Case studies on sugar production from underutilized woody biomass using sulfite chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

J.Y. Zhu; M. Subhosh Chandra; Roland Gleisner; William Gilles; Johnway Gao; Gevan Marrs; Dwight Anderson; John Sessions

2015-01-01

We examined two case studies to demonstrate the advantages of sulfite chemistry for pretreating underutilized woody biomass to produce sugars through enzymatic saccharification. In the first case study, we evaluated knot rejects from a magnesium-basedsulfite mill for direct enzymatic sugar production.We found that the sulfite mill rejects are an excellent feedstock for...

Using Case Studies to Enrich Field Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Florio-Ruane, Susan; Clark, Christopher M.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses the use of field experience in teacher education and how it can be augmented by phenomenological case studies. It summarizes a particular case study involving three teacher education classes, noting that reflective analysis of cases can prepare students to observe in the field. (SM)

The Case of the Druid Dracula: A Directed "Clicker" Case Study on DNA Fingerprinting

Science.gov (United States)

Brickman, Peggy

2006-01-01

This article describes how case studies have been successfully implemented in an introductory biology course of 300+ students using available technologies ranging from WebCT, used to assign students to permanent small groups (as well as assign groups to regions of a large lecture hall), to hand-held response systems (aka "clickers"), which…

Qat use and esophageal cancer in Ethiopia: A pilot case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria E Leon

Full Text Available Qat (Catha edulis chewing is reported to induce lesions in the buccal mucosa, irritation of the esophagus, and esophageal reflux. Case series suggest a possible etiological role in oral and esophageal cancers. This pilot study aimed to generate preliminary estimates of the magnitude and direction of the association between qat use and esophageal cancer (EC risk and to inform the logistics required to conduct a multi-center case-control study.Between May 2012 and May 2013, 73 EC cases (including 12 gastro-esophageal junction cases and 133 controls matched individually on sex, age, and residence were enrolled at two endoscopy clinics and a cancer treatment hospital in Addis Ababa. A face-to-face structured questionnaire was administered. Qat use was defined as ever having chewed qat once a week or more frequently for at least one year. Odds ratios were calculated using conditional logistic regression.Only 8% of cases resided in Addis Ababa. Qat use was more frequent in cases (36% than in controls (26%. A 2-fold elevation in EC risk was observed in ever qat chewers compared with never users in unadjusted conditional logistic regression (OR = 2.12; 95% CI = 0.94, 4.74, an association that disappeared after adjusting for differences in tobacco use, consumption of alcohol and green vegetables, education level, and religion (OR = 0.95; 0.22, 4.22. Among never tobacco users, however, a non-significant increase in EC risk was suggested in ever qat users also after adjustment. Increases in EC risk were observed with ever tobacco use, alcohol consumption, low consumption of green vegetables, a salty diet, illiteracy, and among Muslims; the four latter associations were significant.This pilot study generated EC risk estimates in association with a habit practiced by millions of people and never before studied in a case-control design. Results must be interpreted cautiously in light of possible selection bias, with some demographics such as education level

Testing for direct genetic effects using a screening step in family-based association studies

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Sharon M Lutz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In genome wide association studies (GWAS, families based studies tend to have less power to detect genetic associations than population based studies, such as case-control studies. This can be an issue when testing if genes in a family based GWAS have a direct effect on the phenotype of interest or if the genes act indirectly through a secondary phenotype. When multiple SNPs are tested for a direct effect in the family based study, a screening step can be used to minimize the burden of multiple comparisons in the causal analysis. We propose a 2-stage screening step that can be incorporated into the family based association test (FBAT approach similar to the conditional mean model approach in the VanSteen-algorithm [1]. Simulations demonstrate that the type 1 error is preserved and this method is advantageous when multiple markers are tested. This method is illustrated by an application to the Framingham Heart Study.

Recommendations on the use of expert judgment in safety and reliability engineering studies. Two offshore case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hokstada, Per; Oien, Knut; Reinertsen, Rune

1998-01-01

This paper provides guidance on the process of establishing input data to safety and reliability engineering analyses when no or little field data exist, and expert judgment is required. Some recommendations are directly related to a discussion of basic requirements for scientific work. Further, two case studies are discussed in order to highlight some actual problem areas that are experienced when using expert judgment, and some recommendations for handling these problems are given. The first case describes how expert judgment was used to analyse the safe operation of an umbilical on a semisubmersible drilling rig, and the second case is related to establishing generic failure rates/probabilities for components of offshore safety systems

Direct microvascular monitoring of a free autologous jejunal flap using microendoscopy: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hopper Colin

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Early identification of flap failure is an indispensable prerequisite for flap salvage. Although many technical developments of free flap monitoring have now reached clinical application, very few are considered to be reliable and non-invasive for early recognition of flap failure. Case presentation We used microendoscopic technique for microvascular monitoring of free autologous jejunal flap by the direct visualisation of the flow of erythrocytes through the capillary vasculature on both the mucosal and serosal surfaces. Blood flow was seen to be pulsatile, with individual erythrocytes visible in the capillaries. The best view was obtained when the scope was focussed directly on the capillary rather than the graft surface. The view of the unstained mucosal surface was bland apart from the fine capillary loops which were seen to fill with each pulsatile event. The microendoscopic examination of the serosal surface revealed much larger calibre vessels with obvious blood flow. Conclusion The microendoscopic monitoring technique is simple and safe with direct visualisation of blood flow. The technique may also be useful for the monitoring of other free bowel transplants.

Case study : environmental considerations of horizontal directional drills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slade, D.A.

2000-01-01

A pipeline construction project by Enbridge Pipelines (Toledo) Inc. which relied on horizontal directional drilling (HDD) techniques to install the pipe was analyzed with particular focus on the environmental benefits and risks of using directional drills compared to open cut installation. The construction of the 35-mile, 16-inch crude petroleum pipeline from Stockbridge to Freedom Junction in Michigan involved the use of 11 separate directional drills to cross through wetlands, streams and state recreational areas. The role that HDD played in route selection and environmental permit considerations was discussed along with some of the problems encountered with directional drilling. A successful HDD program must have adequate geotechnical information to properly design and plan the crossings. It was recommended that geotechnical borings should be conducted every 300 to 500 feet across the HDD alignment. It was also recommended that a frac-out contingency plan should be developed and to be prepared for the temporary shut down of the HDD rig if a frac-out occurs. Frac-outs must be investigated, contained and any released fluid should be removed. Some recommendations from past experiences were also presented as a guide for future planning of pipeline projects that include HDD techniques, particularly in wetland areas. Appendix A to this presentation included a contingency plan for illustrative purposes only. The plan was developed for the above project and was included as an example only. It described the planning, prevention and control measures to minimize impacts resulting from inadvertent spill of drilling mud during directional drilling in wetlands. It also included a drilling mud 'Containment, Response and Notification Plan' to be implemented as determined by the contractor under the supervision of Enbridge Pipelines (Toledo) Inc. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig., 1 appendix

Case study: use of problem-based learning to develop students' technical and professional skills

Science.gov (United States)

Warnock, James N.; Mohammadi-Aragh, M. Jean

2016-03-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogy that has attracted attention for many biomedical engineering curricula. The aim of the current study was to address the research question, 'Does PBL enable students to develop desirable professional engineering skills?' The desirable skills identified were communication, teamwork, problem solving and self-directed learning. Forty-seven students enrolled in a biomedical materials course participated in the case study. Students worked in teams to complete a series of problems throughout the semester. The results showed that students made significant improvements in their problem-solving skills, written communication and self-directed learning. Students also demonstrated an ability to work in teams and communicate orally. In conclusion, this case study provides empirical evidence of the efficacy of PBL on student learning. We discuss findings from our study and provide observations of student performance and perceptions that could be useful for faculty and researchers interested in PBL for biomedical engineering education.

Numerical study of unsteady flows past oscillating airfoils using direct zonal coupling method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, F.; Khalid, M.

2005-01-01

A direct zonal coupling method was proposed for solving the flows past oscillating airfoils in this study. The entire computational domain was divided into inner and outer zones. The grid in the inner zone is moving with the oscillation of the airfoil, whereas the grid in the outer zone is artificially adjusted to the position consistent with the inner zone grid. The governing equations in the moving frame (the rotation potential energy is included) and those under the stationary frame were applied to inner and outer zones, respectively. By using this kind of treatment, the grid on the zonal interface is 1-to-1 matched. The coupling between the two zones is direct. Both the geometric and flow conservations are entirely satisfied. The NACA0012 and NLR7301 airfoils with oscillations were used as the test cases. The accuracy of the proposed method was demonstrated by the computational results compared with the experimental data.(author)

A work-directed intervention to enhance the return to work of employees with cancer: a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tamminga, Sietske J.; Verbeek, Jos H. A. M.; de Boer, Angela G. E. M.; van der Bij, Ria M.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to describe how the return-to-work process evolved in an employee with cancer in the Netherlands and how a work-directed intervention supported this process. The patient was a 35-year old female employee diagnosed with cervix carcinoma. After surgery, the patient

Using Case Studies to Teach Courtesy Strategies.

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Moore, Patrick

1990-01-01

Explains some courtesy techniques that technical professionals can use to deal with interpersonal problems that arise in writing situations. Presents three case studies with sample responses to show how case studies can teach these courtesy strategies to technical writing students. (MM)

A Framework for Analysis of Case Studies of Reading Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

Carlisle, Joanne F.; Kelcey, Ben; Rosaen, Cheryl; Phelps, Geoffrey; Vereb, Anita

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on the development and study of a framework to provide direction and guidance for practicing teachers in using a web-based case studies program for professional development in early reading; the program is called Case Studies Reading Lessons (CSRL). The framework directs and guides teachers' analysis of reading instruction by…

Understanding Self-Directed Learning in the Context of Mobile Web 2.0--Case Study with Workplace Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jia

2016-01-01

This paper presents the findings from a multiple-case study which has investigated the impact of mobile Web 2.0 technologies on self-directed learning (SDL) of workplace learners by exploring participants' learning experiences with a mobile App. Drawing on existing literatures, we examined learners' SDL personal attributes and process in the…

Evaluation of a web-based family medicine case library for self-directed learning in a third-year clerkship.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrow, Jay B; Sepdham, Dan; Snell, Laura; Lindeman, Carolyn; Dobbie, Alison

2010-01-01

Web-based cases are well accepted by medical students and enable faculty to deliver equivalent educational experiences to all students. A 2009 literature search revealed no study investigating student use patterns of Web-based case libraries for self-directed learning. We investigated third-year students' use of a Web-based case program for self-directed learning in a family medicine clerkship. We analyzed Design A Case usage patterns of 210 medical students during academic year 2008--2009. We compared board score differences between these students and those from the previous 5 years who did not use Design A Case. We analyzed data from a 13-item survey, administered to a subgroup of 85 students, about the strengths, weaknesses, and acceptability of the program. Students completed, on average, four cases, which was beyond the requirement of three. They reported that the content was highly relevant to cases they saw in clinic. Almost 75% preferred the self-directed Web-based learning over didactics, and most (64%) felt they learned more electronically. Use of the cases was associated with equivalent Board scores versus didactic lectures. In our setting, self-directed learning using a Web-based case program was highly acceptable to students. Web-based cases may provide an option for family medicine educators who wish to deliver equivalent educational experiences across sites.

Safety and risk factors for difficult endoscopist-directed ERCP sedation in daily practice: a hospital-based case-control study

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Enrique Pérez-Cuadrado-Robles

Full Text Available Background: There are limited data concerning endoscopist-directed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography deep sedation. The aim of this study was to establish the safety and risk factors for difficult sedation in daily practice. Patients and methods: Hospital-based, frequency matched case-control study. All patients were identified from a database of 1,008 patients between 2014 and 2015. The cases were those with difficult sedations. This concept was defined based on the combination of the receipt of high-doses of midazolam or propofol, poor tolerance, use of reversal agents or sedation-related adverse events. The presence of different factors was evaluated to determine whether they predicted difficult sedation. Results: One-hundred and eighty-nine patients (63 cases, 126 controls were included. Cases were classified in terms of high-dose requirements (n = 35, 55.56%, sedation-related adverse events (n = 14, 22.22%, the use of reversal agents (n = 13, 20.63% and agitation/discomfort (n = 8, 12.7%. Concerning adverse events, the total rate was 1.39%, including clinically relevant hypoxemia (n = 11, severe hypotension (n = 2 and paradoxical reactions to midazolam (n = 1. The rate of hypoxemia was higher in patients under propofol combined with midazolam than in patients with propofol alone (2.56% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.001. Alcohol consumption (OR: 2.674 [CI 95%: 1.098-6.515], p = 0.030, opioid consumption (OR: 2.713 [CI 95%: 1.096-6.716], p = 0.031 and the consumption of other psychoactive drugs (OR: 2.015 [CI 95%: 1.017-3.991], p = 0.045 were confirmed to be independent risk factors for difficult sedation. Conclusions: Endoscopist-directed deep sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is safe. The presence of certain factors should be assessed before the procedure to identify patients who are high-risk for difficult sedation.

Casing pull tests for directionally drilled environmental wells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staller, G.E.; Wemple, R.P.; Layne, R.R.

1994-11-01

A series of tests to evaluate several types of environmental well casings have been conducted by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and it's industrial partner, The Charles Machine Works, Inc. (CMW). A test bed was constructed at the CMW test range to model a typical shallow, horizontal, directionally drilled wellbore. Four different types of casings were pulled through this test bed. The loads required to pull the casings through the test bed and the condition of the casing material were documented during the pulling operations. An additional test was conducted to make a comparison of test bed vs actual wellbore casing pull loads. A directionally drilled well was emplaced by CMW to closely match the test bed. An instrumented casing was installed in the well and the pull loads recorded. The completed tests are reviewed and the results reported

Casing pull tests for directionally drilled environmental wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staller, G.E.; Wemple, R.P. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Layne, R.R. [Charles Machine Works, Inc., Perry, OK (United States)

1994-11-01

A series of tests to evaluate several types of environmental well casings have been conducted by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and it`s industrial partner, The Charles Machine Works, Inc. (CMW). A test bed was constructed at the CMW test range to model a typical shallow, horizontal, directionally drilled wellbore. Four different types of casings were pulled through this test bed. The loads required to pull the casings through the test bed and the condition of the casing material were documented during the pulling operations. An additional test was conducted to make a comparison of test bed vs actual wellbore casing pull loads. A directionally drilled well was emplaced by CMW to closely match the test bed. An instrumented casing was installed in the well and the pull loads recorded. The completed tests are reviewed and the results reported.

Direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy using single-balloon enteroscopy without fluoroscopy: a case series

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Carlos Bernardes

Full Text Available Background: Direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ is a useful method to provide enteral nutrition to individuals when gastric feeding is not possible or contraindicated. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy and safety of DPEJ tube placement with the Gauderer-Ponsky technique by the pull method, using single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE without fluoroscopy. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing SBE for DPEJ placement in a referral hospital between January 2010 and March 2016. Technical success, clinical success and procedure related complications were recorded. Results: Twenty-three patients were included (17 males, median age 71 years, range 37-93 years. The most frequent indications for DPEJ were gastroesophageal cancer (n = 10 and neurological disease (n = 8. Eighty-seven percent of the patients had a contraindication to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG and PEG was unsuccessful in the remaining patients. The technical success rate was 83% (19/23, transillumination was not possible in three patients and an accidental exteriorization of the bumper resulting in a jejunal perforation occurred in one patient. The clinical success was 100% (19/19. The median follow-up was five months (range 1-35 months. Apart from the case of jejunal perforation and the two cases of accidental exteriorization, there were no other complications during follow-up. The 6-month survival was 65.8% and the 1-year survival was 49.3%. Conclusion: DPEJ can be carried out successfully via SBE without fluoroscopy with a low rate of significant adverse events. Although, leaving the overtube in place during the bumper pulling can be useful for distal jejunal loops, it can be safely removed in proximal loops to minimize complications.

A case study of a Cuban government institution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunez, A.L.; Vazquez, A.; Cruz Cabrera, L.

2004-01-01

The aim of this contribution is to present a case study on the partial implementation of a knowledge management system in an institution. In this case the knowledge management has been directed toward the best performance of the organization. The tool used in case study can be implemented at any institution, including institutions of nuclear or radiological profiles. (author)

Use of the direct puncture technique in management of capillaro-venous malformations: case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyagi Isha

2002-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Preoperative devascularization of the capillaro-venous malformations located in the aero-digestive tract is important for surgeons, to minimize blood loss during surgical excision of malformations. Case presentation Here we present two cases of capillaro-venous malformation in which we could successfully achieve preoperative devascularization, by directly injecting n-butyl cyano acrylate into the capillaro-venous bed. This technique is relatively easy, safe and cheap, and can be carried out immediately before surgery.

Using Case Studies to Teach About Global Issues, Bali: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Oswald, James M.

1974-01-01

The South Pacific island of Bali is used as a case study of overpopulation and food shortage. A brief description of the resources, the typical lifestyle of the Balinese farmer, and possible teaching techniques are given. (DE)

The Use of Case Studies in OR Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Penn, Marion L.; Currie, Christine S. M.; Hoad, Kathryn A.; O'Brien, Frances A.

2016-01-01

This article investigates the current use of case studies in the teaching of Operational Research (OR) in the UK: how and where they are used; how they are developed; and whether there is an interest in training this area. It is aimed at lecturers teaching OR who are using or planning to use case studies in their teaching. It may also be of…

The Effect of Using Case Studies in Business Statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Pariseau, Susan E.; Kezim, Boualem

2007-01-01

The authors evaluated the effect on learning of using case studies in business statistics courses. The authors divided students into 3 groups: a control group, a group that completed 1 case study, and a group that completed 3 case studies. Results evidenced that, on average, students whom the authors required to complete a case analysis received…

Resummation prescriptions and ambiguities in SCET vs. direct QCD. Higgs production as a case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonvini, Marco [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Forte, Stefano [Univ. di Milano (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica; INFN, Sezione di Milano (Italy); Ridolfi, Giovanni [Univ. di Genova (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica; INFN, Sezione di Genova (Italy); Rottoli, Luca [Univ. di Milano (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica

2014-09-15

We perform a comparison of soft-gluon resummation in SCET vs. direct QCD (dQCD), using Higgs boson production in gluon fusion as a case study, with the goal of tracing the quantitative impact of each source of difference between the two approaches. We show that saddle-point methods enable a direct quantitative comparison despite the fact that the scale which is resummed in the two approaches is not the same. As a byproduct, we put in one-to-one analytic correspondence various features of either approach: specifically, we show how the SCET method for treating the Landau pole can be implemented in dQCD, and how the resummation of the optimal partonic scale of dQCD can be implemented in SCET. We conclude that the main quantitative difference comes from power-suppressed subleading contributions, which could in fact be freely tuned in either approach, and not really characteristic of either. This conclusion holds for Higgs production in gluon fusion, but it is in fact generic for processes with similar kinematics. For Higgs production, everything else being equal, SCET resummation at NNLL in the Becher-Neubert implementation leads to essentially no enhancement of the NNLO cross-section, unlike dQCD in the standard implementation of Catani et al.

Resummation prescriptions and ambiguities in SCET vs. direct QCD. Higgs production as a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonvini, Marco; Forte, Stefano; Ridolfi, Giovanni; Rottoli, Luca

2014-09-01

We perform a comparison of soft-gluon resummation in SCET vs. direct QCD (dQCD), using Higgs boson production in gluon fusion as a case study, with the goal of tracing the quantitative impact of each source of difference between the two approaches. We show that saddle-point methods enable a direct quantitative comparison despite the fact that the scale which is resummed in the two approaches is not the same. As a byproduct, we put in one-to-one analytic correspondence various features of either approach: specifically, we show how the SCET method for treating the Landau pole can be implemented in dQCD, and how the resummation of the optimal partonic scale of dQCD can be implemented in SCET. We conclude that the main quantitative difference comes from power-suppressed subleading contributions, which could in fact be freely tuned in either approach, and not really characteristic of either. This conclusion holds for Higgs production in gluon fusion, but it is in fact generic for processes with similar kinematics. For Higgs production, everything else being equal, SCET resummation at NNLL in the Becher-Neubert implementation leads to essentially no enhancement of the NNLO cross-section, unlike dQCD in the standard implementation of Catani et al.

Resummation prescriptions and ambiguities in SCET vs. direct QCD: Higgs production as a case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonvini, Marco [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchroton, DESY, Notkestraße 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany); Forte, Stefano [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Ridolfi, Giovanni [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova and INFN, Sezione di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, I-16146 Genova (Italy); Rottoli, Luca [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano (Italy)

2015-01-12

We perform a comparison of soft-gluon resummation in SCET vs. direct QCD (dQCD), using Higgs boson production in gluon fusion as a case study, with the goal of tracing the quantitative impact of each source of difference between the two approaches. We show that saddle-point methods enable a direct quantitative comparison despite the fact that the scale which is resummed in the two approaches is not the same. As a byproduct, we put in one-to-one analytic correspondence various features of either approach: specifically, we show how the SCET method for treating the Landau pole can be implemented in dQCD, and how the resummation of the optimal partonic scale of dQCD can be implemented in SCET. We conclude that the main quantitative difference comes from power-suppressed subleading contributions, which could in fact be freely tuned in either approach, and not really characteristic of either. This conclusion holds for Higgs production in gluon fusion, but it is in fact generic for processes with similar kinematics. For Higgs production, everything else being equal, SCET resummation at NNLL in the Becher-Neubert implementation leads to essentially no enhancement of the NNLO cross-section, unlike dQCD in the standard implementation of Catani et al.

Resummation prescriptions and ambiguities in SCET vs. direct QCD: Higgs production as a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonvini, Marco; Forte, Stefano; Ridolfi, Giovanni; Rottoli, Luca

2015-01-01

We perform a comparison of soft-gluon resummation in SCET vs. direct QCD (dQCD), using Higgs boson production in gluon fusion as a case study, with the goal of tracing the quantitative impact of each source of difference between the two approaches. We show that saddle-point methods enable a direct quantitative comparison despite the fact that the scale which is resummed in the two approaches is not the same. As a byproduct, we put in one-to-one analytic correspondence various features of either approach: specifically, we show how the SCET method for treating the Landau pole can be implemented in dQCD, and how the resummation of the optimal partonic scale of dQCD can be implemented in SCET. We conclude that the main quantitative difference comes from power-suppressed subleading contributions, which could in fact be freely tuned in either approach, and not really characteristic of either. This conclusion holds for Higgs production in gluon fusion, but it is in fact generic for processes with similar kinematics. For Higgs production, everything else being equal, SCET resummation at NNLL in the Becher-Neubert implementation leads to essentially no enhancement of the NNLO cross-section, unlike dQCD in the standard implementation of Catani et al.

Using Online Case Studies to Enhance Teacher Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Richman, Laila

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact interactive, online case studies have on learning for preservice teachers. More specifically, it evaluated whether the use of online case studies in instruction could enhance the level of knowledge the preservice teacher gained from the content material. This study utilized a nonequivalent group,…

Case Study: Testing with Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Herreid, Clyde Freeman

2015-01-01

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses using case studies to test for knowledge or lessons learned.

Closure of Myelomeningocele Defects Using a Limberg Flap or Direct Repair

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jung-Hwan Shim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe global prevalence of myelomeningocele has been reported to be 0.8–1 per 1,000 live births. Early closure of the defect is considered to be the standard of care. Various surgical methods have been reported, such as primary skin closure, local skin flaps, musculocutaneous flaps, and skin grafts. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of myelomeningocele defects and present the surgical outcomes of recent cases of myelomeningocele at our institution.MethodsPatients who underwent surgical closure of myelomeningocele at our institution from January 2004 to December 2013 were included in this study. A retrospective chart review of their medical records was performed, and comorbidities, defect size, location, surgical procedures, complications, and the final results were analyzed.ResultsA total of 14 patients underwent surgical closure for myelomeningocele defects. Twelve cases were closed with direct skin repair, while two cases required local skin flaps to cover the skin defects. Three cases of infection occurred, requiring incision and either drainage or removal of allogenic materials. One case of partial flap necrosis occurred, requiring secondary revision using a rotational flap and a full-thickness skin graft. Despite these complications, all wounds eventually healed completely.ConclusionsMost myelomeningocele defects can be managed by direct skin repair alone. In cases of large defects, in which direct repair is not possible, local flaps may be used to cover the defect. Complications such as wound dehiscence and partial flap necrosis occurred in this study; however, all such complications were successfully managed with simple ancillary procedures.

E-commerce, paper and energy use: a case study concerning a Dutch electronic computer retailer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoogeveen, M.J.; Reijnders, L. [Open University Netherlands, Heerlen (Netherlands)

2002-07-01

Impacts of the application of c-commerce on paper and energy use are analysed in a case study concerning a Dutch electronic retailer (e-tailer) of computers. The estimated use of paper associated with the e-tailer concerned was substantially reduced if compared with physical retailing or traditional mail-order retailing. However, the overall effect of e-tailing on paper use strongly depends on customer behaviour. Some characteristics of c-commerce, as practised by the e-tailer concerned, such as diminished floor space requirements, reduced need for personal transport and simplified logistics, improve energy efficiency compared with physical retailing. Substitution of paper information by online information has an energetic effect that is dependent on the time of online information perusal and the extent to which downloaded information is printed. Increasing distances from producers to consumers, outsourcing, and increased use of computers, associated equipment and electronic networks are characteristics of e-commerce that may have an upward effect on energy use. In this case study, the upward effects thereof on energy use were less than the direct energy efficiency gains. However, the indirect effects associated with increased buying power and the rebound effect on transport following from freefalling travel time, greatly exceeded direct energy efficiency gains. (author)

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.

Minimal access direct spondylolysis repair using a pedicle screw-rod system: a case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohi Eldin Mohamed

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Symptomatic spondylolysis is always challenging to treat because the pars defect causing the instability needs to be stabilized while segmental fusion needs to be avoided. Direct repair of the pars defect is ideal in cases of spondylolysis in which posterior decompression is not necessary. We report clinical results using segmental pedicle-screw-rod fixation with bone grafting in patients with symptomatic spondylolysis, a modification of a technique first reported by Tokuhashi and Matsuzaki in 1996. We also describe the surgical technique, assess the fusion and analyze the outcomes of patients. Case presentation At Cairo University Hospital, eight out of twelve Egyptian patients’ acute pars fractures healed after conservative management. Of those, two young male patients underwent an operative procedure for chronic low back pain secondary to pars defect. Case one was a 25-year-old Egyptian man who presented with a one-year history of axial low back pain, not radiating to the lower limbs, after falling from height. Case two was a 29-year-old Egyptian man who presented with a one-year history of axial low back pain and a one-year history of mild claudication and infrequent radiation to the leg, never below the knee. Utilizing a standardized mini-access fluoroscopically-guided surgical protocol, fixation was established with two titanium pedicle screws place into both pedicles, at the same level as the pars defect, without violating the facet joint. The cleaned pars defect was grafted; a curved titanium rod was then passed under the base of the spinous process of the affected vertebra, bridging the loose fragment, and attached to the pedicle screw heads, to uplift the spinal process, followed by compression of the defect. The patients were discharged three days after the procedure, with successful fusion at one-year follow-up. No rod breakage or implant-related complications were reported. Conclusions Where there is no

ANALYSIS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION ON REGIONAL DISPARITY (CASE STUDY OF PROVINCES IN EASTERN AND WESTERN OF INDONESIA, 2006-2015

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Faishal Fadli

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to examine the direct and indirect effects of fiscal decentralization on regional disparity through economic growth in eastern and western Indonesia. The method used in this study is Path Analysis. The variables used in this study include the General Allocation Fund (DAU/Dana Alokasi Umum, Special Allocation Fund (DAK/Dana Alokasi Khusus, Revenue Sharing Fund (DBH/Dana Bagi Hasil, local revenue (PAD/Pendapatan Asli Daerah, Economic Growth (G, and regional disparity (IW. Comparing the analysis between eastern and western of Indonesia, the results show that there is no direct effect of fiscal decentralization on regional disparity and economic growth through direct fiscal decentralization on regional disparity in both eastern and western of Indonesia. However, using some measures of fiscal decentralization, in the case of eastern of Indonesia, DAU variable has significant effect whereas in the case of western Indonesia, DBH is the only one variable that has significant effect. This is consistent with the fact that composition of the balance funds disbursed by the central government to local governments, where the greatest composition of funds in eastern Indonesia come from the General Allocation Fund which reflects the dependence of local governments to the central government and for the western region of Indonesia, DBH is the greatest reflecting the independence of the local governments. As a result, to create fiscal decentralization working it is required a greater allocation of the fund balance.

Estimation of directional sea wave spectra from radar images. A Mediterranean Sea case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corsini, G.; Grasso, R.; Manara, G.; Monorchio, A.

2001-01-01

An inversion technique for estimating sea wave directional spectra from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images is applied to a set of ERS-1 data relevant to selected Mediterranean areas. The approach followed is based on the analytical definition of the transform which maps the sea wave spectrum onto the corresponding SAR image spectrum. The solution of the inverse problem is determined through a numerical procedure which minimises a proper functional. A suitable iterative scheme is adopted, involving the use of the above transform. Although widely applied to the ocean case, the method has not been yet extensively tested widely applied to the ocean case, the method has not been yet extensively tested in smaller scale basins, as for instance the Mediterranean sea. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the numerical procedure discussed for retrieving the sea wave spectrum from SAR images. This work provides new experimental data relevant to the Mediterranean Sea, discusses the results obtained by the above inversion technique and compares them with buoy derived sea truth measurements

Using the Case Study Method in Teaching College Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Burko, Lior M.

2016-10-01

The case study teaching method has a long history (starting at least with Socrates) and wide current use in business schools, medical schools, law schools, and a variety of other disciplines. However, relatively little use is made of it in the physical sciences, specifically in physics or astronomy. The case study method should be considered by physics faculty as part of the effort to transition the teaching of college physics from the traditional frontal-lecture format to other formats that enhance active student participation. In this paper we endeavor to interest physics instructors in the case study method, and hope that it would also serve as a call for more instructors to produce cases that they use in their own classes and that can also be adopted by other instructors.

Direct costs of emergency medical care: a diagnosis-based case-mix classification system.

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Baraff, L J; Cameron, J M; Sekhon, R

1991-01-01

To develop a diagnosis-based case mix classification system for emergency department patient visits based on direct costs of care designed for an outpatient setting. Prospective provider time study with collection of financial data from each hospital's accounts receivable system and medical information, including discharge diagnosis, from hospital medical records. Three community hospital EDs in Los Angeles County during selected times in 1984. Only direct costs of care were included: health care provider time, ED management and clerical personnel excluding registration, nonlabor ED expense including supplies, and ancillary hospital services. Indirect costs for hospitals and physicians, including depreciation and amortization, debt service, utilities, malpractice insurance, administration, billing, registration, and medical records were not included. Costs were derived by valuing provider time based on a formula using annual income or salary and fringe benefits, productivity and direct care factors, and using hospital direct cost to charge ratios. Physician costs were based on a national study of emergency physician income and excluded practice costs. Patients were classified into one of 216 emergency department groups (EDGs) on the basis of the discharge diagnosis, patient disposition, age, and the presence of a limited number of physician procedures. Total mean direct costs ranged from $23 for follow-up visit to $936 for trauma, admitted, with critical care procedure. The mean total direct costs for the 16,771 nonadmitted patients was $69. Of this, 34% was for ED costs, 45% was for ancillary service costs, and 21% was for physician costs. The mean total direct costs for the 1,955 admitted patients was $259. Of this, 23% was for ED costs, 63% was for ancillary service costs, and 14% was for physician costs. Laboratory and radiographic services accounted for approximately 85% of all ancillary service costs and 38% of total direct costs for nonadmitted patients

Guidelines for Using Case Studies in the Teaching-Learning Process

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McFarlane, Donovan A.

2015-01-01

In this paper, the author expresses concerns regarding the extensive use of case studies in the college classroom and advises college and university faculties to be more careful in their selection and use of case studies as an effective­-based method of teaching. The author communicates the important role that case studies play in teaching and…

Reducing food waste through direct surplus food redistribution : the Norwegian case

OpenAIRE

Capodistrias, Paula

2015-01-01

Food waste is a global problem with significant economic and environmental consequences. Food waste management approaches include production of biogas, animal feed and compost and surplus food redistribution. From a sustainability point of view, surplus food redistribution is the most favorable approach. Surplus food redistribution can be either direct (between suppliers of surplus food and charity food services) or indirect (Through Food banks). This paper is a case study on direct surplus f...

Toward Understanding the Role of Web 2.0 Technology in Self-Directed Learning and Job Performance in a Single Organizational Setting: A Qualitative Case Study

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Caruso, Shirley J.

2016-01-01

This single instrumental qualitative case study explores and thickly describes job performance outcomes based upon the manner in which self-directed learning activities of a purposefully selected sample of 3 construction managers are conducted, mediated by the use of Web 2.0 technology. The data collected revealed that construction managers are…

The Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth - Case Study for Kosovo

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Dr.Sc. Myrvete Badivuku - Pantina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This research paper will explain the impact and relationship between the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI and economic growth, Kosovo case. The used data in research are secondary data and cover a period of time between 2008 and 2013. By using STATA program for calculation and by various regression analyses (descriptive statistics, linear regression and correlation relationships have been identified between involved variables in research, where economic growth is defined as dependent variable, whereas FDI, interest rate and real effective and exchange rate (REER are defined as independent variables. The main results in this research paper indicate that FDI has a positive relation (0.011 but non-significant effect (T2 on economic growth in Kosovo. The real effective exchange rate has a negative (-0.347 and non-significant relation (T<2 with economic growth. The main activities of FDI in overall Kosovo's economy are: real estate, transport and telecommunication, financial and manufacture services, construction, etc. The main conclusion is that the Kosovo institutions should create a favorable environment, such as: political stability, enforcement of justice, reduction of trade barriers, Kosovo should also create appropriate policy for protection of foreign investors, investment security, fair competition and institutional support. This will impact the drastic improvement and increase of FDI. In 2013 Kosovo had an FDI percentage of 5% of GDP while in 2007 it was over 13% of Kosovo's GDP.

Case-control studies in diabetes. Do they really use a case-control design?

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Ramos, Analía; Mendoza, Lilian Cristina; Rabasa, Fernanda; Bolíbar, Ignasi; Puig, Teresa; Corcoy, Rosa

2017-07-01

Studies defined as case-control do not always use this design. We aimed to estimate the frequency of mislabelled case-control studies in published articles in the area of diabetes and to identify the predictors of incorrect labelling. We searched Medline and Web of Science for articles with "diabetes" and "case control" in title and filtered for language (English/Romance) and period (January 2010-December 2014). Inclusion criteria were: (1) statement to use a case-control design in title, (2) to be a final full-length publication and (3) to have original data in the area of diabetes. Three independent reviewers went through titles, looked for full texts and reviewed them. Discrepancies were settled with a fourth reviewer. Expert epidemiologist advice was requested in case of doubt. case-control mislabelling; addressed predictors: publication year, journal impact factor and journal subject. proportion of mislabelled CC articles and assessment of predictors by multivariate logistic regression analysis. We retrieved 362 articles, 251 of them fulfilling inclusion criteria. The proportion of mislabelled CC studies was 43.8% (confidence interval 95% 37.7-50.0%). Most mislabelled studies had a cross-sectional design (82.7%). Predictors of mislabelling were publication year, journal impact factor and journal area. A relevant subset of studies defined as case-control in the area of diabetes correspond to mislabelled cross-sectional studies. Incorrect labelling misleads readers regarding the interpretation of results and the cause-effect hypothesis. Researchers, reviewers and editors should be aware of and commit to settle this issue.

Direct seismic detection of gas hydrates using multi-component seismology : a case study from the mid-Norwegian margin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bunz, S.; Mienert, J. [Tromso Univ., Tromso (Norway). Dept. of Geology; Chand, S. [Norwegian Geological Survey, Trondheim (Norway)

2008-07-01

Gas hydrates are important as a possible future energy resource, in submarine landsliding and in global climate change as they contain more carbon than any other global reservoir and are plentiful on continental margins worldwide. It is therefore necessary to identify and map the distribution of gas hydrates in a fast and basin-wide approach. Information about the distribution of gas hydrates can be obtained using multi-component seismology. In the marine environment shear waves (S-waves) can be generated by conversion from a downward-propagating compressional wave (P-wave) upon reflection at a sedimentary interface. The upward-propagating S-wave can be recorded at the ocean floor using vertical and horizontal geophones. On the mid-Norwegian margin, a combined analysis of the independently obtained parameters, P-wave velocity and Vp/Vs-ratio, of ocean-bottom cable data enables the direct detection of gas hydrates with higher certainty and assessment of their grain-scale distribution and its controlling parameters. In order to directly image gas hydrates and to directly assess their grain-scale distribution, a model was developed to evaluate the distribution of the ratio of P- and S-wave velocities, Vp/Vs, along the ocean-bottom cable line. The study also evaluated possible controlling mechanisms for the distribution of gas hydrates. The paper provided detailed information on the distribution of gas hydrates and gas within the sediments through analyses of seismic velocities, obtained from multi-channel or ocean-bottom seismic data. It was concluded that gas hydrates are distributed both with and without affecting the shear strength of the sediments. 13 refs., 6 figs.

Using the Case Study Method in Teaching College Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Burko, Lior M.

2016-01-01

The case study teaching method has a long history (starting at least with Socrates) and wide current use in business schools, medical schools, law schools, and a variety of other disciplines. However, relatively little use is made of it in the physical sciences, specifically in physics or astronomy. The case study method should be considered by…

A Neuroanatomy Teaching Activity Using Case Studies and Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon, Jane P.

2000-01-01

Describes an activity for use in an introductory psychology course in which students collaborate and apply their neuroanatomy knowledge to three case studies. Provides a table with descriptions of and possible answers for the three case studies and discusses the students' responses. (CMK)

The effects of case-based team learning on students' learning, self regulation and self direction.

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Rezaee, Rita; Mosalanejad, Leili

2015-01-26

The application of the best approaches to teach adults in medical education is important in the process of training learners to become and remain effective health care providers. This research aims at designing and integrating two approaches, namely team teaching and case study and tries to examine the consequences of these approaches on learning, self regulation and self direction of nursing students. This is a quasi experimental study of 40 students who were taking a course on mental health. The lessons were designed by using two educational techniques: short case based study and team based learning. Data gathering was based on two valid and reliable questionnaires: Self-Directed Readiness Scale (SDLRS) and the self-regulating questionnaire. Open ended questions were also designed for the evaluation of students' with points of view on educational methods. The Results showed an increase in the students' self directed learning based on their performance on the post-test. The results showed that the students' self-directed learning increased after the intervention. The mean difference before and after intervention self management was statistically significant (p=0.0001). Also, self-regulated learning increased with the mean difference after intervention (p=0.001). Other results suggested that case based team learning can have significant effects on increasing students' learning (p=0.003). This article may be of value to medical educators who wish to replace traditional learning with informal learning (student-centered-active learning), so as to enhance not only the students' knowledge, but also the advancement of long- life learning skills.

The Effects of Case-Based Team Learning on Students’ Learning, Self Regulation and Self Direction

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaee, Rita; Mosalanejad, Leili

2015-01-01

Introduction: The application of the best approaches to teach adults in medical education is important in the process of training learners to become and remain effective health care providers. This research aims at designing and integrating two approaches, namely team teaching and case study and tries to examine the consequences of these approaches on learning, self regulation and self direction of nursing students. Material & Methods: This is aquasi experimental study of 40 students who were taking a course on mental health. The lessons were designed by using two educational techniques: short case based study and team based learning. Data gathering was based on two valid and reliablequestionnaires: Self-Directed Readiness Scale (SDLRS) and the self-regulating questionnaire. Open ended questions were also designed for the evaluation of students’with points of view on educational methods. Results: The Results showed an increase in the students’ self directed learning based on their performance on the post-test. The results showed that the students’ self-directed learning increased after the intervention. The mean difference before and after intervention self management was statistically significant (p=0.0001). Also, self-regulated learning increased with the mean difference after intervention (p=0.001). Other results suggested that case based team learning can have significant effects on increasing students’ learning (p=0.003). Conclusion: This article may be of value to medical educators who wish to replace traditional learning with informal learning (student-centered-active learning), so as to enhance not only the students’ ’knowledge, but also the advancement of long- life learning skills. PMID:25946918

Aesthetic Closure of Maxillary and Mandibular Anterior Spaces Using Direct Composite Resin Build-Ups: A Case Report

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Schick Simona-Georgiana

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The presence of multiple spaces in the anterior aesthetic zone can produce discomfort for patients and its treatment can be difficult for dental professionals. A variety of treatment options are available and these include orthodontic movement, prosthetic indirect restorations or direct composite resin build-ups. Among these, the closure of interdental spaces using composite build-ups combined with orthodontic treatment is considered to be most conservative. This type of treatment has several advantages like the maximum preservation of tooth substance (no tooth preparation, no need for anesthesia, no multiple time-consuming visits, no provisional restorations and also comparably low costs. Clinical Consideration: This case report describes the clinical restorative procedure of direct composite resin build-ups for the closure of multiple anterior spaces.

Sensitivity of direct immunofluorescence in oral diseases. Study of 125 cases.

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Sano, Susana Mariela; Quarracino, María Cecilia; Aguas, Silvia Cristina; González, Ernestina Jesús; Harada, Laura; Krupitzki, Hugo; Mordoh, Ana

2008-05-01

Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is widely used for the diagnosis of bullous diseases and other autoimmune pathologies such as oral lichen planus. There is no evidence in the literature on how the following variants influence the detection rate of DIF: intraoral site chosen for the biopsy, perilesional locus or distant site from the clinical lesion, number of biopsies and instrument used. to determine if the following variants influenced the sensitivity (detection rate): intraoral site chosen for the biopsy, perilesional or distant site from the clinical lesion, number of biopsies and instrument used (punch or scalpel). A retrospective study was done at the Cátedra de Patología y Clínica Bucodental II at the Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Buenos Aires; 136 clinical medical histories were revised for the period March 2000 - March 2005 corresponding to patients with clinical diagnosis of OLP and bullous diseases (vulgar pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid and cicatricial pemphigoid). DIF detection rate was 65.8% in patients with OLP, 66.7% in cicatricial pemphigoid patients, in bullous pemphigoid 55.6%, in pemphigus vulgaris 100%, and in those cases in which certain diagnosis could not be obtained, the DIF positivity rate was 45.5% (Pearson chi(2) (4)= 21.5398 Pr= 0.000). There was no statistically significant difference between the different sites of biopsy (Fisher exact test: 0.825). DIF detection rate in perilesional biopsies was 66.1% and in those distant from the site of clinical lesion was 64.7% (Pearson chi(2) v1)= 0.0073 Pr= 0.932. When the number of biopsies were incremented, DIF detection rate also incremented (Pearson chi(2) = 8.7247 Pr= 0.003). The biopsies taken with punch had a higher detection rate than those taken with scalpel (39.1% versus 71.7%) (Pearson chi(2) = 49.0522 Pr= 0.000). While not statistically significant, the tendency outlined in this study indicates there are intraoral regions in which the detection rate of the DIF technique is

Use of Direct-Acting Antivirals for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Oral Lichen Planus: A Case Report

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Kenji Misaka

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV is frequently associated with various extrahepatic manifestations such as autoimmune features and immune complex deposit diseases. Oral lichen planus (OLP is one of the representative extrahepatic manifestations of HCV infection. Direct-acting antivirals (DAA are highly effective and safe for the eradication of HCV. However, there is a lack of information regarding the association between HCV-associated OLP and interferon (IFN-free DAA therapy. Herein, we present the case of a 60-year-old female who was diagnosed with OLP during routine periodontal treatment by a dentist. The patient was referred for hepatitis C treatment using IFN-free DAA, which resulted in the improvement of the symptoms of OLP. This case represents the safety and efficacy of IFN-free DAAs in patients with HCV-associated OLP. However, long-term follow-up studies are required to elucidate the therapeutic effects of this therapy in these patients.

Passive seismic monitoring of natural and induced earthquakes: case studies, future directions and socio-economic relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Bohnhoff, Marco; Dresen, Georg; Ellsworth, William L.; Ito, Hisao; Cloetingh, Sierd; Negendank, Jörg

2010-01-01

An important discovery in crustal mechanics has been that the Earth’s crust is commonly stressed close to failure, even in tectonically quiet areas. As a result, small natural or man-made perturbations to the local stress field may trigger earthquakes. To understand these processes, Passive Seismic Monitoring (PSM) with seismometer arrays is a widely used technique that has been successfully applied to study seismicity at different magnitude levels ranging from acoustic emissions generated in the laboratory under controlled conditions, to seismicity induced by hydraulic stimulations in geological reservoirs, and up to great earthquakes occurring along plate boundaries. In all these environments the appropriate deployment of seismic sensors, i.e., directly on the rock sample, at the earth’s surface or in boreholes close to the seismic sources allows for the detection and location of brittle failure processes at sufficiently low magnitude-detection threshold and with adequate spatial resolution for further analysis. One principal aim is to develop an improved understanding of the physical processes occurring at the seismic source and their relationship to the host geologic environment. In this paper we review selected case studies and future directions of PSM efforts across a wide range of scales and environments. These include induced failure within small rock samples, hydrocarbon reservoirs, and natural seismicity at convergent and transform plate boundaries. Each example represents a milestone with regard to bridging the gap between laboratory-scale experiments under controlled boundary conditions and large-scale field studies. The common motivation for all studies is to refine the understanding of how earthquakes nucleate, how they proceed and how they interact in space and time. This is of special relevance at the larger end of the magnitude scale, i.e., for large devastating earthquakes due to their severe socio-economic impact.

Assessment of global phase uncertainty in case-control studies

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van Houwelingen Hans C

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In haplotype-based candidate gene studies a problem is that the genotype data are unphased, which results in haplotype ambiguity. The measure 1 quantifies haplotype predictability from genotype data. It is computed for each individual haplotype, and for a measure of global relative efficiency a minimum value is suggested. Alternatively, we developed methods directly based on the information content of haplotype frequency estimates to obtain global relative efficiency measures: and based on A- and D-optimality, respectively. All three methods are designed for single populations; they can be applied in cases only, controls only or the whole data. Therefore they are not necessarily optimal for haplotype testing in case-control studies. Results A new global relative efficiency measure was derived to maximize power of a simple test statistic that compares haplotype frequencies in cases and controls. Application to real data showed that our proposed method gave a clear and summarizing measure for the case-control study conducted. Additionally this measure might be used for selection of individuals, who have the highest potential for improving power by resolving phase ambiguity. Conclusion Instead of using relative efficiency measure for cases only, controls only or their combined data, we link uncertainty measure to case-control studies directly. Hence, our global efficiency measure might be useful to assess whether data are informative or have enough power for estimation of a specific haplotype risk.

Big Data in HEP: A comprehensive use case study

Science.gov (United States)

Gutsche, Oliver; Cremonesi, Matteo; Elmer, Peter; Jayatilaka, Bo; Kowalkowski, Jim; Pivarski, Jim; Sehrish, Saba; Mantilla Surez, Cristina; Svyatkovskiy, Alexey; Tran, Nhan

2017-10-01

Experimental Particle Physics has been at the forefront of analyzing the worlds largest datasets for decades. The HEP community was the first to develop suitable software and computing tools for this task. In recent times, new toolkits and systems collectively called Big Data technologies have emerged to support the analysis of Petabyte and Exabyte datasets in industry. While the principles of data analysis in HEP have not changed (filtering and transforming experiment-specific data formats), these new technologies use different approaches and promise a fresh look at analysis of very large datasets and could potentially reduce the time-to-physics with increased interactivity. In this talk, we present an active LHC Run 2 analysis, searching for dark matter with the CMS detector, as a testbed for Big Data technologies. We directly compare the traditional NTuple-based analysis with an equivalent analysis using Apache Spark on the Hadoop ecosystem and beyond. In both cases, we start the analysis with the official experiment data formats and produce publication physics plots. We will discuss advantages and disadvantages of each approach and give an outlook on further studies needed.

Integrating Financial Aid and Financial Policies: Case Studies from Five States. Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Boulder, CO.

This report is a collection of five state case studies comprising a major component of the first phase of the project, "Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies." The project explored state-level strategies to better align financing and financial aid policies and support more informed decision…

Theory Testing Using Case Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Pernille Dissing; Løkke, Ann-Kristina

2006-01-01

design. Finally, we discuss the epistemological logic, i.e., the value to larger research programmes, of such studies and, following Lakatos, conclude that the value of theory-testing case studies lies beyond naïve falsification and in their contribution to developing research programmes in a progressive...

Using Interpretive Qualitative Case Studies for Exploratory Research in Doctoral Studies: A Case of Information Systems Research in Small and Medium Enterprises

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Shana R. Ponelis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The use of the case study method has gained mainstream acceptance in both entrepreneurship and information systems research to develop conceptual and theoretical models that are novel, yet grounded in the literature. In spite of many texts on the case study method and the growing acceptance and use of thereof, there are relatively few examples that discuss how to apply the case study method. The purpose of this paper is to provide such an example by drawing upon the author’s research for her doctoral dissertation in the discipline of information systems and entrepreneurship research. First, the use of qualitative case studies as research method is motivated, then the importance of the research paradigm is discussed and the interpretivist research paradigm justified followed by a detailed discussion of the research design. The paper concludes with a discussion of lessons learned and recommendations based on the author’s experience with using the case study method. The practical yet theoretically founded approach of this paper may be useful to doctoral students who are considering or using the case study method. Equally, supervisors and others involved in research training may find this paper useful as an illustrative example of the case study method for their students.

Producer responsibility, waste minimisation and the WEEE Directive: case studies in eco-design from the European lighting sector.

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Gottberg, Annika; Morris, Joe; Pollard, Simon; Mark-Herbert, Cecilia; Cook, Matthew

2006-04-15

The EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) (2002/96/EC), to be implemented in stages from August 2004, attempts to tackle the growing quantity WEEE by making producers responsible for the costs of the collection and recycling of their products at the end of usable life. This is considered to give producers a financial incentive to reduce waste at source through eco-design. This link is, however, under-researched and little is known generally about the effectiveness of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and policies to promote it. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study to address these important gaps in knowledge. Literature review was used to develop an analytical framework to explain the relationships between the drivers for eco-design and the role of policies to promote EPR. This was applied to eight case studies of firms from the European lighting sector. While quantitative data to confirm the link between EPR and eco-design were difficult to obtain, the case studies showed that EPR has had little effect on product development so far. Within the sector studied, most producers have been able to pass on incremental costs associated with EPR to customers with negligible effects on sales. This reflects perceptions in the lighting sector that, because demand for products is relatively price inelastic and the regulation affects all producers equally, EPR is unlikely to drive eco-design at least in the short run. The cases also showed that choice between individual and centrally provided waste recovery schemes rested on perceptions of relative costs and practicability. It was evident that other drivers, such as bans on hazardous substances, product declarations and supply chain pressures, were often more effective promoters of eco-design. Thus it seems a mix of policy measures is required rather than reliance on economic instruments alone.

Advance euthanasia directives: a controversial case and its ethical implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, David Gibbes; Dresser, Rebecca; Kim, Scott Y H

2018-03-03

Authorising euthanasia and assisted suicide with advance euthanasia directives (AEDs) is permitted, yet debated, in the Netherlands. We focus on a recent controversial case in which a Dutch woman with Alzheimer's disease was euthanised based on her AED. A Dutch euthanasia review committee found that the physician performing the euthanasia failed to follow due care requirements for euthanasia and assisted suicide. This case is notable because it is the first case to trigger a criminal investigation since the 2002 Dutch euthanasia law was enacted. Thus far, only brief descriptions of the case have been reported in English language journals and media. We provide a detailed description of the case, review the main challenges of preparing and applying AEDs for persons with dementia and briefly assess the adequacy of the current oversight system governing AEDs. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Self-directed Learning in Otolaryngology Residents' Preparation for Surgical Cases.

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Jabbour, Jad; Bakeman, Anna; Robey, Thomas; Jabbour, Noel

2017-04-01

To characterize the nature of surgical preparation among otolaryngology residents nationwide, determine the self-rated effectiveness and efficiency of case preparation practices, and identify potential means for educational improvement. A survey examining the study objectives was developed and distributed to otolaryngology residents nationwide. Survey response data were submitted to descriptive analysis and comparative analyses between junior and senior residents. Literature regarding case preparation among otolaryngology residents was reviewed. Among 108 resident respondents, the most commonly used resources included textbooks (86.1%), surgical education websites (74.1%), and surgical atlases (66.7%). Time was the primary limitation (cited by 84.3%) and convenience the predominant factor influencing resource selection (92.5%). On a 5-point Likert scale, mean scores regarding effectiveness and efficiency of case preparation were 3.53 ± 0.68 and 3.19 ± 0.88, respectively. Senior residents compared to junior residents were more likely to rate their preparation as effective (3.75 ± 0.54 vs 3.40 ± 0.72, P = .008) and efficient (3.45 ± 0.85 vs 3.03 ± 0.86, P = .02). Otolaryngology residents do not consistently rate their case preparation as effective or efficient. While there appears to be progress in self-directed learning throughout residency, room for improvement remains, with potential avenues for such improvement explored here.

Gender Differences In Giving Directions: A Case Study Of English Literature Students At Binus University

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Tjoo Hong Sing

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Many researchers have said that there are differences in the ways people give direction between males and females, especially in spatial task (cardinal directions, topography, mileage, building, right/left markers (e.g., Lawton, 2001; Dabbs et al., 1998. Here, the thesis investigates what differences occur between both genders in giving direction. The respondents are 25 females and 25 males of fifth semester Binus University students majoring in English Literature. The respondents answered with a certain route from Binus’s Anggrek Campus to Senayan City. The study was conducted by qualitative and quantitative method. From the data analysis, the writer discovered that gender does affect in selecting the key words in explaining direction it is found that there were differences in choosing key words in giving direction between females and males. The difference is women use more than twice spatial references than men do. In terms of verbal abilities, it was confirmed that female use longer explanation. However, in other aspects such as serial orientation and maintenance words, the result is inconclusive. 

Elementary teachers' ideas about, planning for and implementation of learner-directed and teacher-directed inquiry: A mixed methods study

Science.gov (United States)

Biggers, Mandy Sue

Using a framework for variations of classroom inquiry (National Research Council [NRC], 2000, p. 29), this study explored 40 inservice elementary teachers' planning, modification, and enactment of kit-based science curriculum materials. As part of the study, a new observation protocol was modified from an existing protocol (Practices of Science Observation Protocol [P-SOP]) to measure the amount of teacher direction in science inquiry lessons (Practices of Science Observation Protocol + Directedness [P-SOPd]). An embedded mixed methods design was employed to investigate four questions: 1. How valid and reliable is the P-SOPd? 2. In what ways do inservice elementary teachers adapt existing elementary science curriculum materials across the inquiry continuum? 3. What is the relationship between the overall quality of inquiry and variations of inquiry in elementary teachers' enacted science instruction? 4. How do inservice elementary teachers' ideas about the inquiry continuum influence their adaptation of elementary science curriculum materials? Each teacher chose three lessons from a science unit for video-recorded observation, and submitted lesson plans for the three lessons. Lesson plans and videos were scored using the P-SOPd. The scores were also compared between the two protocols to determine if a correlation existed between the level of inquiry (measured on the P-SOP) and the amount of teacher direction (measured on the P-SOPd). Findings indicated no significant differences between planned and enacted lessons for the amount of teacher direction, but a correlation existed between the level of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. In effect, the elementary teachers taught their science curriculum materials with a high level of fidelity for both the features of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. A smaller group of three case study teachers were followed for the school year to give a more in-depth explanation of the quantitative findings. Case

The case for a directional dark matter detector and the status of current experimental efforts

CERN Document Server

Ahlen, S; Battat, J B R; Billard, J; Bozorgnia, N; Burgos, S; Caldwell, T; Carmona, J M; Cebrián, S; Colas, P; Dafni, T; Daw, E; Dujmic, D; Dushkin, A; Fedus, W; Ferrer, E; Finkbeiner, D; Fisher, P H; Forbes, J; Fusayasu, T; Galan, J; Gamble, T; Ghag, C; Giomataris, Yu; Gold, M; Gomez, H; Gómez, M E; Gondolo, P; Green, A; Grignon, C; Guillaudin, O; Hagemann, C; Hattori, K; Henderson, S; Higashi, N; Ida, C; Iguaz, F J; Inglis, A; Irastorza, I G; Iwaki, S; Kaboth, A; Kabuki, S; Kadyk, J; Kallivayalil, N; Kubo, H; Kurosawa, S; Kudryavtsev, V A; Lamy, T; Lanza, R; Lawson, T B; Lee, A; Lee, E R; Lin, T; Loomba, D; López, J; Luzón, G; Manobu, T; Martoff, J; Mayet, F; McCluskey, B; Miller, E; Miuchi, K; Monroe, J; Morgan, B; Muna, D; Murphy, A St J; Naka, T; Nakamura, K; Nakamura, M; Nakano, T; Nicklin, G G; Nishimura, H; Niwa, K; Paling, S M; Parker, J; Petkov, A; Pipe, M; Pushkin, K; Robinson, M; Rodríguez, A; Rodríguez-Quintero, J; Sahin, T; Sanderson, R; Sanghi, N; Santos, D; Sato, O; Sawano, T; Sciolla, G; Sekiya, H; Slatyer, T R; Snowden-Ifft, D P; Spooner, N J C; Sugiyama, A; Takada, A; Takahashi, M; Takeda, A; Tanimori, T; Taniue, K; Tomas, A; Tomita, H; Tsuchiya, K; Turk, J; Tziaferi, E; Ueno, K; Vahsen, S; Vanderspek, R; Vergados, J; Villar, J A; Wellenstein, H; Wolfe, I; Yamamoto, R K; Yegoryan, H

2010-01-01

We present the case for a dark matter detector with directional sensitivity. This document was developed at the 2009 CYGNUS workshop on directional dark matter detection, and contains contributions from theorists and experimental groups in the field. We describe the need for a dark matter detector with directional sensitivity; each directional dark matter experiment presents their project's status; and we close with a feasibility study for scaling up to a one ton directional detector, which would cost around $150M.

An ethical discussion of the use of transcranial direct current stimulation for cognitive enhancement in healthy individuals: a fictional case study

OpenAIRE

Lapenta, Olivia M.; Valasek, Claudia A.; Brunoni, André R.; Boggio, Paulo S.

2014-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique. Because of its low cost, ease of use, safety, and portability, tDCS has been increasingly investigated for therapeutic purposes in neuropsychiatric disorders and in experimental neuropsychological studies with healthy volunteers. These experiments on healthy cognition have shown significant effects on working memory, decision-making, and language. Such promising results have fomented reflections on st...

Explaining Direct Care Resource Use of Nursing Home Residents: Findings from Time Studies in Four States

Science.gov (United States)

Arling, Greg; Kane, Robert L; Mueller, Christine; Lewis, Teresa

2007-01-01

Objective To explain variation in direct care resource use (RU) of nursing home residents based on the Resource Utilization Groups III (RUG-III) classification system and other resident- and unit-level explanatory variables. Data Sources/Study Setting Primary data were collected on 5,314 nursing home residents in 156 nursing units in 105 facilities from four states (CO, IN, MN, MS) from 1998 to 2004. Study Design Nurses and other direct care staff recorded resident-specific and other time caring for all residents on sampled nursing units. Care time was linked to resident data from the Minimum Data Set assessment instrument. Major variables were: RUG-III group (34-group), other health and functional conditions, licensed and other professional minutes per day, unlicensed minutes per day, and direct care RU (wage-weighted minutes). Resident- and unit-level relationships were examined through hierarchical linear modeling. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Time study data were recorded with hand-held computers, verified for accuracy by project staff at the data collection sites and then merged into resident and unit-level data sets. Principal Findings Resident care time and RU varied between and within nursing units. RUG-III group was related to RU; variables such as length of stay and unit percentage of high acuity residents also were significantly related. Case-mix indices (CMIs) constructed from study data displayed much less variation across RUG-III groups than CMIs from earlier time studies. Conclusions Results from earlier time studies may not be representative of care patterns of Medicaid and private pay residents. New RUG-III CMIs should be developed to better reflect the relative costs of caring for these residents. PMID:17362220

Users' perception of library use malpractices: case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated library users perception of library use malpractices in academic libraries; using University of Calabar as a case study. Simple random sampling technique was use to draw a sample of 500 users from a population of 1804 registered users of the library. Questionnaire was use for data collection.

A case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma risk in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Yasuto; Akiba, Suminori; Kubo, Osami; Yamaguchi, Naohito

2011-02-01

Results of case-control studies of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma have been inconsistent. We conducted a case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma using a self-administered postal questionnaire. A total of 1589 cases identified in 22 hospitals throughout Japan were invited to participate, and 787 cases (51%) actually participated. Associations between laterality of mobile phone use prior to the reference dates (1 and 5 years before diagnosis) and tumor location were analyzed. The overall risk ratio was 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93-1.28) for regular mobile phone use until 1 year before diagnosis and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.96-1.40) for regular mobile phone use until 5 years before diagnosis. A significantly increased risk was identified for mobile phone use for >20 min/day on average, with risk ratios of 2.74 at 1 year before diagnosis, and 3.08 at 5 years before diagnosis. Cases with ipsilateral combination of tumor location and more frequently used ear were found to have tumors with smaller diameters, suggesting an effect of detection bias. Furthermore, analysis of the distribution of left and right tumors suggested an effect of tumor-side-related recall bias for recall of mobile phone use at 5 years before diagnosis. The increased risk identified for mobile phone users with average call duration >20 min/day should be interpreted with caution, taking into account the possibilities of detection and recall biases. However, we could not conclude that the increased risk was entirely explicable by these biases, leaving open the possibility that mobile phone use increased the risk of acoustic neuroma. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Acoustical case studies of three green buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Siebein, Gary; Lilkendey, Robert; Skorski, Stephen

2005-04-01

Case studies of 3 green buildings with LEED certifications that required extensive acoustical retrofit work to become satisfactory work environments for their intended user groups will be used to define areas where green building design concepts and acoustical design concepts require reconciliation. Case study 1 is an office and conference center for a city environmental education agency. Large open spaces intended to collect daylight through clerestory windows provided large, reverberant volumes with few acoustic finishes that rendered them unsuitable as open office space and a conference room/auditorium. Case Study 2 describes one of the first gold LEED buildings in the southeast whose primary design concepts were so narrowly focused on thermal and lighting issues that they often worked directly against basic acoustical requirements resulting in sound levels of NC 50-55 in classrooms and faculty offices, crosstalk between classrooms and poor room acoustics. Case study 3 is an environmental education and conference center with open public areas, very high ceilings, and all reflective surfaces made from wood and other environmentally friendly materials that result in excessive loudness when the building is used by the numbers of people which it was intended to serve.

Direct versus indirect revascularization procedures for moyamoya disease: a comparative effectiveness study.

Science.gov (United States)

Macyszyn, Luke; Attiah, Mark; Ma, Tracy S; Ali, Zarina; Faught, Ryan; Hossain, Alisha; Man, Karen; Patel, Hiren; Sobota, Rosanna; Zager, Eric L; Stein, Sherman C

2017-05-01

OBJECTIVE Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic cerebrovascular disease that can lead to devastating neurological outcomes. Surgical intervention is the definitive treatment, with direct, indirect, and combined revascularization procedures currently employed by surgeons. The optimal surgical approach, however, remains unclear. In this decision analysis, the authors compared the effectiveness of revascularization procedures in both adult and pediatric patients with MMD. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was performed for studies of MMD. Using complication and success rates from the literature, the authors constructed a decision analysis model for treatment using a direct and indirect revascularization technique. Utility values for the various outcomes and complications were extracted from the literature examining preferences in similar clinical conditions. Sensitivity analysis was performed. RESULTS A structured literature search yielded 33 studies involving 4197 cases. Cases were divided into adult and pediatric populations. These were further subdivided into 3 different treatment groups: indirect, direct, and combined revascularization procedures. In the pediatric population at 5- and 10-year follow-up, there was no significant difference between indirect and combination procedures, but both were superior to direct revascularization. In adults at 4-year follow-up, indirect was superior to direct revascularization. CONCLUSIONS In the absence of factors that dictate a specific approach, the present decision analysis suggests that direct revascularization procedures are inferior in terms of quality-adjusted life years in both adults at 4 years and children at 5 and 10 years postoperatively, respectively. These findings were statistically significant (p indirect and combination procedures may offer optimal results at long-term follow-up.

Opinion: the case for advertising pharmaceuticals direct to consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Auton, Frank

2009-07-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DCTA) of prescription-only medicines is currently only permitted in the USA and New Zealand. While proponents of DCTA argue that it allows patients to make more informed choices about available treatment options, opponents claim that marketing inevitably presents a biased viewpoint of pharmaceutical products. Frank Auton, senior lecturer in marketing and business strategy at the University of Westminster, UK, presents his case in favor of advertising pharmaceuticals directly to patients.

Environmental Impacts of the Use of Ecosystem Services: Case Study of Birdwatching

Science.gov (United States)

Kronenberg, Jakub

2014-09-01

The main reason for promoting the concept of ecosystem services lies in its potential to contribute to environmental conservation. Highlighting the benefits derived from ecosystems fosters an understanding of humans' dependence on nature, as users of ecosystem services. However, the act of using ecosystem services may not be environmentally neutral. As with the use of products and services generated within an economy, the use of ecosystem services may lead to unintended environmental consequences throughout the `ecosystem services supply chain.' This article puts forward a framework for analyzing environmental impacts related to the use of ecosystem services, indicating five categories of impact: (1) direct impacts (directly limiting the service's future availability); and four categories of indirect impacts, i.e., on broader ecosystem structures and processes, which can ultimately also affect the initial service: (2) impacts related to managing ecosystems to maximize the delivery of selected services (affecting ecosystems' capacity to provide other services); (3) impacts associated with accessing ecosystems to use their services (affecting other ecosystem components); (4) additional consumption of products, infrastructure or services required to use a selected ecosystem service, and their life-cycle environmental impacts; and (5) broader impacts on the society as a whole (environmental awareness of ecosystem service users and other stakeholders). To test the usefulness of this framework, the article uses the case study of birdwatching, which demonstrates all of the above categories of impacts. The article justifies the need for a broader consideration of environmental impacts related to the use of ecosystem services.

Mathematical modelling with case studies using Maple and Matlab

CERN Document Server

Barnes, B

2014-01-01

Introduction to Mathematical ModelingMathematical models An overview of the book Some modeling approaches Modeling for decision makingCompartmental Models Introduction Exponential decay and radioactivity Case study: detecting art forgeries Case study: Pacific rats colonize New Zealand Lake pollution models Case study: Lake Burley Griffin Drug assimilation into the blood Case study: dull, dizzy, or dead? Cascades of compartments First-order linear DEs Equilibrium points and stability Case study: money, money, money makes the world go aroundModels of Single PopulationsExponential growth Density-

Direct peroral cholangioscopy using an ultrathin endoscope: making technique easier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Sola-Vera

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Cholangioscopy is a useful tool for the study and treatment of biliary pathology. Ultrathin upper endoscopes allow direct peroral cholangioscopy (DPC but have some drawbacks. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the success rate of DPC with an ultrathin endoscope using a balloon catheter to reach the biliary confluence. Material and methods: Prospective observational study. An ultrathin endoscope (Olympus XP180N, outer diameter 5.5 mm, working channel 2 mm was used. To access the biliary tree, free-hand technique was used. To reach the biliary confluence an intraductal balloon catheter (Olympus B5-2Q diameter 1.9 mm and a 0.025 inch guide wire was used. In all cases sphincterotomy and/or sphincteroplasty was performed. The success rate was defined as the percentage of cases in which the biliary confluence could be reached with the ultrathin endoscope. Results: Fifteen patients (8 men/7 women were included. Mean age was 77.7 ± 10.8 years (range 45-91. The indications for cholangioscopy were suspected bile duct stones (n = 9, electrohydraulic lithotripsy for the treatment of difficult choledocholithiasis (n = 5 and evaluation of biliary stricture (n = 1. Access to the bile duct was achieved in 14/15 cases (93.3 %. Biliary confluence was reached in 13/15 cases (86.7 %. One complication was observed in one patient (oxigen desaturation. Conclusions: DPC with an ultrathin endoscope can be done with the free-hand technique. Intraductal balloon-guided DPC allows full examination of the common bile duct in most cases.

Planning Intervention Using Dynamic Assessments: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hasson, Natalie; Dodd, Barbara

2014-01-01

Dynamic assessments (DA) of language have been shown to be a useful addition to the battery of tests used to diagnose language impairments in children, and to evaluate their skills. The current article explores the value of the information gained from a DA in planning intervention for a child with language impairment. A single case study was used…

Higher education provision using systems thinking approach - case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Dhukaram, Anandhi Vivekanandan; Sgouropoulou, Cleo; Feldman, Gerald; Amini, Ardavan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the complexities involved in higher education provision and how systems thinking and socio-technical systems (STS) thinking approach can be used to understand the education ecosystem. Systems thinking perspective is provided using two case studies: the development of European Learner Mobility (EuroLM) service and the delivery of Enterprise System Management (ESM) course at the Birmingham City University, UK. The case studies present how systems thinking using STS approaches like applied organisational change and Cognitive Work Analysis can be used to capture a conceptual model of the education system for understanding the interactions and relationships between the people, technology, processes and the organisations. Using systems thinking perspective, EuroLM has developed a set of technical standards addressed to the European systems developers and ESM delivery ensures that students communicate and collaborate.

Calculation of direct effects of {sup 60}Co gamma rays on the different DNA structural levels: A simulation study using the Geant4-DNA toolkit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tajik, Marjan; Rozatian, Amir S.H. [Department of Physics, University of Isfahan, Hezar Jarib Street, Isfahan 81746-73441 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Semsarha, Farid, E-mail: Semsarha@ibb.ut.ac.ir [Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, P.O. Box: 13145-1384, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-03-01

In this study, simple single strand breaks (SSB) and double strand breaks (DSB) due to direct effects of the secondary electron spectrum of {sup 60}Co gamma rays on different organizational levels of a volume model of the B-DNA conformation have been calculated using the Geant4-DNA toolkit. Result of this study for the direct DSB yield shows a good agreement with other theoretical and experimental results obtained by both photons and their secondary electrons; however, in the case of SSB a noticeable difference can be observed. Moreover, regarding the almost constant yields of the direct strand breaks in the different structural levels of the DNA, calculated in this work, and compared with some theoretical studies, it can be deduced that the direct strand breaks yields depend mainly on the primary double helix structure of the DNA and the higher-order structures cannot have a noticeable effect on the direct DNA damage inductions by {sup 60}Co gamma rays. In contrast, a direct dependency between the direct SSB and DSB yields and the volume of the DNA structure has been found. Also, a further study on the histone proteins showed that they can play an important role in the trapping of low energy electrons without any significant effect on the direct DNA strand breaks inductions, at least in the range of energies used in the current study.

Case studies in atomic collision physics

CERN Document Server

McDaniel, E W

1974-01-01

Case Studies in Atomic Physics III focuses on case studies on atomic and molecular physics, including atomic collisions, transport properties of electrons, ions, molecules, and photons, interaction potentials, spectroscopy, and surface phenomena. The selection first discusses detailed balancing in the time-dependent impact parameter method, as well as time-reversal in the impact parameter method and coupled state approximation. The text also examines the mechanisms of electron production in ion. Topics include measurement of doubly differential cross sections and electron spectra, direct Coul

Using Significant Geologic Hazards and Disasters to Focus Geoethics Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, V. S.

2015-12-01

Ethics education since classical times has involved the consideration of stories, parables, myths, fables, allegories and histories. These are the ancient equivalents of case studies. Modern case studies are used in applied-ethics courses in law, engineering, business, and science. When used in a geoscience course, geoethical case studies can enrich a student's understanding of the relationships between issues of geoscience, engineering, sociology, business, public policy and law - all with an ethical dimension. Perhaps more importantly, real cases affected real people. Students develop a strong empathetic connection to the people involved, enhancing students' drive to understand the interconnected layers of the cases. Students might begin to appreciate that geoscientists can help to avoid or alleviate human suffering -- that their careers can have meaning and purpose beyond simply earning a paycheck. Geologic disasters in which losses could have been predicted, avoided or minimized are quite effective as cases. Coupling a "disaster" case with a comparable "hazard" case is particularly effective. For example, there are many places along the San Andreas Fault in California where [1] significant coseismic displacement has occurred during historical times, [2] structures that are still inhabited were built along or across active traces prior to the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act in 1971, and [3] inhabited structures have been built legally since 1971 within a few tens of feet of active traces. The question students confront is whether society ought to allow habitable structures to be built very near to a major active fault. This topic allows students to work with issues of law, history, seismology, seismic site response, crustal deformation adjacent to active faults, building codes and, ultimately, ethics. Similar progressions can be developed for other major geologic hazards, both natural and man-made, such as floods, landslides, erosion along rivers and

Direct magnification radiography of the hand for the study of erosions in reumathoid arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orzincolo, C; Corcione, S; Campanati, A; Scutellari, P N; Bonari, L R

1986-01-01

Plain films and direct magnification radiographs of the hands were performed in 34 patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis, using mammographic x-ray tube, achieved with 0.1 mm microfocus, and 1.85 x magnification factor. Direct magnification radiography has provided essential or useful diagnostic data in 44% of cases, particularly in recognizing early skeletal erosions. Nevertheless direct magnification radiography must be used only in those cases in which traditional mammographic techniques do not supply sactisfactory results.

Using direct clinical observation to assess the quality of cesarean delivery in Afghanistan: an exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background As part of a National Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) Needs Assessment, a special study was undertaken in July 2010 to examine the quality of cesarean deliveries in Afghanistan and examine the utility of direct clinical observation as an assessment method in low-resource settings. Methods This cross-sectional assessment of the quality of cesareans at 14 facilities in Afghanistan included a survey of surgeons regarding their routine cesarean practices, direct observation of 29 cesarean deliveries and comparison of observations with facility records for 34 additional cesareans conducted during the 3 days prior to the observation period at each facility. For both observed cases and record reviews, we assessed time intervals between specified points of care-arrival to the ward, first evaluation, detection of a complication, decision for cesarean, incision, and birth. Results All time intervals with the exception of “decision to skin incision” were longer in the record reviews than in observed cases. Prior cesarean was the most common primary indication for all cases. All mothers in both groups observed survived through one hour postpartum. Among newborns there were two stillbirths (7%) in observed births and seven (21%) record reviews. Although our sample is too small to show statistical significance, the difference is noteworthy. In six of the reviewed cesareans resulting in stillbirth, a fetal heart rate was recorded in the operating theater, although four were recorded as macerated. For the two fresh stillbirths, the cesarean surgeries were recorded as scheduled and not urgent. Conclusions Direct observation of cesarean deliveries enabled us to assess a number of preoperative, postoperative, and intraoperative procedures that are often not described in medical records in low resource settings. Comparison of observations with findings from provider interviews and facility records allowed us to infer whether observed practices were typical

Direct regional quasi-geoid determination using EGM2008 and DEM: A case study for Mainland China and its vicinity areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Li

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Earth's gravity model (EGM helps people better determine the figure of Earth, which is generally represented by a global geoid. For a considerable amount of practical applications, people use quasi-geoid to approximate the geoid, thus the quasi-geoid is also treated as an important height datum. In this study we revisit the method to directly determine regional quasi-geoid using EGM and digital elevation model (DEM, on the basis of Molodensky theory. According to the method we obtain a 5′ × 5′ quasi-geoid for Mainland China and its vicinity areas, based on the EGM2008 gravitational potential model and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM DEM model. By comparing height anomalies derived from EGM2008 with observations at 70 GPS/leveling points in areas including northwest, mid-west, mid-east and southeast of China, we find that the 5′ × 5′ EGM2008 quasi-geoid well fits the GPS/leveling results, with average deviations less than 10 cm for the selected areas in east China (with mainly plain topography and ∼20 cm for the selected areas in west China (highland or mountainous areas. We also discuss a few technical issues for directly determining height anomalies based on EGM and DEM, under the frame of Molodensky theory.

Analgesics use and ESRD in younger age: a case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moehner Sabine

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An ad hoc peer-review committee was jointly appointed by Drug Authorities and Industry in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 1999/2000 to review the evidence for a causal relation between phenacetin-free analgesics and nephropathy. The committee found the evidence as inconclusive and requested a new case-control study of adequate design. Methods We performed a population-based case-control study with incident cases of end-stage renal disease (ESRD under the age of 50 years and four age and sex-matched neighborhood controls in 170 dialysis centers (153 in Germany, and 17 in Austria from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2004. Data on lifetime medical history, risk factors, treatment, job exposure and intake of analgesics were obtained in a standardized face-to-face interview using memory aids to enhance accuracy. Study design, study performance, analysis plan, and study report were approved by an independent international advisory committee and by the Drug Authorities involved. Unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed. Results The analysis included 907 cases and 3,622 controls who had never used phenacetin-containing analgesics in their lifetime. The use of high cumulative lifetime dose (3rd tertile of analgesics in the period up to five years before dialysis was not associated with later ESRD. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were 0.8 (0.7 – 1.0 and 1.0 (0.8 – 1.3 for ever- compared with no or low use and high use compared with low use, respectively. The same results were found for all analgesics and for mono-, and combination preparations with and without caffeine. No increased risk was shown in analyses stratifying for dose and duration. Dose-response analyses showed that analgesic use was not associated with an increased risk for ESRD up to 3.5 kg cumulative lifetime dose (98 % of the cases with ESRD. While the large subgroup of users with a lifetime dose up to 0.5 kg (278 cases and

Injection characteristics study of high-pressure direct injector for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) using experimental and analytical method

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Z.; Rahim, MF Abdul; Mamat, R.

2017-10-01

The injection characteristics of direct injector affect the mixture formation and combustion processes. In addition, the injector is converted from gasoline operation for CNG application. Thus measurement of CNG direct injector mass flow rate was done by independently tested a single injector on a test bench. The first case investigated the effect of CNG injection pressure and the second case evaluate the effect of pulse-width of injection duration. An analytical model was also developed to predict the mass flow rate of the injector. The injector was operated in a choked condition in both the experiments and simulation studies. In case 1, it was shown that mass flow rate through the injector is affected by injection pressure linearly. Based on the tested injection pressure of 20 bar to 60 bar, the resultant mass flow rate are in the range of 0.4 g/s to 1.2 g/s which are met with theoretical flow rate required by the engine. However, in Case 2, it was demonstrated that the average mass flow rate at short injection durations is lower than recorded in Case 1. At injection pressure of 50 bar, the average mass flow rate for Case 2 and Case 1 are 0.7 g/s and 1.1 g/s respectively. Also, the measured mass flow rate at short injection duration showing a fluctuating data in the range of 0.2 g/s - 1.3 g/s without any noticeable trends. The injector model able to predict the trend of the mass flow rate at different injection pressure but unable to track the fluctuating trend at short injection duration.

Codetermination in case of official directive denied

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziegler, E.

1989-01-01

The contribution deals with a recent decision by the Federal Labour Court, concerning the right of codetermination of the works council in matters of security of nuclear installations and decisions taken in this field by an official directive. Codetermination, the Court decided, requires a right of determination by the employer alone, and in cases where this right is restricted by the law due to powers of a government authority, there is no right of codetermination of the works council. (orig.) [de

Programmes of measures under the water framework directive – a comparative case study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baaner, Lasse

2011-01-01

The water framework directive requires programmes of measures composed by the Member States, in order to achieve its environmental objectives. This article examines three programmes of measures for river basins in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, with a focus on the differences in how the programmes...... direct the authorities’ activities with regard to water management. It concludes that there are major differences in the precision of the measures, the range of legal instruments used, and in the focus on active and direct management of the aquatic environment. The Danish programme seems to facilitate...

Sustainable Design Approach: A case study of BIM use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelhameed Wael

2017-01-01

The paper describes the methodology of this design approach through BIM strategies adopted in design creation. Case studies of architectural designs are used to highlight the details and benefits of this proposed approach.

Case studies on the use of the 'risk matrix' approach for accident prevention in radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumenigo, Cruz; Vilaragut, Juan J.; Soler, Karen; Cruz, Yoanis; Batista, Fidel; Morales, Jorge L.; Perez, Adrian; Farlane, Teresa Mc.; Guerrero, Mayrka

2010-01-01

External beam radiotherapy is the only practice during which humans are directly exposed to a radiation beam to receive high doses. Accidental exposures have occurred throughout the world, thus showing the need for systematic safety assessments, capable to identify preventive measures and to minimize consequences of accidental exposure. The 'risk matrix' approach is a semi quantitative method to evaluate the likelihood and the severity of events by means of a scale, and defines acceptability criteria on the basis of the risk. For each accident sequence identified, the following questions come up: how often is it?, how severe are the consequences? and, what safety measures should be taken to prevent it?. From these answers we can obtain the resulting risk by using the 'Risk Matrix' table. In this study we have used this method to conduct the study in 3 cases (real radiotherapy departments). The case study identified the major weaknesses in radiotherapy service and proposed measures to reduce the risk of accidents. The method is practical and it could be applied in hospitals. This approach allows regulators to improve the quality of their inspections and the rigor of the assessments made to grant the operating license to the entities working with radiotherapy. (author)

Impacts modeling using the SPH particulate method. Case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debord, R.

1999-01-01

The aim of this study is the modeling of the impact of melted metal on the reactor vessel head in the case of a core-meltdown accident. Modeling using the classical finite-element method alone is not sufficient but requires a coupling with particulate methods in order to take into account the behaviour of the corium. After a general introduction about particulate methods, the Nabor and SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) methods are described. Then, the theoretical and numerical reliability of the SPH method is determined using simple cases. In particular, the number of neighbours significantly influences the preciseness of calculations. Also, the mesh of the structure must be adapted to the mesh of the fluid in order to reduce the edge effects. Finally, this study has shown that the values of artificial velocity coefficients used in the simulation of the BERDA test performed by the FZK Karlsruhe (Germany) are not correct. The domain of use of these coefficients was precised during a low speed impact. (J.S.)

Solar energy utilization in the direct photocarboxylation of 2,3-dihydrofuran using CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Aresta, Michele; Dibenedetto, Angela; Baran, Tomasz; Wojtyła, Szymon; Macyk, Wojciech

2015-01-01

The conversion of CO2 into high energy products (fuels) and the direct carboxylation of C-H bonds require a high energy input. Energy cannot be derived from fossil carbon, in this case. Solar energy can be used instead, with a low environmental impact and good profit. We have studied the use of white light or solar energy in the photoreduction of CO2 and in photocarboxylation reactions, using different semiconductors modified at their surface. Two examples of reduction of CO2 to methanol and CO will be shortly discussed, and two cases of carboxylation of organic substrates. The case of carboxylation of 2,3-dihydrofuran will be discussed in detail.

Use of micronutrients attenuates cannabis and nicotine abuse as evidenced from a reversal design: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Rachel; Rucklidge, Julia J; Blampied, Neville

2013-01-01

Prior research shows that micronutrients, particularly amino acids, can assist individuals with substance dependence to quit various drugs of abuse, including cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine. As part of a wider investigation of the impact of micronutrients (mostly vitamins and minerals) on psychiatric symptoms, such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety, we observed that many participants reduced or eliminated use of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis. One case using a single-case reversal (off-on-off-on-off) design is presented and shows not only on-off control of psychiatric symptoms as micronutrients are consumed or withdrawn, but also simultaneous on-off use of cannabis and cigarettes, despite not directly targeting this substance use as part of the treatment protocol. This case adds to a growing body of research supporting the use of micronutrients in the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and suggests it may extend to substance dependence. Micronutrients, by assisting with mood regulation and reductions in anxiety, may assist with successful cessation of drug use. Alternatively, they may directly impact on the brain reward circuitry believed to be involved in the expression of addictions, thereby providing the appropriate precursors and cofactors necessary for adequate neurotransmitter synthesis. This case should continue to stimulate researchers to consider the role of nutrients, in particular vitamins and minerals, in drug treatment programs and encourage more rigorous trials.

Development of directives in child language: A case study of Czech

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chejnová Pavla

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this article, the longitudinal development of directives in first-language acquisition is described, and examples of the development of directive speech acts in one Czech child from the ages of 2.8 to 4.1 are included. The results show that the child acquires communicative strategies gradually and that he usually prefers one concrete strategy initially, which is later replaced by a new strategy corresponding with the acquisition of morphological categories. The child’s grammatical development is divided into two stages: the stage of protomorphology, when the child acquires basic morphological categories, and the stage of morphology proper / modular morphology, when the child uses a variety of grammatical means. In the stage of morphology proper, pragmatic factors become more influential as the child is no longer limited by a lack of grammatical competence.

Pre-directional appliance: A new approach to correct shifted premaxilla in bilateral cleft cases

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P S Daigavane

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Management of bilateral cleft lip and palate cases is a challenging task, and if the premaxilla is shifted to either side, it poses a problem for the surgeon to operate and also for the orthodontist to do the orthodontic alignment. The aim of this study was to reposition the shifted premaxilla for better retraction with presurgical infant orthopedics, thus reducing the tissue tension and further scarring which have detrimental effects on maxillary growth. The innovative technique with pre-directional (PD appliance is easy to fabricate and use and works in this direction. Acrylic, springs, permasoft liner, elastics, retentive tapes. Previous approach for the shifted premaxilla was more focused on the surgical correction. In adults, surgery with osteotomy is the only option, with its own limitations and disadvantages, in repositioning the shifted premaxilla. Thus, PD appliance aids to correct the shifted premaxilla in presurgical molding stage. The premaxilla was thus shifted 5.5 mm to the left side, with premaxilla in facial symmetry, with the PD appliance. Presurgical orthopedics with PD appliance is worth in infants with shifted premaxilla in bilateral clefts cases.

Strategy Formulation Process in Crisis Management : Volkswagen Case Study

OpenAIRE

Abuhajaj, Ayham; Lampis, George

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study is to understand what strategies are used over time by a company facing a transgressional CSR crisis, in order to regain legitimacy, and towards which stakeholder group these strategies are directed. Methods: In order to achieve our aim, Qualitative case study based on secondary data published by Volkswagen as well as news articles were used to identify what strategies the company used over time. Results: To be able to answer our aim, different theoretical lense...

Higher Education Provision Using Systems Thinking Approach--Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Dhukaram, Anandhi Vivekanandan; Sgouropoulou, Cleo; Feldman, Gerald; Amini, Ardavan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the complexities involved in higher education provision and how systems thinking and socio-technical systems (STS) thinking approach can be used to understand the education ecosystem. Systems thinking perspective is provided using two case studies: the development of European Learner Mobility (EuroLM)…

Direct magnification radiography of the hand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Presacco, D.; Pellegrini, A.; Di Maggio, C.

1987-01-01

The value of direct magnification radiography of the hand and the wrist has been studied in 128 patients affected by rheumatic diseases. Only in a small group (3.17%) magnification determined a higher percentage of correct diagnosis; in the 17.06% of cases direct magnification radiography provided useful increase in information but did not change the diagnisis correctly reached by conventional techniques. In most cases (79.76%) magnification provided only a better image quality but no more information helpful for the diagnosis, because of the high level achieved by convetional techniques. Therefore direct magnification radiography must be used only in selected cases and not as routine radiographyc technique

THE CASE STUDY TASKS AS A BASIS FOR THE FUND OF THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS AT THE MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS FOR THE DIRECTION 01.03.02 APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

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Dina Aleksandrovna Kirillova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The modern reform of the Russian higher education involves the implementation of competence-based approach, the main idea of which is the practical orientation of education. Mathematics is a universal language of description, modeling and studies of phenomena and processes of different nature. Therefore creating the fund of assessment tools for mathematical disciplines based on the applied problems is actual. The case method is the most appropriate mean of monitoring the learning outcomes, it is aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice.The aim of the research is the development of methodical materials for the creating the fund of assessment tools that are based on the case-study for the mathematical analisis for direction «Applied Mathematics and Computer Science». The aim follows from the contradiction between the need for the introduction of case-method in the educational process in high school and the lack of study of the theoretical foundations of using of this method as applied to mathematical disciplines, insufficient theoretical basis and the description of the process of creating case-problems for use their in the monitoring of the learning outcomes.

Semantics-Based Compiling: A Case Study in Type-Directed Partial Evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danvy, Olivier; Vestergaard, René

1996-01-01

, block-structured, higher-order, call-by-value, allows subtyping, and obeys stack discipline. It is bigger than what is usually reported in the literature on semantics-based compiling and partial evaluation. Our compiling technique uses the first Futamura projection, i.e., we compile programs......-directed compilation, in the spirit of Scott and Strachey. Our conclusion is that lambda-calculus normalization suffices for compiling by specializing an interpreter....

Semantics-based compiling: A case study in type-directed partial evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danvy, Olivier; Vestergaard, René

1996-01-01

, block-structured, higher-order, call-by-value, allows subtyping, and obeys stack discipline. It is bigger than what is usually reported in the literature on semantics-based compiling and partial evaluation. Our compiling technique uses the first Futamura projection, i.e., we compile programs......-directed compilation, in the spirit of Scott and Strachey. Our conclusion is that lambda-calculus normalization suffices for compiling by specializing an interpreter....

Using version information in architectural clustering : a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wierda, A.; Dortmans, E.; Somers, L.

2006-01-01

This paper describes a case study that uses clustering to group classes of an existing objectoriented system of significant size into subsystems. The clustering process is based on the structural relations between the classes: associations, generalizations and dependencies. We experiment with

Direct hospital costs of total laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with fast-track open hysterectomy at a tertiary hospital: a retrospective case-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhou, Yoon J J; Pather, Selvan; Loadsman, John A; Campbell, Neil; Philp, Shannon; Carter, Jonathan

2015-12-01

To assess the direct intraoperative and postoperative costs in women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy and fast-track open hysterectomy. A retrospective review of the direct hospital-related costs in a matched cohort of women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and fast-track open hysterectomy (FTOH) at a tertiary hospital. All costs were calculated, including the cost of advanced high-energy laparoscopic devices. The effect of the learning curve on cost in laparoscopic hysterectomy was also assessed, as was the hospital case-weighted cost, which was compared with the actual cost. Fifty women were included in each arm of the study. TLH had a higher intraoperative cost, but a lower postoperative cost than FTOH (AUD$3877 vs AUD$2776 P funding model in our hospital is inaccurate when compared to directly calculated hospital costs. © 2013 The Authors ANZJOG © 2013 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Androgenic anabolic steroid use and severe hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction : a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Breda, E.; Keizer, H.A.; Kuipers, H.; Wolffenbuttel, B.H.R.

The data of the present case demonstrate that the abuse of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) may lead to serious health effects. Although most clinical attention is usually directed towards peripheral side effects, the most serious central side effect, hypothalamic-pituitary-dysfunction, is often

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treating Depression in a Patient With Right Hemispheric Dominance: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiozawa, Pedro; da Silva, Mailu Enokibara; Cordeiro, Quirino

2015-09-01

We report the case of a 66-year-old male patient with major depressive disorder for the last 6 months. The patient had been diagnosed with dyslexia during childhood and was left-handed. The intervention protocol consisted in 10 consecutive daily transcranial direct current stimulation sessions. However, after 5 days of stimulation, the patient presented with intensification of depressive symptoms and panic attacks. It was hypothetized that the intensification of symptoms may have been due to stimulation protocol itself. Considering the patient was left-handed and presented comorbidity with dyslexia, there was a plausible hypothesis of right hemispheric dominance. This was corroborated by the Edinburgh Handedness Scale. In fact, dyslexic patients present right hemisphere dominance more frequently. The patient also presented a single photon emission computed tomography with a hypoperfusion area over the left posterior parietal lobe. After the patients agreement, a 10-day experimental repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation low-frequency protocol over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was started to inhibit the area, which was hypothetically hyperactivated following the rationale of right dominance. The patient presented amelioration of depressive and anxious symptoms. Given the hemispheric reversal we show in the present case study, however, it seems that therapies that are beneficial to right-handers could be detrimental to left-handers.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN POST-CONFLICT COUNTRIES: THE CASE OF IRAQ’S OIL AND ELECTRICITY SECTORS

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Ghassan Faraj Hanna

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Foreign direct investment is new phenomenon to Iraq, a post conflict country with abundance of natural resources. With dominant state-controlled public sector, attracting foreign investment is an added challenge to an economy devastated by years of wars. A qualitative case study was conducted to assess determinants of foreign direct investment in Iraq’s energy sector. Data was collected from interviews with business and government subject matter experts, and a review of publically available documents. Lack of security, political instability, corruption, and inadequate government policies towards foreign direct investment as symptoms found and typically shared by other post-conflict countries. The persistence of violence was not seen as a deterrent; however, foreign direct investment activity in the energy sector was virtually limited to the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan. Investments were either wholly-owned or joint-venture enterprises. Implications to other post conflict countries, using Kuwait and Nigeria as illustrative examples, are presented and recommendations made.

Useful Business Cases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter Axel; Persson, John Stouby

2017-01-01

during implementation and value creation. This article presents lessons learned from our action research, lessons that we incorporated into a business case method and subsequently evaluated with IS managers. There are three lessons on: (1) improving the content of business cases, (2) how to develop...... research study seeks to improve the usefulness of business cases in IS projects. We used collaborative action research with Danish municipalities to improve their practices when developing and using business cases and to change their perceptions of what constitutes a good business case that is useful...... business cases, and (3) the use of business cases in subsequent value creation. These lessons summarize our findings and the contributions are that we in the business case method propose to: (1) include minimal contents, (2) develop social commitment, and (3) structure for dynamic use during value creation...

Reinforcement learning: Solving two case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Ana Filipa; Silva, Pedro; dos Santos, Cristina Peixoto

2012-09-01

Reinforcement Learning algorithms offer interesting features for the control of autonomous systems, such as the ability to learn from direct interaction with the environment, and the use of a simple reward signalas opposed to the input-outputs pairsused in classic supervised learning. The reward signal indicates the success of failure of the actions executed by the agent in the environment. In this work, are described RL algorithmsapplied to two case studies: the Crawler robot and the widely known inverted pendulum. We explore RL capabilities to autonomously learn a basic locomotion pattern in the Crawler, andapproach the balancing problem of biped locomotion using the inverted pendulum.

A case study of Impetigo

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Mansouri P

1993-05-01

Full Text Available This is a report of a case study on 234 patients with impetigo who referred to Razi Dermatology Hospital from April to November, 1989. Treatment was started immediately after obtaining direct smear and performing culture and antibiotic sensitivity test. The most common organism responsible for impetigo was the coagulase-positive staphylococcus (71%. In 13.7% of the cases, the coagulase-negative staphylococcus was grown on culture media, but none of the cultures showed streptococcus as the main organism. Treatment was started with oral penicillin V, oral erythromycin, benzathine penicillin G injection, oral cephalexin, and topical fuccidin. Clinical and bacteriological evaluation after 3-7 days showed that it is preferable to use oral cephalexin instead of other protocols such as oral erythromycin, which has previously been the drug of choice for impetigo. In addition, topical fuccidin with a 75% curative rate was the first drug for treatment, with the same effect as the oral cephalexin

D2.2. Case studies of communication media and their use in crisis situations

OpenAIRE

Papadimitriou, Alex; Yannapoulos, Angelos; Kotsiopoulos, Ioannis; Finn, Rachel; Wadhwa, Kush; Watson, Hayley; Baruh, Lemi

2015-01-01

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of Task 2.2 “Case studies on the use of new media in crisis situations” was for COSMIC to examine a series of European and international case studies of different types of crises in order to explore the ways in which new communication technologies and applications are being used in crisis situations today. Partners conducted an examination of eight different case studies, during which partners described the nature of the case study, provided an understanding o...

Using the Case Study Technology in Developing the Students’ Environmental Competence

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S. B. Ignatov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The case study technology is considered to be an effective tool for developing the students’ environmental competence. Numerous modern interactive techniques, facilitating the competence approach, can be fitted into its framework. The essence of the case-study is defined as the teaching method of problem-solving. The technology in question makes it possible to use the so called triad of «training – education – development», and provides such teaching opportunities as streaming the students according to their interests, skills, abilities and psychological peculiarities; and, therefore, assigning the relevant and motivating individual tasks.The paper traces the history of the case-study, as well as some theoretical and methodological aspects of its implementation in teaching process; the pedagogic goals fulfilled by means of the given technology are listed along with its advantages compared to other methods. The «case-study» term, its structure and working algorithms are defined. The application examples relating to environmental education at different levels are given. 

National Case-Control Study of Homicide Offending and Methamphetamine Use

Science.gov (United States)

Stretesky, Paul B.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between methamphetamine use and homicide. To carry out this study, data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities were combined to create a case-control design. The main exposure measure is methamphetamine use and the…

Project management case studies

CERN Document Server

Kerzner, Harold R

2013-01-01

A new edition of the most popular book of project management case studies, expanded to include more than 100 cases plus a ""super case"" on the Iridium Project Case studies are an important part of project management education and training. This Fourth Edition of Harold Kerzner''s Project Management Case Studies features a number of new cases covering value measurement in project management. Also included is the well-received ""super case,"" which covers all aspects of project management and may be used as a capstone for a course. This new edition:Contains 100-plus case studies drawn from re

Factors that affect implementation of a nurse staffing directive: results from a qualitative multi-case evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Claire H; Annis, Ann M; Forman, Jane; Krein, Sarah L; Yankey, Nicholas; Duffy, Sonia A; Taylor, Beth; Sales, Anne E

2016-08-01

To assess implementation of the Veterans Health Administration staffing methodology directive. In 2010 the Veterans Health Administration promulgated a staffing methodology directive for inpatient nursing units to address staffing and budget forecasting. A qualitative multi-case evaluation approach assessed staffing methodology implementation. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted from March - June 2014 with Nurse Executives and their teams at 21 facilities. Interviews focused on the budgeting process, implementation experiences, use of data, leadership support, and training. An implementation score was created for each facility using a 4-point rating scale. The scores were used to select three facilities (low, medium and high implementation) for more detailed case studies. After analysing interview summaries, the evaluation team developed a four domain scoring structure: (1) integration of staffing methodology into budget development; (2) implementation of the Directive elements; (3) engagement of leadership and staff; and (4) use of data to support the staffing methodology process. The high implementation facility had leadership understanding and endorsement of staffing methodology, confidence in and ability to work with data, and integration of staffing methodology results into the budgeting process. The low implementation facility reported poor leadership engagement and little understanding of data sources and interpretation. Implementation varies widely across facilities. Implementing staffing methodology in facilities with complex and changing staffing needs requires substantial commitment at all organizational levels especially for facilities that have traditionally relied on historical levels to budget for staffing. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A Comparative Case Study of Electric Utility Companies’ Use of Energy Democracy in Strategic Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meaghan McKasy

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A substantial increase in distributed renewable energy resources is changing the face of the energy environment, leading to strategic communication efforts by key stakeholders. The energy democracy movement supports this transformation from fossil fuels to distributed renewable energy and aims for equitable involvement of publics in energy decision making. These tenets challenge utility company earnings as they are directly related to energy sales and infrastructure returns on investment. Proposals by electric utility companies to restructure net-metering policies as a solution to financial issues have been criticized as prohibitive to the success of renewable energy advancement. To address these disagreements, the Edison Electric Institute and a communication firm, Maslansky & Partners, created The Future of Energy: A Working Communication Guide for Discussion. This handbook provides utility companies with strategic communication guidelines to portray themselves as supportive of renewables within a dynamic energy industry. We posit that aspects of the energy democracy movement have been employed by electric utility companies, as shown through the use of the handbook, as a strategy for communicating with customers in discussions around net metering. We examine two case studies in states with recent controversial net-metering policy changes by analyzing utility company websites and press releases for the use of the communication handbook terminology. We found that, in both cases, the suggested language was used to position their companies as pro-renewable energy and their utility-scale projects as more equitable for their customers. In addition, we found differences between each company’s use of key terms from the handbook. We posit that this is due to the temporal context of each net-metering debate at the time of the handbook release. Conclusions and future directions for research in the growing area of energy democracy are discussed.

Family Of Calibrated Stereometric Cameras For Direct Intraoral Use

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Sean; Moffitt, Francis; Symes, Douglas; Baumrind, Sheldon

1983-07-01

In order to study empirically the relative efficiencies of different types of orthodontic appliances in repositioning teeth in vivo, we have designed and constructed a pair of fixed-focus, normal case, fully-calibrated stereometric cameras. One is used to obtain stereo photography of single teeth, at a scale of approximately 2:1, and the other is designed for stereo imaging of the entire dentition, study casts, facial structures, and other related objects at a scale of approximately 1:8. Twin lenses simultaneously expose adjacent frames on a single roll of 70 mm film. Physical flatness of the film is ensured by the use of a spring-loaded metal pressure plate. The film is forced against a 3/16" optical glass plate upon which is etched an array of 16 fiducial marks which divide the film format into 9 rectangular regions. Using this approach, it has been possible to produce photographs which are undistorted for qualitative viewing and from which quantitative data can be acquired by direct digitization of conventional photographic enlargements. We are in the process of designing additional members of this family of cameras. All calibration and data acquisition and analysis techniques previously developed will be directly applicable to these new cameras.

Direct cellular vs. indirect pager communication during orthopaedic surgical procedures: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, Gil R; Taksali, Sudeep; Smart, Ryan; Baumgaertner, Michael R

2009-01-01

satisfaction ratings (dependent on communication times and/or difficulties) were improved with direct cellular communication (Cell = 29 excellent, Page = 11 excellent). Intraoperative case interruptions (defined as delaying surgical progress) were more frequent with indirect page communication (10 page v. 0 cell). Our study demonstrates that direct wireless communication may be used to improve intraoperative communication and enhance patient safety. Direct wireless, cellular intraoperative communication improves communication times, communication accuracy, communication satisfaction, and minimizes intraoperative case interruption. As a result of this study, we hope to maintain our transition to direct wireless, cellular intraoperative orthopaedic communication to reduce medical errors, improve patient care, and enhance both orthopaedic surgeon and nursing efficiencies.

OER Use in Intermediate Language Instruction: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Godwin-Jones, Robert

2017-01-01

This paper reports on a case study in the experimental use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in intermediate level language instruction. The resources come from three sources: the instructor, the students, and open content repositories. The objective of this action research project was to provide student-centered learning materials, enhance…

Inconsistency between direct and indirect comparisons of competing interventions: meta-epidemiological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Fujian; Xiong, Tengbin; Parekh-Bhurke, Sheetal; Loke, Yoon K; Sutton, Alex J; Eastwood, Alison J; Holland, Richard; Chen, Yen-Fu; Glenny, Anne-Marie; Deeks, Jonathan J; Altman, Doug G

2011-08-16

To investigate the agreement between direct and indirect comparisons of competing healthcare interventions. Meta-epidemiological study based on sample of meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and PubMed. Inclusion criteria Systematic reviews that provided sufficient data for both direct comparison and independent indirect comparisons of two interventions on the basis of a common comparator and in which the odds ratio could be used as the outcome statistic. Inconsistency measured by the difference in the log odds ratio between the direct and indirect methods. The study included 112 independent trial networks (including 1552 trials with 478,775 patients in total) that allowed both direct and indirect comparison of two interventions. Indirect comparison had already been explicitly done in only 13 of the 85 Cochrane reviews included. The inconsistency between the direct and indirect comparison was statistically significant in 16 cases (14%, 95% confidence interval 9% to 22%). The statistically significant inconsistency was associated with fewer trials, subjectively assessed outcomes, and statistically significant effects of treatment in either direct or indirect comparisons. Owing to considerable inconsistency, many (14/39) of the statistically significant effects by direct comparison became non-significant when the direct and indirect estimates were combined. Significant inconsistency between direct and indirect comparisons may be more prevalent than previously observed. Direct and indirect estimates should be combined in mixed treatment comparisons only after adequate assessment of the consistency of the evidence.

BioFleet case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

These six case studies examined the use of different biodiesel blends as fuel supply sources for businesses in British Columbia (BC). In the first case study, 6 municipalities participated in a pilot program designed to compare the performance of biodiesel and diesel fuels. Each municipality operated 2 base vehicles running on conventional diesel along with 2 similar vehicles which used biodiesel. Real time emissions tests and analyses of the vehicles using biodiesel were also conducted by 2 of the participating municipalities. All municipalities participating in the study agreed to purchase significant volumes of biodiesel. The second case study described a pilot study conducted by the City of Vancouver's equipment services branch in 2004. As a result of the study, the city now has over 530 types of equipment that use biodiesel. The third case study described a program designed by TSI Terminals in Vancouver to assess the emission reduction impact of using biodiesel at its port facility. Six different pieces of equipment were used to confirm that biodiesel could be used throughout the terminal. Test results confirmed that biodiesel blends could be used to reduce emissions. Overall emissions were reduced by 30 per cent. The fourth case study described a waste renderer that used a fleet of 36 trucks to deliver raw products to its plants. The company made the decision to use only biodiesel for its entire fleet of trucks. Since July 2005, the company has logged over 1.7 million km using biodiesel blends. The fifth case study described a salmon hatchery that switched from diesel to biodiesel in order to reduce emissions. The biodiesel blends are used to fuel the hatchery's 2 diesel generators. The hatchery has reduced emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by an estimated 1800 tonnes annually. The sixth case study described how the Township of Langley has started using biodiesel for its entire fleet of of approximately 250 pieces of equipment. The township has not

A Study on Satellite Diagnostic Expert Systems Using Case-Based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-Tack Park

1997-06-01

Full Text Available Many research works are on going to monitor and diagnose diverse malfunctions of satellite systems as the complexity and number of satellites increase. Currently, many works on monitoring and diagnosis are carried out by human experts but there are needs to automate much of the routine works of them. Hence, it is necessary to study on using expert systems which can assist human experts routine work by doing automatically, thereby allow human experts devote their expertise more critical and important areas of monitoring and diagnosis. In this paper, we are employing artificial intelligence techniques to model human experts' knowledge and inference the constructed knowledge. Especially, case-based approaches are used to construct a knowledge base to model human expert capabilities which use previous typical exemplars. We have designed and implemented a prototype case-based system for diagnosing satellite malfunctions using cases. Our system remembers typical failure cases and diagnoses a current malfunction by indexing the case base. Diverse methods are used to build a more user friendly interface which allows human experts can build a knowledge base in as easy way.

The inverse Fourier problem in the case of poor resolution in one given direction: the maximum-entropy solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papoular, R.J.; Zheludev, A.; Ressouche, E.; Schweizer, J.

1995-01-01

When density distributions in crystals are reconstructed from 3D diffraction data, a problem sometimes occurs when the spatial resolution in one given direction is very small compared to that in perpendicular directions. In this case, a 2D projected density is usually reconstructed. For this task, the conventional Fourier inversion method only makes use of those structure factors measured in the projection plane. All the other structure factors contribute zero to the reconstruction of a projected density. On the contrary, the maximum-entropy method uses all the 3D data, to yield 3D-enhanced 2D projected density maps. It is even possible to reconstruct a projection in the extreme case when not one structure factor in the plane of projection is known. In the case of poor resolution along one given direction, a Fourier inversion reconstruction gives very low quality 3D densities 'smeared' in the third dimension. The application of the maximum-entropy procedure reduces the smearing significantly and reasonably well resolved projections along most directions can now be obtained from the MaxEnt 3D density. To illustrate these two ideas, particular examples based on real polarized neutron diffraction data sets are presented. (orig.)

Using Satellite Imagery to Monitor the Major Lakes; Case Study Lake Hamun

Science.gov (United States)

Norouzi, H.; Islam, R.; Bah, A.; AghaKouchak, A.

2015-12-01

Proper lakes function can ease the impact of floods and drought especially in arid and semi-arid regions. They are important environmentally and can directly affect human lives. Better understanding of the effect of climate change and human-driven changes on lakes would provide invaluable information for policy-makers and local people. As part of a comprehensive study, we aim to monitor the land-cover/ land-use changes in the world's major lakes using satellite observations. As a case study, Hamun Lake which is a pluvial Lake, also known as shallow Lake, located on the south-east of Iran and adjacent to Afghanistan, and Pakistan borders is investigated. The Lake is the main source of resources (agriculture, fishing and hunting) for the people around it and politically important in the region since it is shared among three different countries. The purpose of the research is to find the Lake's area from 1972 to 2015 and to see if any drought or water resources management has affected the lake. Analyzing satellites imagery from Landsat shows that the area of the Lake changes seasonally and intra-annually. Significant seasonal effects are found in 1975,1977, 1987, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2009 and 2011, as well as, substantial amount of shallow water is found throughout the years. The precipitation records as well as drought historical records are studied for the lake's basin. Meteorological studies suggest that the drought, decrease of rainfalls in the province and the improper management of the Lake have caused environmental, economic and geographical consequences. The results reveal that lake has experienced at least two prolong dryings since 1972 which drought cannot solely be blamed as main forcing factor.Proper lakes function can ease the impact of floods and drought especially in arid and semi-arid regions. They are important environmentally and can directly affect human lives. Better understanding of the effect of climate change and human-driven changes on lakes

Use of Facebook: A Case Study of Singapore Students' Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hew, Khe Foon; Cheung, Wing Sum

2012-01-01

Facebook has become one of the most popular social network sites among many students. However, current research on Facebook use has focused mainly on Anglo-American students. Relatively little is known about Facebook use in Singapore. Data were collected from 83 students (ages ranged from 15 to 23). This study uses a naturalistic case study…

Stool frequency recording in severe acute malnutrition ('StoolSAM'); an agreement study comparing maternal recall versus direct observation using diapers.

Science.gov (United States)

Voskuijl, Wieger; Potani, Isabel; Bandsma, Robert; Baan, Anne; White, Sarah; Bourdon, Celine; Kerac, Marko

2017-06-07

Approximately 50% of the deaths of children under the age of 5 can be attributed to undernutrition, which also encompasses severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Diarrhoea is strongly associated with these deaths and is commonly diagnosed solely based on stool frequency and consistency obtained through maternal recall. This trial aims to determine whether this approach is equivalent to a 'directly observed method' in which a health care worker directly observed stool frequency using diapers in hospitalised children with complicated SAM. This study was conducted at 'Moyo' Nutritional Rehabilitation Unit, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi. Participants were children aged 5-59 months admitted with SAM. We compared 2 days of stool frequency data obtained with next-day maternal-recall versus a 'gold standard' in which a health care worker observed stool frequency every 2 h using diapers. After study completion, guardians were asked their preferred method and their level of education. We found poor agreement between maternal recall and the 'gold standard' of directly observed diapers. The sensitivity to detect diarrhoea based on maternal recall was poor, with only 75 and 56% of diarrhoea cases identified on days 1 and 2, respectively. However, the specificity was higher with more than 80% of children correctly classified as not having diarrhoea. On day 1, the mean stool frequency difference between the two methods was -0.17 (SD; 1.68) with limits of agreement (of stool frequency) of -3.55 and 3.20 and, similarly on day 2, the mean difference was -0.2 (SD; 1.59) with limits of agreement of -3.38 and 2.98. These limits extend beyond the pre-specified 'acceptable' limits of agreement (±1.5 stool per day) and indicate that the 2 methods are non-equivalent. The higher the stool frequency, the more discrepant the two methods were. Most primary care givers strongly preferred using diapers. This study shows lack of agreement between the assessment of stool frequency in SAM

Adaptation of Chain Event Graphs for use with Case-Control Studies in Epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Keeble, Claire; Thwaites, Peter Adam; Barber, Stuart; Law, Graham Richard; Baxter, Paul David

2017-09-26

Case-control studies are used in epidemiology to try to uncover the causes of diseases, but are a retrospective study design known to suffer from non-participation and recall bias, which may explain their decreased popularity in recent years. Traditional analyses report usually only the odds ratio for given exposures and the binary disease status. Chain event graphs are a graphical representation of a statistical model derived from event trees which have been developed in artificial intelligence and statistics, and only recently introduced to the epidemiology literature. They are a modern Bayesian technique which enable prior knowledge to be incorporated into the data analysis using the agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm, used to form a suitable chain event graph. Additionally, they can account for missing data and be used to explore missingness mechanisms. Here we adapt the chain event graph framework to suit scenarios often encountered in case-control studies, to strengthen this study design which is time and financially efficient. We demonstrate eight adaptations to the graphs, which consist of two suitable for full case-control study analysis, four which can be used in interim analyses to explore biases, and two which aim to improve the ease and accuracy of analyses. The adaptations are illustrated with complete, reproducible, fully-interpreted examples, including the event tree and chain event graph. Chain event graphs are used here for the first time to summarise non-participation, data collection techniques, data reliability, and disease severity in case-control studies. We demonstrate how these features of a case-control study can be incorporated into the analysis to provide further insight, which can help to identify potential biases and lead to more accurate study results.

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.

Using the Web To Deliver and Enhance Classes: Two Case Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Helford, Paul Q.; Lei, Richard M.

This paper discusses two case studies conducted at Northern Arizona University. The studies are from classes that are using the World Wide Web to enhance teaching and learning. One class is the Art of Cinema, a film studies class that has been taught via Instructional Television (ITV) for five years. Various techniques have been used over the…

The increasing of odontoblast-like cell number on direct pulp capping of Rattus norvegicus using chitosan

OpenAIRE

Prananingrum, Widyasri

2010-01-01

Background: Pulpal perforation care with direct pulp capping in the case of reversible pulpitis due to mechanical trauma was performed with chitosan which has the ability to facilitate migration, proliferation, and progenitor cell differentiation. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the increasing number of odontoblast-like cells in direct pulp capping dental care of Rattus norvegicus using chitosan for seven and fourteen days. Methods: Samples were molars of male Rattus norve...

Using Multimedia Case Studies to Advance Pre-Service Teacher Knowing

Science.gov (United States)

Pfister, Christina C.; White, Daniel L.; Masingila, Joanna O.

2006-01-01

This paper uses Baxter Magolda's (1992) framework on ways of knowing to examine the effects of using multimedia case studies with beginning pre-service teachers (PSTs). Baxter Magolda referred to these ways of thinking as absolute, transitional, independent, and contextual. The written responses to two sets of tasks were analysed for 36 PSTs…

Using a Case-Study Article to Effectively Introduce Mitosis

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hoewyk, Doug

2007-01-01

Community college students in a nonmajors biology class are introduced to mitosis by reading a case-study article that allows them to gauge how many times various parts of their bodies have been regenerated. The case-study article allows students to develop a conceptual framework of the cell cycle prior to a lecture on mitosis. (Contains 1 figure.)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers: a case study for using biomonitoring data to address risk assessment questions.

Science.gov (United States)

Birnbaum, Linda S; Cohen Hubal, Elaine A

2006-11-01

The use of biomonitoring data holds promise for characterizing exposure and informing risk assessment. Biomonitoring data have been used successfully to track population trends, identify susceptible populations, and provide indications of emerging environmental health issues. However, there remain challenges associated with interpreting biomonitoring data for risk assessment. An international biomonitoring workshop was convened in September 2004 to explore the use of biomonitoring data in the context of risk assessment. Six compounds were examined as case studies for this workshop, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The PBDE case study was developed to provide an example of a persistent compound for which relatively few data are available for human exposure, biomonitoring, and health outcomes. PBDEs are used in hard plastics, electronics, textiles, and polyurethane foam products. The congener pattern downstream of production facilities often resembles the commercial mixture. However, because these compounds persist in the environment and in biota, the patterns of congeners evolve. PBDEs partition into body lipids, and direct measurement of bromodiphenyl ether congeners in biologic specimens provides a good marker of exposure. Data indicate significant variability (> 100-fold range) in lipid-adjusted levels for PBDEs in the general population. It is hypothesized that both exposure and pharmacokinetics may play a role in observed congener profiles. Significant gaps in our ability to interpret PBDE biomonitoring data to address public health and risk assessment questions include limited knowledge of environmental fate and transport of PBDE congeners, limited population-based data for adults, and lack of data for potentially vulnerable populations such as children.

Case-control studies in neurosurgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Nesvick, Cody L; Thompson, Clinton J; Boop, Frederick A; Klimo, Paul

2014-08-01

Observational studies, such as cohort and case-control studies, are valuable instruments in evidence-based medicine. Case-control studies, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular in the neurosurgical literature due to their low cost and relative ease of execution; however, no one has yet systematically assessed these types of studies for quality in methodology and reporting. The authors performed a literature search using PubMed/MEDLINE to identify all studies that explicitly identified themselves as "case-control" and were published in the JNS Publishing Group journals (Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, and Neurosurgical Focus) or Neurosurgery. Each paper was evaluated for 22 descriptive variables and then categorized as having either met or missed the basic definition of a case-control study. All studies that evaluated risk factors for a well-defined outcome were considered true case-control studies. The authors sought to identify key features or phrases that were or were not predictive of a true case-control study. Those papers that satisfied the definition were further evaluated using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. The search detected 67 papers that met the inclusion criteria, of which 32 (48%) represented true case-control studies. The frequency of true case-control studies has not changed with time. Use of odds ratios (ORs) and logistic regression (LR) analysis were strong positive predictors of true case-control studies (for odds ratios, OR 15.33 and 95% CI 4.52-51.97; for logistic regression analysis, OR 8.77 and 95% CI 2.69-28.56). Conversely, negative predictors included focus on a procedure/intervention (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.998) and use of the word "outcome" in the Results section (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.082-0.65). After exclusion of nested case-control studies, the negative correlation between focus on a procedure

Use of Comparative Case Study Methodology for US Public Health Policy Analysis: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinour, Lauren M; Kwan, Amy; Freudenberg, Nicholas

There is growing recognition that policies influence population health, highlighting the need for evidence to inform future policy development and reform. This review describes how comparative case study methodology has been applied to public health policy research and discusses the methodology's potential to contribute to this evidence. English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1995 and 2012 were sought from 4 databases. Articles were included if they described comparative case studies addressing US public health policy. Two researchers independently assessed the 20 articles meeting review criteria. Case-related characteristics and research design tactics utilized to minimize threats to reliability and validity, such as the use of multiple sources of evidence and a case study protocol, were extracted from each article. Although comparative case study methodology has been used to analyze a range of public health policies at all stages and levels, articles reported an average use of only 3.65 (out of 10) research design tactics. By expanding the use of accepted research design tactics, public health policy researchers can contribute to expanding the evidence needed to advance health-promoting policies.

Using Case Studies to Promote Student Engagement in Primary Literature Data Analysis and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Cook-Snyder, Denise R.

2017-01-01

Analyzing and evaluating primary literature data is a common learning objective in undergraduate neuroscience courses. However, students with more clinically focused career goals often dismiss the relevance of evaluating basic neuroscience literature. Here, we describe using case studies to promote student engagement in primary literature in a cellular and molecular neuroscience course. Two example literature-based case studies are provided: Untwisting Pretzel Syndrome, a neurodevelopment case exploring synapse formation in a pretzel syndrome patient, and The Trials of ALS, a neurodegeneration case exploring axon degeneration and repair in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient. These cases were assigned after neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration lectures covering key concepts. Both cases begin by introducing the patient and hypothesizing symptoms and diagnoses, followed by scenes incorporating primary data to illustrate disease pathogenesis and treatments. Students complete questions embedded in these cases as homework, and class time is used to discuss their answers. Discussion emphasizes that there can be multiple “correct” answers, and the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Accordingly, students edit their answers in class, and these annotations are factored into a pass/fail grade on the case. Additional scenes and questions from the same case studies are used on the course’s take-home exams, thereby allowing students to practice primary data analysis and evaluation before a graded assignment. Student evaluations support literature-based case studies as an effective learning tool, with students identifying cases as the most valuable aspect of the course, and reporting increased confidence in understanding cellular and molecular neuroscience. PMID:29371850

Using Case Studies to Promote Student Engagement in Primary Literature Data Analysis and Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook-Snyder, Denise R

2017-01-01

Analyzing and evaluating primary literature data is a common learning objective in undergraduate neuroscience courses. However, students with more clinically focused career goals often dismiss the relevance of evaluating basic neuroscience literature. Here, we describe using case studies to promote student engagement in primary literature in a cellular and molecular neuroscience course. Two example literature-based case studies are provided: Untwisting Pretzel Syndrome, a neurodevelopment case exploring synapse formation in a pretzel syndrome patient, and The Trials of ALS, a neurodegeneration case exploring axon degeneration and repair in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient. These cases were assigned after neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration lectures covering key concepts. Both cases begin by introducing the patient and hypothesizing symptoms and diagnoses, followed by scenes incorporating primary data to illustrate disease pathogenesis and treatments. Students complete questions embedded in these cases as homework, and class time is used to discuss their answers. Discussion emphasizes that there can be multiple "correct" answers, and the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Accordingly, students edit their answers in class, and these annotations are factored into a pass/fail grade on the case. Additional scenes and questions from the same case studies are used on the course's take-home exams, thereby allowing students to practice primary data analysis and evaluation before a graded assignment. Student evaluations support literature-based case studies as an effective learning tool, with students identifying cases as the most valuable aspect of the course, and reporting increased confidence in understanding cellular and molecular neuroscience.

Use of travel cost models in planning: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Allan Marsinko; William T. Zawacki; J. Michael Bowker

2002-01-01

This article examines the use of the travel cost, method in tourism-related decision making in the area of nonconsumptive wildlife-associated recreation. A travel cost model of nonconsumptive wildlife-associated recreation, developed by Zawacki, Maninko, and Bowker, is used as a case study for this analysis. The travel cost model estimates the demand for the activity...

The common denominator of the Trafigura Case, Foreign Direct Liability Cases and the Rome II Regulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Enneking, L.F.H.

2008-01-01

As part of a current trend towards so-called ‘foreign direct liability cases’, attempts are being made to hold parent companies of multinational corporations liable in their home countries for damage caused in host countries. This trend, of which the Trafi gura case serves as a recent example here,

USING THE FOURNIER INDEXES IN ESTIMATING RAINFALL EROSIVITY. CASE STUDY - THE SECAŞUL MARE BASIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. COSTEA

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Using the Fournier Index in Estimating Rainfall Erosivity. Case Study - The Secaşul Mare Basin. Climatic aggressiveness is one of the most important factors in relief dynamic. Of all climatic parameters, rainfall is directly involved in versant dynamic, in the loss of soil quality and through pluvial denudation and the processes associated with it, through the erosivity of torrential rain. We analyzed rainfall aggressiveness based on monthly and annual average values through the Fournier's index (1970 and Fournier's index modified by Arnoldus (1980. They have the advantage that they can be used not only for evaluating the land susceptibility to erosion and the calculation of erodibility of land and soil losses, but also in assessing land susceptibility to sliding (Aghiruş, 2010. The literature illustrates the successful use of this index which provides a summary assessment of the probability of rainfall with significant erosive effects. The results obtained allow observation of differences in space and time of the distribution of this index.

Use of miniplates as a method for orthodontic anchorage: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Peres, Fernando Gianzanti; Padovan, Luis Eduardo Marques; Kluppel, Leandro Eduardo; Albuquerque, Gustavo Calvalcanti; Souza, Paulo Cesar Ulson de; Claudino, Marcela

2016-01-01

Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) have been developed to be used as direct adjuncts in orthodontic treatment and have facilitated treatment of more complex orthodontic cases, including patients with dental impaction. This clinical case reports the applicability of TADs in the orthodontic treatment of a patient with impacted mandibular second molars. Surgical and orthodontic procedures related to the use of miniplates were also discussed in this study. The use of temporary anchorage devices, such as miniplates, can be suggested as an alternative to treat patients with impacted mandibular second molars.

Goal-directed diuresis: A case - control study of continuous furosemide infusion in critically ill trauma patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Dante Yeh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Excessive crystalloid administration is common and associated with negative outcomes in critically ill trauma patients. Continuous furosemide infusion (CFI to remove excessive fluid has not been previously described in this population. We hypothesized that a goal-directed CFI is more effective for fluid removal than intermittent bolus injection (IBI diuresis without excess incidence of hypokalemia or renal failure. Materials and Methods: CFI cases were prospectively enrolled between November 2011 and August 2012, and matched to historic IBI controls by age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS, and net fluid balance (NFB at diuresis initiation. Paired and unpaired analyses were performed to compare groups. The primary endpoints were net fluid balance, potassium and creatinine levels. Secondary endpoints included intensive care unit (ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS, ventilator-free days (VFD, and mortality. Results: 55 patients were included, with 19 cases and 36 matched controls. Mean age was 54 years, mean ISS was 32.7, and mean initial NFB was +7.7 L. After one day of diuresis with CFI vs. IBI, net 24 h fluid balance was negative (−0.55 L vs. +0.43 L, P = 0.026 only for the CFI group, and there was no difference in potassium and creatinine levels. Cumulative furosemide dose (59.4mg vs. 25.4mg, P < 0.001 and urine output (4.2 L vs. 2.8 L, P < 0.001 were also significantly increased with CFI vs. IBI. There were no statistically significant differences in ICU LOS, hospital LOS, VFD, or mortality. Conclusions: Compared to IBI, goal-directed diuresis by CFI is more successful in achieving net negative fluid balance in patients with fluid overload with no detrimental side effects on renal function or patient outcome.

The direction and autonomy of interdisciplinary study and research paths in teacher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Klaus

2016-01-01

This paper presents a case study of didactic infrastructures to direct Study and Research Paths (SRP) in teacher education within the context of interdisciplinary inquiry. The disciplines of school mathematics and school biology, and their didactics, are made to interconnect through...

Update on Geothermal Direct-Use Installations in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beckers, Koenraad J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Young, Katherine R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Snyder, Diana M. [Georgia State University

2017-02-15

Direct-use of geothermal energy currently has limited penetration in the United States, with an estimated installed capacity of about 500 MWth, supplying on the order of 0.01% of the total annual U.S. heat demand (about 30 EJ). We see higher penetration levels in other countries such as Iceland (about 90%) and Hungary (2.5%). An updated database of geothermal direct-use systems in the U.S. has been compiled and analyzed, building upon the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) Geo-Heat Center direct-use database. Types of directuse applications examined include hot springs resorts and pools, aquaculture farms, greenhouses, and district heating systems, among others; power-generating facilities and ground-source heat pumps were excluded. Where possible, the current operation status, open and close dates, well data, and other technical data were obtained for each entry. The database contains 545 installations, of which 407 are open, 108 are closed, and 30 have an unknown status. Spas are the most common type of installation, accounting for 50% of installations by number. Aquaculture installations (46 out of 407 open installations) account for the largest percentage (26%) of installed capacity in operation (129 MWth out of 501 MWth). Historical deployment curves show the installed capacity significantly increased in the 1970s and 1980s mainly due to development of geothermal district heating, aquaculture, and greenhouse systems. Since the 2000s, geothermal direct-use development appears to have slowed, and the number of sites in operation decreased due to closures. Case studies reveal multiple barriers to geothermal direct-use implementation and operation, including 1) existence of an information gap among stakeholders, developers, and the general public, 2) competition from cheap natural gas, and 3) the family-owned, small-scale nature of businesses might result in discontinuation among generations.

[Case-non case studies: Principles, methods, bias and interpretation].

Science.gov (United States)

Faillie, Jean-Luc

2017-10-31

Case-non case studies belongs to the methods assessing drug safety by analyzing the disproportionality of notifications of adverse drug reactions in pharmacovigilance databases. Used for the first time in the 1980s, the last few decades have seen a significant increase in the use of this design. The principle of the case-non case study is to compare drug exposure in cases of a studied adverse reaction with that of cases of other reported adverse reactions and called "non cases". Results are presented in the form of a reporting odds ratio (ROR), the interpretation of which makes it possible to identify drug safety signals. This article describes the principle of the case-non case study, the method of calculating the ROR and its confidence interval, the different modalities of analysis and how to interpret its results with regard to the advantages and limitations of this design. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Nuclear terrorism risk analysis using game theory. Case study of sea transportation of MOX fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakatani, Eri; Tanaka, Satoru; Choi, Jor-Shan

2010-01-01

While considerable attention and resources have been directed towards improving nuclear security in Japan in response to the threat of nuclear terrorism, the transport of nuclear material raises concern by the public as indicated in the recent return of MOX fuel from Europe. This concern cannot be adequately addressed by the government through communications with the public because of the confidential nature of such transport. Also, it remains a challenge for adequately assessing the nuclear terrorism risk because many key parameters associated with such assessment cannot be derived from statistical data and reflect actors' intentions unlike assessment on natural disasters. This study proposes an assessment methodology which introduces game theory to deduce the correlations between those key parameters and can be used to analyze the nuclear terrorism risk, both quantitatively and qualitatively for the civilian use of nuclear power. Risk will be calculated by Monte Carlo methods based on probability distributions set for actors' utilities. A case-study of transporting the MOX fuel by sea is also included. (author)

Singularity analysis in nonlinear biomathematical models: Two case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meletlidou, E.; Leach, P.G.L.

2007-01-01

We investigate the possession of the Painleve Property for certain values of the parameters in two biological models. The first is a metapopulation model for two species (prey and predator) and the second one is a study of a sexually transmitted disease, into which 'education' is introduced. We determine the cases for which the systems possess the Painleve Property, in particular some of the cases for which the equations can be directly integrated. We draw conclusions for these cases

Foreign Direct Investment – The Case of Botswana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Lindelwa Makoni

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This article sets out to analyse the occurrence of foreign direct investment (FDI in Botswana. Diamonds contribute more than 50% of Botswana’s gross domestic product (GDP, hence economic growth and development focus has been on the mining sector. The country’s other sectors of tourism, agriculture, financial services and manufacturing have not received as much support from the Government, private sector and even international investors. This article briefly examines FDI inflow trends and the country’s national economic-building policies which the Government has put in place to diversify its economy from the current export-oriented, diamond mining economy. A country-specific case study approach was adopted. The results yielded show that Botswana is overly dependent on export earnings from diamonds. This leaves the country vulnerable to external global economic shocks. Given that diamonds are a natural resource with a limited lifespan, the Government of Botswana needs to draw up investor-friendly policies to attract FDI inflows to expand its economic base. International capital inflows would complement domestic savings and further boost employment and trade opportunities in the country.

Text mining and visualization case studies using open-source tools

CERN Document Server

Chisholm, Andrew

2016-01-01

Text Mining and Visualization: Case Studies Using Open-Source Tools provides an introduction to text mining using some of the most popular and powerful open-source tools: KNIME, RapidMiner, Weka, R, and Python. The contributors-all highly experienced with text mining and open-source software-explain how text data are gathered and processed from a wide variety of sources, including books, server access logs, websites, social media sites, and message boards. Each chapter presents a case study that you can follow as part of a step-by-step, reproducible example. You can also easily apply and extend the techniques to other problems. All the examples are available on a supplementary website. The book shows you how to exploit your text data, offering successful application examples and blueprints for you to tackle your text mining tasks and benefit from open and freely available tools. It gets you up to date on the latest and most powerful tools, the data mining process, and specific text mining activities.

Case study on the use of PSA methods: Backfitting decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-04-01

This case study illustrates the process of using probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) method to evaluate proposed backfits of nuclear power plants (NPP), which are intended to enhance the plant safety by improving equipment operability. Some examples of situations in which PRA techniques have been used to address backfit issues at operating NPPs are summarized. 2 refs, 5 figs, 4 tabs

Directional spectrum of ocean waves from array measurements using phase/time/path difference methods

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Fernandes, A.A.; Sarma, Y.V.B.; Menon, H.B.

Wave direction has for the first time been consistently, accurately and unambiguously evaluated from array measurements using the phase/time/path difference (PTPD) methods of Esteva in case of polygonal arrays and Borgman in case of linear arrays...

Analysis of Clinical Cohort Data Using Nested Case-control and Case-cohort Sampling Designs. A Powerful and Economical Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohneberg, K; Wolkewitz, M; Beyersmann, J; Palomar-Martinez, M; Olaechea-Astigarraga, P; Alvarez-Lerma, F; Schumacher, M

2015-01-01

Sampling from a large cohort in order to derive a subsample that would be sufficient for statistical analysis is a frequently used method for handling large data sets in epidemiological studies with limited resources for exposure measurement. For clinical studies however, when interest is in the influence of a potential risk factor, cohort studies are often the first choice with all individuals entering the analysis. Our aim is to close the gap between epidemiological and clinical studies with respect to design and power considerations. Schoenfeld's formula for the number of events required for a Cox' proportional hazards model is fundamental. Our objective is to compare the power of analyzing the full cohort and the power of a nested case-control and a case-cohort design. We compare formulas for power for sampling designs and cohort studies. In our data example we simultaneously apply a nested case-control design with a varying number of controls matched to each case, a case cohort design with varying subcohort size, a random subsample and a full cohort analysis. For each design we calculate the standard error for estimated regression coefficients and the mean number of distinct persons, for whom covariate information is required. The formula for the power of a nested case-control design and the power of a case-cohort design is directly connected to the power of a cohort study using the well known Schoenfeld formula. The loss in precision of parameter estimates is relatively small compared to the saving in resources. Nested case-control and case-cohort studies, but not random subsamples yield an attractive alternative for analyzing clinical studies in the situation of a low event rate. Power calculations can be conducted straightforwardly to quantify the loss of power compared to the savings in the num-ber of patients using a sampling design instead of analyzing the full cohort.

Vocatives and Other Direct Address Forms: A Contrastive Study

OpenAIRE

Lilli Parrott

2010-01-01

In this paper I analyze Russian direct address forms, both the distinct truncated vocative and nominative-case direct address forms. I contrast the formal and functional restrictions on the truncated vocative with vocatives in other languages (e.g. Czech and Polish), and I compare the interpolation of Russian direct address forms in an utterance to the situation in English. While similarities are found both in the form and the usage of Russian direct address forms with those in other language...

Direct imaging of turbid media using long-time back-scattered photons, a numerical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulanger, Joan; Liu, Fengshan; El Akel, Azad; Charette, Andre

2006-01-01

Direct imaging is a convenient way to obtain information on the interior of a semi-transparent turbid material by non-invasive probing using laser beams. The major difficulty is linked to scattering which scrambles the directional information coming from the laser beam. It is found in this paper that the long-term multiple-scattered reflected photons may provide structural information on the inside of a material, which offers an interesting alternative to using information only from un-scattered or least-scattered photons as obtained from current direct imaging set-ups for thin media. Based on some observations on a non-homogeneous three layered 1-D slab irradiated by a laser pulse, a direct probing methodology making use of the long-term back-scattered photons is illustrated to recover inclusions positions in a turbid 2-D medium. First, the numerical model is presented. Second, an extended parametrical study is conducted on 1-D homogeneous and non-homogeneous slabs with different laser pulse durations. It is found that the reflected asymptotic logarithmic slope carries information about the presence of the inclusion and that short laser pulses are not necessary since only the decaying parts of the remanent optical signature is important. Longer laser pulses allow a higher level of energy injection and signal to noise ratio. Third, those observations are used for the probing of a 2-D non-homogeneous phantom. (author)

CASE STUDY CRITIQUE; UPPER CLINCH CASE STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

Case study critique: Upper Clinch case study (from Research on Methods for Integrating Ecological Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment: A Trade-off Weighted Index Approach to Integrating Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment). This critique answers the questions: 1) does ...

Clinical Use of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Two Case Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wills, Robert M.; Snyder, Douglas K.

1982-01-01

Describes the clinical use of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI), a multidimensional self-report measure of marital interaction. Two case studies of couples in marital therapy are presented. The MSI is presented as a cost-efficient procedure, permitting objective assessment across multiple areas of a couple's relationship. (Author/JAC)

Short-cut transport path for Asian dust directly to the Arctic: a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Zhongwei; Huang, Jianping; Wang, Shanshan; Zhou, Tian; Jin, Hongchun; Hayasaka, Tadahiro

2015-01-01

Asian dust can be transported long distances from the Taklimakan or Gobi desert to North America across the Pacific Ocean, and it has been found to have a significant impact on ecosystems, climate, and human health. Although it is well known that Asian dust is transported all over the globe, there are limited observations reporting Asian dust transported to the Arctic. We report a case study of a large-scale heavy dust storm over East Asia on 19 March 2010, as shown by ground-based and space-borne multi-sensor observations, as well as NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and HYSPLIT trajectories. Our analysis suggests that Asian dust aerosols were transported from northwest China to the Arctic within 5 days, crossing eastern China, Japan and Siberia before reaching the Arctic. The results indicate that Asian dust can be transported for long distances along a previously unreported transport path. Evidence from other dust events over the past decade (2001–2010) also supports our results, indicating that dust from 25.2% of Asian dust events has potentially been transported directly to the Arctic. The transport of Asian dust to the Arctic is due to cyclones and the enhanced East Asia Trough (EAT), which are very common synoptic systems over East Asia. This suggests that many other large dust events would have generated long-range transport of dust to the Arctic along this path in the past. Thus, Asian dust potentially affects the Arctic climate and ecosystem, making climate change in the Arctic much more complex to be fully understood. (letter)

Class 1 devices case studies in medical devices design

CERN Document Server

Ogrodnik, Peter J

2014-01-01

The Case Studies in Medical Devices Design series consists of practical, applied case studies relating to medical device design in industry. These titles complement Ogrodnik's Medical Device Design and will assist engineers with applying the theory in practice. The case studies presented directly relate to Class I, Class IIa, Class IIb and Class III medical devices. Designers and companies who wish to extend their knowledge in a specific discipline related to their respective class of operation will find any or all of these titles a great addition to their library. Class 1 Devices is a companion text to Medical Devices Design: Innovation from Concept to Market. The intention of this book, and its sister books in the series, is to support the concepts presented in Medical Devices Design through case studies. In the context of this book the case studies consider Class I (EU) and 510(k) exempt (FDA) . This book covers classifications, the conceptual and embodiment phase, plus design from idea to PDS. These title...

The Clinical Report on the 3 Cases of Sciatica treated on Direct Moxibustion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Hyuk Kang

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives : The purpose of this report is to examine the effects of direct moxibustion on the Low back pain and Lowerlimb radiating pain. Methods : The patients were hospitalized in Daejeon Univ. Oriental Hospital and treated with acupuncture treatment, physical treatment and direct moxibustion. After treatments, we measured the Results & Conclusions : VAS(Visual Analogue Scale and PRS(Pain Rating Scale. VAS(Visual Analogue Scale and PRS(Pain Rating Scale scores were improved in 3 cases of Low back pain and Lowerlimb radiating pain treated with direct moxibustion. So it is suggested that direct moxibution have the possibility to treat on sciatica

Forecasting dengue hemorrhagic fever cases using ARIMA model: a case study in Asahan district

Science.gov (United States)

Siregar, Fazidah A.; Makmur, Tri; Saprin, S.

2018-01-01

Time series analysis had been increasingly used to forecast the number of dengue hemorrhagic fever in many studies. Since no vaccine exist and poor public health infrastructure, predicting the occurrence of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is crucial. This study was conducted to determine trend and forecasting the occurrence of DHF in Asahan district, North Sumatera Province. Monthly reported dengue cases for the years 2012-2016 were obtained from the district health offices. A time series analysis was conducted by Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling to forecast the occurrence of DHF. The results demonstrated that the reported DHF cases showed a seasonal variation. The SARIMA (1,0,0)(0,1,1)12 model was the best model and adequate for the data. The SARIMA model for DHF is necessary and could applied to predict the incidence of DHF in Asahan district and assist with design public health maesures to prevent and control the diseases.

CASE STUDIES OF USE OF DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS IN MATERIAL RESEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salil Kumar Roy

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The paper describes principles of factorial and fractional factorial design of experiments. The various ways of analysing data obtained by these procedures are shown via four case studies. Yates method was followed in case 1 where the effect of anode type, carbon content of steel, temperature, and agitation on cathodic protection of steel in seawater, on current density, was studied. In case 2, a glass was formulated within 10 constituante melted, quantity water and tested for flow caracteristics, from the result the factor effect was calculated. In case 3, analysis of results is done in a very simple way. In this case, the effect of carbon content, surface condition, temperature, and agitation on the corrosion of steel in seawater was studied. In case 4, the effect of eleven constituents on acid resistance of a cast iron enamel has been studied through sixteen experimental compositions. This case gives a method to find out which of the sixteen experimental compositions is nearest to a target value.

Seamless Digital Environment – Data Analytics Use Case Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oxstrand, Johanna [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2017-08-01

Multiple research efforts in the U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program studies the need and design of an underlying architecture to support the increased amount and use of data in the nuclear power plant. More specifically the three LWRS research efforts; Digital Architecture for an Automated Plant, Automated Work Packages, Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers, and the Online Monitoring efforts all have identified the need for a digital architecture and more importantly the need for a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE). A SDE provides a mean to access multiple applications, gather the data points needed, conduct the analysis requested, and present the result to the user with minimal or no effort by the user. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting the nuclear utilities identified the need for research focused on data analytics. The effort was to develop and evaluate use cases for data mining and analytics for employing information from plant sensors and database for use in developing improved business analytics. The goal of the study is to research potential approaches to building an analytics solution for equipment reliability, on a small scale, focusing on either a single piece of equipment or a single system. The analytics solution will likely consist of a data integration layer, predictive and machine learning layer and the user interface layer that will display the output of the analysis in a straight forward, easy to consume manner. This report describes the use case study initiated by NITSL and conducted in a collaboration between Idaho National Laboratory, Arizona Public Service – Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, and NextAxiom Inc.

Using systems thinking in patient safety: a case study on medicines management.

Science.gov (United States)

Brimble, Mandy; Jones, Aled

2017-06-29

Systems thinking is used as a way of understanding behaviours and actions in complex healthcare organisations. An important premise of the concept is that every action in a system causes a reaction elsewhere in that system. These reactions can lead to unintended consequences, sometimes long after the original action, and so are not always attributed to them. This article applies systems thinking to a medicines management case study, to highlight how quality-improvement practitioners can use the approach to underpin planning and implementation of patient-safety initiatives. The case study is specific to transcribing in children's hospices, but the strategies can be applied to other areas. The article explains that, while root cause analysis tools are useful for identifying the cause of, and possible solutions to, problems, they need to be considered carefully in terms of unintended consequences, and how the system into which the solution is implemented can be affected by the change. Analysis of problems using a systems-thinking approach can help practitioners to develop robust and well informed business cases to present to decision makers.

Water use conflicts in northern Tanzania. A case study of Rundugai ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A case study of Rundugai river catchment, Pangani basin Hzai District. ... content and structural-functional analysis techniques were used for qualitative data analysis. Five types of key stakeholders/actors involved in regulating and negotiating ...

Global case studies/reports are really useful for learning Global Health?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudip Bhattacharya

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In medical sciences ,a case report means a comprehensive description of the symptoms ,signs, diagnosis , treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient. It may or may not contain a demographic profile of the patient, but generally depicts an unusual or novel manifestation. Case reports are basically professional chronicles that offer an important feedback on clinical practice guiding principle and offer an outline for early indicators of effectiveness, adverse events, and cost. They can be shared for scientific or educational purposes. A case report is usually considered as a type of an anecdotal evidence. Due to their inherentmethodological  limitations, i.e.  lack of statistical sampling, case reports are placed at the foot of the grading of clinical evidence. Yet, case reports do have genuinely valuable roles in clinical research and evidence based medicine. In precise, they have facilitated to recognize of new diseases i.e. Ebola, Zika etc.  Clinical trial is much lengthier and resource consuming that a case report, so it is now gaining popularity among clinical researchers. In fact, there is a definite need to further popularize the concept of case reports.With the consonance of case reports, in clinical trials the concept of sample size calculation is rapidly changing.  Such trials are labeled as “n-of-1 or single subject clinical trials.” It this  trials, the researcher consider an individual patient as the sole unit of observation in a study. The final goal of this trial is to determine the optimal intervention for an individual patient by using objective driven criteria.Despite their clear appeal and extensive use in educational settings, n-of-1 trials have been used sparingly in medical settings. This is because that n-of-1 trials demand serious attention among the health research and clinical care communities and it is focused on individualized medicine. Across the globe people live in diverse circumstances

Global case studies/reports are really useful for learning Global Health?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudip Bhattacharya

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In medical sciences ,a case report means a comprehensive description of the symptoms ,signs, diagnosis , treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient. It may or may not contain a demographic profile of the patient, but generally depicts an unusual or novel manifestation. Case reports are basically professional chronicles that offer an important feedback on clinical practice guiding principle and offer an outline for early indicators of effectiveness, adverse events, and cost. They can be shared for scientific or educational purposes. A case report is usually considered as a type of an anecdotal evidence. Due to their inherentmethodological  limitations, i.e.  lack of statistical sampling, case reports are placed at the foot of the grading of clinical evidence. Yet, case reports do have genuinely valuable roles in clinical research and evidence based medicine. In precise, they have facilitated to recognize of new diseases i.e. Ebola, Zika etc.  Clinical trial is much lengthier and resource consuming that a case report, so it is now gaining popularity among clinical researchers. In fact, there is a definite need to further popularize the concept of case reports.With the consonance of case reports, in clinical trials the concept of sample size calculation is rapidly changing.  Such trials are labeled as “n-of-1 or single subject clinical trials.” It this  trials, the researcher consider an individual patient as the sole unit of observation in a study. The final goal of this trial is to determine the optimal intervention for an individual patient by using objective driven criteria.Despite their clear appeal and extensive use in educational settings, n-of-1 trials have been used sparingly in medical settings. This is because that n-of-1 trials demand serious attention among the health research and clinical care communities and it is focused on individualized medicine. Across the globe people live in diverse circumstances

Eddy current imaging. Simplifying the direct problem. Analysis of a 2D case with formulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spineanu, A.; Zorgati, R.

1995-01-01

Eddy current non-destructive testing is used by EDF to detect faults affecting conductive objects such as steam generator tubes. A new technique, known as eddy current imaging, is being developed to facilitate diagnosis in this context. The first stage in this work, discussed in the present paper, consists in solving the direct problem. This entails determining the measurable quantities, on the basis of a thorough knowledge of the material considered. This was done by formulating the direct problem in terms of eddy currents in general 3D geometry context, applying distribution theory and Maxwell equations. Since no direct problem code was available we resorted to simplified situations. Taking care not to interfere with previous developments or those to be attempted in an inversion context, we studied the case of a flaw affecting a 2D structure, illuminated by a plane wave type probe. For this configuration, we studied the exact model and compared results with those of a linearized simplified model. This study emphasizes the ill-posed situation of the eddy current inverse problem related with the severe electromagnetic field attenuation. This means that regularization of the inverse problem, although absolutely necessary, will not be sufficient. Owing to the simplicity of the models available and implemented during the inversion process, processing real data would not yet be possible. We must first focus all our efforts on the direct 3 D problem, in conformity with the requirements of the inverse procedure ad describing a realistic eddy current NDT situation. At the same time, consideration should be given to the design of a specific probe customized for eddy current imaging. (authors). 9 refs., 5 figs., 3 appends

The influence of direct compression powder blend transfer method from the container to the tablet press on product critical quality attributes: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Teżyk, Michał; Jakubowska, Emilia; Milczewska, Kasylda; Milanowski, Bartłomiej; Voelkel, Adam; Lulek, Janina

2017-06-01

The aim of this article is to compare the gravitational powder blend loading method to the tablet press and manual loading in terms of their influence on tablets' critical quality attributes (CQA). The results of the study can be of practical relevance to the pharmaceutical industry in the area of direct compression of low-dose formulations, which could be prone to content uniformity (CU) issues. In the preliminary study, particle size distribution (PSD) and surface energy of raw materials were determined using laser diffraction method and inverse gas chromatography, respectively. For trials purpose, a formulation containing two pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was used. Tablet samples were collected during the compression progress to analyze their CQAs, namely assay and CU. Results obtained during trials indicate that tested direct compression powder blend is sensitive to applied powder handling method. Mild increase in both APIs content was observed during manual scooping. Gravitational approach (based on discharge into the drum) resulted in a decrease in CU, which is connected to a more pronounced assay increase at the end of tableting than in the case of manual loading. The correct design of blend transfer over single unit processes is an important issue and should be investigated during the development phase since it may influence the final product CQAs. The manual scooping method, although simplistic, can be a temporary solution to improve the results of API's content and uniformity when compared to industrial gravitational transfer.

A case study to estimate costs using Neural Networks and regression based models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia Bhuiyan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Bombardier Aerospace’s high performance aircrafts and services set the utmost standard for the Aerospace industry. A case study in collaboration with Bombardier Aerospace is conducted in order to estimate the target cost of a landing gear. More precisely, the study uses both parametric model and neural network models to estimate the cost of main landing gears, a major aircraft commodity. A comparative analysis between the parametric based model and those upon neural networks model will be considered in order to determine the most accurate method to predict the cost of a main landing gear. Several trials are presented for the design and use of the neural network model. The analysis for the case under study shows the flexibility in the design of the neural network model. Furthermore, the performance of the neural network model is deemed superior to the parametric models for this case study.

Effectiveness of Using Online Discussion Forum for Case Study Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravi Seethamraju

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Business schools are exploring new pedagogical approaches to learning in order to deal with challenges such as increased class sizes, limited funding support, and difficulties in facilitating and encouraging active participation and learning among a diverse cohort of students. This paper reports on a study of the effectiveness of a pedagogical approach that blends online discussion board and case study. Analysing quantity and quality of online postings and comparing accounting students’ performance with previous cohort, this study observes a significant improvement in student learning. Appropriate design and delivery strategies and clear assessment criteria for assessment and use have provided an effective learning vehicle for students, helped them overcome their own language related barriers, and encouraged them to participate in a nonthreatening environment. This approach further complemented the benefits of peer-to-peer learning and case study pedagogy. Reported increase in workload for students and marking load for academics and measuring the value of learning, however, are some of the challenges that need further attention by researchers.

Multi-level lobbying in the EU: The case of the Renewables Directive and the German energy industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ydersbond, Inga Margrete

2012-11-01

This study examines the lobbying strategies employed by the interest organizations of Germany's energy industries in the process leading up to the EU's Renewable Energy Directive. How did they lobby, and what does this reveal about their perceptions of power relations in the EU? This report focuses on the most controversial part of the Directive: legal prescriptions for support mechanisms to increase the production of renewable energy in Europe. The utilities and the renewables industries disagreed deeply, with the utilities industry favouring an EU-wide green certificate scheme, while the renewables industry pressed for national feed-in tariffs. Nine interest organizations representing these sectors, five German and four at the EU level, serve as cases in this study. Expectations as to lobbying behaviour based on the two theories/theory perspectives of liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) and multi-level governance (MLG) are formulated and tested in a most-likely case design. Result: observations are better described by the MLG perspective than by LI.(auth)

Multi-level lobbying in the EU: The case of the Renewables Directive and the German energy industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ydersbond, Inga Margrete

2012-11-01

This study examines the lobbying strategies employed by the interest organizations of Germany's energy industries in the process leading up to the EU's Renewable Energy Directive. How did they lobby, and what does this reveal about their perceptions of power relations in the EU? This report focuses on the most controversial part of the Directive: legal prescriptions for support mechanisms to increase the production of renewable energy in Europe. The utilities and the renewables industries disagreed deeply, with the utilities industry favouring an EU-wide green certificate scheme, while the renewables industry pressed for national feed-in tariffs. Nine interest organizations representing these sectors, five German and four at the EU level, serve as cases in this study. Expectations as to lobbying behaviour based on the two theories/theory perspectives of liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) and multi-level governance (MLG) are formulated and tested in a most-likely case design. Result: observations are better described by the MLG perspective than by LI.(auth)

Stuttering Intervention in Three Service Delivery Models (Direct, Hybrid, and Telepractice): Two Case Studies

OpenAIRE

VALENTINE, DANIEL T.

2015-01-01

This study assessed outcomes in stuttering intervention across three service delivery models: direct, hybrid, and telepractice for two 11-year old children who stutter. The goal of the study was to investigate whether short-term goals were maintained through the telepractice sessions. The Stuttering Severity Instrument, Fourth Edition (SSI-4) was administered to each child before and after each intervention period and weekly fluency samples (percentage of stuttered syllables in a monologue) w...

Using Clinical Gait Case Studies to Enhance Learning in Biomechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Chester, Victoria

2011-01-01

Clinical case studies facilitate the development of clinical reasoning strategies through knowledge and integration of the basic sciences. Case studies have been shown to be more effective in developing problem-solving abilities than the traditional lecture format. To enhance the learning experiences of students in biomechanics, clinical case…

Transvertebral direct current stimulation paired with locomotor training in chronic spinal cord injury: A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Elizabeth Salmon; Carrico, Cheryl; Raithatha, Ravi; Salyers, Emily; Ward, Andrea; Sawaki, Lumy

2016-01-01

This double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover case study combined transvertebral direct current stimulation (tvDCS) and locomotor training on a robot-assisted gait orthosis (LT-RGO). Determine whether cathodal tvDCS paired with LT-RGO leads to greater changes in function and neuroplasticity than sham tvDCS paired with LT-RGO. University of Kentucky (UK) HealthCare Stroke and Spinal Cord Neurorehabilitation Research at HealthSouth Cardinal Hill Hospital. A single subject with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) participated in 24 sessions of sham tvDCS paired with LT-RGO before crossover to 24 sessions of cathodal tvDCS paired with LT-RGO. Functional outcomes were measured with 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Spinal Cord Independence Measure-III (SCIM-III) mobility component, lower extremity manual muscle test (MMT), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Corticospinal changes were assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Improvement in 10MWT speed, SCIM-III mobility component, and BBS occurred with both conditions. 6MWT worsened after sham tvDCS and improved after cathodal tvDCS. MMT scores for both lower extremities improved following sham tvDCS but decreased following cathodal tvDCS. Corticospinal excitability increased following cathodal tvDCS but not sham tvDCS. These results suggest that combining cathodal tvDCS and LT-RGO may improve functional outcomes, increase corticospinal excitability, and possibly decrease spasticity. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these conclusions. This publication was supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grant UL1TR000117, and the HealthSouth Cardinal Hill Stroke and Spinal Cord Endowment (1215375670).

Stuttering Intervention in Three Service Delivery Models (Direct, Hybrid, and Telepractice: Two Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel T. Valentine

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study assessed outcomes in stuttering intervention across three service delivery models: direct, hybrid, and telepractice for two 11-year old children who stutter. The goal of the study was to investigate whether short-term goals were maintained through the telepractice sessions. The Stuttering Severity Instrument, Fourth Edition (SSI-4 was administered to each child before and after each intervention period and weekly fluency samples (percentage of stuttered syllables in a monologue were obtained in each of the 10-week intervention periods. In addition, the Communication Attitudes Test-Revised was used to assess the children’s attitudes toward speaking. Following the telepractice period, parents and children completed a questionnaire concerning the therapy experience via telepractice. Both children continued to improve fluency as measured by the weekly fluency samples. SSI-4 severity ratings improved for one child and remained consistent for the other. These outcomes appear to demonstrate that telepractice is viable for improving and maintaining fluency.

Recommendations for Using the Case Study Method in International Business Research

Science.gov (United States)

Vissak, Tiia

2010-01-01

The case study method has not been as frequently used in international business (IB) research as quantitative methods. Moreover, it has been sometimes misused and quite often criticized. Still, it can be very useful for understanding such complex phenomena as the internationalization process or the management of multinational enterprises. Based on…

Selection of a plant location - A case study: Urea production using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Selection of a plant location - A case study: Urea production using Calub Gas. ... The criteria are. amongst others, supply of raw materials and fuel, market proximity, water supply. waste ... To set up · critical factors for Ethiopian scenario

Aetiology of handball injuries : a case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dirx, M.; Bouter, L. M.; de Geus, G. H.

This article presents the results of a case-control study regarding the background to handball injuries among players of 12 years and older. Data were collected by means of a written questionnaire on the nature, location and direct causes of the injuries as well as information on risk factors.

Benchmarking antibiotic use in Finnish acute care hospitals using patient case-mix adjustment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanerva, Mari; Ollgren, Jukka; Lyytikäinen, Outi

2011-11-01

It is difficult to draw conclusions about the prudence of antibiotic use in different hospitals by directly comparing usage figures. We present a patient case-mix adjustment model of antibiotic use to rank hospitals while taking patient characteristics into account. Data on antibiotic use were collected during the national healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevalence survey in 2005 in Finland in all 5 tertiary care, all 15 secondary care and 10 (25% of 40) other acute care hospitals. The use of antibiotics was measured using use-days/100 patient-days during a 7day period and the prevalence of patients receiving at least two antimicrobials during the study day. Case-mix-adjusted antibiotic use was calculated by using multivariate models and an indirect standardization method. Parameters in the model included age, sex, severity of underlying diseases, intensive care, haematology, preceding surgery, respirator, central venous and urinary catheters, community-associated infection, HAI and contact isolation due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The ranking order changed one position in 12 (40%) hospitals and more than two positions in 13 (43%) hospitals when the case-mix-adjusted figures were compared with those observed. In 24 hospitals (80%), the antibiotic use density observed was lower than expected by the case-mix-adjusted use density. The patient case-mix adjustment of antibiotic use ranked the hospitals differently from the ranking according to observed use, and may be a useful tool for benchmarking hospital antibiotic use. However, the best set of easily and widely available parameters that would describe both patient material and hospital activities remains to be determined.

Developing and pretesting case studies in dental and dental hygiene education: using the diffusion of innovations model.

Science.gov (United States)

Cragun, Deborah L; DeBate, Rita DiGioacchino; Severson, Herbert H; Shaw, Tracy; Christiansen, Steve; Koerber, Anne; Tomar, Scott L; Brown, Kelli McCormack; Tedesco, Lisa A; Hendricson, William D

2012-05-01

Case-based learning offers exposure to clinical situations that health professions students may not encounter in their training. The purposes of this study were to apply the Diffusion of Innovations conceptual framework to 1) identify characteristics of case studies that would increase their adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members and 2) develop and pretest interactive web-based case studies on sensitive oral-systemic health issues. The formative study spanned two phases using mixed methods (Phase 1: eight focus groups and four interviews; Phase 2: ten interviews and satisfaction surveys). Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data revealed the following positive attributes of the developed case studies: relative advantage of active learning and modeling; compatibility with a variety of courses; observability of case-related knowledge and skills; independent learning; and modifiability for use with other oral-systemic health issues. These positive attributes are expected to increase the likelihood that dental and dental hygiene faculty members will adopt the developed case study once it is available for use. The themes identified in this study could be applied to the development of future case studies and may provide broader insight that might prove useful for exploring differences in case study use across dental and dental hygiene curricula.

Direct costs of dengue hospitalization in Brazil: public and private health care systems and use of WHO guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira Machado, Alessandra A; Estevan, Anderson Oliveira; Sales, Antonio; Brabes, Kelly Cristina da Silva; Croda, Júlio; Negrão, Fábio Juliano

2014-09-01

Dengue, an arboviral disease, is a public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In Brazil, epidemics have become increasingly important, with increases in the number of hospitalizations and the costs associated with the disease. This study aimed to describe the direct costs of hospitalized dengue cases, the financial impact of admissions and the use of blood products where current protocols for disease management were not followed. To analyze the direct costs of dengue illness and platelet transfusion in Brazil based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional census study on hospitalized dengue patients in the public and private Brazilian health systems in Dourados City, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The analysis involved cases that occurred from January through December during the 2010 outbreak. In total, we examined 8,226 mandatorily reported suspected dengue cases involving 507 hospitalized patients. The final sample comprised 288 laboratory-confirmed dengue patients, who accounted for 56.8% of all hospitalized cases. The overall cost of the hospitalized dengue cases was US $210,084.30, in 2010, which corresponded to 2.5% of the gross domestic product per capita in Dourados that year. In 35.2% of cases, blood products were used in patients who did not meet the blood transfusion criteria. The overall median hospitalization cost was higher (p = 0.002) in the group that received blood products (US $1,622.40) compared with the group that did not receive blood products (US $550.20). The comparative costs between the public and the private health systems show that both the hospitalization of and platelet transfusion in patients who do not meet the WHO and Brazilian dengue guidelines increase the direct costs, but not the quality, of health care.

Water quality index development using fuzzy logic: A case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Water quality index development using fuzzy logic: A case study of the Karoon River of Iran. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... Determination of the status of water quality of a river or any other water source is highly ...

Discovery and Use of Online Learning Resources: Case Study Findings

OpenAIRE

Laurie Miller Nelson; James Dorward; Mimi M. Recker

2004-01-01

Much recent research and funding have focused on building Internet-based repositories that contain collections of high-quality learning resources, often called learning objects. Yet little is known about how non-specialist users, in particular teachers, find, access, and use digital learning resources. To address this gap, this article describes a case study of mathematics and science teachers practices and desires surrounding the discovery, selection, and use of digital library resources for...

[Are advance directives useful for doctors and what for?].

Science.gov (United States)

Fournier, Véronique; Berthiau, Denis; Kempf, Emmanuelle; d'Haussy, Julie

2013-06-01

In France, the law has introduced the possibility to write advance directives since 2005. In this paper, we will present the results of a study designed for checking how much people over 75 years are interested by this new tool. The inquiry consisted in deep qualitative interviews (around 45') to further understand what people included in the study have to say about advance directives, but also about the conditions of ageing and dying. The study sample was composed of 8 over 75 years subgroups, chosen for being illustrative of different health status and/or disabling status. Finally, a last subgroup was also included, called "referent", because composed of people, all members of the "Association pour le droit à mourir dans la dignité" (ADMD), and as such supposed to be pro-advance directives. Interviews content was analysed through qualitative analysis referent methods ("Analyse qualitative en sciences humaines et sociales", Paillé et Muschielli, "Grounded Theory", Glaser). POPULATION OF THE STUDY: One hundred and eighty-six patients were included (106 female, 80 male, mean age 82.7 ans), 167 in the general group and 19 in the "ADMD" group. Ninety percent in the general group said that they never heard about advance directives before the inquiry. After having been informed by us about what advance directives were for, 83% remained not interested they said, some because they felt they were not personally concerned, others expressed that the tool appears to them inefficient - "things never happen the way you planned it", not useful - "doctors will act as they will decide whatever will be written", or even more potentially dangerous - "writing advance directives might lead doctors not to be as much therapeutically aggressive as for other people". Only 28 persons in the general group (17%), together with the 19 of the ADMD group, said they were interested by advance directives. They all were quite similar according to their personal character: they were quite strong

Barriers and facilitators to using NHS Direct: a qualitative study of 'users' and 'non-users'.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Erica J; Randhawa, Gurch; Large, Shirley; Guppy, Andy; Chater, Angel M; Ali, Nasreen

2014-10-25

NHS Direct, introduced in 1998, has provided 24/7 telephone-based healthcare advice and information to the public in England and Wales. National studies have suggested variation in the uptake of this service amongst the UK's diverse population. This study provides the first exploration of the barriers and facilitators that impact upon the uptake of this service from the perspectives of both 'users' and 'non- users'. Focus groups were held with NHS Direct 'users' (N = 2) from Bedfordshire alongside 'non-users' from Manchester (N = 3) and Mendip, Somerset (N = 4). Each focus group had between five to eight participants. A total of eighty one people aged between 21 and 94 years old (M: 58.90, SD: 22.70) took part in this research. Each focus group discussion lasted approximately 90 minutes and was audiotape-recorded with participants' permission. The recordings were transcribed verbatim. A framework approach was used to analyse the transcripts. The findings from this research uncovered a range of barriers and facilitators that impact upon the uptake of NHS Direct. 'Non-users' were unaware of the range of services that NHS Direct provided. Furthermore, 'non-users' highlighted a preference for face-to face communication, identifying a lack of confidence in discussing healthcare over the telephone. This was particularly evident among older people with cognitive difficulties. The cost to telephone a '0845' number from a mobile was also viewed to be a barrier to access NHS Direct, expressed more often by 'non-users' from deprived communities. NHS Direct 'users' identified that awareness, ease of use and convenience were facilitators which influenced their decision to use the service. An understanding of the barriers and facilitators which impact on the access and uptake of telephone-based healthcare is essential to move patients towards the self-care model. This research has highlighted the need for telephone-based healthcare services to increase public awareness; through

A study of unstable slopes in permafrost areas : Alaskan case studies used as a training tool.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

This report is the companion to the PowerPoint presentation for the project A Study of Unstable Slopes in Permafrost: Alaskan Case Studies Used as a Training Tool. The objectives of this study are 1) to provide a comprehensive review of literat...

Pituitary tumor risk in relation to mobile phone use: A case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Mithila; Raitanen, Jani; Salminen, Tiina; Lahkola, Anna; Auvinen, Anssi

2015-01-01

The number of mobile phone users has grown rapidly, which has generated mounting public concern regarding possible health hazards. This study aims to assess pituitary tumor risk, as it has rarely been investigated. A case-control study was conducted with 80 eligible cases identified from all five university hospitals in Finland and frequency-matched 240 controls from the national population register. Controls were matched to cases by age, sex, region of residence and date of interview. A detailed history of mobile phone use was obtained using a structured interview. Several indicators of mobile phone use were assessed using conditional logistic regression. A reduced odds ratio was seen among regular mobile phone users [OR 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21, 0.72] relative to never/non-regular users, possibly reflecting methodological limitations. Pituitary tumor risk was not increased after 10 or more years since first use (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.25, 1.89). The risk was not increased in relation to duration, cumulative hours of use, or cumulative number of calls. The results were similar for analog and digital phones. We found no excess risk associated with self-reported short- or medium-term use of mobile phones. This is consistent with most of the published studies. However, uncertainties remained for longer duration of use, as a very small proportion of study participants reported use beyond 10 years.

Why carers use adult day respite: a mixed method case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stirling, Christine M; Dwan, Corinna A; McKenzie, Angela R

2014-06-06

We need to improve our understanding of the complex interactions between family carers' emotional relationships with care-recipients and carers use of support services. This study assessed carer's expectations and perceptions of adult day respite services and their commitment to using services. A mixed-method case study approach was used with psychological contract providing a conceptual framework. Data collection was situated within an organisational case study, and the total population of carers from the organisation's day respite service were approached. Fifty respondents provided quantitative and qualitative data through an interview survey. The conceptual framework was expanded to include Maslow's hierarchy of needs during analysis. Carers prioritised benefits for and experiences of care-recipients when making day respite decisions. Respondents had high levels of trust in the service and perceived that the major benefits for care-recipients were around social interaction and meaningful activity with resultant improved well-being. Carers wanted day respite experiences to include all levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs from the provision of physiological care and safety through to the higher levels of belongingness, love and esteem. The study suggests carers need to trust that care-recipients will have quality experiences at day respite. This study was intended as a preliminary stage for further research and while not generalizable it does highlight key considerations in carers' use of day respite services.

Implications of Biodiesel-Induced Land-Use Changes for CO2 Emissions: Case Studies in Tropical America, Africa, and Southeast Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wouter M. J. Achten

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Biofuels are receiving growing negative attention. Direct and/or indirect land-use changes that result from their cultivation can cause emissions due to carbon losses in soils and biomass and could negate any eventual greenhouse gas (GHG reduction benefit. This paper evaluates the implications of land-use change emission on the climate-change mitigation potential of different biofuel production systems in 12 case studies in six countries. We calculated carbon debts created by conversion of different land-use types, ranging from annual cropland to primary forest. We evaluated case studies using three different biofuel crops: oil palm, Jatropha, and soybean. The time needed for each biofuel production system to pay back its carbon debt was calculated based on a life-cycle assessment of the GHG reduction potentials of the system. Carbon debts range from 39 to 1743.7 Mg C02 ha-1. The oil palm case studies created the largest carbon debts (472.8-1743.7 t C02 ha-1 because most of the area expansion came at the expense of dense tropical forest. The highest debt was associated with plantation on peatland. For all cases evaluated, only soybean in Guarantã do Norte and Alta Floresta, Brazil needed less than one human generation (30 years to repay the initial carbon debt. Highest repayment times were found for Jatropha (76-310 years and oil palm (59-220 years case studies. Oil palm established in peatlands had the greatest repayment times (206-220 years. High repayment times for Jatropha resulted from the combined effects of land-cover change and low CO2 emission reduction rate. These outcomes raise serious questions about the sustainability of biofuel production. The carbon implications of conversion of (semi-natural systems with medium to high biomass indicate that, in order to generate climate benefits, cultivation of biofuel feedstocks should be restricted to areas that already have low carbon content.

Case studies: Soil mapping using multiple methods

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Hauke; Wunderlich, Tina; Hagrey, Said A. Al; Rabbel, Wolfgang; Stümpel, Harald

2010-05-01

Soil is a non-renewable resource with fundamental functions like filtering (e.g. water), storing (e.g. carbon), transforming (e.g. nutrients) and buffering (e.g. contamination). Degradation of soils is meanwhile not only to scientists a well known fact, also decision makers in politics have accepted this as a serious problem for several environmental aspects. National and international authorities have already worked out preservation and restoration strategies for soil degradation, though it is still work of active research how to put these strategies into real practice. But common to all strategies the description of soil state and dynamics is required as a base step. This includes collecting information from soils with methods ranging from direct soil sampling to remote applications. In an intermediate scale mobile geophysical methods are applied with the advantage of fast working progress but disadvantage of site specific calibration and interpretation issues. In the framework of the iSOIL project we present here some case studies for soil mapping performed using multiple geophysical methods. We will present examples of combined field measurements with EMI-, GPR-, magnetic and gammaspectrometric techniques carried out with the mobile multi-sensor-system of Kiel University (GER). Depending on soil type and actual environmental conditions, different methods show a different quality of information. With application of diverse methods we want to figure out, which methods or combination of methods will give the most reliable information concerning soil state and properties. To investigate the influence of varying material we performed mapping campaigns on field sites with sandy, loamy and loessy soils. Classification of measured or derived attributes show not only the lateral variability but also gives hints to a variation in the vertical distribution of soil material. For all soils of course soil water content can be a critical factor concerning a succesful

How To Set Up Your Own Small Business. Service Company Case Study. Manufacturing Firm Case Study. Retail Store Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallek, Max

This collection of case studies is intended for use in a course in setting up a small business. The first, a case study of the process of setting up a service company, covers analyzing the pros and cons of starting one's own business, assessing the competition and local market, and selecting a site for and financing the business. The principal…

Integration of Environmental Sensors with BIM: case studies using Arduino, Dynamo, and the Revit API

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kensek, K. M.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the feasibility of connecting environmental sensors such as light, humidity, or CO2 receptors to a building information model (BIM. A base case was created in Rhino; using Grasshopper and Firefly, a simple digital model responded to lighting-levels detected by a photoresistor on an Arduino board. The case study was duplicated using Revit Architecture, a popular BIM software, and Dynamo, a visual programming environment, in an innovative application. Another case study followed a similar procedure by implementing the Revit API directly instead of using Dynamo. Then the process was reversed to demonstrate that not only could data could be sent from sensors to change the 3D model, but changes to parameters of a 3D model could effect a physical model through the use of actuators. It is intended that these virtual/physical prototypes could be used as the basis for testing intelligent façade systems before constructing full size mock-ups.Este estudio investiga la posibilidad de conectar sensores ambientales como de luz, humedad, o dióxido de carbono con un modelo de información de un edificio (siglas BIM en inglés. Un caso base fue creado en Rhino; usando Grasshopper and Firefly, donde un simple modelo digital respondió a niveles de luz detectados por un foto resistor en una tarjeta Arduino. El caso de estudio fue duplicado usando Revit Architecture, una herramienta popular en BIM, y Dynamo, un ambiente de programación gráfica, en una creativa aplicación. Un segundo caso de estudio siguió un procedimiento similar implementando Revit API directamente en vez de usar Dynamo. Entonces el proceso fue revertido para demostrar que no solamente la información podría ser enviada desde sensores para cambiar el modelo tridimensional, pero cambios en los parámetros de un modelo tridimensional podrían afectar un modelo físico mediante el uso de actuadores. Se espera que esos modelos virtuales puedan ser usados como base para

Surface studies on benzophenone doped PDMS microstructures fabricated using KrF excimer laser direct write lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kant, Madhushree Bute; Shinde, Shashikant D.; Bodas, Dhananjay; Patil, K.R.; Sathe, V.G.; Adhi, K.P.; Gosavi, S.W.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Use of KrF Laser micromachining for Lab-On-Chip applications at lower fluence. • Addition of Benzophenone in PDMS enhances its self development sensitivity. • Benzophenone helps efficient energy transfer for equal density of bond scissioning. • Correlation of chemical composition with laser dose and microstructure. • Microstructures with well defined clean sidewalls. - Abstract: This paper discusses microfabrication process for benzophenone doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using laser lithography. KrF excimer laser of 248 nm with 20 ns pulse width at repetition rate of 1 Hz was used for microfabrication of undoped and benzophenone doped PDMS. The doped-PDMS shows sensitivity below 365 nm, permitting processing under ambient light. The analysis of etch depth revealed that doped PDMS shows self developable sensitivity at lower fluence of ∼250 mJ/cm 2 . The unexposed and exposed surface was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spectrocopic analysis indicated increase in C-O, C=O, Si-O 3 and Si-O 4 bonding at the expense of Si-C and Si-O 2 bonds of PDMS. In case of laser exposed doped-PDMS, removal of benzophenone from probe depth of spectroscopy was observed. Whereas the surface morphology of exposed and unexposed doped-PDMS was observed to be same, indicating clean development of PDMS micropatterns. The present study indicates that addition of 3.0 wt.% benzophenone in PDMS enhance self development sensitivity of PDMS. The self developable results on doped-PDMS are quite encouraging for its potential use in point of care Lab-On-Chip applications, for fabricating micropatterns using direct write laser lithography technology

The use of the case study method in radiation worker continuing training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, R.D.

1990-01-01

Typical methods of continuing training are often viewed by employees as boring, redundant and unnecessary. It is hoped that the operating experience lesson in the required course, Radiation Worker Requalification, will be well received by employees because actual RFP events will be presented as case studies. The interactive learning atmosphere created by the case study method stimulates discussion, develops analytical abilities, and motivates employees to use lessons learned in the workplace. This problem solving approach to continuing training incorporates cause and effect analysis, a technique which is also used at RFP to investigate events. A method of designing the operating experience lesson in the Radiation Worker Requalification course is described in this paper. 7 refs., 2 figs

Describing Case Study Method and Identifying the Factors that Contribute to the Successful Conduct of Case Studies

OpenAIRE

Ahmad H. Juma'h; Mustafa Cavus

2001-01-01

This article has attempted to describe case study, the limitations and critiques on case study methodology and how the proponents have responded to these. Our special focus have been on the debate on theory building from case study research, and a framework for conducting case study research as well as the factors for a successful case study research. The overall conclusion is that the case study has been inappropriately used to generate theories.

Fuzzy-Set Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkelsen, Kim Sass

2017-01-01

Contemporary case studies rely on verbal arguments and set theory to build or evaluate theoretical claims. While existing procedures excel in the use of qualitative information (information about kind), they ignore quantitative information (information about degree) at central points of the analysis. Effectively, contemporary case studies rely on…

Pilot case-control study of paediatric falls from windows.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Brian D; Quistberg, D Alexander; Shandro, Jamie R; Partridge, Rebecca L; Song, Hyun Rae; Ebel, Beth E

2011-12-01

Unintentional falls from windows are an important cause of paediatric morbidity. There have been no controlled studies to identify modifiable environmental risk factors for window falls in young children. The authors have piloted a case-control study to test procedures for case identification, subject enrolment, and environmental data collection. Case windows were identified when a child 0-9 years old presented for care after a fall from that window. Control windows were identified (1) from the child's home and (2) from the home of an age- and gender-matched child seeking care for an injury diagnosis not related to a window fall. Study staff visited enrolled homes to collect window measurements and conduct window screen performance tests. The authors enrolled and collected data on 18 case windows, 18 in-home controls, and 14 matched community controls. Six potential community controls were contacted for every one enrolled. Families who completed the home visit viewed study procedures positively. Case windows were more likely than community controls to be horizontal sliders (100% vs 50%), to have deeper sills (6.28 vs 4.31 inches), to be higher above the exterior surface (183 vs 82 inches), and to have screens that failed below a threshold derived from the static pressure of a 3-year-old leaning against the mesh (60.0% vs 16.7%). Case windows varied very little from in-home controls. Case-control methodology can be used to study risk factors for paediatric falls from windows. Recruitment of community controls is challenging but essential, because in-home controls tend to be over-matched on important variables. A home visit allows direct measurement of window type, height, sill depth, and screen performance. These variables should all be investigated in subsequent, larger studies covering major housing markets.

Life in Sounds, Colours and Atmospheres: A Case Study on Synaesthesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruismäki Heikki

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this article we focus on the world of colour associations and atmospheres experienced by afamous and successful piano pedagogue. The aim of the study is to open one point of view insidethe phenomenon of synaesthesia through one case which is truly reliable. This case study isbased on personal interviews with the pedagogue (August 16-19, 1999, and April 27, 2010, andthe findings are anchored theoretically in the synaesthetic experience. The article subtitles arethe themes and subjects used in the interviews, and the free association discussions have beenshaped into more structured form. To express the events in a way that is similar to the real lifeexperiences, we have quoted the interviewee directly in our text.

Direct Microscopy: A Useful Tool to Diagnose Oral Candidiasis in Children and Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Marty, Mathieu; Bourrat, Emmanuelle; Vaysse, Frédéric; Bonner, Mark; Bailleul-Forestier, Isabelle

2015-12-01

Oral candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal infections of the oral cavity in human. Among children, this condition represents one of the most frequent affecting the mucosa. Although most diagnoses are made based on clinical signs and features, a microbiological analysis is sometimes necessary. We performed a literature review on the diagnosis of oral candidiasis to identify the techniques most commonly employed in routine clinical practice. A Medline-PubMed search covering the last 10 years was performed. Microbiological techniques were used in cases requiring confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. In such cases, direct microscopy was the method most commonly used for diagnosing candidiasis. Direct microscopy appears as the method of choice for confirming clinical diagnosis and could become a routine chair-side technique.

STROKE IN YOUNG ADULTS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 68 CASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. H. Harirchian

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Numerous etiologies are responsible for cases of stroke in young adults. This study reviews the causes of two types of stroke (ischemic and intracerebral hemorrhage in young adults aged 15 to 40years, admitted to our center (a tertiary care center from 1997 to 2002. The purpose of this study is to determine the relative frequency of causes of stroke in young adults and compare this with published data in the literature. Using the codes 46.0 to 46.8 of the International Classification of Diseases- 10th Edition (ICD-10, cases were identified from the records of the stroke patients admitted in Imam Khomeini Hospital and the data were collected from their files using a comprehensive questionnaire. Forty-two cases of ischemic stroke (62% and 26 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (38% were identified. The leading cause of ischemic stroke was cardioembolism (38.1%, followed by atherosclerosis in 5 cases (11.9%. Among cardiac causes infarction was attributable to consequences of rheumatic heart disease in 8 cases. In 3 cases a cessation or decrease in dose of warfarin was followed directly by an ischemic stroke. The most leading cause of intracerebral hemorrhage was hypertension (30.8%. Other causes were anticoagulant therapy, intratumoral hemorrhage, aplastic anemia, leukemia, arteriovenous malformations, and chronic active hepatitis. In conclusion, cardioembolism and hypertension were the most leading causes of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in young adults admitted in our hospital.

Is Social Media Too Social for Class? A Case Study of Twitter Use

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Meng-Fen Grace; Hoffman, Ellen S.; Borengasser, Claire

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study examined Twitter use by undergraduate and graduate students in three classes. Previous studies have shown that while some faculty use Twitter, few are incorporating it into classes despite many recommendations for such use. This study examined how students perceived Twitter as a classroom tool. As an optional activity,…

The cost of continuity: A study of the performance of isogeometric finite elements using direct solvers

KAUST Repository

Collier, Nathan

2012-03-01

We study the performance of direct solvers on linear systems of equations resulting from isogeometric analysis. The problem of choice is the canonical Laplace equation in three dimensions. From this study we conclude that for a fixed number of unknowns and polynomial degree of approximation, a higher degree of continuity k drastically increases the CPU time and RAM needed to solve the problem when using a direct solver. This paper presents numerical results detailing the phenomenon as well as a theoretical analysis that explains the underlying cause. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

The cost of continuity: A study of the performance of isogeometric finite elements using direct solvers

KAUST Repository

Collier, Nathan; Pardo, David; Dalcí n, Lisandro D.; Paszyński, Maciej R.; Calo, Victor M.

2012-01-01

We study the performance of direct solvers on linear systems of equations resulting from isogeometric analysis. The problem of choice is the canonical Laplace equation in three dimensions. From this study we conclude that for a fixed number of unknowns and polynomial degree of approximation, a higher degree of continuity k drastically increases the CPU time and RAM needed to solve the problem when using a direct solver. This paper presents numerical results detailing the phenomenon as well as a theoretical analysis that explains the underlying cause. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Implications of Model Structure and Detail for Utility Planning: Scenario Case Studies Using the Resource Planning Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Trieu [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Barrows, Clayton [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lopez, Anthony [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Hale, Elaine [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dyson, Mark [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Eurek, Kelly [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-04-01

In this report, we analyze the impacts of model configuration and detail in capacity expansion models, computational tools used by utility planners looking to find the least cost option for planning the system and by researchers or policy makers attempting to understand the effects of various policy implementations. The present analysis focuses on the importance of model configurations — particularly those related to capacity credit, dispatch modeling, and transmission modeling — to the construction of scenario futures. Our analysis is primarily directed toward advanced tools used for utility planning and is focused on those impacts that are most relevant to decisions with respect to future renewable capacity deployment. To serve this purpose, we develop and employ the NREL Resource Planning Model to conduct a case study analysis that explores 12 separate capacity expansion scenarios of the Western Interconnection through 2030.

Case Studies of Community-Academic Partnerships Established Using the Give-Get Grid Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Behringer, Bruce; Southerland, Jodi L; Plummer, Robert M

2017-11-01

While partnerships for health delivery and improvement are frequently described by their structure, goals, and plans, less attention is paid to the interactive relationships among partners or for larger stakeholder groups' coalition memberships. The Give-Get Grid group process tool can be used to assess each stakeholders' expected benefits ("gets") and contributions ("gives") needed to establish and maintain long-term, mutually advantageous community-academic partnerships. This article describes three case study experiences using the Give-Get Grid in real-world context to understand and generate ideas to address contemporary health promotion opportunities among a variety of stakeholders. The case studies address three distinct community health promotion opportunities: prevention of school-based adolescent obesity disparities, higher education health professions training programs in rural community-based settings, and methods for engaging community coalitions in state Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs. The case studies demonstrate the Give-Get Grid's utility in both planning and evaluating partnerships and documenting key elements for progress in health promotion initiatives built on long-term community-academic relationships. Steps are explained with practical lessons learned in using the Grid.

Seamless Digital Environment - Plan for Data Analytics Use Case Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oxstrand, Johanna Helene; Bly, Aaron Douglas

2016-01-01

The U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program initiated research in to what is needed in order to provide a roadmap or model for Nuclear Power Plants to reference when building an architecture that can support the growing data supply and demand flowing through their networks. The Digital Architecture project published report Digital Architecture Planning Model (Oxstrand et. al, 2016) discusses things to consider when building an architecture to support the increasing needs and demands of data throughout the plant. Once the plant is able to support the data demands it still needs to be able to provide the data in an easy, quick and reliable method. A common method is to create a ''one stop shop'' application that a user can go to get all the data they need. The creation of this leads to the need of creating a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE) to integrate all the ''siloed'' data. An SDE is the desired perception that should be presented to users by gathering the data from any data source (e.g., legacy applications and work management systems) without effort by the user. The goal for FY16 was to complete a feasibility study for data mining and analytics for employing information from computer-based procedures enabled technologies for use in developing improved business analytics. The research team collaborated with multiple organizations to identify use cases or scenarios, which could be beneficial to investigate in a feasibility study. Many interesting potential use cases were identified throughout the FY16 activity. Unfortunately, due to factors out of the research team's control, none of the studies were initiated this year. However, the insights gained and the relationships built with both PVNGS and NextAxiom will be valuable when moving forward with future research. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting it was identified would be very beneficial to the industry to

Stethoscopes with hearing aid use: Case studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacob, Regina Tangerino de Souza

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Description for using stethoscopes adapted to hearing aids. Aim: To describe the adaptation of HAs to stethoscopes used by 2 students in the health field with bilateral hearing impairment. Case reports: Two subjects with hearing loss had their stethoscopes coupled to HAs because of the individual requirements of their professions (healthcare to perform auscultation. Conclusion: The improvement was measured in situ, and satisfaction was evaluated using a subjective questionnaire. The use of a stethoscope coupled to an HA allowed students with hearing loss to perform auscultation.

Stethoscopes with hearing aid use: Case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Regina Tangerino de Souza; Zambonato, Ticiana Cristina de Souza; Mondelli, Maria Fernanda Capoani Garcia

2013-01-01

Summary Introduction: Description for using stethoscopes adapted to hearing aids. Aim: To describe the adaptation of HAs to stethoscopes used by 2 students in the health field with bilateral hearing impairment. Case reports: Two subjects with hearing loss had their stethoscopes coupled to HAs because of the individual requirements of their professions (healthcare) to perform auscultation. Conclusion: The improvement was measured in situ, and satisfaction was evaluated using a subjective questionnaire. The use of a stethoscope coupled to an HA allowed students with hearing loss to perform auscultation. PMID:25992000

Casing study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roche, P.

2000-12-01

An unorthodox method of casing drilling used by Tesco Corporation at a gas well in Wyoming to drill deeper using casings as drillpipe is discussed. The process involves either rotating the casing as drill string or using a downhole mud motor to rotate the bit. In this instance, the surface hole and the production hole were casing-drilled to a record 8,312 feet by rotating the casing. The 8 1/2-inch surface hole was drilled with 7-inch casing to 1,200 feet using a Tesco underreamer and a polycrystalline pilot bit; drilling and cementing was completed in 12 1/2 hours. The 6 1/4-inch production hole was drilled with 4 1/2-inch casing and the bottomhole assembly was retrieved after 191 hours rotating. This case was the first in which the entire well was casing-drilled from surface to TD. Penetration rate compared favorably with conventional methods: 12 1/2 hours for casing-drilling to 18.9 hours for conventional drilling, despite the fact that the casing-drilling technology is still in its infancy. It is suggested that casing-drilling has the potential to eliminate the need for the drillpipe entirely. If these expectations were to be realised, casing-drilling could be one of the most radical drilling changes in the history of the oil and gas industry. 1 photo.

Using C Language Extensions for Developing Embedded Software : A Case Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voelter, M.; Van Deursen, A.; Kolb, B.; Eberle, S.

2015-01-01

We report on an industrial case study on developing the embedded software for a smart meter using the C programming language and domain-specific extensions of C such as components, physical units, state machines, registers and interrupts. We find that the extensions help significantly with managing

Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyvbjerg, Bent

2006-01-01

This article examines five common misunderstandings about case-study research: (a) theoretical knowledge is more valuable than practical knowledge; (b) one cannot generalize from a single case, therefore, the single-case study cannot contribute to scientific development; (c) the case study is most...... useful for generating hypotheses, whereas other methods are more suitable for hypotheses testing and theory building; (d) the case study contains a bias toward verification; and (e) it is often difficult to summarize specific case studies. This article explains and corrects these misunderstandings one...

The Use of Case Studies To Teach Educational Psychology: A Comparison with Traditional Instruction. Draft.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, James D.

The use of case studies to teach educational psychology was studied, focusing on their effectiveness in helping students become more reflective in their thinking about the roles of teachers. The effects on content learned, affect and motivation, and performance were studied for students taught through case studies and through traditional…

Fundamental and clinical study of direct immunoradiometric assay in human renin concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurimoto, Fumihiko; Horiuchi, Junko; Sakurai, Hyoichiro; Suzuki, Hiromichi; Takita, Takashi; Saruta, Takao.

1988-01-01

'Renin RIA Pasteur' kit for directly measuring renin concentration in human plasma (PRC) was fundamentally and clinically evaluated. A standard curve for PRC was linear in the range of 10 - 640 pg/ml. Reproducibility, recovery, and stability were satisfactory. There was a significantly positive correlation between direct PRC and conventional plasma renin activity (PRA) and indirect PRC. PRC was directly measured in 119 healthy volunteers and 15 patients with primary aldosteronism (4), Cushing's syndrome (6), or non-functioning tumor (5). The basal PRC was 32.4 +- 18.8 pg/ml for men and 37.9 +- 22.6 pg/ml for women. PRC for primary aldosteronism was below detectable levels, and remained unchanged even after the administratin of ACTH. In the case of Cushing's syndrome, mean PRC and PRA were 19 pg/ml and 1.2 ng/ml/hr, and did not respond to ACTH. Although the administration of ATCH was significantly associated with a decreased PRC, there was only tendency toward the decreased PRA in the case of non-functioning tumors. The results indicate the usefulness of the present kit in terms of its ability to directly measure PRC without any complicated procedures. (Namekawa, K.)

Direct: Ontology based discovery of responsibility and causality in legal case descriptions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breuker, J.A.P.J.; Hoekstra, R.J.; Gordon, T.

2004-01-01

In this paper we present DIRECT, a system forautomatic discovery of responsibility and causal relations in legal case descriptions based on LRI-Core, a core ontology that covers the main concepts that are common to all legal domains. These domains have a predominant common-sense character - the law

IT Audit of IT Service Provider Using COBIT 4.1 Framework: Case Study at PT. XYZ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Malik Hakim

2017-11-01

Full Text Available IT service providers often campaign for the importance of having a high level of IT maturity to its customers. However, not all IT companies have a high commitment to IT management within their own organisation. As a case study, this paper attempts to measure the IT maturity level of PT. XYZ that now is a growing IT services provider. Data collection is done by interview, document study, and direct field observation. The measurement of IT maturity level is conducted using 4 domains of COBIT 4.1 Framework, consists of Plan and Organize (PO, Deliver and Support (DS, Acquire and Implement (AI, and Monitor and Evaluate (ME. The result shows a value of 2.5 which indicates that IT maturity level is at level 2 (Repeatable but Intuitive which means low enough for companies that should have a high awareness of IT governance and commitment. This study shows that the level of IT maturity in IT service provider is not always as high as its campaign.

Sun-Direction Estimation Using a Partially Underdetermined Set of Coarse Sun Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

O'Keefe, Stephen A.; Schaub, Hanspeter

2015-09-01

A comparison of different methods to estimate the sun-direction vector using a partially underdetermined set of cosine-type coarse sun sensors (CSS), while simultaneously controlling the attitude towards a power-positive orientation, is presented. CSS are commonly used in performing power-positive sun-pointing and are attractive due to their relative inexpensiveness, small size, and reduced power consumption. For this study only CSS and rate gyro measurements are available, and the sensor configuration does not provide global triple coverage required for a unique sun-direction calculation. The methods investigated include a vector average method, a combination of least squares and minimum norm criteria, and an extended Kalman filter approach. All cases are formulated such that precise ground calibration of the CSS is not required. Despite significant biases in the state dynamics and measurement models, Monte Carlo simulations show that an extended Kalman filter approach, despite the underdetermined sensor coverage, can provide degree-level accuracy of the sun-direction vector both with and without a control algorithm running simultaneously. If no rate gyro measurements are available, and rates are partially estimated from CSS, the EKF performance degrades as expected, but is still able to achieve better than 10∘ accuracy using only CSS measurements.

Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects by supply-driven input-output model: A case study of Taiwan's industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Kuei-Yen; Wu, Jung-Hua; Huang, Yun-Hsun; Fu, Szu-Chi; Chen, Chia-Yon

2016-01-01

Most existing literature focuses on the direct rebound effect on the demand side for consumers. This study analyses direct and indirect rebound effects in Taiwan's industry from the perspective of producers. However, most studies on the producers' viewpoint may overlook inter-industry linkages. This study applies a supply-driven input-output model to quantify the magnitude of rebound effects by explicitly considering inter-industry linkages. Empirical results showed that total rebound effects for most Taiwan's sectors were less than 10% in 2011. A comparison among the sectors yields that sectors with lower energy efficiency had higher direct rebound effects, while sectors with higher forward linkages generated higher indirect rebound effects. Taking the Mining sector (S3) as an example, which is an upstream supplier and has high forward linkages; it showed high indirect rebound effects that are derived from the accumulation of additional energy consumption by its downstream producers. The findings also showed that in almost all sectors, indirect rebound effects were higher than direct rebound effects. In other words, if indirect rebound effects are neglected, the total rebound effects will be underestimated. Hence, the energy-saving potential may be overestimated. - Highlights: • This study quantifies rebound effects by a supply-driven input-output model. • For most Taiwan's sectors, total rebound magnitudes were less than 10% in 2011. • Direct rebound effects and energy efficiency were inverse correlation. • Indirect rebound effects and industrial forward linkages were positive correlation. • Indirect rebound effects were generally higher than direct rebound effects.

Study of the standard direct costs of various techniques of advanced endoscopy. Comparison with surgical alternatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Loras, Carme; Mayor, Vicenç; Fernández-Bañares, Fernando; Esteve, Maria

2018-03-12

The complexity of endoscopy has carried out an increase in cost that has a direct effect on the healthcare systems. However, few studies have analyzed the cost of advanced endoscopic procedures (AEP). To carry out a calculation of the standard direct costs of AEP, and to make a financial comparison with their surgical alternatives. Calculation of the standard direct cost in carrying out each procedure. An endoscopist detailed the time, personnel, materials, consumables, recovery room time, stents, pathology and medication used. The cost of surgical procedures was the average cost recorded in the hospital. Thirty-eight AEP were analyzed. The technique showing lowest cost was gastroscopy + APC (€116.57), while that with greatest cost was ERCP with cholangioscopy + stent placement (€5083.65). Some 34.2% of the procedures registered average costs of €1000-2000. In 57% of cases, the endoscopic alternative was 2-5 times more cost-efficient than surgery, in 31% of cases indistinguishable or up to 1.4 times more costly. Standard direct cost of the majority of AEP is reported using a methodology that enables easy application in other centers. For the most part, endoscopic procedures are more cost-efficient than the corresponding surgical procedure. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Case Study: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Making a Case for Video Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Pai, Aditi

2014-01-01

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. If a mere picture is worth a thousand words, how much more are "moving pictures" or videos worth? The author poses this not merely as a rhetorical question, but because she wishes to make a case for using videos in the traditional case study method. She recommends four main approaches of…

Detecting rare variants in case-parents association studies.

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Kuang-Fu Cheng

Full Text Available Despite the success of genome-wide association studies (GWASs in detecting common variants (minor allele frequency ≥0.05 many suggested that rare variants also contribute to the genetic architecture of diseases. Recently, researchers demonstrated that rare variants can show a strong stratification which may not be corrected by using existing methods. In this paper, we focus on a case-parents study and consider methods for testing group-wise association between multiple rare (and common variants in a gene region and a disease. All tests depend on the numbers of transmitted mutant alleles from parents to their diseased children across variants and hence they are robust to the effect of population stratification. We use extensive simulation studies to compare the performance of four competing tests: the largest single-variant transmission disequilibrium test (TDT, multivariable test, combined TDT, and a likelihood ratio test based on a random-effects model. We find that the likelihood ratio test is most powerful in a wide range of settings and there is no negative impact to its power performance when common variants are also included in the analysis. If deleterious and protective variants are simultaneously analyzed, the likelihood ratio test was generally insensitive to the effect directionality, unless the effects are extremely inconsistent in one direction.

Brief Report: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: A Review and Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Rengit, Ashy C.; McKowen, James W.; O'Brien, Julie; Howe, Yamini J.; McDougle, Christopher J.

2016-01-01

There is limited literature available on the comorbidity between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and substance use disorder (SUD). This paper reviews existing literature and exemplifies the challenges of treating this population with a case report of an adult male with ASD and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder. This review and case study seeks to…

Surface studies on benzophenone doped PDMS microstructures fabricated using KrF excimer laser direct write lithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kant, Madhushree Bute; Shinde, Shashikant D. [Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India); Bodas, Dhananjay [Centre for Nanobioscience, Agharkar Research Institute, Agharkar road, Pune 411004 (India); Patil, K.R. [Center for Materials Characterization, National Chemical Laboratories, Pune 411008 (India); Sathe, V.G. [UGC DAE Inter University Consortium, Indore 452017 (India); Adhi, K.P. [Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India); Gosavi, S.W., E-mail: swg@physics.unipune.ac.in [Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India)

2014-09-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Use of KrF Laser micromachining for Lab-On-Chip applications at lower fluence. • Addition of Benzophenone in PDMS enhances its self development sensitivity. • Benzophenone helps efficient energy transfer for equal density of bond scissioning. • Correlation of chemical composition with laser dose and microstructure. • Microstructures with well defined clean sidewalls. - Abstract: This paper discusses microfabrication process for benzophenone doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using laser lithography. KrF excimer laser of 248 nm with 20 ns pulse width at repetition rate of 1 Hz was used for microfabrication of undoped and benzophenone doped PDMS. The doped-PDMS shows sensitivity below 365 nm, permitting processing under ambient light. The analysis of etch depth revealed that doped PDMS shows self developable sensitivity at lower fluence of ∼250 mJ/cm{sup 2}. The unexposed and exposed surface was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spectrocopic analysis indicated increase in C-O, C=O, Si-O{sub 3} and Si-O{sub 4} bonding at the expense of Si-C and Si-O{sub 2} bonds of PDMS. In case of laser exposed doped-PDMS, removal of benzophenone from probe depth of spectroscopy was observed. Whereas the surface morphology of exposed and unexposed doped-PDMS was observed to be same, indicating clean development of PDMS micropatterns. The present study indicates that addition of 3.0 wt.% benzophenone in PDMS enhance self development sensitivity of PDMS. The self developable results on doped-PDMS are quite encouraging for its potential use in point of care Lab-On-Chip applications, for fabricating micropatterns using direct write laser lithography technology.

A compromise too far: a review of Canadian cases of direct-to-consumer advertising regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lexchin, Joel; Mintzes, Barbara

2014-01-01

Since the mid 1990's, Canada has introduced partial direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs through administrative policy shifts. Little documentation exists on how regulation occurs in practice. To evaluate Health Canada's response to complaints about DTCA. We use case studies about DTCA spanning from 2000 to 2011 to examine the stringency of regulation by Health Canada. The aim was to identify key themes in Health Canada's approach to regulation from a public health perspective. All of the material related to the cases was independently read by each of the authors and any disagreements in interpretation were resolved through discussion. We identified six weaknesses in how Health Canada deals with DTCA: failure to act on concerns about promotion for unapproved "off-label" uses, possible financial inducements to use a product, advertisements perceived to stimulate unwarranted fear about disease risks, and advertising of products with serious safety concerns identified in Health Canada safety advisories; ineffective enforcement actions undertaken by Health Canada; and lack of transparency in Health Canada's decision-making. There is an astonishing degree of discordance between public health priorities and regulation of DTCA in Canada. The current approach to enforcement is notable both for its lack of teeth and lack of accountability and transparency.

Spectrum of fungal keratitis:clinicopathologic study of 44 cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajpal Singh Punia

2014-02-01

Full Text Available AIM:To determine the causative agents of fungal keratitis and study the predisposing factors over a period of ten years in a single tertiary care hospital.METHODS:A retrospective analysis of fungal corneal ulcers was done from 2003-2012. Patients’ clinical data were noted from the file records. Correlation of histopathological diagnosis was done with the report on fungal culture.RESULTS: Mycotic keratitis was established in 44 cases by a positive fungal culture. Direct microscopic examination of potassium hydroxide (KOH mounts revealed fungal elements in 39 cases while 40 cases showed fungus on Gram stained smears. Males (54.55% were more commonly affected than the females (45.45%. The age ranged from 18 to 82 years. Most common age group to be involved was 41-60 years. Predisposing risk factors were seen in 34 (77.27% cases. Most common findings on clinical examination were anterior chamber reaction and conjunctival injection seen in all the cases. Other common findings were stromal infiltration and hypopyon seen in 20 (45.45% and 18 (40.91% cases respectively. On histopathological examination the fungus was typed, as aspergillus in 34 cases while no definite typing was possible in 10 cases. The predominant isolate was aspergillus flavus (59.09% followed by fusarium (15.91%. Mixed fungal and bacterial infection was seen in 3 (6.82% cases.CONCLUSION:Although culture is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of fungal keratitis, direct microscopic examination of corneal scrapings or histomorphological evaluation of biopsies allow a rapid preliminary diagnosis. Early administration of antifungal treatment helps in preventing dreadful complications.

Geothermal Technologies Program: Direct Use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2004-08-01

This general publication describes geothermal direct use systems, and how they have been effectively used throughout the country. It also describes the DOE program R&D efforts in this area, and summarizes several projects using direct use technology.

Benzodiazepine and Z-drug use and risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic kidney disease: A population-based nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meng-Ting; Wang, Yun-Han; Chang, Hsin-An; Tsai, Chen-Liang; Yang, Ya-Sung; Lin, Chen Wei; Kuo, Cheng-Chin; Hsu, Yu-Juei

2017-01-01

Concerns were raised about pneumonia development from benzodiazepines (BZDs) and Z-drugs, but direct evidence is limited, conflicting and without examining the highly susceptible patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) nor specifying the risk for different drug utilizations. This study aimed to investigate whether use of BZDs and Z-drugs was each associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in a CKD population. We performed a nested case-control study of 36,880 CKD patients analyzing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database between 01/1/2000 and 12/31/2011. Among the study cohort, we identified 4,533 cases of pneumonia based on validated disease codes, chest x-ray examination, and prescriptions of respiratory antibiotics, and randomly selected 16,388 controls from risk sets, matched by sex, age, and number of CKD-related hospitalizations. All prescription filling records of BZDs and Z-drugs in the year before the event/index date were analyzed for cases and controls. Conditional logistic regressions were performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs). Current use of BZDs was associated with a 1.31-fold (95% CI, 1.18-1.26) increased risk of pneumonia compared to nonuse, but not for recent and past use. The risk from current BZD use was confined to new initiation (adjusted OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 2.02-3.03) or use for ≤ 30 days, and elevated to 2.88-fold (95% CI, 1.87-4.42) with parenteral administration. New initiation and current short-term use of Z-drugs was associated with a 2.94-fold (95% CI, 1.65-5.26) and 1.75-fold (95% CI, 1.13-2.72) increased risk of pneumonia, respectively. The findings were robust to adoption of a case-crossover study that analyzed cases only. Use of BZRAs is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in CKD patients, especially for patients newly initiating BZDs or Z-drugs or those injected with BZDs. Physicians should exercise cautions for signs of pneumonia when prescribing BZDs or Z-drugs to CKD patients.

THE DIRECTIVE SPEECH ACTS USED IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASS

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Muhammad Khatib Bayanuddin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This research discusses about an analysis of the directive speech acts used in english speaking class at the third semester of english speaking class of english study program of IAIN STS Jambi. The aims of this research are to describe the types of directive speech acts and politeness strategies that found in English speaking class. This research used descriptive qualitative method. This method used to describe clearly about the types and politeness strategies of directive speech acts based on the data in English speaking class. The result showed that in English speaking class that there are some types and politeness strategies of directive speech acts, such as: requestives, questions, requirements, prohibitives, permissives, and advisores as types, as well as on-record indirect strategies (prediction statement, strong obligation statement, possibility statement, weaker obligation statement, volitional statement, direct strategies (imperative, performative, and nonsentential strategies as politeness strategies. The achievement of this research are hoped can be additional knowledge about linguistics study, especially in directive speech acts and can be developed for future researches. Key words: directive speech acts, types, politeness strategies.

Use of Radiotracers to Study Surface Water Processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-03-01

This publication represents a sound knowledge base for the conduct of radiotracer studies in the environment, with papers on radiotracer methodology, radiation protection and regulation, data analysis and modelling. Environmental case histories from five Member States - Australia, Brazil, France, the Republic of Korea and Sweden - provide information on conducting studies involving he use of radioactive tracers. These case histories are not meant as guidelines for preparing a field study but can rather serve as examples of the type, caution and extent of work involved in environmental studies using radiotracers. This publication can provide guidance for conducting potential future training events in the use of radioactive traces in the environment and can serve as a key reference to all concerned directly with surface water processes

Using Interactive Case Studies to Support Students Understandings of Local Environmental Problems

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Z. Kostova

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents designed and refined an interactive-enhanced curriculum module for 9th grade secondary school students in Bulgaria, based on environmental case studies. In the module activities students from two schools studied the local environments, performed observations and experiments, collected and analyzed data, prepared and presented posters and role plays, made connections between scientific processes and socio-scientific issues and drew conclusions about the global effects of locally created environmental problems. The students’ critical observations of the quality of their surroundings helped them to make a list of local environmental problems, to apply interactive strategies in studying them and to propose rational scientifically based solutions. In the study the attention was directed to the advantages and disadvantages of poster presentations and role playing and to the specific learning difficulties that students had to overcome. Students’ achievements from the two experimental schools were assessed independently in order to give us insights into the details of learning using different interactive strategies and into the acquired performance skills, dependant on students’ interests and personal abilities. The three versions of the module (traditional, dominated by teacher presentation; poster preparation and presentation in which students imitate scientific team research; and role playing in which students not only study the local environmental problems but assume social roles to cope with them demonstrate three levels of students learning independence. Specific assessment tests and check lists were developed for analyzing, evaluating and comparing students’ achievements in each version of the module and in each school. Ecological knowledge assessment tests were based on Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Poster and role playing preparations and presentations were assessed by specific criteria, shown in the

The impact of science teachers' epistemological beliefs on authentic inquiry: A multiple-case study

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Dionne Bennett

The purpose of this study was to examine how science teachers' epistemological beliefs impacted their use of authentic inquiry in science instruction. Participants in this multiple-case study included a total of four teachers who represented the middle, secondary and post-secondary levels. Based on the results of the pilot study conducted with a secondary science teacher, adjustments were made to the interview questions and observation protocol. Data collection for the study included semi-structured interviews, direct observations of instructional techniques, and the collection of artifacts. The cross case analysis revealed that the cases epistemological beliefs were mostly Transitional and the method of instruction used most was Discussion. Two of the cases exhibited consistent beliefs and instructional practices, whereas the other two exhibited beliefs beyond their instruction. The findings of this study support the literature on the influence of contextual factors and professional development on teacher beliefs and practice. The findings support and contradict literature relevant to the consistency of teacher beliefs with instruction. This study's findings revealed that the use of reform-based instruction, or Authentic Inquiry, does not occur when science teachers do not have the beliefs and experiences necessary to implement this form of instruction.

Novel in situ radiotracer methods for the direct and indirect study of chromate adsorption on alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gancs, L.; Nemeth, Z.; Horanyi, G.

2002-01-01

Radiotracer methods, particularly the radiotracer thin foil method, provide unique possibility of in situ monitoring of chromate adsorption on powdered adsorbents. Two different versions of the thin foil method can be distinguished. In the direct method, the species to be studied is labelled and the radiation measured gives direct information on the adsorption of this species. In the indirect method, a different labelled indicator species is added to the system and the adsorption of this species is followed and the adsorption of the species to be studied is determined based on analysis of the competitive adsorption processes. Both methods were used in the present study. In the in situ methods, the radiation measured consists of two main parts, one coming from the solution background, the other originating from the adsorption layer. In the case of the thin foil method using isotopes emitting soft β - radiation or low energy X-ray the solution background is governed and minimised by self-absorption of the radiation. In the direct study we applied an experimental methodology based on the energy selective measurement of the characteristic K α,β X-radiation emitted by the 51 Cr-labelled chromate species, whereas 35 S-labelled sulphate ions were used as the indicator species in the indirect study. (P.A.)

Navigating a 2D Virtual World using Direct Brain Stimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darby M. Losey

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Can the human brain learn to interpret inputs from a virtual world delivered directly through brain stimulation? We answer this question by describing the first demonstration of humans playing a computer game utilizing only direct brain stimulation and no other sensory inputs. The demonstration also provides the first instance of artificial sensory information, in this case depth, being delivered directly to the human brain through noninvasive methods. Our approach utilizes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS of the human visual cortex to convey binary information about obstacles in a virtual maze. At certain intensities, TMS elicits visual percepts known as phosphenes, which transmits information to the subject about their current location within the maze. Using this computer-brain interface (CBI, five subjects successfully navigated an average of 92% of all the steps in a variety of virtual maze worlds. They also became more accurate in solving the task over time. These results suggest that humans can learn to utilize information delivered directly and noninvasively to their brains to solve tasks that cannot be solved using their natural senses, opening the door to human sensory augmentation and novel modes of human-computer interaction.

Warpage optimization on a mobile phone case using response surface methodology (RSM)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, X. N.; Fathullah, M.; Shayfull, Z.; Nasir, S. M.; Hazwan, M. H. M.; Shazzuan, S.

2017-09-01

Plastic injection moulding is a popular manufacturing method not only it is reliable, but also efficient and cost saving. It able to produce plastic part with detailed features and complex geometry. However, defects in injection moulding process degrades the quality and aesthetic of the injection moulded product. The most common defect occur in the process is warpage. Inappropriate process parameter setting of injection moulding machine is one of the reason that leads to the occurrence of warpage. The aims of this study were to improve the quality of injection moulded part by investigating the optimal parameters in minimizing warpage using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Subsequent to this, the most significant parameter was identified and recommended parameters setting was compared with the optimized parameter setting using RSM. In this research, the mobile phone case was selected as case study. The mould temperature, melt temperature, packing pressure, packing time and cooling time were selected as variables whereas warpage in y-direction was selected as responses in this research. The simulation was carried out by using Autodesk Moldflow Insight 2012. In addition, the RSM was performed by using Design Expert 7.0. The warpage in y direction recommended by RSM were reduced by 70 %. RSM performed well in solving warpage issue.

A Case Study of Servant Leadership in the NHL

Science.gov (United States)

Crippen, Carolyn

2017-01-01

An examination of the organizational culture of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL provides exemplars for all learning institutions. A culture connected directly to a servant-leader philosophy was identified through a cumulative qualitative case study of key personnel within the organization. Data included transcribed interviews, archival research,…

On the direct detection of multi-component dark matter: sensitivity studies and parameter estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Herrero-Garcia, Juan; Scaffidi, Andre; White, Martin; Williams, Anthony G.

2017-11-01

We study the case of multi-component dark matter, in particular how direct detection signals are modified in the presence of several stable weakly-interacting-massive particles. Assuming a positive signal in a future direct detection experiment, stemming from two dark matter components, we study the region in parameter space where it is possible to distinguish a one from a two-component dark matter spectrum. First, we leave as free parameters the two dark matter masses and show that the two hypotheses can be significantly discriminated for a range of dark matter masses with their splitting being the critical factor. We then investigate how including the effects of different interaction strengths, local densities or velocity dispersions for the two components modifies these conclusions. We also consider the case of isospin-violating couplings. In all scenarios, we show results for various types of nuclei both for elastic spin-independent and spin-dependent interactions. Finally, assuming that the two-component hypothesis is confirmed, we quantify the accuracy with which the parameters can be extracted and discuss the different degeneracies that occur. This includes studying the case in which only a single experiment observes a signal, and also the scenario of having two signals from two different experiments, in which case the ratios of the couplings to neutrons and protons may also be extracted.

Use of methimazole and risk of acute pancreatitis: A case-control study in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Shih-Wei; Lin, Cheng-Li; Liao, Kuan-Fu

2016-01-01

Some cases of acute pancreatitis have been reported to be associated with use of methimazole. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between use of methimazole and risk of acute pancreatitis on the basis of a systematic analysis. This was a population-based case-control study analyzing the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. There were 5764 individuals aged 20-84 years with a first attack of acute pancreatitis from 1998 to 2011 as the cases and 23,056 randomly selected sex- and age-matched individuals without acute pancreatitis as the controls. Use of methimazole was categorized as "never use" and "ever use." We estimated the relative risk of acute pancreatitis associated with the use of methimazole by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using a multivariable logistic regression model. After adjustment for confounding factors, the OR of acute pancreatitis was 0.91 in individuals with ever use of methimazole, when compared with individuals with never use of methimazole (95% CI, 0.60-1.38). Unlike methimazole use, alcohol-related disease, biliary stone, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hypertriglyceridemia were factors significantly associated with acute pancreatitis. Our study does not detect a substantial association between the use of methimazole and risk of acute pancreatitis on the basis of systematic analysis. There appears to be a discrepancy between case reports and our systematic analysis about the association between the use of methimazole and risk of acute pancreatitis.

Portraying the nature of corruption: Using an explorative case-study design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Graaf, G.; Huberts, L.W.J.C.

2008-01-01

What is the nature of corruption in Western democracies? To answer this research question, the authors study 10 Dutch corruption cases in depth, looking at confidential criminal files. The cases allow them to sketch a general profile of a corruption case. The authors offer nine propositions to

Study of Knowledge and Practice of Patient Self directed Care among Diabetics Patients

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Z. Abedini

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Background and ObjectivesDiabetic patients play the main role in the management of their disease. Adequate knowledge of this disease state and self directed patient care will improve the health of these patients. Some studies have indicated a high prevalence of diabetes complication are due to the lack of knowledge of self directed patient care and practice in diabetic patient group. The objective of this study is to measure the knowledge level of self directed patient care and practice in order to evaluate their effects on improvement of diabetic patients' health in the city of Qom, Iran.MethodsIn this cross sectional study 1004 patients with diabetes participated (During year 2006. Data were collected from patients of General Hospital metabolism and endocrine research center.An interviewing method was used to asses the demographics data, history of disease, and knowledge of self directed patient care in these patients. Data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic, chi-square, and Pearson correlation coefficient, and SPSS software.ResultsOut of 1004 observed case, 154 patients were with Diabetes type I and 850 patients with Diabetes type II. The knowledge of self directed patient care and practice level of with both types of diabetes were determined to be mostly at an intermediate level. In type I diabetic patients there was a significant relation between knowledge level of self directed patient care and gender of the patients (P=0.01. Also, there was a significant correlation between practice and age (P=0.03(, and economical status (P=0.06 of the patients. In type II diabetic patients there was a significant relation between knowledge level of self directed patient care and educational level (P=0.00(, and economical status (P=0.01 of the patients. The practice level of self directed patient care was significantly related to economical status (p=0.03 in this group of patients. ConclusionThese results indicate that an increase in knowledge

Risk factors for cataract: A case control study

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Ughade Suresh

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The present study was designed as a hospital-based, group-matched, case-control investigation into the risk factors associated with age-related cataract in central India. The study included 262 cases of age-related cataract and an equal number of controls. A total of 21 risk factors were evaluated: namely, low socioeconomic status (SES, illiteracy, marital status, history of diarrhoea, history of diabetes, glaucoma, use of cholinesterase inhibitors, steroids, spironolactone, nifedipine, analgesics, myopia early in life, renal failure, heavy smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, hypertension, low body mass index (BMI, use of cheaper cooking fuel, working in direct sunlight, family history of cataract, and occupational exposure. In univariate analysis, except marital status, low BMI, renal failure, use of steroids, spironolactone, analgesics, and occupational exposure, all 14 other risk factors were found significantly associated with age-related cataract. Unconditional multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed the significance of low SES, illiteracy, history of diarrhoea, diabetes, glaucoma, myopia, smoking, hypertension and cheap cooking fuel. The etiological role of these risk factors in the outcome of cataract is confirmed by the estimates of attributable risk proportion. The estimates of population attributable risk proportion for these factors highlight the impact of elimination of these risk factors on the reduction of cataract in this population.

Challenges in assessment of clean energy supply-chains based on byproduct minerals: A case study of tellurium use in thin film photovoltaics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bustamante, Michele L.; Gaustad, Gabrielle

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Byproduct mining presents unique challenges to quantifying energy security issues. • This case study shows Te scarcity is closely tied to Cu demand and production. • Material intensity changes over time have a significant impact on projections. • Recycling as a mitigation strategy is shown to have poor short-term results. - Abstract: Transitioning to a sustainable energy supply will be critical to meeting future economic and environmental goals. This transition will require optimizing and commercializing a portfolio of new clean energy technologies. However, many promising clean energy technologies are based on materials with inherent risks in their supply; these risks include scarcity, price volatility, criticality, and other potential supply-chain disruptions. Using tellurium use in CdTe photovoltaics as a case study, this paper presents analysis of some of the key challenges associated with modeling byproduct systems (a supply-chain where a key material is actually a byproduct of extraction of another material, copper in the case of tellurium). This work presents a novel modeling approach; the results of the case study are used to identify potential supply risks facing this clean technology, with a unique focus on sensitivity to changes in the preliminary lifecycle stages. Supply-chain sensitivities are connected with direct environmental impacts to frame the implications in a broader sustainability context and to emphasize the future role of recycling. Ultimately, it was shown that if historical supply and demand trends continue, supply gap conditions will emerge before the end of the current decade. However, improvements in byproduct yield, end-use recycling rate, and end-use material intensity exhibit significant leverage to minimize risk in the energy-critical tellurium supply-chain

Learning from Action Evaluation of the Use of Multimedia Case Studies in Management Information Systems Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Kawulich, Barbara B.

2011-01-01

This manuscript shares lessons learned from conducting an action evaluation of the use of multimedia case studies in Management Information Systems (MIS) courses. Three undergraduate MIS classes took part in the study. The purpose for using case studies in these classes was to teach students about the role of MIS in business. An action evaluation…

Technology Overview Using Case Studies of Alternative Landfill Technologies and Associated Regulatory Topics

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2003-01-01

... alternative landfill cover projects. The purpose of the case studies is to present examples of the flexibility used in the regulatory framework for approving alternative landfill cover designs, current research information about the use...

Using multimedia cases for educating the primary school mathematics teacher educator: a design study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dolk, M.L.A.M.; Hertog, den J.B.; Gravemeijer, K.P.E.

2002-01-01

The overarching goal of this chapter is to better understand how multimedia video case studies can support the professionalization of primary-school-mathematics teacher educators. We investigate the use of multimedia cases to support teacher educators in learning to mathematize and didactize and to

Using ITS to Create an Insurance Industry Application: A Joint Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boies, Stephen J.; And Others

1993-01-01

Presents an empirical case study of the use of ITS, a software development environment designed by IBM, by Continental Insurance for underwriting applications. Use of a rule-based user interface style that made electronic forms look like standard insurance industry paper forms and worked according to Continental's guidelines is described.…

Medical illness, medication use and suicide in seniors: a population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Voaklander, D C; Rowe, B H; Dryden, D M; Pahal, J; Saar, P; Kelly, K D

2008-02-01

Suicide among seniors is a significant health problem in north America, particularly for men in whom the rates rise steadily after 50 years of age. The goal of this study was to examine elder suicides identified from a large population-based database using case-control methods to determine disease and medication factors related to suicide. A population-based 1 : 5 case-control study was conducted comparing seniors aged 66 years and older who had died by suicide with age and sex-matched controls. Case data were obtained through British Columbia (BC) Vital Statistics, whereas controls were randomly selected from the BC Health Insurance Registry. Cases and controls were linked to the provincial PharmaCare database to determine medication use and the provincial Physician Claims and Inpatient Hospitalization databases to determine co-morbidity. Between 1993 and 2002 a total of 602 seniors died by suicide in BC giving an annual rate of 13.2 per 100,000. Firearms were the most common mechanism (28%), followed by hanging/suffocation (25%), self-poisoning (21%), and jumping from height (7%). In the adjusted logistic model, variables related to suicide included: lower socioeconomic status, depression/psychosis, neurosis, stroke, cancer, liver disease, parasuicide, benzodiazepine use, narcotic pain killer use and diuretic use. There was an elevated risk for those prescribed inappropriate benzodiazepines and for those using strong narcotic pain killers. This study is consistent with previous studies that have identified a relationship between medical or psychiatric co-morbidity and suicide in seniors. In addition, new and potentially useful information confirms that certain types and dosages of benzodiazepines are harmful to seniors and their use should be avoided.

A digital computer simulation and study of a direct-energy-transfer power-conditioning system

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, W. W., III; Owen, H. A., Jr.; Wilson, T. G.; Rodriguez, G. E.; Paulkovich, J.

1975-01-01

An investigation of the behavior of the power-conditioning system as a whole is a necessity to ensure the integrity of the aggregate system in the case of space applications. An approach for conducting such an investigation is considered. A description is given of the application of a general digital analog simulator program to the study of an aggregate power-conditioning system which is being developed for use on the International Ultraviolet Explorer spacecraft. The function of the direct energy transfer system studied involves a coupling of a solar array through a main distribution bus to the spacecraft electrical loads.

Investigation of in vitro bone cell adhesion and proliferation on Ti using direct current stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodhak, Subhadip; Bose, Susmita; Kinsel, William C.; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

2012-01-01

Our objective was to establish an in vitro cell culture protocol to improve bone cell attachment and proliferation on Ti substrate using direct current stimulation. For this purpose, a custom made electrical stimulator was developed and a varying range of direct currents, from 5 to 25 μA, was used to study the current stimulation effect on bone cells cultured on conducting Ti samples in vitro. Cell–material interaction was studied for a maximum of 5 days by culturing with human fetal osteoblast cells (hFOB). The direct current was applied in every 8 h time interval and the duration of electrical stimulation was kept constant at 15 min for all cases. In vitro results showed that direct current stimulation significantly favored bone cell attachment and proliferation in comparison to nonstimulated Ti surface. Immunochemistry and confocal microscopy results confirmed that the cell adhesion was most pronounced on 25 μA direct current stimulated Ti surfaces as hFOB cells expressed higher vinculin protein with increasing amount of direct current. Furthermore, MTT assay results established that cells grew 30% higher in number under 25 μA electrical stimulation as compared to nonstimulated Ti surface after 5 days of culture period. In this work we have successfully established a simple and cost effective in vitro protocol offering easy and rapid analysis of bone cell–material interaction which can be used in promotion of bone cell attachment and growth on Ti substrate using direct current electrical stimulation in an in vitro model. - Highlights: ► D.C. stimulation was used to enhance in vitro bone cell adhesion and proliferation. ► Cells cultured on Ti were stimulated by using a custom made electrical stimulator. ► Optimization was performed by using a varying range of direct currents ∼ 5 to 25 μA. ► 25 μA stimulation was found most beneficial for promotion of cell adhesion/growth.

Mitigating Challenges of Using Virtual Reality in Online Courses: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Barbara; Hutchins, Holly M.; Ezell, Shirley; De Martino, Darrell; Bobba, Anil

2010-01-01

Case study methodology was used to describe the challenges experienced in the development of a virtual component for a freshman-level undergraduate course. The purpose of the project was to use a virtual environment component to provide an interactive and engaging learning environment. While some student and faculty feedback was positive, this…

Five misunderstandings about case study research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyvbjerg, Bent

2004-01-01

This article examines five common misunderstandings about case-study research: (1) Theoretical knowledge is more valuable than practical knowledge; (2) One cannot generalize from a single case, therefore the single case study cannot contribute to scientific development; (3) The case study is most...... useful for generating hypotheses, while other methods aremore suitable for hypotheses testing and theory building; (4) The case study contains a bias toward verification; and (5) It is often difficult to summarize specific case studies. The article explains and corrects these misunderstandings one by one...... and concludes with the Kuhnian insight that a scientific discipline without a large number of thoroughly executed case studies is a discipline without systematic production of exemplars, and that a discipline without exemplars is an ineffective one. Social science may be strengthened by the execution of more...

Studying fatigue damage evolution in uni-directional composites using x-ray computed tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Lars Pilgaard

, it will be possible to lower the costs of energy for wind energy based electricity. In the present work, a lab-source x-ray computed tomography equipment (Zeiss Xradia 520 Versa) has been used in connection with ex-situ fatigue testing of uni-directional composites in order to identify fibre failure during...... comparable x-ray studies) have been used in order to ensure a representative test volume during the ex-situ fatigue testing. Using the ability of the x-ray computed tomography to zoom into regions of interest, non-destructive, the fatigue damage evolution in a repeating ex-situ fatigue loaded test sample has...... improving the fatigue resistance of non-crimp fabric used in the wind turbine industry can be made....

The use of microblog-based case studies in a pharmacotherapy introduction class in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tiansheng; Wang, Fei; Shi, Luwen

2013-09-08

Microblog is a Web 2.0 technology that provides an online social networking platform for communicating and sharing information among web users. Pharmacy educators have previously used microblog to promote active engagement of students. However, there is very little research to demonstrate how to use microblogging effectively to enhance pedagogy in a blended or face-to-face classroom environment. We used the most popular microblog website in China to create a "space" within the classroom to evaluate an interactive microblogging forum for the integration of pharmacotherapy case studies. This study is aimed to determine students' attitudes toward microblog-based case studies (MBC) in a pharmacotherapy class. We created a group on Sina Weibo, the most popular microblog website in China, to explore the possibilities of using microblog-based case discussions in pharmacy education to promote and motivate student learning. The class teaching activities began in November 2011; individual group assignments to a single case study were administered to 21 groups with a total of 126 participating pharmacy students. Each group was required to share a discussion care plan on the microblogging platform. Individual students were expected to participate in an online discussion related to at least two other group cases by posting their comments on the microblog platform. All postings were tracked and analyzed, and then a post MBC survey was administered anonymously to determine students' opinions towards MBC. A total of 126 students posted 592 messages and 112 students (89%) completed the survey. More than 80% of students agreed that MBC improved communication; nearly 70% agreed that MBC increased the amount of interaction, and over 50% found value in reading other students' messages. However, 25% students believed the collaborative learning was not effective and 22% indicated the quality of interaction was low. MBC appears to be well-accepted learning method to students in this study

Using Six Sigma for Performance Improvement in Business Curriculum: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kukreja, Anil; Ricks, Joe M., Jr.; Meyer, Jean A.

2009-01-01

During the last few decades, a number of quality improvement methodologies have been used by organizations. This article provides a brief review of the quality improvement literature related to academia and a case study using Six Sigma methodology to analyze students' performance in a standardized examination. We found Six Sigma to be an effective…

A Shandon PapSpin liquid-based gynecological test: A split-sample and direct-to-vial test with histology follow-up study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rimiene J

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Studies for liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap tests reveal that liquid-based cytology (LBC is a safe and effective alternative to the conventional Pap smear. Although there is research on ThinPrep and SurePath systems, information is lacking to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of systems based on cytocentrifugation. This study is designed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Shandon PapSpin (ThermoShandon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA liquid-based gynecological system. We used split-sample and direct-to-vial study design. Materials and Methods: 2,945 women referred to prophylactic check-up were enrolled in this study. Split sample design was used in 1,500 women and residual cervical cytology specimen from all these cases was placed in fluid for PapSpin preparation after performing conventional smear. The direct-to-vial study was carried out in another cohort of 1,445 women in whom the entire cervical material was investigated using only the PapSpin technique. Follow up histological diagnoses for 141 women were obtained from both study arms following 189 abnormal cytology cases. 80 LBC cases from the split sample group and 61 LBC cases in the direct-to-vial group were correlated with the histology results. The sensitivity and secificity of the conventional smear and PapSpin tests in both study arms were compared. Results: In the split sample group, conventional smears showed a higher proportion of ASC-US (atypical cells undetermined significance: 31 (2.1% vs 10 (0.7% in PapSpin (P = 0.001. A higher proportion of unsatisfactory samples was found in the conventional smear group: 25 (1.7% vs 6 (0.4% cases (P = 0.001. In the split sample group, the sensitivity of the conventional and PapSpin tests was 68.7% vs 78.1%, and the specificity 93.8% vs 91.8%, respectively. In the direct to vial group PapSpin sensitivity was 75.9% and specificity 96.5%. The differences in sensitivity and specificity were not significant. The

Assembling a Case Study Tool Kit: 10 Tools for Teaching with Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'homme-Généreux, Annie

2017-01-01

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. The author shares the strategies and tools that teachers can use to manage a case study classroom effectively.

Design of a slimline directional borehole radar antenna using FDTD

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Vogt, D

2008-06-01

Full Text Available , dielectric. I. INTRODUCTION Borehole radar is the application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) within a borehole [11]. GPR is a technique used to delineate structures and features of a subsurface. The borehole radar technique has been used successfully..., the direction of the incoming EM wave can be determined [6]. III. FILLER MATERIAL INSIDE ANTENNA ARRAY Ideally, there is no material between the antenna body and the rock surrounding it. In that case, the filler material would be matched to the dielectric...

Evaluating interactive technology for an evolving case study on learning and satisfaction of graduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Marjorie A; Schaffner, Barbara H

2016-07-01

Nursing education is challenged to prepare students for complex healthcare needs through the integration of teamwork and informatics. Technology has become an important teaching tool in the blended classroom to enhance group based learning experiences. Faculty evaluation of classroom technologies is imperative prior to adoption. Few studies have directly compared various technologies and their impact on student satisfaction and learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate technology enhanced teaching methods on the learning and satisfaction of graduate students in an advanced pharmacology class using an unfolding case study. After IRB approval, students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: blogging group, wiki group or webinar group. Students completed the evolving case study using the assigned interactive technology. Student names were removed from the case studies. Faculty evaluated the case study using a rubric, while blinded to the assigned technology method used. No significant difference was found on case study grades, the range of grades on the assignment demonstrated little differences between the methods used. Students indicated an overall positive impact related to networking and collaboration on a satisfaction survey. Impact of technology methods needs to be explored in other areas of graduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methodology Series Module 2: Case-control Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

Case-Control study design is a type of observational study. In this design, participants are selected for the study based on their outcome status. Thus, some participants have the outcome of interest (referred to as cases), whereas others do not have the outcome of interest (referred to as controls). The investigator then assesses the exposure in both these groups. The investigator should define the cases as specifically as possible. Sometimes, definition of a disease may be based on multiple criteria; thus, all these points should be explicitly stated in case definition. An important aspect of selecting a control is that they should be from the same 'study base' as that of the cases. We can select controls from a variety of groups. Some of them are: General population; relatives or friends; and hospital patients. Matching is often used in case-control control studies to ensure that the cases and controls are similar in certain characteristics, and it is a useful technique to increase the efficiency of the study. Case-Control studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive - particularly when compared with cohort studies (prospective). It is useful to study rare outcomes and outcomes with long latent periods. This design is not very useful to study rare exposures. Furthermore, they may also be prone to certain biases - selection bias and recall bias.

Method for mapping population-based case-control studies: an application using generalized additive models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aschengrau Ann

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mapping spatial distributions of disease occurrence and risk can serve as a useful tool for identifying exposures of public health concern. Disease registry data are often mapped by town or county of diagnosis and contain limited data on covariates. These maps often possess poor spatial resolution, the potential for spatial confounding, and the inability to consider latency. Population-based case-control studies can provide detailed information on residential history and covariates. Results Generalized additive models (GAMs provide a useful framework for mapping point-based epidemiologic data. Smoothing on location while controlling for covariates produces adjusted maps. We generate maps of odds ratios using the entire study area as a reference. We smooth using a locally weighted regression smoother (loess, a method that combines the advantages of nearest neighbor and kernel methods. We choose an optimal degree of smoothing by minimizing Akaike's Information Criterion. We use a deviance-based test to assess the overall importance of location in the model and pointwise permutation tests to locate regions of significantly increased or decreased risk. The method is illustrated with synthetic data and data from a population-based case-control study, using S-Plus and ArcView software. Conclusion Our goal is to develop practical methods for mapping population-based case-control and cohort studies. The method described here performs well for our synthetic data, reproducing important features of the data and adequately controlling the covariate. When applied to the population-based case-control data set, the method suggests spatial confounding and identifies statistically significant areas of increased and decreased odds ratios.

A Case Study of Teaching Marketing Research Using Client-Sponsored Projects: Method, Challenges, and Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Bove, Liliana L.; Davies, W. Martin

2009-01-01

This case study outlines the use of client-sponsored research projects in a quantitative postgraduate marketing research subject conducted in a 12-week semester in a research-intensive Australian university. The case study attempts to address the dearth of recent literature on client-sponsored research projects in the discipline of marketing.…

Using existing case-mix methods to fund trauma cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Monakova, Julia; Blais, Irene; Botz, Charles; Chechulin, Yuriy; Picciano, Gino; Basinski, Antoni

2010-01-01

Policymakers frequently face the need to increase funding in isolated and frequently heterogeneous (clinically and in terms of resource consumption) patient subpopulations. This article presents a methodologic solution for testing the appropriateness of using existing grouping and weighting methodologies for funding subsets of patients in the scenario where a case-mix approach is preferable to a flat-rate based payment system. Using as an example the subpopulation of trauma cases of Ontario lead trauma hospitals, the statistical techniques of linear and nonlinear regression models, regression trees, and spline models were applied to examine the fit of the existing case-mix groups and reference weights for the trauma cases. The analyses demonstrated that for funding Ontario trauma cases, the existing case-mix systems can form the basis for rational and equitable hospital funding, decreasing the need to develop a different grouper for this subset of patients. This study confirmed that Injury Severity Score is a poor predictor of costs for trauma patients. Although our analysis used the Canadian case-mix classification system and cost weights, the demonstrated concept of using existing case-mix systems to develop funding rates for specific subsets of patient populations may be applicable internationally.

ARCADO - Adding random case analysis to direct observation in workplace-based formative assessment of general practice registrars.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingham, Gerard; Fry, Jennifer; Morgan, Simon; Ward, Bernadette

2015-12-10

Workplace-based formative assessments using consultation observation are currently conducted during the Australian general practice training program. Assessment reliability is improved by using multiple assessment methods. The aim of this study was to explore experiences of general practice medical educator assessors and registrars (trainees) when adding random case analysis to direct observation (ARCADO) during formative workplace-based assessments. A sample of general practice medical educators and matched registrars were recruited. Following the ARCADO workplace assessment, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. The data was analysed thematically. Ten registrars and eight medical educators participated. Four major themes emerged - formative versus summative assessment; strengths (acceptability, flexibility, time efficiency, complementarity and authenticity); weaknesses (reduced observation and integrity risks); and contextual factors (variation in assessment content, assessment timing, registrar-medical educator relationship, medical educator's approach and registrar ability). ARCADO is a well-accepted workplace-based formative assessment perceived by registrars and assessors to be valid and flexible. The use of ARCADO enabled complementary insights that would not have been achieved with direct observation alone. Whilst there are some contextual factors to be considered in its implementation, ARCADO appears to have utility as formative assessment and, subject to further evaluation, high-stakes assessment.

Five misunderstandings about Case-study Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyvbjerg, Bent

This article examines five common misunderstandings about case-study research: (1) Theoretical knowledge is more valuable than practical knowledge; (2) One cannot generalize from a single case, therefore the single case study cannot contribute to scientific development; (3) The case study is most...... useful for generating hypotheses, while other methods aremore suitable for hypotheses testing and theory building; (4) The case study contains a bias toward verification; and (5) It is often difficult to summarize specific case studies. The article explains and corrects these misunderstandings one by one...... and concludes with the Kuhnian insight that a scientific discipline without a large number of thoroughly executed case studies is a discipline without systematic production of exemplars, and that a discipline without  exemplars is an ineffective one. Social science may be strengthened by the execution of more...

Association Between Zolpidem Use and Glaucoma Risk: A Taiwanese Population-Based Case-Control Study

OpenAIRE

Ho, Yi-Hao; Chang, Yue-Cune; Huang, Wei-Cheng; Chen, Hsin-Yi; Lin, Che-Chen; Sung, Fung-Chang

2015-01-01

Background To date, the relationship between zolpidem use and subsequent risk of glaucoma in a Taiwanese population has not been assessed. Methods We used data from the National Health Insurance system to investigate whether zolpidem use was related to glaucoma risk. A 1:4 matched case-control study was conducted. The cases were patients newly diagnosed with glaucoma from 2001 to 2010. The controls were randomly selected non-glaucoma subjects matched by sex and age (?5 years). Zolpidem exposu...

A case-control study of risk of leukaemia in relation to mobile phone use.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, R; Laing, S; Swerdlow, A J

2010-11-23

Mobile phone use is now ubiquitous, and scientific reviews have recommended research into its relation to leukaemia risk, but no large studies have been conducted. In a case-control study in South East England to investigate the relation of acute and non-lymphocytic leukaemia risk to mobile phone use, 806 cases with leukaemia incident 2003-2009 at ages 18-59 years (50% of those identified as eligible) and 585 non-blood relatives as controls (provided by 392 cases) were interviewed about mobile phone use and other potentially aetiological variables. No association was found between regular mobile phone use and risk of leukaemia (odds ratio (OR)=1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.76, 1.46). Analyses of risk in relation to years since first use, lifetime years of use, cumulative number of calls and cumulative hours of use produced no significantly raised risks, and there was no evidence of any trends. A non-significantly raised risk was found in people who first used a phone 15 or more years ago (OR=1.87, 95% CI=0.96, 3.63). Separate analyses of analogue and digital phone use and leukaemia subtype produced similar results to those overall. This study suggests that use of mobile phones does not increase leukaemia risk, although the possibility of an effect after long-term use, while biologically unlikely, remains open.

Cost reduction in the production process using the ABC and Lean tools: Case Study in the refrigeration components industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Levi da Silva Guimarães

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on production management with respect to operating costs that relate directly to the value of the product. For this study, three methods were used, ABC - Activity Based Costing, which provides accurate information about the knowledge of the real costs, VSM - Value Stream Mapping and Lean Manufacturing. The method adopted for this research was the case study. The study was conducted at a refrigeration components company in the Industrial Center of Manaus. The analyses and observations initially went through the process of mapping the value stream, measuring the current state of activities (cycle time, setup, etc.. After analysis it was possible to map the cost for each activity and finally calculate the cost of the product before and after the improvements resulting from the lean methodology. The results obtained in this study showed a 20% reduction in product costs resulting from operational improvements. The activity-based cost led to a discovery of the real costs of waste. The steps for this study include process mapping through the value stream, measuring the current state of activities (cycle time, setup, etc., establishing the cost driver for each activity, and finally calculating the cost of the product before and after the application of lean improvements. The paper was conducted through literature and descriptive review, and used a case study method. It describes the model that has been tested in a production line for a refrigeration components company from the Manaus Industrial Center, achieving a 20% reduction in product cost.

Localizing and tracking electrodes using stereovision in epilepsy cases

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xiaoyao; Ji, Songbai; Roberts, David W.; Paulsen, Keith D.

2015-03-01

In epilepsy cases, subdural electrodes are often implanted to acquire intracranial EEG (iEEG) for seizure localization and resection planning. However, the electrodes may shift significantly between implantation and resection, during the time that the patient is monitored for iEEG recording. As a result, the accuracy of surgical planning based on electrode locations at the time of resection can be compromised. Previous studies have only quantified the electrode shift with respect to the skull, but not with respect to the cortical surface, because tracking cortical shift between surgeries is challenging. In this study, we use an intraoperative stereovision (iSV) system to visualize and localize the cortical surface as well as electrodes, record three-dimensional (3D) locations of the electrodes in MR space at the time of implantation and resection, respectively, and quantify the raw displacements, i.e., with respect to the skull. Furthermore, we track the cortical surface and quantify the shift between surgeries using an optical flow (OF) based motion-tracking algorithm. Finally, we compute the electrode shift with respect to the cortical surface by subtracting the cortical shift from raw measured displacements. We illustrate the method using one patient example. In this particular patient case, the results show that the electrodes not only shifted significantly with respect to the skull (8.79 +/- 3.00 mm in the lateral direction, ranging from 2.88 mm to 12.87 mm), but also with respect to the cortical surface (7.20 +/- 3.58 mm), whereas the cortical surface did not shift significantly in the lateral direction between surgeries (2.23 +/- 0.76 mm).

Direct and indirect effects of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis on the prevention of pelvic inflammatory disease: a mathematical modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, Sereina A; Heijne, Janneke C M; Scott, Pippa; Althaus, Christian L; Low, Nicola

2013-11-01

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) results from the ascending spread of microorganisms, including Chlamydia trachomatis, to the upper genital tract. Screening could improve outcomes by identifying and treating chlamydial infections before they progress to PID (direct effect) or by reducing chlamydia transmission (indirect effect). We developed a compartmental model that represents a hypothetical heterosexual population and explicitly incorporates progression from chlamydia to clinical PID. Chlamydia screening was introduced, with coverage increasing each year for 10 years. We estimated the separate contributions of the direct and indirect effects of screening on PID cases prevented per 100,000 women. We explored the influence of varying the time point at which clinical PID could occur and of increasing the risk of PID after repeated chlamydial infections. The probability of PID at baseline was 3.1% by age 25 years. After 5 years, the intervention scenario had prevented 187 PID cases per 100,000 women and after 10 years 956 PID cases per 100,000 women. At the start of screening, most PID cases were prevented by the direct effect. The indirect effect produced a small net increase in PID cases, which was outweighed by the effect of reduced chlamydia transmission after 2.2 years. The later that progression to PID occurs, the greater the contribution of the direct effect. Increasing the risk of PID with repeated chlamydial infection increases the number of PID cases prevented by screening. This study shows the separate roles of direct and indirect PID prevention and potential harms, which cannot be demonstrated in observational studies.

THE NATURE OF USING VIRTUAL WORLDS BY A CHILD AS A LEARNING PLATFORM: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet BAYTAK

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The development of new technologies is found inevitable and children interests toward online platforms and virtual worlds are rapidly growing. In addition, there is a consensus that use of technology for primary or secondary school education is effective for achievement and motivation. In research and practice there are many educational implementations of technology in classrooms that were found useful.Similar to most qualitative studies, the purpose of this study also cannot be narrowed down to a single sentence but the overarching aim of the study is to explore the nature of using virtual worlds as a learning platform during. The theoretical background of this study is rooted from the constructivism and constructionism learning approaches. Consisted with its theoretical framework, this study has followed a qualitative case study research method to explore the nature of the construct. The case is a bounded system that is narrowed to a single case (Merriam, 1988; Stake, 1995; Yin, 2003. There are various types of data collected within this system. Based on the data collected and the research-suggested case study data analysis approaches, the following themes were emerged; realty, learning by discovering, learning by design, scaffolding and chunking information, and real life desires.After using Whyville virtual platform, the aim of this study was expected to start new discussion on young children using more complex virtual worlds such as Second Life. Thus, the results of this study could be guidance for transmission process of children toward Second Life type of virtual worlds. Even though a further discussion may need about the nature of using the virtual worlds, the primary findings of these case studies suggest some practical implications for children’s education.

Case studies in residual use and energy conservation at wastewater treatment plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, D. [Science Applications International Corp., Los Altos, CA (United States)

1995-06-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE) funded a study to document energy conservation activities and their effects on operation costs, regulatory compliance, and process optimization at several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPS). The purpose of this report is to review the efforts of wastewater treatment Facilities that use residuals as fuels. Case histories are presented for facilities that have taken measures to reduce energy consumption during wastewater treatment. Most of the WWTPs discussed in this report have retrofitted existing facilities to achieve energy conservation. The case studies of energy conservation measures found no effects on the facilities` ability to comply with NPDES permits. Indeed, energy conservation activities enhance environmental compliance in several ways.

Use of a Novel ORMOCER as a Universal Direct Restorative Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Hakim, Foroud; Vallée, Jessie

2018-01-01

Composite resin is considered the material of choice for direct restoration of teeth when esthetic outcome is a high priority. While material science improvements have mitigated many of the traditional liabilities related to composite resin restorations, shrinkage and related shrinkage stress still play a role in outcomes, placement techniques, and overall success. This case report demonstrates two restorative scenarios using an ORMOCER® composite material. The first features a female patient who, upon completion of preliminary orthodontic treatment, determined in consultation with the orthodontist that her central incisors would present more idealistic display and esthetics if they were lengthened by approximately 1.5 mm. The lengthening of the incisors was to precede the phase II refinement with clear aligners, which would aim to extrude the remaining anterior teeth to develop incisal balance and symmetry. The second case is that of a woman who presented with a newly symptomatic upper right second bicuspid with an existing nearly decade old, large MODL composite resin restoration. This article demonstrates the universal nature of the novel direct restorative material used, making it well-suited for both anterior and posterior applications.

Case Study Research Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Widdowson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Commenting on the lack of case studies published in modern psychotherapy publications, the author reviews the strengths of case study methodology and responds to common criticisms, before providing a summary of types of case studies including clinical, experimental and naturalistic. Suggestions are included for developing systematic case studies and brief descriptions are given of a range of research resources relating to outcome and process measures. Examples of a pragmatic case study design and a hermeneutic single-case efficacy design are given and the paper concludes with some ethical considerations and an exhortation to the TA community to engage more widely in case study research.

Multiple Study of Case Involving Implementation of Lean Manufacturing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delvio Venanzi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article aims to show some factors that can cause companies to succeed or fail in their attempts to use lean manufacturing, by performing a multiple case study which presents two successful cases and three conditions of failure, in a survey of five large companies, all belonging to the metal-mechanical sector, located in Campinas and Sorocaba, both in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The data were collected using exploratory research between the periods of January 2013 and February 2015. The results show that successful cases of lean manufacturing implementation are the result of a more organized work environment, standardization of production and service areas, employee satisfaction, productivity results and quality of the final product. Unsuccessful deployments result from poor execution and faulty planning, that has no benefit and ultimately decrease the morale of its employees, creating more distrust and frustration directly influencing the results and productivity. In other words, lean manufacturing implementation requires hard and continuous work and these procedures should be aligned with the mission and goals of companies and mainly focus on the maintenance result by using tools to monitor and track the process systematically and also making investments to eliminate waste.

Location of gliomas in relation to mobile telephone use: a case-case and case-specular analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larjavaara, Suvi; Schüz, Joachim; Swerdlow, Anthony

2011-01-01

approaches: In a case-case analysis, tumor locations were compared with varying exposure levels; in a case-specular analysis, a hypothetical reference location was assigned for each glioma, and the distances from the actual and specular locations to the handset were compared. The study included 888 gliomas......The energy absorbed from the radio-frequency fields of mobile telephones depends strongly on distance from the source. The authors' objective in this study was to evaluate whether gliomas occur preferentially in the areas of the brain having the highest radio-frequency exposure. The authors used 2...... from 7 European countries (2000-2004), with tumor midpoints defined on a 3-dimensional grid based on radiologic images. The case-case analyses were carried out using unconditional logistic regression, whereas in the case-specular analysis, conditional logistic regression was used. In the case-case...

MRI case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huggett, S.; Barber, J.

1989-01-01

Three case studies are presented to show the value of magnetic resonance imaging used in conjunction with other imaging techniques. In each case MRI proved a vital diagnostic tool and superior to CT in showing firstly the haematoma in a patient with aphasia and right-sided weakness, secondly the size of the disc herniation in a patient with severe leg and ankle pains and thirdly the existence of a metastatic lesion in a patient with a previous history of breast cancer. 11 figs

Direct Neuronal Reprogramming for Disease Modeling Studies Using Patient-Derived Neurons: What Have We Learned?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janelle Drouin-Ouellet

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Direct neuronal reprogramming, by which a neuron is formed via direct conversion from a somatic cell without going through a pluripotent intermediate stage, allows for the possibility of generating patient-derived neurons. A unique feature of these so-called induced neurons (iNs is the potential to maintain aging and epigenetic signatures of the donor, which is critical given that many diseases of the CNS are age related. Here, we review the published literature on the work that has been undertaken using iNs to model human brain disorders. Furthermore, as disease-modeling studies using this direct neuronal reprogramming approach are becoming more widely adopted, it is important to assess the criteria that are used to characterize the iNs, especially in relation to the extent to which they are mature adult neurons. In particular: i what constitutes an iN cell, ii which stages of conversion offer the earliest/optimal time to assess features that are specific to neurons and/or a disorder and iii whether generating subtype-specific iNs is critical to the disease-related features that iNs express. Finally, we discuss the range of potential biomedical applications that can be explored using patient-specific models of neurological disorders with iNs, and the challenges that will need to be overcome in order to realize these applications.

Case Study: Employee Use of Information and Communication Technologies in a Healthcare Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Aponte, Jorge I.

2011-01-01

This qualitative case study explored the employee use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in a southern Puerto Rico healthcare organization. Thirty-two employees of a southern Puerto Rico healthcare organization provided their perspectives regarding their use of ICT in the workplace. The findings distinguished how employees use ICT…

The hazards of using ionising radiation for non-malignant conditions - a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morton, Tracy

1989-01-01

A case study is presented in which a patient received low dose radiotherapy at seven months for a non-malignant cavernous haemangioma on the upper chest. She subsequently developed three separate malignancies before the age of 40 years: a thyroid carcinoma, a breast carcinoma and a basal cell carcinoma of the skin on the upper chest. This case illustrates the hazards of using ionizing radiation for the treatment of non-malignant conditions. (U.K.)

Treatment planning for SBRT using automated field delivery: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritter, Timothy A.; Owen, Dawn; Brooks, Cassandra M.; Stenmark, Matthew H.

2015-01-01

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatment planning and delivery can be accomplished using a variety of techniques that achieve highly conformal dose distributions. Herein, we describe a template-based automated treatment field approach that enables rapid delivery of more than 20 coplanar fields. A case study is presented to demonstrate how modest adaptations to traditional SBRT planning can be implemented to take clinical advantage of this technology. Treatment was planned for a left-sided lung lesion adjacent to the chest wall using 25 coplanar treatment fields spaced at 11° intervals. The plan spares the contralateral lung and is in compliance with the conformality standards set forth in Radiation Therapy and Oncology Group protocol 0915, and the dose tolerances found in the report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 101. Using a standard template, treatment planning was accomplished in less than 20 minutes, and each 10 Gy fraction was delivered in approximately 5.4 minutes. For those centers equipped with linear accelerators capable of automated treatment field delivery, the use of more than 20 coplanar fields is a viable SBRT planning approach and yields excellent conformality and quality combined with rapid planning and treatment delivery. Although the case study discusses a laterally located lung lesion, this technique can be applied to centrally located tumors with similar results

Seamless Digital Environment – Plan for Data Analytics Use Case Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oxstrand, Johanna Helene [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Bly, Aaron Douglas [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-09-01

The U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program initiated research in to what is needed in order to provide a roadmap or model for Nuclear Power Plants to reference when building an architecture that can support the growing data supply and demand flowing through their networks. The Digital Architecture project published report Digital Architecture Planning Model (Oxstrand et. al, 2016) discusses things to consider when building an architecture to support the increasing needs and demands of data throughout the plant. Once the plant is able to support the data demands it still needs to be able to provide the data in an easy, quick and reliable method. A common method is to create a “one stop shop” application that a user can go to get all the data they need. The creation of this leads to the need of creating a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE) to integrate all the “siloed” data. An SDE is the desired perception that should be presented to users by gathering the data from any data source (e.g., legacy applications and work management systems) without effort by the user. The goal for FY16 was to complete a feasibility study for data mining and analytics for employing information from computer-based procedures enabled technologies for use in developing improved business analytics. The research team collaborated with multiple organizations to identify use cases or scenarios, which could be beneficial to investigate in a feasibility study. Many interesting potential use cases were identified throughout the FY16 activity. Unfortunately, due to factors out of the research team’s control, none of the studies were initiated this year. However, the insights gained and the relationships built with both PVNGS and NextAxiom will be valuable when moving forward with future research. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting it was identified would be very beneficial to the industry to

Emotion, Engagement, and Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Herreid, Clyde Freeman; Terry, David R.; Lemons, Paula; Armstrong, Norris; Brickman, Peggy; Ribbens, Eric

2014-01-01

Three college faculty taught large general biology classes using case studies and personal response systems (clickers). Each instructor taught the same eight cases in two different sections, except the questions within the cases differed. In one section the questions were lower order (LO) factual inquiries, and in the other they were largely…

Executable Use Cases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jens Bæk; Bossen, Claus

2004-01-01

and into the work processes they're to support. However, prototypes typically provide an explicit representation only of the system itself. Executable use cases, on the other hand, can also describe the environment. EUCs are designed to: narrow the gap between informal ideas about requirements and the formalization...... modeling. This article describes a case study in which developers used EUCs to prototype an electronic patient record system for hospitals in Aarhus, Denmark.......Many software experts argue that when we design a new system, we should create an explicit description of the environment in which the proposed system is to be used. The argument becomes crucial for pervasive computing, which aims to tightly integrate systems into their environments...

Costs and benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising: the case of depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Block, Adam E

2007-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is legal in the US and New Zealand, but illegal in the rest of the world. Little or no research exists on the social welfare implications of DTCA. To quantify the total costs and benefits associated with both appropriate and inappropriate care due to DTCA, for the case of depression. A cost-benefit model was developed using parameter estimates from available survey, epidemiological and experimental data. The model estimates the total benefits and costs (year 2002 values) of new appropriate and inappropriate care stimulated by DTCA for depression. Uncertainty in model parameters is addressed with sensitivity analyses. This study provides evidence that 94% of new antidepressant use due to DTCA is from non-depressed individuals. However, the average health benefit to each new depressed user is 63-fold greater than the cost per treatment, creating a positive overall social welfare effect; a net benefit of >72 million US dollars. This analysis suggests that DTCA may lead to antidepressant treatment in 15-fold as many non-depressed people as depressed people. However, the costs of treating non-depressed people may be vastly outweighed by the much larger benefit accruing to treated depressed individuals. The cost-benefit ratio can be improved through better targeting of advertisements and higher quality treatment of depression.

Using Case Studies in Business Education to Promote Networked Thinking: Findings of an Intervention Study

Science.gov (United States)

Pilz, Matthias; Zenner, Lea

2018-01-01

Case studies are central to the way management is currently taught at universities. Among other benefits attributed to the case study method is that it promotes networked thinking by learners. Networked thinking takes account of interactions and repercussions, making it crucial to decision-making within the complex system of rules that shapes…

Defining principles for good practice: using case studies to inform health systems action on health inequalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Sarah; Kelly, Michael P; Morgan, Antony

2013-02-01

This paper presents work using case studies as a source of data to see if we could extrapolate from the specific to the general particularly with regard to understanding what constitutes effective practice in taking action on SDHI and as a way of enabling policy makers to make better use of knowledge within the case studies and as a way of better understanding what works, in what context and why. Case studies are important to evaluators in that they are relatively straightforward to undertake and because those involved in implementing an intervention are usually keen to profile the intervention. A checklist described in this paper will enable policy advisers and evaluators to quickly review a case study and right away see if it contains enough information to assist in the development of policy options for reducing socially determined health inequalities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pathology informatics fellowship retreats: The use of interactive scenarios and case studies as pathology informatics teaching tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Roy E; McClintock, David S; Balis, Ulysses J; Baron, Jason M; Becich, Michael J; Beckwith, Bruce A; Brodsky, Victor B; Carter, Alexis B; Dighe, Anand S; Haghighi, Mehrvash; Hipp, Jason D; Henricks, Walter H; Kim, Jiyeon Y; Klepseis, Veronica E; Kuo, Frank C; Lane, William J; Levy, Bruce P; Onozato, Maristela L; Park, Seung L; Sinard, John H; Tuthill, Mark J; Gilbertson, John R

2012-01-01

Last year, our pathology informatics fellowship added informatics-based interactive case studies to its existing educational platform of operational and research rotations, clinical conferences, a common core curriculum with an accompanying didactic course, and national meetings. The structure of the informatics case studies was based on the traditional business school case study format. Three different formats were used, varying in length from short, 15-minute scenarios to more formal multiple hour-long case studies. Case studies were presented over the course of three retreats (Fall 2011, Winter 2012, and Spring 2012) and involved both local and visiting faculty and fellows. Both faculty and fellows found the case studies and the retreats educational, valuable, and enjoyable. From this positive feedback, we plan to incorporate the retreats in future academic years as an educational component of our fellowship program. Interactive case studies appear to be valuable in teaching several aspects of pathology informatics that are difficult to teach in more traditional venues (rotations and didactic class sessions). Case studies have become an important component of our fellowship's educational platform.

Awareness and uptake of direct-to-consumer genetic testing among cancer cases, their relatives, and controls: the Northwest Cancer Genetics Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Taryn O; Renz, Anne D; Snapinn, Katherine W; Bowen, Deborah J; Edwards, Karen L

2012-07-01

To determine if awareness of, interest in, and use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing is greater in a sample of high-risk individuals (cancer cases and their relatives), compared to controls. Participants were recruited from the Northwest Cancer Genetics Network. A follow-up survey was mailed to participants to assess DTC genetic testing awareness, interest, and use. One thousand two hundred sixty-seven participants responded to the survey. Forty-nine percent of respondents were aware of DTC genetic testing. Of those aware, 19% indicated interest in obtaining and testing. Additional information supplied by respondents who reported use of DTC genetic tests indicated that 55% of these respondents likely engaged in clinical genetic testing, rather than DTC genetic testing. Awareness of DTC genetic testing was greater in our sample of high-risk individuals than in controls and population-based studies. Although interest in and use of these tests among cases in our sample were equivalent to other population-based studies, interest in testing was higher among relatives and people who self-referred for a registry focused on cancer than among cases and controls. Additionally, our results suggest that there may be some confusion about what constitutes DTC genetic testing.

Effect of illicit direct to consumer advertising on use of etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod in Canada: controlled longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Michael R; Majumdar, Sumit R; Soumerai, Stephen B

2008-09-02

To assess the impact of direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs in the United States on Canadian prescribing rates for three heavily marketed drugs-etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod. Controlled quasi-experimental study using interrupted time series analysis. Representative sample of 2700 Canadian pharmacies and prescription data from 50 US Medicaid programmes. Differences in number of filled prescriptions per 10,000 population per month between English speaking and French speaking (control) Canadian provinces before and after the start of direct to consumer advertising in the United States. Spending on direct to consumer advertising for study drugs ranged from $194m to $314m ( pound104m- pound169m; euro131m-euro212m) over the study period. Prescription rates for etanercept and mometasone did not increase in English speaking provinces relative to French speaking controls after the start of direct to consumer advertising. In contrast, tegaserod prescriptions increased 42% (0.56 prescriptions/10,000 residents, 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.76) in English speaking provinces immediately after the start of US direct to consumer advertising. Uncontrolled analysis of US Medicaid data showed a larger 56% increase in tegaserod prescriptions. However, this increase did not persist over time in either country, despite continued advertising. Exposure to US direct to consumer advertising transiently influenced both Canadian and US prescribing rates for tegaserod, a drug later withdrawn owing to safety concerns. The impact of direct to consumer advertising on drug use seems to be highly variable and probably depends on the characteristics of the advertised drug, the level of exposure to direct to consumer advertising, and the cultural context.

Performable Case Studies in Ethics Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Robeson, Richard; King, Nancy M P

2017-09-12

Bioethics education often includes the study of short stories, novels, plays, and films, because such materials present case examples that can highlight relevant issues and questions especially vividly for a wide range of students. In addition, creative writing is widely used in the education of health professional students and in continuing education settings for health professionals. There are very few academic or professional disciplines that do not use case studies, but the case study in dialogic form has not been standard practice for thousands of years. Dramatic arts casuistry-the creation and performance of short case studies designed specifically to raise bioethics issues for discussion-represents an application of literature and the medical humanities that is both unique and uniquely valuable. This essay describes the development and history of a course that has been successfully taught to medical students and graduate bioethics students, in which the class researches, writes, and performs a case study designed to elicit reflection and discussion about a topic and set of bioethics issues of current interest to both academic and general audiences. The model is also suited to the presentation and discussion of existing case studies, both live and via on-demand audio.

Teaching Business French through Case Studies: Presentation of a Marketing Case.

Science.gov (United States)

Federico, Salvatore; Moore, Catherine

The use of case studies as a means for teaching business French is discussed. The approach is advocated because of the realism of case studies, which are based on actual occurrences. Characteristics of a good case are noted: it tells a story, focuses on interest-arousing issues, is set in the past 10 years, permits empathy with the main…

Analyses of robot systems using fault and event trees: case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodabandehloo, Koorosh

1996-01-01

Safety in the use of robotics outside factories or processing plants has become a matter of great international concern. Domestic robots and those intended to assist nurses and surgeons in hospitals are examples of cases where safety and reliability are considered critical. The safe performance of robot systems depends on many factors, including the integrity of the robot's hardware and software, the way it communicates with sensory and other production equipment, the reliable function of the safety features present and the way the robot interacts with its environment. The use of systematic techniques such as Fault and Event Tree analysis to examine the safety and reliability of a given robotic system is presented. Considerable knowledge is needed before the application of such analysis techniques can be translated into safety specifications or indeed 'fail-safe' design features of robotic systems. The skill and understanding required for the formulation of such specifications is demonstrated here based on a number of case studies

Comparison of Risk Assessment Using HAZOP and ETBA Techniques: Case Study of a Gasoline Refinery Unit in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirazeh Arghami

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Prevention of accidents—a crucial requirement in oil industries—involves hazard recognition, risk assessment, and corrective actions. The purpose of this study was to compare the ETBA and HAZOP techniques for risk assessment in a gasoline refinery unit. Methods: In this case study, data were collected using process flow diagram, walking–talking through method, piping and instrumentation diagram, and direct observations. Worksheets for both techniques were filled on the basis of the risk assessment matrix MIL-STD-882E. Results: The HAZOP method identified 44 deviations attributable to 118 causes. In addition, 11.37% of the identified hazards were associated with unacceptable risk, and 36.36%, with unfavorable risk. The ETBA method detected 10 groups of energy (24 subgroups; 33 hazards were detected, 10.62% of which were associated with unacceptable risk. Conclusion: HAZOP proved to be the more powerful technique for the prediction and identification of hazards. However, ETBA detected certain hazards that were not identifiable using HAZOP. Therefore, a combination of these two methods is desirable for the assessment of hazard risk in process industries.

Teaching Sustainability Using an Active Learning Constructivist Approach: Discipline-Specific Case Studies in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Kalamas Hedden

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present our rationale for using an active learning constructivist approach to teach sustainability-related topics in a higher education. To push the boundaries of ecological literacy, we also develop a theoretical model for sustainability knowledge co-creation. Drawing on the experiences of faculty at a major Southeastern University in the United States, we present case studies in architecture, engineering, geography, and marketing. Four Sustainability Faculty Fellows describe their discipline-specific case studies, all of which are project-based learning experiences, and include details regarding teaching and assessment. Easily replicated in other educational contexts, these case studies contribute to the advancement of sustainability education.

[Case and studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Schubert, András

2015-11-15

Case studies and case reports form an important and ever growing part of scientific and scholarly literature. The paper deals with the share and citation rate of these publication types on different fields of research. In general, evidence seems to support the opinion that an excessive number of such publications may negatively influence the impact factor of the journal. In the literature of scientometrics, case studies (at least the presence of the term "case study" in the titles of the papers) have a moderate share, but their citation rate is practically equal to that of other publication types.

Quasi-crystalline and disordered photonic structures fabricated using direct laser writing

Science.gov (United States)

Sinelnik, Artem D.; Pinegin, Konstantin V.; Bulashevich, Grigorii A.; Rybin, Mikhail V.; Limonov, Mikhail F.; Samusev, Kirill B.

2017-09-01

Direct laser writing is a rapid prototyping technology that has been utilized for the fabrication of micro- and nano-scale materials that have a perfect structure in most of the cases. In this study we exploit the direct laser writing to create several classes of non-periodic materials, such as quasi-crystalline lattices and three-dimensional (3D) objects with an orientation disorder in structural elements. Among quasi-crystalline lattices we consider Penrose tiling and Lévy-type photonic glasses. Images of the fabricated structures are obtained with a scanning electron microscope. In experiment we study the optical diffraction from 3D woodpile photonic structures with orientation disorder and analyze diffraction patters observed on a flat screen positioned behind the sample. With increasing of the disorder degree, we find an impressive transformation of the diffraction patterns from perfect Laue picture to a speckle pattern.

North Carolina's direct care workforce development journey: the case of the North Carolina New Organizational Vision Award Partner Team.

Science.gov (United States)

Brannon, S Diane; Kemper, Peter; Barry, Theresa

2009-01-01

Better Jobs Better Care was a five-state direct care workforce demonstration designed to change policy and management practices that influence recruitment and retention of direct care workers, problems that continue to challenge providers. One of the projects, the North Carolina Partner Team, developed a unified approach in which skilled nursing, home care, and assisted living providers could be rewarded for meeting standards of workplace excellence. This case study documents the complex adaptive system agents and processes that coalesced to result in legislation recognizing the North Carolina New Organizational Vision Award. We used a holistic, single-case study design. Qualitative data from project work plans and progress reports as well as notes from interviews with key stakeholders and observation of meetings were coded into a simple rubric consisting of characteristics of complex adaptive systems. Key system agents in the state set the stage for the successful multistakeholder coalition. These included leadership by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and a several year effort to develop a unifying vision for workforce development. Grant resources were used to facilitate both content and process work. Structure was allowed to emerge as needed. The coalition's own development is shown to have changed the context from which it was derived. An inclusive and iterative process produced detailed standards and measures for the voluntary recognition process. With effective facilitation, the interests of the multiple stakeholders coalesced into a policy response that encourages practice changes. Implications for managing change-oriented coalitions are discussed.

What's in a Name? The Incorrect Use of Case Series as a Study Design Label in Studies Involving Dogs and Cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Cullen, J N; Makielski, K M; Jones-Bitton, A

2017-07-01

Study design labels are used to identify relevant literature to address specific clinical and research questions and to aid in evaluating the evidentiary value of research. Evidence from the human healthcare literature indicates that the label "case series" may be used inconsistently and inappropriately. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of studies in the canine and feline veterinary literature labeled as case series that actually corresponded to descriptive cohort studies, population-based cohort studies, or other study designs. Our secondary objective was to identify the proportion of case series in which potentially inappropriate inferential statements were made. Descriptive evaluation of published literature. One-hundred published studies (from 19 journals) labeled as case series. Studies were identified by a structured literature search, with random selection of 100 studies from the relevant citations. Two reviewers independently characterized each study, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Of the 100 studies, 16 were case series. The remaining studies were descriptive cohort studies (35), population-based cohort studies (36), or other observational or experimental study designs (13). Almost half (48.8%) of the case series or descriptive cohort studies, with no control group and no formal statistical analysis, included inferential statements about the efficacy of treatment or statistical significance of potential risk factors. Authors, peer-reviewers, and editors should carefully consider the design elements of a study to accurately identify and label the study design. Doing so will facilitate an understanding of the evidentiary value of the results. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

An autopsy study of 74 cases of cut throat injuries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Rao

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The present prospective autopsy study was carried out during the period July 2009 to May 2012 in Kingston, Jamaica. A total of 74 cases of cut throat injury were studied. All the cut throat injuries irrespective of those directly or indirectly contributing to the death were studied. Males dominated the list of victims, contributing to 71.62% (n = 53. Majority of those were in the age group 21–30 (n = 25 and 31–40 (n = 26 which contributed to 33.78% and 35.13% respectively. Majority of the cases were homicides contributing to 97.29% (n = 72 of cases, only 2.7% were suicides and accidental cut throat were never reported. Males dominated the homicides category contributing to 72.22% (n = 52 of the cases. Gang and relationship crisis (homosexual and heterosexual were the major motivating factors, each contributing to 39.19% (n = 29 and 32.43% (n = 24 of the cases, respectively. The disease suffered by individuals were the least motivating factors contributing to 1.35% of cases (n = 01. The most common cause of death was exsanguinations in 49.95% (n = 34 of cases followed closely by asphyxia due to aspiration of blood i.e. 36.49% (n = 27 of cases and air embolism was the least cause of death, contributing to 4.05% (n = 03 of cases. Cut throat injury was associated with other injuries like gunshot wound, chop wounds and stab wounds in 13.52% of (n = 10 autopsies. Chop injuries contributed to maximum number of other injuries in homicides (n = 46. The most preferred place for the crime was an open field or farm (n = 26. Majority of the cut throat wounds were situated in zone II level contributing to 66.21% (n = 49 of cases. Majority of the wounds were directed from left to right in 75.68% (n = 56 of cases and the cervical vertebra was affected in 8.11% (n = 06 of cases. Major weapon of choice was machete contributing to 83.78% (n = 62 of injuries. The low income group was the most affected group contributing to 91

Direct e-mail marketing: Case of Serbia

OpenAIRE

Končar Jelena A.; Vukmirović Goran; Katai Žita

2005-01-01

Direct e-mail marketing refers to approaching customers directly, without employing intermediaries. It represents a direct mode of communication with the target population, which affects the creation of stronger and more loyal relationships with prospective customers, compared to traditional direct marketing resources (TV, radio, print and advertising panels, etc). The main goal of direct e-mail marketing is building long-term "one to one" relationships with current and prospective customers....

Structuring and coding in health care records: a qualitative analysis using diabetes as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Ann R R; Fernando, Bernard; Morrison, Zoe; Kalra, Dipak; Sheikh, Aziz

2015-03-27

Globally, diabetes mellitus presents a substantial and increasing burden to individuals, health care systems and society. Structuring and coding of information in the electronic health record underpin attempts to improve sharing and searching for information. Digital records for those with long-term conditions are expected to bring direct and secondary uses benefits, and potentially to support patient self-management. We sought to investigate if how and why records for adults with diabetes were structured and coded and to explore a range of UK stakeholders' perceptions of current practice in the National Health Service. We carried out a qualitative, theoretically informed case study of documenting health care information for diabetes in family practice and hospital settings in England, using semi-structured interviews, observations, systems demonstrations and documentary data. We conducted 22 interviews and four on-site observations. With respect to secondary uses - research, audit, public health and service planning - interviewees clearly articulated the benefits of highly structured and coded diabetes data and it was believed that benefits would expand through linkage to other datasets. Direct, more marginal, clinical benefits in terms of managing and monitoring diabetes and perhaps encouraging patient self-management were also reported. We observed marked differences in levels of record structuring and/or coding between family practices, where it was high, and the hospital. We found little evidence that structured and coded data were being exploited to improve information sharing between care settings. Using high levels of data structuring and coding in records for diabetes patients has the potential to be exploited more fully, and lessons might be learned from successful developments elsewhere in the UK. A first step would be for hospitals to attain levels of health information technology infrastructure and systems use commensurate with family practices.

Use of Case Study Methods in Human Resource Management, Development, and Training Courses: Strategies and Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, James R.; Gilberti, Anthony F.; Mupinga, Davison M.

2006-01-01

This paper will study some of the problems associated with case studies and make recommendations using standard and innovative methodologies effectively. Human resource management (HRM) and resource development cases provide context for analysis and decision-making designs in different industries. In most HRM development and training courses…

Preventive endodontics by direct pulp capping with restorative dentin substitute-biodentine: A series of fifteen cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavita Dube

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Treatment of mechanical exposure of the pulp during caries excavation presents a clinical challenge. In this case series of 15 patients, with a follow-up period of over a year, the outcome of direct pulp capping with Biodentine (septodont after mechanical pulp exposure was assessed. Aim of Study: The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of direct pulp capping with Biodentine in deeply carious teeth when pulp was mechanically exposed during caries excavation and cavity preparation. Vital pulps exposed during caries excavation in molar teeth were treated with 3% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min. If adequate hemostasis was achieved, the pulp tissue was capped with Biodentine, which covered the entire pulpal floor. This was followed by the placement of a layer of resin-modified glass ionomer cement and a final layer of composite resin (Filtek Z350-3M to complete the restoration. The patients were recalled periodically and evaluated for any evidence of pulpal/periapical pathology. Results: In the follow-up period that ranged from 12 to 24 months, all teeth were asymptomatic. Conclusion: Biodentine appears to be a suitable material for direct pulp capping under clinical conditions. However, long-term follow-up studies and controlled trials involving a large sample size are warranted.

Direct e-mail marketing: Case of Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Končar Jelena A.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Direct e-mail marketing refers to approaching customers directly, without employing intermediaries. It represents a direct mode of communication with the target population, which affects the creation of stronger and more loyal relationships with prospective customers, compared to traditional direct marketing resources (TV, radio, print and advertising panels, etc. The main goal of direct e-mail marketing is building long-term "one to one" relationships with current and prospective customers. Direct e-mail marketing is not aimed at momentary sale, but at boosting certain product preferences due to the engagement of numerous electronic media.

Using Web-Based, Group Communication Systems to Support Case Study Learning at a Distance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liam Rourke

2002-10-01

Full Text Available This study explored the capacity of Web-based, group communication systems to support case-based teaching and learning. Eleven graduate students studying at a distance were divided into three groups to collaborate on a case study using either a synchronous voice, an asynchronous voice, or a synchronous text communication system. Participants kept a detailed log of the time they spent on various activities, wrote a 1,500-word reflection on their experience, and participated in a group interview. Analysis of these data reveals that each group supplemented the system that had been assigned to them with additional communication systems in order to complete the project. Each of these systems were used strategically: email was used to share files and arrange meetings, and synchronous voice systems were used to brainstorm and make decisions. Learning achievement was high across groups and students enjoyed collaborating with others on a concrete task.

Tracking Global Fund HIV/AIDS resources used for sexual and reproductive health service integration: case study from Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mookherji, Sangeeta; Ski, Samantha; Huntington, Dale

2015-05-27

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria (GF) strives for high value for money, encouraging countries to integrate synergistic services and systems strengthening to maximize investments. The GF needs to show how, and how much, its grants support more than just HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) has been part of HIV/AIDS grants since 2007. Previous studies showed the GF PBF system does not allow resource tracking for SRH integration within HIV/AIDS grants. We present findings from a resource tracking case study using primary data collected at country level. Ethiopia was the study site. We reviewed data from four HIV/AIDS grants from January 2009-June 2011 and categorized SDAs and activities as directly, indirectly, or not related to SRH integration. Data included: GF PBF data; financial, performance, in-depth interview and facility observation data from Ethiopia. All HIV/AIDS grants in Ethiopia support SRH integration activities (12-100%). Using activities within SDAs, expenditures directly supporting SRH integration increased from 25% to 66% for the largest HIV/AIDS grant, and from 21% to 34% for the smaller PMTCT-focused grant. Using SDAs to categorize expenditures underestimated direct investments in SRH integration; activity-based categorization is more accurate. The important finding is that primary data collection could not resolve the limitations in using GF GPR data for resource tracking. The remedy is to require existing activity-based budgets and expenditure reports as part of PBF reporting requirements, and make them available in the grant portfolio database. The GF should do this quickly, as it is a serious shortfall in the GF guiding principle of transparency. Showing high value for money is important for maximizing impact and replenishments. The Global Fund should routinely track HIV/AIDs grant expenditures to disease control, service integration, and overall health systems strengthening. The current PBF system

Using Case Studies to Teach Interdisciplinary Water Resource Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, C. H.; Tillotson, K.

2012-12-01

Teaching about water resources and often emphasizes the biophysical sciences to understand highly complex hydrologic, ecologic and engineering systems, yet most impediments to improving management emerge from social processes. Challenges to more sustainable management often result from trade-offs among stakeholders (e.g., ecosystem services, energy, municipal use, and agriculture) and occur while allocating resources to competing goals of economic development, social equity, and efficient governance. Competing interests operating across multiple scales can increase tensions and prevent collaborative resolution of resource management problems. Here we discuss using specific, place-based cases to teach the interdisciplinary context of water management. Using a case approach allows instructors to first explore the geologic and hydrologic setting of a specific problem to let students understand where water comes from, then how it is used by people and ecosystems, and finally what conflicts arise from mismatches between water quality, quantity, timing, human demand, and ecosystem needs. The case approach helps students focus on specific problem to understand how the landscape influences water availability, without needing to first learn everything about the relevant fields. We look at geology, hydrology and climate in specific watersheds before addressing the human and ecosystem aspects of the broader, integrated system. This gives students the context to understand what limits water availability and how a water budget constrains possible solutions to sustainability problems. It also mimics the approach we have taken in research addressing these problems. In an example case the Spokane Coeur D'Alene basin, spanning the border between SE Washington and NW Idaho, includes a sole source aquifer system with high exchange between surface water and a highly conductive aquifer. The Spokane River does not meet water quality standards and is likely to face climate driven shifts

Sodium Tetradecyl Sulphate Direct Intralesional Sclerotherapy of Venous Malformations of the Vulva and Vagina: Report of Five Cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krokidis, Miltiadis; Venetucci, Pietro; Hatzidakis, Adam; Iaccarino, Vittorio

2011-01-01

We report five cases of female patients affected by symptomatic focal external genital venous malformations treated with percutaneous direct intralesional injection of sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS). All patients were referred because of discomfort and pain when sexual intercourse was attempted. Direct sclerotherapy with 3% STS was performed on a day-hospital basis with the patient under local anesthesia. Complete resolution of the symptoms was achieved in all cases. No major adverse effects were reported. Direct intralesional sclerotherapy with STS may be considered a safe and effective method for the treatment of female external genital malformation without the necessity of general anesthesia for pain control.

Study on bi-directional pedestrian movement using ant algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokce, Sibel; Kayacan, Ozhan

2016-01-01

A cellular automata model is proposed to simulate bi-directional pedestrian flow. Pedestrian movement is investigated by using ant algorithms. Ants communicate with each other by dropping a chemical, called a pheromone, on the substrate while crawling forward. Similarly, it is considered that oppositely moving pedestrians drop ‘visual pheromones’ on their way and the visual pheromones might cause attractive or repulsive interactions. This pheromenon is introduced into modelling the pedestrians’ walking preference. In this way, the decision-making process of pedestrians will be based on ‘the instinct of following’. At some densities, the relationships of velocity–density and flux–density are analyzed for different evaporation rates of visual pheromones. Lane formation and phase transition are observed for certain evaporation rates of visual pheromones. (paper)

Building theories from case study research: the progressive case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenhuis, H.J.; de Bruijn, E.J.

2006-01-01

Meredith (1998) argues for more case and field research studies in the field of operations management. Based on a literature review, we discuss several existing approaches to case studies and their characteristics. These approaches include; the Grounded Theory approach which proposes no prior

Geothermal Exploration Case Studies on OpenEI (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, K.; Bennett, M.; Atkins, D.

2014-03-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) resource assessment (Williams et al., 2008) outlined a mean 30 GWe of undiscovered hydrothermal resource in the western United States. One goal of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Technology Office (GTO) is to accelerate the development of this undiscovered resource. DOE has focused efforts on helping industry identify hidden geothermal resources to increase geothermal capacity in the near term. Increased exploration activity will produce more prospects, more discoveries, and more readily developable resources. Detailed exploration case studies akin to those found in oil and gas (e.g. Beaumont and Foster, 1990-1992) will give developers central location for information gives models for identifying new geothermal areas, and guide efficient exploration and development of these areas. To support this effort, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been working with GTO to develop a template for geothermal case studies on the Geothermal Gateway on OpenEI. In 2012, the template was developed and tested with two case studies: Raft River Geothermal Area (http://en.openei.org/wiki/Raft_River_Geothermal_Area) and Coso Geothermal Area (http://en.openei.org/wiki/Coso_Geothermal_Area). In 2013, ten additional case studies were completed, and Semantic MediaWiki features were developed to allow for more data and the direct citations of these data. These case studies are now in the process of external peer review. In 2014, NREL is working with universities and industry partners to populate additional case studies on OpenEI. The goal is to provide a large enough data set to start conducting analyses of exploration programs to identify correlations between successful exploration plans for areas with similar geologic occurrence models.

Diagramming Transactive Building Business Cases: Using Principles of e3 Value to Document Valuation Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hammerstrom, Donald J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Makhmalbaf, Atefe [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Marinovici, Maria C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-12-30

Energy management in buildings is becoming more transactive. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office recently defined innovative use cases wherein market-like mechanisms are used to manage energy within buildings, between buildings, and between buildings and third-party entities, such as power utilities. A next step toward defining a set of transactive use cases in the buildings domain is to carefully diagram the corresponding business cases to capture details of transactions among all stakeholders and their economic value propositions. The principles of e3-value diagramming are applied in this report toward creating business value diagrams. These principles are extended to be consistent with Universal Modeling Language use-case diagrams. Example diagrams are presented for a subset of buildings-domain use cases that were introduced in an earlier Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report. The diagrams are intended to clearly represent an understanding of the transactions through which individual entities accumulate value in their respective use cases, and the diagrams should therefore support economic valuation studies. The report reviews some of the foundational principles of e3 value and includes authors’ insights concerning the formulation of these diagrams using Universal Modeling Language as a more systematic modeling approach.

Pathology informatics fellowship retreats: The use of interactive scenarios and case studies as pathology informatics teaching tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roy E Lee

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Last year, our pathology informatics fellowship added informatics-based interactive case studies to its existing educational platform of operational and research rotations, clinical conferences, a common core curriculum with an accompanying didactic course, and national meetings. Methods: The structure of the informatics case studies was based on the traditional business school case study format. Three different formats were used, varying in length from short, 15-minute scenarios to more formal multiple hour-long case studies. Case studies were presented over the course of three retreats (Fall 2011, Winter 2012, and Spring 2012 and involved both local and visiting faculty and fellows. Results: Both faculty and fellows found the case studies and the retreats educational, valuable, and enjoyable. From this positive feedback, we plan to incorporate the retreats in future academic years as an educational component of our fellowship program. Conclusions: Interactive case studies appear to be valuable in teaching several aspects of pathology informatics that are difficult to teach in more traditional venues (rotations and didactic class sessions. Case studies have become an important component of our fellowship′s educational platform.

Use of the LITEE Lorn Manufacturing Case Study in a Senior Chemical Engineering Unit Operations Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Nithin Susan; Abulencia, James Patrick

2011-01-01

This study focuses on the effectiveness of incorporating the Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education (LITEE) Lorn Manufacturing case into a senior level chemical engineering unit operations course at Manhattan College. The purpose of using the case study is to demonstrate the relevance of ethics to chemical engineering…

Effect of illicit direct to consumer advertising on use of etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod in Canada: controlled longitudinal study

Science.gov (United States)

Majumdar, Sumit R; Soumerai, Stephen B

2008-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs in the United States on Canadian prescribing rates for three heavily marketed drugs—etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod. Design Controlled quasi-experimental study using interrupted time series analysis. Population Representative sample of 2700 Canadian pharmacies and prescription data from 50 US Medicaid programmes. Main outcome measures Differences in number of filled prescriptions per 10 000 population per month between English speaking and French speaking (control) Canadian provinces before and after the start of direct to consumer advertising in the United States. Results Spending on direct to consumer advertising for study drugs ranged from $194m to $314m (£104m-£169m; €131m-€212m) over the study period. Prescription rates for etanercept and mometasone did not increase in English speaking provinces relative to French speaking controls after the start of direct to consumer advertising. In contrast, tegaserod prescriptions increased 42% (0.56 prescriptions/10 000 residents, 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.76) in English speaking provinces immediately after the start of US direct to consumer advertising. Uncontrolled analysis of US Medicaid data showed a larger 56% increase in tegaserod prescriptions. However, this increase did not persist over time in either country, despite continued advertising. Conclusions Exposure to US direct to consumer advertising transiently influenced both Canadian and US prescribing rates for tegaserod, a drug later withdrawn owing to safety concerns. The impact of direct to consumer advertising on drug use seems to be highly variable and probably depends on the characteristics of the advertised drug, the level of exposure to direct to consumer advertising, and the cultural context. PMID:18765444

Treating Selective Mutism Using Modular CBT for Child Anxiety: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Reuther, Erin T.; Davis, Thompson E., III; Moree, Brittany N.; Matson, Johnny L.

2011-01-01

Selective mutism is a rare, debilitating condition usually seen in children. Unfortunately, there is little research examining effective treatments for this disorder, and designing an evidence-based treatment plan can be difficult. This case study presents the evidence-based treatment of an 8-year-old Caucasian boy with selective mutism using an…

Application of nonparametric regression methods to study the relationship between NO2 concentrations and local wind direction and speed at background sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Donnelly, Aoife; Misstear, Bruce; Broderick, Brian

2011-02-15

Background concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) are not constant but vary temporally and spatially. The current paper presents a powerful tool for the quantification of the effects of wind direction and wind speed on background NO(2) concentrations, particularly in cases where monitoring data are limited. In contrast to previous studies which applied similar methods to sites directly affected by local pollution sources, the current study focuses on background sites with the aim of improving methods for predicting background concentrations adopted in air quality modelling studies. The relationship between measured NO(2) concentration in air at three such sites in Ireland and locally measured wind direction has been quantified using nonparametric regression methods. The major aim was to analyse a method for quantifying the effects of local wind direction on background levels of NO(2) in Ireland. The method was expanded to include wind speed as an added predictor variable. A Gaussian kernel function is used in the analysis and circular statistics employed for the wind direction variable. Wind direction and wind speed were both found to have a statistically significant effect on background levels of NO(2) at all three sites. Frequently environmental impact assessments are based on short term baseline monitoring producing a limited dataset. The presented non-parametric regression methods, in contrast to the frequently used methods such as binning of the data, allow concentrations for missing data pairs to be estimated and distinction between spurious and true peaks in concentrations to be made. The methods were found to provide a realistic estimation of long term concentration variation with wind direction and speed, even for cases where the data set is limited. Accurate identification of the actual variation at each location and causative factors could be made, thus supporting the improved definition of background concentrations for use in air quality modelling

Computer simulation modeling of recreation use: Current status, case studies, and future directions

Science.gov (United States)

David N. Cole

2005-01-01

This report compiles information about recent progress in the application of computer simulation modeling to planning and management of recreation use, particularly in parks and wilderness. Early modeling efforts are described in a chapter that provides an historical perspective. Another chapter provides an overview of modeling options, common data input requirements,...

On the directional accuracy of survey forecasts: the case of gold and silver

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fritsche, U.; Pierdzioch, C.; Rulke, J. C.

2013-01-01

We use a nonparametric market-timing test to study the directional accuracy of survey forecasts of the prices of gold and silver. We find that forecasters have market-timing ability with respect to the direction of change of the price of silver at various forecast horizons. In contrast, forecasters...... have no market-timing ability with respect to the direction of change in the gold price. Combining forecasts of both metal prices to set up a multivariate market-timing test yields no evidence of joint predictability of the directions of change of the prices of gold and silver....

Case Study: Let's Get Personal--Putting Personality into Your Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Herreid, Clyde Freeman

2017-01-01

In this case study, the subject for discussion is the need to use teaching notes in order to add personality to case studies. Personality, it is said, is more important than policy, than demographics, than finances, or amorous peccadillos. Personality is essential. It is the interaction of people that capture our interest, yet, the question is…

Prayer Healing: A Case Study Research Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruijthoff, Dirk J; van der Kooi, Cornelis; Glas, Gerrit; Abma, Tineke A

2017-01-01

Context • Prayer healing is a common practice in many religious communities around the world. Even in the highly secularized Dutch society, cases of prayer healing are occasionally reported in the media, often generating public attention. There is an ongoing debate regarding whether such miraculous cures do actually occur and how to interpret them. Objective • The aim of the article was to present a research protocol for the investigation of reported cases of remarkable and/or unexplained healing after prayer. Design • The research team developed a method to perform a retrospective, case-based study of prayer healing. Reported prayer healings can be investigated systematically in accordance with a step-by-step methodology. The focus is on understanding the healing by studying it from multiple perspectives, using both medical judgment and patients' narratives collected by qualitative methods Setting • The study occurred at Vrije Universiteit (VU) and VU Medical Center (Amsterdam, Netherlands) as well as the general medical practice of the first author. Participants • Potential participants could be any individuals in the Netherlands or neighboring countries who claim to have been healed through prayer. The reports of healing came from multiple sources, including the research team's medical practices and their direct vicinities, newspaper articles, prayer healers, and medical colleagues. Outcome Measures • Medical data were obtained before and after prayer. Subsequently, a member of a research team and of a medical assessment committee made a standardized judgment that evaluated whether a cure was clinically remarkable or scientifically unexplained. The participants' experiences and insider perspectives were studied, using in-depth interviews in accordance with a qualitative research methodology, to gain insight into the perceptions and explanations of the cures that were offered by participants and by the members of the medical assessment committee. The

Smoking, alcohol, and coffee consumption preceding Parkinson's disease: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, M D; Bower, J H; Maraganore, D M; McDonnell, S K; Peterson, B J; Ahlskog, J E; Schaid, D J; Rocca, W A

2000-11-14

To study the association of PD with preceding smoking, alcohol, and coffee consumption using a case-control design. The authors used the medical records linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify 196 subjects who developed PD in Olmsted County, MN, during the years 1976 to 1995. Each incident case was matched by age (+/-1 year) and sex to a general population control subject. The authors reviewed the complete medical records of cases and control subjects to abstract exposure information. For coffee consumption, the authors found an OR of 0.35 (95% CI = 0.16 to 0.78, p = 0.01), a dose-effect trend (p = 0.003), and a later age at PD onset in cases who drank coffee compared with those who never did (median 72 versus 64 years; p = 0.0002). The inverse association with coffee remained significant after adjustment for education, smoking, and alcohol drinking and was restricted to PD cases with onset at age coffee drinking and PD; however, this association does not imply that coffee has a direct protective effect against PD. Alternative explanations for the association should be considered.

Using the Lashof Accounting Methodology to Assess Carbon Mitigation Projects Using LCA: Ethanol Biofuel as a Case Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Courchesne, Alexandre; Becaert, Valerie; Rosenbaum, Ralph K.

2010-01-01

and comparison of different carbon mitigation projects (e.g. biofuel use, sequestering plant, afforestation project, etc.). The Lashof accounting methodology is chosen amid other methods of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission characterization for its relative simplicity and capability of characterizing all types...... of carbon mitigation projects. It calculates the cumulative radiative forcing caused by GHG emission within a predetermined time frame. Basically, the developed framework uses the Mg-year as a functional unit and isolates impacts related to the climate mitigation function with system expansion. The proposed...... framework is demonstrated with a case study of tree ethanol pathways (maize, sugarcane and willow). Study shows that carbon mitigation assessment through LCA is possible and that it could be a useful tool for decision makers as it can compare different projects regardless of their original context. Case...

Case Study Methodology and Homelessness Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill Pable

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the potential suitability of case study methodology for inquiry with the homeless population. It references a research study that uses case study research method to build theory. This study's topic is the lived experience of destitute individuals who reside in homeless shelters, and explores the homeless shelter built environment's potential influence on resident satisfaction and recovery. Case study methodology may be appropriate because it explores real-life contextual issues that characterize homelessness and can also accommodate the wide range of homeless person demographics that make this group difficult to study in a generalized fashion. Further, case study method accommodates the need within research in this area to understand individualized treatments as a potential solution for homelessness.

Interaction between polymorphisms in aspirin metabolic pathways, regular aspirin use and colorectal cancer risk: A case-control study in unselected white European populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheth, Harsh; Northwood, Emma; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Scherer, Dominique; Elliott, Faye; Barrett, Jennifer H; Forman, David; Wolf, C Roland; Smith, Gillian; Jackson, Michael S; Santibanez-Koref, Mauro; Haile, Robert; Casey, Graham; Jenkins, Mark; Win, Aung Ko; Hopper, John L; Marchand, Loic Le; Lindor, Noralane M; Thibodeau, Stephen N; Potter, John D; Burn, John; Bishop, D Timothy

2018-01-01

Regular aspirin use is associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Variation in aspirin's chemoprevention efficacy has been attributed to the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We conducted a meta-analysis using two large population-based case-control datasets, the UK-Leeds Colorectal Cancer Study Group and the NIH-Colon Cancer Family Registry, having a combined total of 3325 cases and 2262 controls. The aim was to assess 42 candidate SNPs in 15 genes whose association with colorectal cancer risk was putatively modified by aspirin use, in the literature. Log odds ratios (ORs) and standard errors were estimated for each dataset separately using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex and study site, and dataset-specific results were combined using random effects meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed association between SNPs rs6983267, rs11694911 and rs2302615 with CRC risk reduction (All Paspirin use and CRC risk (Pinteraction = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively); stratification by aspirin use showed an association for decreased CRC risk for aspirin users having a wild-type genotype (rs2070959 OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.68-0.86; rs1105879 OR = 0.77 95% CI = 0.69-0.86) compared to variant allele cariers. The direction of the interaction however is in contrast to that published in studies on colorectal adenomas. Both SNPs showed potential site-specific interaction with aspirin use and colon cancer risk only (Pinteraction = 0.006 and 0.008, respectively), with the direction of association similar to that observed for CRC. Additionally, they showed interaction between any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including aspirin) use and CRC risk (Pinteraction = 0.01 for both). All gene x environment (GxE) interactions however were not significant after multiple test correction. Candidate gene investigation indicated no evidence of GxE interaction between genetic variants in genes involved in aspirin pathways, regular aspirin use and colorectal cancer

Paramedics experiences and expectations concerning advance directives: a prospective, questionnaire-based, bi-centre study.

Science.gov (United States)

Taghavi, Mahmoud; Simon, Alfred; Kappus, Stefan; Meyer, Nicole; Lassen, Christoph L; Klier, Tobias; Ruppert, David B; Graf, Bernhard M; Hanekop, Gerd G; Wiese, Christoph H R

2012-10-01

Advance directives and palliative crisis cards are means by which palliative care patients can exert their autonomy in end-of-life decisions. To examine paramedics' attitudes towards advance directives and end-of-life care. Questionnaire-based investigation using a self-administered survey instrument. Paramedics of two cities (Hamburg and Goettingen, Germany) were included. Participants were questioned as to (1) their attitudes about advance directives, (2) their clinical experiences in connection with end-of-life situations (e.g. resuscitation), (3) their suggestions in regard to advance directives, 'Do not attempt resuscitation' orders and palliative crisis cards. Questionnaires were returned by 728 paramedics (response rate: 81%). The majority of paramedics (71%) had dealt with advance directives and end-of-life decisions in emergency situations. Most participants (84%) found that cardiopulmonary resuscitation in end-of-life patients is not useful and 75% stated that they would withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the case of legal possibility. Participants also mentioned that more extensive discussion of legal aspects concerning advance directives should be included in paramedic training curricula. They suggested that palliative crisis cards should be integrated into end-of-life care. Decision making in prehospital end-of-life care is a challenge for all paramedics. The present investigation demonstrates that a dialogue bridging emergency medical and palliative care issues is necessary. The paramedics indicated that improved guidelines on end-of-life decisions and the termination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in palliative care patients may be essential. Participants do not feel adequately trained in end-of-life care and the content of advance directives. Other recent studies have also demonstrated that there is a need for training curricula in end-of-life care for paramedics.

The improved quasi-static method vs the direct method: a case study for CANDU reactor transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaveh, S.; Koclas, J.; Roy, R.

1999-01-01

Among the large number of methods for the transient analysis of nuclear reactors, the improved quasi-static procedure is one of the most widely used. In recent years, substantial increase in both computer speed and memory has motivated a rethinking of the limitations of this method. The overall goal of the present work is a systematic comparison between the improved quasi-static and the direct method (mesh-centered finite difference) for realistic CANDU transient simulations. The emphasis is on the accuracy of the solutions as opposed to the computational speed. Using the computer code NDF, a typical realistic transient of CANDU reactor has been analyzed. In this transient the response of the reactor regulating system to a substantial local perturbation (sudden extraction of the five adjuster rods) has been simulated. It is shown that when updating the detector responses is of major importance, it is better to use a well-optimized direct method rather than the improved quasi-static method. (author)

The impact of direct provision accommodation for asylum seekers on organisation and delivery of local primary care and social care services: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieper, Hans-Olaf; Clerkin, Pauline; MacFarlane, Anne

2011-05-15

Many western countries have policies of dispersal and direct provision accommodation (state-funded accommodation in an institutional centre) for asylum seekers. Most research focuses on its effect on the asylum seeking population. Little is known about the impact of direct provision accommodation on organisation and delivery of local primary care and social care services in the community. The aim of this research is to explore this issue. In 2005 a direct provision accommodation centre was opened in a rural area in Ireland. A retrospective qualitative case study was designed comprising in-depth interviews with 37 relevant stakeholders. Thematic analysis following the principles of framework analysis was applied. There was lack of advance notification to primary care and social care professionals and the community about the new accommodation centre. This caused anxiety and stress among relevant stakeholders. There was insufficient time to plan and prepare appropriate primary care and social care for the residents, causing a significant strain on service delivery. There was lack of clarity about how primary care and social care needs of the incoming residents were to be addressed. Interdisciplinary support systems developed informally between healthcare professionals. This ensured that residents of the accommodation centre were appropriately cared for. Direct provision accommodation impacts on the organisation and delivery of local primary care and social care services. There needs to be sufficient advance notification and inter-agency, inter-professional dialogue to manage this. Primary care and social care professionals working with asylum seekers should have access to training to enhance their skills for working in cross-cultural consultations.

Distribution management by means of cutoff order size: a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Nass; R. Dekker (Rommert); W. van Sonderen-Huisman

1997-01-01

textabstractWe present a case study on physical distribution management for a production company in Western Europe. The company delivers finished goods both from distribution centers and directly from plants to its customers. The lead time from distribution centres is shorter, but higher costs are

Problematising Ethnography and Case Study: Reflections on Using Ethnographic Techniques and Researcher Positioning

Science.gov (United States)

Parker-Jenkins, Marie

2018-01-01

This paper was prompted by the question, what do we mean by conducting "ethnography"? Is it in fact "case study" drawing on ethnographic techniques? My contention is that in many cases, researchers are not actually conducting ethnography as understood within a traditional sense but rather are engaging in case study, drawing on…

External adjustment of unmeasured confounders in a case-control study of benzodiazepine use and cancer risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Pottegård, Anton; Ersbøll, Annette Kjaer

2017-01-01

AIMS: Previous studies have reported diverging results on the association between benzodiazepine use and cancer risk. METHODS: We investigated this association in a matched case-control study including incident cancer cases during 2002-2009 in the Danish Cancer Registry (n = 94 923) and age......% confidence interval 1.00-1.19) and for smoking-related cancers from 1.20 to 1.10 (95% confidence interval 1.00-1.21). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the increased risk observed in the solely register-based study could partly be attributed to unmeasured confounding....... PSs were used: The error-prone PS using register-based confounders and the calibrated PS based on both register- and survey-based confounders, retrieved from the Health Interview Survey. RESULTS: Register-based data showed that cancer cases had more diagnoses, higher comorbidity score and more co...

Direct use in Hawaii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, A.G.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on a public laboratory, Noi'i O Puna, that was established in Hawaii to support direct use research in 1985, tapping the previously unutilized heat in brines from the HGP-A well. Two rounds of small grants were offered to entrepreneurs. With the closure of the HGP-A power plant in late 1989, Noi'i O Puna is expanding its facilities. When the HGP-A well is back in service, Noi'i O Puna will be able to support additional research and development projects, as well as pre-commercial ventures. Direct use industries, which support existing agricultural activities in the region have good potential

The Special Place Project: Efficacy of a Place-Based Case Study Approach for Teaching Geoscience

Science.gov (United States)

Moosavi, Sadredin

2014-05-01

Achieving geoscience literacy of the general population has become increasingly important world wide as ever more connected and growing societies depend more and more on our planet's limited natural resource base. Building citizen understanding of their dependence on the local environment, and the geologic processes which created and continue to change it, has become a great challenge to educators at all levels of the education system. The Special Place Project described in this presentation explores use of a place-based case study approach combining instruction in geoscience content with development of observation, reasoning, writing and presentation skills. The approach allows students to select the locations for their individual case studies affording development of personal connections between the learner and his environment. The approach gives instructors at many grade levels the ability to develop core pedagogical content and skills while exploring the unique geologic environments relevant to the local population including such critical issues as land use, resource depletion, energy, climate change and the future of communities in a changing world. The geologic reasons for the location of communities and key events in their histories can be incorporated into the students' case studies as appropriate. The project is unique in placing all course instruction in the context of the quest to explore and gain understanding of the student's chosen location by using the inherently more generalized course content required by the curriculum. By modeling how scientists approach their research questions, this pedagogical technique not only integrates knowledge and skills from across the curriculum, it captures the excitement of scientific thinking on real world questions directly relevant to students' lives, increasing student engagement and depth of learning as demonstrated in the case study reports crafted by the students and exam results. Student learning of topics

The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Steffen; Hviid, Christian Anker

This paper investigates the actual energy use for building operation with the calculated energy use according to the Danish implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). This is important to various stakeholders in the building industry as the calculated energy...... performance is used for estimating investment security, operating budgets and for policy making. A case study shows that the actual and calculated energy use is practically the same in an average scenario. In the worst-case uncertainty scenario, the actual energy use is 20 % higher than the corrected...

Direct parametric reconstruction in dynamic PET myocardial perfusion imaging: in vivo studies

Science.gov (United States)

Petibon, Yoann; Rakvongthai, Yothin; El Fakhri, Georges; Ouyang, Jinsong

2017-05-01

Dynamic PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) used in conjunction with tracer kinetic modeling enables the quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF). However, MBF maps computed using the traditional indirect method (i.e. post-reconstruction voxel-wise fitting of kinetic model to PET time-activity-curves-TACs) suffer from poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Direct reconstruction of kinetic parameters from raw PET projection data has been shown to offer parametric images with higher SNR compared to the indirect method. The aim of this study was to extend and evaluate the performance of a direct parametric reconstruction method using in vivo dynamic PET MPI data for the purpose of quantifying MBF. Dynamic PET MPI studies were performed on two healthy pigs using a Siemens Biograph mMR scanner. List-mode PET data for each animal were acquired following a bolus injection of ~7-8 mCi of 18F-flurpiridaz, a myocardial perfusion agent. Fully-3D dynamic PET sinograms were obtained by sorting the coincidence events into 16 temporal frames covering ~5 min after radiotracer administration. Additionally, eight independent noise realizations of both scans—each containing 1/8th of the total number of events—were generated from the original list-mode data. Dynamic sinograms were then used to compute parametric maps using the conventional indirect method and the proposed direct method. For both methods, a one-tissue compartment model accounting for spillover from the left and right ventricle blood-pools was used to describe the kinetics of 18F-flurpiridaz. An image-derived arterial input function obtained from a TAC taken in the left ventricle cavity was used for tracer kinetic analysis. For the indirect method, frame-by-frame images were estimated using two fully-3D reconstruction techniques: the standard ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction algorithm on one side, and the one-step late maximum a posteriori (OSL-MAP) algorithm on the other

Direct parametric reconstruction in dynamic PET myocardial perfusion imaging: in-vivo studies

Science.gov (United States)

Petibon, Yoann; Rakvongthai, Yothin; Fakhri, Georges El; Ouyang, Jinsong

2017-01-01

Dynamic PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) used in conjunction with tracer kinetic modeling enables the quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF). However, MBF maps computed using the traditional indirect method (i.e. post-reconstruction voxel-wise fitting of kinetic model to PET time-activity-curves -TACs) suffer from poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Direct reconstruction of kinetic parameters from raw PET projection data has been shown to offer parametric images with higher SNR compared to the indirect method. The aim of this study was to extend and evaluate the performance of a direct parametric reconstruction method using in-vivo dynamic PET MPI data for the purpose of quantifying MBF. Dynamic PET MPI studies were performed on two healthy pigs using a Siemens Biograph mMR scanner. List-mode PET data for each animal were acquired following a bolus injection of ~7-8 mCi of 18F-flurpiridaz, a myocardial perfusion agent. Fully-3D dynamic PET sinograms were obtained by sorting the coincidence events into 16 temporal frames covering ~5 min after radiotracer administration. Additionally, eight independent noise realizations of both scans - each containing 1/8th of the total number of events - were generated from the original list-mode data. Dynamic sinograms were then used to compute parametric maps using the conventional indirect method and the proposed direct method. For both methods, a one-tissue compartment model accounting for spillover from the left and right ventricle blood-pools was used to describe the kinetics of 18F-flurpiridaz. An image-derived arterial input function obtained from a TAC taken in the left ventricle cavity was used for tracer kinetic analysis. For the indirect method, frame-by-frame images were estimated using two fully-3D reconstruction techniques: the standard Ordered Subset Expectation Maximization (OSEM) reconstruction algorithm on one side, and the One-Step Late Maximum a Posteriori (OSL-MAP) algorithm on the other

The role of radionuclide studies in emergency cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Tsunehiko; Hayashida, Kohei; Uehara, Toshiisa

1982-01-01

Radionuclide studies have been performed popularly because of its noninvasive and simple method recently. In this study, we applied this technique for the evaluation of emergency cases in cardiovascular diseases. There were 93 cases (1.5%) out of 6163 cases, done during 1981. The subjects were 34 cases of cardiac studies (9 cases of sup(99m)Tc-PYP myocardial imaging, 12 cases of thallium myocardial imaging, 13 cases of cardioangiography), 23 cases of peripheral diseases (12 cases of peripheral angiography, 11 cases of venography), 16 cases of pulmonary imaging, 10 cases of renal studies (6 cases of renal angiography, 9 cases of renal imaging) and 5 cases of brain angiography. These studies were proven to be useful clinically for the evaluation of emergency cases and follow-up studies. In the near future, ''emergency radionuclide studies'' would be benefit for the high-risk patients noninvasively. (author)

Intercity passenger transportation: energy efficiency and conservation case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, A.M.

1981-01-01

To demonstrate a methodology for energy analysis and to advance technical knowledge on the energy conservation potential in intercity passenger transportation, this paper reports findings of a case study of the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal multimodal system. From a total (direct and indirect) energy perspective for origin-destination travel, energy efficiency and conservation potential of technological improvements, modal shifts and increased load factors are reported. 11 refs.

Studying the use of forest management decision support systems: An initial synthesis of lessons learned from case studies compiled using a semantic wiki

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gordon, S.N.; Floris, A.; Boerboom, L.G.J.; Lamas, T.; Eriksson, L.O.; Nieuwenhuis, M.G.; Rodriguez, L.

2014-01-01

In order to share information on the development and use of forest management decision support systems (FMDSS), a European-initiated network has established a wiki website as part of its activities. Case studies and associated lessons learned were solicited from the network using semantic structures

The long-term use of cyproterone acetate in pedophilia: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, A J; Cernovsky, Z; Magnus, R V

1992-01-01

This investigation reports the long-term use of the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate (CPA) in a pedophile, who was studied continuously over 38 months. Measures of sexual arousal, serum testosterone, and gonadotropin levels were significantly reduced by the drug as compared with placebo and no treatment; prolactin levels were significantly elevated. Some workers have observed that long-term administration of CPA (more than one year, which was then discontinued) produced enduring (in some cases apparently permanent) anti-libidinal effects; however, in the case described, within three weeks of stopping the drug, all measures had returned to pretrial levels. The importance of continuous long-term monitoring in sex offenders receiving an antiandrogen is discussed.

Singing well-becoming: Student musical therapy case studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Murphey

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Much research supports the everyday therapeutic and deeper socialneurophysiological influence of singing songs alone and in groups (Austin, 2008; Cozolino, 2013; Sacks, 2007. This study looks at what happens when Japanese students teach short English affirmation songlet-routines to others out of the classroom (clandestine folk music therapy. I investigate 155 student-conducted musical case studies from 7 semester-long classes (18 to 29 students per class over a 4-year period. The assignments, their in-class training, and their results are introduced, with examples directly from their case studies. Each class published their own booklet of case studies (a class publication, available to readers online for research replication and modeling. Results show that most primary participants enjoyed spreading these positive songlets as they became “well-becoming agents of change” in their own social networks. “Well-becoming” emphasizes an agentive action or activity that creates better well-being in others, an action such as the sharing or teaching of a songlet. The qualitative data reveals a number of types of well-becoming such as social and familial bonding, meaning-making, teaching-rushes, and experiencing embodied cognition. The project also stimulated wider network dissemination of these well-becoming possibilities and pedagogical insights.

Treatment of Acute Periodontal Abscesses Using the Biofilm Decontamination Approach: A Case Report Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pini-Prato, Giovanpaolo; Magnani, Cristina; Rotundo, Roberto

2016-01-01

The aim of this preliminary study was to show the treatment effect of the biofilm decontamination approach on acute periodontal abscesses. Clinical cases showing acute periodontitis were treated using an oral tissue decontaminant material that contains a concentrated aqueous mixture of hydroxybenzenesulfonic and hydroxymethoxybenzene acids and sulfuric acid. The material was positioned into the pocket on the root surface and left in the site for 30 seconds. No instrumentation was performed before the treatment. No systemic or local antibiotics were used in any of the cases. A questionnaire was used for each patient to record the pain/discomfort felt when the material was administered. All of the treated cases healed well and very rapidly. The infections were quickly resolved without complications, and the pockets associated with marginal tissue recession were also reduced. The momentary pain upon introduction of the material was generally well tolerated in the nonsurgically treated cases, and it completely disappeared after a few seconds. The biofilm decontamination approach seems to be a very promising technique for the treatment of acute periodontal abscess. The local application of this material avoids the use of systemic or local antibiotics.

Using Photographs as Case Studies to Promote Active Learning in Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, David A.; Salame, Issa I.; Goodwyn, Lauren N.

2010-01-01

If a picture is worth a thousand words, think about how long it takes your students to read a thousand words. Case studies are effective and stimulating ways to teach a variety of subjects, including the biological sciences. In learning the details of a particular case, students develop skills in both deductive and inductive reasoning, hypothesis…

Foreign Direct Investments – the Standard of Fair and Equitable Treatment of Investments on the Example of a Case of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Musabegović

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Foreign direct investments (FDI have a tendency of growth, which will, in accordance with projections, be continued in the future. The increasing number of FDI triggers an increase in the number of cases related to them. After defining the term of international capital movements and its manifestations in the first part of the paper, in its second part the authors give an overview of foreign direct investment, both globally and in the region. The third part deals with the investment disputes before the arbitration court, while in the fourth section, a case of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID is presented. As the case of violation of the principle of fair and equitable treatment of investments is in the main focus of this paper, it is thesubject of а deeper analysis. In this paper, the authors use methodology which is characteristic for social sciences: descriptive and historical method, comparative analysis and case study.

Landslide Economics: Concepts and Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Klose, Martin; Damm, Bodo

2015-04-01

Landslide economics is vital for fundamental understanding of landslide risk as dealing with two important topics: (i) impact assessment, either as damage statistics or cost modeling, and (ii) vulnerability assessment, i.e., the study of exposure, sensitivity, and resilience to landslide damage, ideally from both sociotechnical and financial perspective (e.g., Crovelli and Coe, 2009; Wills et al., 2014). Many aspects addressed in landslide economics have direct influence on landslide risk, including: (i) human activity is often a major causative factor of landslides, not only by predisposing or triggering them, but also as a result of inadequate (low-cost) landslide mitigation; (ii) the level of tolerable or acceptable risk, a measure driving a large part of landslide costs in industrialized countries, is highly variable, differing between individuals, public or private organizations, and societies, with its nature being to change over time; and (iii) decision makers are faced with finding the right balance in landslide mitigation, thus need to weight diverse geological and socioeconomic factors that control its effectiveness in both technical and financial terms (e.g., Klose et al., 2014a). A large part of the complexity in assessing landslide risk as measured by economic costs is due to unique problems in understanding of (i) what types of landslide damage affect human activity and infrastructure in which way, (ii) how society contributes and responds to various kinds of damage, and (iii) how landslide damage is valued in monetary terms. Landslide economics shows the potential to take account of these sociocultural factors to the benefit of risk analysis (e.g., Klose et al., 2014b). The present contribution introduces local and regional case studies in which different economic issues of landslide risk are highlighted using the example of public infrastructures in NW Germany. A special focus is on the following topics: (i) risk culture and created risk, (ii

A Credit Union Case Study of the Business Value of IS/IT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham Pervan

2005-11-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the business value of IS/IT investments in the Financial Services Sectors (FSS in Australia using a case study methodology to develop and refine a conceptual model of the relationship between IS/IT investment and organisational performance. The conceptual model has four main components, IS/IT investment, organisational performance, considerations for strategic information systems planning and managerial effectiveness. A case study of a credit union indicates support for components of the conceptual model. Further, the analysis reveals the existence of intermediary factors, operations, product delivery, customer service and staff. It is concluded that directing IS/IT investments to these areas, particularly when it is done in concert, is most likely to have a positive impact on organisational performance. Lastly, debate on the issue of an IS/IT investment threshold and its applicability to organisations is presented.

Correlates of default from anti-tuberculosis treatment: a case study using Kenya's electronic data system.

Science.gov (United States)

Sitienei, J; Kipruto, H; Mansour, O; Ndisha, M; Hanson, C; Wambu, R; Addona, V

2015-09-01

In 2012, the World Health Organization estimated that there were 120,000 new cases and 9500 deaths due to tuberculosis (TB) in Kenya. Almost a quarter of the cases were not detected, and the treatment of 4% of notified cases ended in default. To identify the determinants of anti-tuberculosis treatment default. Data from 2012 and 2013 were retrieved from a national case-based electronic data recording system. A comparison was made between new pulmonary TB patients for whom treatment was interrupted vs. those who successfully completed treatment. A total of 106,824 cases were assessed. Human immunodeficiency virus infection was the single most influential risk factor for default (aOR 2.7). More than 94% of patients received family-based directly observed treatment (DOT) and were more likely to default than patients who received DOT from health care workers (aOR 2.0). Caloric nutritional support was associated with lower default rates (aOR 0.89). Males were more likely to default than females (aOR 1.6). Patients cared for in the private sector were less likely to default than those in the public sector (aOR 0.86). Understanding the factors contributing to default can guide future program improvements and serve as a proxy to understanding the factors that constrain access to care among undetected cases.