Pilot Projects in Water Management : Practicing Change and Changing Practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vreugdenhil, H.S.I.

2010-01-01

Pilot projects are widely applied in water management. They can be used to test risky innovations at confined scale, but can also be used to delay policy decisions or to advocate a particular innovation. In this book the phenomenon ‘pilot project’ is explored both theoretically and empirically. A

Doing A Pilot Study: Why Is It Essential?

OpenAIRE

Hassan, Zailinawati Abu; Schattner, Peter; Mazza, Danielle

2006-01-01

A pilot study is one of the essential stages in a research project. This paper aims to describe the importance of and steps involved in executing a pilot study by using an example of a descriptive study in primary care. The process of testing the feasibility of the project proposal, recruitment of subjects, research tool and data analysis was reported. We conclude that a pilot study is necessary and useful in providing the groundwork in a research project.

DOING A PILOT STUDY: WHY IS IT ESSENTIAL?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zailinawati Abu Hassan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A pilot study is one of the essential stages in a research project. This paper aims to describe the importance of and steps involved in executing a pilot study by using an example of a descriptive study in primary care. The process of testing the feasibility of the project proposal, recruitment of subjects, research tool and data analysis was reported. We conclude that a pilot study is necessary and useful in providing the groundwork in a research project.

Pre-Study Walkthrough with a Commercial Pilot for a Preliminary Single Pilot Operations Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor-Dreher, Ryan; Roberts, Z.; Ziccardi, J.; Vu, K-P. L.; Strybel, T.; Koteskey, Robert William; Lachter, Joel B.; Vi Dao, Quang; Johnson, Walter W.; Battiste, V.

2013-01-01

The number of crew members in commercial flights has decreased to two members, down from the five-member crew required 50 years ago. One question of interest is whether the crew should be reduced to one pilot. In order to determine the critical factors involved in safely transitioning to a single pilot, research must examine whether any performance deficits arise with the loss of a crew member. With a concrete understanding of the cognitive and behavioral role of a co-pilot, aeronautical technologies and procedures can be developed that make up for the removal of the second aircrew member. The current project describes a pre-study walkthrough process that can be used to help in the development of scenarios for testing future concepts and technologies for single pilot operations. Qualitative information regarding the tasks performed by the pilots can be extracted with this technique and adapted for future investigations of single pilot operations.

Pediatrician prescriptions for outdoor physical activity among children: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Christiana, Richard W; Battista, Rebecca A; James, Joy J; Bergman, Shawn M

2017-03-01

Research indicates that promoting time spent in the outdoors and outdoor physical activity increases children's daily physical activity and improves health. One method showing promise is doctor prescriptions for outdoor physical activity for children; however, no empirical evidence currently exists on prescriptions for children's outdoor physical activity. A pilot study was conducted at one pediatric practice in western North Carolina during 2015 to test the feasibility and potential effectiveness of conducting an outdoor physical activity prescription program for children aged 5-13 years. Three pediatricians wrote prescriptions for children ( n  = 38), discussed benefits of outdoor physical activity, and provided information packets to parents on nearby places for physical activity. Parents of patients of five pediatricians served as control ( n  = 32). Prior to seeing a pediatrician, parents completed a baseline survey that asked height and weight, assessed their views of children's physical activity, and their personal and child's physical activity/sedentary behaviors. A nurse measured children's height and weight. Parents were emailed one-month and three-month follow-up surveys that asked the questions listed above. Changes in children's physical activity, outdoor physical activity, time spent in the outdoors, and sedentary activities were not significant between intervention and control groups. About half of parents (49%) viewed prescriptions as beneficial for their children and most used the intervention materials at home (70%). A larger study is needed to assess whether prescriptions increase children's physical activity. A critical examination of the intervention, pilot study design, and suggestions for a larger future study are provided.

Pediatrician prescriptions for outdoor physical activity among children: A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard W. Christiana

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Research indicates that promoting time spent in the outdoors and outdoor physical activity increases children's daily physical activity and improves health. One method showing promise is doctor prescriptions for outdoor physical activity for children; however, no empirical evidence currently exists on prescriptions for children's outdoor physical activity. A pilot study was conducted at one pediatric practice in western North Carolina during 2015 to test the feasibility and potential effectiveness of conducting an outdoor physical activity prescription program for children aged 5–13 years. Three pediatricians wrote prescriptions for children (n = 38, discussed benefits of outdoor physical activity, and provided information packets to parents on nearby places for physical activity. Parents of patients of five pediatricians served as control (n = 32. Prior to seeing a pediatrician, parents completed a baseline survey that asked height and weight, assessed their views of children's physical activity, and their personal and child's physical activity/sedentary behaviors. A nurse measured children's height and weight. Parents were emailed one-month and three-month follow-up surveys that asked the questions listed above. Changes in children's physical activity, outdoor physical activity, time spent in the outdoors, and sedentary activities were not significant between intervention and control groups. About half of parents (49% viewed prescriptions as beneficial for their children and most used the intervention materials at home (70%. A larger study is needed to assess whether prescriptions increase children's physical activity. A critical examination of the intervention, pilot study design, and suggestions for a larger future study are provided.

The ENIQ pilot study: current status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemaitre, P; Eriksen, B; Crutzen, S [European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, Petten (Netherlands); Hansch, M [Preussische Elektrizitaets-AG (Preussenelektra), Hannover (Germany); Whittle, J [AEA Technology, Warrington (United Kingdom)

1998-11-01

A pilot study is currently being carried out by ENIQ (European Network for Inspection Qualification) in order to explore the issues involved in inspection qualification applied along the general principles of the European methodology. The components selected for the pilot study are austenitic pipe to pipe and pipe to elbows welds typical of those in BWR recirculation loops. A range of defect parameters has been defined. A suitable inspection procedure designed to find the designated defects will be applied to geometrically representative test pieces. The procedure/equipment will be qualified through open trials and technical justification. The personnel qualification will be done in a blind way. Once all features of the inspection system will have been qualified an in-service inspection will be simulated in order to test the feasibility of the qualification approach followed. In this paper the current status of this pilot study is discussed. (orig.)

APMP Pilot Study on Transmittance Haze

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wen-Chun; Hwang, Jisoo; Koo, Annette; Wu, Houping; Leecharoen, Rojana; Yu, Hsueh-Ling

2018-02-01

Five NMIs within APMP, including CMS/ITRI, MSL, NIM, NIMT and KRISS from TCPR applied to the APMP technical committee initiative project for funding to carry out a pilot comparison of transmittance haze in 2012. The project started in 2014 and the final report was completed at the end of 2016. In this pilot comparison, three different haze standards were adopted, and transmittance haze for each standard was measured according to ASTM D1003 or ISO 14782. This paper presents the first results of an APMP pilot study of transmittance haze and the analysis of the variation among different haze measurement systems which are commonly used. The study shows that the variables such as sphere multiplier, transmittance distribution, fluorescence of samples and optical path of the incident beam cause discrepancies among NMIs and highlight deficiencies in current documentary standards.

[Risk epidemiology and child protection statistics in early childhood – a pilot study in southern Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

Thurn, Leonore; Besier, Tanja; Ziegenhain, Ute; Jud, Andreas; Kindler, Heinz; Fischer, Dieter; Fegert, Jörg M; Künster, Anne Katrin

2017-07-01

In contrast to many other countries in Europe, Germany lacks sufficient empirical data on the incidence/prevalence of child maltreatment and its risk factors. This pilot study generated systematic data on the prevalence of child abuse and neglect and its risk factors in Germany. Using a newly developed questionnaire (ESM1 and ESM2) on child abuse and neglect as well as indicators for risk factors, we conducted a survey on 35 child daycare centers in a county in southern Germany, the goal being to generate reliable data. The questionnaire and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was completed by daycare professionals for every child between 4 and under 7 years who was attending the participating daycare center (1,122 children). Child maltreatment was reported in 13.2 % of the cases, and risk factors for future child maltreatment were detected in 38.4 % cases. This study demonstrates that systematic data collection concerning child protection is feasible in child daycare centers. In the future, we recommend that local child protection networks be modified on the basis of reliable empirical data.

Socioeconomic impact of children's burns-a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilburn, Nadia; Dheansa, Baljit

2014-12-01

This pilot study aimed to gain empirical data on the social and economic impacts of child burns on children and parents, in the context of the outpatient setting. A questionnaire was completed by 52 parents of paediatric patients attending the burns outpatient department at Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH), East Grinstead, for at least the third time. Children's medical notes were used to extract demographic and medical data. Quantitative data was analyzed statistically and qualitative data was analyzed manually using content analysis. The financial burden related to the injury posed the greatest impact on parents, and was mainly associated with making the journey to the hospital, with lower income households being most affected. Self-employed parents and those who had to attend more than 6 hospital appointments also ran into difficulties. On the whole, there was not a considerable social impact on the burn-injured child, which may reflect the minor nature of burns in this study (mean depth partial thickness, median TBSA 1.0%). Parents were shown to perceive a greater impact from their child's burn injury than their child. Certain groups of parents were identified as requiring additional support following the burn injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Centrifuge Study of Pilot Tolerance to Acceleration and the Effects of Acceleration on Pilot Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Creer, Brent Y.; Smedal, Harald A.; Wingrove, Rodney C.

1960-01-01

A research program the general objective of which was to measure the effects of various sustained accelerations on the control performance of pilots, was carried out on the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory centrifuge, U.S. Naval Air Development Center, Johnsville, PA. The experimental setup consisted of a flight simulator with the centrifuge in the control loop. The pilot performed his control tasks while being subjected to acceleration fields such as might be encountered by a forward-facing pilot flying an atmosphere entry vehicle. The study was divided into three phases. In one phase of the program, the pilots were subjected to a variety of sustained linear acceleration forces while controlling vehicles with several different sets of longitudinal dynamics. Here, a randomly moving target was displayed to the pilot on a cathode-ray tube. For each combination of acceleration field and vehicle dynamics, pilot tracking accuracy was measured and pilot opinion of the stability and control characteristics was recorded. Thus, information was obtained on the combined effects of complexity of control task and magnitude and direction of acceleration forces on pilot performance. These tests showed that the pilot's tracking performance deteriorated markedly at accelerations greater than about 4g when controlling a lightly damped vehicle. The tentative conclusion was also reached that regardless of the airframe dynamics involved, the pilot feels that in order to have the same level of control over the vehicle, an increase in the vehicle dynamic stability was required with increases in the magnitudes of the acceleration impressed upon the pilot. In another phase, boundaries of human tolerance of acceleration were established for acceleration fields such as might be encountered by a pilot flying an orbital vehicle. A special pilot restraint system was developed to increase human tolerance to longitudinal decelerations. The results of the tests showed that human tolerance

Student Response to Faculty Instruction (SRFI): An Empirically Derived Instrument to Measure Student Evaluations of Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Beitzel, Brian D.

2013-01-01

The Student Response to Faculty Instruction (SRFI) is an instrument designed to measure the student perspective on courses in higher education. The SRFI was derived from decades of empirical studies of student evaluations of teaching. This article describes the development of the SRFI and its psychometric attributes demonstrated in two pilot study…

A mixed method pilot study: the researchers' experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Secomb, Jacinta M; Smith, Colleen

2011-08-01

This paper reports on the outcomes of a small well designed pilot study. Pilot studies often disseminate limited or statistically meaningless results without adding to the body knowledge on the comparative research benefits. The design a pre-test post-test group parallel randomised control trial and inductive content analysis of focus group transcripts was tested specifically to increase outcomes in a proposed larger study. Strategies are now in place to overcome operational barriers and recruitment difficulties. Links between the qualitative and quantitative arms of the proposed larger study have been made; it is anticipated that this will add depth to the final report. More extensive reporting on the outcomes of pilot studies would assist researchers and increase the body of knowledge in this area.

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: SOIL STABILIZATION PILOT STUDY, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

This document is a project plan for a pilot study at the United Chrome NPL site, Corvallis, Oregon and includes the health and safety and quality assurance/quality control plans. The plan reports results of a bench-scale study of the treatment process as iieasured by the ...

Guidelines for using empirical studies in software engineering education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabian Fagerholm

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Software engineering education is under constant pressure to provide students with industry-relevant knowledge and skills. Educators must address issues beyond exercises and theories that can be directly rehearsed in small settings. Industry training has similar requirements of relevance as companies seek to keep their workforce up to date with technological advances. Real-life software development often deals with large, software-intensive systems and is influenced by the complex effects of teamwork and distributed software development, which are hard to demonstrate in an educational environment. A way to experience such effects and to increase the relevance of software engineering education is to apply empirical studies in teaching. In this paper, we show how different types of empirical studies can be used for educational purposes in software engineering. We give examples illustrating how to utilize empirical studies, discuss challenges, and derive an initial guideline that supports teachers to include empirical studies in software engineering courses. Furthermore, we give examples that show how empirical studies contribute to high-quality learning outcomes, to student motivation, and to the awareness of the advantages of applying software engineering principles. Having awareness, experience, and understanding of the actions required, students are more likely to apply such principles under real-life constraints in their working life.

The problem analysis for empirical studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenland, E.A.G.

2014-01-01

This article proposes a systematic methodology for the development of a problem analysis for cross-sectional, empirical research. This methodology is referred to as the 'Annabel approach'. It is suitable both for academic studies and applied (business) studies. In addition it can be used for both

The incidence of venous thromboembolism in commercial airline pilots: a cohort study of 2630 pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuipers, S; Venemans-Jellema, A; Cannegieter, S C; van Haften, M; Middeldorp, S; Büller, H R; Rosendaal, F R

2014-08-01

Airline pilots may be at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) because air travel has recently been established as a risk factor for VTE. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of VTE in a cohort of Dutch airline pilots. Airline pilots who had been active members of the Dutch aviation society (VNV) were questioned for the occurrence of VTE, presence of risk factors for VTE and number of flight hours per year and rank. Incidence rates among pilots were compared with those of the general Dutch population and with a population of frequently flying employees of multinational organizations. A total of 2630 male pilots were followed-up for a total of 20420 person-years (py). Six venous thromboses were reported, yielding an incidence rate of 0.3 per 1000 py. The standardized morbidity ratio, comparing these pilots with the general Dutch population adjusted for age, was 0.8. Compared with the international employee cohort, the standardized morbidity ratio was 0.7 when all employees were included and 0.6 when only the frequently travelling employees were included. The incidence rate did not increase with number of flight hours per year and did not clearly vary by rank. We conclude that the risk of VTE is not increased amongst airline pilots. © 2014 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Cluster Sampling Bias in Government-Sponsored Evaluations: A Correlational Study of Employment and Welfare Pilots in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaganay, Arnaud

2016-01-01

For pilot or experimental employment programme results to apply beyond their test bed, researchers must select 'clusters' (i.e. the job centres delivering the new intervention) that are reasonably representative of the whole territory. More specifically, this requirement must account for conditions that could artificially inflate the effect of a programme, such as the fluidity of the local labour market or the performance of the local job centre. Failure to achieve representativeness results in Cluster Sampling Bias (CSB). This paper makes three contributions to the literature. Theoretically, it approaches the notion of CSB as a human behaviour. It offers a comprehensive theory, whereby researchers with limited resources and conflicting priorities tend to oversample 'effect-enhancing' clusters when piloting a new intervention. Methodologically, it advocates for a 'narrow and deep' scope, as opposed to the 'wide and shallow' scope, which has prevailed so far. The PILOT-2 dataset was developed to test this idea. Empirically, it provides evidence on the prevalence of CSB. In conditions similar to the PILOT-2 case study, investigators (1) do not sample clusters with a view to maximise generalisability; (2) do not oversample 'effect-enhancing' clusters; (3) consistently oversample some clusters, including those with higher-than-average client caseloads; and (4) report their sampling decisions in an inconsistent and generally poor manner. In conclusion, although CSB is prevalent, it is still unclear whether it is intentional and meant to mislead stakeholders about the expected effect of the intervention or due to higher-level constraints or other considerations.

Managing ethical issues in sexual violence research using a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.E. Duma

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Conducting research in the area of sexual violence has complex ethical and practical challenges for the researcher. Managing ethical issues in sexual violence is important and can be achieved through the use of pilot studies. The primary purpose of the pilot study was to identify and manage potential ethical and practical problems that could jeopardise the main study or violate the ethical and human rights of participants in the main study on women’s journey of recovery from sexual assault. The secondary purpose was to collect preliminary data in order to determine the human, financial and time resources needed for a planned study. The methods and processes used in conducting the pilot study in the study on women’s journey of recovery are discussed according to each of the objectives of the pilot study, methods used to achieve the objective, observations or findings made during the pilot study, and implications for the main study. This article aims to demonstrate how a pilot study was used to manage identified potential ethical and practical research issues during the recruitment of participants and data collection for the research that was conducted by the first author to investigate women’s journey of recovery from sexual assault trauma within the first week following sexual assault.

Liverpool Telecare Pilot: case studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nigel Barnes

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Telecare services use information and communications technology (ICT to support the provision of care to people in their own homes. This paper describes a pilot telecare service employed by Liverpool (UK City Council to support a sample of their frail and elderly social services users. The pilot has been running for over two years and has been deployed for 21 individuals in Liverpool. In this paper we present the pilot system and provide real example cases which help to illustrate the benefits of such a system.

Computer-aided assessment of aviation pilots attention: Design of an integrated test and its empirical validation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosario Cannavò

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a battery of seven computerized tests, encompassing classical and innovative solutions inspired by the literature in the field, for the integrated measurement of the attention factors of aviation pilots. The computer software is validated by means of an experimental trial with 50 experienced aviation pilots and 50 untrained people as controls. Statistical analyzes confirm that the instrument can effectively classify aviation pilots, and identify a subset of distinctive attention factors that could be used for monitoring their duty.

A pilot study of loss aversion for drug and non-drug commodities in cocaine users.

Science.gov (United States)

Strickland, Justin C; Beckmann, Joshua S; Rush, Craig R; Stoops, William W

2017-11-01

Numerous studies in behavioral economics have demonstrated that individuals are more sensitive to the prospect of a loss than a gain (i.e., loss aversion). Although loss aversion has been well described in "healthy" populations, little research exists in individuals with substance use disorders. This gap is notable considering the prominent role that choice and decision-making play in drug use. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate loss aversion in active cocaine users. Current cocaine users (N=38; 42% female) participated in this within-subjects laboratory pilot study. Subjects completed a battery of tasks designed to assess loss aversion for drug and non-drug commodities under varying risk conditions. Standardized loss aversion coefficients (λ) were compared to theoretically and empirically relevant normative values (i.e., λ=2). Compared to normative loss aversion coefficient values, a precise and consistent decrease in loss aversion was observed in cocaine users (sample λ≈1). These values were observed across drug and non-drug commodities as well as under certain and risky conditions. These data represent the first systematic study of loss aversion in cocaine-using populations and provide evidence for equal sensitivity to losses and gains or loss equivalence. Futures studies should evaluate the specificity of these effects to a history of cocaine use as well as the impact of manipulations of loss aversion on drug use to determine how this phenomenon may contribute to intervention development efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pilot non dialysis chronic renal insufficiency study (P-ND-CRIS): a pilot study of an open prospective hospital-based French cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Massol, Jacques; Janin, Gérard; Bachot, Camille; Gousset, Christophe; Deville, Geoffroy Sainte-Claire; Chalopin, Jean-Marc

2017-02-01

Before establishing a prospective cohort, an initial pilot study is recommended. However, there are no precise guidelines on this subject. This paper reports the findings of a French regional pilot study carried out in three nephrology departments, before realizing a major prospective Non Dialysis Chronic Renal Insufficiency study (ND-CRIS). We carried out an internal pilot study. The objectives of this pilot study were to validate the feasibility (regulatory approval, providing patients with information, availability of variables, refusal rate of eligible patients) and quality criteria (missing data, rate of patients lost to follow-up, characteristics of the patients included and non-included eligible patients, quality control of the data gathered) and estimate the human resources necessary (number of clinical research associates required). The authorizations obtained (CCTIRS - CNIL) and the contracts signed with hospitals have fulfilled the regulatory requirements. After validating the information on the study provided to patients, 1849 of them were included in three centres (university hospital, intercommunal hospital, town hospital) between April 2012 and September 2015. The low refusal rate (51 patients) and the characteristics of non-included patients have confirmed the benefit for patients of participating in the study and provide evidence of the feasibility and representativeness of the population studied. The lack of missing data on the variables studied, the quality of the data analyzed and the low number of patients lost to follow-up are evidence of the quality of the study. By taking into account the time spent by CRAs to enter data and to travel, as well as the annual patient numbers in each hospital, we estimate that five CRAs will be required in total. With no specific guidelines on how to realize a pilot study before implementing a major prospective cohort, we considered it pertinent to report our experience of P-ND-CRIS. This experience confirms

Modeling and Evaluating Pilot Performance in NextGen: Review of and Recommendations Regarding Pilot Modeling Efforts, Architectures, and Validation Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher; Sebok, Angelia; Keller, John; Peters, Steve; Small, Ronald; Hutchins, Shaun; Algarin, Liana; Gore, Brian Francis; Hooey, Becky Lee; Foyle, David C.

2013-01-01

NextGen operations are associated with a variety of changes to the national airspace system (NAS) including changes to the allocation of roles and responsibilities among operators and automation, the use of new technologies and automation, additional information presented on the flight deck, and the entire concept of operations (ConOps). In the transition to NextGen airspace, aviation and air operations designers need to consider the implications of design or system changes on human performance and the potential for error. To ensure continued safety of the NAS, it will be necessary for researchers to evaluate design concepts and potential NextGen scenarios well before implementation. One approach for such evaluations is through human performance modeling. Human performance models (HPMs) provide effective tools for predicting and evaluating operator performance in systems. HPMs offer significant advantages over empirical, human-in-the-loop testing in that (1) they allow detailed analyses of systems that have not yet been built, (2) they offer great flexibility for extensive data collection, (3) they do not require experimental participants, and thus can offer cost and time savings. HPMs differ in their ability to predict performance and safety with NextGen procedures, equipment and ConOps. Models also vary in terms of how they approach human performance (e.g., some focus on cognitive processing, others focus on discrete tasks performed by a human, while others consider perceptual processes), and in terms of their associated validation efforts. The objectives of this research effort were to support the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in identifying HPMs that are appropriate for predicting pilot performance in NextGen operations, to provide guidance on how to evaluate the quality of different models, and to identify gaps in pilot performance modeling research, that could guide future research opportunities. This research effort is intended to help the FAA

Empirical Scientific Research and Legal Studies Research--A Missing Link

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, Robert J., III

2016-01-01

This article begins with an overview of what is meant by empirical scientific research in the context of legal studies. With that backdrop, the argument is presented that without engaging in normative, theoretical, and doctrinal research in tandem with empirical scientific research, the role of legal studies scholarship in making meaningful…

A REVIEW of WEBERIAN STUDIES ON THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

OpenAIRE

MAZMAN, İbrahim

2018-01-01

This study examines the secondary literature on Max Weber’s (1864-1920) writings onIslam and the Ottoman Empire. It demarcates approaches prevalent in the secondaryliterature. Three basic themes are apparent:- Section a) concentrates on authors who applied Weber’s concepts of patrimonialism andbureaucracy to non-Ottoman countries, such as Maslovski (on the Soviet bureaucracy)and Eisenberg (on China).- Section b) focuses on authors who studied the Ottoman Empire utilizing non-Weberianaboveall ...

Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dunbar, P. K.; Dominey-Howes, D.; Varner, J.

2006-12-01

The results of a pilot study to assess the risk from tsunamis for the Seaside-Gearhart, Oregon region will be presented. To determine the risk from tsunamis, it is first necessary to establish the hazard or probability that a tsunami of a particular magnitude will occur within a certain period of time. Tsunami inundation maps that provide 100-year and 500-year probabilistic tsunami wave height contours for the Seaside-Gearhart, Oregon, region were developed as part of an interagency Tsunami Pilot Study(1). These maps provided the probability of the tsunami hazard. The next step in determining risk is to determine the vulnerability or degree of loss resulting from the occurrence of tsunamis due to exposure and fragility. The tsunami vulnerability assessment methodology used in this study was developed by M. Papathoma and others(2). This model incorporates multiple factors (e.g. parameters related to the natural and built environments and socio-demographics) that contribute to tsunami vulnerability. Data provided with FEMA's HAZUS loss estimation software and Clatsop County, Oregon, tax assessment data were used as input to the model. The results, presented within a geographic information system, reveal the percentage of buildings in need of reinforcement and the population density in different inundation depth zones. These results can be used for tsunami mitigation, local planning, and for determining post-tsunami disaster response by emergency services. (1)Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, Seaside, Oregon Tsunami Pilot Study--Modernization of FEMA Flood Hazard Maps, Joint NOAA/USGS/FEMA Special Report, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2006, Final Draft. (2)Papathoma, M., D. Dominey-Howes, D.,Y. Zong, D. Smith, Assessing Tsunami Vulnerability, an example from Herakleio, Crete, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, Vol. 3, 2003, p. 377-389.

Qualitative Case Study Research as Empirical Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Ellinger, Andrea D.; McWhorter, Rochell

2016-01-01

This article introduces the concept of qualitative case study research as empirical inquiry. It defines and distinguishes what a case study is, the purposes, intentions, and types of case studies. It then describes how to determine if a qualitative case study is the preferred approach for conducting research. It overviews the essential steps in…

Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Palliative Care Research: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Terry A; Olds, Timothy S; Currow, David C; Williams, Marie T

2017-07-01

Feasibility and pilot study designs are common in palliative care research. Finding standard guidelines on the structure and reporting of these study types is difficult. In feasibility and pilot studies in palliative care research, to determine 1) how commonly a priori feasibility are criteria reported and whether results are subsequently reported against these criteria? and 2) how commonly are participants' views on acceptability of burden of the study protocol assessed? Four databases (OVID Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed via caresearch.com.au.) were searched. Search terms included palliative care, terminal care, advance care planning, hospice, pilot, feasibility, with a publication date between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Articles were selected and appraised by two independent reviewers. Fifty-six feasibility and/or pilot studies were included in this review. Only three studies had clear a priori criteria to measure success. Sixteen studies reported participant acceptability or burden with measures. Forty-eight studies concluded feasibility. The terms "feasibility" and "pilot" are used synonymously in palliative care research when describing studies that test for feasibility. Few studies in palliative care research outline clear criteria for success. The assessment of participant acceptability and burden is uncommon. A gold standard for feasibility study design in palliative care research that includes both clear criteria for success and testing of the study protocol for participant acceptability and burden is needed. Such a standard would assist with consistency in the design, conduct and reporting of feasibility and pilot studies. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What is a pilot or feasibility study? A review of current practice and editorial policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cooper Cindy L

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2004, a review of pilot studies published in seven major medical journals during 2000-01 recommended that the statistical analysis of such studies should be either mainly descriptive or focus on sample size estimation, while results from hypothesis testing must be interpreted with caution. We revisited these journals to see whether the subsequent recommendations have changed the practice of reporting pilot studies. We also conducted a survey to identify the methodological components in registered research studies which are described as 'pilot' or 'feasibility' studies. We extended this survey to grant-awarding bodies and editors of medical journals to discover their policies regarding the function and reporting of pilot studies. Methods Papers from 2007-08 in seven medical journals were screened to retrieve published pilot studies. Reports of registered and completed studies on the UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN Portfolio database were retrieved and scrutinized. Guidance on the conduct and reporting of pilot studies was retrieved from the websites of three grant giving bodies and seven journal editors were canvassed. Results 54 pilot or feasibility studies published in 2007-8 were found, of which 26 (48% were pilot studies of interventions and the remainder feasibility studies. The majority incorporated hypothesis-testing (81%, a control arm (69% and a randomization procedure (62%. Most (81% pointed towards the need for further research. Only 8 out of 90 pilot studies identified by the earlier review led to subsequent main studies. Twelve studies which were interventional pilot/feasibility studies and which included testing of some component of the research process were identified through the UKCRN Portfolio database. There was no clear distinction in use of the terms 'pilot' and 'feasibility'. Five journal editors replied to our entreaty. In general they were loathe to publish studies described as 'pilot'. Conclusion

Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-24

AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0026 Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing Austin M. Fischer, BS1; William W...COVERED (From – To) April – October 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF School of Aerospace

Mission Operations Planning with Preferences: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bresina, John L.; Khatib, Lina; McGann, Conor

2006-01-01

This paper presents an empirical study of some nonexhaustive approaches to optimizing preferences within the context of constraint-based, mixed-initiative planning for mission operations. This work is motivated by the experience of deploying and operating the MAPGEN (Mixed-initiative Activity Plan GENerator) system for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Responsiveness to the user is one of the important requirements for MAPGEN, hence, the additional computation time needed to optimize preferences must be kept within reasonabble bounds. This was the primary motivation for studying non-exhaustive optimization approaches. The specific goals of rhe empirical study are to assess the impact on solution quality of two greedy heuristics used in MAPGEN and to assess the improvement gained by applying a linear programming optimization technique to the final solution.

The atrial fibrillation ablation pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arbelo, Elena; Brugada, Josep; Hindricks, Gerhard

2014-01-01

AIMS: The Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Pilot Study is a prospective registry designed to describe the clinical epidemiology of patients undergoing an atrial fibrillation (AFib) ablation, and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across Europe. The aims of the 1-year follow-up were to analyse...... was achieved in 40.7% of patients (43.7% in paroxysmal AF; 30.2% in persistent AF; 36.7% in long-lasting persistent AF). A second ablation was required in 18% of the cases and 43.4% were under antiarrhythmic treatment. Thirty-three patients (2.5%) suffered an adverse event, 272 (21%) experienced a left atrial...... tachycardia, and 4 patients died (1 haemorrhagic stroke, 1 ventricular fibrillation in a patient with ischaemic heart disease, 1 cancer, and 1 of unknown cause). CONCLUSION: The AFib Ablation Pilot Study provided crucial information on the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of catheter ablation of AFib...

Pilot study for natural radiation survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, L.; Driscoll, C.M.H.; Green, B.M.R.; Miles, J.C.H.

1983-01-01

NRPB's national survey of natural radiation exposure in homes commenced in 1982 and will run until 1984. A pilot survey was undertaken in over 100 homes for one year, using passive thermoluminescent dosemeters to measure external radiation from terrestrial and cosmic sources and passive radon dosemeters to measure the radon-222 gas concentration. A preliminary analysis of the results obtained from the pilot survey is given. The main value of the pilot survey was in providing experience and various administrative and scientific procedures have been simplified or automated for the national survey. (U.K.)

77 FR 12312 - Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-29

...] Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration... and Research (CBER) is announcing an invitation to participate in a pilot evaluation program to test.... Participation in the pilot program is open to all sponsors. The pilot program is intended to provide industry...

Characterizing Student Expectations: A Small Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Warwick, Jonathan

2016-01-01

This paper describes the results of a small empirical study (n = 130), in which undergraduate students in the Business Faculty of a UK university were asked to express views and expectations relating to the study of a mathematics. Factor analysis is used to identify latent variables emerging from clusters of the measured variables and these are…

Organisational Learning and Performance--An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jyothibabu, C.; Pradhan, Bibhuti Bhusan; Farooq, Ayesha

2011-01-01

This paper explores the important question "how the learning entities--individual, group or organisation--are affecting organisational performance". The answer is important for promoting learning and improving performance. This empirical study in the leading power utility in India found that there is a positive relation between…

Development and pilot testing of daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) calls to support antiretroviral adherence in India: A mixed-methods pilot study

OpenAIRE

Swendeman, Dallas; Jana, Smarajit; Ray, Protim; Mindry, Deborah; Das, Madhushree; Bhakta, Bhumi

2015-01-01

This two-phase pilot study aimed to design, pilot, and refine an automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) intervention to support antiretroviral adherence for people living with HIV (PLH), in Kolkata, India. Mixed-methods formative research included a community advisory board (CAB) for IVR message development, one-month pre-post pilot, post-pilot focus groups, and further message development. Two IVR calls are made daily, timed to patients’ dosing schedules, with brief messages (

Environmental ethics and wilderness management: an empirical study

Science.gov (United States)

William A. Valliere; Robert E. Manning

1995-01-01

The underlying hypothesis of this study is that environmental ethics influence public attitudes toward wilderness management. To study this hypothesis, environmental ethics were defined, categorized, and measured empirically. Additionally, attitudes toward selected wilderness management issues were measured. Associations were found between beliefs in selected...

Lessons from empirical studies in product and service variety management.

OpenAIRE

Lyons, Andrew C.L.

2013-01-01

[EN] For many years, a trend for businesses has been to increase market segmentation and extend product and service-variety offerings in order to provid more choice for customers and gain a competitive advantags. However, there have been relatively few variety-related, empirical studies that have been undertaken. In this research, two empirical studies are presented that address the impact of product and service variety on business and business function performance. In the first (service-vari...

Lessons learned from recruiting nursing homes to a quantitative cross-sectional pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tzouvara, Vasiliki; Papadopoulos, Chris; Randhawa, Gurch

2016-03-01

A growing older adult population is leading to increased admission rates to long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and residential care homes. Assisted healthcare services should be flexible, integrated, and responsive to older adults' needs. However, there is a limited body of empirical evidence because of the recruitment challenges in these settings. To describe the barriers and challenges faced in recruiting to a recent pilot study, consider previously implemented and proposed recruitment strategies, and propose a new multi-method approach to maximising recruitment of care homes. The proposed multi-method approach harnesses key recruitment strategies previously highlighted as effective in navigating the many challenges and barriers that are likely to be encountered, such as mistrust, scepticism and concerns about disruption to routines. This includes making strategic use of existing personal and professional connections within the research team, engaging with care homes that have previously engaged with the research process, forming relationships of trust, and employing a range of incentives. Implementing carefully planned recruitment strategies is likely to improve relationships between nursing homes and researchers. As a consequence, recruitment can be augmented which can enable the production of rigorous evidence required for achieving effective nursing practice and patient wellbeing. Boosting recruitment rates is crucial in helping to build new and less biased research evidence and for informing and underpinning all forms of evidence-based practice. The lessons learned from our pilot and the review of the literature highlight these issues and better enable investigators to access research settings that commonly possess many complex recruitment barriers and challenges.

Empirical pseudo-potential studies on electronic structure

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Theoretical investigations of electronic structure of quantum dots is of current interest in nanophase materials. Empirical theories such as effective mass approximation, tight binding methods and empirical pseudo-potential method are capable of explaining the experimentally observed optical properties. We employ the ...

On Integrating Student Empirical Software Engineering Studies with Research and Teaching Goals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galster, Matthias; Tofan, Dan; Avgeriou, Paris

2012-01-01

Background: Many empirical software engineering studies use students as subjects and are conducted as part of university courses. Aim: We aim at reporting our experiences with using guidelines for integrating empirical studies with our research and teaching goals. Method: We document our experience

The policy work of piloting: Mobilising and managing conflict and ambiguity in the English NHS.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Simon; Checkland, Kath; Hodgson, Damian; McBride, Anne; Elvey, Rebecca; Parkin, Stephen; Rothwell, Katy; Pierides, Dean

2017-04-01

In spite of their widespread use in policy making in the UK and elsewhere, there is a relatively sparse literature specifically devoted to policy pilots. Recent research on policy piloting has focused on the role of pilots in making policy work in accordance with national agendas. Taking this as a point of departure, the present paper develops the notion of pilots doing policy work. It does this by situating piloting within established theories of policy formulation and implementation, and illustrating using an empirical case. Our case is drawn from a qualitative policy ethnography of a local government pilot programme aiming to extend access to healthcare services. Our case explores the collective entrepreneurship of regional policy makers together with local pilot volunteers. We argue that pilots work to mobilise and manage the ambiguity and conflict associated with particular policy goals, and in their structure and design, shape action towards particular outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the generative but managed role which piloting affords to local implementers. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Epidemiologic studies of pilots and aircrew.

Science.gov (United States)

Boice, J D; Blettner, M; Auvinen, A

2000-11-01

During flight, pilots and cabin crew are exposed to increased levels of cosmic radiation which consists primarily of neutrons and gamma rays. Neutron dosimetry is not straightforward, but typical annual effective doses are estimated to range between two and five mSv. Higher dose rates are experienced at the highest altitudes and in the polar regions. Mean doses have been increasing over time as longer flights at higher altitudes have become more frequent. Because there are so few populations exposed to neutrons, studies of airline personnel are of particular interest. However, because the cumulative radiation exposure is so low, statistical power is a major concern. Further, finding an appropriate comparison group is problematic due to selection into these occupations and a number of biases are possible. For example, increased rates of breast cancer among flight attendants have been attributed to reproductive factors such as nulliparity and increased rates of melanoma among pilots have been attributed to excessive sun exposure during leisure time activities. Epidemiologic studies conducted over the last 20 y provide little consistent evidence linking cancer with radiation exposures from air travel.

Introducing technology into medical education: two pilot studies.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Paul; Dumenco, Luba; Dollase, Richard; Taylor, Julie Scott; Wald, Hedy S; Reis, Shmuel P

2013-12-01

Educators are integrating new technology into medical curriculum. The impact of newer technology on educational outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to determine if two pilot interventions, (1) introducing iPads into problem-based learning (PBL) sessions and (2) online tutoring would improve the educational experience of our learners. We voluntarily assigned 26 second-year medical students to iPad-based PBL sessions. Five students were assigned to Skype for exam remediation. We performed a mixed-method evaluation to determine efficacy. Pilot 1: Seventeen students completed a survey following their use of an iPad during the second-year PBL curriculum. Students noted the iPad allows for researching information in real time, annotating lecture notes, and viewing sharper images. Data indicate that iPads have value in medical education and are a positive addition to the curriculum. Pilot 2: Students agreed that online tutoring is at least or more effective than in-person tutoring. In our pilot studies, students experienced that iPads and Skype are beneficial in medical education and can be successfully employed in areas such as PBL and remediation. Educators should continue to further examine innovative opportunities for introducing technology into medical education. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cytogenetics of jaw cysts - a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Manor, Esther; Brennan, Peter A; Bodner, Lipa

2012-07-01

The pathogenesis of cysts that arise in the jaws is still not certain, and the underlying mechanisms of epithelial proliferation are not fully understood. Cysts of the jaw may involve a reactive, inflammatory, or neoplastic process. Cytogenetics, the study of the number and structure of chromosomes, has provided valuable information about the diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted treatment in many cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cytogenetics can also provide information about the possible aetiology or neoplastic potential of a lesion, though to our knowledge no studies of this technique have been used for cysts in the jaws. In this pilot study we used cytogenetics in a series of 10 cysts (3 radicular, 4 dentigerous, 2 of the nasopalatine duct, and 1 dermoid). In all cases we found normal karyotypes. Further work and larger numbers are needed for a definitive study, but we can hypothesise from this pilot study that these cysts do not have cytogenetic aberrations and so have no neoplastic potential. Copyright © 2011 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Hong Kong vision study: a pilot assessment of visual impairment in adults.

OpenAIRE

Van Newkirk, M R

1997-01-01

PURPOSE: The Hong Kong Adult Vision Pilot Study is a population based study of the distribution and determinants of eye disease in a random sample of the Chinese population age 40 and over. The present pilot study identifies the extent and causes of visual loss using methods developed in the United States and Australia. The pilot study uses the prevalence data to estimate the sample size necessary to predict the size of an effect a larger study may detect and the confidence with which that ef...

Mindfulness training and stress reactivity in substance abuse: results from a randomized, controlled stage I pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Judson A; Sinha, Rajita; Chen, Justin A; Michalsen, Ravenna N; Babuscio, Theresa A; Nich, Charla; Grier, Aleesha; Bergquist, Keri L; Reis, Deidre L; Potenza, Marc N; Carroll, Kathleen M; Rounsaville, Bruce J

2009-01-01

Stress is important in substance use disorders (SUDs). Mindfulness training (MT) has shown promise for stress-related maladies. No studies have compared MT to empirically validated treatments for SUDs. The goals of this study were to assess MT compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in substance use and treatment acceptability, and specificity of MT compared to CBT in targeting stress reactivity. Thirty-six individuals with alcohol and/or cocaine use disorders were randomly assigned to receive group MT or CBT in an outpatient setting. Drug use was assessed weekly. After treatment, responses to personalized stress provocation were measured. Fourteen individuals completed treatment. There were no differences in treatment satisfaction or drug use between groups. The laboratory paradigm suggested reduced psychological and physiological indices of stress during provocation in MT compared to CBT. This pilot study provides evidence of the feasibility of MT in treating SUDs and suggests that MT may be efficacious in targeting stress.

Pilot-model analysis and simulation study of effect of control task desired control response

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, J. J.; Gera, J.; Jaudon, J. B.

1978-01-01

A pilot model analysis was performed that relates pilot control compensation, pilot aircraft system response, and aircraft response characteristics for longitudinal control. The results show that a higher aircraft short period frequency is required to achieve superior pilot aircraft system response in an altitude control task than is required in an attitude control task. These results were confirmed by a simulation study of target tracking. It was concluded that the pilot model analysis provides a theoretical basis for determining the effect of control task on pilot opinions.

An Investigation of the Impact of Aerodynamic Model Fidelity on Close-In Combat Effectiveness Prediction in Piloted Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Persing, T. Ray; Bellish, Christine A.; Brandon, Jay; Kenney, P. Sean; Carzoo, Susan; Buttrill, Catherine; Guenther, Arlene

2005-01-01

Several aircraft airframe modeling approaches are currently being used in the DoD community for acquisition, threat evaluation, training, and other purposes. To date there has been no clear empirical study of the impact of airframe simulation fidelity on piloted real-time aircraft simulation study results, or when use of a particular level of fidelity is indicated. This paper documents a series of piloted simulation studies using three different levels of airframe model fidelity. This study was conducted using the NASA Langley Differential Maneuvering Simulator. Evaluations were conducted with three pilots for scenarios requiring extensive maneuvering of the airplanes during air combat. In many cases, a low-fidelity modified point-mass model may be sufficient to evaluate the combat effectiveness of the aircraft. However, in cases where high angle-of-attack flying qualities and aerodynamic performance are a factor or when precision tracking ability of the aircraft must be represented, use of high-fidelity models is indicated.

Pilot Implementations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manikas, Maria Ie

by conducting a literature review. The concept of pilot implementation, although commonly used in practice, is rather disregarded in research. In the literature, pilot implementations are mainly treated as secondary to the learning outcomes and are presented as merely a means to acquire knowledge about a given...... objective. The prevalent understanding is that pilot implementations are an ISD technique that extends prototyping from the lab and into test during real use. Another perception is that pilot implementations are a project multiple of co-existing enactments of the pilot implementation. From this perspective......This PhD dissertation engages in the study of pilot (system) implementation. In the field of information systems, pilot implementations are commissioned as a way to learn from real use of a pilot system with real data, by real users during an information systems development (ISD) project and before...

Labour flexibility in China's companies: An Empirical Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Y. Chen (Yongping)

2001-01-01

textabstractLabour flexibility in China???s Companies: An Empirical Study explores labour flexibility at the workplace in ten manufacturing companies in China. It addresses how HRM contributes and facilitates management in coping with increasing market competition. Flexible labour practices are

The empirical study of norms of justice - an overview

OpenAIRE

Jacquemain, Marc

2003-01-01

The paper discusses what is empirical study of justice feeling, drawing the line between this and normative study, but defending nevertheless that there are important linkis between both stances. It gives an overview of main theories whitin normative study of justice feelings

Development and Pilot Testing of Daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Calls to Support Antiretroviral Adherence in India: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Swendeman, Dallas; Jana, Smarajit; Ray, Protim; Mindry, Deborah; Das, Madhushree; Bhakta, Bhumi

2015-06-01

This two-phase pilot study aimed to design, pilot, and refine an automated interactive voice response (IVR) intervention to support antiretroviral adherence for people living with HIV (PLH), in Kolkata, India. Mixed-methods formative research included a community advisory board for IVR message development, 1-month pre-post pilot, post-pilot focus groups, and further message development. Two IVR calls are made daily, timed to patients' dosing schedules, with brief messages (pilot results (n = 46, 80 % women, 60 % sex workers) found significant increases in self-reported ART adherence, both within past three days (p = 0.05) and time since missed last dose (p = 0.015). Depression was common. Messaging content and assessment domains were expanded for testing in a randomized trial currently underway.

Dissolution studies with pilot plant and actual INTEC calcines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbst, R.S.; Garn, T.G.

1999-01-01

The dissolution of Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) pilot plant calcines was examined to determine solubility of calcine matrix components in acidic media. Two representatives pilot plant calcine types were studied: Zirconia calcine and Zirconia/Sodium calcine. Dissolution of these calcines was evaluated using lower initial concentrations of nitric acid than used in previous tests to decrease the [H+] concentration in the final solutions. Lower [H+] concentrations contribute to more favorable TRUEX/SREX solvent extraction flowsheet performance. Dissolution and analytical results were also obtained for radioactive calcines produced using high sodium feeds blended with non-radioactive Al(NO 3 ) 3 solutions to dilute the sodium concentration and prevent bed agglomeration during the calcination process. Dissolution tests indicated >95 wt.% of the initial calcine mass can be dissolved using the baseline dissolution procedure, with the exception that higher initial nitric acid concentrations are required. The higher initial acid concentration is required for stoichiometric dissolution of the oxides, primarily aluminum oxide. Statistically designed experiments using pilot plant calcine were performed to determine the effect of mixing rate on dissolution efficiency. Mixing rate was determined to provide minimal effects on wt.% dissolution. The acid/calcine ratio and temperature were the predominate variables affecting the wt.% dissolution, a result consistent with previous studies using other similar types of pilot plant calcines

Empirical study of supervised gene screening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Shuangge

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microarray studies provide a way of linking variations of phenotypes with their genetic causations. Constructing predictive models using high dimensional microarray measurements usually consists of three steps: (1 unsupervised gene screening; (2 supervised gene screening; and (3 statistical model building. Supervised gene screening based on marginal gene ranking is commonly used to reduce the number of genes in the model building. Various simple statistics, such as t-statistic or signal to noise ratio, have been used to rank genes in the supervised screening. Despite of its extensive usage, statistical study of supervised gene screening remains scarce. Our study is partly motivated by the differences in gene discovery results caused by using different supervised gene screening methods. Results We investigate concordance and reproducibility of supervised gene screening based on eight commonly used marginal statistics. Concordance is assessed by the relative fractions of overlaps between top ranked genes screened using different marginal statistics. We propose a Bootstrap Reproducibility Index, which measures reproducibility of individual genes under the supervised screening. Empirical studies are based on four public microarray data. We consider the cases where the top 20%, 40% and 60% genes are screened. Conclusion From a gene discovery point of view, the effect of supervised gene screening based on different marginal statistics cannot be ignored. Empirical studies show that (1 genes passed different supervised screenings may be considerably different; (2 concordance may vary, depending on the underlying data structure and percentage of selected genes; (3 evaluated with the Bootstrap Reproducibility Index, genes passed supervised screenings are only moderately reproducible; and (4 concordance cannot be improved by supervised screening based on reproducibility.

Use of a Data-Linked Weather Information Display and Effects on Pilot Navigation Decision Making in a Piloted Simulation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Yuchnovicz, Daniel E.; Novacek, Paul F.; Burgess, Malcolm A.; Heck, Michael L.; Stokes, Alan F.

2001-01-01

This study provides recommendations to the FAA and to prospective manufacturers based on an exploration of the effects of data link weather displays upon pilot decision performance. An experiment was conducted with twenty-four current instrument rated pilots who were divided into two equal groups and presented with a challenging but realistic flight scenario involving weather containing significant embedded convective activity. All flights were flown in a full-mission simulation facility within instrument meteorological conditions. The inflight weather display depicted NexRad images, graphical METARs and textual METARs. The objective was to investigate the potential for misuse of a weather display, and incorporate recommendations for the design and use of these displays. The primary conclusion of the study found that the inflight weather display did not improve weather avoidance decision making. Some of the reasons to support this finding include: the pilot's inability to easily perceive their proximity to the storms, increased workload and difficulty in deciphering METAR textual data. The compelling nature of a graphical weather display caused many pilots to reduce their reliance on corroborating weather information from other sources. Minor changes to the weather display could improve the ability of a pilot to make better decisions on hazard avoidance.

An empirical and model study on automobile market in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Ji-Ying; Qiu, Rong; Zhou, Yueping; He, Da-Ren

2006-03-01

We have done an empirical investigation on automobile market in Taiwan including the development of the possession rate of the companies in the market from 1979 to 2003, the development of the largest possession rate, and so on. A dynamic model for describing the competition between the companies is suggested based on the empirical study. In the model each company is given a long-term competition factor (such as technology, capital and scale) and a short-term competition factor (such as management, service and advertisement). Then the companies play games in order to obtain more possession rate in the market under certain rules. Numerical simulation based on the model display a competition developing process, which qualitatively and quantitatively agree with our empirical investigation results.

Pre-feasibility study template for nZEB pilot projects development

OpenAIRE

Crespo Sánchez, Eva

2015-01-01

This document corresponds to Task 5.2 NZEB pilot projects development, Deliverable 5.2 Basic project conceptual design with feasibility analysis for eight pilot project of the SUSTAINCO project and should present a structure of pre-feasibility studies for eight NZEB projects implementation. It aims to give an overview of how SUSTAINCO project implementation is to be prepared and which technical and financial parameters to concern.

The Flower Workshop in psychosocial rehabilitation: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Alfredo; Pereira, Maria Alice Ornellas

2009-01-01

We report a pilot study with the Flower Workshop, a new modality of psychosocial rehabilitation group activity. Cognitive performance in schizophrenia and other mental conditions can be impaired depending on the tasks to be executed and their respective social context. The vulnerability of these individuals can be reduced by means of cognitive and socio-affective facilitation. We conducted a pilot study to introduce the Flower Workshop in a public Mental Health Service in the city of Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo-Brasil) with 12 participants during 18 months (2002-2003). With cognitive and socio-affective facilitation, participants were able to construct vases and make flower arrangements successfully.

The Pilot Staffing Conundrum: A Delphi Study

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-2. School of Logistics and Acquisition Management, Air Force Institute of Technology (AU), Wright Patterson AFB, OH, June...Kafer, John H. Relationship of Airline Pilot Demand and Air Force Pilot Retention. Graduate Research Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-11. School of Logistics

Pilot Certification, Age of Pilot, and Drug Use in Fatal Civil Aviation Accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Akparibo, Issaka Y; Stolfi, Adrienne

2017-10-01

This study examined the association between mean age of pilot, pilot license, pilot medical certificate and drug use trends in pilots fatally injured in aircraft accidents. The prevalence of prescription drugs, OTC drugs, controlled drugs and drugs that may be potentially impairing was also examined. This study was a descriptive observational study in which the NTSB Aviation Accident Database was searched from the period beginning January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014. During the study period a total of 706 accidents involving 711 fatalities were investigated by the NTSB. This study included 633 of these accidents, involving 646 fatalities. Of these pilots, 42.1% had drugs in their biological samples. The prevalence of prescription drugs, controlled drugs, OTC drugs, opioids, and potentially impairing drugs in the fatally injured pilot population over the study period was 28.9%, 15.0%, 20.1%, 5.1%, and 25.5%, respectively. Pilots with any drugs in their samples were significantly older than those without drugs. Medical certificate held was associated with drug use; pilots who held third class certificates had the highest prevalence at 54.1%. Pilot license was not associated with drug use. In 3.8% of the accidents, drugs were a contributing factor in the cause. Despite current FAA medical regulations, potentially impairing drugs are frequently found in biological samples of fatally injured pilots in the U.S. More education of airmen by aviation medical examiners is needed on the safety of drug use.Akparibo IY, Stolfi A. Pilot certification, age of pilot, and drug use in fatal civil aviation accidents. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(10):931-936.

Localization in random bipartite graphs: Numerical and empirical study

Science.gov (United States)

Slanina, František

2017-05-01

We investigate adjacency matrices of bipartite graphs with a power-law degree distribution. Motivation for this study is twofold: first, vibrational states in granular matter and jammed sphere packings; second, graphs encoding social interaction, especially electronic commerce. We establish the position of the mobility edge and show that it strongly depends on the power in the degree distribution and on the ratio of the sizes of the two parts of the bipartite graph. At the jamming threshold, where the two parts have the same size, localization vanishes. We found that the multifractal spectrum is nontrivial in the delocalized phase, but still near the mobility edge. We also study an empirical bipartite graph, namely, the Amazon reviewer-item network. We found that in this specific graph the mobility edge disappears, and we draw a conclusion from this fact regarding earlier empirical studies of the Amazon network.

Pilot-scale study of ballasted-flocculation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liem, L.E.; Brant, W.H.; Gagne, B.; Michaud, J.; Beaudet, J.-F.; Landry, D.; Braden, K.; Campbell, D.

2002-01-01

A ballasted-flocculation pilot-scale study was undertaken to treat a wide-range river water turbidity (17 to 2,608 NTU). The pilot-scale unit was operated at flowrates of 30 to 63 m 3 /h, which corresponded to loading rates of 40 to 84 m/h. Coagulants, polymers, and microsand were added to enhance the floc agglomeration. The weighted flocs settled rapidly resulting in excellent turbidity removals of 94.7 to 99.9%. At the peak turbidity, the unit had a 99.9% removal performance (2.7 from 2,608 NTU) at a loading rate of 40 m/h. In this case, polyaluminum silicosulfate and anionic polymer dosages were 82 and 1 mg/L, respectively. The microsand recycle rate was kept constant at 4.5 m 3 /h, and 1mg microsand was added for each liter of water treated. (author)

Human Challenge Pilot Study with Cyclospora cayetanensis

OpenAIRE

Alfano-Sobsey, Edith M.; Eberhard, Mark L.; Seed, John R.; Weber, David J.; Won, Kimberly Y.; Nace, Eva K.; Moe, Christine L.

2004-01-01

We describe a pilot study that attempted to infect human volunteers with Cyclospora cayetanensis. Seven healthy volunteers ingested an inoculum of Cyclospora oocysts (approximately 200–49,000 oocysts). The volunteers did not experience symptoms of gastroenteritis, and no oocysts were detected in any stool samples during the 16 weeks volunteers were monitored.

Use of digital devices in coaching of patients – a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thybo Pihl, Gitte; Ammentorp, Jette

that it could optimise the treatment and improve health of the patient. The idea was to empower the patient by: developing an easy method of collecting patient related data. Teach and motivate the patient to change life style on basis of chosen goals and collected data. Methods: A pilot study has been conducted...... was to describe the first experiences from a pilot study, and to discuss the new questions and perspectives in communication research....... in 2016 with the aim of developing the intervention when it comes to individual adjustment of the mobile app and wearables, and form and standard of coaching. Two patients with chronic diseases were included in the pilot study. One patient with prostate cancer and one patient with urolithiasis...

Connecting theoretical and empirical studies of trait-mediated interactions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bolker, B.; Holyoak, M.; Křivan, Vlastimil; Rowe, L.; Schmitz, O.

2003-01-01

Roč. 84, č. 5 (2003), s. 1101-1114 ISSN 0012-9658 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5007907 Keywords : community models * competition * empirical study Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 3.701, year: 2003

Peer Mentoring for Male Parolees: A CBPR Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlow, Elizabeth; Grajeda, William; Lee, Yema; Young, Earthy; Williams, Malcolm; Hill, Karen

2015-01-01

Formerly incarcerated adults are impoverished, have high rates of substance use disorders, and have long histories of imprisonment. This article describes the development of a peer mentoring program for formerly incarcerated adults and the pilot study designed to evaluate it. The research team, which included formerly incarcerated adults and academic researchers, developed the peer mentoring program to support formerly incarcerated adults' transition to the community after prison. The purposes of the pilot evaluation study were to (1) assess the feasibility of implementing a peer-based intervention for recently released men developed using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach; (2) establish preliminary data on the program's impact on coping, self-esteem, abstinence self-efficacy, social support, and participation in 12-step meetings; and (3) establish a CBPR team of formerly incarcerated adults and academic researchers to develop, implement, and test interventions for this population. This pilot evaluation study employed a mixed-methods approach with a single group pretest/posttest design with 20 men on parole released from prison within the last 30 days. Quantitative findings showed significant improvement on two abstinence self-efficacy subscales, negative affect and habitual craving. Qualitative findings revealed the relevance and acceptance of peer mentoring for this population. This study demonstrated the feasibility and import of involving formerly incarcerated adults in the design, implementation, and testing of interventions intended to support their reintegration efforts.

Role of liability preferences in societal technology choices: results of a pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantor, R.; Rayner, S.; Braid, B.

1985-01-01

At the 1984 Annual Meeting of the Society for Risk Analysis, Steve Rayner presented a paper that challenged the conventional wisdom of risk management research. In that paper, he argued that resolving the question, ''How safe is safe enough.'' is less important in making societal technology choices than ''How fair is safe enough.'' Adopting the fairness question as the concern of risk management would imply that the process of technology choice explicitly recognize the preferred principles different parties hold with respect to obtaining consent from those affected by the risks, distributing the liabilities, and justifying trust in the relevant institutions. This paper discusses a recent empirical pilot study which explored the fairness hypothesis in the context of nuclear power. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted to examine whether or not preferred principles for liability distributions were consistent with those suggested by the cultural characteristics of the constituency. The results suggest that for this type of societal technology choice, violation of these preferred principles may be a major source of the conflict between different constituencies. Additionally, the study contributes towards the development of a new approach in risk management that combines the cultural model of risk perceptions with the decision-theoretic approaches found in economics and psychology

Empirical Studies on Legitimation Strategies: A Case for International Business Research Extension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Turcan, Romeo V.; Marinova, Svetla Trifonova; Rana, Mohammad Bakhtiar

2012-01-01

The paper focuses on legitimation and legitimation strategies applied by companies. Following the process of systematic review, we analyze empirical studies exploring legitimation and legitimation strategies from different theoretical perspectives. Using the key findings by reconnoitering and com...... and comparing the theoretical background, approaches, methodologies, and findings of these empirical studies, we outline potential directions for research in the legitimation strategies of firms engaged in international business operations....

Theoretical Semi-Empirical AM1 studies of Schiff Bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arora, K.; Burman, K.

2005-01-01

The present communication reports the theoretical semi-empirical studies of schiff bases of 2-amino pyridine along with their comparison with their parent compounds. Theoretical studies reveal that it is the azomethine group, in the schiff bases under study, that acts as site for coordination to metals as it is reported by many coordination chemists. (author)

Antenatal Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for Prevention of Postpartum Depression: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Jung Hye; Lee, Jeong Jae

2008-01-01

Purpose To examine the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) in "at risk" women. Materials and Methods We recruited 927 pregnant women in 6 obstetric and gynecology clinics and screened them using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Ninety-nine of the screened women who had significantly high scores in BDI (a score above 16) were selected for the study. They were contacted through by telephone, and 27 who had consented to participate in the study were interviewed via SCID-IV-I. Twenty-seven eligible women were randomly assigned to the CBT intervention (n = 15) and control condition (n = 12). All participants were required to complete written questionnaires, assessing demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, negative thoughts, dyadic communication satisfaction, and global marital satisfaction prior to treatment and approximately 1 month postpartum. The 15 women in the CBT condition received 9 bi-weekly 1-hour individual CBT sessions, targeting and modifying negative patterns of thinking and behaviors occurring in the context of the dyadic relationship. Results The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that there were significant differences in all postpartum measures between the 2 groups, indicating that our antenatal intervention with CBT was effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving marital satisfaction, which lasted until the postpartum period. Conclusion Our pilot study has provided preliminary empirical evidence that antenatal CBT intervention can be an effective preventive treatment for PPD. Further study in this direction was suggested. PMID:18729297

Visual Design Principles: An Empirical Study of Design Lore

Science.gov (United States)

Kimball, Miles A.

2013-01-01

Many books, designers, and design educators talk about visual design principles such as balance, contrast, and alignment, but with little consistency. This study uses empirical methods to explore the lore surrounding design principles. The study took the form of two stages: a quantitative literature review to determine what design principles are…

Forces exerted by jumping children: A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moes, C.C.M.; Bakker, H.E.

1998-01-01

This article reports on a pilot study of the loads exerted vertically by children when jumping. The subjects of the study were 17 children, aged from two to twelve years. Measurements were made using video recordings and a force-plate. The influence of the stiffness of the base and of jumping with

Study Skills Analysis: A Pilot Study Linking a Success and Psychology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Urciuoli, Jannette Alejandra; Bluestone, Cheryl

2013-01-01

This study explored a concept that learning study skills in the context of the content area under study may transfer across courses, multiplying the benefits towards academic success. Methods that have been reported to influence academic growth at the community college level include success courses and applied study skills. In this pilot project…

Image processing of angiograms: A pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, L. E.; Evans, R. A.; Roehm, J. O., Jr.

1974-01-01

The technology transfer application this report describes is the result of a pilot study of image-processing methods applied to the image enhancement, coding, and analysis of arteriograms. Angiography is a subspecialty of radiology that employs the introduction of media with high X-ray absorption into arteries in order to study vessel pathology as well as to infer disease of the organs supplied by the vessel in question.

Relationship between Recent Flight Experience and Pilot Error General Aviation Accidents

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsson, Sarah J.

Aviation insurance agents and fixed-base operation (FBO) owners use recent flight experience, as implied by the 90-day rule, to measure pilot proficiency in physical airplane skills, and to assess the likelihood of a pilot error accident. The generally accepted premise is that more experience in a recent timeframe predicts less of a propensity for an accident, all other factors excluded. Some of these aviation industry stakeholders measure pilot proficiency solely by using time flown within the past 90, 60, or even 30 days, not accounting for extensive research showing aeronautical decision-making and situational awareness training decrease the likelihood of a pilot error accident. In an effort to reduce the pilot error accident rate, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has seen the need to shift pilot training emphasis from proficiency in physical airplane skills to aeronautical decision-making and situational awareness skills. However, current pilot training standards still focus more on the former than on the latter. The relationship between pilot error accidents and recent flight experience implied by the FAA's 90-day rule has not been rigorously assessed using empirical data. The intent of this research was to relate recent flight experience, in terms of time flown in the past 90 days, to pilot error accidents. A quantitative ex post facto approach, focusing on private pilots of single-engine general aviation (GA) fixed-wing aircraft, was used to analyze National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigation archival data. The data were analyzed using t-tests and binary logistic regression. T-tests between the mean number of hours of recent flight experience of tricycle gear pilots involved in pilot error accidents (TPE) and non-pilot error accidents (TNPE), t(202) = -.200, p = .842, and conventional gear pilots involved in pilot error accidents (CPE) and non-pilot error accidents (CNPE), t(111) = -.271, p = .787, indicate there is no

PILOT STUDY: Report on the CCPR Pilot Comparison: Spectral Responsivity 10 nm to 20 nm

Science.gov (United States)

Scholze, Frank; Vest, Robert; Saito, Terubumi

2010-01-01

The CCPR Pilot Comparison on spectral responsivity in the 10 nm to 20 nm spectral range was carried out within the framework of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement by three laboratories: PTB (Germany), NIST (USA), and NMIJ/AIST (Japan) with PTB acting as the central and reporting laboratory. All participating laboratories used monochromatized synchrotron radiation. PTB and NIST used a cryogenic radiometer as the primary standard detector and NMIJ, an ionization chamber with extrapolation by a wavelength-independent detector. The aim of the pilot comparison was to check the accuracy of the radiometric scale of spectral responsivity in the short wavelength EUV spectral range which has recently gained in technological importance. The wavelengths of measurement were from 11.5 nm to 20 nm in 0.5 nm steps and additionally 12.2 nm. The comparison was carried out through the calibration of a group of transfer standard detectors. Two sets of three diodes of types AXUV and SXUV from International Radiation Detectors, Inc. were used for the comparison. The comparison had the form of a star comparison: Pilot-lab A-pilot-lab B-pilot, PTB acting as the pilot laboratory. All results were communicated directly to the pilot laboratory. The report describes in detail the measurements made at PTB and summarizes the reports submitted by the participants. Measurements carried out by the pilot laboratory before and after the circulation of the detectors proved that the stability of the detectors was sufficient for the comparison. For the type AXUV detectors, however, changes in their responsivity contributed to the uncertainty of the comparison. Measurement results from participants and their associated uncertainties were analyzed in this report according to the Guidelines for CCPR Comparison Report Preparation. The uncertainty contributions were separated, as to whether they are wavelength dependent or not. All bilateral DoE are well within the respective k = 2 expanded uncertainty

Equifinality in empirical studies of cultural transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Brendan J

2018-01-31

Cultural systems exhibit equifinal behavior - a single final state may be arrived at via different mechanisms and/or from different initial states. Potential for equifinality exists in all empirical studies of cultural transmission including controlled experiments, observational field research, and computational simulations. Acknowledging and anticipating the existence of equifinality is important in empirical studies of social learning and cultural evolution; it helps us understand the limitations of analytical approaches and can improve our ability to predict the dynamics of cultural transmission. Here, I illustrate and discuss examples of equifinality in studies of social learning, and how certain experimental designs might be prone to it. I then review examples of equifinality discussed in the social learning literature, namely the use of s-shaped diffusion curves to discern individual from social learning and operational definitions and analytical approaches used in studies of conformist transmission. While equifinality exists to some extent in all studies of social learning, I make suggestions for how to address instances of it, with an emphasis on using data simulation and methodological verification alongside modern statistical approaches that emphasize prediction and model comparison. In cases where evaluated learning mechanisms are equifinal due to non-methodological factors, I suggest that this is not always a problem if it helps us predict cultural change. In some cases, equifinal learning mechanisms might offer insight into how both individual learning, social learning strategies and other endogenous social factors might by important in structuring cultural dynamics and within- and between-group heterogeneity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Ethnographic Studies in Empirical Software Engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharp, Helen; Dittrich, Yvonne; Souza, Cleidson R. B. de

2016-01-01

Ethnography is a qualitative research method used to study people and cultures. It is largely adopted in disciplines outside software engineering, including different areas of computer science. Ethnography can provide an in-depth understanding of the socio-technological realities surrounding ever...... as a useful and usable approach to empirical software engineering research. Throughout the paper, relevant examples of ethnographic studies of software practice are used to illustrate the points being made.......Ethnography is a qualitative research method used to study people and cultures. It is largely adopted in disciplines outside software engineering, including different areas of computer science. Ethnography can provide an in-depth understanding of the socio-technological realities surrounding...... everyday software development practice, i.e., it can help to uncover not only what practitioners do, but also why they do it. Despite its potential, ethnography has not been widely adopted by empirical software engineering researchers, and receives little attention in the related literature. The main goal...

Technical Writing Redesign and Assessment: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Gaye Bush

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare scores on writing assignments from traditional, fully online courses in technical writing to pilot, hybrid courses at a southern university. A total of 232 students' assignments were compared in this study. All writing assignments were scored by six trained instructors of English using the same five point…

Choice of Foreign Market Entry Mode - Cognitions from Empirical and Theoretical Studies

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Xuemin; Decker, Reinhold

2004-01-01

This paper analyzes critically five basic theories on market entry mode decision with respect to existing strengths and weaknesses and the results of corresponding empirical studies. Starting from conflictions both in theories and empirical studies dealing with the entry mode choice problem we motivate a significant need of further research in this important area of international marketing. Furthermore we provide implications for managers in practice and outline emerging trends in market entr...

Empirical data and moral theory. A plea for integrated empirical ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Molewijk, Bert; Stiggelbout, Anne M; Otten, Wilma; Dupuis, Heleen M; Kievit, Job

2004-01-01

Ethicists differ considerably in their reasons for using empirical data. This paper presents a brief overview of four traditional approaches to the use of empirical data: "the prescriptive applied ethicists," "the theorists," "the critical applied ethicists," and "the particularists." The main aim of this paper is to introduce a fifth approach of more recent date (i.e. "integrated empirical ethics") and to offer some methodological directives for research in integrated empirical ethics. All five approaches are presented in a table for heuristic purposes. The table consists of eight columns: "view on distinction descriptive-prescriptive sciences," "location of moral authority," "central goal(s)," "types of normativity," "use of empirical data," "method," "interaction empirical data and moral theory," and "cooperation with descriptive sciences." Ethicists can use the table in order to identify their own approach. Reflection on these issues prior to starting research in empirical ethics should lead to harmonization of the different scientific disciplines and effective planning of the final research design. Integrated empirical ethics (IEE) refers to studies in which ethicists and descriptive scientists cooperate together continuously and intensively. Both disciplines try to integrate moral theory and empirical data in order to reach a normative conclusion with respect to a specific social practice. IEE is not wholly prescriptive or wholly descriptive since IEE assumes an interdepence between facts and values and between the empirical and the normative. The paper ends with three suggestions for consideration on some of the future challenges of integrated empirical ethics.

Strategic Management Tools and Techniques: A Comparative Analysis of Empirical Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albana Berisha Qehaja

2017-01-01

Full Text Available There is no doubt that strategic management tools and techniques are important parts of the strategic management process. Their use in organizations should be observed in a practice-based context. This paper analyzes the empirical studies on the usage of strategic management tools and techniques. Hence, the main aim of this study is to investigate and analyze which enterprises, according to their country development level, use more strategic management tools and techniques and which of these are used the most. Also, this paper investigates which strategic management tools and techniques are used globally according to the results of empirical studies. The study presents a summary of empirical studies for the period 1990–2015. The research results indicate that more strategic tools and techniques are used in developed countries, followed by developing countries and fewest in countries in transition. This study is likely to contribute to the field of strategic management because it summarizes the most used strategic tools and techniques at the global level according to varying stages of countries’ economic development. Also, the findings from this study may be utilized to maximize the full potential of enterprises and reduce the cases of entrepreneurship failures, through creating awareness of the importance of using strategic management tools and techniques.

Comparing systemic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorders: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunger, Christina; Hilzinger, Rebecca; Koch, Theresa; Mander, Johannes; Sander, Anja; Bents, Hinrich; Schweitzer, Jochen

2016-03-31

Social anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the general population. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorders is well demonstrated. However, only three studies point to the efficacy of systemic therapy (ST) in anxiety disorders, and only two of them especially focus on social anxiety disorders. These ST studies either do not use a good comparator but minimal supportive therapy, they do not use a multi-person ST but a combined therapy, or they do not especially focus on social anxiety disorders but mood and anxiety disorders in general. Though ST was approved as evidence based in Germany for a variety of disorders in 2008, evidence did not include anxiety disorders. This is the first pilot study that will investigate multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, specifically for social anxiety disorders and that will compare ST to the "gold standard" CBT. This article describes the rationale and protocol of a prospective, open, interventive, balanced, bi-centric, pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 32 patients with a primary SCID diagnosis of social anxiety disorder will be randomized to either CBT or ST. Both treatments will be manualized. The primary outcome will include social anxiety symptoms at the end of therapy. Therapy will be restricted to no more than 26 hours (primary endpoint). Secondary outcomes will include psychological, social systems and interpersonal functioning, symptom adjustment, and caregiver burden, in addition to change measures, therapist variables and treatment adherence. At the secondary endpoints, 9 and 12 months after the beginning of therapy, we will again assess all outcomes. The study is expected to pilot test a RCT which will be the first to directly compare CBT and multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, for social anxiety disorders, and it will provide empirical evidence for the calculation of the number of

2000 Annual report NATO/CCMS Pilot Study, Clean Products and Processes (Phase I)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wenzel, Henrik; Molin, Christine; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2001-01-01

The NATO/Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society third Pilot Study meeting on Clean Products and Processes was held in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 7-12, 2000. This meeting maintained the momentum generated during the of the first two years of the pilot study, focusing on progress made on sev...... homepage....

Empathy at the confluence of neuroscience and empirical literary studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burke, M.; Mangen, Anne; Kuzmicova, Anezka; Schilhab, Theresa

2016-01-01

The objective of this article is to review extant empirical studies of empathy in narrative reading in light of (a) contemporary literary theory, and (b) neuroscientific studies of empathy, and to discuss how a closer interplay between neuroscience and literary studies may enhance our understanding

Mobile Systems Development: An Empirical Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hosbond, J. H.

As part of an ongoing study on mobile systems development (MSD), this paper presents preliminary findings of research-in-progress. The debate on mobility in research has so far been dominated by mobile HCI, technological innovations, and socio-technical issues related to new and emerging mobile...... work patterns. This paper is about the development of mobile systems.Based on an on-going empirical study I present four case studies of companies each with different products or services to offer and diverging ways of establishing and sustaining a successful business in the mobile industry. From...... the case studies I propose a five-layered framework for understanding the structure and segmentation of the industry. This leads to an analysis of the different modes of operation within the mobile industry, exemplified by the four case studies.The contribution of this paper is therefore two-fold: (1) I...

Salt intrusion study in Cochin estuary - Using empirical models

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jacob, B.; Revichandran, C.; NaveenKumar, K.R.

been applied to the Cochin estuary in the present study to identify the most suitable model for predicting the salt intrusion length. Comparison of the obtained results indicate that the model of Van der Burgh (1972) is the most suitable empirical model...

Clean indoor air increases physical independence : a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snijders, M.C.L.; Koren, L.G.H.; Kort, H.S.M.; Bronswijk, van J.E.M.H.

2001-01-01

Clean indoor air enhances health. In a pilot study, we examined whether a good indoor air quality increases the activity potential of older persons with chronic lung disease. Five older persons were studied while performing kitchen activities. Body movement and heart rate were monitored.

Empirical research in medical ethics: How conceptual accounts on normative-empirical collaboration may improve research practice

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The methodology of medical ethics during the last few decades has shifted from a predominant use of normative-philosophical analyses to an increasing involvement of empirical methods. The articles which have been published in the course of this so-called 'empirical turn' can be divided into conceptual accounts of empirical-normative collaboration and studies which use socio-empirical methods to investigate ethically relevant issues in concrete social contexts. Discussion A considered reference to normative research questions can be expected from good quality empirical research in medical ethics. However, a significant proportion of empirical studies currently published in medical ethics lacks such linkage between the empirical research and the normative analysis. In the first part of this paper, we will outline two typical shortcomings of empirical studies in medical ethics with regard to a link between normative questions and empirical data: (1) The complete lack of normative analysis, and (2) cryptonormativity and a missing account with regard to the relationship between 'is' and 'ought' statements. Subsequently, two selected concepts of empirical-normative collaboration will be presented and how these concepts may contribute to improve the linkage between normative and empirical aspects of empirical research in medical ethics will be demonstrated. Based on our analysis, as well as our own practical experience with empirical research in medical ethics, we conclude with a sketch of concrete suggestions for the conduct of empirical research in medical ethics. Summary High quality empirical research in medical ethics is in need of a considered reference to normative analysis. In this paper, we demonstrate how conceptual approaches of empirical-normative collaboration can enhance empirical research in medical ethics with regard to the link between empirical research and normative analysis. PMID:22500496

An update on the "empirical turn" in bioethics: analysis of empirical research in nine bioethics journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wangmo, Tenzin; Hauri, Sirin; Gennet, Eloise; Anane-Sarpong, Evelyn; Provoost, Veerle; Elger, Bernice S

2018-02-07

A review of literature published a decade ago noted a significant increase in empirical papers across nine bioethics journals. This study provides an update on the presence of empirical papers in the same nine journals. It first evaluates whether the empirical trend is continuing as noted in the previous study, and second, how it is changing, that is, what are the characteristics of the empirical works published in these nine bioethics journals. A review of the same nine journals (Bioethics; Journal of Medical Ethics; Journal of Clinical Ethics; Nursing Ethics; Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics; Hastings Center Report; Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics; Christian Bioethics; and Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal) was conducted for a 12-year period from 2004 to 2015. Data obtained was analysed descriptively and using a non-parametric Chi-square test. Of the total number of original papers (N = 5567) published in the nine bioethics journals, 18.1% (n = 1007) collected and analysed empirical data. Journal of Medical Ethics and Nursing Ethics led the empirical publications, accounting for 89.4% of all empirical papers. The former published significantly more quantitative papers than qualitative, whereas the latter published more qualitative papers. Our analysis reveals no significant difference (χ2 = 2.857; p = 0.091) between the proportion of empirical papers published in 2004-2009 and 2010-2015. However, the increasing empirical trend has continued in these journals with the proportion of empirical papers increasing from 14.9% in 2004 to 17.8% in 2015. This study presents the current state of affairs regarding empirical research published nine bioethics journals. In the quarter century of data that is available about the nine bioethics journals studied in two reviews, the proportion of empirical publications continues to increase, signifying a trend towards empirical research in bioethics. The growing volume is mainly attributable to two

Outcome evaluation of a pilot study using "nudges"

Science.gov (United States)

Every school day, over 31 million U.S. children eat school lunches. Unfortunately, students often do not choose the healthy options in the school cafeteria. This paper describes outcome results of a pilot study using "nudges" to improve elementary school students' fruits and vegetables selections. A...

Cross-sectional study of neck pain and cervical sagittal alignment in air force pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Bong Ju; Choi, Kyong Ho; Yun, Chul; Ha, Yoon

2015-05-01

There is a high prevalence of neck pain in air force pilots; however, the causes are not clear and are considered work-related. Kyphotic changes in the cervical spine have been known to cause neck pain. In this study, we investigated the association between neck pain and cervical kyphosis in air force pilots. This is a cross-sectional study of 63 Republic of South Korea Air Force pilots. We examined the C2-7 absolute rotation angle (ARA) using the posterior tangent method and other radiologic parameters on whole spine lateral radiographs. We divided the participants into a neck pain group (N = 32) and no neck pain group (N = 31), and subsequently analyzed the difference in radiographic parameters and clinical data between the two groups. There were no significant differences found in age, body mass index, total flight time, or aerobic or anaerobic exercise between the neck pain and control groups. The fighter pilots had higher 1-yr prevalence of neck pain than nonfighter pilots (84.4% vs. 15.6%). The lower C2-7 ARA (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.846, 0.979) and fighter type aircrafts (OR = 3.93, 95% CI 1.104, 13.989) were associated with neck pain. Fighter pilots experienced neck pain more frequently than the nonfighter pilots. Those fighter pilots suffering from neck pain were shown to have more kyphotic changes in the cervical spine than control pilots through evaluation of whole spine lateral radiographs using the posterior tangent method. These key findings suggest that the forces involved in flying a fighter type aircraft may affect cervical alignment and neck pain.

Mathematical simulation of column flotation in pilot scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.; Jordan, D.; Cifuentes, G.; Morales, A.; Briones, L.

2010-01-01

The Procemin-I area of the Centro Minero Metalurgico Tecnologia y Servicio (CIMM T and S), has a full milling and flotation pilot plant in which several experiences are developed as: optimization of circuits, plant design, procurement of operating parameters, etc. Ones of the equipment in operation is the column flotation to pilot scale, witch have a medium level of automation. The problem presented in the operation of the column flotation is the low relationship during the operation between the operating basis parameters and the metallurgical results. The mathematical models used today to estimate the metallurgical results (i.e.: concentrate, tailing, enrichment and recovery) depending on variables that are manipulated by hand according the operator experience. But the process engineer needs tools without subjective vision to obtain the best performance of the column. The method used to help the column operation was a mathematical model based on the Stepwise Regression then considering empirical relationships between operational variables and experimental results. All the mathematical relationship developed in this study have a good correlation (up 90 % of precision), except one (up 70 %) due by non regular mineralogical feed. (Author) 7 refs.

An Automated Defect Prediction Framework using Genetic Algorithms: A Validation of Empirical Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Murillo-Morera

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Today, it is common for software projects to collect measurement data through development processes. With these data, defect prediction software can try to estimate the defect proneness of a software module, with the objective of assisting and guiding software practitioners. With timely and accurate defect predictions, practitioners can focus their limited testing resources on higher risk areas. This paper reports the results of three empirical studies that uses an automated genetic defect prediction framework. This framework generates and compares different learning schemes (preprocessing + attribute selection + learning algorithms and selects the best one using a genetic algorithm, with the objective to estimate the defect proneness of a software module. The first empirical study is a performance comparison of our framework with the most important framework of the literature. The second empirical study is a performance and runtime comparison between our framework and an exhaustive framework. The third empirical study is a sensitivity analysis. The last empirical study, is our main contribution in this paper. Performance of the software development defect prediction models (using AUC, Area Under the Curve was validated using NASA-MDP and PROMISE data sets. Seventeen data sets from NASA-MDP (13 and PROMISE (4 projects were analyzed running a NxM-fold cross-validation. A genetic algorithm was used to select the components of the learning schemes automatically, and to assess and report the results. Our results reported similar performance between frameworks. Our framework reported better runtime than exhaustive framework. Finally, we reported the best configuration according to sensitivity analysis.

A remotely piloted aircraft system in major incident management: concept and pilot, feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahamsen, Håkon B

2015-06-10

Major incidents are complex, dynamic and bewildering task environments characterised by simultaneous, rapidly changing events, uncertainty and ill-structured problems. Efficient management, communication, decision-making and allocation of scarce medical resources at the chaotic scene of a major incident is challenging and often relies on sparse information and data. Communication and information sharing is primarily voice-to-voice through phone or radio on specified radio frequencies. Visual cues are abundant and difficult to communicate between teams and team members that are not co-located. The aim was to assess the concept and feasibility of using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) system to support remote sensing in simulated major incident exercises. We carried out an experimental, pilot feasibility study. A custom-made, remotely controlled, multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle with vertical take-off and landing was equipped with digital colour- and thermal imaging cameras, a laser beam, a mechanical gripper arm and an avalanche transceiver. We collected data in five simulated exercises: 1) mass casualty traffic accident, 2) mountain rescue, 3) avalanche with buried victims, 4) fisherman through thin ice and 5) search for casualties in the dark. The unmanned aerial vehicle was remotely controlled, with high precision, in close proximity to air space obstacles at very low levels without compromising work on the ground. Payload capacity and tolerance to wind and turbulence were limited. Aerial video, shot from different altitudes, and remote aerial avalanche beacon search were streamed wirelessly in real time to a monitor at a ground base. Electromagnetic interference disturbed signal reception in the ground monitor. A small remotely piloted aircraft can be used as an effective tool carrier, although limited by its payload capacity, wind speed and flight endurance. Remote sensing using already existing remotely piloted aircraft technology in pre

Increased neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in delirium: a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Egberts A

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Angelique Egberts, Francesco US Mattace-Raso Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Aim: Delirium is a common and severe complication among older hospitalized patients. The pathophysiology is poorly understood, but it has been suggested that inflammation and oxidative stress may play a role. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate levels of the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR – a marker of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress – in patients with and without delirium. Methods: This pilot study was performed within a retrospective chart review study that included acutely ill patients, 65 years and older, who were admitted to the ward of geriatrics of the Erasmus University Medical Center. All patients in whom the differential white blood cell (WBC counts as well as the C-reactive protein (CRP level were determined within 24 h after admission were included in the present study. Differences in NLR between patients with and without delirium were investigated using univariate analysis of variance, with adjustments for age, sex, comorbidities, CRP level, and total WBC count. Results: Eighty-six patients were included. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with delirium. In adjusted models, higher mean NLR values were found in patients with, than in those without, delirium (9.10 vs 5.18, P=0.003. Conclusion: In this pilot study, we found increased NLR levels in patients with delirium. This finding might suggest that an inadequate response of the immune system and oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of delirium. Further studies are needed to confirm the association between NLR and delirium. Keywords: delirium, pathology, biomarkers, leukocytes, immune system, brain 

MRI study of the morphometry of the cervical musculature in F-16 pilots

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Loose, Veerle; van den Oord, Marieke; Keser, Ilke; Burnotte, Frédéric; van Tiggelen, Damien; Dumarey, Alexandre; Cagnie, Barbara; Witvrouw, Erik; Danneels, Lieven

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: In fighter pilots neck muscle strengthening exercises are often recommended to protect the neck against pathologies. The aim of the current study was to compare the relative cross-sectional area (rCSA) and muscle:fat ratio of the cervical musculature of F-16 pilots experiencing neck

an empirical study of poverty in calabar and its environs.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

2009-06-17

Jun 17, 2009 ... AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF POVERTY IN CALABAR AND ITS. ENVIRONS. ... one of the poorest nations in the world (CBN, 2001). Specifically, these .... rural development in poor regions, inadequate access to education ...

Pilot Study for Maintenance Rule at KSNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kwang Hee; Jeong, Hyeon Jong; Jee, Moon Hak; Hong, Sung Yull

2005-01-01

Maintenance Rule (MR), which was developed to monitor the effectiveness of maintenance in a nuclear power plant (NPP), has been received as highly successful program by and large since its implementation in 1996 in the United States. Korea has initiated two pilot programs to implement the Maintenance Rule program in 2003. Selected plants for the pilot implementation are Kori 3 and 4 units and Ulchin 3 and 4 units, where Kori 3 and 4 units are Westinghouse units and Ulchin 3 and 4 units are Korean Standardized Nuclear Power (KSNP) Plant units. This paper describes the results of each key tasks completed to date and insights gained from pilot study on the KSNP units. Currently, Scoping of the functions of maintenance rule and determination of safety significance level have been completed during first year. As first task, total 607 functions were identified and defined by detailed function analysis on 135 systems that cover all plant systems. About 55% of total functions are selected as within the scope of maintenance rule. Among these inscoped functions, 56% of scoped functions are safety related and 44% are non-safety related functions. Evaluation of safety significance for each function was determined by expert panel consist of eight experts in field of plant maintenance, operation, PSA, work schedule and system engineers. As a result, about 46% of functions were determined to be high safety significant functions and rest of the functions were classified as low safety significant. The remaining tasks that are included determination of performance criteria and preparation of implementing guideline will be performed in following years

Does age impact self-actualization needs?—an empirical study ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, although this study supports the existence of needs, the chronology of their dominance may not be as per Maslow's hierarchy pyramid. This empirical study establishes that there may not be progressive increase in self-actualization need as age progresses. Keywords: Maslow, need priorities, age, self-actualization ...

Answering Fixed Response Items in Chemistry: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hateley, R. J.

1979-01-01

Presents a pilot study on student thinking in chemistry. Verbal comments of a group of six college students were recorded and analyzed to identify how each student arrives at the correct answer in fixed response items in chemisty. (HM)

Geothermal pilot study final report: creating an international geothermal energy community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bresee, J.C.; Yen, W.W.S.; Metzler, J.E. (eds.)

1978-06-01

The Geothermal Pilot Study under the auspices of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS) was established in 1973 to apply an action-oriented approach to international geothermal research and development, taking advantage of the established channels of governmental communication provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Pilot Study was composed of five substudies. They included: computer-based information systems; direct application of geothermal energy; reservoir assessment; small geothermal power plants; and hot dry rock concepts. The most significant overall result of the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study, which is now complete, is the establishment of an identifiable community of geothermal experts in a dozen or more countries active in development programs. Specific accomplishments include the creation of an international computer file of technical information on geothermal wells and fields, the development of studies and reports on direct applications, geothermal fluid injection and small power plants, and the operation of the visiting scientist program. In the United States, the computer file has aready proven useful in the development of reservoir models and of chemical geothermometers. The state-of-the-art report on direct uses of geothermal energy is proving to be a valuable resource document for laypersons and experts in an area of increasing interest to many countries. Geothermal fluid injection studies in El Salvador, New Zealand, and the United States have been assisted by the Reservoir Assessment Substudy and have led to long-range reservoir engineering studies in Mexico. At least seven small geothermal power plants are in use or have been planned for construction around the world since the Small Power Plant Substudy was instituted--at least partial credit for this increased application can be assigned to the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study. (JGB)

Managing Ethical Problems in Qualitative Research Involving Vulnerable Populations, Using a Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evalina van Wijk RN, PhD

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the researcher's study was to examine the meaning that intimate partners of female rape victims attached to their lived experiences after the rape. The conduct of qualitative research concerning non-offending partners of female rape victims, however, often involves multifaceted ethical and practical challenges, which can be managed through the use of pilot studies. The pilot study described in this report had three objectives. The first was to pretest and refine the proposed method for locating, accessing, and recruiting intimate partners of female rape victims, within the first two weeks after the rape, for participation in a six-month longitudinal study. The second objective was to identify and prevent all possible risk factors in the proposed recruitment and data collection methods that could harm the participants' safety during the main study. The third objective was to determine the feasibility of the main study, in terms of the limited financial and human resources available. The pilot phase was valuable in identifying ethical and methodological problems during the recruitment of participants and collection of data. It allowed for methodological adjustments prior to the main study and confirmed the feasibility of the overall research design. A pilot, pretesting phase is therefore seen as an essential component of a qualitative study involving a vulnerable population.

Chiropractic manipulation in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stoline Michael R

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS remains the most common deforming orthopedic condition in children. Increasingly, both adults and children are seeking complementary and alternative therapy, including chiropractic treatment, for a wide variety of health concerns. The scientific evidence supporting the use chiropractic intervention is inadequate. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot study and explore issues of safety, patient recruitment and compliance, treatment standardization, sham treatment refinement, inter-professional cooperation, quality assurance, and outcome measure selection. Methods Six patients participated in this 6-month study, 5 of whom were female. One female was braced. The mean age of these patients was 14 years, and the mean Cobb angle was 22.2 degrees. The study design was a randomized controlled clinical trial with two independent and blinded observers. Three patients were treated by standard medical care (observation or brace treatment, two were treated with standard medical care plus chiropractic manipulation, and one was treated with standard medical care plus sham manipulation. The primary outcome measure was Cobb, and the psychosocial measure was Scoliosis Quality of Life Index. Results Orthopedic surgeons and chiropractors were easily recruited and worked cooperatively throughout the trial. Patient recruitment and compliance was good. Chiropractic treatments were safely employed, and research protocols were successful. Conclusion Overall, our pilot study showed the viability for a larger randomized trial. This pilot confirms the strength of existing protocols with amendments for use in a full randomized controlled trial. Trial registration This trial has been assigned an international standard randomized controlled trial number by Current Controlled Trials, Ltd. http://www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn/. The number is ISRCTN41221647.

Electrocoagulation project: Pilot study testwork

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donini, J.C.; Garand, D.K.; Hassan, T.A.; Kar, K.L.; Thind, S.S.

1991-09-01

When a suspension or emulsion flows between two sacrificial metal electrodes excited by ac, the dispersed phase is consolidated and then settles. Laboratory-scale investigation of this mechanism, called electrocoagulation, and of its areas of application to water treatment were previously completed and a subsequent project was initiated to design and construct pilot-scale equipment consisting of an electrocoagulation cell, power supply, and computerized control system. The constructed pilot plant was used to test the effectiveness of electrocoagulation to clarify coal processing plant effluent. Results obtained with clay suspensions showed that flow conditions in the cell have a major effect on electric power consumption, and a reduction by a factor of three on this crucial cost parameter appeared possible compared to a previously tested batch-scale electrocoagulation system. Results obtained using the coal plant thickener feed closely duplicated those obtained with the clay mixtures. Aluminum electrode consumption, however, remained unchanged compared to the bench-scale tests. Supernatant clarity far exceeded requirements, while settling rate was too low. The settling could be speeded up by appropriate use of chemicals, but such addition affects the coagulation mechanism and reduces supernatant clarity. A tradeoff between settling rate and clarity was thus established. The total cost of treatment was deemed to be in excess of coal company requirements, but the pilot tests revealed much about the electrocoagulation system under continuous flow conditions. The technology is seen as having application in other areas such as municipal and industrial waste treatment. 22 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Classifying patients' complaints for regulatory purposes : A Pilot Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwman, R.J.R.; Bomhoff, Manja; Robben, Paul; Friele, R.D.

2018-01-01

Objectives: It is assumed that classifying and aggregated reporting of patients' complaints by regulators helps to identify problem areas, to respond better to patients and increase public accountability. This pilot study addresses what a classification of complaints in a regulatory setting

Fitzmaurice Voicework Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Lynn; Nayak, Sadhana

2015-11-01

A repeated-measures pilot study was used to investigate acoustic changes in the voices of participants in a Fitzmaurice Voicework (FV) teacher certification program. Maximum phonation time (MPT) was also measured. Eleven participants with no reported voice problems were studied. Pretraining and posttraining recordings were made of each participant. Measures of MPT were made, and the recordings were analyzed for jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR). The measure of effect size for MPT was moderate, and there was an overall increase in MPT from pretraining to posttraining, with 70% of participants showing an increase in MPT. The measure of effect sizes for jitter, shimmer, and NHR were small, with measurements showing no significant changes from pretraining to posttraining. There were indications that FV training may have positive outcomes for actors and professional voice users, particularly in increasing MPT. Further studies with larger subject groups are needed to investigate the significance of the increase in MPT noted in this study and to test whether FV training can help to lower rates of shimmer and jitter. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self moving patients to the operation theatre - a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qvarfordh, Anna Pernilla; Rovsing, Marie Louise; Esbensen, Bente Appel

2010-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate patients' satisfaction with walking to the operation theatre instead of being driven in a bed or wheel chair, and to identify the need for information. In total, 75 patients (aged 15-83 years) participated in the study. A questionnaire was develo......The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate patients' satisfaction with walking to the operation theatre instead of being driven in a bed or wheel chair, and to identify the need for information. In total, 75 patients (aged 15-83 years) participated in the study. A questionnaire...... was developed for this study with two focus areas: "Satisfaction with walking instead of being driven" and "Satisfaction with information". In total, 93pct. reported, that it was a good experience to be allowed to walk to the operation theatre, prior to their surgery. About the same proportion found...

Piloted simulation study of an ILS approach of a twin-pusher business/commuter turboprop aircraft configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Donald R.; Brandon, Jay M.; Glaab, Louis J.

1994-01-01

A six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear simulation of a twin-pusher, turboprop business/commuter aircraft configuration representative of the Cessna ATPTB (Advanced turboprop test bed) was developed for use in piloted studies with the Langley General Aviation Simulator. The math models developed are provided, simulation predictions are compared with with Cessna flight-test data for validation purposes, and results of a handling quality study during simulated ILS (instrument landing system) approaches and missed approaches are presented. Simulated flight trajectories, task performance measures, and pilot evaluations are presented for the ILS approach and missed-approach tasks conducted with the vehicle in the presence of moderate turbulence, varying horizontal winds and engine-out conditions. Six test subjects consisting of two research pilots, a Cessna test pilot, and three general aviation pilots participated in the study. This effort was undertaken in cooperation with the Cessna Aircraft Company.

Complex decision-making: initial results of an empirical study

OpenAIRE

Pier Luigi Baldi

2011-01-01

A brief survey of key literature on emotions and decision-making introduces an empirical study of a group of university students exploring the effects of decision-making complexity on error risk. The results clearly show that decision-making under stress in the experimental group produces significantly more errors than in the stress-free control group.

Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Guerrero, Graciela; Ayala, Andrés; Mateu, Juan; Casades, Laura; Alamán, Xavier

2016-10-25

This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the "Florida Secundaria" high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable).

Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graciela Guerrero

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the “Florida Secundaria” high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE ORIG ORIGI A pilot study evaluating erect chest ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-11-19

Nov 19, 2009 ... South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases ... After obtaining consent from departmental and institutional ethics com- mittees, a pilot study ... informed consent from parents or legal guardians.

An Empirical Study about China: Gender Equity in Science Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianjun; Staver, John R.

A data base representing a random sample of more than 10,000 grade 9 students in an SISS (Second IEA Science Study) Extended Study (SES), a key project supported by the China State Commission of Education in the late 1980s, was employed in this study to investigate gender equity in student science achievement in China. This empirical data analysis…

Pilot studies: one swallow does not make a summer... Editorial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gelder, T. van; Smits, P.

2003-01-01

What should we expect from pilot studies, done in small series of patients? In the literature there are many examples of small studies with very promising results, that in subsequent larger or better controlled studies proved to be much less promising, or even disastrous. In some instances the

Empirical evidence of design-related bias in studies of diagnostic tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lijmer, J. G.; Mol, B. W.; Heisterkamp, S.; Bonsel, G. J.; Prins, M. H.; van der Meulen, J. H.; Bossuyt, P. M.

1999-01-01

CONTEXT: The literature contains a large number of potential biases in the evaluation of diagnostic tests. Strict application of appropriate methodological criteria would invalidate the clinical application of most study results. OBJECTIVE: To empirically determine the quantitative effect of study

Restoring effective sleep tranquility (REST): A feasibility and pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Eakman, Aaron M; Schmid, Arlene A; Henry, Kimberly L; Rolle, Natalie R; Schelly, Catherine; Pott, Christine E; Burns, Joshua E

2017-06-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to establish the feasibility of completing a future controlled trial of a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program for military veterans with sleep disturbance. This was a single-arm feasibility and pilot study. Participants were United States post-9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries, university students, and had self-reported sleep disturbances. Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility was a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia intervention consisting of seven sessions of group therapy and eight 1:1 sessions delivered by occupational therapists. Feasibility and pilot indicators were process, resources, management, and scientific, including pre-post-assessments of sleep difficulties, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, participation, and pain interference. Indicators were supportive of feasibility, including reduced sleep difficulties (for example Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Measure [ t  = 3.29, p  = .02]), reduced nightmares: t  = 2.79, p  = .03; fewer dysfunctional sleep beliefs: t  = 3.63, p  = .01, and greater ability to participate in social roles: t  = -2.86, p  = .03, along with trends towards improved satisfaction with participation and reduced pain interference. The Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility program may reduce sleep difficulties and improve participation in US veterans with service-connected injuries, and evidence indicates a controlled trial would be feasible to deliver.

Effects of aquajogging in obese adults : A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wouters, E.J.M.; van Nunen, A.M.A.; Geenen, R.; Kolotkin, R.L.; Vingerhoets, A.J.J.M.

2010-01-01

Aim and Method. To examine in obese people the potential effectiveness of a six-week, two times weekly aquajogging program on body composition, fitness, health-related quality of life, and exercise beliefs. Fifteen otherwise healthy obese persons participated in a pilot study. Results. Total fat

Complex decision-making: initial results of an empirical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pier Luigi Baldi

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A brief survey of key literature on emotions and decision-making introduces an empirical study of a group of university students exploring the effects of decision-making complexity on error risk. The results clearly show that decision-making under stress in the experimental group produces significantly more errors than in the stress-free control group.

Pilot Study on Harmonisation of Reactor Safety in WENRA Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-03-01

Most of the objectives, set for the Pilot Study, were met. It can be concluded that the methodology was adequate for its purpose. National requirements on selected safety issues have been systematically compared and the major gaps and differences have been identified. Convenient overviews have been provided of differences and similarities between the countries. Furthermore, the conclusions are based on a safety justification and are detailed enough to provide input to a further more detailed analysis on the national level. It was not possible, however, to provide fully verified conclusions about the implementation of the reference levels in the different countries. This has to do with the following constraints on the study: In line with the Terms of Reference, the comparison of formal requirements did not address the more detailed use of criteria and methods to verify compliance. The same requirement could be enforced differently in different regulatory systems, and hence lead to different implementation. The Pilot Study also assessed the implementation, but it was not possible to do this in sufficient detail to identify such differences. The implementation was assessed on the basis of current knowledge of the respective regulatory body, but it was not possible to provide the panels with evidence of the implementation. For these reasons, conclusions about implemented safety provisions in the different countries should be drawn with precaution. The introduction of the panel assessments greatly improved the quality and consistency of the comparison assessments. Uncertainties in the assessments are mainly connected with lack of time to make a detailed analysis in some cases. The reliability of the assessments seems to be sufficient for the objectives of the Pilot Study. The introduction of the IAEA safety standards in the study proved to be helpful and provided confidence in the scope and strictness of the reference levels. This Pilot Study has contributed to

Resource Allocation Support System (RASS): Summary report of the 1992 pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buehring, W.A.; Whitfield, R.G.; Wolsko, T.D.; Kier, P.H.; Absil, M.J.G.; Jusko, M.J.; Sapinski, P.F.

1993-02-01

The Resource Allocation Support System (RASS) is a decision-aiding system being developed to assist the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Waste Management in program and budget decision making. Four pilot studies were conducted at DOE field offices in summer 1992 to evaluate and improve the RASS design. This report summarizes the combined results of the individual field office pilot studies. Results are presented from different perspectives to illustrate the type of information that would be available from RASS. Lessons learned and directions for future RASS developments are also presented

Decoupling among CSR policies, programs, and impacts : An empirical study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graafland, Johan; Smid, Hugo

2016-01-01

There are relatively few empirical studies on the impacts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and programs. This article addresses the research gap by analyzing the incidence of, and the conditions that affect, decoupling (defined as divergence) among CSR policies, implementation of

An experimental study of the effect of a pilot flame on technically pre-mixed, self-excited combustion instabilities

Science.gov (United States)

O'Meara, Bridget C.

Combustion instabilities are a problem facing the gas turbine industry in the operation of lean, pre-mixed combustors. Secondary flames known as "pilot flames" are a common passive control strategy for eliminating combustion instabilities in industrial gas turbines, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame's stabilizing effect are not well understood. This dissertation presents an experimental study of a pilot flame in a single-nozzle, swirl-stabilized, variable length atmospheric combustion test facility and the effect of the pilot on combustion instabilities. A variable length combustor tuned the acoustics of the system to excite instabilities over a range of operating conditions without a pilot flame. The inlet velocity was varied from 25 -- 50 m/s and the equivalence ratio was varied from 0.525 -- 0.65. This range of operating conditions was determined by the operating range of the combustion test facility. Stability at each operating condition and combustor length was characterized by measurements of pressure oscillations in the combustor. The effect of the pilot flame on the magnitude and frequency of combustor stability was then investigated. The mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame effect were studied using chemiluminescence flame images of both stable and unstable flames. Stable flame structure was investigated using stable flame images of CH* chemiluminescence emission. The effect of the pilot on stable flame metrics such as flame length, flame angle, and flame width was investigated. In addition, a new flame metric, flame base distance, was defined to characterize the effect of the pilot flame on stable flame anchoring of the flame base to the centerbody. The effect of the pilot flame on flame base anchoring was investigated because the improved stability with a pilot flame is usually attributed to improved flame anchoring through the recirculation of hot products from the pilot to the main flame base. Chemiluminescence images

Effects of aquajogging in obese adults: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

PhD Ronette Kolotkin; MSc Annemieke van Nunen; PhD Rinie Geenen; PhD Ad Vingerhoets; MD E.J.M. Wouters

2009-01-01

Aim and method: To examine in obese people the potential effectiveness of a six-week, two times weekly aquajogging program on body composition, fitness, health-related quality of life and exercise beliefs. Fifteen otherwise healthy obese persons participated in a pilot study. Results: Total fat mass

Critical Thinking in Nurse Anesthesia Education: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Shari; Mendel, Shaun; Fisher, Rodney; Cooper, Kimball; Fisher, Michael

2013-01-01

Critical thinking is pivotal for student success in health professions education. Knowing the critical thinking ability of the learner helps educators tailor curriculum to enhance critical thinking. A quantitative comparative pilot study assessed critical thinking ability for students at two distinct points in a nurse anesthesia program…

Lung cancer correlates in Lebanese adults: A pilot case–control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Aoun

2013-12-01

Conclusion: In this pilot study, it was found that in addition to smoking, outdoor and indoor pollution factors were potential risk factors of lung cancer. Additional studies would be necessary to confirm these findings.

Pilot plant study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, M.E.

1978-01-01

Sandia Laboratories undertook the design and fabrication of an 8 ton/day dry sewage sludge irradiatior. The facility is intended (1) to function as a high-gamma-dose rate research facility; (2) to be a testbed for the unique electrical and mechanical components to be used in larger facilities; (3) to fulfill the formal requirements of a pilot plant so that design and construction of a demonstration facility could proceed; and (4) to provide accurate data base on construction and operating experience for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the Safety Analysis Report (SAR), and the cost analyses for a larger facility. The facility and its component systems are described in detail

Airplane pilot mental health and suicidal thoughts: a cross-sectional descriptive study via anonymous web-based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Alexander C; Donnelly-McLay, Deborah; Weisskopf, Marc G; McNeely, Eileen; Betancourt, Theresa S; Allen, Joseph G

2016-12-15

The Germanwings Flight 9525 crash has brought the sensitive subject of airline pilot mental health to the forefront in aviation. Globally, 350 million people suffer from depression-a common mental disorder. This study provides further information on this important topic regarding mental health especially among female airline pilots. This is the first study to describe airline pilot mental health-with a focus on depression and suicidal thoughts-outside of the information derived from aircraft accident investigations, regulated health examinations, or identifiable self-reports, which are records protected by civil aviation authorities and airline companies. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study via an anonymous web-based survey administered between April and December 2015. Pilots were recruited from unions, airline companies, and airports via convenience sampling. Data analysis included calculating absolute number and prevalence of health characteristics and depression scores. One thousand eight hundred thirty seven (52.7%) of the 3485 surveyed pilots completed the survey, with 1866 (53.5%) completing at least half of the survey. 233 (12.6%) of 1848 airline pilots responding to the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and 193 (13.5%) of 1430 pilots who reported working as an airline pilot in the last seven days at time of survey, met depression threshold-PHQ-9 total score ≥ 10. Seventy-five participants (4.1%) reported having suicidal thoughts within the past two weeks. We found a significant trend in proportions of depression at higher levels of use of sleep-aid medication (trend test z = 6.74, p sexual harassment (z = 3.18, p = 0.001) or verbal harassment (z = 6.13, p < 0.001). Hundreds of pilots currently flying are managing depressive symptoms perhaps without the possibility of treatment due to the fear of negative career impacts. This study found 233 (12.6%) airline pilots meeting depression threshold and 75 (4.1%) pilots

Medication coaching program for patients with minor stroke or TIA: A pilot study

OpenAIRE

Sides, Elizabeth G; Zimmer, Louise O; Wilson, Leslie; Pan, Wenqin; Olson, DaiWai M; Peterson, Eric D; Bushnell, Cheryl

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Patients who are hospitalized with a first or recurrent stroke often are discharged with new medications or adjustment to the doses of pre-admission medications, which can be confusing and pose safety issues if misunderstood. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of medication coaching via telephone after discharge in patients with stroke. Methods Two-arm pilot study of a medication coaching program with 30 patients (20 intervention, 10 control). Co...

Empirical Philosophy of Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mansnerus, Erika; Wagenknecht, Susann

2015-01-01

knowledge takes place through the integration of the empirical or historical research into the philosophical studies, as Chang, Nersessian, Thagard and Schickore argue in their work. Building upon their contributions we will develop a blueprint for an Empirical Philosophy of Science that draws upon...... qualitative methods from the social sciences in order to advance our philosophical understanding of science in practice. We will regard the relationship between philosophical conceptualization and empirical data as an iterative dialogue between theory and data, which is guided by a particular ‘feeling with......Empirical insights are proven fruitful for the advancement of Philosophy of Science, but the integration of philosophical concepts and empirical data poses considerable methodological challenges. Debates in Integrated History and Philosophy of Science suggest that the advancement of philosophical...

An Empirical Study of Audit Expectation Gap in Hungary

OpenAIRE

Judit Füredi-Fülöp

2015-01-01

The audit expectation gap has preoccupied the finance and accounting profession for a long time. Considerable research has been conducted into this issue and attempts have been made to provide an accurate definition of the audit expectation gap, model this concept and assess the possibilities of its narrowing. Also, a number of studies investigate whether there is an audit expectation gap in several researched regions. The objectives of empirical studies on the structure and nature of the aud...

Climate change, income and happiness: An empirical study for Barcelona

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sekulova, F.; van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.

2013-01-01

The present article builds upon the results of an empirical study exploring key factors which determine life satisfaction in Barcelona. Based on a sample of 840 individuals we first look at the way changes in income, notably income reductions, associated with the current economic situation in Spain,

Educational Inequality and Income Inequality: An Empirical Study on China

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun; Huang, Xiao; Li, Xiaoyu

2009-01-01

Based on the endogenous growth theory, this paper uses the Gini coefficient to measure educational inequality and studies the empirical relationship between educational inequality and income inequality through a simultaneous equation model. The results show that: (1) Income inequality leads to educational inequality while the reduction of…

Matrix effect studies with empirical formulations in maize saplings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bansal, Meenakshi; Deep, Kanan; Mittal, Raj

2012-01-01

In X-ray fluorescence, the earlier derived matrix effects from fundamental relations of intensities of analyte/matrix elements with basic atomic and experimental setup parameters and tested on synthetic known samples were found empirically related to analyte/matrix elemental amounts. The present study involves the application of these relations on potassium and calcium macronutrients of maize saplings treated with different fertilizers. The novelty of work involves a determination of an element in the presence of its secondary excitation rather than avoiding the secondary fluorescence. Therefore, the possible utility of this process is in studying the absorption for some intermediate samples in a lot of a category of samples with close Z interfering constituents (just like Ca and K). Once the absorption and enhancement terms are fitted to elemental amounts and fitted coefficients are determined, with the absorption terms from the fit and an enhancer element amount known from its selective excitation, the next iterative elemental amount can be directly evaluated from the relations. - Highlights: ► Empirical formulation for matrix corrections in terms of amounts of analyte and matrix element. ► The study applied on K and Ca nutrients of maize, rice and potato organic materials. ► The formulation provides matrix terms from amounts of analyte/matrix elements and vice versa.

Preliminary Hydrogeologic Characterization Results from the Wallula Basalt Pilot Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

B.P. McGrail; E. C. Sullivan; F. A. Spane; D. H. Bacon; G. Hund; P. D. Thorne; C. J. Thompson; S. P. Reidel; F. S. Colwell

2009-12-01

The DOE's Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership has completed drilling the first continental flood basalt sequestration pilot borehole to a total depth (TD) of 4,110 feet on the Boise White Paper Mill property at Wallula, Washington. Site suitability was assessed prior to drilling by the 2007-2008 acquisition, processing and analysis of a four-mile, five-line three component seismic swath, which was processed as a single data-dense line. Analysis of the seismic survey data indicated a composite basalt formation thickness of {approx}8,000 feet and absence of major geologic structures (i.e., faults) along the line imaged by the seismic swath. Drilling of Wallula pilot borehole was initiated on January 13, 2009 and reached TD on April 6, 2009. Based on characterization results obtained during drilling, three basalt breccia zones were identified between the depth interval of 2,716 and 2,910 feet, as being suitable injection reservoir for a subsequent CO2 injection pilot study. The targeted injection reservoir lies stratigraphically below the massive Umtanum Member of the Grande Ronde Basalt, whose flow-interior section possesses regionally recognized low-permeability characteristics. The identified composite injection zone reservoir provides a unique and attractive opportunity to scientifically study the reservoir behavior of three inter-connected reservoir intervals below primary and secondary caprock confining zones. Drill cuttings, wireline geophysical logs, and 31one-inch diameter rotary sidewall cores provided geologic data for characterization of rock properties. XRF analyses of selected rock samples provided geochemical characterizations of the rocks and stratigraphic control for the basalt flows encountered by the Wallula pilot borehole. Based on the geochemical results, the pilot borehole was terminated in the Wapshilla Ridge 1 flow of the Grande Ronde Basalt Formation. Detailed hydrologic test characterizations of 12 basalt interflow

Using MultiMedia Content to Present Business Ethics: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stanwick, Peter A.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine whether presenting a multimedia case study enhances the learning experience of students in an undergraduate management class. A questionnaire was administered before and after the presentation of the case study and the results showed that the multimedia case did indeed enhance the learning…

Supply chain strategy: empirical case study in Europe and Asia:

OpenAIRE

Sillanpää, Ilkka; Sillanpää, Sebastian

2014-01-01

The purpose of this case study research is to present a literature review of supply chain strategy approaches, develop supply chain strategy framework and to validate a framework in empirical case study. Literature review and case study research are the research methods for this research. This study presents the supply chain strategy framework which merges together business environment, corporate strategy, supply chain demand and supply chain strategy. Research argues that all the different c...

Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society solar energy pilot study. First follow-up report, October 1979, pilot country: United States; co-pilot countries: Denmark and France. CCMS report No. 110

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-01-01

During 1973 to 1978, over twenty nations participated in the NATO/CCMS Solar Energy Pilot Study, whose objective was to promote and accelerate the use of solar heating and cooling of buildings. The activities in this information exchange included (1) the regular reporting of national solar heating and cooling programs, (2) the development of a format for reporting the performance of solar heating and cooling systems, (3) the exchange of system performance reports, (4) the establishment of two specialized working groups for solar-assisted low energy dwellings and passive solar applications. At the conclusion of the pilot study in 1978, the participants formulated recommendations for continued action at the international level, as well as for action at the national level. This report describes the progress made in implementing those recommendations. In addition to detailing the steps taken to continue collaboration in various efforts initiated within the Solar Energy Pilot Study, the report contains papers on the 1979 status of the solar heating and cooling programs in seventeen CCMS countries.

Consumer Understanding of Nutrition Marketing Terms: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Haroldson, Amber; Yen, Chih-Lun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the validity of a questionnaire developed to assess adult consumer understanding of nutrition marketing terms and the resulting impact on consumer behavior. Participants (n = 40) completed an electronic questionnaire. Efforts to establish validity and reliability suggest that the questionnaire is a…

Physical activity in Georgia state parks: A pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln R. Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green

2012-01-01

This pilot study assessed the role of Georgia State Parks in the promotion of physical activity among different racial/ethnic and age groups. Data were collected at three state parks in north Georgia during the summer of 2009 using two research methods: behavior observations (N=2281) and intercept surveys (N=473).

Re-use of pilot data and interim analysis of pivotal data in MRMC studies: a simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weijie; Samuelson, Frank; Sahiner, Berkman; Petrick, Nicholas

2017-03-01

Novel medical imaging devices are often evaluated with multi-reader multi-case (MRMC) studies in which radiologists read images of patient cases for a specified clinical task (e.g., cancer detection). A pilot study is often used to measure the effect size and variance parameters that are necessary for sizing a pivotal study (including sizing readers, non-diseased and diseased cases). Due to the practical difficulty of collecting patient cases or recruiting clinical readers, some investigators attempt to include the pilot data as part of their pivotal study. In other situations, some investigators attempt to perform an interim analysis of their pivotal study data based upon which the sample sizes may be re-estimated. Re-use of the pilot data or interim analyses of the pivotal data may inflate the type I error of the pivotal study. In this work, we use the Roe and Metz model to simulate MRMC data under the null hypothesis (i.e., two devices have equal diagnostic performance) and investigate the type I error rate for several practical designs involving re-use of pilot data or interim analysis of pivotal data. Our preliminary simulation results indicate that, under the simulation conditions we investigated, the inflation of type I error is none or only marginal for some design strategies (e.g., re-use of patient data without re-using readers, and size re-estimation without using the effect-size estimated in the interim analysis). Upon further verifications, these are potentially useful design methods in that they may help make a study less burdensome and have a better chance to succeed without substantial loss of the statistical rigor.

The influencing factors of China carbon price: a study based on carbon trading market in hubei province

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Lei, Ming

2018-02-01

For the carbon market, good trading mechanism is the basis for the healthy development of the carbon trading market. In order to explore the core problem of carbon price formation, our research explores the influencing factors of the price of carbon trading market. After the preliminary statistical analysis, our study found that Hubei Province is in the leading position among seven pilots in the carbon trading volume and the transaction, so our study of carbon price takes Hubei Province as sample of the empirical research. Multi-time series model and ARCH model analysis method are used in the research, we use the data of Hubei carbon trading pilot from June 2014 to December 2016 to carry out empirical research, the results found that industrial income, energy price, government intervention and the number of participating corporation have significant effect on the carbon price, which provides a meaningful reference for the other pilots in-depth study, as well as the construction of a national carbon trading market.

Development and pilot-testing of a cognitive behavioral coping skills group intervention for patients with chronic hepatitis C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna M. Evon, Ph.D.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Psychosocial interventions for patients with chronic hepatitis C viral (HCV infection are needed to attenuate the impact of extrahepatic symptoms, comorbid conditions, and treatment side effects on HCV health outcomes. We adapted empirically-supported interventions for similar patient populations to develop a Cognitive Behavioral Coping Skills group intervention for HCV patients (CBCS-HCV undergoing treatment. The objectives of this paper are to describe the research activities associated with CBCS-HCV development and pilot testing, including: (1 formative work leading to intervention development; (2 preliminary study protocol; and (3 pilot feasibility testing of the intervention and study design. Formative work included a literature review, qualitative interviews, and adaption, development, and review of study materials. A preliminary study protocol is described. We evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT of the CBCS-HCV with 12 study participants in Wave 1 testing to examine: (a feasibility of intervention delivery; (b patient acceptability; (c recruitment, enrollment, retention; (d feasibility of conducting a RCT; (d therapist protocol fidelity; and (e feasibility of data collection. Numerous lessons were learned. We found very high rates of data collection, participant attendance, engagement, retention and acceptability, and therapist protocol fidelity. We conclude that many aspects of the CBCS-HCV intervention and study protocol were highly feasible. The greatest challenge during this Wave 1 pilot study was efficiency of participant enrollment due to changes in standard of care treatment. These findings informed two additional waves of pilot testing to examine effect sizes and potential improvements in clinical outcomes, with results forthcoming.

LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0132 TITLE: LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Charlie Strange, MD...regarding imatinib mesylate (imatinib) in the treatment of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ( LAM ) sufficient to power and design a phase 3 imatinib vs. placebo...clinical trial. The hypothesis is that imatinib will be equivalent to rapamycin in short term efficacy and safety. Currently, most LAM patients are

Assessment of empirical antibiotic therapy optimisation in six hospitals: an observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Braykov, Nikolay P; Morgan, Daniel J; Schweizer, Marin L; Uslan, Daniel Z; Kelesidis, Theodoros; Weisenberg, Scott A; Johannsson, Birgir; Young, Heather; Cantey, Joseph; Srinivasan, Arjun; Perencevich, Eli; Septimus, Edward; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

2014-12-01

Modification of empirical antimicrobials when warranted by culture results or clinical signs is recommended to control antimicrobial overuse and resistance. We aimed to assess the frequency with which patients were started on empirical antimicrobials, characteristics of the empirical regimen and the clinical characteristics of patients at the time of starting antimicrobials, patterns of changes to empirical therapy at different timepoints, and modifiable factors associated with changes to the initial empirical regimen in the first 5 days of therapy. We did a chart review of adult inpatients receiving one or more antimicrobials in six US hospitals on 4 days during 2009 and 2010. Our primary outcome was the modification of antimicrobial regimen on or before the 5th day of empirical therapy, analysed as a three-category variable. Bivariate analyses were used to establish demographic and clinical variables associated with the outcome. Variables with p values below 0·1 were included in a multivariable generalised linear latent and mixed model with multinomial logit link to adjust for clustering within hospitals and accommodate a non-binary outcome variable. Across the six study sites, 4119 (60%) of 6812 inpatients received antimicrobials. Of 1200 randomly selected patients with active antimicrobials, 730 (61%) met inclusion criteria. At the start of therapy, 220 (30%) patients were afebrile and had normal white blood cell counts. Appropriate cultures were collected from 432 (59%) patients, and 250 (58%) were negative. By the 5th day of therapy, 12·5% of empirical antimicrobials were escalated, 21·5% were narrowed or discontinued, and 66·4% were unchanged. Narrowing or discontinuation was more likely when cultures were collected at the start of therapy (adjusted OR 1·68, 95% CI 1·05-2·70) and no infection was noted on an initial radiological study (1·76, 1·11-2·79). Escalation was associated with multiple infection sites (2·54, 1·34-4·83) and a positive

Matchmaking in organizational change : does every employee value participatory leadership? An empirical study

OpenAIRE

Rogiest, Sofie; Segers, Jesse; Witteloostuijn, van, Arjen

2018-01-01

Abstract: Although leadership is generally considered an important lever to increase commitment during organizational change, empirical research has yet to unravel many of the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, we propose that the impact of participative leadership on affective commitment to change will be contingent on employees orientation toward leadership. In our empirical study in two police organizations, we find evidence that followers orientation toward leadership is a useful inter...

Indonesian EFL Students' Perspective on Writing Process: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hermilinda Abas, Imelda; Aziz, Noor Hashima Abd

2016-01-01

The study was aimed at understanding the EFL Indonesian students' perspective on the writing process. The pilot study involved two male Indonesian postgraduate students in Universiti Utara Malaysia. The Indonesian students were selected based on the following criteria: (1) had enough knowledge in English writing, indicated by the completion of…

Linking the Pilot Structural Model and Pilot Workload

Science.gov (United States)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine

2018-01-01

Behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots using markedly different control techniques while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to either issue or cease a pulse command. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to sense and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess's pilot Structural Model. A Pilot Cost Index was developed, whose elements include estimated workload, performance, and the degree to which the pilot employs kinesthetic feedback. Preliminary results suggest that a pilot's operating point (parameter values) may be based on control style and index minimization.

Empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goersch, Henning G.; Werner, Ute

2011-01-01

The empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement covers the following issues with several sections: (1) Introduction: scope of the study; structure of the study. (2) Issue coherence: self-protection; reduction and prevention of damage by personal emergency preparedness, personal emergency preparedness in Germany. (3) Solution coherence: scientific approaches, development of practical problem solution approaches, proposal of a promotion system. (4) Empirical studies: Promotion system evaluation by experts; questioning of the public; Delphi-study on minimum standards in emergency preparedness; local networks in emergency preparedness. (5) Evaluation of models for personal emergency preparedness (M3P). (6) Integration of all research results into the approach of emergency preparedness: scope; recommendations, conclusions.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – A clinically empirical approach to its definition and study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Papanicolaou Dimitris A

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The lack of standardized criteria for defining chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS has constrained research. The objective of this study was to apply the 1994 CFS criteria by standardized reproducible criteria. Methods This population-based case control study enrolled 227 adults identified from the population of Wichita with: (1 CFS (n = 58; (2 non-fatigued controls matched to CFS on sex, race, age and body mass index (n = 55; (3 persons with medically unexplained fatigue not CFS, which we term ISF (n = 59; (4 CFS accompanied by melancholic depression (n = 27; and (5 ISF plus melancholic depression (n = 28. Participants were admitted to a hospital for two days and underwent medical history and physical examination, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, and laboratory testing to identify medical and psychiatric conditions exclusionary for CFS. Illness classification at the time of the clinical study utilized two algorithms: (1 the same criteria as in the surveillance study; (2 a standardized clinically empirical algorithm based on quantitative assessment of the major domains of CFS (impairment, fatigue, and accompanying symptoms. Results One hundred and sixty-four participants had no exclusionary conditions at the time of this study. Clinically empirical classification identified 43 subjects as CFS, 57 as ISF, and 64 as not ill. There was minimal association between the empirical classification and classification by the surveillance criteria. Subjects empirically classified as CFS had significantly worse impairment (evaluated by the SF-36, more severe fatigue (documented by the multidimensional fatigue inventory, more frequent and severe accompanying symptoms than those with ISF, who in turn had significantly worse scores than the not ill; this was not true for classification by the surveillance algorithm. Conclusion The empirical definition includes all aspects of CFS specified in the 1994 case definition and identifies persons with

Corporate Diversification and Firm Performance: an Empirical Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olu Ojo

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The importance of diversification and performance in then strategic management literature is widely accepted among academics and practitioners . However, the proxies for performance and diversification that have been employed in past strategy research has not been unanimously agreed upon. Given the current state of confusion that exists with regard to the impact of corporate diversification on firm performance in selected Nigerian companies. The reason for increased interest in diversification has always been on the possibility that diversification is related to corporate performance. However , while this topic is rich in studies, empirical evidence semerging from various studies about the effect of diversification on performance have so far yield mixed results that are inconclusive and contradictory. In addition , despite the existence of these studies, very litlle attention has been given to the companies in developing countries including Nigeria. This means that there is a major gap in the relevant literature on developing countries which has to be covered by research. This research attempts to fill this gap by studying the situation of the Nigeria companies and providing more empirical evidence on the effects of corporate diversification on firm performance based on individual company-level data. Survey research design was adopted in this study with the application of simple random sampling tehnique in selecting our case study companies as well as our respondents. Primary data were collected through questionnaire. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics and correlation and coefficient of determination were used to test our hypothese. It was discovered that diversification impacted performance of these companies posivitely and we recommend that these companies should engage in geographical diversification in addition to other forms of diversification they are currently involved in for maximum performance.

Pilot Implementation of Health Information Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bansler, Jørgen P.; Havn, Erling C.

2009-01-01

Pilot implementation is a powerful and widely used approach in identifying design flaws and implementation issues before the full-scale deployment of new health information systems. However, pilot implementations often fail in the sense that they say little about the usability and usefulness...... of the proposed system designs. This calls for studies that seek to uncover and analyze the reasons for failure, so that guidelines for conducting such pilots can be developed. In this paper, we present a qualitative field study of an ambitious, but unsuccessful pilot implementation of a Danish healthcare...... information system. Based on the findings from this study, we identify three main challenges: (1) defining an appropriate scope for pilot implementation, (2) managing the implementation process, and (3) ensuring commitment to the pilot. Finally, recommendations for future research and implications...

Letter report: Pre-conceptual design study for a pilot-scale Non-Radioactive Low-Level Waste Vitrification Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, R.A.; Morrissey, M.F.

1996-03-01

This report presents a pre-conceptual design study for a Non-Radioactive Low-Level Waste, Pilot-Scale Vitrification System. This pilot plant would support the development of a full-scale LLW Vitrification Facility and would ensure that the full-scale facility can meet its programmatic objectives. Use of the pilot facility will allow verification of process flowsheets, provide data for ensuring product quality, assist in scaling to full scale, and support full-scale start-up. The facility will vitrify simulated non-radioactive LLW in a manner functionally prototypic to the full-scale facility. This pre-conceptual design study does not fully define the LLW Pilot-Scale Vitrification System; rather, it estimates the funding required to build such a facility. This study includes identifying all equipment necessary. to prepare feed, deliver it into the melter, convert the feed to glass, prepare emissions for atmospheric release, and discharge and handle the glass. The conceived pilot facility includes support services and a structure to contain process equipment

What Happened to Remote Usability Testing? An Empirical Study of Three Methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stage, Jan; Andreasen, M. S.; Nielsen, H. V.

2007-01-01

The idea of conducting usability tests remotely emerged ten years ago. Since then, it has been studied empirically, and some software organizations employ remote methods. Yet there are still few comparisons involving more than one remote method. This paper presents results from a systematic...... empirical comparison of three methods for remote usability testing and a conventional laboratorybased think-aloud method. The three remote methods are a remote synchronous condition, where testing is conducted in real time but the test monitor is separated spatially from the test subjects, and two remote...

Empirical Studies on Financial Markets: Private Equity, Corporate Bonds and Emerging Markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G.J. de Zwart (Gerben)

2008-01-01

textabstractThis dissertation consists of five empirical studies on financial markets. Each study can be read independently and covers a specific market, either private equity, corporate bonds or emerging markets. The first study documents that risk factors cannot account for the significant excess

EURObservational Research Programme: the Heart Failure Pilot Survey (ESC-HF Pilot)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maggioni, Aldo P; Dahlström, Ulf; Filippatos, Gerasimos

2010-01-01

The primary objective of the new ESC-HF Pilot Survey was to describe the clinical epidemiology of outpatients and inpatients with heart failure (HF) and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across 12 participating European countries. This pilot study was specifically aimed at validating...

Using ERP and WfM Systems for Implementing Business Processes: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Aversano, Lerina; Tortorella, Maria

Software systems mainly considered from enterprises for dealing with a business process automation belong to the following two categories: Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The wider diffusion of ERP systems tends to favourite this solution, but there are several limitations of most ERP systems for automating business processes. This paper reports an empirical study aiming at comparing the ability of implementing business processes of ERP systems and WfMSs. Two different case studies have been considered in the empirical study. It evaluates and analyses the correctness and completeness of the process models implemented by using ERP and WfM systems.

75 FR 56857 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-17

...-2006-26661; Amendment No., 141-14] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School..., certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools...: Background On August 21, 2009, the FAA published the ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School...

Analysis of empty ATLAS pilot jobs

CERN Document Server

Love, Peter; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The pilot model used by the ATLAS production system has been in use for many years. The model has proven to be a success with many advantages over push models. However one of the negative side-effects of using a pilot model is the presence of 'empty pilots' running on sites which consume a small amount of walltime and not running a useful payload job. The impact on a site can be significant with previous studies showing a total 0.5% walltime usage with no benefit to either the site or to ATLAS. Another impact is the number of empty pilots being processed by a site's Compute Element and batch system which can be 5% of the total number of pilots being handled. In this paper we review the latest statistics using both ATLAS and site data and highlight edge cases where the number of empty pilots dominate. We also study the effect of tuning the pilot factories to reduce the number of empty pilots.

Analysis of Pilot-Induced-Oscillation and Pilot Vehicle System Stability Using UAS Flight Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanmay K. Mandal

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of a Pilot-Induced Oscillation (PIO and human pilot control characterization study performed using flight data collected with a Remotely Controlled (R/C unmanned research aircraft. The study was carried out on the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Several existing Category 1 and Category 2 PIO criteria developed for manned aircraft are first surveyed and their effectiveness for predicting the PIO susceptibility for the R/C unmanned aircraft is evaluated using several flight experiments. It was found that the Bandwidth/Pitch rate overshoot and open loop onset point (OLOP criteria prediction results matched flight test observations. However, other criteria failed to provide accurate prediction results. To further characterize the human pilot control behavior during these experiments, a quasi-linear pilot model is used. The parameters of the pilot model estimated using data obtained from flight tests are then used to obtain information about the stability of the Pilot Vehicle System (PVS for Category 1 PIOs occurred during straight and level flights. The batch estimation technique used to estimate the parameters of the quasi-linear pilot model failed to completely capture the compatibility nature of the human pilot. The estimation results however provided valuable insights into the frequency characteristics of the human pilot commands. Additionally, stability analysis of the Category 2 PIOs for elevator actuator rate limiting is carried out using simulations and the results are compared with actual flight results.

Continued Use of a Chinese Online Portal: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Hung-Pin

2008-01-01

The evolution of the internet has made online portals a popular means of surfing the internet. In internet commerce, understanding the post-adoption behaviour of users of online portals can help enterprises to attract new users and retain existing customers. For predicting continued use intentions, this empirical study focused on applying and…

NEREDA Pilot Studies 2003 - 2010; NEREDA Pilotonderzoeken 2003 - 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berkhof, D.; De Bruin, B.; Kerstholt, M.; Kraan, R.; Miska, V.; Peeters, T.; Van der Roest, H.; Verschoor, J. [DHV, Amersfoort (Netherlands); De Kreuk, M.; Van Loosdrecht, M. [Technische Universiteit Delft TUD, Delft (Netherlands)

2010-10-15

Since the nineties of last century research has been conducted on the development of the aerobic granular sludge technology for wastewater treatment. A first STOWA pilot research project was executed at Ede, Netherlands. In 2005 a technological breakthrough was accomplished and was the starting sign for a broader national development program (NNOP). Next to STOWA, Delft University of Delft and DHV, six Waterboards are involved within this development program. Main goal of the NNOP is to develop a new competitive biological wastewater treatment technology (Nereda). After the Ede project additional pilot research projects were conducted at four locations in the Netherlands. Within these pilot research projects the following aspects were investigated: granulation on different wastewater types; stability of granular sludge; optimization of nitrogen and phosphate removal, especially during winter time; control of effluent suspended solids concentration; and obtain technological design parameters for full scale WWTPs (waste water treatment plants) [Dutch] In dit rapport staan de resultaten beschreven van de tussen 2003 en 2010 uitgevoerde pilots met de aeroob-korrelslibtechnologie Nereda. Dit is een nieuwe zuiveringstechnologie waarbij het reinigende actief slib geen vlokken maar korrels vormt. Hierdoor bezinkt het slib sneller en makkelijker. De technologie wordt gekenmerkt door hoge zuiveringsrendementen, weinig ruimtebeslag (voor bezinking) en relatief lage energiekosten. De resultaten van de pilots zijn dermate goed, dat drie van de vijf deelnemende waterschappen hebben besloten om 1 van hun rwzi's (rioolwaterzuiveringsinstallaties) aan te passen op basis van de Nereda-technologie.

A pilot study into a possible relationship between diet and stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Hum, Jean; Rietveld, Toni; Wiedijk, Piet; van Lieshout, Pascal

2017-06-01

There are theoretical and empirical reasons to consider a potential role for copper metabolism in the brain in how it could influence stuttering. However, a link between stuttering and dietary intake has never been researched in a systematic way. This pilot study therefore aimed to explore a possible association between ingested amounts of copper and thiamine (vitamin B1) with stuttering frequency using a double blind cross-over longitudinal paradigm. 19 adults who stutter between 20 and 51 years old filled out an online survey for 9 consecutive weeks. The survey consisted of self-assessed fluency and mood state scales, as well as food journals. After 4 weeks, the participants consumed either copper or thiamine supplements for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout period, and another period of two weeks taking the other supplement. Formal speech assessments were done pre/post baseline and at the end of each supplement intake. Participants were not informed about the nature of the supplements during the experiment and the investigators were blinded to the order of the supplements. The results demonstrated that copper and thiamine had no measurable effect on the amount of stuttering (self and formal assessments) but there was a moderate, significant correlation between mood state and fluency. The findings do not support notions of dietary influences of ingested copper or thiamine on stuttering but do provide modest support for a relationship between variations in stuttering and self-perceived anxiety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes Toward Guarani and Spanish: A Pilot Study in Paraguay.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Nancy C.

This study analyzes the language attitudes of the Paraguayan people toward their two languages, Guarani and Spanish. To study the bilingual situation in the South American country, a pilot survey was carried out in the capital city addressing the major topics of language attitudes, language usage, and language varieties. The goals of the survey…

A study of pilot modeling in multi-controller tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Whitbeck, R. F.; Knight, J. R.

1972-01-01

A modeling approach, which utilizes a matrix of transfer functions to describe the human pilot in multiple input, multiple output control situations, is studied. The approach used was to extend a well established scalar Wiener-Hopf minimization technique to the matrix case and then study, via a series of experiments, the data requirements when only finite record lengths are available. One of these experiments was a two-controller roll tracking experiment designed to force the pilot to use rudder in order to coordinate and reduce the effects of aileron yaw. One model was computed for the case where the signals used to generate the spectral matrix are error and bank angle while another model was computed for the case where error and yaw angle are the inputs. Several anomalies were observed to be present in the experimental data. These are defined by the descriptive terms roll up, break up, and roll down. Due to these algorithm induced anomalies, the frequency band over which reliable estimates of power spectra can be achieved is considerably less than predicted by the sampling theorem.

An empirical operationalization study of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for premature ejaculation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waldinger, M. D.; Hengeveld, M. W.; Zwinderman, A. H.; Olivier, B.

1998-01-01

The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for premature ejaculation remain to be investigated by a clinical study. A prospective study was therefore conducted to investigate the DSM-IV definition and to provide an empirical operationalization of premature ejaculation. In this study 140 men suffering from

EURObservational Research Programme : The Heart Failure Pilot Survey (ESC-HF Pilot)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maggioni, Aldo P.; Dahlstrom, Ulf; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Chioncel, Ovidiu; Crespo Leiro, Marisa; Drozdz, Jaroslaw; Fruhwald, Friedrich; Gullestad, Lars; Logeart, Damien; Metra, Marco; Parissis, John; Persson, Hans; Ponikowski, Piotr; Rauchhaus, Mathias; Voors, Adriaan A.; Nielsen, Olav Wendelboe; Zannad, Faiez; Tavazzi, Luigi

2010-01-01

The primary objective of the new ESC-HF Pilot Survey was to describe the clinical epidemiology of outpatients and inpatients with heart failure (HF) and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across 12 participating European countries. This pilot study was specifically aimed at validating the

Structural properties of silicon clusters: An empirical potential study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, X.G.; Zheng, Q.Q.; He Yizhen

1993-09-01

By using our newly proposed empirical interatomic potential for silicon, the structure and some dynamical properties of silicon cluster Si n (10 ≤ n ≤ 24) have been studied. It is found that the obtained results are close to those from ab-initio methods. From present results, we can gain a new insight into the understanding of the experimental data on the Si n clusters. (author). 20 refs, 6 figs

Intrapreneur organizational culture and gender manager: an empirical study on SMES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica García Solarte

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to empirically identify the relationship between the gender manager of the SMEs and the characteristics of the intrapreneurculture. The empirical study was conducted using a sample of 600 SMEs in the region of Murcia (Spain. The intrapreneur culture is analyzed considering theclassification of Galvez and Garcia (2011. The results show that companies The results show that companies directed by women promoted greater extentthan men intrapreneur characteristics of culture such as: autonomy and risk taking, teamwork, compensation and support to management. The implicationsof our research are relevant and can help public authorities and managers to the analysis and development of policies that promote gender equity withinorganizations.

For a new dialogue between theoretical and empirical studies in evo-devo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe eFusco

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Despite its potentially broad scope, current evo-devo research is largely dominated by empirical developmental studies, whereas comparably little role is played by theoretical research. I argue that this represents an obstacle to a wider appreciation of evo-devo and its integration within a more comprehensive evolutionary theory, and that this situation is causally linked to a limited exchange between theoretical and experimental studies in evo-devo. I discuss some features of current theoretical work in evo-devo, highlighting some possibly concurring impediments to an effective dialogue with experimental studies. Finally, I advance two suggestions for enhancing fruitful cross-fertilization between theoretical and empirical studies in evo-devo: i to broaden the scope of evo-devo beyond its current conceptualization, teaming up with other variational approaches to the study of evolution, and ii to develop more effective forms of scientific interaction and communication.

Nursing Student Perceptions of Digital Textbooks: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mennenga, Heidi A

2016-01-01

Digital textbooks are increasing in popularity, often resulting from the perception that students demand the use of technology in academics. However, few studies have been done on student perceptions of digital textbooks. A pilot study was conducted with students enrolled in a nursing research course; 123 nursing students participated. This study found that students overwhelmingly preferred print textbooks over digital textbooks. More research needs to be done before assuming students would prefer digital textbooks over print.

Feasibility of the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijning, J.E.; van Nispen, R.M.A.; van Rens, G.H.M.B.

2010-01-01

Background. Demographic ageing will lead to increasing pressure on visual rehabilitation services, which need to be efficiently organised in the near future. The Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI) was developed to assess the rehabilitation needs of visually impaired persons. This pilot study tests

Transferring manual ultrasonic inspection procedures - results of a pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.; Taylor, T.; Kadenko, I.

2002-01-01

Results of a manual ultrasonic pilot study for NDE specialists at RBMK nuclear reactor sites are presented. Probabilities of detection and false calls, using two different grading criteria, are estimated. Analyses of performance parameters lead to conclusions regarding attributes for improved test discrimination capabilities. (orig.)

YOUTH STUDIES – A SPECIFIC GENRE OF THE EMPIRICAL PARADIGM IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnė Dorelaitienė

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents the situation of youth in contemporary society. Neoliberal economy, ageing society, rapid globalisation, technological changes, increase of social risk have prompted specific, historically unfamiliar, and fairly difficult to forecast social change. Social adaptation and construction of own identity are becoming challenging to youth as a specific social group in this period of great uncertainty, risk, and opportunities. Youth studies are referred to as one of the means to help understand the youth phenomenon and form the respective policy. Aim of the article is to reveal the role of youth studies as a specific interdisciplinary genre of the empirical-analytic paradigm in social sciences. Research objectives: (1 To identify the traditions of youth studies and differences between them; (2. To reveal the specific character of youth studies as an empirical paradigm in the contemporary context. Analysis of scientific sources and document analysis are used for achievement of the goal and objectives. Since the 20th century, youth studies have been developing as an independent research discipline and tradition. Perception of the notion of a young person has been changing along with development of the paradigmatic and methodological research traditions. Modernity has doubtlessly contributed to a young person finding his/her place in other age groups and putting an emphasis on the importance of youth as a specific social group. Recently, youth has been viewed as both the risk and the opportunity group. Although qualitative research, in particular, where youth emancipation is aspired, prevails in the contemporary research tradition, the empirical-analytic paradigm has not lost its relevance. The research has demonstrated that empirical-analytic paradigm is a specific genre of the youth studies characterised by quantitative approach and strong link to politics and practical situation of the phenomenon.

What is a pilot or feasibility study? A review of current practice and editorial policy

OpenAIRE

Cooper Cindy L; Campbell Michael J; Arain Mubashir; Lancaster Gillian A

2010-01-01

Abstract Background In 2004, a review of pilot studies published in seven major medical journals during 2000-01 recommended that the statistical analysis of such studies should be either mainly descriptive or focus on sample size estimation, while results from hypothesis testing must be interpreted with caution. We revisited these journals to see whether the subsequent recommendations have changed the practice of reporting pilot studies. We also conducted a survey to identify the methodologic...

Lessons from empirical studies in product and service variety management.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew C.L. Lyons

2013-07-01

Full Text Available For many years, a trend for businesses has been to increase market segmentation and extend product and service-variety offerings in order to provid more choice for customers and gain a competitive advantags. However, there have been relatively few variety-related, empirical studies that have been undertaken. In this research, two empirical studies are presented that address the impact of product and service variety on business and business function performance. In the first (service-variety study, the focus concerns the relationship between service provision offered by UK-based, third-party logistics (3PL providers and the operational and financial performance of those providers. Here, the results of a large survey identify the  most important services offered by 3PLs and the most important aspects of 3PL operational performance. Also, the research suggests that the range of service variety offered by 3PLs does not directly influence the 3PLs’ financial performance. The second (product-variety study presents the findings from an analysis of data from 163 manufacturing plants where the impact of product variety on the performance of five business functions is examined. An increase in product variety was found to influence business functions differently depending on the combination of customisation and variety offered to customers

Does Branding Need Web Usability? A Value-Oriented Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bolchini, Davide; Garzotto, Franca; Sorce, Fabio

Does usability of a web-based communication artifact affect brand, i.e., the set of beliefs, emotions, attitudes, or qualities that people mentally associate to the entity behind that artifact? Intuitively, the answer is “yes”: usability is a fundamental aspect of the quality of the experience with a website, and a “good” experience with a “product” or its reifications tends to translate into “good” brand perception. To date, however, the existence of a connection between web usability and brand perception is shown through anecdotic arguments, and is not supported by published systematic research. This paper discusses a study that empirically investigates this correlation in a more rigorous, analytical, and replicable way. Our main contribution is twofold: on the one hand, we provide empirical evidence to the heuristic principle that web usability influences branding, and we do that through four between subjects controlled experiments that involved 120 subjects. On the other hand, we inform the study with a systematic value-oriented approach to the user experience, and thus provide a conceptual framework that can be reused in other experimental settings, either for replicating our study, or for designing similar studies focusing on the correlation of web branding vs. design factors other than usability.

A pilot study on the feasibility of European harmonized Human Biomonitoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casteleyn, L; Dumez, B; Becker, K

2015-01-01

of data across countries. A pilot study to test common guidelines for setting up surveys was considered a key step in this process. Through a bottom-up approach that included all stakeholders, a joint study protocol was elaborated. From September 2011 till February 2012, 17 European countries collected...... metabolites and Bisphenol A in urine were added to take into account increasing public and political awareness for emerging types of contaminants and to test less advanced markers/markers covered by less analytical experience. Extensive efforts towards chemo-analytical comparability were included. The pilot...... steps in European harmonization in Human Biomonitoring surveys include the establishment of a joint process for prioritization of substances to cover and biomarkers to develop, linking biomonitoring surveys with health examination surveys and with research, and coping with the diverse implementations...

76 FR 54095 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-31

... [Docket No.: FAA-2008-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules AGENCY... regulations concerning pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification. This rule will require pilot...

Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals

Science.gov (United States)

Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

2017-01-01

Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation. PMID:29046660

[Yield of starch extraction from plantain (Musa paradisiaca). Pilot plant study].

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Gorosquera, Emigdia; García-Suárez, Francisco J; Flores-Huicochea, Emmanuel; Núñez-Santiago, María C; González-Soto, Rosalia A; Bello-Pérez, Luis A

2004-01-01

In México, the banana (Musa paradisiaca) is cooked (boiling or deep frying) before being eaten, but the consumption is not very popular and a big quantity of the product is lost after harvesting. The unripe plantain has a high level of starch and due to this the use of banana can be diversified as raw material for starch isolation. The objective of this work was to study the starch yield at pilot plant scale. Experiments at laboratory scale were carried out using the pulp with citric acid to 0,3 % (antioxidant), in order to evaluate the different unitary operations of the process. The starch yield, based on starch presence in the pulp that can be isolated, were between 76 and 86 %, and the values at pilot plant scale were between 63 and 71 %, in different lots of banana fruit. Starch yield values were similar among the diverse lots, showing that the process is reproducible. The lower values of starch recovery at pilot plant scale are due to the loss during sieving operations; however, the amount of starch recovery is good.

Neurofeedback as a treatment for major depressive disorder--a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, Frenk; Oehlen, Mare; Ronner, Jacco; van Os, Jim; Lousberg, Richel

2014-01-01

There is growing interest in neurofeedback as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Reduction of asymmetry of alpha-activity between left and right prefrontal areas with neurofeedback has been postulated as effective in earlier studies. Unfortunately, methodological shortcomings limit conclusions that can be drawn from these studies. In a pilot-study, we investigated the effectiveness of reduction of asymmetry of alpha-activity with neurofeedback in depressed participants with the use of a stringent methodological approach. Nine participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder were treated with a maximum of 30 neurofeedback-sessions, aimed at reducing asymmetry of alpha-activity, over a 10-week period. No changes in the use of antidepressants were allowed 6 weeks before and during the intervention. Changes in depressive symptomatology were assessed with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, self-report version. We observed response in 1 and remission in 4 out of a total of 9 participants. The effectiveness appeared largest in female participants. The mean asymmetry of alpha-activity decreased significantly over sessions in a quadratic fashion. This decrease was associated with clinical response. This pilot study suggests that neurofeedback aimed at a reduction of frontal asymmetry of alpha-activity may be effective as a treatment for depression. However, this was an open label pilot study. Non-specific effects of the procedure and/or a beneficial natural course may have confounded the results. Randomized controlled trials will have to establish the efficacy of neurofeedback for depression. Nederlands Trial Register NTR1629.

Pilot study of erlotinib in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayar, Hamid; Czader, Magdalena; Amin, Chirag; Cangany, Mary; Konig, Heiko; Cripe, Larry D

2015-02-01

We conducted a pilot study to investigate clinical efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A total of 11 patients with de novo AML were treated, including 2 with relapsed and/or refractory disease and 9 older patients with previously untreated AML. Patients with high baseline leukocyte count were excluded. Erlotinib was given orally at 150 mg per day continuously in 28-day cycles. The treatment was tolerated well, and no toxicities were observed. An initial reduction in circulating blasts, followed by disease progression, was observed in 2 patients. Nine other patients did not demonstrate any response in blood or bone marrow. Baseline and post-cycle 1 flow-cytometry were performed on bone marrow blasts to investigate signs of differentiation. No immunophenotypic changes suggestive of differentiation were observed. This pilot study did not demonstrate response to standard doses of erlotinib in patients with AML. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Stroke Motor Recovery Through a Mobile Application: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Sonia; Tang, Ziying; Feng, Jinjuan

Neuroplasticity and motor learning are promoted with repetitive movement, appropriate challenge, and performance feedback. ARMStrokes, a smartphone application, incorporates these qualities to support motor recovery. Engaging exercises are easily accessible for improved compliance. In a multiple-case, mixed-methods pilot study, the potential of this technology for stroke motor recovery was examined. Exercises calibrated to the participant's skill level targeted forearm, elbow, and shoulder motions for a 6-wk protocol. Visual, auditory, and vibration feedback promoted self-assessment. Pre- and posttest data from 6 chronic stroke survivors who used the app in different ways (i.e., to measure active or passive motion, to track endurance) demonstrated improvements in accuracy of movements, fatigue, range of motion, and performance of daily activities. Statistically significant changes were not obtained with this pilot study. Further study on the efficacy of this technology is supported. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

An Empirical Study of Security Issues Posted in Open Source Projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zahedi, Mansooreh; Ali Babar, Muhammad; Treude, Christoph

2018-01-01

When developers gain thorough understanding and knowledge of software security, they can produce more secure software. This study aims at empirically identifying and understanding the security issues posted on a random sample of GitHub repositories. We tried to understand the presence of security...

A study of decision-making behavior of aircraft pilots deviating from a planned flight

Science.gov (United States)

Flather, G. W., II; Giffin, W. C.; Rockwell, T. H.

1981-01-01

This paper outlines an investigation into the worth structures of pilots facing a deviation from a planned flight. A 'paper and pencil' simulation was used to frame the situation into which pilots interjected their own decision making skills in a simple ranking of candidate diversion airports with varying locational, navigational aid, radar and weather attributes. Using the conjoint measurement technique, attribute worth functions of 30 pilots were constructed. It was discovered that systematic differences in the worth functions of the pilots did not occur as a result of dividing the pilot sample according to any measure of flight hour experience. However, differences were found when the pilot sample was grouped according to grade of pilot certificate, type of pilot training, and type of flying most commonly done.

Wireless and empire geopolitics radio industry and ionosphere in the British Empire 1918-1939

CERN Document Server

Anduaga, Aitor

2009-01-01

Although the product of consensus politics, the British Empire was based on communications supremacy and the knowledge of the atmosphere. Focusing on science, industry, government, the military, and education, this book studies the relationship between wireless and Empire throughout the interwar period.

Study on designing a complete pilot plant for processing sandstone ores in Palua-Parong area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Quang Thai; Tran Van Son; Tran The Dinh; Trinh Nguyen Quynh; Vu Khac Tuan

2015-01-01

Design work is the first step of the construction and operation of pilot plant. Thus, the project Study on designing a complete pilot plant for processing sandstone ores in Palua - Parong area was conducted to design a pilot plant for testing entire technological process to obtain yellowcake. Based on a literature review of uranium ore processing technology in the world, information of ore and previous research results of uranium ore in PaLua - PaRong area at the Institute for Technology of Radioactive and Rare Elements, a suitable technological flowsheet for processing this ore has been selected. The size, location of the pilot plant and planed experiments has been selected during the implementation of this project, in which basic parameters, designed system of equipment, buildings, ect. were also calculated. (author)

Raising the profile of pilot and feasibility studies in relation to the development, evaluation and implementation of patient-reported outcome measures.

OpenAIRE

Jones, GL

2017-01-01

This editorial introduces a new special series on the pilot and feasibility testing of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in the on-line open access journal Pilot and Feasibility Studies. Pilot and feasibility studies are typically implemented to address issues of uncertainty before undertaking a larger definitive study such as a randomised controlled trial or large scale survey. This editorial considers the role that such pilot and feasibility testing plays in relation to the developm...

Study on Combustion Oscillation of Premixed Flame with Pilot Fuel at Elevated Pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Ohtsuka, Masaya; Yoshida, Shohei; Hirata, Yoshitaka; Kobayashi, Nariyoshi

Acoustically-coupled combustion oscillation is studied for premixed flame with pilot fuel to be used in gas turbine combustors. Premixed gas is passed through swirl vanes and burnt with the centrally injected pilot fuel. The dependencies of pressure, fuel to air ratio, premixed fuel rate, inlet velocity and air temperature on the combustion oscillation are investigated. Two kinds of oscillation modes of ˜100Hz and ˜350Hz are activated according to inlet velocities. Fluctuating pressures are amplified when the premixed fuel rate is over ˜80% at elevated pressures. The fluctuating pressure peak moves to a higher premixed fuel ratio region with increased pressure or fuel to air ratio for the Helmholz type mode. Combustion oscillation occurs when the pilot fuel velocity is changed proportionally with the flame length.

Occupational cosmic radiation exposure in Portuguese airline pilots: study of a possible correlation with oxidative biological markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Rodrigo; Folgosa, Filipe; Soares, Paulo; Pereira, Alice S; Garcia, Raquel; Gestal-Otero, Juan Jesus; Tavares, Pedro; Gomes da Silva, Marco D R

2013-05-01

Several studies have sought to understand the health effects of occupational exposure to cosmic radiation. However, only few biologic markers or associations with disease outcomes have so far been identified. In the present study, 22 long- and 26 medium-haul male Portuguese airline pilots and 36 factory workers who did not fly regularly were investigated. The two groups were comparable in age and diet, were non-smokers, never treated with ionizing radiation and other factors. Cosmic radiation exposure in pilots was quantified based on direct monitoring of 51 flights within Europe, and from Europe to North and South America, and to Africa. Indirect dose estimates in pilots were performed based on the SIEVERT (Système informatisé d'évaluation par vol de l'exposition au rayonnement cosmique dans les transports aériens) software for 6,039 medium- and 1,366 long-haul flights. Medium-haul pilots had a higher cosmic radiation dose rate than long-haul pilots, that is, 3.3 ± 0.2 μSv/h and 2.7 ± 0.3 μSv/h, respectively. Biological tests for oxidative stress on blood and urine, as appropriate, at two time periods separated by 1 year, included measurements of antioxidant capacity, total protein, ferritin, hemoglobin, creatinine and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Principal components analysis was used to discriminate between the exposed and unexposed groups based on all the biological tests. According to this analysis, creatinine and 8OHdG levels were different for the pilots and the unexposed group, but no distinctions could be made among the medium- and the long-haul pilots. While hemoglobin levels seem to be comparable between the studied groups, they were directly correlated with ferritin values, which were lower for the airline pilots.

Empirical Studies on English Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Mainland China over the Past Two Decades

OpenAIRE

Zhongxin Dai; Yao Zhou

2015-01-01

Wen and Wang (2004) reviewed the empirical studies over the past two decades (from 1984 to 2003) on learning strategies that Chinese EFL learners used. This article, following their methodological framework, reviews about 45 empirical studies on Chinese EFL learners’ English vocabulary learning strategies, conducted by Mainland Chinese scholars over the past two decades. The review shows that more than half of the Chinese scholars are interested in questionnaire investigation of EFL learners’...

Kvanefjeld refinery pilot plant operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krebs, Damien; Furfaro, Domenic

2016-01-01

Greenland Minerals and Energy is a junior project development company which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (asx:GGG). It is developing the Kvanefjeld rare earth and uranium project located in the southern tip of Greenland. The project has completed a Feasibility Study and is currently in the permitting phase. Last year was a busy time for the company as it completed a Feasibility Study, a mining licence application (draft submitted in December 2015) and pilot plant operations. Beneficiation pilot plant operations were completed at GTK in Finland in April 2015. This pilot plant treated approximately 30 tonnes of ore to producing almost 2 tonnes of rare earth mineral concentrate. Later in the year a hydrometallurgical pilot plant was performed which mimicked the Refinery process. This pilot plant was performed at Outotec’s Pori Research laboratories in Finland from September till October 2015. The pilot plant treated approximately 200 kilograms of concentrate over 4 split operating campaigns. Each campaign was performed to focus on the performance of a specific part of the refinery flowsheet. This allowed for full operating focus on a single unit operation to ensure that it was operating correctly. The pilot plant operations were quite successful with no major issues with the flowsheet identified through continuous operation. Some fine tuning of conditions was required to ensure adequate removal of impurities was performed with recycle streams incorporated. Overall the leach extractions observed in the pilot plant exceeded the design assumptions in the Feasibility Study. These programs were partially funded by the EURARE program. The EURARE program aims to encourage the sustainable development of European based rare earth projects. This has the goal of allowing Europe to become less reliant on importation of these key raw materials. The professionalism and performance of both GTK and Outotec contributed significantly to the success of the pilot plant

ShopTrip Pilot Study : The Preference-Conscious Choice Modelled and Observed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barratt, Daniel; Selsøe-Sørensen, Henrik; Qvistgaard, Francoise

validity and experimental control in at least two ways: the way the consumer’s behaviour is monitored and the way the consumer’s behaviour is brought about. The first part of the pilot study involved a simulation of an ‘e-shopping environment’ which had the advantage of creating a relatively realistic......The goal of the current pilot study was to construct and test a new kind of setup for observing the consumer’s purchasing behaviour, with a particular focus on fairness and misleadingness issues as opposed to marketing and sales. The setup described represents a compromise between ecological...... purchasing situation, while automatically recording many aspects of the participant’s purchasing behaviour. Here an essential feature was a cover story about ‘going shopping for friends’ which enhanced the participant’s preference consciousness without imposing any specific constraints.1 In the second part...

VoIP for Telerehabilitation: A Pilot Usability Study for HIPAA Compliance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valerie R. Watzlaf

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Consumer-based, free Voice and video over the Internet Protocol (VoIP software systems such as Skype and others are used by health care providers to deliver telerehabilitation and other health-related services to clients. Privacy and security applications as well as HIPAA compliance within these protocols have been questioned by practitioners, health information managers, and other healthcare entities. This pilot usability study examined whether four respondents who used the top three, free consumer-based, VoIP software systems perceived these VoIP technologies to be private, secure, and HIPAA compliant;  most did not.  While the pilot study limitations include the number of respondents and systems assessed, the protocol can be applied to future research and replicated for instructional purposes.  Recommendations are provided for VoIP companies, providers, and users. 

Visual Semiotics & Uncertainty Visualization: An Empirical Study.

Science.gov (United States)

MacEachren, A M; Roth, R E; O'Brien, J; Li, B; Swingley, D; Gahegan, M

2012-12-01

This paper presents two linked empirical studies focused on uncertainty visualization. The experiments are framed from two conceptual perspectives. First, a typology of uncertainty is used to delineate kinds of uncertainty matched with space, time, and attribute components of data. Second, concepts from visual semiotics are applied to characterize the kind of visual signification that is appropriate for representing those different categories of uncertainty. This framework guided the two experiments reported here. The first addresses representation intuitiveness, considering both visual variables and iconicity of representation. The second addresses relative performance of the most intuitive abstract and iconic representations of uncertainty on a map reading task. Combined results suggest initial guidelines for representing uncertainty and discussion focuses on practical applicability of results.

ASSESSING ANGELS IN THE NURSERY: A PILOT STUDY OF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF BENEVOLENT CAREGIVING AS PROTECTIVE INFLUENCES.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Angela J; Ippen, Chandra Ghosh; Harris, William W; Lieberman, Alicia F

2017-07-01

This pilot study provides the first empirical test of the concept of "Angels in the Nursery" by examining whether childhood memories of benevolent caregiving experiences protect against heightened levels of psychopathology in high-risk mothers. The study hypothesized that (a) elaborated childhood memories of feeling loved by a caregiver ("angel memories") would moderate adulthood posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in mothers with childhood maltreatment histories, and (b) spontaneous traumatic intrusions ("ghost memories") would mediate childhood maltreatment and adulthood PTSD symptoms. Participants were 54 mothers (M = 32.79 years, SD = 8.91; 59.2% African American, 13.0% Caucasian, 5.6% Latina, 22.2% biracial/multiracial) who completed standardized assessments of childhood maltreatment and adulthood PTSD symptoms, and a novel instrument, the Angels in the Nursery Interview ("Angels Interview," Van Horn, Lieberman, & Harris, 2008). Results showed that angel memories significantly moderated childhood maltreatment and adulthood PTSD symptoms, consistent with a protective effect. Higher levels of ghost memories during the Angels Interview were significantly associated with more extensive childhood maltreatment, but did not mediate maltreatment and PTSD symptoms. Findings indicate that the Angels Interview can identify pathogenic intrusions rooted in childhood maltreatment and protective factors to promote maternal mental health and buffer the intergenerational transmission of trauma. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Feasibility Pilot Study: Training Soft Skills in Virtual Worlds.

Science.gov (United States)

Abshier, Patricia

2012-04-01

In a world where funding is limited, training for healthcare professionals is turning more and more to distance learning in an effort to maintain a knowledgeable and skilled work force. In 2010, Cicatelli Associates, Inc. began exploring the feasibility of using games and virtual worlds as an alternative means to teach skills-training in a distance-learning environment. The pilot study was conducted with six individuals familiar with general counseling and communication skills used by the healthcare industry to promote behavior change. Participants reported that the venue, although challenging at first, showed great potential for use with healthcare providers, as it allowed for more interaction and activities than traditional Webinars. However, there are significant limitations that must be overcome in order for this healthcare training modality to be utilized on a large scale. These limitations included a lack of microgestures and issues regarding the technology being used. In spite of the limitations, however, the potential use of virtual worlds for the training of healthcare providers exists and should be researched further. This article discusses the need and intended benefits of virtual world training as well as the results and conclusions of the pilot study.

Introducing Preschool Children to Novel Fruits and Vegetables: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Tande, D. L.; Niemeier, B. S.; Hwang, J. H.; Stastny, S.; Bezbaruah, N.; Hektner, J. M.; Habedank, D.

2014-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to compare changes in preschool children's identification, preferences, and beliefs related to fruits and vegetables introduced to a child care center's menu before and after a nutrition education and food exposure intervention. The study also sought to determine how these changes were…

Online Activities of Urban Malaysian Adolescents: Report of a Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Kok Eng; Yen Abdullah, Melissa Ng Lee; Guan Saw, Kim

2012-01-01

The literacy practices of many communities today show new ways of meaning making in the contemporary, technological and digital culture. A number of Malaysian adolescents belong to this culture. This pilot study reports the preliminary findings of a larger study aimed at describing the online activities of Malaysian adolescents. Fifty-four…

Energy structure, marginal efficiency and substitution rate: An empirical study of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Zhiyong; Fan Ying; Jiao Jianling; Yan Jisheng; Wei Yiming

2007-01-01

Energy efficiency is an important factor in developing energy policies as it represents the extent to which resources support economic output. In recent literature, relevant studies have mainly focused on aggregate energy efficiency, but rarely touched on the marginal efficiency of diverse energy resources and their comparative substitution rate. During 1978-2003, China's energy efficiency continually increased; and consequently became a hot topic in contemporary literature. However, there is no empirical study on the relationship between energy structure and energy efficiency. In order to close the gap, this paper reports the empirical study of the impact of China's energy structure on its energy efficiency from 1978 to 2003. The work covered primary estimation of the marginal efficiency of coal and petroleum in China, as well as the comparative substitution rate. Results indicate that the substitution rate between petroleum and coal is a factor of 5.38

An Empirical Study on Capital Structure Determinants of Selected ASEAN Countries

OpenAIRE

Ngo, Hoang Anh

2013-01-01

Capital structure has been a controversial topic for decades. Conflicting arguments in theories and mixed findings in empirical work require further studies on this subject. More importantly, most previous studies have focused on developed countries and little attention is paid to emerging economies, especially ASEAN. Therefore, this study attempts to fill the gap by examining effects of capital structure's determinants on different measures of leverage of listed manufacturing companies in se...

Assessing the Flipped Classroom in Operations Management: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Prashar, Anupama

2015-01-01

The author delved into the results of a flipped classroom pilot conducted for an operations management course module. It assessed students' perception of a flipped learning environment after making them experience it in real time. The classroom environment was construed using a case research approach and students' perceptions were studied using…

Using CALMERSS to Enhance Teacher Well-Being: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Mark J.

2018-01-01

Prior research has shown that cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation, mindfulness, exercise and positive psychology interventions, when conducted as single interventions, have a useful effect on depression and also increasing well-being. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot programme to determine the efficacy of a multi-modal…

Motivation and Performance of Older Australian Academics: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Len; Peter, Hollis

A pilot study of the Australian higher education system was conducted to determine the following: (1) whether department heads follow a client-centered, diagnostic/prescriptive model as developed by the Australian Committee of Directors and Principals in Advanced Education (ACDP), and if not, which process is used; (2) which developmental…

A new in situ model to study erosive enamel wear, a clinical pilot study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruben, J.L.; Truin, G.J.; Bronkhorst, E.M.; Huysmans, M.C.D.N.J.M.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To develop an in situ model for erosive wear research which allows for more clinically relevant exposure parameters than other in situ models and to show tooth site-specific erosive wear effect of an acid challenge of orange juice on enamel. METHODS: This pilot study included 6

A pilot study into measurements of markers of atherosclerosis in periodontitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leivadaros, E; van der Velden, U; Bizzarro, S; ten Heggeler, JMAG; Gerdes, VEA; Hoek, FJ; Nagy, TOM; Scholma, J; Bakker, SJL; Gans, ROB; ten Cate, H; Loos, BG

Background: Periodontitis may be a possible risk factor for atherosclerosis. The current pilot study explored arterial wall thickness and other variables associated with atherosclerosis in healthy subjects with and without periodontitis. Methods: Patients with moderate (N = 34) and severe

Using ecological momentary assessment to examine antecedents and correlates of physical activity bouts in adults age 50+ years: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Atienza, Audie A; Castro, Cynthia M; King, Abby C

2009-12-01

National recommendations supporting the promotion of multiple short (10+ minute) physical activity bouts each day to increase overall physical activity levels in middle-aged and older adults underscore the need to identify antecedents and correlates of such daily physical activity episodes. This pilot study used Ecological Momentary Assessment to examine the time-lagged and concurrent effects of empirically supported social, cognitive, affective, and physiological factors on physical activity among adults age 50+ years. Participants (N = 23) responded to diary prompts on a handheld computer four times per day across a 2-week period. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), self-efficacy, positive and negative affect, control, demand, fatigue, energy, social interactions, and stressful events were assessed during each sequence. Multivariate results showed that greater self-efficacy and control predicted greater MVPA at each subsequent assessment throughout the day (p positive social interaction was concurrently related to higher levels of MVPA (p = 0.052). Time-varying multidimensional individual processes predict within daily physical activity levels.

76 FR 63183 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

...-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules; Correction AGENCY: Federal... regulations to revise the pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification requirements. In particular...

Acupressure for smoking cessation – a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moody Russell C

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tobacco smoking is a serious risk to health: several therapies are available to assist those who wish to stop. Smokers who approach publicly funded stop-smoking clinics in the UK are currently offered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT or bupropion, and group behaviour therapy, for which there is evidence of effectiveness. Acupuncture and acupressure are also used to help smokers, though a systematic review of the evidence of their effectiveness was inconclusive. The aim of this pilot project was to determine the feasibility of a study to test acupressure as an adjunct to one anti-smoking treatment currently offered, and to inform the design of the study. Methods An open randomised controlled pilot study was conducted within the six week group programme offered by the Smoking Advice Service in Plymouth, UK. All participants received the usual treatment with NRT and group behavioural therapy, and were randomised into three groups: group A with two auricular acupressure beads, group B with one bead, and group C with no additional therapy. Participants were taught to press the beads when they experienced cravings. Beads were worn in one ear for four weeks, being replaced as necessary. The main outcome measures assessed in the pilot were success at quitting (expired CO ≤ 9 ppm, the dose of NRT used, and the rating of withdrawal symptoms using the Mood and Symptoms Scale. Results From 49 smokers attending four clinics, 24 volunteered to participate, 19 attended at least once after quitting, and seven remained to the final week. Participants who dropped out reported significantly fewer previous quit attempts, but no other significant differences. Participants reported stimulating the beads as expected during the initial days after quitting, but most soon reduced the frequency of stimulation. The discomfort caused by the beads was minor, and there were no significant side effects. There were technical problems with adhesiveness of

14 CFR 61.73 - Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Military pilots or former military pilots... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules. (a... a disciplinary action involving aircraft operations, a U.S. military pilot or former military pilot...

A comparative study of semi-empirical interionic potentials for alkali halides - II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khwaja, F.A.; Naqvi, S.H.

1985-08-01

A comprehensive study of some semi-empirical interionic potentials is carried out through the calculation of the cohesive energy, relative stability and pressure induced solid-solid phase transformations in alkali halides. The theoretical values of these properties of the alkali halides are obtained using a new set of van der Waals coefficients and zero-point energy in the expression for interionic potential. From the comparison of the present calculations with some previous sophisticated ab-initio quantum-mechanical calculations and other semi-empirical approaches, it is concluded that the present calculations in the simplest central pairwise interaction description with the new values of the van der Waals coefficients and zero-point energy are in better agreement with the experimental data than the previous calculations. It is also concluded that in some cases the better choice of the interionic potential alone in the simplest semi-empirical picture of interaction gives an agreement of the theoretical predictions with the experimental data much superior to the ab-initio quantum mechanical approaches. (author)

A pilot study into measurements of markers of atherosclerosis in periodontitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leivadaros, Efstratios; van der Velden, Ubele; Bizzarro, Sergio; ten Heggeler, Johanna M. A. G.; Gerdes, Victor E. A.; Hoek, Frans J.; Nagy, Thomas O. M.; Scholma, Jose; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; Gans, Rijk O. B.; ten Cate, Hugo; Loos, Bruno G.

2005-01-01

Periodontitis may be a possible risk factor for atherosclerosis. The current pilot study explored arterial wall thickness and other variables associated with atherosclerosis in healthy subjects with and without periodontitis. Patients with moderate (N = 34) and severe periodontitis (N = 15) and

Surveillance of health care workers exposed to ionising radiation: Rimed pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The project so-called RIMED aimed to set up epidemiological surveillance of health care workers exposed to ionizing radiation. A pilot study was conducted in a sample of hospital personnel to examine the possibility of identifying exposed subjects in order to analyse mortality patterns according to occupational characteristics such as medical departments or occupations in a historical cohort. Seven hospitals participated in this pilot study. Health-care workers who had worn a dosimeter up to December 2003 were to be included in this cohort. The subjects' identification data were obtained from the SISERI (Systeme d'information de la surveillance de l'exposition aux rayonnements ionisants - Ionizing Radiation Exposure Monitoring Information System) database managed by the Institut de radioprotection et de surete nucleaire - Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN). The SISERI system was in a 'pilot' phase in 2004. According to SISERI database, a total of 5126 subjects were found to have worn a dosimeter up to December 2003. The subjects' identification data were completed by the administrative services of the hospitals and occupational physicians searched for subjects' occupational data. Information required for the vital status search was satisfactorily completed only for 38% of the cohort subjects. This pilot study showed that obtaining data from SISERI database completed by hospital administrative data in 2004 led to a database of insufficient quality for epidemiological surveillance. The Institut de veille sanitaire (French Institute of Public Health Surveillance) recommends that transmission by the employers of some specific personal or occupational data of the exposed subjects should be made compulsory. In this way, SISERI system should be able to constitute any database with required quality for epidemiological surveillance of ionizing radiation exposed subjects. (authors)

Evolution of viral virulence: empirical studies

Science.gov (United States)

Kurath, Gael; Wargo, Andrew R.

2016-01-01

The concept of virulence as a pathogen trait that can evolve in response to selection has led to a large body of virulence evolution theory developed in the 1980-1990s. Various aspects of this theory predict increased or decreased virulence in response to a complex array of selection pressures including mode of transmission, changes in host, mixed infection, vector-borne transmission, environmental changes, host vaccination, host resistance, and co-evolution of virus and host. A fundamental concept is prediction of trade-offs between the costs and benefits associated with higher virulence, leading to selection of optimal virulence levels. Through a combination of observational and experimental studies, including experimental evolution of viruses during serial passage, many of these predictions have now been explored in systems ranging from bacteriophage to viruses of plants, invertebrates, and vertebrate hosts. This chapter summarizes empirical studies of viral virulence evolution in numerous diverse systems, including the classic models myxomavirus in rabbits, Marek's disease virus in chickens, and HIV in humans. Collectively these studies support some aspects of virulence evolution theory, suggest modifications for other aspects, and show that predictions may apply in some virus:host interactions but not in others. Finally, we consider how virulence evolution theory applies to disease management in the field.

Developing Emotional Literacy through Individual Dance Movement Therapy: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Meekums, Bonnie

2008-01-01

This paper reports a pragmatic mixed methods pilot study of teacher perceptions regarding a school-based Dance Movement therapy (DMT) service for six children aged four to seven in a North of England primary school. No previous studies have systematically evaluated DMT in terms of the development of Emotional Literacy (EL), though theoretical…

Empirical study on how social media promotes product innovation

OpenAIRE

Idota, Hiroki; Bunno, Teruyuki; Tsuji, Masatsugu

2014-01-01

Social media such as SNS, Twitter, and the blogs has been spreading all over the world, and a large number of firms recognize social media as new communication tools for obtaining information on consumer needs and market for developing new goods and services and promoting marketing. In spite of increasing its use in the reality, academic research on whether or how social media contributes to promoting product innovation is not enough yet. This study thus attempts to analyze empirically how so...

Case studies of energy efficiency financing in the original five pilot states, 1993-1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farhar, B C; Collins, N E; Walsh, R W

1997-05-01

The purpose of this report is to document progress in state-level programs in energy efficiency financing programs that are linked with home energy rating systems. Case studies are presented of programs in five states using a federal pilot program to amortize the costs of home energy improvements. The case studies present background information, describe the states` program, list preliminary evaluation data and findings, and discuss problems and solution encountered in the programs. A comparison of experiences in pilot states will be used to provide guidelines for program implementers, federal agencies, and Congress. 5 refs.

Can Markers Detect Contract Cheating? Results from a Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Phillip; Sutherland-Smith, Wendy

2018-01-01

Contract cheating is the purchasing of custom-made university assignments with the intention of submitting them. Websites providing contract cheating services often claim this form of cheating is undetectable, and no published research has examined this claim. This paper documents a pilot study where markers were paid to mark a mixture of real…

Motivation and Emotions in Competition Systems for Education: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz-Merino, Pedro J.; Molina, Manuel Fernández; Muñoz-Organero, Mario; Kloos, Carlos Delgado

2014-01-01

A lack of student motivation is a problem in many courses in electrical engineering. Introducing competition between students can enhance their motivation, but it can also generate negative emotions. This paper presents an empirical study of students in a telecommunications engineering degree; it measured their level of motivation, and their…

Performance-Based Service Quality Model: An Empirical Study on Japanese Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Sultan, Parves; Wong, Ho

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to develop and empirically test the performance-based higher education service quality model. Design/methodology/approach: The study develops 67-item instrument for measuring performance-based service quality with a particular focus on the higher education sector. Scale reliability is confirmed using the Cronbach's alpha.…

Study of the CMS Phase 1 Pixel Pilot Blade Reconstruction

CERN Document Server

CMS Collaboration

2017-01-01

The silicon pixel detector is the innermost component of the CMS tracking system. It was replaced in March 2017 with an upgraded one, called the Phase 1 upgrade detector. During Long Shutdown 1, a third disk was inserted into the present forward pixel detector with eight prototype blades constructed using a new digital read-out chip architecture and a prototype readout chain. Testing the performance of these pilot modules enabled us to gain experience with the Phase 1 upgrade modules. In this document, the data reconstruction with the pilot system is presented. The hit finding efficiency and residual of these new modules is also shown, and how these observables were used to adjust the timing of the pilot blades.

PILOT DECONTAMINATION THROUGH PILOT SEQUENCE HOPPING IN MASSIVE MIMO SYSTEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

path between one of the users and one of the base stations define one of the channels. The system comprises a pilot generation unit configured to assign pilot sequences randomly among the users and a pilot processing unit configured to filter the pilot sequences received from a user of interest so...... that the channel coefficient of the channel of the user of interest is determined. The pilot sequences received from the user of interest are contaminated by other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from other users of the cell of interest or other cells. The filter is configured so that the contamination...... caused by the other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from the other users is reduced....

DU-AGG pilot plant design study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lessing, P.A.; Gillman, H.

1996-07-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) is developing new methods to produce high-density aggregate (artificial rock) primarily consisting of depleted uranium oxide. The objective is to develop a low-cost method whereby uranium oxide powder (UO[sub 2], U[sub 3]O[sub ]8, or UO[sub 3]) can be processed to produce high-density aggregate pieces (DU-AGG) having physical properties suitable for disposal in low-level radioactive disposal facilities or for use as a component of high-density concrete used as shielding for radioactive materials. A commercial company, G-M Systems, conducted a design study for a manufacturing pilot plant to process DU-AGG. The results of that study are included and summarized in this report. Also explained are design considerations, equipment capacities, the equipment list, system operation, layout of equipment in the plant, cost estimates, and the proposed plan and schedule

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Greenbelt Homes, Inc. Pilot Retrofit Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2015-06-01

In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc., (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. With the community upgrade fully funded by the cooperative through their membership without outside subsidies, this project presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressing the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects that include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy-savings benefits of improvements. Phase 1—baseline evaluation for a representative set of 28 homes sited in seven buildings; Phase 2—installation of the building envelope improvements and continued monitoring of the energy consumption for the heating season; Phase 3—energy simulations supporting recommendations for HVAC and water heating upgrades.

a pilot study of the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspirate cytol

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-06-02

Jun 2, 2018 ... Fibroadenoma of the breast in a South African population -a pilot study of the ... Keywords: Fibroadenoma, diagnosis, breast ultrasonography, fine needle ..... breast cancer among Sudanese patients with breast palpa-.

A five-day inpatient EMDR treatment programme for PTSD: pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zepeda Méndez, Mayaris; Nijdam, Mirjam J.; ter Heide, F. Jackie June; van der Aa, Niels; Olff, Miranda

2018-01-01

Conclusions: The majority of patients in our pilot study experienced symptom reduction consistent with reliable changes in this five-day inpatient treatment with EMDR and yoga. Randomized controlled trials - with longer follow up periods - are needed to properly determine efficacy and efficiency of

Effects of a multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme on participation of the visually impaired elderly : a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alma, Manna A.; Groothoff, Johan W.; Melis-Dankers, Bart J. M.; Post, Marcel W. M.; Suurmeijer, Theo P. B. M.; van der Mei, Sijrike F.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To pilot test the newly developed multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme Visually Impaired elderly Persons Participating (VIPP). Method: A single group pretest-posttest design pilot study included 29 visually impaired persons (>= 55 years). The intervention (20 weekly meetings)

76 FR 19267 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-07

.... No. 61-127] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical... for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document reinstates two... entitled, ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Final Rule'' (74 FR 42500). That...

A Pilot Study on the effects of Music Therapy on Frontotemporal Dementia - developing a research protocol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ridder, Hanne Mette Ochsner; Wigram, Tony; Ottesen, Anne Marie

2009-01-01

, and pharmacological treatment of the psychiatric symptoms is difficult, requiring specialist proficiency in the field. Pilot study: As there is not yet sufficient research that examines the effects of non-pharmacologic treatment with this group there is a need to develop valid and reliable research protocols....... As an example of a non-pharmacologic treatment procedure music therapy was investigated. With the focus to develop a research protocol for a future larger population study a pilot study was carried out. In two case studies a combination of data collection methods were examined with the overall goal to document...... changes in intersubjectivity. In this pilot testing there was a specific interest in selecting a relevant and manageable dementia specific instrument for measuring quality of life and relating it with other instruments. Following three instruments were tested: the Altzheimers Disease-Related Quality...

College Education and Attitudes toward Democracy in China: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Gang; Wu, Liyun; Han, Rongbin

2015-01-01

The modernization theory contends that there is a link between education and democracy. Yet few empirical studies have been done to investigate the role of higher education on promoting democratic values in the Chinese context. Using China General Social Survey 2006, this paper generates several findings which are not completely consistent with…

Medical symptoms among pilots associated with work and home environments: a 3-year cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Xi; Lindgren, Torsten; Norbäck, Dan

2015-05-01

To study associations between the cockpit environment, psychosocial work environment, home environment, and medical symptoms in a cohort of commercial pilots followed over 3 yr. A standardized questionnaire was mailed in February-March 1997 to all Stockholm-based pilots on duty in a Scandinavian flight company (N = 622); 577 (93%) participated. During this time smoking was allowed on long haul flights, but not on shorter flights. Smoking was prohibited on all flights after September 1997. The same questionnaire was sent to the cohort of 577 pilots in February-March 2000; 436 participated (76%). The questionnaire contained questions on symptoms, the psychosocial work environment, and the home environment. Associations were investigated using multiple logistic and ordinal regression. Symptoms were common, especially eye symptoms (38.5%), nose symptoms (39.9%), and tiredness (29.9%). Pilots exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on long haul flights had more eye symptoms (odds ratio = 1.91) and tiredness (odds ratio = 2.73). These symptoms were reduced when no longer exposed to ETS. Those who started working on long haul flights developed more nose symptoms. Pilots reporting increased work demands developed more nose and dermal symptoms and tiredness and those with decreased work control developed more eye symptoms. Pilots living in new houses, multifamily houses, and in recently painted homes reported more symptoms. Eliminating ETS exposure on board reduced medical symptoms. Further work to reduce ETS exposure globally is needed. Psychosocial aspects of the work environment for commercial pilots should be considered, as well as the home environment.

Pilots 2.0: DIRAC pilots for all the skies

CERN Document Server

Stagni, F; McNab, A; Luzzi, C

2015-01-01

In the last few years, new types of computing infrastructures, such as IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and IAAC (Infrastructure as a Client), gained popularity. New resources may come as part of pledged resources, while others are opportunistic. Most of these new infrastructures are based on virtualization techniques. Meanwhile, some concepts, such as distributed queues, lost appeal, while still supporting a vast amount of resources. Virtual Organizations are therefore facing heterogeneity of the available resources and the use of an Interware software like DIRAC to hide the diversity of underlying resources has become essential. The DIRAC WMS is based on the concept of pilot jobs that was introduced back in 2004. A pilot is what creates the possibility to run jobs on a worker node. Within DIRAC, we developed a new generation of pilot jobs, that we dubbed Pilots 2.0. Pilots 2.0 are not tied to a specific infrastructure; rather they are generic, fully configurable and extendible pilots. A Pilot 2.0 can be s...

Dementia and Depression in Elders with Mental Retardation: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Dennis C.; Wadsworth, John S.

1990-01-01

This article investigates cognitive decline and depressive symptomatology among older adults with mental retardation. A pilot study of assessment instruments is reported. Findings reveal that decreasing cognitive ability is associated with higher rates of observed depression and reported behavioral problems. Cognitive decline was associated with…

Franchised fast food brands: An empirical study of factors influencing growth

OpenAIRE

Christopher A. Wingrove; Boris Urban

2017-01-01

Orientation: Franchising is a popular and multifaceted business arrangement that captures a sizeable portion of the restaurant industry worldwide. Research purpose: The study empirically investigated the influence of various site location and branding factors on the growth of franchised fast food restaurant brands across the greater Gauteng region. Motivation of the study: Researching which factors influence the growth of franchised fast food restaurant brands is important for an emer...

Empirical Music Aesthetics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grund, Cynthia M.

The toolbox for empirically exploring the ways that artistic endeavors convey and activate meaning on the part of performers and audiences continues to expand. Current work employing methods at the intersection of performance studies, philosophy, motion capture and neuroscience to better understand...... musical performance and reception is inspired by traditional approaches within aesthetics, but it also challenges some of the presuppositions inherent in them. As an example of such work I present a research project in empirical music aesthetics begun last year and of which I am a team member....

Causes of Mortality among American College Students: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, James C.; Leno, E. Victor; Keller, Adrienne

2013-01-01

This pilot study from self-selected institutions of higher education provides an estimate of the causes and rates of mortality among college students between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. One hundred fifty-seven 4-year colleges participated in an online survey of student deaths during one academic year. A total of 254 deaths were reported. The…

The psychophysiological assessment method for pilot's professional reliability.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L M; Yu, L S; Wang, K N; Jing, B S; Fang, C

1997-05-01

Previous research has shown that a pilot's professional reliability depends on two relative factors: the pilot's functional state and the demands of task workload. The Psychophysiological Reserve Capacity (PRC) is defined as a pilot's ability to accomplish additive tasks without reducing the performance of the primary task (flight task). We hypothesized that the PRC was a mirror of the pilot's functional state. The purpose of this study was to probe the psychophysiological method for evaluating a pilot's professional reliability on a simulator. The PRC Comprehensive Evaluating System (PRCCES) which was used in the experiment included four subsystems: a) quantitative evaluation system for pilot's performance on simulator; b) secondary task display and quantitative estimating system; c) multiphysiological data monitoring and statistical system; and d) comprehensive evaluation system for pilot PRC. Two studies were performed. In study one, 63 healthy and 13 hospitalized pilots participated. Each pilot performed a double 180 degrees circuit flight program with and without secondary task (three digit operation). The operator performance, score of secondary task and cost of physiological effort were measured and compared by PRCCES in the two conditions. Then, each pilot's flight skill in training was subjectively scored by instructor pilot ratings. In study two, 7 healthy pilots volunteered to take part in the experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on pilot's PRC. Each participant had PRC tested pre- and post-8 h sleep deprivation. The results show that the PRC values of a healthy pilot was positively correlated with abilities of flexibility, operating and correcting deviation, attention distribution, and accuracy of instrument flight in the air (r = 0.27-0.40, p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with emotional anxiety in flight (r = -0.40, p < 0.05). The values of PRC in healthy pilots (0.61 +/- 0.17) were significantly higher than that of hospitalized pilots

Electroosmotically enhanced sludge dewatering-pilot-plant study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smollen, M

1994-01-01

Full Text Available role in determining the ease or difficulty of phase separation. It seems that the inefficiency of dewatering applied to gelatinous and fine-particle sludges can be overcome by mechanical dewatering enhanced by electroosmosis. A prototype pilot-plant...

The effects of performance measurement and compensation on motivation: An empirical study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Herpen, M.; van Praag, C.M.; Cools, K.

2003-01-01

The design and implementation of a performance measurement and compensation system can strongly affect the motivation of employees. Building on economic and psychological theory this study develops a conceptual model that is used to empirically test this effect. Our survey results demonstrate a

Empirical psychology, common sense, and Kant's empirical markers for moral responsibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Frierson, Patrick

2008-12-01

This paper explains the empirical markers by which Kant thinks that one can identify moral responsibility. After explaining the problem of discerning such markers within a Kantian framework I briefly explain Kant's empirical psychology. I then argue that Kant's empirical markers for moral responsibility--linked to higher faculties of cognition--are not sufficient conditions for moral responsibility, primarily because they are empirical characteristics subject to natural laws. Next. I argue that these markers are not necessary conditions of moral responsibility. Given Kant's transcendental idealism, even an entity that lacks these markers could be free and morally responsible, although as a matter of fact Kant thinks that none are. Given that they are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions, I discuss the status of Kant's claim that higher faculties are empirical markers of moral responsibility. Drawing on connections between Kant's ethical theory and 'common rational cognition' (4:393), I suggest that Kant's theory of empirical markers can be traced to ordinary common sense beliefs about responsibility. This suggestion helps explain both why empirical markers are important and what the limits of empirical psychology are within Kant's account of moral responsibility.

[Dental caries and early childhood development: a pilot study].

Science.gov (United States)

Núñez, F Loreto; Sanz, B Javier; Mejía, L Gloria

2015-01-01

To investigate the association between dental caries and early childhood development in 3-year-olds from Talca, Chile. A pilot study with a convenience sample of 3-year-olds from Talca (n = 39) who attend public healthcare centers. Child development was measured by the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI), a screening tool used nationally among pre-school children to assess language development, fine motor skills and coordination areas. Dental caries prevalence was evaluated by decayed, missing, filled teeth (DFMT) and decayed, missing, filled tooth surfaces (DFMS) ceo-d and ceo-s indexes. The children were divided into two groups according to the PDIscore: those with a score of 40 or more were considered developmentally normal (n = 32), and those with a score below 40 were considered as having impaired development (n = 7). The severity of caries (DMFT) was negatively correlated with PDI (r = -0.82), and children with the lowest TEPSI score had the highest DFMT values. The average DMFT in children with normal development was 1.31, and 3.57 for those with impaired development. This pilot study indicates that the severity of dental caries is correlated with early childhood development. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Including health economic analysis in pilot studies: lessons learned from a cost-utility analysis within the PROSPECTIV pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richéal M. Burns

2017-07-01

Full Text Available PurposeTo assess feasibility and health economic benefits and costs as part of a pilot study for a nurse-led, psychoeducational intervention (NPLI for prostate cancer in order to understand the potential for cost effectiveness as well as contribute to the design of a larger scale trial.MethodsMen with stable prostate cancer post-treatment were recruited from two cancer centres in the UK. Eighty-three men were randomised to the NLPI plus usual care or usual care alone (UCA (42 NLPI and 41 UCA; the NLPI plus usual care was delivered in the primary-care setting (the intervention and included an initial face-to-face consultation with a trained nurse, with follow-up tailored to individual needs. The study afforded the opportunity to undertake a short-term within pilot analysis. The primary outcome measure for the economic evaluation was quality of life, as measured by the EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L instrument. Costs (£2014 assessed included health-service resource use, out-of-pocket expenses and losses from inability to undertake usual activities.ResultsTotal and incremental costs varied across the different scenarios assessed, with mean cost differences ranging from £173 to £346; incremental effect, as measured by the change in utility scores over the duration of follow-up, exhibited wide confidence intervals highlighting inconclusive effectiveness (95% CI: -0.0226; 0.0438. The cost per patient of delivery of the intervention would be reduced if rolled out to a larger patient cohort.ConclusionsThe NLPI is potentially cost saving depending on the scale of delivery; however, the results presented are not considered generalisable.

Breast cancer and personal environmental risk factors in Marin County - Pilot study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erdmann, C.A.; Farren, G.; Baltzell, K.; Chew, T.; Clarkson, C.; Fleshman, R.; Leary, C.; Mizroch, M.; Orenstein, F.; Russell, M.L.; Souders-Mason, V.; Wrensch, M.

2003-02-01

The purpose of the Personal Environmental Risk Factor Study (PERFS) pilot project was to develop methodologies and a questionnaire for a future population-based case-control study to investigate the role of selected environmental exposures in breast cancer development. Identification of etiologically relevant exposures during a period of potential vulnerability proximate to disease onset offers the possibility of clinical disease prevention even when disease initiation may have already occurred many years earlier. Certain personal environmental agents or combinations of agents may influence disease promotion. Therefore, this pilot study focused on exposures that occurred during the ten-year period prior to diagnosis for cases and the last ten years for controls, rather than more historic exposures. For this pilot study, they used a community-based research approach. In the collaborative efforts, community members participated with academic researchers in all phases of the research, including research question identification, study design, development of research tools, development of the human subjects protocol, and report writing. Community member inclusion was based upon the concept that community participation could improve the relevance of scientific studies and ultimate success of the research by encouraging an ongoing dialogue between community members and academic representatives. Early activities of this project focused on the collection of input from the community regarding the possible role of environmental factors in the incidence of breast cancer in Marin County. The intent was to inform the scientists of community concerns, enhance the research team's understanding of the community being studied, and provide interested community members with a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of traditional research methods through active participation in the research process.

Pilot study of a budget-tailored culinary nutrition education program for undergraduate food science students

Science.gov (United States)

Kerrison, Dorothy Adair

The primary objective of this pilot study is to provide evidence that a budget-tailored culinary nutrition program is both appropriate and applicable to undergraduate food science students both in everyday life as well as their future health careers. Two validated programs were combined into one program in order to evaluate their combined effects: Cooking With a Chef and Cooking Matters at the Store. The secondary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the components and reliability of a questionnaire created specifically for this pilot study. A review of past literature was written, which included culinary nutrition as a source of primary prevention, the importance of incorporating cost with culinary nutrition, and the importance of incorporating cost with culinary nutrition. Based on the literature review, it was determined that a budget-tailored culinary nutrition program was appropriate and applicable to undergraduate food science students interested in pursuing health-related careers. The pilot study design was a semi-crossover study: all four groups received the program, however, two groups were first treated as the control groups. All fifty-four participants received 5 sessions of culinary nutrition information from Cooking With a Chef, collaboratively delivered by a nutrition educator and a chef, and one session of information about shopping healthy on a budget from Cooking Matters at the Store in the form of a grocery store tour led by the nutrition educator. Three questionnaires were administered to the participants that evaluated culinary nutrition and price knowledge, cooking attitudes, and opinions of the programs' relevance to participants' everyday lives and careers. Two of the questionnaires, including a questionnaire developed specifically for the pilot study, were delivered as a pre- and post-test while the third questionnaire was delivered as a post-test. Eight random participants also partook in a focus group session led by the nutrition

[Pilot testing of an internet based pregnancy planning study "Snart-gravid.dk"].

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkelsen, Ellen M; Maindal, Helle Terkildsen

2011-01-01

Before launching a new study pilot testing is often recommended, however, it is seldom described in depth. Here, we report extensively on a pilot study using the internet as a new method for recruitment and data collection in a prospective cohort study of women planning a pregnancy.We aimed to enroll 2500 participants in six months and attained more than 75 % after 12 months follow up. To test data completeness and validity we randomized participants to fill either a long or a short version of the baseline questionnaire and compared self reported data with registry based data.We succeeded in enrolling 2288 participants, and participation rate was 82 % after 12 months. We found high correlations (0.96) for self-reported vs. registry based data and no difference in participation rate or data completeness according to questionnaire length. Overall, the internet based methods seem promising and we plan to launch the full study.

Empirical Hamiltonians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peggs, S.; Talman, R.

1987-01-01

As proton accelerators get larger, and include more magnets, the conventional tracking programs which simulate them run slower. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method, still under development, in which element-by-element tracking around one turn is replaced by a single man, which can be processed far faster. It is assumed for this method that a conventional program exists which can perform faithful tracking in the lattice under study for some hundreds of turns, with all lattice parameters held constant. An empirical map is then generated by comparison with the tracking program. A procedure has been outlined for determining an empirical Hamiltonian, which can represent motion through many nonlinear kicks, by taking data from a conventional tracking program. Though derived by an approximate method this Hamiltonian is analytic in form and can be subjected to further analysis of varying degrees of mathematical rigor. Even though the empirical procedure has only been described in one transverse dimension, there is good reason to hope that it can be extended to include two transverse dimensions, so that it can become a more practical tool in realistic cases

An Empirical Study of Gender Gap in Children Schooling in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An Empirical Study of Gender Gap in Children Schooling in Nigeria. Olanrewaju Olaniyan. Abstract. African Journal of Economic Policy Vol10(1) 2003: 117-131. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajep.v10i1.24245 · AJOL African ...

Geostatistical modelling of carbon monoxide levels in Khartoum State (Sudan) - GIS pilot based study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alhuseen, A [Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Dept. of Landscape Ecology, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Madani, M [Ministry of Environment and Physical Development, 1111 Khartoum (Sudan)

2012-04-25

The objective of this study is to develop a digital GIS model; that can evaluate, predict and visualize carbon monoxide (CO) levels in Khartoum state. To achieve this aim, sample data had been collected, processed and managed to generate a dynamic GIS model of carbon monoxide levels in the study area. Parametric data collected from the field and analysis carried throughout this study show that (CO) emissions were lower than the allowable ambient air quality standards released by National Environment Protection Council (NEPC-USA) for 1998. However, this pilot study has found emissions of (CO) in Omdurman city were the highest. This pilot study shows that GIS and geostatistical modeling can be used as a powerful tool to produce maps of exposure. (authors)

Final Report on Pilot Studies / Final Report on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biel, Carmen; Wake, Jo Dugstad; Hesse, Friedrich

This Deliverable is the final report on pilot studies within the NEXT-TELL project (D6.7) and furthermore comprises the Deliverable on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment (D2.9) in order to avoid redundancies between those two Deliverables.......This Deliverable is the final report on pilot studies within the NEXT-TELL project (D6.7) and furthermore comprises the Deliverable on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment (D2.9) in order to avoid redundancies between those two Deliverables....

A pilot study to determine the effect of radiographer training on radiostereometric analysis imaging technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muharemovic, O; Troelsen, A; Thomsen, M G

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Producing x-ray images for radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is a demanding technique. Suboptimal examinations result in a high percentage of exposure repetition. The aim of this pilot study was to use an experiential training approach to sharpen the skills of radiographers in acquir......INTRODUCTION: Producing x-ray images for radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is a demanding technique. Suboptimal examinations result in a high percentage of exposure repetition. The aim of this pilot study was to use an experiential training approach to sharpen the skills of radiographers...

Location Independent Professional Project: A Pilot Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hudson, J.A.; Long, J.P.; Miller, M.M.

1999-02-01

This pilot study project explored the problem of providing access to the nomadic worker who desires to connect a computer through network access points at a number of different locations within the SNL/NM campus as well as outside the campus. The design and prototype development gathered knowledge that may allow a design to be developed that could be extended to a larger number of SNL/NM network drop boxes. The focus was to provide a capability for a worker to access the SNL IRN from a network drop box (e.g. in a conference room) as easily as when accessing the computer network from the office normally used by the worker. Additional study was done on new methods to authenticate the off campus worker, and protect and control access to data.

A Pilot Study of Stress System Activation in Children Enrolled in a Targeted Prevention Program: Implications for Personalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonnie Klimes-Dougan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Empirically validated interventions addressing childhood psychological problems are now readily available, but success likely depends in part on accurately identifying which children will benefit from which intervention. This pilot study examined the stress activation and response system, first as a way to differentiate high versus low-risk children, and second to explore indicators of the stress system associated with favorable intervention response. Method. Participants (N = 43, 58% male were school-aged children who qualified for inclusion in the Early Risers “Skills for Success” Prevention Program based on their elevated levels of aggressive and/or socially withdrawn behavior and a normally developing comparison group. Compared to the normally developing group, children who were participants in the intervention exhibited a more blunted cortisol response to the stress paradigm. However, for the children in the intervention group, elevated cortisol levels at the start of the stress paradigm were concurrently associated with internalizing problems and predictive of improvement in internalizing problems over time. These findings provide preliminary evidence that hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA axis biological variables may be helpful tools for identifying children who would benefit from intervention and personalizing interventions.

Application of risk-informed in-service inspection approach. Pilot study on low pressure emergency core cooling system of NPP Temelin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horacek, L.; Palyza, J.; Zdarek, J.; Vizina, M.

2004-01-01

In-service inspection (ISI) programme of piping systems based on Riskinformed In-service Inspections (RI-ISI) approach represents for the WWER NPP licensee first overall systematic conceptual solution of the problems associated with design and design modifications of ISI programme for piping systems. The approach enables to consider possible savings and comparison of in-service inspection programmes according to more objective criteria including those calculated in PSA, in contrast to present much empiric experience collected by manufacturers, operators and ISI vendors in the past. Service experience has shown limited correlation between the deterministic ISI requirements and actual field failures or degradation mechanisms. Where field failures have been observed in piping, they have generally been due to either material concerns (e.g., Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking) or stress/cycling mechanisms not identified in the original design basis documents (e.g., thermal stratification), and therefore would not be selected for inspection under current requirements. Risk-informed in-service inspections represent integrated multidisciplinary approach to the in-service inspection programme fulfilling the enhanced requirements of the Czech Regulatory Body (SUJB) for defence in depth concept applied to weld joints of safety related components, application of qualified NDT methods/techniques and introducing of inspections for cause approach. Inspections for cause take into account analysis of both active and potential degradation mechanisms specific to piping system concerned. Simultaneously, this approach enables the licensee to reach, in cases justified from safety point of view, economic savings resulting from lowering of both number and extent of performed in-service inspections and optimisation of their performance. RI ISI pilot study based in majority on EPRI methodology implemented for WWER type reactors has been performed for LP ECCS (Low Pressure Emergency

ACCOUNTING MANIPULATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY REGARDING MANAGERS’ BEHAVIOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balaciu Diana Elisabeta

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The study analyses managers’ behaviour from Romania when dealing with creative accounting. For this we realized an empirical study within the Arad county space, having as main objective the identification of the managers’ perception regarding the usefulness of accounting information and of other factors considered when making decisions. Another aspect was to interpret the managers’ tendency towards manipulation or strategic management of results. The empirical research was carried out between December 2013 and January 2014, and the research method used was the survey, and as an instrument of the research we used the questionnaire. The questionnaires were posted on a website but some of them were applied directly in the field to ensure a response rate of at least 30%. For the analysis and confirmation of the feasibility of the questionnaire and of the measurement scale, we used Cronbach Alpha method. The results obtained after statistically processing the answers received from respondents and after testing the research hypotheses show that there is an increased interest of the managers from the investigated Arad firms to improve the quality of the financial accounting information and to give the users as beautiful an image as possible of the company’s performances; it is noticed their inclination to the manipulation of the accounting figures. On the other hand the results obtained demonstrate that, despite the fact that most of the managers from the sample consider that using ethics is a priority in making decisions, this idea is not an obstacle for more than a half to change an accounting policy that would affect the true image but would be favorable to the image of the company The utility of such research contributes to the insurance of the premises for the development of future research, looking to test the reaction of the professional accountants in our country, regarding the phenomenon of creative accounting.

Preliminary follow-up study of military pilots with asymptomatic cerebral infarction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-min ZHANG

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective 　To observe pilots with asymptomatic cerebral infarction (ACI for their short-term prognosis. Methods 　Twenty-two pilots who were diagnosed having ACI by magnetic resonance imaging were enrolled in this study. When they returned to the hospital for regular reexamination, the number of ACI foci , the incidents of acute cerebrovascular disease and grounding of aircraft for any reasons were recorded. According to whether the ACI lesions increased, the patients were divided into two groups. The risk factors for cerebral vascular disease were compared between the two groups. Results 　All the patients were followed for 6-42 months (mean 14.18±8.55 months, and 6(18.18% patients were found to have increase of lesions. No neurological deficit was seen in the two groups, although 3 flight crews were grounded for non-ACI reason. Age and flight time showed statistically significant differences between the lesions increased group and no lesion increased group. Conclusions 　The number of ACI foci of some pilots may increase, which is affected by age and flight time. Further investigations on the long-term prognosis and the impacts on flight are needed. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2016.09.16

Critical care staff rotation: outcomes of a survey and pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Annette; Douglas, Margaret; Shuttler, Rachel; Hagland, Martin R

2003-01-01

Staff rotation is defined as a reciprocal exchange of staff between two or more clinical areas for a predetermined period of time. The rationale for introducing a 'Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programme' includes important issues such as improving nurses' knowledge and skills, providing development opportunities, networking, the ability to recruit and retain nurses and the provision of a more versatile and flexible workforce. To gain the understanding of nurses' views and opinions on critical care rotation programmes, evidence was collected by means of questionnaires involving 153 critical care nurses and by undertaking semi-structured interviews with four nurses. On the basis of the responses, a pilot of three Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programmes was introduced. An evaluation of the pilot project assessed participants, supervisors and senior nurses' experience of rotation and revealed very positive experiences being reported. The benefits highlighted included improving clinical skills and experience, improving interdepartmental relationships, heightened motivation and opportunities to network. The disadvantages focused on the operational and managerial issues, such as difficulties maintaining supervision and providing an adequate supernumerary period. Evidence from the survey and pilot study suggests that in the future, providing rotational programmes for critical care nurses would be a valuable strategy for recruitment, retention and developing the workforce.

High-frequency volatility combine forecast evaluations: An empirical study for DAX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen Cheong Chin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the benefits of combining realized volatility, higher power variation volatility and nearest neighbour truncation volatility in the forecasts of financial stock market of DAX. A structural break heavy-tailed heterogeneous autoregressive model under the heterogeneous market hypothesis specification is employed to capture the stylized facts of high-frequency empirical data. Using selected averaging forecast methods, the forecast weights are assigned based on the simple average, simple median, least squares and mean square error. The empirical results indicated that the combination of forecasts in general shown superiority under four evaluation criteria regardless which proxy is set as the actual volatility. As a conclusion, we summarized that the forecast performance is influenced by three factors namely the types of volatility proxy, forecast methods (individual or averaging forecast and lastly the type of actual forecast value used in the evaluation criteria.

Are elementary school teachers prepared to tackle bullying? : A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oldenburg, Beau; Bosman, Rie; Veenstra, Rene

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate to what extent elementary school teachers were prepared to tackle bullying. Interview data from 22 Dutch elementary school teachers (M age=43.3, 18 classrooms in eight schools) were combined with survey data from 373 students of these teachers (M

Predictors of Home Care Expenditures and Death at Home for Cancer Patients in an Integrated Comprehensive Palliative Home Care Pilot Program

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Doris M.; Abernathy, Tom; Cockerill, Rhonda; Brazil, Kevin; Wagner, Frank; Librach, Larry

2011-01-01

Purpose: Empirical understanding of predictors for home care service use and death at home is important for healthcare planning. Few studies have examined these predictors in the context of the publicly funded Canadian home care system. This study examined predictors for home care use and home death in the context of a “gold standard” comprehensive palliative home care program pilot in Ontario where patients had equal access to home care services. Methods: Secondary clinical and administrative data sources were linked using a unique identifier to examine multivariate factors (predisposing, enabling, need) on total home care expenditures and home death for a cohort of cancer patients enrolled in the HPCNet pilot. Results: Subjects with gastrointestinal symptoms (OR: 1.64; p=0.03) and those with higher income had increased odds of dying at home (OR: 1.14; phome care expenditures. Conclusions: Predictors of home death found in earlier studies appeared less important in this comprehensive palliative home care pilot. An income effect for home death observed in this study requires examination in future controlled studies. Relevance: Access to palliative home care that is adequately resourced and organized to address the multiple domains of issues that patients/families experience at the end of life has the potential to enable home death and shift care appropriately from limited acute care resources. PMID:22294993

Understanding Functional Reuse of ERP Requirements in the Telecommunication Sector: an Empirical Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daneva, Maia

2014-01-01

This paper is an empirical study on the application of Function Points (FP) and a FP-based reuse measurement model in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects in three organizations in the telecommunication sector. The findings of the study are used to compare the requirements reuse for one

Longitudinal Study of the Health Status of U.S. Navy Combat Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-04-01

included such diagnoses as helminthiasis , amoebiasis, avitaminoses, and dermatophytosis. In examining long-term health effects, results of the study of...consisted of ancylostomiasis, other intestinal helminthiasis , intestinal parasitism, and other infective- parasitic disease. These pilots also had higher

Customized photorefractive keratectomy to correct high ametropia after penetrating keratoplasty: A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe De Rosa

2015-07-01

Conclusion: Our pilot study suggests that customized PRK can be a safe and effective method for treating ametropia and irregular astigmatisms after PK. Future studies with larger samples and longer follow-ups should be performed to confirm these results.

A pilot study of a chiropractic intervention for management of chronic myofascial temporomandibular disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

DeVocht, James W; Goertz, Christine M; Hondras, Maria

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular pain has multiple etiologies and a range of therapeutic options. In this pilot study, the authors assessed the feasibility of conducting a larger trial to evaluate chiropractic treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). METHODS: The authors assigned 80...... at baseline and at month 2 and month 6, including use of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. RESULTS: The authors screened 721 potential participants and enrolled 80 people; 52 participants completed the six-month assessment. The adjusted mean change in current pain over six...... the study design and methodology to be manageable. They gained substantial knowledge to aid in conducting a larger study. AMCT, RIST and self-care should be evaluated in a future comparative effectiveness study. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This pilot study was a necessary step to prepare for a larger study...

Brief Report: Prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorder in Brazil--A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Paula, Cristiane S.; Ribeiro, Sabrina H.; Fombonne, Eric; Mercadante, Marcos T.

2011-01-01

This pilot study presents preliminary results concerning the prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) in South America. It was a three-phase study conducted in a typical town in Southeast Brazil. Case definition was based in a combination of standardized instruments and clinical evaluations by experts. The prevalence of PDD was…

PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study Report: Engineering for Complex Systems Program (formerly Design for Safety), DFS-IC-0006

Science.gov (United States)

Korsmeyer, David; Schreiner, John

2002-01-01

This technology evaluation report documents the findings and recommendations of the Engineering for Complex Systems Program (formerly Design for Safety) PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study of the Space Shuttle Program's (SSP's) Problem Reporting and Corrective Action (PRACA) System. A team at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) performed this Study. This Study was initiated as a follow-on to the NASA chartered Shuttle Independent Assessment Team (SIAT) review (performed in the Fall of 1999) which identified deficiencies in the current PRACA implementation. The Pilot Study was launched with an initial qualitative assessment and technical review performed during January 2000 with the quantitative formal Study (the subject of this report) started in March 2000. The goal of the PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study is to evaluate and quantify the technical aspects of the SSP PRACA systems and recommend enhancements to address deficiencies and in preparation for future system upgrades.

Pilot Study of Flow and Meaningfulness as Psychological Learning Concepts in Patient Education: A Short Report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicic, Sara; Nørby, Karina; Bruun Johansen, Clea

2014-01-01

of this study was to investigate the applicability of these concepts of positive psychological theory in a patient education setting. Methods: This pilot study combines participating observation of group based patient education and 8 qualitative interviews with 4 patients with type 2 diabetes. Meaning......Abstract Background: The aim of this pilot study was to explore patient experiences of meaningfulness and flow related to group based patient education in type 2 diabetes. Meaningfulness and flow are underexposed as psychological learning concepts in patient education, and the ambition...

Empirical Studies on the Use of Social Software in Global Software Development - a Systematic Mapping Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Giuffrida, Rosalba; Dittrich, Yvonne

2013-01-01

of empirical studies on the usage of SoSo are available in related fields, there exists no comprehensive overview of what has been investigated to date across them. Objective: The aim of this review is to map empirical studies on the usage of SoSo in Software Engineering projects and in distributed teams...... for collaborative work, fostering awareness, knowledge management and coordination among team members. Contrary to the evident high importance of the social aspects offered by SoSo, socialization is not the most important usage reported. Conclusions: This review reports how SoSo is used in GSD and how it is capable...... of supporting GSD teams. Four emerging themes in global software engineering were identified: the appropriation and development of usage structures; understanding how an ecology of communication channels and tools are used by teams; the role played by SoSo either as a subtext or as an explicit goal; and finally...

76 FR 78141 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-16

...-26661; Amdt. No. 61-129] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification... requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document corrects an... a practical test for the issuance of a sport pilot certificate in a light-sport aircraft other than...

Empirical studies on changes in oil governance

Science.gov (United States)

Kemal, Mohammad

Regulation of the oil and gas sector is consequential to the economies of oil-producing countries. In the literature, there are two types of regulation: indirect regulation through taxes and tariffs or direct regulation through the creation of a National Oil Company (NOC). In the 1970s, many oil-producing countries nationalized their oil and gas sectors by creating and giving ownership rights of oil and gas resources to NOCs. In light of the success of Norway in regulating its oil and gas resources, over the past two decades several countries have changed their oil governance by changing the rights given to NOC from ownership right to mere access rights like other oil companies. However, empirical literature on these changes in oil governance is quite thin. Thus, this dissertation will explore three research questions to investigate empirically these changes in oil governance. First, I investigate empirically the impact of the changes in oil governance on aggregate domestic income. By employing a difference-in-difference method, I will show that a country which changed its oil governance increases its GDP per-capita by 10%. However, the impact is different for different types of political institution. Second, by observing the changes in oil governance in Indonesia , I explore the impact of the changes on learning-by-doing and learning spillover effect in offshore exploration drilling. By employing an econometric model which includes interaction terms between various experience variables and changes in an oil governance dummy, I will show that the change in oil governance in Indonesia enhances learning-by-doing by the rigs and learning spillover in a basin. Lastly, the impact of the changes in oil governance on expropriation risk and extraction path will be explored. By employing a difference-in-difference method, this essay will show that the changes in oil governance reduce expropriation and the impact of it is different for different sizes of resource stock.

An empirical study on entrepreneurs' personal characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Ahmadkhani

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The personality of an entrepreneur is one of the most important characteristics of reaching success by creating jobs and opportunities. In this paper, we demonstrate an empirical study on personal characteristics of students who are supposed to act as entrepreneur to create jobs in seven fields of accounting, computer science, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, metallurgy engineering, electrical engineering and drawing. There are seven aspects of accepting reasonable risk, locus of control, the need for success, mental health conditions, being pragmatic, tolerating ambiguity, dreaming and the sense of challenging in our study to measure the level of entrepreneurship. We uniformly distribute 133 questionnaires among undergraduate students in all seven groups and analyze the results based on t-student test. Our investigation indicates that all students accept reasonable amount of risk, they preserve sufficient locus of control and they are eager for success. In addition, our tests indicate that students believe they maintain sufficient level of mental health care with strong sense of being pragmatic and they could handle ambiguity and challenges.

Pilot Implementations as an Approach to Infrastructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manikas, Maria Ie; Torkilsheyggi, Arnvør Martinsdóttir á

In this paper we introduce pilot implementation, a supplement to information systems development, as an approach to study and design work infrastructures. We report from two pilot implementations in the Danish healthcare, which showed signs of grappling with aligning the past, present...... and the future while using a pilot system in real use situations and with real users. Based on our initial findings we believe that pilot implementations can address some of the challenges of studying infrastructures, because they make the infrastructure visible and because they can integrate the long......-term with the short-term aspects. The paper is based on work-in-progress and the purpose is not as much to make conclusions as to spark discussion about whether pilot implementations could offer a way to study and design work infrastructures during information system development....

A qualitative pilot study of food insecurity among Maasai women in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this study was to pilot a qualitative method to understand food insecurity based on the lived experience of women of the Maasai population in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Tanzania. Methods: Short semi-structured qualitative interviews with 4 Maasai women. Results: Food insecurity was present in ...

Lecturer Perspectives on Dyslexia within One Greek University: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stampoltzis, Aglaia; Tsitsou, Elisavet; Plesti, Helen; Kalouri, Rani

2015-01-01

Introduction: Dyslexia is a learning difficulty which affects people in different ways. During the last decades the number of students with dyslexia entering higher education increased steadily. Method: This paper reports a pilot study exploring the attitudes, views and experiences of faculty members at one small size Greek university regarding…

The Need for Large-Scale, Longitudinal Empirical Studies in Middle Level Education Research

Science.gov (United States)

Mertens, Steven B.; Caskey, Micki M.; Flowers, Nancy

2016-01-01

This essay describes and discusses the ongoing need for large-scale, longitudinal, empirical research studies focused on middle grades education. After a statement of the problem and concerns, the essay describes and critiques several prior middle grades efforts and research studies. Recommendations for future research efforts to inform policy…

Corpus-Aided Business English Collocation Pedagogy: An Empirical Study in Chinese EFL Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lidan

2017-01-01

This study reports an empirical study of an explicit instruction of corpus-aided Business English collocations and verifies its effectiveness in improving learners' collocation awareness and learner autonomy, as a result of which is significant improvement of learners' collocation competence. An eight-week instruction in keywords' collocations,…

The Patronage Behaviour of Islamic Bank's Customers: Empirical Studies in Aceh

OpenAIRE

Abd. Majid, M. Shabri; Zulhanizar, Said

2016-01-01

This study is aimed at empirically exploring the pertinent factors, which customers and non-customer perceive as germane to their selection of Islamic bank in Aceh, Indonesia. A sample of 300 customers and non-customer of Bank Aceh Syariah were selected based on the convenience sampling technique. Using the logistic regression technique, the study documented that the customers’ selection of the banks were influenced by the factors of banks’ characteristic, services and trust, shari’ah complia...

A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility of Psychological First Aid for Nursing Home Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Lisa M; Bruce, Martha L; Hyer, Kathryn; Mills, Whitney L; Vongxaiburana, Elizabeth; Polivka-West, Lumarie

2009-07-01

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the pilot study were to modify existing psychological first aid (PFA) materials so they would be appropriate for use with institutionalized elders, evaluate the feasibility of using nursing home staff to deliver the intervention to residents, and solicit feedback from residents about the intervention. The STORM Study, an acronym for "services for treating older residents' mental health", is the first step in the development of an evidence-based disaster mental health intervention for this vulnerable and underserved population. METHOD: Demographic characteristics were collected on participating residents and staff. Program evaluation forms were completed by staff participants during the pilot test and nurse training session. Staff and resident discussion groups were conducted during the pilot test to collect qualitative data on the use of PFA in nursing homes. RESULTS: Results demonstrate the feasibility of the PFA program to train staff to provide residents with PFA during disasters. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should focus on whether PFA improves coping and reduces stress in disaster exposed nursing home residents.

Exchange Rate Exposures and Strategies of Industrial Companies: An Empirical Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aabo, Tom

2001-01-01

This article investigates empirically the potential and actual exchange rate exposure strategies of industrial companies in relation to identifying and quantifying the neutral financial positions in an optimal hedging strategy.......This article investigates empirically the potential and actual exchange rate exposure strategies of industrial companies in relation to identifying and quantifying the neutral financial positions in an optimal hedging strategy....

76 FR 60960 - Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot) AGENCY: U.S.... SUMMARY: This notice announces the extension of SBA's GO Loan Pilot, with modifications, until December 31... processing available through the GO Loan Pilot to small businesses in the eligible parishes/counties through...

75 FR 53007 - Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot) AGENCY: U.S...'s GO Loan Pilot until September 30, 2011. Due to the scope and magnitude of the devastation to... streamlined and centralized loan processing available through the GO Loan Pilot to small businesses in the...

Indonesian EFL Students’ Perspective on Writing Process: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imelda Hermilinda Abas

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The study was aimed at understanding the EFL Indonesian students’ perspective on the writing process. The pilot study involved two male Indonesian postgraduate students in Universiti Utara Malaysia. The Indonesian students were selected based on the following criteria: (1 had enough knowledge in English writing, indicated by the completion of Academic Writing and Research Methodology courses taken in UUM; (2 had written an unpublished thesis during their undergraduate studies in Indonesia and they are writing their master or doctoral thesis in English; (3 used English extensively in writing their assignments, and in daily activities. Pseudonyms were used to refer to the participants as Sukarno and Suharto. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with the participants. The interview sessions took approximately 15-20 minutes for each participant and were videotaped and audiotaped. Semi-structured interview with 15 questions and probes were used. The results showed that the two participants had positive feelings and attitudes towards writing in English. Although they had a hard time in English writing during their undergraduate in Indonesia, they become fond of writing in English in their postgraduate time due to the exposure to English extensively. In composing, they used brainstorming, drafting, pausing, revising and editing in a recursive manner. Keywords: in-depth interview, pilot study, writing process, English as a Foreign Language (EFL

Comparing empirical results of transaction avoidance rules studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dijck, G.

2008-01-01

Empirical legal research in the UK and in the Netherlands has provided data on the extent to which the transaction avoidance rules (avoidance powers, actio Pauliana) generate practical problems. This article’s goal is to explore the similarities and differences of the data. To achieve this, existing

How Newspaper Advertising Sales Managers Spend Their Time: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Jerry C.; Saathoff, Roger C.

A pilot study examined how newspaper advertising sales managers in five southwestern states spend their time during a typical work day. Of the 360 questionnaires mailed, 176 responses were received. The largest number of responses (93) came from retail sales managers of newspapers in markets with less than 50,000 population. The questionnaire…

[Fear of falling in a fall clinic for geriatric patients: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dautzenberg, P.LJ.; Buurman, B.H.; Loonen, A.J.; Wouters, C.J.; Olde Rikkert, M.G.M.

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: In this pilot study we want to determine how often fear of falling occurs in geriatric patients visiting a fall clinic and to study the characteristics of fear of falling and its consequences. DESIGN: Retrospective study of patient's records. METHOD: A random sample of 100 medical records

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Pilot Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynne Shinto

Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis is the most common chronic disabling disease in the central nervous system in young to middle aged adults. Depression is common in multiple sclerosis (MS affecting between 50–60% of patients. Pilot studies in unipolar depression report an improvement in depression when omega-3 fatty acids are given with antidepressants. The objective of this study was to investigate whether omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, as an augmentation therapy, improves treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD in people with MS. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of omega-3 fatty acids at six grams per day over three months. The primary outcome was a 50% or greater improvement on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS. Thirty-nine participants were randomized and thirty-one completed the 3-month intervention. Improvement on MADRS between groups was not significantly different at the 3-month end point with 47.4% in the omega-3 fatty acid group and 45.5% in the placebo group showing 50% or greater improvement (p = 0.30. Omega-3 fatty acids as an augmentation therapy for treatment-resistant depression in MS was not significantly different than placebo in this pilot trial. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation at the dose given was well-tolerated over 3 months.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00122954.

An empirical study of the relationship between restaurant image and customer loyalty

OpenAIRE

Oh, Heung Chul

1995-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to empirically determine the relationship between restaurant images and loyalties toward seven competing casual dinner house restaurant chains, and to understand the nature of their competition by matching patronage behavior toward alternative restaurant chains with perceptions of alternative restaurants on particular image attributes.

An Empirical Study on the Job Satisfaction of College Graduates in China

Science.gov (United States)

Changjun, Yue

2014-01-01

This study used nationwide, randomly sampled data from the Peking University Institute of Economics of Education 2011 survey of college graduates to conduct an empirical analysis of their job satisfaction. The results indicate that work-related factors have a significant effect on the job satisfaction of college graduates, while nonwork factors…

Empirical studies on the cross-section of corporate bond and stock markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Zundert, Jeroen

2018-01-01

This dissertation contains five empirical studies on the efficiency of corporate bond and stock markets. In Chapter 2, the pricing of interest rate risk in the stock market is analyzed. Over the long run, 1927 to 2015, the price of bearing interest rate risk is positive as expected, but there is

Pilot studies of management of ageing of nuclear power plant instrumentation and control components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnay, S.G.; Simola, K.; Kossilov, A.; Pachner, J.

1993-01-01

This paper describes pilot studies which have been implemented to study the aging behavior of safety related component parts of nuclear power plants. In 1989 the IAEA initiated work on pilot studies related to the aging of such components. Four components were identified for study. They are the primary nozzle of a reactor vessel; a motor operated isolating valve; the concrete containment building; and instrumentation and control cables within the containment facility. The study was begun with phase 1 efforts directed toward understanding the aging process, and methods for monitoring and minimizing the effects of aging. Phase 2 efforts are directed toward aging studies, documentation of the ideas put forward, and research to answer questions identified in phase 1. This paper describes progress made on two of these components, namely the motor operated isolation valves, and in-containment I ampersand C cables

Group dialectical behavior therapy adapted for obese emotional eaters; a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roosen, M.A.; Safer, D.; Adler, S.; Cebolla, A.; Strien, T. van

2012-01-01

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been shown to effectively target binge eating disorder (BED). This study pilots the effectiveness of group DIVE for obese "emotional eaters" to reduce eating psychopathology and achieve weight maintenance. Thirty-five obese male and female emotional eaters

Group dialectical behavior therapy adapted for obese emotional eaters; a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roosen, M A; Safer, D; Adler, S.N.; Cebolla, A.; van Strien, T

2012-01-01

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been shown to effectively target binge eating disorder (BED). This study pilots the effectiveness of group DBT for obese "emotional eaters" to reduce eating psychopathology and achieve weight maintenance. Thirty-five obese male and female emotional eaters

Laboratory and pilot-plant studies on the conversion of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate to UF6 by fluidized-bed processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youngblood, E.L.; Urza, I.J.; Cathers, G.I.

1977-06-01

This report describes laboratory and pilot-plant studies on the conversion of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate (UNH) to UF 6 and on purification of the UF 6 . Experimental laboratory studies on the removal of residual nitrate from uranium trioxide (UO 3 ) calcine and the fluorination of technetium and subsequent sorption on MgF 2 were conducted to support the pilot-plant work. Two engineering-scale pilot plants utilizing fluidized-bed processes were constructed for equipment and process testing of the calcination of UNH to UO 3 and the direct fluorination of UO 3 to UF 6

Teaching and Learning Simplification Strategies in a Philippine Classroom: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sibayan, Bonifacio P.; And Others

This paper discusses the use of English as the main language of instruction in higher education in many developing nations, and reports on a pilot study of learning and teaching strategies used in Filipino- and English-language classrooms at De La Salle University in Manila, The Philippines. The study examined the "teacher talk" and…

Realizing Sustainability in Facilities Management: a pilot study at the Technical University of Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Susanne Balslev; Møller, Jacob Steen; Jäschke, Stefan

2012-01-01

, qualitative research and the preliminary analysis of a single, pilot case study of The Technical University of Denmark. Progress with the other complementary cases will be included in the presentation. The cases should be supplemented by more research on sustainable facilities management. Originality......, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, usability evaluations and practice-research workshops. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is the pilot case of an international collaboration, and more studies are planned to follow. Findings: The paper presents a framework for qualitative research on Sustainable...... Facilities Management (SFM), which can guide future research on Sustainability in FM and increase comparability between case studies. The research identifies the challenges and opportunities for integrating ecological, social and economical sustainability in university FM. The paper presents the analysis...

Effects of sculpture based art therapy in dementia patients-A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Kathrin; Spottke, Annika; Fliessbach, Klaus

2017-11-01

Art and art therapy open up interesting possibilities for dementia patients. However, it has not been evaluated scientifically so far, whether the art of sculpting has any benefits. In this non-randomized pilot study with twelve participants, we investigated the feasibility and acceptance of sculptural activity in patients with dementia and the effects on their well-being. A questionnaire was custom-designed to investigate five key aspects of well-being: mental state and concentration, corporeal memory, self-reliance, self-esteem and physicality. Remarkable improvements were seen in several subscales in the sculptural activity group, but not the control group: Mental state and concentration (nine of thirteen key aspects), self-reliance (four of five), self-esteem (one of one) and physicality (two of two). The results of this pilot study indicate the multidimensional effects of sculptural activity on patients living with dementia. The field would benefit greatly from further research.

Understanding Teachers' Pedagogical Knowledge: Report on an International Pilot Study. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 159

Science.gov (United States)

Sonmark, Kristina; Révai, Nóra; Gottschalk, Francesca; Deligiannidi, Karolina; Burns, Tracey

2017-01-01

What is the nature of teachers' pedagogical knowledge? The Innovative Teaching for Effective Learning Teacher Knowledge Survey (ITEL TKS) set out to answer this question in a pilot study that ran in five countries: Estonia, Greece, Hungary Israel, and the Slovak Republic. Using convenience samples, the pilot assessed the pedagogical knowledge base…

Inglorious Empire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khair, Tabish

2017-01-01

Review of 'Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India' by Shashi Tharoor, London, Hurst Publishers, 2017, 296 pp., £20.00......Review of 'Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India' by Shashi Tharoor, London, Hurst Publishers, 2017, 296 pp., £20.00...

Comparing Web Applications with Desktop Applications: An Empirical Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pop, Paul

2002-01-01

In recent years, many desktop applications have been ported to the world wide web in order to reduce (multiplatform) development, distribution and maintenance costs. However, there is little data concerning the usability of web applications, and the impact of their usability on the total cost...... of developing and using such applications. In this paper we present a comparison of web and desktop applications from the usability point of view. The comparison is based on an empirical study that investigates the performance of a group of users on two calendaring applications: Yahoo!Calendar and Microsoft...... Calendar. The study shows that in the case of web applications the performance of the users is significantly reduced, mainly because of the restricted interaction mechanisms provided by current web browsers....

Empirical Research In Engineering Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Saeema

2007-01-01

Increasingly engineering design research involves the use of empirical studies that are conducted within an industrial environment [Ahmed, 2001; Court 1995; Hales 1987]. Research into the use of information by designers or understanding how engineers build up experience are examples of research...... of research issues. This paper describes case studies of empirical research carried out within industry in engineering design focusing upon information, knowledge and experience in engineering design. The paper describes the research methods employed, their suitability for the particular research aims...

The Development of a Tracheostomy-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kristine A; Bosch, John Douglas; Pelletier, Guy; MacKenzie, Marianne; Hoy, Monica Y

2016-08-01

A long-term tracheostomy can be a life-altering event and can have significant effects on patients' quality of life (QOL). There is currently no instrument available to evaluate tracheostomy-specific QOL. To address this deficiency, the objective of this study was to create and preliminarily validate a pilot tracheostomy-specific QOL questionnaire to assess its feasibility. A multidisciplinary team developed the pilot tracheostomy-specific QOL questionnaire (TQOL) in 3 phases: item generation, item review, and scale construction. The survey was administered at 0 and 2 weeks to a pilot group of tracheostomy patients with concurrent administration of a validated general QOL questionnaire at week 0. Convergence validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were the primary outcome measures. A total of 37 patients completed the study (mean tracheostomy duration = 90 weeks). The convergence validity of the TQOL was moderately strong (r = 0.72), and the test-retest reliability was strong (r = 0.75). The TQOL also demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82). The TQOL has moderately strong internal consistency, convergence validity, and test-retest reliability. While additional refinement and validation may improve the questionnaire, these initial results are promising and support further development of this tool. © The Author(s) 2016.

Pilot-scale study of the solar detoxification of VOC-contaminated groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehos, M.; Turchi, C.; Pacheco, J.; Boegel, A.J.; Merrill, T.; Stanley, R.

1992-08-01

The Solar Detoxification Field Experiment was designed to investigate the photocatalytic decomposition of organic contaminants in groundwater at a Superfund site at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The process uses ultraviolet (UV) energy, available in sunlight, in conjunction with the photocatalyst, titanium dioxide, to decompose organic chemicals into nontoxic compounds. The field experiment was developed by three federal laboratories: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratory (SNLA), and LLNL. The US Department of Energy funded the experiment. The objectives of the pilot-scale study included the advancement of the solar technology into a nonlaboratory waste-remediation environment the compilation of test data to help guide laboratory research and future demonstrations and the development of safe operational procedures. Results of the pilot study are discussed, emphasizing the effect of several process variables on the system performance. These variables include alkalinity, catalyst loading, flow velocity through the reactor, and incident solar UV radiation. The performance of the solar detoxification process are discussed as it relates to concentrating and nonconcentrating collectors

Pilot plant study for ethanol production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, J S [Korea Inst. of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1996-02-01

Most of domestic alcohol fermentation factory adopt batch process of which productivity is lower than continuous fermentation process. They have made great effort to increase productivity by means of partial unit process automatization and process improvement with their accumulated experience but there is technical limitation in productivity of batch fermentation process. To produce and supply fuel alcohol, economic aspects must be considered first of all. Therefore, development of continuous fermentation process, of which productivity is high, is prerequisite to produce and use fuel alcohol but only a few foreign company possess continuous fermentation technic and use it in practical industrial scale fermentation. We constructed pilot plant (5 Stage CSTR 1 kl 99.5 v/v% ethanol/Day scale) to study some aspects stated below and our ultimate aims are production of industrial scale fuel alcohol and construction of the plant by ourselves. Some study concerned with energy saving separation and contamination control technic were entrusted to KAIST, A-ju university and KIST respectively. (author) 67 refs., 100 figs., 58 tabs.

Practical implications of empirically studying moral decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heinzelmann, N.; Ugazio, G.; Tobler, P.N.

2012-01-01

This paper considers the practical question of why people do not behave in the way they ought to behave. This question is a practical one, reaching both into the normative and descriptive domains of morality. That is, it concerns moral norms as well as empirical facts. We argue that two main

Empirical agent-based modelling challenges and solutions

CERN Document Server

Barreteau, Olivier

2014-01-01

This instructional book showcases techniques to parameterise human agents in empirical agent-based models (ABM). In doing so, it provides a timely overview of key ABM methodologies and the most innovative approaches through a variety of empirical applications.  It features cutting-edge research from leading academics and practitioners, and will provide a guide for characterising and parameterising human agents in empirical ABM.  In order to facilitate learning, this text shares the valuable experiences of other modellers in particular modelling situations. Very little has been published in the area of empirical ABM, and this contributed volume will appeal to graduate-level students and researchers studying simulation modeling in economics, sociology, ecology, and trans-disciplinary studies, such as topics related to sustainability. In a similar vein to the instruction found in a cookbook, this text provides the empirical modeller with a set of 'recipes'  ready to be implemented. Agent-based modeling (AB...

Analysis of the Air Force ISO 14001 Pilot Study Conducted by DoD

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Harris, Rodney

2000-01-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) conducted an ISO 14001 pilot study with the primary goal of determining how ISO 14001 could help DoD organizations reduce risks, improve compliance with environmental regulations, enhance stewardship...

Initial Development and Pilot Study Design of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations for ASTRO 101

Science.gov (United States)

Schwortz, Andria C.; French, D. A; Gutierrez, Joseph V; Sanchez, Richard L; Slater, Timothy F.; Tatge, Coty

2014-06-01

Interactive lecture demonstrations (ILDs) have repeatedly shown to be effective tools for improving student achievement in the context of learning physics. As a first step toward systematic development of interactive lecture demonstrations in ASTRO 101, the introductory astronomy survey course, a systematic review of education research, describing educational computer simulations (ECSs) reveals that initial development requires a targeted study of how ASTRO 101 students respond to ECSs in the non-science majoring undergraduate lecture setting. In this project we have adopted the process by which ILDs were designed, pilot-tested, and successfully implemented in the context of physics teaching (Sokoloff & Thornton, 1997; Sokoloff & Thornton, 2004). We have designed the initial pilot-test set of ASTRO 101 ILD instructional materials relying heavily on ECSs. Both an instructor’s manual and a preliminary classroom-ready student workbook have been developed, and we are implementing a pilot study to explore their effectiveness in communicating scientific content, and the extent to which they might enhance students’ knowledge of and perception about astronomy and science in general. The study design uses a pre-/post-test quasi-experimental study design measuring students’ normalized gain scores, calculated as per Hake (1998) and Prather (2009), using a slightly modified version of S. Slater’s (2011) Test Of Astronomy STandards TOAST combined with other instruments. The results of this initial study will guide the iterative development of ASTRO 101 ILDs that are intended to both be effective at enhancing student achievement and easy for instructors to successfully implement.

Pilot Designed Aircraft Displays in General Aviation: An Exploratory Study and Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Conaway, Cody R.

From 2001-2011, the General Aviation (GA) fatal accident rate remained unchanged (Duquette & Dorr, 2014) with an overall stagnant accident rate between 2004 and 2013. The leading cause, loss of control in flight (NTSB, 2015b & 2015c) due to pilot inability to recognize approach to stall/spin conditions (NTSB, 2015b & 2016b). In 2013, there were 1,224 GA accidents in the U.S., accounting for 94% of all U.S. aviation accidents and 90% of all U.S. aviation fatalities that year (NTSB, 2015c). Aviation entails multiple challenges for pilots related to task management, procedural errors, perceptual distortions, and cognitive discrepancies. While machine errors in airplanes have continued to decrease over the years, human error still has not (NTSB, 2013). A preliminary analysis of a PC-based, Garmin G1000 flight deck was conducted with 3 professional pilots. Analyses revealed increased task load, opportunities for distraction, confusing perceptual ques, and hindered cognitive performance. Complex usage problems were deeply ingrained in the functionality of the system, forcing pilots to use fallible work arounds, add unnecessary steps, and memorize knob turns or button pushes. Modern computing now has the potential to free GA cockpit designs from knobs, soft keys, or limited display options. Dynamic digital displays might include changes in instrumentation or menu structuring depending on the phase of flight. Airspeed indicators could increase in size to become more salient during landing, simultaneously highlighting pitch angle on Attitude Indicators and automatically decluttering unnecessary information for landing. Likewise, Angle-of-Attack indicators demonstrate a great safety and performance advantage for pilots (Duquette & Dorr, 2014; NTSB, 2015b & 2016b), an instrument typically found in military platforms and now the Icon A5, light-sport aircraft (Icon, 2016). How does the design of pilots' environment---the cockpit---further influence their efficiency and

Philippine survey of public attitudes towards alternative energy systems (Pilot Study)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savellano, R.A.; Leonin, T.V. Jr.; Bulaon, C.A.; Leon, G.C. de.

1980-01-01

The methodology designed by the Joint IAEA/IIASA Project Team on Risk Assessment based on the work of Fishbein and his associates is utilized in this study, in order to determine its applicability in measuring of attitudes of Philippine sample groups. This pilot study was conducted on a group composed of individuals affiliated with a government agency engaged in nuclear energy research. The study demonstrates the applicability and usefulness of the model for attitude measurement under Philippine conditions. (author)

Ergonomic evaluation of pilot oxygen mask designs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lee, W.; Yang, Xiaopeng; Jung, Daehan; Park, Seikwon; Kim, Heeeun; You, Heecheon

2018-01-01

A revised pilot oxygen mask design was developed for better fit to the Korean Air Force pilots’ faces. The present study compared an existing pilot oxygen mask and a prototype of the revised mask design with 88 Korean Air Force pilots in terms of subjective discomfort, facial contact pressure,

5-fluorocytosine-related bone-marrow depression and conversion to fluorouracil: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermes, András; Guchelaar, Henk-Jan; van Kuilenburg, Andre B. P.; Dankert, Jacob

2002-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate whether fluorouracil (5-FU) could be responsible for bone-marrow depression occurring in fluorocytosine 5-FC) treated patients. Six 5-FC treated patients were included in this pilot study. Toxicity was monitored by means of thrombocyte and leucocyte counts.

The Necessity of ASEAN Community in Producing Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Saowaros, Thanoo; Puncreobutr, Vichian

2016-01-01

The main objectives of this study are to identify the reasons for the shortage of pilots; the necessity of producing Pilots and the obstacles and problems faced by ASEAN Community in producing pilots. The study is conducted by official documents, observations, in-depth interview from personnel who are working for Airports Authority of Thailand,…

How to Train an Injured Brain? A Pilot Feasibility Study of Home-Based Computerized Cognitive Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhelst, Helena; Vander Linden, Catharine; Vingerhoets, Guy; Caeyenberghs, Karen

2017-02-01

Computerized cognitive training programs have previously shown to be effective in improving cognitive abilities in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). These studies often focused on a single cognitive function or required expensive hardware, making it difficult to be used in a home-based environment. This pilot feasibility study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed, home-based, computerized cognitive training program for adolescents who suffered from TBI. Additionally, feasibility of study design, procedures, and measurements were examined. Case series, longitudinal, pilot, feasibility intervention study with one baseline and two follow-up assessments. Nine feasibility outcome measures and criteria for success were defined, including accessibility, training motivation/user experience, technical smoothness, training compliance, participation willingness, participation rates, loss to follow-up, assessment timescale, and assessment procedures. Five adolescent patients (four boys, mean age = 16 years 7 months, standard deviation = 9 months) with moderate to severe TBI in the chronic stage were recruited and received 8 weeks of cognitive training with BrainGames. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated to determine possible training-related effects. The new cognitive training intervention, BrainGames, and study design and procedures proved to be feasible; all nine feasibility outcome criteria were met during this pilot feasibility study. Estimates of effect sizes showed small to very large effects on cognitive measures and questionnaires, which were retained after 6 months. Our pilot study shows that a longitudinal intervention study comprising our novel, computerized cognitive training program and two follow-up assessments is feasible in adolescents suffering from TBI in the chronic stage. Future studies with larger sample sizes will evaluate training-related effects on cognitive functions and underlying brain structures.

Executive Function Computerized Training in Very Preterm-Born Children: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aarnoudse-Moens, Cornelieke S H; Twilhaar, E Sabrina; Oosterlaan, Jaap; van Veen, Heske G; Prins, Pier J M; van Kaam, Anton H L C; van Wassenaer-Leemhuis, Aleid G

2018-06-01

Attention problems are one of the most pronounced and documented consequences of very preterm birth (gestational age ≤32 weeks). However, up to now, there is no research published on suitable interventions at school age aimed to overcome these problems. Research in this population did show that executive functions (EFs) are strongly associated with inattention. BrainGame Brian is a newly developed computerized training, in which, in 25 training sessions, the core EFs, including working memory, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility, are trained. This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility of studying BrainGame Brian in very preterm-born children with attention problems. Pilot feasibility intervention study with one baseline and one follow-up assessment. Feasibility was measured by the participation rate, dropout rate, and user experiences with regard to effort, training characteristics, and recommendation to others. From a larger cohort study, 15 very preterm-born children at age 10 years with parent-reported attention problems on the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 years were invited to participate in this pilot study. BrainGame Brian was performed for a period of 6 weeks. Training outcome measures included visual working memory, impulse control, cognitive flexibility, speed variability, and parent-rated attention, for which pre- and post-training differences were examined at the group level by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test as well as for each individual child separately by the reliable change index. Twelve of 15 children and their parents agreed to participate and 11 children successfully completed BrainGame Brian in the 6-week period. Parents were positive about training characteristics and lack of interference with schooling, but scored the effort as high. We found clinically significant changes in visual working memory and speed variability in post-training assessments. BrainGame Brian is a feasible intervention for very preterm-born children with

77 FR 61721 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-11

...-26661; Amdt. No. 61-129A] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification... revise the training, qualification, certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. A portion of the codified text was inadvertently deleted...

Trade liberalization, social policies and health: an empirical case study.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Courtney

2015-10-12

This study investigates the health impacts of a major liberalization episode in the textile and clothing (T&C) sector. This episode triggered substantial shifts in employment across a wide range of countries. It is the first study to empirically link trade liberalization to health via changes in employment and offers some of the first empirical insights on how trade liberalization interacts with social policies to influence health. Data from 32 T&C reliant countries were analysed in reference to the pre- and post-liberalization periods of 2000-2004 and 2005-2009. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to examine the association between countries' a) level of development b) labour market and welfare state protections c) T&C employment changes and d) changes in adult female and infant mortality rates. Process tracing was used to further investigate these associations through twelve in-depth country studies. Results from the fsQCA relate changes in employment after the phase-out to both changing adult female and infant mortality rates. Findings from the in-depth country studies suggest that the worsening of adult female mortality rates is related to workers' lack of social protection, both in the context of T&C employment growth and loss. Overall, it is found that social protection is often inaccessible to the type of workers who may be the most vulnerable to processes of liberalization and that many workers are particularly vulnerable due to the structure of social protection policies. Social policies are therefore found to both moderate pathways to health and influence the type of health-related pathways resulting from trade liberalizing policies.

Integrating Research-Informed Teaching within an Undergraduate Level 4 (Year 1) Diagnostic Radiography Curriculum: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Robert; Hogg, Peter; Robinson, Leslie

2013-01-01

This article discusses the piloting and evaluation of the Research-informed Teaching experience (RiTe) project. The aim of RiTe was to link teaching and learning with research within an undergraduate diagnostic radiography curriculum. A preliminary pilot study of RiTe was undertaken with a group of level 4 (year 1) volunteer BSc (Hons) diagnostic…

Inter-firm Networks, Organizational Learning and Knowledge Updating: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Su-rong; Wang, Wen-ping

In the era of knowledge-based economy which information technology develops rapidly, the rate of knowledge updating has become a critical factor for enterprises to gaining competitive advantage .We build an interactional theoretical model among inter-firm networks, organizational learning and knowledge updating thereby and demonstrate it with empirical study at last. The result shows that inter-firm networks and organizational learning is the source of knowledge updating.

Effects of Aquajogging in Obese Adults: A Pilot Study

OpenAIRE

Wouters, Eveline J. M.; Van Nunen, Annemieke M. A.; Geenen, Rinie; Kolotkin, Ronette L.; Vingerhoets, Ad J. J. M.

2009-01-01

Aim and Method. To examine in obese people the potential effectiveness of a six-week, two times weekly aquajogging program on body composition, fitness, health-related quality of life, and exercise beliefs. Fifteen otherwise healthy obese persons participated in a pilot study. Results. Total fat mass and waist circumference decreased 1.4 kg (P = .03) and 3.1 cm (P = .005), respectively. The distance in the Six-Minute Walk Test increased 41 meters (P = .001). Three scales of the Impact of Weig...

Small particles containing phthalic esters in the indoor environment - a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, B.; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Cedhaim, L.

2002-01-01

Many chemicals in polymeric materials have low vapour pressure. Hypothetically such chemicals are emitted and may stay as particles or be adsorbed onto dust particles and become airborne. The aim of this pilot study has been to validate the methods for measuring phthalates on particles in indoor ...

Empirical Studies of Exchange Rates: Price Behavior, Rate Determinationand Market Efficiency

OpenAIRE

Richard M. Levich

1983-01-01

Theoretical and empirical research completed over the last decade has dramatically increased our understanding of exchange rate behavior. The major insight to come from this decade of research is that foreign exchange is a financial asset. In an asset pricing framework, current exchange rates reflect the expected values of future exogenous variables. The purpose of this paper is to survay the empirical evidence on exchange rate behavior, market efficiency and related topics. Section 2 present...

Impact of Company Size on Manufacturing Improvement Practices: An empirical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syan, C S; Ramoutar, K

2014-01-01

There is a constant search for ways to achieve a competitive advantage through new manufacturing techniques. Best performing manufacturing companies tend to use world-class manufacturing (WCM) practices. Although the last few years have witnessed phenomenal growth in the use of WCM techniques, their effectiveness is not well understood specifically in the context of less developed countries. This paper presents an empirical study to investigate the impact of company size on improving manufacturing performance in manufacturing organizations based in Trinidad and Tobago (T and T). Empirical data were collected via a questionnaire survey which was send to 218 manufacturing firms in T and T. Five different company sizes and seven different industry sectors were studied. The analysis of survey data was performed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study signified facilitating and impeding factors towards improving manufacturing performance. Their relative impact/importance is dependent on varying company size and industry sectors. Findings indicate that T and T manufacturers are still practicing traditional approaches, when compared with world class manufacturers. In the majority of organizations, these practices were not 100% implemented even though they started the implementation process more than 5 years ago. The findings provided some insights in formulating more optimal operational strategies, and later develop action plans towards more effective implementation of WCM in T and T manufacturers

Impact of Company Size on Manufacturing Improvement Practices: An empirical study

Science.gov (United States)

Syan, C. S.; Ramoutar, K.

2014-07-01

There is a constant search for ways to achieve a competitive advantage through new manufacturing techniques. Best performing manufacturing companies tend to use world-class manufacturing (WCM) practices. Although the last few years have witnessed phenomenal growth in the use of WCM techniques, their effectiveness is not well understood specifically in the context of less developed countries. This paper presents an empirical study to investigate the impact of company size on improving manufacturing performance in manufacturing organizations based in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Empirical data were collected via a questionnaire survey which was send to 218 manufacturing firms in T&T. Five different company sizes and seven different industry sectors were studied. The analysis of survey data was performed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study signified facilitating and impeding factors towards improving manufacturing performance. Their relative impact/importance is dependent on varying company size and industry sectors. Findings indicate that T&T manufacturers are still practicing traditional approaches, when compared with world class manufacturers. In the majority of organizations, these practices were not 100% implemented even though they started the implementation process more than 5 years ago. The findings provided some insights in formulating more optimal operational strategies, and later develop action plans towards more effective implementation of WCM in T&T manufacturers.

Implementing Modular Interactive Tiles for Rehabilitation in Tanzania – a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Henrik Hautop; Jensen, Line Steiness Dejnbjerg; Ssessanga, Yusuf

2014-01-01

The pilot study in the Iringa region, Tanzania, indicates how the modular interactive tiles can be used for playful physical rehabilitation for many diverse patient groups (handicapped children, stroke, cardiac, diabetic patients, etc.) in both urban and rural areas, and how it motivates the user...... and adaptive playful technology for rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa....... through play to perform the physical rehabilitative actions. The system can be easily used by rehabilitation workers, and through the modularity it is robust to failure (e.g. power failure) in remote areas. The analyses of the use by many different user groups was condensed to a higher abstraction level...... to provide insight on the generalisation over the different user groups, and to provide pointers of opportunities and the means to meet these opportunities through subsequent development in the next cycles in the iterative research method. The pilot study indicates that the system can be a flexible...

Interactions between Obsessional Symptoms and Interpersonal Ambivalences in Psychodynamic Therapy: An Empirical Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelis, Shana; Desmet, Mattias; Van Nieuwenhove, Kimberly L H D; Meganck, Reitske; Willemsen, Jochem; Inslegers, Ruth; Feyaerts, Jasper

2017-01-01

The classical symptom specificity hypothesis (Blatt, 1974) particularly associates obsessional symptoms to interpersonal behavior directed at autonomy and separation from others. Cross-sectional group research, however, has yielded inconsistent findings on this predicted association, and a previous empirical case study (Cornelis et al., in press; see Chapter 2) documented obsessional pathology to be rooted in profound ambivalences between autonomous and dependent interpersonal dynamics. Therefore, in the present empirical case study, concrete operationalizations of the classical symptom specificity hypothesis are contrasted to alternative hypotheses based on the observed complexities in Chapter 2. Dynamic associations between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal functioning is further explored, aiming at further contribution to theory building (i.e., through suggestions for potential hypothesis-refinement; Stiles, 2009). Similar to the first empirical case study (Chapter 1), Consensual Qualitative Research for Case studies is used to quantitatively and qualitatively describe the longitudinal, clinical interplay between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal dynamics throughout the process of supportive-expressive psychodynamic therapy. In line with findings from Chapter 1, findings reveal close associations between obsessions and interpersonal dynamics, and therapist interventions focusing on interpersonal conflicts are documented as related to interpersonal and symptomatic alterations. Observations predominantly accord to the ambivalence-hypothesis rather than to the classical symptom specificity hypothesis. Yet, meaningful differences are observed in concrete manifestations of interpersonal ambivalences within significant relationships. Findings are again discussed in light of conceptual and methodological considerations; and limitations and future research indications are addressed.

Interactions between Obsessional Symptoms and Interpersonal Ambivalences in Psychodynamic Therapy: An Empirical Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shana Cornelis

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The classical symptom specificity hypothesis (Blatt, 1974 particularly associates obsessional symptoms to interpersonal behavior directed at autonomy and separation from others. Cross-sectional group research, however, has yielded inconsistent findings on this predicted association, and a previous empirical case study (Cornelis et al., in press; see Chapter 2 documented obsessional pathology to be rooted in profound ambivalences between autonomous and dependent interpersonal dynamics. Therefore, in the present empirical case study, concrete operationalizations of the classical symptom specificity hypothesis are contrasted to alternative hypotheses based on the observed complexities in Chapter 2. Dynamic associations between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal functioning is further explored, aiming at further contribution to theory building (i.e., through suggestions for potential hypothesis-refinement; Stiles, 2009. Similar to the first empirical case study (Chapter 1, Consensual Qualitative Research for Case studies is used to quantitatively and qualitatively describe the longitudinal, clinical interplay between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal dynamics throughout the process of supportive-expressive psychodynamic therapy. In line with findings from Chapter 1, findings reveal close associations between obsessions and interpersonal dynamics, and therapist interventions focusing on interpersonal conflicts are documented as related to interpersonal and symptomatic alterations. Observations predominantly accord to the ambivalence-hypothesis rather than to the classical symptom specificity hypothesis. Yet, meaningful differences are observed in concrete manifestations of interpersonal ambivalences within significant relationships. Findings are again discussed in light of conceptual and methodological considerations; and limitations and future research indications are addressed.

Determinants of user acceptance of internet banking: An empirical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hessam Zandhessami

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The boom of Internet usage and the significant funding dynamism in electronic banking have attracted the attention of researchers towards Internet banking. In the past, the traditional focus of Internet banking research has been on technological development, but it is now switching to user-focused research. This paper presents an empirical investigation to determine determinants of user acceptance of internet banking. The proposed study uses Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL technique to measure the relationships between different factors in a case study of Iranian firm. The results indicate that trust is the most important factor for development of internet banking.

Measuring BDNF in saliva using commercial ELISA : Results from a small pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrijen, Charlotte; Schenk, Hendrika M.; Hartman, Catharina A.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein often studied in psychiatric populations. Commercial ELISA kits have been validated for measuring BDNF in blood plasma and serum, but blood collection is an invasive method which cannot always be used. The aim of this pilot study was to explore

Balancing Direction and Independence in Second Language Vocabulary Learning: A Gesture Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Mathison, Lake

2017-01-01

This pilot study looks at the effect of learning second language vocabulary with gesture. Specifically, this current study asks whether researcher-instructed or student-constructed gestures are more effective. Depth of processing theories (Craik and Lockhart 1972) as well as more recent educational frameworks like ICAP ("Interactive,"…

The impact of transition training on adapting to Technically Advanced Aircraft at regional airlines: Perceptions of pilots and instructor pilots

Science.gov (United States)

di Renzo, John Carl, Jr.

Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to test a hypothesis about pilot and instructor pilot perceptions of how effectively pilots learn and use new technology, found in Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA), given initial type of instrumentation training. New aviation technologies such as Glass Cockpits in technically advanced aircraft are complex and can be difficult to learn and use. The research questions focused on the type of initial instrumentation training to determine the differences among pilots trained using various types of instrumentation ranging from aircraft equipped with traditional analog instrumentation to aircraft equipped with glass cockpits. A convenience sample of Pilots in Training (PT) and Instructor Pilots (IP) was selected from a regional airline. The research design used a mixed methodology. Pilots in training completed a thirty-two question quantitative questionnaire and instructor pilots completed a five question qualitative questionnaire. Findings and conclusions. This investigation failed to disprove the null hypothesis. The type of instrumentation training has no significant effect on newly trained regional airline pilot perceived ability to adapt to advanced technology cockpits. Therefore, no evidence exists from this investigation to support the early introduction and training of TAA. While the results of this investigation were surprising, they are nonetheless, instructive. Even though it would seem that there would be a relationship between exposure to and use of technically advanced instrumentation, apparently there was no perceived relationship for this group of airline transport pilots. However, a point of interest is that these pilots were almost evenly divided in their opinion of whether or not their previous training had prepared them for transition to TAA. The majority also believed that the type of initial instrumentation training received does make a difference when transitioning to TAA. Pilots believed

Australian seafood compositional profiles: A pilot study. Vitamin D and mercury content.

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, David; Greenfield, Heather; Cunningham, Judy; Kiermeier, Andreas; McLeod, Catherine

2016-02-15

Given the scarcity of comprehensive nutritional data for Australia's >400 commercially produced seafood species a pilot study was undertaken to collect and analyse 22 species of wild and aquaculture seafood in order to develop a model for future comprehensive surveys. The species analysed were: Atlantic salmon, Australian sardine, prawn (six species), barramundi, abalone (three species), blue sprat, burrowing blackfish, gummy shark, oyster (four species), ocean trout and yellowtail kingfish. The analyses undertaken in this pilot study were: moisture, protein, total fat, cholesterol, fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamins A and D, and 21 mineral elements (including total mercury and methyl mercury). The data reported here are for vitamin D and mercury only. Comprehensive data have already been published elsewhere. Issues identified that should be addressed prior to undertaking a more extensive and representative study of the remaining major edible commercial Australian seafood species include: choice of samples and nutrients for analysis, facilities for sample handling and storage, data management and scrutiny, and laboratory quality control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Empirical Research in Bioethics

Science.gov (United States)

Kon, Alexander A.

2010-01-01

There has long been tension between bioethicists whose work focuses on classical philosophical inquiry and those who perform empirical studies on bioethical issues. While many have argued that empirical research merely illuminates current practices and cannot inform normative ethics, others assert that research-based work has significant implications for refining our ethical norms. In this essay, I present a novel construct for classifying empirical research in bioethics into four hierarchical categories: Lay of the Land, Ideal Versus Reality, Improving Care, and Changing Ethical Norms. Through explaining these four categories and providing examples of publications in each stratum, I define how empirical research informs normative ethics. I conclude by demonstrating how philosophical inquiry and empirical research can work cooperatively to further normative ethics. PMID:19998120

Ethnic variations of sweet preferences in Malaysian children: A pilot study

OpenAIRE

Jaafar, N.; Razak, I. A.

2017-01-01

Diet and sugar eating habits, in particular sweet preference levels, are gradually nurtured over time by culturally accepted dietary norms. The dietary habits of Malaysia's three main ethnic groups are distinctively different from each other and expectedly, many studies have discovered significant ethnic variations in caries experience. In order to guide further research work into the causes of these variations, this pilot study was designed to establish whether ethnic variations exist in swe...

Bonus systems and their effects on safety: an interview-based pilot study at the Swedish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torbioern, Ingemar; Mattson, Malin

2009-03-01

The aim of this pilot study has been to describe and analyse potential effects on safety-related behaviour and risks associated with the bonus systems currently used at Swedish nuclear plants. To this end and in order to establish a frame of reference several theories on motivation were consulted regarding the relevance of monetary rewards. In addition empirical evidence on effects upon behaviours in general and safety behaviours in particular was taken into consideration, as well as a systems and a rationalist perspective on organisations. The resulting frame of reference was used for a descriptive mapping of the bonus systems and for the formulation of a semi-structured interview schedule intended to capture the experiences of those concerned by the systems. A total of 15 interviews were performed with staff of different functions and organisational positions. Results of the study do not indicate any negative effects on safety-related behaviours. Rather they indicate that safety-behaviours may be promoted insofar as bonus rewards are linked to performance goals concerning safety. All of the bonus-systems may be characterised as low in incentive intensity, i.e. produce small effects on motivation and performance. Still, as the systems differ in design and in the way they are perceived, they also represent different challenges in order to function more efficiently as parameters

Prevalence of fatigue in a group of airline pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Cátia; Mestre, Catarina; Canhão, Helena

2013-08-01

Fatigue is a common phenomenon in airline pilots that can impair alertness and ability of crewmembers to safely operate an aircraft and perform safety related tasks. Fatigue can increase the risk of an incident or even an accident. This study provides the first prevalence values for clinically significant fatigue in Portuguese airline pilots. The hypothesis that medium/short-haul pilots may currently present different levels of fatigue than long-haul pilots was also tested. A survey was conducted by requesting Portuguese airline pilots to complete questionnaires placed in the pilots' personal lockers from 1 April until 15 May 2012. The questionnaire included the self-response Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) to measure subjective fatigue and some additional questions concerning perception of fatigue by pilots. The prevalence values for total and mental fatigue achieved in the Portuguese airline pilots were: 89.3% (FSS > or = 4) and 94.1% (FSS > or = 4) when splitting the sample in two subsamples, long- and medium/short-haul pilots. Levels of total and mental fatigue were higher for medium/short-haul pilots. The analysis of fatigue levels in each type of aviator showed that medium/short-haul pilots presented the highest levels of total and mental fatigue. This study produced the first prevalence values of total and mental fatigue among Portuguese airline pilots, which represents a great step to understanding and addressing this critical phenomenon.

Roll paper pilot. [mathematical model for predicting pilot rating of aircraft in roll task

Science.gov (United States)

Naylor, F. R.; Dillow, J. D.; Hannen, R. A.

1973-01-01

A mathematical model for predicting the pilot rating of an aircraft in a roll task is described. The model includes: (1) the lateral-directional aircraft equations of motion; (2) a stochastic gust model; (3) a pilot model with two free parameters; and (4) a pilot rating expression that is a function of rms roll angle and the pilot lead time constant. The pilot gain and lead time constant are selected to minimize the pilot rating expression. The pilot parameters are then adjusted to provide a 20% stability margin and the adjusted pilot parameters are used to compute a roll paper pilot rating of the aircraft/gust configuration. The roll paper pilot rating was computed for 25 aircraft/gust configurations. A range of actual ratings from 2 to 9 were encountered and the roll paper pilot ratings agree quite well with the actual ratings. In addition there is good correlation between predicted and measured rms roll angle.

Energy extension service pilot program evaluation report: the first year. Volume II: pilot state reports

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-09-01

Volume II of the Energy Extension Service Evaluation presents a discussion of the operations of the ten EES pilot-state programs during the period from October 1, 1977 through September 30, 1978. Each of the ten pilot states - Alabama, Connecticut, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming - received a grant of approximately $1.1 million to develop and implement a 19-month program beginning on October 1, 1977. Volume II provides a case-study description of the operations of the pilot program in each state, with special attention given to the two programs selected in each state for more detailed study and survey research. Some survey data and analysis are presented for the emphasis programs.

Principals Reflecting on Their Leadership Learning with an Heuristic: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dempster, Neil; Fluckiger, Bev; Lovett, Susan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on a small pilot study in which an heuristic was used to enable principals to reflect on the confidence they have in their existing leadership knowledge and how they might add to that knowledge in the future. The motivation for the study arose from a literature review of strategies for leadership development…

Testing the tests--an empirical evaluation of screening tests for the detection of cognitive impairment in aviators.

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, A F; Banich, M T; Elledge, V C

1991-08-01

The FAA has expressed concern that flight safety could be compromised by undetected cognitive impairment in pilots due to conditions such as substance abuse, mental illness, and neuropsychological problems. Interest has been shown in the possibility of adding a brief "mini-mental exam," or a simple automated test-battery to the standard flight medical to screen for such conditions. The research reported here involved the empirical evaluation of two "mini-mental exams," two paper-and-pencil test batteries, and a prototype version of an automated screening battery. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were calculated for each sub-task in a discriminant study of 54 pilots and 62 individuals from a heterogeneous clinical population. Results suggest that the "mini-mental exams" are poor candidates for a screening test. The automated battery showed the best discrimination performance, in part because of the incorporation of dual-task tests of divided attention performance. These tests appear to be particularly sensitive to otherwise difficult-to-detect cognitive impairments of a mild or subtle nature. The use of an automated battery of tests as a screening instrument does appear to be feasible in principle, but the practical success of a screening program is heavily dependent upon the actual prevalence of cognitive impairment in the medical applicant population.

HERMES docking/berthing system pilot study. Quantitative assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz Blasco, J.; Goicoechea Sanchez, F.J.

1993-01-01

This study falls within the framework of the incorporation of quantitative risk assessment to the activities planned for the ESA-HERMES project (ESA/ CNES). The main objective behind the study was the analysis and evaluation of the potential contribution of so-called probabilistic or quantitative safety analysis to the optimization of the safety development process for the systems carrying out the safety functions required by the new and complex HERMES Space Vehicle. For this purpose, a pilot study was considered a good start in quantitative safety assessments (QSA), as this approach has been frequently used in the past to establish a solid base in large-scale QSA application programs while avoiding considerable economic risks. It was finally decided to select the HERMES docking/berthing system with Man Tender Free Flyer as the case-study. This report describes the different steps followed in the study, along with the main insights obtained and the general conclusions drawn from the study results. (author)

Conflict Resolution Automation and Pilot Situation Awareness

Science.gov (United States)

Dao, Arik-Quang V.; Brandt, Summer L.; Bacon, Paige; Kraut, Josh; Nguyen, Jimmy; Minakata, Katsumi; Raza, Hamzah; Rozovski, David; Johnson, Walter W.

2010-01-01

This study compared pilot situation awareness across three traffic management concepts. The Concepts varied in terms of the allocation of traffic avoidance responsibility between the pilot on the flight deck, the air traffic controllers, and a conflict resolution automation system. In Concept 1, the flight deck was equipped with conflict resolution tools that enable them to fully handle the responsibility of weather avoidance and maintaining separation between ownship and surrounding traffic. In Concept 2, pilots were not responsible for traffic separation, but were provided tools for weather and traffic avoidance. In Concept 3, flight deck tools allowed pilots to deviate for weather, but conflict detection tools were disabled. In this concept pilots were dependent on ground based automation for conflict detection and resolution. Situation awareness of the pilots was measured using online probes. Results showed that individual situation awareness was highest in Concept 1, where the pilots were most engaged, and lowest in Concept 3, where automation was heavily used. These findings suggest that for conflict resolution tasks, situation awareness is improved when pilots remain in the decision-making loop.

A cognitive-behavioural program for adolescents with chronic pain - A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V.P.B.M. Merlijn (Vivian); J.A.M. Hunfeld (Joke); J.C. van der Wouden (Hans); A.A.J.M. Hazebroek-Kampschreur (Alice); L.W.A. van Suijlekom-Smit (Lisette); B.W. Koes (Bart); J. Passchier (Jan)

2005-01-01

textabstractThe purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of a cognitive-behavioural training program for adolescents with chronic pain irrespective of pain localisation. A secondary aim was to give an impression of the effect of the program on pain and quality of life. Eight

Hydrologic studies for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, P.B.

1994-01-01

The objective of this paper is to provide a general overview of hydrologic conditions at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) by describing several key hydrologic studies that have been carried out as part of the site characterization program over the last 20 years. The paper is composed of three parts: background information about general objectives of the WIPP project; information about the geologic and hydrologic setting of the facility; and information about three aspects of the hydrologic system that are important to understanding the long-term performance of the WIPP facility. For additional detailed information, the reader is referred to the references cited in the text

Evidence for the Effectiveness of Jungian Psychotherapy: A Review of Empirical Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Roesler

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Since the 1990s several research projects and empirical studies (process and outcome on Jungian Psychotherapy have been conducted mainly in Germany and Switzerland. Prospective, naturalistic outcome studies and retrospective studies using standardized instruments and health insurance data as well as several qualitative studies of aspects of the psychotherapeutic process will be summarized. The studies are diligently designed and the results are well applicable to the conditions of outpatient practice. All the studies show significant improvements not only on the level of symptoms and interpersonal problems, but also on the level of personality structure and in every day life conduct. These improvements remain stable after completion of therapy over a period of up to six years. Several studies show further improvements after the end of therapy, an effect which psychoanalysis has always claimed. Health insurance data show that, after Jungian therapy, patients reduce health care utilization to a level even below the average of the total population. Results of several studies show that Jungian treatment moves patients from a level of severe symptoms to a level where one can speak of psychological health. These significant changes are reached by Jungian therapy with an average of 90 sessions, which makes Jungian psychotherapy an effective and cost-effective method. Process studies support Jungian theories on psychodynamics and elements of change in the therapeutic process. So finally, Jungian psychotherapy has reached the point where it can be called an empirically proven, effective method.

Generation Y students’ attitudes towards facebook advertising: pilot study results

OpenAIRE

Hilda Bongazana Mahlangu; Ayesha Lian Bevan-Dye

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on the results of a pilot study conducted on the determinants and inhibitors of Generation Y students’ attitudes towards Facebook advertising. The findings suggest that Generation Y students have a positive attitude towards the information value, entertainment value, credibility, self-brand congruity of advertising on Facebook and attitude towards the social interaction value of Facebook. Their attitudes towards trust in the site and trust in the members...

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Alcove Gas Barrier trade-off study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, M.S.; Van Sambeek, L.L.

1992-07-01

A modified Kepner-Tregoe method was used for a trade-off study of Alcove Gas Barrier (AGB) concepts for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The AGB is a gas-constraining seal to be constructed in an alcove entrance drift. In this trade-off study, evaluation criteria were first selected. Then these criteria were classified as to their importance to the task, assigning a weighting value to each aspect. Eleven conceptual design alternatives were developed based on geometrical/geological considerations, construction materials, constructibility, and other relevant factors and evaluated

Cellular Phone Use in Class: Implications for Teaching and Learning a Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Shari M.; Lohenry, Kevin

2010-01-01

Students equipped with the cell phones enter college classrooms daily. Realizing the impact of technology on fellow learners and faculty represents an area of concern. A pilot study was conducted to determine student and faculty perception regarding cellular phone use in the classroom. A quantitative descriptive study examined the perception of…

The impact of mindfulness on leadership effectiveness in a health care setting: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wasylkiw, Louise; Holton, Judith; Azar, Rima; Cook, William

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of mindfulness awareness practice (MAP) on mid-level health-care managers' leadership. In total, 11 mid-level health-care managers in eastern Canada took part in an intensive weekend retreat and a follow-up webinar on mindfulness awareness. Perceived stress and leadership effectiveness were assessed pre- and post-intervention (i.e. four and eight weeks). A control group (n=10) also completed the same measures twice. Additionally, informants (n=28) provided assessments of participants' leadership pre- and post-intervention. Follow-up interviews were carried out with eight participants 12-16 weeks post-intervention. In comparison to controls, retreat participants showed significant increases in mindfulness and corresponding decreases in stress that were sustained across eight weeks post-retreat; retreat participants reported significant positive changes in their leadership effectiveness that were corroborated by informants. Qualitative data, however, suggest that sustaining a mindfulness practice presents significant challenges to middle managers in a health care setting. The findings are useful to management working in health services that are plagued by increasing demands and changes. Despite the small sample and lack of random assignment, the pilot data support the efficacy of MAP in improving leadership. Little empirical research supports the claim that MAP enhances leadership. The present study employed a mixed methods approach to address this gap and demonstrates the potential benefits of MAP among mid-level managers.

ENabling Reduction of Low-grade Inflammation in SEniors Pilot Study: Concept, Rationale, and Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Manini, Todd M; Anton, Stephen D; Beavers, Daniel P; Cauley, Jane A; Espeland, Mark A; Fielding, Roger A; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Lewis, Kristina H; Liu, Christine; McDermott, Mary M; Miller, Michael E; Tracy, Russell P; Walston, Jeremy D; Radziszewska, Barbara; Lu, Jane; Stowe, Cindy; Wu, Samuel; Newman, Anne B; Ambrosius, Walter T; Pahor, Marco

2017-09-01

To test two interventions to reduce interleukin (IL)-6 levels, an indicator of low-grade chronic inflammation and an independent risk factor for impaired mobility and slow walking speed in older adults. The ENabling Reduction of low-Grade Inflammation in SEniors (ENRGISE) Pilot Study was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized pilot trial of two interventions to reduce IL-6 levels. Five university-based research centers. Target enrollment was 300 men and women aged 70 and older with an average plasma IL-6 level between 2.5 and 30 pg/mL measured twice at least 1 week apart. Participants had low to moderate physical function, defined as self-reported difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing a flight of stairs and usual walk speed of less than 1 m/s on a 4-m usual-pace walk. Participants were randomized to losartan, omega-3 fish oil (ω-3), combined losartan and ω-3, or placebo. Randomization was stratified depending on eligibility for each group. A titration schedule was implemented to reach a dose that was safe and effective for IL-6 reduction. Maximal doses were 100 mg/d for losartan and 2.8 g/d for ω-3. IL-6, walking speed over 400 m, physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery), other inflammatory markers, safety, tolerability, frailty domains, and maximal leg strength were measured. Results from the ENRGISE Pilot Study will provide recruitment yields, feasibility, medication tolerance and adherence, and preliminary data to help justify a sample size for a more definitive randomized trial. The ENRGISE Pilot Study will inform a larger subsequent trial that is expected to have important clinical and public health implications for the growing population of older adults with low-grade chronic inflammation and mobility limitations. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Practical Implications of Metacognitively Oriented Psychotherapy in Psychosis : Findings From a Pilot Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Steven; van Donkersgoed, Rozanne J. M.; Aleman, Andre; van der Gaag, Mark; Wunderink, Lex; Arends, Johan; Lysaker, Paul H.; Pijnenborg, Marieke

In preparation for a multicenter randomized controlled trial, a pilot study was conducted investigating the feasibility and acceptance of a shortened version (12 vs. 40 sessions) of an individual metacognitive psychotherapy (Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy [MERIT]). Twelve participants

A pilot investigation to optimise methods for a future satiety preload study

OpenAIRE

Hobden, Mark R.; Guérin-Deremaux, Laetitia; Commane, Daniel M.; Rowland, Ian; Gibson, Glenn R.; Kennedy, Orla B.

2017-01-01

Background Preload studies are used to investigate the satiating effects of foods and food ingredients. However, the design of preload studies is complex, with many methodological considerations influencing appetite responses. The aim of this pilot investigation was to determine acceptability, and optimise methods, for a future satiety preload study. Specifically, we investigated the effects of altering (i) energy intake at a standardised breakfast (gender-specific or non-gender specific), an...

Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinesett, Ava LaVonne; Whaley, Riitta Rutanen; Woods-Giscombe, Cheryl; Dennis, Paul; Johnson, Medina; Li, Yin; Mounzeo, Pline; Baegne, Mabiba; Wilson, Kenneth H

2017-10-01

Indigenous people's ceremonies using rhythm and dance have been used for countless generations throughout the world for healing, conflict resolution, social bonding, and spiritual experience. A previous study reported that a ceremony based on the Central African ngoma tradition was favorably received by a group of Americans. The present trial compared the effects of the modified ngoma ceremony (Ngoma) with those of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in a randomized pilot study. Twenty-one women were randomized to either Ngoma or MBSR. Both groups had sessions on a weekly basis for 8 weeks and completed questionnaires at baseline, week 8, and 1 month after the intervention. Participants completed questionnaires, which included self-report of depressive and anxiety symptoms, health status (e.g., quality of life and functioning), social bonding, and perception of the credibility of the two interventions. Both groups showed improvements in depression, anxiety, emotional well being, and social functioning as measured by respective scales. Social bonding also increased in both groups during the study and may be a mechanism for both interventions. Participants found both interventions credible. In this pilot study, Ngoma showed significant and durable beneficial effects comparable to MBSR. The effects of Ngoma and other indigenous rhythm-dance ceremonies on distress and health status in western culture should be investigated in larger clinical studies.

An Empirical Case Study of a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Initiative in Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Schober, Daniel J.; Fawcett, Stephen B.; Thigpen, Sally; Curtis, Anna; Wright, Renee

2012-01-01

Objective: This empirical case study describes Prevent Child Abuse Georgia's effort to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA) by educating communities throughout the state on supporting preventive behaviour. The initiative consisted of three major components: (1) dissemination of CSA prevention messages and materials; (2) a statewide helpline that…

An Empirical Review of Research Methodologies and Methods in Creativity Studies (2003-2012)

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Haiying

2014-01-01

Based on the data collected from 5 prestigious creativity journals, research methodologies and methods of 612 empirical studies on creativity, published between 2003 and 2012, were reviewed and compared to those in gifted education. Major findings included: (a) Creativity research was predominantly quantitative and psychometrics and experiment…

Quantum Physics Principles and Communication in the Acute Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Helgeson, Heidi L; Peyerl, Colleen Kraft; Solheim-Witt, Marit

This pilot study explores whether clinician awareness of quantum physics principles could facilitate open communication between patients and providers. In the spirit of action research, this study was conceptualized with a holistic view of human health, using a mixed method design of grounded theory as an emergent method. Instrumentation includes surveys and a focus group discussion with twelve registered nurses working in an acute care hospital setting. Findings document that the preliminary core phenomenon, energy as information, influences communication in the healthcare environment. Key emergent themes include awareness, language, validation, open communication, strategies, coherence, incoherence and power. Research participants indicate that quantum physics principles provide a language and conceptual framework for improving their awareness of communication and interactions in the healthcare environment. Implications of this pilot study support the feasibility of future research and education on awareness of quantum physics principles in other clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recruitment and accrual of women in a placebo-controlled clinical pilot study on manual therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cambron, Jerrilyn A; Hawk, Cheryl; Evans, Roni; Long, Cynthia R

2004-06-01

To investigate the accrual rates and recruitment processes among 3 Midwestern sites during a pilot study on manual therapy for chronic pelvic pain. Multisite pilot study for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Three chiropractic institutions in or near major metropolitan cities in the Midwestern United States. Thirty-nine women aged 18 to 45 with chronic pelvic pain of at least 6 months duration, diagnosed by a board certified gynecologist. The method of recruitment was collected for each individual who responded to an advertisement and completed an interviewer-administered telephone screen. Participants who were willing and eligible after 3 baseline visits were entered into a randomized clinical trial. The number of responses and accrual rates were determined for the overall study, each of the 3 treatment sites, and each of the 5 recruitment efforts. In this study, 355 women were screened over the telephone and 39 were randomized, making the rate of randomization approximately 10%. The most effective recruitment methods leading to randomization were direct mail (38%) and radio advertisements (34%). However, success of the recruitment process differed by site. Based on the accrual of this multisite pilot study, a full-scale trial would not be feasible using this study's parameters. However, useful information was gained on recruitment effectiveness, eligibility criteria, and screening protocols among the 3 metropolitan sites.

Effects of anxiety on handgun shooting behavior of police officers: A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieuwenhuys, A.; Oudejans, R.R.D.

2010-01-01

The current pilot study aimed at providing an initial assessment of how anxiety influences police officers' shooting behavior. Seven police officers participated and completed an identical shooting exercise under two experimental conditions: low anxiety, against a non-threatening opponent, and high

100-OL-1 Operable Unit Pilot Study: XRF Evaluation of Select Pre-Hanford Orchards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bunn, Amoret L.; Fritz, Brad G.; Pulsipher, Brent A.; Gorton, Alicia M.; Bisping, Lynn E.; Brandenberger, Jill M.; Pino, Christian; Martinez, Dominique M.; Rana, Komal; Wellman, Dawn M.

2014-11-20

Prior to the acquisition of land by the U.S. Department of War in February 1943 and the creation of the Hanford Site, the land along the Columbia River was home to over 1000 people. Farming and orchard operations by both homesteaders and commercial organizations were prevalent. Orchard activities and the associated application of lead arsenate pesticide ceased in 1943, when residents were moved from the Hanford Site at the beginning of the Manhattan Project. Today, the residues from historical application of lead arsenate pesticide persist in some locations on the Hanford Site. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology established the 100-OL-1 Operable Unit (OU) through the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, known as the Tri-Party Agreement. The pre-Hanford orchard lands identified as the 100-OL-1 OU are located south of the Columbia River and east of the present-day Vernita Bridge, and extend southeast to the former Hanford townsite. The discontinuous orchard lands within 100-OL-1 OU are approximately 20 km2 (5000 ac). A pilot study was conducted to support the approval of the remedial investigation/feasibility study work plan to evaluate the 100-OL-1 OU. This pilot study evaluated the use of a field portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer for evaluating lead and arsenic concentrations on the soil surface as an indicator of lead arsenate pesticide residues in the OU. The objectives of the pilot study included evaluating a field portable XRF analyzer as the analytical method for decision making, estimating the nature and extent of lead and arsenic in surface soils in four decision units, evaluating the results for the purpose of optimizing the sampling approach implemented in the remedial investigation, and collecting information to improve the cost estimate and planning the cultural resources review for sampling activities in the remedial investigation. Based on

Illuminating the "Boy Problem" from Children's and Teachers' Perspectives: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Paula Louise; Jones, Louise

2016-01-01

The apparent educational underperformance of boys has received phenomenal attention worldwide for many years. In the UK, it has led to various government reports and policies aimed at raising boys' achievement. This small-scale qualitative-interpretive pilot study, undertaken in one urban primary school in North Wales, reports the findings from…

Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evangeliou, A.; Vlachonikolis, I.; Mihailidou, H.; Spilioti, M.; Skarpalezou, A.; Makaronas, N.; Prokopiou, A.; Christodoulou, P.; Liapi-Adamidou, G.; Helidonis, E.; Sbyrakis, S.; Smeitink, J.A.M.

2003-01-01

A pilot prospective follow-up study of the role of the ketogenic diet was carried out on 30 children, aged between 4 and 10 years, with autistic behavior. The diet was applied for 6 months, with continuous administration for 4 weeks, interrupted by 2-week diet-free intervals. Seven patients could

Impact of Latino Parent Engagement on Student Academic Achievement: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Araque, Juan Carlos; Wietstock, Cathy; Cova, Heather M.; Zepeda, Steffanie

2017-01-01

The current pilot study examines the impact of the "Ten Education Commandments for Parents" program on (1) new immigrant Latino parents' knowledge of the U.S. public education system, (2) parent engagement, and (3) their children's academic achievement. Utilizing a pre-experimental, pre- and post-test research design, four schools with…

Analysis of empty ATLAS pilot jobs

Science.gov (United States)

Love, P. A.; Alef, M.; Dal Pra, S.; Di Girolamo, A.; Forti, A.; Templon, J.; Vamvakopoulos, E.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

In this analysis we quantify the wallclock time used by short empty pilot jobs on a number of WLCG compute resources. Pilot factory logs and site batch logs are used to provide independent accounts of the usage. Results show a wide variation of wallclock time used by short jobs depending on the site and queue, and changing with time. For a reference dataset of all jobs in August 2016, the fraction of wallclock time used by empty jobs per studied site ranged from 0.1% to 0.8%. Aside from the wall time used by empty pilots, we also looked at how many pilots were empty as a fraction of all pilots sent. Binning the August dataset into days, empty fractions between 2% and 90% were observed. The higher fractions correlate well with periods of few actual payloads being sent to the site.

Empirical studies of design software: Implications for software engineering environments

Science.gov (United States)

Krasner, Herb

1988-01-01

The empirical studies team of MCC's Design Process Group conducted three studies in 1986-87 in order to gather data on professionals designing software systems in a range of situations. The first study (the Lift Experiment) used thinking aloud protocols in a controlled laboratory setting to study the cognitive processes of individual designers. The second study (the Object Server Project) involved the observation, videotaping, and data collection of a design team of a medium-sized development project over several months in order to study team dynamics. The third study (the Field Study) involved interviews with the personnel from 19 large development projects in the MCC shareholders in order to study how the process of design is affected by organizationl and project behavior. The focus of this report will be on key observations of design process (at several levels) and their implications for the design of environments.

Human Error Analysis Project (HEAP) - The Fourth Pilot Study: Scoring and Analysis of Raw Data Types

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollnagel, Erik; Braarud; Per Oeyvind; Droeivoldsmo, Asgeir; Follesoe; Knut; Helgar, Stein; Kaarstad, Magnhild

1996-01-01

Pilot study No. 4 rounded off the series of pilot studies by looking at the important issue of the quality of the various data sources. The preceding experiments had clearly shown that that it was necessary to use both concurrent and interrupted verbal protocols, and also that information about eye movements was very valuable. The effort and resources needed to analyse a combination of the different data sources is, however, significant, and it was therefore important to find out whether one or more of the data sources could replace another. In order to determine this issue, pilot study No. 4 looked specifically at the quality of information provided by different data sources. The main hypotheses were that information about operators' diagnosis and decision making would be provided by verbal protocols, expert commentators, and auto-confrontation protocols, that the data sources would be valid, and that they would complement each other. The study used three main data sources: (1) concurrent verbal protocols, which were the operators' verbalisations during the experiment; (2) expert commentator reports, which were descriptions by process experts of the operators' performance; and (3) auto-confrontation, which were the operators' comments on their performance based on a replay of the performance recording minus the concurrent verbal protocol. Additional data sources were eye movement recordings, process data, alarms, etc. The three main data sources were treated as independent variables and applied according to an experimental design that facilitated the test of the main hypotheses. The pilot study produced altogether 59 verbal protocols, some of which were in Finnish. After a translation into English, each protocol was analysed and scored according to a specific scheme. The scoring was designed to facilitate the evaluation of the experimental hypotheses. Due to the considerable work involved, the analysis process has only been partly completed, and no firm results

Diversity Considerations for Promoting Early Childhood Oral Health: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Prowse

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Several groups in Manitoba, Canada, experience early childhood caries (ECC, including Aboriginal, immigrant, and refugee children and those from select rural regions. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the views of parents and caregivers from four cultural groups on early childhood oral health and ECC. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study design using focus groups recruited parents and caregivers from four cultural groups. Discussions were documented, audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed for content based on themes. Results. Parents and caregivers identified several potential barriers to good oral health practice, including child’s temperament, finances, and inability to control sugar intake. Both religion and genetics were found to influence perceptions of oral health. Misconceptions regarding breastfeeding and bottle use were present. One-on-one discussions, parental networks, and using laypeople from similar backgrounds were suggested methods to promote oral health. The immigrant and refugee participants placed emphasis on the use of visuals for those with language barriers while Hutterite participants suggested a health-education approach. Conclusions. These pilot study findings provide initial insight into the oral health-related knowledge and beliefs of these groups. This will help to inform planning of ECC prevention and research strategies, which can be tailored to specific populations.

Identifying the support needs of fathers affected by post-partum depression: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Letourneau, N; Duffett-Leger, L; Dennis, C-L; Stewart, M; Tryphonopoulos, P D

2011-02-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the experiences, support needs, resources, and barriers to support for fathers whose partners had post-partum depression (PPD) in preparation for a larger study. Qualitative methods and community-based research approaches were used in this exploratory/descriptive multi-site study, conducted in New Brunswick and Alberta. Telephone interviews were conducted with a total of 11 fathers in New Brunswick (n= 7) and Alberta (n= 4). Fathers experienced a number of depressive symptoms including: anxiety, lack of time and energy, irritability, feeling sad or down, changes in appetite, and thoughts of harm to self or baby. The most common barriers for fathers were lack of information regarding PPD resources and difficulty seeking support. This pilot study establishes the feasibility of the larger-scale exploration of fathers' experiences in supporting their spouses affected by PPD. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing.

Evaluation of potential particulate/colloidal TEP foulants on a pilot scale SWRO desalination study

KAUST Repository

Li, Sheng; Sinha, Shahnawaz; Leiknes, TorOve; Amy, Gary L.; Ghaffour, NorEddine

2016-01-01

This pilot study investigated the variation of potential foulants and different fractions of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), along the treatment scheme under different conditions. The objectives are to provide a comprehensive understanding

Assessing cancer survivors' needs using web-based technology: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavoie Smith, Ellen M; Skalla, Karen; Li, Zhongze; Onega, Tracy; Rhoda, June; Gates, Charlene; Litterini, Amy; Scott, Mary R

2012-02-01

Development of cancer survivor resources has been hampered by lack of knowledge regarding survivors' needs. The main study aim was to pilot test a Web-based cancer survivor needs assessment survey. The second aim was to pilot three sampling approaches. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center and nine community-based clinics serving urban and rural populations. Population-based and convenience sampling approaches were used to recruit 547 participants over 4 months. Participants completed a Web-based cancer survivor needs assessment survey. Respondents were mainly white (98%), married (71%) women (80%) with a college education (96%). Although most (66%) (n = 362) had been diagnosed with breast cancer, other cancer diagnoses were represented. Participants reported fatigue (47%), forgetfulness (39%), joint pain (34%), anxiety (31%), trouble sleeping (28%), peripheral neuropathy (27%), inflexibility (23%), and weight gain (23%). Survivors with nonbreast solid tumor malignancies reported more problems than those with breast or hematologic malignancies (P range = .037 to losing weight (74.2%), decreasing fatigue (50%), and improving flexibility (69.3%), sleep (68.5%), and memory (60.2%). Results supported that cancer survivors struggle with many enduring problems. Web-based technology will facilitate future exploration of unmet needs.

Reflective equilibrium and empirical data: third person moral experiences in empirical medical ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

De Vries, Martine; Van Leeuwen, Evert

2010-11-01

In ethics, the use of empirical data has become more and more popular, leading to a distinct form of applied ethics, namely empirical ethics. This 'empirical turn' is especially visible in bioethics. There are various ways of combining empirical research and ethical reflection. In this paper we discuss the use of empirical data in a special form of Reflective Equilibrium (RE), namely the Network Model with Third Person Moral Experiences. In this model, the empirical data consist of the moral experiences of people in a practice. Although inclusion of these moral experiences in this specific model of RE can be well defended, their use in the application of the model still raises important questions. What precisely are moral experiences? How to determine relevance of experiences, in other words: should there be a selection of the moral experiences that are eventually used in the RE? How much weight should the empirical data have in the RE? And the key question: can the use of RE by empirical ethicists really produce answers to practical moral questions? In this paper we start to answer the above questions by giving examples taken from our research project on understanding the norm of informed consent in the field of pediatric oncology. We especially emphasize that incorporation of empirical data in a network model can reduce the risk of self-justification and bias and can increase the credibility of the RE reached. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of additional team-based learning on students' clinical reasoning skills: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jost, Meike; Brüstle, Peter; Giesler, Marianne; Rijntjes, Michel; Brich, Jochen

2017-07-14

In the field of Neurology good clinical reasoning skills are essential for successful diagnosing and treatment. Team-based learning (TBL), an active learning and small group instructional strategy, is a promising method for fostering these skills. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effects of a supplementary TBL-class on students' clinical decision-making skills. Fourth- and fifth-year medical students participated in this pilot study (static-group comparison design). The non-treatment group (n = 15) did not receive any additional training beyond regular teaching in the neurology course. The treatment group (n = 11) took part in a supplementary TBL-class optimized for teaching clinical reasoning in addition to the regular teaching in the neurology course. Clinical decision making skills were assessed using a key-feature problem examination. Factual and conceptual knowledge was assessed by a multiple-choice question examination. The TBL-group performed significantly better than the non-TBL-group (p = 0.026) in the key-feature problem examination. No significant differences between the results of the multiple-choice question examination of both groups were found. In this pilot study participants of a supplementary TBL-class significantly improved clinical decision-making skills, indicating that TBL may be an appropriate method for teaching clinical decision making in neurology. Further research is needed for replication in larger groups and other clinical fields.

Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot Phase 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiliccote, Sila [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Homan, Gregory [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Anderson, Robert [Olivine, Inc., San Ramon, CA (United States); Hernandez, John [Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2015-04-01

The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related with direct participation of third-parties and customers including customer acceptance; market transformation challenges (wholesale market, technology); technical and operational feasibility; and value to the rate payers, DR resource owners and the utility on providing an enabling mechanism for DR resources into the wholesale markets. The customer had the option of committing to either three contiguous hour blocks for 24 days or six contiguous hours for 12 days a month with day-ahead notification that aligned with the CAISO integrated forward market. As a result of their being available, the customer was paid $10/ kilowatt (kW)-month for capacity in addition to CAISO energy settlements. The participants were limited to no more than a 2 megawatt (MW) capacity with a six-month commitment. Four participants successfully engaged in the pilot. In this report, we provide the description of the pilot, participant performance results, costs and value to participants as well as outline some of the issues encountered through the pilot. Results show that participants chose to participate with storage and the value of CAISO settlements were significantly lower than the capacity payments provided by the utility as incentive payments. In addition, this pilot revealed issues both on the participant side and system operations side. These issues are summarized in the report.The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related with

[Feasibility and effectiveness of mindfulness training in adults with ADHD: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hepark, S.; Kan, C.C.; Speckens, A.E.M.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that often continues into adulthood. Stimulant medication is the common treatment for ADHD. However, there is a need for psychosocial interventions in addition to medication. AIM: To conduct a pilot study which

Increasing Physical Activity in Preschool: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Animal Trackers

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Christine L.; Carter, Betty Jean; Kibbe, Debra L.; Dennison, David

2009-01-01

Objective: This report describes a pilot study to evaluate Animal Trackers (AT), a preschool program designed to (1) increase structured physical activity (PA) during the preschool day; (2) increase practice of gross motor skills; (3) provide teachers with an easy-to-use PA program regardless of teacher experience; and (4) implement a teacher…

Capability of microalgae-based wastewater treatment systems to remove emerging organic contaminants: A pilot-scale study

OpenAIRE

Matamoros, Victor; Gutiérrez Martínez, Raquel; Ferrer Martí, Ivet; García Serrano, Joan; Bayona, Josep M.

2015-01-01

The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and seasonality on the removal efficiency of 26 organic microcontaminants from urban wastewater was studied in two pilot high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs). The targeted compounds included pharmaceuticals and personal care products, fire retardants, surfactants, anticorrosive agents, pesticides and plasticizers, among others. The pilot plant, which was fed at a surface loading rate of 7-29 g of COD m(-2) d(-1), consisted of a homogenisation tank and two...

Pilot plant studies of the bioconversion of cellulose and production of ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilke, C.R.

1977-09-30

Work for the period July 1 to September 30, 1977 is summarized briefly. Results of the following studies are reported: analysis and evaluation of potential raw materials--chemical analysis of the Kudzu plant and effect of NO/sub x/ pretreatments on the hydrolysis of wheat straw; utilization of hemicellulose sugars; process design and economic studies--hydrolysis process and ethanol fermentation; pilot plant process development and design studies--enhanced cellulase production and continuous hydrolysis. (JGB)

On the Sophistication of Naïve Empirical Reasoning: Factors Influencing Mathematicians' Persuasion Ratings of Empirical Arguments

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Keith

2013-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experiment in which mathematicians were asked to rate how persuasive they found two empirical arguments. There were three key results from this study: (a) Participants judged an empirical argument as more persuasive if it verified that integers possessed an infrequent property than if it verified that integers…

Empirical Bayes ranking and selection methods via semiparametric hierarchical mixture models in microarray studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Noma, Hisashi; Matsui, Shigeyuki

2013-05-20

The main purpose of microarray studies is screening of differentially expressed genes as candidates for further investigation. Because of limited resources in this stage, prioritizing genes are relevant statistical tasks in microarray studies. For effective gene selections, parametric empirical Bayes methods for ranking and selection of genes with largest effect sizes have been proposed (Noma et al., 2010; Biostatistics 11: 281-289). The hierarchical mixture model incorporates the differential and non-differential components and allows information borrowing across differential genes with separation from nuisance, non-differential genes. In this article, we develop empirical Bayes ranking methods via a semiparametric hierarchical mixture model. A nonparametric prior distribution, rather than parametric prior distributions, for effect sizes is specified and estimated using the "smoothing by roughening" approach of Laird and Louis (1991; Computational statistics and data analysis 12: 27-37). We present applications to childhood and infant leukemia clinical studies with microarrays for exploring genes related to prognosis or disease progression. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supporting Parents to Facilitate Communication and Joint Attention in Their Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Two Pilot Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Prelock, Patricia A.; Calhoun, James; Morris, Hope; Platt, Gretchen

2011-01-01

This article describes 2 pilot studies partnering early interventionists and families in targeting social communication and joint attention abilities for young children with autism spectrum disorders. Both parent-intervention trainings involved opportunities for interventionists to partner with families. One pilot utilized "More than Words" (MTW;…

An empirical study on primary school teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in Jakarta, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kurniawati, Farida; Minnaert, A.E.M.G.; Mangunsong, F.; Ahmed, W.

2012-01-01

Empirical research revealed that teachers’ attitudes play a crucial role in successful implementation of inclusive education. This study aimed to examine primary school teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in Jakarta, Indonesia. Respondents completed the attitude scale which comprised the

Influence of Cultural, Organizational, and Automation Capability on Human Automation Trust: A Case Study of Auto-GCAS Experimental Test Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Koltai, Kolina; Ho, Nhut; Masequesmay, Gina; Niedober, David; Skoog, Mark; Cacanindin, Artemio; Johnson, Walter; Lyons, Joseph

2014-01-01

This paper discusses a case study that examined the influence of cultural, organizational and automation capability upon human trust in, and reliance on, automation. In particular, this paper focuses on the design and application of an extended case study methodology, and on the foundational lessons revealed by it. Experimental test pilots involved in the research and development of the US Air Force's newly developed Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System served as the context for this examination. An eclectic, multi-pronged approach was designed to conduct this case study, and proved effective in addressing the challenges associated with the case's politically sensitive and military environment. Key results indicate that the system design was in alignment with pilot culture and organizational mission, indicating the potential for appropriate trust development in operational pilots. These include the low-vulnerability/ high risk nature of the pilot profession, automation transparency and suspicion, system reputation, and the setup of and communications among organizations involved in the system development.

EEG activity in Muslim prayer: A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haider H. Alwasiti

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Almost all religions incorporate some form of meditation. Muslim prayer is the meditation of Islam. It is an obligatory prayer for all Muslims that is performed five times a day. Although a large body of literature exists on EEG changes in meditation, to date there has been no research published in a peer-reviewed journal on EEG changes during Muslim prayer. The purpose of this pilot study is to encourage further investigation on this type of meditation. Results of EEG analysis in twenty-five trials of Muslim prayer are reported. Some of the findings are consistent with the majority of the previous meditation studies (alpha rhythm slowing, increased alpha rhythm coherence. However, Muslim prayer does not show an increase in alpha and/or theta power like most of the results of other meditation studies. The possible cause of this discrepancy in meditation-related studies is highlighted and a systematic and standardised roadmap for future Muslim prayer EEG research is proposed.

Empirical studies on usability of mHealth apps: a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapata, Belén Cruz; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Idri, Ali; Toval, Ambrosio

2015-02-01

The release of smartphones and tablets, which offer more advanced communication and computing capabilities, has led to the strong emergence of mHealth on the market. mHealth systems are being used to improve patients' lives and their health, in addition to facilitating communication between doctors and patients. Researchers are now proposing mHealth applications for many health conditions such as dementia, autism, dysarthria, Parkinson's disease, and so on. Usability becomes a key factor in the adoption of these applications, which are often used by people who have problems when using mobile devices and who have a limited experience of technology. The aim of this paper is to investigate the empirical usability evaluation processes described in a total of 22 selected studies related to mHealth applications by means of a Systematic Literature Review. Our results show that the empirical evaluation methods employed as regards usability could be improved by the adoption of automated mechanisms. The evaluation processes should also be revised to combine more than one method. This paper will help researchers and developers to create more usable applications. Our study demonstrates the importance of adapting health applications to users' need.

Laboratory and pilot-plant studies on the conversion of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate to UF/sub 6/ by fluidized-bed processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Youngblood, E.L.; Urza, I.J.; Cathers, G.I.

1977-06-01

This report describes laboratory and pilot-plant studies on the conversion of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate (UNH) to UF/sub 6/ and on purification of the UF/sub 6/. Experimental laboratory studies on the removal of residual nitrate from uranium trioxide (UO/sub 3/) calcine and the fluorination of technetium and subsequent sorption on MgF/sub 2/ were conducted to support the pilot-plant work. Two engineering-scale pilot plants utilizing fluidized-bed processes were constructed for equipment and process testing of the calcination of UNH to UO/sub 3/ and the direct fluorination of UO/sub 3/ to UF/sub 6/.

Magnetic Seizure Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor M. Tang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveElectroconvulsive therapy is effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS but use is limited due to stigma and concerns around cognitive adverse effects. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST is a promising new neuromodulation technique that uses transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce therapeutic seizures. Studies of MST in depression have shown clinical improvement with a favorable adverse effect profile. No studies have examined the clinical utility of MST in schizophrenia.MethodsWe conducted an open-label pilot clinical trial of MST in eight TRS patients. Up to 24 MST treatments were delivered depending on treatment response. We assessed clinical outcome through the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q. Cognitive testing included a neuropsychological test battery, the Autobiographical Memory Inventory (AMI, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, and reorientation time.ResultsFour patients completed the trial as per protocol. For all patients and for trial completers alone, there was a significant clinical and quality of life improvement. Three met pre-determined criteria for remission (total score ≤25 on the BPRS and one met criteria for response (i.e., ≥25% BPRS improvement from baseline for two consecutive assessments. Pre and post neurocognitive data showed no significant cognitive adverse effects apart from a decrease in AMI scores.ConclusionIn this pilot study, MST demonstrated evidence for feasibility in patients with TRS, with promise for clinical efficacy and negligible cognitive side effects. Further study in larger clinical populations is needed.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT01596608.

Medication coaching program for patients with minor stroke or TIA: A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sides Elizabeth G

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients who are hospitalized with a first or recurrent stroke often are discharged with new medications or adjustment to the doses of pre-admission medications, which can be confusing and pose safety issues if misunderstood. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of medication coaching via telephone after discharge in patients with stroke. Methods Two-arm pilot study of a medication coaching program with 30 patients (20 intervention, 10 control. Consecutive patients admitted with stroke or TIA with at least 2 medications changed between admission and discharge were included. The medication coach contacted intervention arm patients post-discharge via phone call to discuss risk factors, review medications and triage patients’ questions to a stroke nurse and/or pharmacist. Intervention and control participants were contacted at 3 months for outcomes. The main outcomes were feasibility (appropriateness of script, ability to reach participants, and provide requested information and participant evaluation of medication coaching. Results The median lengths of the coaching and follow-up calls with requested answers to these questions were 27 minutes and 12 minutes, respectively, and participant evaluations of the coaching were positive. The intervention participants were more likely to have seen their primary care provider than were control participants by 3 months post discharge. Conclusions This medication coaching study executed early after discharge demonstrated feasibility of coaching and educating stroke patients with a trained coach. Results from our small pilot showed a possible trend towards improved appointment-keeping with primary care providers in those who received coaching.

Medication coaching program for patients with minor stroke or TIA: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sides, Elizabeth G; Zimmer, Louise O; Wilson, Leslie; Pan, Wenqin; Olson, Daiwai M; Peterson, Eric D; Bushnell, Cheryl

2012-07-25

Patients who are hospitalized with a first or recurrent stroke often are discharged with new medications or adjustment to the doses of pre-admission medications, which can be confusing and pose safety issues if misunderstood. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of medication coaching via telephone after discharge in patients with stroke. Two-arm pilot study of a medication coaching program with 30 patients (20 intervention, 10 control). Consecutive patients admitted with stroke or TIA with at least 2 medications changed between admission and discharge were included. The medication coach contacted intervention arm patients post-discharge via phone call to discuss risk factors, review medications and triage patients' questions to a stroke nurse and/or pharmacist. Intervention and control participants were contacted at 3 months for outcomes. The main outcomes were feasibility (appropriateness of script, ability to reach participants, and provide requested information) and participant evaluation of medication coaching. The median lengths of the coaching and follow-up calls with requested answers to these questions were 27 minutes and 12 minutes, respectively, and participant evaluations of the coaching were positive. The intervention participants were more likely to have seen their primary care provider than were control participants by 3 months post discharge. This medication coaching study executed early after discharge demonstrated feasibility of coaching and educating stroke patients with a trained coach. Results from our small pilot showed a possible trend towards improved appointment-keeping with primary care providers in those who received coaching.

What defines an effective anti-tobacco TV advertisement? A pilot study among Greek adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Vardavas, Constantine I; Symvoulakis, Emmanouil K; Connolly, Gregory N; Patelarou, Evridiki; Lionis, Christos

2010-01-01

As the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) calls for public health awareness on tobacco use, mass media campaigns should be appropriately designed so as to maximize their effectiveness. In this methodological pilot study, 95 Greek adolescents (mean age 15 +/- 1.8 years), were shown seven different anti tobacco ads, and asked to rate the ad theme, message and emotional context on a 1-7 Likert scale. Health related ads were rated the highest, and as identified through the logistic regression analysis, adolescents who perceived an ad to be emotional or to have a clear message that was relevant to them, were more likely to rate the ad as more effective. The strong agreement between the above findings and the existing literature indicates the applicability of this pilot study's methodological approach.

Abnormal Time Experiences in Major Depression: An Empirical Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanghellini, Giovanni; Ballerini, Massimo; Presenza, Simona; Mancini, Milena; Northoff, Georg; Cutting, John

2017-01-01

Phenomenological psychopathology, through theoretical and idiographic studies, conceptualizes major depressive disorder (MDD) as a disorder of time experience. Investigations on abnormal time experience (ATE) in MDD adopting methodologies requested by the standards of empirical sciences are still lacking. Our study aimed to provide a qualitative analysis, on an empirical ground and on a large scale, of narratives of temporal experiences of persons affected by MDD. We interviewed 550 consecutive patients affected by affective and schizophrenic disorders. Clinical files were analysed by means of consensual qualitative research. Out of 100 MDD patients, 96 reported at least 1 ATE. The principal categories of ATE are vital retardation - the experience of a stagnation of endogenous vital processes (37 patients), the experience of present and future dominated by the past (29 patients), and the experience of the slackening of the flow oftime (25 patients). A comparison with ATE in schizophrenia patients showed that in MDD, unlike in schizophrenia, there is no disarticulation of time experience (disorder of temporal synthesis) but rather a disorder of conation or inhibition of becoming. The interview style was not meant to make a quantitative assessment ("false negatives" cannot be excluded). Our findings confirm the relevance of distinctive features of ATE in MDD, support the hypothesis of an intrinsic disordered temporal structure in depressive symptoms, and may have direct implications in clinical practice, especially in relation to differential diagnosis, setting the boundaries between "true" and milder forms of depression, and neurobiological research. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cardiovascular investigations of airline pilots with excessive cardiovascular risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirawan, I Made Ady; Aldington, Sarah; Griffiths, Robin F; Ellis, Chris J; Larsen, Peter D

2013-06-01

This study examined the prevalence of airline pilots who have an excessive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score according to the New Zealand Guideline Group (NZGG) Framingham-based Risk Chart and describes their cardiovascular risk assessment and investigations. A cross-sectional study was performed among 856 pilots employed in an Oceania based airline. Pilots with elevated CVD risk that had been previously evaluated at various times over the previous 19 yr were reviewed retrospectively from the airline's medical records, and the subsequent cardiovascular investigations were then described. There were 30 (3.5%) pilots who were found to have 5-yr CVD risk score of 10-15% or higher. Of the 29 pilots who had complete cardiac investigations data, 26 pilots underwent exercise electrocardiography (ECG), 2 pilots progressed directly to coronary angiograms and 1 pilot with abnormal echocardiogram was not examined further. Of the 26 pilots, 7 had positive or borderline exercise tests, all of whom subsequently had angiograms. One patient with a negative exercise test also had a coronary angiogram. Of the 9 patients who had coronary angiograms as a consequence of screening, 5 had significant disease that required treatment and 4 had either trivial disease or normal coronary arteries. The current approach to investigate excessive cardiovascular risk in pilots relies heavily on exercise electrocardiograms as a diagnostic test, and may not be optimal either to detect disease or to protect pilots from unnecessary invasive procedures. A more comprehensive and accurate cardiac investigation algorithm to assess excessive CVD risk in pilots is required.

Flight simulation using a Brain-Computer Interface: A pilot, pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kryger, Michael; Wester, Brock; Pohlmeyer, Eric A; Rich, Matthew; John, Brendan; Beaty, James; McLoughlin, Michael; Boninger, Michael; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C

2017-01-01

As Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems advance for uses such as robotic arm control it is postulated that the control paradigms could apply to other scenarios, such as control of video games, wheelchair movement or even flight. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether our BCI system, which involves decoding the signals of two 96-microelectrode arrays implanted into the motor cortex of a subject, could also be used to control an aircraft in a flight simulator environment. The study involved six sessions in which various parameters were modified in order to achieve the best flight control, including plane type, view, control paradigm, gains, and limits. Successful flight was determined qualitatively by evaluating the subject's ability to perform requested maneuvers, maintain flight paths, and avoid control losses such as dives, spins and crashes. By the end of the study, it was found that the subject could successfully control an aircraft. The subject could use both the jet and propeller plane with different views, adopting an intuitive control paradigm. From the subject's perspective, this was one of the most exciting and entertaining experiments she had performed in two years of research. In conclusion, this study provides a proof-of-concept that traditional motor cortex signals combined with a decoding paradigm can be used to control systems besides a robotic arm for which the decoder was developed. Aside from possible functional benefits, it also shows the potential for a new recreational activity for individuals with disabilities who are able to master BCI control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Service delivery innovation architecture: An empirical study of antecedents and outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeev Verma

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The research examines service delivery innovation architecture and its role in achieving sustainable competitive advantage of firms. The study develops and empirically examines an antecedent based model of service delivery innovation. We collected data from 203 service sector professionals working in Mexican financial and information technology firms, and tested the proposed relationship. Further, the study investigates the moderating role of customer orientation on innovation driven performance outcomes. Results show that customer orientation strengthens the service delivery–performance relationship. This paper aims to contribute to the strategic planning of service firms by guiding their resource allocation to ensure sustainable growth.

Noise exposure and auditory thresholds of German airline pilots: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Reinhard; Schneider, Joachim

2017-05-30

The cockpit workplace of airline pilots is a noisy environment. This study examines the hearing thresholds of pilots with respect to ambient noise and communication sound. The hearing of 487 German pilots was analysed by audiometry in the frequency range of 125 Hz-16 kHz in varying age groups. Cockpit noise (free-field) data and communication sound (acoustic manikin) measurements were evaluated. The ambient noise levels in cockpits were found to be between 74 and 80 dB(A), and the sound pressure levels under the headset were found to be between 84 and 88 dB(A).The left-right threshold differences at 3, 4 and 6 kHz show evidence of impaired hearing at the left ear, which worsens by age.In the age groups <40/≥40 years the mean differences at 3 kHz are 2/3 dB, at 4 kHz 2/4 dB and at 6 kHz 1/6 dB.In the pilot group which used mostly the left ear for communication tasks (43 of 45 are in the older age group) the mean difference at 3 kHz is 6 dB, at 4 kHz 7 dB and at 6 kHz 10 dB. The pilots who used the headset only at the right ear also show worse hearing at the left ear of 2 dB at 3 kHz, 3 dB at 4 kHz and at 6 kHz. The frequency-corrected exposure levels under the headset are 7-11 dB(A) higher than the ambient noise with an averaged signal-to-noise ratio for communication of about 10 dB(A). The left ear seems to be more susceptible to hearing loss than the right ear. Active noise reduction systems allow for a reduced sound level for the communication signal below the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A) and allow for a more relaxed working environment for pilots. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A Social-Cognitive Intervention Program for Adolescents with Autism: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Pui Pui Phoebe; Siu, Andrew M. H.; Brown, Ted; Yu, Mong-lin

2018-01-01

This pilot study explored the efficacy of a social-cognitive intervention program for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Seven adolescents with ASD (mean age = 12.57 years) attended a school-based 10-week program. Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales, Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), and Theory of Mind Inventory were…

Attitudes toward Everyday Odors for Children with Visual Impairments: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ferdenzi, Camille; Coureaud, Gerard; Camos, Valerie; Schaal, Benoist

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot investigation of the self-reported awareness and reactivity to odors of children with visual impairments and sighted children. A questionnaire related to relevant everyday contexts involving food and social cues, as well as the general environment, was used to determine whether, and in which…

A pilot study on the effect of Catha edulis frosk., (celastraceae) on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A pilot study on the effect of Catha edulis frosk., (celastraceae) on metabolic syndrome in WOKW rats. ... Feeding with khat leaves reduced the body weight and the triglyceride level of the animals. The effect of KD on these parameters was stronger than that of KL. KD lowered the blood glucose concentration and the leptin ...

Mood Management Intervention for College Smokers with Elevated Depressive Symptoms: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Schleicher, Holly E.; Harris, Kari Jo; Campbell, Duncan G.; Harrar, Solomon W.

2012-01-01

Objective: This pilot study examined smoking reduction and cessation among college smokers with elevated depressive symptomatology participating in a group-based behavioral counseling, mood management, and motivational enhancement combined intervention (CBT). Participants and Methods: Fifty-eight smokers (smoked 6 days in the past 30) were…

Transient swelling of the Schneiderian membrane after transversal sinus augmentation: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quirynen, Marc; Lefever, David; Hellings, Peter; Jacobs, Reinhilde

2014-01-01

ObjectiveThe predictability and simplicity of the Summers' technique for sinus floor elevation encouraged many clinicians to consider this new approach. The impact of such intervention on the sinus mucosa has, however, not been explored extensively. This pilot study followed the response of the

Arctic Ice Dynamics Joint Experiment (AIDJEX) Second Pilot Study, March - May 1972: A Documentary Film

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The project described in this documentary was a pilot study conducted in 1972 in preparation for the AIDJEX main experiment of 1975 to 1976. The study included a...

Portable Weather Applications for General Aviation Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahlstrom, Ulf; Ohneiser, Oliver; Caddigan, Eamon

2016-09-01

The objective of this study was to examine the potential benefits and impact on pilot behavior from the use of portable weather applications. Seventy general aviation (GA) pilots participated in the study. Each pilot was randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group and flew a simulated single-engine GA aircraft, initially under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The experimental group was equipped with a portable weather application during flight. We recorded measures for weather situation awareness (WSA), decision making, cognitive engagement, and distance from the aircraft to hazardous weather. We found positive effects from the use of the portable weather application, with an increased WSA for the experimental group, which resulted in credibly larger route deviations and credibly greater distances to hazardous weather (≥30 dBZ cells) compared with the control group. Nevertheless, both groups flew less than 20 statute miles from hazardous weather cells, thus failing to follow current weather-avoidance guidelines. We also found a credibly higher cognitive engagement (prefrontal oxygenation levels) for the experimental group, possibly reflecting increased flight planning and decision making on the part of the pilots. Overall, the study outcome supports our hypothesis that portable weather displays can be used without degrading pilot performance on safety-related flight tasks, actions, and decisions as measured within the constraints of the present study. However, it also shows that an increased WSA does not automatically translate to enhanced flight behavior. The study outcome contributes to our knowledge of the effect of portable weather applications on pilot behavior and decision making. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

A pilot study of audiovisual family meetings in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

de Havenon, Adam; Petersen, Casey; Tanana, Michael; Wold, Jana; Hoesch, Robert

2015-10-01

We hypothesized that virtual family meetings in the intensive care unit with conference calling or Skype videoconferencing would result in increased family member satisfaction and more efficient decision making. This is a prospective, nonblinded, nonrandomized pilot study. A 6-question survey was completed by family members after family meetings, some of which used conference calling or Skype by choice. Overall, 29 (33%) of the completed surveys came from audiovisual family meetings vs 59 (67%) from control meetings. The survey data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling, which did not find any significant group differences between satisfaction with the audiovisual meetings vs controls. There was no association between the audiovisual intervention and withdrawal of care (P = .682) or overall hospital length of stay (z = 0.885, P = .376). Although we do not report benefit from an audiovisual intervention, these results are preliminary and heavily influenced by notable limitations to the study. Given that the intervention was feasible in this pilot study, audiovisual and social media intervention strategies warrant additional investigation given their unique ability to facilitate communication among family members in the intensive care unit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Model and Empirical Study on Several Urban Public Transport Networks in China

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yimin; Ding, Zhuo

2012-07-01

In this paper, we present the empirical investigation results on the urban public transport networks (PTNs) and propose a model to understand the results obtained. We investigate some urban public traffic networks in China, which are the urban public traffic networks of Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan and etc. The empirical results on the big cities show that the accumulative act-degree distributions of PTNs take neither power function forms, nor exponential function forms, but they are described by a shifted power function, and the accumulative act-degree distributions of PTNs in medium-sized or small cities follow the same law. In the end, we propose a model to show a possible evolutionary mechanism for the emergence of such network. The analytic results obtained from this model are in good agreement with the empirical results.

Health status of and health-care provision to asylum seekers in Germany: protocol for a systematic review and evidence mapping of empirical studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Christine; Mohsenpour, Amir; Joos, Stefanie; Bozorgmehr, Kayvan

2014-11-29

There are more than 100,000 asylum seekers registered in Germany, who are granted limited access to health services. This study aims to provide a systematic overview of the empirical literature on the health status of and health-care provision to asylum seekers in Germany in order to consolidate knowledge, avoid scientific redundance, and identify research gaps. A systematic review and evidence mapping of empirical literature on the health status of and health-care provision to asylum seekers in Germany will be performed. We will apply a three-tiered search strategy: 1. search in databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, IBSS, Sociological Abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, CINAHL, Sowiport, Social Sciences Citation Index, ASSIA, MedPilot, DNB), dissertation and theses databases, and the internet (Google); 2. screening references of included studies; 3. contacting authors and civil society organizations for grey literature. Included will be studies which report quantitative and/or qualitative data or review articles on asylum seekers in Germany, published in German or English language. Outcome measures will include physical, mental, or social well-being, and all aspects of health-care provision (access, availability, affordability, and quality). Search results will be screened for eligibility by screening titles, abstracts and full texts. Data extraction comprises information on study characteristics, research aims, and domains of health or health-care services analyzed. The quality of studies will be appraised and documented by appropriate assessment tools. A descriptive evidence map will be drawn by categorizing all included articles by research design and the health conditions and/or domains of health-care provision analyzed. The body of evidence will be evaluated, and a narrative evidence synthesis will be performed by means of a multi-level approach, whereby quantitative and qualitative evidence are analyzed as separate streams and the product

Empiric guideline-recommended weight-based vancomycin dosing and mortality in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a retrospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hall Ronald G

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background No studies have evaluated the effect of guideline-recommended weight-based dosing on in-hospital mortality of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia receiving at least 48 hours of empiric vancomycin therapy between 01/07/2002 and 30/06/2008. We compared in-hospital mortality for patients treated empirically with weight-based, guideline-recommended vancomycin doses (at least 15 mg/kg/dose to those treated with less than 15 mg/kg/dose. We used a general linear mixed multivariable model analysis with variables identified a priori through a conceptual framework based on the literature. Results A total of 337 patients who were admitted to the three hospitals were included in the cohort. One-third of patients received vancomycin empirically at the guideline-recommended dose. Guideline-recommended dosing was not associated with in-hospital mortality in the univariable (16% vs. 13%, OR 1.26 [95%CI 0.67-2.39] or multivariable (OR 0.71, 95%CI 0.33-1.55 analysis. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were ICU admission, Pitt bacteremia score of 4 or greater, age 53 years or greater, and nephrotoxicity. Conclusions Empiric use of weight-based, guideline-recommended empiric vancomycin dosing was not associated with reduced mortality in this multicenter study.

Empirical Studies on English Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Mainland China over the Past Two Decades

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongxin Dai

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Wen and Wang (2004 reviewed the empirical studies over the past two decades (from 1984 to 2003 on learning strategies that Chinese EFL learners used. This article, following their methodological framework, reviews about 45 empirical studies on Chinese EFL learners’ English vocabulary learning strategies, conducted by Mainland Chinese scholars over the past two decades. The review shows that more than half of the Chinese scholars are interested in questionnaire investigation of EFL learners’ preferences for vocabulary learning. The reports of the questionnaire investigations indicate that most Chinese EFL learners prefer rote learning of vocabulary to learning vocabulary in context or through language use. The experimental studies suggest that strategies-based instruction results in the learners’ vocabulary achievement. Cognitive and metacognitive strategies are the two groups of strategies that Chinese researchers show particular interest in.

A multifaceted intervention to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy in primary care: research co-creation opportunities in a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Kristen; Foster, Michele M; Freeman, Christopher R; Scott, Ian A

2016-04-18

Co-creation (or co-design) represents the highest form of stakeholder engagement, but it can be infeasible to co-create with all stakeholders through all stages of a research project. The choice of stakeholders for co-design will depend on the study purpose and context of change. For this deprescribing pilot study, general practitioners were recognised as a critical gateway for co-creation, with patients' perspectives of the deprescribing process to be assessed in the evaluation of the pilot.

Short-term cognitive behavioral partial hospital treatment: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Neuhaus, Edmund C; Christopher, Michael; Jacob, Karen; Guillaumot, Julien; Burns, James P

2007-09-01

Brief, cost-contained, and effective psychiatric treatments benefit patients and public health. This naturalistic pilot study examined the effectiveness of a 2-week, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) oriented partial hospital program. Study participants were 57 patients with mood, anxiety, and/or personality disorders receiving treatment in a private psychiatric partial hospital (PH) setting. A flexible treatment model was used that adapts evidence-based CBT treatment interventions to the PH context with emphases on psychoeducation and skills training. Participants completed self-report measures at admission and after 1 and 2 weeks, to assess stabilization and functional improvements, with added attention to the acquisition of cognitive and behavioral skills. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance and correlation. Participants reported a decrease in symptoms and negative thought patterns, improved satisfaction with life, and acquisition and use of cognitive and behavioral skills. Skill acquisition was correlated with symptom reduction, reduced negative thought patterns, and improved satisfaction with life. Results of this pilot study suggest that a 2-week PH program can be effective for a heterogeneous patient population with mood, anxiety, and/or personality disorders. These findings are promising given the prevalence of treatments of such brief duration in private sector PH programs subject to the managed care marketplace. Future studies are planned to test this flexible PH treatment model, with particular attention to the effectiveness of the CBT approach for the treatment of different disorders and to whether effectiveness is sustained at follow-up. Further study should also examine whether skill acquisition is a mechanism of change for symptom reduction and functional improvements.

Perofrmance testing of personnel dosimetry services. Final report of a two-year pilot study, October 1977-September 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plato, P.; Hudson, G.

1980-01-01

A two-year pilot study was conducted of the Health Physics Society Standards Committee (HPSSC) Standard titled, Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance. The objectives of the pilot study were: to give processors an opportunity to correct any problems that are uncovered; to develop operational and administrative prodedures to be used later by a permanent testing laboratory; and to determine whether the proposed HPSSC Standard provides an adequate and practical test of dosimetry performance. Fifty-nine dosimetry processors volunteered to submit dosimeters for test irradiations according to the requirements of the HPSSC Standard. The feasibility of using the HPSSC Standard for a future mandatory testing program for personnel dosimetry processors is discussed. This report shows the results of the pilot study and contains recommendations for revisions in the Standard that will make a mandatory testing program useful to regulatory agencies, dosimetry processors, and radiation workers that use personnel dosimeters

An empirical study of business effect and industry effect in Galicia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana Iglesias

2007-07-01

Full Text Available This work is a contribution to the analysis of the influence that industry and business factors have on the variability of the organizational performance. A linear hierarchical model with fixed effects is applied to a sample of Galician firms. The results show that the portion of such variability explained by the business factor is clearly greater than that explained by the industry factor. These results, in favour of the business effect, are similar to other obtained in previous empirical studies.

An empirical study of factors affecting inflation in Republic of Tajikistan

OpenAIRE

Qurbanalieva, Nigina

2013-01-01

This paper investigates the core factors affecting the price level in republic of Tajikistan by using ‘auto regressive distributed lags’ and Johansen-Juselius cointegration models. The empirical analysis is based on a dataset of demand pull and cost push inflation indicators. We used the monthly data for a period of 2005 to 2012. The findings of this study reveal that in the long run exchange rate, world wheat prices, world oil prices and labor supply Granger cause the price level. Neverthele...

The UAE healthy future study: a pilot for a prospective cohort study of 20,000 United Arab Emirates nationals.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulle, Abdishakur; Alnaeemi, Abdullah; Aljunaibi, Abdullah; Al Ali, Abdulrahman; Al Saedi, Khaled; Al Zaabi, Eiman; Oumeziane, Naima; Al Bastaki, Marina; Al-Houqani, Mohammed; Al Maskari, Fatma; Al Dhaheri, Ayesha; Shah, Syed M; Loney, Tom; El-Sadig, Mohamed; Oulhaj, Abderrahim; Wareth, Leila Abdel; Al Mahmeed, Wael; Alsafar, Habiba; Hirsch, Benjamin; Al Anouti, Fatme; Yaaqoub, Jamila; Inman, Claire K; Al Hamiz, Aisha; Al Hosani, Ayesha; Haji, Muna; Alsharid, Teeb; Al Zaabi, Thekra; Al Maisary, Fatima; Galani, Divya; Sprosen, Tim; El Shahawy, Omar; Ahn, Jiyoung; Kirchhoff, Tomas; Ramasamy, Ravichandran; Schmidt, Ann Marie; Hayes, Richard; Sherman, Scott; Ali, Raghib

2018-01-05

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is faced with a rapidly increasing burden of non-communicable diseases including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The UAE Healthy Future study is a prospective cohort designed to identify associations between risk factors and these diseases amongst Emiratis. The study will enroll 20,000 UAE nationals aged ≥18 years. Environmental and genetic risk factors will be characterized and participants will be followed for future disease events. As this was the first time a prospective cohort study was being planned in the UAE, a pilot study was conducted in 2015 with the primary aim of establishing the feasibility of conducting the study. Other objectives were to evaluate the implementation of the main study protocols, and to build adequate capacity to conduct advanced clinical laboratory analyses. Seven hundred sixty nine UAE nationals aged ≥18 years were invited to participate voluntarily in the pilot study. Participants signed an informed consent, completed a detailed questionnaire, provided random blood, urine, and mouthwash samples and were assessed for a series of clinical measures. All specimens were transported to the New York University Abu Dhabi laboratories where samples were processed and analyzed for routine chemistry and hematology. Plasma, serum, and a small whole blood sample for DNA extraction were aliquoted and stored at -80 °C for future analyses. Overall, 517 Emirati men and women agreed to participate (68% response rate). Of the total participants, 495 (95.0%), 430 (82.2%), and 492 (94.4%), completed the questionnaire, physical measurements, and provided biological samples, respectively. The pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of recruitment and completion of the study protocols for the first large-scale cohort study designed to identify emerging risk factors for the major non-communicable diseases in the region.

An empirical study exploring body perception and apparel fit preferences for South African women

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Pandarum, R

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This empirical study examines the body shapes and apparel fit incongruities experienced by a convenience sample of South African women (n=155), aged 20 to 65 years. Also examined was the extent to which apparel manufactured using the currently...

Using singing to nurture children's hearing? A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Graham F; Saunders, Jo; Edwards, Sian; Palmer, Zoe; Himonides, Evangelos; Knight, Julian; Mahon, Merle; Griffin, Susanna; Vickers, Deborah A

2015-09-01

This article reports a pilot study of the potential benefits of a sustained programme of singing activities on the musical behaviours and hearing acuity of young children with hearing impairment (HI). Twenty-nine children (n=12 HI and n=17 NH) aged between 5 and 7 years from an inner-city primary school in London participated, following appropriate ethical approval. The predominantly classroom-based programme was designed by colleagues from the UCL Institute of Education and UCL Ear Institute in collaboration with a multi-arts charity Creative Futures and delivered by an experienced early years music specialist weekly across two school terms. There was a particular emphasis on building a repertoire of simple songs with actions and allied vocal exploration. Musical learning was also supported by activities that drew on visual imagery for sound and that included simple notation and physical gesture. An overall impact assessment of the pilot programme embraced pre- and post-intervention measures of pitch discrimination, speech perception in noise and singing competency. Subsequent statistical data analyses suggest that the programme had a positive impact on participant children's singing range, particularly (but not only) for HI children with hearing aids, and also in their singing skills. HI children's pitch perception also improved measurably over time. Findings imply that all children, including those with HI, can benefit from regular and sustained access to age-appropriate musical activities.

The emotional involvement in the workplace: An empirical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana María Lucia-Casademunt

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In a multitude of studies, it is verified that the generation of positive attitudes for employees such as job satisfaction or job involvement, have a positive influence on productivity levels of companies. The current investigation focus on the identification of employee-profile -who is emotionally involved with their work activity- through the use of a set of individual, job related and attitudinal factors.Design/methodology: A review of the literature about the main factors that affect the job involvement particularly on its emotional dimension has been completed. For its measurement at the empirical level, various items related to psychological well being of employees included in the IV European Working Conditions Survey-2010 are used. Moreover, those items are identified in Job Involvement Questionnaire (Lodahl & Kejner, 1965. Since then, an empirical and multidimensional study is carried out by applying a logistic regression model on the sample of 11,149 employees obtained with European survey cited previously.Findings: The logistic regression model identifies the factors, which are directly related to emotional involvement at the workplace. Ultimately, is raised a definitive model that define the European employee-profile -who is emotionally involved at the workplace-: a rather aged person who has been working at his/her present place of employment for several years in a medium-sized company where possibly there exist a good working relationship between workers and their superiors –social support-. These employees are “white-collar” workers, have career advancement opportunities in the organizational hierarchy. They perform variety, flexible and complex tasks, which leads to satisfaction in terms of pay and working conditions.Research limitations/implications: Emotional involvement has been measured through self-awareness and, therefore, the corresponding bias in the key variable must be assumed. In addition, the casual

Marketing Professors' Perspectives on the Cost of College Textbooks: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, Lawrence S.; Stevens, Robert E.; Clow, Kenneth E.

2012-01-01

Textbooks are an integral component of the higher education process. However, a great deal of concern about the high costs of college textbooks has been expressed by those inside and outside of higher education. The authors focus on the results of a pilot study of a survey of marketing professors' criteria and use of textbooks and their reactions…

Integration of least angle regression with empirical Bayes for multi-locus genome-wide association studies

Science.gov (United States)

Multi-locus genome-wide association studies has become the state-of-the-art procedure to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with traits simultaneously. However, implementation of multi-locus model is still difficult. In this study, we integrated least angle regression with empirical B...

Analysis of empty ATLAS pilot jobs

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00006364; The ATLAS collaboration; Dal Pra, S.; Di Girolamo, A.; Forti, A.; Templon, J.; Vamvakopoulos, E.

2017-01-01

In this analysis we quantify the wallclock time used by short empty pilot jobs on a number of WLCG compute resources. Pilot factory logs and site batch logs are used to provide independent accounts of the usage. Results show a wide variation of wallclock time used by short jobs depending on the site and queue, and changing with time. For a reference dataset of all jobs in August 2016, the fraction of wallclock time used by empty jobs per studied site ranged from 0.1% to 0.8%. The variation in wallclock usage may be explained by different workloads for each resource with a greater fraction when the workload is low. Aside from the wall time used by empty pilots, we also looked at how many pilots were empty as a fraction of all pilots sent. Binning the August dataset into days, empty fractions between 2% and 90% were observed.  The higher fractions correlate well with periods of few actual payloads being sent to the site.

An empirical study to measure the relationship between management style and conflict management

OpenAIRE

Saeed Moghaddas Pour; Alireza Bakhshi Zadeh; Elham Barati

2012-01-01

Leadership plays an important role among five main components of management. These days, many organizations try to resolve any existing conflicts through adapting an appropriate leadership strategy. During the past few years, there are increasing interests in examining the relationship between management style and conflict management. The proposed study of this paper performs an empirical study to find the relationship between relationship-oriented leadership style and solution-oriented strat...