Filling the gap between buffer and rock in the deposition hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marjavaara, P.; Kivikoski, H.

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate different methods and materials which could be used for filling the gap between bentonite buffer and rock in the deposition hole. This work included a short literature survey of the previous gap filling tests which have been done in the recent years. The experimental work done during the study was divided in two phases. In the first phase small scale laboratory experiments were done using several different bentonite materials, material combinations and installation methods for 25 mm and 35 mm gaps. The sizes of these rectangular gap elements used in these tests were approximately 1 m in height and 2 m wide. Based on the first stage results the second sets of experiments were commenced. This time two materials and two methods were used in larger scale with gap widths of 35 mm and 50 mm. The large scale tests were done with cylinder shaped elements which had real size deposition hole radius of 1.75 m but the height was limited to 2 meters. Materials used in these gap filling tests included bentonite pellets and granules and their combination mixtures. Installation methods studied were free fall pouring method, shotcrete spraying method, Proctor hammer compaction method and two vibration methods to verify their functioning with these materials, material types and material forms. The achieved dry density was determined after each filling. The homogeneities of the fillings were also studied with X-ray imaging. The results from the small scale tests suggest that all the filling materials and methods used during the test would have high enough dry density average value needed by current buffer design options. The dry density values ranged from 800-1200 kg/m 3 . The lowest values were noted from free fall pouring of the largest Cebogel QSE pellets and the highest values were obtained from compacted small grain size Minelco bentonite. The X-ray images and their analysis showed that Minelco and Ibeco Seal S-FGS had the most

Comprehensive comparison of gap filling techniques for eddy covariance net carbon fluxes

Science.gov (United States)

Moffat, A. M.; Papale, D.; Reichstein, M.; Hollinger, D. Y.; Richardson, A. D.; Barr, A. G.; Beckstein, C.; Braswell, B. H.; Churkina, G.; Desai, A. R.; Falge, E.; Gove, J. H.; Heimann, M.; Hui, D.; Jarvis, A. J.; Kattge, J.; Noormets, A.; Stauch, V. J.

2007-12-01

Review of fifteen techniques for estimating missing values of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) in eddy covariance time series and evaluation of their performance for different artificial gap scenarios based on a set of ten benchmark datasets from six forested sites in Europe. The goal of gap filling is the reproduction of the NEE time series and hence this present work focuses on estimating missing NEE values, not on editing or the removal of suspect values in these time series due to systematic errors in the measurements (e.g. nighttime flux, advection). The gap filling was examined by generating fifty secondary datasets with artificial gaps (ranging in length from single half-hours to twelve consecutive days) for each benchmark dataset and evaluating the performance with a variety of statistical metrics. The performance of the gap filling varied among sites and depended on the level of aggregation (native half- hourly time step versus daily), long gaps were more difficult to fill than short gaps, and differences among the techniques were more pronounced during the day than at night. The non-linear regression techniques (NLRs), the look-up table (LUT), marginal distribution sampling (MDS), and the semi-parametric model (SPM) generally showed good overall performance. The artificial neural network based techniques (ANNs) were generally, if only slightly, superior to the other techniques. The simple interpolation technique of mean diurnal variation (MDV) showed a moderate but consistent performance. Several sophisticated techniques, the dual unscented Kalman filter (UKF), the multiple imputation method (MIM), the terrestrial biosphere model (BETHY), but also one of the ANNs and one of the NLRs showed high biases which resulted in a low reliability of the annual sums, indicating that additional development might be needed. An uncertainty analysis comparing the estimated random error in the ten benchmark datasets with the artificial gap residuals suggested that the

Integration of different data gap filling techniques to facilitate ...

Science.gov (United States)

Data gap filling techniques are commonly used to predict hazard in the absence of empirical data. The most established techniques are read-across, trend analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs). Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) are less frequently used data gap filling techniques which are applied to estimate relative potencies for mixtures of chemicals that contribute to an adverse outcome through a common biological target. For example, The TEF approach has been used for dioxin-like effects comparing individual chemical activity to that of the most toxic dioxin: 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The aim of this case study was to determine whether integration of two data gap filling techniques: QSARs and TEFs improved the predictive outcome for the assessment of a set of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and their mixtures. PCBs are associated with many different adverse effects, including their potential for neurotoxicity, which is the endpoint of interest in this study. The dataset comprised 209 PCB congeners, out of which 87 altered in vitro Ca(2+) homeostasis from which neurotoxic equivalency values (NEQs) were derived. The preliminary objective of this case study was to develop a QSAR model to predict NEQ values for the 122 untested PCB congeners. A decision tree model was developed using the number of position specific chlorine substitutions on the biphenyl scaffold as a fingerprint descriptor. Three different positiona

Investigating the Construct Measured by Banked Gap-Fill Items: Evidence from Eye-Tracking

Science.gov (United States)

McCray, Gareth; Brunfaut, Tineke

2018-01-01

This study investigates test-takers' processing while completing banked gap-fill tasks, designed to test reading proficiency, in order to test theoretically based expectations about the variation in cognitive processes of test-takers across levels of performance. Twenty-eight test-takers' eye traces on 24 banked gap-fill items (on six tasks) were…

Marginal Gap Formation in Approximal "Bulk Fill" Resin Composite Restorations After Artificial Ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Peutzfeldt, A; Mühlebach, S; Lussi, A; Flury, S

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the marginal gap formation of a packable "regular" resin composite (Filtek Supreme XTE [3M ESPE]) and two flowable "bulk fill" resin composites (Filtek Bulk Fill [3M ESPE] and SDR [DENTSPLY DeTrey]) along the approximal margins of Class II restorations. In each of 39 extracted human molars (n=13 per resin composite), mesial and distal Class II cavities were prepared, placing the gingival margins below the cemento-enamel junction. The cavities were restored with the adhesive system OptiBond FL (Kerr) and one of the three resin composites. After restoration, each molar was cut in half in the oro-vestibular direction between the two restorations, resulting in two specimens per molar. Polyvinylsiloxane impressions were taken and "baseline" replicas were produced. The specimens were then divided into two groups: At the beginning of each month over the course of six months' tap water storage (37°C), one specimen per molar was subjected to mechanical toothbrushing, whereas the other was subjected to thermocycling. After artificial ageing, "final" replicas were produced. Baseline and final replicas were examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the SEM micrographs were used to determine the percentage of marginal gap formation in enamel or dentin. Paramarginal gaps were registered. The percentages of marginal gap formation were statistically analyzed with a nonparametric analysis of variance followed by Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and all p-values were corrected with the Bonferroni-Holm adjustment for multiple testing (significance level: α=0.05). Paramarginal gaps were analyzed descriptively. In enamel, significantly lower marginal gap formation was found for Filtek Supreme XTE compared to Filtek Bulk Fill ( p=0.0052) and SDR ( p=0.0289), with no significant difference between Filtek Bulk Fill and SDR ( p=0.4072). In dentin, significantly lower marginal gap formation was

Gap-Filling of Landsat 7 Imagery Using the Direct Sampling Method

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong; Mariethoz, Gregoire; McCabe, Matthew

2016-01-01

The failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) on Landsat 7 imposed systematic data gaps on retrieved imagery and removed the capacity to provide spatially continuous fields. While a number of methods have been developed to fill these gaps, most

The Knowledge Gap Versus the Belief Gap and Abstinence-Only Sex Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindman, Douglas Blanks; Yan, Changmin

2015-08-01

The knowledge gap hypothesis predicts widening disparities in knowledge of heavily publicized public affairs issues among socioeconomic status groups. The belief gap hypothesis extends the knowledge gap hypothesis to account for knowledge and beliefs about politically contested issues based on empirically verifiable information. This analysis of 3 national surveys shows belief gaps developed between liberals and conservatives regarding abstinence-only sex education; socioeconomic status-based knowledge gaps did not widen. The findings partially support both belief gap and knowledge gap hypotheses. In addition, the unique contributions of exposure to Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC in this process were investigated. Only exposure to Fox News was linked to beliefs about abstinence-only sex education directly and indirectly through the cultivation of conservative ideology.

Gap-filling eddy-covariance data using a complex system of neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Dúbrava, Matúš; Rebok, Tomáš; Havránková, Kateřina; Pavelka, Marian

2014-05-01

The eddy-covariance technique measures the flux of matter and energy between various ecosystems and the atmosphere. The fluxes characterize an interaction of the ecosystems with their surroundings and provide valuable knowledge to Global Climate Change issues. Among the main assets of the method belongs the possible evaluation of the carbon balance, expressed as the Net Ecosystem carbon Exchange (NEE) parameter. However, when unfavorable micro-meteorological conditions (e.g., stable stratification and low turbulent mixing) happen, measured fluxes are inaccurate and need to be corrected and/or gap-filled. Thus, there is a long-term challenge for many research teams from the flux community to develop the most accurate gap-filling method -- many statistical as well as empirical approaches have been proposed so far (e.g., mean replacement, interpolation, extrapolation, regression analysis, methods based on plant physiology depending on meteorological variables, etc.), each of them having its strengths and weaknesses. The artificial neural networks (ANNs) -- purely empirical non-linear regression models generally able to solve any fitness approximation and pattern recognition problem -- were proven as a promising approach and one of the most precise method for gap-filling the eddy-covariance data. However, even though providing encouraging results when considering a prediction error throughout the whole dataset, they considerably fail in fitting inherently present spikes in the NEE values. This drawback results from the nature of ANNs, since their ability to fit spikes is partly in contrast with their ability to reliably approximate previously unseen data -- while the spike fitting can be improved by an increasing number of training epochs, this often leads to ANNs over-fitting and thus losing their generalization ability, resulting in higher overall prediction error. Since the proper generalization ability has greater impact on the precision of the results, current

Gap filling strategies for defensible annual sums of net ecosystem exchange

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falge, E.; Baldocchi, D.; Olson, R.

2001-01-01

ecosystem exchange (F-NEE) responses are being made among biome types, phenology patterns, and stress conditions. The comparisons are usually performed on annual sums of F-NEE; however, the average data coverage during a year is only 65%. Therefore, robust and consistent gap filling methods are required. We...... is investigated. The difference between annual F-NEE filled by MDV compared to F-NEE filled by Regr. ranged from -45 to +200 g C m(-2) per year (MDV-Regr.). Comparing LookUp and Regr. methods resulted in a difference (LookUp-Regr.) ranging from -30 to +150g Cm-2 per year. We also investigated the impact...... of replacing measurements at night, when turbulent mixing is insufficient. The nighttime correction for low friction velocities (u(*)) shifted annual F-NEE on average by +77 g C m(-2) per year, but in certain cases as much as +185 g C m-2 per year. Our results emphasize the need to standardize gap filling...

Postreplication repair gap filling in an Escherichia coli strain deficient in dnaB gene product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.C.

1975-01-01

Gaps in daughter-strand DNA synthesized after exposure of Escherichia coli E279 to ultraviolet light are filled during reincubation at 30 0 C for 20 min. Escherichia coli E279 is phenotypically DnaB - when incubated at 43 0 C. Cells incubated at 43 0 C were tested for their ability to complete postreplication repair gap filling. It is concluded that the dnaB gene product is essential for postreplication repair gap filling and that the inhibition seen is not initially the result of degradation

Mechanical evaluation of bone gap filled with rigid formulations castor oil polyurethane and chitosan in horses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Crispim Moreira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Often fractures of long bones in horses are comminuted and form bone gaps, which represent a major challenge for the fixation of these fractures by loss of contact between the fragments. Bone grafts help in treating this kind of fracture and synthetic materials have been gaining ground because of the limitations of autologous and heterologous grafts. In this study were performed compressive non destructive test in 10 bones with complete cross-bone gap in mid-diaphyseal of the third metacarpal bone of horses. Using a mechanism of "crossing" the 10 bones were used in the three groups (control, castor oil poliuretane and chitosan according to the filling material. After the test with maximum load of 1000N bone had a gap filled by another material and the test was repeated. Deformations caused on the whole bone, plate and bone tissue near and distant of gap were evaluated, using strain gauges adhered to the surface at these locations. There was a reduction in bone deformation from 14% (control to 3,5% and 4,8% by filling the gap with Chitosan and castor oil respectively, and a reduction of strain on the plate of 96% and 85% by filling gap with chitosan and castor respectively. An increase in intensity and direction of deformations occurred in bone near to gap after its filling; however, there was no difference in bone deformations occurring far the gap.

A comparison of gap-filling approaches for Landsat-7 satellite data

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong

2017-08-10

The purpose of this study is to assess the relative performance of four different gap-filling approaches across a range of land-surface conditions, including both homogeneous and heterogeneous areas as well as in scenes with abrupt changes in landscape elements. The techniques considered in this study include: (1) Kriging and co-Kriging; (2) geostatistical neighbourhood similar pixel interpolator (GNSPI); (3) a weighted linear regression (WLR) algorithm; and (4) the direct sampling (DS) method. To examine the impact of image availability and the influence of temporal distance on the selection of input training data (i.e. time separating the training data from the gap-filled target image), input images acquired within the same season (temporally close) as well as in different seasons (temporally far) to the target image were examined, as was the case of using information only within the target image itself. Root mean square error (RMSE), mean spectral angle (MSA), and coefficient of determination (R-2) were used as the evaluation metrics to assess the prediction results. In addition, the overall accuracy (OA) and kappa coefficient (kappa) were used to assess a land-cover classification based on the gap-filled images. Results show that all of the gap-filling approaches provide satisfactory results for the homogeneous case, with R-2 > 0.93 for bands 1 and 2 in all cases and R-2 > 0.80 for bands 3 and 4 in most cases. For the heterogeneous example, GNSPI performs the best, with R-2 > 0.85 for all tested cases. WLR and GNSPI exhibit equivalent accuracy when a temporally close input image is used (i.e. WLR and GNSPI both have an R-2 equal to 0.89 for band 1). For the case of abrupt changes in scene elements or in the absence of ancillary data, the DS approach outperforms the other tested methods.

A comparison of gap-filling approaches for Landsat-7 satellite data

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong; Mariethoz, Gregoire; Sun, Ying; McCabe, Matthew

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the relative performance of four different gap-filling approaches across a range of land-surface conditions, including both homogeneous and heterogeneous areas as well as in scenes with abrupt changes in landscape elements. The techniques considered in this study include: (1) Kriging and co-Kriging; (2) geostatistical neighbourhood similar pixel interpolator (GNSPI); (3) a weighted linear regression (WLR) algorithm; and (4) the direct sampling (DS) method. To examine the impact of image availability and the influence of temporal distance on the selection of input training data (i.e. time separating the training data from the gap-filled target image), input images acquired within the same season (temporally close) as well as in different seasons (temporally far) to the target image were examined, as was the case of using information only within the target image itself. Root mean square error (RMSE), mean spectral angle (MSA), and coefficient of determination (R-2) were used as the evaluation metrics to assess the prediction results. In addition, the overall accuracy (OA) and kappa coefficient (kappa) were used to assess a land-cover classification based on the gap-filled images. Results show that all of the gap-filling approaches provide satisfactory results for the homogeneous case, with R-2 > 0.93 for bands 1 and 2 in all cases and R-2 > 0.80 for bands 3 and 4 in most cases. For the heterogeneous example, GNSPI performs the best, with R-2 > 0.85 for all tested cases. WLR and GNSPI exhibit equivalent accuracy when a temporally close input image is used (i.e. WLR and GNSPI both have an R-2 equal to 0.89 for band 1). For the case of abrupt changes in scene elements or in the absence of ancillary data, the DS approach outperforms the other tested methods.

Using the Direct Sampling Multiple-Point Geostatistical Method for Filling Gaps in Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-off Imagery

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong

2016-05-01

Since the failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) instrument on Landsat 7, observable gaps occur in the acquired Landsat 7 imagery, impacting the spatial continuity of observed imagery. Due to the highly geometric and radiometric accuracy provided by Landsat 7, a number of approaches have been proposed to fill the gaps. However, all proposed approaches have evident constraints for universal application. The main issues in gap-filling are an inability to describe the continuity features such as meandering streams or roads, or maintaining the shape of small objects when filling gaps in heterogeneous areas. The aim of the study is to validate the feasibility of using the Direct Sampling multiple-point geostatistical method, which has been shown to reconstruct complicated geological structures satisfactorily, to fill Landsat 7 gaps. The Direct Sampling method uses a conditional stochastic resampling of known locations within a target image to fill gaps and can generate multiple reconstructions for one simulation case. The Direct Sampling method was examined across a range of land cover types including deserts, sparse rural areas, dense farmlands, urban areas, braided rivers and coastal areas to demonstrate its capacity to recover gaps accurately for various land cover types. The prediction accuracy of the Direct Sampling method was also compared with other gap-filling approaches, which have been previously demonstrated to offer satisfactory results, under both homogeneous area and heterogeneous area situations. Studies have shown that the Direct Sampling method provides sufficiently accurate prediction results for a variety of land cover types from homogeneous areas to heterogeneous land cover types. Likewise, it exhibits superior performances when used to fill gaps in heterogeneous land cover types without input image or with an input image that is temporally far from the target image in comparison with other gap-filling approaches.

Mechanics of Fluid-Filled Interstitial Gaps. I. Modeling Gaps in a Compact Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Parent, Serge E; Barua, Debanjan; Winklbauer, Rudolf

2017-08-22

Fluid-filled interstitial gaps are a common feature of compact tissues held together by cell-cell adhesion. Although such gaps can in principle be the result of weak, incomplete cell attachment, adhesion is usually too strong for this to occur. Using a mechanical model of tissue cohesion, we show that, instead, a combination of local prevention of cell adhesion at three-cell junctions by fluidlike extracellular material and a reduction of cortical tension at the gap surface are sufficient to generate stable gaps. The size and shape of these interstitial gaps depends on the mechanical tensions between cells and at gap surfaces, and on the difference between intracellular and interstitial pressures that is related to the volume of the interstitial fluid. As a consequence of the dependence on tension/tension ratios, the presence of gaps does not depend on the absolute strength of cell adhesion, and similar gaps are predicted to occur in tissues of widely differing cohesion. Tissue mechanical parameters can also vary within and between cells of a given tissue, generating asymmetrical gaps. Within limits, these can be approximated by symmetrical gaps. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficiency and Fidelity of Human DNA Polymerases λ and β during Gap-Filling DNA Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jessica A.; Pack, Lindsey R.; Sanman, Laura E.; Suo, Zucai

2010-01-01

The base excision repair (BER) pathway coordinates the replacement of 1 to 10 nucleotides at sites of single-base lesions. This process generates DNA substrates with various gap sizes which can alter the catalytic efficiency and fidelity of a DNA polymerase during gap-filling DNA synthesis. Here, we quantitatively determined the substrate specificity and base substitution fidelity of human DNA polymerase λ (Pol λ), an enzyme proposed to support the known BER DNA polymerase β (Pol β), as it filled 1- to 10-nucleotide gaps at 1-nucleotide intervals. Pol λ incorporated a correct nucleotide with relatively high efficiency until the gap size exceeded 9 nucleotides. Unlike Pol λ, Pol β did not have an absolute threshold on gap size as the catalytic efficiency for a correct dNTP gradually decreased as the gap size increased from 2 to 10 nucleotides and then recovered for non-gapped DNA. Surprisingly, an increase in gap size resulted in lower polymerase fidelity for Pol λ, and this downregulation of fidelity was controlled by its non-enzymatic N-terminal domains. Overall, Pol λ was up to 160-fold more error-prone than Pol β, thereby suggesting Pol λ would be more mutagenic during long gap-filling DNA synthesis. In addition, dCTP was the preferred misincorporation for Pol λ and its N-terminal domain truncation mutants. This nucleotide preference was shown to be dependent upon the identity of the adjacent 5′-template base. Our results suggested that both Pol λ and Pol β would catalyze nucleotide incorporation with the highest combination of efficiency and accuracy when the DNA substrate contains a single-nucleotide gap. Thus, Pol λ, like Pol β, is better suited to catalyze gap-filling DNA synthesis during short-patch BER in vivo, although, Pol λ may play a role in long-patch BER. PMID:20961817

Gap-Filling of Landsat 7 Imagery Using the Direct Sampling Method

KAUST Repository

Yin, Gaohong

2016-12-28

The failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) on Landsat 7 imposed systematic data gaps on retrieved imagery and removed the capacity to provide spatially continuous fields. While a number of methods have been developed to fill these gaps, most of the proposed techniques are only applicable over relatively homogeneous areas. When they are applied to heterogeneous landscapes, retrieving image features and elements can become challenging. Here we present a gap-filling approach that is based on the adoption of the Direct Sampling multiple-point geostatistical method. The method employs a conditional stochastic resampling of known areas in a training image to simulate unknown locations. The approach is assessed across a range of both homogeneous and heterogeneous regions. Simulation results show that for homogeneous areas, satisfactory results can be obtained by simply adopting non-gap locations in the target image as baseline training data. For heterogeneous landscapes, bivariate simulations using an auxiliary variable acquired at a different date provides more accurate results than univariate simulations, especially as land cover complexity increases. Apart from recovering spatially continuous fields, one of the key advantages of the Direct Sampling is the relatively straightforward implementation process that relies on relatively few parameters.

Knowledge Gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyles, Marjorie; Pedersen, Torben; Petersen, Bent

2003-01-01

The study explores what factors influence the reduction of managers' perceivedknowledge gaps in the context of the environments of foreign markets. Potentialdeterminants are derived from traditional internationalization theory as well asorganizational learning theory, including the concept...... of absorptive capacity. Building onthese literature streams a conceptual model is developed and tested on a set of primarydata of Danish firms and their foreign market operations. The empirical study suggeststhat the factors that pertain to the absorptive capacity concept - capabilities ofrecognizing......, assimilating, and utilizing knowledge - are crucial determinants ofknowledge gap elimination. In contrast, the two factors deemed essential in traditionalinternationalization process theory - elapsed time of operations and experientiallearning - are found to have no or limited effect.Key words...

Arizona Registered Dietitians Show Gaps in Knowledge of Bean Health Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Sharon V.; Dougherty, Mariah K.

2018-01-01

Registered Dietitians (RDs) promote nutrition practices and policies and can influence food consumption patterns to include nutrient dense foods such as beans. Although many evidence-based health benefits of bean consumption (e.g., cholesterol reduction, glycemic control) have been demonstrated, there is limited research on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of RDs regarding the inclusion of beans in a healthy diet. To fill this existing research gap, this cross-sectional survey explored the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of 296 RDs in Arizona, USA, toward beans. The RDs largely held positive attitudes toward the healthfulness of beans and were aware of many health benefits. Some gaps in awareness were evident, including effect on cancer risk, intestinal health benefits, folate content, and application with celiac disease patients. RDs with greater personal bean consumption had significantly higher bean health benefit knowledge. Twenty-nine percent of the RDs did not know the meaning of ‘legume’, and over two-thirds could not define the term ‘pulse’. It is essential that RDs have up-to-date, evidence-based information regarding bean benefits to provide appropriate education to patients, clients, and the public. PMID:29316699

Arizona Registered Dietitians Show Gaps in Knowledge of Bean Health Benefits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna M. Winham

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Registered Dietitians (RDs promote nutrition practices and policies and can influence food consumption patterns to include nutrient dense foods such as beans. Although many evidence-based health benefits of bean consumption (e.g., cholesterol reduction, glycemic control have been demonstrated, there is limited research on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of RDs regarding the inclusion of beans in a healthy diet. To fill this existing research gap, this cross-sectional survey explored the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of 296 RDs in Arizona, USA, toward beans. The RDs largely held positive attitudes toward the healthfulness of beans and were aware of many health benefits. Some gaps in awareness were evident, including effect on cancer risk, intestinal health benefits, folate content, and application with celiac disease patients. RDs with greater personal bean consumption had significantly higher bean health benefit knowledge. Twenty-nine percent of the RDs did not know the meaning of ‘legume’, and over two-thirds could not define the term ‘pulse’. It is essential that RDs have up-to-date, evidence-based information regarding bean benefits to provide appropriate education to patients, clients, and the public.

Development and Testing of Physically-Based Methods for Filling Gaps in Remotely Sensed River Data

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-30

Filling Gaps in Remotely Sensed River Data Jonathan M. Nelson US Geological Survey National Research Program Geomorphology and Sediment Transport...the research work carried out under this grant are to develop and test two methods for filling in gaps in remotely sensed river data. The first...information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215

Gap-Filling of Landsat 7 Imagery Using the Direct Sampling Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaohong Yin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC on Landsat 7 imposed systematic data gaps on retrieved imagery and removed the capacity to provide spatially continuous fields. While a number of methods have been developed to fill these gaps, most of the proposed techniques are only applicable over relatively homogeneous areas. When they are applied to heterogeneous landscapes, retrieving image features and elements can become challenging. Here we present a gap-filling approach that is based on the adoption of the Direct Sampling multiple-point geostatistical method. The method employs a conditional stochastic resampling of known areas in a training image to simulate unknown locations. The approach is assessed across a range of both homogeneous and heterogeneous regions. Simulation results show that for homogeneous areas, satisfactory results can be obtained by simply adopting non-gap locations in the target image as baseline training data. For heterogeneous landscapes, bivariate simulations using an auxiliary variable acquired at a different date provides more accurate results than univariate simulations, especially as land cover complexity increases. Apart from recovering spatially continuous fields, one of the key advantages of the Direct Sampling is the relatively straightforward implementation process that relies on relatively few parameters.

Filling gaps and expanding spaces – voices of student teachers on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Filling gaps and expanding spaces – voices of student teachers on their developing teacher identity ... by Kwan and Lopez-Real (2005) as the 'relational aspects of working together.' The main aim of the ...... and redesigning work. Ergonomics,.

Media use and HIV/AIDS knowledge: a knowledge gap perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekalu, Mesfin Awoke; Eggermont, Steven

2014-12-01

Despite the widespread utilization of the mass media in HIV/AIDS prevention, little is known about the knowledge gap that results from disparities in mass media use. This study examined the relationship between HIV/AIDS-related mass media use and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge among urban and rural residents of northwestern Ethiopia. A hierarchical regression analysis indicated that HIV/AIDS-related mass media use has both sequestering and mainstreaming effects in certain segments of the study population, although it was not a significant predictor of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge in the total population. The knowledge gaps between individuals with high and low education and between individuals who experience high and low levels of interpersonal communication about HIV/AIDS narrowed as HIV/AIDS-related media use increased, but the gap between urban and rural residents widened. The widening gap could be explained by differences in perceptions of information salience and several theoretical assumptions. Current mass media information campaigns, which are often prepared and broadcast from urban centers, may not only fail to improve the HIV/AIDS knowledge of the rural populace but also put rural populations at a disadvantage relative to their urban counterparts. Communication interventions informed by socioecological models might be helpful to redress and/or narrow the widening knowledge gap between urban and rural residents. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Filling the Gap between IT Governance and IT Project Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundin, Jette

2007-01-01

there is a gap between IT governance and IT project management. Theory on IT governance assumes that strategies are implemented through projects - but do not go into detail on how to do it. Theories on project management do not include interaction with governance processes. A gap between IT governance...... and IT project management can result in IT that does not support business strategy and in lack of flexibility and agility. Competitive, changing business environments combined with the uncertainty and unpredictability of IT implementation projects call for IT governance organisation and processes to sense......The goal of this paper is to explore coordination mechanisms as part of a solution to fill the gap between IT Governance and IT project management. The Gap between IT governance and IT project management has not been fully explored in IT management research. Both in theory and in practice...

Gap filling strategies for long term energy flux data sets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Falge, E.; Baldocchi, D.; Olson, R.; Anthoni, P.; Aubinet, M.; Bernhofer, C.; Burba, G.; Ceulemans, R.; Clement, R.; Dolman, H.; Granier, A.; Gross, P.; Grünwald, T.; Hollinger, D.; Jensen, N.O.; Katul, G.; Keronen, P.; Kowalski, A.; Lai, C.T.; Law, B.E.; Meyers, T.; Moncrieff, J.; Moors, E.J.; Munger, J.W.; Pilegaard, K.; Rebmann, C.; Suyker, A.; Tenhunen, J.; Tu, K.

2001-01-01

At present a network of over 100 field sites are measuring carbon dioxide, water vapor and sensible heat fluxes between the biosphere and atmosphere, on a nearly continuous basis. Gaps in the long term measurements of evaporation and sensible heat flux must be filled before these data can be used

Filling gaps and expanding spaces – voices of student teachers on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Filling gaps and expanding spaces – voices of student teachers on their ... as part of a broader project – FIRE (Fourth-year Initiative for Research in Education), ... We wanted to determine how we could complement a community of practice ...

DCS: A Case Study of Identification of Knowledge and Disposition Gaps Using Principles of Continuous Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

Norcross, Jason; Steinberg, Susan; Kundrot, Craig; Charles, John

2011-01-01

The Human Research Program (HRP) is formulated around the program architecture of Evidence-Risk-Gap-Task-Deliverable. Review of accumulated evidence forms the basis for identification of high priority risks to human health and performance in space exploration. Gaps in knowledge or disposition are identified for each risk, and a portfolio of research tasks is developed to fill them. Deliverables from the tasks inform the evidence base with the ultimate goal of defining the level of risk and reducing it to an acceptable level. A comprehensive framework for gap identification, focus, and metrics has been developed based on principles of continuous risk management and clinical care. Research towards knowledge gaps improves understanding of the likelihood, consequence or timeframe of the risk. Disposition gaps include development of standards or requirements for risk acceptance, development of countermeasures or technology to mitigate the risk, and yearly technology assessment related to watching developments related to the risk. Standard concepts from clinical care: prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, rehabilitation, and surveillance, can be used to focus gaps dealing with risk mitigation. The research plan for the new HRP Risk of Decompression Sickness (DCS) used the framework to identify one disposition gap related to establishment of a DCS standard for acceptable risk, two knowledge gaps related to DCS phenomenon and mission attributes, and three mitigation gaps focused on prediction, prevention, and new technology watch. These gaps were organized in this manner primarily based on target for closure and ease of organizing interim metrics so that gap status could be quantified. Additional considerations for the knowledge gaps were that one was highly design reference mission specific and the other gap was focused on DCS phenomenon.

Enhancement of absorption of lower hybrid wave by filling the spectral gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ide, S.; Naito, O.; Kondoh, T.; Ikeda, Y.; Ushigusa, K.

1994-01-01

The interaction between a lower hybrid wave (LHW) and electrons in a plasma has been investigated. An LHW of low phase velocity was injected into a plasma in addition to a high phase velocity LHW so as to fill the spectral gap which lies between the phase velocity of the faster wave and the thermal velocity of the electrons. It was found that the absorption of the faster wave was enhanced at the plasma outer region by injecting these waves simultaneously. As a result LH-driven current in the inner region of the plasma was reduced by the power absorbed in the outer region. The increase of the power absorption is attributed to the filling of the spectral gap by the slower wave

Annual sums of carbon dioxide exchange over a heterogeneous urban landscape through machine learning based gap-filling

Science.gov (United States)

Menzer, Olaf; Meiring, Wendy; Kyriakidis, Phaedon C.; McFadden, Joseph P.

2015-01-01

A small, but growing, number of flux towers in urban environments measure surface-atmospheric exchanges of carbon dioxide by the eddy covariance method. As in all eddy covariance studies, obtaining annual sums of urban CO2 exchange requires imputation of data gaps due to low turbulence and non-stationary conditions, adverse weather, and instrument failures. Gap-filling approaches that are widely used for measurements from towers in natural vegetation are based on light and temperature response models. However, they do not account for key features of the urban environment including tower footprint heterogeneity and localized CO2 sources. Here, we present a novel gap-filling modeling framework that uses machine learning to select explanatory variables, such as continuous traffic counts and temporal variables, and then constrains models separately for spatially classified subsets of the data. We applied the modeling framework to a three year time series of measurements from a tall broadcast tower in a suburban neighborhood of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. The gap-filling performance was similar to that reported for natural measurement sites, explaining 64% to 88% of the variability in the fluxes. Simulated carbon budgets were in good agreement with an ecophysiological bottom-up study at the same site. Total annual carbon dioxide flux sums for the tower site ranged from 1064 to 1382 g C m-2 yr-1, across different years and different gap-filling methods. Bias errors of annual sums resulting from gap-filling did not exceed 18 g C m-2 yr-1 and random uncertainties did not exceed ±44 g C m-2 yr-1 (or ±3.8% of the annual flux). Regardless of the gap-filling method used, the year-to-year differences in carbon exchange at this site were small. In contrast, the modeled annual sums of CO2 exchange differed by a factor of two depending on wind direction. This indicated that the modeled time series captured the spatial variability in both the biogenic and

Bioinvasion in a Brazilian bay: filling gaps in the knowledge of southwestern Atlantic biota.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara L Ignacio

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Biological invasions are a major cause of global species change. Nevertheless, knowledge about the distribution and ecology of introduced species is regionally biased, and many gaps in knowledge exist for most developing countries.To study the zoobenthos on the hard substratum of the Ilha Grande Bay, a survey was conducted on both natural and artificial substrata at three depths and seven sites. The species recorded were classified as native, cryptogenic or introduced. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the prevalence of introduced species in these communities and to compare the distribution of species on natural and artificial substrata of this bay to identify possible discrepancies in habitat use. Of the 61 species, 25 were cryptogenic, 10 were introduced and 26 were native. Similar numbers of introduced species were found on both natural and artificial substrata, though the community composition was significantly different between them. We also compared the species composition of the Ilha Grande Bay survey to other inventories taken around the world. The highest similarities were found between the Ilha Grande Bay inventory and the Atlantic coastal region (Tampa Bay, USA and the Gulf of Mexico, American Samoa and Pearl Harbor (USA inventories.This study presents the first published comprehensive list of hard substratum sessile marine invertebrate species in a Brazilian bay. The high percentage of cryptogenic species reveals gaps in both zoological records and information on introduced species for the Brazilian coast. The introduced species successfully colonized different sites in the Ilha Grande Bay, including both natural and artificial substrata. In addition, we find that artificial structures may not be good surrogates for natural rocky shores and may represent an ecological threat. Comparisons with other inventories suggest a history of broad-scale invasion, though more evidence is needed to support this conclusion.

Surveillance - filling the gap between audits and inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coulombe, C.T.

1987-01-01

Historically, two major verification activities are accomplished at nuclear plants: audits and inspections. Both have their roots firmly planted in regulation. They are required elements of a quality assurance (QA) program. Inspection, focused on hardware, verifies that equipment meets its specified requirements. Auditing, focused on documentation, verifies, through objective evidence, that the QA program is being effectively implemented. Quality surveillance, focused on performance, verifies effective use of the plant's procedures and quality program. The surveillance concept provides a method to assure that the gap between the inspection function and the audit function is filled in

FILLED GAP EFFECT AND SEMANTIC PLAUSIBILITY IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE SENTENCE PROCESSING

OpenAIRE

Marcus Maia

2014-01-01

The Filled Gap Effect (FGE) is investigated in Brazilian Portuguese through eye- tracking and self paced reading experiments. Results detect the presence of FGE, indicating that the parser is strictly syntactic in the early stage of processing. The final measures in the two experiments present discrepant results, motivating a discussion on possible good-enough effects.

Structural Transformation of Wireframe DNA Origami via DNA Polymerase Assisted Gap-Filling.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Nayan P; Matthies, Michael; Joffroy, Bastian; Schmidt, Thorsten L

2018-03-27

The programmability of DNA enables constructing nanostructures with almost any arbitrary shape, which can be decorated with many functional materials. Moreover, dynamic structures can be realized such as molecular motors and walkers. In this work, we have explored the possibility to synthesize the complementary sequences to single-stranded gap regions in the DNA origami scaffold cost effectively by a DNA polymerase rather than by a DNA synthesizer. For this purpose, four different wireframe DNA origami structures were designed to have single-stranded gap regions. This reduced the number of staple strands needed to determine the shape and size of the final structure after gap filling. For this, several DNA polymerases and single-stranded binding (SSB) proteins were tested, with T4 DNA polymerase being the best fit. The structures could be folded in as little as 6 min, and the subsequent optimized gap-filling reaction was completed in less than 3 min. The introduction of flexible gap regions results in fully collapsed or partially bent structures due to entropic spring effects. Finally, we demonstrated structural transformations of such deformed wireframe DNA origami structures with DNA polymerases including the expansion of collapsed structures and the straightening of curved tubes. We anticipate that this approach will become a powerful tool to build DNA wireframe structures more material-efficiently, and to quickly prototype and test new wireframe designs that can be expanded, rigidified, or mechanically switched. Mechanical force generation and structural transitions will enable applications in structural DNA nanotechnology, plasmonics, or single-molecule biophysics.

FILLED GAP EFFECT AND SEMANTIC PLAUSIBILITY IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE SENTENCE PROCESSING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcus Maia

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Filled Gap Effect (FGE is investigated in Brazilian Portuguese through eye- tracking and self paced reading experiments. Results detect the presence of FGE, indicating that the parser is strictly syntactic in the early stage of processing. The final measures in the two experiments present discrepant results, motivating a discussion on possible good-enough effects.

Mass-media information campaigns and knowledge-gap effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weenig, M.W.H.; Midden, C.J.H.

1997-01-01

The knowledge-gap hypothesis of Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien (1970) states that people from the higher socioeconomic segments of society acquire information at a faster rate than people from the lower socioeconomic segments. The consequence is a growing knowledge gap between the high and low

The Trilogy of Science: Filling the Knowledge Management Gap with Knowledge Science and Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Anthony Shawn

2017-01-01

The international knowledge management field has different ways of investigating, developing, believing, and studying knowledge management. Knowledge management (KM) is distinguished deductively by know-how, and its intangible nature establishes different approaches to KM concepts, practices, and developments. Exploratory research and theoretical…

Gap filling of 3-D microvascular networks by tensor voting.

Science.gov (United States)

Risser, L; Plouraboue, F; Descombes, X

2008-05-01

We present a new algorithm which merges discontinuities in 3-D images of tubular structures presenting undesirable gaps. The application of the proposed method is mainly associated to large 3-D images of microvascular networks. In order to recover the real network topology, we need to fill the gaps between the closest discontinuous vessels. The algorithm presented in this paper aims at achieving this goal. This algorithm is based on the skeletonization of the segmented network followed by a tensor voting method. It permits to merge the most common kinds of discontinuities found in microvascular networks. It is robust, easy to use, and relatively fast. The microvascular network images were obtained using synchrotron tomography imaging at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. These images exhibit samples of intracortical networks. Representative results are illustrated.

The Gap between Mapuche Knowledge and School Knowledge in the Mapuche Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Segundo Quintriqueo Millán

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This article describes the gap between Mapuche and school knowledge in schools of the Ninth Region of Araucanía, Chile. To that end, we examine the implications of a monocultural curriculum for the education of Mapuche children and youth who present different systems of logic for native knowledge and academic knowledge. The methodology used is educational research, based on the multi-method approach. The results provide a knowledge base for understanding the gap between school knowledge and traditional Mapuche knowledge in intercultural educational contexts. The objective is to overcome epistemological issues in the teaching and learning of sciences, through contextualized pedagogical practices that will generate intercultural dialogue in the school-based educational process of Mapuche and non-Mapuche children and youth.

Requirement for XLF/Cernunnos in alignment-based gap filling by DNA polymerases lambda and mu for nonhomologous end joining in human whole-cell extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Akopiants, Konstantin; Zhou, Rui-Zhe; Mohapatra, Susovan; Valerie, Kristoffer; Lees-Miller, Susan P; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Chen, David J; Revy, Patrick; de Villartay, Jean-Pierre; Povirk, Lawrence F

2009-07-01

XLF/Cernunnos is a core protein of the nonhomologous end-joining pathway of DNA double-strand break repair. To better define the role of Cernunnos in end joining, whole-cell extracts were prepared from Cernunnos-deficient human cells. These extracts effected little joining of DNA ends with cohesive 5' or 3' overhangs, and no joining at all of partially complementary 3' overhangs that required gap filling prior to ligation. Assays in which gap-filled but unligated intermediates were trapped using dideoxynucleotides revealed that there was no gap filling on aligned DSB ends in the Cernunnos-deficient extracts. Recombinant Cernunnos protein restored gap filling and end joining of partially complementary overhangs, and stimulated joining of cohesive ends more than twentyfold. XLF-dependent gap filling was nearly eliminated by immunodepletion of DNA polymerase lambda, but was restored by addition of either polymerase lambda or polymerase mu. Thus, Cernunnos is essential for gap filling by either polymerase during nonhomologous end joining, suggesting that it plays a major role in aligning the two DNA ends in the repair complex.

A technique for filling gaps in time series with complicated power spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, T.M.

1984-01-01

Fahlman and Ulrych (1982) describe a method for estimating the power and phase spectra of gapped time series, using a maximum-entropy reconstruction of the data in the gaps. It has proved difficult to apply this technique to solar oscillations data, because of the great complexity of the solar oscillations spectrum. We describe a means for avoiding this difficulty, and report the results of a series of blind tests of the modified technique. The main results of these tests are: 1. Gap-filling gives good results, provided that the signal-to-noise ration in the original data is large enough, and provided the gaps are short enough. For low-noise data, the duty cycle of the observations should not be less than about 50%. 2. The frequencies and widths of narrow spectrum features are well reproduced by the technique. 3. The technique systematically reduces the apparent amplitudes of small features in the spectrum relative to large ones. (orig.)

Inpainting approaches to fill in detector gaps in phase contrast computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Brun, F.; Delogu, P.; Longo, R.; Dreossi, D.; Rigon, L.

2018-01-01

Photon counting semiconductor detectors in radiation imaging present attractive properties, such as high efficiency, low noise, and energy sensitivity. The very complex electronics limits the sensitive area of current devices to a few square cm. This disadvantage is often compensated by tiling a larger matrix with an adequate number of detector units but this usually results in non-negligible insensitive gaps between two adjacent modules. When considering the case of Computed Tomography (CT), these gaps lead to degraded reconstructed images with severe streak and ring artifacts. This work presents two digital image processing solutions to fill in these gaps when considering the specific case of synchrotron radiation x-ray parallel beam phase contrast CT. While not discussed with experimental data, other CT modalities, such as spectral, cone beam and other geometries might benefit from the presented approaches.

Research on Knowledge Gap Recognition Mechanism of Virtual Industry Cluster

OpenAIRE

Lu Cheng

2013-01-01

As a new organizing form, VIC gets rid of regional limit of traditional cluster, realizing virtual space agglomeration which crossing space and time. Knowledge sharing and complementary is foundation to form VIC and be one of the main goals. As preparation of the knowledge transfer, recognizing and making up for knowledge gap did not caused most scholars' attention. This study argues that, knowledge gap recognition is the premise of knowledge transfer, combined with knowledge theories, the co...

Bridging the Gap in Knowledge Transfer between Academia and Practitioners

Science.gov (United States)

Gera, Rajat

2012-01-01

Purpose: The paper intends to identify the causes or gaps in transfer of managerial knowledge between academia and practitioners and to develop a framework that overcomes the gaps through knowledge management, information technology and human resource practices. The paper aims to suggest a strategic approach based on the knowledge transfer cycle.…

Filling the Gap: Integrating STEM into Career and Technical Education Middle School Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Wu-Rorrer, Ray

2017-01-01

The field of STEM education is an educational framework that has surged in application over the past decade. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is infused in nearly every facet of our society. Filling the gap of current research in middle school career and technical education (CTE) and STEM programs is important as traditional CTE…

Evaluation of analytical reconstruction with a new gap-filling method in comparison to iterative reconstruction in [11C]-raclopride PET studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuna, U.; Johansson, J.; Ruotsalainen, U.

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was (1) to evaluate the reconstruction strategies with dynamic [ 11 C]-raclopride human positron emission tomography (PET) studies acquired from ECAT high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT) scanner and (2) to justify for the selected gap-filling method for analytical reconstruction with simulated phantom data. A new transradial bicubic interpolation method has been implemented to enable faster analytical 3D-reprojection (3DRP) reconstructions for the ECAT HRRT PET scanner data. The transradial bicubic interpolation method was compared to the other gap-filling methods visually and quantitatively using the numerical Shepp-Logan phantom. The performance of the analytical 3DRP reconstruction method with this new gap-filling method was evaluated in comparison with the iterative statistical methods: ordinary Poisson ordered subsets expectation maximization (OPOSEM) and resolution modeled OPOSEM methods. The image reconstruction strategies were evaluated using human data at different count statistics and consequently at different noise levels. In the assessments, 14 [ 11 C]-raclopride dynamic PET studies (test-retest studies of 7 healthy subjects) acquired from the HRRT PET scanner were used. Besides the visual comparisons of the methods, we performed regional quantitative evaluations over the cerebellum, caudate and putamen structures. We compared the regional time-activity curves (TACs), areas under the TACs and binding potential (BP ND ) values. The results showed that the new gap-filling method preserves the linearity of the 3DRP method. Results with the 3DRP after gap-filling method exhibited hardly any dependency on the count statistics (noise levels) in the sinograms while we observed changes in the quantitative results with the EM-based methods for different noise contamination in the data. With this study, we showed that 3DRP with transradial bicubic gap-filling method is feasible for the reconstruction of high-resolution PET data with

KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Österberg, Marie; Holmlund, Anders; Sunzel, Bo

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate available knowledge and identify knowledge gaps within the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, by systematically collecting and evaluating systematic reviews. Twelve specific domains were selected: surgical removal of teeth, antibiotic....... However, in all domains, the search revealed a large number of knowledge gaps. Also of concern was the lack of data regarding health economics and ethics. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, there is a need for well-conducted clinical research in the fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery........ RESULTS: In all, 1,778 abstracts were identified, of which 200 met the inclusion criteria. Forty-five systematic reviews were assessed as of high to moderate quality. The results disclosed some existing evidence in a few domains, such as surgical removal of teeth and implant survival after sinus lifts...

Hazard Characterization of Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Vector: What Are the Knowledge Gaps?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malachy I. Okeke

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA is the vector of choice for human and veterinary applications due to its strong safety profile and immunogenicity in vivo. The use of MVA and MVA-vectored vaccines against human and animal diseases must comply with regulatory requirements as they pertain to environmental risk assessment, particularly the characterization of potential adverse effects to humans, animals and the environment. MVA and recombinant MVA are widely believed to pose low or negligible risk to ecosystem health. However, key aspects of MVA biology require further research in order to provide data needed to evaluate the potential risks that may occur due to the use of MVA and MVA-vectored vaccines. The purpose of this paper is to identify knowledge gaps in the biology of MVA and recombinant MVA that are of relevance to its hazard characterization and discuss ongoing and future experiments aimed at providing data necessary to fill in the knowledge gaps. In addition, we presented arguments for the inclusion of uncertainty analysis and experimental investigation of verifiable worst-case scenarios in the environmental risk assessment of MVA and recombinant MVA. These will contribute to improved risk assessment of MVA and recombinant MVA vaccines.

A Comparison of Three Gap Filling Techniques for Eddy Covariance Net Carbon Fluxes in Short Vegetation Ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaosong Zhao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Missing data is an inevitable problem when measuring CO2, water, and energy fluxes between biosphere and atmosphere by eddy covariance systems. To find the optimum gap-filling method for short vegetations, we review three-methods mean diurnal variation (MDV, look-up tables (LUT, and nonlinear regression (NLR for estimating missing values of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE in eddy covariance time series and evaluate their performance for different artificial gap scenarios based on benchmark datasets from marsh and cropland sites in China. The cumulative errors for three methods have no consistent bias trends, which ranged between −30 and +30 mgCO2 m−2 from May to October at three sites. To reduce sum bias in maximum, combined gap-filling methods were selected for short vegetation. The NLR or LUT method was selected after plant rapidly increasing in spring and before the end of plant growing, and MDV method was used to the other stage. The sum relative error (SRE of optimum method ranged between −2 and +4% for four-gap level at three sites, except for 55% gaps at soybean site, which also obviously reduced standard deviation of error.

Understanding the Financial Knowledge Gap: A New Dimension of Inequality in Later Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Mohammad Nuruzzaman; Rothwell, David W; Cherney, Katrina; Sussman, Tamara

2017-01-01

To understand individuals' financial behaviors, it is important to understand the financial knowledge gap - the distance between one's objective and subjective financial knowledge. Overestimating one's financial knowledge can lead to risky financial behaviors. To date, limited empirical work has examined how financial knowledge gap varies across age groups. We analyze the size and nature of the financial knowledge gap and its variation across age groups. Using nationally representative data, we find robust evidence that older adults overestimate their financial knowledge. Social workers can assess the financial knowledge gap and educate their clients to protect from financial fraud, exploitation, and abuse.

Gap-filling meteorological variables with Empirical Orthogonal Functions

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Alexander

2017-04-01

Gap-filling or modelling surface-atmosphere fluxes critically depends on an, ideally continuous, availability of their meteorological driver variables, such as e.g. air temperature, humidity, radiation, wind speed and precipitation. Unlike for eddy-covariance-based fluxes, data gaps are not unavoidable for these measurements. Nevertheless, missing or erroneous data can occur in practice due to instrument or power failures, disturbance, and temporary sensor or station dismounting for e.g. agricultural management or maintenance. If stations with similar measurements are available nearby, using their data for imputation (i.e. estimating missing data) either directly, after an elevation correction or via linear regression, is usually preferred over linear interpolation or monthly mean diurnal cycles. The popular implementation of regional networks of (partly low-cost) stations increases both, the need and the potential, for such neighbour-based imputation methods. For repeated satellite imagery, Beckers and Rixen (2003) suggested an imputation method based on empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). While exploiting the same linear relations between time series at different observation points as regression, it is able to use information from all observation points to simultaneously estimate missing data at all observation points, provided that never all observations are missing at the same time. Briefly, the method uses the ability of the first few EOFs of a data matrix to reconstruct a noise-reduced version of this matrix; iterating missing data points from an initial guess (the column-wise averages) to an optimal version determined by cross-validation. The poster presents and discusses lessons learned from adapting and applying this methodology to station data. Several years of 10-minute averages of air temperature, pressure and humidity, incoming shortwave, longwave and photosynthetically active radiation, wind speed and precipitation, measured by a regional (70 km by

Bone-femoral component interface gap after sagittal mechanical axis alignment is filled with new bone after cementless total knee arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuriyama, Shinichi; Hyakuna, Katsufumi; Inoue, Satoshi; Kawai, Yasutsugu; Tamaki, Yasuyuki; Ito, Hiromu; Matsuda, Shuichi

2018-05-01

This study retrospectively evaluated the fate of mismatch between an uncemented femoral component and each femoral cut surface (i.e., wedge-shaped gap) relative to sagittal mechanical alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Primary TKA was performed on 99 consecutive knees. The femoral components were aligned to the sagittal mechanical axis with CT-based navigation. All patients were assessed with postoperative true lateral radiographs. Bone-side surfaces of the uncemented femoral component were divided into five zones: anterior flange, anterior chamfer, posterior chamfer, posterior part, and distal part, which were defined as zones 1 to 5, respectively. Bone filling of wedge-shaped gaps in each zone was evaluated after 1 year. Femoral anterior notching did not occur. However, wedge-shaped gaps were observed in at least one zone in 23 of 99 knees (23%), most frequently in zone 5 (18%). There were 9 and 7 gaps in zones 1 and 2, respectively. The femoral component showed malpositioning of approximately 3° of flexion in cases with wedge-shaped gaps in zones 2 and/or 5. After one year, 67% (6/9) of zone 1, 100% (7/7) of zone 2, and 94% (17/18) of zone 5 wedge-shaped gaps were filled in with new bone. Femoral alignment relative to sagittal mechanical axis caused wedge-shaped gaps due to unstable anterior bone cutting through hard bone, but the small gaps were not clinically significant and filled in within one year. Sagittal setting of the femoral component should aim for the anatomical axis rather than the mechanical axis. IV.

Influence of filling fraction on the defect mode and gap closing of a one-dimensional photonic crystal: An analytical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, N.; Tehranchi, M.M.

2010-01-01

Study of the optical properties of the one-dimensional defective photonic crystals using the gap map is improving through the emergence of new analytical methods, which are easy and without any physical restrictions. Gap map is able to monitor the changes in the defect mode frequencies and photonic band gap regions as a function of filling fractions, and all visible spectra in a single graphic presentation. In this paper, by utilizing a novel technique based on Green's function method for analyzing the defect modes, the gap map and gap closing point of a one-dimensional defective photonic crystal have been demonstrated. This method enables study of the defect modes inside the omnidirectional band gap, which is an important object in the designing of the optical filters. Moreover, as a designing criterion, obtaining the gap closing points inside the gap map enables finding of some filling fraction intervals that each one contains several distinct omnidirectional band gaps simultaneously, using a single photonic crystal. This method has been employed for the design of an optical filter at 1.3 and 1.55 μm, which is applicable for telecommunication.

A micro-gap, air-filled ionisation chamber as a detector for criticality accident dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murawski, I.; Zielczynski, M.; Gryzinski, M.A.; Golnik, N.

2014-01-01

A micro-gap air-filled ionisation chamber was designed for criticality dosimetry. The special feature of the chamber is its very small gap between electrodes of only 0.3 mm. This prevents ion recombination at high dose rates and minimises the influence of gas on secondary particles spectrum. The electrodes are made of polypropylene because of higher content of hydrogen in this material, when compared with soft tissue. The difference between neutron and gamma sensitivity in such chamber becomes practically negligible. The chamber's envelope contains two specially connected capacitors, one for polarising the electrodes and the other for collecting the ionisation charge. Air-filled ionisation chamber with very small gap is a simple dosemeter, which fulfills the most desired properties of criticality accident dosemeters. Short ion collection time is achieved by combination of small gap and relatively high polarising voltage. For the same reason, parasitic recombination of ions in the chamber is negligibly small even at high dose rates. The difference between neutron and gamma sensitivity is small for tissue-equivalent chamber and is expected to become practically negligible when the chamber electrodes are made of polypropylene. Additional capacitor provides a broad measuring range from ∼0.1 Gy up to ∼25 Gy; however, leakage of electrical charge from polarising capacitor has to be observed and taken into account. Periodical re-charging of the device is necessary. Obviously, final test of the device in conditions simulating criticality accident is needed and will be performed as soon as available. (authors)

Knowledge-Base Semantic Gap Analysis for the Vulnerability Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Raymond; Seki, Keisuke; Sakamoto, Ryusuke; Hisada, Masayuki

Web security became an alert in internet computing. To cope with ever-rising security complexity, semantic analysis is proposed to fill-in the gap that the current approaches fail to commit. Conventional methods limit their focus to the physical source codes instead of the abstraction of semantics. It bypasses new types of vulnerability and causes tremendous business loss.

Closing the mycetoma knowledge gap.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Sande, Wendy; Fahal, Ahmed; Ahmed, Sarah Abdalla; Serrano, Julian Alberto; Bonifaz, Alexandro; Zijlstra, Ed

2018-04-01

On 28th May 2016, mycetoma was recognized as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. This was the result of a 4-year journey starting in February 2013 with a meeting of global mycetoma experts. Knowledge gaps were identified and included the incidence, prevalence, and mapping of mycetoma; the mode of transmission; the development of methods for early diagnosis; and better treatment. In this review, we review the road to recognition, the ISHAM working group meeting in Argentina, and we address the progress made in closing the knowledge gaps since 2013. Progress included adding another 9000 patients to the literature, which allowed us to update the prevalence map on mycetoma. Furthermore, based on molecular phylogeny, species names were corrected and four novel mycetoma causative agents were identified. By mapping mycetoma causative agents an association with Acacia trees was found. For early diagnosis, three different isothermal amplification techniques were developed, and novel antigens were discovered. To develop better treatment strategies for mycetoma patients, in vitro susceptibility tests for the coelomycete agents of black grain mycetoma were developed, and the first randomized clinical trial for eumycetoma started early 2017.

Critical gaps in the medical knowledge base of eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Dennis; Drabkin, Anne; Krantz, Mori J; Mascolo, Margherita; Rosen, Elissa; Sachs, Katherine; Welles, Christine; Mehler, Philip S

2018-04-21

Eating disorders are unique in that they inherently have much medical comorbidity both as a part of restricting-type eating disorders and those characterized by purging behaviors. Over the last three decades, remarkable progress has been made in the understanding and treatment of the medical complications of eating disorders. Yet, unfortunately, there is much research that is sorely needed to bridge the gap between current medical knowledge and more effective and evidence-based medical treatment knowledge. These gaps exist in many different clinical areas including cardiology, electrolytes, gastrointestinal and bone disease. In this paper, we discuss some of the knowledge gap areas, which if bridged would help develop more effective medical intervention for this population of patients.

Gap Filling of Daily Sea Levels by Artificial Neural Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyubka Pashova

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In the recent years, intelligent methods as artificial neural networks are successfully applied for data analysis from different fields of the geosciences. One of the encountered practical problems is the availability of gaps in the time series that prevent their comprehensive usage for the scientific and practical purposes. The article briefly describes two types of the artificial neural network (ANN architectures - Feed-Forward Backpropagation (FFBP and recurrent Echo state network (ESN. In some cases, the ANN can be used as an alternative on the traditional methods, to fill in missing values in the time series. We have been conducted several experiments to fill the missing values of daily sea levels spanning a 5-years period using both ANN architectures. A multiple linear regression for the same purpose has been also applied. The sea level data are derived from the records of the tide gauge Burgas, which is located on the western Black Sea coast. The achieved results have shown that the performance of ANN models is better than that of the classical one and they are very promising for the real-time interpolation of missing data in the time series.

Noise Reduction and Gap Filling of fAPAR Time Series Using an Adapted Local Regression Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro Moreno

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Time series of remotely sensed data are an important source of information for understanding land cover dynamics. In particular, the fraction of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (fAPAR is a key variable in the assessment of vegetation primary production over time. However, the fAPAR series derived from polar orbit satellites are not continuous and consistent in space and time. Filtering methods are thus required to fill in gaps and produce high-quality time series. This study proposes an adapted (iteratively reweighted local regression filter (LOESS and performs a benchmarking intercomparison with four popular and generally applicable smoothing methods: Double Logistic (DLOG, smoothing spline (SSP, Interpolation for Data Reconstruction (IDR and adaptive Savitzky-Golay (ASG. This paper evaluates the main advantages and drawbacks of the considered techniques. The results have shown that ASG and the adapted LOESS perform better in recovering fAPAR time series over multiple controlled noisy scenarios. Both methods can robustly reconstruct the fAPAR trajectories, reducing the noise up to 80% in the worst simulation scenario, which might be attributed to the quality control (QC MODIS information incorporated into these filtering algorithms, their flexibility and adaptation to the upper envelope. The adapted LOESS is particularly resistant to outliers. This method clearly outperforms the other considered methods to deal with the high presence of gaps and noise in satellite data records. The low RMSE and biases obtained with the LOESS method (|rMBE| < 8%; rRMSE < 20% reveals an optimal reconstruction even in most extreme situations with long seasonal gaps. An example of application of the LOESS method to fill in invalid values in real MODIS images presenting persistent cloud and snow coverage is also shown. The LOESS approach is recommended in most remote sensing applications, such as gap-filling, cloud-replacement, and observing temporal

Gap-filling analysis of the iJO1366 Escherichia coli metabolic network reconstruction for discovery of metabolic functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orth Jeffrey D

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The iJO1366 reconstruction of the metabolic network of Escherichia coli is one of the most complete and accurate metabolic reconstructions available for any organism. Still, because our knowledge of even well-studied model organisms such as this one is incomplete, this network reconstruction contains gaps and possible errors. There are a total of 208 blocked metabolites in iJO1366, representing gaps in the network. Results A new model improvement workflow was developed to compare model based phenotypic predictions to experimental data to fill gaps and correct errors. A Keio Collection based dataset of E. coli gene essentiality was obtained from literature data and compared to model predictions. The SMILEY algorithm was then used to predict the most likely missing reactions in the reconstructed network, adding reactions from a KEGG based universal set of metabolic reactions. The feasibility of these putative reactions was determined by comparing updated versions of the model to the experimental dataset, and genes were predicted for the most feasible reactions. Conclusions Numerous improvements to the iJO1366 metabolic reconstruction were suggested by these analyses. Experiments were performed to verify several computational predictions, including a new mechanism for growth on myo-inositol. The other predictions made in this study should be experimentally verifiable by similar means. Validating all of the predictions made here represents a substantial but important undertaking.

The knowledge and skills gap of medical practitioners delivering ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The knowledge and skills gap of medical practitioners delivering district hospital ... and quality health services, and also for guiding appropriate undergraduate, ... The uneven skill and knowledge base in aspects of HIV/AIDS management ...

Experimental Evidence of the Knowledge Gap: Message Arousal, Motivation, and Time Delay

Science.gov (United States)

Grabe, Maria Elizabeth; Yegiyan, Narine; Kamhawi, Rasha

2008-01-01

This study experimentally tested the knowledge gap from an information processing perspective. Specifically, knowledge acquisition was investigated under conditions of medium and low news message arousal, with time delay. Results show the persistence of a knowledge gap, particularly for low arousing messages. In fact, at low levels of message…

Superior PSZ-SOD Gap-Fill Process Integration Using Ultra-Low Dispensation Amount in STI for 28 nm NAND Flash Memory and Beyond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Chi Lai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The gap-fill performance and process of perhydropolysilazane-based inorganic spin-on dielectric (PSZ-SOD film in shallow trench isolation (STI with the ultra-low dispensation amount of PSZ-SOD solution have been investigated in this study. A PSZ-SOD film process includes liner deposition, PSZ-SOD coating, and furnace curing. For liner deposition, hydrophilic property is required to improve the contact angle and gap-fill capability of PSZ-SOD coating. Prior to PSZ-SOD coating, the additional treatment on liner surface is beneficial for the fluidity of PSZ-SOD solution. The superior film thickness uniformity and gap-fill performance of PSZ-SOD film are achieved due to the improved fluidity of PSZ-SOD solution. Following that up, the low dispensation rate of PSZ-SOD solution leads to more PSZ-SOD filling in the trenches. After PSZ-SOD coating, high thermal curing process efficiently promotes PSZ-SOD film conversion into silicon oxide. Adequate conversion from PSZ-SOD into silicon oxide further increases the etching resistance inside the trenches. Integrating the above sequence of optimized factors, void-free gap-fill and well-controlled STI recess uniformity are achieved even when the PSZ-SOD solution dispensation volume is reduced 3 to 6 times compared with conventional condition for the 28 nm node NAND flash and beyond.

Designing a clinical dashboard to fill information gaps in the emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Swartz, Jordan L; Cimino, James J; Fred, Matthew R; Green, Robert A; Vawdrey, David K

2014-01-01

Data fragmentation within electronic health records causes gaps in the information readily available to clinicians. We investigated the information needs of emergency medicine clinicians in order to design an electronic dashboard to fill information gaps in the emergency department. An online survey was distributed to all emergency medicine physicians at a large, urban academic medical center. The survey response rate was 48% (52/109). The clinical information items reported to be most helpful while caring for patients in the emergency department were vital signs, electrocardiogram (ECG) reports, previous discharge summaries, and previous lab results. Brief structured interviews were also conducted with 18 clinicians during their shifts in the emergency department. From the interviews, three themes emerged: 1) difficulty accessing vital signs, 2) difficulty accessing point-of-care tests, and 3) difficulty comparing the current ECG with the previous ECG. An emergency medicine clinical dashboard was developed to address these difficulties.

Gaps in Alzheimer's Knowledge among College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Eshbaugh, Elaine M.

2014-01-01

Despite the prevalence of the disease, it appears that there may be a need for increased education for formal and family caregivers of those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Today's college students will be asked to fill both of these roles in the future. This study examined the level of knowledge of Alzheimer's disease among…

A network of Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs: Filling a critical gap in the health care system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine M. Zachek

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A network of pediatric environmental health specialty units (PEHSUs in the United States was formed in 1998 out of a recognized need for clinical expertise in children’s environmental health. Documented trends in a rise of pediatric diseases caused or exacerbated by environmental conditions, coupled with the failure of medical schools and residency programs to cover these issues in a significant way, leaves health care providers, parents, communities, and governments at a loss for this specialized knowledge. The PEHSUs fill this gap by providing: 1 medical education, 2 general outreach and communications, and 3 consultative services to communities and health care professionals. This paper presents examples of key situations where PEHSU involvement was instrumental in improved patient outcomes or advancing clinical expertise in children’s environmental health. Challenges and opportunities for future directions for the program are also discussed.

The gap in scientific knowledge and role of science communication in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jeong-Heon; Kim, Sei-Hill; Kang, Myung-Hyun; Shim, Jae Chul; Ma, Dong Hoon

2017-01-01

Using data from a national survey of South Koreans, this study explores the role of science communication in enhancing three different forms of scientific knowledge ( factual, procedural, and subjective). We first assess learning effects, looking at the extent to which citizens learn science from different channels of communication (interpersonal discussions, traditional newspapers, television, online newspapers, and social media). We then look into the knowledge gap hypothesis, investigating how different communication channels can either widen or narrow the gap in knowledge between social classes. Television was found to function as a "knowledge leveler," narrowing the gap between highly and less educated South Koreans. The role of online newspapers in science learning is pronounced in our research. Reading newspapers online indicated a positive relationship to all three measures of knowledge. Contrary to the knowledge-leveling effect of television viewing, reading online newspapers was found to increase, rather than decrease, the gap in knowledge. Implications of our findings are discussed in detail.

Requirement for XLF/Cernunnos in alignment-based gap filling by DNA polymerases ? and ? for nonhomologous end joining in human whole-cell extracts

OpenAIRE

Akopiants, Konstantin; Zhou, Rui-Zhe; Mohapatra, Susovan; Valerie, Kristoffer; Lees-Miller, Susan P.; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Chen, David J.; Revy, Patrick; de Villartay, Jean-Pierre; Povirk, Lawrence F.

2009-01-01

XLF/Cernunnos is a core protein of the nonhomologous end-joining pathway of DNA double-strand break repair. To better define the role of Cernunnos in end joining, whole-cell extracts were prepared from Cernunnos-deficient human cells. These extracts effected little joining of DNA ends with cohesive 5? or 3? overhangs, and no joining at all of partially complementary 3? overhangs that required gap filling prior to ligation. Assays in which gap-filled but unligated intermediates were trapped us...

Hyper-active gap filling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akira eOmaki

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Much work has demonstrated that speakers of verb-final languages are able to construct rich syntactic representations in advance of verb information. This may reflect general architectural properties of the language processor, or it may only reflect a language-specific adaptation to the demands of verb-finality. The present study addresses this issue by examining whether speakers of a verb-medial language (English wait to consult verb transitivity information before constructing filler-gap dependencies, where internal arguments are fronted and hence precede the verb. This configuration makes it possible to investigate whether the parser actively makes representational commitments on the gap position before verb transitivity information becomes available. A key prediction of the view that rich pre-verbal structure-building is a general architectural property is that speakers of verb-medial languages should predictively construct dependencies in advance of verb transitivity information, and therefore that disruption should be observed when the verb has intransitive subcategorization frames that are incompatible with the predicted structure. In three reading experiments (self-paced and eye-tracking that manipulated verb transitivity, we found evidence for reading disruption when the verb was intransitive, although no such reading difficulty was observed when the critical verb was embedded inside a syntactic island structure, which blocks filler-gap dependency completion. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that in English, as in verb-final languages, information from preverbal NPs is sufficient to trigger active dependency completion without having access to verb transitivity information.

Hyper-active gap filling.

Science.gov (United States)

Omaki, Akira; Lau, Ellen F; Davidson White, Imogen; Dakan, Myles L; Apple, Aaron; Phillips, Colin

2015-01-01

Much work has demonstrated that speakers of verb-final languages are able to construct rich syntactic representations in advance of verb information. This may reflect general architectural properties of the language processor, or it may only reflect a language-specific adaptation to the demands of verb-finality. The present study addresses this issue by examining whether speakers of a verb-medial language (English) wait to consult verb transitivity information before constructing filler-gap dependencies, where internal arguments are fronted and hence precede the verb. This configuration makes it possible to investigate whether the parser actively makes representational commitments on the gap position before verb transitivity information becomes available. A key prediction of the view that rich pre-verbal structure building is a general architectural property is that speakers of verb-medial languages should predictively construct dependencies in advance of verb transitivity information, and therefore that disruption should be observed when the verb has intransitive subcategorization frames that are incompatible with the predicted structure. In three reading experiments (self-paced and eye-tracking) that manipulated verb transitivity, we found evidence for reading disruption when the verb was intransitive, although no such reading difficulty was observed when the critical verb was embedded inside a syntactic island structure, which blocks filler-gap dependency completion. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that in English, as in verb-final languages, information from preverbal noun phrases is sufficient to trigger active dependency completion without having access to verb transitivity information.

Refinement of an Instrument to Assess Readiness for Knowledge Management

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bailey, Landon C

2007-01-01

... for knowledge management. This study culminates in the development and field-testing of the resultant knowledge management readiness instrument, filling in an important gap in contemporary literature.

Filling the gaps in SCWR materials research: advanced nuclear corrosion research facilities in Hamilton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krausher, J.L.; Zheng, W.; Li, J.; Guzonas, D.; Botton, G.

2011-01-01

Research efforts on materials selection and development in support of the design of supercritical water-cooled reactors (SCWRs) have produced a considerable amount of data on corrosion, creep and other related properties. Summaries of the data on corrosion [1] and stress corrosion cracking [2] have recently been produced. As research on the SCWR advances, gaps and limitations in the published data are being identified. In terms of corrosion properties, these gaps can be seen in several areas, including: 1) the test environment, 2) the physical and chemical severity of the tests conducted as compared with likely reactor service/operating conditions, and 3) the test methods used. While some of these gaps can be filled readily using existing facilities, others require the availability of advanced test facilities for specific tests and assessments. In this paper, highlights of the new materials research facilities jointly established in Hamilton by CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory and McMaster University are presented. (author)

Bulk-Fill Resin Composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benetti, Ana Raquel; Havndrup-Pedersen, Cæcilie; Honoré, Daniel

2015-01-01

the restorative procedure. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare the depth of cure, polymerization contraction, and gap formation in bulk-fill resin composites with those of a conventional resin composite. To achieve this, the depth of cure was assessed in accordance with the International Organization...... for Standardization 4049 standard, and the polymerization contraction was determined using the bonded-disc method. The gap formation was measured at the dentin margin of Class II cavities. Five bulk-fill resin composites were investigated: two high-viscosity (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, SonicFill) and three low......-viscosity (x-tra base, Venus Bulk Fill, SDR) materials. Compared with the conventional resin composite, the high-viscosity bulk-fill materials exhibited only a small increase (but significant for Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill) in depth of cure and polymerization contraction, whereas the low-viscosity bulk...

Fortify Your Knowledge about Vitamins

Science.gov (United States)

... Consumers Home For Consumers Consumer Updates Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ... useful when they fill a specific identified nutrient gap that cannot or is not otherwise being met ...

Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions: Workshop Report

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Margaret S. (Editor); Johnson, James E. (Editor); Spry, James A. (Editor); Siegel, Bette; Conley, Catharine A.

2015-01-01

This report on Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions summarizes the presentations, deliberations and findings of a workshop at NASA Ames Research Center, March 24-26, 2015, which was attended by more than 100 participants representing a diverse mix of science, engineering, technology, and policy areas. The main objective of the three-day workshop was to identify specific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to make incremental progress towards the development of NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) for Planetary Protection during human missions to Mars.

Customized bentonite pellets. Manufacturing, performance and gap filling properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marjavaara, P.; Holt, E.; Sjoeblom, V. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

2013-12-15

The goal of this work was to provide knowledge about how to manufacture customized bentonite pellets and how customized bentonite pellets perform in practice during the nuclear repository construction process. The project was mainly focused on laboratory experimental tests to optimize the pellet filling by customizing the raw materials and pellet manufacturing. Bentonite pellets were made using both extrusion and roller compaction methods. The pellets were intended for use in gaps between compacted bentonite and the rock walls in both buffer deposition holes and tunnel backfilling. Performance of different types of custom-made pellets were evaluated with regard to their ease of manufacturing, density, crush strength, abrasion resistance, water holding capacity, free swelling and also their thermal conductivity. These evaluations were done in both Finland (by VTT) and Canada (by AECL). Over 50 different varieties of pellets were roller-compaction manufactured at AECL in Canada and 20 types of extrusion pellets at VTT in Finland. The parameters that were varied during manufacturing included: bentonite raw material type, water content, pellet sizes, bentonite compaction machine parameters, use of recycled pellets, and addition of two different types of filler (illite or granitic sand) at varying addition percentages. By examining the pellets produced with these methods and materials the performance and behaviour of the bentonite pellets were evaluated in laboratory with selected tests. The work done using extrusion pellets showed that it was possible to manufacture pellets with higher water contents, up to 21 % from MX-80. This water content value was higher than what was typically possible using roller-compaction method in this study. Higher water content values allow closer compatibility with the designed bentonite buffer water content. The extrusion tests also showed that the required production simulation runs could be made successfully with reference type of MX

Bridging the gap: simulations meet knowledge bases

Science.gov (United States)

King, Gary W.; Morrison, Clayton T.; Westbrook, David L.; Cohen, Paul R.

2003-09-01

Tapir and Krill are declarative languages for specifying actions and agents, respectively, that can be executed in simulation. As such, they bridge the gap between strictly declarative knowledge bases and strictly executable code. Tapir and Krill components can be combined to produce models of activity which can answer questions about mechanisms and processes using conventional inference methods and simulation. Tapir was used in DARPA's Rapid Knowledge Formation (RKF) project to construct models of military tactics from the Army Field Manual FM3-90. These were then used to build Courses of Actions (COAs) which could be critiqued by declarative reasoning or via Monte Carlo simulation. Tapir and Krill can be read and written by non-knowledge engineers making it an excellent vehicle for Subject Matter Experts to build and critique knowledge bases.

Fortify Your Knowledge about Vitamins

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Consumers Home For Consumers Consumer Updates Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ... useful when they fill a specific identified nutrient gap that cannot or is not otherwise being met ...

Internet Use and the Political Knowledge Gap in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anduiza, Eva

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Media availability and fragmentation and the resulting possibilities of content selection have risen dramatically with the expansion of new digital media. Previous research has found that this may increase knowledge gaps among citizens with different resources and motivations. This article analyses how Internet use affects political knowledge gaps due to education and to political interest in Spain. As expected, frequent Internet users are more knowledgeable about politics than non-users. Furthermore, Internet use increases knowledge more for the highly educated than for citizens with lower levels of education. Thus, the political knowledge gap related to education seems to be growing with the introduction of new media. However, the knowledge gap between citizens with high and low levels of political interest is smaller for frequent Internet users than for non-users. These findings provide a complex picture and partially contradict the pessimistic theory about the impact of increasing media choice on political knowledge.

La disponibilidad y fragmentación de medios de comunicación y las posibilidades de elegir contenidos han aumentado en gran medida a raíz de la expansión de los medios digitales. Éstos pueden, según investigaciones anteriores, incrementar las diferencias en los niveles de conocimiento entre ciudadanos con distintas características. En este artículo se analiza cómo el uso de Internet afecta a las diferencias en el conocimiento político según el nivel educativo y el interés por la política en España. Los usuarios frecuentes de Internet saben más sobre política que los no usuarios, como era de esperar. Además, el uso de Internet incrementa el conocimiento político de manera más intensa para los usuarios con niveles educativos más elevados. Por tanto, parece que las diferencias en los niveles de conocimiento pueden estar creciendo con la expansión de los medios digitales. Sin embargo, las diferencias

Filling the gap in the European administrative space: The role of administrative networks in EU implementation and enforcement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mastenbroek, E.; Sindbjerg Martinsen, D.

2018-01-01

European administrative networks (EANs) are a key building block of the European Administrative Space (EAS). Crucially, they are to fill the gap between the EU’s policy ambitions and its limited administrative capacities. Whereas ample research has been done on policy preparation networks, the role

State of the Art in HIV Drug Resistance: Science and Technology Knowledge Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Boucher, Charles A; Bobkova, Marina R; Geretti, Anna Maria; Hung, Chien-Ching; Kaiser, Rolf; Marcelin, Anne-Geneviève; Streinu-Cercel, Adrian; van Wyk, Jean; Dorr, Pat; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke

2018-01-01

Resistance to antiretroviral therapy (ART) threatens the efficacy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) treatment. We present a review of knowledge gaps in the science and technologies of acquired HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) in an effort to facilitate research, scientific exchange, and progress in clinical management. The expert authorship of this review convened to identify data gaps that exist in the field of HIVDR and discuss their clinical implications. A subsequent literature review of trials and current practices was carried out to provide supporting evidence. Several gaps were identified across HIVDR science and technology. A summary of the major gaps is presented, with an expert discussion of their implications within the context of the wider field. Crucial to optimizing the use of ART will be improved understanding of protease inhibitors and, in particular, integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTI) in the context of HIVDR. Limited experience with INSTI represents an important knowledge gap in HIV resistance science. Utilizing such knowledge in a clinical setting relies on accurate testing and analysis of resistance-associated mutations. As next-generation sequencing becomes more widely available, a gap in the interpretation of data is the lack of a defined, clinically relevant threshold of minority variants. Further research will provide evidence on where such thresholds lie and how they can be most effectively applied. Expert discussion identified a series of gaps in our knowledge of HIVDR. Addressing prefsuch gaps through further research and characterization will facilitate the optimal use of ART therapies and technologies.

On the road to eliminate malaria in Sri Lanka: lessons from history, challenges, gaps in knowledge and research needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunaweera, Nadira D; Galappaththy, Gawrie Nl; Wirth, Dyann F

2014-02-18

Malaria is one of the most important tropical diseases that has caused devastation throughout the history of mankind. Malaria eradication programmes in the past have had many positive effects but failed to wipe out malaria from most tropical countries, including Sri Lanka. Encouraged by the impressive levels of reduction in malaria case numbers during the past decade, Sri Lanka has launched a programme to eliminate malaria by year 2014. This article reviews the historical milestones associated with the malaria eradication programme that failed subsequently and the events that led to the launch of the ongoing malaria elimination plans at national-level and its strategies that are operational across the entire country. The existing gaps in knowledge are also discussed together with the priority areas for research to fill in these gaps that are posing as challenges to the envisaged goal of wiping out malaria from this island nation.

Ambiguity in knowledge transfer: The role of theory-practice gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali; Salsali, Mahvash; Safari, Mahmoud

2010-01-01

In spite of much literature written about the theory-practice gap in the international nursing journals, there is evidence that indicates this subject has not been probed comprehensively since nursing education was transferred to universities in Iran. In the recent years, the public and the government have criticized Iranian nurses because of poor quality of patient care. Although this subject has been lamented by some researchers, there is no comprehensive work on how this gap resulted. In the process of a larger study on "nursing knowledge translation to practice", of one PhD thesis, this process was explored. Using grounded theory analysis, indepth interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 29 nurses, with different levels of experience, from the school of nursing in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2006 from January to August. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Three main themes emerging from this study included clinical behavior structure, paradoxical knowledge and practice, and divergent nursing organization. It seems that nursing education with some praxis and paradoxes in the realm of nursing knowledge and practice, along with divergent organizational structure have decreased nurses' ability in applying their professional knowledge and skills in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Moreover, in spite of increased academic input into nursing education, clinical behaviors of both education and practice settings was perceived as "traditional routine-based".

Filling gaps in biodiversity knowledge for macrofungi: contributions and assessment of an herbarium collection DNA barcode sequencing project.

Science.gov (United States)

Osmundson, Todd W; Robert, Vincent A; Schoch, Conrad L; Baker, Lydia J; Smith, Amy; Robich, Giovanni; Mizzan, Luca; Garbelotto, Matteo M

2013-01-01

Despite recent advances spearheaded by molecular approaches and novel technologies, species description and DNA sequence information are significantly lagging for fungi compared to many other groups of organisms. Large scale sequencing of vouchered herbarium material can aid in closing this gap. Here, we describe an effort to obtain broad ITS sequence coverage of the approximately 6000 macrofungal-species-rich herbarium of the Museum of Natural History in Venice, Italy. Our goals were to investigate issues related to large sequencing projects, develop heuristic methods for assessing the overall performance of such a project, and evaluate the prospects of such efforts to reduce the current gap in fungal biodiversity knowledge. The effort generated 1107 sequences submitted to GenBank, including 416 previously unrepresented taxa and 398 sequences exhibiting a best BLAST match to an unidentified environmental sequence. Specimen age and taxon affected sequencing success, and subsequent work on failed specimens showed that an ITS1 mini-barcode greatly increased sequencing success without greatly reducing the discriminating power of the barcode. Similarity comparisons and nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordinations based on pairwise distance matrices proved to be useful heuristic tools for validating the overall accuracy of specimen identifications, flagging potential misidentifications, and identifying taxa in need of additional species-level revision. Comparison of within- and among-species nucleotide variation showed a strong increase in species discriminating power at 1-2% dissimilarity, and identified potential barcoding issues (same sequence for different species and vice-versa). All sequences are linked to a vouchered specimen, and results from this study have already prompted revisions of species-sequence assignments in several taxa.

Hyper-active gap filling

OpenAIRE

Omaki, Akira; Lau, Ellen F.; Davidson White, Imogen; Dakan, Myles L.; Apple, Aaron; Phillips, Colin

2015-01-01

Much work has demonstrated that speakers of verb-final languages are able to construct rich syntactic representations in advance of verb information. This may reflect general architectural properties of the language processor, or it may only reflect a language-specific adaptation to the demands of verb-finality. The present study addresses this issue by examining whether speakers of a verb-medial language (English) wait to consult verb transitivity information before constructing filler-gap d...

Education-based disparities in knowledge of novel health risks: The case of knowledge gaps in HIV risk perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiviniemi, Marc T; Orom, Heather; Waters, Erika A; McKillip, Megan; Hay, Jennifer L

2018-05-01

Risk perception is a key determinant of preventive health behaviour, but when asked, some individuals indicate they do not know their health risk. Low education is associated with both lack of knowledge about health risk and with the persistence and exacerbation of gaps in knowledge about health issues. This study uses the context of an emerging infectious disease threat to explore the hypothesis that the education-don't know risk relation results from differences in knowledge about the health issue of interest. Specifically, we examine whether patterns of change over time follow theoretical predictions that disparities in risk knowledge would increase over time in less educated sectors of the population (knowledge gap hypothesis). Secondary analysis of population-representative behavioural surveillance survey. We analysed data from the 1993 to 2000 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys, which measured education and perceived HIV/AIDS risk in a population sample collected separately in each survey year; don't know responses were coded. In each year, individuals with higher education were less likely to respond don't know. The absolute prevalence of don't know responding dropped over time; nonetheless, there was an increase over time in the magnitude of the pattern of lower education being associated with greater don't know responding. We found support for the knowledge gap hypothesis. Over time, populations with greater education gained more knowledge about their HIV risk than populations with lower education. Results highlight the need to carefully consider health communication strategies to reach and address those individuals with low education and health knowledge. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? A meaningful potion of the population answers 'don't know' when asked to report their risk for health problems, indicating a lack of risk perception in the domain. Previous studies have shown that level of education is

Assessment of farmers' knowledge and preferences for planting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

materials to fill-gaps in banana plantations in southwestern ... 1National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL)-National Agricultural Research ... To determine farmers' knowledge and sources of planting materials and the cleaning.

Filling the gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech-Larsen, Pernille; Linnebjerg, Sofie; Mullins, Michael Finbarr

2018-01-01

Training and knowledge of lighting is an increasingly sought-after professional quality in Denmark and Sweden. However, technological development in the lighting field has been in recent years extremely rapid, not least in Scandinavia. This has led to a situation, where users, designers, specifie...

The value of health information technology: filling the knowledge gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudin, Robert S; Jones, Spencer S; Shekelle, Paul; Hillestad, Richard J; Keeler, Emmett B

2014-11-01

Despite rapid growth in the rate of adoption of health information technology (HIT), and in the volume of evaluation studies, the existing knowledge base for the value of HIT is not advancing at a similar rate. Most evaluation articles are limited in that they use incomplete measures of value and fail to report the important contextual and implementation characteristics that would allow for an adequate understanding of how the study results were achieved. To address these deficiencies, we present a conceptual framework for measuring HIT value and we propose a checklist of characteristics that should be considered in HIT evaluation studies. The framework consists of 3 key principles: 1) value includes both costs and benefits; 2) value accrues over time; and 3) value depends on which stakeholder's perspective is used. Through examples, we show how these principles can be used to guide and improve HIT evaluation studies. The checklist includes a list of contextual and implementation characteristics that are important for interpretation of results. These improvements will make future studies more useful for policy makers and more relevant to the current needs of the healthcare system.

Experience Catalysts: How They Fill the Acquisition Experience Gap for the DoD

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Russ- Eft , 1997). Other studies have shown that “the more managers are trained in how to support and coach the skills their employees learn, the more...efficacy, age, etc. (Bassi and Russ- Eft , 1997). Making a deterministic forecast is difficult. Experience Catalysts: How They Fill the Acquisition... tap freely. Provide easy access to sources of expertise. It deepens their knowledge base, expands per- spectives, and fuels their experience engine

The Longitudinal Study of Aging in Human Young Adults: Knowledge Gaps and Research Agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Moffitt, Terrie E; Belsky, Daniel W; Danese, Andrea; Poulton, Richie; Caspi, Avshalom

2017-02-01

To prevent onset of age-related diseases and physical and cognitive decline, interventions to slow human aging and extend health span must eventually be applied to people while they are still young and healthy. Yet most human aging research examines older adults, many with chronic disease, and little is known about aging in healthy young humans. This article explains how this knowledge gap is a barrier to extending health span and puts forward the case that geroscience should invest in researching the pace of aging in young adults. As one illustrative example, we describe an initial effort to study the pace of aging in a young-adult birth cohort by using repeated waves of biomarkers collected across the third and fourth decades to quantify the pace of coordinated physiological deterioration across multiple organ systems (eg, pulmonary, periodontal, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, metabolic, and immune function). Findings provided proof of principle that it is possible to quantify individual variation in the pace of aging in young adults still free of age-related diseases. This article articulates research needs to improve longitudinal measurement of the pace of aging in young people, to pinpoint factors that slow or speed the pace of aging, to compare pace of aging against genomic clocks, to explain slow-aging young adults, and to apply pace of aging in preventive clinical trials of antiaging therapies. This article puts forward a research agenda to fill the knowledge gap concerning lifelong causes of aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparative scaffolding and gap filling of ancient bacterial genomes applied to two ancient Yersinia pestis genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Doerr, Daniel; Chauve, Cedric

2017-01-01

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of the bubonic plague, a disease responsible for several dramatic historical pandemics. Progress in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing rendered possible the sequencing of whole genomes of important human pathogens, including the ancient Y. pestis strains responsible for outbreaks of the bubonic plague in London in the 14th century and in Marseille in the 18th century, among others. However, aDNA sequencing data are still characterized by short reads and non-uniform coverage, so assembling ancient pathogen genomes remains challenging and often prevents a detailed study of genome rearrangements. It has recently been shown that comparative scaffolding approaches can improve the assembly of ancient Y. pestis genomes at a chromosome level. In the present work, we address the last step of genome assembly, the gap-filling stage. We describe an optimization-based method AGapEs (ancestral gap estimation) to fill in inter-contig gaps using a combination of a template obtained from related extant genomes and aDNA reads. We show how this approach can be used to refine comparative scaffolding by selecting contig adjacencies supported by a mix of unassembled aDNA reads and comparative signal. We applied our method to two Y. pestis data sets from the London and Marseilles outbreaks, for which we obtained highly improved genome assemblies for both genomes, comprised of, respectively, five and six scaffolds with 95 % of the assemblies supported by ancient reads. We analysed the genome evolution between both ancient genomes in terms of genome rearrangements, and observed a high level of synteny conservation between these strains. PMID:29114402

A multi-source precipitation approach to fill gaps over a radar precipitation field

Science.gov (United States)

Tesfagiorgis, K. B.; Mahani, S. E.; Khanbilvardi, R.

2012-12-01

Satellite Precipitation Estimates (SPEs) may be the only available source of information for operational hydrologic and flash flood prediction due to spatial limitations of radar and gauge products. The present work develops an approach to seamlessly blend satellite, radar, climatological and gauge precipitation products to fill gaps over ground-based radar precipitation fields. To mix different precipitation products, the bias of any of the products relative to each other should be removed. For bias correction, the study used an ensemble-based method which aims to estimate spatially varying multiplicative biases in SPEs using a radar rainfall product. Bias factors were calculated for a randomly selected sample of rainy pixels in the study area. Spatial fields of estimated bias were generated taking into account spatial variation and random errors in the sampled values. A weighted Successive Correction Method (SCM) is proposed to make the merging between error corrected satellite and radar rainfall estimates. In addition to SCM, we use a Bayesian spatial method for merging the gap free radar with rain gauges, climatological rainfall sources and SPEs. We demonstrate the method using SPE Hydro-Estimator (HE), radar- based Stage-II, a climatological product PRISM and rain gauge dataset for several rain events from 2006 to 2008 over three different geographical locations of the United States. Results show that: the SCM method in combination with the Bayesian spatial model produced a precipitation product in good agreement with independent measurements. The study implies that using the available radar pixels surrounding the gap area, rain gauge, PRISM and satellite products, a radar like product is achievable over radar gap areas that benefits the scientific community.

Foreign Partners’ Disseminative Capacities and their Impact on Knowledge Transfers to International Joint Ventures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Park, Chansoo; Minbaeva, Dana; Vertinsky, Ilan

2013-01-01

This paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature by focusing on the influence of knowledge senders’ willingness to share knowledge, their disseminative capacities and the knowledge-transfer opportunities they create on the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. We develop a theoretical framew...

Mechanics of Fluid-Filled Interstitial Gaps. II. Gap Characteristics in Xenopus Embryonic Ectoderm.

Science.gov (United States)

Barua, Debanjan; Parent, Serge E; Winklbauer, Rudolf

2017-08-22

The ectoderm of the Xenopus embryo is permeated by a network of channels that appear in histological sections as interstitial gaps. We characterized this interstitial space by measuring gap sizes, angles formed between adjacent cells, and curvatures of cell surfaces at gaps. From these parameters, and from surface-tension values measured previously, we estimated the values of critical mechanical variables that determine gap sizes and shapes in the ectoderm, using a general model of interstitial gap mechanics. We concluded that gaps of 1-4 μm side length can be formed by the insertion of extracellular matrix fluid at three-cell junctions such that cell adhesion is locally disrupted and a tension difference between cell-cell contacts and the free cell surface at gaps of 0.003 mJ/m 2 is generated. Furthermore, a cell hydrostatic pressure of 16.8 ± 1.7 Pa and an interstitial pressure of 3.9 ± 3.6 Pa, relative to the central blastocoel cavity of the embryo, was found to be consistent with the observed gap size and shape distribution. Reduction of cell adhesion by the knockdown of C-cadherin increased gap volume while leaving intracellular and interstitial pressures essentially unchanged. In both normal and adhesion-reduced ectoderm, cortical tension of the free cell surfaces at gaps does not return to the high values characteristic of the free surface of the whole tissue. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gap-filling of dry weather flow rate and water quality measurements in urban catchments by a time series modelling approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandoval, Santiago; Vezzaro, Luca; Bertrand-Krajewski, Jean-Luc

2016-01-01

seeks to evaluate the potential of the Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), a time-series modelling/gap-filling method, to complete dry weather time series. The SSA method is tested by reconstructing 1000 artificial discontinuous time series, randomly generated from real flow rate and total suspended......Flow rate and water quality dry weather time series in combined sewer systems might contain an important amount of missing data due to several reasons, such as failures related to the operation of the sensor or additional contributions during rainfall events. Therefore, the approach hereby proposed...... solids (TSS) online measurements (year 2007, 2 minutes time-step, combined system, Ecully, Lyon, France). Results show up the potential of the method to fill gaps longer than 0.5 days, especially between 0.5 days and 1 day (mean NSE > 0.6) in the flow rate time series. TSS results still perform very...

The tight binding model study of the role of band filling on the charge gap in graphene-on-substrate in paramagnetic state

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, Rudrashish; Sahu, Sivabrata; Rout, G. C.

2017-05-01

We communicate here a tight binding theoretical model study of the band filling effect on the charge gap in graphene-on-substrate. The Hamiltonian consists of nearest neighbor electron hopping and substrate induced gap. Besides this the Coulomb interaction is considered here within mean-field approximation in the paramagnetic limit. The electron occupancies at two sublattices are calculated by Green's function technique and are solved self consistently. Finally the charge gap i.e. Δ ¯=U [ - ] is calculated and computed numerically. The results are reported.

High-biomass C4 grasses-Filling the yield gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullet, John E

2017-08-01

A significant increase in agricultural productivity will be required by 2050 to meet the needs of an expanding and rapidly developing world population, without allocating more land and water resources to agriculture, and despite slowing rates of grain yield improvement. This review examines the proposition that high-biomass C 4 grasses could help fill the yield gap. High-biomass C 4 grasses exhibit high yield due to C 4 photosynthesis, long growth duration, and efficient capture and utilization of light, water, and nutrients. These C 4 grasses exhibit high levels of drought tolerance during their long vegetative growth phase ideal for crops grown in water-limited regions of agricultural production. The stems of some high-biomass C 4 grasses can accumulate high levels of non-structural carbohydrates that could be engineered to enhance biomass yield and utility as feedstocks for animals and biofuels production. The regulatory pathway that delays flowering of high-biomass C 4 grasses in long days has been elucidated enabling production and deployment of hybrids. Crop and landscape-scale modeling predict that utilization of high-biomass C 4 grass crops on land and in regions where water resources limit grain crop yield could increase agricultural productivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bridging Implementation, Knowledge, and Ambition Gaps to Eliminate Tuberculosis

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2011-02-22

In this podcast, Dr. Kenneth Castro, director of CDC's Division of Tuberculosis Eliminatio,discusses bridging implementation, knowledge, and ambition gaps to eliminate tuberculosis.  Created: 2/22/2011 by National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 3/2/2011.

Integration of different data gap filling techniques to facilitate assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls: A proof of principle case study (ASCCT meeting)

Science.gov (United States)

Data gap filling techniques are commonly used to predict hazard in the absence of empirical data. The most established techniques are read-across, trend analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs). Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) are less frequently used d...

Closing the Knowledge Gap in Foreign Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyles, Marjorie A.; Pedersen, Torben; Petersen, Bent

The study explores how firms close their knowledge gaps in relation to business environments of foreign markets. Potential determinants are derived from traditional internationalization process theory as well as more recent literature on organizational learning processes, including the concept...... of absorptive capacity. Building on these two literature streams a conceptual model is developed and tested on a set of primary data of Danish firms and their foreign market operations. The empirical study suggests that factors considered essential in traditional internationalization process theory...

Primary Health Care Providers' Knowledge Gaps on Parkinson's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Megan R.; Stone, Ramona F.; Ochs, V. Dan; Litvan, Irene

2013-01-01

In order to determine primary health care providers' (PCPs) knowledge gaps on Parkinson's disease, data were collected before and after a one-hour continuing medical education (CME) lecture on early Parkinson's disease recognition and treatment from a sample of 104 PCPs participating at an annual meeting. The main outcome measure was the…

Filling gaps in visual motion for target capture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianfranco eBosco

2015-02-01

Full Text Available A remarkable challenge our brain must face constantly when interacting with the environment is represented by ambiguous and, at times, even missing sensory information. This is particularly compelling for visual information, being the main sensory system we rely upon to gather cues about the external world. It is not uncommon, for example, that objects catching our attention may disappear temporarily from view, occluded by visual obstacles in the foreground. Nevertheless, we are often able to keep our gaze on them throughout the occlusion or even catch them on the fly in the face of the transient lack of visual motion information. This implies that the brain can fill the gaps of missing sensory information by extrapolating the object motion through the occlusion. In recent years, much experimental evidence has been accumulated that both perceptual and motor processes exploit visual motion extrapolation mechanisms. Moreover, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions potentially involved in the predictive representation of the occluded target motion. Within this framework, ocular pursuit and manual interceptive behavior have proven to be useful experimental models for investigating visual extrapolation mechanisms. Studies in these fields have pointed out that visual motion extrapolation processes depend on manifold information related to short-term memory representations of the target motion before the occlusion, as well as to longer term representations derived from previous experience with the environment. We will review recent oculomotor and manual interception literature to provide up-to-date views on the neurophysiological underpinnings of visual motion extrapolation.

Filling gaps in visual motion for target capture

Science.gov (United States)

Bosco, Gianfranco; Delle Monache, Sergio; Gravano, Silvio; Indovina, Iole; La Scaleia, Barbara; Maffei, Vincenzo; Zago, Myrka; Lacquaniti, Francesco

2015-01-01

A remarkable challenge our brain must face constantly when interacting with the environment is represented by ambiguous and, at times, even missing sensory information. This is particularly compelling for visual information, being the main sensory system we rely upon to gather cues about the external world. It is not uncommon, for example, that objects catching our attention may disappear temporarily from view, occluded by visual obstacles in the foreground. Nevertheless, we are often able to keep our gaze on them throughout the occlusion or even catch them on the fly in the face of the transient lack of visual motion information. This implies that the brain can fill the gaps of missing sensory information by extrapolating the object motion through the occlusion. In recent years, much experimental evidence has been accumulated that both perceptual and motor processes exploit visual motion extrapolation mechanisms. Moreover, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions potentially involved in the predictive representation of the occluded target motion. Within this framework, ocular pursuit and manual interceptive behavior have proven to be useful experimental models for investigating visual extrapolation mechanisms. Studies in these fields have pointed out that visual motion extrapolation processes depend on manifold information related to short-term memory representations of the target motion before the occlusion, as well as to longer term representations derived from previous experience with the environment. We will review recent oculomotor and manual interception literature to provide up-to-date views on the neurophysiological underpinnings of visual motion extrapolation. PMID:25755637

Filling gaps in visual motion for target capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosco, Gianfranco; Monache, Sergio Delle; Gravano, Silvio; Indovina, Iole; La Scaleia, Barbara; Maffei, Vincenzo; Zago, Myrka; Lacquaniti, Francesco

2015-01-01

A remarkable challenge our brain must face constantly when interacting with the environment is represented by ambiguous and, at times, even missing sensory information. This is particularly compelling for visual information, being the main sensory system we rely upon to gather cues about the external world. It is not uncommon, for example, that objects catching our attention may disappear temporarily from view, occluded by visual obstacles in the foreground. Nevertheless, we are often able to keep our gaze on them throughout the occlusion or even catch them on the fly in the face of the transient lack of visual motion information. This implies that the brain can fill the gaps of missing sensory information by extrapolating the object motion through the occlusion. In recent years, much experimental evidence has been accumulated that both perceptual and motor processes exploit visual motion extrapolation mechanisms. Moreover, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions potentially involved in the predictive representation of the occluded target motion. Within this framework, ocular pursuit and manual interceptive behavior have proven to be useful experimental models for investigating visual extrapolation mechanisms. Studies in these fields have pointed out that visual motion extrapolation processes depend on manifold information related to short-term memory representations of the target motion before the occlusion, as well as to longer term representations derived from previous experience with the environment. We will review recent oculomotor and manual interception literature to provide up-to-date views on the neurophysiological underpinnings of visual motion extrapolation.

Presidential inability: Filling in the gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Feerick, John D

2014-01-01

This article focuses on potential gaps caused by the absence from the Twenty-Fifth Amendment of provisions to deal with the disability of a Vice President and the omission from the statutory line of succession law of provisions comparable to Sections 3 and 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment for when there is an able Vice President. The analysis offers a critical review of the latent ambiguities in the succession provision to the United States Constitution, noting problems that have arisen from the time of the Constitutional Convention, to John Tyler's accession to office, to numerous disability crises that presented themselves throughout the twentieth century, to the present day. As the world becomes more complex and threats to the presidency more common, continued examination of our succession structure and its adequacy for establishing clear and effective presidential succession provisions under a broad range of circumstances is of paramount concern. This article embraces this robust discussion by offering some suggestions for improving the system in a way that does not require a constitutional amendment. The first part of the analysis traces the events that have driven the development of the nation's succession procedures. The second part examines the inadequacies, or "gaps," that remain in the area of presidential inability, and the third part sets forth recommendations for resolving these gaps.

Giving what one should: explanations for the knowledge-behavior gap for altruistic giving.

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, Peter R

2018-04-01

Several studies have shown that children struggle to give what they believe that they should: the so-called knowledge-behavior gap. Over a dozen recent Dictator Game studies find that, although young children believe that they should give half of a set of resources to a peer, they typically give less and often keep all of the resources for themselves. This article reviews recent evidence for five potential explanations for the gap and how children close it with age: self-regulation, social distance, theory of mind, moral knowledge and social learning. I conclude that self-regulation, social distance, and social learning show the most promising evidence for understanding the mechanisms that can close the gap. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-etch-rate bottom-antireflective coating and gap-fill materials using dextrin derivatives in via first dual-Damascene lithography process

Science.gov (United States)

Takei, Satoshi; Sakaida, Yasushi; Shinjo, Tetsuya; Hashimoto, Keisuke; Nakajima, Yasuyuki

2008-03-01

The present paper describes a novel class of bottom antireflective coating (BARC) and gap fill materials using dextrin derivatives. The general trend of interconnect fabrication for such a high performance LSI is to apply cupper (Cu)/ low-dielectric-constant (low-k) interconnect to reduce RC delay. A via-first dual damascene process is one of the most promising processes to fabricate Cu/ low-k interconnect due to its wide miss-alignment margin. The sacrificial materials containing dextrin derivatives under resist for lithography were developed in via-first dual damascene process. The dextrin derivatives in this study was obtained by the esterification of the hydroxyl groups of dextrin resulting in improved solubility in the resist solvents such as propylene glycol monomethylether, propylene glycol monomethylether acetate, and ethyl lactate due to avoid the issue of defects that were caused by incompatability. The etch rate of our developed BARC and gap fill materials using dextrin derivatives was more than two times faster than one of the ArF resists evaluated in a CF4 gas condition using reactive ion etching. The improved etch performance was also verified by comparison with poly(hydroxystyrene), acrylate-type materials and latest low-k materials as a reference. In addition to superior etch performance, these materials showed good resist profiles and via filling performance without voids in via holes.

Filling in the Gaps: Conservation and Reconstruction of Archaeological Mail Armour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martijn A Wijnhoven

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Mail armour is made of many interlinking metal rings. It has been a popular type of defensive gear through the centuries, and this popularity has in part been due to mail armour’s flexibility. However, this very flexibility today hinders its conservation, interpretation and display. Mail pieces retrieved from archaeological contexts are often in such poor state of preservation that their original shape is unrecognizable. This poses a challenge not only for conserving these artefacts, but also for understanding them. This paper describes a conservation technique for flexible mail that involves restoring preserved rings to their original position and filling in the remaining gaps with dummy rings. In addition to stabilizing the mesh of mail, this measure also aids the artefact’s interpretation. The advantages of using this method with archaeological specimens are presented by means of a case-study concerning the remains of a Roman mail coat found near Novae, Bulgaria. The case-study shows that the choice of conservation technique greatly influences the amount of information that researchers can obtain from this material.

Filling in biodiversity threat gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joppa, L. N.; O'Connor, Brian; Visconti, Piero

2016-01-01

increase to 10,000 times the background rate should species threatened with extinction succumb to pressures they face (4). Reversing these trends is a focus of the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its 20 Aichi Targets and is explicitly incorporated...... into the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We identify major gaps in data available for assessing global biodiversity threats and suggest mechanisms for closing them....

Research Networks, Mentorship and Sustainability Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Kafle, A.; Mukhopadhyay, P.; Nepal, M.; Shyamsundar, P.

2015-12-01

In South Asia, a majority of institutions are ill-equipped to undertake research on multi-disciplinary environmental problems, though these problems are increasing at a fast rate and connected to the region's poverty and growth objectives. In this context, the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) tries to fill a research, training and knowledge gap by building skills in the area of Environment and Development Economics. In this paper, the authors argue that research networks contribute to the growth of sustainability knowledge through (a) knowledge creation, (b) knowledge transfer and (c) knowledge deepening. The paper tries to show the relationship between capacity building, mentorship and research scholarship. It demonstrates that researchers, by associating with the network and its multiple training and mentoring processes, are able to build skills, change curricula and deliver useful knowledge products. The paper discusses the need for interdisciplinary research and the challenges of bridging the gap between research outputs and policy reforms.

Understanding the Knowledge Gap Experienced by U.S. Safety Net Patients in Teleretinal Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Sheba M; Hayes, Erin Moran; Fish, Allison; Daskivich, Lauren Patty; Ogunyemi, Omolola I

2016-01-01

Safety-net patients' socioeconomic barriers interact with limited digital and health literacies to produce a "knowledge gap" that impacts the delivery of healthcare via telehealth technologies. Six focus groups (2 African- American and 4 Latino) were conducted with patients who received teleretinal screening in a U.S. urban safety-net setting. Focus groups were analyzed using a modified grounded theory methodology. Findings indicate that patients' knowledge gap is primarily produced at three points during the delivery of care: (1) exacerbation of patients' pre-existing personal barriers in the clinical setting; (2) encounters with technology during screening; and (3) lack of follow up after the visit. This knowledge gap produces confusion, potentially limiting patients' perceptions of care and their ability to manage their own care. It may be ameliorated through delivery of patient education focused on both disease pathology and specific role of telehealth technologies in disease management.

Mitigating the Mathematical Knowledge Gap between High School and First Year University Chemical Engineering Mathematics Course

Science.gov (United States)

Basitere, Moses; Ivala, Eunice

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a study carried out at a University of Technology, South Africa, aimed at identifying the existence of the mathematical knowledge gap and evaluating the intervention designed to bridge the knowledge gap amongst students studying first year mathematics at the Chemical Engineering Extended Curriculum Program (ECP). In this…

Scoping study for a one-health response to knowledge gaps in ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Scoping study for a one-health response to knowledge gaps in antimicrobial ... A recent World Bank report finds that drug-resistant infections have the ... Going to Scale : Sustainable Land Management in the Highlands of Eastern Africa.

Clinical practitioners' knowledge of ionizing radiation doses in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Questions on radiosensitivity of different organs, imaging modalities that use ionizing radiation and considerations for the choice of ionizing radiation (IR) based examinations were included. Participants were also asked for their preferred methods of filling any knowledge gap on IR issues. Responses were presented in ...

GapBlaster-A Graphical Gap Filler for Prokaryote Genomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo H C G de Sá

Full Text Available The advent of NGS (Next Generation Sequencing technologies has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of complete genomes available in biological databases. This advance has allowed the development of several computational tools enabling analyses of large amounts of data in each of the various steps, from processing and quality filtering to gap filling and manual curation. The tools developed for gap closure are very useful as they result in more complete genomes, which will influence downstream analyses of genomic plasticity and comparative genomics. However, the gap filling step remains a challenge for genome assembly, often requiring manual intervention. Here, we present GapBlaster, a graphical application to evaluate and close gaps. GapBlaster was developed via Java programming language. The software uses contigs obtained in the assembly of the genome to perform an alignment against a draft of the genome/scaffold, using BLAST or Mummer to close gaps. Then, all identified alignments of contigs that extend through the gaps in the draft sequence are presented to the user for further evaluation via the GapBlaster graphical interface. GapBlaster presents significant results compared to other similar software and has the advantage of offering a graphical interface for manual curation of the gaps. GapBlaster program, the user guide and the test datasets are freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/gapblaster2015/. It requires Sun JDK 8 and Blast or Mummer.

Knowledge gaps that hamper prevention and control of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barkema, H W; Orsel, K; Nielsen, S S

2018-01-01

In the last decades, many regional and country-wide control programmes for Johne's disease (JD) were developed due to associated economic losses, or because of a possible association with Crohn's disease. These control programmes were often not successful, partly because management protocols were...... programmes are typically evaluated in a limited number of herds and the duration of the study is less than 5 year, making it difficult to adequately assess the efficacy of control programmes. In this manuscript, we identify the most important gaps in knowledge hampering JD prevention and control programmes......, including vaccination and diagnostics. Secondly, we discuss directions that research should take to address those knowledge gaps....

Exploring Gaps in Concussion Knowledge and Knowledge Translation Among Coaches of Youth Female Hockey.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, David; Verweel, Lee; Reed, Nick

2017-10-27

To better understand the level of concussion knowledge of youth female hockey coaches and to identify preferred methods of knowledge translation for this population. Cross-sectional survey. Participants independently completed written surveys before in-person concussion information sessions or online surveys through link provided in emails. Convenience sampling yielded 130 coaches of youth female hockey from Canada. Knowledge level on concussion, resources from which coaches obtained information on concussion, opinions on the current level of concussion knowledge, and knowledge translation. Coaches demonstrated adequate knowledge on concussion, achieving 84% correct on true-false questions and 92% correct on symptom identification accuracy. However, coaches showed limited awareness of concussion specific to mechanisms for injury (identification) and postconcussion symptoms. Internet resources were rated as the most used resources for concussion yet were not rated very helpful. Nonetheless, coaches indicated online courses and web sites as the most preferred method for concussion knowledge translation. Youth female hockey coaches have overall adequate knowledge of concussion; however, gaps in knowledge do exist. Future efforts to raise the concussion knowledge among coaches of female youth hockey should include information specific to the mechanism of injury, along with sign and symptom identification, with particular attention paid to emotional symptoms. Given the reported preferences and the widespread availability of the Internet, further exploration and research validation of online courses and web sites tailored to the youth female hockey community is encouraged.

Testing the applicability of neural networks as a gap-filling method using CH₄ flux data from high latitude wetlands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dengel, S.; Zona, D.; Sachs, T.

2013-01-01

included representing the seasonal change and time of day. High Pearson correlation coefficients (r) of up to 0.97 achieved in the final analysis are indicative for the high performance of neural networks and their applicability as a gap-filling method for CH4 flux data time series. This novel approach...

The influence of gap to the mass flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. K.; Kang, C. H.; Hwang, Y. S.

2000-01-01

It was known that the release of gap is very important for I-129, Cs, which have high solubility. According to the disposal concept of spent fuel, there is a little gap between fuel rods and a canister. There is a concept that this gap may be filled with sand or beads, but it is impossible to perfectly fill for this gap, so the gap is one of important parameter in release mechanism. In this paper, the influence of gap was carried out. Gap volume have a little influence in the early stage(within a year), but there is not to significantly affect after 1 year. We have to consider the influence of filling material in canister such as cast iron, which have not considered on this paper

Selective media exposure and increasing knowledge gaps in Swiss referendum campaigns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hopmann, D.N.; Wonneberger, A.; Shehata, A.; Höijer, J.

2016-01-01

This study aims to contribute to the discussion on how the growing opportunities for media choice influence gaps in political knowledge among those motivated to consume news versus those who are not. With more television channels available, it becomes easier to choose content matching personal

A Gap-Filling Procedure for Hydrologic Data Based on Kalman Filtering and Expectation Maximization: Application to Data from the Wireless Sensor Networks of the Sierra Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Coogan, A.; Avanzi, F.; Akella, R.; Conklin, M. H.; Bales, R. C.; Glaser, S. D.

2017-12-01

Automatic meteorological and snow stations provide large amounts of information at dense temporal resolution, but data quality is often compromised by noise and missing values. We present a new gap-filling and cleaning procedure for networks of these stations based on Kalman filtering and expectation maximization. Our method utilizes a multi-sensor, regime-switching Kalman filter to learn a latent process that captures dependencies between nearby stations and handles sharp changes in snowfall rate. Since the latent process is inferred using observations across working stations in the network, it can be used to fill in large data gaps for a malfunctioning station. The procedure was tested on meteorological and snow data from Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) in the American River basin of the Sierra Nevada. Data include air temperature, relative humidity, and snow depth from dense networks of 10 to 12 stations within 1 km2 swaths. Both wet and dry water years have similar data issues. Data with artificially created gaps was used to quantify the method's performance. Our multi-sensor approach performs better than a single-sensor one, especially with large data gaps, as it learns and exploits the dominant underlying processes in snowpack at each site.

Cross-disciplinary research in cancer: an opportunity to narrow the knowledge-practice gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Urquhart, R; Grunfeld, E; Jackson, L; Sargeant, J; Porter, G A

2013-12-01

Health services researchers have consistently identified a gap between what is identified as "best practice" and what actually happens in clinical care. Despite nearly two decades of a growing evidence-based practice movement, narrowing the knowledge-practice gap continues to be a slow, complex, and poorly understood process. Here, we contend that cross-disciplinary research is increasingly relevant and important to reducing that gap, particularly research that encompasses the notion of transdisciplinarity, wherein multiple academic disciplines and non-academic individuals and groups are integrated into the research process. The assimilation of diverse perspectives, research approaches, and types of knowledge is potentially effective in helping research teams tackle real-world patient care issues, create more practice-based evidence, and translate the results to clinical and community care settings. The goals of this paper are to present and discuss cross-disciplinary approaches to health research and to provide two examples of how engaging in such research may optimize the use of research in cancer care.

The 'third wave' of HIV prevention: filling gaps in integrated interventions, knowledge, and funding.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepúlveda, Jaime

2012-07-01

There is growing optimism in the global health community that the HIV epidemic can be halted. After decades of relying primarily on behavior change to prevent HIV transmission, a second generation of prevention efforts based on medical or biological interventions such as male circumcision and preexposure prophylaxis--the use of antiretroviral drugs to protect uninfected, at-risk individuals--has shown promising results. This article calls for a third generation of HIV prevention efforts that would integrate behavioral, biological, and structural interventions focused on the social, political, and environmental underpinnings of the epidemic, making use of local epidemiological evidence to target affected populations. In this third wave, global programs should deliver HIV prevention services together with cost-effective interventions for reproductive health and for tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases. Additionally, new efforts are needed to address gaps in HIV prevention research, evaluation, and implementation. Increased and sustained funding, along with evidence-based allocation of funds, will be necessary to accelerate the decline in new HIV infections.

Mythic gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Hansen

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Different kinds of omissions sometimes occur, or are perceived to occur, in traditional narratives and in tradition-inspired literature. A familiar instance is when a narrator realizes that he or she does not fully remember the story that he or she has begun to tell, and so leaves out part of it, which for listeners may possibly result in an unintelligible narrative. But many instances of narrative gap are not so obvious. From straightforward, objective gaps one can distinguish less-obvious subjective gaps: in many cases narrators do not leave out anything crucial or truly relevant from their exposition, and yet readers perceive gaps and take steps to fill them. The present paper considers four examples of subjective gaps drawn from ancient Greek literature (the Pandora myth, ancient Roman literature (the Pygmalion legend, ancient Hebrew literature (the Joseph legend, and early Christian literature (the Jesus legend. I consider the quite varied ways in which interpreters expand the inherited texts of these stories, such as by devising names, manufacturing motives, creating backstories, and in general filling in biographical ellipses. Finally, I suggest an explanation for the phenomenon of subjective gaps, arguing that, despite their variety, they have a single cause.

Knowledge, attitude and practice GAP in family planning usage: an analysis of selected cities of Uttar Pradesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Anjali; Singh, K K; Verma, Prashant

2016-01-01

The GAP between the knowledge of contraception and its actual practice is well recognized in the literature of family welfare studies. The present study assessed the relation between the level of knowledge and practice of contraception among the women and sought to explore the reasons behind the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice - GAP (KAP GAP) regarding contraceptive users in six cities of Uttar Pradesh. Present analysis based on 17,643 currently married women aged 15 to 49. A Bivariate analysis ( χ 2 test) and a multivariable logistic regression were performed for the study. The highest percentages of respondents (women) were in the age group 35-49 (40-45 %) in all the districts considered. Knowledge of contraceptives was almost universal; tubal ligation and pill were the commonly known methods. Information about the contraceptive methods was mostly obtained through the husband. In the present study, there was a highly significant association ( p  GAP for all six cities. Health concern issues in all the districts were the most prominent reason for not using contraception. There differences in the socioeconomic and demographic factors exist, which lead to KAP GAP in the family planning (FP) usages. Therefore, in designing effective family planning programme, there is a need to understand the various factors which influence the practice of contraception.

Exploration of Social Capital and Knowledge Sharing: An Empirical Study on Student Virtual Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ying Chieh; Li, FengChia

2012-01-01

Although research on virtual teams is becoming more popular, there is a gap in the understanding of how social capital affects knowledge sharing and creating, and their impacts on virtual team performance. To fill in this gap, this study establishes a framework by incorporating social capital with the SECI model and further examines it with an…

Knowledge Management Practices and Enablers in Public Universities: A Gap Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, Sharimllah Devi; Chong, Siong-Choy; Wong, Kuan-Yew

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the gap between knowledge management (KM) practices and key strategic enablers in public universities. For this purpose, a 57-item survey on two dimensions--"use" and "importance"--was used as the instrument for this study. Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire was…

Beyond Knowledge Gaps: Examining Socioeconomic Differences in Response to Cancer News

Science.gov (United States)

Niederdeppe, Jeff

2008-01-01

This article tested a model, informed by the knowledge gap hypothesis, to predict information seeking about cancer immediately following news about the diagnosis or death from cancer of a national celebrity. I identified five celebrity news events and examined their impact using data from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey. News…

Pharmacogenomic knowledge gaps and educational resource needs among physicians in selected specialties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johansen Taber KA

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Katherine A Johansen Taber, Barry D Dickinson Department of Science and Biotechnology, American Medical Association, Chicago, IL, USA Background: The use of pharmacogenomic testing in the clinical setting has the potential to improve the safety and effectiveness of drug therapy, yet studies have revealed that physicians lack knowledge about the topic of pharmacogenomics, and are not prepared to implement it in the clinical setting. This study further explores the pharmacogenomic knowledge deficit and educational resource needs among physicians. Materials and methods: Surveys of primary care physicians, cardiologists, and psychiatrists were conducted. Results: Few physicians reported familiarity with the topic of pharmacogenomics, but more reported confidence in their knowledge about the influence of genetics on drug therapy. Only a small minority had undergone formal training in pharmacogenomics, and a majority reported being unsure what type of pharmacogenomic tests were appropriate to order for the clinical situation. Respondents indicated that an ideal pharmacogenomic educational resource should be electronic and include such components as how to interpret pharmacogenomic test results, recommendations for prescribing, population subgroups most likely to be affected, and contact information for laboratories offering pharmacogenomic testing. Conclusion: Physicians continue to demonstrate pharmacogenomic knowledge gaps, and are unsure about how to use pharmacogenomic testing in clinical practice. Educational resources that are clinically oriented and easily accessible are preferred by physicians, and may best support appropriate clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics. Keywords: pharmacogenomics, knowledge gap, drug response, educational resource

Breadth and Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge and Their Effects on L2 Vocabulary Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Bardakçi, Mehmet

2016-01-01

Breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge have been studied from many different perspectives, but the related literature lacks serious studies dealing with their effects on vocabulary profiles of EFL learners. In this paper, with an aim to fill this gap, the relative effects of breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge on L2 vocabulary profiles…

Cybernetics: A Possible Solution for the "Knowledge Gap" between "External" and "Internal" in Evaluation Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Levin-Rozalis, Miri

2010-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of the knowledge gap between evaluators and the entity being evaluated: the dilemma of the knowledge of professional evaluators vs. the in-depth knowledge of the evaluated subjects. In order to optimize evaluative outcomes, the author suggests an approach based on ideas borrowed from the science of cybernetics as a…

Understanding the digital divide in the clinical setting: the technology knowledge gap experienced by US safety net patients during teleretinal screening.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Sheba; Moran, Erin; Fish, Allison; Ogunyemi, Lola

2013-01-01

Differential access to everyday technology and healthcare amongst safety net patients is associated with low technological and health literacies, respectively. These low rates of literacy produce a complex patient "knowledge gap" that influences the effectiveness of telehealth technologies. To understand this "knowledge gap", six focus groups (2 African-American and 4 Latino) were conducted with patients who received teleretinal screenings in U.S. urban safety-net settings. Findings indicate that patients' "knowledge gap" is primarily produced at three points: (1) when patients' preexisting personal barriers to care became exacerbated in the clinical setting; (2) through encounters with technology during screening; and (3) in doctor-patient follow-up. This "knowledge gap" can produce confusion and fear, potentially affecting patients' confidence in quality of care and limiting their disease management ability. In rethinking the digital divide to include the consequences of this knowledge gap faced by patients in the clinical setting, we suggest that patient education focus on both their disease and specific telehealth technologies deployed in care delivery.

Pre-Service Teachers' Knowledge, Misconceptions and Gaps about Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz-Cervera, Pilar; Fernández-Andrés, María-Inmaculada; Pastor-Cerezuela, Gemma; Tárraga-Mínguez, Raúl

2017-01-01

The inclusive education framework and the increase in autism diagnoses have led to an overwhelming challenge for pre-service teachers who need to be qualified to teach all children. To test the quality of their training, the main purpose of this study was to compare 866 pre-service teachers' knowledge, misconceptions, and gaps about autism in…

The Data Gap in the EHR for Clinical Research Eligibility Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Alex; Wei, Wei; Yuan, Chi; Kang, Tian; Si, Yuqi; Weng, Chunhua

2018-01-01

Much effort has been devoted to leverage EHR data for matching patients into clinical trials. However, EHRs may not contain all important data elements for clinical research eligibility screening. To better design research-friendly EHRs, an important step is to identify data elements frequently used for eligibility screening but not yet available in EHRs. This study fills this knowledge gap. Using the Alzheimer's disease domain as an example, we performed text mining on the eligibility criteria text in Clinicaltrials.gov to identify frequently used eligibility criteria concepts. We compared them to the EHR data elements of a cohort of Alzheimer's Disease patients to assess the data gap by usingthe OMOP Common Data Model to standardize the representations for both criteria concepts and EHR data elements. We identified the most common SNOMED CT concepts used in Alzheimer 's Disease trials, andfound 40% of common eligibility criteria concepts were not even defined in the concept space in the EHR dataset for a cohort of Alzheimer 'sDisease patients, indicating a significant data gap may impede EHR-based eligibility screening. The results of this study can be useful for designing targeted research data collection forms to help fill the data gap in the EHR.

An eHealth Approach to Reporting Allergic Reactions to Food and Closing the Knowledge Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Munro, Christopher; Semic-Jusufagic, Aida; Pyrz, Katarzyna; Couch, Philip; Dunn-Galvin, Audrey; Peek, Niels; Themis, Marina; Mills, Clare; Buchan, Iain; Hourihane, Jonathan; Simpson, Angela

2015-01-01

There is an important knowledge gap in food allergy management in understanding the factors that determine allergic reactions to food, in gathering objective reports of reactions in real time, and in accessing patients' reaction-histories during consultations. We investigate how eHealth methods can close this knowledge gap. We report experiences with an online tool for reporting allergic reactions that we have developed as a web application. This application has been successfully validated by participants from Ireland and the UK, and is currently being used in a pilot where participants report allergic reactions in near-real time.

Mandolin: A Knowledge Discovery Framework for the Web of Data

OpenAIRE

Soru, Tommaso; Esteves, Diego; Marx, Edgard; Ngomo, Axel-Cyrille Ngonga

2017-01-01

Markov Logic Networks join probabilistic modeling with first-order logic and have been shown to integrate well with the Semantic Web foundations. While several approaches have been devised to tackle the subproblems of rule mining, grounding, and inference, no comprehensive workflow has been proposed so far. In this paper, we fill this gap by introducing a framework called Mandolin, which implements a workflow for knowledge discovery specifically on RDF datasets. Our framework imports knowledg...

Safeguards Knowledge Management & Retention at U.S. National Laboratories.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haddal, Risa [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jones, Rebecca [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bersell, Bridget [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Frazar, Sarah [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Burbank, Roberta [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Stevens, Rebecca [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Cain, Ron [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kirk, Bernadette [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Morell, Sean [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-09-01

In 2017, four U.S. National Laboratories collaborated on behalf of DOE/NNSA to explore the safeguards knowledge retention problem, identify possible approaches, and develop a strategy to address it. The one-year effort consisted of four primary tasks. First, the project sought to identify critical safeguards information at risk of loss. Second, a survey and workshop were conducted to assess nine U.S. National Laboratories' efforts to determine current safeguards knowledge retention practices and challenges, and identify best practices. Third, specific tools were developed to identify and predict critical safeguards knowledge gaps and how best to recruit in order to fill those gaps. Finally, based on findings from the first three tasks and research on other organizational approaches to address similar issues, a strategy was developed on potential knowledge retention methods, customized HR policies, and best practices that could be implemented across the National Laboratory Complex.

Effects of Reading Strategies and Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge on Turkish EFL Learners' Text Inferencing Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Çakir, Abdulvahit; Ünaldi, Ihsan; Arslan, Fadime Yalçin; Kiliç, Mehmet

2016-01-01

Within the framework of foreign language teaching and learning, reading strategies, depth of vocabulary knowledge and text inferencing skills have not been researched extensively. This study tries to fill this gap by analyzing the effects of reading strategies used by Turkish EFL learners and their depth of vocabulary knowledge on their text…

A review of higher education image and reputation literature: Knowledge gaps and a research agenda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amaia Lafuente-Ruiz-de-Sabando

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Higher education institutions are investing increasing resources in order to achieve favourable perceptions among their stakeholders. However, image and reputation management is a complex issue and how stakeholders perceive universities does not always coincide with the image the latter wish to project. For this reason, in this article we address a review of the literature on higher education image and reputation to identify the main knowledge gaps and establish the research lines that merit deeper examination in the future. The gaps identified highlight the need to improve knowledge about the way perceptions (image and reputation of university institutions are shaped, pinpointing the dimensions or essential aspects that influence their formation and determining whether their degree of influence differs when considering the perspectives of different stakeholders or individuals from different geographical areas. Theoretical propositions related to the identified gaps have been set out.

Melanoma reporting to central cancer registries by US dermatologists: an analysis of the persistent knowledge and practice gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Cartee, Todd V; Kini, Seema P; Chen, Suephy C

2011-11-01

Every state requires diagnosing physicians to report new cases of melanoma to its central cancer registry. Previous regional studies and anecdotal experience suggest that few dermatologists are cognizant of this obligation. This oversight could result in a large number of unreported melanomas annually and, in turn, US melanoma statistics that markedly underestimate the true incidence of the disease. We sought to quantify the percentage of dermatologists who are unaware of melanoma reporting requirements (the knowledge gap) and who are not reporting melanoma diagnoses (the practice gap). We also sought to delineate factors predictive of reporting knowledge and behavior. A survey was administered to attendees of the Cutaneous Oncology Symposium at the 2010 American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting. In all, 104 of 419 eligible attendees completed surveys (response rate 26%). Fifty percent of respondents do not believe they are required to report melanomas and 56% do not actively report their diagnoses to a registry. Practice duration of less than 10 years was significantly associated with both a knowledge gap (P = .047) and practice gap (P = .056). Similarly, dermatologists who diagnosed fewer than 10 melanomas per year were more likely to possess a knowledge gap (P = .096) and a practice gap (P = .087) than those who diagnosed more than 10. Limitations include small sample size and low response rate. A majority of dermatologists are not reporting melanomas they diagnose to a cancer registry, and half of those surveyed were not aware that diagnosing physicians are required to report melanoma. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A morphological gap for Iberian Zospeum filled: Zospeum percostulatum sp. n. (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Carychiidae a new species from Asturias (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alvaro Alonso

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Zospeum percostulatum sp. n. from Cueva de La Herrería (Llanes, Asturias is described. It is characterized by a relatively large shell (1.4–1.8 mm height, conical, with ovate aperture, continuous peristome and thickened parietal callus; shell costulate except two first whorls; without any sort of inner formations. It is the first clearly costulate Iberian species, filling a morphological gap in the Iberian clade, and the largest species from the Cantabrian region, being the first species described from Asturias.

Motivation and the Knowledge Gap: Effects of a Campaign to Reduce Diet-Related Cancer Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanath, K.; And Others

1993-01-01

Examines whether knowledge gaps decrease when motivation to acquire information is similar among more and less educated groups. Compares two groups with differing motivations to acquire cancer and diet information in a community that received a year-long health campaign. Finds evidence of education-based differences in knowledge even among members…

Mapping the global research landscape and knowledge gaps on multimorbidity: a bibliometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaolin; Mishra, Gita D; Jones, Mark

2017-06-01

To summarize global research trends and activities on multimorbidity; then to assess the knowledge gaps and to identify implications for knowledge exchange between high income countries (HICs) and low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). A comprehensive search was conducted to identify research publications on multimorbidity in the Web of Science TM , as well as diabetes, depression, hypertension, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The time frame for the search was from 1900 to June, 2016. Information (such as publication date, subject category, author, country of origin, title, abstract, and keywords) were extracted and the full texts were obtained for the co-citation analysis. Data were linked with the life expectancy at birth (years) and Gross National Income (GNI). Co-citation and hierarchal clustering analysis was used to map the trends and research networks with CiteSpace II (JAVA freeware, copyright Chaomei Chen, http://cluster.cis.drexel.edu/~cchen/citespace/). We identified 2864 relevant publications as at June 2016, with the first paper on this topic indexed in 1974 from Germany, but 80% were published after 2010. Further analysis yielded two knowledge gaps: (1) compared with single conditions (diabetes, hypertension, depression, and COPD), there is a mismatch between the high prevalence of multimorbidity and its research outputs (ratio of articles on multimorbidity vs other four single conditions is 1:13-150); (2) although a total of 76 countries have contributed to this research area, only 5% of research originated from LMICs where 73% of non-communicable disease (NCD) related deaths had occurred. Additional analysis showed the median year of first publication occurred 15 years later in the LMICs compared with HICs (2010 vs 1995); and longer life expectancy was associated with exponentially higher publication outputs (Pearson correlation coefficient r  = 0.95) at the global level. The life expectancy at the median year (1994) of

From the Milky Way to differing galaxy environments: filling critical gaps in our knowledge of star formation and its interplay with dust, and in stellar and galaxy evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Luciana

2018-01-01

Rest-frame UV, uniquely sensitive to luminous, short-lived hot massive stars, trace and age-date star formation across galaxies, and is very sensitive to dust, whose properties and presence are closely connected to star formation.With wide f-o-v and deep sensitivity in two broad filters,FUV and NUV,GALEX delivered the first comprehensive UV view of large nearby galaxies, and of the universe to z~2 (e.g.,Bianchi 2014 ApSS 354,103), detected star formation at the lowest rates, in environments where it was not seen before and not expected (e.g. Bianchi 2011 ApSS 335,51; Thilker+2009 Nature 457,990;2007 ApJS 173,538), triggering a new era of investigations with HST and large ground-based telescopes. New instrument technology and modeling capabilities make it now possible and compelling to solve standing issues. The scant UV filters available (esp. FUV) and the wide gap in resolution and f-o-v between GALEX and HST leaves old and new questions open. A chief limitation is degeneracies between physical parameters of stellar populations (age/SFR) and hot stars, and dust (e.g. Bianchi+ 2014 JASR 53,928).We show sample model simulations for filter optimization to provide critical measurements for the science objectives. We also demonstrate how adequate FUV+NUV filters, and resolution, allow us to move from speculative interpretation of UV data to unbiased physical characterization of young stellar populations and dust, using new data from UVIT, which, though smaller than CETUS, has better resolution and filter coverage than GALEX.Also, our understanding of galaxy chemical enrichment is limited by critical gaps in stellar evolution; GALEX surveys enabled the first unbiased census of the Milky Way hot-WD population (Bianchi+2011 MNRAS, 411,2770), which we complement with SDSS, Pan-STARRS, and Gaia data to fill such gaps (Bianchi et al.2018, ApSS). Such objects in CETUS fields (deeper exposures, more filters, and the first UV MOS) will be much better characterized, enabling

Using Cyber-Insurance as a Risk Management Strategy: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations for Further Research

OpenAIRE

Tøndel, Inger Anne; Meland, Per Håkon; Omerovic, Aida; Gjære, Erlend Andreas; Solhaug, Bjørnar

2015-01-01

- Risk transfer can be an economically favorable way of handling security and privacy issues, but choosing this option indiscriminately and without proper knowledge is a risk in itself. This report provides an overview of knowledge gaps related to cyber-insurance as a risk management strategy. These are grouped into three high-level topics; cyber-insurance products, understanding and measuring risk and estimation of consequences. The topics are further divided into 11 knowledge areas with ...

Divergent NEE balances from manual-chamber CO2 fluxes linked to different measurement and gap-filling strategies: A source for uncertainty of estimated terrestrial C sources and sinks?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huth, Vytas; Vaidya, Shrijana; Hoffmann, Mathias

2017-01-01

Manual closed-chamber measurements are commonly used to quantify annual net CO2 ecosystem exchange (NEE) in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems. However, differences in both the acquisition and gap filling of manual closed-chamber data are large in the existing literature, complicating inter...... measurements from sunrise to noon (sunrise approach) to capture a span of light conditions for measurements of NEE with transparent chambers. (2) The second level included three different methods of pooling measured ecosystem respiration (RECO) fluxes for empirical modeling of RECO: campaign-wise (19 single...... RECO fluxes (direct GPP modeling) or empirically modeled RECO fluxes from measured NEE fluxes (indirect GPP modeling). Measurements were made during 2013–2014 in a lucerne-clover-grass field in NE Germany. Across the different combinations of measurement and gap-filling options, the NEE balances...

Why We Don't Collaborate in Response to Climate Change: The Knowledge Deficit, Co-Production, and the Future of the IPCC.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, B. R.; Overpeck, J. T.

2014-12-01

Scientific knowledge production is based on recognizing and filling knowledge deficits or 'gaps' in understanding, but for climate adaptation and mitigation, the applicability of this approach is questionable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) mandate is an example of this type of 'gap filling,' in which the elimination of uncertainties is presumed to enable rational decision making for individuals and rational governance for societies. Presumed knowledge deficits, though, are unsuited to controversial problems with social, cultural, and economic dimensions; likewise, communication to educate is an ineffective means of inciting behavioural change. An alternative is needed, particularly given the economic, social, and political scale that action on climate change requires. We review the 'deficit-education framing' and show how it maintains a wedge between those affected and those whose knowledge is required. We then review co-production to show how natural and social scientists, as well as the IPCC, might more effectively proceed.

Crucial knowledge gaps in current understanding of climate change impacts on coral reef fishes

KAUST Repository

Wilson, S. K.; Adjeroud, M.; Bellwood, D. R.; Berumen, Michael L.; Booth, D.; Bozec, Y.-M.; Chabanet, P.; Cheal, A.; Cinner, J.; Depczynski, M.; Feary, D. A.; Gagliano, M.; Graham, N. A. J.; Halford, A. R.; Halpern, B. S.; Harborne, A. R.; Hoey, A. S.; Holbrook, S. J.; Jones, G. P.; Kulbiki, M.; Letourneur, Y.; De Loma, T. L.; McClanahan, T.; McCormick, M. I.; Meekan, M. G.; Mumby, P. J.; Munday, P. L.; Ohman, M. C.; Pratchett, M. S.; Riegl, B.; Sano, M.; Schmitt, R. J.; Syms, C.

2010-01-01

Expert opinion was canvassed to identify crucial knowledge gaps in current understanding of climate change impacts on coral reef fishes. Scientists that had published three or more papers on the effects of climate and environmental factors on reef

Identifying Knowledge Gaps in Clinicians Who Evaluate and Treat Vocal Performing Artists in College Health Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon-Howe, Leah; Dowdall, Jayme

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to identify knowledge gaps in clinicians who evaluate and treat performing artists for illnesses and injuries that affect vocal function in college health settings. This pilot study utilized a web-based cross-sectional survey design incorporating common clinical scenarios to test knowledge of evaluation and management strategies in the vocal performing artist. A web-based survey was administered to a purposive sample of 28 clinicians to identify the approach utilized to evaluate and treat vocal performing artists in college health settings, and factors that might affect knowledge gaps and influence referral patterns to voice specialists. Twenty-eight clinicians were surveyed, with 36% of respondents incorrectly identifying appropriate vocal hygiene measures, 56% of respondents failing to identify symptoms of vocal fold hemorrhage, 84% failing to identify other indications for referral to a voice specialist, 96% of respondents acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Voice Handicap Index and the Singers Voice Handicap Index, and 68% acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Reflux Symptom Index. The data elucidated specific knowledge gaps in college health providers who are responsible for evaluating and treating common illnesses that affect vocal function, and triaging and referring students experiencing symptoms of potential vocal emergencies. Future work is needed to improve the standard of care for this population. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conceptualizing Telehealth in Nursing Practice: Advancing a Conceptual Model to Fill a Virtual Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagel, Daniel A; Penner, Jamie L

2016-03-01

Increasingly nurses use various telehealth technologies to deliver health care services; however, there has been a lag in research and generation of empirical knowledge to support nursing practice in this expanding field. One challenge to generating knowledge is a gap in development of a comprehensive conceptual model or theoretical framework to illustrate relationships of concepts and phenomena inherent to adoption of a broad range of telehealth technologies to holistic nursing practice. A review of the literature revealed eight published conceptual models, theoretical frameworks, or similar entities applicable to nursing practice. Many of these models focus exclusively on use of telephones and four were generated from qualitative studies, but none comprehensively reflect complexities of bridging nursing process and elements of nursing practice into use of telehealth. The purpose of this article is to present a review of existing conceptual models and frameworks, discuss predominant themes and features of these models, and present a comprehensive conceptual model for telehealth nursing practice synthesized from this literature for consideration and further development. This conceptual model illustrates characteristics of, and relationships between, dimensions of telehealth practice to guide research and knowledge development in provision of holistic person-centered care delivery to individuals by nurses through telehealth technologies. © The Author(s) 2015.

SEEMLA: 'Filling the gap' - The Future of bioenergy in the EU and the role of biomass from marginal lands

Science.gov (United States)

Baumgarten, Wibke; Kerckow, Birger

2017-04-01

The main objective of the H2020 funded EU project SEEMLA is the establishment of suitable innovative land-use strategies for a sustainable production of plant-based energy on marginal lands while improving general ecosystem services. In the context of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG, Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz) and the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) a concept should be developed with SEEMLA for a sustainable use of domestic biomass in order to be able to 'fill the gap' of the future demand in renewable resources as an energy source till 2050. The project partner countries are Italy, the Ukraine and Greece besides Germany.

Identification of knowledge gaps in neurosurgery using a validated self-assessment examination: differences between general and spinal neurosurgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Jason; Starke, Robert M; Pouratian, Nader; Litvack, Zachary

2013-11-01

The practice of neurosurgery requires fundamental knowledge base. Residency training programs and continuing medical education courses are designed to teach relevant neurosurgical principles. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps exist for neurosurgeons and may be different between cohorts of neurosurgeons. The Self-Assessment in Neurological Surgery (SANS) General Examination and Spine Examination are online educational tools for lifelong learning and maintenance of certification. This study examines the gaps in knowledge of spinal neurosurgeons and general neurosurgeons taking SANS. From 2008 to 2010, a total of 165 spinal neurosurgeons completed the 243 available questions of the SANS Spine Examination. Over that same time frame, 993 general neurosurgeons completed the SANS General Spine Examination. Mean scores were calculated and assessed according to 18 major neurosurgical knowledge disciplines. Statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate for significant knowledge gaps among all users and significant differences in performance between spinal neurosurgeons and their general neurosurgeon counterparts. The mean overall examination score was 87.4% ± 7.5% for spinal neurosurgeons and 71.5% ± 8.9% for general neurosurgeons (P neurosurgeons (n = 165) answered questions incorrectly 15% or greater of the time in five of the categories. The categories of lower performance for spinal neurosurgeons were cerebrovascular, anesthesia and critical care, general clinical, tumor, and trauma. For general neurosurgeons (n = 993), the five knowledge categories with lowest performance were cerebrovascular, epilepsy, peripheral nerve, trauma, and radiosurgery. Although spinal neurosurgeons and general neurosurgeons shared some areas of decreased performance including trauma and cerebrovascular, spine neurosurgeons relatively underperformed in general clinical, anesthesia and critical care, and tumor. The SANS Spine Examination demonstrated knowledge gaps in specific categories for

Alloy spreading and filling of gaps in brazing of VDU-2 and KhN50VMTYuB heat resistant nickel alloys with VPr3K and VPr10 alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapiro, A.E.; Podol'skij, B.A.; Lepisko, M.R.; Borzyak, A.G.; Moryakov, V.F.; Rostislavskaya, T.T.

1984-01-01

A study was made on contact interaction of VDU-2 and KhN50VMTYuB alloys with VPr3K and VPr10 alloys at 1325 and 1220 deg C in argon and industrial vacuum. The contact angles and wettability indexes were determined. The solders fill the vertical gaps of up to 0.25 mm width through 80 mm height. Spreading and filling of gaps proceeds better during soldering in argon with boron trifluoride addition as compared to soldering in industrial vacuum. VPr10 alloy is divided into two phases when wetting KhN50VMTYuB alloy: fusible one on the base of nickel-chromium-manganese solution and infusible one on the base of nickel-niobium eutectics. The square of fusible phase spreading is 2.5...3 times larger as compared to infusible one

Sexuality and HIV/AIDS: an exploration of older heterosexual women's knowledge levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Pamela; Humble, Áine M; Blum, Ilya

2013-01-01

Sexuality research tends to ignore older populations, and little is known about older women's sexual health knowledge. To fill this research gap, 186 Canadian heterosexual women 50 years and older were surveyed about their knowledge regarding sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Respondents had moderate levels of overall knowledge of sexual health and aging, correctly answering, on average, 60% of the 35 questions. They had lower levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, correctly answering just over 50% of the 25 questions. Results indicate the need for social awareness and education in this group regarding both general sexual health later in life and HIV/AIDS.

The CACAO Method for Smoothing, Gap Filling, and Characterizing Seasonal Anomalies in Satellite Time Series

Science.gov (United States)

Verger, Aleixandre; Baret, F.; Weiss, M.; Kandasamy, S.; Vermote, E.

2013-01-01

Consistent, continuous, and long time series of global biophysical variables derived from satellite data are required for global change research. A novel climatology fitting approach called CACAO (Consistent Adjustment of the Climatology to Actual Observations) is proposed to reduce noise and fill gaps in time series by scaling and shifting the seasonal climatological patterns to the actual observations. The shift and scale CACAO parameters adjusted for each season allow quantifying shifts in the timing of seasonal phenology and inter-annual variations in magnitude as compared to the average climatology. CACAO was assessed first over simulated daily Leaf Area Index (LAI) time series with varying fractions of missing data and noise. Then, performances were analyzed over actual satellite LAI products derived from AVHRR Long-Term Data Record for the 1981-2000 period over the BELMANIP2 globally representative sample of sites. Comparison with two widely used temporal filtering methods-the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) model and the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter as implemented in TIMESAT-revealed that CACAO achieved better performances for smoothing AVHRR time series characterized by high level of noise and frequent missing observations. The resulting smoothed time series captures well the vegetation dynamics and shows no gaps as compared to the 50-60% of still missing data after AG or SG reconstructions. Results of simulation experiments as well as confrontation with actual AVHRR time series indicate that the proposed CACAO method is more robust to noise and missing data than AG and SG methods for phenology extraction.

Conceptual Model-based Systems Biology: mapping knowledge and discovering gaps in the mRNA transcription cycle.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith Somekh

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We propose a Conceptual Model-based Systems Biology framework for qualitative modeling, executing, and eliciting knowledge gaps in molecular biology systems. The framework is an adaptation of Object-Process Methodology (OPM, a graphical and textual executable modeling language. OPM enables concurrent representation of the system's structure-the objects that comprise the system, and behavior-how processes transform objects over time. Applying a top-down approach of recursively zooming into processes, we model a case in point-the mRNA transcription cycle. Starting with this high level cell function, we model increasingly detailed processes along with participating objects. Our modeling approach is capable of modeling molecular processes such as complex formation, localization and trafficking, molecular binding, enzymatic stimulation, and environmental intervention. At the lowest level, similar to the Gene Ontology, all biological processes boil down to three basic molecular functions: catalysis, binding/dissociation, and transporting. During modeling and execution of the mRNA transcription model, we discovered knowledge gaps, which we present and classify into various types. We also show how model execution enhances a coherent model construction. Identification and pinpointing knowledge gaps is an important feature of the framework, as it suggests where research should focus and whether conjectures about uncertain mechanisms fit into the already verified model.

Determinants of nurses' knowledge gap on pain management in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Aziato, Lydia; Adejumo, Oluyinka

2014-03-01

There are concerns about adequacy of nurses' knowledge and skill in effective pain management since effective pain management promotes early recovery after surgery. This study explores factors that accounted for Ghanaian nurses' inadequate knowledge of postoperative pain management using a focused ethnographic design for data collection at a tertiary teaching hospital in Ghana. Fourteen nurses designated as key informants with different backgrounds as nurse educators and leaders were purposively sampled to participate. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews; all interviews were conducted in English, audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The study revealed that nurses' inadequate pain management knowledge might have resulted from curriculum gaps during training; inadequate clinical supervision, study days, and workshops for practising nurses; lack of funding for organising regular workshops; and, negative attitudes of nurses whereby new information learned at workshops was not readily applied in clinical practice. It was concluded that nursing curricula at all levels of training in Ghana should incorporate credit-bearing courses on pain management, and appropriate pain management education programmes should be instituted for practising nurses. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the impact of such education programs is required. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Registries: Improving Care across the SCI Care Continuum by Identifying Knowledge Gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Dvorak, Marcel F; Cheng, Christiana L; Fallah, Nader; Santos, Argelio; Atkins, Derek; Humphreys, Suzanne; Rivers, Carly S; White, Barry A B; Ho, Chester; Ahn, Henry; Kwon, Brian K; Christie, Sean; Noonan, Vanessa K

2017-10-15

Timely access and ongoing delivery of care and therapeutic interventions is needed to maximize recovery and function after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). To ensure these decisions are evidence-based, access to consistent, reliable, and valid sources of clinical data is required. The Access to Care and Timing Model used data from the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR) to generate a simulation of healthcare delivery for persons after tSCI and to test scenarios aimed at improving outcomes and reducing the economic burden of SCI. Through model development, we identified knowledge gaps and challenges in the literature and current health outcomes data collection throughout the continuum of SCI care. The objectives of this article were to describe these gaps and to provide recommendations for bridging them. Accurate information on injury severity after tSCI was hindered by difficulties in conducting neurological assessments and classifications of SCI (e.g., timing), variations in reporting, and the lack of a validated SCI-specific measure of associated injuries. There was also limited availability of reliable data on patient factors such as multi-morbidity and patient-reported measures. Knowledge gaps related to structures (e.g., protocols) and processes (e.g., costs) at each phase of care have prevented comprehensive evaluation of system performance. Addressing these knowledge gaps will enhance comparative and cost-effectiveness evaluations to inform decision-making and standards of care. Recommendations to do so were: standardize data element collection and facilitate database linkages, validate and adopt more outcome measures for SCI, and increase opportunities for collaborations with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

A MSFD complementary approach for the assessment of pressures, knowledge and data gaps in Southern European Seas: The PERSEUS experience

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crise, A.; Kaberi, H.; Ruiz, José Luis Martinez

2015-01-01

PERSEUS project aims to identify the most relevant pressures exerted on the ecosystems of the Southern European Seas (SES), highlighting knowledge and data gaps that endanger the achievement of SES Good Environmental Status (GES) as mandated by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD......). A complementary approach has been adopted, by a meta-analysis of existing literature on pressure/impact/knowledge gaps summarized in tables related to the MSFD descriptors, discriminating open waters from coastal areas. A comparative assessment of the Initial Assessments (IAs) for five SES countries has been also...... independently performed. The comparison between meta-analysis results and IAs shows similarities for coastal areas only. Major knowledge gaps have been detected for the biodiversity, marine food web, marine litter and underwater noise descriptors. The meta-analysis also allowed the identification of additional...

Bridging the semantic gap in sports

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Baoxin; Errico, James; Pan, Hao; Sezan, M. Ibrahim

2003-01-01

One of the major challenges facing current media management systems and the related applications is the so-called "semantic gap" between the rich meaning that a user desires and the shallowness of the content descriptions that are automatically extracted from the media. In this paper, we address the problem of bridging this gap in the sports domain. We propose a general framework for indexing and summarizing sports broadcast programs. The framework is based on a high-level model of sports broadcast video using the concept of an event, defined according to domain-specific knowledge for different types of sports. Within this general framework, we develop automatic event detection algorithms that are based on automatic analysis of the visual and aural signals in the media. We have successfully applied the event detection algorithms to different types of sports including American football, baseball, Japanese sumo wrestling, and soccer. Event modeling and detection contribute to the reduction of the semantic gap by providing rudimentary semantic information obtained through media analysis. We further propose a novel approach, which makes use of independently generated rich textual metadata, to fill the gap completely through synchronization of the information-laden textual data with the basic event segments. An MPEG-7 compliant prototype browsing system has been implemented to demonstrate semantic retrieval and summarization of sports video.

DEF: an automated dead-end filling approach based on quasi-endosymbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lili; Zhang, Zijun; Sheng, Taotao; Chen, Ming

2017-02-01

Gap filling for the reconstruction of metabolic networks is to restore the connectivity of metabolites via finding high-confidence reactions that could be missed in target organism. Current methods for gap filling either fall into the network topology or have limited capability in finding missing reactions that are indirectly related to dead-end metabolites but of biological importance to the target model. We present an automated dead-end filling (DEF) approach, which is derived from the wisdom of endosymbiosis theory, to fill gaps by finding the most efficient dead-end utilization paths in a constructed quasi-endosymbiosis model. The recalls of reactions and dead ends of DEF reach around 73% and 86%, respectively. This method is capable of finding indirectly dead-end-related reactions with biological importance for the target organism and is applicable to any given metabolic model. In the E. coli iJR904 model, for instance, about 42% of the dead-end metabolites were fixed by our proposed method. DEF is publicly available at http://bis.zju.edu.cn/DEF/. mchen@zju.edu.cn Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Filling the gap: Using fishers' knowledge to map the extent and intensity of fishing activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Szostek, Claire L; Murray, Lee G; Bell, Ewen; Kaiser, Michel J

2017-08-01

Knowledge of the extent and intensity of fishing activities is critical to inform management in relation to fishing impacts on marine conservation features. Such information can also provide insight into the potential socio-economic impacts of closures (or other restrictions) of fishing grounds that could occur through the future designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). We assessed the accuracy and validity of fishing effort data (spatial extent and relative effort) obtained from Fishers' Local Knowledge (LK) data compared to that derived from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data for a high-value shellfish fishery, the king scallop (Pecten maximus L.) dredge fishery in the English Channel. The spatial distribution of fishing effort from LK significantly correlated with VMS data and the correlation increased with increasing grid cell resolution. Using a larger grid cell size for data aggregation increases the estimation of the total area of seabed impacted by the fishery. In the absence of historical VMS data for vessels ≤15 m LOA (Length Overall), LK data for the inshore fleet provided important insights into the relative effort of the inshore (<6 NM from land) king scallop fishing fleet in the English Channel. The LK data provided a good representation of the spatial extent of inshore fishing activity, whereas representation of the offshore fishery was more precautionary in terms of defining total impact. Significantly, the data highlighted frequently fished areas of particular importance to the inshore fleet. In the absence of independent sources of geospatial information, the use of LK can inform the development of marine planning in relation to both sustainable fishing and conservation objectives, and has application in both developed and developing countries where VMS technology is not utilised in fisheries management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vehicle Codes and Standards: Overview and Gap Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blake, C.; Buttner, W.; Rivkin, C.

2010-02-01

This report identifies gaps in vehicle codes and standards and recommends ways to fill the gaps, focusing on six alternative fuels: biodiesel, natural gas, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, and propane.

Knowledge management at ELETRONUCLEAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepecki, W.

2005-01-01

ELETRONUCLEAR, a state-owned company responsible for design, construction, ownership and operation of nuclear power plants in Brazil, is applying systematic measures to preserve its essential technological know-how. A special project called 'Determination of Technological Know-How of ELETRONUCLEAR' was established in January 2001 for this purpose. The extent and location of the existing know-how was identified and the gaps in the essential know-how were evaluated. A multidisciplinary team was established to implement the project. The team interacted with experts both in Brazil and abroad to achieve a sound technical basis as far as knowledge identification and preservation techniques are concerned. The results of this know-how survey were stored in an electronic data bank, which facilitated the creation of several types of reports, according to various criteria. An in-depth analysis of the survey pointed to the gaps in essential know-how. Proposals for solutions to fill in the know-how gaps were set up, comprising both short-term, as well as long-term, solutions. This project was the first work by ELETRONUCLEAR in the field of Knowledge Management. An indirect consequence was the creation of a nucleus of personnel competent in this new discipline, which had a multiplying effect throughout ELETRONUCLEAR, allowing the execution of other new projects in KM. (author)

Knowledge management at ELETRONUCLEAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepecki, W.

2004-01-01

ELETRONUCLEAR, a state-owned company responsible for design, construction, ownership and operation of nuclear power plants in Brazil, is applying systematic measures to preserve its essential technological know-how. A special Project called 'Determination of Technological Know-How of ELETRONUCLEAR' was established in January 2001 for this purpose. The extent and location of the existing know-how was identified and the gaps in the essential know-how were evaluated. A multidisciplinary team was established to implement the Project. The team interacted with experts both in Brazil and abroad to achieve a sound technical basis as far as knowledge identification and preservation techniques are concerned. The results of this know-how survey were stored in an electronic data bank, which facilitated the creation of several types of reports, according to various criteria. An in-depth analysis of the survey pointed to the gaps in essential know-how. Proposals for solutions to fill in the know-how gaps were set up, comprising both short term, as well as long-term, solutions. This Project was the first work by ELETRONUCLEAR in the field of Knowledge Management. An indirect consequence was the creation of a nucleus of personnel competent in this new discipline, which had a multiplying effect throughout ELETRONUCLEAR, allowing the execution of other new projects in KM. (author)

Practice Patterns of School-Based Occupational Therapists Targeting Handwriting: A Knowledge-to-Practice Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Cramm, Heidi; Egan, Mary

2015-01-01

Poor handwriting is a common reason for referral to school-based occupational therapy. A survey was used to explore the extent to which current practice patterns in Ontario, Canada, align with evidence on effective intervention for handwriting. Knowledge-to-practice gaps were identified related to focus on performance components versus…

What College Students Do Not Know: Where Are the Gaps in Sexual Health Knowledge?

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Erin W.; Smith, William E.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to understand the gaps in college students' knowledge regarding sexual health information. Participants: A sample of 242 participants enrolled in an introductory college course participated in this study in the Fall 2009 semester. Methods: Students participated in 1 of 2 brief interventions and wrote a response paper…

Filling the gap between disaster preparedness and response networks of urban emergency management: Following the 2013 Seoul Floods.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Minsun; Jung, Kyujin

2015-01-01

To examine the gap between disaster preparedness and response networks following the 2013 Seoul Floods in which the rapid transmission of disaster information and resources was impeded by severe changes of interorganizational collaboration networks. This research uses the 2013 Seoul Emergency Management Survey data that were collected before and after the floods, and total 94 organizations involving in coping with the floods were analyzed in bootstrap independent-sample t-test and social network analysis through UCINET 6 and STATA 12. The findings show that despite the primary network form that is more hierarchical, horizontal collaboration has been relatively invigorated in actual response. Also, interorganizational collaboration networks for response operations seem to be more flexible grounded on improvisation to coping with unexpected victims and damages. Local organizations under urban emergency management are recommended to tightly build a strong commitment for joint response operations through full-size exercises at the metropolitan level before a catastrophic event. Also, interorganizational emergency management networks need to be restructured by reflecting the actual response networks to reduce collaboration risk during a disaster. This research presents a critical insight into inverse thinking of the view designing urban emergency management networks and provides original evidences for filling the gap between previously coordinated networks for disaster preparedness and practical response operations after a disaster.

Controls on Filling and Evacuation of Sediment in Waterfall Plunge Pools

Science.gov (United States)

Scheingross, J. S.; Lamb, M. P.

2014-12-01

Many waterfalls are characterized by the presence of deep plunge pools that experience periods of sediment fill and evacuation. These cycles of sediment fill are a first order control on the relative magnitude of lateral versus vertical erosion at the base of waterfalls, as vertical incision requires cover-free plunge pools to expose the bedrock floor, while lateral erosion can occur when pools are partially filled and plunge-pool walls are exposed. Currently, there exists no mechanistic model describing sediment transport through waterfall plunge pools, limiting our ability to predict waterfall retreat. To address this knowledge gap, we performed detailed laboratory experiments measuring plunge-pool sediment transport capacity (Qsc_pool) under varying waterfall and plunge-pool geometries, flow hydraulics, and sediment size. Our experimental plunge-pool sediment transport capacity measurements match well with a mechanistic model we developed which combines existing waterfall jet theory with a modified Rouse profile to predict sediment transport capacity as a function of water discharge and suspended sediment concentration at the plunge-pool lip. Comparing the transport capacity of plunge pools to lower gradient portions of rivers (Qsc_river) shows that, for transport limited conditions, plunge pools fill with sediment under modest water discharges when Qsc_river > Qsc_pool, and empty to bedrock under high discharges when Qsc_pool > Qsc_river. These results are consistent with field observations of sand-filled plunge pools with downstream boulder rims, implying filling and excavation of plunge pools over single-storm timescales. Thus, partial filling of waterfall plunge pools may provide a mechanism to promote lateral undercutting and retreat of waterfalls in homogeneous rock in which plunge-pool vertical incision occurs during brief large floods that expose bedrock, whereas lateral erosion may prevail during smaller events.

A Review of Current Research and Knowledge Gaps in the Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in Trinidad and Tobago.

Science.gov (United States)

Persad, Anil K; LeJeune, Jeffrey

2018-04-17

Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are two of the main causes of foodborne disease globally, and while they have been implicated as possible causes of foodborne disease within the Caribbean region, the actual incidence is unknown. Trinidad and Tobago, one of the larger countries in the Caribbean, has an estimated annual foodborne disease burden of over 100,000 cases and, similar to other countries, the etiology of most of these cases is unknown. Both pathogens can reside as part of the normal gastrointestinal microflora of many wild and domestic animals, with animals acting as reservoirs, spillover hosts, or dead-end hosts. Carriage in animal species can be asymptomatic or, in the case of Salmonella in particular, there may be clinical manifestation in animals, which resemble the disease seen in humans. In this review, we will focus on the epidemiology of these two foodborne pathogens in Trinidad and Tobago and identify any knowledge gaps in the published literature. The filling of this critical knowledge void is essential for the development and implementation of appropriate mechanisms to reduce the dissemination and transmission of these pathogens, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but also in the wider Caribbean.

Impurity in a Luttinger liquid away from half-filling: A numerical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaojin Qin; Lu Yu; Fabrizio, M.; Oshikawa, M.; Affleck, I.

1997-07-01

Conformal field theory gives quite detailed predictions for the low energy spectrum and scaling exponents of a massless Luttinger liquid at generic filling in the presence of an impurity. While these predictions were verified for half-filled systems, there was till now no analysis away from this particular filling. Here, we fill in this gap by numerically investigating a quarter-filled system using the density matrix renormalization group technique. Our results confirm conformal field theory predictions, and suggest that they are indeed valid for arbitrary fillings. (author). 21 refs, 8 figs, 4 tabs

Relationships between structural social capital, knowledge identification capability and external knowledge acquisition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz Ortiz

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mediating effect of the identification of valuable external knowledge on the relationship between the development of inter-organizational ties (structural social capital and the acquisition of external knowledge. Design/methodology/approach - Using a sample of 87 firms from Spanish biotechnology and pharmaceutics industries, the authors have tested the proposed mediation hypothesis by applying the partial least squares technique to a structural equations model. Findings - The study results show that those firms with stronger, more frequent and closer inter-relationships are able to increase the amount of intentionally acquired knowledge, partly due to the greater level of development of their knowledge identification capability. Thus, firms with a higher capability to recognize the value of the knowledge embedded in their inter-organizational networks will be more likely to design better strategies to acquire and integrate such knowledge into their current knowledge bases for either present or future use. Originality/value - This research contributes to knowledge management and social capital literature by means of the study of two key determinants of knowledge acquisition – structural social capital and knowledge identification capability – and the explanation of their relationships of mutual influence. The paper thus tries to fill this literature gap and connects the relational perspective of social capital with the knowledge-based view from a strategic point of view.

Galvanostatic bottom-up filling of TSV-like trenches: Choline-based leveler containing two quaternary ammoniums

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Myung Jun; Seo, Youngran; Kim, Hoe Chul; Lee, Yoonjae; Choe, Seunghoe; Kim, Young Gyu; Cho, Sung Ki; Kim, Jae Jeong

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The choline-based leveler having two quaternary ammoniums was synthesized. • The adsorption of this leveler with suppressor and accelerator was examined. • Galvanostatic Cu bottom-up filling was achieved with three-additive system. • The mechanism of gap-filling was elucidated based on the additive adsorption. - Abstract: Through Silicon Via (TSV) technology is essential to accomplish 3-dimensional packaging of electronics. Hence, more reliable and faster TSV filling by Cu electrodeposition is required. Our approach to improve Cu gap-filling in TSV is based on the development of new organic additives for feature filling. Here, we introduce our achievements from the synthesis of choline-based leveler to the feature filling using a synthesized leveler. The choline-based leveler, which includes two quaternary ammoniums at both ends of the molecule, is synthesized from glutaric acid. The characteristics of the choline-based additive are examined by the electrochemical analyses, and it is confirmed that the choline-based leveler shows a convection dependent adsorption behavior, which is essential for leveling. The interactions between the polymeric suppressor, accelerator, and the choline-based leveler are also investigated by changing the convection condition. Using the combination of suppressor, accelerator, and the choline-based leveler, the extreme bottom-up filling of Cu at trenches with dimensions similar to TSV are fulfilled. The mechanism of Cu gap-filling is demonstrated based on the results of electrochemical analyses and feature filling

Reverse Knowledge Transfer in Multinational Companies: A Systematic Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clarice Secches Kogut

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The mainstream literature has focused on knowledge transfers from parent companies to subsidiaries, while paying less attention to knowledge created at the subsidiary level. But there is a growing trend to knowledge co-creation, and the responsibility of knowledge creation has shifted from headquarters to the corporation as a whole and its subsidiaries. Using a thorough systematic review over a 15-year period in top tier journals, this thematic analysis finds interesting literature gaps to be filled and proposes a theoretical framework that conceptualizes the reverse knowledge transfer as a complex process; moreover, we offer a detailed view on the phenomenon of reverse knowledge transfer, seeking to contribute to a better understanding of it and providing a basis to assist corporate managers in global strategic planning and knowledge management and scholars in future academic research in the field.

Stakeholder Meeting: Integrated Knowledge Translation Approach to Address the Caregiver Support Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna M; McMillan, Jacqueline; Jette, Nathalie; Brémault-Phillips, Suzette C; Duggleby, Wendy; Hanson, Heather M; Parmar, Jasneet

2017-03-01

Family caregivers are an integral and increasingly overburdened part of the health care system. There is a gap between what research evidence shows is beneficial to caregivers and what is actually provided. Using an integrated knowledge translation approach, a stakeholder meeting was held among researchers, family caregivers, caregiver associations, clinicians, health care administrators, and policy makers. The objectives of the meeting were to review current research evidence and conduct multi-stakeholder dialogue on the potential gaps, facilitators, and barriers to the provision of caregiver supports. A two-day meeting was attended by 123 individuals. Three target populations of family caregivers were identified for discussion: caregivers of seniors with dementia, caregivers in end-of-life care, and caregivers of frail seniors with complex health needs. The results of this meeting can and are being used to inform the development of implementation research endeavours and policies targeted at providing evidence-informed caregiver supports.

Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Geoffrey; Lynch, Iseult; Cassee, Flemming; Handy, Richard D.; Fernandes, Teresa F.; Berges, Markus; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A. J.; Dusinska, Maria; Riediker, Michael

2013-01-01

The aim of this article is to present an overview of salient issues of exposure, characterisation and hazard assessment of nanomaterials as they emerged from the consensus-building of experts undertaken within the four year European Commission coordination project NanoImpactNet. The approach adopted is to consolidate and condense the findings and problem-identification in such a way as to identify knowledge-gaps and generate a set of interim recommendations of use to industry, regulators, research bodies and funders. The categories of recommendation arising from the consensual view address: significant gaps in vital factual knowledge of exposure, characterisation and hazards; the development, dissemination and standardisation of appropriate laboratory protocols; address a wide range of technical issues in establishing an adequate risk assessment platform; the more efficient and coordinated gathering of basic data; greater inter-organisational cooperation; regulatory harmonization; the wider use of the life-cycle approaches; and the wider involvement of all stakeholders in the discussion and solution-finding efforts for nanosafety. PMID:28809359

Innovative nuclear fuels and applications. Part 1: limits of today's fuels and concepts for innovative fuels. Part 2: materials properties, irradiation performance and gaps in our knowledge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matzke, H.

2000-01-01

Part I of this contribution on innovative nuclear fuels gives a summary of current developments and problems of today's fuels, i.e. enriched UO 2 and UO 2 with a few % of PUO 2 (MOX fuel) or Gd 2 O 3 (as burnable neutron poison). The problems and property changes caused by high burnups (e.g. degradation of the thermal conductivity, polygonization or formation of the rim-structure) are discussed. Subsequently, the concepts for new fuels to burn excess Pu and to achieve an effective transmutation of the minor actinides Np, Am and Cm are treated. The criteria for the choice of suitable fuels and different fuel types (high Pu-content fuels, nitrides, U-free fuels, inert matrix supported fuels, cercers, cermets, etc.) are discussed. Part II of this contribution on innovative nuclear fuels deals with the properties of relevance of the different materials suggested to be used in innovative fuels which range from pure actinide fuel such as PuN and AmO 2 to spinel MgAl 2 O 4 and zircon ZrSiO 4 for inert matrix-based fuels, etc. The available knowledge on materials research aspects is summarized with emphasis on the physics of radiation damage. It is shown that significant gaps in the present knowledge exist, e.g. for the minor actinide compounds, and suggestions are made to fill these gaps in order to achieve a sufficient data base to design and operate suitable innovative fuels in a near future. (author)

Closing the Knowledge Gap on Effective Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Guskey, Thomas R.

2009-01-01

Achievement gaps concern educators at all levels today. Educators recognize the threats these gaps pose to education quality and equity, and they are working hard to close them--but an equally threatening gap in education with consequences just as serious is largely ignored. It influences every educational-improvement effort and seriously…

Gaps in Science Content Knowledge Encountered during Teaching Practice: A Study of Early-Career Middle-School Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Kinghorn, Brian Edward

2013-01-01

Subject-specific content knowledge is crucial for effective science teaching, yet many teachers are entering the field not fully equipped with all the science content knowledge they need to effectively teach the subject. Learning from practice is one approach to bridging the gap between what practicing teachers know and what they need to know.…

Observing Crustal Magnetic Anomalies in Remote Ocean Regions: Filling in the Gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Claus, B.; Kinsey, J. C.; Tominaga, M.; Tivey, M.

2016-12-01

The use of long duration ocean observing platforms is necessary for filling in broad gaps in the observational record of magnetic anomaly measurements in the ocean basins -- observations that are necessary for understanding a variety of geophysical processes. Such an instrument would need to gather 1000s of kilometers of magnetic data untended, requiring in-situ calibration methods and minimization of energy usage. In this work an autonomous underwater glider (AUG) has been equipped with a low power flux-gate magnetic sensor. Sensor integration was tested locally in shallow water followed by deep water trials to verify the calibration procedure in June of 2016. During this cruise a 160 kilometer magnetic tow was also collected across the East Coast Shelf Anomaly to the South-East of Cape Cod. Following these tests, the AUG was deployed such that it followed the trajectory of the towed magnetic survey to provide a baseline comparison against a known methodology. For these deployments an in-situ calibration procedure was used whereby the vehicle was commanded to perform descending and ascending spirals with its actuators at various discrete locations. When combined with a temperature model for the sensor the calibrated measurements were found to be in agreement with the towed data to within several 10's of nT. These comparative measurements demonstrate the utility of using directed long duration autonomous ocean observing platforms to gather medium wavelength crustal magnetic anomaly features. This ability is especially desirable for collecting measurements in remote ocean basins, such as the Southern Ocean, where presently only a few ship tracks exist and are likely to never be sampled by conventional research vessels surveys.

Robustness of risk maps and survey networks to knowledge gaps about a new invasive pest

Science.gov (United States)

Denys Yemshanov; Frank H. Koch; Yakov Ben-Haim; William D. Smith

2010-01-01

In pest risk assessment it is frequently necessary to make management decisions regarding emerging threats under severe uncertainty. Although risk maps provide useful decision support for invasive alien species, they rarely address knowledge gaps associated with the underlying risk model or how they may change the risk estimates. Failure to recognize uncertainty leads...

Filling gaps in PPAR-alpha signaling through comparative nutrigenomics analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radonjic Marijana

2009-12-01

available expression data, exploiting the power of in silico analysis filtered by evolutionary conservation. The analysis enabled us to indicate potential gene candidates that could fill in the gaps with regards to the signalling of PPARα and, moreover, the non-random localization of the differentially expressed genes in the genome, suggest that epigenetic mechanisms are of importance in the regulation of the transcription operated by PPARα.

AUTOMATIC ROAD GAP DETECTION USING FUZZY INFERENCE SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hashemi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Automatic feature extraction from aerial and satellite images is a high-level data processing which is still one of the most important research topics of the field. In this area, most of the researches are focused on the early step of road detection, where road tracking methods, morphological analysis, dynamic programming and snakes, multi-scale and multi-resolution methods, stereoscopic and multi-temporal analysis, hyper spectral experiments, are some of the mature methods in this field. Although most researches are focused on detection algorithms, none of them can extract road network perfectly. On the other hand, post processing algorithms accentuated on the refining of road detection results, are not developed as well. In this article, the main is to design an intelligent method to detect and compensate road gaps remained on the early result of road detection algorithms. The proposed algorithm consists of five main steps as follow: 1 Short gap coverage: In this step, a multi-scale morphological is designed that covers short gaps in a hierarchical scheme. 2 Long gap detection: In this step, the long gaps, could not be covered in the previous stage, are detected using a fuzzy inference system. for this reason, a knowledge base consisting of some expert rules are designed which are fired on some gap candidates of the road detection results. 3 Long gap coverage: In this stage, detected long gaps are compensated by two strategies of linear and polynomials for this reason, shorter gaps are filled by line fitting while longer ones are compensated by polynomials.4 Accuracy assessment: In order to evaluate the obtained results, some accuracy assessment criteria are proposed. These criteria are obtained by comparing the obtained results with truly compensated ones produced by a human expert. The complete evaluation of the obtained results whit their technical discussions are the materials of the full paper.

Automatic Road Gap Detection Using Fuzzy Inference System

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, S.; Valadan Zoej, M. J.; Mokhtarzadeh, M.

2011-09-01

Automatic feature extraction from aerial and satellite images is a high-level data processing which is still one of the most important research topics of the field. In this area, most of the researches are focused on the early step of road detection, where road tracking methods, morphological analysis, dynamic programming and snakes, multi-scale and multi-resolution methods, stereoscopic and multi-temporal analysis, hyper spectral experiments, are some of the mature methods in this field. Although most researches are focused on detection algorithms, none of them can extract road network perfectly. On the other hand, post processing algorithms accentuated on the refining of road detection results, are not developed as well. In this article, the main is to design an intelligent method to detect and compensate road gaps remained on the early result of road detection algorithms. The proposed algorithm consists of five main steps as follow: 1) Short gap coverage: In this step, a multi-scale morphological is designed that covers short gaps in a hierarchical scheme. 2) Long gap detection: In this step, the long gaps, could not be covered in the previous stage, are detected using a fuzzy inference system. for this reason, a knowledge base consisting of some expert rules are designed which are fired on some gap candidates of the road detection results. 3) Long gap coverage: In this stage, detected long gaps are compensated by two strategies of linear and polynomials for this reason, shorter gaps are filled by line fitting while longer ones are compensated by polynomials.4) Accuracy assessment: In order to evaluate the obtained results, some accuracy assessment criteria are proposed. These criteria are obtained by comparing the obtained results with truly compensated ones produced by a human expert. The complete evaluation of the obtained results whit their technical discussions are the materials of the full paper.

Teen pregnancy in Inuit communities - gaps still needed to be filled.

Science.gov (United States)

Moisan, Caroline; Baril, Chloé; Muckle, Gina; Belanger, Richard E

2016-01-01

Teen pregnancy is depicted around the world as an important cause of health disparities both for the child and the mother. Accordingly, much effort has been invested in its prevention and led to its decline in the northern hemisphere since the mid-1990s. Despite that, high rates are still observed in the circumpolar regions. As Inuit communities have granted better understanding of teenage pregnancy a priority for the coming years, this article comprehensively reviews this multidimensional issue. By depicting current prevalence, likely determinants and possible impacts documented among Inuit of Canada, Alaska and Greenland, and contrasting them to common knowledge that has emerged from other populations over the years, great gaps surface. In some regions, the number of pregnancies per number of Inuit women aged between 15 and 19 years has increased since the turn of the millennium, while statistics from others are either absent or difficult to compare. Only few likely determinants of teenage pregnancy such as low education and some household factors have actually been recognized among Inuit populations. Documented impacts of early pregnancy on Inuit women and their children are also limited compared to those from other populations. As a way to better address early pregnancy in the circumpolar context, the defence for additional scientific efforts and the provision of culturally adapted sexual health prevention programmes appear critical.

Mind the gap! A comparison of oral health knowledge between dental, healthcare professionals and the public.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, W; Filipponi, T; Roberts-Burt, V

2014-02-01

The importance of consistent, accurate and unambiguous messages are well documented in oral health promotion literature. Whether the reality of delivering messages in the field fulfils these principle is questionable. This paper explores the perceptions of dental professionals, healthcare professionals and lay community members with regard to key oral health messages in order to highlight any inconsistencies and knowledge gaps between and within groups for disease risk factors. A questionnaire was administered to individuals who belonged to three groups: dental professionals, healthcare professionals and lay community members. The questionnaire established knowledge regarding risk factors for caries, periodontal disease and erosion. Thirty-five (57.4%) of the dental group answered the whole questionnaire correctly, with 22 (27.8%) and 9 (5.1%) of the healthcare and lay community group answering the whole questionnaire correctly, respectively. The question of fluoride levels in children's toothpaste was the main reason for incorrect answers in the dental group. The results of this survey demonstrate a knowledge gradient from dental professionals through to healthcare professionals and then to lay members of the community. The knowledge base observed in the dental group is reflected in the other two groups as would be expected albeit with a significant gap between each group. As expected the dental professionals are generally well informed, but not as well informed as could be expected.

Traditional medicine for the rich and knowledgeable

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsen, Rikke Stamp; Pouliot, Mariéve

2016-01-01

Traditional medicine is commonly assumed to be a crucial health care option for poor households in developing countries. However, little research has been done in Asia to quantify the reliance on traditional medicine and its determinants. This research contributes to filling in this knowledge gap...... show that traditional medicine, and especially self-treatment with medicinal plants, prevail as treatment options in both rural and peri-urban populations. Contrarily to what is commonly assumed, high income is an important determinant of use of traditional medicine. Likewise, knowledge of medicinal...... plants, age, education, gender and illness chronicity were also significant determinants. The importance of self-treatment with medicinal plants should inform the development of health policy tailored to people’s treatment-seeking behaviour....

A Review of Current Research and Knowledge Gaps in the Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in Trinidad and Tobago

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anil K. Persad

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are two of the main causes of foodborne disease globally, and while they have been implicated as possible causes of foodborne disease within the Caribbean region, the actual incidence is unknown. Trinidad and Tobago, one of the larger countries in the Caribbean, has an estimated annual foodborne disease burden of over 100,000 cases and, similar to other countries, the etiology of most of these cases is unknown. Both pathogens can reside as part of the normal gastrointestinal microflora of many wild and domestic animals, with animals acting as reservoirs, spillover hosts, or dead-end hosts. Carriage in animal species can be asymptomatic or, in the case of Salmonella in particular, there may be clinical manifestation in animals, which resemble the disease seen in humans. In this review, we will focus on the epidemiology of these two foodborne pathogens in Trinidad and Tobago and identify any knowledge gaps in the published literature. The filling of this critical knowledge void is essential for the development and implementation of appropriate mechanisms to reduce the dissemination and transmission of these pathogens, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but also in the wider Caribbean.

FILLING GAPS ONLINE - USE OF LEXICAL AND SEMANTIC INFORMATION IN SENTENCE PROCESSING

NARCIS (Netherlands)

STOWE, LA; TANENHAUS, MK; CARLSON, GN

1991-01-01

Two experiments investigated how people assign an interpretation to question phrases. In order to determine the meaning of the WH-phrase (e.g., who, what), a "gap" must be located and the role associated with the gap assigned to the WH-phrase. Two experiments tested the Lexical Expectation model of

Operation feedback of hydrogen filling station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pregassame, S.; Barral, K.; Allidieres, L.; Charbonneau, T.; Lacombe, Y.

2004-01-01

One of the technical challenges of hydrogen technology is the development of hydrogen infrastructures which satisfy either safety requirements and reliability of filling processes. AIR LIQUIDE realized an hydrogen filling station in Sassenage (France) operational since September 2003. This station is able to fill 3 buses a day up to 350bar by equilibrium with high pressure buffers. In parallel with commercial stations, the group wanted to create a testing ground in real conditions running with several objectives: validate on a full scale bench a simulation tool able to predict the temperature of both gas and cylinder's materials during filling processes; define the best filling procedures in order to reach mass, temperature and filling time targets; analyse the temperature distribution and evolution inside the cylinder; get a general knowledge about hydrogen stations from safety and reliability point of view; operate the first full scale refuelling station in France. The station is also up-graded for 700bar filling from either a liquid hydrogen source or a gas booster, with cold filling possibility. This paper presents the results concerning 350bar filling : thermal effects, optimal filling procedures and influence of parameters such as climatic conditions are discussed. (author)

Knowledge Gaps Impacting the Development of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Control Programs in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

This paper identifies knowledge gaps that impact on the design of programs to control and or eradicate bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) in the United States. Currently there are several voluntary regional BVDV control programs in place. These control programs are aimed at the removal of animals ...

The micro-gap resistive plate chamber

CERN Document Server

Cerron-Zeballos, E; Lamas-Valverde, J; Platner, E D; Roberts, J; Williams, M C S; Zichichi, A

1999-01-01

Previously we have found that the freon C/sub 2/F/sub 5/H has very good properties when used in a resistive plate chamber (RPC) with a single gap of 2 mm. In this paper we report on the performance of a multigap RPC consisting of 4 gaps of 0.8 mm filled with a gas mixture containing this freon. (7 refs).

Empirical study using network of semantically related associations in bridging the knowledge gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Abedi, Vida; Yeasin, Mohammed; Zand, Ramin

2014-11-27

The data overload has created a new set of challenges in finding meaningful and relevant information with minimal cognitive effort. However designing robust and scalable knowledge discovery systems remains a challenge. Recent innovations in the (biological) literature mining tools have opened new avenues to understand the confluence of various diseases, genes, risk factors as well as biological processes in bridging the gaps between the massive amounts of scientific data and harvesting useful knowledge. In this paper, we highlight some of the findings using a text analytics tool, called ARIANA--Adaptive Robust and Integrative Analysis for finding Novel Associations. Empirical study using ARIANA reveals knowledge discovery instances that illustrate the efficacy of such tool. For example, ARIANA can capture the connection between the drug hexamethonium and pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis that caused the tragic death of a healthy volunteer in a 2001 John Hopkins asthma study, even though the abstract of the study was not part of the semantic model. An integrated system, such as ARIANA, could assist the human expert in exploratory literature search by bringing forward hidden associations, promoting data reuse and knowledge discovery as well as stimulating interdisciplinary projects by connecting information across the disciplines.

Hydrogen Filling Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boehm, Robert F; Sabacky, Bruce; Anderson II, Everett B; Haberman, David; Al-Hassin, Mowafak; He, Xiaoming; Morriseau, Brian

2010-02-24

future. Project partners also conducted a workshop on hydrogen safety and permitting. This provided an opportunity for the various permitting agencies and end users to gather to share experiences and knowledge. As a result of this workshop, the permitting process for the hydrogen filling station on the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s land was done more efficiently and those who would be responsible for the operation were better educated on the safety and reliability of hydrogen production and storage. The lessons learned in permitting the filling station and conducting this workshop provided a basis for future hydrogen projects in the region. Continuing efforts to increase the working pressure of electrolysis and efficiency have been pursued. Research was also performed on improving the cost, efficiency and durability of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen technology. Research elements focused upon PEM membranes, electrodes/catalysts, membrane-electrode assemblies, seals, bipolar plates, utilization of renewable power, reliability issues, scale, and advanced conversion topics. Additionally, direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion research to demonstrate stable and efficient photoelectrochemistry (PEC) hydrogen production systems based on a number of optional concepts was performed. Candidate PEC concepts included technical obstacles such as inefficient photocatalysis, inadequate photocurrent due to non-optimal material band gap energies, rapid electron-hole recombination, reduced hole mobility and diminished operational lifetimes of surface materials exposed to electrolytes. Project Objective 1: Design, build, operate hydrogen filling station Project Objective 2: Perform research and development for utilizing solar technologies on the hydrogen filling station and convert two utility vehicles for use by the station operators Project Objective 3: Increase capacity of hydrogen filling station; add additional vehicle; conduct safety workshop; develop a roadmap for

Filling the gap between traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine, are we heading to the right direction?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiuping; Pei, Lixia; Lu, Jinjian

2013-06-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the ancient medicine popular in China and surrounding areas, has been recognized as a typical representative of complementary and alternative medicine. Over long period in clinical practice, especially the progress in basic research, data on the effectiveness and beneficial contribution of TCM herbs to public health and disease control have been accumulated while the quality of the evidence is generally poor. The most common clinical practice of TCM herbs is herb combination called formula which consists of several types of medicinal herbs or minerals, which is quite different from modern medicine. Definitely, tens of hundreds of compounds could be identified in even a small formula. With the regained enthusiasm on natural products based new drug R&D, the proposed multi-target drug discovery strategy, the booming of -omics technologies, and the implementation of ambitious plan of TCM modernization in China, attempts have been made to fill the gap between TCM herbs and modern drugs. However, are we heading to the right direction? Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge gaps in economic analyses of advanced reactor concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, M.; Pencer, J.; Leung, L.K.H.; Sadhankar, R.

2014-01-01

The development of next generation nuclear systems is predicated on improvement in sustainability, safety, proliferation resistance and economics. The economic assessment of the reactor concept is required as early as in the concept development stage. The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) has developed a methodology for economic assessment of the Generation IV (GEN-IV) nuclear energy systems. The GIF economics methodology was used for the assessment of one of the reactor concepts for the Super-Critical Water-cooled Reactors (SCWR), namely the European pressure-vessel type concept referred to as the High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR). The economic analysis involved studying the sensitivity of two main economic indicators, namely, the Levelized Unit Electricity Cost (LUEC) and the Total Capital Investment Cost (TCIC). The knowledge gaps in estimating the capital costs and fuel costs, as well as the uncertainties in other cost parameters affecting the economic assessment of the nuclear energy system in the concept development stage are presented. (author)

Two approaches to bridging the knowledge-practice gap in oncology nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Peek, Gloanna J

2015-01-01

The field of oncology nursing is continually changing. New drugs to aid in the fight against cancer are being developed, complementary therapies to ease symptoms are gaining prominence, and survivorship care is becoming a welcome yet challenging area of subspecialty. For oncology nurses to provide quality care and to develop improved care delivery systems, they must not only have access to the most current knowledge in the field, but also be equipped with the skills necessary to integrate that knowledge into practice for the benefit of patients and families (LoBiondo-Wood et al., 2014). The importance of nursing research and its relationship to the practice of oncology nursing cannot be minimized (Moore & Badger, 2014). Oncology nurse researchers advance knowledge and, consequently, improve the quality of care for patients with cancer and their families. For example, the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) regularly surveys its membership to identify key areas of research focus that then guide the work of nurse investigators (LoBiondo-Wood et al., 2014; ONS Research Agenda Team, 2009). Unfortunately, the shortage of nurse scientists, particularly in oncology nursing, continues to increase as senior doctoral faculty reach retirement age and doctoral education program development remains stagnant (Glasgow & Dreher, 2010; LoBiondo-Wood et al., 2014). This shortage has and will continue to lead to gaps in the generation and implementation of new knowledge, negatively affecting the quality of patient care. As a result, an urgent need exists for innovative and quality doctoral educational programs to develop nurse scientists (Moore & Badger, 2014).

Beyond bridging the know-do gap: a qualitative study of systemic interaction to foster knowledge exchange in the public health sector in The Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Driessen Mareeuw, Francine; Vaandrager, Lenneke; Klerkx, Laurens; Naaldenberg, Jenneken; Koelen, Maria

2015-09-19

Despite considerable attention currently being given to facilitating the use of research results in public health practice, several concerns remain, resulting in the so-called know-do gap. This article aims to identify the key tensions causing the know-do gap from a broad perspective by using a systemic approach and considering the public health sector as an innovation system. An exploratory qualitative design including in-depth semi-structured interviews was used, with 33 interviewees from different actor categories in the Dutch public health innovation system. The analyses employed an innovation system matrix to highlight the principal tensions causing the know-do gap. Seven key tensions were identified, including: research priorities determined by powerful players; no consensus about criteria for knowledge quality; different perceptions about the knowledge broker role; competition engendering fragmentation; thematic funding engendering fragmentation; predominance of passive knowledge sharing; and lack of capacity among users to use and influence research. The identified tensions indicate that bridging the know-do gap requires much more than linking research to practice or translating knowledge. An innovation system perspective is crucial in providing information on the total picture of knowledge exchange within the Dutch public health sector. Such a system includes broader stakeholder involvement as well as the creation of social, economic, and contextual conditions (achieving shared visions, building networks, institutional change, removing financial and infrastructural barriers), as these create conducive factors at several system levels and induce knowledge co-creation and innovation.

WILDLIFE HEALTH 2.0: BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE-TO-ACTION GAP.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen, Craig

2017-01-01

The unprecedented threats to the health and sustainability of wildlife populations are inspiring conversations on the need to change the way knowledge is generated, valued, and used to promote action to protect wildlife health. Wildlife Health 2.0 symbolizes the need to investigate how to improve connections between research expertise and policy or practices to protect wildlife health. Two imperatives drive this evolution: 1) growing frustrations that research is inadequately being used to inform management decisions and 2) the realization that scientific certainty is context specific for complex socioecologic issues, such as wildlife health. Failure to appreciate the unpredictability of complex systems or to incorporate ethical and cultural dimensions of decisions has limited the contribution of research to decision making. Wildlife health can draw from scholarship in other fields, such as public health and conservation, to bridge the knowledge-to-action gap. Efforts to integrate science into decisions are more likely to be effective when they enhance relevance, credibility, and legitimacy of information for people who will make or be affected by management decisions. A Wildlife Health 2.0 agenda is not a rejection of the current research paradigm but rather a call to expand our areas of inquiry to ensure that the additional contextual understanding is generated to help decision makers make good choices.

Closing the gap between knowledge and clinical application: challenges for genomic translation.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Wylie; Korngiebel, Diane M

2015-01-01

Despite early predictions and rapid progress in research, the introduction of personal genomics into clinical practice has been slow. Several factors contribute to this translational gap between knowledge and clinical application. The evidence available to support genetic test use is often limited, and implementation of new testing programs can be challenging. In addition, the heterogeneity of genomic risk information points to the need for strategies to select and deliver the information most appropriate for particular clinical needs. Accomplishing these tasks also requires recognition that some expectations for personal genomics are unrealistic, notably expectations concerning the clinical utility of genomic risk assessment for common complex diseases. Efforts are needed to improve the body of evidence addressing clinical outcomes for genomics, apply implementation science to personal genomics, and develop realistic goals for genomic risk assessment. In addition, translational research should emphasize the broader benefits of genomic knowledge, including applications of genomic research that provide clinical benefit outside the context of personal genomic risk.

Knowledge diffusion in social work: a new approach to bridging the gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Herie, Marilyn; Martin, Garth W

2002-01-01

The continuing gap between research and practice has long been a problem in social work. A great deal of the empirical practice literature has emphasized practice evaluation (usually in the form of single-case methodologies) at the expense of research dissemination and utilization. An alternative focus for social work researchers can be found in the extensive theoretical and research literature on knowledge diffusion, technology transfer, and social marketing. Knowledge diffusion and social marketing theory is explored in terms of its relevance to social work education and practice, including a consideration of issues of culture and power. The authors present an integrated dissemination model for social work and use a case example to illustrate the practical application of the model. The OPTIONS (OutPatient Treatment In ONtario Services) project is an example of the effective dissemination of two research-based addiction treatment modalities to nearly 1,000 direct practice clinicians in Ontario, Canada.

The 0.5-2.22 micrometer Scattered Light Spectrum of the Disk around TW Hya: Detection of a Partially Filled Disk Gap at 80 AU*

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-01-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 micrometer scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances greater than 40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at approximately 80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady a-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are selfconsistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 solar mass.

Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities in HIV/AIDS-related knowledge gap: a case of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Atteraya, Madhu; Kimm, HeeJin; Song, In Han

2015-05-01

Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities are major obstacles to achieving health equity. The authors investigated whether there is any association between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge within caste and ethnic populations. They used the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally represented cross-sectional study data set. The study sample consisted of 11,273 women between 15 and 49 years of age. Univariate and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge. The study sample was divided into high Hindu caste (47.9 percent), "untouchable" caste (18.4 percent), and indigenous populations (33.7 percent). Within the study sample, the high-caste population was found to have the greatest knowledge of the means by which HIV is prevented and transmitted. After controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, untouchables were the least knowledgeable. The odds ratio for incomplete knowledge about transmission among indigenous populations was 1.27 times higher than that for high Hindu castes, but there was no significant difference in knowledge of preventive measures. The findings suggest the existence of a prevailing HIV knowledge gap. This in turn suggests that appropriate steps need to be implemented to convey complete knowledge to underprivileged populations.

A knowledge transfer scheme to bridge the gap between science and practice: an integration of existing research frameworks into a tool for practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhagen, Evert; Voogt, Nelly; Bruinsma, Anja; Finch, Caroline F

2014-04-01

Evidence of effectiveness does not equal successful implementation. To progress the field, practical tools are needed to bridge the gap between research and practice and to truly unite effectiveness and implementation evidence. This paper describes the Knowledge Transfer Scheme integrating existing implementation research frameworks into a tool which has been developed specifically to bridge the gap between knowledge derived from research on the one side and evidence-based usable information and tools for practice on the other.

Experimental determination of thermal conductivity and gap conductance of fuel rod for HTGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Teruo; Iwamoto, Kazumi; Ikawa, Katsuichi; Ishimoto, Kiyoshi

1985-01-01

The thermal conductivity of fuel compacts and the gap conductance between the fuel compact and the graphite sleeve in fuel rods for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) were measured by the center heating method. These measurements were made as functions of volume percent particle loading and temperature for thermal conductivity and as functions of gap distance and gas composition for gap conductance. The thermal conductivity of fuel compacts decreases with increasing temperature and with increasing particle loading. The gap conductance increases with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing gap distance. A good gap conductance was observed with helium fill gas. It was seen that the gap conductance was dependent on the thermal conductivity of fill gas and conductance by radiation and could be neglected the conductance through solid-solid contact points of fuel compact and graphite sleeve. (author)

Identifying knowledge gaps for gene drive research to control invasive animal species: The next CRISPR step

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorian Moro

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Invasive animals have been linked to the extinctions of native wildlife, and to significant agricultural financial losses or impacts. Current approaches to control invasive species require ongoing resources and management over large geographic scales, and often result in the short-term suppression of populations. New and innovative approaches are warranted. Recently, the RNA guided gene drive system based on CRISPR/Cas9 is being proposed as a potential gene editing tool that could be used by wildlife managers as a non-lethal addition or alternative to help reduce pest animal populations. While regulatory control and social acceptance are crucial issues that must be addressed, there is an opportunity now to identify the knowledge and research gaps that exist for some important invasive species. Here we systematically determine the knowledge gaps for pest species for which gene drives could potentially be applied. We apply a conceptual ecological risk framework within the gene drive context within an Australian environment to identify key requirements for undertaking work on seven exemplar invasive species in Australia. This framework allows an evaluation of the potential research on an invasive species of interest and within a gene drive and risk context. We consider the currently available biological, genetic and ecological information for the house mouse, European red fox, feral cat, European rabbit, cane toad, black rat and European starling to evaluate knowledge gaps and identify candidate species for future research. We discuss these findings in the context of future thematic areas of research worth pursuing in preparation for a more formal assessment of the use of gene drives as a novel strategy for the control of these and other invasive species. Keywords: Invasive species, Gene drive, CRISPR, Pest management, Islands

Study of a low-dose capsule filling process by dynamic and static tests for advanced process understanding.

Science.gov (United States)

Stranzinger, S; Faulhammer, E; Scheibelhofer, O; Calzolari, V; Biserni, S; Paudel, A; Khinast, J G

2018-04-05

Precise filling of capsules with doses in the mg-range requires a good understanding of the filling process. Therefore, we investigated the various process steps of the filling process by dynamic and static mode tests. Dynamic tests refer to filling of capsules in a regular laboratory dosator filling machine. Static tests were conducted using a novel filling system developed by us. Three grades of lactose excipients were filled into size 3 capsules with different dosing chamber lengths, nozzle diameters and powder bed heights, and, in the dynamic mode, with two filling speeds (500, 3000 caps/h). The influence of the gap at the bottom of the powder container on the fill weight and variability was assessed. Different gaps resulted in a change in fill weight in all materials, although in different ways. In all cases, the fill weight of highly cohesive Lactohale 220 increased when decreasing the gap. Furthermore, experiments with the stand-alone static test tool indicated that this very challenging powder could successfully be filled without any pre-compression in the range of 5 mg-20 mg with acceptable RSDs. This finding is of great importance since for very fine lactose powders high compression ratios (dosing-chamber-length-to-powder-bed height compression ratios) may result in jamming of the piston. Moreover, it shows that the static mode setup is suitable for studying fill weight and variability. Since cohesive powders, such as Lactohale 220, are hard to fill, we investigated the impact of vibration on the process. Interestingly, we found no correlation between the reported fill weight changes in dynamic mode at 3000 cph and static mode using similar vibration. However, we could show that vibrations during sampling in the static mode dramatically reduced fill weight variability. Overall, our results indicate that by fine-tuning instrumental settings even very challenging powders can be filled with a low-dose dosator capsule filling machine. This study is a

Looking for new emperor penguin colonies? Filling the gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Ancel

2017-01-01

Our analysis highlights a fundamental requirement, that in order to predict how species might respond to regional climate change, we must better understand their biogeography and the factors that lead to their occupation of particular sites. Regarding emperor penguins, remote sensing should target the identified gaps apparently devoid of penguins in order to update the total number of colonies, to re-evaluate both the regional and global population of emperor penguins, and to gain a better understanding of their biogeography.

Filling the gap: Estimating physicochemical properties of the full array of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yue, Chaoyang; Li, Loretta Y.

2013-01-01

Physicochemical properties of PBDE congeners are important for modeling their transport, but data are often missing. The quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) approach is utilized to fill this gap. Individual research groups often report piecemeal properties through experimental measurements or estimation techniques, but these data seldom satisfy fundamental thermodynamic relationships because of errors. The data then lack internal consistency and cannot be used directly in environmental modeling. This paper critically reviews published experimental data to select the best QSPR models, which are then extended to all 209 PBDE congeners. Properties include aqueous solubility, vapor pressure, Henry's law constant, octanol–water partition coefficient and octanol–air partition coefficient. Their values are next adjusted to satisfy fundamental thermodynamic equations. The resulting values then take advantage of all measurements and provide quick references for modeling and PBDE-contaminated site assessment and remediation. PCBs are also compared with respect to their properties and estimation methods. -- Highlights: •Property data of PBDEs and reported experimental and estimation methods were reviewed. •Missing data were estimated for all 209 PBDEs based on selected methods. •All data were adjusted to meet thermodynamic constrains using a VisualBasic program. •The established database provides a quick reference for PBDE environmental modeling. -- Through careful selection of literature data, structure–property estimation and adjustment, key properties of 209 PBDE congeners are estimated with internal consistency

Lyme disease ecology in a changing world: Consensus, uncertainty and critical gaps for improving control

Science.gov (United States)

Kilpatrick, A. Marm; Dobson, Andrew D.M.; Levi, Taal; Salkeld, Daniel J.; Swei, Andrea; Ginsberg, Howard; Kjemtrup, Anne; Padgett, Kerry A.; Jensen, Per A.; Fish, Durland; Ogden, Nick H.; Diuk-Wasser, Maria A.

2017-01-01

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in temperate regions of North America, Europe and Asia, and the number of reported cases has increased in many regions as landscapes have been altered. Although there has been extensive work on the ecology and epidemiology of this disease in both Europe and North America, substantial uncertainty exists about fundamental aspects that determine spatial and temporal variation in both disease risk and human incidence, which hamper effective and efficient prevention and control. Here we describe areas of consensus that can be built on, identify areas of uncertainty and outline research needed to fill these gaps to facilitate predictive models of disease risk and the development of novel disease control strategies. Key areas of uncertainty include: (i) the precise influence of deer abundance on tick abundance, (ii) how tick populations are regulated, (iii) assembly of host communities and tick-feeding patterns across different habitats, (iv) reservoir competence of host species, and (v) pathogenicity for humans of different genotypes of Borrelia burgdorferi. Filling these knowledge gaps will improve Lyme disease prevention and control and provide general insights into the drivers and dynamics of this emblematic multi-host–vector-borne zoonotic disease.

Biological transfer of radionuclides in marine environments - Identifying and filling knowledge gaps for environmental impact assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.E.; Borretzen, P.; Hosseini, A.; Iosjpe, M.

2004-01-01

A review on concentration factors (CF) for the marine environment was conducted in order to consider the relevance of existing data from the perspective of environmental protection and to identify areas of data paucity. Data have been organised in a format compatible with a reference organism approach, for selected radionuclides, and efforts have been taken to identify the factors that may be of importance in the context of dosimetric and dose-effects analyses. These reference organism categories had been previously selected by identifying organism groups that were likely to experience the highest levels of radiation exposure, owing to high uptake levels or residence in a particular habitat, for defined scenarios. Significant data gaps in the CF database have been identified, notably for marine mammals and birds. Most empirical information pertains to a limit suite of radionuclides, particularly 137 Cs, 210 Po and 99 Tc. A methodology has been developed to help bridge this information deficit. This has been based on simple dynamic, biokinetic models that mainly use parameters derived from laboratory-based study and field observation. In some cases, allometric relationships have been employed to allow further model parameterization. Initial testing of the model by comparing model output with empirical data sets suggest that the models provide sensible equilibrium CFs. Furthermore, analyses of modelling results suggest that for some radionuclides, in particularly those with long effective half-lives, the time to equilibrium can be far greater than the life-time of an organism. This clearly emphasises the limitations of applying a universal equilibrium approach. The methodology, therefore, has an added advantage that non-equilibrium scenarios can be considered in a more rigorous manner. Further refinements to the modelling approach might be attained by exploring the importance of various model parameters, through sensitivity analyses, and by identifying those

Increasing gap junctional coupling: a tool for dissecting the role of gap junctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axelsen, Lene Nygaard; Haugan, Ketil; Stahlhut, Martin

2007-01-01

Much of our current knowledge about the physiological and pathophysiological role of gap junctions is based on experiments where coupling has been reduced by either chemical agents or genetic modification. This has brought evidence that gap junctions are important in many physiological processes....... In a number of cases, gap junctions have been implicated in the initiation and progress of disease, and experimental uncoupling has been used to investigate the exact role of coupling. The inverse approach, i.e., to increase coupling, has become possible in recent years and represents a new way of testing...... the role of gap junctions. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge obtained with agents that selectively increase gap junctional intercellular coupling. Two approaches will be reviewed: increasing coupling by the use of antiarrhythmic peptide and its synthetic analogs...

HRS/NSA 2014 Survey of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke: Gaps in Knowledge and Perspective, Opportunities for Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Frankel, David S; Parker, Sarah E; Rosenfeld, Lynda E; Gorelick, Philip B

2015-08-01

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is substantial and increasing. Stroke is common in AF and can have devastating consequences. Oral anticoagulants are effective in reducing stroke risk, but are underutilized. We sought to characterize the impact of stroke on AF patients and their caregivers, gaps in knowledge and perspective between physicians and patients, and barriers to effective communication and optimal anticoagulation use. A survey was administered to AF patients with and without history of stroke, caregivers of stroke survivors, and physicians across the range of specialties caring for AF and stroke patients. While AF patients (n = 499) had limited knowledge about stroke, they expressed great desire to learn more and take action to reduce their risk. They were often dissatisfied with the education they had received and desired high-quality written materials. Stroke survivors (n = 251) had poor functional outcomes and often underestimated the burden of caring for them. Caregivers (n = 203) also wished they had received more information about reducing stroke risk before their survivor's event. They commonly felt overwhelmed and socially isolated. Physicians (n = 504) did not prescribe anticoagulants as frequently as recommended by guidelines. Concerns about monitoring anticoagulation and patient compliance were commonly reported barriers. Physicians may underestimate patient willingness to take anticoagulants. We identified significant knowledge gaps among patients, caregivers, and physicians in relation to AF and stroke. Furthermore, gaps in perspective often lead to suboptimal communication and decision making. Increased education and better communication between all stakeholders are needed to reduce the impact of stroke in AF. Copyright © 2015 Heart Rhythm Society and National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting marginal integrity of class II bulk-fill composite resin restorations

Science.gov (United States)

Savadi Oskoee, Siavash; Bahari, Mahmoud; Jafari Navimipour, Elmira; Ajami, Amir Ahmad; Ghiasvand, Negar; Savadi Oskoee, Ayda

2017-01-01

Background. Bulk-fill composite resins are a new type of resin-based composite resins, claimed to have the capacity to be placed in thick layers, up to 4 mm. This study was carried out to evaluate factors affecting gap formation in Cl II cavities restored using the bulk-fill technique. Methods. A total of 60 third molars were used in this study. Two Cl II cavities were prepared in each tooth, one on the mesial aspect 1 mm coronal to the CEJ and one on the distal aspect 1 mm apical to the CEJ. The teeth were divided into 4 groups: A: The cavities were restored using the bulk-fill technique with Filtek P90 composite resin and its adhesive system and light-cured with quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) light-curing unit. B: The cavities were restored similar to that in group A but light-cured with an LED light-curing unit. C: The cavities were restored using the bulk-fill technique with X-tra Fil composite resin and Clearfil SE Bond adhesive system and light-cured with a QTH curing unit. D: The cavities were restored similar to that in group C but light-cured with an LED light-curing unit. The gaps were examined under a stereomicroscope at ×60. Data were analyzed with General Linear Model test. In cases of statistical significance (Pcomposite resin type and margin location (Pcomposite resin type were not significant; however, the cumulative effect of composite rein type*gingival margin was significant (P=0.04) Conclusion. X-tra Fil composite exhibited smaller gaps compared with Filtek P90 composite with both light-curing units. Both composite resins exhibited smaller gaps at enamel margins. PMID:28748051

Crucial knowledge gaps in current understanding of climate change impacts on coral reef fishes

KAUST Repository

Wilson, S. K.

2010-02-26

Expert opinion was canvassed to identify crucial knowledge gaps in current understanding of climate change impacts on coral reef fishes. Scientists that had published three or more papers on the effects of climate and environmental factors on reef fishes were invited to submit five questions that, if addressed, would improve our understanding of climate change effects on coral reef fishes. Thirty-three scientists provided 155 questions, and 32 scientists scored these questions in terms of: (i) identifying a knowledge gap, (ii) achievability, (iii) applicability to a broad spectrum of species and reef habitats, and (iv) priority. Forty-two per cent of the questions related to habitat associations and community dynamics of fish, reflecting the established effects and immediate concern relating to climate-induced coral loss and habitat degradation. However, there were also questions on fish demographics, physiology, behaviour and management, all of which could be potentially affected by climate change. Irrespective of their individual expertise and background, scientists scored questions from different topics similarly, suggesting limited bias and recognition of a need for greater interdisciplinary and collaborative research. Presented here are the 53 highest-scoring unique questions. These questions should act as a guide for future research, providing a basis for better assessment and management of climate change impacts on coral reefs and associated fish communities.

Teen pregnancy in Inuit communities – gaps still needed to be filled

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Moisan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Teen pregnancy is depicted around the world as an important cause of health disparities both for the child and the mother. Accordingly, much effort has been invested in its prevention and led to its decline in the northern hemisphere since the mid-1990s. Despite that, high rates are still observed in the circumpolar regions. As Inuit communities have granted better understanding of teenage pregnancy a priority for the coming years, this article comprehensively reviews this multidimensional issue. By depicting current prevalence, likely determinants and possible impacts documented among Inuit of Canada, Alaska and Greenland, and contrasting them to common knowledge that has emerged from other populations over the years, great gaps surface. In some regions, the number of pregnancies per number of Inuit women aged between 15 and 19 years has increased since the turn of the millennium, while statistics from others are either absent or difficult to compare. Only few likely determinants of teenage pregnancy such as low education and some household factors have actually been recognized among Inuit populations. Documented impacts of early pregnancy on Inuit women and their children are also limited compared to those from other populations. As a way to better address early pregnancy in the circumpolar context, the defence for additional scientific efforts and the provision of culturally adapted sexual health prevention programmes appear critical.

Teen pregnancy in Inuit communities – gaps still needed to be filled

Science.gov (United States)

Moisan, Caroline; Baril, Chloé; Muckle, Gina; Belanger, Richard E.

2016-01-01

Teen pregnancy is depicted around the world as an important cause of health disparities both for the child and the mother. Accordingly, much effort has been invested in its prevention and led to its decline in the northern hemisphere since the mid-1990s. Despite that, high rates are still observed in the circumpolar regions. As Inuit communities have granted better understanding of teenage pregnancy a priority for the coming years, this article comprehensively reviews this multidimensional issue. By depicting current prevalence, likely determinants and possible impacts documented among Inuit of Canada, Alaska and Greenland, and contrasting them to common knowledge that has emerged from other populations over the years, great gaps surface. In some regions, the number of pregnancies per number of Inuit women aged between 15 and 19 years has increased since the turn of the millennium, while statistics from others are either absent or difficult to compare. Only few likely determinants of teenage pregnancy such as low education and some household factors have actually been recognized among Inuit populations. Documented impacts of early pregnancy on Inuit women and their children are also limited compared to those from other populations. As a way to better address early pregnancy in the circumpolar context, the defence for additional scientific efforts and the provision of culturally adapted sexual health prevention programmes appear critical. PMID:27938638

Nutrition training improves health workers' nutrition knowledge and competence to manage child undernutrition: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunguya, Bruno F; Poudel, Krishna C; Mlunde, Linda B; Urassa, David P; Yasuoka, Junko; Jimba, Masamine

2013-09-24

Medical and nursing education lack adequate practical nutrition training to fit the clinical reality that health workers face in their practices. Such a deficit creates health workers with poor nutrition knowledge and child undernutrition management practices. In-service nutrition training can help to fill this gap. However, no systematic review has examined its collective effectiveness. We thus conducted this study to examine the effectiveness of in-service nutrition training on health workers' nutrition knowledge, counseling skills, and child undernutrition management practices. We conducted a literature search on nutrition interventions from PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, and World Health Organization regional databases. The outcome variables were nutrition knowledge, nutrition-counseling skills, and undernutrition management practices of health workers. Due to heterogeneity, we conducted only descriptive analyses. Out of 3910 retrieved articles, 25 were selected as eligible for the final analysis. A total of 18 studies evaluated health workers' nutrition knowledge and showed improvement after training. A total of 12 studies with nutrition counseling as the outcome variable also showed improvement among the trained health workers. Sixteen studies evaluated health workers' child undernutrition management practices. In all such studies, child undernutrition management practices and competence of health workers improved after the nutrition training intervention. In-service nutrition training improves quality of health workers by rendering them more knowledge and competence to manage nutrition-related conditions, especially child undernutrition. In-service nutrition training interventions can help to fill the gap created by the lack of adequate nutrition training in the existing medical and nursing education system. In this way, steps can be taken toward improving the overall nutritional status of the child population.

Bridging the knowledge-resuscitation gap for children: Still a long way to go

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Ran D; Ho, Kendall; Peterson, Robert; Kissoon, Niranjan

2007-01-01

The American Heart Association, along with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, recently made changes to the paediatric resuscitation guidelines. Knowledge translation (KT) is imperative, but there is a lack of sufficient evidence for appropriate methodologies for implementation of these guidelines. Paediatric resuscitation presents many challenges; cases happen infrequently, affording few opportunities for implementation of the new guidelines, and are highly stressful and filled with uncertainty. Some KT strategies have shown some success in causing a notable degree of change in behaviour, but none have shown a striking difference when used alone. Previous efforts to disseminate current guidelines centred on development of courses for health care providers and preparing paediatric residents and paediatricians for circumstances they could encounter with paediatric acute illness. None of the studies assessing these techniques measured direct patient outcomes, and only a few demonstrated some long-term knowledge acquisition among trainees. The purpose of the present review was to illuminate the challenges, offer future directions for KT and outline potentially more effective methodologies and strategies to overcome current barriers. PMID:19030414

The Adaptation Finance Gap Report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report series focuses on Finance, Technology and Knowledge gaps in climate change adaptation. It compliments the Emissions Gap Report series, and explores the implications of failing to close the emissions gap. The report builds on a 2014 assessment by the United Nations...... Environment Programme (UNEP), which laid out the concept of ‘adaptation gaps’ and outlined three such gaps: technology, finance and knowledge. The 2016 Adaptation Gap Report assesses the difference between the financial costs of adapting to climate change in developing countries and the amount of money...... actually available to meet these costs – a difference known as the “adaptation finance gap”. Like the 2014 report, the 2016 report focuses on developing countries, where adaptation capacity is often the lowest and needs the highest, and concentrates on the period up to 2050. The report identifies trends...

THE 0.5-2.22 μm SCATTERED LIGHT SPECTRUM OF THE DISK AROUND TW Hya: DETECTION OF A PARTIALLY FILLED DISK GAP AT 80 AU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-01-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 μm scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances >40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at ∼80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady α-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are self-consistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 M ⊕ .

Oncology knowledge gap among freshly passed interns in a Government Medical College of Eastern India.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandyopadhyay, Anis; Das, Anuradha; Ghosh, Ashok; Giri, Rajsekhar; Biswas, Nilay

2013-04-01

A survey was conducted among freshly passed undergraduate doctors of a medical college in Eastern India with the aim to investigate their exposure to oncology patients, their knowledge about various aspects of oncology patient management and their confidence in managing patients with cancer. One hundred and twelve newly passed interns of a Government Medical College in Kolkata were interviewed using semi-structured partly open ended and partly closed end questionnaire. The questionnaire dealt with the qualitative and quantitative aspects of knowledge and perception of the interns about the problem of cancer and its management. A total of 82 interns responded to the questionnaire, with a response rate of 73.2%. About 53% of the respondents have seen less than five patients during their undergraduate ward/clinical postings. Among the respondents, 71% felt they were confident in diagnosing cancer, and about 56% were confident in counseling of patient and their relatives about cancer. About 63% were aware about the role of surgery; however, only 32% and 37.5% were aware about the role of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, respectively. A dismal 12.5% were confident of care of terminal and late stage patients. Preparedness was correlated with exposure to patients with cancer (P = 0.03). Majority (87%) felt the need for incorporating oncology training at the undergraduate level and the most frequent method (67%) suggested for doing so was having separate posting in radiotherapy department/oncology wards. There is glaring knowledge gap among newly passed doctors and integrated oncology postings during undergraduate training and during internship may help seal this gap.

Mammalian Metabolism of β-Carotene: Gaps in Knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varsha Shete

2013-11-01

Full Text Available β-carotene is the most abundant provitamin A carotenoid in human diet and tissues. It exerts a number of beneficial functions in mammals, including humans, owing to its ability to generate vitamin A as well as to emerging crucial signaling functions of its metabolites. Even though β-carotene is generally considered a safer form of vitamin A due to its highly regulated intestinal absorption, detrimental effects have also been ascribed to its intake, at least under specific circumstances. A better understanding of the metabolism of β-carotene is still needed to unequivocally discriminate the conditions under which it may exert beneficial or detrimental effects on human health and thus to enable the formulation of dietary recommendations adequate for different groups of individuals and populations worldwide. Here we provide a general overview of the metabolism of this vitamin A precursor in mammals with the aim of identifying the gaps in knowledge that call for immediate attention. We highlight the main questions that remain to be answered in regards to the cleavage, uptake, extracellular and intracellular transport of β-carotene as well as the interactions between the metabolism of β-carotene and that of other macronutrients such as lipids.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge Is Vastly Under-Documented in Northwestern South America

Science.gov (United States)

Cámara-Leret, Rodrigo; Paniagua-Zambrana, Narel; Balslev, Henrik; Macía, Manuel J.

2014-01-01

A main objective of ethnobotany is to document traditional knowledge about plants before it disappears. However, little is known about the coverage of past ethnobotanical studies and thus about how well the existing literature covers the overall traditional knowledge of different human groups. To bridge this gap, we investigated ethnobotanical data-collecting efforts across four countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia), three ecoregions (Amazon, Andes, Chocó), and several human groups (including Amerindians, mestizos, and Afro-Americans). We used palms (Arecaceae) as our model group because of their usefulness and pervasiveness in the ethnobotanical literature. We carried out a large number of field interviews (n = 2201) to determine the coverage and quality of palm ethnobotanical data in the existing ethnobotanical literature (n = 255) published over the past 60 years. In our fieldwork in 68 communities, we collected 87,886 use reports and documented 2262 different palm uses and 140 useful palm species. We demonstrate that traditional knowledge on palm uses is vastly under-documented across ecoregions, countries, and human groups. We suggest that the use of standardized data-collecting protocols in wide-ranging ethnobotanical fieldwork is a promising approach for filling critical information gaps. Our work contributes to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and emphasizes the need for signatory nations to the Convention on Biological Diversity to respond to these information gaps. Given our findings, we hope to stimulate the formulation of clear plans to systematically document ethnobotanical knowledge in northwestern South America and elsewhere before it vanishes. PMID:24416449

Summary of: Mind the gap! A comparison of oral health knowledge between dental, healthcare professionals and the public.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, R S

2014-02-01

The importance of consistent, accurate and unambiguous messages are well documented in oral health promotion literature. Whether the reality of delivering messages in the field fulfils these principle is questionable. This paper explores the perceptions of dental professionals, healthcare professionals and lay community members with regard to key oral health messages in order to highlight any inconsistencies and knowledge gaps between and within groups for disease risk factors. A questionnaire was administered to individuals who belonged to three groups: dental professionals, healthcare professionals and lay community members. The questionnaire established knowledge regarding risk factors for caries, periodontal disease and erosion. Thirty-five (57.4%) of the dental group answered the whole questionnaire correctly, with 22 (27.8%) and 9 (5.1%) of the healthcare and lay community group answering the whole questionnaire correctly, respectively. The question of fluoride levels in children's toothpaste was the main reason for incorrect answers in the dental group. The results of this survey demonstrate a knowledge gradient from dental professionals through to healthcare professionals and then to lay members of the community. The knowledge base observed in the dental group is reflected in the other two groups as would be expected albeit with a significant gap between each group. As expected the dental professionals are generally well informed, but not as well informed as could be expected.

Explaining the black-white gap in cognitive test scores: Toward a theory of adverse impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Cottrell, Jonathan M; Newman, Daniel A; Roisman, Glenn I

2015-11-01

In understanding the causes of adverse impact, a key parameter is the Black-White difference in cognitive test scores. To advance theory on why Black-White cognitive ability/knowledge test score gaps exist, and on how these gaps develop over time, the current article proposes an inductive explanatory model derived from past empirical findings. According to this theoretical model, Black-White group mean differences in cognitive test scores arise from the following racially disparate conditions: family income, maternal education, maternal verbal ability/knowledge, learning materials in the home, parenting factors (maternal sensitivity, maternal warmth and acceptance, and safe physical environment), child birth order, and child birth weight. Results from a 5-wave longitudinal growth model estimated on children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development from ages 4 through 15 years show significant Black-White cognitive test score gaps throughout early development that did not grow significantly over time (i.e., significant intercept differences, but not slope differences). Importantly, the racially disparate conditions listed above can account for the relation between race and cognitive test scores. We propose a parsimonious 3-Step Model that explains how cognitive test score gaps arise, in which race relates to maternal disadvantage, which in turn relates to parenting factors, which in turn relate to cognitive test scores. This model and results offer to fill a need for theory on the etiology of the Black-White ethnic group gap in cognitive test scores, and attempt to address a missing link in the theory of adverse impact. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Improving Oncology Quality Measurement in Accountable Care: Filling Gaps with Cross-Cutting Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Valuck, Tom; Blaisdell, David; Dugan, Donna P; Westrich, Kimberly; Dubois, Robert W; Miller, Robert S; McClellan, Mark

2017-02-01

Payment for health care services, including oncology services, is shifting from volume-based fee-for-service to value-based accountable care. The objective of accountable care is to support providers with flexibility and resources to reform care delivery, accompanied by accountability for maintaining or improving outcomes while lowering costs. These changes depend on health care payers, systems, physicians, and patients having meaningful measures to assess care delivery and outcomes and to balance financial incentives for lowering costs while providing greater value. Gaps in accountable care measure sets may cause missed signals of problems in care and missed opportunities for improvement. Measures to balance financial incentives may be particularly important for oncology, where high cost and increasingly targeted diagnostics and therapeutics intersect with the highly complex and heterogeneous needs and preferences of cancer patients. Moreover, the concept of value in cancer care, defined as the measure of outcomes achieved per costs incurred, is rarely incorporated into performance measurement. This article analyzes gaps in oncology measures in accountable care, discusses challenging measurement issues, and offers strategies for improving oncology measurement. Discern Health analyzed gaps in accountable care measure sets for 10 cancer conditions that were selected based on incidence and prevalence; impact on cost and mortality; a diverse range of high-cost diagnostic procedures and treatment modalities (e.g., genomic tumor testing, molecularly targeted therapies, and stereotactic radiotherapy); and disparities or performance gaps in patient care. We identified gaps by comparing accountable care set measures with high-priority measurement opportunities derived from practice guidelines developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and other oncology specialty societies. We found significant gaps in accountable care measure sets across all 10 conditions. For

Knowledge translation in Africa for 21st century integrative biology: the "know-do gap" in family planning with contraceptive use among Somali women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Ahmed A; Mohamed, Abdullahi A; Guled, Ibrahim A; Elamin, Hayfa M; Abou-Zeid, Alaa H

2014-11-01

An emerging dimension of 21(st) century integrative biology is knowledge translation in global health. The maternal mortality rate in Somalia is amongst the highest in the world. We set out to study the "know-do" gap in family planning measures in Somalia, with a view to inform future interventions for knowledge integration between theory and practice. We interviewed 360 Somali females of reproductive age and compared university-educated females to women with less or no education, using structured interviews, with a validated questionnaire. The mean age of marriage was 18 years, with 4.5 pregnancies per marriage. The mean for the desired family size was 9.3 and 10.5 children for the university-educated group and the less-educated group, respectively. Importantly, nearly 90% of the university-educated group knew about family planning, compared to 45.6% of the less-educated group. All of the less-educated group indicated that they would never use contraceptives, as compared to 43.5% of the university-educated group. Prevalence of contraceptive use among ever-married women was 4.3%. In the less-educated group, 80.6% indicated that they would not recommend contraceptives to other women as compared to 66.0% of the university-educated group. There is a huge gap between knowledge and practice regarding family planning in Somalia. The attendant reasons for this gap, such as level of education, expressed personal religious beliefs and others, are examined here. For primary health care to gain traction in Africa, we need to address the existing "know-do" gaps that are endemic and adversely impacting on global health. This is the first independent research study examining the knowledge gaps for family planning in Somalia in the last 20 years, with a view to understanding knowledge integration in a global world. The results shall guide policy makers, donors, and implementers to develop a sound family planning policy and program to improve maternal and child health in 21(st

Polyfluorinated alkyl phosphate ester surfactants - current knowledge and knowledge gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taxvig, Camilla; Rosenmai, Anna Kjerstine; Vinggaard, Anne Marie

2014-01-01

as in human blood, urine and milk. Due to their long half-life in human beings, there is an increased risk that exposure to these compounds can cause adverse effects. However, except for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), there is a large data gap regarding toxicological...

Knowledge-based model of competition in restaurant industry: a qualitative study about culinary competence, creativity, and innovation in five full-service restaurants in Jakarta

OpenAIRE

NAPITUPULU JOSHUA H.; ASTUTI ENDANG SITI; HAMID DJAMHUR; RAHARDJO KUSDI

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to have an in-depth description in the form of the analysis of culinary competence, creativity and innovation that develops knowledge-based model of competence in full-service restaurant business. Studies on restaurant generally focused on customers more particularly customer’s satisfaction and loyalty, and very few studies discussed internal competitive factors in restaurant business. The study aims at filling out the research gap, using knowledge-based approach t...

Analysis of photonic band gap in novel piezoelectric photonic crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Malar Kodi, A.; Doni Pon, V.; Joseph Wilson, K. S.

2018-03-01

The transmission properties of one-dimensional novel photonic crystal having silver-doped novel piezoelectric superlattice and air as the two constituent layers have been investigated by means of transfer matrix method. By changing the appropriate thickness of the layers and filling factor of nanocomposite system, the variation in the photonic band gap can be studied. It is found that the photonic band gap increases with the filling factor of the metal nanocomposite and with the thickness of the layer. These structures possess unique characteristics enabling one to operate as optical waveguides, selective filters, optical switches, integrated piezoelectric microactuators, etc.

Determining the ’Gap’

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-01

Army training doctrine, and by adjusting the curriculum of the officer core in order to close the knowledge gap . The author closes by concluding...fight. The research to find these gaps begins with a process trace of doctrine from 1976 to the present, starting with the advent of Active Defense...discovering the one gap , three were found. Upon further examination below, even these initially perceived gaps dissipate under close scrutiny. Gap

Tunneling Spectroscopy of the Energy Gap in MgB2 Under Magnetic Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekino, T.; Takasaki, T.; Fujii, H.; Muranaka, T.; Akimitsu, J.

2003-01-01

Effects of magnetic field on the multiple-gap structure in the superconductor MgB 2 have been studied by break junctions. With increasing the field, the gap value decreases with filling up of the states inside of the gap. The gap-closing field B c correlates with the gap size. The extrapolated B c value for the larger gap is almost consistent with the upper critical field of this compound. (author)

Biocompatibility of root-end filling materials: recent update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Payal Saxena

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of a root-end filling is to establish a seal between the root canal space and the periradicular tissues. As root-end filling materials come into contact with periradicular tissues, knowledge of the tissue response is crucial. Almost every available dental restorative material has been suggested as the root-end material of choice at a certain point in the past. This literature review on root-end filling materials will evaluate and comparatively analyse the biocompatibility and tissue response to these products, with primary focus on newly introduced materials.

Growth attributes – closing the GAP in Family-SMEs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brink, Tove; Neville, Mette

-sized Enterprises (SMEs)” to enhance the growth opportunities present in the EU SMEs. Most initiatives focus on creating better framework conditions for SMEs. However, research shows that growth is hampered by a number of internal factors. Many SMEs often lack the important internal attributes for growth pointed...... out in theory and empirical studies, which means that there is a gap between theory and practice when it comes to growth attributes in SMEs. This paper provides an enhanced understanding of whether gap-filling between theory and practice in family-SMEs is possible and whether gap-filling will actually...... stimulate growth. The findings are based on a large-scale research project involving 24 Danish family-SMEs, which completed a learning and development process over a period of three years. The aim of the project was to examine whether such a process which focused on a combination of some of the most...

Climate Forcing Datasets for Agricultural Modeling: Merged Products for Gap-Filling and Historical Climate Series Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Ruane, Alex C.; Goldberg, Richard; Chryssanthacopoulos, James

2014-01-01

The AgMERRA and AgCFSR climate forcing datasets provide daily, high-resolution, continuous, meteorological series over the 1980-2010 period designed for applications examining the agricultural impacts of climate variability and climate change. These datasets combine daily resolution data from retrospective analyses (the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, MERRA, and the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, CFSR) with in situ and remotely-sensed observational datasets for temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation, leading to substantial reductions in bias in comparison to a network of 2324 agricultural-region stations from the Hadley Integrated Surface Dataset (HadISD). Results compare favorably against the original reanalyses as well as the leading climate forcing datasets (Princeton, WFD, WFD-EI, and GRASP), and AgMERRA distinguishes itself with substantially improved representation of daily precipitation distributions and extreme events owing to its use of the MERRA-Land dataset. These datasets also peg relative humidity to the maximum temperature time of day, allowing for more accurate representation of the diurnal cycle of near-surface moisture in agricultural models. AgMERRA and AgCFSR enable a number of ongoing investigations in the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) and related research networks, and may be used to fill gaps in historical observations as well as a basis for the generation of future climate scenarios.

Exploring the gap between hand washing knowledge and practices in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabbi, Sifat E; Dey, Nepal C

2013-01-30

Hand washing is considered as one of the most effective hygiene promotion activities for public health in developing countries. This study compared hand washing knowledge and practices in BRAC's water; sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programme areas over time. This study is a cross-sectional comparative study between baseline (2006), midline (2009) and end-line (2011) surveys in 50 sub-districts from the first phase of the programme. Thirty thousand households from 50 sub-districts were selected in two steps: i) 30 villages were selected from each sub-district by cluster sampling, and ii) 20 households were chosen systematically from each village. The matched households were considered (26,404 in each survey) for analysis. Data were collected from households through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested questionnaire. Respondents were the adult female members of the same households, who had knowledge of day-to-day household activities related to water, sanitation and hygiene. A gap between perception and practice of proper hand washing practices with soap was identified in the study areas. Hand washing practice with soap before eating was much lower than after defecation. In baseline data, 8% reported to wash their hands with soap which significantly increased to 22% in end line. Hand washing knowledge and practices before cooking food, before serving food and while handling babies is considerably limited than other critical times. A multivariate analysis shows that socio-economic factors including education of household head and respondent, water availability and access to media have strong positive association with hand washing with soap. Gap between knowledge and practice still persists in hand washing practices. Long term and extensive initiatives can aware people about the effectiveness of hand washing.

Exploring the gap between hand washing knowledge and practices in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabbi Sifat E

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hand washing is considered as one of the most effective hygiene promotion activities for public health in developing countries. This study compared hand washing knowledge and practices in BRAC’s water; sanitation and hygiene (WASH programme areas over time. Methods This study is a cross-sectional comparative study between baseline (2006, midline (2009 and end-line (2011 surveys in 50 sub-districts from the first phase of the programme. Thirty thousand households from 50 sub-districts were selected in two steps: i 30 villages were selected from each sub-district by cluster sampling, and ii 20 households were chosen systematically from each village. The matched households were considered (26,404 in each survey for analysis. Data were collected from households through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested questionnaire. Respondents were the adult female members of the same households, who had knowledge of day-to-day household activities related to water, sanitation and hygiene. Results A gap between perception and practice of proper hand washing practices with soap was identified in the study areas. Hand washing practice with soap before eating was much lower than after defecation. In baseline data, 8% reported to wash their hands with soap which significantly increased to 22% in end line. Hand washing knowledge and practices before cooking food, before serving food and while handling babies is considerably limited than other critical times. A multivariate analysis shows that socio-economic factors including education of household head and respondent, water availability and access to media have strong positive association with hand washing with soap. Conclusion Gap between knowledge and practice still persists in hand washing practices. Long term and extensive initiatives can aware people about the effectiveness of hand washing.

Filling the gap between biology and computer science.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-Ruiz, Jesús S; Moore, Jason H; Ritchie, Marylyn D

2008-07-17

This editorial introduces BioData Mining, a new journal which publishes research articles related to advances in computational methods and techniques for the extraction of useful knowledge from heterogeneous biological data. We outline the aims and scope of the journal, introduce the publishing model and describe the open peer review policy, which fosters interaction within the research community.

OpenBiodiv-O: ontology of the OpenBiodiv knowledge management system.

Science.gov (United States)

Senderov, Viktor; Simov, Kiril; Franz, Nico; Stoev, Pavel; Catapano, Terry; Agosti, Donat; Sautter, Guido; Morris, Robert A; Penev, Lyubomir

2018-01-18

The biodiversity domain, and in particular biological taxonomy, is moving in the direction of semantization of its research outputs. The present work introduces OpenBiodiv-O, the ontology that serves as the basis of the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System. Our intent is to provide an ontology that fills the gaps between ontologies for biodiversity resources, such as DarwinCore-based ontologies, and semantic publishing ontologies, such as the SPAR Ontologies. We bridge this gap by providing an ontology focusing on biological taxonomy. OpenBiodiv-O introduces classes, properties, and axioms in the domains of scholarly biodiversity publishing and biological taxonomy and aligns them with several important domain ontologies (FaBiO, DoCO, DwC, Darwin-SW, NOMEN, ENVO). By doing so, it bridges the ontological gap across scholarly biodiversity publishing and biological taxonomy and allows for the creation of a Linked Open Dataset (LOD) of biodiversity information (a biodiversity knowledge graph) and enables the creation of the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System. A key feature of the ontology is that it is an ontology of the scientific process of biological taxonomy and not of any particular state of knowledge. This feature allows it to express a multiplicity of scientific opinions. The resulting OpenBiodiv knowledge system may gain a high level of trust in the scientific community as it does not force a scientific opinion on its users (e.g. practicing taxonomists, library researchers, etc.), but rather provides the tools for experts to encode different views as science progresses. OpenBiodiv-O provides a conceptual model of the structure of a biodiversity publication and the development of related taxonomic concepts. It also serves as the basis for the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System.

Inferred residual gaps for IFA-527 rods, compared to PIE measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.

1983-05-01

The NRC-sponsored assembly IFA-527 contained six xenon-filled rods, each instrumented with fuel thermocouples at each end. Five of the six rods contained stable UO 2 fuel pellets with a fabricated diametral gap size of 230 microns. The rods were unique among instrumented test rods in that their lifetime peak powers were quite low (less than 20 kW/m). The assembly was removed at low exposure (about 2 MWd/kgM) due to pressure seal failures. The prefailure measured fuel temperatures in the five identical rods were quite similar, and indicated an effective fuel relocation of about 30 to 35 percent of the as-fabricated gap. Examination of rod cross sections in PIE, however, reveals virtually no reduction in the as-fabricated gap. In an attempt to reconcile these two observations, it is demonstrated that pellet eccentricity could account for the inferred effective relocation for these xenon-filled rods. That analysis is extended to an estimate of the proper effective relocation value for low-powered He-filled rods

Teachers' instructional goals for science practice: Identifying knowledge gaps using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)

Science.gov (United States)

Farrar, Cynthia Hamen

In AP Biology, the course goal, with respect to scientific acts and reasoning, has recently shifted toward a reform goal of science practice, where the goal is for students to have a scientific perspective that views science as a practice of a community rather than a body of knowledge. Given this recent shift, this study is interested in the gaps that may exist between an individual teacher's instructional goal and the goals of the AP Biology course. A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) methodology and perspective is used to analyze four teachers' knowledge, practice, and learning. Teachers have content knowledge for teaching, a form of knowledge that is unique for teaching called specialized content knowledge. This specialized content knowledge (SCK) defines their instructional goals, the student outcomes they ultimately aim to achieve with their students. The study employs a cultural-historical continuum of scientific acts and reasoning, which represents the development of the AP Biology goal over time, to study gaps in their instructional goal. The study also analyzes the contradictions within their teaching practice and how teachers address those contradictions to shift their instructional practice and learn. The findings suggest that teachers have different interpretations of the AP Biology goals of science practice, placing their instructional goal at different points along the continuum. Based on the location of their instructional goal, different micro-communities of teachers exist along the continuum, comprised of teachers with a shared goal, language, and culture of their AP Biology teaching. The in-depth study of one teacher's AP Biology teaching, using a CHAT perspective, provides a means for studying the mechanisms that connect SCK to classroom actions and ultimately to instructional practice. CHAT also reveals the nature and importance of contradictions or cognitive dissonance in teacher learning and the types of support teachers need to

Expanding Knowledge Gaps: The Function of Fictions in Teaching Materials after the 2011 Swedish High School Reform

Science.gov (United States)

Graeske, Caroline

2016-01-01

The aim in the study is to analyze how work with fiction is organized in six textbooks for senior high school in Sweden after the school reform 2011. Research into Swedish teaching materials has been neglected in recent years and there is a knowledge gap about how the work with fictions is affected by the reform in 2011. In the study quantitative…

A magnetically tunable non-Bragg defect mode in a corrugated waveguide filled with liquid crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lu; Fan, Ya-Xian; Liu, Huan; Han, Xu; Lu, Wen-Qiang; Tao, Zhi-Yong

2018-04-01

A magnetically tunable, non-Bragg defect mode (NBDM) was created in the terahertz frequency range by inserting a defect in the middle of a periodically corrugated waveguide filled with liquid crystals (LCs). In the periodic waveguide, non-Bragg gaps beyond the Bragg ones, which appear in the transmission spectra, are created by different transverse mode resonances. The transmission spectra of the waveguide containing a defect showed that a defect mode was present inside the non-Bragg gap. The NBDM has quite different features compared to the Bragg defect mode, which includes more complex, high-order guided wave modes. In our study, we filled the corrugated waveguide with LCs to realize the tunability of the NBDM. The simulated results showed that the NBDM in a corrugated waveguide filled with LCs can be used in filters, sensors, switches, and other terahertz integrated devices.

Business travelers' risk perception of infectious diseases: where are the knowledge gaps, and how serious are they?

Science.gov (United States)

Wynberg, Elke; Toner, Sharyn; Wendt, Judy K; Visser, Leo G; Breederveld, Daan; Berg, Johannes

2013-01-01

Many studies have explored the risk perception of frequent business travelers (FBT) toward malaria. However, less is known about their knowledge of other infectious diseases. This study aimed to identify knowledge gaps by determining the risk perception of FBT toward 11 infectious diseases. Our retrospective web-based survey assessed the accuracy of risk perception among a defined cohort of FBT for 11 infectious diseases. We used logistic regression and the chi-square test to determine the association of risk perception with source of travel advice, demographic variables, and features of trip preparation. Surveys were returned by 63% of the 608 self-registered FBT in Rijswijk, and only the 328 completed questionnaires that adhered to our inclusion criteria were used for analysis. The majority (71%) sought pre-travel health advice and used a company health source (83%). Participants seeking company travel health advice instead of external had significantly more accurate risk knowledge (p = 0.03), but more frequently overestimated typhoid risk (odds ratio = 2.03; 95% confidence interval = 1.23-3.34). While underestimation of disease risk was on average 23% more common than overestimation, HIV risk was overestimated by 75% of FBT. More accurate knowledge among FBT seeking company health advice demonstrates that access to in-company travel clinics can improve risk perception. However, there is an obvious need for risk knowledge improvement, given the overall underestimation of risk. The substantial overestimation of HIV risk is probably due to both public and in-company awareness efforts. Conversely, typhoid risk overestimation was statistically associated with seeking company health advice, and therefore specifically reflects the high focus on typhoid fever within Shell's travel clinic. This study serves as a reminder that a knowledge gap toward infectious diseases besides malaria still exists. Our article will explore the future requirements for more

A dialogue between archive, knowledge and technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrique Machado dos Santos

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objective. Perform a brief reflection on knowledge management in archives, emphasizing the connections necessary for a dialogue between archive, knowledge and technology. Method. It consists in review of material previously published in the areas of Management Science, Archival Science and Information Science. The sources consulted consist of books, theses, texts on websites and scientific journal articles indexed in Google Scholar. Thus, the collected data is analyzed qualitatively. Results. There is a close relationship between the archive, knowledge and technology. In this sense, the document has the role of interlocutor in this dialogue. The interdisciplinary scenario envisioned, enhance existing rapprochement between the archival practices and knowledge management, in order to make possible a feedback cycle that will support the practices related to the management, either, of knowledge, of information or of documents. Conclusions. There is need for further studies to address the potential of the archives in order to fill possible gaps theory thus reach multiple looks more points interdisciplinary convergence. Finally, there is the informational potential of archives, then mediated by technology information, can enrich the knowledge management practices, and for this it is essential to strengthen the interdisciplinary relationships between Management Science, Archival Science and Information Science.

Crowdsourcing awareness: exploration of the ovarian cancer knowledge gap through Amazon Mechanical Turk.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Rebecca R; DiFeo, Analisa; Bogie, Kath; Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Sun, Jiayang

2014-01-01

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic disease in the United States, with more women dying from this cancer than all gynecological cancers combined. Ovarian cancer has been termed the "silent killer" because some patients do not show clear symptoms at an early stage. Currently, there is a lack of approved and effective early diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer. There is also an apparent severe knowledge gap of ovarian cancer in general and of its indicative symptoms among both public and many health professionals. These factors have significantly contributed to the late stage diagnosis of most ovarian cancer patients (63% are diagnosed at Stage III or above), where the 5-year survival rate is less than 30%. The paucity of knowledge concerning ovarian cancer in the United States is unknown. The present investigation examined current public awareness and knowledge about ovarian cancer. The study implemented design strategies to develop an unbiased survey with quality control measures, including the modern application of multiple statistical analyses. The survey assessed a reasonable proxy of the US population by crowdsourcing participants through the online task marketplace Amazon Mechanical Turk, at a highly condensed rate of cost and time compared to traditional recruitment methods. Knowledge of ovarian cancer was compared to that of breast cancer using repeated measures, bias control and other quality control measures in the survey design. Analyses included multinomial logistic regression and categorical data analysis procedures such as correspondence analysis, among other statistics. We confirmed the relatively poor public knowledge of ovarian cancer among the US population. The simple, yet novel design should set an example for designing surveys to obtain quality data via Amazon Mechanical Turk with the associated analyses.

The gap detection test: can it be used to diagnose tinnitus?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boyen, Kris; Baskent, D.; van Dijk, P.

2015-01-01

Objectives: Animals with induced tinnitus showed difficulties in detecting silent gaps in sounds, suggesting that the tinnitus percept may be filling the gap. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of this approach to detect tinnitus in human patients. The authors first

The Gap Detection Test : Can It Be Used to Diagnose Tinnitus?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boyen, Kris; Başkent, Deniz; van Dijk, Pim

2015-01-01

Objectives: Animals with induced tinnitus showed difficulties in detecting silent gaps in sounds, suggesting that the tinnitus percept may be filling the gap. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of this approach to detect tinnitus in human patients. The authors first

Major Care Gaps in Asthma, Sleep and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Road Map for Knowledge Translation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis-Philippe Boulet

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Large gaps between best evidence-based care and actual clinical practice exist in respiratory medicine, and carry a significant health burden. The authors reviewed two key care gaps in each of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnea. Using the ‘Knowledge-to-Action Framework’, the nature of each gap, its magnitude, the barriers that cause and perpetuate it, and past and future strategies that might address the problem were considered. In asthma: disease control is ascertained inadequately, leading to a prevalence of poor asthma control of approximately 50%; and asthma action plans, a key component of asthma management, are provided by only 22% of physicians. In obstructive sleep apnea: disease is under-recognized, with sleep histories ascertained in only 10% of patients; and Canadian polysomnography wait times remain longer than recommended, leading to unnecessary morbidity and societal cost. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a large proportion of patients seen in primary care remain undiagnosed, mainly due to underuse of spirometry; and <10% of patients are referred for pulmonary rehabilitation, despite strong evidence demonstrating its cost effectiveness. Given the prevalence of these chronic conditions and the size and nature of these gaps, the latter exact an important toll on patients, the health care system and society. In turn, complex barriers at the patient, provider and health care system levels contribute to each gap. There have been few previous attempts to bridge these gaps. Innovative and multifaceted implementation approaches are needed and have the potential to make a large impact on Canadian respiratory health.

Filling the gap: using non-invasive geophysical methods to monitor the processes leading to enhanced carbon turnover induced by periodic water table fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Mellage, A.; Pronk, G.; Atekwana, E. A.; Furman, A.; Rezanezhad, F.; Van Cappellen, P.

2017-12-01

Subsurface transition environments such as the capillary fringe are characterized by steep gradients in redox conditions. Spatial and temporal variations in electron acceptor and donor availability - driven by hydrological changes - may enhance carbon turnover, in some cases resulting in pulses of CO2-respiration. Filling the mechanistic knowledge gap between the hydrological driver and its biogeochemical effects hinges on our ability to monitor microbial activity and key geochemical markers at a high spatial and temporal resolution. However, direct access to subsurface biogeochemical processes is logistically difficult, invasive and usually expensive. In-line, non-invasive geophysical techniques - Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) and Electrodic Potential (EP), specifically - offer a comparatively inexpensive alternative and can provide data with high spatial and temporal resolution. The challenge lies in linking electrical responses to specific changes in biogeochemical processes. We conducted SIP and EP measurements on a soil column experiment where an artificial soil mixture was subjected to monthly drainage and imbibition cycles. SIP responses showed a clear dependence on redox zonation and microbial abundance. Temporally variable responses exhibited no direct moisture dependence suggesting that the measured responses recorded changes in microbial activity and coincided with the depth interval over which enhanced carbon turnover was observed. EP measurements detected the onset of sulfate mineralization and mapped its depth zonation. SIP and EP signals thus detected enhanced microbial activity within the water table fluctuation zone as well as the timing of the development of specific reactive processes. These findings can be used to relate measured electrical signals to specific reaction pathways and help inform reactive transport models, increasing their predictive capabilities.

Comparative X-ray studies on the behaviour of amalgam and gold fillings at the margins in the approximal space as a function of time of residence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, R.

1982-01-01

Within the framework of this thesis, X-ray pictures have been made of 430 gold or amalgam fillings in order to measure the gap between approximal cavity margin and filling margin. With amalgam fillings, the gap width measured after a residence time of half a year was 9.3 μm and widened to 136.9 μm after 8 years, which represents an increase to the 14-fold. The gap widths measured with gold inlays only doubled within this period, increasing from 38.8 μm after half a year to 77.4 μm after 8 years. The number of retention spots found in the approximal-cervical space with amalgam fillings was at least twice that found for gold fillings. From this it is concluded that gold inlays are by far the better solution for dental restorations. (orig./MG) [de

Expanding the use of empiricism in nursing: can we bridge the gap between knowledge and clinical practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Giuliano, Karen K

2003-04-01

The philosophy of Aristotle and its impact on the process of empirical scientific inquiry has been substantial. The influence of the clarity and orderliness of his thinking, when applied to the acquisition of knowledge in nursing, can not be overstated. Traditional empirical approaches have and will continue to have an important influence on the development of nursing knowledge through nursing research. However, as nursing is primarily a practice discipline, the transition from empirical and syllogistic reasoning is problematic. Other types of inquiry are essential in the application of nursing knowledge obtained by empirical scientific approaches and to understand how that knowledge can best be used in the care of patients. This paper reviews the strengths and limitations of syllogistic reasoning by applying it to a recently published study on temperature measurement in nursing. It then discusses possible ways that the empirical knowledge gained from that study and confirmed in its reasoning by logical analysis could be used in the daily care of critically ill patients. It concludes by highlighting the utility of broader approaches to knowledge development, including interpretative approaches and contemporary empiricism, as a way to bridge the gap between factual empirical knowledge and the practical application of that knowledge in everyday clinical nursing practice.

FILLING THE GAPS: SHAPING LIGHTING EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech-Larsen, Pernille; Linnebjerg, Sofie; Mullins, Michael Finbarr

This report forms part of the Lighting Metropolis research project. As one of the work packages under this project, the report investigates the current educational programmes in lighting related fields in Denmark and Sweden and relates these programmes to the employment needs for lighting compete...... competencies. Thus, its intention is to map the ‘gaps’ between current supply and demand of lighting related skills in the private, public and educational sectors, and to recommend areas in which these gaps can be reduced.......This report forms part of the Lighting Metropolis research project. As one of the work packages under this project, the report investigates the current educational programmes in lighting related fields in Denmark and Sweden and relates these programmes to the employment needs for lighting...

Established Osteoporosis and Gaps in the Management: Review ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research | Mar-Apr 2014 | Vol 4 | Issue 2 |. Address for ... More efforts are needed to fill this large gap in the correct management of osteoporosis related fractures .... Systematic review: Comparative.

PhoneGap for enterprise

CERN Document Server

Shotts, Kerri

2014-01-01

This book is intended for developers who wish to use PhoneGap to develop useful, rich, secure mobile applications for their enterprise environment. The book assumes you have working knowledge of PhoneGap, HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, and a reasonable understanding of networking and n-tier architectures.

Phenomena identification ranking table and knowledge base gaps and needs for the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuhiro, Akira; Potirniche, Gabriel; Rink, Karl

2009-01-01

The U.S. is developing a modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP); also known as the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR). The generic MHTGR is a graphite-moderated, gas-cooled reactor (GCR) of either a prismatic modular (block-type, PMR) or pebble-bed (PBR) core configuration. The pebble-bed design requires new attention with respect to neutronics, materials, thermal hydraulic, safety and licensing relative to the set of phenomena and engineering analyses associated with the current fleet of legacy LWRs. In fact, the relative knowledge and experiential base on gas reactors is small in comparison to the LWR. There is a dated body of knowledge from some 25+ years ago on GCRs; recently there is a renewed interest. Thus in the present design and development phase of the NGNP/VHTR, there are relevant thermohydraulic safety issues surrounding the MHTGR with issues impacting foremost the design review process. A common phenomena with respect to PMR and PBR core design, is that concerning 'graphite dust' and its interaction and transport with potential fission products (FP) that may be present within the graphite and subsequently in the primary system. The nature of the graphite and FPs, when circulated or transported in the primary, and possibly beyond, is of concern as potentially an relevant 'source term' (radionuclide inventory) of the MHTGR. Based on NUREG/CR-6944, Volumes 1-5, the author briefly describes the state-of-the art knowledge base on graphite dust and FP transport with respect to the anticipated design of the MHTGR. In addition, from the Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRTs) developed in these reports we concurrently identify and describe 'gaps and needs' of the knowledge base. That is, we also present the knowledge base gaps and needs with respect to the following: 1) R and D needs relative to PIRTs, 2) (experimental) database needs relative to PIRTs, and 3) simulation and modeling

ROSS Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities Training Evaluation. Gaps and Recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ala, Maureen [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Gruidl, Jeremiah [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Buddemeier, Brooke [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-09-30

This document describes the development of the ROSS SKAs, the cross-mapping of the SKAs to the available training, identifies gaps in the SKA and training, and provides recommendations to address those gaps.

Low noise wing slat system with rigid cove-filled slat

Science.gov (United States)

Shmilovich, Arvin (Inventor); Yadlin, Yoram (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Concepts and technologies described herein provide for a low noise aircraft wing slat system. According to one aspect of the disclosure provided herein, a cove-filled wing slat is used in conjunction with a moveable panel rotatably attached to the wing slat to provide a high lift system. The moveable panel rotates upward against the rear surface of the slat during deployment of the slat, and rotates downward to bridge a gap width between the stowed slat and the lower wing surface, completing the continuous outer mold line shape of the wing, when the cove-filled slat is retracted to the stowed position.

Crowdsourcing awareness: exploration of the ovarian cancer knowledge gap through Amazon Mechanical Turk.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca R Carter

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic disease in the United States, with more women dying from this cancer than all gynecological cancers combined. Ovarian cancer has been termed the "silent killer" because some patients do not show clear symptoms at an early stage. Currently, there is a lack of approved and effective early diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer. There is also an apparent severe knowledge gap of ovarian cancer in general and of its indicative symptoms among both public and many health professionals. These factors have significantly contributed to the late stage diagnosis of most ovarian cancer patients (63% are diagnosed at Stage III or above, where the 5-year survival rate is less than 30%. The paucity of knowledge concerning ovarian cancer in the United States is unknown. METHODS: The present investigation examined current public awareness and knowledge about ovarian cancer. The study implemented design strategies to develop an unbiased survey with quality control measures, including the modern application of multiple statistical analyses. The survey assessed a reasonable proxy of the US population by crowdsourcing participants through the online task marketplace Amazon Mechanical Turk, at a highly condensed rate of cost and time compared to traditional recruitment methods. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of ovarian cancer was compared to that of breast cancer using repeated measures, bias control and other quality control measures in the survey design. Analyses included multinomial logistic regression and categorical data analysis procedures such as correspondence analysis, among other statistics. We confirmed the relatively poor public knowledge of ovarian cancer among the US population. The simple, yet novel design should set an example for designing surveys to obtain quality data via Amazon Mechanical Turk with the associated analyses.

Bridging the Nagoya Compliance Gap: The Fundamental Role of Customary Law in Protection of Indigenous Peoples’ Resource and Knowledge Rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brendan M. Tobin

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The Nagoya Protocol requires states to ensure that access to and use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples and local communities is subject to their prior informed consent (PIC. It also requires states to take into consideration their customary laws. However, it lacks effective compliance mechanisms, a gap exposed in draft European legislation that sidesteps the Nagoya Protocol’s obligations regarding PIC and customary law, leaving traditional knowledge largely unprotected. This article examines the status of customary law under international, regional and national law, and the challenges and opportunities for securing recognition of its role in the protection of traditional knowledge. The article contends that all commercial and development activities with the potential to impact on Nagoya Protocol rights will in the future need to ensure compliance with relevant customary law. It finds state reluctance to adopt measures to ensure consideration of customary law shortsighted and likely to lead to increased litigation. It concludes that customary law has a key role to play in closing the Nagoya compliance gap but to do so it will need to be supported by enforcement mechanisms such as disclosure of origin regimes in intellectual property law.

Genome size variation in Orchidaceae subfamily Apostasioideae: filling the phylogenetic gap

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jersáková, Jana; Trávníček, Pavel; Kubátová, B.; Krejčíková, Jana; Urfus, Tomáš; Liu, Z.-J.; Lamb, A.; Ponert, J.; Schulte, K.; Čurn, V.; Vrána, Jan; Leitch, I. J.; Suda, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 172, č. 1 (2013), s. 95-105 ISSN 0024-4074 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/1320 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 ; RVO:67985939 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : DNA base content * flow cytometry * nuclear C-value * phylogeny * orchids Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour; EF - Botanics (BU-J); EF - Botanics (UEB-Q) Impact factor: 2.699, year: 2013

The 0.5-2.22 μm Scattered Light Spectrum of the Disk around TW Hya: Detection of a Partially Filled Disk Gap at 80 AU

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-07-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 μm scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances >40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at ~80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady α-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are self-consistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 M ⊕. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs 10167, 8624, 7226, and 7233.

Inter-organisational knowledge transfer: building and sustaining the sources of innovation in nuclear safety and security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staude, Fabio; Ramirez, Matias

2013-01-01

The current complexity of innovation processes has led to an understanding that the models of innovation have changed from linear model to a model characterised by multiple interactions and complex networks. Within this more multifaceted environment, has emerged a new set of actors, generally termed as intermediaries, performing a variety of tasks in the innovation process. The innovation literature has recognised various important supporting activities performed by intermediaries, by linking and facilitating the movement of information and knowledge between actors within an innovation system, in order to fill information gaps. Complementary, we make the assumption that the intermediary can assume a more central role in the innovation process, performing activities beyond to filling information gaps, since they intervene to create, prioritise, and articulate meaning to practices. Under this argument, this paper explores how intermediaries work in making innovation happen in the Brazilian nuclear safety and security area, demonstrating the influence of intermediary organisations in improving nuclear regulatory activities. We make sense of these processes by analyzing intermediary roles in the recent regulatory activities improvements, specifically those related to the practices involving radiation sources in medicine. Thus, through an empirical case study, this paper examines the issue of intermediation in a wide sense, including strategic activities preformed by intermediaries, associated with accessing, diffusing, coordinating and enabling knowledge activities. (author)

MV controlled spark gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evdokimovich, V.M.; Evlampiev, S.B.; Korshunov, G.S.; Nikolaev, V.A.; Sviridov, Yu.F.; Khmyrov, V.V.

1980-01-01

A megavolt gas-filled trigatron gap with a sectional gas-discharge chamber having a more than three-fold range of operating voltages is described. The discharge chamber consists of ten sections, each 70 mm thick, made of organic glass. The sections are separated one from another by aluminium gradient rings to which ohmic voltage divider is connected. Insulational sections and gradient rings are braced between themselves by means of metal flanges through gaskets made of oil-resistant rubber with the help of fiberglass-laminate pins. The gap has two electrodes 110 mm in diameter. The trigatron ignition assembly uses a dielectric bushing projecting over the main electrode plane. Use has been made of a gas mixture containing 10% of SF 6 and 90% of air making possible to ensure stable gap operation without readjusting in the voltage range from 0.4 to 1.35 MV. The operation time lag in this range is equal to 10 μs at a spread of [ru

Representation and integration of sociological knowledge using knowledge graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Popping, R; Strijker, [No Value

1997-01-01

The representation and integration of sociological knowledge using knowledge graphs, a specific kind of semantic network, is discussed. Knowledge it systematically searched this reveals. inconsistencies, reducing superfluous research and knowledge, and showing gaps in a theory. This representation

Systolic ventricular filling.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrent-Guasp, Francisco; Kocica, Mladen J; Corno, Antonio; Komeda, Masashi; Cox, James; Flotats, A; Ballester-Rodes, Manel; Carreras-Costa, Francesc

2004-03-01

The evidence of the ventricular myocardial band (VMB) has revealed unavoidable coherence and mutual coupling of form and function in the ventricular myocardium, making it possible to understand the principles governing electrical, mechanical and energetical events within the human heart. From the earliest Erasistratus' observations, principal mechanisms responsible for the ventricular filling have still remained obscured. Contemporary experimental and clinical investigations unequivocally support the attitude that only powerful suction force, developed by the normal ventricles, would be able to produce an efficient filling of the ventricular cavities. The true origin and the precise time frame for generating such force are still controversial. Elastic recoil and muscular contraction were the most commonly mentioned, but yet, still not clearly explained mechanisms involved in the ventricular suction. Classical concepts about timing of successive mechanical events during the cardiac cycle, also do not offer understandable insight into the mechanism of the ventricular filling. The net result is the current state of insufficient knowledge of systolic and particularly diastolic function of normal and diseased heart. Here we summarize experimental evidence and theoretical backgrounds, which could be useful in understanding the phenomenon of the ventricular filling. Anatomy of the VMB, and recent proofs for its segmental electrical and mechanical activation, undoubtedly indicates that ventricular filling is the consequence of an active muscular contraction. Contraction of the ascendent segment of the VMB, with simultaneous shortening and rectifying of its fibers, produces the paradoxical increase of the ventricular volume and lengthening of its long axis. Specific spatial arrangement of the ascendent segment fibers, their interaction with adjacent descendent segment fibers, elastic elements and intra-cavitary blood volume (hemoskeleton), explain the physical principles

An assessment of maintainability of elevator system to improve facilities management knowledge-base

Science.gov (United States)

Siti, N. A.; Asmone, A. S.; Chew, M. Y. L.

2018-02-01

Elevator system is a highly specialized machinery that requires technicians that have a wider array of knowledge in maintaining the system to be safe and reliable. While attaining reliable data of elevator malfunction become challenges, this study has filled the gap by gathering the management-maintenance issues and operational defects of elevator system. Forty-three types of operation defects were found and the consequence defects and their possible causes of occurrences were discussed. To respond to the prime challenges of maintaining elevator system provided by the industry players’ perspective, a theoretical framework is established as a recommendation to improve knowledge base of defects in elevator system which comprises good practices, and solutions to rectify each defects found. Hence, this research paper has theoretically improved the knowledge base of maintainability of elevator system and provide meaningful guidelines in practical senses to the industry professionals.

Knowledge gaps and misconceptions about coronary heart disease among U.S. South Asians.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandula, Namratha R; Tirodkar, Manasi A; Lauderdale, Diane S; Khurana, Neerja R; Makoul, Gregory; Baker, David W

2010-04-01

Although South Asians are at higher risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) than most other U.S. racial/ethnic groups, very little research has addressed this disparity. As a first step in developing culturally targeted CHD prevention messages for this rapidly growing community, this study examined South Asians' knowledge and beliefs about CHD. Analyses, conducted in 2009, were based on data collected from January to July 2008 in a cross-sectional study population of 270 South Asian adults in Illinois. Interviews were conducted in English, Hindi, or Urdu using a standardized questionnaire. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the associations between sociodemographics and CHD knowledge and attitudes about preventability. Eighty-one percent of respondents had one or more CHD risk factors. Most participants (89%) said they knew little or nothing about CHD. Stress was the most frequently mentioned risk factor (44%). Few mentioned controlling blood pressure (11%); cholesterol (10%); and diabetes (5%) for prevention. Fifty-three percent said that heart attacks are not preventable. Low education level, being interviewed in Urdu or Hindi, and low level of acculturation were associated with less knowledge and believing that CHD is not preventable. A majority of South Asians in this study believed that CHD is not preventable and had low awareness of modifiable risk factors. As a first step, CHD education should target the knowledge gaps that may affect risk factor control and behavior change. Educational messages may need to be somewhat different for subgroups (e.g., by education and language) to be maximally effective. 2010 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Filling the Data Gaps in Mountain Climate Observatories Through Advanced Technology, Refined Instrument Siting, and a Focus on Gradients

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Scotty Strachan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The mountain research community is still contending with the need to monitor ecosystems, both to improve local management practices and to address regional and global science questions related to the Future Earth themes of Dynamic Planet, Global Sustainable Development, and Transformations Towards Sustainability. How such efforts may be designed and coordinated remains an open question. Historical climate and ecological observatories and networks typically have not represented the scope or spatial and topographic distribution of near-surface processes in mountains, creating knowledge gaps. Grassroots, in situ investigations have revealed the existence of topoclimates that are not linearly related to general atmospheric conditions, and are also not adequately represented in gridded model products. In this paper, we describe how some of the disconnects between data, models, and applications in mountains can be addressed using a combination of gradient monitoring, uniform observational siting and standards, and modern technology (cyberinfrastructure. Existing observational studies need to expand their topographic niches, and future observatories should be planned to span entire gradients. Use of cyberinfrastructure tools such as digital telemetry and Internet Protocol networks can reduce costs and data gaps while improving data quality control processes and widening audience outreach. Embracing this approach and working toward common sets of comparable measurements should be goals of emerging mountain observatories worldwide.

Gateways: Expanding knowledge through broader participation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phil Nyden

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This new journal, Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, responds to a growing global movement of university-collaborative research initiatives. It also strives to fill a gap created by the sparse number of journals which publish outcomes of community-engaged research and work concerning community engagement. We seek articles based on research that is the result of actively engaged research-practitioner collaborative projects, has the potential of informing community-based activities or develops understanding of community engagement. Combining different knowledge bases that have traditionally been separated into academic and non-academic worlds can dramatically increase information flowing to scholars, community leaders and activists seeking to improve the quality of life in local communities around the world. We also wish to encourage work that contributes to the scholarship of engagement.

Large band gaps of water waves through two-dimensional periodic topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Shaohua; Wu Fugen; Zhong Huilin; Zhong Lanhua

2006-01-01

In this Letter, the band structures and band gaps of liquid surface waves propagating over two-dimensional periodic topography was investigated by plane-waves expansion method. The periodic topography drilled by square hollows with square lattice was considered. And the effects of the filling fraction and the orientation of bottom-hollows on the band gaps are investigated in detail

Understanding indigenous knowledge: Bridging the knowledge gap through a knowledge creation model for agricultural development

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Edda T. Lwoga

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the management of agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK in developing countries, with a specific focus on Tanzania. It provides background details on IK and its importance for agricultural development. It introduces various knowledge management (KM concepts and discusses their application in managing IK in the developing world by placing Nonaka’s knowledge creation theory (Nonaka 1991; Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995; Nonaka, Toyama & Konno 2000 in the context of the local communities. Data from focus groups were used to triangulate with data from interviews in order to validate, confirm and corroborate quantitative results with qualitative findings. The study findings showed that knowledge creation theory can be used to manage IK in the local communities, however, adequate and appropriate resources need to be allocated for capturing and preserving IK before it disappears altogether. For sustainable agricultural development, the communities have to be placed within a knowledge-creating setting that continuously creates, distributes and shares knowledge within and beyond the communities’ boundaries and integrates it with new agricultural technologies, innovations and knowledge.

The Adaptation Gap Report - a Preliminary Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alverson, Keith; Olhoff, Anne; Noble, Ian

This first Adaptation Gap report provides an equally sobering assessment of the gap between adaptation needs and reality, based on preliminary thinking on how baselines, future goals or targets, and gaps between them might be defined for climate change adaptation. The report focuses on gaps...... in developing countries in three important areas: finance, technology and knowledge....

Tourism Enterprises as Buyers of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Borodako

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article is an attempt to assess the business relations between the tourism sector and suppliers of various types of business services. It focuses on knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS. The reasons why tourism businesses purchase outsourced services are also discussed. An Internet survey was conducted and the results were used to calculate and discuss a number of indices. Cross-tabulation statistics are used to assess the interrelation between types of tourist firms, their localization and size, and the types and number of services they use. The largest numbers of KIBS used by the Polish tourism sector are from the accounting, IT, and advertising sectors, whereas the smallest relate to research and experimental development in the social sciences and humanities. This article fills a gap in the knowledge about usage of KIBS services by the tourism sector at the national level.

Bridging the PSI Knowledge Gap: A Multi-Scale Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wirth, Brian D. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

2015-01-08

Plasma-surface interactions (PSI) pose an immense scientific hurdle in magnetic confinement fusion and our present understanding of PSI in confinement environments is highly inadequate; indeed, a recent Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee report found that 4 out of the 5 top five fusion knowledge gaps were related to PSI. The time is appropriate to develop a concentrated and synergistic science effort that would expand, exploit and integrate the wealth of laboratory ion-beam and plasma research, as well as exciting new computational tools, towards the goal of bridging the PSI knowledge gap. This effort would broadly advance plasma and material sciences, while providing critical knowledge towards progress in fusion PSI. This project involves the development of a Science Center focused on a new approach to PSI science; an approach that both exploits access to state-of-the-art PSI experiments and modeling, as well as confinement devices. The organizing principle is to develop synergistic experimental and modeling tools that treat the truly coupled multi-scale aspect of the PSI issues in confinement devices. This is motivated by the simple observation that while typical lab experiments and models allow independent manipulation of controlling variables, the confinement PSI environment is essentially self-determined with few outside controls. This means that processes that may be treated independently in laboratory experiments, because they involve vastly different physical and time scales, will now affect one another in the confinement environment. Also, lab experiments cannot simultaneously match all exposure conditions found in confinement devices typically forcing a linear extrapolation of lab results. At the same time programmatic limitations prevent confinement experiments alone from answering many key PSI questions. The resolution to this problem is to usefully exploit access to PSI science in lab devices, while retooling our thinking from a linear and de

Exact Fill Rates for the (R, S) Inventory Control with Discrete Distributed Demands for the Backordering Case

OpenAIRE

Eugenia BABILONI; Ester GUIJARRO; Manuel CARDÓS; Sofía ESTELLÉS

2012-01-01

The fill rate is usually computed by using the traditional approach, which calculates it as the complement of the quotient between the expected unfulfilled demand and the expected demand per replenishment cycle, instead of directly the expected fraction of fulfilled demand. Furthermore the available methods to estimate the fill rate apply only under specific demand conditions. This paper shows the research gap regarding the estimation procedures to compute the fill rate and suggests: (i) a ne...

Gap-filling a spatially explicit plant trait database: comparing imputation methods and different levels of environmental information

Science.gov (United States)

Poyatos, Rafael; Sus, Oliver; Badiella, Llorenç; Mencuccini, Maurizio; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi

2018-05-01

The ubiquity of missing data in plant trait databases may hinder trait-based analyses of ecological patterns and processes. Spatially explicit datasets with information on intraspecific trait variability are rare but offer great promise in improving our understanding of functional biogeography. At the same time, they offer specific challenges in terms of data imputation. Here we compare statistical imputation approaches, using varying levels of environmental information, for five plant traits (leaf biomass to sapwood area ratio, leaf nitrogen content, maximum tree height, leaf mass per area and wood density) in a spatially explicit plant trait dataset of temperate and Mediterranean tree species (Ecological and Forest Inventory of Catalonia, IEFC, dataset for Catalonia, north-east Iberian Peninsula, 31 900 km2). We simulated gaps at different missingness levels (10-80 %) in a complete trait matrix, and we used overall trait means, species means, k nearest neighbours (kNN), ordinary and regression kriging, and multivariate imputation using chained equations (MICE) to impute missing trait values. We assessed these methods in terms of their accuracy and of their ability to preserve trait distributions, multi-trait correlation structure and bivariate trait relationships. The relatively good performance of mean and species mean imputations in terms of accuracy masked a poor representation of trait distributions and multivariate trait structure. Species identity improved MICE imputations for all traits, whereas forest structure and topography improved imputations for some traits. No method performed best consistently for the five studied traits, but, considering all traits and performance metrics, MICE informed by relevant ecological variables gave the best results. However, at higher missingness (> 30 %), species mean imputations and regression kriging tended to outperform MICE for some traits. MICE informed by relevant ecological variables allowed us to fill the gaps in

Addressing the knowledge gap: sexual violence and harassment in the UK Armed Forces.

Science.gov (United States)

Godier, Lauren R; Fossey, M

2017-09-06

Despite media interest in alleged sexual violence and harassment in the UK military, there remains a paucity of UK-based peer-reviewed research in this area. Ministry of Defence and service-specific reports support the suggestion that UK service personnel may be at risk of experiencing sexual harassment. These reports however highlight a reluctance by service personnel to report sexual harassment through official channels. In this article, we discuss the paucity of UK-based research pertaining to the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment in the military, explore potential reasons for this gap in knowledge and outline future directions and priorities for academic research. © 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.

Pectoralis Major Tear with Retracted Tendon: How to Fill the Gap? Reconstruction with Hamstring Autograft and Fixation with an Interference Screw

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L. Baverel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Rupture of the pectoralis major tendon is considered an uncommon injury and a significant number of ruptures are missed or diagnosed late, leading to a chronic tear. We report an open reconstruction technique and its outcomes in a case of chronic and retracted PM tear. At the last follow-up (12 months, the patient was pain-free, with a visual analogic scale at 0 all the time. He was very satisfied concerning the cosmetic and clinical results. The constant score was 93%, the SST value 95%, and the Quick DASH score 4.5. MRI performed one year postoperatively confirmed the continuity between PM tendon and graft, even if the aspect of the distal tendon seemed to be thinner than normal PM tendon. The excellent clinical outcomes at one-year follow-up suggest that PM tear with major tendon retraction can be reliably reconstructed with hamstring autograft, using a bioabsorbable screw to optimize the fixation device. This technique has proven its simplicity and efficiency to fill the gap.

Filling the gap 115 years after Ronald Ross: the distribution of the Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae s.s from Freetown and Monrovia, West Africa.

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Dziedzom K de Souza

Full Text Available It was in Freetown, Sierra Leone, that the malaria mosquito Anopheles coastalis, now known as Anopheles gambiae, was first discovered as the vector of malaria, in 1899. That discovery led to a pioneering vector research in Sierra Leone and neighbouring Liberia, where mosquito species were extensively characterized. Unfortunately, the decade long civil conflicts of the 1990s, in both countries, resulted in a stagnation of the once vibrant research on disease vectors. This paper attempts to fill in some of the gaps on what is now known of the distribution of the sibling species of the An. gambiae complex, and especially the An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s, formerly known as the An. gambiae molecular M and S forms respectively, in the cities of Freetown and Monrovia.

Autologous orbicularis muscle for filling facial folds-an experimental and clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schellini, Silvana Artioli; Hirai, Flavio Eduardo; Hoyama, Erika; Mattos, Maila Karina; Chaves, Fernando Rodrigo; Pellizon, Claudia Helena; Padovani, Carlos Roberto

2009-01-01

To present a technique for filling facial folds by using autologous orbicularis oculi muscle, based on an experimental model. two studies are presented: (1) an experimental study using 15 albino guinea-pigs from which a strip of the sural triceps muscle was removed and implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the dorsal area. The animals were sacrificed 7, 30 and 60 days after the implantation, and the material was histologically evaluated. And (2) an interventional prospective clinical trial carried out on 20 patients referred to blepharoplasty surgery. They received autologous preseptal orbicularis muscle for filling facial folds. The results where evaluated by patients satisfaction and clinical exam. the sural tricep muscle, when implanted in the subcutaneous tissue, resulted in fibrosis. The patients whom received autologous orbicularis muscle implanted for filling facial folds showed that the procedure can be successfully carried out. autologous preseptal orbicularis muscle is a good material for filling facial folds. Cicatricial tissue will be formed on its implantation site, filling the tissue gap that forms the folds on the skin.

Fortify Your Knowledge about Vitamins

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... useful when they fill a specific identified nutrient gap that cannot or is not otherwise being met ... Federal, State & Local Officials Consumers Health Professionals Science & Research Industry Scroll back to top Popular Content Home ...

Early age sealing of buffer-rock gap by artificial wetting to induce bentonite swelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, Erika; Marjavaara, Pieti

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. The aim of this work is to study the homogeneous and rapid swelling of bentonite in the gap between the buffer blocks and the rock wall of the Olkiluoto disposal facility by artificial wetting. The focus was on the construction period of the deposition hole and buffer, and thus only the very early ages of the first weeks. In practice it is desirable that the bentonite material has a volume increase sufficient enough to prevent rock scaling while lowering the risks of bentonite piping and erosion due to potential water flow. This initial study was done in a small-scale mock-up in laboratory conditions. The small-scale steel mock-up had dimensions of 39 cm in height by 36 cm in diameter and included 12 pressure sensors, two displacement transducers, thermal couples, and pore water pressure measurements. The radial and axial pressure development was typically measured over a two week period to assess the rate and magnitude of sealing. A steel confining lid was used for simulating overpressure, though in some cases a plexiglass lid was used to take video images of the gap sealing. The buffer blocks were produced by isostatic compression of 100 MPa. The material was MX-80 Wyoming bentonite having a water content of approximately 13% and a dry density of 1890 kg/m 3 . The testing samples were dry sawn and core drilled from the large block and machined to their final dimensions. These were typically 30 x 30 cm, either as a solid block or three disks of 10 cm height each. The diameter was sometimes varied to allow for a change of gap width between 25 to 50 mm The study included various scenarios, such as: eccentric aligned blocks with gap sizes of 5 and 45 mm, free upward swelling or confinement, different types of pellet and granular gap filling, addition of water at varying rates, and longer term test duration. The samples were typically disassembled after two weeks. At this ending point, material assessments were done

Using a research framework to identify knowledge gaps in research on food marketing to children in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Kathy; Kelly, Bridget; King, Lesley

2009-06-01

Research in the field of food marketing to children requires a better understanding of the research gaps in order to inform policy development. The purpose of this paper was to propose a framework for classifying food marketing research, using Australian research on food marketing to children to demonstrate how this framework can be used to determine knowledge gaps. A literature review of research databases and 'grey' material was conducted to identify research from the previous 10 years. Studies were classified according to their research focus, and media type, as either: exposure, including content analyses; effects of exposure, including opinions, attitudes and actions resulting from food marketing exposure; regulations, including the type and level of regulation that applies to food marketing; or breaches of regulations, including instances where marketing regulations have been violated. The majority of Australian research on food marketing to children has focused on television advertising and exposure research. Research has consistently shown that the content of food marketing directed at children is predominately for unhealthy foods. There is a lack of research on the effects of food marketing, which would be valuable to inform policy. The development of a logical framework for food marketing research allows for the identification of research gaps and enables research priorities to be identified.

Evidence-based decision-making 7: Knowledge translation.

Science.gov (United States)

Manns, Braden J

2015-01-01

There is a significant gap between what is known and what is implemented by key stakeholders in practice (the evidence to practice gap). The primary purpose of knowledge translation is to address this gap, bridging evidence to clinical practice. The knowledge to action cycle is one framework for knowledge translation that integrates policy-makers throughout the research cycle. The knowledge to action cycle begins with the identification of a problem (usually a gap in care provision). After identification of the problem, knowledge creation is undertaken, depicted at the center of the cycle as a funnel. Knowledge inquiry is at the wide end of the funnel, and moving down the funnel, the primary data is synthesized into knowledge products in the form of educational materials, guidelines, decision aids, or clinical pathways. The remaining components of the knowledge to action cycle refer to the action of applying the knowledge that has been created. This includes adapting knowledge to local context, assessing barriers to knowledge use, selecting, tailoring implementing interventions, monitoring knowledge use, evaluating outcomes, and sustaining knowledge use. Each of these steps is connected by bidirectional arrows and ideally involves healthcare decision-makers and key stakeholders at each transition.

Contact mechanics for poroelastic, fluid-filled media, with application to cartilage.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, B N J

2016-12-21

I study a simple contact mechanics model for a poroelastic, fluid-filled solid squeezed against a rigid, randomly rough substrate. I study how the fluid is squeezed out from the interface, and how the area of contact, and the average interfacial separation, change with time. I present numerical results relevant for a human cartilage. I show that for a fluid filled poroelastic solid the probability of cavitation (and the related wear as the cavities implode), and dynamical scraping (defined below and in Hutt and Persson, J. Chem. Phys. 144, 124903 (2016)), may be suppressed by fluid flow from the poroelastic solid into the (roughness induced) interfacial gap between the solids.

First-Time Knowledge Brokers in Health Care: The Experiences of Nurses and Allied Health Professionals of Bridging the Research-Practice Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Nicola

2013-01-01

This study describes the experiences of nurses and allied health professionals as first-time knowledge brokers, attempting to bridge the research-practice gap within health care. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews and documentary analysis was conducted. The data was analysed using a thematic analysis strategy. Participants were 17…

Financial Knowledge and the Gender Gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann Woodyard

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Financial knowledge has been identified as an issue of importance to individual financial wellness. The FINRA Financial Capability Study provides data that make it possible to assess financial knowledge, and to analyze it in the context of financial satisfaction and participation in financial behaviors that are generally considered positive. This paper looks at these relationships by gender and by age group, identifying key differences in outcomes and behaviors. The aim of this study was to identify areas and issues where policy makers can focus efforts, and where practitioners can develop education and therapy protocols to assist clients in financial development and restoration.

Addressing the common pathway underlying hypertension and diabetes in people who are obese by maximizing health: the ultimate knowledge translation gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Elizabeth; Lomi, Constantina; Bruno, Selma; Awad, Hamzeh; O'Donoghue, Grainne

2011-03-06

In accordance with the WHO definition of health, this article examines the alarming discord between the epidemiology of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and obesity and the low profile of noninvasive (nondrug) compared with invasive (drug) interventions with respect to their prevention, reversal and management. Herein lies the ultimate knowledge translation gap and challenge in 21st century health care. Although lifestyle modification has long appeared in guidelines for medically managing these conditions, this evidence-based strategy is seldom implemented as rigorously as drug prescription. Biomedicine focuses largely on reducing signs and symptoms; the effects of the problem rather than the problem. This article highlights the evidence-based rationale supporting prioritizing the underlying causes and contributing factors for hypertension and T2DM, and, in turn, obesity. We argue that a primary focus on maximizing health could eliminate all three conditions, at best, or, at worst, minimize their severity, complications, and medication needs. To enable such knowledge translation and maximizing health outcome, the health care community needs to practice as an integrated team, and address barriers to effecting maximal health in all patients. Addressing the ultimate knowledge translation gap, by aligning the health care paradigm to 21st century needs, would constitute a major advance.

Addressing the Common Pathway Underlying Hypertension and Diabetes in People Who Are Obese by Maximizing Health: The Ultimate Knowledge Translation Gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Dean

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In accordance with the WHO definition of health, this article examines the alarming discord between the epidemiology of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, and obesity and the low profile of noninvasive (nondrug compared with invasive (drug interventions with respect to their prevention, reversal and management. Herein lies the ultimate knowledge translation gap and challenge in 21st century health care. Although lifestyle modification has long appeared in guidelines for medically managing these conditions, this evidence-based strategy is seldom implemented as rigorously as drug prescription. Biomedicine focuses largely on reducing signs and symptoms; the effects of the problem rather than the problem. This article highlights the evidence-based rationale supporting prioritizing the underlying causes and contributing factors for hypertension and T2DM, and, in turn, obesity. We argue that a primary focus on maximizing health could eliminate all three conditions, at best, or, at worst, minimize their severity, complications, and medication needs. To enable such knowledge translation and maximizing health outcome, the health care community needs to practice as an integrated team, and address barriers to effecting maximal health in all patients. Addressing the ultimate knowledge translation gap, by aligning the health care paradigm to 21st century needs, would constitute a major advance.

Closing the gap between research and management

Science.gov (United States)

Deborah M. Finch; Marcia Patton-Mallory

1993-01-01

In this paper, we evaluate the reasons for gaps in communication between researchers and natural resource managers and identify methods to close these gaps. Gaps originate from differing patterns of language use, disparities in organizational culture and values, generation of knowledge that is too narrowly-focused to solve complex problems, failure by managers to relay...

Gap Junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Morten Schak; Axelsen, Lene Nygaard; Sorgen, Paul L.; Verma, Vandana; Delmar, Mario; Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik

2013-01-01

Gap junctions are essential to the function of multicellular animals, which require a high degree of coordination between cells. In vertebrates, gap junctions comprise connexins and currently 21 connexins are known in humans. The functions of gap junctions are highly diverse and include exchange of metabolites and electrical signals between cells, as well as functions, which are apparently unrelated to intercellular communication. Given the diversity of gap junction physiology, regulation of gap junction activity is complex. The structure of the various connexins is known to some extent; and structural rearrangements and intramolecular interactions are important for regulation of channel function. Intercellular coupling is further regulated by the number and activity of channels present in gap junctional plaques. The number of connexins in cell-cell channels is regulated by controlling transcription, translation, trafficking, and degradation; and all of these processes are under strict control. Once in the membrane, channel activity is determined by the conductive properties of the connexin involved, which can be regulated by voltage and chemical gating, as well as a large number of posttranslational modifications. The aim of the present article is to review our current knowledge on the structure, regulation, function, and pharmacology of gap junctions. This will be supported by examples of how different connexins and their regulation act in concert to achieve appropriate physiological control, and how disturbances of connexin function can lead to disease. © 2012 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 2:1981-2035, 2012. PMID:23723031

Small- and medium-sized enterprises’ knowledge management systems as edifiers of new value innovations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boniface Okanga

2017-07-01

Objectives: This research evaluates how the effectiveness of the small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs knowledge management systems enhance new value innovations so as to identify the major paradoxes and a business model that coherently integrates knowledge management with new value innovations. Method: Using a qualitative research method, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the opinions of 20 purposively sampled managers from 20 SMEs on how knowledge management edifies new value innovations. Results: A strong culture of information utilisation was found to enhance relevant analysis and identification of new gaps in the markets that must be filled through new value innovations or modifications of the existing products. However, poor culture of knowledge utilisation, cost of knowledge management and the often poorly functional business information systems were still reiterated as major paradoxes hampering effective knowledge management as one of the determinants of new value innovations. Conclusion: The study concluded with a model highlighting a continuum of knowledge management–new value innovation pillars like a strong culture of information utilisation, and encouragement of creativity that the executives must consider to create an effective knowledge management foundation that subsequently leverages the overall effectiveness of new value innovations.

Canine vector-borne diseases in India: a review of the literature and identification of existing knowledge gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coleman Glen T

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Despite the combination of favourable climate for parasites and vectors, and large populations of stray dogs, information concerning the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of canine vector-borne diseases in India is limited. However, with the country's expanding economy and adaptation to western culture, higher expectations and demands are being placed on veterinary surgeons for improved knowledge of diseases and control. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of these diseases in India and identify existing knowledge gaps in the literature which need to be addressed. The available literature on this subject, although limited, suggests that a number of canine vector-borne diseases such as filariasis, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis are endemic throughout India, as diagnosed mostly by morphological methods. Detailed investigations of the epidemiology and zoonotic potential of these pathogens has been neglected. Further study is essential to develop a better understanding of the diversity of canine vector-borne diseases in India, and their significance for veterinary and public health.

Engaging Students with Gaps: The Whale and the Cigar.

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, Lois Josephs; Pesante, Linda Hutz

1989-01-01

Shows how to help students fill in textual "gaps" to interact more fully with contemporary texts, classics, and myths. Presents examples of this approach for studying (1) Shakespeare's "Hamlet" with Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"; and (2) George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" with the…

Biochar effects on soils: overview and knowledge gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Verheijen, F. G. A.; Jeffery, S.; Bastos, A. C.; van der Velde, M.

2012-04-01

One of the cornerstones of the sustainable biochar concept is to improve, or at least to not deteriorate, soil quality and functioning. The idea of global sustainable biochar systems, with biochar applied to global cropland and grassland soils, has highlighted limitations in: i) current scientific understanding of biochar interactions with soil components, ii) the capacity to assess ecosystem services provided by soils, and iii) the uncertainty in spatio-temporal representation of both (i) and (ii). Pyrolysis conditions and feedstock characteristics largely control the physico-chemical properties of the resulting biochar, which in turn determine the suitability for a given application. Soils are highly heterogeneous systems at a range of scales. Combinations of land use, soil management and changing climatic conditions further enhance this heterogeneity. While this leads to difficulties in identifying the underlying mechanisms behind reported effects in the scientific literature, it also provides an opportunity for 'critical matching' of biochar properties that are best suited to a particular site (depending on soil type, hydrology, climate, land use, soil contaminants, etc.). Biochar's relatively long mean residence times in soils (100s of years) make it a potential instrument for sequestering carbon (if done sustainably). However, that same long mean residence time sets biochar apart from conventional soil amendments (such as manures and other organic fertilizers) that are considered as transient in the soil (1-10s of years). The functional life time of biochar in soils essentially moves biochar from a soil management tool to a geo-engineering technique. One of the consequences is that desired ecosystem services that are provided by soils, have to be projected for the same time period. This presentation aims to discuss critical knowledge gaps in biochar-soil-ecosystem interactions against a background of ecosystem services.

Knowledge gap regarding dementia care among nurses in Taiwanese acute care hospitals: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Chao; Hsieh, Mei-Hui; Chen, Meng-Chin; Yang, Yung-Mei; Lin, Li-Chan

2018-02-01

The quality of dementia care in hospitals is typically substandard. Staff members are underprepared for providing care to older people with dementia. The objective of the present study was to examine dementia care knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding self-education about dementia care among nurses working in different wards. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The present study was carried out from July 2013 to December 2013. In total, 387 nurses working in different wards were recruited from two hospitals in Taiwan by using convenience sampling. The nurses completed a self-report questionnaire on demographic data, experience and learning behavior, and attitude towards dementia care, and a 16-item questionnaire on dementia care knowledge. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the status and differences in dementia care knowledge among nurse in different wards. The average dementia care knowledge score was 10.46 (SD 2.13), with a 66.5% mean accuracy among all nurses. Dementia care knowledge was significantly associated with age, nursing experience, possession of a registered nurse license, holding a bachelor's degree, work unit, training courses and learning behavior towards dementia care. The dementia care knowledge of the emergency room nurses was significantly lower than that of the psychiatric and neurology ward nurses. A significantly lower percentage of emergency room nurses underwent dementia care training and actively searched for information on dementia care, compared with the psychiatric and neurology ward nurses. Hospital nurses show a knowledge gap regarding dementia care, especially emergency room nurses. Providing dementia care training to hospital nurses, particularly emergency room nurses, is crucial for improving the quality of care for patients with dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 276-285. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

"May the journey continue": Earth 2 fan fiction, or Filling in gaps to revive a canceled series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Musiani

2010-09-01

Full Text Available This essay explores writing practices in a fan community having to give life to a story deprived of an "official" version: the television series Earth 2. I argue that fan fiction writing for this prematurely canceled series exhibits peculiar features in comparison to fan writing for established series: for example, temporality, choice of protagonists, character pairings, and challenges to the original conception(s of the series. Writing fan fiction for a canceled series is not about creating alternatives to an existing story, but about filling in gaps; it brings to light the ways in which fan fiction deals with closure. I take as a case study Earth 2, a series aired by NBC in the United States in 1994–95, whose first and only season ended in a cliffhanger episode hinting that a mysterious ailment had struck the main and most popular character. Shortly afterward, a significant number of Earth 2 Web sites, online conventions, and especially fan stories started developing; they explored what could have happened next and bore nostalgic but combative mottoes and titles such as "May the Journey Continue." I explore the specific features of Earth 2 fan fiction production and sharing by analyzing the main Earth 2 fan fiction archives on the Web and the responses to my email interviews of fan writers. Exemplars of the Earth 2 case are compared to those of other science fiction TV series, both prematurely canceled (Firefly, Space: Above and Beyond and long-lived (Babylon 5, Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

Study on the properties of tunable prohibited band gaps for one-dimensional ternary magnetized plasma photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Haifeng; Zheng Jianping; Zhu Rongjun

2012-01-01

The transfer matrix method was applied to study on the properties of tunable prohibited band gaps for one-dimensional ternary magnetized plasma photonic crystals with TE wave arbitrary incident under ideal conditions. TE wave would be divided into left-handed circularly polarized wave and right-handed circularly polarized wave after propagation through one-dimensional ternary magnetized plasma photonic crystals. The calculated transmission coefficients were used to analyze the effects of parameter of plasma, plasma filling factor, incident angle and relative dielectric constant for dielectric layer on the properties of tunable prohibited band gap. The results illustrate that the width of band gaps can not be broadened by increasing plasma collision frequency, the numbers and width of band gaps can be tuned by changing plasma frequency, plasma filling factor and relative dielectric constant for dielectric layer. The band gaps for right-handed circularly polarized wave can be tuned by the plasma gyro frequency, but band gaps for the left-handed circularly polarized wave can't influenced. Low-frequency region of band gaps will be broadened, while high-frequency region of band gaps will be firstly narrow and then broaden with increasing incident angle. (authors)

Safeguarding semi-arid regions from climate shocks | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2016-04-21

Apr 21, 2016 ... In the Indian tropics, knowledge gaps around social vulnerability still ... part of theCollaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), is helping to fill these knowledge gaps. ... Defining maladaptation.

The military role in filling the security gap after armed conflict : Three cases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neuteboom, Peter; Soeters, J.M.M.L.

2017-01-01

During stabilization operations, the host nation and the international community are often confronted with a security gap, which could be a prelude to an explosive growth of crime and public disorder. In the absence of a functioning local police, an alternative is that the (international) military

Critical Knowledge Gaps in Our Understanding of Environmental Cycling and Transmission of Leptospira spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Barragan, Veronica; Olivas, Sonora; Keim, Paul; Pearson, Talima

2017-10-01

Exposure to soil or water contaminated with the urine of Leptospira -infected animals is the most common way in which humans contract leptospirosis. Entire populations can be at high risk of leptospirosis while working in inundated fields, when engaging in aquatic sports, or after periods of heavy rainfall. The risk of infection after contact with these environmental sources depends on the ability of Leptospira bacteria to survive, persist, and infect new hosts. Multiple variables such as soil and water pH, temperature, and even environmental microbial communities are likely to shape the environmental conditions needed by the pathogen to persist. Here we review what is known about the environmental phase of the infectious Leptospira transmission cycle and identify knowledge gaps that will serve as a guide for future research. Copyright © 2017 Barragan et al.

Spatio-temporal gap analysis of OBIS-SEAMAP project data: assessment and way forward.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Connie Y Kot

Full Text Available The OBIS-SEAMAP project has acquired and served high-quality marine mammal, seabird, and sea turtle data to the public since its inception in 2002. As data accumulated, spatial and temporal biases resulted and a comprehensive gap analysis was needed in order to assess coverage to direct data acquisition for the OBIS-SEAMAP project and for taxa researchers should true gaps in knowledge exist. All datasets published on OBIS-SEAMAP up to February 2009 were summarized spatially and temporally. Seabirds comprised the greatest number of records, compared to the other two taxa, and most records were from shipboard surveys, compared to the other three platforms. Many of the point observations and polyline tracklines were located in northern and central Atlantic and the northeastern and central-eastern Pacific. The Southern Hemisphere generally had the lowest representation of data, with the least number of records in the southern Atlantic and western Pacific regions. Temporally, records of observations for all taxa were the lowest in fall although the number of animals sighted was lowest in the winter. Oceanographic coverage of observations varied by platform for each taxa, which showed that using two or more platforms represented habitat ranges better than using only one alone. Accessible and published datasets not already incorporated do exist within spatial and temporal gaps identified. Other related open-source data portals also contain data that fill gaps, emphasizing the importance of dedicated data exchange. Temporal and spatial gaps were mostly a result of data acquisition effort, development of regional partnerships and collaborations, and ease of field data collection. Future directions should include fostering partnerships with researchers in the Southern Hemisphere while targeting datasets containing species with limited representation. These results can facilitate prioritizing datasets needed to be represented and for planning research for

Mainstreaming conservation agriculture in Malawi: Knowledge gaps and institutional barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dougill, Andrew J; Whitfield, Stephen; Stringer, Lindsay C; Vincent, Katharine; Wood, Benjamin T; Chinseu, Edna L; Steward, Peter; Mkwambisi, David D

2017-06-15

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices of reduced soil tillage, permanent organic soil coverage and intercropping/crop rotation, are being advocated globally, based on perceived benefits for crop yields, soil carbon storage, weed suppression, reduced soil erosion and improved soil water retention. However, some have questioned their efficacy due to uncertainty around the performance and trade-offs associated with CA practices, and their compatibility with the diverse livelihood strategies and varied agro-ecological conditions across African smallholder systems. This paper assesses the role of key institutions in Malawi in shaping pathways towards more sustainable land management based on CA by outlining their impact on national policy-making and the design and implementation of agricultural development projects. It draws on interviews at national, district and project levels and a multi-stakeholder workshop that mapped the institutional landscape of decision-making for agricultural land management practices. Findings identify knowledge gaps and institutional barriers that influence land management decision-making and constrain CA uptake. We use our findings to set out an integrated roadmap of research needs and policy options aimed at supporting CA as a route to enhanced sustainable land management in Malawi. Findings offer lessons that can inform design, planning and implementation of CA projects, and identify the multi-level institutional support structures required for mainstreaming sustainable land management in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Filling the gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tota, Pasqua Marina

2014-01-01

) with the main aim to achieve basic education for all children, youth and adults. A participant in this process since 2000 is the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), an advocacy network of INGOs, established jointly by Oxfam, ActionAid International, Education International and Global March Against Child Labour...

Eating patterns and food systems: critical knowledge requirements for policy design and implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guyomard Hervé

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Eating patterns are important for building sustainable food and agricultural systems. This paper begins by presenting the main features of eating patterns worldwide. These eating patterns include the relative convergence of diets, more rapid food transition in emerging and developing countries, development of a more complex food chain, and substantial food losses and waste at distribution and final consumption stages. These patterns have negative consequences on health and the environment. The drivers of these patterns are examined to identify knowledge gaps, the filling of which should facilitate the design and implementation of actions and policies aimed at making food systems more sustainable.

Getting it right: Filling the gaps in FERC's stranded cost policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, K.; Olson, W.P.

1999-01-01

FERC is currently at a cross-road: It must implement its stranded cost policies properly or the comprehensive approach that Order 888 represents will not be credible. In this context, it is important to remember that public policies aimed at introducing competition into electricity markets will proceed more quickly and effectively if the regulatory bargain is kept. Thus, any plan to introduce competition in electricity must honor existing commitments and provide utilities with a reasonable opportunity to recover prudently incurred investments. By closing the gaps in its stranded cost recovery policies in economically appropriate ways, FERC can reaccelerate the movement to efficient competition in generation markets

Band gap of two-dimensional fiber-air photonic crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Shu, E-mail: yangshu5678@163.com; Li, Masha

2016-04-15

A two-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) composed of textile fiber and air is initially discussed in this paper. Textile materials are so called soft materials, which are different from the previous PCs composed of rigid materials. The plain wave expansion method is used to calculate band structure of different PCs by altering component properties or structural parameters. Results show that the dielectric constant of textile fibers, fiber filling ratio and lattice arrangement are effective factors which influence PCs' band gap. Yet lattice constant and fiber diameter make inconspicuous influence on the band gap feature.

Between-group behaviour in health care: gaps, edges, boundaries, disconnections, weak ties, spaces and holes. A systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braithwaite Jeffrey

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gaps are typically regarded as a problem to be solved. People are stimulated to close or plug them. Researchers are moved to fill deficits in the literature in order to realise a more complete knowledge base, health authorities want to bridge policy-practice disconnections, managers to secure resources to remedy shortfalls between poor and idealised care, and clinicians to provide services to patients across the divides of organisational silos. Despite practical and policy work in many health systems to bridge gaps, it is valuable to study research examining them for the insights provided. Structural holes, spaces between social clusters and weak or absent ties represent fissures in networks, located in less densely populated parts of otherwise closely connected social structures. Such gaps are useful as they illustrate how communication potentially breaks down or interactivity fails. This paper discusses empirical and theoretical work on this phenomenon with the aim of analysing a specific exemplar, the structures of silos within health care organisations. Methods The research literature on social spaces, holes, gaps, boundaries and edges was searched systematically, and separated into health [n = 13] and non-health [n = 55] samples. The health literature was reviewed and synthesised in order to understand the circumstances between stakeholders and stakeholder groups that both provide threats to networked interactions and opportunities to strengthen the fabric of organisational and institutional inter-relationships. Results The research examples illuminate various network structure characteristics and group interactions. They explicate a range of opportunities for improved social and professional relations that understanding structural holes, social spaces and absent ties affords. A principal finding is that these kinds of gaps illustrate the conditions under which connections are strained or have been severed, where the

Optical study of the band structure of wurtzite GaP nanowires

OpenAIRE

Assali, S.; Greil, J.; Zardo, I.; Belabbes, A.; de Moor, M.W.A.; Kölling, S.; Koenraad, P.M.; Bechstedt, F.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.; Haverkort, J.E.M.

2016-01-01

We investigated the optical properties of wurtzite (WZ) GaP nanowires by performing photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements in the temperature range from 4 K to 300 K, together with atom probe tomography to identify residual impurities in the nanowires. At low temperature, the WZ GaP luminescence shows donor-acceptor pair emission at 2.115 eV and 2.088 eV, and Burstein-Moss band-filling continuum between 2.180 and 2.253 eV, resulting in a direct band gap above 2.170 eV. Sharp...

Bridging the knowledge gap between Big Data producers and consumers

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, G. S.; Worley, S. J.

2015-12-01

Most weather data is produced, disseminated and consumed by expert users in large national operational centers or laboratories. Data 'ages' off their systems in days or weeks. While archives exist, would-be users often lack the credentials necessary to obtain an account to access or search its contents. Moreover, operational centers and many national archives lack the mandate and the resources to serve non-expert users. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Research Data Archive (RDA), rda.ucar.edu, was created over 40 years ago to collect data for NCAR's internal Big Science projects such as the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project. Over time, the data holdings have grown to 1.8+ Petabytes spanning 600+ datasets. The user base has also grown; in 2014, we served 1.1 Petabytes of data to over 11,000 unique users. The RDA works with national centers, such as NCEP, ECMWF and JMA to make their data available to worldwide audiences and mutually support data access at the production source. We have become not just an open-access data center, but also a data education center. Each dataset archived at the RDA is assigned to a data specialist (DS) who curates the data. If a user has a question not answered in the dataset information web pages prepared by the DS, they can call or email a skilled DS for further clarification. The RDA's diverse staff—with academic training in meteorology, oceanography, engineering (electrical, civil, ocean and database), mathematics, physics, chemistry and information science—means we likely have someone who "speaks your language." Erroneous data assumptions are the Achilles heel of Big Data. It doesn't matter how much data you crunch if the data is not what you think it is. Data discovery is another difficult Big Data problem; one can only solve problems with data if one can find the right data. Metadata, both machine and human-generated, underpin the RDA data search tools. The RDA has stepped in to fill the gap between data

Selection and specification criteria for fills for cut-and-fill mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, E. G.

1980-05-15

Because of significant differences in placement and loading conditions, the ideal fill material for a cut-and-fill operation has different characteristics to those for a fill for a filled open stoping operation. The differing requirements of the two mining operations must be understood and accounted for in establishing fill selection and specification criteria. Within the paper, aspects of the particular requirements of cut-and-fill mining are analyzed and related to the specific fill tests and properties required. Emphasis is placed upon the role of fill in ground support, though this cannot be isolated from overall fill performance. Where appropriate, test data are introduced and areas requiring continuing research highlighted.

An integrated system for interactive continuous learning of categorical knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Skočaj, Danijel; Vrečko, Alen; Mahnič, Marko; Janíček, Miroslav; Kruijff, Geert-Jan M.; Hanheide, Marc; Hawes, Nick; Wyatt, Jeremy L.; Keller, Thomas; Zhou, Kai; Zillich, Michael; Kristan, Matej

2016-09-01

This article presents an integrated robot system capable of interactive learning in dialogue with a human. Such a system needs to have several competencies and must be able to process different types of representations. In this article, we describe a collection of mechanisms that enable integration of heterogeneous competencies in a principled way. Central to our design is the creation of beliefs from visual and linguistic information, and the use of these beliefs for planning system behaviour to satisfy internal drives. The system is able to detect gaps in its knowledge and to plan and execute actions that provide information needed to fill these gaps. We propose a hierarchy of mechanisms which are capable of engaging in different kinds of learning interactions, e.g. those initiated by a tutor or by the system itself. We present the theory these mechanisms are build upon and an instantiation of this theory in the form of an integrated robot system. We demonstrate the operation of the system in the case of learning conceptual models of objects and their visual properties.

Gap Between Clinical Practice and Guidelines: A National Survey of the Knowledge of Recommended Heart Failure Guidelines Among Chinese Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Tianyi; Zhang, Yuhui; Liu, Nini; Huang, Yuhui; Liang, Tuo; Zhao, Xuemei; Zhang, Jian

We investigated the current level of knowledge of Chinese heart failure (HF) guidelines among physicians, as a reference for the promotion and transformation of HF knowledge. Physicians from 88 hospitals in 27 provinces of China completed our survey between July and December 2014. The questions covered the main points included in the Chinese HF diagnosis and treatment guidelines (2014). A total of 2146 physicians, aged 20 to 62 years (35.6 ± 7.6 years), completed the survey. The correctness rate of their answers to the 15 multiple-choice questions in the HF questionnaire was generally low (mean 32.6%). The mean correctness rate for 10 blank-filling questions about the target doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and β-blockers was 42.5%. On the basis of their responses, physicians whose knowledge of the guidelines was "excellent," "good," "medium," and "bad" accounted for 1.1%, 11.4%, 14.2%, and 73.4%, respectively. Physicians who possessed a higher level of qualifications had significantly greater awareness of HF guidelines than those with relatively low qualifications (P knowledge about HF. There is a need to improve physicians' education about HF in China.

Forest filled with gaps : effects of gap size on water and nutrient cycling in tropical rain forest : a study in Guyana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, O. van

2001-01-01

Guyana's forests are selectively logged and a forest management is desired that is economically sustainable and ecologically responsible. Canopy gaps, created by selective logging, induce changes to microclimatic and edaphic conditions. These changes influence the regeneration of the

Overcoming Knowledge Gaps in Postmerger Integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alaranta, Maria Eliisa; Martela, Eero

2012-01-01

Over 50% of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) fail, mainly because of integration problems. In such integrations, much of the experiential (learning-by-doing) knowledge critical for running the business becomes redundant or is lost. However, we know virtually nothing about what type of mechanisms...

The Northern Climate Exchange Gap Analysis Project : an assessment of the current state of knowledge about the impacts of climate change in northern Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The Northern Climate ExChange (NCE) Gap Analysis Project was launched in 1999 with an objective to assess the state of knowledge on climate change in northern Canada. Resulting products of the project have included the Infosource Database, an on-line database of published climate change research related to the Canadian North, the Directory of Contacts, another on-line database of interested parties to climate change issues, and a set of tables that rate the level of available information on climate change as it relates to natural, economic and community systems. Other products include a report of a workshop on climate change research, 2 reports assessing the level of traditional northern knowledge about climate change, 2 reports assessing the completeness and value of the Infosource Database, a web site for NCE, and this report. All products are available to the public on the Internet or on a CD-ROM. The NCE Gap Analysis Project has shown there are inequalities in the amount of information across different systems, and that there is more knowledge on predicted temperature changes than for other climate components. The study notes that there are strong regional trends for compiled knowledge, with some regions having been better studied than others. The project revealed that traditional knowledge of climate change has not been well documented, and that more information exists about climate change impacts on biological systems with an economic component than those without economic significance. refs., tabs., figs

Understanding the safety and tolerability of facial filling therapeutics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulichova, Daniela; Borovaya, Alyona; Ruzicka, Thomas; Thomas, Peter; Gauglitz, Gerd G

2014-09-01

Aesthetic medicine represents an emerging field for many specialties. Nowadays, a plethora of approaches are available to rejuvenate the human body and face, the latter being a frequent target for the placement of filling substances to correct wrinkles and volume loss. Nevertheless, based on the many products on the market, treating clinicians must pay specific attention to the properties of the respective materials, their associated side effects and any specific handling requirements to prevent potential short- and long-term adverse events. Types of filling materials, including biodegradable and non-biodegradable products, related complications, their conservative and invasive treatment options, as well as prevention strategies are described in this review. A profound knowledge of the facial anatomy as well as extensive experience with the various filling techniques and suitable materials for the respective areas remains crucial to prevent adverse events associated with filling procedures to the human face. Since side effects such as malar edema and foreign body granuloma do affect patients physically and psychologically to a significant extent and their successful treatment still remains challenging, further in depth studies on the tolerability of many filling materials utilized are required.

The ecotoxicity of graphene family materials: current status, knowledge gaps and future needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jastrzębska, Agnieszka Maria; Olszyna, Andrzej Roman

2015-01-01

Recently, graphene family materials (GFMs) have been introduced among all fields of science and still get numerous attention. Also, the applicability of these materials in many areas makes them very attractive. GFMs have attracted both academic and industrial interest as they can produce a dramatic improvement in materials properties at very low filler content. The aim of this review is to identify, summarize, and present the first available information on the influence of GFMs on soil and water environment as well as identify the knowledge gaps and indicate the directions for the next generation of the original scientific investigations. The paper also presents our first preliminary impact assessment and potential pathways of GFMs distribution in the environment. We used as an example the reduced graphene oxide/Al 2 O 3 nanocomposite (RGO/Al 2 O 3 ) that has been previously designed and synthesized by us. Authors believe that further work should focus on improvement of characterization methodology applicable for ecotoxicity analyses and possible interactions between GFMs and different living ecosystems. Consequently, the potential impact of graphene and its derivatives on environmental health is a matter of academic interest. However, potential hazards sufficient for risk assessment and concerned with GFMs usage in consumer products first need to be investigated and identified. Further research should focus on gathering knowledge on GFMs properties for life cycle analyses, which still poses a great challenge for scientists

The ecotoxicity of graphene family materials: current status, knowledge gaps and future needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jastrzębska, Agnieszka Maria, E-mail: agsolgala@gmail.com; Olszyna, Andrzej Roman, E-mail: aolszyna@meil.pw.edu.pl [Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering (Poland)

2015-01-15

Recently, graphene family materials (GFMs) have been introduced among all fields of science and still get numerous attention. Also, the applicability of these materials in many areas makes them very attractive. GFMs have attracted both academic and industrial interest as they can produce a dramatic improvement in materials properties at very low filler content. The aim of this review is to identify, summarize, and present the first available information on the influence of GFMs on soil and water environment as well as identify the knowledge gaps and indicate the directions for the next generation of the original scientific investigations. The paper also presents our first preliminary impact assessment and potential pathways of GFMs distribution in the environment. We used as an example the reduced graphene oxide/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite (RGO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) that has been previously designed and synthesized by us. Authors believe that further work should focus on improvement of characterization methodology applicable for ecotoxicity analyses and possible interactions between GFMs and different living ecosystems. Consequently, the potential impact of graphene and its derivatives on environmental health is a matter of academic interest. However, potential hazards sufficient for risk assessment and concerned with GFMs usage in consumer products first need to be investigated and identified. Further research should focus on gathering knowledge on GFMs properties for life cycle analyses, which still poses a great challenge for scientists.

Paradoxical gap in the relative ages of T Tauri stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaer, W.B.

1984-01-01

The frequency distribution of T Tauri stars of different Youth (relative age) shows a pronounced gap at 5% of their time to the zero-age main sequence. This gap, which occurs in all of the four major T Tauri associations, is too large to be filled by unclassifiable veiled stars. It is nearly vertical on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, is centered near spectral class K5, and lies close to the transition between the convective and radiative tracks of the pre-main-sequence stars

The 5As team intervention: bridging the knowledge gap in obesity management among primary care practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunleye, Ayodele; Osunlana, Adedayo; Asselin, Jodie; Cave, Andrew; Sharma, Arya Mitra; Campbell-Scherer, Denise Lynn

2015-12-22

Despite opportunities for didactic education on obesity management, we still observe low rates of weight management visits in our primary care setting. This paper describes the co-creation by front-line interdisciplinary health care providers and researchers of the 5As Team intervention to improve obesity prevention and management in primary care. We describe the theoretical foundations, design, and core elements of the 5AsT intervention, and the process of eliciting practitioners' self-identified knowledge gaps to inform the curricula for the 5AsT intervention. Themes and topics were identified through facilitated group discussion and a curriculum relevant to this group of practitioners was developed and delivered in a series of 12 workshops. The research question and approach were co-created with the clinical leadership of the PCN; the PCN committed internal resources and a practice facilitator to the effort. Practice facilitation and learning collaboratives were used in the intervention For the content, front-line providers identified 43 topics, related to 13 themes around obesity assessment and management for which they felt the need for further education and training. These needs included: cultural identity and body image, emotional and mental health, motivation, setting goals, managing expectations, weight-bias, caregiver fatigue, clinic dynamics and team-based care, greater understanding of physiology and the use of a systematic framework for obesity assessment (the "4Ms" of obesity). The content of the 12 intervention sessions were designed based on these themes. There was a strong innovation values fit with the 5AsT intervention, and providers were more comfortable with obesity management following the intervention. The 5AsT intervention, including videos, resources and tools, has been compiled for use by clinical teams and is available online at http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/5As_Team . Primary care interdisciplinary practitioners perceive important

Barriers to tacit knowledge retention: An understanding of the perceptions of the knowledge management of people inside and outside the organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Bessick

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Knowledge loss causes challenges for organisations that wish to remain competitive. These organisations must identify the risks that could lead to knowledge loss and become aware of issues that affect knowledge retention.Objectives: The objective of this research was to identify tacit knowledge retention barriers that could cause knowledge loss in an organisation. The paper presents a framework for the assessment of the impact of these barriers and discusses the research findings in order to critique that framework.Method: A quantitative strategy was used to interpret the findings. The target population is information technology (IT professionals in a government organisation. Interviews were conducted in order to produce a more context-sensitive interpretation of the findings. A quantitative research approach was used to ensure the findings would precisely reflect the target population.Results: The majority of respondents confirmed that career development requires professional development, training prospects and improves the employability of employees. The agreed result was that respondents seek autonomy, that is, the ability to make decisions. Job stress and burnout are experienced because of problems with in filling posts, and the competition between the private and public sectors for experienced IT employees.Conclusion: Certain determinants were found that affect barriers in knowledge management: organisational commitment, job satisfaction, job characteristics and talent management. These need to be measured to prevent barriers from occurring. Implications are drawn from the study; these provide a focus for further research to bridge some gaps in information technology that currently limit the widespread use of knowledge management.

Barriers to tacit knowledge retention: An understanding of the perceptions of the knowledge management of people inside and outside the organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Bessick

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Knowledge loss causes challenges for organisations that wish to remain competitive. These organisations must identify the risks that could lead to knowledge loss and become aware of issues that affect knowledge retention. Objectives: The objective of this research was to identify tacit knowledge retention barriers that could cause knowledge loss in an organisation. The paper presents a framework for the assessment of the impact of these barriers and discusses the research findings in order to critique that framework. Method: A quantitative strategy was used to interpret the findings. The target population is information technology (IT professionals in a government organisation. Interviews were conducted in order to produce a more context-sensitive interpretation of the findings. A quantitative research approach was used to ensure the findings would precisely reflect the target population. Results: The majority of respondents confirmed that career development requires professional development, training prospects and improves the employability of employees. The agreed result was that respondents seek autonomy, that is, the ability to make decisions. Job stress and burnout are experienced because of problems with in filling posts, and the competition between the private and public sectors for experienced IT employees. Conclusion: Certain determinants were found that affect barriers in knowledge management: organisational commitment, job satisfaction, job characteristics and talent management. These need to be measured to prevent barriers from occurring. Implications are drawn from the study; these provide a focus for further research to bridge some gaps in information technology that currently limit the widespread use of knowledge management.

Towards prevention of vitamin D deficiency and beyond: knowledge gaps and research needs in vitamin D nutrition and public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, Kevin D; Kiely, Mairead

2011-12-01

The North American Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently published their report on dietary reference intakes (DRI) for Ca and vitamin D. The DRI committee's deliberations underpinning this most comprehensive report on vitamin D nutrition to date benefited hugely from a much expanded knowledge base in vitamin D over the last decade or more. However, since their release, the vitamin D DRI have been the subject of intense controversy, which is largely due to the persistence of fundamental knowledge gaps in vitamin D. These can be identified at the levels of exposure, metabolism, storage, status, dose-response, function and beneficial or adverse health effects, as well as safe and effective application of intake recommendations at the population level through sustainable food-based approaches. The present review provides a brief overview of the approach used by the IOM committee to revise the DRI for vitamin D and to collate from a number of authoritative sources key knowledge gaps in vitamin D nutrition from the public health perspective. A number of research topics are outlined and data requirements within these are identified and mapped to the risk assessment framework used by the DRI committee. While not intended as an exhaustive list, it provides a basis for organising and prioritising research efforts in the area of vitamin D, which may offer a perspective on the major areas in need of attention. It is intended to be of use to researchers, national policy makers, the public health community, industry groups and other relevant stakeholders including funding institutions.

Gap-filling a spatially explicit plant trait database: comparing imputation methods and different levels of environmental information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Poyatos

2018-05-01

allowed us to fill the gaps in the IEFC incomplete dataset (5495 plots and quantify imputation uncertainty. Resulting spatial patterns of the studied traits in Catalan forests were broadly similar when using species means, regression kriging or the best-performing MICE application, but some important discrepancies were observed at the local level. Our results highlight the need to assess imputation quality beyond just imputation accuracy and show that including environmental information in statistical imputation approaches yields more plausible imputations in spatially explicit plant trait datasets.

Effect of anitiferromagnetism on superconducting gap of cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rout, G.C.; Panda, B.N.; Bishoyi, K.C.

2000-01-01

The interplay between superconductivity (SC) and antiferromagnetism (AF) is studied in strongly correlated systems: R 2-x M x CuO 4 (R = Nd, La, Pr, Gd; M = Sr, Ge). It is assumed that superconductivity arises due to BCS pairing mechanism in presence of AF in Cu lattices of Cu-O planes. Temperature dependence of SC gap as well as staggered magnetic field are calculated analytically and solved self-consistently with respect to half-filled band situation for different model parameters λ 1 , and λ 2 being SC and AF coupling parameters respectively. The SC gap is studied in the coexistent phase of SC and AFM. (author)

Corporate governance from the perspective of the past and the present and the need to fill an international GAP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tariq Tawfeeq Yousif Alabdullah

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Corporate governance (CG emerged many centuries ago, despite the debate on this subject and the widely-held view that it commenced in the 2000s. Thus, CG is not a new practice and over time it has become a precise system. In this study, the origins of CG are examined by the author in order to shed light on the underlying facts concerning the roots of this discipline and its history. By introducing such facts, it provides the background of the emergence of CG as clear principles and mechanisms. In the organizational sense, this study is considered important for both investors and organizations in applying the principles of CG and its mechanisms in all countries worldwide. The objective of this paper is to provide useful information to both researchers and practitioners in relation to CG including the fundamental principles and its history. This paper will present a solution to fill the gap in the literature concerning the relationship between CG and a firm’s performance in such instances when the results of examining such a relationship are found to be inconsistent. A number of factors have contributed to this author’s desire to research the relationship between a firm’s performance and CG and that includes the author’s experience and understanding of accounting over the years especially in the CG discipline, and also further to an in-depth literature review

Extension of the Mott-Gurney Law for a Bilayer Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Dubinov, A. E.; Kitayev, I. N.

2018-04-01

Steady drift states of an electron flow in a planar gap filled with a bilayer dielectric have been considered. Exact mathematical formulas have been derived that describe the distributions of the electrostatic potential and space charge limited electron flow current (extended Mott-Gurney law for a bilayer diode).

Collaboration tin gap: a new day for faith community nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, G Scott; Miller, Susan Martins

2014-01-01

The Church Health Center (CHC) in Memphis, Tennessee has worked to fill gaps in healthcare since 1987. With the advent of the Affordable Care Act and millions unable to afford insurance, the CHC is partnering with faith community nurses in new opportunities to offer wholistic healthcare toward wellness.

A Sub-channel Analysis of a VHTR Fuel Block with Tin Gap-Filler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Chung Ho; Kim, Yong Hee; Yi, Yong Sun; Kim, Hong Pyo

2005-01-01

In the Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) project, two types of VHTRs (Very High Temperature Reactors), prismatic or pebble bed, are under investigation as the nuclear heat source for hydrogen production. In general, the targeted coolant outlet temperature of VHTR is 950∼1000 .deg. C and the maximum allowable fuel temperature is 1250 .deg. C during the normal operation. In the case of the prismatic reactor (PMR), conventional fuel designs result in a small margin in the maximum fuel temperature. This is one of the biggest demerits of the prismatic type In this paper, a technique of lowering the maximum fuel temperature is suggested. The PMR fuel assembly is comprised of many coolant holes and fuel channels. Cylindrical fuel compacts are stacked inside the fuel channel. Consequently, there should be a physical gap between the fuel compact and graphite block, which is filled with the He gas in the conventional design. The heat transfer coefficient of the He gap is very poor, and this increases the fuel temperature substantially. In the proposed design measure, the gap is filled with a liquid metal, tin (Sn) that has a very high thermal conductivity. The effects of tin in the gap with gap distance variation in the viewpoint of thermal hydraulics are quantitatively discussed. Also, the effects of the variations of the axial power distribution are discussed

A preliminary strategic environmental impact assessment of mineral and hydrocarbon activities on the Nuussuaq peninsula, West Greenland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boertmann, D.; Asmund, G.; Glahder, C.; Tamstorf, M.

2008-01-15

There is an increasing interest for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration in Greenland and in both regards the Nuussuaq peninsula is in focus. This preliminary strategic environmental impact assessment describes the status of the biological knowledge from the area and designates potential conflicts between activities and the biological environment. Furthermore biological knowledge gaps are identified. These should be filled before specific environmental impacts assessments can be carried out and relevant studies to fill these data gaps are proposed. (au)

Exact Fill Rates for the (R, S Inventory Control with Discrete Distributed Demands for the Backordering Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia BABILONI

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The fill rate is usually computed by using the traditional approach, which calculates it as the complement of the quotient between the expected unfulfilled demand and the expected demand per replenishment cycle, instead of directly the expected fraction of fulfilled demand. Furthermore the available methods to estimate the fill rate apply only under specific demand conditions. This paper shows the research gap regarding the estimation procedures to compute the fill rate and suggests: (i a new exact procedure to compute the traditional approximation for any discrete demand distribution; and (ii a new method to compute the fill rate directly as the fraction of fulfilled demand for any discrete demand distribution. Simulation results show that the latter methods outperform the traditional approach, which underestimates the simulated fill rate, over different demand patterns. This paper focuses on the traditional periodic review, base stock system when backlogged demands are allowed.

ParticipACTION: Awareness of the participACTION campaign among Canadian adults - Examining the knowledge gap hypothesis and a hierarchy-of-effects model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faulkner Guy EJ

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background ParticipACTION was a pervasive communication campaign that promoted physical activity in the Canadian population for three decades. According to McGuire's hierarchy-of-effects model (HOEM, this campaign should influence physical activity through intermediate mediators such as beliefs and intention. Also, when such media campaigns occur, knowledge gaps often develop within the population about the messages being conveyed. The purposes of this study were to (a determine the current awareness of ParticipACTION campaigns among Canadians; (b confirm if awareness of the ParticipACTION initiative varied as a function of levels of education and household income; and, (c to examine whether awareness of ParticipACTION was associated with physical activity related beliefs, intentions, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA as suggested by the HOEM. Specifically, we tested a model including awareness of ParticipACTION (unprompted, prompted, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, intention, and physical activity status. Methods A population-based survey was conducted on 4,650 Canadians over a period of 6 months from August, 2007 to February, 2008 (response rate = 49%. The survey consisted of a set of additional questions on the 2007 Physical Activity Monitor (PAM. Our module on the PAM included questions related to awareness and knowledge of ParticipACTION. Weighted logistic models were constructed to test the knowledge gap hypotheses and to examine whether awareness was associated with physical activity related beliefs (i.e., outcome expectations, self-efficacy, intention, and LTPA. All analyses included those respondents who were 20 years of age and older in 2007/2008 (N = 4424. Results Approximately 8% of Canadians were still aware of ParticipACTION unprompted and 82% were aware when prompted. Both education and income were significant correlates of awareness among Canadians. The odds of people being aware of ParticipACTION were

ParticipACTION: awareness of the participACTION campaign among Canadian adults--examining the knowledge gap hypothesis and a hierarchy-of-effects model.

Science.gov (United States)

Spence, John C; Brawley, Lawrence R; Craig, Cora Lynn; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Tremblay, Mark S; Bauman, Adrian; Faulkner, Guy Ej; Chad, Karen; Clark, Marianne I

2009-12-09

ParticipACTION was a pervasive communication campaign that promoted physical activity in the Canadian population for three decades. According to McGuire's hierarchy-of-effects model (HOEM), this campaign should influence physical activity through intermediate mediators such as beliefs and intention. Also, when such media campaigns occur, knowledge gaps often develop within the population about the messages being conveyed. The purposes of this study were to (a) determine the current awareness of ParticipACTION campaigns among Canadians; (b) confirm if awareness of the ParticipACTION initiative varied as a function of levels of education and household income; and, (c) to examine whether awareness of ParticipACTION was associated with physical activity related beliefs, intentions, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) as suggested by the HOEM. Specifically, we tested a model including awareness of ParticipACTION (unprompted, prompted), outcome expectations, self-efficacy, intention, and physical activity status. A population-based survey was conducted on 4,650 Canadians over a period of 6 months from August, 2007 to February, 2008 (response rate = 49%). The survey consisted of a set of additional questions on the 2007 Physical Activity Monitor (PAM). Our module on the PAM included questions related to awareness and knowledge of ParticipACTION. Weighted logistic models were constructed to test the knowledge gap hypotheses and to examine whether awareness was associated with physical activity related beliefs (i.e., outcome expectations, self-efficacy), intention, and LTPA. All analyses included those respondents who were 20 years of age and older in 2007/2008 (N = 4424). Approximately 8% of Canadians were still aware of ParticipACTION unprompted and 82% were aware when prompted. Both education and income were significant correlates of awareness among Canadians. The odds of people being aware of ParticipACTION were greater if they were more educated and reported

Filling Predictable and Unpredictable Gaps, with and without Similarity-Based Interference: Evidence for LIFG Effects of Dependency Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Leiken, Kimberly; McElree, Brian; Pylkkänen, Liina

2015-01-01

One of the most replicated findings in neurolinguistic literature on syntax is the increase of hemodynamic activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) in response to object relative (OR) clauses compared to subject relative clauses. However, behavioral studies have shown that ORs are primarily only costly when similarity-based interference is involved and recently, Leiken and Pylkkänen (2014) showed with magnetoencephalography (MEG) that an LIFG increase at an OR gap is also dependent on such interference. However, since ORs always involve a cue indicating an upcoming dependency formation, OR dependencies could be processed already prior to the gap-site and thus show no sheer dependency effects at the gap itself. To investigate the role of gap predictability in LIFG dependency effects, this MEG study compared ORs to verb phrase ellipsis (VPE), which was used as an example of a non-predictable dependency. Additionally, we explored LIFG sensitivity to filler-gap order by including right node raising structures, in which the order of filler and gap is reverse to that of ORs and VPE. Half of the stimuli invoked similarity-based interference and half did not. Our results demonstrate that LIFG effects of dependency can be elicited regardless of whether the dependency is predictable, the stimulus materials evoke similarity-based interference, or the filler precedes the gap. Thus, contrary to our own prior data, the current findings suggest a highly general role for the LIFG in dependency interpretation that is not limited to environments involving similarity-based interference. Additionally, the millisecond time-resolution of MEG allowed for a detailed characterization of the temporal profiles of LIFG dependency effects across our three constructions, revealing that the timing of these effects is somewhat construction-specific.

The knowledge and practices of primary care givers regarding home-based care of HIV/AIDS children in Blantyre (Malawi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EW Zimba

2001-09-01

Full Text Available Knowledge is one of the major factors that promotes adherence to treatment regimens. With the current trends worldwide of home and community-based services for the management of HIV/AIDS patients, knowledge of care givers about the home care of these patients will determine the success of the programs. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the knowledge and practices of primary care givers of HIV/AIDS children in the provision of home care services. In this study an attempt was made to describe the factors which are associated with knowledge. Thirty-six primary care givers were randomly selected from three major home based care centres in Blantyre City, Malawi. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data. Data were analysed manually and by computer, using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS. The findings revealed a gap in knowledge since in many instances taking a child to the hospital for the management of minor ailments was the action of choice, thus perpetuating the problem of overburdening hospital resources. Lack of prior preparation for home based care was found to be the major factor contributing to the lack of knowledge. Recommendations proposed include the need to put into place mechanisms that will ensure that all the primary care givers are adequately prepared in good time for home care service. Ensuring regular home visits was also thought to be helpful for efficient and effective supervision and reinforcement of information given to fill the gaps in knowledge wherever necessary.

Analysis of optical band-gap shift in impurity doped ZnO thin films by using nonparabolic conduction band parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Won Mok; Kim, Jin Soo; Jeong, Jeung-hyun; Park, Jong-Keuk; Baik, Young-Jun; Seong, Tae-Yeon

2013-01-01

Polycrystalline ZnO thin films both undoped and doped with various types of impurities, which covered the wide carrier concentration range of 10 16 –10 21 cm −3 , were prepared by magnetron sputtering, and their optical-band gaps were investigated. The experimentally measured optical band-gap shifts were analyzed by taking into account the carrier density dependent effective mass determined by the first-order nonparabolicity approximation. It was shown that the measured shifts in optical band-gaps in ZnO films doped with cationic dopants, which mainly perturb the conduction band, could be well represented by theoretical estimation in which the band-gap widening due to the band-filling effect and the band-gap renormalization due to the many-body effect derived for a weakly interacting electron-gas model were combined and the carrier density dependent effective mass was incorporated. - Highlights: ► Optical band-gaps of polycrystalline ZnO thin films were analyzed. ► Experimental carrier concentration range covered from 10 16 to 10 21 cm −3 . ► Nonparabolic conduction band parameters were used in theoretical analysis. ► The band-filling and the band-gap renormalization effects were considered. ► The measured optical band-gap shifts corresponded well with the calculated ones

Gaps in monitoring systems for Implanon NXT services in South Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Staff often took the initiative to fill gaps in reporting systems. Current systems are unable to accurately monitor uptake or discontinuation, or identify aspects of services requiring strengthening. Lack of pharmacovigilance data is especially concerning. Deficiencies noted in these monitoring systems may be common to family ...

Social Networks and Health Knowledge in India

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blunch, Niels-Hugo; Datta Gupta, Nabanita

such as education and access to social networks explain part of the gap, a substantial part of the health knowledge gap is left unexplained. All groups have greater health knowledge in urban than in rural areas, but the gap is even wider in urban than in rural areas. Additionally, high caste women benefit more...... in terms of health knowledge from having health networks than women from other groups; except if the health person is of the same caste/religion, in which case low caste and Muslim women sometimes benefit by as much as double that of high caste women, or even more. It may therefore not be enough to give...... individuals access to high quality networks if caste and religion-related gaps in health knowledge are to be reduced; such networks also have to be homophilous, to have the maximum effect. Improved treatment from and confidence in the medical profession is found to be part of the mechanism linking health...

Bridging the Otolaryngology Peer Review Knowledge Gap: A Call for a Residency Development Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalbach, Cecelia E

2016-07-01

Current otolaryngology literature and future scientific direction rely heavily on a rigorous peer review process. Just as manuscripts warrant thoughtful review with constructive feedback to the authors, the same can be said for critiques written by novice peer reviewers. Formal scientific peer review training programs are lacking. Recognizing this knowledge gap, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is excited to offer its new Resident Reviewer Development Program. All otolaryngology residents who are postgraduate year 2 and above and in excellent academic standing are eligible to participate in this mentored program, during which they will conduct 6 manuscript reviews under the direction of a seasoned reviewer in his or her subspecialty area of interest. By completing reviews alongside a mentor, participants gain the required skills to master the peer review process-a first step that often leads to journal editorial board and associate editor invitations. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Use of a knowledge synthesis by decision makers and planners to facilitate system level integration in a large Canadian provincial health authority

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther Suter

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The study is an examination of how a knowledge synthesis, conducted to fill an information gap identified by decision makers and planners responsible for integrating health systems in a western Canadian health authority, is being used within that organisation. Methods: Purposive sampling and snowball technique were used to identify 13 participants who were interviewed about how they are using the knowledge synthesis for health services planning and decision-making. Results: The knowledge synthesis is used by those involved in the strategic direction of the provincial healthcare organisation and those tasked with the operationalization of integration at the provincial or local level. Both groups most frequently use the ten key principles for integration, followed by the sections on integration processes, strategies and models. The key principles facilitate discussion on priority areas to be considered and provide a reference point for a desired future state. Perceived information gaps relate to a lack of detail on "how to" strategies, tools and processes that would lead to successful integration. Discussion and conclusion: The current project demonstrates that decision makers and planners will effectively use a knowledge synthesis if it is timely, relevant and accessible. The information can be applied at strategic and operations levels. Attention needs to be paid to include more information on implementation strategies and processes. Including knowledge users in identifying research questions will increase information uptake.

Use of a knowledge synthesis by decision makers and planners to facilitate system level integration in a large Canadian provincial health authority

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther Suter

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The study is an examination of how a knowledge synthesis, conducted to fill an information gap identified by decision makers and planners responsible for integrating health systems in a western Canadian health authority, is being used within that organisation.Methods: Purposive sampling and snowball technique were used to identify 13 participants who were interviewed about how they are using the knowledge synthesis for health services planning and decision-making.Results: The knowledge synthesis is used by those involved in the strategic direction of the provincial healthcare organisation and those tasked with the operationalization of integration at the provincial or local level. Both groups most frequently use the ten key principles for integration, followed by the sections on integration processes, strategies and models. The key principles facilitate discussion on priority areas to be considered and provide a reference point for a desired future state. Perceived information gaps relate to a lack of detail on "how to" strategies, tools and processes that would lead to successful integration.Discussion and conclusion: The current project demonstrates that decision makers and planners will effectively use a knowledge synthesis if it is timely, relevant and accessible. The information can be applied at strategic and operations levels. Attention needs to be paid to include more information on implementation strategies and processes. Including knowledge users in identifying research questions will increase information uptake.

100 kV reliable accurately-synchronized spark gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosamykin, V.S.; Gerasimov, A.I.; Zenkov, D.I.

1987-01-01

100 kV three-electrode spark gap filled with 40% SF 6 +60% N 2 mixture under the pressure of ∼ 1 MPa, which has spread Δt ≤ ± 5 ns of operating time delay in the range of 10 4 triggerings and commutation energy of 2.5 kJ, providing electric strength is 100%, is described; at 10 kJ Δt is less than ± 10 ns for 10 3 triggerings. Parallel connection of 16 groups, each consisting of 5 spark gaps with series connection, electric strength being 100%, in the pulse charging unit of Arkadiev-Marx generator being in operation for several years manifested their high efficiency; mutual group spread is ≤ ± 15 ns

Adding Some Gas Can Completely Change How an Object in a Liquid-Filled Housing Responds to Vibration

Science.gov (United States)

Torczynski, J. R.; O'Hern, T. J.; Clausen, J. R.

2015-11-01

Adding a little gas can completely change the motion of an object in a liquid-filled housing during vibration. A common system exhibiting this behavior is a spring-supported piston in a liquid-filled cylinder, where the gaps between them are narrow and depend on the piston position. When gas is absent, the piston's vibrational response is highly overdamped due to forcing viscous liquid through narrow gaps. When a small amount of gas is added, Bjerknes forces cause some of the gas to migrate below the piston. The resulting two gas regions form a pneumatic spring that enables the liquid to move with the piston, with the result that very little liquid is forced through the narrow gaps. This ``Couette mode'' has low damping and thus has a strong resonance near the frequency given by the pneumatic spring constant and the piston mass. At this frequency, the piston response is large, and the nonlinearity from the gap geometry produces a net force on the piston. This ``rectified'' force can be many times the piston's weight and can cause the piston to compress its supporting spring. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

EcAMSat and BioSentinel: Autonomous Bio Nanosatellites Addressing Strategic Knowledge Gaps for Manned Spaceflight Beyond LEO

Science.gov (United States)

Padgen, Mike

2017-01-01

Manned missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) require that several strategic knowledge gaps about the effects of space travel on the human body be addressed. NASA Ames Research Center has been the leader in developing autonomous bio nanosatellites, including past successful missions for GeneSat, PharmaSat, and OOREOS, that tackled some of these issues. These nanosatellites provide in situ measurements, which deliver insight into the dynamic changes in cell behavior in microgravity. In this talk, two upcoming bio nanosatellites developed at Ames, the E. coli Antimicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) and BioSentinel, will be discussed. Both satellites contain microfluidic systems that precisely deliver nutrients to the microorganisms stored within wells of fluidic cards. Each well, in turn, has its own 3-color LED and detector system which is used to monitor changes in metabolic activity with alamarBlue, a redox indicator, and the optical density of the cells. EcAMSat investigates the effects of microgravity on bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs, vital knowledge for understanding how to maintain the health of astronauts in long-term and beyond LEO spaceflight. The behavior of wild type and mutant uropathic E. coli will be compared in microgravity and with ground data to help understand the molecular mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance and how these phenotypes might change in space. BioSentinel seeks to directly measure the effects of space radiation on budding yeast S. cerevisiae, particularly double strand breaks (DSB). While hitching a ride on the SLS EM-1 mission (Orions first unmanned mission to the moon) in 2018, BioSentinel will be kicked off and enter into a heliocentric orbit, becoming the first study of the effects of radiation on living organisms outside LEO since the Apollo program. The yeast are stored in eighteen independent 16-well microfluidic cards, which will be individually activated over the 12 month mission duration. In addition to the wild

Fragment library design: using cheminformatics and expert chemists to fill gaps in existing fragment libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutchukian, Peter S; So, Sung-Sau; Fischer, Christian; Waller, Chris L

2015-01-01

Fragment based screening (FBS) has emerged as a mainstream lead discovery strategy in academia, biotechnology start-ups, and large pharma. As a prerequisite of FBS, a structurally diverse library of fragments is desirable in order to identify chemical matter that will interact with the range of diverse target classes that are prosecuted in contemporary screening campaigns. In addition, it is also desirable to offer synthetically amenable starting points to increase the probability of a successful fragment evolution through medicinal chemistry. Herein we describe a method to identify biologically relevant chemical substructures that are missing from an existing fragment library (chemical gaps), and organize these chemical gaps hierarchically so that medicinal chemists can efficiently navigate the prioritized chemical space and subsequently select purchasable fragments for inclusion in an enhanced fragment library.

MERS-CoV infection: Mind the public knowledge gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Bawazir, Amen; Al-Mazroo, Eman; Jradi, Hoda; Ahmed, Anwar; Badri, Motasim

In August 2015, the Corona outbreak caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was the 9th episode since June 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Little is known about the public awareness toward the nature or prevention of the disease. The aim of this work was to assess the knowledge of the adult population in Riyadh toward the MERS-CoV. In this cross-sectional survey, a self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to randomly selected participants visiting malls in Riyadh. The questionnaire contained measurable epidemiological and clinical MERS-CoV knowledge level variables and relevant source of information. The study included 676 participants. Mean age was 32.5 (±SD 8.6) years and 353 (47.8%) were males. Almost all participants heard about the corona disease and causative agent. The study showed a fair overall knowledge (66.0%), less knowledge on epidemiological features of the disease (58.3%), and good knowledge (90.7%) on the clinical manifestation of the MERS-CoV. Internet was the major (89.0%) source of disease information, and other sources including health care providers, SMS, television, magazines and books were low rated (all knowledge. This study concludes that there was inadequate epidemiological knowledge received by the public and the reliance mostly on the clinical manifestations to recognizing the MERS-CoV disease. Comprehensive public health education programs is important to increase awareness of simple epidemiological determinants of the disease is warranted. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Knowledge Translation Toolkit: Bridging the Know–Do Gap: A ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-06-06

Jun 6, 2011 ... It presents the theories, tools, and strategies required to encourage and enable ... Toolkit: Bridging the Know–Do Gap: A Resource for Researchers ... violence, and make digital platforms work for inclusive development.

Bridging the gap with flipped classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selberg, Hanne; Topperzer, Martha

the theoretical knowledge acquired during the course to their participation in the simulations. It is of pivotal importance that all students obtain hands-on experience during the sessions to reduce the theory-practice gap. The ongoing study has been pilot tested during three courses with participation of 90......Bridging the gap with flipped classroom Hanne Selberg, Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen, Martha Topperzer, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark Background and aims Consistent with the strategy of increasing digitization and learner-centred teaching models....... The debriefing allows for students to reflect on how they applied their knowledge in the concrete patient situation which in turn promotes a positive learning experience. The learning objectives encompass both hands-on technical skills and non-technical communication skills enabling students to apply...

Low-Symmetry Gap Functions of Organic Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Takehiko

2018-04-01

Superconducting gap functions of various low-symmetry organic superconductors are investigated starting from the tight-binding energy band and the random phase approximation by numerically solving Eliashberg's equation. The obtained singlet gap function is approximately represented by an asymmetrical dx2 - y2 form, where two cosine functions are mixed in an appropriate ratio. This is usually called d + s wave, where the ratio of the two cosine functions varies from 1:1 in the two-dimensional limit to 1:0 in the one-dimensional limit. A single cosine function does not make a superconducting gap in an ideal one-dimensional conductor, but works as a relevant gap function in quasi-one-dimensional conductors with slight interchain transfer integrals. Even when the Fermi surface is composed of small pockets, the gap function is obtained supposing a globally connected elliptical Fermi surface. In such a case, we have to connect the second energy band in the second Brillouin zone. The periodicity of the resulting gap function is larger than the first Brillouin zone. This is because the susceptibility has peaks at 2kF, where the periodicity has to be twice the size of the global Fermi surface. In general, periodicity of gap function corresponds to one electron or two molecules in the real space. In the κ-phase, two axes are nonequivalent, but the exact dx2 - y2 symmetry is maintained because the diagonal transfer integral introduced to a square lattice is oriented to the node direction of the dx2 - y2 wave. By contrast, the θ-phase gap function shows considerable anisotropy because a quarter-filled square lattice has a different dxy symmetry.

Development of an abort gap monitor for high-energy proton rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beche, Jean-Francois; Byrd, John; De Santis, Stefano; Denes, Peter; Placidi, Massimo; Turner, William; Zolotorev, Max

2004-01-01

The fill pattern in proton synchrotrons usually features an empty gap, longer than the abort kicker raise time, for machine protection. This gap is referred to as the ''abort gap'' and any particles, which may accumulate in it due to injection errors and diffusion between RF buckets, would be lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, during the kicker firing. In large proton rings, due to the high energies involved, it is vital to monitor the build up of charges in the abort gap with a high sensitivity. We present a study of an abort gap monitor based on a photomultiplier with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source using a Hamamatsu 5916U MCP-PMT and compare them to the specifications for the Large Hadron Collider

Development of an Abort Gap Monitor for High-Energy Proton Rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beche, J.-F.; Byrd, J.; De Santis, S.; Denes, P.; Placidi, M.; Turner, W.; Zolotorev, M.

2004-01-01

The fill pattern in proton synchrotrons usually features an empty gap, longer than the abort kicker raise time, for machine protection. This gap is referred to as the 'abort gap', and any particles, which may accumulate in it due to injection errors and diffusion between RF buckets, would be lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, during the kicker firing. In large proton rings, due to the high energies involved, it is vital to monitor the build up of charges in the abort gap with a high sensitivity. We present a study of an abort gap monitor based on a photomultiplier with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source using a Hamamatsu 5916U MCP-PMT and compare them to the specifications for the Large Hadron Collider

"Prince Charming Syndrome?" Gender gap in preferences for defined contribution pensions in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Satoshi P

2017-01-01

Using survey data collected by the Japan Institute of Life Insurance in 2002, this study finds that a significant gender gap existed in defined contribution (DC) pension knowledge among workers employed at small- to medium-sized private firms in Japan. Even with similar DC knowledge, however, men and women reveal different preferences for DC pensions, indicating that their perceptional responses may widely differ from actual behaviors. Apart from the knowledge gap, the result shows evidence of the Prince Charming Syndrome among female employees as a significant source of the gender gap in DC participation rates. Among corporate pension-covered employees, the gender difference in the efficacy of DC portability is a more significant gap-generating factor. DC tax advantage is particularly favored by pension-covered female employees over male counterparts, reducing the DC preference gap. No similar evidence is found for employees with no corporate pension coverage.

Minding the gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mia Carlberg

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The plan for the Round table session was to focus on organizational and social/cultural differences between librarians and faculty with the aim to increase our awareness of the differences when we try to find ways to cooperate within the academy or school. This may help us to sort things out, experience acceptance and take adequate actions, saving energy and perhaps be less frustrated.  The questions that the workshop addressed were: What is in the gap between librarians and faculty when dealing with information literacy? How can we fill the gap? Participants discussed this in detail with the aim of together finding ways to understand it better and make it possible to find ways to fill this gap. By defining it and thereby making it easier to work out a strategy for future action to improve the teaching of information literacy, including listing possible, impossible or nearly impossible ways. The springboard to the discussion was extracted from some projects that the workshop leader has been engaged in since 2009. The first example is a research circle where Uppsala University Library used action research to observe and understand the process when we had the opportunity to implement information literacy classes with progression in an undergraduate program. What worked well? What did not? Why? This work was described together with other examples from Uppsala University to an international panel working with quality issues. What did they think of our work? May this change the ways we are working? How? Another example is an ongoing joint project where librarians and faculty members are trying to define ways to increase the cooperation between the library and faculty and make this cooperation sustainable. Recent experience from this was brought to the discussion.   There are an overwhelming number of papers written in this field. A few papers have inspired these ideas. One article in particular: Christiansen, L., Stombler, M. & Thaxton, L. (2004. A

The intraventricular filling vortex under heightened aortic blood pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Nelsen, Nicholas; Gaddam, Manikantam; Santhanakrishnan, Arvind

2017-11-01

Hypertension, or high aortic blood pressure, can induce structural changes in the left ventricle (LV) such as concentric hypertrophy. Previous studies have identified that the intraventricular filling vortex serves as an effective means of blood transport during diastolic filling. However, a fundamental understanding of how hypertension affects this vortex is unavailable. This knowledge can be useful for improving diagnosis and treatment of related heart disease conditions, including hypertensive heart failure. In this experimental study, we hypothesized that the circulation of the filling vortex would diminish with increased aortic pressure. Using a LV physical model within a left heart simulator, we performed hemodynamic measurements to acquire pressure and volumetric inflow profiles and 2D particle image velocimetry to visualize the intraventricular flow fields. Peak aortic pressures of 120 mm Hg, 140 mm Hg, and 160 mm Hg were each tested at heart rates of 70, 100, and 110 beats per minute, under: 1) reduced ejection fraction (EF), and 2) constant EF. Our results indicate that peak vortex circulation is reduced under elevated aortic pressures. Hemodynamics and characteristics of the intraventricular filling vortex in all examined experimental cases will be presented.

Bio-inspired dental fillings

Science.gov (United States)

Deyhle, Hans; Bunk, Oliver; Buser, Stefan; Krastl, Gabriel; Zitzmann, Nicola U.; Ilgenstein, Bernd; Beckmann, Felix; Pfeiffer, Franz; Weiger, Roland; Müller, Bert

2009-08-01

Human teeth are anisotropic composites. Dentin as the core material of the tooth consists of nanometer-sized calcium phosphate crystallites embedded in collagen fiber networks. It shows its anisotropy on the micrometer scale by its well-oriented microtubules. The detailed three-dimensional nanostructure of the hard tissues namely dentin and enamel, however, is not understood, although numerous studies on the anisotropic mechanical properties have been performed and evaluated to explain the tooth function including the enamel-dentin junction acting as effective crack barrier. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with a spatial resolution in the 10 μm range allows determining the size and orientation of the constituents on the nanometer scale with reasonable precision. So far, only some dental materials, i.e. the fiber reinforced posts exhibit anisotropic properties related to the micrometer-size glass fibers. Dental fillings, composed of nanostructures oriented similar to the natural hard tissues of teeth, however, do not exist at all. The current X-ray-based investigations of extracted human teeth provide evidence for oriented micro- and nanostructures in dentin and enamel. These fundamental quantitative findings result in profound knowledge to develop biologically inspired dental fillings with superior resistance to thermal and mechanical shocks.

Role of working memory and lexical knowledge in perceptual restoration of interrupted speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagaraj, Naveen K; Magimairaj, Beula M

2017-12-01

The role of working memory (WM) capacity and lexical knowledge in perceptual restoration (PR) of missing speech was investigated using the interrupted speech perception paradigm. Speech identification ability, which indexed PR, was measured using low-context sentences periodically interrupted at 1.5 Hz. PR was measured for silent gated, low-frequency speech noise filled, and low-frequency fine-structure and envelope filled interrupted conditions. WM capacity was measured using verbal and visuospatial span tasks. Lexical knowledge was assessed using both receptive vocabulary and meaning from context tests. Results showed that PR was better for speech noise filled condition than other conditions tested. Both receptive vocabulary and verbal WM capacity explained unique variance in PR for the speech noise filled condition, but were unrelated to performance in the silent gated condition. It was only receptive vocabulary that uniquely predicted PR for fine-structure and envelope filled conditions. These findings suggest that the contribution of lexical knowledge and verbal WM during PR depends crucially on the information content that replaced the silent intervals. When perceptual continuity was partially restored by filler speech noise, both lexical knowledge and verbal WM capacity facilitated PR. Importantly, for fine-structure and envelope filled interrupted conditions, lexical knowledge was crucial for PR.

Chief Knowledge Officers? Perceptions, Pitfalls, & Potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Corcoran, Mary; Jones, Rebecca

1997-01-01

Argues that few librarians possess the needed competencies to fill the role of "chief knowledge officer" or "knowledge executive." Outlines executive competencies required: communications, leadership, experience, financial management, customer focus, entrepreneurial insight, and information technology grounding; examines gaps…

Filling the gap. Human cranial remains from Gombore II (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia; ca. 850 ka) and the origin of Homo heidelbergensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Profico, Antonio; Di Vincenzo, Fabio; Gagliardi, Lorenza; Piperno, Marcello; Manzi, Giorgio

2016-06-20

African archaic humans dated to around 1,0 Ma share morphological affinities with Homo ergaster and appear distinct in cranio-dental morphology from those of the Middle Pleistocene that are referred to Homo heidelbergensis. This observation suggests a taxonomic and phylogenetic discontinuity in Africa that ranges across the Matuyama/Brunhes reversal (780 ka). Yet, the fossil record between roughly 900 and 600 ka is notoriously poor. In this context, the Early Stone Age site of Gombore II, in the Melka Kunture formation (Upper Awash, Ethiopia), provides a privileged case-study. In the Acheulean layer of Gombore II, somewhat more recent than 875 ±10 ka, two large cranial fragments were discovered in 1973 and 1975 respectively: a partial left parietal (Melka Kunture 1) and a right portion of the frontal bone (Melka Kunture 2), which probably belonged to the same cranium. We present here the first detailed description and computer-assisted reconstruction of the morphology of the cranial vault pertaining to these fossil fragments. Our analysis suggest that the human fossil specimen from Gombore II fills a phenetic gap between Homo ergaster and Homo heidelbergensis. This appears in agreement with the chronology of such a partial cranial vault, which therefore represents at present one of the best available candidates (if any) for the origin of Homo heidelbergensis in Africa.

WhatsApp: A Real-Time Tool to Reduce the Knowledge Gap and Share the Best Clinical Practices in Psoriasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzuoccolo, Luis D; Esposito, Maria Noel; Luna, Paula C; Seiref, Sharon; Dominguez, Mirtha; Echeverria, Cristina M

2018-06-20

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects around 100 million people worldwide. The burden of disease is high, but more recent therapies show promising results. Clinicians need, however, more training in the use of such therapies. Project ECHO ® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is structured around the promise of delivering medical education at a distance, empowering clinicians who operate in remote areas. The use of instant messaging services, such as WhatsApp ® Messenger, has the potential to improve on the existing framework and bridge the existing gap of knowledge. This article reports on a study concerning the implementation of a WhatsApp discussion group in Project ECHO Psoriasis in Argentina. One hundred thirty-two dermatologists in Argentina were invited to participate in the WhatsApp discussion group. After 1 year of participation, a follow-up questionnaire was used to assess the effectiveness of the project. Eighty dermatologists participated. All questions placed in the discussion were answered by a psoriasis specialist, 79% of which were answered within the first 5 min. Clinicians report significant improvement in diagnosis, comorbidities, and treatment with both conventional and biological therapies. Preliminary results are promising. This new cost-effective solution builds on the existing Project ECHO Psoriasis in Argentina and shows potential in bridging the gap of knowledge, promoting better clinical decisions through empowerment of medical doctors operating in remote locations. Further research is needed to increase generalization of the results. Moreover, it would be interesting to match the data from the discussion group with follow-up questionnaires.

Preserving technical knowledge - when technology's lifetime exceeds the human life span

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menely, D.; Garland, W.; Lightfoot, M.; Safa, M.

2006-01-01

Industry is being challenged by the departure of experienced managers and workers. The loss of skills and the difficulty of finding qualified replacements can negatively affect operations, environment, safety and economics. There is a need to capture, preserve and pass along both documented and undocumented knowledge before aging workers depart the workplace. How to do it? Our ancestors faced the same problem, and they often solved it in a personal way through a Master-Journeyman-Apprentice system. Our modern education system is an extension of that system, augmented by extensive use of textbooks. This system now is stretched to its limits by two factors, (a) the need to update the teacher's knowledge, and (b) the need to update high quality textbooks. Modem Masters are so busy doing their work that they have no time to pass knowledge on in an effective manner. When they retire, their knowledge often is lost. The CANTEACH project was initiated to fill this gap. The essence of this knowledge capture process is acquisition of archival documents that are relevant to current practice in the field-in our case, CANDU power plant engineering. This project is made possible by voluntary contributions from Masters in the field; it can proceed only by avoiding the pitfalls of excessive security and intellectual property rules. This paper describes the mechanisms used to make this archival knowledge openly available for operators, designers, educators, and students of this technology. (author)

Developing a Gap Taxonomy to Address Crew Health Risks in NASA's Human Research Program

Science.gov (United States)

Kundrot, Craig E.; Edwards, J. Michelle

2009-01-01

The mission of NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) is to understand and reduce the risk to crew health and performance in exploration missions. The HRP addresses 27 specific risks by identifying and then filling gaps in understanding the risks and in the ability to disposition the risks. The primary bases for identifying gaps have been past experience and requirements definition. This approach has been very effective in identifying some important, relevant gaps, but may be inadequate for identifying gaps outside the past experience base. We are exploring the use of a gap taxonomy as a comprehensive, underlying conceptual framework that allows a more systematic identification of gaps. The taxonomy is based on these stages in medical care: prediction, prevention, detection/diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, rehabilitation, and lifetime surveillance. This gap taxonomy approach identifies new gaps in HRP health risks. Many of the new gaps suggest risk reduction approaches that are more cost effective than present approaches. A major benefit of the gap taxonomy approach is to identify new, economical approaches that reduce the likelihood and/or consequence of a risk.

Terahertz spectroscopy of three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezbay, E.; Michel, E.; Tuttle, G.; Biswas, R.; Ho, K.M.; Bostak, J.; Bloom, D.M.

1994-01-01

We have fabricated and built three-dimensional photonic band-gap crystals with band-gap frequencies larger than 500 GHz. We built the crystals by stacking micromachined (110) silicon wafers. The transmission and dispersion characteristics of the structures were measured by an all-electronic terahertz spectroscopy setup. The experimental results were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. To our knowledge, our new crystal has the highest reported photonic band-gap frequency

Rheology of Emulsion-Filled Gels Applied to the Development of Food Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana M. Geremias-Andrade

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Emulsion-filled gels are classified as soft solid materials and are complex colloids formed by matrices of polymeric gels into which emulsion droplets are incorporated. Several structural aspects of these gels have been studied in the past few years, including their applications in food, which is the focus of this review. Knowledge of the rheological behavior of emulsion-filled gels is extremely important because it can measure interferences promoted by droplets or particle inclusion on the textural properties of the gelled systems. Dynamic oscillatory tests, more specifically, small amplitude oscillatory shear, creep-recovery tests, and large deformation experiments, are discussed in this review as techniques present in the literature to characterize rheological behavior of emulsion-filled gels. Moreover, the correlation of mechanical properties with sensory aspects of emulsion-filled gels appearing in recent studies is discussed, demonstrating the applicability of these parameters in understanding mastication processes.

Developing a Climate Change Boundary Organization: the Montana Adaptation Knowledge Exchange

Science.gov (United States)

Whitlock, C. L.; Brooks, S.; Armstrong, T.; Bryan, B.

2017-12-01

States, like Montana, with small populations and large areas, are challenged by a need to offer timely and relevant climate-science information that addresses diverse and widely dispersed stakeholder groups. In Montana, filling the gap between science and practice has motivated the first Montana Climate Assessment (MCA), released September 2017 with a focus on climate impacts on the agriculture, water and forestry sectors. The MCA is an outcome of a science-stakeholder partnership that has identified critical climate-change information and knowledge gaps for the state through listening sessions and questionnaires. From the initial feedback, it became clear that stakeholder groups were deeply concerned about the challenges posed by rising temperatures and wanted to know how recent and projected warming will affect Montana's natural and managed resources. As part of the next phase of the MCA project, we are now creating the Montana Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (MAKE), a "boundary organization" as described by the National Academy of Sciences. MAKE moves beyond information sharing by bringing scientists and practitioners together to seek solutions related to climate-change adaptation and other pressing environmental and socio-economic concerns. Through a collaborative partnership that involves Montana universities, state and federal agencies, businesses and non-governmental organizations, MAKE is designed to communicate current research findings and support revision and expansion of state-of-the-knowledge assessments like the MCA. Stakeholder partners will provide guidance to the science community to help prioritize research directions and activities of high importance. Significant, but often technical, scientific results will be translated and delivered to stakeholder groups through a variety of print, web, and mobile products. MAKE will support an extensive online database, host an online portal, gather a network of experts in respective fields, and maintain a

Human intracranial recordings link suppressed transients rather than 'filling-in' to perceptual continuity across blinks.

Science.gov (United States)

Golan, Tal; Davidesco, Ido; Meshulam, Meir; Groppe, David M; Mégevand, Pierre; Yeagle, Erin M; Goldfinger, Matthew S; Harel, Michal; Melloni, Lucia; Schroeder, Charles E; Deouell, Leon Y; Mehta, Ashesh D; Malach, Rafael

2016-09-29

We hardly notice our eye blinks, yet an externally generated retinal interruption of a similar duration is perceptually salient. We examined the neural correlates of this perceptual distinction using intracranially measured ECoG signals from the human visual cortex in 14 patients. In early visual areas (V1 and V2), the disappearance of the stimulus due to either invisible blinks or salient blank video frames ('gaps') led to a similar drop in activity level, followed by a positive overshoot beyond baseline, triggered by stimulus reappearance. Ascending the visual hierarchy, the reappearance-related overshoot gradually subsided for blinks but not for gaps. By contrast, the disappearance-related drop did not follow the perceptual distinction - it was actually slightly more pronounced for blinks than for gaps. These findings suggest that blinks' limited visibility compared with gaps is correlated with suppression of blink-related visual activity transients, rather than with "filling-in" of the occluded content during blinks.

Introduction to the special issue "The determinants of gender gaps"

OpenAIRE

Casarico, Alessandra; Profeta, Paola

2015-01-01

This volume contributes to advancing our knowledge on the determinants of gender gaps. It focuses on the role of historical factors in shaping persistent gender gaps and on how careful institutional design can allow different outcomes to reflect only differences in abilities rather than differences in gender. The contributions collected in this volume emphasize that there is no unique determinant of the gender gaps and that the gender gap itself is a multidimensional, complex indicator. They ...

Canopy and knowledge gaps when invasive alien insects remove foundation species.

Science.gov (United States)

Marler, Thomas E; Lawrence, John H

2013-01-01

The armored scale Aulacaspis yasumatsui invaded the northern range of the cycad Cycas micronesica in 2003, and epidemic tree mortality ensued due to a lack of natural enemies of the insect. We quantified cycad demographic responses to the invasion, but the ecological responses to the selective removal of this foundation species have not been addressed. We use this case to highlight information gaps in our understanding of how alien invasive phytophagous insects force cascading adverse ecosystem changes. The mechanistic role of unique canopy gaps, oceanic island examples and threatened foundation species with distinctive traits are three issues that deserve research efforts in a quest to understand this facet of ecosystem change occurring across multiple settings globally.

IAEA Review for Gap Analysis of Safety Analysis Capability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basic, Ivica; Kim, Manwoong; Huges, Peter; Lim, B-K; D'Auria, Francesco; Louis, Vidard Michael

2014-01-01

The IAEA Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN) was launched in 2002 in the framework of the Extra Budgetary Programme (EBP) on the Safety of Nuclear Installations in the South East Asia, Pacific and Far East Countries. The main objective is to strengthen and expand human and advanced Information Technology (IT) network to pool, analyse and share nuclear safety knowledge and practical experience for peaceful uses in this region. Under the ANSN framework, a technical group on Safety Analysis (SATG) was established in 2004 aimed to providing a forum for the exchange of experience in the following areas of safety analysis: · To provide a forum for an exchange of experience in the area of safety analysis, · To maintain and improve the knowledge on safety analysis method, · To enhance the utilization of computer codes, · To pool and analyse the issues related with safety analysis of research reactor, and · To facilitate mutual interested on safety analysis among member countries. A sustainable and successful nuclear energy programme requires a strong technical infrastructure, including a workforce made up of highly specialized and well-educated professionals. A significant portion of this technical capacity must be dedicated to safety- especially to safety analysis- as only then can it serve as the basis for making the right decisions during the planning, licensing, construction and operation of new nuclear facilities. In this regard, the IAEA has provided ANSN member countries with comprehensive training opportunities for capacity building in safety analysis. Nevertheless, the SATG recognizes that it is difficult to achieve harmonization in this area among all member countries because of their different competency levels. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly identify the most obvious gaps in safety analysis capability and then to use existing resources to begin to fill those gaps. The goal of this Expert Mission (EM) for gap finding service is to facilitate

Learning from Traditional Knowledge of Non-timber Forest Products: Penan Benalui and the Autecology of Aquilaria in Indonesian Borneo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. G. Donovan

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional knowledge, promoted to make conservation and development more relevant and socially acceptable, is shown to have an important role in identifying critical research needs in tropical ecology. Botanists, foresters, and phytochemists, among others, from many countries have sought for decades to understand the process of resin formation in the genus Aquilaria, a tropical forest tree of South and Southeast Asia. Not every tree develops the resin and, despite extensive scientific research, this process remains poorly understood. Attempts at cultivating the valuable aromatic resin, gaharu, have been uneven at best. Thus, gaharu remains largely a natural forest product, increasingly under threat as the trees are overexploited and forest is cleared. In this paper, we compare scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge of the Penan Benalui and other forest product collectors of Indonesian Borneo. Although limited management of wildlings failed to bring the resin-producing species under cultivation, we found that the Penan recognize the complex ecology of resin formation involving two, or maybe three, living organisms - the tree, one or more fungi, and possibly an insect intermediary. Developing a sustainable production system for this resource will require a clear understanding of how these various natural elements function, separately and synergistically. Traditional knowledge can help fill gaps in our information base and identify promising areas for future research. Both correspondence and gaps in knowledge support the call for a greater role for ethnobiological research and interdisciplinary cooperation, especially between ethnobiologists and foresters, in developing sustainable management systems for this traditional resource and its natural habitat.

Athletic Trainers' Knowledge Regarding Airway Adjuncts

Science.gov (United States)

Edler, Jessica R.; Eberman, Lindsey E.; Kahanov, Leamor; Roman, Christopher; Mata, Heather Lynne

2015-01-01

Context: Research suggests that knowledge gaps regarding the appropriate use of airway adjuncts exist among various health care practitioners, and that knowledge is especially limited within athletic training. Objective: To determine the relationship between perceived knowledge (PK) and actual knowledge (AK) of airway adjunct use and the…

Managing Low Back Pain in the Primary Care Setting: The Know-Do Gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Ann Scott

2010-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To ascertain knowledge gaps in the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic low back pain (LBP in the primary care setting to prepare a scoping survey for identifying knowledge gaps in LBP management among Alberta’s primary care practitioners, and to identify potential barriers to implementing a multidisciplinary LBP guideline.

PhoneGap and AngularJS for cross-platform development

CERN Document Server

Liang, Yuxian Eugene

2014-01-01

This book is intended for people who are not familiar with AngularJS and who want to take their PhoneGap development skills further by developing apps using different JavaScript libraries. People with some knowledge of PhoneGap, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript will find this book immediately useful.

Filling the Gondwanan gap

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cole, Selina R.; Ausich, William I.; Colmenar Lallena, Jorge

2017-01-01

., and Ambonacrinus decorus n. gen. n. Sp.; the monobathrid camerate Eopatelliocrinus hispaniensis n. Sp.; and the cladid Picassocrinus villasi n. gen. n. Sp. A new occurrence of Heviacrinus melendezi Gil Cid, Domínguez Alonso, and Silván Pobes, 1996 is also documented from the Castillejo Formation (Darriwilian......A diverse crinoid fauna is described from the Upper Ordovician (Katian) Fombuena Formation from the eastern Iberian Chains of Spain. New crinoids include the diplobathrid camerates Fombuenacrinus nodulus n. gen. n. Sp., Goyacrinus gutierrezi n. gen. n. Sp., Dalicrinus hammanni n. gen. n. Sp......, Middle Ordovician) from the eastern Iberian Chains of Spain. The Fombuena Formation comprises a Gondwanan crinoid assemblage from a high paleolatitude and has the highest crinoid diversity of any currently known Katian Gondwanan fauna. This assemblage is compared to other Katian age faunas around...

Hybrid forecasting of chaotic processes: Using machine learning in conjunction with a knowledge-based model

Science.gov (United States)

Pathak, Jaideep; Wikner, Alexander; Fussell, Rebeckah; Chandra, Sarthak; Hunt, Brian R.; Girvan, Michelle; Ott, Edward

2018-04-01

A model-based approach to forecasting chaotic dynamical systems utilizes knowledge of the mechanistic processes governing the dynamics to build an approximate mathematical model of the system. In contrast, machine learning techniques have demonstrated promising results for forecasting chaotic systems purely from past time series measurements of system state variables (training data), without prior knowledge of the system dynamics. The motivation for this paper is the potential of machine learning for filling in the gaps in our underlying mechanistic knowledge that cause widely-used knowledge-based models to be inaccurate. Thus, we here propose a general method that leverages the advantages of these two approaches by combining a knowledge-based model and a machine learning technique to build a hybrid forecasting scheme. Potential applications for such an approach are numerous (e.g., improving weather forecasting). We demonstrate and test the utility of this approach using a particular illustrative version of a machine learning known as reservoir computing, and we apply the resulting hybrid forecaster to a low-dimensional chaotic system, as well as to a high-dimensional spatiotemporal chaotic system. These tests yield extremely promising results in that our hybrid technique is able to accurately predict for a much longer period of time than either its machine-learning component or its model-based component alone.

Black guillemot ecology in relation to tidal stream energy generation: An evaluation of current knowledge and information gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Daniel T; Furness, Robert W; Robbins, Alexandra M C; Tyler, Glen; Taggart, Mark A; Masden, Elizabeth A

2018-03-01

The black guillemot Cepphus grylle has been identified as a species likely to interact with marine renewable energy devices, specifically tidal turbines, with the potential to experience negative impacts. This likelihood is primarily based on the species being a diving seabird, and an inshore, benthic forager often associating with tidal streams. These behavioural properties may bring them into contact with turbine blades, or make them susceptible to alterations to tidal current speed, and/or changes in benthic habitat structure. We examine the knowledge currently available to assess the potential impacts of tidal stream turbines on black guillemot ecology, highlight knowledge gaps and make recommendations for future research. The key ecological aspects investigated include: foraging movements, diving behaviour, seasonal distribution, other sources of disturbance and colony recovery. Relating to foraging behaviour, between studies there is heterogeneity in black guillemot habitat use in relation to season, tide, diurnal cycles, and bathymetry. Currently, there is also little knowledge regarding the benthic habitats associated with foraging. With respect to diving behaviour, there is currently no available research regarding how black guillemots orientate and manoeuvre within the water column. Black guillemots are considered to be a non-migratory species, however little is known about their winter foraging range and habitat. The effect of human disturbance on breeding habitat and the metapopulation responses to potential mortalities are unknown. It is clear further understanding of black guillemot foraging habitat and behaviour is needed to provide renewable energy developers with the knowledge to sustainably locate tidal turbines and mitigate their impacts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of pellet-clad-gap-size on LWR fuel rod performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brzoska, B.; Fuchs, H.P.; Garzarolli, F.; Manzel, R.

1979-01-01

The as-fabricated pellet-clad-gap size varies due to fabricational tolerances of the cladding inner diameter and the pellet outer diameter. The consequences of these variations on the fuel rod behaviour are analyzed using the KWU fuel rod code CARO. The code predictions are compared with experimental results of special pathfinder test fuel rods irradiated in the OBRIGHEIM nuclear power plant. These test fuel rods include gap sizer in the range of 140 μm to 270 μm, prepressurization between 13 bar to 36 bar and Helium and Argon fill gases irradiated up to a local burnup of 35 MWd/kg(U). Post irradiation examination were performed at different burnups. CARC calculations have been performed with special emphasis in cladding creep down, fission gas release and pellet clad gap closure. (orig.)

Development of an abort gap monitor for the large hadron collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beche, J.-F.; Byrd, J.; De Santis, S.; Placidi, M.; Turner, W.; Zolotorev, M.

2004-01-01

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), presently under construction at CERN, requires monitoring the parasitic charge in the 3.3ms long gap in the machine fill structure. This gap, referred to as the abort gap, corresponds to the raise time of the abort kickers magnets. Any circulating particle present in the abort gap at the time of the kickers firing is lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, and can potentially damage a number of the LHC components. CERN specifications indicate a linear density of 6 x 106 protons over a 100 ns interval as the maximum charge safely allowed to accumulate in the abort gap at 7 TeV. We present a study of an abort gap monitor, based on a photomultiplier tube with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting such low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted in the dedicated diagnostics port. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) using a Hamamatsu 5961U MCP-PMT, which indicate that such an instrument has the required sensitivity to meet LHC specifications

Children's Perception of Gap Affordances: Bicycling Across Traffic-Filled Intersections in an Immersive Virtual Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Plumert, Jodie M.; Kearney, Joseph K.; Cremer, James F.

2004-01-01

This study examined gap choices and crossing behavior in children and adults using an immersive, interactive bicycling simulator. Ten- and 12-year-olds and adults rode a bicycle mounted on a stationary trainer through a virtual environment consisting of a street with 6 intersections. Participants faced continuous cross traffic traveling at 25mph…

Empowering adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa to prevent unintended pregnancy and HIV: A critical research gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Sharon J; Mbizvo, Michael T

2016-01-01

The need to prevent early pregnancy and HIV among adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa has been recognized increasingly over recent years. Although extensive work has been done to determine appropriate interventions for girls in high-income countries, very little evidence is available to guide programmatic interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The available evidence has been equivocal regarding improved outcomes. While knowledge and self-reported behaviors frequently change with interventions, including those performed at the community level, educational programs, and direct contraceptive provision, downstream outcomes rarely reflect a significant effect of the interventions; however, provision of financial or other interventions to incentivize continued school enrollment are a promising development. We suggest directions for future research to fill this critical gap in the literature. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of corrosion and stress corrosion cracking results for SCWR development: gaps and needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, W.; Gu, G.; Guzonas, D.; Luo, J.

2010-01-01

International efforts on materials evaluation for the development of supercritical water-cooled reactors (SCWRs) have produced a considerable amount of corrosion test data in the open literature. These data are helping guide the selection of candidate alloys for further, longer-term evaluation. As continuing research in this area advances, the gaps and limitations in the published data are being identified. These gaps can be seen in several areas, including the test environment and the severity of test condition as compared with reactor service/operating condition. While some of these gaps can be filled readily with existing capabilities, others require major investments in advanced test facilities. (author)

30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.72 Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.... Uncontrolled surface drainage may not be directed over the outslope of the fill. (2) Runoff from areas above the fill and runoff from the surface of the fill shall be diverted into stabilized diversion channels...

Data gaps in toxicity testing of chemicals allowed in food in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Neltner, Thomas G; Alger, Heather M; Leonard, Jack E; Maffini, Maricel V

2013-12-01

In the United States, chemical additives cannot be used in food without an affirmative determination that their use is safe by FDA or additive manufacturer. Feeding toxicology studies designed to estimate the amount of a chemical additive that can be eaten safely provide the most relevant information. We analyze how many chemical additives allowed in human food have feeding toxicology studies in three toxicological information sources including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) database. Less than 38% of FDA-regulated additives have a published feeding study. For chemicals directly added to food, 21.6% have feeding studies necessary to estimate a safe level of exposure and 6.7% have reproductive or developmental toxicity data in FDA's database. A program is needed to fill these significant knowledge gaps by using in vitro and in silico methods complemented with targeted in vivo studies to ensure public health is protected. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neonatal resuscitation: a knowledge gap amongst obstetrical trainees. A cross-sectional survey amongst medical graduates of Civil Hospital Karachi.

Science.gov (United States)

Noor, Tooba; Raza, Natasha; Haq, Gulfishan

2014-07-01

To evaluate the neonatal resuscitation competence of obstetrical trainees to assess the gap in knowledge and to determine training needs. The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from January to March 2013 and comprised House Officers and Postgraduate trainees. A questionnaire was used to test the evaluation skills of different conditions and choice of appropriate action required during neonatal resuscitation. Data was collected and analysed through SPSS 17.0. Of the 102 obstetrical trainees, 44 (43.1%) were House Officers and 58 (56.9%) were Postgraduate trainees with an overall mean age 25.69 +/- 2.3 years. Only 19 (18.6%) subjects cleared the test; 8 (42.1%) of them were House Officers and 11 (57.9%) were Postgraduate trainees. The result did not show any significant difference between those who had previous training or those who had performed neonatal resuscitation and those who had no such exposure. Majority, 92 (90.2%) considered their knowledge inadequate and 99 (97%) favoured that updated neonatal resuscitation programmes should be periodically arranged. The study showed inadequate level of knowledge on neonatal resuscitation amongst obstetrical trainees. There is urgent need of formal training programmes which can make doctors skilful enough to face any adverse neonatal outcome professionally.

Advances, gaps, and future prospects in biological soil crust research

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Bettina; Büdel, Burkhard; Belnap, Jayne

2017-04-01

Research progress has led to the understanding that biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are often complete miniature ecosystems comprising a variety of photosynthesizers (cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, bryophytes), decomposers like bacteria, fungi, and archaea, and heterotrophic organisms, like protozoa, nematodes, and microarthropods feeding on them. Biocrusts are one of the oldest terrestrial ecosystems, playing central roles in the structure and functioning of dryland ecosystems and presumably also influencing global biogeochemical cycles. On the other hand, biocrusts have been shown to be highly sensitive to global change, being easily destroyed by mechanical disturbance and severely threatened by minor changes in climate patterns. Despite the large increase in biocrust research, we still see major knowledge gaps which need to be tackled. Considering biodiversity studies, there are major regions of potential biocrust occurrence, where hardly any studies have been conducted. Molecular identification techniques are increasingly employed, but genetically characterized entities need to be linked with morphologically identified organisms to identify their ecological roles. Although there is a large body of research on the role of biocrusts in water and nutrient budgets, we are still far from closing the overall cycles. Results suggest that not all mechanisms have been identified, yet, leading to sometimes contradictory results between different studies. Knowledge on how to minimize impact to biocrusts during surface-disturbing activities has hardly been gained, and despite research efforts, instructions on effective biocrust restoration are still exemplary. In order to fill these research gaps, novel scientific approaches are needed. We expect that global research networks could be extremely helpful to answer scientific questions by tackling them within different regions, utilizing the same methodological techniques. Global networks could also be used for long

Sodium fill of FFTF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waldo, J.B.; Greenwell, R.K.; Keasling, T.A.; Collins, J.R.; Klos, D.B.

1980-02-01

With construction of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) completed, the first major objective in the startup program was to fill the sodium systems. A sodium fill sequence was developed to match construction completion, and as systems became available, they were inerted, preheated, and filled with sodium. The secondary sodium systems were filled first while dry refueling system testing was in progress in the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel and the primary loops were filled last. This paper describes the methods used and some of the key results achieved for this major FFTF objective

REFLECTIONS ON THE REPERTORY IN MUSIC EDUCATION: FILLING THE GAP WITH CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Érica Dias Gomes

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Formal musical education in Brasil has been focusing common practice period repertory on all education segments. This research aims to reflect about this gap on musical education’s repertory, especially regarding contemporary music. Therefore, theoretical review was carried out in order to present some facts on music education’s history that have contributed to this repertory consolidation. Finally some notes about both contemporary music and life are exposed as argument for the importance of discussing these relations at school. Lastly this paper defends contemporary music as a significant issue for the purpose of develops musicality and relates students’ everyday life to music education.

Sources of uncertanity as a basis to fill the information gap in a response to flood

Science.gov (United States)

Kekez, Toni; Knezic, Snjezana

2016-04-01

Taking into account uncertainties in flood risk management remains a challenge due to difficulties in choosing adequate structural and/or non-structural risk management options. Despite stated measures wrong decisions are often being made when flood occurs. Parameter and structural uncertainties which include model and observation errors as well as lack of knowledge about system characteristics are the main considerations. Real time flood risk assessment methods are predominantly based on measured water level values and vulnerability as well as other relevant characteristics of flood affected area. The goal of this research is to identify sources of uncertainties and to minimize information gap between the point where the water level is measured and the affected area, taking into consideration main uncertainties that can affect risk value at the observed point or section of the river. Sources of uncertainties are identified and determined using system analysis approach and relevant uncertainties are included in the risk assessment model. With such methodological approach it is possible to increase response time with more effective risk assessment which includes uncertainty propagation model. Response phase could be better planned with adequate early warning systems resulting in more time and less costs to help affected areas and save human lives. Reliable and precise information is necessary to raise emergency operability level in order to enhance safety of citizens and reducing possible damage. The results of the EPISECC (EU funded FP7) project are used to validate potential benefits of this research in order to improve flood risk management and response methods. EPISECC aims at developing a concept of a common European Information Space for disaster response which, among other disasters, considers the floods.

Cernavoda NPP Knowledge Transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valache, C. M.

2016-01-01

Full text: The paper presents a description of the Knowledge Transfer (KT) process implemented at Cernavoda NPP, its designing and implementation. It is underlined that applying a KT approach should improve the value of existing processes of the organization through: • Identifying business, operational and safety risks due to knowledge gaps, • Transfer of knowledge from the ageing workforce to the peers and/or the organization, • Continually learning from successes and failures of individual or teams, • Convert tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge, • Improving operational and safety performance through creating both new knowledge and better access to existing knowledge. (author

Major knowledge gaps and system barriers to guideline implementation among European physicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation: a European Society of Cardiology international educational needs assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidbuchel, Hein; Dagres, Nikolaos; Antz, Matthias; Kuck, Karl-Heinz; Lazure, Patrice; Murray, Suzanne; Carrera, Céline; Hindricks, Gerhard; Vahanian, Alec

2018-03-12

Guideline-adherent treatment is associated with improved prognosis in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients but is insufficiently implemented in clinical practice. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) performed a multinational educational needs assessment study among cardiologists, general practitioners/family physicians (GPs/FPs), and neurologists in order to evaluate knowledge and skills of physicians and system factors related to AF care delivery. A total of 561 physicians (294 cardiologists, 131 neurologists, and 136 GPs/FPs) from six European countries participated. This mixed-methods study included exploratory semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 30) and a quantitative survey that included two clinical cases (n = 531). We identified eight key knowledge gaps and system barriers across all domains of AF care. A majority across all specialties reported skills needing improvement to classify AF pathophysiologically, rather than based on duration of episodes, and reported lack of availability of long-term electrocardiogram recording. Skills interpreting the CHA2DS2-VASc and the HAS-BLED scores were reported as needing improvement by the majority of neurologists (52% and 60%, respectively) and GPs/FPs (65% and 74%). Cardiologists calculated the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores in 94%/70% in a presented case patient, but only 60%/49% of neurologists and 58%/42% of GPs/FPs did. There was much uncertainty on how to deal with anticoagulant therapy in complex patients. There was also a high disparity in using rate or rhythm control strategies, and indications for ablation. Information delivery to patients and communication between different specialties was often considered suboptimal, while national regulations and restrictions often hamper international guideline implementation. We identified major gaps in physicians' knowledge and skills across all domains of AF care, as well as system factors hampering guideline-compliant care implementation and

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding travel health among Muscat International Airport travelers in Oman: Identifying the gaps and addressing the challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Abri, Seif S; Abdel-Hady, Doaa M; Al-Abaidani, Idris S

2016-06-01

Although the majority of travel-associated communicable diseases can be prevented, the public health burden of these diseases remains significant. Relatively little is known about how travelers know and perceive the health risks associated with travel and how they utilize preventive measures before and while traveling abroad. This study was conducted to determine the level of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Muscat International Airport travelers about travel health in order to assess the knowledge gap and the need for travel health services in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 1week using a self-administered questionnaire. The overall level of knowledge about vaccine-preventable diseases, food safety, and preventive measures against insect bites of the participants was inadequate. The practice concerning preventive travel health measures, such as the use of specific immunizations and antimalarial prophylaxis, was very limited, and influenced by some personal and travel-related factors. The inadequate level of travelers' knowledge and poor utilization of travel medicine services highlights the need for the provisions of specialized travel medicine services at the national level and to develop educational materials promoting the importance of pre-travel health advice. Copyright © 2016 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

About Dental Amalgam Fillings

Science.gov (United States)

... and Medical Procedures Dental Devices Dental Amalgam About Dental Amalgam Fillings Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ... should I have my fillings removed? What is dental amalgam? Dental amalgam is a dental filling material ...

Strategi Pengembangan Good Agricultural Practices (GAP di Kabupaten Bangka, Provinsi Kepulauan Bangka Belitung

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fournita Agustina

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to identify the problems faced by agricultural extension workers and to formulate alternative of extension strategies in realizing the application of horticultural GAP by farmers in Bangka Regency. This study was conducted in Bangka Regency of Bangka Belitung Province in February 2014. The data obtained in the field were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis and SWOT analysis method. The results of this study indicate that: (1 The problems faced by agricultural extension workers in realizing the application of horticultural GAP by farmers in Kabupaten Bangka are low knowledge and skill about GAP horticulture, the existence of agricultural extension workers that have heavy work load, programme extension does not correspond to the need of farmer horticulture; (2 The strategy of agricultural extension workers in realizing the application of GAP horticulture by farmers in Bangka Regency is to increase the training and visit and demonstration plot (plots GAP horticulture, applying to the Food Security Agency of Bangka Regency related to the lack of education and learning tools horticulture, increasing knowledge and skills on horticultural GAP. Enhance interaction with universities and research institutions, knowledge and skills based on experience farming horticultural crops farmers as well as keeping exercise routines and visits to horticultural farmers

Decision Making Under Uncertainty - Bridging the Gap Between End User Needs and Science Capability

Science.gov (United States)

Verdon-Kidd, D. C.; Kiem, A.; Austin, E. K.

2012-12-01

Successful adaptation outcomes depend on decision making based on the best available climate science information. However, a fundamental barrier exists, namely the 'gap' between information that climate science can currently provide and the information that is practically useful for end users and decision makers. This study identifies the major contributing factors to the 'gap' from an Australian perspective and provides recommendations as to ways in which the 'gap' may be narrowed. This was achieved via a literature review, online survey (targeted to providers of climate information and end users of that information), workshop (where both climate scientists and end users came together to discuss key issues) and focus group. The study confirmed that uncertainty in climate science is a key barrier to adaptation. The issue of uncertainty was found to be multi-faceted, with issues identified in terms of communication of uncertainty, misunderstanding of uncertainty and the lack of tools/methods to deal with uncertainty. There were also key differences in terms of expectations for the future - most end users were of the belief that uncertainty associated with future climate projections would reduce within the next five to 10 years, however producers of climate science information were well aware that this would most likely not be the case. This is a concerning finding as end users may delay taking action on adaptation and risk planning until the uncertainties are reduced - a situation which may never eventuate or may occur after the optimal time for action. Improved communication and packaging of climate information was another key theme that was highlighted in this study. Importantly, it was made clear that improved communication is not just about more glossy brochures and presentations by climate scientists, rather there is a role for a program or group to fill this role (coined a 'knowledge broker' during the workshop and focus group). The role of the 'knowledge

Knowledge to action for solving complex problems: insights from a review of nine international cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, B L; Robinson, K L; Gamble, J; Finegood, D T; Sheppard, D; Penney, T L; Best, A

2015-05-01

Solving complex problems such as preventing chronic diseases introduces unique challenges for the creation and application of knowledge, or knowledge to action (KTA). KTA approaches that apply principles of systems thinking are thought to hold promise, but practical strategies for their application are not well understood. In this paper we report the results of a scan of systems approaches to KTA with a goal to identify how to optimize their implementation and impact. A 5-person advisory group purposefully selected 9 initiatives to achieve diversity on issues addressed and organizational forms. Information on each case was gathered from documents and through telephone interviews with primary contacts within each organization. Following verification of case descriptions, an inductive analysis was conducted within and across cases. The cases revealed 5 guidelines for moving from conceiving KTA systems to implementing them: (1) establish and nurture relationships, (2) co-produce and curate knowledge, (3) create feedback loops, (4) frame as systems interventions rather than projects, and (5) consider variations across time and place. Results from the environmental scan are a modest start to translating systems concepts for KTA into practice. Use of the strategies revealed in the scan may improve KTA for solving complex public health problems. The strategies themselves will benefit from the development of a science that aims to understand adaptation and ongoing learning from policy and practice interventions, strengthens enduring relationships, and fills system gaps in addition to evidence gaps. Systems approaches to KTA will also benefit from robust evaluations.

Preserving technical knowledge - when technology's lifetime exceeds the human life span

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menely, D. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Mississauga, Ontario, (Canada); Garland, W. [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario (Canada); Lightfoot, M.; Safa, M. [CANDU Owners Group, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2006-12-15

Industry is being challenged by the departure of experienced managers and workers. The loss of skills and the difficulty of finding qualified replacements can negatively affect operations, environment, safety and economics. There is a need to capture, preserve and pass along both documented and undocumented knowledge before aging workers depart the workplace. How to do it? Our ancestors faced the same problem, and they often solved it in a personal way through a Master-Journeyman-Apprentice system. Our modern education system is an extension of that system, augmented by extensive use of textbooks. This system now is stretched to its limits by two factors, (a) the need to update the teacher's knowledge, and (b) the need to update high quality textbooks. Modem Masters are so busy doing their work that they have no time to pass knowledge on in an effective manner. When they retire, their knowledge often is lost. The CANTEACH project was initiated to fill this gap. The essence of this knowledge capture process is acquisition of archival documents that are relevant to current practice in the field-in our case, CANDU power plant engineering. This project is made possible by voluntary contributions from Masters in the field; it can proceed only by avoiding the pitfalls of excessive security and intellectual property rules. This paper describes the mechanisms used to make this archival knowledge openly available for operators, designers, educators, and students of this technology. (author)

Toward a knowledge infrastructure for traits-based ecological risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Donald J; Baker, Christopher J O; Brua, Robert B; Hajibabaei, Mehrdad; McNicol, Kearon; Pascoe, Timothy J; de Zwart, Dick

2011-04-01

The trait approach has already indicated significant potential as a tool in understanding natural variation among species in sensitivity to contaminants in the process of ecological risk assessment. However, to realize its full potential, a defined nomenclature for traits is urgently required, and significant effort is required to populate databases of species-trait relationships. Recently, there have been significant advances in the area of information management and discovery in the area of the semantic web. Combined with continuing progress in biological trait knowledge, these suggest that the time is right for a reevaluation of how trait information from divergent research traditions is collated and made available for end users in the field of environmental management. Although there has already been a great deal of work on traits, the information is scattered throughout databases, literature, and undiscovered sources. Further progress will require better leverage of this existing data and research to fill in the gaps. We review and discuss a number of technical and social challenges to bringing together existing information and moving toward a new, collaborative approach. Finally, we outline a path toward enhanced knowledge discovery within the traits domain space, showing that, by linking knowledge management infrastructure, semantic metadata (trait ontologies), and Web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies, we can begin to construct a dedicated platform for TERA science. Copyright © 2010 SETAC.

Filling the knowledge gap: Integrating quantitative genetics and genomics in graduate education and outreach

Science.gov (United States)

The genomics revolution provides vital tools to address global food security. Yet to be incorporated into livestock breeding, molecular techniques need to be integrated into a quantitative genetics framework. Within the U.S., with shrinking faculty numbers with the requisite skills, the capacity to ...

The 'third wave' of HIV prevention: Filling gaps in integrated interventions, knowledge, and funding

OpenAIRE

Sepúlveda, J

2012-01-01

There is growing optimism in the global health community that the HIV epidemic can be halted. After decades of relying primarily on behavior change to prevent HIV transmission, a second generation of prevention efforts based on medical or biological interventions such as male circumcision and preexposure prophylaxis-the use of antiretroviral drugs to protect uninfected, at-risk individuals-has shown promising results. This article calls for a third generation of HIV prevention efforts that wo...

Filling knowledge gaps in radiation protection methodologies for non-human biota. Final summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.; Gjelsvik, R.; Holm, E.; Roos, P.; Saxen, R.; Outola, I.

2009-03-01

The activities of the GAPRAD project are summarised in this report. The background and rationale to GAPRAD are presented and explained. Most notably this relates to a lack of information on naturally occuring radionuclides in terrestrial and aquatic systems that have direct applicability for use in environmental impact assessments. Results from field activities are presented from the Dovrefjell area in Norway (terrestrial study) and selected lake and brackish water systems in Finland. The data mainly concern activity concentrations of Po-210 in environmental media and selected biota allowing concentration ratios to be derived where appropriate. Furthermore, details in relation to Po-210 uptake and biokinetics in humans based on experimental work conducted within the project are presented. (au)

Filling knowledge gaps in radiation protection methodologies for non-human biota. Final summary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, J.; Gjelsvik, R. (Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway)); Holm, E. (Univ. of Lund (Sweden)); Roos, P. (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark)); Saxen, R.; Outola, I. (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (Finland))

2009-03-15

The activities of the GAPRAD project are summarised in this report. The background and rationale to GAPRAD are presented and explained. Most notably this relates to a lack of information on naturally occuring radionuclides in terrestrial and aquatic systems that have direct applicability for use in environmental impact assessments. Results from field activities are presented from the Dovrefjell area in Norway (terrestrial study) and selected lake and brackish water systems in Finland. The data mainly concern activity concentrations of Po-210 in environmental media and selected biota allowing concentration ratios to be derived where appropriate. Furthermore, details in relation to Po-210 uptake and biokinetics in humans based on experimental work conducted within the project are presented. (au)

Formation of moon induced gaps in dense planetary rings

Science.gov (United States)

Grätz, F.; Seiß, M.; Spahn, F.

2017-09-01

Recent works have shown that bodies embedded in planetary rings create S-shaped density modula- tions called propellers if their mass deceeds a certain threshold or cause a gap around the entire circumference of the disc if the embedded bodies mass exceeds it. Two counteracting physical processes govern the dynamics and determine what structure is created: The gravitational disturber excerts a torque on nearby disc particles, sweeping them away from itself on both sides thus depleting the discs density and forming a gap. Diffusive spreading of the disc material due to collisions counteracts the gravitational scattering and has the tendency to fill the gap. We develop a nonlinear diffusion model that accounts for those two counteracting processes and describes the azimutally averaged surface density profile an embedded moon creates in planetary rings. The gaps width depends on the moons mass, its radial position and the rings viscosity allowing us to estimate the rings viscosity in the vicinity of the Encke and Keeler gap in Saturns A-Ring and compare it to previous measurements. We show that for the Keeler gap the time derivative of the semi-major axis as derived by Goldreich and Tremaine 1980 is underestimated yielding an underestimated viscosity for the ring. We therefore derive a corrected expression for said time derivative by fitting the solutions of Hill's equations for an ensemble of test particles. Furthermore we estimate the masses for potentionally unseen moonlets in the C-Ring and Cassini division.

Preparing for Humans at Mars, MPPG Updates to Strategic Knowledge Gaps and Collaboration with Science Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, John; Wargo, Michael J.; Beaty, David

2013-01-01

The Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG) was an agency wide effort, chartered in March 2012 by the NASA Associate Administrator for Science, in collaboration with NASA's Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, the Chief Scientist, and the Chief Technologist. NASA tasked the MPPG to develop foundations for a program-level architecture for robotic exploration of Mars that is consistent with the President's challenge of sending humans to the Mars system in the decade of the 2030s and responsive to the primary scientific goals of the 2011 NRC Decadal Survey for Planetary Science. The Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) also sponsored a Precursor measurement Strategy Analysis Group (P-SAG) to revisit prior assessments of required precursor measurements for the human exploration of Mars. This paper will discuss the key results of the MPPG and P-SAG efforts to update and refine our understanding of the Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) required to successfully conduct human Mars missions.

Material gap membrane distillation: A new design for water vapor flux enhancement

KAUST Repository

Francis, Lijo

2013-08-19

A new module design for membrane distillation, namely material gap membrane distillation (MGMD), for seawater desalination has been proposed and successfully tested. It has been observed that employing appropriate materials between the membrane and the condensation plate in an air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) module enhanced the water vapor flux significantly. An increase in the water vapor flux of about 200-800% was observed by filling the gap with sand and DI water at various feed water temperatures. However, insulating materials such as polypropylene and polyurethane have no effect on the water vapor flux. The influence of material thickness and characteristics has also been investigated in this study. An increase in the water gap width from 9. mm to 13. mm increases the water vapor flux. An investigation on an AGMD and MGMD performance comparison, carried out using two different commercial membranes provided by different manufacturers, is also reported in this paper. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

practice gap in critical care nursing students

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Guided reflection as a tool to deal with the theory– practice gap in critical care ... was used during semi-structured interviews during the data collection process. ... a description of incidents experienced, critical analysis of knowledge, critical ...

Effect of Flapless Immediate Implantation and Filling the Buccal Gap with Xenograft Material on the Buccal Bone Level: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojgan Paknejad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Following tooth extraction, soft and hard tissue alterations occur; Different factors can affect this process. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of gap filling on buccal alveolar crestal bone level after immediate implant placement after 4- to 6-month observation period.Materials and Methods: This   randomized clinical trial was performed on 20 patients (mean age of 38.8 years requiring tooth extraction in a total of 27 areas in the anterior maxilla. The treatment strategy was as follows: atraumatic flapless tooth extraction, implant placement, insertion of a graft (test group or no material (control group between the implant and the socket wall, connection healing abutment placement and suturing the area. Clinical and cone beam computed tomographic examinations were performed before implant placement (baseline, 24 hours after surgery and 4-6 months (T2 after implant placement, to assess the buccal plate height (BH and implant complications.Results: After 4 months of healing, a reduction in different bone measurements was noticed in the two groups. No statistically significant differences were assessed in bone height measurements between the test and control groups at different time points. The study demonstrated that immediate implantation resulted in 1.30 and 1.66 mm reduction in buccal bone plate in the test and control groups, respectively.Conclusions: The study demonstrated that immediate implantation in the extraction socket together with xenograft failed to prevent bone resorption.

Update on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs: Knowledge gaps for improved disease control.

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, D; Sibila, M; Kuhnert, P; Segalés, J; Haesebrouck, F; Pieters, M

2017-08-23

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the primary pathogen of enzootic pneumonia, a chronic respiratory disease in pigs. Infections occur worldwide and cause major economic losses to the pig industry. The present paper reviews the current knowledge on M. hyopneumoniae infections, with emphasis on identification and analysis of knowledge gaps for optimizing control of the disease. Close contact between infected and susceptible pigs is the main route of M. hyopneumoniae transmission. Management and housing conditions predisposing for infection or disease are known, but further research is needed to better understand M. hyopneumoniae transmission patterns in modern pig production systems, and to assess the importance of the breeding population for downstream disease control. The organism is primarily found on the mucosal surface of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles. Different adhesins and lipoproteins are involved in the adherence process. However, a clear picture of the virulence and pathogenicity of M. hyopneumoniae is still missing. The role of glycerol metabolism, myoinositol metabolism and the Mycoplasma Ig binding protein-Mycoplasma Ig protease system should be further investigated for their contribution to virulence. The destruction of the mucociliary apparatus, together with modulating the immune response, enhances the susceptibility of infected pigs to secondary pathogens. Clinical signs and severity of lesions depend on different factors, such as management, environmental conditions and likely also M. hyopneumoniae strain. The potential impact of strain variability on disease severity is not well defined. Diagnostics could be improved by developing tests that may detect virulent strains, by improving sampling in live animals and by designing ELISAs allowing discrimination between infected and vaccinated pigs. The currently available vaccines are often cost-efficient, but the ongoing research on developing new vaccines that confer protective

Postirradiation examination data report for gap conductance test series. Test GC 2-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murdock, B.A.

1978-02-01

The results of the postirradiation examination of four boiling water reactor type, zircaloy-clad, UO 2 -fueled rods tested in the Power Burst Facility are discussed. These rods were employed in Gap Conductance Test GC 2-1 which was performed to obtain experimental data from which test fuel rod gap conductance values could be determined by both the steady state ∫kdT and the power oscillation methods. The postirradiation examination results provided in the document will aid in interpreting the experimental data obtained during Test GC 2-1 and in evaluating the effect of fuel behavior on the fuel rod thermal response and interpreted gap conductances. Fuel rod fill gas composition and pressure are discussed. Measurements of fuel pellet-cladding gap and fuel crack areas are presented. The fuel structure is analyzed. Test rod instrumentation and power profiles are examined to better evaluate the test conditions

Examining the Gender Gap in Introductory Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Kost, Lauren; Pollock, Steven; Finkelstein, Noah

2009-05-01

Our previous research[1] showed that despite the use of interactive engagement techniques in the introductory physics course, the gap in performance between males and females on a mechanics conceptual learning survey persisted from pre- to post-test, at our institution. Such findings were counter to previously published work[2]. Follow-up studies[3] identified correlations between student performance on the conceptual learning survey and students' prior physics and math knowledge and their incoming attitudes and beliefs about physics and learning physics. The results indicate that the gender gap at our institution is predominantly associated with differences in males' and females' previous physics and math knowledge, and attitudes and beliefs. Our current work extends these results in two ways: 1) we look at the gender gap in the second semester of the introductory sequence and find results similar to those in the first semester course and 2) we identify ways in which males and females differentially experience several aspects of the introductory course. [1] Pollock, et al, Phys Rev: ST: PER 3, 010107. [2] Lorenzo, et al, Am J Phys 74, 118. [3] Kost, et al, PERC Proceedings 2008.

Mechanism of photonic band gap, optical properties, tuning and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwari, A.; Johri, M.

2006-05-01

Mechanism of occurrence of Photonic Band Gap (PBG) is presented for 3-D structure using close packed face centered cubic lattice. Concepts and our work, specifically optical properties of 3-D photonic crystal, relative width, filling fraction, effective refractive index, alternative mechanism of photonic band gap scattering strength and dielectric contrast, effect of fluctuations and minimum refractive index contrast, are reported. The temperature tuning and anisotropy of nematic and ferroelectric liquid crystal infiltrated opal for different phase transitions are given. Effective dielectric constant with filling fraction using Maxwell Garnet theory (MG), multiple modified Maxwell Garnet (MMMG) and Effective Medium theory (EM) and results are compared with experiment to understand the occurrence of PBG. Our calculations of Lamb shifts including fluctuations are given and compared with those of literature values. We have also done band structure calculations including anisotropy and compared isotropic characteristic of liquid crystal. A possibility of lowest refractive index contrast useful for the fabrication of PBG is given. Our calculations for relative width as a function of refractive index contrast are reported and comparisons with existing theoretical and experimental optimal values are briefed. Applications of photonic crystals are summarized. The investigations conducted on PBG materials and reported here may pave the way for understanding the challenges in the field of PBG. (author)

Optical study of the band structure of wurtzite GaP nanowires

KAUST Repository

Assali, S.

2016-07-25

We investigated the optical properties of wurtzite (WZ) GaP nanowires by performing photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements in the temperature range from 4 K to 300 K, together with atom probe tomography to identify residual impurities in the nanowires. At low temperature, the WZ GaP luminescence shows donor-acceptor pair emission at 2.115 eV and 2.088 eV, and Burstein-Moss band-filling continuum between 2.180 and 2.253 eV, resulting in a direct band gap above 2.170 eV. Sharp exciton α-β-γ lines are observed at 2.140–2.164–2.252 eV, respectively, showing clear differences in lifetime, presence of phonon replicas, and temperature-dependence. The excitonic nature of those peaks is critically discussed, leading to a direct band gap of ∼2.190 eV and to a resonant state associated with the γ-line ∼80 meV above the Γ8C conduction band edge.

Optical study of the band structure of wurtzite GaP nanowires

KAUST Repository

Assali, S.; Greil, J.; Zardo, I.; Belabbes, Abderrezak; de Moor, M. W. A.; Koelling, S.; Koenraad, P. M.; Bechstedt, F.; Bakkers, E. P. A. M.; Haverkort, J. E. M.

2016-01-01

We investigated the optical properties of wurtzite (WZ) GaP nanowires by performing photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements in the temperature range from 4 K to 300 K, together with atom probe tomography to identify residual impurities in the nanowires. At low temperature, the WZ GaP luminescence shows donor-acceptor pair emission at 2.115 eV and 2.088 eV, and Burstein-Moss band-filling continuum between 2.180 and 2.253 eV, resulting in a direct band gap above 2.170 eV. Sharp exciton α-β-γ lines are observed at 2.140–2.164–2.252 eV, respectively, showing clear differences in lifetime, presence of phonon replicas, and temperature-dependence. The excitonic nature of those peaks is critically discussed, leading to a direct band gap of ∼2.190 eV and to a resonant state associated with the γ-line ∼80 meV above the Γ8C conduction band edge.

Calculations on the effect of pellet filling on the rewetting of overheated nuclear reactor fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, K.G.; Loveless, J.

1977-03-01

Numerical solutions of the rewetting equations are presented which show the effect of filler material and gas gap on the rate of rewetting of an overheated fuel pin. It is shown that taking the presence of the fuel into account can lead to a large reduction in the calculated rewetting speed compared with a calculation which neglects the presence of fuel. The effect is most marked in conditions where rewetting speeds tend to be already low, such as at high pin temperatures and low ambient pressure. A comparison is made between the predictions of the present method and experimental data obtained on zircaloy and stainless steel pins filled with magnesia and with boron nitride. In all cases filling the pins produced a large reduction in rewetting speed and the agreement between the calculated and measured effect was encouraging. It is concluded that the presence of the UO 2 pellet filling should be taken into account when calculating rewetting speeds in safety assessments. (author)

Evaluation of Root-End Resections Performed by Er, Cr: YSGG Laser with and without Placement of a Root-End Filling Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Sullivan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Microleakage following root-end resections has a direct influence on the outcome of surgical endodontic procedures. This study compared the microleakage after root-end resections performed by the Er, Cr: YSGG laser or carbide burs with or without the placement of MTA, and evaluated the presence of microcracks and gaps at the interface of GP/MTA and the canal walls. Ninety single-rooted teeth were instrumented, obturated with GP and AH-Plus sealer, and divided into 3 experimental groups: (I root-end resections were performed with the laser and G6 tips (parameters: 4.5 w, 30 pps, 20% water and 50% air; (II Lindeman burs were used, without the placement of MTA; (III the burs were used followed by root-end fillings with MTA, and one control (IV of five unobturated roots resected with the burs. The samples were prepared for microleakage (=20 and SEM (=10 analysis. They were immersed in 1% methylene blue, decalcified, cleared, and evaluated for dye penetration (mm2 with the ImageJ software. Epoxy-resin replicas of the root-ends were analyzed by SEM for gaps (m2 and microcracks. Microleakage results were 0.518±1.059, 0.172±0.223, and 0.158±0.253, for the laser (I, no root-end filling (II, and MTA (III samples, respectively, (ANOVA =.02. The laser (7831.7±2329.2 and no root-end filling (7137.3±1400.7 samples presented gaps. Whereas, none was found in the MTA (ANOVA =.002. Microcracks were not observed. The MTA group demonstrated statistically less leakage and better adaptation to the canal walls when compared to the other groups. There was no correlation between the size of the gaps and the degree of microleakage.

The gastropod Phorcus sauciatus (Koch, 1845) along the north-west Iberian Peninsula: filling historical gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri; Moreira, Juan; Sousa-Pinto, Isabel

2014-03-01

The intertidal gastropod Phorcus sauciatus is a subtropical grazer that reaches its northern boundary in the Iberian Peninsula. Distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula shows, however, gaps in its distribution. The present study was aimed at detecting possible recent changes on the population structure and distribution of P. sauciatus along the north-west Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this aim, we adopted a qualitative sampling design to explore the presence of P. sauciatus along a region within its historical gap of distribution (north Portuguese coast). In addition, a quantitative sampling design was adopted to test hypotheses about the abundance and size structure of P. sauciatus populations among regions with different historical records of its abundance and among shores with different exposure. Results showed that P. sauciatus was present along the north Portuguese coast. However, the abundance and size structure of the newly settled populations were significantly different to those of the historically recorded populations. Moreover, P. sauciatus was able to establish populations at sheltered shores. Considering these results, we propose models for the distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula, based on effects of sea surface temperature, and to explain the size-frequency of their populations based on their density.

Thermal behaviour of high burnup PWR fuel under different fill gas conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tverberg, T.

2001-01-01

During its more than 40 years of existence, a large number of experiments have been carried out at the Halden Reactor Project focusing on different aspects related to nuclear reactor fuel. During recent years, the fuels testing program has mainly been focusing on aspects related to high burnup, in particular in terms of fuel thermal performance and fission gas release, and often involving reinstrumentation of commercially irradiated fuel. The paper describes such an experiment where a PWR rod, previously irradiated in a commercial reactor to a burnup of ∼50 MWd/kgUO 2 , was reinstrumented with a fuel central oxide thermocouple and a cladding extensometer together with a high pressure gas flow line, allowing for different fill gas compositions and pressures to be applied. The paper focuses on the thermal behaviour of such LWR rods with emphasis on how different fill gas conditions influence the fuel temperatures and gap conductance. Rod growth rate was also monitored during the irradiation in the Halden reactor. (author)

Africa Centre for Systematic Reviews and Knowledge Translation ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Several initiatives focused on bridging the "know-do" gap emphasize ... and knowledge translation to bridge the gaps between research and health policy. ... International Water Resources Association, in close collaboration with IDRC, ...

Uncertainty, probability and information-gaps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben-Haim, Yakov

2004-01-01

This paper discusses two main ideas. First, we focus on info-gap uncertainty, as distinct from probability. Info-gap theory is especially suited for modelling and managing uncertainty in system models: we invest all our knowledge in formulating the best possible model; this leaves the modeller with very faulty and fragmentary information about the variation of reality around that optimal model. Second, we examine the interdependence between uncertainty modelling and decision-making. Good uncertainty modelling requires contact with the end-use, namely, with the decision-making application of the uncertainty model. The most important avenue of uncertainty-propagation is from initial data- and model-uncertainties into uncertainty in the decision-domain. Two questions arise. Is the decision robust to the initial uncertainties? Is the decision prone to opportune windfall success? We apply info-gap robustness and opportunity functions to the analysis of representation and propagation of uncertainty in several of the Sandia Challenge Problems

Gaps within the Biomedical Literature: Initial Characterization and Assessment of Strategies for Discovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yufang Peng

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Within well-established fields of biomedical science, we identify “gaps,” topical areas of investigation that might be expected to occur but are missing. We define a field by carrying out a topical PubMed query and analyze Medical Subject Headings (MeSH by which the set of retrieved articles are indexed. MeSH terms that occur in >1% of the articles are examined pairwise to see how often they are predicted to co-occur within individual articles (assuming that they are independent of each other. A pair of MeSH terms that are predicted to co-occur in at least 10 articles, yet are not observed to co-occur in any article, are “gaps” and were studied further in a corpus of 10 disease-related article sets and 10 related to biological processes. Overall, articles that filled gaps were cited more heavily than non-gap-filling articles and were 61% more likely to be published in multidisciplinary high-impact journals. Nine different features of these “gaps” were characterized and tested to learn which, if any, correlate with the appearance of one or more articles containing both MeSH terms within the next 5 years. Several different types of gaps were identified, each having distinct combinations of predictive features: (a those arising as a byproduct of MeSH indexing rules; (b those having little biological meaning; (c those representing “low hanging fruit” for immediate exploitation; and (d those representing gaps across disciplines or subdisciplines that do not talk to each other or work together. We have built a free, open tool called “Mine the Gap!” that identifies and characterizes the “gaps” for any PubMed query, which can be accessed via the Anne O’Tate value-added PubMed search interface (http://arrowsmith.psych.uic.edu/cgi-bin/arrowsmith_uic/AnneOTate.cgi.

Community knowledge and information communication gaps on HIV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

community needs and address economic and socio-cultural barriers to facilitate education utilisation and behavioural changes required in HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Tanzania. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, knowledge, information communication, Tanzania Tanzania Health Research Bulletin Vol. 8 (2) 2006: pp. 101-108 ...

Ultrasound in assisted reproduction: a call to fill the endometrial gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Hershko-Klement, Anat; Tepper, Ronnie

2016-06-01

Ultrasound offers essential details and an overall view of the anatomic features of the reproductive organs, as well as physiologic assessment. There is still a great gap, however, in our understanding and interpretation of endometrial sonographic findings. Endometrial thickness, growth, and sonographic patterns have been repeatedly tested and compared with pregnancy rates in IVF cycles, yielding conflicting results. Generally, the data accrued so far suggest refraining from clinical decisions based solely on endometrial thickness. The three-layer ultrasound pattern reflects normal follicular/proliferative dynamics, and its presence in the pre-hCG period was reported to carry a better outcome: Significantly higher clinical pregnancy rates were found in patients with this pattern on the day of hCG administration among IVF cohorts. Subendometrial contractility (endometrial "waves") offers a tool that can be used in cases of repeated implantation failure in patients reporting cramps around the planned time of embryo transfer, or as a reassuring modality to assess uterine quiescence during preparations for embryo transfer. We support the creation of an integrated endometrial score incorporating conservative endometrial measurements, endometrial-myometrial junction studies, and endometrial contractility, as well as new concepts that remain to be tested, such as endometrial surface area. Such scores may enable us to improve the effectiveness of endometrial ultrasound imaging in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Filling Terrorism Gaps: VEOs, Evaluating Databases, and Applying Risk Terrain Modeling to Terrorism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagan, Ross F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-08-29

This paper aims to address three issues: the lack of literature differentiating terrorism and violent extremist organizations (VEOs), terrorism incident databases, and the applicability of Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) to terrorism. Current open source literature and publicly available government sources do not differentiate between terrorism and VEOs; furthermore, they fail to define them. Addressing the lack of a comprehensive comparison of existing terrorism data sources, a matrix comparing a dozen terrorism databases is constructed, providing insight toward the array of data available. RTM, a method for spatial risk analysis at a micro level, has some applicability to terrorism research, particularly for studies looking at risk indicators of terrorism. Leveraging attack data from multiple databases, combined with RTM, offers one avenue for closing existing research gaps in terrorism literature.

[Evidence and Evidence Gaps - an Introduction].

Science.gov (United States)

Dreier, G; Löhler, J

2016-04-01

Treating patients requires the inclusion of existing evidence in any health care decision, to be able to choose the best diagnosis or treatment measure or to make valid prognosis statements for a particular patient in consideration of the physician's own expertise.The basis are clinical trials, the results of which are ideally gathered in systematic reviews, rated, summarized and published. In addition to the GCP (Good Clinical Practice)-compliant planning, conducting and analysis of clinical studies it is essential, that all study results are made publicly available, in order to avoid publication bias. This includes the public registration of planned and discontinued trials. In the last 25 years, the evidence-based medicine (EbM) has increasingly found its way into clinical practice and research. Here EbM is closely associated with the names Archibald Cochrane and David Sackett. In Germany, both the German Cochrane Centre (DCZ) and the network of evidence-based medicine (DNEbM) were established approximately 15 years ago. In the international Cochrane Collaboration clinicians and other scientists like statisticians interdisciplinary work side by side to develop the methods of evidence-based medicine and to address the topics of evidence generation and processing as well as the transfer of knowledge. Challenge: Existing evidence primarily serves doctors to support their decision-making, but is also the basis for providing scientific proof for a health care intervention's benefit to patients and ultimately payers/health insurances. The closure of existing evidence gaps requires substantial human and financial resources, a complex organizational structure and can only succeed with the involvement of clinical and methodological expertise and specific knowledge in the field of clinical research. In addition, the knowledge must be transferred into practice, using journals, guidelines, conferences, databases, information portals with processed evidence and not least the

Effect of Performance Feedback on Perceived Knowledge and Likelihood to Pursue Continuing Education

Science.gov (United States)

Eberman, Lindsey E.; Tripp, Brady L.

2011-01-01

Context: For practicing health care professionals, waiting for a teachable moment to identify a gap in knowledge could prove critical. Other methods are needed to help health care professionals identify their knowledge gaps. Objective: To assess the effect of performance feedback on Athletic Trainers' (AT) perceived knowledge (PK) and likelihood…

Mobilising the Ethiopian Knowledge Diasporas: Framing the Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Amazan, Rose C.

2008-01-01

The number of highly skilled Africans leaving their country of origin, many with PhDs, has reached disturbing proportions. Meanwhile, Africa spends billions per year to fill the capacity gaps that are created by the exodus of the highly skilled. In Africa, Ethiopia ranked first in terms of rate of loss of human capital. Many African governments…

Gaps in knowledge: tracking and explaining gender differences in health information seeking.

Science.gov (United States)

Manierre, Matthew J

2015-03-01

Self-directed health information seeking has become increasingly common in recent years, yet there is a substantial body of evidence suggesting that females are more likely to engage in information seeking than males. Previous research has largely ignored the significance of this difference as both an empirical and a theoretical finding. The current study has two goals, seeking to track this sex gap over time and to test explanations for its existence. The three explanations tested are based in past findings of gendered division of childcare labor, gendered reactivity to illness, and gendered perceived risk of illness. These were tested using multiple dependent variables from both repeated cross sectional data and 2012 data from the Health Information Trends Survey (HINTS). Results show that females are significantly more likely to look for cancer information, information in general, and information over the Internet over time than males, though the gap may be closing in the case of cancer information. The three explanations also received little clear support though perceived risk of getting cancer acted as a mediator through which men may be less likely to look for cancer information. Based on this analysis it is clear that a sex gap in information seeking is present and theories of masculinity and health may hold promise in some contexts but additional explanations are needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FOOD SAFETY KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES AMONG WOMEN IN FIELD PRACTICE AREA OF URBAN HEALTH TRAINING CENTRE, ANDHRA MEDICAL COLLEGE, VISAKHAPATNAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarada

2015-10-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Food safety describes handling, prep aration and storage of food in ways to prevent foodborne illness . The contamination of food may occur at any stage in the process from food production to consumption (“farm to plate” - theme for World Health Day 2015.Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Foodborne diseases include a wide spectrum of illnesses and a growing public health problem worldwide. METHODOLOGY: A cross - sectional community based study was done among 150 women in the field practice area of urban health training centre, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. Data was collected by administering questionnaire after taking informed consent. Data was entered in Epi data version 3.1 and analysed by usi ng SPSS version 16.Results were represented in form of proportions and Fischer’s Exact test was used to find significant association between variables. RESULTS: Among 150 participants, most of them were in age group of 21 - 30 years with mean age 33±11years.Ab out 68% belonged to low socioeconomic status, 76.7% were housewives, and 79.3% were literates. Among the participants, 94.7% had good knowledge regarding food safety, 30.7% had good practices showing gap between knowledge and practices. In 12% of cases ther e was history of foodborne illness. There was significant association between knowledge and literacy status; knowledge and past history of foodborne diseases (p<0.05. CONCLUSION: There is need for an education program in the community to improve the pract ices among women regarding food safety to fill the observed gap between knowledge and practices.

Predictive Coding: A Possible Explanation of Filling-In at the Blind Spot

Science.gov (United States)

Raman, Rajani; Sarkar, Sandip

2016-01-01

Filling-in at the blind spot is a perceptual phenomenon in which the visual system fills the informational void, which arises due to the absence of retinal input corresponding to the optic disc, with surrounding visual attributes. It is known that during filling-in, nonlinear neural responses are observed in the early visual area that correlates with the perception, but the knowledge of underlying neural mechanism for filling-in at the blind spot is far from complete. In this work, we attempted to present a fresh perspective on the computational mechanism of filling-in process in the framework of hierarchical predictive coding, which provides a functional explanation for a range of neural responses in the cortex. We simulated a three-level hierarchical network and observe its response while stimulating the network with different bar stimulus across the blind spot. We find that the predictive-estimator neurons that represent blind spot in primary visual cortex exhibit elevated non-linear response when the bar stimulated both sides of the blind spot. Using generative model, we also show that these responses represent the filling-in completion. All these results are consistent with the finding of psychophysical and physiological studies. In this study, we also demonstrate that the tolerance in filling-in qualitatively matches with the experimental findings related to non-aligned bars. We discuss this phenomenon in the predictive coding paradigm and show that all our results could be explained by taking into account the efficient coding of natural images along with feedback and feed-forward connections that allow priors and predictions to co-evolve to arrive at the best prediction. These results suggest that the filling-in process could be a manifestation of the general computational principle of hierarchical predictive coding of natural images. PMID:26959812

75As-NQR study of the hybridization gap semiconductor CeOs4As12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yogi, M; Niki, H; Higa, N; Kawata, T; Sekine, C

2016-01-01

We performed an 75 As nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurement on CeOs 4 As 12 . The 75 As-NQR spectrum shape demonstrates that the Ce-site filling fraction of our high-pressure synthesized sample is close to unity. A presence of the c — f hybridization gap is confirmed from the temperature dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T 1 . An increase of 1/T 1 below ∼3 K indicates a development of the spin fluctuations. The 1/T 1 for CeOs 4 As 12 shows similar behavior as that for CeOs 4 Sb 12 with different magnitude of the c — f hybridization gap. An absence of phase transition in CeOs 4 As 12 may be caused by the increase of the c — f hybridization, which increases the gap magnitude and reduces the residual density of state inside the gap. (paper)

Reactor Safety Gap Evaluation of Accident Tolerant Components and Severe Accident Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, Mitchell T.; Bunt, R.; Corradini, M.; Ellison, Paul B.; Francis, M.; Gabor, John D.; Gauntt, R.; Henry, C.; Linthicum, R.; Luangdilok, W.; Lutz, R.; Paik, C.; Plys, M.; Rabiti, Cristian; Rempe, J.; Robb, K.; Wachowiak, R.

2015-01-01

The overall objective of this study was to conduct a technology gap evaluation on accident tolerant components and severe accident analysis methodologies with the goal of identifying any data and/or knowledge gaps that may exist, given the current state of light water reactor (LWR) severe accident research, and additionally augmented by insights obtained from the Fukushima accident. The ultimate benefit of this activity is that the results can be used to refine the Department of Energy's (DOE) Reactor Safety Technology (RST) research and development (R&D) program plan to address key knowledge gaps in severe accident phenomena and analyses that affect reactor safety and that are not currently being addressed by the industry or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Reactor Safety Gap Evaluation of Accident Tolerant Components and Severe Accident Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farmer, Mitchell T. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Bunt, R. [Southern Nuclear, Atlanta, GA (United States); Corradini, M. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Ellison, Paul B. [GE Power and Water, Duluth, GA (United States); Francis, M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Gabor, John D. [Erin Engineering, Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Gauntt, R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Henry, C. [Fauske and Associates, Burr Ridge, IL (United States); Linthicum, R. [Exelon Corp., Chicago, IL (United States); Luangdilok, W. [Fauske and Associates, Burr Ridge, IL (United States); Lutz, R. [PWR Owners Group (PWROG); Paik, C. [Fauske and Associates, Burr Ridge, IL (United States); Plys, M. [Fauske and Associates, Burr Ridge, IL (United States); Rabiti, Cristian [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Rempe, J. [Rempe and Associates LLC, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Robb, K. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wachowiak, R. [Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Knovville, TN (United States)

2015-01-31

The overall objective of this study was to conduct a technology gap evaluation on accident tolerant components and severe accident analysis methodologies with the goal of identifying any data and/or knowledge gaps that may exist, given the current state of light water reactor (LWR) severe accident research, and additionally augmented by insights obtained from the Fukushima accident. The ultimate benefit of this activity is that the results can be used to refine the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reactor Safety Technology (RST) research and development (R&D) program plan to address key knowledge gaps in severe accident phenomena and analyses that affect reactor safety and that are not currently being addressed by the industry or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Knowledge Translation for Cardiovascular Disease Research and Management in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Shommu, Nusrat S; Turin, Tanvir C

2017-09-01

Knowledge translation is an essential and emerging arena in healthcare research. It is the process of aiding the application of research knowledge into clinical practice or policymaking. Individuals at all levels of the health care system, including patients, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, are affected by the gaps that exist between research evidence and practice; the process of knowledge translation plays a role in bridging these gaps and incorporating high-quality clinical research into decision-making. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) management is a crucial area of healthcare where information gaps are known to exist. Although Japan has one of the lowest risks and mortality rates from CVDs, an increasing trend of cardiovascular incidence and changes in the risk factor conditions have been observed in recent years. This article provides an overview of knowledge translation and its importance in the cardiovascular health of the Japanese population, and describes the key steps of a typical knowledge translation strategy.

Avoiding a knowledge gap in a multiethnic statewide social marketing campaign: is cultural tailoring sufficient?