Evaluating effectiveness of project start-ups: an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halman, Johannes I.M.; Burger, G.T.N.

In this paper an exploratory study is reported about the effectiveness of project start-up (PSU) practices within a world-scale operating, high technology innovating and manufacturing company. The emphasis is on the focal position of both project owner and project manager. To uncover potential

Exploratory Shaft Facility design basis study report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langstaff, A.L.

1987-01-01

The Design Basis Study is a scoping/sizing study that evaluated the items concerning the Exploratory Shaft Facility Design including design basis values for water and methane inflow; flexibility of the design to support potential changes in program direction; cost and schedule impacts that could result if the design were changed to comply with gassy mine regulations; and cost, schedule, advantages and disadvantages of a larger second shaft. Recommendations are proposed concerning water and methane inflow values, facility layout, second shaft size, ventilation, and gassy mine requirements. 75 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs

Sustaining Latina Student Organizations: An Exploratory Instrumental Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Castellanos, Michelle

2016-01-01

Utilizing the exploratory case study methodology, the author examines the conditions that support and limit a Latina-based student organization at a predominately White institution of higher education. Seven organizational structures were found to influence the organization's ability to advance its aims, from interviews, documents, observations,…

Current, physical profile, and meteorological data collected as part of the Exploratory Study of Deepwater Currents in the Gulf of Mexico by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), 2/28/2003 - 4/11/2004 (NODC Accession 0031345)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Minerals Management Service (MMS) awarded a contract to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to conduct a four-year study titled: Exploratory...

Situated Analysis of Team Handball Players' Decisions: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lenzen, Benoit; Theunissen, Catherine; Cloes, Marc

2009-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to investigate elements involved in decision making in team handball live situations and to provide coaches and educators with teaching recommendations. The study was positioned within the framework of the situated-action paradigm of which two aspects were of particular interest for this project: (a) the relationship…

Fabrication of a Lateral Polarity GaN MESFET: An Exploratory Study

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sitar, Zlatko; Collazo, Ramon

2007-01-01

This report describes exploratory studies in the fabrication of the GaN LPH structures and their application in the fabrication of a depletion-mode metal semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFETs...

Community Pharmacists’ Awareness of Intimate Partner Violence: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Yang, M.D., Ph.D.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV is a serious public health problem, impacting more than 12 million people in the United States each year. The only know effective health care intervention is routine screening for IPV exposure; however, this intervention has been poorly adopted. Expansion of screening efforts to the community pharmacy setting provides an opportunity to have a substantial impact on the health and well-being of pharmacy patients. However, little is known about pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to IPV.Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct an exploratory investigation of community pharmacists’ current level of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and intentions related to IPV and to IPV screening.Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted. Surveys were distributed via email. Descriptive analyses of survey responses were conducted.Results: A total of 144 community pharmacists completed the survey. Results indicated most (67.4% had no IPV education/training. Participants were significantly more willing to conduct screening with targeted patients compared to all patients. (X2=129.62; df=36; p<0.0001. There was strong agreement with interest in and willingness to participate in continuing education.Conclusions: Most respondents indicated relatively low levels of IPV knowledge and training and very little current IPV screening activity. Continuing education on IPV should be considered for pharmacists to increase knowledge and awareness of IPV.

Establishing contact and gaining trust : an exploratory study of care avoidance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schout, Gert; de Jong, Gideon; Zeelen, Jacques

Title. Establishing contact and gaining trust: an exploratory study of care avoidance. Aim. This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the competencies especially deep-rooted personal qualities - of care providers who succeed in making contact and gaining trust with clients who are

Separate tools or tool kits: an exploratory study of engineers' preferences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vliegen, Ingrid; Kleingeld, P.A.M.; van Houtum, Geert-Jan

2010-01-01

This paper describes an exploratory study of aspects that should be taken into consideration when optimizing tool kits, i.e. cases containing sets of tools that are used by service engineers for corrective maintenance. The study was carried out among service engineers of an Original Equipment

Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Latino Immigrant Workers: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Eggerth, Donald E; Flynn, Michael A

2012-02-01

Blustein mapped career decision making onto Maslow's model of motivation and personality and concluded that most models of career development assume opportunities and decision-making latitude that do not exist for many individuals from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, Blustein argued that these models may be of limited utility for such individuals. Blustein challenged researchers to reevaluate current career development approaches, particularly those assuming a static world of work, from a perspective allowing for changing circumstances and recognizing career choice can be limited by access to opportunities, personal obligations, and social barriers. This article represents an exploratory effort to determine if the theory of work adjustment (TWA) might meaningfully be used to describe the work experiences of Latino immigrant workers, a group living with severe constraints and having very limited employment opportunities. It is argued that there is significant conceptual convergence between Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the work reinforcers of TWA. The results of an exploratory, qualitative study with a sample of 10 Latino immigrants are also presented. These immigrants participated in key informant interviews concerning their work experiences both in the United States and in their home countries. The findings support Blustein's contention that such workers will be most focused on basic survival needs and suggest that TWA reinforcers are descriptive of important aspects of how Latino immigrant workers conceptualize their jobs.

Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Latino Immigrant Workers: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Eggerth, Donald E.; Flynn, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Blustein mapped career decision making onto Maslow’s model of motivation and personality and concluded that most models of career development assume opportunities and decision-making latitude that do not exist for many individuals from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, Blustein argued that these models may be of limited utility for such individuals. Blustein challenged researchers to reevaluate current career development approaches, particularly those assuming a static world of work, from a perspective allowing for changing circumstances and recognizing career choice can be limited by access to opportunities, personal obligations, and social barriers. This article represents an exploratory effort to determine if the theory of work adjustment (TWA) might meaningfully be used to describe the work experiences of Latino immigrant workers, a group living with severe constraints and having very limited employment opportunities. It is argued that there is significant conceptual convergence between Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the work reinforcers of TWA. The results of an exploratory, qualitative study with a sample of 10 Latino immigrants are also presented. These immigrants participated in key informant interviews concerning their work experiences both in the United States and in their home countries. The findings support Blustein’s contention that such workers will be most focused on basic survival needs and suggest that TWA reinforcers are descriptive of important aspects of how Latino immigrant workers conceptualize their jobs. PMID:26345693

Music Educators' Self-Perceptions of Interpersonal Skills: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Sandra A.; Seaver, Karen J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to measure music educators' ("N" = 9) self-perceptions of their use of interpersonal skills. Participants rated themselves on 32 statements included on the "My Use of Interpersonal Skills Inventory" in pre- and posttest formats. Participants participated in a 4-week period of weekly…

Functional analysis of the exploratory studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffy, M.A.; Mozhi, T.A.; Kumar, P.N.; Senderling, M.S.; Lemeshewsky, W.A.

1993-01-01

The 'Physical System Requirements - Exploratory Studies Facility' (PSR-ESF) was developed as part of an improved management structure and procedure initiative by the OCRWM for managing the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes. This paper discusses the development of the PSR-EF document. Based on a functional analysis approach, this document includes results in the form of boundary diagrams, function hierarchy trees, function description tables containing a compilation of requirements, architecture tree and tables, and functional flow diagrams. The approach used ensures the flowdown and traceability of relevant requirements for the ESF design process

An Exploratory Study of the Relations Between Women Miners’ Gender-Based Workplace Issues and their Mental Health and Job Satisfaction

OpenAIRE

Rubin, Mark; Rubin, Mark

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the extent to which gender-based workplace issues were associated with women miners’ mental health and job satisfaction. Participants were 263 women miners from Australian and other international mines sites owned by an Australian-based mining company. They completed an online survey that contained measures of gender-based workplace issues, mental health, and job satisfaction. An exploratory factor analysis identified three higher-order factors: organizational s...

An Exploratory Study Investigating the Non-Clinical Benefits of Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Jackson

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: As little prior research exists about the non-clinical benefits of evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM, this exploratory study was conducted to identify non-clinical benefits of EBVM to veterinary practices, as well as highlighting the barriers to further implementation, and ways to overcome them.Background: A PICO-based literature review (Hauser and Jackson, 2016 was conducted to establish current knowledge about the non-clinical benefits of EBVM. It found that while there are some papers suggesting a link between the practice of EBVM and better non-clinical benefits such as client satisfaction and client retention, a single study, focusing on the non-clinical benefits of EBVM, had yet to be conducted.Evidentiary value: This exploratory study provides a solid basis for the further development of a confirmatory study of the themes identified in the interviews. The impact on practice from our findings is significant as it details the key areas where the use of EBVM can yield commercial benefits from the perspective of a group of EBVM experts via interview. It is entirely possible that international veterinary environments which mirror that of the UK will find this research beneficial.Methods: Due to the paucity of data about the non-clinical benefits of EBVM, an exploratory, qualitative approach was taken to this research in order to build a platform for further confirmatory, quantitative investigation (Zikmund, 2003. In February and March 2016 interviews with 16 RCVS Knowledge Group chairs[1] were conducted. The interview guide contained broad, open-ended questions to explore existing tacit knowledge about the non-commercial benefits of EBVM. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim and subsequently analysed using NVivo 11 software.Results: This qualitative enquiry showed that the key areas where the use of EBVM can yield non-clinical benefits are through increased client satisfaction and retention, improved

Exploratory studies, 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

The Exploratory Studies Group is dedicated to advanced investigation of accelerators and radiation, primarily in the area of charged-particle beams and photon beams. Its primary mission is to explore the next steps in the development of particle accelerators and storage rings, which are important both for high-energy physics and for the wide range of disciplines now turning to synchrotron-radiation sources and free-electron lasers. Our research is therefore deeply committed to LBL's institutional goal of becoming a center for the generation and use of coherent and incoherent electromagnetic radiation of exceptional brightness, as well as for generic research on the future development of accelerators. A significant fraction of our effort is dedicated to general accelerator-physics research for facilities on the immediate horizon, but a vital part of our activities comprises research into exotic possibilities for charged-particle production, accumulation, acceleration, and storage. During this report period, we were proncipally involved in four general areas of study: Accelerator-physics research for the Advanced Light Source, the 1-2 GeV synchrotron radiation source now under construction at LBL. In collaboration with the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, both the conceptual and the detailed design of PEP-II, an energy-asymmetric electron-positron collider, based on the PEP ring at SLAC and designed to serve as a B-meson factory. Studies of ultraviolet and infrared free-electron lasers based on linear accelerators and storage rings, in particular the conceptual design of an infrared free-electron laser for the proposed Chemical Dynamics Research Laboratory at LBL. Generic high-energy accelerator-physics and photon-beam research directed far into the future to envision facilities that would employ new techniques of particle-beam acceleration and storage and photon-beam generation

An approach to participatory instructional design in secondary education: an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Könings, Karen; Brand-Gruwel, Saskia; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen

2010-01-01

Könings, K. D., Brand-Gruwel, S., & Van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2010). An approach to participatory instructional design in secondary education: an exploratory study. Educational Research, 52(1), 45-59.

Crowdsourcing for quantifying transcripts: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzam, Tarek; Harman, Elena

2016-02-01

This exploratory study attempts to demonstrate the potential utility of crowdsourcing as a supplemental technique for quantifying transcribed interviews. Crowdsourcing is the harnessing of the abilities of many people to complete a specific task or a set of tasks. In this study multiple samples of crowdsourced individuals were asked to rate and select supporting quotes from two different transcripts. The findings indicate that the different crowdsourced samples produced nearly identical ratings of the transcripts, and were able to consistently select the same supporting text from the transcripts. These findings suggest that crowdsourcing, with further development, can potentially be used as a mixed method tool to offer a supplemental perspective on transcribed interviews. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

At-Risk Learner Preference in Engineering/Technical Graphics: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, Jeremy V.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study investigated learner preferences of secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Engineering/Technical Graphics students using the VARK Questionnaire. The VARK Questionnaire is an instrument that assists in determining students' dominant preferred learning styles, whether visual, aural, reading, or kinesthetic. This study…

Undesigning the Internet: An exploratory study of reducing everyday Internet connectivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Widdicks, Kelly; Ringenson, Tina; Pargman, Daniel; Kuppusamy, Vishnupriya; Lago, Patricia; Penzenstadler, Birgit; Easterbrook, Steve; Venters, Colin; Ishtiaque Ahmed, Syed

Internet connectivity is seamlessly integrated into many of our everyday habits and activities. Despite this, previous research has highlighted that our rather excessive Internet use is not sustainable or even always socially benecial. In this paper, we carried out an exploratory study on how

An Exploratory Study of Student Satisfaction with University Web Page Design

Science.gov (United States)

Gundersen, David E.; Ballenger, Joe K.; Crocker, Robert M.; Scifres, Elton L.; Strader, Robert

2013-01-01

This exploratory study evaluates the satisfaction of students with a web-based information system at a medium-sized regional university. The analysis provides a process for simplifying data interpretation in captured student user feedback. Findings indicate that student classifications, as measured by demographic and other factors, determine…

Trilingual Code-Switching Using Quantitative Lenses: An Exploratory Study on Hokaglish

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzales, Wilkinson Daniel Wong

2016-01-01

Adopting a quantitative approach, this paper highlights findings of an exploratory study on Hokaglish, initially describing it as a trilingual code-switching phenomenon involving Hokkien, Tagalog, and English in a Filipino-Chinese enclave in Binondo, Manila, the Philippines. Departing from the (socio)linguistic landscape of the archipelagic…

An Exploratory Study of Presenteeism in Turkish Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Çetin

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Presenteeism has been an emerging research era, where many exploratory questions may be produced. Literature is not very definitive for the conceptualization of the construct in many aspects. There are few studies about the reasons, measurement approaches and positive outcomes of the concept. Studies conducted in Turkish context are even fewer. Paper combines two studies; first study aims to investigate different conceptualizations, possible reasons, negative and positive outcomes of presenteeism. The purpose of the second study is to find out how those concepts structure and relate to each other. Findings provide useful insights for reasons, outcomes and criteria of presenteeism. They also indicate different conceptualization of the concept and there are significant relationships between variables according to the research.    

Consumer Rights and Accountability in Postsecondary Vocational-Technical Education: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgerald, Brian; Harmon, Lisa

Beginning in October 1987, Pelavin Associates conducted an exploratory study of consumer rights and accountability in postsecondary vocational-technical (PVT) programs for the U.S. Department of Education. The study focused on how effectively the governance structure--accreditation and federal and state regulation--ensures that consumer rights are…

Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems Braille Reading Assessment: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Posey, Virginia K.; Henderson, Barbara W.

2012-01-01

Introduction: This exploratory study determined whether transcribing selected test items on an adult life and work skills reading test into braille could maintain the same approximate scale-score range and maintain fitness within the item response theory model as used by the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) for developing…

Career exploration in Mozambique : exploratory study with secondary students

OpenAIRE

Ussene, Camilo; Taveira, Maria do Céu

2009-01-01

This article is part of a larger research project on the evaluation of career intervention needs in Mozambique. It consists of an exploratory study of the career exploration process of Mozambican students attending the 12th grade. The results of the construct validity and clustering analyses of the responses to the Career Exploration Survey (CES; Stumpf, Colarelli, & Hartman, 1983) are discussed, in the light of the career exploration theory and empirical research, namely the cognitive-motiva...

Study Protocol- An exploratory trial on health promoting schools at Dutch secondary schools

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Busch, Vincent; Leeuw, Rob J. de; Schrijvers, A.J.P.

2012-01-01

Background: Recent studies show adolescent health-related behaviours to co-occur synergistically. This paper describes the study design for an exploratory trial on the effects of a comprehensive, whole-school health promoting school intervention. This intervention tackles seven different behavioural

Customer Integration in Service Innovation: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Straub

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Prominent industry projects, as well as an extensive literature suggest the importance of customer integration for companies’ innovation success. This appears to be especially true for service firms, which inherently build on customer interaction. Despite this appreciation of the approach, there are comparably few empirical analyses of the positive and negative effects of customer integration. In this exploratory study, we build on established customer role concepts to study the status quo of customer integration in industry, as well as reservations against the roles and negative experiences from customer integration projects. The study reveals a gap between reservations and actual negative experiences in losing know-how, as well as a positive effect of experience in customer integration on perceived benefits for the company.

An Exploratory Case Study of Hospitality Students' Perceptions of Experiential Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Askren, Joe

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how students described the curriculum in the Introduction to Food Production class and how they perceived the curriculum prepared them for their future in the hospitality industry. The exploratory questions that guided the study were how do students describe the experiential learning curriculum in the…

Consumer perception of bio-based products-An exploratory study in 5 European countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sijtsema, Siet J.; Onwezen, Marleen C.; Reinders, Machiel J.; Dagevos, Hans; Partanen, Asta; Meeusen-van Onna, Marieke

2016-01-01

This study explores people's perceptions (i.e., positive and negative associations, mixed feelings) regarding the concept of 'bio-based' in general and specific bio-based products. This exploratory study is one of the first consumer studies in the field of bio-based research. Three focus group

The Implications of Talent Management for Diversity Training: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Jim; Harte, Victoria

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to explore the proposition that there is a need for research to address the connections between talent management (TM) and managing diversity as one example of achieving better integration and less separation in academic work on human resource (HR). Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory study of one organisation at a…

Selective Attention in Web Forms: An Exploratory Case Study with Older People

Science.gov (United States)

Sayago, Sergio; Guijarro, Jose-Maria; Blat, Josep

2012-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study aimed to identify which ways of marking required and optional fields help older people fill in web forms correctly. Drawing on a pilot study and selective attention research in ageing, modified versions of widely used forms were created, in which standard asterisks were replaced with one of three…

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, Jessica R.

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative…

Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project exploratory studies facilities construction status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allan, J.N.; Leonard, T.M.

1993-01-01

This paper discusses the progress to date on the construction planning and development of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) Exploratory Studies Facilities (ESF). The purpose of the ESF is to determine early site suitability and to characterize the subsurface of the Yucca Mountain site to assess its suitability for a potential high level nuclear waste repository. The present ESF configuration concept is for two main ramps to be excavated by tunnel boring machines (TBM) from the surface to the Topopah Spring Member of the Paintbrush Tuff Formation. From the main ramps, slightly above Topopah Spring level, supplemental ramps will be penetrated to the Calico Hills formation below the potential repository. There will be exploratory development drifts driven on both levels with the Main Test Area being located on the Topopah Spring level, which is the level of the proposed repository. The Calico Hills formation lies below the Topopah Spring member and is expected to provide the main geo-hydrologic barrier between the potential repository and the underlying saturated zones in the Crater Flat Tuff

Exploratory Studies Facility Subsurface Fire Hazards Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, Richard C.

2002-01-01

The primary objective of this Fire Hazard Analysis (FHA) is to confirm the requirements for a comprehensive fire and related hazards protection program for the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) are sufficient to minimize the potential for: The occurrence of a fire or related event; A fire that causes an unacceptable on-site or off-site release of hazardous or radiological material that will threaten the health and safety of employees, the public or the environment; Vital U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs suffering unacceptable interruptions as a result of fire and related hazards; Property losses from a fire and related events exceeding limits established by DOE; and Critical process controls and safety class systems being damaged as a result of a fire and related events

Microcap M&A: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keith Turpie

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A substantial body of accounting and finance literature has been devoted to the study of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As dominated by discussions relating to the gains and losses that accrue from transactions involving large public companies. This paper makes a unique contribution to the literature by investigating the M&A experience of microcap businesses. Transactions involving microcap M&A are substantially different to those involving large companies on a number of dimensions. This paper explores the determinants of microcap M&A success and pitfalls and problems from an integration perspective. Due to the paucity of research in the area an exploratory research design is employed, conducting interviews with five CEOs of companies that had each managed multiple transactions. We find microcap M&As are successful when measured against identified goals but generally take longer and cost more than expected. Further, culture and communication are key issues in determining success/failure. We also find the in-house management of integration aspects is problematic for these businesses and suggest this warrants further study.

Organic Chemistry Educators' Perspectives on Fundamental Concepts and Misconceptions: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Duis, Jennifer M.

2011-01-01

An exploratory study was conducted with 23 organic chemistry educators to discover what general chemistry concepts they typically review, the concepts they believe are fundamental to introductory organic chemistry, the topics students find most difficult in the subject, and the misconceptions they observe in undergraduate organic chemistry…

The Emergence of Inclusive Exploratory Talk in Primary Students' Peer Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Rajala, Antti; Hilppo, Jaakko; Lipponen, Lasse

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine a prominent type of classroom talk, exploratory talk, in primary school peer interactions. Exploratory talk has been shown to be productive in facilitating problem solving and fostering school achievement. However, within the growing body of research concerning exploratory talk, the relation between exploratory talk and…

A decision analysis of an exploratory studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merkhofer, M.W.; Gnirk, P.

1991-01-01

An Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) is planned to support the characterization of a potential site for a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. The selection of a design for the ESF is a critical decision, because the ESF design may affect the accuracy of characterization testing and subsequent repository design. The assist the design process, a comparative evaluation was conducted to rank 34 alternative relied on techniques from formal decision analysis, including decision trees and multiattribute utility analysis (MUA). The results helped to identify favorable design features and convinced the Department of Energy to adopt the top-ranked option as the preferred ESF design

Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Mindset of At-Risk Students: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Matheson, Ian A.

2015-01-01

There is a limited body of research examining how students' beliefs about intelligence and about their abilities relate to different learning environments. As reported here, I examined secondary school students' beliefs, goals, and expectations guided by Zimmerman's (2000) model of self-regulated learning. In this exploratory study, 230 secondary…

THE EWOM ON FACEBOOK: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF CONSUMER MOTIVATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deborah do Espírito Santo Serra

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In order to identify the gratifications sought (manifest and latent motives and those obtained from Facebook users who engage in practices of electronic Word of mouth (eWOM presents and defends the relevance of an exploratory qualitative study as a first step of research based on the theory of uses and gratifications. The text provides a detailed account and justification of the research design and reports the overall results more relevant research.

A Restorative Justice Approach to Empathy Development in Sex Offenders: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Roseman, Christopher P.; Ritchie, Martin; Laux, John M.

2009-01-01

The authors describe an exploratory study in sex offender treatment using a restorative justice approach to examine the shame, guilt, and empathy development of convicted sexual offenders. Implications for clinical practice and future research are highlighted. (Contains 3 tables.)

Trenching as an exploratory method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatheway, A.W.; Leighton, F.B.

1979-01-01

The critical nature of siting nuclear power plants has led to increased emphasis on exploratory trenching. Trenching is the most definitive of all subsurface exploratory methods; it permits inspection of a continuous geologic section by both geologists and regulatory authorities and makes possible the preparation of a graphic log that delineates both obvious and subtle geologic features. About one of every two nuclear plant licensing efforts utilizes exploratory trenching. Many geologic hazards, such as ''capable'' faults, can be detected from trench exposures; they may otherwise remain undetected. Trenches must be judiciously located, survey-controlled, excavated safely and adequately shored, logged in detail, and properly diagnosed. Useful techniques of trench logging include thorough cleaning of the trench walls, teamwork between geologist and recorder, logging against a carefully surveyed baseline and vertical reference grid, and panoramic photography.Soils, including paleosols, and glacial and glaciofluvial deposits present some of the most difficult media to log. Trench logs must be thoroughly interpreted and correlated so that they document the geologic conditions governing suitability of the site. Age-determination techniques utilized in exploratory trenching include petrographic analyses, quartz inclusion studies, clay mineralogic analyses, and radiometric methods

Exploratory behaviour, emotional wellbeing and childcare quality in preschool education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Barandiaran

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between children exploratory behaviour and the quality of structural childcare and process in preschools. The study also examined how childcare quality affects the relationship between emotional wellbeing and exploratory behaviour. The sample comprised 206 children from 40 classrooms in 20 preschools, together with their teachers. The children's age ranged between 37 and 64 months (M = 50.96, SD = 6.54. The results indicated that children cared for by more sensitive teachers engaged in more exploratory behavior. However, no moderating effect was found of teacher sensitivity on the positive relationship between exploratory behavior and wellbeing. Finally, some factors linked to the quality of structural childcare also influenced exploratory behavior, although to a lesser extent.

Wine tourism in the Canary Islands: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duarte Alonso, Abel

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Wine tourism is experiencing significant development in both new and old European wine regions. In the case of the Canary Islands, wine has been produced and traded for centuries but little is known about the current state or potential for wine tourism on the islands, despite the fact that millions of tourists, including many potential wine tourists, visit the islands each year. In this exploratory study, the perspectives of winery owners and managers on wine tourism are examined via in-depth face-to-face interviews among 23 small winery operators to reveal that the scope for exploiting wine tourism on the islands has been recognized and that some wineries are either already involved in wine tourism, includ-ing as part of a wine trail, or plan to be more involved in the future. It was also discovered, that there were a number of issues that challenge the development of their wine and wine tourism industry, includ-ing competition from non-Canary Island wines and anti-drink-drive laws that are inhibit passers by to consume wine at the cellar door. Operators stressed the need to find a balance between mass tourism and the niche produce of wine. Moreover, the findings identify avenues for future research on wine tourism development in the Canary Islands.

Exploratory Studies Facility Subsurface Fire Hazards Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubicek, J. L.

2001-01-01

The primary objective of this Fire Hazard Analysis (FHA) is to confirm the requirements for a comprehensive fire and related hazards protection program for the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) are sufficient to minimize the potential for: (1) The occurrence of a fire or related event. (2) A fire that causes an unacceptable on-site or off-site release of hazardous or radiological material that will threaten the health and safety of employees, the public or the environment. (3) Vital US. Department of Energy (DOE) programs suffering unacceptable interruptions as a result of fire and related hazards. (4) Property losses from a fire and related events exceeding limits established by DOE. (5) Critical process controls and safety class systems being damaged as a result of a fire and related events

An Exploratory Study of Animal-Assisted Interventions Utilized by Mental Health Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

O'Callaghan, Dana M.; Chandler, Cynthia K.

2011-01-01

This study implemented an exploratory analysis to examine how a sample of mental health professionals incorporates specific animal-assisted techniques into the therapeutic process. An extensive review of literature related to animal-assisted therapy (AAT) resulted in the identification of 18 techniques and 10 intentions for the practice of AAT in…

Site study plan for exploratory shaft monitoring wells, Deaf Smith County Site, Texas: Preliminary Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

As part of site characterization studies, two exploratory shafts will be constructed at the Deaf Smith County site, Texas. Twelve wells at five locations have been proposed to monitor potential impacts of shaft construction on water-bearing zones in the Ogallala Formation and the Dockum Group. In addition, tests have been proposed to determine the hydraulic properties of the water-bearing zones for use in design and construction of the shafts. Samples of the Blackwater Draw Formation, Ogallala Formation, and Dockum Group will be obtained during construction of these wells. Visual indentification, laboratory testing, and in situ testing will yield data necessary for Exploratory Shaft Facility design and construction. This activity provides the earliest data on the Blackwater Drew Formation, Ogallala Formation, and Dockum Group near the exploratory shaft locations. Drilling and hydrologic testing are scheduled prior to other subsurface activity at the Exploratory Shaft Facility to establish ground-water baseline conditions. The Technical Field Services Contractor is responsible for conducting the field program of drilling and testing. Samples and data will be handled and reported in accordance with established Salt Repository Project procedures. A quality assurance program will be utilized to assure that activities affecting quality are performed correctly and that the appropriate documentation is maintained. 45 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs

Caregiver Involvement in the Education of Youth in Foster Care: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Beisse, Kay; Tyre, Ashli

2013-01-01

This study was an exploratory investigation of caregiver involvement in the education of youth in foster care. In this study, foster caregivers reported that they are involved in the education of children in their care and participate in at-home involvement activities more often than at-school involvement activities. Caregivers in this study…

Relevant factors for tacit knowledge transfer within organizations: an exploratory study

OpenAIRE

Lemos,Bernardo; Joia,Luiz Antonio

2012-01-01

Knowledge and management of such knowledge have been studied for some time now in the field of Management. However, in the 1990s, with the growth in the economy based on intangible assets, companies needed more than an unstructured approach to corporate knowledge management to succeed in this new competitive environment. Therefore, this article aims to identify, in an exploratory way, the relevant factors for tacit knowledge transfer within a major Brazilian oil company trough a case study. T...

A decision analysis of an exploratory studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merkhofer, M.W.; Gnirk, P.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that an Exploratory Studied Facility (ESF) is planned to support the characterization of a potential site for a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. The selection of a design for the ESF is a critical characterization decision because the ESF design may affect the accuracy of characterization testing an constrains subsequent repository design. To assist the design process, a comparative evaluation was conducted to rank 34 alternative ESF-repository designs. The evaluation relied on techniques from formal decision analysis, including decision trees and multiattribute utility analysis (MUA). The results helped to identify favorable design features and enabled the Department of Energy to adopt an improved ESF design

Empowered to Play: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Powered Mobility on the Exploratory Play of Disabled Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonday, Amshuda; Gretschel, Pam

2016-03-01

Exploratory play is one of the most vital ways in which children learn about their environment and develop. It is well documented that limited mobility restricts a child's ability to engage in their environment through exploratory play. In this study, a qualitative, collective case study design explored the impact of powered mobility on the exploratory play of two children with physical disabilities. Data were collected from the children, their parents and their siblings through participant observation and in-depth, informal interviews. This paper focuses on two themes: Opportunity to Play revealed how powered mobility increased opportunities for the children to become more actively engaged in exploratory play with others across a wider array of contexts, and My Child was Transformed highlighted significant changes in the affect and motivation of each child, which seemed to be linked to their increased internal control over their play choices. The findings suggest that the provision of powered mobility is a key contributor promoting the participation of physically disabled children in exploratory play. Because of undergraduate curricular constraints, a limitation of this study was that data were only confined to 2 months; affecting the depth of data gained that prolonged engagement would have offered. The study recommends for occupational therapy practice that occupational therapists advocate for easier access to powered mobility through governmental and policy means. The study also recommends further research be conducted on the experiences of the caregivers on how these powered mobility devices have influenced their day-to-day occupations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Parent Involvement in Children's Education: An Exploratory Study of Urban, Chinese Immigrant Families

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Cheng Shuang; Koblinsky, Sally A.

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined the involvement of Chinese immigrant parents in children's elementary and secondary education. Participants were 29 low-income, urban parents of public school children working primarily in the hospitality sector. Parents were interviewed about their academic expectations, knowledge of school performance, parent…

An Exploratory Study of Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivators and Student Performance in an Auditing Course

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Songtao

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the association of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and student performance. This study performs an exploratory analysis and presents evidence to demonstrate that intrinsic motivators affect the connection between external motivators and student performance. The empirical tests follow the framework…

An Exploratory Study of Suicide Risk Assessment Practices in the School Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Crepeau-Hobson, Franci

2013-01-01

Suicidal behavior in children and youth continues to be a major public health problem in the United States. School personnel have a legal and ethical obligation to recognize and respond to the mental health needs of their students and to take steps to ensure their safety. In this exploratory study, suicide risk assessment practices of three large…

An Exploratory Study of Group Therapy for Sexually Abused Adolescents and Nonoffending Guardians

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Amanda P.; Kelly, Adrian B.

2008-01-01

Adolescent survivors of sexual abuse frequently report severe trauma, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. While cognitive-behavioral group interventions show promise, interpreting efficacy is problematic due to commonly high attrition. This article reports promising exploratory study findings relating to a 12-week multimodal abuse-specific…

Expert systems development: some problems, motives and issues in an exploratory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehdi Sagheb-Tehrani.

1993-10-01

Even though expert systems (ES) have been in use since the early eighties, there is a remarkable lack of a strong theoretical base for handling expert systems development problems. There is a requirement in the ES field for theories or explanatory models to formulate propositions, to conduct research and interpret findings in a coherent way. This work presents an exploratory investigation designed to identify some problems, motives and issues associated with developing expert systems. Totally, twenty-five expert systems were developed by various organizations which participated in the study. The study attempts to provide evidence that either supports or refutes the anecdotes, gossips and speculations currently being spread through the academic journals dealing with the expert systems development in organizations. This study provides evidence that knowledge acquisition is indeed the bottleneck of expert systems development. It also points out that most expert systems are still in the prototype stage, and that current expert systems are mostly used for aiding the decision making of less skilled domain personnel and to a lesser extent for advice to experts. The rationale behind these uses seems to be the search by organizations for better decision making in the hope of improving competitiveness. A conceptual model of expert systems development is introduced based upon theoretical studies and the findings of this study from which some hypotheses are drawn. The main objective of the model is to contribute to a larger theoretical framework. Another aim is to create a broader theoretical framework for expert systems development in order to implement such systems more successfully. The results of the study confirm that the linkages of various concepts involved in the expert systems development process are very important for the design of a successful expert system project

The impact of ERP on supply chain management: exploratory findings from a European Delphi study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akkermans, H.A.; Bogerd, P.; Yücesan, E.; Wassenhove, van L.N.

2003-01-01

This article presents results from a Delphi study on the future impact of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems on supply chain management (SCM). The Delphi study was conducted with 23 Dutch supply chain executives of European multi-nationals. Findings from this exploratory study were

Early Returns: Exploratory Data Analysis of the 2010-2011

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tackney, Charles T.

provide an opportunity for those surveyed to offer insight and provide suggestions on future implementation of Lonergan studies. The 2011 West Coast Methods Institute (WCMI) paper is an exploratory data analysis of the current valid survey sample: n=98 to date. The WCMI presentation offers summary survey......Initially inspired by a 2009 Boston College Lonergan Fellow’s survey interest in the international use of Lonergan’s empirical method in the social sciences, the Global Lonergan Survey (GLS) is a data collection instrument available on the Internet since January 2010. This paper details the survey...

Undesigning the Internet : An exploratory study of reducing everyday Internet connectivity

OpenAIRE

Widdicks, Kelly Victoria; Ringenson, Tina; Pargman, Daniel; Kuppusamy, Vishnupriya; Lago, Patricia

2018-01-01

Internet connectivity is seamlessly integrated into many of our everyday habits and activities. Despite this, previous research has highlighted that our rather excessive Internet use is not sustainable or even always socially beneficial. In this paper, we carried out an exploratory study on how Internet disconnection affects our everyday lives and whether such disconnection is even possible in today’s society. Through daily surveys, we captured what Internet use means for ten participants and...

An Exploratory Study of the Impacts of an Employer-Supported Child Care Program

Science.gov (United States)

Morrissey, Taryn W.; Warner, Mildred E.

2011-01-01

Although employer-sponsored child care programs have become more common, there is little empirical research on whether these programs affect employees' satisfaction with child care or their work-life balance, and if effects vary across employee characteristics. In this exploratory study, we administered a survey to employees with children at one…

Destination Syria : An Exploratory Study into the Daily Lives of Dutch 'Syria Travellers'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weggemans, D.; Peters, R.; Bakker, E.; Bont, de R.

2016-01-01

Destination Syria is an exploratory study providing insights on the daily lives of western citizens that have travelled to the area, torn by conflict to join jihadist groups like ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra. Specific attention has been paid to daily life in ISIS territories and in areas controlled by

An Exploratory Study of the Implementation of Computer Technology in an American Islamic Private School

Science.gov (United States)

Saleem, Mohammed M.

2009-01-01

This exploratory study of the implementation of computer technology in an American Islamic private school leveraged the case study methodology and ethnographic methods informed by symbolic interactionism and the framework of the Muslim Diaspora. The study focused on describing the implementation of computer technology and identifying the…

Methodological exploratory study applied to occupational epidemiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carneiro, Janete C.G. Gaburo; Vasques, MOnica Heloisa B.; Fontinele, Ricardo S.; Sordi, Gian Maria A. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: janetegc@ipen.br

2007-07-01

The utilization of epidemiologic methods and techniques has been object of practical experimentation and theoretical-methodological reflection in health planning and programming process. Occupational Epidemiology is the study of the causes and prevention of diseases and injuries from exposition and risks in the work environment. In this context, there is no intention to deplete such a complex theme but to deal with basic concepts of Occupational Epidemiology, presenting the main characteristics of the analysis methods used in epidemiology, as investigate the possible determinants of exposition (chemical, physical and biological agents). For this study, the social-demographic profile of the IPEN-CNEN/SP work force was used. The knowledge of this reference population composition is based on sex, age, educational level, marital status and different occupations, aiming to know the relation between the health aggravating factors and these variables. The methodology used refers to a non-experimental research based on a theoretical methodological practice. The work performed has an exploratory character, aiming a later survey of indicators in the health area in order to analyze possible correlations related to epidemiologic issues. (author)

Methodological exploratory study applied to occupational epidemiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneiro, Janete C.G. Gaburo; Vasques, MOnica Heloisa B.; Fontinele, Ricardo S.; Sordi, Gian Maria A.

2007-01-01

The utilization of epidemiologic methods and techniques has been object of practical experimentation and theoretical-methodological reflection in health planning and programming process. Occupational Epidemiology is the study of the causes and prevention of diseases and injuries from exposition and risks in the work environment. In this context, there is no intention to deplete such a complex theme but to deal with basic concepts of Occupational Epidemiology, presenting the main characteristics of the analysis methods used in epidemiology, as investigate the possible determinants of exposition (chemical, physical and biological agents). For this study, the social-demographic profile of the IPEN-CNEN/SP work force was used. The knowledge of this reference population composition is based on sex, age, educational level, marital status and different occupations, aiming to know the relation between the health aggravating factors and these variables. The methodology used refers to a non-experimental research based on a theoretical methodological practice. The work performed has an exploratory character, aiming a later survey of indicators in the health area in order to analyze possible correlations related to epidemiologic issues. (author)

Researching primary engineering education: UK perspectives, an exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Robin; Andrews, Jane

2010-10-01

This paper draws attention to the findings of an exploratory study that critically identified and analysed relevant perceptions of elementary level engineering education within the UK. Utilising an approach based upon grounded theory methodology, 30 participants including teachers, representatives of government bodies and non-profit providers of primary level engineering initiatives were interviewed. Three main concepts were identified during the analysis of findings, each relevant to primary engineering education. These were pedagogic issues, exposure to engineering within the curriculum and children's interest. The paper concludes that the opportunity to make a real difference to children's education by stimulating their engineering imagination suggests this subject area is of particular value.

College Students and Yik Yak: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cathlin V. Clark-Gordon

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study, employing an exploratory mixed-methods approach, explores college students’ use of Yik Yak, a pseudo-anonymous social media platform that allows users to post short messages and engage primarily with other nearby users. Study 1 qualitatively examined student uses and perceptions of the app through 12 in-depth interviews with Yik Yak users. Study 2 conducted a content analysis of yaks ( N = 3,905 from 24 colleges and universities to gain a better understanding of the content that students post and engage with inside the app. The combination of qualitative and quantitative findings offers insight into the complex phenomena of Yik Yak in a university setting. Limitations and future directions of research are discussed.

On the differences between Tinder™ versus online dating agencies: Questioning a myth. An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karoline Gatter

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Despite common stereotypes about those who use different types of online dating, psychological research on online dating agency users’ characteristics is actually very limited, and no scientific study has yet examined the individual characteristics of Tinder™ users. The current exploratory study aimed to investigate why individuals use these services, and how they differ in terms of sociability, self-esteem, and sexual permissiveness, with the aim of stimulating further research in the field. Participants (N = 75 were recruited over social media and completed questionnaires assessing motivation to use online dating, sociability, self-esteem, and sexual permissiveness. No differences were found in motivations, suggesting that people may use both Online Dating Agencies and Tinder™ for similar reasons. Tinder users in the current sample were younger than online dating agency users, which accounted for observed group differences in sexual permissiveness. There were no differences in self-esteem or sociability between the groups. Men were more likely than women to use both types of dating to find casual sex partners than women. Men also scored more highly on a measure of sexual permissiveness than women. These findings support previous research in indicating that users of both Tinder™ and Online Dating Agencies do not differ from the general population.

Disaster Preparedness Information Needs of Individuals Attending an Adult Literacy Center: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Daniela; Tanwar, Manju; Yoho, Deborah W.; Richter, Jane V. E.

2009-01-01

Being prepared with accurate, credible, and timely information during a disaster can help individuals make informed decisions about taking appropriate actions. Unfortunately, many people have difficulty understanding health and risk-related resources. This exploratory, mixed methods study assessed disaster information seeking behaviors and…

An Exploratory Study on Retaining Talents in Malaysia : A Case Study of Selected Malaysian Talents

OpenAIRE

Kok, Phui Fun

2011-01-01

This research is intended as an exploratory case study to convey a qualitative feel on the issue of retention of Malaysian talents still in Malaysia. It fills a gap not covered by the World Bank’s “Malaysia Economic Monitor: Brain Drain” report, in order to give some insights to individual companies in Malaysia concerning the retention of their existing talents, provide some food for thought for other stakeholders, and spur ideas for more in-depth study in the future.It examines how salary an...

An Exploratory Study into Work/Family Balance within the Australian Higher Education Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Pillay, Soma; Kluvers, Ron; Abhayawansa, Subhash; Vranic, Vedran

2013-01-01

The higher education landscape is undergoing major transformation, with a significant impact on the work and family practices of academics and professional staff. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the extent to which (1) time-related, (2) strain-related and (3) demographical variables impact on the work/family balance of academic…

Supplementing consumer insights at Electrolux by mining social media: An exploratory case study

OpenAIRE

Chaudhary, Amit

2011-01-01

Purpose – The aim of this thesis is to explore the possibility of text mining social media, for consumer insights from an organizational perspective. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory, single case embedded case study with inductive approach and partially mixed, concurrent, dominant status mixed method research design. The case study contains three different studies to try to triangulate the research findings and support research objective of using social media for consumer insights...

Trenching as a exploratory method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatheway, A.W.; Leighton, F.B.

1979-01-01

The critical nature of siting nuclear power plants has led to increased emphasis on exploratory methods; it permits inspection of a continuous geologic section by both geologists and regulatory authorities and makes possible the preparation of a graphic log that delineates both obvious and subtle geologic features. About one of every two nuclear plant licensing efforts utilizes exploratory trenching. Many geologic hazards, such as ''capable'' faults, can be detected from trench exposures; they may otherwise remain undetected. Trenches must be judiciously located, survey-controlled, excavated safetly and adequately shored, logged in detail, and properly diagnosed. Useful techniques of trench logging include thorough cleaning of the trench walls, teamwork between geologist and recorder, logging against a carefully surveyed baseline and vertical reference grid, and panoramic photography. Soils, including paleosols, and glacial and glaciofluvial deposits present some of the most difficult media to log. Trench logs must be thoroughly interpreted and correlated so that they document the geologic conditions governing suitability of the site. Age-determination techniques utilized in exploratory trenching include petrographic analyses, quartz inclusion studies, clay mineralogic analyses, and radiometric methods

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-02-01

Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality.

Social Entrepreneurship in India: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hemantkumar P. Bulsara

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Social Entrepreneurship is an all-encompassing nomenclature, used for depicting the process of, bringing about social change on a major and impactful scale compared to a traditional Non-Governmental Organization (NGO.  It is an increasingly important concept in the study of voluntary, non-profit and not-for -profit organizations. Earlier, organizations addressing key social issues were assumed to be idealistic, philanthropic with entrepreneurial skills. Social Entrepreneurship in India is emerging primarily because the government is very keen on its promotion, not necessarily by funding it or by advising on it but by enabling it. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR of the private sector with clearly earmarked funds and full-fledged action teams have played an important role in sprucing up the image of Social Entrepreneurship. The focus of the paper is to study the growing trends of Social Entrepreneurship in India and the new initiatives taken by various Social Entrepreneurs. It also gives a brief idea of different Theories of Social Entrepreneurship. Efforts are made to provide information and an exploratory study, related to the support activities of Social Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurial ventures in India. This may be beneficial in future empirical studies of the subject. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneur, NGO, Corporate Social Responsibility, India.

Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Teaching in an Australian Accounting Programme--An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Grace; Cooper, Barry J.; Dellaportas, Steven

2015-01-01

This exploratory study is designed to elicit and understand the views of Mainland Chinese students concerning their learning experience in an Australian accounting education programme. The article contributes to the literature by investigating the issues and implications associated with international students' perceptions of teaching, as little…

An Exploratory Case Study of Olympiad Students' Attitudes towards and Passion for Science

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Mary; Venville, Grady

2011-01-01

Much is known about high school students' attitudes towards science but there is almost no research on what passion for science might look like and how it might be manifested. This exploratory case study took advantage of a unique group of highly gifted science students participating in the Australian Science Olympiad (N = 69) to explore their…

Considering Materials Management in Construction: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakaria Dakhli

2018-03-01

Full Text Available While materials count for a considerable amount of construction costs, the way materials are managed seems to be improvised rather than approached methodically. This study investigates the practice of novel techniques used to manage materials in the construction industry. Techniques that have already proven themselves to be efficient ways to manage the production pace within the industry include the pull system, Just-In-Time, Kitting and off-site fabrication. These are explained and assessed in the context of the French construction industry through an exploratory study, supported by a questionnaire completed by contractors. The results reveal that a clear plan to manage materials on-site is lacking among the respondents, creating common inventory problems. This research provides evidence to support the central role played by an efficient management of material flow on-site. It also highlights the obstacles that hinder the adoption of innovative techniques, such as sub-contractor coordination.

An Exploratory Study of Residents’ Perception of Place Image

Science.gov (United States)

Stylidis, Dimitrios; Sit, Jason; Biran, Avital

2014-01-01

Studies on place image have predominantly focused on the tourists’ destination image and have given limited attention to other stakeholders’ perspectives. This study aims to address this gap by focusing on the notion of residents’ place image, whereby it reviews existing literature on residents’ place image in terms of whether common attributes can be identified, and examines the role of community-focused attributes in its measurement. Data collected from a sample of 481 Kavala residents (Greece) were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The study reveals that the existing measurement tools have typically emphasized destination-focused attributes and neglected community-focused attributes. This study contributes to the residents’ place image research by proposing a more holistic measurement, which consisted of four dimensions: physical appearance, community services, social environment, and entertainment opportunities. The study also offers practical insights for developing and promoting a tourist place while simultaneously enhancing its residents’ quality of life. PMID:29708109

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios (External Review Draft)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA has released an external review draft entitled, An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios(External Review Draft). The public comment period and the external peer-review workshop are separate processes that provide opportunities ...

Comparing Fathers' Physical and Toy Play and Links to Child Behaviour: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

St George, Jennifer; Fletcher, Richard; Palazzi, Kerrin

2017-01-01

Increasing amounts of research show that fathers' involvement in children's lives contributes to the child's social, emotional and cognitive development; however, much of the evidence comes from fathers' caregiving and object play. This exploratory study compared the characteristics of 24 Australian fathers' play in two contexts--toy play and…

Between myth and reality:an Exploratory Study of Secondary School Pupils' Infomation Behavior

OpenAIRE

Hyldegård, Jette

2010-01-01

Many myths exist about the Google Generation which tend to overestimate the positive impact of ICT’s on young people. This paper presents and discusses the results of an exploratory case study of 43 Danish secondary school pupils’ information behaviour. Four research questions guided the study: 1) What characterises the information behaviour of Danish secondary school pupils? 2) Does the information behaviour differ across year of study? If so, in which way does it differ? 3) How is infor...

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios (Final Report, 2008)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report, An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios. This report investigates the potential dioxin exposure to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products. Derm...

Functional design criteria for an exploratory shaft facility in salt: Technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-11-01

The purpose of the Functional Criteria for Design is to provide technical direction for the development of detailed design criteria for the exploratory shaft facility. This will assure that the exploratory shaft facility will be designed in accordance with the current Mission Plan as well as the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and 10 CFR Part 60, which will facilitate the licensing process. The functional criteria for design are not intended to limit or constrain the designer's flexibility. The following philosophies will be incorporated in the designs: (1) The exploratory shaft will be designed to fulfill its intended purpose which is to characterize the salt site by subsurface testing; (2) the design will minimize any adverse impact which the facility may cause to the environment and any damage to the site if it should be found suitable for a repository; (3) the health and safety of the public and of the workers will be an essential factor in the design; (4) sound engineering principles and practices will be consistently employed in the design process; (5) the exploratory shaft and related surface and subsurface facilities will be designed to be economical and reliable in construction, operation, and maintenance; and (6) the exploratory shaft facility will be designed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, as well as all applicable national consensus codes and standards

Ventilation design for Yucca Mountain Exploratory Studies Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jurani, R.S.

1995-01-01

Yucca Mountain, located in Southern Nevada approximately 160 km northwest of Las Vegas, is currently the site of intensive surface-based and underground investigations. The investigations are required to determine if the site is suitable for long term isolation of the Nation's high level nuclear waste inventory. A major component of the program is the Exploratory Studies Facility, or ESF. The ESF, when completed, will consist of approximately 25,600 meters of tunnels and drifts. The network of tunnels and drifts will house and support a wide array of testing programs conceived to provide physical information about the site. Information on geologic, geomechanical, and hydrologic data will be used in the repository design if the site is found suitable. Besides a few special requirements, the general ESF ventilation criteria during construction are similar to that of commercial tunneling and mining operations. The minimum air velocity at the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and other active mining faces is 0.51 meter per second (m/s) (100 feet per minute [fpm]). Airways, estimated leakages and ventilation controls are converted into equivalent resistances for input to mine ventilation network computer simulations. VNETPC Version 3.1 computer software is used to generate the ventilation models for optimized system design and component selection. Subsequently, actual performance of the ventilation system will be verified and validated to comply with applicable nuclear regulatory quality assurance requirements. Dust control in the ESF is dependent on effective dust collection, enclosure, and airflow dilution. Minimum use of water, as feasible, is necessary to avoid adding moisture to the potential repository horizon. The limitation of water use for test drilling and TBM operation, and the rigid compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, make the ESF a ventilation design challenge

Describing medical student curiosity across a four year curriculum: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sternszus, Robert; Saroyan, Alenoush; Steinert, Yvonne

2017-04-01

Intellectual curiosity can be defined as a desire for knowledge that leads to exploratory behavior and consists of an inherent and stable trait (i.e. trait curiosity) and a variable context-dependent state (i.e. state curiosity). Although intellectual curiosity has been considered an important aspect of medical education and practice, its relationship to medical education has not been empirically investigated. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe medical students' intellectual curiosity across a four-year undergraduate program. We employed a cross-sectional design in which medical students, across a four-year undergraduate program at McGill University, completed the Melbourne Curiosity Inventory as a measure of their state and trait intellectual curiosity. A Mixed Models ANOVA was used to compare students across year of training. Four hundred and two out of 751 students completed the inventory (53.5%). Trait curiosity was significantly higher than state curiosity (M = 64.5, SD = 8.5 versus M = 58.5, SD = 11.6) overall, and within each year of training. This study is the first to describe state and trait intellectual curiosity in undergraduate medical education. Findings suggest that medical students' state curiosity may not be optimally supported and highlight avenues for further research.

Interorganizational health care systems implementations: an exploratory study of early electronic commerce initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Payton, F C; Ginzberg, M J

2001-01-01

Changing business practices, customers needs, and market dynamics have driven many organizations to implement interorganizational systems (IOSs). IOSs have been successfully implemented in the banking, cotton, airline, and consumer-goods industries, and recently attention has turned to the health care industry. This article describes an exploratory study of health care IOS implementations based on the voluntary community health information network (CHIN) model.

The strategic value of e-HRM: results from an exploratory study in a governmental organization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tatiana; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria

2013-01-01

This paper presents results from an exploratory study in a governmental organization on the strategic value of electronic human resource management (e-HRM). By applying the organizational capabilities approach, and by means of mixed research methods, data were collected on two generally acclaimed

Minimally Invasive Cochlear Implantation Assisted by Bi-planar Device: An Exploratory Feasibility Study in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Ke

2016-01-01

Conclusions: This exploratory study demonstrated the safety of the newly developed image-guided minimally invasive cochlear implantation assisted by the bi-planar device and established the operational procedures. Further, more in vitro experiments are needed to improve the system operation and its safety.

Location of radiotherapy centers: An exploratory geographic analysis for Belgium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotteels, C.; Peeters, D.; Coucke, P.A.; Thomas, I.

2012-01-01

Purpose. - The distance between the patient's home and a radiotherapy department may represent a hurdle for the patient and influence treatment choice. Therefore, it is necessary to check whether the geographical distribution of radiotherapy centers is in accordance with cancer incidence, taking also into account the cost of travelling to the radiotherapy department. The objective of this study is double; first, to map the current locations of radiotherapy centers across the country and second, to evaluate the observed spatial disparities with appropriate tools. Materials and methods. - A model of operational research (P-median) is used to suggest the optimal locations and allocations and to compare them with the current situation. This is an exploratory study with simple inputs. It helps to better understand the current geographical distribution of radiotherapy centers in Belgium as well as its possible limitations. Results-conclusion. - It appears that the current situation is on the average acceptable in terms of accessibility to the service and that the method presents huge potentialities for decision making so as to yield a spatial system that is both efficient and equitable. (authors)

Future School Counselors' Perceptions of Twice-Exceptionality: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Leggett, Debra; Shea, Irene; Leggett, Joanna

2011-01-01

An exploratory survey was given to school counselors-in-training to gather preliminary information about their perceptions regarding students with twice-exceptionalities, their professional roles concerning service provision, and the roles of other helpers in assisting twice-exceptional students in the school setting. Thirty-seven participants…

Exploratory multivariate analysis by example using R

CERN Document Server

Husson, Francois; Pages, Jerome

2010-01-01

Full of real-world case studies and practical advice, Exploratory Multivariate Analysis by Example Using R focuses on four fundamental methods of multivariate exploratory data analysis that are most suitable for applications. It covers principal component analysis (PCA) when variables are quantitative, correspondence analysis (CA) and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) when variables are categorical, and hierarchical cluster analysis.The authors take a geometric point of view that provides a unified vision for exploring multivariate data tables. Within this framework, they present the prin

The Search Performance Evaluation and Prediction in Exploratory Search

OpenAIRE

LIU, FEI

2016-01-01

The exploratory search for complex search tasks requires an effective search behavior model to evaluate and predict user search performance. Few studies have investigated the relationship between user search behavior and search performance in exploratory search. This research adopts a mixed approach combining search system development, user search experiment, search query log analysis, and multivariate regression analysis to resolve the knowledge gap. Through this study, it is shown that expl...

Managing acute alcohol withdrawal with Homoeopathy: A prospective, observational, multicentre exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debadatta Nayak

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Alcohol dependence is a common social problem which may be associated with other risk factors and co-morbidities. Abrupt cessation of alcohol intake may provoke an acute alcohol withdrawal phase with varying degrees of signs and symptoms. In conventional medical system, specific pharmacological interventions are used for management of Acute Alcohol Withdrawal (AAW. There exists a need to explore safe and holistic treatment of AAW. The present work reports the results of a prospective, observational, exploratory, multicentre trial (2008-2011 to assess the role of Homoeopathy in AAW. Materials and Methods: Individualised Homoeopathy was given to 112 patients reporting with AAW. The clinical assessment was done for 05 days using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Scale of Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-Ar. Post-withdrawal phase, quality of life of patients was assessed at end of 01 st , 03 rd and 06 th month using World Health Organisation quality of life (WHOQOL- BREF. Results and Analysis: There was a significant decrease in CIWA-Ar mean scores and increase in quality of life score (P < 0.001. The most common remedies used were Arsenicum album, Lycopodium clavatum, Belladonna, Nux vomica and Pulsatilla. Conclusion: The results of current observational pilot study suggest the promising use of Homoeopathy in the management of acute alcohol withdrawal. Further studies with large sample size and rigorous design are warranted.

To Flip or Not to Flip? An Exploratory Study Comparing Student Performance in Calculus I

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Larissa B.; McGivney-Burelle, Jean; Xue, Fei

2015-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory, mixed-methods study was to compare student performance in flipped and non-flipped sections of Calculus I. The study also examined students' perceptions of the flipping pedagogy. Students in the flipped courses reported spending, on average, an additional 1-2 hours per week outside of class on course content.…

Work-related experiences of head and neck cancer survivors: an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dewa, Carolyn S.; Trojanowski, Lucy; Tamminga, Sietske J.; Ringash, Jolie; McQuestion, Maurene; Hoch, Jeffrey S.

2017-01-01

This exploratory and descriptive study contributes to the growing knowledge about the return-to-work (RTW) experience of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. Viewing RTW as a process, participants were asked to consider the work-related experience with HNC at different phases: (1) at

Corporate social responsibility in global health: an exploratory study of multinational pharmaceutical firms.

Science.gov (United States)

Droppert, Hayley; Bennett, Sara

2015-04-09

As pharmaceutical firms experience increasing civil society pressure to act responsibly in a changing globalized world, many are expanding and/or reforming their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. We sought to understand how multinational pharmaceutical companies currently engage in CSR activities in the developing world aimed at global health impact, their motivations for doing so and how their CSR strategies are evolving. We conducted a small-scale, exploratory study combining (i) an in-depth review of publicly available data on pharmaceutical firms' CSR with (ii) interviews of representatives from 6 firms, purposively selected, from the highest earning pharmaceutical firms worldwide. Corporate social responsibility differed for each firm particularly with respect to how CSR is defined, organizational structures for managing CSR, current CSR activities, and motivations for CSR. Across the firms studied, the common CSR activities were: differential pharmaceutical pricing, strengthening developing country drug distribution infrastructure, mHealth initiatives, and targeted research and development. Primary factors that motivated CSR engagement were: reputational benefits, recruitment and employee satisfaction, better rankings in sustainability indices, entrance into new markets, long-term economic returns, and improved population health. In terms of CSR strategy, firms were at different points on a spectrum ranging from philanthropic donations to integrated systemic shared value business models. CSR is of increasing importance for multinational pharmaceutical firms yet understanding of the array of CSR strategies employed and their effects is nascent. Our study points to the need to (i) develop clearer and more standardized definitions of CSR in global health (2) strengthen indices to track CSR strategies and their public health effects in developing countries and (iii) undertake more country level studies that investigate how CSR engages with

Exploratory of society

Science.gov (United States)

Cederman, L.-E.; Conte, R.; Helbing, D.; Nowak, A.; Schweitzer, F.; Vespignani, A.

2012-11-01

A huge flow of quantitative social, demographic and behavioral data is becoming available that traces the activities and interactions of individuals, social patterns, transportation infrastructures and travel fluxes. This has caused, together with innovative computational techniques and methods for modeling social actions in hybrid (natural and artificial) societies, a qualitative change in the ways we model socio-technical systems. For the first time, society can be studied in a comprehensive fashion that addresses social and behavioral complexity. In other words we are in the position to envision the development of large data and computational cyber infrastructure defining an exploratory of society that provides quantitative anticipatory, explanatory and scenario analysis capabilities ranging from emerging infectious disease to conflict and crime surges. The goal of the exploratory of society is to provide the basic infrastructure embedding the framework of tools and knowledge needed for the design of forecast/anticipatory/crisis management approaches to socio technical systems, supporting future decision making procedures by accelerating the scientific cycle that goes from data generation to predictions.

Exploring the potential of combining participative backcasting and exploratory scenarios for robust strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruin, de Jilske Olda; Kok, Kasper; Hoogstra-Klein, Marjanke Alberttine

2017-01-01

Literature critiques current predictive scenario approaches applied in the forest sector. Backcasting -a means to create normative scenarios- seems promising, but sparsely used. Combining backcasting with exploratory scenarios (combined scenario approach) seems appropriate to address these

An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Florence; Carr, Marsha L.

2015-01-01

21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What…

The Case For Corporate Responsibility: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucy da Piedade

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Stakeholder demands and the introduction of the ‘triple bottom line’ as a means of reporting corporate performance, make it critical that South African companies assess why they should undertake corporate responsibility initiatives. This exploratory study (part two of a two-part study investigated the issues that are being or should be addressed by companies under the banner of corporate responsibility and the reasons for this. The views of a convenience snowball sample of consultants, academics and practitioners of corporate responsibility, was gained by means of a Delphi technique. Content analysis was employed to categorise the views into themes. The findings indicate the need for corporate responsibility action in the areas of ecology, the environment, health and well-being, building human capital and in the encouragement of economic development. Cost benefit and defensive arguments dominate the case for corporate responsibility. There is little indication that organisations have identified the opportunity of corporate responsibility initiatives to increase innovation and organisational learning and its contribution to risk management. Recommendations are made regarding the assessment of investment in this area.

Evaluation of a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface for consumer health information: a crowdsourced comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Licong; Carter, Rebecca; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2014-02-10

Numerous consumer health information websites have been developed to provide consumers access to health information. However, lookup search is insufficient for consumers to take full advantage of these rich public information resources. Exploratory search is considered a promising complementary mechanism, but its efficacy has never before been rigorously evaluated for consumer health information retrieval interfaces. This study aims to (1) introduce a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface (CENI) for supporting effective consumer health information retrieval and navigation, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of CENI through a search-interface comparative evaluation using crowdsourcing with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). We collected over 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness, one of the first consumer health websites to provide high-quality health information. We designed and developed a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface to explore NetWellness health questions with health topics as dynamic and searchable menus. To investigate the effectiveness of CENI, we developed a second interface with keyword-based search only. A crowdsourcing comparative study was carefully designed to compare three search modes of interest: (A) the topic-navigation-based CENI, (B) the keyword-based lookup interface, and (C) either the most commonly available lookup search interface with Google, or the resident advanced search offered by NetWellness. To compare the effectiveness of the three search modes, 9 search tasks were designed with relevant health questions from NetWellness. Each task included a rating of difficulty level and questions for validating the quality of answers. Ninety anonymous and unique AMT workers were recruited as participants. Repeated-measures ANOVA analysis of the data showed the search modes A, B, and C had statistically significant differences among their levels of difficulty (Pconsumer health information retrieval and

Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Practice in a Community Care Unit: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Brian; Oakes, Jane; Fourniotis, Niki; Toomey, Nigel; Furness, Trentham

A recovery-oriented model of care has become the major focus of mental health service delivery in the state of Victoria, Australia. However, there is a total absence of knowledge of recovery-oriented mental health practice in community care units (CCUs). Therefore, the aims of this exploratory study were to: (a) describe what aspects of the current model of care fit within the domains of recovery; and (b) describe the pragmatic processes that staff use to mold their care within the domains of recovery. Twenty-one key stakeholders provided informed voluntary consent to participate in one-to-one interviews. Six content domains evolved to include: (a) a common vision: "a continuous journey"; (b) promoting hope; (c) promoting autonomy and self-determination; (d) meaningful engagement; (e) holistic and personalized care; and (f) community participation and citizenship. The CCU appeared to be on a journey of transformation toward personal recovery. However, clinicians were grappling with an identified tension among personal recovery and clinical recovery. The tension among personal recovery and clinical recovery may be attributed to the psychosocial rehabilitation model of care, which was previously systemic in Victorian CCUs.

Exploratory study on a statistical method to analyse time resolved data obtained during nanomaterial exposure measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clerc, F; Njiki-Menga, G-H; Witschger, O

2013-01-01

Most of the measurement strategies that are suggested at the international level to assess workplace exposure to nanomaterials rely on devices measuring, in real time, airborne particles concentrations (according different metrics). Since none of the instruments to measure aerosols can distinguish a particle of interest to the background aerosol, the statistical analysis of time resolved data requires special attention. So far, very few approaches have been used for statistical analysis in the literature. This ranges from simple qualitative analysis of graphs to the implementation of more complex statistical models. To date, there is still no consensus on a particular approach and the current period is always looking for an appropriate and robust method. In this context, this exploratory study investigates a statistical method to analyse time resolved data based on a Bayesian probabilistic approach. To investigate and illustrate the use of the this statistical method, particle number concentration data from a workplace study that investigated the potential for exposure via inhalation from cleanout operations by sandpapering of a reactor producing nanocomposite thin films have been used. In this workplace study, the background issue has been addressed through the near-field and far-field approaches and several size integrated and time resolved devices have been used. The analysis of the results presented here focuses only on data obtained with two handheld condensation particle counters. While one was measuring at the source of the released particles, the other one was measuring in parallel far-field. The Bayesian probabilistic approach allows a probabilistic modelling of data series, and the observed task is modelled in the form of probability distributions. The probability distributions issuing from time resolved data obtained at the source can be compared with the probability distributions issuing from the time resolved data obtained far-field, leading in a

An Exploratory Study of Women in the Health Professions Schools. Volume VII: Women in Podiatry.

Science.gov (United States)

Urban and Rural Systems Associates, San Francisco, CA.

In an exploratory study conducted for the Women's Action Program of HEW, the aims were to identify and explore the barriers to success that women face as MODVOPPP (Medicine, Osteopathic medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary medicine, Optometry, Podiatry, Pharmacy, and Public health) school applicants and students, and to describe the discrimination…

Applying Threshold Concepts Theory to an Unsettled Field: An Exploratory Study in Criminal Justice Education

Science.gov (United States)

Wimshurst, Kerry

2011-01-01

Criminal justice education is a relatively new program in higher education in many countries, and its curriculum and parameters remain unsettled. An exploratory study investigated whether threshold concepts theory provided a useful lens by which to explore student understandings of this multidisciplinary field. Eight high-performing final-year…

Content-Specific Strategies to Advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Graybill, Emily C.; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Watson, Laurel B.

2009-01-01

Researchers suggest that supportive school personnel may decrease some of the challenges encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in schools (Russell, Seif, & Truong, 2001); however, little is known about the approaches used by school-based advocates for LGBT youth. This exploratory study investigated the strategies used…

Characteristics of Effective Pedagogy of Third Grade English Learners in Language Arts: An Exploratory Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Merwin, Gregory J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify pedagogical and non-pedagogical factors that affect the academic achievement of English Learner (EL) students in the area of language arts at Dr. Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in Anaheim, California. The researcher conducted an exploratory multiple case study to develop a comprehensive, contextual…

High School Teachers' Perspectives on the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ajayi, Lasisi

2016-01-01

This was an exploratory study that examined high school teachers' perspectives about their early experiences with the English language arts Common Core State Standards. The sources of data for the study included a survey and structured interviews. Twenty-three high school ELA teachers from one unified school district in Southern California…

How do humans inspect BPMN models: an exploratory study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haisjackl, Cornelia; Soffer, Pnina; Lim, Shao Yi

2016-01-01

to initial research questions, we also indicate other research questions that can be investigated using this approach. Our qualitative analysis shows that humans adapt different strategies on how to identify quality issues. In addition, we observed several challenges appearing when humans inspect process......Even though considerable progress regarding the technical perspective on modeling and supporting business processes has been achieved, it appears that the human perspective is still often left aside. In particular, we do not have an in-depth understanding of how process models are inspected...... by humans, what strategies are taken, what challenges arise, and what cognitive processes are involved. This paper contributes toward such an understanding and reports an exploratory study investigating how humans identify and classify quality issues in BPMN process models. Providing preliminary answers...

Observer-rated coping associated with borderline personality disorder: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Ueli

2014-01-01

Little is known about coping specificities, as operationalization of the concept of affect regulation, in borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is most important to take into account methodological criticisms addressed to the self-report questionnaire approach and to compare BPD coping specificities to the ones of neighbouring diagnostic categories, such as bipolar disorder (BD). The present exploratory study compared the coping profiles of N = 25 patients presenting BPD to those of N = 25 patients presenting BD and to those of N = 25 healthy controls. All participants underwent a clinical interview that was transcribed and rated using the Coping Patterns observer-rater system. Results partially confirmed study hypotheses and showed differences between BPD patients and healthy controls in all coping domains (competence, resources and autonomy), whereas the only coping domain presenting a BPD-specific lack of skills, compared with the BD patients, was autonomy, a set of coping strategies facing stress appraised as challenge. These coping processes were linked to general and BPD symptomatology. These results extend conclusions of earlier studies on affect regulation processes in BPD and bear important clinical implications, in the context of dialectical behavior therapy and other therapeutic approaches. Limitations of this exploratory study, such as the small sample size, are acknowledged. Coping can be reliably assessed in the narrative process in an non-structured interview frame. Patients with borderline personality disorder present with a specific lack of skills in affect regulation related to autonomy issues, compared to patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls. Lack of skills in accommodation to distressing emotions in borderline personality disorder is related to symptom gravity and may be treated using radical acceptance strategies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An Exploratory Study of Undergraduates' Attitudes toward Affirmative Action Policies for Asian Americans in College

Science.gov (United States)

Hartlep, Nicholas Daniel; Lowinger, Robert Jay

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examined white undergraduate students' (a) racial attitudes towards Asian Americans, (b) principled policy attitudes toward affirmative action, and (c) self-interest in relation to their support for college-based affirmative action policies for Asian Americans at a Midwestern university. A sample (n = 264, 28% male, 72%…

Predictors of Enrolling in Online Courses: An Exploratory Study of Students in Undergraduate Marketing Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Fontenot, Renée J.; Mathisen, Richard E.; Carley, Susan S.; Stuart, Randy S.

2015-01-01

An exploratory study of undergraduate students enrolled in marketing courses at a Southeastern regional university was conducted to determine the motivations and characteristics of marketing students who plan to be online learners and examined for differences between those who have taken and those who have not taken online classes. An online…

The English in Public Elementary Schools Program of a Mexican State: A Critical, Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perales Escudero, Moises Damian; Reyes Cruz, Maria del Rosario; Loyo, Griselda Murrieta

2012-01-01

The quality of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) instruction in elementary schools worldwide is an issue of concern for language policy and planning (LPP) scholars, as are examinations of power and ideologies operating in policy creation and implementation. This critical, exploratory study blends these two strands of inquiry by examining…

An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Collaboration and Mathematics and Game Outcomes. CRESST Report 797

Science.gov (United States)

Buschang, Rebecca E.; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Kim, Jinok

2011-01-01

This study is an exploratory study of the relationship between collaboration and mathematics and game outcomes in a video game aimed at teaching concepts related to rational numbers. The sample included 243 middle school students who played the video game either with one partner or individually for 40 minutes. Results suggest that participants…

Techniques and Behaviors Associated with Exemplary Inpatient General Medicine Teaching: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Houchens, Nathan; Harrod, Molly; Moody, Stephanie; Fowler, Karen; Saint, Sanjay

2017-07-01

Clinician educators face numerous obstacles to their joint mission of facilitating high-quality learning while also delivering patient-centered care. Such challenges necessitate increased attention to the work of exemplary clinician educators, their respective teaching approaches, and the experiences of their learners. To describe techniques and behaviors utilized by clinician educators to facilitate excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. An exploratory qualitative study of inpatient teaching conducted from 2014 to 2015. Inpatient general medicine wards in 11 US hospitals, including university-affiliated hospitals and Veterans Affairs medical centers. Participants included 12 exemplary clinician educators, 57 of their current learners, and 26 of their former learners. In-depth, semi-structured interviews of exemplary clinician educators, focus group discussions with their current and former learners, and direct observations of clinical teaching during inpatient rounds. Interview data, focus group data, and observational field notes were coded and categorized into broad, overlapping themes. Each theme elucidated a series of actions, behaviors, and approaches that exemplary clinician educators consistently demonstrated during inpatient rounds: (1) they fostered positive relationships with all team members by building rapport, which in turn created a safe learning environment; (2) they facilitated patient-centered teaching points, modeled excellent clinical exam and communication techniques, and treated patients as partners in their care; and (3) they engaged in coaching and collaboration through facilitation of discussion, effective questioning strategies, and differentiation of learning among team members with varied experience levels. This study identified consistent techniques and behaviors of excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

Facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine use in Accra, Ghana: an inductive exploratory study

OpenAIRE

Aziato, Lydia; Antwi, Hannah Ohemeng

2016-01-01

Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine including herbal medicine is increasing in many countries including Ghana. However, there is paucity of research on the perspectives of patrons of herbal medicine regarding the facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine use. This study sought to investigate the facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine among Ghanaian adults who use one form of herbal medicine or the other. Methods The study employed an inductive exploratory qua...

Entrepreneurs’ Exploratory Perseverance in Learning Settings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muehlfeld, K.S.; Urbig, Diemo; Weitzel, Utz

We introduce “exploratory perseverance” as a novel construct that captures perseverant behavior in settings in which several alternatives can be explored and evaluated. We suggest that entrepreneurs display exploratory perseverance reflected by a tendency to keep exploring broader sets of

An Exploratory Study of Gender and Changes in Alcohol Consumption: A Qualitative Approach

OpenAIRE

Susan Bullers

2012-01-01

Consistent research shows that men drink more, and more often than women, although recent findings suggest that this gender difference may be diminishing. This exploratory qualitative analysis offers a “micro” perspective on the possible attitudes, beliefs, and social interactions that underlie these aggregate findings. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews with 18 men and women from three age and ethnic groups, this study explores changes in behaviors and attitudes regarding gender an...

Exploratory Studies on Biomarkers: An Example Study on Brown Adipose Tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Naoshi; Kataoka, Masatoshi; Shinohara, Yasuo

In mammals, two kinds of adipose tissue are known to exist, i.e., white (WAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissue. The physiological role of WAT is storage of excess energy as fat, whereas that of BAT is the expenditure of excess energy as heat. The uncoupling protein UCP1, which is specifically expressed in brown fat mitochondria, dissipates the proton electrochemical potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane, known as a driving force of ATP synthesis, and thus it dissipates excess energy in a form of heat. Because deficiency in effective expenditure of excess energy causes accumulation of this energy in the form of fat (i.e., obesity), it is very important to understand the energy metabolism in this tissue for the development of anti-obesity drugs. In this article, in addition to providing a brief introduction to the functional properties of BAT and UCP1, the results of our exploratory studies on protein components involved in the energy-dissipating function in BAT.

Parametric study of variation in cargo-airplane performance related to progression from current to spanloader designs

Science.gov (United States)

Toll, T. A.

1980-01-01

A parametric analysis was made to investigate the relationship between current cargo airplanes and possible future designs that may differ greatly in both size and configuration. The method makes use of empirical scaling laws developed from statistical studies of data from current and advanced airplanes and, in addition, accounts for payload density, effects of span distributed load, and variations in tail area ratio. The method is believed to be particularly useful for exploratory studies of design and technology options for large airplanes. The analysis predicts somewhat more favorable variations of the ratios of payload to gross weight and block fuel to payload as the airplane size is increased than has been generally understood from interpretations of the cube-square law. In terms of these same ratios, large all wing (spanloader) designs show an advantage over wing-fuselage designs.

How do humans inspect BPMN models: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Haisjackl, Cornelia; Soffer, Pnina; Lim, Shao Yi; Weber, Barbara

2018-01-01

Even though considerable progress regarding the technical perspective on modeling and supporting business processes has been achieved, it appears that the human perspective is still often left aside. In particular, we do not have an in-depth understanding of how process models are inspected by humans, what strategies are taken, what challenges arise, and what cognitive processes are involved. This paper contributes toward such an understanding and reports an exploratory study investigating how humans identify and classify quality issues in BPMN process models. Providing preliminary answers to initial research questions, we also indicate other research questions that can be investigated using this approach. Our qualitative analysis shows that humans adapt different strategies on how to identify quality issues. In addition, we observed several challenges appearing when humans inspect process models. Finally, we present different manners in which classification of quality issues was addressed.

Culture's influence on consumers : exploratory behavior and risk taking

OpenAIRE

Soares, Ana Maria; Farhangmehr, Minoo; Shoham, Aviv

2003-01-01

This theoretical paper addresses the influence of culture on risk taking and exploratory behavior. The cultural dimensions of long-term orientation, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, and masculinity (Hofstede, 1984, 2001) are hypothesized to influence risk-taking behavior in general, and, through it, exploratory consumption behavior, risk taking, and risk attitudes and perception towards specific products. We also propose an empirical study to test the emergent model. Fu...

Constructing the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalia, H.N.; Replogle, J.M.

1996-01-01

Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is constructing an underground Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF), approximately 160 km (100 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. This facility is being used to obtain geological, hydrological, geomechanical, thermomechanical and geochemical information to characterize, Yucca Mountain as a potential site to isolate High-Level Radioactive Waste from the accessible environment. The ESF, when completed, will consist of two ramps from surface (North and South ramp) to the potential repository horizon formations, a drift connecting the two ramps, test alcoves, and above and below ground operational support facilities. The ramps and connecting drift are being mined by a 7.62 m (25 ft) diameter, fully shielded, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). This paper describes the current status of the construction of the ESF and test alcoves. At the time of this writing, the following has been accomplished: North Ramp excavation is complete; four test alcoves have been excavated and are in use for scientific experiments; the excavation has reached the potential repository horizon; the drift connecting the two ramps is being excavated, and the excavation of a test alcove for thermal testing is in progress. The mining operations are ahead of schedule, and to date March 26, 1996, the TBM has excavated over 4623 m(15,160 ft.) without any major breakdowns or accidents. The average advance for a three shift (two mining shifts) production day has been 33.46 m (110 ft.). Maximum advance for a week was 218.3 m (716 ft.). An Alpine Miner (AM 75) roadheader is being used to excavate test alcoves. The major ground support system consists of Supper Swellex rock bolts, steel sets as required, Williams rock bolts and channels, and welded wire fabric. Various sections of the tunnel have been instrumented, and the entire excavation has been geologically mapped. To date, the site conditions have been those predicted

Human needs as predictors for organizational commitment and job involvement: An exploratory empirical study

OpenAIRE

Park, Yang-Kyu; Lee, Chul-in; Kabst, Rüdiger

2008-01-01

While the literature on the determinants of organizational commitment (OC) and job involvement (JI) is vast, little has been studied about the impact of human needs. In search for the institutional stars, this study examines whether human needs can serve a predictor for both high OC and high JI. Exploratory empirical results based on quantile regressions suggest that the needs for achievement, belonging, and power are more important than others in predicting OC and JI. In addition, the basic ...

Choice attributes in restaurant services: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derli Luís Angnes

2013-08-01

Full Text Available There are about one million of bars and restaurants that generate around six millions of jobs in Brazil. Among the most important reasons to choose a restaurant are the service attributes. Attributes are judgments the client makes about the performance and quality of the service provided. The identification of restaurant choice attributes is important in order to propose a higher value to services and to make marketing strategies. This article aims to identify the choice attributes of service quality in restaurants. The methodology employed was a qualitative exploratory study based on interviews made using the critical incident technique. It was used a sample of 72 restaurant customers. The content analysis technique was used to treat and analyze the critical incidents obtained in the interviews. The result obtained was a relation of 615 critical incidents, which after being analyzed generated a list of 27 attributes that influence customer’s choice and customer’s evaluation of service quality provided in restaurants. The identified attributes can subsidize and contribute to improvement of future research and studies in the academic environment, besides contributing for the management of restaurants business.

Selection of a preferred initial access for the exploratory studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boak, D.M.; Cikanek, E.M.; Elkins, N.Z.

1995-06-01

An issue of interest to the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project Office (YMPO) has been selection of the preferred location for initial access to the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) in the event that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) elected to proceed with a phased approach to facility development. A task force to conduct an assessment and prepare a recommendation of the preferred initial location (north or south) for starting underground in situ tests at Yucca Mountain was initiated by YMPO to address this issue. The task force addressed geotechnical issues associated with the presence of disqualifying conditions at the site, the inability of the site to meet qualifying conditions, and the potential for unexpected geologic conditions at the site. The task force compared the north and south ramp accesses of the ESF to determine whether either access would be more likely to provide relevant information about potential site unsuitability. The task force did not address issues such as design time or construction costs. Within the aforementioned context, a balanced evaluation of currently available geotechnical information and issues failed to provide a clear mandate for either ramp as the preferred initial ESF access. Neither access was clearly superior in providing geotechnical information to resolve site suitability issues. The task force therefore recommended that other appropriate programmatic factors, such as schedule, be used as a basis in determining the choice of a preferred, initial ESF access in the event of phased construction

The behaviours that dementia care home staff in South Africa find challenging: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Adele; Manthorpe, Jill; Clark, Charlotte

2017-10-01

Background Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are often the reasons for moving to a care home. Care staff, often with limited dementia training, may have to support residents with distressed behaviour on a daily basis. Evidence about the support of residents with distressed or challenging behaviour in the South African context is lacking. This exploratory study aimed to gain an understanding of what care home staff perceived to be distressed behaviour, their coping strategies and how they learned to work with residents with behavioural symptoms of dementia. Methods An exploratory study was conducted among 17 participants working in four care homes in the Western Cape province of South Africa in 2014. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded. Data were analysed thematically. Findings Findings reflected the literature with regard to examples of behavioural symptoms of people with dementia that staff find challenging to manage. Overall, the majority of staff reported holding positive feelings about working with people with dementia. All preferred interpersonal approaches to manage distressed behaviour above medication although a small minority noted the use of medication in some cases. Dementia training was considered by most participants as an unmet need. Conclusion This exploratory study identified care home workers' desires for training about dementia and their preferences for interpersonal as opposed to pharmacological approaches to managing residents' distressed behaviour. The legacy of race and cultural perspectives in South Africa appears to still influence care practice and provision. Staff commitment, their interest in advancing their practice and their aspirations to offer more person-centred care were evident. Dementia training was identified as potentially helpful to care home staff who manage residents' distressed behaviour. Training should be developed in South Africa to promote good practice.

Cognitive dimensions of recreational user experiences in wilderness: an exploratory study in Adirondack wilderness areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Chad P. Dawson; Peter Newman; Alan Watson

1998-01-01

This exploratory study involved identifying the dimensions of a wilderness experience sought by users based on the available literature and on input from wilderness users. Input was collected using focus group interviews with members of four groups that were primarily involved in wilderness use and preservation in recent years. Positive and negative dimensions are...

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Saura, Jose Ramon; Palos-Sanchez, Pedro; Rios Martin, Miguel Angel

2018-03-19

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets ( n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified.

Gender-Related Quality of Parent-Child Interactions and Early Adolescent Problem Behaviors: Exploratory Study with Midwestern Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Spoth, Richard; Neppl, Tricia; Goldberg-Lillehoj, Catherine; Jung, Tony; Ramisetty-Mikler, Suhasini

2006-01-01

This article reports two exploratory studies testing a model guided by a social interactional perspective, positing an inverse relation between the quality of parent-child interactions and adolescent problem behaviors. It addresses mixed findings in the literature related to gender differences. Study 1 uses cross-sectional survey data from…

An Exploratory Study of the Impact of College Student Leadership Programs upon the Construct of Mindfulness

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, Rich

2012-01-01

Mindfulness is a key skill that produces the greater psychological awareness identified by most leadership scholars as being essential to effective leadership. This study conducted an exploratory assessment of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cocurricular collegiate leadership programs through pre- and post-participation application of the…

Dyslexia and Psycho-Social Functioning: An Exploratory Study of the Role of Self-Esteem and Understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Terras, Melody M.; Thompson, Lucy C.; Minnis, Helen

2009-01-01

Individuals with dyslexia may have lower self-esteem and exhibit more emotional and behavioural difficulties than those without reading problems. However, the nature of any relationship between self-esteem and psychopathology remains unknown. This exploratory study assessed levels of self-esteem using the "Self-Perception Profile for…

Self-concept in institutionalized children with disturbed attachment: The mediating role of exploratory behaviours.

Science.gov (United States)

Vacaru, V S; Sterkenburg, P S; Schuengel, C

2018-05-01

Self-concept is seen as both an outcome of sociocognitive and emotional development, and a factor in social and mental health outcomes. Although the contribution of attachment experiences to self-concept has been limited to quality of primary attachment relationships, little is known of the effects of disturbed attachment on self-concept in institutionalized children. Thus, the current study examined associations between disturbed attachment behaviours in institutionalized children and self-concept, testing limited exploration as an explanatory factor. Thirty-three institutionalized children, aged 4-12, participated in a multimethod and multi-informant assessment of disturbed attachment behaviours (i.e., Disturbances of Attachment Interview and Behavioral Signs of Disturbed Attachment in Young Children), self-concept (i.e., Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children), and exploratory behaviours (i.e., Student Exploratory Behaviours Observation Scale). Analyses were conducted using bootstrapping techniques. Global self-concept converged with teacher-rated children's self-concept, except for physical competence domain. Disturbed attachment behaviours were identified in 62.5% of the children, and this was associated with lower levels of exploration and lower scores on self-concept, compared with children without disturbed attachment behaviours. Furthermore, exploratory behaviours mediated the effects of disturbed attachment behaviours on self-concept. Institution-reared children with disturbed attachment behaviours were likely to have a negative perception of self and one's own competences. Limited exploratory behaviours explained this linkage. Targeting disordered attachment in children reared in institutions and their caregivers should become a high priority as a means for preventing socioemotional development issues. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Data Science Programs in U.S. Higher Education: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Program Description, Curriculum Structure, and Course Focus

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Rong; Sae-Lim, Watinee

2016-01-01

In this study, an exploratory content analysis of 30 randomly selected Data Science (DS) programs from eight disciplines revealed significant gaps in current DS education in the United States. The analysis centers on linguistic patterns of program descriptions, curriculum requirements, and DS course focus as pertaining to key skills and domain…

Reciprocal Learning in Partnership Practice: An Exploratory Study of a Home Visiting Program for Mothers with Depression

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, Cathrine; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; Rossiter, Chris; McKenzie, Jo

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a small exploratory study that investigates the place and role of reciprocal learning within a partnership-based home visiting program for mothers experiencing depression. The study is one important example of an increased focus on reciprocal learning within practice that has significant implications for the development of…

Exploratory wine consumer behavior in a transitional market: The case of Poland

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Renata Schaefer

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates exploratory behavior among wine consumers in Poland where the country's wine culture is in a state of rapid change. This study investigates the extent to which demographics, values, and wine preferences relate to exploratory behavior.Data obtained from 198 Polish wine consumers was used in the analysis. Exploratory behavior was measured using the VARSEEK scale adapted to wine. Other measures included the Schwartz Value Inventory, wine knowledge and involvement, and measures relevant for wine purchasing behavior. Demographic variables were also used to profile consumers.The findings show that Polish wine consumers’ level of exploratory behavior is not related to demographics, but is influenced by personal values. The consumers who were most likely to engage in exploratory behavior valued creativity, fun, and risk taking and were less concerned about behaving properly. They also had more global outlook as they were more likely to purchase wine in other countries and desired more wines from regions outside Poland.The findings are useful for wine marketers when developing strategies for wine consumers in transitional markets based on their unique needs and expectations.This is the first known research conducted in Poland focusing on wine consumers’ exploratory behavior and subsequent wine preferences. Keywords: Polish wine market, Consumer behavior, Exploratory behavior, Consumer segmentation

An exploratory study of adolescent response to fluoxetine using psychological and biological predictors

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Ada H. Zohar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background Not enough is known about predicting therapeutic response to serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors, and specifically to fluoxetine. This exploratory study used psychological and biological markers for (retrospective prediction of treatment-response to fluoxetine in depressed and/or anxious adolescents. Methods Forty-one consecutive adolescent outpatients with a primary diagnosis of severe affective and/or anxiety disorders were assessed and treated with an open-label 8-week trial of fluoxetine. Type D personality was assessed with the 14-item questionnaire, the DS14. In addition, TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1b were measured pre- and post-treatment. Results There was an elevation of Type D personality in patients, compared to the adolescent population rate. Post-treatment, 44% of patients were classified as non-responders; the relative risk of non-response for Type D personality patients was 2.8. Binary logistic regression predicting response vs. non-response showed a contribution of initial TNFα levels as well as Type D personality to non-response. Conclusions In this exploratory study, the most significant contributor to non-response was Type D personality. However, the measurement of Type D was not prospective, and thus may be confounded with psychiatric morbidity. The measurement of personality in psychiatric settings may contribute to the understanding of treatment response and have clinical utility.

Update of the exploratory report Acrolein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slooff W; Bont PFH; Janus JA; Pronk MEJ; Ros JPM; ECO; PPCbv; ACT; LAE

1994-01-01

The report is an update of the exploratory report acrolein (Slooff et al., 1991) that served as a basis for the discussion during the exploratory meeting on acrolein in March 1992. The meeting supported the conclusion that priority should be given to the compartment air and to the risks to humans.

An exploratory study of neuro linguistic programming and communication anxiety

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner, Lois M.

1993-12-01

This thesis is an exploratory study of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and its capabilities to provide a technique or a composite technique that will reduce the anxiety associated with making an oral brief or presentation before a group, sometimes referred to as Communication Apprehension. The composite technique comes from NLP and Time Line Therapy, which is an extension to NLP. Student volunteers (17) from a Communications course given by the Administrative Sciences Department were taught this technique. For each volunteer, an informational oral presentation was made and videotaped before the training and another informational oral presentation made and videotaped following the training. The before and after training presentations for each individual volunteer were evaluated against criteria for communications anxiety and analyzed to determine if there was a noticeable reduction of anxiety after the training. Anxiety was reduced in all of the volunteers in this study.

Identifying Core Competencies to Advance Female Professors' Careers: An Exploratory Study in United States Academia

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Ga-eun; Hedayati Mehdiabadi, Amir; Huang, Wenhao

2017-01-01

This exploratory study aims to identify the core competencies necessary to successfully advance the careers of female associate professors in higher education. To ascertain these core career competencies, a critical incident interview technique was employed. One-to-one semi-structured interviews with six female full professors at a major research…

Subconscious responses to fear-appeal health warnings: An exploratory study of cigarette packaging

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Christo Boshoff

2017-04-01

Aim: In this exploratory study, the ability of fear-based pictures and text messages on cigarette packaging to create emotional arousal among consumers is explored. Methods: Galvanic skin response and eye-tracking methodologies were used. Results: The results indicate that both fear-based pictures and fear-based text messages activated arousal among consumers. Conclusion: The extent of arousal is influenced (at least to some extent by both gender and whether or not the viewer is a smoker.

Abusive supervision - a form of workplace harassment: an exploratory study in the ecuadorian hospitality industry

OpenAIRE

Hoof, Hubert B. Van; Serrano, Ana-Lucia; Torres, Leonardo

2015-01-01

In light of the conspicuous absence of workplace harassment (“acoso laboral”) in the Ecuadorian Constitution and the country’s Labor and Penal Codes, this article reports on an exploratory study about abusive supervision, a form of workplace harassment, in the country’s hospitality industry. Based on a review of the literature on various forms of workplace harassment, the study investigated employee opinions about their supervisors’ behaviors and found that abusive supervision ...

An exploratory study of healthcare professionals' perceptions of interprofessional communication and collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhaegh, Kim J.; Seller-Boersma, Annamarike; Simons, Robert; Steenbruggen, Jeanet; Geerlings, Suzanne E.; de Rooij, Sophia E.; Buurman, Bianca M.

2017-01-01

Interprofessional communication and collaboration during hospitalisation is critically important to provide safe and effective care. Clinical rounds are an essential interprofessional process in which the clinical problems of patients are discussed on a daily basis. The objective of this exploratory

An exploratory study of healthcare professionals' perceptions of interprofessional communication and collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhaegh, Kim J.; Seller-Boersma, Annamarike; Simons, Robert; Steenbruggen, Jeanet; Geerlings, Suzanne E.; de Rooij, Sophia E.; Buurman, Bianca M.

Interprofessional communication and collaboration during hospitalisation is critically important to provide safe and effective care. Clinical rounds are an essential interprofessional process in which the clinical problems of patients are discussed on a daily basis. The objective of this exploratory

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

Healthy Eating Exploratory Program for the Elderly: Low Salt Intake in Congregate Meal Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, S; Kim, O Y; Ahn, J

2016-03-01

This study reported on an exploratory program to help the low income elderly improve healthy eating behavior, specifically by reducing salt intake. We conducted an exploratory program for 4 weeks for this study. The exploratory program involved offering menus with reduced salt and providing education on healthy eating. After the exploratory program, a survey of the elderly and in-depth interviews allowed us to evaluate the program for foodservice providers (dietitian, social workers, and volunteer workers). This study included both foodservice workers and elderly who actually used the foodservice in a congregate meal service system. This is a unique approach. A congregate meal service center in Seoul, Korea. Seventy four elderly in a congregate meal service center. Demographics were collected, and the healthy eating program and healthy eating education for elderly respondents were evaluated. The elderly showed high satisfaction with the exploratory program for healthy eating. We found no significant differences in satisfaction with the program between the elderly who attended education sessions and those who did not, but more of the elderly from the education sessions showed positive behavioral change intentions. The exploratory program influenced to reduce the salt intake of the elderly in congregate meal service. This study suggests cooperation of foodservice providers and the support of administrators is critical to the success of such programs.

Exploratory case-control study of brain tumors in adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burch, J.D.; Craib, K.J.; Choi, B.C.; Miller, A.B.; Risch, H.A.; Howe, G.R.

1987-01-01

An exploratory study of brain tumors in adults was carried out using 215 cases diagnosed in Southern Ontario between 1979 and 1982, with an individually matched, hospital control series. Significantly elevated risks were observed for reported use of spring water, drinking of wine, and consumption of pickled fish, together with a significant protective effect for the regular consumption of any of several types of fruit. While these factors are consistent with a role for N-nitroso compounds in the etiology of these tumors, for several other factors related to this hypothesis, no association was observed. Occupation in the rubber industry was associated with a significant relative risk of 9.0, though no other occupational associations were seen. Two previously unreported associations were with smoking nonfilter cigarettes with a significant trend and with the use of hair dyes or sprays. The data do not support an association between physical head trauma requiring medical attention and risk of brain tumors and indicate that exposure to ionizing radiation and vinyl chloride monomer does not contribute any appreciable fraction of attributable risk in the population studied. The findings warrant further detailed investigation in future epidemiologic studies

Self-Esteem, Oral Health Behaviours, and Clinical Oral Health Status in Chinese Adults: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Luzy Siu-Hei; Chan, Joanne Chung-Yan

2013-01-01

Objectives: This is an exploratory study to examine the relations among self-esteem, oral health behaviours and clinical oral health status in Chinese adults. In addition, gender differences in clinical oral health status and oral health behaviours were explored. Methods: Participants were 192 patients from a private dental clinic in Hong Kong…

Matching Vocabulary Learning Process with Learning Outcome in L2 Academic Writing: An Exploratory Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qing

2013-01-01

This exploratory case study of two undergraduates links vocabulary learning approaches with lexical quality measured in academic writing. Employing an array of qualitative data, it is shown that in a "semi-language-rich" learning context, Chinese learners may dispense with rote learning and engage in a more natural learning approach in which…

Exploratory study of comfort by the year 2010; Etude prospective sur le confort a l'horizon 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halgand, R. [Gaz de France (GDF), 75 - Paris (France)

2000-07-01

Gaz de France has carried out an exploratory study on the changes to the idea of comfort in inhabited buildings by the year 2010. The main questions studied were the following: how do we define comfort? what changes can be foreseen to the notion of comfort in inhabited buildings? what will the impact of those changes be on the markets for gas? The exploratory study lasted a year and brought together experts from many fields. Three scenarios for changes to the notion of comfort were drawn up. We were able to discern several ways for progress: respect for the environment, decreases in the cost of appliances, increases in safety, control of a greater number of parameters, ease of use... This study showed that it is always possible to work at improving our products in order to increase the comfort provided by gas systems in building, to better satisfy our customers and to conquer new markets. (author)

Levy flights and self-similar exploratory behaviour of termite workers: beyond model fitting.

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Octavio Miramontes

Full Text Available Animal movements have been related to optimal foraging strategies where self-similar trajectories are central. Most of the experimental studies done so far have focused mainly on fitting statistical models to data in order to test for movement patterns described by power-laws. Here we show by analyzing over half a million movement displacements that isolated termite workers actually exhibit a range of very interesting dynamical properties--including Lévy flights--in their exploratory behaviour. Going beyond the current trend of statistical model fitting alone, our study analyses anomalous diffusion and structure functions to estimate values of the scaling exponents describing displacement statistics. We evince the fractal nature of the movement patterns and show how the scaling exponents describing termite space exploration intriguingly comply with mathematical relations found in the physics of transport phenomena. By doing this, we rescue a rich variety of physical and biological phenomenology that can be potentially important and meaningful for the study of complex animal behavior and, in particular, for the study of how patterns of exploratory behaviour of individual social insects may impact not only their feeding demands but also nestmate encounter patterns and, hence, their dynamics at the social scale.

Understanding customer switching behavior in a liberalizing Service market : An exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wieringa, Jaap E.; Verhoef, Peter C.

In recent decades, many service markets have been liberalized, which means incumbent service firms face new competitors and must address customer switching-which from a public policy perspective, is necessary to ensure that liberalization succeeds. In this article, the authors conduct an exploratory

Understanding customer switching behavior in a liberalizing Service market : An exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wieringa, Jaap E.; Verhoef, Peter C.

2007-01-01

In recent decades, many service markets have been liberalized, which means incumbent service firms face new competitors and must address customer switching-which from a public policy perspective, is necessary to ensure that liberalization succeeds. In this article, the authors conduct an exploratory

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets (n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified. PMID:29562724

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Ramon Saura

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets (n = 14459 according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia. The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified.

Exploratory metabolomics study of the experimental opisthorchiasis in a laboratory animal model (golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus.

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Daria A Kokova

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Opisthorchiasis is a parasitic infection caused by the liver flukes of the Opisthorchiidae family. Both experimental and epidemiological data strongly support a role of these parasites in the etiology of the hepatobiliary pathologies and an increased risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Understanding a functional link between the infection and hepatobiliary pathologies requires a detailed description a host-parasite interaction on different levels of biological regulation including the metabolic response on the infection. The last one, however, remains practically undocumented. Here we are describing a host response on Opisthorchiidae infection using a metabolomics approach and present the first exploratory metabolomics study of an experimental model of O. felineus infection.We conducted a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR based longitudinal metabolomics study involving a cohort of 30 animals with two degrees of infection and a control group. An exploratory analysis shows that the most noticeable trend (30% of total variance in the data was related to the gender differences. Therefore further analysis was done of each gender group separately applying a multivariate extension of the ANOVA-ASCA (ANOVA simultaneous component analysis. We show that in the males the infection specific time trends are present in the main component (43.5% variance, while in the females it is presented only in the second component and covers 24% of the variance. We have selected and annotated 24 metabolites associated with the observed effects and provided a physiological interpretation of the findings.The first exploratory metabolomics study an experimental model of O. felineus infection is presented. Our data show that at early stage of infection a response of an organism unfolds in a gender specific manner. Also main physiological mechanisms affected appear rather nonspecific (a status of the metabolic stress the data provides a set of the hypothesis for a search

An exploratory study of punctuation in bilingual children's texts

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Amparo Clavijo Olarte

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This article describes first and second grade children's writing and focuses on the uses of punctuation as they develop awareness of the orthographic features of texts. This exploratory study was carried out with a group of first and second grade bilingual children in a school in Tucson, Arizona. Our research project focused on observing the process bilingual children followed when writing the story of Caperucita Roja to analyse thje content of their texts in the different episodes of their stories and the use of punctuation around dialogue and narratives. The findings show that the mejority of children were aware of the use of punctuation marks in their writings. We found a direct relation between puntuation and the use of dialogue (indirect speech in children texts. Children used additional (sintactic and lexical forms in their texts that demostrate that they know the use of direct speech. children's texts exhibited very little use of punctuation in their narratives; they only used period and capital letters.

A PROFILE OF THE EMPLOYEES OF “SUCCESS” WITHIN THE DISTRIBUTION FIRMS – AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

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Mihalea NICOLAU

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this exploratory study is even the delineation of a profile of a employee of success, mentioning that in this context the term “success” will have the meaning of performant/of producer of positive results (financial. The delineation of such a profile will begin with the recruitment process (general criteria, with the selection process (specific criteria, correlated with the responsibilities of the specific post, and continues with the perfectioning process, as well as with the evaluation process. The subjects of the present exploratory study were selected in an aleatory manner within the distribution firm - Sc Moldways Srl Iaşi. For obtaining a representative pattern it was used a number of 20 subjects (employees, and a sampling in „layers”, namely the method of gathering data (in the present case – the questionnaire was applied to employees from different departments and to employees situeted on all the hierarchical levels; as it fallows: - 5 perssons (the general manager, and the three departments managers; - inferior/ intermediate level: 15 persons (2 delivering agents, 10 sales agents, etc..

Human Behavior Based Exploratory Model for Successful Implementation of Lean Enterprise in Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Sawhney, Rupy; Chason, Stewart

2005-01-01

Currently available Lean tools such as Lean Assessments, Value Stream Mapping, and Process Flow Charting focus on system requirements and overlook human behavior. A need is felt for a tool that allows one to baseline personnel, determine personnel requirements and align system requirements with personnel requirements. Our exploratory model--The…

An Exploratory Study of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in a Design Project by Students in Grades 9-12

Science.gov (United States)

Lawanto, Oenardi; Butler, Deborah; Cartier, Sylvie; Santoso, Harry; Lawanto, Kevin; Clark, David

2013-01-01

This exploratory study evaluated self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies of 27 students in grades 9-12 during an engineering design project. The specific focus of the study was on student task interpretation and its relation to planning and cognitive strategies in design activities. Two research questions guided the study: (1) To what degree was…

Nuclear technology and chronic diseases: an exploratory study evolving the clinical physician perception

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Renato Cesar

2010-01-01

This research is an exploratory cross-sectional study about the relationship of chronic disease and the use of nuclear technology. There is a concern over the increase of the prevalence of chronic disease in developing countries and it should hence be carefully evaluated in the context of societies, organizations and individuals. The technological advances experienced in the last decades especially in the nuclear technology area have created expectations to deal more efficiently with the challenge of chronic diseases. However little has been explored in this area under the point-of-view of medical doctors as agents who make this system of relations between disease and technology. The necessity for public and private planning to deal with this set of problems can benefit through an initial evaluation about the forthcoming theme, but should incorporate the agenda of health and technology planning for the following years. Using mixed methodology, made up of qualitative and quantitative approach, this research sought to reveal and configure important dimensions around the theme of this study. The field research was made up of interviews analyzed using techniques of fundamental theory and also of questionnaires sent by web analyzed statistically using exploratory factor analysis. These ventures allowed dimensions to be revealed that make up the perception of chronic disease and the use of nuclear technology. These dimensions presented in a form of a theoretical construct that were then discussed under the point of view of social theory and technological innovation. (author)

Vocational teaching-learning through the eyes of undergraduate vocational students in Malta: A qualitative exploratory study

OpenAIRE

Said, Alison

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching qualities of effective lecturers that vocational students desire, students assessment preferences and preferred learning environments. This study gives a voice to higher vocational students as it is important for vocational educators to learn what attracts students to effective learning. Due to the inquiry's exploratory nature, an interpretivist approach was used, and a constructivist grounded approach using qualit...

The Chinese Input Challenges for Chinese as Second Language Learners in Computer-Mediated Writing: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Lung-Hsiang; Chai, Ching-Sing; Gao, Ping

2011-01-01

This paper reports an exploratory study on Singapore secondary and primary school students' perceptions and behaviors on using a variety of Chinese input methods for Chinese composition writing. Significant behavioral patterns were uncovered and mapped into a cognitive process, which are potentially critical to the training of students in…

Programs of quality improvement: an exploratory study in large Brazilian construction companies

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Silvia Helena Boarin Pinto

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This article aims to identify the major characteristics of the implementation of quality programs in large construction companies in Brazil. This study focuses on the most accepted and implemented models such as ISO 9000:2000, ISO 14001, Six Sigma and Total Quality Management (TQM. An exploratory study was carried out in seven large companies (approximately 37% of the total number. These companies were chosen from the “500 Largest and Best Brazilian Companies” list, published by Exame Magazine, in 2005, out of a total number of 15 large companies in the sector. The indings of this study show that the companies have been implementing quality programs, have been using more basic quality tools, and have been dificulty accounting resources that come from the implementation of quality programs.

HIV infection returning to Mexico with migrant workers: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sowell, Richard L; Holtz, Carol S; Velasquez, Gabriela

2008-01-01

Men migrating to the United States are at high risk of acquiring HIV and spreading it to their wives and children in Mexico. Yet there is limited understanding of this phenomenon from the perspective of these men and their wives. This exploratory study used face-to-face interviews to gain insight into factors influencing the increased risk of Mexican men migrating to the United States for contracting HIV as well as the consequences of their infections on returning to Mexico. Transcripts from audiotaped interviews provided the data for analysis. Thematic analysis revealed two overall categories and six interrelated themes. Categories were HIV Risk and Living with HIV. Study themes included social isolation, lack of knowledge/denial, machismo, powerlessness, and making the best of it. Results provide new insight into the spread of HIV in rural Mexico.

The iPod Revolution: An Exploratory Case Study of the Implementation of an iPod Touch Pilot Program

Science.gov (United States)

Stanfield, Staci A.

2013-01-01

This exploratory case study was designed to investigate the implementation of an iPod touch pilot program in sixth grade science classrooms at an intermediate school in Southeast Texas. More specifically, this study explored the benefits and challenges associated with the utilization of iPod touch devices for students, teachers, and their campus…

Exploratory Practice and Soft Systems Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Tajino, Akira; Smith, Craig

2005-01-01

This paper aims to demonstrate that Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), a soft systems approach developed in management studies (see Checkland, 1981), can be usefully linked with Exploratory Practice (EP), a form of practitioner research for language classrooms. Some compatible SSM and EP characteristics, in tandem, could enhance continual efforts to…

Life Science Students' Attitudes, Interest, and Performance in Introductory Physics for Life Sciences: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Crouch, Catherine H.; Wisittanawat, Panchompoo; Cai, Ming; Renninger, K. Ann

2018-01-01

In response to national calls for improved physical sciences education for students pursuing careers in the life sciences and medicine, reformed introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS) courses are being developed. This exploratory study is among the first to assess the effect of an IPLS course on students' attitudes, interest, and…

Language Brokering and Self-Concept: An Exploratory Study of Latino Students' Experiences in Middle and High School

Science.gov (United States)

Niehaus, Kate; Kumpiene, Gerda

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examined the relationships among individual characteristics, language brokering experiences and attitudes, and multiple dimensions of self-concept among a sample of Latino adolescents. The sample was comprised of 66 Latino students in 6th through 11th grades who were proficient in both Spanish and English. Results from…

High-Definition transcranial direct current stimulation in early onset epileptic encephalopathy: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meiron, Oded; Gale, Rena; Namestnic, Julia; Bennet-Back, Odeya; David, Jonathan; Gebodh, Nigel; Adair, Devin; Esmaeilpour, Zeinab; Bikson, Marom

2018-01-01

Early onset epileptic encephalopathy is characterized by high daily seizure-frequency, multifocal epileptic discharges, severe psychomotor retardation, and death at infancy. Currently, there are no effective treatments to alleviate seizure frequency and high-voltage epileptic discharges in these catastrophic epilepsy cases. The current study examined the safety and feasibility of High-Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) in reducing epileptiform activity in a 30-month-old child suffering from early onset epileptic encephalopathy. HD-tDCS was administered over 10 intervention days spanning two weeks including pre- and post-intervention video-EEG monitoring. There were no serious adverse events or side effects related to the HD-tDCS intervention. Frequency of clinical seizures was not significantly reduced. However, interictal sharp wave amplitudes were significantly lower during the post-intervention period versus baseline. Vital signs and blood biochemistry remained stable throughout the entire study. These exploratory findings support the safety and feasibility of 4 × 1 HD-tDCS in early onset epileptic encephalopathy and provide the first evidence of HD-tDCS effects on paroxysmal EEG features in electroclinical cases under the age of 36 months. Extending HD-tDCS treatment may enhance electrographic findings and clinical effects.

Health information-seeking among Latino newcomers - an exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Courtright

2005-01-01

Full Text Available ntroduction. This exploratory study examines health information-seeking practices among Latin American newcomers to a small city in the United States. The framework locates these practices within social networks, the local institutional context and the use and non-use of information technologies. Method. Semistructured interviews were conducted in Spanish with seven immigrant workers. Interviews elicited incidents of both purposive seeking and accidental encountering of health information. Analysis. Data were coded for reference to social networks, strengths of social networks, and perceptions and uses of institutions, organizations, and technologies, treating the information incident as unit of analysis. Results. Information seeking is often assisted by both social networks and key institutions, yet the quality of the information transmitted through social networks is apt to be uneven, and newcomers are unable to obtain an adequate overview of local health care for improved decision-making. Of particular interest is the finding that the local information environment has evolved significantly in response to growing demand for Spanish-language and low-income services. Conclusion. It is particularly important for information behaviour researchers to examine the dynamic interactions among study populations and their information environments over time.

An Exploratory Study of Consumer Adoption of Online Shipping: Mediating Effect of Online Purchase Intention

OpenAIRE

Songpol Kulviwat; Ramendra Thaku; Chiquan Guo

2006-01-01

An exploratory study was conducted to investigate consumer adoption of online purchase using a survey data set. Based upon the theory of innovation and self-efficacy theory, risk aversion, online proficiency, shopping convenience, and product choice variety were proposed to influence consumer intention to shop online, which, in turn, affects online purchases. Results of regression analyses revealed that all but shopping convenience were significant predictors of consumer intention to purchase...

Current Views and Perspectives on E-Mental Health: An Exploratory Survey Study for Understanding Public Attitudes Toward Internet-Based Psychotherapy in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Apolinário-Hagen, Jennifer; Vehreschild, Viktor; Alkoudmani, Ramez M

2017-02-23

Despite the advanced development of evidence-based psychological treatment services, help-seeking persons with mental health problems often fail to receive appropriate professional help. Internet-delivered psychotherapy has thus been suggested as an efficient strategy to overcome barriers to access mental health care on a large scale. However, previous research indicated poor public acceptability as an issue for the dissemination of Internet-delivered therapies. Currently, little is known about the expectations and attitudes toward Internet-delivered therapies in the general population. This is especially the case for countries such as Germany where electronic mental health (e-mental health) treatment services are planned to be implemented in routine care. This pilot study aimed to determine the expectations and attitudes toward Internet-based psychotherapy in the general population in Germany. Furthermore, it aimed to explore the associations between attitudes toward Internet-based therapies and perceived stress. To assess public attitudes toward Internet-based psychotherapy, we conducted both Web-based and paper-and-pencil surveys using a self-developed 14-item questionnaire (Cronbach alpha=.89). Psychological distress was measured by employing a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the 20-item German version of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ). In addition, we conducted explorative factor analysis (principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation). Spearman's rank correlations were used to determine the associations between attitudes toward Internet-based therapies and perceived stress. Descriptive analyses revealed that most respondents (N=1558; female: 78.95%, 1230/1558) indicated being not aware of the existence of Internet-delivered therapies (83.46%, 1141/1367). The average age was 32 years (standard deviation, SD 10.9; range 16-76). Through exploratory factor analysis, we identified 3 dimensions of public attitudes toward Internet-based therapies

Does ethno-cultural betrayal in trauma affect Asian American/Pacific Islander college students' mental health outcomes? An exploratory study.

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Gómez, Jennifer M

2017-01-01

Interpersonal trauma has deleterious effects on mental health, with college students experiencing relatively high rates of lifetime trauma. Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have the lowest rate of mental healthcare utilization. According to cultural betrayal trauma theory, societal inequality may impact within-group violence in minority populations, thus having implications for mental health. In the current exploratory study, between-group (interracial) and within-group (ethno-cultural betrayal) trauma and mental health outcomes were examined in AAPI college students. Participants (N = 108) were AAPI college students from a predominantly white university. Data collection concluded in December 2015. Participants completed online self-report measures. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed that when controlling for interracial trauma, ethno-cultural betrayal trauma significantly impacted dissociation, hallucinations, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and hypervigilance. The results have implications for incorporating identity, discrimination, and ethno-cultural betrayal trauma victimization into assessments and case conceptualizations in therapy.

Myths about autism: An exploratory study using focus groups.

Science.gov (United States)

John, Rachael Ps; Knott, Fiona J; Harvey, Kate N

2017-08-01

Individuals with autism are often stigmatised and isolated by their typically developing peers according to parental, teacher and self-reports. While quantitative studies often report negative attitudes towards individuals with autism, it is still unclear how understandings of autism influence attitudes. In this exploratory study, misconceptions or myths about autism, that is, the cognitive component of attitudes, were examined using focus groups. Purposive sampling was used to recruit undergraduate and postgraduate students, and adults with and without experience of autism, to one of the five focus groups (n = 37). Content analysis was used to identify emergent themes. The data identified seven commonly held beliefs about individuals with autism. The first four were related to social interaction, such as that people with autism do not like to be touched. The fifth reflected the view that all individuals with autism have a special talent, and the final two concerned beliefs that people with autism are dangerous. The findings from this study demonstrate that people with varying experience or knowledge of autism often hold inaccurate beliefs about autism. These findings improve our understandings of lay beliefs about autism and will aid the development and implementation of interventions designed to improve lay knowledge of autism.

Learning, memory and exploratory similarities in genetically identical cloned dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Chi Won; Kim, Geon A; Park, Won Jun; Park, Kwan Yong; Jeon, Jeong Min; Oh, Hyun Ju; Kim, Min Jung; Lee, Byeong Chun

2016-12-30

Somatic cell nuclear transfer allows generation of genetically identical animals using donor cells derived from animals with particular traits. To date, few studies have investigated whether or not these cloned dogs will show identical behavior patterns. To address this question, learning, memory and exploratory patterns were examined using six cloned dogs with identical nuclear genomes. The variance of total incorrect choice number in the Y-maze test among cloned dogs was significantly lower than that of the control dogs. There was also a significant decrease in variance in the level of exploratory activity in the open fields test compared to age-matched control dogs. These results indicate that cloned dogs show similar cognitive and exploratory patterns, suggesting that these behavioral phenotypes are related to the genotypes of the individuals.

INNOVATION NETWORKS AND MARKETING MIX: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON PRODUCT'S DEVELOPMENT

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Thel Augusto Monteiro

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present how innovation networks can be used to develop a new product or service, using the marketing compound. The study methodology consists of an exploratory research from literature review on this subject. After an initial discussion of the characteristics of innovation networks and marketing functions, the study presents proposals that allow adequately addressing the main difficulties in the management of marketing in innovation networks. Through this study it can be stated that these networks have been identified as an attractive alternative for the development of new products, when using the marketing mix, given the dynamics of the contemporary market. Innovation networks bring a lot of benefits to companies that embrace the relationship between these networks and marketing. The discussion reveals that the structure in the form of innovation networks can bring effective results in the organization which adopt it, providing competitiveness and adaptability in the face of its target market.

Vocational Teaching-Learning through the Eyes of Undergraduate Vocational Students in Malta: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

OpenAIRE

Alison Said

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching qualities of effective lecturers that vocational students desire, students assessment preferences and preferred learning environments. This study gives a voice to higher vocational students as it is important for vocational educators to learn what attracts students to effective learning. Due to the inquiry’s exploratory nature, an interpretivist approach was used, and a constructivist grounded approach using qualit...

Vocational teaching-learning through the eyes of undergraduate vocational students in Malta: a qualitative exploratory study

OpenAIRE

Said, Alison

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching qualities of effective lecturers that vocational students desire, students assessment preferences and preferred learning environments. This study gives a voice to higher vocational students as it is important for vocational educators to learn what attracts students to effective learning. Due to the inquiry’s exploratory nature, an interpretivist approach was used, and a constructivist grounded approach using qualit...

Uses of Published Research: An Exploratory Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick J. Fahy

Full Text Available Academic publications are too often ignored by other researchers. There are various reasons: Researchers know that conclusions may eventually be proved wrong; publications are sometimes retracted; effects may decline when studied later; researchers occasionally don’t seem to know about papers they have allegedly authored; there are even accusations of fraud (Cohen, 2011. In this exploratory case study, 10 papers were examined to determine the various ways they were used by others, whether there were cases of reported effects declining, and whether, among those who referenced the papers, there were suggestions that anything in the papers ought to be retracted. Findings showed that all the papers had been referenced by others (337 user publications were found, containing a total of 868 references. Other findings include the following: Single references were far more common than multiple references; applications/replications were the least common type of usage (23 occurrences, followed by contrasts/elaborations (34, and quotations (65; unlike reports regarding publications in the sciences, whether the paper was solo- or co-authored did not affect usage; appearance in a non-prestige journal was actually associated with more usage of some kinds; and well over 80% of uses were in heavily scrutinized sources (journal articles or theses/dissertations. The paper concludes with recommendations to writers about how to avoid producing publications that are ignored.

The Exploratory Modeling Workbench : An open source toolkit for exploratory modeling, scenario discovery, and (multi-objective) robust decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwakkel, J.H.

2017-01-01

There is a growing interest in model-based decision support under deep uncertainty, reflected in a variety of approaches being put forward in the literature. A key idea shared among these is the use of models for exploratory rather than predictive purposes. Exploratory modeling aims at exploring

Predictive Ability from ePortfolios of Student Achievement Associated with Professional Teaching Standards: An Exploratory Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Phillip; Burrack, Frederick

2017-01-01

This exploratory case study, focused on a music teacher preparation program, examined the coursework ePortfolios of pre-service music teachers to determine if any parts of the ePortfolio process predicted teaching effectiveness in the classroom during the student teaching semester. Sixty-five undergraduate pre-service music teachers made up the…

An exploratory study of the role of internet technologies in the field of industrial maintenance: Is knowledge management the way forward?

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Tim White

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This is an exploratory study of how Internet technologies are likely to have an impact on a specific industrial activity. Maintenance has long been the poor relation in industry despite being indispensable both in continuous process manufacturing and in discrete production. The research starts from the premise that maintenance has two key functions that can be related to management disciplines. These are the acquisition of spare parts, which is attached to purchasing and the deployment of technicians, engineers and subcontractor personnel which is jointly supervised by production, purchasing and human resource managers. The approach adopted was a review of current practices followed by a key informant study. Experts in several major industrial concerns were interviewed along with an opinion leader from a European maintenance federation were interviewed to analyse to what extent technology take-up is likely to affect both purchasing of spares and information management.

An exploratory study on the building information modeling adoption in United Arab Emirates municipal projects- current status and challenges

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Venkatachalam Senthilkumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Many modern complex building projects in the public and private sectors are characterized by its poor information management which is manifested by time and cost overruns around the world. Building Information Modelling (BIM is currently being adopted around the world with various countries mandated its implementation. In specific, the implementation of BIM is rapidly growing in developed countries such as USA, UK, Singapore and Australia, with government mandate through devising strategies and initiatives to increase the adoption. The implementation of BIM in United Arab Emirates (UAE and other developing countries lags behind due to the existence of numerous implementation barriers. This study explores the current status of BIM implementation in the UAE municipalities, further explores the people, process and technology readiness towards BIM adoption in the UAE building projects. Further the study also explores the current challenges against the BIM adoption. The study adopts a positivists approach by collecting data through questionnaires, a sample of sixty participants across the UAE municipalities from different states were selected randomly to acquire the data. The collected data is statistically analyzed to obtain the findings. The analysis results showed that there are inadequate people and process related readiness towards BIM adoption whereas the technology readiness does exist. The same also was reflected in further analysis on BIM adoption barriers as the challenges. Further the paper also discusses the possible strategies adopted around the world through literature to address the explored challenges in the study

Exploratory research and development FY90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struble, G.L.; Middleton, C.; Baldwin, G.; Cherniak, J.; Clements, W.; Donohue, M.L.; Francke, A.; Kirvel, R.D.; MacGregor, P.; Shaw, G.

1990-01-01

In general, the Exploratory Research and Development (ER ampersand D) Program supports research projects considered too basic or long-range to be funded by other Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) programs. This Program is managed for the Laboratory Director by a special assistant who chairs the LLNL's IR ampersand D Review Committee. Membership in the Review Committee comprises senior LLNL scientists, engineers, and managers whose areas of expertise span the range of scientific disciplines pursued at the Laboratory. The research supported by the Program falls into three categories: Exploratory Research in the Disciplines, Director's Initiatives, and Laboratory-Wide Competition. The first two, Exploratory Research and Director's Initiatives, promote pioneering work in the various scientific disciplines and programmatic areas. Laboratory departments and divisions propose and manage projects in the Exploratory Research category. The Laboratory Director, with the advice of the Review Committee, selects several larger projects to fund as Director's Initiative. These projects, which are proposed and managed by the responsible associate director, are intended to enhance the scope of existing programs or establish new technical directions and programs for the Laboratory. All FY90 projects are described in detail in this report. Other publications on ER ampersand D projects are included in the Publications List at the back of this report

What Factors Affect Nursing Students' Decisions of Whether to Take Rural Jobs: An Exploratory Interview Study in China

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Yuexian; Haycock-Stuart, Elaine; Rodgers, Sheila E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore factors that effect nursing students' decisions of whether to take rural jobs in China. Methods: An exploratory interview study was conducted in China during May and June 2011. Eleven final year nursing students were purposively recruited from four nursing schools in one eastern area in China. The…

An Exploratory Study On Bank Lending To SME Sector In Bhutan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chokey Wangmo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study examines the factors used by the banks to determine the outcome of loan applications of Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs in Bhutan. Inaccessibility to financing is one of the biggest challenges faced by the Bhutanese SMEs. This exploratory study is built on in-depth interview of 6 credit officials to understand the lending behaviour of banks towards SMEs. Thematic Analysis revealed that the bank loan accessibility was a function of firm and owner characteristics. The collateral and internal finance was found to be vital in determining SMEs accessibility to bank loans. SMEs inadequate financial information was a serious problem for the banks. Firm age size and industry sector had a positive correlation with bank loan accessibility. The age and educational qualification of borrowers were also found to have a positive relationship while the gender of the owner did not have any effect on bank loan accessibility.

An Exploratory Study of Socialization Effects on Black Children: Some Black-White Comparisons

Science.gov (United States)

Baumrind, Diana

1972-01-01

Major conclusion from this exploratory analysis was that if the black families were viewed by white norms they appeared authoritarian, but that, unlike their white counterparts, the most authoritarian of these families produced the most self-assertive and independent girls. (Author)

What School Leaders Are Doing to Support a Culture of Character: An Exploratory Study with Preschools in Singapore

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Margaret-Anne; Dasson, Merilyn

2017-01-01

This article discusses an exploratory study, reporting the practices of five principals leading character development in early childhood centers in Singapore. Acknowledging variations in leadership style, the pooled focus group findings show the common denominator is the principals' paradigm of authentic leadership informing a service-oriented…

The Dynamics of Migration-Related Stress and Coping of Female Domestic Workers from the Philippines: An Exploratory Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Ham, A.J.; Ujano-Batangan, M.T.; Ignacio, R.; Wolffers, I.N.

2015-01-01

Female domestic workers face many migration-related stressors that affect their mental health, but we know little about the dynamics of stress and coping in different migration phases. This exploratory study aims to assess stress and coping of female migrant domestic workers from the Philippines in

Evaluation of homoeopathic medicines as add-on to institutional management protocol in Acute Encephalitis Syndrome: An exploratory observational comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raj K Manchanda

2015-01-01

Conclusion: This exploratory observational study suggests reduction of mortality and morbidity with add-on homoeopathic medicine. Further randomized controlled trial study with comparable groups is desirable. If findings are confirmed by subsequent research, add-on Homoeopathy might have relevant implication for its management.

Individual- and County-Level Religious Participation, Corporal Punishment, and Physical Abuse of Children: An Exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Jennifer Price; Kepple, Nancy Jo

2016-10-01

Parental religiosity has been associated with corporal punishment. However, most of this research has focused exclusively on Christians and has not examined physical abuse. In addition, little is known about how the larger religious environment might be associated with discipline behaviors. In this exploratory study, we examine how individual- and county-level religious attendance are related to corporal punishment and physical abuse. We sampled and surveyed 3,023 parents of children aged 12 and younger from 50 mid-sized California cities. We used weighted Poisson models to calculate the frequency of corporal punishment and physical abuse in the past year. Parents who attend religious groups used corporal punishment more frequently than parents who did not attend religious groups. However, those who lived in counties with greater rates of religious participation used corporal punishment less frequently than those living in counties with lower rates of religious participation. There were no effects for religious participation on physical abuse at the individual or county level. This exploratory study suggests that parents who attend religious groups may be more likely to use some types of physical discipline with children. Religious groups could be imparting parenting norms supporting corporal punishment at the individual level. More research examining specific doctrines and faiths is needed to validate the study findings.

Use of the concept mapping in teaching during a medical rotation of interns: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwas, Hamida; Ghédira, Habib

2017-12-01

Concept mapping is an excellent learning toolallowing to stimulate active learning.For this reason, the concept mapping is currently used increasingly in the medical and paramedical field. The aim of our study is to determine the contribution of teaching of medical interns by the concept mapping. Fourteen students enrolled at the same time in a medical rotation in Pulmonology were recruited for this exploratory study. Interns are divided into two groups (A and B).Both groups are taught by the clinical case method, illustrated by a concept mapping for group A interns. The evolution of the knowledge accuracy at post-testing has been greater in the group taught by the method of concept mapping: the number of correct responses increased in all participants of group A versus only 4 of group B. All students taught by concept mapping had at the post-test a note higher than or equal to 10/20 versus only three of the group taught by the method without concept map. The average score was 13 (11-15) in group A versus 10.28 (6-14) in group B. We emphasize the use of concept mapping in teaching especially in the faculty of medicine and we encourage clinicians to use this method in teaching interns in the hospital.

An exploratory study to identify critical factors of innovation culture in organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamed Asgari

2013-07-01

Full Text Available During the past two decades, there has been a growing trend on knowledge-based organizations. Innovation, on the other hand, plays essential role on building competitive business units. In this paper, we present an exploratory study to identify critical factors of innovation culture in organizations. We detect important factors influencing innovation culture in construction industry based on the implementation of factor analysis. The proposed study designs a questionnaire and distributes it among 400 experts who are involved in construction industry. Cronbach alpha has been calculated as 0.779, which validates the overall questionnaire. The results of factor analysis have indicated that six factors of building cultural infrastructures, education, organizational vision, established culture, strategic culture and flexible culture are the most important items influencing innovation culture.

An economic and financial exploratory

Science.gov (United States)

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.; Kirman, A.

2012-11-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic Public facility is intended for economic modelling, investigating all aspects of risk and stability, improving financial technology, and evaluating proposed regulatory and taxation changes. The European Exploratory for economics and finance will be constituted as a network of infrastructure, observatories, data repositories, services and facilities and will foster the creation of a new cross-disciplinary research community of social scientists, complexity scientists and computing (ICT) scientists to collaborate in investigating major issues in economics and finance. It is also considered a cradle for training and collaboration with the private sector to spur spin-offs and job creations in Europe in the finance and economic sectors. The Exploratory will allow Social Scientists and Regulators as well as Policy Makers and the private sector to conduct realistic investigations with real economic, financial and social data. The Exploratory will (i) continuously monitor and evaluate the status of the economies of countries in their various components, (ii) use, extend and develop a large variety of methods including data mining, process mining, computational and artificial intelligence and every other computer and complex science techniques coupled with economic theory and econometric, and (iii) provide the framework and infrastructure to perform what-if analysis, scenario evaluations and computational, laboratory, field and web experiments to inform decision makers and help develop innovative policy, market and regulation designs.

Mobility and maternal position during childbirth in Tanzania: an exploratory study at four government hospitals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smith Helen

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Emerging research evidence suggests a potential benefit in being upright in the first stage of labour and a systematic review of trials suggests both benefits and harmful effects associated with being upright in the second stage of labour. Implementing evidence-based obstetric care in African countries with scarce resources is particularly challenging, and requires an understanding of the cumulative nature of science and commitment to applying the most up to date evidence to clinical decisions. In this study, we documented current practice rates, explored the barriers and opportunities to implementing these procedures from the provider perspective, and documented women's preferences and satisfaction with care. Methods This was an exploratory study using quantitative and qualitative methods. Practice rates were determined by exit interviews with a consecutive sample of postnatal women. Provider views were explored using semi-structured interviews (with doctors and traditional birth attendants and focus group discussions (with midwives. The study was conducted at four government hospitals, two in Dar es Salaam and two in the neighbouring Coast region, Tanzania. Main outcome measures Practice rates for mobility during labour and delivery position; women's experiences, preferences and views about the care provided; and provider views of current practice and barriers and opportunities to evidence-based obstetric practice. Results Across all study sites more women were mobile at home (15.0% than in the labour ward (2.9%, but movement was quite restricted at home before women were admitted to labour ward (51.6% chose to rest with little movement. Supine position for delivery was used routinely at all four hospitals; this was consistent with women's preferred choice of position, although very few women are aware of other positions. Qualitative findings suggest obstetricians and midwives favoured confining to bed during the first

The energy transition: new dialogues between cities and local stakeholders. Exploratory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxer, Olivia; Lacassagne, Sylvie; Guerin, Laura; Dupas, Stephane

2016-01-01

Energy Cities has carried out an exploratory study for cities and diverse project leaders desiring to start a sustainable energy transition in collaboration with all stakeholders in their territory. Local authorities have a key role to play in climate and energy policies and in the energy transition towards a low carbon, energy efficient and sustainable society. However, they cannot act alone. They often control only a small percentage of the emissions of local greenhouse gases directly, and this percentage rarely exceeds a quarter. It is therefore necessary to rely on the involvement of local stakeholders, which in turn will provide an opportunity for these stakeholders to be ambitious through innovative actions. How to stimulate stakeholders' involvement? In the past several years, a number of citizens', economic actors' or other local actors' initiatives have contributed to the energy transition of territories. These initiatives are based on empowerment. For instance, stakeholders can get access and the power to act on innovative tools and approaches, such as social economy, stakeholders' participation, crowd-funding, renewable energy citizen cooperatives and fab labs. Two primary questions to explore: As coordinators and pilots of local strategies for energy transition, how can local authorities foster, identify, support and replicate local energy transition initiatives? What dialogue should local authorities and leaders of local initiatives engage in? How can they drive new modes of governance, where stakeholders share responsibility to co-develop public policies, manage their city, and encourage the energy transition at the local level? We selected more than ten European energy transition initiatives, as diverse as they are innovative, anticipating new forms of governance and new ways to act and collaborate. The exploratory study does not only describe their process but it also analyses the synergies between the different stakeholders and the role the

Self-Regulatory Skill Among Children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sangster Jokić, Claire A; Whitebread, David

2016-11-01

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) experience difficulty learning and performing everyday motor tasks due to poor motor coordination. Recent research applying a cognitive learning paradigm has argued that children with DCD have less effective cognitive and metacognitive skills with which to effectively acquire motor skills. However, there is currently limited research examining individual differences in children's use of self-regulatory and metacognitive skill during motor learning. This exploratory study aimed to compare the self-regulatory performance of children with and without DCD. Using a mixed methods approach, this study observed and compared the self-regulatory behavior of 15 children with and without DCD, aged between 7 and 9 years, during socially mediated motor practice. Observation was conducted using a quantitative coding scheme and qualitative analysis of video-recorded sessions. This paper will focus on the results of quantitative analysis, while data arising from the qualitative analysis will be used to support quantitative findings. In general, findings indicate that children with DCD exhibit less independent and more ineffective self-regulatory skill during motor learning than their typically developing peers. In addition, children with DCD rely more heavily on external support for effective regulation and are more likely to exhibit negative patterns of motivational regulation. These findings provide further support for the notion that children with DCD experience difficulty effectively self-regulating motor learning. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Genetic Determinism in the Genetics Curriculum: An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Mendelian and Weldonian Emphases

Science.gov (United States)

Jamieson, Annie; Radick, Gregory

2017-01-01

Twenty-first-century biology rejects genetic determinism, yet an exaggerated view of the power of genes in the making of bodies and minds remains a problem. What accounts for such tenacity? This article reports an exploratory study suggesting that the common reliance on Mendelian examples and concepts at the start of teaching in basic genetics is…

Effects of tartrazine on exploratory behavior in a three-generation toxicity study in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Toyohito; Takahashi, Osamu; Oishi, Shinshi; Ogata, Akio

2008-10-01

Tartrazine was given to mice in the diet at levels of 0 (control), 0.05%, 0.15%, and 0.45% from 5 weeks of age of the F(0) generation to 9 weeks of age of the F(2) generation, and selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured. In the F(1) generation, the development of swimming direction at postnatal day (PND) 7 was accelerated significantly in male offspring in a dose-related manner. Surface righting at PND 7 was affected significantly in female offspring in dose-related manner. Several variables in exploratory behavior showed significant tendencies to be affected in the treatment groups in male offspring at 3 weeks of age. In the F(2) generation, the development of swimming direction at PND 7 was accelerated significantly in the high-dosed group in male offspring. Time taken of olfactory orientation at PND 14 was accelerated significantly in male offspring in a dose-related manner. Several variables in exploratory behavior showed significant tendencies to be affected in the treatment groups in male offspring at 3 weeks of age, and in males at 8 weeks of age. The dose levels of tartrazine in the present study produced a few adverse effects on neurobehavioral parameters throughout generations in mice.

An exploratory shaft facility in SALT: Draft shaft study plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

This draft Shaft Study Plan describes a program of testing and monitoring in the Exploratory Shafts of a candidate high-level nuclear waste repository site in Deaf Smith County, Texas. The purpose of the programs to assist with site characterization in support of a determination of site suitability for development as a repository design and performance assessment evaluations. The program includes a variety of geological, geophysical, geomechanical, thermomechanical, and geohydrological testing and monitoring. The program is presented as a series of separate studies concerned with geological, geomechanical, and geohydrological site characterization, and with evaluating the mechanical and hydrological response of the site to construction of the shafts. The various studies, and associated test or monitoring methods are shown. The procedure used in developing the test program has been to initially identify the information necessary to satisfy (1) federal, state, and local requirements, and (2) repository program requirements. These information requirements have then been assessed to determine which requirements can be addressed wholly or in significant part by monitoring and testing from within the shafts. Test methods have been identified to address specific information requirements. 67 refs., 39 figs., 31 tabs

Multimodal and widespread somatosensory abnormalities in persistent shoulder pain in the first 6 months after stroke: an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roosink, M.; van Dongen, R.T.; Buitenweg, J.R.; Renzenbrink, G.J.; Geurts, A.C.H.; IJzerman, M.J.

2012-01-01

Roosink M, Van Dongen RT, Buitenweg JR, Renzenbrink GJ, Geurts AC, IJzerman MJ. Multimodal and widespread somatosensory abnormalities in persistent shoulder pain in the first 6 months after stroke: an exploratory study. OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of multimodal and widespread somatosensory

Exploratory research and development FY90

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Struble, G.L.; Middleton, C.; Baldwin, G.; Cherniak, J.; Clements, W.; Donohue, M.L.; Francke, A.; Kirvel, R.D.; MacGregor, P.; Shaw, G. (eds.)

1990-01-01

In general, the Exploratory Research and Development (ER D) Program supports research projects considered too basic or long-range to be funded by other Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) programs. This Program is managed for the Laboratory Director by a special assistant who chairs the LLNL's IR D Review Committee. Membership in the Review Committee comprises senior LLNL scientists, engineers, and managers whose areas of expertise span the range of scientific disciplines pursued at the Laboratory. The research supported by the Program falls into three categories: Exploratory Research in the Disciplines, Director's Initiatives, and Laboratory-Wide Competition. The first two, Exploratory Research and Director's Initiatives, promote pioneering work in the various scientific disciplines and programmatic areas. Laboratory departments and divisions propose and manage projects in the Exploratory Research category. The Laboratory Director, with the advice of the Review Committee, selects several larger projects to fund as Director's Initiative. These projects, which are proposed and managed by the responsible associate director, are intended to enhance the scope of existing programs or establish new technical directions and programs for the Laboratory. All FY90 projects are described in detail in this report. Other publications on ER D projects are included in the Publications List at the back of this report.

Sociometric Indicators of Leadership: An Exploratory Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Research Report 2015 Sociometric Indicators of Leadership : An Exploratory Analysis Elizabeth R. Uhl U.S. Army...2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Sociometric Indicators of Leadership : An Exploratory Analysis 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W5J9CQ-11-D-0001 5b...objectives and a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the wearable sensor technology. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Leadership ; Social Network; Sociometric

An exploratory study of heavy domain wall fermions on the lattice

CERN Document Server

Boyle, Peter; Marinkovic, Marina Krstic; Sanfilippo, Francesco; Spraggs, Matthew; Tsang, Justus Tobias

2016-01-01

We report on an exploratory study of domain wall fermions (DWF) as a lattice regularisation for heavy quarks. Within the framework of quenched QCD with the tree-level improved Symanzik gauge action we identify the DWF parameters which minimise discretisation effects. We find the corresponding effective 4$d$ overlap operator to be exponentially local, independent of the quark mass. We determine a maximum bare heavy quark mass of $am_h\\approx 0.4$, below which the approximate chiral symmetry and O(a)-improvement of DWF are sustained. This threshold appears to be largely independent of the lattice spacing. Based on these findings, we carried out a detailed scaling study for the heavy-strange meson dispersion relation and decay constant on four ensembles with lattice spacings in the range $2.0-5.7\\,\\mathrm{GeV}$. We observe very mild $a^2$ scaling towards the continuum limit. Our findings establish a sound basis for heavy DWF in dynamical simulations of lattice QCD with relevance to Standard Model phenomenology.

Does Self-Image Matter? Client's Self-Image, Behaviour and Evaluation of a Career Counselling Session: An Exploratory Study

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Schedin, Gunnar; Armelius, Kerstin

2008-01-01

This exploratory study addresses differences in self-image as a client characteristic in career counselling by using the Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour (Benjamin, L., "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology," 64(6), 1203-1212, 1996; Benjamin, L., "Journal of Personality Assessment," 66(2), 248-266, 1996) and an adaptation…

Competencies of Track and Field coaches. An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra Tripolitsioti

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to construct a questionnaire to identify the knowledge and skills needed by track and field coaches in Greece to perform their role. Following standard procedures, an instrument with 42 items was constructed. Three hundred and forty nine Greek track and field coaches, who have been working 15+-2.8 y in the first and second division, aged 45+-4.4 y, participated in the study and rated the items of the questionnaire according to a Likert scale. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors comprising 22 competency statements: a field management techniques (7 items, b sport science (5 items, c injury prevention/crisis management (3 items; d biology (3 items; and e field training (4 items. The internal validity revealed a Cronbach’s alpha factor of 0.894 with subscales ranging from 0.657 to 0.886. Results also showed that demonstrating an understanding of specific inherent risks of sport activity and an understanding of psychology were the top rated competencies, while preparing a budget proposal and utilizing effective office procedures to handle registrations, reports, notices, etc., were the lower rated competencies. It is concluded that the questionnaire developed in this study is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the competencies of track and field coaches in Greece.

Analysis of supply chain management in a university restaurant through exploratory study

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Anna Paula Galvão Scheidegger

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The service sector has been gaining increasing relevance in the Brazilian economy and society. However, the challenges faced by the enterprises, especially small and micro enterprises, are numerous when considering the competitiveness and the difficulties imposed by the Brazilian market structure. Thus, understanding the supply chain management of small business becomes extremely important, once it can contribute to their survival. Therefore, this study aims to conduct an assessment of the supply chain management process within the service sector. For this, it was adopted as object of study a university restaurant, which while face the usual challenges of micro enterprises, also has special characteristics that make the process even more complex. With exploratory character and using qualitative research, the work developed through mapping tools such as SIPOC and SWOT analysis, a better understanding of the context and identified some opportunities for further study, thus complying with the proposed objectives.

Premorbid Personality Characteristics in Alzheimer’s Disease: An Exploratory Case–Control Study

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M. Malinchoc

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Linking data from a case–control study of Alzheimer’s disease with data from a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI outpatient study, we identified 13 Alzheimer's disease cases and 16 controls for case–control comparison. The mean time between personality testing and onset of Alzheimer's disease (or corresponding age for controls was 13 years in cases and 14 years in controls. Alzheimer's disease cases, but not the controls, had scores significantly greater than the normative reference on MMPI scales measuring Social Introversion (p = 0.05, and Pessimism (p = 0.01. When compared to controls, Alzheimer's disease cases had significantly greater scores on the Social Introversion scale (p = 0.03. Despite the small sample size and some design limitations of this exploratory study, our findings may suggest that subjects who score higher on these personality scales have a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.

An exploratory study of Muslim adolescents' views on sexuality: Implications for sex education and prevention

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Smerecnik Chris

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper describes the results of an exploratory qualitative study on Muslim adolescents' views on sexuality in the Netherlands. Methods Data were gathered from an Internet forum on which 44 Muslim and 33 non-Muslim adolescents discussed sexuality as it relates to Islam. These discussions were subsequently analyzed for content using Nvivo 2.0. Results Our analysis revealed several issues that are relevant for the design of future sex education programs targeting Muslim youth. Apart from some expected outcomes regarding, for example, taboos on sexuality, sex outside marriage, abortion, homosexuality and conservative gender roles, our analyses showed that in cases of disputes 1 discussions were polarized, 2 opponents used the same Qur'anic passages to support their views, and 3 the authority of an Imam was questioned when his interpretation of Qur'anic passages was not in line with the views of participants. Conclusions Our findings show that current approaches to sex education among Muslim youth are likely to be unsuccessful given the rigidity of sexual norms in Muslim society. In addition, we also identified new barriers to sex education among Muslim youth (e.g. lack of respect for an Imam who opposes a youth's views on sexuality.

Can Playscapes Promote Early Childhood Inquiry towards Environmentally Responsible Behaviors? An Exploratory Study

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Wight, R. Alan; Kloos, Heidi; Maltbie, Catherine V.; Carr, Victoria W.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates young children's exploratory play and inquiry on playscapes: playgrounds specifically designed to connect children with natural environments. Our theoretical framework posits that playscapes combine the benefits of nature and play to promote informal science exploration of natural materials. This, in turn, is expected to…

Exploratory factor analysis in Rehabilitation Psychology: a content analysis.

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Roberson, Richard B; Elliott, Timothy R; Chang, Jessica E; Hill, Jessica N

2014-11-01

Our objective was to examine the use and quality of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in articles published in Rehabilitation Psychology. Trained raters examined 66 separate exploratory factor analyses in 47 articles published between 1999 and April 2014. The raters recorded the aim of the EFAs, the distributional statistics, sample size, factor retention method(s), extraction and rotation method(s), and whether the pattern coefficients, structure coefficients, and the matrix of association were reported. The primary use of the EFAs was scale development, but the most widely used extraction and rotation method was principle component analysis, with varimax rotation. When determining how many factors to retain, multiple methods (e.g., scree plot, parallel analysis) were used most often. Many articles did not report enough information to allow for the duplication of their results. EFA relies on authors' choices (e.g., factor retention rules extraction, rotation methods), and few articles adhered to all of the best practices. The current findings are compared to other empirical investigations into the use of EFA in published research. Recommendations for improving EFA reporting practices in rehabilitation psychology research are provided.

Determinants of resilience to cigarette smoking among young Australians at risk: an exploratory study.

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Colgan, Yola; Turnbull, Deborah A; Mikocka-Walus, Antonina A; Delfabbro, Paul

2010-07-08

Numerous researchers studied risk factors associated with smoking uptake, however, few examined protective factors associated with smoking resilience. This study therefore aims to explore determinants of smoking resilience among young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are at risk of smoking. Overall, 92 out of 92 vocational education students accepted invitation to participate in this exploratory study. The Adelaide Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Arts campus was chosen for the study given the focus on studying resilience in young people of lower socioeconomic status i.e. resilient despite the odds. A self-report questionnaire comprising a measure of resilience: sense of coherence, sense of humour, coping styles, depression, anxiety and stress, and family, peers and community support, was distributed among participants aged 15 to 29. Additional factors researched are parental approval and disapproval, course type, and reasons for not smoking. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 13.0), analyses were undertaken using frequencies, means, standard deviations, independent sample t-tests, correlations, analysis of variance, logistic regression, and chi-square test. Twenty five (27%) out of 92 students smoked. Young people with peer support tended to smoke (p influence on females not smoking, compared with males. The majority of students chose 'health and fitness' as a reason for not smoking. Students in the Dance course tended to not smoke. The current study showed that most students chose 'health and fitness' as the reason for not smoking. Single anti-smoking messages cannot be generalised to all young people, but should recognise that people within different contexts, groups and subcultures will have different reasons for choosing whether or not to smoke. Future studies should use larger samples with a mixed methods design (quantitative and qualitative).

Antisense oligonucleotide therapy rescues disruptions in organization of exploratory movements associated with Usher syndrome type 1C in mice.

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Donaldson, Tia N; Jennings, Kelsey T; Cherep, Lucia A; McNeela, Adam M; Depreux, Frederic F; Jodelka, Francine M; Hastings, Michelle L; Wallace, Douglas G

2018-02-15

Usher syndrome, Type 1C (USH1C) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder in which a mutation in the gene encoding harmonin is associated with multi-sensory deficits (i.e., auditory, vestibular, and visual). USH1C (Usher) mice, engineered with a human USH1C mutation, exhibit these multi-sensory deficits by circling behavior and lack of response to sound. Administration of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic that corrects expression of the mutated USH1C gene, has been shown to increase harmonin levels, reduce circling behavior, and improve vestibular and auditory function. The current study evaluates the organization of exploratory movements to assess spatial organization in Usher mice and determine the efficacy of ASO therapy in attenuating any such deficits. Usher and heterozygous mice received the therapeutic ASO, ASO-29, or a control, non-specific ASO treatment at postnatal day five. Organization of exploratory movements was assessed under dark and light conditions at two and six-months of age. Disruptions in exploratory movement organization observed in control-treated Usher mice were consistent with impaired use of self-movement and environmental cues. In general, ASO-29 treatment rescued organization of exploratory movements at two and six-month testing points. These observations are consistent with ASO-29 rescuing processing of multiple sources of information and demonstrate the potential of ASO therapies to ameliorate topographical disorientation associated with other genetic disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An exploratory study of relative and incremental information content of two non-financial performance measures: Field study evidence on absence frequency and on-time delivery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wiersma, E.

2008-01-01

In this exploratory field study, I test the relative and incremental information content of two non-financial performance measures compared to financial performance measures for future financial performance. The proprietary database used is from the contracts of the managers of 27 responsibility

Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Families: An Exploratory Study of Family Functioning, Adoptive Child's Behavior, and Familial Support Networks

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Erich, Stephen; Leung, Patrick; Kindle, Peter; Carter, Sharon

2005-01-01

Traditional legal and social forces have hindered the adoption of children by gay and lesbian individuals and couples. Using a convenience sample drawn from gay and lesbian support groups and Internet sites, this exploratory study examines adoptive families with gay and lesbian parents in terms of family functioning capabilities, child's behavior,…

The Meaning of Happiness in Consumer Research: Results from an Inductive Exploratory Pilot Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Elin Brandi; Thomsen, Thyra Uth

2016-01-01

In this study we investigate the meaning of happiness in a consumption context. We employ an inductive approach and present the results of an exploratory pilot study with eight consumers. The study is based on a Multi-Sensory-Sculpting (MSS) procedure in which we asked consumers to build sculptures...... that represent consumer happiness. Following the MSS guidelines, consumers were interviewed about the meanings of their sculpture in order to elicit embodied cognition about the topic at hand. In this paper we present the meanings of consumer happiness in the participants‟ accounts and discuss implications...... for consumer research. Further, we discuss the applicability of the MSS-procedure to the topic of consumer happiness, and how to optimize it for later studies on consumer happiness....

To Reinstate or to Not Reinstate? An Exploratory Study of Student Perspectives on the Death Penalty in Michigan.

Science.gov (United States)

Adinkrah, Mensah; Clemens, William M

2018-01-01

The U.S. state of Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1846. Since then, several abortive efforts have been made by state legislators to re-establish the death sentence to deal with convicted murderers. Concurrently, some support exists among Michigan residents for the restoration of capital punishment in the state. This article presents the results of the analysis of an attitudinal survey of 116 college students enrolled in three criminal justice courses in a Michigan public university concerning the reinstatement of the death sentence in the state. The data from this exploratory study show that a slight majority (52.6%) of respondents favored reinstatement whereas 45.7% opposed restoration. Advocates and opponents of re-establishment of the death penalty in Michigan provided similar religious, moral and economic arguments proffered by others in previous surveys on capital punishment available in the death penalty literature. The current study makes a contribution to the scant extant literature on attitudes toward the death penalty in abolitionist jurisdictions. As this body of literature grows, it can provide baseline data or information with which to compare attitudes in retentionist states.

An investigation into the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

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Quirke, Thomas; O'Riordan, Ruth

2015-01-01

Exploratory behavior in the wild is fundamentally linked to an animal's survival and natural life history. The ability to gather information about their environment, establish territories, assert dominance, communicate information regarding reproductive status and locate mates are closely associated with a range of exploratory behaviors. Understanding how these behaviors are performed within the captive setting is crucial in order to create a captive environment in which these behaviors can be expressed, and their function conserved. The objective of this research was to highlight the factors of captive husbandry and management that influence the occurrence of exploratory behaviour of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in captivity. One hundred and twelve cheetahs in 88 enclosures across nine zoological institutions in five countries were the subjects of this study. The presence of raised areas, number of movements between enclosures, group composition, sex and an interaction between group composition and the ability to view cheetahs in adjacent enclosures, all significantly influenced the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. The presence of raised areas and an increasing number of movements between enclosures significantly increased the probability of observing exploratory behaviour, while this probability was significantly decreased for female cheetahs, when cheetahs were able to view conspecifics in adjacent enclosures, and were maintained in groups. A number of recommendations are discussed in relation to promoting exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Involving the users remotely: an exploratory study using asynchronous usability testing

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Beth Filar Williams

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Open Educational Resources (OER are increasingly used in the higher education landscape as a solution for a variety of copyright, publishing and cost-prohibiting issues. While OERs are becoming more common, reports of usability tests that evaluate how well learners can use them to accomplish their learning tasks have lagged behind. Because both the researchers and the learners in this study use resources and tools remotely, asynchronous usability testing of a prototype OER and MOOC online guide was conducted with an exploratory group of users to determine the guide’s ease of use for two distinct groups of users: Educators and Learners. In this article, we share the background and context of this usability project, suggest best methods for asynchronous remote usability testing, and share challenges and insights of the process and results of the testing

Instructional Design, Facilitation, and Perceived Learning Outcomes: An Exploratory Case Study of a Human Trafficking MOOC for Attitudinal Change

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Watson, Sunnie Lee; Loizzo, Jamie; Watson, William R.; Mueller, Chad; Lim, Jieun; Ertmer, Peggy A.

2016-01-01

This exploratory case study describes the design and facilitation of a massive open online course (MOOC) for attitudinal change regarding human trafficking. It examines the course from the learners', instructor's, and instructional designer's perspectives. Two interviews with the instructor and instructional designer were conducted, and data from…

Individual and county-level religious participation, corporal punishment, and physical abuse of children: An exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Jennifer Price; Kepple, Nancy J.

2016-01-01

Background Parental religiosity has been associated with corporal punishment. However, most of this research has focused exclusively on Christians and has not examined physical abuse. Additionally, little is known about how the larger religious environment might be associated with discipline behaviors. In this exploratory study, we examine how individual and county-level religious attendance are related to corporal punishment and physical abuse. Method We sampled and surveyed 3,023 parents of children aged 12 and younger from 50 mid-sized California cities. We used weighted Poisson models to calculate the frequency of corporal punishment and physical abuse in the past year. Results Parents who attend religious groups used corporal punishment more frequently than parents who did not attend religious groups. However, those who lived in counties with greater rates of religious participation used corporal punishment less frequently than those living in counties with lower rates of religious participation. There were no effects for religious participation on physical abuse at the individual or county level. Discussion This exploratory study suggests that parents who attend religious groups may be more likely to use some types of physical discipline with children. Religious groups could be imparting parenting norms supporting corporal punishment at the individual level. More research examining specific doctrines and faiths is needed to validate the study findings. PMID:29294609

Organisationally relevant variables and Keyes's Mental Health Continuum Scale: An exploratory study

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Deo J.W. Strümpfer

2009-09-01

Full Text Available In an exploratory study on a sample of convenience (n = 165, 11 self-report variables with presumed organisational  relevance were  related,  as  predictors,  to  the  three  subscores  and  summed  score of  the Keyes  (2005a, 2005b; 2007 Mental Health Continuum  scale  (long  form. Keyes's  scale was administered five to seven days after the first set of scales. The predictor scores were reduced to three factorial scores, labelled positive orientation, negative orientation and positive striving. When classified thus, the predictor variables showed significant and meaningful relationships with some or all of the Keyes subscores and the total score, although few reached medium effect sizes.

Social Worker Perceptions of the Portrayal of the Profession in the News and Entertainment Media: An Exploratory Study

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Zugazaga, Carole B.; Surette, Raymond B.; Mendez, Monica; Otto, Charles W.

2006-01-01

This exploratory study describes social workers' perceptions of the depiction of the social work profession found in the news and entertainment media. A random sample of 665 MSW social workers who were members of the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers were surveyed regarding how they felt the profession was depicted in…

High Current Anxiety Symptoms, But Not a Past Anxiety Disorder Diagnosis, are Associated with Impaired Fear Extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Duits, Puck; Cath, Danielle C.; Heitland, Ivo; Baas, Johanna M. P.

2016-01-01

Although impaired fear extinction has repeatedly been demonstrated in patients with anxiety disorders, little is known about whether these impairments persist after treatment. The current comparative exploratory study investigated fear extinction in 26 patients treated for their anxiety disorder in the years preceding the study as compared to 17 healthy control subjects. Fear-potentiated startle and subjective fear were measured in a cue and context fear conditioning paradigm within a virtual reality environment. Results indicated no differences in fear extinction between treated anxiety patients and control subjects. However, scores on the Beck Anxiety Inventory across all participants revealed impaired extinction of fear potentiated startle in subjects with high compared to low anxiety symptoms over the past week. Taken together, this exploratory study found no support for impaired fear extinction in treated anxiety patients, and implies that current anxiety symptoms rather than previous patient status determine the success of extinction. PMID:26955364

Social inclusion for children with hearing loss in listening and spoken Language early intervention: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Constantinescu-Sharpe, Gabriella; Phillips, Rebecca L; Davis, Aleisha; Dornan, Dimity; Hogan, Anthony

2017-03-14

Social inclusion is a common focus of listening and spoken language (LSL) early intervention for children with hearing loss. This exploratory study compared the social inclusion of young children with hearing loss educated using a listening and spoken language approach with population data. A framework for understanding the scope of social inclusion is presented in the Background. This framework guided the use of a shortened, modified version of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) to measure two of the five facets of social inclusion ('education' and 'interacting with society and fulfilling social goals'). The survey was completed by parents of children with hearing loss aged 4-5 years who were educated using a LSL approach (n = 78; 37% who responded). These responses were compared to those obtained for typical hearing children in the LSAC dataset (n = 3265). Analyses revealed that most children with hearing loss had comparable outcomes to those with typical hearing on the 'education' and 'interacting with society and fulfilling social roles' facets of social inclusion. These exploratory findings are positive and warrant further investigation across all five facets of the framework to identify which factors influence social inclusion.

University ERP Implementation in Germany: Qualitative Exploratory Case Study of Administrative Staff Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Thelen, Anja

2015-01-01

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations are expensive, time-consuming, and often do not lead to the expected outcome of integrated IT systems. Many German universities are implementing ERP systems as Campus Management Systems (CMS) and a solution to any problem, need, or requirement the organization has. This exploratory case study…

Prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in sequential acutely unwell children presenting in primary care: exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Kathryn; Stanton, Naomi; Edwards, Adrian; Hood, Kerenza; Butler, Christopher C

2011-03-01

Due to the non-specific nature of symptoms of UTI in children and low levels of urine sampling, the prevalence of UTI amongst acutely ill children in primary care is unknown. To undertake an exploratory study of acutely ill children consulting in primary care, determine the feasibility of obtaining urine samples, and describe presenting symptoms and signs, and the proportion with UTI. Exploratory, observational study. Four general practices in South Wales. A total of 99 sequential attendees with acute illness aged less than five years. UTI defined by >10(5) organisms/ml on laboratory culture of urine. Urine samples were obtained in 75 (76%) children. Three (4%) met microbiological criteria for UTI. GPs indicated they would not normally have obtained urine samples in any of these three children. However, all had received antibiotics for suspected alternative infections. Urine sample collection is feasible from the majority of acutely ill children in primary care, including infants. Some cases of UTI may be missed if children thought to have an alternative site of infection are excluded from urine sampling. A larger study is needed to more accurately determine the prevalence of UTI in children consulting with acute illness in primary care, and to explore which symptoms and signs might help clinicians effectively target urine sampling.

Social sustainability in developing country suppliers : an exploratory study in the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh

OpenAIRE

Huq, Fahian; Stevenson, Mark; Zorzini, Marta

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate why developing country suppliers are adopting socially sustainable practices and how the implementation process is both impeded and enabled. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-case study approach is adopted based on four ready made garment (RMG) industry suppliers in Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi buying houses of two large UK retailers. The primary mode of data collection is exploratory face-to-face interviews with 14 senior representati...

When general practitioners meet new evidence: an exploratory ethnographic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Ole

2017-12-01

To explore how general practitioners (GPs) think and act when presented with new evidence in relation to planned home birth and a proposal to change information practices. Exploratory ethnographic study of GPs. The GPs were encountered one or more times during a two-year period, 2011-2013, while the author tried to set up formal focus group interviews. Dialogues about the evidence, personal experiences, values and other issues unavoidably occurred. Field notes were written concomitantly. Danish GPs, primarily in Copenhagen. Fifty Danish GPs. The GPs reacted very differently, both spontaneously and later. Spontaneous reactions were often emotional involving private and professional experiences whereas later reactions were more influenced by rational deliberations. Approximately half the GPs (n = 18) who were asked whether they would personally hand out the local information leaflet about home birth were prepared to do so. The time lag between presentation of the evidence and the GPs' decision to hand out the leaflets was up to one and a half year. A significant number of GPs were prepared to change their information practices. However, for many GPs, the new evidence challenged previous perceptions, and ample time and resources for dialogue, deliberations and adaptation to local circumstances were required to accommodate change. Changing information practices on a larger scale will require a systematic approach involving key stakeholders. Key Points Current awareness•Patients and pregnant women should receive evidence-based information about possible choices of care - also in relation to place of birth. Most important results•Doctors often find the new evidence supporting planned home birth counterintuitive and spontaneously react emotionally rather than rationally to the evidence.•The new evidence challenging previous views elicits fast, emotional reactions, later deliberate reflections, perhaps cognitive dissonance and, finally, for some, change in

A mathematical model for adaptive vein formation during exploratory migration of Physarum polycephalum: routing while scouting

Science.gov (United States)

Schenz, Daniel; Shima, Yasuaki; Kuroda, Shigeru; Nakagaki, Toshiyuki; Ueda, Kei-Ichi

2017-11-01

Exploring free space (scouting) efficiently is a non-trivial task for organisms of limited perception, such as the amoeboid Physarum polycephalum. However, the strategy behind its exploratory behaviour has not yet been characterised. In this organism, as the extension of the frontal part into free space is directly supported by the transport of body mass from behind, the formation of transport channels (routing) plays the main role in that strategy. Here, we study the organism’s exploration by letting it expand through a corridor of constant width. When turning at a corner of the corridor, the organism constructed a main transport vein tracing a centre-in-centre line. We argue that this is efficient for mass transport due to its short length, and check this intuition with a new algorithm that can predict the main vein’s position from the frontal tip’s progression. We then present a numerical model that incorporates reaction-diffusion dynamics for the behaviour of the organism’s growth front and current reinforcement dynamics for the formation of the vein network in its wake, as well as interactions between the two. The accuracy of the model is tested against the behaviour of the real organism and the importance of the interaction between growth tip dynamics and vein network development is analysed by studying variants of the model. We conclude by offering a biological interpretation of the well-known current reinforcement rule in the context of the natural exploratory behaviour of Physarum polycephalum.

Shopping versus Nature? An Exploratory Study of Everyday Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Tony P; Fischer, Anke; Lorenzo-Arribas, Altea

2018-01-01

Although a growing volume of empirical research shows that being in nature is important for human wellbeing, the definition of what constitutes an 'experience in nature,' and how this is different from other types of experiences, is very often left implied. In this paper we contrast everyday experiences involving nature with a category of everyday experience in which most people regularly partake. We present an exploratory study in which people ( N = 357) were explicitly asked to describe a memory they had of an everyday 'experience which involved nature,' as well as an everyday 'experience which involved shopping.' The open-ended responses to these questions were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Nature experiences were generally found to be more positive than shopping experiences, and they were more likely to be rated as 'peaceful' and 'active' compared to shopping experiences. Follow-up analyses indicate a significant interaction between experience category (nature or shopping), and the relationship between connectedness to nature and the amount of pleasure associated with that experience: The more strongly connected to nature a respondent was, the larger the disparity between the pleasantness of the shopping experience and that of the experience in nature tended to be.

Representations of Mathematics, their teaching and learning: an exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Margarida Graça

2004-03-01

Full Text Available This work describes an exploratory study, the first of the four phases of a more inclusive research, which aims at understanding the way to promote, in a Mathematics teachers’ group, a representational evolution leading to a practice that allows a Mathematical meaningful learning of Mathematics. The methodology of this study is qualitative. Data gathering was based on questioning; all the subjects of the sample (n=48 carried out a projective task (a hierarchical evocation test and answered a written individual questionnaire. Data analysis was based in a set of categories previously defined. The main purpose of this research was to identify, to characterize and to describe the representations of Mathematics, their teaching and learning, in a group of 48 subjects, from different social groups, in order to get indicators for the construction of the instruments to be used in to the next phases of the research. The main results of this study are the following: (1 we were able to identify and characterize different representations of the teaching and learning of Mathematics, in what respects its epistemological, pedagogical, emotional and sociocultural dimensions; (2 we were also able to identify limitations, difficulties and items to be included or rephrased in the instruments used.

Time perception among the youth and its implication for industry: An exploratory study

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GG Rousseau

2004-04-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this exploratory study was to investigate perceived cultural differences in the perception of time among the youth and its implications for time management and productivity regarding future employment in industry. The study further sought to develop a reliable instrument for measuring time perception across cultures.  A non-probability convenience sample (N=467 was drawn from English, Afrikaans and Xhosa speaking respondents, aged 13 to 18 years.  Results confirmed four factors: time allocation, time economy, time attitudes and scheduling of tasks.  Significant differences between age, language and gender groups on time perception were observed.  These findings have implications for time management training among the youth as well as for industry seeking employees who can perform tasks with speed and efficiency.  Further refinement of the instrument in follow-up studies is essential.

Aging in Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study of Contemporary Older Persons' Views About Daily Life, Health, and the Experience of Aging.

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Karlin, Nancy J; Weil, Joyce; Felmban, Wejdan

2016-01-01

Objective: This exploratory study sought to measure current self-reported experiences of older Saudi adults. Method: Self-reported aging perceptions and demographic data from semistructured questions were obtained from 52 community-dwelling older Saudi adults aged 50 or older. A thematic content analysis was completed around issues of family life/social support, daily/weekly activities, health and health programs, and older adults' own thoughts about aging and the experience and future of personal aging. Results: Several key themes emerged from the interviews. The majority of respondents in this preliminary study acknowledge a preference for family care. Formal programs in Saudi Arabia are attended with relative infrequency while older adults recognize family support as the preferred method of support. Older Saudi interviewees hold a positive view of aging, but physical functioning, varying financial resources, and other daily obligations are a concern for those in this study. Discussion: Data suggest as the Saudi population ages, more research is needed on the aging experience with particiular emphasis on issues relevant to older adults . Future research must work to clarify the aging experience as cultural context changes.

Exploratory shaft conceptual design report: Permian Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-07-01

This conceptual design report summarizes the conceptualized design for an exploratory shaft facility at a representative site in the Permian Basin locatd in the western part of Texas. Conceptualized designs for other possible locations (Paradox Basin in Utah and Gulf Interior Region salt domes in Louisiana and Mississippi) are summarized in separate reports. The purpose of the exploratory shaft facility is to provide access to the reference repository horizon to permit in situ testing of the salt. The in situ testing is necessary to verify repository salt design parameters, evaluate isotropy and homogeneity of the salt, and provide a demonstration of the constructability and confirmation of the design to gain access to the repository. The fundamental purpose of this conceptual design report is to assure the feasibility of the exploratory shaft project and to develop a reliable cost estimate and realistic schedule. Because a site has not been selected and site-specific subsurface data are not available, it has been necessary to make certain assumptions in order to develop a conceptual design for an exploratory shaft facility in salt. As more definitive information becomes available to support the design process, adjustments in the projected schedule and estimated costs will be required

Exploratory shaft conceptual design report: Paradox Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-07-01

This conceptual design report summarizes the conceptualized design for an exploratory shaft facility at a representative site in the Paradox Basin located in the southeastern part of Utah. Conceptualized designs for other possible locations (Permian Basin in Texas and Gulf Interior Region salt domes in Louisiana and Mississippi) are summarized in separate reports. The purpose of the exploratory shaft facility is to provide access to the reference repository horizon to permit in situ testing of the salt. The in-situ testing is necessary to verify repository salt design parameters, evaluate isotropy and homogeneity of the salt, and provide a demonstration of the constructability and confirmation of the design to gain access to the repository. The fundamental purpose of this conceptual design report is to assure the feasibility of the exploratory shaft project and to develop a reliable cost estimate and realistic schedule. Because a site has not been selected and site-specific subsurface data are not available, it has been necessary to make certain assumptions in order to develop a conceptual design for an exploratory shaft facility in salt. As more definitive information becomes available to support the design process, adjustments in the projected schedule and estimated costs will be required

Blended learning in K-12 mathematics and science instruction -- An exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Jason

Blended learning has developed into a hot topic in education over the past several years. Flipped classrooms, online learning environments, and the use of technology to deliver educational content using rich media continue to garner national attention. While generally well accepted and researched in post-secondary education, not much research has focused on blended learning in elementary, middle, and high schools. This thesis is an exploratory study to begin to determine if students and teachers like blended learning and whether or not it affects the amount of time they spend in math and science. Standardized achievement test data were also analyzed to determine if blended learning had any effect on test scores. Based on student and teacher surveys, this population seems to like blended learning and to work more efficiently in this environment. There is no evidence from this study to support any effect on student achievement.

R&D in Vaccines Targeting Neglected Diseases: An Exploratory Case Study Considering Funding for Preventive Tuberculosis Vaccine Development from 2007 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa Barbosa Bessa, Theolis; Santos de Aragão, Erika; Medeiros Guimarães, Jane Mary; de Araújo Almeida, Bethânia

2017-01-01

Based on an exploratory case study regarding the types of institutions funding the research and development to obtain new tuberculosis vaccines, this article intends to provoke discussion regarding the provision of new vaccines targeting neglected disease. Although our findings and discussion are mainly relevant to the case presented here, some aspects are more generally applicable, especially regarding the dynamics of development in vaccines to prevent neglected diseases. Taking into account the dynamics of innovation currently seen at work in the vaccine sector, a highly concentrated market dominated by few multinational pharmaceutical companies, we feel that global PDP models can play an important role throughout the vaccine development cycle. In addition, the authors call attention to issues surrounding the coordination of actors and resources in the research, development, manufacturing, and distribution processes of vaccine products arising from PDP involvement.

Customer relationship management in the contract pharmaceutical industry: an exploratory study for measuring success.

Science.gov (United States)

Kros, John F; Nadler, Scott; Molis, Justin

2007-01-01

Managing customer relationships is a very important issue in business-to-business markets. This research investigates the growing number of available resources defining Customer Relationship Management (CRM) efforts, and how they are being applied within the Contract Pharmaceutical Manufacturing industry. Exploratory study results using face-to-face and telephone questionnaires based on four criteria for rating a company's CRM efforts are presented. Data was collected from large Contract Pharmaceutical Manufacturing companies in the US market. The results and conclusions are discussed relating how the Contract Pharmaceutical Manufacturing industry is implementing CRM including some potential steps to take when considering a CRM initiative.

Docking-based classification models for exploratory toxicology studies on high-quality estrogenic experimental data

Science.gov (United States)

Background: Exploratory toxicology is a new emerging research area whose ultimate mission is that of protecting human health and environment from risks posed by chemicals. In this regard, the ethical and practical limitation of animal testing has encouraged the promotion of compu...

Internet Consumer Catalog Shopping: Findings from an Exploratory Study and Directions for Future Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Joseph M.; Vijayasarathy, Leo R.

1998-01-01

Presents findings from an exploratory, empirical investigation of perceptions of Internet catalog shopping compared to more traditional print catalog shopping. Two factors that might influence perceptions, personality, and important other people are examined, and directions for further research are suggested. (Author/LRW)

Interactive Leadership in Turbulent School Climates. An Exploratory Study of High School Principals from the City of Buenos Aires

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Claudia; Krichesky, Gabriela

2018-01-01

School leadership has been identified as a key function to assuring quality in education. Principals' leadership can have a direct effect on students' learning by improving teaching, or an indirect effect by creating conditions that foster learning. This exploratory study aims to understand how school principals exercise their leadership and its…

Working at the Nexus of Generic and Content-Specific Teaching Practices: An Exploratory Study Based on TIMSS Secondary Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Charalambous, Charalambos Y.; Kyriakides, Ermis

2017-01-01

For years scholars have attended to either generic or content-specific teaching practices attempting to understand instructional quality and its effects on student learning. Drawing on the TIMSS 2007 and 2011 databases, this exploratory study empirically tests the hypothesis that attending to both types of practices can help better explain student…

Radon concentration and working level in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiver, J.H.; Tung, Chao-Hsiung.

1995-01-01

Radon-222 ( 222 Rn) and 222 Rn progeny WL monitoring in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) was initiated to support regulatory compliance. Measurements were taken over two periods, in Test Alcove No. 1 of the ESF, about 60 m from the tunnel entrance. For both periods, 222 Rn concentration was less than 10% of the Derived Air Concentration (DAC) set forth in DOE Order 5480.11. Thus, these assessments were sufficient to demonstrate regulatory compliance. Based on these findings, quarterly 222 Rn and 222 Rn progeny monitoring was initiated. Two systems each were employed for 222 Rn and 222 Rn progeny measurement. No significant differences were observed between the respective systems. An interesting finding was that at the time the measurements were taken, barometric pressure appeared to be the predominant factor controlling 222 Rn concentration in the ESF. This was true even during periods of ventilation shutdown

Multiple factors influence compliance with colorectal cancer staging recommendations: an exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalifa Mahmoud A

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For patients with colorectal cancer (CRC retrieval by surgeons, and assessment by pathologists of at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs predicts the need for adjuvant treatment and improved survival. Different interventions (educational presentation, engaging clinical opinion leaders, performance data sent to hospital executives to improve compliance with this practice had variable results. This exploratory study examined factors hypothesized to have influenced the outcome of those interventions. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 surgeons and pathologists at eleven hospitals. Clinicians were identified by intervention organizers, public licensing body database, and referral from interviewees. An interview guide incorporating open-ended questions was pilot-tested on one surgeon and pathologist. A single investigator conducted all interviews by phone. Transcripts were analyzed independently by two investigators using a grounded approach,ho then compared findings to resolve differences. Results Improvements in LN staging practice may have occurred largely due to educational presentations that created awareness, and self-initiated changes undertaken by pathologists. Executives that received performance data may not have shared this with staff, and opinion leaders engaged to promote compliance may not have fulfilled their roles. Barriers to change that are potentially amenable to quality improvement included perceptions about the practice (perceived lack of evidence for the need to examine at least 12 LNs and associated responsibilities (blaming other profession, technical issues (need for pathology assistants, better clearing solutions and laboratory facilities, and a lack of organizational support for multidisciplinary interaction (little communication between surgeons and pathologists or quality improvement (no change leaders or capacity for monitoring. Conclusion Use of an exploratory approach provided an in

Self-knowledge of health teachers: A qualitative exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Canever, Bruna Pedroso; do Prado, Marta Lenise; Gomes, Diana Coelho; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert; de Jesus, Bruna Helena

2018-06-01

Specific pedagogical training for teaching in the area of health emerges with the goal of creating critical and reflective professionals and as a necessary challenge to university teaching, where there is reflection on self-awareness, consciousness, and the incompleteness of being. This study aims to understand how Freire's critical consciousness is expressed in the pedagogical practice of health teachers. This study is a qualitative study that is descriptive, exploratory, and analytical. Twenty-one teachers from a public university in southern Brazil participated. Data were collected using open-ended, in-person interviews held from May to December 2013. Data systematization was based on Minayo's operative proposal. The analysis yielded 2 main categories, including the naïve critical consciousness of health teachers, i.e., education as a practice of oppression, and the epistemological critical consciousness of health teachers, i.e., education as a practice of freedom. The results revealed the teachers' self-knowledge, including the reasoning and motivations that made them become teachers, the characteristics considered necessary to be a teacher, the teachers' feelings in their teaching practice, and the teaching preparation required for being in the classroom from the perspective of naïve and epistemological critical consciousness. The study shows that the self-knowledge that emerged from the teachers' reports encourages new perspectives in the construction of the teacher, raising the challenge of development and transformation from naïve consciousness to epistemological consciousness, and thus contributing to a breakthrough with respect to critical and creative teacher training. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online revenue models in the media sector: an exploratory study on their success factors and adoption

OpenAIRE

Stienstra, Martin R.; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Boerrigter, Thomas

2010-01-01

Especially for companies in the media sector such as publishers, the Internet has created new strategic and commercial opportunities. However, many companies in the media sector are struggling with how to adapt their business and revenue model for doing profitable business online. This exploratory study goes into the success factors and the level of adoption of online revenue models by media sector companies. We use Chaffey (2002) in determining online revenue models in which we included Oste...

An Exploratory Study of Residents' Perception of Place Image: The Case of Kavala.

Science.gov (United States)

Stylidis, Dimitrios; Sit, Jason; Biran, Avital

2016-05-01

Studies on place image have predominantly focused on the tourists' destination image and have given limited attention to other stakeholders' perspectives. This study aims to address this gap by focusing on the notion of residents' place image, whereby it reviews existing literature on residents' place image in terms of whether common attributes can be identified, and examines the role of community-focused attributes in its measurement. Data collected from a sample of 481 Kavala residents (Greece) were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The study reveals that the existing measurement tools have typically emphasized destination-focused attributes and neglected community-focused attributes. This study contributes to the residents' place image research by proposing a more holistic measurement, which consisted of four dimensions: physical appearance, community services, social environment, and entertainment opportunities. The study also offers practical insights for developing and promoting a tourist place while simultaneously enhancing its residents' quality of life.

Current Research Studies

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... Success Home > Explore Research > Current Research Studies Current Research Studies Email Print + Share The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation ... conducted online. Learn more about IBD Partners. Clinical Research Alliance The Clinical Research Alliance is a network ...

Coping with Private and Academic Information Needs Abroad: An exploratory Study of International Students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyldegård, Jette Seiden; Hertzum, Morten

Students are caught between work and play. They are not working in the classical sense of exchanging effort for payment, but nevertheless expected to approach their studies with a discipline similar to that of people at work. We focus on international students – the students who travel abroad...... for part of their higher education. Compared to domestic students, the international students face the additional work of getting to know a new country and educational culture. We present the first results and reflections from an exploratory case study carried out in 2015 with a convenience sample of five...... international master students. The study is a pilot study conducted in preparation for a full-size interview-based study. We argue that international students constitute an interesting group with special needs that can benefit from ICT support at different levels to cope with the cultural, educational...

Cognitive Aids for Role Definition (CARD) to improve interprofessional team crisis resource management: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Renna, Tania Di; Crooks, Simone; Pigford, Ashlee-Ann; Clarkin, Chantalle; Fraser, Amy B; Bunting, Alexandra C; Bould, M Dylan; Boet, Sylvain

2016-09-01

This study aimed to assess the perceived value of the Cognitive Aids for Role Definition (CARD) protocol for simulated intraoperative cardiac arrests. Sixteen interprofessional operating room teams completed three consecutive simulated intraoperative cardiac arrest scenarios: current standard, no CARD; CARD, no CARD teaching; and CARD, didactic teaching. Each team participated in a focus group interview immediately following the third scenario; data were transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analysed. After 6 months, participants formed eight new teams randomised to two groups (CARD or no CARD) and completed a retention intraoperative cardiac arrest simulation scenario. All simulation sessions were video recorded and expert raters assessed team performance. Qualitative analysis of the 16 focus group interviews revealed 3 thematic dimensions: role definition in crisis management; logistical issues; and the "real life" applicability of CARD. Members of the interprofessional team perceived CARD very positively. Exploratory quantitative analysis found no significant differences in team performance with or without CARD (p > 0.05). In conclusion, qualitative data suggest that the CARD protocol clarifies roles and team coordination during interprofessional crisis management and has the potential to improve the team performance. The concept of a self-organising team with defined roles is promising for patient safety.

The Preparation of Young People with Special Needs for an Active Adult Life--An Exploratory Study. 2nd Version.

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Fernando, Comp.; Kropveld, Peter, Comp.

An exploratory study sought to examine the special educational needs of young people with disabilities preparing for the transition from school to adulthood. Major issues addressed were citizenship (social and life skills), the world of work, and recreation. Students aged 14 and above from several European countries who were perceived as having…

Improving skill development: an exploratory study comparing a philosophical and an applied ethical analysis technique

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saggaf, Yeslam; Burmeister, Oliver K.

2012-09-01

This exploratory study compares and contrasts two types of critical thinking techniques; one is a philosophical and the other an applied ethical analysis technique. The two techniques analyse an ethically challenging situation involving ICT that a recent media article raised to demonstrate their ability to develop the ethical analysis skills of ICT students and professionals. In particular the skill development focused on includes: being able to recognise ethical challenges and formulate coherent responses; distancing oneself from subjective judgements; developing ethical literacy; identifying stakeholders; and communicating ethical decisions made, to name a few.

An exploratory case study of the impact of ambient biographical displays on identity in a patient with Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Massimi, Michael; Berry, Emma; Browne, Georgina; Smyth, Gavin; Watson, Peter; Baecker, Ronald M

2008-01-01

One of the most troubling symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is the loss of the patient's sense of identity. This loss complicates relationships, increases apathy, and generally impedes quality of life for the patient. We describe a novel in-home ambient display called Biography Theatre that cycles through music, photographs, movies, and narratives drawn from the patient's past and current life. We conducted an exploratory case study with an 84-year-old male with moderate-stage Alzheimer's disease (Mr H). The study consisted of three phases: a baseline phase, a phase wherein autobiographical materials were collected and discussed, and a phase wherein the display was deployed in the home. The patient demonstrated improvement on standardised tests of apathy and positive self-identity, but did not improve on tests of autobiographical memory, anxiety, depression, and general cognition. We also report on caregiver reactions to the intervention and how the display helped them cope with and reinterpret their loved one's condition. This work suggests that interdisciplinary work involving "off the desktop" computing technologies may be a fruitful way to provide rehabilitative benefit for individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Improving healthcare practice behaviors: an exploratory study identifying effective and ineffective behaviors in healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Fleet, David D; Peterson, Tim O

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of exploratory research designed to develop an awareness of healthcare behaviors, with a view toward improving the customer satisfaction with healthcare services. It examines the relationship between healthcare providers and their consumers/patients/clients. The study uses a critical incident methodology, with both effective and ineffective behavioral specimens examined across different provider groups. The effects of these different behaviors on what Berry (1999) identified as the common core values of service organizations are examined, as those values are required to build a lasting service relationship. Also examined are categories of healthcare practice based on the National Quality Strategy priorities. The most obvious is the retrospective nature of the method used. How accurate are patient or consumer memories? Are they capable of making valid judgments of healthcare experiences (Berry and Bendapudi, 2003)? While an obvious limitation, such recollections are clearly important as they may be paramount in following the healthcare practitioners' instructions, loyalty for repeat business, making recommendations to others and the like. Further, studies have shown retrospective reports to be accurate and useful (Miller et al., 1997). With this information, healthcare educators should be in a better position to improve the training offered in their programs and practitioners to better serve their customers. The findings would indicate that the human values of excellence, innovation, joy, respect and integrity play a significant role in building a strong service relationship between consumer and healthcare provider. Berry (1999) has argued that the overriding importance in building a lasting service business is human values. This exploratory study has shown how critical incident analysis can be used to determine both effective and ineffective practices of different medical providers. It also provides guidelines as

High current anxiety symptoms, but not a past anxiety disorder diagnosis, are associated with impaired fear extinction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Puck eDuits

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Although impaired fear extinction has repeatedly been demonstrated in patients with anxiety disorders, little is known about whether these impairments persist after treatment. The current comparative exploratory study investigated fear extinction in 26 patients treated for their anxiety disorder in the years preceding the study as compared to 17 healthy control subjects. Fear-potentiated startle and subjective fear were measured in a cue and context fear conditioning paradigm within a virtual reality environment. Results indicated no differences in fear extinction between treated anxiety patients and control subjects. However, scores on the Beck Anxiety Inventory across all participants revealed impaired extinction of fear potentiated startle in subjects with high compared to low anxiety symptoms over the past week. Taken together, this exploratory study found no support for impaired fear extinction in treated anxiety patients, and implies that current anxiety symptoms rather than previous patient status determine the success of extinction.

Resilience model for parents of children with cancer in mainland China-An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Zeng Jie; Qiu, Hong Zhong; Li, Peng Fei; Liang, Mu Zi; Wang, Shu Ni; Quan, Xiao Ming

2017-04-01

Parents have psychosocial functions that are critical for the entire family. Therefore, when their child is diagnosed with cancer, it is important that they exhibit resilience, which is the ability to preserve their emotional and physical well-being in the face of stress. The Resilience Model for Parents of Children with Cancer (RMP-CC) was developed to increase our understanding of how resilience is positively and negatively affected by protective and risk factors, respectively, in Chinese parents with children diagnosed with cancer. To evaluate the RMP-CC, the latent psychosocial variables and demographics of 229 parents were evaluated using exploratory structural equation modeling (SEM) and logistic regression. The majority of goodness-of-fit indices indicate that the SEM of RMP-CC was a good model with a high level of variance in resilience (58%). Logistic regression revealed that two demographics, educational level and clinical classification of cancer, accounted for 12% of this variance. Our results indicate that RMP-CC is an effective structure by which to develop mainland Chinese parent-focused interventions that are grounded in the experiences of the parents as caregivers of children who have been diagnosed with cancer. RMP-CC allows for a better understanding of what these parents experience while their children undergo treatment. Further studies will be needed to confirm the efficiency of the current structure, and would assist in further refinement of its clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An exploratory trial of a health education programme to promote healthy lifestyles through social and emotional competence in young children: Study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Bermejo-Martins, Elena; López-Dicastillo, Olga; Mujika, Agurtzane

2018-01-01

To implement and evaluate a health education programme based on the development of social and emotional competence in young children. Children's social and emotional skills play a key role in the adoption and maintenance of their lifestyles. Currently, a more comprehensive perspective dealing with these aspects is needed to promote healthy habits in children and develop effective health education programmes. An exploratory randomized controlled trial. A convenience sample of 30 children (5 and 6 years old) will be recruited from a public school in Spain, with 15 participants in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Participants in the experimental group will receive the first unit of the programme, consisting of developing emotional knowledge skills around daily health habits (eating, hygiene, sleep and physical exercise) using different game-based dynamics and an emotional diary, while those in the control group will continue with their usual school routine. Outcome measures include emotional knowledge ability, basic social skills and children's health profile. The perceived impact of the intervention by parents, acceptability (by parents and children) and feasibility of the programme will be also assessed. Data will be collected at baseline, postintervention and at 7-month follow-up. This study offers an innovative intervention aimed at improving children's healthy lifestyles from a holistic perspective by addressing social and emotional competence as one of the most influential aspects of children's development. This exploratory trial is an essential step to explore crucial aspects of the full-scale clinical trial. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is Counseling Going to the Dogs? An Exploratory Study Related to the Inclusion of an Animal in Group Counseling with Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Lange, Amber M.; Cox, Jane A.; Bernert, Donna J.; Jenkins, Christie D.

2007-01-01

Research has demonstrated that the use of animals in counseling provides beneficial effects to clients. This article presents literature on Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and details an exploratory study that applied AAT in an adolescent anger management group. Consistent with other research, beneficial effects noted in this study included a…

Exploratory portals of research data in education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Di Blas Nicoletta

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a powerful tool to enhance research in education: ‘exploratory portals’, supporting effective storage, sharing and exploration of large sets of research data. The workflow is the following: data are gathered by a research group; they are then classified according to a taxonomy (the one that best fits the group’s research interest; once uploaded in the portal, they can be ‘explored’ via a combination of faceted search (enriched by Boolean operators and data mining techniques. The system can thus answer in a few seconds to sophisticated user’s queries that otherwise would require hours; it can save a session’s results and materials for sharing with other scholars or for further investigation. The paper presents a case study of exploratory portal, dealing with data on (technology-based education. The portal has effectively been used by five different research groups, to run complex investigations of data about technology integration into schools.

Reduction in salivary α-amylase levels following a mind-body intervention in cancer survivors--an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipschitz, David L; Kuhn, Renee; Kinney, Anita Y; Donaldson, Gary W; Nakamura, Yoshio

2013-09-01

The main aim of this exploratory study was to assess whether salivary α-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol levels would be positively modulated by sleep-focused mind-body interventions in female and male cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which 57 cancer survivors with self-reported sleep disturbance received either a Sleep Hygiene Education (SHE; n=18) control, or one of two experimental mind-body interventions, namely, Mind-Body Bridging (MBB; n=19) or Mindfulness Meditation (MM; n=20). Interventions were three sessions each conducted once per week for three consecutive weeks. Saliva cortisol and sAA were measured at baseline and 1 week after the last session. Participants also completed a sleep scale at the same time points when saliva was collected for biomarker measurement. Our study revealed that at post-intervention assessment, mean sAA levels upon awakening ("Waking" sample) declined in MBB compared with that of SHE. Mean Waking cortisol levels did not differ among treatment groups but declined slightly in SHE. Self-reported sleep improved across the three interventions at Post-assessment, with largest improvements in the MBB intervention. In this exploratory study, sleep focused mind-body intervention (MBB) attenuated Waking sAA levels, suggesting positive influences of a mind-body intervention on sympathetic activity in cancer survivors with sleep disturbance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploratory Bi-factor Analysis: The Oblique Case

OpenAIRE

Jennrich, Robert L.; Bentler, Peter M.

2011-01-01

Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis originally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford (1937). The bi-factor model has a general factor, a number of group factors, and an explicit bi-factor structure. Jennrich and Bentler (2011) introduced an exploratory form of bi-factor analysis that does not require one to provide an explicit bi-factor structure a priori. They use exploratory factor analysis and a bi-factor rotation criterion designed to produce a rotated loading mat...

Determinants of Participation and Expenditure Patterns of Private Tuition Received by Primary School Students in Penang, Malaysia: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jelani, Juliana; Tan, Andrew K. G.

2012-01-01

In this exploratory study, the censored Tobit model is applied on primary data collected amongst parents of primary school students in Penang, Malaysia to examine the determinants of participation and expenditures on private tuition (PT). Results of the marginal effects indicate that socio-demographic characteristics--ethnicity, household income,…

The Constructivist Approach? I Have Heard about It but I Have Never Seen It: "An Example of Exploratory Sequential Mixed Design Study"

Science.gov (United States)

Polat, Ahmet; Dogan, Soner; Demir, Selçuk Besir

2016-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the quality of education based on the views of the students attending social studies education departments at the Faculties of Education and to determine the existing problems and present suggestions for their solutions. The study was conducted according to exploratory sequential mixed method. In…

The Constructivist Approach? I Have Heard about It but I Have Never Seen It "An Example of Exploratory Sequential Mixed Design Study"

Science.gov (United States)

Polat, Ahmet; Dogan, Soner; Demir, Selçuk Besir

2016-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the quality of education based on the views of the students attending social studies education departments at the Faculties of Education and to determine the existing problems and present suggestions for their solutions. The study was conducted according to exploratory sequential mixed method. In…

Shopping versus Nature? An Exploratory Study of Everyday Experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony P. Craig

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Although a growing volume of empirical research shows that being in nature is important for human wellbeing, the definition of what constitutes an ‘experience in nature,’ and how this is different from other types of experiences, is very often left implied. In this paper we contrast everyday experiences involving nature with a category of everyday experience in which most people regularly partake. We present an exploratory study in which people (N = 357 were explicitly asked to describe a memory they had of an everyday ‘experience which involved nature,’ as well as an everyday ‘experience which involved shopping.’ The open-ended responses to these questions were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Nature experiences were generally found to be more positive than shopping experiences, and they were more likely to be rated as ‘peaceful’ and ‘active’ compared to shopping experiences. Follow-up analyses indicate a significant interaction between experience category (nature or shopping, and the relationship between connectedness to nature and the amount of pleasure associated with that experience: The more strongly connected to nature a respondent was, the larger the disparity between the pleasantness of the shopping experience and that of the experience in nature tended to be.

A New View at the Planning Marketing Popular Products: Exploratory Study Electronics Sector with Companies in Brazil.

OpenAIRE

Evange Elias Assis; Francisco Antonio Serralvo; Karen Perrotta Lopes de Almeida Prado

2015-01-01

The increased consumption of appliance and electronic products by lower-income population represented a growth opportunity for companies in the sector. The overall objective of this paper is to investigate how appliance and electronic product manufacturers draw up their marketing planning for low-end products. An exploratory approach was taken in this study, comprising the literature review and the empirical research which was conducted in two stages by combining the qualitative and quantitat...

The Efficiency of Infants' Exploratory Play Is Related to Longer-Term Cognitive Development

Science.gov (United States)

Muentener, Paul; Herrig, Elise; Schulz, Laura

2018-01-01

In this longitudinal study we examined the stability of exploratory play in infancy and its relation to cognitive development in early childhood. We assessed infants' (N = 130, mean age at enrollment = 12.02 months, SD = 3.5 months; range: 5–19 months) exploratory play four times over 9 months. Exploratory play was indexed by infants' attention to novelty, inductive generalizations, efficiency of exploration, face preferences, and imitative learning. We assessed cognitive development at the fourth visit for the full sample, and again at age three for a subset of the sample (n = 38). The only measure that was stable over infancy was the efficiency of exploration. Additionally, infants' efficiency score predicted vocabulary size and distinguished at-risk infants recruited from early intervention sites from those not at risk. Follow-up analyses at age three provided additional evidence for the importance of the efficiency measure: more efficient exploration was correlated with higher IQ scores. These results suggest that the efficiency of infants' exploratory play can be informative about longer-term cognitive development. PMID:29904360

fMRI Neurofeedback Training for Increasing Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activation in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. An Exploratory Randomized, Single-Blinded Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zilverstand, Anna; Sorger, Bettina; Slaats-Willemse, Dorine; Kan, Cornelis C; Goebel, Rainer; Buitelaar, Jan K

2017-01-01

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by poor cognitive control/attention and hypofunctioning of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). In the current study, we investigated for the first time whether real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI) training targeted at increasing activation levels within dACC in adults with ADHD leads to a reduction of clinical symptoms and improved cognitive functioning. An exploratory randomized controlled treatment study with blinding of the participants was conducted. Participants with ADHD (n = 7 in the neurofeedback group, and n = 6 in the control group) attended four weekly MRI training sessions (60-min training time/session), during which they performed a mental calculation task at varying levels of difficulty, in order to learn how to up-regulate dACC activation. Only neurofeedback participants received continuous feedback information on actual brain activation levels within dACC. Before and after the training, ADHD symptoms and relevant cognitive functioning was assessed. Results showed that both groups achieved a significant increase in dACC activation levels over sessions. While there was no significant difference between the neurofeedback and control group in clinical outcome, neurofeedback participants showed stronger improvement on cognitive functioning. The current study demonstrates the general feasibility of the suggested rt-fMRI neurofeedback training approach as a potential novel treatment option for ADHD patients. Due to the study's small sample size, potential clinical benefits need to be further investigated in future studies. ISRCTN12390961.

Alteration history studies in the Exploratory Studies Facility, Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, S.S.; Chipera, S.J.; Norman, D.I.

1996-01-01

By mid-1995, the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) extended about 1. 1 km from Exile Hill westward toward Yucca Mountain, mostly within densely welded, devitrfied Tiva Canyon Tuff. Secondary mineral occurrences in this unit include breccia cements of mordenite, a fibrous zeolite, and vapor-phase deposits of silica, alkali feldspar, apatite, hollandite, amphibole, and zircon. Calcite is also a common secondary mineral in faults and fractures. Studies of water and gas contents in fluid inclusions in calcites from a fault in nonwelded tuff and a fracture in densely welded tuff suggest mineral deposition under transient locally saturated conditions. Calcite in the nonwelded tuff incorporated air from the unsaturated tuff adjacent to the fault. A highly altered interval within pre-Pah Canyon tuffs just above the top of the Topopah Spring Tuff may be a fossil fumarole or other hydrothermal feature associated with cooling pyroclastic deposits, overprinted by later zeolitic alteration. The observed quartz, cristobalite, opal-CT, and fluorite have been widely identified as products of syngenetic devitrification and vapor-phase alteration in and above the Topopah Spring Tuff. Smectite, also an abundant secondary mineral at the ESF site, has been observed elsewhere at this stratigraphic level. Zeolitic alteration of nonwelded tuffs above the Topopah Spring Tuff, as seen in the ESF, has also been noted in drill core and outcrop at northeastern Yucca Mountain. The hydrologic and geochemical conditions that favored zeolitization only in certain areas of this stratigraphic interval have yet to be determined

Non-negative Tensor Factorization for Robust Exploratory Big-Data Analytics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexandrov, Boian [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Vesselinov, Velimir Valentinov [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Djidjev, Hristo Nikolov [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2018-01-17

Currently, large multidimensional datasets are being accumulated in almost every field. Data are: (1) collected by distributed sensor networks in real-time all over the globe, (2) produced by large-scale experimental measurements or engineering activities, (3) generated by high-performance simulations, and (4) gathered by electronic communications and socialnetwork activities, etc. Simultaneous analysis of these ultra-large heterogeneous multidimensional datasets is often critical for scientific discoveries, decision-making, emergency response, and national and global security. The importance of such analyses mandates the development of the next-generation of robust machine learning (ML) methods and tools for bigdata exploratory analysis.

Scale Development and Initial Tests of the Multidimensional Complex Adaptive Leadership Scale for School Principals: An Exploratory Mixed Method Study

Science.gov (United States)

Özen, Hamit; Turan, Selahattin

2017-01-01

This study was designed to develop the scale of the Complex Adaptive Leadership for School Principals (CAL-SP) and examine its psychometric properties. This was an exploratory mixed method research design (ES-MMD). Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to develop and assess psychometric properties of the questionnaire. This study…

Drug use in business bathrooms: An exploratory study of manager encounters in New York City

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfson-Stofko, Brett; Bennett, Alex S.; Elliott, Luther; Curtis, Ric

2017-01-01

Background Though public bathroom drug injection has been documented from the perspective of people who inject drugs, no research has explored the experiences of the business managers who oversee their business bathrooms and respond to drug use. These managers, by default, are first-responders in the event of a drug overdose and thus of intrinsic interest during the current epidemic of opioid-related overdoses in the United States. This exploratory study assists in elucidating the experiences that New York City business managers have with people who inject drugs, their paraphernalia, and their overdoses. Methods A survey instrument was designed to collect data on manager encounters with drug use occurring in their business bathrooms. Recruitment was guided by convenience and purposive approaches. Results More than half of managers interviewed (58%, n = 50/86) encountered drug use in their business bathrooms, more than a third (34%) of these managers also found syringes, and the vast majority (90%) of managers had received no overdose recognition or naloxone training. Seven managers encountered unresponsive individuals who required emergency assistance. Conclusion The results from this study underscore the need for additional research on the experiences that community stakeholders have with public injection as well as educational outreach efforts among business managers. This research also suggests that there is need for a national dialogue about potential interventions, including expanded overdose recognition and naloxone training and supervised injection facilities (SIF)/drug consumption rooms (DCR), that could reduce public injection and its associated health risks. PMID:27768996

Results from an exploratory study to identify the factors that contribute to success for UK medical device small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Science.gov (United States)

Hourd, P C; Williams, D J

2008-07-01

This paper reports the results from an exploratory study that sets out to identify and compare the strategic approaches and patterns of business practice employed by 14 UK small- and medium-sized enterprises to achieve success in the medical device sector of the health-care industry. An interview-based survey was used to construct individual case studies of the medical device technology (MDT) companies. A cross-case analysis was performed to search for patterns and themes that cut across these individual cases. Exploratory results revealed the heterogeneity of MDT companies and the distinctive features of the MDT innovation process that emphasize the importance of a strategic approach for achieving milestones in the product development and exploitation process and for creating value for the company and its stakeholders. Recognizing the heterogeneity of MDT companies, these exploratory findings call for further investigation to understand better the influence of components of the MDT innovation process on the commercialization life cycle and value trajectory. This is required to assist start-up or spin-out MDT companies in the UK and worldwide to navigate the critical transitions that determine access to financial and consumer markets and enhance the potential to build a successful business. This will be important not only for bioscience-based companies but also for engineering-based companies aiming to convert their activities into medical devices and the health- and social-care market.

An Exploratory Study Investigating the Impact of a Differentiate Framework of Instruction on Generalist Teachers Perceived Confidence to Teach Visual Arts

Science.gov (United States)

Eddles-Hirsch, Katrina

2017-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study that addressed the low confidence levels of 80 generalist primary student teachers enrolled in a mandatory visual arts course. Previous studies in this area have found that a cycle of neglect exists in Australia, as a result of educators' lack of confidence in their ability to teach visual arts. This is…

Charting the expansion of strategic exploratory behavior during adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Somerville, Leah H; Sasse, Stephanie F; Garrad, Megan C; Drysdale, Andrew T; Abi Akar, Nadine; Insel, Catherine; Wilson, Robert C

2017-02-01

Although models of exploratory decision making implicate a suite of strategies that guide the pursuit of information, the developmental emergence of these strategies remains poorly understood. This study takes an interdisciplinary perspective, merging computational decision making and developmental approaches to characterize age-related shifts in exploratory strategy from adolescence to young adulthood. Participants were 149 12-28-year-olds who completed a computational explore-exploit paradigm that manipulated reward value, information value, and decision horizon (i.e., the utility that information holds for future choices). Strategic directed exploration, defined as information seeking selective for long time horizons, emerged during adolescence and maintained its level through early adulthood. This age difference was partially driven by adolescents valuing immediate reward over new information. Strategic random exploration, defined as stochastic choice behavior selective for long time horizons, was invoked at comparable levels over the age range, and predicted individual differences in attitudes toward risk taking in daily life within the adolescent portion of the sample. Collectively, these findings reveal an expansion of the diversity of strategic exploration over development, implicate distinct mechanisms for directed and random exploratory strategies, and suggest novel mechanisms for adolescent-typical shifts in decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Competing with the use of business model innovation : an exploratory case study of the journey of born global firms

OpenAIRE

Johansson, Marlene; Abrahamsson, Jan

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate how business models are used by born global firms to act upon new business opportunities and how they manage business model innovation over time to prosper and grow. Design/Methodology: The study is based on three exploratory case studies of born global firms in mobile communication, financial services and digital music distribution. Findings: Three interrelated capabilities to manage business model innovation are articulated in...

Advertising and the medical profession: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Boshoff

1992-06-01

Full Text Available Practitioners in the legal, accounting, architectural, and medical professions are showing an increasing interest in marketing - particularly in advertising. Some professions such as accounting have already reached finality on whether advertising should be permitted. The medical profession has not given this matter any serious thought and this exploratory study aims to provide some early guidelines by analysing the perceptions of medical practitioners and in particular, the possible implications of lifting advertising restrictions. The empirical results indicate that physicians realise that patients often do not have adequate information at their disposal before choosing the practitioner of their choice. They do not seem to believe, however, that advertising is a means of overcoming this problem. Specifically, older and more experienced physicians feel that advertising will benefit neither the profession nor the public. It is surmised that the status quo will be maintained for the short and medium term. Opsomming Lede van die regs-, rekenkundige-, argiteks- en mediese professies toon toenemend belangstelling in bemarkingspraktyke - veral ten opsigte van reklame. Sommige professies soos die rekenkundiges, het reeds die vraagstuk van beperkings op reklame bevredigend aangespreek. Die mediese beroep het die aangeleentheid nog nie ondersoek nie en die verkennende studie is 'n poging om tentatiewe riglyne in die verband vas te lê. Die primere doelwit was om te bepaal wat mediese praktisyns se persepsies ten opsigte van die moontlike gevolge van reklame deur die mediese beroep is. Die empiriese resultate dui daarop dat medici besef dat pasiente dikwels nie oor voldoende inligting beskik om 'n optimale keuse van 'n geneesheer te maak nie. Tog word daar nie geglo dat reklame die probleem sal kan opios nie. Ouer en meer ervare geneeshere is veral gekant teen die opheffing van die beperking op reklamepraktyke. Daar kan dus verwag word dat die beperkings

Best practices in road transport: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mar Fernández Vázquez-Noguerol

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Road transport aspects are becoming increasingly important due to their high impact on economic, environmental and social sustainability. Considering the triple bottom line approach, best practices play a fundamental role within organisations. The purpose of this paper is to analyse several sustainable initiatives in road transport adopted by companies. Design/methodology/approach: The findings were developed and evaluated based on empirical data captured through a survey of 98 professionals involved in logistics and transport activities. Additionally, key literature on transport initiatives was reviewed to supplement the framework for the implementation of best practices in road transport. Findings: The exploratory study shows the importance of each best practice and determines the level of implementation of each initiative, comparing the results among different dealers (retailers, wholesalers, carriers and manufacturers, type of transport fleet and companies’ revenues. Research limitations/implications: The sample of 98 companies was based on simple search filters and the group is not wholly representative of all sectors. Respondents were mainly managers from Spain involved in logistics and transport activities. Surveyed companies included manufacturing, retailers, wholesalers and third-party logistics providers. Practical implications: The most common best practices in road transport are identified, including initiatives related to: efficiency, reusability, safety, optimization, emissions, waste and recycling. Initiatives that influence road transport are ranked by their degree of implementation in the companies analysed.  Social implications: Implementation of some of these best practices may help lessen negative impacts of road transport on society and the environment. Originality/value: The study results indicate which practices are most frequently used and their level of implementation depending on companies’ roles in the

Delivering Digital Drugs: An Exploratory Study of the Digitalisation of Supply and Use of Medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornford, Tony; Lichtner, Valentina; Dickson, Jane; Hibberd, Ralph; Klecun, Ela; Venters, Will; Franklin, Bryony Dean

2017-01-01

Medicines' supply and use is incresingly reliant on digital means and information. This poster presents exploratory research over five episodes of digitalisation of medicines across the supply network. We 'follow the drug' through this emerging field, providing an initial map of this new territory.

Exploratory Manipulation and Play in the Human Infant

Science.gov (United States)

McCall, Robert B.

1974-01-01

Reports a series of studies conducted to investigate possible differences in the exploratory manipulation and play behavior of human infants 7-1/2- 11-1/2 months of age as a function of the attributes of the stimulus, the familiarity of the subject with the stimuli, the age and sex of the infants, and individual differences. (Author/CS)

Managing exploratory innovation

OpenAIRE

Charue-Duboc , Florence; Aggeri , Franck; Chanal , Valérie; Garel , Gilles

2010-01-01

Although the concept of exploration has been widely used in management research since James March's seminal article, the literature on exploration remains rather fuzzy. The question of exploration is dominated by the literature on ambidexterity but this research actually says little about concretely managing exploratory innovation itself, although this appears to be a central concern of most industrial firms today. Based on a material (twenty presentations made in a research seminar the autho...

Associations Between Dehydration, Cognitive Impairment, and Frailty in Older Hospitalized Patients: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

McCrow, Judy; Morton, Margaret; Travers, Catherine; Harvey, Keren; Eeles, Eamonn

2016-05-01

patients. 2. Identify risk and management strategies related to dehydration in older hospitalized patients. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the author have any conflicts of interest to disclose. The current exploratory study (a) assessed the prevalence of dehydration in older adults (age ≤60 years) with and without cognitive impairment (CI) admitted to the hospital; and (b) examined associations between dehydration, CI, and frailty. Forty-four patients participated and dehydration was assessed within 24 hours of admission and at Day 4 or discharge (whichever occurred first). Patients' cognitive function and frailty statuses were assessed using validated instruments. Twenty-seven (61%) patients had CI and 61% were frail. Prevalence of dehydration at admission was 29% (n = 12) and 19% (n = 6) at study exit, and dehydration status did not differ according to CI or frailty status. However, within the non-CI group, significantly more frail than fit patients were dehydrated at admission (p = 0.03). Findings indicate dehydration is common among older hospitalized patients and that frailty may increase the risk for dehydration in cognitively intact older adults. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(5), 19-27.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-03

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

Technical Objects between Categorisation and Learning: An Exploratory Case Study in French Middle School

Science.gov (United States)

Impedovo, M. A.; Andreucci, C.; Delserieys-Pedregosa, A.; Coiffard, C.; Ginestié, J.

2015-01-01

In this article we present exploratory research carried out in order to understand how students (from 12 to 14 years old) relate to technical objects. It uses technical objects that are part of everyday life and mediated reality. A questionnaire was administered to 57 students in French classes. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: 1)…

Observational infant exploratory [14C]-paracetamol pharmacokinetic microdose/therapeutic dose study with accelerator mass spectrometry bioanalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Garner, Colin R; Park, Kevin B; French, Neil S; Earnshaw, Caroline; Schipani, Alessandro; Selby, Andrew M; Byrne, Lindsay; Siner, Sarah; Crawley, Francis P; Vaes, Wouter H J; van Duijn, Esther; deLigt, Rianne; Varendi, Heili; Lass, Jane; Grynkiewicz, Grzegorz; Maruszak, Wioletta; Turner, Mark A

2015-01-01

Aims The aims of the study were to compare [14C]-paracetamol ([14C]-PARA) paediatric pharmacokinetics (PK) after administration mixed in a therapeutic dose or an isolated microdose and to develop further and validate accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) bioanalysis in the 0–2 year old age group. Methods [14C]-PARA concentrations in 10–15 µl plasma samples were measured after enteral or i.v. administration of a single [14C]-PARA microdose or mixed in with therapeutic dose in infants receiving PARA as part of their therapeutic regimen. Results Thirty-four infants were included in the PARA PK analysis for this study: oral microdose (n = 4), i.v. microdose (n = 6), oral therapeutic (n = 6) and i.v. therapeutic (n = 18). The respective mean clearance (CL) values (SDs in parentheses) for these dosed groups were 1.46 (1.00) l h–1, 1.76 (1.07) l h–1, 2.93 (2.08) l h–1 and 2.72 (3.10) l h–1, t1/2 values 2.65 h, 2.55 h, 8.36 h and 7.16 h and dose normalized AUC(0-t) (mg l–1 h) values were 0.90 (0.43), 0.84 (0.57), 0.7 (0.79) and 0.54 (0.26). Conclusions All necessary ethical, scientific, clinical and regulatory procedures were put in place to conduct PK studies using enteral and systemic microdosing in two European centres. The pharmacokinetics of a therapeutic dose (mg kg–1) and a microdose (ng kg–1) in babies between 35 to 127 weeks post-menstrual age. [14C]-PARA pharmacokinetic parameters were within a two-fold range after a therapeutic dose or a microdose. Exploratory studies using doses significantly less than therapeutic doses may offer ethical and safety advantages with increased bionalytical sensitivity in selected exploratory paediatric pharmacokinetic studies. PMID:25619398

Observational infant exploratory [(14)C]-paracetamol pharmacokinetic microdose/therapeutic dose study with accelerator mass spectrometry bioanalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Garner, Colin R; Park, Kevin B; French, Neil S; Earnshaw, Caroline; Schipani, Alessandro; Selby, Andrew M; Byrne, Lindsay; Siner, Sarah; Crawley, Francis P; Vaes, Wouter H J; van Duijn, Esther; deLigt, Rianne; Varendi, Heili; Lass, Jane; Grynkiewicz, Grzegorz; Maruszak, Wioletta; Turner, Mark A

2015-07-01

The aims of the study were to compare [(14)C]-paracetamol ([(14)C]-PARA) paediatric pharmacokinetics (PK) after administration mixed in a therapeutic dose or an isolated microdose and to develop further and validate accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) bioanalysis in the 0-2 year old age group. [(14)C]-PARA concentrations in 10-15 µl plasma samples were measured after enteral or i.v. administration of a single [(14)C]-PARA microdose or mixed in with therapeutic dose in infants receiving PARA as part of their therapeutic regimen. Thirty-four infants were included in the PARA PK analysis for this study: oral microdose (n = 4), i.v. microdose (n = 6), oral therapeutic (n = 6) and i.v. therapeutic (n = 18). The respective mean clearance (CL) values (SDs in parentheses) for these dosed groups were 1.46 (1.00) l h(-1), 1.76 (1.07) l h(-1), 2.93 (2.08) l h(-1) and 2.72 (3.10) l h(-1), t(1/2) values 2.65 h, 2.55 h, 8.36 h and 7.16 h and dose normalized AUC(0-t) (mg l(-1) h) values were 0.90 (0.43), 0.84 (0.57), 0.7 (0.79) and 0.54 (0.26). All necessary ethical, scientific, clinical and regulatory procedures were put in place to conduct PK studies using enteral and systemic microdosing in two European centres. The pharmacokinetics of a therapeutic dose (mg kg(-1)) and a microdose (ng kg(-1)) in babies between 35 to 127 weeks post-menstrual age. [(14)C]-PARA pharmacokinetic parameters were within a two-fold range after a therapeutic dose or a microdose. Exploratory studies using doses significantly less than therapeutic doses may offer ethical and safety advantages with increased bionalytical sensitivity in selected exploratory paediatric pharmacokinetic studies. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Effects of Type of Exploratory Strategy and Prior Knowledge on Middle School Students' Learning of Chemical Formulas from a 3D Role-Playing Game

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ming-Puu; Wong, Yu-Ting; Wang, Li-Chun

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the type of exploratory strategy and level of prior knowledge on middle school students' performance and motivation in learning chemical formulas via a 3D role-playing game (RPG). Two types of exploratory strategies-RPG exploratory with worked-example and RPG exploratory without…

Views of child sexual abuse in two cultural communities: an exploratory study among African Americans and Latinos.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontes, L A; Cruz, M; Tabachnick, J

2001-05-01

This exploratory study investigates knowledge and ideas about child sexual abuse among African Americans and Latinos through focus group discussions. Participants defined and described child sexual abuse, acknowledged that it occurred in their communities, and expressed their sense that family risk factors, risky institutions, and offender propensities were its root causes. Latino participants identified cultural transitions as another contributor. Responses and conversational style differed somewhat by gender and cultural identity. The authors discuss implications for child sexual abuse prevention, intervention, and research.

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicine and radiation biophysics.

Mortality related to novel psychoactive substances in Scotland, 2012: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuley, Andrew; Hecht, Garry; Barnsdale, Lee; Thomson, Catherine S; Graham, Lesley; Priyadarshi, Saket; Robertson, J Roy

2015-05-01

The growth of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) over the last decade, both in terms of availability and consumption, is of increasing public health concern. Despite recent increases in related mortality, the circumstances surrounding and characteristics of individuals involved in NPS deaths at a population level remain relatively unknown. The Scottish National Drug Related Death Database (NDRDD) collects a wide-range of data relating to the nature and circumstances of individuals who have died a drug-related death (DRD). We conducted exploratory descriptive analysis of DRDs involving NPS recorded by the NDRDD in 2012. Statistical testing of differences between sub-groups was also conducted where appropriate. In 2012, we found 36 DRDs in Scotland to have NPS recorded within post-mortem toxicology. However, in only 23 of these cases were NPS deemed by the reporting pathologist to be implicated in the actual cause of death. The majority of NPS-implicated DRDs involved Benzodiazepine-type drugs (13), mainly Phenazepam (12). The remaining 10 NPS-implicated deaths featured a range of different Stimulant-type drugs. The majority of these NPS-implicated deaths involved males and consumption of more than one drug was recorded by toxicology in all except one case. NPS-implicated deaths involving Benzodiazepine-type NPS drugs appeared to involve older individuals known to be using drugs for a considerable period of time, many of whom had been in prison at some point in their lives. They also typically involved combinations of opioids and benzodiazepines; no stimulant drugs were co-implicated. Deaths where stimulant-type NPS drugs were implicated appeared to be a younger group in comparison, all consuming two or more Stimulant-type drugs in combination. This exploratory study provides an important insight into the circumstances surrounding and characteristics of individuals involved in NPS deaths at a population level. It identifies important issues for policy and practice

Factors defining the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives: An exploratory quantitative research study in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hishinuma, Yuri; Horiuchi, Shigeko; Yanai, Haruo

2016-01-01

Clinical education is an extremely important process in cultivating healthcare professionals, and the quality of educators has a major impact on the quality of future practitioners. Although practicing clinical midwives contribute to the education of pre-registered midwives and those qualified within the past year (new midwives), the factors defining the educational competencies of clinical midwives have not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that define the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives involved in educating new midwives. An exploratory quantitative research study. Questionnaires were distributed to 694 midwives who had previously conducted educational activities with new midwives at the 63 facilities whose administrator or nurse manager in charge of all staff, including midwives, consented to participate. Of the 694 midwives, 464 (66.9%) returned the questionnaire and 451 (65.1%) valid responses were analyzed. Exploratory factor analyses were performed on the following three concepts: [competency as a professional], [competency as an educator], and [personal characteristics]. [Competency as a professional] consisted of two factors: and ; [competency as an educator] consisted of four factors: , , and ; and [personal characteristics consisted of three factors: exercising leadership> , and . These three concepts were defined by a total of nine sub-concepts (factors), and 41 items were extracted with a reliability coefficient (Cronbach's α) of 0.944 CONCLUSIONS: "Mentoring competencies of clinical midwives (MCCM)" are defined by three concepts and nine sub-concepts, which can be evaluated by 41 items regarding the behavior, thoughts, and characteristics that clinical midwives exhibit when they educate new midwives in clinical settings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An economic and financial exploratory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.H.; Kirman, A.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic

Health risks of employees working in pesticide retail shops: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kesavachandran, C; Pathak, M K; Fareed, M; Bihari, V; Mathur, N; Srivastava, A K

2009-12-01

Shop keepers dealing with pesticides are exposed to multiple pesticides that include organophosphates, organochlorines, carbamates, pyrethroids. Hence an exploratory health study was conducted on shopkeepers selling pesticides in urban areas of Lucknow and Barabanki District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Detailed information regarding socio-economic status, family history, personal habits and work practices were recorded for 20 subjects and controls by the investigator on a pre-tested questionnaire. Clinical examination including neurological studies of the shopkeepers and control subjects was done. The study revealed significant slowing of motor nerve conduction velocity and low peak expiratory flow rate among shopkeepers as compared to control subjects. Prevalence of significantly higher gastro-intestinal problems was also observed among exposed subjects. Neurological, ocular, cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal symptoms were also found to be higher among shopkeepers. This was not statistically significant. Significantly higher relative risk for sickness related to systems viz., cardio-vasular, genito-urinary, respiratory, nervous and dermal was observed among exposed subjects compared to controls. These findings provide a prima facie evidence of clinical manifestations because of multiple exposures to pesticides and poor safety culture at work place.

The role of the charge nurse manager: a descriptive exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

McCallin, A M; Frankson, C

2010-04-01

To explore the charge nurse manager role. Management in nursing is increasingly challenging. Restructuring of organizations has had an impact on the scope of the charge nurse manager role that has expanded so that managers are now expected to be leaders. If role preparation is inadequate, potential for role confusion and role stress increases, undermining role effectiveness in this key senior nursing position. This descriptive exploratory study investigated the experiences of charge nurse managers. Twelve nurse managers from an acute care hospital in New Zealand were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically. Three themes, role ambiguity, business management deficit and role overload emerged. It was evident that charge nurse managers were appointed into a management role with clinical expertise but without management skills. Findings suggest that role preparation should include postgraduate education and business management training. Role induction requires a formal organizational management trainee programme and ongoing supportive clinical supervision. New approaches to charge nurse manager role development are needed. Organizations must provide formal structural support to facilitate management development. The profession needs to promote succession planning that would reduce these longstanding problems.

Learning morphological phenomena of Modern Greek an exploratory approach

OpenAIRE

Kotsanis, Y.; Dimitrios, A. Kokkinos; Manousopoulou, A.G.; Papakonstantinou, G.

1996-01-01

Educational technology is influenced by and closely related to the fields of generative epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and the learning sciences. Relevant research literature refers to the term constructionism (Papert, 1993) and exploratory learning (diSessa et al, 1995). Constructionism and exploratory learning are a synthesis of the constructivist theory of Piaget and the opportunities offered by technology to education on thinking concretely, on learning while constructing intellig...

A comparison between nailfold capillaroscopy patterns in adulthood in juvenile and adult-onset systemic sclerosis: A EUSTAR exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingegnoli, Francesca; Boracchi, Patrizia; Gualtierotti, Roberta; Smith, Vanessa; Cutolo, Maurizio; Foeldvari, Ivan

2015-11-01

Qualitative capillaroscopy patterns in juvenile- and adult-onset systemic sclerosis (SSc) were studied in adulthood using data from the EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database. Data collected between June 2004 and April 2013 were examined with focus on capillaroscopy. In this retrospective exploratory study, series of patients with juvenile-onset SSc were matched with series of adult-onset SSc having the same gender and autoantibody profile. 30 of 123 patients with juvenile-onset and 2108 of 7133 with adult-onset SSc had data on capillaroscopy. Juvenile-onset SSc showed scleroderma pattern more frequently than adult-onset SSc (93.3% and 88%). The OR was 2.44 and 95% CI 0.57-10.41. An active scleroderma pattern was present in 58% of juvenile- and 61% of adult-onset SSc. The OR was 0.91 and 95% CI 0.28-2.93. The late scleroderma pattern was present in 61% of juvenile- and 55.5% of adult-onset SSc. The OR was 1.06 and 95% CI 0.34-3.56. This is the first exploratory study on the comparison of capillaroscopy between juvenile- and adult-onset SSc in adulthood. Juvenile-onset SSc had an increase prevalence of scleroderma pattern, but a similar distribution of the three patterns was suggested. Further studies are needed to define this issue. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Film-induced Tourism in Finland : Its Current State and Opportunities

OpenAIRE

Anul, Kezban

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper was to evaluate the current state of film-induced tourism in Finland and to create suggestions for further development in the context of international markets. To the knowledge of the author, a comprehensive study about film-induced tourism in Finland has not been undertaken yet. Therefore, the thesis was designed in the form of an exploratory research with the aim to deliver some initial insights and key issues for the broad topic. The paper starts with a general ...

Monster in My Closet: An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Parent-Child Co-Sleeping and Nighttime Fears of Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, I. Joyce; Pettit, Rebecca W.; Kennedy, Gregory

2004-01-01

Children's nighttime fears, such as monsters in the closet, have been a common issue for the American. In children's cognitive development, vivid imagination has been recognized as a cause of fear, but not all children around the globe share this common experience. This qualitative, exploratory study examined the relationship between parent-child…

Why does positive mental health buffer against psychopathology? : An exploratory study on self compassion as a resilience mechanism and adaptive emotion regulation strategy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trompetter, H.R.; De Kleine, E.; Bohlmeijer, E.T.

2017-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that positive mental health or wellbeing protects against psychopathology. How and why those who flourish derive these resilient outcomes is, however, unknown. This exploratory study investigated if self-compassion, as it continuously provides a friendly, accepting and

Exploratory study of a crisis commander’s perspectives on the role and value of public relations in crisis management

OpenAIRE

Mat Tazin Saidathul Nizah; Kaur Kiranjit

2017-01-01

This is an exploratory study into understanding the dominant coalition perspectives on role and values of public relations in crisis management in an energy company in Malaysia. In this study, the senior public relations of the energy company reports directly to the crisis commander (CC) in times of crisis thus, the CC was chosen as a sample where an in-depth interview was conducted. Notably, the CC perceptions represents the dominant coalition with the power to shape organisation policies an...

Perspectives on leadership in organizations providing services to people with disabilities: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Laura Thompson; Fong, Lisa; Waninger, Kendra N; Eidelman, Steven

2009-10-01

As leaders from the Baby Boomer generation prepare for retirement over the next decade, emerging leaders must be identified and supported in anticipation of a major organizational transition. Authentic leadership is a construct that informs the development of values-driven leaders who will bring organizations into the future, just as the previous generation of leaders oversaw the movement of services away from state institutions and into networks of community-based service delivery organizations. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine executive and emerging leaders' opinions about the unique leadership values, skills, and challenges in organizations that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Themes of defining, developing, and sustaining leaders emerged from the data and are explored through an authentic leadership framework.

Ignition potential of muzzle-loading firearms: An exploratory investigation

Science.gov (United States)

David V. Haston; Mark A. Finney; Andy Horcher; Philip A. Yates; Kahlil Detrich

2009-01-01

The National Technology and Development Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, was asked to conduct an exploratory study on the ignition potential of muzzle-loading firearms. The five independent variables investigated include projectile type, powder type, powder load, patch thickness, and patch lubricant treatment. Indoor testing was performed...

Perceptions of contraceptive responsibility among female college students: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner Huber, Larissa R; Ersek, Jennifer L

2011-03-01

An important, although understudied, area related to contraceptive use is perceptions of contraceptive responsibility. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate these perceptions among female college students. Web-based or mailed questionnaires were completed by 326 students from 2006-2007. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to model the associations between select demographic and lifestyle characteristics and contraceptive responsibility (shared vs. individual responsibility). Although 89.1% of women felt that contraceptive responsibility should be shared, only 51.8% indicated that responsibility is actually shared in their relationships. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, and year of study, women using "other" methods of contraception (i.e. withdrawal, rhythm, sterilization, etc.) had 3.25 times the odds of stating that contraceptive responsibility is actually shared as compared to hormonal users (95% CI: 1.20, 8.80). For college women, there is a disconnect between who they feel should be responsible for contraception and who actually is responsible. Insight into perceptions of contraceptive responsibility in the university setting may help guide health educators and clinicians in designing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention programming. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High School Students’ Perceptions of Motivations for Cyberbullying: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cutts, Hayley

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Internet usage has increased in recent years resulting in a growing number of documented reports of cyberbullying. Despite the rise in cyberbullying incidents, there is a dearth of research regarding high school students’ motivations for cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students' perceptions of the motivations for cyberbullying.Method: We undertook an exploratory qualitative study with 20 high school students, conducting individual interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were analyzed using Grounded Theory.Results: The developed coding hierarchy provides a framework to conceptualize motivations, which can be used to facilitate future research about motivations and to develop preventive interventions designed to thwart the negative effects of cyberbullying. The findings revealed that high school students more often identified internally motivated reasons for cyberbullying (e.g., redirect feelings than externally motivated (no consequences, non-confrontational, target was different.Conclusion: Uncovering the motivations for cyberbullying should promote greater understanding of this phenomenon and potentially reduce the interpersonal violence that can result from it. By providing a framework that begins to clarify the internal and external factors motivating the behavior, there is enhanced potential to develop effective preventive interventions to prevent cyberbullying and its negative effects. [West J Emerg Med. 2010; 11(3: 270-274.

An exploratory risk perception study of attitudes toward homeland security systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanquist, Thomas F; Mahy, Heidi; Morris, Frederic

2008-08-01

Understanding the issues surrounding public acceptance of homeland security systems is important for balancing security needs and potential civil liberties infringements. A psychometric survey was used in an exploratory study of attitudes regarding homeland security systems. Psychometric rating data were obtained from 182 respondents on psychological attributes associated with 12 distinct types of homeland security systems. An inverse relationship was observed for the overall rating attributes of acceptability and risk of civil liberties infringement. Principal components analysis (PCA) yielded a two-factor solution with the rating scale loading pattern suggesting factors of perceived effectiveness and perceived intrusiveness. These factors also showed an inverse relationship. The 12 different homeland security systems showed significantly different scores on the rating scales and PCA factors. Of the 12 systems studied, airport screening, canine detectors, and radiation monitoring at borders were found to be the most acceptable, while email monitoring, data mining, and global positioning satellite (GPS) tracking were found to be least acceptable. Students rated several systems as more effective than professionals, but the overall pattern of results for both types of subjects was similar. The data suggest that risk perception research and the psychometric paradigm are useful approaches for quantifying attitudes regarding homeland security systems and policies and can be used to anticipate potentially significant public acceptance issues.

An Exploratory Analysis of Job and Life Satisfaction among Entrepreneurs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Paul R.; DeCarlo, James F.

An exploratory study examined the job and life satisfaction of a sample of 32 female entrepreneurs residing in the tri-state area of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To compare the entrepreneurs' concepts of life and job satisfaction to those of women in more traditional occupations, researchers also studied a sample of 32 female nursing…

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R ampersand D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R ampersand D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicine and radiation biophysics

An exploratory study on attitudes toward inclusive education in Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Martz, Erin

2005-06-01

This exploratory study examined the attitudes toward inclusive education among Russian teachers, administrators and parents of students with and without disabilities (n=176). The results indicated that while there were no significant differences among teachers, administrators and parents of students with and without disabilities on overall attitudes toward inclusive education, there were significant differences in perspectives about the possible time-frame for implementing inclusive education. Generally speaking, school administrators and teachers tended to express the belief that inclusive education could be a reality even today, though many of this group thought that it might be a question of the near future or undefined future. Both groups of parents tended to think that inclusive education could occur in an undefined future. There were significant differences among the three groups about perceptions of responsibility for implementing inclusive education. Administrators, teachers and parents of students with disabilities viewed it as a responsibility of the school, while parents of students without disabilities viewed it as the government's duty. Further, the majority of respondents reported the lack of necessary conditions in schools and the lack of government policies and finances as the main barriers to inclusive education. These findings suggest two areas of intervention to promote the implementation of inclusive education in Russia: physical accessibility of schools and government support.

Role of high-level project professionals' perceptions on quality processes in directing the investigation of causes of premature pavement distresses: An exploratory study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mgangira, Martin B

2016-07-01

Full Text Available of errors that may have occurred during the project design and/or execution. This paper discusses an exploratory study to examine the extent to which stakeholder perception on the practices adopted during the execution of the project can direct...

Values in nursing students and professionals: An exploratory comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez-López, F Rosa; Roales-Nieto, Jesus Gil; Seco, Guillermo Vallejo; Preciado, Juan

2016-02-01

Many studies have explored personal values in nursing, but none has assessed whether the predictions made by the theory of intergenerational value change are true for the different generations of nursing professionals and students. This theory predicts a shift in those personal values held by younger generations towards ones focussed on self-expression. The purpose of the study was to identify intergenerational differences in personal values among nursing professionals and nursing students and to determine whether generational value profiles fit the predictions made by the theory. An exploratory comparative design with a cross-sectional survey method was used. Participants were recruited from four public hospitals and 10 Primary Care Centres in medium-size cities in Spain. A sample of 589 nurses and 2295 nursing students participated in the study. An open survey method was used to collect data that were classified grouping reported values into categories following a method of value lexicon construction and analysed by contingency tables with Pearson's χ (2) and standardized residuals. Approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Deans of the nursing schools and the Directors of Nursing of the institutions. Anonymity was guaranteed, participation was voluntary and participants were informed of the purpose of the study. The results can be synthesized in two age-related trends in the reporting of values among three groups of participants. First, among younger nurses and students, some nursing core values (e.g. ethical and professional) decreased in importance, while other values centred on social relationships and personal well-being increased. This study shows intergenerational change in personal values among both nursing students and young nursing professionals. Findings suggest the need to pay more attention to value training and professional socialization during the schooling period. © The Author(s) 2014.

Groundwater-surface water relations in the Fox River watershed: insights from exploratory studies in Illinois and Wisconsin

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Patrick C.

2014-01-01

Exploratory studies were conducted at sites bordering the Fox River in Waukesha, Wisconsin, during 2010 and McHenry, Illinois, during 2011–13. The objectives of the studies were to assess strategies for the study of and insights into the potential for directly connected groundwater and surface-water systems with natural groundwater discharge to streams diverted and (or) streamflow induced (captured) by nearby production-well withdrawals. Several collection efforts of about 2 weeks or less provided information and data on site geology, groundwater and surface-water levels, hydraulic gradients, water-temperature and stream-seepage patterns, and water chemistry including stables isotopes. Overview information is presented for the Waukesha study, and selected data and preliminary findings are presented for the McHenry study.

Advance provision of emergency contraception to young men: An exploratory study in a clinic setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Garbers, Samantha; Bell, D L; Ogaye, K; Marcell, A V; Westhoff, C L; Rosenthal, S L

2018-04-17

To explore the acceptability of advance provision of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) to young men seeking health care. For this exploratory study in a clinic setting, we approached young men aged 16-35 to participate in a survey eliciting socio-demographics, sexual and contraceptive history, and knowledge about ECPs. We offered young men advance provision of ECPs and compared characteristics of 126 young men who did and did not accept the ECPs. Most (76%) of the participants accepted advance provision and left with an ECP pack, with even higher proportions among males whose sexual histories were suggestive of increased risk of involvement in an unintended pregnancy. This study holds promise to inform scale up of advance provision of ECPs among young men. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The physiology of the normal human breast: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Dixie; Gordon, Eva J; Casano, Ashley; Lahti, Sarah Michelle; Nguyen, Tinh; Preston, Alex; Tondre, Julie; Wu, Kuan; Yanase, Tiffany; Chan, Henry; Chia, David; Esfandiari, Mahtash; Himmel, Tiffany; Love, Susan M

2011-12-01

The physiology of the nonlactating human breast likely plays a key role in factors that contribute to the etiology of breast cancer and other breast conditions. Although there has been extensive research into the physiology of lactation, few reports explore the physiology of the resting mammary gland, including mechanisms by which compounds such as hormones, drugs, and potential carcinogens enter the breast ducts. The purpose of this study was to explore transport of exogenous drugs into ductal fluid in nonlactating women and determine if their concentrations in the fluid are similar to those observed in the breast milk of lactating women. We selected two compounds that have been well characterized during lactation, caffeine and cimetidine. Caffeine passively diffuses into breast milk, but cimetidine is actively transported and concentrated in breast milk. After ingestion of caffeine and cimetidine, 14 nonlactating subjects had blood drawn and underwent ductal lavage at five time points over 12 h to measure drug levels in the fluid and blood. The concentrations of both caffeine and cimetidine in lavage fluid were substantially less than those observed in breast milk. Our results support recent evidence that the cimetidine transporter is not expressed in the nonlactating mammary gland, and highlight intriguing differences in the physiology and molecular transport of the lactating and nonlactating breast. The findings of this exploratory study warrant further exploration into the physiology of the nonlactating mammary gland to elucidate factors involved in disease initiation and progression.

Exploratory Topology Modelling of Form-Active Hybrid Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holden Deleuran, Anders; Pauly, Mark; Tamke, Martin

2016-01-01

The development of novel form-active hybrid structures (FAHS) is impeded by a lack of modelling tools that allow for exploratory topology modelling of shaped assemblies. We present a flexible and real-time computational design modelling pipeline developed for the exploratory modelling of FAHS...... that enables designers and engineers to iteratively construct and manipulate form-active hybrid assembly topology on the fly. The pipeline implements Kangaroo2's projection-based methods for modelling hybrid structures consisting of slender beams and cable networks. A selection of design modelling sketches...

Exploratory Study of the Current Status of the Rights and Welfare of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

The study revealed that there is a robust legislative and policy environment for pursuing ... Ghana are still threatened by early and forced marriages, deficit in political ..... international women‟s organizations since the ..... revised version to Parliament for consideration to ..... Also in theory the cost of pregnancy and delivery.

Theta Burst Stimulation Enhances Connectivity of the Dorsal Attention Network in Young Healthy Subjects: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lubomira Anderkova

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We examined effects of theta burst stimulation (TBS applied over two distinct cortical areas (the right inferior frontal gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule on the Stroop task performance in 20 young healthy subjects. Neural underpinnings of the behavioral effect were tested using fMRI. A single session of intermittent TBS of the left superior parietal lobule induced certain cognitive speed enhancement and significantly increased resting-state connectivity of the dorsal attention network. This is an exploratory study that prompts further research with multiple-session TBS in subjects with cognitive impairment.

Online revenue models in the media sector : an exploratory study on their success factors and adoption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stienstra, Martin R.; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Boerrigter, Thomas

2010-01-01

Especially for companies in the media sector such as publishers, the Internet has created new strategic and commercial opportunities. However, many companies in the media sector are struggling with how to adapt their business and revenue model for doing profitable business online. This exploratory

"Exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science.

Science.gov (United States)

Schickore, Jutta

2016-02-01

This essay utilizes the concept "exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science. The essay traces the emergence of the historiographical concept "exploratory experimentation" in the late 1990s. The reconstruction of the early discussions about exploratory experimentation shows that the introduction of the concept had unintended consequences: Initially designed to debunk philosophical ideas about theory testing, the concept "exploratory experimentation" quickly exposed the poverty of our conceptual tools for the analysis of experimental practice. Looking back at a number of detailed analyses of experimental research, we can now appreciate that the concept of exploratory experimentation is too vague and too elusive to fill the desideratum whose existence it revealed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of novelty-reducing preparation on exploratory behavior and cognitive learning in a science museum setting

Science.gov (United States)

Kubota, Carole A.; Olstad, Roger G.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between (a) novelty and exploratory behavior, (b) novelty and cognitive learning, and (c) exploratory behavior and cognitive learning in science museums. Sixty-four sixth-grade public school students participated in a posttest-only control group design. The control group received a treatment designed to decrease the novelty of a field trip setting through a vicarious exposure while the placebo group received an informative but not novelty-reducing treatment. Both groups then visited the field site where they were videotaped. Statistical analyses were conducted on both dependent variables with socioeconomic status and academic achievement as covariates, novelty-reducing preparation as the independent variable, and gender as moderator variable. Exploratory behavior was shown to be positively correlated with cognitive learning. Significant differences were detected for exploratory behavior. For both dependent variables, gender by treatment group interaction was significant with novelty-reducing preparation shown to be highly effective on boys but having no effect on girls.

An exploratory survey of male and female learner opinions on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An exploratory survey was undertaken to determine whether secondary school learners have certain preferences regarding the biology they study at school and whether learners from co-educational and single-sex schools hold the same opinions. A survey schedule comprising two components was developed. The first ...

Time spent studying on a pre-registration nursing programme module: an exploratory study and implications for regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Snelling, Paul C; Lipscomb, Martin; Lockyer, Lesley; Yates, Sue; Young, Pat

2010-11-01

European Union (EU) regulations require that university programmes are of specified duration. Additional EU regulations apply specifically to university based nurse education, enacted in the UK by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). However, little is known about how much time student nurses spend on their studies. In this exploratory study, students undertaking a single module in the pre-registration diploma programme at an English university were asked to keep a log of learning activity for the duration of the module. Twenty-six students completed the log. These students achieved higher grades and attended more lectures than the average for the module. The mean study time was 128.4 h against a regulatory assumption that the module should take 200 h. More than half of the 26 students undertook paid work during the module run, though this work was not associated with poorer performance. Problems in regulation for course duration are discussed and it is suggested that undertaking a 4600 h course in 3 years is problematic. More research is required so that patterns of study can be better understood and student centred programmes meeting regulatory requirements developed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploratory Factor Analysis With Small Samples and Missing Data.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeish, Daniel

2017-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is an extremely popular method for determining the underlying factor structure for a set of variables. Due to its exploratory nature, EFA is notorious for being conducted with small sample sizes, and recent reviews of psychological research have reported that between 40% and 60% of applied studies have 200 or fewer observations. Recent methodological studies have addressed small size requirements for EFA models; however, these models have only considered complete data, which are the exception rather than the rule in psychology. Furthermore, the extant literature on missing data techniques with small samples is scant, and nearly all existing studies focus on topics that are not of primary interest to EFA models. Therefore, this article presents a simulation to assess the performance of various missing data techniques for EFA models with both small samples and missing data. Results show that deletion methods do not extract the proper number of factors and estimate the factor loadings with severe bias, even when data are missing completely at random. Predictive mean matching is the best method overall when considering extracting the correct number of factors and estimating factor loadings without bias, although 2-stage estimation was a close second.

Understanding reasons for asthma outpatient (non)-attendance and exploring the role of telephone and e-consulting in facilitating access to care: exploratory qualitative study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baar, J.D. van; Joosten, H.; Car, J.; Freeman, G.; Partridge, M.R.; Weel, C. van; Sheikh, A.

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To understand factors influencing patients' decisions to attend for outpatient follow up consultations for asthma and to explore patients' attitudes to telephone and email consultations in facilitating access to asthma care. DESIGN: Exploratory qualitative study using in depth interviews.

University Support in the Development of Regional Entrepreneurial Activity: An Exploratory Study from Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Poblete

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The theoretical literature has explored the potential benefits of the interaction between universities and entrepreneurs and there is some empirical evidence that supports the positive impact of entrepreneurship education in the subsequent propensity to become an entrepreneur. The purpose of this paper is study if higher education for entrepreneurship is reflected in entrepreneurship activities at the regional level. Replicating the methodology used by Coduras, Urban, Rojas and Martínez (2008 in Spain, we compare, in an exploratory way, the experience in Chile using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM. The main results indicate that there is low interaction between entrepreneurs and universities and there is not enough impact to significantly affect entrepreneurial activity. Moreover, entrepreneurship education does not increase intentions to be an entrepreneur.

75 FR 48305 - Kaibab National Forest; Arizona; Uranium Exploratory Drilling Project

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-10

... Drilling Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; correction. SUMMARY: This is a correction to a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Uranium Exploratory Drilling... Exploratory Drilling Project, 800 S. 6th St., Williams, AZ 86046. Questions may also be submitted by facsimile...

Continuous Auditory Feedback of Eye Movements: An Exploratory Study toward Improving Oculomotor Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric O. Boyer

2017-04-01

Full Text Available As eye movements are mostly automatic and overtly generated to attain visual goals, individuals have a poor metacognitive knowledge of their own eye movements. We present an exploratory study on the effects of real-time continuous auditory feedback generated by eye movements. We considered both a tracking task and a production task where smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM can be endogenously generated. In particular, we used a visual paradigm which enables to generate and control SPEM in the absence of a moving visual target. We investigated whether real-time auditory feedback of eye movement dynamics might improve learning in both tasks, through a training protocol over 8 days. The results indicate that real-time sonification of eye movements can actually modify the oculomotor behavior, and reinforce intrinsic oculomotor perception. Nevertheless, large inter-individual differences were observed preventing us from reaching a strong conclusion on sensorimotor learning improvements.

An Exploratory Study to Measure Excessive Involvement in Multitasking Interaction with Smart Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yubo; Rau, Pei-Luen Patrick

2016-06-01

This study developed a scale measuring excessive involvement in multitasking interaction with smart devices. An online questionnaire was designed and surveyed in a sample of 380 respondents. The sample was split into two groups for exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. A four-factor structure was identified with an acceptable goodness of fit. The first two factors, "Obsession and neglect" and "Problematic control," described the obsessive feelings, neglect behaviors, and behavior control problems accompanied by excessive multitasking interaction with smart devices. The latter two factors, "Multitasking preference" and "Polychronic orientation," referred to multitaskers' preference of engaging in multiple media use or interaction tasks rather than a single task from the time orientation perspective. The four-factor structure indicates that excessive involvement in multitasking interaction with smart devices shares some similarities with other behavioral addiction types, but demonstrates uniqueness compared with excessive engagement in single media use.

An exploratory study to subtype obese binge eaters by personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Leombruni, Paolo; Rocca, Giuseppe; Fassino, Secondo; Gastaldi, Filippo; Nicotra, Barbara; Siccardi, Sara; Lavagnino, Luca

2014-01-01

Obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) are prevalent conditions that severely affect the quality of life of many people in developed countries, but an effective treatment remains elusive. Personality traits have been studied extensively in this population, leading to different, and at times conflicting, results. Subtyping BED people along these features could add to our knowledge of the disorder. We applied a two-step cluster analysis, followed by bootstrapping validation, to the Temperament and Character Inventory scores of 462 subjects affected by obesity and BED or subthreshold BED. We found two clusters of subjects; however, the categorization in clusters 1 and 2 did not appear to strictly overlap with the distinction between BED and subthreshold BED. The first cluster showed higher harm avoidance and a lower self-directedness. Cluster 1 patients had higher depression, higher eating impulsivity, greater problems with their body image and poorer quality of life than cluster 2 patients. Our results seem to confirm the heterogeneity of the binge eater population and suggest the importance of harm avoidance and self-directedness to subtype these subjects. These results could generate exploratory works regarding personality in obese people with BED to discover more targeted treatments.

Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, David; de Freitas, Sara

2016-01-01

This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex…

The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hyndman, Brendon P.; Pill, Shane

2016-01-01

There has been a paucity of literature investigating the teaching beliefs and intentions of Australian physical education teacher education (PETE) students that enter teacher training. The First-year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) study explores the teaching perspectives of first year PETE students; including teaching…

Exploratory shaft conceptual design report: Gulf Interior Region salt domes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-07-01

This conceptual design report summarizes the conceptualized design for an exploratory shaft facility at a representative site in the Gulf Interior Region of the United States (Louisiana and Mississippi). Conceptualized designs for other possible locations (Paradox Basin in Utah and Permian Basin in Texas) are summarized in separate reports. The purpose of the exploratory shaft facility is to provide access to the reference repository horizon to permit in-situ testing of the salt. The in-situ testing is necessary to verify repository salt design parameters, evaluate isotropy and homoqeneity of the salt, and provide a demonstration of the constructability and confirmation of the design to gain access to the repository. The fundamental purpose of this conceptual design report is to assure the feasibility of the exploratory shaft project and to develop a reliable cost estimate and realistic schedule. Because a site has not been selected and site-specific subsurface data are not available, it has been necessary to make certain assumptions in order to develop a conceptural design for an exploratory shaft facility in salt. As more definitive information becomes available to support the design process, adjustments in the projected schedule and estimated costs will be required

BURNOUT SYNDROME IN SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY FROM A ONE-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH

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Arturo Barraza Macías

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This research aims to: a Specify the descriptive profile Burnout Syndrome who have primary school principal, b Establish the extent to which demographic variables influence the level of burnout syndrome reported by primary school principal, and c determine the relationship between the level of job satisfaction and burnout syndrome reported by primary school principal. The theoretical construction of the research object was based on the approach conceptual one-dimensional and the interactive model explanatory. To achieve the stated objectives,  was performed a study exploratory, correlational, cross and not experimental. For the collection of information was applied Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure of a population of 24 directors of elementary education in the of seven and eight school zones located in the city of Surango. The main results are: 1 .- that primary school managers surveyed present a mild level of burnout, 2 .- that the sociodemographic variables studied did not influence the level and 3 .- the variable job satisfaction have a significant negative correlation with level of burnout syndrome.

SUPPLIES COSTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY WITH APPLICATION OF MEASUREMENT MODEL OF LOGISTICS COSTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Ferreira Alves

2013-12-01

Full Text Available One of the main reasons for the difficulty in adopting an integrated method of calculation of logistics costs is still a lack of adequate information about costs. The management of the supply chain and identify its costs can provide information for their managers, with regard to decision making, generating competitive advantage. Some models of calculating logistics costs are proposed by Uelze (1974, Dias (1996, Goldratt (2002, Christopher (2007, Castiglioni (2009 and Borba & Gibbon (2009, with little disclosure of the results. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the costs of supplies, applying a measurement model of logistics costs. Methodologically, the study characterized as exploratory. The model applied pointed, in original condition, that about R$ 2.5 million were being applied in the process of management of supplies, with replacement costs and storage imbalance. Upgrading the company's data, it is possible obtain a 52% reduction in costs to replace and store supplies. Thus, the cost model applied to logistical supplies showed feasibility of implementation, as well as providing information to assist in management and decision-making in logistics supply.

Learning morphological phenomena of modern Greek an exploratory approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Kotsanis

1996-12-01

Full Text Available Educational technology is influenced by and closely related to the fields of generative epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and the learning sciences. Relevant research literature refers to the term constructionism (Papert, 1993 and exploratory learning (diSessa et al, 1995. Constructionism and exploratory learning are a synthesis of the constructivist theory of Piaget and the opportunities offered by technology to education on thinking concretely, on learning while constructing intelligible entities, and on interacting with multimedia objects, rather than the direct acquisition of knowledge and facts. These views are based on the approach that learners can take substantial control of their own learning in an appropriately designed physical and cultural environment (Harel, 1991. In parallel, most of the studies of the Vygotskian framework focus on the role of language in the learning procedure, considering conceptual thought to be impossible outside an articulated verbal thinking. Moreover, the specific use of words is considered to be the most relevant cause for childhood and adolescent differentiation (Vygotsky, 1962.

Study Protocol - an exploratory trial on health promoting schools at Dutch secondary schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Busch

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Recent studies show adolescent health-related behaviours to co-occur synergistically. This paper describes the study design for an exploratory trial on the effects of a comprehensive, whole-school health promoting school intervention. This intervention tackles seven different behavioural domains simultaneously via a combination of education, creating a healthy environment and introducing healthy behavioural policies. Additionally, extensive partnerships are formed between schools, parents, neighbourhoods and youth health authorities to coordinate health promotion efforts.Study design and data collection methods: The intervention will be implemented at two secondary schools. Results will be compared with two control schools (n≈1500. The intervention's effectiveness in changing student behaviours as well as physical and psychosocial health status along with qualitative lessons learned on the integration of youth health care services and school health education practices are the main aimed outcomes of this study. Data are collected via a mixed methods design combining an annual youth health (behaviour monitor with a qualitative process evaluation via interviews with key stakeholders.Data analysis: A multilevel analysis is performed combined with a systematic analysis of qualitative interview data.Conclusions: This study will produce an evaluation of a comprehensive health promoting school intervention that combines an integrated approach of schools, neighbourhoods, families and youth health services to improve adolescent health.

Investigating the Reading-to-Write Processes and Source Use of L2 Postgraduate Students in Real-Life Academic Tasks: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

McCulloch, Sharon

2013-01-01

Existing studies of source use in academic student writing tend to i), focus more on the writing than the reading end of the reading-to-write continuum and ii), involve the use of insufficiently "naturalistic" writing tasks. Thus, in order to explore the potential of an alternative approach, this paper describes an exploratory case study…

EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS (EFA IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND MARKETING RESEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Pascual Soler

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA is one of the most widely used statistical procedures in social research. The main objective of this work is to describe the most common practices used by researchers in the consumer behavior and marketing area. Through a literature review methodology the practices of AFE in five consumer behavior and marketing journals(2000-2010 were analyzed. Then, the choices made by the researchers concerning factor model, retention criteria, rotation, factors interpretation and other relevant issues to factor analysis were analized. The results suggest that researchers routinely conduct analyses using such questionable methods. Suggestions for improving the use of factor analysis and the reporting of results are presented and a checklist (Exploratory Factor Analysis Checklist, EFAC is provided to help editors, reviewers, and authors improve reporting exploratory factor analysis.

Strategic planning in hospitals in two Australian states: an exploratory study of its practice using planning documentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayasuriya, R; Sim, A B

1998-01-01

Hospitals are under pressure to respond to new challenges and competition. Many hospitals have used strategic planning to respond to these environmental changes. This exploratory study examines the extent of strategic planning in hospitals in two Australian States, New South Wales and Victoria, using a sample survey. Based on planning documentation, the study indicated that 47% of the hospitals surveyed did not have a strategic or business plan. A significant difference was found in the comprehensiveness of the plans between the two States. Plans from Victorian hospitals had more documented evidence of external/internal analysis, competitor orientation and customer orientation compared with plans from New South Wales hospitals. The paper discusses the limitations of the study and directions for future research.

Exploratory Talk in the Early Years: Analysing Exploratory Talk in Collaborative Group Activities Involving Younger Learners

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Patterson, Eira Wyn

2018-01-01

Collaborative group work has the potential for providing rich opportunities for children to learn through talk with peers; however, in practice, little effective engagement in learning is observed within authentic learning contexts. Exploratory talk is associated with high levels of cognitive challenge within collaborative group work. Detailed…

Does First Sex Really "Just Happen?" A Retrospective Exploratory Study of Sexual Debut among American Adolescents

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Lieberman, Lisa D.; Goldfarb, Eva S.; Kwiatkowski, Samantha; Santos, Paul

2017-01-01

First sex marks a significant transition for most adolescents, yet teens often report that it was unplanned. Seventy-four college students participated in exploratory focus groups about their first sex. Although initially asked whether their first sex was spontaneous or planned, many participants revealed evidence of forethought or anticipation,…

Application of Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Evaluate the Academic Motivation Scale

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Guay, Frédéric; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Litalien, David; Valois, Pierre; Vallerand, Robert J.

2015-01-01

In this research, the authors examined the construct validity of scores of the Academic Motivation Scale using exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 1 and Study 2 involved 1,416 college students and 4,498 high school students, respectively. First, results of both studies indicated that the factor structure tested with exploratory…

Sustainability and Risk Disclosure: An Exploratory Study on Sustainability Reports

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Elisa Truant

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Recent policy changes in sustainability reporting, such as the ones related to the new European Directive on non-financial disclosure (2014/95/EU, the standards issued by the American Sustainability Accounting Standard Board (SASB, the G4 guidelines issued by the Global Sustainability Standard Board (GSSB, and the framework of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC stress the importance of extending the disclosure of ethical, social, and environmental risks within financial and social-environmental reporting. Institutional pressure has notably increased among organizations, in setting up risk management tools to understand sustainability risks within managerial and reporting practices. Given such institutional pressure, the corporate reaction in providing additional sustainability risk disclosure calls for attention and scrutiny. Therefore, this study aims at addressing such issues from an exploratory perspective. We based our analysis on a sample of large Italian organizations that issued sustainability disclosure in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI, G4 guidelines, and we tested the relationship between their level of risk disclosure and other relevant variables. Consistently with the literature, we found that “experienced” sustainable reporters provide a significant volume of disclosure, and that disclosure quality on risk is positively influenced by their international presence and reporting experience. However, when accounting for specific risk-related areas of disclosure, only a few of them seem to adopt a managerial perspective linking strategy, risk metrics, and disclosure.

Sex Work and Students: An Exploratory Study

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Roberts, Ron; Bergstrom, Sandra; La Rooy, David

2007-01-01

Available evidence suggests that changes in the funding of higher education have led to some students entering the sex industry in order to make ends meet. The current study comprises a sample of undergraduates (N=130) in the south of England, who completed a cross-sectional survey of their financial circumstances, health, psychological…

Discovery and Reuse of Open Datasets: An Exploratory Study

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Sara

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: This article analyzes twenty cited or downloaded datasets and the repositories that house them, in order to produce insights that can be used by academic libraries to encourage discovery and reuse of research data in institutional repositories. Methods: Using Thomson Reuters’ Data Citation Index and repository download statistics, we identified twenty cited/downloaded datasets. We documented the characteristics of the cited/downloaded datasets and their corresponding repositories in a self-designed rubric. The rubric includes six major categories: basic information; funding agency and journal information; linking and sharing; factors to encourage reuse; repository characteristics; and data description. Results: Our small-scale study suggests that cited/downloaded datasets generally comply with basic recommendations for facilitating reuse: data are documented well; formatted for use with a variety of software; and shared in established, open access repositories. Three significant factors also appear to contribute to dataset discovery: publishing in discipline-specific repositories; indexing in more than one location on the web; and using persistent identifiers. The cited/downloaded datasets in our analysis came from a few specific disciplines, and tended to be funded by agencies with data publication mandates. Conclusions: The results of this exploratory research provide insights that can inform academic librarians as they work to encourage discovery and reuse of institutional datasets. Our analysis also suggests areas in which academic librarians can target open data advocacy in their communities in order to begin to build open data success stories that will fuel future advocacy efforts.

Developing a framework of service convenience in health care: An exploratory study for a primary care provider.

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Tuzovic, Sven; Kuppelwieser, Volker

2016-01-01

From retail health clinics and online appointment scheduling to (mobile) kiosks that enable patient check-in and automate the collection of copays and open balances, convenience has become an important topic in the health care sector over the last few years. While service convenience has also gained much interest in academia, one common limitation is that authors have adopted a "goods-centered" perspective focusing primarily on retail settings. Results of this exploratory study reveal that health care service convenience encompasses seven different dimensions: decision, access, scheduling, registration and check-in, transaction, care delivery, and postconsultation convenience. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

An Exploratory Product Evaluation of the Manchester Motor Skills Programme

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Lodal, Katherine; Bond, Caroline

2017-01-01

This study is an exploratory product evaluation of the Manchester Motor Skills Programme (MMSP). A mixed methodology was used to explore intended, unintended, positive and negative outcomes for four Key Stage 2 (KS2) children with motor skills difficulties who participated in the MMSP. The children's motor skills, social skills and self-esteem…

OMERACT-based fibromyalgia symptom subgroups: an exploratory cluster analysis.

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Vincent, Ann; Hoskin, Tanya L; Whipple, Mary O; Clauw, Daniel J; Barton, Debra L; Benzo, Roberto P; Williams, David A

2014-10-16

The aim of this study was to identify subsets of patients with fibromyalgia with similar symptom profiles using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core symptom domains. Female patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and currently meeting fibromyalgia research survey criteria completed the Brief Pain Inventory, the 30-item Profile of Mood States, the Medical Outcomes Sleep Scale, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, the Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQ-R) and the Short Form-36 between 1 June 2011 and 31 October 2011. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering was used to identify subgroups of patients with similar symptom profiles. To validate the results from this sample, hierarchical agglomerative clustering was repeated in an external sample of female patients with fibromyalgia with similar inclusion criteria. A total of 581 females with a mean age of 55.1 (range, 20.1 to 90.2) years were included. A four-cluster solution best fit the data, and each clustering variable differed significantly (P FIQ-R total scores (P = 0.0004)). In our study, we incorporated core OMERACT symptom domains, which allowed for clustering based on a comprehensive symptom profile. Although our exploratory cluster solution needs confirmation in a longitudinal study, this approach could provide a rationale to support the study of individualized clinical evaluation and intervention.

An Exploratory Note on Interstate Living-Cost Differentials

OpenAIRE

Cebula, Richard

1985-01-01

This exploratory study seeks to identify factors that systematically influence interstate living-cost differentials. Living costs refer to the average cost of living for a four-person family in each of the 50 states. For the year 1977, the living cost level is found to be an increasing function of population density, average income, and the degree of urbanization, while being a decreasing function of the presence of right-to-work laws.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Premarital Sexual Behavior Assessment Scale for Young Women (PSAS-YW): an exploratory mixed method study.

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Rahmani, Azam; Merghati-Khoei, Effat; Moghadam-Banaem, Lida; Hajizadeh, Ebrahim; Hamdieh, Mostafa; Montazeri, Ali

2014-06-13

Premarital sexual behaviors are important issue for women's health. The present study was designed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a scale in order to identify young women who are at greater risk of premarital sexual behavior. This was an exploratory mixed method investigation. Indeed, the study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, qualitative methods (focus group discussion and individual interview) were applied to generate items and develop the questionnaire. In the second phase, psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the questionnaire were assessed. In the first phase an item pool containing 53 statements related to premarital sexual behavior was generated. In the second phase item reduction was applied and the final version of the questionnaire containing 26 items was developed. The psychometric properties of this final version were assessed and the results showed that the instrument has a good structure, and reliability. The results from exploratory factory analysis indicated a 5-factor solution for the instrument that jointly accounted for the 57.4% of variance observed. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the instrument was found to be 0.87. This study provided a valid and reliable scale to identify premarital sexual behavior in young women. Assessment of premarital sexual behavior might help to improve women's sexual abstinence.

Inter-subject phase synchronization for exploratory analysis of task-fMRI.

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Bolt, Taylor; Nomi, Jason S; Vij, Shruti G; Chang, Catie; Uddin, Lucina Q

2018-08-01

Analysis of task-based fMRI data is conventionally carried out using a hypothesis-driven approach, where blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) time courses are correlated with a hypothesized temporal structure. In some experimental designs, this temporal structure can be difficult to define. In other cases, experimenters may wish to take a more exploratory, data-driven approach to detecting task-driven BOLD activity. In this study, we demonstrate the efficiency and power of an inter-subject synchronization approach for exploratory analysis of task-based fMRI data. Combining the tools of instantaneous phase synchronization and independent component analysis, we characterize whole-brain task-driven responses in terms of group-wise similarity in temporal signal dynamics of brain networks. We applied this framework to fMRI data collected during performance of a simple motor task and a social cognitive task. Analyses using an inter-subject phase synchronization approach revealed a large number of brain networks that dynamically synchronized to various features of the task, often not predicted by the hypothesized temporal structure of the task. We suggest that this methodological framework, along with readily available tools in the fMRI community, provides a powerful exploratory, data-driven approach for analysis of task-driven BOLD activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preclosure radiological safety assessment for the ground support system in the exploratory studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.J.; Tsai, F.C.

1995-01-01

An initial probabilistic safety assessment was performed for the exploratory studies facility underground opening to determine whether the ground support system should be classified as an item important to safety. The initiating event was taken to be a rock fall in an operational facility impacting a loaded waste transporter. Rock fall probability rates were estimated from data reported by commercial mining operations. This information was retrieved from the data base compiled by the Mining Safety and Health Administration from the mandatory reporting of incidents. The statistical distribution of the rock fall magnitude was estimated from the horizontal and vertical spacing fractures measured at the Yucca Mountain repository horizon. Simple models were developed to estimate container deformation and radionuclide releases arising from the projected distribution of impacts. Accepted techniques were used to calculate atmospheric dispersion and obtain the committed dose to individuals

An Exploratory Study on the Optimized Test Conditions of the Lock-in Thermography Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Yong Jin

2011-01-01

This work is devoted to the technique application of lock-in infrared thermography in the shipbuilding and ocean engineering industry. For this purpose, an exploratory study to find the optimized test conditions is carried out by the design of experiments. It has been confirmed to be useful method that the phase contrast images were quantified by a reference image and weighted by defect hole size. Illuminated optical intensity of lower or medium strength give a good result for getting a phase contrast image. In order to get a good phase contrast image, lock-in frequency factors should be high in proportion to the illuminated optical intensity. The integration time of infrared camera should have been inversely proportional to the optical intensity. The other hand, the difference of specimen materials gave a slightly biased results not being discriminative reasoning

Social anxiety and Internet socialization in Indian undergraduate students: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Honnekeri, Bianca S; Goel, Akhil; Umate, Maithili; Shah, Nilesh; De Sousa, Avinash

2017-06-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a globally prevalent, chronic, debilitating psychiatric disorder affecting youth. With comorbidities including major depression, substance abuse, lower educational and work attainment, and increased suicide risk, it has a significant public health burden. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of SAD in urban Indian undergraduate students and to study their Facebook (FB) usage patterns. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 316 undergraduate students were screened for social anxiety using validated instruments, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and Social Phobia Scale (SPS), and divided into two groups based on scores obtained. The groups were then compared with regards to behaviors and attitudes toward Facebook, obtained from a self-report questionnaire. SAD was estimated to be a significant, prevalent (7.8%) disorder in otherwise productive youth, and showed female preponderance. Higher specific social phobia scores were associated with the inability to reduce Facebook use, urges toward increasing use, spending more time thinking about Facebook, negative reactions to restricting use, and using it to forget one's problems. SAD was estimated to have a prevalence of 7.8% in our study, and was associated with stronger FB usage attitudes and patterns. We recommend that the relationship between social anxiety and Internet use be explored further, to study the possibility of Internet-based screening and intervention strategies having wider reach and appeal in socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Methionine-Enriched and Vitamins (Folate, Pyridoxine and Cobalamine-Deficient Diet on Exploratory Activity in Rats - A Brief Report

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Mijailovic Natasa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of increased homocysteine levels induced by methionine nutritional overload (twice as standard and deficiency of the vitamins folate, pyridoxine and cobalamine, which plays an important role in homocysteine metabolism in anxiety-related behaviour, expressed by means of exploratory activity in rats. Twenty-three male Wistar albino rats (4 weeks old, 100±15 g body weight were divided into three groups: control (n=8, methionine-enriched (Meth+, 7.7 g of methionine/kg chow, n=7 and methionine-enriched vitamin-deficient (Meth+Vit-, 7.7 g of methionine/ kg chow, deficient in folate, pyridoxine and cobalamine - 0.08, 0.01 and 0.01 mg/kg, n=8. All animals had free access to food and water for 30 days. Behavioural testing was performed using the elevated plus maze (EPM test. Standard parameters for vertical exploratory activity, the number of rearings and the number of head-dippings, as well as the total exploratory activity (summarizing overall exploratory activity in the EPM were significantly reduced following 30 days of methionine nutritional overload (p<0.05, p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively. A methionine-enriched diet coupled with a reduction in some B vitamins resulted in a more pronounced decline in exploratory drive observed in the EPM test compared to the control (p<0.01. The decline in total exploratory activity associated with vitamin deficiency was significant compared to the Meth+ group (p<0.05. The results of this study highlight the important role of homocysteine in the modulation of exploratory activity in rats. Decreased exploratory drive induced by both a methionine-enriched and vitamin-deficient diet could be attributed to an anxiogenic effect of hyperhomocysteinemia.

The What and How of Online Communities : An exploratory desk research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

drs. Skylla Janssen; Gina Ocana Machado

2014-01-01

For this exploratory study we aim to provide knowledge and insights concerning the processes of setting up, implementing and managing online communities as a part of the product/services offer of media companies. The goal is to increase their reach amongst target groups, to strengthen involvement

Medium-Based Design: Extending a Medium to Create an Exploratory Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Rick, Jochen; Lamberty, K. K.

2005-01-01

This article introduces "medium-based" design -- an approach to creating "exploratory learning environments" using the method of "extending a medium". First, the characteristics of exploratory learning environments and medium-based design are described and grounded in related work. Particular attention is given to "extending a medium" --…

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the WISC-IV with Gifted Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Ellen W.; Dandridge, Jessica; Pawlush, Alexandra; Thompson, Dawna F.; Ferrier, David E.

2014-01-01

These 2 studies investigated the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-4th edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003a) with exploratory factor analysis (EFA; Study 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; Study 2) among 2 independent samples of gifted students. The EFA sample consisted of 225 children who were referred for a…

Exploratory Talk, Argumentation and Reasoning in Mexican Primary School Children

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas-Drummond, Sylvia; Zapata, Margarita Peon

2004-01-01

The study analyses the effects of training primary school children in the use of a linguistic tool called "Exploratory Talk" (ET) on their capacity for argumentation. ET allows for reasoned confrontation and negotiation of points of view, making the reasoning visible in the talk. Eighty-eight Mexican children from the 5th and 6th grades…

An Exploratory Analysis of Educational Management for the Universities

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Md. Mamun Habib

2011-08-01

Full Text Available This exploratory research addresses educational management model for the universities. Its applicability was successfully verified and validated through survey data from leading tertiary educational institutions around the world. The proposed model was developed based on the analysis of literature, past theoretical frameworks, interviews with stakeholders. Model constructs were identified and confirmed by 493 respondents, representing university administrators, faculty and staffs, employers, and graduates. The resulting model was subsequently evaluated for accuracy and validity by multiple linear regression (MLR analysis and the structural equation modeling (SEM technique. The study revealed education development, education assessment, research development, and research assessment as four main activities in educational management. Four aspects of each activity, namely programs establishment, university culture, faculty capabilities, and facilities were investigated at strategic, planning, and operating levels. The conceptual model for the universities provides a novel approach for prospective investors or current university administrators to review and appraise their performance toward fulfillment of ultimate goals, i.e. producing high-caliber graduates and high-impact research outcomes for the betterment of the society. The research model represents two contributions to the society including human resource contribution and research contribution.

Role of route previewing strategies on climbing fluency and exploratory movements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Seifert, Ludovic; Cordier, Romain; Orth, Dominic; Courtine, Yoan; Croft, James L.

2017-01-01

This study examined the role of route previewing strategies on climbing fluency and on exploratory movements of the limbs, in order to understand whether previewing helps people to perceive and to realize affordances. Eight inexperienced and ten experienced climbers previewed a 10 m high route of 5b

An investigation of consumers' exploratory tendencies as motivators of their responsive behaviour to deals

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Surajit Ghosh Dastidar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An understanding of the motivators of consumer deal redemption behaviour is expected to enable marketers to use deals more effectively. In this study, consumers' exploratory tendencies (CET have been assessed as potential motivators of proneness to eight types of deals, during the purchase of shampoo and refrigerator—two product categories. Consumers showed varying proneness to different types of deals depending on the type of exploratory tendency that they needed to satisfy and the type of good that was on sale. These findings can enable marketers to choose the most appropriate type of deal to achieve their sales target.

Multitasking information behavior, information task switching and anxiety: An exploratory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexopoulou, Peggy; Kotsopoulou, Anastasia

2015-01-01

Multitasking information behavior involves multiple forms of information searching such as library and Web search. Few researchers, however, have explored multitasking information behavior and information task switching in libraries in conjunction with psychological variables. This study explored this behavior in terms of anxiety under time pressure. This was an exploratory case study. Participant searched information for three unrelated everyday life information topics during a library visit, in a timeframe of one hour. The data collection tools used were: diary, observation, interview, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test. Participant took the Trait-anxiety test before the library visit to measure anxiety level as a personal characteristic. She also took State-anxiety test before, during and after the library visit to measure anxiety levels regarding the information seeking behavior. The results suggested that participant had high levels of anxiety at the beginning of the multitasking information behavior. The reason for that was the concern about the performance as well as the identification of the right resources. During the multitasking information behavior, participant still had anxiety to find the right information. The levels of anxiety, however, were less due to library’s good organized structure. At the end of the information seeking process, the levels of anxiety dropped significant and therefore calm and safety returned. Finally, participant searched information for topics that were more important and for which she had prior knowledge When people, under time pressure, have access to well organized information, the levels of anxiety might decrease

Multitasking information behavior, information task switching and anxiety: An exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

Alexopoulou, Peggy; Kotsopoulou, Anastasia

2015-02-01

Multitasking information behavior involves multiple forms of information searching such as library and Web search. Few researchers, however, have explored multitasking information behavior and information task switching in libraries in conjunction with psychological variables. This study explored this behavior in terms of anxiety under time pressure. This was an exploratory case study. Participant searched information for three unrelated everyday life information topics during a library visit, in a timeframe of one hour. The data collection tools used were: diary, observation, interview, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test. Participant took the Trait-anxiety test before the library visit to measure anxiety level as a personal characteristic. She also took State-anxiety test before, during and after the library visit to measure anxiety levels regarding the information seeking behavior. The results suggested that participant had high levels of anxiety at the beginning of the multitasking information behavior. The reason for that was the concern about the performance as well as the identification of the right resources. During the multitasking information behavior, participant still had anxiety to find the right information. The levels of anxiety, however, were less due to library's good organized structure. At the end of the information seeking process, the levels of anxiety dropped significant and therefore calm and safety returned. Finally, participant searched information for topics that were more important and for which she had prior knowledge When people, under time pressure, have access to well organized information, the levels of anxiety might decrease.

Multitasking information behavior, information task switching and anxiety: An exploratory study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexopoulou, Peggy, E-mail: p.alexopoulou@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: an-kotsopoulou@yahoo.com; Kotsopoulou, Anastasia, E-mail: p.alexopoulou@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: an-kotsopoulou@yahoo.com [City Unity College, Thiseos 15-17, Athens, 105 62 (Greece)

2015-02-09

Multitasking information behavior involves multiple forms of information searching such as library and Web search. Few researchers, however, have explored multitasking information behavior and information task switching in libraries in conjunction with psychological variables. This study explored this behavior in terms of anxiety under time pressure. This was an exploratory case study. Participant searched information for three unrelated everyday life information topics during a library visit, in a timeframe of one hour. The data collection tools used were: diary, observation, interview, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test. Participant took the Trait-anxiety test before the library visit to measure anxiety level as a personal characteristic. She also took State-anxiety test before, during and after the library visit to measure anxiety levels regarding the information seeking behavior. The results suggested that participant had high levels of anxiety at the beginning of the multitasking information behavior. The reason for that was the concern about the performance as well as the identification of the right resources. During the multitasking information behavior, participant still had anxiety to find the right information. The levels of anxiety, however, were less due to library’s good organized structure. At the end of the information seeking process, the levels of anxiety dropped significant and therefore calm and safety returned. Finally, participant searched information for topics that were more important and for which she had prior knowledge When people, under time pressure, have access to well organized information, the levels of anxiety might decrease.

An exploratory study of barriers to inclusion in the European workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Louise; Saunders, Janet; Leber, Marjan; Wójcik-Augustyniak, Marzena; Szajczyk, Marek; Rebernik, Nataša

2017-10-01

The European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) seeks to significantly raise the proportion of people with disabilities working in the open labour market. The ERGO WORK project is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners in six European countries, focused on understanding and tackling barriers to workplace inclusion for workers with disabilities. This study sought to explore the perceptions and needs of stakeholders in terms of workplace adaptation to the needs of employees with disabilities. An exploratory online survey was completed by 480 participants across six countries. The analysis suggests that workplaces could be further improved to meet the needs of employees with considerable scope for training within companies to raise awareness about employees' needs, employers' obligations and workplace adaptation. This snapshot suggests there is still a gap between intent and reality in workplace inclusion and further strategies are needed to improve the opportunities for employees with disabilities. The paper argues that ergonomics may have a key role to play in tackling these challenges and adapting the workplace environment and job design to suit the needs of individual employees. Implications for rehabilitation This study suggests there is considerable scope for workplace adaptation and improvements to meet the needs of employees with disabilities. Employers need and want further specialist practitioner guidance to facilitate workplace inclusion and support adaptation to individual needs. Organisations would benefit from training to raise awareness about potential solutions and approaches that would support more widespread employment of people with disabilities.

Symptoms of delirium: an exploratory factor analytic study among referred patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Gaurav; Chakrabarti, Subho; Kulhara, Parmanand

2011-01-01

Factor analytic studies of delirium symptoms among patients referred through consultation-liaison psychiatric services are rare. We examined the factor structure of delirium symptoms in referred patients and determined whether combining items from several delirium rating scales influenced the factor structure of delirium symptoms. Eighty-six patients with delirium (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision) referred though the consultation-liaison services were assessed with structured rating scales. Nineteen symptom items extracted from the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98), the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale and the Confusional State Evaluation Scale were subjected to an exploratory (principal component) factor analysis. A second such analysis was conducted on 15 items of the DRS-R-98 for comparison. Compared with prior studies, patients were younger and the majority had hyperactive delirium. Principal components analysis identified two factors: (1) a "cognitive" factor comprising of disturbances in language, thought processes, orientation, attention, short- and long-term memory, visuospatial ability, consciousness (awareness) and perseveration accounted for 28.9% of the variance and (2) a "behavioral" factor consisting of sleep-wake cycle disturbances, delusions, perceptual disturbances, motor agitation, affect-lability, distractibility, irritability and temporal onset accounted for 18.9% of the variance. An identical factor structure was obtained with the DRS-R-98 items. Similar to previous factor analytic studies, the present study supported the existence of two principal dimensions of delirium, cognitive and behavioral. Additionally, it extended the results of earlier investigations to a wider group of patients with delirium, suggesting that these dimensions might provide important clues to the neurobiology of delirium. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Exploratory Study of Reintegration of Women Following Obstetric Fistula Surgery in West Pokot, Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne M. Khisa

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Globally, obstetric fistula has been eradicated in developed countries although it continues to pose challenges to women living in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The condition continues to contribute to maternal morbidity in Kenya, causing immense physical and psychological suffering and disrupts women’s socioeconomic life. Following corrective surgery, experiences of Pokot women in their quest for social reintegration, a broadly neglected aspect of their healing process, are documented in an exploratory study. Primary data were collected over a 2-month period in rural Kenya using in-depth interviews with women who had undergone surgery and key informants. Thematic data analysis based on grounded theory revealed avenues for reintegration including successful surgery, family and community support, counseling, follow-up care, income generating activities, and skill training.

Dragon exploratory system on Hepatitis C Virus (DESHCV)

KAUST Repository

Kwofie, Samuel K.

2011-06-01

Even though Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) cDNA was characterized about 20 years ago, there is insufficient understanding of the molecular etiology underlying HCV infections. Current global rates of infection and its increasingly chronic character are causes of concern for health policy experts. Vast amount of data accumulated from biochemical, genomic, proteomic, and other biological analyses allows for novel insights into the HCV viral structure, life cycle and functions of its proteins. Biomedical text-mining is a useful approach for analyzing the increasing corpus of published scientific literature on HCV. We report here the first comprehensive HCV customized biomedical text-mining based online web resource, dragon exploratory system on Hepatitis C Virus (DESHCV), a biomedical text-mining and relationship exploring knowledgebase was developed by exploring literature on HCV. The pre-compiled dictionaries existing in the dragon exploratory system (DES) were enriched with biomedical concepts pertaining to HCV proteins, their name variants and symbols to make it suitable for targeted information exploration and knowledge extraction as focused on HCV. A list of 32,895 abstracts retrieved via PubMed database using specific keywords searches related to HCV were processed based on concept recognition of terms from several dictionaries. The web query interface enables retrieval of information using specified concepts, keywords and phrases, generating text-derived association networks and hypotheses, which could be tested to identify potentially novel relationship between different concepts. Such an approach could also augment efforts in the search for diagnostic or even therapeutic targets. DESHCV thus represents online literature-based discovery resource freely accessible for academic and non-profit users via http://apps.sanbi.ac.za/DESHCV/ and its mirror site http://cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/deshcv/. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Exploratory study of factors related to educational scores of first preclinical year medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Sitticharoon, Chantacha; Srisuma, Sorachai; Kanavitoon, Sawita; Summachiwakij, Sarayut

2014-03-01

The relationships among the scores of major subjects taught in the first preclinical year of a Thai medical school, previous academic achievements, and daily life activities are rarely explored. We therefore performed an exploratory study identifying various factors possibly related to the educational scores of these medical students. Questionnaires were sent out to all first preclinical year medical students, with 79.8% being returned (245/307 questionnaires). Positive correlations were revealed between the premedical year grade point average (pre-MD GPA) and anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry scores (R = 0.664, 0.521, and 0.653, respectively, P student satisfaction with anatomy, the percentage of expected reading, monthly earnings, reading after class and near exam time, and duration of sleeping periods near exam time (R = 0.773, R(2) = 0.598, P student satisfaction with biochemistry, and exam performance expectations (R = 0.794, R(2) = 0.630, P satisfaction.

An exploratory study of the relationship between faculty & residents’ current use of social media and their intention to use social media for professional development

OpenAIRE

Loo, May Eng; Lim, Yong Hao; Wong, Wai Ling Brenda; Lee, Yee Mun

2017-01-01

Background:Social media applications provide useful platforms for professional development among doctors. Given that the main determinants of doctors’ intention to use social media for development are perceived usefulness and ease of use, this study examines if these determinants are moderated by patterns of current social media use.Summary of Work187 faculty and residents (38% response rate) completed an online questionnaire on their current social media use and perception of social media fo...

Individual consistency in exploratory behaviour and mating tactics in male guppies

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, Jennifer L.; Phillips, Samuel C.; Evans, Jonathan P.

2013-10-01

While behavioural plasticity is considered an adaptation to fluctuating social and environmental conditions, many animals also display a high level of individual consistency in their behaviour over time or across contexts (generally termed ‘personality’). However, studies of animal personalities that include sexual behaviour, or functionally distinct but correlated traits, are relatively scarce. In this study, we tested for individual behavioural consistency in courtship and exploratory behaviour in male guppies ( Poecilia reticulata) in two light environments (high vs. low light intensity). Based on previous work on guppies, we predicted that males would modify their behaviour from sneak mating tactics to courtship displays under low light conditions, but also that the rank orders of courtship effort would remain unchanged (i.e. highly sexually active individuals would display relatively high levels of courtship under both light regimes). We also tested for correlations between courtship and exploratory behaviour, predicting that males that had high display rates would also be more likely to approach a novel object. Although males showed significant consistency in their exploratory and mating behaviour over time (1 week), we found no evidence that these traits constituted a behavioural syndrome. Furthermore, in contrast to previous work, we found no overall effect of the light environment on any of the behaviours measured, although males responded to the treatment on an individual-level basis, as reflected by a significant individual-by-environment interaction. The future challenge is to investigate how individual consistency across different environmental contexts relates to male reproductive success.

A DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF DESTINATION IMAGE VARIABLESIN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BA Mokoena

2016-07-01

Full Text Available It is generally accepted in tourismliterature that destination image (DI, theimportance of which is universally acknowledged, is often used as a significantelement for local tourists in the choice of a vacation destination. The purpose ofthis study was to identify the dimensions that influence tourists’ perceptions of adestination. A comprehensive literature study of DI was undertaken. In addition, aquestionnaire was developed to elicit information from a purposively selectedsample of 350 participants who had visited the city of Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa during the past eightmonths prior to the datacollection. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to measure the reliability of themeasurement scale. Descriptive statistics wereused to describe the sample profile.Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the dimensions influencingDI. Through this process seven dimensions, namely destination appreciation,weather and climate, tourism information, travel environment, shopping,community attitudeand spatial layout were identified. Based on the findings,recommendations are made to develop strategies to improve and maintain theimage of Durban so that tourists are attracted to the city. Implications for furtherresearch are also provided.

Issues Related to the Frequency of Exploratory Analyses by Evidence Review Groups in the NICE Single Technology Appraisal Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2017-06-01

Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise company submissions as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process. As part of their critique of the evidence submitted by companies, the ERGs undertake exploratory analyses to explore uncertainties in the company's model. The aim of this study was to explore pre-defined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. The aim of this study was to explore predefined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. We undertook content analysis of over 400 documents, including ERG reports and related documentation for the 100 most recent STAs (2009-2014) for which guidance has been published. Relevant data were extracted from the documents and narrative synthesis was used to summarise the extracted data. All data were extracted and checked by two researchers. Forty different companies submitted documents as part of the NICE STA process. The most common disease area covered by the STAs was cancer (44%), and most ERG reports (n = 93) contained at least one exploratory analysis. The incidence and frequency of ERG exploratory analyses does not appear to be related to any developments in the appraisal process, the disease area covered by the STA, or the company's base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). However, there does appear to be a pattern in the mean number of analyses conducted by particular ERGs, but the reasons for this are unclear and potentially complex. No clear patterns were identified regarding the presence or frequency of exploratory analyses, apart from the mean number conducted by individual ERGs. More research is needed to understand this relationship.

Collaborative peer review process as an informal interprofessional learning tool: Findings from an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Jae Yung; Bulk, Laura Yvonne; Giannone, Zarina; Liva, Sarah; Chakraborty, Bubli; Brown, Helen

2018-01-01

Despite numerous studies on formal interprofessional education programes, less attention has been focused on informal interprofessional learning opportunities. To provide such an opportunity, a collaborative peer review process (CPRP) was created as part of a peer-reviewed journal. Replacing the traditional peer review process wherein two or more reviewers review the manuscript separately, the CPRP brings together students from different professions to collaboratively review a manuscript. The aim of this study was to assess whether the CPRP can be used as an informal interprofessional learning tool using an exploratory qualitative approach. Eight students from Counselling Psychology, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Nursing, and Rehabilitation Sciences were invited to participate in interprofessional focus groups. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Two key themes emerged, revealing that the CPRP created new opportunities for interprofessional learning and gave practice in negotiating feedback. The results reveal that the CPRP has the potential to be a valuable interprofessional learning tool that can also enhance reviewing and constructive feedback skills.

An exploratory mixed-methods crossover study comparing DVD- vs. Web-based patient decision support in three conditions: The importance of patient perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Halley, Meghan C; Rendle, Katharine A S; Gillespie, Katherine A; Stanley, Katherine M; Frosch, Dominick L

2015-12-01

The last 15 years have witnessed considerable progress in the development of decision support interventions (DESIs). However, fundamental questions about design and format of delivery remain. An exploratory, randomized mixed-method crossover study was conducted to compare a DVD- and Web-based DESI. Randomized participants used either the Web or the DVD first, followed by the alternative format. Participants completed a questionnaire to assess decision-specific knowledge at baseline and a questionnaire and structured qualitative interview after viewing each format. Tracking software was used to capture Web utilization. Transcripts were analyzed using integrated inductive and deductive approaches. Quantitative data were analyzed using exploratory bivariate and multivariate analyses. Exploratory knowledge analyses suggest that both formats increased knowledge, with limited evidence that the DVD increased knowledge more than the Web. Format preference varied across participants: 44% preferred the Web, 32% preferred the DVD and 24% preferred 'both'. Patient discussions of preferences for DESI information structure and the importance of a patients' stage of a given decision suggest these characteristics may be important factors underlying variation in utilization, format preferences and knowledge outcomes. Our results suggest that both DESI formats effectively increase knowledge. Patients' perceptions of these two formats further suggest that there may be no single 'best' format for all patients. These results have important implications for understanding why different DESI formats might be preferable to and more effective for different patients. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between these factors and DESI utilization outcomes across diverse patient populations. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Exploratory, Descriptive Study of the Attitudes of Instructors and Students toward the Use of Asynchronous Online Discussion at a Female University in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alshahrani, Hamed A.; Walker, David A.

2016-01-01

This exploratory, descriptive study examined instructor and female student attitudes toward asynchronous online discussion (AOD) in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary results, derived from an attitudinal-based survey, indicated that, in aggregate, instructors and students had positive attitudes toward using AOD at a female institution of higher education…

Exploratory structural equation modeling of personality data.

Science.gov (United States)

Booth, Tom; Hughes, David J

2014-06-01

The current article compares the use of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) as an alternative to confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models in personality research. We compare model fit, factor distinctiveness, and criterion associations of factors derived from ESEM and CFA models. In Sample 1 (n = 336) participants completed the NEO-FFI, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Creative Domains Questionnaire. In Sample 2 (n = 425) participants completed the Big Five Inventory and the depression and anxiety scales of the General Health Questionnaire. ESEM models provided better fit than CFA models, but ESEM solutions did not uniformly meet cutoff criteria for model fit. Factor scores derived from ESEM and CFA models correlated highly (.91 to .99), suggesting the additional factor loadings within the ESEM model add little in defining latent factor content. Lastly, criterion associations of each personality factor in CFA and ESEM models were near identical in both inventories. We provide an example of how ESEM and CFA might be used together in improving personality assessment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Pupils' Readiness for Self-Regulated Learning in the Forethought Phase of Exploratory Production

Science.gov (United States)

Metsärinne, Mika; Kallio, Manne; Virta, Kalle

2015-01-01

This article discusses pupils' readiness for self-regulation in Exploratory Production in Technology Education. In the forethought phase of Exploratory Production, pupils envision and regulate their technological production activities. Next, in the performance phase, the envisioned goals are tried and implemented through ideating, planning and…

Mining concepts of health responsibility using text mining and exploratory graph analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kjellström, Sofia; Golino, Hudson

2018-05-24

Occupational therapists need to know about people's beliefs about personal responsibility for health to help them pursue everyday activities. The study aims to employ state-of-the-art quantitative approaches to understand people's views of health and responsibility at different ages. A mixed method approach was adopted, using text mining to extract information from 233 interviews with participants aged 5 to 96 years, and then exploratory graph analysis to estimate the number of latent variables. The fit of the structure estimated via the exploratory graph analysis was verified using confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory graph analysis estimated three dimensions of health responsibility: (1) creating good health habits and feeling good; (2) thinking about one's own health and wanting to improve it; and 3) adopting explicitly normative attitudes to take care of one's health. The comparison between the three dimensions among age groups showed, in general, that children and adolescents, as well as the old elderly (>73 years old) expressed ideas about personal responsibility for health less than young adults, adults and young elderly. Occupational therapists' knowledge of the concepts of health responsibility is of value when working with a patient's health, but an identified challenge is how to engage children and older persons.

Progesterone regulates corticosterone elevation and alterations in spatial memory and exploratory behavior induced by stress in Wistar rats

OpenAIRE

Diaz-Burke, Yolanda; Universidad de Guadalajara; Valencia-Alfonso, Carlos Eduardo; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience; González-Sandoval, Claudia Elena; Universidad de Guadalajara; Huerta, Miguel; Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Colima; Trujillo, Xóchitl; Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Colima; Diaz, Lourdes; Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco; García-Estrada, Joaquín; Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, IMSS-Jalisco; Luquín, Sonia; Universidad de Guadalajara

2010-01-01

The hippocampus is sensitive to high levels of glucocorticoids. During stress response, it suffers biochemical and cellular changes that affect functions such as spatial memory and exploratory behavior. In this study, we analyzed the influence of the neurosteroid progesterone (PROG), on stress-induced changes in urinary corticosterone (CORT) levels, spatial memory and exploratory behavior. Castrated adult male rats were implanted with PROG or vehicle (VEHI), and then exposed to chronic stres...

Breast-feeding perceptions, beliefs and experiences of Marshallese migrants: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Allison; Shreve, Marilou; Ayers, Britni; McElfish, Pearl Anna

2016-11-01

To determine perceptions, beliefs and experiences affecting breast-feeding in Marshallese mothers residing in Northwest Arkansas, USA. A qualitative, exploratory study using a brief survey and focus groups. Marshallese women, 18 years or older who had a child under 7 years of age, were included in the study. Community-based organization in Northwest Arkansas. The majority of mothers viewed breast milk as superior to formula, but had concerns about adequate milk supply and the nutritional value of their milk. The primary barriers to exclusive breast-feeding in the USA included public shaming (both verbal and non-verbal), perceived milk production and quality, and maternal employment. These barriers are not reported in the Marshall Islands and are encountered only after moving to the USA. Breast-feeding mothers rely heavily on familial support, especially the eldest female, who may not reside in the USA. The influence of institutions, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, is strong and may negatively affect breast-feeding. Despite the belief that breast milk is the healthiest option, breast-feeding among Marshallese mothers is challenged by numerous barriers they encounter as they assimilate to US cultural norms. The barriers and challenges, along with the strong desire to assimilate to US culture, impact Marshallese mothers' perceptions, beliefs and experiences with breast-feeding.

An economic and financial exploratory

OpenAIRE

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.; Kirman, A.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic Public facility is intended for economic modelling, investigating all aspects of risk and stability, improving financial technology, and evaluating proposed regulatory and taxation changes. The European...

77 FR 5027 - Food and Drug Administration Transparency Initiative: Exploratory Program To Increase Access to...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-01

...] Food and Drug Administration Transparency Initiative: Exploratory Program To Increase Access to the... entitled ``Food and Drug Administration Transparency Initiative: Exploratory Program to [[Page 5028

CADDIS Volume 4. Data Analysis: Exploratory Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Intro to exploratory data analysis. Overview of variable distributions, scatter plots, correlation analysis, GIS datasets. Use of conditional probability to examine stressor levels and impairment. Exploring correlations among multiple stressors.

Disruptions in brain networks of older fallers are associated with subsequent cognitive decline: a 12-month prospective exploratory study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Liang Hsu

Full Text Available Cognitive impairment and impaired mobility are major public health concerns. There is growing recognition that impaired mobility is an early biomarker of cognitive impairment and dementia. The neural basis for this association is currently unclear. We propose disrupted functional connectivity as a potential mechanism. In this 12-month prospective exploratory study, we compared functional connectivity of four brain networks- the default mode network (DMN, fronto-executive network (FEN, fronto-parietal network (FPN, and the primary motor sensory network (SMN--between community-dwelling older adults with ≥ two falls in the last 12 months and their non-falling counterparts (≤ one fall in the last 12 months. Functional connectivity was examined both at rest and during a simple motor tapping task. Compared with non-fallers, fallers showed more connectivity between the DMN and FPN during right finger tapping (p  = 0.04, and significantly less functional connectivity between the SMN and FPN during rest (p ≤ 0.05. Less connectivity between the SMN and FPN during rest was significantly associated with greater decline in both cognitive function and mobility over the12-month period (r =  -0.32 and 0.33 respectively; p ≤ 0.04. Thus, a recent history of multiple falls among older adults without a diagnosis of dementia may indicate sub-clinical changes in brain function and increased risk for subsequent decline.

An exploratory study on emotion recognition in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jehna, Margit; Neuper, Christa; Petrovic, Katja; Wallner-Blazek, Mirja; Schmidt, Reinhold; Fuchs, Siegrid; Fazekas, Franz; Enzinger, Christian

2010-07-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic multifocal CNS disorder which can affect higher order cognitive processes. Whereas cognitive disturbances in MS are increasingly better characterised, emotional facial expression (EFE) has rarely been tested, despite its importance for adequate social behaviour. We tested 20 patients with a clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of MS (CIS) or MS and 23 healthy controls (HC) for the ability to differ between emotional facial stimuli, controlling for the influence of depressive mood (ADS-L). We screened for cognitive dysfunction using The Faces Symbol Test (FST). The patients demonstrated significant decreased reaction-times regarding emotion recognition tests compared to HC. However, the results also suggested worse cognitive abilities in the patients. Emotional and cognitive test results were correlated. This exploratory pilot study suggests that emotion recognition deficits might be prevalent in MS. However, future studies will be needed to overcome the limitations of this study. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is there a digital divide among school students? an exploratory study from Puducherry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramalingam, Archana; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar

2014-01-01

The advent of internet has triggered a growth in provision of more interactive health promotion messages, which are likely to enhance the potential for behavior change especially among children. We intended to find out the determinants and prevalence of use of internet among school students of Puducherry. An exploratory study was carried out among all the students belonging to the standards VI to IX (n = 421) in three schools from urban areas and two schools from rural areas of Puducherry. A pretested, self-administered questionnaire which sought information on sociodemographic details (age, gender, standard of education, occupation of father, and type of school), use of internet, and place of accessing internet, hours of use, and reasons for use was utilized. The statistical significance between the categorical variables was done using chi-square test. All significance tests were two-tailed and statistical significance was defined as a value of P divide observed among the school children in the use of internet. Taking the steps to bridging the digital divide will help utilize internet as a media for health promotion.

Cryotherapy and Topical Minocycline as Adjunctive Measures to Control Pain After Third Molar Surgery: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Gelesko, Savannah; Long, Leann; Faulk, Jan; Phillips, Ceib; Dicus, Carolyn; White, Raymond P.

2013-01-01

Purpose To assess the impact of cryotherapy or topical minocycline on patients’ perceptions of recovery from pain after third molar surgery in an exploratory comparative-effectiveness study. Patients and Methods Subjects aged at least 14 years who were having all 4 third molars removed were enrolled in 3 separate institutional review board–approved studies. Study groups included subjects treated with a passively applied cold wrap for 24 hours postoperatively, subjects treated with topical minocycline during surgery, and subjects enrolled in a nonconcurrent comparison group who had received neither topical minocycline nor directed cryotherapy. Third molar surgery was performed in all cases by trained surgeons using the same protocol. An exact Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the distributions of the worst and average pain scores and a Fisher exact test to compare verbal responses from Gracely pain scales among the 3 groups for postsurgical days (PSDs) 1 to 3. Results This study comprised 51 cryotherapy subjects (2005–2009), 63 minocycline subjects (2003–2004), and 92 comparison-group subjects (2002–2006) who were treated at academic centers and in community practices across the United States (N = 206). Demographic descriptors were similar among all groups. For PSDs 1 through 3 (unadjusted), the highest scores for worst pain (6–7 [out of 7] on Likert-type scale) were reported less frequently in each of the study groups than in subjects in the comparison group, although the numbers of subjects reporting the highest scores were few. The distribution of pain outcomes was significantly different among the 3 groups for worst pain and affective words on PSD 1 (P = .04 for both). However, the small number of subjects who reported the highest pain scores precluded adequate multivariate statistical analyses for all outcomes on PSD 1 to 3. Conclusions Data from this exploratory study suggest that adjunctive therapy to decrease postoperative pain�

Laboratory activities and physics learning at high school: an exploratory study in portuguese settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margarida Saraiva-Neves

2006-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present findings of an exploratory study, included in a wider investigation which intends to promote meaningful learning of physics concepts, based on experimental work and supported by metacognition tools. The aim of this research was to recognize promoting learning situations in Physics lab. Interviews and questionnaires were applied to teachers and students from four Lisbon high schools. Results show that lab work in physics has a low frequency and, generally, has a demonstration format. Both teachers and students recognize potentialities of lab work to promote learning. Learning is poor when students just observe and/or accomplish commands. Both teachers and students consider the relation theory/experimentation and students doing themselves as fundamental to achieve better learning. In addition to pointing out several problems concerning lab work, teachers envisage it in a very traditional way. So, innovative strategies and methodologies, such as computer use and open-ended problems, pointed by research in science investigation as promoting learning, are left aside.

Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Permian Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-09-01

The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Permian Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Permian Basin, Texas. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references, 13 tables

The use of exploratory procedures by blind and sighted adults and children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Withagen, A.; Kappers, A.M.L.; Vervloed, M.P.J.; Knoors, H.; Verhoeven, L.

2013-01-01

The study examined exploratory procedures (EPs) of congenitally blind and sighted children and adults on a haptic match-to-sample task. The aim was to examine the influence of age, visual status, and familiarity on the use of EPs when people haptically examine the object properties of weight, size,

The use of Exploratory Procedures by blind and sighted adults and children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Withagen, A.J.; Kappers, A.M.L.; Vervloed, M.P.J.; Knoors, H.E.T.; Verhoeven, L.T.W.

2013-01-01

The study examined exploratory procedures (EPs) of congenitally blind and sighted children and adults on a haptic match-to-sample task. The aim was to examine the influence of age, visual status, and familiarity on the use of EPs when people haptically examine the object properties of weight, size,

Exploratory Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Response-Guided Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Hormone Positive Breast Cancer Patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Miquel-Cases

Full Text Available Guiding response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (guided-NACT allows for an adaptative treatment approach likely to improve breast cancer survival. In this study, our primary aim is to explore the expected cost-effectiveness of guided-NACT using as a case study the first randomized controlled trial that demonstrated effectiveness (GeparTrio trial.As effectiveness was shown in hormone-receptor positive (HR+ early breast cancers (EBC, our decision model compared the health-economic outcomes of treating a cohort of such women with guided-NACT to conventional-NACT using clinical input data from the GeparTrio trial. The expected cost-effectiveness and the uncertainty around this estimate were estimated via probabilistic cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA, from a Dutch societal perspective over a 5-year time-horizon.Our exploratory CEA predicted that guided-NACT as proposed by the GeparTrio, costs additional €110, but results in 0.014 QALYs gained per patient. This scenario of guided-NACT was considered cost-effective at any willingness to pay per additional QALY. At the prevailing Dutch willingness to pay threshold (€80.000/QALY cost-effectiveness was expected with 78% certainty.This exploratory CEA indicated that guided-NACT (as proposed by the GeparTrio trial is likely cost-effective in treating HR+ EBC women. While prospective validation of the GeparTrio findings is advisable from a clinical perspective, early CEAs can be used to prioritize further research from a broader health economic perspective, by identifying which parameters contribute most to current decision uncertainty. Furthermore, their use can be extended to explore the expected cost-effectiveness of alternative guided-NACT scenarios that combine the use of promising imaging techniques together with personalized treatments.

Effects of vestibular rehabilitation combined with transcranial cerebellar direct current stimulation in patients with chronic dizziness: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Koganemaru, Satoko; Goto, Fumiyuki; Arai, Miki; Toshikuni, Keitaro; Hosoya, Makoto; Wakabayashi, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Nobuko; Minami, Shujiro; Ikeda, Satoshi; Ikoma, Katsunori; Mima, Tatsuya

Vestibular rehabilitation is useful to alleviate chronic dizziness in patients with vestibular dysfunction. It aims to induce neuronal plasticity in the central nervous system (especially in the cerebellum) to promote vestibular compensation. Transcranial cerebellar direct current stimulation (tcDCS) reportedly enhances cerebellar function. We investigated whether vestibular rehabilitation partially combined with tcDCS is superior to the use of rehabilitation alone for the alleviation of dizziness. Patients with chronic dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction received rehabilitation concurrently with either 20-min tcDCS or sham stimulation for 5 days. Pre- and post-intervention (at 1 month) dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) scores and psychometric and motor parameters were compared. Sixteen patients completed the study. DHI scores in the tcDCS group showed significant improvement over those in the sham group (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.033). Vestibular rehabilitation partially combined with tcDCS appears to be a promising approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploratory study of once-daily transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.

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Fröhlich, F; Burrello, T N; Mellin, J M; Cordle, A L; Lustenberger, C M; Gilmore, J H; Jarskog, L F

2016-03-01

Auditory hallucinations are resistant to pharmacotherapy in about 25% of adults with schizophrenia. Treatment with noninvasive brain stimulation would provide a welcomed additional tool for the clinical management of auditory hallucinations. A recent study found a significant reduction in auditory hallucinations in people with schizophrenia after five days of twice-daily transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) that simultaneously targeted left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left temporo-parietal cortex. We hypothesized that once-daily tDCS with stimulation electrodes over left frontal and temporo-parietal areas reduces auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. We performed a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study that evaluated five days of daily tDCS of the same cortical targets in 26 outpatients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder with auditory hallucinations. We found a significant reduction in auditory hallucinations measured by the Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (F2,50=12.22, PtDCS for treatment of auditory hallucinations and the pronounced response in the sham-treated group in this study contrasts with the previous finding and demonstrates the need for further optimization and evaluation of noninvasive brain stimulation strategies. In particular, higher cumulative doses and higher treatment frequencies of tDCS together with strategies to reduce placebo responses should be investigated. Additionally, consideration of more targeted stimulation to engage specific deficits in temporal organization of brain activity in patients with auditory hallucinations may be warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Information Systems Development Contracts: an exploratory study of Australian legal practitioners' and Information Systems professionals' perceptions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phil Joyce

2003-05-01

Full Text Available IS professionals are primarily concerned with the development of a project to meet the goals of a client. Unfortunately, IS professional do not always pay close attention to the contract or to its management and are often unaware of the legal implications of the contracts to which they are assenting. Legal advice can be sought during pre-contractual processes to help ensure that the contract meets the expectations of all the parties. If the project does not meet stakeholder’s expectations, thus causing a contract to come into dispute, lawyers may be called in to review the contract and to seek a settlement. This paper reports an exploratory study of the differences in perceptions of IS development contracts that exist between IS professionals and legal practitioners.

Understanding the Development of Chinese EFL Learners' Email Literacy through Exploratory Practice

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Chen, Yuan-shan

2016-01-01

While many empirical studies demonstrate the effects of instruction on enhancing second language (L2) learners' pragmatic competence (Rose, 2005), few have attempted to gain an understanding of the quality of classroom life in addition to instructional efficacy. Drawing on the framework of Exploratory Practice (Allwright, 2005), the present study…

Dragon exploratory system on Hepatitis C Virus (DESHCV)

KAUST Repository

Kwofie, Samuel K.; Radovanovic, Aleksandar; Sundararajan, Vijayaraghava Seshadri; Maqungo, Monique; Christoffels, Alan G.; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2011-01-01

text-mining is a useful approach for analyzing the increasing corpus of published scientific literature on HCV. We report here the first comprehensive HCV customized biomedical text-mining based online web resource, dragon exploratory system

Falling and fall risk factors in adults with haemophilia: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sammels, M; Vandesande, J; Vlaeyen, E; Peerlinck, K; Milisen, K

2014-11-01

Falls are a particular risk in persons with haemophilia (PWH) because of damaged joints, high risk of bleeding, possible impact on the musculoskeletal system and functioning and costs associated with treatment for these fall-related injuries. In addition, fall risk increases with age and PWH are increasingly entering the over 65 age group. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of falls during the past year and to explore which fall risk factors are present in community-dwelling PWH. Dutch speaking community-dwelling adults were included from the age of 40 years with severe or moderate haemophilia A or B, independent in their mobility and registered at the University Hospitals Leuven. They were asked to come to the haemophilia centre; otherwise a telephone survey was conducted. Demographic and social variables, medical variables, fall evaluation and clinical variables were queried. From the 89 PWH, 74 (83.1%) participated in the study. Twenty-four (32.4%) fell in the past year, and 10 of them (41.7%) more than once with an average of four falls. Living conditions, physical activity, avoidance of winter sports due to fear of falling, orthopaedic status, urinary incontinence and mobility impairments are potential fall risk factors in adult PWH. This exploratory study indicates that PWH are attentive to falling since they are at higher risk for falls and because of the serious consequences it might have. Screening and fall prevention should be stimulated in the daily practice of haemophilia care. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing, implementing and evaluating OSH interventions in SMEs: a pilot, exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Masi, Donato; Cagno, Enrico; Micheli, Guido J L

2014-01-01

The literature on occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions contains many debates on how interventions should work, but far less attention has been paid to how they actually do work, and to the contextual factors that influence their implementation, development and effect. The need of improving the understanding of the OSH interventions issue is particularly relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), since they experience worse OSH conditions, and have fewer physical, economic and organizational resources if compared to larger enterprises; thus, SMEs strongly need to focus their few resources in the decision-making process so as to select and put in place only the most proper interventions. This exploratory study is based on interviews with safety officers of 5 SMEs, and it gives an overview of the key features of the actual intervention process in SMEs and of the contextual factors making this actual intervention process similar or dissimilar to the ideal case. The results show how much qualitative and experience driven the actual intervention process is; they should be used to direct the future research towards an increasingly applicable one, to enable practitioners from SMEs to develop, implement and evaluate their OSH interventions in an "ideal" way.

Morally disengaged and unempathic: do cyberbullies fit these definitions? An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Renati, Roberta; Berrone, Carlo; Zanetti, Maria Assunta

2012-08-01

In recent years, the phenomenon of cyberbullying has been gaining scholars' growing interest under various aspects, including its overlap with face-to-face bullying. Nevertheless, its relationships with cognitive and affective empathy, proactive and reactive aggression, and moral disengagement, constructs that proved to be crucial in distinguishing aggressive subjects from their targets and nonaggressive peers in traditional bullying, still represent, to some extent, an unexplored domain. The main purpose of the present exploratory study was to investigate the associations between cyberbullying and the mentioned constructs among Italian adolescents. 819 high-school students (mean age 16.08) were administered a battery of standardized tools, along with Cyberties, a new instrument created to assess the prevalence of (and the type of involvement in) different forms of electronic assaults. Analyses of variance were conducted to compare four roles ("pure" bullies, "pure" victims, bully victims, and noninvolved subjects). Participants who identified themselves as cyberbullies or cyberbully victims showed significantly higher levels of overall moral disengagement and of both types of aggression. Cyberbullies also displayed a lack of affective empathy. Our findings are in line with the ones in extant literature about correlates of traditional and electronic forms of bullying. Implications for prevention strategies are discussed.

Towards peer education prevention of school dropout: An exploratory analysis of an action-research study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colucci Gabriella

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the exploratory analysis of an action-research into dropout prevention in an Italian secondary school. By taking into account the representations of teachers, students and parents, different activities of peer education have been implemented during the school year in a city of Sardinia in order to promote school success. The study is based on a mixed-methods design, including focus groups with teachers, students and parents, as well as classroom observations. The action-research consists of different interventions: firstly, the participants’ representations of school dropout have been collected; then, a specific program of peer education has been proposed through activities of role-playing, simulations, brainstorming, and improvement of life skills (during training meetings with the participants. Thereafter, the action-research has been qualitatively analysed, with the findings indicating possible directions of re-creating school practices that could have potential benefits in preventing dropout.

RAPPORT-BUILDING THROUGH CALL IN TEACHING CHINESE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

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Wenying Jiang

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Technological advances have brought about the ever-increasing utilisation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL media in the learning of a second language (L2. Computer-mediated communication, for example, provides a practical means for extending the learning of spoken language, a challenging process in tonal languages such as Chinese, beyond the realms of the classroom. In order to effectively improve spoken language competency, however, CALL applications must also reproduce the social interaction that lies at the heart of language learning and language use. This study draws on data obtained from the utilisation of CALL in the learning of L2 Chinese to explore whether this medium can be used to extend opportunities for rapport-building in language teaching beyond the face-to-face interaction of the classroom. Rapport's importance lies in its potential to enhance learning, motivate learners, and reduce learner anxiety. To date, CALL's potential in relation to this facet of social interaction remains a neglected area of research. The results of this exploratory study suggest that CALL may help foster learner-teacher rapport and that scaffolding, such as strategically composing rapport-fostering questions in sound-files, is conducive to this outcome. The study provides an instruction model for this application of CALL.

The Infinitesimal Jackknife with Exploratory Factor Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guangjian; Preacher, Kristopher J.; Jennrich, Robert I.

2012-01-01

The infinitesimal jackknife, a nonparametric method for estimating standard errors, has been used to obtain standard error estimates in covariance structure analysis. In this article, we adapt it for obtaining standard errors for rotated factor loadings and factor correlations in exploratory factor analysis with sample correlation matrices. Both…

Sexual and reproductive health communication among Sudanese and Eritrean women: an exploratory study from Brisbane, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Claire; Earnest, Jaya

2015-01-01

This exploratory study piloted in Brisbane, Australia, reports on findings from in-depth focus-group discussions conducted with Sudanese and Eritrean women in Brisbane. We investigated and documented their experiences and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and contraception, and explored their views on sexuality and relationships education within the family environment of minority ethnic communities in Australia. Underpinned by a qualitative psychosocial framework, the study also involved key-informant interviews with health and multicultural not-for-profit sector professionals. Through the knowledge and experiences shared by the participants, the key themes of cultural insensitivity, exclusion and poor communication within the family were highlighted by participants as determining factors in the achievement of sexual and reproductive health and good quality sex and relationships education. Participants proposed recommendations for how minority ethnic communities in Australia can more effectively support and communicate within the family environment to increase their own and their children's knowledge and understanding.

Exploratory behaviour modulates the relationship between colony familiarity and helping in a cooperative bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Expósito-Granados, Mónica; De La Cruz, Carlos; Parejo, Deseada; Valencia, Juliana; Alarcos, Susana; Avilés, Jesús M

2016-10-01

Individuals within animal groups may differ in personality and degree of familiarity raising the question of how this influences their social interactions. In Iberian magpies Cyanopica cooki, a portion of first-year males engage in cooperative behaviours and dispersal, allowing addressing this question. In this study, we first investigate the relationship between colony familiarity (native versus foreign) and reproductive status (breeding versus helping) of males during 21 years. Secondly, we measure the exploratory behaviour and monitor reproductive status of a sample of individuals with different colony familiarity during 2 years. Long-term monitoring revealed that foreign individuals were more likely breeders. The analysis on the subset of individuals in which exploratory behaviour was measured revealed a mediatory effect of exploratory behaviour in the association between colony familiarity and helping behaviour. Specifically, among foreign individuals, higher explorative males were more frequently involved in helping behaviour than lower explorative ones. Conversely, among native males, breeders were more explorative than helpers. Our results suggest that aspects of personality may mediate the value of familiarity in reproductive tasks in social species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Exploratory Study of the Restorative Benefits of Hiking in Wilderness Solitude and Its Relationship to Job Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Ellison, Mark Andrew

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine the relationship between the restorative benefits of hiking in wilderness solitude (RBHWS) and job satisfaction. This research is a jumping off point, intended to guide future research on the RBHWS, and the practical utilization of this in human resource development. This research sought to…

Using smartphones and tablets in higher education contexts: an exploratory study within a teacher education programme

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Parmigiani Davide

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to analyse and explore the potential opportunities offered by mobile devices to improve the higher education scenario. In particular, the study was conducted within a teacher education programme. The students attended a course called Educational Technology, which focussed on the use of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets inside and outside the classroom. We examined the impact of mobile learning on students’ university activities and the changes in the organisation of their studying activity, their learning strategies and their interaction/cooperation levels. After the course, we administered a questionnaire that highlighted some findings concerning the differences between smartphones and tablets in supporting these aspects. We found that both types of devices improved the interaction/collaboration among students and the search for information, which was useful for studying. However, the organisation of studying and the learning strategies were supported only by tablets and for specific aspects of learning. This exploratory research suggests, on the one hand, some possible solutions to improve the quality of university activities, and on the other, it underlines some difficulties that will be analysed more thoroughly in further studies.

Which Factors Influence the Adoption of Social Software? An Exploratory Study of Indian Information Technology Consultancy Firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mukkamala, Alivelu Manga; Razmerita, Liana

2014-01-01

The rationale behind traditional knowledge management initiatives is to create, capture, share, organize, and use intangible assets such as organizational knowledge. Information systems have been playing a vital role in the implementation of knowledge management practices and systems. Recently, o...... factors that hinder the adoption of such tools. Finally, on the basis of these research findings we aim to contribute to managerial implications for organizations wishing to adopt social media......., organizations are adopting new forms of information and communication technologies such as social software to encourage employees to create and share knowledge. This article explores the adoption of social software tools by Indian knowledge workers working for information technology consul- tancy firms. A mixed...... method approach has been applied, and drawing on social dilemma theory and Hofstede’s cultural theory, this study discusses the factors affecting the adoption of social software by knowledge workers. A quantitative descriptive-explanatory study and a qualitative exploratory study have been employed...

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL MARKETING. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY TO FIND THE PERCEPTION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL MARKETING AMONGST THE MARKETING PROFESSIONALS IN PAKISTAN

OpenAIRE

Fawad Khan; Kamran Siddiqui

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research is to present the perceptions towards Digital Marketing in Pakistan. This issue has rarely been addressed by the academicians and researchers in Pakistan and elsewhere. This study used digital marketing parameters to measure the awareness and effectiveness of digital marketing among marketing professionals in Pakistan. 200 marketing professionals participated in this academic exercise. Data was analyzed in many ways, a) through descriptive statistics b...

Benefits and stressors – Perceived effects of ICT use on employee health and work stress: An exploratory study from Austria and Hong Kong

OpenAIRE

Katharina Ninaus; Sandra Diehl; Ralf Terlutter; Kara Chan; Anqi Huang

2015-01-01

Stress has become a mass phenomenon in the modern workplace. The use of information and communication technologies is beginning to receive greater attention in the context of occupational stress. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to examine both stressors and benefits resulting from technologies among practitioners in the advertising, public relations, and journalism industry in Hong Kong and Austria. Results suggest that technologies allow instant availability, which facilitates...

High-current railgap studies

Science.gov (United States)

Druce, R.; Gordon, L.; Hofer, W.; Wilson, M.

1983-06-01

Characteristics of a 40-kV, 750-kA, multichannel rail gap are presented. The gap is a three electrode, field distortion triggered design, with a total switch inductance of less than 10 nH. At maximum ratings, the gap typically switches 10 C per shot, at 700 kA, with a jitter of less than 2 ns. Channel evolution and current division were studied on image converter streak photographs. Transient gas pressure measurements were made to investigate the arc generated shocks and to detect single channel failure. Channel current sharing and simultaneity are described and their effects on the switch inductance in the channel current sharing and erosion measurements are discussed.

Design and planning of the exploratory tunnel in the Zapatoca area, Santander

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastidas O, E. A.

1991-01-01

The country at the moment doesn't have any exploitation of the mineral that gives the purest energy, as it is it the Uranium; the current investigation with regard to this radioactive material is in hands of the IAN (today Ingeominas) only entity that in its desire of giving to the country another form of decreasing the energy crisis has taken the decision of collaborating in the execution of the presented project. In this one can see in detailed form and white the steps that should be continued to make the exploratory tunnel; emphasis has been made since in the methods of prospecting of this mineral one doesn't have in the moment a knowledge to locate the uraniferous manifestations

The development of exploratory behaviour in the african striped mouse rhabdomys reflects a gene × environment compromise.

Science.gov (United States)

Rymer, Tasmin L; Pillay, Neville

2012-09-01

Behaviour results from the interaction of an individual's genotype with prevailing environmental conditions, resulting in local adaptation to specific habitats. We investigated the development of exploratory behaviour in two closely-related species of African striped mice from the semi-arid Succulent Karoo (Rhabdomys pumilio) and moist grassland (R. dilectus chakae) localities. Irrespective of sex, R. pumilio displayed greater exploratory behaviour (open field) and greater use of the open arms of a modified plus maze, and thus were less anxious and bolder than R. d. chakae. When pups were cross-fostered between species, fostered individuals of both species showed an intermediate behavioural pattern between their foster and biological siblings: fostered R. pumilio explored more than their foster siblings but less than their biological siblings, whereas fostered R. d. chakae explored more than their biological siblings, but less than their foster siblings. Our study is one of the first to address how the underlying genotype and early postnatal experience interact to influence the expression of exploratory behaviour and personality. In particular, we showed that, in striped mice, the early postnatal environment shapes the anxiety responses and concomitant exploratory behaviour, but the genotype apparently modulates the phenotype and constrains the limit of behavioural flexibility.

Transition to the new role of caregiving for families of patients with breast cancer: a qualitative descriptive exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi-Ghasemabadi, Masoumeh; Taleghani, Fariba; Yousefy, Alireza; Kohan, Shahnaz

2016-03-01

Families, especially in Eastern and Muslim countries, routinely accept the responsibility of caring for cancer patients. This study describes the transition to the new role of caregiving from the perspective of family caregivers in Iran as part of the current trend of recognizing the experiences of family members of breast cancer patients from different cultural perspectives. A descriptive exploratory qualitative research approach was used to investigate the experiences of family caregivers of patients with breast cancer in the transition to caregiving. The subjects were 23 family caregivers of breast cancer patients referred to cancer centers at Isfahan University hospitals who were selected by purposive sampling. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis with an inductive approach. Data analysis identified the following categories: grasping a new situation without preparation, perceived inefficiency, infinite absence, and abandoned in the role. Caregivers believed that they were not prepared for their new circumstances and did not have the necessary competence and capabilities to meet the challenges of caregiving. They experienced negative consequences resulting from the difficult responsibility of caregiving. Moreover, they believed that they received limited support from relatives, health-care providers, and the community. The transition to the new role of caregiving is affected by experiences specific to the conditions of the caretakers. When these conditions can be understood and identified, it is possible to provide detailed information for policymaking and planning for family-centered care.

A Beginner’s Guide to Factor Analysis: Focusing on Exploratory Factor Analysis

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An Gie Yong

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The following paper discusses exploratory factor analysis and gives an overview of the statistical technique and how it is used in various research designs and applications. A basic outline of how the technique works and its criteria, including its main assumptions are discussed as well as when it should be used. Mathematical theories are explored to enlighten students on how exploratory factor analysis works, an example of how to run an exploratory factor analysis on SPSS is given, and finally a section on how to write up the results is provided. This will allow readers to develop a better understanding of when to employ factor analysis and how to interpret the tables and graphs in the output.

Hydrogeology of the unsaturated zone, North Ramp area of the Exploratory Studies Facility, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rousseau, J.P.; Kwicklis, E.M.; Gillies, D.C. [eds.

1999-03-01

Yucca Mountain, in southern Nevada, is being investigated by the US Department of Energy as a potential site for a repository for high-level radioactive waste. This report documents the results of surface-based geologic, pneumatic, hydrologic, and geochemical studies conducted during 1992 to 1996 by the US Geological Survey in the vicinity of the North Ramp of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) that are pertinent to understanding multiphase fluid flow within the deep unsaturated zone. Detailed stratigraphic and structural characteristics of the study area provided the hydrogeologic framework for these investigations. Shallow infiltration is not discussed in detail in this report because the focus in on three major aspects of the deep unsaturated-zone system: geologic framework, the gaseous-phase system, and the aqueous-phase system. However, because the relation between shallow infiltration and deep percolation is important to an overall understanding of the unsaturated-zone flow system, a summary of infiltration studies conducted to date at Yucca Mountain is provided in the section titled Shallow Infiltration. This report describes results of several Site Characterization Plan studies that were ongoing at the time excavation of the ESF North Ramp began and that continued as excavation proceeded.

TWITTER AS A TOOL OF PARA-DIPLOMACY: AN EXPLORATORY COHORT STUDY BASED ON CATALONIA (2013-2017

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Matthias Erlandsen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This exploratory cohort study investigated the phenomenon of Digital Diplomacy by sub-state actors within the field of para-diplomacy, specifically the use of social media platforms by Catalonian Secretaries and Delegates of the Generalitat, and in particular how they use Twitter for the international promotion of its independence and/or its nation branding. A stratified significant sample of each year between 2013 and 2017 was collected using R software, and then analyzed using Nvivo. The methodology was based on Abela (2001, Krippendorff (2004, and Neuendorf (2002. The data shows that both Catalan public servants as well as its Delegates Abroad, use Twitter mostly for personal use. However, when analyzing only the contents about international or intermestic topics, it is observed that there is a tendency to publish topics related to independence rather than national brand.

The TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study: Methods and Findings from an Exploratory Research Project on Eighth-Grade Mathematics Instruction in Germany, Japan, and the United States. A Research and Development Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Stigler, James W.; Gonzales, Patrick; Kwanaka, Takako; Knoll, Steffen; Serrano, Ana

This report presents the methods and preliminary findings of the Videotape Classroom Study, a video study of eighth-grade mathematics lessons in Germany, Japan, and the United States. This exploratory research project is part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The study included 231 eighth-grade mathematics…

Analysis of exploratory wells in the Cerro Prieto Field and the Mexicali Valley

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cobo R., J.M.; Bermejo M., F.J.

1982-08-10

Agricultural development in the Mexicali Valley and in the high cost of electric power required to operate the irrigation wells in the Valley prompted the Mexican government to investigate the possibility of taking advantage of thermal manifestations in the area located 28 km southeast of the city of Mexicali to generate electric power and thereby partially decrease the flight of foreign exchange. In 1958, a geologic study of the southern and southeastern zone of Mexicali was conducted to identify the possibilities of tapping geothermal resources. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge of the geologic conditions in this area and, if possible, to establish the location of exploratory and production wells and, on the basis of the results of the former, examine the geologic history in order to gain knowledge and understanding of the structural control of the steam. On the basis of this study, it was recommended that 3 exploratory wells should be drilled in order to locate weak zones that would easily allow for steam flow.

Management of everyday work in Emergency Departments - an exploratory study with Swedish Managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Henrik; Wireklint Sundström, Birgitta; Nilsson, Kerstin; Jakobsson Ung, Eva

2014-10-01

Through their formal mandate, position and authority, managers are responsible for managing everyday work in Emergency Departments (EDs) as well as striving for excellence and dealing with the individual needs of practitioners and patients. The aim of the present study is to explore managers' experiences of managing everyday work in Swedish EDs. A qualitative and exploratory design has been used in this study. Seven managers were interviewed at two EDs. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis with focus on latent content. Managers experience everyday work in the ED as lifesaving work. One of the characteristics of their approach to everyday work is their capability for rapidly identifying patients with life-threatening conditions and for treating them accordingly. The practitioners are on stand-by in order to deal with unexpected situations. This implies having to spend time waiting for the physicians' decisions. Management is characterised by a command and control approach. The managers experience difficulties in meeting the expectations of their staff. They strive to be proactive but instead they become reactive since the prevailing medical, bureaucratic and production-orientated systems constrain them. The managers demonstrate full compliance with the organisational systems. This threatens to reduce their freedom of action and influences the way they perform their managerial duties within and outside the EDs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GeoXp : An R Package for Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis

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Thibault Laurent

2012-04-01

Full Text Available We present GeoXp, an R package implementing interactive graphics for exploratory spatial data analysis. We use a data set concerning public schools of the French MidiPyrenees region to illustrate the use of these exploratory techniques based on the coupling between a statistical graph and a map. Besides elementary plots like boxplots,histograms or simple scatterplots, GeoXp also couples maps with Moran scatterplots, variogram clouds, Lorenz curves and other graphical tools. In order to make the most of the multidimensionality of the data, GeoXp includes dimension reduction techniques such as principal components analysis and cluster analysis whose results are also linked to the map.

Experimental study of neoclassical currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarnstorff, M.C.; Prager, S.C.

1985-05-01

A detailed experimental study is presented of the bootstrap and Pfirsch-Schlueter currents that are predicted by neoclassical transport theory. In a toroidal octupole, on magnetic surfaces within the separatrix, the observed parallel plasma currents are in excellent quantitative agreement with neoclassical theory with regard to the spatial structure (along a magnetic surface), collisionality dependence and toroidal magnetic field dependence. On magnetic surfaces outside the separatrix, the ion portion of the parallel current is in agreement with neoclassical theory but the electron parallel current is observed to obtain a unidirectional component which deviates from and exceeds the theoretical prediction

High-current railgap studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Druce, R.; Gordon, L.; Hofer, W.; Wilson, M.

1983-06-03

Characteristics of a 40-kV, 750-kA, multichannel rail gap are presented. The gap is a three electrode, field-distortion-triggered design, with a total switch inductance of less than 10 nH. At maximum ratings, the gap typically switches 10 C per shot, at 700 kA, with a jitter of less than 2 ns. Image-converter streak photographs were used to study channel evolution and current division. Transient gas-pressure measurements were made to investigate the arc generated shocks and to detect single channel failure. Channel current sharing and simultaneity are described and their effects on the switch inductance and lifetime are discussed. Lifetime tests of the rail gap were performed. Degradation in the channel current-sharing and erosion measurements are discussed.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the sexual knowledge and attitudes scale for premarital couples (SKAS-PC: An exploratory mixed method study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohreh Sadat

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Designing a valid and reliable questionnaire that allows a fair evaluation of sexual knowledge and attitudes and develop a proper sexual educational program is necessary. Objective: The present study was designed to develop and psychometric evaluation of the sexual knowledge and attitudes scale for premarital couples. Materials and Methods: An exploratory mixed method study was conducted in two phases; in the first, in order to develop a questionnaire an item pool was generated on sexual knowledge and attitudes through focus group discussions and individual interviews. In the second phase, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined. For this purpose, face validity, content validity as well as construct validity were conducted. Reliability was assessed by the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to assess internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: In the first phase an item pool with 88 questions was generated (sexual knowledge 45 items and sexual attitudes 43 items. In the second phase, the number of final items reduced to 33 and 34 items of sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes respectively, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA. Five factors for sexual knowledge and six factors for sexual attitudes identified by EFA. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for two sections was 0.84 and 0.81 respectively. The test- retest correlations for sexual knowledge and sexual attitude was 0.74 and 0.82 respectively. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale for Premarital Couples is a valid and reliable instrument. Further studies are needed to establish stronger psychometric properties for the questionnaire.

Exploratory Modelling of Financial Reporting and Analysis Practices in Small Growth Enterprises

OpenAIRE

Richard G. P. McMahon; Leslie G. Davies; Nicholas M. Bluhm

1994-01-01

This paper reports an exploratory study of statistical modelling of historical financial reporting and analysis in a sample of small growth enterprises. The study sought to identify those factors that determine whether particular financial reporting and analysis practices are undertaken, and to represent these explanatory factors in expressions that reflect their relative and combined influence. Dichotomous logistic regression is employed to model financial analysis and polytomous logistic re...

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of Delirium Symptoms in a Sample of Nursing Home Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyo, Patience; Huang, Ting-Ying; Simoni-Wastila, Linda; Harrington, Donna

2018-02-01

This study examined the latent constructs of delirium symptoms among nursing home (NH) residents in the United States. Cross-sectional NH assessment data (Minimum Data Set 2.0) from the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were used. Data from two independent, randomly selected subsamples of residents ≥65 years were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). There were 367 and 366 individuals in the EFA and CFA, respectively. Assessment of multiple model fit statistics in CFA indicated that the two-factor structure provided better fit for the data than a one-factor solution. The two factors represented cognitive and behavioral latent constructs as suggested by the related literature. A correlation of .72 between these constructs suggested moderate discriminant validity. This finding emphasizes the importance of health care providers to be attentive to both cognitive and behavioral symptoms when diagnosing, treating, and managing delirium.

Transfer of training effects in stroke patients with apraxia: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Geusgens, Chantal; van Heugten, Caroline; Donkervoort, Mireille; van den Ende, Els; Jolles, Jelle; van den Heuvel, Wim

2006-04-01

The goal of the present study was to examine the transfer of the effects of cognitive strategy training for stroke patients with apraxia from trained to non-trained tasks. In strategy training, the occurrence of transfer is expected as the training programme is aimed, not at relearning specific tasks, but at teaching patients new ways to handle the problems resulting from the impairment. Exploratory analyses were conducted on data previously collected in a randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of the strategy training. A total of 113 left hemisphere stroke patients were randomly assigned to a strategy training group and a group receiving occupational therapy as usual. Assessment of apraxia, motor functioning and activities of daily living (ADL) took place at baseline, after an eight-week treatment period, and five months after baseline. The primary outcome measure consisted of standardised ADL observations of trained and non-trained tasks. The analyses showed that in both treatment groups, the scores on the ADL observations for non-trained tasks improved significantly after eight weeks of training as compared with the baseline score. Change scores of non-trained activities were larger in the strategy training group as compared with the usual treatment group. By using previously collected data we are able to illustrate the potential transfer of treatment effects in a large sample of stroke patients. We found indications for the occurrence of transfer, although the study was not originally designed for the purpose of evaluating transfer. Therefore these results are worth exploring more profoundly. We will further investigate our preliminary conclusions in a new prospective study which is specifically designed to examine the transfer of training effects.

Exploratory Bi-Factor Analysis: The Oblique Case

Science.gov (United States)

Jennrich, Robert I.; Bentler, Peter M.

2012-01-01

Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis originally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford ("Psychometrika" 47:41-54, 1937). The bi-factor model has a general factor, a number of group factors, and an explicit bi-factor structure. Jennrich and Bentler ("Psychometrika" 76:537-549, 2011) introduced an exploratory form of bi-factor…

Factors associated with secondhand tobacco smoke in the home: an exploratory cross-sectional study among women in Aleta Wondo, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Anne Berit; Thompson, Lisa M; Dadi, Gezahegn Bekele; Tolcha, Alemu; Cataldo, Janine K

2016-08-31

In Ethiopia, female smoking rates are currently low (1 %). However, because of male smoking rates (overall 7.7 % and up to 27 % depending on region), women and children's risk of second hand smoke (SHS) exposure is a pressing concern. In order to develop effective public health interventions that prevent the uptake and exposure to smoking, thereby averting the projected increase in tobacco-induced disease, an understanding of Ethiopian women's practices regarding tobacco is needed. The purpose of this study was to explore Ethiopian women's tobacco use and prevalence of SHS exposure, and to identify covariates associated with SHS exposure. We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study in Southern Ethiopia between August and October 2014, and systematically sampled households in Aleta Wondo town and surrounding districts. Trained interviewers verbally administered surveys to women 18-55 years of age. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. None of the 353 participants reported current tobacco use and less than 1 % reported ever use, however, 11 % reported ever use of the stimulant leaf khat. Twenty-seven women (7.6 %) reported living with a tobacco user, however, twice that number (14.4 %) overall, and 22 % of urban participants reported that smoking occurred daily in their home. When controlling for other factors, living with a tobacco user (OR = 9.91, 95 % CI [3.32, 29.59]), allowing smoking in the home (OR = 5.67, 95 % CI [2.51, 12.79]), place of residence (OR = 2.74, 95 % CI [1.11, 6.74)]), and exposure to point-of-sale advertising within the last 30 days (OR = 2.87, 95 % CI [1.26, 6.54]) contributed significantly to a model predicting the likelihood of reporting daily occurrence of smoking/SHS in the home. While few women reported having ever used tobacco, one in seven women in this study reported that smoking/SHS occurred daily in their homes. Therefore SHS exposure is a potential health

Maternal burn-out: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Séjourné, N; Sanchez-Rodriguez, R; Leboullenger, A; Callahan, S

2018-02-21

Maternal burn-out is a psychological, emotional and physiological condition resulting from the accumulation of various stressors characterised by a moderate but also a chronic and repetitive dimension. Little research has focused on this syndrome. The current study aims to assess maternal burn-out rate and to identify factors associated with this state of exhaustion. 263 French mothers aged between 20 and 49 years answered five scales quantifying maternal burn-out, perceived social support, parental stress, depression and anxiety symptoms and history of postnatal depression. About 20% of mothers were affected by maternal burn-out. The main factors related to maternal burn-out were having a child perceived as difficult, history of postnatal depression, anxiety, satisfaction of a balance between professional and personal life and parental stress. This research shows the need for further work on maternal burn-out to better understand and prevent this syndrome.

Fundamentals of exploratory analysis of variance

CERN Document Server

Hoaglin, David C; Tukey, John W

2009-01-01

The analysis of variance is presented as an exploratory component of data analysis, while retaining the customary least squares fitting methods. Balanced data layouts are used to reveal key ideas and techniques for exploration. The approach emphasizes both the individual observations and the separate parts that the analysis produces. Most chapters include exercises and the appendices give selected percentage points of the Gaussian, t, F chi-squared and studentized range distributions.

Exploratory structural assessment in craniocervical dystonia: Global and differential analyses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larissa Vilany

Full Text Available Our goal was to investigate the cortical thickness and subcortical volume in subjects with craniocervical dystonia and its subgroups.We studied 49 subjects, 17 with cervical dystonia, 18 with blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia, and 79 healthy controls. We performed a whole group analysis, followed by a subgroup analysis. We used Freesurfer software to measure cortical thickness, subcortical volume and to perform a primary exploratory analysis in the craniocervical dystonia group, complemented by a region of interest analysis. We also performed a secondary analysis, with data generated from Freesurfer for subgroups, corrected by false discovery rate. We then performed an exploratory generalized linear model with significant areas for the previous steps using clinical features as independent variables.The primary exploratory analysis demonstrated atrophy in visual processing regions in craniocervical dystonia. The secondary analysis demonstrated atrophy in motor, sensory, and visual regions in blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia, as well as in limbic regions in cervical dystonia. Cervical dystonia patients also had greater cortical thickness than blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia patients in frontal pole and medial orbitofrontal regions. Finally, we observed an association between precuneus, age of onset of dystonia and age at the MRI exam, in craniocervical dystonia; between motor and limbic regions and age at the exam, clinical score and time on botulinum toxin in cervical dystonia and sensory regions and age of onset and time on botulinum toxin in blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia.We detected involvement of visual processing regions in craniocervical dystonia, and a pattern of involvement in cervical dystonia and blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia, including motor, sensory and limbic areas. We also showed an association of cortical thickness atrophy and younger onset age, older age at the MRI exam, higher clinical

Fibromyalgia family and relationship impact exploratory survey.

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Marcus, Dawn A; Richards, Karen Lee; Chambers, Janet F; Bhowmick, Amrita

2013-09-01

Fibromyalgia is frequently associated with impairments in activities of daily living and work disability. Limited data have investigated the impact of fibromyalgia on relationships with family and friends. This exploratory study was designed to survey a large community sample of adults with fibromyalgia about the impact on the spouse/partner, children and close friends. A 40-question, multiple-choice survey was made available online for a two-month period, with potential participants recruited through fibromyalgia and migraine community websites. Items included questions about demographics, fibromyalgia symptoms, comorbid mood disturbance and relationship impact, including the Relationship Assessment Scale. The survey was completed by 6,126 adults who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Using updated diagnostic criteria from the American College of Rheumatology, 91% satisfied the criteria for fibromyalgia (Fibromyalgia Severity score ≥13 and pain ≥3 months). Half of participants endorsed that fibromyalgia had mildly to moderately damaged relationship(s) with their spouse(s)/partner(s) or contributed to a break-up with a spouse or partner. Half of participants scored as not being satisfied with their current spouse/partner relationship, with satisfaction negatively affected by the presence of mood disturbance symptoms and higher fibromyalgia severity. Relationships with children and close friends were also negatively impacted for a substantial minority of participants. In addition to physical impairments that are well documented among individuals with fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia can result in a substantial negative impact on important relationships with family and close friends. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Risk factors for tobacco susceptibility in an orthodontic population: An exploratory study.

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Jashinsky, Jared Michael; Liles, Sandy; Schmitz, Katy; Ding, Ding; Hovell, Melbourne

2017-08-01

Tobacco use is related to increased periodontal disease, tooth loss, and decreased success of orthodontic appliances, and it may inhibit orthodontic tooth movement. Most smokers start during adolescence. Since most cessation attempts fail, prevention appears necessary. A cross-sectional sample of orthodontic patients reported hypothesized risk factors for smoking and susceptibility to tobacco use initiation. Exploratory analyses regressed susceptibility to tobacco initiation on each hypothesized predictor variable in a separate logistic model that included a standard set of covariates. Significant odds ratios (OR) were found for the presence of a smoker in the home (OR, 2.168; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.144-4.107), a friend having no-smoking rules in his or her home and car (OR, 0.337; 95% CI, 0.128-0.886), having been offered a cigarette (OR, 4.526; 95% CI, 1.190-17.207), and exposure to tobacco advertisements (OR, 1.910; 95% CI, 1.044-3.496). Peer, family, and environmental factors appear to increase children's susceptibility to smoking in orthodontic populations. Attention to such factors could help dental clinicians to more effectively identify susceptible young patients in need of antismoking advice. Prospective and experimental studies are required to confirm the role that dental clinicians might play in youth smoking prevention. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal activity in the Tulancingo-Acoculco Caldera Complex, central Mexico. Exploratory studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Hernandez, Aida [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos, CFE, Alejandro Volta 655, 58290 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Qro., 76230 (Mexico); Garcia-Estrada, Gerardo; Palma-Guzman, Hugo; Quijano-Leon, Jose L. [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos, CFE, Alejandro Volta 655, 58290 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Aguirre-Diaz, Gerardo; Gonzalez-Partida, Eduardo [Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Qro., 76230 (Mexico)

2009-09-15

Mineral alteration and fluid inclusion studies of drill cuttings and core samples indicate that the sedimentary basement rocks and the volcanic rocks associated with Tulancingo-Acoculco Caldera Complex have been the site of two distinct and major hydrothermal events. The complex, located in the eastern portion of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, is formed by the Pliocene Tulancingo Caldera and the younger (Pleistocene) Acoculco Caldera, which developed within the older depression. The volcanic rocks are underlain by Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The earliest important hydrothermal event occurred during the emplacement of Mid-Tertiary granitic intrusions that metamorphosed the sedimentary rocks; these intrusives are not exposed at the surface. However, granitic rocks were encountered at the bottom of exploratory borehole EAC-1, drilled within the Caldera Complex. The second main event occurred during the formation of the Tulancingo and Acoculco Calderas. Both episodes lead to secondary mineralization that reduced the permeability of the reservoir rocks. A possible third hydrothermal event may be associated with the recent magmatic activity within the Acoculco Caldera.Thermal logs from well EAC-1 display a conductive thermal gradient with maximum temperatures exceeding 300 C at 2000 m depth. Although there are no active thermal springs in the area, there is extensive fossil surface hydrothermal alteration and cold gas discharges with high He{sup 3}/He{sup 4} ratios. (author)

#Vapelife: An Exploratory Study of Electronic Cigarette Use and Promotion on Instagram.

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Laestadius, Linnea I; Wahl, Megan M; Cho, Young I

2016-10-14

The growth of social networking services has enabled the sharing of electronic cigarette opinions and experiences via user-generated content. This exploratory study analyzed electronic cigarette content found on the visual social networking service, Instagram, in order to highlight public health challenges created by this content and support understanding of electronic cigarette promotion and usage. A qualitative content analysis was performed on Instagram posts made with the hashtags #ecig or #vape in October 2014. Images, text, and hashtags from 85 posts (43 #ecig, 42 #vape) were analyzed. In addition, the total number of posts made with eight key electronic cigarette hashtags was recorded at four points between March 2014 and October 2015. The total number of #vape posts on Instagram grew by 4,163,274 during the study period, while #ecig posts increased by 741,916. Of the posts examined in-depth, corporate users made up over half of posts. No posts were critical of electronic cigarettes. Few mentioned electronic cigarettes in the context of health benefits. No posts included major brands, and mod style electronic cigarettes were mentioned or depicted in over half of posts. A majority of posts included hashtags expressing vaping identity and community. In addition, users mentioned novel practices such as sub-ohming. Conclusions/Importance: Instagram users in our sample characterized electronic cigarettes primarily as novel devices rather than equivalents to cigarettes. Further, hashtag communities and identities appear to be forming around vaping. Future research should consider the public health implications of these hashtags, as well as novel electronic cigarette practices.

CLEANing the Reward: Counterfactual Actions to Remove Exploratory Action Noise in Multiagent Learning

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HolmesParker, Chris; Taylor, Mathew E.; Tumer, Kagan; Agogino, Adrian

2014-01-01

Learning in multiagent systems can be slow because agents must learn both how to behave in a complex environment and how to account for the actions of other agents. The inability of an agent to distinguish between the true environmental dynamics and those caused by the stochastic exploratory actions of other agents creates noise in each agent's reward signal. This learning noise can have unforeseen and often undesirable effects on the resultant system performance. We define such noise as exploratory action noise, demonstrate the critical impact it can have on the learning process in multiagent settings, and introduce a reward structure to effectively remove such noise from each agent's reward signal. In particular, we introduce Coordinated Learning without Exploratory Action Noise (CLEAN) rewards and empirically demonstrate their benefits

Framing matters: Effects of framing on older adults’ exploratory decision-making

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Cooper, Jessica A.; Blanco, Nathaniel; Maddox, W. Todd

2016-01-01

We examined framing effects on exploratory decision-making. In Experiment 1 we tested older and younger adults in two decision-making tasks separated by one week, finding that older adults’ decision-making performance was preserved when maximizing gains, but declined when minimizing losses. Computational modeling indicates that younger adults in both conditions, and older adults in gains-maximization, utilized a decreasing threshold strategy (which is optimal), but older adults in losses were better fit by a fixed-probability model of exploration. In Experiment 2 we examined within-subjects behavior in older and younger adults in the same exploratory decision-making task, but without a time separation between tasks. We replicated the older adult disadvantage in loss-minimization from Experiment 1, and found that the older adult deficit was significantly reduced when the loss-minimization task immediately followed the gains-maximization task. We conclude that older adults’ performance in exploratory decision-making is hindered when framed as loss-minimization, but that this deficit is attenuated when older adults can first develop a strategy in a gains-framed task. PMID:27977218

Staff technical position on regulatory considerations in the design and construction of the exploratory shaft facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, D.; Peshel, J.; Bunting, J.

1991-07-01

The staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has prepared this staff technical position for the purpose of compiling and further clarifying previous staff positions on regulatory considerations in the design and construction of the exploratory shaft facility (ESF). (The US Department of Energy (DOE) now refers to the ESF as the ''exploratory studies facility.'' DOE's change in terminology does not affect the positions taken in this guidance.) This document lists the key regulations in 10 CFR Part 60 that should be considered in the design and construction of the ESF and presents the staff position statements and corresponding discussions. 13 refs., 1 fig

Knowledge flow and exchange in interdisciplinary primary health care teams (PHCTs): an exploratory study

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Sibbald, Shannon L.; Wathen, C. Nadine; Kothari, Anita; Day, Adam M. B.

2013-01-01

Objective: Improving the process of evidence-based practice in primary health care requires an understanding of information exchange among colleagues. This study explored how clinically oriented research knowledge flows through multidisciplinary primary health care teams (PHCTs) and influences clinical decisions. Methods: This was an exploratory mixed-methods study with members of six PHCTs in Ontario, Canada. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed with social network analysis (SNA) using UCINet. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed with content analysis procedures using NVivo8. Results: It was found that obtaining research knowledge was perceived to be a shared responsibility among team members, whereas its application in patient care was seen as the responsibility of the team leader, usually the senior physician. PHCT members acknowledged the need for resources for information access, synthesis, interpretation, or management. Conclusion: Information sharing in interdisciplinary teams is a complex and multifaceted process. Specific interventions need to be improved such as formalizing modes of communication, better organizing knowledge-sharing activities, and improving the active use of allied health professionals. Despite movement toward team-based models, senior physicians are often gatekeepers of uptake of new evidence and changes in practice. PMID:23646028

Description of dynamic shared knowledge: an exploratory study during a competitive team sports interaction.

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Bourbousson, J; Poizat, G; Saury, J; Seve, C

2011-02-01

This exploratory case study describes the sharedness of knowledge within a basketball team (nine players) and how it changes during an official match. To determine how knowledge is mobilised in an actual game situation, the data were collected and processed following course-of-action theory (Theureau 2003). The results were used to characterise the contents of the shared knowledge (i.e. regarding teammate characteristics, team functioning, opponent characteristics, opposing team functioning and game conditions) and to identify the characteristic types of change: (a) the reinforcement of a previous element of shared knowledge; (b) the invalidation of an element of shared knowledge; (c) fragmentation of an element of shared knowledge; (d) the creation of a new element of shared knowledge. The discussion deals with the diverse types of change in shared knowledge and the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of common ground within the team. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The present case study focused on how the cognitions of individual members of a team coordinate to produce a team performance (e.g. surgical teams in hospitals, military teams) and how the shared knowledge changes during team activity. Traditional methods to increase knowledge sharedness can be enhanced by making use of 'opportunities for coordination' to optimise team adaptiveness.

Occupational Vocal Health of Elite Sports Coaches: An Exploratory Pilot Study of Football Coaches.

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Buckley, Katie L; O'Halloran, Paul D; Oates, Jennifer M

2015-07-01

To explore the occupational voice use and vocal health of elite football coaches. This pilot study explored coaches' voice use patterns and vocal demands across workplace environments. Each coach's experiences of voice symptoms and voice problems were also investigated. Twelve Australian professional football coaches participated in a mixed-methods data collection approach. Data were collected through acoustic voice measurement (Ambulatory Phonation Monitor), semistructured interviews, and a voice symptom questionnaire (Voice Capabilities Questionnaire). Acoustic measures suggested heavy vocal loads for coaches during player training. All participants reported experiencing voice symptoms. They also suggested that the structure of their working week, workplace tasks, and vocal demands impacted on their voices. Despite this, participants reported little previous reflection or awareness of what impacted on their voices. Coaches typically did not consider how to support their voices during daily work and discussed experiencing voice symptoms as an inevitable part of their jobs. This study demonstrates that occupational vocal demands may negatively impact on sports coaches' vocal health. This is particularly important, considering coaches' heavy vocal loads across coaching tasks and reported negative occupational vocal health experience. Furthermore, coaches' limited insight into voice use and vocal health management may impact on their vocal performance and health. Given the exploratory nature of this study, further research into coaches' occupational vocal health is warranted. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Do Athletes Know on the Effect of Steroids? An Exploratory Study in Italy.

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Vellante, Marcello; Moro, Maria Francesca; Sancassiani, Federica; Prost, Silvia; Machado, Sergio; Nardi, Antonio Egidio; Preti, Antonio; Mura, Gioia

2015-01-01

Despite the evidence of risks related to the use of anabolic steroids for the improvement of athletic performances, the diffusion of such drugs appears to be increasing. An exploratory study was conducted in Cagliari, Italy, to assess the level of information on this issue, to esteem the use of steroids among athletes, to measure the wellbeing of athletes and the risks related to steroid use. A sample of 192 athletes, including 142 non-agonists and 50 agonists (age range: 18 to 36) was invited to fill in a booklet including several self-report questionnaires. The questionnaire for the assessment of the beliefs regarding the effects of anabolic steroids was developed and validated for the study, while the Self Reporting Questionnaire was used for the assessment of the mental health aspects. A general lack of information on the specific effects of steroid use on general and psychic health, as well as on sportive performances was found. Athletes were also quite unaware of the diffusion of steroids among them. Since the sportive environment seems to be the main source of information, this channel should be targeted to address the prevention and information campaigns. The use of more specific tools and the investigation of the perception of reliability of the information sources as well as the social desirability issues should be explored in future studies.

Self-management evaluation by small-enterprises and micro-enterprises: Exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Clara Banchieri

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To know what their habits and customs on planning, developing, information management and control of micro and small enterprises in Catalonia Design/methodology/approach: Four workshops involving 70 people from micro and small companies were carried out. The workshops were organized by institutions related to Catalan companies. The model used in the workshops was the canvas model Findings and Originality/value: The main contribution is the use of canvas as auto diagnostic tool for micro and small businesses, which has allowed us to know which is the reality of this type of business regarding management, highlighting the necessity to have an overview of the company, the necessity to foster the relationship with the external forces, and the lack of relations between key areas. Participants also know the importance of management information Research limitations/implications: The workshops were aimed at people who have contact and participate in the institutions which were performed Practical implications: This research provides a conceptual framework for the companies’ owner to make a diagnosis on your business model and how it is managed. It also allows management practices from the micro and small enterprises, to design a management control system adapted to this type of company Social implications: The results serve as a diagnostic study on the reality of small and micro enterprises, which can be used to design tools and programs that are useful for their development and survival. Originality/value: For the participants Associations aims to promote the development of micro and small enterprises, the diagnosis of the reality of these companies. For the management people, the self-diagnostic tool and for the academic community the exploratory study would allow developing a control system applicable to the reality of the micro and small enterprises.

Qualitative data analysis for an exploratory sensory study of Grechetto wine.

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Esti, Marco; González Airola, Ricardo L; Moneta, Elisabetta; Paperaio, Marina; Sinesio, Fiorella

2010-02-15

Grechetto is a traditional white-grape vine, widespread in Umbria and Lazio regions in central Italy. Despite the wine commercial diffusion, little literature on its sensory characteristics is available. The present study is an exploratory research conducted with the aim of identifying the sensory markers of Grechetto wine and of evaluating the effect of clone, geographical area, vintage and producer on sensory attributes. A qualitative sensory study was conducted on 16 wines, differing for vintage, Typical Geographic Indication, and clone, collected from 7 wineries, using a trained panel in isolation who referred to a glossary of 133 white wine descriptors. Sixty-five attributes identified by a minimum of 50% of the respondents were submitted to a correspondence analysis to link wine samples to the sensory attributes. Seventeen terms identified as common to all samples are considered as characteristics of Grechetto wine, 10 of which olfactory: fruity, apple, acacia flower, pineapple, banana, floral, herbaceous, honey, apricot and peach. In order to interpret the relationship between design variables and sensory attributes data on 2005 and 2006 wines, the 28 most discriminating descriptors were projected in a principal component analysis. The first principal component was best described by olfactory terms and the second by gustative attributes. Good reproducibility of results was obtained for the two vintages. For one winery, vintage effect (2002-2006) was described in a new principal component analysis model applied on 39 most discriminating descriptors, which globally explained about 84% of the variance. In the young wines the notes of sulphur, yeast, dried fruit, butter, combined with herbaceous fresh and tropical fruity notes (melon, grapefruit) were dominant. During wine aging, sweeter notes, like honey, caramel, jam, become more dominant as well as some mineral notes, such as tuff and flint. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Informal sector shops and AIDS prevention An exploratory social ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Informal sector shops and AIDS prevention An exploratory social marketing ... The existence of a variety of media and interpersonal information sources on the ... shops should be further investigated as avenues for AIDS prevention efforts.

Exploratory behavior is linked to stress physiology and social network centrality in free-living house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus).

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Moyers, Sahnzi C; Adelman, James S; Farine, Damien R; Moore, Ignacio T; Hawley, Dana M

2018-05-21

Animal personality has been linked to individual variation in both stress physiology and social behaviors, but few studies have simultaneously examined covariation between personality traits, stress hormone levels, and behaviors in free-living animals. We investigated relationships between exploratory behavior (one aspect of animal personality), stress physiology, and social and foraging behaviors in wild house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). We conducted novel environment assays after collecting samples of baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentrations from a subset of house finches. We then fitted individuals with Passive Integrated Transponder tags and monitored feeder use and social interactions at radio-frequency identification equipped bird feeders. First, we found that individuals with higher baseline corticosterone concentrations exhibit more exploratory behaviors in a novel environment. Second, more exploratory individuals interacted with more unique conspecifics in the wild, though this result was stronger for female than for male house finches. Third, individuals that were quick to begin exploring interacted more frequently with conspecifics than slow-exploring individuals. Finally, exploratory behaviors were unrelated to foraging behaviors, including the amount of time spent on bird feeders, a behavior previously shown to be predictive of acquiring a bacterial disease that causes annual epidemics in house finches. Overall, our results indicate that individual differences in exploratory behavior are linked to variation in both stress physiology and social network traits in free-living house finches. Such covariation has important implications for house finch ecology, as both traits can contribute to fitness in the wild. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computed distributions of residual shaft drilling and construction water in the exploratory facilities at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eaton, R.R.; Peterson, A.C.

1989-01-01

The Yucca Mountain Project is studying the feasibility of constructing a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in southwest Nevada. One activity of site characterization is the construction of two exploratory shafts. This paper contains the results of engineering analytical calculations of the potential distribution of residual construction water in the exploratory shafts and drifts and numerical calculations of the movement of the residual water and how the movement is affected by drift ventilation. In all cases the increase in rock saturation resulting from the construction water was extremely small. 11 refs., 15 figs., 1 tab

An Exploratory Investigation of Requisite Skills Needed by Developers of E-Commerce Systems.

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Aladwani, Adel M.

The aim of this exploratory study is to identify the skills needed by developers of Electronic Commerce (e-Commerce) systems. The paper proposes a framework pertaining to three categories of e-Commerce development knowledge: technical, human, and organizational. The initial findings reveal that there are some 16 possible e-Commerce skills tapping…

Using Web-Based Exploratory Tasks to Develop Intercultural Competence in a Homogeneous Cultural Environment

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Stockwell, Esther

2016-01-01

This study adapted web-based exploratory tasks using WebQuests as a means of enabling students to understand and reflect on both the target and their own culture. Learners actively used various authentic resources selected to meet their linguistic and cognitive needs to complete the tasks. The aim of this study was to help Japanese university…

Environmental effects of exploratory drilling offshore Canada : environmental effects monitoring data and literature review : final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurley, G.; Ellis, J.

2004-10-01

This study examined pertinent environmental effects monitoring (EEM) information and data associated with offshore exploratory and development drilling in Canada. Two approaches were used: (1) a review of scientific literature was conducted to provide a synthesis of knowledge concerning interactions between exploratory drilling and the environment; and (2) a review of pertinent Canadian EEM data was conducted to evaluate interactions between exploratory drilling and the environment. Virtually all the east coast Canadian data reviewed in the study related to the effects of multiple wells. Although the effects of drilling waste were a primary focus, the effects of accidental discharges, lights and flaring, atmospheric emissions and noise emissions were also considered. Changes in the diversity and abundance of benthic organisms were detected within 1000 metres of many drill sites. The fine particles in drilling wastes contributed to the environmental effects observed around drilling platforms, and elevated body burden concentrations of drill waste indicators were detected over larger scales in a wide range of taxonomic groups. The results of laboratory and field studies suggested a lower potential for toxicity on commercial finfish and shellfish species. However, it was observed that measuring the effects of elevated concentrations of contaminants remained a challenge due to high levels variability in literature studies. A precautionary approach to the management of seismic surveys was recommended. It was concluded that the potential cumulative impacts of exploration drilling should be considered in the context of other anthropogenic activities. 138 refs., 6 tabs.

Impact of RFID on the Retail Value Chain: An Exploratory Study Using a Mixed Method Approach

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Mithu Bhattacharya

2012-12-01

Full Text Available While several large retailers have mandated RFID deployment across their value chains, the case for RFID adoption in retail still remains uncertain. This paper aims at providing a realistic perspective of the immense potential of RFID, taking adoption drivers, potential benefits, and implementation challenges into account. In this paper, a mixed methodological approach is used that caters to the exploratory nature of the work to quantitatively analyze RFID adoption drivers, benefits, and implementation challenges. First content analysis is applied to analyze academic and trade articles to come up with key issues and concepts. The results from the content analysis acted as input for a Delphi study which is the second methodology. The combined results from the two methods provide deep insights and enhance understanding of important implementation issues related to RFID adoption in the retail sector and also aid in drawing meaningful managerial conclusions.

The non-consumptive value of selected marine species at Table Mountain National Park: An exploratory study

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Melville Saayman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This exploratory study aimed to determine firstly the non-consumptive value of five marine species (whales, the Great White shark, penguins, dolphins and seals and secondly the socio-demographic and behavioural variables that influence willingness to pay to see these species. This was achieved by means of a structured questionnaire survey conducted at Table Mountain National Park, the largest urban national park in South Africa. The data consisted of 319 fully-completed questionnaires. These were analysed using factor analyses and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS regression analysis. The results showed that the variables influencing willingness to pay differed from species to species, with the largest differences being found in behavioural rather than socio-demographic variables. In showing how much respondents were willing to pay to see the various species and which species they preferred, the results also highlighted the non-consumptive value of the species.

Geotechnical characterization for the Main Drift of the Exploratory Studies Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kicker, D.C.; Martin, E.R.; Brechtel, C.E.; Stone, C.A.; Kessel, D.S.

1997-07-01

Geotechnical characterization of the Main Drift of the Exploratory Studies Facility was based on borehole data collected in site characterization drilling and on scanline rock mass quality data collected during the excavation of the North Ramp. The Main Drift is the planned 3,131-m near-horizontal tunnel to be excavated at the potential repository horizon for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. Main Drift borehole data consisted of three holes--USW SD-7, SD-9, and SD-12--drilled along the tunnel alignment. In addition, boreholes USW UZ-14, NRG-6, and NRG-7/7A were used to supplement the database on subsurface rock conditions. Specific data summarized and presented included lithologic and rock structure core logs, rock mechanics laboratory testing, and rock mass quality indices. Cross sections with stratigraphic and thermal-mechanical units were also presented. Topics discussed in the report include geologic setting, geologic features of engineering and construction significance, anticipated ground conditions, and the range of required ground support. Rock structural and rock mass quality data have been developed for each 3-m interval of core in the middle nonlithophysal stratigraphic zone of the Topopah Spring Tuff Formation. The distribution of the rock mass quality data in all boreholes used to characterize the Main Drift was assumed to be representative of the variability of the rock mass conditions to be encountered in the Main Drift. Observations in the North Ramp tunnel have been used to project conditions in the lower lithophysal zone and in fault zones

Predictors of Enrolling in Online Courses: An Exploratory Study of Students in Undergrad Marketing Courses

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Renée J. Fontenot

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An exploratory study of undergraduate students enrolled in marketing courses at a Southeastern regional university was conducted to determine the motivations and characteristics of marketing students who plan to be online learners and examined for differences between those who have taken and those who have not taken online classes. An online survey of Likert scales, open-ended questions and demographic questions was sent via class learning management websites. A total of 165 students of the 438 invited to participate completed the survey. A structural model was developed using SMART-PLS to estimate the relationships of constructs that predict taking online courses. Results of the study showed differences in predictors of those that have taken online courses compared to those who plan on taking online courses. A significant predictor of those planning on taking online courses is quality of learning while a significant predictor of those who have taken online courses is scheduling and timing. The results can be used to examine ways to improve/enhance the student’s educational experience, as well as an institution’s effectiveness in attracting the growing body of online learners.

Use of tactile feedback to control exploratory movements to characterize object compliance.

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Su, Zhe; Fishel, Jeremy A; Yamamoto, Tomonori; Loeb, Gerald E

2012-01-01

Humans have been shown to be good at using active touch to perceive subtle differences in compliance. They tend to use highly stereotypical exploratory strategies, such as applying normal force to a surface. We developed similar exploratory and perceptual algorithms for a mechatronic robotic system (Barrett arm/hand system) equipped with liquid-filled, biomimetic tactile sensors (BioTac(®) from SynTouch LLC). The distribution of force on the fingertip was measured by the electrical resistance of the conductive liquid trapped between the elastomeric skin and a cluster of four electrodes on the flat fingertip surface of the rigid core of the BioTac. These signals provided closed-loop control of exploratory movements, while the distribution of skin deformations, measured by more lateral electrodes and by the hydraulic pressure, were used to estimate material properties of objects. With this control algorithm, the robot plus tactile sensor was able to discriminate the relative compliance of various rubber samples.

Use of tactile feedback to control exploratory movements to characterize object compliance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhe eSu

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Humans have been shown to be good at using active touch to perceive subtle differences in compliance. They tend to use highly stereotypical exploratory strategies, such as applying normal force to a surface. We developed similar exploratory and perceptual algorithms for a mechatronic robotic system (Barrett arm/hand system equipped with liquid-filled, biomimetic tactile sensors (BioTac® from SynTouch LLC. The distribution of force on the fingertip was measured by the electrical resistance of the conductive liquid trapped between the elastomeric skin and a cluster of four electrodes on the flat fingertip surface of the rigid core of the BioTac. These signals provided closed-loop control of exploratory movements, while the distribution of skin deformations, measured by more lateral electrodes and by the hydraulic pressure, were used to estimate material properties of objects. With this control algorithm, the robot plus tactile sensor was able to discriminate the relative compliance of various rubber samples.

Diagnosis of Dementia by Machine learning methods in Epidemiological studies: a pilot exploratory study from south India.

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Bhagyashree, Sheshadri Iyengar Raghavan; Nagaraj, Kiran; Prince, Martin; Fall, Caroline H D; Krishna, Murali

2018-01-01

There are limited data on the use of artificial intelligence methods for the diagnosis of dementia in epidemiological studies in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. A culture and education fair battery of cognitive tests was developed and validated for population based studies in low- and middle-income countries including India by the 10/66 Dementia Research Group. We explored the machine learning methods based on the 10/66 battery of cognitive tests for the diagnosis of dementia based in a birth cohort study in South India. The data sets for 466 men and women for this study were obtained from the on-going Mysore Studies of Natal effect of Health and Ageing (MYNAH), in south India. The data sets included: demographics, performance on the 10/66 cognitive function tests, the 10/66 diagnosis of mental disorders and population based normative data for the 10/66 battery of cognitive function tests. Diagnosis of dementia from the rule based approach was compared against the 10/66 diagnosis of dementia. We have applied machine learning techniques to identify minimal number of the 10/66 cognitive function tests required for diagnosing dementia and derived an algorithm to improve the accuracy of dementia diagnosis. Of 466 subjects, 27 had 10/66 diagnosis of dementia, 19 of whom were correctly identified as having dementia by Jrip classification with 100% accuracy. This pilot exploratory study indicates that machine learning methods can help identify community dwelling older adults with 10/66 criterion diagnosis of dementia with good accuracy in a LMIC setting such as India. This should reduce the duration of the diagnostic assessment and make the process easier and quicker for clinicians, patients and will be useful for 'case' ascertainment in population based epidemiological studies.

Tobephobia Experienced by Teachers in Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Study Focusing on Curriculum Reform in the Nelson Mandela Metropole

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Singh, P.

2011-01-01

Because of its history from apartheid to democracy, the aspiration to reform schools is a recurrent theme in South African education. Efforts to reform education in schools based on the outcomes-based education (OBE) curriculum approach created major challenges for policy makers in South Africa. The purpose of this exploratory research was…

Barriers to, and Facilitators of Physical Activity in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer: An exploratory study.

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Mas, Sébastien; Quantin, Xavier; Ninot, Grégory

2015-01-01

Physical activity (PA) has a positive effect on the cardiorespiratory fitness, lung cancer symptoms, and quality of life of lung cancer patients. The aim of our study was to identify barriers to, and facilitators of PA in lung cancer patients. We collected data from five patients diagnosed with primary, advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were receiving chemotherapy. Choosing a qualitative approach, we conducted an exploratory analysis using the thematic analysis technique to process the data. Seven barriers to, and facilitators of PA were identified and grouped into four categories. We found that psychological and social factors affect patients' willingness and ability to engage in PA, while physiological and environmental factors have an impact on the duration, intensity, and regularity of their PA. Our study highlighted some of the effects that the barriers to PA have on the practice of it in our patient group. Our findings may be used by professionals to design adapted PA programs.

Genetic Determinism in the Genetics Curriculum. An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Mendelian and Weldonian Emphases

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Jamieson, Annie; Radick, Gregory

2017-12-01

Twenty-first-century biology rejects genetic determinism, yet an exaggerated view of the power of genes in the making of bodies and minds remains a problem. What accounts for such tenacity? This article reports an exploratory study suggesting that the common reliance on Mendelian examples and concepts at the start of teaching in basic genetics is an eliminable source of support for determinism. Undergraduate students who attended a standard `Mendelian approach' university course in introductory genetics on average showed no change in their determinist views about genes. By contrast, students who attended an alternative course which, inspired by the work of a critic of early Mendelism, W. F. R. Weldon (1860-1906), replaced an emphasis on Mendel's peas with an emphasis on developmental contexts and their role in bringing about phenotypic variability, were less determinist about genes by the end of teaching. Improvements in both the new Weldonian curriculum and the study design are in view for the future.

Exploratory shaft liner corrosion estimate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncan, D.R.

1985-10-01

An estimate of expected corrosion degradation during the 100-year design life of the Exploratory Shaft (ES) is presented. The basis for the estimate is a brief literature survey of corrosion data, in addition to data taken by the Basalt Waste Isolation Project. The scope of the study is expected corrosion environment of the ES, the corrosion modes of general corrosion, pitting and crevice corrosion, dissimilar metal corrosion, and environmentally assisted cracking. The expected internal and external environment of the shaft liner is described in detail and estimated effects of each corrosion mode are given. The maximum amount of general corrosion degradation was estimated to be 70 mils at the exterior and 48 mils at the interior, at the shaft bottom. Corrosion at welds or mechanical joints could be significant, dependent on design. After a final determination of corrosion allowance has been established by the project it will be added to the design criteria. 10 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs

An Exploratory Study of Civil Servants Spatial Thinking, Awareness and Use of Maps in Africa-Nigeria

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Asiyanbola, R. A.

2018-04-01

The paper is an exploratory study of spatial thinking, awareness and use of maps among civil servants in Nigeria with a view towards enhancing capacity building in the development and use of global mapping and geospatial information technologies products and services. The data used in the paper was from administration of 152 questionnaires to civil servants in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria between February and August, 2017. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The study shows among others that majority of the civil servants had situations in their daily lives or specialty that require spatial thinking; the three top situations in their daily lives or specialty that require spatial thinking were identification of places, wayfinding and walking; majority of them asked from people information about location, direction, distances and other needed information about places they do not know; majority of them were aware of maps; majority of them could read maps; majority of them had interest to learn more how to read maps and were willing to pay for the training.

African-American Fathers' Perspectives on Their Children's Health Education: A Qualitative, Exploratory Study.

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Odum, Mary; Smith, Matthew Lee; McKyer, E Lisako J

2014-01-01

To investigate African-American fathers' (AAF) perceptions regarding the applicability and need for their involvement as a health connection for their children and describe how participating fathers' behavior was affected by their attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of their influence on their children's health. This exploratory study gathered data via semi-structured focus groups (n = 3) and thematically analyzed it utilizing a grounded theory approach. Participants included AAF (n = 20) with a mean age of 37 years (SD 11.79), with at least one child between 6 and 18 years old. Four major themes were revealed: (1) appropriate health education for participants' children (should first and foremost be delivered by parents); (2) participants' paternal health-related guidance approach (reactive, rather than proactive); (3) participants' perceived influences on health-related communication with their children (gender roles, efficacy constraints); and (4) paternal definitions of health (most often associated with diet). Understanding AAFs' perceived and desired role in their children's health edification can inform initiatives that actively engage these men, and nurture their level of involvement, to promote positive health behaviors among their children; this is necessary to realize their potential to actively improve the health of their children, families, and communities.

An Exploratory Study of Reading Comprehension in College Students After Acquired Brain Injury.

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Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Griffiths, Gina G; Fickas, Stephen

2015-08-01

This exploratory study builds on the small body of existing research investigating reading comprehension deficits in college students with acquired brain injury (ABI). Twenty-four community college students with ABI completed a battery of questionnaires and standardized tests to characterize self-perceptions of academic reading ability, performance on a standardized reading comprehension measure, and a variety of cognitive functions of this population. Half of the participants in the sample reported traumatic brain injury (n = 12) and half reported nontraumatic ABI (n = 12). College students with both traumatic and nontraumatic ABI cite problems with reading comprehension and academic performance postinjury. Mean performance on a standardized reading measure, the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Brown, Fischo, & Hanna, 1993), was low to below average and was significantly correlated with performance on the Speed and Capacity of Language Processing Test (Baddeley, Emslie, & Nimmo-Smith, 1992). Injury status of traumatic versus nontraumatic ABI did not differentiate results. Regression analysis showed that measures of verbal attention and suppression obtained from the California Verbal Language Test-II (Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 2000) predicted total scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. College students with ABI are vulnerable to reading comprehension problems. Results align with other research suggesting that verbal attention and suppression problems may be contributing factors.

Considering the Contextual Fit of an Intervention for Families Headed by Parents with an Intellectual Disability: An Exploratory Study

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Mildon, Robyn; Wade, Catherine; Matthews, Jan

2008-01-01

Background: The purpose of this paper was to report on the results of an exploratory trial of an intensive home-based parenting programme for parents with an intellectual disability. The aim of the programme was to combine the delivery of evidence-based parent education technology for parents with an intellectual disability with two strategies…

Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry.

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Ronquillo, Jay G; Weng, Chunhua; Lester, William T

2017-11-17

  Precision medicine involves three major innovations currently taking place in healthcare:  electronic health records, genomics, and big data.  A major challenge for healthcare providers, however, is understanding the readiness for practical application of initiatives like precision medicine.   To better understand the current state and challenges of precision medicine interoperability using a national genetic testing registry as a starting point, placed in the context of established interoperability formats.   We performed an exploratory analysis of the National Institutes of Health Genetic Testing Registry.  Relevant standards included Health Level Seven International Version 3 Implementation Guide for Family History, the Human Genome Organization Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) database, and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT).  We analyzed the distribution of genetic testing laboratories, genetic test characteristics, and standardized genome/clinical code mappings, stratified by laboratory setting. There were a total of 25472 genetic tests from 240 laboratories testing for approximately 3632 distinct genes.  Most tests focused on diagnosis, mutation confirmation, and/or risk assessment of germline mutations that could be passed to offspring.  Genes were successfully mapped to all HGNC identifiers, but less than half of tests mapped to SNOMED CT codes, highlighting significant gaps when linking genetic tests to standardized clinical codes that explain the medical motivations behind test ordering.  Conclusion:  While precision medicine could potentially transform healthcare, successful practical and clinical application will first require the comprehensive and responsible adoption of interoperable standards, terminologies, and formats across all aspects of the precision medicine pipeline.

Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay G Ronquillo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background:  Precision medicine involves three major innovations currently taking place in healthcare:  electronic health records, genomics, and big data.  A major challenge for healthcare providers, however, is understanding the readiness for practical application of initiatives like precision medicine. Objective:  To better understand the current state and challenges of precision medicine interoperability using a national genetic testing registry as a starting point, placed in the context of established interoperability formats. Methods:  We performed an exploratory analysis of the National Institutes of Health Genetic Testing Registry.  Relevant standards included Health Level Seven International Version 3 Implementation Guide for Family History, the Human Genome Organization Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC database, and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT.  We analyzed the distribution of genetic testing laboratories, genetic test characteristics, and standardized genome/clinical code mappings, stratified by laboratory setting. Results: There were a total of 25472 genetic tests from 240 laboratories testing for approximately 3632 distinct genes.  Most tests focused on diagnosis, mutation confirmation, and/or risk assessment of germline mutations that could be passed to offspring.  Genes were successfully mapped to all HGNC identifiers, but less than half of tests mapped to SNOMED CT codes, highlighting significant gaps when linking genetic tests to standardized clinical codes that explain the medical motivations behind test ordering.   Conclusion:  While precision medicine could potentially transform healthcare, successful practical and clinical application will first require the comprehensive and responsible adoption of interoperable standards, terminologies, and formats across all aspects of the precision medicine pipeline.

The role of shame and self-compassion in psychotherapy for narcissistic personality disorder: An exploratory study.

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Kramer, Ueli; Pascual-Leone, Antonio; Rohde, Kristina B; Sachse, Rainer

2018-03-01

This process-outcome study aims at exploring the role of shame, self-compassion, and specific therapeutic interventions in psychotherapy for patients with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). This exploratory study included a total of N = 17 patients with NPD undergoing long-term clarification-oriented psychotherapy. Their mean age was 39 years, and 10 were male. On average, treatments were 64 sessions long (range between 45 and 99). Sessions 25 and 36 were rated using the Classification of Affective Meaning States and the Process-Content-Relationship Scale. Outcome was assessed using the Symptom Check List-90 and Beck Depression Inventory-II. Between Sessions 25 and 36, a small decrease in the frequency of shame was found (d = .30). In Session 36, the presence of self-compassion was linked with a set of specific therapist interventions (process-guidance and treatment of behaviour-underlying assumptions; 51% of variance explained and adjusted). This study points to the possible central role of shame in the therapeutic process of patients with NPD. Hypothetically, one way of resolving shame is, for the patient, to access underlying self-compassion. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characteristics of Brazilian Offenders and Victims of Interpersonal Violence: An Exploratory Study.

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d'Avila, Sérgio; Campos, Ana Cristina; Bernardino, Ítalo de Macedo; Cavalcante, Gigliana Maria Sobral; Nóbrega, Lorena Marques da; Ferreira, Efigênia Ferreira E

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of Brazilian offenders and victims of interpersonal violence, following a medicolegal and forensic perspective. A cross-sectional and exploratory study was performed in a Center of Forensic Medicine and Dentistry. The sample was made up of 1,704 victims of nonlethal interpersonal violence with some type of trauma. The victims were subject to forensic examinations by a criminal investigative team that identified and recorded the extent of the injuries. For data collection, a specific form was designed consisting of four parts according to the information provided in the medicolegal and social records: sociodemographic data of the victims, offender's characteristics, aggression characteristics, and types of injuries. Descriptive and multivariate statistics using cluster analysis (CA) were performed. The two-step cluster method was used to characterize the profile of the victims and offenders. Most of the events occurred during the nighttime (50.9%) and on weekdays (66.3%). Soft tissue injuries were the most prevalent type (94.6%). Based on the CA results, two clusters for the victims and two for the offenders were identified. Victims: Cluster 1 was formed typically by women, aged 30 to 59 years, and married; Cluster 2 was composed of men, aged 20 to 29 years, and unmarried. Offenders: Cluster 1 was characterized by men, who perpetrated violence in a community environment. Cluster 2 was formed by men, who perpetrated violence in the familiar environment. These findings revealed different risk groups with distinct characteristics for both victims and offenders, allowing the planning of targeted measures of care, prevention, and health promotion. This study assesses the profile of violence through morbidity data and significantly contributes to building an integrated system of health surveillance in Brazil, as well as linking police stations, forensic services, and emergency hospitals.

An exploratory examination of philanthropy in the New Zealand, Spanish and US wine industries

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Sharon L. Forbes

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This exploratory study provides an insight into the concept of philanthropy and how it is applied in the context of wineries. Researchers in three nations interviewed winery owners or managers to obtain qualitative data; this data was categorised to identify common themes, similarities and differences across wineries or nations. Our findings indicate that all the wineries are undertaking philanthropic activities, ranging from donations of wine, time, cash or facilities, to organising or participating in events. These activities are primarily driven by altruistic rather than strategic motivations, and the predominant benefits achieved from philanthropy are personal satisfaction rather than financial. Although only a small number of wineries were interviewed (11, this study of philanthropy is unique as it has examined both small and large businesses operating in a single industry sector, across multiple nations. Whilst the small sample is an obvious limitation of this study, future quantitative research with a larger sample will determine the degree to which these exploratory findings can be deemed to represent the global wine industry. Keywords: Philanthropy, Wine industry, Motives, Benefits, Cross-cultural

Community College Presidents in a Southern State: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry of Servant Leadership

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Lehning, John

2013-01-01

This exploratory qualitative inquiry added to a limited body of research on the topic of community college presidents who practice the servant leadership philosophy, their influence on organizational effectiveness, and their influence on creating benefits for their community. The research question directing this study asked, What are the…

Exploratory Study of 4D versus 3D Robust Optimization in Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer

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Liu, Wei, E-mail: Liu.Wei@mayo.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona (United States); Schild, Steven E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona (United States); Chang, Joe Y.; Liao, Zhongxing [Department of Radiation Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Chang, Yu-Hui [Division of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona (United States); Wen, Zhifei [Department of Radiation Physics, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Shen, Jiajian; Stoker, Joshua B.; Ding, Xiaoning; Hu, Yanle [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona (United States); Sahoo, Narayan [Department of Radiation Physics, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Herman, Michael G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota (United States); Vargas, Carlos; Keole, Sameer; Wong, William; Bues, Martin [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona (United States)

2016-05-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of uncertainties and interplay on 3-dimensional (3D) and 4D robustly optimized intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans for lung cancer in an exploratory methodology study. Methods and Materials: IMPT plans were created for 11 nonrandomly selected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases: 3D robustly optimized plans on average CTs with internal gross tumor volume density overridden to irradiate internal target volume, and 4D robustly optimized plans on 4D computed tomography (CT) to irradiate clinical target volume (CTV). Regular fractionation (66 Gy [relative biological effectiveness; RBE] in 33 fractions) was considered. In 4D optimization, the CTV of individual phases received nonuniform doses to achieve a uniform cumulative dose. The root-mean-square dose-volume histograms (RVH) measured the sensitivity of the dose to uncertainties, and the areas under the RVH curve (AUCs) were used to evaluate plan robustness. Dose evaluation software modeled time-dependent spot delivery to incorporate interplay effect with randomized starting phases of each field per fraction. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) indices comparing CTV coverage, homogeneity, and normal tissue sparing were evaluated using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: 4D robust optimization plans led to smaller AUC for CTV (14.26 vs 18.61, respectively; P=.001), better CTV coverage (Gy [RBE]) (D{sub 95%} CTV: 60.6 vs 55.2, respectively; P=.001), and better CTV homogeneity (D{sub 5%}-D{sub 95%} CTV: 10.3 vs 17.7, resspectively; P=.002) in the face of uncertainties. With interplay effect considered, 4D robust optimization produced plans with better target coverage (D{sub 95%} CTV: 64.5 vs 63.8, respectively; P=.0068), comparable target homogeneity, and comparable normal tissue protection. The benefits from 4D robust optimization were most obvious for the 2 typical stage III lung cancer patients. Conclusions: Our exploratory methodology study showed

Mission Attachment and Job Satisfaction among Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Service Professionals: An Exploratory Analysis

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Fermin, Caroline P.

2017-01-01

This research study was an exploratory analysis to determine if a relationship existed between mission attachment and job satisfaction of emergency nonprofit domestic violence shelter/transitional housing workers. The study examined if the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes were different between entry-level, middle-level, and senior-level…

Korean parents’ perceptions on the importance of computer usage for themselves and their children: An exploratory study

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Hee Jeong LIM

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Many families today have access to computers that help them with their daily living activities, such asfinding employment and helping children with schoolwork. Minority families residing in the United Statesthough often do not own home computers. With a greater number of immigrant families arriving to theUnited States, questions are raised whether parents unfamiliar with the new culture view computers asimportant teaching tools for themselves and their children. An exploratory study was conducted lookingat Korean parents whose children were enrolled in a Southern California elementary school, since thisminority group consistently falls within the top ten immigrant sending countries. The study’s purpose wasto examine parent perceptions on the importance placed on computer usage for themselves and theirchildren. Findings suggest that Korean parents place a high value on computer usage and see it as vitalto job success and academic achievement.