Origins of domestication and polyploidy in oca (Oxalis tuberosa : Oxalidaceae): nrDNA ITS data.

Science.gov (United States)

Emshwiller, E; Doyle, J

1998-07-01

As part of a study aimed at elucidating the origins of the octoploid tuber crop "oca," Oxalis tuberosa, DNA sequences of the internal trancribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA ITS) were determined for oca and several wild Oxalis species, mostly from Bolivia. Phylogenetic analysis of these data supports a group of these species as being close relatives of oca, in agreement with morphology and cytology, but at odds with traditional infrageneric taxonomy. Variation in ITS sequences within this group is quite low (0-7 substitutions in the entire ITS region), contrasting with the highly divergent (unalignable in some cases) sequences within the genus overall. Some groups of morphologically differentiated species were found to have identical sequences, notably a group that includes oca, wild populations of Oxalis that bear small tubers, and several other clearly distinct species. The presence of a second, minor sequence type in at least some oca accessions suggests a possible contribution from a second genome donor, also from within this same species group. ITS data lack sufficient variation to elucidate the origins of oca precisely, but have identified a pool of candidate species and so can be used as a tool to screen yet unsampled species for possible progenitors.

OCA2 splice site variant in German Spitz dogs with oculocutaneous albinism.

Science.gov (United States)

Caduff, Madleina; Bauer, Anina; Jagannathan, Vidhya; Leeb, Tosso

2017-01-01

We investigated a German Spitz family where the mating of a black male to a white female had yielded three puppies with an unexpected light brown coat color, lightly pigmented lips and noses, and blue eyes. Combined linkage and homozygosity analysis based on a fully penetrant monogenic autosomal recessive mode of inheritance identified a critical interval of 15 Mb on chromosome 3. We obtained whole genome sequence data from one affected dog, three wolves, and 188 control dogs. Filtering for private variants revealed a single variant with predicted high impact in the critical interval in LOC100855460 (XM_005618224.1:c.377+2T>G LT844587.1:c.-45+2T>G). The variant perfectly co-segregated with the phenotype in the family. We genotyped 181 control dogs with normal pigmentation from diverse breeds including 22 unrelated German Spitz dogs, which were all homozygous wildtype. Comparative sequence analyses revealed that LOC100855460 actually represents the 5'-end of the canine OCA2 gene. The CanFam 3.1 reference genome assembly is incorrect and separates the first two exons from the remaining exons of the OCA2 gene. We amplified a canine OCA2 cDNA fragment by RT-PCR and determined the correct full-length mRNA sequence (LT844587.1). Variants in the OCA2 gene cause oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (OCA2) in humans, pink-eyed dilution in mice, and similar phenotypes in corn snakes, medaka and Mexican cave tetra fish. We therefore conclude that the observed oculocutaneous albinism in German Spitz is most likely caused by the identified variant in the 5'-splice site of the first intron of the canine OCA2 gene.

Development of a double-antibody radioimmunoassay for detecting ovarian tumor-associated antigen fraction OCA in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knauf, S.; Urbach, G.I.

1978-01-01

Ovarian tumor-associated antigen isolated from human tumor tissue was shown to have a different mobility from that of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in both acrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis in agarose. The ovarian tumor antigen is composed of six species with different electrophoretic mobility in acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Three of these species were detected in Sephadex G-100 ovarian fraction OCA (from the void volume peak) and the other three species of lower apparent molecular weight were detected in fraction OCD (from the second peak). Fractions OCA and OCD did not share common antigenic determinants as determined by immunodiffusion. CEA was shown to share antigenic determinants with both OCA and OCD. A double-antibody radioimmunoassay capable of detecting nanogram quantities of plasma OCA was developed. In a preliminary study of ovarian cancer patients, OCA appeared to be a more sensitive marker for ovarian cancer than CEA. There was virtually no correlation (r 2 = 0.1) between OCA and CEA levels in these patients, as determined by radioimmunoassay

Analysis of P gene mutations in patients with type II (tyrosinase-positive) oculocutaneous albinism (OCA2)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, S.T.; Nicholls, R.D.; Schnur, R. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)]|[Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States)]|[Children`s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

OCA2 is an autosomal recessive disorder in which the biosynthesis of melanin pigment is greatly reduced in the skin, hair, and eyes. Recently, we showed that OCA2 results from mutations of the P gene, in chromosome segment 15q11-q13. In addition to OCA2, mutations of P account for OCA associated with the Prader-Willi syndrome and some cases of {open_quotes}autosomal recessive ocular albinism{close_quotes} (AROA). We have now studied 38 unrelated patients with various forms of OCA2 or AROA from a variety of different ethnic groups. None of these patients had detectable abnormalities of the tyrosinase (TYR) gene. Among 8 African-American patients with OCA2 we observed apparent locus homogeneity. We detected abnormalities of the P gene in all 8 patients, including 12 different mutations and deletions, most of which are unique to this group and none of which is predominant. In contrast, OCA2 in other populations appears to be genetically heterogeneous. Among 21 Caucasian patients we detected abnormalities of the P gene in only 8, comprising 9 different point mutations and deletions, some of which also occurred among the African-American patients. Among 3 Middle-Eastern, 3 Indo-Pakistani, and 3 Asian patients we detected mutations of the P gene in only one from each group. In a large Indo-Pakistani kindred with OCA2 we have excluded both the TYR and P genes on the basis of genetic linkage. The prevalence of mutations of the P gene thus appears to be much higher among African-Americans with OCA2 than among patients from other ethnic groups. The incidence of OCA2 in some parts of equatorial Africa is extremely high, as frequent as 1 per 1100, and the disease has been linked to P in South African Bantu. The eventual characterization of P gene mutations in Africans will be informative with regard to the origins of P gene mutations in African-American patients.

OCA2 splice site variant in German Spitz dogs with oculocutaneous albinism.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madleina Caduff

Full Text Available We investigated a German Spitz family where the mating of a black male to a white female had yielded three puppies with an unexpected light brown coat color, lightly pigmented lips and noses, and blue eyes. Combined linkage and homozygosity analysis based on a fully penetrant monogenic autosomal recessive mode of inheritance identified a critical interval of 15 Mb on chromosome 3. We obtained whole genome sequence data from one affected dog, three wolves, and 188 control dogs. Filtering for private variants revealed a single variant with predicted high impact in the critical interval in LOC100855460 (XM_005618224.1:c.377+2T>G LT844587.1:c.-45+2T>G. The variant perfectly co-segregated with the phenotype in the family. We genotyped 181 control dogs with normal pigmentation from diverse breeds including 22 unrelated German Spitz dogs, which were all homozygous wildtype. Comparative sequence analyses revealed that LOC100855460 actually represents the 5'-end of the canine OCA2 gene. The CanFam 3.1 reference genome assembly is incorrect and separates the first two exons from the remaining exons of the OCA2 gene. We amplified a canine OCA2 cDNA fragment by RT-PCR and determined the correct full-length mRNA sequence (LT844587.1. Variants in the OCA2 gene cause oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (OCA2 in humans, pink-eyed dilution in mice, and similar phenotypes in corn snakes, medaka and Mexican cave tetra fish. We therefore conclude that the observed oculocutaneous albinism in German Spitz is most likely caused by the identified variant in the 5'-splice site of the first intron of the canine OCA2 gene.

Niğde Türk Ocağı’nın Kuruluşu ve İlk Faaliyetleri (1924-1926 The Establishment And First Activities Of Niğde Türk Ocağı (1924-1926

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Nevzat TOPAL

2013-09-01

Full Text Available “Türk Ocakları” which had been established in 1911 was re-organized after national conflict. “Niğde Türk Ocağı” was one of the establishments organized after national conflict. We evaluated the establisments and first activities of “Ocak” from the news of some newspapers we could obtain which had been published in Niğde. It was impossible to find a full collection of Niğde newspapers in libraries and archives. So, no researches were made about the activities and establishment of “Niğde Türk Ocağı”. It was possible to mark the activities and establishment of “Ocak” from the newspapers and documents that we could obtain by Mehmet Yılmaz Savaşçın who was the son of selected chairman of “Niğde Türk Ocağı” in 1925 Hasan Hüsnü (Savaşçın.According to documents and newspapers we had, “Niğde Türk Ocağı” was established at September 1924. First chairman of administrative board was C. Şehabeddin (Tüzün. There is a misbelief about this person for he can be the famous poet C. Şehabeddin. But in this study it was discovered that Şehabeddin had worked as lawyer in Niğde. The administrative board changed at the congress in January 9 1925 after Şehabettin Bey’s short (about six months regimen. Hasan Hüsnü (Savaşçın was selected as the chairman of second administrative board. According to identity certificate which was only for members of “Türk Ocakları” the first numbered member was Hüsnü Bey. Hüsnü Bey had organized and functionalized the “Ocak” in a short time. “Niğde Türk Ocağı” supported to cultural life of Niğde with its activities. The establishment and first activities of “Niğde Türk Ocağı” was evaluated for the first time by our limited documents. Fiili olarak 1911 senesinde kurulan Türk Ocakları Milli Mücadele sonrasında yeniden teşkilatlanmaya gitmiştir. Niğde Türk Ocağı Milli Mücadele sonrası kurulan teşkilatlardan birisidir. Oca

Nontranscriptional regulation of SYK by the coactivator OCA-B is required at multiple stages of B cell development.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, Rachael; Kim, Unkyu; Patke, Alina; Yu, Xin; Ren, Xiaodi; Tarakhovsky, Alexander; Roeder, Robert G

2006-05-19

OCA-B was originally identified as a nuclear transcriptional coactivator that is essential for antigen-driven immune responses. The later identification of a membrane bound, myristoylated form of OCA-B suggested additional, unique functions in B cell signaling pathways. This study has shown that OCA-B also functions in the pre-B1-to-pre-B2 cell transition and, most surprisingly, that it directly interacts with SYK, a tyrosine kinase critical for pre-BCR and BCR signaling. This unprecedented type of interaction-a transcriptional coactivator with a signaling kinase-occurs in the cytoplasm and directly regulates SYK stability. This study indicates that OCA-B is required for pre-BCR and BCR signaling at multiple stages of B cell development through its nontranscriptional regulation of SYK. Combined with the deregulation of OCA-B target genes, this may help explain the multitude of defects observed in B cell development and immune responses of Oca-b-/- mice.

Oct1 and OCA-B are selectively required for CD4 memory T cell function.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakya, Arvind; Goren, Alon; Shalek, Alex; German, Cody N; Snook, Jeremy; Kuchroo, Vijay K; Yosef, Nir; Chan, Raymond C; Regev, Aviv; Williams, Matthew A; Tantin, Dean

2015-11-16

Epigenetic changes are crucial for the generation of immunological memory. Failure to generate or maintain these changes will result in poor memory responses. Similarly, augmenting or stabilizing the correct epigenetic states offers a potential method of enhancing memory. Yet the transcription factors that regulate these processes are poorly defined. We find that the transcription factor Oct1 and its cofactor OCA-B are selectively required for the in vivo generation of CD4(+) memory T cells. More importantly, the memory cells that are formed do not respond properly to antigen reencounter. In vitro, both proteins are required to maintain a poised state at the Il2 target locus in resting but previously stimulated CD4(+) T cells. OCA-B is also required for the robust reexpression of multiple other genes including Ifng. ChIPseq identifies ∼50 differentially expressed direct Oct1 and OCA-B targets. We identify an underlying mechanism involving OCA-B recruitment of the histone lysine demethylase Jmjd1a to targets such as Il2, Ifng, and Zbtb32. The findings pinpoint Oct1 and OCA-B as central mediators of CD4(+) T cell memory. © 2015 Shakya et al.

Tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mischel G Neill

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Mischel G Neill, Rohan Shahani, Alexandre R ZlottaDivision of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret and Mount Sinai Hospitals, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaAbstract: The efficacy of tamsulosin at the cost of a relatively benign side effect profile has been attributed to receptor selectivity directed at the α1a and α1d adrenergic receptor subtypes. The oral-controlled absorption system (OCAS® represents a drug delivery refinement that incorporates a matrix of gel-forming and gel-enhancing agents to promote a constant drug release independent of environmental food or fluid. There are clinical data to support the concept that drug peaks are lessened and that drug release continues throughout the alimentary tract due to the OCAS formulation. Furthermore this equates with less adverse effects on physiologic parameters. To date however improvements in cardiovascular symptoms such as dizziness, headache and syncope have not been demonstrated in healthy men. Ejaculatory dysfunction appears less problematic with the OCAS preparation. Tamsulosin OCAS may be of greatest benefit to men with cardiovascular co-morbidities taking anti-hypertensive medications that might predispose them to symptomatic hypotensive episodes. It will be necessary to evaluate this group of men more closely in further trials to determine what they stand to gain from changing medications, and then relate this to drug costs to draw a final conclusion as to the place of tamsulosin OCAS in contemporary urological practice.Keywords: lower urinary tract symptoms, benign prostatic hyperplasia, tamsulosin OCAS, safety, efficacy, tolerability

Comparison of the cardiovascular effects of tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) and alfuzosin prolonged release (XL)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michel, Martin C.; Chapple, Christopher R.

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The cardiovascular (CV) effects of tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) 0.4 mg were compared with those of alfuzosin prolonged release (XL) 10 mg. METHODS: Two single-dose, crossover studies were performed. In study 1, CV alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonism was assessed by

Interaction of the B cell-specific transcriptional coactivator OCA-B and galectin-1 and a possible role in regulating BCR-mediated B cell proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xin; Siegel, Rachael; Roeder, Robert G

2006-06-02

OCA-B is a B cell-specific transcriptional coactivator for OCT factors during the activation of immunoglobulin genes. In addition, OCA-B is crucial for B cell activation and germinal center formation. However, the molecular mechanisms for OCA-B function in these processes are not clear. Our previous studies documented two OCA-B isoforms and suggested a novel mechanism for the function of the myristoylated, membrane-bound form of OCA-B/p35 as a signaling molecule. Here, we report the identification of galectin-1, and related galectins, as a novel OCA-B-interacting protein. The interaction of OCA-B and galectin-1 can be detected both in vivo and in vitro. The galectin-1 binding domain in OCA-B has been localized to the N terminus of OCA-B. In B cells lacking OCA-B expression, increased galectin-1 expression, secretion, and cell surface association are observed. Consistent with these observations, and a reported inhibitory interaction of galectin-1 with CD45, the phosphatase activity of CD45 is reduced modestly, but significantly, in OCA-B-deficient B cells. Finally, galectin-1 is shown to negatively regulate B cell proliferation and tyrosine phosphorylation upon BCR stimulation. Together, these results raise the possibility that OCA-B may regulate BCR signaling through an association with galectin-1.

Mutations in the Human Orthologue of the Mouse underwhite Gene (uw) Underlie a New Form of Oculocutaneous Albinism, OCA4

OpenAIRE

Newton, J. M.; Cohen-Barak, Orit; Hagiwara, Nobuko; Gardner, John M.; Davisson, Muriel T.; King, Richard A.; Brilliant, Murray H.

2001-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) affects ∼1/20,000 people worldwide. All forms of OCA exhibit generalized hypopigmentation. Reduced pigmentation during eye development results in misrouting of the optic nerves, nystagmus, alternating strabismus, and reduced visual acuity. Loss of pigmentation in the skin leads to an increased risk for skin cancer. Two common forms and one infrequent form of OCA have been described. OCA1 (MIM 203100) is associated with mutations of the TYR gene encoding tyrosinas...

Functional characterization of two novel splicing mutations in the OCA2 gene associated with oculocutaneous albinism type II.

Science.gov (United States)

Rimoldi, Valeria; Straniero, Letizia; Asselta, Rosanna; Mauri, Lucia; Manfredini, Emanuela; Penco, Silvana; Gesu, Giovanni P; Del Longo, Alessandra; Piozzi, Elena; Soldà, Giulia; Primignani, Paola

2014-03-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is characterized by hypopigmentation of the skin, hair and eye, and by ophthalmologic abnormalities caused by a deficiency in melanin biosynthesis. OCA type II (OCA2) is one of the four commonly-recognized forms of albinism, and is determined by mutation in the OCA2 gene. In the present study, we investigated the molecular basis of OCA2 in two siblings and one unrelated patient. The mutational screening of the OCA2 gene identified two hitherto-unknown putative splicing mutations. The first one (c.1503+5G>A), identified in an Italian proband and her affected sibling, lies in the consensus sequence of the donor splice site of OCA2 intron 14 (IVS14+5G>A), in compound heterozygosity with a frameshift mutation, c.1450_1451insCTGCCCTGACA, which is predicted to determine the premature termination of the polypeptide chain (p.I484Tfs*19). In-silico prediction of the effect of the IVS14+5G>A mutation on splicing showed a score reduction for the mutant splice site and indicated the possible activation of a newly-created deep-intronic acceptor splice site. The second mutation is a synonymous transition (c.2139G>A, p.K713K) involving the last nucleotide of exon 20. This mutation was found in a young African albino patient in compound heterozygosity with a previously-reported OCA2 missense mutation (p.T404M). In-silico analysis predicted that the mutant c.2139G>A allele would result in the abolition of the splice donor site. The effects on splicing of these two novel mutations were investigated using an in-vitro hybrid-minigene approach that led to the demonstration of the causal role of the two mutations and to the identification of aberrant transcript variants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening of TYR, OCA2, GPR143, and MC1R in patients with congenital nystagmus, macular hypoplasia, and fundus hypopigmentation indicating albinism

Science.gov (United States)

Preising, Markus N.; Gonser, Miriam; Lorenz, Birgit

2011-01-01

Background A broad spectrum of pigmentation of the skin and hair is found among patients diagnosed with ocular albinism (OA) and oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). Even though complexion is variable, three ocular features, i.e., hypopigmentation of the fundus, hypoplasia of the macula, and nystagmus, are classical pathological findings in these patients. We screened 172 index patients with a clinical diagnosis of OA or OCA based on the classical findings, to evaluate the frequency of sequence variants in tyrosinase (TYR), P-gene, P-protein (OCA2), and the G-protein-coupled receptor 143 gene, OA1 (GPR143). In addition, we investigated the association of sequence variants in the melanocortin receptor 1 gene (MC1R) and OCA2. Methods Pigmentation of the hair, skin, iris, and fundus were included in the evaluation of OCA and OA. Male OA patients showing X-linked inheritance were screened for GPR143. Females showing OA without family history were regarded as representing autosomal recessive OA (OA3). Direct sequencing was applied to PCR products showing aberrant single-strand conformation polymorphism–banding patterns. Results Fifty-seven male index patients were screened for OA. We identified 16 potentially pathogenic sequence variations in GPR143 (10 novel) in 22 males. In TYR, we identified 23 (7 novel), and in OCA2 28 (11 novel) possibly pathogenic variants. Variants on both alleles were identified in TYR or OCA2 in 29/79 OCA patients and 14/71 OA patients. Sequence changes in TYR were identified almost exclusively in OCA patients, while sequence changes in OCA2 occurred in OCA and OA patients. MC1R sequencing was performed in 47 patients carrying mutations in OCA2 and revealed MC1R mutations in 42 of them. Conclusions TYR gene mutations have a more severe effect on pigmentation than mutations in OCA2 and the GPR143 gene. Nevertheless, mutations in these genes affect the development of visual function either directly or by interaction with other genes like MC1R, which

Direct interactions of OCA-B and TFII-I regulate immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene transcription by facilitating enhancer-promoter communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xiaodi; Siegel, Rachael; Kim, Unkyu; Roeder, Robert G

2011-05-06

B cell-specific coactivator OCA-B, together with Oct-1/2, binds to octamer sites in promoters and enhancers to activate transcription of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes, although the mechanisms underlying their roles in enhancer-promoter communication are unknown. Here, we demonstrate a direct interaction of OCA-B with transcription factor TFII-I, which binds to DICE elements in Igh promoters, that affects transcription at two levels. First, OCA-B relieves HDAC3-mediated Igh promoter repression by competing with HDAC3 for binding to promoter-bound TFII-I. Second, and most importantly, Igh 3' enhancer-bound OCA-B and promoter-bound TFII-I mediate promoter-enhancer interactions, in both cis and trans, that are important for Igh transcription. These and other results reveal an important function for OCA-B in Igh 3' enhancer function in vivo and strongly favor an enhancer mechanism involving looping and facilitated factor recruitment rather than a tracking mechanism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OCA-P, PWR Vessel Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheverton, R.D.; Ball, D.G.

2001-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: OCA-P is a probabilistic fracture-mechanics code prepared specifically for evaluating the integrity of pressurized-water reactor vessels subjected to overcooling-accident loading conditions. Based on linear-elastic fracture mechanics, it has two- and limited three-dimensional flaw capability, and can treat cladding as a discrete region. Both deterministic and probabilistic analyses can be performed. For deterministic analysis, it is possible to conduct a search for critical values of the fluence and the nil-ductility reference temperature corresponding to incipient initiation of the initial flaw. The probabilistic portion of OCA-P is based on Monte Carlo techniques, and simulated parameters include fluence, flaw depth, fracture toughness, nil-ductility reference temperature, and concentrations of copper, nickel, and phosphorous. Plotting capabilities include the construction of critical-crack-depth diagrams (deterministic analysis) and a variety of histograms (probabilistic analysis). 2 - Method of solution: OAC-P accepts as input the reactor primary- system pressure and the reactor pressure-vessel downcomer coolant temperature, as functions of time in the specified transient. Then, the wall temperatures and stresses are calculated as a function of time and radial position in the wall, and the fracture-mechanics analysis is performed to obtain the stress intensity factors as a function of crack depth and time in the transient. In a deterministic analysis, values of the static crack initiation toughness and the crack arrest toughness are also calculated for all crack depths and times in the transient. A comparison of these values permits an evaluation of flaw behavior. For a probabilistic analysis, OCA-P generates a large number of reactor pressure vessels, each with a different combination of the various values of the parameters involved in the analysis of flaw behavior. For each of these vessels, a deterministic fracture

Albinism and disease causing pathogens in Tanzania: are alleles that are associated with OCA2 being maintained by balancing selection?

Science.gov (United States)

Tuli, Abbas M; Valenzuela, Robert K; Kamugisha, Erasmus; Brilliant, Murray H

2012-12-01

Oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (OCA2) is present at significantly higher frequencies in sub-Saharan African populations compared to populations in other regions of the world. In Tanzania and other sub-Saharan countries, most OCA2 is associated with a common 2.7kb deletion allele. Leprosy is also in high prevalence in sub-Saharan African populations. The infectious agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae, contains a gene, 38L, that is similar to OCA2. Hypopigmented patches of skin are early symptoms that present with infection of leprosy. In consideration of both the genetic similarity of OCA2 and the 38L gene of M. leprae and the involvement of pigmentation in both disorders, we hypothesized that the high rates of OCA2 may be due to heterozygote advantage. Hence, we hypothesized that carriers of the 2.7kb deletion allele of OCA2 may provide a protective advantage from infection with leprosy. We tested this hypothesis by determining the carrier frequency of the 2.7kb deletion allele from a sample of 240 individuals with leprosy from Tanzania. The results were inconclusive due to the small sample size; however, they enabled us to rule out a large protective effect, but perhaps not a small advantage. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is another infectious organism prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa that contains a gene, arsenic-transport integral membrane protein that is also similar to OCA2. Interestingly, chromosomal region 15q11-13, which also contains OCA2, was reported to be linked to tuberculosis susceptibility. Although variants within OCA2 were tested for association, the 2.7kb deletion allele of OCA2 was not tested. This led us to hypothesize that the deletion allele may confer resistance to susceptibility. Confirmation of our hypothesis would enable development of novel pharmocogenetic therapies for the treatment of tuberculosis, which in turn, may enable development of drugs that target other pathogens that utilize a similar infection mechanism as M. tuberculosis

OCA1 in different ethnic groups of india is primarily due to founder mutations in the tyrosinase gene.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chaki, M.; Sengupta, M.S.; Mukhopadhyay, A.; Subba Rao, I.; Majumder, P.P.; Das, M.; Samanta, S.; Ray, K.

2006-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a heterogeneous group of autosomal recessive disorders characterized by an abnormally low amount of melanin in the eyes, skin and hair, and associated with common developmental abnormalities of the eye. Defects in the tyrosinase gene (TYR) cause a common type of OCA,

Identification of transcription coactivator OCA-B-dependent genes involved in antigen-dependent B cell differentiation by cDNA array analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Unkyu; Siegel, Rachael; Ren, Xiaodi; Gunther, Cary S; Gaasterland, Terry; Roeder, Robert G

2003-07-22

The tissue-specific transcriptional coactivator OCA-B is required for antigen-dependent B cell differentiation events, including germinal center formation. However, the identity of OCA-B target genes involved in this process is unknown. This study has used large-scale cDNA arrays to monitor changes in gene expression patterns that accompany mature B cell differentiation. B cell receptor ligation alone induces many genes involved in B cell expansion, whereas B cell receptor and helper T cell costimulation induce genes associated with B cell effector function. OCA-B expression is induced by both B cell receptor ligation alone and helper T cell costimulation, suggesting that OCA-B is involved in B cell expansion as well as B cell function. Accordingly, several genes involved in cell proliferation and signaling, such as Lck, Kcnn4, Cdc37, cyclin D3, B4galt1, and Ms4a11, have been identified as OCA-B-dependent genes. Further studies on the roles played by these genes in B cells will contribute to an understanding of B cell differentiation.

OCA-II, a code for calculating the behavior of 2-D and 3-D surface flaws in a pressure vessel subjected to temperature and pressure transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ball, D.G.; Drake, J.B.; Cheverton, R.D.; Iskander, S.K.

1984-02-01

The OCA-II computer code, like its predecessor OCA-I, performs the thermal, stress, and linear elastic fracture-mechanics analysis for long flaws on the surface of a cylinder that is subjected to thermal and pressure transients. OCA-II represents a revised and expanded version of OCA-I and includes as new features (1) cladding as a discrete region, (2) a finite-element subroutine for calculating the stresses, and (3) the ability to calculate stress intensity factors for certain three-dimensional flaws, for two-dimensional circumferential flaws on the inner surface, and for both axial and circumferential flaws on the outer surface. OCA-I considered only inner-surface flaws. An option is included in OCA-II that permits a search for critical values of fluence or nil-ductility reference temperature corresponding to a specified failure criterion. These and other features of OCA-II are described in the report, which also includes user instructions for the code

In silico analysis of miRNA-mediated gene regulation in OCA and OA genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamaraj, Balu; Gopalakrishnan, Chandrasekhar; Purohit, Rituraj

2014-12-01

Albinism is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder due to low secretion of melanin. The oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) and ocular albinism (OA) genes are responsible for melanin production and also act as a potential targets for miRNAs. The role of miRNA is to inhibit the protein synthesis partially or completely by binding with the 3'UTR of the mRNA thus regulating gene expression. In this analysis, we predicted the genetic variation that occurred in 3'UTR of the transcript which can be a reason for low melanin production thus causing albinism. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 3'UTR cause more new binding sites for miRNA which binds with mRNA which leads to inhibit the translation process either partially or completely. The SNPs in the mRNA of OCA and OA genes can create new binding sites for miRNA which may control the gene expression and lead to hypopigmentation. We have developed a computational procedure to determine the SNPs in the 3'UTR region of mRNA of OCA (TYR, OCA2, TYRP1 and SLC45A2) and OA (GPR143) genes which will be a potential cause for albinism. We identified 37 SNPs in five genes that are predicted to create 87 new binding sites on mRNA, which may lead to abrogation of the translation process. Expression analysis confirms that these genes are highly expressed in skin and eye regions. It is well supported by enrichment analysis that these genes are mainly involved in eye pigmentation and melanin biosynthesis process. The network analysis also shows how the genes are interacting and expressing in a complex network. This insight provides clue to wet-lab researches to understand the expression pattern of OCA and OA genes and binding phenomenon of mRNA and miRNA upon mutation, which is responsible for inhibition of translation process at genomic levels.

NASA's OCA Mirroring System: An Application of Multiagent Systems in Mission Control

Science.gov (United States)

Sierhuis, Maarten; Clancey, William J.; vanHoof, Ron J. J.; Seah, Chin H.; Scott, Michael S.; Nado, Robert A.; Blumenberg, Susan F.; Shafto, Michael G.; Anderson, Brian L.; Bruins, Anthony C.;

The pharmacokinetic profile of tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS((R)))

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michel, M. C.; Korstanje, C.; Krauwinkel, W.; Kuipers, M.

2005-01-01

Context: A new formulation of tamsulosin for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) has been developed. This formulation uses the proprietary oral controlled absorption system (OCAS(R)) technology which has the potential to better control

Loss of Oca2 disrupts the unfolded protein response and increases resistance to endoplasmic reticulum stress in melanocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Tsing; Orlow, Seth J; Manga, Prashiela

2013-11-01

Accumulation of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) typically induces stress and initiates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to facilitate recovery. If homeostasis is not restored, apoptosis is induced. However, adaptation to chronic UPR activation can increase resistance to subsequent acute ER stress. We therefore investigated adaptive mechanisms in Oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (Oca2)-null melanocytes where UPR signaling is arrested despite continued tyrosinase accumulation leading to resistance to the chemical ER stressor thapsigargin. Although thapsigargin triggers UPR activation, instead of Perk-mediated phosphorylation of eIF2α, in Oca2-null melanocytes, eIF2α was rapidly dephosphorylated upon treatment. Dephosphorylation was mediated by the Gadd34-PP1α phosphatase complex. Gadd34-complex inhibition blocked eIF2α dephosphorylation and significantly increased Oca2-null melanocyte sensitivity to thapsigargin. Thus, Oca2-null melanocytes adapt to acute ER stress by disruption of pro-apoptotic Perk signaling, which promotes cell survival. This is the first study to demonstrate rapid eIF2α dephosphorylation as an adaptive mechanism to ER stress. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Impact of Organization Culture on Satisfaction of Engineers in Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Westbrook, Jerry W.; Takada, Pamela W.; Roth, Axel (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In today's technological workplace with the shortage of qualified knowledge workers, the factors that lead to job satisfaction have increasing importance. Several past studies have indicated that knowledge worker job satisfaction increases when Herzberg motivators are present. Other research has indicated that job satisfaction improves as the degree of organic organizational culture increases. After examining the factors that led to knowledge worker job satisfaction, the current study was undertaken. Knowledge workers in varying organizational cultures were surveyed in an effort to determine if there is a relationship between the degree of knowledge worker job satisfaction and the measure of organic organization culture. Two survey instruments, the Organizational Cultural Assessment (OCA) developed by Riegle, and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), were utilized. The OCA delineates degree of organic culture present whereas the MSQ measures job satisfaction. Results of both surveys were statistically analyzed to determine if knowledge workers experience higher satisfaction levels in organic organizational cultures. Once data was analyzed and the hypothesis proven, this could lead companies to move toward an organic culture with emphasis on motivators in an effort to make their organizational culture more conducive to higher employee retention. Through understanding the factors that lead to increased job satisfaction, corporate resources could more efficiently utilized. A total of eight high technology workplaces were surveyed. Five of the eight workplaces yielded statistically significant positive correlation between a positive organizational culture and increased job satisfaction. These initial results indicate the connection between culture and job satisfaction. The relationship will be further analyzed through future surveys of numerous high technology workplaces.

Health education for prevalent problems in prison, Ocaña-I proyect (Spain

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C. Maestre-Miquel

Full Text Available Objective: Pilot project focusing on the implementation and evaluation of a health education (HE program for inmates of the prison of Ocaña I (Spain. The objective was to analyze the intentions for change in health habits and perceptions, and to assess whether the HE-program had differential effects depending on whether the participants belonged to the PAIEM or not and their socio-demographic characteristics. Methodology: The participants were 65 men, who answered an ad hoc questionnaire at the end of each session. Data analysis applied was univariate and bivariate (one-way ANOVA, t-test for Equality of Means and Chi-Square test. Results: The average rating of the sessions was 3.51 out of 4 (SD = 0.62. The percentage of positive answers about the intention to adopt healthy habits was higher among non-PAIEM subjects (84.8% than among those who were part of this program (57.9%. All subjects having a couple indicated an intention to change negative habits, compared to 67.3% for those without a couple. The percentage of subjects who said that their perception on the issue had changed was highest among those without education (89.7% than among those with education (61.5%. Conclusions: The evaluation of implanted HE-program implemented in the Ocaña I prison was very positive, there are differences between subjects belonging to the PAIEM and those who do not.

Retrospective analysis in oculocutaneous albinism patients for the 2.7 kb deletion in the OCA2 gene revealed a co-segregation of the controversial variant, p.R305W.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jackson; D'Souza, Leera; Wetherby, Keith; Antolik, Christian; Reeves, Melissa; Adams, David R; Tumminia, Santa; Wang, Xinjing

2017-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is an autosomal recessive disorder. A significant portion of OCA patients has been found with a single pathogenic variant either in the TYR or the OCA2 gene. Diagnostic sequencing of the TYR and OCA2 genes is routinely used for molecular diagnosis of OCA subtypes. To study the possibility that genomic abnormalities with single or multiple exon involvement may account for a portion of the potential missing pathogenic variants (the second), we retrospectively analyzed the TYR gene by long range PCR and analyzed the target 2.7 kb deletion in the OCA2 gene spanning exon 7 in OCA patients with a single pathogenic variant in the target genes. In the 108 patients analyzed, we found that one patient was heterozygous for the 2.7 kb OCA2 gene deletion and this patient was positive with one pathogenic variant and one possibly pathogenic variant [c.1103C>T (p.Ala368Val) + c.913C>T (p.R305W)]. Further analysis of maternal DNA, and two additional OCA DNA homozygous for the 2.7 kb deletion, revealed that the phenotypically normal mother is heterozygous of the 2.7 kb deletion and homozygous of the p.R305W. The two previously reported patients with homozygous of the 2.7 kb deletion are also homozygous of p.R305W. Among the reported pathogenic variants, the pathogenicity of the p.R305W has been discussed intensively in literature. Our results indicate that p.R305W is unlikely a pathogenic variant. The possibility of linkage disequilibrium between p.R305W with the 2.7 kb deletion in OCA2 gene is also suggested.

Identification of two novel mutations in the SLC45A2 gene in a Hungarian pedigree affected by unusual OCA type 4.

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Tóth, Lola; Fábos, Beáta; Farkas, Katalin; Sulák, Adrienn; Tripolszki, Kornélia; Széll, Márta; Nagy, Nikoletta

2017-03-15

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a clinically and genetically heterogenic group of pigmentation abnormalities. OCA type IV (OCA4, OMIM 606574) develops due to homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the solute carrier family 45, member 2 (SLC45A2) gene. This gene encodes a membrane-associated transport protein, which regulates tyrosinase activity and, thus, melanin content by changing melanosomal pH and disrupting the incorporation of copper into tyrosinase. Here we report two Hungarian siblings affected by an unusual OCA4 phenotype. After genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of the patients, the coding regions of the SLC45A2 gene were sequenced. In silico tools were applied to identify the functional impact of the newly detected mutations. Direct sequencing of the SLC45A2 gene revealed two novel, heterozygous mutations, one missense (c.1226G > A, p.Gly409Asp) and one nonsense (c.1459C > T, p.Gln437*), which were present in both patients, suggesting the mutations were compound heterozygous. In silico tools suggest that these variations are disease causing mutations. The newly identified mutations may affect the transmembrane domains of the protein, and could impair transport function, resulting in decreases in both melanosomal pH and tyrosinase activity. Our study provides expands on the mutation spectrum of the SLC45A2 gene and the genetic background of OCA4.

Ocatin. A novel tuber storage protein from the andean tuber crop oca with antibacterial and antifungal activities.

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Flores, Teresita; Alape-Girón, Alberto; Flores-Díaz, Marietta; Flores, Hector E

2002-04-01

The most abundant soluble tuber protein from the Andean crop oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.), named ocatin, has been purified and characterized. Ocatin accounts for 40% to 60% of the total soluble oca tuber proteins, has an apparent molecular mass of 18 kD and an isoelectric point of 4.8. This protein appears to be found only in tubers and is accumulated only within the cells of the pith and peridermis layers (peel) of the tuber as it develops. Ocatin inhibits the growth of several phytopathogenic bacteria (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Agrobacterium radiobacter, Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas aureofaciens) and fungi (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Nectria hematococcus). Ocatin displays substantial amino acid sequence similarity with a widely distributed group of intracellular pathogenesis-related proteins with a hitherto unknown biological function. Our results showed that ocatin serves as a storage protein, has antimicrobial properties, and belongs to the Betv 1/PR-10/MLP protein family. Our findings suggest that an ancient scaffolding protein was recruited in the oca tuber to serve a storage function and that proteins from the Betv 1/PR-10/MLP family might play a role in natural resistance to pathogens.

Homozygosity mapping in albinism patients using a novel panel of 13 STR markers inside the nonsyndromic OCA genes: introducing 5 novel mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Khordadpoor-Deilamani, Faravareh; Akbari, Mohammad Taghi; Karimipoor, Morteza; Javadi, Gholam Reza

2016-05-01

Albinism is a heterogeneous genetic disorder of melanin synthesis that results in hypopigmented hair, skin and eyes. It is associated with decreased visual acuity, nystagmus, strabismus and photophobia. Six genes are known to be involved in nonsyndromic oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). In this study, we aimed to find the disease causing mutations in albinism patients using homozygosity mapping. Twenty three unrelated patients with nonsyndromic OCA or autosomal recessive ocular albinism were recruited in this study. All of the patients' parents had consanguineous marriage and all were screened for TYR mutations previously. At first, we performed homozygosity mapping using fluorescently labeled primers to amplify a novel panel of 13 STR markers inside the OCA genes and then the screened loci in each family were studied using PCR and cycle sequencing methods. We found five mutations including three mutations in OCA2, one mutation in SLC45A2 and one mutation in C10ORF11 genes, all of which were novel. In cases where the disease causing mutations are identical by descent due to a common ancestor, these STR markers can enable us to screen for the responsible genes.

OCA-P, a deterministic and probabilistic fracture-mechanics code for application to pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheverton, R.D.; Ball, D.G.

1984-05-01

The OCA-P code is a probabilistic fracture-mechanics code that was prepared specifically for evaluating the integrity of pressurized-water reactor vessels when subjected to overcooling-accident loading conditions. The code has two-dimensional- and some three-dimensional-flaw capability; it is based on linear-elastic fracture mechanics; and it can treat cladding as a discrete region. Both deterministic and probabilistic analyses can be performed. For the former analysis, it is possible to conduct a search for critical values of the fluence and the nil-ductility reference temperature corresponding to incipient initiation of the initial flaw. The probabilistic portion of OCA-P is based on Monte Carlo techniques, and simulated parameters include fluence, flaw depth, fracture toughness, nil-ductility reference temperature, and concentrations of copper, nickel, and phosphorous. Plotting capabilities include the construction of critical-crack-depth diagrams (deterministic analysis) and various histograms (probabilistic analysis)

Association Between a Germline OCA2 Polymorphism at Chromosome 15q13.1 and Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer Survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azzato, E.M.; Tyrer, J.; Fasching, P.A.

2010-01-01

-sided. In the hypothesis-generating dataset, SNP rs4778137 (C > G) of the OCA2 gene at 15q13.1 was statistically significantly associated with overall survival among patients with estrogen receptor-negative tumors, with the rare G allele being associated with increased overall survival (HR of death per rare allele carried.......92, P = 5 x 10(-4)). The rare G allele of the OCA2 polymorphism, rs4778137, may be associated with improved overall survival among patients with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer...

Ocatin. A Novel Tuber Storage Protein from the Andean Tuber Crop Oca with Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities1

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Teresita; Alape-Girón, Alberto; Flores-Díaz, Marietta; Flores, Hector E.

2002-01-01

The most abundant soluble tuber protein from the Andean crop oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.), named ocatin, has been purified and characterized. Ocatin accounts for 40% to 60% of the total soluble oca tuber proteins, has an apparent molecular mass of 18 kD and an isoelectric point of 4.8. This protein appears to be found only in tubers and is accumulated only within the cells of the pith and peridermis layers (peel) of the tuber as it develops. Ocatin inhibits the growth of several phytopathogenic bacteria (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Agrobacterium radiobacter, Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas aureofaciens) and fungi (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Nectria hematococcus). Ocatin displays substantial amino acid sequence similarity with a widely distributed group of intracellular pathogenesis-related proteins with a hitherto unknown biological function. Our results showed that ocatin serves as a storage protein, has antimicrobial properties, and belongs to the Betv 1/PR-10/MLP protein family. Our findings suggest that an ancient scaffolding protein was recruited in the oca tuber to serve a storage function and that proteins from the Betv 1/PR-10/MLP family might play a role in natural resistance to pathogens. PMID:11950978

Challenges of Opportunity Cost Analysis in Planning REDD+: A Honduran Case Study of Social and Cultural Values Associated with Indigenous Forest Uses

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Spencer T. Plumb

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The REDD Programme is predicated on the assumption that developed countries will provide sufficient funds to offset opportunity costs associated with avoiding deforestation. The role of non-market values in indigenous land management may challenge the efficacy of compensation schemes targeted at meeting opportunity costs as calculated in traditional opportunity cost analysis (OCA. Furthermore it is unclear how these economic incentives might affect social and cultural values linked to land-use norms, livelihoods, and local governance. This study explores the economic, social and cultural values of forest uses for a Miskito community in the Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras. Data were collected using household surveys, farm visits, and community workshops. OCA indicates potential for successful REDD+ payment schemes; however it is an inadequate method to account for subsistence and cultural opportunity costs associated with avoided deforestation. Compensation to change land-use practices may undermine governance institutions necessary to address deforestation in the region. Our results indicate that small-scale agriculture and other forest-based subsistence activities are important cultural practices for maintaining Miskito identity and forest management institutions. Recommendations are offered for using OCA to develop REDD+ projects that recognize the linkages between social and cultural values and forest management by focusing on approaches that consider a full range of economic, social and cultural opportunity costs.

Utilização do resíduo do leite de soja na elaboração de paçoca

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Sin-Huei Wang

1999-07-01

Full Text Available O presente estudo teve como objetivo utilizar resíduo do leite de soja (RLS, farinha de trigo e amendoim para formular uma paçoca de boa qualidade protéica e com boas características sensoriais. Foram misturadas 40% de farinha de trigo torrada com 30:0 (I; 25:5 (II; 20:10 (III; 15:15 (IV; 10:20 (V e 5:25 (VI de farinha de amendoim torrado e decorticado, e RLS torrado, respectivamente, para o preparo de paçocas. Mediante análises químicas, foi verificado que houve uma diminuição no teor de extrato etéreo (de 19,54 a 11,51%, porém um aumento nos teores de cinzas (de 0,99 a 1,23%, fibra crua (de 1,56 a 5,08% e carboidrato (de 56,06 a 61,40% com o aumento das proporções do RLS. Por outro lado, o teor de proteína não foi afetado. O perfil de aminoácidos essenciais foi melhorado com o aumento das proporções do RLS nas paçocas formuladas. Resultados da avaliação sensorial indicam que as paçocas formuladas com até 15% do RLS mostraram boas características na aparência, no sabor e na textura, sendo a de 10% do RLS a mais apreciada pela equipe massal de provadores não treinados.

Human eye colour and HERC2, OCA2 and MATP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mengel-From, Jonas; Børsting, Claus; Sanchez, Juan J

2010-01-01

Prediction of human eye colour by forensic genetic methods is of great value in certain crime investigations. Strong associations between blue/brown eye colour and the SNP loci rs1129038 and rs12913832 in the HERC2 gene were recently described. Weaker associations between eye colour and other...... genetic markers also exist. In 395 randomly selected Danes, we investigated the predictive values of various combinations of SNP alleles in the HERC2, OCA2 and MATP (SLC45A2) genes and compared the results to the eye colours as they were described by the individuals themselves. The highest predictive...

Potentiation of ovarian OCa-1 tumor radioresponse by poly (L-glutamic acid)-paclitaxel conjugate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Chun; Ke Shi; Wu Qingping; Tansey, Wayne; Hunter, Nancy; Buchmiller, Lara M.; Milas, Luka; Charnsangavej, Chusilp; Wallace, Sidney

2000-01-01

Purpose: It has been shown that paclitaxel (TXL) can strongly enhance tumor cells' sensitivity to radiation. We examined whether the radiosensitizing effect of paclitaxel can be further enhanced when it is delivered systemically as a polymer-drug conjugate that provides enhanced tumor uptake and prolonged release of TXL in the tumor. Methods and Materials: C3Hf/Kam mice bearing 8-mm murine ovarian OCa-1 tumors were treated with i.v.-injected Poly(L-glutamic acid)-paclitaxel (PG-TXL) at an equivalent TXL dose of 80 mg/kg, followed 24 h later by single doses of local radiation ranging from 5 to 15 Gy. To determine how long the radiopotentiation persisted at extended times after PG-TXL administration, mice with OCa-1 tumors were given i.v. PG-TXL and 4, 24, 48, 72, 120, or 168 h later their tumors were irradiated at a dose of 10 Gy. Antitumor activity was determined by delay in tumor growth. Cell cycle distribution was assayed using flow cytometry. Tumor vascular volume was estimated using Tc-99 m-labeled red blood cells. Results: PG-TXL strongly potentiated the radioresponse of the OCa-1 tumor. The enhancement factors ranged from 2.79 to 4.28, depending on radiation dose, when PG-TXL preceded radiation by 24 h. The enhancement factor derived from radiation dose-response curves was as high as 5.13. The radiosensitizing effect of PG-TXL was also dependent on the interval between PG-TXL administration and radiation delivery, with greater enhancement been observed when the interval was decreased. The percentage of G2/M cells was significantly increased to 21.4% 48 h after PG-TXL but declined to a preinjection level of 14.8% 72 h after PG-TXL. PG-TXL only moderately increased the tumor vascular volume by 37% 24 h after PG-TXL administration. Conclusion: PG-TXL markedly potentiated response of OCa-1 tumor to radiation. When compared to literature data obtained from the same tumor model used here, PG-TXL exhibited stronger radiosensitization effect than TXL. Although its

Modification of OCA-I for application to a reactor pressure vessel with cladding on the inner surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauter, A.; Cheverton, R.D.; Iskander, S.K.

1983-01-01

The computer code OCA-I calculates the temperature distribution through the walls of a cylinder during a thermal transient and then performs a two-dimensional linear-elastic fracture-mechanics analysis to obtain stress-intensity factors for long surface flaws, considering both pressure and thermal loads. The code has been particularly useful in evaluating flaw behavior in reactor pressure vessels during overcooling accidents, but it has not previously treated the stainless steel cladding on the inner surface of the vessel as a discrete region. Although the cladding is quite thin compared with the base material, the large difference in thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion between the two materials results in a significant effect of the cladding on stress-intensity factors for surface cracks. Thus, the cladding was recently included as a discrete region in OCA-I

Efficacy and safety of solifenacin plus tamsulosin OCAS in men with voiding and storage lower urinary tract symptoms: results from a phase 2, dose-finding study (SATURN).

Science.gov (United States)

Van Kerrebroeck, Philip; Haab, François; Angulo, Javier C; Vik, Viktor; Katona, Ferenc; Garcia-Hernandez, Alberto; Klaver, Monique; Traudtner, Klaudia; Oelke, Matthias

2013-09-01

Storage symptoms are often undertreated in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). To evaluate the combination of an antimuscarinic (solifenacin) with an α-blocker (tamsulosin) versus tamsulosin alone in the treatment of men with LUTS. A double-blind, 12-wk, phase 2 study in 937 men with LUTS (≥ 3 mo, total International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS] ≥ 13, and maximum urinary flow rate 4.0-15.0 ml/s). Eight treatment groups: tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) 0.4 mg; solifenacin 3, 6, or 9 mg; solifenacin 3, 6 or 9 mg plus tamsulosin OCAS 0.4 mg; or placebo. The primary efficacy end point was change from baseline in total IPSS. Secondary end points included micturition diary and quality-of-life (QoL) parameters. Post hoc subgroup analyses were performed by severity of baseline storage symptoms, with statistical comparisons presented only for tamsulosin OCAS alone versus combination therapy, due to the small sample size of the solifenacin monotherapy and placebo subgroups. Combination therapy was associated with significant improvements in micturition frequency and voided volume versus tamsulosin OCAS alone in the total study population; improvements in total IPSS were not significant. Statistically significant improvements in urgency episodes, micturition frequency, total urgency score, voided volume, IPSS storage subscore, IPSS-QoL index, and Patient Perception of Bladder Condition were observed in a subpopulation of men with two or more urgency episodes per 24h (Patient Perception of Intensity of Urgency Scale grade 3 or 4) and eight or more micturitions per 24h at baseline (storage symptoms subgroup) with combination therapy versus tamsulosin OCAS alone (p ≤ 0.05 for the dose-response slope, all variables). Combination therapy was well tolerated, and adverse events were consistent with the safety profiles of both compounds. Solifenacin plus tamsulosin OCAS did not significantly improve IPSS in the total study population but offered

Obeticholic acid, a selective farnesoid X receptor agonist, regulates bile acid homeostasis in sandwich-cultured human hepatocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Jackson, Jonathan P; St Claire, Robert L; Freeman, Kimberly; Brouwer, Kenneth R; Edwards, Jeffrey E

2017-08-01

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a master regulator of bile acid homeostasis through transcriptional regulation of genes involved in bile acid synthesis and cellular membrane transport. Impairment of bile acid efflux due to cholangiopathies results in chronic cholestasis leading to abnormal elevation of intrahepatic and systemic bile acid levels. Obeticholic acid (OCA) is a potent and selective FXR agonist that is 100-fold more potent than the endogenous ligand chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA). The effects of OCA on genes involved in bile acid homeostasis were investigated using sandwich-cultured human hepatocytes. Gene expression was determined by measuring mRNA levels. OCA dose-dependently increased fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19) and small heterodimer partner (SHP) which, in turn, suppress mRNA levels of cholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), the rate-limiting enzyme for de novo synthesis of bile acids. Consistent with CYP7A1 suppression, total bile acid content was decreased by OCA (1 μmol/L) to 42.7 ± 20.5% relative to control. In addition to suppressing de novo bile acids synthesis, OCA significantly increased the mRNA levels of transporters involved in bile acid homeostasis. The bile salt excretory pump (BSEP), a canalicular efflux transporter, increased by 6.4 ± 0.8-fold, and the basolateral efflux heterodimer transporters, organic solute transporter α (OST α ) and OST β increased by 6.4 ± 0.2-fold and 42.9 ± 7.9-fold, respectively. The upregulation of BSEP and OST α and OST β, by OCA reduced the intracellular concentrations of d 8 -TCA, a model bile acid, to 39.6 ± 8.9% relative to control. These data demonstrate that OCA does suppress bile acid synthesis and reduce hepatocellular bile acid levels, supporting the use of OCA to treat bile acid-induced toxicity observed in cholestatic diseases. © 2017 Intercept Pharmaceuticals. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, British Pharmacological Society and

Mutational Analysis on Membrane Associated Transporter Protein (MATP) and Their Structural Consequences in Oculocutaeous Albinism Type 4 (OCA4)-A Molecular Dynamics Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamaraj, Balu; Purohit, Rituraj

2016-11-01

Oculocutaneous albinism type IV (OCA4) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder which is characterized by reduced biosynthesis of melanin pigmentation in skin, hair, and eyes and caused by the genetic mutations in the membrane-associated transporter protein (MATP) encoded by SLC45A2 gene. The MATP protein consists of 530 amino acids which contains 12 putative transmembrane domains and plays an important role in pigmentation and probably functions as a membrane transporter in melanosomes. We scrutinized the most OCA4 disease-associated mutation and their structural consequences on SLC45A2 gene. To understand the atomic arrangement in 3D space, the native and mutant structures were modeled. Further the structural behavior of native and mutant MATP protein was investigated by molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) approach in explicit lipid and water background. We found Y317C as the most deleterious and disease-associated SNP on SLC45A2 gene. In MDS, mutations in MATP protein showed loss of stability and became more flexible, which alter its structural conformation and function. This phenomenon has indicated a significant role in inducing OCA4. Our study explored the understanding of molecular mechanism of MATP protein upon mutation at atomic level and further helps in the field of pharmacogenomics to develop a personalized medicine for OCA4 disorder. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2608-2619, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In Silico Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Disease-Associated nsSNP in TYRP1 Gene and Its Structural Consequences in OCA3

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Balu Kamaraj

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Oculocutaneous albinism type III (OCA3, caused by mutations of TYRP1 gene, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by reduced biosynthesis of melanin pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes. The TYRP1 gene encodes a protein called tyrosinase-related protein-1 (Tyrp1. Tyrp1 is involved in maintaining the stability of tyrosinase protein and modulating its catalytic activity in eumelanin synthesis. Tyrp1 is also involved in maintenance of melanosome structure and affects melanocyte proliferation and cell death. In this work we implemented computational analysis to filter the most probable mutation that might be associated with OCA3. We found R326H and R356Q as most deleterious and disease associated by using PolyPhen 2.0, SIFT, PANTHER, I-mutant 3.0, PhD-SNP, SNP&GO, Pmut, and Mutpred tools. To understand the atomic arrangement in 3D space, the native and mutant (R326H and R356Q structures were modelled. Finally the structural analyses of native and mutant Tyrp1 proteins were investigated using molecular dynamics simulation (MDS approach. MDS results showed more flexibility in native Tyrp1 structure. Due to mutation in Tyrp1 protein, it became more rigid and might disturb the structural conformation and catalytic function of the structure and might also play a significant role in inducing OCA3. The results obtained from this study would facilitate wet-lab researches to develop a potent drug therapies against OCA3.

CARACTERIZACIÓN DE DIEZ VARIEDADES DE OXALIS TUBEROSA MOLINA (OCA Y ALTERNATIVAS DE INDUSTRIALIZACIÓN

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Elizabeth Miriam Torres Santa Cruz

2005-01-01

El estudio de factibilidad técnica, financiera y económica para la producción anual de 1000 TM de harina de oca Yurac con 9.5% de humedad, demuestra que el proyecto genera utilidades y desarrollo económico en las zonas productoras por su efecto multiplicador, mostrando una TIR económica de 21,5%.

Heterodyne Interferometry in InfraRed at OCA-Calern Observatory in the seventies

Science.gov (United States)

Gay, J.; Rabbia, Y.

2014-04-01

We report on various works carried four decades ago, so as to develop Heterodyne Interferometry in InfraRed (10 μm) at Calern Observatory (OCA, France), by building an experiment, whose the acronym "SOIRDETE" means "Synthese d'Ouverture en InfraRouge par Detection hETErodyne". Scientific and technical contexts by this time are recalled, as well as basic principles of heterodyne interferometry. The preliminary works and the SOIRDETE experiment are briefly described. Short comments are given in conclusion regarding the difficulties which have prevented the full success of the SOIRDETE experiment.

Pulsed electric field processing reduces the oxalate content of oca (Oxalis tuberosa) tubers while retaining starch grains and the general structural integrity of tubers.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tingting; Burritt, David John; Eyres, Graham T; Oey, Indrawati

2018-04-15

The aims of this research were to investigate if pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments caused cellular/structural alterations in Oxalis tuberosa (oca) tubers and if PEF treatment could reduce tuber oxalate levels. Whole oca tubers were treated with PEF at different electric field strengths up to 1.2 kV/cm. PEF treatments above 0.5 kV/cm caused tubers to soften, but differences in the electrical properties of the tuber tissues led to an uneven PEF effect with the tuber inner cores softening more than the middle regions. Cell viability tests confirmed the unevenness of the PEF effect, however PEF caused no changes in overall tuber/tissue structure. Even at high electric field strengths the cell remained largely intact and most starch grains were retained within the cells. Despite the retention of starch, PEF treatment reduced tuber oxalate contents by almost 50% in some tissues and could potentially aid the development of low oxalate oca-based foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate versus Platelet Rich Plasma to Enhance Osseous Integration Potential for Osteochondral Allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoker, Aaron M; Baumann, Charles A; Stannard, James P; Cook, James L

2018-04-01

Fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is an attractive treatment option for symptomatic articular cartilage lesions in young, healthy patients. Since a lack of OCA bone integration can be a cause of treatment failure, methods for speeding and enhancing OCA bone integration to mitigate this potential complication are highly desirable. This study sought to determine and compare the potential of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMC) and leukoreduced platelet rich plasma (PRP) to repopulate the osseous portion of an OCA with cells and deliver osteogenic proteins. It was hypothesized that BMC would have significantly higher colony forming units (CFUs)/mL and seed the osseous portion of OCA with more cells than PRP. Finally, we hypothesized that the media of BMC and PRP treated OCAs would have significantly higher concentrations of osteogenic proteins compared with negative control OCAs. Cylindrical OCAs ( n  = 36) created from tissue stored for 21 days were treated with BMC ( n  = 12) or PRP ( n  = 12) obtained for 6 dogs, or left untreated as a negative control ( n  = 12). After treatment, OCAs were cultured for 7 or 14 days. Media were collected for analysis of osteogenic biomarker concentration. Samples of each BMC and PRP were tested for CFU concentration. On day 7 or 14, the grafts were assessed for cell surface adhesion and penetration using fluorescent microscopy. Significant differences in CFU and media biomarker concentration between the groups were determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc test with the significance set at p  BMC had viable cells detectable on the osseous portion of the allografts at day 7 and 14 of culture. BMC samples had a significantly higher ( p  = 0.029) CFU/mL compared with PRP samples. At day 3 and/or 7 of culture, the concentration of several osteogenic proteins was significantly higher in both BMC and PRP samples. Autogenous BMC can be used to deliver both a cell

Contribution of trimeric autotransporter C-terminal domains of oligomeric coiled-coil adhesin (Oca) family members YadA, UspA1, EibA, and Hia to translocation of the YadA passenger domain and virulence of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Science.gov (United States)

Ackermann, Nikolaus; Tiller, Maximilian; Anding, Gisela; Roggenkamp, Andreas; Heesemann, Jürgen

2008-07-01

The Oca family is a novel class of autotransporter-adhesins with highest structural similarity in their C-terminal transmembrane region, which supposedly builds a beta-barrel pore in the outer membrane (OM). The prototype of the Oca family is YadA, an adhesin of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. YadA forms a homotrimeric lollipop-like structure on the bacterial surface. The C-terminal regions of three YadA monomers form a barrel in the OM and translocate the trimeric N-terminal passenger domain, consisting of stalk, neck, and head region to the exterior. To elucidate the structural and functional role of the C-terminal translocator domain (TLD) and to assess its promiscuous capability with respect to transport of related passenger domains, we constructed chimeric YadA proteins, which consist of the N-terminal YadA passenger domain and C-terminal TLDs of Oca family members UspA1 (Moraxella catarrhalis), EibA (Escherichia coli), and Hia (Haemophilus influenzae). These constructs were expressed in Y. enterocolitica and compared for OM localization, surface exposure, oligomerization, adhesion properties, serum resistance, and mouse virulence. We demonstrate that all chimeric YadA proteins translocated the YadA passenger domain across the OM. Y. enterocolitica strains producing YadA chimeras or wild-type YadA showed comparable binding to collagen and epithelial cells. However, strains producing YadA chimeras were attenuated in serum resistance and mouse virulence. These results demonstrate for the first time that TLDs of Oca proteins of different origin are efficient translocators of the YadA passenger domain and that the cognate TLD of YadA is essential for bacterial survival in human serum and mouse virulence.

Cardiovascular safety of the oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) formulation of tamsulosin compared to the modified release (MR) formulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michel, M. C.; Korstanje, C.; Klauwinkel, W.; Shear, M.; Davies, J.; Quartel, A.

2005-01-01

Objective: The potential to interfere with efferent adrenergic drive in the cardiovascular system was tested in elderly healthy subjects for the new oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) 0.4 mg tablet formulation of tamsulosin compared to the modified release (MR) 0.4 mg capsule formulation of

Blue eye color in humans may be caused by a perfectly associated founder mutation in a regulatory element located within the HERC2 gene inhibiting OCA2 expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eiberg, Hans; Troelsen, Jesper; Boyd, Mette

2008-01-01

The human eye color is a quantitative trait displaying multifactorial inheritance. Several studies have shown that the OCA2 locus is the major contributor to the human eye color variation. By linkage analysis of a large Danish family, we finemapped the blue eye color locus to a 166 Kbp region...... within the HERC2 gene. By association analyses, we identified two SNPs within this region that were perfectly associated with the blue and brown eye colors: rs12913832 and rs1129038. Of these, rs12913832 is located 21.152 bp upstream from the OCA2 promoter in a highly conserved sequence in intron 86...... founder mutation in an OCA2 inhibiting regulatory element as the cause of blue eye color in humans. In addition, an LOD score of Z = 4.21 between hair color and D14S72 was obtained in the large family, indicating that RABGGTA is a candidate gene for hair color....

Association Between a Germline OCA2 Polymorphism at Chromosome 15q13.1 and Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer Survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azzato, E.M.; Tyrer, J.; Fasching, P.A.

2010-01-01

-sided. In the hypothesis-generating dataset, SNP rs4778137 (C > G) of the OCA2 gene at 15q13.1 was statistically significantly associated with overall survival among patients with estrogen receptor-negative tumors, with the rare G allele being associated with increased overall survival (HR of death per rare allele carried...... = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.41 to 0.75, P = 9.2 x 10(-5)). This association was also observed in the validation dataset (HR of death per rare allele carried = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.99, P = .03) and in the combined dataset (HR of death per rare allele carried = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.......92, P = 5 x 10(-4)). The rare G allele of the OCA2 polymorphism, rs4778137, may be associated with improved overall survival among patients with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer...

Albinism in phylogenetically and geographically distinct populations of Astyanax cavefish arises through the same loss-of-function Oca2 allele

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, J B; Wilkens, H

2013-01-01

The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, comprises 29 populations of cave-adapted fish distributed across a vast karst region in northeastern Mexico. These populations have a complex evolutionary history, having descended from ‘old' and ‘young' ancestral surface-dwelling stocks that invaded the region ∼6.7 and ∼2.8 MYa, respectively. This study investigates a set of captive, pigmented Astyanax cavefish collected from the Micos cave locality in 1970, in which albinism appeared over the past two decades. We combined novel coloration analyses, coding sequence comparisons and mRNA expression level studies to investigate the origin of albinism in captive-bred Micos cavefish. We discovered that albino Micos cavefish harbor two copies of a loss-of-function ocular and cutaneous albinism type II (Oca2) allele previously identified in the geographically distant Pachón cave population. This result suggests that phylogenetically young Micos cavefish and phylogenetically old Pachón cave fish inherited this Oca2 allele from the ancestral surface-dwelling taxon. This likely resulted from the presence of the loss-of-function Oca2 haplotype in the ‘young' ancestral surface-dwelling stock that colonized the Micos cave and also introgressed into the ancient Pachón cave population. The appearance of albinism in captive Micos cavefish, caused by the same loss-of-function allele present in Pachón cavefish, implies that geographically and phylogenetically distinct cave populations can evolve the same troglomorphic phenotype from standing genetic variation present in the ancestral taxon. PMID:23572122

Human factors in safety assessment. Safety culture assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Li; Deng Zhiliang; Wang Yiqun; Huang Weigang

1996-01-01

This paper analyses the present conditions and problems in enterprises safety assessment, and introduces the characteristics and effects of safety culture. The authors think that safety culture must be used as a 'soul' to form the pattern of modern safety management. Furthermore, they propose that the human safety and synthetic safety management assessment in a system should be changed into safety culture assessment. Finally, the assessment indicators are discussed

Assessment of Safety Culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilic Zabric, T.; Kavsek, D.

2006-01-01

A strong safety culture leads to more effective conduct of work and a sense of accountability among managers and employees, who should be given the opportunity to expand skills by training. The resources expended would thus result in tangible improvements in working practices and skills, which encourage further improvement of safety culture. In promoting an improved safety culture, NEK has emphasized both national and organizational culture with an appropriate balance of behavioural sciences and quality management systems approaches. In recent years there has been particular emphasis put on an increasing awareness of the contribution that human behavioural sciences can make to develop good safety practices. The purpose of an assessment of safety culture is to increase the awareness of the present culture, to serve as a basis for improvement and to keep track of the effects of change or improvement over a longer period of time. There is, however, no single approach that is suitable for all purposes and which can measure, simultaneously, all the intangible aspects of safety culture, i.e. the norms, values, beliefs, attitudes or the behaviours reflecting the culture. Various methods have their strengths and weaknesses. To prevent significant performance problems, self-assessment is used. Self-assessment is the process of identifying opportunities for improvement actively or, in some cases, weaknesses that could cause more serious errors or events. Self-assessments are an important input to the corrective action programme. NEK has developed questionnaires for safety culture self-assessment to obtain information that is representative of the whole organization. Questionnaires ensure a greater degree of anonymity, and create a less stressful situation for the respondent. Answers to questions represent the more apparent and conscious values and attitudes of the respondent. NEK proactively co-operates with WANO, INPO, IAEA in the areas of Safety Culture and Human

Comparison of vascular alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonism of tamsulosin in oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) and modified release (MR) formulations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michel, M. C.; Korstanje, C.; Krauwinkel, W.; Shear, M.; Davies, J.; Quartel, A.

2005-01-01

Objective: The cardiovascular a-l-adrenoceptor (AR) antagonism of the new oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) 0.4 mg tablet formulation of tamsulosin was compared with that of the modified release (MR) 0.4 mg capsule formulation in healthy male volunteers after a single dose in the fasted

Experiences in assessing safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spitalnik, J.

2002-01-01

Based on several Safety Culture self-assessment applications in nuclear organisations, the paper stresses relevant aspects to be considered when programming an assessment of this type. Reasons for assessing Safety Culture, basic principles to take into account, necessary resources, the importance of proper statistical analyses, the feed-back of results, and the setting up of action plans to enhance Safety Culture are discussed. (author)

Pennsylvania Occupational Competency Assessment Program--1983. Final Report. Vocational-Technical Education Research Report, Volume 22, Number 2. Occupational Competency Evaluation Monograph, Number 15.

Science.gov (United States)

Walter, Richard A.

The Pennsylvania State University served as the Pennsylvania Coordinator of Occupational Competency Assessment (OCA). It managed the Pennsylvania OCA Program, which provides the secondary public schools of the state with competent vocational instructors as a component of teacher preparation at Temple University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania,…

[From the asylums to the community: the reform process of National Colony "Dr. Manuel A. Montes de Oca"].

Science.gov (United States)

Rossetto, Jorge

2009-01-01

Since 2004, a profound transformation of the asylum care model, characterized by overcrowding, lack of discharge and absence of rehabilitation programs, and social reinsertion, has been developed at National Colony "Dr. Manuel A. Montes de Oca". During this period, a plan that contemplates several programs and projects aimed at restoring the rights of institutionalized people with mental disabilities and promoting opportunities for social inclusion has been implemented.

Higher prevalence of OCA1 in an ethnic group of eastern India is due to a founder mutation in the tyrosinase gene.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chaki, M.; Mukhopadhyay, A.; Chatterjee, S.; Das, M.; Samanta, S.; Ray, K.

2005-01-01

PURPOSE: Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a group of autosomal recessive disorders characterized by deficient synthesis of melanin pigment and associated with common developmental abnormalities of the eye. It is one of the major causes of childhood blindness in India. The disease is common among an

Human eye colour and HERC2, OCA2 and MATP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mengel-From, Jonas; Børsting, Claus; Sanchez, Juan J.

2010-01-01

Prediction of human eye colour by forensic genetic methods is of great value in certain crime investigations. Strong associations between blue/brown eye colour and the SNP loci rs1129038 and rs12913832 in the HERC2 gene were recently described. Weaker associations between eye colour and other...... value of typing either the HERC2 SNPs rs1129038 and/or rs12913832 that are in strong linkage disequilibrium was observed when eye colour was divided into two groups, (1) blue, grey and green (light) and (2) brown and hazel (dark). Sequence variations in rs11636232 and rs7170852 in HERC2, rs1800407...... genetic markers also exist. In 395 randomly selected Danes, we investigated the predictive values of various combinations of SNP alleles in the HERC2, OCA2 and MATP (SLC45A2) genes and compared the results to the eye colours as they were described by the individuals themselves. The highest predictive...

Defining and assessing organizational culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellot, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Using theories from several disciplines, the concept of organizational culture remains controversial. Conflicting definitions, lack of semantic clarity, and debate over the most appropriate methods for assessing organizational culture have led to disagreement over the value and validity of such inquiry. This paper reviews development of the concept of organizational culture and methods for assessing organizational culture, focusing on the healthcare environment. Most work on organizational culture concerns the traditional corporation. Therefore, some adaptation to the central goals and focus of a human services organization are necessary before application to healthcare settings. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The physical, chemical and functional characterization of starches from Andean tubers: oca (Oxalis tuberosa Molina, olluco (Ullucus tuberosus Caldas and mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz & Pavón

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz Valcárcel-Yamani

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The physical, chemical, and functional properties of starches isolated from the Andean tubers oca (Oxalis tuberosa M., olluco (Ullucus tuberosus C. and mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum R. & P. were studied. The tubers were obtained from a local grocery. The morphology of the starch granules (size and shape was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM, which revealed ellipsoid, oval, conical, pear-shaped and prismatic forms: ellipsoids and oval granules with lengths up to 54.30 µm in oca; with lengths up to 32.09 µm for olluco starch granules; and with predominantly truncated spherical or oval forms and smaller dimensions (up to 16.29 um for mashua starch granules. Amylose contents were similar among the samples: 27.60% (oca, 26.49% (olluco and 27.44% (mashua. Olluco starch had less swelling power, forming opaque, less firm gels. All three starch gels showed the same stability on refrigeration and presented high syneresis under freezing temperatures, with a variation of 40.28 to 74.42% for olluco starch. The starches cooked easily, with high peak viscosity. The low gelatinization temperatures and high stability during cooling make these starches suitable feedstock for use in formulations that require milder processing temperatures and dispense freezing storage.

Cultural Assessments and Campaign Planning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gordon, James

2004-01-01

.... Cultural assessment is a detailed analysis of factors that influence cultural behavior and a summary of the characteristics of the culture of a given population in relation to proposed military operations...

Identification of ERdj3 and OBF-1/BOB-1/OCA-B as direct targets of XBP-1 during plasma cell differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ying; Hendershot, Linda M

2007-09-01

Plasma cell differentiation is accompanied by a modified unfolded protein response (UPR), which involves activation of the Ire1 and activating transcription factor 6 branches, but not the PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase branch. Ire1-mediated splicing of XBP-1 (XBP-1(S)) is required for terminal differentiation, although the direct targets of XBP-1(S) in this process have not been identified. We demonstrate that XBP-1(S) binds to the promoter of ERdj3 in plasmacytoma cells and in LPS-stimulated primary splenic B cells, which corresponds to increased expression of ERdj3 transcripts in both cases. When small hairpin RNA was used to decrease XBP-1 expression in plasmacytoma lines, ERdj3 transcripts were concomitantly reduced. The accumulation of Ig gamma H chain protein was also diminished, but unexpectedly this occurred at the transcriptional level as opposed to effects on H chain stability. The decrease in H chain transcripts correlated with a reduction in mRNA encoding the H chain transcription factor, OBF-1/BOB-1/OCA-B. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that XBP-1(S) binds to the OBF-1/BOB-1/OCA-B promoter in the plasmacytoma line and in primary B cells not only during plasma cell differentiation, but also in response to classical UPR activation. Gel shift assays suggest that XBP-1(S) binding occurs through a UPR element conserved in both murine and human OBF-1/BOB-1/OCA-B promoters as opposed to endoplasmic reticulum stress response elements. Our studies are the first to identify direct downstream targets of XBP-1(S) during either plasma cell differentiation or the UPR. In addition, our data further define the XBP-1(S)-binding sequence and provide yet another role for this protein as a master regulator of plasma cell differentiation.

CD86 and beta2-adrenergic receptor signaling pathways, respectively, increase Oct-2 and OCA-B Expression and binding to the 3'-IgH enhancer in B cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Podojil, Joseph R; Kin, Nicholas W; Sanders, Virginia M

2004-05-28

Stimulation of CD86 (formerly known as B7-2) and/or the beta2-adrenergic receptor on a CD40 ligand/interleukin-4-activated B cell increased the rate of mature IgG1 transcription. To identify the mechanism responsible for this effect, we determined whether CD86 and/or beta2-adrenergic receptor stimulation regulated transcription factor expression and binding to the 3'-IgH enhancer in vitro and in vivo. We showed that CD86 stimulation increased the nuclear localization of NF-kappaB1 (p50) and phosphorylated RelA (p65) and increased Oct-2 expression and binding to the 3'-IgH enhancer, in a protein kinase C-dependent manner. These effects were lost when CD86-deficient or NF-kappaB1-deficient B cells were used. CD86 stimulation also increased the level of IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation but in a protein kinase C-independent manner. Beta2-adrenergic receptor stimulation increased CREB phosphorylation, OCA-B expression, and OCA-B binding to the 3'-IgH enhancer in a protein kinase A-dependent manner, an effect lost when beta2-adrenergic receptor-deficient B cells were used. Also, the beta2-adrenergic receptor-induced increase in the level of mature IgG1 transcript was lost when OCA-B-deficient B cells were used. These data are the first to show that CD86 stimulation up-regulates the expression of the transcription factor Oct-2 in a protein kinase C- and NF-kappaB1-dependent manner, and that beta2-adrenergic receptor stimulation up-regulates the expression of the coactivator OCA-B in a protein kinase A-dependent manner to cooperate with Oct-2 binding to the 3'-IgH enhancer.

Safety Culture Monitoring: How to Assess Safety Culture in Real Time?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zronek, B.; Maryska, J.; Treslova, L.

2016-01-01

Do you know what is current level of safety culture in your company? Are you able to follow trend changes? Do you know what your recent issues are? Since safety culture is understood as vital part of nuclear industry daily life, it is crucial to know what the current level is. It is common to perform safety culture survey or ad hoc assessment. This contribution shares Temelin NPP, CEZ approach how to assess safety culture level permanently. Using behavioral related outputs of gap solving system, observation program, dedicated surveys, regulatory assessment, etc., allows creating real time safety culture monitoring without the need to perform any other activities. (author)

Safety culture assessment developed by JANTI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, Jun

2009-01-01

Japan's JCO accident in September 1999 provided a real-life example of what can happen when insufficient attention is paid to safety culture. This accident brought to light the importance of safety culture and reinforced the movement to foster a safety culture. Despite this, accidents and inappropriate conduct have continued to occur. Therefore, there is a strong demand to instill a safety culture throughout the nuclear power industry. In this context, Japan's nuclear power regulator, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), decided to include in its safety inspections assessments of the safety culture found in power utilities' routine safety operations to get signs of deterioration in the organizational climate. In 2007, NISA constructed guidelines for their inspectors to carry out these assessments. At the same time, utilities have embarked on their own independent safety culture initiatives, such as revising their technical specifications and building effective PDCA cycle to promote safety culture. In concert with these developments, JANTI has also instituted safety culture assessments. (author)

OSART Independent Safety Culture Assessment (ISCA) Guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

Safety culture is understood as an important part of nuclear safety performance. This has been demonstrated by the analysis of significant events such as Chernobyl, Davis Besse, Vandellos II, Asco, Paks, Mihamma and Forsmark, among others. In order to enhance safety culture, one essential activity is to perform assessments. IAEA Safety Standard Series No. GS-R-3, The Management System for Facilitites and Activities, states requirements for continuous improvement of safety culture, of which self, peer and independent safety culture assessments constitute an essential part. In line with this requirement, the Independent Safety Culture Assessment (ISCA) module is offered as an add-on module to the IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) programme. The OSART programme provides advice and assistance to Member States to enhance the safety of nuclear power plants during commissioning and operation. By including the ISCA module in an OSART mission, the receiving organization benefits from the synergy between the technical and the safety culture aspects of the safety review. The joint operational safety and safety culture assessment provides the organization with the opportunity to better understand the interactions between technical, human, organizational and cultural aspects, helping the organization to take a systemic approach to safety through identifying actions that fully address the root causes of any identified issue. Safety culture assessments provide insight into the fundamental drivers that shape organizational patterns of behaviour, safety consciousness and safety performance. The complex nature of safety culture means that the analysis of the results of such assessments is not as straightforward as for other types of assessment. The benefits of the results of nuclear safety culture assessments are maximized only if appropriate tools and guidance for these assessments is used; hence, this comprehensive guideline has been developed. The methodology explained

Comparison of Techniques for Preimplantation Treatment of Osteochondral Allograft Bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumann, Charles A; Baumann, John R; Bozynski, Chantelle C; Stoker, Aaron M; Stannard, James P; Cook, James L

2018-03-07

Articular defects are a major problem with few effective treatment options. Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation can be an effective treatment; however, lack of OCA bone integration can cause failure. This controlled laboratory study was designed to compare clinically applicable methods for marrow element removal and enhanced delivery of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMC) to OCA bone. We hypothesized that compressed carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) treatment of OCA bone would result in significantly better marrow element removal, significantly more retention and distribution of viable osteoprogenitor cells, and significantly higher osteoinductive protein elution from OCAs compared with other preimplantation treatments. Fresh humeral heads ( n  = 24) were harvested and stored for 14 days, then randomly assigned to treatment based on marrow element removal and bone treatment: (standard of care [SOC]) ( n  = 4) - SOC high-pulse saline lavage, no BMC; (BMC) ( n  = 5) - saline lavage then canine BMC; (Drill + BMC) ( n  = 5) - 1.1 mm drill-hole immediately subchondral then saline lavage then BMC injection through drill hole; (Carb + BMC) ( n  = 5) - saline lavage then CO 2 then BMC; or (Saline-Carb + BMC) ( n  = 5) - saline lavage and CO 2 together then BMC. Treated OCAs were cultured for 14 days. On day 3, media were collected, centrifuged to isolate cells, and replaced. Cells were cultured for 11 days for colony forming unit (CFU) determination. OCA media were collected on days 7 and 14 of culture for analysis. On day 14, each graft was assessed for viable cell retention and distribution, and bone marrow element removal. BMC had significantly higher ( p  = 0.001) viable cell distribution compared with the SOC, Drill + BMC, Carb + BMC, and Saline-Carb + BMC groups. BMC and Drill + BMC had significantly higher ( p  BMC, and Saline-Carb + BMC. Drill + BMC and Carb + BMC had the highest media

Assessment of Military Cultural Competence: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Eric G; Hall-Clark, Brittany N; Hamaoka, Derrick; Peterson, Alan L

2015-08-01

Cultural competence is widely considered a cornerstone of patient care. Efforts to improve military cultural competency have recently gained national attention. Assessment of cultural competence is a critical component to this effort, but no assessment of military cultural competence currently exists. An assessment of military cultural competence (AMCC) was created through broad input and consensus. Careful review of previous cultural competency assessment designs and analysis techniques was considered. The AMCC was organized into three sections: skills, attitudes, and knowledge. In addition to gathering data to determine absolute responses from groups with different exposure levels to the military (direct, indirect, and none), paired questions were utilized to assess relative competencies between military culture and culture in general. Piloting of the AMCC revealed significant differences between military exposure groups. Specifically, those with personal military exposure were more likely to be in absolute agreement that the military is a culture, were more likely to screen for military culture, and had increased knowledge of military culture compared to those with no military exposure. Relative differences were more informative. For example, all groups were less likely to agree that their personal culture could be at odds with military culture as compared to other cultures. Such perceptions could hinder asking difficult questions and thus undermine care. The AMCC is a model for the measurement of the skills, attitudes, and knowledge related to military cultural competence. With further validity testing, the AMCC will be helpful in the critical task of measuring outcomes in ongoing efforts to improve military cultural competence. The novel approach of assessing variance appears to reduce bias and may also be helpful in the design of other cultural competency assessments.

A potential benefit of albinism in Astyanax cavefish: downregulation of the oca2 gene increases tyrosine and catecholamine levels as an alternative to melanin synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilandžija, Helena; Ma, Li; Parkhurst, Amy; Jeffery, William R

2013-01-01

Albinism, the loss of melanin pigmentation, has evolved in a diverse variety of cave animals but the responsible evolutionary mechanisms are unknown. In Astyanax mexicanus, which has a pigmented surface dwelling form (surface fish) and several albino cave-dwelling forms (cavefish), albinism is caused by loss of function mutations in the oca2 gene, which operates during the first step of the melanin synthesis pathway. In addition to albinism, cavefish have evolved differences in behavior, including feeding and sleep, which are under the control of the catecholamine system. The catecholamine and melanin synthesis pathways diverge after beginning with the same substrate, L-tyrosine. Here we describe a novel relationship between the catecholamine and melanin synthesis pathways in Astyanax. Our results show significant increases in L-tyrosine, dopamine, and norepinephrine in pre-feeding larvae and adult brains of Pachón cavefish relative to surface fish. In addition, norepinephrine is elevated in cavefish adult kidneys, which contain the teleost homologs of catecholamine synthesizing adrenal cells. We further show that the oca2 gene is expressed during surface fish development but is downregulated in cavefish embryos. A key finding is that knockdown of oca2 expression in surface fish embryos delays the development of pigmented melanophores and simultaneously increases L-tyrosine and dopamine. We conclude that a potential evolutionary benefit of albinism in Astyanax cavefish may be to provide surplus L-tyrosine as a precursor for the elevated catecholamine synthesis pathway, which could be important for adaptation to the challenging cave environment.

A potential benefit of albinism in Astyanax cavefish: downregulation of the oca2 gene increases tyrosine and catecholamine levels as an alternative to melanin synthesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helena Bilandžija

Full Text Available Albinism, the loss of melanin pigmentation, has evolved in a diverse variety of cave animals but the responsible evolutionary mechanisms are unknown. In Astyanax mexicanus, which has a pigmented surface dwelling form (surface fish and several albino cave-dwelling forms (cavefish, albinism is caused by loss of function mutations in the oca2 gene, which operates during the first step of the melanin synthesis pathway. In addition to albinism, cavefish have evolved differences in behavior, including feeding and sleep, which are under the control of the catecholamine system. The catecholamine and melanin synthesis pathways diverge after beginning with the same substrate, L-tyrosine. Here we describe a novel relationship between the catecholamine and melanin synthesis pathways in Astyanax. Our results show significant increases in L-tyrosine, dopamine, and norepinephrine in pre-feeding larvae and adult brains of Pachón cavefish relative to surface fish. In addition, norepinephrine is elevated in cavefish adult kidneys, which contain the teleost homologs of catecholamine synthesizing adrenal cells. We further show that the oca2 gene is expressed during surface fish development but is downregulated in cavefish embryos. A key finding is that knockdown of oca2 expression in surface fish embryos delays the development of pigmented melanophores and simultaneously increases L-tyrosine and dopamine. We conclude that a potential evolutionary benefit of albinism in Astyanax cavefish may be to provide surplus L-tyrosine as a precursor for the elevated catecholamine synthesis pathway, which could be important for adaptation to the challenging cave environment.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identification of anthocyanins of isla oca (Oxalis tuberosa, Mol.) tubers.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalde-Eon, Cristina; Saavedra, Gloria; de Pascual-Teresa, Sonia; Rivas-Gonzalo, Julián C

2004-10-29

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD)-mass spectrometry (MS) techniques have been successfully employed in the identification of the anthocyanins of the coloured tubers of isla oca (Oxalis tuberosa), the second most cultivated tuber in the Andean region. Tubers underwent a pre-treatment step in order to inhibit enzymatic reactions and to obtain a stable powder or "concentrate". This concentrate was dissolved, purified and then analysed. Eight different compounds were found. The major peaks were malvidin glucosides (malvidin 3-O-glucoside and 3,5-O-diglucoside). The rest of the peaks were 3,5-O-diglucosides of petunidin and peonidin, and 3-O-glucosides of delphinidin, petunidin and peonidin. Only malvidin 3-O-acetylglucoside-5-O-glucoside was found as an acylated anthocyanin.

Determination of the Morphology of the Starch Granules and the Optimum Internal Cooking Temperature of Four Andean Crops: Oca (Oxalis tuberosa Molina, Olluco (Ullucus tuberosus Loz, Isaño (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bellido-Valencia Omar

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Andean grains (i.e. quinoa, amaranth have been increasingly studied in recent times, mainly due to the increase in international consumption. However, Andean tubers other than potatoes have not been so widespread and are mainly studied for their starch, previously extracted. This work studied the morphology of native starch in four of these crops (oca, olluco, isaño and aracacha, during cooking and the evolution of their internal temperature in relation to sensory acceptability. Using scanning electron microscopy, it was determined that the size of crude starch granules was between 9 μm to 38.2 μm for oca, 4.48 to 24.9 μm for olluco, 4.45 to 22.9 μm for isaño, and 5.36 to 23.8 μm for arracacha. Sensorially, it was determined that the optimum cooking temperature for arracacha was 89.1°C, 90.9°C for oca, 91°C for isaño, and 91.4 °C for olluco. All samples had optimal cooking times shorter than potato, with the isaño having the best heat transfer.

A Methodology for Safety Culture Impact Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Kiyoon; Jae, Moosung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

The purpose of this study is to develop methodology for assessing safety culture impact on nuclear power plants. A new methodology for assessing safety culture impact index has been developed and applied for the reference nuclear power plants. The developed SCII model might contribute to comparing the level of safety culture among nuclear power plants as well as to improving the safety of nuclear power plants. Safety culture is defined to be fundamental attitudes and behaviors of the plant staff which demonstrate that nuclear safety is the most important consideration in all activities conducted in nuclear power operation. Through several accidents of nuclear power plant including the Fukusima Daiichi in 2011 and Chernovyl accidents in 1986, the safety of nuclear power plant is emerging into a matter of interest. From the accident review report, it can be easily found out that safety culture is important and one of dominant contributors to accidents. However, the impact methodology for assessing safety culture has not been established analytically yet. It is difficult to develop the methodology for assessing safety culture impact quantitatively.

A Methodology for Safety Culture Impact Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Kiyoon; Jae, Moosung

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop methodology for assessing safety culture impact on nuclear power plants. A new methodology for assessing safety culture impact index has been developed and applied for the reference nuclear power plants. The developed SCII model might contribute to comparing the level of safety culture among nuclear power plants as well as to improving the safety of nuclear power plants. Safety culture is defined to be fundamental attitudes and behaviors of the plant staff which demonstrate that nuclear safety is the most important consideration in all activities conducted in nuclear power operation. Through several accidents of nuclear power plant including the Fukusima Daiichi in 2011 and Chernovyl accidents in 1986, the safety of nuclear power plant is emerging into a matter of interest. From the accident review report, it can be easily found out that safety culture is important and one of dominant contributors to accidents. However, the impact methodology for assessing safety culture has not been established analytically yet. It is difficult to develop the methodology for assessing safety culture impact quantitatively

Genetic diversity of the Andean tuber-bearing species, oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.), investigated by inter-simple sequence repeats.

Science.gov (United States)

Pissard, A; Ghislain, M; Bertin, P

2006-01-01

The Andean tuber-bearing species, Oxalis tuberosa Mol., is a vegetatively propagated crop cultivated in the uplands of the Andes. Its genetic diversity was investigated in the present study using the inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique. Thirty-two accessions originating from South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru) and maintained in vitro were chosen to represent the ecogeographic diversity of its cultivation area. Twenty-two primers were tested and 9 were selected according to fingerprinting quality and reproducibility. Genetic diversity analysis was performed with 90 markers. Jaccard's genetic distance between accessions ranged from 0 to 0.49 with an average of 0.28 +/- 0.08 (mean +/- SD). Dendrogram (UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averaging)) and factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) showed that the genetic structure was influenced by the collection site. The two most distant clusters contained all of the Peruvian accessions, one from Bolivia, none from Argentina or Chile. Analysis by country revealed that Peru presented the greatest genetic distances from the other countries and possessed the highest intra-country genetic distance (0.30 +/- 0.08). This suggests that the Peruvian oca accessions form a distinct genetic group. The relatively low level of genetic diversity in the oca species may be related to its predominating reproduction strategy, i.e., vegetative propagation. The extent and structure of the genetic diversity of the species detailed here should help the establishment of conservation strategies.

Comparison between Visa-II and OCA-P for probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis focusing on analysis method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, M.; Watanabe, N.; Tatewaki, I.; Akiba, H.

1995-01-01

Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analyses have been widely applied to evaluate the failure probabilities of PWR reactor pressure vessels subjected to pressurized thermal shock. In this study, a comparison between the VISA-II and OCA-P codes for PFM analyses was performed to clarify the differences in the numerical processes. For this purpose, the benchmark problems proposed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Electric Power Research Institute were applied. It is also discussed the algorithm to evaluate the deviations from the means of RT NDT and fracture toughness, and the numerical treatment of initial flaw depth as the major differences in these codes. 4 refs., 9 figs

LASSO observations at McDonald and OCA/CERGA: A preliminary analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Veillet, CH.; Fridelance, P.; Feraudy, D.; Boudon, Y.; Shelus, P. J.; Ricklefs, R. L.; Wiant, J. R.

1993-01-01

The Laser Synchronization from Synchronous Orbit (LASSO) observations between USA and Europe were made possible with the move of Meteosat 3/P2 toward 50 deg W. Two Lunar Laser Ranging stations participated into the observations: the MLRS at McDonald Observatory (Texas, USA) and OCA/CERGA (Grasse, France). Common sessions were performed since 30 Apr. 1992, and will be continued up to the next Meteosat 3/P2 move further West (planned for January 1993). The preliminary analysis made with the data already collected by the end of Nov. 1992 shows that the precision which can be obtained from LASSO is better than 100 ps, the accuracy depending on how well the stations maintain their time metrology, as well as on the quality of the calibration (still to be made.) For extracting such a precision from the data, the processing has been drastically changed compared to the initial LASSO data analysis. It takes into account all the measurements made, timings on board, and echoes at each station. This complete use of the data increased dramatically the confidence into the synchronization results.

Cultural heuristics in risk assessment of HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Ajay; Hutter, Inge

2006-01-01

Behaviour change models in HIV prevention tend to consider that risky sexual behaviours reflect risk assessments and that by changing risk assessments behaviour can be changed. Risk assessment is however culturally constructed. Individuals use heuristics or bounded cognitive devices derived from broader cultural meaning systems to rationalize uncertainty. In this study, we identify some of the cultural heuristics used by migrant men in Goa, India to assess their risk of HIV infection from different sexual partners. Data derives from a series of in-depth interviews and a locally informed survey. Cultural heuristics identified include visual heuristics, heuristics of gender roles, vigilance and trust. The paper argues that, for more culturally informed HIV/AIDS behaviour change interventions, knowledge of cultural heuristics is essential.

Assessment Leaders' Perspectives of Institutional Cultures of Assessment: A Delphi Study

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Matthew; Henderson, Susan; Bustamante, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Institutional cultures of assessment are praised as beneficial to student learning. Yet, extant studies have not explored the theoretical foundations and pragmatic approaches to shaping cultures of assessment. The researchers used the Delphi method to explore 10 higher education assessment leaders' attitudes and theoretical perspectives regarding…

Synergism between sodium chloride, sucrose and tricalcium phosphate in the osmotic dehydration of oca (Oxalis tuberosa with and without chitosan coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Arroyo Portal

2010-12-01

Full Text Available We investigated the synergistic effect of three solutes (sodium chloride, sucrose, tricalcium phosphate in different combinations of concentration, on the moisture, solid gain and calcium gain in oca (Oxalis tuberosa with and without chitosan (CR and SR. In both cases applied the Simplex with Extended Centroid mixture design. Were used cylinders of oca of 0.9 cm of diameter and 3.4 cm of length. The kinetics of moisture, solid gain and calcium gain for 48 hours was evaluated. The effective diffusivity of water, solids and calcium was determined. We found that in samples CR is greater loss of water and less solid gain compared with SR samples mainly as sodium chloride or sucrose participate independently, while for the gain of calcium, in all cases, the CR samples gain more of calcium than SR samples. The effective diffusivities found are: water, 1.19E-09 m2 /s in samples CR and 1.34E-09 m2 /s in SR samples; for solid, 3.67E-09 m2 /s in samples CR and 5.43E-09 m2 /s in SR samples; and, for calcium 3.32E-11 m2 /s in samples CR and 1.57E-09 m2 /s in SR samples.

Changing the culture of assessment: the dominance of the summative assessment paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Christopher J; Könings, Karen D; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; Wass, Valerie; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2017-04-28

Despite growing evidence of the benefits of including assessment for learning strategies within programmes of assessment, practical implementation of these approaches is often problematical. Organisational culture change is often hindered by personal and collective beliefs which encourage adherence to the existing organisational paradigm. We aimed to explore how these beliefs influenced proposals to redesign a summative assessment culture in order to improve students' use of assessment-related feedback. Using the principles of participatory design, a mixed group comprising medical students, clinical teachers and senior faculty members was challenged to develop radical solutions to improve the use of post-assessment feedback. Follow-up interviews were conducted with individual members of the group to explore their personal beliefs about the proposed redesign. Data were analysed using a socio-cultural lens. Proposed changes were dominated by a shared belief in the primacy of the summative assessment paradigm, which prevented radical redesign solutions from being accepted by group members. Participants' prior assessment experiences strongly influenced proposals for change. As participants had largely only experienced a summative assessment culture, they found it difficult to conceptualise radical change in the assessment culture. Although all group members participated, students were less successful at persuading the group to adopt their ideas. Faculty members and clinical teachers often used indirect techniques to close down discussions. The strength of individual beliefs became more apparent in the follow-up interviews. Naïve epistemologies and prior personal experiences were influential in the assessment redesign but were usually not expressed explicitly in a group setting, perhaps because of cultural conventions of politeness. In order to successfully implement a change in assessment culture, firmly-held intuitive beliefs about summative assessment will need to

LLR data analysis and impact on lunar dynamics from recent developments at OCA LLR Station

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, Vishnu; Fienga, Agnes; Courde, Clement; Torre, Jean-Marie; Exertier, Pierre; Samain, Etienne; Feraudy, Dominique; Albanese, Dominique; Aimar, Mourad; Mariey, Hervé; Viot, Hervé; Martinot-Lagarde, Gregoire

2016-04-01

Since late 2014, OCA LLR station has been able to range with infrared wavelength (1064nm). IR ranging provides both temporal and spatial improvement in the LLR observations. IR detection also permits in densification of normal points, including the L1 and L2 retroreflectors due to better signal to noise ratio. This contributes to a better modelisation of the lunar libration. The hypothesis of lunar dust and environmental effects due to the chromatic behavior noticed on returns from L2 retroreflector is discussed. In addition, data analysis shows that the effect of retroreflector tilt and the use of calibration profile for the normal point deduction algorithm, contributes to improving the precision of normal points, thereby impacting lunar dynamical models and inner physics.

Role of defective Oct-2 and OCA-B expression in immunoglobulin production and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic reactivation in primary effusion lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Bartolo, Daniel L; Hyjek, Elizabeth; Keller, Shannon; Guasparri, Ilaria; Deng, Hongyu; Sun, Ren; Chadburn, Amy; Knowles, Daniel M; Cesarman, Ethel

2009-05-01

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a distinct type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by the presence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/human herpesvirus 8). Despite having a genotype and gene expression signature of highly differentiated B cells, PEL does not usually express surface or cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (Ig). We show the lack of Oct-2 and OCA-B transcription factors to be responsible, at least in part, for this defect in Ig production. Like Ig genes, ORF50, the key regulator of the switch from latency to lytic reactivation, contains an octamer motif within its promoter. We therefore examined the impact of Oct-2 and OCA-B on ORF50 activation. The binding of Oct-1 to the ORF50 promoter has been shown to significantly enhance ORF50 transactivation. We found that Oct-2, on the other hand, inhibited ORF50 expression and consequently lytic reactivation by competing with Oct-1 for the octamer motif in the ORF50 promoter. Our data suggest that Oct-2 downregulation in infected cells would be favorable to KSHV in allowing for efficient viral reactivation.

The Cultural Socialization Scale: Assessing Family and Peer Socialization toward Heritage and Mainstream Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yijie; Benner, Aprile D.; Kim, Su Yeong

2015-01-01

In a culturally diverse society, youth learn about multiple cultures from a variety of sources, yet the existing assessment of cultural socialization has been limited to parents' efforts to teach youth about their heritage culture. The current study adapted and extended an existing cultural socialization measure (Umaña-Taylor & Fine, 2004) to assess four types of socialization practices encountered specifically during adolescence: cultural socialization by families and peers toward both one's heritage culture and the mainstream culture. In a pilot study, we developed the cultural socialization scale based on retrospective reports from 208 young adults, maximizing young adults' ability to reason and reflect their adolescent experiences with various socialization practices. In the primary study, we examined the psychometric properties of the scale using reports from 252 adolescents. Cultural socialization occurred from both socialization agents toward both cultures. Our cultural socialization scale demonstrated stable factor structures and high reliabilities. We observed strong factorial invariance across the four subscales (six items). MIMIC models also demonstrated invariance for each subscale across adolescents' demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, nativity, SES, language of assessment). The implications of the cultural socialization scale are discussed. PMID:25961139

Hydrometric characterization of the clays used in the manufacture of ceramic products in Ocaña, Norte de Santander

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Andrés García León

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Currently in Ocaña, Norte de Santander exists a great variety of natural deposits that can be used to manufacture products of masonry as they are blocks, tiles, bricks, tiles, among others; But the manufacturing companies obtain a lot of waste due to the lack of technological analysis of the raw material to forecast the behavior of the ceramic pastes and to improve the quality of the final product. Objective: In the present work the physical characterization by hydrometry of the clays used in one of the companies dedicated to the manufacture of H-10 blocks in Ocaña, Norte de Santander, was carried out. Methodology: The development of the research was carried out by performing physical tests on samples of clays with which the percentages of sands, silts, and clays were determined; Which were located in the Winkler diagram to identify the types of existing clays according to their texture and the type of product that can be made to be able to formulate a paste of ceramic material. Results: The results obtained show that the clays currently used by the company are in the minimum indexes for the elaboration of blocks, reason why the addition of other clays with which the adequate level of quality with which they comply the requirements established by current standards. Conclusions: It is indispensable to characterize the clays to optimize the production pulp and to avoid imperfections in the final product (Block H-10, thus evidently improving the environmental and economic resources of the company.

OCA Oracle Database 12c administrator certified associate study guide : exams 1Z0-061 and 1Z0-062

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Thomas, Biju

2014-01-01

An all-in-one study guide prepares you for the updated Oracle Certified Associate certification It's been nearly six years since Oracle updated its cornerstone database software, making the demand for a comprehensive study guide for the OCA 12c certification a top priority. This resource answers that demand. Packed with invaluable insight, chapter review questions, bonus practice exams, hundreds of electronic flashcards, and a searchable glossary of terms, this study guide prepares you for the challenging Oracle certification exams. Provides you with a solid understanding of restricting and s

Healthcare professionals’ views of feedback on patient safety culture assessment.

OpenAIRE

Zwijnenberg, N.C.; Hendriks, M.; Hoogervorst-Schilp, J.; Wagner, C.

2016-01-01

Background: By assessing patient safety culture, healthcare providers can identify areas for improvement in patient safety culture. To achieve this, these assessment outcomes have to be relevant and presented clearly. The aim of our study was to explore healthcare professionals’ views on the feedback of a patient safety culture assessment. Methods: Twenty four hospitals participated in a patient safety culture assessment in 2012. Hospital departments received feedback in a report and on a web...

Assessing safety culture using RADAR matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariscal-Saldana, M. a.; Garcia-Herrero, S.; Toca-Otero, A.

2009-01-01

Santa Maria de Garona nuclear power plant, in collaboration with Burgos University, has proceeded to conduct a pilot project aimed at seeing the possibilities for the RADAR (Results, Approach, Development, Assessment and review) logic of EFQM model, as a tool for self evaluation of Safety Culture in a nuclear power plant. In the work it has sought evidences of Safety culture implanted in the plant, and identify strengths and areas for improvement regarding this Culture. the score obtained by analyzing these strengths and areas for improvements has served to prioritize actions implemented. The nuclear power plant has been submitted voluntarily to the mission SCART (Safety Culture Assessment Review Team), an international review being done for the first time in the world at a plant in operation and the team of experts led by International Agency of Atomic Energy (IAEA) has identified this project as a good practice, an innovative process implemented in the plant, that must be transmitted to other plants. (Author) 10 refs

Changing the culture of assessment: the dominance of the summative assessment paradigm

OpenAIRE

Harrison, Christopher J.; Konings, Karen D.; Schuwirth, Lambert W. T.; Wass, Valerie; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite growing evidence of the benefits of including assessment for learning strategies within programmes of assessment, practical implementation of these approaches is often problematical. Organisational culture change is often hindered by personal and collective beliefs which encourage adherence to the existing organisational paradigm. We aimed to explore how these beliefs influenced proposals to redesign a summative assessment culture in order to improve students' use of asses...

El inicio del juicio de residencia a donAlonso de Granada Venegas (Ocaña,Toledo, 1597) : algunas notas sobresu procedimiento

OpenAIRE

Carmen González Peinado

2010-01-01

El artículo se centra en el inicio del juicio de residencia a don Alonso de Granada Venegas, noble de ascendencia nazarí, gobernador de la provincia de Castilla la Mancha y Ribera del Tajo perteneciente a la Orden Militar de Santiago desde 1594 a 1597, así como a los oficiales públicos y del concejo de Ocaña, sede de gobernación. La residencia tiene su especificidad propia en tierras de órdenes militares y refleja la problemática existente en torno a este control, que adquiere especial releva...

Promoting and assessment of safety culture within regulatory body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awasthi, Sumit; Bhattacharya, D.; Koley, J.; Krishnamurthy, P.R.

2015-01-01

Regulators have an important role to play in assisting organizations under their jurisdiction to develop positive safety cultures. It is therefore essential for the regulator to have a robust safety culture as an inherent strategy and communication of this strategy to the organizations it supervises. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) emphasizes every utility to institute a good safety culture during various stages of a NPP. The regulatory requirement for establishing organisational safety culture within utility at different stages are delineated in the various AERB safety codes which are presented in the paper. Although the review and assessment of the safety culture is a part of AERB’s continual safety supervision through existing review mechanism, AERB do not use any specific indicators for safety culture assessment. However, establishing and nurturing a good safety culture within AERB helps in encouraging the utility to institute the same. At the induction level AERB provides training to its staffs for regulatory orientation which include a specific course on safety culture. Subsequently, the junior staffs are mentored by seniors while involving them in various regulatory processes and putting them as observers during regulatory decision making process. Further, AERB established a formal procedure for assessing and improving safety culture within its staff as a management system process. The paper describes as a case study the above safety culture assessment process established within AERB

Validation of the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Heritage, Brody; Pollock, Clare; Roberts, Lynne

2014-01-01

Organizational culture is a commonly studied area in industrial/organizational psychology due to its important role in workplace behaviour, cognitions, and outcomes. Jung et al.'s [1] review of the psychometric properties of organizational culture measurement instruments noted many instruments have limited validation data despite frequent use in both theoretical and applied situations. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) has had conflicting data regarding its psychometric properties, particularly regarding its factor structure. Our study examined the factor structure and criterion validity of the OCAI using robust analysis methods on data gathered from 328 (females = 226, males = 102) Australian employees. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four factor structure of the OCAI for both ideal and current organizational culture perspectives. Current organizational culture data demonstrated expected reciprocally-opposed relationships between three of the four OCAI factors and the outcome variable of job satisfaction but ideal culture data did not, thus indicating possible weak criterion validity when the OCAI is used to assess ideal culture. Based on the mixed evidence regarding the measure's properties, further examination of the factor structure and broad validity of the measure is encouraged. PMID:24667839

Validation of the organizational culture assessment instrument.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brody Heritage

Full Text Available Organizational culture is a commonly studied area in industrial/organizational psychology due to its important role in workplace behaviour, cognitions, and outcomes. Jung et al.'s [1] review of the psychometric properties of organizational culture measurement instruments noted many instruments have limited validation data despite frequent use in both theoretical and applied situations. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI has had conflicting data regarding its psychometric properties, particularly regarding its factor structure. Our study examined the factor structure and criterion validity of the OCAI using robust analysis methods on data gathered from 328 (females = 226, males = 102 Australian employees. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four factor structure of the OCAI for both ideal and current organizational culture perspectives. Current organizational culture data demonstrated expected reciprocally-opposed relationships between three of the four OCAI factors and the outcome variable of job satisfaction but ideal culture data did not, thus indicating possible weak criterion validity when the OCAI is used to assess ideal culture. Based on the mixed evidence regarding the measure's properties, further examination of the factor structure and broad validity of the measure is encouraged.

ASCOT guidelines revised 1996 edition. Guidelines for organizational self-assessment of safety culture and for reviews by the assessment of safety culture in organizations team

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

In order to properly assess safety culture, it is necessary to consider the contribution of all organizations which have an impact on it. Therefore, while assessing the safety culture in an operating organization it is necessary to address at least its interfaces with the local regulatory agency, utility corporate headquarters and supporting organizations. These guidelines are primarily intended for use by any organization wishing to conduct a self-assessment of safety culture. They should also serve as a basis for conducting an international peer review of the organization's self-assessment carried out by an ASCOT (Assessment of Safety Culture in Organizations Team) mission

Safety Culture Assessment at Regulatory Body - PNRA Experience of Implementing IAEA Methodology for Safety Culture Self Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatti, S.A.N.; Arshad, N.

2016-01-01

The prevalence of a good safety culture is equally important for all kind of organizations involved in nuclear business including operating organizations, designers, regulator, etc., and this should be reflected through all the processes and activities of these organizations. The need for inculcating safety culture into regulatory processes and practices is gradually increasing since the major accident at Fukushima. Accordingly, several international fora in last few years repeatedly highlighted the importance of prevalence of safety culture in regulatory bodies as well. The utilisation of concept of safety culture always remained applicable in regulatory activities of PNRA in the form of core values. After the Fukushima accident, PNRA considered it important to check the extent of utilisation of safety culture concept in organizational activities and decided to conduct its “Safety Culture Self-Assessment (SCSA)” for presenting itself as a role model in-order to endorse the fact that safety culture at regulatory authority plays an important role to influence safety culture at licenced facilities.

Comparative assessment of the impact of national culture dimensions on traits of organization culture

OpenAIRE

Štreimikienė, Dalia; Mikalauskienė, Asta

2012-01-01

The paper deals with national culture and organizational culture assessment methods and applies the Denison Organization Culture Survey to measure organizational culture in Lithuanian SME in Kaunas region. The paper aims to define the impact of national culture dimensions on organizational culture dimensions by applying comparative analysis for Taiwan, Mexico and Lithuania. The comparative analysis revealed that power distance is positively related to involvement, but negatively related to th...

Comparative assessment of the impact of national culture dimensions on traits of organization culture

OpenAIRE

Štreimikienė, Dalia; Mikalauskienė, Asta

2013-01-01

The paper deals with national culture and organizational culture assessment methods and applies the Denison Organization Culture Survey to measure organizational culture in Lithuanian SME in Kaunas region. The paper aims to define the impact of national culture dimensions on organizational culture dimensions by applying comparative analysis for Taiwan, Mexico and Lithuania. The comparative analysis revealed that power distance is positively related to involvement, but negatively related to th...

An International Discussion about Cross-Cultural Career Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Osborn, Debra S.

2012-01-01

Career assessments are a common resource used by career practitioners internationally to help inform individuals' career decision-making. Research on the topic of cross-cultural career assessment has been mostly limited to the applicability of an established inventory to a different culture. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the existing…

Energy and Exergy Analysis of Ocean Compressed Air Energy Storage Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vikram C. Patil

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Optimal utilization of renewable energy resources needs energy storage capability in integration with the electric grid. Ocean compressed air energy storage (OCAES can provide promising large-scale energy storage. In OCAES, energy is stored in the form of compressed air under the ocean. Underwater energy storage results in a constant-pressure storage system which has potential to show high efficiency compared to constant-volume energy storage. Various OCAES concepts, namely, diabatic, adiabatic, and isothermal OCAES, are possible based on the handling of heat in the system. These OCAES concepts are assessed using energy and exergy analysis in this paper. Roundtrip efficiency of liquid piston based OCAES is also investigated using an experimental liquid piston compressor. Further, the potential of improved efficiency of liquid piston based OCAES with use of various heat transfer enhancement techniques is investigated. Results show that adiabatic OCAES shows improved efficiency over diabatic OCAES by storing thermal exergy in thermal energy storage and isothermal OCAES shows significantly higher efficiency over adiabatic and diabatic OCAES. Liquid piston based OCAES is estimated to show roundtrip efficiency of about 45% and use of heat transfer enhancement in liquid piston has potential to improve roundtrip efficiency of liquid piston based OCAES up to 62%.

Developing a Culture of Assessment in Student Affairs

Science.gov (United States)

Schuh, John H.

2013-01-01

What is a culture of assessment? According to this author, in a culture of assessment, staff members recognize that they must collect evidence systematically to demonstrate accountability to their stakeholders, and that they must use that evidence to improve. Fundamental to the concept is the author's back-of-the-envelope definition of…

The Use of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Primary Treatment of Cartilage Lesions in the Knee.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Dustin T; Sadr, Kamran N; Pulido, Pamela A; Bugbee, William D

2015-10-01

To assess the outcome of osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation as the primary treatment for cartilage injury in patients with no previous surgical treatment. Case series. Patients were identified in our outcomes database. Patients undergoing primary OCA transplantation with no prior surgical treatment and a minimum of 2 years follow-up were selected. Pain and function were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. Patient satisfaction was assessed. Reoperations following OCA transplantation were captured. Failure was defined as revision OCA or conversion to arthroplasty. Fifty-five patients (61 knees) were included in the analysis. The study consisted of 30 males and 25 females (mean age = 32.9 years; range = 15.7-67.8 years). The most common diagnoses for the OCA transplantation were osteochondritis dissecans (44.3%) and avascular necrosis (31.1%). Pain and function improved preoperatively to postoperatively on all outcome scales (P OCA survivorship was 89.5% at 5 years and 74.7% at 10 years. At latest follow-up (mean = 7.6 years; range = 1.9-22.6 years), OCA remained in situ in 50 knees (82%). Eighteen knees (29.5%) had further surgery; 11 OCA failures and 7 other surgical procedure(s). Of the failed knees (mean time to failure = 3.5 years; range = 0.5-13.7 years), 8 were converted to arthroplasty, 2 had OCA revisions, and 1 had a patellectomy. OCA transplantation is an acceptable primary treatment method for some chondral and osteochondral defects of the knee. Failure of previous treatment(s) is not a prerequisite for OCA transplantation.

El inicio del juicio de residencia a don Alonso de Granada Venegas (Ocaña, Toledo, 1597) : algunas notas sobre su procedimiento

OpenAIRE

González Peinado, Carmen

2010-01-01

El artículo se centra en el inicio del juicio de residencia a don Alonso de Granada Venegas, noble de ascendencia nazarí, gobernador de la provincia de Castilla la Mancha y Ribera del Tajo perteneciente a la Orden Militar de Santiago desde 1594 a 1597, así como a los oficiales públicos y del concejo de Ocaña, sede de gobernación. La residencia tiene su especificidad propia en tierras de órdenes militares y refleja la problemática existente en torno a este cont...

Healthcare professionals? views on feedback of a patient safety culture assessment

OpenAIRE

Zwijnenberg, Nicolien C.; Hendriks, Michelle; Hoogervorst-Schilp, Janneke; Wagner, Cordula

2016-01-01

Background By assessing patient safety culture, healthcare providers can identify areas for improvement in patient safety culture. To achieve this, these assessment outcomes have to be relevant and presented clearly. The aim of our study was to explore healthcare professionals? views on the feedback of a patient safety culture assessment. Methods Twenty four hospitals participated in a patient safety culture assessment in 2012. Hospital departments received feedback in a report and on a websi...

La convención de las discordias: Ocaña, 1828

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Gutiérrez

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Constituent congresses in pro-independence Spanish America were generally meetings that declared or ratified the existence of new States. In this sense, it can be said that they were basically characterized by the convergence of opinions and by the quest for unanimity. For that reasonl, when the agreements reached began to disintegrate, they naturally resorted to the procedure of convening a new constituent body to repair the fissures and ward off the threats of dissolution. But how were they to resolve irreconcilable differences? And what happened if, instead of settling the most heated disputes, all hope of compromise finally vanished and the corps of deputies failed in their essential mission? By analyzing the Ocaña Convention of 1928, the failure of which had a great deal to do with the final dissolution of the Republic of Colombia (1819-1831, this text poses such questions and seeks to analyze the moment in which the constituent assemblies became milestones for political boundaries and prepared the way for civil war. It does so by making use of the documentation available in the Archivo General de la Nación (AGN and systematically confronting it with French and Chilean diplomatic sources. The article also seeks to challenge the widely disseminated idea of massive and spontaneous support of the Colombian peoples for the dictatorship of Bolivar.

OCA Oracle Database SQL exam guide (exam 1Z0-071) complete exam preparation

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O'Hearn, Steve

2017-01-01

This thoroughly revised Oracle Press guide offers 100% coverage of all objectives on the latest version of the Oracle Database SQL Exam. Ideal both as a study guide and on-the-job reference, OCA Oracle Database SQL Exam Guide (Exam 1Z0-071) features detailed explanations, examples, practice questions, and chapter summaries. “Certification Objectives,” “Exam Watch,” and “On the Job” sections reinforce salient points throughout. You will gain access to two complete practice exams that match the tone, tenor, and format of the live test. Get complete coverage every topic on Exam 1Z0-071, including: • DDL and SQL SELECT statements • Manipulating, restricting, and sorting data • Single-row and group functions • Displaying data from multiple tables • Subqueries • Schema objects • Set operators • Grouping related data • Report creation • Data dictionary views • Large data sets • Hierarchical retrieval • Regular expression support • User access control The electronic includes: • Two full practi...

OCA Oracle Database SQL exam guide (exam 1Z0-071) : complete exam preparation

CERN Document Server

O'Hearn, Steve

2017-01-01

This thoroughly revised Oracle Press guide offers 100% coverage of all objectives on the latest version of the Oracle Database SQL Exam. Ideal both as a study guide and on-the-job reference, OCA Oracle Database SQL Exam Guide (Exam 1Z0-071) features detailed explanations, examples, practice questions, and chapter summaries. “Certification Objectives,” “Exam Watch,” and “On the Job” sections reinforce salient points throughout. You will gain access to two complete practice exams that match the tone, tenor, and format of the live test. Get complete coverage every topic on Exam 1Z0-071, including: • DDL and SQL SELECT statements • Manipulating, restricting, and sorting data • Single-row and group functions • Displaying data from multiple tables • Subqueries • Schema objects • Set operators • Grouping related data • Report creation • Data dictionary views • Large data sets • Hierarchical retrieval • Regular expression support • User access control The electronic includes: • Two full practi...

Safety culture' is integrating 'human' into risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugimoto, Taiji

2014-01-01

Significance of Fukushima nuclear power accident requested reconsideration of safety standards, of which we had usually no doubt. Risk assessment standard (JIS B 9702), Which was used for repetition of database preparation and cumulative assessment, defined allowable risk and residual risk. However, work site and immediate assessment was indispensable beside such assessment so as to ensure safety. Risk of casualties was absolutely not acceptable in principle and judgments to approve allowable risk needed accountability, which was reminded by safety culture proposed by IAEA and also identified by investigation of organizational cause of Columbia accident. Actor of safety culture would be organization and individual, and mainly individual. Realization of safety culture was conducted by personnel having moral consciousness and firm sense of mission in the course of jobs and working daily with sweat pouring. Safety engineering/technology should have framework integrating human as such totality. (T. Tanaka)

Merging Cultural Heritage Assessments with Risk Reduction and Disaster Recovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bojsen, Ann Kristina Mikkelsen

heritage. These limitations serve as motivation for the introduction of the ACTOR framework (Assessing Cultural Threats, Obstacles and Resilience) ACTOR aims at merging cultural heritage assessments with risk reduction and disaster recovery, and provide disaster management students with a learning......Abstract There is a general professional consensus that vulnerability and risk assessments are crucial tasks in any serious attempt to substantially reduce disaster losses and enhance the reconciliation or recovery in the post event phase. However, cultural heritage is often considered...... as an overarching element that should be assessed, rather than a permanent key component of the assessments. Research in disaster management noticeably illustrates how cultural heritage is increasingly at risk from disasters caused by natural and human-made hazards, as well as the effects of climate change. Still...

Comparison of two-way satellite time transfer and GPS common-view time transfer between OCA and TUG

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchner, Dieter; Thyr, U.; Ressler, H.; Robnik, R.; Grudler, P.; Baumont, Francoise S.; Veillet, Christian; Lewandowski, Wlodzimierz W.; Hanson, W.; Clements, A.

1992-01-01

For about one year the time scales UTC(OCA) and UTC(TUG) were compared by means of GPS and two-way satellite time transfer. At the end of the experiment both links were independently 'calibrated' by measuring the differential delays of the GPS receivers and of the satellite earth stations by transportation of a GPS receiver and of one of the satellite terminals. The results obtained by both methods differ by about 3 ns, but reveal a seasonal variation of about 8 ns peak-to-peak which is likely the result of a temperature-dependence of the delays of the GPS receivers used. For the comparison of both methods the stabilities of the timescales are of great importance. Unfortunately, during the last three months of the experiment a less stable clock had to be used for the generation of UTC(TUG).

OCA/OCP Oracle database 11g all-in-one exam guide exams 1Z0-051, 1Z0-052, 1Z0-053

CERN Document Server

Watson, John

2010-01-01

A Fully Integrated Study System for OCA Exams 1Z0-051 and 1Z0-052, and OCP Exam 1Z0-053 Prepare for the Oracle Certified Associate Administration I and SQL Fundamentals I exams and the Oracle Certified Professional Administration II exam with help from this exclusive Oracle Press guide. In each chapter, you'll find challenging exercises, practice questions, and a two-minute drill to highlight what you've learned. This authoritative guide will help you pass the test and serve as your essential on-the-job reference. Get complete coverage of all objectives for exams 1Z0-051, 1Z0-052, and 1Z0-053, including: Instance management Networking and storage Security SQL Oracle Recovery Manager and Oracle Flashback Oracle Automatic Storage Management Resource manager Oracle Scheduler Automatic workload repository Performance tuning And more On the CD-ROM: Three full practice exams Detailed answers and explanations Score report performance assessment tool Complete electronic book Three bonus exams available with free onli...

Understanding and assessing safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalling, Ian

1997-01-01

The 'Dalling' integrated model of organisational performance is introduced and described. A principal element of this model is culture, which is dynamically contrasted with the five other interacting critical elements, which comprise: the management system, the knowledge base, corporate leadership, stakeholders and consciousness. All six of these principal driving elements significantly influence health, safety, environmental, security, or any other aspect of organisational performance. It is asserted that the elements of organisational performance must be clearly defined and understood if meaningful measurements are to be carried out and sustained progress made in improving the knowledge of organisational performance. AEA Technology's safety culture research programme is then described together with the application of a safety culture assessment tool to organisations in the nuclear, electricity, transport, and oil and gas industries, both within and outside of the United Kingdom. (author)

A Framework for Enhancing and Assessing Cultural Competency Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Désirée Lie

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The globalization of medical practice using accepted evidence-based approaches is matched by a growing trend for shared curricula in medicine and other health professions across international boundaries. Interest in the common challenges of curricular design, delivery and assessment is expressed in conferences and dialogues focused on topics such as teaching of professionalism, humanism, integrative medicine, bioethics and cultural competence. The spirit of collaboration, sharing, acknowledgment and mutual respect is a guiding principle in cross-cultural teaching. This paper uses the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competency Training to explore methods for designing and implementing cultural competency curricula. The intent is to identify elements shared across institutional, national and cross-cultural borders and derive common principles for the assessment of learners and the curricula. Two examples of integrating new content into existing clerkships are provided to guide educators interested in an integrated and learner-centered approach to assimilate cultural competency teaching into existing required courses, clerkships and elective experiences. The paper follows an overarching principle that “every patient–doctor encounter is a cross-cultural encounter”, whether based on ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, sex, religious values, disability, sexual orientation or other differences; and whether the differences are explicit or implicit.

Suggestions on the Development of Safety Culture Assessment Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Young Sung; Choi, Kwang Sik; Kim, Woong Sik

2006-01-01

Several efforts have been made to assess safety culture of organization that operates nuclear power plants in Korea. The MOST and KINS played a major role to develop assessment methods and KHNP applied them to its NPPs. This paper explains the two methods developed by KINS briefly and presents the insights obtained from the two different applications. It concludes with some suggestions for safety culture assessment based on the insights

Assessment of safety culture at INPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesin, S.

2002-01-01

Safety Culture covers all main directions of plant activities and the plant departments involved through integration into the INPP Quality Assurance System. Safety Culture is represented by three components. The first is the clear INPP Safety and Quality Assurance Policy. Based on the Policy INPP is safely operated and managers' actions firstly aim at safety assurance. The second component is based on personal responsibility for safety and attitude of each employee of the plant. The third component is based on commitment to safety and competence of managers and employees of the plant. This component links the first two to ensure efficient management of safety at the plant. The above mentioned components including the elements which may significantly affect Safety Culture are also presented in the attachment. The concept of such model implies understanding of effect of different factors on the level of Safety Culture in the organization. In order to continuously correct safety problems, self-assessment of the Safety Culture level is performed at regular intervals. (author)

Self-Assessment of Nuclear Security Culture in Facilities and Activities. Technical Guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

The IAEA has developed a comprehensive methodology for evaluating nuclear security culture. When implemented by a State, this methodology will help to make nuclear security culture sustainable. It will also promote cooperation and the sharing of good practices related to nuclear security culture. This publication is the first guidance for assessing nuclear security culture and analysing its strengths and weaknesses within a facility or activity, or an organization. It reflects, within the context of assessment, the nuclear security culture model, principles and criteria set out in the Implementing Guide, IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 7. This guidance will be useful for organizations and operating facilities in conducting the self-assessment of nuclear security culture by providing practical methods and tools. It will also help regulatory bodies and other competent authorities to understand the self-assessment methodology used by operators, encourage operators to start the self-assessment process or, if appropriate, conduct independent assessments of nuclear security culture.

Farnesoid X Receptor Agonist Treatment Alters Bile Acid Metabolism but Exacerbates Liver Damage in a Piglet Model of Short-Bowel Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira-Fantini, Prue M; Lapthorne, Susan; Gahan, Cormac G M; Joyce, Susan A; Charles, Jenny; Fuller, Peter J; Bines, Julie E

2017-07-01

Options for the prevention of short-bowel syndrome-associated liver disease (SBS-ALDs) are limited and often ineffective. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a newly emerging pharmaceutical target and FXR agonists have been shown to ameliorate cholestasis and metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of obeticholic acid (OCA) treatment in preventing SBS-ALDs. Piglets underwent 75% small-bowel resection (SBS) or sham surgery (sham) and were assigned to either a daily dose of OCA (2.4 mg/kg/day) or were untreated. Clinical measures included weight gain and stool studies. Histologic features were assessed. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine bile acid composition in end point bile and portal serum samples. Gene expression of key FXR targets was assessed in intestinal and hepatic tissues via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. OCA-treated SBS piglets showed decreased stool fat and altered liver histology when compared with nontreated SBS piglets. OCA prevented SBS-associated taurine depletion, however, further analysis of bile and portal serum samples indicated that OCA did not prevent SBS-associated alterations in bile acid composition. The expression of FXR target genes involved in bile acid transport and synthesis increased within the liver of SBS piglets after OCA administration whereas, paradoxically, intestinal expression of FXR target genes were decreased by OCA administration. Administration of OCA in SBS reduced fat malabsorption and altered bile acid composition, but did not prevent the development of SBS-ALDs. We postulate that extensive small resection impacts the ability of the remnant intestine to respond to FXR activation.

Contextual assessment of maintenance culture at Olkiluoto and Forsmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P. [VTT Industrial Systems (Finland); Rollenhagen, C.; Eriksson, I. [Maelardalen University (Sweden)

2004-04-01

The study aims to characterise, assess and develop the organisational cultures of participating nuclear power companies' maintenance units. The assessment is made by the means of maintenance core task modelling that has already been started in previous studies. The theoretical core task model is used in evaluating the characteristics of the organisational culture. We aim to identify what are the strengths and weaknesses of the case organisation's culture in relation to its core task. The study also aims to validate the methodology for contextual assessment of organisational culture. In addition to case specific results, the study acts as a benchmark between the participating companies and gives a chance to compare the different culture profiles between the companies. Similarities and differences between the organisational cultures at the maintenance units were identified. The purpose is not however to evaluate which organisation is better, but to raise issues that require attention at the organisations. When evaluative statements are made, the criteria are formed on the basis of the core task model: Even though the practices differ, from the perspective of the maintenance core task they might both be as effective. (au)

Contextual assessment of maintenance culture at Olkiluoto and Forsmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P.; Rollenhagen, C.; Eriksson, I.

2004-04-01

The study aims to characterise, assess and develop the organisational cultures of participating nuclear power companies' maintenance units. The assessment is made by the means of maintenance core task modelling that has already been started in previous studies. The theoretical core task model is used in evaluating the characteristics of the organisational culture. We aim to identify what are the strengths and weaknesses of the case organisation's culture in relation to its core task. The study also aims to validate the methodology for contextual assessment of organisational culture. In addition to case specific results, the study acts as a benchmark between the participating companies and gives a chance to compare the different culture profiles between the companies. Similarities and differences between the organisational cultures at the maintenance units were identified. The purpose is not however to evaluate which organisation is better, but to raise issues that require attention at the organisations. When evaluative statements are made, the criteria are formed on the basis of the core task model: Even though the practices differ, from the perspective of the maintenance core task they might both be as effective. (au)

An Extended Validity Argument for Assessing Feedback Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Rougas, Steven; Clyne, Brian; Cianciolo, Anna T; Chan, Teresa M; Sherbino, Jonathan; Yarris, Lalena M

2015-01-01

NEGEA 2015 CONFERENCE ABSTRACT (EDITED): Measuring an Organization's Culture of Feedback: Can It Be Done? Steven Rougas and Brian Clyne. CONSTRUCT: This study sought to develop a construct for measuring formative feedback culture in an academic emergency medicine department. Four archetypes (Market, Adhocracy, Clan, Hierarchy) reflecting an organization's values with respect to focus (internal vs. external) and process (flexibility vs. stability and control) were used to characterize one department's receptiveness to formative feedback. The prevalence of residents' identification with certain archetypes served as an indicator of the department's organizational feedback culture. New regulations have forced academic institutions to implement wide-ranging changes to accommodate competency-based milestones and their assessment. These changes challenge residencies that use formative feedback from faculty as a major source of data for determining training advancement. Though various approaches have been taken to improve formative feedback to residents, there currently exists no tool to objectively measure the organizational culture that surrounds this process. Assessing organizational culture, commonly used in the business sector to represent organizational health, may help residency directors gauge their program's success in fostering formative feedback. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) is widely used, extensively validated, applicable to survey research, and theoretically based and may be modifiable to assess formative feedback culture in the emergency department. Using a modified Delphi technique and several iterations of focus groups amongst educators at one institution, four of the original six OCAI domains (which each contain 4 possible responses) were modified to create a 16-item Formative Feedback Culture Tool (FFCT) that was administered to 26 residents (response rate = 55%) at a single academic emergency medicine department. The mean

Cultural adaptation of a pediatric functional assessment for rehabilitation outcomes research.

Science.gov (United States)

Arestad, Kristen E; MacPhee, David; Lim, Chun Y; Khetani, Mary A

2017-09-15

Significant racial and ethnic health care disparities experienced by Hispanic children with special health care needs (CSHCN) create barriers to enacting culturally competent rehabilitation services. One way to minimize the impact of disparities in rehabilitation is to equip practitioners with culturally relevant functional assessments to accurately determine service needs. Current approaches to culturally adapting assessments have three major limitations: use of inconsistent translation processes; current processes assess for some, but not all, elements of cultural equivalence; and limited evidence to guide decision making about whether to undertake cultural adaptation with and without language translation. The aims of this observational study are (a) to examine similarities and differences of culturally adapting a pediatric functional assessment with and without language translation, and (b) to examine the feasibility of cultural adaptation processes. The Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM), a pediatric functional assessment, underwent cultural adaptation (i.e., language translation and cognitive testing) to establish Spanish and English pilot versions for use by caregivers of young CSHCN of Mexican descent. Following language translation to develop a Spanish YC-PEM pilot version, 7 caregivers (4 Spanish-speaking; 3 English-speaking) completed cognitive testing to inform decisions regarding content revisions to English and Spanish YC-PEM versions. Participant responses were content coded to established cultural equivalencies. Coded data were summed to draw comparisons on the number of revisions needed to achieve cultural equivalence between the two versions. Feasibility was assessed according to process data and data quality. Results suggest more revisions are required to achieve cultural equivalence for the translated (Spanish) version of the YC-PEM. However, issues around how the participation outcome is conceptualized were

A Computer Program for Assessing Nuclear Safety Culture Impact

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Kiyoon; Jae, Moosung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Through several accidents of NPP including the Fukushima Daiichi in 2011 and Chernobyl accidents in 1986, a lack of safety culture was pointed out as one of the root cause of these accidents. Due to its latent influences on safety performance, safety culture has become an important issue in safety researches. Most of the researches describe how to evaluate the state of the safety culture of the organization. However, they did not include a possibility that the accident occurs due to the lack of safety culture. Because of that, a methodology for evaluating the impact of the safety culture on NPP's safety is required. In this study, the methodology for assessing safety culture impact is suggested and a computer program is developed for its application. SCII model which is the new methodology for assessing safety culture impact quantitatively by using PSA model. The computer program is developed for its application. This program visualizes the SCIs and the SCIIs. It might contribute to comparing the level of the safety culture among NPPs as well as improving the management safety of NPP.

Electronuclear's safety culture assessment and enhancement program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvatici, E.; Diaz-Francisco, J.M.; Diniz de Souza, V.

2002-01-01

The present paper describes the Eletronuclear's safety culture assessment and enhancement program. The program was launched by the company's top management one year after the creation of Eletronuclear in 1997, from the merging of two companies with different organizational cultures, the design and engineering company Nuclen and the nuclear directorate of the Utility Furnas, Operator of the Angra1 NPP. The program consisted of an assessment performed internally in 1999 with the support and advice of the IAEA. This assessment, performed with the help of a survey, pooled about 80% of the company's employees. The overall result of the assessment was that a satisfactory level of safety culture existed; however, a number of points with a considerable margin for improvement were also identified. These points were mostly related with behavioural matters such as motivation, stress in the workplace, view of mistakes, handling of conflicts, and last but not least a view by a considerable number of employees that a conflict between safety and production might exist. An Action Plan was established by the company managers to tackle these weak points. This Plan was issued as company guideline by the company's Directorate. The subsequent step was to detail and implement the different actions of the Plan, which is the phase that we are at present. In the detailing of the Action Plan, special care was taken to sum up efforts, avoiding duplication of work or competition with already existing programs. In this process it was identified that the company had a considerable number of initiatives directly related to organizational and safety culture improvement, already operational. These initiatives have been integrated in the detailed Action Plan. A new assessment, for checking the effectiveness of the undertaken actions, is planned for 2003. (author)

Relato de caso: Caracterização físico-química e aceitabilidade de paçoca produzida com amêndoa de castanha-de-caju e sua comparação com produtos comerciais

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Ribeiro LIMA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Resumo Este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar as características físico-químicas e a aceitabilidade de um doce tipo paçoca, elaborado a partir de torta de amêndoa de castanha-de-caju com dois produtos similares comerciais de amendoim. A paçoca foi preparada com 59,5% de torta, 25,0% de açúcar, 0,5% de sal, 5,0% de farinha de mandioca e 10,0% de óleo de milho, sendo moídos juntos e moldados em forma de paralelepípedo. Os produtos foram analisados para determinação de características físico-químicas (umidade, cinzas, lipídeos, proteínas, carboidratos, atividade de água, cor instrumental (L*a*b* e aceitação sensorial (escala hedônica de 9 pontos. Os resultados foram comparados por ANOVA e Teste de Tukey (α=0,05. Pequenas diferenças físico-químicas foram observadas: a umidade variou de 1,01 a 2,79%; cinzas, de 1,23 a 2,75%; lipídeos, de 30,28 a 31,27%; proteínas, de 14,19 a 16,90%; carboidratos, de 50,21 a 54,07%, e atividade de água, de 0,295 a 0,429. Apesar de a paçoca de amêndoa de castanha-de-caju ser mais clara e menos vermelha (L*=74,48, a*=1,38 que as comerciais de amendoim (valores médios L*=54,33, a*=8,08, apresentou aceitação semelhante à desses produtos, que variaram entre 7,0 e 7,8 (“gostei” a “gostei muito” da escala hedônica. Considerando-se a atividade de água inferior a 0,6, a paçoca de torta de amêndoa de castanha-de-caju pode ser considerada microbiologicamente estável à temperatura ambiente, sendo uma boa alternativa para a utilização do subproduto da extração do óleo de amêndoas quebradas.

Cultural heuristics in risk assessment of HIV/AIDS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bailey, A.; Hutter, I.

2006-01-01

Behaviour change models in HIV prevention tend to consider that risky sexual behaviours reflect risk assessments and that by changing risk assessments behaviour can be changed. Risk assessment is however culturally constructed. Individuals use heuristics or bounded cognitive devices derived from

Evaluation of a Cultural Competence Assessment for Preservice Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Bustamante, Rebecca M.; Skidmore, Susan T.; Nelson, Judith A.; Jones, Brandolyn E.

2016-01-01

Globally, public schools enroll culturally and linguistically diverse student populations and teacher preparation programs must assess the cultural competence of preservice teachers. Yet, few adequately tested measures of teacher cultural competence are available. In this research study, a sample of 396 preservice teachers were surveyed to…

Healthcare professionals’ views of feedback on patient safety culture assessment.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwijnenberg, N.C.; Hendriks, M.; Hoogervorst-Schilp, J.; Wagner, C.

2016-01-01

Background: By assessing patient safety culture, healthcare providers can identify areas for improvement in patient safety culture. To achieve this, these assessment outcomes have to be relevant and presented clearly. The aim of our study was to explore healthcare professionals’ views on the

Intellectual Assessment of Children from Culturally Diverse Backgrounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Armour-Thomas, Eleanor

1992-01-01

Examines assumptions and premises of standardized tests of mental ability and reviews extant theories and research on intellectual functioning of children from culturally different backgrounds. Discusses implications of these issues and perspectives for new directions for intellectual assessment for children from culturally different backgrounds.…

Changing the culture of assessment: the dominance of the summative assessment paradigm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harrison, C.J.; Konings, K.D.; Schuwirth, L.W.; Wass, V.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite growing evidence of the benefits of including assessment for learning strategies within programmes of assessment, practical implementation of these approaches is often problematical. Organisational culture change is often hindered by personal and collective beliefs which

The physical, chemical and functional characterization of starches from Andean tubers: oca (Oxalis tuberosa Molina), olluco (Ullucus tuberosus Caldas) and mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz & Pavón)

OpenAIRE

Valcárcel-Yamani, Beatriz; Rondán-Sanabria, Gerby Giovanna; Finardi-Filho, Flavio

2013-01-01

The physical, chemical, and functional properties of starches isolated from the Andean tubers oca (Oxalis tuberosa M.), olluco (Ullucus tuberosus C.) and mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum R. & P.) were studied. The tubers were obtained from a local grocery. The morphology of the starch granules (size and shape) was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed ellipsoid, oval, conical, pear-shaped and prismatic forms: ellipsoids and oval granules with lengths up to 54.30 µm in oc...

Outcomes of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation With and Without Concomitant Meniscus Allograft Transplantation: A Comparative Matched Group Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Rachel M; Lee, Simon; Cotter, Eric J; Hannon, Charles P; Leroux, Timothy; Cole, Brian J

2018-03-01

Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) is often performed with concomitant meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) as a strategy for knee joint preservation, although to date, the effect of concomitant MAT on outcomes and failure rates after OCA has not been assessed. To determine clinical outcomes for patients undergoing OCA with MAT as compared with a matched cohort of patients undergoing isolated OCA. Control study; Level of evidence, 3. Patients who underwent OCA of the medial or lateral femoral condyle without concomitant MAT by a single surgeon were compared with a matched group of patients who underwent OCA with concomitant MAT (ipsilateral compartment). The patients were matched per age, sex, body mass index, and number of previous ipsilateral knee operations ±1. Patient-reported outcomes, complications, reoperations, and survival rates were compared between groups. One hundred patients undergoing OCA (50 isolated, 50 with MAT) with a mean ± SD follow-up of 4.9 ± 2.7 years (minimum, 2 years) were included (age, 31.7 ± 9.8 years; 52% male). Significantly more patients underwent OCA to the medial femoral condyle (n = 59) than the lateral femoral condyle (n = 41, P OCA. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding reoperation rate (n = 18 for OCA with MAT, n = 17 for OCA without MAT, P = .834), time to reoperation (2.2 ± 2.4 years for OCA with MAT, 3.4 ± 2.7 years for OCA without MAT, P = .149), or failure rates (n = 7 [14%] for OCA with MAT, n = 7 [14%] for OCA without MAT, P > .999). There were no significant differences in patient-reported clinical outcome scores between the groups at final follow-up. There was no significant difference in failure rates between patients undergoing medial femoral condyle OCA (n = 12, 15.3%) and lateral femoral condyle OCA (n = 5, 12.2%, P = .665). These results imply that with appropriate surgical indications to address meniscus deficiency in patients otherwise indicated for OCA and

Assessing Pharmacy Students’ Self-Perception of Cultural Competence

Science.gov (United States)

Echeverri, Margarita; Brookover, Cecile; Kennedy, Kathleen

2014-01-01

Pharmacists play an increasingly important role in medication therapy management, which requires communicating effectively with patients. Pharmacy students completed the Self-Assessment of Perceived Level of Cultural Competence (SAPLCC) questionnaire, and their results were used to identify patterns in self-assessment of cultural competence. In general, students rated their knowledge as less than their skills and attitudes. Important differences were found by race, comparing each group with its counterparts: African American students rated their perceived competencies regarding patient discrimination and barriers to health care at a significantly higher level; Asian American students rated their attitudes to engaging in self-reflection and their knowledge in multicultural issues at significantly lower level; and White students rated their awareness regarding racial dynamics at a significantly lower level. It is recommended to consider the students’ cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds before developing curriculum in cultural competence and, perhaps, to develop targeted educational interventions for specific groups. PMID:23395945

An assessment of organisational values, culture and performance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An assessment of organisational values, culture and performance in Cape Town's ... confusion, control, manipulation, blame, power, results orientation, hierarchy, ... Conclusion: The organisational culture of the Metro District Health Services is ...

Empirically Exploring Higher Education Cultures of Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Matthew B.; Skidmore, Susan T.; Bustamante, Rebecca M.; Holzweiss, Peggy C.

2016-01-01

Although touted as beneficial to student learning, cultures of assessment have not been examined adequately using validated instruments. Using data collected from a stratified, random sample (N = 370) of U.S. institutional research and assessment directors, the models tested in this study provide empirical support for the value of using the…

Improving Assessment: Creating a Culture of Assessment with a Change Management Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, Michael R.; Lane, Peggy L.; Rich, John; Wheeling, Barbara

2015-01-01

For more than twenty years accrediting agencies have required assessment as part of their initial accreditation or reaffirmation processes. During that period of time thousands of institutions have successfully prepared plans to achieve or maintain their accreditation. Why then does a culture of assessment not exist? And why is assessment still an…

Research on fuzzy comprehensive assessment method of nuclear power plant safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang Yuanyuan; Chen Xukun; Xu Rongbin

2012-01-01

Considering the traits of safety culture in nuclear plant, 38 safety culture assessment indexes are established from 4 aspects such as safety values, safety institution, safety behavior and safety sub- stances. Based on it, a comprehensive assessment method for nuclear power plant safety culture is constructed by using AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) approach and fuzzy mathematics. The comprehensive assessment method has the quality of high precision and high operability, which can support the decision making of safety culture development. (authors)

An Examination of Cultural Competence Training in US Medical Education Guided by the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Jernigan, Valarie Blue Bird; Hearod, Jordan B; Tran, Kim; Norris, Keith C; Buchwald, Dedra

2016-01-01

In the United States, medical students must demonstrate a standard level of "cultural competence," upon graduation. Cultural competence is most often defined as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, organization, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations. The Association of American Medical Colleges developed the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT) to assist schools in developing and evaluating cultural competence curricula to meet these requirements. This review uses the TACCT as a guideline to describe and assess pedagogical approaches to cultural competence training in US medical education and identify content gaps and opportunities for curriculum improvement. A total of 18 programs are assessed. Findings support previous research that cultural competence training can improve the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of medical trainees. However, wide variation in the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of cultural competence training programs exists, leading to differences in training quality and outcomes. More research is needed to establish optimal approaches to implementing and evaluating cultural competence training that incorporate cultural humility, the social determinants of health, and broader structural competency within the medical system.

An Examination of Cultural Competence Training in US Medical Education Guided by the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training

Science.gov (United States)

Jernigan, Valarie Blue Bird; Hearod, Jordan B.; Tran, Kim; Norris, Keith C.; Buchwald, Dedra

2015-01-01

In the United States, medical students must demonstrate a standard level of “cultural competence,” upon graduation. Cultural competence is most often defined as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, organization, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations. The Association of American Medical Colleges developed the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT) to assist schools in developing and evaluating cultural competence curricula to meet these requirements. This review uses the TACCT as a guideline to describe and assess pedagogical approaches to cultural competence training in US medical education and identify content gaps and opportunities for curriculum improvement. A total of 18 programs are assessed. Findings support previous research that cultural competence training can improve the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of medical trainees. However, wide variation in the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of cultural competence training programs exists, leading to differences in training quality and outcomes. More research is needed to establish optimal approaches to implementing and evaluating cultural competence training that incorporate cultural humility, the social determinants of health, and broader structural competency within the medical system. PMID:27818848

Contextual assessment of organisational culture - methodological development in two case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P.

2002-01-01

Despite the acknowledged significance of organisational culture in the nuclear field, previous cultural studies have concentrated on purely safety related matters, or been only descriptive in nature. New kinds of methods, taking into account the overall objectives of the organisation, were needed to assess culture and develop its working practices appropriately. VTT developed the Contextual Assessment of Organisational Culture (CAOC) methodology during the FINNUS programme. The methodology utilises two concepts, organisational culture and core task. The core task can be defined as the core demands and content of work that the organisation has to accomplish in order to be effective. The core task concept is used in assessing the central dimensions of the organisation's culture. Organisational culture is defined as a solution the company has generated in order to fulfil the perceived demands of its core task. The CAOC-methodology was applied in two case studies, in the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland and in the maintenance unit of Loviisa NPP. The aim of the studies was not only to assess the given culture, but also to give the personnel new concepts and new tools for reflecting on their organisation, their jobs and on appropriate working practices. The CAOC-methodology contributes to the design and redesign of work in complex sociotechnical systems. It strives to enhance organisations' capability to assess their current working practices and the meanings attached to them and compare these to the actual demands of their basic mission and so change unadaptive practices. (orig.)

The Importance of Culturally Safe Assessment Tools for Inuit Students

Science.gov (United States)

Stoffer, Jasmin

2017-01-01

There are still no major assessment and diagnostic tools that educators can use to properly assess our Inuit students' learning. Cultural safety as it is currently defined in New Zealand educational research (Macfarlane et al., 2007) is necessary in creating a classroom community that encourages the appreciation of culture and worldview, and…

Effects of Autogenous Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate on Radiographic Integration of Femoral Condylar Osteochondral Allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Oladeji, Lasun O; Stannard, James P; Cook, Cristi R; Kfuri, Mauricio; Crist, Brett D; Smith, Matthew J; Cook, James L

2017-10-01

Transplantation of fresh osteochondral allografts (OCAs) is an attractive treatment option for symptomatic articular cartilage lesions in young, healthy patients. Because the lack of OCA bone integration can be a cause of treatment failure, methods for speeding and enhancing OCA bone integration to mitigate this potential complication are highly desirable. To determine if autogenous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMC) treatment of large femoral condylar OCAs would be associated with superior radiographic OCA bone integration compared with nontreated allografts during the critical first 6 months after surgery. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. A review of patients enrolled in a prospective registry who were treated with transplantation of large OCAs to one or both femoral condyles at our institution from March 12, 2013 to March 14, 2016 was performed. Patients were stratified into 2 groups based on BMC treatment versus no BMC treatment; the treatment was nonrandomized and was rooted in a shift in practice and a continuing effort to optimize OCA transplantation at our institution. Patients were excluded if they did not have orthogonal view radiographs performed at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Each condyle undergoing OCA transplantation was assessed individually by an independent musculoskeletal radiologist, who was blinded to the treatment group and time point. OCAs were assessed with respect to graft integration (0%-100%; 0 = no integration, 100 = complete integration) and degree of sclerosis (0-3; 0 = normal, 1 = mild sclerosis, 2 = moderate sclerosis, and 3 = severe sclerosis) of the graft at each time point. This study identified 17 condyles in 15 patients who underwent OCA transplantation without BMC and 29 condyles in 22 patients who underwent OCA transplantation with BMC. The BMC group had significantly ( P = .033) higher graft integration scores at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Graft sclerosis was significantly ( P

Boro e nitrogênio na incidência de hastes ocas e no rendimento de brócolis Boron and nitrogen on hollow stem and yield of broccoli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Campagnol

2009-12-01

Full Text Available A incidência de hastes ocas em brócolis (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck depende de vários fatores que afetam a absorção e o transporte de B, elemento responsável pelo aparecimento dessa desordem fisiológica. O trabalho avaliou os efeitos de quatro níveis de nitrogênio e dois níveis de boro e da interação entre eles na incidência de hastes ocas e na produção de brócolis. As doses de N (100, 150, 200 e 250 kg ha-1 foram divididas em quatro aplicações iguais aos 15, 30, 45 e 60 dias após o transplante. O boro (0, 4 e 8 kg ha-1 foi aplicado metade no plantio e a outra metade em cobertura aos 45 dias após o transplante. A massa média das inflorescências e a produção total foram diminuídas com a aplicação de B em função do crescimento mais lento das plantas provocado pela toxicidade desse elemento. Contudo, nas áreas não adubadas com B, a porcentagem de plantas com hastes ocas foi, em média, de 44,14%, sendo que a incidência dessa anomalia sofreu drástica redução com a aplicação de B, onde a maior dose (8 kg ha-1 resultou em apenas 4,52% de inflorescências afetadas. Doses de N superiores a 215,4 kg ha-1 aumentaram o número de plantas com hastes ocas somente nas áreas que não receberam B.The incidence of hollow stem in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck depends on several factors that affect the absorption and transport of boron, which is the element responsible for the appearance of this physiological disorder. This study evaluated the effects of four levels of nitrogen and two levels of boron and the interaction between them in the incidence of hollow stem and yield of broccoli. The levels of N (100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1 were divided into four applications equal to 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after transplant. Half of the boron (0, 4 and 8 kg ha-1 was applied at planting and half in coverage at 45 days after transplanting. Average mass and total yield were reduced with B application

Development of Safety Culture Assessment Strategy for Korean NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jung Hwan; Kim, Jong Hyun

2014-01-01

This paper aims at developing the requirements for a method to evaluate the operational safety culture, evaluating currently available methods based on the requirements, and suggesting a method to evaluate and improve the operational safety culture for Korean nuclear power plants. This paper reviews the widely-used methods to assess safety culture for NPPs and their basis. Then, this paper develops the requirements for the method to evaluate operational safety culture for Korean NPPs. Based on these requirements, Korean Safety Culture Indicators (KSCI) and evaluation measures are also suggested. Finally this paper proposes the guidelines to develop improvements to safety culture from the evaluation results

Development of Safety Culture Assessment Strategy for Korean NPP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jung Hwan; Kim, Jong Hyun [KEPCO, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

This paper aims at developing the requirements for a method to evaluate the operational safety culture, evaluating currently available methods based on the requirements, and suggesting a method to evaluate and improve the operational safety culture for Korean nuclear power plants. This paper reviews the widely-used methods to assess safety culture for NPPs and their basis. Then, this paper develops the requirements for the method to evaluate operational safety culture for Korean NPPs. Based on these requirements, Korean Safety Culture Indicators (KSCI) and evaluation measures are also suggested. Finally this paper proposes the guidelines to develop improvements to safety culture from the evaluation results.

Assessing progress in the development of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotaru, Ioan; Ghita, Sorin

1999-01-01

The concept of safety culture was introduced by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG) in the Summary Report on the Post-Accident Meeting on the Chernobyl Accident in 1986. The concept was further expanded in the 1988 INSAG-3 report, Basic Safety Principles for Nuclear Power Plants, and again in 1991 in the INSAG-4 report. Recognizing the increasing role that safety culture is expected to play in nuclear installations worldwide, the Convention on Nuclear Safety states the Contracting Parties' desire 'to promote an effective nuclear safety culture'. The concept of safety culture is defined in INSAG-4 as follows: Safety culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance. Safety culture is also an amalgamation of values, standards, morals and norms of acceptable behaviour. These are aimed at maintaining a self disciplined approach to the enhancement of safety beyond legislative and regulatory requirements. Therefore, the safety culture has to be inherent in the thoughts and actions of all the individuals at every level in an organization. The leadership provided by top management is crucial. Safety culture applies to conventional and personal safety as well as nuclear safety. All safety consideration are affected by common points of beliefs, attitudes, behaviour, and cultural differences, closely linked to a shared system of values and standards. The paper poses questions and tries to find answers relative to issues like: - how to assess progress; - specific organizational indicators of a progressive safety culture; - detection of incipient weaknesses in safety culture (organizational issues, employee issues, technology issues); - revitalizing a weakened safety culture; - overall assesment of safety culture; - general evaluation model. In conclusion, there is no consistent and

Prenatal molecular diagnosis of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) in a large cohort of Israeli families.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenmann, Ada; Bejarano-Achache, Idit; Eli, Dalia; Maftsir, Genia; Mizrahi-Meissonnier, Liliana; Blumenfeld, Anat

2009-10-01

To present our accumulated data on prenatal molecular diagnosis of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) in a large cohort of Israeli albino families. Albinism consists of variable phenotypes, but only families with predicted severely handicapped albino offspring, who declared their wish to terminate a pregnancy of such a fetus, are eligible for prenatal testing. Prenatal testing is not offered otherwise. Following detailed genetic investigation and counseling, molecular prenatal testing was performed using the combination of mutation screening, direct sequencing, and haplotype analysis. A total of 55 prenatal tests were performed in 37 families; in 26 families the propositus was the child, and in 11, a parent or a close relative. In 32 families tyrosinase (TYR) mutations were diagnosed. In 5 families a P gene mutation was detected. Twelve albino fetuses were diagnosed. Following further genetic counseling, all couples elected to terminate the pregnancy. Three additional pregnancies were terminated for other reasons. Families with increased risk for an albino child with severe visual handicap, seek premarital and prenatal genetic counseling and testing, for the prevention of affected offspring. Our combined methods of molecular genetic testing enable a nationwide approach for prevention of albinism. The same paradigm can be applied to other populations affected with albinism.

Cultural Influences on the Assessment of Children’s Pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G Allen Finley

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Culture is commonly regarded as a factor in pain behaviour and experience, but the meaning of the term is often unclear. There is little evidence that pain perception is modified by cultural or ethnic factors, but pain expression by children and interpretation by caregivers may be affected by the culture of the patient or the caregiver. The present paper examines some of the research regarding cultural influences on children’s pain assessment, and addresses directions for future research. A focus on cultural influences should not distract clinicians from the need to be sensitive to individual beliefs and attitudes.

San Luis Valley - Taos Plateau Landscape-Level Cultural Heritage Values and Risk Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wescott, Konstance L. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Abplanalp, Jennifer M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Brown, Jeff [Bureau of Land Management, Monte Vista, CO (United States); Cantwell, Brian [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Dicks, Merrill [Bureau of Land Management, Taos, NM (United States); Fredericks, Brian [Bureau of Land Management, Monte Vista, CO (United States); Krall, Angie [US Forest Service, Creede, CO (United States); Rollins, Katherine E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Sullivan, Robert [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Valdez, Arnie [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Verhaaren, Bruce [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Vieira, Joseph [Bureau of Land Management, Monte Vista, CO (United States); Walston, Lee [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Zvolanek, Emily A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2016-10-01

The San Luis Valley – Taos Plateau Landscape-Level Cultural Heritage Values and Risk Assessment (hereafter referred to as cultural assessment) is a BLM pilot project designed to see whether the Rapid Ecoregional Assessment (REA) framework (already established and implemented throughout many ecoregions in the West) can be applied to the cultural environment.

Self-assessment of safety culture in nuclear installations. Highlights and good practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-11-01

This report summarizes the findings of two IAEA Technical Committee Meetings on Safety Culture Self-Assessment Highlights and Good Practices. The meetings took place on 3-5 June 1998 and 23-25 October 2000 in Vienna, and involved an international cross-section of representatives who participated both in plenary discussions and working groups. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the practical implications of evolutionary changes in the development of safety culture, and to share international experience, particularly on the methods used for the assessment of safety culture and good practices for its enhancement in an organization. The working groups were allocated specific topics for discussion, which included the following: organizational factors influencing the implementation of actions to improve safety culture; how to measure, effectively, progress in implementing solutions to safety culture problems; the symptoms of a weakening safety culture; the suitability of different methods for assessing safety culture; the achievement of sustainable improvements in safety culture using the results of assessment; the potential threats to the continuation of a strong safety culture in an organization from the many challenges facing the nuclear industry. The working groups, when appropriate, considered issues from both the utility's and the regulator's perspectives. This report will be of interest to all organizations who wish to assess and achieve a strong and sustainable safety culture. This includes not only nuclear power plants, but also other sectors of the nuclear industry such as uranium mines and mills, nuclear fuel fabrication facilities, nuclear waste repositories, research reactors, accelerators, radiography facilities, etc. The report specifically supplements other IAEA publications on this subject

The Museum of New Mexico and energy management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, B.K.

1993-01-01

There are unique indoor conditioning and energy management challenges in museums. In Santa Fe, the Museum of New Mexico (MNM) is located in a unique climate and must stay within utility expenditure limits allocated through the State government budget process, while handling valuable collections with specific environmental requirements. Adequate humidity for indoor exhibitions is the top priority for heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Energy management systems (EMS) implemented by the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) in two MNM exhibition facilities avoid energy costs, but must be maintained regularly. Energy savings goals must yield priority in favor of maintaining proper indoor conditions. MNM is one of six Divisions within the State of New Mexico's Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA). The mission of OCA is to foster, preserve, and protect current and past expressions of culture and the arts, which are determined to be in the best interests of New Mexico. As a part of their mission, OCA is well-known for excellence in cultural collections, through MNM. MNM is comprised of the Museum of Fine Arts Museum of Southwest History Museum of International Folk Art Laboratory of Anthropology Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. There are eight separate physical facilities that house these operations, including administration. Behind the scenes, there are operational costs that must be managed carefully; the costs of heating, cooling, arid lighting the buildings that MNM uses are a part of this. EMNRD has assisted OCA in meeting its mission through the expertise of the Energy Conservation and Management Division (ECMD). ECMD is designated by the Governor as the State Energy Manager agency

Comparative potency of obeticholic acid and natural bile acids on FXR in hepatic and intestinal in vitro cell models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuanyuan; LaCerte, Carl; Kansra, Sanjay; Jackson, Jonathan P; Brouwer, Kenneth R; Edwards, Jeffrey E

2017-12-01

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is a semisynthetic farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, an analogue of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) which is indicated for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). OCA efficiently inhibits bile acid synthesis and promotes bile acid efflux via activating FXR-mediated mechanisms in a physiologically relevant in vitro cell system, Sandwich-cultured Transporter Certified ™ human primary hepatocytes (SCHH). The study herein evaluated the effects of UDCA alone or in combination with OCA in SCHH. UDCA (≤100 μmol/L) alone did not inhibit CYP7A1 mRNA, and thus, no reduction in the endogenous bile acid pool observed. UDCA ≤100 μmol/L concomitantly administered with 0.1 μmol/L OCA had no effect on bile acid synthesis beyond what was observed with OCA alone. Furthermore, this study evaluated human Caco-2 cells (clone C2BBe1) as in vitro intestinal models. Glycine conjugate of OCA increased mRNA levels of FXR target genes in Caco-2 cells, FGF-19, SHP, OSTα/β, and IBABP, but not ASBT, in a concentration-dependent manner, while glycine conjugate of UDCA had no effect on the expression of these genes. The results suggested that UDCA ≤100 μmol/L did not activate FXR in human primary hepatocytes or intestinal cell line Caco-2. Thus, co-administration of UDCA with OCA did not affect OCA-dependent pharmacological effects. © 2017 The Authors. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, British Pharmacological Society and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Development of a New Safety Culture Assessment Method for Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) (A study to suggest a new safety culture assessment method in nuclear power plants)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Sang Min; Seong, Poong Hyun

2014-01-01

This study is conducted to suggest a new safety culture assessment method in nuclear power plants. Criteria with various existing safety culture analysis methods are united, and reliability analysis methods are applied. The concept of the most representative methods, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), are adopted to assess safety culture. Through this application, it is expected that the suggested method will bring results with convenience and objectiveness

Development of a New Safety Culture Assessment Method for Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) (A study to suggest a new safety culture assessment method in nuclear power plants)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Sang Min; Seong, Poong Hyun [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

This study is conducted to suggest a new safety culture assessment method in nuclear power plants. Criteria with various existing safety culture analysis methods are united, and reliability analysis methods are applied. The concept of the most representative methods, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), are adopted to assess safety culture. Through this application, it is expected that the suggested method will bring results with convenience and objectiveness.

Assessing progress in the development of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotaru, I.; Ghita, S.; Biro, L.

2002-01-01

This paper is focussed on the organizational culture and learning processes required for the implementation of all aspects of safety culture. There is no prescriptive formula for improving safety culture. However, some common characteristics and practices are emerging that can be adopted by organizations in order to make progress. The paper refers to some approaches that have been successful in a number of countries. The experience of the international nuclear industry in the development and improvement of safety culture could be extended and found useful in other nuclear activities, irrespective of scale. The examples given of specific practice cover a wide range of activities including analysis of events, the regulatory approach on safety culture, employee participation and safety performance measures. Many of these practices may be relevant to smaller organizations and could contribute to improving safety culture, whatever the size of the organization. The most effective approach is to pursue a range of practices that can be mutually supportive in the development of a progressive safety culture, supported by professional standards, organizational and management commitment. Some guidance is also given on the assessment of safety culture and on the detection of a weakening safety culture. Few suggestions for accelerating the safety culture development and improvement process are also provided. (author)

Development of the KINS Safety Culture Maturity Model for Self and Independent Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheen, C.; Choi, Y.S.

2016-01-01

Safety culture of an organization is cultivated and affected not only by societal and regulatory environment of the organization, but by its philosophies, policies, events and activities experienced in the process of accomplishing its mission. The safety culture would be continuously changed by the interactions between its members along with time as an organic entity. In order to perform a systematic self- or independent assessment of safety culture, a safety culture assessment model (SCAM) properly reflecting cultural characteristics should be necessary. In addition, a SCAM should be helpful not only to establish correct directions, goals, and strategies for safety culture development, but should anticipating obstacles against safety culture development in the implementation process derived from the assessment. In practical terms, a SCAM should be useful for deriving effective guidelines and implementing of corrective action programs for the evaluated organization. Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) performed a research project for six years to develop a SCAM satisfying the above prerequisites for self- and independent assessment. The KINS SCAM was developed based on the five stage safety culture maturity model proposed by Professor Patrick Hudson and was modified into four stages to reflect existing safety culture assessment experiences at Korean nuclear power plants. In order to define the change mechanism of safety culture for development and reversion, the change model proposed by Prochaska and DiClemente was introduced into KINS SCAM and developed into the Spiral Change Model.

[Culture and quality of life assessment in Chinese populations].

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Ping; Li, Ning-Xiu; Liu, Chao-Jie; Lü, Yu-Bo; Zhang, Qiang; Ou, Ai-Hua

2010-07-01

To investigate the impact of cultural factors on quality of life (QOL) and to identify appropriate ways of dividing sub-populations for population norm-based quality of life assessment. The WHOQOL-BREF was used as a QOL instrument. Another questionnaire was developed to assess cultural values. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 1090 Guangzhou residents, which included 635 respondents from communities and 455 patients who visited outpatient departments of hospitals. Cronbach's a coefficients and item-domain correlation coefficients were calculated to test the reliability and validity of the WHOQOL-BREF, respectively. Student t test, ANOVA and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were performed to identify the variables that might have an impact on the QOL. Two regression models with and without including cultural variables were constructed, and the extent of impact exerted by the cultural factors was assessed through a comparison of the change of adjusted R square values. A total of 1052 (96%) valid questionnaire were returned. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the WHOQOL-BREF ranged from 0.67 to 0.78. Age, education, occupation and family income were correlated with all of the domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. Chronic condition was correlated with physical, psychological, and social relationship domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. Gender was correlated with physical and psychological domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. The multiple regression analysis showed that social and demographic factors contributed to 6.3%, 13.6%, 10.4% and 8.7% of the predicted variances for the physical, psychological, social relationship, and environment domains, respectively. Social support, horizontal collectivism, vertical individualism, escape acceptance, fear of death, health value, supernatural belief had a significant impact on QOL. However, social support was the only one factor that had an impact on all of the four QOL domains. It is necessary to divide sub-cultural populations for

The discriminant validity of the culture assessment instrument: A comparison of company sub-cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leo Petkoon

2004-10-01

Full Text Available The primary purpose of this study was to assess the discriminant validity of the Culture Assessment Instrument (CAI; that is to distinguish between company mean sub-culture scores and between mean scores of a target company and that of a norm group. The primary data was obtained by a sample of convenience (N = 593 from a transport organisation. The secondary data of the norm group was constituted by convenience samples (N = 4066 from various companies originating from different industries. The 56 item scores of the CAI were factor analysed on two levels followed by iterative item analyses. Although significant differences were detected between mean culture scores, only a small proportion of the variance in these scores could be attributed to culture differences. On these grounds, the CAI does not possess discriminant validity. Suggestions for improving the CAI were made. Opsomming Die primêre doel van die studie was om die diskriminante geldigheid van die ‘Culture Assessment Instrument’ (CAI te beoordeel; dit is om tussen ondernemings se gemiddelde kultuur-subtelling te onderskei en tussen die gemiddelde tellings van ‘n teiken onderneming en ’n normgroep. Die primêre data is verkry van ’n geleentheidsteekproef (N = 593 uit ’n transport-onderneming. Die sekondêre data van die normgroep is saamgestel uit geleentheidsteekproewe (N = 4066 van verskillende ondernemings afkomstig uit verskeie industrieë. Die 56 itemtellings van die CAI is op twee vlakke gefaktoranaliseer, gevolg deur iteratiewe itemontledings. Ofskoon beduidende verskille tussen gemiddelde kultuurtellings gevind is, kon slegs ’n klein proporsie van die variansie in die tellings aan kultuurverskille toegeskryf word. Op hierdie gronde beskik die CAI nie oor diskriminante geldigheid nie. Voorstelle ter verbetering van die CAI is gemaak.

Validating Culture and Gender-Specific Constructs: A Mixed-Method Approach to Advance Assessment Procedures in Cross-Cultural Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Hitchcock, John H.; Sarkar, Sreeroopa; Nastasi, Bonnie; Burkholder, Gary; Varjas, Kristen; Jayasena, Asoka

2006-01-01

Despite on-going calls for developing cultural competency among mental health practitioners, few assessment instruments consider cultural variation in psychological constructs. To meet the challenge of developing measures for minority and international students, it is necessary to account for the influence culture may have on the latent constructs…

Using Tradtional Ecological Knowledge to Protect Wetlands: the Swinomish Tribe's Wetland Cultural Assessment Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, T.

2017-12-01

"Traditional" wetland physical assessment modules do not adequately identify Tribal cultural values of wetlands and thus wetlands may not be adequately protected for cultural uses. This Swinomish Wetlands Cultural Assessment Project has developed a cultural resource scoring module that can be incorporated into wetland assessments to better inform wetland protections. Local native knowledge was gathered about the traditional uses of 99 native wetland plant species. A cultural scoring matrix was developed based on the presence of traditionally used plants in several use categories including: construction, ceremonial, subsistence, medicinal, common use, plant rarity, and place of value for each wetland. The combined score of the cultural and physcial modules provides an overall wetland score that relates to proscribed buffer protection widths. With this local native knowledge incorporated into wetland assessments, we are protecting and preserving Swinomish Reservation wetlands for both cultural uses and ecological functionality through the Tribe's wetland protection law.

Crossing the cultural divide: issues in translation, mistrust, and cocreation of meaning in cross-cultural therapeutic assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Audrey; Almeida, Angelica; Macdonald, Heather

2012-01-01

This article examines cross-cultural therapeutic assessment in a community mental health clinic. The first case describes the work between a Caucasian assessor and a Mexican American family. The authors explore the metaphorical and literal translation of the findings from English to Spanish and the parallel process of translation of the self, experienced by both assessor and client. The second case describes the work between a Caucasian assessor and an African American adolescent. We describe the inherent challenge between the Eurocentric "task" orientation of the evaluation and the Afrocentric "relationship" orientation. We suggest that bridging the gap between cultures and overcoming cultural mistrust lay in the building of the assessor-client relationship. Fischer's concepts of rapport and intimacy are emphasized and expanded on as we emphasize the importance of cocreated meaning in cross-cultural assessment work.

A tool for assessing cultural competence training in dental education.

Science.gov (United States)

Holyfield, Lavern J; Miller, Barbara H

2013-08-01

Policies exist to promote fairness and equal access to opportunities and services that address basic human needs of all U.S. citizens. Nonetheless, health disparities continue to persist among certain subpopulations, including those of racial, ethnic, geographic, socioeconomic, and other cultural identity groups. The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) has added standards to address this concern. According to the most recent standards, adopted in 2010 for implementation in July 2013, CODA stipulates that "students should learn about factors and practices associated with disparities in health." Thus, it is imperative that dental schools develop strategies to comply with this addition. One key strategy for compliance is the inclusion of cultural competence training in the dental curriculum. A survey, the Dental Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (D-TACCT), based on the Association of American Medical Colleges' Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT), was sent to the academic deans at seventy-one U.S. and Canadian dental schools to determine best practices for cultural competence training. The survey was completed by thirty-seven individuals, for a 52 percent response rate. This article describes the use of this survey as a guide for developing culturally competent strategies and enhancing cultural competence training in dental schools.

Developing a Model for Assessing Public Culture Indicators at Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meisam Latifi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The present study is aimed to develop a model for assessing public culture at universities and evaluating its indicators at public universities in Mashhad. The research follows an exploratory mixed approach. Research strategies in qualitative and quantitative sections are thematic networks analysis and descriptive- survey method, respectively. In the qualitative section, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with cultural experts are used as research tools. In this section, targeted sampling is carried out. In the quantitative section, a questionnaire which is developed based on the findings of the qualitative section is used as the research tool. Research population of the quantitative section consists of all the students who are admitted to public universities in Mashhad between 2009 and 2012. Sample size was calculated according to Cochran’s formula. Stratified sampling was used to select the sample. The results of the qualitative section led to the identification of 44 basic themes which are referred to as the micro indicators. These themes were clustered into similar groups. Then, 10 organizer themes were identified and recognized as macro indicators. In the next phase, importance factor of each indicator is determined according to the AHP method. The results of the qualitative assessment of indicators at public universities of Mashhad show that the overall cultural index declines during the years the student attends the university. Additionally, the highest correlation exists between national identity and revolutionary identity. The only negative correlations are observed between family and two indicators including social capital and cultural consumption. The results of the present study can be used to assess the state of public culture among university students and also be considered as a basis for assessing cultural planning.

Factors influencing students' receptivity to formative feedback emerging from different assessment cultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harrison, C.J.; Konings, K.D.; Dannefer, E.F.; Schuwirth, L.W.; Wass, V.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Feedback after assessment is essential to support the development of optimal performance, but often fails to reach its potential. Although different assessment cultures have been proposed, the impact of these cultures on students' receptivity to feedback is unclear. This study aimed to

Assessment of Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Obeticholic Acid and Caffeine, Midazolam, Warfarin, Dextromethorphan, Omeprazole, Rosuvastatin, and Digoxin in Phase 1 Studies in Healthy Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Jeffrey E; Eliot, Lise; Parkinson, Andrew; Karan, Sharon; MacConell, Leigh

2017-09-01

Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent and selective farnesoid X receptor agonist, is indicated for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). We investigated the potential drug-drug interaction effect of OCA on metabolic CYP450 enzymes and drug transporters. Five phase 1 single-center, open-label, fixed-sequence, inpatient studies were conducted in healthy adult subjects to evaluate the effect of oral daily doses of 10 or 25 mg OCA on single-dose plasma pharmacokinetics of specific probe substrates for enzymes CYP1A2 (caffeine, R-warfarin), CYP3A (midazolam, R-warfarin), CYP2C9 (S-warfarin), CYP2D6 (dextromethorphan), CYP2C19 (omeprazole), and drug transporters, BCRP/OATP1B1/OATP1B3 (rosuvastatin), and P-gp (digoxin). OCA showed no substantial suppression/inhibition of S-warfarin, digoxin, and dextromethorphan and weak interactions with caffeine, omeprazole, rosuvastatin, and midazolam. The maximal pharmacodynamic responses (E max ) to warfarin-based INR, PT, and aPTT were reduced by 11%, 11%, and 1%, respectively, for the 10-mg dose group and by 7%, 7% and 0%, respectively, for the 25-mg dose group. Overall, drugs dosed in combination with OCA were well tolerated, and most adverse events were mild in severity. No clinically important trends were noted in laboratory evaluations, vital signs, or 12-lead ECGs. In these studies, OCA showed weak to no suppression/inhibition of metabolic enzymes and drug transporters at the highest recommended therapeutic dose in patients with PBC. On the basis on these analyses, monitoring and maintenance of target INR range are required during coadministration of OCA with drugs that are metabolized by CYP1A2 (R-warfarin). Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Assessment of safety culture: Changing regulatory approach in Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ronaky, Jozsef; Toth, Andras

2002-01-01

Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) is changing its inspection practice and assessment methods of safety performance and safety culture in operating nuclear facilities. The new approach emphasises integrated team inspection of safety cornerstones and systematic assessment of safety performance of operators. (author)

The use of environmental impact assessment in protecting the built cultural heritage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flynn, Errol David

2004-01-01

This article examines the application of the environmental impact assessment as a means of protecting the built and cultural heritage during and after the construction of the new national opera house in the Holmen area of Copenhagen. It assesses the affect the new building has had...... on the surrounding built and cultural heritage and examines how the environmental impact assessment was used during the development process....

Statistical analysis applied to safety culture self-assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macedo Soares, P.P.

2002-01-01

Interviews and opinion surveys are instruments used to assess the safety culture in an organization as part of the Safety Culture Enhancement Programme. Specific statistical tools are used to analyse the survey results. This paper presents an example of an opinion survey with the corresponding application of the statistical analysis and the conclusions obtained. Survey validation, Frequency statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov non-parametric test, Student (T-test) and ANOVA means comparison tests and LSD post-hoc multiple comparison test, are discussed. (author)

Culture and Early Language Development: Implications for Assessment and Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Parada, Patricia M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study--"Culture and Early Language Development: Implications for Assessment and Intervention"--was to explore and describe the perceptions and beliefs of Salvadoran mothers of low socioeconomic status regarding the language development of their young children in order to identify cultural variations in…

An assessment of the impact of organizational culture on employee ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Understanding the dynamism of organizational culture and its relationship to employee performance is very crucial to organizational strategic objectives. The primary aim of this paper is to assessthe impact of organizational culture on employee performance. Literature review and library research are adopted to assess how ...

Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation for isolated patellar cartilage injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Gracitelli, Guilherme C; Meric, Gokhan; Pulido, Pamela A; Görtz, Simon; De Young, Allison J; Bugbee, William D

2015-04-01

The treatment of patellofemoral cartilage injuries can be challenging. Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation has been used as a treatment option for a range of cartilage disorders. To evaluate functional outcomes and survivorship of the grafts among patients who underwent OCA for patellar cartilage injuries. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. An institutional review board-approved OCA database was used to identify 27 patients (28 knees) who underwent isolated OCA transplantation of the patella between 1983 and 2010. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. The mean age of the patients was 33.7 years (range, 14-64 years); 54% were female. Twenty-six (92.9%) knees had previous surgery (mean, 3.2 procedures; range, 1-10 procedures). The mean allograft area was 10.1 cm(2) (range, 4.0-18.0 cm(2)). Patients returned for clinical evaluation or were contacted via telephone for follow-up. The number and type of reoperations were assessed. Any reoperation resulting in removal of the allograft was considered a failure of the OCA transplantation. Patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using the modified Merle d'Aubigné-Postel (18-point) scale, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) pain, function, and total scores, and the Knee Society function (KS-F) score. Patient satisfaction was assessed at latest follow-up. Seventeen of the 28 knees (60.7%) had further surgery after the OCA transplantation; 8 of the 28 knees (28.6%) were considered OCA failures (4 conversions to total knee arthroplasty, 2 conversions to patellofemoral knee arthroplasty, 1 revision OCA, 1 patellectomy). Patellar allografting survivorship was 78.1% at 5 and 10 years and 55.8% at 15 years. Among the 20 knees (71.4%) with grafts in situ, the mean follow-up duration was 9.7 years (range, 1.8-30.1 years). Pain and function improved from the preoperative visit to latest follow-up, and 89% of patients were extremely satisfied or satisfied with the results of the OCA

Regulatory assessment of safety culture in nuclear organisations - current trends and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tronea, M.

2010-01-01

The paper gives an overview of the current practices in the area of regulatory assessment of safety culture in nuclear organisations and of the associated challenges. While the assessment and inspection procedures currently in use by regulatory authorities worldwide are directed primarily at verifying compliance with the licensing basis, there is a recognised need for a more systematic approach to the identification, collection and review of data relevant to the safety culture in licensees' organisations. The paper presents a proposal for using the existing regulatory inspection practices for gathering information relevant to safety culture and for assessing it in an integrated manner. The proposal is based on the latest requirements and guidance issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on management systems for nuclear facilities and activities, particularly as regards the attributes needed for a strong nuclear safety culture. (author)

Innovative Modelling Approach of Safety Culture Assessment in Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, N.

2016-01-01

A culture is commonly defined as the shared set of norms and values that govern appropriate individual behavior. Safety culture is the subset of organizational culture that reflects the general attitude and approaches to safety and risk management. While safety is sometimes narrowly defined in terms of human death and injury, we use a more inclusive definition that also considers mission loss as a safety problem and is thus applicable to nuclear power plants and missions. The recent accident reports and investigations of the nuclear power plant mission failures (i.e., TMI, Chernobyl, and Fukushima) point to safety cultural problems in nuclear power plants. Many assessment approaches have been developed by organizations such as IAEA and INPO based on the assessment of parameters at separate levels — individuals, groups, and organizations.

Clinico-epidemiologic features of oculocutaneous albinism in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the absence or reduced pigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes. To assess the clinico-epidemiologic features of different forms of OCA among Egyptian patients, we performed a retrospective study to determine ...

A randomized trial of obeticholic acid monotherapy in patients with primary biliary cholangitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowdley, Kris V; Luketic, Velimir; Chapman, Roger; Hirschfield, Gideon M; Poupon, Raoul; Schramm, Christoph; Vincent, Catherine; Rust, Christian; Parés, Albert; Mason, Andrew; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Shapiro, David; Adorini, Luciano; Sciacca, Cathi; Beecher-Jones, Tessa; Böhm, Olaf; Pencek, Richard; Jones, David

2018-05-01

Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent farnesoid X receptor agonist, was studied as monotherapy in an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study in patients with primary biliary cholangitis who were then followed for up to 6 years. The goals of the study were to assess the benefit of OCA in the absence of ursodeoxycholic acid, which is relevant for patients who are intolerant of ursodeoxycholic acid and at higher risk of disease progression. Patients were randomized and dosed with placebo (n = 23), OCA 10 mg (n = 20), or OCA 50 mg (n = 16) given as monotherapy once daily for 3 months (1 randomized patient withdrew prior to dosing). The primary endpoint was the percent change in alkaline phosphatase from baseline to the end of the double-blind phase of the study. Secondary and exploratory endpoints included change from baseline to month 3/early termination in markers of cholestasis, hepatocellular injury, and farnesoid X receptor activation. Efficacy and safety continue to be monitored through an ongoing 6-year open-label extension (N = 28). Alkaline phosphatase was reduced in both OCA groups (median% [Q1, Q3], OCA 10 mg -53.9% [-62.5, -29.3], OCA 50 mg -37.2% [-54.8, -24.6]) compared to placebo (-0.8% [-6.4, 8.7]; P OCA improved many secondary and exploratory endpoints (including γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase, conjugated bilirubin, and immunoglobulin M). Pruritus was the most common adverse event; 15% (OCA 10 mg) and 38% (OCA 50 mg) discontinued due to pruritus. OCA monotherapy significantly improved alkaline phosphatase and other biochemical markers predictive of improved long-term clinical outcomes. Pruritus increased dose-dependently with OCA treatment. Biochemical improvements were observed through 6 years of open-label extension treatment. (Hepatology 2018;67:1890-1902). © 2017 The Authors. Hepatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

German Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

Science.gov (United States)

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the German Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the German Language and Culture Nine-year…

Punjabi Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

Science.gov (United States)

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the Punjabi Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the Punjabi Language and Culture Nine-year…

The role of culture and leadership in lean transformation: a review and assessment model

OpenAIRE

Al-Najem, Mohamad; Dhakal, Hom; Bennett, Nick

2012-01-01

This study investigates how the organisational culture and leadership influence the implementation of lean system in organisations. In doing so, organisational culture, leadership and internal issues concerning human resources are incorporated and discussed. The study further explains how an organisation can benefit from assessment of their culture by adopting Lean Culture Assessment Model (LCAM). The Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for lean system and internal as well as external organisatio...

Safety Culture Perceptions in a Collegiate Aviation Program: A Systematic Assessment

OpenAIRE

Adjekum, Daniel Kwasi

2014-01-01

An assessment of the perceptions of respondents on the safety culture at an accredited Part 141 four year collegiate aviation program was conducted as part of the implementation of a safety management system (SMS). The Collegiate Aviation Program Safety Culture Assessment Survey (CAPSCAS), which was modified and revalidated from the existing Commercial Aviation Safety Survey (CASS), was used. Participants were drawn from flight students and certified flight instructors in the program. The sur...

A methodology for a quantitative assessment of safety culture in NPPs based on Bayesian networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Gab; Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A safety culture framework and a quantitative methodology to assess safety culture were proposed. • The relation among Norm system, Safety Management System and worker's awareness was established. • Safety culture probability at NPPs was updated by collecting actual organizational data. • Vulnerable areas and the relationship between safety culture and human error were confirmed. - Abstract: For a long time, safety has been recognized as a top priority in high-reliability industries such as aviation and nuclear power plants (NPPs). Establishing a safety culture requires a number of actions to enhance safety, one of which is changing the safety culture awareness of workers. The concept of safety culture in the nuclear power domain was established in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety series, wherein the importance of employee attitudes for maintaining organizational safety was emphasized. Safety culture assessment is a critical step in the process of enhancing safety culture. In this respect, assessment is focused on measuring the level of safety culture in an organization, and improving any weakness in the organization. However, many continue to think that the concept of safety culture is abstract and unclear. In addition, the results of safety culture assessments are mostly subjective and qualitative. Given the current situation, this paper suggests a quantitative methodology for safety culture assessments based on a Bayesian network. A proposed safety culture framework for NPPs would include the following: (1) a norm system, (2) a safety management system, (3) safety culture awareness of worker, and (4) Worker behavior. The level of safety culture awareness of workers at NPPs was reasoned through the proposed methodology. Then, areas of the organization that were vulnerable in terms of safety culture were derived by analyzing observational evidence. We also confirmed that the frequency of events involving human error

Colección, caracterización y conservación de variabilidad genética de Oca (Oxalis Tuberosa Mol) en agroecosistemas paramunos del departamento de Nariño-Colombia

OpenAIRE

Rosero Alpala, María Gladys

2010-01-01

La oca es uno de los recursos fitogenéticos conservados aun en Colombia por comunidades indígenas. El propósito de este trabajo, por tanto, fue Conocer y conservar la variabilidad genética de Oxalis tuberosa Mol. en agroecosistemas páramunos del Departamento de Nariño (Colombia). Utilizando técnicas de investigación acción-participativa, se realizaron visitas a los resguardos para identificar zonas productoras en los municipios ubicados sobre los 2.500 msnm hasta las áreas de distribución fit...

The Organisational Culture Assessment Inventory: A Metaphorical Analysis in Educational Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinhoff, Carl R.; Owens, Robert G.

1989-01-01

A preliminary analysis of the Organizational Culture Assessment Inventory yielded four root metaphors descriptive of the type of culture likely to be found in public schools: the family, the machine, the circus, and the "little shop of horrors." (10 references) (SI)

Cultural competency assessment tool for hospitals: evaluating hospitals' adherence to the culturally and linguistically appropriate services standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Dreachslin, Janice L; Brown, Julie; Pradhan, Rohit; Rubin, Kelly L; Schiller, Cameron; Hays, Ron D

2012-01-01

The U.S. national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health care provide guidelines on policies and practices aimed at developing culturally competent systems of care. The Cultural Competency Assessment Tool for Hospitals (CCATH) was developed as an organizational tool to assess adherence to the CLAS standards. First, we describe the development of the CCATH and estimate the reliability and validity of the CCATH measures. Second, we discuss the managerial implications of the CCATH as an organizational tool to assess cultural competency. We pilot tested an initial draft of the CCATH, revised it based on a focus group and cognitive interviews, and then administered it in a field test with a sample of California hospitals. The reliability and validity of the CCATH were evaluated using factor analysis, analysis of variance, and Cronbach's alphas. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified 12 CCATH composites: leadership and strategic planning, data collection on inpatient population, data collection on service area, performance management systems and quality improvement, human resources practices, diversity training, community representation, availability of interpreter services, interpreter services policies, quality of interpreter services, translation of written materials, and clinical cultural competency practices. All the CCATH scales had internal consistency reliability of .65 or above, and the reliability was .70 or above for 9 of the 12 scales. Analysis of variance results showed that not-for-profit hospitals have higher CCATH scores than for-profit hospitals in five CCATH scales and higher CCATH scores than government hospitals in two CCATH scales. The CCATH showed adequate psychometric properties. Managers and policy makers can use the CCATH as a tool to evaluate hospital performance in cultural competency and identify and target improvements in hospital policies and practices that undergird the provision

ILK statement about the regulatory authorities' perception of operators' self-assessment of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Over the past few years, German licensing and supervisory authorities have devoted increasing attention to safety management and safety culture issues. At present, German plant operators are introducing systems for self-assessment of the safety culture in their plants, such as the Safety Culture Assessment System developed by VGB Power Tech (VGB-SBS). In its statement, the International Committee on Nuclear Technology (ILK) addresses an effective approach of the authorities in evaluating the self-assessment of safety culture conducted by operators. ILK proposes a total of ten recommendations for evaluating the self-assessment system of the operators by the authority. The regulatory authorities should see to it that the operators establish a self-assessment system for aspects of organization and personnel, and use it continuously. The measures derived from this self-assessment by the operators, and the reasons underlying them, should be discussed with the authorities. In addition to the operators, also the regulatory authorities and the technical expert organizations commissioned by them should carry out self-assessments of their respective supervisory activities, taking into account also special events, such as changes in government, and develop appropriate programs of measures to be taken. In evaluating safety culture, the regulatory authorities should strive to support the activities of operators in improving their safety culture. A spirit of mutual confidence and cooperation should exist between operators and authorities. The recommendations expressed in the statement deliberately leave room for detailed implementation by the parties concerned. (orig.)

Cultural Aspects in Symptomatology, Assessment, and Treatment of Personality Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronningstam, Elsa F; Keng, Shian-Ling; Ridolfi, Maria Elena; Arbabi, Mohammad; Grenyer, Brin F S

2018-03-26

This review discusses cultural trends, challenges, and approaches to assessment and treatment of personality traits and disorders. Specific focus include current developments in the Asian, Italian, Iranian, and Australian societies, as well as the process of acculturation, following moves between cultures with the impact on healthy and disordered personality function. Each culture with its specific history, dimensions, values, and practices influences and gears the individual and family or group in unique ways that affect personality functioning. Similarly, each culture provides means of protection and assimilation as well as norms for acceptance and denunciations of specific behaviors and personality traits. The diagnosis of personality disorders and their treatment need to take into consideration the individual in the context of the culture and society in which they live. Core personality problems, especially emotion dysregulation and interpersonal functioning are specifically influenced by cultural norms and context.

A Methodology To Incorporate The Safety Culture Into Probabilistic Safety Assessments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sunghyun; Kim, Namyeong; Jae, Moosung [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In order to incorporate organizational factors into PSA, a methodology needs to be developed. Using the AHP to weigh organizational factors as well as the SLIM to rate those factors, a methodology is introduced in this study. The safety issues related to nuclear safety culture have occurred increasingly. The quantification tool has to be developed in order to include the organizational factor into Probabilistic Safety Assessments. In this study, the state-of-the-art for the organizational evaluation methodologies has been surveyed. This study includes the research for organizational factors, maintenance process, maintenance process analysis models, a quantitative methodology using Analytic Hierarchy Process, Success Likelihood Index Methodology. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to incorporate the safety culture into PSA for obtaining more objective risk than before. The organizational factor considered in nuclear safety culture might affect the potential risk of human error and hardware-failure. The safety culture impact index to monitor the plant safety culture can be assessed by applying the developed methodology into a nuclear power plant.

A Methodology To Incorporate The Safety Culture Into Probabilistic Safety Assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sunghyun; Kim, Namyeong; Jae, Moosung

2015-01-01

In order to incorporate organizational factors into PSA, a methodology needs to be developed. Using the AHP to weigh organizational factors as well as the SLIM to rate those factors, a methodology is introduced in this study. The safety issues related to nuclear safety culture have occurred increasingly. The quantification tool has to be developed in order to include the organizational factor into Probabilistic Safety Assessments. In this study, the state-of-the-art for the organizational evaluation methodologies has been surveyed. This study includes the research for organizational factors, maintenance process, maintenance process analysis models, a quantitative methodology using Analytic Hierarchy Process, Success Likelihood Index Methodology. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to incorporate the safety culture into PSA for obtaining more objective risk than before. The organizational factor considered in nuclear safety culture might affect the potential risk of human error and hardware-failure. The safety culture impact index to monitor the plant safety culture can be assessed by applying the developed methodology into a nuclear power plant

An approach for risk informed safety culture assessment for Canadian nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.

2010-01-01

One of the most important components of effective safety and risk management for nuclear power stations is a healthy safety culture. DNV has developed an approach for risk informed safety culture assessment that combines two complementary paradigms for safety and risk management: loss prevention - for preventing and intervening in accidents; and critical function management - for achieving safety and performance goals. Combining these two paradigms makes it possible to provide more robust systems for safety management and to support a healthy safety culture. This approach is being applied to safety culture assessment in partnership with a Canadian nuclear utility. (author)

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF OSAI METHODOLOGY IN ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF AN ENGINEERING COMPANY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandra Biletskaya

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This article is intended to generalize and highlight the practical application of certain science-based approaches to assessment of an engineering company’s organizational culture. The OSAI method application has enabled determining the type of the organizational culture existing within a company and the desirable type thereof, i.e. the one which would produce a positive effect on the competitive status of a company, as well as on the utilization of its human resources. This is important because an appropriate level of the organizational culture within a company would enhance the psychological climate within a company and would provide an opportunity for improving its performance. Methodology. In order to attain the goal of our research, it is necessary to diagnose the type of the organizational culture of some selected companies and draw a conclusion as to amendment of their organizational culture. In order to ensure the successful outcome of the corporate organizational culture diagnosing procedure, let us use the OSAI tool to determine the foundation of such culture. This organizational culture assessment tool helps to define the organizational culture which members of a company are to achieve in order to meet the demands and to respond to the dynamic changes in the business environment. The results showed that the assessment of organizational culture using the method made it possible to determine the OSAI required type of organizational culture on the test plants. Practical implications. Definition of recommendation type of organizational culture has enabled the leadership to change the style of his behavior and better motivate the labor collective. Pay attention to the existing problems and improve the psychological atmosphere in the team, as well as improve the efficiency of plant personnel. Value/originality. The data obtained for the four businesses lead to the conclusion that it is the method of evaluation the optimum procedure for

Practitioners, professional cultures, and perceptions of impact assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, Richard K.; Hart, Andrew; Freeman, Claire; Coutts, Brian; Colwill, David; Hughes, Andrew

2012-01-01

The very nature of impact assessment (IA) means that it often involves practitioners from a very wide range of disciplinary and professional backgrounds, which open the possibility that how IA is perceived and practised may vary according to the professional background of the practitioner. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which a practitioner's professional background influences their perceptions of the adequacy of impact assessment in New Zealand under the Resource Management Act (RMA). Information gathered concerned professional affiliations, training, understanding of impact assessment practise, and perceptions of adequacy in relation to impact assessment. The results showed a dominance of a legalistic, operational perspective of impact assessment under the Resource Management Act, across all the main professions represented in the study. However, among preparers of impact assessments there was clear evidence of differences between the four main professional groups – surveyors, planners, engineers and natural scientists – in the way they see the nature and purpose of impact assessment, the practical steps involved, and what constitutes adequacy. Similarly, impact assessment reviewers – predominantly planners and lawyers – showed variations in their expectations of impact assessment depending on their respective professional affiliation. Although in many cases the differences seem to be more of a matter of emphasis, rather than major disputes on what constitutes a good process, even those differences can add up to rather distinct professional cultures of impact assessment. The following factors are seen as leading to the emergence of such professional cultures: different professions often contribute in different ways to an impact assessment, affecting their perception of the nature and purpose of the process; impact assessment training will usually be a secondary concern, compared with the core professional training, which will be

Bone Cysts After Osteochondral Allograft Repair of Cartilage Defects in Goats Suggest Abnormal Interaction Between Subchondral Bone and Overlying Synovial Joint Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Pallante-Kichura, Andrea L.; Cory, Esther; Bugbee, William D.; Sah, Robert L.

2013-01-01

The efficacy of osteochondral allografts (OCA) may be affected by osseous support of the articular cartilage, and thus affected by bone healing and remodeling in the OCA and surrounding host. Bone cysts, and their communication pathways, may be present in various locations after OCA insertion and reflect distinct pathogenic mechanisms. Previously, we analyzed the effect of OCA storage (FRESH, 4°C/14d, 4°C/28d, FROZEN) on cartilage quality in fifteen adult goats after 12 months in vivo. The objectives of this study were to further analyze OCA and contralateral non-operated (Non-Op) CONTROLS from the medial femoral condyle to (1) determine the effect of OCA storage on local subchondral (ScB) and trabecular (TB) bone structure, (2) characterize the location and structure of bone cysts and channels, and (3) assess the relationship between cartilage and bone properties. (1) Overall bone structure after OCA was altered compared to Non-Op, with OCA samples displaying bone cysts, ScB channels, and ScB roughening. ScB BV/TV in FROZEN OCA was lower than Non-Op and other OCA. TB BV/TV in FRESH, 4°C/14d, and 4°C/28d OCA did not vary compared to Non-Op, but BS/TV was lower. (2) OCA contained “basal” cysts, localized to deeper regions, some “subchondral” cysts, localized near the bone-cartilage interface, and some ScB channels. TB surrounding basal cysts exhibited higher BV/TV than Non-Op. (3) Basal cysts occurred (a) in isolation, (b) with subchondral cysts and ScB channels, (c) with ScB channels, or (d) with subchondral cysts, ScB channels, and ScB erosion. Deterioration of cartilage gross morphology was strongly associated with abnormal μCT bone structure. Evidence of cartilage-bone communication following OCA repair may favor fluid intrusion as a mechanism for subchondral cyst formation, while bone resorption at the graft-host interface without affecting overall bone and cartilage structure may favor bony contusion mechanism for basal cyst formation. These

Bone cysts after osteochondral allograft repair of cartilage defects in goats suggest abnormal interaction between subchondral bone and overlying synovial joint tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallante-Kichura, Andrea L; Cory, Esther; Bugbee, William D; Sah, Robert L

2013-11-01

The efficacy of osteochondral allografts (OCAs) may be affected by osseous support of the articular cartilage, and thus affected by bone healing and remodeling in the OCA and surrounding host. Bone cysts, and their communication pathways, may be present in various locations after OCA insertion and reflect distinct pathogenic mechanisms. Previously, we analyzed the effect of OCA storage (FRESH, 4°C/14d, 4°C/28d, FROZEN) on cartilage quality in fifteen adult goats after 12months in vivo. The objectives of this study were to further analyze OCAs and contralateral non-operated (Non-Op) CONTROLS from the medial femoral condyle to (1) determine the effect of OCA storage on local subchondral bone (ScB) and trabecular bone (TB) structure, (2) characterize the location and structure of bone cysts and channels, and (3) assess the relationship between cartilage and bone properties. (1) Overall bone structure after OCAs was altered compared to Non-Op, with OCA samples displaying bone cysts, ScB channels, and ScB roughening. ScB BV/TV in FROZEN OCAs was lower than Non-Op and other OCAs. TB BV/TV in FRESH, 4°C/14d, and 4°C/28d OCAs did not vary compared to Non-Op, but BS/TV was lower. (2) OCAs contained "basal" cysts, localized to deeper regions, some "subchondral" cysts, localized near the bone-cartilage interface, and some ScB channels. TB surrounding basal cysts exhibited higher BV/TV than Non-Op. (3) Basal cysts occurred (a) in isolation, (b) with subchondral cysts and ScB channels, (c) with ScB channels, or (d) with subchondral cysts, ScB channels, and ScB erosion. Deterioration of cartilage gross morphology was strongly associated with abnormal μCT bone structure. Evidence of cartilage-bone communication following OCA repair may favor fluid intrusion as a mechanism for subchondral cyst formation, while bone resorption at the graft-host interface without affecting overall bone and cartilage structure may favor bony contusion mechanism for basal cyst formation. These

Formative Assessment as a Vehicle for Changing Classroom Practice in a Specific Cultural Context

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jingping

2015-01-01

In this commentary, I interpret Xinying Yin and Gayle Ann Buck's collaborative action research from a social-cultural perspective. Classroom implementation of formative assessment is viewed as interaction between this assessment method and the local learning culture. I first identify Yin and Buck's definition of the formative assessment, and then…

Assessing health literacy in the eastern and middle-eastern cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satish Chandrasekhar Nair

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Health literacy is a term employed to assess the ability of people to meet the increasing demands related to health in a rapidly evolving society. Low health literacy can affect the social determinants of health, health outcomes and the use of healthcare services. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey construct to assess health literacy within the context of regional culture. Different socioeconomic status among the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries may restrict, health information access and utilization for those with low literacy. Methods By employing expert panel, Delphi technique, focus group methodologies, and pre-testing using participants (N = 900 from the UAE and India, a survey construct to the Eastern-Middle Eastern cultures was developed. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α and validity using Factor analysis. Kiaser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s tests were used to assess the strength of the relationship among the variables. Results Inclusion of non-health related items were found to be critical in the authentic assessment of health literacy in the Eastern and Middle Eastern population given the influence of social desirability. Thirty-two percentage of the original 19-item construct was eliminated by the focus group for reasons of relevance and impact for the local culture. Field pretesting participants from two countries, indicated overall construct reliability (Cronbach’s α =0.85, validity and consistency (KMO value of 0.92 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant. Conclusion The Eastern-Middle Eastern Adult Health Literacy (EMAHL13, screening instrument is brief, simple, a useful indicator of whether or not a patient can read. It assessespatients’ ability to comprehend by distinguishing between health and non-health related items. The EMAHL13 will be a useful too for the reliable assessment of health literacy in countries, where culture plays a

Assessing health literacy in the eastern and middle-eastern cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Satish Chandrasekhar; Satish, Karthyayani Priya; Sreedharan, Jayadevan; Ibrahim, Halah

2016-08-19

Health literacy is a term employed to assess the ability of people to meet the increasing demands related to health in a rapidly evolving society. Low health literacy can affect the social determinants of health, health outcomes and the use of healthcare services. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey construct to assess health literacy within the context of regional culture. Different socioeconomic status among the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries may restrict, health information access and utilization for those with low literacy. By employing expert panel, Delphi technique, focus group methodologies, and pre-testing using participants (N = 900) from the UAE and India, a survey construct to the Eastern-Middle Eastern cultures was developed. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α and validity using Factor analysis. Kiaser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sampling adequacy and Bartlett's tests were used to assess the strength of the relationship among the variables. Inclusion of non-health related items were found to be critical in the authentic assessment of health literacy in the Eastern and Middle Eastern population given the influence of social desirability. Thirty-two percentage of the original 19-item construct was eliminated by the focus group for reasons of relevance and impact for the local culture. Field pretesting participants from two countries, indicated overall construct reliability (Cronbach's α =0.85), validity and consistency (KMO value of 0.92 and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant). The Eastern-Middle Eastern Adult Health Literacy (EMAHL13), screening instrument is brief, simple, a useful indicator of whether or not a patient can read. It assessespatients' ability to comprehend by distinguishing between health and non-health related items. The EMAHL13 will be a useful too for the reliable assessment of health literacy in countries, where culture plays a significant impact. This will be the first steptowards providing

Clinical and metabolic effects associated with weight changes and obeticholic acid in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hameed, B; Terrault, N A; Gill, R M; Loomba, R; Chalasani, N; Hoofnagle, J H; Van Natta, M L

2018-03-01

In a 72-week, randomised controlled trial of obeticholic acid (OCA) in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), OCA was superior to placebo in improving serum ALT levels and liver histology. OCA therapy also reduced weight. Because weight loss by itself can improve histology, to perform a post hoc analysis of the effects of weight loss and OCA treatment in improving clinical and metabolic features of NASH. The analysis was limited to the 200 patients with baseline and end-of-treatment liver biopsies. Weight loss was defined as a relative decline from baseline of 2% or more at treatment end. Weight loss occurred in 44% (45/102) of OCA and 32% (31/98) of placebo-treated patients (P = 0.08). The NAFLD Activity score (NAS) improved more in those with than without weight loss in both the OCA- (-2.4 vs -1.2, POCA- (-43 vs -34 U/L, P = 0.12) and placebo-treated patients (-29 vs -10 U/L, P = 0.02). However, among those who lost weight, OCA was associated with opposite effects from placebo on changes in alkaline phosphatase (+21 vs -12 U/L, POCA leads to weight loss in up to 44% of patients with NASH, and OCA therapy and weight loss have additive benefits on serum aminotransferases and histology. However, favourable effects of weight loss on alkaline phosphatase, lipids and blood glucose seen in placebo-treated patients were absent or reversed on OCA treatment. These findings stress the importance of assessing concomitant metabolic effects of new therapies of NASH. Clinical trial number: NCT01265498. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Systemic Approach to Culturally Responsive Assessment Practices and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Slee, June

2010-01-01

In an earlier paper, Slee and Keenan demonstrated that it was possible for tertiary education institutions to design culturally responsive assessment procedures that complied with standardised assessment policy. The authors' paper described "Growing Our Own," an initiative between Charles Darwin University and Northern Territory Catholic…

Assessing organisational culture for quality and safety improvement: a national survey of tools and tool use.

Science.gov (United States)

Mannion, R; Konteh, F H; Davies, H T O

2009-04-01

There is growing international interest in managing organisational culture as a lever for healthcare improvement. This has prompted a practical need to understand what instruments and tools exist for assessing cultures in healthcare contexts. The present study was undertaken to determine the culture assessment tools being used in the English NHS and assess their fitness for purpose. Postal questionnaire survey of clinical governance leads in 275 English NHS organisations, with a response rate of 77%. A third of the organisations were currently using a culture assessment instrument to support their clinical governance activity. Although we found a high degree of satisfaction with existing instruments, in terms of ease of use and relevance, there is an immediate practical need to develop new and better bespoke culture assessment tools to bridge the gap between the cultural domains covered by extant instruments and the broader range of concerns of clinical governance managers. There is growing interest in understanding and shaping local cultures in healthcare, which is not yet matched by widespread use of available instruments. Even though extant tools cover many of the most important cultural attributes identified by clinical governance managers, the over-riding focus of tools in use is on safety rather than a holistic assessment of the dimensions of healthcare quality and performance.

Implementing and measuring safety goals and safety culture. 3. Shifting to a Coaching Culture Through a 360-Degree Assessment Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snow, Bruce A.; Maciuska, Frank

2001-01-01

Error-free operation is the ultimate objective of any safety culture. Ginna Training and Operations has embarked on an approach directed at further developing coaching skills, attitudes, and values. To accomplish this, a 360-deg assessment process designed to enhance coaching skills, attitudes, and values has been implemented. The process includes measuring participants based on a set of values and an individual self-development plan based on the feedback from the 360-deg assessment. The skills and experience of the people who make up that culture are irreplaceable. As nuclear organizations mature and generations retire, knowledge and skills must be transferred to the incoming generations without a loss in performance. The application of a 360- deg assessment process can shift the culture to include coaching in a strong command and control environment. It is a process of change management strengthened by experience while meeting the challenge to improve human performance by changing workplace attitudes. At Ginna, training programs and new processes were initiated to pursue the ultimate objective: error-free operation. The overall objective of the programs is to create a common knowledge base and the skill required to consistently incorporate ownership of 'coach and collaborate' responsibility into a strong existing 'command and control' culture. This involves the role of coach; the role of communications; and concept integration, which includes communications, coaching, and team dimensional training (TDT). The overall objective of the processes, TDT and shifting to a coaching culture through the application of a 360-deg assessment process, is to provide guidance for applying the skills learned in the programs. As depicted in Fig. 1, the TDT (a process that identifies 'strengths and challenges') can be greatly improved by applying good communications and coaching practices. As the training programs were implemented, the participants were observed and coached in

Estrogen, Progesterone and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ho Shuk-Mei

2003-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ovarian carcinoma (OCa continues to be the leading cause of death due to gynecologic malignancies and the vast majority of OCa is derived from the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE and its cystic derivatives. Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that steroid hormones, primarily estrogens and progesterone, are implicated in ovarian carcinogenesis. However, it has proved difficult to fully understand their mechanisms of action on the tumorigenic process. New convincing data have indicated that estrogens favor neoplastic transformation of the OSE while progesterone offers protection against OCa development. Specifically, estrogens, particularly those present in ovulatory follicles, are both genotoxic and mitogenic to OSE cells. In contrast, pregnancy-equivalent levels progesterone are highly effective as apoptosis inducers for OSE and OCa cells. In this regard, high-dose progestin may exert an exfoliation effect and rid an aged OSE of pre-malignant cells. A limited number of clinical studies has demonstrated efficacies of antiestrogens, aromatase inhibitors, and progestins alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of OCa. As a result of increased life expectancy in most countries, the number of women taking hormone replacement therapies (HRT continues to grow. Thus, knowledge of the mechanism of action of steroid hormones on the OSE and OCa is of paramount significance to HRT risk assessment and to the development of novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of OCa.

Assessment of Human Performance and Safety Culture at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, Janos; Hadnagy, Lajos

2002-01-01

Evaluation of human performance and safety culture of the personnel at a Nuclear Power Plant is a very important element of the self assessment process. At the Paks NPP a systematic approach to this problem started in the early 90's. The first comprehensive analysis of the human performance of the personnel was performed by the Hungarian Research Institute for Electric Power (VEIKI). The analysis of human failures is also a part of the investigation and analysis of safety related reported events. This human performance analysis of events is carried out by the Laboratory of Psychology of the plant and a supporting organisation namely the Department of Ergonomics and Psychology of the Budapest University of Technical and Economical Sciences. The analysis of safety culture at the Paks NPP has been in the focus of attention since the implementation of the INSAG-4 document started world-wide. In 1993 an IAEA model project namely 'Strengthening Training for Operational Safety' was initiated with a sub-project called 'Enhancement of Safety Culture'. Within this project the first step was the initial assessment of the safety culture level at the Paks NPP. It was followed by some corrective actions and safety culture improvement programme. In 1999 the second assessment was performed in order to evaluate the progress as a result of the improvement programme. A few indicators reflecting the elements of safety culture were defined and compared. The assessment of the safety culture with a survey among the managers was performed in September 2000 and the results are being evaluated at the moment. The intention of the plant management is to repeat the assessment every 2-3 years and evaluate the trend of the indicator. (authors)

Cross-cultural validity of standardized motor development screening and assessment tools: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendonça, Bianca; Sargent, Barbara; Fetters, Linda

2016-12-01

To investigate whether standardized motor development screening and assessment tools that are used to evaluate motor abilities of children aged 0 to 2 years are valid in cultures other than those in which the normative sample was established. This was a systematic review in which six databases were searched. Studies were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria and appraised for evidence level and quality. Study variables were extracted. Twenty-three studies representing six motor development screening and assessment tools in 16 cultural contexts met the inclusion criteria: Alberta Infant Motor Scale (n=7), Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (n=2), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (n=8), Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2nd edition (n=4), Harris Infant Neuromotor Test (n=1), and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd edition (n=1). Thirteen studies found significant differences between the cultural context and normative sample. Two studies established reliability and/or validity of standardized motor development assessments in high-risk infants from different cultural contexts. Five studies established new population norms. Eight studies described the cross-cultural adaptation of a standardized motor development assessment. Standardized motor development assessments have limited validity in cultures other than that in which the normative sample was established. Their use can result in under- or over-referral for services. © 2016 Mac Keith Press.

Assessment of microbial diversity under arid plants by culture ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Capparis deciduas) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) was assessed and defined by culture-dependent and cultureindependent approaches on the basis of 16S rRNA and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The average ...

Assessment of the factors with significant influence on safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farcasiu, M.; Nitoi, M.

2013-01-01

In this paper, a qualitative and a quantitative evaluation of the factors with significant impact on safety culture were performed. These techniques were established and applied in accordance with IAEA standards. In order to show the applicability and opportunity of the methodology a specific case study was prepared: safety culture evaluation for INR Pitesti. The qualitative evaluation was performed using specific developed questionnaires. Through analysis of the completed questionnaires was established the development stage of safety culture at INR. The quantitative evaluation was performed using a guide to rate the influence factors. For each factor was identified the influence (negative or positive) and ranking score was estimated using scoring criteria. The results have emphasized safety culture stages. The paper demonstrates the fact that using both quantitative and qualitative assessment techniques, a practical value of the safety culture concept is given. (authors)

The role of engineering judgement, safety culture, and organizational factors in risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muzumdar, Ajit; Professor, Visiting

1996-01-01

This paper reviews the role of engineering judgement, safety culture, and organizational factors in risk assessment by examining the reasons for human-based error. The need for more emphasis on producing engineers with good engineering judgement is described. The progress in quantifying the role of safety culture and organizational factors in risk assessment studies is summarized

Formative assessment as a vehicle for changing classroom practice in a specific cultural context

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jingping

2015-09-01

In this commentary, I interpret Xinying Yin and Gayle Ann Buck's collaborative action research from a social-cultural perspective. Classroom implementation of formative assessment is viewed as interaction between this assessment method and the local learning culture. I first identify Yin and Buck's definition of the formative assessment, and then analyze the role of formative assessment in the change of local learning culture. Based on the practice of Yin and Buck I emphasize the significance of their "bottom up" strategy to the teachers' epistemological change. I believe that this strategy may provide practicable solutions to current Chinese educational problems as well as a means for science educators to shift toward systematic professional development.

Cross-Cultural Consumer Acceptability and Purchase Intent of Forage-Finished Rib-Eye Steaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrico, Damir Dennis; Wardy, Wisdom; Pujols, Kairy Dharali; Carabante, Kennet Mariano; Jirangrat, Wannita; Scaglia, Guillermo; Janes, Marlene E; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon

2015-10-01

Rib-eye steaks, from 3 forage-finished systems (S1, S2, and S3) and 1 commercial steak (C), either cooked by 1-sided-grilling or 2-sided-grilling, were evaluated for sensory acceptability [overall appearance (ORA) and overall appearance of fat (OAF) for raw steaks; overall appearance (OCA), overall beef aroma (OBA), overall beef flavor (OBF), juiciness, tenderness and overall liking (OL) for cooked steaks] and purchase intent by Hispanic, Asian and U.S. consumers. They also indicated preferred degree of doneness and cooking methods. Cross-cultural differences in preferences and consumer acceptability of rib-eye steaks were observed. Grilling was the most preferred cooking method. Hispanics and Asians preferred medium and/or medium well, while U.S. consumers preferred medium and/or medium rare. For cooked steaks, the population effect was significant for all sensory attributes; Asians generally scored lower than did Hispanics and U.S. consumers. C and S3 generally had higher scores for all sensory attributes across 3 populations. Purchase intent for all forage-finished steaks was higher for Hispanics and U.S. consumers compared to Asians (50.0% to 77.8% compared with 43.2% to 65.9%). Attributes influencing purchase intent of forage-finished steaks differed among populations: tenderness (odds ratio = 1.4) for Hispanics, OCA (odds ratio = 1.5) for Asians, and OBF (odds ratio = 1.3) for U.S. consumers. Overall, this study demonstrated that the type of forage-finished system and ethnic differences influenced sensory acceptability and purchase intent of forage-finished rib-eye steaks. Demand for forage-finished beef has increased worldwide due to its potential health benefits. Little is known regarding the cross-cultural effects on the consumer acceptance of forage-finished beef. We evaluated sensory acceptance and purchase intent of raw and cooked forage-finished rib-eye steaks using Hispanic, Asian, and U.S. (White and African American) populations. This study

The formation and development of corporate culture of learning organization: efficiency assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. O. Tolstykh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In modern conditions of digitalization of the economy, its integration with the policy society questions of formation and development of corporate culture of the learning organisation are of particular relevance. Digital transformation of business dictates the need for the emergence and development of learning organizations, creating and preserving knowledge. In this situation, the openness of issues of assessment of efficiency of processes of formation and development defines the importance of the proposed research. Corporate culture is regarded by most scholars as the most important internal resource of the organization, able to provide her with stability in a crisis and give impetus to the development and transition to qualitatively different levels of the life cycle. This position assumes that a strong corporate culture should be aimed at building a learning organization, able to quickly adapt to changes in the external and internal environment. This article examines the issue of assessment of efficiency of corporate culture; it is shown that in addition to the empirical, sociological methods and qualitative approach to evaluation, is acceptable investment approach. This option appears when you use the aggregate target-oriented and project management methods, which allows in a systematic manner to carry out the formation and development of corporate culture. The assessment should be subject to software development activities and (or development of the corporate culture of a learning organization. In evidence to draw conclusions on the example of agricultural companies, a calculation of the economic efficiency of the program of formation of corporate culture of a learning organization. Calculation of net discounted income, the net present value of the project, profitability index, project profitability, payback period. This confirms the social and economic effects of the proposed program on the formation of corporate culture of independent

Assessing the cultural in culturally sensitive printed patient-education materials for Chinese Americans with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Evelyn Y; Tran, Henrietta; Chesla, Catherine A

2015-01-01

Type 2 diabetes affects Chinese Americans at an alarming rate. To address this health disparity, research in the area of cultural sensitivity and health literacy provides useful guidelines for creating culturally appropriate health education. In this article, we use discourse analysis to examine a group of locally available, Chinese- and English-language diabetes print documents from a surface level and deep structure level of culture. First, we compared these documents to research findings about printed health information to determine whether and how these documents apply current best practices for health literacy and culturally appropriate health communication. Second, we examined how diabetes as a disease and diabetes management is being constructed. The printed materials addressed surface level culture through the use of Chinese language, pictures, foods, and exercises. From a deeper cultural level, the materials constructed diabetes management as a matter of measurement and control that contrasted with previous research suggesting an alternative construction of balance. A nuanced assessment of both surface and deeper levels of culture is essential for creating health education materials that are more culturally appropriate and can lead to increased health literacy and improved health outcomes.

Environment, Safety, and Health Self-Assessment Report, Fiscal Year 2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chernowski, John

2009-02-27

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Self-Assessment Program ensures that Integrated Safety Management (ISM) is implemented institutionally and by all divisions. The Self-Assessment Program, managed by the Office of Contract Assurance (OCA), provides for an internal evaluation of all ES&H programs and systems at LBNL. The functions of the program are to ensure that work is conducted safely, and with minimal negative impact to workers, the public, and the environment. The Self-Assessment Program is also the mechanism used to institute continuous improvements to the Laboratory's ES&H programs. The program is described in LBNL/PUB 5344, Environment, Safety, and Health Self-Assessment Program and is composed of four distinct assessments: the Division Self-Assessment, the Management of Environment, Safety, and Health (MESH) review, ES&H Technical Assurance, and the Appendix B Self-Assessment. The Division Self-Assessment uses the five core functions and seven guiding principles of ISM as the basis of evaluation. Metrics are created to measure performance in fulfilling ISM core functions and guiding principles, as well as promoting compliance with applicable regulations. The five core functions of ISM are as follows: (1) Define the Scope of Work; (2) Identify and Analyze Hazards; (3) Control the Hazards; (4) Perform the Work; and (5) Feedback and Improvement. The seven guiding principles of ISM are as follows: (1) Line Management Responsibility for ES&H; (2) Clear Roles and Responsibilities; (3) Competence Commensurate with Responsibilities; (4) Balanced Priorities; (5) Identification of ES&H Standards and Requirements; (6) Hazard Controls Tailored to the Work Performed; and (7) Operations Authorization. Performance indicators are developed by consensus with OCA, representatives from each division, and Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S) Division program managers. Line management of each division performs the

Egalitarian Sexism: A Kantian Framework for Assessing the Cultural Evolution of Marriage (I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palmquist Stephen R.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This first part of a two-part series exploring implications of the natural differences between the sexes for the cultural evolution of marriage assesses whether Kant should be condemned as a sexist due to his various offensive claims about women. Being antithetical to modern-day assumptions regarding the equality of the sexes, Kant’s views seem to contradict his own egalitarian ethics. A philosophical framework for making cross-cultural ethical assessments requires one to assess those in other cultures by their own ethical standards. Sexism is inappropriate if it exhibits or reinforces a tendency to dominate the opposite sex. Kant’s theory of marriage, by contrast, illustrates how sexism can be egalitarian: given the natural differences between the sexes, different roles and cultural norms help to ensure that females and males are equal. Judged by the standards of his own day and in the context of his philosophical system, Kant’s sexism is not ethically inappropriate.

Cultural Orientations Framework (COF) Assessment Questionnaire in Cross-Cultural Coaching: A Cross-Validation with Wave Focus Styles

OpenAIRE

Rojon, C; McDowall, A

2010-01-01

This paper outlines a cross-validation of the Cultural Orientations Framework assessment questionnaire\\ud (COF, Rosinski, 2007; a new tool designed for cross-cultural coaching) with the Saville Consulting\\ud Wave Focus Styles questionnaire (Saville Consulting, 2006; an existing validated measure of\\ud occupational personality), using data from UK and German participants (N = 222). The convergent and\\ud divergent validity of the questionnaire was adequate. Contrary to previous findings which u...

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of an Instrument to Assess Cross-Cultural Competence of Healthcare Professionals (CCCHP)

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhard, Gerda; Knibbe, Ronald A.; von Wolff, Alessa; Dingoyan, Demet; Schulz, Holger; Mösko, Mike

2015-01-01

Background Cultural competence of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is recognized as a strategy to reduce cultural disparities in healthcare. However, standardised, valid and reliable instruments to assess HCPs’ cultural competence are notably lacking. The present study aims to 1) identify the core components of cultural competence from a healthcare perspective, 2) to develop a self-report instrument to assess cultural competence of HCPs and 3) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the new instrument. Methods The conceptual model and initial item pool, which were applied to the cross-cultural competence instrument for the healthcare profession (CCCHP), were derived from an expert survey (n = 23), interviews with HCPs (n = 12), and a broad narrative review on assessment instruments and conceptual models of cultural competence. The item pool was reduced systematically, which resulted in a 59-item instrument. A sample of 336 psychologists, in advanced psychotherapeutic training, and 409 medical students participated, in order to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the CCCHP. Results Construct validity was supported by principal component analysis, which led to a 32-item six-component solution with 50% of the total variance explained. The different dimensions of HCPs’ cultural competence are: Cross-Cultural Motivation/Curiosity, Cross-Cultural Attitudes, Cross-Cultural Skills, Cross-Cultural Knowledge/Awareness and Cross-Cultural Emotions/Empathy. For the total instrument, the internal consistency reliability was .87 and the dimension’s Cronbach’s α ranged from .54 to .84. The discriminating power of the CCCHP was indicated by statistically significant mean differences in CCCHP subscale scores between predefined groups. Conclusions The 32-item CCCHP exhibits acceptable psychometric properties, particularly content and construct validity to examine HCPs’ cultural competence. The CCCHP with its five dimensions offers a comprehensive

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of an Instrument to Assess Cross-Cultural Competence of Healthcare Professionals (CCCHP).

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhard, Gerda; Knibbe, Ronald A; von Wolff, Alessa; Dingoyan, Demet; Schulz, Holger; Mösko, Mike

2015-01-01

Cultural competence of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is recognized as a strategy to reduce cultural disparities in healthcare. However, standardised, valid and reliable instruments to assess HCPs' cultural competence are notably lacking. The present study aims to 1) identify the core components of cultural competence from a healthcare perspective, 2) to develop a self-report instrument to assess cultural competence of HCPs and 3) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the new instrument. The conceptual model and initial item pool, which were applied to the cross-cultural competence instrument for the healthcare profession (CCCHP), were derived from an expert survey (n = 23), interviews with HCPs (n = 12), and a broad narrative review on assessment instruments and conceptual models of cultural competence. The item pool was reduced systematically, which resulted in a 59-item instrument. A sample of 336 psychologists, in advanced psychotherapeutic training, and 409 medical students participated, in order to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the CCCHP. Construct validity was supported by principal component analysis, which led to a 32-item six-component solution with 50% of the total variance explained. The different dimensions of HCPs' cultural competence are: Cross-Cultural Motivation/Curiosity, Cross-Cultural Attitudes, Cross-Cultural Skills, Cross-Cultural Knowledge/Awareness and Cross-Cultural Emotions/Empathy. For the total instrument, the internal consistency reliability was .87 and the dimension's Cronbach's α ranged from .54 to .84. The discriminating power of the CCCHP was indicated by statistically significant mean differences in CCCHP subscale scores between predefined groups. The 32-item CCCHP exhibits acceptable psychometric properties, particularly content and construct validity to examine HCPs' cultural competence. The CCCHP with its five dimensions offers a comprehensive assessment of HCPs' cultural competence, and has the

The Assessment of Athletic Training Students' Knowledge and Behavior to Provide Culturally Competent Care

Science.gov (United States)

Nynas, Suzette Marie

2015-01-01

Context: Culturally competent knowledge and skills are critical for all healthcare professionals to possess in order to provide the most appropriate health care for their patients and clients. Objective: To investigate athletic training students' knowledge of culture and cultural differences, to assess the practice of culturally competent care,…

Psychometric model for safety culture assessment in nuclear research facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nascimento, C.S. do, E-mail: claudio.souza@ctmsp.mar.mil.br [Centro Tecnológico da Marinha em São Paulo (CTMSP), Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2468, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Andrade, D.A., E-mail: delvonei@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN – SP), Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Mesquita, R.N. de, E-mail: rnavarro@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN – SP), Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • A psychometric model to evaluate ‘safety climate’ at nuclear research facilities. • The model presented evidences of good psychometric qualities. • The model was applied to nuclear research facilities in Brazil. • Some ‘safety culture’ weaknesses were detected in the assessed organization. • A potential tool to develop safety management programs in nuclear facilities. - Abstract: A safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants depends not only on technical performance, but also on the people and on the organization. Organizational factors have been recognized as the main causal mechanisms of accidents by research organizations through USA, Europe and Japan. Deficiencies related with these factors reveal weaknesses in the organization’s safety culture. A significant number of instruments to assess the safety culture based on psychometric models that evaluate safety climate through questionnaires, and which are based on reliability and validity evidences, have been published in health and ‘safety at work’ areas. However, there are few safety culture assessment instruments with these characteristics (reliability and validity) available on nuclear literature. Therefore, this work proposes an instrument to evaluate, with valid and reliable measures, the safety climate of nuclear research facilities. The instrument was developed based on methodological principles applied to research modeling and its psychometric properties were evaluated by a reliability analysis and validation of content, face and construct. The instrument was applied to an important nuclear research organization in Brazil. This organization comprises 4 research reactors and many nuclear laboratories. The survey results made possible a demographic characterization and the identification of some possible safety culture weaknesses and pointing out potential areas to be improved in the assessed organization. Good evidence of reliability with Cronbach's alpha

Psychometric model for safety culture assessment in nuclear research facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, C.S. do; Andrade, D.A.; Mesquita, R.N. de

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A psychometric model to evaluate ‘safety climate’ at nuclear research facilities. • The model presented evidences of good psychometric qualities. • The model was applied to nuclear research facilities in Brazil. • Some ‘safety culture’ weaknesses were detected in the assessed organization. • A potential tool to develop safety management programs in nuclear facilities. - Abstract: A safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants depends not only on technical performance, but also on the people and on the organization. Organizational factors have been recognized as the main causal mechanisms of accidents by research organizations through USA, Europe and Japan. Deficiencies related with these factors reveal weaknesses in the organization’s safety culture. A significant number of instruments to assess the safety culture based on psychometric models that evaluate safety climate through questionnaires, and which are based on reliability and validity evidences, have been published in health and ‘safety at work’ areas. However, there are few safety culture assessment instruments with these characteristics (reliability and validity) available on nuclear literature. Therefore, this work proposes an instrument to evaluate, with valid and reliable measures, the safety climate of nuclear research facilities. The instrument was developed based on methodological principles applied to research modeling and its psychometric properties were evaluated by a reliability analysis and validation of content, face and construct. The instrument was applied to an important nuclear research organization in Brazil. This organization comprises 4 research reactors and many nuclear laboratories. The survey results made possible a demographic characterization and the identification of some possible safety culture weaknesses and pointing out potential areas to be improved in the assessed organization. Good evidence of reliability with Cronbach's alpha

Effect of collagen on magnetization transfer contrast assessed in cultured cartilage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Jun; Seo, Gwy-Suk; Karakida, Osamu; Ueda, Hitoshi; Sone, Shusuke; Hiraki, Yuji; Shukunami, Chisa; Moriya, Hiroto.

1996-01-01

We investigated the effect of collagen on magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) in cultured cartilage. In our culture system, only collagen synthesis was increased by the addition of vitamin C, while proteoglycan synthesis and the number of chondrocytes were unaffected. The MTC effect was assessed by using an off-resonance RF pulse (0.3 KHz off-resonance, sinc wave of 18 msec, maximum amplitude 4.61 x 10 -4 T) on a GRASS sequence. The cartilage cultured with vitamin C showed a higher MTC effect than that cultured without vitamin C. The major role of collagen on MTC was confirmed in living cartilage tissue. (author)

Integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment in Nigeria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nzeadibe, Thaddeus Chidi, E-mail: chidi.nzeadibe@unn.edu.ng [Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka (Nigeria); Ajaero, Chukwuedozie Kelechukwu [Demography and Population Studies Programme, The University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg (South Africa); Okonkwo, Emeka Emmanuel; Okpoko, Patrick Uche [Department of Archaeology and Tourism, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka (Nigeria); Akukwe, Thecla Iheoma [Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka (Nigeria); Njoku-Tony, Roseline Feechi [Department of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Nigeria)

2015-11-15

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 1992 aimed to make the environment a central theme in development in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the extent of engagement with local cultures in the Nigerian EIA process is not statutorily guaranteed. While most EIAs in Nigeria have been for oil and gas projects in the Niger Delta, and have focused strongly on the biophysical environment, socio-economic and cultural aspects have remained marginal. The palpable neglect of community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment (SIA) in this region prone to conflict has tended to alienate the people in the decision-making process. Thus, despite claims to compliance with regulatory requirements for EIAs, and numerous purported sustainable development initiatives by international oil companies (IOCs), the region continues to face multiple sustainability challenges. This paper situates local perceptions and cultural diversity in participatory development and canvasses the integration of community perceptions and cultural diversity into SIA in the Niger Delta region. It is argued that doing this would be critical to ensuring acceptance and success of development actions within the context of local culture while also contributing to sustainable development policy in the region. - Highlights: • Nigeria EIA Act aimed to make the environment central to development in Nigeria. • Engagement with local communities in the process is not statutorily guaranteed. • SIAs in Nigeria neglect community perceptions and cultural diversity. • Article canvasses integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in SIA. • Local acceptance in context of culture would yield sustainable development outcomes.

Integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment in Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nzeadibe, Thaddeus Chidi; Ajaero, Chukwuedozie Kelechukwu; Okonkwo, Emeka Emmanuel; Okpoko, Patrick Uche; Akukwe, Thecla Iheoma; Njoku-Tony, Roseline Feechi

2015-01-01

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 1992 aimed to make the environment a central theme in development in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the extent of engagement with local cultures in the Nigerian EIA process is not statutorily guaranteed. While most EIAs in Nigeria have been for oil and gas projects in the Niger Delta, and have focused strongly on the biophysical environment, socio-economic and cultural aspects have remained marginal. The palpable neglect of community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment (SIA) in this region prone to conflict has tended to alienate the people in the decision-making process. Thus, despite claims to compliance with regulatory requirements for EIAs, and numerous purported sustainable development initiatives by international oil companies (IOCs), the region continues to face multiple sustainability challenges. This paper situates local perceptions and cultural diversity in participatory development and canvasses the integration of community perceptions and cultural diversity into SIA in the Niger Delta region. It is argued that doing this would be critical to ensuring acceptance and success of development actions within the context of local culture while also contributing to sustainable development policy in the region. - Highlights: • Nigeria EIA Act aimed to make the environment central to development in Nigeria. • Engagement with local communities in the process is not statutorily guaranteed. • SIAs in Nigeria neglect community perceptions and cultural diversity. • Article canvasses integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in SIA. • Local acceptance in context of culture would yield sustainable development outcomes

Incorporation of Socio-Cultural Values in Damage Assessment Valuations of Contaminated Lands in the Niger Delta

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Victor A. Akujuru

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Damages on contaminated land have been mostly assessed for developments subsisting on the land, neglecting the goods and services derived from the land which possess only socio-cultural values. This paper aims to ascertain the importance of socio-cultural values in the total economic value of contaminated land, drawing from the experience of a coastal community oil spillage in the Niger Delta. The paper examines what constitutes a valuable interest on contaminated land and how socio-cultural factors are valued in the damage assessment process. After reviewing the literature and decided cases, a questionnaire survey was conducted and a sample valuation report was analysed. It is concluded that there exists a socio-cultural interest on contaminated land which professional valuers do not reflect in damage assessment claims. It is recommended that any comprehensive damage assessment requires the incorporation of socio-cultural values in the valuations.

Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument

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Joshua L. Schwarz PhD

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study presents the measurement properties of 5 scales used in the Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument (HPCCI. The HPCCI measures a health care provider’s cultural competence along 5 primary dimensions: (1 awareness/sensitivity, (2 behaviors, (3 patient-centered communication, (4 practice orientation, and (5 self-assessment. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated that the 5 scales were distinct, and within each scale items loaded as expected. Reliability statistics indicated a high level of internal consistency within each scale. The results indicate that the HPCCI effectively measures the cultural competence of health care providers and can provide useful professional feedback for practitioners and organizations seeking to increase a practitioner’s cultural competence.

SCART guidelines. Reference report for IAEA Safety Culture Assessment Review Team (SCART)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The IAEA Director General stressed the role of safety culture in his concluding remarks at the Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety in 2002: 'As we have learned in other areas, it is not enough simply to have a structure; it is not enough to say that we have the necessary laws and the appropriate regulatory bodies. All these are important, but equally important is that we have in place a safety culture that gives effect to the structure that we have developed. To me, effectiveness and transparency are keys. So, it is an issue which I am pleased to see, you are giving the attention it deserves and we will continue to work with you in clarifying, developing and applying safety culture through our programmes and through our technical cooperation activities.' The concept of safety culture was initially developed by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG) after the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Since then the IAEA's perspective of safety culture has expanded with time as its recognition of the complexities of the concept developed. Safety culture is considered to be specific organizational culture in all types of organizations with activities that give rise to radiation risks. The aim is to make safety culture strong and sustainable, so that safety becomes a primary focus for all activities in such organizations, even for those, which might not look safety-related at first. SCART (Safety Culture Assessment Review Team) is a safety review service, which reflects the expressed interest of Members States for methods and tools for safety culture assessment. It is a replacement for the earlier service ASCOT (Assessment of Safety Culture in Organizations Team). The IAEA Safety Fundamentals, Requirements and Guides (Safety Standards) are the basis for the SCART Safety Review Service. The reports of INSAG, identifying important current nuclear safety issues, serve also as references during a SCART mission. SCART missions are based

Approach to assessing local socio-cultural impacts using projections of population growth and composition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldwin, T. E.; Poetsch, R.

1977-08-01

All assessment of future domestic development projects assumes that the problems to be examined have been properly identified and defined before the application of a projection technique. An attempt is made to codify socio-cultural problems mentioned in literature and clarify how existing demographic projection techniques can be applied to assessing the problems. The relationship between changes in local population size and composition induced by in-migration and the potential for socio-cultural incompatibilities is described heuristically. For simplification, the problems expected to emerge from differences in demographic composition are classified into three categories: (1) service needs, such as those for housing, recreation, and education; (2) types of social organizations related to capacities for, or constraints on, reaping the benefits of rapid economic development and social changes (e.g., employment and income); and (3) attitudes, values, and cultural perspectives. These areas of concern are very broad, and quantitative projections of population size and composition are more easily related to the first than to the third. Although demographic projection provides a valuable tool for estimating future social change, the knowledge about cause and effect is not sufficient to support the quantification of socio-cultural impact. Therefore, the projections are used only as relative indicators and the assessments of socio-cultural impact based on them are qualitative only. Therefore, identification and assessment of socio-cultural impacts are a means of developing plans to overcome the expected problems.

School Psychologists and the Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, Desireé; Lasser, Jon; Afifi, Amanda F. M.

2016-01-01

In recent years, school psychologists have increasingly recognized the importance of using valid and reliable methods to assess culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students for special education eligibility. However, little is known about their assessment practices or preparation in this area. To address these questions, a Web-based survey…

FXR agonist obeticholic acid reduces hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a rat model of toxic cirrhosis

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeke, Len; Mannaerts, Inge; Schierwagen, Robert; Govaere, Olivier; Klein, Sabine; Vander Elst, Ingrid; Windmolders, Petra; Farre, Ricard; Wenes, Mathias; Mazzone, Massimiliano; Nevens, Frederik; van Grunsven, Leo A.; Trebicka, Jonel; Laleman, Wim

2016-01-01

Hepatic inflammation drives hepatic stellate cells (HSC), resulting in liver fibrosis. The Farnesoid-X receptor (FXR) antagonizes inflammation through NF-κB inhibition. We investigated preventive and therapeutic effects of FXR agonist obeticholic acid (OCA) on hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in toxic cirrhotic rats. Cirrhosis was induced by thioacetamide (TAA) intoxication. OCA was given during or after intoxication with vehicle-treated rats as controls. At sacrifice, fibrosis, hemodynamic and biochemical parameters were assessed. HSC activation, cell turn-over, hepatic NF-κB activation, pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines were determined. The effect of OCA was further evaluated in isolated HSC, Kupffer cells, hepatocytes and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC). OCA decreased hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis during TAA-administration and reversed fibrosis in established cirrhosis. Portal pressure decreased through reduced intrahepatic vascular resistance. This was paralleled by decreased expression of pro-fibrotic cytokines (transforming growth-factor β, connective tissue growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor β-receptor) as well as markers of hepatic cell turn-over, by blunting effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1). In vitro, OCA inhibited both LSEC and Kupffer cell activation; while HSC remained unaffected. This related to NF-κB inhibition via up-regulated IκBα. In conclusion, OCA inhibits hepatic inflammation in toxic cirrhotic rats resulting in decreased HSC activation and fibrosis. PMID:27634375

A measurement tool to assess culture change regarding patient safety in hospital obstetrical units.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenneth Milne, J; Bendaly, Nicole; Bendaly, Leslie; Worsley, Jill; FitzGerald, John; Nisker, Jeff

2010-06-01

Clinical error in acute care hospitals can only be addressed by developing a culture of safety. We sought to develop a cultural assessment survey (CAS) to assess patient safety culture change in obstetrical units. Interview prompts and a preliminary questionnaire were developed through a literature review of patient safety and "high reliability organizations," followed by interviews with members of the Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (MOREOB) Program of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Three hundred preliminary questionnaires were mailed, and 21 interviews and 9 focus groups were conducted with the staff of 11 hospital sites participating in the program. To pilot test the CAS, 350 surveys were mailed to staff in participating hospitals, and interviews were conducted with seven nurses and five physicians who had completed the survey. Reliability analysis was conducted on four units that completed the CAS prior to and following the implementation of the first MOREOB module. Nineteen values and 105 behaviours, practices, and perceptions relating to patient safety were identified and included in the preliminary questionnaire, of which 143 of 300 (47.4%) were returned. Among the 220 cultural assessment surveys returned (62.9%), six cultural scales emerged: (1) patient safety as everyone's priority; (2) teamwork; (3) valuing individuals; (4) open communication; (5) learning; and (6) empowering individuals. The reliability analysis found all six scales to have internal reliability (Cronbach alpha), ranging from 0.72 (open communication) to 0.84 (valuing individuals). The CAS developed for this study may enable obstetrical units to assess change in patient safety culture.

Safety Management and Safety Culture Self Assessment of Kartini Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syarip, S., E-mail: syarip@batan.go.id [Centre for Accelerator and Material Process Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

2014-10-15

The self-assessment of safety culture and safety management status of Kartini research reactor is a step to foster safety culture and management by identifying good practices and areas for improvement, and also to improve reactor safety in a whole. The method used in this assessment is based on questionnaires provided by the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), then reviewed by experts. Based on the assessment and evaluation results, it can be concluded that there were several good practices in maintaining the safety status of Kartini reactor such as: reactor operators and radiation protection workers were aware and knowledgeable of the safety standards and policies that apply to their operation, readily accept constructive criticism from their management and from the inspectors of regulatory body that address safety performance. As a proof, for the last four years the number of inspection/audit findings from Regulatory Body (BAPETEN) tended to decrease while the reactor utilization and its operating hour increased. On the other hands there were also some comments and recommendations for improvement of reactor safety culture, such as that there should be more frequent open dialogues between employees and managers, to grow and attain a mutual support to achieve safety goals. (author)

Shame as a Cultural Artifact: A Call for Self-Awareness and Reflexivity in Personality Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Aschieri, Filippo

2016-01-01

It has become common for assessors to face therapeutic impasses and dilemmas when practicing within the Therapeutic Assessment (TA) model. This is due to the explicit goal of producing therapeutic changes in clients. In this article the author discusses the importance of assessors being aware of how their clinical practices relate to their assessment outcomes. To enhance such awareness, the author reviews the characteristics of psychological assessment practices as derived from 3 paradigms developed almost 1.5 centuries ago in Europe by the forefathers of psychology as a scientific discipline. Current assessment practices are deeply ingrained in specific cultural, social, and political frameworks originating in these paradigms. Being aware of such a historical and cultural background might help the assessor avoid blindly reenacting the values, norms, and latent relational schemas implied by different assessment methods, and instead use assessment tools as potent aids in the service of clients' change. Finally, the author illustrates how the experience of clients' shame in psychological assessment might also be understood as a by-product of the specific cultural and historical background of certain common assessment practices.

Fresh osteochondral allografts in the knee: comparison of primary transplantation versus transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gracitelli, Guilherme C; Meric, Gokhan; Briggs, Dustin T; Pulido, Pamela A; McCauley, Julie C; Belloti, João Carlos; Bugbee, William D

2015-04-01

In most treatment algorithms, osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is regarded as an alternative salvage procedure when other, previous reparative treatments have failed. To compare the outcomes of a retrospective matched-pair cohort of (1) primary OCA transplantation and (2) OCA transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. An OCA database was used to identify 46 knees that had OCA transplantation performed as a primary treatment (group 1) and 46 knees that underwent OCA transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation (group 2). All patients had a minimum of 2 years' follow-up. Patients in each group were matched for age (±5 years), diagnosis (osteochondral lesion, degenerative chondral lesion, traumatic chondral injury), and graft size (small, 10 cm2). The groups had similar body mass indexes, sex distributions, and graft locations (femoral condyle, patella, and trochlea. The number and type of further surgeries after the OCA transplantation were assessed; failure was defined as any reoperation resulting in removal of the graft. Functional outcomes were evaluated by use of the modified Merle d'Aubigné-Postel (18-point) scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee evaluation form, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS), and the Knee Society function (KS-F) scale. Patient satisfaction, according to a 5-point scale from "extremely satisfied" to "dissatisfied," was recorded at the latest follow-up. Eleven of 46 knees (24%) in group 1 had reoperations, compared with 20 of 46 knees (44%) in group 2 (P = .04). The OCA was classified as a failure in 5 knees (11%) in group 1 and 7 knees (15%) in group 2 (P = .53). At 10 years of follow-up, survivorship of the graft was 87.4% and 86% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Both groups showed improvement in pain and function on all subjective scores from preoperatively to the latest follow

Sinergismo entre el cloruro de sodio, sacarosa y fosfato tricálcico en la deshidratación osmótica de oca (Oxalis tuberosa con y sin recubrimiento de Quitosano

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José Arroyo Portal

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Se investigó el efecto sinérgico de tres solutos (cloruro de sodio, sacarosa, y fosfato tricálcico en distintas combi naciones de concentración, sobre la humedad, ganancia de sólidos y ganancia de calcio en la deshidratación osmótica de oca ( Oxalis tuberosa con y sin recubrimiento de quitosano (CR y SR. En ambos casos se aplicó un diseño de mezclas Simplex con Centroide Ampliado. Se utilizaron cilindros de oca de 0.9 cm de diámetro y 3.4 cm de longitud. S e evaluó la cinética de la humedad, ganancia de sólidos y ganancia de calcio durante 48 horas . S e determinó la difusividad efectiva del agua, sólidos y calcio. Se encont ró que en muestras CR hay mayor pérdida de agua y menor ganancia de sólidos comparado con las muestras SR, principalmente cuando el cloruro de sodio o sacarosa participa independientemente, en tanto que para la ganancia de calcio , en todos los casos, las m uestras CR ganan mayor cantidad de calcio que las muestras SR. L as difusividades efectivas encontradas fueron: para el agua, 1.19E - 09 m 2 /s en muestras CR y 1.34E - 09 m 2 /s en muestras SR; para los sólidos, 3.67E - 09 m 2 /s en muestras CR y 5.43E - 09 m 2 /s en mues tras SR ; y, para el calcio 3.32E - 11 m 2 /s en muestras CR y 1.57E - 09 m 2 /s en muestras SR.

Family Traditions, Cultural Values, and the Clinician's Countertransference: Therapeutic Assessment of a Young Sicilian Woman.

Science.gov (United States)

Fantini, Francesca

2016-01-01

Despite recent advances in models and instruments to understand the role of a client's cultural background, clinical psychologists are not immune to implicit cultural biases that are potentially damaging to the therapeutic alliance. In this article, I present a Therapeutic Assessment with a young Sicilian woman conducted in a university-based student clinic in Italy. During the assessment, I assumed that because we were both Italians, my client shared my perspective (northern Italian) about family and individual values, which resulted in a therapeutic impasse when I responded on the basis of my individual and culturally shaped view of interpersonal and family relationships without appreciating important differences between my own and my client's microcultures. To overcome the impasse, I had to openly acknowledge such differences and reorient myself to my client's goals. I discuss the core processes involved in such a repair in the context of a cross-cultural psychological assessment.

Assessing cultural competence at a local hospital system in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Polacek, Georgia N L J; Martinez, Rubén

2009-01-01

Cultural competence in health care has come to the forefront with the changing demographics in the United States. Standards have been created by the Office of Minority Health for culturally appropriate health care. This article presents the findings of one hospital system's cultural competency assessment. Employee surveys and patient and physician focus groups were conducted to gain insight into cultural differences and challenges encountered in this system. Statistically significant effects of ethnicity and gender on language skills and awareness, as well as differences in awareness and knowledge by the respondent's employment position, were found. Patient concerns included access to care and respect from staff. The need for cross-cultural education and training for all health care delivery personnel was reinforced. Cultural competency will not be achieved if education, attention to diversity, trained interpreters, and the understanding that social factors have a profound influence on health and health outcomes are not considered.

Un nuevo enfoque de la lectura musical. Análisis literario, musical y didáctico del cuento Mi madre la Oca

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María Isabel de Vicente-Yagüe Jara

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nuestra experiencia docente en las aulas de diferentes niveles educativos nos alerta de la urgente necesidad de replantearnos nuevos enfoques de lectura. Consideramos que los esquemas narrativos tradicionales deben ser enriquecidos y actualizados por medio de diversos códigos que pretendan un motivador acercamiento al hecho literario, iniciativa ya tomada por ciertas colecciones de cuentos a través de una innovadora propuesta musical. En este sentido, analizamos las cualidades didácticas e interartísticas del cuento musical Mi madre la Oca con texto de Fernando Palacios, música de Maurice Ravel e ilustraciones de Alicia Cañas. El diálogo que en el cuento se establece entre los distintos códigos (verbal, musical y gráfico, a partir de las relaciones intertextuales con la cuentística francesa fundamentalmente, da lugar a una triple lectura hipertextual y metaficcional, que aleja al escolar de un tradicional concepto lectoliterario mediante este atractivo formato editorial del libro-CD y procura el desarrollo de su competencia literaria.

Development of an Inventory for Health-Care Office Staff to Self-Assess Their Patient-Centered Cultural Sensitivity

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Carolyn M. Tucker

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Patient-centered culturally sensitive health care (PC-CSHC is a best practice approach for improving health-care delivery to culturally diverse populations and reducing health disparities. Despite patients’ report that cultural sensitivity by health-care office staff is an important aspect of PC-CSHC, the majority of available research on PC-CSHC focuses exclusively on health-care providers. This may be due in part to the paucity of instruments available to assess the cultural sensitivity of health-care office staff. The objective of the present study is to determine the psychometric properties of the Tucker-Culturally Sensitive Health Care Office Staff Inventory-Self-Assessment Form (T-CSHCOSI-SAF. This instrument is designed to enable health-care office staff to self-assess their level of agreement that they display behaviors and attitudes that culturally diverse patients have identified as office staff cultural sensitivity indicators. Methods: A sample of 510 health-care office staff were recruited at 67 health-care sites across the United States. These health-care office staff anonymously completed the T-CSHCOSI-SAF and a demographic data questionnaire. Results and Level of Evidence: Confirmatory factor analyses of the T-CSHCOSI-SAF revealed that this inventory has 2 factors with high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s αs= .916 and .912. Conclusion and Implications: The T-CSHCOSI-SAF is a useful inventory for health-care office staff to assess their own level of patient-centered cultural sensitivity. Such self-assessment data can be used in the development and implementation of trainings to promote patient-centered cultural sensitivity of health-care office staff and to help draw the attention of these staff to displaying patient-centered cultural sensitivity.

International Cultural Immersion: Assessing the Influence of a Group Intervention on Intercultural Sensitivity for Counselor Trainees

Science.gov (United States)

Barden, Sejal M.; Shannonhouse, Laura; Mobley, Keith

2015-01-01

Scholars (e.g., Bemak & Chung, 2004) underscore the need for group workers to be culturally sensitive. One group training strategy, cultural immersion, is often employed to develop cultural sensitivity. However, no studies have utilized quasi-experimental methodologies to assess differences in cultural sensitivity between trainees that immerse…

DNA Variations in Oculocutaneous Albinism: An Updated Mutation List and Current Outstanding Issues in Molecular Diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Simeonov, Dimitre R.; Wang, Xinjing; Wang, Chen; Sergeev, Yuri; Dolinska, Monika; Bower, Matthew; Fischer, Roxanne; Winer, David; Dubrovsky, Genia; Balog, Joan Z.; Huizing, Marjan; Hart, Rachel; Zein, Wadih M.; Gahl, William A.; Brooks, Brian P.; Adams, David R.

2014-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a rare genetic disorder of melanin synthesis that results in hypopigmented hair, skin, and eyes. There are four types of OCA, caused by mutations in TYR (OCA-1), OCA2 (OCA-2), TYRP1 (OCA-3), or SLC45A2 (OCA-4). Here we report 22 novel mutations; 14 from a cohort of 61 patients seen as part of the NIH OCA Natural History Study and 8 from a prior study at the University of Minnesota. We also include a comprehensive list of almost 600 previously reported OCA mutations, along with ethnicity information, carrier frequencies, and in silico pathogenicity predictions. In addition to discussing the clinical and molecular features of OCA, we address the cases of apparent missing heritability. In our cohort, 25% of patients did not have two mutations in a single OCA gene. We demonstrate the utility of multiple detection methods to reveal mutations missed by Sanger sequencing. Finally, we review the TYR p.R402Q temperature sensitive variant and confirm its association with cases of albinism with only one identifiable TYR mutation. PMID:23504663

Mutational Analysis of Oculocutaneous Albinism: A Compact Review

Science.gov (United States)

Kamaraj, Balu

2014-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by either complete lack of or a reduction of melanin biosynthesis in the melanocytes. The OCA1A is the most severe type with a complete lack of melanin production throughout life, while the milder forms OCA1B, OCA2, OCA3, and OCA4 show some pigment accumulation over time. Mutations in TYR, OCA2, TYRP1, and SLC45A2 are mainly responsible for causing oculocutaneous albinism. Recently, two new genes SLC24A5 and C10orf11 are identified that are responsible to cause OCA6 and OCA7, respectively. Also a locus has been mapped to the human chromosome 4q24 region which is responsible for genetic cause of OCA5. In this paper, we summarized the clinical and molecular features of OCA genes. Further, we reviewed the screening of pathological mutations of OCA genes and its molecular mechanism of the protein upon mutation by in silico approach. We also reviewed TYR (T373K, N371Y, M370T, and P313R), OCA2 (R305W), TYRP1 (R326H and R356Q) mutations and their structural consequences at molecular level. It is observed that the pathological genetic mutations and their structural and functional significance of OCA genes will aid in development of personalized medicine for albinism patients. PMID:25093188

Cross-cultural education in U.S. medical schools: development of an assessment tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Peña Dolhun, Eduardo; Muñoz, Claudia; Grumbach, Kevin

2003-06-01

Medical education is responding to an increasingly diverse population and to regulatory and quality-of-care requirements by developing cross-cultural curricula in health care. This undertaking has proved problematic because there is no consensus on what elements of cross-cultural medicine should be taught. Further, less is known about what is being taught. This study hypothesized that a tool could be developed to assess common themes, concepts, learning objectives, and methods in cross-cultural education. In 2001, 31 U.S. medical schools were invited to provide the researchers all written and/or Web-based materials related to implementing cross-cultural competency in their curricula. A tool was developed to measure teaching methods, skill sets, and eight content areas in cross-cultural education. A total of 19 medical schools supplied their curricular materials. There was considerable variation in approaches to teaching and in the content of cross-cultural education across the schools. Most emphasized teaching general themes, such as the doctor-patient relationship, socioeconomic status, and racism. Most also focused on specific cultural information about the ethnic communities they served. Few schools extensively addressed health care access and language issues. This assessment tool is an important step toward developing a standard nomenclature for measuring the success of cross-cultural education curricula. On the national level, the tool can be used to compare program components and encourage the exchange of effective teaching tools by promoting a common language, which will be essential for developing and implementing curricula, for comparing programs, and evaluating their effects on quality of care.

Effects of a team-based assessment and intervention on patient safety culture in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, B; Müller, V; Rochon, J

2014-01-01

Background: The measurement of safety culture in healthcare is generally regarded as a first step towards improvement. Based on a self-assessment of safety culture, the Frankfurt Patient Safety Matrix (FraTrix) aims to enable healthcare teams to improve safety culture in their organisations....... In this study we assessed the effects of FraTrix on safety culture in general practice. Methods: We conducted an open randomised controlled trial in 60 general practices. FraTrix was applied over a period of 9 months during three facilitated team sessions in intervention practices. At baseline and after 12...... months, scores were allocated for safety culture as expressed in practice structure and processes (indicators), in safety climate and in patient safety incident reporting. The primary outcome was the indicator error management. Results: During the team sessions, practice teams reflected on their safety...

Macular pigment optical density spatial distribution measured in a subject with oculocutaneous albinism.

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, Christopher M; Bland, Pauline J

2014-01-01

Previous studies of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) distribution in individuals with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) have primarily used objective measurement techniques including fundus reflectometry and autofluorescence. We report here on a subject with OCA and their corresponding MPOD distribution assessed through heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP). A subject with a history of OCA presented with an ocular history including strabismus surgery of the LE with persistent amblyopia and mild, latent nystagmus. Best corrected visual acuity was 20/25- RE and 20/40- LE. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fundus photography were also obtained. Evaluation of MPOD spatial distribution up to 8 degrees eccentricity from the fovea was performed using HFP. SD-OCT indicated a persistence of multiple inner retinal layers within the foveal region in the RE and LE including symmetric foveal thickening consistent with foveal hypoplasia. Fundus photography showed mild retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) hypopigmentation and a poorly demarcated macula. OriginPro 9 was used to plot MPOD spatial distribution of the subject and a 33-subject sample. The OCA subject demonstrated a foveal MPOD of 0.10 with undetectable levels at 6 degrees eccentricity. The study sample showed a mean foveal MPOD of 0.34 and mean 6 degree eccentricity values of 0.03. Consistent with previous macular pigment (MP) studies of OCA, overall MPOD is reduced in our subject. Mild phenotypic expression of OCA with high functional visual acuity may represent a Henle fiber layer amenable to additional MP deposition. Further study of MP supplementation in OCA patients is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Assessing health literacy in the eastern and middle-eastern cultures

OpenAIRE

Nair, Satish Chandrasekhar; Satish, Karthyayani Priya; Sreedharan, Jayadevan; Ibrahim, Halah

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Health literacy is a term employed to assess the ability of people to meet the increasing demands related to health in a rapidly evolving society. Low health literacy can affect the social determinants of health, health outcomes and the use of healthcare services. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey construct to assess health literacy within the context of regional culture. Different socioeconomic status among the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries may restr...

Assessment of historical and cultural heritage in Lubensky district of Poltava region

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Марина Cторчак

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article assesses available historical and cultural heritage of Lubny district, Poltava region. Among the considered assessment methods of the historical and cultural heritage K. A. Polyvach’s method has been chosen for the study, as it allows to assess the security of an administrative district. According to this method, the provision of rural districts according to the following indicators was carried out: the number of objects and their division into types; concentration of objects calculated on the area of the territory; a modified concentration index. The latter takes into account not only the area, but also the population. The coefficient of objects’ localization, showing the largest number of cultural monuments and the smallest area of rural councils has also been indicated. In Lubensky district, archeological monuments dominate, namely, the fraternal graves and memorial plaques to the fallen heroes of warriors. The disadvantage of this area is the lack of fixed objects of science and technology that would act as a tourist resource. The largest number of historical and cultural heritage objects is concentrated in Vovchytsya, Kalaydenska, Mgarska and Mykhnivska village councils, and the smallest number is in Shershnevsky, Matskiv and Okipsky. In general, it can be said that there are 102 objects in Lubensky area - this is not enough, if you also take into account that their placement is not uniform. In addition to the lowest level of livelihood in Shershnivska, Okipa, Berezivka, Tyshkivska, Vyshchebulatka, Matskivska, Lytvyakivska and Novorikhivska settlement councils there are only monuments of one category, which diminishes their interest among tourists. In the area the most promising for the development of tourism are Mgarska, Vovchytska and Kalaydentsi rural councils, because within them there is an opportunity to build complex tourist routes and, in general, to develop tourist infrastructure, not only because of the large

Safety Culture Assessment Tools in Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Domains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mkrtchyan, L.; Turcanu, C.

2012-01-01

Over the last decades, in many domains especially in high risk industries, the authorities paid increasing attention to safety management systems and, in particular, to safety culture. Consequently, in the applied and academic literature a huge amount of studies explored the main challenges, issues and obstacles related with safety culture. We undertake a survey of safety culture experiences in the main safety-critical industries such as nuclear, railways, offshore, aviation, airlines, health care, etc. We review both academic and applied literature up to the year 2011. Our results help to establish a comprehensive view on the subject, its main terminologies, existing tools, and main difficulties. The purpose of this report is to raise awareness about the current tools of safety culture assessment, both in the nuclear as well as in the non-nuclear domain. The report provides also practical recommendations about the possible use of each tool given different circumstances and different factors. We do not aim to rank the tools pointing the best one, but we highlight instead the unique features of these tools, pointing their strong and weak sides

Safety Culture Assessment Tools in Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Domains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mkrtchyan, L; Turcanu, C

2012-03-15

Over the last decades, in many domains especially in high risk industries, the authorities paid increasing attention to safety management systems and, in particular, to safety culture. Consequently, in the applied and academic literature a huge amount of studies explored the main challenges, issues and obstacles related with safety culture. We undertake a survey of safety culture experiences in the main safety-critical industries such as nuclear, railways, offshore, aviation, airlines, health care, etc. We review both academic and applied literature up to the year 2011. Our results help to establish a comprehensive view on the subject, its main terminologies, existing tools, and main difficulties. The purpose of this report is to raise awareness about the current tools of safety culture assessment, both in the nuclear as well as in the non-nuclear domain. The report provides also practical recommendations about the possible use of each tool given different circumstances and different factors. We do not aim to rank the tools pointing the best one, but we highlight instead the unique features of these tools, pointing their strong and weak sides.

Assessing and improving the safety culture of non-power nuclear installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastin, S.J.; Cameron, R.F.; McDonald, N.R.; Adams, A.; Williamson, A.

2000-01-01

The development and application of safety culture principles has understandably focused on nuclear power plant and fuel cycle facilities and has been based on studies in Europe, North America, Japan and Korea. However, most radiation injuries and deaths have resulted from the mishandling of radioactive sources, inadvertent over-exposure to X-rays and critically incidents, unrelated to nuclear power plant. Within the Forum on Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), Australia has been promoting initiatives to apply safety culture principles across all nuclear and radiation application activities and in a manner that is culturally appropriate for Asian countries. ANSTO initiated a Safety Culture Project in 1996 to develop methods for assessing and improving safety culture at nuclear and radiation installations other than power reactors and to trial these at ANSTO and in the Asian region. The project has sensibly drawn on experience from the nuclear power industry, particularly in Japan and Korea. There has been a positive response in the participating countries to addressing safety culture issues in non-power nuclear facilities. This paper reports on the main achievements of the project. Further goals of the project are also identified. (author)

Are Quests for a “Culture of Assessment” Mired in a “Culture War” Over Assessment? A Q-Methodological Inquiry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larry Baas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The “Assessment Movement” in higher education has generated some of the most wide-ranging and heated discussions that the academy has experienced in a while. On the one hand, accrediting agencies, prospective and current clientele, and the public-at-large have a clear vested interest in ensuring that colleges and universities actually deliver on the student learning outcomes that they promise. Anything less would be tantamount to a failure of institutional accountability if not outright fraud. On the other hand, it is no secret that efforts to foster a “culture of assessment” among institutions of higher learning have frequently encountered resistance, particularly on the part of faculty unconvinced that the aspirations of the assessment movement are in fact achievable. One consequence of this tension is the emergence of an embryonic literature devoted to the study of processes that monitor, enhance, or deter the cultivation of a “culture of assessment” with sufficient buy-in among all institutional stakeholders, faculty included. Despite employment of a wide-ranging host of research methods in this literature, a significant number of large unresolved issues remain, making it difficult to determine just how close to a consensual, culture of assessment we have actually come. Because one critical lesson of extant research in this area is that “metrics matter,” we approach the subjective controversy over outcomes assessment through an application of Q methodology. Accordingly, we comb the vast “concourse” on assessment that has emerged among stakeholders recently to generate a 50 item Q sample representative of the diverse subjectivity at issue. Forty faculty and administrators from several different institutions completed the Q-sort which resulted in two strong factors: the Anti-Assessment Stalwarts and the Defenders of the Faith. Suggestions are offered regarding strategies for reconciling these “dueling narratives” on

Assessing the Development of Cross-Cultural Competence in Soldiers

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

Klein, 1997). Specifically, Cognitive Task Analysis protocols were used in interviews with both subject matter experts and potential end user...populations. Critical incidents elicited were enhanced via Critical Decision Method and Knowledge Audit protocols (Klein, Calderwood & MacGregor, 1989...Total inability to assess cultural encounters *Willing to interact with counterparts *Very slow to “pick up on etiquette issues” *Need

Understanding the Impacts of Quality Assessment: An Exploratory Use of Cultural Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Veiga, Amelia; Rosa, Maria Joao; Amaral, Alberto

2011-01-01

Cultural theory is tentatively used to understand how far quality assessment affects institutions by influencing the group and grid dimensions. This paper argues that the self-assessment phase of the Portuguese system, in use until recently, promoted the egalitarian (logic of mistrusting power and expertise) and the individualist (logic of freedom…

Incorporating cultural competency into the general surgery residency curriculum: a preliminary assessment.

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Chun, Maria B J; Young, Keane G M; Jackson, David S

2009-08-01

In response to the growing diversity of the United States population and concerns with health disparities, formal training in cross-cultural care has become mandatory for all medical specialties, including surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the readiness of a general surgery residency program to incorporate cultural competency initiatives into its curriculum. Eighteen surgical teaching faculty (at a community-based hospital with a university affiliation) voluntarily participated in a qualitative study to share their views on cultural competency and to discuss ways that it could potentially be incorporated into the curriculum. Reflective of current definitions of cultural competency, faculty viewed the term culture broadly (i.e., beyond race and ethnicity). Suggested instructional methods varied, with some noting that exposure to different cultures was helpful. Others stated the importance of faculty serving as role models. Most faculty in this study appear open to cultural training, but desire a clear understanding of what that would entail and how it can be taught. They also acknowledged the lack of time to address cultural issues. Taking into consideration these and other concerns, planned curricular interventions are also presented.

Japanese Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

Science.gov (United States)

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the Japanese Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the Japanese Language and Culture…

Cultural Shifts, Multimodal Representations, and Assessment Practices: A Case Study

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Curwood, Jen Scott

2012-01-01

Multimodal texts involve the presence, absence, and co-occurrence of alphabetic text with visual, audio, tactile, gestural, and spatial representations. This article explores how teachers' evaluation of students' multimodal work can be understood in terms of cognition and culture. When teachers apply a paradigm of assessment rooted in print-based…

Curriculum-Based Language Assessment With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in the Context of Mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Newkirk-Turner, Brandi L; Johnson, Valerie E

2018-04-05

The purpose of this tutorial is to discuss the use of curriculum-based language assessment (CBLA) with students who are English language learners and students who speak nonmainstream varieties of English, such as African American English. The article begins with a discussion of the discourse of mathematics and the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP), followed by a review of studies that includes those that examined the performance of English language learner and nonmainstream dialect-speaking students on word-based math items. The literature review highlights the linguistic and content biases associated with word-based math problems. Useful strategies that SLPs and educators can incorporate in culturally and linguistically appropriate assessments are discussed. The tutorial ends with a discussion of CBLA as a viable assessment approach to use with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Tests used at national, state, and school levels to assess students' math abilities have associated linguistic bias and content bias often leading to an inaccurate depiction of culturally and linguistically diverse students' math skills. CBLA as an assessment method can be used by school-based SLPs to gather valid and useful information about culturally and linguistically diverse students' language for learning math. By using CBLA, SLPs can help modify curricular tasks in broader contexts in an effort to make math, including high-level math, "accessible and achievable for all" students (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2017).

Metabolic Profile of Obeticholic Acid and Endogenous Bile Acids in Rats with Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Roda, A; Aldini, R; Camborata, C; Spinozzi, S; Franco, P; Cont, M; D'Errico, A; Vasuri, F; Degiovanni, A; Maroni, L; Adorini, L

2017-07-01

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is a semisynthetic bile acid (BA) analog and potent farnesoid X receptor agonist approved to treat cholestasis. We evaluated the biodistribution and metabolism of OCA administered to carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rats. This was to ascertain if plasma and hepatic concentrations of OCA are potentially more harmful than those of endogenous BAs. After administration of OCA (30 mg/kg), we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure OCA, its metabolites, and BAs at different timepoints in various organs and fluids. Plasma and hepatic concentrations of OCA and BAs were higher in cirrhotic rats than in controls. OCA and endogenous BAs had similar metabolic pathways in cirrhotic rats, although OCA hepatic and intestinal clearance were lower than in controls. BAs' qualitative and quantitative compositions were not modified by a single administration of OCA. In all the matrices studied, OCA concentrations were significantly lower than those of endogenous BAs, potentially much more cytotoxic. © 2017 The Authors. Clinical and Translational Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Assessing Cultural Readiness of Organization For Successful Implementation of Knowledge Managment, Appling FMCDM Approach: Case of Central Bank of Iran

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Shaban Elahi

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Supportive organizational culture for knowledge management can vouch for successful implementation of knowledge management. In the case of lacking this kind of supportive culture, the organizational culture is one of the obstacles which can lead the implementation of knowledge management to full failure and waste of organizational assets. In this research, a framework based on FMCDM was utilized to assess the cultural readiness of organization as the knowledge management implementation prerequisite. This framework has been utilized to assess Central Bank of Iran’s cultural readiness. The methodology of research was descriptive and research data were gathered by questionnaire and were answered by experts and CBI executives. In this term, the cultural readiness of CBI was assessed and in accordance with this assessment, embarking on corrective action was proposed.

Lesion Size Does Not Predict Outcomes in Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation.

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Tírico, Luis E P; McCauley, Julie C; Pulido, Pamela A; Bugbee, William D

2018-03-01

Cartilage repair algorithms use lesion size to choose surgical techniques when selecting a cartilage repair procedure. The association of fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) size with graft survivorship and subjective patient outcomes is still unknown. To determine if lesion size (absolute or relative) affects outcomes after OCA transplantation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. The study included 156 knees in 143 patients who underwent OCA transplantation from 1998 to 2014 for isolated femoral condyle lesions. The mean age was 29.6 ± 11.4 years, and 62.9% were male. The majority of patients (62.2%) presented for cartilage repair because of osteochondritis dissecans. The mean graft area, used as a surrogate for absolute size of the lesion, was 6.4 cm 2 (range, 2.3-11.5 cm 2 ). The relative size of the lesion was calculated as the tibial width ratio (TWR; ratio of graft area to tibial width) and affected femoral condyle ratio (AFCR; ratio of graft area to affected femoral condyle width) using preoperative radiographs. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Further surgical procedures were documented, and graft failure was defined as revision OCA transplantation or conversion to arthroplasty. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) pain, function, and total scores were obtained. Satisfaction with OCA transplantation was assessed. The mean follow-up among patients with grafts remaining in situ was 6.0 years (range, 1.9-16.5 years). The OCA failure rate was 5.8%. Overall survivorship of the graft was 97.2% at 5 years and 93.5% at 10 years. No difference in postoperative outcomes between groups was found in absolute or relative size. Change in IKDC scores (from preoperative to latest follow-up) was greater for knees with large lesions compared to knees with small lesions, among all measurement methods. Overall satisfaction with the results of OCA transplantation was 89.8%. The size of the lesion, either absolute or relative, does not influence

A Cultural Formulation Approach to Career Assessment and Career Counseling with Asian American Clients

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Leong, Frederick T. L.; Hardin, Erin E.; Gupta, Arpana

2010-01-01

Using the cultural formulations approach to career assessment and career counseling, the current article applies it specifically to Asian American clients. The approach is illustrated by using the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" fourth edition ("DSM-IV") Outline for Cultural Formulations that consists of the following five…

Characterization and improvement of the nuclear safety culture through self-assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levin, H.A.; McGehee, R.B.; Cottle, W.T.

1996-01-01

Organizational culture has a powerful influence on overall corporate performance. The ability to sustain superior results in ensuring the public's health and safety is predicated on an organization's deeply embedded values and behavioral norms and how these affect the ability to change and seek continuous improvement. The nuclear industry is developing increased recognition of the relationship of culture to nuclear safety performance as a critical element of corporate strategy. This paper describes a self-assessment methodology designed to characterize and improve the nuclear safety culture, including processes for addressing employee concerns. This methodology has been successfully applied on more than 30 occasions in the last several years, resulting in measurable improvements in safety performance and quality and employee motivation, productivity, and morale. Benefits and lessons learned are also presented

Design and validation of a questionnaire to assess organizational culture in French hospital wards.

Science.gov (United States)

Saillour-Glénisson, F; Domecq, S; Kret, M; Sibe, M; Dumond, J P; Michel, P

2016-09-17

Although many organizational culture questionnaires have been developed, there is a lack of any validated multidimensional questionnaire assessing organizational culture at hospital ward level and adapted to health care context. Facing the lack of an appropriate tool, a multidisciplinary team designed and validated a dimensional organizational culture questionnaire for healthcare settings to be administered at ward level. A database of organizational culture items and themes was created after extensive literature review. Items were regrouped into dimensions and subdimensions (classification validated by experts). Pre-test and face validation was conducted with 15 health care professionals. In a stratified cluster random sample of hospitals, the psychometric validation was conducted in three phases on a sample of 859 healthcare professionals from 36 multidisciplinary medicine services: 1) the exploratory phase included a description of responses' saturation levels, factor and correlations analyses and an internal consistency analysis (Cronbach's alpha coefficient); 2) confirmatory phase used the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM); 3) reproducibility was studied by a test-retest. The overall response rate was 80 %; the completion average was 97 %. The metrological results were: a global Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.93, higher than 0.70 for 12 sub-dimensions; all Dillon-Goldstein's rho coefficients higher than 0.70; an excellent quality of external model with a Goodness of Fitness (GoF) criterion of 0.99. Seventy percent of the items had a reproducibility ranging from moderate (Intra-Class Coefficient between 50 and 70 % for 25 items) to good (ICC higher than 70 % for 33 items). COMEt (Contexte Organisationnel et Managérial en Etablissement de Santé) questionnaire is a validated multidimensional organizational culture questionnaire made of 6 dimensions, 21 sub-dimensions and 83 items. It is the first dimensional organizational culture questionnaire

Assessing local resources and culture before instituting quality improvement projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, C Matthew

2014-12-01

The planning phases of quality improvement projects are commonly overlooked. Disorganized planning and implementation can escalate chaos, intensify resistance to change, and increase the likelihood of failure. Two important steps in the planning phase are (1) assessing local resources available to aid in the quality improvement project and (2) evaluating the culture in which the desired change is to be implemented. Assessing local resources includes identifying and engaging key stakeholders and evaluating if appropriate expertise is available for the scope of the project. This process also involves engaging informaticists and gathering available IT tools to plan and automate (to the extent possible) the data-gathering, analysis, and feedback steps. Culture in a department is influenced by the ability and willingness to manage resistance to change, build consensus, span boundaries between stakeholders, and become a learning organization. Allotting appropriate time to perform these preparatory steps will increase the odds of successfully performing a quality improvement project and implementing change. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Culture Audit: A Leadership Tool for Assessment and Strategic Planning in Diverse Schools and Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Bustamante, Rebecca M.

2006-01-01

This module is designed to introduce educational leaders to an organizational assessment tool called a "culture audit." Literature on organizational cultural competence suggests that culture audits are a valuable tool for determining how well school policies, programs, and practices respond to the needs of diverse groups and prepare…

A cross-sectional examination of visual acuity by specific type of albinism.

Science.gov (United States)

Winsor, Caitlin Nosanov; Holleschau, Ann M; Connett, John E; Summers, C Gail

2016-10-01

Reports of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in albinism are often based on overlapping clinical phenotypes. BCVA in albinism has been shown to improve with age. This study reports a large cross-sectional investigation to determine whether BCVA differs by specific type of albinism when age-corrected. This retrospective review identified 170 individuals with a specific type of albinism identified by mutation(s) in a gene known to cause albinism (for OCA1, OCA2, and Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome ([HPS]) or a specific phenotype (white hair and no melanin pigment in OCA1A; pigmentary mosaicism in the obligate carriers for males with OA1). We recorded optotype binocular BCVA at final follow-up. Patients were age-grouped (2-5 years, 6-14 years, and ≥15 years) for comparison. The greatest visual acuity deficit was found for OCA1A in all age groups. At age ≥15 years (n = 79), mean BCVA was 20/128 for OCA1A, 20/37 for OCA1B, 20/59 for OCA2, 20/63 for OA1, and 20/121 for HPS. Significant differences between BCVA at ≥15 years were found in the following: OCA1A vs OCA1B, OCA1A vs OCA2, OCA1A vs OA1, OCA1B vs HPS, OCA2 vs HPS, and OA1 vs HPS (P ≤ 0.02). This study provides a large sample size and includes only those with a specific type of albinism. BCVA varies by albinism type, and there is overlap in BCVA, particularly in the younger age groups. For ages ≥15 years, there are significant differences in BCVA between several types of albinism. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oculocutaneous albinism type 1: link between mutations, tyrosinase conformational stability, and enzymatic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinska, Monika B; Kus, Nicole J; Farney, S Katie; Wingfield, Paul T; Brooks, Brian P; Sergeev, Yuri V

2017-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism type 1 (OCA1) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the tyrosinase gene. Two subtypes of OCA1 have been described: severe OCA1A with complete absence of tyrosinase activity and less severe OCA1B with residual tyrosinase activity. Here, we characterize the recombinant human tyrosinase intramelanosomal domain and mutant variants, which mimic genetic changes in both subtypes of OCA1 patients. Proteins were prepared using site-directed mutagenesis, expressed in insect larvae, purified by chromatography, and characterized by enzymatic activities, tryptophan fluorescence, and Gibbs free energy changes. The OCA1A mutants showed very low protein expression and protein yield and are enzymatically inactive. Mutants mimicking OCA1B were biochemically similar to the wild type, but exhibited lower specific activities and protein stabilities. The results are consistent with clinical data, which indicates that OCA1A mutations inactivate tyrosinase and result in severe phenotype, while OCA1B mutations partially inactivate tyrosinase and result in OCA1B albinism. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Assessing Culture and Climate of Federally Qualified Health Centers: A Plan for Implementing Behavioral Health Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Teresa L; Drummond, Karen L; Curran, Geoffrey M; Fortney, John C

2017-01-01

This study examines organizational factors relating to climate and culture that might facilitate or impede the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP) targeting behavioral health in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Employees at six FQHCs participating in an evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) initiative for mood disorders and alcohol abuse were interviewed (N=32) or surveyed using the Organizational Context Survey (OCS) assessing culture and climate (N=64). The FQHCs scored relatively well on proficiency, a previously established predictor of successful EBP implementation, but also logged high scores on scales assessing rigidity and resistance, which may hinder implementation. Qualitative data contextualized scores on FQHC culture and climate dimensions. Results suggest that the unique culture of FQHCs may influence implementation of evidence-based behavioral health interventions.

Universal happiness? Cross-cultural measurement invariance of scales assessing positive mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Bieda, Angela; Hirschfeld, Gerrit; Schönfeld, Pia; Brailovskaia, Julia; Zhang, Xiao Chi; Margraf, Jürgen

2017-04-01

Research into positive aspects of the psyche is growing as psychologists learn more about the protective role of positive processes in the development and course of mental disorders, and about their substantial role in promoting mental health. With increasing globalization, there is strong interest in studies examining positive constructs across cultures. To obtain valid cross-cultural comparisons, measurement invariance for the scales assessing positive constructs has to be established. The current study aims to assess the cross-cultural measurement invariance of questionnaires for 6 positive constructs: Social Support (Fydrich, Sommer, Tydecks, & Brähler, 2009), Happiness (Subjective Happiness Scale; Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999), Life Satisfaction (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), Positive Mental Health Scale (Lukat, Margraf, Lutz, van der Veld, & Becker, 2016), Optimism (revised Life Orientation Test [LOT-R]; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994) and Resilience (Schumacher, Leppert, Gunzelmann, Strauss, & Brähler, 2004). Participants included German (n = 4,453), Russian (n = 3,806), and Chinese (n = 12,524) university students. Confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance testing demonstrated at least partial strong measurement invariance for all scales except the LOT-R and Subjective Happiness Scale. The latent mean comparisons of the constructs indicated differences between national groups. Potential methodological and cultural explanations for the intergroup differences are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The cultural validation of two scales to assess social stigma in leprosy.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Ruth M H; Dadun; Van Brakel, Wim H; Zweekhorst, Marjolein B M; Damayanti, Rita; Bunders, Joske F G; Irwanto

2014-01-01

Stigma plays in an important role in the lives of persons affected by neglected tropical diseases, and assessment of stigma is important to document this. The aim of this study is to test the cross-cultural validity of the Community Stigma Scale (EMIC-CSS) and the Social Distance Scale (SDS) in the field of leprosy in Cirebon District, Indonesia. Cultural equivalence was tested by assessing the conceptual, item, semantic, operational and measurement equivalence of these instruments. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to increase our understanding of the concept of stigma in Cirebon District. A process of translation, discussions, trainings and a pilot study followed. A sample of 259 community members was selected through convenience sampling and 67 repeated measures were obtained to assess the psychometric measurement properties. The aspects and items in the SDS and EMIC-CSS seem equally relevant and important in the target culture. The response scales were adapted to ensure that meaning is transferred accurately and no changes to the scale format (e.g. lay out, statements or questions) of both scales were made. A positive correlation was found between the EMIC-CSS and the SDS total scores (r=0.41). Cronbach's alphas of 0.83 and 0.87 were found for the EMIC-CSS and SDS. The exploratory factor analysis indicated for both scales an adequate fit as unidimensional scale. A standard error of measurement of 2.38 was found in the EMIC-CSS and of 1.78 in the SDS. The test-retest reliability coefficient was respectively, 0.84 and 0.75. No floor or ceiling effects were found. According to current international standards, our findings indicate that the EMIC-CSS and the SDS have adequate cultural validity to assess social stigma in leprosy in the Bahasa Indonesia-speaking population of Cirebon District. We believe the scales can be further improved, for instance, by adding, changing and rephrasing certain items. Finally, we provide suggestions for use with other

The Cultural Validation of Two Scales to Assess Social Stigma in Leprosy

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Ruth M. H.; Dadun; Van Brakel, Wim H.; Zweekhorst, Marjolein B. M.; Damayanti, Rita; Bunders, Joske F. G.; Irwanto

2014-01-01

Background Stigma plays in an important role in the lives of persons affected by neglected tropical diseases, and assessment of stigma is important to document this. The aim of this study is to test the cross-cultural validity of the Community Stigma Scale (EMIC-CSS) and the Social Distance Scale (SDS) in the field of leprosy in Cirebon District, Indonesia. Methodology/principle findings Cultural equivalence was tested by assessing the conceptual, item, semantic, operational and measurement equivalence of these instruments. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to increase our understanding of the concept of stigma in Cirebon District. A process of translation, discussions, trainings and a pilot study followed. A sample of 259 community members was selected through convenience sampling and 67 repeated measures were obtained to assess the psychometric measurement properties. The aspects and items in the SDS and EMIC-CSS seem equally relevant and important in the target culture. The response scales were adapted to ensure that meaning is transferred accurately and no changes to the scale format (e.g. lay out, statements or questions) of both scales were made. A positive correlation was found between the EMIC-CSS and the SDS total scores (r = 0.41). Cronbach's alphas of 0.83 and 0.87 were found for the EMIC-CSS and SDS. The exploratory factor analysis indicated for both scales an adequate fit as unidimensional scale. A standard error of measurement of 2.38 was found in the EMIC-CSS and of 1.78 in the SDS. The test-retest reliability coefficient was respectively, 0.84 and 0.75. No floor or ceiling effects were found. Conclusions/significance According to current international standards, our findings indicate that the EMIC-CSS and the SDS have adequate cultural validity to assess social stigma in leprosy in the Bahasa Indonesia-speaking population of Cirebon District. We believe the scales can be further improved, for instance, by adding, changing and

Assessing Capacity for Providing Culturally Competent Services to LGBT Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Portz, Jennifer Dickman; Retrum, Jessica H.; Wright, Leslie A.; Boggs, Jennifer M.; Wilkins, Shari; Grimm, Cathy; Gilchrist, Kay; Gozansky, Wendolyn S.

2014-01-01

This qualitative, interview-based study assessed the cultural competence of health and social service providers to meet the needs of LGBT older adults in an urban neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, known to have a large LGBT community. Only 4 of the agencies were categorized as “high competency” while 12 were felt to be “seeking improvement” and 8 were considered “not aware.” These results indicate significant gaps in cultural competency for the majority of service providers. Social workers are well-suited to lead efforts directed at improving service provision and care competencies for the older LGBT community. PMID:24798180

Diversity of Termitomyces associated with fungus-farming termites assessed by cultural and culture-independent methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Makonde, Huxley M; Boga, Hamadi I; Osiemo, Zipporah; Mwirichia, Romano; Stielow, J Benjamin; Göker, Markus; Klenk, Hans-Peter

2013-01-01

Fungus-cultivating termites make use of an obligate mutualism with fungi from the genus Termitomyces, which are acquired through either vertical transmission via reproductive alates or horizontally transmitted during the formation of new mounds. Termitomyces taxonomy, and thus estimating diversity and host specificity of these fungi, is challenging because fruiting bodies are rarely found. Molecular techniques can be applied but need not necessarily yield the same outcome than morphological identification. Culture-dependent and culture-independent methods were used to comprehensively assess host specificity and gut fungal diversity. Termites were identified using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) genes. Twenty-three Termitomyces cultures were isolated from fungal combs. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) clone libraries were constructed from termite guts. Presence of Termitomyces was confirmed using specific and universal primers. Termitomyces species boundaries were estimated by cross-comparison of macromorphological and sequence features, and ITS clustering parameters accordingly optimized. The overall trends in coverage of Termitomyces diversity and host associations were estimated using Genbank data. Results indicate a monoculture of Termitomyces in the guts as well as the isolation sources (fungal combs). However, cases of more than one Termitomyces strains per mound were observed since mounds can contain different termite colonies. The newly found cultures, as well as the clustering analysis of GenBank data indicate that there are on average between one and two host genera per Termitomyces species. Saturation does not appear to have been reached, neither for the total number of known Termitomyces species nor for the number of Termitomyces species per host taxon, nor for the number of known hosts per Termitomyces species. Considering the rarity of Termitomyces fruiting bodies, it is suggested to base the future taxonomy of the group mainly on well

Diversity of Termitomyces associated with fungus-farming termites assessed by cultural and culture-independent methods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huxley M Makonde

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Fungus-cultivating termites make use of an obligate mutualism with fungi from the genus Termitomyces, which are acquired through either vertical transmission via reproductive alates or horizontally transmitted during the formation of new mounds. Termitomyces taxonomy, and thus estimating diversity and host specificity of these fungi, is challenging because fruiting bodies are rarely found. Molecular techniques can be applied but need not necessarily yield the same outcome than morphological identification. METHODOLOGY: Culture-dependent and culture-independent methods were used to comprehensively assess host specificity and gut fungal diversity. Termites were identified using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII genes. Twenty-three Termitomyces cultures were isolated from fungal combs. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS clone libraries were constructed from termite guts. Presence of Termitomyces was confirmed using specific and universal primers. Termitomyces species boundaries were estimated by cross-comparison of macromorphological and sequence features, and ITS clustering parameters accordingly optimized. The overall trends in coverage of Termitomyces diversity and host associations were estimated using Genbank data. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results indicate a monoculture of Termitomyces in the guts as well as the isolation sources (fungal combs. However, cases of more than one Termitomyces strains per mound were observed since mounds can contain different termite colonies. The newly found cultures, as well as the clustering analysis of GenBank data indicate that there are on average between one and two host genera per Termitomyces species. Saturation does not appear to have been reached, neither for the total number of known Termitomyces species nor for the number of Termitomyces species per host taxon, nor for the number of known hosts per Termitomyces species. Considering the rarity of Termitomyces fruiting bodies, it is

The Prospects of Creating an Optimum Currency Area among Asean Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yana Valeryevna Dyomina

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The article assesses the prospects of creating an optimum currency area (OCA among ASEAN countries. To ensure sustainability of the creating currency zone, the potential candidate countries should meet the criteria of the OCA theory. At the same time, the present technique of assessing candidate countries implies that they must meet the OCA criteria relative to the «anchor» country. This approach creates the problem of the sensitivity of calculation results to the choice of the anchor country. Thus, the case of the OCA composition with Indonesia as the anchor country is different from the one with Singapore as the anchor country. Author’s modification of the specified technique allows bypassing the mentioned problem. Applying the modified approach to the ASEAN member countries allows concluding that the creation of an optimum currency area in South-East Asia is economically feasible for Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand. The rest of the ASEAN member countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar have not yet reached a high degree of macroeconomic convergence with partners of the integration bloc and even among themselves. Therefore there is a need for a transition period, during which the economies of these three countries can «catch up» the level of the more developed ASEAN member countries

Chemical and biochemical tools to assess pollution exposure in cultured fish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Denise; Zanuy, Silvia; Bebianno, Maria Joao; Porte, Cinta

2008-01-01

There is little information regarding pollutant levels in farmed fish, and the risks associated to consumption. This study was designed to assess levels of exposure to metals, organochlorinated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylphenols (APEs) in farmed sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax from five aquacultures located in Southern Europe. Additionally, several biochemical responses (metallothionein, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, vitellogenin) were determined as complementary tools. The obtained data indicate that pollutants exposure in farmed fish is similar to the levels reported in wild specimens from the area. Nonetheless, some biochemical responses were observed in the studied organisms, viz. metallothionein induction in Cu exposed organisms, and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and vitellogenin induction in PAHs and APEs exposed ones. The study further supports the usefulness of the biomarker approach as a first screening method to discriminate between basal and high levels of exposure in cultured fish. - Pollution assessment in cultured fish: chemical and biochemical tools

Heart-rate sensitive optical coherence angiography for measuring vascular changes due to posttraumatic brain injury in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Tremoleda, Jordi L.; Alvarez, Karl; Aden, Abdirahman; Donnan, Robert; Michael-Titus, Adina T.; Tomlins, Peter H.

2017-12-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in direct vascular disruption, triggering edema, and reduction in cerebral blood flow. Therefore, understanding the pathophysiology of brain microcirculation following TBI is important for the development of effective therapies. Optical coherence angiography (OCA) is a promising tool for evaluating TBI in rodent models. We develop an approach to OCA that uses the heart-rate frequency to discriminate between static tissue and vasculature. This method operates on intensity data and is therefore not phase sensitive. Furthermore, it does not require spatial overlap of voxels and thus can be applied to pre-existing datasets for which oversampling may not have been explicitly considered. Heart-rate sensitive OCA was developed for dynamic assessment of mouse microvasculature post-TBI. Results show changes occurring at 5-min intervals within the first 50 min of injury.

Cross-cultural feigning assessment: A systematic review of feigning instruments used with linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Nijdam-Jones, Alicia; Rosenfeld, Barry

2017-11-01

The cross-cultural validity of feigning instruments and cut-scores is a critical concern for forensic mental health clinicians. This systematic review evaluated feigning classification accuracy and effect sizes across instruments and languages by summarizing 45 published peer-reviewed articles and unpublished doctoral dissertations conducted in Europe, Asia, and North America using linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples. The most common psychiatric symptom measures used with linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples included the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The most frequently studied cognitive effort measures included the Word Recognition Test, the Test of Memory Malingering, and the Rey 15-item Memory test. The classification accuracy of these measures is compared and the implications of this research literature are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Application of fuzzy set theory for safety culture and safety management assessment of Kartini research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syarip; Hauptmanns, U.

2000-01-01

The safety culture status of nuclear power plant is usually assessed through interview and/or discussions with personnel and management in plant, and an assessment of the pertinent documentation. The approach for safety culture assessment described in IAEA Safety Series, make uses of a questionnaire composed of questions which require 'Yes' or 'No' as an answer. Hence, it is basically a check-list approach which is quite common for safety assessments in industry. Such a procedure ignores the fact that the expert answering the question usually has knowledge which goes far beyond a mere binary answer. Additionally, many situations cannot readily be described in such restricted terms. Therefore, it was developed a checklist consisting of questions which are formulated such that they require more than a simple 'yes' or 'no' as an answer. This allows one to exploit the expert knowledge of the analyst appropriately by asking him to qualify the degree of compliance of each of the topics examined. The method presented has proved useful in assessing the safety culture and quality of safety management of the research reactor. The safety culture status and the quality of safety management of Kartini research reactor is rated as 'average'. The method is also flexible and allows one to add questions to existing areas or to introduce new areas covering related topics

Reliability of the one-crossing approximation in describing the Mott transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vildosola, V; Roura-Bas, P; Pourovskii, L V; Manuel, L O

2015-01-01

We assess the reliability of the one-crossing approximation (OCA) approach in a quantitative description of the Mott transition in the framework of the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). The OCA approach has been applied in conjunction with DMFT to a number of heavy-fermion, actinide, transition metal compounds and nanoscale systems. However, several recent studies in the framework of impurity models pointed out serious deficiencies of OCA and raised questions regarding its reliability. Here we consider a single band Hubbard model on the Bethe lattice at finite temperatures and compare the results of OCA to those of a numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method. The temperature-local repulsion U phase diagram for the particle-hole symmetric case obtained by OCA is in good agreement with that of QMC, with the metal–insulator transition captured very well. We find, however, that the insulator to metal transition is shifted to higher values of U and, simultaneously, correlations in the metallic phase are significantly overestimated. This counter-intuitive behaviour is due to simultaneous underestimations of the Kondo scale in the metallic phase and the size of the insulating gap. We trace the underestimation of the insulating gap to that of the second moment of the high-frequency expansion of the impurity spectral density. Calculations of the system away from the particle-hole symmetric case are also presented and discussed. (paper)

Reliability of the one-crossing approximation in describing the Mott transition

Science.gov (United States)

Vildosola, V.; Pourovskii, L. V.; Manuel, L. O.; Roura-Bas, P.

2015-12-01

We assess the reliability of the one-crossing approximation (OCA) approach in a quantitative description of the Mott transition in the framework of the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). The OCA approach has been applied in conjunction with DMFT to a number of heavy-fermion, actinide, transition metal compounds and nanoscale systems. However, several recent studies in the framework of impurity models pointed out serious deficiencies of OCA and raised questions regarding its reliability. Here we consider a single band Hubbard model on the Bethe lattice at finite temperatures and compare the results of OCA to those of a numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method. The temperature-local repulsion U phase diagram for the particle-hole symmetric case obtained by OCA is in good agreement with that of QMC, with the metal-insulator transition captured very well. We find, however, that the insulator to metal transition is shifted to higher values of U and, simultaneously, correlations in the metallic phase are significantly overestimated. This counter-intuitive behaviour is due to simultaneous underestimations of the Kondo scale in the metallic phase and the size of the insulating gap. We trace the underestimation of the insulating gap to that of the second moment of the high-frequency expansion of the impurity spectral density. Calculations of the system away from the particle-hole symmetric case are also presented and discussed.

An open-label, prospective interventional study of the tolerability and efficacy of 0.4 mg oral tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system in men with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia who are unsatisfied with treatment with 0.2 mg tamsulosin.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Pei-Shan; Chen, Chien-Lun; Hou, Chen-Pang; Lin, Yu-Hsiang; Tsui, Ke-Hung

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of switching from 0.2 mg tamsulosin to 0.4 mg tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) over a 12-week period in Taiwanese men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Taiwanese male patients who were dissatisfied with treatment with 0.2 mg tamsulosin were enrolled in this clinical study and switched to 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS. Efficacy was assessed over a 12-week period by an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and analysis of urinary flow by uroflowmetry. A statistically significant improvement was observed in total IPSS scores from baseline (14.94±7.41, moderate) to 12 weeks (7.36±5.77, mild) in 81 patients who were switched from 0.2 to 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS ( P tamsulosin OCAS dose was well tolerated, with only mild dizziness (five patients) and headache (two patients) as the most frequent adverse events. No clinically significant reduction was observed in blood pressure or vital signs. Treatment with 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS in Taiwanese men with LUTS associated with BPH who were dissatisfied with 0.2 mg tamsulosin significantly improved IPSS scores, urinary flow, and QOL and was well tolerated, suggesting that this should be the recommended dose offered to Taiwanese male patients.

Exploring the Culture of Assessment within a Division of Student Affairs

Science.gov (United States)

Julian, Nessa Duque

2013-01-01

The growing calls for accountability within higher education have mobilized student affairs divisions to develop practices that provide evidence of student learning and development. In order to do this effectively student affairs divisions understand the importance of creating, managing, and sustaining a culture of assessment. The purpose of this…

Obeticholic acid protects against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury and inflammation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Da-Gang; Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Jun-Xian; Wang, Bi-Wei; Wang, Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Hui; Chen, Yuan-Hua; Lu, Yan; Tao, Li; Wang, Jian-Qing; Chen, Xi; Xu, De-Xiang

2017-01-01

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that plays important roles in regulating bile acid homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of obeticholic acid (OCA), a novel synthetic FXR agonist, carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced acute liver injury. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with CCl 4 (0.15 ml/kg). In CCl 4 + OCA group, mice were orally with OCA (5 mg/kg) 48, 24 and 1 h before CCl 4 . As expected, hepatic FXR was activated by OCA. Interestingly, OCA pretreatment alleviated CCl 4 -induced elevation of serum ALT and hepatic necrosis. Moreover, OCA pretreatment inhibited CCl 4 -induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Additional experiment showed that OCA inhibits CCl 4 -induced hepatic chemokine gene Mcp-1, Mip-2 and Kc. Moreover, OCA inhibits CCl 4 -induced hepatic pro-inflammatory gene Tnf-α and Il-1β. By contrast, OCA pretreatment elevated hepatic anti-inflammatory gene Il-4. Further analysis showed that OCA pretreatment inhibited hepatic IκB phosphorylation and blocked nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p50 subunits during CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury. In addition, OCA pretreatment inhibited hepatic Akt, ERK and p38 phosphorylation in CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury. These results suggest that OCA protects against CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury and inflammation. Synthetic FXR agonists may be effective antidotes for hepatic inflammation during acute liver injury. - Highlights: • OCA pretreatment activates hepatic FXR. • FXR activation protects against CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury. • FXR activation inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis during CCl 4 -induced liver injury. • FXR activation differentially regulates hepatic inflammatory genes. • Synthetic FXR agonists are effective antidotes for acute liver injury.

Obeticholic acid protects against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury and inflammation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Da-Gang [First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022 (China); Zhang, Cheng [Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032 (China); Wang, Jun-Xian [First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022 (China); Wang, Bi-Wei; Wang, Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Hui; Chen, Yuan-Hua [Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032 (China); Lu, Yan; Tao, Li; Wang, Jian-Qing [Second Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601 (China); Chen, Xi [First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022 (China); Xu, De-Xiang, E-mail: xudex@126.com [Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032 (China)

2017-01-01

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that plays important roles in regulating bile acid homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of obeticholic acid (OCA), a novel synthetic FXR agonist, carbon tetrachloride (CCl{sub 4})-induced acute liver injury. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with CCl{sub 4} (0.15 ml/kg). In CCl{sub 4} + OCA group, mice were orally with OCA (5 mg/kg) 48, 24 and 1 h before CCl{sub 4}. As expected, hepatic FXR was activated by OCA. Interestingly, OCA pretreatment alleviated CCl{sub 4}-induced elevation of serum ALT and hepatic necrosis. Moreover, OCA pretreatment inhibited CCl{sub 4}-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Additional experiment showed that OCA inhibits CCl{sub 4}-induced hepatic chemokine gene Mcp-1, Mip-2 and Kc. Moreover, OCA inhibits CCl{sub 4}-induced hepatic pro-inflammatory gene Tnf-α and Il-1β. By contrast, OCA pretreatment elevated hepatic anti-inflammatory gene Il-4. Further analysis showed that OCA pretreatment inhibited hepatic IκB phosphorylation and blocked nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p50 subunits during CCl{sub 4}-induced acute liver injury. In addition, OCA pretreatment inhibited hepatic Akt, ERK and p38 phosphorylation in CCl{sub 4}-induced acute liver injury. These results suggest that OCA protects against CCl{sub 4}-induced acute liver injury and inflammation. Synthetic FXR agonists may be effective antidotes for hepatic inflammation during acute liver injury. - Highlights: • OCA pretreatment activates hepatic FXR. • FXR activation protects against CCl{sub 4}-induced acute liver injury. • FXR activation inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis during CCl{sub 4}-induced liver injury. • FXR activation differentially regulates hepatic inflammatory genes. • Synthetic FXR agonists are effective antidotes for acute liver injury.

Assessment of patient safety culture in private and public hospitals in Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrieta, Alejandro; Suárez, Gabriela; Hakim, Galed

2018-04-01

To assess the patient safety culture in Peruvian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals, and to test for differences between the private and public healthcare sectors. Patient safety is defined as the avoidance and prevention of patient injuries or adverse events resulting from the processes of healthcare delivery. A non-random cross-sectional study conducted online. An online survey was administered from July to August 2016, in Peru. This study reports results from Lima and Callao, which are the capital and the port region of Peru. A total of 1679 healthcare professionals completed the survey. Participants were physicians, medical residents and nurses working in healthcare facilities from the private sector and public sector. Assessment of the degree of patient safety and 12 dimensions of patient safety culture in hospital units as perceived by healthcare professionals. Only 18% of healthcare professionals assess the degree of patient safety in their unit of work as excellent or very good. Significant differences are observed between the patient safety grades in the private sector (37%) compared to the public sub-sectors (13-15%). Moreover, in all patient safety culture dimensions, healthcare professionals from the private sector give more favorable responses for patient safety, than those from the public sub-systems. The most significant difference in support comes from patient safety administrators through communication and information about errors. Overall, the degree of patient safety in Peru is low, with significant gaps that exist between the private and the public sectors.

Birth prevalence and mutation spectrum in danish patients with autosomal recessive albinism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønskov, Karen; Ek, Jakob; Sand, Annie

2009-01-01

PURPOSE: The study was initiated to investigate the mutation spectrum of four OCA genes and to calculate the birth prevalence in patients with autosomal recessive albinism. METHODS: Mutation analysis using dHPLC or direct DNA sequencing of TYR, OCA2, TYRP1, and MATP was performed in 62 patients....... Two mutations in one OCA gene explained oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) in 44% of the patients. Mutations in TYR were found in 26% of patients, while OCA2 and MATP caused OCA in 15% and 3%, respectively. No mutations were found in TYRP1. Of the remaining 56% of patients, 29% were heterozygous...... for a mutation in either TYR or OCA2, and 27% were without mutations in any of the four genes. Exclusive expression of the mutant allele was found in four heterozygous patients. A minimum birth prevalence of 1 in 14,000 was calculated, based on register data on 218 patients. The proportion of OCA to autosomal...

[Community residential devices associated with Psychiatric Hospital "Dr. Manuel A. Montes De Oca" in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].

Science.gov (United States)

Keena, Cecilia; Rossetto, Jorge; Somoza, Matías; De Lellis, Martín

2017-01-01

The psychiatric hospital "Dr. Manuel A. Montes de Oca" has developed a Program for the Reform of the Model of Attention and Integral Rehabilitation that includes the implantation of community residential devices in the area of influence of the Institution. This program, which aims at the progressive replacement of asylum beds, has been the subject of an evaluative investigation that has included almost all the devices through a transversal and descriptive design, with instruments of survey created by the equipment and in agreement with the References of the Institution. The present article proposes to initiate a set of evaluative works in different dimensions concerning the institutional reform process, describing the antecedents, the objectives and the methodology and development of the study to achieve the general characterization of the devices. The main results of the study are summarized below on a set of aspects that we consider most signifcant for the characterization of the devices: a) Type of users served; B) Coverage of Care; C) Method of approach; D) Use of social and health services; E) Expenses and returns to the Institution; E) Main barriers encountered in the implementation of such devices. The work concludes with a series of proposals that are based on the survey carried out tending to promote the greatest possible sustainability in the implementation of the selected community devices.

Informed reasoning: repositioning of nitisinone to treat oculocutaneous albinism.

Science.gov (United States)

Manga, Prashiela; Orlow, Seth J

2011-10-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a group of genetic disorders characterized by hypopigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes. Affected individuals experience reduced visual acuity and substantially increased skin cancer risk. There are four major types of OCA (OCA1-OCA4) that result from disruption in production of melanin from tyrosine. Current treatment options for individuals with OCA are limited to attempts to correct visual problems and counseling to promote use of sun protective measures. However, Onojafe et al., reporting in this issue of the JCI, provide hope for a new treatment approach for OCA, as they demonstrate that treating mice that model OCA-1b with nitisinone, which is FDA approved for treating hereditary tyrosinemia type 1, elevates plasma tyrosine levels, and increases eye and hair pigmentation.

Primary care units in Emilia-Romagna, Italy: an assessment of organizational culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Pracilio, Valerie P; Keith, Scott W; McAna, John; Rossi, Giuseppina; Brianti, Ettore; Fabi, Massimo; Maio, Vittorio

2014-01-01

This study investigates the organizational culture and associated characteristics of the newly established primary care units (PCUs)-collaborative teams of general practitioners (GPs) who provide patients with integrated health care services-in the Emilia-Romagna Region (RER), Italy. A survey instrument covering 6 cultural dimensions was administered to all 301 GPs in 21 PCUs in the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Parma, RER; the response rate was 79.1%. Management style, organizational trust, and collegiality proved to be more important aspects of PCU organizational culture than information sharing, quality, and cohesiveness. Cultural dimension scores were positively associated with certain characteristics of the PCUs including larger PCU size and greater proportion of older GPs. The presence of female GPs in the PCUs had a negative impact on collegiality, organizational trust, and quality. Feedback collected through this assessment will be useful to the RER and LHAs for evaluating and guiding improvements in the PCUs. © 2013 by the American College of Medical Quality.

Oculocutaneous albinism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brondum-Nielsen Karen

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA is a group of inherited disorders of melanin biosynthesis characterized by a generalized reduction in pigmentation of hair, skin and eyes. The prevalence of all forms of albinism varies considerably worldwide and has been estimated at approximately 1/17,000, suggesting that about 1 in 70 people carry a gene for OCA. The clinical spectrum of OCA ranges, with OCA1A being the most severe type with a complete lack of melanin production throughout life, while the milder forms OCA1B, OCA2, OCA3 and OCA4 show some pigment accumulation over time. Clinical manifestations include various degrees of congenital nystagmus, iris hypopigmentation and translucency, reduced pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium, foveal hypoplasia, reduced visual acuity usually (20/60 to 20/400 and refractive errors, color vision impairment and prominent photophobia. Misrouting of the optic nerves is a characteristic finding, resulting in strabismus and reduced stereoscopic vision. The degree of skin and hair hypopigmentation varies with the type of OCA. The incidence of skin cancer may be increased. All four types of OCA are inherited as autosomal recessive disorders. At least four genes are responsible for the different types of the disease (TYR, OCA2, TYRP1 and MATP. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings of hypopigmentation of the skin and hair, in addition to the characteristic ocular symptoms. Due to the clinical overlap between the OCA forms, molecular diagnosis is necessary to establish the gene defect and OCA subtype. Molecular genetic testing of TYR and OCA2 is available on a clinical basis, while, at present, analysis of TYRP1 and MATP is on research basis only. Differential diagnosis includes ocular albinism, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, Griscelli syndrome, and Waardenburg syndrome type II. Carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis are possible when the disease causing mutations have been

The cultural validation of two scales to assess social stigma in leprosy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, R.M.H.; van Brakel, W.H.; Zweekhorst, M.B.M.; Bunders-Aelen, J.G.F.; Irwanto, I

2014-01-01

Cultural equivalence was tested by assessing the conceptual, item, semantic, operational and measurement equivalence of these instruments. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to increase our understanding of the concept of stigma in Cirebon District. A process of translation, discussions,

Borate mineral assemblages in the system Na2OCaOMgOB2O3H2O

Science.gov (United States)

Christ, C.L.; Truesdell, A.H.; Erd, Richard C.

1967-01-01

he significant known hydrated borate mineral assemblages (principally of the western United States) in the system Na2OCaOz.sbnd;MgOB2O3H2O are expressible in three ternary composition diagrams. Phase rule interpretation of the diagrams is consistent with observation, if the activity of H2O is generally considered to be determined by the geologic environment. The absence of conflicting tie-lines on a diagram indicates that the several mineral assemblages of the diagram were formed under relatively narrow ranges of temperature and pressure. The known structural as well as empirical formulas for the minerals are listed, and the more recent (since 1960) crystal structure findings are discussed briefly. Schematic Gibbs free energy-composition diagrams based on known solubility-temperature relations in the systems Na2B4O7-H2O and Na2B4O7-NaCl-H2O, are highly useful in the interpretation and prediction of the stability relations in these systems; in particular these diagrams indicate clearly that tincalconite, although geologically important, is everywhere a metastable phase. Crystal-chemical considerations indicate that the same thermodynamic and kinetic behavior observed in the Na2B4O7-H2O system will hold in the Ca2B6O11-H2O system. This conclusion is confirmed by the petrologic evidence. The chemical relations among the mineral assemblages of a ternary diagram are expressed by a schematic "activity-activity" diagram. These activity-activity diagrams permit the tracing-out of the paragenetic sequences as a function of changing cation and H2O activities. ?? 1967.

Creative potential: mental well-being impact assessment of the Liverpool 2008 European capital of culture programme.

Science.gov (United States)

West, H M; Scott-Samuel, A

2010-04-01

Culture has a number of potential impacts upon health and well-being. This project was undertaken to assess the potential impacts of the Liverpool 2008 European Capital of Culture programme upon mental well-being, so that positive effects can be maximized and negative impacts reduced, in order that health and well-being are promoted and inequalities are reduced. A mental well-being impact assessment (MWIA) toolkit has been developed, and was piloted in this study. MWIA uses a sequence of procedures designed to systematically assess the effect of projects, programmes and policies upon people's mental well-being and health. The MWIA toolkit was used to explore the potential positive and negative impacts on mental well-being of a sample of projects and policies from the European Capital of Culture programme. This was achieved by asking stakeholders to answer a series of questions, holding participative workshops, constructing a community profile and reviewing the research literature. Recommendations were developed which aim to enhance the impact of the programme on people's mental well-being. As expected, both positive and negative impacts of the European Capital of Culture programme on mental well-being were identified. Fourteen themes were identified as emerging from the workshops, screening and reviewing the research evidence. Based on these data, 33 recommendations were developed by the project steering group and have been presented to the Liverpool Culture Company. The process of conducting the assessment, particularly its participatory nature and its awareness-raising role, had impacts upon mental well-being. The findings demonstrate the potential for the Culture Company programme to have a profound impact upon mental well-being, and highlight areas which could be addressed to optimize the impact of the programme. 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of molecular techniques for the assessment of microorganism diversity on cultural heritage objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Otlewska, Anna; Adamiak, Justyna; Gutarowska, Beata

2014-01-01

As a result of their unpredictable ability to adapt to varying environmental conditions, microorganisms inhabit different types of biological niches on Earth. Owing to the key role of microorganisms in many biogeochemical processes, trends in modern microbiology emphasize the need to know and understand the structure and function of complex microbial communities. This is particularly important if the strategy relates to microbial communities that cause biodeterioration of materials that constitute our cultural heritage. Until recently, the detection and identification of microorganisms inhabiting objects of cultural value was based only on cultivation-dependent methods. In spite of many advantages, these methods provide limited information because they identify only viable organisms capable of growth under standard laboratory conditions. However, in order to carry out proper conservation and renovation, it is necessary to know the complete composition of microbial communities and their activity. This paper presents and characterizes modern techniques such as genetic fingerprinting and clone library construction for the assessment of microbial diversity based on molecular biology. Molecular methods represent a favourable alternative to culture-dependent methods and make it possible to assess the biodiversity of microorganisms inhabiting technical materials and cultural heritage objects.

Identification of Five Novel Variants in Chinese Oculocutaneous Albinism by Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Biyuan; Ma, Tao; Peng, Chunyan; Zheng, Xiaoqin; Yang, Jiyun

2018-04-01

The diagnosis of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is established using clinical signs and symptoms. OCA is, however, a highly genetically heterogeneous disease with mutations identified in at least nineteen unique genes, many of which produce overlapping phenotypic traits. Thus, differentiating genetic OCA subtypes for diagnoses and genetic counseling is challenging, based on clinical presentation alone, and would benefit from a comprehensive molecular diagnostic. To develop and validate a more comprehensive, targeted, next-generation-sequencing-based diagnostic for the identification of OCA-causing variants. The genomic DNA samples from 28 OCA probands were analyzed by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS), and the candidate variants were confirmed through Sanger sequencing. We observed mutations in the TYR, OCA2, and SLC45A2 genes in 25/28 (89%) patients with OCA. We identified 38 pathogenic variants among these three genes, including 5 novel variants: c.1970G>T (p.Gly657Val), c.1669A>C (p.Thr557Pro), c.2339-2A>C, and c.1349C>G (p.Thr450Arg) in OCA2; c.459_470delTTTTGCTGCCGA (p.Ala155_Phe158del) in SLC45A2. Our findings expand the mutational spectrum of OCA in the Chinese population, and the assay we developed should be broadly useful as a molecular diagnostic, and as an aid for genetic counseling for OCA patients.

Assessment of safety culture from the INB organization: A case study for nuclear fuel cycle industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, J.S.; Barreto, A.C.

2002-01-01

The present article describes strategies, methodologies and first results on the Safety Culture Self-assessment Project under way at INB since August 2001. As a Brazilian Government company in charge of the nuclear fuel cycle activities,. the main purposes of the Project is to evaluate the present status of its safety culture and to propose actions to ensure continuous safety improvement at management level of its industrial processes. The proposed safety culture assessment describes INB's various production sites taking into account the different aspects of their activities, such as regional, social and technical issues. The survey was performed in March/2002 very good attendance (about 80%) the employees. The first global survey results are presented in item 4. (author)

Patient safety culture assessment in oman.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mandhari, Ahmed; Al-Zakwani, Ibrahim; Al-Kindi, Moosa; Tawilah, Jihane; Dorvlo, Atsu S S; Al-Adawi, Samir

2014-07-01

To illustrate the patient safety culture in Oman as gleaned via 12 indices of patient safety culture derived from the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) and to compare the average positive response rates in patient safety culture between Oman and the USA, Taiwan, and Lebanon. This was a cross-sectional research study employed to gauge the performance of HSPSC safety indices among health workers representing five secondary and tertiary care hospitals in the northern region of Oman. The participants (n=398) represented different professional designations of hospital staff. Analyses were performed using univariate statistics. The overall average positive response rate for the 12 patient safety culture dimensions of the HSPSC survey in Oman was 58%. The indices from HSPSC that were endorsed the highest included 'organizational learning and continuous improvement' while conversely, 'non-punitive response to errors' was ranked the least. There were no significant differences in average positive response rates between Oman and the United States (58% vs. 61%; p=0.666), Taiwan (58% vs. 64%; p=0.386), and Lebanon (58% vs. 61%; p=0.666). This study provides the first empirical study on patient safety culture in Oman which is similar to those rates reported elsewhere. It highlights the specific strengths and weaknesses which may stem from the specific milieu prevailing in Oman.

Patient Safety Culture Assessment in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mandhari, Ahmed; Al-Zakwani, Ibrahim; Al-Kindi, Moosa; Tawilah, Jihane; Dorvlo, Atsu S.S.; Al-Adawi, Samir

2014-01-01

Objective To illustrate the patient safety culture in Oman as gleaned via 12 indices of patient safety culture derived from the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) and to compare the average positive response rates in patient safety culture between Oman and the USA, Taiwan, and Lebanon. Methods This was a cross-sectional research study employed to gauge the performance of HSPSC safety indices among health workers representing five secondary and tertiary care hospitals in the northern region of Oman. The participants (n=398) represented different professional designations of hospital staff. Analyses were performed using univariate statistics. Results The overall average positive response rate for the 12 patient safety culture dimensions of the HSPSC survey in Oman was 58%. The indices from HSPSC that were endorsed the highest included ‘organizational learning and continuous improvement’ while conversely, ‘non-punitive response to errors’ was ranked the least. There were no significant differences in average positive response rates between Oman and the United States (58% vs. 61%; p=0.666), Taiwan (58% vs. 64%; p=0.386), and Lebanon (58% vs. 61%; p=0.666). Conclusion This study provides the first empirical study on patient safety culture in Oman which is similar to those rates reported elsewhere. It highlights the specific strengths and weaknesses which may stem from the specific milieu prevailing in Oman. PMID:25170407

TYPES OF ALBINISM IN THE BLACK SOUTHERN AFRICA POPULATION.

Science.gov (United States)

Kromberg, J G R; Bothwell, J; Kidson, S H; Manga, P; Kerr, R; Jenkins, T

2012-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is the most common inherited disorder in Southern African blacks and several types have been described. Molecular techniques, where available, can be used to confirm a clinical diagnosis and the type of OCA, if necessary, and for prenatal diagnosis. To investigate and classify the different types of albinism commonly found and to determine the clinical implications for each type. A descriptive survey. Gauteng province, South Africa, and Lesotho. Three groups of subjects with OCA (96 from a genetics clinic, 62 from a dermatology clinic, and 31 from community surveys) from the black African population participated. Subjects underwent clinical and/or dermatological examinations and were then classified according to type of OCA. Four forms of OCA were identified: most (82%) subjects had OCA2 (a tyrosinase- positive type) with three sub-types: those without large freckles (ephelides) on exposed areas (named OCA 2a in this study), those with such freckles (named OCA 2b), and those with brown albinism (BOCA); the remainder had red/rufous albinism, ROCA (OCA 3). The four forms could be distinguished from each other clinically without using molecular genetic testing. The most common types of albinism found in the black population of Southern Africa are OCA2 and OCA3. Given the high prevalence of the disorder, together with the high risk of skin cancer, and the recent persecution of affected individuals in certain East African countries, these findings and their clinical implications have significance in terms of both education and awareness for health professionals and lay people caring for those with albinism.

Words that describe chronic musculoskeletal pain: implications for assessing pain quality across cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Saurab; Pathak, Anupa; Jensen, Mark P

2016-01-01

People from different cultures who speak different languages may experience pain differently. This possible variability has important implications for evaluating the validity of pain quality measures that are directly translated into different languages without cultural adaptations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of language and culture on the validity of pain quality measures by comparing the words that individuals with chronic pain from Nepal use to describe their pain with those used by patients from the USA. A total of 101 individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain in Nepal were asked to describe their pain. The rates of the different pain descriptor domains and phrases used by the Nepali sample were then compared to the published rates of descriptors used by patients from the USA. The content validity of commonly used measures for assessing pain quality was then evaluated. While there was some similarity between patients from Nepal and the USA in how they describe pain, there were also important differences, especially in how pain quality was described. For example, many patients from Nepal used metaphors to describe their pain. Also, the patients from Nepal often used a category of pain descriptor - which describes a physical state - not used by patients from the USA. Only the original McGill Pain Questionnaire was found to have content validity for assessing pain quality in patients from Nepal, although other existing pain quality measures could be adapted to be content valid by adding one or two additional descriptors, depending on the measure in question. The findings indicate that direct translations of measures that are developed using samples of patients from one country or culture are not necessarily content valid for use in other countries or cultures; some adaptations may be required in order for such measures to be most useful in new language and culture.

Cross-Cultural Applicability of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Driscoll, Ciarán; Shaikh, Madiha

2017-01-01

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is widely used to screen for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). While there are many available versions, the cross-cultural validity of the assessment has not been explored sufficiently. We aimed to interrogate the validity of the MoCA in a cross-cultural context: in differentiating MCI from normal controls (NC); and identifying cut-offs and adjustments for age and education where possible. This review sourced a wide range of studies including case-control studies. In addition, we report findings for differentiating dementias from NC and MCI from dementias, however, these were not considered to be an appropriate use of the MoCA. The subject of the review assumes heterogeneity and therefore meta-analyses was not conducted. Quality ratings, forest plots of validated studies (sensitivity and specificity) with covariates (suggested cut-offs, age, education and country), and summary receiver operating characteristic curve are presented. The results showed a wide range in suggested cutoffs for MCI cross-culturally, with variability in levels of sensitivity and specificity ranging from low to high. Poor methodological rigor appears to have affected reported accuracy and validity of the MoCA. The review highlights the necessity for cross-cultural considerations when using the MoCA, and recognizing it as a screen and not a diagnostic tool. Appropriate cutoffs and point adjustments for education are suggested.

Organizational cultural competence in community health and social service organizations: how to conduct a self-assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Olavarria, Marcela; Beaulac, Julie; Bélanger, Alexandre; Young, Marta; Aubry, Tim

2009-01-01

In an effort to address the significant socio-cultural changes in the population demographics of the United States (US) and Canada, organizations are increasingly seeking ways of improving their level of cultural competence. Evaluating organizational cultural competence is essential to address the needs of ethnic and cultural minorities. Yet, research related to organizational cultural competence is relatively new. The purpose of this paper is to review the extant literature with a specific focus on: (1) identifying the key standards that define culturally competent community health and social service organizations; and (2) outlining the core elements for evaluating cultural competence in a health and social service organization. Furthermore, issues related to choosing self-assessment tools and conducting an evaluation will be explored.

Assessment of organ culture for the conservation of human skin allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Hautier, A; Sabatier, F; Stellmann, P; Andrac, L; Nouaille De Gorce, Y; Dignat-George, F; Magalon, G

2008-03-01

Human skin allografts are used in the treatment of severe burns and their preservation is therefore critical for optimal clinical benefit. Current preservation methods, such as 4 degrees C storage or cryopreservation, cannot prevent the decrease of tissue viability. The aim of this study was to assess viability and function of skin allografts in a new skin organ culture model, allowing conservation parameters as close as possible to physiological conditions: 32 degrees C, air-liquid interface and physiological skin tension. Twelve skin samples, harvested from 6 living surgical donors, were conserved 35 days in two conditions: conservation at 4 degrees C and organ culture. Viability and function of skin samples were investigated at Day 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 using cell culture methods (trypan blue exclusion, Colony Forming Efficiency and Growth Rate), histopathological and histoenzymological studies (Ki67 immunostaining). In the two conditions, fibroblast and keratinocyte viability was progressively affected by storage, with a significant decrease observed after 35 days. No statistical difference could be observed between the two conditions. The two methods were also comparable regarding alterations of fibroblast and keratinocyte culture parameters, which were respectively significantly reduced at Day 7 and 21, compared to fresh skin. By contrast, histopathological and histoenzymological studies revealed a better preservation of skin architecture and proliferative potential at 4 degrees C, as compared to organ culture. These results indicate that skin organ culture does not provide significant advantages for skin allograft preservation. However, its potential use as an experimental model to study skin physiology and wound healing should be further evaluated.

Assessing environmental effects on organic materials in cultural heritage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyatzis, Stamatis; Ioakimoglou, Eleni; Facorellis, Yorgos

2015-01-01

Under the auspices of INVENVORG (Thales Research Funding Program – NRSF), and within a holistic approach for assessing environmental effects on organic materials in cultural heritage (CH) artefacts, the effect of artificial ageing on elemental and molecular damage and their effects...... on the structural integrity of bone was investigated. Metapodial roe deer bone samples were artificially aged under humidity and atmospheres of sulfur and nitrogen oxides in room temperature. Elemental micro-analysis of bone material through SEM-EDX and molecular investigations through FTIR and Raman spectroscopy...

Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Butani, Yogita; Weintraub, Jane A; Barker, Judith C

2008-09-15

The purpose of this study was to assess information available in the dental literature on oral health-related cultural beliefs. In the US, as elsewhere, many racial/ethnic minority groups shoulder a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Cultural beliefs, values and practices are often implicated as causes of oral health disparities, yet little is known about the breadth or adequacy of literature about cultural issues that could support these assertions. Hence, this rigorous assessment was conducted of work published in English on cultural beliefs and values in relation to oral health status and dental practice. Four racial/ethnic groups in the US (African-American, Chinese, Filipino and Hispanic/Latino) were chosen as exemplar populations. The dental literature published in English for the period 1980-2006 noted in the electronic database PUBMED was searched, using keywords and MeSH headings in different combinations for each racial/ethnic group to identify eligible articles. To be eligible the title and abstract when available had to describe the oral health-related cultural knowledge or orientation of the populations studied. Overall, the majority of the literature on racial/ethnic groups was epidemiologic in nature, mainly demonstrating disparities in oral health rather than the oral beliefs or practices of these groups. A total of 60 relevant articles were found: 16 for African-American, 30 for Chinese, 2 for Filipino and 12 for Hispanic/Latino populations. Data on beliefs and practices from these studies has been abstracted, compiled and assessed. Few research-based studies were located. Articles lacked adequate identification of groups studied, used limited methods and had poor conceptual base. The scant information available from the published dental and medical literature provides at best a rudimentary framework of oral health related ideas and beliefs for specific populations.

Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barker Judith C

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to assess information available in the dental literature on oral health-related cultural beliefs. In the US, as elsewhere, many racial/ethnic minority groups shoulder a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Cultural beliefs, values and practices are often implicated as causes of oral health disparities, yet little is known about the breadth or adequacy of literature about cultural issues that could support these assertions. Hence, this rigorous assessment was conducted of work published in English on cultural beliefs and values in relation to oral health status and dental practice. Four racial/ethnic groups in the US (African-American, Chinese, Filipino and Hispanic/Latino were chosen as exemplar populations. Methods The dental literature published in English for the period 1980–2006 noted in the electronic database PUBMED was searched, using keywords and MeSH headings in different combinations for each racial/ethnic group to identify eligible articles. To be eligible the title and abstract when available had to describe the oral health-related cultural knowledge or orientation of the populations studied. Results Overall, the majority of the literature on racial/ethnic groups was epidemiologic in nature, mainly demonstrating disparities in oral health rather than the oral beliefs or practices of these groups. A total of 60 relevant articles were found: 16 for African-American, 30 for Chinese, 2 for Filipino and 12 for Hispanic/Latino populations. Data on beliefs and practices from these studies has been abstracted, compiled and assessed. Few research-based studies were located. Articles lacked adequate identification of groups studied, used limited methods and had poor conceptual base. Conclusion The scant information available from the published dental and medical literature provides at best a rudimentary framework of oral health related ideas and beliefs for specific populations.

Assessing the Process of Retirement: a Cross-Cultural Review of Available Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafalski, Julia C; Noone, Jack H; O'Loughlin, Kate; de Andrade, Alexsandro L

2017-06-01

Retirement research is now expanding beyond the post-World War II baby boomers' retirement attitudes and plans to include the nature of their workforce exit and how successfully they adjust to their new life. These elements are collectively known as the process of retirement. However, there is insufficient research in developing countries to inform the management of their ageing populations regarding this process. This review aims to facilitate national and cross-cultural research in developing and non-English speaking countries by reviewing the existing measures of the retirement process published in English and Portuguese. The review identified 28 existing measures assessing retirement attitudes, planning, decision making, adjustment and satisfaction with retirement. Information on each scale's item structure, internal reliability, grammatical structure and evidence of translations to other languages is presented. Of the 28 measures, 20 assessed retirement attitudes, plans and decision-making, 5 assessed adjustment to retirement and only two assessed retirement satisfaction. Only eight of the 28 scales had been translated into languages other than English. There is scope to translate measures of retirement attitudes and planning into other languages. However there is a paucity of translated measures of retirement decision-making and adjustment, and measures of retirement satisfaction in general. Within the limitations of this review, researchers are provided with the background to decide between translating existing measures or developing of more culturally appropriate assessment tools for addressing their research questions.

The role of perceptions and attitudes in the assessment of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Terence

1997-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the most conveniently measurable and valid elements of a safety culture are the employee's perceptions of and attitudes towards safety. These are oriented towards the whole range of hazards and corresponding safety practices and procedures within the organisation. The concept of safety culture is discussed and this is followed by a short review of research evidence on the main characteristics of low accident plants. There follow brief reviews of research in industry on the perception of risks and attitudes towards safety and finally, a detailed account of a large scale survey of safety attitudes in a nuclear reprocessing plant. The aim is to identify those elements of safety culture that can establish priorities and provide order and structure for those site regulators whose task is to assess their health. (author)

The role of perceptions and attitudes in the assessment of safety culture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Terence [Environmental Psychology and Policy Research Unit, School, of Psychology, University of St Andrews (United Kingdom)

1997-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the most conveniently measurable and valid elements of a safety culture are the employee's perceptions of and attitudes towards safety. These are oriented towards the whole range of hazards and corresponding safety practices and procedures within the organisation. The concept of safety culture is discussed and this is followed by a short review of research evidence on the main characteristics of low accident plants. There follow brief reviews of research in industry on the perception of risks and attitudes towards safety and finally, a detailed account of a large scale survey of safety attitudes in a nuclear reprocessing plant. The aim is to identify those elements of safety culture that can establish priorities and provide order and structure for those site regulators whose task is to assess their health. (author)

Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Assessments for Use in Counseling Research

Science.gov (United States)

Lenz, A. Stephen; Gómez Soler, Inmaculada; Dell'Aquilla, Julia; Uribe, Patricia Martinez

2017-01-01

This article describes a 6-step process for the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of counseling assessments from source document into a target language. An illustrative example is provided using the Brief Resilience Scale (Smith et al., 2008) and considerations for counseling researchers are discussed.

Assessing migration and adaptation from two or more points of view: Cultural-historical theory and methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro R. Portes

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study validates a new tool for assessing differences in cultural adaptation for both majority and less dominant minority/immigrant adults in college in general. The Cultural Adaptation and Development Inventory (CADI is a self-report measure validated across multi-ethnic groups. The reliability and validity of a four factor model are adequate based several replication studies. Overall, the CADI provided evidence for a culturally valid measurement that shows both convergent and discriminant validity. Predicted ethnic group and gender differences were replicated with new groups of respondents for factors measuring Inter-Cultural Stress, Helplessness/Optimism, Positive Inter-cultural Adaptation and Inter-cultural Insensitivity. The study’s socio-cultural and usual types of validity is discussed in relation Berry’s (2003, Portes (1999 and Vygotski’s (1978 views regarding sociogenesis.

Assessment of genetic and epigenetic variation during long-term Taxus cell culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Chunhua; Li, Liqin; Wu, Wenjuan; Li, Maoteng; Yu, Xiaoqing; Yu, Longjiang

2012-07-01

Gradual loss of secondary metabolite production is a common obstacle in the development of a large-scale plant cell production system. In this study, cell morphology, paclitaxel (Taxol®) biosynthetic ability, and genetic and epigenetic variations in the long-term culture of Taxus media cv Hicksii cells were assessed over a 5-year period to evaluate the mechanisms of the loss of secondary metabolites biosynthesis capacity in Taxus cell. The results revealed that morphological variations, gradual loss of paclitaxel yield and decreased transcriptional level of paclitaxel biosynthesis key genes occurred during long-term subculture. Genetic and epigenetic variations in these cultures were also studied at different times during culture using amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP), methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses. A total of 32 primer combinations were used in AFLP amplification, and none of the AFLP loci were found to be polymorphic, thus no major genetic rearrangements were detected in any of the tested samples. However, results from both MSAP and HPLC indicated that there was a higher level of DNA methylation in the low-paclitaxel yielding cell line after long-term culture. Based on these results, we proposed that accumulation of paclitaxel in Taxus cell cultures might be regulated by DNA methylation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of increased methylation with the prolongation of culture time in Taxus cell culture. It provides substantial clues for exploring the gradual loss of the taxol biosynthesis capacity of Taxus cell lines during long-term subculture. DNA methylation maybe involved in the regulation of paclitaxel biosynthesis in Taxus cell culture.

Cross-cultural Adaptation of Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire Needs to Assess the Measurement Properties: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Min; Zhu, Sen; Tian, Zi-Rui; Song, Yong-Jia; Yang, Long; Wang, Yong-Jun; Cui, Xue-Jun

2018-03-26

To assess the cross cultural-adaptations of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). English and Chinese databases were searched through December 2017. Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties were evaluated using the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and the Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire. Among 34 studies, there were 31 RMDQ adaptations for 26 different languages/cultures. In the cross-cultural adaptation process, few studies reported expert committees completely constituted (3/31), and only ten studies complete the test of the pre-final version (10/31) due to insufficient sample sizes. As for the measurement properties, content validity (31/31) and construct validity (24/31) were assessed in most of the adaptations, whereas internal consistency (0/31), agreement (5/31), responsiveness (3/31), interpretability (6/31), and floor and ceiling effects (6/31) were not. The Hungarian and Moon's Korean adaptations were the highest quality translations. Where there were multiple adaptations for a language/culture, the Moon's Korean and Fan's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations are recommended over the other Korean or simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations. Further studies are required to fully assess the measurement properties of the Arabic-Moroccan, Arabic-Tunisian, German- Austrian, Greek, Guajarati, Kim's Korean, Persian-Iranian, Polish, He's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland, Spanish, Spanish-Chilean, Thai, traditional Chinese-Taiwan, and Turkish adaptations of the RMDQ. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Child Dental Control Assessment (CDCA) in youth: reliability, validity and cross-cultural differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Coolidge, T; Heima, M; Heaton, L J; Nakai, Y; Höskuldsson, O; Smith, T A; Weinstein, P; Milgrom, P

2005-03-01

The Child Dental Control Assessment (CDCA) measures children's preferred control strategies in the dental situation. Three studies are reported, assessing aspects of this instrument in youths from the USA, Japan and Australia. In particular, measurements were made as to the reliability and validity of this instrument in this age group in the three cultures, as well as comparing some results across cultures. These studies used a questionnaire design. Questionnaires (including the CDCA and other measures) were given to youths aged 11-15 in the three cultures. In one culture, youths received the questionnaire twice, to compute test-retest reliability. The measure's reliability and validity were similar to those of other measures. The CDCA behaves similarly to the Revised Iowa Dental Control Index (R-IDCI). Youths in all three cultures showed similar responses, although the Japanese were less likely to endorse items. Internal reliability of the scale ranged from 0.74 to 0.85. Test- retest reliability was 0.74. Participants in the High Desire/Low Predicted classification on the R-IDCI scored higher on the CDCA (t (73) = 2.9, p < .01). In the Japanese and Australian samples the correlation between CDCA and dental fear was 0.29-0.33 (p < .001). The Australian and USA samples scored significantly higher than the Japanese sample (overall F(2,1544) = 383.98, p < .001, followed by Tukey's HSD, p < .001). These results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the CDCA in youth. It appears to measure the discrepancy between Desired and Predicted Control identified in the Revised Iowa Dental Control Index (R-IDCI). Responses of the youth in all three cultures were similar, indicating common dental control preferences for individuals of this age. However, consistent with cultural values, Japanese youth were less likely to endorse the control strategies. These results underline the need to develop culturally-specific, as well as situationally-specific control measures.

Role of levamisole immunotherapy as an adjuvant to radiotherapy in oral cancer - Immune responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balaram, P.; Remani, P.; Padmanabhan, T.K.

1988-01-01

Investigations were carried out to assess the effect of levamisole immunotherapy as an adjuvant to radiotherapy, on the immune response of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Parameters assessed were leukocyte migration inhibition, response to PPD and oral cancer extract (OCA), lymphocyte transformation to PHA, circulating antibodies to OCA and circulating immune complexes (CIC). Comparisons were made between groups receiving levamisole, those receiving placebo and normal controls. The results of a thirty-month follow-up are presented. Radiotherapy resulted in a depression of cell-mediated functions, reduction in antibody titre also showed a gradual increase with time of follow-up. Levamisole, however, appeared to reduce the levels of CIC. (author). 2 figs., 1 tab., 38 refs

Quantitative Assessment of a Field-Based Course on Integrative Geology, Ecology and Cultural History

Science.gov (United States)

Sheppard, Paul R.; Donaldson, Brad A.; Huckleberry, Gary

2010-01-01

A field-based course at the University of Arizona called Sense of Place (SOP) covers the geology, ecology and cultural history of the Tucson area. SOP was quantitatively assessed for pedagogical effectiveness. Students of the Spring 2008 course were given pre- and post-course word association surveys in order to assess awareness and comprehension…

Assessing Culturally Competent Scholarship.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendias, Elnora P.; Guevara, Edilma B.

2001-01-01

Eight criteria for culturally competent scholarship (contextuality, relevance, communication styles, awareness of identity and power differences, disclosure, reciprocation, empowerment, time) were applied to an international education/research nursing program. Appropriate measures for each were developed and ways to improve the program were…

PARTIAL OCULOCUTANEOUS ALBINISM AND IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROMES: TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE FROM A SINGLE CENTER IN TURKEY.

Science.gov (United States)

Patiroglu, T; Akar, H H; Unal, E; Chiang, S C; Schlums, H; Tesi, B; Ozkars, M Y; Karakukcu, M

2016-01-01

Partial oculocutaneous albinism and immunodeficiency (OCA-ID) diseases are autosomal recessive syndromes characterized by partial hypopigmentation and recurrent infections. Moreover, some OCA-ID syndromes confer susceptibility to develop a life-threatening hyperinflammatory condition called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). We investigated the genetic, clinical and immunological characteristics of 20 OCA patients. Herein, we present the clinical and immunological characteristics of 20 OCA patients who referred to the Department of Pediatric Immunology, Erciyes University Medical Faculty in Kayseri, Turkey between 2004 and 2014. Of the 20 OCA patients, 7 fulfilled diagnostic criteria for HLH, 9 showed defective functions of CD8 T cells and natural killer cells, and 8 received a definitive molecular diagnosis. Among the patients, we also report a patient diagnosed with two different genetic defects, in TYR and JAK3 genes, causing, respectively, OCA and ID. Our results illustrate the variability of clinical presentations and disease severity in OCA-ID patients, with consequent challenges in diagnosing and treating these patients.

Assessment of endemic microalgae as potential food for Artemia franciscana culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan M Pacheco-Vega

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, five microalgal strains were isolated from Bahía de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico and identified as Grammatophora sp., Navícula sp., Rhabdonema sp., Schizochytrium sp., and Nitzschia sp., and their evaluation as potential food for Artemia franciscana. The isolated strains were cultured outdoors and harvested after four days. Chaetoceros muelleri was cultured under laboratory conditions and used as control. The protein, lipid, and carbohydrate composition and the fatty acid profiles of the strains were determined by gas chromatography. To assess the effect of microalgal strains on A. franciscana, decapsulated cysts were cultured at outdoor conditions in 15 L containers. The experiment was conducted for twelve days. Samples from the five different feeding treatments were taken at the beginning and end of the experiment to assess number, size, and weight of Artemia larvae. Treatment with Rhabdonema sp. showed larvae with a lower percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs while Grammatophora sp. showed those with the greatest PUFA proportion, even more than those fed Chaetoceros muelleri (control. Larvae consuming Schizochytrium sp. had no docosahexanoic (DHA nor eicosapentaenoic (EPA fatty acid content. Growth and survival of A. franciscana did not show significant differences among feed treatments, except when it was fed Nitzschia sp., showing lower survival and dry weight. Treatment based on Schizochytrium sp. and Rhabdonema sp. had a greater A. franciscana size but reduced dry weight; additional tests including two or more algal species for every treatment should be carried out to determine the best yield.

Fewer can be More: Nuclear Safety and Security Culture Self-Assessment in the Hungarian Public Ltd. for Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horváth, K.; Solymosi, M.; Vass, G.

2016-01-01

The Hungarian regulator and operators show strong commitment towards robust nuclear safety and security culture. The paper discusses the evolution and the basis of the regulation of Hungarian safety and security culture. Because of security considerations nuclear safety incidents have always received and for sure will receive more publicity than malicious acts. That is probably the main reason behind that mostly nuclear safety incidents influence the common beliefs. This kind of primacy is noticeable as well in regulations and also in practice. Although there is a strong connection nuclear safety and security culture, their relationship has not been researched for a long time. The paper also presents an already achieved, combined nuclear safety and security culture survey type assessment. Survey is a well known type of organizational culture self assessment. The applied methods, relationship between these two cultures and of course some difficulties of the process are summarized. The presented method is appropriate to combine different guidance and characteristics to measure different attitude in a single survey. The method in practice is shown through the nuclear safety and security culture assessment conducted at Hungarian Public Ltd. Of Radioactive Waste Management. (author)

Importance of Donor Chondrocyte Viability for Osteochondral Allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, James L; Stannard, James P; Stoker, Aaron M; Bozynski, Chantelle C; Kuroki, Keiichi; Cook, Cristi R; Pfeiffer, Ferris M

2016-05-01

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation provides a biological treatment option for functional restoration of large articular cartilage defects in multiple joints. While successful outcomes after OCA transplantation have been linked to viable donor chondrocytes, the importance of donor cell viability has not been comprehensively validated. To use a canine model to determine the importance of donor chondrocyte viability at the time of implantation with respect to functional success of femoral condylar OCAs based on radiographic, gross, cell viability, histologic, biochemical, and biomechanical outcome measures. Controlled laboratory study. After approval was obtained from the institutional animal care and use committee, adult female dogs (N = 16) were implanted with 8-mm cylindrical OCAs from male dogs in the lateral and medial femoral condyles of 1 knee. OCAs were preserved for 28 or 60 days after procurement, and chondrocyte viability was quantified before implantation. Two different storage media, temperatures, and time points were used to obtain a spectrum of percentage chondrocyte viability at the time of implantation. A successful outcome was defined as an OCA that was associated with graft integration, maintenance of hyaline cartilage, lack of associated cartilage disorder, and lack of fibrillation, fissuring, or fibrous tissue infiltration of the allograft based on subjective radiographic, gross, and histologic assessments at 6 months after implantation. Chondrocyte viability ranged from 23% to 99% at the time of implantation. All successful grafts had >70% chondrocyte viability at the time of implantation, and no graft with chondrocyte viability <70% was associated with a successful outcome. Live-dead stained sections and histologic findings with respect to cell morphological features suggested that successful grafts were consistently composed of viable chondrocytes in lacunae, while grafts that were not successful were composed of nonviable

The awareness of employees in safety culture through the improved nuclear safety culture evaluation method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Young Ga; Sung, Chan Ho; Jung, Yeon Sub [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, nuclear safety culture terminology was at first introduced emphasizing the importance of employees' attitude and organizational safety. The concept of safety culture was spread by INSAG 4 published in 1991. From that time, IAEA had provided the service of ASCOT for the safety culture assessment. However, many people still are thinking that safety culture is abstract and is not clear. It is why the systematic and reliable assessment methodology was not developed. Assessing safety culture is to identify what is the basic assumption for any organization to accept unconsciously. Therefore, it is very difficult to reach a meaningful conclusion by a superficial investigation alone. KHNP had been doing the safety culture assessment which was based on ASCOT methodology every 2 years. And this result had contributed to improving safety culture. But this result could not represent the level of organization's safety culture due to the limitation of method. So, KHNP has improved the safety culture method by benchmarking the over sea assessment techniques in 2011. The effectiveness of this improved methodology was validated through a pilot assessment. In this paper, the level of employees' safety culture awareness was analyzed by the improved method and reviewed what is necessary for the completeness and objectivity of the nuclear safety culture assessment methodology.

The awareness of employees in safety culture through the improved nuclear safety culture evaluation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Ga; Sung, Chan Ho; Jung, Yeon Sub

2012-01-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, nuclear safety culture terminology was at first introduced emphasizing the importance of employees' attitude and organizational safety. The concept of safety culture was spread by INSAG 4 published in 1991. From that time, IAEA had provided the service of ASCOT for the safety culture assessment. However, many people still are thinking that safety culture is abstract and is not clear. It is why the systematic and reliable assessment methodology was not developed. Assessing safety culture is to identify what is the basic assumption for any organization to accept unconsciously. Therefore, it is very difficult to reach a meaningful conclusion by a superficial investigation alone. KHNP had been doing the safety culture assessment which was based on ASCOT methodology every 2 years. And this result had contributed to improving safety culture. But this result could not represent the level of organization's safety culture due to the limitation of method. So, KHNP has improved the safety culture method by benchmarking the over sea assessment techniques in 2011. The effectiveness of this improved methodology was validated through a pilot assessment. In this paper, the level of employees' safety culture awareness was analyzed by the improved method and reviewed what is necessary for the completeness and objectivity of the nuclear safety culture assessment methodology

Cardiopulmonary protective effects of the selective FXR agonist obeticholic acid in the rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Vignozzi, Linda; Morelli, Annamaria; Cellai, Ilaria; Filippi, Sandra; Comeglio, Paolo; Sarchielli, Erica; Maneschi, Elena; Vannelli, Gabriella Barbara; Adorini, Luciano; Maggi, Mario

2017-01-01

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation by obeticholic acid (OCA) has been demonstrated to inhibit inflammation and fibrosis development and even induce fibrosis regression in liver, kidney and intestine in multiple disease models. OCA also inhibits liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients. FXR activation has also been demonstrated to suppress the inflammatory response and to promote lung repair after lung injury. This study investigated the effects of OCA treatment (3, 10 or 30mg/kg, daily for 5days a week, for 7 and/or 28 days) on inflammation, tissue remodeling and fibrosis in the monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) rat model. Treatment with OCA attenuated MCT-induced increased pulmonary arterial wall thickness and right ventricular hypertrophy, by i) blunting pathogenic inflammatory mechanisms (downregulation of interleukin 6, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1) and ii) enhancing protective mechanisms counteracting fibrosis and endothelial/mesenchymal transition. MCT-injected rats also showed a marked decrease of pulmonary artery responsiveness to both endothelium-dependent and independent relaxant stimuli, such as acetylcholine and a nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside. Administration of OCA (30mg/kg) normalized this decreased responsiveness. Accordingly, OCA treatment induced profound beneficial effects on lung histology. In particular, both OCA doses markedly reduced the MCT-induced medial wall thickness increase in small pulmonary arteries. To evaluate the objective functional improvement by OCA treatment of MCT-induced PAH, we performed a treadmill test and measured duration of exercise. MCT significantly reduced, and OCA normalized treadmill endurance. Results with OCA were similar, or even superior, to those obtained with tadalafil, a well-established treatment of PAH. In conclusion, OCA treatment demonstrates cardiopulmonary protective effects, modulating lung vascular remodeling, reducing

Long-term Follow-up of Revision Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Ankle.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaul, Florian; Tírico, Luís E P; McCauley, Julie C; Bugbee, William D

2018-05-01

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is a useful alternative for treatment of posttraumatic ankle arthritis in young patients but has a relatively high failure rate and further procedures are often required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of patients who underwent revision OCA transplantation of the ankle after failed primary OCA transplantation. Twenty patients underwent revision OCA transplantation of the ankle between 1988 and 2015. Mean age was 44 years, 55% (11 of 20) were female. The mean time from primary to revision OCA was 3.0 ± 1.7 years. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Outcomes included the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Foot and Ankle Module (AAOS-FAM) and questionnaires evaluating pain and satisfaction. Failure of the revision OCA was defined as a conversion to arthroplasty, arthrodesis, or amputation. Ten of 20 ankles required further surgery, of which 30% (6 of 20) were considered OCA revision failures (4 arthrodeses, 1 arthroplasty, and 1 amputation). The mean time to failure was 6.7 (range, 0.6-13.1) years. Survivorship of the revision OCA was 84% at 5 years and 65% at 10 years. The 14 patients with grafts remaining in situ had an average follow-up of 10.3 years; mean AAOS-FAM Core Score was 70.5 (range, 42.3-99). Of the patients who answered the follow-up questions, 4 of 7 reported moderate to severe pain, and 5 of 12 were satisfied with the results of the procedure. Although the results of revision ankle OCA transplantation are not inferior to primary OCA transplantation, the high rates of persistent pain, further surgery, and graft failure suggest that the indications for OCA as a revision procedure should be carefully evaluated, with proper patient selection. Considering the treatment alternatives, revising a failed OCA transplantation can be a useful treatment option, especially for young and active patients who wish to avoid arthrodesis or arthroplasty. Level IV, case series.

Assessment of laser-induced acceleration effects in optical clearing of in vivo human skin by optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhan, Zhigang; Wei, Huajiang; Jin, Ying

2015-01-01

Laser irradiation is considered to be a promising innovative technology which has been developed in an attempt to increase transdermal drug delivery. In this study, a near-infrared CW diode laser (785 nm) was applied to increase permeability of glycerol solutions in human skin in vivo and improve the optical clearing efficacy. Results show that for both 15%v/v and 30%v/v glycerol, the permeability coefficient increased significantly if the detected area of the skin tissue was treated with laser irradiation before optical clearing agents (OCAs) were applied. This study based on optical coherence tomography imaging technique and optical clearing effect finds laser irradiation a new approach for enhancing the penetration of OCAs and accelerating the rate of transdermal drug delivery. (paper)

Assessment of laser-induced acceleration effects in optical clearing of in vivo human skin by optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Zhigang; Wei, Huajiang; Jin, Ying

2015-02-01

Laser irradiation is considered to be a promising innovative technology which has been developed in an attempt to increase transdermal drug delivery. In this study, a near-infrared CW diode laser (785 nm) was applied to increase permeability of glycerol solutions in human skin in vivo and improve the optical clearing efficacy. Results show that for both 15%v/v and 30%v/v glycerol, the permeability coefficient increased significantly if the detected area of the skin tissue was treated with laser irradiation before optical clearing agents (OCAs) were applied. This study based on optical coherence tomography imaging technique and optical clearing effect finds laser irradiation a new approach for enhancing the penetration of OCAs and accelerating the rate of transdermal drug delivery.

Bridges and Barriers: Factors Influencing a Culture of Assessment in Academic Libraries

Science.gov (United States)

Farkas, Meredith Gorran; Hinchliffe, Lisa Janicke; Houk, Amy Harris

2015-01-01

In an environment in which libraries need to demonstrate value, illustrating how the library contributes to student learning is critical. Gathering and analyzing data to tell the library's story as well as identify areas for improvement require commitment, time, effort, and resources--all components of a culture of assessment. This paper presents…

Designing and Implementing the Model of Public Assessment of Social and Cultural Progress in Universities

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Gholamreza Khaje Sarvi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Implementing Investigations, analyzes and performance measurements in special and qualitative social/cultural arena in our country, needs local and special methodologies. Thus the aim of present article is investigating these issues: the concept of culture, classification of cultural organizations in Islamic Republic of Iran, the Pyramidal structure of cultural hierarchy, the process of development and mutual influences of institutions, reviewing related literature of policy making in cultural issues, compatibility of strategies to existing realities in cultural performance structure, double division in measures and analyzing and elaborating suggested measures in elaborating weighting model and assessment method and investigating progress measures by focusing on Islamic-Iranian pattern of progress and investigating the effects of implementing this pattern plus weighting method and using related measures and studying some university cases which are implemented in three phases in universities and high education centers overall the country. This research has shown a linear model by considering weighting coefficients.

The Discriminant Validity Of The Culture Assessment Instrument: A Comparison Of Company Cultures

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Willie Du Toit

2003-11-01

Die doel van die studie was om die diskriminante geldigheid van die ‘Culture Assessment Instrument’ (CAI te beoordeel; dit is om tussen gemiddelde kultuurtellings van verskillende ondernemings te onderskei. Die geleentheidsteekproef het bestaan uit 4066 respondente uit vyf verskillende ondernemings afkomstig uit verskeie industrieë. CAI-tellings van 56 items is op twee vlakke gefaktoranaliseer, gevolg deur iteratiewe itemontledings. Beduidende verskille tussen ondernemings se gemiddelde kultuurtellings is gevind, maar slegs ’n klein proporsie van die variansie in die tellings kon aan kultuurverskille toegeskryf word. Gebaseer op hierdie bevindinge, is daar tot die slotsom gekom dat die CAI in sy huidige vorm nie oor diskriminante geldigheid beskik nie. Daar is aanbeveel dat items gerig op dieper kultuurvlakke, gebaseer op Schein se drievlaktipologie, tot die instrument gevoeg word.

Assessment of patient safety culture in primary care setting, Al-Mukala, Yemen.

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Webair, Hana H; Al-Assani, Salwa S; Al-Haddad, Reema H; Al-Shaeeb, Wafa H; Bin Selm, Manal A; Alyamani, Abdulla S

2015-10-13

Patient safety culture in primary care is the first step to achieve high quality health care. This study aims to provide a baseline assessment of patient safety culture in primary care settings in Al-Mukala, Yemen as a first published study from a least developed country. A survey was conducted in primary healthcare centres and units in Al-Mukala District, Yemen. A comprehensive sample from the available 16 centres was included. An Arabic version of the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture was distributed to all health workers (110). Participants were physicians, nurses and administrative staff. The response rate from the participating centres was 71 %. (N = 78). The percent positive responses of the items is equal to the percentage of participants who answered positively. Composite scores were calculated by averaging the percent positive response on the items within a dimension. Positive safety culture was defined as 60 % or more positive responses on items or dimensions. Patient safety culture was perceived to be generally positive with the exception of the dimensions of 'Communication openness', 'Work pressure and pace' and 'Patient care tracking/follow-up', as the percent positive response of these dimensions were 58, 57, and 52 % respectively. Overall, positive rating on quality and patient safety were low (49 and 46 % respectively). Although patient safety culture in Al-Mukala primary care setting is generally positive, patient safety and quality rating were fairly low. Implementation of a safety and quality management system in Al-Mukala primary care setting are paramount. Further research is needed to confirm the applicability of the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture (MOSPSC) for Al-Mukala primary care.

Assessing the culture of safety in cardiovascular perfusion: attitudes and perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Chad; Predella, Megan; Rowden, Allison; Goldstein, Jamie; Sistino, Joseph J; Fitzgerald, David C

2017-10-01

The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to assess the culture of safety in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to identify specific domains of perfusion that are indicators of a high quality culture of safety. Perfusionists were recruited to participate in the survey through email invitation through Perflist, Perfmail and LinkedIn. The survey consisted of 37 questions across six safety domains. Questions were developed using the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. 'Positive scores' were defined as a response that either agreed or strongly agreed with a safety standard. Survey responses that resulted in a 75 percent or higher positive response rate were identified as vital components of a high culture of safety. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine importance components of perceived safety. Four responses were found to have a significant predictive level of a positive safety environment in the work unit: (1) in this unit, we discuss ways to prevent errors from happening again; OR=3.09, (2) in this unit, we treat others with respect; OR=1.09 (3) my supervisor/manager seriously considers staff suggestions for improving patient safety; OR=1.89 and (4) there is good cooperation among hospital units that need to work together; OR=1.77. There were two predictors of a negative work unit safety environment: (1) staff are afraid to ask questions when something does not seem right; OR=0.62 and (2) it is just by chance that more serious mistakes don't happen around here; OR=0.55. The results from this survey indicate that effective communication secondary to both incident and near-miss reporting is associated with a higher perceived culture of safety. A positive safety environment is associated with being able to speak up regarding safety issues without fear of negative repercussions.

Assessment of long-term effects of nanoparticles in a microcarrier cell culture system.

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Maria Mrakovcic

Full Text Available Nano-sized materials could find multiple applications in medical diagnosis and therapy. One main concern is that engineered nanoparticles, similar to combustion-derived nanoparticles, may cause adverse effects on human health by accumulation of entire particles or their degradation products. Chronic cytotoxicity must therefore be evaluated. In order to perform chronic cytotoxicity testing of plain polystyrene nanoparticles on the endothelial cell line EAhy 926, we established a microcarrier cell culture system for anchorage-dependent cells (BioLevitator(TM. Cells were cultured for four weeks and exposed to doses, which were not cytotoxic upon 24 hours of exposure. For comparison, these particles were also studied in regularly sub-cultured cells, a method that has traditionally been used to assess chronic cellular effects. Culturing on basal membrane coated microcarriers produced very high cell densities. Fluorescent particles were mainly localized in the lysosomes of the exposed cells. After four weeks of exposure, the number of cells exposed to 20 nm polystyrene particles decreased by 60% as compared to untreated controls. When tested in sub-cultured cells, the same particles decreased cell numbers to 80% of the untreated controls. Dose-dependent decreases in cell numbers were also noted after exposure of microcarrier cultured cells to 50 nm short multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Our findings support that necrosis, but not apoptosis, contributed to cell death of the exposed cells in the microcarrier culture system. In conclusion, the established microcarrier model appears to be more sensitive for the identification of cellular effects upon prolonged and repeated exposure to nanoparticles than traditional sub-culturing.

An assessment of cultural values and resident-centered culture change in U.S. nursing facilities.

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Banaszak-Holl, Jane; Castle, Nicholas G; Lin, Michael; Spreitzer, Gretchen

2013-01-01

Culture change initiatives propose to improve care by addressing the lack of managerial supports and prevalent stressful work environments in the industry; however, little is known about how culture change facilities differ from facilities in the industry that have not chosen to affiliate with the resident-centered care movements. The aim of this study was to evaluate representation of organizational culture values within a random sample of U.S. nursing home facilities using the competing values framework and to determine whether organizational values are related to membership in resident-centered culture change initiatives. We collected reports of cultural values using a well-established competing values framework instrument in a random survey of facility administrators and directors of nursing within all states. We received responses from 57% of the facilities that were mailed the survey. Directors of nursing and administrators did not differ significantly in their reports of culture and facility measures combined their responses. Nursing facilities favored market-focused cultural values on average, and developmental values, key to innovation, were the least common across all nursing homes. Approximately 17% of the facilities reported that all cultural values were strong within their facilities. Only high developmental cultural values were linked to participation in culture change initiatives. Culture change facilities were not different from non-culture change facilities in the promotion of employee focus as organizational culture, as emphasized in group culture values. Likewise, culture change facilities were also not more likely to have hierarchical or market foci than non-culture change facilities. Our results counter the argument that culture change facilities have a stronger internal employee focus than facilities more generally but do show that culture change facilities report stronger developmental cultures than non-culture change facilities, which

Cross-cultural psychometric assessment of the VAGUS insight into psychosis scale - Spanish version.

Science.gov (United States)

de León, Patricia Ponce; Gerretsen, Philip; Shah, Parita; Saracco-Alvarez, Ricardo; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Fresán, Ana

2018-01-01

Impaired insight into illness, a core feature of schizophrenia with negative clinical implications, is a multidimensional phenomenon existing on a continuum. However, the degree to which illness perception in distinct cultures influences the appraisal of insight into illness in schizophrenia remains unclear. As such, we aimed to determine if the psychometric properties of the VAGUS insight into psychosis scale (www.vagusonline.com), which was originally assessed in English speaking Canadians, were similar in a sample of Latino Mexican Spanish speaking patients with schizophrenia. To accomplish this, the VAGUS - Self-Report (SR) version was translated from English to Spanish and psychometrically evaluated in 95 participants. The Spanish version of the VAGUS-SR was internally consistent (ᾳ = 0.713), and demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity with the subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Factor analysis identified two components of insight, congruent with two of the components of the English version of the VAGUS-SR. In conclusion, the VAGUS-SR is a brief, novel, and valid measure of insight into illness in schizophrenia, which demonstrated similar psychometric properties in two culturally and linguistically distinct samples with schizophrenia. Future studies should assess whether the VAGUS demonstrates similar psychometric properties in non-Western cultures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring relationships between patient safety culture and patients' assessments of hospital care.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorra, Joann; Khanna, Kabir; Dyer, Naomi; Mardon, Russ; Famolaro, Theresa

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among 2 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality measures of hospital patient safety and quality, which reflect different perspectives on hospital performance: the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (Hospital SOPS)--a hospital employee patient safety culture survey--and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospital Survey (CAHPS Hospital Survey)--a survey of the experiences of adult inpatients with hospital care and services. Our hypothesis was that these 2 measures would be positively related. We performed multiple regressions to examine the relationships between the Hospital SOPS measures and CAHPS Hospital Survey measures, controlling for hospital bed size and ownership. Analyses were conducted at the hospital level with each survey's measures using data from 73 hospitals that administered both surveys during similar periods. Higher overall Hospital SOPS composite average scores were associated with higher overall CAHPS Hospital Survey composite average scores (r = 0.41, P G 0.01). Twelve of 15 Hospital SOPS measures were positively related to the CAHPS Hospital Survey composite average score after controlling for bed size and ownership, with significant standardized regression coefficients ranging from 0.25 to 0.38. None of the Hospital SOPS measures were significantly correlated with either of the two single-item CAHPS Hospital Survey measures (hospital rating and willingness to recommend). This study found that hospitals where staff have more positive perceptions of patient safety culture tend to have more positive assessments of care from patients. This finding helps validate both surveys and suggests that improvements in patient safety culture may lead to improved patient experience with care. Further research is needed to determine the generalizability of these results to larger sets of hospitals, to hospital units, and to other settings of care.

Assess suitability of hydroaeroponic culture to establish tripartite symbiosis between different AMF species, beans, and rhizobia

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Jansa Jan

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Like other species of the Phaseoleae tribe, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. has the potential to establish symbiosis with rhizobia and to fix the atmospheric dinitrogen (N2 for its N nutrition. Common bean has also the potential to establish symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF that improves the uptake of low mobile nutrients such as phosphorus, from the soil. Both rhizobial and mycorrhizal symbioses can act synergistically in benefits on plant. Results The tripartite symbiosis of common bean with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF was assessed in hydroaeroponic culture with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., by comparing the effects of three fungi spp. on growth, nodulation and mycorrhization of the roots under sufficient versus deficient P supplies, after transfer from initial sand culture. Although Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith colonized intensely the roots of common bean in both sand and hydroaeroponic cultures, Gigaspora rosea Nicolson & Schenck only established well under sand culture conditions, and no root-colonization was found with Acaulospora mellea Spain & Schenck under either culture conditions. Interestingly, mycorrhization by Glomus was also obtained by contact with mycorrhized Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl. sw in sand culture under deficient P before transfer into hydroaeroponic culture. The effect of bean genotype on both rhizobial and mycorrhizal symbioses with Glomus was subsequently assessed with the common bean recombinant inbreed line 7, 28, 83, 115 and 147, and the cultivar Flamingo. Significant differences among colonization and nodulation of the roots and growth among genotypes were found. Conclusion The hydroaeroponic culture is a valuable tool for further scrutinizing the physiological interactions and nutrient partitioning within the tripartite symbiosis.

Assessment and promotion of safety culture in medical practices using sources of ionizing radiation. The Cuban experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferro Fernandez, Ruben; Guillen Campos, Alba; Arnau Fernandez, Alma

2008-01-01

Full text: The lessons learned from several radiological accidents in medical and industrial practices using sources of ionization radiation show that a fragile safety culture in the organizations and the human error were the most important contributors to such events. The high contribution of human factors to safety of radiotherapy treatment process have been also revealed by the results of a recent study on Probabilistic Safety Assessment to this process conducted in the framework of the Extra budgetary Programme on Nuclear and Radiological Safety in Iberian-America. Nevertheless non considerable efforts are appreciated around the world to investigate and develop methods and techniques to assess and promote a strong safety culture in those practices as it has been happening in other sectors like nuclear power, chemical, commercial aviation and oil industry. The Cuban Nuclear Regulatory Authority has in course a National Program for Promoting and Assessment of Safety Culture in organizations using sources of ionizing radiation. As part of this program, during the 2007 year, a pilot study with this purpose was carried out Two Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Units were selected for this pilot study, where managers and specialists were interviewed, a safety culture survey was executed and a final report was prepared with several recommendations to be taking account by Regulator for designing its regulatory strategy on safety culture for medical practices and by users to increase their safety culture level. This paper describes the methodology used to organize, prepare, execute and report the results, findings and recommendations of this kind of review, the benefits and main difficulties encountered during this effort and the perspective and suggestions that, in opinion of the authors of this paper, are important to take into account in the field of radiological safety culture in the near future. (author)

Plant assessment system and safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, Chuyoung

1996-01-01

The government, upon these events, keenly felt the necessity for developing the safety culture which was already forwarded in nuclear industries and started taking actions to propagate it to all parts of society. The government established a social safety director position under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction and also established a Safety Culture Promotion Headquarters in which 7 ministries and other organizations, such as Korea Economic Council, Federation of Korea Trade Union and Women's Federation Council were participating. In accordance with the government's strong will to enhance the safety consciousness of people, safety campaigns are being developed voluntarily in the private sector. The formation of non-governmental organizations, such as People's Central Council of Safety Culture Promotion, shows a good example of such movement

evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of quercetin derived of natural extract from red onion ocañera (allilium strain l and red apple (pyrus malus l var. red delicius in palm oil refined industrial type continuous warm conditions

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Golda Meyer Torres

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The research was based on the assessment of the quercetin antioxidant capacity existing in red apple (Pyrus malus L var. red delicious and ocañera red onion (Allilium cepa L. Then, antioxidant concentration was calculated by a standard curve of commercial quercetin (HPLC concentration ≥98% using spectrophotometry at 415 nm and dropped concentrations of 0.0955 mg/g in onion extract and 0.0144mg/g in apple extract. The antioxidant capacity of each extract was evaluated over industrial samples of industrial RDB (Refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil without antioxidant in order to observe the effect they had over peroxide creation. Actually, samples were treated in continuous heating for two, four and six hours and recording variables performance like acidity, iodine and peroxide index. Also, a sample of oil without antioxidant was evaluated adding pure commercial quercetin at 0.18 mg/g and a control sample of RBD palm oil added with commercial antioxidant (TBHQ, BHT. Finally, the outcome got by ANOVA analysis (Pvalue= 0.028, significance level of 5% on peroxide index formation calculated in mequivO2/kg highlighted the time of exposition than quercetin concentration in 0.0144 mg/g, hence a result alike the sample of oil added with commercial antioxidant.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Danish version of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Questionnaire (SMFA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindahl, Marianne Pia; Andersen, Signe; Jørgensen, Annette

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) into Danish (SMFA-DK) and assess the psychometric properties. METHODS: SMFA was translated and cross-culturally adapted according to a standardized procedure. Minor changes......, content validity as coding according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), floor/ceiling effects, construct validity as factor analysis, correlations between SMFA-DK and Short Form 36 and also known group method. Responsiveness and effect size were calculated...

Diagnóstico laboratorial do albinismo oculocutâneo Laboratory diagnosis of oculocutaneous albinism

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Luciane de Melo Rocha

2007-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar os métodos laboratoriais dos diferentes tipos de albinismo oculocutâneo (OCA 1 e OCA 2 de forma descritiva e analisar sua eficiência. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: O teste do bulbo capilar é um método químico usado para distinguir as duas formas, no entanto recentemente teve sua eficácia como teste padrão contestada. O avanço da biologia molecular permite a análise das mutações que causam o distúrbio e a sua localização gênica. CONCLUSÃO: O teste do bulbo é seguro apenas para o diagnóstico do OCA 1A, podendo ser usado como complemento de um método mais apurado. A análise molecular fornece um diagnóstico definitivo, permitindo distinguir OCA 1 de OCA 2, pois as mutações afetam genes em cromossomos diferentes.OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the laboratories methods of the oculocutaneous albinism (OCA 1and OCA 2 of descriptive form and to analyze its results. METHODS: The hair bulb test is a chemical method used to distinguish the two forms, however, recently had its effectiveness as an standard test contested. The advance of molecular biology allows the analysis of the mutations that cause the disturb and its genic location. CONCLUSIONS: The bulb test is secure only for the diagnosis of OCA 1A, being able to be used as complement of a more refined method. The molecular analysis supplies a diagnostic definitive allowing to distinguish OCA 1 from OCA 2, because the mutations affect genes in different chromosomes.

Obeticholic Acid Improves Adipose Morphometry and Inflammation and Reduces Steatosis in Dietary but not Metabolic Obesity in Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Haczeyni, Fahrettin; Poekes, Laurence; Wang, Hans; Mridha, Auvro R.; Barn, Vanessa; Haigh, W. Geoffrey; Ioannou, George N.; Yeh, Matthew M; Leclercq, Isabelle A.; Teoh, Narcissus C.; Farrell, Geoffrey C.

2018-01-01

Objective Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the outcome of interactions between overnutrition, energy metabolism, and adipose function. Obeticholic acid (OCA) improves steatosis in patients, but for unknown reason does not resolve NASH pathology. We therefore investigated OCA effects in Wt mice which develop obesity with atherogenic dietary feeding, and appetite-dysregulated, Alms1 mutant foz/foz mice fed the same diet which develop metabolic obesity and diabetes. Methods OCA (1mg/kg) was administered orally to female foz/foz mice and Wt littermates from weaning until 28 weeks. We studied adipose indices, glucose tolerance and fatty liver pathology. Experiments were repeated with OCA 10mg/kg. Results OCA reduced body weight and hepatic lipids and improved glucose disposal only in Wt mice. OCA limited Wt adipose expansion, altered morphometry in favour of small adipocytes, enhanced expression of genes indicating adipose browning, and reduced crown-like structure (CLS) number in visceral adipose. foz/foz mice showed more CLSs in all compartments; OCA failed to alter adipose morphometry, browning, inflammation, or improve NASH severity, even at 10mg/kg. Conclusion OCA improves adipose indices, glucose tolerance and steatosis in milder metabolic phenotype, but fails to improve these factors in morbidly obese diabetic mice. These results help explain OCA’s limited efficacy to reverse human NASH. PMID:27804232

Viscous optical clearing agent for in vivo optical imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zijian; Jing, Lijia; Wu, Ning; lv, Pengyu; Jiang, Xiaoyun; Ren, Qiushi; Li, Changhui

2014-07-01

By allowing more photons to reach deeper tissue, the optical clearing agent (OCA) has gained increasing attention in various optical imaging modalities. However, commonly used OCAs have high fluidity, limiting their applications in in vivo studies with oblique, uneven, or moving surfaces. In this work, we reported an OCA with high viscosity. We measured the properties of this viscous OCA, and tested its successful performances in the imaging of a living animal's skin with two optical imaging modalities: photoacoustic microscopy and optical coherence tomography. Our results demonstrated that the viscous OCA has a great potential in the study of different turbid tissues using various optical imaging modalities.

Assessing Adolescents' Understanding of and Reactions to Stress in Different Cultures: Results of a Mixed-Methods Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Hitchcock, John H.; Burkholder, Gary; Varjas, Kristen; Sarkar, Sreeroopa; Jayasena, Asoka

2007-01-01

This article expands on an emerging mixed-method approach for validating culturally-specific constructs (see Hitchcock et al., 2005). Previous work established an approach for dealing with cultural impacts when assessing psychological constructs and the current article extends these efforts into studying stress reactions among adolescents in Sri…

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-07-29

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

Assessing Citizenship Behavior in Educational Contexts: The Role of Personality, Motivation, and Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sylvia Xiaohua; Carey, Timothy Patrick

2009-01-01

The present study developed a measure to assess citizenship behavior in educational settings and examined its antecedents and consequences in the cultural context. The results of this study provided discriminant validity for the newly extracted two-factor structure, that is, self-regulation and other-orientation. The authors identified both…

Cultural, Social, and Economic Capital Constructs in International Assessments: An Evaluation Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Caro, Daniel H.; Sandoval-Hernández, Andrés; Lüdtke, Oliver

2014-01-01

The article employs exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to evaluate constructs of economic, cultural, and social capital in international large-scale assessment (LSA) data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009. ESEM integrates the…

Cultural factors affecting the differential performance of Israeli and Palestinian children on the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Josman, Naomi; Abdallah, Taisir M; Engel-Yeger, Batya

2010-01-01

Cognitive performance is essential for children's functioning and may also predict school readiness. The suitability of Western standardized assessments for cognitive performance among children from different cultures needs to be elaborated. This study referred to the existence of differences in cognitive performance between and within children from the middle-east-Israeli and Palestinian on the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA), by elucidating cultural effects on the construct validity of the LOTCA using factor analysis. Participants included 101 Israeli and 125 Palestinian children from kindergarten, first and second grade who underwent the LOTCA. Factor analysis revealed four factors underlying items on the LOTCA, explaining the differences found between Israeli and Palestinian children in most of LOTCA subtests. Culture may affect the construct validity of the LOTCA and may explain the difference in performance between both cultural groups. LOTCA's validity as well as the validity of other instruments on which norms and decisions regarding the child's development and performance are made should be further evaluated among children from different cultural backgrounds. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural assessment of HIV-associated cognitive impairment using the Kaufman assessment battery for children: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyhe, Kaylee S; van de Water, Tanya; Boivin, Michael J; Cotton, Mark F; Thomas, Kevin Gf

2017-06-14

Despite improved efficacy of, and access to, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-associated cognitive impairments remain prevalent in both children and adults. Neuropsychological tests that detect such impairment can help clinicians formulate effective treatment plans. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), although developed and standardized in the United States, is used frequently in many different countries and cultural contexts to assess paediatric performance across various cognitive domains. This systematic review investigated the cross-cultural utility of the original KABC, and its 2nd edition (KABC-II), in detecting HIV-associated cognitive impairment in children and adolescents. We entered relevant keywords and MeSH terms into the PubMed, PsycInfo, EBSCOHost, ProQuest, and Scopus databases, with search limits set from 1983-2017. Two independent reviewers evaluated the retrieved abstracts and manuscripts. Studies eligible for inclusion in the review were those that (a) used the KABC/KABC-II to assess cognitive function in children/adolescents aged 2-18 years, (b) featured a definition of cognitive impairment (e.g. >2 SD below the mean) or compared the performance of HIV-infected and uninfected control groups, and (c) used a sample excluded from population on which the instruments were normed. We identified nine studies (eight conducted in African countries, and one in the United Kingdom) to comprise the review's sample. All studies detected cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children, including those who were cART-naïve or who were cART treated and clinically stable. KABC/KABC-II subtests assessing simultaneous processing appeared most sensitive. Evaluation of the methodological quality of the selected studies by two independent reviews suggested that shortcomings included reporting and selection biases. This systematic review provides evidence for the cross-cultural utility of the KABC/KABC-II, particularly the simultaneous

Gene expression profiling in human precision cut liver slices in response to the FXR agonist obeticholic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Ijssennagger, Noortje; Janssen, Aafke W F; Milona, Alexandra; Ramos Pittol, José M; Hollman, Danielle A A; Mokry, Michal; Betzel, Bark; Berends, Frits J; Janssen, Ignace M; van Mil, Saskia W C; Kersten, Sander

2016-05-01

The bile acid-activated farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor regulating bile acid, glucose and cholesterol homeostasis. Obeticholic acid (OCA), a promising drug for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and type 2 diabetes, activates FXR. Mouse studies demonstrated that FXR activation by OCA alters hepatic expression of many genes. However, no data are available on the effects of OCA in the human liver. Here we generated gene expression profiles in human precision cut liver slices (hPCLS) after treatment with OCA. hPCLS were incubated with OCA for 24 h. Wild-type or FXR(-/-) mice received OCA or vehicle by oral gavage for 7 days. Transcriptomic analysis showed that well-known FXR target genes, including NR0B2 (SHP), ABCB11 (BSEP), SLC51A (OSTα) and SLC51B (OSTβ), and ABCB4 (MDR3) are regulated by OCA in hPCLS. Ingenuity pathway analysis confirmed that 'FXR/RXR activation' is the most significantly changed pathway upon OCA treatment. Comparison of gene expression profiles in hPCLS and mouse livers identified 18 common potential FXR targets. ChIP-sequencing in mouse liver confirmed FXR binding to IR1 sequences of Akap13, Cgnl1, Dyrk3, Pdia5, Ppp1r3b and Tbx6. Our study shows that hPCLS respond to OCA treatment by upregulating well-known FXR target genes, demonstrating its suitability to study FXR-mediated gene regulation. We identified six novel bona-fide FXR target genes in both mouse and human liver. Finally, we discuss a possible explanation for changes in high or low density lipoprotein observed in NASH and primary biliary cholangitis patients treated with OCA based on the genomic expression profile in hPCLS. Copyright © 2016 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Obeticholic acid protects mice against lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury and inflammation.

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Xiong, Xi; Ren, Yuqian; Cui, Yun; Li, Rui; Wang, Chunxia; Zhang, Yucai

2017-12-01

Cholestasis, as a main manifestation, induces liver injury during sepsis. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays an important role in regulating bile acid homeostasis. Whether FXR activation by its agonist obeticholic acid (OCA) is contributed to improve sepsis-induced liver injury remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of OCA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury in mice. 8-week old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, LPS group, oral OCA group and LPS plus oral OCA (LPS + OCA) group. The serum and livers were collected for further analysis. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid (TBA) and total bilirubin (TBIL) were measured at indicated time after LPS administration. Liver sections were stained with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E). Orally OCA pretreatment stimulated the expression of FXR and BSEP in livers and protected mice from LPS-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and inflammatory infiltration. Consistently, LPS-induced higher serum levels of ALT, AST, TBA and TBIL were significantly reversed by OCA administration. Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and IL-6 were decreased in livers of mice in LPS + OCA group compared with LPS group. Further investigation indicated that the higher expression of ATF4 and LC3II/I were associated with the protective effect of OCA on LPS-induced liver injury. Orally OCA pretreatment protects mice from LPS-induced liver injury possibly contributed by improved bile acid homeostasis, decreased inflammatory factors and ATF4-mediated autophagy activity in hepatocytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A Systems-Level Approach to Building Sustainable Assessment Cultures: Moderation, Quality Task Design and Dependability of Judgement

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Colbert, Peta; Wyatt-Smith, Claire; Klenowski, Val

2012-01-01

This article considers the conditions that are necessary at system and local levels for teacher assessment to be valid, reliable and rigorous. With sustainable assessment cultures as a goal, the article examines how education systems can support local-level efforts for quality learning and dependable teacher assessment. This is achieved through…

Formative Assessment in Confucian Heritage Culture Classrooms: Activity Theory Analysis of Tensions, Contradictions and Hybrid Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Thanh Pham, Thi Hong; Renshaw, Peter

2015-01-01

Formative assessment has recently become a preferred assessment strategy in educational institutions worldwide. However, it is not easy to implement in Asian classrooms, because local cultures and institutional constraints potentially hinder the practice. This one-semester study aimed to use the "third space", as the core of the third…

Exploring Plausible Causes of Differential Item Functioning in the PISA Science Assessment: Language, Curriculum or Culture

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Huang, Xiaoting; Wilson, Mark; Wang, Lei

2016-01-01

In recent years, large-scale international assessments have been increasingly used to evaluate and compare the quality of education across regions and countries. However, measurement variance between different versions of these assessments often posts threats to the validity of such cross-cultural comparisons. In this study, we investigated the…

Complexity in cognitive assessment of elderly British minority ethnic groups: Cultural perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Farooq; Tadros, George

2014-07-01

To study the influence of cultural believes on the acceptance and accessibility of dementia services by patients from British Minority Ethnic (BME) groups. It is noted that non-White ethnic populations rely more on cultural and religious concepts as coping mechanisms to overcome carer stress. In British Punjabi families, ageing was seen as an accepted reason for withdrawal and isolation, and cognitive impairment was rarely identified. Illiteracy added another complexity, only 35% of older Asians in a UK city could speak English, 21% could read and write English, while 73% could read and write in their first language. False positive results using Mini Mental State Examination was found to be 6% of non-impaired white people and 42% of non-impaired black people. Cognitive assessment tests under-estimate the abilities in BME groups. Wide range of variations among white and non-White population were found, contributors are education, language, literacy and culture-specific references. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Prevalence and outcome of patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction with occluded "culprit" artery - a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Chi-Sheng; Chen, Ying-Hsien; Huang, Ching-Chang; Lin, Mao-Shin; Yeh, Chih-Fan; Li, Hung-Yuan; Kao, Hsien-Li

2018-02-09

The aim was to determine the prevalence and impact of an occluded "culprit" artery (OCA) in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, with no language restrictions, up to 1 Jul. 2016. Observational cohorts or clinical trials of adult NSTEMI were eligible for inclusion to determine the prevalence if the proportion of OCA on coronary angiography was reported. Studies were further eligible for inclusion to determine the outcome if the association between OCA and clinical endpoints was reported. Among the 60,898 patients with NSTEMI enrolled in 25 studies, 17,212 were found to have OCA. The average proportion of OCA in NSTEMI was 34% (95% CI 30-37%). Patients with OCA were more likely to have left circumflex artery as their culprit artery (odds ratio (OR) 1.65, 95% CI 1.15-2.37, p = 0.007), and this was associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (standard mean difference -0.29, 95% CI -0.34 to -0.34, p OCA, compared with patients with a non-occlusive culprit artery. Patients with OCA comprised a substantial portion of the NSTEMI population. These patients present with more severe symptoms and worse clinical outcome. Whether these patients should be treated with more aggressive strategy warrants further study.

Assessing and Promoting the Level of Safeguards Culture in Hungarian Nuclear Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanka, Z.; Vincze, A.

2015-01-01

The Hungarian SSAC has introduced a comprehensive domestic safeguards verification system consisting of regular comprehensive SSAC verifications in the whole lifetime of the facilities. The main goals of the comprehensive verification system are: (i) to assess the facility's safeguards system compliance with the relevant national legislation and recommendations, (ii) to assess the activities of the facility aimed at maintaining and further developing its safeguards system, and, (iii) to revise validity of data and information previously provided by the facility subject to safeguards licencing procedures. The maintenance level of the system as well as the available knowledge on the possible needs for change reflect the top management's awareness of this issue and is a good indicator of the present and future effectiveness of the facility level safeguards system and the level of safeguards culture. The structure, preparation, conduction, documentation and initial experiences of the comprehensive safeguards verification system is introduced in the paper. Additionally, HAEA has just introduced a safeguards indexing method for evaluation the safeguards culture at Hungarian nuclear facilities. The main goal of indexing method and the evaluated parameters are also shown in the paper. (author)

Culture, ritual, and errors of repudiation: some implications for the assessment of alternative medical traditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotter, G

2000-07-01

In this article, sources of error that are likely involved when alternative medical traditions are assessed from the standpoint of orthodox biomedicine are discussed. These sources include (1) biomedicine's implicit reductive materialism (manifested in its negative orientation toward placebo effects), (2) a related bias against ritual, and (3) cultural barriers to the construction of externally valid protocols. To overcome these biases, investigators must attend to ritualistic elements in alternative treatments and should recruit patients from appropriate cultural groups. Collaborative research may be the key. Benefits of collaborative research include (1) increased mutual respect and integration between culturally distinct groups and practices, (2) increased understanding and use of sophisticated techniques of empirical analysis among practitioners from the alternative traditions, (3) increased appropriation of the therapeutic benefits of ritual, and (4) enhanced overall benefit for patients of all cultural backgrounds.

The role of corneal endothelial morphology in graft assessment and prediction of endothelial cell loss during organ culture of human donor corneas.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermel, Martin; Salla, Sabine; Fuest, Matthias; Walter, Peter

2017-03-01

Endothelial assessment is crucial in the release of corneas for grafting. We retrospectively analysed the role of endothelial morphology parameters in predicting endothelial cell loss during organ culture. Human donor corneas were cultured in minimal essential medium with 2% fetal calf serum and antibiotics. Initial endothelial morphology was assessed microscopically using score parameters polymegethism (POL), pleomorphism (PLE), granulation (GRA), vacuolization (VAC), segmentation of cell membranes (SEG), Descemet's folds (DF), trypan blue-positive cells (TBPC) and endothelial cell-free areas (ECFA). Some corneas were primarily rejected based on endothelial assessment. Endothelial cell density (ECD) was assessed at the beginning (I-ECD) and end of culture. Corneas were then placed in dehydration medium (as above + 5% dextran 500). In a subgroup, ECD was reassessed after dehydration. Endothelial cell loss during culture (ECL@Culture) and culture+dehydration (ECL-Culture&Dehydration) were calculated. Data were given as mean ± SD and analysed using multiple linear and logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. I-ECD was 2812 ± 360/mm 2 (n = 2356). The decision to reject a cornea due to endothelial assessment was associated negatively with I-ECD (OR = 0.77/100 cells, CI 0.7-0.82) and positively with ECFA (OR = 2.7, CI 1.69-4.35), SEG (OR =1.3, CI 1.01-1.68) and donor age (OR = 1.26/decade, CI 1.33-1.41). ECL@Culture was 153 ± 201/mm 2 (n = 1277), ECL@Culture&Dehydration was 169 ± 183/mm 2 (n = 918). ECL@Culture was associated positively with donor age, I-ECD, GRA and TBPC, and negatively with PLE, and DF. ECL@Culture&Dehydration was associated positively with age, sex, initial ECD, POL, PLE, VAC and TBPC. Morphological parameters displayed associations with the exclusion of corneas from culture and with endothelial cell loss. Appropriate parameter selection for screening purposes may help improve

Educating Students to Become Culturally Competent Physical Therapists: Issues of Teaching and Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Lisa Jayroe

2013-01-01

With the growing multicultural population within the United States, healthcare providers need to be prepared to care for and educate adult clients from various cultural backgrounds. The purpose of the study was to examine the teaching and assessment methods being used by faculty in the education of future physical therapists in teaching the…

40 CFR 1400.2 - Definitions.

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2010-07-01

... analysis (OCA) information means sections 2 through 5 of a risk management plan (consisting of an... consequence analysis (OCA) data elements means the results of the off-site consequence analysis conducted by a... consequence analysis (OCA) rankings means any statewide or national rankings of identified stationary sources...

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Kennerly

2015-07-01

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

Human oocyte calcium analysis predicts the response to assisted oocyte activation in patients experiencing fertilization failure after ICSI.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer-Buitrago, M; Dhaenens, L; Lu, Y; Bonte, D; Vanden Meerschaut, F; De Sutter, P; Leybaert, L; Heindryckx, B

2018-01-10

Can human oocyte calcium analysis predict fertilization success after assisted oocyte activation (AOA) in patients experiencing fertilization failure after ICSI? ICSI-AOA restores the fertilization rate only in patients displaying abnormal Ca2+ oscillations during human oocyte activation. Patients capable of activating mouse oocytes and who showed abnormal Ca2+ profiles after mouse oocyte Ca2+ analysis (M-OCA), have variable responses to ICSI-AOA. It remains unsettled whether human oocyte Ca2+ analysis (H-OCA) would yield an improved accuracy to predict fertilization success after ICSI-AOA. Sperm activation potential was first evaluated by MOAT. Subsequently, Ca2+ oscillatory patterns were determined with sperm from patients showing moderate to normal activation potential based on the capacity of human sperm to generate Ca2+ responses upon microinjection in mouse and human oocytes. Altogether, this study includes a total of 255 mouse and 122 human oocytes. M-OCA was performed with 16 different sperm samples before undergoing ICSI-AOA treatment. H-OCA was performed for 11 patients who finally underwent ICSI-AOA treatment. The diagnostic accuracy to predict fertilization success was calculated based on the response to ICSI-AOA. Patients experiencing low or total failed fertilization after conventional ICSI were included in the study. All participants showed moderate to high rates of activation after MOAT. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes from B6D2F1 mice were used for M-OCA. Control fertile sperm samples were used to obtain a reference Ca2+ oscillation profile elicited in human oocytes. Donated human oocytes, non-suitable for IVF treatments, were collected and vitrified at MII stage for further analysis by H-OCA. M-OCA and H-OCA predicted the response to ICSI-AOA in 8 out of 11 (73%) patients. Compared to M-OCA, H-OCA detected the presence of sperm activation deficiencies with greater sensitivity (75 vs 100%, respectively). ICSI-AOA never showed benefit to overcome

75 FR 2539 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-15

... consequence analyses (OCA) as well as other elements of the risk management program. On August 5, 1999, the...). The Act required the President to promulgate regulations on the distribution of OCA information (CAA... responsibility to promulgate regulations to govern the dissemination of OCA information to the public. The final...

78 FR 2992 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Distribution of...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-15

... consequence analyses (OCA) as well as other elements of the risk management program. On August 5, 1999, the...). The Act required the President to promulgate regulations on the distribution of OCA information (CAA... responsibility to promulgate regulations to govern the dissemination of OCA information to the public. The final...

[Recovery Self Assessment: Translation and cultural adaption of a recovery oriented assessment instrument].

Science.gov (United States)

Zuaboni, Gianfranco; Degano Kieser, Luciana; Kozel, Bernd; Glavanovits, Katharina; Utschakowski, Jörg; Behrens, Johann

2015-08-01

The recovery approach is becoming increasingly important in mental health services and research. In English-speaking countries, its practical implementation as well as the scientific discussion is far more advanced. To support the approach, assessment instruments are required. A widespread and recognised tool is the Recovery Self Assessment Scale {RSA}. This includes four versions of a questionnaire, which cover the perspectives of users, providers, family members and management. In this article, the development of the instrument and the system atictranslation process are presented. Two independent research groups applied different translation. The Swiss research group {AGS} used the ISOPR principles, the German research group (AGN} the Guidelines of the European Social Survey Programme for survey translations TRAPD. The methods differ in the fact,that TRAPD uses focus groups. The results of both groups were combined by means of a consensus process. Within the translation and cultural adjustment of the RSA-D, the the oretical framework of the RSA as well as the transferability into the German speaking context has been ensured. Before the RSA-D c~n beused in practice and research, further studies towards psychometric testing should be conducted.

Oculocutaneous albinism in sub-Saharan Africa: adverse sun-associated health effects and photoprotection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Caradee Y; Norval, Mary; Hertle, Richard W

2015-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically inherited autosomal recessive condition. Individuals with OCA lack melanin and therefore are susceptible to the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet radiation, including extreme sun sensitivity, photophobia and skin cancer. OCA is a grave public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa with a prevalence as high as 1 in 1000 in some tribes. This article considers the characteristics and prevalence of OCA in sub-Saharan African countries. Sun-induced adverse health effects in the skin and eyes of OCA individuals are reviewed. Sun exposure behavior and the use of photoprotection for the skin and eyes are discussed to highlight the major challenges experienced by these at-risk individuals and how these might be best resolved. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

Assessing cross-cultural differences through use of multiple-group invariance analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Judith A; Lee, Jerry W; Jones, Patricia S

2006-12-01

The use of structural equation modeling in cross-cultural personality research has become a popular method for testing measurement invariance. In this report, we present an example of testing measurement invariance using the Sense of Coherence Scale of Antonovsky (1993) in 3 ethnic groups: Chinese, Japanese, and Whites. In a series of increasingly restrictive constraints on the measurement models of the 3 groups, we demonstrate how to assess differences among the groups. We also provide an example of construct validation.

A preliminary study to assess the construct validity of a cultural intelligence measure on a South African sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bright Mahembe

2014-09-01

Research purpose: The purpose of the current study was to assess the construct validity of the CQS on a South African sample. The results of the psychometric assessment offer some important insights into the factor structure of the cultural intelligence construct. Motivation for the study: The current study sought to provide some practical validity confirmation of the CQS for the effective management of cultural diversity in the South African context. Research approach, design and method: The CQS was administered on a non-probability sample of 229 young adults in South Africa. Item analysis was performed to ascertain reliability. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test the unidimensionality of CQS subscales. The first-order and second-order factor structures underlying contemporary models of cultural intelligence were tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Main findings: Results indicated that the CQS is a reliable and valid measure of cultural intelligence as evidenced by the high internal consistency coefficients in all the subscales. Good construct validity for both the first-order and second-order models was obtained via confirmatory factor analysis. Practical/managerial implications: The study finds good measurement properties of the CQS in a South African context. The CQS can be confidently used for applications such as selecting, training and developing a more culturally competent workforce. Contribution: The study extends the body of knowledge on the reliability and construct validity of the CQS in the South African milieu. It further indicates that cultural intelligence can be represented by a general cultural intelligence factor that drives more specific dimensions of cultural intelligence.

75 FR 8995 - Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

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2010-02-26

... currently approved collection. Title of Collection: Occupational Code Assignment (OCA). OMB Control Number... (OCA), is provided as a public service for the states as well as for others who use occupational information. The OCA process is designed to help users relate an occupational specialty or a job title or to...

78 FR 26775 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-08

... (OCA) as well as other elements of the risk management program. The Chemical Safety Information, Site... the distribution of OCA information (CAA section 112(r)(7)(H)(ii)). The state and local agencies who decide to obtain OCA information must send a written request on their official letterhead to EPA...

[Influence of hormonal contraceptives on indices of zinc homeostasis and bone remodeling in young adult women].

Science.gov (United States)

Simões, Tania Mara Rodrigues; Zapata, Carmiña Lucía Vargas; Donangelo, Carmen Marino

2015-09-01

To investigate the influence of the use of oral hormonal contraceptive agents (OCA) on the biochemical indices related to metabolic zinc utilization and distribution, and to bone turnover in young adult women. Cross-sectional study. Blood and urine samples from non-users (-OCA; control; n=69) and users of hormonal contraceptives for at least 3 months (+OCA; n=62) were collected under controlled conditions. Indices of zinc homeostasis and of bone turnover were analyzed in serum or plasma (total, albumin-bound and α2-macroglobulin-bound zinc, albumin and total and bone alkaline phosphatase activity), in erythrocytes (zinc and metallothionein) and in urine (zinc, calcium and hydroxyproline). The habitual zinc and calcium intakes were evaluated by a food frequency questionnaire. Dietary zinc intake was similar in both groups and on average above recommended values, whereas calcium intake was similarly sub-adequate in +OCA and -OCA. Compared to controls, +OCA had lower concentrations of total and α2-macroglobulin-bound zinc (11 and 28.5%, respectively, puse decreases serum zinc, alters zinc distribution in major serum fractions with possible effects on tissue uptake, enhances zinc retention in the body and decreases bone turnover. Prolonged OCA use may lead to lower peak bone mass and/or to impaired bone mass maintenance in young women, particularly in those with marginal calcium intake. The observed OCA effects were more evident in women younger than 25 years and in nulliparous women, deserving special attention in future studies.

Earth observation technologies in service to the cultural landscape of Cyprus: risk identification and assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Cuca, Branka; Tzouvaras, Marios; Agapiou, Athos; Lysandrou, Vasiliki; Themistocleous, Kyriacos; Nisantzi, Argyro; Hadjimitsis, Diofantos G.

2016-08-01

The Cultural landscapes are witnesses of "the creative genius, social development and the imaginative and spiritual vitality of humanity. They are part of our collective identity", as it is internationally defined and accepted (ICOMOSUNESCO). The need for their protection, management and inclusion in the territorial policies has already been widely accepted and pursued. There is a great number of risks to which the cultural landscapes are exposed, arising mainly from natural (both due to slow geo-physical phenomena as well as hazards) and anthropogenic causes (e.g. urbanisation pressure, agriculture, landscape fragmentation etc.). This paper explores to what extent Earth Observation (EO) technologies can contribute to identify and evaluate the risks to which Cultural Landscapes of Cyprus are exposed, taking into consideration specific phenomena, such as land movements and soil erosion. The research of the paper is illustrated as part of the activities carried out in the CLIMA project - "Cultural Landscape risk Identification, Management and Assessment". It aims to combine the fields of remote sensing technologies, including Sentinel data, and monitoring of cultural landscape for its improved protection and management. Part of this approach will be based on the use of InSAR techniques in order to monitor the temporal evolution of deformations through the detection and measurement of the effects of surface movements caused by various factors. The case study selected for Cyprus is the Nea Paphos archeological site and historical center of Paphos, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The interdisciplinary approach adopted in this research was useful to identify major risks affecting the landscape of Cyprus and to classify the most suitable EO methods to assess and map such risks.

SLC45A2 mutation frequency in Oculocutaneous Albinism Italian patients doesn't differ from other European studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauri, Lucia; Barone, Luca; Al Oum, Muna; Del Longo, Alessandra; Piozzi, Elena; Manfredini, Emanuela; Stanzial, Franco; Benedicenti, Francesco; Penco, Silvana; Patrosso, Maria Cristina

2014-01-01

Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) is a heterogeneous group of inherited diseases involving hair, skin and eyes. To date, six forms are recognized on the effects of different melanogenesis genes. OCA4 is caused by mutations in SLC45A2 showing a heterogeneous phenotype ranging from white hair, blue irides and nystagmus to brown/black hair, brown irides and no nystagmus. The high clinic variety often leads to misdiagnosis. Our aim is to contribute to OCA4 diagnosis defining SLC45A2 genetic variants in Italian patients with OCA without any TYR, OCA2 and TYRP1 gene defects. After the clinical diagnosis of OCA, all patients received genetic counseling and genetic test. Automatic sequencing of TYR, OCA2, and TYRP1 genes was performed on DNA of 117 albino patients. Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) was carried out on TYR and OCA2 genes to increase the mutation rate. SLC45A2 gene sequencing was then executed in the patients with a single mutation in one of the TYR, OCA2, TYRP1 genes and in the patients, which resulted negative at the screening of these genes. SLC45A2 gene analysis was performed in 41 patients and gene alterations were found in 5 patients. Four previously reported SLC45A2 mutations were found: p.G100S, p.W202C, p.A511E and c.986delC, and three novel variants were identified: p.M265L, p.H94D, and c.1156+1G>A. All the alterations have been detected in the group of patients without mutations in the other OCA genes. Three new variants were identified in OCA4 gene; the analysis allowed the classification of a patient previously misdiagnosed as OA1 because of skin and hair pigmentation presence. The molecular defects in SLC45A2 gene represent the 3.4% in this cohort of Italian patients, similar to other Caucasian populations; our data differ from those previously published by an Italian researcher group, obtained on a smaller cohort of patients. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Albinism in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mártinez-García, Mónica; Montoliu, Lluís

2013-05-01

Albinism is a rare genetic condition associated with a variable hypopigmentation phenotype, which can affect the pigmentation of only the eyes or both the eyes and the skin/hair, resulting in ocular (OA) or oculocutaneous albinism (OCA), respectively. At least four forms of OCA and one of OA are known, associated with TYR (OCA1), OCA2 (OCA2), TYRP1 (OCA3), SLC45A2 (OCA4) and GPR143 (OA1) loci, respectively. Additionally, the rarest syndromic forms of albinism, affecting the normal function of other organs, can be grouped in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS1-9) and the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS1). In summary, a total of 15 genes are currently associated with various types of albinism. However, new genes have been recently described, associated with autosomal recessive oculocutaneous albinism with highly similar phenotypes but diverse molecular origin, indicating that there are likely to be more than 15 genes whose mutations will be associated with albinism. In this review, we will describe the different types of albinism and comment on its prevalence in European countries. Some preclinical attempts for innovative therapeutic approaches of different types of albinism will be also discussed. © 2013 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Identification of a missense mutation in the tyrosinase gene in a Chinese family with oculocutaneous albinism type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Qian; Yuan, Lamei; Xu, Hongbo; Huang, Xiangjun; Yang, Zhijian; Yi, Junhui; Ni, Bin; Chen, Yong; Deng, Hao

2017-03-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a group of heterogeneous and autosomal recessive disorders characterized by a reduction or complete loss of melanin biosynthesis in melanocytes. OCA type 1 (OCA1) is the most severe and common form of OCA, and is caused by mutations in the tyrosinase gene (TYR). The present study aimed to identify the genetic cause of OCA1 in a four‑generation consanguineous Chinese Han family. Complete physical examinations were performed and blood samples were collected from five members of the family and 100 unrelated healthy controls. Exome sequencing was conducted in the proband, followed by verification in other family members, using Sanger sequencing. Patients in the family presented with typical OCA1 features, including hypopigmentation of the skin and hair, and distinctive ocular changes. A homozygous missense variant, c.896G>A (p.R299H), in the TYR gene was identified in two patients, which co‑segregated with disease in the family. This variant was not present in the 100 healthy controls. These results expand the number of mutations identified to be responsible for OCA1 in the Chinese Han population, and may have implications for genetic counseling and clinical management of the disease.

Controling the scattering of Intralipid by using optical clearing agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Xiang; Luo Qingming; Zhu Dan; Tuchin, Valery V

2009-01-01

Optical clearing agents (OCAs) with high refractive indices and hyperosmolarity can enhance the penetration of light in tissues by reducing scattering in tissues. However, the mechanism of tissue optical clearing is not much clear for the complex interaction between tissues and OCAs. In this work, Intralipid was mixed with different concentrations of OCAs, i.e. dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, poly-ethylene glycol 200 (PEG200) and poly-ethylene glycol 400 (PEG400). Except for PEG200 and PEG400 that make aggregation of particles, the others kept the mixture uniform. The reduced scattering coefficients of uniform mixtures were predicted with Mie theory and measured by a commercially available spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere. The results show that all of the OCAs used enhance the optical clearing effect of Intralipid. If OCAs do not change the structure of Intralipid, Mie theory prediction matches well with the measurements. And the higher the refractive index of OCA, the smaller the reduced scattering coefficient. A simple formula deduced can quantitatively predict the optical clearing effect caused by OCAs. This work is helpful for clarifying the mechanism of tissue optical clearing, which will make the effect of optical clearing of tissue predictable and controllable.

Does Treatment of the Tibia Matter in Bipolar Chondral Defects of the Knee? Clinical Outcomes with Greater Than 2 Years Follow-up.

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Hannon, Charles P; Weber, Alexander E; Gitelis, Matthew; Meyer, Maximillian A; Yanke, Adam B; Cole, Brian J

2018-04-01

To compare the osteochondral allograft (OCA) outcomes of bipolar defects with isolated femoral defects and to investigate the optimal treatment of bipolar defects by comparing femoral OCA with tibial debridement to femoral OCA and tibial microfracture. A series of patients with 2-year follow-up from March 2004 to September 2015 after femoral OCA for bipolar chondral defects was identified. Group 1 contained patients with tibial defects treated with debridement and group 2 contained patients with microfractured tibial defects. A third group (group 3) with isolated femoral defects treated with OCA was identified and matched by gender, body mass index (BMI), laterality, and OCA size to groups 1 and 2. Patient-specific, defect-specific, intraoperative, and postoperative data including patient-reported outcomes were collected on all patients. The study groups were compared using analyses of variance, paired sample t tests, and χ-square analyses. Thirty-six patients who had femoral OCA for bipolar lesions were identified with 20 patients in group 1 and 16 patients in group 2. Group 3 had 20 patients. There were no differences between the 3 groups in terms of gender (P = .616), BMI (P = .271), number of previous surgeries (P = .451), femoral or tibial defect size (P = .296), and OCA size (P = .981). Preoperative to postoperative patient-reported clinical outcomes (PROs) revealed statistical and clinically meaningful improvement in all 3 groups, but did not differ between groups. Patient-specific and defect-specific factors did not correlate with PROs. The graft survivorship for group 1 was 85% at 4.5 years, 100% for group 2 at 2.5 years, and 95% for group 3 at 3.8 years. Regardless of tibial treatment, patients with bipolar defects treated with femoral OCA have clinically meaningful improvements in PROs and excellent graft survivorship comparable to isolated femoral OCAs at more than 2 years. Level III, case-control study. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy

A safety culture assessment by mixed methods at a public maternity and infant hospital in China

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Listyowardojo TA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Tita Alissa Listyowardojo,1 Xiaoling Yan,2,3 Stephen Leyshon,1 Bobbie Ray-Sannerud,1 Xin Yan Yu,4 Kai Zheng,4 Tao Duan2,3 1Life Sciences Program, Group Technology and Research, DNV GL, Hovik, Norway; 2Quality and Safety Department, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, 3Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 4Healthcare Department, Business Assurance, DNV GL, Beijing, China Objective: To assess safety culture at a public maternity hospital in Shanghai, China, using a sequential mixed methods approach. The study was part of a bigger study looking at the application of the mixed methods approach to assess safety culture in health care in different organizations and countries.Methodology: A mixed methods approach was utilized by first distributing the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire measuring six safety culture dimensions and five independent items to all hospital staff (n=1482 working in 18 departments at a single hospital. Afterward, semistructured interviews were conducted using convenience sampling, where 48 hospital staff from nine departments at the same hospital were individually interviewed.Results: The survey received a response rate of 96%. The survey findings show significant differences between the hospital departments in almost all safety culture dimensions and independent items. Similarly, the interview findings revealed that there were different, competing priorities between departments perceived to result in a reduced quality of collaboration and bottlenecks in care delivery. Another major finding was that staff who worked more hours per week would perceive working conditions significantly more negatively. Issues related to working conditions were also the most common concerns discussed in the interviews, especially the issue on high workload. High workload was also reflected in the fact that 91.45% of survey respondents reported that they worked 40 hours or longer per week. Finally, interview findings complemented

Exploring Formative Assessment Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory

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Mandy Asghar

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Formative assessment is a pedagogic practice that has been the subject of much research and debate, as to how it can be used most effectively to deliver enhanced student learning in the higher education setting. Often described as a complex concept it embraces activities that range from facilitating students understanding of assessment standards, to providing formative feedback on their work; from very informal opportunities of engaging in conversations, to the very formal process of submitting drafts of work. This study aims to show how cultural historical activity theory can be used as a qualitative analysis framework to explore the complexities of formative assessment as it is used in higher education. The original data for the research was collected in 2008 by semi structured interviews and analysed using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. For this present paper three selected transcripts were re-examined, using a case study approach that sought to understand and compare the perceptions of five academic staff, from three distinct subject areas taught within a UK university. It is proposed that using activity theory can provide insight into the complexity of such experiences, about what teachers do and why, and the influence of the community in which they are situated. Individually the cases from each subject area were analysed using activity theory exploring how the mediating artefacts of formative assessment were used; the often implicit rules that governed their use and the roles of teachers and students within the local subject community. The analysis also considered the influence each aspect of the unit of activity had on the other in understanding formative assessment practice. Subsequently the three subject cases were compared and contrasted. The findings illuminate a variety of practices, including how students and staff engage together in formative assessment activities and for some, how dialogue is used as one of the key tools

Designing a Culturally Appropriate Format of Formative Peer Assessment for Asian Students: The Case of Vietnamese Students

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Thanh, Pham Thi Hong; Gillies, Robyn

2010-01-01

Peer assessment has recently been widely recommended in Vietnamese classrooms. However, there are argumentative opinions about this assessment because it has many conflicts with the learning culture of Vietnamese students. To date, there has not been any study addressing this issue. The present study investigated how Vietnamese students…

KHNP Safety Culture Framework based on Global Standard, and Lessons learned from Safety Culture Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Younggab; Hur, Nam Young; Jeong, Hyeon Jong

2015-01-01

In order to eliminate the vague fears of the people about the nuclear power and operate continuously NPPs, a strong safety culture of NPPs should be demonstrated. Strong safety culture awareness of workers can overcome social distrust about NPPs. KHNP has been a variety efforts to improve and establish safety culture of NPPs. Safety culture framework applying global standards was set up and safety culture assessment has been carried out periodically to enhance safety culture of workers. In addition, KHNP developed various safety culture contents and they are being used in NPPs by workers. As a result of these efforts, safety culture awareness of workers is changed positively and the safety environment of NPPs is expected to be improved. KHNP makes an effort to solve areas for improvement derived from safety culture assessment. However, there are some areas to take a long time in completing the work. Therefore, these actions are necessary to be carried out consistently and continuously. KHNP also developed recently safety culture enhancement system based on web. All information related to safety culture in KHNP will be shared through this web system and this system will be used to safety culture assessment. In addition to, KHNP plans to develop safety culture indicators for monitoring the symptoms of safety culture weakening

KHNP Safety Culture Framework based on Global Standard, and Lessons learned from Safety Culture Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Younggab; Hur, Nam Young; Jeong, Hyeon Jong [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

In order to eliminate the vague fears of the people about the nuclear power and operate continuously NPPs, a strong safety culture of NPPs should be demonstrated. Strong safety culture awareness of workers can overcome social distrust about NPPs. KHNP has been a variety efforts to improve and establish safety culture of NPPs. Safety culture framework applying global standards was set up and safety culture assessment has been carried out periodically to enhance safety culture of workers. In addition, KHNP developed various safety culture contents and they are being used in NPPs by workers. As a result of these efforts, safety culture awareness of workers is changed positively and the safety environment of NPPs is expected to be improved. KHNP makes an effort to solve areas for improvement derived from safety culture assessment. However, there are some areas to take a long time in completing the work. Therefore, these actions are necessary to be carried out consistently and continuously. KHNP also developed recently safety culture enhancement system based on web. All information related to safety culture in KHNP will be shared through this web system and this system will be used to safety culture assessment. In addition to, KHNP plans to develop safety culture indicators for monitoring the symptoms of safety culture weakening.

New IAEA guidance on safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haage, Monica; )

2012-01-01

Monica Haage described a project for Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria which was also funded by the Norwegian government. This project included the development of guidance documents and training on self-assessment and continuous improvement of safety culture. A draft IAEA safety culture survey was also developed as part of this project in collaboration with St Mary's University, Canada. This project was conducted in parallel with an IAEA project to develop new safety reports on safety culture self-assessment and continuous improvement. A safety report on safety culture during the pre-operational phases of NPPs has also been drafted. The IAEA approach to safety culture assessment was outlined and core principles of the approach were discussed. These include the use of several assessment methods (survey, interview, observation, focus groups, document review), and two distinct levels of analysis. The first is a descriptive analysis of the observed cultural characteristics from each assessment method and overarching themes. This is followed by a 'normative' analysis comparing what has been observed with the desirable characteristics of a strong, positive, safety culture, as defined by the IAEA safety culture framework. The application of this approach during recent Operational Safety Assessment Review Team (OSART) missions was described along with key learning points

Analyzing and designing object-oriented missile simulations with concurrency

Science.gov (United States)

Randorf, Jeffrey Allen

2000-11-01

A software object model for the six degree-of-freedom missile modeling domain is presented. As a precursor, a domain analysis of the missile modeling domain was started, based on the Feature-Oriented Domain Analysis (FODA) technique described by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). It was subsequently determined the FODA methodology is functionally equivalent to the Object Modeling Technique. The analysis used legacy software documentation and code from the ENDOSIM, KDEC, and TFrames 6-DOF modeling tools, including other technical literature. The SEI Object Connection Architecture (OCA) was the template for designing the object model. Three variants of the OCA were considered---a reference structure, a recursive structure, and a reference structure with augmentation for flight vehicle modeling. The reference OCA design option was chosen for maintaining simplicity while not compromising the expressive power of the OMT model. The missile architecture was then analyzed for potential areas of concurrent computing. It was shown how protected objects could be used for data passing between OCA object managers, allowing concurrent access without changing the OCA reference design intent or structure. The implementation language was the 1995 release of Ada. OCA software components were shown how to be expressed as Ada child packages. While acceleration of several low level and other high operations level are possible on proper hardware, there was a 33% degradation of 4th order Runge-Kutta integrator performance of two simultaneous ordinary differential equations using Ada tasking on a single processor machine. The Defense Department's High Level Architecture was introduced and explained in context with the OCA. It was shown the HLA and OCA were not mutually exclusive architectures, but complimentary. HLA was shown as an interoperability solution, with the OCA as an architectural vehicle for software reuse. Further directions for implementing a 6-DOF missile modeling

Assessing archetypes of organizational culture based on the Competing Values Framework: the experimental use of the framework in Japanese neonatal intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Hatoko; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Mori, Rintaro; Nishida, Toshihiko; Kusuda, Satoshi; Nakayama, Takeo

2017-06-01

To assess organizational culture in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Japan. Cross-sectional survey of organizational culture. Forty NICUs across Japan. Physicians and nurses who worked in NICUs (n = 2006). The Competing Values Framework (CVF) was used to assess the organizational culture of the study population. The 20-item CVF was divided into four culture archetypes: Group, Developmental, Hierarchical and Rational. We calculated geometric means (gmean) and 95% bootstrap confidence intervals of the individual dimensions by unit and occupation. The median number of staff, beds, physicians' work hours and work engagement were also calculated to examine the differences by culture archetypes. Group (gmean = 34.6) and Hierarchical (gmean = 31.7) culture archetypes were higher than Developmental (gmean = 16.3) and Rational (gmean = 17.4) among physicians as a whole. Hierarchical (gmean = 36.3) was the highest followed by Group (gmean = 25.8), Developmental (gmean = 16.3) and Rational (gmean = 21.7) among nurses as a whole. Units with dominant Hierarchical culture had a slightly higher number of physicians (median = 7) than dominant Group culture (median = 6). Units with dominant Group culture had a higher number of beds (median = 12) than dominant Hierarchical culture (median = 9) among physicians. Nurses from units with a dominant Group culture (median = 2.8) had slightly higher work engagement compared with those in units with a dominant Hierarchical culture (median = 2.6). Our findings revealed that organizational culture in NICUs varies depending on occupation and group size. Group and Hierarchical cultures predominated in Japanese NICUs. Assessing organizational culture will provide insights into the perceptions of unit values to improve quality of care. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care

40 CFR 1400.6 - Enhanced local access.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... INFORMATION Public Access § 1400.6 Enhanced local access. (a) OCA data elements. Consistent with 42 U.S.C..., may convey to the public OCA data elements orally or in writing, as long as the data elements are not... Administrator from those sections. Disseminating OCA data elements to the public in a manner consistent with...

77 FR 11599 - January 2012 Pay Schedules

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-27

... definitions can be found at http://www.opm.gov/oca/12tables/locdef.asp . The 2012 locality pay percentages... increased in 2012. The memo is available at http://www.opm.gov/flsa/oca/11tables/Extend_2012.pdf . On.... (See http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/index.asp .) The memorandum transmitted Executive Order 13594 and...

Silver nanoparticles as optical clearing agent enhancers to improve caries diagnostic by optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, Vanda S. M.; Mota, Cláudia C. B. O.; Souza, Alex F.; da Silva, Evair J.; da Silva, Andrea F.; Gerbi, Marleny E. M. M.; Gomes, Anderson S. L.

2018-02-01

The use of silver nanoparticles as optical clearing agent (OCA) enhancers to improve caries diagnostic by optical coherence tomography (OCT) is demonstrated here. Five molars with no evident cavitation were selected. The OCAs were based on aqueous solution of silver nanoparticles (AgNP, 1.18x 1014 particles/mL, ø ≈ 10nm) and its dilution at 10% in glycerol. Teeth were placed on a platform with a micrometric screw, and after applying the OCAs, they were scanned with a Callisto SD-OCT system operating ate 930nm central wavelength. The occlusal surfaces were scanned by OCT, capturing crosssectional images with 8 mm transversal scanning, generating numerical matrices (2000x512). The OCT images had their transverse dimension preserved. AgNP-OCAs promoted image stretching due to the modification in the light optical path caused by AgNP-OCAs refractive indices close to that of the enamel. AgNP-OCAs evidenced the enamel birefringence and highlighted initial demineralization areas, that presented defined margins with higher contrast between sound and demineralized regions, with higher OCT signal intensity in those areas.

[Cross-cultural adaptation of the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS) to the Brazilian Portuguese language].

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorin, Bruno Henrique; Oliveira, Elizabete Regina Araújo de; Moreira, Rita Simone Lopes; Luna Filho, Bráulio

2018-03-01

From the evaluation of the factors that affect quality of life (QOL) it is possible to plan interventions that lead to the improved well-being of patients. The scope of this study was to conduct the cross-cultural adaptation of the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS) questionnaire to the Portuguese language, seeking the necessary semantic, idiomatic, conceptual and cultural equivalence. The theoretical framework of Guillemin, Bombardier and Beaton was used, fulfilling the following steps: translation, back translation, evaluation of the authors, peer review and pre-testing. After all the tests, the semantic, idiomatic, conceptual and cultural equivalence was achieved. The scale proved to be easy to use and was clinically important. MIDAS was validated in terms of its semantic, idiomatic, conceptual and cultural equivalences. Subsequently, the measurement equivalence will be evaluated to verify the psychometric properties.

The Regulatory Approach for the Assessment of Safety Culture in Germany: A Tool for Practical Use for Inspections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fassmann, W.; Beck, J.; Kopisch, C.

2016-01-01

Need for methods to assess licencees’ safety culture has been recognised since the Chernobyl accident. Several conferences organized by IAEA and OECD-NEA stated the need for regulatory oversight of safety culture and for suitable methods. In 2013, IAEA published a Technical Document (TECDOC 1707) on the process of safety culture oversight by regulatory authorities which leaves much room for regulators’ ways of performing safety culture oversight. In response to these developments, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as the federal regulatory body commissioned GRS in 2011 to develop a practical guidance for assessing licencees’ safety culture in the process of regulatory oversight. This research and development project was completed just recently. The publicly available documentation comprises a shorter guidance document with the indispensable information for an appropriate, practical application and a report with more detailed information about the scientific basis of this guidance. To achieve best possible adaptation to regulators’ needs, GRS asked members of the regulatory authority of Baden-Wuerttemberg (one of the federal states of Germany) for comments on a draft of the guidance which was then finalised by duly considering this highly valuable and favorable feedback. Decisions regarding future use rest with German regulatory authorities.

Developing cultural intelligence: assessing the effect of the Ecotonos cultural simulation game for international business students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bücker, J.J.L.E.; Korzilius, H.P.L.M.

2015-01-01

In this study, we test the strength of a cross-cultural simulation game, Ecotonos, in the development of cultural intelligence (CQ) and self-efficacy amongst business students. Cross-cultural training is perceived as an important tool to help develop cross-cultural competence in international

Obeticholic acid raises LDL-cholesterol and reduces HDL-cholesterol in the Diet-Induced NASH (DIN) hamster model.

Science.gov (United States)

Briand, François; Brousseau, Emmanuel; Quinsat, Marjolaine; Burcelin, Rémy; Sulpice, Thierry

2018-01-05

The use of rat and mouse models limits the translation to humans for developing novel drugs targeting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Obeticholic acid (OCA) illustrates this limitation since its dyslipidemic effect in humans cannot be observed in these rodents. Conversely, Golden Syrian hamsters have a lipoprotein metabolism mimicking human dyslipidemia since it does express the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). We therefore developed a Diet-Induced NASH (DIN) hamster model and evaluated the impact of OCA. Compared with chow fed controls, hamsters fed for 20 weeks with a free-choice (FC) diet, developed obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and NASH (microvesicular steatosis, inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning and perisinusoidal to bridging fibrosis). After 20 weeks of diet, FC fed hamsters were treated without or with obeticholic acid (15mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks. Although a non-significant trend towards higher dietary caloric intake was observed, OCA significantly lowered body weight after 5 weeks of treatment. OCA significantly increased CETP activity and LDL-C levels by 20% and 27%, and reduced HDL-C levels by 20%. OCA blunted hepatic gene expression of Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1 and reduced fecal bile acids mass excretion by 64% (P OCA showed a trend towards higher scavenger receptor Class B type I (SR-BI) and lower LDL-receptor hepatic protein expression. OCA reduced NAS score for inflammation (P OCA as observed in humans, and should be useful for evaluating novel drugs targeting NASH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular genetic studies and delineation of the oculocutaneous albinism phenotype in the Pakistani population

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Jaworek Thomas J

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA is caused by a group of genetically heterogeneous inherited defects that result in the loss of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. Mutations in the TYR, OCA2, TYRP1 and SLC45A2 genes have been shown to cause isolated OCA. No comprehensive analysis has been conducted to study the spectrum of OCA alleles prevailing in Pakistani albino populations. Methods We enrolled 40 large Pakistani families and screened them for OCA genes and a candidate gene, SLC24A5. Protein function effects were evaluated using in silico prediction algorithms and ex vivo studies in human melanocytes. The effects of splice-site mutations were determined using an exon-trapping assay. Results Screening of the TYR gene revealed four known (p.Arg299His, p.Pro406Leu, p.Gly419Arg, p.Arg278* and three novel mutations (p.Pro21Leu, p.Cys35Arg, p.Tyr411His in ten families. Ex vivo studies revealed the retention of an EGFP-tagged mutant (p.Pro21Leu, p.Cys35Arg or p.Tyr411His tyrosinase in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER at 37°C, but a significant fraction of p.Cys35Arg and p.Tyr411His left the ER in cells grown at a permissive temperature (31°C. Three novel (p.Asp486Tyr, p.Leu527Arg, c.1045-15 T > G and two known mutations (p.Pro743Leu, p.Ala787Thr of OCA2 were found in fourteen families. Exon-trapping assays with a construct containing a novel c.1045-15 T > G mutation revealed an error in splicing. No mutation in TYRP1, SLC45A2, and SLC24A5 was found in the remaining 16 families. Clinical evaluation of the families segregating either TYR or OCA2 mutations showed nystagmus, photophobia, and loss of pigmentation in the skin or hair follicles. Most of the affected individuals had grayish-blue colored eyes. Conclusions Our results show that ten and fourteen families harbored mutations in the TYR and OCA2 genes, respectively. Our findings, along with the results of previous studies, indicate that the p.Cys35Arg, p.Arg278

The challenge of cross-cultural assessment--The Test of Ability To Explain for Zulu-speaking Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Solarsh, Barbara; Alant, Erna

2006-01-01

A culturally appropriate test, The Test of Ability To Explain for Zulu-speaking Children (TATE-ZC), was developed to measure verbal problem solving skills of rural, Zulu-speaking, primary school children. Principles of 'non-biased' assessment, as well as emic (culture specific) and etic (universal) aspects of intelligence formed the theoretical backdrop. In addition, specific principles relating to test translation; test content; culturally appropriate stimulus material; scoring procedures and test administration were applied. Five categories of abstract thinking skills formed the basis of the TATE-ZC. These were: (a) Explaining Inferences, (b) Determining Cause, (c) Negative Why Questions, (d) Determining Solutions and (e) Avoiding Problem. The process of test development underwent three pilot studies. Results indicate that the TATE-ZC is a reliable and valid test for the target population. A critical analysis of the efficacy of creating a test of verbal reasoning for children from the developing world concludes the article. As a result of this activity (1) the participant will have a clearer understanding of the principles that need to be followed when developing culturally appropriate test material; (2) the participant will understand the process of developing culturally appropriate test material for non-mainstream cultures; (3) the participant will be able to apply the process and principles to other cross-cultural testing situations.

Noise-immune complex correlation for vasculature imaging based on standard and Jones-matrix optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Makita, Shuichi; Kurokawa, Kazuhiro; Hong, Young-Joo; Li, En; Miura, Masahiro; Yasuno, Yoshiaki

2016-03-01

A new optical coherence angiography (OCA) method, called correlation mapping OCA (cmOCA), is presented by using the SNR-corrected complex correlation. An SNR-correction theory for the complex correlation calculation is presented. The method also integrates a motion-artifact-removal method for the sample motion induced decorrelation artifact. The theory is further extended to compute more reliable correlation by using multi- channel OCT systems, such as Jones-matrix OCT. The high contrast vasculature imaging of in vivo human posterior eye has been obtained. Composite imaging of cmOCA and degree of polarization uniformity indicates abnormalities of vasculature and pigmented tissues simultaneously.

Nigeria’s Mono-Cultural Economy: Impact Assessment and Prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Nwaoba ITUMO

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article takes an insight into the nature of the oil based mono-cultural economy of Nigeria, providing an in-depth analysis of the situation. It clearly assesses the oil resource based economy, highlights the impacts- positive and negative on Nigeria’s economic development and why Nigeria urgently needs to diversify its economy away from oil resource dependence. If Nigeria will not change the oil dependency economy, there will be grave implications for its economic growth and development as it already negatively affects annual budgetary provisions and other fiscal responsibilities. As it is well known, Nigeria is one of the foremost countries in the global oil export, with disruptions in its supply affecting the international oil market in some ways, huge reliance on oil as a resource has seen one of the foremost economies in Africa challenged in her economic growth and development with oil price volatility and decline on the global market. The research made use of secondary data to assess the situation and also drew the conclusion that Nigeria needs to diversify her economy as reliance on a basic resource discourages growth.

A qualitative assessment of cross-cultural adaptation of intermediate measures for schizophrenia in multisite international studies.

Science.gov (United States)