123 health facilities were randomly selected from different levels of service, both public and private, with variation in sizes and patient loads from the list of facilities. Data on various aspects of healthcare facility were collected by interviewing key personnel. General service and child immunization specific service readiness were assessed using the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) manual developed by World Health Organization (WHO). The analyses were stratified by division and level of healthcare facilities. The general service readiness index for pharmacies, community clinics, primary care facilities and higher care facilities were 40.6%, 60.5%, 59.8% and 69.5%, respectively in Rajshahi division and 44.3%, 57.8%, 57.5% and 73.4%, respectively in Sylhet division. Facilities at all levels had the highest scores for basic equipment (ranged between 51.7% and 93.7%) and the lowest scores for diagnostic capacity (ranged between 0.0% and 53.7%). Though facilities with vaccine storage capacity had very high levels of service readiness for child immunization, facilities without vaccine storage capacity lacked availability of many tracer items. Regarding readiness for newly introduced pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), most of the surveyed facilities reported lack of

Workplace Readiness for Communicating Diversity.

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Muir, Clive

1996-01-01

Proposes a model for communicating change about diversity using a workplace-readiness approach. Discusses ways organizational change agents can assess the company's current interpersonal and social dynamics, use appropriate influence strategies, and create effective messages that will appeal to employees and help to achieve the desired acceptance…

Using Biowin, Bayes, and batteries to predict ready biodegradability.

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Boethling, Robert S; Lynch, David G; Jaworska, Joanna S; Tunkel, Jay L; Thom, Gary C; Webb, Simon

2004-04-01

Whether or not a given chemical substance is readily biodegradable is an important piece of information in risk screening for both new and existing chemicals. Despite the relatively low cost of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development tests, data are often unavailable and biodegradability must be estimated. In this paper, we focus on the predictive value of selected Biowin models and model batteries using Bayesian analysis. Posterior probabilities, calculated based on performance with the model training sets using Bayes' theorem, were closely matched by actual performance with an expanded set of 374 premanufacture notice (PMN) substances. Further analysis suggested that a simple battery consisting of Biowin3 (survey ultimate biodegradation model) and Biowin5 (Ministry of International Trade and Industry [MITI] linear model) would have enhanced predictive power in comparison to individual models. Application of the battery to PMN substances showed that performance matched expectation. This approach significantly reduced both false positives for ready biodegradability and the overall misclassification rate. Similar results were obtained for a set of 63 pharmaceuticals using a battery consisting of Biowin3 and Biowin6 (MITI nonlinear model). Biodegradation data for PMNs tested in multiple ready tests or both inherent and ready biodegradation tests yielded additional insights that may be useful in risk screening.

Ecological Factors Predict Transition Readiness/Self-Management in Youth With Chronic Conditions.

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Javalkar, Karina; Johnson, Meredith; Kshirsagar, Abhijit V; Ocegueda, Sofia; Detwiler, Randal K; Ferris, Maria

2016-01-01

Health care transition readiness or self-management among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic conditions may be influenced by factors related to their surrounding environment. Study participants were AYA diagnosed with a chronic condition and evaluated at pediatric- and adult-focused subspecialty clinics at the University of North Carolina Hospital Systems. All participants were administered a provider-administered self-management/transition-readiness tool, the UNC TRxANSITION Scale. Geographic area and associated characteristics (ecological factors) were identified for each participant's ZIP code using the published U.S. Census data. The Level 1 model of the hierarchical linear regression used individual-level predictors of transition readiness/self-management. The Level 2 model incorporated the ecological factors. We enrolled 511 AYA with different chronic conditions aged 12-31 years with the following characteristics: mean age of 20± 4 years, 45% white, 42% black, and 54% female. Participants represented 214 ZIP codes in or around North Carolina, USA. The Level 1 model showed that age, gender, and race were significant predictors of transition readiness/self-management. On adding the ecological factors in the Level 2 model, race was no longer significant. Participants from a geographic area with a greater percentage of females (β = .114, p = .005) and a higher median income (β = .126, p = .002) had greater overall transition readiness. Ecological factors also predicted subdomains of transition readiness/self-management. In this cohort of adolescents and young adults with different chronic conditions, ecological disparities such as sex composition, median income, and language predict self-management/transition readiness. It is important to take ecological risk factors into consideration when preparing patients for health self-management or transition. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

An investigation of the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM

OpenAIRE

Erdoğmuş, Nihat; Esen, Murat

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM field. The data for this study were collected from 65 Human Resource (HR) managers representing top 500 largest private sector companies in Turkey. The research model based on two theories: Parasuraman's technology readiness and Davis’ technology acceptance model. The results of the study showed that optimism and innovativeness dimensions of technology readiness positively influenced ...

A qualitative readiness-requirements assessment model for enterprise big-data infrastructure investment

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Olama, Mohammed M.; McNair, Allen W.; Sukumar, Sreenivas R.; Nutaro, James J.

2014-05-01

In the last three decades, there has been an exponential growth in the area of information technology providing the information processing needs of data-driven businesses in government, science, and private industry in the form of capturing, staging, integrating, conveying, analyzing, and transferring data that will help knowledge workers and decision makers make sound business decisions. Data integration across enterprise warehouses is one of the most challenging steps in the big data analytics strategy. Several levels of data integration have been identified across enterprise warehouses: data accessibility, common data platform, and consolidated data model. Each level of integration has its own set of complexities that requires a certain amount of time, budget, and resources to implement. Such levels of integration are designed to address the technical challenges inherent in consolidating the disparate data sources. In this paper, we present a methodology based on industry best practices to measure the readiness of an organization and its data sets against the different levels of data integration. We introduce a new Integration Level Model (ILM) tool, which is used for quantifying an organization and data system's readiness to share data at a certain level of data integration. It is based largely on the established and accepted framework provided in the Data Management Association (DAMADMBOK). It comprises several key data management functions and supporting activities, together with several environmental elements that describe and apply to each function. The proposed model scores the maturity of a system's data governance processes and provides a pragmatic methodology for evaluating integration risks. The higher the computed scores, the better managed the source data system and the greater the likelihood that the data system can be brought in at a higher level of integration.

ESTIMATION OF SPORTS-TECHNICAL READINESS OF STUDENTS OF METHODICAL BRANCH «FOOTBALL» MSUCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamonin Andrey Valentinovich

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Increase of sports-technical skill in sports occurs on the basis of last achievements of the theory and physical training and sports practice. Development of football isn't possible without search and introduction in training process of optimum pedagogical models of perfection of physical and technical readiness of football players. Such pedagogical models should be applied, as in groups of initial preparation, so at the subsequent grade levels, including in student's football. Modern training process (pedagogical model, should be under construction on objective indicators of physical, technical and special readiness (so-called feedback. However, the estimation of sports-technical readiness at sports schools on football is reduced only to testing of speed, jumps, juggling, dribbling and a shoot for goal. The same criteria are applied and in student's football. Unfortunately, the given control exercises not in a condition to the full to reflect level of physical and technical readiness of the football player. For more objective estimation of special readiness it is necessary to use the test tasks revealing a level of development of coordination abilities of game structure game and competitive activity (game in football. It will allow trainers to have fuller picture of readiness of the football player, in respect of its professional (football skills. As a result coach have possibility to trace level of a condition of the various parties of sports readiness (physical, technical and coordination student's youth engaged in football at each stage of long-term preparation.

Modeling, simulation & optimization of the landing craft air cushion fleet readiness.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engi, Dennis

2006-10-01

The Landing Craft Air Cushion is a high-speed, over-the-beach, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 60-75 ton payload. The LCAC fleet can serve to transport weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel from ship to shore and across the beach. This transport system is an integral part of our military arsenal and, as such, its readiness is an important consideration for our national security. Further, the best way to expend financial resources that have been allocated to maintain this fleet is a critical Issue. There is a clear coupling between the measure of Fleet Readiness as defined by the customer for this project and the information that is provided by Sandia's ProOpta methodology. Further, there is a richness in the data that provides even more value to the analyst. This report provides an analytic framework for understanding the connection between Fleet Readiness and the output provided by Sandia's ProOpta software. Further, this report highlights valuable information that can also be made available using the ProOpta output and concepts from basic probability theory. Finally, enabling assumptions along with areas that warrant consideration for further study are identified.

Kajian Teoritis: Model E-Government Readiness Pemerintah Kabupaten/Kotamadya Dan Keberhasilan E-Government

OpenAIRE

Wijaya, Stevanus Wisnu; Surendro, Kridanto

2006-01-01

E-government dapat dipahami sebagai upaya pemerintah untuk menyediakan layanan publik yang efisien dan efektif dengan memanfaatkan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi. Untuk mencapai tujuan yang diharapkan maka diperlukan kondisi atau keadaan tertentu yang mendukung.Kondisi ini dapat diartikan sebagai kesiapan atau readiness. Terkait dengan e-government maka readiness merupakan kondisi atau keadaan kesiapan dari pemerintah dan masyarakat pengguna terkait dengan pelayanan berbasis teknologi inf...

Predicting implementation from organizational readiness for change: a study protocol

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Kelly P Adam

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is widespread interest in measuring organizational readiness to implement evidence-based practices in clinical care. However, there are a number of challenges to validating organizational measures, including inferential bias arising from the halo effect and method bias - two threats to validity that, while well-documented by organizational scholars, are often ignored in health services research. We describe a protocol to comprehensively assess the psychometric properties of a previously developed survey, the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment. Objectives Our objective is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the psychometric properties of the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment incorporating methods specifically to address threats from halo effect and method bias. Methods and Design We will conduct three sets of analyses using longitudinal, secondary data from four partner projects, each testing interventions to improve the implementation of an evidence-based clinical practice. Partner projects field the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment at baseline (n = 208 respondents; 53 facilities, and prospectively assesses the degree to which the evidence-based practice is implemented. We will conduct predictive and concurrent validities using hierarchical linear modeling and multivariate regression, respectively. For predictive validity, the outcome is the change from baseline to follow-up in the use of the evidence-based practice. We will use intra-class correlations derived from hierarchical linear models to assess inter-rater reliability. Two partner projects will also field measures of job satisfaction for convergent and discriminant validity analyses, and will field Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment measures at follow-up for concurrent validity (n = 158 respondents; 33 facilities. Convergent and discriminant validities will test associations between organizational readiness and

Farmer readiness for adopting stevia cultivation (a case study at District of Pasir Jambu, Regency of Bandung)

Science.gov (United States)

Supyandi, D.; Sukayat, Y.; Hapsari, H.

2018-03-01

Recognized as a complementary for conventional sugars made from cane, coconut, corn, and palm, as well as a substitute for synthetic sweetener, recently stevia has accepted significant attention in order to fulfill increasing demand for sweeteners in Indonesia. Stevia has several advantages, among other is having 200-300 times sweetness level compared to cane sugar with low-calorie level. In Indonesia, stevia was introduced from Japan, Korea and China, and has been cultivated in several areas, among other is in West Java, particularly at District of Cikajang (Garut), District of Pangalengan (Bandung) and District of Ciwidey/Pasir Jambu (Bandung). Introducing new commodity and/or technology has usually faced constraints and sometimes rejection. However, considering the potentials and increasing demand for it, stevia cultivation widespread need to be stimulated. This paper describes several conditions of farmer community at District of Pasir Jambu in terms of their readiness to adopt stevia cultivation in their land. Community readiness model was used to guide the structure of thinking in data collection process at farmer level in order to compose possible best intervention based on farmer aspiration and condition. In addition, several references from previous research reports, journal articles as well as government reports were used to sharpen analysis of data and information collected from the field.

Career Readiness: Has Its Time Finally Come?

Science.gov (United States)

DeWitt, Stephen

2012-01-01

In 2010, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) released a "What Is Career Ready?" definition. As the career-readiness definition explains, there is much overlap between "college readiness" and "career readiness," but academic preparedness for college alone is not enough to be truly career-ready.…

Adapting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Create Organizational Readiness and Implementation Tools for Project ECHO.

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Serhal, Eva; Arena, Amanda; Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Mohri, Linda; Crawford, Allison

2018-03-01

The Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model expands primary care provider (PCP) capacity to manage complex diseases by sharing knowledge, disseminating best practices, and building a community of practice. The model has expanded rapidly, with over 140 ECHO projects currently established globally. We have used validated implementation frameworks, such as Damschroder's (2009) Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Proctor's (2011) taxonomy of implementation outcomes, combined with implementation experience to (1) create a set of questions to assess organizational readiness and suitability of the ECHO model and (2) provide those who have determined ECHO is the correct model with a checklist to support successful implementation. A set of considerations was created, which adapted and consolidated CFIR constructs to create ECHO-specific organizational readiness questions, as well as a process guide for implementation. Each consideration was mapped onto Proctor's (2011) implementation outcomes, and questions relating to the constructs were developed and reviewed for clarity. The Preimplementation list included 20 questions; most questions fall within Proctor's (2001) implementation outcome domains of "Appropriateness" and "Acceptability." The Process Checklist is a 26-item checklist to help launch an ECHO project; items map onto the constructs of Planning, Engaging, Executing, Reflecting, and Evaluating. Given that fidelity to the ECHO model is associated with robust outcomes, effective implementation is critical. These tools will enable programs to work through key considerations to implement a successful Project ECHO. Next steps will include validation with a diverse sample of ECHO projects.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited

The Effect of a Flipped Classroom Model on Academic Achievement, Self-Directed Learning Readiness, Motivation and Retention

Science.gov (United States)

Alsancak Sirakaya, Didem; Ozdemir, Selçuk

2018-01-01

This study examined the effect of a flipped classroom model on students' academic achievement, self-directed learning readiness and motivation. The participants of this study were a total of 66 students who took the "Scientific Research Methods" course and were studying in two different classes in the Faculty of Education at Ahi Evran…

Maintenance-Ready Web Application Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion IVAN

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The current paper tackles the subject of developing maintenance-ready web applications. Maintenance is presented as a core stage in a web application’s lifecycle. The concept of maintenance-ready is defined in the context of web application development. Web application maintenance tasks types are enunciated and suitable task types are identified for further analysis. The research hypothesis is formulated based on a direct link between tackling maintenance in the development stage and reducing overall maintenance costs. A live maintenance-ready web application is presented and maintenance related aspects are highlighted. The web application’s features, that render it maintenance-ready, are emphasize. The cost of designing and building the web-application to be maintenance-ready are disclosed. The savings in maintenance development effort facilitated by maintenance ready features are also disclosed. Maintenance data is collected from 40 projects implemented by a web development company. Homogeneity and diversity of collected data is evaluated. A data sample is presented and the size and comprehensive nature of the entire dataset is depicted. Research hypothesis are validated and conclusions are formulated on the topic of developing maintenance-ready web applications. The limits of the research process which represented the basis for the current paper are enunciated. Future research topics are submitted for debate.

Military Readiness: DODs Readiness Rebuilding Efforts May Be at Risk without a Comprehensive Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

specific elements that are to be in strategic plans. 8Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Guide 3401D, CJCS Guide to the Chairman’s Readiness ...all its major functions and operations. DOD strategic guidance makes it clear that rebuilding readiness is a priority that supports the... readiness recovery efforts. Evaluations of the plan to monitor goals and objectives Assessments, through objective measurement and systematic

The significance of interfamilial relationships on birth preparedness and complication readiness in Pakistan.

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Ghani, Usman; Crowther, Susan; Kamal, Yasir; Wahab, Muhammad

2018-03-29

In the interests of improving maternal health care and survival, the issue of birth preparedness and complication readiness has been much debated and has remained a priority for the international health community. The provision of birth preparedness and complications readiness is determined by a range of different factors. The main aim of this study is to identify and measure the influence of husbands and other family relationships on birth preparedness and complications readiness in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. This study is a cross-sectional exploratory study. Data was collected through a survey questionnaire. Logistic regression and descriptive analysis was used. Analysis indicated that the mother-in-law's role, men's and women's level of education and interfamilial relationships are still the most significant factors influencing birth preparedness and complications readiness. Of the respondents, 86% were receiving antenatal care and 76.5% were planning for the birth to take place in state-run hospitals or private obstetric and gynae clinics. The tendency to take up antenatal care in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can mainly be credited to a mutual understanding between husband and wife and a good relationship between the woman and her mother-in-law. Highlighting the significance of these relationships has implications for ensuring birth preparedness and complications readiness. Copyright © 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide: learning and behavioural outcomes of a training-of-trainers model to facilitate grassroots community health education to address Indigenous youth suicide prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Wexler, Lisa; Trout, Lucas; Rataj, Suzanne; Kirk, Tanya; Moto, Roberta; McEachern, Diane

2017-01-01

Alaska Native (AN) youth suicide remains a substantial and recalcitrant health disparity, especially in rural/remote communities. Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES) is a community health intervention that responds to the need for culturally responsive and evidence-supported prevention practice, using a grassroots approach to spark multilevel and community-based efforts for suicide prevention. This paper describes theoretical and practical considerations of the approach, and assesses the feasibility and preliminary learning and behavioural outcomes of the training-of-trainers model. It details the training of a first cohort of intervention facilitators in Northwest Alaska (NWA). Thirty-two people from 11 NWA village communities completed the PC CARES facilitator training, preparing them to implement the intervention in their home communities. Facilitator pre-post surveys focused on readiness to facilitate, a group quiz assessed participants' understanding of relevant research evidence, and practice facilitation exercises demonstrated competency. Curriculum fidelity and accuracy scores were calculated using audio recordings from learning circles conducted by facilitators in their home communities. Facilitator reflections describe the successes of the model and identify several areas for improvement. As of March 2017, 20 of the 32 trained facilitators in 10 of the 11 participating villages have hosted 54 LCs, with a total of 309 unique community members. Coding of these LCs by 2 independent raters indicate acceptable levels of fidelity and accurate dissemination of research evidence by facilitators. Facilitator reflections were positive overall, suggesting PC CARES is feasible, acceptable and potentially impactful as a way to translate research to practice in under-resourced, rural AN communities. PC CARES represents a practical community education and mobilisation approach to Indigenous youth suicide prevention that displays

Solar Ready: An Overview of Implementation Practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watson, A.; Guidice, L.; Lisell, L.; Doris, L.; Busche, S.

2012-01-01

This report explores three mechanisms for encouraging solar ready building design and construction: solar ready legislation, certification programs for solar ready design and construction, and stakeholder education. These methods are not mutually exclusive, and all, if implemented well, could contribute to more solar ready construction. Solar ready itself does not reduce energy use or create clean energy. Nevertheless, solar ready building practices are needed to reach the full potential of solar deployment. Without forethought on incorporating solar into design, buildings may be incompatible with solar due to roof structure or excessive shading. In these cases, retrofitting the roof or removing shading elements is cost prohibitive. Furthermore, higher up-front costs due to structural adaptations and production losses caused by less than optimal roof orientation, roof equipment, or shading will lengthen payback periods, making solar more expensive. With millions of new buildings constructed each year in the United States, solar ready can remove installation barriers and increase the potential for widespread solar adoption. There are many approaches to promoting solar ready, including solar ready legislation, certification programs, and education of stakeholders. Federal, state, and local governments have the potential to implement programs that encourage solar ready and in turn reduce barriers to solar deployment. With the guidance in this document and the examples of jurisdictions and organizations already working to promote solar ready building practices, federal, state, and local governments can guide the market toward solar ready implementation.

Ready to learn physics: a team-based learning model for first year university

Science.gov (United States)

Parappilly, Maria; Schmidt, Lisa; De Ritter, Samantha

2015-09-01

Team-based learning (TBL) is an established model of group work which aims to improve students' ability to apply discipline-related content. TBL consists of a readiness assurance process (RAP), student groups and application activities. While TBL has not been implemented widely in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, it has been effective in improving student learning in other disciplines. This paper describes the incorporation of TBL activities into a non-calculus based introductory level physics topic—Physics for the Modern World. Students were given pre-class preparation materials and an individual RAP online test before the workshops. The pre-workshop individual RAP test ensured that all students were exposed to concept-based questions before their workshops and motivated them to use the preparatory materials in readiness for the workshop. The students were placed into random teams and during the first part of the workshop, the teams went through a subset of the quiz questions (team RAP test) and in the remaining time, teams completed an in-class assignment. After the workshop students were allowed another attempt at the individual RAP test to see if their knowledge had improved. The ability of TBL to promote student learning of key concepts was evaluated by experiment using pre- and post- testing. The students’ perception of TBL was monitored by discussion posts and survey responses. Finally, the ability of TBL to support peer-peer interaction was evaluated by video analysis of the class. We found that the TBL process improved student learning; students did interact with each other in class; and the students had a positive view of TBL. To assess the transferability of this model to other topics, we conducted a comparison study with an environmental science topic which produced similar results. Our study supports the use of this TBL model in science topics.

Page Header Focus & Scope Author Guidelines Author Fees Online Submission Copyright Transfer Form Publication Ethics Screening For Plagiarism Editorial Board Reviewer Acknowledgement Reviewer's Guideline Order Journal Visitor Statistics CITATION ANALYSIS SCOPUS Google Scholar TEMPLATE MANUSCRIPT TEMPLATE TOOLS Mendeley Grammarly Screened by turnitin ETS NOTIFICATIONS View Subscribe USER Username Password Remember me Login JOURNAL CONTENT Search Search Scope Search Browse By Issue By Author By Title Other Journals ABOUT THE AUTHORS Said Jubran Universitas Gadjah Mada Indonesia Faculty of Economics and Business Sumiyana Sumiyana Universitas Gadjah Mada Faculty of Economics and Business ARTICLE TOOLS Print this article Indexing metadata How to cite item Email this article (Login required Email the author (Login required Save to Mendeley Save to Zotero ISSN ISSN ISSN 2338-5847 (online ISSN 2085-8272 (print ISSN 0215-2487 (previous KEYWORDS Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLTp DiD model Indonesia Stigler’s contribution business sustainability, management-environmental aspects, business ethics, sustainable development child test score cigarettes corporate governance earthquake economic thought economics of information emotional exhaustion employee well-being ethical leadership noncompliance permanent income hypothesis tax administration tax reform transitory income wage-profit rate schedules work engagement HomeAboutLoginRegisterSearchCurrentArchivesAnnouncementsStatisticsIndexing & AbstractingContactAccreditation Home > Vol 30, No 2 (2015 >\tJubran THE TECHNOLOGY READINESS OR SOCIAL PRESENCE, WHICH ONE COULD EXPLAIN THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE BETTER? AN INVESTIGATION ON VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Said Jubran

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Internet technology has accelerated the development of communities from face-to-face into computer-mediated communications. Individuals who joined the virtual communities contributed greatly to building their knowledge by sharing their experiences. This study investigates the individuals’ knowledge sharing intentions using two approaches for the research model. The first approach is adopted from Hung & Cheng’s (2013 model that incorporates technology readiness, compatibility and acceptance. The second approach is a new model built specifically for this study which combines the social presence and compatibility into the technology acceptance. Furthermore, this study compared both models to identify their ability to explain the individuals’ knowledge sharing intentions. This study’s results show that the first model is not better than the second. In the first model, the technology readiness, as represented only by the innovative, is the only one having a positive effect on the technology acceptance. Meanwhile, the three other constructs, i.e. optimism, discomfort, and insecurity are not. In the second model, the social presence and compatibility that are integrated into the Technology Acceptance Model could actually positively affect the technology acceptance. In the technology readiness model, the ease of the technology is not the indicator which assesses the usefulness of the technology. Meanwhile, in the social presence model, the ease of use affects the usefulness of the technology. Furthermore, both in the technology readiness and social presence models, the perceived usefulness and ease of use affect the knowledge sharing intentions. The study finds that the social presence is able to explain the knowledge sharing intentions better than the technology readiness does. It implies practically that virtual community providers should make individuals be more active in their virtual communities. Then, the providers could facilitate the

Capture ready study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minchener, A.

2007-07-15

There are a large number of ways in which the capture of carbon as carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) can be integrated into fossil fuel power stations, most being applicable for both gas and coal feedstocks. To add to the choice of technology is the question of whether an existing plant should be retrofitted for capture, or whether it is more attractive to build totally new. This miscellany of choices adds considerably to the commercial risk of investing in a large power station. An intermediate stage between the non-capture and full capture state would be advantageous in helping to determine the best way forward and hence reduce those risks. In recent years the term 'carbon capture ready' or 'capture ready' has been coined to describe such an intermediate stage plant and is now widely used. However a detailed and all-encompassing definition of this term has never been published. All fossil fuel consuming plant produce a carbon dioxide gas byproduct. There is a possibility of scrubbing it with an appropriate CO{sub 2} solvent. Hence it could be said that all fossil fuel plant is in a condition for removal of its CO{sub 2} effluent and therefore already in a 'capture ready' state. Evidently, the practical reality of solvent scrubbing could cost more than the rewards offered by such as the ETS (European Trading Scheme). In which case, it can be said that although the possibility exists of capturing CO{sub 2}, it is not a commercially viable option and therefore the plant could not be described as ready for CO{sub 2} capture. The boundary between a capture ready and a non-capture ready condition using this definition cannot be determined in an objective and therefore universally acceptable way and criteria must be found which are less onerous and less potentially contentious to assess. 16 refs., 2 annexes.

Predictors of Osteopathic Medical Students' Readiness to Use Health Information Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Robin J; Iqbal, Hassan; Rana, Arif M; Rana, Zaid; Kane, Michael N

2017-12-01

The advent of health information technology (HIT) tools can affect the practice of modern medicine in many ways, ideally by improving quality of care and efficiency and reducing medical errors. Future physicians will play a key role in the successful implementation of HIT. However, osteopathic medical students' willingness to learn, adopt, and use technology in a health care setting is not well understood. To understand osteopathic medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIT and to identify factors that may be related to their readiness to use HIT. Using a cross-sectional approach, quantitative surveys were collected from students attending a large osteopathic medical school. Multivariate regression modeling was used to determine whether knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and personal characteristics were associated with students' readiness to use HIT in future clinical practice. Six hundred four students responded to at least 70% of the survey and were included in the analysis. Multivariate modeling successfully explained the 26% of variance in predicting students' readiness to use HIT (F8,506=22.6, Ptechnology use, younger age, being male, and prior exposure to technology were associated with readiness to use HIT. Understanding students' level of HIT readiness may help guide medical education intervention efforts to better prepare future osteopathic physicians for HIT engagement and use. Innovative approaches to HIT education in medical school curricula that include biomedical informatics may be necessary.

Fertility in The Netherlands as an expected value process and developmental readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Taris, T W

1998-01-01

In this 2-wave panel study, the decision to have children was examined in the context of Feather's (1982) expectancy-value model among a representative sample of 288 childless Dutch adults aged 18-30 years. The effects of 2 indicators of developmental readiness (age and duration of relationship) were also explored. It was expected that (a) the likelihood of having a baby would increase as a function of intentions, evaluations of being childless, and expected rewards of having children and (b) developmental readiness would be positively related to whether respondents had children at the 2nd wave of the study. Structural equation modeling was used. The results largely supported expectations. Developmental readiness affected fertility both directly and indirectly via the expected rewards of having children.

Readiness for Living Technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peronard, Jean-Paul

2013-01-01

This paper is a comparative analysis between workers in healthcare with high and low degree of readiness for living technology such as robotics. To explore the differences among workers’ readiness for robotics in healthcare, statistical analysis was conducted in the data set obtained from 200...

Bioprinting: an assessment based on manufacturing readiness levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Changsheng; Wang, Ben; Zhang, Chuck; Wysk, Richard A; Chen, Yi-Wen

2017-05-01

Over the last decade, bioprinting has emerged as a promising technology in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. With recent advances in additive manufacturing, bioprinting is poised to provide patient-specific therapies and new approaches for tissue and organ studies, drug discoveries and even food manufacturing. Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) is a method that has been applied to assess manufacturing maturity and to identify risks and gaps in technology-manufacturing transitions. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is used to evaluate the maturity of a technology. This paper reviews recent advances in bioprinting following the MRL scheme and addresses corresponding MRL levels of engineering challenges and gaps associated with the translation of bioprinting from lab-bench experiments to ultimate full-scale manufacturing of tissues and organs. According to our step-by-step TRL and MRL assessment, after years of rigorous investigation by the biotechnology community, bioprinting is on the cusp of entering the translational phase where laboratory research practices can be scaled up into manufacturing products specifically designed for individual patients.

Military Gay Ban Revisited: Is our Military Ready for Change?

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-20

support from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender ( LGBT ) community and in return made several campaign promises along the way. One of the campaign ...Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender] ( LGBT ) rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as...No. 85. July 2007. Donnelly, Elaine. Who Will Confront the “ LGBT Left?”. Center for Military Readiness. (5 February 2008). Frank

Developing learning community model with soft skill integration for the building engineering apprenticeship programme in vocational high school

Science.gov (United States)

Sutrisno, Dardiri, Ahmad; Sugandi, R. Machmud

2017-09-01

This study aimed to address the procedure, effectiveness, and problems in the implementation of learning model for Building Engineering Apprenticeship Training Programme. This study was carried out through survey method and experiment. The data were collected using questionnaire, test, and assessment sheet. The collected data were examined through description, t-test, and covariance analysis. The results of the study showed that (1) the model's procedure covered preparation course, readiness assessment, assignment distribution, handing over students to apprenticeship instructors, task completion, assisting, field assessment, report writing, and follow-up examination, (2) the Learning Community model could significantly improve students' active learning, but not improve students' hard skills and soft skills, and (3) the problems emerging in the implementation of the model were (1) students' difficulties in finding apprenticeship places and qualified instructors, and asking for relevant tasks, (2) teachers' difficulties in determining relevant tasks and monitoring students, and (3) apprenticeship instructors' difficulties in assigning, monitoring, and assessing students.

Evidence based practice readiness: A concept analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Jessica D; Welton, John M

2018-01-15

To analyse and define the concept "evidence based practice readiness" in nurses. Evidence based practice readiness is a term commonly used in health literature, but without a clear understanding of what readiness means. Concept analysis is needed to define the meaning of evidence based practice readiness. A concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant's method to clarify the defining attributes of evidence based practice readiness as well as antecedents and consequences. A Boolean search of PubMed and Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature was conducted and limited to those published after the year 2000. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria for this analysis. Evidence based practice readiness incorporates personal and organisational readiness. Antecedents include the ability to recognize the need for evidence based practice, ability to access and interpret evidence based practice, and a supportive environment. The concept analysis demonstrates the complexity of the concept and its implications for nursing practice. The four pillars of evidence based practice readiness: nursing, training, equipping and leadership support are necessary to achieve evidence based practice readiness. Nurse managers are in the position to address all elements of evidence based practice readiness. Creating an environment that fosters evidence based practice can improve patient outcomes, decreased health care cost, increase nurses' job satisfaction and decrease nursing turnover. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An evolving network model with community structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Chunguang; Maini, Philip K

2005-01-01

Many social and biological networks consist of communities-groups of nodes within which connections are dense, but between which connections are sparser. Recently, there has been considerable interest in designing algorithms for detecting community structures in real-world complex networks. In this paper, we propose an evolving network model which exhibits community structure. The network model is based on the inner-community preferential attachment and inter-community preferential attachment mechanisms. The degree distributions of this network model are analysed based on a mean-field method. Theoretical results and numerical simulations indicate that this network model has community structure and scale-free properties

Evaluation of Readiness for Distance Education of Students in European Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daina Vasilevska

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Distance learning environment with its different approaches has become one of the most researched paradigms in the late years. Different technologies have been developed and introduced into these systems, but at the same time, a spectrum of use-cases has been offered for this model. This paper aims at addressing the most important problem facing with the distance learning eco-system, namely its evaluation. The evaluation process has been undertaken in different European countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Poland, Belarus, and Romania. The obtained results show that not all of the students are at the same level of readiness when it comes to distance education, there are no criteria developed for the evaluation of the students' readiness to this education model. For the purpose of this study, authors suggest that readiness to distance education includes knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for students to successfully possess while using the technologies of distance education. After the analysis of the results of this research, the authors developed a structure and described elements that define the level of students' readiness to distance education.

Work-readiness skills in the Fasset Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melandi Raftopoulos

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine the work -readiness skills that are regarded as important by employers and graduates in the Fasset Sector of South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was  used  to  achieve  this  objective.  Two  convenience  samples, namely  24  employers  and  333 graduates, completed  the Work Readiness Skills Scale. This scale was validated as a one-factor model with  an  alpha  coeffcient of  0.88. Oral  and written  communication,  self-discipline,  time management, interpersonal skills and teamwork, problem-solving skills and positive work ethic were rated as important skills for securing employment in this sector by employers and graduates alike. In addition, employers valued numeracy skills and motivation, whereas graduates regarded confidence and  leadership skills as  important. The results have implications for the curriculum design of the Fasset Work Readiness Programme presented to graduates in this industry.

A social-ecological model of readiness for transition to adult-oriented care for adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, L A; Tuchman, L K; Hobbie, W L; Ginsberg, J P

2011-11-01

Policy and research related to transition to adult care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) has focused primarily on patient age, disease skills and knowledge. In an effort to broaden conceptualization of transition and move beyond isolated patient variables, a new social-ecological model of AYA readiness for transition (SMART) was developed. SMART development was informed by related theories, literature, expert opinion and pilot data collection using a questionnaire developed to assess provider report of SMART components with 100 consecutive patients in a childhood cancer survivorship clinic. The literature, expert opinion and pilot data collection support the relevance of SMART components and a social-ecological conceptualization of transition. Provider report revealed that many components, representing more than age, disease knowledge and skills, related to provider plans for transferring patients. SMART consists of inter-related constructs of patients, parents and providers with emphasis on variables amenable to intervention. Results support SMART's broadened conceptualization of transition readiness and need for assessment of multiple stakeholders' perspectives of patient transition readiness. A companion measure of SMART, which will be able to be completed by patients, parents and providers, will be developed to target areas of intervention to facilitate optimal transition readiness. Similar research programmes to establish evidence-based transition measures and interventions are needed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

IHY Modeling Support at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center

Science.gov (United States)

Chulaki, A.; Hesse, Michael; Kuznetsova, Masha; MacNeice, P.; Rastaetter, L.

2005-01-01

The Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) is a US inter-agency activity aiming at research in support of the generation of advanced space weather models. As one of its main functions, the CCMC provides to researchers the use of space science models, even if they are not model owners themselves. In particular, the CCMC provides to the research community the execution of "runs-onrequest" for specific events of interest to space science researchers. Through this activity and the concurrent development of advanced visualization tools, CCMC provides, to the general science community, unprecedented access to a large number of state-of-the-art research models. CCMC houses models that cover the entire domain from the Sun to the Earth. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of CCMC modeling services that are available to support activities during the International Heliospheric Year. In order to tailor CCMC activities to IHY needs, we will also invite community input into our IHY planning activities.

Comparison of ready biodegradation estimation methods for fragrance materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Boethling, Robert

2014-11-01

Biodegradability is fundamental to the assessment of environmental exposure and risk from organic chemicals. Predictive models can be used to pursue both regulatory and chemical design (green chemistry) objectives, which are most effectively met when models are easy to use and available free of charge. The objective of this work was to evaluate no-cost estimation programs with respect to prediction of ready biodegradability. Fragrance materials, which are structurally diverse and have significant exposure potential, were used for this purpose. Using a database of 222 fragrance compounds with measured ready biodegradability, 10 models were compared on the basis of overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), a measure of quality for binary classification. The 10 models were VEGA© Non-Interactive Client, START (Toxtree©), Biowin©1-6, and two models based on inductive machine learning. Applicability domain (AD) was also considered. Overall accuracy was ca. 70% and varied little over all models, but sensitivity, specificity and MCC showed wider variation. Based on MCC, the best models for fragrance compounds were Biowin6, VEGA and Biowin3. VEGA performance was slightly better for the 0.8). However, removing compounds with one and only one quaternary carbon yielded similar improvement in predictivity for VEGA, START, and Biowin3/6, with a smaller penalty in reduced coverage. Of the nine compounds for which the eight models (VEGA, START, Biowin1-6) all disagreed with the measured value, measured analog data were available for seven, and all supported the predicted value. VEGA, Biowin3 and Biowin6 are judged suitable for ready biodegradability screening of fragrance compounds. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Costs of a Hospital-Based, Ready-To-Use Syringe Delivery Programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risør, Bettina Wulff; Vand, S; Lisby, M

2017-01-01

%) and at €20,905 (an increase of 228%) for the endoscopy department. The ready-to-use delivery program imposed an additional cost of €11.32 per day surgery operation and €2.41 per endoscopy procedure. Conclusion: This ready-to-use programme increased the cost of the medical handling process. This incremental......Objective: The risk of errors in the medication administration process is high. Applications of pre lled syringes may improve patient safety but could be more costly. The objective of this study was to assess the additional costs of a ready-to-use syringe delivery programme in comparison...... with a conventional delivery programme at day surgery and endoscopy departments at a large university hospital. Methods: The cost analysis used the hospital perspective and developed an “activity-based costing” model to assess the costs of medicine- handling activities. The model was calibrated with six-month data...

PROMETHEE-ROC Model for Assessing the Readiness of Technology for Generating Energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danielle Costa Morais

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper puts forward a proposal for a multicriteria decision model for prioritizing technologies that are critical for power generation in the energy sector. It deals with the context of imprecise information regarding importance of criteria; then an integration of surrogate weights with the PROMETHEE method is undertaken in order to approach this context. In this type of strategic decision problem, how to deal with imprecise information is always a challenge. The use of surrogate weights presents a significant contribution and it can facilitate the assignment of weights in a decision ranking problem, which requires the decision-maker (DM to order the criteria by their importance for the decision problem. Thus for this situation of assessing the readiness of technology for generating energy where the DM is able and feels comfortable to order all criteria by their relative importance, the proposed approach of surrogate weights in the PROMETHEE II method, the PROMETHEE-ROC model, is shown to be an adequate approach.

Vogtle Unit 1 readiness review: Assessment of Georgia Power Company readiness review pilot program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, G.

1987-09-01

Georgia Power Company (GPC) performed a readiness review at Vogtle Unit 1 as a pilot program. The pilot program was a new and innovative approach for the systematic and disciplined review, with senior management involvement, of GPC's implementation of design, construction, and operational readiness processes. The program's principal objective was to increase the level of assurance that quality programs at Vogtle Unit 1 have been accomplished in accordance with regulatory requirements. This report assesses the effectiveness of the GPC's readiness review pilot program (RRPP) at Vogtle Unit 1. It includes (1) an overview of what was experienced during the program's implementation, (2) an assessment of how well program objectives were met, and (3) lessons learned on the future use of the readiness review concept. Overall, GPC and the NRC staff believe that the RRPP at Vogtle Unit 1 was a success and that the program provided significant added assurance that Vogtle Unit 1 licensing commitments and NRC regulations have been adequately implemented. Although altering the NRC licensing review process for the few plants still in the construction pipeline may not be appropriate, licensees may benefit significantly by performing readiness reviews on their own initiative as GPC did for Vogtle. (7 refs.)

Factors of children's school readiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ljubica Marjanovič Umek

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of preschool on children's school readiness in connection with their intellectual abilities, language competence, and parents' education. The sample included 219 children who were 68 to 83 months old and were attending the first year of primary school. Children were differentiated by whether or not they had attended preschool before starting school. Children's intellectual ability was determined using Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM; Raven, Raven, & Court, 1999, language competence using the Lestvice splošnega govornegarazvoja–LJ (LSGR–LJ, Scales of General Language Development; Marjanovič Umek, Kranjc, Fekonja in Bajc, 2004, and school readiness with the Preizkus pripravljenosti za šolo (PPŠ, Test of School Readiness; Toličič, 1986. The results indicate that children's intellectual ability and language competence have a high predictive value for the school readiness — they explained 51% of the variance in children's scores on the PPŠ. Preschool enrollment has a positive effect on school readiness for children whose parents have a low level of education, but not for those whose parents are highly educated.

A Medical School's Organizational Readiness for Curriculum Change (MORC): Development and Validation of a Questionnaire

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jippes, M.; Driessen, E.W.; Broers, N.J.; Majoor, G.D.; Gijselaers, W.H.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's

Cognitive Readiness

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Morrison, John

2002-01-01

Cognitive readiness is described as the mental preparation an individual needs to establish and sustain competent performance in the complex and unpredictable environment of modern military operations...

I-DECIDE: An Online Intervention Drawing on the Psychosocial Readiness Model for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarzia, Laura; Murray, Elizabeth; Humphreys, Cathy; Glass, Nancy; Taft, Angela; Valpied, Jodie; Hegarty, Kelsey

2016-01-01

Domestic violence (DV) perpetrated by men against women is a pervasive global problem with significant physical and emotional consequences. Although some face-to-face interventions in health care settings have shown promise, there are barriers to disclosure to health care practitioners and women may not be ready to access or accept help, reducing uptake. Similar to the mental health field, interventions from clinical practice can be adapted to be delivered by technology. This article outlines the theoretical and conceptual development of I-DECIDE, an online healthy relationship tool and safety decision aid for women experiencing DV. The article explores the use of the Psychosocial Readiness Model (PRM) as a theoretical framework for the intervention and evaluation. This is a theoretical article drawing on current theory and literature around health care and online interventions for DV. The article argues that the Internet as a method of intervention delivery for DV might overcome many of the barriers present in health care settings. Using the PRM as a framework for an online DV intervention may help women on a pathway to safety and well-being for themselves and their children. This hypothesis will be tested in a randomized, controlled trial in 2015/2016. This article highlights the importance of using a theoretical model in intervention development and evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A theory of organizational readiness for change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiner Bryan J

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Change management experts have emphasized the importance of establishing organizational readiness for change and recommended various strategies for creating it. Although the advice seems reasonable, the scientific basis for it is limited. Unlike individual readiness for change, organizational readiness for change has not been subject to extensive theoretical development or empirical study. In this article, I conceptually define organizational readiness for change and develop a theory of its determinants and outcomes. I focus on the organizational level of analysis because many promising approaches to improving healthcare delivery entail collective behavior change in the form of systems redesign--that is, multiple, simultaneous changes in staffing, work flow, decision making, communication, and reward systems. Discussion Organizational readiness for change is a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. As an organization-level construct, readiness for change refers to organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy. Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational members value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability: task demands, resource availability, and situational factors. When organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behavior. The result is more effective implementation. Summary The theory described in this article treats organizational readiness as a shared psychological state in which organizational members feel committed to implementing an organizational change and confident in their collective abilities to do so. This way of thinking about organizational readiness is best suited for

I-RREACH: an engagement and assessment tool for improving implementation readiness of researchers, organizations and communities in complex interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Maar, Marion; Yeates, Karen; Barron, Marcia; Hua, Diane; Liu, Peter; Moy Lum-Kwong, Margaret; Perkins, Nancy; Sleeth, Jessica; Tobe, Joshua; Wabano, Mary Jo; Williamson, Pamela; Tobe, Sheldon W

2015-05-04

Non-communicable chronic diseases are the leading causes of mortality globally, and nearly 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries (HICs), inequitable distribution of resources affects poorer and otherwise disadvantaged groups including Aboriginal peoples. Cardiovascular mortality in high-income countries has recently begun to fall; however, these improvements are not realized among citizens in LMICs or those subgroups in high-income countries who are disadvantaged in the social determinants of health including Aboriginal people. It is critical to develop multi-faceted, affordable and realistic health interventions in collaboration with groups who experience health inequalities. Based on community-based participatory research (CBPR), we aimed to develop implementation tools to guide complex interventions to ensure that health gains can be realized in low-resource environments. We developed the I-RREACH (Intervention and Research Readiness Engagement and Assessment of Community Health Care) tool to guide implementation of interventions in low-resource environments. We employed CBPR and a consensus methodology to (1) develop the theoretical basis of the tool and (2) to identify key implementation factor domains; then, we (3) collected participant evaluation data to validate the tool during implementation. The I-RREACH tool was successfully developed using a community-based consensus method and is rooted in participatory principles, equalizing the importance of the knowledge and perspectives of researchers and community stakeholders while encouraging respectful dialogue. The I-RREACH tool consists of three phases: fact finding, stakeholder dialogue and community member/patient dialogue. The evaluation for our first implementation of I-RREACH by participants was overwhelmingly positive, with 95% or more of participants indicating comfort with and support for the process and the dialogue it creates. The I

Developing MOOCs to Narrow the College Readiness Gap: Challenges and Recommendations for a Writing Course

Science.gov (United States)

Bandi-Rao, Shoba; Devers, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have demonstrated the potential to deliver quality and cost effective course materials to large numbers of students. Approximately 60% of first-year students at community colleges are underprepared for college-level coursework. One reason for low graduation rates is the lack of the overall college readiness.…

Corporate Social Responsibility Agreements Model for Community ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Corporate Social Responsibility Agreements Model for Community ... their host communities with concomitant adverse effect on mining operations. ... sustainable community development an integral part of the mining business. This paper presents the evolutionary strategic models, with differing principles and action plans, ...

m-Health Policy Readiness and Enabling Factors: Comparisons of Sub-Saharan Africa and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seohyun; Begley, Charles E; Morgan, Robert; Chan, Wenyaw; Kim, Sun-Young

2018-02-12

As an innovative solution to poor access to care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), m-health has gained wide attention in the past decade. Despite enthusiasm from the global health community, LMICs have not demonstrated high uptake of m-health promoting policies or public investment. To benchmark the current status, this study compared m-health policy readiness scores between sub-Saharan Africa and high-income Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using an independent two-sample t test. In addition, the enabling factors associated with m-health policy readiness were investigated using an ordinal logistic regression model. The study was based on the m-health policy readiness scores of 112 countries obtained from the World Health Organization Third Global Survey on e-Health. The mean m-health policy readiness score for sub-Saharan Africa was statistically significantly lower than that for OECD countries (p = 0.02). The enabling factors significantly associated with m-health policy readiness included information and communication technology development index (odds ratio [OR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-2.2), e-health education for health professionals (OR 4.43; 95% CI 1.60-12.27), and the location in sub-Saharan Africa (OR 3.47; 95% CI 1.06-11.34). The findings of our study suggest dual policy goals for m-health in sub-Saharan Africa. First, enhance technological and educational support for m-health. Second, pursue global collaboration for building m-health capacity led by sub-Saharan African countries with hands-on experience and knowledge. Globally, countries should take a systematic and collaborative approach in pursuing m-health policy with the focus on technological and educational support.

Supporting the Evaluation and Implementation of Musculoskeletal Models of Care: A Globally Informed Framework for Judging Readiness and Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Andrew M; Jordan, Joanne E; Jennings, Matthew; Speerin, Robyn; Bragge, Peter; Chua, Jason; Woolf, Anthony D; Slater, Helen

2017-04-01

To develop a globally informed framework to evaluate readiness for implementation and success after implementation of musculoskeletal models of care (MOCs). Three phases were undertaken: 1) a qualitative study with 27 Australian subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop a draft framework; 2) an eDelphi study with an international panel of 93 SMEs across 30 nations to evaluate face validity, and refine and establish consensus on the framework components; and 3) translation of the framework into a user-focused resource and evaluation of its acceptability with the eDelphi panel. A comprehensive evaluation framework was developed for judging the readiness and success of musculoskeletal MOCs. The framework consists of 9 domains, with each domain containing a number of themes underpinned by detailed elements. In the first Delphi round, scores of "partly agree" or "completely agree" with the draft framework ranged 96.7%-100%. In the second round, "essential" scores ranged 58.6%-98.9%, resulting in 14 of 34 themes being classified as essential. SMEs strongly agreed or agreed that the final framework was useful (98.8%), usable (95.1%), credible (100%) and appealing (93.9%). Overall, 96.3% strongly supported or supported the final structure of the framework as it was presented, while 100%, 96.3%, and 100% strongly supported or supported the content within the readiness, initiating implementation, and success streams, respectively. An empirically derived framework to evaluate the readiness and success of musculoskeletal MOCs was strongly supported by an international panel of SMEs. The framework provides an important internationally applicable benchmark for the development, implementation, and evaluation of musculoskeletal MOCs. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Determining transition readiness in congenital heart disease: Assessing the utility of the Transition Readiness Questionnaire

Science.gov (United States)

The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is a tool commonly used to assess transition readiness in adolescents with chronic diseases. It was previously validated in youth with special health care needs (YSHCN), but no patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) were included in the ...

Length of stay after vaginal birth: sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Marianne; Ryan, Polly; Lokken, Lisa; Nelson, Magdalen

2004-06-01

The impact of reductions in postpartum length of stay have been widely reported, but factors influencing length of hospital stay after vaginal birth have received less attention. The study purpose was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge of new mothers and their newborns at 3 discharge time intervals, and to determine which variables were associated with postpartum length of stay. The study sample comprised 1,192 mothers who were discharged within 2 postpartum days after uncomplicated vaginal birth at a tertiary perinatal center in the midwestern United States. The sample was divided into 3 postpartum length-of-stay groups: group 1 (18-30 hr), group 2 (31-42 hr), and group 3 (43-54 hr). Sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge data were collected by self-report and from a computerized hospital information system. Measures of readiness for discharge included perceived readiness (single item and Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale), documented maternal and neonatal clinical problems, and feeding method. Compared with other groups, the longest length-of-stay group was older; of higher socioeconomic status and education; and with more primiparous, breastfeeding, white, married mothers who were living with the baby's father, had adequate home help, and had a private payor source. This group also reported greater readiness for discharge, but their newborns had more documented clinical problems during the postbirth hospitalization. In logistic regression modeling, earlier discharge was associated with young age, multiparity, public payor source, low socioeconomic status, lack of readiness for discharge, bottle-feeding, and absence of a neonatal clinical problem. Sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge (clinical and perceived) were associated with length of postpartum hospital stay. Length of stay is an outcome of a complex interface between patient, provider, and payor influences on discharge timing

Achieving Business Excellence by Optimizing Corporate Forensic Readiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gojko Grubor

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In order to improve their business excellence, all organizations, despite their size (small, medium or large one should manage their risk of fraud. Fraud, in today’s world, is often committed by using computers and can only be revealed by digital forensic investigator. Not even small or medium-sized companies are secure from fraud. In the light of recent financial scandals that literary demolished not just economies of specific countries but entire world economy, we propose in this paper an optimal model of corporative computer incident digital forensic investigation (CCIDFI by using adopted mathematic model of the greed MCDM – multi-criteria decision-making method and the Expert Choice software tool for multi-criteria optimization of the CCIDFI readiness. Proposed model can, first of all, help managers of small and medium-sized companies to justify their decisions to employ digital forensic investigators and include them in their information security teams in order to choose the optimal CCIDFI model and improve forensic readiness in the computer incident management process that will result with minimization of potential losses of company in the future and improve its business quality.

The "ripple effect": Health and community perceptions of the Indigenous Marathon Program on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, Australia.

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Macniven, Rona; Plater, Suzanne; Canuto, Karla; Dickson, Michelle; Gwynn, Josephine; Bauman, Adrian; Richards, Justin

2018-02-19

Physical inactivity is a key health risk among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians. We examined perceptions of the Indigenous Marathon Program (IMP) in a remote Torres Strait island community. Semi-structured interviews with community and program stakeholders (n = 18; 14 Indigenous) examined barriers and enablers to running and the influence of the IMP on the community. A questionnaire asked 104 running event participants (n = 42 Indigenous) about their physical activity behaviours, running motivation and perceptions of program impact. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis, and quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews revealed six main themes: community readiness, changing social norms to adopt healthy lifestyles, importance of social support, program appeal to hard-to-reach population groups, program sustainability and initiation of broader healthy lifestyle ripple effects beyond running. Barriers to running in the community were personal (cultural attitudes; shyness) and environmental (infrastructure; weather; dogs). Enablers reflected potential strategies to overcome described barriers. Indigenous questionnaire respondents were more likely to report being inspired to run by IMP runners than non-Indigenous respondents. Positive "ripple" effects of the IMP on running and broader health were described to have occurred through local role modelling of healthy lifestyles by IMP runners that reduced levels of "shame" and embarrassment, a common barrier to physical activity among Indigenous Australians. A high initial level of community readiness for behaviour change was also reported. SO WHAT?: Strategies to overcome this "shame" factor and community readiness measurement should be incorporated into the design of future Indigenous physical activity programs. © 2018 Australian Health Promotion Association.

Are we ready for Taenia solium cysticercosis elimination in sub-Saharan Africa?

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Maria Vang; Trevisan, Chiara; Gabriël, Sarah; Magnussen, Pascal; Braae, Uffe Christian

2017-01-01

The World Health Organization announced in November 2014 at the fourth international meeting on 'the control of neglected zoonotic diseases - from advocacy to action', that intervention tools for eliminating Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis (TSTC) are in place. The aim of this work was to elucidate theoretical outcomes of various control options suggested for TSTC elimination in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over a 4-year period. Our current knowledge regarding T. solium epidemiology and control primarily builds on studies from Latin America. A simple transmission model - built on data from Latin America - has been used to predict the effect of various interventions such as mass treatment of humans, vaccination and treatment of pigs, and health education of communities, potentially leading to change in bad practices and reducing transmission risks. Based on simulations of the transmission model, even a 4-year integrated One Health approach fails to eliminate TSTC from a small community and in all simulations, the prevalence of human taeniosis and porcine cysticercosis start to rise as soon as the programmes end. Our current knowledge regarding transmission and burden of TSTC in SSA is scarce and while claiming to be tool ready, the selection of diagnostic and surveillance tools, as well as the algorithms and stepwise approaches for control and elimination of TSTC remain major challenges.

Atmospheric data access for the geospatial user community

Science.gov (United States)

van de Vegte, John; Som de Cerff, Wim-Jan; van den Oord, Gijsbertus H. J.; Sluiter, Raymond; van der Neut, Ian A.; Plieger, Maarten; van Hees, Richard M.; de Jeu, Richard A. M.; Schaepman, Michael E.; Hoogerwerf, Marc R.; Groot, Nikée E.; Domenico, Ben; Nativi, Stefano; Wilhelmi, Olga V.

2007-10-01

Historically the atmospheric and meteorological communities are separate worlds with their own data formats and tools for data handling making sharing of data difficult and cumbersome. On the other hand, these information sources are becoming increasingly of interest outside these communities because of the continuously improving spatial and temporal resolution of e.g. model and satellite data and the interest in historical datasets. New user communities that use geographically based datasets in a cross-domain manner are emerging. This development is supported by the progress made in Geographical Information System (GIS) software. The current GIS software is not yet ready for the wealth of atmospheric data, although the faint outlines of new generation software are already visible: support of HDF, NetCDF and an increasing understanding of temporal issues are only a few of the hints.

Implementing a Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Springer, David [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States); German, Alea [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States)

2015-08-01

An objective of this project was to gain a highly visible foothold for residential buildings built to the U.S. Department of Energy's Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) specification that can be used to encourage participation by other California builders. This report briefly describes two single family homes that were ZERH-certified, and focuses on the experience of working with developer Mutual Housing on a 62 unit multi-family community at the Spring Lake subdivision in Woodland, CA. The Spring Lake project is expected to be the first ZERH certified multi-family project nationwide. This report discusses challenges encountered, lessons learned, and how obstacles were overcome.

Providing a Framework for E-readiness Assessment and Action for E-Commerce in Ramak Dairy Company in Shiraz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mohammadi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to provide a framework to assess the e-readiness of Ramak Company in Shiraz. To that end, after reviewing the related literature in the field of e-readiness and selecting the proper model, the model parameters were distributed among experts in the form of a questionnaire, and with the help of fuzzy screening, 49 indicators were finalized. Then, using the combination method of DEMATEL and Analysis of Network process, weight of the indicators was obtained. Finally, e-readiness of the indicators was investigated through proper statistical tests. The analysis indicated that the company had necessary preparation in the following indicators “market share of company” and “compliance with quality of ICT international standards”, “high bandwidth availability” and “diversity of communication channels available”, “quality of national wide ICT infrastructures” and “obstacles of trade investment” and any other observation. By doing the gap analysis, it was found that the dimensions of external environment readiness, the ICT readiness and external environment readiness, respectively had the highest priorities for enforcement action.

The Readiness Ruler as a measure of readiness to change poly-drug use in drug abusers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hesse, Morten

2006-01-01

Readiness to change is a crucial issue in the treatment of substance use disorders. Experiences with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has shown that continuous drug and alcohol use with all its consequences characterize most MMT programs. In a prospective study of drug abusers seeking opiate...... agonist maintenance treatment in the City of Copenhagen, subjects were administered the Addiction Severity Index, and the Readiness Ruler for each of 11 different licit and illicit drugs by research technicians. Data was collected upon admission to the program and at a 18 month follow-up. Subjects who...... indicated they wanted to quit or cut down upon admission, reported less drug use at 18 month follow-up, after controlling for severity of drug problems at intake. Subjects who expressed readiness to change their drug use upon admission decreased their drug use. It is concluded that the Readiness Ruler...

Development of an instrument to assess readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Rieger, E; Touyz, S; Schotte, D; Beumont, P; Russell, J; Clarke, S; Kohn, M; Griffiths, R

2000-12-01

The degree to which patients with anorexia nervosa demonstrate readiness to recover from their illness has received scant theoretical or empirical attention. Investigating the prevalence and degree of amotivation for recovery in anorexia nervosa, its role in outcome, and the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance readiness to recover necessitates the existence of a reliable and valid measure of motivational issues relevant to the disorder. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate an instrument for assessing readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa, namely, the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ), a 23-item self-report questionnaire based on Prochaska and DiClemente's stages of change model. Seventy-one inpatients with anorexia nervosa participated in the study. On several occasions during their admission, participants completed the ANSOCQ as well as questionnaires assessing readiness to recover, anorexic symptomatology, general distress, and social desirability. The ANSOCQ demonstrated good internal consistency (.90) and 1-week test-retest reliability (.89). Various aspects of validity were also supported, such as significant relationships with other instruments assessing readiness to recover and the prediction of weight gain during different periods of treatment. The results suggest that the ANSOCQ is a psychometrically sound instrument that may prove useful in investigating the role of readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Organizational factors associated with readiness for change in residential aged care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

von Treuer, Kathryn; Karantzas, Gery; McCabe, Marita; Mellor, David; Konis, Anastasia; Davison, Tanya E; O'Connor, Daniel

2018-02-01

Organizational change is inevitable in any workplace. Previous research has shown that leadership and a number of organizational climate and contextual variables can affect the adoption of change initiatives. The effect of these workplace variables is particularly important in stressful work sectors such as aged care where employees work with challenging older clients who frequently exhibit dementia and depression. This study sought to examine the effect of organizational climate and leadership variables on organizational readiness for change across 21 residential aged care facilities. Staff from each facility (N = 255) completed a self-report measure assessing organizational factors including organizational climate, leadership and readiness for change. A hierarchical regression model revealed that the organizational climate variables of work pressure, innovation, and transformational leadership were predictive of employee perceptions of organizational readiness for change. These findings suggest that within aged care facilities an organization's capacity to change their organizational climate and leadership practices may enhance an organization's readiness for change.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Amaris Homes, Afton Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

2017-09-01

Amaris Homes built this 3,734-ft2 home in Afton, Minnesota, to the performance criteria of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program. A high-efficiency gas boiler provides hot water for the zoned radiant floor system as well as for faucets and showers. A high-efficiency heat pump provides zoned cooling.

Pathways to School Readiness: Executive Functioning Predicts Academic and Social-Emotional Aspects of School Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Trisha D.; Hund, Alycia M.; Hesson-McInnis, Matthew S.; Roman, Zachary J.

2017-01-01

The current study specified the extent to which hot and cool aspects of executive functioning predicted academic and social-emotional indicators of school readiness. It was unique in focusing on positive aspects of social-emotional readiness, rather than problem behaviors. One hundred four 3-5-year-old children completed tasks measuring executive…

Care delivery and compensation system changes: a case study of organizational readiness within a large dental care practice organization in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Milgrom, Peter; Huebner, Colleen E; Scott, JoAnna; Ludwig, Sharity; Dysert, Jeanne; Mitchell, Melissa; Allen, Gary; Shirtcliff, R Mike

2017-12-20

Dental care delivery systems in the United States are consolidating and large practice organizations are becoming more common. At the same time, greater accountability for addressing disparities in access to care is being demanded when public funds are used to pay for care. As change occurs within these new practice structures, attempts to implement change in the delivery system may be hampered by failure to understand the organizational climate or fail to prepare employees to accommodate new goals or processes. Studies of organizational behavior within oral health care are sparse and have not addressed consolidation of current delivery systems. The objective of this case study was to assess organizational readiness for implementing change in a large dental care organization consisting of staff model clinics and affiliated dental practices and test associations of readiness with workforce characteristics and work environment. A dental care organization implemented a multifaceted quality improvement program, called PREDICT, in which community-based mobile and clinic-based dental services were integrated and the team compensated based in part on meeting performance targets. Dental care providers and supporting staff members (N = 181) were surveyed before program implementation and organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC) was assessed by two 5-point scales: change commitment and efficacy. Providers and staff demonstrated high organizational readiness for change. Median change commitment was 3.8 (Interquartile range [IQR]: 3.3-4.3) and change efficacy was 3.8 (IQR: 3.0-4.2). In the adjusted regression model, change commitment was associated with organizational climate, support for methods to arrest tooth decay and was inversely related to office chaos. Change efficacy was associated with organizational climate, support for the company's mission and was inversely related to burnout. Each unit increase in the organizational climate scale predicted 0

E-Model for Online Learning Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogo, Ellen J; Portillo, Karen M

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the students' perspectives on the phenomenon of online learning communities while enrolled in a graduate dental hygiene program. A qualitative case study method was designed to investigate the learners' experiences with communities in an online environment. A cross-sectional purposive sampling method was used. Interviews were the data collection method. As the original data were being analyzed, the researchers noted a pattern evolved indicating the phenomenon developed in stages. The data were re-analyzed and validated by 2 member checks. The participants' experiences revealed an e-model consisting of 3 stages of formal learning community development as core courses in the curriculum were completed and 1 stage related to transmuting the community to an informal entity as students experienced the independent coursework in the program. The development of the formal learning communities followed 3 stages: Building a Foundation for the Learning Community, Building a Supportive Network within the Learning Community and Investing in the Community to Enhance Learning. The last stage, Transforming the Learning Community, signaled a transition to an informal network of learners. The e-model was represented by 3 key elements: metamorphosis of relationships, metamorphosis through the affective domain and metamorphosis through the cognitive domain, with the most influential element being the affective development. The e-model describes a 4 stage process through which learners experience a metamorphosis in their affective, relationship and cognitive development. Synergistic learning was possible based on the interaction between synergistic relationships and affective actions. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Case Study Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dentz, Jordan [Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative, New York, NY (United States); Alaigh, Kunal [Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative, New York, NY (United States)

2016-02-01

Two multifamily buildings planned in Climate Zone 4 were analyzed to determine the cost, energy and performance implications of redesigning them to comply with Zero Energy Ready Home, a recognition program of the U.S. Department of Energy. Energy modeling was conducted on one representative apartment in each building using BEopt.

PENGARUH TECHNOLOGY READINESS TERHADAP PENERIMAAN TEKNOLOGI KOMPUTER PADA UMKM DI YOGYAKARTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mimin Nur Aisyah

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Abstrak: Pengaruh Technology Readiness terhadap Penerimaan Teknologi Komputer pada UMKM di Yogyakarta. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengekplorasi pengaruh kesiapan teknologi terhadap persepsi kemanfaatan sistem dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan sistem serta pengaruh kedua persepsi terhadap teknologi tersebut terhadap minat menggunakan teknologi komputer dalam membantu proses bisnis pada UMKM di Yogyakarta.  Sampel penelitian ini sejumlah 498 UMKM yang terdaftar di Disperindagkop Yogyakarta. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik simple random sampling. Data diperoleh menggunakan kuesioner. Analisis data dan uji hipotesis menggunakan model Partial-Least-Square (PLS. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa terdapat pengaruh kesiapan teknologi terhadap persepsi kemanfaatan sistem dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan sistem, serta terdapat pengaruh persepsi kemanfaatan teknologi dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan teknologi terhadap minat menggunakan teknologi komputer dalam membantu proses bisnis pada UMKM di Yogyakarta.   Kata kunci: kesiapan teknologi, persepsi kemanfaatan, persepsi kemudahan penggunaan, minat menggunakan, UMKM Abstract: The Effect of Technology Readiness toward Acceptance of Computer Technology on SMEs in Yogyakarta. This research aims to explore the effect of technology readiness to the perceived of usefulness of system and perceived ease of use of the system and the influence of both perceptions of these technologies to the behavioral intention of computer technology in business processes in SMEs in Yogyakarta. The research sample number of 498 SMEs were registered in Disperindagkop Yogyakarta. The sampling technique using simple random sampling technique. The data were obtained using a questionnaire. Data analysis and hypothesis testing using a model of the Partial-Least-Square (PLS. The research found that there are significant technology readiness to the perception of the benefit system and perceived ease of use of the system

Readying Community Water Fluoridation Advocates through Training, Surveillance, and Empowerment.

Science.gov (United States)

Veschusio, C; Jones, M K; Mercer, J; Martin, A B

2018-05-30

This paper describes the Community Water Fluoridation Advocacy Training Project that was designed to develop networks of community water fluoridation advocates in rural communities. The South Carolina (SC) Department of Health and Environmental Control Division of Oral Health staff and the SC Dental Association were responsible for developing and facilitating the training sessions for key policy influencers, which included medical and dental providers, early childhood educators, and water system operators and managers. Findings from the post-training survey indicate that participants increased their knowledge and skills to discuss the impact of water fluoridation on the dental health of community residents. Participants identified a need for online access to water fluoridation education and advocacy materials. Dental public health competencies illustrated: communication and collaboration with groups and individuals, and advocate, implement and evaluate public health policy, legislation and regulations. Copyright© 2018 Dennis Barber Ltd.

The Role of Passion and Purpose in Leader Developmental Readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bronk, Kendall Cotton; McLean, Derrick C

2016-01-01

The founder of TOMS Shoes, Blake Mycoskie, and the late Apple cofounder and CEO, Steve Jobs, model the role of passion and purpose in leader developmental readiness. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The Avahan Transition: Effects of Transition Readiness on Program Institutionalization and Sustained Outcomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sachiko Ozawa

Full Text Available With declines in development assistance for health and growing interest in country ownership, donors are increasingly faced with the task of transitioning health programs to local actors towards a path to sustainability. Yet there is little available guidance on how to measure and evaluate the success of a transition and its subsequent effects. This study assesses the transition of the Avahan HIV/AIDS prevention program in India to investigate how preparations for transition affected continuation of program activities post-transition.Two rounds of two surveys were conducted and supplemented by data from government and Avahan Computerized Management Information Systems (CMIS. Exploratory factor analysis was used to develop two measures: 1 transition readiness pre-transition, and 2 institutionalization (i.e. integration of initial program systems into organizational procedures and behaviors post-transition. A fixed effects model was built to examine changes in key program delivery outcomes over time. An ordinary least square regression was used to assess the relationship between transition readiness and sustainability of service outcomes both directly, and indirectly through institutionalization.Transition readiness data revealed 3 factors (capacity, alignment and communication, on a 15-item scale with adequate internal consistency (alpha 0.73. Institutionalization was modeled as a unidimensional construct, and a 12-item scale demonstrated moderate internal consistency (alpha 0.60. Coverage of key populations and condom distribution were sustained compared to pre-transition levels (p<0.01. Transition readiness, but not institutionalization, predicted sustained outcomes post-transition. Transition readiness did not necessarily lead to institutionalization of key program elements one year after transition.Greater preparedness prior to transition is important to achieve better service delivery outcomes post-transition. This paper illustrates a

Organizational readiness for implementing change: a psychometric assessment of a new measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Christopher M; Jacobs, Sara R; Esserman, Denise A; Bruce, Kerry; Weiner, Bryan J

2014-01-10

Organizational readiness for change in healthcare settings is an important factor in successful implementation of new policies, programs, and practices. However, research on the topic is hindered by the absence of a brief, reliable, and valid measure. Until such a measure is developed, we cannot advance scientific knowledge about readiness or provide evidence-based guidance to organizational leaders about how to increase readiness. This article presents results of a psychometric assessment of a new measure called Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC), which we developed based on Weiner's theory of organizational readiness for change. We conducted four studies to assess the psychometric properties of ORIC. In study one, we assessed the content adequacy of the new measure using quantitative methods. In study two, we examined the measure's factor structure and reliability in a laboratory simulation. In study three, we assessed the reliability and validity of an organization-level measure of readiness based on aggregated individual-level data from study two. In study four, we conducted a small field study utilizing the same analytic methods as in study three. Content adequacy assessment indicated that the items developed to measure change commitment and change efficacy reflected the theoretical content of these two facets of organizational readiness and distinguished the facets from hypothesized determinants of readiness. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in the lab and field studies revealed two correlated factors, as expected, with good model fit and high item loadings. Reliability analysis in the lab and field studies showed high inter-item consistency for the resulting individual-level scales for change commitment and change efficacy. Inter-rater reliability and inter-rater agreement statistics supported the aggregation of individual level readiness perceptions to the organizational level of analysis. This article provides evidence in

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST). Washington's Community and Technical Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 2014

2014-01-01

Washington's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program (I-BEST) quickly teaches students literacy, work, and college-readiness skills so they can move through school and into living wage jobs faster. Pioneered by Washington's community and technical colleges, I-BEST uses a team-teaching approach to combine college-readiness classes…

Readiness for hospital discharge: A concept analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Galvin, Eileen Catherine; Wills, Teresa; Coffey, Alice

2017-11-01

To report on an analysis on the concept of 'readiness for hospital discharge'. No uniform operational definition of 'readiness for hospital discharge' exists in the literature; therefore, a concept analysis is required to clarify the concept and identify an up-to-date understanding of readiness for hospital discharge. Clarity of the concept will identify all uses of the concept; provide conceptual clarity, an operational definition and direction for further research. Literature review and concept analysis. A review of literature was conducted in 2016. Databases searched were: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) and SocINDEX with Full Text. No date limits were applied. Identification of the attributes, antecedents and consequences of readiness for hospital discharge led to an operational definition of the concept. The following attributes belonging to 'readiness for hospital discharge' were extracted from the literature: physical stability, adequate support, psychological ability, and adequate information and knowledge. This analysis contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the area of hospital discharge, by proposing an operational definition of readiness for hospital discharge, derived from the literature. A better understanding of the phenomenon will assist healthcare professionals to recognize, measure and implement interventions where necessary, to ensure patients are ready for hospital discharge and assist in the advancement of knowledge for all professionals involved in patient discharge from hospital. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cognitive Readiness Assessment and Reporting: An Open Source Mobile Framework for Operational Decision Support and Performance Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Heric, Matthew; Carter, Jenn

2011-01-01

Cognitive readiness (CR) and performance for operational time-critical environments are continuing points of focus for military and academic communities. In response to this need, we designed an open source interactive CR assessment application as a highly adaptive and efficient open source testing administration and analysis tool. It is capable…

Toward the Language-Ready Brain: Biological Evolution and Primate Comparisons.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbib, Michael A

2017-02-01

The approach to language evolution suggested here focuses on three questions: How did the human brain evolve so that humans can develop, use, and acquire languages? How can the evolutionary quest be informed by studying brain, behavior, and social interaction in monkeys, apes, and humans? How can computational modeling advance these studies? I hypothesize that the brain is language ready in that the earliest humans had protolanguages but not languages (i.e., communication systems endowed with rich and open-ended lexicons and grammars supporting a compositional semantics), and that it took cultural evolution to yield societies (a cultural constructed niche) in which language-ready brains could become language-using brains. The mirror system hypothesis is a well-developed example of this approach, but I offer it here not as a closed theory but as an evolving framework for the development and analysis of conflicting subhypotheses in the hope of their eventual integration. I also stress that computational modeling helps us understand the evolving role of mirror neurons, not in and of themselves, but only in their interaction with systems "beyond the mirror." Because a theory of evolution needs a clear characterization of what it is that evolved, I also outline ideas for research in neurolinguistics to complement studies of the evolution of the language-ready brain. A clear challenge is to go beyond models of speech comprehension to include sign language and models of production, and to link language to visuomotor interaction with the physical and social world.

A community-based framework for aquatic ecosystem models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trolle, Didde; Hamilton, D. P.; Hipsey, M. R.

2012-01-01

Here, we communicate a point of departure in the development of aquatic ecosystem models, namely a new community-based framework, which supports an enhanced and transparent union between the collective expertise that exists in the communities of traditional ecologists and model developers. Through...... a literature survey, we document the growing importance of numerical aquatic ecosystem models while also noting the difficulties, up until now, of the aquatic scientific community to make significant advances in these models during the past two decades. Through a common forum for aquatic ecosystem modellers we...... aim to (i) advance collaboration within the aquatic ecosystem modelling community, (ii) enable increased use of models for research, policy and ecosystem-based management, (iii) facilitate a collective framework using common (standardised) code to ensure that model development is incremental, (iv...

A Study of the Readiness of Hospitals for Implementation of High Reliability Organizations Model in Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

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Mousavi, Seyed Mohammad Hadi; Dargahi, Hossein; Mohammadi, Sara

2016-10-01

Creating a safe of health care system requires the establishment of High Reliability Organizations (HROs), which reduces errors, and increases the level of safety in hospitals. This model focuses on improving reliability through higher process design, building a culture of accreditation, and leveraging human factors. The present study intends to determine the readiness of hospitals for the establishment of HROs model in Tehran University of Medical Sciences from the viewpoint of managers of these hospitals. This is a descriptive-analytical study carried out in 2013-2014. The research population consists of 105 senior and middle managers of 15 hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The data collection tool was a 55-question researcher-made questionnaire, included six elements of HROs to assess the level of readiness for establishing HROS model from managers' point of view. The validity of the questionnaire was calculated through the content validity method using 10 experts in the area of hospitals' accreditation, and its reliability was calculated through test-retest method with a correlation coefficient of 0.90. The response rate was 90 percent. The Likert scale was used for the questions, and data analysis was conducted through SPSS version 21 Descriptive statistics was presented via tables and normal distributions of data and means. Analytical methods, including t-test, Mann-Whitney, Spearman, and Kruskal-Wallis, were used for presenting inferential statistics. The study showed that from the viewpoint of senior and middle managers of the hospitals considered in this study, these hospitals are indeed ready for acceptance and establishment of HROs model. A significant relationship was showed between HROs model and its elements with demographic details of managers like their age, work experience, management experience, and level of management. Although the studied hospitals, as viewed by their managers, are capable of attaining the goals of HROs, it

The Impact of Student Teaching Experience on Pre-Service Teachers' Readiness for Technology Integration: A Mixed Methods Study with Growth Curve Modeling

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Sun, Yan; Strobel, Johannes; Newby, Timothy J.

2017-01-01

Adopting a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, the current study examined the impact of student teaching experiences on pre-service teachers' readiness for technology integration. In phase-1 of quantitative investigation, 2-level growth curve models were fitted using online repeated measures survey data collected from…

Year 2000 Readiness Kit: A Compilation of Y2K Resources for Schools, Colleges and Universities.

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Department of Education, Washington, DC.

This kit was developed to assist the postsecondary education community's efforts to resolve the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer problem. The kit includes a description of the Y2K problem, an assessment of the readiness of colleges and universities, a checklist for institutions, a Y2K communications strategy, articles on addressing the problem in academic…

Critical analysis of e-health readiness assessment frameworks: suitability for application in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauco, Kabelo Leonard; Scott, Richard E; Mars, Maurice

2018-02-01

Introduction e-Health is an innovative way to make health services more effective and efficient and application is increasing worldwide. e-Health represents a substantial ICT investment and its failure usually results in substantial losses in time, money (including opportunity costs) and effort. Therefore it is important to assess e-health readiness prior to implementation. Several frameworks have been published on e-health readiness assessment, under various circumstances and geographical regions of the world. However, their utility for the developing world is unknown. Methods A literature review and analysis of published e-health readiness assessment frameworks or models was performed to determine if any are appropriate for broad assessment of e-health readiness in the developing world. A total of 13 papers described e-health readiness in different settings. Results and Discussion Eight types of e-health readiness were identified and no paper directly addressed all of these. The frameworks were based upon varying assumptions and perspectives. There was no underlying unifying theory underpinning the frameworks. Few assessed government and societal readiness, and none cultural readiness; all are important in the developing world. While the shortcomings of existing frameworks have been highlighted, most contain aspects that are relevant and can be drawn on when developing a framework and assessment tools for the developing world. What emerged is the need to develop different assessment tools for the various stakeholder sectors. This is an area that needs further research before attempting to develop a more generic framework for the developing world.

Readiness Factors and Consumer Acceptance of Technology in Mobile Telephony

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucilla Andrade Sousa Cunha

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study aims at analyzing the variables of use and contact of users regarding to products and services of mobile phone technology. Technological innovation stands in the enterprise, enabling growth and creation of new products and services. In the theoretical framework, we used the technology readiness model, from users beliefs and feelings represented by four dimensions: optimism, innovativeness, discomfort and insecurity. It also highlights the technology acceptance model and presents two important constructs as perceived usefulness and ease of use. In short, the factors that support the technology readiness model could be preceding the technology acceptance model. To conduct this study, a field survey of students at the Federal University of Uberlândia / Campus FACIP was carried out. Results indicate optimism as the main factor to accept new mobile technology, due to the fact that the mobile devices provide benefits to people's lives and prompt them a positive attitude toward mobile technology. The perception of the user to purchase a mobile device is directly related to its usefulness and ease of handling of the technology.

Magnetic fusion: Environmental Readiness Document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-03-01

Environmental Readiness Documents are prepared periodically to review and evaluate the environmental status of an energy technology during the several phases of development of that technology. Through these documents, the Office of Environment within the Department of Energy provides an independent and objective assessment of the environmental risks and potential impacts associated with the progression of the technology to the next stage of development and with future extensive use of the technology. This Environmental Readiness Document was prepared to assist the Department of Energy in evaluating the readiness of magnetic fusion technology with respect to environmental issues. An effort has been made to identify potential environmental problems that may be encountered based upon current knowledge, proposed and possible new environmental regulations, and the uncertainties inherent in planned environmental research

Beyond College Eligibility: A New Framework for Promoting College Readiness. College Readiness Indicator Systems Resource Series

Science.gov (United States)

Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, 2014

2014-01-01

The College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) initiative was developed in response to a troubling pattern: More students than ever are enrolling in college after high school, but many of them are not college ready, as evidenced by persistently low rates of college completion. The sense of urgency to close the gap between college eligibility and…

Organisational readiness for introducing a performance management system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Ochurub

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The successful introduction of performance management systems to the public service requires careful measurement of readiness for change.Research purpose: This study investigated the extent to which employees were ready for change as an indication of whether their organisation was ready to introduce a performance management system (PMS.Motivation for the study: Introducing system changes in organisations depends on positive employee preconditions. There is some debate over whether organisations can facilitate these preconditions. This research investigates change readiness linked to the introduction of a PMS in a public sector organisation. The results add to the growing literature on levels of change readiness.Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a quantitative, questionnairebased design. Because the organisation was large, the researchers used stratified sampling to select a sample from each population stratum. The sample size was 460, which constituted 26% of the total population. They used a South African change readiness questionnaire to elicit employee perceptions and opinions.Main findings: The researchers found that the organisation was not ready to introduce a PMS. The study identified various challenges and key factors that were negatively affecting the introduction of a PMS.Practical/managerial implications: The intention to develop and introduce performance management systems is generally to change the attitudes, values and approaches of managers and employees to the new strategies, processes and plans to improve productivity and performance. However, pre-existing conditions and attitudes could have an effect. It is essential to ensure that organisations are ready to introduce performance management systems and to provide sound change leadership to drive the process effectively. This study contributes to the body of knowledge about the challenges and factors organisations should consider when they

Research on Digital Forensic Readiness Design in a Cloud Computing-Based Smart Work Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangho Park

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Recently, the work environments of organizations have been in the process of transitioning into smart work environments by applying cloud computing technology in the existing work environment. The smart work environment has the characteristic of being able to access information assets inside the company from outside the company through cloud computing technology, share information without restrictions on location by using mobile terminals, and provide a work environment where work can be conducted effectively in various locations and mobile environments. Thus, in the cloud computing-based smart work environment, changes are occurring in terms of security risks, such as an increase in the leakage risk of an organization’s information assets through mobile terminals which have a high risk of loss and theft and increase the hacking risk of wireless networks in mobile environments. According to these changes in security risk, the reactive digital forensic method, which investigates digital evidence after the occurrence of security incidents, appears to have a limit which has led to a rise in the necessity of proactive digital forensic approaches wherein security incidents can be addressed preemptively. Accordingly, in this research, we design a digital forensic readiness model at the level of preemptive prevention by considering changes in the cloud computing-based smart work environment. Firstly, we investigate previous research related to the cloud computing-based smart work environment and digital forensic readiness and analyze a total of 50 components of digital forensic readiness. In addition, through the analysis of the corresponding preceding research, we design seven detailed areas, namely, outside the organization environment, within the organization guideline, system information, terminal information, user information, usage information, and additional function. Then, we design a draft of the digital forensic readiness model in the cloud

The impact of fashion competence and achievement motivation toward college student’s working readiness on “Cipta Karya” subject

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Marniati; Wibawa, S. C.

2018-01-01

This experiment aimed to know the rate of college student’s working readiness of fashion’s program study to perform ‘Cipta Karya’ related to cognitive readiness, manner readiness and skill readiness from a variable of fashion’s workmanship and achievement motivation. The subject of the experiment was 43 college students who took Cipta Karya subject. Method of collecting data used questionnaire with five alternative answers to Likert ratio model. Data analysis technique used path analysis (double regression). The instrument validity test used product moment correlation while for instrument reliability used Alpha Cronbach’s grade. The results showed (1) fashion competence was taking effect significantly on working readiness for ‘Cipta Karya’ (2) achievement motivation is taking effect significantly on working readiness for ‘cipta karya’ (3) both variables are positive. This means that fashion competence and achievement motivation have a positive effect on working readiness for ‘cipta karya’ performance.

Getting to uptake: do communities of practice support the implementation of evidence-based practice?

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Barwick, Melanie A; Peters, Julia; Boydell, Katherine

2009-02-01

Practitioners are increasingly encouraged to adopt evidence-based practices (EBP) leading to a need for new knowledge translation strategies to support implementation and practice change. This study examined the benefits of a community of practice in the context of Ontario's children's mental health sector where organizations are mandated to adopt a standardized outcome measure to monitor client response to treatment. Readiness for change, practice change, content knowledge, and satisfaction with and use of implementation supports were examined among practitioners newly trained on the measure who were randomly assigned to a community of practice (CoP) or a practice as usual (PaU) group. CoP practitioners attended 6 sessions over 12 months; PaU practitioners had access to usual implementation supports. Groups did not differ on readiness for change or reported practice change, although CoP participants demonstrated greater use of the tool in practice, better content knowledge and were more satisfied with implementation supports than PaU participants. CoPs present a promising model for translating EBP knowledge and promoting practice change in children's mental health that requires further study.

FORMING THE READINESS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS TO WORK IN POSTGRADUATE PEDAGOGICAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iryna Trubavina

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The problem of teaching adult students in the system of postgraduate pedagogical education should be considered not only from the point of view of the students, but also from the point of teachers’ view. Training is a two-way process. In this article national studies on this problem are initially summarized. The methodology of research of postgraduate pedagogical education is singled out. These are such scientific approaches as synergetics and andragogics. The author proves the need for universities to train teachers specially for interaction with adult students who already work as teachers in schools, have very much motivation for study, their own personal and professional experience, may be older than their university teachers, require subject-subject communication. This all affects the specifics of teaching and requires a different willingness to work with such students and correspondent courses at universities. The article is devoted to forming modern university teachers’ readiness to work in postgraduate pedagogical education. The features of such readiness content are first determined by the author as the content, value and operational components of teacher readiness for work. This gives the article practical significance. The results can be extended to the training of all teachers of higher pedagogical educational institutions, that indicate the social significance of the article. The originality of the article is determining the specific content of the components of the teachers’ readiness to work in postgraduate pedagogical education. Forming the teacher’s readiness for training adult students in the system of postgraduate teacher education should include knowledge, skills and values of work. The prospects for research are building and implementing a model of forming the university teachers’ readiness for such work on the basis of andragogy and synergetics, taking into account the specified content of the components of teacher

Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a review of theoretical components

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background With the persistent gaps between research and practice in healthcare systems, knowledge translation (KT) has gained significance and importance. Also, in most industrialized countries, there is an increasing emphasis on managing chronic health conditions with the best available evidence. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care (CC) require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize the existing evidence on conceptual models/frameworks of Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) in healthcare as the basis for the development of a comprehensive framework of OR for KT in the context of CC. Data sources We conducted a systematic review of the literature on OR for KT in CC using Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Sciences (SCI and SSCI), and others. Search terms included readiness; commitment and change; preparedness; willing to change; organization and administration; and health and social services. Study selection: The search was limited to studies that had been published between the starting date of each bibliographic database (e.g., 1964 for PubMed) and November 1, 2012. Only papers that refer to a theory, a theoretical component from any framework or model on OR that were applicable to the healthcare domain were considered. We analyzed data using conceptual mapping. Data extraction: Pairs of authors independently screened the published literature by reviewing their titles and abstracts. Then, the two same reviewers appraised the full text of each study independently. Results Overall, we found and synthesized 10 theories, theoretical models and conceptual frameworks relevant to ORC in healthcare described in 38 publications. We identified five core concepts, namely organizational dynamics, change process, innovation readiness, institutional readiness, and personal readiness. We extracted 17 dimensions and 59 sub-dimensions related to these 5 concepts

Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a review of theoretical components.

Science.gov (United States)

Attieh, Randa; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Estabrooks, Carole A; Légaré, France; Ouimet, Mathieu; Roch, Geneviève; Ghandour, El Kebir; Grimshaw, Jeremy

2013-11-28

With the persistent gaps between research and practice in healthcare systems, knowledge translation (KT) has gained significance and importance. Also, in most industrialized countries, there is an increasing emphasis on managing chronic health conditions with the best available evidence. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care (CC) require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT. The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize the existing evidence on conceptual models/frameworks of Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) in healthcare as the basis for the development of a comprehensive framework of OR for KT in the context of CC. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on OR for KT in CC using Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Sciences (SCI and SSCI), and others. Search terms included readiness; commitment and change; preparedness; willing to change; organization and administration; and health and social services. The search was limited to studies that had been published between the starting date of each bibliographic database (e.g., 1964 for PubMed) and November 1, 2012. Only papers that refer to a theory, a theoretical component from any framework or model on OR that were applicable to the healthcare domain were considered. We analyzed data using conceptual mapping. Pairs of authors independently screened the published literature by reviewing their titles and abstracts. Then, the two same reviewers appraised the full text of each study independently. Overall, we found and synthesized 10 theories, theoretical models and conceptual frameworks relevant to ORC in healthcare described in 38 publications. We identified five core concepts, namely organizational dynamics, change process, innovation readiness, institutional readiness, and personal readiness. We extracted 17 dimensions and 59 sub-dimensions related to these 5 concepts. Our findings provide a useful overview for researchers interested in ORC and aims

Development and Pilot Test of the Workplace Readiness Questionnaire, a Theory-Based Instrument to Measure Small Workplaces' Readiness to Implement Wellness Programs.

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Hannon, Peggy A; Helfrich, Christian D; Chan, K Gary; Allen, Claire L; Hammerback, Kristen; Kohn, Marlana J; Parrish, Amanda T; Weiner, Bryan J; Harris, Jeffrey R

2017-01-01

To develop a theory-based questionnaire to assess readiness for change in small workplaces adopting wellness programs. In developing our scale, we first tested items via "think-aloud" interviews. We tested the revised items in a cross-sectional quantitative telephone survey. The study setting comprised small workplaces (20-250 employees) in low-wage industries. Decision-makers representing small workplaces in King County, Washington (think-aloud interviews, n = 9), and the United States (telephone survey, n = 201) served as study subjects. We generated items for each construct in Weiner's theory of organizational readiness for change. We also measured workplace characteristics and current implementation of workplace wellness programs. We assessed reliability by coefficient alpha for each of the readiness questionnaire subscales. We tested the association of all subscales with employers' current implementation of wellness policies, programs, and communications, and conducted a path analysis to test the associations in the theory of organizational readiness to change. Each of the readiness subscales exhibited acceptable internal reliability (coefficient alpha range, .75-.88) and was positively associated with wellness program implementation ( p < .05). The path analysis was consistent with the theory of organizational readiness to change, except change efficacy did not predict change-related effort. We developed a new questionnaire to assess small workplaces' readiness to adopt and implement evidence-based wellness programs. Our findings also provide empirical validation of Weiner's theory of readiness for change.

Neighbourhood ethnic diversity buffers school readiness impact in ESL children.

Science.gov (United States)

Puchala, Chassidy; Vu, Lan T H; Muhajarine, Nazeem

2010-01-01

Contextual factors, as measured by neighbourhood characteristics, shape the experiences children have and affect their "school readiness", i.e., whether they are well or poorly prepared for the transition from home to kindergarten. This study assessed the independent effects of individual and neighbourhood factors on school readiness; specifically, it examined whether and to what degree neighbourhood factors modified children's language ability and thus their school readiness in a population of children in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The study included all children attending kindergarten in 2001, 2003 and 2005 in Saskatoon. School readiness and child characteristics were measured by the Early Development Instrument (EDI). The EDI measures child development at school commencement in five domains: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, cognitive and language development, and communication skills and general knowledge. Data from the 2001 Census were used to characterize Saskatoon's neighbourhoods. Multilevel modeling examined the independent and buffering or exacerbating effects of individual and neighbourhood factors on the relation between English as a Second Language (ESL) status in children and EDI domain scores. ESL children had significantly lower scores on all EDI domains compared with non-ESL children. Certain factors (e.g., younger age, male, Aboriginal status, having special needs) were significantly related to lower readiness in terms of the emotional maturity, and communication skills and general knowledge domains. Importantly, children who lived in neighbourhoods that were highly transient (with a higher proportion of residents who had moved in the previous year) had lower EDI scores on both domains, and those in neighbourhoods with lower rates of employment had lower EDI scores on communication skills and general knowledge. Neighbourhood ethnic diversity mitigated the negative impact of ESL status on school readiness for both

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Ready Mix Concrete Plant

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Topkar, V. M.; Duggar, A. R.; Kumar, A.; Bonde, P. P.; Girwalkar, R. S.; Gade, S. B.

2013-11-01

India, being a developing nation is experiencing major growth in its infrastructural sector. Concrete is the major component in construction. The requirement of good quality of concrete in large quantities can be fulfilled by ready mix concrete batching and mixing plants. The paper presents a technique of applying the value engineering tool life cycle cost analysis to a ready mix concrete plant. This will help an investor or an organization to take investment decisions regarding a ready mix concrete facility. No economic alternatives are compared in this study. A cost breakdown structure is prepared for the ready mix concrete plant. A market survey has been conducted to collect realistic costs for the ready mix concrete facility. The study establishes the cash flow for the ready mix concrete facility helpful in investment and capital generation related decisions. Transit mixers form an important component of the facility and are included in the calculations. A fleet size for transit mixers has been assumed for this purpose. The life cycle cost has been calculated for the system of the ready mix concrete plant and transit mixers.

Common and Critical Components Among Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Planning Models.

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Pennel, Cara L; Burdine, James N; Prochaska, John D; McLeroy, Kenneth R

Community health assessment and community health improvement planning are continuous, systematic processes for assessing and addressing health needs in a community. Since there are different models to guide assessment and planning, as well as a variety of organizations and agencies that carry out these activities, there may be confusion in choosing among approaches. By examining the various components of the different assessment and planning models, we are able to identify areas for coordination, ways to maximize collaboration, and strategies to further improve community health. We identified 11 common assessment and planning components across 18 models and requirements, with a particular focus on health department, health system, and hospital models and requirements. These common components included preplanning; developing partnerships; developing vision and scope; collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data; identifying community assets; identifying priorities; developing and implementing an intervention plan; developing and implementing an evaluation plan; communicating and receiving feedback on the assessment findings and/or the plan; planning for sustainability; and celebrating success. Within several of these components, we discuss characteristics that are critical to improving community health. Practice implications include better understanding of different models and requirements by health departments, hospitals, and others involved in assessment and planning to improve cross-sector collaboration, collective impact, and community health. In addition, federal and state policy and accreditation requirements may be revised or implemented to better facilitate assessment and planning collaboration between health departments, hospitals, and others for the purpose of improving community health.

Understanding Early Educators' Readiness to Change

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Shira M.

2012-01-01

Researchers in the fields of humanistic psychology, counseling, organizational change, and implementation science have been asking a question that is at the heart of today's early care and education quality improvement efforts: When it comes to changing one's behavior, what makes a person ready to change? Although the concept of readiness to…

Modeling natural emissions in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model-I: building an emissions data base

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, S. N.; Mueller, S. F.

2010-05-01

A natural emissions inventory for the continental United States and surrounding territories is needed in order to use the US Environmental Protection Agency Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model for simulating natural air quality. The CMAQ air modeling system (including the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) emissions processing system) currently estimates non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions from biogenic sources, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from soils, ammonia from animals, several types of particulate and reactive gas emissions from fires, as well as sea salt emissions. However, there are several emission categories that are not commonly treated by the standard CMAQ Model system. Most notable among these are nitrogen oxide emissions from lightning, reduced sulfur emissions from oceans, geothermal features and other continental sources, windblown dust particulate, and reactive chlorine gas emissions linked with sea salt chloride. A review of past emissions modeling work and existing global emissions data bases provides information and data necessary for preparing a more complete natural emissions data base for CMAQ applications. A model-ready natural emissions data base is developed to complement the anthropogenic emissions inventory used by the VISTAS Regional Planning Organization in its work analyzing regional haze based on the year 2002. This new data base covers a modeling domain that includes the continental United States plus large portions of Canada, Mexico and surrounding oceans. Comparing July 2002 source data reveals that natural emissions account for 16% of total gaseous sulfur (sulfur dioxide, dimethylsulfide and hydrogen sulfide), 44% of total NOx, 80% of reactive carbonaceous gases (NMVOCs and carbon monoxide), 28% of ammonia, 96% of total chlorine (hydrochloric acid, nitryl chloride and sea salt chloride), and 84% of fine particles (i.e., those smaller than 2.5 μm in size) released into the atmosphere

Readiness Assessment Plan, Hanford 200 areas treated effluent disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulmer, F.J.

1995-01-01

This Readiness Assessment Plan documents Liquid Effluent Facilities review process used to establish the scope of review, documentation requirements, performance assessment, and plant readiness to begin operation of the Treated Effluent Disposal system in accordance with DOE-RLID-5480.31, Startup and Restart of Facilities Operational Readiness Review and Readiness Assessments

Category 3 investigation-derived waste Readiness Evaluation Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ludowise, J.D.

1996-08-01

This Readiness Evaluation Plan presents the methodology used to assess the readiness for loading investigation-derived waste (IDW) drums on trucks for transport to the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF). The scope of this Readiness Evaluation Plan includes an assessment of the organizations, procedures, and regulatory approvals necessary for the handling of IDW containers and the subsequent transportation of materials to ERDF

Clinicians' perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the context of clinical information system projects: insights from two cross-sectional surveys.

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Paré, Guy; Sicotte, Claude; Poba-Nzaou, Placide; Balouzakis, George

2011-02-28

The adoption and diffusion of clinical information systems has become one of the critical benchmarks for achieving several healthcare organizational reform priorities, including home care, primary care, and integrated care networks. However, these systems are often strongly resisted by the same community that is expected to benefit from their use. Prior research has found that early perceptions and beliefs play a central role in shaping future attitudes and behaviors such as negative rumors, lack of involvement, and resistance to change. In this line of research, this paper builds on the change management and information systems literature and identifies variables associated with clinicians' early perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the specific context of clinical information system projects. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted to test our research model. First, a questionnaire was pretested and then distributed to the future users of a mobile computing technology in 11 home care organizations. The second study took place in a large teaching hospital that had approved a budget for the acquisition of an electronic medical records system. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares. Scale items used in this study showed adequate psychometric properties. In Study 1, four of the hypothesized links in the research model were supported, with change appropriateness, organizational flexibility, vision clarity, and change efficacy explaining 75% of the variance in organizational readiness. In Study 2, four hypotheses were also supported, two of which differed from those supported in Study 1: the presence of an effective project champion and collective self-efficacy. In addition to these variables, vision clarity and change appropriateness also helped explain 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. Explanations for the similarities and differences observed in the two surveys are provided. Organizational readiness is arguably a key

The psychometric properties of the Readiness and Motivation Questionnaire: a symptom-specific measure of readiness for change in the eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Josie; Brown, Krista E; Srikameswaran, Suja; Piper, William; Dunn, Erin C

2013-09-01

Readiness for change, as assessed by the readiness and motivation interview (RMI), predicts a number of clinical outcome variables in eating disorders including enrollment in intensive treatment, symptom change, dropout, and relapse. Although clinically useful, the training and administration of the RMI is time consuming. The purpose of this research was to (a) develop a self-report, symptom-specific version of the RMI, the readiness and motivation questionnaire (RMQ), that can be used to assess readiness for change across all eating disorder diagnoses and (b) establish its psychometric properties. The RMQ provides stage of change, internality, and confidence scores for each of 4 eating disorder symptom domains (restriction, bingeing, and cognitive and compensatory behaviors). Individuals (N = 244) with current eating disorder diagnoses completed the RMQ and measures of convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Similar to the RMI scores, readiness scores on the RMQ differed according to symptom domain. Regarding criterion validity, RMQ scores were significantly associated with ratings of anticipated difficulty of recovery activities and completion of recovery activities. The RMQ contributed significant unique variance to anticipated difficulty of recovery activities, beyond those accounted for by the RMI and a questionnaire measure of global readiness. The RMQ is thus an acceptable alternative to the RMI, providing global and domain-specific readiness information when time or cost prohibits use of an interview.

Enhancing Infant Mental Health Using a Capacity-Building Model: A Case Study of a Process Evaluation of the "Ready, Steady, Grow" Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

O'Farrelly, Christine; Guerin, Suzanne; Victory, Gerard

2017-01-01

Infant mental health (IMH) is best promoted through a continuum of services underpinned by strong service capacity. However, service providers often lack fundamental IMH knowledge and skills. Using the Ready, Steady, Grow (RSG) initiative as a case study of a capacity-building model (P., Hawe, L., King, M., Noort, C., Jordens, & B., Llyod,…

Family Support or School Readiness? Contrasting Models of Public Spending on Children's Early Care and Learning. Evidence Speaks Reports, Vol 1, #16

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehurst, Grover J.

2016-01-01

In the United States, public policy and expenditure intended to improve the prospects of children from low-income families have focused on better preparing children for school through Head Start and universal pre-K. This school readiness approach differs from the dominant model of public support for early care and learning in Northern Europe,…

Who crosses the norms? Predictors of the readiness for non-normative political participation among adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Šerek, Jan; Machackova, Hana; Macek, Petr

2018-01-01

This study investigated whether adolescents' readiness for non-normative political participation (i.e., readiness to confront social rules for political reasons) was predicted by their interpersonal problems (with parents, teachers, and classmates), low optimism, and political beliefs (political self-efficacy and distrust in public institutions). A structural equation model using two-wave longitudinal data from Czech high school students (N = 768; 54% females; age range at T1 = 14-17, M = 15.97; T2 data collected 1.5 years later) showed that the changes in adolescents' readiness for non-normative participation were predicted by their lower institutional trust. Interpersonal relationships or optimism had no cross-sectional or longitudinal effect on the readiness for non-normative participation. These results suggest that the main source of adolescents' readiness for non-normative political actions lies in their political beliefs, while the effect of adolescents' interpersonal problems is less clear. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observational Learning on Industry Work Practices toward Job Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Rojuli, Subkhan; Rahayu, Agus; Disman

2017-01-01

This research aims to find out the influence of observational learning on job readiness based on some indicators and variables. This is a quantitative research in which Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used. The research method is survey. The participants of this research are the Grade XII students of Accountancy Department of State…

Instructional Alignment of Workplace Readiness Skills in Marketing Education

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Sarah J.; Reed, Philip A.

2015-01-01

This study examined high school marketing education teachers' knowledge of workplace readiness skills and whether that knowledge had an impact on student workplace readiness skill achievement. Further, this study examined the usage of Virginia's 13 Workplace Readiness Skills curriculum and identified the teaching methods and instructional…

Librarian readiness for research partnerships.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazure, Emily S; Alpi, Kristine M

2015-04-01

This study investigated health sciences librarians' knowledge and skill-based readiness to partner on sponsored research involving human participants. The authors developed and deployed, at two time points, a web-based survey on nine indicators of research activities with response choices reflecting the transtheoretical model of stages of behavior change. Librarians with research experience or membership in the Medical Library Association Research Section reported higher levels of having completed indicators. Our results suggest that creating awareness in precontemplation responders could encourage skill development. Mentoring and continuing education could support librarians who are contemplating or preparing to perform indicator activities.

Arte Juntos/Art Together: Promoting School Readiness among Latino Children through Parent Engagement and Social Inclusion in a Suburban Museum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoila Tazi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Census data reveal that suburban communities are becoming increasingly diverse. Once considered affluent and predictable places, American suburbs are now confronting increasing poverty rates as well as ethnic, racial and linguistic diversity. Currently, more than half of US Latinos live in the suburbs. Schools and public institutions such as museums are challenged to provide programming that meets the needs of Latinos, who are disproportionately poor (Ackerman and Tazi 2015:3. Promoting school readiness among Latino children is an important effort in maximizing the potential and educational attainment of this growing population. In one suburban community, a school-museum collaboration resulted in a bilingual parent-child program promoting school readiness and social inclusion for Latino families. Arte Juntos/Art Together engaged parents and children using art andculture-based activities that developed observation skills, creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary, and aesthetic appreciation. Celebrating diverse perspectives and self-expression, the program provided access to museums as enriching spaces for informal learning, personal empowerment and social inclusion

What Are the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks? Information Brief

Science.gov (United States)

ACT, Inc., 2013

2013-01-01

The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT® college readiness assessment scores required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing college courses--English Composition, social sciences courses, College Algebra, or Biology. This report identifies the College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT Compass scale…

Ready-to-use foods for management of moderate acute malnutrition: considerations for scaling up production and use in programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Osendarp, Saskia; Rogers, Beatrice; Ryan, Kelsey; Manary, Mark; Akomo, Peter; Bahwere, Paluku; Belete, Hilina; Zeilani, Mamane; Islam, Munirul; Dibari, Filippo; De Pee, Saskia

2015-03-01

Ready-to-use foods are one of the available strategies for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), but challenges remain in the use of these products in programs at scale. This paper focuses on two challenges: the need for cheaper formulations using locally available ingredients that are processed in a safe, reliable, and financially sustainable local production facility; and the effective use of these products in large-scale community-based programs. Linear programming tools can be used successfully to design local compositions that are in line with international guidelines, low in cost, and acceptable, and the efficacy of these local formulations in the treatment of MAM was recently demonstrated in Malawi. The production of local formulations for programs at scale relies on the existence of a reliable and efficient local production facility. Technical assistance may be required in the development of sustainable business models at an early stage in the process, taking into account the stringent product quality and safety criteria and the required investments. The use of ready-to-use products, as of any food supplement, in programs at scale will be affected by the practice of household sharing and diversion of these products for other uses. Additional measures can be considered to account for sharing. These products designed for the treatment and prevention of MAM are to be used in community-based programs and should therefore be used in conjunction with other interventions and designed so that they do not replace the intake of other foods and breastmilk. Remaining challenges and implications for the (operations) research agenda are discussed.

Solar Sail Propulsion Technology Readiness Level Database

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Charles L.

2004-01-01

The NASA In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Projects Office has been sponsoring 2 solar sail system design and development hardware demonstration activities over the past 20 months. Able Engineering Company (AEC) of Goleta, CA is leading one team and L Garde, Inc. of Tustin, CA is leading the other team. Component, subsystem and system fabrication and testing has been completed successfully. The goal of these activities is to advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of solar sail propulsion from 3 towards 6 by 2006. These activities will culminate in the deployment and testing of 20-meter solar sail system ground demonstration hardware in the 30 meter diameter thermal-vacuum chamber at NASA Glenn Plum Brook in 2005. This paper will describe the features of a computer database system that documents the results of the solar sail development activities to-date. Illustrations of the hardware components and systems, test results, analytical models, relevant space environment definition and current TRL assessment, as stored and manipulated within the database are presented. This database could serve as a central repository for all data related to the advancement of solar sail technology sponsored by the ISPT, providing an up-to-date assessment of the TRL of this technology. Current plans are to eventually make the database available to the Solar Sail community through the Space Transportation Information Network (STIN).

Spatiotemporal Modeling of Community Risk

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

Ertugay, and Sebnem Duzgun, “Exploratory and Inferential Methods for Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Residential Fire Clustering in Urban Areas,” Fire ...response in communities.”26 In “Exploratory and Inferential Methods for Spatio-temporal Analysis of Residential Fire Clustering in Urban Areas,” Ceyhan...of fire resources spread across the community. Spatiotemporal modeling shows that actualized risk is dynamic and relatively patterned. Though

Electricity market readiness plan : Ontario Energy Board

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-03-01

This document informs electric power market participants of the Ontario Energy Board's newly developed market readiness plan and target timelines that local distribution companies (LDCs) must meet for retail marketing. The Ontario Energy Board's plan incorporates relevant independent market operator (IMO)-administered market milestones with retail market readiness targeted for September 2001. The market readiness framework involves a self-certification process for LDCs by August 10, 2001, through which the Board will be able to monitor progress and assess the feasibility of meeting the target timelines. For retail market readiness, all LDCs will have to calculate settlement costs, produce unbundled bills, provide standard supply service, change suppliers and accommodate retail transactions. LDCs must be either authorized participants in the IMO-administered market or become retail customers of their host LDC. Unbundled bills will include itemized charges for energy price, transmission, distribution and debt retirement charge. 1 tab., 1 fig

Performance engineering in the community atmosphere model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worley, P; Mirin, A; Drake, J; Sawyer, W

2006-01-01

The Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) is the atmospheric component of the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) and is the primary consumer of computer resources in typical CCSM simulations. Performance engineering has been an important aspect of CAM development throughout its existence. This paper briefly summarizes these efforts and their impacts over the past five years

Readiness for changes: New competences for knowledge society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đurišić-Bojanović Mirosava

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In the conditions of high instability, uncertainty and changing of environment of contemporary organizations, management of changes and knowledge become priority social strategies, and readiness for changes, flexible usage of knowledge and creativity become the most important competences of people in contemporary organizations. Knowledge, creativity, taking initiative and readiness for changes are the condition of development, survival and success of organizations, but of individuals as well. Our basic question is aimed at the possibilities of the contribution of basic education to the preparation of the young for working in turbulent environment, where work and professional competences involve readiness for changes and innovativeness. In terms of educational policy it implies the need for the creation of upbringing- educational model which will be capable of providing optimal answers to the changes in environment. The key notion of pluralist educational concept, based on democratic values, is the acceptance of the plurality of ideas. Our researches suggest a significant positive correlation between the variables tolerance of independence and the acceptance of the plurality of ideas. Based on that fact, using the theoretical analytical method, this paper argues the compatibility of pluralist concept in education with the demands of contemporary organizations from the perspective of preparing the young for the inclusion in work in the uncertain, changeable organizational environment of knowledge society.

StormReady in a Box: Enhancing NOAA's Presence in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Grondin, N. S.; Franks, C.

2015-12-01

The National Weather Service StormReady Supporter program exists to give schools, companies, TV stations, and other facilities the opportunity to earn recognition for their weather preparedness and awareness. Requirements to earn StormReady Supporter status include having a facility warning point, use of NOAA Weather Radios, and weather hazard Emergency Operation Plans. Despite the increasing importance of weather preparedness in schools, only 1.2% of Minnesota schools are deemed StormReady by the National Weather Service. It was determined that the major impedance for schools becoming StormReady Supporters is the lack of time for administrators to engage in anything "extra" beyond their listed duties. As part of a 2015 Hollings Scholar project, the StormReady in a Box concept was developed to remedy this, by empowering teachers and students to take charge and complete the StormReady Supporter application for their school. StormReady in a Box is a project developed for Junior High School students to learn about weather preparedness and to help their school acquire StormReady status. The project was designed to be relevant to the Minnesota State Education Standards in Science, be simple for teachers to do with their students, and most importantly, to be enjoyable for Junior High School age students to do. The project was also designed to enhance critical thinking skills and logical reasoning abilities, as they relate to the StormReady Supporter application. This presentation will present the overall rationale for the undertaking of this project, the creation of, and the logical next steps for the StormReady in a Box project.

Smart Grid Technology and Consumer Call Center Readiness

OpenAIRE

Schamber, Kelsey L.

2010-01-01

The following reasearch project deals with utility call center readiness to address customer concerns and questions about the Smart Grid and smart meter technology. Since consumer engagement is important for the benefits of the Smart Grid to be realized, the readiness and ability of utilities to answer consumer questions is an important issue. Assessing the readiness of utility call centers to address pertinant customer concerns was accomplished by calling utility call centers with Smart Grid...

Universal School Readiness Screening at Kindergarten Entry

Science.gov (United States)

Quirk, Matthew; Dowdy, Erin; Dever, Bridget; Carnazzo, Katherine; Bolton, Courtney

2018-01-01

Researchers examined the concurrent and predictive validity of a brief (12-item) teacher-rated school readiness screener, the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP), using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to examine associations between (N = 78) children's social-emotional (SE) and cognitive (COG) readiness with…

Modelling asymmetric growth in crowded plant communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgaard, Christian

2010-01-01

A class of models that may be used to quantify the effect of size-asymmetric competition in crowded plant communities by estimating a community specific degree of size-asymmetric growth for each species in the community is suggested. The model consists of two parts: an individual size......-asymmetric growth part, where growth is assumed to be proportional to a power function of the size of the individual, and a term that reduces the relative growth rate as a decreasing function of the individual plant size and the competitive interactions from other plants in the neighbourhood....

Modeling natural emissions in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model - Part 1: Building an emissions data base

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, S. N.; Mueller, S. F.

2010-01-01

A natural emissions inventory for the continental United States and surrounding territories is needed in order to use the US Environmental Protection Agency Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model for simulating natural air quality. The CMAQ air modeling system (including the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) emissions processing system) currently estimates volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from biogenic sources, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from soils, ammonia from animals, several types of particulate and reactive gas emissions from fires, as well as windblown dust and sea salt emissions. However, there are several emission categories that are not commonly treated by the standard CMAQ Model system. Most notable among these are nitrogen oxide emissions from lightning, reduced sulfur emissions from oceans, geothermal features and other continental sources, and reactive chlorine gas emissions linked with sea salt chloride. A review of past emissions modeling work and existing global emissions data bases provides information and data necessary for preparing a more complete natural emissions data base for CMAQ applications. A model-ready natural emissions data base is developed to complement the anthropogenic emissions inventory used by the VISTAS Regional Planning Organization in its work analyzing regional haze based on the year 2002. This new data base covers a modeling domain that includes the continental United States plus large portions of Canada, Mexico and surrounding oceans. Comparing July 2002 source data reveals that natural emissions account for 16% of total gaseous sulfur (sulfur dioxide, dimethylsulfide and hydrogen sulfide), 44% of total NOx, 80% of reactive carbonaceous gases (VOCs and carbon monoxide), 28% of ammonia, 96% of total chlorine (hydrochloric acid, nitryl chloride and sea salt chloride), and 84% of fine particles (i.e., those smaller than 2.5 μm in size) released into the atmosphere. The seasonality and

Community Colleges in the South: Strengthening Readiness and Pathways. Executive Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Cheryl; Spence, Dave

2015-01-01

Community colleges are essential to achieving state goals--increasing the educational attainment of the population, increasing access and completion, eliminating achievement gaps, closing opportunity gaps, and addressing workforce and economic development objectives. These institutions are flexible, adaptable, affordable, community-based,…

Students’ Readiness for E-learning Application in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atousa Rasouli

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this research was to investigate the readiness of art students in applying e-learning. This study adopted a survey research design. From three public Iranian Universities (Alzahra, Tarbiat Modares, and Tehran, 347 students were selected by multistage cluster sampling and via Morgan Table. Their readiness for E-learning application was assessed by a self-developed questionnaire. Data analysis was done by indexes of descriptive statistics and one sample t-test. Analysis of results found a significant relationship between the readiness of undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-graduate students to apply E-learning, but there was no significant relationship between students’ readiness and gender, university, and subject. Results revealed that Art students were in a moderate level of readiness for applying E-learning.

“Getting Ready for School:” A Preliminary Evaluation of a Parent-Focused School-Readiness Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberly G. Noble

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to start school with fewer school readiness skills than their more advantaged peers. Emergent literacy and math skills play an important role in this gap. The family is essential in helping children build these skills, and the active involvement of families is crucial to the success of any intervention for young children. The Getting Ready for School (GRS program is a parent-focused curriculum designed to help parents equip their children with the skills and enthusiasm necessary for learning when they start school. Parents meet in weekly workshops led by a trained facilitator and implement the curriculum at home with their children. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the promise of the GRS intervention in children participating in an urban Head Start program and to explore parents' responses to the intervention. We hypothesized that participation in GRS would improve school readiness in literacy and math skills, relative to participation in business-as-usual Head Start. Four Head Start classrooms (two randomly selected “intervention” and two “comparison” classrooms participated in this study. Preliminary analyses suggest that GRS improves school readiness over and above a Head Start-as-usual experience. Implications for early childhood programs and policies are discussed.

A Study of Fleet Surgical Teams Readiness Posture in Amphibious Readiness Groups

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tennyson, Ruby

2000-01-01

This thesis describes and evaluates Fleet Surgical Teams (FSTs). It examines how Navy Medicine adapted FSTs to changing support requirements associated with the Total Health Care Support Readiness Requirement (THCSRR...

How group education impacts female factory workers' behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear.

Science.gov (United States)

Seven, Memnun; Bahar, Mine; Akyüz, Aygül; Erdoğan, Hatice

2015-01-01

The workplace has been deemed a suitable location for educating many women at once about cancer screening. To determine how group education about early diagnostic methods for breast and cervical cancer effects women's behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. This semi-interventional study was conducted at a textile factory in Istanbul, Turkey. Female workers (n= 125) were included in the study. A participant identification form and knowledge evaluation form developed for this study, along with the transtheoretical model, were used to collect data. A 45-min interactive group education was given to the participants. Upon contacting participants 3 months after group education, 15.4% (n = 11) stated that they had since received a mammogram and 9.8% (n = 7) a Pap smear. As suggested by the transtheoretical model, group education increased participants' readiness to receive cancer screening, along with their knowledge of breast and cervical cancer. Group education positively impacted women's knowledge of cancer and their readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. Group education can potentially create awareness of cancer screening tests among women and improve their readiness to receive such tests.

Readiness for organisational change among general practice staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Christl, B; Harris, M F; Jayasinghe, U W; Proudfoot, J; Taggart, J; Tan, J

2010-10-01

Increasing demands on general practice to manage chronic disease may warrant organisational change at the practice level. Staff's readiness for organisational change can act as a facilitator or barrier to implementing interventions aimed at organisational change. To explore general practice staff readiness for organisational change and its association with staff and practices characteristics. This is a cross-sectional study of practices in three Australian states involved in a randomised control trial on the effectiveness of an intervention to enhance the role of non-general practitioner staff in chronic disease management. Readiness for organisational change, job satisfaction and practice characteristics were assessed using questionnaires. 502 staff from 58 practices completed questionnaires. Practice characteristics were not associated with staff readiness for change. A multilevel regression analysis showed statistically significant associations between staff readiness for organisational change (range 1 to 5) and having a non-clinical staff role (vs general practitioner; B=-0.315; 95% CI -0.47 to -0.16; pchange which addresses the mix of practice staff. Moderately low job satisfaction may be an opportunity for organisational change.

PERFORMANCES PARENTS ABOUT EMOTIONAL READINESS OF THE CHILD TO SCHOOL WHEN ANALYZING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EMOTIONAL READINESS OF CHILDREN IN THE TRANSITION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIRST GRADE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekaterina Sergeevna Novitskaya

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article examines the importance of emotional understanding of parents child’s readiness for school. The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of parental influence perceptions about the emotional readiness of children to the actual level of emotional readiness of the child. An experimental study was conducted comparing the methods, testing, questionnaires, observations, interviews, expert assessments, Longitude. We compared the performance of emotional readiness of children in the preparatory group of the kindergarten and the beginning of the school year in first grade. The study revealed that parents consider the emotional readiness primarily in the structure of the psychological readiness; representations of parents about the emotional readiness to occupy the last place among the other groups of ideas. Weak concrete definition of representations of parents about the emotional school readiness issues contributes to the emotional sphere of the child at an early stage of learning in first grade.

Concept of economic readiness levels assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Yuniaristanto, Sutopo, W.; Widiyanto, A.; Putri, A. S.

2017-11-01

This research aims to build a concept of Economic Readiness Level (ERL) assessment for incubation center. ERL concept is arranged by considering both market and business aspects. Every aspect is divided into four phases and each of them consists of some indicators. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to develop the ERL in calculating the weight of every single aspect and indicator. Interval scale between 0 and 4 is also applied in indicator assessment. In order to calculate ERL, score in every indicator and the weight of both the aspect and indicator are considered. ERL value is able to show in detail the innovative product readiness level from economic sight, market and business aspect. There are four levels in Economic Readiness Level scheme which are investigation, feasibility, planning and introduction.

Modeling the level of contamination of Staphylococcus aureus in ready-to-eat kimbab in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahk, Gyung-Jin; Hong, Chong-Hae; Oh, Deog-Hwan; Ha, Sang-Do; Park, Ki-Hwan; Todd, Ewen C D

2006-06-01

The risk of Staphylococcus aureus in ready-to-eat kimbab (rice rolled in laver) sold in Korea was evaluated by a mathematical modeling approach. Four nodes were constructed from preparation at retail to consumption. A predictive microbial growth model and survey data were combined with probabilistic modeling to simulate the level of S. aureus in a single kimbab at the time of consumption. We estimated the mean level of S. aureus to be 2.92 log CFU/g for a typical kimbab (150 to 200 g each) at the time of consumption. Our model also showed that 29.73% of the kimbabs had > or = 100,000 S. aureus CFU/g, which poses some risk of illness, since some level of enterotoxin would be expected from toxigenic strains. However, because of the lack of dose-response models for staphylococcal enterotoxin, the final level of S. aureus in the kimbabs could not be used to estimate how many people would become ill from eating them. Correlation sensitivity results showed that consumer eating patterns and initial contamination levels at retail stores were the most significant risk factors for illness and that temperature control under 10 degrees C was a critical control point in kimbab retail establishments to prevent the growth of S. aureus.

Extending a configuration model to find communities in complex networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Di; Hu, Qinghua; He, Dongxiao; Yang, Bo; Baquero, Carlos

2013-01-01

Discovery of communities in complex networks is a fundamental data analysis task in various domains. Generative models are a promising class of techniques for identifying modular properties from networks, which has been actively discussed recently. However, most of them cannot preserve the degree sequence of networks, which will distort the community detection results. Rather than using a blockmodel as most current works do, here we generalize a configuration model, namely, a null model of modularity, to solve this problem. Towards decomposing and combining sub-graphs according to the soft community memberships, our model incorporates the ability to describe community structures, something the original model does not have. Also, it has the property, as with the original model, that it fixes the expected degree sequence to be the same as that of the observed network. We combine both the community property and degree sequence preserving into a single unified model, which gives better community results compared with other models. Thereafter, we learn the model using a technique of nonnegative matrix factorization and determine the number of communities by applying consensus clustering. We test this approach both on synthetic benchmarks and on real-world networks, and compare it with two similar methods. The experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our method over competing methods in detecting both disjoint and overlapping communities. (paper)

E-Learning Readiness in Medicine: Turkish Family Medicine (FM) Physicians Case

Science.gov (United States)

Parlakkiliç, Alaattin

2015-01-01

This research investigates e-learning readiness level of family medicine physicians (FM) in Turkey. The study measures the level of e-learning readiness of Turkish FM physicians by an online e-learning readiness survey. According to results five areas are ready at Turkish FM physicians but need a few improvements:…

Strategic leadership will be essential for dietitian eHealth readiness: A qualitative study exploring dietitian perspectives of eHealth readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Maunder, Kirsty; Walton, Karen; Williams, Peter; Ferguson, Maree; Beck, Eleanor

2018-05-16

To explore dietitians' perspectives on the eHealth readiness of Australian dietitians, and to identify strategies to improve eHealth readiness of the profession. Dietitians who met the criteria for nutrition informatics experts participated in semi-structured interviews between June 2016 and March 2017. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis using coding was undertaken until consensus was reached by the researchers regarding key themes, topics and exemplar quotes. Interviews with 10 nutrition informatics experts revealed 25 discussion topics grouped into four main themes: benefits of eHealth for dietitians; risks of dietitians not being involved in eHealth; dietitians are not ready for eHealth; and strategies to improve eHealth readiness. The strategies identified for improving eHealth readiness included: collaboration and representation, education, offering of incentives and mentoring, as well as development of a national strategy, organisational leaders, nutrition informatics champions and a supportive environment. These findings suggest that dietitians may not be ready for eHealth. Strategic leadership and the actioning of other identified strategies will be imperative to preparing dietitians for eHealth to ensure the profession can practice effectively in the digital age, optimise nutrition care and support research for eHealth. If dietitians do not engage in eHealth, others may take their place, or dietitians may be forced to use eHealth in ways that are not the most effective for practice or maximising patient outcomes. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Analyzing International Readiness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Hamidizadeh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Internationalization has different connotations for different social sciences and its social, economic and cultural impacts have been examined by a number of studies. While firms’ internationalization processes have been understood as being dynamic, the concept of international readiness has rarely been the main focus of research efforts, which until a decade ago, focused principally on explaining sequences of entry modes and choices of markets. The emergence of the study of international entrepreneurship has enhanced the role of readiness. This study reviews the concept of international readiness by experimental and theoretical studies. Axioms in this research are based on content analysis. The framework incorporates measures to evaluate SMEs’ international readiness. The paper concludes with a research agenda as a guide for future work on considering the readiness as a critical phase before the internationalization process.

Operational readiness of EFAD systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabat, M.J.

1992-02-01

An assessment of the operational readiness of the Emergency Filtered Air Discharge (EFAD) systems, installed in Canadian CANDU multi-unit nuclear power plants, was performed in this project. Relevant Canadian and foreign standards and regulatory requirements have been reviewed and documentation on EFAD system design, operation, testing and maintenance have been assessed to identify likely causes and potential failures of EFAD systems and their components under both standby and accident conditions. Recommendations have also been provided in this report for revisions which are needed to achieve and maintain appropriate operational readiness of EFAD systems

Community engagement for better health in Burkina Faso | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2018-01-29

Jan 29, 2018 ... ... assisted delivery, vaccination against polio and tetanus, malaria prevention, and ... Community women were also given the choice of listing or not listing ... Stronger direct contacts with the health centres and ready access to ...

Parental Attitudes, Behaviors, and Barriers to School Readiness among Parents of Low-Income Latino Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Peterson

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We sought to explore parental attitudes, behaviors, and barriers regarding school readiness in a county clinic serving low income, Latino children. Between December 2013–September 2014, we conducted a cross sectional survey of parents during 3–6 years well-child appointments about school readiness (SR across: (1 attitudes/behaviors; (2 barriers; and (3 awareness; and (4 use of local resources. Most parents (n = 210, response rate 95.6% find it very important/important for their child to know specific skills prior to school: take turns and share (98.5%, use a pencil and count (97.6%, know letters (99.1%, colors (97.1%, and shapes (96.1%. Over 80% of parents find education important and engage in positive SR behaviors: singing, practicing letters, or reading. Major barriers to SR were lack of knowledge for kindergarten readiness, language barriers, access to books at home, constraints on nightly reading, difficulty completing school forms, and limited free time with child. Awareness of local resources such as preschool programs was higher than actual utilization. These low-income, Latino parents value SR but lack knowledge to prepare their child for school and underutilize community resources such as free preschool programs. Pediatricians are uniquely positioned to address these needs, but more evidence-based interventions are needed.

Predicting consumers' intention to consume ready-to-eat meals. The role of moral attitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Nina Veflen; Sijtsema, Siet J; Hall, Gunnar

2010-12-01

This study investigates the usefulness of integrating moral attitude into the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model when predicting intention to consume ready-to-eat (RTE) meals. Questionnaire data were gathered in three countries: Norway (N = 112), The Netherlands (N = 99), and Finland (N = 134) in spring 2009. A stepwise hierarchical regression was conducted, and the analyses showed that moral attitude is an important predictor of RTE-meal consumption. The feeling of moral obligation, operationalised as a negative feeling of guilt, had a negative effect on peoples' intention to consume ready meals in all the three countries tested, and the explained variance (R²) for TPB increased when moral was added as an explanatory factor. However, although the test showed significant results for the effect of attitude towards behavior and moral in all countries, non-significant results were observed for the effect of subjective norm in both The Netherlands and Norway when moral attitude was included to the TPB-model, indicating cultural differences in the social pressure towards ready meal consumption. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analytically tractable model for community ecology with many species

Science.gov (United States)

Dickens, Benjamin; Fisher, Charles; Mehta, Pankaj; Pankaj Mehta Biophysics Theory Group Team

A fundamental problem in community ecology is to understand how ecological processes such as selection, drift, and immigration yield observed patterns in species composition and diversity. Here, we present an analytically tractable, presence-absence (PA) model for community assembly and use it to ask how ecological traits such as the strength of competition, diversity in competition, and stochasticity affect species composition in a community. In our PA model, we treat species as stochastic binary variables that can either be present or absent in a community: species can immigrate into the community from a regional species pool and can go extinct due to competition and stochasticity. Despite its simplicity, the PA model reproduces the qualitative features of more complicated models of community assembly. In agreement with recent work on large, competitive Lotka-Volterra systems, the PA model exhibits distinct ecological behaviors organized around a special (``critical'') point corresponding to Hubbell's neutral theory of biodiversity. Our results suggest that the concepts of ``phases'' and phase diagrams can provide a powerful framework for thinking about community ecology and that the PA model captures the essential ecological dynamics of community assembly. Pm was supported by a Simons Investigator in the Mathematical Modeling of Living Systems and a Sloan Research Fellowship.

Diagnostics of children's school readiness in scientific studies abroad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nazarenko V.V.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The article considers the problem of children's school readiness as it is represented in contemporary studies of foreign scholars. It displays a variety of approaches to estimation of school readiness as well as the ways of measuring the levels of child development as relating to school readiness, namely those of them which are in common practice in education.

Modeling information diffusion in time-varying community networks

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Xuelian; Zhao, Narisa

2017-12-01

Social networks are rarely static, and they typically have time-varying network topologies. A great number of studies have modeled temporal networks and explored social contagion processes within these models; however, few of these studies have considered community structure variations. In this paper, we present a study of how the time-varying property of a modular structure influences the information dissemination. First, we propose a continuous-time Markov model of information diffusion where two parameters, mobility rate and community attractiveness, are introduced to address the time-varying nature of the community structure. The basic reproduction number is derived, and the accuracy of this model is evaluated by comparing the simulation and theoretical results. Furthermore, numerical results illustrate that generally both the mobility rate and community attractiveness significantly promote the information diffusion process, especially in the initial outbreak stage. Moreover, the strength of this promotion effect is much stronger when the modularity is higher. Counterintuitively, it is found that when all communities have the same attractiveness, social mobility no longer accelerates the diffusion process. In addition, we show that the local spreading in the advantage group has been greatly enhanced due to the agglomeration effect caused by the social mobility and community attractiveness difference, which thus increases the global spreading.

Science Ready Data Products and the ngVLA

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

With angular resolution comparable to ALMA and future ELTs, the ngVLA will be the centimeter wavelength instrument contributing to multi-wavelength astronomy throughout the next decades. To maximize the impact of the ngVLA it is important that it be a facility available to all astronomers, not only to those who consider themselves radio astronomers. Building on the successes of the ALMA and VLA pipelines NRAO has undertaken a multi-year project to provide science ready products to the users of our telescopes and archive. The SRDP initiative addresses one of the technical risk areas of the ngVLA, and demonstrates the Observatories ability to deliver this critical functionality. The SRDP project is currently refining and reviewing the technical and scientific requirements for the existing NRAO telescopes. Capabilities will be made available to the community as they are developed and mature. As the project progresses, a rich archive of science quality radio images from both ALMA and the VLA will be provided to the astronomical community. The current status, concepts, and plans for the SRDP project are presented, as are the implications for the ngVLA facility.

Remedial action and waste disposal project - ERDF readiness evaluation plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casbon, M.A.

1996-06-01

This Readiness Evaluation Report presents the results of the project readiness evaluation to assess the readiness of the Environmental Restoration and Disposal Facility. The evaluation was conducted at the conclusion of a series of readiness activities that began in January 1996. These activities included completion of the physical plant; preparation, review, and approval of operating procedures; definition and assembly of the necessary project and operational organizations; and activities leading to regulatory approval of the plant and operating plans

Community Mediation. A Model for Romania

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Christian Radu CHEREJI

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Community mediation takes all forms and shapes all over the world. In order to better understand its limitations in adapting to different contexts, we have compared the evolution of community mediation services in two totally different systems, USA and Sri Lanka. Based on this analysis and the results of a research conducted in Cluj-Napoca in the fall of 2013, we have recommended a community mediation model suitable for the current Romanian social, economic and cultural framework.

Community Assessment Tool for Public Health Emergencies Including Pandemic Influenza

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ORAU' s Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education (HCTT-CHE)

2011-04-14

The Community Assessment Tool (CAT) for Public Health Emergencies Including Pandemic Influenza (hereafter referred to as the CAT) was developed as a result of feedback received from several communities. These communities participated in workshops focused on influenza pandemic planning and response. The 2008 through 2011 workshops were sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Feedback during those workshops indicated the need for a tool that a community can use to assess its readiness for a disaster - readiness from a total healthcare perspective, not just hospitals, but the whole healthcare system. The CAT intends to do just that - help strengthen existing preparedness plans by allowing the healthcare system and other agencies to work together during an influenza pandemic. It helps reveal each core agency partners (sectors) capabilities and resources, and highlights cases of the same vendors being used for resource supplies (e.g., personal protective equipment [PPE] and oxygen) by the partners (e.g., public health departments, clinics, or hospitals). The CAT also addresses gaps in the community's capabilities or potential shortages in resources. This tool has been reviewed by a variety of key subject matter experts from federal, state, and local agencies and organizations. It also has been piloted with various communities that consist of different population sizes, to include large urban to small rural communities.

An Organizational Development Framework for Assessing Readiness and Capacity for Expanding Online Education

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Piña, Anthony A.

2017-01-01

In this article, a popular model for organizational development is utilized as a framework for assessing the organizational readiness and capacity of educational institutions whose leaders wish to establish or expand their online/distance education programs. Examples of institutionalization factors to consider and alternative models for assessing…

READINESS Of ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN IMPLEMENTING CHARACTERS INTEGRATED LEARNING IN THE SCIENCE SUBJECT

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N. Hindarto

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Many problems that arise in today's society are rooted in the issue of morality as a result of the marginalization of the values of character. To solve this problem, need to be enforced the values of good character on every member of the community, and the proper way is through the educational process, including through education in schools ranging from elementary education to higher education. To find out whether the teachers in elementary schools are ready to take this work, the research conducted to determine the readiness of teachers and the problems associated with its implementation. Through a questionnaire calculated in descriptive percentage on a sample of elementary school teachers who are spread in Semarang, Semarang District and Temanggung, it can be concluded that in teachers’ view it is very important to integrate the learning of characters in the lesson. However, they need guidance /examples to develop learning model with its features, which integrate the values of the characters in the science subject.Banyak persoalan yang timbul di masyarakat dewasa ini berakar pada persoalan moralitas sebagai akibat terpinggirkannya nilai-nilai karakter, Untuk mengatasi persoalan ini, perlu ditegakkan lagi nilai nilai karakter yang baik pada setiap anggota masyarakat, dan cara yang tepat adalah melalui proses pendidikan, di antaranya melalui pendidikan di sekolah mulai dari pendidikan dasar sampai pendidikan tinggi. Untuk mengetahui apakah para guru pada Sekolah Dasar siap mengemban tugas ini, maka diadakan penelitian untuk mengetahui kesiapan para guru dan masalah-masalah yang terkait dengan pelaksanaannya. Melalui angket yang kemudian diolah secara deskriptive persentasi pada sampel guru SD yang tersebar di Kota Semarang, Kabupaten Semarang dan Kabupaten Temanggung, dapat diketahui bahwa para guru menganggap sangat penting untuk mengintegrasikan pembelajaran karakter dalam matapelajaran IPA. Namun demikian mereka membutuhkan bimbingan

Democracy in schools: are educators ready for teacher leadership?

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Elsabé de Villiers

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to determine educators' perceptions of and readiness for teacher leadership. A total of 283 educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District in the Western Cape participated in the study. The participants included district officials, principals, and members of school management teams, as well as veteran, middle, and novice educators. A series of instruments was used to determine educators' perspectives, perceptions and readiness for teacher leadership, including the Teacher Leadership Readiness Instrument (TLRI. The results indicated that educators held positive assumptions about teacher leadership. Educators' preliminary leadership perceptions, assumptions about and readiness for teacher leadership proved that the majority of educators are ready for a more distributed, deep democratic leadership practice in schools. Educators acknowledged the need for continuous professional development in the area of teacher leadership. It was also found that as preliminary leadership perceptions of educators improve or strengthen, readiness for teacher leadership is also likely to improve or strengthen. These findings have significant implications for leadership practices, collaboration, capacity-building and improvement in schools, educators' self-esteem, motivation and productivity, as well as student outcomes.

Overview: Texas College and Career Readiness Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009

2009-01-01

The Texas College and Career Readiness Standards define what students should know and be able to accomplish in order to succeed in entry-level college courses or skilled workforce opportunities upon graduation from high school. This paper answers the following questions: (1) Who developed the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards?; (2) What…

Planning for a National Community Sediment Transport Model

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

modeling project. The workshop did not develop a NOPP proposal because NOPP had not yet announced funding opportunities for a coastal community modeling...2002, titled “NOPP / USGS Coastal Community Sediment-Transport Model”. Dr. Sherwood presented status reports at the NOPP Nearshore Annual meeting in

A community-based framework for aquatic ecosystem models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trolle, D.; Hamilton, D.P.; Hipsey, M.R.; Bolding, K.; Bruggeman, J.; Mooij, W.M.; Janse, J.H.; Nielsen, A.; Jeppesen, E.; Elliott, J.A.; Makler-Pick, V.; Petzoldt, T.; Rinke, K.; Flindt, M.R.; Arhonditsis, G.B.; Gal, G.; Bjerring, R.; Tominaga, K.; Hoen, 't J.; Downing, A.S.; Marques, D.M.; Fragoso, C.R.; Sondergaard, M.; Hanson, P.C.

2012-01-01

Here, we communicate a point of departure in the development of aquatic ecosystem models, namely a new community-based framework, which supports an enhanced and transparent union between the collective expertise that exists in the communities of traditional ecologists and model developers. Through a

A planning model with a solution algorithm for ready mixed concrete production and truck dispatching under stochastic travel times

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Yan, S.; Lin, H. C.; Jiang, X. Y.

2012-04-01

In this study the authors employ network flow techniques to construct a systematic model that helps ready mixed concrete carriers effectively plan production and truck dispatching schedules under stochastic travel times. The model is formulated as a mixed integer network flow problem with side constraints. Problem decomposition and relaxation techniques, coupled with the CPLEX mathematical programming solver, are employed to develop an algorithm that is capable of efficiently solving the problems. A simulation-based evaluation method is also proposed to evaluate the model, coupled with a deterministic model, and the method currently used in actual operations. Finally, a case study is performed using real operating data from a Taiwan RMC firm. The test results show that the system operating cost obtained using the stochastic model is a significant improvement over that obtained using the deterministic model or the manual approach. Consequently, the model and the solution algorithm could be useful for actual operations.

Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

Hubbell's neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is

Using an academic-community partnership model and blended learning to advance community health nursing pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezeonwu, Mabel; Berkowitz, Bobbie; Vlasses, Frances R

2014-01-01

This article describes a model of teaching community health nursing that evolved from a long-term partnership with a community with limited existing health programs. The partnership supported RN-BSN students' integration in the community and resulted in reciprocal gains for faculty, students and community members. Community clients accessed public health services as a result of the partnership. A blended learning approach that combines face-to-face interactions, service learning and online activities was utilized to enhance students' learning. Following classroom sessions, students actively participated in community-based educational process through comprehensive health needs assessments, planning and implementation of disease prevention and health promotion activities for community clients. Such active involvement in an underserved community deepened students' awareness of the fundamentals of community health practice. Students were challenged to view public health from a broader perspective while analyzing the impacts of social determinants of health on underserved populations. Through asynchronous online interactions, students synthesized classroom and community activities through critical thinking. This paper describes a model for teaching community health nursing that informs students' learning through blended learning, and meets the demands for community health nursing services delivery. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Organizational readiness in specialty mental health care.

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Hamilton, Alison B; Cohen, Amy N; Young, Alexander S

2010-01-01

Implementing quality improvement efforts in clinics is challenging. Assessment of organizational "readiness" for change can set the stage for implementation by providing information regarding existing strengths and deficiencies, thereby increasing the chance of a successful improvement effort. This paper discusses organizational assessment in specialty mental health, in preparation for improving care for individuals with schizophrenia. To assess organizational readiness for change in specialty mental health in order to facilitate locally tailored implementation strategies. EQUIP-2 is a site-level controlled trial at nine VA medical centers (four intervention, five control). Providers at all sites completed an organizational readiness for change (ORC) measure, and key stakeholders at the intervention sites completed a semi-structured interview at baseline. At the four intervention sites, 16 administrators and 43 clinical staff completed the ORC, and 38 key stakeholders were interviewed. The readiness domains of training needs, communication, and change were the domains with lower mean scores (i.e., potential deficiencies) ranging from a low of 23.8 to a high of 36.2 on a scale of 10-50, while staff attributes of growth and adaptability had higher mean scores (i.e., potential strengths) ranging from a low of 35.4 to a high of 41.1. Semi-structured interviews revealed that staff perceptions and experiences of change and decision-making are affected by larger structural factors such as change mandates from VA headquarters. Motivation for change, organizational climate, staff perceptions and beliefs, and prior experience with change efforts contribute to readiness for change in specialty mental health. Sites with less readiness for change may require more flexibility in the implementation of a quality improvement intervention. We suggest that uptake of evidence-based practices can be enhanced by tailoring implementation efforts to the strengths and deficiencies of the

A model for evolution of overlapping community networks

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Karan, Rituraj; Biswal, Bibhu

2017-05-01

A model is proposed for the evolution of network topology in social networks with overlapping community structure. Starting from an initial community structure that is defined in terms of group affiliations, the model postulates that the subsequent growth and loss of connections is similar to the Hebbian learning and unlearning in the brain and is governed by two dominant factors: the strength and frequency of interaction between the members, and the degree of overlap between different communities. The temporal evolution from an initial community structure to the current network topology can be described based on these two parameters. It is possible to quantify the growth occurred so far and predict the final stationary state to which the network is likely to evolve. Applications in epidemiology or the spread of email virus in a computer network as well as finding specific target nodes to control it are envisaged. While facing the challenge of collecting and analyzing large-scale time-resolved data on social groups and communities one faces the most basic questions: how do communities evolve in time? This work aims to address this issue by developing a mathematical model for the evolution of community networks and studying it through computer simulation.

Community Options Model): Using Artificial Intelligence for Transportation Planning and Community Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

This paper describes the Community Options Model for Transportation-Related Issues (COMTRI) designed to estimate the social and economic impacts of highway realignments on rural Michigan communities for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT...

Physician-based activity counseling: intervention effects on mediators of motivational readiness for physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, B M; Lynn, H; Marcus, B H; DePue, J; Goldstein, M G

2001-01-01

In theory-based interventions for behavior change, there is a need to examine the effects of interventions on the underlying theoretical constructs and the mediating role of such constructs. These two questions are addressed in the Physically Active for Life study, a randomized trial of physician-based exercise counseling for older adults. Three hundred fifty-five patients participated (intervention n = 181, control n = 174; mean age = 65.6 years). The underlying theories used were the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory and the constructs of decisional balance (benefits and barriers), self-efficacy, and behavioral and cognitive processes of change. Motivational readiness for physical activity and related constructs were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 8 months. Linear or logistic mixed effects models were used to examine intervention effects on the constructs, and logistic mixed effects models were used for mediator analyses. At 6 weeks, the intervention had significant effects on decisional balance, self-efficacy, and behavioral processes, but these effects were not maintained at 8 months. At 6 weeks, only decisional balance and behavioral processes were identified as mediators of motivational readiness outcomes. Results suggest that interventions of greater intensity and duration may be needed for sustained changes in mediators and motivational readiness for physical activity among older adults.

Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

Science.gov (United States)

Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

2010-03-01

Hubbell’s neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is particularly simple, describing speciation as a point-mutation event in a birth of a single individual. The stationary species abundance distribution of the basic model, which can be solved exactly, fits empirical data of distributions of species’ abundances surprisingly well. More realistic speciation models have been proposed such as the random-fission model in which new species appear by splitting up existing species. However, no analytical solution is available for these models, impeding quantitative comparison with data. Here, we present a self-consistent approximation method for neutral community models with various speciation modes, including random fission. We derive explicit formulas for the stationary species abundance distribution, which agree very well with simulations. We expect that our approximation method will be useful to study other speciation processes in neutral community models as well.

The Community Water Model (CWATM) / Development of a community driven global water model

Science.gov (United States)

Burek, Peter; Satoh, Yusuke; Greve, Peter; Kahil, Taher; Wada, Yoshihide

2017-04-01

With a growing population and economic development, it is expected that water demands will increase significantly in the future, especially in developing regions. At the same time, climate change is expected to alter spatial patterns of hydrological cycle and will have global, regional and local impacts on water availability. Thus, it is important to assess water supply, water demand and environmental needs over time to identify the populations and locations that will be most affected by these changes linked to water scarcity, droughts and floods. The Community Water Model (CWATM) will be designed for this purpose in that it includes an accounting of how future water demands will evolve in response to socioeconomic change and how water availability will change in response to climate. CWATM represents one of the new key elements of IIASA's Water program. It has been developed to work flexibly at both global and regional level at different spatial resolutions. The model is open source and community-driven to promote our work amongst the wider water community worldwide and is flexible enough linking to further planned developments such as water quality and hydro-economic modules. CWATM will be a basis to develop a next-generation global hydro-economic modeling framework that represents the economic trade-offs among different water management options over a basin looking at water supply infrastructure and demand managements. The integrated modeling framework will consider water demand from agriculture, domestic, energy, industry and environment, investment needs to alleviate future water scarcity, and will provide a portfolio of economically optimal solutions for achieving future water management options under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for example. In addition, it will be able to track the energy requirements associated with the water supply system e.g., pumping, desalination and interbasin transfer to realize the linkage with the water-energy economy. In

Using Positive Behavior Support Procedures in Head Start Classrooms to Improve School Readiness: A Group Training and Behavioral Coaching Model

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Feil, Edward G.; Walker, Hill; Severson, Herbert; Golly, Annemieke; Seeley, John R.; Small, Jason W.

2009-01-01

Social-emotional competence is an important determinant of school readiness. School readiness, in turn, sets the stage for school success. There is clear longitudinal evidence that school success, attachment and bonding to the schooling process, and full engagement of schooling can, in combination, operate as a protective factor against a host of…

UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ READINESS TO APPLY THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina O. Kotlyarova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is to investigate the readiness of the university teachers to apply the modern educational technologies. Methods. The methods include theoretical: analysis of existing modern educational technologies, the concept «readiness» and its components, abstraction of signs and kinds of modern educational technologies based on the scientific literature and in the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES; empirical: questionnaires and testing methods for detecting levels of university teachers’ skills and readiness to use modern educational technology. Results. The main features of modern educational technologies are identified and justified that are to comply with modern methodology of the theory and practice of education study and the latest FSES requirements; the level of science, manufacturing, and modern rules of human relations. The components of readiness of university teachers to use modern educational technology are structured. The linguistic component is included along with the cognitive, psychological, operational, connotative components; its necessity is proved. The average level of readiness for the use of modern educational technology by university teachers is identified. Scientific novelty. The author specifies the features of the modern educational technology. The most significant components of higher-education teaching personnel readiness to use technological innovations are identified. As a whole, these results form the indicative framework for the development and measurement of readiness of the university teachers to use the modern educational technology. The development of the readiness of the university teachers to apply the modern educational technologies is proved to be an issue of current interest. Practical significance. The research findings can be used as the basis of techniques and methods designing for its further development and measurement of the training, retraining and advanced training of

The utility of single-item readiness screeners in middle school.

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Lewis, Crystal G; Herman, Keith C; Huang, Francis L; Stormont, Melissa; Grossman, Caroline; Eddy, Colleen; Reinke, Wendy M

2017-10-01

This study examined the benefit of utilizing one-item academic and one-item behavior readiness teacher-rated screeners at the beginning of the school year to predict end-of-school year outcomes for middle school students. The Middle School Academic and Behavior Readiness (M-ABR) screeners were developed to provide an efficient and effective way to assess readiness in students. Participants included 889 students in 62 middle school classrooms in an urban Missouri school district. Concurrent validity with the M-ABR items and other indicators of readiness in the fall were evaluated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, with the academic readiness item having medium to strong correlations with other baseline academic indicators (r=±0.56 to 0.91) and the behavior readiness item having low to strong correlations with baseline behavior items (r=±0.20 to 0.79). Next, the predictive validity of the M-ABR items was analyzed with hierarchical linear regressions using end-of-year outcomes as the dependent variable. The academic and behavior readiness items demonstrated adequate validity for all outcomes with moderate effects (β=±0.31 to 0.73 for academic outcomes and β=±0.24 to 0.59 for behavioral outcomes) after controlling for baseline demographics. Even after controlling for baseline scores, the M-ABR items predicted unique variance in almost all outcome variables. Four conditional probability indices were calculated to obtain an optimal cut score, to determine ready vs. not ready, for both single-item M-ABR scales. The cut point of "fair" yielded the most acceptable values for the indices. The odd ratios (OR) of experiencing negative outcomes given a "fair" or lower readiness rating (2 or below on the M-ABR screeners) at the beginning of the year were significant and strong for all outcomes (OR=2.29 to OR=14.46), except for internalizing problems. These findings suggest promise for using single readiness items to screen for varying negative end

Evaluating mobile centric readiness of students: A case of computer science students in open-distance learning

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Chipangura, B

2015-07-01

Full Text Available and Education]: Distance learning Keywords Mobile centric services, mobile information access, mobile readiness 1. INTRODUCTION As the mobile phone market matures in terms of penetration rate, subscription rate, handsets functionality and mobile centric..., this reflects a ratio of one mobile phone per person. High mobile phone penetration has made it possible for digitally alienated communities in developing countries to have improved access to business, health, education and social services. Indeed, this has...

GENOME-BASED MODELING AND DESIGN OF METABOLIC INTERACTIONS IN MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radhakrishnan Mahadevan

2012-10-01

With the advent of genome sequencing, omics technologies, bioinformatics and genome-scale modeling, researchers now have unprecedented capabilities to analyze and engineer the metabolism of microbial communities. The goal of this review is to summarize recent applications of genome-scale metabolic modeling to microbial communities. A brief introduction to lumped community models is used to motivate the need for genome-level descriptions of individual species and their metabolic interactions. The review of genome-scale models begins with static modeling approaches, which are appropriate for communities where the extracellular environment can be assumed to be time invariant or slowly varying. Dynamic extensions of the static modeling approach are described, and then applications of genome-scale models for design of synthetic microbial communities are reviewed. The review concludes with a summary of metagenomic tools for analyzing community metabolism and an outlook for future research.

Consumers' health-related motive orientations and ready meal consumption behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Geeroms, Nele; Verbeke, Wim; Van Kenhove, Patrick

2008-11-01

Based on a multidimensional perspective on the meaning of health, this study explores associations between consumers' health-related motive orientations (HRMO) and ready meal consumption behaviour. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 1934 Flemish consumers through an on-line survey. The respondents rated 45 health statements referring to people's motives for pursuing health. The survey also assessed information on several aspects of ready meal consumption, i.e. consumption frequency, beliefs and attitudes toward ready meals and ready meal buying criteria. Based on a two-step cluster analysis, we identified five distinct subgroups in the sample, according to their HRMO: health is about energy (Energetic Experimenters), emotional well-being/enjoying life (Harmonious Enjoyers), social responsibility/physical well-being (Normative Carers), achievement/outward appearance (Conscious Experts) and autonomy (Rationalists). Ready meal consumption patterns differed between these segments, with Energetic Experimenters and Conscious Experts showing significantly more positive attitudes, stronger beliefs and both higher penetration and consumption frequency related to ready meals, compared to Harmonious Enjoyers, Normative Carers and Rationalists. These findings may relate to the individualistic versus altruistic health orientation perspective of the identified segments, and are valuable in the context of improving consumer-oriented product development, positioning and marketing of ready meals.

EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS: AXIOLOGICAL BASES OF MEGALOPOLIS YOUTH’S READINESS

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Olga V. Kruzhkova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present article is to examine the value bases of the readiness for innovations in the modern education of the youth of the megalopolises.Methods. As the methods were used: theoretical analysis and modeling method, as well as a survey of students of megalopolises (n = 1187 by the valuable questionnaire of S. Schwartz.Results. The authors give the description of educational innovations from the perspective of the overall needs of society in an individual which has technological skills and targets in acquiring and operating information. The reorientation of education on advancing development is implemented through numerous tactical and strategic changes in its form, content, methods and structure of the educational system in general. These changes can be united into five groups. Organizational innovations are pointed at changing the structure of education in accordance with the dynamic characteristics of society. Informative innovations suggest differentiation of activities and the level of responsibility of professionals in the same profile. The activity innovations are focused on changing the teachers’ readiness to transform their professional work and the development of their innovative competence. Productive innovations solve the problem of personality development of a professional in accordance with the social mandate. Socio-control innovations are designed to achieve transparency of management education for society. Implementation of the considered innovations is provided by numerous factors, which includes readiness of students to participate in the latest developments of the educational environment. The basis of this readiness contains value orientations, actualizing expectations and targets of young people as participants of innovations. Value priorities of megalopolis youth are highlighted: independence of thoughts and actions, hedonism, reputation and goodwill. On the one hand, these values provide a high readiness

Integrated Water Resources Simulation Model for Rural Community

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Li, Y.-H.; Liao, W.-T.; Tung, C.-P.

2012-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop several water resources simulation models for residence houses, constructed wetlands and farms and then integrate these models for a rural community. Domestic and irrigation water uses are the major water demand in rural community. To build up a model estimating domestic water demand for residence houses, the average water use per person per day should be accounted first, including water uses of kitchen, bathroom, toilet and laundry. On the other hand, rice is the major crop in the study region, and its productive efficiency sometimes depends on the quantity of irrigation water. The water demand can be estimated by crop water use, field leakage and water distribution loss. Irrigation water comes from rainfall, water supply system and reclaimed water which treated by constructed wetland. In recent years, constructed wetlands play an important role in water resources recycle. They can purify domestic wastewater for water recycling and reuse. After treating from constructed wetlands, the reclaimed water can be reused in washing toilets, watering gardens and irrigating farms. Constructed wetland is one of highly economic benefits for treating wastewater through imitating the processing mechanism of natural wetlands. In general, the treatment efficiency of constructed wetlands is determined by evapotranspiration, inflow, and water temperature. This study uses system dynamics modeling to develop models for different water resource components in a rural community. Furthermore, these models are integrated into a whole system. The model not only is utilized to simulate how water moves through different components, including residence houses, constructed wetlands and farms, but also evaluates the efficiency of water use. By analyzing the flow of water, the water resource simulation model can optimizes water resource distribution under different scenarios, and the result can provide suggestions for designing water resource system of a

Iranian Clinical Nurses' Readiness for Self-Directed Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Malekian, Morteza; Ghiyasvandian, Sharzad; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2015-05-17

Clinical nurses are in need of being able to adapt to the ever-changing environment of clinical settings. The prerequisite for their successful adaptation is to be lifelong learners. An approach for making nurses lifelong learners is self-directed learning. This study was undertaken to evaluate a group of Iranian clinical nurses' readiness for self-directed learning and its relationship with some of their personal characteristics. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2014. A random sample of 314 nurses working in three hospitals affiliated to Isfahan Social Security Organization, Isfahan, Iran, was recruited to complete the Fisher's Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale. In total, 279 nurses filled the scale completely. The mean of their readiness for self-directed learning was 162.50±14.11 (120-196). The correlation of self-directed learning readiness with age, gender, marital status, and university degree was not statistically significant. Most nurses had great readiness for self-directed learning. Accordingly, nursing policy-makers need to develop strategies for promoting their self-directed learning. Moreover, innovative teaching methods such as problem solving and problem-based learning should be employed to prepare nurses for effectively managing the complexities of their ever-changing work environment.

Advances in modeling trait-based plant community assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Laughlin, Daniel C; Laughlin, David E

2013-10-01

In this review, we examine two new trait-based models of community assembly that predict the relative abundance of species from a regional species pool. The models use fundamentally different mathematical approaches and the predictions can differ considerably. Maxent obtains the most even probability distribution subject to community-weighted mean trait constraints. Traitspace predicts low probabilities for any species whose trait distribution does not pass through the environmental filter. Neither model maximizes functional diversity because of the emphasis on environmental filtering over limiting similarity. Traitspace can test for the effects of limiting similarity by explicitly incorporating intraspecific trait variation. The range of solutions in both models could be used to define the range of natural variability of community composition in restoration projects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community Resilience Education: Lessons Learned from an Emerging Community of Practice - NOAA's Environmental Literacy Grantees

Science.gov (United States)

Schoedinger, S. E.; McDougall, C.

2017-12-01

NOAA supports community resilience to extreme weather events, climate change and other environmental hazards by preparing communities through Weather Ready Nation and through programs addressing coastal community needs. These programs primarily target adult decisions makers in a professional capacity (emergency managers, city planners, et al.), leaving non-professional audiences without opportunities to understand and develop the skills to prepare for the threats and vulnerabilities that their communities face. As a result, resilience became the focus of NOAA's Environmental Literacy Grants in 2015. The goal of these investments is to strengthen the public's and/or K-12 students' environmental literacy to enable informed decision-making necessary for community resilience to extreme weather events and other environmental hazards. Funded projects build an understanding of Earth systems and the threats and vulnerabilities that are associated with a community's location, are aligned with existing adaptation/resilience plans, and connect audiences to relevant tools and resources to prepare for and respond to these hazards. These first few years of investment will create new models for how education can improve community resilience. Although these projects incorporate a variety of approaches, a few common themes stand out: empowering youth and adults to increase their understanding of locally relevant natural hazards and stresses; giving youth a voice in resilience planning; and student-led vulnerability assessments of their schools and communities. In this session we will report on the first convening of the principal investigators of our 13 funded projects, which represents the beginning of a new community of practice focused on resilience education. We will specifically share lessons learned about: engaging youth and adults about climate change and resiliency; working with local resilience/adaptation planners; and case studies on the use of NOAA's Digital Coast and

Technology Readiness Level Guidebook

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

This guidebook provides the necessary information for conducting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Assessment. TRL Assessments are a tool for determining the maturity of technologies and identifying next steps in the research process. This guidebook...

Parent Involvement in the Getting Ready for School Intervention Is Associated With Changes in School Readiness Skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Marti

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The role of parent involvement in school readiness interventions is not well-understood. The Getting Ready for School (GRS intervention is a novel program that has both home and school components and aims to improve early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills in preschool children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. In this study, we first examined associations between family characteristics and different indices of parent involvement in the GRS intervention. We then examined associations between parent involvement and change in children's school readiness skills over time. Participants were 133 preschool children attending Head Start and their parents who participated in the GRS intervention during the academic year 2014–2015. Parent involvement was operationalized as attendance to GRS events at the school, time spent at home doing GRS activities, and usage of digital program materials, which included a set of videos to support the implementation of parent-child activities at home. Although few family characteristics were significantly associated with parent involvement indices, there was a tendency for some markers of higher socioeconomic status to be linked with greater parent involvement. In addition, greater parent involvement in the GRS intervention was significantly associated with greater gains in children's early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills. These findings suggest that parent involvement in comprehensive early interventions could be beneficial in terms of improving school readiness for preschoolers from disadvantaged families.

Parent Involvement in the Getting Ready for School Intervention Is Associated With Changes in School Readiness Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Marti, Maria; Merz, Emily C.; Repka, Kelsey R.; Landers, Cassie; Noble, Kimberly G.; Duch, Helena

2018-01-01

The role of parent involvement in school readiness interventions is not well-understood. The Getting Ready for School (GRS) intervention is a novel program that has both home and school components and aims to improve early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills in preschool children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. In this study, we first examined associations between family characteristics and different indices of parent involvement in the GRS intervention. We then examined associations between parent involvement and change in children's school readiness skills over time. Participants were 133 preschool children attending Head Start and their parents who participated in the GRS intervention during the academic year 2014–2015. Parent involvement was operationalized as attendance to GRS events at the school, time spent at home doing GRS activities, and usage of digital program materials, which included a set of videos to support the implementation of parent-child activities at home. Although few family characteristics were significantly associated with parent involvement indices, there was a tendency for some markers of higher socioeconomic status to be linked with greater parent involvement. In addition, greater parent involvement in the GRS intervention was significantly associated with greater gains in children's early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills. These findings suggest that parent involvement in comprehensive early interventions could be beneficial in terms of improving school readiness for preschoolers from disadvantaged families. PMID:29904362

Child Readiness to Kindergarten in Parents and Pedagogues Sight

OpenAIRE

POKORNÁ, Ivana

2014-01-01

The bachelor thesis deals with the readiness of 3-4 year old children to enter kindergarten. The theoretical part describes the biological and psychosocial development of the child aged three to four years and highlights the various factors that may affect the child's entry into kindergarten. Describes the family and kindergarten, the issue of adaptation in pre-school and readiness of the child to them. The practical part contains research focused on the perception of the readiness of childre...

Television Viewing, Educational Quality of the Home Environment, and School Readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Angela Teresa; Kurtz-Costes, Beth

1997-01-01

Researchers examined relationships among children's television viewing, school readiness, parental employment, and the home environment's educational quality. Thirty low-income parents completed surveys. Their preschoolers completed IQ and school readiness assessments. Television viewing adversely related to school readiness and the home…

75 FR 28594 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-21

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... INFORMATION CONTACT: The Ready-to-Learn Television Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue...

Profitability of 'ready-to-eat' strategies: Towards modelassisted negotiation in a fresh-produce chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schepers, H.E.; Kooten, van O.

2006-01-01

With help of a simple System Dynamics model describing purchase frequency of consumer segments, we illustrate under which circumstances a scenario of `ready-to-eat¿ positioning creates value for retailer, trader and grower in a fruit production chain. Although fully quantified, the model is meant as

Sustaining Community-University Collaborations: The Durham University Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Russell

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Durham University has initiated a community outreach and engagement program based on an evolving multifaceted model. This article analyses the components of the model and looks at how our work at Durham has become increasingly embedded in the structures and processes of the university as it has developed. The strengths and weaknesses in what has been achieved are highlighted, as is the future vision for the further development of this innovative community-university program. Keywords Public engagement; community partnerships; employer supported volunteering; corporate social responsibility

Are Malaysian Students Ready to Be Authors of Digital Contents? A Case Study of Digital Library Stakeholders’ Readiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abrizah Abdullah

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The paper reports on a study that ascertains the factors facilitating students to utilize digital libraries for educational purposes. The study investigates students ICT readiness, usage of online resources and information seeking behaviour of secondary school students with the specific goal of applying the results to the design of a collaborative digital library for school projects. The digital library has been conceived to support resource needs of these students as well provide the space for them to publish their school projects, which are currently submitted handwritten. The study uses the case study approach and an urban secondary school in Malaysia is chosen as the case school. Findings from a survey and focus group interviews indicate that the students are ready to collaboratively build the digital library resources as evidenced by students digital library readiness score of 31.4/40.

Community Colleges in the South: Strengthening Readiness and Pathways. The Report of the SREB Community College Commission

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Cheryl; Spence, Dave

2015-01-01

Community colleges are vital to the states and the nation. The importance of community colleges as providers of postsecondary education and training is well documented. Fulfilling both economic and social roles, these institutions have successfully created new markets and empowered new populations through educational opportunity. This report…

75 FR 16763 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-02

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... FR 13515) a notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010 for the Ready-to-Learn Television...

75 FR 18170 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-09

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... FR 13515) a notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010 for the Ready-to-Learn Television...

Readiness towards Entrepreneurship Education: Students and Malaysian Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Othman, Norasmah; Hashim, Norashidah; Wahid, Hariyaty Ab

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to observe the readiness of students and the internal environment of Malaysian public universities in the implementation of entrepreneurship education. Design/methodology/approach: The authors employed a quantitative approach and the main instrument used to gauge the entrepreneurship readiness among students…

Rice University: Innovation to Increase Student College Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Gigliotti, Jennifer

2012-01-01

"College readiness" means that a student can enter a college classroom without remediation and successfully complete entry-level college requirements (Conley, 2012). In order for students to be considered college ready, they must acquire skills, content knowledge, and behaviors before leaving high school. Research on high-school performance…

Replacing Remediation with Readiness. An NCPR Working Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Conley, David T.

2010-01-01

This paper critically examines traditional means of assessing college students' need for remediation and suggests as a replacement an expanded definition of college readiness, where readiness is more complex than rudimentary content knowledge and more multifaceted than a single cut point. The paper presents and explains four dimensions of…

Small Business Training Models for Community Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Jellison, Holly M., Ed.

Nine successful community college programs for small business management training are described in this report in terms of their college and economic context, purpose, offerings, delivery modes, operating and marketing strategies, community outreach, support services, faculty and staff, evaluation, and future directions. The model programs are…

The development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Egli, Victoria; Oliver, Melody; Tautolo, El-Shadan

2016-06-01

Community gardens contribute to community wellbeing by influencing the nutritional and social environment. The aim of this research was to develop a model that communicates the many benefits of community garden participation as described in the academic literature, to a diverse audience of laypersons. This model is an example of effective knowledge translation because the information is able to be more than simply understood but also practically applied. From April to August 2015, a model depicting the many benefits of community garden participation was prepared based on a global, critical literature review. The wellbeing benefits from community garden participation have been grouped into factors influencing the nutritional health environment and factors influencing the social environment. The graphic chosen to form the basis of the model is a fractal tree of life. In October 2015, to test the models comprehension and to obtain stakeholder feedback this model was presented to a diverse group of community members, leaders and workers from the Tāmaki region of Auckland, New Zealand. The model we present here effectively and clearly translates knowledge obtained from the academic literature on the benefits to wellbeing from community garden participation into a tool that can be used, adapted and developed by community groups, government agencies and health promoters.

Stylized facts in social networks: Community-based static modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Hang-Hyun; Murase, Yohsuke; Török, János; Kertész, János; Kaski, Kimmo

2018-06-01

The past analyses of datasets of social networks have enabled us to make empirical findings of a number of aspects of human society, which are commonly featured as stylized facts of social networks, such as broad distributions of network quantities, existence of communities, assortative mixing, and intensity-topology correlations. Since the understanding of the structure of these complex social networks is far from complete, for deeper insight into human society more comprehensive datasets and modeling of the stylized facts are needed. Although the existing dynamical and static models can generate some stylized facts, here we take an alternative approach by devising a community-based static model with heterogeneous community sizes and larger communities having smaller link density and weight. With these few assumptions we are able to generate realistic social networks that show most stylized facts for a wide range of parameters, as demonstrated numerically and analytically. Since our community-based static model is simple to implement and easily scalable, it can be used as a reference system, benchmark, or testbed for further applications.

What Does It Mean to Be El Niño Ready?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael H. Glantz

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Once an El Niño event has been forecast, government warnings and news headlines highlight the need for society to get ready for the potential impacts of the event, whether drought, flood, heatwave, disease outbreak, or water shortage. The notion of readiness for a climate-, water- or weather-related hazard or disaster is a fuzzy term, subject to a wide range of conflicting perceptions. Not every government sees El Niño as a direct threat to the wellbeing of its citizens. In this paper, we conceptualize readiness and identify reasons that some governments do not as well as cannot prepare for El Niño’s foreseeable consequences. Central among those reasons are its characteristics: quasi-periodicity, event variability, difficulties with onset forecasting, and the fact that El Niño and its “teleconnections” are influenced by numerous other oceanic and atmospheric oscillations. As a result, there is no universally accepted approach to or reliable measure of readiness. The concept is often discussed qualitatively in terms of “shades of readiness”, such as hardly ready, somewhat ready, almost ready, and absolutely ready. Although El Niño is still difficult to forecast, the existing knowledge about it can provide usable information for decision makers to choose whether to pursue strategic or tactical disaster risk reduction policies.

Assessing the Readiness of Nursing Sectors in Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Adopt Holistic Practice: Rwanda as Exemplar.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, William

Over the past several years, holistic nursing education has become more readily available to nurses working in high-income nations, and holistic practice has become better defined and promoted through countless organizational and governmental initiatives. However, global nursing community members, particularly those serving in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) within resource-constrained health care systems, may not find holistic nursing easily accessible or applicable to practice. The purpose of this article is to assess the readiness of nursing sectors within these resource-constrained settings to access, understand, and apply holistic nursing principles and practices within the context of cultural norms, diverse definitions of the nursing role, and the current status of health care in these countries. The history, current status, and projected national goals of professional nursing in Rwanda is used as an exemplar to forward the discussion regarding the readiness of nurses to adopt holistic education into practice in LMICs. A background of holistic nursing practice in the United States is provided to illustrate the multifaceted aspects of support necessary in order that such a specialty continues to evolve and thrive within health care arenas and the communities it cares for.

[Chronic pain patients' readiness to change after multimodal treatment. Short- and long-term effects].

Science.gov (United States)

Küchler, A; Sabatowski, R; Kaiser, U

2012-12-01

Patients' readiness to behavioural changes according to the transtheoretical model (TTM) and criteria of treatment outcome are positively associated and have in part already been confirmed. For a stable effect of therapeutic treatment, patients' readiness to change seems indispensable for an independent and active pain management. Thus, in addition to an enhanced quality of life, increasing patients' motivation is a declared objective of the treatment at Dresden's Comprehensive Pain Center. In this study, it was examined how the readiness to change develops in the course of and during the 2 years following the multimodal treatment program. Furthermore, associations between outcome criteria of the treatment and patients' readiness to change were explored. The database constitutes 169 patients who took part in a 4-week interdisciplinary, partially residential pain treatment. Beside the Freiburg Pain Stages questionnaire ("Frieburger Fragebogen - Stadien der Bewältigung chronischer Schmerzen", FF-STABS), a comprehensive pain diagnostic inventory including the Pain Disability Index (PDI), the SF-36 questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was completed at six different time points (beginning of treatment, end of treatment, booster session after 10 weeks, after 6, 12, and 24 months). The statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 16.0 including nonparametric analyses and variance analyses. Significant differences in the level of readiness to change between the beginning of treatment and all follow-up measures were observed. The average patients' readiness to change was still higher after 2 years than at the first measurement. However, a differentiated consideration revealed a small portion of patients who showed no change or even a reduction of motivation. After an additional week (booster session), the stages of readiness to change remained stable, irrespective of the direction of the previous change. Regarding therapeutic outcome

Effect of an Individual Readiness Assurance Test on a Team Readiness Assurance Test in the Team-Based Learning of Physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalan, Chaya; Fox, Dainielle J.; Gaebelein, Claude J.

2013-01-01

We examined whether requiring an individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) before a team readiness assurance test (tRAT) would benefit students in becoming better problem solvers in physiology. It was tested in the form of tRAT scores, the time required to complete the tRAT assignment, and individual performance on the unit examinations. Students…

Readiness to proceed: Characterization planning basis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, M.R.

1998-01-01

This report summarizes characterization requirements, data availability, and data acquisition plans in support of the Phase 1 Waste Feed Readiness to Proceed Mid-Level Logic. It summarizes characterization requirements for the following program planning documents: Waste Feed Readiness Mid-Level Logic and Decomposition (in development); Master blue print (not available); Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Operations and Utilization Plan and Privatization Contract; Enabling assumptions (not available); Privatization low-activity waste (LAW) Data Quality Objective (DQO); Privatization high-level waste (HLW) DQO (draft); Problem-specific DQOs (in development); Interface control documents (draft). Section 2.0 defines the primary objectives for this report, Section 3.0 discusses the scope and assumptions, and Section 4.0 identifies general characterization needs and analyte-specific characterization needs or potential needs included in program documents and charts. Section 4.0 also shows the analyses that have been conducted, and the archive samples that are available for additional analyses. Section 5.0 discusses current plans for obtaining additional samples and analyses to meet readiness-to-proceed requirements. Section 6.0 summarizes sampling needs based on preliminary requirements and discusses other potential characterization needs. Many requirements documents are preliminary. In many cases, problem-specific DQOs have not been drafted, and only general assumptions about the document contents could be obtained from the authors. As a result, the readiness-to-proceed characterization requirements provided in this document are evolving and may change

A practical implementation science heuristic for organizational readiness: R = MC2

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Brittany S.; Lamont, Andrea; Wandersman, Abraham; Castellow, Jennifer; Katz, Jason; Beidas, Rinad S.

2015-01-01

There are many challenges when an innovation (i.e., a program, process, or policy that is new to an organization) is actively introduced into an organization. One critical component for successful implementation is the organization’s readiness for the innovation. In this article, we propose a practical implementation science heuristic, abbreviated as R= MC2. We propose that organizational readiness involves: 1) the motivation to implement an innovation, 2) the general capacities of an organization, and 3) the innovation-specific capacities needed for a particular innovation. Each of these components can be assessed independently and be used formatively. The heuristic can be used by organizations to assess readiness to implement and by training and technical assistance providers to help build organizational readiness. We present an illustration of the heuristic by showing how behavioral health organizations differ in readiness to implement a peer specialist initiative. Implications for research and practice of organizational readiness are discussed. PMID:26668443

e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban University of ... make the shift from traditional learning to the technological culture of e-Learning at a ... equipment and technological readiness for the change in learning method.

University Research Initiative Program for Combat Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

1999-05-01

microscope image of one of the lenses. This array was selected for testing because it is fabricated in a relatively inexpensive polyacrylic material, the...potent analogues of the potassium -sparing diuretic, amiloride. However, our results 179 University Reasearch Initiative for Combat Readiness Annual Report...for Combat Readiness Annual Report for the period June 1, 1998 - June 30, 1999 Roger H. Sawyer University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 May

NHI Component Technical Readiness Evaluation System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherman, S.; Wilson, Dane F.; Pawel, Steven J.

2007-01-01

A decision process for evaluating the technical readiness or maturity of components (i.e., heat exchangers, chemical reactors, valves, etc.) for use by the U.S. DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative is described. This system is used by the DOE NHI to assess individual components in relation to their readiness for pilot-scale and larger-scale deployment and to drive the research and development work needed to attain technical maturity. A description of the evaluation system is provided, and examples are given to illustrate how it is used to assist in component R and D decisions.

Synergizing expectation and execution for stroke communities of practice innovations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riopelle Richard J

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Regional networks have been recognized as an interesting model to support interdisciplinary and inter-organizational interactions that lead to meaningful care improvements. Existing communities of practice within the a regional network, the Montreal Stroke Network (MSN offers a compelling structure to better manage the exponential growth of knowledge and to support care providers to better manage the complex cases they must deal with in their practices. This research project proposes to examine internal and external factors that influence individual and organisational readiness to adopt national stroke best practices and to assess the impact of an e-collaborative platform in facilitating knowledge translation activities. Methods We will develop an e-collaborative platform that will include various social networking and collaborative tools. We propose to create online brainstorming sessions ('jams' around each best practice recommendation. Jam postings will be analysed to identify emergent themes. Syntheses of these analyses will be provided to members to help them identify priority areas for practice change. Discussions will be moderated by clinical leaders, whose role will be to accelerate crystallizing of ideas around 'how to' implement selected best practices. All clinicians (~200 involved in stroke care among the MSN will be asked to participate. Activities during face-to-face meetings and on the e-collaborative platform will be documented. Content analysis of all activities will be performed using an observation grid that will use as outcome indicators key elements of communities of practice and of the knowledge creation cycle developed by Nonaka. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted among users of the e-collaborative platform to collect information on variables of the knowledge-to-action framework. All participants will be asked to complete three questionnaires: the typology questionnaire, which classifies

Synergizing expectation and execution for stroke communities of practice innovations

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Regional networks have been recognized as an interesting model to support interdisciplinary and inter-organizational interactions that lead to meaningful care improvements. Existing communities of practice within the a regional network, the Montreal Stroke Network (MSN) offers a compelling structure to better manage the exponential growth of knowledge and to support care providers to better manage the complex cases they must deal with in their practices. This research project proposes to examine internal and external factors that influence individual and organisational readiness to adopt national stroke best practices and to assess the impact of an e-collaborative platform in facilitating knowledge translation activities. Methods We will develop an e-collaborative platform that will include various social networking and collaborative tools. We propose to create online brainstorming sessions ('jams') around each best practice recommendation. Jam postings will be analysed to identify emergent themes. Syntheses of these analyses will be provided to members to help them identify priority areas for practice change. Discussions will be moderated by clinical leaders, whose role will be to accelerate crystallizing of ideas around 'how to' implement selected best practices. All clinicians (~200) involved in stroke care among the MSN will be asked to participate. Activities during face-to-face meetings and on the e-collaborative platform will be documented. Content analysis of all activities will be performed using an observation grid that will use as outcome indicators key elements of communities of practice and of the knowledge creation cycle developed by Nonaka. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted among users of the e-collaborative platform to collect information on variables of the knowledge-to-action framework. All participants will be asked to complete three questionnaires: the typology questionnaire, which classifies individuals into one of four

A new dynamic null model for phylogenetic community structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pigot, Alex L; Etienne, Rampal S

Phylogenies are increasingly applied to identify the mechanisms structuring ecological communities but progress has been hindered by a reliance on statistical null models that ignore the historical process of community assembly. Here, we address this, and develop a dynamic null model of assembly by

Ecotoxicological assessment of Roundup-ready soybean agriculture investigated in a D. magna model

OpenAIRE

Cuhra, Marek

2015-01-01

Paper III of this thesis is not available i Munin: III: M. Cuhra, T. Traavik & T. Bøhn. 2014. 'Life cycle fitness differences in Daphnia magna fed Roundup-Ready soybean or conventional soybean or organic soybean', available in Aquaculture Nutrition Transgenic glyphosate tolerant soybeans are constituents of an industrial production system with specific agricultural practices and supplementary agrochemicals as interwoven additional elements. Thus the material produced should not be see...

Y2K compliance readiness and contingency planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahl, S; Cohan, D

1999-09-01

As the millennium approaches, discussion of "Y2K compliance" will shift to discussion of "Y2K readiness." While "compliance" focuses on the technological functioning of one's own computers, "readiness" focuses on the operational planning required in a world of interdependence, in which the functionality of one's own computers is only part of the story. "Readiness" includes the ability to cope with potential Y2K failures of vendors, suppliers, staff, banks, utility companies, and others. Administrators must apply their traditional skills of analysis, inquiry and diligence to the manifold imaginable challenges which Y2K will thrust upon their facilities. The SPICE template can be used as a systematic tool to guide planning for this historic event.

DOE Richland readiness review for PUREX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamorski, M.J.

1984-01-01

For ten months prior to the November 1983 startup of the Plutonium and URanium EXtraction (PUREX) Plant, the Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office conducted an operational readiness review of the facility. This review was performed consistent with DOE and RL Order 5481.1 and in accordance with written plans prepared by the program and safety divisions. It involved personnel from five divisions within the office. The DOE review included two tasks: (1) overview and evaluation of the operating contractor's (Rockwell Hanford) readiness review for PUREX, and (2) independent assessment of 25 significant aspects of the startup effort. The RL reviews were coordinated by the program division and were phased in succession with the contractor's readiness review. As deficiencies or concerns were noted in the course of the review they were documented and required formal response from the contractor. Startup approval was given in three steps as the PUREX Plant began operation. A thorough review was performed and necessary documentation was prepared to support startup authorization in November 1983, before the scheduled startup date

Montessori Public School Pre-K Programs and the School Readiness of Low-Income Black and Latino Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, Arya; Winsler, Adam

2014-11-01

Within the United States, there are a variety of early education models and curricula aimed at promoting young children's pre-academic, social, and behavioral skills. This study, using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP; Winsler et al., 2008, 2012), examined the school readiness gains of low-income Latino ( n = 7,045) and Black children ( n = 6,700) enrolled in two different types of Title-1 public school pre-K programs: those in programs using the Montessori curricula and those in more conventional programs using the High/Scope curricula with a literacy supplement. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional and behavioral skills with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), while children's pre-academic skills (cognitive, motor, and language) were assessed directly with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic (LAP-D) at the beginning and end of their four-year-old pre-K year. All children, regardless of curricula, demonstrated gains across pre-academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the pre-K year; however, all children did not benefit equally from Montessori programs. Latino children in Montessori programs began the year at most risk in pre-academic and behavioral skills, yet exhibited the greatest gains across these domains and ended the year scoring above national averages. Conversely, Black children exhibited healthy gains in Montessori, but demonstrated slightly greater gains when attending more conventional pre-K programs. Findings have implications for tailoring early childhood education programs for Latino and Black children from low-income communities.

Formulation of an Integrated Community Based Disaster Management for Hydroelectric facilities: The Malaysia Case

Science.gov (United States)

Hijazzi, Norshamirra; Thiruchelvam, Sivadass; Sabri Muda, Rahsidi; Nasharuddin Mustapha, Kamal; Che Muda, Zakaria; Ghazali, Azrul; Kamal Kadir, Ahmad; Hakimie, Hazlinda; Sahari, Khairul Salleh Mohamed; Hasini, Hasril; Mohd Sidek, Lariyah; Itam, Zarina; Fadhli Mohamad, Mohd; Razad, Azwin Zailti Abdul

2016-03-01

Dams, however significant their contributions are to the society, are not immune to failures and diminishing lifespan not unlike other structural elements in our infrastructure. Despite continuing efforts on design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams to improve the safety of the dams, the possibility of unforeseen events of dam failures is still possible. Seeing that dams are usually integrated into close approximities with the community, dam failures may consequent in tremendous loss of lives and properties. The aims of formulation of Integrated Community Based Disaster Management (ICBDM) is to simulate evacuation modelling and emergency planning in order to minimize loss of life and property damages in the event of a dam-related disaster. To achieve the aim above, five main pillars have been identified for the formulation of ICBDM. A series of well-defined program inclusive of hydrological 2-D modelling, life safety modelling, community based EWS and CBTAP will be conducted. Finally, multiple parties’ engagement is to be carried out in the form of table top exercise to measure the readiness of emergency plans and response capabilities of key players during the state of a crisis.

Le Bon Samaritain: A Community-Based Care Model Supported by Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gay, Valerie; Leijdekkers, Peter; Gill, Asif; Felix Navarro, Karla

2015-01-01

The effective care and well-being of a community is a challenging task especially in an emergency situation. Traditional technology-based silos between health and emergency services are challenged by the changing needs of the community that could benefit from integrated health and safety services. Low-cost smart-home automation solutions, wearable devices and Cloud technology make it feasible for communities to interact with each other, and with health and emergency services in a timely manner. This paper proposes a new community-based care model, supported by technology, that aims at reducing healthcare and emergency services costs while allowing community to become resilient in response to health and emergency situations. We looked at models of care in different industries and identified the type of technology that can support the suggested new model of care. Two prototypes were developed to validate the adequacy of the technology. The result is a new community-based model of care called 'Le Bon Samaritain'. It relies on a network of people called 'Bons Samaritains' willing to help and deal with the basic care and safety aspects of their community. Their role is to make sure that people in their community receive and understand the messages from emergency and health services. The new care model is integrated with existing emergency warning, community and health services. Le Bon Samaritain model is scalable, community-based and can help people feel safer, less isolated and more integrated in their community. It could be the key to reduce healthcare cost, increase resilience and drive the change for a more integrated emergency and care system.

The relationship between readiness to change and work engagement: A case study in an accounting firm undergoing change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan Matthysen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Readiness to change is a critical element for the successful implementation of organisational change. Work engagement ensures that employees are committed to the organisations’ goals and is an important driver for organisational success. It is important that organisations sustain work engagement during organisational changes. Research purpose: To investigate the relationship between readiness to change and work engagement within an accounting firm. Motivation for the study: A change process can only be implemented successfully if there is a level of readiness to change. When readiness exists, resistance to change is reduced. Engaged employees remain enthusiastic about their organisation and choose to remain with the organisation. Change agents need to consider work engagement as an integral part of the change process, that is, before, during and after change has taken place. Work engagement and readiness to change are important elements for successful organisational change. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was utilised to collect the data. A convenience sample of employees and top management from the accounting firm (n = 340 were included. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Pearson’s product-moment correlations, analysis of variance (ANOVA, Scheffé tests, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data. Main findings: Results indicated a practical and statistically significant relationship between readiness to change and work engagement. High levels of work engagement will generate high levels of readiness to change. Further to this, readiness to change is influenced by employees’ work engagement and an organisation’s change processes. Practical or managerial implications: An employee’s work engagement and an organisation’s processes of change influence an employee’s readiness to change. Therefore, organisations need to sustain work

Community Based Educational Model on Water Conservation Program

Science.gov (United States)

Sudiajeng, L.; Parwita, I. G. L.; Wiraga, I. W.; Mudhina, M.

2018-01-01

The previous research showed that there were indicators of water crisis in the northern and eastern part of Denpasar city and most of coastal area experienced on seawater intrusion. The recommended water conservation programs were rainwater harvesting and educate the community to develop a water saving and environmentally conscious culture. This research was conducted to built the community based educational model on water conservation program through ergonomics SHIP approach which placed the human aspect as the first consideration, besides the economic and technically aspects. The stakeholders involved in the program started from the problem analyses to the implementation and the maintenance as well. The model was built through three main steps, included determination of accepted design; building the recharge wells by involving local communities; guidance and assistance in developing a water saving and environmentally conscious culture for early childhood, elementary and junior high school students, community and industry. The program was implemented based on the “TRIHITA KARANA” concept, which means the relationship between human to God, human-to-human, and human to environment. Through the development of the model, it is expected to grow a sense of belonging and awareness from the community to maintain the sustainability of the program.

Mixture models with entropy regularization for community detection in networks

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Zhenhai; Yin, Xianjun; Jia, Caiyan; Wang, Xiaoyang

2018-04-01

Community detection is a key exploratory tool in network analysis and has received much attention in recent years. NMM (Newman's mixture model) is one of the best models for exploring a range of network structures including community structure, bipartite and core-periphery structures, etc. However, NMM needs to know the number of communities in advance. Therefore, in this study, we have proposed an entropy regularized mixture model (called EMM), which is capable of inferring the number of communities and identifying network structure contained in a network, simultaneously. In the model, by minimizing the entropy of mixing coefficients of NMM using EM (expectation-maximization) solution, the small clusters contained little information can be discarded step by step. The empirical study on both synthetic networks and real networks has shown that the proposed model EMM is superior to the state-of-the-art methods.

Linear estimation discriminates midline sources and motor cortex contribution to the readiness potential

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knosche, Thomas; Knosche, T.R.; Praamstra, Peter; Peters, M.J.; Stegeman, Dick; Stegeman, D.

1996-01-01

Spatiotemporal dipole modelling of the generators of the readiness potential (RP) prior to voluntary movements has yielded diverging results concerning the contributions of supplementary motor area (SMA) and primary motor cortex. We applied an alternative approach (i.e. linear estimation theory) to

Solid scintillator 'Ready Cap' for measurement with a liquid scintillation counter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ijiri, Kenichi; Endo, Masashi; Nogawa, Norio; Tsuda, Shoko; Nakamura, Aiko; Morikawa, Naotake; Osaki, Susumu.

1990-01-01

'Ready Cap', a small plastic container coated with solid scintillator has recently been introduced (Beckman Instruments, Inc.). Pulse height spectra and counting efficiencies obtained with a liquid scintillator and Ready Cap using a liquid scintillation counter were compared for 15 different radionuclides. For radionuclides emitting low-energy β-rays or characteristic X-rays, the spectra for Ready Cap shifted toward the higher energy side compared with the spectra for the liquid scintillator. This tendency was reversed for the nuclides emitting higher-energy β-radiations ( 36 Cl and 32 P). Generally, counting efficiencies both in Ready Cap and in liquid scintillator increased with increase in the energy of β- or X-rays. For some nuclides, Ready Cap gave higher counting efficiencies and for others it gave lower values than in the liquid scintillator. However, the differences were not large within each nuclide. The use of Ready Cap is recommended for measurements of radionuclides when liquid scintillation cocktails have no means of waste disposal under the present Japanese radioisotope regulation. (author)

Research on Influencing Factors of Salespeople's Empowerment Readiness in Green Energy Enterprise

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yuan; Liu, Xiaohui

As market competition in green energy enterprises continues to intensify, marketing activities are enlarging and customer demand is increasingly growing and diversifying. More and more green energy enterprises have empowered their own salespeople. And managers in green energy enterprises are more concerned with the issues which employees suit to be empowered and which factors will influence employee empowerment readiness. This paper proposes the definition of salespeople's empowerment readiness, analyzes influencing factors of salespeople's empowerment readiness, discusses the effect mechanism of influencing factors of salespeople's empowerment readiness, finally, and puts forward some suggestions to enhance salespeople's empowerment readiness from the perspective of human resource management practice.

[Intervention of Schizophrenia From the Community Model].

Science.gov (United States)

Taborda Zapata, Eliana María; Montoya González, Laura Elisa; Gómez Sierra, Natalia María; Arteaga Morales, Laura María; Correa Rico, Oscar Andrés

2016-01-01

Schizophrenia is a complex disease for which pharmacological management is an insufficient therapeutic measure to ensure adaptation to the community and restoring the quality of life of the patient, with a multidimensional management and community interventions being necessary. Case report. This case report illustrates a multidisciplinary treatment response, based on a community care model for mental health from Envigado, Colombia. The management of schizophrenia requires multimodal interventions that include community screening, psychoeducation of individuals, their families and society, addressing different areas of operation that allow adaptation of the subject to his social environment. A integrated intervention that can be provided on a Community scale, with the implementation of policies that allow it to be applied. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Solar Training Network and Solar Ready Vets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalstrom, Tenley Ann

2016-09-14

In 2016, the White House announced the Solar Ready Vets program, funded under DOE's SunShot initiative would be administered by The Solar Foundation to connect transitioning military personnel to solar training and employment as they separate from service. This presentation is geared to informing and recruiting employer partners for the Solar Ready Vets program, and the Solar Training Network. It describes the programs, and the benefits to employers that choose to connect to the programs.

Making Technology Ready: Integrated Systems Health Management

Science.gov (United States)

Malin, Jane T.; Oliver, Patrick J.

2007-01-01

This paper identifies work needed by developers to make integrated system health management (ISHM) technology ready and by programs to make mission infrastructure ready for this technology. This paper examines perceptions of ISHM technologies and experience in legacy programs. Study methods included literature review and interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. Recommendations address 1) development of ISHM technology, 2) development of ISHM engineering processes and methods, and 3) program organization and infrastructure for ISHM technology evolution, infusion and migration.

Ready for kindergarten: Are intelligence skills enough?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Fitzpatrick

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated how different profiles of kindergarten readiness in terms of student intellectual ability, academic skills and classroom engagement relate to future academic performance. Participants are French-Canadian children followed in the context of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N = 670. Trained examiners measured number knowledge, receptive vocabulary and fluid intelligence when children were in kindergarten. Teachers rated kindergarten classroom engagement. Outcomes included fourth-grade teacherrated achievement and directly assessed mathematical skills. Latent class analyses revealed three kindergarten readiness profiles: high (57%, moderate (34% and low (9.3% readiness. Using multiple regression, we found that a more favourable kindergarten profile predicted better fourth-grade academic performance. Identifying children at risk of academic difficulty is an important step for preventing underachievement and dropout. These results suggest the importance of promoting a variety of cognitive, academic and behavioural skills to enhance later achievement in at-risk learners.

Improving hypertension self-management with community health coaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, Cheryl J; Williams, Joel E; Evatt, Janet Hoffman

2015-03-01

Approximately two thirds of those older than 60 years have a hypertension diagnosis. The aim of our program, Health Coaches for Hypertension Control, is to improve hypertension self-management among rural residents older than 60 years through education and support offered by trained community volunteers called Health Coaches. Participants received baseline and follow-up health risk appraisals with blood work, educational materials, and items such as blood pressure monitors and pedometers. Data were collected at baseline, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks on 146 participants who demonstrated statistically significant increases in hypertension-related knowledge from baseline to 8 weeks that persisted at 16 weeks, as well as significant improvements in stage of readiness to change behaviors and in actual behaviors. Furthermore, clinically significant decreases in all outcome measures were observed, with statistically significant changes in systolic blood pressure (-5.781 mmHg; p = .001), weight (-2.475 lb; p definition of controlled hypertension at baseline, the proportion of participants meeting this definition at 16 weeks postintervention increased to 51.0%. This article describes a university-community-hospital system model that effectively promotes hypertension self-management in a rural Appalachian community. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Marilynne Coopasami

c Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, ML Sultan Campus, Durban University of Technology, Durban ... education, technological and equipment readiness require attention before it can be ... strategy; consider the benefits and disadvantages of e- ... using an appropriate tool to measure e-Learning readiness has.

47 CFR 15.118 - Cable ready consumer electronics equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cable ready consumer electronics equipment. 15... Unintentional Radiators § 15.118 Cable ready consumer electronics equipment. (a) All consumer electronics TV... provisions of this section. Consumer electronics TV receiving equipment that includes features intended for...

Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain

Science.gov (United States)

Arbib, Michael A.

2016-03-01

We make the case for developing a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology to inform the analysis of the function and evolution of the human brain. First, we update the mirror system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain by (i) modeling action and action recognition and opportunistic scheduling of macaque brains to hypothesize the nature of the last common ancestor of macaque and human (LCA-m); and then we (ii) introduce dynamic brain modeling to show how apes could acquire gesture through ontogenetic ritualization, hypothesizing the nature of evolution from LCA-m to the last common ancestor of chimpanzee and human (LCA-c). We then (iii) hypothesize the role of imitation, pantomime, protosign and protospeech in biological and cultural evolution from LCA-c to Homo sapiens with a language-ready brain. Second, we suggest how cultural evolution in Homo sapiens led from protolanguages to full languages with grammar and compositional semantics. Third, we assess the similarities and differences between the dorsal and ventral streams in audition and vision as the basis for presenting and comparing two models of language processing in the human brain: A model of (i) the auditory dorsal and ventral streams in sentence comprehension; and (ii) the visual dorsal and ventral streams in defining ;what language is about; in both production and perception of utterances related to visual scenes provide the basis for (iii) a first step towards a synthesis and a look at challenges for further research.

Sleep Duration and School Readiness of Chinese Preschool Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tso, Winnie; Rao, Nirmala; Jiang, Fan; Li, Albert Martin; Lee, So-Lun; Ho, Frederick Ka-Wing; Li, Sophia Ling; Ip, Patrick

2016-02-01

To examine the average sleep duration in Chinese preschoolers and to investigate the association between sleep duration and school readiness. This is a cross-sectional study that included 553 Chinese children (mean age = 5.46 years) from 20 preschools in 2 districts of Hong Kong. Average daily sleep duration in the last week was reported by parents and school readiness as measured by the teacher-rated Chinese Early Development Instrument (CEDI). Most Chinese preschoolers had 9-10 hours of sleep per day. Only 11% of preschoolers had the recommended 11-12 hours of sleep per day. This group was associated with more "very ready" CEDI domains. Sleep deprivation (≤7 hours per day) was associated with a lower CEDI total score, lower scores in the emotional maturity and language/cognitive domain, and prosocial behaviors subdomain but a greater score in the hyperactivity/inattention subdomain. Children with a lower family socioeconomic index, lower maternal education level, infrequent parent-child interactions, and who used electronic devices for more than 3 hours per day had shortened sleep durations. Optimal sleep duration was associated with better school readiness in preschool children, whereas sleep deprivation was associated with lower school readiness, more hyperactivity and inattention, and less prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

College Readiness versus College Worthiness: Examining the Role of Principal Beliefs on College Readiness Initiatives in an Urban U.S. High School

Science.gov (United States)

Convertino, Christina; Graboski-Bauer, Ashley

2018-01-01

In light of increasing emphasis on the importance of post-secondary education to personal economic security, there is growing interest to promote college readiness initiatives in high schools, particularly for low-income and minority students for whom the harmful effects of institutional inequities on college readiness is well-documented.…

Usability and Workflow Evaluation of “RhEumAtic Disease Activity” (READY)

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Po-Yin; Lara, Barbara; Lopetegui, Marcelo; Bharat, Aseem; Ardoin, Stacy; Johnson, Bernadette; Mathur, Puneet; Embi, Peter J.

2016-01-01

Summary Background RhEumAtic Disease activitY (READY) is a mobile health (mHealth) application that aims to create a shared platform integrating data from both patients and physicians, with a particular emphasis on arthritis disease activity. Methods We made READY available on an iPad and pilot implemented it at a rheumatology out-patient clinic. We conducted 1) a usability evaluation study to explore patients’ and physicians’ interactions with READY, and 2) a time motion study (TMS) to observe the clinical workflow before and after the implementation. Results A total of 33 patients and 15 physicians participated in the usability evaluation. We found usability problems in navigation, data entry, pain assessment, documentation, and instructions along with error messages. Despite these issues, 25 (75,76%) patients reported they liked READY. Physicians provided mixed feedback because they were concerned about the impact of READY on clinical workflow. Six physicians participated in the TMS. We observed 47 patient visits (44.72 hours) in the pre-implementation phase, and 42 patient visits (37.82 hours) in the post-implementation phase. We found that patients spent more time on READY than paper (4.39mins vs. 2.26mins), but overall, READY did not delay the workflow (pre = 52.08 mins vs. post = 45.46 mins). This time difference may be compensated with READY eliminating a workflow step for the staff. Conclusion Patients preferred READY to paper documents. Many found it easier to input information because of the larger font size and the ease of ‘tapping’ rather than writing-out or circling answers. Even though patients spent more time on READY than using paper documents, the longer usage of READY was mainly due to when troubleshooting was needed. Most patients did not have problems after receiving initial support from the staff. This study not only enabled improvements to the software but also serves as good reference for other researchers or institutional decision

Predicting College Readiness in STEM: A Longitudinal Study of Iowa Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rickels, Heather Anne

The demand for STEM college graduates is increasing. However, recent studies show there are not enough STEM majors to fulfill this need. This deficiency can be partially attributed to a gender discrepancy in the number of female STEM graduates and to the high rate of attrition of STEM majors. As STEM attrition has been associated with students being unprepared for STEM coursework, it is important to understand how STEM graduates change in achievement levels from middle school through high school and to have accurate readiness indicators for first-year STEM coursework. This study aimed to address these issues by comparing the achievement growth of STEM majors to non-STEM majors by gender in Science, Math, and Reading from Grade 6 to Grade 11 through latent growth models (LGMs). Then STEM Readiness Benchmarks were established in Science and Math on the Iowas (IAs) for typical first-year STEM courses and validity evidence was provided for the benchmarks. Results from the LGM analyses indicated that STEM graduates start at higher achievement levels in Grade 6 and maintain higher achievement levels through Grade 11 in all subjects. In addition, gender differences were examined. The findings indicate that students with high achievement levels self-select as STEM majors, regardless of gender. In addition, they suggest that students who are not on-track for a STEM degree may need to begin remediation prior to high school. Results from the benchmark analyses indicate that STEM coursework is more demanding and that students need to be better prepared academically in science and math if planning to pursue a STEM degree. In addition, the STEM Readiness Benchmarks were more accurate in predicting success in STEM courses than if general college readiness benchmarks were utilized. Also, students who met the STEM Readiness Benchmarks were more likely to graduate with a STEM degree. This study provides valuable information on STEM readiness to students, educators, and college

A medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC): development and validation of a questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2013-09-01

Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC). In 2012, a panel of medical education experts judged and adapted a preliminary MORC questionnaire through a modified Delphi procedure. The authors administered the resulting questionnaire to medical school faculty involved in curriculum change and tested the psychometric properties using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and generalizability analysis. The mean relevance score of the Delphi panel (n = 19) reached 4.2 on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = not relevant and 5 = highly relevant) in the second round, meeting predefined criteria for completing the Delphi procedure. Faculty (n = 991) from 131 medical schools in 56 countries completed MORC. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three underlying factors-motivation, capability, and external pressure-in 12 subscales with 53 items. The scale structure suggested by exploratory factor analysis was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.67 to 0.92 for the subscales. Generalizability analysis showed that the MORC results of 5 to 16 faculty members can reliably evaluate a school's organizational readiness for change. MORC is a valid, reliable questionnaire for measuring organizational readiness for curriculum change in medical schools. It can identify which elements in a change process require special attention so as to increase the chance of successful implementation.

Individual Ready Reserve: It's Relevance in Supporting the Long War

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Chisholm, Shelley A

2008-01-01

... in sustaining personnel readiness while supporting on going operations. In response to meeting these personnel readiness concerns, the Army Reserve will require the call-up of Soldiers currently serving in the IRR...

Service readiness, health facility management practices, and delivery care utilization in five states of Nigeria: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gage, Anastasia J; Ilombu, Onyebuchi; Akinyemi, Akanni Ibukun

2016-10-06

Existing studies of delivery care in Nigeria have identified socioeconomic and cultural factors as the primary determinants of health facility delivery. However, no study has investigated the association between supply-side factors and health facility delivery. Our study analyzed the role of supply-side factors, particularly health facility readiness and management practices for provision of quality maternal health services. Using linked data from the 2005 and 2009 health facility and household surveys in the five states in which the Community Participation for Action in the Social Sector (COMPASS) project was implemented, indices of health service readiness and management were developed based on World Health Organization guidelines. Multilevel logistic regression models were run to determine the association between these indices and health facility delivery among 2710 women aged 15-49 years whose last child was born within the five years preceding the surveys and who lived in 51 COMPASS LGAs. The health facility delivery rate increased from 25.4 % in 2005 to 44.1 % in 2009. Basic amenities for antenatal care provision, readiness to deliver basic emergency obstetric and newborn care, and management practices supportive of quality maternal health services were suboptimal in health facilities surveyed and did not change significantly between 2005 and 2009. The LGA mean index of basic amenities for antenatal care provision was more positively associated with the odds of health facility delivery in 2009 than in 2005, and in rural than in urban areas. The LGA mean index of management practices was associated with significantly lower odds of health facility delivery in rural than in urban areas. The LGA mean index of facility readiness to deliver basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care declined slightly from 5.16 in 2005 to 3.98 in 2009 and was unrelated to the odds of health facility delivery. Supply-side factors appeared to play a role in health facility delivery

MOD-RTG multicouple test results and mission readiness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, R.F.; Kelly, C.E.

1993-01-01

MOD-RTG represents the design configuration for the next generation of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG), aimed at improving specific power and efficiency over current General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (GPHS-RTGs). The modular RTG reference design has been described in previous papers (Hartman 1988). The multicouple is a key element required for the successful development of the modular RTG. The multicouple is a high voltage, thermoelectric device employing a close packed, glass bonded thermopile array of twenty thermoelectric couples, connected in a series circuit. The multicouple is designed to operate at a 1270 K hot junction temperature and a 570 K cold junction temperature, yielding a power output of approximately 2.1 watts at 3.5 volts at beginning of life. The objectives of the MOD-RTG program are focused on establishing a multicouple life test data base and life prediction capability which will permit, with reasonable margin, a projected multicouple life of greater than eight (8) years. This paper summarizes the current status of multicouple life testing and performance modeling and the level of technology readiness needed to demonstrate mission readiness for MOD-RTG

Genome-based Modeling and Design of Metabolic Interactions in Microbial Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadevan, Radhakrishnan; Henson, Michael A

2012-01-01

Biotechnology research is traditionally focused on individual microbial strains that are perceived to have the necessary metabolic functions, or the capability to have these functions introduced, to achieve a particular task. For many important applications, the development of such omnipotent microbes is an extremely challenging if not impossible task. By contrast, nature employs a radically different strategy based on synergistic combinations of different microbial species that collectively achieve the desired task. These natural communities have evolved to exploit the native metabolic capabilities of each species and are highly adaptive to changes in their environments. However, microbial communities have proven difficult to study due to a lack of suitable experimental and computational tools. With the advent of genome sequencing, omics technologies, bioinformatics and genome-scale modeling, researchers now have unprecedented capabilities to analyze and engineer the metabolism of microbial communities. The goal of this review is to summarize recent applications of genome-scale metabolic modeling to microbial communities. A brief introduction to lumped community models is used to motivate the need for genome-level descriptions of individual species and their metabolic interactions. The review of genome-scale models begins with static modeling approaches, which are appropriate for communities where the extracellular environment can be assumed to be time invariant or slowly varying. Dynamic extensions of the static modeling approach are described, and then applications of genome-scale models for design of synthetic microbial communities are reviewed. The review concludes with a summary of metagenomic tools for analyzing community metabolism and an outlook for future research.

Implementation of Policy, Systems, and Environmental Community-Based Interventions for Cardiovascular Health Through a National Not-for-Profit: A Multiple Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Garney, Whitney R; Szucs, Leigh E; Primm, Kristin; King Hahn, Laura; Garcia, Kristen M; Martin, Emily; McLeroy, Kenneth

2018-05-01

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the American Heart Association to implement policy, systems, and environment-focused strategies targeting access to healthy food and beverages, physical activity, and smoke-free environments. To understand factors affecting implementation and variations in success across sites, evaluators conducted a multiple case study. Based on past literature, community sites were categorized as capacity-building or implementation-ready, for comparison. A sample of six communities were selected using a systematic selection tool. Through site visits, evaluators conducted interviews with program staff and community partners and assessed action plans. Evaluators identified important implications for nationally coordinated community-based prevention programming. Differences in implementation varied by the communities' readiness, with the most notable differences in how they planned activities and defined success. Existing partner relationships (or lack thereof) played a significant role, regardless of the American Heart Association's existing presence within the communities, in the progression of initiatives and the differences observed among phases. Last, goals in capacity-building sites were tied to organizational goals while goals in implementation-ready sites were more incremental with increased community influence and buy-in. Using national organizations as a mechanism to carry out large-scale community-based prevention work is a viable option that provides coordinated, wide-scale implementation without sacrificing a community's priorities or input. In funding future initiatives, the presence of relationships and the time needed to cultivate such relationships should be accounted for in the planning and implementation processes, as well as both local and national expectations.

Managing Military Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-01

These metrics contain critical information and have their place in readiness management. However, they have never been sufficient to fully...demand signals along with simultaneity assumptions form the es- sence of the operational requirements in national strategy. This section briefly... places demands on the capability and capacity of the Air Force that consume its resources in today’s fight and exceed our capacity to address

Market readiness report : status of preparation for Ontario's competitive retail electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) assumes a leadership role in the electricity sector to ensure the readiness of retail participants in Ontario's competitive electricity market. The Market Readiness Project Team is instrumental in this activity. The team, led by the Independent Electricity Market Operator, provides information and advice regarding the technical readiness of the retail industry, with particular focus on the readiness of distributors to carry out their important functions in a competitive market. This report provides an assessment of the team regarding the industry's technical readiness based on information as of December 14, 2001. The status of retail market readiness was reviewed in terms of the viability of the design of the new competitive market and on the status of Ontario distributors in enabling a competitive market. The workplan for the remaining industry activities needed to achieve market opening were then summarized along with the contingency arrangements for any distributors that are not ready for market opening. Based on several projections, an estimated 88 per cent of Ontario contracts will be served by a distributor starting on a May 1, 2002 market opening. tabs., figs., appendices

REDD+: What´s in it for community forest management?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skutsch, Margaret; Aarts, B.; van Bommel, S.; Ros-Tonen, M.; Verschoor, G.

2012-01-01

As international REDD + policy is being developed under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), many countries are proposing community forest management (CFM) as a major element of their national REDD + strategies, for example in the readiness plans they

Irradiation of ready made meals -Lasagne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkia, Ines

2007-01-01

The effect of ionizing radiation on the microbiological, nutritional, chemical and sensory quality of chilled ready-made meals was assessed. The ready meals used for this experimental work are lasagne. Following arrival at the semi-industrial Cobalt 60 irradiation facility, the meals were either left unirradiated or irradiated with doses of 2 or 4 kGy after which they were stored for up to 23 days at 3C. Results showed that 2 or 4 kGy doses of gamma irradiation decreased the total counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and increased the shelf-life of lasagne. In terms of nutritional quality, it was found that losses of vitamin A and E due to irradiation treatment were considerable at 4 kGy. Total acidity, and p H, were all well within the acceptable limit for up to one week for ready meals treated with 2 and 4 kGy whereas peroxide index showed high values at 4 kGy. Sensory results showed no significant differences between the non-irradiated and irradiated meals at 2 kGy. However, the results were less promising at 4 kGy since differences were significant. (Author). 60 refs

An Agent-Based Model of Evolving Community Flood Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Tonn, Gina L; Guikema, Seth D

2017-11-17

Although individual behavior plays a major role in community flood risk, traditional flood risk models generally do not capture information on how community policies and individual decisions impact the evolution of flood risk over time. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the temporal aspects of flood risk through a combined analysis of the behavioral, engineering, and physical hazard aspects of flood risk. Additionally, the study aims to develop a new modeling approach for integrating behavior, policy, flood hazards, and engineering interventions. An agent-based model (ABM) is used to analyze the influence of flood protection measures, individual behavior, and the occurrence of floods and near-miss flood events on community flood risk. The ABM focuses on the following decisions and behaviors: dissemination of flood management information, installation of community flood protection, elevation of household mechanical equipment, and elevation of homes. The approach is place based, with a case study area in Fargo, North Dakota, but is focused on generalizable insights. Generally, community mitigation results in reduced future damage, and individual action, including mitigation and movement into and out of high-risk areas, can have a significant influence on community flood risk. The results of this study provide useful insights into the interplay between individual and community actions and how it affects the evolution of flood risk. This study lends insight into priorities for future work, including the development of more in-depth behavioral and decision rules at the individual and community level. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Towards a community Earth System Model

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmon, M.

2003-04-01

The Community Climate System Model, version 2 (CCSM2), was released in June 2002. CCSM2 has several new components and features, which I will discuss briefly. I will also show a few results from a multi-century equilibrium run with this model, emphasizing the improvements over the earlier simulation using the original CSM. A few flaws and inadequacies in CCSM2 have been identified. I will also discuss briefly work underway to improve the model and present results, if available. CCSM2, with improvements, will be the basis for the development of a Community Earth System Model (CESM). The highest priority for expansion of the model involves incorporation of biogeosciences into the coupled model system, with emphasis given to the carbon, nitrogen and iron cycles. The overall goal of the biogeosciences project within CESM is to understand the regulation of planetary energetics, planetary ecology, and planetary metabolism through exchanges of energy, momentum, and materials among atmosphere, land, and ocean, and the response of the climate system through these processes to changes in land cover and land use. In particular, this research addresses how biogeochemical coupling of carbon, nitrogen, and iron cycles affects climate and how human perturbations of these cycles alter climate. To accomplish these goals, the Community Land Model, the land component of CCSM2, is being developed to include river routing, carbon and nitrogen cycles, emissions of mineral aerosols and biogenic volatile organic compounds, dry deposition of various gases, and vegetation dynamics. The carbon and nitrogen cycles are being implemented using parameterizations developed as part of a state-of-the-art ecosystem biogeochemistry model. The primary goal of this research is to provide an accurate net flux of CO2 between the land and the atmosphere so that CESM can be used to study the dynamics of the coupled climate-carbon system. Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds are also based on a

Teachers’ Readiness to Implement Digital Curriculum in Kuwaiti Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamed Mubarak Al-Awidi

2017-03-01

Findings\tTeachers are moderately ready for implementation of the digital curriculum in both components of readiness (technical and pedagogical. Teachers identified some factors that that hinder their readiness. These factors are related to time constraints, knowledge and skills, infrastructure, and technical support. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper will guide curriculum decision makers to find the best ways to help and support teachers to effectively implement the digital. Future Research: Follow up studies may examine the effectiveness of teacher education pro-grams in preparing students teachers to implement the digital curriculum, and the role of education decision makers in facilitating the implementation of the digital curriculum.

Computer-Based Assessment of School Readiness and Early Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Csapó, Beno; Molnár, Gyöngyvér; Nagy, József

2014-01-01

This study explores the potential of using online tests for the assessment of school readiness and for monitoring early reasoning. Four tests of a face-to-face-administered school readiness test battery (speech sound discrimination, relational reasoning, counting and basic numeracy, and deductive reasoning) and a paper-and-pencil inductive…

The Readiness of Students to Learn Interprofessional Teamwork in Antenatal Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dina Zakiyyatul Fuadah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Indonesia as a developing country have a higher Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR. The prevention efforts is developing interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP in the level of health care. Collaboration attitudes should start from education level through interprofessional education training and simulation for student. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of interprofessional education training toward the readiness of students to learn interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Methods: Quasi-experimental design (pre test and post test without control with Time-Series Design. Participants used in this study were students of five semester in STIKes Karya Husada Kediri year of 2011/2012 and the number of samples are 60 students. Technique sampling using simple random. The data collected by used questionnaires Readiness Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS and checklist observations using Teamwork Score (TWS. Anova, Friedman test, and Kruskal Wallis was used to statistically analyzed the data. Results: Readiness to learn interprofessional teamwork indicates the value of p = 0.001 thats means there are significant differences between the readiness before and after training IPE. Delta test showed that p value > 0.05 so there is no difference between the three programs study on readiness to learn interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Discussion: Interprofessional education training using simulation methods can affect the readiness of nursing, midwifery and nutritionist students for learning interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Keywords: interprofessional education, readiness, training and simulations, pre clinics students, antenatal care.

Assessment of time to clinical response, a proxy for discharge readiness, among hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia who received either ceftaroline fosamil or ceftriaxone in two phase III FOCUS trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Lodise, Thomas P; Anzueto, Antonio R; Weber, David J; Shorr, Andrew F; Yang, Min; Smith, Alexander; Zhao, Qi; Huang, Xingyue; File, Thomas M

2015-02-01

The primary driver of health care costs for patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the hospital length of stay (LOS). Unfortunately, hospital LOS comparisons are difficult to make from phase III CAP trials because of their structured designs and prespecified treatment durations. However, an opportunity still exists to draw inferences about potential LOS differences between treatments through the use of surrogates for hospital discharge. The intent of this study was to quantify the time to a clinical response, a proxy for the time to discharge readiness, among hospitalized CAP patients who received either ceftaroline or ceftriaxone in two phase III CAP FOCUS clinical trials. On the basis of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and American Thoracic Society CAP management guidelines and recent FDA guidance documents for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, a post hoc adjudication algorithm was constructed a priori to compare the time to a clinical response, a proxy for the time to discharge readiness, between patients who received ceftaroline or ceftriaxone. Overall, 1,116 patients (ceftaroline, n=562; ceftriaxone, n=554) from the pooled FOCUS trials met the selection criteria for this analysis. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that ceftaroline was associated with a shorter time, measured in days, to meeting the clinical response criteria (P=0.03). Of the patients on ceftaroline, 61.0, 76.1, and 83.6% achieved a clinical response by days 3, 4, and 5, compared to 54.3, 69.8, and 79.3% of the ceftriaxone-treated patients. In the Cox regression, ceftaroline was associated with a shorter time to a clinical response (HR, 1.16, P=0.02). The methodology employed here provides a framework to draw comparative effectiveness inferences from phase III CAP efficacy trials. (The FOCUS trials whose data were analyzed in this study have been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00621504 and NCT00509106.). Copyright © 2015, American Society

Community Assessment Tool for Public Health Emergencies Including Pandemic Influenza

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

HCTT-CHE

2011-04-14

The Community Assessment Tool (CAT) for Public Health Emergencies Including Pandemic Influenza (hereafter referred to as the CAT) was developed as a result of feedback received from several communities. These communities participated in workshops focused on influenza pandemic planning and response. The 2008 through 2011 workshops were sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Feedback during those workshops indicated the need for a tool that a community can use to assess its readiness for a disaster—readiness from a total healthcare perspective, not just hospitals, but the whole healthcare system. The CAT intends to do just that—help strengthen existing preparedness plans by allowing the healthcare system and other agencies to work together during an influenza pandemic. It helps reveal each core agency partners' (sectors) capabilities and resources, and highlights cases of the same vendors being used for resource supplies (e.g., personal protective equipment [PPE] and oxygen) by the partners (e.g., public health departments, clinics, or hospitals). The CAT also addresses gaps in the community's capabilities or potential shortages in resources. While the purpose of the CAT is to further prepare the community for an influenza pandemic, its framework is an extension of the traditional all-hazards approach to planning and preparedness. As such, the information gathered by the tool is useful in preparation for most widespread public health emergencies. This tool is primarily intended for use by those involved in healthcare emergency preparedness (e.g., community planners, community disaster preparedness coordinators, 9-1-1 directors, hospital emergency preparedness coordinators). It is divided into sections based on the core agency partners, which may be involved in the community's influenza pandemic influenza response.

Implementation plan for WRAP Module 1 operational readiness review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irons, L.G.

1994-01-01

The Waste Receiving and Processing Module 1 (WRAP 1) will be used to receive, sample, treat, and ship contact-handled (CH) transuranic (TRU), low-level waste (LLW), and low-level mixed waste (LLMW) to storage and disposal sites both on the Hanford site and off-site. The primary mission of WRAP 1 is to characterize and certify CH waste in 55-gallon and 85-gallon drums; and its secondary function is to certify CH waste standard waste boxes (SWB) and boxes of similar size for disposal. The WRAP 1 will provide the capability for examination (including x-ray, visual, and contents sampling), limited treatment, repackaging, and certification of CH suspect-TRU waste in 55-gallon drums retrieved from storage, as well as newly generated CH LLW and CH TRU waste drums. The WRAP 1 will also provide examination (X-ray and visual only) and certification of CH LLW and CH TRU waste in small boxes. The decision to perform an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was made in accordance with WHC-CM-5-34, Solid Waste Disposal Operations Administration, Section 1.4, Operational Readiness Activities. The ORR will ensure plant and equipment readiness, management and personnel readiness, and management programs readiness for the initial startup of the facility. This implementation plan is provided for defining the conduct of the WHC ORR

Technology Readiness of School Teachers: An Empirical Study of Measurement and Segmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Badri, Masood; Al Rashedi, Asma; Yang, Guang; Mohaidat, Jihad; Al Hammadi, Arif

2014-01-01

The Technology Readiness Index (TRI) developed by Parasuraman (2000) was adapted to measure the technology readiness of public school teachers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The study aims at better understanding the factors (mostly demographics) that affect such readiness levels. In addition, Abu Dhabi teachers are segmented into five main…

Defining School Readiness in Maryland: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective. Publication #2012-44

Science.gov (United States)

Forry, Nicole; Wessel, Julia

2012-01-01

Increased emphasis has been placed on children's ability to enter kindergarten ready to learn, a concept referred to as "school readiness." School readiness has been defined by the Maryland State Department of Education as "the stage of human development that enables a child to engage in, and benefit from, primary learning…

GIS Readiness Survey 2014

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schrøder, Lise; Hvingel, Line Træholt; Hansen, Henning Sten

2014-01-01

The GIS Readiness Survey 2014 is a follow-up to the corresponding survey that was carried out among public institutions in Denmark in 2009. The present survey thus provides an updated image of status and challenges in relation to the use of spatial information, the construction of the com- mon...

School Readiness Factor Analyzed.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Anton; Scott, Leland H.

This paper is an empirical statistical analysis and interpretation of data relating to school readiness previously examined and reported on a theoretical basis. A total of 118 white, middle class children from six consecutive kindergarten groups in Dearborn, Michigan were tested with seven instruments, evaluated in terms of achievement, ability,…

Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea

OpenAIRE

Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin; Ryu, Kisang

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' ...

Mathematics Course Placement Using Holistic Measures: Possibilities for Community College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Federick; Chi, W. Edward; Park, Elizabeth So Yun

2018-01-01

Background/Context: Most community colleges across the country use a placement test to determine students' readiness for college-level coursework, yet these tests are admittedly imperfect instruments. Researchers have documented significant problems stemming from overreliance on placement testing, including placement error and misdiagnosis of…

Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires

Science.gov (United States)

This site provides an online Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires, which lists resources and tools that provide information on health impacts from smoke exposure, current fire conditions and forecasts and strategies to reduce exposure to smoke.

External Factors, Internal Factors and Self-Directed Learning Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Ramli, Nurjannah; Muljono, Pudji; Afendi, Farit M.

2018-01-01

There are many factors which affect the level of self-directed learning readiness. This study aims to investigate the relationship between external factors, internal factors and self-directed learning readiness. This study was carried out by using a census method for fourth year students of medical program of Tadulako University. Data were…

E-Learning Readiness in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Ouma, Gordon O.; Awuor, Fredrick M.; Kyambo, Benjamin

2013-01-01

As e-learning becomes useful to learning institutions worldwide, an assessment of e-learning readiness is essential for the successful implementation of e-learning as a platform for learning. Success in e-learning can be achieved by understanding the level of readiness of e-learning environments. To facilitate schools in Kenya to implement…

Students' Readiness for E-Learning Application in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Rasouli, Atousa; Rahbania, Zahra; Attaran, Mohammad

2016-01-01

The main goal of this research was to investigate the readiness of art students in applying e-learning. This study adopted a survey research design. From three public Iranian Universities (Alzahra, Tarbiat Modares, and Tehran), 347 students were selected by multistage cluster sampling and via Morgan Table. Their readiness for E-learning…

A proposed framework of big data readiness in public sectors

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Raja Haslinda Raja Mohd; Mohamad, Rosli; Sudin, Suhizaz

2016-08-01

Growing interest over big data mainly linked to its great potential to unveil unforeseen pattern or profiles that support organisation's key business decisions. Following private sector moves to embrace big data, the government sector has now getting into the bandwagon. Big data has been considered as one of the potential tools to enhance service delivery of the public sector within its financial resources constraints. Malaysian government, particularly, has considered big data as one of the main national agenda. Regardless of government commitment to promote big data amongst government agencies, degrees of readiness of the government agencies as well as their employees are crucial in ensuring successful deployment of big data. This paper, therefore, proposes a conceptual framework to investigate perceived readiness of big data potentials amongst Malaysian government agencies. Perceived readiness of 28 ministries and their respective employees will be assessed using both qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) approaches. The outcome of the study is expected to offer meaningful insight on factors affecting change readiness among public agencies on big data potentials and the expected outcome from greater/lower change readiness among the public sectors.

Effects of Personnel Injuries on Cinc Mission Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

1997-09-01

activities in which injury may be sustained: ACTSPEC (activity specific): 1 =N/A 5 = 0 Course 9 = Fastrope 13 = Patrolling 2 = Running 6 = Weightlifting 10...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS EFFECTS OF PERSONNEL INJURIES ON CINC MISSION READINESS by Erin G. Snow September, 1997...Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE EFFECTS OF PERSONNEL INJURIES ON CINC MISSION READINESS 6. AUTHOR(S) Snow, Erin G. 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING

Checklist for clinical readiness published

Science.gov (United States)

Scientists from NCI, together with collaborators from outside academic centers, have developed a checklist of criteria to evaluate the readiness of complex molecular tests that will guide decisions made during clinical trials. The checklist focuses on tes

Levels of Motivation and Readiness for Treatment Aligned With Criminal Justice Referral and Coercion Among Substance Users in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Andrew; Hayhurst, Karen Petra; Millar, Tim

2017-11-01

Motivation and readiness for substance misuse treatment predict treatment retention and successful treatment outcomes but may be lower among substance users coerced into treatment. We tested for differences associated with legal involvement and with client perceptions of coercion among individuals entering drug misuse treatment in England. Data collection involved 342 treatment agencies. Measures of motivation and readiness for treatment were taken from the Circumstances, Motivation, and Readiness (CMR) scale. Referral source was ordered to represent level of legal involvement and conditions. Perceived coercion was defined by a CMR item. Linear regression models, adjusting for client complexity, tested for differences in motivation and readiness by these measures. Levels of motivation and readiness did not differ according to level of legal conditions (coefficient = -0.38, 95% CI [-1.65, 0.88]). Motivation was inversely associated with perceived coercion (coefficient = -0.28, 95% CI [-0.05, -0.50], p = .014). At the point of treatment entry, criminal justice referral and aligned conditions have no impact on levels of motivation to achieve positive treatment outcomes. Concerns around lower levels of motivation are better focused on those who perceive themselves as coerced rather than on those whose referral carries a level of legal condition.

Readiness factors for lean implementation in healthcare settings--a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Balushi, S; Sohal, A S; Singh, P J; Al Hajri, A; Al Farsi, Y M; Al Abri, R

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to determine the readiness factors that are critical to the application and success of lean operating principles in healthcare organizations through a review of relevant literature. A comprehensive review of literature focussing on lean and lean healthcare was conducted. Leadership, organizational culture, communication, training, measurement, and reward systems are all commonly attributed readiness factors throughout general change management and lean literature. However, directly related to the successful implementation of lean in healthcare is that a setting is able to authorize a decentralized management style and undertake an end-to-end process view. These can be particularly difficult initiatives for complex organizations such as healthcare settings. The readiness factors identified are based on a review of the published literature. The external validity of the findings could be enhanced if tested using an empirical study. The readiness factors identified will enable healthcare practitioners to be better prepared as they begin their lean journeys. Sustainability of the lean initiative will be at stake if these readiness factors are not addressed. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first paper that provides a consolidated list of key lean readiness factors that can guide practice, as well as future theory and empirical research.

Validating Acquisition IS Integration Readiness with Drills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wynne, Peter J.

2017-01-01

To companies, mergers and acquisitions are important strategic tools, yet they often fail to deliver their expected value. Studies have shown the integration of information systems is a significant roadblock to the realisation of acquisition benefits, and for an IT department to be ready......), to understand how an IT department can use them to validate their integration plans. The paper presents a case study of two drills used to validate an IT department’s readiness to carry out acquisition IS integration, and suggests seven acquisition IS integration drill characteristics others could utilise when...

Impact challenges in community science-with-practice: lessons from PROSPER on transformative practitioner-scientist partnerships and prevention infrastructure development.

Science.gov (United States)

Spoth, Richard; Greenberg, Mark

2011-09-01

At present, evidence-based programs (EBPs) to reduce youth violence are failing to translate into widespread community practice, despite their potential for impact on this pervasive public health problem. In this paper we address two types of challenges in the achievement of such impact, drawing upon lessons from the implementation of a partnership model called PROSPER. First, we address five key challenges in the achievement of community-level impact through effective community planning and action: readiness and mobilization of community teams; maintaining EBP implementation quality; sustaining community teams and EBPs; demonstrating community-level impact; and continuous, proactive technical assistance. Second, we consider grand challenges in the large-scale translation of EBPs: (1) building, linking and expanding existing infrastructures to support effective EBP delivery systems, and (2) organizing networks of practitioner-scientist partnerships-networks designed to integrate diffusion of EBPs with research that examines effective strategies to do so. The PROSPER partnership model is an evidence-based delivery system for community-based prevention and has evolved through two decades of NIH-funded research, assisted by land grant universities' Cooperative Extension Systems. Findings and lessons of relevance to each of the challenges are summarized. In this context, we outline how practitioner-scientist partnerships can serve to transform EBP delivery systems, particularly in conjunction with supportive federal policy.

Risk prediction model for knee pain in the Nottingham community: a Bayesian modelling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, G S; Bhattacharya, A; McWilliams, D F; Ingham, S L; Doherty, M; Zhang, W

2017-03-20

Twenty-five percent of the British population over the age of 50 years experiences knee pain. Knee pain can limit physical ability and cause distress and bears significant socioeconomic costs. The objectives of this study were to develop and validate the first risk prediction model for incident knee pain in the Nottingham community and validate this internally within the Nottingham cohort and externally within the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort. A total of 1822 participants from the Nottingham community who were at risk for knee pain were followed for 12 years. Of this cohort, two-thirds (n = 1203) were used to develop the risk prediction model, and one-third (n = 619) were used to validate the model. Incident knee pain was defined as pain on most days for at least 1 month in the past 12 months. Predictors were age, sex, body mass index, pain elsewhere, prior knee injury and knee alignment. A Bayesian logistic regression model was used to determine the probability of an OR >1. The Hosmer-Lemeshow χ 2 statistic (HLS) was used for calibration, and ROC curve analysis was used for discrimination. The OAI cohort from the United States was also used to examine the performance of the model. A risk prediction model for knee pain incidence was developed using a Bayesian approach. The model had good calibration, with an HLS of 7.17 (p = 0.52) and moderate discriminative ability (ROC 0.70) in the community. Individual scenarios are given using the model. However, the model had poor calibration (HLS 5866.28, p prediction model for knee pain, regardless of underlying structural changes of knee osteoarthritis, in the community using a Bayesian modelling approach. The model appears to work well in a community-based population but not in individuals with a higher risk for knee osteoarthritis, and it may provide a convenient tool for use in primary care to predict the risk of knee pain in the general population.

Why Do We Need Future Ready Librarians? That Kid.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Mark

2018-01-01

In this article, the author examines the need of the Future Ready Librarians (FRL) initiative. The FRL Framework helps define how librarians might lead, teach, and support schools based on the core research-based components defined by Future Ready. The framework and initiative are intended to be ways to change the conversation about school…

Balancing the Readiness Equation in Early Childhood Education Reform

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Christopher P.

2010-01-01

As policy-makers continue to implement early childhood education reforms that frame the field as a mechanism that is to ready children for elementary school success, questions arise as to how the multiple variables in the readiness equation, such as the child, family, and program, are affected by these policies. The instrumental case study…

Parental Learning and School Readiness in the Gearing Up for Kindergarten Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharon Query

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Entering kindergarten is a key moment in a young child’s life, and parents are a child’s first teacher. What can guide parents as they assist children with school readiness? Gearing Up for Kindergarten is an intensive parent education and school readiness program designed to help parents and children prepare for school. Gearing Up for Kindergarten is a parent education program that combines early learning opportunities for pre-kindergarten children with parent education opportunities for adults. This study presents findings from evaluation efforts conducted with 59 Gearing Up for Kindergarten adult participants during the 2006-2007 school year. Participants in the program demonstrated (1 high satisfaction with program quality and experiences, (2 impacts on parental knowledge and confidence, and (3 significant and positive changes in parental practices related to school readiness. Implications for parent education and programs intended to strengthen school readiness among pre-kindergarten children are explored. Parent education on school readiness can provide a substantive resource as parents help their children develop and become ready for the school years.

Examining the Highs and Lows of the Collaborative Relationship Between Technical Assistance Providers and Prevention Implementers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chilenski, Sarah M; Welsh, Janet; Olson, Jonathan; Hoffman, Lesa; Perkins, Daniel F; Feinberg, Mark E

2018-02-01

The PROSPER model uses a three-tiered community partnership, university researcher, and Cooperative Extension-based technical assistance system to support the delivery of evidence-based interventions in communities. This study examines the trajectory and predictors of the collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community teams across the three phases of organization, implementation, and sustainability. Members of 14 PROmoting School-university-community Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) community teams and directors of local agencies rated communities' levels of readiness and adolescent substance use norms. Technical assistance providers rated their collaborative relationship with their teams at 14 occasions across 4.5 years. Results from mixed models show that levels of collaboration were stable until the sustainability phase, when they increased significantly. Team differences in change were significant during the implementation phase. Community readiness predicted levels of the collaborative relationship over time: high community readiness was associated with a high level of collaboration during organization, but a decline in collaboration during implementation. These results provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between technical assistance provision and community prevention teams and lead to recommendations to improve dissemination models to achieve a greater public health impact.

Effectiveness of the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program for increasing adolescent motivation for change.

Science.gov (United States)

Becan, Jennifer E; Knight, Danica K; Crawley, Rachel D; Joe, George W; Flynn, Patrick M

2015-03-01

Success in substance abuse treatment is improved by problem recognition, desire to seek help, and readiness to engage in treatment, all of which are important aspects of motivation. Interventions that facilitate these at treatment induction for adolescents are especially needed. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of TRIP (Treatment Readiness and Induction Program) in promoting treatment motivation. Data represent 519 adolescents from 6 residential programs who completed assessments at treatment intake (time 1) and 35 days after admission (time 2). The design consisted of a comparison sample (n=281) that had enrolled in treatment prior to implementation of TRIP (standard operating practice) and a sample of clients that had entered treatment after TRIP began and received standard operating practice enhanced by TRIP (n=238). Repeated measures ANCOVAs were conducted using each time 2 motivation scale as a dependent measure. Motivation scales were conceptualized as representing sequential stages of change. LISREL was used to test a structural model involving TRIP participation, gender, drug use severity, juvenile justice involvement, age, race-ethnicity, prior treatment, and urgency as predictors of the stages of treatment motivation. Compared to standard practice, adolescents receiving TRIP demonstrated greater gains in problem recognition, even after controlling for the other variables in the model. The model fit was adequate, with TRIP directly affecting problem recognition and indirectly affecting later stages of change (desire for help and treatment readiness). Future studies should examine which specific components of TRIP affect change in motivation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbib, Michael A

2016-03-01

We make the case for developing a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology to inform the analysis of the function and evolution of the human brain. First, we update the mirror system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain by (i) modeling action and action recognition and opportunistic scheduling of macaque brains to hypothesize the nature of the last common ancestor of macaque and human (LCA-m); and then we (ii) introduce dynamic brain modeling to show how apes could acquire gesture through ontogenetic ritualization, hypothesizing the nature of evolution from LCA-m to the last common ancestor of chimpanzee and human (LCA-c). We then (iii) hypothesize the role of imitation, pantomime, protosign and protospeech in biological and cultural evolution from LCA-c to Homo sapiens with a language-ready brain. Second, we suggest how cultural evolution in Homo sapiens led from protolanguages to full languages with grammar and compositional semantics. Third, we assess the similarities and differences between the dorsal and ventral streams in audition and vision as the basis for presenting and comparing two models of language processing in the human brain: A model of (i) the auditory dorsal and ventral streams in sentence comprehension; and (ii) the visual dorsal and ventral streams in defining "what language is about" in both production and perception of utterances related to visual scenes provide the basis for (iii) a first step towards a synthesis and a look at challenges for further research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Technology Readiness for the Smart Grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirkham, Harold; Marinovici, Maria C.; Fitzpatrick, G.; Lindsey, K.; McBride, James; Clark, G. L.

2013-06-30

Reluctance to adopt new technology into a utility application is understandable, given the critical nature of the infrastructure and the less-than-ideal experiences of some power companies. The authors of this paper have considered adapting the NASA approach of classifying technology readiness, but find it not quite appropriate because NASA was both the developer and the eventual user of the new technology it was evaluating, whereas a utility is ordinarily in the mode of a customer, acquiring a new product from a manufacturer. Instead of a generic scale of technology readiness, a scale of readiness is proposed specifically for the smart grid, based on the many standards that exist for the relevant technologies. In this paper we present an overall structure for organization those standards. The acceptance of new technology is organized into five SGL (Smart Grid Level) steps, numbered five through 9 to correspond approximately to the last five numbers of the NASA TRL scale. SGL 5 is a certification that the hardware and software of the technology is safe for the system into which is intended to be placed. SGL 6 is documentation that the system is safe for itself, and will have adequate reliability. It is thus clear that the steps differ from NASA’s TRL in that technology development is not required, the transition is more one of documenting already existing system readiness. Since SGL 6 describes a system that is safe for the power system and for itself, it should not be restricted from being in a pilot-scale study, and achieving SGL 7. A larger-scale demonstration in a realistic environment will demonstrate interoperability and achieve SGL 8. Only when systems are installed and operating, and when disposal plans are in place will the designation of fully operable at SGL 9 be granted.

Measuring readiness for entrepreneurship: An information tool proposal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia Coduras

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A profound review of the literature on entrepreneurship reveals that it does not exist a specific information tool to measure the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. The purpose of this research has been building such kind of instrument to estimate the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. Its design takes in consideration the inclusion of the main variables identified by the literature as those most associated with entrepreneurial profiles. These variables have been grouped into three categories: sociological, psychological and managerial-entrepreneurial. Each group provides batteries of items which are evaluated thanks to a specific scoring system. The final objective is to provide a system to calculate individual scores of readiness for entrepreneurship and, at the same time, partial scores on concrete aspects of it. The information tool is presented at this paper and will be tested and refined in the near future.

PERCEPTION AND BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY TO THE EXISTENCE OF POIGAR PFMU MODEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arif Irawan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Implementation of community empowerment scheme in the Poigar Production Forest Management Unit (PFMU Model area needs to take into account on community perception and behavior. This study aimed to determine the level of perception and behavior of the community towards the existence Poigar PFMU Model and to recommend the appropriate community empowerment scheme. To find out the perceptios and behavior of the Lolan Village community towards Poigar PFMU Model was by using Likert Scale. Furthermore, to determine the factors that influence people's behavior, then Spearman rank (Rs correlation test was used. The results showed that the level of perception of Lolan village communities to the existence of the Poigar PFMU Model was in good category, while the society behavior was in the less category. A good public perception of the Poigar PFMU Model area, did not have significant influence on its behavior. Community social characteristics that correlate with the behavior of the community were among others: education, level of income sourced from outside the area and level of interaction with the forest. Based on this, community empowerment strategy that is most likely to do in Poigar PFMU Model is through the Forestry Partnership Scheme.

Study of the Readiness of Czech Companies to the Industry 4.0

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakub Kopp

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the results of the questionnaire survey that analyzes the readiness of Czech companies on the trend of the Industry 4.0. It means mainly whether Czech companies are interested in the fourth industrial revolution and whether they are ready for this trend. The readiness is expressed in defined levels.

Measuring readiness for entrepreneurship: An information tool proposal

OpenAIRE

Alicia Coduras; José Manuel Saiz-Alvarez; Jesús Ruiz

2016-01-01

A profound review of the literature on entrepreneurship reveals that it does not exist a specific information tool to measure the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. The purpose of this research has been building such kind of instrument to estimate the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. Its design takes in consideration the inclusion of the main variables identified by the literature as those most associated with entrepreneurial profiles. These variables have been grouped i...

Relationship between Online Learning Readiness and Structure and Interaction of Online Learning Students

Science.gov (United States)

Demir Kaymak, Zeliha; Horzum, Mehmet Baris

2013-01-01

Current study tried to determine whether a relationship exists between readiness levels of the online learning students for online learning and the perceived structure and interaction in online learning environments. In the study, cross sectional survey model was used. The study was conducted with 320 voluntary students studying online learning…

Reframing School Readiness: Case Studies of African-American and Latina Head Start Parents

Science.gov (United States)

King, Nicole Colette

2017-01-01

The "school readiness gap" has been attributed to differences in family life, home-school connections, and social inequalities. The current school-parent partnership model fails to acknowledge the ways in which parent roles in education, and the home-school relations in which they are embedded, reflect broader social inequalities that…

Predicting consumers’ intention to purchase ready- to-eat meals: The role of moral attitude

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olsen, N.V.; Sijtsema, S.J.; Hall, G.

2010-01-01

This study investigates the usefulness of integrating moral attitude into the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model when predicting intention to consume ready-to-eat (RTE) meals. Questionnaire data were gathered in three countries: Norway (N = 112), The Netherlands (N = 99), and Finland (N = 134)

Development of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context (WRITIC)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hartingsveldt, Margo J.; de Vries, Liesbeth; Cup, Edith HC; de Groot, Imelda JM; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria WG

2014-01-01

This article describes the development of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context (WRITIC), a measurement evaluating writing readiness in Dutch kindergarten children (5 and 6 years old). Content validity was established through 10 expert evaluations in three rounds. Construct validity was

Readiness and motivation for change among young women with broadly defined eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Ålgars, Monica; Ramberg, Carin; Moszny, Josefine; Hagman, Jessica; Rintala, Hanna; Santtila, Pekka

2015-01-01

Readiness and motivation for change were examined in 32 women with broadly defined eating disorders who took part in a 10-week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based group intervention. Readiness for change and eating disorder psychopathology were assessed before and after the intervention. The results revealed significant negative associations between degree of eating disorder symptoms and degree of readiness for change before the intervention started. In particular, higher levels of eating concern, shape concern, and body dissatisfaction were associated with lower motivation for change. No significant associations between degree of readiness for change before the intervention started and changes in eating disorder symptoms at the end of intervention were found. Readiness for change increased from the beginning to the end of the intervention, indicating that group CBT may be a cost-effective and time-efficient way of enhancing readiness and motivation for change in individuals with eating psychopathology.

Modeling pollinator community response to contrasting bioenergy scenarios.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley B Bennett

Full Text Available In the United States, policy initiatives aimed at increasing sources of renewable energy are advancing bioenergy production, especially in the Midwest region, where agricultural landscapes dominate. While policy directives are focused on renewable fuel production, biodiversity and ecosystem services will be impacted by the land-use changes required to meet production targets. Using data from field observations, we developed empirical models for predicting abundance, diversity, and community composition of flower-visiting bees based on land cover. We used these models to explore how bees might respond under two contrasting bioenergy scenarios: annual bioenergy crop production and perennial grassland bioenergy production. In the two scenarios, 600,000 ha of marginal annual crop land or marginal grassland were converted to perennial grassland or annual row crop bioenergy production, respectively. Model projections indicate that expansion of annual bioenergy crop production at this scale will reduce bee abundance by 0 to 71%, and bee diversity by 0 to 28%, depending on location. In contrast, converting annual crops on marginal soil to perennial grasslands could increase bee abundance from 0 to 600% and increase bee diversity between 0 and 53%. Our analysis of bee community composition suggested a similar pattern, with bee communities becoming less diverse under annual bioenergy crop production, whereas bee composition transitioned towards a more diverse community dominated by wild bees under perennial bioenergy crop production. Models, like those employed here, suggest that bioenergy policies have important consequences for pollinator conservation.

NGNP Infrastructure Readiness Assessment: Consolidation Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castle, Brian K.

2011-01-01

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project supports the development, demonstration, and deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The NGNP project is being reviewed by the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) to provide input to the DOE, who will make a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, whether or not to continue with Phase 2 of the NGNP project. The NEAC review will be based on, in part, the infrastructure readiness assessment, which is an assessment of industry's current ability to provide specified components for the FOAK NGNP, meet quality assurance requirements, transport components, have the necessary workforce in place, and have the necessary construction capabilities. AREVA and Westinghouse were contracted to perform independent assessments of industry's capabilities because of their experience with nuclear supply chains, which is a result of their experiences with the EPR and AP-1000 reactors. Both vendors produced infrastructure readiness assessment reports that identified key components and categorized these components into three groups based on their ability to be deployed in the FOAK plant. The NGNP project has several programs that are developing key components and capabilities. For these components, the NGNP project have provided input to properly assess the infrastructure readiness for these components.

NGNP Infrastructure Readiness Assessment: Consolidation Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brian K Castle

2011-02-01

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project supports the development, demonstration, and deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The NGNP project is being reviewed by the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) to provide input to the DOE, who will make a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, whether or not to continue with Phase 2 of the NGNP project. The NEAC review will be based on, in part, the infrastructure readiness assessment, which is an assessment of industry's current ability to provide specified components for the FOAK NGNP, meet quality assurance requirements, transport components, have the necessary workforce in place, and have the necessary construction capabilities. AREVA and Westinghouse were contracted to perform independent assessments of industry's capabilities because of their experience with nuclear supply chains, which is a result of their experiences with the EPR and AP-1000 reactors. Both vendors produced infrastructure readiness assessment reports that identified key components and categorized these components into three groups based on their ability to be deployed in the FOAK plant. The NGNP project has several programs that are developing key components and capabilities. For these components, the NGNP project have provided input to properly assess the infrastructure readiness for these components.

CMS results in the Combined Computing Readiness Challenge CCRC'08

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonacorsi, D.; Bauerdick, L.

2009-01-01

During February and May 2008, CMS participated to the Combined Computing Readiness Challenge (CCRC'08) together with all other LHC experiments. The purpose of this worldwide exercise was to check the readiness of the Computing infrastructure for LHC data taking. Another set of major CMS tests called Computing, Software and Analysis challenge (CSA'08) - as well as CMS cosmic runs - were also running at the same time: CCRC augmented the load on computing with additional tests to validate and stress-test all CMS computing workflows at full data taking scale, also extending this to the global WLCG community. CMS exercised most aspects of the CMS computing model, with very comprehensive tests. During May 2008, CMS moved more than 3.6 Petabytes among more than 300 links in the complex Grid topology. CMS demonstrated that is able to safely move data out of CERN to the Tier-1 sites, sustaining more than 600 MB/s as a daily average for more than seven days in a row, with enough headroom and with hourly peaks of up to 1.7 GB/s. CMS ran hundreds of simultaneous jobs at each Tier-1 site, re-reconstructing and skimming hundreds of millions of events. After re-reconstruction the fresh AOD (Analysis Object Data) has to be synchronized between Tier-1 centers: CMS demonstrated that the required inter-Tier-1 transfers are achievable within a few days. CMS also showed that skimmed analysis data sets can be transferred to Tier-2 sites for analysis at sufficient rate, regionally as well as inter-regionally, achieving all goals in about 90% of >200 links. Simultaneously, CMS also ran a large Tier-2 analysis exercise, where realistic analysis jobs were submitted to a large set of Tier-2 sites by a large number of people to produce a chaotic workload across the systems, and with more than 400 analysis users in May. Taken all together, CMS routinely achieved submissions of 100k jobs/day, with peaks up to 200k jobs/day. The achieved results in CCRC'08 - focussing on the distributed

Capture ready fossil fuel plants: a critical stage in tackling climate change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gibbins, J.; Jia Li; Xi Liang [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom). Energy Technology for Sustainable Development Group

2006-07-01

Ways in which gasification-based systems can approach the CO{sub 2} capture ready ideal is discussed, together with possible methods for assessing the optimum degree of capture readiness. A key technology choice for power plants is whether or not to incorporate a shift before capture. Financial returns for making plants capture ready are also discussed. 10 refs., 3 tabs.

Modeling the growth boundary of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat cooked meat products as a function of the product salt, moisture, potassium lactate, and sodium diacetate concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Legan, J D; Seman, D L; Milkowski, A L; Hirschey, J A; Vandeven, M H

2004-10-01

A central composite response surface design was used to determine the time to growth of Listeria monocytogenes as a function of four continuous variables: added sodium chloride (0.8 to 3.6%), sodium diacetate (0 to 0.2%), potassium lactate syrup (60% [wt/wt]; 0.25 to 9.25%), and finished-product moisture (45.5 to 83.5%) in ready-to-eat cured meat products. The design was repeated for ready-to-eat uncured meat products giving a fifth categorical variable for cure status. Products were stored at 4 degrees C. The results were modeled using a generalized regression approach. All five main effects, six two-factor interactions, and two quadratic terms were statistically significant. The model was used to show the boundary between growth and no-growth conditions at 4 degrees C using contour plots of time to growth. It was validated using independent challenge studies of cured and uncured products. Generally, the model predicted well, particularly for cured products, where it will be useful for establishing conditions that prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes. For uncured products, there was good agreement overall between predicted and observed times to growth, but the model is less thoroughly validated than for cured products. The model should initially only be used for screening of formulations likely to prevent growth of Listeria monocytogenes in uncured products, with recommendations subject to confirmation by challenge studies.

Are Universities Role Models for Communities? A Gender Perspective

OpenAIRE

Felicia Cornelia MACARIE; Octavian MOLDOVAN

2012-01-01

The present paper explores the degree in which universities could/should serve as role models for communities from the perspective of gender integration. Although the theoretical/ moral answer would be affirmative (universities should be in such a position that would allow local communities to regard them as role models of gender integration), the primary empirical analysis leads to another conclusion. A brief theoretical review (that connects gender discrimination, sustainable development, u...

Measuring Success: Metrics that Link Supply Chain Management to Aircraft Readiness

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Balestreri, William

2002-01-01

..., The Theory of Constraints proved to be a viable tool for establishing aircraft readiness as the ultimate goal of Marine Corps aviation logistics, and provided a means for identifying and eliminating readiness...

Development of Leadership Skills in Community College Department Chairs

Science.gov (United States)

Sirkis, Jocelyn Eager

2011-01-01

The role of a community college department chairperson is not well defined and the job is often perceived as more of a burden than an honor. Faculty come to the position frequently by "default" and without a ready set of management and leadership skills. The matter is of concern since chairs influence academic department strategy, culture, and…

Microbial Communities Model Parameter Calculation for TSPA/SR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D. Jolley

2001-01-01

This calculation has several purposes. First the calculation reduces the information contained in ''Committed Materials in Repository Drifts'' (BSC 2001a) to useable parameters required as input to MING V1.O (CRWMS M and O 1998, CSCI 30018 V1.O) for calculation of the effects of potential in-drift microbial communities as part of the microbial communities model. The calculation is intended to replace the parameters found in Attachment II of the current In-Drift Microbial Communities Model revision (CRWMS M and O 2000c) with the exception of Section 11-5.3. Second, this calculation provides the information necessary to supercede the following DTN: M09909SPAMING1.003 and replace it with a new qualified dataset (see Table 6.2-1). The purpose of this calculation is to create the revised qualified parameter input for MING that will allow ΔG (Gibbs Free Energy) to be corrected for long-term changes to the temperature of the near-field environment. Calculated herein are the quadratic or second order regression relationships that are used in the energy limiting calculations to potential growth of microbial communities in the in-drift geochemical environment. Third, the calculation performs an impact review of a new DTN: M00012MAJIONIS.000 that is intended to replace the currently cited DTN: GS9809083 12322.008 for water chemistry data used in the current ''In-Drift Microbial Communities Model'' revision (CRWMS M and O 2000c). Finally, the calculation updates the material lifetimes reported on Table 32 in section 6.5.2.3 of the ''In-Drift Microbial Communities'' AMR (CRWMS M and O 2000c) based on the inputs reported in BSC (2001a). Changes include adding new specified materials and updating old materials information that has changed

Controlled comparison of species- and community-level models across novel climates and communities

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, Kaitlin C.; Blois, Jessica L.; Fitzpatrick, Matthew C.; Williams, John W.; Ferrier, Simon; Lorenz, David J.