Systematic review of control groups in nutrition education intervention research.
Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Wu, FanFan; Spaccarotella, Kim; Quick, Virginia; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Zhang, Yingting
2017-07-11
Well-designed research trials are critical for determining the efficacy and effectiveness of nutrition education interventions. To determine whether behavioral and/or cognition changes can be attributed to an intervention, the experimental design must include a control or comparison condition against which outcomes from the experimental group can be compared. Despite the impact different types of control groups can have on study outcomes, the treatment provided to participants in the control condition has received limited attention in the literature. A systematic review of control groups in nutrition education interventions was conducted to better understand how control conditions are described in peer-reviewed journal articles compared with experimental conditions. To be included in the systematic review, articles had to be indexed in CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, WoS, and/or ERIC and report primary research findings of controlled nutrition education intervention trials conducted in the United States with free-living consumer populations and published in English between January 2005 and December 2015. Key elements extracted during data collection included treatment provided to the experimental and control groups (e.g., overall intervention content, tailoring methods, delivery mode, format, duration, setting, and session descriptions, and procedures for standardizing, fidelity of implementation, and blinding); rationale for control group type selected; sample size and attrition; and theoretical foundation. The search yielded 43 publications; about one-third of these had an inactive control condition, which is considered a weak study design. Nearly two-thirds of reviewed studies had an active control condition considered a stronger research design; however, many failed to report one or more key elements of the intervention, especially for the control condition. None of the experimental and control group treatments were sufficiently detailed to permit replication of the
COMPETENCE CONDITIONS ENABLING EDUCATION IN PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS: PARENTS’ EVALUATION
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Skaistė Kovienė
2017-04-01
Full Text Available Competence, psychological and material-organisational conditions determine favourable educational environment for parent education in pre-school education establishments. The aim of this research is - to identify competence conditions determining favourable educational environment for parent education in pre-school education establishment. Competence conditions, determining favourable educational environment for parent education in pre-school education establishments, which are formed of pedagogues and parents’ collaboration and parents’ communication between themselves, have been examined in the research. One of the determining factors, forming favourable educational environment for parent education is- pre-school educational establishment pedagogues, therefore both professional and personal pedagogues’ abilities were analysed to apply the most suitable communication and collaboration forms with parents in a concrete situation, to give parents pedagogical-psychological support. Standardised interview was applied for the research (for gathering empiric research data and content analysis (empiric data analysis. Parents of the children attending pre-school education establishments participated in the research. The obtained results allowed making concrete conclusions about competence conditions determining favourable environment for parent education and to identify, according to parents, the most necessary for parents’ education improvement educational environment area, – pedagogues and parents’ communication and collaboration.
Using a Physical Education Environmental Survey to Identify Areas of Concern and Improve Conditions
Hill, Grant; Hulbert, George
2007-01-01
School environmental conditions can impact learning in physical educational classes. It is important for schools to control environmental health hazards, not only to promote a conducive school learning environment, but to also reduce associated health risks. To help physical education leaders determine the quality of physical education facilities…
Operant Conditioning for Special Educators.
Pedrini, Bonnie C.; Pedrini, D. T.
The paper briefly explains operant conditioning as it pertains to special educators. Operant conditioning is thought to be an efficient method for modifying student behavior. Using the B. F. Skinner frame of reference, operant conditioning is said to include behavior modification and therapy, programed instruction, and computer assisted and…
Fenton, Rory; Nyamukapa, Constance; Gregson, Simon; Robertson, Laura; Mushati, Phyllis; Thomas, Ranjeeta; Eaton, Jeffrey W
2016-12-01
We investigated (1) how household wealth affected the relationship between conditional cash transfers (CCT) and unconditional cash transfers (UCT) and school attendance, (2) whether CCT and UCT affected educational outcomes (repeating a year of school), (3) if baseline school attendance and transfer conditions affected how much of the transfers participants spent on education and (4) if CCT or UCT reduced child labour in recipient households. Data were analysed from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of CCT and UCT in 4043 households from 2009 to 2010. Recipient households received $18 dollars per month plus $4 per child. CCT were conditioned on above 80% school attendance, a full vaccination record and a birth certificate. In the poorest quintile, the odds ratio of above 80% school attendance at follow-up for those with below 80% school attendance at baseline was 1.06 (p = .67) for UCT vs. CCT. UCT recipients reported spending slightly more (46.1% (45.4-46.7)) of the transfer on school expenses than did CCT recipients (44.8% (44.1-45.5)). Amongst those with baseline school attendance of below 80%, there was no statistically significant difference between CCT and UCT participants in the proportion of the transfer spent on school expenses (p = .63). Amongst those with above 80% baseline school attendance, CCT participants spent 3.5% less (p = .001) on school expenses than UCT participants. UCT participants were no less likely than those in the control group to repeat a grade of school. CCT participants had .69 (.60-.79) lower odds vs. control of repeating the previous school grade. Children in CCT recipient households spent an average of .31 fewer hours in paid work than those in the control group (p control arm (p = .06).
Operant Conditioning and Education.
de Noronha, Mario
A case study of a learning disabled 8-year-old with behavior disturbancs is presented to highlight the use of operant conditioning in cutting down educational costs and easing the teacher's class management problems. (CL)
Issues of power and control in STEM education: a reading through the postmodern condition
Zouda, Majd
2018-02-01
STEM, or the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, has rapidly become a dominant discourse in political, economic and educational spheres. In the U.S., the STEM movement has been boosted by global economic-based competition and associated fears, in terms of STEM graduates, when compared with other nations. However, many critiques question the nature and goals of this competition, as well as, the possibilities to improve STEM talents through the current dominant conceptualizations and practices of STEM education. In addition, the apparent lack of significant and coherent embracement of (and sometimes silence about) socioscientific and socio-political issues and perspectives renders STEM education incapable of preparing learners for active citizenships. Building on these critiques, I argue that these problems are possible consequences of STEM as a construct of power. My arguments are based on Lyotard's conceptions of knowledge in postmodern society (as reported in The postmodern condition: A report on knowledge, University Press, Manchester, 1984), which I use to analyze some aspects of the STEM educational movement. Throughout the paper, I explore the construction of STEM education within competitive frames that place prime value on high performativity. There seem to be two characteristics of current STEM education that support performativity; these are an increased focus on technological and engineering designs, and a tendency for interdisciplinary education. At the same time, the eagerness for performativity and competition seems to drag STEM education into selectiveness, thereby jeopardizing its possible benefits. Recommendations are also discussed.
Analysis of education conditions in higher educational institutions of Ukraine
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Олександр Петрович Бурмістенков
2016-12-01
Full Text Available The article deals with some issues related to higher technical education conditions in Ukraine, namely, training and certification of graduates of schools, training of students in higher educational institutions and motivation of students to study and teachers to improve teaching methods and deep research within the walls of institution. The causes of education level reduction are expressed. The propositions are made for improving the higher education quality
Motivational condition in educational evaluation
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Julio Fernando Acosta Muñoz
2012-01-01
Full Text Available This is a reflection article, methodologically based on research into and theoretical and conceptual review of the motivational condition in educational evaluation. At the same time, some inquiries about the motivational problems in this education process are made. The objective is to examine what the motivational condition within the process ofeducational evaluation is. On the one hand, educational evaluation is a tool that attests to the knowledge, on the other hand, however, it prevents students from strengthening their interest both in the participation in the specific testing activity and in their learning, since it lays emphasis on extrinsic factors, such as grade, which make students lose and distort their intrinsic motivation to learn. Therefore, the evaluation proposal arisen from the construct of motivation is thought to generate in students positive sensations standing even after goals are obtained. Likewise, it must promote liveliness, integration and psychological health, in order to get students to fulfill their needs and obtain psychological welfare in the classroom.
The relationship between maternal education and reported childhood conditions.
Berchick, Edward R
2016-12-01
Children of more-educated mothers tend to be healthier than children of less-educated mothers. However, in the United States, evidence for this relationship largely focuses on summary measures of health, such as subjective health status, birth weight, and height. Few studies have examined the relationship between mothers' education and children's reported conditions, the health metric that underlies many policy decisions concerning population health. Contrary to stylized facts about socioeconomic gradients in health, higher detection and reporting rates may lead to higher reporting rates among children of more-educated mothers, despite their better underlying health. This reporting pattern that might not mirror gradients for summary health measures. To examine this possibility, I investigate the association between maternal education and nine health conditions in the 1998-2014 National Health Interview Surveys (n = 176,097). I consider variation in the maternal education gradient across the specific reported conditions that children experience, paying particular attention to how patterns differ across children's ages. Results suggest that, unlike for the income gradient in child health, the relationship between maternal education and reported conditions varies in magnitude and direction across conditions. With some exceptions, the probability of reporting a diagnosed condition increases with maternal schooling. For some diagnoses, like asthma, this relationship is curvilinear, with an inverse gradient for children of the most educated mothers. However, the probability of reporting conditions that require neither diagnosis nor substantial parent-child involvement for detection tends to be flat across maternal education. Contrary to expectations, these relationships tend to be more pronounced for children who are 6 years of age or older than for younger children. These results expand understanding of the production and reporting of early-life health inequalities
The Annual Condition of Education Report 2012
Iowa Department of Education, 2013
2013-01-01
The Annual Condition of Education Report provides a wide range of state-level data, including shifts in student populations and demographics, teacher salaries and characteristics, student achievement results, and school financial information. The report provides important metrics to the education community about the status of the education system.…
EDUCABILITY CONDITIONS FOR A NEW SOCIETY: BASIC REFLECTIONS
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Lizia Helena Nagel
2010-08-01
Full Text Available Difficulties in the establishment and consolidation of a Marxist-based educational project in contemporary society characterized by consumption triggered by the development of the so-called flexible economy are provided. Behavior differences of the social being under the aegis of new labor conditions are the minimum conditions for the establishment of any discussion on education.
The Condition of Education 2016. NCES 2016-144
Kena, Grace; Hussar, William; McFarland, Joel; de Brey, Cristobal; Musu-Gillette, Lauren; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jijun; Rathbun, Amy; Wilkinson-Flicker, Sidney; Diliberti, Melissa; Barmer, Amy; Bullock Mann, Farrah; Dunlop Velez, Erin
2016-01-01
Congress has required that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report to policymakers about the progress of education in the United States. "The Condition of Education 2016" presents 43 key indicators on important topics and trends in U.S. education. These indicators focus on population characteristics,…
Modern technology of physical education of disabled students in conditions of inclusive education
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S.G. Adyrkhaev
2016-02-01
Full Text Available There is a problem of physical education of disabled students during period of their study in higher educational establishments. Insufficiency of this problem’s studying conditioned fulfillment of research of perfection of physical education and sports system. Purpose: substantiation of physical education pedagogic technology for disabled students. Material: in experiment students with following nosologies participated: hearing, eyesight, muscular-skeletal apparatus, after effects of cerebral palsy, somatic diseases and diabetes. In total 664 students of 18-24 years’ age took part in experiment. They were 337 boys and 307 girls. Results: we have worked out organizational-methodic algorithm, which permits to combine theoretical, scientific-methodic and practical training. Its basis is current information about students’ psychic-physiological condition. We determined levels of health and physical condition, physical workability and physical fitness as well as psychic state of students. Demand in optimization of students’ motor functioning during all period of study was substantiated as well as effective means of physical education and pulse regimes, considering peculiarities of nosologies. Students’ orientation on sport style of life was formed. Conclusions: implementation of physical education pedagogic technology for students with different nosologies in the process of their studying stipulates solution of training, health-related and educational tasks. It is possible through creation of conditions for motor actions’ training and intensification of motor functioning during all period of study. Practical application of the technology and received results points at integration of disabled students in students’ medium.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takahashi, Yasuyuki; Saito, Kyoko; Hirai, Shoko; Igarashi, Hiroshi; Negishi, Tooru; Hirano, Kunihiro; Kawaharada, Yasuhiro
2010-01-01
We made a detailed study on the course of study in radiation safety control prescribed on March 28, 2003. Questionnaires were sent to 39 training schools for radiological technology, to which 66.7% replied (26/39). Subjects on radiation safety control must include knowledge and technology in both radiation control and medical safety. The contents for instruction of radiation control were in accordance with those given in the traditional program; however, some discrepancies were found in the contents of medical safety. As medical safety, emphasized by the revised Medical Service Law, is regarded as very important by many hospitals, safety control education that include medical ethics should be required as part of the curriculum in the training schools for radiological technologists. (author)
Educational Conditions of Schoolchildren of 7-8 Grades Competence Formation in Innovative Schools
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Ramazan Turkmen
2013-01-01
Full Text Available The article studies methodological system of extracurricular classes, aimed at the development of senior schoolchildren’s key competences, determines educational conditions of schoolchildren’s key competences development in the course of extracurricular activities, develops the principles and ways to control schoolchildren’s independent activity; programs of training workshops for teachers and senior schoolchildren, considers some aspects of senior schoolchildren’s key competences development in the course of extracurricular classes.Educational conditions, which are necessary for competence approach to senior schoolchildren’s extracurricular activities are the following: schoolchildren’s learning and educability levels, motives, interests, professional plans determination; review of requirements for knowledge and skills of schoolchildren, learning from minimal (basic to the advanced level of academic subject learning.We consider further didactic and methodological works of profound subject provision of the system of extracurricular classes in the framework of competence approach, including initial and major school levels as prospect trends of this problem study
Dyck, Dennis G; Weeks, Douglas L; Gross, Sarah; Lederhos Smith, Crystal; Lott, Hilary A; Wallace, Aimee J; Wood, Sonya M
2016-07-26
Over 12,000 individuals suffer a spinal cord injury (SCI) annually in the United States, necessitating long-term, complex adjustments and responsibilities for patients and their caregivers. Despite growing evidence that family education and support improves the management of chronic conditions for care recipients as well as caregiver outcomes, few systematic efforts have been made to involve caregivers in psycho-educational interventions for SCI. As a result, a serious gap exists in accumulated knowledge regarding effective, family-based treatment strategies for improving outcomes for individuals with SCI and their caregivers. The proposed research aims to fill this gap by evaluating the efficacy of a structured adaptation of an evidence-based psychosocial group treatment called Multi-Family Group (MFG) intervention. The objective of this study is to test, in a randomized-controlled design, an MFG intervention for the treatment of individuals with SCI and their primary caregivers. Our central hypothesis is that by providing support in an MFG format, we will improve coping skills of persons with SCI and their caregivers as well as supportive strategies employed by caregivers. We will recruit 32 individuals with SCI who have been discharged from inpatient rehabilitation within the previous 3 years and their primary caregivers. Patient/caregiver pairs will be randomized to the MFG intervention or an active SCI education control (SCIEC) condition in a two-armed randomized trial design. Participants will be assessed pre- and post-program and 6 months post-program. Intent to treat analyses will test two a priori hypotheses: (1) MFG-SCI will be superior to SCIEC for SCI patient activation, health status, and emotion regulation, caregiver burden and health status, and relationship functioning, and (2) MFG will be more effective for individuals with SCI and their caregivers when the person with SCI is within 18 months of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation compared
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A. Galushkin
2016-01-01
Full Text Available In this article, author discusses model of analysis assessing the financial condition of the educational organization of higher education. Author analyzes the sequence (algorithm analysis of fi nancial and economic activity of the educational organization of higher education in the process of separating the analysis of questions of the analysis of the state educational institutions of higher education and non-state educational institutions of higher education. Author also deals with the determination of the average annual values of indicators of educational institution of higher education. In conclusion, the author makes a scientifi cally-based own conclusions and gives a number of suggestions.Goal / task. Aim of the article is to identify further ways of optimizing the financial condition of the educational organization of higher education.Methodology. Author started his research with the setting and the formulation of research objectives. The author defined the subject of the study, prepared by the empirical basis of the study.Results. According to the results of the study produced five research-based fi ndings presented in the article.Conclusions / signifi cance. 1. Analysis of the financial condition of the educational institutions of higher education can be defi ned as a complex and complex economic studies to identify patterns of the system factors in the financial well-being, the subject of analysis of educational, teaching, research and related activities.2. Integral assessment of the conditions of the financial analysis of the educational institution of higher education leads to the conclusion that it should include a number of stages.3. Analysis of the financial condition of the educational institution of higher education should be characterized as a specific type of analytical work. However, it is obvious that it can not be a simple kind of financial analysis of its object, and is a special form of research. The most significant
The ways of transformation and adaptation of educational tools for modern conditions
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V. V. Chuhunov
2013-02-01
Full Text Available The problems of education under present-day conditions, conditioned by dissociation between the informative space determined by the media and information environment and educational space, formed by educational establishments and given by them package of educational data were analyzed; with the help of competence-sentence archive-analysis of practices didactically connotated mechanisms in the context of media and information space associated with the sphere of education were analized. Variants and methods of modernisation of modern educational space were propozed; the ways of transformation and adaptation of educational instruments to present-day conditions were concidered. It was performed the review of innovative hardware and software resources which satisfied educational process, within the framework of the electronic thematic informative contents as well.
Chronically ill patients’ expectations of therapeutic education and their health locus of control
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Małgorzata Anna Basińska
2015-12-01
Full Text Available Background Beliefs as cognitive components of personality indicate what we consider as true or false and help us to answer questions concerning others, the world surrounding us and situations that we encounter. Beliefs about the health locus of control and their relations with expectations pertaining to therapeutic education seem to be of vital importance in the case of occurrence of a chronic illness. The aim of this paper is to verify whether expectations concerning therapeutic education in chronically ill patients demonstrate a relation with beliefs about the health locus of control and whether they vary according to gender, age and health, and to present the results of research that applies the Polish OE-15 scale for the evaluation of therapeutic education expectations depending on the health condition. Participants and procedure Two hundred and ninety-one persons were examined, including 180 patients and 111 healthy controls (the control group, 187 women and 104 men. The average age of subjects was 45.71 (SD = 13.51 years, ranging from 21 to 80 years. The OE-15 Therapeutic Education Expectations Scale and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale in versions relevant for patients and healthy controls as well as demographics were used. Results Age, gender and beliefs about the health locus of control are related to expectations of therapeutic education. Conclusions When providing therapeutic education for chronically ill patients, one should assess their expectations and pay attention to patients’ beliefs about the health locus of control.
Annaim, Ali; Lassiter, Mia; Viera, Anthony J; Ferris, Maria
2015-12-03
Although some research has examined the use of games for the education of pediatric patients, the use of technology for parental education seems like an appropriate application as it has been a part of the popular culture for at least 30 years. The main objective of this systematic review is to examine the literature for research evaluating the use of interactive media in the education of parents of children with chronic conditions. We searched the MEDLINE, PSYCHINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane database of systematic reviews and EMBASE databases from 1986 to 2014 seeking original investigations on the use of interactive media and video games to educate parents of children with chronic conditions. Cohort studies, randomized control trials, and observational studies were included in our search of the literature. Two investigators reviewed abstracts and full texts as necessary. The quality of the studies was assessed using the GRADE guidelines. Overall trend in the results and the degree of certainty in the results were considered when assessing the body of literature pertaining to our focused questions. Our initial search identified 4367 papers, but only 12 fulfilled the criterion established for final analysis, with the majority of the studies having flaws that reduced their quality. These papers reported mostly positive results supporting the idea that parent education is possible through interactive media. We found limited evidence of the effectiveness of using serious games and or interactive media to educate parents of children with chronic conditions.
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Kamaiev O.I.
2012-03-01
Full Text Available The impact of personal and competent approach onto effectiveness of health-forming and health-preserving technologies in higher educational institution conditions was demonstrated. The substance of personal and competent approaches was disclosed. 54 female students took part in the research, from them - 28 in experimental and 26 in control group. It was ascertained that personal oriented approach provide for change of teacher's role and technology of teaching within educational process. Competent approach enables to reorient the teaching technology from the process to the result of education. Educational process gains the active and creative nature by introduction of mentioned approaches.
Psychosocial work conditions, unemployment and health locus of control: a population-based study.
Sadiq Mohammad Ali; Lindström, Martin
2008-06-01
To investigate the association between psychosocial work conditions, unemployment and lack of belief in the possibility of influencing one's own health. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. In total, 5180 persons aged 18-64 years who belonged to the workforce and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work and unemployment, and lack of belief in the possibility of influencing one's own health (external locus of control). Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and job strain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of birth, education, economic stress, and social participation. In total, 26.6% of all men and 26.9% of all women lack an internal locus of control. The passive, job strain and unemployed categories have significantly higher odds ratios of lack of internal locus of control, as compared to the relaxed reference category. No such significant differences are observed for the active category. These patterns remain in the multivariate models, with the exception of the passive and unemployed categories among men, in which the significant differences disappear. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect health locus of control. The control dimension in the Karasek-Theorell model seems to be of greatest importance.
The Annual Condition of Education Report, 2011
Iowa Department of Education, 2011
2011-01-01
The Annual Condition of Education Report provides a wide range of state-level data, including shifts in student populations and demographics, teacher salaries and characteristics, student achievement results, and school financial information. A few examples of the categories presented in this 22nd edition report include: (1) Enrollment; (2) Early…
Hospital-based education support for students with chronic health conditions.
Hopkins, Liza J
2016-04-01
Objective To examine the evidence for best practice in educational support to hospitalised students and describe the existing supports available across each Australian state and territory. Methods A descriptive approach to the diversity of current practice and a review of the published evidence for best practice. Results We have constructed a model of best-practice in education support to hospitalised students. We found that education support services in each state met some of the criteria for best practice, but no one state service met all of the criteria. Conclusions All Australian states and territories make provision for hospitalised students to continue with their education, however the services in some states are closer to the best-practice model than others. What is known about the topic? It is well known that children and young people living with health conditions are at higher risk of educational underachievement and premature disengagement from school than their healthy peers. Although each state and territory across Australia offers some form of educational support to students during periods of hospitalisation, this support differs widely in each jurisdiction in fundamentals such as which students are eligible for support, where the support is delivered, how it is delivered and who coordinates the support. Published evidence in the literature suggests that the elements of good practice in education support have been well identified but, in practice, lack of policy direction can hinder the implementation of coordinated support. What does this paper add? This paper draws together the different models in place to support students in hospital in each state and territory and identifies the common issues that are faced by hospital education support services, as well as identifying areas where practice differs across settings. It also identifies the elements of good practice from the literature and links the elements of theory and practice to present a model of
Ose, Dominik; Rochon, Justine; Campbell, Stephen M; Wensing, Michel; Freund, Tobias; van Lieshout, Jan; Längst, Gerda; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Ludt, Sabine
2014-08-01
This study aimed to describe and to analyse the importance of educational level for controlled risk factors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This observational study was conducted in nine European countries (5632 patients in 249 practices). We compared patients with a low level of education (up to 9 years) with patients with a high level of education (>9 years), with regard to controlled cardiovascular disease risk factors and HRQoL. A multilevel approach was used for statistical analysis. Patients with a low level of education were older (P education, female gender, living as single, patient group (coronary heart disease patients) and the number of other conditions were negatively associated with HRQoL. A higher sum of controlled risk factors were positively associated with higher HRQoL in the whole sample (r = 0.0086, P educational-level groups (r = 0.0075, P = 0.038 in the low-level group and r = 0.0082, P = 0.001 in the high-level group). Patients with a lower educational level were more often females, singles, had a higher number of other conditions, a higher number of uncontrolled risk factors and a lower HRQoL. However, the higher the control of risk factors was, the higher the HRQoL was overall as well as in both educational-level groups. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
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Helen Cheng
Full Text Available This study explored a longitudinal data set of 6875 British adults examining the effects of parental social status (measured at birth, cognitive ability (at age 11 yrs, personality traits, education and occupational attainment on physical health and functioning (all measured at age 50 yrs, after taking account of current health conditions (number of illness. Correlation analysis showed that parental social class, childhood cognitive ability, education and occupation, and two personality traits (Emotional Stability/Neuroticism, and Conscientiousness were all significantly associated with adult physical health variables. Structural equation modelling showed that health conditions and personality traits were significantly, and inversely, associated with physical health (indicated by good daily physical functioning, relative absence of pain, perceived health, and low level of limitations at work due to physical health. Parental social status, childhood intelligence, educational and occupational attainment were all modestly, but significantly and directly, associated with adult physical health. The effect of childhood intelligence on adult physical health was, in part, mediated through Emotional Stability and Conscientiousness. After controlling for health conditions Emotional Stability was the strongest predictor of physical health. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Being Poor at School: Exploring Conditions of Educability in the "Favela"
Bonal, Xavier; Tarabini, Aina
2016-01-01
This article explores how different ways of experiencing poverty affect the possibilities of poor children to make the most of their education. The study uses the concept of conditions of educability to reflect how the different dimensions of the experience of poverty facilitate or hinder the success of educational practices and the learning of…
Gagliardino, J J; Aschner, P; Baik, S H; Chan, J; Chantelot, J M; Ilkova, H; Ramachandran, A
2012-04-01
To evaluate the impact of diabetes education provided to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in non-controlled studies ("real-world conditions") on quality of care, resource consumption and conditions of employment. This cross-sectional study and longitudinal follow-up describe the data (demographic and socioeconomic profiles, clinical characteristics, treatment of hyperglycaemia and associated cardiovascular risk factors, resource consumption) collected during the second phase (2006) of the International Diabetes Management Practices Study (IDMPS). Patients received diabetes education directly from the practice nurse, dietitian or educator, or were referred to ad hoc group-education programmes; all programmes emphasized healthy lifestyle changes, self-care and active participation in disease control and treatment. Educated vs non-educated T2DM patients (n=5692 in each group), paired by age, gender and diabetes duration, were randomly recruited for the IDMPS by participating primary-care physicians from 27 countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Outcome measures included clinical (body weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, foot evaluation), metabolic (HbA(1c) levels, blood lipid profile) and biochemical control measures. Treatment goals were defined according to American Diabetes Association guidelines. T2DM patients' education significantly improved the percentage of patients achieving target values set by international guidelines. Educated patients increased their insulin use and self-care performance, had a lower rate of chronic complications and a modest increase in cost of care, and probably higher salaries and slightly better productivity. Diabetes education is an efficient tool for improving care outcomes without having a major impact on healthcare costs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Education as a Social Control Mechanism.
Bacchus, M. K.
1979-01-01
With the abolition of slavery, most West Indian planters dramatically changed their attitudes toward education for Blacks, suddenly favoring it. This paper examines reasons behind the attitudinal changes, the planters' perceptions on the role of education for Blacks, and the use of education as a mechanism for social control. (DS)
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Dragnev Y.V.
2012-03-01
Full Text Available The informatization of the educational space is determined by the organizational, scientific-technical, educational processes, which update the creation of the unified information and educational space for the comprehensive use of information technologies in educational process of a future teacher of physical culture at the higher school. Stated that the integration and expansion of the educational space of the orients the higher school not only in the preparation of the literate student on the issues of information culture, but also to help the younger generation in the mastery of basic social abilities and skills in conditions of informatization of the educational space.
Conditions for inclusive education from the viewpoint of headmasters
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Janez Kovač
2017-03-01
Full Text Available The paper presents conditions for inclusive education as perceived by headmaster in Slovenian primary schools. In the theoretical part, we focused on key elements of inclusive schools, i.e. headmasters, teachers and parents of children with special needs. In conclusion, we briefly highlight some theoretical propositions in relation to additional professional support in primary schools. In the empirical part of the paper, we present the results of an online survey conducted among headmasters in Slovenian primary schools. The aim of the survey was, among other things, to find how headmasters perceive conditions for inclusive education – those relating to headmasters themselves, to teachers/professional staff working with students with special needs, and those relating to school as a whole. Here, we also paid our attention to differences regarding the number of children with special needs who are included in regular program with adjusted implementation and additional professional assistance. The obtained results provide an opportunity for assessment of current situation, and for further consideration concerning the development of inclusive education in Slovenia in the future.
Variation in Educational Services Receipt Among US Children With Developmental Conditions.
Lindly, Olivia J; Sinche, Brianna K; Zuckerman, Katharine E
2015-01-01
To examine the relationship between ease of access to needed community-based services (ease of access) and educational services receipt, and variation in educational services receipt by sociodemographic and need factors among a nationally representative sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and/or intellectual disability (ID). Data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were linked to the 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services on a sample of 3502 US children aged 6 to 17 years with ASD, DD, and/or ID. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine associations of educational services receipt with ease of access and sociodemographic and need factors. Among children with developmental conditions, nearly half (49.7%) lacked easy access to services, and 16.9% did not have an individualized education program (IEP). Among children with an IEP, those with ease of access were more likely to have an IEP that addressed parent concerns about the child's development and education than those unable to easily access services (adjusted odds ratio 2.77; 95% confidence interval 1.71-4.49). Need factors, including functional limitations status, care coordination need, developmental condition type, and early intervention receipt, were significantly associated with educational services receipt. Cross-systems initiatives facilitating service access remain important to ensuring the developmental needs of children with ASD, DD, and/or ID are met. Increased interprofessional collaboration promoting quality educational services receipt for children diagnosed with developmental conditions may further reduce disparities. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A.V. Lukavenko
2013-05-01
Full Text Available Defined and justified the designing an algorithm for the formation and operation of the content of physical education students. The algorithm is aimed at correcting the mental and physical condition of students in the relevant classes in high school. In the experiment involved a group of boys and girls of 20 people 17-18 years of age.The program provides theoretical and methodological, practical training, and certain types of control. The basis of the program is a differentiated approach to students with the features of display, speakers, self-determination, the relationship between the change in indicators of mental and physical state in the first year of study. Project operations are focused on meeting the requirements of the principles of physical education, the provisions of the public education on maintaining a physically active lifestyle. It is recommended for theoretical and methodological training of the use of modern information tools. Showing the direction of correction of psycho-physical condition of students.
An investigation into the actual condition of radiation safety control
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Katsurayama, Kosuke
1976-01-01
The result of investigation on the real condition of radiation safety control is reported with some considerations. The investigation was made in April, 1975, by means of questionnaires to 418 companies, and the responses were obtained from 126 companies, i.e. 11 research laboratories, 98 manufacturing factories, and 17 inspection facilities. The average integrated dose in the inspection facilities was 0.91 rem/year, the most among three. The exposure dose in most of the research laboratories and manufacturing factories investigated was within the limit of 0.5 rem/year, and that in the inspection facilities was distributed over from the background level to 5 rem/year. The ratios of the workers engaged in radiation operation and the workers possessing the licences related to non-destructive examination to all employees were investigated, but they were not at satisfactory level. Regarding the abandonment of radioactive isotopes, 63.5% of the companies answered deliver the radioactive isotopes to be abandoned to Japan Isotope Association, and 25.7% let equipment makers to take them back. As for the education and training of operators for the safe treatment of radioactive substances and the prevention of accidents, most of the companies answered gave the education once or twice a year, and to those who just entered the companies, but more substantial education in desirable. (Nishino, S.)
Control and robotics remote laboratory for engineering education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gregor PaÄÂnik
2005-06-01
Full Text Available The new tools for education of engineering emerged and one of the most promising is a remote rapid control prototyping (RRCP, which is very useful also for control and robotics development in industry and in education. Examples of introductory remote control and simple robotics courses with integrated hands on experiments are presented in the paper. The aim of integration of remote hands on experiments into control and/or robotics course is to minimize the gap between the theory and practice to teach students the use of RRCP and to decrease the education costs. Developed RRCP experiments are based on MATLAB/Simulink, xPC target, custom developed embedded target
Operant Conditioning: A Tool for Special Physical Educators in the 1980s.
Dunn, John M.; French, Ron
1982-01-01
The usefulness of operant conditioning for the special physical educator in managing behavior problems is pointed out, and steps to follow in applying operant conditioning techniques are outlined. (SB)
42 CFR 482.42 - Condition of participation: Infection control.
2010-10-01
... Hospital Functions § 482.42 Condition of participation: Infection control. The hospital must provide a... be an active program for the prevention, control, and investigation of infections and communicable... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition of participation: Infection control. 482...
Age, education, and the gender gap in the sense of control.
Slagsvold, Britt; Sørensen, Annemette
2008-01-01
High sense of control is related to benefits in many aspects of life, and education is known to be strongly related to sense of control. In this article we explore why women tend to feel a lower sense of control than men, and why the sense of control tends to be lower among the elderly than among younger people. In particular we explore the role played by education in explaining age- and gender differences in sense of control. The analysis is based on data from the first wave of the Norwegian NorLAG study, with a representative sample of adults aged 40-79 in 30 municipalities. We find that education accounts for some of the age and gender differences in sense of control, but the mediating effects of education are rather modest. We find an increasing gender gap in sense of control with age, and this increasing gap is completely explained by differences in education. Gender differences in sense of control is explained completely by four factors, which are related to resources and power; physical health, education, living with a partner, and leadership experience. Age differences in sense of control are only partially explained. Education, physical health and employment status cuts the age effect on sense of control to half. The effect of education on sense of control is partly mediated through what we suggest are tangible benefits of education, namely health, employment, and leadership experience. Education also influences individuals through socialization mechanisms. We view agentive orientation as a psychological benefit of education, and measure this characteristic with Bem's (1981) sex-role scale on masculinity. Agentive orientation completely explains the remaining effect of education on sense of control.
An Automatic Control System for Conditioning 30 GHz Accelerating Structures
Dubrovskiy, A
2008-01-01
A software application programme has been developed to allow fast and automatic high-gradient conditioning of accelerating structures at 30 GHz in CTF3. The specificity of the application is the ability to control the high-power electron beam which produces the 30 GHz RF power used to condition the accelerating structures. The programme permits operation round the clock with minimum manpower requirements. In this paper the fast control system, machine control system, logging system, graphical user control interface and logging data visualization are described. An outline of the conditioning control system itself and of the feedback controlling peak power and pulse length is given. The software allows different types of conditioning strategies to be programmed
Falkstedt, Daniel; Backhans, Mona; Lundin, Andreas; Allebeck, Peter; Hemmingsson, Tomas
2014-09-01
Rates of disability pension are greatly increased among people with low education. This study examines the extent to which associations between education and disability pensions might be explained by differences in working conditions. Information on individuals at age 13 years was used to assess confounding of associations. Two nationally representative samples of men and women born in 1948 and 1953 in Sweden (22 889 participants in total) were linked to information from social insurance records on cause (musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and other) and date (from 1986-2008) of disability pension. Education data were obtained from administrative records. Occupation data were used for measurement of physical strain at work and job control. Data on paternal education, ambition to study, and intellectual performance were collected in school. Women were found to have higher rates of disability pension than men, regardless of diagnosis, whereas men had a steeper increase in disability pension by declining educational level. Adjustment of associations for paternal education, ambition to study, and intellectual performance at age 13 had a considerable attenuating effect, also when disability pension with a musculoskeletal diagnosis was the outcome. Despite this, high physical strain at work and low job control both contributed to explain the associations between low education and disability pensions in multivariable models. Working conditions seem to partly explain the increased rate of disability pension among men and women with lower education even though this association does reflect considerable selection effects based on factors already present in late childhood.
[Influence of education level on self-evaluation and control of patients with bronchial asthma].
Zhao, Hai-jin; Cai, Shao-xi; Tong, Wan-cheng; Li, Wen-jun; Fu, Liang
2008-05-01
To investigate the effect of education on self-evaluation and control level in patients with bronchial asthma. Seventy-five asthmatic patients with the initial diagnosis in line with the American Thoracic Society criteria, including 46 with junior high school education or below (group A) and 29 with senior high school education or above (group B), were asked to complete a survey to assess their symptoms and asthma attacks. Asthma control test (ACT) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) evaluation were performed 8, 12 and 24 weeks after salmeterol/fluticasone therapy. Step-down treatment was administered according to GINA guidelines. The self-evaluation of the patients was assessed according to ACT score, physical signs and pulmonary function. An ACT score over 19 indicate well controlled condition. The effect of education on the self-evaluation and control level of bronchial asthma was assessed. The two groups had similar basal level of pulmonary function (FEV1). Eight weeks after the therapy, 29 patients in group A had ACT score over 19, including 11 with high control level; in group B, 17 had ACT score over 19, of whom 4 showed high control level. There was no significant difference between the two groups in control levels and self-evaluation (P>0.05). At 12 weeks, 37 patients in group A had ACT score over 19, with 17 having high control level; 22 patients in group B had ACT score over 19, 4 showing high control level; the two groups were similar in the control levels (P>0.05) but showed significant difference in self-evaluation (Pevaluation (Peducation level may play a role in self-evaluation and control level of bronchial asthma, but its impact differs in the course of the treatment.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hamidreza Mani
2017-12-01
Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured education programmes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS. Methods: Single-centre, randomised controlled trial, testing a single exposure to a group-based, face-to-face, structured education programme. Inclusion criteria were women with PCOS, aged 18–49 years inclusive and body mass index ≥23 kg/m2 for black and minority ethnicities or ≥25 kg/m2 for white Europeans. Primary outcome was step-count/day at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included indices of physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life (QoL and illness perception (IP. Results: 161 women were included (78 control, 83 intervention; 69% white; mean age 33.4 (s.d. 7.6 years, of whom 100 (48 intervention; 52 control attended their 12-month visit (38% attrition. 77% of the intervention arm attended the education programme. No significant change in step-count was observed at 12 months (mean difference: +351 steps/day (95% confidence interval −481, +1183; P = 0.40. No differences were found in biochemical or anthropometric outcomes. The education programme improved participants’ IP in 2 dimensions: understanding their PCOS (P < 0.001 and sense of control (P < 0.01 and improved QoL in 3 dimensions: emotions (P < 0.05, fertility (P < 0.05, weight (P < 0.01 and general mental well-being (P < 0.01. Discussion: A single exposure to structured education programme did not increase physical activity or improve biochemical markers in overweight and obese women with PCOS. However, providing a structured education in parallel to routine medical treatment can be beneficial for participants’ understanding of their condition, reducing their anxiety and improving their QoL.
How Learning Conditions and Program Structure Predict Burnout and Satisfaction in Teacher Education
Zimmermann, Friederike; Rösler, Lena; Möller, Jens; Köller, Olaf
2018-01-01
To support prospective teachers' professional development, teacher education should be characterised by conditions that help to prevent burnout and facilitate satisfaction. This study investigates predictors of burnout and satisfaction in teacher education by drawing on universities with different teacher education programme structures and assumed…
Online Learning in Higher Education: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
Lim, Cher Ping
2005-01-01
The spectacular development of information and communication technologies through the Internet has provided opportunities for students to explore the virtual world of information. In this article, the author discusses the necessary and sufficient conditions for successful online learning in educational institutions. The necessary conditions…
Educational attainment, perceived control and the quality of women's diets.
Barker, Mary; Lawrence, Wendy; Crozier, Sarah; Robinson, Siân; Baird, Janis; Margetts, Barrie; Cooper, Cyrus
2009-06-01
Data from the Southampton Women's Survey have established that women of lower educational attainment have poorer quality diets than those of higher educational attainment. This relationship is strong and graded such that for every increase in level of educational qualification, there is an increase in the likelihood that a woman will have a better quality diet. It is not wholly explained by socio-economic status. Qualitative research carried out in Southampton suggests that women of lower educational attainment may have a poorer diet because they feel they lack control over the food choices they make for themselves and their families. We set out to investigate the relationship between educational attainment, perceived control and quality of diet in a sample of women from Southampton. Cross-sectional study using structured interviews in which women's diet, educational attainment and perceived control were assessed. 19 Children's Centres and baby clinics in Southampton, UK. 372 women, median age 28 years. Quality of diet assessed by prudent diet score produced from principal components analysis of 20-item food frequency questionnaire, and perceived control assessed by a validated questionnaire. Women of lower educational attainment tended to have lower prudent diet scores and lower perceived control scores than women of higher educational attainment. Having a lower prudent diet score was associated with consuming fewer vegetables and vegetable dishes, less wholemeal bread and vegetarian food, and more chips and roast potatoes, meat pies, Yorkshire puddings and pancakes, crisps and snacks, white bread and added sugar. In a regression model both lower educational attainment and lower perceived control were associated with lower prudent diet scores, independent of the effects of confounding factors. However there was an interaction effect such that lower perceived control was only related to prudent diet score in the group of women of lower educational attainment. Women
Optimal control of HIV/AIDS dynamic: Education and treatment
Sule, Amiru; Abdullah, Farah Aini
2014-07-01
A mathematical model which describes the transmission dynamics of HIV/AIDS is developed. The optimal control representing education and treatment for this model is explored. The existence of optimal Control is established analytically by the use of optimal control theory. Numerical simulations suggest that education and treatment for the infected has a positive impact on HIV/AIDS control.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Volodymyr Kharchenko
2017-03-01
Full Text Available Purpose: the aim of this study is to research applied models of air traffic controllers’ errors prevention in terminal control areas (TMA under uncertainty conditions. In this work the theoretical framework descripting safety events and errors of air traffic controllers connected with the operations in TMA is proposed. Methods: optimisation of terminal control area formal description based on the Threat and Error management model and the TMA network model of air traffic flows. Results: the human factors variables associated with safety events in work of air traffic controllers under uncertainty conditions were obtained. The Threat and Error management model application principles to air traffic controller operations and the TMA network model of air traffic flows were proposed. Discussion: Information processing context for preventing air traffic controller errors, examples of threats in work of air traffic controllers, which are relevant for TMA operations under uncertainty conditions.
Conditions of Educational Environment for the Development of Teenagers' Moral Relations
Khuziakhmetov, Anvar N.; Shafikova, Gulnaz R.; Kapranova, Vera A.
2015-01-01
The relevance of the study is conditioned by the fact that social relations require from a school graduator not only the subject specific competences, but also the ability to build interpersonal interaction based on moral norms. Therefore, this article is aimed to reveal the conditions of the school educational environment organization promoting…
Student's Research Work as the Condition of Continuity of General and Professional Education
Vedishenkova, Marina V.; Efimova, Elena V.; Ryabova, Ekaterina V.
2015-01-01
The problem in question is necessitated by the contradictions between requirements of successive educational process of general and professional education and the absence of new mechanisms of providing the continuity of education which is effective under modern conditions. The aim of the article in question is to provide the potential of the…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Huang Gongsheng; Wang Shengwei; Xu Xinhua
2009-01-01
This paper presents a robust model predictive control strategy for improving the supply air temperature control of air-handling units by dealing with the associated uncertainties and constraints directly. This strategy uses a first-order plus time-delay model with uncertain time-delay and system gain to describe air-conditioning process of an air-handling unit usually operating at various weather conditions. The uncertainties of the time-delay and system gain, which imply the nonlinearities and the variable dynamic characteristics, are formulated using an uncertainty polytope. Based on this uncertainty formulation, an offline LMI-based robust model predictive control algorithm is employed to design a robust controller for air-handling units which can guarantee a good robustness subject to uncertainties and constraints. The proposed robust strategy is evaluated in a dynamic simulation environment of a variable air volume air-conditioning system in various operation conditions by comparing with a conventional PI control strategy. The robustness analysis of both strategies under different weather conditions is also presented.
Increasing Impact of Economic Conditions upon Higher Education Enrollments.
Rusk, James J.; And Others
1982-01-01
To assess the impact of economic conditions on enrollment in higher education, researchers used time series analysis on national data for 1966-78 and on 1972-78 data from all eight regions of the country and the University of Arizona. The findings indicate enrollment has gone up during economic downturns. (Author/RW)
Lee, Jing-Nang; Lin, Tsung-Min; Chen, Chien-Chih
2014-01-01
This study constructs an energy based model of thermal system for controlled temperature and humidity air conditioning system, and introduces the influence of the mass flow rate, heater and humidifier for proposed control criteria to achieve the controlled temperature and humidity of air conditioning system. Then, the reliability of proposed thermal system model is established by both MATLAB dynamic simulation and the literature validation. Finally, the PID control strategy is applied for controlling the air mass flow rate, humidifying capacity, and heating, capacity. The simulation results show that the temperature and humidity are stable at 541 sec, the disturbance of temperature is only 0.14 °C, 0006 kg(w)/kg(da) in steady-state error of humidity ratio, and the error rate is only 7.5%. The results prove that the proposed system is an effective controlled temperature and humidity of an air conditioning system.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jing-Nang Lee
2014-01-01
Full Text Available This study constructs an energy based model of thermal system for controlled temperature and humidity air conditioning system, and introduces the influence of the mass flow rate, heater and humidifier for proposed control criteria to achieve the controlled temperature and humidity of air conditioning system. Then, the reliability of proposed thermal system model is established by both MATLAB dynamic simulation and the literature validation. Finally, the PID control strategy is applied for controlling the air mass flow rate, humidifying capacity, and heating, capacity. The simulation results show that the temperature and humidity are stable at 541 sec, the disturbance of temperature is only 0.14°C, 0006 kgw/kgda in steady-state error of humidity ratio, and the error rate is only 7.5%. The results prove that the proposed system is an effective controlled temperature and humidity of an air conditioning system.
HEALTH AND SAFETY LABOR CONDITIONS IN THE SECTOR OF EDUCATION –A PREREQUISITE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yulian Petrov
2017-06-01
Full Text Available This article is a result of participating in the project to the European Commission "Building practical guidelines to promote joint initiatives by the social partners at European, national, regional and local level to prevent and control psychosocial risks in the education sector and improve the quality of education". Educational institutions should be safe and healthy places that contribute to successful teaching and learning. In this regard, the aim is to help create an atmosphere in which learners can learn, and teachers and other staff in education can do their work in a positive, healthy and safe environment.
The Population Impact of Childhood Health Conditions on Dropout from Upper-Secondary Education.
Mikkonen, Janne; Moustgaard, Heta; Remes, Hanna; Martikainen, Pekka
2018-05-01
To quantify how large a part of educational dropout is due to adverse childhood health conditions and to estimate the risk of dropout across various physical and mental health conditions. A registry-based cohort study was conducted on a 20% random sample of Finns born in 1988-1995 (n = 101 284) followed for school dropout at ages 17 and 21. Four broad groups of health conditions (any, somatic, mental, and injury) and 25 specific health conditions were assessed from inpatient and outpatient care records at ages 10-16 years. We estimated the immediate and more persistent risks of dropout due to health conditions and calculated population-attributable fractions to quantify the population impact of childhood health on educational dropout, while accounting for a wide array of sociodemographic confounders and comorbidity. Children with any health condition requiring inpatient or outpatient care at ages 10-16 years were more likely to be dropouts at ages 17 years (risk ratio 1.71, 95% CI 1.61-1.81) and 21 years (1.46, 1.37-1.54) following adjustment for individual and family sociodemographic factors. A total of 30% of school dropout was attributable to health conditions at age 17 years and 21% at age 21 years. Mental disorders alone had an attributable fraction of 11% at age 21 years, compared with 5% for both somatic conditions and injuries. Adjusting for the presence of mental disorders reduced the effects of somatic conditions. More than one fifth of educational dropout is attributable to childhood health conditions. Early-onset mental disorders emerge as key targets in reducing dropout. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. A. Fetisov
2015-01-01
Full Text Available The controllability conditions are well known if we speak about linear stationary systems: a linear stationary system is controllable if and only if the dimension of the state vector is equal to the rank of the controllability matrix. The concept of the controllability matrix is extended to affine systems, but relations between affine systems controllability and properties of this matrix are more complicated. Various controllability conditions are set for affine systems, but they deal as usual either with systems of some special form or with controllability in some small neighborhood of the concerned point. An affine system is known to be controllable if the system is equivalent to a system of a canonical form, which is defined and regular in the whole space of states. In this case, the system is said to be feedback linearizable in the space of states. However there are examples, which illustrate that a system can be controllable even if it is not feedback linearizable in any open subset in the space of states. In this article we deal with such systems.Affine systems with two-dimensional control are considered. The system in question is assumed to be equivalent to a system of a quasicanonical form with two-dimensional zero dynamics which is defined and regular in the whole space of states. Therefore the controllability of the original system is equivalent to the controllability of the received system of a quasicanonical form. In this article the sufficient condition for an available solution of the terminal problem is proven for systems of a quasicanonical form with two-dimensional control and two-dimensional zero dynamics. The condition is valid in the case of an arbitrary time interval and arbitrary initial and finite states of the system. Therefore the controllability condition is set for systems of a quasicanonical form with two-dimensional control and two-dimensional zero dynamics. An example is given which illustrates how the proved
A Report of Survey on Conditions of Preschool Children's Family Music Education
Bi, Yujuan
2011-01-01
The author composes a questionnaire about conditions of preschool children's family music education. The survey includes 280 preschool children in a city of Shandong province. It finds that most parents have recognized the importance of early childhood music education, but there is the tendency of utilitarian. The content of family music education…
Nakada, Yukari; Sugimoto, Aya; Kadotani, Hiroshi; Yamada, Naoto
2018-02-07
Short sleep duration is a serious problem that not only enhances the risk of various mental and physical disorders, but also affects the productivity in the workplace. However, in terms of studies focused on workers, there are few reports that evaluated sleeping conditions in an objective way. The purpose of this study is to implement sleep health education in the workplace in terms of primary prevention of mental health disorder and then to investigate the subjective and objective effectiveness of the education using self-administered questionnaires (sleep duration, ESS, AIS, PHQ-9, SF-8) and an activity monitor (MTN-210). Study design is a quasi-randomized controlled trial. Sleep health education was provided through three 50-min lectures (total 150 min) as a single cycle for five months in the Intervention group. We obtained baseline data and then six months later. The study analyzed 70 subjects (36 Intervention group, 34 Control group). The weekday sleep duration for the Control group decreased by 12.9 min, whereas that of the Intervention group increased by 14.3 min (difference of 27.2 min), resulting in a significantly increase in score for the Intervention group. The present study suggests that sleep health education may be beneficial for good sleep habits in workers.
A safety control device for detecting undesirable conditions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1974-09-26
The invention relates to safety control devices. It deals with a device adapted to transmit a warning signal and to the detection of an undesirable condition in an associated apparatus, said device comprising switching means comprising transistors mounted in a reaction path, feeding means for opening the switching means whenever an undesirable condition has been detected by sensors, whereby an oscillator is caused to stop oscillating, and an outlet device controlled by the oscillator stoppage. This can be applied to the supervision of nuclear reactor.
The Optimum Conditions of Foreign Languages in Primary Education
Giannikas, Christina Nicole
2014-01-01
The aim of the paper is to review the primary language learning situation in Europe and shed light on the benefits it carries. Early language learning is the biggest policy development in education and has developed in rapid speed over the past 30 years; this article considers the effects and advantages of the optimum condition of an early start,…
Modern development strategies of the Russian education in the conditions of the information society
Boguslavskii Mikhail V.; Lelchitskii Igor D.
2016-01-01
The article presents current development strategies of the Russian education in the conditions of information society. Western-liberal and traditional-conservative strategies of modern Russian education development are substantively presented. The ways of harmonization of these strategies in the area of national education in the information age are characterized. Approaches to the implementation of historical and pedagogical expertise of modern development strategies of the Russian education ...
Kotwani, Anita; Chhabra, Sunil K
2012-01-01
Denial of having a chronic condition, poor knowledge of the disease process and lack of adherence to standard treatment are often considered to be important factors that increase morbidity in asthma. We evaluated the effect of standard treatment guidelines and asthma education programme on asthma control among patients enrolled from a referral health facility of Delhi in India. Fifty patients who visited the health facility first time for treatment of asthma were enrolled after confirming the diagnosis of asthma by symptoms and reversible spirometry. Patients were interviewed at baseline using three researcher-administered questionnaires - quality of asthma management questionnaire, asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) and asthma knowledge questionnaire (AKQ). All patients were given pharmacotherapy according to standard treatment guidelines. In addition, every alternate patient was also given a face-to-face educational intervention. Patients were followed up at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The ACQ was used at each visit, and AKQ was reassessed at the twelfth week. The paired t test was used to detect significant changes in various domains of asthma control. The knowledge of asthma among patients and the care provided by previous health-care providers were found to be poor at baseline assessment. The application of standard treatment guidelines improved asthma control by the second week and the changes became significant by the fourth week, which persisted till the twelfth week (p Standard treatment guidelines and asthma education improved asthma control.
Measuring Effectiveness of Persuasive Games Using an Informative Control Condition
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mara Soekarjo
2015-06-01
Full Text Available Research about the effectiveness of persuasive games is still emerging. This article presents a literature review of studies that empirically evaluate the effectiveness of persuasive games. The review concluded that limited empirical evidence is currently available to prove their effectiveness in attitude change. It further revealed that almost no study employed an informative control condition, making it difficult to conclude that the game was more effective than a control condition. Next, in a pretest-posttest design an empirical study tested whether change in attitude was different for people playing the persuasive game "EnerCities" compared to a control condition where participants read a document with highly similar information. No significant differences in increase of attitude or knowledge between participants that played the game and participants in the informative control condition were found. Based on the results of the literature review and the empirical study presented, it hence cannot be concluded that playing a game leads to a greater change in attitude or knowledge acquisition than experiencing conventional media would. Future work should employ designs with proper control conditions and focus on which game features lead to significant effects.
Remote Control of an Inverted Pendulum System for Intelligent Control Education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seul Jung
2011-08-01
Full Text Available This paper presents a remote control task of an inverted pendulum system for intelligent control education. The inverted pendulum moving on the guided rail is required to maintain balancing while it follows the desired trajectory commanded remotely by a joystick operated by a user. Position commands for the inverted pendulum system are given by a joystick through the network. The inverted pendulum system is controlled by a neural network control method. The corresponding control results are confirmed through experimental studies.
Understanding the situated conditions for participation in lifelong formal education
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kondrup, Sissel
and participation and the relation among these. I argue for the necessity of analyzing motivation as historical and social phenomena and hereby increase the awareness of the specific subjective, historical and social conditions for motivation and participation. By outlining and analyzing the work life story...... of Martin I discuss the fruitfulness of employing a concept of experience, informed by critical theory, in order to understand the ‘potential participant’ as a specific social and historical subject with certain conditions for perceiving needs and opportunities for participation in formal education...
Zholdasbekova, Saule; Nurzhanbayeva, Zhanet; Mavedov, Rixsibai; Saipov, Amangeldi; Zhiyentayeva, Begaim; Tlemissova, Alja
2016-01-01
The purpose of the article consists in representation to discussion by specialists of the revealed didactic conditions of enhancement of preparation of the pedagogical personnel in higher education institution to dual training in the system of vocational and educational training. Modeling, aspect system, comparative and structural analyses…
Coote, Susan; Uszynski, Marcin; Herring, Matthew P; Hayes, Sara; Scarrott, Carl; Newell, John; Gallagher, Stephen; Larkin, Aidan; Motl, Robert W
2017-06-24
Recent exercise guidelines for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) recommend a minimum of 30 min moderate intensity aerobic exercise and resistance exercise twice per week. This trial compared the secondary outcomes of a combined 10-week guideline based intervention and a Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) education programme with the same exercise intervention involving an attention control education. Physically inactive people with MS, scoring 0-3 on Patient Determined Disease Steps Scale, with no MS relapse or change in MS medication, were randomised to 10-week exercise plus SCT education or exercise plus attention control education conditions. Outcomes included fatigue, depression, anxiety, strength, physical activity, SCT constructs and impact of MS and were measured by a blinded assessor pre and post-intervention and 3 and 6 month follow up. One hundred and seventy-four expressed interest, 92 were eligible and 65 enrolled. Using linear mixed effects models, the differences between groups on all secondary measures post-intervention and at follow-up were not significant. Post-hoc, exploratory, within group analysis identified improvements in both groups post intervention in fatigue (mean ∆(95% CI) SCT -4.99(-9.87, -0.21), p = 0.04, Control -7.68(-12.13, -3.23), p = 0.00), strength (SCT -1.51(-2.41, -0.60), p exercise planning (SCT 5.88(3.37, 8.39), p Exercising at the minimum guideline amount has a positive effect on fatigue, strength and PA that is sustained at 3 and 6 months following the cessation of the program. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02301442 , retrospectively registered on November 13th 2014.
Control in chronic condition self-care management
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lawn, Sharon; Delany, Toni; Sweet, Linda
2014-01-01
of their communication style and the power of their role must improve for client chronic condition self-care management to be achieved. Training on the impacts of control in worker communication and systems where they work must be provided if unbeneficial forms of client dependency are to be overcome and true self......Aim: To examine health worker-client interactions during care planning to understand processes that foster client empowerment and disempowerment. Background: It is unclear how health worker-client exchanges and information sharing through chronic condition care planning currently operate in primary...... health care. Moreover, it is unclear how control in these exchanges either enhances collaborative decision-making, partnership and client empowerment, or works to create client disempowerment and dependency on workers and health services. Design: Critical discourse analysis of qualitative data from...
Haramoto, Ken-Ichi
In general, air conditioning control in a building is operated mainly by indoor air temperature control. Although the operators of the machine in the building accepted a claim for indoor air temperature presented by the building inhabitants, the indoor conditions have been often too cool or warm. Therefore, in an attempt to create better thermal environments, the author paid attention to the PMV that is a thermal comfort index. And then, the possibility of air conditioning control using the PMV directly as the set point was verified by employing actual equipment in an air conditioning testing room and an office building. Prior to the execution of this control, the operation program of the PMV was installed in a DDC controller for the air conditioning control. And information from indoor sensors and so on was inputted to the controller, and the computed PMV was used as the feedback variable.
Human-Machine Systems concepts applied to Control Engineering Education
Marangé , Pascale; Gellot , François; Riera , Bernard
2008-01-01
International audience; In this paper, we interest us to Human-Machine Systems (HMS) concepts applied to Education. It is shown how the HMS framework enables to propose original solution in matter of education in the field of control engineering. We focus on practical courses on control of manufacturing systems. The proposed solution is based on an original use of real and large-scale systems instead of simulation. The main idea is to enable the student, whatever his/her level to control the ...
Microcomputer control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bose, B.K.; Steigerwald, R.L.; Szczesny, P.M.
1984-01-01
Microcomputer-based control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system is described. The microcomputer is responsible for array current feedback control, maximum power tracking control, array safe zone steering control, phase-locked reference wave synthesis, sequencing control, and some diagnostics. The control functions are implemented using Intel 8751 single-chip microcomputer-based hardware and software. The controller has been tested in the laboratory with the prototype power conditioner and shows excellent performance.
Microcomputer control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bose, B.K.; Steigerwald, R.L.; Szczesny, P.M.
1985-09-01
Microcomputer-based control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system is described. The microcomputer is responsible for array current feedback control, maximum power tracking control, array safe zone steering control, phase-locked reference wave synthesis, sequencing control, and some diagnostics. The control functions are implemented using Intel 8751 single-chip microcomputer-based hardware and software. The controller has been tested in the laboratory with the prototype power conditioner and shows excellent performance.
Montgomery, Paul; Hennegan, Julie; Dolan, Catherine; Wu, Maryalice; Steinfield, Laurel; Scott, Linda
2016-01-01
Poor menstrual knowledge and access to sanitary products have been proposed as barriers to menstrual health and school attendance. In response, interventions targeting these needs have seen increasing implementation in public and private sectors. However, there has been limited assessment of their effectiveness. Assess the impact of providing reusable sanitary pads and puberty education on girls' school attendance and psychosocial wellbeing outcomes. A cluster quasi-randomised controlled trial was conducted across 8 schools, including 1124 girls, in rural Uganda. Schools were allocated to one of four conditions: the provision of puberty education alone; reusable sanitary pads alone; puberty education and reusable sanitary pads; and a control (no intervention). The primary outcome was school attendance. Secondary outcomes reflected psychosocial wellbeing. At follow-up, school attendance had worsened for girls across all conditions. Per-protocol analysis revealed that this decline was significantly greater for those in the control condition d = 0.52 (95%CI 0.26-0.77), with those in control schools having a 17.1% (95%CI: 8.7-25.5) greater drop in attendance than those in any intervention school. There were no differences between the intervention conditions. High rates of school drop-out and transfer meant the trial suffered from substantial participant drop-out. Intention-to-treat analyses using two different imputation strategies were consistent with the main results, with mean differences of 5.2% attendance in best-case and 24.5% in worst-case imputations. Results were robust to adjustments for clustering. There was no impact of the interventions on girls' self-reported shame or insecurity during menstruation. Results of the trial support the hypothesised positive impact of providing sanitary pads or puberty education for girls' school attendance in a developing country context. Findings must be interpreted with caution in light of poor participant retention
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Paul Montgomery
Full Text Available Poor menstrual knowledge and access to sanitary products have been proposed as barriers to menstrual health and school attendance. In response, interventions targeting these needs have seen increasing implementation in public and private sectors. However, there has been limited assessment of their effectiveness.Assess the impact of providing reusable sanitary pads and puberty education on girls' school attendance and psychosocial wellbeing outcomes.A cluster quasi-randomised controlled trial was conducted across 8 schools, including 1124 girls, in rural Uganda. Schools were allocated to one of four conditions: the provision of puberty education alone; reusable sanitary pads alone; puberty education and reusable sanitary pads; and a control (no intervention. The primary outcome was school attendance. Secondary outcomes reflected psychosocial wellbeing.At follow-up, school attendance had worsened for girls across all conditions. Per-protocol analysis revealed that this decline was significantly greater for those in the control condition d = 0.52 (95%CI 0.26-0.77, with those in control schools having a 17.1% (95%CI: 8.7-25.5 greater drop in attendance than those in any intervention school. There were no differences between the intervention conditions. High rates of school drop-out and transfer meant the trial suffered from substantial participant drop-out. Intention-to-treat analyses using two different imputation strategies were consistent with the main results, with mean differences of 5.2% attendance in best-case and 24.5% in worst-case imputations. Results were robust to adjustments for clustering. There was no impact of the interventions on girls' self-reported shame or insecurity during menstruation.Results of the trial support the hypothesised positive impact of providing sanitary pads or puberty education for girls' school attendance in a developing country context. Findings must be interpreted with caution in light of poor participant
Montgomery, Paul; Hennegan, Julie; Dolan, Catherine; Wu, Maryalice; Steinfield, Laurel; Scott, Linda
2016-01-01
Background Poor menstrual knowledge and access to sanitary products have been proposed as barriers to menstrual health and school attendance. In response, interventions targeting these needs have seen increasing implementation in public and private sectors. However, there has been limited assessment of their effectiveness. Objectives Assess the impact of providing reusable sanitary pads and puberty education on girls’ school attendance and psychosocial wellbeing outcomes. Methods A cluster quasi-randomised controlled trial was conducted across 8 schools, including 1124 girls, in rural Uganda. Schools were allocated to one of four conditions: the provision of puberty education alone; reusable sanitary pads alone; puberty education and reusable sanitary pads; and a control (no intervention). The primary outcome was school attendance. Secondary outcomes reflected psychosocial wellbeing. Results At follow-up, school attendance had worsened for girls across all conditions. Per-protocol analysis revealed that this decline was significantly greater for those in the control condition d = 0.52 (95%CI 0.26–0.77), with those in control schools having a 17.1% (95%CI: 8.7–25.5) greater drop in attendance than those in any intervention school. There were no differences between the intervention conditions. High rates of school drop-out and transfer meant the trial suffered from substantial participant drop-out. Intention-to-treat analyses using two different imputation strategies were consistent with the main results, with mean differences of 5.2% attendance in best-case and 24.5% in worst-case imputations. Results were robust to adjustments for clustering. There was no impact of the interventions on girls’ self-reported shame or insecurity during menstruation. Conclusion Results of the trial support the hypothesised positive impact of providing sanitary pads or puberty education for girls’ school attendance in a developing country context. Findings must be interpreted
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rajagopalan Parameshwaran
2008-01-01
Full Text Available In the quest for energy conservative building design, there is now a great opportunity for a flexible and sophisticated air conditioning system capable of addressing better thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency, that are strongly desired. The variable refrigerant volume air conditioning system provides considerable energy savings, cost effectiveness and reduced space requirements. Applications of intelligent control like fuzzy logic controller, especially adapted to variable air volume air conditioning systems, have drawn more interest in recent years than classical control systems. An experimental analysis was performed to investigate the inherent operational characteristics of the combined variable refrigerant volume and variable air volume air conditioning systems under fixed ventilation, demand controlled ventilation, and combined demand controlled ventilation and economizer cycle techniques for two seasonal conditions. The test results of the variable refrigerant volume and variable air volume air conditioning system for each techniques are presented. The test results infer that the system controlled by fuzzy logic methodology and operated under the CO2 based mechanical ventilation scheme, effectively yields 37% and 56% per day of average energy-saving in summer and winter conditions, respectively. Based on the experimental results, the fuzzy based combined system can be considered to be an alternative energy efficient air conditioning scheme, having significant energy-saving potential compared to the conventional constant air volume air conditioning system.
PAVING THE WAY: CONDITIONS OF INCLUSION OF THE EDUCATORS BEGINNERS IN NORTHERN MEXICO
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Evangelina Cervantes H
2013-09-01
Full Text Available In the present paper the authors analyzes the knowledge process and labor conditions in the teaching work of the graduates students of the Bachelor of education offered by the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. Through the qualitative method the authors provide testimonies of the novels teachers in theirs first work. The search offer a perspective of the trajectories of this teachers in the basic educational system in Juarez city, Chih., observed laboral precarious conditions of teachers careers in university preparation, in effect, exist incidence the discords elements in their certification, qualification and development in relation with the graduates students of Escuelas Normales.
Trudeau, Kimberlee J; Hildebrand, Cristina; Garg, Priyanka; Chiauzzi, Emil; Zacharoff, Kevin L
2017-04-01
To improve pain management practices, we developed an online interactive continuing education (CE) program for primary care providers (PCPs). This program follows the flow of clinical decision-making through simulated cases at critical pain treatment points along the pain treatment continuum. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the efficacy of this program. Participants were randomized to either the experimental condition or the control condition (online, text-based CE program). A total of 238 primary care providers were recruited through hospitals, professional newsletters, and pain conferences. Participants in both conditions reported significantly improved scores on knowledge (KNOW-PAIN 50), attitudes (CAOS), and pain practice behaviors (PPBS) scales over the four-month study. The experimental condition showed significantly greater change over time on the tamper-resistant formulations (TRFs) of opioids and dosing CAOS subscale compared with the control condition. Post hoc comparisons suggested that participants in the experimental condition were less likely to endorse use of opioid TRFs over time compared with the control condition. Exploratory analyses for potential moderators indicated a significant three-way interaction with time, condition, and discipline (i.e., physician vs other) for the impediments and concerns attitudes subscale and the early refill behaviors subscale. Post hoc comparisons indicated that physicians in the experimental condition exhibited the greatest change in attitudes and the nonphysicians exhibited the greatest change in reported behaviors in response to requests for early refills. Findings suggest online CE programs may positively impact PCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and pain practice behaviors but provide minimal evidence for the value of including interactivity. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Experimental Study on Intelligent Control Scheme for Fan Coil Air-Conditioning System
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Yanfeng Li
2013-01-01
Full Text Available An intelligent control scheme for fan coil air-conditioning systems has been put forward in order to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional proportion-integral-derivative (PID control scheme. These shortcomings include the inability of anti-interference and large inertia. An intelligent control test rig of fan coil air-conditioning system has been built, and MATLAB/Simulink dynamics simulation software has been adopted to implement the intelligent control scheme. A software for data exchange has been developed to combine the intelligence control system and the building automation (BA system. Experimental tests have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of different control schemes including the traditional PID control, fuzzy control, and fuzzy-PID control for fan coil air-conditioning system. The effects of control schemes have been compared and analyzed in robustness, static and dynamic character, and economy. The results have shown that the developed data exchange interface software can induce the intelligent control scheme of the BA system more effectively. Among the proposed control strategies, fuzzy-PID control scheme which has the advantages of both traditional PID and fuzzy schemes is the optimal control scheme for the fan coil air-conditioning system.
Olga Vladimirovna Gavrilova; Elena Aleksandrovna Zakharova
2017-01-01
Purpose. The article deals with the problem of teacher's professional activity in conditions of education modernization. The subject of analysis is professional mobility and competence correlation of rural schools teachers and the conditions of its formation. The authors’ aim to reveal the concepts of teacher’s "professional mobility", "professional competence" in rural schools and to determine its nature and structure in the changing paradigm of education. Results. The results of this wo...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yan, Huaxia; Deng, Shiming; Chan, Ming-yin
2016-01-01
Highlights: • A novel capacity controller for TEAC systems for improved indoor humidity control is developed. • The novel controller was developed by integrating two previous control algorithms. • Experimental controllability tests were carried out. • Improved control over indoor humidity levels and higher energy efficiency can be achieved. - Abstract: Using a multi-evaporator air conditioning (MEAC) system to correctly control indoor air temperatures only in a multi-room application is already a challenging and difficult task, let alone the control of both indoor air temperature and humidity. This is because in an MEAC system, a number of indoor units are connected to a common condensing unit. Hence, the interferences among operation parameters of different indoor units would make the desired control of an MEAC system hard to realize. Limited capacity control algorithms for MEAC systems have been developed, with most of them focusing only on the control of indoor air temperature, and no previous studies involving control of indoor air humidity using MEAC systems can be identified. In this paper, the development of a novel capacity controller for a three-evaporator air conditioning (TEAC) system for improved indoor air humidity control is reported. The novel controller was developed by integrating two previous control algorithms for a dual-evaporator air conditioning system for temperature control and for a single-evaporator air conditioning system for improved indoor humidity control. Experimental controllability tests were carried out and the controllability test results showed that, with the novel controller, improved control over indoor humidity levels and better energy efficiency for a TEAC system could be obtained as compared to the traditional On–Off controllers extensively used by MEAC systems.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chen Aimin; Cho Samyoung
2011-01-01
Conditional quantum oscillations are investigated for quantum gate operations in superconducting flux qubits. We present an effective Hamiltonian which describes a conditional quantum oscillation in two-qubit systems. Rabi-type quantum oscillations are discussed in implementing conditional quantum oscillations to quantum gate operations. Two conditional quantum oscillations depending on the states of control qubit can be synchronized to perform controlled-gate operations by varying system parameters. It is shown that the conditional quantum oscillations with their frequency synchronization make it possible to operate the controlled-NOT and -U gates with a very accurate gate performance rate in interacting qubit systems. Further, this scheme can be applicable to realize a controlled multi-qubit operation in various solid-state qubit systems. (author)
Reported maternal education is an important predictor of pregnancy outcomes. Like income, it is believed to allow women to locate in more favorable conditions than less educated or affluent peers. We examine the effect of reported educational attainment on term birth weight (birt...
Intelligent energy management control of vehicle air conditioning system coupled with engine
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Khayyam, Hamid; Abawajy, Jemal; Jazar, Reza N.
2012-01-01
Vehicle Air Conditioning (AC) systems consist of an engine powered compressor activated by an electrical clutch. The AC system imposes an extra load to the vehicle's engine increasing the vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. Energy management control of the vehicle air conditioning is a nonlinear dynamic system, influenced by uncertain disturbances. In addition, the vehicle energy management control system interacts with different complex systems, such as engine, air conditioning system, environment, and driver, to deliver fuel consumption improvements. In this paper, we describe the energy management control of vehicle AC system coupled with vehicle engine through an intelligent control design. The Intelligent Energy Management Control (IEMC) system presented in this paper includes an intelligent algorithm which uses five exterior units and three integrated fuzzy controllers to produce desirable internal temperature and air quality, improved fuel consumption, low emission, and smooth driving. The three fuzzy controllers include: (i) a fuzzy cruise controller to adapt vehicle cruise speed via prediction of the road ahead using a Look-Ahead system, (ii) a fuzzy air conditioning controller to produce desirable temperature and air quality inside vehicle cabin room via a road information system, and (iii) a fuzzy engine controller to generate the required engine torque to move the vehicle smoothly on the road. We optimised the integrated operation of the air conditioning and the engine under various driving patterns and performed three simulations. Results show that the proposed IEMC system developed based on Fuzzy Air Conditioning Controller with Look-Ahead (FAC-LA) method is a more efficient controller for vehicle air conditioning system than the previously developed Coordinated Energy Management Systems (CEMS). - Highlights: ► AC interacts: vehicle, environment, driver components, and the interrelationships between them. ► Intelligent AC algorithm which uses
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
В. М. Корягін
2016-09-01
Full Text Available Study objective. To define the pedagogical conditions of shaping motor competence in students of special medical groups during physical education at higher educational institutions. Study methods: theoretical analysis, systematization, comparison of different views on the issue under study, methodological and special literature collation, general scientific methods of theoretical level: analogy, analysis, synthesis, abstraction, induction. Study results. The study addresses the issues of indicating the pedagogical conditions necessary for the effective shaping of the motor competence in students of special medical groups during their physical education at higher educational institutions. The data analysis and collation of the data collected from the scientific, methodological and special literature helped outline and organize their index, which is a pre-requisite for ensuring the process effectiveness. We recommend using the study results as a major foundation for re-organization of the scientific and methodological aspects of physical education of students with health problems to ensure their motor competence effectively shaped.
Educational System for Control Development: Furuta Pendulum– Automatic Control
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John F. Caípa-Roldan
2012-12-01
Full Text Available This paper present the description and the dynamic of the Rotational Inverted Pendulum or Furuta Pendulum, educational platform for demonstration and development of control laws, in order to have reference material for those interested in perform implementations with the existing platform in the Electronic Engineering laboratory-Sogamoso.
Kestilä, Laura; Koskinen, Seppo; Martelin, Tuija; Rahkonen, Ossi; Pensola, Tiina; Pirkola, Sami; Patja, Kristiina; Aromaa, Arpo
2006-12-01
To assess the association of parental education, childhood living conditions and adversities with daily smoking in early adulthood and to analyse the effect of the respondent's own education, main economic activity, and current family structure on these associations. The study is based on a representative two-stage cluster sample (N = 1894, participation rate 79%) of young adults aged 18-29, in 2000, in Finland. The outcome measure is daily smoking. Parental smoking and the respondent's own education had the strongest effects on daily smoking. If both parents of the respondent were smokers, then the respondent was most likely to be a smoker too (for men OR (odds ratio) = 3.01, for women OR = 2.41 after all adjustments). Young adults in the lowest educational category had a much higher risk of daily smoking than those in the highest category (OR = 5.88 for women, 4.48 for men). For women parental divorce (OR = 2.31) and current family structure also determined daily smoking. Parental education had a strong gradient in daily smoking and the effect appeared to be mediated largely by the respondent's own educational level. Childhood living conditions are strong determinants of daily smoking. Much of their influence seems to be mediated through current living conditions, which are also determined by childhood conditions. Determinants of smoking behaviour are developed throughout the life course. The findings stress the importance of the respondent's education and parental smoking as determinants of smoking behaviour. Our results support the notion that intervention on smoking initiation and cessation should be considered throughout the life course. Parental involvement in fostering non-smoking would be important.
Infection control education: how to make an impact--tools for the job.
Farrington, Mark
2007-06-01
Infection control education is difficult and time consuming, but there is persuasive evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness. When Infection Control practitioners are educating and influencing healthcare workers, compliance with the well-established guidance on implementation of health service research is advisable, and thus educative efforts must be repeated and administered as part of a concerted and multifaceted approach. Infection Control education must be specifically designed for and targeted at the groups of staff concerned, and medical staff pose especial problems. Recruitment of clinical champions from peer groups, and direct approaches from medical members of the Infection Control team are usually needed. Familiarity with only a limited range of published evidence is needed to answer the majority of clinicians who challenge Infection Control practices, and referral to higher medical and managerial authority is required very infrequently and as a last resort. Some recent initiatives in the NHS in England may make Infection Control education more difficult, and these are reviewed. New sanctions have been made available to hospitals and Infection control teams in the UK with the passing of the Health Act in 2006, and the effects of these allied to educative interventions on benchmarks such as hospitals' MRSA bacteraemia rates will be observed with interest.
Modelling and Control of Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators under Varying Humidity Conditions
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S. Sunjai Nakshatharan
2018-02-01
Full Text Available In this work, we address the problem of position control of ionic electroactive polymer soft actuators under varying relative humidity conditions. The impact of humidity on the actuation performance of ionic actuators is studied through frequency response and impedance spectroscopy analysis. Considering the uncertain performance of the actuator under varying humidity conditions, an adaptable model using the neural network method is developed. The model uses relative humidity magnitude as one of the model parameters, making it robust to different environmental conditions. Utilizing the model, a closed-loop controller based on the model predictive controller is developed for position control of the actuator. The developed model and controller are experimentally verified and found to be capable of predicting and controlling the actuators with excellent tracking accuracy under relative humidity conditions varying in the range of 10–90%.
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Cecchini Marie A
2008-03-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background An estimated 13 million youths aged 12 to 17 become involved with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs annually. The number of 12- to 17-year olds abusing controlled prescription drugs increased an alarming 212 percent between 1992 and 2003. For many youths, substance abuse precedes academic and health problems including lower grades, higher truancy, drop out decisions, delayed or damaged physical, cognitive, and emotional development, or a variety of other costly consequences. For thirty years the Narconon program has worked with schools and community groups providing single educational modules aimed at supplementing existing classroom-based prevention activities. In 2004, Narconon International developed a multi-module, universal prevention curriculum for high school ages based on drug abuse etiology, program quality management data, prevention theory and best practices. We review the curriculum and its rationale and test its ability to change drug use behavior, perceptions of risk/benefits, and general knowledge. Methods After informed parental consent, approximately 1000 Oklahoma and Hawai'i high school students completed a modified Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs survey at three testing points: baseline, one month later, and six month follow-up. Schools assigned to experimental conditions scheduled the Narconon curriculum between the baseline and one-month follow-up test; schools in control conditions received drug education after the six-month follow-up. Student responses were analyzed controlling for baseline differences using analysis of covariance. Results At six month follow-up, youths who received the Narconon drug education curriculum showed reduced drug use compared with controls across all drug categories tested. The strongest effects were seen in all tobacco products and cigarette frequency followed by marijuana. There were also significant
Remote Experiments in Control Engineering Education Laboratory
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Milica B Naumović
2008-05-01
Full Text Available This paper presents Automatic Control Engineering Laboratory (ACEL - WebLab, an under-developed, internet-based remote laboratory for control engineering education at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Niš. Up to now, the remote laboratory integrates two physical systems (velocity servo system and magnetic levitation system and enables some levels of measurement and control. To perform experiments in ACEL-WebLab, the "LabVIEW Run Time Engine"and a standard web browser are needed.
Pedagogical Conditions of Multilevel Foreign Languages Teaching in Pedagogical Higher Education
Kadakin, Vasily V.; Shukshina, Tatiana I.; Piskunova, Svetlana I.; Babushkina, Larisa E.; Falileev, Alexander E.
2016-01-01
This article is devoted to pedagogical conditions of multilevel foreign languages teaching in pedagogical higher education. The purpose of the study is to form the students' skills in foreign language mastering, to form the ability to operate independently and autonomously in this activity, both in the specific learning situation, and in the…
The speed control of DC motor under the load condition using PI and PID controllers
Corapsiz, Muhammed Reşit; Kahveci, Hakan
2017-04-01
In this study, it was aimed to compare PI (Proportional-Integral) and PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controllers for speed control of Permanent Magnet Direct Current (PMDC) motor under both load and without load. For this purpose, firstly, the mathematical model was obtained from the dynamic equations of the PMDC motor and the obtained mathematical model was transferred to the simulation environment and modeled using Matlab/SIMULINK. Following the modeling process, PI and PID controller structures were formed, respectively. Secondly, after these structures were formed, the PMDC motor was run without any controller. Then, the control of the PMDC motor with no load was provided by using PI and PID controllers. Finally, the PMDC motor were loaded under the constant load (TL = 3 N.m.) for each condition and selected time period (t = 3 s). The obtained result for each control operations was comparatively given by observing effects of loading process on systems. When the obtained results were evaluated for each condition, it was observed that PID controller have the best performance with respect to PI controller.
Rieckenberg, Cara Rae
This case study investigated what conditions and characteristics contributed to a successful environmental education program within elementary schools of a school district where environmental education was the mandate. While research does exist on practical application of environmental education within schools, little if any literature has been written or research conducted on schools actually implementing environmental education to study what contributes to the successful implementation of the program. To study this issue, 24 participants from a Midwestern school district were interviewed, six of whom were principals of each of the six elementary schools included in the study. All participants were identified as champions of environmental education integration within their buildings due to leadership positions held focused on environmental education. Analysis of the data collected via interviews revealed findings that hindered the implementation of environmental education, findings that facilitated the implementation of environmental education, and findings that indicated an environmental education-focused culture existed within the schools. Conditions and characteristics found to contribute to the success of these school's environmental education programs include: professional development opportunities, administrative support, peer leadership opportunities and guidance, passion with the content and for the environment, comfort and confidence with the content, ease of activities and events that contribute to the culture and student success. Keywords: environmental education, integration, leadership, teachers as leaders.
Impact of structured education on glucose control and ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Objective: To assess the impact of structured education on glucose control and hypoglycaemia in the management of Type-2 diabetes. Methods: A systematic review was done using Medline via Ovid and EMBASE databases of published English literature between 1980 and 2014. Included studies were randomized control ...
Arpino, Bruno; Gumà, Jordi; Julià, Albert
2018-01-01
We examine to what extent the effect of early-life conditions (health and socioeconomic status) on health in later life is mediated by educational attainment and life-course trajectories (fertility, partnership, employment). Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (N = 12,034), we apply, separately by gender, multichannel sequence analysis and cluster analysis to obtain groups of similar family and employment histories. The KHB method is used to disentangle direct and indirect effects of early-life conditions on health. Early-life-conditions indirectly impact on health in later life as result of their influence on education and family and employment trajectories. For example, between 22% and 42% of the effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Even higher percentages are found for men (35% - 57%). On the contrary, the positive effect of poor health at childhood on poor health at older ages is not significantly mediated by education and life-course trajectories. Education captures most of the mediating effect of parental socio-economic status. More specifically, between 66% and 75% of the indirect effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Again, higher percentages are found for men (86% - 93%). Early-life conditions, especially socioeconomic status, influence family and employment trajectories indirectly through their impact on education. We also find a persistent direct impact of early-life conditions on health at older ages. Our findings demonstrate that early-life experiences influence education and life-course trajectories and health in later life, suggesting that public investments in children are expected to produce long lasting effects on people's lives throughout the different phases of their
Blackwell, Simon E; Woud, Marcella L; MacLeod, Colin
2017-10-26
While control conditions are vitally important in research, selecting the optimal control condition can be challenging. Problems are likely to arise when the choice of control condition is not tightly guided by the specific question that a given study aims to address. Such problems have become increasingly apparent in experimental psychopathology research investigating the experimental modification of cognitive biases, particularly as the focus of this research has shifted from theoretical questions concerning mechanistic aspects of the association between cognitive bias and emotional vulnerability, to questions that instead concern the clinical efficacy of 'cognitive bias modification' (CBM) procedures. We discuss the kinds of control conditions that have typically been employed in CBM research, illustrating how difficulties can arise when changes in the types of research questions asked are not accompanied by changes in the control conditions employed. Crucially, claims made on the basis of comparing active and control conditions within CBM studies should be restricted to those conclusions allowed by the specific control condition employed. CBM studies aiming to establish clinical utility are likely to require quite different control conditions from CBM studies aiming to illuminate mechanisms. Further, conclusions concerning the clinical utility of CBM interventions cannot necessarily be drawn from studies in which the control condition has been chosen to answer questions concerning mechanisms. Appreciating the need to appropriately alter control conditions in the transition from basic mechanisms-focussed investigations to applied clinical research could greatly facilitate the translational process.
Effect of Education on Asthma Control in Children: A Quasi- Experimental Study
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Arash Kalantari
2017-12-01
Full Text Available Introduction: The prevalence of asthma has increased significantly in recent decades1 especially in lower socioeconomic groups and in minority populations. Because of the increasing prevalence of asthma among children in worldwide and Iran, the importance of timely control of the disease after its diagnosis and few studies on the effect of education on asthma control in Iran, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of education on asthma control in children. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 104 Iranian children (6-14 years old with asthma referred to asthma and allergy clinic of Children's Medical Center in Tehran were studied via convenience sampling method. Recruitment was occurred between 2011 to 2014. Subjects randomly were divided into two equal groups of intervention and control. For intervention group, common education as well as special education in format of booklet, pamphlets, CD and group training sessions were applied every two weeks within the first two months of follow up and every two months then after. While, the control group received usual careResults: The means of FEV1/ FVC change, frequency of admission to the ED, hospitalization and absence from school and use of steroids were significantly different before and after education in the intervention group. While changes among measured parameters in the control group were not significantly different.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that specific education has significant helpful effect on asthma attack control in children.
Developed adaptive neuro-fuzzy algorithm to control air conditioning ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The paper developed artificial intelligence technique adaptive neuro-fuzzy controller for air conditioning systems at different pressures. The first order Sugeno fuzzy inference system was implemented and utilized for modeling and controller design. In addition, the estimation of the heat transfer rate and water mass flow rate ...
Cartwright, J Daniel
2007-06-01
Children and adolescents with chronic diseases and disabling conditions often need educationally related services. As medical home providers, physicians and other health care professionals can assist children, adolescents, and their families with the complex federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and systems associated with these services. Expanded roles for physicians and other health care professionals in individualized family service plan, individualized education plan, and Section 504 plan development and implementation are recommended. Recent updates to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act will also affect these services. Funding for these services by private and nonprivate sources also continue to affect the availability of these educationally related services. The complex range of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and systems for special education and related services for children and adolescents in public schools is beyond the scope of this statement. Readers are referred to the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement "The Pediatrician's Role in Development and Implementation of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and/or an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)" for additional background materials. The focus of this statement is the role that health care professionals have in determining and managing educationally related services in the school setting. This policy statement is a revision of a previous statement, "Provision of Educationally Related Services for Children and Adolescents With Chronic Diseases and Disabling Conditions," published in February 2000 by the Committee on Children With Disabilities (http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;105/2/448).
Gain control network conditions in early sensory coding.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eduardo Serrano
Full Text Available Gain control is essential for the proper function of any sensory system. However, the precise mechanisms for achieving effective gain control in the brain are unknown. Based on our understanding of the existence and strength of connections in the insect olfactory system, we analyze the conditions that lead to controlled gain in a randomly connected network of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We consider two scenarios for the variation of input into the system. In the first case, the intensity of the sensory input controls the input currents to a fixed proportion of neurons of the excitatory and inhibitory populations. In the second case, increasing intensity of the sensory stimulus will both, recruit an increasing number of neurons that receive input and change the input current that they receive. Using a mean field approximation for the network activity we derive relationships between the parameters of the network that ensure that the overall level of activity of the excitatory population remains unchanged for increasing intensity of the external stimulation. We find that, first, the main parameters that regulate network gain are the probabilities of connections from the inhibitory population to the excitatory population and of the connections within the inhibitory population. Second, we show that strict gain control is not achievable in a random network in the second case, when the input recruits an increasing number of neurons. Finally, we confirm that the gain control conditions derived from the mean field approximation are valid in simulations of firing rate models and Hodgkin-Huxley conductance based models.
Randomised controlled trials in Scandinavian educational research
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Pontoppidan, Maiken; Keilow, Maria; Dietrichson, Jens
2018-01-01
of this paper is to examine the history of randomised controlled trials in Scandinavian compulsory schools (grades 0–10; pupil ages 6-15). Specifically, we investigate drivers and barriers for randomised controlled trials in educational research and the differences between the three Scandinavian countries...... crucial for the implementation of RCTs and are likely more important in smaller countries such as the Scandinavian ones. Supporting institutions have now been established in all three countries, and we believe that the use of RCTs in Scandinavian educational research is likely to continue....... or more interventions were randomly assigned to groups of students and carried out in a school setting with the primary aim of improving the academic performance of children aged 6-15 in grades 0–10 in Denmark, Norway, or Sweden. We included both conducted and ongoing trials. Publications that seemed...
Bruggeman-Everts, Fieke Z; Wolvers, Marije D J; van de Schoot, Rens; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M R; Van der Lee, Marije L
2017-10-19
Approximately one third of all patients who have been successfully treated for cancer suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF). Effective and easily accessible interventions are needed for these patients. The current paper reports on the results of a 3-armed randomized controlled trial investigating the clinical effectiveness of two different guided Web-based interventions for reducing CCRF compared to an active control condition. Severely fatigued cancer survivors were recruited via online and offline channels, and self-registered on an open-access website. After eligibility checks, 167 participants were randomized via an embedded automated randomization function into: (1) physiotherapist-guided Ambulant Activity Feedback (AAF) therapy encompassing the use of an accelerometer (n=62); (2) psychologist-guided Web-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (eMBCT; n=55); or (3) an unguided active control condition receiving psycho-educational emails (n=50). All interventions lasted nine weeks. Fatigue severity was self-assessed using the Checklist Individual Strength - Fatigue Severity subscale (primary outcome) six times from baseline (T0b) to six months (T2). Mental health was self-assessed three times using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (secondary outcome). Treatment dropout was investigated. Multiple group latent growth curve analysis, corrected for individual time between assessments, showed that fatigue severity decreased significantly more in the AAF and eMBCT groups compared to the psycho-educational group. The analyses were checked by a researcher who was blind to allocation. Clinically relevant changes in fatigue severity were observed in 66% (41/62) of patients in AAF, 49% (27/55) of patients in eMBCT, and 12% (6/50) of patients in psycho-education. Dropout was 18% (11/62) in AAF, mainly due to technical problems and poor usability of the accelerometer, and 38% (21/55) in eMBCT, mainly due to
Fuzzy logic control of air-conditioning system in residential buildings
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Abdel-Hamid Attia
2015-09-01
Full Text Available There has been a rising concern in reducing the energy consumption in building. Heating ventilation and air condition system is the biggest consumer of energy in building. In this study, fuzzy logic control of the air conditioning system of building for efficient energy operation and comfortable environment is investigated. A theoretical model of the fan coil unit (FCU and the heat transfer between air and coolant fluid is derived. The controlled variables are the room temperature and relative humidity and control consequents are the percentage of chilled and hot water flow rates at summer and the percentage of hot water and steam injected flow rates at winter. A computer simulation has been conducted and fuzzy control results are compared with that of conventional Proportional-Integral-Derivative control. It was found that the proposed control strategy satisfies the space load and at the same time to achieve the comfort zone, as defined by the ASHRAE code. Meanwhile PID control fails to adjust the room temperature at part-load operations. It has been demonstrated that fuzzy controller operation is more efficient and consumes less energy than PID control.
Understanding unskilled work as a condition for participation in adult education and training
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kondrup, Sissel
2015-01-01
This article discusses how to comprehend why people working unskilled jobs are less likely than other groups to position themselves as educable subjects and engage in adult education and training. This article outlines how different research traditions examining recruitment to and participation...... in adult education and training reveal and explain distinctive participation patterns. These traditions are critically reviewed in order to identify how they provide certain understandings and entail certain blind spots. The review reveals a striking absence of research into unskilled work and thus...... a tendency to overlook how engagement in specific kinds of work condition people’s perception of adult education and training. It is finally argued that future research must pay closer attention to people’s specific work-life and examine how engagement in specific historical, social and material (changing...
... Health Food & Fitness Diseases & Conditions Infections Drugs & Alcohol School & Jobs Sports Expert Answers (Q&A) Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Birth Control Shot KidsHealth / For Teens / Birth Control Shot What's ...
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Kobuke, Yuko
2017-01-01
In the pharmaceutical education model core curriculums revision, "basic qualities required as a pharmacist" are clearly shown, and "the method based on learning outcomes" has been adopted. One of the 10 qualities (No. 7) is "Practical ability of the health and medical care in the community". In the large item "F. Pharmaceutical clinical" of the model core curriculums, "participation in the home (visit) medical care and nursing care" is written in "participation in the health, medical care, and welfare of the community", and it is an important problem to offer opportunities of home medical care education at university. In our university, we launched a working group to create "home clinical cases for education" from the educational point of view to pharmacy students to learn home medical care, in collaboration with university faculty members and pharmacists, who are practitioners of home care. Through its working group activities, we would like to organize the present conditions and problems of home care education in pharmaceutical education and to examine the possibility of using "home clinical case studies" in home care education at university.
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V. I. Freyman
2015-11-01
Full Text Available Subject of Research.Representation features of education results for competence-based educational programs are analyzed. Solution importance of decoding and proficiency estimation for elements and components of discipline parts of competences is shown. The purpose and objectives of research are formulated. Methods. The paper deals with methods of mathematical logic, Boolean algebra, and parametrical analysis of complex diagnostic test results, that controls proficiency of some discipline competence elements. Results. The method of logical conditions analysis is created. It will give the possibility to formulate logical conditions for proficiency determination of each discipline competence element, controlled by complex diagnostic test. Normalized test result is divided into noncrossing zones; a logical condition about controlled elements proficiency is formulated for each of them. Summarized characteristics for test result zones are imposed. An example of logical conditions forming for diagnostic test with preset features is provided. Practical Relevance. The proposed method of logical conditions analysis is applied in the decoding algorithm of proficiency test diagnosis for discipline competence elements. It will give the possibility to automate the search procedure for elements with insufficient proficiency, and is also usable for estimation of education results of a discipline or a component of competence-based educational program.
Development of Fuzzy Logic Control for Vehicle Air Conditioning System
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Henry Nasution
2008-08-01
Full Text Available A vehicle air conditioning system is experimentally investigated. Measurements were taken during the experimental period at a time interval of one minute for a set point temperature of 22, 23 and 24oC with internal heat loads of 0, 1 and 2 kW. The cabin temperature and the speed of the compressor were varied and the performance of the system, energy consumption and energy saving ware analyzed. The main objective of the experimental work is to evaluate the energy saving obtained when the fuzzy logic control (FLC algorithm, through an inverter, continuously regulates the compressor speed. It demonstrates better control of the compressor operation in terms of energy consumption as compared to the control by using a thermostat imposing On/Off cycles on the compressor at the nominal frequency of 50 Hz. The experimental set-up consists of original components from the air conditioning system of a compact passenger vehicle. The experimental results indicate that the proposed technique can save energy and improve indoor comfort significantly for vehicle air conditioning systems compared to the conventional (On/Off control technique.
Sukarieh, Mayssoun; Tannock, Stuart
2017-01-01
Currently dominant human capital and knowledge economy rhetoric holds that education can raise wages, empower workers and enhance working conditions. Education, however, can also have the opposite impact in the workplace and labour market, an impact that has received only limited attention. In this article we draw together a broad range of…
2-regularity and 2-normality conditions for systems with impulsive controls
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Pavlova Natal'ya
2007-01-01
Full Text Available In this paper a controlled system with impulsive controls in the neighborhood of an abnormal point is investigated. The set of pairs (u,μ is considered as a class of admissible controls, where u is a measurable essentially bounded function and μ is a finite-dimensional Borel measure, such that for any Borel set B, μ(B is a subset of the given convex closed pointed cone. In this article the concepts of 2-regularity and 2-normality for the abstract mapping Ф, operating from the given Banach space into a finite-dimensional space, are introduced. The concepts of 2-regularity and 2-normality play a great role in the course of derivation of the first and the second order necessary conditions for the optimal control problem, consisting of the minimization of a certain functional on the set of the admissible processes. These concepts are also important for obtaining the sufficient conditions for the local controllability of the nonlinear systems. The convenient criterion for 2-regularity along the prescribed direction and necessary conditions for 2-normality of systems, linear in control, are introduced in this article as well.
Self-Determination and American Indian Education: An Illusion of Control.
Senese, Guy
1986-01-01
Self-determination and community control of education as envisioned in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 have been severely compromised, the author maintains. Flaws in the law and its administration are discussed. (MT)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Man Zaigang; Wang Renbo; Zhang Xiongjie; Zhu Zhifu; Tang Bin
2009-01-01
Radon chamber can be widely used in various radon measurement instruments for calibration, testing and radon environment experiment. According to requisition, radon chamber temperature should be controllable from +10 degree C to +30 degree C, and the temperature control accuracy of the system reaches ±1 degree C. The design of automatic temperature controlled by air-condition based on 485 BUS is introduced. The software and hardware techniques of how the ATMEL89S52 micro controller controls air-condition and communicates with computer are elaborated on. (authors)
Quality control education in the community college
Greene, J. Griffen; Wilson, Steve
1966-01-01
This paper describes the Quality Control Program at Daytona Beach Junior College, including course descriptions. The program in quality control required communication between the college and the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC). The college has machinery established for certification of the learning process, and the society has the source of teachers who are competent in the technical field and who are the employers of the educational products. The associate degree for quality control does not have a fixed program, which can serve all needs, any more than all engineering degrees have identical programs. The main ideas which would be common to all quality control programs are the concept of economic control of a repetitive process and the concept of developing individual potentialities into individuals who are needed and productive.
Onishchenko, G G
2008-01-01
The federal service on supervision in sphere of protection of the rights of consumers and well-being of the person develops normative and methodical documents, including sanitary rules and the norms defining hygienic parameters of food value of food raw material and foodstuff, children used in a feed and teenagers; requirements to catering services of pupils of various types of teaching and educational establishments. Decisions of the Main state health officer of the Russian Federation, the conditions directed on improvement and catering services in educational establishments are published. At participation of Rospotrebnadzor's experts on subjects of the Russian Federation the regional programs directed on improvement of catering services of pupils are developed. The information on a condition of general educational establishments with offers on improvement of a sanitary-engineering condition, goes to address of enforcement authorities.
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Lidiya Olegovna Polyakova
2016-01-01
Results. Results of our scientific work are such conditions should be implemented based on the principle of «vertical integration», covering the social levels of the customer of higher education (economic sector, national systems of higher education, the University, the faculty, the chair. Practical implications. Presents a set of tools that is effective in solving problems of communication-language barriers of future specialists of non-linguistic profile.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kaerlev, Linda; Lynge, Elsebeth; Sabroe, Svend
2004-01-01
are interchangeable with the experience for population controls. Patient controls may even be preferable from population controls under certain conditions. In this study we examine if colon cancer patients can serve as surrogates for proper population controls in case-control studies of occupational risk factors...... about occupational, medical and life style conditions. RESULTS: No statistical significant difference for educational level, medical history or smoking status was seen between the two control groups. There was evidence of a higher alcohol intake, less frequent work as a farmer and less exposure...... to pesticides among colon cancer controls. CONCLUSIONS: Use of colon cancer controls may provide valid exposure estimates in studies of many occupational risk factors for cancer, but not for studies on exposure related to farming....
Information Management in Portugal: education and employment conditions and some prospects
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Maria Cristina Vieira de Freitas
2014-09-01
Full Text Available The Professors Cristina Freitas and Maria da Graça Simões answer questions prepared by teachers from the Faculdade de Informação e Comunicação (Gestão da Informação Undergraduate Degree da Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG. The questions are related to the educational structure dedicated to the issues of information management in Portugal, the influence of the "Big Data" phenomenon on education and training in the area - including discussions on data governance, the fundation areas of Information Management and the main approaches to information research in the Country. Besides, they discuss the employment conditions (threats and opportunities for professionals in Information Management in Portugal and in Europe [Available Language: Portuguese/Portugal].
Montaseri, Mohammad Ali; Hojat, Mohsen; Karimyar Jahromi, Mahdi
2014-01-01
Educational justice is a process by which all those involved in education are pondering and seeking to establish it in their regulatory environments. This study aimed to investigate effective factors in an ideal educational justice and the current condition of educational justice from the students' viewpoint and ultimately increase the awareness and understanding of authorities and educational planners of the existing shortcomings. This is a descriptive-analytical study. Samples include all nursing, operating room, and anesthesia students of nursing and paramedical college who had passed at least 5 semesters. Data collection was carried out through a scholar questionnaire. Validity was assessed through content validity and reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated using a pilot study. In order to determine the status of the scores, 5 points (very high), 4 (often), 3 (moderate), 2 (low) and 1 (very low) were assigned, respectively. To determine the justice level, a 35 score interval was considered as very low, low, medium, high and very high. SPSS software, descriptive statistics, independent t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. There was a significant difference between the ideal and the current conditions in all items (p≤0.001) and also in the total mean score of ideal condition and mean score of current condition (p=0.010). In an educational system, educational methods and aims should be regulated in a way that principles and components of justice are attainable and distribution and allocation of educational facilities of justice are considered thoroughly.
Management system for the control of the Educative Project in the Higher Cuban Education
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Lionel Rodolfo Baquero Hernández
2016-06-01
Full Text Available As part of the training of Cuban university students involved educational project that requires proper control of compliance. At the University of Information Science, is done through a digital model developed by the professor of the group which generates poor control and directly undermines the quality of the process. In this work the solution to the problem as basis of computerization, using OpenUP development methodology, programming language Java Script on the NetBeans platform version 8.0 as Integrated Development Environment, with ExtJS 3.4 framework is detailed, with version 8.0 of the Software Engineering tools Computer Assisted Visual Paradigm for modeling and PostgreSQL 9.3 as a management system database. The system also generates the associated compliance status of the activities that make up the educational project of a group, which facilitates the control and decision making reports.
Moattari, Marzieh; Hashemi, Maryam; Dabbaghmanesh, Mohammad H
2013-01-01
To determine the impact of electronic education on metabolic control indicators in patients with diabetes who were insulin dependent. Education can play an important role in controlling diabetes. Electronic (web-based, telehealth) education may be an efficient way to improve the patients' ability to control this disease. Randomised clinical control study. The participants in this clinical study were 48 insulin-dependent patients referred to diabetes centres in Shiraz, Iran. Serum concentrations of haemoglobin A(1C) , fasting blood sugar, triglycerides and high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured. Then the participants were divided randomly into control and experimental groups (n = 24). Participants in the experimental group received a specially designed electronic education programme for twelve weeks. The main components of the programme were a consultation service, quick answers to patients' questions, contact with the healthcare team and educational materials. At the end of the intervention period, all serum values were measured again in both groups. The data were compared using spss v 13·5 software. Serum concentrations of haemoglobin A(1C) (p education programme was useful in lowering two metabolic indicators of diabetes. Electronic education can be associated with increased health and patient satisfaction, and can eliminate the need to train personnel. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Soviet Education Policy 1917-1935: From Ideology to Bureaucratic Control.
Lauglo, Jon
1988-01-01
Examining early Soviet educational policy, Lauglo analyzes the initial expression of Marxist humanist values, popular participation, and the value of productive work for general education. Discusses the routinization into a Stalinist pattern of bureaucratically controlled utilitarianism and comments briefly on recent indications of change in…
Alignment Condition-Based Robust Adaptive Iterative Learning Control of Uncertain Robot System
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Guofeng Tong
2014-04-01
Full Text Available This paper proposes an adaptive iterative learning control strategy integrated with saturation-based robust control for uncertain robot system in presence of modelling uncertainties, unknown parameter, and external disturbance under alignment condition. An important merit is that it achieves adaptive switching of gain matrix both in conventional PD-type feedforward control and robust adaptive control in the iteration domain simultaneously. The analysis of convergence of proposed control law is based on Lyapunov's direct method under alignment initial condition. Simulation results demonstrate the faster learning rate and better robust performance with proposed algorithm by comparing with other existing robust controllers. The actual experiment on three-DOF robot manipulator shows its better practical effectiveness.
A randomised controlled trial of an SMS-based mobile epilepsy education system.
Lua, Pei Lin; Neni, Widiasmoro Selamat
2013-01-01
We evaluated an epilepsy education programme based on text messaging (SMS). Epilepsy outpatients from three hospitals in Malaysia were randomised into two groups: intervention and control. Patients in the control group were supplied with printed epilepsy educational material while those in the intervention group also received text messages from the Mobile Epilepsy Educational System (MEES). A total of 136 patients completed the study (mean age 31 years; 91% Malay; 51% with an illness duration of more than 5 years). A between-group analysis showed that the awareness, knowledge and attitudes (AKA) about epilepsy did not significantly differ between the groups at baseline (P > 0.05). The intervention patients reported better AKA levels during follow-up compared to the control patients (P < 0.05). A within-group analysis showed that in intervention patients, there were significant improvements in all AKA domains with larger effect sizes (P < 0.01) while control patients also exhibited significant improvement in most domains except for Awareness but with smaller effect sizes. After controlling for possible confounding variables (age, gender, educational qualification, monthly income and baseline mean for each domain), the intervention group still reported significantly higher AKA than the control group particularly in Awareness (P < 0.001) and Total AKA (P = 0.003). There was also significantly better medication adherence and clinic attendance in the intervention group (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the addition of the MEES to conventional epilepsy education is effective in improving AKA.
LEAP: A randomized-controlled trial of a lay-educator inpatient asthma education program.
Rice, Jessica L; Matlack, Kristen M; Simmons, Marsha D; Steinfeld, Jonathan; Laws, Margaret A; Dovey, Mark E; Cohen, Robyn T
2015-06-29
To evaluate the impact of LEAP, a volunteer-based, inpatient asthma education program for families of inner-city children with asthma. 711 children ages 2-17 years admitted with status asthmaticus were randomized to receive usual care or usual care plus a supplemental education intervention. Both groups completed a baseline interview. Trained volunteer lay educators conducted individualized bedside education with the intervention group. Primary outcome was attendance at a post-hospitalization follow-up visit 7-10 days after discharge. Secondary outcomes included parent-reported asthma management behaviors, symptoms, and self-efficacy scores from a one month follow-up interview. Post-hospitalization asthma clinic attendance was poor (38%), with no difference between groups. Families randomized to the intervention group were more likely to report use of a controller (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.2, peducation by trained lay volunteers was associated with improved asthma management behaviors. This novel volunteer-based program could have widespread implications as a sustainable model for asthma education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Organization of Teacher’s Professional Activity in Conditions of Innovative Educational Environment
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Liubov Kartashova
2016-05-01
Full Text Available The problem of organization of teacher’s professional activity in innovative educational environment is revealed in the article. The fundamental definitions of the concept of "innovative educational environment" in different aspects are determined. The analysis of researches of primary school teacher’s training in Ukraine and highly developed countries of the world is witnessed a number of contradictions that outlined necessity to generate the innovative (information educational environment. Effective organizational and methodical decision in formation of competitive teacher is the introduction subject "Methods of organization of teacher’s professional activity in conditions of innovative educational environment" to educational process of primary school teacher’s training. Its aim, objectives, information scope, requirements to level of mastering of content component, methods and forms of monitoring and evaluation of students’ competency have been revealed. The course is based on designed innovative IT-based (cloudy-oriented environment of pedagogical training of primary school teachers, and cloudy-oriented products are integrated in it, that will make the learning process interactive: OneNote, Skype, GoogleDisk, SkyDrive, teacher’s personal website, OneNote. The managing of students’ mastering process of pedagogical subjects is performed at lessons and using teacher’s electronic classroom
Age-related effects on postural control under multi-task conditions.
Granacher, Urs; Bridenbaugh, Stephanie A; Muehlbauer, Thomas; Wehrle, Anja; Kressig, Reto W
2011-01-01
Changes in postural sway and gait patterns due to simultaneously performed cognitive (CI) and/or motor interference (MI) tasks have previously been reported and are associated with an increased risk of falling in older adults. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of a CI and/or MI task on static and dynamic postural control in young and elderly subjects, and to find out whether there is an association between measures of static and dynamic postural control while concurrently performing the CI and/or MI task. A total of 36 healthy young (n = 18; age: 22.3 ± 3.0 years; BMI: 21.0 ± 1.6 kg/m(2)) and elderly adults (n = 18; age: 73.5 ± 5.5 years; BMI: 24.2 ± 2.9 kg/m(2)) participated in this study. Static postural control was measured during bipedal stance, and dynamic postural control was obtained while walking on an instrumented walkway. Irrespective of the task condition, i.e. single-task or multiple tasks, elderly participants showed larger center-of-pressure displacements and greater stride-to-stride variability than younger participants. Associations between measures of static and dynamic postural control were found only under the single-task condition in the elderly. Age-related deficits in the postural control system seem to be primarily responsible for the observed results. The weak correlations detected between static and dynamic measures could indicate that fall-risk assessment should incorporate dynamic measures under multi-task conditions, and that skills like erect standing and walking are independent of each other and may have to be trained complementarily. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Olga Vladimirovna Gavrilova
2017-11-01
Full Text Available Purpose. The article deals with the problem of teacher's professional activity in conditions of education modernization. The subject of analysis is professional mobility and competence correlation of rural schools teachers and the conditions of its formation. The authors’ aim to reveal the concepts of teacher’s "professional mobility", "professional competence" in rural schools and to determine its nature and structure in the changing paradigm of education. Results. The results of this work are that the authors give the definition of teacher’s "professional competence" and "professional mobility" in rural schools; concern teacher’s professional competence as a part of professional mobility in rural schools and suggest the conditions of studying to improve teacher’s professional competence and mobility. Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in the field of teachers retraining and advanced training in primary and secondary school.
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Bakanauskienė Irena
2017-12-01
Full Text Available This article is intended to theoretically justify the decision-making process model for the cases, when active participation of investing entities in controlling the activities of an organisation and their results is noticeable. Based on scientific literature analysis, a concept of controlled conditions is formulated, and using a rational approach to the decision-making process, a model of the 11-steps decision-making process under controlled intervention is presented. Also, there have been unified conditions, describing the case of controlled interventions thus providing preconditions to ensure the adequacy of the proposed decision-making process model.
Overview of impurity control and wall conditioning in NSTX
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kugel, H.W.; Maingi, R.; Wampler, W.; Barry, R.E.; Bell, M.; Blanchard, W.; Gates, D.; Johnson, D.; Kaita, R.; Kaye, S.; Maqueda, R.; Menard, J.; Menon, M.M.; Mueller, D.; Ono, M.; Paul, S.; Peng, Y-K.M.; Raman, R.; Roquemore, A.; Skinner, C. H.; Sabbagh, S.; Stratton, B.; Stutman, D.; Wilson, J. R.; Zweben, S.
2000-01-01
The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) started plasma operations i n February 1999. In the first extended period of experiments, NSTX achieved high current, inner wall limited, double null, and single null plasma discharges, initial Coaxial Helicity Injection, and High Harmonic Fast Wave results. As expected, discharge reproducibility and performance were strongly affected by wall conditions. In this paper, the authors describe the internal geometry, and initial plasma discharge, impurity control, wall conditioning, erosion, and deposition results
de Rose, Julio C.; Hidalgo, Matheus; Vasconcellos, Mariliz
2013-01-01
Variation in baseline controlling relations is suggested as one of the factors determining variability in stimulus equivalence outcomes. This study used single- comparison trials attempting to control such controlling relations. Four children learned AB, BC, and CD conditional discriminations, with 2 samples and 2 comparison stimuli. In Condition…
Flouri, Eirini
2006-03-01
Few studies have investigated if mother's interest and father's interest in child's education are linked to educational attainment via their impact on child's self-esteem and locus of control. (1) To investigate (after controlling for known confounding factors) the long-term effect of mother's and father's interest in child's education at age 10 and child's locus of control and self-esteem at age 10 in educational attainment at age 26; and (2) to explore if mother's interest and father's interest in child's education are linked to child's educational attainment via their effect in increasing child's self-esteem and internal locus of control. The study used longitudinal data from sweeps of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). The initial sample was those 1,737 men and 2,033 women with valid data on age 10 self-esteem, locus of control, father's interest, mother's interest, and age 26 educational attainment. Of these, 1,326 men and 1,578 women were included in the final analysis. The birth to age 10 factors that were controlled for were birth weight, parental social class, socio-economic disadvantage, emotional/behavioural problems, cognitive ability, and mother's educational attainment. At the multivariate level, internal locus of control and mother's interest (but not self-esteem) were significantly related to educational attainment in both men and women. Father's interest was a significant predictor of educational attainment only in women. Parent's interest was not linked to educational attainment via its impact on child's self-esteem or locus of control. Self-esteem predicted educational attainment in both genders by increasing internal locus of control, and fathers' interest predicted educational attainment in men by increasing mother's involvement. Although mothers' and fathers' interest in their children's education were not linked to educational attainment via their impact on children's self-esteem or locus of control, they were significant predictors of
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Zora JACOVA
1997-12-01
Full Text Available Preschool upbringing of children with developmental difficulties is the first link in the system of education and upbringing and at the same time the utmost segment in the system of integrational rehabilitation.Initiating the process of preschool upbringing and adequate organized treatment at early age, permits support of the development and maximum usage of the remained capabilities of children with developmental difficulties.The newest world experiences show that the upbringing and educational integration of children with developmental difficulties as asegment of the social integration, should set the main conditions in the frames of upbringing education and rehabilitational continuity and support the minimal restrictive environment for their development.In the pre-school institutions that function on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, an indifferent attitude towards the children with developmental difficulties is present, due to the uninformed educators for the characteristics and capabilities of these children and their believes for the negative influence of the children with developmental difficulties on the children without impairments, that implicates involvement of subsidery defectological education of present employed staff in the mainstream preschool institutions, also including defectologists in kindergartens for work with children with special difficulties in their development. Also, the data about the educator’s attitude in the mainstream preschool institutions is disturbing, so that they put the accent on the obligation for reducing of the program for work with handicapped children, not taking into consideration that subsidery, special forms and methods are needed beside the programs that are for the main stream group.The goal of our paper is to point out the need of involving of children with light developmental difficulties; the existence of special team in the preschool institutions when involving children with
Assari, Shervin
2017-06-01
Despite a well-established literature on the protective effect of education on health, less is known about group differences in the mechanisms underlying this association. Using a life course approach and cumulative advantage theory, this study compared Black men, Black women, White men, and White women to assess the long-term gradient (education as a continuous measure) and threshold (>12 years) effects of baseline education on change in chronic medical conditions (CMC) and depressive symptoms (DS) from baseline to 25 years later. Data came from the Americans' Changing Lives Study, 1986-2011. The study followed Black and White respondents for up to 25 years, among whom 1271 individuals who had survived and were under follow-up were interviewed in 2011 and reported their number of chronic medical conditions and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression; CES-D 11). Multi-group structural equation modeling was used to compare gradient and threshold effects of education on change in chronic medical conditions and depressive symptoms from baseline (1986) to 25 years later (2011) among Black men, Black women, White men, and White women. There were group differences in the long-term association between education measured as a gradient and the change in depressive symptoms and chronic medical conditions during the follow-up, and in the association between education measured at the threshold of 12 years on change in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up. However, the association between education measured at this threshold and change in chronic medical conditions did not differ across race-gender groups. With the exception of Black men, who showed a gradient protective effect for baseline education against increase in the number of chronic medical associations (threshold or gradient) with change in chronic medical conditions. Among White men and White women, education had a threshold protective effect against increase in depressive
Internal migration and household living conditions in Ethiopia
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Blessing Uchenna Mberu
2006-06-01
Full Text Available Using the 1998 Migration, Gender and Health Survey in Five Regions of Ethiopia, and multivariate regression techniques, this paper examines the relationship between internal migration and household living conditions. The analysis finds significant living condition advantage of permanent and temporary migrants over non-migrants. These advantages are primarily linked to migration selectivity by education and non-agricultural income. Once the independent effects of these variables are controlled, no statistical significant independent association exists between migration status and living conditions. Government policies of resettlement in the 1980s and ethnic federalism of the 1990s may have engendered stress migration and exacerbated poor living outcomes for return migrants. The resort to migration and/or resettlement as an individual or government policy response to periodic unfavorable conditions in places of origin is not strongly supported by this analysis as the key to improved living conditions. Promoting higher education and opportunities for employment outside the agricultural sector are more likely to yield improved living conditions in Ethiopia.
Modified atmospheric conditions controlling fungal growth on cheese
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Per Væggemose
1997-01-01
Effective control of fungal growth on cheese under storage conditions is of great concern for the dairy industry. Therefore we designed a research project together with the Danish dairy industry on modelling fungal growth on cheese as affected by the combined effect of storage conditions (O2 and CO......2 level, relative humidity and temperature) and the composition of the cheese. All fungal species commonly found on cheese, starter cultures as well as contaminants, were examined.The most important factors influencing fungal growth are temperature, water activity of the medium and the carbon...... a competitive advantage over other fungi in moist conditions with high carbon dioxide levels, such as inside a roquefort cheese or in gas tight grain storage. The key to success in food packaging is to recognise the food ecosystem, as it enables us to identify which micro...
A new method for controlling refrigerant flow in automobile air conditioning
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xuquan Li; Jiangping Chen; Zhijiu Chen [Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China). Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics Engineering; Weihua Liu; Wei Hu; Xiaobing Liu [Shanghai Delphi Automotive Air Conditiong Systems Co. Ltd., Changhai (China)
2004-05-01
This paper describes the improvement of the refrigerant flow control method by using an electronic expansion valve (EEV) which is driven by a stepper motor in automobile air conditioning system. An EEV can make a quick response to the abrupt change in the refrigerant flow rate during the change in automobile speed and the thermostatic on/off operation. The flow rate characteristic of the EEV for automobile air conditioning was presented. A microcontroller is used to receive the input signal and generate the output signal to control the opening of the EEV. The fuzzy self-tuning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control method is employed. Experimental results show that the new control method can feed adequate refrigerant flow into the evaporator in various operations. The evaporator discharge air temperature has dropped by approximately 3{sup o}C as compared with that of the conventional PID control system. (author)
Air Traffic Controllers' Control Strategies in the Terminal Area Under Off-Nominal Conditions
Martin, Lynne; Mercer, Joey; Callantine, Todd; Kupfer, Michael; Cabrall, Christopher
2012-01-01
A human-in-the-loop simulation investigated the robustness of a schedule-based terminal-area air traffic management concept, and its supporting controller tools, to off-nominal events - events that led to situations in which runway arrival schedules required adjustments and controllers could no longer use speed control alone to impose the necessary delays. The main research question was exploratory: to assess whether controllers could safely resolve and control the traffic during off-nominal events. A focus was the role of the supervisor - how he managed the schedules, how he assisted the controllers, what strategies he used, and which combinations of tools he used. Observations and questionnaire responses revealed supervisor strategies for resolving events followed a similar pattern: a standard approach specific to each type of event often resolved to a smooth conclusion. However, due to the range of factors influencing the event (e.g., environmental conditions, aircraft density on the schedule, etc.), sometimes the plan required revision and actions had a wide-ranging effect.
Kadakin, Vasily Vasilevich; Zeynalov, Guseyn Gardash ogly
2016-01-01
The relevance of the problem stated in the article is conditioned by the fact that the inclusion of Russia into the international market area requires a new quality in educators--professional mobility. The market is not an end in itself, but the environment in which educators must learn to fulfill their personal, intellectual and creative…
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Volodymyr V. Dyvak
2013-03-01
Full Text Available The article is devoted to the issues of introduction of information and communication technologies in educational process of higher educational institutions in the conditions of implementation of the correspondence form of training. Examples of the use of information and communication technologies in educational process of higher educational institutions, in particular in the preparation of specialists in pedagogics of higher school in the conditions of the correspondence form of training are presented. Discussed the basic didactic principles of distance and traditional forms of education. The theoretical substantiation of a choice of a virtual learning environment compass for the needs of training of specialists in pedagogics of higher school is presented. Determined the location of independent work of students in the educational process of higher education. Outputed the main functional modules of modern management systems of distance learning.
Childhood conditions and education as determinants of adult height and obesity among Greenland Inuit
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bjerregaard, Peter
2011-01-01
Height and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other physical and mental health conditions. Their association with childhood socioeconomic position has been demonstrated in studies among European and a few third world populations. In a random sample of adult Greenland Inuit (N...... = 2302) we studied the association between childhood socioeconomic conditions and height as well as prevalence of obesity (BMI > or = 30) in a cross sectional design. In block recursive graphical independence models, height was associated with mother's place of birth, birth cohort, childhood residence......, alcohol problems in childhood home, and education among both men and women. Obesity was associated with mother's place of birth (for men) and with alcohol problems (for women). In General Linear Models, men with an all rural background and no education beyond primary school measured on average 165.1 cm...
Frankowska, Hélène; Hoehener, Daniel
2017-06-01
This paper is devoted to pointwise second-order necessary optimality conditions for the Mayer problem arising in optimal control theory. We first show that with every optimal trajectory it is possible to associate a solution p (ṡ) of the adjoint system (as in the Pontryagin maximum principle) and a matrix solution W (ṡ) of an adjoint matrix differential equation that satisfy a second-order transversality condition and a second-order maximality condition. These conditions seem to be a natural second-order extension of the maximum principle. We then prove a Jacobson like necessary optimality condition for general control systems and measurable optimal controls that may be only ;partially singular; and may take values on the boundary of control constraints. Finally we investigate the second-order sensitivity relations along optimal trajectories involving both p (ṡ) and W (ṡ).
Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Shen, Jun; Wu, Haifeng; Ding, Fu; He, Xizhen; Zhu, Yueping
2013-01-01
A lack of knowledge in registered nurses about geriatric conditions is one of the major factors that contribute to these conditions being overlooked in hospitalized older people. In China, an innovative geriatric continuing nursing education program aimed at developing registered nurses' understanding of the complex care needs of hospitalized…
Education Information Security: Improvements Made But Control Weaknesses Remain
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
2001-01-01
To assess the effectiveness of information system general controls in place to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, and disruption to Education's primary accounting and payment system (i.e., EDCAPS...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bonnemay-Juricek, L [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires
1968-07-01
The existence of solutions in the optimal control problems with free endpoints is studied in this report and existence conditions are established without the usual assumption that the control region is convex. Furthermore the results, in order to be of some utility in physical applications, are expressed only by means of conditions on the parameters defining the system. (author) [French] Ce rapport etudie l'existence de solutions optimales dans les problemes de commande ou le point terminal est libre et ou la duree de l'evolution du systeme a optimiser est connue. Des conditions d'existence y sont formulees sans recourir a l'hypothese usuelle de convexite du domaine des valeurs des commandes. De plus on a cherche a rendre utilisables les resultats en ne faisant porter les conditions que sur les parametres directement accessibles du systeme. (auteur)
Social proof in the supermarket : Promoting healthy choices under low self-control conditions
Salmon, Stefanie J.; De Vet, Emely; Adriaanse, Marieke A.; Fennis, Bob M.; Veltkamp, Martijn; De Ridder, Denise T. D.
2015-01-01
Under low self-control conditions, people often favor tempting but unhealthy food products. Instead of fighting against low self-control to reduce unhealthy food choices, we aim to demonstrate in a field study that heuristic decision tendencies can be exploited under these conditions. To do so a
Social proof in the supermarket: Promoting healthy choices under low self-control conditions
Salmon, S.J.; Vet, de E.; Adriaanse, M.A.; Fennis, B.M.; Veltkamp, M.; Ridder, de D.T.D.
2015-01-01
Under low self-control conditions, people often favor tempting but unhealthy food products. Instead of fighting against low self-control to reduce unhealthy food choices, we aim to demonstrate in a field study that heuristic decision tendencies can be exploited under these conditions. To do so a
Actual conditions of radiation control in radioisotope utilization field
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kakihara, Koji
1980-01-01
It may be said that the actual conditions on radiation safety are being improved in utilizing radioisotopes or radiation in Japan. It depends greatly on the results of the voluntary effort of users and the regulations by the ''radiation injury prevention law'' and its relevant ordinances. However, the actual conditions of the strict observation of the law are much insufficient. According to the results of official inspection in 1978, 60% of whole enterprises concerned and 73% of educational and medical organizations were judged as incomplete. Such tendency should not be left as it is, but it should also be noticed that there are realities that critical accidents or injuries have not occurred even in such conditions as many violations mentioned above. Since the existing law has not been subjected to essential revision in the past two decades, it might be said that the law does not properly fit to the present conditions because the progress of related techniques was made during this period. Meanwhile, difficulties exist in measuring the low level concentration in the use of low energy radioisotopes or tracer experiments such as in the process analysis in factories or in the analysis of the movement of trace constituent in soil. Further, there is a problem on the necessity of securing the chief technicians handling radiation, and there is the contradiction that the chief technicians are useless in normal condition but are powerless in case of accidents. This situation should be improved as soon as possible. (Wakatsuki, Y.)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Valeriy Yu. Bykov
2010-08-01
Full Text Available In the article the problems, which appear under the creation of monitoring systems concerning the condition of informatization of general educational institutions, such as definition of monitoring object and list of parameters that will be traced during the monitoring, technologies of obtaining and actualization of data parameters, that are to be monitored, formats of data submission and ways of its processing, monitoring time period etc. are considered. In the article some decision of these problems are offered. Here is also mentioned the data of some characteristics and possibilities of the creation of monitoring systems concerning the condition of informatization of general educational institutions in Ukraine.
Controlled damping of a physical pendulum: experiments near critical conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gonzalez, Manuel I; Bol, Alfredo
2006-01-01
This paper presents an experimental device for the study of damped oscillatory motion along with three associated experiments. Special emphasis is given on both didactic aspects and the interactivity of the experimental set-up, in order to assist students in understanding fundamental aspects of damped oscillatory motion and allow them to directly compare their experimental results with the well-known theory they can find in textbooks. With this in mind, a physical pendulum was selected with an eddy-current damping system that allows the damping conditions to be controlled with great precision. The three experiments examine accurate control of damping, frequency shift near critical damping and the transition from underdamped to overdamped conditions
Sprofera, Joseph D.; Clark, Robert L.; Cabell, Randolph H.; Gibbs, Gary P.
2005-05-01
Turbulent boundary layer (TBL) noise is considered a primary contribution to the interior noise present in commercial airliners. There are numerous investigations of interior noise control devoted to aircraft panels; however, practical realization is a potential challenge since physical boundary conditions are uncertain at best. In most prior studies, pinned or clamped boundary conditions were assumed; however, realistic panels likely display a range of boundary conditions between these two limits. Uncertainty in boundary conditions is a challenge for control system designers, both in terms of the compensator implemented and the location of transducers required to achieve the desired control. The impact of model uncertainties, specifically uncertain boundaries, on the selection of transducer locations for structural acoustic control is considered herein. The final goal of this work is the design of an aircraft panel structure that can reduce TBL noise transmission through the use of a completely adaptive, single-input, single-output control system. The feasibility of this goal is demonstrated through the creation of a detailed analytical solution, followed by the implementation of a test model in a transmission loss apparatus. Successfully realizing a control system robust to variations in boundary conditions can lead to the design and implementation of practical adaptive structures that could be used to control the transmission of sound to the interior of aircraft. Results from this research effort indicate it is possible to optimize the design of actuator and sensor location and aperture, minimizing the impact of boundary conditions on the desired structural acoustic control.
Control Strategy for Microgrid Inverter under Unbalanced Grid Voltage Conditions
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Guo, Xiaoqiang; Liu, Wenzhao; Zhang, X.
2014-01-01
This paper presents the theoretical analysis of the inherent reason of current harmonic and power oscillation phenomena in case of operating the microgrid inverter under unbalanced grid voltage conditions. In order to flexibly control the current harmonic and power oscillation, a new stationary...... inverter. Finally, the performance evaluation tests are carried out under unbalanced grid voltage conditions. Results verify the effectiveness of the propose method....
Monitoring parameters of technical condition and safety of aircraft using control charts
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
В.І. Чепіженко
2007-03-01
Full Text Available The opportunity of control cards use for monitoring of a technical condition parameters and reliability of aviation techniques is considered at its operation on a technical condition.
Smart Sensors Enable Smart Air Conditioning Control
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chin-Chi Cheng
2014-06-01
Full Text Available In this study, mobile phones, wearable devices, temperature and human motion detectors are integrated as smart sensors for enabling smart air conditioning control. Smart sensors obtain feedback, especially occupants’ information, from mobile phones and wearable devices placed on human body. The information can be used to adjust air conditioners in advance according to humans’ intentions, in so-called intention causing control. Experimental results show that the indoor temperature can be controlled accurately with errors of less than ±0.1 °C. Rapid cool down can be achieved within 2 min to the optimized indoor capacity after occupants enter a room. It’s also noted that within two-hour operation the total compressor output of the smart air conditioner is 48.4% less than that of the one using On-Off control. The smart air conditioner with wearable devices could detect the human temperature and activity during sleep to determine the sleeping state and adjusting the sleeping function flexibly. The sleeping function optimized by the smart air conditioner with wearable devices could reduce the energy consumption up to 46.9% and keep the human health. The presented smart air conditioner could provide a comfortable environment and achieve the goals of energy conservation and environmental protection.
Alternative Motion Control for Educational Biped BRAT Robots
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Levente Barabas
2015-12-01
Full Text Available In this paper an alternative control solution will be proposed for an educational biped BRAT robot by replacing its SSC-32 servomotor controller with an Arduino R3 development board. Also we will be approaching the problem of adapting the existing electronic circuit to the new requirements and proposing a new application by adding an ultrasonic distance sensor in order to increase the versatility of the robot and make it capable to interact with its environment.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Maria Ivanchuk
2017-03-01
Full Text Available The article is analyzed approaches and defined the essence of readiness of teachers to innovative educational activities in the primary education. The meanings of “innovative educational activity”, “the willingness of students to innovative educational activities” are clarified. The essence and role of motivational, cognitive, creative and incentive-praxeology components of this readiness is analysed. Identified, theoretically grounded and experimentally tested pedagogical conditions of formation of readiness of students to innovative educational activities with younger students in the process of pedagogical practice. Developed a program of optimization of innovative educational activities with younger students in the process of pedagogical practice, which covers a system of structured types. The tests showed the efficiency performance of different types of individual and group work with students (experience with innovative educational technologies and their implementation; discussion of issues of innovation in education; implementation of dialogue forms of communication between the actors of the educational process, the formation of aspirations, the desire to highlight the goals, objectives, build a plan of its own search of innovative work; develop skills to make the transition from algorithmisation, stereotypical techniques to subjectively new etc.. Methodical recommendations are offered for improving the preparation of students for innovative educational activities with the younger students.
Distance education and diabetes empowerment: A single-blind randomized control trial.
Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Zirak, Mohammad; Hemmati Maslakpak, Masomeh; Parizad, Naser
2017-11-01
Diabetes is one of the biggest problems in healthcare systems and kills many people every year. Diabetes management is impossible when only utilizing medication. So, patients must be educated to manage their diabetes. This study aims to assess the effect of education by telephone and short message service on empowering patients with type 2 diabetes (primary outcome). A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Urmia diabetes association in Iran. Sixty six participants with definitive diagnosis of type 2 diabetes entered into the study. Patients with secondary health problems were excluded. Patients were selected by simple random sampling then allocated into intervention (n=33) and control (n=33) groups. The intervention group received an educational text message daily and instructive phone calls three days a week for three months along with usual care. The Diabetes Empowerment Scale (DES) with confirmed validity and reliability was used for collecting data. Data was analyzed using SPSS V6.1. Independent t-test, paired t-test and chi-square were used to analyze the data. The empowerment of the intervention group compared with the control group significantly improved after three months of distance education (p<0.00, EF=1. 16). The study findings show that the distance education has a significant effect on empowering patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, using distance education along with other diabetes management intervention is highly effective and should be part of the care in diabetes treatment. Copyright © 2016 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Distributed automatic control of technological processes in conditions of weightlessness
Kukhtenko, A. I.; Merkulov, V. I.; Samoylenko, Y. I.; Ladikov-Royev, Y. P.
1986-01-01
Some problems associated with the automatic control of liquid metal and plasma systems under conditions of weightlessness are examined, with particular reference to the problem of stability of liquid equilibrium configurations. The theoretical fundamentals of automatic control of processes in electrically conducting continuous media are outlined, and means of using electromagnetic fields for simulating technological processes in a space environment are discussed.
Khun, Sokrin; Manderson, Lenore
2007-12-05
Dengue fever continues to be a major public health problem in Cambodia, with significant impact on children. Health education is a major means for prevention and control of the National Dengue Control Program (NDCP), and is delivered to communities and in schools. Drawing on data collected in 2003-2004 as part of an ethnographic study conducted in eastern Cambodia, we explore the approaches used in health education and their effectiveness to control dengue. Community health education is provided through health centre outreach activities and campaigns of the NDCP, but is not systematically evaluated, is under-funded and delivered irregularly; school-based education is restricted in terms of time and lacks follow-up in terms of practical activities for prevention and control. As a result, adherence is partial. We suggest the need for sustained routine education for dengue prevention and control, and the need for approaches to ensure the translation of knowledge into practice.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sokrin Khun
Full Text Available Dengue fever continues to be a major public health problem in Cambodia, with significant impact on children. Health education is a major means for prevention and control of the National Dengue Control Program (NDCP, and is delivered to communities and in schools. Drawing on data collected in 2003-2004 as part of an ethnographic study conducted in eastern Cambodia, we explore the approaches used in health education and their effectiveness to control dengue. Community health education is provided through health centre outreach activities and campaigns of the NDCP, but is not systematically evaluated, is under-funded and delivered irregularly; school-based education is restricted in terms of time and lacks follow-up in terms of practical activities for prevention and control. As a result, adherence is partial. We suggest the need for sustained routine education for dengue prevention and control, and the need for approaches to ensure the translation of knowledge into practice.
Pennaforte, Antoine; Pretti, T. Judene
2015-01-01
Based in a French context, this research investigates the link between the French cooperative education (co-op) system and students' organizational commitment. Following a quasi-experimental design with a control group, in a longitudinal approach, the study focuses on under-baccalaureate, undergraduate and graduate students. Results show that in…
Edwards, Paul C; Graham, Jasmine; Oling, Rebecca; Frantz, Kate E
2016-05-01
The aim of this study was to determine whether a patient educator presentation (PEP) on pemphigus vulgaris would increase second-year dental students' awareness of the importance of learning about rare conditions and improve their retention of rare disease knowledge. The study involved students' subjective assessments of a PEP experience at two U.S. dental schools. In this mixed methods study, cross-sectional data were obtained by surveys and in-depth interviews. Questions focused on students' assessment of the messages acquired from the PEP and its likely impact on their future clinical care. At University 1, students completed paper surveys with open-ended questions and participated in a focus group. At University 2, students completed an online survey consisting of rating scale and open-ended questions. Responses to open-ended questions were categorized into themes. At University 1, 79 students (out of a possible 102; response rate 77.5%) completed the survey, and an additional ten students participated in a focus group. At University 2, 30 students (out of a possible 104; response rate 28.8%) completed the survey. At Universities 1 and 2, 88% and 100%, respectively, of respondents stated the PEP would influence their future clinical decision making. The vast majority of respondents (94% and 100% at University 1 and University 2, respectively) were of the opinion that the personal testimonial from a patient would help them recall information about pemphigus vulgaris in five years' time. Respondents from both universities commented that the PEP emphasized the importance of not dismissing a patient's concerns. These results suggest that a presentation by a patient with a rare condition can be an effective educational tool for preclinical dental students.
Reactive gas control of non-stable plasma conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bellido-Gonzalez, V.; Daniel, B.; Counsell, J.; Monaghan, D.
2006-01-01
Most industrial plasma processes are dependant upon the control of plasma properties for repeatable and reliable production. The speed of production and range of properties achieved depend on the degree of control. Process control involves all the aspects of the vacuum equipment, substrate preparation, plasma source condition, power supplies, process drift, valves (inputs/outputs), signal and data processing and the user's understanding and ability. In many cases, some of the processes which involve the manufacturing of interesting coating structures, require a precise control of the process in a reactive environment [S.J. Nadel, P. Greene, 'High rate sputtering technology for throughput and quality', International Glass Review, Issue 3, 2001, p. 45. ]. Commonly in these circumstances the plasma is not stable if all the inputs and outputs of the system were to remain constant. The ideal situation is to move a process from set-point A to B in zero time and maintain the monitored signal with a fluctuation equal to zero. In a 'real' process that's not possible but improvements in the time response and energy delivery could be achieved with an appropriate algorithm structure. In this paper an advanced multichannel reactive plasma gas control system is presented. The new controller offers both high-speed gas control combined with a very flexible control structure. The controller uses plasma emission monitoring, target voltage or any process sensor monitoring as the input into a high-speed control algorithm for gas input. The control algorithm and parameters can be tuned to different process requirements in order to optimize response times
Quality Control Barriers in Adapting "Metro-Centric" Education to Regional Needs
Nagy, Judy; Robinson, Susan R.
2013-01-01
The massification and globalization of higher education, combined with the widespread adoption of processes underpinning accreditation and quality control of university programs, have tended to result in learning contexts that are increasingly narrowly conceived and tightly controlled. Underlying many quality control measures is a "one size…
Adaptive neural network motion control for aircraft under uncertainty conditions
Efremov, A. V.; Tiaglik, M. S.; Tiumentsev, Yu V.
2018-02-01
We need to provide motion control of modern and advanced aircraft under diverse uncertainty conditions. This problem can be solved by using adaptive control laws. We carry out an analysis of the capabilities of these laws for such adaptive systems as MRAC (Model Reference Adaptive Control) and MPC (Model Predictive Control). In the case of a nonlinear control object, the most efficient solution to the adaptive control problem is the use of neural network technologies. These technologies are suitable for the development of both a control object model and a control law for the object. The approximate nature of the ANN model was taken into account by introducing additional compensating feedback into the control system. The capabilities of adaptive control laws under uncertainty in the source data are considered. We also conduct simulations to assess the contribution of adaptivity to the behavior of the system.
Adherence to two methods of education and metabolic control in ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
BACKGROUND: Education in diabetes optimizes metabolic control, prevents acute and chronic complications, and improves quality of life. Our main objective was to evaluate if a better metabolic control is achieved in diabetic patients undergoing a program of intensive interactive care than in those with traditional care and ...
Education Organization Baseline Control Protection and Trusted Level Security
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wasim A. Al-Hamdani
2007-12-01
Full Text Available Many education organizations have adopted for security the enterprise best practices for implementation on their campuses, while others focus on ISO Standard (or/and the National Institution of Standards and Technology.All these adoptions are dependent on IT personal and their experiences or knowledge of the standard. On top of this is the size of the education organizations. The larger the population in an education organization, the more the problem of information and security become very clear. Thus, they have been obliged to comply with information security issues and adopt the national or international standard. The case is quite different when the population size of the education organization is smaller. In such education organizations, they use social security numbers as student ID, and issue administrative rights to faculty and lab managers – or they are not aware of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA – and release some personal information.The problem of education organization security is widely open and depends on the IT staff and their information security knowledge in addition to the education culture (education, scholarships and services has very special characteristics other than an enterprise or comparative organizationThis paper is part of a research to develop an “Education Organization Baseline Control Protection and Trusted Level Security.†The research has three parts: Adopting (standards, Testing and Modifying (if needed.
An analysis of conditions for physical activity and physical education in the Czech Republic
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jan Pavelka
2014-01-01
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The school environment is considered suitable for promoting physical activity in children, which influences their attitude not only to physical activity but also to themselves, classmates, and teachers. Besides the family, the school environment is a significant scene for the development of life values, which includes a positive children's attitude to regular physical activity. AIMS: The objective of the study is to use a school-level questionnaire to analyse spatial and organizational conditions for physical activity and schoolbased physical education in primary and secondary schools in the Czech Republic (CR. METHODS: To investigate the conditions for physical activity and physical education in schools in the CR, a selection sample of 92 educational institutions (84 primary schools and 8 multi-year grammar schools were used. Research data were collected in the first half of 2012. Statistical data processing was performed by means of descriptive statistics and graphic illustration from the questionnaire. RESULTS: Apart from physical education lessons, schools provide additional forms of after-school physical activity. As much as 29.4% of schools provide afterschool physical activity, while physically active breaks are promoted by 26.8% of schools. More than 80% of schools have sufficient equipment for the delivery of physical activity and use it on a daily basis. Only in 17% of schools students have free access to this equipment during breaks and free lessons. CONCLUSIONS: Most schools in the CR have sufficient space for the delivery of children's physical activity. The most frequent physical activity during school lessons is physical education, which is delivered in two lessons a week. Promotion of physical activity during breaks and free lessons appears significant in terms of overall physical activity levels in children.
TEACHERS’ TRAINING FOR SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY IN CONDITIONS OF MOUNTAIN AREA PRIMARY SCHOOL
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Leonida Pesotskaya
2015-04-01
Full Text Available The article reveals the question of using of the method of coaching in preparation of the students to the managerial activity in the sphere of preschool education in mountain areas. The necessity of preparation under the modern conditions of social-economic development of mountain areas has been proved. The content of the article generalizes basic contradictions between the necessity and reality. The definition of the main points of the research has been given. The attention is accentuated on the basic principles of management and on the notion “coaching” in the process of management of preschool education in mountain area. Coaching includes partnership, potential revealing, effectiveness. Methodology of coaching is based on the principle that the person naturally is sufficiently talented and owns great potential, which isn’t realized fully. An important condition of this approach is valuable, respectful attitude of the participants of polylogue to one another. Basic theoretical regulations of the coaching approach have been determined. In the context of selection of teching technologies on the basis of coaching approach, the method “reflexive team” has been briefly revealed. It is determined that coaching is a style of management, transformed culture: if the authoritarian style is substituted into coaching, then the hierarchy changes from the support of blaming and ridiculing to the objective evaluation, all-hands activity changes to strategic planning. Coaching approach will allow optimizing the structure of economic activity of a separate preschool educational establishment. The attention is accentuated at the fact, that using coaching with the students at the lessons as a style of management of preschool education, will let future managers of preschool educational establishments to form the skills of behavior in critical situations of mountain area, to enrich their activity with the new means of performing, to develop professional
An Innovative Adaptive Control System to Regulate Microclimatic Conditions in a Greenhouse
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Giuseppina Nicolosi
2017-05-01
Full Text Available In the recent past home automation has been expanding its objectives towards new solutions both inside the smart home and in its outdoor spaces, where several new technologies are available. This work has developed an approach to integrate intelligent microclimatic greenhouse control into integrated home automation. Microclimatic control of greenhouses is a critical issue in agricultural practices, due to often common sudden daily variation of climatic conditions, and to its potentially detrimental effect on plant growth. A greenhouse is a complex thermodynamic system where indoor temperature and relative humidity have to be closely monitored to facilitate plant growth and production. This work shows an adaptive control system tailored to regulate microclimatic conditions in a greenhouse, by using an innovative combination of soft computing applications. In particular, a neural network solution has been proposed in order to forecast the climatic behavior of greenhouse, while a parallel fuzzy scheme approach is carried out in order to adjust the air speed of fan-coil and its temperature. The proposed combined approach provides a better control of greenhouse climatic conditions due to the system’s capability to base instantaneous solutions both on real measured variables and on forecasted climatic change. Several simulation campaigns were carried out to perform accurate neural network and fuzzy schemes, aimed at obtaining respectively a minimum forecasted error value and a more appropriate fuzzification and de-fuzzification process. A Matlab/Simulink solution implemented with a combined approach and its relevant obtained performance is also shown in present study, demonstrating that through controlled parameters it will be possible to maintain a better level of indoor climatic conditions. In the present work we prove how with a forecast of outside temperature at the next time-instant and rule-based controller monitoring of cooling or heating air
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Budianto, A; Tawi, K B; Hussein, M; Supriyo, B; Kob, M S Che; Zulkifli, Mohd Ezlamy; Khairuldean A K; Daraoh, Aishah; Ariyono, S
2012-01-01
Electro-Mechanical Dual Acting Pulley (EMDAP) Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is a transmission utilized by electro-mechanical actuated system. It has a potential to reduce energy consumption because it only needs power during changing CVT ratio and no power is needed to maintain CVT ratio due to self lock mechanism design. This paper proposed simple proportional derivative plus conditional integral (PDCI) controller to control EMDAP CVT ratio which can be simply implemented on a microcontroller. This proposed controller used Astrom-Hagglund method and Ziegler-Nichols formula to tune PDCI gain. The Proportional Derivative controller is directly activated from the start but Integral controller is only activated when the error value reaches error value setting point. Simulation using Matlab/Simulink software was conducted to evaluate PDCI system performance. The simulation results showed PDCI controller has ability to perform maximum overshoot 0.1%, 0.001 steady state error and 0.5s settling time. For clamping condition, settling time is about 11.46s during changing ratio from 2.0 to 0.7, while for release condition, settling time is about 8.33s during changing ratio from 0.7 to 2.0.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eunsoo Lim
2018-03-01
Full Text Available Background : For phosphate control, patient education is essential due to the limited clearance of phosphate by dialysis. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials about dietary and phosphate binder education have been scarce. Methods : We enrolled maintenance hemodialysis patients and randomized them into an education group (n = 48 or a control group (n = 22. We assessed the patients' drug compliance and their knowledge about the phosphate binder using a questionnaire. Results : The primary goal was to increase the number of patients who reached a calcium-phosphorus product of lower than 55. In the education group, 36 (75.0% patients achieved the primary goal, as compared with 16 (72.7% in the control group (P = 0.430. The education increased the proportion of patients who properly took the phosphate binder (22.9% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.087, but not to statistical significance. Education did not affect the amount of dietary phosphate intake per body weight (education vs. control: -1.18 ± 3.54 vs. -0.88 ± 2.04 mg/kg, P = 0.851. However, the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio tended to be lower in the education group (-0.64 ± 2.04 vs. 0.65 ± 3.55, P = 0.193. The education on phosphate restriction affected neither the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score (0.17 ± 4.58 vs. -0.86 ± 3.86, P = 0.363 nor the level of dietary protein intake (-0.03 ± 0.33 vs. -0.09 ± 0.18, P = 0.569. Conclusion : Education did not affect the calcium-phosphate product. Education on the proper timing of phosphate binder intake and the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio showed marginal efficacy.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Semchuk Zhanna V.
2016-02-01
Full Text Available The development of professional education in the context of interaction with the labor market has been analyzed and inconsistencies of professional and economic nature have been revealed. Reasons for the imbalance in the structure of the market for labor and education have been identified, and it was noted that they have a negative impact on the economic security of educational institutions and cause the accumulation of negative factors as well. Elements of foreign experience in forecasting economic development and associated with it changes in educational services with regard to high-risk conditions have been considered for the purpose of its application in Ukraine. A conceptual model of information technology for coordination of regional structures’ interests concerning investment resources of educational services of enterprises under high-risk conditions has been proposed. The information technology is based on the econometric model for optimizing enterprise Internet payment systems, criterion of hierarchical games theories, multiobjective optimization, active systems, the model for diagnosing internal and external threats to the economic security of the educational institution; means and methodology of the system-value approach; algorithms for recognition of crisis situations; the optimization model for forecasting crisis situations and managing risk as well as the decision-making system for coordination of regional structures’ interests concerning investment resources based on the model of a program-designtarget complex
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bonnemay-Juricek, L. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires
1968-07-01
The existence of solutions in the optimal control problems with free endpoints is studied in this report and existence conditions are established without the usual assumption that the control region is convex. Furthermore the results, in order to be of some utility in physical applications, are expressed only by means of conditions on the parameters defining the system. (author) [French] Ce rapport etudie l'existence de solutions optimales dans les problemes de commande ou le point terminal est libre et ou la duree de l'evolution du systeme a optimiser est connue. Des conditions d'existence y sont formulees sans recourir a l'hypothese usuelle de convexite du domaine des valeurs des commandes. De plus on a cherche a rendre utilisables les resultats en ne faisant porter les conditions que sur les parametres directement accessibles du systeme. (auteur)
28 CFR 54.205 - Educational institutions and other entities controlled by religious organizations.
2010-07-01
... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Educational institutions and other... JUSTICE (CONTINUED) NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Coverage § 54.205 Educational institutions and other entities controlled by...
Beyond Control and Rationality: Dewey, Aesthetics, Motivation, and Educative Experiences
Wong, David
2007-01-01
Contemporary perspectives in psychology and education characterize ideal students as rational and in control of their thinking and actions. The good student is often described as intentional, cognitive, metacognitive, critical, and reflective. I begin with a brief history of control and rationality to establish how "The Tradition" is deeply rooted…
Developed adaptive neuro-fuzzy algorithm to control air conditioning ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
user
... conditioning system is highly appreciated and essential in most of our daily life. ... (Hossien and Karla, 2012) presented an overview work which provides an .... energy balance for SSSF and the mass flow balance for the water in the air are ..... of Automatic Control and Electrical Engineering at Siegen University, Germany.
Potential electricity savings by variable speed control of compressor for air conditioning systems
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nasution, Henry [Bung Hatta University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Padang, West Sumatera (Indonesia); Wan Hassan, Mat Nawi [Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Skudai, Johor Bahru-Darul Ta' zim (Malaysia)
2006-05-15
The potential of a variable-speed compressor running on a controller to provide enhanced load-matching capability, energy saving and thermal comfort for application in air-conditioning system is demonstrated. An air-conditioning system, originally operated on a constant speed mode, is retrofitted with an inverter and a PID controller. The system was installed to a thermal environmental room together with a data acquisition system to monitor energy consumption and temperature of the room. Measurements were taken 2 h daily at a time interval of 5 min for an on/off and an inverter variable-speed conditions. The results indicate that thermal comfort of the room together with energy saving can be obtained through a proper selection of K for the controller. At a temperature setting of 22 C, the energy saving for the system is estimated to reach 25.3% for PID controllers. (orig.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kotarski, W.; Kowalewski, A.
1982-03-01
In this paper we consider an optimal control problem for a system described by a linear partial differential equation of the parabolic type with Dirichlet's boundary condition. We impose some constraints on the control. The performance functional has the integral form. The control time T is fixed. The initial condition is not given by a known function but belongs to a certain set (incomplete information about the initial state). The problem formulated in this paper describes the process of optimal heating, of which we do not have exact information about the initial temperature on the heated object. We present an example in which the set of admissible controls and one of initial conditions are given by means of the norm constraints too. The application of the well-known projective gradient method in the Hilbert space allows us to obtain the numerical solution for our optimization problem. (author)
An educational alternative for improving working conditions in small and medium enterprises
Eliana Castro S; Elisabeth Herreño T
2011-01-01
Managing health and safety at work involves considering two internal processes common to all organizations: knowledge and human talent management. These two processes are affected by globalizing phenomena that have an effect at the economic, environmental, and occupational levels. This is especially true for countries like Colombia. Objective: to provide an educational alternative that contributes to knowledge management in SME’s in order to improve the working conditions and to support their...
Operating wind turbines in strong wind conditions by using feedforward-feedback control
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Feng, Ju; Sheng, Wen Zhong
2014-01-01
Due to the increasing penetration of wind energy into power systems, it becomes critical to reduce the impact of wind energy on the stability and reliability of the overall power system. In precedent works, Shen and his co-workers developed a re-designed operation schema to run wind turbines in strong wind conditions based on optimization method and standard PI feedback control, which can prevent the typical shutdowns of wind turbines when reaching the cut-out wind speed. In this paper, a new control strategy combing the standard PI feedback control with feedforward controls using the optimization results is investigated for the operation of variable-speed pitch-regulated wind turbines in strong wind conditions. It is shown that the developed control strategy is capable of smoothening the power output of wind turbine and avoiding its sudden showdown at high wind speeds without worsening the loads on rotor and blades
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mariana Pozzatti
2015-11-01
Full Text Available Discusses working conditions, career time and health dimensions of 87 physical education teachers working in five municipalities of the Espirito Santo (Guarapari, Nova Venecia, Santa Teresa, Viana and Vitoria, participants of the survey from national research Teaching Work in basic education in Brazil. This is a quantitative and qualitative study of descriptive and interpretative character, which is based on the classification of cycles / phases / stages of teacher career Huberman (2007 and dialogues, especially with Santini (2004; 2005 and Almeida (2008. Concludes that the relationship between working conditions and career time, taken in isolation, does not determine the health and malaise of the teaching professional and that this process is complex, depending on a set of factors involving pedagogical issues, professional and personal.
Carey, M E; Mandalia, P K; Daly, H; Gray, L J; Hale, R; Martin Stacey, L; Taub, N; Skinner, T C; Stone, M; Heller, S; Khunti, K; Davies, M J
2014-11-01
To develop and test a format of delivery of diabetes self-management education by paired professional and lay educators. We conducted an equivalence trial with non-randomized participant allocation to a Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed Type 2 diabetes (DESMOND) course, delivered in the standard format by two trained healthcare professional educators (to the control group) or by one trained lay educator and one professional educator (to the intervention group). A total of 260 people with Type 2 diabetes diagnosed within the previous 12 months were referred for self-management education as part of routine care and attended either a control or intervention format DESMOND course. The primary outcome measure was change in illness coherence score (derived from the Diabetes Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised) between baseline and 4 months after attending education sessions. Secondary outcome measures included change in HbA1c level. The trial was conducted in four primary care organizations across England and Scotland. The 95% CI for the between-group difference in positive change in coherence scores was within the pre-set limits of equivalence (difference = 0.22, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.52). Equivalent changes related to secondary outcome measures were also observed, including equivalent reductions in HbA1c levels. Diabetes education delivered jointly by a trained lay person and a healthcare professional educator with the same educator role can provide equivalent patient benefits. This could provide a method that increases capacity, maintains quality and is cost-effective, while increasing access to self-management education. © 2014 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2014 Diabetes UK.
Vandenberghe, Vincent
1999-01-01
Examines market and bureaucratic control of education in terms of "institutions" typically analyzed by economists. Focuses on hybrid educational institutions combining bureaucratic and market control (called "quasi-markets") in Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and New Zealand. Finds little evidence of improved efficiency of quasi-markets…
Fuzzy logic controller implementation for a solar air-conditioning system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lygouras, J.N.; Botsaris, P.N.; Vourvoulakis, J.; Kodogiannis, V.
2007-01-01
The implementation of a variable structure fuzzy logic controller for a solar powered air conditioning system and its advantages are investigated in this paper. Two DC motors are used to drive the generator pump and the feed pump of the solar air-conditioner. Two different control schemes for the DC motors rotational speed adjustment are implemented and tested: the first one is a pure fuzzy controller, its output being the control signal for the DC motor driver. A 7 x 7 fuzzy matrix assigns the controller output with respect to the error value and the derivative of the error. The second scheme is a two-level controller. The lower level is a conventional PID controller, and the higher level is a fuzzy controller acting over the parameters of the low level controller. Step response of the two control loops are presented as experimental results. The contribution of this design is that in the control system, the fuzzy logic is implemented through software in a common, inexpensive, 16-bit microcontroller, which does not have special abilities for fuzzy control
Fuzzy logic controller implementation for a solar air-conditioning system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lygouras, J.N.; Vourvoulakis, J. [Laboratory of Electronics, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Vas. Sofias 12, 67100 Xanthi (Greece); Botsaris, P.N. [Laboratory of Materials, Processes and Mechanical Design, School of Production and Management Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace 67100 Xanthi (Greece); Kodogiannis, V. [Centre for Systems Analysis, School of Computer Science, University of Westminster, London, HA1 3TP (United Kingdom)
2007-12-15
The implementation of a variable structure fuzzy logic controller for a solar powered air conditioning system and its advantages are investigated in this paper. Two DC motors are used to drive the generator pump and the feed pump of the solar air-conditioner. Two different control schemes for the DC motors rotational speed adjustment are implemented and tested: the first one is a pure fuzzy controller, its output being the control signal for the DC motor driver. A 7 x 7 fuzzy matrix assigns the controller output with respect to the error value and the derivative of the error. The second scheme is a two-level controller. The lower level is a conventional PID controller, and the higher level is a fuzzy controller acting over the parameters of the low level controller. Step response of the two control loops are presented as experimental results. The contribution of this design is that in the control system, the fuzzy logic is implemented through software in a common, inexpensive, 16-bit microcontroller, which does not have special abilities for fuzzy control. (author)
[Impact of an educational institutional program in the control of the diabetic patient].
Mendoza-Romo, Miguel Angel; Velasco-Chávez, José Fernando; Nieva de Jesús, Rafael Natividad; Andrade-Rodríguez, Héctor de Jesús; Rodríguez-Pérez, Carlos Vicente; Palou-Fraga, Elizabeth
2013-01-01
to assess the impact of an educational institutional program in the control of type 2 diabetic patient. intervention educational study, with quasi-experimental and self-controlled subjects. A convenience non-probabilistic sample was used including 151 patients from the program for the integral care of diabetic patients. Demographic variables: gender, age, type of insurance, somatometric and metabolic profile. The assistance to a one-year length, educational program was necessary. Descriptive and inferential parametric statistics were used. 106 women and 45 men, with age range between 15 and 87 years, and with an average of 57.22 ± 11.47, were studied. A significant decrease in body mass index, waist circumference, venous glucose fasting and post-prandial values, cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides and glycosylated hemoglobin (t Student semi-detached, p education for the control of the diabetic patient shown a favorable pattern in most of somatometric and metabolic parameters. We suggest to extend this study over a longer period to determine if the effects persist over time.
Moral Education and the Condition of Africa
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Reginald M. J. Oduor
the theory and practice of moral education, before reflecting on moral education and virtue ethics .... influences due to modern science and technology, African cultures have suffered tremendous .... traditional apologists, and atheists. Moreover ...
Control of hybrid AC/DC microgrid under islanding operational conditions
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ding, G.; Gao, F.; Zhang, S.
2014-01-01
This paper presents control methods for hybrid AC/DC microgrid under islanding operation condition. The control schemes for AC sub-microgrid and DC sub-microgrid are investigated according to the power sharing requirement and operational reliability. In addition, the key control schemes...... of interlinking converter with DC-link capacitor or energy storage, which will devote to the proper power sharing between AC and DC sub-microgrids to maintain AC and DC side voltage stable, is reviewed. Combining the specific control methods developed for AC and DC sub-microgrids with interlinking converter......, the whole hybrid AC/DC microgrid can manage the power flow transferred between sub-microgrids for improving on the operational quality and efficiency....
K-12 STEM Educator Autonomy: An Investigation of School Influence and Classroom Control
Ernst, Jeremy V.; Williams, Thomas O.; Clark, Aaron C.; Kelly, Daniel P.; Sutton, Kevin
2018-01-01
Over the past decade, teacher autonomy within the formal educational system has been a central topic of discussion among educational stakeholders. This study explored influence over school policy and classroom control (teacher autonomy) among in-service science, technology, and mathematics (STM) educators within the United States. The National…
The Educational Reform in Argentina: A Look at the Labor Trajectories and Teaching Conditions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Orlanda Señorino
2005-11-01
Full Text Available Eleven years after the implementation of Argentina’s Federal Law of Education, this paper offers a critical analysis of the impact this educational reform has had on the career paths and working conditions of teachers in the Argentine educational system. The changes brought about in the economic and political field, the redefinition of the relationship between State and Society, and its impact on the labor market constitute the framework or context for our study of the reform. We maintain the methodology of analyzing labor trajectories, in order to recover the voices of the protagonists, in an attempt to break with the representations built from an external view only. We have attempted, through a cooperative construction of meaning, to capture the dynamic aspects by relating the social practice of the actors with the structural aspects already mentioned.
The role of health education in promoting acceptance of an ARI control project.
Dhar, G M
1993-01-01
In India, acute respiratory infection (ARI) is responsible for 20% of all annual deaths of children under 5 years old (600,000-800,000 deaths). Children have from 3 to 5 ARI episodes a year. Thus, it is important to inform communities about ARI prevention and control. Health education activities of ARI control projects should convey knowledge, improve attitudes, and encourage health-inducing practices in such a way that a community should voluntarily assume responsibility to actively prevent and control ARI in children. These activities should empower communities to identify and report ARI in children, provide home care and supportive therapy, use the UIP cover to protect all infants, promote breast feeding, reduce indoor air pollution, and cooperate with health workers in ARI control as well as use oral rehydration therapy as soon as diarrhea starts. To design an effective health education program, planners need to interview a sample of the local population to learn the people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward ARI in children. Any ARI health education program should also include UIP, oral rehydration therapy, maternal and child health, and family welfare. The health educator can use 1 or more educational methods. Discussion is a 2-way process of exchanging ideas and should raise questions about ARI control, provide answers, and yield solutions. If an educator chooses the demonstration method, he or she should take the target audience to a health facility so the staff can demonstrate the clinical signs of a child with ARI, including the fast breathing, chest indrawing, cyanosis, wheezing, and stridor. The display method involves audiovisual aids, such as posters, puppet shows, and films. The health educator can use any of these methods when dealing with individuals, groups, or crowds. He or she must attune the approach and materials to the values of the community and present them so the individual can readily adapt the messages into his or her way of
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhu Na; Wang Shengwei; Ma Zhenjun; Sun Yongjun
2011-01-01
Highlights: → Impact of PCM on the energy consumption and peak load demand as well as electricity cost of air-conditioned buildings. → Impact of load shifting control on energy consumption, peak load and electricity cost of air-conditioned PCM buildings. → Impact of demand limiting control on energy consumption, peak load and electricity cost of air-conditioned PCM buildings. → Energy/cost effects of different control strategies and use of PCM in energy-plus-demand-based pricing policy. → Energy/cost effects of different control strategies and use of PCM in time-based pricing policy. - Abstract: Studies are conducted to investigate the impacts of shape-stabilized phase change material (SSPCM) and different control strategies on the energy consumption and peak load demand as well as electricity cost of building air-conditioning systems at typical summer conditions in two climates (subtropical and dry continental climates). An office building using a typical variable air volume (VAV) air-conditioning system was selected and simulated as the reference building in this study. Its envelopes were enhanced by integrating the SSPCM layers into its walls while the air-conditioning system and other configurations of the building remained unchanged. The building system was tested under two typical weather conditions and two typical electricity pricing policies (i.e. time-based pricing and energy-plus-demand-based pricing). Test results show that the use of SSPCM in the building could reduce the building electricity cost significantly (over 11% in electricity cost reduction and over 20% in peak load reduction), under two pricing policies by using load shifting control and demand limiting control respectively. This paper presents the test results and the evaluation on the energy performance and the optimal control strategies of air-conditioned commercial buildings with envelopes enhanced by SSPCM.
Mode switching control of dual-evaporator air-conditioning systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lin, J.-L.; Yeh, T.-J.
2009-01-01
Modern air-conditioners incorporate variable-speed compressors and variable-opening expansion valves as the actuators for improving cooling performance and energy efficiency. These actuators have to be properly feedback-controlled; otherwise the systems may exhibit even poorer performance than the conventional machines which use fixed-speed compressors and mechanical expansion valves. Particularly for an air-conditioner with multiple evaporators, there are occasions that the machine is operated in a mode that only selected evaporator(s) is(are) turned on, and switching(s) between modes occurs(occur) during the control process. In this case, one needs to have more carefully designed control and switching strategies to ensure the system performance. In this paper, a framework for mode switching control of the dual-evaporator air-conditioning (DEAC) system is proposed. The framework is basically an integration of a controller and a dynamic compensator. The controller, which possesses the flow-distribution capability and assumes both evaporators are on throughout the control process, is intended to provide nominal performance. While mode switching is achieved by varying the reference settings in the controller, the dynamic compensator is used to improve the transient responses immediately after the switching. Experiments indicate that the proposed framework can achieve satisfactory indoor temperature regulation and provide bumpless switching between different modes of operation.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Elena A. Sidenko
2016-01-01
; organizational-activity-based level – administrative competences of area of intra firm professional development of teachers of an educational complex are developed.Practical significance. Results of the carried experiment have showed that the cascade and cluster model of intra firm professional development combining through on-campus and distance education modes of preparation and retraining of pedagogical workers can form a basis to administrative strategy at the solution of actual tasks of formation of personal orientations, metasubject, subject design, communicative, reflexive competences at members of school teams and their readiness for independent activity and professional development in the conditions of introduction of FSES of the last generation.
Calbom, Linda
This testimony summarizes a report generated by the U.S. General Accounting Office concerned with internal control problems found in the U.S. Department of Education. Significant internal control weaknesses in the U.S. Department of Education's payment processes and poor physical control over its computer assets made the department vulnerable to…
Authority and control in the maltese educational system
Farrugia, Charles J.
1992-03-01
This study of educational policy in Malta1 exemplifies in microcosm the obstacles faced by teachers who seek a higher degree of professional emancipation. It points to the frustrations that educators are likely to encounter in situations where central authorities attempt to curtail teachers' autonomy through stricter administrative control. The paper argues that teachers' professional status cannot be enhanced by the granting of honorific titles when they have to go on working in a highly bureaucratic and authoritarian environment that pervades the educational system and dominates teachers' occupational perspectives. Malta's traditions in public administration, which it inherited from the British, militate against teachers' bid for full professionality. In a small developing country striving to shed its colonial past, legislative measures and industrial agreements do not suffice to change the traditional mentality of its public service. Genuine attempts to professionalise the teaching corps require measures that reduce teachers' dependence on central authority, and opportunities that promote occupational initiatives to a high degree.
Reliable Grid Condition Detection and Control of Single-Phase Distributed Power Generation Systems
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ciobotaru, Mihai
standards addressed to the grid-connected systems will harmonize the combination of the DPGS and the classical power plants. Consequently, the major tasks of this thesis were to develop new grid condition detection techniques and intelligent control in order to allow the DPGS not only to deliver power...... to the utility grid but also to sustain it. This thesis was divided into two main parts, namely "Grid Condition Detection" and "Control of Single-Phase DPGS". In the first part, the main focus was on reliable Phase Locked Loop (PLL) techniques for monitoring the grid voltage and on grid impedance estimation...... techniques. Additionally, a new technique for detecting the islanding mode has been developed and successfully tested. In the second part, the main reported research was concentrated around adaptive current controllers based on the information provided by the grid condition detection techniques. To guarantee...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Samira Herenda
2007-08-01
Full Text Available In patients with diabetes type 2, good knowledge about disease often doesn’t follow appropriate behavior in their life. Therefore, we wanted to find out basic level of disease knowledge and glycemic control among type 2 diabetic patients, and after that impact of passive and intensive education on knowledge and glycemic control. Starting with 130 participants, 91 patients with type 2 diabetes, from four family medicine services in Tuzla Canton, completed six months education about their disease. Disease Knowledge Test of Michigan Diabetes Training and Research Center was used to evaluate knowledge about diabetes and glycaemic control was assessed by HbAic. Participants were tested at the beginning of survey, after 3 months of passive education and additional 3 months of intensive one. Basic test showed good knowledge of participants (score 8,3 out of 15, improved knowledge after passive education (score 9,23 and intensive one (11,19 (P<0,0001. Demographic characteristics of patients (age, sex, living area, level of education, duration of disease and type of treatment had no influence on disease knowledge and glycaemic control during education. Generally, patient education improved significantly glycaemic control by HbA1c reduction 0,45% (P=0,011 without significant differences between passive and intensive one. Education of patients improves both disease knowledge and glycaemic control among type 2 diabetic patients.
Web based educational tool for neural network robot control
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jure Čas
2007-05-01
Full Text Available Abstract— This paper describes the application for teleoperations of the SCARA robot via the internet. The SCARA robot is used by students of mehatronics at the University of Maribor as a remote educational tool. The developed software consists of two parts i.e. the continuous neural network sliding mode controller (CNNSMC and the graphical user interface (GUI. Application is based on two well-known commercially available software packages i.e. MATLAB/Simulink and LabVIEW. Matlab/Simulink and the DSP2 Library for Simulink are used for control algorithm development, simulation and executable code generation. While this code is executing on the DSP-2 Roby controller and through the analog and digital I/O lines drives the real process, LabVIEW virtual instrument (VI, running on the PC, is used as a user front end. LabVIEW VI provides the ability for on-line parameter tuning, signal monitoring, on-line analysis and via Remote Panels technology also teleoperation. The main advantage of a CNNSMC is the exploitation of its self-learning capability. When friction or an unexpected impediment occurs for example, the user of a remote application has no information about any changed robot dynamic and thus is unable to dispatch it manually. This is not a control problem anymore because, when a CNNSMC is used, any approximation of changed robot dynamic is estimated independently of the remote’s user. Index Terms—LabVIEW; Matlab/Simulink; Neural network control; remote educational tool; robotics
Optimal control of the process of cultivation in the conditions of infection
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
N. V. Sukhanova
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The article presents a way of solving of the optimal control problem of antibiotic feeding under condition of infection, consisting in the selection of the optimal control in the field of admissible control, with the aim of achieving a compromise between the losses in production due to the presence of foreign microflora, and the cost of its suppression due to the application of antibiotic. The presence of other microorganisms in the finished product, in particular of the “wild“ ones, considerably impairs the quality indicators of the final product (in particular, it reduces the storage time. In peculiar conditions of production it is possible to improve the quality of target product due to elimination of infection, including, when used antibiotics in the process of cultivation, but due to the lack of efficient algorithms and control systems of their supply the question is still open. We use the system of Lotka-Volterra adapted for microbiological process as a mathematical model adequately describing the situation of competitive interaction of two populations of microorganisms (useful and “wild“ ones due to the consumption of one resource. The aim is to find a control law U(t belonging to the field of admissible control. The control that affords minimum to the optimization criterion in accordance with the principle of maximum is defined by the condition of the maximum of Hamilton function and the resulting canonical system of equations. The modified conjugated system of equations in matrix form is obtained. The solution of system of differential-different equations in the analytical form is found using the method of coordinate transformation. As a result an optimal control law is found (with regard to the selected criterion. This is the control law of application of the antibiotic, allowing to control the concentration of foreign microflora in the process of cultivation of microorganisms and accounting for the specific
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Odalys Ynerarity Castro
2016-09-01
Full Text Available Teaching students to self-controlling their performance is an essential task of Special Pedagogy due to its role in shaping personality, particularly self-appraising, independence, self-control and self-awareness, usually affected in students with special educative needs. This paper refers essential features characterizing aggressive behavior and lack of self-control and proposes a socio-educative strategy to allow students to achieve self-control. The reliability of the proposed socio-educative strategy was assessed by means of workshops in postgraduate activities; research methods include constructing a corresponding framework, observation, interviewing and control experiments. The improvement in self-monitoring aggressiveness proved the effectiveness of the proposal.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Odalys Ynerarity Castro
2017-03-01
Full Text Available Teaching students to self-controlling their performance is an essential task of Special Pedagogy due to its role in shaping personality, particularly self-appraising, independence, self-control and self-awareness, usually affected in students with special educative needs. This paper refers essential features characterizing aggressive behavior and lack of self-control and proposes a socio-educative strategy to allow students to achieve self-control. The reliability of the proposed socio-educative strategy was assessed by means of workshops in postgraduate activities; research methods include constructing a corresponding framework, observation, interviewing and control experiments. The improvement in self-monitoring aggressiveness proved the effectiveness of the proposal.
Overview of impurity control and wall conditioning in NSTX
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
KUGEL,H.W.; MAINGI,R.; BELL,M.; BLANCHARD,W.; GATES,D.; JOHNSON,D.; KAITA,R.; KAYE,S.; MARQUEDA,R.; MENARD,J.; MUELLER,D.; ONO,M.; PENG,Y-K.M.; RAMAN,R.; RAMSEY,A.; ROQUEMORE,A.; SKINNER,C.; SABBAGH,S.; STUTMAN,D.; WAMPLER,WILLIAM R.; WILSON,J.R.; ZWEBEN,S.
2000-05-25
The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) started plasma operations in February 1999, and promptly achieved high current, inner wall limited, double null, and single null plasma discharges, initial Coaxial Helicity Injection, and High Harmonic Fast Wave results. NSTX is designed to study the physics of Spherical Tori (ST) in a device that can produce non-inductively sustained high-{beta} discharges in the 1 MA regime and to explore approaches toward a small, economical high power density ST reactor core. As expected, discharge reproducibility and performance were strongly affected by wall conditions. In this paper, the authors describe the internal geometry, and initial plasma discharge, impurity control, wall conditioning, erosion, and deposition results.
Power systems control complex optimization in the new market conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krumm, L.; Kurrel, U.; Tauts, A.; Terno, O.; Zeidmanis, I.; Krisans, Z.
2000-01-01
A generalization and development of the theory and methods for complex optimisation of the performance and development control of an interconnected system (IPS) under new market conditions (mainly multicriterial and game approaches) is given considering the specifics of IPS at the international level in post-socialist countries and in particular in the Baltic states. Thereby the kernel of the mathematical apparatus of this theory the Generalized Reduced Gradient Method (GRGM) is further generalised and developed with the application of multicriterial and game methods to meet various market conditions. (author)
Role of 3D animation in periodontal patient education: a randomized controlled trial.
Cleeren, Gertjan; Quirynen, Marc; Ozcelik, Onur; Teughels, Wim
2014-01-01
This randomized controlled parallel trial investigates the effect of 3D animation on the increase and recall of knowledge on periodontitis by patients with periodontitis. The effects of a 3D animation (3D animation group) were compared with narration and drawing (control group) for periodontal patient education. A total of 68 periodontitis patients were stratified according to educational level and then randomly allocated to control or 3D animation groups. All patients received: (1) a pre-test (baseline knowledge), (2) a patient education video (3D animation or control video), (3) a post-test (knowledge immediately after looking at the video), and (4) a follow-up test (knowledge recall after 2 weeks). Each test contained 10 multiple-choice questions. There was no significant difference in baseline knowledge. Patients receiving the 3D animations had significantly higher scores for both the post-test and the follow-up test, when compared with patients receiving sketch animations. 3D animations are more effective than real-time drawings for periodontal patient education in terms of knowledge recall. 3D animations may be a powerful tool for assisting in the information process. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Scram characteristics of the control rods of a pressurized water reactor under seismic conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fujita, Katsuhisa; Shinohara, Yoshikazu; Nakatogawa, Tetsuto; Nanbu, Kiyoshi; Nomura, Tomonori.
1987-01-01
Control rod drop verification experiments of a pressurized water reactor under seismic conditions are performed to confirm the insertion function of control rods into a core. To evaluate these tests, computer simulations are performed. A fuel assembly, control rods, guide tube and other associated structures are immersed in a water tank, and shaken by four hydraulic shakers. The scram time of control rods under seismic conditions was measured, and confirmed to meet the scram function. Moreover, vibrational response characteristics of core structures and dropping behavior of control rods in consideration of collisions are calculated by using a finite difference method. The behavior of the dropping control rods and the scram time obtained by the computer simulation show a very good agreement with the verification experimental results. (author)
Systematic review : knowledge and educational needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome
Flik, Carla E.; van Rood, Yanda R.; de Wit, NJ
Educational programs have been used as a control condition in trials on psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). An optimal control condition should have all logistic features of the experimental intervention, except the active component, but also have basic therapeutic benefit
The rate of following infection control principles in educational hospitals of Khorramabad
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tahereh Toulabi
2006-11-01
Results: The degree of following infection control principles in most of the personnel’s was medium (53.7% and in hand washing was low (90%. Wards status about physical environment (47.83%, resources and equipment (78.3% were medium level. Conclusion: Continuous education of personnel in different job categories, using instruments and methods to reduce infection, improvement of resources and equipment and physical environment, establishment of National Nosocomial Infection surveillance system (NNISS, yearly epidemiological investigations and performing regular microbiological cultures are the most important strategies for infection control, that must be performed in educational hospitals.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xu Xiangguo; Pan Yan; Deng Shiming; Xia Liang; Chan Mingyin
2013-01-01
The use of a multi-evaporator air conditioning (MEAC) system is advantageous in terms of installation convenience, high design flexibility, being easy to maintain and commission, better indoor thermal comfort control and higher energy efficiency. While MEAC units worth billions of dollars are sold worldwide, the detailed accounts on compressor capacity control and refrigeration flow distribution amongst evaporators remain unavailable in public domain, mainly due to commercial confidentiality. Limited control algorithms for MEAC systems have been developed based on system simulation, and no experimental-based capacity controller developments and their controllability tests may be identified in open literature. In the study reported in this paper, a novel capacity control algorithm, which imitated On–Off control of a single evaporator air conditioning (A/C) system in each indoor unit of a MEAC system by using variable speed compressor and electronic expansion valves (EEVs), was developed. Controllability tests under various settings for experimentally validating the novel capacity control algorithm were carried out and the control algorithm was further improved based on the experimental results. - Highlights: ► A capacity control algorithm for a multi-evaporator air conditioning system was developed. ► Experimental controllability tests under various settings were carried out. ► The control algorithm was further improved based on the experimental results.
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Oya TAMTEKİN AYDIN
2017-08-01
Full Text Available Increased demand for higher education and the change and competition it has brought have been a subject for many studies. In Porter’s five forces model, forces termed as the threat of new entrants, threat of substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers, and established rivals between the companies are used to understand the threats and opportunities posed by the industry’s environmental circumstances. The five forces model has been extensively used as an analytical tool to determine the intensity of rivalry and levels of profitability. Thus, managers can develop strategies and discover ways to defend their companies against competitive forces. Although there have been numerous studies conducted with this model for various sectors, the studies implementing this theory to higher education are very scarce due to uncertainty about whether higher education could be regarded as an industry together with its profitability and rivalry components. Specifically, in Turkey, with the idea of considering higher education to be an industry being disputable compared with western countries and even regarded as unmannerly and disloyal to academia explains the lack of studies on this subject. In this study, within the scope of the related literature, the five forces model will be discussed in conjunction with higher education. Subsequently, the factors and evaluations that are shown within this scope will be associated with the external environmental conditions of Turkish higher education. Since there is a lack of well-written sources and sufficient data, the association with Turkish higher education will not be deeply detailed. To perceive the threats and opportunities to higher education from external environmental conditions, an overall approach will be achieved. The theoretical substructure introduced by this study will bring a different viewpoint to politicians, university directors and academicians, along with being
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Rashad O. Mastaliev
2016-12-01
Full Text Available The optimal control problem of nonlinear stochastic systems which mathematical model is given by Ito stochastic differential equation with delay argument is considered. Assuming that the concerned region is open for the control by the first and the second variation (classical sense of the quality functional we obtain the necessary optimality condition of the first and the second order. In the particular case we receive the stochastic analog of the Legendre—Clebsch condition and some constructively verified conclusions from the second order necessary condition. We investigate the Legendre–Clebsch conditions for the degeneration case and obtain the necessary conditions of optimality for a special control, in the classical sense.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Østergaard, Kasper Zinck; Stoustrup, Jakob; Brath, Per
2009-01-01
operations tend to be ill-conditioned. The paper proposes a controller construction algorithm together with various remedies for improving the numerical conditioning the algorithm.The proposed algorithm is applied to the design of a LPV controller for wind turbines, and a comparison is made with a controller...... designed using classical techniques to conclude that an improvement in performance is obtained for the entire operating envelope....
General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Accounting and Information Management Div.
This report presents an evaluation of the general controls over the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) information system maintained and operated by a contractor for the U.S. Department of Education (ED), which administers FFELP. The evaluation found that ED's general controls over the FFELP information system did not adequately protect…
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Evgeiy Nikolaevich Boyarov
2013-08-01
Full Text Available The article looks at the problem of estimating professional skills of students, the process of their building and assessing their level in IT-based controlled educational environment of a university. The author presents research findings of professional skills level of future educational professionals in the field of Life Safety[1] based on their academic results.Goal: to develop and show by experiments efficiency of building professional skills of students in IT-based controlled educational environment of a university.Results: increasing the level of professional skills in IT-based controlled educational environment of a university.Scope of application of results: field of higher professional education.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-7-1[1] Life Safety or Fundamentals of Health and Safety is a secondary school subject, which involves teaching basic rules of how to act in dangerous situations in everyday life (natural disasters, fires, terrorist attacks, etc., provide first aid, etc.
A repeated short educational intervention improves asthma control and quality of life.
Plaza, Vicente; Peiró, Meritxell; Torrejón, Montserrat; Fletcher, Monica; López-Viña, Antolín; Ignacio, José María; Quintano, José Antonio; Bardagí, Santiago; Gich, Ignasi
2015-11-01
We assessed the effectiveness of an asthma educational programme based on a repeated short intervention (AEP-RSI) to improve asthma control (symptom control and future risk) and quality of life. A total of 230 adults with mild-to-moderate persistent uncontrolled asthma participated in a 1-year cluster randomised controlled multicentre study. The AEP-RSI was given in four face-to-face sessions at 3-month intervals, and included administration of a written personalised action plan and training on inhaler technique. Centres were randomised to the AEP-RSI (intervention) group or usual clinical practice group. Specialised centres using a standard educational programme were the gold standard group. A significant improvement in the Asthma Control Test score was observed in all three groups (pQuality of Life Questionnaire scores (0.95±1.04 and 0.89±0.84 versus 0.52±0.97, respectively). The AEP-RSI was effective in improving asthma symptom control, future risk and quality of life. Copyright ©ERS 2015.
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Elena Nikolaevna Shutenko
2016-02-01
Full Text Available In article author states the phenomenological aspect of use of modern information technologies in higher education, which opens modalities of students’ self-realization (cognitive, communicative, creative, pragmatical, influential, dedicative etc., describes the personal-focused concept of informatization within two contours-components: subjective and conditional. The first component covers attributive signs of students self-realization over it the relevant requirements of application of information technologies are built on, these requirements form the second conditional component. Such approach gives the chance of more adequate interrelation technological and personal factors of the modern higher school.
Yeo, Si-Ning; Zainal, Hani; Tang, Catherine S; Tong, Eddie M; Ho, Cyrus S; Ho, Roger C
2017-08-02
There remains a paucity of research on control attribution and depression within Asian populations. This study examines: (1) Success/Failure condition as a moderator between depression and negative affect or shame, and (2) differences in control attribution between patients with depression and healthy controls in Singapore. Seventy one patients with depression and 71 healthy controls went through a digit-span memory task where they were randomized into either the Success or Failure condition. Participants in the Success condition had to memorize and recall 5-digit strings, while participants in the Failure condition did the same for 12-digit strings. They then completed self-report measures of negative affect, shame, and attribution of control. One-way ANCOVA was performed to examine task condition as a moderator of association between mental health status and post-task negative affect or shame. Test of simple effects was carried out on significant interactions. Sign test and Mann-Whitney U test were employed to investigate differences in attribution of control. Mental health status and Success/Failure condition had significant effects on reported negative affect and shame. Healthy controls reported less post-task negative affect and shame in the Success than in the Failure condition while patients with depression reported similar levels of post-task negative affect and shame in both conditions. However, these differences were not significant in the test of simple effects. In addition, healthy controls felt a stronger sense of personal control in success than in failure and were more likely to blame external factors in failure than in success. Conversely, patients with depression were more inclined to credit external factors in success than in failure and ascribed greater personal control in failure than in success. The results suggest that successful conditions may not necessitate the reduction of negative affect in Asians with depression, indicating possible
Controlling Special Education Costs at the School District Level.
Morgan, W. Daniel
1992-01-01
Describes the financing of a New York school district for emotionally disturbed children. Summarizes suggestions for controlling special education costs at the district level obtained from a nationwide sample of school business officials. Among the suggestions offered are to include a review of private placements and an annual caseload review,…
Rotor experiments in controlled conditions continued: New Mexico
Boorsma, K.; Schepers, J. G.
2016-09-01
To validate and reduce the large uncertainty associated with rotor aerodynamic and acoustic models, there is a need for detailed force, noise and surrounding flow velocity measurements on wind turbines under controlled conditions. However, high quality wind tunnel campaigns on horizontal axis wind turbine models are scarce due to the large wind tunnel size needed and consequently high associated costs. To serve this purpose an experiment using the Mexico turbine was set-up in the large low speed facility of the DNW wind tunnel. An overview of the experiments is given including a selection of results. A comparison of calculations to measurements for design conditions shows a satisfactory agreement. In summary, after years of preparation, ECN and partners have performed very successful aerodynamic experiments in the largest wind tunnel in Europe. The comprehensive high quality database that has been obtained will be used in the international Mexnext consortium to further develop wind energy aerodynamic and acoustic modeling.
Hopkins, Liza; Green, Julie; Henry, John; Edwards, Brian; Wong, Shanti
2014-01-01
It is well known that having a chronic or traumatic health condition can seriously impact on a young person's educational trajectory, as well as placing the young person at higher risk of experiencing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, and increasing their likelihood of participation in risky behaviours. This paper…
Unified Subharmonic Oscillation Conditions for Peak or Average Current Mode Control
Fang, Chung-Chieh
2013-01-01
This paper is an extension of the author's recent research in which only buck converters were analyzed. Similar analysis can be equally applied to other types of converters. In this paper, a unified model is proposed for buck, boost, and buck-boost converters under peak or average current mode control to predict the occurrence of subharmonic oscillation. Based on the unified model, the associated stability conditions are derived in closed forms. The same stability condition can be applied to ...
The expansion of higher education: A consideration of control, funding and quality
Bathmaker, A.-M.
2003-01-01
Since the Robbins Report of 1963, higher education in the UK has undergone major expansion, changing it from an elite to a mass system. This chapter explores the changing socio-economic context in which this transformation has taken place, and considers how the expansion of higher education has raised issues of control, quality and funding.
From conservative to reactive transport under diffusion-controlled conditions
Babey, Tristan; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Ginn, Timothy R.
2016-05-01
We assess the possibility to use conservative transport information, such as that contained in transit time distributions, breakthrough curves and tracer tests, to predict nonlinear fluid-rock interactions in fracture/matrix or mobile/immobile conditions. Reference simulated data are given by conservative and reactive transport simulations in several diffusive porosity structures differing by their topological organization. Reactions includes nonlinear kinetically controlled dissolution and desorption. Effective Multi-Rate Mass Transfer models (MRMT) are calibrated solely on conservative transport information without pore topology information and provide concentration distributions on which effective reaction rates are estimated. Reference simulated reaction rates and effective reaction rates evaluated by MRMT are compared, as well as characteristic desorption and dissolution times. Although not exactly equal, these indicators remain very close whatever the porous structure, differing at most by 0.6% and 10% for desorption and dissolution. At early times, this close agreement arises from the fine characterization of the diffusive porosity close to the mobile zone that controls fast mobile-diffusive exchanges. At intermediate to late times, concentration gradients are strongly reduced by diffusion, and reactivity can be captured by a very limited number of rates. We conclude that effective models calibrated solely on conservative transport information like MRMT can accurately estimate monocomponent kinetically controlled nonlinear fluid-rock interactions. Their relevance might extend to more advanced biogeochemical reactions because of the good characterization of conservative concentration distributions, even by parsimonious models (e.g., MRMT with 3-5 rates). We propose a methodology to estimate reactive transport from conservative transport in mobile-immobile conditions.
Vyas, Chintan; Dalal, Lopa; Talaviya, Praful; Saboo, Banshi
2017-12-01
The aim of present study was to assess the outcomes of multiple educational programs on glycemic control, quality of life and impact of diabetes in poorly controlled Type 1 Diabetic patients. A 12 months diabetes education programs were conducted every week for first one month then followed by every 3 months with follow up on improvement of HbA1c and QOL in T1D patients (n=54). Clinical characteristics were recorded at baseline visit. The QOL was evaluated by 15 set DQOL questionnaires in 40 consecutive patients at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after education programs. The HbA1c level (%) was evaluated at same time point. Decrease in DQOL score was reported as improvement in QOL. The rate of patients response to educational programs was noted 74.07% (n=40) at end of the study (12 months). The prevalence of T1D was reported higher in men than in women. The overall DQOL score and HbA1c% level was significantly (Peducational programs. Patients exhibited greater satisfaction and diminished impact of diabetes after educational programs was observed after 3 months and it was continue up to end of study. The frequencies of self-monitoring of blood glucose were increased. Numbers of hypoglycemic and DKA events were decreased after educational programs when compared to baseline. Results of study revealed that the appropriate education and counseling diminish impact of diabetes, improve QOL and help to achieve desired glycemic (HbA1c) level in poorly control T1D patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
The use of controlling-training software in civil engineering bachelors’ educational process
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Rekunov Sergey
2017-01-01
Full Text Available The paper considers the current state of the higher education system of the Russian Federation in the context of teaching disciplines of strength cycle with the use of information educational technologies. The educational process in the discipline “Structural Mechanics” is shown by using the Controlling-Training Software on the sample program “Statically Determinate Plane Truss”. Such software was developed by employees of the Department of Structural Mechanics of the Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering of Volgograd State Technical University to heighten student’s interest in calculations of building structures while using computer-based teaching methods, as well as to simplify the existing monitoring procedure. The Controlling-Training Software makes it possible not only to consolidate but also to independently assess the acquired theoretical knowledge. Working with this program displays all necessary information: the calculated scheme, the area of issues, an area with a commentary on the input response. Help files contain a sufficient amount of theoretical material with examples of solutions. Students have several attempts to enter their answer. If they are unsuccessful, then the screen displays the correct answer with visual graphic illustration and explanation of this issue. Carrying out the educational process by use of the Controlling-Training Software resulted in saving a significant amount of academic time.
Hyperglycemic conditions inhibit C3-mediated immunologic control of Staphylococcus aureus
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Hair Pamela S
2012-03-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetic patients are at increased risk for bacterial infections; these studies provide new insight into the role of the host defense complement system in controlling bacterial pathogens in hyperglycemic environments. Methods The interactions of complement C3 with bacteria in elevated glucose were assayed for complement activation to opsonic forms, phagocytosis and bacterial killing. C3 was analyzed in euglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions by mass spectrometry to measure glycation and structural differences. Results Elevated glucose inhibited S. aureus activation of C3 and deposition of C3b and iC3b on the bacterial surface. S. aureus-generated C5a and serum-mediated phagocytosis by neutrophils were both decreased in elevated glucose conditions. Interestingly, elevated glucose increased the binding of unactivated C3 to S. aureus, which was reversible on return to normal glucose concentrations. In a model of polymicrobial infection, S. aureus in elevated glucose conditions depleted C3 from serum resulting in decreased complement-mediated killing of E. coli. To investigate the effect of differing glucose concentration on C3 structure and glycation, purified C3 incubated with varying glucose concentrations was analyzed by mass spectrometry. Glycation was limited to the same three lysine residues in both euglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions over one hour, thus glycation could not account for observed changes between glucose conditions. However, surface labeling of C3 with sulfo-NHS-biotin showed significant changes in the surface availability of seven lysine residues in response to increasing glucose concentrations. These results suggest that the tertiary structure of C3 changes in response to hyperglycemic conditions leading to an altered interaction of C3 with bacterial pathogens. Conclusions These results demonstrate that hyperglycemic conditions inhibit C3-mediated complement effectors important in the immunological
Meng, Karin; Musekamp, Gunda; Seekatz, Bettina; Glatz, Johannes; Karger, Gabriele; Kiwus, Ulrich; Knoglinger, Ernst; Schubmann, Rainer; Westphal, Ronja; Faller, Hermann
2013-08-23
Chronic heart failure requires a complex treatment regimen on a life-long basis. Therefore, self-care/self-management is an essential part of successful treatment and comprehensive patient education is warranted. However, specific information on program features and educational strategies enhancing treatment success is lacking. This trial aims to evaluate a patient-oriented and theory-based self-management educational group program as compared to usual care education during inpatient cardiac rehabilitation in Germany. The study is a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial in four cardiac rehabilitation clinics. Clusters are patient education groups that comprise HF patients recruited within 2 weeks after commencement of inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Cluster randomization was chosen for pragmatic reasons, i.e. to ensure a sufficient number of eligible patients to build large-enough educational groups and to prevent contamination by interaction of patients from different treatment allocations during rehabilitation. Rehabilitants with chronic systolic heart failure (n = 540) will be consecutively recruited for the study at the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation. Data will be assessed at admission, at discharge and after 6 and 12 months using patient questionnaires. In the intervention condition, patients receive the new patient-oriented self-management educational program, whereas in the control condition, patients receive a short lecture-based educational program (usual care). The primary outcome is patients' self-reported self-management competence. Secondary outcomes include behavioral determinants and self-management health behavior (symptom monitoring, physical activity, medication adherence), health-related quality of life, and treatment satisfaction. Treatment effects will be evaluated separately for each follow-up time point using multilevel regression analysis, and adjusting for baseline values. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a
Bakanauskienė Irena; Baronienė Laura
2017-01-01
This article is intended to theoretically justify the decision-making process model for the cases, when active participation of investing entities in controlling the activities of an organisation and their results is noticeable. Based on scientific literature analysis, a concept of controlled conditions is formulated, and using a rational approach to the decision-making process, a model of the 11-steps decision-making process under controlled intervention is presented. Also, there have been u...
Environmental Engineering Talent Demand and Undergraduate Education in China
Zhang, Huan-zhen; Li, Jian-bo; Luo, Xiang-nan; Zhao, Bin-yan; Luo, Ren-ming; Wang, Qiao-ling
2004-01-01
In Chinese higher environmental education, undergraduate education of environmental engineering starts earliest and develops fastest. The undergraduate has been playing an important role in controlling pollution for more than twenty years. The setting and distribution of the environmental engineering major was analyzed, the conditions of the…
Wang, Tzu-Chieh; Huang, Jin-Long; Ho, Wen-Chao; Chiou, Ai-Fu
2016-04-01
Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with heart failure that is easy to ignore. In addition, fatigue may affect patients' physical function and psychosocial conditions that can impair their quality of life. An effective nursing care programme is required to alleviate patients' fatigue and improve their quality of life. To investigate the effects of a supportive educational nursing care programme on fatigue and quality of life in patients with heart failure. A randomised controlled trial design was used. Ninety-two patients with heart failure were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=47) or a control group (n=45). The patients in the intervention group participated in 12 weeks of a supportive educational nursing care programme including fatigue assessment, education, coaching self-care and evaluation. The intervention was conducted by a cardiac nurse during four face-to-face interviews and three follow-up telephone interviews. Fatigue and quality of life were assessed at the baseline and 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after enrollment in both groups. The participants in the intervention group exhibited a significant decrease in the level of fatigue after 12 weeks, whereas those in the control group exhibited no significant changes. Compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly greater decrease in the level of fatigue and significantly greater improvement in quality of life after 12 weeks of intervention. The supportive educational nursing care programme was recommended to alleviate fatigue and improve quality of life in patients with heart failure. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.
Control of Root Rot and Wilt Diseases of Roselle under Field Conditions
Hassan, Naglaa; Elsharkawy, Mohsen Mohamed; Shimizu, Masafumi
2014-01-01
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is one of the most important medicinal crops in many parts of the world. In this study, the effects of microelements, antioxidants, and bioagents on Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal pathogens of root rot and wilt diseases in roselle, were examined under field conditions. Preliminary studies were carried out in vitro in order to select the most effective members to be used in field control trials. Our results showed that microelements (copper and manganese), antioxidants (salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and EDTA), a fungicide (Dithane M45) and biological control agents (Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis) were significantly reduced the linear growth of the causal pathogens. Additionally, application of the previous microelements, antioxidants, a fungicide and biological control agents significantly reduced disease incidence of root rot and wilt diseases under field conditions. Copper, salicylic acid, and T. harzianum showed the best results in this respect. In conclusion, microelements, antioxidants, and biocontrol agents could be used as alternative strategies to fungicides for controlling root rot and wilt diseases in roselle. PMID:25606010
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Voogt Carmen V
2012-06-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background The serious negative health consequences of heavy drinking among adolescents is cause for concern, especially among adolescents aged 15 to 20 years with a low educational background. In the Netherlands, there is a lack of alcohol prevention programs directed to the drinking patterns of this specific target group. The study described in this protocol will test the effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention that aims to reduce alcohol use among heavy drinking adolescents aged 15 to 20 years with a low educational background. Methods/design The effectiveness of the What Do You Drink (WDYD web-based brief alcohol intervention will be tested among 750 low-educated, heavy drinking adolescents. It will use a two-arm parallel group cluster randomized controlled trial. Classes of adolescents from educational institutions will be randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 375: web-based brief alcohol intervention or control condition (n = 375: no intervention. Primary outcomes measures will be: 1 the percentage of participants who drink within the normative limits of the Dutch National Health Council for low-risk drinking, 2 reductions in mean weekly alcohol consumption, and 3 frequency of binge drinking. The secondary outcome measures include the alcohol-related cognitions, attitudes, self-efficacy, and subjective norms, which will be measured at baseline and at one and six months after the intervention. Discussion This study protocol presents the study design of a two-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the WDYD web-based brief alcohol intervention. We hypothesized a reduction in mean weekly alcohol consumption and in the frequency of binge drinking in the experimental condition, resulting from the web-based brief alcohol intervention, compared to the control condition. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register NTR2971
Voogt, Carmen V; Poelen, Evelien A P; Lemmers, Lex A C J; Engels, Rutger C M E
2012-06-15
The serious negative health consequences of heavy drinking among adolescents is cause for concern, especially among adolescents aged 15 to 20 years with a low educational background. In the Netherlands, there is a lack of alcohol prevention programs directed to the drinking patterns of this specific target group. The study described in this protocol will test the effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention that aims to reduce alcohol use among heavy drinking adolescents aged 15 to 20 years with a low educational background. The effectiveness of the What Do You Drink (WDYD) web-based brief alcohol intervention will be tested among 750 low-educated, heavy drinking adolescents. It will use a two-arm parallel group cluster randomized controlled trial. Classes of adolescents from educational institutions will be randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 375: web-based brief alcohol intervention) or control condition (n = 375: no intervention). Primary outcomes measures will be: 1) the percentage of participants who drink within the normative limits of the Dutch National Health Council for low-risk drinking, 2) reductions in mean weekly alcohol consumption, and 3) frequency of binge drinking. The secondary outcome measures include the alcohol-related cognitions, attitudes, self-efficacy, and subjective norms, which will be measured at baseline and at one and six months after the intervention. This study protocol presents the study design of a two-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the WDYD web-based brief alcohol intervention. We hypothesized a reduction in mean weekly alcohol consumption and in the frequency of binge drinking in the experimental condition, resulting from the web-based brief alcohol intervention, compared to the control condition. Netherlands Trial Register NTR2971.
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Susanne Scharnagl
2014-01-01
Full Text Available This study analyses the effectiveness of an educational web-based software package for teaching mathematics in schools. In all, 864 sixth graders and their teachers took part in the controlled study. Students learned the addition and subtraction of fractions with (intervention group; n = 469 or without (control group; n = 395 the support of the educational software. Compared to the controls, students who used the software showed better results in the post-test. Gains were dose dependent and particularly marked in high-ability students and students with lower scores of math anxiety.
Iranian parents' experiences about children sexual training: Control, restriction and education
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Mahboubeh Sharifi
2016-11-01
Full Text Available Sexual training is one of the most important and sensitive aspects of upbringing of children, to which little attention is paid for some reasons, such as shame, pudency, and being a taboo subject in some societies. Parents also do not have sufficient knowledge and insight into this context, and by gaining knowledge from invalid sources, maybe they cannot play this important educational role. This study has dealt with exploring parents' experiences about children sexual training, through a qualitative approach. This study was designed as a qualitative content analysis method. Thirty seven qualified parents were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data collection was performed by holding 6 focus group discussions (FGDs and 5 individual interviews. FGDs and individual interviews were written and data analysis was performed using a conventional content analysis. Analyzing participants` experiences in the sexual training of children, led to the emergence of three main categories; control and punishment of the child, restricting the child and trying to educate the child, as parenting strategies. The parents adopted several strategies for the sexual training of their children, most of them associated with control and restriction and some of which could have led to subsequent injuries. They had not received any education in this area and experienced frequent worry, doubt, and wandering during their children sexual training. Hence it seems necessary to provide valid educational resources according to the cultural and religious teachings, create opportunities to educate parents,and respond to their problems.
Practical trials in medical education
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tolsgaard, Martin G; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan M; Ringsted, Charlotte
2017-01-01
participants across several settings and (iii) multiple outcome measures with long-term follow-up to evaluate both benefits and risks. Questions posed by practical trials may be proactive in applying theory in the development of educational innovations or reactive to educational reforms and innovations. Non......CONTEXT: Concerns have been raised over the gap between education theory and practice and how research can contribute to inform decision makers on their choices and priorities. Little is known about how educational theories and research outcomes produced under optimal conditions in highly...... controlled settings generalise to the real-life education context. One way of bridging this gap is applying the concept of practical trials in medical education. In this paper we elaborate on characteristics of practical trials and based on examples from medical education we discuss the challenges...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chaojiao Sun
2016-01-01
Full Text Available An adaptive neural control scheme is proposed for nonaffine nonlinear system without using the implicit function theorem or mean value theorem. The differential conditions on nonaffine nonlinear functions are removed. The control-gain function is modeled with the nonaffine function probably being indifferentiable. Furthermore, only a semibounded condition for nonaffine nonlinear function is required in the proposed method, and the basic idea of invariant set theory is then constructively introduced to cope with the difficulty in the control design for nonaffine nonlinear systems. It is rigorously proved that all the closed-loop signals are bounded and the tracking error converges to a small residual set asymptotically. Finally, simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed method.
Modeling and fuzzy control of the engine coolant conditioning system in an IC engine test bed
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Shirazi, Farzad A.; Javaheri, Ahmad; Nava, Ghodrat Hamze
2010-01-01
Mechanical and thermodynamical performance of internal combustion engines is significantly affected by the engine working temperature. In an engine test bed, the internal combustion engines are tested in different operating conditions using a dynamometer. It is required that the engine temperature be controlled precisely, particularly in transient states. This precise control can be achieved by an engine coolant conditioning system mainly consisting of a heat exchanger, a control valve, and a controller. In this study, constitutive equations of the system are derived first. These differential equations show the second- order nonlinear time-varying dynamics of the system. The model is validated with the experimental data providing satisfactory results. After presenting the dynamic equations of the system, a fuzzy controller is designed based on our prior knowledge of the system. The fuzzy rules and the membership functions are derived by a trial and error and heuristic method. Because of the nonlinear nature of the system the fuzzy rules are set to satisfy the requirements of the temperature control for different operating conditions of the engine. The performance of the fuzzy controller is compared with a PI one for different transient conditions. The results of the simulation show the better performance of the fuzzy controller. The main advantages of the fuzzy controller are the shorter settling time, smaller overshoot, and improved performance especially in the transient states of the system
Rethinking educational comparison under the conditions of globalisation
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Moutsios, Stavros
, as each society gives a particular form to knowledge transmission. The latter can take place through designated institutions (e.g. state education system) but also across social institutions. Societies have their own history and thus they present their own fundamental alterity and singularity, expressed......The paper re-considers theoretically educational comparison through a discussion and critique of existing approaches. It starts from the premises that education is a trans-historical institution, since all societies transmit knowledge to their new generations, but also specific to each society...... in the creation and transformation of institutions. To approach, therefore, the society in question, the paper suggests, one should approach its dynamic flux of social meanings embodied in its institutions, education being one of them....
Health education and community participation in the control of urinary schistosomiasis in Ghana.
Aryeetey, M E; Aholu, C; Wagatsuma, Y; Bentil, G; Nkrumah, F K; Kojima, S
1999-06-01
To study the role of health education and community participation for the provision of facilities necessary for the control of urinary schistosomiasis in southern Ghana. Health education facilitates community participation in the provision of facilities for the control of bilharzia. Three rural communities drained by the Densu river in southern Ghana. Individuals aged 14 years and above formed groups of 10-12 persons by age, sex, ethnic and educational background; 15-16 groups were formed. Based on existing structures, one community received active, another passive health education and the third had no education. All three communities received chemotherapy. Study was carried out in three phases: pre-intervention phase--during which baseline data on residents' knowledge, attitude, beliefs and perception about bilharzia were collected using focus group discussions (FGD) prior to the second phase, intervention. Another FGD was held after 18 months to evaluate the intervention--third phase. This study suggests that most community members were aware of schistosomiasis but not as a disease. Before the health education, some residents believed bilharzia was a sign of manhood while others attributed the red colour of the urine to the red colour of a variety of sugar cane eaten in the area. After the health education, residents in the three areas constructed hand-dug wells. In addition, those who received active health education constructed two toilets for the schools and weeded the banks of the rivers. Residents also associated the disease with the water snail. Health education was useful in changing community perception on bilharzia.
Cause and control: education and training of professional industrial hygienists for 2020.
Sherwood, R J
1992-06-01
By the year 2020, the environmental movement will have established a recognized profession, expert at studying deleterious effects in the working and public domains. Environmental science practitioners will be better able to identify and relate ill effects to the presence of adverse agents in the environment; they will not, however, necessarily be skilled at developing systems for control. Industrial hygienists should provide the unique and special skills required to establish economically optimum control systems. Industrial hygiene should by then have been redefined to emphasize this critical role of its professional members. A new orientation for education is therefore proposed to provide a sound basis for the professional needs of industrial hygienists who should be at the peak of their careers in 2020. Members of the profession should then be the leaders in research on, and practice of, the science and engineering of design, installation, and monitoring of control systems for occupational and environmental hazards. The preferred educational background for entry to the profession should be some branch of engineering, which by then must have recovered its lost status and be divided into fewer specialized compartments than it is today. Engineering should provide a broader base for students entering professional education in this field, who will be more concerned with prevention and engineering control of both occupational and environmental hazards, rather than with measurement and epidemiology of the biological and toxicologic sciences. Preparation for professional work in industrial hygiene will call for the specialized education of engineers required to design and maintain processes that minimize the use, production, or generation of hazardous substances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Education and occupations preceding Parkinson disease: a population-based case-control study.
Frigerio, R; Elbaz, A; Sanft, K R; Peterson, B J; Bower, J H; Ahlskog, J E; Grossardt, B R; de Andrade, M; Maraganore, D M; Rocca, W A
2005-11-22
To investigate the association of Parkinson disease (PD) with education and occupations using a case-control study design. The authors used the medical records-linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify all subjects who developed PD in Olmsted County, MN, from 1976 through 1995. Each incident case was matched by age (+/-1 year) and sex to a general population control. The authors collected information about education and occupations using two independent sources of data: a review of the complete medical records in the system and a telephone interview. Occupations were coded using the 1980 Standard Occupational Classification. Subjects with 9 or more years of education were at increased risk of PD (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.6; p = 0.02), and there was a trend of increasing risk with increasing education (test for linear trend, p = 0.02; medical records data). Physicians were at significantly increased risk of PD using both sources of occupational data. By contrast, four occupational groups showed a significantly decreased risk of PD using one source of data: construction and extractive workers (e.g., miners, oil well drillers), production workers (e.g., machine operators, fabricators), metal workers, and engineers. These associations with increased or decreased risk did not change noticeably after adjustment for education. Subjects with higher education and physicians have an increased risk of Parkinson disease (PD), while subjects with some occupations presumed to involve high physical activity have a decreased risk of PD.
Simplified model-based optimal control of VAV air-conditioning system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nassif, N.; Kajl, S.; Sabourin, R. [Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Construction Engineering
2005-07-01
The improvement of Variable Air Volume (VAV) system performance is one of several attempts being made to minimize the high energy use associated with the operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. A Simplified Optimization Process (SOP) comprised of controller set point strategies and a simplified VAV model was presented in this paper. The aim of the SOP was to determine supply set points. The advantage of the SOP over previous methods was that it did not require a detailed VAV model and optimization program. In addition, the monitored data for representative local-loop control can be checked on-line, after which controller set points can be updated in order to ensure proper operation by opting for real situations with minimum energy use. The SOP was validated using existing monitoring data and a model of an existing VAV system. Energy use simulations were compared to that of the existing VAV system. At each simulation step, 3 controller set point values were proposed and studied using the VAV model in order to select a value for each point which corresponded to the best performance of the VAV system. Simplified VAV component models were presented. Strategies for controller set points were described, including zone air temperature, duct static pressure set points; chilled water supply set points and supply air temperature set points. Simplified optimization process calculations were presented. Results indicated that the SOP provided significant energy savings when applied to specific AHU systems. In a comparison with a Detailed Optimization Process (DOP), the SOP was capable of determining set points close to those obtained by the DOP. However, it was noted that the controller set points determined by the SOP need a certain amount of time to reach optimal values when outdoor conditions or thermal loads are significantly changed. It was suggested that this disadvantage could be overcome by the use of a dynamic incremental value, which
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
E. F. Zeer
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Introduction. Continuing education or «education through all life» is required of the person by modern realities of the information, quickly changing society; thus, continuing education is carried out on a development trajectory, individual for each person. Maintenance of such educational process needs effective tools. The relevance of its development caused the research presented in the publication.The aim is to show the possibilities of navigation aids during realization of individual routes of the training conforming to federal state educational standards and considering the purposes and interests of each separately taken personality.Methodology and research methods. The leading methodological basis is personality-oriented approach in the implementation of individual educational trajectory. Logical-pedagogical analysis of students’ individual educational trajectory progress is used.Results and scientific novelty. The interrelation of the concepts «individual educational trajectory» and «individual educational route» is revealed. The conceptual model of maintenance of an individual educational trajectory as a set of reference points of mastering of competences necessary for the expert is offered. Navigators of educational process and cases of individual educational achievements assessment act as didactic means in model. It is shown whence application of components of models allows to: organize the professional orientation actions more effectively; exercise entrance control of knowledge prior to training; control actions during vocational training; correlate an individual trajectory of training to the standard; have a guide when studying disciplines of various cycles, when passing educational and production training, protection of final qualification work; finally, it is possible for a pupil to carry out self-estimation of the acquired competences.Practical significance. The materials of the present publication will be useful to
Oswiecinska, A.; Hibbs, J.; Zajic, I.; Burnham, K. J.
2015-11-01
This paper presents conceptual control solution for reliable and energy efficient operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems used in large volume building applications, e.g. warehouse facilities or exhibition centres. Advanced two-level scalable control solution, designed to extend capabilities of the existing low-level control strategies via remote internet connection, is presented. The high-level, supervisory controller is based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) architecture, which is the state-of-the-art for indoor climate control systems. The innovative approach benefits from using passive heating and cooling control strategies for reducing the HVAC system operational costs, while ensuring that required environmental conditions are met.
Sleep education improves the sleep duration of adolescents: a randomized controlled pilot study.
Kira, Geoff; Maddison, Ralph; Hull, Michelle; Blunden, Sarah; Olds, Timothy
2014-07-15
To determine the feasibility and pilot a sleep education program in New Zealand high school students. A parallel, two-arm randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted. High school students (13 to 16 years) were randomly allocated to either a classroom-based sleep education program intervention (n = 15) or to a usual curriculum control group (n = 14). The sleep education program involved four 50-minute classroom-based education sessions with interactive groups. Students completed a 7-day sleep diary, a sleep questionnaire (including sleep hygiene, knowledge and problems) at baseline, post-intervention (4 weeks) and 10 weeks follow-up. An overall treatment effect was observed for weekend sleep duration (F 1,24 = 5.21, p = 0.03). Participants in the intervention group slept longer during weekend nights at 5 weeks (1:37 h:min, p = 0.01) and 10 weeks: (1:32 h:min, p = 0.03) compared to those in the control group. No differences were found between groups for sleep duration on weekday nights. No significant differences were observed between groups for any of the secondary outcomes (sleep hygiene, sleep problems, or sleep knowledge). A sleep education program appears to increase weekend sleep duration in the short term. Although this program was feasible, most schools are under time and resource pressure, thus alternative methods of delivery should be assessed for feasibility and efficacy. Larger trials of longer duration are needed to confirm these findings and determine the sustained effect of sleep education on sleep behavior and its impact on health and psychosocial outcomes. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 793.
Musekamp, Gunda; Gerlich, Christian; Ehlebracht-König, Inge; Faller, Hermann; Reusch, Andrea
2016-02-03
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a complex chronic condition that makes high demands on patients' self-management skills. Thus, patient education is considered an important component of multimodal therapy, although evidence regarding its effectiveness is scarce. The main objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of an advanced self-management patient education program for patients with FMS as compared to usual care in the context of inpatient rehabilitation. We conducted a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial in 3 rehabilitation clinics. Clusters are groups of patients with FMS consecutively recruited within one week after admission. Patients of the intervention group receive the advanced multidisciplinary self-management patient education program (considering new knowledge on FMS, with a focus on transfer into everyday life), whereas patients in the control group receive standard patient education programs including information on FMS and coping with pain. A total of 566 patients are assessed at admission, at discharge and after 6 and 12 months, using patient reported questionnaires. Primary outcomes are patients' disease- and treatment-specific knowledge at discharge and self-management skills after 6 months. Secondary outcomes include satisfaction, attitudes and coping competences, health-promoting behavior, psychological distress, health impairment and participation. Treatment effects between groups are evaluated using multilevel regression analysis adjusting for baseline values. The study evaluates the effectiveness of a self-management patient education program for patients with FMS in the context of inpatient rehabilitation in a cluster randomized trial. Study results will show whether self-management patient education is beneficial for this group of patients. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00008782 , Registered 8 July 2015.
Simulation Evaluation of Controller-Managed Spacing Tools under Realistic Operational Conditions
Callantine, Todd J.; Hunt, Sarah M.; Prevot, Thomas
2014-01-01
Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) tools have been developed to aid air traffic controllers in managing high volumes of arriving aircraft according to a schedule while enabling them to fly efficient descent profiles. The CMS tools are undergoing refinement in preparation for field demonstration as part of NASA's Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration-1 (ATD-1). System-level ATD-1 simulations have been conducted to quantify expected efficiency and capacity gains under realistic operational conditions. This paper presents simulation results with a focus on CMS-tool human factors. The results suggest experienced controllers new to the tools find them acceptable and can use them effectively in ATD-1 operations.
Computation of reactor control rod drop time under accident conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dou Yikang; Yao Weida; Yang Renan; Jiang Nanyan
1998-01-01
The computational method of reactor control rod drop time under accident conditions lies mainly in establishing forced vibration equations for the components under action of outside forces on control rod driven line and motion equation for the control rod moving in vertical direction. The above two kinds of equations are connected by considering the impact effects between control rod and its outside components. Finite difference method is adopted to make discretization of the vibration equations and Wilson-θ method is applied to deal with the time history problem. The non-linearity caused by impact is iteratively treated with modified Newton method. Some experimental results are used to validate the validity and reliability of the computational method. Theoretical and experimental testing problems show that the computer program based on the computational method is applicable and reliable. The program can act as an effective tool of design by analysis and safety analysis for the relevant components
Web app based patient education in psoriasis - a randomized controlled trial.
Hawkins, Spencer D; Barilla, Steven; Feldman, Steven R
2017-04-15
Patients report wanting more information about psoriasis and clear expectations from the onset of therapy. Dermatologists do not think patients receive or internalize adequate information. There isa need for further explanation of treatment regimens to increase knowledge, compliance, and patient satisfaction. Recent advancements in web technology have the potential to improve these psoriasis outcomes. A web based application was created to educate psoriasis patients using video, graphics, and textual information. An investigator blinded, randomized, controlled study evaluated the website's efficacy in 50 psoriasis patients at Wake Forest Baptist Health Dermatology. Patients were randomized into two groups: Group 1 received a link to the educational web app and a survey following their visit; Group 2 received a link to the survey with no educational web app. The survey assessed patient knowledge, self reported adherence to medication, and adequacy of addressing concerns. Twenty two patients completed the study. Patients in the web app group scored an average of 11/14 on the psoriasis knowledge quiz, whereas patients in the control group scored an average of 9/14 for an improvement of roughly 18% (p=0.008, n=22). Web app based education via DermPatientEd.Com is an efficient way to improve knowledge, but we did not demonstrate improvements in self-reported medication adherence or the ability to address concerns of psoriasis patients.
Johansen, Geir
2008-01-01
Educational quality is a central issue in higher education and music teacher education. In this article, the author discusses problems concerning the development of and research into quality in music teacher education in Western societies' contemporary socio-cultural dynamics. He begins with a presentation of the concept of educational quality,…
Virtual and Remote Laboratories in Process of Control Education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Martin Kalúz
2012-02-01
Full Text Available This paper describes the progress in the development of virtual and remote laboratories at Department of Information Engineering and Process Control, FCFT STU in Bratislava. Article is the overview of technical solutions used for online education purposes. These comprise software technologies, most commonly used in virtual and remote laboratory design at our department, as MATLAB Web Server, Java, C/C++, and Adobe Flash. We have created virtual laboratories as online Web applications, which provide features of mathematical computing and simulations of technological plants. We also describe a technology of remote control laboratory with a real experimental device.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Boecher Poulsen, K.; Christensen, Torkild; Mortensen, Jan; Runge Kristoffersen, J.; Kristmundsson, E. [Tech-wise A/S (Denmark); Moekbak, T.; Mortensen, Hans Peter [Elsam A/S (Denmark)
2002-12-15
This report focuses on the model-building part of the PSO project, 'Control Conditions Bio-boiler'. In the project, which treats dynamic simulation of biomass fired power plants via the MMS software, a certain number of straw/wood chip modules have been built, together with a combustion module which, when connected to the existing MMS modules, can be used for dynamic simulation. Furthermore, a certain number of continuous and discrete components have been built which, together with the remaining MMS modules will create a complete model of the active part of the control structure under the most common operation conditions. By means of the developed straw, combustion and control modules, a model of Enstedvaerket's bio-boiler is built (without wood chip super-heater), including practically all auxiliary control mechanisms. In the report the primary problems caused by the development of the model are discussed, typically numerical problems. First of all it is discussed how a steady state condition can be reached from a nonphysical condition at the start-up of the simulation. After reaching a steady state condition at full load, the boiler load is reduced by adjusting the desired live steam flow setpoint value and the load gradient (as it would be done from the control room). While reducing to part load, one straw line is closed down, as it would be done in 'real life'. From part load, the boiler load is once again in the same way increased to full. (BA) The simulation results are then compared to measurements made on the same boiler during load reduction and load increase.
The Design of Temperature and Humidity Chamber Monitor and Controller
Tibebu, Simachew
2016-01-01
The temperature and humidity chamber, (climate chamber) is a device located at the Technobothnia Education and Research Center that simulates different climate conditions. The simulated environment is used to test the capabilities of electrical equipment in different temperature and humidity conditions. The climate chamber, among other things houses a dedicated computer, the control PC, and a control software running in it which together are responsible for running and control-ling these simu...
García, Sandra; Saavedra, Juan E.
2017-01-01
We meta-analyze for impact and cost-effectiveness 94 studies from 47 conditional cash transfer programs in low- and middle-income countries worldwide, focusing on educational outcomes that include enrollment, attendance, dropout, and school completion. To conceptually guide and interpret the empirical findings of our meta-analysis, we present a…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Iqbal, Muhammad; Rehan, Muhammad; Hong, Keum-Shik; Khaliq, Abdul; Saeed-ur-Rehman
2015-01-01
This paper addresses the design of adaptive feedback controllers for two problems (namely, stabilization and synchronization) of chaotic systems with unknown parameters by considering input saturation constraints. A novel generalized sector condition is developed to deal with the saturation nonlinearities for synthesizing the nonlinear and the adaptive controllers for the stabilization and synchronization control objectives. By application of the proposed sector condition and rigorous regional stability analysis, control and adaptation laws are formulated to guarantee local stabilization of a nonlinear system under actuator saturation. Further, simple control and adaptation laws are developed to synchronize two chaotic systems under uncertain parameters and input saturation nonlinearity. Numerical simulation results for Rössler and FitzHugh–Nagumo models are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive stabilization and synchronization control methodologies
McNamara, Courtney L; Balaj, Mirza; Thomson, Katie H; Eikemo, Terje A; Bambra, Clare
2017-02-01
Social gradients have been found across European populations, where less affluent groups are more often affected by poor housing and neighbourhood conditions. While poor housing and neighbourhood quality have been associated with a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), these conditions have rarely been applied to the examination of socioeconomic differences in NCDs. This study therefore asks ‘to what extent does adjusting for poor housing and neighbourhood conditions reduce inequalities in NCDs among men and women in Europe’? Our analysis used pooled-data from 20 European countries for women (n= 12 794) and men (n= 11 974), aged 25–75, from round 7 of the European Social Survey. Fourteen NCDs were investigated: heart/circulatory problems, high blood pressure, back pain, arm/hand pain, foot/leg pain, allergies, breathing problems, stomach/digestion problems, skin conditions, diabetes, severe headaches, cancer, obesity and depression. We used binary logistic regression models, stratified by gender, and adjusted rate ratios to examine whether educational inequalities in NCDs were reduced after controlling for poor housing and neighbourhood quality. Overall, we find that adjusting for poor housing and neighbourhood quality reduces inequalities in NCDs. While reductions were relatively small for some NCDs–for high blood pressure, reductions were found in the range of 0–4.27% among women—for other conditions reductions were more considerable. Controlling for both housing and neighbourhood conditions for example, reduced inequalities by 16–24% for severe headaches and 14–30% for breathing problems. Social gradients in poor housing and neighbourhood quality could be an important contributor to educational inequalities in some NCDs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Neide Nunes RODRIGUES
2014-12-01
Full Text Available In this article, we analyze the relation among educational reforms and teachers’ work, and emotions. This study was conducted with a public school English teacher, in Minas Gerais. The aim was to verify the role that contextual factors play in the production of emotions, and detect the emotions that influence her practice with students, colleagues, and school managers. The theoretical framework was based on studies about educational reforms and teachers’ work (AUGUSTO, 2005; HYPOLITO; VIEIRA; PIZZI, 2009; DUARTE; AUGUSTO, [s.d.], the relationship between emotions and the process of teaching and learning languages (HARGREAVES, 2000; ZEMBYLAS, 2002, 2003; ARAGÃO, 2008; DAY; QING, 2009; SHUTZ; ZEMBYLAS, 2009; COWIE, 2011; RIBEIRO, 2012. We used a semistructured questionnaire and a narrative interview as data collection instruments. The analysis has pointed out poor work condition, crowded classrooms, poor physical and technological structures, strict school curriculum, students’ indiscipline, and the institution pessimistic atmosphere as frustrating, stressful, and de-motivating factors. These results indicate the need to create alternative ways of school workplaces organization, and to modify the way people interact in schools. They also suggest the need of educators to participate in the design and implementation of educational reforms.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A.A. Pryimakov
2017-04-01
Full Text Available Purpose: to study reliability of functioning and reserves of system, controlling movements with different coordination structure of special health group girl students (low health level in physical education process. Material: in the research special health group girl students (n=136, age 17-19 participated. They were divided into 2 groups - control and experimental. The program, directed to increase reliability and reserves of system controlling movements, was realized. It was based on physical exercises of complicated coordination with novelty elements, which were fulfilled under musical accompaniment. The research continued one academic year. Results: in girl students with health problems we registered higher differential thresholds, when reproducing local movements in complicated conditions. They used visual and hearing feedback channels for informing brain’s programming areas about made mistakes. They were worse teachable in training accurate movements. These girl students have less expressed compensation reserves under impact of hindering factors and interferences. It can be interpreted as non-specific crisscross negative response to motor functional system in case of health problems. All these determine reduction of reserve potentials of motor control system. Conclusions: The main reserve potentials’ criteria of control over different coordination structure movements are: quickness of passing to program mechanism of fine movements’ regulation in stable conditions of functioning; power and effectiveness of compensatory reactions, ensuring interference immunity of system, controlling movements under interfering factors; reliability of maintaining movements’ qualitative parameters in optimal range under interfering factors; reduction of sensor interconnections in stable functioning conditions.
Leventhal, Katherine Sachs; DeMaria, Lisa M; Gillham, Jane; Andrew, Gracy; Peabody, John W; Leventhal, Steve
2015-10-26
There are 600 million girls in low and middle income countries (LMICs), many of whom are at great risk for poor health and education. There is thus great need for programs that can effectively improve wellbeing for these girls. Although many interventions have been developed to address these issues, most focus on health and education without integrating attention to social and emotional factors. This omission is unfortunate, as nascent evidence indicates that these factors are closely related to health and education. This paper describes the methods of a 4-arm randomized controlled trial among 3,560 adolescent girls in rural Bihar, India that tested whether adding an intervention targeting social-emotional issues (based on a "resilience framework") to an adolescent health intervention would improve emotional, social, physical, and educational wellbeing to a greater extent than its components and a control group. Study arms were: (1) Girls First, a combination of the Girls First Resilience Curriculum (RC) and the Girls First Health Curriculum (HC); (2) Girls First Resilience Curriculum (RC) alone; (3) Girls First Health Curriculum (HC) alone; and (4) a school-as-usual control group (SC). Seventy-six schools were randomized (19 per condition) and 74 local women with a tenth grade education were trained and monitored to facilitate the program. Quantitative data were collected from 3,560 girls over 4 assessment points with very low rates of participant attrition. Qualitative assessments were conducted with a subset of 99 girls and 27 facilitators. In this article, we discuss guiding principles that facilitated trial implementation, including integrating diverse local and non-local sources of knowledge, focusing on flexibility of planning and implementation, prioritizing systematic measurement selection, and striking a balance between scientific rigor and real-world feasibility. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02429661 . Registered 24 April 2015.
A high control bandwidth design method for aalborg inverter under weak grid condition
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wu, Weimin; Zhou, Cong; Wang, Houqin
2017-01-01
Aalborg Inverter is a kind of high efficient Buck-Boost inverter. Since it may work in “Buck-Boost” mode, the control bandwidth should be high enough to ensure a good performance under any grid condition. However, during the “Boost” operation, the control bandwidth depends much on the grid...
Ho, Shiao-Ming; Heh, Shu-Shya; Jevitt, Cecilia M; Huang, Lian-Hua; Fu, Yu-Ying; Wang, Li-Lin
2009-10-01
The effectiveness of a hospital discharge education program including information on postnatal depression was evaluated to reduce psychological morbidity after childbirth. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a regional hospital in Taipei. Two hundred first-time mothers agreed to take part and were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=100) or control group (n=100). The intervention group received discharge education on postnatal depression provided by postpartum ward nurses. The control group received general postpartum education. The main outcome measure was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) administered by postal questionnaire at six weeks and three months after delivery. Women who received discharge education intervention on postnatal depression were less likely to have high depression scores when compared to the control group at three months postpartum. A discharge educational intervention including postnatal depression information given to women during the postpartum stay benefits psychological well-being. A postpartum discharge education program including information on postnatal depression should be integrated into postpartum discharge care in general practice. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Schwember, Andrés R; Bradford, Kent J
2010-10-01
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seeds have poor shelf life and exhibit thermoinhibition (fail to germinate) above ∼25°C. Seed priming (controlled hydration followed by drying) alleviates thermoinhibition by increasing the maximum germination temperature, but reduces lettuce seed longevity. Controlled deterioration (CD) or accelerated ageing storage conditions (i.e. elevated temperature and relative humidity) are used to study seed longevity and to predict potential seed lifetimes under conventional storage conditions. Seeds produced in 2002 and 2006 of a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between L. sativa cv. Salinas×L. serriola accession UC96US23 were utilized to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with seed longevity under CD and conventional storage conditions. Multiple longevity-associated QTLs were identified under both conventional and CD storage conditions for control (non-primed) and primed seeds. However, seed longevity was poorly correlated between the two storage conditions, suggesting that deterioration processes under CD conditions are not predictive of ageing in conventional storage conditions. Additionally, the same QTLs were not identified when RIL populations were grown in different years, indicating that lettuce seed longevity is strongly affected by production environment. Nonetheless, a major QTL on chromosome 4 [Seed longevity 4.1 (Slg4.1)] was responsible for almost 23% of the phenotypic variation in viability of the conventionally stored control seeds of the 2006 RIL population, with improved longevity conferred by the Salinas allele. QTL analyses may enable identification of mechanisms responsible for the sensitivity of primed seeds to CD conditions and breeding for improved seed longevity.
Watanabe, Masahito; Ozawa, Shumpei; Mizuno, Akotoshi; Hibiya, Taketoshi; Kawauchi, Hiroya; Murai, Kentaro; Takahashi, Suguru
2012-01-01
Microgravity conditions have advantages of measurement of surface tension and viscosity of metallic liquids by the oscillating drop method with an electromagnetic levitation (EML) device. Thus, we are preparing the experiments of thermophysical properties measurements using the Materials-Science Laboratories ElectroMagnetic-Levitator (MSL-EML) facilities in the international Space station (ISS). Recently, it has been identified that dependence of surface tension on oxygen partial pressure (Po2) must be considered for industrial application of surface tension values. Effect of Po2 on surface tension would apparently change viscosity from the damping oscillation model. Therefore, surface tension and viscosity must be measured simultaneously in the same atmospheric conditions. Moreover, effect of the electromagnetic force (EMF) on the surface oscillations must be clarified to obtain the ideal surface oscillation because the EMF works as the external force on the oscillating liquid droplets, so extensive EMF makes apparently the viscosity values large. In our group, using the parabolic flight levitation experimental facilities (PFLEX) the effect of Po2 and external EMF on surface oscillation of levitated liquid droplets was systematically investigated for the precise measurements of surface tension and viscosity of high temperature liquids for future ISS experiments. We performed the observation of surface oscillations of levitated liquid alloys using PFLEX on board flight experiments by Gulfstream II (G-II) airplane operated by DAS. These observations were performed under the controlled Po2 and also under the suitable EMF conditions. In these experiments, we obtained the density, the viscosity and the surface tension values of liquid Cu. From these results, we discuss about as same as reported data, and also obtained the difference of surface oscillations with the change of the EMF conditions.
Model predictions and control of conditions in a CA-reefer container
Sman, van der R.G.M.; Verdijck, G.J.C.
2003-01-01
In this paper a concept for energy saving for refrigerated container transport is presented. The concept is based on model-predictive control of the set points of the cooling unit. These models predict energy consumption of the cooling unit, climatic conditions inside the cargo space, and the change
Control system of labour safety measures in the higher educational institution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
O. G. Feoktistova
2015-01-01
Full Text Available The article examines a system of labour safety measures control. With the introduction of the integrated system of management the competitive ability of production and organization, the effectiveness of its activity rise, and sinnergicheskiy effect is also reached and the savings of all forms of resources are ensured. Objectives and methods of control system of labour safety measures in enterprises are developed, including in the educational institutions.
[Application of health education of house-to-house visit in malaria prevention and control].
Zhou, Wen-gang; Qu, Yan; Wang, Wen-guang; Tang, Song-yuan
2014-10-01
To evaluate the effects of health education of house-to-house visit in malaria prevention and control in the border and minority areas. A health education of house-to-house visit in malaria prevention and control was carried out, and baseline and follow up surveys were conducted by qualitative and quantitative methods to document the changes of local villagers' knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAP) of malaria prevention and control in 2 counties of Yunnan Province, and the results before and after the interventions were analyzed and compared. After the intervention, the cognition rates about malaria symptoms and signs, transmission mode, preventive measures and health-seeking behaviors were 99.3%, 98.9%, 79.9% and 99.3% respectively in the local residents, and those were 39.2%, 8.2%, 47.0% and 49.9% respectively before the intervention, and all the differences were statistically significant (P all house-to-house visit is an effective community-based health education approach.
Asyraf, S. M.; Heerwan, P. M.; Izhar, I. M.
2018-04-01
During descending on a slope, the speed of Electric Powered Wheelchair (EPW) tends to changed rapidly. Normally, most EPW is provided with mechanical braking system which transfers human pulling force of the lever creating friction at the tire. However, the task is difficult for the users are elderly or paralyses. However, even for normal user with good strength, in fear condition they tend to give sudden braking which leads to tire locking up and skidding, eventually EPW unstable. These problems will cause accident and injuries to the users if speed does not properly control. In this paper, the automated braking torque control method was proposed in EPW as alternative to solve this problem and increase the mobility and stability especially during descending on slope in other to help the user of the EPW as their daily transportation. In this research, Proportional-Integral-Derivative and Sliding Mode Control controller are compared to determine the best response for torque braking control. The rapid change of speed can be controlled by the braking torque using proposed controllers based on the desired constant speed set by the control designer. Moreover, the sudden braking that caused tire to lock up and skid can be avoided. Furthermore, result from SMC shows this controller have good time respond to maintain the speed based on desired value when descending at slope condition by controlling the braking torque compared to the PID controller.
Mader, Luzius; Vetsch, Janine; Christen, Salome; Baenziger, Julia; Roser, Katharina; Dehler, Silvia; Michel, Gisela
2017-03-21
Teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer patients are faced with the diagnosis during a challenging period of psychosocial development that may affect social outcomes in the long term. Therefore, we aimed to: (1) determine differences in social outcomes between long-term TYA cancer survivors and healthy controls and (2) identify factors associated with adverse social outcomes. We sent a questionnaire to TYA cancer survivors (aged 16-25 years at diagnosis, 5 years after diagnosis) registered in the Cancer Registry Zurich and Zug. Information on controls was obtained from the Swiss Health Survey 2012. We assessed educational achievement, employment status, marital status and life partnership (survivors only), and compared these outcomes between survivors and controls. We used logistic regression to identify sociodemographic and cancer-related factors associated with social outcomes. We included 160 TYA cancer survivors and 999 controls. Educational achievement of survivors differed significantly from controls (p = 0.012): more survivors than controls reported upper secondary education (33 vs 27%) and fewer survivors reported university education (12 vs 21%). No significant differences were found for employment (p = 0.515) and marital status (p = 0.357). The majority of survivors (91%) and controls (90%) were employed, and 37% of survivors were married, compared with 41% of controls. There were no cancer-related factors associated with having only basic education. Unemployment was associated with younger age at diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-30.8) and self-reported late effects (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.3-19.5). Survivors of younger age at diagnosis were more likely not to be married (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.7) and not to have a life partner (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.2). Our findings indicate that TYA cancer survivors completed applied higher education rather than a university education. Future studies including larger samples of TYA cancer survivors
2012-09-17
... Flight Control System: Control Surface Awareness and Mode Annunciation AGENCY: Federal Aviation... a fly-by-wire electronic flight control system and no direct coupling from the flightdeck controller... nuisance alerting. This special condition also addresses flight control system mode annunciation. It...
p-charts in the quality control of the grading process in the high education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Savić Mirko
2006-01-01
Full Text Available European countries are making efforts to change their educational system These changes include implementation of the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System and are based on the Bologna Declaration. Adoption of ECTS will necessitate new quality standards in higher education especially in grading procedures. With only small modifications, the control charts(such as p-charts used in production and distribution applications can be applied to educational purposes.
From Managerialism to Communicative Competence: Control and Consensus in Educational Administration.
Watkins, Peter
1986-01-01
Traditional approaches to educational administration have generally reflected a managerial perspective based partly on scientific management principles developed by Frederick W. Taylor. Concerns with efficiency and administrative control have masked inequities and ideologies comprising organizational structure. Habermas's critique may help expose…
Controlled cooling of an electronic system based on projected conditions
David, Milnes P.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.
2015-08-18
Energy efficient control of a cooling system cooling an electronic system is provided based, in part, on projected conditions. The control includes automatically determining an adjusted control setting(s) for an adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on projected power consumed by the electronic system at a future time and projected temperature at the future time of a heat sink to which heat extracted is rejected. The automatically determining operates to reduce power consumption of the cooling system and/or the electronic system while ensuring that at least one targeted temperature associated with the cooling system or the electronic system is within a desired range. The automatically determining may be based, at least in part, on an experimentally obtained model(s) relating the targeted temperature and power consumption of the adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system.
Peer Mentoring in Higher Education: Issues of Power and Control
Christie, Hazel
2014-01-01
In response to widespread support for mentoring schemes in higher education this article calls for a more critical investigation of the dynamics of power and control, which are intrinsic to the mentoring process, and questions presumptions that mentoring brings only positive benefits to its participants. It provides this more critical appraisal by…
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Apshay N.I.
2010-09-01
Full Text Available Influence of new information technologies is examined on the educational environment of higher educational establishments. The main tendency of further informatization of educational activity is determine intellectualization. Intellectualization is a process of satiation of informative environment of education due to activation of intellectual assets. Concrete measures are offered on passing to the use of intellectual technologies and technologies of management knowledges. To the primary concerns it is possible to take structuring informative cognitive resource of higher educational establishments.
Assessing the impact of educational campaigns on controlling HCV among women in prison settings
Mushayabasa, S.; Bhunu, C. P.; Smith?, Robert J.
2012-04-01
Prior studies have shown that imprisonment is a major risk factor for hepatitis C infection, with the risk of infection directly proportional to the length of incarceration. Women are at least twice as likely as men to contract HCV as they have limited access to information, health services and safe intravenous drug injecting equipments. We develop a mathematical model to assess the impact of educational campaigns on controlling HCV among women in prison settings. Equilibria for the model are determined and their stability are examined. Population-level effects of increased educational campaigns to encourage safe injecting practices among women in prison are evaluated through numerical simulations. The results suggest that educating women prisoners about abstaining from intravenous drug misuse may significantly reduce HCV prevalence among women in prison settings. Targeted education campaigns, which are effective at stopping transmission of HCV more than 80% of the time, will be highly effective at controlling the disease among women in prisons.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sergei Viktorovich Kroshilin
2015-12-01
Full Text Available In the modern conditions the socio-economic paradigm is changing, on the one hand, due to the transition to knowledge economy and, on the other hand, due to the need to develop innovation that determine competitiveness and the development level of national economies in the world. It is obvious that the progressive upgrade and the improvement of production processes (change in technological modes can not be implemented without the increase in the level of human capital in the society and the enhancement of potential and qualification of the workforce. These changes largely depend on the education system. In almost all world countries there is an active process of modernization and change in the system of training. New forms and approaches appear, for example lifelong education (concept “Lifelong education”, informal forms of learning, self-education, etc. Without the development of these approaches it is not possible to become a competitive state in changing social, political and economic environment. This is particularly true for countries, which experience changes in the technological mode and have the necessity to transfer to new technologies. Russia is among such countries nowadays. In our opinion, the modern reforms do not give the opportunity to fulfill the main task of education – to ensure and create conditions for self-determination and self-moralization of an individual in the society, achieve the desired level of knowledge for development of innovation in the regions. In the framework of the conducted research we get the classification of all Russian regions by indicators, such as “innovation” and “investment attractiveness”, with the levels of education being taken into account. This approach, on the one hand, shows the heterogeneity of socio-economic development of the country’s regions and, on the other hands, ‒ allows us to reveal the fact that the same federal district can include both regions-locomotives and
Mathews, Ben; Yang, Chengwu; Lehman, Erik B; Mincemoyer, Claudia; Verdiglione, Nicole; Levi, Benjamin H
2017-01-01
Early childhood care and education providers (CCPs) work with over 7 million young children. These children are vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. However, CCPs make less than 1% of all reports of suspected child abuse and neglect that are made to child protective services. CCPs are therefore an untapped resource in the public health response to child maltreatment. However, their knowledge and attitudes about duties to report child maltreatment are poorly understood. Moreover, no rigorous research has tested whether their knowledge and attitudes about reporting child maltreatment can be improved. These gaps in knowledge are important because knowledge of the duty and positive attitudes towards it produce more effective reporting, and little evidence exists about how to enhance cognitive and affective attributes. Using the CONSORT approach, we report a single-blind test-retest randomized controlled trial evaluating iLook Out for Child Abuse, a customized online educational intervention for CCPs to increase knowledge and attitudes towards the reporting duty. 762 participants were randomized with results analyzed for 741 participants (372 in the intervention group; 369 in the control). Knowledge of the reporting duty increased in the intervention group from 13.54 to 16.19 out of 21 (2.65 increase, 95% CI: (2.37, 2.93); large effect size 0.95, p < 0.001); the control group remained stable, moving from 13.54 to 13.59 (0.05 increase, 95% CI: (-0.12, 0.22); negligible effect size 0.03, p = 0.684). Attitudes were enhanced on all 13 items for the intervention group, remaining stable in the control, with significant differences between groups on all items (p < 0.05). Gains were largely sustained at four month follow-up. Findings support education for CCPs and other professions. Future research should also explore effects of education on reporting behavior. US National Institutes of Health NCT02225301.
The role of education in the prevention and control of infection: a review of the literature.
Ward, Deborah J
2011-01-01
This paper discusses a literature review which was undertaken prior to a research study about student nurses' and midwives' experiences of learning infection control in clinical practice. Its aim is to identify the role of education in the prevention and control of infection, with a specific focus on compliance with infection control precautions and reduction in infection rates. It also identifies the methods used for teaching infection control. The review concludes that there is no rigorous and convincing evidence that education improves compliance with infection control precautions or reduces rates of infection, particularly in the long-term. Areas for future research are identified. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hu, Yaoyue; Pikhart, Hynek; Pająk, Andrzej; Kubínová, Růžena; Malyutina, Sofia; Besala, Agnieszka; Peasey, Anne; Marmot, Michael; Bobak, Martin
2016-01-01
Background Two competing hypotheses, cumulative advantage/disadvantage and age-as-leveller, have been proposed to explain the contradictory findings on socioeconomic differences in health over the lifespan. To test these hypotheses, this investigation examined the influence of educational attainment and material condition on individual trajectories of physical functioning (PF) in unexplored ageing populations in Central and Eastern Europe. Methods 28 783 men and women aged 45–69 years selected from populations in seven Czech towns, Krakow (Poland) and Novosibirsk (Russia). PF was measured by the Physical Functioning Subscale (PF-10) of the Short-Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) at baseline and three subsequent occasions. The highest educational attainment was self-reported at baseline, and material condition was captured by the sum score of 12 household amenities and assets. Results In all cohorts, participants with a university degree had the highest PF-10 score at baseline and slowest rate of decline in the score during follow-up, while the lowest baseline scores and fastest decline rate were found in participants with less than secondary education in all cohorts and in Russians with secondary education. Similar disparities in the baseline PF-10 score and decline rate were observed across tertiles of material condition, but differences in decline rates across the three tertiles among Czechs or between the lower two tertiles among Russians were not statistically significant. Conclusions Disparities in PF by educational attainment and material condition among middle-aged and older adults in Central and Eastern Europe existed at baseline and widened during ∼10 years of follow-up, supporting the cumulative advantage/disadvantage hypothesis. PMID:27194710
Waterlander, Wilma E; de Boer, Michiel R; Schuit, Albertine J; Seidell, Jacob C; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M
2013-04-01
Reducing fruit and vegetable (F&V) prices is a frequently considered policy to improve dietary habits in the context of health promotion. However, evidence on the effectiveness of this intervention is limited. The objective was to examine the effects of a 50% price discount on F&Vs or nutrition education or a combination of both on supermarket purchases. A 6-mo randomized controlled trial within Dutch supermarkets was conducted. Regular supermarket shoppers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: 50% price discounts on F&Vs, nutrition education, 50% price discounts plus nutrition education, or no intervention. A total of 199 participants provided baseline data; 151 (76%) were included in the final analysis. F&V purchases were measured by using supermarket register receipts at baseline, at 1 mo after the start of the intervention, at 3 mo, at 6 mo (end of the intervention period), and 3 mo after the intervention ended (9 mo). Adjusted multilevel models showed significantly higher F&V purchases (per household/2 wk) as a result of the price discount (+3.9 kg; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.3 kg) and the discount plus education intervention (+5.6 kg; 95% CI: 3.2, 7.9 kg) at 6 mo compared with control. Moreover, the percentage of participants who consumed recommended amounts of F&Vs (≥400 g/d) increased from 42.5% at baseline to 61.3% at 6 mo in both discount groups (P = 0.03). Education alone had no significant effect. Discounting F&Vs is a promising intervention strategy because it resulted in substantially higher F&V purchases, and no adverse effects were observed. Therefore, pricing strategies form an important focus for future interventions or policy. However, the long-term effects and the ultimate health outcomes require further investigation. This trial was registered at the ISRCTN Trial Register as number ISRCTN56596945 and at the Dutch Trial Register (http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp) as number NL22568.029.08.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gniazdowski, J.
1995-12-31
JOHNSON CONTROLS manufactures measuring and control equipment (800 types) and is as well a {open_quotes}turn-key{close_quotes} supplier of complete automatic controls systems for heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigerating engineering branches. The Company also supplies Buildings` Computer-Based Supervision and Monitoring Systems that may be applied in both small and large structures. Since 1990 the company has been performing full-range trade and contracting activities on the Polish market. We have our own well-trained technical staff and we collaborate with a series of designing and contracting enterprises that enable us to have our projects carried out all over Poland. The prices of our supplies and services correspond with the level of the Polish market.
Hultgren, Lennart S.; Ashpis, David E.
2003-01-01
Modem low-pressure turbines, in general, utilize highly loaded airfoils in an effort to improve efficiency and to lower the number of airfoils needed. Typically, the airfoil boundary layers are turbulent and fully attached at takeoff conditions, whereas a substantial fraction of the boundary layers on the airfoils may be transitional at cruise conditions due to the change of density with altitude. The strong adverse pressure gradients on the suction side of these airfoils can lead to boundary-layer separation at the latter low Reynolds number conditions. Large separation bubbles, particularly those which fail to reattach, cause a significant degradation of engine efficiency. A component efficiency drop of the order 2% may occur between takeoff and cruise conditions for large commercial transport engines and could be as large as 7% for smaller engines at higher altitude. An efficient means of of separation elimination/reduction is, therefore, crucial to improved turbine design. Because the large change in the Reynolds number from takeoff to cruise leads to a distinct change in the airfoil flow physics, a separation control strategy intended for cruise conditions will need to be carefully constructed so as to incur minimum impact/penalty at takeoff. A complicating factor, but also a potential advantage in the quest for an efficient strategy, is the intricate interplay between separation and transition for the situation at hand. Volino gives a comprehensive discussion of several recent studies on transition and separation under low-pressure-turbine conditions, among them one in the present facility. Transition may begin before or after separation, depending on the Reynolds number and other flow conditions. If the transition occurs early in the boundary layer then separation may be reduced or completely eliminated. Transition in the shear layer of a separation bubble can lead to rapid reattachment. This suggests using control mechanisms to trigger and enhance early
Cooling water conditioning and quality control for tokamaks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gootgeld, A.M.
1995-10-01
Designers and operators of Tokamaks and all associated water cooled, peripheral equipment, are faced with the task of providing and maintaining closed-loop, low conductivity, low impurity, cooling water systems. Most of these systems must provide large volumes of high quality cooling water at reasonable cost and comply with local and state government orders and EPA mandated national pretreatment standards and regulations. This paper discusses the DIII-D water quality requirements, the means used to obtain the necessary quality and the instrumentation used for control and monitoring. Costs to mechanically and chemically condition and maintain water quality are discussed as well as the various aspects of complying with government standards and regulations
Educational Technology Research in a VUCA World
Reeves, Thomas C.; Reeves, Patricia M.
2015-01-01
The status of educational technology research in a VUCA world is examined. The acronym, VUCA, stands for "Volatility" (rapidly changing contexts and conditions), "Uncertainty" (information missing that is critical to problem solving), "Complexity" (multiple factors difficult to categorize or control), and…
Li, Yue; Bates, Timothy
2017-01-01
Mindset theory predicts that children’s IQ and school grades are positively linked to their belief that basic ability is malleable rather than fixed. We test this prediction in three experimental studies (total n = 624 individually-tested 10-12-year-olds). Two studies included active-control conditions to test effects of fixed-ability beliefs independent of motivation. In addition, we tested whether children’s own mindsets relate to real-life IQ, educational attainment in longitudinal analyse...
2015-10-01
score >45. Exclusion criteria: Service related trauma within last 3 months, history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder , dementia, moderate or severe...7.7% 0.0% 8.3% 0.191 Bipolar disorder , % 7.7% 10.3% 13.9% 0.681 Substance use disorder , % 30.8% 43.6% 41.7% 0.458 Major depressive disorder ...Award Number: W81XWH-12-1-0576 TITLE: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Meditation Compared to Exposure Therapy and Education Control on PTSD in
Financial Management: Poor Internal Controls Expose Department of Education to Improper Payments
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
2001-01-01
On July 24, 2001, we testified before your subcommittee on our ongoing review of the Department of Education's payment processes and how the existing internal control weaknesses we have noted thus far...
Conditionally controlling nuclear trafficking in yeast by chemical-induced protein dimerization.
Xu, Tao; Johnson, Cole A; Gestwicki, Jason E; Kumar, Anuj
2010-11-01
We present here a protocol to conditionally control the nuclear trafficking of target proteins in yeast. In this system, rapamycin is used to heterodimerize two chimeric proteins. One chimera consists of a FK506-binding protein (FKBP12) fused to a cellular 'address' (nuclear localization signal or nuclear export sequence). The second chimera consists of a target protein fused to a fluorescent protein and the FKBP12-rapamycin-binding (FRB) domain from FKBP-12-rapamycin associated protein 1 (FRAP1, also known as mTor). Rapamycin induces dimerization of the FKBP12- and FRB-containing chimeras; these interactions selectively place the target protein under control of the cell address, thereby directing the protein into or out of the nucleus. By chemical-induced dimerization, protein mislocalization is reversible and enables the identification of conditional loss-of-function and gain-of-function phenotypes, in contrast to other systems that require permanent modification of the targeted protein. Yeast strains for this analysis can be constructed in 1 week, and the technique allows protein mislocalization within 15 min after drug treatment.
van Eck, Carola F; Toor, Aneet; Banffy, Michael B; Gambardella, Ralph A
2018-01-01
A good patient-surgeon relationship relies on adequate preoperative education and counseling. Several multimedia resources, such as web-based education tools, have become available to enhance aspects of perioperative care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an interactive web-based education tool on perioperative patient satisfaction scores after outpatient orthopaedic surgery. It was hypothesized that web-based education prior to outpatient orthopaedic surgery enhances patient satisfaction scores. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. All patients undergoing knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy, chondroplasty, or anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction or shoulder arthroscopy with rotator cuff repair were eligible for inclusion and were randomized to the study or control group. The control group received routine education by the surgeon, whereas the study group received additional web-based education. At the first postoperative visit, all patients completed the OAS CAHPS (Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey. Differences in patient satisfaction scores between the study and control groups were determined with an independent t test. A total of 177 patients were included (104 [59%] males; mean age, 42 ± 14 years); 87 (49%) patients were randomized to receive additional web-based education. Total patient satisfaction score was significantly higher in the study group (97 ± 5) as compared with the control group (94 ± 8; P = .019), specifically for the OAS CAHPS core measure "recovery" (92 ± 13 vs 82 ± 23; P = .001). Age, sex, race, workers' compensation status, education level, overall health, emotional health, procedure type and complexity, and addition of a video did not influence patient satisfaction scores. Supplemental web-based patient education prior to outpatient orthopaedic surgery enhances patient satisfaction scores.
Conditions for the existence of control functions in nonseparable simultaneous equations models
Blundell, Richard; Matzkin, Rosa L.
2010-01-01
The control function approach (Heckman and Robb (1985)) in a system of linear simultaneous equations provides a convenient procedure to estimate one of the functions in the system using reduced form residuals from the other functions as additional regressors. The conditions on the structural system under which this procedure can be used in nonlinear and nonparametric simultaneous equations has thus far been unknown. In this note, we define a new property of functions called control function s...
de Souza, Camila Furtado; Dalzochio, Mériane Boeira; Zucatti, Alessandra Teixeira Netto; De Nale, Rosana; de Almeida, Marília Tavares; Gross, Jorge Luiz; Leitão, Cristiane Bauermann
2017-08-01
Community health workers are community members who provide education and care for patients for a broad range of health issues, including diabetes mellitus. However, few community health workers are trained for diabetes education and little is known about the effectiveness of their interventions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a diabetes education program delivered to community health workers in improving the metabolic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Eight community health workers, providing care for 118 patients, were randomized in two groups to receive a 1-month diabetes education program (intervention, patients n = 62) or an education course in other health issues (control, patients n = 56). Each community health worker was responsible for transmitting the acquired knowledge to patients. Primary outcome was changed in HbA1C 3 months after the intervention. PARTICIPANTS: Mean age was 61 ± 11 years, 35% were men and 62% were whites. HbA1c levels reduced in both groups (intervention: 9.1 ± 2.2 vs. 7.9 ± 1.9%; control: 9.1 ± 2.1 vs. 8.4 ± 2.5%, p patients' follow-up, but it was similar in intervention and control groups. The diabetes mellitus education course delivered to community health workers was able to improve patients' lipid profile.
Controlling the site density of multiwall carbon nanotubes via growth conditions
Siegal, M. P.; Overmyer, D. L.; Kaatz, F. H.
2004-06-01
We present two complementary methods for controlling the site density of multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) directly as a function of growth conditions from 1011to107CNTs/cm2. Several potential applications require significant spacing between individual CNTs. The first method shows that the site density varies with the heat of formation of the hydrocarbon gas used during CNT growth by thermal chemical vapor deposition. The second method demonstrates that the site density decreases with increasing residual stress of the metal catalyst/diffusion barrier layers. These methods are combined for wide-range control of CNT site density.
Energy Analysis for Air Conditioning System Using Fuzzy Logic Control
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Henry Nasution
2011-04-01
Full Text Available Reducing energy consumption and to ensure thermal comfort are two important considerations for the designing an air conditioning system. An alternative approach to reduce energy consumption proposed in this study is to use a variable speed compressor. The control strategy will be proposed using the fuzzy logic controller (FLC. FLC was developed to imitate the performance of human expert operators by encoding their knowledge in the form of linguistic rules. The system is installed on a thermal environmental room with a data acquisition system to monitor the temperature of the room, coefficient of performance (COP, energy consumption and energy saving. The measurements taken during the two hour experimental periods at 5-minutes interval times for temperature setpoints of 20oC, 22oC and 24oC with internal heat loads 0, 500, 700 and 1000 W. The experimental results indicate that the proposed technique can save energy in comparison with On/Off and proportional-integral-derivative (PID control.
Development of Control Teaching Material for Mechatronics Education Based on Experience
Tasaki, Takao; Watanabe, Shinichi; Shikanai, Yoshihito; Ozaki, Koichi
In this paper, we have developed a teaching material for technical high school students to understand the control technique. The material makes the students understanding the control technique through the sensibility obtained from the experience of riding the robot. We have considered the correspondence of the teaching material with the ARCS Model. Therefore, the material aims to improve the interest and the willingness to learn mechatronics and control technique by experiencing the difference of the response by the change in the control parameters. As the results of the questionnaire to the technical high school students in the class, we have verified educative effect of the teaching material which can be improved willingness of learning and interesting for mechatronics and control technique.
Holistic Web-based Virtual Micro Controller Framework for Research and Education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sven Seiler
2012-11-01
Full Text Available Education in the field of embedded system programming became an even more important aspect in the qualification of young engineers during the last decade. This development is accompanied by a rapidly increasing complexity of the software environments used with such devices. Therefore a qualified and solid teaching methodology is necessary, accompanied by industry driven technological innovation with an emphasis on programming. As part of three European projects regarding lifelong-learning a comprehensive blended learning concept for teaching embedded systems and robotics was developed by paper authors. It comprises basic exercises in micro controller programming up to high-level student robotic challenges. These implemented measures are supported by a distance learning environment. The programming of embedded systems and microcontroller technology has to be seen as the precursor for more complex robotic systems in this context, but with a high importance for later successfully working with the technology for further professional utilization with these technologies. Current paper introduces the most novel part; the online accessible Virtual Micro Controller Platform (VMCU and its underlying simulation framework platform. This approach conquers the major existing problems in engineering education: outdated hardware and limited lab times. This paper answers the question about advantages of using virtual hardware in an educational environment.
Ali, Sadiq Mohammad; Lindström, Martin
2006-01-01
To investigate the association between psychosocial work conditions and unemployment, and low leisure-time physical activity. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5,180 persons aged 18-64 years who belonged to the workforce and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work and unemployment, and low leisure-time physical activity. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and job strain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of birth, education, economic stress, and social participation. In total, 16.1% of men and 14.8% of women had low leisure-time physical activity. The job strain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of low leisure-time physical activity among both men and women compared with the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. However, the significant differences between the job strain, the unemployed, and the relaxed categories disappeared in the multivariate models. Respondents with job strain or unemployment have significantly higher odds ratios of low leisure-time physical activity than the relaxed category. However, after adjustments for education in particular the differences disappear. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the association between psychosocial work conditions, which are often dependent on education, and leisure-time physical activity may be interesting to study in more detail.
Brunyé, Tad T; Cantelon, Julie; Holmes, Amanda; Taylor, Holly A; Mahoney, Caroline R
2014-01-01
Cutaneous sensations at electrode sites during the administration of direct current brain stimulation may inadvertently influence participants' subjective experience and task performance. The present study evaluated the utility of a methodological variation that substitutes sham administration with very low intensity (0.5 mA) current delivery. We used a 4 × 1 high-definition ring electrode transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS) system to target the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's Area 9). Four stimulation conditions were compared in a repeated-measures design: sham 2.0 mA and 0.5 mA intensity, versus active 2.0 mA and 0.5 mA intensity. During stimulation participants performed a cognitive interference task that activates the cingulo-frontal-parietal network, and periodically provided perceived sensation ratings. We demonstrate that a relatively low intensity control condition attenuates otherwise large differences in perceived sensation between active and sham conditions. Critically, behavioral task differences maintained between the two active conditions. A low intensity control stimulation condition may prove a viable methodological alternative to conventional sham techniques used in repeated-measures designs, though important limitations are discussed. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wang, Weimin; Katipamula, Srinivas; Huang, Yunzhi; Brambley, Michael R.
2011-12-31
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Program (BTP) evaluated a number of control strategies that can be implemented in a controller, to improve the operational efficiency of the packaged air conditioning units. The two primary objectives of this research project are: (1) determine the magnitude of energy savings achievable by retrofitting existing packaged air conditioning units with advanced control strategies not ordinarily used for packaged units and (2) estimating what the installed cost of a replacement control with the desired features should be in various regions of the U.S. This document reports results of the study.
Sarayani, Amir; Naderi-Behdani, Fahimeh; Hadavand, Naser; Javadi, Mohammadreza; Farsad, Fariborz; Hadjibabaie, Molouk; Gholami, Kheirollah
2015-01-01
Nurses' insufficient knowledge of adverse drug reactions is reported as a barrier to spontaneous reporting. Therefore, CE meetings could be utilized to enhance nurses' competencies. In a 3-armed randomized controlled trial, 496 nurses, working in a tertiary medical center, were randomly allocated to a didactic lecture, brainstorming workshop, or the control group (delayed education). Similar instructors (2 clinical pharmacists) prepared and delivered the educational content to all 3 groups. Outcomes were declarative/procedural knowledge (primary outcome), participation rate, and satisfaction. Knowledge was evaluated using a validated researcher-made questionnaire in 3 time points: immediately before, immediately after, and 3 months after each session. Participants' satisfaction was assessed immediately after each meeting via a standard tool. Data were analyzed using appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests. Rate of participation was 37.7% for the lecture group and 47.5% for the workshop group. The workshop participants were significantly more satisfied in comparison with the lecture group (p techniques. © 2015 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tiffani Kittilstved
2018-04-01
Full Text Available Objective: To determine whether changes in sensorimotor control resulting from speaking conditions that induce fluency in people who stutter (PWS can be measured using electroencephalographic (EEG mu rhythms in neurotypical speakers.Methods: Non-stuttering (NS adults spoke in one control condition (solo speaking and four experimental conditions (choral speech, delayed auditory feedback (DAF, prolonged speech and pseudostuttering. Independent component analysis (ICA was used to identify sensorimotor μ components from EEG recordings. Time-frequency analyses measured μ-alpha (8–13 Hz and μ-beta (15–25 Hz event-related synchronization (ERS and desynchronization (ERD during each speech condition.Results: 19/24 participants contributed μ components. Relative to the control condition, the choral and DAF conditions elicited increases in μ-alpha ERD in the right hemisphere. In the pseudostuttering condition, increases in μ-beta ERD were observed in the left hemisphere. No differences were present between the prolonged speech and control conditions.Conclusions: Differences observed in the experimental conditions are thought to reflect sensorimotor control changes. Increases in right hemisphere μ-alpha ERD likely reflect increased reliance on auditory information, including auditory feedback, during the choral and DAF conditions. In the left hemisphere, increases in μ-beta ERD during pseudostuttering may have resulted from the different movement characteristics of this task compared with the solo speaking task. Relationships to findings in stuttering are discussed.Significance: Changes in sensorimotor control related feedforward and feedback control in fluency-enhancing speech manipulations can be measured using time-frequency decompositions of EEG μ rhythms in neurotypical speakers. This quiet, non-invasive, and temporally sensitive technique may be applied to learn more about normal sensorimotor control and fluency enhancement in PWS.
Hu, Yaoyue; Pikhart, Hynek; Pająk, Andrzej; Kubínová, Růžena; Malyutina, Sofia; Besala, Agnieszka; Peasey, Anne; Marmot, Michael; Bobak, Martin
2016-11-01
Two competing hypotheses, cumulative advantage/disadvantage and age-as-leveller, have been proposed to explain the contradictory findings on socioeconomic differences in health over the lifespan. To test these hypotheses, this investigation examined the influence of educational attainment and material condition on individual trajectories of physical functioning (PF) in unexplored ageing populations in Central and Eastern Europe. 28 783 men and women aged 45-69 years selected from populations in seven Czech towns, Krakow (Poland) and Novosibirsk (Russia). PF was measured by the Physical Functioning Subscale (PF-10) of the Short-Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) at baseline and three subsequent occasions. The highest educational attainment was self-reported at baseline, and material condition was captured by the sum score of 12 household amenities and assets. In all cohorts, participants with a university degree had the highest PF-10 score at baseline and slowest rate of decline in the score during follow-up, while the lowest baseline scores and fastest decline rate were found in participants with less than secondary education in all cohorts and in Russians with secondary education. Similar disparities in the baseline PF-10 score and decline rate were observed across tertiles of material condition, but differences in decline rates across the three tertiles among Czechs or between the lower two tertiles among Russians were not statistically significant. Disparities in PF by educational attainment and material condition among middle-aged and older adults in Central and Eastern Europe existed at baseline and widened during ∼10 years of follow-up, supporting the cumulative advantage/disadvantage hypothesis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.
Controls of multi-modal wave conditions in a complex coastal setting
Hegermiller, Christie; Rueda, Ana C.; Erikson, Li H.; Barnard, Patrick L.; Antolinez, J.A.A.; Mendez, Fernando J.
2017-01-01
Coastal hazards emerge from the combined effect of wave conditions and sea level anomalies associated with storms or low-frequency atmosphere-ocean oscillations. Rigorous characterization of wave climate is limited by the availability of spectral wave observations, the computational cost of dynamical simulations, and the ability to link wave-generating atmospheric patterns with coastal conditions. We present a hybrid statistical-dynamical approach to simulating nearshore wave climate in complex coastal settings, demonstrated in the Southern California Bight, where waves arriving from distant, disparate locations are refracted over complex bathymetry and shadowed by offshore islands. Contributions of wave families and large-scale atmospheric drivers to nearshore wave energy flux are analyzed. Results highlight the variability of influences controlling wave conditions along neighboring coastlines. The universal method demonstrated here can be applied to complex coastal settings worldwide, facilitating analysis of the effects of climate change on nearshore wave climate.
Written pain neuroscience education in fibromyalgia: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
van Ittersum, Miriam W; van Wilgen, C Paul; van der Schans, Cees P; Lambrecht, Luc; Groothoff, Johan W; Nijs, Jo
2014-11-01
Mounting evidence supports the use of face-to-face pain neuroscience education for the treatment of chronic pain patients. This study aimed at examining whether written education about pain neuroscience improves illness perceptions, catastrophizing, and health status in patients with fibromyalgia. A double-blind, multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial with 6-month follow-up was conducted. Patients with FM (n = 114) that consented to participate were randomly allocated to receive either written pain neuroscience education or written relaxation training. Written pain neuroscience education comprised of a booklet with pain neuroscience education plus a telephone call to clarify any difficulties; the relaxation group received a booklet with relaxation education and a telephone call. The revised illness perception questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and fibromyalgia impact questionnaire were used as outcome measures. Both patients and assessors were blinded. Repeated-measures analyses with last observation carried forward principle were performed. Cohen's d effect sizes (ES) were calculated for all within-group changes and between-group differences. The results reveal that written pain neuroscience education does not change the impact of FM on daily life, catastrophizing, or perceived symptoms of patients with FM. Compared with written relaxation training, written pain neuroscience education improved beliefs in a chronic timeline of FM (P = 0.03; ES = 0.50), but it does not impact upon other domains of illness perceptions. Compared with written relaxation training, written pain neuroscience education slightly improved illness perceptions of patients with FM, but it did not impart clinically meaningful effects on pain, catastrophizing, or the impact of FM on daily life. Face-to-face sessions of pain neuroscience education are required to change inappropriate cognitions and perceived health in patients with FM. © 2013 World Institute of Pain.
Anti-seismic air condition's cooling capability increase of the second control area
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pan Qiang
2008-01-01
Secondary area (SCA) air-conditioning system is an important ventilation system in plant. It should achieve the indoor temperature controllable. To resolve the problem of cooling capacity insufficiency, on the basis of ventilation and refrigeration theory, the thesis analyzes the design modification plan. (author)
Wall conditioning and particle control in Extrap T2
Bergsåker, H.; Larsson, D.; Brunsell, P.; Möller, A.; Tramontin, L.
1997-02-01
The Extrap T2 reversed field pinch experiment is operated with the former OHTE vacuum vessel, of dimensions R = 1.24 m and a = 0.18 m and with a complete graphite liner. It is shown that a rudimentary density control can be achieved by means of frequent helium glow discharge conditioning of the wall. The standard He-GDC is well characterized and reproducible. The trapping and release of hydrogen and impurities at the wall surfaces have been studied by mass spectrometry and surface analysis. The shot to shot particle exchange between wall and plasma can be approximately accounted for.
Flouri, Eirini
2006-01-01
Background: Few studies have investigated if mother's interest and father's interest in child's education are linked to educational attainment via their impact on child's self-esteem and locus of control. Aims: (1) To investigate (after controlling for known confounding factors) the long-term effect of mother's and father's interest in child's…
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Barlas, Athanasios
The report describes the development of flap controllers applied on the OffshoreWindChina (OWC) 5MW reference wind turbine for Chinese typhoon conditions. Optimal flap controllers are designed and tuned based on linear aeroelastic models from HawcStab2. The controllers are evaluated in normal......, parked and storm conditions, targeting the alleviation of fatigue and extreme loads....
Reveley, Mary s.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Leone, Karen M.; Kurtoglu, Tolga; Withrow, Colleen A.
2010-01-01
Literature from academia, industry, and other Government agencies was surveyed to assess the state of the art in current Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) aircraft technologies. Over 100 papers from 25 conferences from the time period 2004 to 2009 were reviewed. An assessment of the general state of the art in adaptive flight control is summarized first, followed by an assessment of the state of the art as applicable to 13 identified adverse conditions. Specific areas addressed in the general assessment include flight control when compensating for damage or reduced performance, retrofit software upgrades to flight controllers, flight control through engine response, and finally test and validation of new adaptive controllers. The state-of-the-art assessment applicable to the adverse conditions include technologies not specifically related to flight control, but may serve as inputs to a future flight control algorithm. This study illustrates existing gaps and opportunities for additional research by the NASA IRAC Project
Verification of the karst flow model under laboratory controlled conditions
Gotovac, Hrvoje; Andric, Ivo; Malenica, Luka; Srzic, Veljko
2016-04-01
Karst aquifers are very important groundwater resources around the world as well as in coastal part of Croatia. They consist of extremely complex structure defining by slow and laminar porous medium and small fissures and usually fast turbulent conduits/karst channels. Except simple lumped hydrological models that ignore high karst heterogeneity, full hydraulic (distributive) models have been developed exclusively by conventional finite element and finite volume elements considering complete karst heterogeneity structure that improves our understanding of complex processes in karst. Groundwater flow modeling in complex karst aquifers are faced by many difficulties such as a lack of heterogeneity knowledge (especially conduits), resolution of different spatial/temporal scales, connectivity between matrix and conduits, setting of appropriate boundary conditions and many others. Particular problem of karst flow modeling is verification of distributive models under real aquifer conditions due to lack of above-mentioned information. Therefore, we will show here possibility to verify karst flow models under the laboratory controlled conditions. Special 3-D karst flow model (5.6*2.6*2 m) consists of concrete construction, rainfall platform, 74 piezometers, 2 reservoirs and other supply equipment. Model is filled by fine sand (3-D porous matrix) and drainage plastic pipes (1-D conduits). This model enables knowledge of full heterogeneity structure including position of different sand layers as well as conduits location and geometry. Moreover, we know geometry of conduits perforation that enable analysis of interaction between matrix and conduits. In addition, pressure and precipitation distribution and discharge flow rates from both phases can be measured very accurately. These possibilities are not present in real sites what this model makes much more useful for karst flow modeling. Many experiments were performed under different controlled conditions such as different
The Health Educator as Death Educator: Professional Preparation and Quality Control.
Crase, Darrell
1980-01-01
Health education curriculum has responded to the need to include teacher preparation experiences in death education. While death education is gaining wide acceptance, little effort has been made to guarantee quality instruction. A list of competencies are provided for the edification of the effective death educator. (JN)
Education and Fertility: A comparative Micro-econometric Analysis in Europe
Luigi Aldieri; Concetto Paolo Vinci
2013-01-01
In this paper we investigate the relationship between education and completed fertility decisions at couple level for some EU countries. For this purpose we control for demographic, social and economic conditions, by using the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) dataset. In order to handle the endogeneity issue in fertility decisions, we use the Linear Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) method, where female’s education is instrumented by her partner’s education. The contribution to the...
Fellnhofer, Katharina
2017-01-01
Relying on Bandura’s (1986) social learning theory, Ajzen’s (1988) theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and Dyer’s (1994) model of entrepreneurial careers, this study aims to highlight the potential of entrepreneurial role models to entrepreneurship education. The results suggest that entrepreneurial courses would greatly benefit from real-life experiences, either positive or negative. The results of regression analysis based on 426 individuals, primarily from Austria, Finland, and Greece, show that role models increase learners’ entrepreneurial perceived behaviour control (PBC) by increasing their self-efficacy. This study can inform the research and business communities and governments about the importance of integrating entrepreneurs into education to stimulate entrepreneurial PBC. This study is the first of its kind using its approach, and its results warrant more in-depth studies of storytelling by entrepreneurial role models in the context of multimedia entrepreneurship education. PMID:29104604
Fellnhofer, Katharina
2017-01-01
Relying on Bandura's (1986) social learning theory, Ajzen's (1988) theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and Dyer's (1994) model of entrepreneurial careers, this study aims to highlight the potential of entrepreneurial role models to entrepreneurship education. The results suggest that entrepreneurial courses would greatly benefit from real-life experiences, either positive or negative. The results of regression analysis based on 426 individuals, primarily from Austria, Finland, and Greece, show that role models increase learners' entrepreneurial perceived behaviour control (PBC) by increasing their self-efficacy. This study can inform the research and business communities and governments about the importance of integrating entrepreneurs into education to stimulate entrepreneurial PBC. This study is the first of its kind using its approach, and its results warrant more in-depth studies of storytelling by entrepreneurial role models in the context of multimedia entrepreneurship education.
Fuel conditioning facility zone-to-zone transfer administrative controls
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pope, C. L.
2000-01-01
The administrative controls associated with transferring containers from one criticality hazard control zone to another in the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF) are described. FCF, located at the ANL-West site near Idaho Falls, Idaho, is used to remotely process spent sodium bonded metallic fuel for disposition. The process involves nearly forty widely varying material forms and types, over fifty specific use container types, and over thirty distinct zones where work activities occur. During 1999, over five thousand transfers from one zone to another were conducted. Limits are placed on mass, material form and type, and container types for each zone. Ml material and containers are tracked using the Mass Tracking System (MTG). The MTG uses an Oracle database and numerous applications to manage the database. The database stores information specific to the process, including material composition and mass, container identification number and mass, transfer history, and the operators involved in each transfer. The process is controlled using written procedures which specify the zone, containers, and material involved in a task. Transferring a container from one zone to another is called a zone-to-zone transfer (ZZT). ZZTs consist of four distinct phases, select, request, identify, and completion
Hydrogen-control systems for severe LWR accident conditions - a state-of-technology report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hilliard, R.K.; Postma, A.K.; Jeppson, D.W.
1983-03-01
This report reviews the current state of technology regarding hydrogen safety issues in light water reactor plants. Topics considered in this report relate to control systems and include combustion prevention, controlled combustion, minimization of combustion effects, combination of control concepts, and post-accident disposal. A companion report addresses hydrogen generation, distribution, and combustion. The objectives of the study were to identify the key safety issues related to hydrogen produced under severe accident conditions, to describe the state of technology for each issue, and to point out ongoing programs aimed at resolving the open issues
A controlled investigation of continuing pain education for long-term care staff.
Ghandehari, Omeed O; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas; Williams, Jaime; Thorpe, Lilian; Alfano, Dennis P; Dal Bello-Haas, Vanina; Malloy, David C; Martin, Ronald R; Rahaman, Omar; Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Carleton, R N; Hunter, Paulette V; Lix, Lisa M
2013-01-01
The underassessment and undertreatment of pain in residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities has been well documented. Gaps in staff knowledge and inaccurate beliefs have been identified as contributors. To investigate the effectiveness of an expert-based continuing education program in pain assessment⁄management for LTC staff. Participants included 131 LTC staff members who were randomly assigned to either an interactive pain education (PE) program, which addressed gaps in knowledge such as medication management, or an interactive control program consisting of general dementia education without a specific clinical focus. Participants attended three sessions, each lasting 3 h, and completed measures of pain-related knowledge and attitudes⁄beliefs before, immediately after and two weeks following the program. Focus groups were conducted with a subset of participants to gauge perception of the training program and barriers to implementing pain-related strategies. Analysis using ANOVA revealed that PE participants demonstrated larger gains compared with control participants with regard to pain knowledge and pain beliefs. Barriers to implementing pain-related strategies certainly exist. Nonetheless, qualitative analyses demonstrated that PE participants reported that they overcame many of these barriers and used pain management strategies four times more frequently than control participants. Contrary to previous research, the present study found that the interactive PE program was effective in changing pain beliefs and improving knowledge. Continuing PE in LTC has the potential to address knowledge gaps among front-line LTC providers.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Dragnev Y.V.
2011-04-01
Full Text Available It is marked that exactly application of information technologies in professional preparation must answer the modern world standards of professional development of future teacher of physical culture in the conditions of informatively-educational space. Specified, that presently in connection with sound changes in higher athletic education, which take place in sew on to the country, questions, related to professional self-determination of personality of future teacher of physical culture, rise; ways are determined by his self-realization in future professional activity.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Abdullah Alper Efe
2018-01-01
Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to design and develop aProgramming Logic Controller Training Set according to vocational high school students’ educational needs. In this regard, by using the properties of distance education the proposed system supported “hands-on” PLC programming laboratory exercises in industrial automation area. The system allowed students to access and control the PLC training set remotely. For this purpose, researcher designed a web site to facilitate students’ interactivity and support PLC programming. In the training set, Induction Motor, Frequency Converter and Encoder tripart controlled by Siemens Simatic S7-200 PLC controller by the help of SIMATIC Step 7 Programming Software were used to make the system more effective and efficient. Moreover, training set included an IP camera system allowing to monitor devices and pilot application. By working with this novel remote accessible training set, students and researchers recieved a chance to inhere self paced learning experiences. Also, The PLC training set offered an effective learning enviroenment for distance education, which is based on presenting the content on the web and opening it to the online users and provided a safe and economical solution for multiple users in a workplace to enhance the quality of education with less overall cost.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lezius, A. [Staefa Control System GmbH, Leinfelden-Echterdingen (Germany)
1995-12-31
In chapter 14 of the anthology about building control the single room control for achieving user-optimised room air conditions is described. The following aspects are discussed: What is comfort? What is economic efficiency? Systems for secondary air treatment, adapted functions of the measurement and control technique, management functions, orientation of the demand at the use, investment and amortisation. (BWI) [Deutsch] Kapitel 14 des Sammelbandes ueber Building control ist dem Thema der Einzelraumregelung zur Erzielung eines nutzungsoptimierten Raumklimas gewidmet. In diesem Zusammenhang werden folgende Themenbereiche angesprochen: Was ist Komfort? Was ist Wirtschaftlichkeit? Systeme fuer sekundaere Luftbehandlung; Angepasste Funktionen der MSR-Technik; Managementfunktionen; Bedarfsorientierung an der Nutzung; Investition und Amortisation. (BWI)
An educational alternative for improving working conditions in small and medium enterprises
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eliana Castro S
2011-11-01
Full Text Available Managing health and safety at work involves considering two internal processes common to all organizations: knowledge and human talent management. These two processes are affected by globalizing phenomena that have an effect at the economic, environmental, and occupational levels. This is especially true for countries like Colombia. Objective: to provide an educational alternative that contributes to knowledge management in SME’s in order to improve the working conditions and to support their innovation processes. Methodology: an exploratory and descriptive study. We start by analyzing the concepts related to the improvement of working conditions and experiences from previous projects involving the university-industry relationship. This is done from the systemic viewpoint that characterizes the ergonomics and interdisciplinary perspectives of the professional practice of industrial design. Result: the proposal was approved by regional institutions wishing to conduct a pilot study, and is based on principles establishing health promotion at the workplace. It also includes a methodology for affecting the technological core of companies and contributes to the empowerment of the personnel involved. Conclusion:it is mandatory that organizations express their support and commitment through a policy that facilitates the active participation of employees in these processes.
From professors’ barriers to organisational conditions in ICT integration in higher education
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Castro Guzman, Willy; Nyvang, Tom
2018-01-01
The responsibility of innovation with ICT in education has mainly been placed on professors as pivotal to adoption. However, professors are part of complex organisations with inherent obstacles related to their cultural and historical conditions. Despite some studies have stablished the complexity......, considering the professor as part of the organization. It contributes to the field of limitations and obstacles of ICT adoption, transcending the teachers’ barriers approach toward organizational multi-dimensional limitations. The article describes the process of adoption of ICT as non-linear process...... of discovering barriers and proposing strategies to overcome them. Rather, as a process of development in which solving conflicts can generate other that must be contextually and collectively addressed. The findings contribute to the development of policies and strategies of professional development...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wenjing Zhang
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Vehicle-borne battery condition is an important factor affecting the efficiency of the maglev train operation and other connected ones. To effectively eliminate the influence of the battery condition and improve the operation efficiency of the connected maglev trains, an operation control strategy is proposed to guarantee train operation safety. First, based on Internet of Things, a sensor network is designed to monitor vehicle-borne battery condition in each vehicle of the train. Second, the train Operation Control System collects battery data of all vehicles in a maglev train by Train Communication Network. Third, all connected maglev trains share the battery data via a 38 GHz directional Radio Communication System and adjust operation control strategy accordingly. Simulation results indicate that the proposed strategy can guarantee the operation safety of the connected maglev trains.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ben Mathews
Full Text Available Early childhood care and education providers (CCPs work with over 7 million young children. These children are vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. However, CCPs make less than 1% of all reports of suspected child abuse and neglect that are made to child protective services. CCPs are therefore an untapped resource in the public health response to child maltreatment. However, their knowledge and attitudes about duties to report child maltreatment are poorly understood. Moreover, no rigorous research has tested whether their knowledge and attitudes about reporting child maltreatment can be improved. These gaps in knowledge are important because knowledge of the duty and positive attitudes towards it produce more effective reporting, and little evidence exists about how to enhance cognitive and affective attributes. Using the CONSORT approach, we report a single-blind test-retest randomized controlled trial evaluating iLook Out for Child Abuse, a customized online educational intervention for CCPs to increase knowledge and attitudes towards the reporting duty. 762 participants were randomized with results analyzed for 741 participants (372 in the intervention group; 369 in the control. Knowledge of the reporting duty increased in the intervention group from 13.54 to 16.19 out of 21 (2.65 increase, 95% CI: (2.37, 2.93; large effect size 0.95, p < 0.001; the control group remained stable, moving from 13.54 to 13.59 (0.05 increase, 95% CI: (-0.12, 0.22; negligible effect size 0.03, p = 0.684. Attitudes were enhanced on all 13 items for the intervention group, remaining stable in the control, with significant differences between groups on all items (p < 0.05. Gains were largely sustained at four month follow-up. Findings support education for CCPs and other professions. Future research should also explore effects of education on reporting behavior.US National Institutes of Health NCT02225301.
Procedural advice on self-assessment and task selection in learner-controlled education
Taminiau, Bettine; Corbalan, Gemma; Kester, Liesbeth; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen; Kirschner, Paul A.
2011-01-01
Taminiau, E. M. C., Corbalan, G., Kester, L., Van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Kirschner, P. A. (2010, March). Procedural advice on self-assessment and task selection in learner-controlled education. Presentation at the ICO Springschool, Niederalteich, Germany.
Quality assurance in education: The role of ICT and quality control ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Quality assurance in education is perceived in this paper to be a product of the impact of information and communication technologies as well as the statutory control measures especially in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The paper reviews the concept of quality and quality assurance and their general application to ...
Information-educational environment with adaptive control of learning process
Modjaev, A. D.; Leonova, N. M.
2017-01-01
Recent years, a new scientific branch connected with the activities in social sphere management developing intensively and it is called "Social Cybernetics". In the framework of this scientific branch, theory and methods of management of social sphere are formed. Considerable attention is paid to the management, directly in real time. However, the decision of such management tasks is largely constrained by the lack of or insufficiently deep study of the relevant sections of the theory and methods of management. The article discusses the use of cybernetic principles in solving problems of control in social systems. Applying to educational activities a model of composite interrelated objects representing the behaviour of students at various stages of educational process is introduced. Statistical processing of experimental data obtained during the actual learning process is being done. If you increase the number of features used, additionally taking into account the degree and nature of variability of levels of current progress of students during various types of studies, new properties of students' grouping are discovered. L-clusters were identified, reflecting the behaviour of learners with similar characteristics during lectures. It was established that the characteristics of the clusters contain information about the dynamics of learners' behaviour, allowing them to be used in additional lessons. The ways of solving the problem of adaptive control based on the identified dynamic characteristics of the learners are planned.
Comparison of PBL Curricua within Control Engineering Education
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Fernandez-Samaca, Liliana; Nielsen, Kirsten M.; Ramirez, Jose Miguel
2011-01-01
During the last twenty years, various forms of PBL have been implemented in diverse educational programs and national policy regulations, and to different extents, ranging from a single course level to an integrated PBL curriculum. This has resulted in a variety of PBL curriculum practices....... In this article, a comparison of two PBL cases will be described in order to study the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems. One case presents a single level comprised of two courses and the other one is an integrated PBL curriculum, and both are focused on control engineering courses. The PBL...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nur Zeina Maya Sari
2015-08-01
Full Text Available Abstract This research focus to quality audit internal with accountancy Inspection. Hameed 1995 found that the most important factors that affect auditing quality are auditors experience honesty and the knowledge in accounting and auditing standards. Research into this express an inspection of Intern Accountancy amp attributed to Monetary inspection an consultant education with quality. Audit quality is obtained by a process of identifying and administering the activities needed to achieve the quality objectives . Since an entityamp8223s internal control is under the purview of its audit committee Krishnan 2005 the relation between audit committee quality and internal control weaknesses is a subject to be investigated. The methodology used is a quantitative analysis by examining the relationship between variables conceptually. While some study its accounting activity. In self-supporting internal control. Internal control is defined as a process affected by an entitys board of directors management and other personnel designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions 1998 its bearing by reporting level an environment and reduction conduct in reporting result of mistake. What finally involvement by Audit Intern can be of benefit. In addition to researching into proposing Audit Intern can improve the target of consultant education going concern.
Goodrich, Robin S
2014-01-01
The purpose of this study was to describe nurse transition to the role of academic nurse educator and to investigate the resources and barriers that nurses experience during this career transition, specifically the relationships among levels of readiness, confidence, personal control, support, decision independence, general self-esteem, and work locus of control. A convenience sample of registered nurses in the United States (N = 541) who hold current full-time employment at an accredited nursing program granting baccalaureate or higher degrees was utilized. Subjects were recruited via electronic mail and answered an on-line survey. Pearson product-moment correlation and multivariate analysis of variance were used for statistical calculations. Results indicated significant, positive relationships among all the variables except readiness and personal control (p = .01). Significant differences were found in amount of time that nurses were in the role of academic nurse educator and the demographic variables of number of children, marital status, and highest degree held. The results of this study provide evidence to support and enhance processes to develop and retain nurse academicians, to promote excellence in the academic nurse educator role, and to advance the science and practice of the profession. © 2014.
Duct corrosion in the ventilating air conditioning system for Main Control Room
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yamada, Kohei; Kobayashi, Takashi; Minami, Akiko; Fukuba, Kazushi
2014-01-01
Higashidori Nuclear Power Station, start-of-operation in December 2005, is a relatively new plant. We decided to get original data of air duct condition to determine maintenance policy of air duct, because planned maintenance of air duct has never been done and the corrosion of air duct has occurred in other plant. In January 2014, we found a corrosion-hole at the downstream of the inlet damper in the ventilating air conditioning system for Main Control Room (MCR). We supposed that the cause of rapid corrosion is related to the characteristic environment of this site. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhu, Yonghua; Jin, Xinqiao; Du, Zhimin; Fang, Xing
2015-01-01
The variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and variable air volume (VAV) combined air conditioning system can solve the problem of the VRF system in outdoor air ventilation while taking advantage of its high part load energy efficiency. Energy performance of the combined air conditioning system can also be optimized by joint control of both the VRF and the VAV parts. A model-based online optimal control strategy for the combined air conditioning system is presented. Simplified adaptive models of major components of the combined air conditioning system are firstly developed for predicting system performances. And a cost function in terms of energy consumption and thermal comfort is constructed. Genetic algorithm is used to search for the optimal control sets. The optimal control strategy is tested and evaluated through two case studies based on the simulation platform. Results show that the optimal strategy can effectively reduce energy consumption of the combined air conditioning system while maintaining acceptable thermal comfort. - Highlights: • A VRF and VAV combined system is proposed. • A model-based online optimal control strategy is proposed for the combined system. • The strategy can reduce energy consumption without sacrificing thermal comfort. • Novel simplified adaptive models are firstly developed for the VRF system
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gaber Sherine
2012-02-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background In Egypt, many pesticides are used to control pests in agricultural farms. Our study aimed to investigate knowledge and behaviors of farmers related to pesticide use and their relation to educational level and health locus of control. Health locus of control is the degree to which individuals believe that their health is controlled by internal or external factors. Methods A cross-sectional randomized approach was used to collect data from 335 farmers in Mahmoudiya region, Egypt using an interview questionnaire. Results were analyzed using Pearson Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Student t-test and ANOVA. Results The average age of farmers was 34 years and 61% of them didn't receive school education. School education was related to higher levels of knowledge and behaviors. Farmers who received school education had more knowledge about the negative effects of pesticides on health and routes of contamination with pesticides. They also had higher scores on reading labels of pesticides containers and taking precautions after coming in contact with pesticides. Regarding health locus of control, higher internal beliefs were significantly related to higher knowledge and behaviors scores, while there was no significant relation between chance and powerful others beliefs with knowledge or behaviors. Conclusion In the present study, higher level of education and lower level of internal beliefs were related to better knowledge and safer use of pesticides among Egyptian farmers. We recommend that strategies for raising internal beliefs must be included in health education programs that aim to ameliorate pesticides use among farmers.
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Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto
2015-06-01
Full Text Available This work addresses the evolution of Planning, Programming and Control of Production (PPCP as essential activities of the company towards the insertion of environmental education. The approach is based on an exploratory research and a critical bibliographic revision. Two main objectives were established: i a new way of production organization, by considering cleaner production from company utilities to production capacity, technology and outsourcing and ii infrastructure changes related to market attendance and environmental education dissemination. Needs that arise can be grouped as follows: utilities adequacy, cleaner technologies and ecochains implementation; instruction and dissemination of environmental education; and necessity of the adoption of new paradigms.
Tran, Huu-Khoa; Chiou, Juing -Shian; Peng, Shou-Tao
2016-01-01
In this paper, the feasibility of a Genetic Algorithm Optimization (GAO) education software based Fuzzy Logic Controller (GAO-FLC) for simulating the flight motion control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is designed. The generated flight trajectories integrate the optimized Scaling Factors (SF) fuzzy controller gains by using GAO algorithm. The…
Rahimi, Ebrahim; van den Berg, Jan; Veen, Wim
2015-01-01
In recent educational literature, it has been observed that improving student's control has the potential of increasing his or her feeling of ownership, personal agency and activeness as means to maximize his or her educational achievement. While the main conceived goal for personal learning environments (PLEs) is to increase student's control by…
Goodwin, G. C.; Medioli, A. M.; Sher, W.; Vlacic, L. B.; Welsh, J. S.
2011-01-01
This paper argues the case for emulation-based virtual laboratories in control engineering education. It demonstrates that such emulation experiments can give students an industrially relevant educational experience at relatively low cost. The paper also describes a particular emulation-based system that has been developed with the aim of giving…
Williams, Frederick D.
Presented are the results of a study to determine the perceived needs of environmental control education programs as seen by students, instructors, deans or program directors, and field-related employers in the field of water pollution control. Data were collected utilizing three approaches: survey instruments, information from Water Quality…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Casas, E.; Troeltzsch, F.
1999-01-01
In this paper we are concerned with some optimal control problems governed by semilinear elliptic equations. The case of a boundary control is studied. We consider pointwise constraints on the control and a finite number of equality and inequality constraints on the state. The goal is to derive first- and second-order optimality conditions satisfied by locally optimal solutions of the problem
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xunjing, L.
1981-12-01
The vector-valued measure defined by the well-posed linear boundary value problems is discussed. The maximum principle of the optimal control problem with non-convex constraint is proved by using the vector-valued measure. Especially, the necessary conditions of the optimal control of elliptic systems is derived without the convexity of the control domain and the cost function. (author)
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Orekhova Elena
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The article deals with the main trends in the development of the system of learning quality control connected with the European integration of higher education and the democratization of education. The authors analyze the state of information systems of learning quality control existing in European higher education and identify their strong and weak points. The authors show that in the learning process universities actively use innovative analytic methods as well as modern means of collecting, storing and transferring information that ensure the successful management of such a complex object as the university of the 21st century.
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Arsić Zvezdan M.
2016-01-01
Full Text Available At school, children spend the most beautiful period of their childhood and youth, and the moment they start school is always festive and exciting. However, it is known that school brings also the first concerns and problems. Problems and difficulties, which can occur at the beginning of schooling may, have long-term effects on the adaption and success of children, even on later adult life. The causes that lead to this situation are many and varied, and one of the most important is the educational gap in the educational system, whose essence lies in the disconnection between the various degrees of education. Taking into account the above findings, we discuss in this paper the most common causes that lead to the discontinuity between preschool and primary levels of education and areas in which the discontinuity is usually expressed. Also, the operation is determined and focused attention on certain assumptions and conditions that need to be accomplished in order to eliminate the effects of discontinuity abd achieve the necessary continuity between the pre-school and primary school children and facilitate the transition from lower to higher levels of education.
Towards a controlled vocabulary on software engineering education
Pizard, Sebastián; Vallespir, Diego
2017-11-01
Software engineering is the discipline that develops all the aspects of the production of software. Although there are guidelines about what topics to include in a software engineering curricula, it is usually unclear which are the best methods to teach them. In any science discipline the construction of a classification schema is a common approach to understand a thematic area. This study examines previous publications in software engineering education to obtain a first controlled vocabulary (a more formal definition of a classification schema) in the field. Publications from 1988 to 2014 were collected and processed using automatic clustering techniques and the outcomes were analysed manually. The result is an initial controlled vocabulary with a taxonomy form with 43 concepts that were identified as the most used in the research publications. We present the classification of the concepts in three facets: 'what to teach', 'how to teach' and 'where to teach' and the evolution of concepts over time.
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O. F. Bryksina
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The article substantiates the advantages of building information-educational environment of the basic professional educational program based on cloud technologies. Universal tool for building information-educational environment is Google Apps for Education services, which allows to organize the effective cooperation of all participants of the educational process, to plan collaborative activities, properly allocate resources and provide the solution of various learning tasks by necessary tools. Examples of using various Google-services in the organization of the collaborative activities of teachers of the department of applied informatics and information technologies in education of the Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University to improve implementation of the basic professional educational program in the direction of preparation "Information systems and technology". The core of the informational and educational environment of the basic professional educational program is Google-site that integrates different Google services and Google Apps applications.
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Weipeng Yang
2017-10-01
Full Text Available An integral plus resonant sliding mode direct power control (IRSMC DPC strategy for voltage source converter high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC systems under unbalanced grid voltage conditions is proposed in this paper. Through detailed instantaneous power flow analysis, a generalized power compensation method, by which the ratio between the amplitude of active and reactive power ripples can be controlled continuously, is obtained. This enables the system to provide flexible power control, so that the desired performance of the system on both the ac and dc sides can be attained under different operating conditions. When the grid voltage is unbalanced, one or both of the active and reactive power terms contain ripples, oscillating at twice the grid frequency, to obtain non-distorted ac current. A power controller consisting of the proportional, integral and resonant control laws is designed using the sliding mode control approach, to achieve accurate power control objective. Simulation studies on a two-terminal VSC-HVDC system using MATLAB/SIMULINK (R2013b, Mathworks, Natick, MA, USA are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the IRSMC DPC strategy. The results show that this strategy ensures satisfactory performance of the system over a wide range of operating conditions.
Teresi, Jeanne A.; Grober, Ellen; Eimicke, Joseph P.; Ehrlich, Amy R.
2012-01-01
A randomized controlled trial examined whether the diagnostic process for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias may be influenced by knowledge of the patient's education and/or self-reported race. Four conditions were implemented: diagnostic team knows (a) race and education, (b) education only, (c) race only, or (d) neither. Diagnosis and…
Kota, Venkata Reddy; Vinnakoti, Sudheer
2017-12-01
Today, maintaining Power Quality (PQ) is very important in the growing competent world. With new equipments and devices, new challenges are also being put before power system operators. Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) is proposed to mitigate many power quality problems and to improve the performance of the power system. In this paper, an UPQC with Fuzzy Logic controller for capacitor voltage balancing is proposed in Synchronous Reference Frame (SRF) based control with Modified Phased Locked Loop (MPLL). The proposed controller with SRF-MPLL based control is tested under non-linear and unbalanced load conditions. The system is developed in Matlab/Simulink and its performance is analyzed under various conditions like non-linear, unbalanced load and polluted supply voltage including voltage sag/swells. Active and reactive power flow in the system, power factor and %THD of voltages and currents before and after compensation are also analyzed in this work. Results prove the applicability of the proposed scheme for power quality improvement. It is observed that the fuzzy controller gives better performance than PI controller with faster capacitor voltage balancing and also improves the dynamic performance of the system.
Using Control Heuristics as a Means to Explore the Educational Potential of Robotics Kits
Gaudiello, Ilaria; Zibetti, Elisabetta
2013-01-01
The educational potential of robotics kits as a form of control technology will remain undervalued until meaningful observation parameters are identified to enable a better understanding of children?s control strategies. For this reason, this paper aims primarily to identify and classify the heuristics spontaneously applied by 6-10 year old…
An alternative internal control to improve the educational process in elementary school
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Mercedes Piñera Montesino
2003-03-01
Full Text Available The article suggests how to achieve and maintain high indicators efficiency more than 600 centers studied tes, applying different alternativas, which convert to control democratic and participatory style of all the factors that have to do with the educational process at school.
Procedural advice on self-assessment and task selection in learner-controlled education
Taminiau, Bettine; Kester, Liesbeth; Corbalan, Gemma; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen; Kirschner, Paul A.
2010-01-01
Taminiau, E. M. C., Kester, L., Corbalan, G., Van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Kirschner, P. A. (2010, July). Procedural advice on self-assessment and task selection in learner-controlled education. Paper presented at the Junior Researchers of EARLI Conference 2010, Frankfurt, Germany.
Changing clinicians' behavior: a randomized controlled trial of fees and education.
Clarkson, J E; Turner, S; Grimshaw, J M; Ramsay, C R; Johnston, M; Scott, A; Bonetti, D; Tilley, C J; Maclennan, G; Ibbetson, R; Macpherson, L M D; Pitts, N B
2008-07-01
The fissure-sealing of newly erupted molars is an effective caries prevention treatment, but remains underutilized. Two plausible reasons are the financial disincentive produced by the dental remuneration system, and dentists' lack of awareness of evidence-based practice. The primary hypothesis was that implementation strategies based on remuneration or training in evidence-based healthcare would produce a higher proportion of children receiving sealed second permanent molars than standard care. The four study arms were: fee per sealant treatment, education in evidence-based practice, fee plus education, and control. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted. Analysis was based on 133 dentists and 2833 children. After adjustment for baseline differences, the primary outcome was 9.8% higher when a fee was offered. The education intervention had no statistically significant effect. 'Fee only' was the most cost-effective intervention. The study contributes to the incentives in health care provision debate, and led to the introduction of a direct fee for this treatment.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Amarillo, Ana C.; Carreras, Hebe A.
2012-01-01
We studied the effect of estimated PM 10 on respiratory infections in children from Cordoba, Argentine as well as the influence of weather factors, socio-economic conditions and education. We analyzed upper and lower respiratory infections and applied a time-series analysis with a quasi-Poisson distribution link function. To control for seasonally varying factors we fitted cubic smoothing splines of date. We also examined community-specific parameters and differences in susceptibility by sex. We found a significant association between particles and respiratory infections. This relationship was affected by mean temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind speed. These effects were stronger in fall, winter and spring for upper respiratory infections while for lower respiratory infections the association was significant only during spring. Low socio-economic conditions and low education levels increased the risk of respiratory infections. These findings add useful information to understand the influence of airborne particles on children health in developing countries. - Highlights: ► Few information is available on children respiratory health from developing countries. ► We modeled the association between PM 10 and children's respiratory infections. ► We checked the influence of weather factors, socio-economic conditions, education and sex. ► Temperature, pressure and wind speed modified the effect of particles. ► Low socio-economic conditions and low education levels increased the risk of infections. - The concentration of airborne particles as well as low socio-economic conditions and low education levels are significant risk factors for upper and lower respiratory infections in children from Cordoba, Argentine.
Danilin, A. I.; Chernyavsky, A. Zh.; Danilin, S. A.; Neverov, V. V.; Voroh, D. A.; Blagin, E. V.
2018-03-01
New methods and means for monitoring working condition of the rotating elements of steam compressor unit such as blade ring of the impeller and gears of multiplier are considered. Blade control is carried out by the signalling device of pre-emergency deformation of impeller blades. Control of the gears condition is carried out by apparatus system which allows to analyse change of the signal form caused by the gears wear. Influence of the wear types on the typical information parameters of the analysed signals is described. Technical characteristics of the devices and experimental research results are presented. Described control systems allow to detect deviations equal to 1-2% from initial condition. Application of such systems gives the opportunity to improve fault diagnosis and maintenance in 2-3 times.
Gürkan, Özlem C; Kömürcü, Nuran
2017-10-01
Student nurses in Turkey need to be exposed to appropriate undergraduate training if they are to acquire the required knowledge, attitudes and skills that will help them to fight the issue of violence against women (VAW). The aim of this research study was to assess the effect of a peer education program about combating VAW on the knowledge, attitudes and skills of nursing students. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. The participants in the intervention group received peer education on combating VAW. 136 nursing students (intervention group: n=63, control group: n=73) were included in the study. Participants in both the intervention and control groups were assessed at pre-training and at two months post-training. Pre-training and post-training knowledge and attitudes were significantly different in the intervention group (peducation should be used as a part of undergraduate nursing education on VAW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Teachers' Working Conditions. Findings from "The Condition of Education, 1996," No. 7.
Choy, Susan P.
Working conditions play an important role in a school's ability to attract, develop, and retain effective teachers. Data presented here describe a number of aspects of teachers' working conditions, including workload, compensation, school and district support for teachers' professional development, school decision making, school safety, student…
Darlow, Ben; Coleman, Karen; McKinlay, Eileen; Donovan, Sarah; Beckingsale, Louise; Gray, Ben; Neser, Hazel; Perry, Meredith; Stanley, James; Pullon, Sue
2015-06-04
Collaborative interprofessional practice is an important means of providing effective care to people with complex health problems. Interprofessional education (IPE) is assumed to enhance interprofessional practice despite challenges to demonstrate its efficacy. This study evaluated whether an IPE programme changed students' attitudes to interprofessional teams and interprofessional learning, students' self-reported effectiveness as a team member, and students' perceived ability to manage long-term conditions. A prospective controlled trial evaluated an eleven-hour IPE programme focused on long-term conditions' management. Pre-registration students from the disciplines of dietetics (n = 9), medicine (n = 36), physiotherapy (n = 12), and radiation therapy (n = 26) were allocated to either an intervention group (n = 41) who received the IPE program or a control group (n = 42) who continued with their usual discipline specific curriculum. Outcome measures were the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS), Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), the Team Skills Scale (TSS), and the Long-Term Condition Management Scale (LTCMS). Analysis of covariance compared mean post-intervention scale scores adjusted for baseline scores. Mean post-intervention attitude scores (all on a five-point scale) were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group for all scales. The mean difference for the ATHCTS was 0.17 (95 %CI 0.05 to 0.30; p = 0.006), for the RIPLS was 0.30 (95 %CI 0.16 to 0.43; p < 0.001), for the TSS was 0.71 (95 %CI 0.49 to 0.92; p < 0.001), and for the LTCMS was 0.75 (95 %CI 0.56 to 0.94; p < 0.001). The mean effect of the intervention was similar for students from the two larger disciplinary sub-groups of medicine and radiation therapy. An eleven-hour IPE programme resulted in improved attitudes towards interprofessional teams and interprofessional learning, as well as self
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Jorge Both
2010-09-01
Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify the degree of correlation between quality of life at work (QVT and personal lifestyle (EV among physical education teachers. The sample, 1645 teachers, was selected in three phases. The first phase divided southern Brazil into federal states. The second subdivided each state into mesoregions and the third considered individual regional teaching centers. Data collection used questionnaires to evaluate QVT and EV. The single group Chi-square Test was used to establish discrepancies of opinion and behavior and the Spearman Test to evaluate correlations between the investigated variables, with a significance level of 5%. The results showed that the teachers are unsatisfied with salaries, working conditions, social integration and available leisure time; also revealed poor diet and stress control and limited personal physical activity. Evidence to support an association between specific concerns and socio-environmental position was insufficient to establish correlations between QVT and EV.
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J. Both
2010-01-01
Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify the degree of correlation between quality of life at work (QVT and personal lifestyle (EV among physical education teachers. The sample, 1645 teachers, was selected in three phases. The first phase divided southern Brazil into federal states. The second subdivided each state into mesoregions and the third considered individual regional teaching centers. Data collection used questionnaires to evaluate QVT and EV. The single group Chi-square Test was used to establish discrepancies of opinion and behavior and the Spearman Test to evaluate correlations between the investigated variables, with a significance level of 5%. The results showed that the teachers are unsatisfied with salaries, working conditions, social integration and available leisure time; also revealed poor diet and stress control and limited personal physical activity. Evidence to support an association between specific concerns and socio-environmental position was insufficient to establish correlations between QVT and EV.
Bestehorn, Kurt; Jannowitz, Christina; Horack, Martin; Karmann, Barbara; Halle, Martin; Völler, Heinz
2011-01-01
After the acute hospital stay, most cardiac patients in Germany are transferred for a 3-4-week period of inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. We aim to describe patient characteristics and risk factor management of cardiac rehabilitation patients with a focus on drug treatment and control status, differentiated by education level (low level, elementary school; intermediate level, secondary modern school; high level, grammar school/university). Data covering a time period between 2003 and 2008 from 68,191 hospitalized patients in cardiac rehabilitation from a large-scale registry (Transparency Registry to Objectify Guideline- Oriented Risk Factor Management) were analyzed descriptively. Further, a multivariate model was applied to assess factors associated with good control of risk factors. In the total cohort, patients with a manifestation of coronary artery disease (mean age 63.7 years, males 71.7%) were referred to cardiac rehabilitation after having received percutaneous coronary intervention (51.6%) or coronary bypass surgery (39.5%). Statin therapy increased from 76.3% at entry to 88.9% at discharge, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol education. In contrast with patients having high education, those with low education had more diabetes, hypertension, and peripheral arterial disease, had lower exercise capacity, and received less treatment with statins and guideline-orientated therapy in general. In the multivariate model, good control was significantly more likely in men (odds ratio 1.38; 95% confidence interval 1.30-1.46), less likely in patients of higher age (0.99; 0.99-0.99), with diabetes (0.90; 0.85-0.95), or peripheral arterial disease (0.88; 0.82-0.95). Compared with a low level education, a mid level education was associated with poor control (0.94; 0.89-0.99), while high education did not have a significant effect (1.08; 0.99-1.17). Patients with different levels of education treated in cardiac rehabilitation did not differ relevantly in terms of
Issues of Teaching Metrology in Higher Education Institutions of Civil Engineering in Russia
Pukharenko, Yurii Vladimirovich; Norin, Veniamin Aleksandrovich
2017-01-01
The work analyses the training process condition in teaching the discipline "Metrology, Standardization, Certification and Quality Control." It proves that the current educational standard regarding the instruction of the discipline "Metrology, Standardization, Certification and Quality Control" does not meet the needs of the…
2013-12-17
...-0899; Notice No. 25-13-15-SC] Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Control... of proposed special conditions. SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus Model..., data, or views. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposed special...
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Nikita Agarwal
2017-07-01
Full Text Available In this article, we study the approximate controllability and homegenization results of a semi-linear elliptic problem with Robin boundary condition in a periodically perforated domain. We prove the existence of minimal norm control using Lions constructive approach, which is based on Fenchel-Rockafeller duality theory, and by means of Zuazua's fixed point arguments. Then, as the homogenization parameter goes to zero, we link the limit of the optimal controls (the limit of fixed point of the controllability problems with the optimal control of the corresponding homogenized problem.
Windrum, Paul; García-Goñi, Manuel; Coad, Holly
2016-06-01
Education leads to better health-related decisions and protective behaviors, being especially important for patients with chronic conditions. Self-management education programs have been shown to be beneficial for patients with different chronic conditions and to have a higher impact on health outcomes than does didactic education. To investigate improvements in glycemic control (measured by glycated hemoglobin A1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our comparative trial involved one group of patients receiving patient-centered education and another receiving didactic education. We dealt with selection bias issues, estimated the different impact of both programs, and validated our analysis using quantile regression techniques. We found evidence of better mean glycemic control in patients receiving the patient-centered program, which engaged better patients. Nevertheless, that differential impact is nonmonotonic. Patients initially at the healthy range at the patient-centered program maintained their condition better. Patients close to, but not within, the healthy range benefited equally from attending either program. Patients with very high glycemic level benefited significantly more from attending the patient-centered program. Finally, patients with the worst initial glycemic control (far from the healthy range) improved equally their diabetic condition, regardless of which program they attended. Different patients are sensitive to different categories of education programs. The optimal, cost-effective design of preventative programs for patients with chronic conditions needs to account for the different impact in different "patient categories." This implies stratifying patients and providing the appropriate preventative education program, or looking for alternative policy implementations for unresponsive patients who have the most severe condition and are the most costly. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
National Institutes of Health (DHEW), Bethesda, MD. High Blood Pressure Information Center.
This curriculum guide on high blood pressure (hypertension) for nursing educators has five sections: (1) Introduction and Objectives provides information regarding the establishment and objectives of the National Task Force on the Role of Nursing in High Blood Pressure Control and briefly discusses nursing's role in hypertension control; (2) Goals…
Lions, Cynthia; Bucci, Maria Pia; Bonnet, Cédrick
2016-01-01
To challenge the validity of existing cognitive models of postural control, we recorded eye movements and postural sway during two visual tasks (a control free-viewing task and a difficult searching task), and two postural tasks (one static task in which the platform was maintained stable and a dynamic task in which the platform moved in a sway-referenced manner.) We expected these models to be insufficient to predict the results in postural control both in static-as already shown in the literature reports-and in dynamic platform conditions. Twelve healthy, young adults (17.3 to 34.1 years old) participated in this study. Postural performances were evaluated using the Multitest platform (Framiral®) and ocular recording was performed with Mobile T2 (e(ye)BRAIN®). In the free-viewing task, the participants had to look at an image, without any specific instruction. In the searching task, the participants had to look at an image and also to locate the position of an object in the scene. Postural sway was only significantly higher in the dynamic free-viewing condition than in the three other conditions with no significant difference between these three other conditions. Visual task performance was slightly higher in dynamic than in static conditions. As expected, our results did not confirm the main assumption of the current cognitive models of postural control-i.e. that the limited attentional resources of the brain should explain changes in postural control in our conditions. Indeed, 1) the participants did not sway significantly more in the sway-referenced dynamic searching condition than in any other condition; 2) the participants swayed significantly less in both static and dynamic searching conditions than in the dynamic free-viewing condition. We suggest that a new cognitive model illustrating the adaptive, functional role of the brain to control upright stance is necessary for future studies.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cynthia Lions
Full Text Available To challenge the validity of existing cognitive models of postural control, we recorded eye movements and postural sway during two visual tasks (a control free-viewing task and a difficult searching task, and two postural tasks (one static task in which the platform was maintained stable and a dynamic task in which the platform moved in a sway-referenced manner. We expected these models to be insufficient to predict the results in postural control both in static-as already shown in the literature reports-and in dynamic platform conditions.Twelve healthy, young adults (17.3 to 34.1 years old participated in this study. Postural performances were evaluated using the Multitest platform (Framiral® and ocular recording was performed with Mobile T2 (e(yeBRAIN®. In the free-viewing task, the participants had to look at an image, without any specific instruction. In the searching task, the participants had to look at an image and also to locate the position of an object in the scene.Postural sway was only significantly higher in the dynamic free-viewing condition than in the three other conditions with no significant difference between these three other conditions. Visual task performance was slightly higher in dynamic than in static conditions.As expected, our results did not confirm the main assumption of the current cognitive models of postural control-i.e. that the limited attentional resources of the brain should explain changes in postural control in our conditions. Indeed, 1 the participants did not sway significantly more in the sway-referenced dynamic searching condition than in any other condition; 2 the participants swayed significantly less in both static and dynamic searching conditions than in the dynamic free-viewing condition. We suggest that a new cognitive model illustrating the adaptive, functional role of the brain to control upright stance is necessary for future studies.
Remote Supervision and Control of Air Conditioning Systems in Different Modes
Rafeeq, Mohammed; Afzal, Asif; Rajendra, Sree
2018-01-01
In the era of automation, most of the application of engineering and science are interrelated with system for optimal operation. To get the efficient result of an operation and desired response, interconnected systems should be controlled by directing, regulating and commanding. Here, air conditioning (AC) system is considered for experimentation, to supervise and control its functioning in both, automated and manual mode. This paper reports the work intended to design and develop an automated and manual AC system working in remote and local mode, to increase the level of comfort, easy operation, reducing human intervention and faults occurring in the system. The Programmable Logical Controller (PLC) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system were used for remote supervision and monitoring of AC systems using series ninety protocol and remote terminal unit modbus protocol as communication module to operate in remote mode. PLC was used as remote terminal for continuous supervision and control of AC system. SCADA software was used as a tool for designing user friendly graphical user interface. The proposed SCADA AC system successfully monitors and controls in accordance within the parameter limits like temperature, pressure, humidity and voltage. With all the features, this designed system is capable of efficient handling of the resources like the compressor, humidifier etc., with all the levels of safety and durability. This system also maintains the temperature and controls the humidity of the remote location and also looks after the health of the compressor.
Kougioumtzis, Konstantin; Patriksson, Goran; Strahlman, Owe
2011-01-01
This article reviews research on physical education (PE) teachers' professionalization considering their relative position at schools and in the community as well as their control over the lesson formation. The position considers issues of prestige, status and esteem while lesson formation regards constitutional, organizational and physical…
Guillomía San Bartolomé, Miguel A; Falcó Boudet, Jorge L; Artigas Maestre, José Ignacio; Sánchez Agustín, Ana
2017-10-12
Framed within a long-term cooperation between university and special education teachers, training in alternative communication skills and home control was realized using the "TICO" interface, a communication panel editor extensively used in special education schools. From a technological view we follow AAL technology trends by integrating a successful interface in a heterogeneous services AAL platform, focusing on a functional view. Educationally, a very flexible interface in line with communication training allows dynamic adjustment of complexity, enhanced by an accessible mindset and virtual elements significance already in use, offers specific interaction feedback, adapts to the evolving needs and capacities and improves the personal autonomy and self-confidence of children at school and home. TICO-home-control was installed during the last school year in the library of a special education school to study adaptations and training strategies to enhance the autonomy opportunities of its pupils. The methodology involved a case study and structured and semi-structured observations. Five children, considered unable to use commercial home control systems were trained obtaining good results in enabling them to use an open home control system. Moreover this AAL platform has proved efficient in training children in previous cognitive steps like virtual representation and cause-effect interaction.
Schepens, Stacey L; Panzer, Victoria; Goldberg, Allon
2011-01-01
We attempted to determine whether multimedia fall prevention education using different instructional strategies increases older adults' knowledge of fall threats and their fall prevention behaviors. Fifty-three community-dwelling older adults were randomized to iwo educational groups or a control group. Multimedia-based educational interventions to increase fall threats knowledge and encourage fall prevention behaviors had two tailoring strategies: (1) improve content realism for individual learners (authenticity group) and (2) highlight program goals and benefits while using participants' content selections (motivation group). Knowledge was measured at baseline and 1-mo follow-up. Participants recorded prevention behaviors for 1 mo. Intervention group participants showed greater knowledge gains and posttest knowledge than did control group participants. The motivation group engaged in more prevention behaviors over 1 mo than did the other groups. Tailoring fall prevention education by addressing authenticity and motivation successfully improved fall threats knowledge. Combining motivational strategies with multimedia education increased the effectiveness of the intervention in encouraging fall prevention behaviors.
González-Chica, David Alejandro; Adams, Robert; Dal Grande, Eleonora; Avery, Jodie; Hay, Phillipa; Stocks, Nigel
2017-06-01
To investigate if sociodemographic characteristics increase the adverse effects of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Cross-sectional, face-to-face survey investigating 2379 adults living in South Australia in 2015 (57.1 ± 14 years; 51.7% females). Questions included diagnosis of CMRF (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia) and CVD. Physical and mental HRQoL were assessed using the SF-12v1 questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models including confounders (sociodemographic, lifestyle, use of preventive medication) and interaction terms between sociodemographic variables and cardiometabolic conditions were used in adjusted analysis. The prevalence of CMRF (one or more) was 54.6% and CVD was 13.0%. The physical HRQoL reduced from 50.8 (95%CI 50.2-51.4) in healthy individuals to 45.1 (95%CI 44.4-45.9) and 39.1 (95%CI 37.7-40.5) among those with CMRF and CVD, respectively. Adjustment for sociodemographic variables reduced these differences in 33%, remaining stable after controlling for lifestyle and use of preventive medications (p educational level, or if they were not working. Among unemployed, having a CMRF or a CVD had the same impact on the physical HRQoL (9.7 lower score than healthy individuals). The inverse association between cardiometabolic conditions and mental HRQoL was subtle (p = 0.030), with no evidence of disparities due to sociodemographic variables. A lower educational level and unemployment increase the adverse effects of cardiometabolic conditions on the physical HRQoL. Targeted interventions for reducing CMRF and/or CVD in these groups are necessary to improve HRQoL.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Reyes, M.; Rodriguez, Pedro; Vazquez, S.
2012-01-01
. In these codes, the injection of positive- and negative-sequence current components becomes necessary for fulfilling, among others, the low-voltage ride-through requirements during balanced and unbalanced grid faults. However, the performance of classical dq current controllers, applied to power converters......, under unbalanced grid-voltage conditions is highly deficient, due to the unavoidable appearance of current oscillations. This paper analyzes the performance of the double synchronous reference frame controller and improves its structure by adding a decoupling network for estimating and compensating...
Fraval, Andrew; Chandrananth, Janan; Chong, Yew M; Coventry, Lillian S; Tran, Phong
2015-02-07
Obtaining informed consent is an essential step in the surgical pathway. Providing adequate patient education to enable informed decision making is a continued challenge of contemporary surgical practice. This study investigates whether the use of a patient information website, to augment patient education and informed consent for elective orthopaedic procedures is an effective measure. A randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing the quality of informed consent provided by a standard discussion with the treating surgeon compared to augmentation of this discussion with an online education resource (www.orthoanswer.org). Participants were recruited from orthopaedic outpatient clinics. Patients undergoing five common orthopaedic procedures were eligible to participate in the trial. The primary outcome measure was knowledge about their operation. Satisfaction with their informed consent and anxiety relating to their operation were the secondary outcome measures. There was a statistically significant increase in patient knowledge for the intervention arm as compared to the control arm (p education website as an augment to informed consent improves patient knowledge about their planned operation as well as satisfaction with the consent process whilst not increasing their anxiety levels. We recommend that all patients be directed to web based education tools to augment their consent. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12614001058662 .
Control of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Gabriël, Sarah; Dorny, Pierre; Mwape, Evans Kabemba
2017-01-01
Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis with significant economic and public health impacts. Control measures can be broadly grouped into community health education, improvements in hygiene and sanitary conditions, proper meat handling at household and community...... or transmission. A feasible strategy to combat T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis would include a combination of approaches focussing on both human (health education and treatment) and animal host (management, treatment and vaccination), which can vary for different communities and different geographical locations...
The effect of portion size on food intake is robust to brief education and mindfulness exercises.
Cavanagh, Karen; Vartanian, Lenny R; Herman, C Peter; Polivy, Janet
2014-06-01
We examined whether a brief education and a brief mindfulness exercise would reduce the effect of portion size on food intake. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three information conditions (education, mindfulness, or control) and then received a small or large portion of pasta for lunch. Neither education nor mindfulness was effective in reducing the effect of portion size: Overall, participants served a large portion consumed 34 percent more pasta than did those served a small portion. Participants in the mindfulness condition tended to eat less overall than participants did in the two other conditions, but this trend was not significant. © The Author(s) 2013.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ni, L.-X; Sun, K.; Zhang, L.
2011-01-01
The thermoelectric generation (TEG) system has its special charactristics of high stablility, low voltage and high current output, which is different from PV modules. The power conditioning system and control schemes used in PV applications cannot be directly applied to TEG applications. A power...... conditioning system for TEG based on interleaved Boost converter with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control is investigated in this paper. Since an internal resistance exists inside TEG modules, an improved perturbation and observation (P&O) MPPT control scheme with power limit is proposed to extract...... maximum power from TEG by matching the load with internal resistance. Since the battery is usually employed as the load for TEG systems, the interleaved Boost converter operates in two different modes for battery charging: before the battery is fully charged, the system outputs the maximum power (MPPT...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Otilia Driga
2010-01-01
Full Text Available Recent research into the economic performance of women-controlled firms suggests that their underperformance may not be the result of differences in the managerial ability of women as compared to men, and that it may in fact be a consequence of differing levels of start-up resources. Using accounting data, we examine the effects that selected start-up conditions have had on the observed economic performance of a sample of 4450 Spanish manufacturing firms. The results, which indicate significant differences in the initial conditions and show lower levels of assets and employee numbers in women-controlled firms, have implications for the economic performance of such firms.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
R. Ramaprabha
2015-06-01
Full Text Available Mismatching effects due to partial shaded conditions are the major drawbacks existing in today’s photovoltaic (PV systems. These mismatch effects are greatly reduced in distributed PV system architecture where each panel is effectively decoupled from its neighboring panel. To obtain the optimal operation of the PV panels, maximum power point tracking (MPPT techniques are used. In partial shaded conditions, detecting the maximum operating point is difficult as the characteristic curves are complex with multiple peaks. In this paper, a neural network control technique is employed for MPPT. Detailed analyses were carried out on MPPT controllers in centralized and distributed architecture under partial shaded environments. The efficiency of the MPPT controllers and the effectiveness of the proposed control technique under partial shaded environments was examined using MATLAB software. The results were validated through experimentation.
Hill, Dave
2005-01-01
This article examines some impacts of neoliberal education policies during the current period of the intensification of neoliberal capital. Section 1 examines the relationship between education and capital, identifying three plans capital has in relation to education. It sets out some of the major aspects of neoliberal policy developments in…
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Xiao, Lei; Huang, Shoudao; Lu, Kaiyuan
2013-01-01
Unbalanced grid voltage will cause large dc-bus voltage ripple and introduce high harmonic current components on the grid side. This will severely threaten the safety of the grid-connected voltage source converter (VSC) and consequently, affect the healthy operation condition of the load. In this......Unbalanced grid voltage will cause large dc-bus voltage ripple and introduce high harmonic current components on the grid side. This will severely threaten the safety of the grid-connected voltage source converter (VSC) and consequently, affect the healthy operation condition of the load....... In this study, a new proportional-integral-resonant (PI-RES) controller-based, space vector modulated direct power control topology is proposed to suppress the dc-bus voltage ripple and in the same time, controlling effectively the instantaneous power of the VSC. A special ac reactive power reference component...... is introduced in the controller, which is necessary in order to reduce the dc-bus voltage ripple and active power harmonics at the same time. The proposed control topology is implemented in the lab. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate its performance and the analysis presented...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gao, Jiajia; Huang, Gongsheng; Xu, Xinhua
2016-01-01
Highlights: • An optimization strategy for a small-scale air-conditioning system is developed. • The optimization strategy aims at optimizing the overall system energy consumption. • The strategy may guarantee the robust control of the space air temperature. • The performance of the optimization strategy was tested on a simulation platform. - Abstract: This paper studies the optimization of a small-scale central air-conditioning system, in which the cooling is provided by a ground source heat pump (GSHP) equipped with an on/off capacity control. The optimization strategy aims to optimize the overall system energy consumption and simultaneously guarantee the robustness of the space air temperature control without violating the allowed GSHP maximum start-ups number per hour specified by customers. The set-point of the chilled water return temperature and the width of the water temperature control band are used as the decision variables for the optimization. The performance of the proposed strategy was tested on a simulation platform. Results show that the optimization strategy can save the energy consumption by 9.59% in a typical spring day and 2.97% in a typical summer day. Meanwhile it is able to enhance the space air temperature control robustness when compared with a basic control strategy without optimization.
Local Control: Fear or Fantasy. A Report of the New Jersey Education Reform Project.
Fuhrman, Susan H.
Today local control over education seems to face the most serious challenge in its history. The movement to reform school finance raises the specter of the State assuming its formal consitutional powers and removing autonomy from the communities. Hence, it is argued, as the State takes over control of taxation and expenditures it will want to…
Barry, Nancy H.; Orlofsky, Diane DeNicola
1997-01-01
Examines the song leading effectiveness of undergraduate education majors under three conditions: unaccompanied, accompanied with autoharp, and accompanied by recording. Finds that students rate themselves higher than experts do; there is greater eye contact using rote or recording; and there is greater tempo accuracy using rote and autoharp. (DSK)
Bandaranayake, Bandara
2014-01-01
This case describes the implementation of a fraud and corruption control policy initiative within the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (the Department) in Australia. The policy initiative was administered and carried out by a small team of fraud control officials, including the author of this article, in the…
Periodic spring–mass running over uneven terrain through feedforward control of landing conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
III, Luther R Palmer; Eaton, Caitrin E
2014-01-01
This work pursues a feedforward control algorithm for high-speed legged locomotion over uneven terrain. Being able to rapidly negotiate uneven terrain without visual or a priori information about the terrain will allow legged systems to be used in time-critical applications and alongside fast-moving humans or vehicles. The algorithm is shown here implemented on a spring-loaded inverted pendulum model in simulation, and can be configured to approach fixed running height over uneven terrain or self-stable terrain following. Offline search identifies unique landing conditions that achieve a desired apex height with a constant stride period over varying ground levels. Because the time between the apex and touchdown events is directly related to ground height, the landing conditions can be computed in real time as continuous functions of this falling time. Enforcing a constant stride period reduces the need for inertial sensing of the apex event, which is nontrivial for physical systems, and allows for clocked feedfoward control of the swing leg. (paper)
Periodic spring-mass running over uneven terrain through feedforward control of landing conditions.
Palmer, Luther R; Eaton, Caitrin E
2014-09-01
This work pursues a feedforward control algorithm for high-speed legged locomotion over uneven terrain. Being able to rapidly negotiate uneven terrain without visual or a priori information about the terrain will allow legged systems to be used in time-critical applications and alongside fast-moving humans or vehicles. The algorithm is shown here implemented on a spring-loaded inverted pendulum model in simulation, and can be configured to approach fixed running height over uneven terrain or self-stable terrain following. Offline search identifies unique landing conditions that achieve a desired apex height with a constant stride period over varying ground levels. Because the time between the apex and touchdown events is directly related to ground height, the landing conditions can be computed in real time as continuous functions of this falling time. Enforcing a constant stride period reduces the need for inertial sensing of the apex event, which is nontrivial for physical systems, and allows for clocked feedfoward control of the swing leg.
Krause, Neal
2018-01-24
One of the primary functions of religion is to help people cope with stressful life events. The purpose of the current study is to see if God-mediated control beliefs perform this stress-buffering function. God-mediated control refers to the belief that people work together with God to reduce the effects of unwanted stressors in their lives. An effort is made to probe this relationship more deeply by seeing whether the stress moderating function of God-mediated control beliefs varies across levels of educational attainment. Findings from a recent nationwide survey suggest that strong God-mediated control beliefs reduce the magnitude of the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms, anxiety, happiness, and hope, but only among more highly educated study participants. In contrast, God-mediated control beliefs do not appear to influence the relationship between stress and distress/well-being among study participants with lower levels of educational attainment.
DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE CONDITIONS OF WORLD INTEGRATION PROCESSES
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kira B. Prigozhina
2016-01-01
Full Text Available Abstract. The present publication is devoted to overview and analysis of modern integration processes and their influence on educational system.The aim of the publication is to reveal the main problems which the educational sphere in connection with the accruing globalization tendencies faces; to designate the ways of international cooperation in the field of the higher education.Methods. The methods involve problem and comparative analysis, empirical observation, and data processing. Scientific works on the theory of integration, the concept of global education, culture of international communication have formed methodological base of studying of the considered problems.Results and scientific novelty. The essence of a phenomenon of globalization is disclosed. The reasons of transformation of national education systems under the influence of globalization processes are described; the tendencies and spheres of this influence are analysed. The international experience of the solution of the arising problems in connection with globalization of education market and a general crisis of education is summarized. The features of development of professional training in a situation of interaction of cultures are considered; the forms and possibilities of international cooperation in the field of the higher education on the basis of integration of national and international achievements are pointed out.Practical significance. The materials of the article can be useful to the researchers who are engaged in studying of aspects of globalization of world economic space and also specialists of management of education in case of development strategies of educational structures and separate organizations.
TRAINING SYSTEM OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS: QUALITY CONTROL
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Vladimir A. Romanov
2015-01-01
Full Text Available The aim of the investigation is development of innovative strategy of quality control training of engineers and skilled workers (hereinafter – future specialists in educational professional organizations on the principles of social partnership.Methods. Theoretic: theoretic and methodological analysis, polytheoretic synthesis, modeling. Empirical: research and generalization of the system, process and competence – based approaches experience, experiment, observation, surveys, expert evaluation, SWOT-analysis as a method of strategic planning which is to identify the internal and external factors (socio-cultural of the organization surrounding.Results. The strategy of the development of the process of quality control training in educational professional organizations and a predictive model of the system of quality control training for future engineers and workers have been created on the analysis and synthesis of a quantitative specification of the quality, the obtained experience and success in control training of future specialists in educational professional organizations in recent economic and educational conditions.Scientific novelty. There has been built a predicative model of quality control training of future specialists to meet modern standards and the principles of social partnership; the control algorithm of the learning process, developed in accordance with the standards (international of quality ISO in the implementation of the quality control systems of the process approach (matrix-based responsibility, competence and remit of those responsible for the education process in the educational organization, the «problem» terms and diagnostic tools for assessing the quality of professional training of future specialists. The perspective directions of innovation in the control of the quality of future professionals training have been determined; the parameters of a comprehensive analysis of the state of the system to ensure the
Reynolds, D Brice; Walker, Rebekah J; Campbell, Jennifer A; Egede, Leonard E
2015-04-01
Discrimination has been linked to negative health outcomes, but little research has investigated different types of discrimination to determine if some have a greater impact on outcomes. We examined the differential effect of discrimination based on race, level of education, gender, and language on glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Six hundred two patients with type 2 diabetes from two adult primary care clinics in the southeastern United States completed validated questionnaires. Questions included perceived discrimination because of race/ethnicity, level of education, sex/gender, or language. A multiple linear regression model assessed the differential effect of each type of perceived discrimination on glycemic control while adjusting for relevant covariates, including race, site, gender, marital status, duration of diabetes, number of years in school, number of hours worked per week, income, and health status. The mean age was 61.5 years, and the mean duration of diabetes was 12.3 years. Of the sample, 61.6% were men, and 64.9% were non-Hispanic black. In adjusted models, education discrimination remained significantly associated with glycemic control (β=0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.03, 0.92). Race, gender and language discrimination were not significantly associated with poor glycemic control in either unadjusted or adjusted analyses. Discrimination based on education was found to be significantly associated with poor glycemic control. The findings suggest that education discrimination may be an important social determinant to consider when providing care to patients with type 2 diabetes and should be assessed separate from other types of discrimination, such as that based on race.
Outcomes in registered, ongoing randomized controlled trials of patient education.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cécile Pino
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: With the increasing prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, patient education is becoming important to strengthen disease prevention and control. We aimed to systematically determine the extent to which registered, ongoing randomized controlled trials (RCTs evaluated an educational intervention focus on patient-important outcomes (i.e., outcomes measuring patient health status and quality of life. METHODS: On May 6, 2009, we searched for all ongoing RCTs registered in the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry platform. We used a standardized data extraction form to collect data and determined whether the outcomes assessed were 1 patient-important outcomes such as clinical events, functional status, pain, or quality of life or 2 surrogate outcomes, such as biological outcome, treatment adherence, or patient knowledge. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We selected 268 of the 642 potentially eligible studies and assessed a random sample of 150. Patient-important outcomes represented 54% (178 of 333 of all primary outcomes and 46% (286 of 623 of all secondary outcomes. Overall, 69% of trials (104 of 150 used at least one patient-important outcome as a primary outcome and 66% (99 of 150 as a secondary outcome. Finally, for 31% of trials (46 of 150, primary outcomes were only surrogate outcomes. The results varied by medical area. In neuropsychiatric disorders, patient important outcomes represented 84% (51 of 61 of primary outcomes, as compared with 54% (32 of 59 in malignant neoplasm and 18% (4 of 22 in diabetes mellitus trials. In addition, only 35% assessed the long-term impact of interventions (i.e., >6 months. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve the relevance of outcomes and to assess the long term impact of educational interventions in RCTs.
van Houten, Maarten Matheus
2018-01-01
The Netherlands has a binary higher education system in which academic education and higher professional education at EQF levels 5-8 co-exist. There is also secondary vocational education at EQF levels 1 up to 4. In this paper, I analyse policy documents resulting from the Bologna Process and argue that under neo-liberal conditions, higher…
Effects of Death Education on Nursing Students' Anxiety and Locus of Control.
Yarber, William L.; And Others
1981-01-01
A study was done to determine the impact of a death education course on the relationship between nursing students' death anxiety and locus of control. No significant changes occurred in death avoidance, death fear, death denial, and the reluctance to interact with the dying after the 15-week course. (JN)
The Effects of a Rational-Emotive Affective Education Program for High-Risk Middle School Students.
LaConte, Michael A.; And Others
1993-01-01
Investigated effects of participation in developmentally appropriate affective education program. Middle school students (n=23), identified as high risk for dropping out and also as learning disabled or emotionally disturbed, were assigned to experimental and control conditions. Participants in affective education group met for 15 weeks.…
Naess, Eva Elisabeth; Bahr, David; Gravholt, Claus H
2010-05-01
Turner syndrome (TS) is a complex medical condition with specific cognitive and psychosocial characteristics and frequent medical morbidity. Few studies have investigated the influence this has on health status, education and ability to work. To explore health status, level of education, work participation, medical conditions, physical activity, satisfaction with life and aspects of sexual functioning in adult TS women and compare with a matched control group. A questionnaire was sent to 168 adult women with TS >18 years registered in a database of Frambu Resource Centre for Rare Disorders and The TS Association in Norway. We assessed health status with Short Form 36, education with Norwegian Standard Classification of Education, and employment with The General Nordic Questionnaire. Life satisfaction was measured with LiSat-9, and questions on psychological strain during life phases were included. Eighty women with TS (34.0 +/- 11.7 years) and 214 controls (32.9 +/- 10.6) responded. The TS group reported significantly more health problems and impaired health status in the two subscales "physical functioning" and "general health" (P education and work participation was similar among TS and controls. TS moved away from their parents' home later than controls (20.4 +/- 4.0 vs. 18.7 +/- 2.1, P = 0.001). Age at sexual debut differed significantly (21.2 +/- 4.3 vs. 17.3 +/- 2.4 years, P education and level of employment as controls, they report more frequent occurrence of medical conditions, but scored lower on only two subscales in the SF-36. Despite considerable medical morbidity, TS seem to cope well with life.
Nondestructive techniques for the control of conditioned radioactive wastes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Delprato, U.
1987-01-01
The final product of the radwaste conditioning process must satisfy certain requirments and physico-chemical properties in order to assure its safe long-term behaviour. Of course, the foreseen quality assurance and quality control should be conducted by means of non-destructive techniques. This work presents an over-view of various applicable non-destructive methods of analysis, showing their fields of investigation in testing waste packages, together with some arising practical problems. The most promising methods, such as eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing, γ-scanning, γ-spectroscopy, neutron counting and computerized tomography, are treated more deeply and some applications are presented. Particular attention is devoted to the development of a device based on computerized tomography; its essential components are reported and some design problems are also discussed
Charlier, Nathalie; Zupancic, Nele; Fieuws, Steffen; Denhaerynck, Kris; Zaman, Bieke; Moons, Philip
2016-01-01
To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of serious games in improving knowledge and/or self-management behaviors in young people with chronic conditions. The authors searched the databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Sciences, and PsychINFO for articles published between January 1990 and January 2014. Reference lists were hand-searched to retrieve additional studies. Randomized controlled trials that compared a digital game with either standard education or no specific education in a population of children and/or adolescents with chronic conditions were included. The authors identified 9 studies in which the effectiveness of serious games in young people with chronic conditions was evaluated using a randomized controlled trials design. Six studies found a significant improvement of knowledge in the game group from pretest to posttest; 4 studies showed significantly better knowledge in the game group than in the control group after the intervention. Two studies reported significantly better self-management in the game group than in the control group after the intervention. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. For knowledge, pooled estimate of Hedges' gu was 0.361 (95% confidence intervals, 0.098-0.624), demonstrating that serious games improve knowledge in patients. For self-management, pooled estimate of Hedges' gu was 0.310 (95% confidence intervals, 0.122-0.497), showing that gaming improves self-management behaviors. The authors' meta-analysis shows that educational video games can be effective in improving knowledge and self-management in young people with chronic conditions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Zhu, Na
This thesis presents an overview of the previous research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings due to the integration of PCMs. The research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings using PCMs both with and without air-conditioning is reviewed. Since the particular interest in using PCMs for free cooling and peak load shifting, specific research efforts on both subjects are reviewed separately. A simplified physical dynamic model of building structures integrated with SSPCM (shaped-stabilized phase change material) is developed and validated in this study. The simplified physical model represents the wall by 3 resistances and 2 capacitances and the PCM layer by 4 resistances and 2 capacitances respectively while the key issue is the parameter identification of the model. This thesis also presents the studies on the thermodynamic characteristics of buildings enhanced by PCM and on the investigation of the impacts of PCM on the building cooling load and peak cooling demand at different climates and seasons as well as the optimal operation and control strategies to reduce the energy consumption and energy cost by reducing the air-conditioning energy consumption and peak load. An office building floor with typical variable air volume (VAV) air-conditioning system is used and simulated as the reference building in the comparison study. The envelopes of the studied building are further enhanced by integrating the PCM layers. The building system is tested in two selected cities of typical climates in China including Hong Kong and Beijing. The cold charge and discharge processes, the operation and control strategies of night ventilation and the air temperature set-point reset strategy for minimizing the energy consumption and electricity cost are studied. This thesis presents the simulation test platform, the test results on the cold storage and discharge processes, the air-conditioning energy consumption and demand
An infection control bulletin as an educational tool: is it useful?
Rea, L; Cronk, S; Conly, J
1992-01-01
For five years a bulletin has been issued to provide information, increase awareness and educate staff on current issues and problems in infection control. To obtain readers' feedback on the value of receiving this one-page bulletin, an evaluation was conducted with the following objectives: to evaluate the content and structure in terms of relevant and current information; to evaluate the format; and to obtain information on frequency and suggested topics. Categories for response were: poor, fair, good and excellent. All respondees (67) rated the topics as good to excellent in the current and applicable category. The detail and clarity were rated as good/excellent by 59 of 67 (88%) and 59 of 67 (88%) of the respondees, respectively. The majority, 61 of 67 (91%), indicated the references were useful. The readability, organization and length were rated as good/excellent by 63 of 67 (94%), 62 of 67 (92.5%) and 65 of 67 (97%), respectively. All but one wished to remain on the mailing list. The results of this evaluation and the list of suggested topics for future bulletins support the conclusion that the infection control bulletin is a useful educational tool.
Gruzevsky, A. A.; Zyablitsev, S. V.; Chernobrivtsev, P. A.
2017-01-01
Gruzevsky A. A., Zyablitsev S. V., Chernobrivtsev P. A. Frequency of vaginal conditional-pathogenic microflora dependency from age in conditions of normocenosis and disbiosis. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2017;7(2):509-522. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.399315 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/4360 The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 1223 (...
Thosar, Archana; Patra, Amit; Bhattacharyya, Souvik
2008-07-01
Design of a nonlinear control system for a Variable Air Volume Air Conditioning (VAVAC) plant through feedback linearization is presented in this article. VAVAC systems attempt to reduce building energy consumption while maintaining the primary role of air conditioning. The temperature of the space is maintained at a constant level by establishing a balance between the cooling load generated in the space and the air supply delivered to meet the load. The dynamic model of a VAVAC plant is derived and formulated as a MIMO bilinear system. Feedback linearization is applied for decoupling and linearization of the nonlinear model. Simulation results for a laboratory scale plant are presented to demonstrate the potential of keeping comfort and maintaining energy optimal performance by this methodology. Results obtained with a conventional PI controller and a feedback linearizing controller are compared and the superiority of the proposed approach is clearly established.
External access to ALICE controls conditions data
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jadlovský, J; Jadlovská, A; Sarnovský, J; Jajčišin, Š; Čopík, M; Jadlovská, S; Papcun, P; Bielek, R; Čerkala, J; Kopčík, M; Chochula, P; Augustinus, A
2014-01-01
ALICE Controls data produced by commercial SCADA system WINCCOA is stored in ORACLE database on the private experiment network. The SCADA system allows for basic access and processing of the historical data. More advanced analysis requires tools like ROOT and needs therefore a separate access method to the archives. The present scenario expects that detector experts create simple WINCCOA scripts, which retrieves and stores data in a form usable for further studies. This relatively simple procedure generates a lot of administrative overhead – users have to request the data, experts needed to run the script, the results have to be exported outside of the experiment network. The new mechanism profits from database replica, which is running on the CERN campus network. Access to this database is not restricted and there is no risk of generating a heavy load affecting the operation of the experiment. The developed tools presented in this paper allow for access to this data. The users can use web-based tools to generate the requests, consisting of the data identifiers and period of time of interest. The administrators maintain full control over the data – an authorization and authentication mechanism helps to assign privileges to selected users and restrict access to certain groups of data. Advanced caching mechanism allows the user to profit from the presence of already processed data sets. This feature significantly reduces the time required for debugging as the retrieval of raw data can last tens of minutes. A highly configurable client allows for information retrieval bypassing the interactive interface. This method is for example used by ALICE Offline to extract operational conditions after a run is completed. Last but not least, the software can be easily adopted to any underlying database structure and is therefore not limited to WINCCOA.
Variable structure TITO fuzzy-logic controller implementation for a solar air-conditioning system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lygouras, J.N.; Pachidis, Th. [Laboratory of Electronics, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-67100 Xanthi (Greece); Kodogiannis, V.S. [Centre for Systems Analysis, School of Computer Science, University of Westminster, London HA1 3TP (United Kingdom); Tarchanidis, K.N. [Department of Petroleum Technology, Technological Education Institute of Kavala, GR-65404, Kavala (Greece); Koukourlis, C.S. [Laboratory of Telecommunications, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-67100 Xanthi (Greece)
2008-04-15
The design and implementation of a Two-Input/Two-Output (TITO) variable structure fuzzy-logic controller for a solar-powered air-conditioning system is described in this paper. Two DC motors are used to drive the generator pump and the feed pump of the solar air-conditioner. The first affects the temperature in the generator of the solar air-conditioner, while the second, the pressure in the power loop. The difficulty of Multi-Input/Multi-Output (MIMO) systems control is how to overcome the coupling effects among each degree of freedom. First, a traditional fuzzy-controller has been designed, its output being one of the components of the control signal for each DC motor driver. Secondly, according to the characteristics of the system's dynamics coupling, an appropriate coupling fuzzy-controller (CFC) is incorporated into a traditional fuzzy-controller (TFC) to compensate for the dynamic coupling among each degree of freedom. This control strategy simplifies the implementation problem of fuzzy control, but can also improve the control performance. This mixed fuzzy controller (MFC) can effectively improve the coupling effects of the systems, and this control strategy is easy to design and implement. Experimental results from the implemented system are presented. (author)
Particle control in DIII-D with helium glow discharge conditioning
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jackson, G.L.; Taylor, T.S.; Taylor, P.L.
1990-01-01
Helium glow discharge conditioning of DIII-D is routinely used before every tokamak discharge to desorb hydrogen from the graphite tiles, which are the plasma facing surfaces for the floor, inner wall and top of the vessel. In addition to reducing hydrogen fuelling of the plasma by the graphite surfaces, helium glow discharges are also effective in removing low-Z impurities, primarily in the form of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and this has permitted higher current divertor operation and more rapid recovery from tokamak disruptions. Since the implementation of repetitive helium glow wall conditioning, the parameter space in which tokamak discharges in DIII-D can be obtained has been expanded to include the first observations of limiter H-mode confinement, the Ohmic H-mode with periods of up to 150 ms that are free of edge localized modes, more reliable low q operation with volume averaged beta of up to 9.3%, improved control over locked modes and plasma discharges at lower electron density. (author). 37 refs, 12 figs, 1 tab
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yeongsu Bak
2016-12-01
Full Text Available This paper proposes a balanced current control strategy for the current source rectifier (CSR stage of an indirect matrix converter (IMC under unbalanced grid voltage conditions. If the three-phase grid connected to the voltage source inverter (VSI of the IMC has unbalanced voltage conditions, it affects the currents of the CSR stage and VSI stage, and the currents are distorted. Above all, the distorted currents of the CSR stage cause instability in the overall system, which can affect the life span of the system. Therefore, in this paper, a control strategy for balanced currents in the CSR stage is proposed. To achieve balanced currents in the CSR stage, the VSI stage should receive DC power without ripple components from the CSR stage. This is implemented by controlling the currents in the VSI stage. Therefore, the proposed control strategy decouples the positive and negative phase-sequence components existing in the unbalanced voltages and currents of the VSI stage. Using the proposed control strategy under unbalanced grid voltage conditions, the stability and life span of the overall system can be improved. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified by simulation and experimental results.
Media-Educational Habitus of Future Educators in the Context of Education in Day-Care Centers
Friedrichs-Liesenkötter, Henrike
2015-01-01
This research explores these questions: (1) How are the forms of media-educational habitus of future educators shaped? (2) What conditions influence whether or not media education is done in day-care centers? The qualitative study consists of six semi-structured interviews with media education teachers in educator training, four focus group…
Patients as educators: interprofessional learning for patient-centred care.
Towle, Angela; Godolphin, William
2013-01-01
Patients with chronic conditions have unique expertise that enhances interprofessional education. Although their active involvement in education is increasing, patients have minimal roles in key educational tasks. A model that brings patients and students together for patient-centred learning, with faculty playing a supportive role, has been described in theory but not yet implemented. To identify issues involved in creating an educational intervention designed and delivered by patients and document outcomes. An advisory group of community members, students and faculty guided development of the intervention (interprofessional workshops). Community educators (CEs) were recruited through community organizations with a healthcare mandate. Workshops were planned by teams of key stakeholders, delivered by CEs, and evaluated by post-workshop student questionnaires. Workshops were delivered by CEs with epilepsy, arthritis, HIV/AIDS and two groups with mental health problems. Roles and responsibilities of planning team members that facilitated control by CEs were identified. Ten workshops attended by 142 students from 15 different disciplines were all highly rated. Workshop objectives defined by CEs and student learning both closely matched dimensions of patient-centredness. Our work demonstrates feasibility and impact of an educational intervention led by patient educators facilitated but not controlled by faculty.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ya-Ling Teng
Full Text Available Postural dysfunctions are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affect their daily life and ability to work. In addition, sensory functions and sensory integration that are crucial for postural control are also compromised. This study intended to examine how patients with schizophrenia coordinate multiple sensory systems to maintain postural stability in dynamic sensory conditions. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 control subjects were recruited. Postural stability of the participants was examined in six sensory conditions of different level of congruency of multiple sensory information, which was based on combinations of correct, removed, or conflicting sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. The excursion of the center of pressure was measured by posturography. Equilibrium scores were derived to indicate the range of anterior-posterior (AP postural sway, and sensory ratios were calculated to explore ability to use sensory information to maintain balance. The overall AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients with schizophrenia compared to the controls [patients (69.62±8.99; controls (76.53±7.47; t1,59 = -3.28, p<0.001]. The results of mixed-model ANOVAs showed a significant interaction between the group and sensory conditions [F5,295 = 5.55, p<0.001]. Further analysis indicated that AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients compared to the controls in conditions containing unreliable somatosensory information either with visual deprivation or with conflicting visual information. Sensory ratios were not significantly different between groups, although small and non-significant difference in inefficiency to utilize vestibular information was also noted. No significant correlations were found between postural stability and clinical characteristics. To sum up, patients with schizophrenia showed increased postural sway and a higher rate of falls during challenging sensory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Markiewicz, M.
1999-01-01
The reactivity control system for the MPR reactor (Multi Purpose Reactor) is a critical component regarding safety, it must ensure a fast shut down, maintaining the reactor in subcritical condition under normal or accidental operation condition. For this purpose, this core component must be designed to maintain its operating capacity during all the residence time and under any foreseen operation condition. The mechanical design of control plates and guide boxes must comply with structural integrity, maintaining its geometric and dimensional stability within the pre-established limits to prevent interferences with other core components. For this, the heat generation effect, mechanical loads and environment and irradiation effects were evaluated during the mechanical design. The reactivity control system is composed of guide boxes, manufactured from Aluminium alloy, located between the fuel elements, and control absorber plates of Ag-In-Cd alloy hermetically enclosed by a cladding of stainless steel sliding inside de guide boxes. The upward-downward movement is transmitted by a rod from the motion device located at the reactor lower part. The design requirements, criteria and limits were established to fulfill with the normal and abnormal operation conditions. The design verifications were performed by analytical method, estimating the guide box and control plates residence time. The result of the analysis performed, shows that the design of the reactivity control system and the material selected, are appropriate to fulfill the functional requirements, with no failures attributed to the mechanical design. (author)
Impact of diabetes education on type 1 diabetes mellitus control in children.
Alonso Martín, Daniel E; Roldán Martín, M Belén; Álvarez Gómez, M Ángeles; Yelmo Valverde, Rosa; Martín-Frías, María; Alonso Blanco, Milagros; Barrio Castellanos, Raquel
2016-12-01
Diabetes education is an essential tool to achieve treatment objectives in type1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The aim of this study was to determine if understanding of diabetes by caregivers/patients or sociodemographic factors affect blood glucose control in children and adolescents with T1DM. The level of knowledge of 105 caregivers of children and adolescents with T1DM was assessed using a survey adapted to the type of treatment used (multiple dose insulin [MDI] or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [CSII]). Mean HbA1c levels in the previous year was considered as metabolic control marker. Mean HbA1c levels were similar in both treatment groups, with slightly higher values in children over 12years of age. Patients on CSII had a longer time since disease onset and had poorer results, maybe because the items were more difficult due to the higher level of knowledge required for this treatment modality (P=.005). Caregivers with lower educational levels achieved poorer scores in the survey, but mean HbA1c levels of their children were lower, probably because of their greater involvement in disease care. The level of knowledge of caregivers and/or patients with T1DM was high, and this was associated to good metabolic control. Studies to assess the impact of caregiver knowledge on metabolic control of children are needed. Copyright © 2016 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
Information Base of Financial Analysis of Educational Institutions of Higher Education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alexander A. Galushkin
2015-12-01
Full Text Available In this article author analyzes issues related to the formation of information base analysis of the financial condition of educational institutions of higher education. Author notes that are significantly different principles of financial (accounting statements of non-governmental and government (budget of educational institutions of higher professional education. In conclusion, author notes that when analyzing the financial condition of the group of higher professional education institutions, they can be classified into subgroups, depending on the benefits of a species (subspecies of funding and revenue.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
David F. Briones
2011-01-01
Full Text Available We investigated the prevalence of “high” levels of depressive symptomatology and 13 health-related medical conditions in elderly Mexican American (MA and non-Hispanic white (NHW residents of El Paso County, Texas. We analyzed the extent to which depressive symptoms in this population are associated with these conditions. Elderly MA residents possessed a higher prevalence of current depression, a relatively unique health-related condition profile, and were more likely to experience a set of conditions that impede participation in daily life—conditions that we found to be strongly associated with high depressive symptomatology in the elderly. After adjusting for educational attainment, using multiple regression analyses, depression was not associated with ethnicity and only six of the health related conditions showed significant differences between MA and NHW subjects. We believe these results provide an important insight into the mechanism of health-related conditions and depressive symptomatology in a large sample of elderly MAs; and how conditions typically attributed to MA ethnicity may in actuality be an artifact of socioeconomic status variables such as educational-attainment.
50 CFR 22.32 - Conditions and limitations on taking under depredation control order.
2010-10-01
... Golden Eagles § 22.32 Conditions and limitations on taking under depredation control order. (a) Whenever the taking of golden eagles without a permit is authorized for the seasonal protection of livestock, such birds may be taken by firearms, traps, or other suitable means except by poison or from aircraft...
Analyze for the Quality Control of General X-ray Systems in Capital region
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kang, Byung Sam; Lee, Kang Min; Shin, Woo Yong; Park, Soon Chul; Choi, Hak Dong; Cho, Yong Kwon
2012-01-01
Thanks to the rapid increase of the interest in the quality control of the General X-ray systems, this research proposes the direction of the quality control through comparing and inspecting the actual condition of the respective quality control in the Clinic, the educational institution and the hospital. The subjects of the investigation are diagnostic radiation equipment's in the clinic, the educational institution and the hospital around the capital. A test of kVp, mR/mAs out put test and reproducibility of the exposure dose, half value layer, an accordance between the light field and the beam alignment test, and lastly reproducibility of the exposure time. Then the mean difference of the percentage, the CV (Coefficient of Variation, CV) and the attenuated curve which are respectively resulted from the above tests are computed. After that we have evaluated the values according to the regulations on the Diagnostic Radiation Equipment Safety Administration regulations. In the case of the clinic and the educational institution, there were 22 general X-ray devices. And 18.2% of the kVp test, 13.6% of the reproducibility of exposure dose test, 9.1% of the mR/mAs out put test, and 13.6% of the HVL (Half Value Layer) test appeared to be improper. In the case of the hospital, however, there were 28 devices. And 7.1% of the reproducibility of exposure dose, 7.1% of the difference in the light field/ beam alignment, and 7.1% of the reproducibility of the exposure time appeared to be improper. According to the investigation, the hospital's quality control condition is better than the condition in the clinic and the educational institution. The quality control condition of the general X-ray devices in the clinic is unsatisfactory compared to the hospital. Thus, it is considered that realizing the importance of the quality control is necessary.
TEACHER EDUCATION AND FEATURES OF THE CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Irina G. Zakharova
2015-01-01
Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to study changes in the conditions of the educational process associated with the development of information and communication technologies (ICT.Methods. The main methods of the study were the analysis of scientific publications and regulatory documents, observations, interviews, surveys and questionnaires of students, the data processing, interpretation and analysis.Results. By analogy with the Web-technologies, the concept of educational context (dynamically changing conditions in which educational content is studied is introduced. Context of educational process can be understood as special conditions, which determine educational purpose; the way (technology in which the content must be submitted and will be studied; the feedback it is assumed. The features of the ICT context (conditions, arising from the use of ICT, which are characteristic of the current level of information environment are noted. It is shown that some of the negative features (the formalization of teaching materials, excessive use of the computer testing due to it’s simplicity, the easiness of obtaining information, etc., have been manifested in the education to a greater extent than the features, which can enrich the educational process (multimedia, computer modeling, communications. The results of tests and interviews with undergraduates and high school students have showed that the vast majority of students actively using ICT couldn’t explain the principle of the computer operations, the organization of the Internet or social networks, the search algorithms, etc. However, they are not interested in these issues. Teachers promote superficial approach using ICT only for office work and testing. The importance of the teacher’s role in the ICT context creation achieving adequate quality of education is proved.Scientific novelty and practical significance. The research results can be used while developing basic educational programs of
Saper, Robert B; Lemaster, Chelsey M; Elwy, A Rani; Paris, Ruth; Herman, Patricia M; Plumb, Dorothy N; Sherman, Karen J; Groessl, Erik J; Lynch, Susan; Wang, Shihwe; Weinberg, Janice
2016-04-29
Chronic low back pain is the most frequent pain condition in Veterans and causes substantial suffering, decreased functional capacity, and lower quality of life. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, and mild traumatic brain injury are highly prevalent in Veterans with back pain. Yoga for low back pain has been demonstrated to be effective for civilians in randomized controlled trials. However, it is unknown if results from previously published trials generalize to military populations. This study is a parallel randomized controlled trial comparing yoga to education for 120 Veterans with chronic low back pain. Participants are Veterans ≥18 years old with low back pain present on at least half the days in the past six months and a self-reported average pain intensity in the previous week of ≥4 on a 0-10 scale. The 24-week study has an initial 12-week intervention period, where participants are randomized equally into (1) a standardized weekly group yoga class with home practice or (2) education delivered with a self-care book. Primary outcome measures are change at 12 weeks in low back pain intensity measured by the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (0-10) and back-related function using the 23-point Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. In the subsequent 12-week follow-up period, yoga participants are encouraged to continue home yoga practice and education participants continue following recommendations from the book. Qualitative interviews with Veterans in the yoga group and their partners explore the impact of chronic low back pain and yoga on family relationships. We also assess cost-effectiveness from three perspectives: the Veteran, the Veterans Health Administration, and society using electronic medical records, self-reported cost data, and study records. This study will help determine if yoga can become an effective treatment for Veterans with chronic low back pain and psychological comorbidities. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02224183.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Renate van Landschoot
2017-03-01
Full Text Available Educational posters are used to enhance knowledge, attitudes and self-confidence of patients. Little is known on their effectiveness for educating health care professionals. As these professionals may play an important role in suicide prevention, the effects of a poster and accompanying evaluation and triage guide on knowledge, self-confidence and attitudes regarding suicidal thoughts and behaviours, were studied in a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial, involving staff from 39 emergency and 38 psychiatric departments throughout Flanders (n = 1171. Structured self-report questionnaires assessed the knowledge, confidence and beliefs regarding suicidal behaviour management, and attitudes. Data were analysed through a Solomon four-group design, with random assignment to the different conditions. Baseline scores for knowledge and provider confidence were high. The poster and accompanying evaluation and triage guide did not have an effect on knowledge about suicide and self-confidence in suicidal behaviour management. However, the poster campaign appeared to be beneficial for attitudes towards suicidal patients, but only among staff from mental health departments that were assigned to the un-pretested condition. Given the limited effects of the poster campaign in the studied population with a relatively high baseline knowledge, the evaluation of this poster as part of a multimodal educational programme in a more heterogeneous sample of health care professionals is recommended.
Vargas Lascano, Dayuma I.; Galambos, Nancy L.; Krahn, Harvey J.; Lachman, Margie E.
2015-01-01
This study examined trajectories of perceived control and their association with parents' education and personal educational experience (educational attainment and years of full-time postsecondary education) in 971 Canadian high school seniors tracked 7 times across 25 years. Latent growth models showed that, on average, perceived control…
Diesel soot oxidation under controlled conditions
Song, Haiwen
2003-01-01
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 11/12/2003. In order to improve understanding of diesel soot oxidation, an experimental rig was designed and set up, in which the soot oxidation conditions, such as temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and CO2 partial pressure, could be varied independently of each other. The oxidizing gas flow in the oxidizer was under laminar condition. This test rig comprised a naturally-aspirated single ...
Lynggaard, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Taylor, Rod S; May, Ole
2017-06-01
Despite proven benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), adherence to CR remains suboptimal. This trial aimed to assess the impact of the patient education 'Learning and Coping Strategies' (LC) on patient adherence to an eight-week CR program. 825 patients with ischaemic heart disease or heart failure were open label randomised to either the LC arm (LC plus CR) or the control arm (CR alone) across three hospital units in Denmark. Both arms received same amount of training and education hours. LC consisted of individual clarifying interviews, participation of experienced patients as co-educators, situational, reflective and inductive teaching. The control arm received structured deductive teaching. The primary outcomes were patient adherence to at least 75% of the exercise training or education sessions. We tested for subgroup effects on the primary outcomes using interaction terms. The primary outcomes were compared across arms using logistic regression. More patients in the LC arm adhered to at least 75% of the exercise training sessions than control (80% versus 73%, adjusted odds ratio (OR):1.48; 95% CI:1.07 to 2.05, P=0.018) and 75% of education sessions (79% versus 70%, adjusted OR:1.61, 1.17 to 2.22, P=0.003). Some evidence of larger effects of LC on adherence was seen for patients with heart failure, low education and household income. Addition of LC strategies improved adherence in rehabilitation both in terms of exercise training and education. Patients with heart failure, low levels of education and household income appear to benefit most from this adherence promoting intervention. www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01668394. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Vahid Raissi Dehkordi
2009-01-01
Full Text Available This paper deals with the robust performance problem of a linear time-invariant control system in the presence of robust controller uncertainty. Assuming that plant uncertainty is modeled as an additive perturbation, a geometrical approach is followed in order to find a necessary and sufficient condition for robust performance in the form of a bound on the magnitude of controller uncertainty. This frequency domain bound is derived by converting the problem into an optimization problem, whose solution is shown to be more time-efficient than a conventional structured singular value calculation. The bound on controller uncertainty can be used in controller order reduction and implementation problems.
the infusion of environmental education into the biology curriculum
African Journals Online (AJOL)
of environmental education be developed within the foreseeable future. .... he has termed "antecedent conditions evaluation", ... collect information on aspects of pupil behaviour toward aspects of the environment may assist the teacher in the process of context evaluation to .... responses of this group and a control group,.
Guillomía San Bartolomé, Miguel A.; Artigas Maestre, José Ignacio; Sánchez Agustín, Ana
2017-01-01
Framed within a long-term cooperation between university and special education teachers, training in alternative communication skills and home control was realized using the “TICO” interface, a communication panel editor extensively used in special education schools. From a technological view we follow AAL technology trends by integrating a successful interface in a heterogeneous services AAL platform, focusing on a functional view. Educationally, a very flexible interface in line with communication training allows dynamic adjustment of complexity, enhanced by an accessible mindset and virtual elements significance already in use, offers specific interaction feedback, adapts to the evolving needs and capacities and improves the personal autonomy and self-confidence of children at school and home. TICO-home-control was installed during the last school year in the library of a special education school to study adaptations and training strategies to enhance the autonomy opportunities of its pupils. The methodology involved a case study and structured and semi-structured observations. Five children, considered unable to use commercial home control systems were trained obtaining good results in enabling them to use an open home control system. Moreover this AAL platform has proved efficient in training children in previous cognitive steps like virtual representation and cause-effect interaction. PMID:29023383
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Miguel A. Guillomía San Bartolomé
2017-10-01
Full Text Available Framed within a long-term cooperation between university and special education teachers, training in alternative communication skills and home control was realized using the “TICO” interface, a communication panel editor extensively used in special education schools. From a technological view we follow AAL technology trends by integrating a successful interface in a heterogeneous services AAL platform, focusing on a functional view. Educationally, a very flexible interface in line with communication training allows dynamic adjustment of complexity, enhanced by an accessible mindset and virtual elements significance already in use, offers specific interaction feedback, adapts to the evolving needs and capacities and improves the personal autonomy and self-confidence of children at school and home. TICO-home-control was installed during the last school year in the library of a special education school to study adaptations and training strategies to enhance the autonomy opportunities of its pupils. The methodology involved a case study and structured and semi-structured observations. Five children, considered unable to use commercial home control systems were trained obtaining good results in enabling them to use an open home control system. Moreover this AAL platform has proved efficient in training children in previous cognitive steps like virtual representation and cause-effect interaction.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Amjad Ali
2015-01-01
Full Text Available A new simple moving voltage average (SMVA technique with fixed step direct control incremental conductance method is introduced to reduce solar photovoltaic voltage (VPV oscillation under nonuniform solar irradiation conditions. To evaluate and validate the performance of the proposed SMVA method in comparison with the conventional fixed step direct control incremental conductance method under extreme conditions, different scenarios were simulated. Simulation results show that in most cases SMVA gives better results with more stability as compared to traditional fixed step direct control INC with faster tracking system along with reduction in sustained oscillations and possesses fast steady state response and robustness. The steady state oscillations are almost eliminated because of extremely small dP/dV around maximum power (MP, which verify that the proposed method is suitable for standalone PV system under extreme weather conditions not only in terms of bus voltage stability but also in overall system efficiency.
Richards, Allan G; Tietyen, Ann C; Jicha, Gregory A; Bardach, Shoshana H; Schmitt, Frederick A; Fardo, David W; Kryscio, Richard J; Abner, Erin L
2018-01-01
A Visual Arts Education program was tested among 26 pairs of persons with dementia and their caregivers. Pairs were randomized to Visual Arts Education or control groups, and each group met once per week for two months (8 weeks) to participate in activities with a trained arts instructor. Groups were assessed at baseline, two months, and six months. The Visual Arts Education group received instruction and produced a different type of artistic work each week. The pedagogical strategy was designed so that each activity was increasingly novel, challenging, and complex. The control group viewed slide shows, participated in discussions about art, and made paintings. At the six-month follow-up, significant improvements in caregiver burden and self-esteem for the persons with dementia were found in the Visual Arts Education group. The Visual Arts Education pedagogical approach shows the potential for effectiveness for improving quality of life for persons with dementia and their caregivers.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Colli, Pierluigi; Farshbaf-Shaker, M. Hassan; Sprekels, Jürgen
2015-01-01
In this paper, we investigate optimal control problems for Allen-Cahn variational inequalities with a dynamic boundary condition involving double obstacle potentials and the Laplace-Beltrami operator. The approach covers both the cases of distributed controls and of boundary controls. The cost functional is of standard tracking type, and box constraints for the controls are prescribed. We prove existence of optimal controls and derive first-order necessary conditions of optimality. The general strategy is the following: we use the results that were recently established by two of the authors for the case of (differentiable) logarithmic potentials and perform a so-called “deep quench limit”. Using compactness and monotonicity arguments, it is shown that this strategy leads to the desired first-order necessary optimality conditions for the case of (non-differentiable) double obstacle potentials
Amiri, Parisa; Hamzavi Zarghani, Najmeh; Nazeri, Pantea; Ghofranipour, Fazlollah; Karimi, Mehrdad; Amouzegar, Atieh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Azizi, Fereidoun
2017-03-01
Because of their increased need for iodine, pregnant women are among the high-risk groups for iodine deficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program on the iodine nutrition status of pregnant women. In this randomized controlled trial, 100 pregnant women were randomly selected from five healthcare centers in the southern region of Tehran, the capital of Iran. In the intervention group, pregnant women received a four-month educational program, which included two face-to-face educational sessions, using a researcher-designed educational pamphlet in the second and third trimesters, and two follow-up telephone calls. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scores, urinary iodine concentration (UIC), and salt iodine content were assessed at baseline and four months after the intervention. At baseline, there were significant associations between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.38, p = 0.03) between practice and UIC (r = 0.28, p = 0.01) and between UIC and iodine content of salt (r = 0.24, p = 0.009). Although a significant difference was found in mean KAP scores between the two groups after the educational intervention, scores were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with controls (p educational intervention increasing KAP among women regarding the importance of iodine and iodized salt consumption during pregnancy, their iodine status did not improve. Considering the main socio-environmental determinants of iodine deficiency, in particular, the monitoring of salt fortification, prescribing iodine containing supplements as well as improving health literacy in pregnant women seem essential strategies.
34 CFR 34.9 - Conditions for an oral hearing.
2010-07-01
... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Conditions for an oral hearing. 34.9 Section 34.9 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education ADMINISTRATIVE WAGE GARNISHMENT § 34.9 Conditions... provided to us. (2) If we are unable to contact you by telephone, we leave a message directing you to...
34 CFR 34.10 - Conditions for a paper hearing.
2010-07-01
... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Conditions for a paper hearing. 34.10 Section 34.10 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education ADMINISTRATIVE WAGE GARNISHMENT § 34.10 Conditions for a paper hearing. We provide a paper hearing— (a) If you request a paper hearing; (b) If you...
ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL AS SCIENCES AND ACADEMIC SUBJECTS IN ACCOUNTING AND ANALYTICAL EDUCATION
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
V. Shvets
2014-09-01
Full Text Available The knowledge of accounting and control, analysis and audit as the main instruments of cognition and management functions is an integral part of economic education, science and practice and requires improving the training of the accounting personnel in accordance with the requirements of public administration and development of global information systems of business. Real European integration processes require high qualifications and competence of the teaching staff, the development of scientific schools, intellectualization of preparation of masters and PhDs based on the traditions of patriotism, democracy and self-sufficiency. We must form a new set of modern disciplines and economic specialties and optimize the network for universities on the basis of convergent-integrative structures (clusters in education on principles of transparency and openness. The priority should be the principle of continuity of professional and analytical accounting education for business managers and civil servants. Practical implementation of the Law of Ukraine "On Higher Education" and the principles of the Bologna Declaration while training specialists in accounting and auditing will somehow harmonize national education, improve and keep elements of own competitive advantages and enrich them by the best achievements of the world practice.
Pilieci, Stephanie N; Salim, Saad Y; Heffernan, Daithi S; Itani, Kamal M F; Khadaroo, Rachel G
2018-04-01
Video education has many advantages over traditional education including efficiency, convenience, and individualized learning. Learning sterile surgical technique (SST) is imperative for medical students, because proper technique helps prevent surgical site infections (SSIs). We hypothesize that video education is at least as effective as traditional skill demonstration in teaching first-year medical students SST. A video series was created to demonstrate SST ( https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcRU-gvOmxE2mwMWkowouBkxGXkLZ8Uis ). A randomized controlled trial was designed to assess which education method best teaches SST: video education or skill demonstration. First-year medical students (n = 129) were consented and randomly assigned into two groups: those who attended a skill demonstration (control group; n = 70) and those who watched the video series (experimental group; n = 59). The control group attended a pre-existing 90-minute nurse educator-led skill demonstration. Participants then completed a 30-item multiple choice quiz to test their knowledge. Each group then received the alternate education method and completed a 23-item follow-up survey to determine their preferred method. Seven 2- to 6-minute videos (30 minutes total) were created on surgical attire, scrubbing, gowning and gloving, and maintaining sterility. The experimental group (n = 51) scored higher on the quiz compared with the control group (n = 63) (88% ± 1% versus 72% ± 1%; p < 0.0001). Students preferred the videos when it came to convenience, accessibility, efficiency, and review, and preferred the skill demonstration when it came to knowledge retention, preparedness, and ease of completion. Video education is superior to traditional skill demonstration in providing medical students with knowledge of SST. Students identified strengths to each method of teaching. Video education can augment medical students' knowledge prior to their operating room
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães de Abreu
2017-11-01
Full Text Available International guidelines have pointed out the importance of the physical environment of health care facilities in preventing and controlling infection. We aimed to describe the physical environment of dental care facilities in Brazil in 2014, focusing on characteristics designed to control infections. Exactly 16,202 dental offices in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS participated in this survey. Trained researchers extracted information about the infection control characteristics of health facilities by using a structured instrument. We used data from 12 dichotomous questions that evaluated the wall, floor, sink and tap conditions, and the presence and condition of sterilization equipment. We calculated a score by summing the number of characteristics handled appropriately for infection control, which could range from 0 to 12. Hierarchical cluster analyses were developed. None of the 12 criteria were met by all the oral health teams. Only 208 (1.3% dental offices correctly performed all 12-infection control practices. Two clusters, with different frequencies of structure for infection control in dental offices, were identified. South and Southeast regions had the highest frequencies for Cluster 1, with better structure of infection control in dental offices. Dental care facilities of oral health teams were not typically meeting the infection control guidelines regarding clinic design and equipment. Adherence to the guidelines varied among the Brazilian geographic regions.
1978-12-01
removal of the horoscope . Diagnostic Conoctor - E4 Th10 E4 23-pin connoctor on the electrical control unit Is provided for ground- checking electrical...confidenou in engine condition monitoring * 1min general. Thi9 has boon especially true in~ eases where fUse signal s have c~aused engine shutdowns. Where ECWI
Reveley, Mary S.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Evans, Joni K.; Sandifer, Carl E.; Jones, Sharon Monica
2010-01-01
The causal factors of accidents from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database and incidents from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database associated with loss of control (LOC) were examined for four types of operations (i.e., Federal Aviation Regulation Part 121, Part 135 Scheduled, Part 135 Nonscheduled, and Part 91) for the years 1988 to 2004. In-flight LOC is a serious aviation problem. Well over half of the LOC accidents included at least one fatality (80 percent in Part 121), and roughly half of all aviation fatalities in the studied time period occurred in conjunction with LOC. An adverse events table was updated to provide focus to the technology validation strategy of the Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) Project. The table contains three types of adverse conditions: failure, damage, and upset. Thirteen different adverse condition subtypes were gleaned from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), the FAA Accident and Incident database, and the NTSB database. The severity and frequency of the damage conditions, initial test conditions, and milestones references are also provided.
Elite Vs. Folk Bilingualism: The Mismatch between Theories and Educational and Social Conditions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carmen Helena Guerrero
2010-12-01
Full Text Available This article aims at contributing to the ongoing discussion about how bilingualism is understood in the current National Bilingualism Plan (PNB for its initials in Spanish. Based on previous research and discussions held at academic events, it is evident that the promoters of the PNB use the term “bilingualism” in a rather indiscriminate way, without adopting a clear approach or definition. This ambiguity in conceptualization has serious consequences in the way the PNB is implemented around the country. The main contribution of this reflection article is, then, to explore from a theoretical perspective two opposite types of bilingualism: elite/folk bilingualism to show that even though on the surface the PNB seems to aim at an elite bilingualism, the educational and social conditions show otherwise.
Psychosocial work conditions, social capital, and daily smoking: a population based study.
Lindström, M
2004-09-01
To investigate the associations between psychosocial conditions at work, social capital/social participation, and daily smoking. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5180 persons aged 18-64 years that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment, social participation, and daily smoking. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education and economic stress. 17.2% proportion of all men and 21.9% of all women were daily smokers. The jobstrain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of daily smoking among both men and women compared to the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. The passive (low demands/low control), jobstrain, and unemployed categories were also significantly associated with low social participation. Low social participation was significantly and positively associated with daily smoking within each of the psychosocial work conditions and unemployed categories. The positive association between low social capital/low social participation and daily smoking is well known. However, both social participation and daily smoking are associated with psychosocial work conditions and unemployment. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect daily smoking both directly and through a pathway including social participation.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ilse Maria Beuren
2014-10-01
Full Text Available This study aims to investigate the structure and operation of management control systems for performance evaluation in a private higher education institution (HEI. To capture the structure and operation of Management Control Systems (MCS of the HEI, the survey instrument proposed by Ferreira and Otley was used (2006, called Performance Management and Control (PMC. Thus, an adapted PMC structure questionnaire was sent to 55 managers responsible for strategic actions and plans established in the business of the HEI, having 48 answered questionnaires. Also, four out of the five directors of the business school of the HEI were interviewed, besides the documentary research, for the triangulation of data and to validate the results. In data analysis, the techniques of descriptive statistics and information entropy were used. The results show that the overall level of performance evaluation for MCS reached a mean of 3.62 on the scale, less than partial agreement on the items presented. Some weaknesses were pointed out in the system used, and it was also denoted the need for better alignment among strategy, performance and control. It is concluded that the adapted PMC structure questionnaire managed to capture the structure and operation of MCS for performance evaluation in the HEI.
Susceptibility and resilience to memory aging stereotypes: education matters more than age.
Andreoletti, Carrie; Lachman, Margie E
2004-01-01
The authors examined whether the memory performance of young, middle-aged, and older adults would be influenced by stereotype versus counterstereotype information about age differences on a memory task. One hundred forty-nine adults from a probability sample were randomly assigned to a control group or to age-stereotype conditions. As predicted, counterstereotype information was related to higher recall compared to stereotype and control groups. This was true across all age groups, but only for those with more education. Both stereotype and counterstereotype information were related to lower recall compared to the control group across age groups for those with lower education. Results suggest those with more education are more resilient when faced with negative age stereotypes about memory and respond positively to counterstereotype information. In contrast, those with less education show greater susceptibility to the detrimental effects of age stereotypes and respond negatively to both stereotype and counterstereotype information about memory aging.
PBL and the Postmodern Condition
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ravn, Ole; Jensen, Annie Aarup
2016-01-01
. Through discussions of this alleged condition for university curricula development we investigate its connections to the PBL-model. Some of the explored conditions highlight strong potentials for the PBL-model but the postmodern condition also raises a number of changes and challenges in relation...... to the original PBL-model as an educational setting....
Control Efficacy of Fungicides on Chinese Cabbage Clubroot under Several Conditions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Min-Yong Eom
2011-08-01
Full Text Available To develop the efficient screening methods for antifungal compound active to Chinese cabbage clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, the control efficacy of three fungicides fluazinam, ethaboxam, and cyazofamid on the disease was tested under several conditions such as soil types, cultivars of Chinese cabbage, growth stages of the host, and inoculum concentrations. The in vivo antifungal activities of the fungicides on clubroot of two Chinese cabbage cultivars were hardly different. At 7- and 14-day-old seedlings, the fungicides were more effective to control of clubroot than at 21-day-old seedlings. In a commercial horticulture media soil (CNS, disease severity of untreated controls was higher and control activity of the fungicides was less than in a mixture of CNS and upland soil (1:1, v/v. Disease development of the seedlings inoculated with P. brassicae at 1.8×10(7 spores/pot to 1.1×10(9 spores/pot was almost same, but control efficacy of the fungicides was negatively correlated with inoculum dosages. To effectively select in vivo antifungal compound on Chinese cabbage clubroot, 14-day-old seedlings need to be inoculated with P. brassicae by drenching the spore suspension to give 1×10(8 spores/pot 1 day after chemical treatment. To develop clubroot, the inoculated plants are incubated in a growth chamber at 20℃ for 2 days, and then cultivated in a greenhouse (20±5℃ for four weeks.
Kajikawa, T; Shiraishi, K; Ohmori, M; Hirai, T
1999-01-01
Thermoelectric performance is determined with three factors, namely, Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. For metal and single crystalline semiconductor, those factors have close interrelation each $9 other. However, as the sintered thermoelectric element has various levels of superstructure from macro scale and micro scale in terms of the thermoelectric mechanism, the relationship among them is more complex than that for the $9 melt- grown element, so it is suggested that the control of the temperature dependence of thermoelectric properties is possible to enhance the thermoelectric performance for wide temperature range due to FGM approach. The research $9 objective is to investigate the characteristics of the thermoelectric properties for various doping levels and hot-pressed conditions to make the thermoelectric elements for which the temperature dependence of the performance is $9 controlled due to FGM approach varying the doping levels and sintering conditions. By usage ...
Jensen, Bente Thoft; Kiesbye, Berit; Soendergaard, Ingrid; Jensen, Jørgen B; Kristensen, Susanne Ammitzboell
2017-06-01
Radical Cystectomy with a creation of an uro-stoma is first line treatment in advanced bladder-cancer. Enhancing or maintaining an individual's condition, skills and physical wellbeing before surgery has been defined as prehabilitation. Whether preoperative stoma-education is an effective element in prehabilitation is yet to be documented. In a prospective randomized controlled design (RCT) the aim was to investigate the efficacy of a standardised preoperative stoma-education program on an individual's ability to independently change a stoma-appliance. A parent RCT-study investigated the efficacy of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program on length of stay following cystectomy. A total of 107 patients were included in the intension-to-treat-population. Preoperatively, the intervention-group was instructed to a standardized stoma-education program consisting of areas recognized necessary to change a stoma appliance. The Urostomy Education Scale was used to measure stoma self-care at day 35, 120 and 365 postoperatively. Efficacy was expressed as a positive difference in UES-score between treatment-groups. A significant difference in mean score was found in the intervention group compared to standard of 2.7 (95% CI: 0.9; 4.5), 4.3 (95% CI: 2.1; 6.5) and 5.1 (95% CI: 2.3; 7.8) at day 35, 120 and 365 postoperatively. For the first time a study in a RCT-design have reported a positive efficacy of a short-term preoperative stoma intervention. Preoperative stoma-education is an effective intervention and adds to the evidence base of prehabilitation. Further RCT-studies powered with self-efficacy as the primer outcome are requested. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Conditioned food aversion is used to train livestock to avoid the ingestion of toxic plants. This technique was used to control Turbina cordata poisoning in goats in one farm, and to control Ipomoea carnea subsp. istulosa poisoning in another farm. The goats were penned at night and the next mornin...
Controlling the anodizing conditions in preparation of an nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide template
Nazemi, Azadeh; Abolfazl, Seyed; Sadjadi, Seyed
2014-12-01
Porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template is commonly used in the synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanowires and nanorods, due to its simple fabrication process. Controlling the anodizing conditions is important because of their direct influence on the size of AAO template pores; it affects the size of nanostructures that are fabricated in AAO template. In present study, several alumina templates were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical anodization in different conditions, such as the time of first process, its voltage, and electrolyte concentration. The effect of these factors on pore diameters of AAO templates was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
McCusker, Jane; Cole, Martin G.; Yaffe, Mark; Strumpf, Erin; Sewitch, Maida; Sussman, Tamara; Ciampi, Antonio; Lavoie, Kim; Belzile, Eric
2016-01-01
Objective: Among primary care patients with chronic physical conditions and comorbid depressive symptoms, to assess (1) the effect of lay telephone coaching on adherence to a psycho-educational intervention for depression, (2) demographic characteristics that predict adherence and (3) the association between adherence and 6-month outcomes. Design:…
König, Johannes; Blömeke, Sigrid; Kaiser, Gabriele
2015-01-01
We examined several facets of general pedagogical knowledge and skills of early career mathematics teachers, asking how they are associated with characteristics of teacher education, teaching experience, and working conditions. Declarative general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) was assessed via a paper-and-pencil test, while early career teachers'…
Hydrologic conditions controlling runoff generation immediately after wildfire
Ebel, Brian A.; Moody, John A.; Martin, Deborah A.
2012-01-01
We investigated the control of postwildfire runoff by physical and hydraulic properties of soil, hydrologic states, and an ash layer immediately following wildfire. The field site is within the area burned by the 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire in Colorado, USA. Physical and hydraulic property characterization included ash thickness, particle size distribution, hydraulic conductivity, and soil water retention curves. Soil water content and matric potential were measured indirectly at several depths below the soil surface to document hydrologic states underneath the ash layer in the unsaturated zone, whereas precipitation and surface runoff were measured directly. Measurements of soil water content showed that almost no water infiltrated below the ash layer into the near-surface soil in the burned site at the storm time scale (i.e., minutes to hours). Runoff generation processes were controlled by and highly sensitive to ash thickness and ash hydraulic properties. The ash layer stored from 97% to 99% of rainfall, which was critical for reducing runoff amounts. The hydrologic response to two rain storms with different rainfall amounts, rainfall intensity, and durations, only ten days apart, indicated that runoff generation was predominantly by the saturation-excess mechanism perched at the ash-soil interface during the first storm and predominantly by the infiltration-excess mechanism at the ash surface during the second storm. Contributing area was not static for the two storms and was 4% (saturation excess) to 68% (infiltration excess) of the catchment area. Our results showed the importance of including hydrologic conditions and hydraulic properties of the ash layer in postwildfire runoff generation models.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Pierre-Jean eArduin
2014-07-01
Full Text Available The design of efficient neuroprosthetic devices has become a major challenge for the long-term goal of restoring autonomy to motor-impaired patients. One approach for brain control of actuators consists in decoding the activity pattern obtained by simultaneously recording large neuronal ensembles in order to predict in real-time the subject’s intention, and move the prosthesis accordingly. An alternative way is to assign the output of one or a few neurons by operant conditioning to control the prosthesis with rules defined by the experimenter, and rely on the functional adaptation of these neurons during learning to reach the desired behavioral outcome. Here, several motor cortex neurons were recorded simultaneously in head-fixed awake rats and were conditioned, one at a time, to modulate their firing rate up and down in order to control the speed and direction of a one-dimensional actuator carrying a water bottle. The goal was to maintain the bottle in front of the rat’s mouth, allowing it to drink. After learning, all conditioned neurons modulated their firing rate, effectively controlling the bottle position so that the drinking time was increased relative to chance. The mean firing rate averaged over all bottle trajectories depended non-linearly on position, so that the mouth position operated as an attractor. Some modifications of mean firing rate were observed in the surrounding neurons, but to a lesser extent. Notably, the conditioned neuron reacted faster and led to a better control than surrounding neurons, as calculated by using the activity of those neurons to generate simulated bottle trajectories. Our study demonstrates the feasibility, even in the rodent, of using a motor cortex neuron to control a prosthesis in real-time bidirectionally. The learning process includes modifications of the activity of neighboring cortical neurons, while the conditioned neuron selectively leads the activity patterns associated with the prosthesis
Afsari, Atousa; Mirghafourvand, Mojgan; Valizadeh, Sousan; Abbasnezhadeh, Massomeh; Galshi, Mina; Fatahi, Samira
2017-04-01
The attitude of a girl toward her menstruation and puberty has a considerable impact on her role during motherhood, social adjustment, and future marital life. This study was conducted in 2014 with the aim of comparing the effects of educating mothers and girls on the attitudes of adolescent girls of Tabriz City, Iran, towards puberty health. This randomized control clinical trial was conducted on 364 adolescent girls who experienced menstruation. Twelve schools were selected randomly among 107 secondary schools for girls. One-third of the students of each school were selected randomly using a table of random numbers and socio-demographic and each participant was asked to answer the attitude questionnaires. The schools were randomly allocated to the groups of mother's education, girl's education, and no-intervention. The attitude questionnaire was filled out by the participants again 2 months after intervention. The general linear model, in which the baseline values were controlled, was employed to compare the scores of the three groups after the intervention. No significant differences were observed among the three groups in terms of the attitude score before intervention (p>0.05). Attitude score improvement after intervention in the girl's education group was significantly higher than the one of both mother's education (adjusted mean difference [AMD]: 1.8; [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4-1.3]) and no-intervention groups (AMD: 1.3; [95% CI: 0.0-2.6]) by controlling the attitude score before intervention. Based on the findings, it is more effective to educate girls directly about puberty health to improve adolescent girls' attitudes than educating mothers and asking them to transfer information to the girls. Nevertheless, studies with longer training period and follow-up are proposed to determine the effects of educating girls (through their mothers) on their attitudes about puberty health.
Tonge, Bruce; Brereton, Avril; Kiomall, Melissa; Mackinnon, Andrew; Rinehart, Nicole J
2014-02-01
To determine the effect of parent education on adaptive behaviour, autism symptoms and cognitive/language skills of young children with autistic disorder. A randomised group comparison design involving a parent education and counselling intervention and a parent education and behaviour management intervention to control for parent skills training and a control sample. Two rural and two metropolitan regions were randomly allocated to intervention groups (n = 70) or control (n = 35). Parents from autism assessment services in the intervention regions were randomly allocated to parent education and behaviour management (n = 35) or parent education and counselling (n = 35). Parent education and behaviour management resulted in significant improvement in adaptive behaviour and autism symptoms at 6 months follow-up for children with greater delays in adaptive behaviour. Parent education and behaviour management was superior to parent education and counselling. We conclude that a 20-week parent education programme including skills training for parents of young children with autistic disorder provides significant improvements in child adaptive behaviour and symptoms of autism for low-functioning children.
Effect of educational training on nutrition and weight control in under-18 Spanish wrestlers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andrea Visiedo
Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a formative program concerning nutrition, weight control, and its risks wrestlers under the age of 18 (under-18 at the Spanish national level. The sample comprised 36 under-18 wrestlers that were pre-selected for the Spanish national team. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test was used. The dependent variableswere the knowledge of nutrition and weight control and its risks. The independent variable was the educational program. The program had three 30-minute sessions that combined talks, videos, and tasks to complete. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done (t-test, Wilcoxon test. Results indicate that the educational program was effective at increasing under-18 wrestlers’ knowledge about weight control and its risks,but was ineffective with regard to nutrition knowledge. The paper concludes with a discussion regarding the effect of the intervention program, the difficulties with including this type of knowledge and skill in the preparation of combat sport athletes, and the need for further research in this area.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yeh, T.-J.; Chen, Yun-Jih; Hwang, Wei-Yang; Lin, Jin-Long
2009-01-01
Modern air-conditioners frequently incorporate variable-speed compressors and variable-opening expansion valves with feedback control to improve performance and power efficiency. Because making the fan speeds adjustable adds flexibility to the control design and thus can lead to further improvements in performance and efficiency, this paper proposes two control algorithms, respectively, incorporating the outdoor fan and the indoor fan as the additional control inputs for air-conditioning systems. Both of the control algorithms are designed based on a low-order, linear model obtained from system identification. The first algorithm, which modulates the outdoor fan speed, can reduce the steady state power consumption if the temperature difference between the condenser and the outdoor environment is controlled properly. The second algorithm, which adds one more degree of freedom to control by modulating the indoor fan speed, can improve the transient response because actuator saturations become less likely to occur. The two control algorithms are implemented on a split-type residential air-conditioner and their respective performance is validated experimentally.
Zendi, Asma; Bouhadada, Tahar; Bousbia, Nabila
2016-01-01
Semiformal EMLs are developed to facilitate the adoption of educational modeling languages (EMLs) and to address practitioners' learning design concerns, such as reusability and readability. In this article, SDLD (Structure Dialogue Learning Design) is presented, which is a semiformal EML that aims to improve controllability of learning design…
Sforzo, Gary A; Kaye, Miranda P; Calleri, David; Ngai, Nancy
2012-04-01
Examine effects of voluntary participation in employer-sponsored, multipoint wellness education programming on employee wellness. A randomized and controlled design was used to organize 96 participants into an education + access group; an access-only group, and control group. Outcome measures were made at start and end of a 12-week intervention period. Education + access improved wellness knowledge, which, in turn, enhanced life satisfaction, employee morale, and energy, and nearly improved stress level. Those who received facility access without educational programming did not reap health benefits. Employees voluntarily used the fitness facility and healthy meal cards only 1.3 and 1.5 times per week, respectively. Participants made limited and likely inadequate use of wellness opportunities. As a result, physical health benefits (eg, blood pressure, fitness parameters) were not seen in the present study. However, multipoint wellness education resulted in psychosocial health benefits in 12 weeks.
Reducing Ageism: Education About Aging and Extended Contact With Older Adults.
Lytle, Ashley; Levy, Sheri R
2017-11-19
Ageism is of increasing concern due to the growing older population worldwide and youth-centered focus of many societies. The current investigation tested the PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) model for the first time. Two online experimental studies examined 2 key factors for reducing ageism: education about aging (providing accurate information about aging) and extended contact (knowledge of positive intergenerational contact) as well as their potential combined effect (education plus extended contact). In Study 1, 354 undergraduates in all 3 experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (delayed post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests), when controlling for pre-study attitudes. In Study 2, 505 national community participants (ages 18-59) in all experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (immediate post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests). In summary, across 2 online studies, education about aging and knowledge of intergenerational extended contact improved attitudes toward older adults and aging knowledge. Thus, brief, online ageism-reduction strategies can be an effective way to combat ageism. These strategies hold promise to be tested in other settings, with other samples, and to be elaborated into more in-depth interventions that aim to reduce ageism in everyday culture. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Bolanos-Mora, Guiselle; And Others
1992-01-01
In response to the need for a system of control over the academic quality of distance education texts, this article proposes a methodological model based on criteria that evaluate written materials based on their instructional quality, design, and production. A discussion and figures evaluate educational aspects of content, communication,…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Qu Xiaohua; Shi Junye; Qi Zhaogang; Chen Jiangping
2011-01-01
In this paper, a newly developed frost control system is proposed. System bench tests and vehicle test in wind tunnel have been carried out to explore the anti-frosting performance of automotive air conditioning system with microchannel evaporator. The experimental results are compared with the baseline conventional laminated evaporator system. The test results show that the installation position of temperature sensor can dramatically affect the anti-frosting performance. The clutch switching on/off temperature range of the microchannel evaporator is also experimentally studied. The test results show that, with a proper installation position and on/off temperature range, the system COP can be improved, and meanwhile the panel vents' air off temperature can be reduced, and temperature swing can be reduced. - Highlights: → The frost control systems were tested with microchannel and laminated evaporators separately. → The installation position of temperature sensor affects the anti-frosting performance. → Temperature control range affects the anti-frosting performance. → The panel vents' air off temperature and swing can be reduced by proper control parameters. → The system COP can be improved by proper control parameters.
Gildea, Chris M; Lantaff, Wendy M; Olenik, Nicole L
The objective of this study was to identify patient-perceived barriers to achieving A1C targets after receiving instruction in an accredited diabetes education program. Qualitative research using semistructured interviews and thematic analyses. One pharmacist-run diabetes center located within an independent community pharmacy in a suburban region of southern Indiana. A total of 17 participants between the ages of 41-78 were interviewed in March and April 2016. Not applicable. Patient-perceived barriers to attaining glycemic control after completion of a pharmacist-taught diabetes self-management education (DSME) program accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Participants reported a variety of perceived barriers to glycemic control subsequent to the receipt of structured education. Seven major themes emerged: 1) health care provider factors; 2) self-identified indiscretions; 3) psychological barriers and poor social support; 4) knowledge deficits; 5) personal injury or adverse drug events; 6) time constraints and competing life demands; and 7) financial constraints. Participants reported a variety of perceived barriers to achieving A1C targets after completing DSME. Incorporation of solutions and coping mechanisms to these barriers into diabetes education programs may help patients attain glycemic control. Other factors may require individualized attention outside of DSME in follow-up episodes of diabetes care. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Su, H.; Bruggen, van A.H.C.; Subbarao, K.V.; Scherm, H.
2004-01-01
The effects of temperature (5 to 25degreesC), relative humidity (81 to 100%), wind speed (0 to 1.0 in s(-1)), and their interactions on sporulation of Bremia lactucae on lettuce cotyledons were investigated in controlled conditions. Sporulation was affected significantly (P <0.0001) by
Figueira, Ana Laura Galhardo; Boas, Lilian Cristiane Gomes Villas; Coelho, Anna Claudia Martins; Freitas, Maria Cristina Foss de; Pace, Ana Emilia
2017-04-20
to assess the effect of educational interventions for knowledge on the disease, medication treatment adherence and glycemic control of diabetes mellitus patients. evaluation research with "before and after" design, developed in a sample of 82 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. To collect the data, the Brazilian version of the Diabetes Knowledge Scale (DKN-A), the Measure of Adherence to Treatments and the electronic system at the place of study were used. The data were collected before and after the end of the educational interventions. The educational activities were developed within 12 months, mediated by the Diabetes Conversation Maps, using the Cognitive Social Theory to conduct the interventions. the knowledge on the disease (pknowledge about diabetes mellitus, the medication treatment adherence and the glycated hemoglobin rates.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Beach, D.R.; Fillingim, W.; Bell, G.; Eurich, R.G.
1989-01-01
The Fort Calhoun power station began operation in September 1973. Since that time, modifications to the plant have required the addition of a substantial number of electrical and control components in the control room, which has resulted in an increased heat load in this area. Additionally, NUREG-0737, Item III.D.3.4, imposed requirements on the ventilating system related to protection of personnel from the effects of toxic and radioactive gas releases, which were not considered in the original design. Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) has recently undertaken a major modification to the Fort Calhoun station control room ventilating system to improve the safety margins for control room habitability. The goals of the modification were to achieve adequate cooling capacity with fully redundant equipment, improve habitability under accident conditions, and eliminate several potential problems related to steam line break and equipment qualification. Additionally, the scope of the project grew as design problems emerged
Stoddart, Iona; Forbat, Liz; Neal, Richard D.; O'Carroll, Ronan E.; Haw, Sally; Rauchhaus, Petra; Kyle, Richard G.
2015-01-01
Abstract Objectives Raising cancer awareness and addressing barriers to help‐seeking may improve early diagnosis. The aim was to assess whether a psycho‐educational intervention increased adolescents' cancer awareness and addressed help‐seeking barriers. Methods This was a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 2173 adolescents in 20 schools. The intervention was a 50‐min presentation delivered by a member of Teenage Cancer Trust's (UK charity) education team. Schools were stratified by deprivation and roll size and randomly allocated to intervention/control conditions within these strata. Outcome measures were the number of cancer warning signs and cancer risk factors recognised, help‐seeking barriers endorsed and cancer communication. Communication self‐efficacy and intervention fidelity were also assessed. Results Regression models showed significant differences in the number of cancer warning signs and risk factors recognised between intervention and control groups. In intervention schools, the greatest increases in recognition of cancer warning signs at 6‐month follow‐up were for unexplained weight loss (from 44.2% to 62.0%) and change in the appearance of a mole (from 46.3% to 70.7%), up by 17.8% and 24.4%, respectively. Greatest increases in recognition of cancer risk factors were for getting sunburnt more than once as a child (from 41.0% to 57.6%) and being overweight (from 42.7% to 55.5%), up by 16.6% and 12.8%, respectively. Regression models showed that adolescents in intervention schools were 2.7 times more likely to discuss cancer at 2‐week follow‐up compared with the control group. No differences in endorsement of barriers to help‐seeking were observed. Conclusions School‐based brief psycho‐educational interventions are easy to deliver, require little resource and improve cancer awareness. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho‐Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:26502987
Hubbard, Gill; Stoddart, Iona; Forbat, Liz; Neal, Richard D; O'Carroll, Ronan E; Haw, Sally; Rauchhaus, Petra; Kyle, Richard G
2016-07-01
Raising cancer awareness and addressing barriers to help-seeking may improve early diagnosis. The aim was to assess whether a psycho-educational intervention increased adolescents' cancer awareness and addressed help-seeking barriers. This was a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 2173 adolescents in 20 schools. The intervention was a 50-min presentation delivered by a member of Teenage Cancer Trust's (UK charity) education team. Schools were stratified by deprivation and roll size and randomly allocated to intervention/control conditions within these strata. Outcome measures were the number of cancer warning signs and cancer risk factors recognised, help-seeking barriers endorsed and cancer communication. Communication self-efficacy and intervention fidelity were also assessed. Regression models showed significant differences in the number of cancer warning signs and risk factors recognised between intervention and control groups. In intervention schools, the greatest increases in recognition of cancer warning signs at 6-month follow-up were for unexplained weight loss (from 44.2% to 62.0%) and change in the appearance of a mole (from 46.3% to 70.7%), up by 17.8% and 24.4%, respectively. Greatest increases in recognition of cancer risk factors were for getting sunburnt more than once as a child (from 41.0% to 57.6%) and being overweight (from 42.7% to 55.5%), up by 16.6% and 12.8%, respectively. Regression models showed that adolescents in intervention schools were 2.7 times more likely to discuss cancer at 2-week follow-up compared with the control group. No differences in endorsement of barriers to help-seeking were observed. School-based brief psycho-educational interventions are easy to deliver, require little resource and improve cancer awareness. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2015 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Biological control of white mold by Trichoderma harzianum in common bean under field conditions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Daniel Diego Costa Carvalho
2015-12-01
Full Text Available Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate Trichoderma harzianum isolates for biological control of white mold in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris. Five isolates were evaluated for biocontrol of white mold in 'Perola' common bean under field conditions, in the 2009 and 2010 crop seasons. A commercial isolate (1306 and a control treatment were included. Foliar applications at 2x109 conidia mL-1 were performed at 42 and 52 days after sowing (DAS, in 2009, and at 52 DAS in 2010. The CEN287, CEN316, and 1306 isolates decreased the number of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum apothecia per square meter in comparison to the control, in both crop seasons. CEN287, CEN316, and 1306 decreased white mold severity during the experimental period, when compared to the control.
Project T.E.A.M. (Technical Education Advancement Modules). Advanced Statistical Process Control.
Dunlap, Dale
This instructional guide, one of a series developed by the Technical Education Advancement Modules (TEAM) project, is a 20-hour advanced statistical process control (SPC) and quality improvement course designed to develop the following competencies: (1) understanding quality systems; (2) knowing the process; (3) solving quality problems; and (4)…
Chang, Chung-Liang; Huang, Yi-Ming; Hong, Guo-Fong
2015-11-12
The direction of sunshine or the installation sites of environmental control facilities in the greenhouse result in different temperature and humidity levels in the various zones of the greenhouse, and thus, the production quality of crop is inconsistent. This study proposed a wireless-networked decentralized fuzzy control scheme to regulate the environmental parameters of various culture zones within a greenhouse. The proposed scheme can create different environmental conditions for cultivating different crops in various zones and achieve diversification or standardization of crop production. A star-type wireless sensor network is utilized to communicate with each sensing node, actuator node, and control node in various zones within the greenhouse. The fuzzy rule-based inference system is used to regulate the environmental parameters for temperature and humidity based on real-time data of plant growth response provided by a growth stage selector. The growth stage selector defines the control ranges of temperature and humidity of the various culture zones according to the leaf area of the plant, the number of leaves, and the cumulative amount of light. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme is stable and robust and provides basis for future greenhouse applications.
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Chung-Liang Chang
2015-11-01
Full Text Available The direction of sunshine or the installation sites of environmental control facilities in the greenhouse result in different temperature and humidity levels in the various zones of the greenhouse, and thus, the production quality of crop is inconsistent. This study proposed a wireless-networked decentralized fuzzy control scheme to regulate the environmental parameters of various culture zones within a greenhouse. The proposed scheme can create different environmental conditions for cultivating different crops in various zones and achieve diversification or standardization of crop production. A star-type wireless sensor network is utilized to communicate with each sensing node, actuator node, and control node in various zones within the greenhouse. The fuzzy rule-based inference system is used to regulate the environmental parameters for temperature and humidity based on real-time data of plant growth response provided by a growth stage selector. The growth stage selector defines the control ranges of temperature and humidity of the various culture zones according to the leaf area of the plant, the number of leaves, and the cumulative amount of light. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme is stable and robust and provides basis for future greenhouse applications.
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Lapina Svetlana Nikolaevna
2013-05-01
Full Text Available This article examines the approaches to the definition of “information culture”, its components, the system of personal values needed to succeed in the information and professional activities, the problem of students’ information culture formation in the modern information society. The analysis of the implementation of the Federal state educational standard of vocational education in "teaching in primary schools" is held. The variable part cycles of the basic professional educational programs is distributed on the base of the local professional community’s research and additional competencies. Such subjects as “Russian language and Speech”, “The cultural world of students”, “Ethics in business communication” are introduced through the variable part of the educational standard. The general amount of hours for such subject as «Computer science, information and communication technology in the professional activity" is increased. The results of the special study reveal the level of information culture of the future primary school teachers. According to the results it can be concluded that insufficient level of information culture’s development is impossible for a successful career and self-fulfillment in the present conditions. The article proposes the directions for the formation of future primary school teachers’ information culture in the implementation of the federal state educational standard of vocational education. According to the results of this research it is possible to tell about the effectiveness of these directions’ implementation.
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Светлана Николаевна Лапина
2013-07-01
Full Text Available This article examines the approaches to the definition of “information culture”, its components, the system of personal values needed to succeed in the information and professional activities, the problem of students’ information culture formation in the modern information society. The analysis of the implementation of the Federal state educational standard of vocational education in "teaching in primary schools" is held. The variable part cycles of the basic professional educational programs is distributed on the base of the local professional community’s research and additional competencies. Such subjects as “Russian language and Speech”, “The cultural world of students”, “Ethics in business communication” are introduced through the variable part of the educational standard. The general amount of hours for such subject as «Computer science, information and communication technology in the professional activity" is increased. The results of the special study reveal the level of information culture of the future primary school teachers. According to the results it can be concluded that insufficient level of information culture’s development is impossible for a successful career and self-fulfillment in the present conditions. The article proposes the directions for the formation of future primary school teachers’ information culture in the implementation of the federal state educational standard of vocational education. According to the results of this research it is possible to tell about the effectiveness of these directions’ implementation.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-5-31
Jeffery, R W; Pirie, P L; Rosenthal, B S; Gerber, W M; Murray, D M
1982-06-01
Although much evidence links dietary patterns with coronary heart disease, effective and economical methods for inducing dietary change in nonclinical populations are needed to influence public health. This study was designed as a preliminary investigation of the feasibility of conducting effective nutrition education campaigns in supermarket settings. Eight supermarkets from a supermarket chain in the Twin Cities area participated. Four were assigned to an experimental condition in which educational materials consisting of posters, recipes, and brochures were placed in the dairy section during a 6-month period. Four other stores were assigned to a control condition and received no educational materials. Shoppers in experimental and control stores completed a nutrition survey pre- and post-intervention. In addition, sales data for 25 dairy products were collected during a 10-month period. A significant increase in knowledge on the nutrition survey between pre- and posttests occurred among shoppers in all stores. There was no significant knowledge or product sales effect due to the education campaign. Study results suggest that, overall, shopper knowledge of food selections for cardiovascular disease risk reduction is high and improving. Unfortunately, knowledge is often not reflected in food purchase patterns.
25 Years of Change in Management Control Systems and Business Education in Estonia
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Ülle Pärl
2017-06-01
Full Text Available During the last 25 years, the Estonian economy has transitioned from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented, globally open, highly competitive economy. Although during these years there has been fast growth and Estonians could tell a lot of success stories, research shows that management practices are still less advanced compared to those in enterprises from developed countries. Increased competition, openness and innovation increased the significance of more sophisticated management control systems (MCS. Researchers accentuate the role of managers and their education and training in using and developing more sophisticated MCS in companies. The objective of the current paper is to better understand how changes in the business environment, managerial training and education are connected to developments in MCS in Estonia. This article provides an overview of the statistics and studies completed in Estonia over the last 25 years. As this study shows, the last decade has brought a different level of internationalization and development in the business environment and business education. The problems associated with developments in MCS , using cloud technology, business education and managerial training are the same in Estonia as in developed countries. To develop the business and economic environment in the country, Estonian entrepreneurs need high-level data processing, analytical and financial education, and practical training courses.
Standardized Test Results: KEEP and Control Students. 1975-1976, Technical Report #69.
Antill, Ellen; Speidel, Gisela E.
This report presents the results of various standardized measures administered to Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) students and control students in the school year 1975-1976. In contrast to previous comparisons, KEEP employed more rigorous procedures for the selection of the control students and for the conditions of test administration.…
Northeast Tennessee Educators' Perception of STEM Education Implementation
Turner, Kristin Beard
2013-01-01
A quantitative nonexperimental survey study was developed to investigate Northeast Tennessee K-8 educators' perceptions of STEM education. This study was an examination of current perceptions of STEM education. Perceived need, current implementation practices, access to STEM resources, definition of STEM, and the current condition of STEM in…
Strange, Marty; Johnson, Jerry; Showalter, Daniel; Klein, Robert
2012-01-01
"Why Rural Matters 2011-12" is the sixth in a series of biennial reports analyzing the contexts and conditions of rural education in each of the 50 states and calling attention to the need for policymakers to address rural education issues in their respective states. While it is the sixth in a series, this report is not simply an…
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S. Ravindra
2017-03-01
Full Text Available Power system security analysis plays key role in enhancing the system security and to avoid the system collapse condition. In this paper, a novel severity function is formulated using transmission line loadings and bus voltage magnitude deviations. The proposed severity function and generation fuel cost objectives are analyzed under transmission line(s and/or generator(s contingency conditions. The system security under contingency conditions is analyzed using optimal power flow problem. An improved teaching learning based optimization (ITLBO algorithm has been presented. To enhance the system security under contingency conditions in the presence of unified power flow controller (UPFC, it is necessary to identify an optimal location to install this device. Voltage source based power injection model of UPFC, incorporation procedure and optimal location identification strategy based on line overload sensitivity indexes are proposed. The entire proposed methodology is tested on standard IEEE-30 bus test system with supporting numerical and graphical results.
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Chang-ping Zhu
2011-03-01
Full Text Available The process of decomposing p-nitrophenol (PNP with power ultrasound requires strict control of acoustic and electric conditions. In this study, the conditions, including acoustic power and acoustic intensity, but not ultrasonic frequency, were controlled strictly at constant levels. The absorbency and the COD concentrations of the samples were measured in order to show the variation of the sample concentration. The results show significant differences in the trend of the solution degradation rate as acoustic power increases after the PNP solution (with a concentration of 114 mg/L and a pH value of 5.4 is irradiated for 60 min with ultrasonic frequencies of 530.8 kHz, 610.6 kHz, 855.0 kHz, and 1 130.0 kHz. The degradation rate of the solution increases with time and acoustic power (acoustic intensity. On the other hand, the degradation rate of the solution is distinctly dependent on frequency when the acoustic power and intensity are strictly controlled and maintained at constant levels. The degradation rate of the PNP solution declines with ultrasonic frequencies of 530.8 kHz, 610.6 kHz, 855.0 kHz, and 1 130.0 kHz; the COD concentration, on the contrary, increase.
Teng, Ya-Ling; Chen, Chiung-Ling; Lou, Shu-Zon; Wang, Wei-Tsan; Wu, Jui-Yen; Ma, Hui-Ing; Chen, Vincent Chin-Hung
2016-01-01
Postural dysfunctions are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affect their daily life and ability to work. In addition, sensory functions and sensory integration that are crucial for postural control are also compromised. This study intended to examine how patients with schizophrenia coordinate multiple sensory systems to maintain postural stability in dynamic sensory conditions. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 control subjects were recruited. Postural stability of the participants was examined in six sensory conditions of different level of congruency of multiple sensory information, which was based on combinations of correct, removed, or conflicting sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. The excursion of the center of pressure was measured by posturography. Equilibrium scores were derived to indicate the range of anterior-posterior (AP) postural sway, and sensory ratios were calculated to explore ability to use sensory information to maintain balance. The overall AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients with schizophrenia compared to the controls [patients (69.62±8.99); controls (76.53±7.47); t1,59 = -3.28, pmaintain balance compared to the controls.
do Rosário Pinto, Maria; Parreira, Pedro Miguel Dinis Santos; Basto, Marta Lima; Dos Santos Mendes Mónico, Lisete
2017-12-15
Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders, with a high prevalence of patients with poor metabolic control. Worldwide, evidence highlights the importance of developing and implementing educational interventions that can reduce this burden. The main objective of this study was to analyse the impact of a lifestyle centred intervention on glycaemic control of poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients, followed in a Community Care Centre. A type 2 experimental design was conducted over 6 months, including 122 adults with HbA1c ≥ 7.5%, randomly allocated into Experimental group (EG) or Control Group (CG). EG patients attended a specific Educational Program while CG patients frequented usual care. Personal and health characterization variables, clinical metrics and self-care activities were measured before and after the implementation of the intervention. Analysis was done by comparing gains between groups (CG vs EG) through differential calculations (post minus pre-test results) and Longitudinal analysis. Statistical differences were obtained between groups for HbA1c and BMI: EG had a decrease in 11% more (effect-size r2 = .11) than CG for HbA1c (p values [Wilks' ʎ = .900; F(1,59) = 6.57; p = .013; ηp2 = .100; observed power = .713]; systolic Blood pressure [Wilks' ʎ = .735; F(1,61) = 21.94; p educational intervention program by itself, beyond standard educational approach alone, supported in a Longitudinal analysis that controlled variables statistically associated with clinical metrics in pre-test measures, has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving HbA1c, BMI and Blood pressure values. RBR-8ns8pb . (Retrospectively registered: October 30,2017).
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Jun-Qing Chen
2015-10-01
Full Text Available Taking more than 1000 clastic hydrocarbon reservoirs of Bohai Bay Basin, Tarim Basin and Junggar Basin, China as examples, the paper has studied the main controlling factors of hydrocarbon reservoirs and their critical conditions to reveal the hydrocarbon distribution and to optimize the search for favorable targets. The results indicated that the various sedimentary facies and lithologic characters control the critical conditions of hydrocarbon accumulations, which shows that hydrocarbon is distributed mainly in sedimentary facies formed under conditions of a long-lived and relatively strong hydrodynamic environment; 95% of the hydrocarbon reservoirs and reserves in the three basins is distributed in siltstones, fine sandstones, lithified gravels and pebble-bearing sandstones; moreover, the probability of discovering conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs decreases with the grain size of the clastic rock. The main reason is that the low relative porosity and permeability of fine-grained reservoirs lead to small differences in capillary force compared with surrounding rocks small and insufficiency of dynamic force for hydrocarbon accumulation; the critical condition for hydrocarbon entering reservoir is that the interfacial potential in the surrounding rock (Φn must be more than twice of that in the reservoir (Φs; the probability of hydrocarbon reservoirs distribution decreases in cases where the hydrodynamic force is too high or too low and when the rocks have too coarse or too fine grains.
Microcontroller-based Feedback Control Laboratory Experiments
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Chiu Choi
2014-06-01
Full Text Available this paper is a result of the implementation of the recommendations on enhancing hands-on experience of control engineering education using single chip, small scale computers such as microcontrollers. A set of microcontroller-based feedback control experiments was developed for the Electrical Engineering curriculum at the University of North Florida. These experiments provided hands-on techniques that students can utilize in the development of complete solutions for a number of servo control problems. Significant effort was devoted to software development of feedback controllers and the associated signal conditioning circuits interfacing between the microcontroller and the physical plant. These experiments have stimulated the interest of our students in control engineering.
Topographically-controlled site conditions drive vegetation pattern on inland dunes in Poland
Sewerniak, Piotr; Jankowski, Michał
2017-07-01
The inland dunes of Central Europe are commonly overplanted by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) monocultures in which the primary occurrence of the natural vegetation pattern is obliterated. We hypothesize that on naturally revegetated inland dunes the pattern is clear and driven by topographically-controlled site conditions. To test this hypothesis, we addressed the following research questions: (1) Does topography drive vegetation patterns on inland dunes and if so, what are main differences between vegetation in varying relief positions? (2) To what extent does topography involve the variability of microclimates and of soil properties, and how does the topographically-induced differentiation of these site conditions control vegetation patterns? We conducted interdisciplinary studies (applying floristic, pedological and microclimatic research techniques) on a naturally revegetated inland dune area situated on a military artillery training ground near Toruń, northern Poland. We investigated vegetation patterns with reference to three topographical position variants (north-facing slopes, south-facing slopes, and intra-dune depressions). We found distinct differences in vegetation characteristics covering the aforementioned topographical positions. This primarily concerned species composition of ground vegetation: Calluna vulgaris was dominant species on north-facing slopes, Corynephorus canescens on south-facing slopes, while Calamagrostis epigejos in intra-dune depressions. In comparison to dune slopes, the depressions were characterized by much higher biodiversity of vascular plant species. This followed the most favorable soil conditions for the existence of plants (higher moisture and nutrient pools) occurring in low topographical positions. However, tree succession was most advanced not in depressions, where the competitive impact of tall grasses on seedlings was recognized, but on north-facing slopes. Based on our results, we formulated some suggestions, which
Energetic conditions promoting top-down control of prey by predators.
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Kristin N Marshall
Full Text Available Humans remove large amounts of biomass from natural ecosystems, and large bodied high trophic level animals are especially sensitive and vulnerable to exploitation. The effects of removing top-predators on food webs are often difficult to predict because of limited information on species interaction strengths. Here we used a three species predator-prey model to explore relationships between energetic properties of trophodynamic linkages and interaction strengths to provide heuristic rules that indicate observable energetic conditions that are most likely to lead to stable and strong top-down control of prey by predator species. We found that strong top-down interaction strengths resulted from low levels of energy flow from prey to predators. Strong interactions are more stable when they are a consequence of low per capita predation and when predators are subsidized by recruitment. Diet composition also affects stability, but the relationship depends on the form of the functional response. Our results imply that for generalist satiating predators, strong top-down control on prey is most likely for prey items that occupy a small portion of the diet and when density dependent recruitment is moderately high.
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Modesto Pérez-Sánchez
2018-04-01
Full Text Available The knowledge of transient conditions in water pressurized networks equipped with pump as turbines (PATs is of the utmost importance and necessary for the design and correct implementation of these new renewable solutions. This research characterizes the water hammer phenomenon in the design of PAT systems, emphasizing the transient events that can occur during a normal operation. This is based on project concerns towards a stable and efficient operation associated with the normal dynamic behaviour of flow control valve closure or by the induced overspeed effect. Basic concepts of mathematical modelling, characterization of control valve behaviour, damping effects in the wave propagation and runaway conditions of PATs are currently related to an inadequate design. The precise evaluation of basic operating rules depends upon the system and component type, as well as the required safety level during each operation.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Serra, Maria; Husar, Attila; Feroldi, Diego; Riera, Jordi [Institut de Robotica i Informatica Industrial, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, C. Llorens i Artigas 4, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)
2006-08-25
This work is focused on the selection of operating conditions in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. It analyses efficiency and controllability aspects, which change from one operating point to another. Specifically, several operating points that deliver the same amount of net power are compared, and the comparison is done at different net power levels. The study is based on a complex non-linear model, which has been linearised at the selected operating points. Different linear analysis tools are applied to the linear models and results show important controllability differences between operating points. The performance of diagonal control structures with PI controllers at different operating points is also studied. A method for the tuning of the controllers is proposed and applied. The behaviour of the controlled system is simulated with the non-linear model. Conclusions indicate a possible trade-off between controllability and optimisation of hydrogen consumption. (author)
Abedini, Yasamin; Zamani, Bibi Eshrat; Kheradmand, Ali; Rajabizadeh, Ghodratollah
2012-01-01
Addiction to computer (video) games in adolescents and its relationship with educational progress has recently attracted the attention of rearing and education experts as well as organizations and institutes involved in physical and mental health. The current research attempted to propose a structural model of the relationships between parenting styles, mothers' occupation status, and addiction to computer games, self-control, and educational progress of secondary school students. Using multistage cluster random sampling, 500 female and male secondary school students in Kerman (Iran) were selected and studied. The research tools included self-control, parenting styles, and addiction to computer games questionnaires and a self-made questionnaire containing demographic details. The data was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and route analysis (in LISREL). We found self-control to have a linking role in the relationship between four parenting styles and educational progress. Mothers' occupation status was directly and significantly correlated with addiction to computer games. Although four parenting styles directly and significantly affected addiction to computer games, the findings did not support the linking role of addiction to computer games in the relationship between four parenting styles and educational progress. In agreement with previous studies, the current research reflected the impact of four parenting styles on self-control, addiction to computer games, and educational progress of students. Among the parenting styles, authoritative style can affect the severity of addiction to computer games through self-control development. It can thus indirectly influence the educational progress of students. Parents are recommended to use authoritative parenting style to help both self-management and psychological health of their children. The employed mothers are also recommended to have more supervision and control on the degree
Abedini, Yasamin; Zamani, Bibi Eshrat; Kheradmand, Ali; Rajabizadeh, Ghodratollah
2012-01-01
Background Addiction to computer (video) games in adolescents and its relationship with educational progress has recently attracted the attention of rearing and education experts as well as organizations and institutes involved in physical and mental health. The current research attempted to propose a structural model of the relationships between parenting styles, mothers’ occupation status, and addiction to computer games, self-control, and educational progress of secondary school students. Methods Using multistage cluster random sampling, 500 female and male secondary school students in Kerman (Iran) were selected and studied. The research tools included self-control, parenting styles, and addiction to computer games questionnaires and a self-made questionnaire containing demographic details. The data was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and route analysis (in LISREL). Findings We found self-control to have a linking role in the relationship between four parenting styles and educational progress. Mothers’ occupation status was directly and significantly correlated with addiction to computer games. Although four parenting styles directly and significantly affected addiction to computer games, the findings did not support the linking role of addiction to computer games in the relationship between four parenting styles and educational progress. Conclusion In agreement with previous studies, the current research reflected the impact of four parenting styles on self-control, addiction to computer games, and educational progress of students. Among the parenting styles, authoritative style can affect the severity of addiction to computer games through self-control development. It can thus indirectly influence the educational progress of students. Parents are recommended to use authoritative parenting style to help both self-management and psychological health of their children. The employed mothers are also recommended to
The role of primary health care in patient education for diabetes control.
Koura, M R; Khairy, A E; Abdel-Aal, N M; Mohamed, H F; Amin, G A; Sabra, A Y
2001-01-01
The major components of diabetes management are dietary therapy, exercise and drug treatment. Therefore, education of people with diabetes is the cornerstone of management. The aim of the present work was to study the role of primary health care (PHC) in patient education for diabetes control in Alexandria. Accordingly, the knowledge and perception concerning diabetes and its management of all 88 PHC physicians and 104 nurses working in the two rural health centers and two randomly chosen urban health centers of Alexandria governorate were assessed by pre-designed self-administered questionnaire. All diabetic patients over 20 years of age attending the study health facilities over a period of two months were assessed for their knowledge and attitude concerning diabetes and self-management and asked about their degree of satisfaction with the provided PHC services by a pre-designed interview questionnaire. They amounted to 560 diabetic patients. The results revealed that the PHC physicians had sufficient knowledge about causes and complications of the disease, but insufficient knowledge about diagnosis and management, as only 10.2% & 4.5% of the physicians recognized the importance of regular exercise and patient education for diabetes management. Some misconceptions and false beliefs were observed among PHC nurses, as many of them considered diabetes a contagious disease or primarily caused by stress; that liver failure, hearing impairment and splenomegaly are among the complications of diabetes and that young age and immunodeficiency disorders are among the risk factors for developing diabetes. Moreover, most of them believed that the amount of carbohydrates given to diabetic patients should be reduced or even completely restricted; that vitamins are essential for all diabetic patients and that hot-water bottles are good for providing warmth to the diabetic feet. They also disagreed on the use of artificial sweeteners as sugar substitutes. Most of the diabetic
Mash, Bob; Levitt, Naomi; Steyn, Krisela; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Rollnick, Stephen
2012-12-24
Diabetes is an important contributor to the burden of disease in South Africa and prevalence rates as high as 33% have been recorded in Cape Town. Previous studies show that quality of care and health outcomes are poor. The development of an effective education programme should impact on self-care, lifestyle change and adherence to medication; and lead to better control of diabetes, fewer complications and better quality of life. Pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trialParticipants: Type 2 diabetic patients attending 45 public sector community health centres in Cape TownInterventions: The intervention group will receive 4 sessions of group diabetes education delivered by a health promotion officer in a guiding style. The control group will receive usual care which consists of ad hoc advice during consultations and occasional educational talks in the waiting room. To evaluate the effectiveness of the group diabetes education programmeOutcomes: diabetes self-care activities, 5% weight loss, 1% reduction in HbA1c. self-efficacy, locus of control, mean blood pressure, mean weight loss, mean waist circumference, mean HbA1c, mean total cholesterol, quality of lifeRandomisation: Computer generated random numbersBlinding: Patients, health promoters and research assistants could not be blinded to the health centre's allocationNumbers randomized: Seventeen health centres (34 in total) will be randomly assigned to either control or intervention groups. A sample size of 1360 patients in 34 clusters of 40 patients will give a power of 80% to detect the primary outcomes with 5% precision. Altogether 720 patients were recruited in the intervention arm and 850 in the control arm giving a total of 1570. The study will inform policy makers and managers of the district health system, particularly in low to middle income countries, if this programme can be implemented more widely. Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201205000380384.
Educational Reform and Educational Crisis.
Apple, Michael W.
1992-01-01
Author argues that education has increasingly become dominated by economic interest that can lead not to enhancing equality but to its opposite. Important ideological shifts are occurring in what education is for and in the content and control of curriculum, with an increased emphasis on making education an economic product. Author predicts a…
Near-optimal order-reduced control for A/C (air-conditioning) system of EVs (electric vehicles)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chiu, Chien-Chin; Tsai, Nan-Chyuan; Lin, Chun-Chi
2014-01-01
This work is aimed to investigate the regulation problem for thermal comfortableness and propose control strategies for cabin environment of EVs (electric vehicles) by constructing a reduced-scale A/C (air-conditioning) system which mainly consists of two modules: ECB (environmental control box) and AHU (air-handling unit). Temperature and humidity in the ECB can be regulated by AHU via cooling, heating, mixing air streams and adjusting speed of fans. To synthesize the near-optimal controllers, the mathematical model for the system thermodynamics is developed by employing the equivalent lumped heat capacity approach, energy/mass conservation principle and the heat transfer theories. In addition, from the clustering pattern of system eigenvalues, the thermodynamics of the interested system can evidently be characterized by two-time-scale property. That is, the studied system can be decoupled into two subsystems, slow mode and fast mode, by singular perturbation technique. As to the optimal control strategies for EVs, by taking thermal comfortableness, humidity and energy consumption all into account, a series of optimal controllers is synthesized on the base of the order-reduced thermodynamic model. The feedback control loop for the experimental test rig is examined and realized by the aid of the control system development kit dSPACE DS1104 and the commercial software MATLAB/Simulink. To sum up, the intensive computer simulations and experimental results verify that the performance of the near-optimal order-reduced control law is almost as superior as that of standard LQR (Linear-Quadratic Regulator). - Highlights: • A reduced-scale test rig for A/C (air-conditioning) system to imitate the temperature/humidity of cabin in EV (electric vehicle) is constructed. • The non-linear thermodynamic model of A/C system can be decoupled by singular perturbation technique. • The temperature/humidity in cabin is regulated to the desired values by proposed optimal
Health education for microcredit clients in Peru: a randomized controlled trial
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Fernald Lia CH
2011-01-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Poverty, lack of female empowerment, and lack of education are major risk factors for childhood illness worldwide. Microcredit programs, by offering small loans to poor individuals, attempt to address the first two of these risk factors, poverty and gender disparity. They provide clients, usually women, with a means to invest in their businesses and support their families. This study investigates the health effects of also addressing the remaining risk factor, lack of knowledge about important health issues, through randomization of members of a microcredit organization to receive a health education module based on the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI community intervention. Methods Baseline data were collected in February 2007 from clients of a microcredit organization in Pucallpa, Peru (n = 1,855 and their children (n = 598. Loan groups, consisting of 15 to 20 clients, were then randomly assigned to receive a health education intervention involving eight monthly 30-minute sessions given by the organization's loan officers at monthly loan group meetings. In February 2008, follow-up data were collected, and included assessments of sociodemographic information, knowledge of child health issues, and child health status (including child height, weight, and blood hemoglobin levels. To explore the effects of treatment (i.e., participation in the health education sessions on the key outcome variables, multivariate regressions were implemented using ordinary least squares. Results Individuals in the IMCI treatment arm demonstrated more knowledge about a variety of issues related to child health, but there were no changes in anthropometric measures or reported child health status. Conclusions Microcredit clients randomized to an IMCI educational intervention showed greater knowledge about child health, but no differences in child health outcomes compared to controls. These results imply
Health education for microcredit clients in Peru: a randomized controlled trial.
Hamad, Rita; Fernald, Lia Ch; Karlan, Dean S
2011-01-24
Poverty, lack of female empowerment, and lack of education are major risk factors for childhood illness worldwide. Microcredit programs, by offering small loans to poor individuals, attempt to address the first two of these risk factors, poverty and gender disparity. They provide clients, usually women, with a means to invest in their businesses and support their families. This study investigates the health effects of also addressing the remaining risk factor, lack of knowledge about important health issues, through randomization of members of a microcredit organization to receive a health education module based on the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) community intervention. Baseline data were collected in February 2007 from clients of a microcredit organization in Pucallpa, Peru (n = 1,855) and their children (n = 598). Loan groups, consisting of 15 to 20 clients, were then randomly assigned to receive a health education intervention involving eight monthly 30-minute sessions given by the organization's loan officers at monthly loan group meetings. In February 2008, follow-up data were collected, and included assessments of sociodemographic information, knowledge of child health issues, and child health status (including child height, weight, and blood hemoglobin levels). To explore the effects of treatment (i.e., participation in the health education sessions) on the key outcome variables, multivariate regressions were implemented using ordinary least squares. Individuals in the IMCI treatment arm demonstrated more knowledge about a variety of issues related to child health, but there were no changes in anthropometric measures or reported child health status. Microcredit clients randomized to an IMCI educational intervention showed greater knowledge about child health, but no differences in child health outcomes compared to controls. These results imply that the intervention did not have sufficient intensity to change
Educational attainment moderates the associations of diabetes education with health outcomes.
Kim, Su Hyun
2016-10-01
Diabetes education is a critical element of care for people with diabetes. However, the associations between diabetes education and self-care or health outcomes have not been clearly demonstrated at a national level. The aims of this study were to examine the associations of attendance of diabetes education classes with health behaviours and glycaemic control, and to understand whether these associations were moderated by level of educational attainment. Data were analysed for 456 adults from the 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V, collected from January 2010 to December 2012. No significant differences were observed between patients who had attended diabetes education classes and those who had never attended for factors such as smoking, drinking, exercise, nutrition therapy or glycaemic control. There was a significant interaction effect between receiving diabetes education and level of educational attainment on obtaining optimal glycaemic control. Attending diabetes education was positively associated with optimal glycaemic control among patients with more than a high school education but was negatively associated with it among those with less than middle school education. Diabetes education programmes need to be tailored to the needs and cognitive capacities of the target population. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
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Bestehorn K
2011-10-01
Full Text Available Kurt Bestehorn1, Christina Jannowitz2, Martin Horack3, Barbara Karmann2, Martin Halle4, Heinz Völler5 1Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, Technical University, Dresden; 2Medical Department, MSD Sharp and Dohme GmbH, Haar; 3Institut für Herzinfarktforschung Ludwigshafen an der Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen; 4Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine, Technical University, Munich; 5Klinik am See, Rehabilitation Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Rüdersdorf, Germany Background: After the acute hospital stay, most cardiac patients in Germany are transferred for a 3–4-week period of inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. We aim to describe patient characteristics and risk factor management of cardiac rehabilitation patients with a focus on drug treatment and control status, differentiated by education level (low level, elementary school; intermediate level, secondary modern school; high level, grammar school/university. Methods: Data covering a time period between 2003 and 2008 from 68,191 hospitalized patients in cardiac rehabilitation from a large-scale registry (Transparency Registry to Objectify Guideline-Oriented Risk Factor Management were analyzed descriptively. Further, a multivariate model was applied to assess factors associated with good control of risk factors. Results: In the total cohort, patients with a manifestation of coronary artery disease (mean age 63.7 years, males 71.7% were referred to cardiac rehabilitation after having received percutaneous coronary intervention (51.6% or coronary bypass surgery (39.5%. Statin therapy increased from 76.3% at entry to 88.9% at discharge, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL rates increased from 31.1% to 69.6%. Mean fasting blood glucose decreased from 108 mg/dL to 104 mg/dL, and mean exercise capacity increased from 78 W to 95 W. Age and gender did not differ by education. In contrast with patients having high education, those with low education had more diabetes