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Sample records for human integument volunteers

  1. Dermatology in the Darwin anniversary. Part 1: Evolution of the integument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schempp, Christoph; Emde, Matthias; Wölfle, Ute

    2009-09-01

    The present review highlights the development of the integument and its adnexa from the primitive metazoans to man. The different stages of development represent independent, partially convergent evolutions rather than a continuous evolutionary line. The epidermis of the invertebrates (sponges, cnidaria, worms, echinoderms and arthropods) always consists of one layer of pluripotent cells. The barrier function of the integument at this level is achieved with physico-chemical barriers, toxin production, fortification of the epidermis in the form of a cuticula, a syncytium or a neodermis. The lower vertebrates (cyclostoma, fishes and amphibians) have a stratified epidermis harboring many secretory cells. In terrestrial amphibians the outermost cell layer of the epidermis is cornified, and the secretory cells are relocated in the dermis. Terminal differentiation and cornification of the epidermis in the birds and mammals result in a more uniform shape of the epithelium. Stem cells are now restricted to some basal regions of the epithelium. In the mammals the glands are located in the deeper layers of the skin. In contrast to other vertebrate integuments the human skin does not possess specialized structures such as feathers, scales or coats. However, waiving specialization allows for unique universality of the human skin compared to other vertebrates.

  2. The skin: The many functions of fish integument

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Diane G.; Farrell, Anthony P.

    2011-01-01

    The integument or skin is the envelope that not only separates and protects a fish from its environment, but also provides the means through which most contacts with the outer world are made. It is a large organ and is continuous with the linings of all body openings, and also covers the fins. Fish integument is a multifunctional organ, and its components may serve important roles in protection, communication, sensory perception, locomotion, respiration, ion regulation, excretion, and thermal regulation.

  3. DNA demethylation activates genes in seed maternal integument development in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifeng; Lin, Haiyan; Tong, Xiaohong; Hou, Yuxuan; Chang, Yuxiao; Zhang, Jian

    2017-11-01

    DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification that regulates various plant developmental processes. Rice seed integument determines the seed size. However, the role of DNA methylation in its development remains largely unknown. Here, we report the first dynamic DNA methylomic profiling of rice maternal integument before and after pollination by using a whole-genome bisulfite deep sequencing approach. Analysis of DNA methylation patterns identified 4238 differentially methylated regions underpin 4112 differentially methylated genes, including GW2, DEP1, RGB1 and numerous other regulators participated in maternal integument development. Bisulfite sanger sequencing and qRT-PCR of six differentially methylated genes revealed extensive occurrence of DNA hypomethylation triggered by double fertilization at IAP compared with IBP, suggesting that DNA demethylation might be a key mechanism to activate numerous maternal controlling genes. These results presented here not only greatly expanded the rice methylome dataset, but also shed novel insight into the regulatory roles of DNA methylation in rice seed maternal integument development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Tissue reactions of abdominal integuments to surgical sutures in sonography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrzej Smereczyński

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Classical abdominal surgeries usually require long incisions of the abdominal integuments followed by tight closure with adequate suturing material. Nonabsorbable sutures may cause various reactions, including granuloma reactions, both sterile and inflammatory. The aim of the study was to analyze prospective ultrasound examinations of the abdominal integuments in order to detect tissue reactions to surgical sutures. Material and methods: For 10 years, ultrasound examinations of the abdominal integuments involved the assessment of surgical scars in all patients who underwent open or closed surgeries for various reasons (in total 2254 patients. Ultrasound examinations were performed only with the use of linear probes with the frequency ranging from 7 to 12 MHz. Each scar in the abdominal integuments was scanned in at least two planes. When a lesion was detected, the image was enlarged and the transducer was rotated by approximately 180° in order to capture the dimensions of the granuloma and the most characteristic image of the suture. Moreover, vascularization of the lesion was also assessed with the use of color Doppler mode set to detect the lowest flows. Results: All granulomas (19 lesions, two in one patient created hypoechoic oval or round nodules, were relatively well-circumscribed and their size ranged from 8 × 4 mm to 40 × 14 mm. In the center of the lesion, it was possible to notice a thread that was coiled to various degrees and presented itself as a double, curved hyperechoic line. In 9 out of 19 granulomas, slight peripheral vascularization was observed. The substantial majority of the lesions (n = 15 were in contact with the fascia. In seven patients, compression with the transducer induced known local pain (n = 4 or intensified pain that had already been present (n = 3; all of these granulomas infiltrated the fascia and showed slight peripheral vascularization. Cutaneous fistulae developed in two patients with purulent

  5. Daily grazing time as a risk factor for alterations at the hock joint integument in dairy cows

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burow, Elke; Thomsen, Peter Thorup; Rousing, Tine

    2013-01-01

    hours and other potential cow and herd-level risk factors were evaluated for their impact on hock integument alterations using a logistic analysis with a multi-level model structure. The probability for hock integument alterations such as hair loss, lesions or swellings decreased with increasing amount...

  6. Deciphering principles of morphogenesis from temporal and spatial patterns on the integument

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ang; Lai, Yung-Chih; Figueroa, Seth; Yang, Tian; Widelitz, Randall B; Kobielak, Krzysztof; Nie, Qing; Chuong, Cheng Ming

    2015-01-01

    How tissue patterns form in development and regeneration is a fundamental issue remaining to be fully understood. The integument often forms repetitive units in space (periodic patterning) and time (cyclic renewal), such as feathers and hairs. Integument patterns are visible and experimentally manipulatable, helping us reveal pattern formative processes. Variability is seen in regional phenotypic specificities and temporal cycling at different physiological stages. Here we show some cellular / molecular bases revealed by analyzing integument patterns. 1) Localized cellular activity (proliferation, rearrangement, apoptosis, differentiation) transforms prototypic organ primordia into specific shapes. Combinatorial positioning of different localized activity zones generates diverse and complex organ forms. 2) Competitive equilibrium between activators and inhibitors regulates stem cells through cyclic quiescence and activation. Dynamic interactions between stem cells and their adjacent niche regulate regenerative behavior, modulated by multi-layers of macro-environmental factors (dermis, body hormone status and external environment). Genomics studies may reveal how positional information of localized cellular activity is stored. In vivo skin imaging and lineage tracing unveils new insights into stem cell plasticity. Principles of self-assembly obtained from the integumentary organ model can be applied to help restore damaged patterns during regenerative wound healing and for tissue engineering to rebuild tissues. PMID:25858668

  7. Effects of botropase on clotting factors in healthy human volunteers

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    Ashok K Shenoy

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the effects of botropase on various clotting factors in human volunteers. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective open label study conducted on human healthy volunteers. After the baseline screening, subjects fulfilling inclusion criteria were enrolled. On the study day, 1 ml of botropase was administered intravenously and after an hour same dose of botropase (1 ml was given by intramuscular (IM route. The efficacy and safety parameters were monitored up to 72 h from the time of intravenous (IV administration. Results: A total of 15 volunteers, belonging to 24-35 years of age were included in the study. Botropase significantly reduced the plasma level of fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products after 5 min of IV administration (P < 0.05. In addition, factor X was observed to reduce constantly by botropase administration suggesting enhanced turnover between 5 and 20 min of IV administration. Although botropase reduced clotting and bleeding time in all the volunteers, the data remains to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Present study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of botropase in human healthy volunteers. The study has shown that it is a factor X activator and reduces effectively clotting and bleeding time.

  8. The Effects of Biopesticide Azadirachtin on the Fifth Instar Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larval Integument

    OpenAIRE

    Ünsal, Sadettin; Güner, Emine

    2016-01-01

    The chitin synthesis inhibitory (CSI) effects of azadirachtin on the fifth instar Galleria mellonella L. larval integument were investigated. Using probit analysis, the LC95 value for G. mellonella larvae was detected as 3991 ppm. In this study, 3991 ppm and the reduced 1995, 997, and 498 ppm concentrations were used. It was observed that azadirachtin had different effects on the integument when the larvae were fed semi-synthetic feed containing 498, 997, 1995, or 3991 ppm azadirachtin. Morph...

  9. Deep proteome analysis of gerontoplasts from the inner integument of developing seeds of Jatropha curcas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Mohibullah; Soares, Emanoella L; Lima, Magda L B; Pinheiro, Camila B; Soares, Arlete A; Domont, Gilberto B; Nogueira, Fabio C S; Campos, Francisco A P

    2016-06-30

    The inner integument of Jatropha curcas seeds is a non-photosynthetic tissue that acts primarily as a conduit for the delivery of nutrients to the embryo and endosperm. In this study we performed a histological and transmission electron microscopy analysis of the inner integument in stages prior to fertilization to 25days after pollination, to establish the structural changes associated with the plastid to gerontoplast transition. This study showed that plastids are subjected to progressive changes, which include the dismantling of the internal membrane system, matrix degradation and the formation of stromule-derived vesicles. A proteome analysis of gerontoplasts isolated from the inner integument at 25days after pollination, resulted in the identification of 1923 proteins, which were involved in a myriad of metabolic functions, such as synthesis of amino acids and fatty acids. Among the identified proteins, were also a number of hydrolases (peptidases, lipases and carbohydrases), which presumably are involved in the ordered dismantling of this organelle to provide additional sources of nutrients for the growing embryo and endosperm. The dataset we provide here may provide a foundation for the study of the proteome changes associated with the plastid to gerontoplast transition in non-photosynthetic tissues. We describe ultrastructural features of gerontoplasts isolated from the inner integument of developing seeds of Jatropha curcas, together with a deep proteome analysis of these gerontoplasts. This article explores a new aspect of the biology of plastids, namely the ultrastructural and proteome changes associated with the transition plastid to gerontoplast in a non-photosynthetic tissue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Possible Protective Effect of Hydroxychloroquine on Retarding the Occurrence of Integument Damage in Lupus: Data from LUMINA, a Multiethnic Cohort

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pons-Estel, Guillermo J.; Alarcón, Graciela S.; González, Luis A.; Zhang, Jie; Vilá, Luis M.; Reveille, John D.; McGwin, Gerald

    2010-01-01

    Objective To determine the features predictive of time-to-integument damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from a multiethnic cohort (LUMINA). Methods SLE LUMINA patients (n=580), age ≥16 years, disease duration ≤5 years at baseline (T0), of African American, Hispanic and Caucasian ethnicity were studied. Integument damage was defined per the SLICC damage index (scarring alopecia, extensive skin scarring and skin ulcers lasting at least six months); factors associated with time-to-its occurrence were examined by Cox proportional univariable and multivariable (main model) hazards regression analyses. Two alternative models were also examined; in model 1 all patients, regardless of when integument damage occurred (n=94), were included; in model 2 a time-varying approach (GEE) was employed. Results Thirty-nine (6.7%) of 580 patients developed integument damage over a mean (SD) total disease duration of 5.9 (3.7) years and were included in the main multivariable regression model. After adjusting for discoid rash, nailfold infarcts, photosensitivity and Raynaud’s phenomenon (significant in the univariable analyses), disease activity over time [Hazard ratio (HR)=1.17; 95% Confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.26)] was associated with a shorter time-to-integument damage whereas hydroxychloroquine use (HR=0.23, 95% CI 0.12–0.47) and Texan-Hispanic (HR=0.35; 95% CI 0.14–0.87) and Caucasian ethnicities (HR=0.37; 95% CI 0.14–0.99) were associated with a longer time. Results of the alternative models were consistent with those of the main model albeit in model 2 the association with hydroxychloroquine was not significant. Conclusions Our data indicate that hydroxychloroquine use is possibly associated with a delay in integument damage development in patients with SLE. PMID:20391486

  11. Human volunteer study with PGME: Eye irritation during vapour exposure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Emmen, H.H.; Muijser, H.; Arts, J.H.E.; Prinsen, M.K.

    2003-01-01

    The objective of this study was to establish the possible occurrence of eye irritation and subjective symptoms in human volunteers exposed to propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME) vapour at concentrations of 0, 100 and 150 ppm. Testing was conducted in 12 healthy male volunteers using a repeated

  12. Genetic analysis of ectopic growth suppression during planar growth of integuments mediated by the Arabidopsis AGC protein kinase UNICORN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enugutti Balaji

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The coordination of growth within a tissue layer is of critical importance for tissue morphogenesis. For example, cells within the epidermis undergo stereotypic cell divisions that are oriented along the plane of the layer (planar growth, thereby propagating the layered epidermal structure. Little is known about the developmental control that regulates such planar growth in plants. Recent evidence suggested that the Arabidopsis AGC VIII protein kinase UNICORN (UCN maintains planar growth by suppressing the formation of ectopic multicellular protrusions in several floral tissues including integuments. In the current model UCN controls this process during integument development by directly interacting with the ABERRANT TESTA SHAPE (ATS protein, a member of the KANADI (KAN family of transcription factors, thereby repressing its activity. Here we report on the further characterization of the UCN mechanism. Results Phenotypic analysis of flowers of ucn-1 plants impaired in floral homeotic gene activity revealed that any of the four floral whorls could produce organs carrying ucn-1 protrusions. The ectopic outgrowths of ucn integuments did not accumulate detectable signals of the auxin and cytokinin reporters DR5rev::GFP and ARR5::GUS, respectively. Furthermore, wild-type and ucn-1 seedlings showed similarly strong callus formation upon in vitro culture on callus-inducing medium. We also show that ovules of ucn-1 plants carrying the dominant ats allele sk21-D exhibited more pronounced protrusion formation. Finally ovules of ucn-1 ett-1 double mutants and ucn-1 ett-1 arf4-1 triple mutants displayed an additive phenotype. Conclusions These data deepen the molecular insight into the UCN-mediated control of planar growth during integument development. The presented evidence indicates that UCN downstream signaling does not involve the control of auxin or cytokinin homeostasis. The results also reveal that UCN interacts with ATS

  13. Genetic analysis of ectopic growth suppression during planar growth of integuments mediated by the Arabidopsis AGC protein kinase UNICORN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enugutti, Balaji; Schneitz, Kay

    2013-01-02

    The coordination of growth within a tissue layer is of critical importance for tissue morphogenesis. For example, cells within the epidermis undergo stereotypic cell divisions that are oriented along the plane of the layer (planar growth), thereby propagating the layered epidermal structure. Little is known about the developmental control that regulates such planar growth in plants. Recent evidence suggested that the Arabidopsis AGC VIII protein kinase UNICORN (UCN) maintains planar growth by suppressing the formation of ectopic multicellular protrusions in several floral tissues including integuments. In the current model UCN controls this process during integument development by directly interacting with the ABERRANT TESTA SHAPE (ATS) protein, a member of the KANADI (KAN) family of transcription factors, thereby repressing its activity. Here we report on the further characterization of the UCN mechanism. Phenotypic analysis of flowers of ucn-1 plants impaired in floral homeotic gene activity revealed that any of the four floral whorls could produce organs carrying ucn-1 protrusions. The ectopic outgrowths of ucn integuments did not accumulate detectable signals of the auxin and cytokinin reporters DR5rev::GFP and ARR5::GUS, respectively. Furthermore, wild-type and ucn-1 seedlings showed similarly strong callus formation upon in vitro culture on callus-inducing medium. We also show that ovules of ucn-1 plants carrying the dominant ats allele sk21-D exhibited more pronounced protrusion formation. Finally ovules of ucn-1 ett-1 double mutants and ucn-1 ett-1 arf4-1 triple mutants displayed an additive phenotype. These data deepen the molecular insight into the UCN-mediated control of planar growth during integument development. The presented evidence indicates that UCN downstream signaling does not involve the control of auxin or cytokinin homeostasis. The results also reveal that UCN interacts with ATS independently of an ATS/ETT complex required for integument

  14. Correlation of nasal geometry with aerosol deposition in human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, Yung-Seng; Simpson, S.Q.; Cheng, Kuo-His; Swift, D.L.; Yeh, Hsu-Chi; Guilmette, R.A.

    1994-01-01

    The nasal airways act as the first filter in the respiratory tract to remove very large or small particles, that would otherwise penetrate to the lower airways. Aerosol deposition data obtained with human volunteers vary considerably under comparable experimental conditions. Reasons for the intersubject variations have been frequently attributed to the geometry of the nasal passages. Because there is no direct proof of this hypothesis, nasal deposition of ultrafine particles in human volunteers has been studied in our laboratory. Preliminary results obtained with four adult volunteers also vary considerably between subjects. The purpose of this part of the study was to establish a theoretical equation relating diffusional deposition in nasal airways to the geometrical dimensions of the individual nasal airways. This relationship was then applied to the experimental deposition data and measurement of airway morphometry for correlation

  15. MORPHOMETRICAL PARAMETERS OF GUT MICROFLORA IN HUMAN VOLUNTEERS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilkinson, M.H.F.; Meijer, B.C

    1991-01-01

    The morphology of faecal microflora of nine healthy human volunteers was studied by digital image analysis of microscopic slides. Weekly specimens were collected during an 8-week period. Seven morphometrical parameters were derived: the means and medians of components 1, 2 and 3, and morphometrical

  16. NASOPHARYNGEAL CONCENTRATIONS IN THE HUMAN VOLUNTEER BREATHING ACETONE

    Science.gov (United States)

    In an effort to examine the absorption of a common chemical into the nasopharyngeal region in humans, a 57 year old male volunteer inhaled uniformly labeled 13C-acetone at 1.4 ppm for 30 min while performing different breathing maneuvers; nose inhale, nose exhale (NINE); mouth ...

  17. Passive water collection with the integument: mechanisms and their biomimetic potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comanns, Philipp

    2018-05-22

    Several mechanisms of water acquisition have evolved in animals living in arid habitats to cope with limited water supply. They enable access to water sources such as rain, dew, thermally facilitated condensation on the skin, fog, or moisture from a damp substrate. This Review describes how a significant number of animals - in excess of 39 species from 24 genera - have acquired the ability to passively collect water with their integument. This ability results from chemical and structural properties of the integument, which, in each species, facilitate one or more of six basic mechanisms: increased surface wettability, increased spreading area, transport of water over relatively large distances, accumulation and storage of collected water, condensation, and utilization of gravity. Details are described for each basic mechanism. The potential for bio-inspired improvement of technical applications has been demonstrated in many cases, in particular for several wetting phenomena, fog collection and passive, directional transport of liquids. Also considered here are potential applications in the fields of water supply, lubrication, heat exchangers, microfluidics and hygiene products. These present opportunities for innovations, not only in product functionality, but also for fabrication processes, where resources and environmental impact can be reduced. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  18. 36 CFR 261.3 - Interfering with a Forest officer, volunteer, or human resource program enrollee or giving false...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... officer, volunteer, or human resource program enrollee or giving false report to a Forest officer. 261.3... General Prohibitions § 261.3 Interfering with a Forest officer, volunteer, or human resource program..., intimidating, or intentionally interfering with any Forest officer, volunteer, or human resource program...

  19. Histological study of white rhinoceros integument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plochocki, Jeffrey H; Ruiz, Saul; Rodriguez-Sosa, José R; Hall, Margaret I

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we report findings from a microscopic analysis of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) integumentary ultrastructure. Skin samples from the cheek, shoulder, flank and rump were taken from a 46-year-old female southern white rhinoceros and examined using H&E and elastic histological stains. The epidermis was thickest in the flank (1.003 mm) followed by the rump, cheek and shoulder. The stratum corneum comprised more than half the epidermal thickness. Numerous melanin granules were found in the basal and spinosum layers. The epidermal-dermal junction was characterized by abundant papillary folds increasing surface contact between integument layers. Most of the dermal thickness consisted of organized collagen bundles with scattered elastic fibers. Collagen fiber bundles were thickest in the flank (210.9 μm) followed by shoulder, rump and cheek. Simple coiled sweat glands were present in the dermis, but hair and sebaceous glands were absent. Together, these data suggest the white rhinoceros has a unique integumentary system among large terrestrial herbivores.

  20. Analysis of metabolites of mefenamic acid in urine of human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbas, M.; Nawaz, R.; Mahmood, T.; Sani, M.A.

    2005-01-01

    The metabolites of mefenamic acid, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, were studied in urine of human male and female volunteers. Urine samples were collected at pre-determined time intervals. The concentration of mefenamic acid as free drug was analyzed by spectrophotometry at 285 nm and the metabolites were separated by paper chromatography. The average plus minus SE values of the amount of mefenamic acid in urine of human male and female volunteers were found to be 4.484 plus minus 0.228 micro gram/mL and 4.057 plus minus micro g/mL respectively. The average R/sub f/values of mefenamic acid as free drug in male and female volunteers were found to be 0.76 and 0.77 respectively. And the average R/sub f/ values for the metabolites of mefenamic acid were found to be 0.47 and 0.45 respectively. The method of analysis is accurate, easy, handy and reproducible (author)

  1. Integument Mycobiota of Wild European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from Catalonia, Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-López, R A; Adelantado, C; Arosemena, E L; Obón, E; Darwich, L; Calvo, M A

    2012-01-01

    There are some reports about the risk of manipulating wild hedgehogs since they can be reservoirs of potential zoonotic agents like dermatophytes. The aim of this study was to describe the integument mycobiota, with special attention to dermatophytes of wild European hedgehogs. Samples from spines and fur were cultured separately in Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) with antibiotic and dermatophyte test medium (DTM) plates. Nineteen different fungal genera were isolated from 91 cultures of 102 hedgehogs. The most prevalent genera were Cladosporium (79.1%), Penicillium (74.7%), Alternaria (64.8%), and Rhizopus (63.7%). A lower prevalence of Aspergillus (P = 0,035; χ (2) = 8,633) and Arthrinium (P = 0,043; χ (2) = 8,173) was isolated during the spring time and higher frequencies of Fusarium (P = 0,015; χ (2) = 10,533) during the autumn. The prevalence of Acremonium was significantly higher in young animals (70%, 26/37) than in adults (30%, 11/37) (P = 0,019; χ (2) = 5,915). Moreover, the majority of the saprophytic species that grew at the SDA culture were also detected at the DTM. Finally, no cases of ringworm were diagnosed and no dermatophytes spp. were isolated. Concluding, this study provides the first description of fungal mycobiota of the integument of wild European hedgehogs in Spain, showing a large number of saprophytic species and the absence of dermatophytes.

  2. The irradiation of human volunteer subjects in research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, R.

    1980-01-01

    In medical research radiation is sometimes used to obtain data from healthy individuals. These subjects gain no specific benefit from the research. To safeguard their welfare, constraints are imposed on the dose to be received, on the selection of volunteer subjects, on ensuring their understanding of the procedures and risks, and on obtaining their free consent to participate. The research proposals are assessed by peer review prior to being approved by the host institution. The first example presented describes the use of diagnostic radiography to obtain in vivo data on the femur bone. Conservative dosimetry indicates an expected dose-equivalent per film of 0.5 mSv in bone and 0.18 mSv in bone marrow and gonad tissue. The critical organ total dose-equivalent is estimated to be 7% of the dose-equivalent limit for a volunteer. The second example involves the internal administration of radioactive tracers. Dosimetric calculations indicate an expected whole-body dose-equivalent of 0.5 mSv in the case of C-14 and 0.37 mSv in the case of H-3, these values bejng 10% and 7% of the relevant dose-equivalent limit. Both proposals were given conditional approval. In the generalized research use of volunteer human subjects the rights of the subject, the investigator and the institution need to be protected. At the University of New South Wales procedures have been introduced to govern all experjmental procedures involving human subjects. Some interesting problems which have arisen are discussed. (author)

  3. Human volunteer studies with non-pharmaceutical chemicals: metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilks, M F; Woollen, B H

    1994-06-01

    1. Human volunteer studies are an essential part of drug development but their use in the area of non-pharmaceutical chemicals has so far been very limited. Such studies can have considerable value in the assessment and improvement of the safe use of chemicals. 2. Once metabolic pathways and target metabolites have been identified in volunteers this information can be used in studies in the workplace or in the general population. Studies should be performed selectively only if there is both a toxic hazard and a significant exposure potential. In addition, they should only be carried out if the required information cannot be obtained in any other way. 3. Volunteer studies with non-pharmaceuticals have become increasingly acceptable in the light of established international guidelines, no-fault compensation, improvements in study design and technical developments which allow the use of very low dose levels. The final decision on whether to carry out a study must always rest with an independent ethical committee. 4. The practical aspects of the study should be specified in a detailed protocol conforming with the principles of good clinical practice. The safety of volunteers must be of paramount concern throughout. Depending on the nature of the chemical and the study, it may be advisable to carry out studies in a clinical facility where equipment is available for the treatment of any emergencies that might occur. 5. Numerous investigators have now shown that human volunteer studies are ethically acceptable, practicable and yield important information. The risk to volunteers is minimal and this approach can lead to an improved foundation for occupational hygiene standards, more accurate risk assessment and thus better protection of the workforce and the general population.

  4. Application of human volunteer studies in setting exposure limits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, M.R.

    1989-01-01

    Human volunteer studies can provide many of the quantitative data on human radionuclide biokinetics needed to relate organ doses to intakes. They are best suited to characterising parameters that apply to a wide range of compounds, e.g. particle deposition in the respiratory tract, and the retention and excretion of elements after injection into the blood. Their application to quantifying particle clearance from the respiratory tract is discussed, with particular reference to recent findings and the NRPB's programme of volunteer investigations. Evidence to support the view that particle clearance rates are similar for different materials is summarised. Rates of particle clearance from the human lung to the GI tract are calculated from the results of two recent studies. The fraction of the remaining lung content cleared per day is estimated to decrease from ∼ 3 x 10 -3 d -1 at 25 days to ∼ 5 x 10 -4 d -1 at 350 days. There is a large degree of inter-subject variation, with most results conforming to a log-normal distribution with σ g of 1.6. There remains considerable uncertainty about subsequent clearance, and about sites of long-term lung retention. (author)

  5. Histological study of white rhinoceros integument.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey H Plochocki

    Full Text Available In this study, we report findings from a microscopic analysis of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum integumentary ultrastructure. Skin samples from the cheek, shoulder, flank and rump were taken from a 46-year-old female southern white rhinoceros and examined using H&E and elastic histological stains. The epidermis was thickest in the flank (1.003 mm followed by the rump, cheek and shoulder. The stratum corneum comprised more than half the epidermal thickness. Numerous melanin granules were found in the basal and spinosum layers. The epidermal-dermal junction was characterized by abundant papillary folds increasing surface contact between integument layers. Most of the dermal thickness consisted of organized collagen bundles with scattered elastic fibers. Collagen fiber bundles were thickest in the flank (210.9 μm followed by shoulder, rump and cheek. Simple coiled sweat glands were present in the dermis, but hair and sebaceous glands were absent. Together, these data suggest the white rhinoceros has a unique integumentary system among large terrestrial herbivores.

  6. Correlates of Cytochrome P450 1A1 Expression in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Integument Biopsies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilson, J.Y.; Wells, R.; Anguilar, A.; Borrell, A.; Tornero, V.; Reijnders, P.J.H.; Moore, M.

    2007-01-01

    Integument biopsy is a nondestructive method for sampling free-ranging cetaceans, which allows for the determination of both contaminant concentrations and biomarker responses. Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) expression is induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and planar halogenated aromatic

  7. Hospital volunteerism as human resource solution: Motivation for both volunteers and the public health sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guinevere M. Lourens

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: A volunteer programme with 50 registered volunteers was established in 2007 at a secondary-level public, semi-rural regional hospital in the Cape Winelands, South Africa. This was a rapid response to the extensive renovations and system changes brought about by the hospital revitalisation initiated in 2006 and the resultant expanded services, which required additional human resources. This study describes the hospital volunteer programme and provides hospital administrators with practical planning guidance for hospital volunteer programme implementation. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to (1 describe the outcomes of the hospital volunteer programme implementation intervention and (2 to make sound recommendations for volunteer programme implementation. Methodology and approach: A qualitative case-study methodology was employed using purposive sampling as a technique. Participants were recruited from a public hospital in the Western Cape. A case-study design was applied to explore the hospital volunteer programme implementation. In-depth interviews and a focus group discussion with thematic content analysis of transcripts as well as document reviews were conducted to conclude the study during 2015. The key participants were individually interviewed and included two members of the hospital management, two volunteers and one volunteer coordinator. A focus group discussion consisting of three volunteers was also conducted. Findings: The findings of this study indicate that a volunteer programme can meet needs and be a motivational force for both the individual volunteer and the organisation. However, it requires co-ordination and some secure funding to remain sustainable. Such a programme holds huge benefits in terms of human resource supplementation, organisational development, as well as the possibility of gainful employment for the previously unemployed. Practical implications: In practice, a health service contemplating a

  8. Tyrannosauroid integument reveals conflicting patterns of gigantism and feather evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Phil R; Campione, Nicolás E; Persons, W Scott; Currie, Philip J; Larson, Peter L; Tanke, Darren H; Bakker, Robert T

    2017-06-01

    Recent evidence for feathers in theropods has led to speculations that the largest tyrannosaurids, including Tyrannosaurus rex , were extensively feathered. We describe fossil integument from Tyrannosaurus and other tyrannosaurids ( Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus and Tarbosaurus ), confirming that these large-bodied forms possessed scaly, reptilian-like skin. Body size evolution in tyrannosauroids reveals two independent occurrences of gigantism; specifically, the large sizes in Yutyrannus and tyrannosaurids were independently derived. These new findings demonstrate that extensive feather coverings observed in some early tyrannosauroids were lost by the Albian, basal to Tyrannosauridae. This loss is unrelated to palaeoclimate but possibly tied to the evolution of gigantism, although other mechanisms exist. © 2017 The Author(s).

  9. Molybdenum cofactor deficiency causes translucent integument, male-biased lethality, and flaccid paralysis in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Tsuguru; Yamamoto, Kimiko; Banno, Yutaka

    2016-06-01

    Uric acid accumulates in the epidermis of Bombyx mori larvae and renders the larval integument opaque and white. Yamamoto translucent (oya) is a novel spontaneous mutant with a translucent larval integument and unique phenotypic characteristics, such as male-biased lethality and flaccid larval paralysis. Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) that requires a molybdenum cofactor (MoCo) for its activity is a key enzyme for uric acid synthesis. It has been observed that injection of a bovine xanthine oxidase, which corresponds functionally to XDH and contains its own MoCo activity, changes the integuments of oya mutants from translucent to opaque and white. This finding suggests that XDH/MoCo activity might be defective in oya mutants. Our linkage analysis identified an association between the oya locus and chromosome 23. Because XDH is not linked to chromosome 23 in B. mori, MoCo appears to be defective in oya mutants. In eukaryotes, MoCo is synthesized by a conserved biosynthesis pathway governed by four loci (MOCS1, MOCS2, MOCS3, and GEPH). Through a candidate gene approach followed by sequence analysis, a 6-bp deletion was detected in an exon of the B. mori molybdenum cofactor synthesis-step 1 gene (BmMOCS1) in the oya strain. Moreover, recombination was not observed between the oya and BmMOCS1 loci. These results indicate that the BmMOCS1 locus is responsible for the oya locus. Finally, we discuss the potential cause of male-biased lethality and flaccid paralysis observed in the oya mutants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Allium sativum L. Improves Visual Memory and Attention in Healthy Human Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tasnim, Sara; Haque, Parsa Sanjana; Bari, Md. Sazzadul; Hossain, Md. Monir; Islam, Sardar Mohd. Ashraful; Shahriar, Mohammad; Bhuiyan, Mohiuddin Ahmed; Bin Sayeed, Muhammad Shahdaat

    2015-01-01

    Studies have shown that Allium sativum L. (AS) protects amyloid-beta peptide-induced apoptosis, prevents oxidative insults to neurons and synapses, and thus prevent Alzheimer's disease progression in experimental animals. However, there is no experimental evidence in human regarding its putative role in memory and cognition. We have studied the effect of AS consumption by healthy human volunteers on visual memory, verbal memory, attention, and executive function in comparison to control subjects taking placebo. The study was conducted over five weeks and twenty volunteers of both genders were recruited and divided randomly into two groups: A (AS) and B (placebo). Both groups participated in the 6 computerized neuropsychological tests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) twice: at the beginning and after five weeks of the study. We found statistically significant difference (p 0.05) beneficial effects on verbal memory and executive function within a short period of time among the volunteers. Study for a longer period of time with patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases might yield more relevant results regarding the potential therapeutic role of AS. PMID:26351508

  11. Occupant kinematics in low-speed frontal sled tests: Human volunteers, Hybrid III ATD, and PMHS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beeman, Stephanie M; Kemper, Andrew R; Madigan, Michael L; Franck, Christopher T; Loftus, Stephen C

    2012-07-01

    A total of 34 dynamic matched frontal sled tests were performed, 17 low (2.5g, Δv=4.8kph) and 17 medium (5.0g, Δv=9.7kph), with five male human volunteers of approximately 50th percentile height and weight, a Hybrid III 50th percentile male ATD, and three male PMHS. Each volunteer was exposed to two impulses at each severity, one relaxed and one braced prior to the impulse. A total of four tests were performed at each severity with the ATD and one trial was performed at each severity with each PMHS. A Vicon motion analysis system, 12 MX-T20 2 megapixel cameras, was used to quantify subject 3D kinematics (±1mm) (1kHz). Excursions of select anatomical regions were normalized to their respective initial positions and compared by test condition and between subject types. The forward excursions of the select anatomical regions generally increased with increasing severity. The forward excursions of relaxed human volunteers were significantly larger than those of the ATD for nearly every region at both severities. The forward excursions of the upper body regions of the braced volunteers were generally significantly smaller than those of the ATD at both severities. Forward excursions of the relaxed human volunteers and PMHSs were fairly similar except the head CG response at both severities and the right knee and C7 at the medium severity. The forward excursions of the upper body of the PMHS were generally significantly larger than those of the braced volunteers at both severities. Forward excursions of the PMHSs exceeded those of the ATD for all regions at both severities with significant differences within the upper body regions. Overall human volunteers, ATD, and PMHSs do not have identical biomechanical responses in low-speed frontal sled tests but all contribute valuable data that can be used to refine and validate computational models and ATDs used to assess injury risk in automotive collisions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Volunteering among older people in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jibum; Kang, Jeong-Han; Lee, Min-Ah; Lee, Yongmo

    2007-01-01

    Faced with aging societies, there is an immense need to better understand the nature of volunteering outside advanced Western industrial countries. As a case of a rapidly aging society, we identify robust factors associated with elderly volunteering in Korea in terms of a resource framework. Data were derived from the Social Statistics Survey conducted by the Korea National Statistical Office in 1999 (N = 7,135) and 2003 (N = 8,371). We first determined overall and age-related volunteer rates for Korea compared to the United States. Using logistic regression, we then examined the effects of human, cultural, and social capital variables on volunteering. Approximately 6% of Koreans aged 65 years and older participate in volunteer programs. All human capital variables are positively related with volunteering. For cultural capital, those who identify their religion as Buddhism or Catholicism are more likely to volunteer than those who have no religion. But surprisingly, Protestantism does not consistently promote volunteering across both years. For social capital, older adults who live alone or with a spouse are more likely to volunteer than those living with both a spouse and children. In contrast to human capital, cultural and social capital on elderly volunteering appears to be contoured by social contexts.

  13. Sufentanil does not increase cerebral blood flow in healthy human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayer, N.; Weinstabl, C.; Podreka, I.; Spiss, C.K.

    1990-01-01

    The effect of sufentanil on human cerebral blood flow (CBF) was studied in seven unpremedicated, healthy volunteers 31 +/- 3.5 yr of age (mean +/- SD) and either sex. CBF (ml.100 g-1.min-1) was measured noninvasively with the 133Xe clearance technique and a scintillation camera before and after sufentanil 0.5 micrograms/kg administered intravenously. This technique provides values for global blood flow and for gray and white matter blood flow, and from 13 preselected regions in one hemisphere. After the administration of sufentanil, the volunteers were stimulated verbally in order to prevent their loss of consciousness and hypercarbia. Heart rate (HR), arterial pressure, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and end-tidal CO2 ETCO2 were recorded during the measurements. Neither global CBF (46.1 +/- 1.6 control and 43 +/- 1.9 after sufentanil, mean +/- SEM) nor gray (76.5 +/- 3.2 and 70.9 +/- 6.1) or white (22.7 +/- 1.5 and 24.2 +/- 1.6) matter blood flow changed significantly after sufentanil administration. As well, no significant differences in HR (72 +/- 4 control and 79 +/- 4 beats per min after sufentanil) and ETCO2 (39.8 +/- 1.4 and 41.1 +/- 1.1 mmHg) were observed. It is concluded that sufentanil has no significant effect on CBF in healthy human volunteers

  14. The White Lion Volunteer Program in South Africa: A Study of Volunteer Needs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boretti Tanya

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Volunteer tourists are motivated to participate in volunteer programs due to their need to ‘do something different’, ‘see another culture’ and ‘to escape’, amongst others. The research aims to determine the internal and external factors that motivate individuals to participate in the Tsau! Global White Lion Protection Trust’s (GWLPT volunteer program. Maslow’s theory of human motivation and Frankl’s study of human behaviour are used to explore intrinsic factors whereas extrinsic or macro environmental factors of influence are also investigated. A mixed method approach with focus group discussions and an online survey is followed. A background to the volunteer program is presented with the activities available to volunteers. The key findings indicate that most volunteers are young females that volunteer for a minimum of two weeks; are internally motivated to ‘give back and be useful’ and ‘to work with the white lions’ for the purpose of self-actualisation. External motivation is mainly social in terms of concern about the well-being of the lions, and South Africa being an economically affordable destination. The GWLPT strives to fulfil the needs of volunteers, especially intrinsic needs associated with self-actualisation and self-transcendence.

  15. Successful application of large microneedle patches by human volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Ripolin, Anastasia; Quinn, James; Larrañeta, Eneko; Vicente-Perez, Eva Maria; Barry, Johanne; Donnelly, Ryan F.

    2017-01-01

    We describe, for the first time, the design, production and evaluation of large microneedle patches. Such systems, based on 16 individual microneedle arrays (needle height 600??m), were prepared from aqueous blends of 15% w/w Gantrez? S97 and 7.5% w/w poly(ethyleneglycol) 10,000?Da. Ester-based crosslinking was confirmed by FTIR and mechanical strength was good. Insertion depths in a validated skin model were approximately 500??m. Ten human volunteers successfully self-inserted the microneedl...

  16. Nutrition studies with human volunteers, designs and compliance to good clinical practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaafsma, G.

    2002-01-01

    In vitro experiments with cell cultures, studies with the TNO gastrointestinal model, animal experiments, and studies with human volunteers are used in nutrition research on the assessment of efficacy and safety of ingredients that can be used as bio actives in functional foods, functional drinks

  17. Privacy Impact Assessment for the Medical and Research Study Records of Human Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Medical & Research Study Records of Human Volunteers System collects demographic and medical information on subjects who participate in research. Learn how this data is collected, used, access to the data, and the purpose of data collection.

  18. Measurement of carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin by pulse oximetry: a human volunteer study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, Steven J; Curry, Jeremy; Redford, Daniel; Morgan, Scott

    2006-11-01

    A new eight-wavelength pulse oximeter is designed to measure methemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin, in addition to the usual measurements of hemoglobin oxygen saturation and pulse rate. This study examines this device's ability to measure dyshemoglobins in human volunteers in whom controlled levels of methemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin are induced. Ten volunteers breathed 500 ppm carbon monoxide until their carboxyhemoglobin levels reached 15%, and 10 different volunteers received intravenous sodium nitrite, 300 mg, to induce methemoglobin. All were instrumented with arterial cannulas and six Masimo Rad-57 (Masimo Inc., Irvine, CA) pulse oximeter sensors. Arterial blood was analyzed by three laboratory CO-oximeters, and the resulting carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin measurements were compared with the corresponding pulse oximeter readings. The Rad-57 measured carboxyhemoglobin with an uncertainty of +/-2% within the range of 0-15%, and it measured methemoglobin with an uncertainty of 0.5% within the range of 0-12%. The Masimo Rad-57 is the first commercially available pulse oximeter that can measure methemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin, and it therefore represents an expansion of our oxygenation monitoring capability.

  19. The consideration of emotional intelligence abilities in event volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Andam

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The measurement of emotional intelligence abilities is one of the new subjects and important in human behavior studies. According to this matter, purpose of this research is consideration of emotional intelligence abilities in public sport events volunteers in 2011. For this purpose, Bradbury and Cruise's standard questionnaire was completed by present volunteers in event (n=80. The results indicated that 4 levels of emotional intelligence in volunteers are higher than expectational average significantly (p<0.01. Also, priority of emotional intelligence abilities indicated that self-awareness is first priority and social awareness, relationship management and self-management are second, third and fourth priorities in volunteers. Finally, in the basis of parameter, results stated that there is no difference between male and female volunteers emotional intelligence in first Olympia of public sport. According to results of present research and advantages of attention to emotional intelligence and human behavior in organizations, it recommended sport events managers to be more sensitive relative to human behavior abilities in human behavior abilities in human resource (volunteers under his management. At least, result of this meditation in student's sport is recruitment and development of motivated volunteers for continuous attendance in sport events.

  20. Electronic cigarettes and indoor air quality: a review of studies using human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainol Abidin, Najihah; Zainal Abidin, Emilia; Zulkifli, Aziemah; Karuppiah, Karmegam; Syed Ismail, Sharifah Norkhadijah; Amer Nordin, Amer Siddiq

    2017-09-26

    This paper is primarily aimed to review articles on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) focusing on indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment that were conducted using human volunteers under natural settings that mimic actual vaping scenarios. Such studies may give a better representation of the actual potential exposure towards e-cigarettes emissions in indoor settings. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed search engine database. Search terms such as "electronic cigarette", "e-cigarette", "electronic nicotine delivery system", and "indoor air quality" were used to identify the relevant articles to be included in this review. Articles that involved human volunteers who were asked to vape in natural settings or settings that mimic the actual vaping scenario were chosen to be reviewed. The search yielded a total of 15 published articles. Eleven articles were excluded due to 1) unavailability of its full-text (n=1), 2) did not involve human volunteers (n=5) and 3) did not involve an IAQ study (n=5). Four articles were critically reviewed in this paper. From the four selected articles, two of the papers focused on the determination of nicotine level released by e-cigarettes whereas the other two covered IAQ parameters namely; particulate matters (PM), propylene glycols, formaldehyde, metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Only two of the studies involved determination of biomarkers of exposure. The level of chemical contents released varied between studies. The differences in the brands of e-cigarette used, number of vapers recruited and the sensitivity of the methodologies employed in these studies may be the possible causes for such differences. However, studies using human volunteers conducted in a natural setting are more relevant to portray the actual exposure to vapors among e-cigarettes users and non-users compared to studies using a smoking machine/an exposure chamber. This is because such studies take into account the behavior of

  1. The Human Volunteer in Military Biomedical Research (Military Medical Ethics. Volume 2, Chapter 19)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-10-01

    justice have long been associated with social practices such as punishment, taxation and political The Human Volunteer in Military Biomedical Research...suspension of eligibility to receive research funding, to use investigational interventions, or to practise medicine. Unless there are persuasive reasons to do

  2. Volunteering in later life: research frontiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow-Howell, Nancy

    2010-07-01

    This review summarizes the current knowledge about volunteering in later life and suggests 5 research questions at the forefront of knowledge development. Rates of volunteering do not decline significantly until the middle of the 7th decade, and older volunteers commit more hours than younger volunteers. Older adults with more human and social capital tend to volunteer, and there is good evidence of a reciprocal relationship between volunteering and well-being. Program and policy developments in the field are outstripping production of knowledge to support evidence-based practices. Research on the dynamics of volunteering over the life course as well as the patterns of activities that co-occur with volunteering is needed to guide program development. Research methods and findings from transdisciplinary work on the mechanisms through which psychosocial conditions affect health must be extended to the study of the effects of volunteering on older adults. Finally, we need to engage in more applied social science aimed at improving volunteer management, especially recruitment and retention of older volunteers.

  3. Project VUE: Volunteers Upholding Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurber, John C.

    This document reports on a project aimed at developing, implementing, and evaluating a plan for using volunteer classroom aides in the Palm Beach County (Florida) schools as a means for meeting various financial, human, and community needs. The desirability of a comprehensive volunteer plan was presented in a 10-point summary by an ad hoc…

  4. Experimental infection of human volunteers with Haemophilus ducreyi: fifteen years of clinical data and experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janowicz, Diane M; Ofner, Susan; Katz, Barry P; Spinola, Stanley M

    2009-06-01

    Haemophilus ducreyi causes chancroid, which facilitates transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. To better understand the biology of H. ducreyi, we developed a human inoculation model. In the present article, we describe clinical outcomes for 267 volunteers who were infected with H. ducreyi. There was a relationship between papule formation and estimated delivered dose. The outcome (either pustule formation or resolution) of infected sites for a given subject was not independent; the most important determinants of pustule formation were sex and host effects. When 41 subjects were infected a second time, their outcomes segregated toward their initial outcome, confirming the host effect. Subjects with pustules developed local symptoms that required withdrawal from the study after a mean of 8.6 days. There were 191 volunteers who had tissue biopsy performed, 173 of whom were available for follow-up analysis; 28 (16.2%) of these developed hypertrophic scars, but the model was otherwise safe. Mutant-parent trials confirmed key features in H. ducreyi pathogenesis, and the model has provided an opportunity to study differential human susceptibility to a bacterial infection.

  5. Successful application of large microneedle patches by human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ripolin, Anastasia; Quinn, James; Larrañeta, Eneko; Vicente-Perez, Eva Maria; Barry, Johanne; Donnelly, Ryan F

    2017-04-15

    We describe, for the first time, the design, production and evaluation of large microneedle patches. Such systems, based on 16 individual microneedle arrays (needle height 600μm), were prepared from aqueous blends of 15% w/w Gantrez ® S97 and 7.5% w/w poly(ethyleneglycol) 10,000Da. Ester-based crosslinking was confirmed by FTIR and mechanical strength was good. Insertion depths in a validated skin model were approximately 500μm. Ten human volunteers successfully self-inserted the microneedles of these larger patches in their skin, following appropriate instruction, as confirmed by transepidermal water loss measurements. The mean insertion depth ranged between 300 and 450μm over the area of the large patches. That this was not significantly different to a single unit MN patch self-applied by the same volunteers is encouraging. Microneedle patch sizes much larger than the 1-2cm 2 will be required if this technology is to be successfully translated to clinic for delivery of drug substances. The work described here suggests that use of such larger patches by patients can be successful, potentially opening up the possibility for a significant expansion of the size of the market for transdermal drug delivery. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Moisture harvesting and water transport through specialized micro-structures on the integument of lizards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comanns, Philipp; Effertz, Christian; Hischen, Florian; Staudt, Konrad; Böhme, Wolfgang; Baumgartner, Werner

    2011-01-01

    Several lizard species that live in arid areas have developed special abilities to collect water with their bodies' surfaces and to ingest the so collected moisture. This is called rain- or moisture-harvesting. The water can originate from air humidity, fog, dew, rain or even from humid soil. The integument (i.e., the skin plus skin derivatives such as scales) has developed features so that the water spreads and is soaked into a capillary system in between the reptiles' scales. Within this capillary system the water is transported to the mouth where it is ingested. We have investigated three different lizard species which have developed the ability for moisture harvesting independently, viz. the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), the Arabian toadhead agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum). All three lizards have a honeycomb like micro ornamentation on the outer surface of the scales and a complex capillary system in between the scales. By investigation of individual scales and by producing and characterising polymer replicas of the reptiles' integuments, we found that the honeycomb like structures render the surface superhydrophilic, most likely by holding a water film physically stable. Furthermore, the condensation of air humidity is improved on this surface by about 100% in comparison to unstructured surfaces. This allows the animals to collect moisture with their entire body surface. The collected water is transported into the capillary system. For Phrynosoma cornutum we found the interesting effect that, in contrast to the other two investigated species, the water flow in the capillary system is not uniform but directed to the mouth. Taken together we found that the micro ornamentation yields a superhydrophilic surface, and the semi-tubular capillaries allow for an efficient passive - and for Phrynosoma directed - transport of water.

  7. Moisture harvesting and water transport through specialized micro-structures on the integument of lizards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philipp Comanns

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Several lizard species that live in arid areas have developed special abilities to collect water with their bodies' surfaces and to ingest the so collected moisture. This is called rain- or moisture-harvesting. The water can originate from air humidity, fog, dew, rain or even from humid soil. The integument (i.e., the skin plus skin derivatives such as scales has developed features so that the water spreads and is soaked into a capillary system in between the reptiles' scales. Within this capillary system the water is transported to the mouth where it is ingested. We have investigated three different lizard species which have developed the ability for moisture harvesting independently, viz. the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus, the Arabian toadhead agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum. All three lizards have a honeycomb like micro ornamentation on the outer surface of the scales and a complex capillary system in between the scales. By investigation of individual scales and by producing and characterising polymer replicas of the reptiles' integuments, we found that the honeycomb like structures render the surface superhydrophilic, most likely by holding a water film physically stable. Furthermore, the condensation of air humidity is improved on this surface by about 100% in comparison to unstructured surfaces. This allows the animals to collect moisture with their entire body surface. The collected water is transported into the capillary system. For Phrynosoma cornutum we found the interesting effect that, in contrast to the other two investigated species, the water flow in the capillary system is not uniform but directed to the mouth. Taken together we found that the micro ornamentation yields a superhydrophilic surface, and the semi-tubular capillaries allow for an efficient passive – and for Phrynosoma directed – transport of water.

  8. Moisture harvesting and water transport through specialized micro-structures on the integument of lizards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comanns, Philipp; Effertz, Christian; Hischen, Florian; Staudt, Konrad; Böhme, Wolfgang

    2011-01-01

    Summary Several lizard species that live in arid areas have developed special abilities to collect water with their bodies' surfaces and to ingest the so collected moisture. This is called rain- or moisture-harvesting. The water can originate from air humidity, fog, dew, rain or even from humid soil. The integument (i.e., the skin plus skin derivatives such as scales) has developed features so that the water spreads and is soaked into a capillary system in between the reptiles' scales. Within this capillary system the water is transported to the mouth where it is ingested. We have investigated three different lizard species which have developed the ability for moisture harvesting independently, viz. the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), the Arabian toadhead agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum). All three lizards have a honeycomb like micro ornamentation on the outer surface of the scales and a complex capillary system in between the scales. By investigation of individual scales and by producing and characterising polymer replicas of the reptiles' integuments, we found that the honeycomb like structures render the surface superhydrophilic, most likely by holding a water film physically stable. Furthermore, the condensation of air humidity is improved on this surface by about 100% in comparison to unstructured surfaces. This allows the animals to collect moisture with their entire body surface. The collected water is transported into the capillary system. For Phrynosoma cornutum we found the interesting effect that, in contrast to the other two investigated species, the water flow in the capillary system is not uniform but directed to the mouth. Taken together we found that the micro ornamentation yields a superhydrophilic surface, and the semi-tubular capillaries allow for an efficient passive – and for Phrynosoma directed – transport of water. PMID:21977432

  9. Becoming an Older Volunteer: A Grounded Theory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witucki Brown, Janet; Chen, Shu-li; Mefford, Linda; Brown, Allie; Callen, Bonnie; McArthur, Polly

    2011-01-01

    This Grounded Theory study describes the process by which older persons “become” volunteers. Forty interviews of older persons who volunteered for Habitat for Humanity were subjected to secondary content analysis to uncover the process of “becoming” a volunteer. “Helping out” (core category) for older volunteers occurs within the context of “continuity”, “commitment” and “connection” which provide motivation for volunteering. When a need arises, older volunteers “help out” physically and financially as health and resources permit. Benefits described as “blessings” of volunteering become motivators for future volunteering. Findings suggest that older volunteering is a developmental process and learned behavior which should be fostered in older persons by personally inviting them to volunteer. Intergenerational volunteering projects will allow older persons to pass on knowledge and skills and provide positive role modeling for younger volunteers. PMID:21994824

  10. Becoming an Older Volunteer: A Grounded Theory Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janet Witucki Brown

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This Grounded Theory study describes the process by which older persons “become” volunteers. Forty interviews of older persons who volunteered for Habitat for Humanity were subjected to secondary content analysis to uncover the process of “becoming” a volunteer. “Helping out” (core category for older volunteers occurs within the context of “continuity”, “commitment” and “connection” which provide motivation for volunteering. When a need arises, older volunteers “help out” physically and financially as health and resources permit. Benefits described as “blessings” of volunteering become motivators for future volunteering. Findings suggest that older volunteering is a developmental process and learned behavior which should be fostered in older persons by personally inviting them to volunteer. Intergenerational volunteering projects will allow older persons to pass on knowledge and skills and provide positive role modeling for younger volunteers.

  11. Fetal alcohol exposure and development of the integument

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Longhurst WD

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available William D Longhurst,1 Jordan Ernst,2 Larry Burd3 1Center for Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; 2University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, USA; 3Department of Pediatrics, North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, USA Background: The physiology of fetal alcohol exposure changes across gestation. Early in pregnancy placental, fetal, and amniotic fluid concentrations of alcohol exposure are equivalent. Beginning in mid-pregnancy, the maturing fetal epidermis adds keratins which decrease permeability resulting in development of a barrier between fetal circulation and the amniotic fluid. Barrier function development is essential for viability in late pregnancy and in the extra-uterine environment. In this paper we provide a selected review of the effects of barrier function on fetal alcohol exposure. Methods: We utilized a search of PubMed and Google for all years in all languages for MeSH on Demand terms: alcohol drinking, amnion, amniotic fluid, epidermis, ethanol, female, fetal development, fetus, humans, keratins, permeability, and pregnancy. We also reviewed the reference lists of relevant papers and hand-searched reference lists of textbooks for additional references. Results: By 30 gestational weeks, development of barrier function alters the pathophysiology of ethanol dispersion between the fetus and amniotic fluid. Firstly, increases in the effectiveness of barrier function decreases the rate of diffusion of alcohol from fetal circulation across fetal skin into the amniotic fluid. This reduces the volume of alcohol entering the amniotic fluid. Secondly, barrier function increases the duration of fetal exposure by decreasing the rate of alcohol diffusion from amniotic fluid back into fetal circulation. Ethanol is then transported into

  12. Metabolism of nitrogen-13 labelled ammonia in different conditions in dogs, human volunteers and transplant patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bormans, G.; Maes, A.; Langendries, W.; Nuyts, J.; Vrolix, M.; Vanhaecke, J.; Schiepers, C.; Roo, M. de; Mortelmans, L.; Verbruggen, A.

    1995-01-01

    To investigate the rate of metabolism of nitrogen-13 labelled ammonia ( 13 NH 3 ) in different conditions, we have determined the relative amount of unchanged 13 NH 3 in the blood of dogs, volunteers and transplant patients at different times following injection. In dogs, the determinations were made under basal conditions, during adenosine administration and after coronary occlusion. The results show that adenosine administration increases the metabolic rate whereas coronary occlusion does not affect 13 NH 3 metabolism. For both human volunteers and transplant patients the metabolic rate of 13 NH 3 was assessed under basal conditions and during adenosine administration. 13 NH 3 metabolism proceeds faster in transplant patients than in volunteers under both conditions. Adenosine administration causes a faster 13 NH 3 turnover in volunteers but not in transplant patients. Application of individual metabolite correction resulted in a 16% decrease in the calculated blood flow compared to uncorrected values. A smaller difference (5%) was observed between correction with mean metabolite values and individually acquired metabolite values. (orig.)

  13. Oxygen mask related nasal integument and osteocartilagenous disorders in F-16 fighter pilots.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Rieneke C Schreinemakers

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A preliminary survey showed half of the participating Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF F-16 fighter pilots to have nasal integument and osteocartilagenous disorders related to wearing in-flight oxygen masks. AIM: To make an inventory of these disorders and possible associated factors. METHODS: All RNLAF F-16 pilots were requested to fill out a semi-structured questionnaire for a cross-sectional survey. Additionally, one squadron in The Netherlands and pilots in operational theater were asked to participate in a prospective study that required filling out a pain score after each flight. Pilot- and flight-related variables on all participants were collected from the RNLAF database. A linear mixed model was built to identify associated factors with the post-flight pain score. RESULTS: The response rate to the survey was 83%. Ninety of the 108 participants (88%, 6 missing reported tenderness, irritation, pain, erythema, skin lesions, callous skin, or swelling of nasal bridge integument or architecture. Seventy-two participants (71%, 6 missing reported their symptoms to be troublesome after a mean of 6±3 out of 10 flights (0;10, 54 missing. Sixty-six pilots participated in scoring post-flight pain. Pain scores were significantly higher if a participant had ≥3 nasal disorders, after longer than average flights, after flying abroad, and after flying with night vision goggles (respectively +2.7 points, p = 0.003; +0.2 points, p = 0.027; +1.8 points, p = 0.001; +1.2 points p = 0.005. Longer than average NVG flights and more than average NVG hours per annum decreased painscores (respectively -0.8 points, p = 0.017; -0.04 points, p = 0.005. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the RNLAF F-16 fighter pilot community has nasal disorders in the contact area of the oxygen mask, including pain. Six pilot- or flight-related characteristics influence the experienced level of pain.

  14. Hair as an indicator of the body content of polonium in humans: Preliminary results from study of five male volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rääf, C.L.; Holstein, H.; Holm, E.

    2015-01-01

    radioactive polonium (209Po as a bio-tracer for 210Po) in well determined quantities. Four of the volunteers were given 5-10Bq 209Po in a single intake (acute intake) and one volunteer has ingested a daily intake of 58.7mBq 209Po for a period of 180 d. Human hair was found to reflect the daily clearance...

  15. Characterization of an entomopathogenic fungi target integument protein, Bombyx mori single domain von Willebrand factor type C, in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, F; Lu, A; Yuan, Y; Huang, W; Beerntsen, B T; Huang, J; Ling, E

    2017-06-01

    The insect cuticle works as the first line of defence to protect insects from pathogenic infections and water evaporation. However, the old cuticle must be shed in order to enter the next developmental stage. During each ecdysis, moulting fluids are produced and secreted into the area among the old and new cuticles. In a previous study, the protein Bombyx mori single domain von Willebrand factor type C (BmSVWC; BGIBMGA011399) was identified in the moulting fluids of Bo. mori and demonstrated to regulate ecdysis. In this study we show that in Bo. mori larvae, BmSVWC primarily locates to the integument (epidermal cells and cuticle), wing discs and head. During the moulting stage, BmSVWC is released into the moulting fluids, and is then produced again by epidermal cells after ecdysis. Fungal infection was shown to decrease the amount of BmSVWC in the cuticle, which indicates that BmSVWC is a target protein of entomopathogenic fungi. Thus, BmSVWC is mainly involved in maintaining the integrity of the integument structure, which serves to protect insects from physical damage and pathogenic infection. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

  16. Chemical warfare agent simulants for human volunteer trials of emergency decontamination: A systematic review

    OpenAIRE

    James, Thomas; Wyke, Stacey; Marczylo, Tim; Collins, Samuel; Gaulton, Tom; Foxall, Kerry; Amlôt, Richard; Duarte‐Davidson, Raquel

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Incidents involving the release of chemical agents can pose significant risks to public health. In such an event, emergency decontamination of affected casualties may need to be undertaken to reduce injury and possible loss of life. To ensure these methods are effective, human volunteer trials (HVTs) of decontamination protocols, using simulant contaminants, have been conducted. Simulants must be used to mimic the physicochemical properties of more harmful chemicals, while remaining ...

  17. Motivations of German Hospice Volunteers: How Do They Compare to Nonhospice Volunteers and US Hospice Volunteers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stelzer, Eva-Maria; Lang, Frieder R

    2016-03-01

    We examined reasons of volunteering for hospice and nonhospice organizations in a study with 125 volunteers (22-93 years) from the United States and Germany. Motives of US and German hospice volunteers revealed similarities and few differences. Hospice volunteers are involved because they seek to help others, seek new learning experiences, seek social contacts, or seek personal growth. The US hospice volunteers reported motives related to altruistic concerns, enhancement, and social influence as more influential, while German hospice volunteers rated career expectations as being more important. Comparison of German hospice with nonhospice volunteers revealed stronger differences: German hospice volunteers scored higher on altruistic motives, while German nonhospice volunteers yielded higher scores on self-serving motives. Findings contribute to improved understanding of volunteering motivation and of activating or retaining hospice volunteers. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. Analysis of human exhaled breath in a population of young volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zarić Božidarka

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs in human breath can provide information about the current physiological state of an individual, such as clinical conditions and exposure to exogenous pollutants. The blood-borne VOCs present in exhaled breath offer the possibility of exploring physiological and pathological processes in a noninvasive way. However, the field of exhaled breath analysis is still in its infancy. We undertook this study in order to define interindividual variation and common compounds in breath VOCs of 48 young human volunteers. Alveolar breath samples were analyzed by automated thermal desorption, gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (FID and electron capture detector (ECD using SUPELCO standards with 66 compounds. Predominant compounds in the alveolar breath of analyzed subjects are ethylbenzene, 1-ethyl-4-methylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (over 50% of the subjects. Isopropyl alcohol, propylene, acetone, ethanol were found as well. We detected substituted compounds in exhaled breath. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172001

  19. Proliferative and non-proliferative lesions of the rat and mouse integument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mecklenburg, Lars; Kusewitt, Donna; Kolly, Carine; Treumann, Silke; Adams, E Terence; Diegel, Kelly; Yamate, Jyoji; Kaufmann, Wolfgang; Müller, Susanne; Danilenko, Dimitry; Bradley, Alys

    2013-01-01

    The INHAND (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) project is a joint initiative of the societies of toxicological pathology from Europe (ESTP), Great Britain (BSTP), Japan (JSTP) and North America (STP). Its aim is to develop an internationally-accepted nomenclature for proliferative and non-proliferative lesions in laboratory rodents. A widely accepted international harmonization of nomenclature in laboratory animals will decrease confusion among regulatory and scientific research organizations in different countries and will provide a common language to increase and enrich international exchanges of information among toxicologists and pathologists. The purpose of this publication is to provide a standardized nomenclature for classifying microscopical lesions observed in the integument of laboratory rats and mice. Example colour images are provided for most lesions. The standardized nomenclature presented in this document and additional colour images are also available electronically at http://www.goreni.org. The nomenclature presented herein is based on histopathology databases from government, academia, and industrial laboratories throughout the world, and covers lesions that develop spontaneously as well as those induced by exposure to various test materials. (DOI: 10.1293/tox.26.27S; J Toxicol Pathol 2013; 26: 27S-57S).

  20. Volunteering and Volunteers: Benefit-Cost Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handy, Femida; Mook, Laurie

    2011-01-01

    This article examines the phenomenon of volunteering from a benefit-cost perspective. Both the individual making a decision to volunteer and the organization making a decision to use volunteer labor face benefits and costs of their actions, yet these costs and benefits almost always remain unarticulated, perhaps because the common perception of…

  1. Integument pattern formation involves genetic and epigenetic controls: feather arrays simulated by digital hormone models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Ting-Xin; Widelitz, Randall B; Shen, Wei-Min; Will, Peter; Wu, Da-Yu; Lin, Chih-Min; Jung, Han-Sung; Chuong, Cheng-Ming

    2004-01-01

    Pattern formation is a fundamental morphogenetic process. Models based on genetic and epigenetic control have been proposed but remain controversial. Here we use feather morphogenesis for further evaluation. Adhesion molecules and/or signaling molecules were first expressed homogenously in feather tracts (restrictive mode, appear earlier) or directly in bud or inter-bud regions ( de novo mode, appear later). They either activate or inhibit bud formation, but paradoxically colocalize in the bud. Using feather bud reconstitution, we showed that completely dissociated cells can reform periodic patterns without reference to previous positional codes. The patterning process has the characteristics of being self-organizing, dynamic and plastic. The final pattern is an equilibrium state reached by competition, and the number and size of buds can be altered based on cell number and activator/inhibitor ratio, respectively. We developed a Digital Hormone Model which consists of (1) competent cells without identity that move randomly in a space, (2) extracellular signaling hormones which diffuse by a reaction-diffusion mechanism and activate or inhibit cell adhesion, and (3) cells which respond with topological stochastic actions manifested as changes in cell adhesion. Based on probability, the results are cell clusters arranged in dots or stripes. Thus genetic control provides combinational molecular information which defines the properties of the cells but not the final pattern. Epigenetic control governs interactions among cells and their environment based on physical-chemical rules (such as those described in the Digital Hormone Model). Complex integument patterning is the sum of these two components of control and that is why integument patterns are usually similar but non-identical. These principles may be shared by other pattern formation processes such as barb ridge formation, fingerprints, pigmentation patterning, etc. The Digital Hormone Model can also be applied to

  2. The Motivation to Volunteer: A Systemic Quality of Life Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shye, Samuel

    2010-01-01

    A new approach to volunteer motivation research is developed. Instead of asking what motivates the volunteer (accepting "any" conceptual category), we ask to what extent volunteering rewards the individual with each benefit taken from a complete set of possible benefits. As a "complete set of benefits" we use the 16 human functioning modes…

  3. Congruent strain specific intestinal persistence of Lactobacillus plantarum in an intestine-mimicking in vitro system and in human volunteers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermien van Bokhorst-van de Veen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: An important trait of probiotics is their capability to reach their intestinal target sites alive to optimally exert their beneficial effects. Assessment of this trait in intestine-mimicking in vitro model systems has revealed differential survival of individual strains of a species. However, data on the in situ persistence characteristics of individual or mixtures of strains of the same species in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy human volunteers have not been reported to date. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The GI-tract survival of individual L. plantarum strains was determined using an intestine mimicking model system, revealing substantial inter-strain differences. The obtained data were correlated to genomic diversity of the strains using comparative genome hybridization (CGH datasets, but this approach failed to discover specific genetic loci that explain the observed differences between the strains. Moreover, we developed a next-generation sequencing-based method that targets a variable intergenic region, and employed this method to assess the in vivo GI-tract persistence of different L. plantarum strains when administered in mixtures to healthy human volunteers. Remarkable consistency of the strain-specific persistence curves were observed between individual volunteers, which also correlated significantly with the GI-tract survival predicted on basis of the in vitro assay. CONCLUSION: The survival of individual L. plantarum strains in the GI-tract could not be correlated to the absence or presence of specific genes compared to the reference strain L. plantarum WCFS1. Nevertheless, in vivo persistence analysis in the human GI-tract confirmed the strain-specific persistence, which appeared to be remarkably similar in different healthy volunteers. Moreover, the relative strain-specific persistence in vivo appeared to be accurately and significantly predicted by their relative survival in the intestine-mimicking in vitro

  4. Understanding the link between older volunteers’ resources and motivation to volunteer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Principi, Andrea; Schippers, Joop; Naegele, Gerd; Di Rosa, Mirko; Lamura, Giovanni

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of older volunteers’ available human, social, and cultural capital on their motivational forces to volunteer, measured through the Volunteer Function Inventory. A large European database of 955 older volunteers (i.e., aged 50+) was employed,

  5. Volunteer recruitment: the role of organizational support and anticipated respect in non-volunteers' attraction to charitable volunteer organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boezeman, Edwin J; Ellemers, Naomi

    2008-09-01

    In 3 experiments the authors examined how specific characteristics of charitable volunteer organizations contribute to the recruitment of new volunteers. In line with predictions, Study 1 revealed that providing non-volunteers with information about organizational support induced anticipated feelings of respect, which subsequently enhanced their attraction to the volunteer organization. However, information about the current success of the volunteer organization did not affect anticipated pride (as among those who seek paid employment) and in fact caused potential volunteers to perceive the organization as being in less need for additional volunteers. Study 2 further showed that information about support from the volunteer organization is a more relevant source of anticipated respect and organizational attraction than support from co-volunteers. Study 3 finally showed that information about task and emotional support for volunteers contributes to anticipated respect and organizational attractiveness and that this increases the actual willingness of non-volunteers to participate in the volunteer organization. Interventions aimed at attracting volunteers and avenues for further research are discussed.

  6. Why Volunteer? Understanding Motivations for Student Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holdsworth, Clare

    2010-01-01

    The profile of volunteering in English Higher Education (HE) has been enhanced in recent years through various initiatives that have not only funded activities, but have sought to expand the range of volunteering opportunities available to students and recognise the contribution that volunteering can make to students' employability. This expansion…

  7. College Students' Volunteering: Factors Related to Current Volunteering, Volunteer Settings, and Motives for Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Erin W.; Warta, Samantha; Erichsen, Kristen

    2014-01-01

    Research has not explored the types of settings that college students prefer to volunteer for and how these settings might be influenced by personal factors (e.g., demographic, academic major, volunteering motivation, religiosity). Students from a Midwestern university (N = 406, 71.9% female) completed a survey that inquired about their…

  8. Effect of Resveratrol Treatment on the Pharmacokinetics of Diclofenac in Healthy Human Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedada, Satish Kumar; Yellu, Narsimha Reddy; Neerati, Prasad

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of resveratrol (RSV) treatment on the pharmacokinetics of diclofenac (DIC) in healthy human volunteers. The open-label, two period, sequential study was conducted in 12 healthy human volunteers. A single dose of RSV 500 mg was administered daily for 10 days during treatment phase. A single dose of DIC 100 mg was administered during control and after treatment phases under fasting conditions. The blood samples were collected after DIC dosing and analyzed by HPLC. Treatment with RSV significantly enhanced maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) (1.73 to 2.91 µg/mL), area under the curve (AUC) (5.05 to 9.95 g h/mL), half life (T1/2) (1.12 to 1.76 h) and significantly decreased elimination rate constant (Kel ) (0.71 to 0.41 h(-1)), apparent oral clearance (CL/F) (14.58 to 6.48 L/h) of DIC as compared to control. The geometric mean ratios for Cmax, AUC, T1/2, Kel and CL/F of DIC were 1.75, 2.12, 1.65, 0.61 and 0.47, respectively were outside the limits of 0.8-1.25, which indicates clinically significant interaction between DIC and RSV. The results suggest that the altered pharmacokinetics of DIC might be attributed to RSV mediated inhibition of CYP2C9 enzyme. Therefore, combination therapy of DIC along with RSV may represent a novel approach to reduce dosage and results in reduced gastrointestinal side effects of DIC. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Effect of Sildenafil Citrate on Intraocular Pressure and Blood Pressure in Human Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerometta, Rosana; Alvarez, Lawrence J.; Candia, Oscar A.

    2011-01-01

    Anecdotal reports have suggested that the vasodilator, sildenafil citrate, which evokes its effect via a select inhibition of PDE5, has the potential to increase intraocular pressure (IOP) in some individuals. An ocular hypertensive effect by sildenafil was also recently described in a sheep animal model. In contrast, clinical studies have not found a direct association between sildenafil ingestion (commonly consumed as Viagra) and changes in IOP. However, some such studies also reported no effects of sildenafil on systemic blood pressure (BP) at the time of the IOP determination. Given this surprising result, our purpose was to repeat a study in human volunteers in the city of Corrientes, Argentina to corroborate the effects of sildenafil on human IOP and systemic BP. For the present study, 9 healthy volunteers (male and female, 18 to 74 years old) were selected as subjects after ophthalmic and cardiovascular evaluation indicated that they exhibited normal parameters for their age. In a masked, placebo-controlled study, the subjects ingested 100 mg sildenafil citrate (provided as Vorst from Laboratorios Bernabo, Argentina) in one session, and a placebo on a second separate occasion. IOP was measured with a Goldman applanation tonometer by an ophthalmologist, and BP by a second physician, neither of whom witnessed the tablet ingestion by the volunteers, nor provided with information on the nature of the test compounds. A third individual administered the tablets. The average baseline IOP of this group of 9 was 13.1 ± 0.6 mm Hg. Subsequent to sildenafil ingestion, IOP increased by 26% to 16.5 ± 0.8 mm Hg 60 min later (p< 0.005, as paired data), and returned to control values within 2 hrs. Both systolic and diastolic BP were significantly reduced by sildenafil ingestion. At the point of maximal systemic hypotension (90 min), the systolic and diastolic pressures declined by 15% and 13%, respectively. No significant changes in IOP or BP were recorded after ingestion

  10. Volunteer Environmental Stewardship and Affective Labour in Philadelphia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alec Foster

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent research has critically evaluated the rapid growth of volunteer urban environmental stewardship. Framings of this phenomenon have largely focused upon environmentality and/or neoliberal environments, unfortunately often presenting a totalising picture of the state and/or market utilising power from above to create environmental subjects with limited agency available to local citizens. Based upon qualitative research with volunteer urban environmental stewards in Philadelphia, affective labour is proposed as an alternative explanation for participation. Stewards volunteered their time and labour due to the intense emotional attachments they formed with their neighbourhoods, neighbours, and nonhuman others in relationships of affective labour. Volunteer urban environmental stewardship as affective labour provides room for agency on the part of individuals and groups involved in volunteer urban environmental reproduction and opens up new ways of relating to and being with human and nonhuman others.

  11. Challenges in volunteering from cancer care volunteers perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamaludin, Kauthar Mohamad; Muhammad, Mazanah; Wahat, Nor Wahiza Abdul; Ibrahim, Rahimah

    2013-01-01

    The involvement of non-government organizations (NGOs) and support groups has helped strengthen public health services in addressing cancer care burden. Owing to the contribution of volunteers in cancer care, this article documents a qualitative study that examined challenges in attracting and retaining cancer care volunteers as part of the effort to develop a volunteer recruitment model. Data were collected through three focus group discussions involving 19 cancer support group members in Malaysia. Findings of the study revealed that mobility and locality appeared to be significant in Malaysian context, while the need for financial support and time flexibility are challenges faced by cancer support groups to attract and retain volunteers. The findings imply that cancer care initiatives can benefit from more local volunteers but at the same time these volunteers require flexibility and financial support to sustain their engagement.

  12. Influence of Social Factors and Motives on Commitment of Sport Events Volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Farideh Sharififar; Zahra Jamalian; Reza Nikbakhsh; Zahra Nobakht Ramezani

    2011-01-01

    In sport, human resources management gives special attention to method of applying volunteers, their maintenance, and participation of volunteers with each other and management approaches for better operation of events celebrants. The recognition of volunteers- characteristics and motives is important to notice, because it makes the basis of their participation and commitment at sport environment. The motivation and commitment of 281 volunteers were assessed using the org...

  13. Enhanced Chromatographic Determination of Nicotine in Human Plasma: Applied to Human Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayoub, Bassam M; Mohamady, Samy; Hendy, Moataz S; Elmazar, Mohamed M

    2015-12-01

    Development of enhanced UPLC-UV method for determination of nicotine in human plasma was achieved on a Symmetry(®) C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 2.2 μm) applying isocratic elution based on Methanol: Acetonitrile: Phosphate Buffer (pH: 2.7) with the ratio (20:30:50, v/v/v) as a mobile phase. The ultraviolet detector was operated at 260 nm. The mobile phase was pumped through the column at a flow rate of 0.2 mL min(-1). The column temperature was adjusted to 50ºC and the injection volume was 2 μL. Quinine was selected as an internal standard (IS) due to its structure similarity to nicotine having basic pyridine ring to optimize the liquid liquid extraction procedure using diethyl ether coupled with vacuum evaporation at 40°C. Validation parameters for nicotine were found to be acceptable over the concentration range of 2.5-50 ng ml(-1). The application of the proposed method on four healthy human volunteers was approved by the ethical committee. The study was carried out under fasting conditions and the concerned subjects were informed about the objectives and possible risks involved in the study. The proposed method proved to be simple and fast which is a major advantage to analyze large number of samples per day using the accelerated vacuum evaporation technique. The method showed satisfactory data for all the parameters tested within the limits for bioanalytical assays. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) permits the application of the method for further pharmacological and clinical studies.

  14. Age and motives for volunteering: testing hypotheses derived from socioemotional selectivity theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Morris A; Schultz, Amy

    2003-06-01

    Following a meta-analysis of the relations between age and volunteer motives (career, understanding, enhancement, protective, making friends, social, and values), the authors tested hypotheses derived from socioemotional selectivity theory regarding the effects of age on these volunteer motives. The Volunteer Functions Inventory was completed by 523 volunteers from 2 affiliates of the International Habitat for Humanity. Multiple regression analyses revealed, as predicted, that as age increases, career and understanding volunteer motivation decrease and social volunteer motivation increases. Contrary to expectations, age did not contribute to the prediction of enhancement, protective, and values volunteer motivations and the relation between age and making friends volunteer motivation was nonlinear. The results were discussed in the context of age-differential and age-similarity perspectives on volunteer motivation.

  15. A Study on Volunteers of the Storytelling of Training in Public Libraries: A Case Study on Volunteer Storyteller of Taipei Public Library

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Ping Peng

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the administrators of public library administrators have been actively promoting children’s reading services. In particular, storytelling activities have a significantly positive effect on enhancing children’s interest and ability in reading. Because of human resource shortages at public libraries, providing these services depends on volunteers. The public libraries should enhance the competencies of volunteers who engage in storytelling, and provide appropriate training for maintaining as well as improving the effectiveness of storytelling services. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the storytelling training of storytelling volunteers. The study used in-depth interviews to obtain information on the experiences, ideas, and suggestions of public library storytelling volunteers at Taipei Public Library. Current education and training of storytelling volunteer encompasses demand analysis, implementation methods, course content, assessment of effectiveness, and suggestions for adjusting education and training in public library. Finally, the present study results are provided for education and training of storytelling volunteers for public libraries.

  16. Endostatin concentration in plasma of healthy human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shah, I.; Malik, M.O.; Khan, M.J.; Fatima, S.; Habib, S.H.

    2017-01-01

    Angiogenesis is involved in many cardiovascular and cancerous diseases, including atherosclerosis and is controlled by a fine balance between angiogenic and angiostatic mediators. Endostatin is one of the main angiostatic mediators, and inhibits angiogenesis and prevents progression of atherosclerosis. The available literature shows a broad range of concentrations in relatively small samples of healthy controls and is calculated by using different techniques. This study was aimed to determine the basal endostatin concentration in plasma of healthy volunteers, to fully understand its physiological role. Methods: Fifty healthy adult volunteers were recruited to the study. Participants were advised not to participate in any physical activity on the day before the blood sampling. The volunteers' physical activity, height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure were recorded. The samples were analysed for plasma endostatin concentration, using ELISA. The participants were divided by gender and ethnic groups to calculate any difference. Results: Endostatin and other variables were normally distributed. Most of the participants had a moderate level of physical activity with no gender related difference (p=0.370). The mean value for plasma endostatin in all samples was 105+-12 ng/ml with range of 81-132 ng/ml. For males, it was 107+-13 ng/ml, while for females; 102+-12 ng/ml. There were no significant gender or ethnicity related differences in endostatin concentration. Moreover, endostatin was not significantly related with any anthropometric and physical variable. Conclusion: This study gives endostatin levels in normal healthy people and show no gender and ethnicity related differences in endostatin levels. Endostatin was not related with any anthropometric and physical variable. (author)

  17. Are Volunteer Satisfaction and Enjoyment Related to Cessation of Volunteering by Older Adults?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Morris; Infurna, Frank J; Hutchinson, Ianeta

    2016-05-01

    Previous research indicates that volunteer satisfaction and enjoyment do not exert direct effects on the cessation of volunteering by older adults. This study examined whether satisfaction with and enjoyment of volunteering indirectly affect volunteer cessation via hours volunteered. Our sample consisted of participants in the Americans' Changing Lives study (N = 380) who were 65 years old and older and who volunteered at Wave 1. Volunteer satisfaction, volunteer enjoyment, hours volunteered, and several covariates were assessed at Wave 1, and volunteer cessation was assessed 3 years later at Wave 2. Volunteer satisfaction and volunteer enjoyment were positively associated with hours volunteered, and more hours volunteered was associated with decreased likelihood of volunteer cessation. The indirect effects of volunteer satisfaction and volunteer enjoyment on volunteer cessation via hours volunteered were -.023 (p = .059) and -.036 (p = .015), respectively. The dynamics of volunteer cessation are important because a volunteer shortage is forecasted and because the benefits of volunteering may attenuate when volunteering stops. Future research should test the proposed causal sequence using longitudinal data with at least 3 waves. © The Author 2014. 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.

  18. Volunteering with Newcomers: The Perspectives of Canadian- and Foreign-born Volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Behnam Behnia

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Canadian- and foreign-born volunteers have contributed to the settlement of newcomers into Canadian society. Despite their important contribution, little has been reported about the experiences and perspectives of these volunteers. Using the information collected from face-to-face interviews with 60 Canadian- and foreign-born volunteers who support newcomers, this article discusses factors that motivate people to volunteer with newcomers. The study results revealed among other findings that (1 to become a volunteer, one not only needs to be motivated but also needs to believe that volunteering will produce the expected positive results and to have confidence in one’s ability to complete the assigned tasks, (2 once people become volunteers, the experience of volunteering tests their perceived self-efficacy and their belief about the effectiveness of their volunteer work. Success or failure in their expectations influences their decision tocontinue or discontinue their volunteer work.

  19. Calcineurin inhibitors acutely improve insulin sensitivity without affecting insulin secretion in healthy human volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Øzbay, Aygen; Møller, Niels; Juhl, Claus

    2012-01-01

    and tacrolimus has been attributed to both beta cell dysfunction and impaired insulin sensitivity. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This is the first trial to investigate beta cell function and insulin sensitivity using gold standard methodology in healthy human volunteers treated with clinically relevant doses...... of ciclosporin and tacrolimus. We document that both drugs acutely increase insulin sensitivity, while first phase and pulsatile insulin secretion remain unaffected. This study demonstrates that ciclosporin and tacrolimus have similar acute effects on glucose metabolism in healthy humans. AIM The introduction...... of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) ciclosporin (CsA) and tacrolimus (Tac) has improved the outcome of organ transplants, but complications such as new onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT) cause impairment of survival rates. The relative contribution of each CNI to the pathogenesis and development...

  20. Effect of sildenafil citrate on intraocular pressure and blood pressure in human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerometta, Rosana; Alvarez, Lawrence J; Candia, Oscar A

    2011-07-01

    Anecdotal reports have suggested that the vasodilator, sildenafil citrate, which evokes its effect via a select inhibition of PDE5, has the potential to increase intraocular pressure (IOP) in some individuals. An ocular hypertensive effect by sildenafil was also recently described in a sheep animal model. In contrast, clinical studies have not found a direct association between sildenafil ingestion (commonly consumed as Viagra) and changes in IOP. However, some such studies also reported no effects of sildenafil on systemic blood pressure (BP) at the time of the IOP determination. Given this surprising result, our purpose was to repeat a study in human volunteers in the city of Corrientes, Argentina to corroborate the effects of sildenafil on human IOP and systemic BP. For the present study, 9 healthy volunteers (male and female, 18-74 years old) were selected as subjects after ophthalmic and cardiovascular evaluation indicated that they exhibited normal parameters for their age. In a masked, placebo-controlled study, the subjects ingested 100 mg sildenafil citrate (provided as Vorst from Laboratorios Bernabo, Argentina) in one session, and a placebo on a second separate occasion. IOP was measured with a Goldman applanation tonometer by an ophthalmologist, and BP by a second physician, neither of whom witnessed the tablet ingestion by the volunteers, nor provided with information on the nature of the test compounds. A third individual administered the tablets. The average baseline IOP of this group of 9 was 13.1 ± 0.6 mm Hg. Subsequent to sildenafil ingestion, IOP increased by 26% to 16.5 ± 0.8 mm Hg 60 min later (P < 0.005, as paired data), and returned to control values within 2 h. Both systolic and diastolic BP were significantly reduced by sildenafil ingestion. At the point of maximal systemic hypotension (90 min), the systolic and diastolic pressures declined by 15% and 13%, respectively. No significant changes in IOP or BP were recorded after

  1. A Study on Volunteers of the Storytelling of Training in Public Libraries: A Case Study on Volunteer Storyteller of Taipei Public Library

    OpenAIRE

    Yu-Ping Peng; Po-Han Chuang

    2017-01-01

    In recent years, the administrators of public library administrators have been actively promoting children’s reading services. In particular, storytelling activities have a significantly positive effect on enhancing children’s interest and ability in reading. Because of human resource shortages at public libraries, providing these services depends on volunteers. The public libraries should enhance the competencies of volunteers who engage in storytelling, and provide appropriate training for ...

  2. The effect of volunteer management professionalization level on volunteer work satisfaction

    OpenAIRE

    Peychlová, Štěpánka

    2013-01-01

    This text concentrates on volunteering in volunteer organizations. It examines the connection between volunteer management professionalization level and volunteer work satisfaction in these organizations. In the theoretical part is defined the concepts of volunteering, professionalization and satisfaction are defined and their particular aspects associated with the focus of the thesis are highlighted. The empirical part describes the construction of the research method and presents the analys...

  3. South African volunteers' experiences of volunteering at the 2010 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The purpose of this research was to study the phenomenon of volunteering through South African volunteers' experiences of volunteering at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, specifically in the City of Tshwane (COT) in the Tshwane Metropolitan Area (TMA). A qualitative research design was employed, with specific reference to ...

  4. Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers' perception and actual well-being of volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kragh, Gitte; Stafford, Rick; Curtin, Susanna; Diaz, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Background : Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers' perceptions of their volunteers' well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers. Methods : Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively), to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers' perceptions of their volunteers' well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman's multidimensional PERMA ('positive emotion', 'engagement', 'positive relationship', 'meaning', 'achievement') model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, 'engagement', 'relationship' and 'meaning', as well as 'negative emotion' and 'health' as factors. Results : Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants' immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not found to have an effect on overall mean well-being generally in life

  5. A comparison of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and human T-lymphotropic virus marker rates for directed versus volunteer blood donations to the American Red Cross during 2005 to 2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorsey, Kerri A; Moritz, Erin D; Steele, Whitney R; Eder, Anne F; Stramer, Susan L

    2013-06-01

    At most US blood centers, patients may still opt to choose specific donors to give blood for their anticipated transfusion needs. However, there is little evidence of improved safety with directed donation when compared to volunteer donation. The percentage of directed donations made to the American Red Cross (ARC) from 1995 to 2010 was determined. Infectious disease marker rates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) were calculated for volunteer and directed donations made from 2005 to 2010. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to compare marker-positive rates of directed donations to volunteer donations. The percentage of donations from directed donors declined from 1.6% in 1995 to 0.12% in 2010. From 2005 to 2010, the ARC collected 38,894,782 volunteer and 69,869 directed donations. Rates of HIV, HCV, HBV, and HTLV for volunteer donations were 2.9, 32.2, 12.4, and 2.5 per 100,000 donations, respectively; for directed, the rates were 7.2, 93.0, 40.1, and 18.6 per 100,000. After demographics and first-time or repeat status were adjusted for, corresponding ORs of viral marker positivity in directed versus volunteer donations were not significant for HIV, HBV, or HTLV and significant for HCV (OR, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.90). Directed donations have declined by 92% at the ARC since 1995, but have higher viral marker rates than volunteer donations. The difference can be explained in part by the effects of first-time or repeat status of the donors. Patients considering directed donation should be appropriately counseled about the potential risks. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  6. Calcium and α-tocopherol suppress cured-meat promotion of chemically induced colon carcinogenesis in rats and reduce associated biomarkers in human volunteers123

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Océane CB; Santarelli, Raphaelle L; Taché, Sylviane; Naud, Nathalie; Guéraud, Françoise; Audebert, Marc; Dupuy, Jacques; Meunier, Nathalie; Attaix, Didier; Vendeuvre, Jean-Luc; Mirvish, Sidney S; Kuhnle, Gunter CG; Cano, Noel; Corpet, Denis E

    2013-01-01

    Background: Processed meat intake has been associated with increased colorectal cancer risk. We have shown that cured meat promotes carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesions and increases specific biomarkers in the colon of rats. Objectives: We investigated whether cured meat modulates biomarkers of cancer risk in human volunteers and whether specific agents can suppress cured meat–induced preneoplastic lesions in rats and associated biomarkers in rats and humans. Design: Six additives (calcium carbonate, inulin, rutin, carnosol, α-tocopherol, and trisodium pyrophosphate) were added to cured meat given to groups of rats for 14 d, and fecal biomarkers were measured. On the basis of these results, calcium and tocopherol were kept for the following additional experiments: cured meat, with or without calcium or tocopherol, was given to dimethylhydrazine-initiated rats (47% meat diet for 100 d) and to human volunteers in a crossover study (180 g/d for 4 d). Rat colons were scored for mucin-depleted foci, putative precancer lesions. Biomarkers of nitrosation, lipoperoxidation, and cytotoxicity were measured in the urine and feces of rats and volunteers. Results: Cured meat increased nitroso compounds and lipoperoxidation in human stools (both P meat (P = 0.01). Conclusion: Data suggest that the addition of calcium carbonate to the diet or α-tocopherol to cured meat may reduce colorectal cancer risk associated with cured-meat intake. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00994526. PMID:24025632

  7. In vivo H MR spectroscopy of human brain in six normal volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choe, Bo Young; Suh, Tae Suk; Bahk, Yong Whee; Shinn, Kyung Sub

    1993-01-01

    In vivo H MR spectroscopic studies were performed on the human brain in six normal volunteers. Some distinct proton metabolites, such as N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr), choline/phosphocholine (Cho), myo-inositol (Ins) and lipid (fat) were clearly identified in normal brain tissue. The signal intensity of NAA resonance is strongest. The standard ratios of metabolites from the normal brain tissue in specific regions were obtained for the references of further in vivo H MR spectroscopic studies. Our initial resulting suggest the in vivo H MR spectroscopy may provide more precise diagnosis on the basis of the metabolic information on brain tissues. The unique ability of In vivo H MR spectroscopy to offer noninvasive information about tissue biochemistry in patients will stimulate its impact on clinical research and disease diagnosis

  8. A human volunteer study to assess the impact of confectionery sweeteners on the gut microbiota composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beards, Emma; Tuohy, Kieran; Gibson, Glenn

    2010-09-01

    Sweeteners are being sourced to lower the energetic value of confectionery including chocolates. Some, especially non-digestible carbohydrates, may possess other benefits for human health upon their fermentation by the colonic microbiota. The present study assessed non-digestible carbohydrate sweeteners, selected for use in low-energy chocolates, for their ability to beneficially modulate faecal bacterial profiles in human volunteers. Forty volunteers consumed a test chocolate (low-energy or experimental chocolate) containing 22.8 g of maltitol (MTL), MTL and polydextrose (PDX), or MTL and resistant starch for fourteen consecutive days. The dose of the test chocolates was doubled every 2 weeks over a 6-week period. Numbers of faecal bifidobacteria significantly increased with all the three test treatments. Chocolate containing the PDX blend also significantly increased faecal lactobacilli (P = 0.00 001) after the 6 weeks. The PDX blend also showed significant increases in faecal propionate and butyrate (P = 0.002 and 0.006, respectively). All the test chocolates were well tolerated with no significant change in bowel habit or intestinal symptoms even at a daily dose of 45.6 g of non-digestible carbohydrate sweetener. This is of importance not only for giving manufacturers a sugar replacement that can reduce energetic content, but also for providing a well-tolerated means of delivering high levels of non-digestible carbohydrates into the colon, bringing about improvements in the biomarkers of gut health.

  9. Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers’ perception and actual well-being of volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kragh, Gitte; Stafford, Rick; Curtin, Susanna; Diaz, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Background: Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers. Methods: Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively), to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman’s multidimensional PERMA (‘positive emotion’, ‘engagement’, ‘positive relationship’, ‘meaning’, ‘achievement’) model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, ‘engagement’, ‘relationship’ and ‘meaning’, as well as ‘negative emotion’ and ‘health’ as factors. Results: Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants’ immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not found to have an

  10. Brain Magnetic Resonance Elastography on Healthy Volunteers: A Safety Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guang-Rui Liu; Pei-Yi Gao; Yan Lin; Jing Xue; Xiao-Chun Wang; Bin-Bin Sui; Li Ma; Zhi-Nong Xi; Qin Bai; Hao Shen

    2009-01-01

    Background: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a recently developed imaging technique that can directly visualize and quantitatively measure tissue elasticity. Purpose: To evaluate the safety of brain MRE on human subjects. Material and Methods: The study included 20 healthy volunteers. MRE sequence scan (drive signal not applied to external force actuator) and MRE study were separately performed on each volunteer at an interval of more than 24 hours. The heart rate and blood pressure of each volunteer were measured immediately before and after MRE sequence scan and MRE study. Electroencephalography (EEG) was also performed within 2 hours after each scan. The volunteers were asked about their experience of the two scans. Randomized-block analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data of blood pressure and heart rate. Paired t test was used to analyze the data of the two EEG examinations. The volunteers were followed up 1 week after the examination. Results: All procedures were performed on each volunteer, and no one complained of obvious discomfort. No related adverse events were reported during follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in heart rate or blood pressure. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in EEG results in the right temporoparietal region. Increased power was found in the theta, delta, alpha, and beta2 bands. No brain injury was detected by the EEG examinations. Conclusion: Based on the study results, brain MRE examinations are safe to perform on human subjects

  11. Scarce Evidence of Yogurt Lactic Acid Bacteria in Human Feces after Daily Yogurt Consumption by Healthy Volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    del Campo, Rosa; Bravo, Daniel; Cantón, Rafael; Ruiz-Garbajosa, Patricia; García-Albiach, Raimundo; Montesi-Libois, Alejandra; Yuste, Francisco-Javier; Abraira, Victor; Baquero, Fernando

    2005-01-01

    In a double-blind prospective study including 114 healthy young volunteers, the presence in human feces of the yogurt organisms Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus after repeated yogurt consumption (15 days) was analyzed by culture, specific PCR, and DNA hybridization of total fecal DNA. Detection of yogurt lactic acid bacteria in total fecal DNA by bacterial culture and PCR assay was consistently negative. DNA compatible with yogurt bacteria was found by hybridization ex...

  12. Evaluation of Depigmenting Activity by 8-Hydroxydaidzein in Mouse B16 Melanoma Cells and Human Volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Gong Lin

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available In our previous study, 8-hydroxydaidzein (8-OHDe was demonstrated to be a potent and unique suicide substrate of mushroom tyrosinase. In this study, the compound was evaluated for in vitro cellular tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitory activities in mouse B16 melanoma cells and for in vivo skin-whitening activity in human volunteers. Tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in the cell culture incubated with 10 µM of 8-OHDe were decreased to 20.1% and 51.8% of control, respectively, while no obvious cytotoxicity was observed in this concentration. In contrast, a standard tyrosinase inhibitor, kojic acid, showed 69.9% and 71.3% of control in cellular tyrosinase and melanogenesis activity, respectively, at a concentration as high as 100 µM. Hence, 8-OHDe exhibited more than an inhibitory effects on melanin production in B16 cells 10-fold stronger than kojic acid. In addition, when a cream containing 4% 8-OHDe was applied to human skin in an in vivo study, significant increases in the dL*-values were observed after three weeks. Moreover, the increase in the dL*-values after 8-week treatment with 4% 8-OHDe (from -0.57 to 1.94 is stronger than those of 2% 8-OHDe treatment (from 0.26 to 0.94 and 2% ascorbic acid-2-glucoside treatment (from 0.07 to 1.54. From the results of the study, it was concluded that 8-OHDe, the potent suicide substrate of mushroom tyrosinase, has depigmenting activities in both mouse melanoma cells and in human volunteers. Thus, the compound has significant potential for use in cosmetics as a skin-whitening ingredient.

  13. The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    London Leslie

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter.

  14. The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    London, Leslie; Coggon, David; Moretto, Angelo; Westerholm, Peter; Wilks, Martin F; Colosio, Claudio

    2010-08-18

    The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a) a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b) an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c) application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter.

  15. The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a) a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b) an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c) application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter. PMID:20718963

  16. Dexamethasone prolongs local analgesia after subcutaneous infiltration of bupivacaine microcapsules in human volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holte, Kathrine; Werner, Mads U; Lacouture, Peter G

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The addition of small amounts of dexamethasone to extended-release formulations of bupivacaine in microcapsules has been found to prolong local analgesia in experimental studies, but no clinical data are available. METHODS: In a double-blinded study, 12 healthy male volunteers were...... randomized to receive simultaneous subcutaneous injections of bupivacaine microcapsules with dexamethasone and bupivacaine microcapsules without dexamethasone in each calf. Local analgesia was assessed with a validated human pain model; main parameters evaluated were thermal, mechanical, and pain detection...... curve [AUC]) were considered best estimate of analgesia. Safety evaluations were performed daily for the first week and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 6 months after injection. RESULTS: The addition of dexamethasone significantly prolonged local analgesia of bupivacaine microcapsules without influence...

  17. [Volunteer work and potential volunteer work among 55 to 70-year-olds in Germany].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Micheel, Frank

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this article is to describe the potential with respect to volunteer work among 55 to 70-year-old persons along with a two-dimensional typology (actual volunteer work and intention of volunteering or expanding actual volunteer work) and to identify the influencing factors. Based on the dataset from the transitions and old age potential (TOP) study, a total of 4421 men and women born between 1942 and 1958 were included. A multinomial regression model showed the predictors for group affiliation along with an engagement-related typology (internal, utilized and external volunteer potential as well as definite non-volunteers). More than a half of the persons in the study sample could be classified as internal or external volunteer potential. Volunteers and potential volunteers revealed more similarities regarding resources and social factors than potential volunteers and definite non-volunteers. Potential volunteers were more active in other informal fields of activity (e.g. nursing or child care) than definite non-volunteers. With respect to volunteer work, definite non-volunteers showed various social disadvantages (in particular with respect to education and health) compared to (potential) volunteers. Other informal activities did not seem to be in major conflict with volunteer activities, e.g. nursing or child care, as long as they were carried out with moderate or low intensity.

  18. Volunteering as a predictor of all-cause mortality: what aspects of volunteering really matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayalon, Liat

    2008-10-01

    This study evaluates the predictive effects of different aspects of volunteering (e.g. volunteering status, number of hours, number of years, and type of volunteering activity) on all-cause mortality. A seven-year follow-up dataset of a nationally representative sample of Israelis, 60 years and older was used. As expected, volunteering was associated with a reduced mortality risk even after adjusting for age, gender, education, baseline mental health and physical health, activity level, and social engagement. Those who volunteered for 10 to 14 years had a reduced mortality risk relative to non-volunteers. In addition, those who volunteered privately, not as part of an official organization, also had a reduced mortality risk compared to non-volunteers. The number of hours of volunteering was not a significant predictor of all-cause mortality in the fully adjusted model. In additional sensitivity analyses limited to those who volunteered, none of the various aspects of volunteering was associated with a reduced mortality risk. Results suggest that not all aspects of volunteering have the same predictive value and that the protective effects of length of volunteering time and type of volunteering are particularly important. However, whether or not volunteering is the most consistent predictor of mortality and whether once a person volunteers the various aspects of volunteering are no longer associated with mortality risk.

  19. NRPB volunteer study: deposition and clearance of inhaled particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Etherington, G.; Smith, J.

    1996-01-01

    At the Board Meeting of the National Radiological Protection Board held on 15 February 1996, approval was given for an experimental study of the deposition and clearance of inhaled particles in the human nasal passage. This is the latest in a series of volunteer biokinetic studies that have been conducted at NRPB since its formation. This article explains the purpose of the study, how ethical approval was obtained, how the study will be performed, what volunteers will be asked to do, and what doses they will receive. Doses will of course be carefully controlled, and will be well below the annual limits set for such experiments. The success of the study is of course crucially dependent on recruitment of a sufficient number of volunteers. The aim of this article is to provide information to anyone who might be interested in volunteering. (UK)

  20. Volunteers in Sport Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VESNA CILERDZIC

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The research is done in order to describe student’s attitudes on volunteering in sport. The sample consists of 231 students from Serbia, average age 21,06±3,12years. They were from eight colleges and faculties. For nominal and ordinal variables, frequencies were determined. Many of examined students have volunteering experiences. The results confirm that students believe that we live in a society which his generally thought only to its own benefit; they think that volunteering can not solve the problems in society; that people do not have enough experience with volunteering and people do not have time to volunteering; volunteering is for young people; in their family and among friends, there are no volunteers; everyone could be volunteer only if that wishes; do not believe that volunteering is a waste of time and it helps in future career. The prevalent number of students, regardless of the Faculty which they belong, rarely volunteered in areas outside of sport. Results also shows that students from sport faculties have less experience in volunteering in sport than students from other faculties, but this difference is not dramatic.

  1. Value-Expressive Volunteer Motivation and Volunteering by Older Adults: Relationships With Religiosity and Spirituality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Morris A; O'Rourke, Holly P; Keller, Brian; Johnson, Kathryn A; Enders, Craig

    2015-11-01

    This study investigates the interplay among religiosity, spirituality, value-expressive volunteer motivation, and volunteering. We examined religiosity and spirituality as predictors of value-expressive volunteer motivation and volunteering and whether religiosity moderated the relations between (a) spirituality and value-expressive volunteer motivation and (b) value-expressive volunteer motivation and volunteering. After applying multiple imputation procedures to data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study among participants 64-67 years old who survived beyond 2004 (N = 8,148), we carried out regression analyses to predict value-expressive volunteer motivation and volunteering from religiosity and spirituality controlling for demographic variables, physical, emotional, and cognitive health, health risk behaviors, and personality traits. Both religiosity and spirituality were significant (p motivation. Value-expressive volunteer motivation and religiosity were significant (p motivation and volunteering (p motivation (p > .45). Religiosity may provide the way, and value-expressive volunteer motivation the will, to volunteer. The implications of our findings for the forecasted shortage of older volunteers are discussed. © The Author 2014. 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.

  2. Post-Event Volunteering Legacy: Did the London 2012 Games Induce a Sustainable Volunteer Engagement?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niki Koutrou

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The hosting of the London 2012 Olympic Games was seen as an opportunity to harness the enthusiasm of the 70,000 volunteers involved and to provide a post-event volunteer legacy. A total of 77 individuals who had acted as volunteers in London 2012 were contacted approximately four years after the Games and agreed to complete a web-based open-ended survey. The participants were asked to indicate their level of current volunteering engagement and whether volunteering at the Games had an impact on their current volunteering levels. The study found that the London Olympics were the first volunteer experience for most of the volunteers who completed the survey, with the main motivation to volunteer being anything related to the Olympic Games. Just over half of the respondents are currently volunteering. Lack of time is shown to be the main barrier towards further volunteering commitment. Only half of respondents had been contacted by a volunteering scheme after London 2012. The implications of the findings for a potential volunteering legacy are then explored.

  3. Effects of chlorophyll and chlorophyllin on low-dose aflatoxin B1 pharmacokinetics in human volunteers: A pilot study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jubert, C; Mata, J; Bench, G; Dashwood, R; Pereira, C; Tracewell, W; Turteltaub, K; Williams, D; Bailey, G

    2009-04-20

    Chlorophyll (Chla) and chlorophyllin (CHL) were shown previously to reduce carcinogen bioavailability, biomarker damage, and tumorigenicity in trout and rats. These findings were partially extended to humans (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98, 14601-14606 (2001)), where CHL reduced excretion of aflatoxin B{sub 1} (AFB{sub 1})-DNA repair products in Chinese unavoidably exposed to dietary AFB{sub 1}. However, neither AFB{sub 1} pharmacokinetics nor Chla effects were examined. We conducted a small unblinded crossover study to establish AFB{sub 1} pharmacokinetic parameters in human volunteers, and to explore possible effects of CHL or Chla co-treatment on those parameters. For protocol 1, fasted subjects received an IRB-approved dose of 14C-AFB{sub 1} (30 ng, 5 nCi) by capsule with 100 ml water, followed by normal eating and drinking after hr 2. Blood and cumulative urine samples were collected over 72 hr, and {sup 14}C-AFB{sub 1} equivalents were determined by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Protocols 2 and 3 were similar except capsules also contained 150 mg of purified Chla, or CHL, respectively. All protocols were repeated 3 times for each of three volunteers. The study revealed rapid human AFB{sub 1} uptake (plasma ka 5.05 {+-} 1.10 hr-1, Tmax 1.0 hr) and urinary elimination (95% complete by 24 hr) kinetics. Chla and CHL treatment each significantly impeded AFB{sub 1} absorption and reduced Cmax and AUC's (plasma and urine) in one or more subjects. These initial results provide AFB{sub 1} pharmacokinetic parameters previously unavailable for humans, and suggest that Chla or CHL co-consumption may limit the bioavailability of ingested aflatoxin in humans, as they do in animal models.

  4. The effects of neem oil (Azadirachta indica A. JUSS) enriched with different concentrations of azadirachtin on the integument of semi-engorged Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae) females.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima de Souza, José Ribamar; Remedio, Rafael Neodini; Arnosti, André; de Abreu, Rusleyd Maria Magalhães; Camargo-Mathias, Maria Izabel

    2017-08-01

    Several studies searching for methods to control Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., (dog tick) infestations have been developed aiming to minimize the damages caused by these ectoparasites to the hosts and the environment, which is harmed by the indiscriminate use of toxic acaricide products. In this scenario, neem oil has been used as a natural alternative against ticks, once this chemical has repellent properties and interferes in the growth regulation of these ectoparasites, inhibiting ecdysis. The present study evaluated the effects of azadirachtin-enriched neem oil on the integument of semi-engorged R.sanguineus s.l., females through morphohistological techniques. The results showed the occurrence of significant morphological and histochemical alterations, mainly in the females exposed to higher concentrations, which demonstrates the dose-dependent action of the chemical. A decrease in the cuticle thickness was observed, as well as a modification in the distribution of the epithelial cells, which displayed pyknotic and fragmented nuclei, and intensely vacuolated cytoplasm, indicating that these cells would be undergoing death processes. These morphological alterations observed in the integument of the females exposed to the azadirachtin-enriched neem oil encourage the use of this chemical as a strategy to control these ectoparasites. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Effects of cocoa extract and dark chocolate on angiotensin-converting enzyme and nitric oxide in human endothelial cells and healthy volunteers--a nutrigenomics perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Ingrid A L; Persson, Karin; Hägg, Staffan; Andersson, Rolf G G

    2011-01-01

    Evidence suggests that cocoa from the bean of Theobroma cacao L. has beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate if cocoa extract and dark chocolate influence angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and nitric oxide (NO) in human endothelial cells (in vitro) and in healthy volunteers (in vivo). ACE activity was analyzed with a commercial radioenzymatic assay and measured in human endothelial cells from umbilical veins (HUVEC) after 10 minutes of incubation with cocoa extract. NO was measured after 24 hours of incubation. ACE activity and NO were measured at baseline and after 30, 60, and 180 minutes in 16 healthy volunteers after a single intake of 75 g of dark chocolate containing 72% cocoa. Significant inhibition of ACE activity (P cocoa inhibits ACE activity in vitro and in vivo.

  6. Expression of the Flp proteins by Haemophilus ducreyi is necessary for virulence in human volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zwickl Beth W

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Haemophilus ducreyi, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease chancroid, contains a flp (fimbria like protein operon that encodes proteins predicted to contribute to adherence and pathogenesis. H. ducreyi mutants that lack expression of Flp1 and Flp2 or TadA, which has homology to NTPases of type IV secretion systems, have decreased abilities to attach to and form microcolonies on human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF. A tadA mutant is attenuated in its ability to cause disease in human volunteers and in the temperature dependent rabbit model, but a flp1flp2 mutant is virulent in rabbits. Whether a flp deletion mutant would cause disease in humans is not clear. Results We constructed 35000HPΔflp1-3, a deletion mutant that lacks expression of all three Flp proteins but has an intact tad secretion system. 35000HPΔflp1-3 was impaired in its ability to form microcolonies and to attach to HFF in vitro when compared to its parent (35000HP. Complementation of the mutant with flp1-3 in trans restored the parental phenotype. To test whether expression of Flp1-3 was necessary for virulence in humans, ten healthy adult volunteers were experimentally infected with a fixed dose of 35000HP (ranging from 54 to 67 CFU on one arm and three doses of 35000HPΔflp1-3 (ranging from 63 to 961 CFU on the other arm. The overall papule formation rate for the parent was 80% (95% confidence interval, CI, 55.2%-99.9% and for the mutant was 70.0% (95% CI, 50.5%-89.5% (P = 0.52. Mutant papules were significantly smaller (mean, 11.2 mm2 than were parent papules (21.8 mm2 24 h after inoculation (P = 0.018. The overall pustule formation rates were 46.7% (95% CI 23.7-69.7% at 30 parent sites and 6.7% (95% CI, 0.1-19.1% at 30 mutant sites (P = 0.001. Conclusion These data suggest that production and secretion of the Flp proteins contributes to microcolony formation and attachment to HFF cells in vitro. Expression of flp1-3 is also necessary for H

  7. Expression of the Flp proteins by Haemophilus ducreyi is necessary for virulence in human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janowicz, Diane M; Cooney, Sean A; Walsh, Jessica; Baker, Beth; Katz, Barry P; Fortney, Kate R; Zwickl, Beth W; Ellinger, Sheila; Munson, Robert S

    2011-09-22

    Haemophilus ducreyi, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease chancroid, contains a flp (fimbria like protein) operon that encodes proteins predicted to contribute to adherence and pathogenesis. H. ducreyi mutants that lack expression of Flp1 and Flp2 or TadA, which has homology to NTPases of type IV secretion systems, have decreased abilities to attach to and form microcolonies on human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). A tadA mutant is attenuated in its ability to cause disease in human volunteers and in the temperature dependent rabbit model, but a flp1flp2 mutant is virulent in rabbits. Whether a flp deletion mutant would cause disease in humans is not clear. We constructed 35000HPΔflp1-3, a deletion mutant that lacks expression of all three Flp proteins but has an intact tad secretion system. 35000HPΔflp1-3 was impaired in its ability to form microcolonies and to attach to HFF in vitro when compared to its parent (35000HP). Complementation of the mutant with flp1-3 in trans restored the parental phenotype. To test whether expression of Flp1-3 was necessary for virulence in humans, ten healthy adult volunteers were experimentally infected with a fixed dose of 35000HP (ranging from 54 to 67 CFU) on one arm and three doses of 35000HPΔflp1-3 (ranging from 63 to 961 CFU) on the other arm. The overall papule formation rate for the parent was 80% (95% confidence interval, CI, 55.2%-99.9%) and for the mutant was 70.0% (95% CI, 50.5%-89.5%) (P = 0.52). Mutant papules were significantly smaller (mean, 11.2 mm2) than were parent papules (21.8 mm2) 24 h after inoculation (P = 0.018). The overall pustule formation rates were 46.7% (95% CI 23.7-69.7%) at 30 parent sites and 6.7% (95% CI, 0.1-19.1%) at 30 mutant sites (P = 0.001). These data suggest that production and secretion of the Flp proteins contributes to microcolony formation and attachment to HFF cells in vitro. Expression of flp1-3 is also necessary for H. ducreyi to initiate disease and progress to

  8. The human plasma-metabolome: Reference values in 800 French healthy volunteers; impact of cholesterol, gender and age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trabado, Séverine; Al-Salameh, Abdallah; Croixmarie, Vincent; Masson, Perrine; Corruble, Emmanuelle; Fève, Bruno; Colle, Romain; Ripoll, Laurent; Walther, Bernard; Boursier-Neyret, Claire; Werner, Erwan; Becquemont, Laurent; Chanson, Philippe

    2017-01-01

    Metabolomic approaches are increasingly used to identify new disease biomarkers, yet normal values of many plasma metabolites remain poorly defined. The aim of this study was to define the "normal" metabolome in healthy volunteers. We included 800 French volunteers aged between 18 and 86, equally distributed according to sex, free of any medication and considered healthy on the basis of their medical history, clinical examination and standard laboratory tests. We quantified 185 plasma metabolites, including amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins and hexose, using tandem mass spectrometry with the Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180 kit. Principal components analysis was applied to identify the main factors responsible for metabolome variability and orthogonal projection to latent structures analysis was employed to confirm the observed patterns and identify pattern-related metabolites. We established a plasma metabolite reference dataset for 144/185 metabolites. Total blood cholesterol, gender and age were identified as the principal factors explaining metabolome variability. High total blood cholesterol levels were associated with higher plasma sphingomyelins and phosphatidylcholines concentrations. Compared to women, men had higher concentrations of creatinine, branched-chain amino acids and lysophosphatidylcholines, and lower concentrations of sphingomyelins and phosphatidylcholines. Elderly healthy subjects had higher sphingomyelins and phosphatidylcholines plasma levels than young subjects. We established reference human metabolome values in a large and well-defined population of French healthy volunteers. This study provides an essential baseline for defining the "normal" metabolome and its main sources of variation.

  9. THE STUDY OF SELF-CONCEPT BETWEEN VOLUNTEER AND NON-VOLUNTEER STUDENTS IN SPORT OF UNIVERSITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Andam

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Understanding personality characteristics of volunteers are important for their recruitment and retention in sport associations. This study compared self-concept as a personality characteristic between volunteer and non-volunteer students in sport associations. The method of this research was survey and descriptive. The statistical population consisted of volunteer and non-volunteer students in sport associations of Iran universities. Two hundred and fifty two students (120 volunteers and 132 non-volunteers from 10 universities were selected as subjects by using random clustered sampling method. Pyryt and Mandaglio Self Perceived Survey (PMSPS was used to collect the data. The content and face reliability of questionnaire was checked and confirmed. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire (alfa=0.90. Independent t test and U Mann-Whitney test were used for comparison of the factors between volunteers and non-volunteers. Findings of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between volunteer and non-volunteer students in social and athletic self-concept. The mean of scientific and value factors were higher in volunteers than non-volunteers, however, they were not statistically significant. We concluded that the nature of sport (active and sport volunteering (social encourage students who have higher self-concept for volunteering. Moreover, the characteristics of sport associations can increase self-concept in sport volunteers.

  10. Factors Associated With Volunteering Among Racial/Ethnic Groups: Findings From the California Health Interview Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Kimberly J; Lee, S Hannah

    2017-06-01

    The present study investigated how volunteering was influenced by individual resources and social capital among four racial/ethnic groups of adults aged 50 and older. The data came from the California Health Interview Survey, a statewide sample that includes non-Hispanic Whites ( n = 18,927), non-Hispanic Asians ( n = 2,428), non-Hispanic Blacks ( n = 1,265), and Hispanics ( n = 3,799). Logistic regression models of volunteering were estimated to explore the effects of human and social capital within and across the racial/ethnic groups. Compared to Whites, racial/ethnic minority adults volunteered less. Although education was a significant predictor of volunteering across all groups, the findings indicated group-specific factors related to human and social capital. Results showed similarities and differences associated with volunteer participation among diverse racial/ethnic groups. The findings underscore the importance of understanding ways of creating inclusive opportunities for civic engagement among an increasingly diverse population.

  11. Unintended volunteers: the volunteering pathways of working class young people in community sport

    OpenAIRE

    Bradford, S; Hills, L; Johnston, C

    2016-01-01

    Sport has become a major setting for youth volunteering in the UK. Volunteering has become understood as a means of enhancing responsible citizenship and of adding various capitals to young people’s identities. Much research on young people’s volunteering in sport has typically (and sometimes by default) focused on middle class experiences, highlighting the combination of instrumental and altruistic motives for volunteering, the importance of family and school in decisions about volunteering ...

  12. Volunteering for charity: pride, respect, and the commitment of volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boezeman, Edwin J; Ellemers, Naomi

    2007-05-01

    This study builds upon and extends the social-identity-based model of cooperation with the organization (T. R. Tyler, 1999; T. R. Tyler & S. L. Blader, 2000) to examine commitment and cooperative intent among fundraising volunteers. In Study 1, structural equation modeling indicated that pride and respect related to the intent to remain a volunteer with an organization, and that this relation was mediated primarily by normative organizational commitment. In Study 2, structural equation modeling indicated that the perceived importance of volunteer work was related to pride, that perceived organizational support related to the experience of respect, and that pride and respect mediated the relation between perceived importance and support on the one hand and organizational commitment on the other. Overall, the results suggest that volunteer organizations may do well to implement pride and respect in their volunteer policy, for instance to address the reliability problem (J. L. Pearce, 1993). 2007 APA, all rights reserved

  13. Pharmaceutical/food grade titanium dioxide particles are absorbed into the bloodstream of human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pele, Laetitia C; Thoree, Vinay; Bruggraber, Sylvaine F A; Koller, Dagmar; Thompson, Richard P H; Lomer, Miranda C; Powell, Jonathan J

    2015-09-02

    Exposure to persistent engineered nano and micro particles via the oral route is well established. Animal studies have demonstrated that, once ingested, a small proportion of such particles translocate from the gastrointestinal tract to other tissues. Exposure to titanium dioxide is widespread via the oral route, but only one study has provided indirect evidence (total titanium analyses) of absorption into the blood stream in humans. We sought to replicate these observations and to provide additional evidence for particulate uptake. Human volunteers with normal intestinal permeability were orally administered 100 mg pharmaceutical/food grade titanium dioxide. Blood samples were collected from 0.5 to 10 h post ingestion and analysed for the presence of reflectant bodies (particles) by dark field microscopy, and for total titanium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Blood film analyses implied early absorption of particles (2 h) with a peak maximum at 6 h following ingestion. The presence of these reflectant particles in blood roughly mirrored the levels of total titanium by ICP-MS, providing good evidence for the latter being a measure of whole particle (titanium dioxide) absorption. This study shows that a fraction of pharmaceutical/food grade titanium dioxide is absorbed systemically by humans following ingestion. It confirms that at least two routes of particle uptake may exist in the human gut- one proximal and one distal. Further work should quantify human exposure and uptake of such persistent particles.

  14. Volunteer Tourism in Japan: Its Potential in Transforming “Non-volunteers” to Volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Yoda, Mami

    2010-01-01

    This paper explores the potential of volunteer tourism to transform “non-volunteers” to volunteers in Japan. Volunteer tourism is defined as travel to a location outside the immediate vicinity of daily life in order to engage in organized volunteer activities. In-depth interviews and a survey were conducted to the employees of Haagen-Dazs Japan, Inc., who participated to volunteer tours to the Kiritappu Wetland Trust in Hokkaido. The study closely examines the motivations of the participants...

  15. Motives for Volunteering: Categorization of Volunteers' Motivations Using Open-ended Questions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Chacón

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Most studies of volunteers’ motivations use standardized questionnaires with one of the most commonly-used being the Volunteer Function Inventory. Open-ended questions about what drives individuals to be volunteers are seldom used. We hypothesize that questionnaires tend to overestimate the number of motivations and to underestimate their variety. Therefore, in this paper we analyze the answers of 1515 volunteers to an open-ended question and categorize these answers. Results show that volunteers give an average of 2 motivations, fewer than the questionnaires, and that the Value motivation is the most frequently mentioned and the most important for volunteers. In addition, this motivation coexists with other motivations, which are lacking in the standard questionnaires, such as Organizational Commitment, Personal Development, Religiosity, Social Change or Interest in the Activity.

  16. Reflections: Volunteering at Home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Amanda

    2016-08-01

    Many young people look forward to volunteering abroad and overlook the ample volunteer opportunities at home. There are several advantages to volunteering at home: you help people in your own community; you can make a long-term commitment; and you have continuity of care for your patients. There are >1200 free clinics in the United States whose main goal is to provide care to the indigent population. These free clinics are always looking for volunteers with specialized medical training. This article reviews the medically related and unrelated volunteer opportunities available in the United States. Volunteering at home is a worthwhile experience, and I encourage the otolaryngology community to explore these opportunities. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

  17. Experimental rhinovirus infection in volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardin, P G; Sanderson, G; Robinson, B S; Holgate, S T; Tyrrell, D A

    1996-11-01

    Experimental viral disease studies in volunteers have clarified many aspects of the pathogenesis of human viral disease. Recently, interest has focused on rhinovirus-associated asthma exacerbations, and new volunteer studies have suggested that airway responsiveness (AR) is enhanced during a cold. For scientific, ethical and safety reasons, it is important to use validated methods for the preparation of a virus inoculum and that the particular virological characteristics and host responses should not be altered. We have prepared a new human rhinovirus (HRV) inoculum using recent guidelines and assessed whether disease characteristics (for example, severity of colds or changes in AR) were retained. Studies were conducted in 25 clinically healthy volunteers using a validated HRV inoculum in the first 17 and a new inoculum in the subsequent eight subjects. Severity of cold symptoms, nasal wash albumin levels and airway responsiveness were measured, and the new inoculum was prepared from nasal washes obtained during the cold. The new inoculum was tested using standard virological and serological techniques, as well as a polymerase chain reaction for Mycoplasma pneumoniae. No contaminating viruses or organisms were detected and the methods suggested were workable. Good clinical colds developed in 20 of the 25 subjects and median symptom scores were similar in the validated and new inoculum groups (18 and 17.5, respectively; p=0.19). All subjects shed virus, and there were no differences noted in viral culture scores, nasal wash albumin and rates of seroconversion in the two groups. Although airway responsiveness increased in both groups (p=0.02 and p=0.05), the degree of change was similar. We have performed experimental rhinovirus infection studies and demonstrated similar clinical disease in two inoculum groups. Amplified airway responsiveness was induced; continuing studies will define the mechanisms and suggest modes of treatment.

  18. Managing Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geber, Beverly

    1991-01-01

    Discusses changing nature of volunteers in Peter Drucker's book "Managing the Nonprofit Corporation." Points out that most volunteers have full-time jobs, families, very little leisure; they are not willing to do such routine work as stuffing envelopes; they want carefully defined projects with beginning and end. Discusses real…

  19. Motivations and Benefits of Student Volunteering: Comparing Regular, Occasional, and Non-Volunteers in Five Countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Smith

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Programmes targeting student volunteering and service learning are part of encouraging civic behaviour amongst young people. This article reports on a large scale international survey comparing volunteering amongst tertiary students at universities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The data revealed high rates of student volunteering and the popularity of occasional or episodic volunteering. There were strong commonalities in student volunteering behaviour, motivations and benefits across the five Western predominately English-speaking countries. Altruism and self-orientated career motivations and benefits were most important to students; however volunteering and non-volunteering students differed in the relative value they attached to volunteering for CV-enhancement and social factors.

  20. Volunteering, income and health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Detollenaere, Jens; Willems, Sara; Baert, Stijn

    2017-01-01

    Separate literatures have related volunteering to health gains and income gains. We study the association between volunteering, income and health within one statistical framework. A state-of-the-art mediation analysis is conducted on data concerning the health, volunteering and sociodemographic characteristics of 42926 individuals within 29 European countries. We find that volunteering is positively associated to self-rated health. This association is partially mediated by household income.

  1. The effect of Nigella sativa Linn. seed on memory, attention and cognition in healthy human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bin Sayeed, Muhammad Shahdaat; Asaduzzaman, Md; Morshed, Helal; Hossain, Md Monir; Kadir, Mohammad Fahim; Rahman, Md Rezowanur

    2013-07-30

    Experimental evidences have demonstrated that Nigella sativa Linn. seed (NS) has positive modulation effects on aged rats with memory impairments, prevents against hippocampal pyramidal cell loss and enhances consolidation of recall capability of stored information and spatial memory in rats. NS has neuroprotective, nephroprotective, lung protective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective activities as established by previous studies on animals. Several clinical trials with NS on human have also demonstrated beneficial effect. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of NS on memory, attention and cognition in healthy elderly volunteers. Furthermore, safety profile of NS was assessed during the nine-week study period. Forty elderly volunteers were recruited and divided randomly into group A and group B--each consisting of 20 volunteers. The treatment procedure for group A was 500 mg NS capsule twice daily for nine weeks and Group B received placebo instead of NS in the similar manner. All the volunteers were assessed for neuropsychological state and safety profile twice before treatment and after nine weeks. The neuropsychological tests were logical memory test, digit span test, Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test, letter cancellation test, trail making test and stroop test. Safety profile was assessed by measuring biochemical markers of Cardiac (total cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, creatine kinase-MB); Liver (aspartate aminotransferase, alanin aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, bilirubin) and Kidney (creatinine and blood urea nitrogen) through using commercial kits. There was significant difference (p0.05) in any of the biochemical markers of cardiac, liver, kidney function during this nine-week study period. The current study demonstrates the role of NS in enhancing memory, attention and cognition. Therefore, whether NS

  2. Holding on to what you have got: keeping hospice palliative care volunteers volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton-Oldfield, Stephen; Jones, Richard

    2013-08-01

    In all, 119 hospice palliative care volunteers from 3 community-based hospice programs completed the Volunteer Retention Questionnaire (VRQ), a 33-item survey designed for this study. The VRQ asks volunteers to rate the importance of each item to their decision to continue volunteering. The items that received the highest mean importance ratings included enjoying the work they do, feeling adequately prepared/trained to perform their role, and learning from their patients' experiences/listening to their patients' life stories. Being recognized (eg, pins for years of service or being profiled in the hospice newsletter), receiving phone calls/cards from their volunteer coordinator on special occasions, and being reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses were among the items that received the lowest mean importance ratings. Suggestions for improving volunteer retention are provided.

  3. Retired RNs: perceptions of volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cocca-Bates, Katherine C; Neal-Boylan, Leslie

    2011-01-01

    A qualitative study was done to explore the perceptions of volunteering among retired registered nurses (RNs) in Kansas. Participants were volunteers in formal nursing roles or were using their nursing knowledge and experience in non-nursing roles, such as church work. Regardless of the type of volunteer position, retired RNs reported that they use what they have learned as nurses when they volunteer. Volunteering benefits include enhanced self-worth, intellectual stimulation, reduced social isolation, and opportunities to help others. Increased paperwork, new technology, difficulty finding nursing-specific volunteer opportunities, resistance from health care organizations, and a lack of respect for what these nurses know are challenges and barriers to volunteering. Retired RNs have accumulated years of clinical nursing experience and can be helpful to employed nurses. Health care organizations should launch targeted efforts to recruit and utilize retired RN volunteers. Health care professionals who care for older adults should recommend volunteering as a healthful endeavor. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. The Longitudinal Effects of Adolescent Volunteering on Secondary School Completion and Adult Volunteering

    OpenAIRE

    Moorfoot, Nicholas; Leung, Rachel K.; Toumbourou, John W.; Catalano, Richard F.

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the longitudinal effect of adolescent volunteering behaviour on young adult volunteering and the completion of secondary school. Utilising data from the Australian sample of the International Youth Development Study, frequency of volunteering in Grade 9 (mean age = 15 years) and in young adulthood (mean age = 21 years), and completion of secondary school were measured. Mixed effect logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescent volunteering was associated with an in...

  5. Intergenerational Transmission of Volunteering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekkers, René

    2007-01-01

    In this article, I investigate the strength of intergenerational transmission of volunteering for non-profit associations in The Netherlands. Data from the Family Survey of the Dutch Population 2000 reveal that there are significant relations between current volunteering and parental volunteering in

  6. Volunteering and Organizational Diversity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Lars Skov; Rosdahl, David

    2008-01-01

    volunteering within the three major welfare fields: social service, health, and education. It could be argued that this is a more heterogeneous type of volunteering, because some volunteers work in ‘service organizations' aiming at particular client groups (battered women, homeless, elderly people etc.) while...

  7. Volunteer feedback and perceptions after participation in a phase I, first-in-human Ebola vaccine trial: An anonymous survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie-Anne Dayer

    Full Text Available The continued participation of volunteers in clinical trials is crucial to advances in healthcare. Few data are available regarding the satisfaction and impressions of healthy volunteers after participation in phase I trials, many of which lead to unexpected adverse events. We report feedback from over 100 adult volunteers who took part in a first-in-human trial conducted in a high-income country testing an experimental Ebola vaccine causing significant reactogenicity, as well as unexpected arthritis in one fifth of participants. The anonymous, internet-based satisfaction survey was sent by email to all participants upon their completion of this one-year trial; it asked 24 questions concerning volunteers' motivations, impressions of the trial experience, and overall satisfaction. Answers were summarized using descriptive statistics. Of the 115 trial participants, 103 (90% filled out the survey. Fifty-five respondents (53% were male. Thirty-five respondents (34% were healthcare workers, many of whom would deploy to Ebola-affected countries. All respondents cited scientific advancement as their chief motivation for participation, while 100/103 (97% and 61/103 (59% reported additional "humanitarian reasons" and potential protection from Ebolavirus, respectively. Although investigators had documented adverse events in 97% of trial participants, only 74 of 103 respondents (72% recalled experiencing an adverse event. All reported an overall positive experience, and 93/103 (90% a willingness to participate in future trials. Given the high level of satisfaction, no significant associations could be detected between trial experiences and satisfaction, even among respondents reporting adverse events lasting weeks or months. Despite considerable reactogenicity and unexpected vaccine-related arthritis, all survey respondents reported overall satisfaction. While this trial's context was unique, the positive feedback is likely due at least in part to the

  8. Fate and effects of Camembert cheese micro-organisms in the human colonic microbiota of healthy volunteers after regular Camembert consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firmesse, Olivier; Alvaro, Elise; Mogenet, Agnès; Bresson, Jean-Louis; Lemée, Riwanon; Le Ruyet, Pascale; Bonhomme, Cécile; Lambert, Denis; Andrieux, Claude; Doré, Joël; Corthier, Gérard; Furet, Jean-Pierre; Rigottier-Gois, Lionel

    2008-07-15

    The objective of this study was to determine i) if Camembert cheese micro-organisms could be detected in fecal samples after regular consumption by human subjects and ii) the consequence of this consumption on global metabolic activities of the host colonic microbiota. An open human protocol was designed where 12 healthy volunteers were included: a 2-week period of fermented products exclusion followed by a 4-weeks Camembert ingestion period where 2x40 g/day of Camembert cheese was consumed. Stools were collected from the volunteers before consumption, twice during the ingestion period (2nd and 4th week) and once after a wash out period of 2 weeks. During the consumption of Camembert cheese, high levels of Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were measured in fecal samples using real-time quantitative PCR, reaching median values of 8.2 and 7.5 Log(10) genome equivalents/g of stool. For Ln. mesenteroides, persistence was observed 15 days after the end of Camembert consumption. The survival of Geotrichum candidum was also assessed and the fecal concentration reached a median level of 7.1 Log(10) CFU/g in stools. Except a decreasing trend of the nitrate reductase activity, no significant modification was shown in the metabolic activities during this study.

  9. Volunteering of seniors in community

    OpenAIRE

    Stropková, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    The diploma thesis deals with the theme of volunteering of seniors in the community. The work focuses on the specifics of volunteering of seniors, emphasizing the benefits of volunteering for participating seniors and how to identify them with other groups of people. Using a qualitative research work, it examines on a sample of eight respondents how these senior volunteers perceive the benefits of volunteering, how they relate to the geographical location in which they work, and what communit...

  10. Volunteering in the aftermath of disasters: Psychopathology and volunteer management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Þormar, S.B.

    2015-01-01

    The numbers of disasters in the world have multiplied in recent years. The same goes for community volunteers that respond to these events. In developing countries community volunteers are often the largest resource available in the first 48 hours until a more skilled team of rescuers arrives.

  11. Humanização e voluntariado: estudo qualitativo em hospitais públicos Humanización y voluntariado: estudio cualitativo en hospitales públicos Humanization and volunteering: a qualitative study in public hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cezira Fantini Nogueira-Martins

    2010-10-01

    de Sao Paulo, Sureste de Brasil. La investigación fue realizada en 2008 y 2009. Las entrevistas fueron analizadas según los principios del análisis temático. ANÁLISIS DE RESULTADOS: Cinco temas principales fueron formulados: perfil del voluntario (edad, sexo, grupo de renta; organización del trabajo voluntario (término de compromiso, entrenamiento; relaciones voluntariado-hospital (relación con la dirección del hospital y con los funcionarios; motivación (solidaridad, experiencia anterior con enfermedades propias o de familiares, realización personal, resolución de conflictos y beneficiarios (individual, dual, colectivo; humanización y actividades de los voluntarios (cuidados del paciente, apoyo logístico, apoyo emocional, desarrollo de habilidades de los pacientes, recreación, organización de eventos conmemorativos. CONCLUSIONES: En la actividad desarrollada por los voluntarios hay aspectos positivos (como la contribución para la humanización hospitalaria, así como problemáticos (como la realización de actividades que son atribuciones de funcionarios. Es necesaria atención a la normatización de las actividades voluntarias, especialmente en el cuidado con los pacientes, así como las acciones de valorización del voluntariado en los hospitales e integración de los voluntarios como los grupos de trabajo de humanización.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the profile of volunteers and their work process in hospital humanization. METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES: The following instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview, applied to 26 volunteer coordinators and 26 volunteers, who belong to 25 hospitals in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. Interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis principles. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS: Five main themes were identified: volunteer profile (age, sex, level of income; volunteer work organization (volunteer agreement, training; volunteer

  12. The Longitudinal Effects of Adolescent Volunteering on Secondary School Completion and Adult Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moorfoot, Nicholas; Leung, Rachel K.; Toumbourou, John W.; Catalano, Richard F.

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the longitudinal effect of adolescent volunteering behaviour on young adult volunteering and the completion of secondary school. Utilising data from the Australian sample of the International Youth Development Study, frequency of volunteering in Grade 9 (mean age = 15 years) and in young adulthood (mean age = 21 years), and…

  13. Do monetary rewards undermine intrinsic motivations of volunteers? Some empirical evidence for Italian volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Fiorillo, Damiano

    2007-01-01

    Empirical studies show that intrinsic motivations increase the volunteer labour supply. This paper studies how monetary rewards to volunteers affect their intrinsic motivations. Using a sample of Italian volunteers, allowing to distinguish the type of volunteer, the paper shows that monetary rewards (extrinsic motivations) influence positively the choice to donate voluntary hours, while a low intrinsic motivation seems to decrease hours per week. Moreover, monetary rewards increase the hours ...

  14. Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers’ perception and actual well-being of volunteers [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gitte Kragh

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers. Methods: Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively, to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman’s multidimensional PERMA (‘positive emotion’, ‘engagement’, ‘positive relationship’, ‘meaning’, ‘achievement’ model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, ‘engagement’, ‘relationship’ and ‘meaning’, as well as ‘negative emotion’ and ‘health’ as factors. Results: Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants’ immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not

  15. Scarce Evidence of Yogurt Lactic Acid Bacteria in Human Feces after Daily Yogurt Consumption by Healthy Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Campo, Rosa; Bravo, Daniel; Cantón, Rafael; Ruiz-Garbajosa, Patricia; García-Albiach, Raimundo; Montesi-Libois, Alejandra; Yuste, Francisco-Javier; Abraira, Victor; Baquero, Fernando

    2005-01-01

    In a double-blind prospective study including 114 healthy young volunteers, the presence in human feces of the yogurt organisms Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus after repeated yogurt consumption (15 days) was analyzed by culture, specific PCR, and DNA hybridization of total fecal DNA. Detection of yogurt lactic acid bacteria in total fecal DNA by bacterial culture and PCR assay was consistently negative. DNA compatible with yogurt bacteria was found by hybridization experiments in only 10 (10.52%) of 96 individuals after consumption of fresh yogurt and in 2 (2.10%) of 96 individuals after consumption of pasteurized yogurt (P = 0.01). PMID:15640233

  16. Improving Wellbeing and Environmental Stewardship Through Volunteering in Nature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molsher, Robyn; Townsend, Mardie

    2016-03-01

    Environmental volunteering (EV) can provide a unique way to optimise the wellbeing of participants while fostering environmental stewardship. However, the potential of EV to create human health benefits remains an under-researched area. This study provides evidence for improved wellbeing and mood state for 32 participants from diverse backgrounds undertaking EV activities. Most participants also reported improved environmental stewardship with a greatly improved understanding of the environment and the need to conserve it. Other benefits included: 31% of those seeking work obtained it; and 50% joined a volunteer group at program completion. EV provides a unique mechanism to enhance the wellbeing of the participants, while conserving the environment.

  17. Hispanic American Volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Josue; Safrit, R. Dale

    2001-01-01

    Hispanic Americans in Cleveland, Ohio were interviewed about volunteerism. Six themes were identified: (1) influence of family and friends; (2) importance of volunteering to benefit youth; (3) importance of church and religious beliefs; (4) volunteering as a requirement; (5) connections between volunteerism and the community; and (6) personal…

  18. Clinical Evaluation of a Polyherbal Nutritional Supplement in Dyslipidemic Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suganya, Subramanian; Natarajan, Subapriya; Chamundeeswari, Duraipandian; Anbarasu, Anand; Balasubramanian, Kunissery A; Schneider, Lynn C; Nandagopal, Balaji

    2017-11-02

    Ten important plant parts routinely used in South Indian ethnic food preparation as spices and condiments were investigated for their potential antidyslipidemic properties. The aim of the study was to characterize the biochemical properties of the polyherbal formulation (nutritional supplement) and evaluate its use to control dyslipidemia in patients. Phytochemical evaluation, in vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay, and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting were carried out with alcoholic extracts of all 10 individual plants and with the nutritional supplement. Investigation in human volunteers was conducted to evaluate the effect on dyslipidemia as measured by serum lipid biomarkers. Sixty-five volunteers were recruited for this study. Biomarker values at baseline and at 6th visit (end of review, 8/9 months) were compared to assess the usefulness of the nutritional supplement in the normalization of lipid biomarkers. In the qualitative analysis of metabolites, the results revealed the presence of various bioactive primary and secondary metabolites that might be responsible for their medicinal attributes. In human volunteers, after supplement intake along with standard therapy, we observed significant decrease in serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) level did not change in test patient volunteers. Reductions in hemoglobin A1C (HBA1C) and postprandial blood sugar levels were observed; the difference was not statistically significant. We believe that the polyherbal formulation of 10 medicinal plants has potent antidyslipidemic activity. Our results contribute for the first time toward documentation of augmented dyslipidemia control by use of the formulation.

  19. Current status and future prospect of radiation exposure to research volunteers in institutes with nuclear medicine. The report of questionnaires regarding radiation exposures to volunteers in clinical researches and clinical trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    There has been no guide of authorized radiological protection system in Japan when volunteers receive radionuclide administration in clinical research or phase I - IV studies. The purpose of this report was to depict issues on institutional radiological protection system for establishing the guide. We accumulated full-filled questionnaires regarding institutional radiological protection system of human subjects in 82 hospitals in which clinical researches or phase I - IV studies underwent to be subjected to radionuclide administrated volunteers in recent two years. We analyzed regarding (1) research content, (2) what committee approval of research using radionuclide administrated volunteer, (3) selection of the volunteers, (4) regulatory dose of administrated radionuclide, and (5) informed consent. Normal volunteers are subjected in clinical researches as well as phase-I study and microdose study. The researches subjected to normal volunteers needed with approval of institutional ethic committee in 64 (78%) hospitals, others than ethic committee in 9 (10%), and unknown in 2 (2%). In remaining 7 (8%), both ethic and other committees were described. No one with radiological knowledge included the committees in 23 hospitals (28%), of 15 had no consultation system regarding radiological protection. In all hospitals, regulatory dose in human subjects is less than 50 mSv and sufficient informed consent regarding the protection was obtained. In Japan, researches subjected to radionuclide administrated volunteers are performed by authorization of institutional ethic committees. Administrated radionuclide dose in them are less than upper limits of regulatory system of ICRP, USA and England because the committees include physicians, technologists and pharmaceutics with knowledge of radiological protection. But some hospitals have no committees authorize the research because they have no idea of authorized committees or cannot establish the committees. We recommend that

  20. Deadly hairs, lethal feathers--convergent evolution of poisonous integument in mammals and birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plikus, Maksim V; Astrowski, Aliaksandr A

    2014-07-01

    Hairs and feathers are textbook examples of the convergent evolution of the follicular appendage structure between mammals and birds. While broadly recognized for their convergent thermoregulatory, camouflage and sexual display functions, hairs and feathers are rarely thought of as deadly defence tools. Several recent studies, however, show that in some species of mammals and birds, the integument can, in fact, be a de facto lethal weapon. One mammalian example is provided by African crested rats, which seek for and chew on the bark of plants containing the highly potent toxin, ouabain. These rats then coat their fur with ouabain-containing saliva. For efficient toxin retention, the rodents have evolved highly specialized fenestrated and mostly hollow hair shafts that soak up liquids, which essentially function as wicks. On the avian side of the vertebrate integumental variety spectrum, several species of birds of New Guinea have evolved resistance to highly potent batrachotoxins, which they acquire from their insect diet. While the mechanism of bird toxicity remains obscure, in a recently published issue of the journal, Dumbacher and Menon explore the intriguing idea that to achieve efficient storage of batrachotoxins in their skin, some birds exploit the basic permeability barrier function of their epidermis. Batrachotoxins become preferentially sequestered in their epidermis and are then transferred to feathers, likely through the exploitation of specialized avian lipid-storing multigranular body organelles. Here, we discuss wider implications of this intriguing concept. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. 45 CFR 1217.6 - Roles of volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... communication of VISTA policies to VISTA volunteers. (c) Encourage and develop VISTA volunteer leadership and... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Roles of volunteers. 1217.6 Section 1217.6 Public... VISTA VOLUNTEER LEADER § 1217.6 Roles of volunteers. VISTA volunteer leaders may have the following...

  2. The volunteer program in a Children's Hospice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggal, Shalu; Farah, Peggy; Straatman, Lynn Patricia; Freeman, Leanne; Dickson, Susan

    2008-09-01

    Canuck Place Children's Hospice (CPCH) is regarded as one of the leading pediatric palliative care systems in the world. Since 1995, it has been providing hospice care free of charge to children and their families living with life-threatening conditions. The pediatric palliative hospice is a relatively new practice in health care, in comparison to the longstanding adult model. As a result, development and implementation of volunteer programs in pediatric hospices is not currently represented in literature. With over 300 volunteers at present, CPCH has built a successful program that can serve as a model in pediatric volunteer services. To present the unique volunteer roles and experience at CPCH, and share ways volunteers work to support the efforts of the clinical team. Strategies to address current challenges in the volunteer program are also addressed. Descriptive design. A current CPCH volunteer discusses the volunteer program. Interviews were conducted with the founding volunteer director of CPCH and current volunteers. The volunteer program at CPCH fully embraces the life of each child and family. Volunteer selection is the groundwork for ensuring a cohesive work force, while training equips volunteers with the knowledge to carry out their role with confidence. Areas of improvement that have been recognized include offering effective feedback to volunteers and delivering adequate level of training for non-direct care roles. The talents of volunteers at CPCH are diverse, and CPCH aims to recognize and thank volunteers for their continuous contributions.

  3. The stresses of hospice volunteer work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Mary V

    2011-05-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the interpretation of stress, the appraisal of the stressors, as well as the top stressors experienced by hospice volunteers. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 hospice volunteers. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed, using qualitative research methods. Although the results indicated that the hospice volunteers did not perceive their work as stressful, 2 main themes regarding challenging experiences did emerge. Hospice-related issues and personal issues were of concern to the volunteers. In addition, the timing of the stressors revealed that the most stress was felt at the beginning of their volunteer services, which has implications for hospice volunteer coordinators as they support their volunteers in the field.

  4. Amplifying Student Learning through Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFadden, Amanda; Smeaton, Kathleen

    2017-01-01

    Student volunteer experiences are ubiquitous within higher education contexts. Despite this, there is further scope for understanding the qualitatively different ways students experience volunteering. To achieve this an explicit focus on understanding volunteer experiences from the students' perspective and the relationship these experiences have…

  5. Call for volunteers

    CERN Document Server

    2008-01-01

    CERN is calling for volunteers from all members of the Laboratory for organizing the two exceptional Open days.CERN is calling for volunteers from all members of the Laboratory’s personnel to help with the organisation of these two exceptional Open Days, for the visits of CERN personnel and their families on the Saturday and above all for the major public Open Day on the Sunday. As for the 50th anniversary in 2004, the success of the Open Days will depend on a large number of volunteers. All those working for CERN as well as retired members of the personnel can contribute to making this event a success. Many guides will be needed at the LHC points, for the activities at the surface and to man the reception and information points. The aim of these major Open Days is to give the local populations the opportunity to discover the fruits of almost 20 years of work carried out at CERN. We are hoping for some 2000 volunteers for the two Open Days, on the Saturday from 9 a.m. to ...

  6. Enhancing Leadership Skills in Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockett, Landry L.; Boyd, Barry

    2012-01-01

    This article describes how professionals leading volunteers can purposefully work toward developing the "leadership identity" of individual volunteers. These concepts and the application of them are presented in the context of Cooperative Extension volunteer groups. Specific methods of developing the leadership identity and capacity of individual…

  7. Exploring Volunteering of Committed Young Catholics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webber, Ruth

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on a study of volunteer levels of Catholics from various World regions who attended an international youth Catholic festival. Volunteering levels, types of volunteering, reason for volunteering, Catholic group membership and pro-social values are analysed. An online survey was administered five months after the Festival to…

  8. Beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, volunteering behavior, and purpose in life among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Law, Ben M F; Shek, Daniel T L

    2009-09-01

    The relationships among beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, volunteering behavior, and purpose in life were examined in this study. A total of 5,946 participants completed a series of scales, including the Revised Personal Functions of Volunteerism Scale, Volunteering Intention Scale, and Purpose in Life Scale. The results showed that participants whose purpose in life had different levels also had varied prosocial beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, and volunteering behavior. Purpose in life was associated more strongly with prosocial value function than with other types of beliefs (except understanding function). When different beliefs are grouped, the correlation between purpose in life and other-serving beliefs was higher than that between purpose in life and self-serving beliefs. Purpose in life was also associated with volunteering intention and behavior. Path analyses showed that purpose in life predicted volunteering behavior via beliefs and intention. While other-serving beliefs predicted volunteering behavior directly, self-serving beliefs did not have such direct effect.

  9. Beliefs about Volunteerism, Volunteering Intention, Volunteering Behavior, and Purpose in Life among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben M. F. Law

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The relationships among beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, volunteering behavior, and purpose in life were examined in this study. A total of 5,946 participants completed a series of scales, including the Revised Personal Functions of Volunteerism Scale, Volunteering Intention Scale, and Purpose in Life Scale. The results showed that participants whose purpose in life had different levels also had varied prosocial beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, and volunteering behavior. Purpose in life was associated more strongly with prosocial value function than with other types of beliefs (except understanding function. When different beliefs are grouped, the correlation between purpose in life and other-serving beliefs was higher than that between purpose in life and self-serving beliefs. Purpose in life was also associated with volunteering intention and behavior. Path analyses showed that purpose in life predicted volunteering behavior via beliefs and intention. While other-serving beliefs predicted volunteering behavior directly, self-serving beliefs did not have such direct effect.

  10. Parallel Volunteer Learning during Youth Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesmeister, Marilyn K.; Green, Jeremy; Derby, Amy; Bothum, Candi

    2012-01-01

    Lack of time is a hindrance for volunteers to participate in educational opportunities, yet volunteer success in an organization is tied to the orientation and education they receive. Meeting diverse educational needs of volunteers can be a challenge for program managers. Scheduling a Volunteer Learning Track for chaperones that is parallel to a…

  11. Giving and volunteering in the Netherlands : Sociological and psychological perspectives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekkers, R.H.F.P.

    2004-01-01

    Volunteer work, membership of voluntary associations, philanthropy and donation of blood and organs are studied by scholars from a wide range of disciplines. Sociologists and economists assume that good intentions are universal, but that some people have a stock of human and social capital that

  12. Understanding paratyphoid infection: study protocol for the development of a human model of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A challenge in healthy adult volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCullagh, David; Dobinson, Hazel C; Darton, Thomas; Campbell, Danielle; Jones, Claire; Snape, Matthew; Stevens, Zoe; Plested, Emma; Voysey, Merryn; Kerridge, Simon; Martin, Laura B; Angus, Brian; Pollard, Andrew J

    2015-06-16

    This study will develop the first human challenge model of paratyphoid infection which may then be taken forward to evaluate paratyphoid vaccine candidates. Salmonella Paratyphi A is believed to cause a quarter of the estimated 20 million cases of enteric fever annually. Epidemiological evidence also suggests that an increasing proportion of the enteric fever burden is attributable to S. Paratyphi infection meriting further attention and interest in vaccine development. Assessment of paratyphoid vaccine efficacy in preclinical studies is complicated by the lack of a small animal model and the human-restricted nature of the infection. The use of experimental human infection in healthy volunteers provides an opportunity to address these problems in a cost-effective manner. Volunteers will ingest virulent S. Paratyphi A bacteria (NVGH308 strain) with a bicarbonate buffer solution to establish the infectious dose resulting in an 'attack rate' of 60-75%. Using an a priori decision-making algorithm, the challenge dose will be escalated or de-escalated to achieve the target attack rate, with the aim of reaching the study end point while exposing as few individuals as possible to infection. The attack rate will be determined by the proportion of paratyphoid infection in groups of 20 healthy adult volunteers, with infection being defined by one or more positive blood cultures (microbiological end point) and/or fever, defined as an oral temperature exceeding 38 °C sustained for at least 12 h (clinical end point); 20-80 participants will be required. Challenge participants will start a 2-week course of an oral antibiotic on diagnosis of infection, or after 14 days follow-up. The strict eligibility criterion aims to minimise risk to participants and their close contacts. Ethical approval has been obtained. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international congresses. NCT02100397. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For

  13. Volunteering as Students significant social activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. A. Zaitseva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the involvement of students in volunteer activities, examines the organization of students volunteer activities and volunteer projects realization at the university. The potential of volunteerism as an effective mechanism for addressing the urgent social problems is revealed.Theauthorstudiesexperience of volunteer services organization the I.A. Bunin State University in Yelets.

  14. Motivations for Youth Volunteer Participation: Types and Structure--An Analysis of Interviews with Twenty-Four Young Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luping, Wu

    2011-01-01

    Scholars who study volunteer activities are attaching ever greater importance to the motivations of volunteers who participate in volunteer activities. However, deficiencies are, on the whole, to be found in the empirical studies by scholars in China on the participating volunteers' motivations. To make up for the deficiencies in the research on…

  15. The liquid organization of volunteer tourism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steele, Jessica; Dredge, Dianne

    2017-01-01

    Drawing from developments in sociology and organizational studies, this paper argues for a new understanding of volunteer tourism as liquid organization. It aims to explore the organization of volunteer tourism using a liquid organization perspective and to better understand the potential...... implications of this liquidity on the responsibility of volunteer tourism organizations to host com- munities. The analysis is based on data collected from 80 volunteer tourism organizations. The findings reveal that the volunteer tourism organizations show characteristics of liquid organiza- tion to varying...... degrees. The significance of the research is to problematize the way in which the institutional characteristics of volunteer tourism are (not) conceptualized in current literature and to introduce liquid organization as a means of reinvigorating debate about responsibility....

  16. The liquid organization of volunteer tourism:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steele, Jessica; Dredge, Dianne

    2017-01-01

    Drawing from developments in sociology and organizational studies, this paper argues for a new understanding of volunteer tourism as liquid organization. It aims to explore the organization of volunteer tourism using a liquid organization perspective and to better understand the potential...... implications of this liquidity on the responsibility of volunteer tourism organizations to host com- munities. The analysis is based on data collected from 80 volunteer tourism organizations. The findings reveal that the volunteer tourism organizations show characteristics of liquid organiza- tion to varying...... degrees. The significance of the research is to problematize the way in which the institutional characteristics of volunteer tourism are (not) conceptualized in current literature and to introduce liquid organization as a means of reinvigorating debate about responsibility....

  17. Corporate volunteering - motivation for voluntary work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debora Azevedo

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, when the welfare state is a responsibility of the entire society, organizations in the private sector assume co-responsibility for social issues. They are also pressured by the challenges presented by technological advances and the globalization , involving new parameters and requirements for quality. In this context, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (RSC emerges as an option for solutions to the issues related to the company and the whole community. Among the actions of the RSC is the Corporate Volunteering-program, which aims to promote / encourage employes to do voluntary work. A central issue when talking about volunteering is the withdrawal of these (SILVA and FEITOSA, 2002; TEODÓSIO, 1999 and, in accordance with the Community Solidarity (1997, one of the possible causes for the withdrawal is the lack of clarity as to the motives and expectations that lead the person to volunteer themselves. This study uses qualitative research and triangulation of feedback from volunteers, coordinators of volunteers and social organizations, to present a framework from which it is possible to analyze the various motivations for the volunteer work. Key words: Corporate Volunteering program. Volunteering. Corporate social responsibility.

  18. Vocational guidance in social volunteering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolay S. Pryazhnikov

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper discusses the possibilities and limitations of vocational guidance in the social volunteering system. The essence of volunteer work is closely related with assistance to desperate people in searching for the meaning of living, often coinciding with labour activity that are deemed in terms of “the main matter of life” and “the leading activity”. For adolescents, it is the choice of career, and for adults, it is the work proper (i.e. an essential condition for personal self-realization. The problem of “forced volunteering” for experts in vocational guidance also means that they often have to work voluntarily and unselfishly outside the official guidelines. To clarify the terms «volunteer» and «a person in desperate need of help» the study used the method of analyzing the documents, e.g. the Regulations on Social Volunteering, the generalization of psychological sources, the initial survey of university students as active supporters of the volunteer movement, On the essence of volunteering and the place of career guidance in selfless social work. Vocational guidance is not excluded from the general system of volunteerism, but has an insufficiently defined status and low popularity among participants in social volunteering. Also, the problem of «forced volunteering» of experts in career counseling, which often requires voluntary and unselfish performance of quality work outside the framework of official instructions, is also indicated. Simultaneously, positive aspects of such disinterested career initiatives are noted, in particular, less control by the official inspectors (or customers and, accordingly, greater freedom of creativity than when someone else does the work.

  19. What motivates people to volunteer? the case of volunteer AIDS caregivers in faith-based organizations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akintola, Olagoke

    2011-01-01

    Volunteers are increasingly being relied upon to provide home-based care for people living with AIDS in South Africa and this presents several unique challenges specific to the HIV/AIDS context in Africa. Yet it is not clear what motivates people to volunteer as home-based caregivers. Drawing on the functional theory on volunteer motivations, this study uses data from qualitative interviews with 57 volunteer caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS in six semi-rural South African communities to explore volunteer motivations. Findings revealed complex motivations underlying volunteering in AIDS care. Consistent with functional theorizing, most of the volunteers reported having more than one motive for enrolling as volunteers. Of the 11 categories of motivations identified, those relating to altruistic concerns for others and community, employment or career benefits and a desire by the unemployed to avoid idleness were the most frequently mentioned. Volunteers also saw volunteering as an opportunity to learn caring skills or to put their own skills to good use, for personal growth and to attract good things to themselves. A few of the volunteers were heeding a religious call, hoping to gain community recognition, dealing with a devastating experience of AIDS in the family or motivated for social reasons. Care organizations' poor understanding of volunteer motives, a mismatch between organizational goals and volunteer motivations, and inadequate funding meant that volunteers' most pressing motives were not satisfied. This led to discontentment, resentment and attrition among volunteers. The findings have implications for home-based care policies and programmes, suggesting the need to rethink current models using non-stipended volunteers in informal AIDS care. Information about volunteer motivations could help organizations plan recruitment messages, recruit volunteers whose motives match organizational goals and plan how to assist volunteers to satisfy these motives

  20. Changing Nature of Formal Service Program Volunteering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hustinx, L.; Shachar, I.Y.; Handy, F.; Smith, D.H.; Smith, D.H.; Stebbins, R.A.; Grotz, J.

    2016-01-01

    Most other chapters in this Handbook focus on volunteering in associations, but this chapter focuses instead mainly on volunteering in volunteer service programs (VSPs). As discussed at length in Handbook Chapter 15, VSPs are essentially volunteer departments of other, larger, controlling, parent

  1. Results from the national hospice volunteer training survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine; Schneider, Greg; Oliver, Debra Parker

    2010-03-01

    Although the role of volunteers is at the heart of hospice care, little is known about hospice volunteer training and volunteer activity. A survey was used to assess current training programs for hospice volunteers. Hospices were invited to participate in the study from a link on the website for the Hospice Volunteer Association and Hospice Educators Affirming Life Project. Survey results revealed that the majority of volunteer work is in patient care, with most hospice agencies requiring a minimum 12-month volunteer commitment and an average 4-hour volunteer shift per week. Volunteer training is separate from staff training, is provided by paid agency staff, and costs approximately $14,303 per year. Communication and family support are considered important curriculum topics. Revisions to current volunteer training curriculum and format are suggested.

  2. Widely Assumed but Thinly Tested: Do Employee Volunteers' Self-Reported Skill Improvements Reflect the Nature of Their Volunteering Experiences?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, David A

    2016-01-01

    An increasing number of companies use corporate volunteering programs (CVPs) to support and coordinate their employees' efforts to serve their communities. Among the most frequently touted benefits of such programs to sponsoring companies and employee volunteers alike is the opportunities for employees to develop tangible work-related skills through their volunteering activities. Evidence for skill development through volunteering, however, is mostly limited to the expressed beliefs of corporate leaders and employee volunteers. This study was designed to contribute to this largely anecdotal literature by testing hypotheses about the extent to which employee volunteers' self-reported skill development reflects the characteristics of the volunteers and their volunteering experiences. Study participants were 74 employee volunteers who completed a service apprenticeship managed by a U.S.-based nonprofit called Citizen Schools that partners with middle schools to extend the learning day with a combination of academic support, enrichment, and youth development activities. Data were obtained via the nonprofit's records, and surveys completed by employee volunteers before and after their service experience, including measures used to assess self-reported improvements in each of 10 work-related skills: communicating performance expectations, leadership, mentorship, motivating others, project management, providing performance feedback, public speaking and presenting, speaking clearly, teamwork, and time management. Support was found for several hypothesized effects suggesting that employees who practiced specific skills more often during their volunteering experience reported greater improvements in those skills. Improvements in some skills were higher among employee volunteers who completed a greater number of pre-volunteering preparation courses, and the effects of preparation courses were moderated by the employee volunteers' self-efficacy about improving their work

  3. Widely Assumed but Thinly Tested: Do Employee Volunteers' Self-Reported Skill Improvements Reflect the Nature of Their Volunteering Experiences?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, David A.

    2016-01-01

    An increasing number of companies use corporate volunteering programs (CVPs) to support and coordinate their employees' efforts to serve their communities. Among the most frequently touted benefits of such programs to sponsoring companies and employee volunteers alike is the opportunities for employees to develop tangible work-related skills through their volunteering activities. Evidence for skill development through volunteering, however, is mostly limited to the expressed beliefs of corporate leaders and employee volunteers. This study was designed to contribute to this largely anecdotal literature by testing hypotheses about the extent to which employee volunteers' self-reported skill development reflects the characteristics of the volunteers and their volunteering experiences. Study participants were 74 employee volunteers who completed a service apprenticeship managed by a U.S.-based nonprofit called Citizen Schools that partners with middle schools to extend the learning day with a combination of academic support, enrichment, and youth development activities. Data were obtained via the nonprofit's records, and surveys completed by employee volunteers before and after their service experience, including measures used to assess self-reported improvements in each of 10 work-related skills: communicating performance expectations, leadership, mentorship, motivating others, project management, providing performance feedback, public speaking and presenting, speaking clearly, teamwork, and time management. Support was found for several hypothesized effects suggesting that employees who practiced specific skills more often during their volunteering experience reported greater improvements in those skills. Improvements in some skills were higher among employee volunteers who completed a greater number of pre-volunteering preparation courses, and the effects of preparation courses were moderated by the employee volunteers' self-efficacy about improving their work

  4. Organizational support and volunteering benefits for older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Fengyan; Choi, Eunhee; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

    2010-10-01

    This study tested a theoretical model of volunteering benefits and examined the mechanism through which volunteering benefits older adults. This is a 2-wave study of 253 older adult volunteers serving in 10 volunteer programs. Older volunteers completed the mailed surveys in 2005 and 2006. Structural equation modeling was used to define the latent variables and to test direct and indirect relationships among organizational support, socioemotional benefits, and self-reported health. Organizational support (measured by choice of volunteer activity, training, and ongoing support) had significant direct associations with 2 latent factors of socioemotional benefits, that is, perceived contribution and personal benefits. Perceived contribution was significantly related to mental health. Additionally, older volunteers with lower socioeconomic status (SES) committed more hours and perceived more personal benefits than higher SES peers. These findings suggest that volunteer programs can provide various organizational supports to older volunteers, especially to low-SES volunteers, in order to promote the socioemotional and health benefits of volunteering to older adults. Psychological well-being of older adults can be improved through engagement in meaningful volunteer activities and contribution to others.

  5. Training and supporting hospice volunteers: a regional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavenburg, Philip; Bernt, Frank M

    2012-08-01

    We surveyed volunteers from 8 hospices in the Delaware Valley regarding training, perceived needs, and role satisfaction. Results were consistent with previous studies: satisfaction with preservice training and with volunteering was very high; respondents reported feeling very prepared and confident about doing hospice work as a result of their volunteer training. In addition, longer volunteer preservice training was associated with higher levels of overall satisfaction with training; levels of volunteer satisfaction and fulfillment tended to be lower during the first year of volunteering; and participation in volunteer support teams was associated with finding volunteer work rewarding and with feeling a part of the hospice team. Implications for preservice training and ongoing support and education of hospice volunteers are discussed.

  6. Who will volunteer? Analysing individual and structural factors of volunteering in Swiss sports clubs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlesinger, Torsten; Nagel, Siegfried

    2013-01-01

    This article analyses the conditions influencing volunteering in sports clubs. It focuses not only on individual characteristics of volunteers but also on the corresponding structural conditions of sports clubs. It proposes a model of voluntary work in sports clubs based on economic behaviour theory. The influences of both the individual and context levels on the decision to engage in voluntary work are estimated in different multilevel models. Results of these multilevel analyses indicate that volunteering is not just an outcome of individual characteristics such as lower workloads, higher income, children belonging to the sports club, longer club memberships, or a strong commitment to the club. It is also influenced by club-specific structural conditions; volunteering is more probable in rural sports clubs whereas growth-oriented goals in clubs have a destabilising effect.

  7. Ohio 4-H Agents' and Volunteer Leaders' Perceptions of the Volunteer Leadership Development Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwarteng, Joseph A.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    This study found that six areas of volunteer leadership development are important to volunteers and 4-H agents. The areas are (1) recruiting, (2) training, (3) motivation, (4) recognition, (5) retention, and (6) supervision. (JOW)

  8. Personality Traits and Motives for Volunteering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marija Juzbasic

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to test the possibility of predicting volunteer motives based on five-factor model of personality in a sample of 159 volunteers from Zagreb, Osijek and Split. Data was collected using IPIP-300 personality questionnaire and Volunteer Functions Inventory. Results indicate that Croatian volunteers are agreeable, conscientious, altruistic, dutiful, and moral persons with artistic interests. Their most salient motives for volunteering are understanding and values. Hierarchical regression analysis confirmed that the five-factor model personality traits independently predict 17% of protective motive variance, 12% of values motive, 18% of career motive, 10% of understanding motive, and 12% of enhancement motive. Social motive was not explained by personality traits.

  9. Three-dimensionally preserved integument reveals hydrodynamic adaptations in the extinct marine lizard Ectenosaurus (Reptilia, Mosasauridae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan Lindgren

    Full Text Available The physical properties of water and the environment it presents to its inhabitants provide stringent constraints and selection pressures affecting aquatic adaptation and evolution. Mosasaurs (a group of secondarily aquatic reptiles that occupied a broad array of predatory niches in the Cretaceous marine ecosystems about 98-65 million years ago have traditionally been considered as anguilliform locomotors capable only of generating short bursts of speed during brief ambush pursuits. Here we report on an exceptionally preserved, long-snouted mosasaur (Ectenosaurus clidastoides from the Santonian (Upper Cretaceous part of the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Formation in western Kansas, USA, that contains phosphatized remains of the integument displaying both depth and structure. The small, ovoid neck and/or anterior trunk scales exhibit a longitudinal central keel, and are obliquely arrayed into an alternating pattern where neighboring scales overlap one another. Supportive sculpturing in the form of two parallel, longitudinal ridges on the inner scale surface and a complex system of multiple, superimposed layers of straight, cross-woven helical fiber bundles in the underlying dermis, may have served to minimize surface deformation and frictional drag during locomotion. Additional parallel fiber bundles oriented at acute angles to the long axis of the animal presumably provided stiffness in the lateral plane. These features suggest that the anterior torso of Ectenosaurus was held somewhat rigid during swimming, thereby limiting propulsive movements to the posterior body and tail.

  10. Hair as an indicator of the body content of polonium in humans: preliminary results from study of five male volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rääf, C.L.; Holstein, H.; Holm, E.; Roos, P.

    2015-01-01

    The radionuclide 210 Po is of importance from a radiation protection view and has properties that cause special problems when attempting to determine the body content in humans. Estimates have traditionally been made from either urine and/or fecal samples, which require a time-consuming radiochemical preparation before alpha spectrometric determination. In order to find a more simple and less labor intensive method hair has been used as a bioindicator and investigated in this study. The relationship between intake and excretion in hair has been estimated in five volunteers who ingested radioactive polonium ( 209 Po as a bio-tracer for 210 Po) in well determined quantities. Four of the volunteers were given 5–10 Bq 209 Po in a single intake (acute intake) and one volunteer has ingested a daily intake of 58.7 mBq 209 Po for a period of 180 d. Human hair was found to reflect the daily clearance of ingested polonium peaking at 0.001–0.01% d −1 of the ingested amount, thereafter decreasing mono-exponentially, corresponding to a biological half-time of 10–20 days. For the case of protracted intake a mono-exponential build-up was observed with a half-time of 40 ± 5 d. In addition, after cessation of intake, a short-term component (74%) with a biological half-time of 16 ± 4 d, and a long-term component (26%) with a half-time of 93 ± 53 d were observed. It is concluded that hair can be used to detect not only the amount of ingested polonium but also whether the intake was protracted or acute. - Highlights: • After single intakes polonium is excreted in hair with biological half-times (range 15–30 days). • Polonium concentration vs position in hair strand reflects the intake history of subject. • For acute intakes peak hair concentration or daily excretion can be related to the amount of intake. • Protracted intakes of polonium result in an increase in Po concentration in hair, reaching equilibrium after 180 days. • Bi-exponential decay of

  11. Predicting volunteer commitment in environmental stewardship programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert L. Ryan; Rachel Kaplan; Robert E. Grese

    2001-01-01

    The natural environment benefits greatly from the work of volunteers in environmental stewardship programmes. However, little is known about volunteers' motivations for continued participation in these programmes. This study looked at the relationship between volunteer commitment and motivation, as well as the effect that volunteering has on participants'...

  12. 18F-Alfatide II PET/CT in healthy human volunteers and patients with brain metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Chunjing; Mi, Baoming; Wan, Weixing; Pan, Donghui; Xu, Yuping; Yang, Min; Lang, Lixin; Niu, Gang; Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2015-01-01

    We report the biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of an integrin α v β 3 specific PET tracer 18 F-AlF-NOTA-E[PEG 4 -c(RGDfk)] 2 (denoted as 18 F-Alfatide II). We also assessed the value of 18 F-Alfatide II in patients with brain metastases. A series of torso (from the skull to the thigh) static images were acquired in five healthy volunteers (3 M, 2 F) at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after injection of 18 F-Alfatide II (257 ± 48 MBq). Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn manually, and the time-activity curves (TACs) were obtained for major organs. Nine patients with brain metastases were examined by static PET imaging with 18 F-FDG (5.55 MBq/kg) and 18 F-Alfatide II. Injection of 18 F-Alfatide II was well tolerated in all healthy volunteers, with no serious tracer-related adverse events found. 18 F-Alfatide II showed rapid clearance from the blood pool and kidneys. The total effective dose equivalent (EDE) and effective dose (ED) were 0.0277 ± 0.003 mSv/MBq and 0.0198 ± 0.002 mSv/MBq, respectively. The organs with the highest absorbed dose were the kidneys and the spleen. Nine patients with 20 brain metastatic lesions identified by MRI and/or CT were enrolled in this study. All 20 brain lesions were visualized by 18 F-Alfatide II PET, while only ten lesions were visualized by 18 F-FDG, and 13 by CT. F-Alfatide II is a safe PET tracer with a favorable dosimetry profile. The observed ED suggests that 18 F-Alfatide II is feasible for human studies. 18 F-Alfatide II has potential value in finding brain metastases of different cancers as a biomarker of angiogenesis. (orig.)

  13. Student Volunteering in English Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holdsworth, Clare; Quinn, Jocey

    2010-01-01

    Volunteering in English higher education has come under political scrutiny recently, with strong cross-party support for schemes to promote undergraduate volunteering in particular. Recent targeted initiatives and proposals have sought to strengthen both the role of volunteering in higher education and synergies between higher education and…

  14. Can micro-volunteering help in Africa?

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Butgereit, L

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available is convenient to the micro-volunteer, and in small pieces of time (bitesized). This paper looks at a micro-volunteering project where participants can volunteer for five to ten minutes at a time using a smart phone and assist pupils with their mathematics....

  15. The relationship between personal traits and job satisfaction among Taiwanese community health volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Mei-Chih; Li, I-chuan; Lin, Kuan-chia

    2007-06-01

    The purpose of the study was to understand the relationship between job satisfaction and personal traits in health volunteers in one community in Taiwan. Among different kinds of community resources, the human resource is most essential for the process of developing healthy communities and cities. However, it is not easy to keep voluntary workers as part of health programmes even though they have been trained. Previous research has shown that to increase the job satisfaction of such a person, the volunteer needs to improve effectively his/her need to achieve. The need to achieve is an important part of a person's personal traits. A cross-sectional survey design was used to interview 317 health volunteers in various community health centres in I-lan county, northern Taiwan. The research instruments of this study included the 'locus of control orientation scale' for personality measurement, the 'achievement orientation scale' and the 'job satisfaction scale'. Most of the sample volunteers were female with an average age of 49.55 years; the majority was married and living with their spouses. In terms of the volunteers' personal traits, most of them are internal control orientation. The job satisfaction of the volunteers who took part in this research was extremely high. Significant variables correlating with job satisfaction in this study were gender, educational level, religious preference, participation in training, working to promote community health, the willingness to work, the frequency of participating in job training, and cooperation with other volunteer partners. The explainable variance for the prediction of job satisfaction from a combination of achievement orientation and the frequency of collaboration with other people was 9.1%. The results suggest that there is a need to strengthen cooperative relationships among volunteer by initiating well-planned volunteer training programmes and growth groups with the aim of enhancing their interpersonal

  16. Main components and content of sports volunteer activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna Petrenkо

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: identification of the main structural components and content of sports volunteer activities. Material & Methods: used analysis of literature and documents, organizational analysis. Result: basic structural components of sports volunteer activity are defined. The content of sports volunteer activity is disclosed. Conclusion: sports volunteer activity includes the following structural components: subject, object, purpose, motivation, means, actions; subject is a sports volunteer, the object is a sports competition, the goal is to provide gratuitous assistance for a quality competition, the means are the special knowledge, skills, communication abilities of sports volunteers, actions should be understood as types of volunteer activities and functions that volunteers perform during the preparation and conduct of competitions. Main types of sports volunteer activity are: 1 organizational; 2 judiciary; 3 coaching; 4 legal; 5 medical. Functions that volunteers perform in the competition system are general and special. Content of the functions of sports volunteering depends on the specifics of the sports, the rank of the competition, the specifics of the competition for people with special needs.

  17. Manual for a Volunteer Services System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helgerson, Linda; And Others

    This manual presents guidelines for planning, monitoring, and controlling the development and operation of volunteer assistance programs. The materials included address questions related to both the process of establishing a volunteer program and the administration of a volunteer management system. The manual is not intended to provide a blueprint…

  18. Understanding the Value of Volunteer Involvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Bryan; Harder, Amy; Pracht, Dale

    2011-01-01

    Volunteers can be an important resource of many nonprofit organizations. The ability to meet the mission, goals and objectives of nonprofit organizations often depends upon the effectiveness of volunteer involvement in direct service delivery or indirect program support. Volunteer involvement utilizes financial and non-financial resources of an…

  19. Young People Volunteering in Uganda

    OpenAIRE

    Riiser, Nina Milling

    2011-01-01

    Socio economic conditions in Uganda causes the youth to be caught between childhood and adulthood. They are young people moving towards adulthood, with no option of becoming independent. How does volunteering affect the youth and why does the youth volunteer? Does the youth get closer to adulthood by volunteering and what di they gain? Socio economic conditions in Uganda causes the youth to be caught between childhood and adulthood. They are young people moving towards adulthood, with no o...

  20. 45 CFR 1226.11 - Part time volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Part time volunteers. 1226.11 Section 1226.11... SERVICE PROHIBITIONS ON ELECTORAL AND LOBBYING ACTIVITIES Volunteer Activities § 1226.11 Part time volunteers. (a) The provisions in this section are applicable to part time volunteers, as defined in § 1226.3...

  1. Effects of melatonin on prepulse inhibition, habituation and sensitization of the human startle reflex in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lehtinen, Emilia K; Ucar, Ebru; Glenthøj, Birte Y

    2014-01-01

    Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, which is demonstrated to be impaired in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, a disruption of the circadian rhythm together with blunted melatonin secretion is regularly found in patients...... with schizophrenia and it is theorized that these may contribute to their attentional deficits. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute melatonin on healthy human sensorimotor gating. Twenty-one healthy male volunteers were administered melatonin or placebo after which their levels of PPI were...... assessed. Melatonin significantly reduced startle magnitude and ratings of alertness, but did not influence PPI, nor sensitization and habituation. However, when taking baseline scores in consideration, melatonin significantly increased PPI in low scoring individuals while significantly decreasing...

  2. From "Charity" to "Social Enterprise": Managing Volunteers in Public-Serving Nonprofits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zappala, Gianni

    2001-01-01

    The changing environment has shifted the model of nonprofit organizations from charity to social enterprise, which emphasizes partnerships with business and government. Approaches to volunteer management, recruitment, retention, and recognition are different in social enterprises, and a move beyond human resource management practices is required.…

  3. Psychological characteristics of Swedish mandatory enlisted soldiers volunteering and not volunteering for international missions: an exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rydstedt, Leif W; Osterberg, Johan

    2013-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess personality traits, psychological fitness, and hardiness among conscript soldiers volunteering for international missions (n = 146), by comparing them with conscripts from the same year class and unit who did not apply for international missions (n = 275). The sample consisted of all mandatory enlisted soldiers assigned to a supply and maintenance regiment. There were no demographic differences between the groups. The volunteers reported greater stress tolerance, concern for others, extraversion, and self-confidence than the non-volunteers. There were no differences between the groups in orderliness, temper instability, or independence. Volunteers repeatedly reported greater psychological fitness for military missions and greater hardiness over the period of military service compared to the non-volunteers.

  4. MVP: A Volunteer Development & Recognition Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerhard, Gary W.

    This model was developed to provide a systematic, staged approach to volunteer personnel management. It provides a general process for dealing with volunteers from the point of organization entry through volunteer career stages to the time of exiting the organization. The model provides the structural components necessary to (1) plan, coordinate,…

  5. The Dynamic Tension: Professionals and Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snider, Alan

    1985-01-01

    Describes results of a study focused on the role and relationship of 4-H agents working with program management volunteers in clubs, communities, and counties. Factors found to be instrumental in the expanded involvement of key volunteers include agent self-confidence, belief in volunteerism, strong support system, and careful volunteer selection.…

  6. America's Teenagers as Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knauft, E. B.

    Two national in-home interview surveys conducted by the Gallup Organization and information from a national workshop conference attended by 70 teen volunteers from 28 states and 200 teachers and adult leaders indicate that about three-fifths of youth aged 12 to 17 volunteer an average of just over 3 hours a week. The most frequent volunteer…

  7. What are the motivational needs behind volunteer work?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danoff, A; Kopel, S

    1994-01-01

    Identification of an individual's motivational need and desired volunteer work enables volunteer administrators to capitalize on the motivation a person brings to the organization as well as to make effective use of the role by being cognizant of the levels of participation behind the differing volunteer assignments. The Motivation by Maslow Questionnaire was used to identify motivational needs of 35 helpline (crisis) volunteers, and three categories of volunteer work were used to classify their levels of participation. Implications for improving volunteer commitment to the formal voluntary organization and recruitment and retention strategies relative to volunteer motivational needs are discussed.

  8. Organizational Support and Volunteering Benefits for Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Fengyan; Choi, Eunhee; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This study tested a theoretical model of volunteering benefits and examined the mechanism through which volunteering benefits older adults. Design and Methods: This is a 2-wave study of 253 older adult volunteers serving in 10 volunteer programs. Older volunteers completed the mailed surveys in 2005 and 2006. Structural equation modeling…

  9. Underlying Motivations of Volunteering Across Life Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, Takashi; Keene, Jennifer R; Lu, Chi-Jung; Carr, Dawn C

    2017-03-01

    Volunteering is beneficial not only for individuals' well-being but also for society's well-being; yet only a fraction of U.S. citizens regularly engage in volunteer activities. This study examined how underlying motivations are associated with interest in volunteering for individuals in three major life phases: early, middle, and later adulthood. Data were collected from 1,046 adults who volunteered through nonprofit organizations in Nevada (USA). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that community service, career advancement, and well-being were common underlying motivations for individuals across life stages. However, generativity among the later adulthood group, and social networking among the early and middle adulthood groups were unique motivations for volunteering. Regression analysis showed that the community service motivation was significantly associated with individuals' interest in volunteering among all life stages. Simultaneously, generativity for the later adulthood group, and career advancement for the early adulthood group were unique motivations linked to their actual interest in volunteering.

  10. Youth Sport Volunteering: Developing Social Capital?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kay, Tess; Bradbury, Steven

    2009-01-01

    This paper analyses the capacity of youth sport volunteering to contribute to the development of social capital. Following a review of the emergence of social capital as a key theme in UK sport policy, the paper focuses on the ability of a structured sports volunteering programme to equip young people with skills for effective volunteering, and…

  11. Motivations for volunteers in food rescue nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mousa, T Y; Freeland-Graves, J H

    2017-08-01

    A variety of organizations redistribute surplus food to low-income populations through food rescue nutrition. Why volunteers participate in these charitable organizations is unclear. The aim of this study is to document the participation and motivations of volunteers who are involved specifically in food rescue nutrition. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases. In phase 1, a new instrument, Motivations to Volunteer Scale, was developed and validated in 40 participants (aged ≥18 years). In phase 2, the new scale and a demographics questionnaire were administered to 300 participants who were volunteering in food pantries and churches. The pilot study showed that Motivations to Volunteer Scale exhibited an internal consistency of Cronbach's α of 0.73 (P  0.05). The scale was validated also by comparison to the Volunteer Function Inventory (r = 0.86, P social life, and altruism. The mean motivation score of the 300 volunteers was 9.15 ± 0.17. Greater motivations were observed among participants who were aged >45 years, women, Hispanics, college/university graduates, physically inactive, non-smokers, and had an income ≥ $48,000. The Motivations to Volunteer Scale is a valid tool to assess why individuals volunteer in food rescue nutrition. The extent of motivations of participants was relatively high, and the primary reason for volunteering was altruism. Health professionals should be encouraged to participate in food redistribution. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Is volunteering a public health intervention? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the health and survival of volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkinson, Caroline E; Dickens, Andy P; Jones, Kerry; Thompson-Coon, Jo; Taylor, Rod S; Rogers, Morwenna; Bambra, Clare L; Lang, Iain; Richards, Suzanne H

    2013-08-23

    Volunteering has been advocated by the United Nations, and American and European governments as a way to engage people in their local communities and improve social capital, with the potential for public health benefits such as improving wellbeing and decreasing health inequalities. Furthermore, the US Corporation for National and Community Service Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 focused on increasing the impact of national service on community needs, supporting volunteers' wellbeing, and prioritising recruitment and engagement of underrepresented populations. The aims of this review were to examine the effect of formal volunteering on volunteers' physical and mental health and survival, and to explore the influence of volunteering type and intensity on health outcomes. Experimental and cohort studies comparing the physical and mental health outcomes and mortality of a volunteering group to a non-volunteering group were identified from twelve electronic databases (Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, HMIC, SSCI, ASSIA, Social Care Online, Social Policy and Practice) and citation tracking in January 2013. No language, country or date restrictions were applied. Data synthesis was based on vote counting and random effects meta-analysis of mortality risk ratios. Forty papers were selected: five randomised controlled trials (RCTs, seven papers); four non-RCTs; and 17 cohort studies (29 papers). Cohort studies showed volunteering had favourable effects on depression, life satisfaction, wellbeing but not on physical health. These findings were not confirmed by experimental studies. Meta-analysis of five cohort studies found volunteers to be at lower risk of mortality (risk ratio: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.90). There was insufficient evidence to demonstrate a consistent influence of volunteering type or intensity on outcomes. Observational evidence suggested that volunteering may benefit mental health and survival although the causal mechanisms remain

  13. Characteristics of volunteers and non-volunteers for voluntary counseling and HIV testing among unmarried male undergraduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adewole, D A; Lawoyin, T O

    2004-06-01

    The 2001 HIV sero-prevalence survey in Nigeria revealed a rate of 5.8 percent with those under the age of 25 years having the highest prevalence rate. Most University students fall within this age group. This study is part of a larger study on the sexual behavior of youths and young adults and was designed to compare the characteristics of volunteers and non-volunteers for voluntary confidential counseling and HIV testing (VCT) among males. Six hundred and nine male undergraduate students were randomly selected and enrolled for the study. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Of the 609, 51 (8.3%) volunteered to have their blood screened for HIV. All volunteers who received pre-test counseling went for the HIV test. Volunteers were significantly older than the non-volunteers (Pmarriage pattern of their parents with regard to polygyny was similar, and fewer volunteers had fathers in the higher socio-economic class and mothers who had completed secondary education (Pcounseling. One of the three was positive for HIV. Of those who tested positive, 3 (37.5%) reported not using the condom at all, while the rest were using it only occasionally. VCT among the youths is possible however, small numbers encountered in the study is a limitation and there is a need to replicate this study using larger numbers. Tertiary institutions should provide VCT services for the students where they can be counseled appropriately and continuously throughout their stay in the institution. This hopefully will reduce the number of new HIV cases seen.

  14. Volunteering as a determinant of civil society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Matiychyk

    2016-06-01

    Another prerequisite of volunteerism was the surge of Advantages Revolution in 2013-2014, and after it – the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. In 2015 the aid organization in terms of ATO and internally displaced persons has increased directions volunteering. Important indicators of volunteering were high levels of involvement of Ukrainian philanthropy and consequently public confidence in voluntary organizations, qualitative growth of volunteerism, the founders of which were gradually included among the managerial elite Ukraine. At the same time, there are number of problems that discredit the work of volunteers and the idea of volunteering in general, for example, fraud volunteers and fake organizations. Moreover, the increased activity of the volunteer movement was caused by the internal crisis that led to the imbalance of public administration, lack of high-quality management decisions, lack of resource capabilities. Also it was caused by external factors, such as the need to participate in the organization of international events and conduct military operations against separatist groups in eastern Ukraine. So, volunteer activity gradually becomes an effective mechanism of self-organization of citizens.

  15. Human milk banking in the volunteer sector: policy development and actuality in 1970s Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorley, Virginia

    2012-04-01

    to describe the development of rigorous milk banking policies in the voluntary sector in Australia, 1975-1979, by the non-government organisation, the Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia (now the Australian Breastfeeding Association), and the eventual abandonment of milk banking by the organisation. historical article. Australia in the years 1975-1979. during the period in which the policy development described here took place, conducting a milk bank to the rigorous standards set by the organisation required too heavy an investment of hours by unpaid volunteer coordinators to be sustainable. in establishing and continuing a successful milk bank, models which depend less on volunteer hours may be more sustainable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Volunteer Computing for Science Gateways

    OpenAIRE

    Anderson, David

    2017-01-01

    This poster offers information about volunteer computing for science gateways that offer high-throughput computing services. Volunteer computing can be used to get computing power. This increases the visibility of the gateway to the general public as well as increasing computing capacity at little cost.

  17. The Views of `Volunteer' of Japanese University Students

    OpenAIRE

    Arakawa, Yumiko; Yoshida, Hiroko; Hozumi, Yoshimi

    2007-01-01

    A questionnaire survey was given to Japanese undergraduate students to determine their personal experiences of `volunteer activities'. And their views and images of `volunteer' in Japan. The results showed that almost 80% experienced `volunteer activities' in schools before entering university. The details of their experiences did not relate to their views and images of `volunteer' and the `volunteer activities' at schools did not seem to play an important role in developing the concept of `v...

  18. 76 FR 29720 - Information Collection: Volunteer Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-23

    ... designed to provide educationally related work assignments for students in non-pay status. The volunteer... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection: Volunteer Programs AGENCY... the Volunteer Programs. DATES: We will consider comment that we received by July 22, 2011. ADDRESSES...

  19. Motivation to volunteer among senior center participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardasani, Manoj

    2018-04-01

    Senior centers in the United States play a vital role in the aging continuum of care as the focal points of a community-based system of services targeting independent older adults to promote their social integration and civically engagement. Although several studies have evaluated the diversity of senior center programs, demographic characteristics of participants, and benefits of participation, very few have explored motivations to volunteer among participants. Many senior centers rely on a cadre of participants who volunteer there to assist with programs and meal services. However, a systematic examination of volunteering interests and the rationale for volunteering among senior center participants has been missing from the literature. This mixed-methods study, conducted at a large suburban senior center, explores the interests and motivations of volunteerism among the participants. The study found that there was limited interest in volunteering among senior center participants. Those who were motivated to volunteer wanted to do so in order to stay connected with their community. There was strong interest in volunteering for single events or projects rather than a long-term commitment. Implications for senior centers are discussed.

  20. 45 CFR 1220.2-2 - Part-time volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Part-time volunteers. 1220.2-2 Section 1220.2-2... SERVICE PAYMENT OF VOLUNTEER LEGAL EXPENSES Criminal Proceedings § 1220.2-2 Part-time volunteers. (a) With respect to a part-time volunteer, ACTION will reimburse a sponsor for the reasonable expenses it incurs...

  1. Characteristics of the Essence of Volunteering in Psychology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shagurova, Angelina Alexandrovna; Ivanovna, Efremova Galina; Aleksandrovna, Bochkovskaya Irina; Denisenko, Sergey Ivanovich; Valerievich, Tarasov Mihail; Viktorovna, Nekrasova Marina; Potutkova, Svetlana Anatolievna

    2016-01-01

    The article discusses the basic ideas of volunteering; it analyzes the data of psychological studies on social activity and it highlights the importance of studying the motivational part of volunteering. The conclusion on structure and content of volunteering is made. Key focus is on the fact that volunteering is of particular importance in the…

  2. Volunteer Program for the WSIS

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    PALEXPO, GENEVA, from 4 - 13 December Are you concerned by the digital divide between the North and the South? Would you like to contribute personally to the success of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), in particular the activities of civil society? Join the team of volunteers and/or offer accommodation to an international volunteer! Contact: Charlotte (Project Coordinator WSIS) Kathy (Volunteer Coordinator) ICVolunteers PO Box 755 - CH-1211 Genève 4 Phone: +41 22 800 1436 - Fax: +41 22 800 14 37 E-mail: charlotte@icvolunteers.org kathy@icvolunteers.org For further information, please consult the website: http://www.icvolunteers.org

  3. Monitoring and Evaluation of Volunteer Tourism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Taplin, Jessica; Dredge, Dianne; Scherrer, Pascal

    2014-01-01

    The rapid expansion and commercialisation of the volunteer tourism sector and the potential for negative impacts on host communities have put the sector under increasing scrutiny. Monitoring and evaluation are key aspects of sustainable tourism planning and management, and play important roles...... in the project planning and implementation cycles of volunteer tourism organisations and destination managements. However, they can be both value-laden and politically charged, making an understanding of context, purpose and various approaches to monitoring and evaluation important. Drawing from evaluation...... highlights the important influence of context (the issue the volunteer tourism programme is addressing, the nature of the intervention, the setting, the evaluation context and the decision-making context), and identifies four dimensions of volunteer tourism (stakeholders, organisations, markets...

  4. Irradiation of volunteers in nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huda, W.; Scrimger, J.W.

    1989-01-01

    The preliminary assessment of many radiopharmaceuticals is often carried out with the help of normal volunteers. These volunteers are drawn from the general public, are fully informed of the procedure to be performed and its attendant risks, and in many cases are compensated financially for their trouble. The cooperation of such people is of vital importance to the full understanding of the normal kinetics and metabolism of many new radiopharmaceuticals. The restrictions on the choice of normal volunteers, and the radiation dose limits which must be observed are not explicitly defined in any of the current guidelines, and in this paper we propose a rationale, based upon available information, which sets acceptable limits for volunteers, and provides a framework within which scientists and physicians can work

  5. Prioritizing Motivational and Satisfactorily Factors of Volunteer Medical and Health Personnel in Natural Disasters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Aminizadeh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Currently, volunteer forces are among the main members of the healthcare services, particularly in the treatment sector, and play a key role in healthcare and treatment services. Since efficient human resources are the greatest and most important assets of all organizations, they constantly work to train, retain, and get the best of these valuable assets. The main objective of this work was to prioritize the motivational factors and satisfaction of the volunteer forces participating in treatment and health programs in the case of emergencies. Materials and Methods: The study population of this research was all volunteers (N=600 in treatment and health programs of Kerman Province. Using the Morgan Table, 360 subjects were selected. The data-gathering instrument was Andam’s questionnaire of motivational factors with reliability of 0.94, and Galindo-Kuhn and Guzley (2001 questionnaire of satisfaction with reliability of 0.92. To determine research data distribution, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied. Moreover, for data analysis inferential statistics tests of Friedman, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis were used at significance level of P<0.05. Results: The present research revealed that the most and least important motivational factors in volunteers of treatment and health units were purposeful motivation and financial motivation with average rankings of 5.45 and 1.99, respectively. In addition, among the satisfaction factors, the volunteers reported communication with volunteers and organizational communication as the most and least important satisfaction factors, respectively. The results of this research indicated that the female volunteers participated in volunteer activities with greater occupational, support, progress, and social motivations. In addition, single participants had greater occupational, social, and financial motivations towards participation in these activities as compared to married participants

  6. A Comprehensive Review of Low-Speed Rear Impact Volunteer Studies and a Comparison to Real-World Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cormier, Joseph; Gwin, Lisa; Reinhart, Lars; Wood, Rawson; Bain, Charles

    2018-02-27

    This study combined all prior research involving human volunteers in low-speed rear-end impacts and performed a comparative analysis of real-world crashes using the National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System. The aim of this study was to assess the rates of neck pain between volunteer and real-world collisions as well as the likelihood of an injury beyond symptoms as a function of impact severity and occupant characteristics in real-world collisions. A total of 51 human volunteer studies were identified that produced a dataset of 1984 volunteer impacts along with a separate dataset of 515,601 weighted occupants in real-world rear impacts. Operating-characteristic curves were created to assess the utility of the volunteer dataset in making predictions regarding the overall population. Change in speed or delta-V was used to model the likelihood of reporting symptoms in both real-world and volunteer exposures and more severe injuries using real-world data. Logistic regression models were created for the volunteer data and survey techniques were used to analyze the weighted sampling scheme with the National Automotive Sampling System database. Symptom reporting rates were not different between males and females and were nearly identical between laboratory and real-world exposures. The minimal risk of injury predicted by real-world exposure is consistent with the statistical power of the large number of volunteer studies without any injury beyond the reporting of neck pain. This study shows that volunteer studies do not under-report symptoms and are sufficient in number to conclude that the risk of injury beyond neck strain under similar conditions is essentially zero. The real-world injury analyses demonstrate that rear impacts do not produce meaningful risks of cervical injury at impacts of similar and greater severity to those of the volunteer research. Future work concerning the mechanism of whiplash-related trauma should focus on impacts of

  7. Volunteer water monitoring: A guide for state managers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-08-01

    Contents: executive summary; volunteers in water monitoring; planning a volunteer monitoring program; implementing a volunteer monitoring program; providing credible information; costs and funding; and descriptions of five successful programs

  8. Effect of physical exertion on the biological monitoring of exposure of various solvents following exposure by inhalation in human volunteers: I. Toluene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadeau, Véronique; Truchon, Ginette; Brochu, Martin; Tardif, Robert

    2006-09-01

    Physical exertion (work load) has been recognized as one of several factors that can influence the kinetics of xenobiotics within the human body. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of physical exertion on two exposure indicators of toluene (TOL) in human volunteers exposed under controlled conditions in an inhalation chamber. A group of four volunteers (one woman, three men) were exposed to TOL (50 ppm) according to the following scenarios involving several periods during which volunteers were asked to perform either aerobic (AERO), muscular (MUSC), or both (AERO/MUSC) types of physical exercise (exercise bicycle, treadmills, pulleys). The target intensities (W) for each exercising period of 30 min--interspaced with 15 min at rest--were the following: REST, 50 W AERO (time-weighted average intensity [TWAI]: 46 watts); 50 W AERO/MUSC (TWAI: 38 watts) and 100 W AERO (TWAI: 71 watts) for 7 hours and 50 W MUSC for 3 hours (TWAI: 29 watts). Alveolar air and urine samples were collected at different time intervals before, during, and after exposure for the measurement of unchanged TOL in expired air (TOL-A) and urinary o-cresol (o-CR). Overall, the results showed that TOL-A measured during and after all scenarios involving physical activities were higher (approximately 1.4-2.0 fold) compared with exposures at rest. All scenarios involving physical exertion also resulted in increased end-of-exposure urinary o-CR (mean +/- SD): 0.9 +/- 0.1 mg/L (REST) vs. 2.0 +/- 0.1 mg/L (TWAI 46 watts). However, exposure at a TWAI of 71 watts did not further increase o-CR excretion (1.7 +/- 0.2 mg/L). This study confirms the significant effect of work load on TOL kinetics and showed that o-CR excretion increased proportionally with work load expressed as TWAI or with the estimated mean pulmonary ventilation during the period of exposure. This study also shows that exposure to TOL (50 ppm) involving a work load of around 50 W (light intensity) or lower is likely to produce

  9. Measuring the Impacts of a Volunteer-Based Community Development Program in Developing Volunteers' Leadership Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Amy; Singletary, Loretta; Hill, George

    2012-01-01

    This article summarizes the results of an evaluation of the impacts of a community development program to develop leadership skills in its adult volunteers. The evaluation featured 20 questions about leadership skills learned as a result of volunteer experiences. Data analysis strategies beyond a simple means ranking resulted in evidence…

  10. Main components and content of sports volunteer activities

    OpenAIRE

    Петренко, Ірина

    2017-01-01

    Iryna PetrenkоPurpose: identification of the main structural components and content of sports volunteer activities. Material & Methods: used analysis of literature and documents, organizational analysis. Result: basic structural components of sports volunteer activity are defined. The content of sports volunteer activity is disclosed. Conclusion: sports volunteer activity includes the following structural components: subject, object, purpose, motivation, means, actions; subject is a sport...

  11. Managing Library Volunteers, Second Edition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Driggers, Preston; Dumas, Eileen

    2011-01-01

    Volunteers are essential to a successful library program--and at a time when deep budget cuts are the norm, there are many libraries that depend on the help of dedicated volunteers, who do everything from shelving books to covering the phones. Whether these are friends, trustees, or community members, managing them effectively is the key to…

  12. An Analysis of volunteer motivation in HIV/AIDS community ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Many have had difficulty attracting and retaining volunteers because of failure to understand volunteer motivation. The study explores volunteerism and emphasizes that volunteers derive personal satisfactions from voluntary activities other than monetary compensation. Volunteers “expect a return on their investment”.

  13. Student Volunteering in China and Canada:Comparative Perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Lesley Hustinx; Ram A. Cnaan; Femida Handy

    2012-01-01

    While many of the theoretical frameworks for volunteering have beendeveloped and empirically tested in the West, our understanding of volunteering in non-Western countries, such as China, is relatively limited. Nevertheless, in recent decades enormous efforts have been made by the Chinese government to encourage and support volunteering among its citizens, especially youth. Chinese youth are volunteering in greater numbers in response to these initiatives. Given the strongly state-led nature ...

  14. Human Challenge Pilot Study with Cyclospora cayetanensis

    OpenAIRE

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

    2004-01-01

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

  15. Can volunteering in later life reduce the risk of dementia? A 5-year longitudinal study among volunteering and non-volunteering retired seniors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griep, Yannick; Hanson, Linda Magnusson; Vantilborgh, Tim; Janssens, Laurens; Jones, Samantha K; Hyde, Martin

    2017-01-01

    We propose that voluntary work, characterized by social, physical and cognitive activity in later life is associated with fewer cognitive problems and lower dementia rates. We test these assumptions using 3-wave, self-reported, and registry data from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Swedish National Prescribed Drug Register. We had three groups of seniors in our data: 1) no volunteering (N = 531), 2) discontinuous volunteering (N = 220), and 3) continuous volunteering (N = 250). We conducted a path analysis in Mplus to investigate the effect of voluntary work (discontinuously and continuously) on self-reported cognitive complaints and the likelihood of being prescribed an anti-dementia treatment after controlling for baseline and relevant background variables. Our results indicated that seniors, who continuously volunteered, reported a decrease in their cognitive complaints over time, whereas no such associations were found for the other groups. In addition, they were 2.44 (95%CI [1.86; 3.21]) and 2.46 (95%CI [1,89; 3.24]) times less likely to be prescribed an anti-dementia treatment in 2012 and 2014, respectively. Our results largely support the assumptions that voluntary work in later life is associated with lower self-reported cognitive complaints and a lower risk for dementia, relative to those who do not engage, or only engage episodically in voluntary work.

  16. Can volunteering in later life reduce the risk of dementia? A 5-year longitudinal study among volunteering and non-volunteering retired seniors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yannick Griep

    Full Text Available We propose that voluntary work, characterized by social, physical and cognitive activity in later life is associated with fewer cognitive problems and lower dementia rates. We test these assumptions using 3-wave, self-reported, and registry data from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Swedish National Prescribed Drug Register. We had three groups of seniors in our data: 1 no volunteering (N = 531, 2 discontinuous volunteering (N = 220, and 3 continuous volunteering (N = 250. We conducted a path analysis in Mplus to investigate the effect of voluntary work (discontinuously and continuously on self-reported cognitive complaints and the likelihood of being prescribed an anti-dementia treatment after controlling for baseline and relevant background variables. Our results indicated that seniors, who continuously volunteered, reported a decrease in their cognitive complaints over time, whereas no such associations were found for the other groups. In addition, they were 2.44 (95%CI [1.86; 3.21] and 2.46 (95%CI [1,89; 3.24] times less likely to be prescribed an anti-dementia treatment in 2012 and 2014, respectively. Our results largely support the assumptions that voluntary work in later life is associated with lower self-reported cognitive complaints and a lower risk for dementia, relative to those who do not engage, or only engage episodically in voluntary work.

  17. Scintigraphic evaluation of floating, gastroretentive formulation of clarithramycin in healthy human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, Raisuddin; Aji Alex, M.R.; Dutta, M.; Singh, Thakuri; Bhatnagar, A.; Bajaj, M.; Singla, Y.P.; Ahmad, F.J.; Khar, R.K.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: Objective of the present study concerns formulation and evaluation of oral buoyant effervescent tablets of clarithromycin for prolongation of gastric residence time (GRT) and to enhance eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) for longer period of time. Materials and Methods: Clarithromycin (CLA) a macrolide antibiotic was chosen as the candidate drug for its immense potential as an Anti H. pylori agent. HPMC and/or xanthan gum were used as release-retarding polymer(s) whereas sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) was utilized as a gas former. The tablets were prepared by wet granulation method. Formulations were evaluated for physicochemical properties, in vitro drug release as well as drug release kinetics and stability studies. In vivo gamma scintigraphic studies were assessed for the optimized buoyant gastroretentive tablets in six healthy human volunteers to study influence of nature of the dosage form i.e. conventional or sustained release gastroretentive tablets and the presence of food in the stomach on intragastric performance of gastroretentive tablets. Result: The fabricated tablets showed acceptable physiochemical properties. Non-fickian release transport was confirmed as the drug release mechanism from the prepared tablets. Optimized tablets composed of HPMC K15M, xanthan gum, and NaHCO 3 were promising systems exhibiting excellent floating properties. The overall performance was found to be highly sustained. Scintigraphic imaging revealed GRT of 320 min or more in fed state on the other hand GRT of 180 min or less in case of unfed state. Conclusion: The developed gastroretentive system has potential to increase efficacy of the therapy and improve patient

  18. The Effect of Motivational Practices on Volunteer Motivation to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study assesses whether organizations' motivational practices affect volunteer motivation and levels of performance. This study was guided by the following two research questions: first, what motivation practices exist in Volunteer Involving Organizations and whether such affect volunteers' motivation to volunteer again?

  19. Volunteering as a Vector of EU Youth Policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina A. Naidych

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the legal framework of the European Union, aimed at regulation and promotion of volunteering. We investigate the availability of legislative documents in the community of each country and analyze the factors that influence the willingness or reluctance of young people to get involved in volunteer projects. The basic problems on the way of popularizing volunteer activity and the core issues of youth volunteering in Ukraine are determined.

  20. More than Volunteering: Active Citizenship through Youth Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Learning and Skills Network (NJ1), 2007

    2007-01-01

    This pack aims to provide materials to help all those involved in youth volunteering and post-16 citizenship education to ensure that there are some citizenship learning outcomes from these valuable experiences. The pack has been produced by the Post-16 Citizenship Support Programme to help the integration of citizenship education into post-16…

  1. The Effect of Volunteer Work on Employability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petrovski, Erik; Dencker-Larsen, Sofie; Holm, Anders

    2017-01-01

    In addition to benefiting others, volunteer work is argued to supply volunteers themselves with skills, reputation, and social connections that increase overall employability. We test this hypothesized causal link between volunteer work and employability with a high-quality 2012 Danish survey...... sample of 1,867 individuals of working age. The survey data are linked to administrative registers containing individual-level data on unemployment. A combination of detailed controls, lagged dependent variables, and instrumental variable regression is used to determine cause and effect. Our findings...... show that performing volunteer work does not statistically significantly affect the risk or rate of unemployment for the typical individual on the labour market....

  2. Modelling of volunteer satisfaction and intention to remain in community service: A stepwise approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, Hazlin; Wahid, Sharifah Norhuda Syed; Jais, Mohammad; Ridzuan, Arifi

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study is to obtain the most significant model of volunteer satisfaction and intention to remain in community service by using a stepwise approach. Currently, Malaysians, young and old are showing more interests in involving themselves in community service projects, either locally or internationally. This positive movement of serving the needy is somehow being halted by the lack of human and financial resources. Therefore, the trend today sees organizers of such projects depend heavily on voluntary supports as they enable project managers to add and to expand the quantity and diversity of services offered without exhausting the minimal budget available. Volunteers are considered a valuable commodity as the available pool of volunteers may be declining due to various reasons which include the volunteer satisfaction. In tandem with the existing situation, a selected sample of 215 diploma students from one of the public universities in Malaysia, who have been involved in at least one community service project, agreed that everybody should have a volunteering intention in helping others. The findings revealed that the most significant model obtained contains two factors that contributed towards intention to remain in community service; work assignment and organizational support, with work assignment becoming the most significant factor. Further research on the differences of intention to remain in community service between students' stream and gender would be conducted to contribute to the body of knowledge.

  3. Volunteering: beyond an act of charity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickson, Murray; Dickson, Geraldine Gerri

    2005-12-01

    Volunteering internationally appeals to health care professionals and students for a variety of reasons and serves a number of purposes. If international voluntarism is to be mutually advantageous, however, host countries, volunteers and project sponsors need to understand how best they can work together and what can be achieved by volunteers for the greatest benefit of all concerned. This paper is intended to contribute to the growing dialogue on international voluntarism and offers suggestions to strengthen its value, from the perspectives of health workers in a developing country and the authors" experiences over the past 30 years. The paper also identifies undesirable side effects and disabling interventions of international initiatives and examines the notions of aid and assistance. One strategy to prepare volunteers for upcoming international efforts as well as to address inequities at home is involvement with underserved populations in our own country.

  4. Developing a workflow to identify inconsistencies in volunteered geographic information: a phenological case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehdipoor, Hamed; Zurita-Milla, Raul; Rosemartin, Alyssa; Gerst, Katharine L.; Weltzin, Jake F.

    2015-01-01

    Recent improvements in online information communication and mobile location-aware technologies have led to the production of large volumes of volunteered geographic information. Widespread, large-scale efforts by volunteers to collect data can inform and drive scientific advances in diverse fields, including ecology and climatology. Traditional workflows to check the quality of such volunteered information can be costly and time consuming as they heavily rely on human interventions. However, identifying factors that can influence data quality, such as inconsistency, is crucial when these data are used in modeling and decision-making frameworks. Recently developed workflows use simple statistical approaches that assume that the majority of the information is consistent. However, this assumption is not generalizable, and ignores underlying geographic and environmental contextual variability that may explain apparent inconsistencies. Here we describe an automated workflow to check inconsistency based on the availability of contextual environmental information for sampling locations. The workflow consists of three steps: (1) dimensionality reduction to facilitate further analysis and interpretation of results, (2) model-based clustering to group observations according to their contextual conditions, and (3) identification of inconsistent observations within each cluster. The workflow was applied to volunteered observations of flowering in common and cloned lilac plants (Syringa vulgaris and Syringa x chinensis) in the United States for the period 1980 to 2013. About 97% of the observations for both common and cloned lilacs were flagged as consistent, indicating that volunteers provided reliable information for this case study. Relative to the original dataset, the exclusion of inconsistent observations changed the apparent rate of change in lilac bloom dates by two days per decade, indicating the importance of inconsistency checking as a key step in data quality

  5. Developing a Workflow to Identify Inconsistencies in Volunteered Geographic Information: A Phenological Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehdipoor, Hamed; Zurita-Milla, Raul; Rosemartin, Alyssa; Gerst, Katharine L; Weltzin, Jake F

    2015-01-01

    Recent improvements in online information communication and mobile location-aware technologies have led to the production of large volumes of volunteered geographic information. Widespread, large-scale efforts by volunteers to collect data can inform and drive scientific advances in diverse fields, including ecology and climatology. Traditional workflows to check the quality of such volunteered information can be costly and time consuming as they heavily rely on human interventions. However, identifying factors that can influence data quality, such as inconsistency, is crucial when these data are used in modeling and decision-making frameworks. Recently developed workflows use simple statistical approaches that assume that the majority of the information is consistent. However, this assumption is not generalizable, and ignores underlying geographic and environmental contextual variability that may explain apparent inconsistencies. Here we describe an automated workflow to check inconsistency based on the availability of contextual environmental information for sampling locations. The workflow consists of three steps: (1) dimensionality reduction to facilitate further analysis and interpretation of results, (2) model-based clustering to group observations according to their contextual conditions, and (3) identification of inconsistent observations within each cluster. The workflow was applied to volunteered observations of flowering in common and cloned lilac plants (Syringa vulgaris and Syringa x chinensis) in the United States for the period 1980 to 2013. About 97% of the observations for both common and cloned lilacs were flagged as consistent, indicating that volunteers provided reliable information for this case study. Relative to the original dataset, the exclusion of inconsistent observations changed the apparent rate of change in lilac bloom dates by two days per decade, indicating the importance of inconsistency checking as a key step in data quality

  6. A human monoclonal antibody derived from a vaccinated volunteer recognizes heterosubtypically a novel epitope on the hemagglutinin globular head of H1 and H9 influenza A viruses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boonsathorn, Naphatsawan; Panthong, Sumolrat; Koksunan, Sarawut; Chittaganpitch, Malinee; Phuygun, Siripaporn; Waicharoen, Sunthareeya; Prachasupap, Apichai; Sasaki, Tadahiro; Kubota-Koketsu, Ritsuko; Yasugi, Mayo; Ono, Ken-ichiro; Arai, Yasuha

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A human monoclonal antibody against influenza virus was produced from a volunteer. • The antibody was generated from the PBMCs of the volunteer using the fusion method. • The antibody neutralized heterosubtypically group 1 influenza A viruses (H1 and H9). • The antibody targeted a novel epitope in globular head region of the hemagglutinin. • Sequences of the identified epitope are highly conserved among H1 and H9 subtypes. - Abstract: Most neutralizing antibodies elicited during influenza virus infection or by vaccination have a narrow spectrum because they usually target variable epitopes in the globular head region of hemagglutinin (HA). In this study, we describe a human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb), 5D7, that was prepared from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of a vaccinated volunteer using the fusion method. The HuMAb heterosubtypically neutralizes group 1 influenza A viruses, including seasonal H1N1, 2009 pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm) and avian H9N2, with a strong hemagglutinin inhibition activity. Selection of an escape mutant showed that the HuMAb targets a novel conformational epitope that is located in the HA head region but is distinct from the receptor binding site. Furthermore, Phe114Ile substitution in the epitope made the HA unrecognizable by the HuMAb. Amino acid residues in the predicted epitope region are also highly conserved in the HAs of H1N1 and H9N2. The HuMAb reported here may be a potential candidate for the development of therapeutic/prophylactic antibodies against H1 and H9 influenza viruses

  7. A human monoclonal antibody derived from a vaccinated volunteer recognizes heterosubtypically a novel epitope on the hemagglutinin globular head of H1 and H9 influenza A viruses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boonsathorn, Naphatsawan; Panthong, Sumolrat [Medical Life Sciences Institute, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Muang, Nonthaburi (Thailand); Japan Science and Technology Agency/Japan International Cooperation Agency, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (JST/JICA, SATREPS), Tokyo (Japan); Koksunan, Sarawut [Medical Life Sciences Institute, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Muang, Nonthaburi (Thailand); Chittaganpitch, Malinee; Phuygun, Siripaporn; Waicharoen, Sunthareeya [National Institute of Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Muang, Nonthaburi (Thailand); Prachasupap, Apichai [Medical Life Sciences Institute, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Muang, Nonthaburi (Thailand); Japan Science and Technology Agency/Japan International Cooperation Agency, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (JST/JICA, SATREPS), Tokyo (Japan); Sasaki, Tadahiro [Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Japan Science and Technology Agency/Japan International Cooperation Agency, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (JST/JICA, SATREPS), Tokyo (Japan); Kubota-Koketsu, Ritsuko [Kanonji Institute, The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University, Kanonji, Kagawa (Japan); Yasugi, Mayo [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka (Japan); Ono, Ken-ichiro [Ina Laboratory, Medical and Biological Laboratories Corporation, Ltd., Ina, Nagano (Japan); Japan Science and Technology Agency/Japan International Cooperation Agency, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (JST/JICA, SATREPS), Tokyo (Japan); Arai, Yasuha [Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka (Japan); and others

    2014-09-26

    Highlights: • A human monoclonal antibody against influenza virus was produced from a volunteer. • The antibody was generated from the PBMCs of the volunteer using the fusion method. • The antibody neutralized heterosubtypically group 1 influenza A viruses (H1 and H9). • The antibody targeted a novel epitope in globular head region of the hemagglutinin. • Sequences of the identified epitope are highly conserved among H1 and H9 subtypes. - Abstract: Most neutralizing antibodies elicited during influenza virus infection or by vaccination have a narrow spectrum because they usually target variable epitopes in the globular head region of hemagglutinin (HA). In this study, we describe a human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb), 5D7, that was prepared from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of a vaccinated volunteer using the fusion method. The HuMAb heterosubtypically neutralizes group 1 influenza A viruses, including seasonal H1N1, 2009 pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm) and avian H9N2, with a strong hemagglutinin inhibition activity. Selection of an escape mutant showed that the HuMAb targets a novel conformational epitope that is located in the HA head region but is distinct from the receptor binding site. Furthermore, Phe114Ile substitution in the epitope made the HA unrecognizable by the HuMAb. Amino acid residues in the predicted epitope region are also highly conserved in the HAs of H1N1 and H9N2. The HuMAb reported here may be a potential candidate for the development of therapeutic/prophylactic antibodies against H1 and H9 influenza viruses.

  8. The impact of volunteering on the volunteer: findings from a peer support programme for family carers of people with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlesworth, Georgina; Sinclair, James B; Brooks, Alice; Sullivan, Theresa; Ahmad, Shaheen; Poland, Fiona

    2017-03-01

    With an ageing population, there are increasing numbers of experienced family carers (FCs) who could provide peer support to newer carers in a similar care situation. The aims of this paper are to: (i) use a cross-sectional study design to compare characteristics of volunteers and recipients of a peer support programme for FCs of people with dementia, in terms of demographic background, social networks and psychological well-being; and (ii) use a longitudinal study design to explore the overall impact of the programme on the volunteers in terms of psychological well-being. Data were collected from programmes run in Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Berkshire and four London boroughs between October 2009 and March 2013. The volunteer role entailed empathic listening and encouragement over a 10-month period. Both carer support volunteers (N = 87) and recipient FCs (N = 109) provided baseline demographic information. Data on social networks, personal growth, self-efficacy, service use and well-being (SF-12; EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Control, Autonomy, Self-Realisation, Pleasure-19) were collected prior to the start of the intervention (N = 43) and at either 3- to 5 month or 10 month follow-up (N = 21). Volunteers were more likely than recipients of support to be female and to have cared for a parent/grandparent rather than spouse. Volunteers were also more psychologically well than support recipients in terms of personal growth, depression and perceived well-being. The longitudinal analysis identified small but significant declines in personal growth and autonomy and a positive correlation between the volunteers' duration of involvement and perceived well-being. These findings suggest that carers who volunteer for emotional support roles are resilient and are at little psychological risk from volunteering. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Safeguards for healthy volunteers in drug studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, R N

    1975-09-06

    Safeguards for healthy volunteers in drug studies have not been as strict as those involving patients. The shortcomings include the lack of surveillance over the scientific validity of the protocol and its ethical review, and over the financial inducements to volunteers. Recruitment is open to abuse because the volunteers may have some allegiance to the investigators. There is an urgent need to institute checks on these aspects. Most important, however, is the lack of legal safeguards for volunteers taking part in research done outside the pharmaceutical industry. The suggested procedure for obtaining consent, for health checks, and for providing compensation can be equitable to all concerned, and yet not restrict initiative, nor curtail research aims.

  10. {sup 18}F-Alfatide II PET/CT in healthy human volunteers and patients with brain metastases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Chunjing; Mi, Baoming; Wan, Weixing [Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University (Wuxi No. 4 People' s Hospital), Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi (China); Pan, Donghui; Xu, Yuping; Yang, Min [Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi (China); Lang, Lixin; Niu, Gang; Chen, Xiaoyuan [National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Bethesda, MD (United States)

    2015-12-15

    We report the biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of an integrin α{sub v}β{sub 3} specific PET tracer {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-E[PEG{sub 4}-c(RGDfk)]{sub 2} (denoted as {sup 18}F-Alfatide II). We also assessed the value of {sup 18}F-Alfatide II in patients with brain metastases. A series of torso (from the skull to the thigh) static images were acquired in five healthy volunteers (3 M, 2 F) at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after injection of {sup 18}F-Alfatide II (257 ± 48 MBq). Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn manually, and the time-activity curves (TACs) were obtained for major organs. Nine patients with brain metastases were examined by static PET imaging with {sup 18}F-FDG (5.55 MBq/kg) and {sup 18}F-Alfatide II. Injection of {sup 18}F-Alfatide II was well tolerated in all healthy volunteers, with no serious tracer-related adverse events found. {sup 18}F-Alfatide II showed rapid clearance from the blood pool and kidneys. The total effective dose equivalent (EDE) and effective dose (ED) were 0.0277 ± 0.003 mSv/MBq and 0.0198 ± 0.002 mSv/MBq, respectively. The organs with the highest absorbed dose were the kidneys and the spleen. Nine patients with 20 brain metastatic lesions identified by MRI and/or CT were enrolled in this study. All 20 brain lesions were visualized by {sup 18}F-Alfatide II PET, while only ten lesions were visualized by {sup 18}F-FDG, and 13 by CT. F-Alfatide II is a safe PET tracer with a favorable dosimetry profile. The observed ED suggests that {sup 18}F-Alfatide II is feasible for human studies. {sup 18}F-Alfatide II has potential value in finding brain metastases of different cancers as a biomarker of angiogenesis. (orig.)

  11. Evaluation of two over-the-counter natural thyroid hormone preparations in human volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csako, G; Corso, D M; Kestner, J; Bokser, A D; Kennedy, P E; Pucino, F

    1992-04-01

    To determine the pharmacologic activity of over-the-counter (OTC) thyroid preparations. In vitro analysis and a prospective, crossover study in vivo. Tertiary care center. Two healthy adult volunteers. Three OTC preparations (Thyrotrophin PMG [bovine thyroid PMG extract], Thyro Forte [thyroid lymphogland concentrate with synergistic complex], and Thyro Complex [thyroid lyophilized gland concentrate with synergistic complex]) were analyzed in vitro. Volunteers were administered two times the manufacturer's maximum recommended daily dose of either Thyrotrophin PMG or Thyro Forte for one week, washed out for four to five weeks, and crossed over to receive the opposite tablet preparation for an additional week. The triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) contents of OTC preparations were measured by HPLC. Vital signs, serum total and free T4, total T3, thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine binding globulin, thyroglobulin, and general chemistry tests (including glucose and cholesterol) were monitored before, during, and between administration of the products. HPLC analysis of the three OTC preparations showed no T4 but did show possible T3 in two of these products. We found no definite clinical or laboratory evidence of thyroid hormone excess with either product. Healthcare professionals should advise against the use of these scientifically unsound and relatively expensive OTC thyroid preparations, of which the therapeutic efficacy is unknown.

  12. Religiosity and Volunteering Intention Among Undergraduate Malaysian Muslim Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sallam A.A.A.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the question: To what extent do religiosity characteristics, contribute to the influence of volunteering intention among Malaysian Muslim students during disasters? To answer this research question, we focused the students in public universities. The finding concerns found that religiosity increases the likelihood of volunteering intention, implying that religious affiliation of youth increases the likelihood of volunteering. This is in line with previous research, that religious attendance is related positively to volunteering. These results confirm the idea that support of the religious attributes community plays quite a large role in volunteering process. However, it a bear that volunteering is not only dependent on religious community, but also on individual motivation.

  13. Religiosity and Volunteering Intention among Undergraduate Malaysian Muslim Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Sallam Abdullah AbdulElah

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the question: To what extent do religiosity characteristics, contribute to the influence of volunteering intention among Malaysian Muslim students during disasters? To answer this research question, we focused the students in public universities. The finding concerns found that religiosity increases the likelihood of volunteering intention, implying that religious affiliation of youth increases the likelihood of volunteering. This is in line with previous research, that religious attendance is related positively to volunteering. These results confirm the idea that support of the religious attributes community plays quite a large role in volunteering process.. However, it a bear that volunteering is not only dependent on religious community, but also on individual motivation.

  14. Broad blockade antibody responses in human volunteers after immunization with a multivalent norovirus VLP candidate vaccine: immunological analyses from a phase I clinical trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa C Lindesmith

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Human noroviruses (NoVs are the primary cause of acute gastroenteritis and are characterized by antigenic variation between genogroups and genotypes and antigenic drift of strains within the predominant GII.4 genotype. In the context of this diversity, an effective NoV vaccine must elicit broadly protective immunity. We used an antibody (Ab binding blockade assay to measure the potential cross-strain protection provided by a multivalent NoV virus-like particle (VLP candidate vaccine in human volunteers.Sera from ten human volunteers immunized with a multivalent NoV VLP vaccine (genotypes GI.1/GII.4 were analyzed for IgG and Ab blockade of VLP interaction with carbohydrate ligand, a potential correlate of protective immunity to NoV infection and illness. Immunization resulted in rapid rises in IgG and blockade Ab titers against both vaccine components and additional VLPs representing diverse strains and genotypes not represented in the vaccine. Importantly, vaccination induced blockade Ab to two novel GII.4 strains not in circulation at the time of vaccination or sample collection. GII.4 cross-reactive blockade Ab titers were more potent than responses against non-GII.4 VLPs, suggesting that previous exposure history to this dominant circulating genotype may impact the vaccine Ab response. Further, antigenic cartography indicated that vaccination preferentially activated preexisting Ab responses to epitopes associated with GII.4.1997. Study interpretations may be limited by the relevance of the surrogate neutralization assay and the number of immunized participants evaluated.Vaccination with a multivalent NoV VLP vaccine induces a broadly blocking Ab response to multiple epitopes within vaccine and non-vaccine NoV strains and to novel antigenic variants not yet circulating at the time of vaccination. These data reveal new information about complex NoV immune responses to both natural exposure and to vaccination, and support the potential

  15. The stingy hour: how accounting for time affects volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVoe, Sanford E; Pfeffer, Jeffrey

    2010-04-01

    These studies examined how the practice of accounting for one's time-so that work can be billed or charged to specific clients or projects-affects the decision to allocate time to volunteer activities. Using longitudinal data collected from law students transitioning to their first jobs, Study 1 showed that exposure to billing time diminished individuals' willingness to volunteer, even after controlling for attitudes about volunteering held before entering the workforce as well as the individual's specific opportunity costs of volunteering time. Studies 2-5 experimentally manipulated billing time and confirmed its causal effect on individuals' willingness to volunteer and actual volunteering behavior. Study 5 showed that the effect of exposure to billing time on volunteering occurred above and beyond any effects on general self-efficacy or self-determination. Individual differences moderated the effects of billing, such that people who did not value money as much were less affected.

  16. Generation Z’s Sustainable Volunteering: Motivations, Attitudes and Job Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meehee Cho

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Generation Z (Gen Z, the future of America’s workforce, is forecasted to represent more than 30 million persons by 2020. Volunteer rates have been declining since 2002. Most compelling is that overall lowest volunteer rates were found to be within the Gen Z segment, with expectations of continued decline. Thus, this study explored motivations associated with sustainable volunteering by Gen Z based upon past research that documented intent to volunteer is strongly associated with age. In doing so, the Volunteer Functions Inventory was adopted to identify Gen Z motivations for volunteering. This study then employed the theory of planned behavior to test the relationships between Gen Z volunteering motivations, their attitudes and job performance using data obtained from 306 Gen Z volunteer special event participants. Among five motives identified to be important to Gen Z, only four motives (“value”, “career”, “learning” and “self-esteem” were found to significantly influence their attitudes. The ‘social’ motive was found to have no significant effect on their attitudes towards volunteering. This research framework was supported by validating the significant relationships between volunteer motivations, attitudes and job performance specific to the Gen Z volunteer segment. “Job training appropriateness” was found to be an important moderator for improving the relationships between Gen Z volunteer attitudes and job performance.

  17. 20 CFR 628.540 - Volunteer program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... programs under this part to volunteer assistance, in the form of mentoring, tutoring, and other activities. ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Volunteer program. 628.540 Section 628.540 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROGRAMS UNDER TITLE II OF...

  18. 5 CFR 315.605 - Appointment of former ACTION volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... full-time community volunteer (including criminal justice volunteer, volunteer in justice, and VET... institution of higher learning; or (3) In another activity which, in the agency's view, warrants extension. (c...

  19. Longitudinal Associations Between Formal Volunteering and Cognitive Functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proulx, Christine M; Curl, Angela L; Ermer, Ashley E

    2018-03-02

    The present study examines the association between formal volunteering and cognitive functioning over time. We also examine the moderating roles of race, sex, education, and time. Using 11,100 participants aged 51 years and older and nine waves of data from the Health and Retirement Survey, we simultaneously modeled the longitudinal associations between engaging in formal volunteering and changes in cognitive functioning using multilevel models. Formal volunteering was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning over time, especially with aspects of cognitive functioning related to working memory and processing. This association was stronger for women than it was for men, and for those with below average levels of education. The positive association between formal volunteering and cognitive functioning weakened over time when cognitive functioning was conceptualized as memory, but strengthened over time when conceptualized as working memory and processing. Volunteering is a productive activity that is beneficial not just to society, but to volunteers' levels of cognitive functioning in older age. For women and those with lower levels of education, formal volunteering appears particularly beneficial to working memory and processing. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Towards a sustainable volunteer mobile, online tutoring model for mathematics

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Butgereit, L

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Volunteer workers contribute to many aspects of society. There are volunteer organisations which formally assist in many areas such as health, education, housing, safety and security. Virtual volunteering is less common. Virtual volunteering...

  1. 45 CFR 1220.3-2 - Part-time volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Part-time volunteers. 1220.3-2 Section 1220.3-2... SERVICE PAYMENT OF VOLUNTEER LEGAL EXPENSES Civil and Administrative Proceedings § 1220.3-2 Part-time volunteers. ACTION will reimburse sponsors for the reasonable expenses incidental to the defense of part-time...

  2. Will Natural Resources Professionals Volunteer to Teach Youth?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Sanford S.; Finley, James C.; San Julian, Gary J.

    2010-01-01

    A unique approach to volunteer marketing research involved a mail survey with natural resources professionals from across Pennsylvania. Previous work identified this group as a source of potential volunteers for the 4-H youth natural resources program. The results give insights into those most likely to volunteer to teach youth through 4-H…

  3. What do women gain from volunteering? The experience of lay Arab and Jewish women volunteers in the Women for Women's Health programme in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daoud, Nihaya; Shtarkshall, Ronny; Laufer, Neri; Verbov, Gina; Bar-El, Hagar; Abu-Gosh, Nasreen; Mor-Yosef, Shlomo

    2010-03-01

    Ambiguous feelings regarding women engaging in formal volunteering and concerns about their exploitation might explain the dearth of studies regarding the volunteering benefits specifically experienced by low socioeconomic status women. The current study examined benefits of volunteering among women participating in Women for Women's Health (WWH), a lay health volunteers (LHV) programme implemented in Jewish and Arab communities in Israel, and aiming at empowering such women to become active volunteers and promote health activities in their communities. Two years after the introduction of WWH in each community, all 45 Jewish and 25 Arab volunteers were contacted by phone and invited to participate in the focus group discussions. Five focus group discussions were conducted with 25/42 Jewish volunteers in 2003 and four with 20/25 Arab volunteers in 2005. The other volunteers could not attend the scheduled meetings or became inactive for personal reasons. Four benefit categories were identified in both ethnic groups: 1. Personal benefits of having increased knowledge, feeling self-satisfaction, mastering new skills and performing healthy behaviours; 2. Group-social benefits of social support and sense of cohesion; 3. Purposive benefits of achieving the WWH mission and goals; 4. Sociopolitical benefits of learning to accept the other and experiencing increased solidarity. However, the relatively less privileged Arab volunteers enumerated more benefits within the personal and purposive categories. They also identified the unique sociocultural category of improving women's status in the community by creating a legitimate space for women by public sphere involvement, traditionally solely a male domain. We conclude that volunteering in community-based health promotion programmes can be an empowering experience for lay women without being exploitative. Positive volunteering benefits will be even more discernable among underprivileged women who enjoy fewer opportunities in

  4. Court Appointed Volunteers for Abused and Neglected Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justin, Renate G.

    2002-02-01

    A court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of an abused and neglected child in court. An independent voice, the volunteer gathers information and reports to the court. The CASA volunteer works in close cooperation with other professionals, physicians, lawyers, social workers, and teachers to find the most suitable permanent placement for a victimized child, whether it be a foster home, parental home, or adoptive home. Another function for CASA volunteers is to be supportive to the child during a time of uncertainty in his or her life and to help the youngster adjust to new and changing situations; the CASA volunteer may be the only consistent adult presence during this difficult period of transition.

  5. Chemical warfare agent simulants for human volunteer trials of emergency decontamination: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Thomas; Wyke, Stacey; Marczylo, Tim; Collins, Samuel; Gaulton, Tom; Foxall, Kerry; Amlôt, Richard; Duarte-Davidson, Raquel

    2018-01-01

    Incidents involving the release of chemical agents can pose significant risks to public health. In such an event, emergency decontamination of affected casualties may need to be undertaken to reduce injury and possible loss of life. To ensure these methods are effective, human volunteer trials (HVTs) of decontamination protocols, using simulant contaminants, have been conducted. Simulants must be used to mimic the physicochemical properties of more harmful chemicals, while remaining non-toxic at the dose applied. This review focuses on studies that employed chemical warfare agent simulants in decontamination contexts, to identify those simulants most suitable for use in HVTs of emergency decontamination. Twenty-two simulants were identified, of which 17 were determined unsuitable for use in HVTs. The remaining simulants (n = 5) were further scrutinized for potential suitability according to toxicity, physicochemical properties and similarities to their equivalent toxic counterparts. Three suitable simulants, for use in HVTs were identified; methyl salicylate (simulant for sulphur mustard), diethyl malonate (simulant for soman) and malathion (simulant for VX or toxic industrial chemicals). All have been safely used in previous HVTs, and have a range of physicochemical properties that would allow useful inference to more toxic chemicals when employed in future studies of emergency decontamination systems. © 2017 Crown Copyright. Journal of Applied Toxicology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Volunteer Motivations at a National Special Olympics Event

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoo, Selina; Engelhorn, Rich

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the motivations for people to volunteer with the management and execution of major sporting events is important for the recruitment and retention of the volunteers. This research investigated volunteer motivations at the first National Special Olympics held in Ames, Iowa, USA in July 2006. A total of 289 participants completed the 28…

  7. Volunteer labor supply in The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dijk, Jouke; Boin, Ronald

    1993-01-01

    The main aim of this paper is to provide insight in the determinants of the decision to participate (yes or no) in volunteer work and the decision with regard to the number of hours spent on volunteer work. These decisions are empirically analyzed with Dutch microdata for 1982 by means of a logit

  8. The hospice volunteer: a person of hospitality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welk, T A

    1992-01-01

    Volunteers are integral members of the hospice interdisciplinary team. They are distinguished from other members of the team only by role, not by expectation. The distinction is not between "volunteer" and "professional," because every team member is to be professional in the best sense of that word. If a distinction is to be made, it is that some hospice staff members are salaried while others donate their services. Volunteer staff members are expected to be as responsible and accountable as every other member of the team. ALL staff members must realize the importance of taking care of personal needs in order to be able to care for others. Even though the following article deals primarily with the volunteer hospice staff member, the points outlined can just as easily be applied to the salaried staff member.

  9. Volunteered Cloud Computing for Disaster Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, J. D.; Hao, W.; Chettri, S. R.

    2014-12-01

    Disaster management relies increasingly on interpreting earth observations and running numerical models; which require significant computing capacity - usually on short notice and at irregular intervals. Peak computing demand during event detection, hazard assessment, or incident response may exceed agency budgets; however some of it can be met through volunteered computing, which distributes subtasks to participating computers via the Internet. This approach has enabled large projects in mathematics, basic science, and climate research to harness the slack computing capacity of thousands of desktop computers. This capacity is likely to diminish as desktops give way to battery-powered mobile devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets) in the consumer market; but as cloud computing becomes commonplace, it may offer significant slack capacity -- if its users are given an easy, trustworthy mechanism for participating. Such a "volunteered cloud computing" mechanism would also offer several advantages over traditional volunteered computing: tasks distributed within a cloud have fewer bandwidth limitations; granular billing mechanisms allow small slices of "interstitial" computing at no marginal cost; and virtual storage volumes allow in-depth, reversible machine reconfiguration. Volunteered cloud computing is especially suitable for "embarrassingly parallel" tasks, including ones requiring large data volumes: examples in disaster management include near-real-time image interpretation, pattern / trend detection, or large model ensembles. In the context of a major disaster, we estimate that cloud users (if suitably informed) might volunteer hundreds to thousands of CPU cores across a large provider such as Amazon Web Services. To explore this potential, we are building a volunteered cloud computing platform and targeting it to a disaster management context. Using a lightweight, fault-tolerant network protocol, this platform helps cloud users join parallel computing projects

  10. College Experience and Volunteering. Fact Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcelo, Karlo Barrios

    2007-01-01

    College experience and volunteering are positively correlated. Measurable differences in civic activity exist between young people who attend college and young people who do not. This fact sheet explores volunteering as civic engagement among youth with college experience, ages 19-25, which was down for the second year in a row in 2006. The…

  11. Volunteering and older women: psychosocial and health predictors of participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, Lynne; Warburton, Jeni; Sibbritt, David; Byles, Julie

    2010-11-01

    As populations age, there will be a need for more volunteers in social welfare, and consequently a need to better understand potential effects of volunteering for older people. Whilst there is a body of international literature exploring health benefits of volunteering in later life, there are currently no longitudinal studies of Australian populations. Internationally, there is a lack of studies focusing on older women, who comprise the majority of the ageing population. The aim of this article was to explore the relationship between volunteering and psychosocial and health factors for a cohort of older Australian women over time. Data for this study were from the oldest cohort of Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a 20-year longitudinal survey of Australian women aged 70-75 years in 1996. Volunteering status was the factor of interest and study factors included a broad range of demographic, health and social factors. A longitudinal model was developed for mediators of volunteering over time. Of 7088 women in 2005, 24.5% reported actively volunteering, 15.5% were continuing, 7.5% were new, 15.3% were intermittent and 34.7% had never been volunteers. Volunteering was associated with increased quality of life and social support. Women were more likely to continue volunteering over time if they lived in a rural area, had higher socioeconomic indicators, and better levels of physical and mental health. This study contributes to the literature on the relationship between volunteering and health for older women. Understanding the potential health implications of volunteering is a critical issue in current policy debates.

  12. Motivations for Deceased Organ Donation Among Volunteers in China: A Qualitative Research Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Zhike; Liu, Shan; Yan, Jin; Liu, Jia

    2016-06-09

    BACKGROUND To align with guiding principles on human organ and tissue transplantation published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) launched a new nationwide organ donation program in 2010 to recruit organ donation volunteers. Despite severe shortage of donated organs, there is a very low rate of volunteering for organ donation among the Chinese population (only 0.03 donors per million population) in the national program. Motivating organ donation is the key to the success of organ transplantation in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS Semi-structured 45- to 60-min interviews were conducted among 34 volunteers. Data analysis was performed with Nvivo 8.0 software. RESULTS Six motivations for organ donation were identified: helping others/altruism, fulfilling long-cherished wishes, reducing the burdens, making the best use of everything, giving back to society, and life extension. Factors affecting the motivation of organ donation among volunteers in China included traditional values, personal experiences, role model effect, family support, and problems in the donation system. Possible strategies to improve organ donation included fostering a scientific concept of the body and death, focusing donation promotion efforts on certain groups, and simplifying the process of organ donation. CONCLUSIONS There are multiple reasons for Chinese people to register for organ donation, with helping others as the central motivation.

  13. Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konrath, Sara; Fuhrel-Forbis, Andrea; Lou, Alina; Brown, Stephanie

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of motives for volunteering on respondents' mortality risk 4 years later. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine whether motives for volunteering predicted later mortality risk, above and beyond volunteering itself, in older adults from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Covariates included age, gender, socioeconomic variables, physical, mental, and cognitive health, health risk behaviors, personality traits, received social support, and actual volunteering behavior. Replicating prior work, respondents who volunteered were at lower risk for mortality 4 years later, especially those who volunteered more regularly and frequently. However, volunteering behavior was not always beneficially related to mortality risk: Those who volunteered for self-oriented reasons had a mortality risk similar to nonvolunteers. Those who volunteered for other-oriented reasons had a decreased mortality risk, even in adjusted models. This study adds to the existing literature on the powerful effects of social interactions on health and is the first study to our knowledge to examine the effect of motives on volunteers' subsequent mortality. Volunteers live longer than nonvolunteers, but this is only true if they volunteer for other-oriented reasons.

  14. Personality Accounts for the Connection Between Volunteering and Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Hannah R; Jackson, Joshua J; Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Oltmanns, Thomas F

    2015-09-01

    Existing literature has shown that volunteering is related to better physical and mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine whether personality traits and volunteering are independent predictors of physical and mental health. The current study utilizes data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN), a representative sample of community-based adults between the ages of 55 and 64. Using hierarchical linear regressions, we test whether volunteering is a significant predictor of both physical and mental health while controlling for personality traits. We find that volunteering is not significantly related to either physical or mental health while controlling for personality traits. We also find that lower neuroticism is related to better physical functioning and mental health, whereas higher extraversion is related to better mental health. These results indicate that volunteering may be related to health outcomes because of the personality characteristics of volunteers, not the volunteering experience in and of itself. Future longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the relationship between personality, volunteering, and health. © The Author 2014. 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.

  15. Effective practices of international volunteering for health: perspectives from partner organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lough, Benjamin J; Tiessen, Rebecca; Lasker, Judith N

    2018-01-24

    The demand for international volunteer experiences to promote global health and nutrition is increasing and numerous studies have documented the experiences of the international volunteers who travel abroad; however, little is known about effective practices from the perspective of partner organizations. This study aims to understand how variables such as the skill-level of volunteers, the duration of service, cultural and language training, and other key variables affect partner organizations' perceptions of volunteer effectiveness at promoting healthcare and nutrition. This study used a cross-sectional design to survey a convenience sample of 288 volunteer partner organizations located in 68 countries. Principle components analyses and manual coding of cases resulted in a categorization of five generalized types of international volunteering. Differences among these types were compared by the duration of service, skill-level of volunteers, and the volunteers' perceived fit with organizational needs. In addition, a multivariate ordinary least square regression tested associations between nine different characteristics/activities and the volunteers' perceived effectiveness at promoting healthcare and nutrition. Partner organizations viewed highly-skilled volunteers serving for a short-term abroad as the most effective at promoting healthcare and nutrition in their organizations, followed by slightly less-skilled long-term volunteers. The greatest amount of variance in perceived effectiveness was volunteers' ability to speak the local language, followed by their skill level and the duration of service abroad. In addition, volunteer training in community development principles and practices was significantly related to perceived effectiveness. The perceptions of effective healthcare promotion identified by partner organizations suggest that program and volunteer characteristics need to be carefully considered when deciding on methods of volunteer preparation and

  16. Control of volunteer soybean plants in sunflower crop

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Magno Brighenti

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Sunflower (Helianthus annuus sown offseason, after soybean crop (Glycine max, is affected by the competition imposed by volunteer plants. Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the control of volunteer soybean plants in sunflower crops. The sulfentrazone herbicide (75 g ha-1, 100 g ha-1 and 250 g ha-1 causes phytotoxicity to sunflower immediately after application, however, plants recover, with no yield losses. These doses do not cause the total death of volunteer soybean plants, but temporarily paralyzes their growth, avoiding the competition with the sunflower crop. The glufosinate ammonium and ametryn herbicides are effective in controlling volunteer soybean plants, however, symptoms of phytotoxicity in the sunflower crop are high, reflecting in losses of dry weight biomass and crop yield. The other treatments do not provide satisfactory control of volunteer soybean plants and even reduce the sunflower dry weight biomass and yield.

  17. Race differences in the relationship between formal volunteering and hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavares, Jane L; Burr, Jeffrey A; Mutchler, Jan E

    2013-03-01

    This study investigated race differences in the relationship between formal volunteering and hypertension prevalence among middle-aged and older adults. Using data from the 2004 and 2006 Health and Retirement Study (N = 5,666; 677 African Americans and 4,989 whites), we examined regression models stratified by race to estimate relationships among hypertension prevalence, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and volunteer status and hours spent volunteering among persons aged 51 years old and older. White volunteers had a lower risk of hypertension than white nonvolunteers. A threshold effect was also present; compared with nonvolunteers, volunteering a moderate number of hours was associated with lowest risk of hypertension for whites. Results for hypertension were consistent with results from alternative models of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We found no statistically significant relationship between volunteering activity and hypertension/blood pressure for African Americans. There may be unmeasured cultural differences related to the meaning of volunteering and contextual differences in volunteering that account for the race differences we observed. Research is needed to determine the pathways through which volunteering is related to hypertension risk and that may help explain race differences identified here.

  18. The Ecology of Volunteerism among College Women: Identifying Campus Environments That Inform Volunteering Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axlund McBride, RaeLyn; Lott, Joe L.

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the relationship between campus environments, female college student peer culture, and the tendency to volunteer while in college. The authors used Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development (1977, 2005) as a framework to (a) identify one multi-faceted campus environment that is linked to volunteerism among college…

  19. ATLAS@Home: Harnessing Volunteer Computing for HEP

    CERN Document Server

    Cameron, David; The ATLAS collaboration

    2015-01-01

    The ATLAS collaboration has setup a volunteer computing project called ATLAS@home. Volunteers running Monte-Carlo simulation on their personal computer provide significant computing resources, but also belong to a community potentially interested in HEP. Four types of contributors have been identified, whose questions range from advanced technical details to the reason why simulation is needed, how Computing is organized and how it relates to society. The creation of relevant outreach material for simulation, event visualization and distributed production will be described, as well as lessons learned while interacting with the BOINC volunteers community.

  20. Volunteer Work, Religious Commitment, and Resting Pulse Rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Neal; Ironson, Gail; Hill, Peter C

    2017-04-01

    Research indicates that greater involvement in volunteer activities is associated with better health. We aim to contribute to this literature in two ways. First, rather than rely on self-reports of health, measured resting pulse rates serve as the dependent variable. Second, an effort is made to see if religious commitment moderates the relationship between volunteering and resting pulse rates. Data that come from a recent nationwide survey (N = 2265) suggest that volunteer work is associated with lower resting pulse rates. The results also reveal that the relationship between engaging in volunteer work and resting pulse rates improves among study participants who are more deeply committed to religion.

  1. The Challenge of Volunteering Frequency in Croatia--Can Volunteers Contribute to the Social Capital Development Once a Year?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culum, Bojana; Forcic, Gordana

    2008-01-01

    Volunteering is one of the strongest elements of shaping democratic change within the society. It is also an essential element in citizenship development and in re-establishing a sense of community. Volunteering empowers individuals, builds solidarity, encourages participation and protects vulnerable groups against social and economic…

  2. Acute effects of acrolein in human volunteers during controlled exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwivedi, Aishwarya M; Johanson, Gunnar; Lorentzen, Johnny C; Palmberg, Lena; Sjögren, Bengt; Ernstgård, Lena

    2015-01-01

    Acrolein is a reactive aldehyde mainly formed by combustion. The critical effect is considered to be irritation of the eyes and airways; however, the scarce data available make it difficult to assess effect levels. The aim of the study was to determine thresholds for acute irritation for acrolein. Nine healthy volunteers of each sex were exposed at six occasions for 2 h at rest to: clean air, 15 ppm ethyl acetate (EA), and 0.05 ppm and 0.1 ppm acrolein with and without EA (15 ppm) to mask the potential influence of odor. Symptoms related to irritation and central nervous system effects were rated on 100-mm Visual Analogue Scales. The ratings of eye irritation were slightly but significantly increased during exposure to acrolein in a dose-dependent manner (p acrolein alone but not during any of the other five exposure conditions. Based on subjective ratings, the present study showed minor eye irritation by exposure to 0.1 ppm acrolein.

  3. Youth Volunteering in the States: 2002 to 2006. Fact Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helms, Sara E.; Marcelo, Karlo Barrios

    2007-01-01

    Volunteer rates vary tremendously across states and age groups. In recent years, young people have exhibited rising volunteering rates, particularly high school students and college freshmen, but 2006 witnessed a drop in the volunteering rate among. When comparing the volunteer rates for different age groups from 2002 to 2006, 16-18 year olds…

  4. Leveraging Telehealth to Bring Volunteer Physicians Into Underserved Communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uscher-Pines, Lori; Rudin, Robert; Mehrotra, Ateev

    2017-06-01

    Many disadvantaged communities lack sufficient numbers of local primary care and specialty physicians. Yet tens of thousands of physicians, in particular those who are retired or semiretired, desire meaningful volunteer opportunities. Multiple programs have begun to use telehealth to bridge the gap between volunteer physicians and underserved patients. In this brief, we describe programs that are using this model and discuss the promise and pitfalls. Physician volunteers in these programs report that the work can be fulfilling and exciting, a cutting-edge yet convenient way to remain engaged and contribute. Given the projected shortfall of physicians in the United States, recruiting retired and semiretired physicians to provide care through telehealth increases the total supply of active physicians and the capacity of the existing workforce. However, programs typically use volunteers in a limited capacity because of uncertainty about the level and duration of commitment. Acknowledging this reality, most programs only use volunteer physicians for curbside consults rather than fully integrating them into longitudinal patient care. The part-time availability of volunteers may also be difficult to incorporate into the workflow of busy safety net clinics. As more physicians volunteer in a growing number of telehealth programs, the dual benefits of enriching the professional lives of volunteers and improving care for underserved communities will make further development of these programs worthwhile.

  5. Volunteering and mortality risk: a partner-controlled quasi-experimental design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Reilly, Dermot; Rosato, Michael; Moriarty, John; Leavey, Gerard

    2017-08-01

    The consensus that volunteering is associated with a lower mortality risk is derived from a body of observational studies and therefore vulnerable to uncontrolled or residual confounding. This potential limitation is likely to be particularly problematic for volunteers who, by definition, are self-selected and known to be significantly different from non-volunteers across a range of factors associated with better survival. This is a census-based record-linkage study of 308 733 married couples aged 25 and over, including 100 571 volunteers, with mortality follow-up for 33 months. We used a standard Cox model to examine whether mortality risk in the partners of volunteers was influenced by partner volunteering status-something expected if the effects of volunteering on mortality risk were due to shared household or behavioural characteristics. Volunteers were general more affluent, better educated and more religious than their non-volunteering peers; they also had a lower mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR)adj = 0.78: 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71, 0.85 for males and HRadj = 0.77: 95% CI = 0.68, 0.88 for females]. However, amongst cohort members who were not volunteers, having a partner who was a volunteer was not associated with a mortality advantage (HRadj = 1.01: 95% CI = 0.92, 1.11 for men and HRadj = 1.00: 95% CI = 0.88, 1.13 women). This study provides further evidence that the lower mortality associated with volunteering is unlikely to be due to health selection or to residual confounding arising from unmeasured selection effects within households. It therefore increases the plausibility of a direct causal effect. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

  6. Village health volunteers: key issues facing agencies in Malawi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The participants discussed recruitment, training, rewards, retention, and roles of village health volunteers. This paper presents background data on village health volunteers in Malawi and elsewhere and reviews the key issues facing health care providers in working with village health volunteers. A copy of the workshop ...

  7. Motivation of volunteers at disability sports events: A comparative ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Motivation of volunteers at disability sports events: A comparative study of volunteers in Malaysia, South Africa and the United States. ... African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences. Journal Home ... Very few cross-cultural comparisons have been done to assess the motivations of volunteers at similar events.

  8. RECRUITING OLDER VOLUNTEERS: FINDINGS FROM THE BELGIAN AGEING STUDIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah DURY

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Although there is a significant body of work concerning voluntary work, hardly any attention is given to volunteering of older individuals. Moreover, the potential volunteers among older adults is even less examined. Next to volunteering among olde r adults, the neighbou rhood becomes more salient when people age and this due to their more intense use and time spent in the neighbourhood. In response to these lacunae, the main purpose of this contribution is to examine the impact of subjective neighbourhood features on the recruitment potential for volunteering among older people. This study uses data collected from the Belgian Ageing Studies. 59.977 adults aged sixty and over living self-reliantly in 127 Flemish municipalities in Belgium participated in this study. A binary logistic regression is ap plied to analyse the key va riables characterizing potential volunteers. Our findings stress the need for recognizing the crucial importance of the locality when recruiting older adults for volunteer activities.

  9. Embedding Volunteer Activity into Paramedic Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Linda; Kabidi, Sophia

    2017-01-01

    Paramedics require a wide range of skills that are beyond clinical or technical skills in order to meet the demands of the role and provide quality and compassionate care to patients. Non-technical or "soft" skills and attributes are generally challenging to teach and develop in the classroom setting. Volunteerism provides an opportunity for students to gain exposure to different communities and develop interpersonal skills. This cross-sectional study used one-on-one interviews with 12 third-year Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) students from Monash University, Australia, who completed a community volunteering program. Results suggest that paramedic students see volunteering as a highly valuable means of developing a number of skills crucial to their future roles and paramedic practice. Volunteering also provided students with an opportunity to learn about themselves and the broader community, develop confidence, and improve overall job-readiness and employability. This study demonstrates that embedding volunteering into paramedic education is an effective way to develop the broad range of paramedic attributes required for the role. These experiences allow students to make the important transition to a job-ready graduate paramedic who can provide holistic patient-centred care.

  10. Social commitment of volunteering in clown-therapy: an empowering empirical research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Rosaria Strollo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a quantitative empirical research on the factors influencing volunteers in clown-therapy. The field of the volunteering has social relevance particularly for its positive aspects on social community and on prosocial behavior. However, after a broad literature review on the topic of volunteering, the researcher aims to investigate the specific issue of volunteering in clown-therapy, exploring similarities and differences with voluntary activities in other settings, and analysing motivations and reasons for the choice to become a volunteer. A comparative and statistical approach is the real innovative aspect of this research in that it carried out factor analysis, comparative analysis and overcame the limits of the prior research on volunteering, which had dealt just with some dimensions of the complex phenomenon of volunteering.Finally, the research results confirm the hypothesis that volunteering in general, and volunteering in clown-therapy in particular, is an activity empowering both for the individual and for the entire community.

  11. Health effects of a subway environment in mild asthmatic volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klepczyńska-Nyström, Anna; Larsson, Britt-Marie; Grunewald, Johan; Pousette, Charlotte; Lundin, Anders; Eklund, Anders; Svartengren, Magnus

    2012-01-01

    Particle exposure is known to have negative health effects. In Stockholm the environment in the subway has been reported to have higher particle exposure levels, measured as PM(2.5) and PM(10), than roads with intense traffic in the inner city area. We have recently shown that healthy volunteers exposed to subway environment had statistically significant increase of fibrinogen and CD4 cells expressing regulatory T-cell marker CD25(bright)/FOXP3 in blood. The aim of the present study was to find out whether a more vulnerable population, asthmatics, would demonstrate similar or other changes in the lungs or in the peripheral blood. Sixteen mild asthmatics were exposed to a subway and a control environment for 2 h while being monitored by measurements of lung function, and inflammatory response in the lower airways evaluated by bronchoscopy and in peripheral blood. An attempt to standardize the exposures was done, by letting the volunteers alternate 15 min intervals of moderate exercise on a bicycle ergometer with 15 min of rest. We found a statistically significant increased frequency of CD4 cells expressing T-cell activation marker CD25 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, but no significant increase of regulatory T-cells in blood as was found in healthy volunteers. Our study shows that airway inflammatory responses after exposure in subway environment differ between asthmatic and healthy humans. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Motivations of Volunteer Leaders in an Extension Exercise Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washburn, Lisa T.; Cornell, Carol E.; Traywick, LaVona; Felix, Holly C.; Phillips, Martha

    2015-01-01

    This article describes findings from a qualitative study of volunteer leaders in the StrongWomen strength training program in Arkansas. The study explored reasons volunteers initially agreed to serve, perceptions of volunteer role, and motivations for continuing to lead strength training groups long-term. Findings suggest a combination of factors…

  13. Volunteer Computing Experience with ATLAS@Home

    CERN Document Server

    Cameron, David; The ATLAS collaboration; Bourdarios, Claire; Lan\\c con, Eric

    2016-01-01

    ATLAS@Home is a volunteer computing project which allows the public to contribute to computing for the ATLAS experiment through their home or office computers. The project has grown continuously since its creation in mid-2014 and now counts almost 100,000 volunteers. The combined volunteers' resources make up a sizable fraction of overall resources for ATLAS simulation. This paper takes stock of the experience gained so far and describes the next steps in the evolution of the project. These improvements include running natively on Linux to ease the deployment on for example university clusters, using multiple cores inside one job to reduce the memory requirements and running different types of workload such as event generation. In addition to technical details the success of ATLAS@Home as an outreach tool is evaluated.

  14. Identifying Environmental and Human Factors Associated With Tick Bites using Volunteered Reports and Frequent Pattern Mining

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Garcia-Martí, Irene; Zurita-Milla, Raul; Swart, Arno; Wijngaard, van den Kees C.; Vliet, van Arnold J.H.; Bennema, Sita; Harms, Margriet

    2017-01-01

    Tick populations and tick-borne diseases like Lyme borreliosis have been steadily increasing since the mid-1990s. Realizing the threat that ticks pose to public health, two Dutch citizen science projects have collected tick bite reports since 2006. This unique volunteered geographical dataset,

  15. Matching Expectations for Successful University Student Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paull, Megan; Omari, Maryam; MacCallum, Judith; Young, Susan; Walker, Gabrielle; Holmes, Kirsten; Haski-Leventha, Debbie; Scott, Rowena

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of expectation formation and matching for university student volunteers and their hosts. Design/methodology/approach: This research involved a multi-stage data collection process including interviews with student volunteers, and university and host representatives from six…

  16. Long-term consequences of youth volunteering: Voluntary versus involuntary service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jinho; Morgül, Kerem

    2017-09-01

    Despite the renewed interest in youth volunteering in recent years, there remain major gaps in our knowledge of its consequences. Drawing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we examine the long-term effects of youth volunteering on the civic and personal aspects of volunteers' lives. Our results suggest that youth volunteering has a positive return on adult volunteering only when it is voluntary, and that net of contextual factors neither voluntary nor involuntary youth service has a significant effect on adult voting. Regarding personal outcomes, our findings indicate that the psychological benefits of youth volunteering accrue only to voluntary participants, whereas both voluntary and involuntary youth service are positively associated with educational attainment and earnings in young adulthood. Taken together, these results lend support to the case for youth volunteer programs, though the civic benefits of these programs appear to be less dramatic than generally suggested. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Leaving home: how older adults prepare for intensive volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheek, Cheryl; Piercy, Kathleen W; Grainger, Sarah

    2015-03-01

    Using the concepts in the Fogg Behavioral Model, 37 volunteers aged 50 and older described their preparation for intensive volunteering with faith-based organizations. Their multistage preparation process included decision points where respondents needed to choose whether to drop out or continue preparation. Ability was a stronger determinant of serving than motivation, particularly in terms of health and finances. This model can facilitate understanding of the barriers to volunteering and aid organizations in tailoring support at crucial points for potential older volunteers in intensive service. © The Author(s) 2013.

  18. Volunteer motivation in special events for people with disabilities ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There has been little research attention in the South African context on volunteer motivation for special events for people with disabilities. This study explored the key factors that motivated volunteers to volunteer their services at three major sport events for people with disabilities in South Africa. A 28-item questionnaire was ...

  19. The Data Reliability of Volunteered Geographic Information with Using Traffic Accident Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevinç, H. K.; Karaş, I. R.

    2017-11-01

    The development of mobile technologies is important in the lives of humans. Mobile devices constitute a great part of the daily lives of people. It has come to such a point that when people first wake up, they check their smart phones for the first thing. Users may share their positions with the GNSS sensors in mobile devices or they can add information about their positions in mobile applications. Users contribute to Geographical Information System with this sharing. These users consist of native (citizens) living in that geographical position not of the CBS specialists. Creating, collecting, sharing and disseminating the geographical data provided by voluntary individuals constitute the Volunteered Geographic Information System. The data in the Volunteered Geographic Information System are received from amateur users. "How reliable will the data received from amateur users instead of specialists of the field be in scientific terms?" In this study, the reliability between the data received from the voluntary users through Volunteered Geographic Information System and real data is investigated. The real data consist of the traffic accident coordinates. The data that will be received from users will be received through the speed values in the relevant coordinates and the marking of the users for possible accident points on the map.

  20. Effect of Fresh Orange Juice Intake on Physiological Characteristics in Healthy Volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Asgary, Sedigheh; Keshvari, Mahtab; Afshani, Mohammad Reza; Amiri, Masoud; Laher, Ismail; Javanmard, Shaghayegh Haghjooy

    2014-01-01

    Background. Impaired endothelial function is a predictor of cardiovascular events. Orange juice (OJ) is rich in dietary flavonoids and could inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. We examined the effects of commercial (COJ) and fresh orange juice (FOJ) on endothelial function and physiological characteristics in healthy humans. Materials and Methods. Twenty-two healthy volunteers years were enrolled in a single blind randomized crossover controlled trial. The two groups consumed...

  1. NASTEP Volunteer Request (CSA) -

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Transportation — Allows users to add themselves to a Service Area wide ?volunteer for emergency duty? list (was created after Gulf Coast Hurricanes). Approval and email by managers,...

  2. When Volunteering Breeds Trust – and When it Does Not A Panel Study of the Volunteering – Trust Relationship

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekkers, René

    2006-01-01

    It is a common belief that participation in voluntary associations makes citizens more trusting of others. This paper reports longitudinal analyses of volunteering and trust on the Giving in the Netherlands Panel Study (2002-2004; n=1246) refuting this belief. I find that volunteering has little

  3. A first‐in‐human pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic study of a fully human anti‐glucagon receptor monoclonal antibody in normal healthy volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostic, Ana; King, Thomas Alexander; Yang, Feng; Chan, Kuo‐Chen; Yancopoulos, George D.; Gromada, Jesper

    2017-01-01

    Aims Glucagon receptor (GCGR) blockers are being investigated as potential therapeutics for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Here we report the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of REGN1193, a fully human glucagon receptor blocking monoclonal antibody from a first‐in‐human healthy volunteer randomized double‐blinded trial. Methods Healthy men and women received single ascending doses of REGN1193 ranging from 0.05 to 0.6 mg/kg (n = 42) or placebo (n = 14) intravenously. Safety, tolerability and PK were assessed over 106 days. The glucose‐lowering effect of REGN1193 was assessed after induction of hyperglycaemia by serial glucagon challenges. Results REGN1193 was generally well tolerated. There were small (50 mg/dL, and did not require treatment or medical assistance. Concentration‐time profiles suggest a 2‐compartment disposition and marked nonlinearity, consistent with target‐mediated clearance. REGN1193 inhibited the glucagon‐stimulated glucose increase in a dose‐dependent manner. The 0.6 mg/kg dose inhibited the glucagon‐induced glucose area under the curve for 0 to 90 minutes (AUC0‐90 minutes) by 80% to 90% on days 3 and 15, while blunting the increase in C‐peptide. REGN1193 dose‐dependently increased total GLP‐1, GLP‐2 and glucagon, with plasma levels returning to baseline by day 29 in all dose groups. Conclusion REGN1193, a GCGR‐blocking monoclonal antibody, produced a safety, tolerability and PK/PD profile suitable for further clinical development. The occurrence of transient elevations in serum hepatic aminotransferases observed here and reported with several small molecule glucagon receptor antagonists suggests an on‐target effect of glucagon receptor blockade. The underlying mechanism is unknown. PMID:28755409

  4. Using Videoconferencing to Create Authentic Online Learning for Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobley, Jennifer; Ouellette, Kristy L.

    2017-01-01

    Face-to-face training for Extension volunteers is no longer the only viable delivery mode. In times of rapid technological advances, we are faced with a plethora of options for offering volunteers the training and support they need. Zoom, an online videoconferencing platform, can easily be used to engage volunteers in professional development.…

  5. Engaged anthropology and corporate volunteering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natália Blahová

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present engaged anthropology and its methodological tools with a specific perspective of the research field and the position of the researcher with regard to research subjects. The study focuses on corporate volunteering as one of the forms of collaboration between the non-profit and the private sectors seeking solutions to social problems and community development. Volunteering projects contribute to the interlinking of the knowledge, skills, experience and resources of corporate employees and the representatives of the non-profit or the public sector. It is a part of the philanthropic strategy of companies which are willing to present themselves as entities responsible towards the environment in which they run their business, and towards their employees, partners and customers. Engaged anthropology can bring, through its methodological tools, a new perspective of corporate volunteering. Community-based participatory research on the process of knowledge creation includes all partners on an equal basis and identifies their unique contribution to problem solution and community development.

  6. Volunteer work and psychological health following traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouellet, Marie-Christine; Morin, Charles M; Lavoie, André

    2009-01-01

    To compare the long-term psychological functioning of 3 groups of survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI): (1) those who report being regularly active either by working or studying, (2) those who are not competitively employed but are active volunteers, and (3) those who report neither working, studying, nor volunteering. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: Two hundred eight participants aged 16 years and older with minor to severe TBI were classified as (1) Working/Studying (N = 78), (2) Volunteering (N = 54), or (3) Nonactive (N = 76). Measures of psychological distress (anxiety, depression, cognitive disturbance, irritability/anger), fatigue, sleep disturbance, and perception of pain. Survivors of TBI who report being active through work, studies, or volunteering demonstrate a significantly higher level of psychological adjustment than persons who report no activity. Even among participants who are unable to return to work and are declared on long-term disability leave, those who report engaging in volunteer activities present significantly better psychological functioning than participants who are nonactive. Volunteering is associated with enhanced psychological well-being and should be encouraged following TBI.

  7. [Drug evaluation in healthy volunteers. Legislative and ethical aspects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warot, D

    1991-01-01

    Studies in healthy volunteers have been legalized since December 20th 1988 in France. The healthy volunteer is employed for a variety of studies in phases I and IV of drug development. This type of research can equally be called nontherapeutic in nature. Every experiment involving healthy volunteers should be approved by the Ethics Committee. Using volunteers within the department, company or other organisation, while offering advantages for the investigator should be prohibited as freedom of concept might not be safeguarded. As well, financial incentives may over-persuade individuals, including students, who have low incomes and promote the "professional volunteer". To avoid this problem, French law planned a national register. The potential benefits of such a disposition are still unknown. Having been given appropriate information concerning the drug trial, his obligations and rights, the healthy volunteer gives his written consent. Specific recommendations for nontherapeutic assessments of drug effects are given concerning prisoners, the mentally handicapped, women with a risk of frequency, children. Ethical considerations concerning research on a healthy population must go beyond the law recently promulgated in France.

  8. Hospital administrative characteristics and volunteer resource management practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intindola, Melissa; Rogers, Sean; Flinchbaugh, Carol; Della Pietra, Doug

    2016-05-16

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the links between various characteristics of hospital administration and the utilization of classes of volunteer resource management (VRM) practices. Design/methodology/approach - This paper uses original data collected via surveys of volunteer directors in 122 hospitals in five Northeastern and Southern US states. Findings - Structural equation modeling results suggest that number of paid volunteer management staff, scope of responsibility of the primary volunteer administrator, and hospital size are positively associated with increased usage of certain VRM practices. Research limitations/implications - First, the authors begin the exploration of VRM antecedents, and encourage others to continue this line of inquiry; and second, the authors assess dimensionality of practices, allowing future researchers to consider whether specific dimensions have a differential impact on key individual and organizational outcomes. Practical implications - Based on the findings of a relationship between administrative characteristics and the on-the-ground execution of VRM practice, a baseline audit comparing current practices to those VRM practices presented here might be useful in determining what next steps may be taken to focus investments in VRM that can ultimately drive practice utilization. Originality/value - The exploration of the dimensionality of volunteer management adds a novel perspective to both the academic study, and practice, of volunteer management. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical categorization of VRM practices.

  9. The volunteer anesthetist: a personal view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, S T

    2000-08-01

    The most common opportunities for nurse anesthetists to be involved in volunteer anesthesia overseas are usually on a surgical team to provide direct care for selected types of patients or to be involved in teaching local anesthesia providers. The challenges are numerous and unique in each setting. Sharing of knowledge, directly as an instructor or indirectly as a provider, provides for a great impact on health care delivery in many emerging nations. The anesthesia provider who is working to deliver care in another country must consider many variables before taking on such a venture. The type of surgical team or teaching assignment one accepts will determine the type of preparation that must be done before departing. In addition to the many organizational items, one should consider some personal issues as well. Lost wages, transportation costs, and lodging expenses are often paid for by the volunteer. Time away from one's family may also be a consideration. Health care, such as updated immunizations, must be attended to before to departure. Volunteers must be able to provide good care in less than ideal situations, and often with much less equipment and medications than are available in the United States. A review of some of the issues that one should consider before deciding to be a volunteer are outlined in this article. The nurse anesthetist who successfully anticipates and deals with the challenges of volunteer anesthesia will be rewarded with an intense degree of personal satisfaction. The ability to give back to the profession and those who would otherwise not have access to one's skills or knowledge produces a sense of accomplishment that is unique.

  10. Training Shelter Volunteers to Teach Dog Compliance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Veronica J.; DiGennaro Reed, Florence D.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the degree to which training procedures influenced the integrity of behaviorally based dog training implemented by volunteers of an animal shelter. Volunteers were taught to implement discrete-trial obedience training to teach 2 skills (sit and wait) to dogs. Procedural integrity during the baseline and written instructions…

  11. Linking Motivation and Commitment through Learning Activities in the Volunteer Sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafino, Allan

    2001-01-01

    Volunteer motivation and commitment are linked through learning about the organization, the job, and oneself. Volunteer managers should (1) identity volunteer motivations and establish conditions to support them; (2) identify learning activities appropriate for motivations and learning styles; (3) ensure congruence between volunteer learning and…

  12. Examining Volunteer Motivations and Recruitment Strategies For Engagement in Urban Forestry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Moskell

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Few studies in urban forestry have examined the motivations of urban forestry volunteers. In this research, two social psychological theories (Volunteer Functions Inventory and Volunteer Process Model are utilized to examine motivations for participating in tree planting activities. The Volunteer Functions Inventory can be used to examine the needs, goals and motivations that individuals seek to fulfill through volunteerism. The Volunteer Process Model sheds light on the antecedents, experiences and consequences of volunteerism at multiple levels (individual, interpersonal, organizational, societal. An understanding of volunteer motivations can aid practitioners in the development and implementation of participatory urban forestry programs that are attractive to stakeholders. We conducted a survey of volunteers who participated in a MillionTreesNYC volunteer planting event and a focus group of urban forestry practitioners. Survey results reveal that volunteers have varied motivations and a limited knowledge of the community level impacts of trees. Results from the focus group reveal that providing education about the benefits of trees and maintaining long-term communication with volunteers are frequently used strategies for engagement. However, the public’s lack of knowledge about urban forestry and an inability to connect to audiences are practitioner-identified challenges for recruiting stakeholders to participate in their programs.

  13. The lived experience of volunteering in a palliative care biography service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beasley, Elizabeth; Brooker, Joanne; Warren, Narelle; Fletcher, Jane; Boyle, Christopher; Ventura, Adriana; Burney, Susan

    2015-10-01

    Many patients approaching death experience hopelessness, helplessness, and a depressed mood, and these factors can contribute to a difficult end-of-life (EoL) period. Biography services may assist patients in finding meaning and purpose at this time. The aim of our study was to investigate the lived experience of volunteers involved in a biography service in Melbourne, Australia, using a qualitative methodology. The participants were 10 volunteers who had participated in a biography service within a private palliative care service. Each volunteer was interviewed separately using a study-specific semistructured interview guide. The transcripts of these interviews were then subjected to thematic analysis. Analysis yielded the following themes: motivations for volunteering; dealing with death, dying, and existential issues; psychosocial benefits of volunteering; and benefits and challenges of working with patients and their families. Our results indicated that volunteering gave the volunteers a deeper appreciation of existential issues, and helped them to be more appreciative of their own lives and gain a deeper awareness of the struggles other people experience. They also suggested that volunteers felt that their involvement contributed to their own personal development, and was personally rewarding. Furthermore, the results highlighted that volunteers found that encounters with family members were sometimes challenging. While some were appreciative, others imposed time limits, became overly reliant on the volunteers, and were sometimes offended, hurt, and angered by what was included in the final biography. It is hoped that the findings of the current study will provide direction for improvements in the biography services that will benefit patients, family members, and volunteers. In particular, our findings highlight the need to provide ongoing support for volunteers to assist them in handling the challenges of volunteering in a palliative care setting.

  14. Municipality and Neighborhood Influences on Volunteering in Later Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dury, Sarah; Willems, Jurgen; De Witte, Nico; De Donder, Liesbeth; Buffel, Tine; Verté, Dominique

    2016-06-01

    This article explores the relationships between municipality features and volunteering by older adults. In the literature, strong evidence exists of the influence of place on older people's health. However, the question how neighborhoods and municipalities promote or hinder volunteer participation remains under-explored. Data for the research are derived from the Belgian Aging Studies. We estimate logistic multilevel models for older individuals' engagement in volunteering across 141 municipalities in Belgium (N = 67,144). Analysis shows that neighborhood connectedness, neighborhood satisfaction, home ownership, and presence of services predict voluntary engagement at older ages. The findings support that perceptions and quality of social resources that relate to neighborhoods may be important factors to explain volunteering among older adults. Moreover, the findings suggest that volunteering in later life must be considered within a broader framework. © The Author(s) 2014.

  15. Making short-term international medical volunteer placements work: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elnawawy, Omnia; Lee, Andrew C K; Pohl, Gerda

    2014-06-01

    International medical volunteering has grown in recent decades. It has the potential to benefit and harm the volunteer and host countries; but there is a paucity of literature on the impacts of international medical volunteering and a need to find ways to optimise the benefits of such placements. In this study, one example of international medical volunteering was examined involving British GPs on short-term placements in Nepal. The intention was to explore the expectations and experiences of the local health workers, volunteers, and host organisation to try and understand what makes volunteer placements work. Qualitative study of key informant interviews. Stakeholders of a short-term international medical volunteer (IMV) placement programme in Nepal. Key informant interviews were carried out via face-to-face or telephone/internet interviews with five previous volunteers, three representatives from a non-governmental organisation providing placements, and five local health workers in Nepal who had had contact with the IMVs. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using standard thematic framework approaches. All the stakeholders had their own specific motives for participating in the IMV programme. The relationship between volunteers and the Nepalese health workers was complex and characterised by discrepant and occasionally unrealistic expectations. Managing these different expectations was challenging. Contextual issues and cultural differences are important considerations in medical volunteer programmes, and this study highlights the importance of robust preparation pre-placement for the volunteer and host to ensure positive outcomes. © British Journal of General Practice 2014.

  16. Media image of sport volunteering during the UEFA Euro 2012™ and the motives for social work and its style of volunteers working in Poznan and in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marek Brdak

    2015-11-01

    Abstract   Background: Volunteering in sport is the most popular and media form of pro-social work in Europe. In Poland, to such activity the conditions are still creating by the largest growth of numbers of institutions active in the public sector in the field of sport, recreation, tourism and hobbies. Interest in volunteering at sport events is increasing, especially among young people. The media image of sport volunteering is adopted by the organizer with chosen promotional strategy. The associated expectations of the participants, their motivation and style of behaving during participation in volunteer project as a consequence are also factors determining the media image of sport volunteering.   Aim: The aim of the study is to compare the style of engaging in social work of their participants and motives of taking that kind of work by volunteers working in Poznan. Material and Method: The analysis included data available on the Internet regarding to organization of volunteer work during the UEFA Euro 2012™ in Poland and Ukraine as well as literature review regarding to the motivation to unpaid work in Poland. The motives of engaging in to volunteering as well as style of that work was compared between groups of participants of volunteering at UEFA Euro 2012™ in Poznan and Poland.   Results: Volunteering at UEFA Euro 2012™ was separated on two areas, sports and urban and was coordinated by different organizers. The convergence between the motivational climate created by organizers of two independent volunteer projects at UEFA Euro 2012™ and motives for social work of its participants is visible. Encouraging volunteers to unpaid work in sport area of tournament by presenting it as a possibility to feel the sports atmosphere was similar to motives and significant more often reported by its volunteers than volunteers working in urban zone. Altruistic motives underlying in social activities significantly more often were reported by volunteers working in

  17. Volunteering as a community mother--a pathway to lifelong learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molloy, Mary

    2007-05-01

    This paper describes a study that was undertaken to investigate the effects of participating in a community volunteering programme (the Community Mothers Programme) on volunteers (Community Mothers). The aim of the study was to investigate if volunteering in this programme acted as a pathway to lifelong learning; did the volunteers recognise the learning of new knowledge and/or skills, and did their participation in the programme trigger them to progress to further education in other settings? A self-administered questionnaire method was used for data collection: 115 questionnaires being distributed to volunteers, with a response rate of eighty-two (71 per cent). Findings show that the majority of the respondents cited the learning of new knowledge and/or skills as a result of their participation in the Community Mothers Programme. Learning appeared to stem from the various training and activities, suggesting an educational process within the volunteer setting. Findings also show that the majority of respondents had progressed to further education. In this instance, therefore, volunteering did appear to act as a pathway to lifelong learning.

  18. Meaningful Commitment: Finding Meaning in Volunteer Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, Tatjana; Hoof, Matthias

    2012-01-01

    This study tests the hypothesis that volunteer work is associated with various aspects of meaning making by employing a multi-dimensional model of meaning operationalized by the "Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire" ("SoMe"). An empirical study comparing 168 volunteers with a representative sample of the general population (N =…

  19. Student Volunteering in England: A Critical Moment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darwen, Jamie; Rannard, Andrea Grace

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the current state of student volunteering in English universities, and show how it contributes to some of the core activities of higher education, including teaching and learning, employability, and public engagement. The paper goes on to describe challenges currently faced by student volunteering,…

  20. The role sports volunteering in the life of university students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasia Bondar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: identify the role sports volunteering in the life of university students. Material and Methods: 256 students of the Kharkov state academy of physical culture took part in research. The analysis of literary sources and documents was utillized; questioning (questionnaire, methods of the mathematical processing of data. Conclusions: sports volunteering is inalienable part of life of modern students and the 35% polled already were in a position to prove as helpers of organizers of sporting competitions of different level. In opinion of students, volunteering enables them to purchase experience of public activity, so the 25% polled consider, to find new friends – 20,8%, realized themselves – 18,3%. 34,5% respondents consider it-volunteering perspective direction the volunteers activity, the here 32,4% polled would like to prove as counsels of all of sporting volunteers work assignments

  1. School-based mentoring: A study of volunteer motivations and benefits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul CALDARELLA

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available While research has been conducted concerning the effects of school-based mentoring on atrisk students, limited work has focused on the volunteer mentors. This study examined the motivations of adult volunteers and the benefits of their participation in a six-month,school-based mentoring program. A total of 31 volunteers completed adapted versions of the Volunteer Functions Inventory and a post-survey as part of a program in which they mentored at-risk elementary school students. Volunteers were more satisfied with theirmentoring experience when their perceived benefits matched their initial motivations, though this did not seem to impact their intentions to mentor again in the future. Volunteers’ motivations tended toward expressing important values or gaining greaterunderstanding, though some younger volunteers were also motivated to gain career-related experience. Implications for school-based mentoring programs are addressed.

  2. Volunteering in the Community: Potential Benefits for Cognitive Aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guiney, Hayley; Machado, Liana

    2018-03-02

    This review aims to advance understanding of the potential benefits of volunteering in the community for older adults' cognitive functioning by taking an in-depth look at the relevant evidence to date. This review describes the main pathways through which volunteering could plausibly benefit cognitive functioning and critically examines research that has specifically investigated links between volunteering and cognition. Fifteen articles that assessed in adults aged ≥ 55 years the relationship between volunteering (predictor) and cognitive functioning (outcome) were identified via literature database searches. On balance, evidence from the small number of relevant studies to date supports the idea that volunteering can protect against cognitive aging with respect to global functioning and at least some specific cognitive domains. Studies that used robust designs and assessed domain-specific cognitive functioning produced the largest effect sizes. To help advance the field, this review puts forward recommendations for future research, with an emphasis on the need for robust study designs and specific investigations into the nature and extent of the cognitive benefits of volunteering. Through that work, researchers can determine how a simple and accessible activity like volunteering can best be used to help reduce the burden of age-related cognitive decline. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Hypotension during endotoxemia in aged humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krabbe, Karen Suarez; Kemp, Helle Bruunsgaard; Qvist, Jesper

    2001-01-01

    BACKGROUND: and objective The aim of this study was to determine possible age-associated differences in human blood pressure regulation during an immunological challenge in healthy subjects. METHODS: Eight healthy young volunteers (median age 24 yr) and nine healthy elderly volunteers (median age...

  4. Gender differences in volunteer activities: Evidence from German survey data

    OpenAIRE

    Marcus Dittrich; Bianka Mey

    2015-01-01

    Using unique data from a large-scale online survey conducted in Germany, we examine gender differences in volunteering for charitable organisations. Our findings suggest that men are more likely than women to engage in regular volunteer activities. Additionally, we find that men devote more time to charitable causes than women. However, disaggregating the volunteer labour supply by different organisations reveals that women spend more time performing volunteer work for organisations that help...

  5. Plucked Human Hair Shafts and Biomolecular Medical Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Schembri

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The hair follicle is a skin integument at the boundary between an organism and its immediate environment. The biological role of the human hair follicle has lost some of its ancestral importance. However, an indepth investigation of this miniorgan reveals hidden complexity with huge research potential. An essential consideration when dealing with human research is the awareness of potential harm and thus the absolute need not to harm—a rule aptly qualified by the Latin term “primum non nocere” (first do no harm. The plucked hair shaft offers such advantages. The use of stem cells found in hair follicles cells is gaining momentum in the field of regenerative medicine. Furthermore, current diagnostic and clinical applications of plucked hair follicles include their use as autologous and/or three-dimensional epidermal equivalents, together with their utilization as surrogate tissue in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies. Consequently, the use of noninvasive diagnostic procedures on hair follicle shafts, posing as a surrogate molecular model for internal organs in the individual patient for a spectrum of human disease conditions, can possibly become a reality in the near future.

  6. Peace Corps Stateside Teacher Training for Volunteers in Liberia. Volume V: Cross-Cultural Training and Support Services. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    PSI Associates, Inc., Washington, DC.

    The cross-cultural training module and support services for Peace Corps volunteers en route to Liberia make trainees more aware of and sensitive to cultural differences in human behavior and human interaction. In this part of the Peace Corps Stateside Teacher Training Model, the approach to training is both generic and specific, and both native…

  7. Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeung, Jerf W K; Zhang, Zhuoni; Kim, Tae Yeun

    2017-07-11

    Although the health benefits of volunteering have been well documented, no research has examined its cumulative effects according to other-oriented and self-oriented volunteering on multiple health outcomes in the general adult public. This study examined other-oriented and self-oriented volunteering in cumulative contribution to health outcomes (mental and physical health, life satisfaction, social well-being and depression). Data were drawn from the Survey of Texas Adults 2004, which contains a statewide population-based sample of adults (n = 1504). Multivariate linear regression and Wald test of parameters equivalence constraint were used to test the relationships. Both forms of volunteering were significantly related to better health outcomes (odds ratios = 3.66% to 11.11%), except the effect of self-oriented volunteering on depression. Other-oriented volunteering was found to have better health benefits than did self-volunteering. Volunteering should be promoted by public health, education and policy practitioners as a kind of healthy lifestyle, especially for the social subgroups of elders, ethnic minorities, those with little education, single people, and unemployed people, who generally have poorer health and less participation in volunteering.

  8. Disability and social participation: The case of formal and informal volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shandra, Carrie L

    2017-11-01

    People with disabilities in the United States experience lower levels of social integration than people without disabilities. However, less is known about the association between disability and volunteer participation-despite an extensive literature on other disparities in volunteerism. This study uses data from the 2009-2015 Volunteer Supplement of the Current Population Survey to evaluate how working-aged adults with sensory disabilities, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, or multiple disabilities access, participate in, and maintain volunteer roles. Net of sociodemographic characteristics, adults with disabilities are no less likely than those without disabilities to report informal volunteering, although the presence of physical and multiple disabilities negatively associates with formal volunteering. Adults with disabilities report no fewer annual hours or weeks than those without disabilities if they are formal volunteers, but the mechanism through which they initially become involved in volunteer organizations varies. People with different types of disability experience different patterns of volunteering, and the sociodemographic characteristics associated with having a disability exacerbate many of these differences. Results suggest that adults with disabilities can-and do-participate in voluntary work, but may face barriers to accessing formal volunteer roles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Socialising adolescent volunteering: how important are parents and friends? Age dependent effects of parents and friends on adolescents' volunteering behaviours

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Goethem, A.A.J.; van Hoof, A.; van Aken, M.A.G.; Orobio de Castro, B.; Raaijmakers, Q.A.W.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the relative importance of best friend's and parents' volunteering and civic family orientation (combined with open family communication) in adolescent volunteering, and the moderating effect of age. Results, involving 698 adolescents (M age = 15.19; SD = 1.43), revealed that

  10. Socialising adolescent volunteering : How important are parents and friends? Age dependent effects of parents and friends on adolescents' volunteering behaviours

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Goethem, Anne A J; van Hoof, Anne; van Aken, Marcel A G; Orobio de Castro, Bram; Raaijmakers, Quinten A W

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the relative importance of best friend's and parents' volunteering and civic family orientation (combined with open family communication) in adolescent volunteering, and the moderating effect of age. Results, involving 698 adolescents (M age. = 15.19; SD= 1.43), revealed that

  11. Perspectives of volunteers in emergency feeding programs on hunger, its causes, and solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edlefsen, Miriam S; Olson, Christine M

    2002-01-01

    To understand the social beliefs of volunteers in emergency feeding programs (EFPs) regarding hunger and whether volunteer experiences broadened understanding of hunger. An interpretivist paradigm and qualitative methods were used. Seventeen volunteers were recruited and interviewed from three EFPs. Interviews were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Volunteering in EFPs increased volunteers' awareness of the prevalence of hunger in their communities. More involved volunteers had a greater understanding of the life situations of the hungry. The volunteers felt that increasing self-sufficiency and private responses were appropriate solutions to hunger. The volunteers' attitudes and social beliefs were similar to those of the general public. Interventions that facilitate interaction between volunteers and clients, promote reflection on volunteer experiences, and provide alternative viewpoints on poverty are needed to broaden volunteers' understanding of hunger and food insecurity.

  12. Shirodhara : A psycho-physiological profile in healthy volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalpana D Dhuri

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Shirodhara is a classical and a well-established ayurvedic procedure of slowly and steadily dripping medicated oil or other liquids on the forehead. This procedure induces a relaxed state of awareness that results in a dynamic psycho-somatic balance. Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the psychological and physiological effects of Shirodhara in healthy volunteers by monitoring the rating of mood and levels of stress, electrocardiogram (ECG, electroencephalogram (EEG, and selected biochemical markers of stress. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the human pharmacology laboratory. The study design was open labeled, comparing the baseline variables with values after Shirodhara. The subjects (n = 16 chosen were healthy human volunteers who gave an informed consent. Shirodhara was preceded by Abhyanga - whole body massage. The Shirodhara method was standardized for rate of dripping with peristaltic pump and temperature was controlled with a thermostat. Mood and stress levels were assessed by validated rating scales. The pre- and post-Shirodhara ECG and EEG records were evaluated. Results: Student′s paired "t" test was applied to the means + SE of the variables to calculate statistical significance at P <0.05. There was a significant improvement in mood scores and the level of stress (P <0.001. These changes were accompanied by significant decrease in rate of breathing and reduction in diastolic blood pressure along with reduction in heart rate. The relaxed alert state, after Shirodhara, was co-related with an increase in alfa rhythm in EEG. Conclusion : A standardized Shirodhara leads to a state of alert calmness similar to the relaxation response observed in meditation. The clinical benefits observed with Shirodhara in anxiety neurosis, hypertension, and stress aggravation due to chronic degenerative diseases could be mediated through these adaptive physiological effects.

  13. Volunteering in dementia care – a Norwegian phenomenological study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Söderhamn U

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Ulrika Söderhamn1, Bjørg Landmark2,3, Live Aasgaard2, Hilde Eide3, Olle Söderhamn11Center for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 2Institute of Research and Development for Nursing and Care Services, Municipality of Drammen, Drammen, Norway; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, NorwayIntroduction: The number of people suffering from dementia will increase dramatically in the future, and this will be a great challenge and concern for health care services. It is assumed that volunteers will strengthen community health care services more in the future than they do today.Aim: The aim of this study was to elucidate lived experiences of working as a volunteer in an activity center with adapted activities for home-dwelling people with early stage dementia.Methods: Qualitative interviews were implemented in a group of nine female volunteers from an activity center in southern Norway. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed with a descriptive phenomenological method. Results: Volunteering in an activity center for home-dwelling people with early stage dementia was reported to provide experiences of being useful and feeling satisfied with performing a good job. It was an advantage for the volunteers to have had experiences from life in general, but also as a health professional or as being the next of kin of a dementia sufferer. It was important for the volunteers to focus on the dementia sufferer and show caring behavior, and interaction with and the appreciation of the health care professionals were also important. The volunteers were motivated by being able to have influence and participate in the planning of the work, to be a part of the social setting, and to learn. However, for some volunteers it was difficult to adjust to an appropriate role.Conclusion: In order to promote volunteering in a caring context, mutual

  14. Facts about Volunteers. NCJW Center for the Child Fact Sheet Number 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Council of Jewish Women, New York, NY. Center for the Child.

    Volunteering is a vital and widespread activity in the United States; in fact, volunteers perform many essential community functions. Those who believe that most volunteers are women with time on their hands, that volunteers just do "charity work," and that volunteers are a source of cheap labor who can replace paid professionals and…

  15. [The enantioselective pharmacokinetic study of desvenlafaxine sustained release tablet in Chinese healthy male volunteers after oral administration].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yin-xia; Du, Jiang-bo; Zhang, Yi-fan; Chen, Xiao-yan; Zhong, Da-fang

    2015-04-01

    A chiral LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of desvenlafaxine (DVS) enantiomers in human plasma was developed and applied to a pharmacokinetic study on 12 Chinese healthy volunteers. d6-Desvenlafaxine was used as internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed on the Astec Chirobiotic V chiral column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm). The assay was linear over the concentration range of 0.500-150 ng x mL(-1) for both enantiomers (r2 > 0.99). The method was successfully applied to a stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of 100 mg desvenlafaxine sustained release tablets on 12 Chinese healthy volunteers under fasting conditions. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic parameters were similar to both enantiomers in Chinese healthy volunteers. The AUC(0-t), and C(max) of the two enantiomers were about 1.5 times higher than those of blacks and whites reported in the literature.

  16. Youth Volunteering in the States: 2002 and 2003. CIRCLE Fact Sheet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helms, Sara E.

    2004-01-01

    Volunteer rates vary tremendously across states and age groups. In recent years, young people have exhibited rising volunteering rates, particularly high school students and college freshmen. When comparing the volunteer rates for different age groups in 2002 and 2003, 16-18 year olds volunteer at consistently higher rates than their college-age…

  17. Volunteers and Their Motivation for Canistherapy

    OpenAIRE

    Saláková, Klára

    2014-01-01

    The bachelor thesis on the topic: "Volunteers and their motivation for canistherapy" is divided into the theoretical and practical part. The aim is to find out what motives lead people to do voluntary work in canistherapy. The theoretical part defines the basic concepts of motivation, volunteering and canistherapy, because these concepts are related with the name and with the aim of my work. First, there is defined motivation, basic concepts of motivation in relation to personality, motives a...

  18. Volunteer Program Assessment at the University of Nebraska at Omaha: A Metropolitan University's Collaboration with Rural and Spanish-Speaking Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scherer, Lisa L.; Graeve-Cunningham, Victoria M.; Trent, Sheridan B.; Weddington, Stephanie A.; Thurley, Adam R.; Prange, Kelly A.; Allen, Joseph A.

    2016-01-01

    The Volunteer Program Assessment at UNO (VPA-UNO), a faculty-led student group, partners with nonprofit and governmental agencies to provide free assessments and consultations to enhance volunteer engagement, organizational commitment and retention. Three recent initiatives are discussed representing an intentional effort of a metropolitan…

  19. Is overseas volunteering beneficial to the NHS? The analysis of volunteers' responses to a feedback questionnaire following experiences in low-income and middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeomans, Daniel; Le, Grace; Pandit, Hemant; Lavy, Chris

    2017-10-16

    Locally requested and planned overseas volunteering in low-income and middle-income countries by National Health Service (NHS) staff can have benefits for the host or receiving nation, but its impact on the professional development of NHS staff is not proven. The Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) and Leadership Framework (LF) are two tools used by employers as a measure of individuals' development. We have used dimensions from both tools as a method of evaluating the benefit to NHS doctors who volunteer overseas. 88 NHS volunteers participating with local colleagues in Primary Trauma Care and orthopaedic surgical training courses in sub-Saharan Africa were asked to complete an online self-assessment questionnaire 6 months following their return to the UK. The survey consisted of questions based on qualities outlined in both the KSF and LF. 85 completed responses to the questionnaire were received. In every KSF domain assessed, the majority of volunteers agreed that their overseas volunteering experience improved their practice within the NHS. Self-assessed pre-course and post-course scores evaluating the LF also saw a universal increase, notably in the 'working with others' domain. There is a growing body of literature outlining the positive impact of overseas volunteering on NHS staff. Despite increasing evidence that such experiences can develop volunteers' essential skills, individuals often find it difficult to gain support of their employers. Our study, in line with the current literature, shows that overseas volunteering by NHS staff can provide an opportunity to enhance professional and personal development. Skills gained from volunteering within international links match many of the qualities outlined in both KSF and LF, directly contributing to volunteers' continued professional development. © 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

  20. Volunteering, driving status, and mortality in U.S. retirees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sei J; Steinman, Michael A; Tan, Erwin J

    2011-02-01

    To evaluate how accounting for driving status altered the relationship between volunteering and mortality in U.S. retirees. Observational prospective cohort. Nationally representative sample from the Health and Retirement Study in 2000 and 2002 followed to 2006. Retirees aged 65 and older (N=6,408). Participants self-reported their volunteering, driving status, age, sex, race or ethnicity, presence of chronic conditions, geriatric syndromes, socioeconomic factors, functional limitations, and psychosocial factors. Death by December 31, 2006, was the outcome. For drivers, mortality in volunteers (9%) and nonvolunteers (12%) was similar; for limited or non-drivers, mortality for volunteers (15%) was markedly lower than for nonvolunteers (32%). Adjusted results showed that, for drivers, the volunteering-mortality odds ratio (OR) was 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.66-1.22), whereas for limited or nondrivers, the OR was 0.62 (95% CI=0.49-0.78) (interaction P=.05). The effect of driving status was greater for rural participants, with greater differences between rural drivers and rural limited or nondrivers (interaction P=.02) and between urban drivers and urban limited or nondrivers (interaction P=.81). The influence of volunteering in decreasing mortality seems to be stronger in rural retirees who are limited or nondrivers. This may be because rural or nondriving retirees are more likely to be socially isolated and thus receive more benefit from the greater social integration from volunteering. © 2011, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2011, The American Geriatrics Society.

  1. Applying Western models of volunteering in Hong Kong : The role of empathy, prosocial motivation and motive-experience fit for volunteering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aydinli, A.; Bender, M.; Chong, A.; Yue, X.

    2016-01-01

    The present research investigates the applicability of prominent Western volunteering frameworks in Hong Kong. Two cross-sectional surveys involving a total of 268 respondents were conducted. In Study 1, we tested a model of volunteering among 149 Hong Kong Chinese adult individuals (Mage = 34.8

  2. BOINC service for volunteer cloud computing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Høimyr, N; Blomer, J; Buncic, P; Giovannozzi, M; Gonzalez, A; Harutyunyan, A; Jones, P L; Karneyeu, A; Marquina, M A; Mcintosh, E; Segal, B; Skands, P; Grey, F; Lombraña González, D; Zacharov, I

    2012-01-01

    Since a couple of years, a team at CERN and partners from the Citizen Cyberscience Centre (CCC) have been working on a project that enables general physics simulation programs to run in a virtual machine on volunteer PCs around the world. The project uses the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC) framework. Based on CERNVM and the job management framework Co-Pilot, this project was made available for public beta-testing in August 2011 with Monte Carlo simulations of LHC physics under the name “LHC at home 2.0” and the BOINC project: “Test4Theory”. At the same time, CERN's efforts on Volunteer Computing for LHC machine studies have been intensified; this project has previously been known as LHC at home, and has been running the “Sixtrack” beam dynamics application for the LHC accelerator, using a classic BOINC framework without virtual machines. CERN-IT has set up a BOINC server cluster, and has provided and supported the BOINC infrastructure for both projects. CERN intends to evolve the setup into a generic BOINC application service that will allow scientists and engineers at CERN to profit from volunteer computing. This paper describes the experience with the two different approaches to volunteer computing as well as the status and outlook of a general BOINC service.

  3. Human neural tuning estimated from compound action potentials in normal hearing human volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verschooten, Eric; Desloovere, Christian; Joris, Philip X.

    2015-12-01

    The sharpness of cochlear frequency tuning in humans is debated. Evoked otoacoustic emissions and psychophysical measurements suggest sharper tuning in humans than in laboratory animals [15], but this is disputed based on comparisons of behavioral and electrophysiological measurements across species [14]. Here we used evoked mass potentials to electrophysiologically quantify tuning (Q10) in humans. We combined a notched noise forward masking paradigm [9] with the recording of trans tympanic compound action potentials (CAP) from masked probe tones in awake human and anesthetized monkey (Macaca mulatta). We compare our results to data obtained with the same paradigm in cat and chinchilla [16], and find that CAP-Q10values in human are ˜1.6x higher than in cat and chinchilla and ˜1.3x higher than in monkey. To estimate frequency tuning of single auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) in humans, we derive conversion functions from ANFs in cat, chinchilla, and monkey and apply these to the human CAP measurements. The data suggest that sharp cochlear tuning is a feature of old-world primates.

  4. Connecting Volunteers and Agents: A Social Constructionist Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dillivan, K. D.

    2013-01-01

    Extension volunteers benefit from participation in training activities. Furthermore, Extension personnel are best positioned to provide volunteers with relevant training. However, trainers neglecting relationship building and failing to attend to the communicative process may achieve unsatisfactory results. Social constructionism, a theoretical…

  5. In vivo electroporation enhances the immunogenicity of an HIV-1 DNA vaccine candidate in healthy volunteers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandhya Vasan

    Full Text Available DNA-based vaccines have been safe but weakly immunogenic in humans to date.We sought to determine the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of ADVAX, a multigenic HIV-1 DNA vaccine candidate, injected intramuscularly by in vivo electroporation (EP in a Phase-1, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Eight volunteers each received 0.2 mg, 1 mg, or 4 mg ADVAX or saline placebo via EP, or 4 mg ADVAX via standard intramuscular injection at weeks 0 and 8. A third vaccination was administered to eleven volunteers at week 36. EP was safe, well-tolerated and considered acceptable for a prophylactic vaccine. EP delivery of ADVAX increased the magnitude of HIV-1-specific cell mediated immunity by up to 70-fold over IM injection, as measured by gamma interferon ELISpot. The number of antigens to which the response was detected improved with EP and increasing dosage. Intracellular cytokine staining analysis of ELISpot responders revealed both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, with co-secretion of multiple cytokines.This is the first demonstration in healthy volunteers that EP is safe, tolerable, and effective in improving the magnitude, breadth and durability of cellular immune responses to a DNA vaccine candidate.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00545987.

  6. "Do-It-Ourselves Science": Case Studies of Volunteer-Initiated Citizen Science Involvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raddick, Jordan; Bracey, G.; Gay, P. L.

    2009-05-01

    Galaxy Zoo is a citizen science website in which members of the public volunteer to classify galaxies, thereby helping astronomers conduct publishable research into galaxy morphologies and environments. Although the site was originally created to answer a few specific questions, some members of the community - both scientists and volunteers - have spontaneously developed an interest in a wider variety of questions. Volunteers have pursued answers to these questions with guidance from professional astronomers; in completing these projects, volunteers have independently used some of the same data viewing and analysis tools that professional astronomers use, and have even developed their own online tools. They have created their own research questions and their own plans for data analysis, and are planning to write scientific papers with the results to be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals. Volunteers have identified a number of such projects. These volunteer-initiated projects have extended the scientific reach of Galaxy Zoo, while also giving volunteers first-hand experience with the process of science. We are interested in the process by which volunteers become interested in volunteer-initiated projects, and what tasks they participate in, both initially and as their involvement increases. What motivates a volunteer to become involved in a volunteer-initiated project? How does his or her motivation change with further involvement? We are conducting a program of qualitative education research into these questions, using as data sources the posts that volunteers have made to the Galaxy Zoo forum and transcripts of interviews with volunteers.

  7. A randomized controlled trial to promote volunteering in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, Lisa M; Wolff, Julia K; Ziegelmann, Jochen P; Wurm, Susanne

    2014-12-01

    Volunteering is presumed to confer health benefits, but interventions to encourage older adults to volunteer are sparse. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial with 280 community-dwelling older German adults was conducted to test the effects of a theory-based social-cognitive intervention against a passive waiting-list control group and an active control intervention designed to motivate physical activity. Self-reports of weekly volunteering minutes were assessed at baseline (5 weeks before the intervention) as well as 2 and 6 weeks after the intervention. Participants in the treatment group increased their weekly volunteering minutes to a greater extent than participants in the control groups 6 weeks after the intervention. We conclude that a single, face-to-face group session can increase volunteering among older community-dwelling adults. However, the effects need some time to unfold because changes in volunteering were not apparent 2 weeks after the intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. [The participation of seniors in volunteer activities: a systematic review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godbout, Elisabeth; Filiatrault, Johanne; Plante, Michelle

    2012-02-01

    Volunteer work can be a very significant form of social participation for seniors. It can also provide seniors with important physical and psychological health benefits. This explains why occupational therapists and other health care professionals, as well as community workers who are concerned with healthy aging, appeal to seniors to volunteer in health promotion and community support However, the recruitment and ongoing involvement of seniors as volunteers is often challenging. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to enlighten practitioners working in this domain. The objective was to identify factors that influence seniors' participation in volunteer work. Six bibliographic databases were searched using key words. A total of 27 relevant papers were retrieved and allowed an identification of a series of factors that could influence seniors' participation in volunteer work, namely personal factors, environmental factors, and occupational factors. This analysis leads to practical guidelines for facilitating the recruitment and maintenance of seniors' engagement in volunteer work.

  9. Effect of physical exertion on the biological monitoring of exposure to various solvents following exposure by inhalation in human volunteers: II. n-Hexane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tardif, Robert; Nadeau, Véronique; Truchon, Ginette; Brochu, Martin

    2007-07-01

    This study evaluated the impact of physical exertion on two n-hexane (HEX) exposure indicators in human volunteers exposed under controlled conditions in an inhalation chamber. A group of four volunteers (two women, two men) were exposed to HEX (50 ppm; 176 mg/m(3)) according to several scenarios involving several periods when volunteers performed either aerobic (AERO), muscular (MUSC), or both AERO/MUSC types of exercise. The target intensities for 30-min exercise periods separated by 15-min rest periods were the following: REST, 50W AERO [time-weighted average intensity including resting period (TWAI): 38W], 50W AERO/MUSC (TWAI: 34W), 100W AERO/MUSC (TWAI: 63W), and 100W AERO (TWAI: 71W) for 7 hr (two 3-hr exposure periods separated by 1 hr without exposure) and 50W MUSC for 3 hr (TWAI: 31W). Alveolar air and urine samples were collected at different time intervals before, during, and after exposure to measure unchanged HEX in expired air (HEX-A) and urinary 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD). HEX-A levels during exposures involving AERO activities (TWAI: 38W and 71W) were significantly enhanced (approximately +14%) compared with exposure at rest. MUSC or AERO/MUSC exercises were also associated with higher HEX-A levels but only at some sampling times. In contrast, end-of-exposure (7 hr) urinary 2,5-HD (mean +/- SD) was not modified by physical exertion: 4.14 +/- 1.51 micromol/L (REST), 4.02 +/- 1.52 micromol/L (TWAI 34W), 4.25 +/- 1.53 micromol/L (TWAI 38W), 3.73 +/- 2.09 micromol/L (TWAI 63W), 3.6 +/- 1.34 micromol/L (TWAI 71W) even though a downward trend was observed. Overall, this study showed that HEX kinetics is practically insensitive to moderate variations in workload intensity; only HEX-A levels increased slightly, and urinary 2,5-HD levels remained unchanged despite the fact that all types of physical exercise increased the pulmonary ventilation rate.

  10. Religiosity and Volunteering Intention Among Undergraduate Malaysian Muslim Students

    OpenAIRE

    Sallam A.A.A.; Abdullah S.; Ramli A.J .; Hussin N.S.; Ahmad Z.; Bahari A.

    2018-01-01

    This paper deals with the question: To what extent do religiosity characteristics, contribute to the influence of volunteering intention among Malaysian Muslim students during disasters? To answer this research question, we focused the students in public universities. The finding concerns found that religiosity increases the likelihood of volunteering intention, implying that religious affiliation of youth increases the likelihood of volunteering. This is in line with previous research, that ...

  11. Methodical principles of assessment of financial compensation for clinical trial volunteer participants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Ye. Dobrova

    2013-10-01

    participation in clinical trials by patients and healthy volunteers has been rationalized, whereas methods of calculating monetary compensation for such participation have been suggested. The two methods of calculating of the financial compensation were proposed: first - hourly compensation for the time which was spent on clinical trials, the second - hourly-bonus compensation for the possible discomfort and inconvenience of participation in clinical trials in accordance with the ethical rules for research involving people as objects of observation. Conclusion. Achievement of the organizational and financial constituent ensuring participation of volunteers in a clinical trial on the one hand should assure the appropriate experimental foundation for reliable research conducting and on other hand should focus attention on the fulfillment of mental and ethical rules for investigations involving human as a studied object. Basing on the results of an analysis and the survey performed which involved qualified experts regarding aspects affecting volunteers enrollment in a clinical trial, the scientifically substantiated system of the volunteers discomfort and inconvenience assessment in a clinical trial has been proposed, which includes criteria: study duration, adverse events/adverse reactions possibility, blood sampling during study, discomfort caused by study design, inconvenience to participate in a clinical trial. Two techniques for calculation of the financial compensation for healthy volunteers participation in a clinical trial have been proposed: the first one is the payment by the hour spent for participation in a study, and the second one is the hourly pay with bonus for possible discomfort caused by involvement in a clinical trial. In the further study authors plan to research the aspects of risk assessment associated with volunteers participation in a clinical trial and its considering as an additional constituent in the process of the calculation of financial incentives

  12. Development Strategies for Online Volunteer Training Modules: A Team Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robideau, Kari; Vogel, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Volunteers are central to the delivery of 4-H programs, and providing quality, relevant training is key to volunteer success. Online, asynchronous modules are an enhancement to a training delivery menu for adult volunteers, providing consistent, accessible options traditionally delivered primarily face to face. This article describes how Minnesota…

  13. A Phenomenological Look at 4-H Volunteer Motives for Service

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schrock, Jessalyn; Kelsey, Kathleen D.

    2013-01-01

    Volunteers play a vital role in 4-H programs. Without their service, many programs would not be possible. Understanding volunteer motives provides Extension educators with tools for finding high-quality volunteers. The research reported here used McClelland's (1985) framework for motivation (affiliation, achievement, and power) and…

  14. Social Work with Religious Volunteers: Activating and Sustaining Community Involvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garland, Diana R.; Myers, Dennis M.; Wolfer, Terry A.

    2008-01-01

    Social workers in diverse community practice settings recruit and work with volunteers from religious congregations. This article reports findings from two surveys: 7,405 congregants in 35 Protestant congregations, including 2,570 who were actively volunteering, and a follow-up survey of 946 volunteers. It compares characteristics of congregation…

  15. Networking for philanthropy: increasing volunteer behavior via social networking sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yoojung; Lee, Wei-Na

    2014-03-01

    Social networking sites (SNSs) provide a unique social venue to engage the young generation in philanthropy through their networking capabilities. An integrated model that incorporates social capital into the Theory of Reasoned Action is developed to explain volunteer behavior through social networks. As expected, volunteer behavior was predicted by volunteer intention, which was influenced by attitudes and subjective norms. In addition, social capital, an outcome of the extensive use of SNSs, was as an important driver of users' attitude and subjective norms toward volunteering via SNSs.

  16. Volunteer map data collection at the USGS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eric, B. Wolf; Poore, Barbara S.; Caro, Holly K.; Matthews, Greg D.

    2011-01-01

    Since 1994, citizen volunteers have helped the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) improve its topographic maps. Through the Earth Science Corps program, citizens were able to "adopt a quad" and collect new information and update existing map features. Until its conclusion in 2001, as many as 300 volunteers annotated paper maps which were incorporated into the USGS topographic-map revision process.

  17. "Communication is everything:" The experiences of volunteers who use AAC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trembath, David; Balandin, Susan; Stancliffe, Roger J; Togher, Leanne

    2010-06-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the impact that using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) had on the experiences of 24 adults with lifelong disabilities who worked as volunteers. This research forms part of a larger qualitative study of volunteering amongst adults who use AAC. Based on in-depth interviews and grounded theory analysis, the results indicate that communication is central to successful volunteering and, in particular, that access to AAC has the potential to provide valuable support to individuals with complex communication needs who want to volunteer. However, a number of barriers must be addressed in order for this potential to be achieved. Strategies for promoting and supporting adults who use AAC and want to volunteer are discussed.

  18. ATLAS@Home: Harnessing Volunteer Computing for HEP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adam-Bourdarios, C; Cameron, D; Filipčič, A; Lancon, E; Wu, W

    2015-01-01

    A recent common theme among HEP computing is exploitation of opportunistic resources in order to provide the maximum statistics possible for Monte Carlo simulation. Volunteer computing has been used over the last few years in many other scientific fields and by CERN itself to run simulations of the LHC beams. The ATLAS@Home project was started to allow volunteers to run simulations of collisions in the ATLAS detector. So far many thousands of members of the public have signed up to contribute their spare CPU cycles for ATLAS, and there is potential for volunteer computing to provide a significant fraction of ATLAS computing resources. Here we describe the design of the project, the lessons learned so far and the future plans. (paper)

  19. ATLAS@Home: Harnessing Volunteer Computing for HEP

    CERN Document Server

    Bourdarios, Claire; Filipcic, Andrej; Lancon, Eric; Wu, Wenjing

    2015-01-01

    A recent common theme among HEP computing is exploitation of opportunistic resources in order to provide the maximum statistics possible for Monte-Carlo simulation. Volunteer computing has been used over the last few years in many other scientific fields and by CERN itself to run simulations of the LHC beams. The ATLAS@Home project was started to allow volunteers to run simulations of collisions in the ATLAS detector. So far many thousands of members of the public have signed up to contribute their spare CPU cycles for ATLAS, and there is potential for volunteer computing to provide a significant fraction of ATLAS computing resources. Here we describe the design of the project, the lessons learned so far and the future plans.

  20. Volunteer activity as a means of self-realization and personal selfdetermination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna Didukh

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the tendency of regeneration and active development of such social phenomenon as volunteering in the life of a modern Ukrainian society. Volunteering nowadays has an important place in the formation of the spiritual culture, values and basic standards of the morality of a person and the society in general. Key words: volunteering, volunteer, charity, virtuousness, motive, reason.

  1. A scoping review of the experiences, benefits, and challenges involved in volunteer work among youth and young adults with a disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsay, Sally

    2016-08-01

    To develop a better understanding of the experiences of volunteer work among youth with disabilities. A scoping review was undertaken to assess the benefits and challenges of volunteering among youth with disabilities. Comprehensive searches using six international databases were conducted. Eligible articles included: (a) youth aged 30 or younger, with a disability; (b) empirical research on the benefits or challenges of volunteering; (c) published in a peer-reviewed journal between 1980 and 2014. Of the 1558 articles identified, 20 articles - involving 1409 participants, aged 12-30, across five countries - met the inclusion criteria. Studies linked volunteering to the development of human capital (i.e. practical experience, improved self-determination, self-confidence, coping), enhanced social capital (i.e. social and communication skills, social inclusion) and improved cultural capital (i.e. helping others, contributing to community). Many youth with disabilities also encountered challenges - including lack of accessible volunteer opportunities, difficulties arranging transportation, and negative attitudes from potential supervisors. Young people with disabilities are willing and able to volunteer, and they report benefits of volunteering; however, they face many challenges in finding suitable volunteer positions. More rigorous research is needed to understand the health and social benefits of volunteering and how it can help youth develop career pathways. Implications for Rehabilitation Clinicians, educators and parents should discuss the benefits of volunteering with youth with disabilities and assist them in finding placements that match their interests and abilities. Managers and clinicians should consider incorporating volunteering into vocational rehabilitation programming (i.e. addressing how to find placements and connecting youth to organisations). Clinicians should encourage youth to take part in social and extracurricular activities to help build their

  2. ATLAS@Home looks for CERN volunteers

    CERN Multimedia

    Rosaria Marraffino

    2014-01-01

    ATLAS@Home is a CERN volunteer computing project that runs simulated ATLAS events. As the project ramps up, the project team is looking for CERN volunteers to test the system before planning a bigger promotion for the public.   The ATLAS@home outreach website. ATLAS@Home is a large-scale research project that runs ATLAS experiment simulation software inside virtual machines hosted by volunteer computers. “People from all over the world offer up their computers’ idle time to run simulation programmes to help physicists extract information from the large amount of data collected by the detector,” explains Claire Adam Bourdarios of the ATLAS@Home project. “The ATLAS@Home project aims to extrapolate the Standard Model at a higher energy and explore what new physics may look like. Everything we’re currently running is preparation for next year's run.” ATLAS@Home became an official BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network ...

  3. Pharmacokinetic drug interaction between gemfibrozil and sitagliptin in healthy Indian male volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    K P, Arun; Meda, Venkata Subbaiah; Kucherlapati, V S P Raj; Dubala, Anil; M, Deepalakshmi; P R, Anand VijayaKumar; K, Elango; B, Suresh

    2012-05-01

    To study the impact of gemfibrozil co-administration on the pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin in healthy Indian male volunteers. A randomized open label two-period crossover study involving 12 healthy Indian male volunteers was conducted at a single center. In each phase, the volunteers were administered sitagliptin as 100 mg tablets, either alone or co-administered with gemfibrozil as 600 mg tablets twice daily for 3 days. There was a 2-week washout period between phases. The venous blood samples were serially collected at 0-12 h post-dose, and plasma concentrations of the study drugs were estimated by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet method. Relative to the administration of sitagliptin alone, co-administration with gemfibrozil increased the AUC₀₋₁₂ (2,167 ± 82.9 vs. 2,970 ± 76.4 ng h/ml; p gemfibrozil, this interaction may not have any clinical significance as sitagliptin has a wide therapeutic index. Hence, in clinical practice, sitagliptin as 100 mg tablets and gemfibrozil as 600 mg tablets may be co-prescribed without much threat of sitagliptin toxicity. However, these results may not hold if the dose of sitagliptin is increased or if is co-prescribed with other antidiabetic drugs and/or cytochrome P450 2C8/human organic anion transporter-3 inhibitors. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in patients.

  4. Effect of blueberry juice on clearance of buspirone and flurbiprofen in human volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanley, Michael J; Masse, Gina; Harmatz, Jerold S; Cancalon, Paul F; Dolnikowski, Gregory G; Court, Michael H; Greenblatt, David J

    2013-01-01

    Aim The present study evaluated the possibility of drug interactions involving blueberry juice (BBJ) and substrate drugs whose clearance is dependent on cytochromes P4503A (CYP3A) and P4502C9 (CYP2C9). Methods A 50:50 mixture of lowbush and highbush BBJ was evaluated in vitro as an inhibitor of CYP3A activity (hydroxylation of triazolam and dealkylation of buspirone) and of CYP2C9 activity (flurbiprofen hydroxylation) using human liver microsomes. In clinical studies, clearance of oral buspirone and oral flurbiprofen was studied in healthy volunteers with and without co-treatment with BBJ. Results BBJ inhibited CYP3A and CYP2C9 activity in vitro, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of less than 2%, but without evidence of mechanism-based (irreversible) inhibition. Grapefruit juice (GFJ) also inhibited CYP3A activity, but inhibitory potency was increased by pre-incubation, consistent with mechanism-based inhibition. In clinical studies, GFJ significantly increased area under the plasma concentration−time curve (AUC) for the CYP3A substrate buspirone. The geometric mean ratio (GMR = AUC with GFJ divided by AUC with water) was 2.12. In contrast, the effect of BBJ (GMR = 1.39) was not significant. In the study of flurbiprofen (CYP2C9 substrate), the positive control inhibitor fluconazole significantly increased flurbiprofen AUC (GMR = 1.71), but BBJ had no significant effect (GMR = 1.03). Conclusion The increased buspirone AUC associated with BBJ is quantitatively small and could have occurred by chance. BBJ has no effect on flurbiprofen AUC. The studies provide no evidence for concern about clinically important pharmacokinetic drug interactions of BBJ with substrate drugs metabolized by CYP3A or CYP2C9. PMID:22943633

  5. Volunteers: the key that opens the doors for the Open Days

    CERN Multimedia

    Antonella Del Rosso

    2013-01-01

    2013: the year that CERN opens its doors to the public. 2013 is also the approximate number of volunteers needed to ensure that these Open Days (JPO) go ahead smoothly. Whatever your personnel status and function, you, the volunteers, are the key without which the Laboratory’s doors could not really open. Sign up now!   1,500 of you volunteered for the LHC2008 open days to mark the inauguration of the LHC. This year, with roughly 20% more visitors expected across the CERN sites over the two days, the organisers envisage closer to 2,000 volunteers. “We will be holding a wide variety of activities across the Laboratory’s various sites,” explains Virginie Blondeau, the member of the Open Days organising team in charge of recruiting and training volunteers. “As well as guides for the experiments, we will also need volunteers to welcome and direct visitors, to help with logistics and to man the sales points, etc.” The volunteers will rec...

  6. Is volunteering in later life impeded or stimulated by other activities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dury, Sarah; De Donder, Liesbeth; De Witte, Nico; Brosens, Dorien; Smetcoren, An-Sofie; Van Regenmortel, Sofie; Verté, Dominique

    2016-01-01

    Volunteering among older adults has received increasing attention from researchers, policy makers, and associations. However, there remains a lack of knowledge in how volunteering is impacted by other activities in the lives of older adults. In order to understand activity engagement in later life, insights into the extent to which activities compete with or complement each other are necessary. Data for the present research were derived from the Belgian Aging Studies (N = 23,768). The main objective is to uncover the activities that impede or stimulate actual volunteering and/or the likeliness to volunteer at an older age. Structural equation models indicate a strong positive correlation between altruistic types of activities and actual volunteering. Furthermore, older adults active in personal leisure activities are more drawn to be potential volunteers. The article demonstrates that the activity level of older people is not sufficient to understand volunteering, that is, a distinction between the types of activities is essential. © The Author(s) 2015.

  7. Moral assemblages of volunteer tourism development in Cusco, Peru

    OpenAIRE

    Burrai, Elisa.; Mostafanezhad, Mary.; Hannam, Kevin.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we develop a conceptual approach from which to examine the moral landscape of volunteer tourism development in Cusco, Peru. Drawing from recent work on assemblage theory in geography and tourism studies, we explore how assemblage thinking can facilitate new understandings of volunteer tourism development. Using assemblage as an analytical framework allows us to understand volunteer tourism as a series of relational, processual, unequal and mobile practices. These practices, we ...

  8. Do predictors of volunteering in older age differ by health status?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Principi, Andrea; Galenkamp, Henrike; Papa, Roberta; Socci, Marco; Suanet, Bianca; Schmidt, Andrea; Schulmann, Katharine; Golinowska, Stella; Sowa, Agnieszka; Moreira, Amilcar; Deeg, Dorly J H

    2016-06-01

    It has been widely recognised that poor health is one of the main barriers to participation in volunteer activities in older age. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the participation of older people in volunteering, especially those in poor health. Based on the resource theory of volunteering, the aim of this study is to better understand the correlates of volunteering among older people with different health statuses, namely those without health problems (neither multimorbidity nor disability), those with mild health problems (multimorbidity or disability), and those with severe health problems (multimorbidity and disability). Data were drawn from the fourth wave (2011-2012, release 1.1.1) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, which includes European people aged 50 years or older. The results showed that variables linked to volunteering were generally similar regardless of health status, but some differences were nevertheless identified. For older people with mild or severe health problems, for instance, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with their involvement in volunteer activities. We found a positive association of being widowed (rather than married) with volunteering in older people with particularly poor health, whereas high income was associated with volunteering in the case of mild health problems only. These results demonstrate that variables associated with volunteer participation partially differ between older people depending on their health status. These differences should be considered by policy makers in their attempts to promote volunteering in older people, as a means of preventing their social exclusion.

  9. Volunteers: A Challenge For Extension Workers: Developing Volunteer Leaders From Disadvantaged Families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partin, Minerva O.; And Others

    A series of guidelines for use by Extension agents, as they involve socially and economically disadvantaged youth and adults in volunteer leadership roles in rural and urban Extension programs, is presented. Section headings are: Know Your Audience, Establish Rapport, Levels of Leadership, Leader Development, Leadership Roles, Volunteer…

  10. Canadian Youth Volunteering Abroad: Rethinking Issues of Power and Privilege

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngo, Mai

    2013-01-01

    This paper discusses the role of institutions in the ethical engagement of Canadian youth volunteers abroad. In recent years, researchers and practitioners in the international field have questioned the ethics of volunteering as part of development, with scrutiny on who actually benefits from volunteering initiatives. Since the 1960s, over 65,000…

  11. Mentoring as a Formalized Learning Strategy with Community Sports Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Mark; Armour, Kathleen

    2012-01-01

    The aim of our study was to examine formalized mentoring as a learning strategy for volunteer sports coaches and to consider implications for other volunteer groups in the community. Despite the increasingly popular use of mentoring as a learning and support strategy across professional domains, and the sheer scale of volunteer sports coach…

  12. Higher USA State Resident Neuroticism Is Associated With Lower State Volunteering Rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCann, Stewart J H

    2017-12-01

    Highly neurotic persons have dispositional characteristics that tend to precipitate social anxiety that discourages formal volunteering. With the 50 American states as analytical units, Study 1 found that state resident neuroticism correlated highly ( r = -.55) with state volunteering rates and accounted for another 26.8% of the volunteering rate variance with selected state demographics controlled. Study 2 replicated Study 1 during another period and extended the association to college student, senior, secular, and religious volunteering rates. Study 3 showed state resident percentages engaged in other social behaviors involving more familiarity and fewer demands than formal volunteering related to state volunteering rates but not to neuroticism. In Study 4, state resident neuroticism largely accounted statistically for relations between state volunteering rates and state population density, collectivism, social capital, Republican preference, and well-being. This research is the first to show that state resident neuroticism is a potent predictor of state volunteering rates.

  13. The 500 Dalton rule for the skin penetration of chemical compounds and drugs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bos, J. D.; Meinardi, M. M.

    2000-01-01

    Human skin has unique properties of which functioning as a physicochemical barrier is one of the most apparent. The human integument is able to resist the penetration of many molecules. However, especially smaller molecules can surpass transcutaneously. They are able to go by the corneal layer,

  14. Rule-guided human classification of Volunteered Geographic Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Ahmed Loai; Falomir, Zoe; Schmid, Falko; Freksa, Christian

    2017-05-01

    During the last decade, web technologies and location sensing devices have evolved generating a form of crowdsourcing known as Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI). VGI acted as a platform of spatial data collection, in particular, when a group of public participants are involved in collaborative mapping activities: they work together to collect, share, and use information about geographic features. VGI exploits participants' local knowledge to produce rich data sources. However, the resulting data inherits problematic data classification. In VGI projects, the challenges of data classification are due to the following: (i) data is likely prone to subjective classification, (ii) remote contributions and flexible contribution mechanisms in most projects, and (iii) the uncertainty of spatial data and non-strict definitions of geographic features. These factors lead to various forms of problematic classification: inconsistent, incomplete, and imprecise data classification. This research addresses classification appropriateness. Whether the classification of an entity is appropriate or inappropriate is related to quantitative and/or qualitative observations. Small differences between observations may be not recognizable particularly for non-expert participants. Hence, in this paper, the problem is tackled by developing a rule-guided classification approach. This approach exploits data mining techniques of Association Classification (AC) to extract descriptive (qualitative) rules of specific geographic features. The rules are extracted based on the investigation of qualitative topological relations between target features and their context. Afterwards, the extracted rules are used to develop a recommendation system able to guide participants to the most appropriate classification. The approach proposes two scenarios to guide participants towards enhancing the quality of data classification. An empirical study is conducted to investigate the classification of grass

  15. Effectiveness of the light absorber on different parts of beta-spectrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakovets, N.V.; Gorshkov, D.V.; Zhukovskij, A.M.; Khadzhinov, E.M.

    2005-01-01

    This work describes the researches of absorbent characteristics of integument tissues. This question is dominant on the stage of elaboration of algorithm of determination of physical characteristics of heterogeneous system - humans skull. (authors)

  16. Seven characteristics of a successful virtual volunteering platform

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Butgereit, L

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available in projects but do not have the time or the means to travel and physically donate their time on location. In such cases, virtual volunteering is a possible way for projects to harness the goodwill of prospective volunteers without the overheads of the travel...

  17. Encouraging Volunteer Participation in Health Research: The Role ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Health research mainly relies on volunteers to generate data. Volunteer participants not only help provide necessary information to solve problems but also contribute to free participation which in turn helps the research wheel to continue. People mainly contribute to different nonprofit organizations by giving money for ...

  18. Volunteer work in the church among older Mexican Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David

    2012-07-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence the amount of volunteer work that older Mexican Americans perform in the place where they worship. The relationship between religion and volunteering is viewed from a social identity perspective. Data from a nationally representative sample of older Mexican Americans suggest that Evangelical/Pentecostal church members spend more time performing volunteer work at church than older Mexican Americans who affiliate with other denominations. Moreover, the findings indicate that the difference in the amount of volunteering between the two groups can largely be explained by differences in the nature of the spiritual support that Evangelical/Pentecostal receive from their fellow church members as well as depth of their commitment to their faith.

  19. Cultural competency and diversity among hospice palliative care volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovanovic, Maja

    2012-05-01

    This case study examines the current state of cultural competence in hospice and palliative care in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Because of changing demographic trends and ethnic minorities underutilizing hospice palliative care services, this research examined the current state of culturally competent care in a hospice setting, and the challenges to providing culturally competent care in a hospice in the GTA. A case study was conducted with a hospice and included in-depth interviews with 14 hospice volunteers. The findings reveal that volunteers encountered cultural clashes when their level of cultural competency was weak. Second, volunteers revealed there was a lack of adequate cultural competency training with their hospice, and finally, there was a lack of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity among the hospice volunteers.

  20. A practical guide for short-term pediatric surgery global volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Donald E; Fitzgerald, Tamara N; Axt, Jason R

    2016-08-01

    The tremendous need for increasing the quantity and quality of global pediatric surgical care in underserved areas has been well documented. Concomitantly there has been a significant increase in interest by pediatric surgeons in helping to relieve this problem through surgical volunteerism. The intent of the article is to serve as a practical guide for pediatric surgeons contemplating or planning a short-term global volunteer endeavor. The article is based on the authors' personal experiences and on the published experiences of other volunteers. The following aspects of volunteerism are discussed: ethical considerations, where and how to go, what and whom to take with you, what to expect in your volunteer locale, and what to do and what to avoid in order to enhance the volunteer experience. The points discussed in this guide will hopefully make the volunteer activity one that results in greatly improved immediate and long term surgical care for children and improves the chances that the activity will be a meaningful, pleasant, and productive experience for both the volunteer and the host physician. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Impact of Institutional Mission on Student Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Susan Crawford; Ludden, Alison Bryant; Singleton, Royce A., Jr.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined patterns and predictors of volunteering among students at a liberal arts college with an institutional culture that strongly promotes community service. Results showed that predictors varied across four different types of volunteering: community service, social action, religious service, and service to the college. Year in…

  2. Pressure pain thresholds in volunteers and herniorrhaphy patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, J B; Rosenberg, J; Molke Jensen, F

    1990-01-01

    surgery. PPT was determined in 20 healthy volunteers on two separate examinations, and in 14 patients at the incisional site before and following inguinal herniotomy. In volunteers, PPT was higher for men than for women, and no difference was observed between the first and second day of examination...

  3. Improving quality of life in ageing populations: what can volunteering do?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cattan, Mima; Hogg, Eddy; Hardill, Irene

    2011-12-01

    The year 2011 was declared the 'European Year of Volunteering' to recognise the contribution volunteers make to society. Such cross-national events reflect the high profile of volunteering and political imperatives to promote it. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge (articles published between 2005 and 2011) regarding the role of volunteering in improving older people's quality of life (QoL) and to identify areas requiring further research. Volunteering was defined as an activity that is freely chosen, does not involve remuneration and helps or benefits those beyond an individual's immediate family. Our search identified 22 studies and 5 review articles that addressed the benefits of volunteering on older people's quality of life. Most of the research had been conducted in the United States, Canada and Australia using data from longitudinal studies. The majority of the studies concluded that there is a positive association between older people's quality of life and engagement in volunteering. Due to the study designs and the heterogeneity of the research, causality is difficult to demonstrate and the knowledge the studies bring to the subject is variable. This review shows that volunteering may help to maintain and possibly improve some older adults' quality of life. However, there are still major gaps in our understanding of who actually benefits, the social and cultural context of volunteering and its role in reducing health and social inequalities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING AS AN ELEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Ivanovna Gorlova

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. The article is devoted to the topic of development of corporate volunteering, which is topical for Russian society. The subject of the analysis is corporate volunteering in Russia and its impact on the sustainable development of the organization. Corporate volunteering is seen at the intersection of the interests of the company, employees and the local community. The aim of the research is a theoretical analysis of modern practices of corporate volunteer activity as a factor of sustainable development of the organization. Methodology. Within the framework of the article, using the method of comparison and grouping, we analyzed and studied the materials of the latest international and Russian studies based on expert opinions from business, government, civil society on this phenomenon. Results. The results of the work consist in the fact that the authors grouped and summarized the motivational attitudes of participants in the corporate volunteer movement, presented practical recommendations on the formation of a system for supporting corporate volunteering, and showed the relationship between the organization’s sustainable development and corporate volunteering. Practical implications. The practical significance of the study is that its conclusions and recommendations can be used in the organization of corporate volunteering in Russian companies.

  5. The Influence of Past Experiences on the Motivation of Adult Volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcus Eason

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available From its’ conception, 4-H has encouraged volunteerism and utilized volunteers to accomplish its’ mission - to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that motivated [state] 4-H camp volunteers to volunteer with 4-H youth. The Volunteer Functions Inventory was used as the theoretical base for this study. The Values construct (M=3.68 of the VFI was the highest motivating factor of adult 4-H volunteers. The Understanding construct (M=3.39 ranked the second highest motivational factor in volunteerism followed by Social construct (M=3.28, the Enhancement construct (M = 3.05 and the Protective construct (M=2.78. The Career construct (M=2.61 was the least motivating factor to adult volunteers. It was also found that participants that were not involved with 4-H as a youth volunteered more days per year than did participants who were former 4-H members.

  6. Volunteering Is Associated with Lower Risk of Cognitive Impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Infurna, Frank J; Okun, Morris A; Grimm, Kevin J

    2016-11-01

    To examine whether psychosocial factors that can be a target for interventions, such as volunteering, are associated with risk of cognitive impairment. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data from 1998 to 2012, a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey of older adults assessed every 2 years, were used. The HRS interviews participants aged 50 and older across the contiguous United States. Individuals aged 60 and older in 1998 (N = 13,262). Personal interviews were conducted with respondents to assess presence of cognitive impairment, measured using a composite across cognitive measures. Volunteering at the initial assessment and volunteering regularly over time independently decreased the risk of cognitive impairment over 14 years, and these findings were maintained independent of known risk factors for cognitive impairment. Greater risk of onset of cognitive impairment was associated with being older, being female, being nonwhite, having fewer years of education, and reporting more depressive symptoms. Consistent civic engagement in old age is associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment and provides impetus for interventions to protect against the onset of cognitive impairment. Given the increasing number of baby boomers entering old age, the findings support the public health benefits of volunteering and the potential role of geriatricians, who can promote volunteering by incorporating "prescriptions to volunteer" into their patient care. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

  7. The moderating role of age in the relationship between volunteering motives and well-being.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Yuen Wan; You, Jin; Fung, Helene H

    2012-12-01

    Driven by socioemotional selectivity theory, this study examined whether age moderated the associations of volunteering motives with physical and psychological well-being in a sample of Hong Kong Chinese volunteers. Volunteering motives were measured by the volunteer functions inventory. Findings revealed that even after controlling for demographic characteristics and volunteering experience, age was related to higher social and value motives but lower career motives, and moderated the associations of social and protective motives with well-being. The associations of social motives with physical well-being were positive among older volunteers, but were negative among younger- and middle-aged volunteers. While protective motives were positively related to psychological well-being among all the volunteers, such effects were stronger among younger- and middle-aged volunteers than among older volunteers. Findings highlight the role of age in determining the relationship between volunteering motives and well-being.

  8. 75 FR 29969 - Information Collection; Volunteer Application for Natural Resources Agencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-28

    ... Merlene Mazyck, Youth & Volunteer Programs, Forest Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Mailstop...-4831 to facilitate entry to the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Merlene Mazyck, Youth... interested in volunteering may access the National Federal volunteer opportunities Web site ( http://www...

  9. The Individual Economic Returns to Volunteering in Work Life

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qvist, Hans-Peter; Munk, Martin David

    2018-01-01

    This article examines the individual economic returns to volunteering during different stages of working life. The article uses a unique panel dataset created by combining rich survey data from Denmark with information on wages from administrative registers covering the period from 2004 to 2012....... Applying a two-way fixed effects regression model that controls for both period-specific and individual-specific effects, the article finds that for labour market entrants and for people in the early stages of their working life, an additional year of volunteer work experience yields a significant positive...... return. However, the economic returns to volunteer work experience decrease as a function of professional labour market experience. For people with more than six years of professional labour market experience, the economic returns to volunteer work experience are insignificant. On these grounds...

  10. Volunteering as a Pathway to Productive and Social Engagement among Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Lee, Yung Soo; McCrary, Stacey; McBride, Amanda

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Research on outcomes of volunteering in later life largely focuses on the health of volunteers. This is in contrast to studies of youth, where attention is directed toward the effects of volunteering on subsequent productive and citizen behaviors. In this study, we examined the effects of volunteering on subsequent social and civic…

  11. Opportunities for cost-sharing in conservation: variation in volunteering effort across protected areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armsworth, Paul R; Cantú-Salazar, Lisette; Parnell, Mark; Booth, Josephine E; Stoneman, Rob; Davies, Zoe G

    2013-01-01

    Efforts to expand protected area networks are limited by the costs of managing protected sites. Volunteers who donate labor to help manage protected areas can help defray these costs. However, volunteers may be willing to donate more labor to some protected areas than others. Understanding variation in volunteering effort would enable conservation organizations to account for volunteer labor in their strategic planning. We examined variation in volunteering effort across 59 small protected areas managed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, a regional conservation nonprofit in the United Kingdom. Three surveys of volunteering effort reveal consistent patterns of variation across protected areas. Using the most detailed of these sources, a survey of site managers, we estimate that volunteers provided 3200 days of labor per year across the 59 sites with a total value exceeding that of paid staff time spent managing the sites. The median percentage by which volunteer labor supplements management costs on the sites was 36%. Volunteering effort and paid management costs are positively correlated, after controlling for the effect of site area. We examined how well a range of characteristics of the protected areas and surrounding communities explain variation in volunteering effort. Protected areas that are larger have been protected for longer and that are located near to denser conurbations experience greater volunteering effort. Together these factors explain 38% of the observed variation in volunteering effort across protected areas.

  12. Long-Term Engagement in Formal Volunteering and Well-Being: An Exploratory Indian Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elias, Jereesh K; Sudhir, Paulomi; Mehrotra, Seema

    2016-09-27

    Sustained engagement in volunteering and its correlates have been examined in many studies across the globe. However, there is a dearth of research that explores the perspectives of long-term formal volunteers on the nature of changes perceived in oneself as a result of volunteering. Moreover, the linkages between psychological well-being and volunteering have been insufficiently explored. The present study was aimed at addressing these gaps. A heterogeneous sample of 20 long-term formal volunteer engaged in volunteering across different voluntary organisations in a southern metropolitan Indian city formed the primary sample for the study. In addition, a group of 21 short-term volunteers, matched on age, income and gender, was utilised for comparison with long-term volunteers on well-being indices. A semi structured interview schedule was used to explore self-perceived changes attributable to volunteering experience. In addition, a few standardised measures were used to comprehensively assess subjective well-being and psychological well-being. The interview data provided rich descriptions of perceived positive changes in self across cognitive, behavioral and emotional domains. Mirroring these patterns, the quantitative analyses indicated that long-term volunteers experienced higher levels of psychological well-being (sense of mastery and competence, self-acceptance and sense of engagement and growth) than short-term volunteers. The potential mechanisms involved in beneficial outcomes of long-term volunteering and implications for further research are highlighted.

  13. Assessing the Role of Technology in Citizen Science: A Volunteer's Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, J. H.; Force, A.

    2017-12-01

    From a volunteer's perspective, citizen science can provide a direct connection between outdoor enthusiasts and the scientists who study these natural environments. These experiences are both rewarding and engaging, as participants become aware of field sites, the scientific method, and their own environmental impacts. Recent technological advances (i.e. smart phones and mobile applications) have the potential to transform citizen science, specifically as technology can both enable and modernize the networks between a large community of potential volunteers and scientists using these data. By providing volunteers who venture into largely understudied and remote areas with an easy method for data collection and entry, it becomes easier to encourage volunteer engagement in science, while maintaining quality control over the data collection process. Participating in Adventure Scientists' projects demonstrates the application of technology as an effective engagement tool, especially when compared to traditional pen and paper surveys often conducted. Pairing volunteers with simple, familiar technology increases engagement, particularly for volunteers otherwise intimidated by the scientific process. When equipped with useful features, such as GPS functionality, smartphone apps offer a simple and standardized method of data collection and description. Yet a variety of factors can complicate field sampling; final choices are ultimately left to the judgment of the volunteer and perhaps could be guided by use of a phone/app. Importantly, Adventure Scientists conducts follow ups and volunteer surveys, which are critical to the continued evaluation of volunteer experiences and the sampling methods themselves. For future projects, creating a forum in which scientists and volunteers can interact (perhaps also through a phone app) could provide scientific context for volunteers, further investing them in the scientific process and their continued participation. Overall, the

  14. Charity Begins At Home: How Socialization Experiences Influence Giving and Volunteering

    OpenAIRE

    Bekkers, R.H.F.P.

    2005-01-01

    This paper shows that charity begins at home. Using retrospective reports on youth experiences from the Giving in the Netherlands Panel Survey (n=1,964, 2001) I find that (1) parents who volunteer when their children are young promote giving and volunteering of their children once they have become adults; (2) the intensity of youth participation in nonprofit organizations is positively related to current giving and volunteering; (3) that parental volunteering and youth participation promote c...

  15. Who Benefits from Volunteering? Variations in Perceived Benefits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Hong, Song-Iee; Tang, Fengyan

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document the benefits of volunteering perceived by older adults and to explain variation in these self-perceived benefits. Design and Methods: This is a quantitative study of 13 volunteer programs and 401 older adults serving in those programs. Program directors completed telephone interviews, and older…

  16. Volunteering in the care of people with severe mental illness: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallett, Claudia; Klug, Günter; Lauber, Christoph; Priebe, Stefan

    2012-12-13

    Much of the literature to date concerning public attitudes towards people with severe mental illness (SMI) has focused on negative stereotypes and discriminatory behaviour. However, there also exists a tradition of volunteering with these people, implying a more positive attitude. Groups with positive attitudes and behaviours towards people with SMI have received relatively little attention in research. They merit further attention, as evidence on characteristics and experiences of volunteers may help to promote volunteering. The present paper aims to systematically review the literature reporting characteristics, motivations, experiences, and benefits of volunteers in the care of people with SMI. In November 2010, a systematic electronic search was carried out in BNI, CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Cochrane Registers and Web of Science databases, using a combination of 'volunteer', 'mental health' and 'outcome' search terms. A secondary hand search was performed in relevant psychiatric journals, grey literature and references. 14 papers met the inclusion criteria for the review, with data on a total of 540 volunteers. The results suggest that volunteers are a mostly female, but otherwise heterogeneous group. Motivations for volunteering are a combination of what they can 'give' to others and what they can 'get' for themselves. Overall volunteers report positive experiences. The main benefit to persons with a psychiatric illness is the gaining of a companion, who is non-stigmatizing and proactive in increasing their social-community involvement. The evidence base for volunteers in care of people with SMI is small and inconsistent. However there are potential implications for both current and future volunteering programmes from the data. As the data suggests that there is no 'typical' volunteer, volunteering programmes should recruit individuals from a variety of backgrounds. The act of volunteering can not only benefit people with SMI, but also the volunteers

  17. Differences in gluten metabolism among healthy volunteers, coeliac disease patients and first-degree relatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caminero, Alberto; Nistal, Esther; Herrán, Alexandra R; Pérez-Andrés, Jénifer; Ferrero, Miguel A; Vaquero Ayala, Luis; Vivas, Santiago; Ruiz de Morales, José M G; Albillos, Silvia M; Casqueiro, Francisco Javier

    2015-10-28

    Coeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy resulting from exposure to gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Gluten proteins are partially digested by human proteases generating immunogenic peptides that cause inflammation in patients carrying HLA-DQ2 and DQ8 genes. Although intestinal dysbiosis has been associated with patients with CD, bacterial metabolism of gluten has not been studied in depth thus far. The aim of this study was to analyse the metabolic activity of intestinal bacteria associated with gluten intake in healthy individuals, CD patients and first-degree relatives of CD patients. Faecal samples belonging to twenty-two untreated CD patients, twenty treated CD patients, sixteen healthy volunteers on normal diet, eleven healthy volunteers on gluten-free diet (GFD), seventy-one relatives of CD patients on normal diet and sixty-nine relatives on GFD were tested for several proteolytic activities, cultivable bacteria involved in gluten metabolism, SCFA and the amount of gluten in faeces. We detected faecal peptidasic activity against the gluten-derived peptide 33-mer. CD patients showed differences in faecal glutenasic activity (FGA), faecal tryptic activity (FTA), SCFA and faecal gluten content with respect to healthy volunteers. Alterations in specific bacterial groups metabolising gluten such as Clostridium or Lactobacillus were reported in CD patients. Relatives showed similar parameters to CD patients (SCFA) and healthy volunteers (FTA and FGA). Our data support the fact that commensal microbial activity is an important factor in the metabolism of gluten proteins and that this activity is altered in CD patients.

  18. Motivation and volunteer participation in the «Athens 2004» Olympic Games

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    THEODOROS GEORGIADIS

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The present research tackles the topic of motives as they are developed by volunteers –who offer time-consuming services without expecting any material gains– and specifically the Olympic Volunteers of «Athens 2004». Four hundred-thirty (N = 430 volunteers completed the Scale of Motives, that was adapted in Greek from the functional approach of Omoto et al. (1993 and Chacon et al. (1998, aiming mainly at the testing of the hypothesis that the motives of volunteers who have previous volunteering experience, but also of those who wish (or continue to volunteer after the completion the Olympic Games, will differ from the motives of those volunteers who have not volunteered in the past or who do not aim at providing voluntary work in the future. The results supported the hypothesis, while the modified Greek scale offered high internal consistencies and strong indications of validity. The future review and reapplication of the design of the adapted questionnaire of Motives will likely eliminate any potential weaknesses and will allow the scale to reach full applicability.

  19. Volunteering predicts health among those who value others: two national studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poulin, Michael J

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of these studies was to examine the role of positive views of other people in predicting stress-buffering effects of volunteering on mortality and psychological distress. In Study 1, stressful life events, volunteering, and hostile cynicism assessed in a baseline Detroit-area survey (N = 846) predicted survival over a 5-year period, adjusting for relevant covariates. In Study 2, stressful life events, volunteering, and world benevolence beliefs assessed in a baseline national survey (N = 1,157) predicted psychological distress over a 1-year period, adjusting for distress at baseline. In Study 1, a Cox proportional hazard model indicated that for individuals low in cynicism, stress predicted mortality at low levels of volunteering but not at high levels of volunteering. This effect was not present among those high in cynicism. In Study 2, multiple regression analysis revealed that among individuals high in world benevolence beliefs, stress predicted elevated distress at low levels of volunteering but not at high levels of volunteering. This effect was absent for those lower in world benevolence beliefs. Consistent with prior research on helping behavior, these studies indicate that helping behavior can buffer the effects of stress on health. However, the results of these studies indicate that stress-buffering effects of volunteering are limited to individuals with positive views of other people. Not all individuals may benefit from volunteering, and health-promotion efforts seeking to draw on health benefits of helping behavior may need to target their approach accordingly. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  20. Influence of volunteer and project characteristics on data quality of biological surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewandowski, Eva; Specht, Hannah

    2015-06-01

    Volunteer involvement in biological surveys is becoming common in conservation and ecology, prompting questions on the quality of data collected in such surveys. In a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on the quality of data collected by volunteers, we examined the characteristics of volunteers (e.g., age, prior knowledge) and projects (e.g., systematic vs. opportunistic monitoring schemes) that affect data quality with regards to standardization of sampling, accuracy and precision of data collection, spatial and temporal representation of data, and sample size. Most studies (70%, n = 71) focused on the act of data collection. The majority of assessments of volunteer characteristics (58%, n = 93) examined the effect of prior knowledge and experience on quality of the data collected, often by comparing volunteers with experts or professionals, who were usually assumed to collect higher quality data. However, when both groups' data were compared with the same accuracy standard, professional data were more accurate in only 4 of 7 cases. The few studies that measured precision of volunteer and professional data did not conclusively show that professional data were less variable than volunteer data. To improve data quality, studies recommended changes to survey protocols, volunteer training, statistical analyses, and project structure (e.g., volunteer recruitment and retention). © 2015, Society for Conservation Biology.

  1. Who volunteers in psychology experiments? An empirical review of prosocial motivation in volunteering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Lange, P.A.M.; Schippers, M.C.; Balliet, D.P.

    2011-01-01

    The central purpose of the present research is to provide a review of social value orientation (i.e., prosocial, individualistic, and competitive orientation), a construct measured with methods rooted in game theory (i.e., decomposed games). Also, we examine its ability to predict volunteering in

  2. The context of ethical problems in medical volunteer work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wall, Anji

    2011-06-01

    Ethical problems are common in clinical medicine, so medical volunteers who practice clinical medicine in developing countries should expect to encounter them just as they would in their practice in the developed world. However, as this article argues, medical volunteers in developing countries should not expect to encounter the same ethical problems as those that dominate Western biomedicine or to address ethical problems in the same way as they do in their practice in developed countries. For example, poor health and advanced disease increase the risks and decrease the potential benefits of some interventions. Consequently, when medical volunteers intervene too readily, without considering the nutritional and general health status of patients, the results can be devastating. Medical volunteers cannot assume that the outcomes of interventions in developing countries will be comparable to the outcomes of the same interventions in developed countries. Rather, they must realistically consider the complex medical conditions of patients when determining whether or not to intervene. Similarly, medical volunteers may face the question of whether to provide a pharmaceutical or perform an intervention that is below the acceptable standard of care versus the alternative of doing nothing. This article critically explores the contextual features of medical volunteer work in developing countries that differentiate it from medical practice in developed countries, arguing that this context contributes to the creation of unique ethical problems and affects the way in which these problems should be analyzed and resolved.

  3. Pulsar discovery by global volunteer computing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knispel, B; Allen, B; Cordes, J M; Deneva, J S; Anderson, D; Aulbert, C; Bhat, N D R; Bock, O; Bogdanov, S; Brazier, A; Camilo, F; Champion, D J; Chatterjee, S; Crawford, F; Demorest, P B; Fehrmann, H; Freire, P C C; Gonzalez, M E; Hammer, D; Hessels, J W T; Jenet, F A; Kasian, L; Kaspi, V M; Kramer, M; Lazarus, P; van Leeuwen, J; Lorimer, D R; Lyne, A G; Machenschalk, B; McLaughlin, M A; Messenger, C; Nice, D J; Papa, M A; Pletsch, H J; Prix, R; Ransom, S M; Siemens, X; Stairs, I H; Stappers, B W; Stovall, K; Venkataraman, A

    2010-09-10

    Einstein@Home aggregates the computer power of hundreds of thousands of volunteers from 192 countries to mine large data sets. It has now found a 40.8-hertz isolated pulsar in radio survey data from the Arecibo Observatory taken in February 2007. Additional timing observations indicate that this pulsar is likely a disrupted recycled pulsar. PSR J2007+2722's pulse profile is remarkably wide with emission over almost the entire spin period; the pulsar likely has closely aligned magnetic and spin axes. The massive computing power provided by volunteers should enable many more such discoveries.

  4. Volunteering as a pathway to productive and social engagement among older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Lee, Yung Soo; McCrary, Stacey; McBride, Amanda

    2014-10-01

    Research on outcomes of volunteering in later life largely focuses on the health of volunteers. This is in contrast to studies of youth, where attention is directed toward the effects of volunteering on subsequent productive and citizen behaviors. In this study, we examined the effects of volunteering on subsequent social and civic activity of older adults. This study was conducted with volunteers from Experience Corps® (EC), a national program that brings older adults into schools to work with students. Data were derived from a baseline survey of older adults who were new EC volunteers in fall of 2006 and 2007. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 338 volunteers in fall 2010 to capture work, education, and community activities undertaken subsequent to joining EC. Subsequent to joining EC, 16% of volunteers reported that they started a new job, 53% started another volunteer position, 40% started a community activity, and 39% took a class/started educational program. When asked if and how EC participation played a role in their new involvements, 71% said it increased confidence, 76% said it increased realization of the importance of organized activities/daily structure, and more than 40% said they made social connections that led to new involvements. Most reported they were more likely to be involved in advocacy efforts for public education. Volunteering among older adults is a means as well as an end--just as it is for young people. Programs can do more to attract and serve older adults by promoting volunteering as a pathway to other engagements, including work, social, and civic activities. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

  5. Volunteers in Palliative Care - A Comparison of Seven European Countries: A Descriptive Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woitha, Kathrin; Hasselaar, Jeroen; van Beek, Karen; Radbruch, Lukas; Jaspers, Birgit; Engels, Yvonne; Vissers, Kris

    2015-07-01

    In Europe, volunteers have an important role in the delivery of palliative care. As part of the EU co-funded Europall project, 4 aspects of volunteering in palliative care were studied for 7 European countries (Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain). These included (1) involvement of volunteers in palliative care, (2) organization of palliative care volunteering, (3) legal regulations concerning volunteering, and (4) education and training of palliative care volunteering. A literature search combined with an interview study. Information from the scientific literature, and country-specific policy documents were obtained and completed, along with data of consecutive semi-structured interviews with experts in the field of palliative care in the participating countries. In all countries, volunteers appeared to be involved in palliative care, yet their involvement across health care settings differed per country. England, for example, has the highest number of volunteers whereas Spain has the lowest number. Volunteering is embedded in law and regulations in all participating countries except for England and the Netherlands. In all participating countries, training programs are available and volunteers are organized, both on a national and a regional level. This study provides a descriptive overview of volunteer work in palliative care in 7 European countries, with a focus on the organizational aspects. Further research should concentrate on the roles and responsibilities of volunteers in the care for the terminally ill in different European health systems. © 2014 World Institute of Pain.

  6. Effect of calyx capsule-ethanol extract Hibiscus sabdariffa L. on renal function of healthy volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harun, N.; Darmawan, E.; Nurani, L. H.

    2017-11-01

    Hibiscus sabdariffa contains flavonoid, triterpenoid, anthocyanin which function as immunostimulant. H. sabdariffa is considered safe for animal renal; nonetheless, there are known side effects of which need to be further investigated for human renal. This research aims to investigate the effect of calyx capsule-ethanol extract H. sabdariffa for renal function of healthy male and female for 30 days period by monitoring Scr and Clcr component in their blood samples. The method of this experimental research was by pre and post-treatment by involving 20 healthy volunteers who have met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The volunteers have completed the informed consent for this experiment. Furthermore, volunteers were divided into two groups (10 male and 10 female). Each group was given orally 500 mg of calyx capsule-ethanol extract H. sabdariffa per day for 30 days period. Blood tests were taken on day 0, day 30 after consuming the capsule and day 45 (15 days after the last day of capsule intake) in order to measure the Scr and Clcr concentration in the blood samples by using Jaffe dan Cockcroft-Gault method. The results of each sampling day were further analyzed statistically and compared using Repeated ANOVA dan Friedman test. The results suggest that there was a difference in the renal function on day 0, 30 and 45 samplings. However, there was no significant difference in Scr dan Clcr concentrations on female and male volunteers (p>0.05). Specifically, the type of gender affects Scr concentration (p0.05). In addition, age and Body Mass Index (BMI) does not affect Scr and Clcr concentrations (p>0.05). The side effects discovered through the monitoring increased in mixturition and bloatedness. Calyx capsule-ethanol extract H. sabdariffa does not affect on renal function of healthy volunteers.

  7. What helps volunteers to continue with their work? | Marincowitz ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    South African Family Practice ... Aim: The aim of the study was to understand what volunteers perceived to be the factors helping them to continue ... Findings: The volunteers feel that their work consists of various forms of support to patients.

  8. Improved lipid profile and increased serum antioxidant capacity in healthy volunteers after Sambucus ebulus L. fruit infusion consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanova, Diana; Tasinov, Oskan; Kiselova-Kaneva, Yoana

    2014-09-01

    This study aimed to establish the effect of Sambucus ebulus L. (SE) ripe fruit infusion on body weight, blood pressure, glucose levels, lipid profile and antioxidant markers in healthy volunteers in respect of its possible protective activity against cardiovascular diseases and other oxidative stress-related diseases. The study involved 21 healthy volunteers, aged between 20 and 59, BMI 23.12 ± 1.31, who consumed 200 ml SE infusion/day for a period of 30 d. Blood samples were collected before and at the end of the intervention. Significant decrease in triglycerides (14.92%), total cholesterol (15.04%) and LDL-C (24.67%) was established at the end of the study. In addition, HDL-C/LDL-C ratio increased by 42.77%. Improved serum antioxidant capacity and total thiol levels were also established. The results presented in this first human intervention study with SE fruit infusion indicate the potential of the plant to improve lipid profile and serum antioxidant capacity in humans.

  9. Volunteer Monitoring to Protect Wetlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    The involvement of volunteers in ecological monitoring is a realistic, cost-effective, and beneficial way to obtain important information which might otherwise be unavailable due to lack of resources at government agencies.

  10. Three Steps to Engage Volunteers in Membership Marketing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossell, Tony

    2011-01-01

    There is a big world out there, and volunteers can make a significant impact in helping one reach out to others and grow his/her PTA membership. In fact, word-of-mouth marketing tied for the top spot as the most effective method of new member recruitment in Marketing General's 2010 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. So getting volunteers'…

  11. Environmental and Conservation Volunteering as Workplace Integrated Learning for University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Rowena H.; van Etten, Eddie

    2013-01-01

    This research paper introduces the concept and practice of tertiary sciences students doing environmental volunteering, also known as conservation volunteering, as a core part of their course. First year Natural Sciences students at Edith Cowan University do five days environmental volunteer work with community groups as a practicum, currently…

  12. Gender and religious differences associated with volunteering in later life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manning, Lydia K

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to use a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States to investigate the effect gender and religiosity has on volunteer behavior in later life. This study looks specifically at the gender and religious differences associated with volunteering in later life. Accounting for gender and religious differences, more specifically, this study examines the assumption that older women are more likely to volunteer in later life as opposed to men, and that gender is a better predictor than being religious for the likelihood of occupying a volunteer role in later life. This study poses questions about the differences in gender and religiosity associated with volunteering in later life; the results indicate there is more work to be done as we conduct research that is clearer about how volunteerism and religiosity are measured in relation to gender, and the overall impact these differences have for older women and their respective communities.

  13. [Burnout in volunteer health workers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argentero, P; Bonfiglio, N S; Pasero, R

    2006-01-01

    While diverse studies carried out in nursing and medical personnel have demonstrated that health workers can be subject to burnout, little effort has been focused on investigating burnout in volunteer hospital workers. The aim of the present study was to verify if burnout exists with volunteer auxiliary personnel and investigate what organizational conditions may favour it. The study was carried out on 80 volunteer workers of the Red Cross of Mortara (PV), subdivided into two categories: those performing emergency interventions and those performing routine services. For the evaluation of burnout, the Italian version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory was used, together with a qualitative type of methodology. A 5-factor multivariate analysis (sex x shift x team x seniority x role), having as dependent variables the three scales of the MBI, showed that the highest values of depersonalization and fulfillment are found in the emergency team, and that subjects with least seniority are those who are least satisfied or fulfilled. The category of team-leader resulted as that with the highest values of emotional burnout, while sex- and shift-based differences were restricted to routine service workers. Despite these differences, findings showed that subjects are minimally affected by problems linked to burnout, although some relational and organizational difficulties emerged with the medical staff that underlie a certain degree of professional dissatisfaction.

  14. National Context, Religiosity, and Volunteering : Results from 53 Countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruiter, Stijn; Graaf, Nan Dirk de

    2008-01-01

    To what extent does the national religious context affect volunteering? Does a religious environment affect the relation between religiosity and volunteering? To answer these questions, this study specifies individual level, contextual level, and cross-level interaction hypotheses. The authors test

  15. Exploring the working role of hospice volunteers

    OpenAIRE

    Watts, Jacqueline H.

    2011-01-01

    Volunteering is now a regular feature of health and social care service provision with volunteers working in diverse contexts such as day care centres, ‘after school’ clubs, hospitals and hospices. The promotion of the idea of an active civil society by successive UK governments has led to the professionalisation of some voluntary work as the product of a partnership between the voluntary sector, government and business. More standardised working practices and semi-formalised aspects of volun...

  16. Exploring the Relationship Between Public Service Motivation and Formal and Informal Volunteering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard M. Clerkin

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we apply public service motivation to the ongoing discussion of formal and informal volunteering and whether these are two distinct constructs or variations on the same theme. This exploratory research uses survey data of undergraduate students reporting their participation in both types of volunteering activities. Using structural equation modeling, these formal and informal volunteering activities show different influences on three dimensions of PSM. In addition to PSM, high school volunteering and religiosity have direct effects on rates of formal volunteering, which in turn positively influence the PSM dimensions of civic duty and self-sacrifice. Being an Evangelical Christian is associated with increased informal volunteering, which is positively related to the PSM compassion dimension. These results indicate that the different dimensions of PSM, and how formal and informal volunteering influences them, should be useful tools for scholars and practitioners seeking to understand these distinct types of pro-social behaviors.

  17. IDENTIFYING COMPETENCIES OF VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY SPORTS CLUBS

    OpenAIRE

    A. BALDUCK; A. VAN ROSSEM; M. BUELENS

    2009-01-01

    This study contributes to the emerging empirical studies on roles and responsibilities of boards in nonprofit organizations by identifying competencies of volunteer board members. We identified how two types of constituents—volunteer board members and sports members—perceived competencies of volunteer board members in community sports clubs. We used the repertory grid technique to draw cognitive maps and to reveal the perceived reality of these constituents. Our results suggest that constitue...

  18. Factors affecting rural volunteering in palliative care - an integrated review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittall, Dawn; Lee, Susan; O'Connor, Margaret

    2016-12-01

    To review factors shaping volunteering in palliative care in Australian rural communities using Australian and International literature. Identify gaps in the palliative care literature and make recommendations for future research. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Proquest, Scopus, Sage Premier, Wiley online, Ovid, Cochran, Google Scholar, CINAHL and Informit Health Collection. The literature was synthesised and presented in an integrated thematic narrative. Australian Rural communities. While Australia, Canada, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) are leaders in palliative care volunteer research, limited research specifically focuses on volunteers in rural communities with the least occurring in Australia. Several interrelated factors influence rural palliative care provision, in particular an increasingly ageing population which includes an ageing volunteer and health professional workforce. Also current and models of palliative care practice fail to recognise the innumerable variables between and within rural communities such as distance, isolation, lack of privacy, limited health care services and infrastructure, and workforce shortages. These issues impact palliative care provision and are significant for health professionals, volunteers, patients and caregivers. The three key themes of this integrated review include: (i) Geography, ageing rural populations in palliative care practice, (ii) Psychosocial impact of end-end-of life care in rural communities and (iii) Palliative care models of practice and volunteering in rural communities. The invisibility of volunteers in rural palliative care research is a concern in understanding the issues affecting the sustainability of quality palliative care provision in rural communities. Recommendations for future Australian research includes examination of the suitability of current models of palliative care practice in addressing the needs of rural communities; the recruitment

  19. Effect of serotonin on small intestinal contractility in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, M.B.; Arif, F.; Gregersen, H.

    2008-01-01

    The physiological significance of serotonin released into the intestinal lumen for the regulation of motility is unknown in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of serotonin infused into the lumen of the gastric antrum, duodenum or the jejunum, on antro-duodeno-jejunal contrac......The physiological significance of serotonin released into the intestinal lumen for the regulation of motility is unknown in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of serotonin infused into the lumen of the gastric antrum, duodenum or the jejunum, on antro......-duodeno-jejunal contractility in healthy human volunteers. Manometric recordings were obtained and the effects of either a standard meal, continuous intravenous infusion of serotonin (20 nmol/kg/min) or intraluminal bolus infusions of graded doses of serotonin (2.5, 25 or 250 nmol) were compared. In addition, platelet......-depleted plasma levels of serotonin, blood pressure, heart rate and electrocardiogram were evaluated. All subjects showed similar results. Intravenous serotonin increased migrating motor complex phase In frequency 3-fold and migrating velocity 2-fold. Intraluminal infusion of serotonin did not change contractile...

  20. The pharmacokinetic profile of crocetin in healthy adult human volunteers after a single oral administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umigai, N; Murakami, K; Ulit, M V; Antonio, L S; Shirotori, M; Morikawa, H; Nakano, T

    2011-05-15

    Crocetin, a unique carotenoid with a short carbon chain length, is an active compound of saffron and Gardenia jasminoides Ellis used as traditional herbal medicine. The present study was undertaken to investigate the pharmacokinetic profiles of crocetin in healthy adult subjects. The study was conducted as an open-label, single dose escalation with 10 Filipino volunteers (5 men and 5 women). The subjects received a single dose of crocetin at three doses (7.5, 15 and 22.5 mg) in one week interval. Blood samples were collected from the brachial vein before and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 24 h after administration. Plasma concentrations of crocetin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Crocetin was rapidly absorbed and detected within an hour of administration with a mean time to reach maximum concentration (T(max)) of crocetin ranging from 4.0 to 4.8 h. The mean values of C(max) and AUC(0-24h) ranged from 100.9 to 279.7 ng/ml and 556.5 to 1720.8 ng. h/ml respectively. C(max) and AUC values increased with dose proportional manner. Crocetin was eliminated from human plasma with a mean elimination half life (T(½) of 6.1 to 7.5 h. In summary, there were no serious adverse events up to 22.5 mg dose of crocetin while crocetin was found to be absorbed more quickly than the other carotenoids such as β-carotene, lutein and lycopene. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  1. Volunteering and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Does Helping Others Get "Under the Skin?".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burr, Jeffrey A; Han, Sae Hwang; Tavares, Jane L

    2016-10-01

    This study investigated whether volunteering was related to 5 risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) among middle-aged and older adults. Data from the 2004 and 2006 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 7,803) were examined. Logistic regression was used to describe the relationships among volunteering and central adiposity, hypertension, lipid dysregulation, elevated blood glucose levels, and high inflammation, along with 2 indexes of the MetS. Among middle-aged adults, results showed that volunteers were less likely to have high central adiposity, lipid dysregulation, elevated blood glucose levels, and MetS compared with non-volunteers. For older adults, results showed volunteers were less likely to be hypertensive and more likely to have lipid dysregulation than their non-volunteer counterparts. These results supported findings from other studies that formal volunteering is beneficial for middle-aged adults, and to a lesser degree, older adults. Further research is required to determine what factors may mediate the volunteer-CVD risk relationships. © The Author 2015. 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.

  2. The conscientious retiree: The relationship between conscientiousness, retirement, and volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mike, Anissa; Jackson, Joshua J.; Oltmanns, Thomas F.

    2015-01-01

    The current study examined the relationship between conscientiousness, work status, and volunteering utilizing two large samples, the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). It was hypothesized that conscientious adults who were retired would be more likely to volunteer because, after retirement, they gain a substantial amount of free time, while losing an outlet for their industrious and achievement-striving tendencies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses revealed that conscientious, retired individuals were more likely to volunteer than conscientious, working individuals. Further analyses revealed that facets of conscientiousness provide differential information from the general trait. These findings indicate that volunteering during retirement fills an important niche for high-striving, conscientious individuals. PMID:25843985

  3. The conscientious retiree: The relationship between conscientiousness, retirement, and volunteering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mike, Anissa; Jackson, Joshua J; Oltmanns, Thomas F

    2014-10-01

    The current study examined the relationship between conscientiousness, work status, and volunteering utilizing two large samples, the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). It was hypothesized that conscientious adults who were retired would be more likely to volunteer because, after retirement, they gain a substantial amount of free time, while losing an outlet for their industrious and achievement-striving tendencies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses revealed that conscientious, retired individuals were more likely to volunteer than conscientious, working individuals. Further analyses revealed that facets of conscientiousness provide differential information from the general trait. These findings indicate that volunteering during retirement fills an important niche for high-striving, conscientious individuals.

  4. Efficacy and safety of topical depigmenting agent in healthy human fair skin female volunteers: A single-arm study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Saurabh; Chew, Soon-Keong

    2017-11-28

    Skin hyperpigmentation is the darkening of skin due to the increased production of melanin in the body. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a botanical-based Rosa E pigmentation serum in healthy fair skin female volunteers with wrinkles, skin tone, and pigmentation. This was a single-arm, open label study conducted in healthy Indian females; 18 subjects aged 30-55, having fair Caucasian-like skin with at least 2 dark skin pigments with facial wrinkles diagnosed by dermatologist were selected. Rosa E pigmentation serum was applied twice a day for 84 days. Effect was evaluated by (i) instrumental technique (spectrophotometer ® 2600D), (ii) clinically by dermatologist regarding product efficacy (skin tone, antiwrinkle, pigmentation), and (iii) volunteers self-evaluation. The L* value of spectrophotometer reading represents lightness in the skin pigment. Reduction in the pigment was reported from day 14, with significant reductions observed till day 84 compared with baseline. Significant (P < .0001) skin pigmentation lightening was seen on day 14 (1.11) vastly improving on day 84 (1.94) based on photographic assessments. The significant reduction in skin pigment was 76.85%, Felix von Luschan skin color score was 30.24% (P < .0001) with a 7.38-fold reduction in skin tone and 57% reduction in facial wrinkles at day 84 from baseline. Rosa E pigmentation serum was found safe and effective in significant reduction in skin pigments, improvement of skin tone, and antiwrinkle properties instrumentally, clinically, and self-evaluation by volunteers. In these evaluations, best results were seen the longer the Rosa E was used. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. A human type 5 adenovirus-based tuberculosis vaccine induces robust T cell responses in humans despite preexisting anti-adenovirus immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smaill, Fiona; Jeyanathan, Mangalakumari; Smieja, Marek; Medina, Maria Fe; Thanthrige-Don, Niroshan; Zganiacz, Anna; Yin, Cindy; Heriazon, Armando; Damjanovic, Daniela; Puri, Laura; Hamid, Jemila; Xie, Feng; Foley, Ronan; Bramson, Jonathan; Gauldie, Jack; Xing, Zhou

    2013-10-02

    There is an urgent need to develop new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines to safely and effectively boost Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-triggered T cell immunity in humans. AdHu5Ag85A is a recombinant human type 5 adenovirus (AdHu5)-based TB vaccine with demonstrated efficacy in a number of animal species, yet it remains to be translated to human applications. In this phase 1 study, we evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of AdHu5Ag85A in both BCG-naïve and previously BCG-immunized healthy adults. Intramuscular immunization of AdHu5Ag85A was safe and well tolerated in both trial volunteer groups. Moreover, although AdHu5Ag85A was immunogenic in both trial volunteer groups, it much more potently boosted polyfunctional CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell immunity in previously BCG-vaccinated volunteers. Furthermore, despite prevalent preexisting anti-AdHu5 humoral immunity in most of the trial volunteers, we found little evidence that such preexisting anti-AdHu5 immunity significantly dampened the potency of AdHu5Ag85A vaccine. This study supports further clinical investigations of the AdHu5Ag85A vaccine for human applications. It also suggests that the widely perceived negative effect of preexisting anti-AdHu5 immunity may not be universally applied to all AdHu5-based vaccines against different types of human pathogens.

  6. Volunteer navigation partnerships: Piloting a compassionate community approach to early palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pesut, Barbara; Duggleby, Wendy; Warner, Grace; Fassbender, Konrad; Antifeau, Elisabeth; Hooper, Brenda; Greig, Madeleine; Sullivan, Kelli

    2017-07-03

    A compassionate community approach to palliative care provides important rationale for building community-based hospice volunteer capacity. In this project, we piloted one such capacity-building model in which volunteers and a nurse partnered to provide navigation support beginning in the early palliative phase for adults living in community. The goal was to improve quality of life by developing independence, engagement, and community connections. Volunteers received navigation training through a three-day workshop and then conducted in-home visits with clients living with advanced chronic illness over one year. A nurse navigator provided education and mentorship. Mixed method evaluation data was collected from clients, volunteer navigators, the nurse navigator, and other stakeholders. Seven volunteers were partnered with 18 clients. Over the one-year pilot, the volunteer navigators conducted visits in home or by phone every two to three weeks. Volunteers were skilled and resourceful in building connections and facilitating engagement. Although it took time to learn the navigator role, volunteers felt well-prepared and found the role satisfying and meaningful. Clients and family rated the service as highly important to their care because of how the volunteer helped to make the difficult experiences of aging and advanced chronic illness more livable. Significant benefits cited by clients were making good decisions for both now and in the future; having a surrogate social safety net; supporting engagement with life; and ultimately, transforming the experience of living with illness. Overall the program was perceived to be well-designed by stakeholders and meeting an important need in the community. Sustainability, however, was a concern expressed by both clients and volunteers. Volunteers providing supportive navigation services during the early phase of palliative care is a feasible way to foster a compassionate community approach to care for an aging population

  7. Volunteer motivators for participating in HIV vaccine clinical trials in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyaoke, Borna A; Mutua, Gaudensia N; Sajabi, Rose; Nyasani, Delvin; Mureithi, Marianne W; Anzala, Omu A

    2017-01-01

    1.5 million Kenyans are living with HIV/AIDS as per 2015 estimates. Though there is a notable decline in new HIV infections, continued effort is still needed to develop an efficacious, accessible and affordable HIV vaccine. HIV vaccine clinical trials bear risks, hence a need to understand volunteer motivators for enrolment, retention and follow-up. Understanding the factors that motivate volunteers to participate in a clinical trial can help to strategize, refine targeting and thus increase enrolment of volunteers in future HIV vaccine clinical trials. The health belief model classifies motivators into social benefits such as 'advancing research' and collaboration with science, and personal benefits such as health benefits and financial interests. A thematic analysis was carried out on data obtained from four HIV clinical trials conducted at KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research in Nairobi Kenya from 2009 to 2015. Responses were obtained from a Questionnaire administered to the volunteers during their screening visit at the research site. Of the 281 healthy, HIV-uninfected volunteers participating in this study; 38% were motivated by personal benefits including, 31% motivated by health benefits and 7% motivated by possible financial gains. In addition, 62% of the volunteers were motivated by social benefits with 20% of who were seeking to help their family/society/world while 42% were interested in advancing research. The majority of volunteers in the HIV vaccine trials at our site were motivated by social benefits, suggesting that altruism can be a major contributor to participation in HIV vaccine studies. Personal benefits were a secondary motivator for the volunteers. The motivators to volunteer in HIV clinical trials were similar across ages, education level and gender. Education on what is needed (including volunteer participation) to develop an efficacious vaccine could be the key to greater volunteer motivation to participate in HIV vaccine clinical trials.

  8. Volunteer motivators for participating in HIV vaccine clinical trials in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borna A Nyaoke

    Full Text Available 1.5 million Kenyans are living with HIV/AIDS as per 2015 estimates. Though there is a notable decline in new HIV infections, continued effort is still needed to develop an efficacious, accessible and affordable HIV vaccine. HIV vaccine clinical trials bear risks, hence a need to understand volunteer motivators for enrolment, retention and follow-up. Understanding the factors that motivate volunteers to participate in a clinical trial can help to strategize, refine targeting and thus increase enrolment of volunteers in future HIV vaccine clinical trials. The health belief model classifies motivators into social benefits such as 'advancing research' and collaboration with science, and personal benefits such as health benefits and financial interests.A thematic analysis was carried out on data obtained from four HIV clinical trials conducted at KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research in Nairobi Kenya from 2009 to 2015. Responses were obtained from a Questionnaire administered to the volunteers during their screening visit at the research site.Of the 281 healthy, HIV-uninfected volunteers participating in this study; 38% were motivated by personal benefits including, 31% motivated by health benefits and 7% motivated by possible financial gains. In addition, 62% of the volunteers were motivated by social benefits with 20% of who were seeking to help their family/society/world while 42% were interested in advancing research.The majority of volunteers in the HIV vaccine trials at our site were motivated by social benefits, suggesting that altruism can be a major contributor to participation in HIV vaccine studies. Personal benefits were a secondary motivator for the volunteers. The motivators to volunteer in HIV clinical trials were similar across ages, education level and gender. Education on what is needed (including volunteer participation to develop an efficacious vaccine could be the key to greater volunteer motivation to participate in HIV vaccine

  9. MR angiography of the TMJ in asymptomatic volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takagi, Ritsuo; Ohashi, Yasushi; Westesson, P.L.; Togashi, Hirosuke

    1998-01-01

    To evaluate the vascular anatomy of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding soft tissue non-invasively, we applied magnetic resonance (MR) angiography for delineating the arterial architecture around the TMJ. MR angiograms of the left and right TMJs in asymptomatic volunteers were obtained using 3D/Time-of-flight (TOF) (First Field Echo, TR/TE/FLIP=46 ms/6.8 ms/17 deg) with intravenous contrast. These MR angiograms were compared with experimental angiograms of human TMJ autopsy specimens in order to identify each of the branches of the arteries on the MR angiograms. This study enabled the depiction by MR angiography of arterial vessels around the TMJ region to some degree. In conclusion, MR angiography appears promising as a non-invasive tool to evaluate the vascular anatomy of the TMJ. (author)

  10. Skin toxicity and quality of life in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer during first-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI treatment in a single-arm phase II study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thaler, Josef; Köhne, Claus-Henning; Karthaus, Meinolf; Mineur, Laurent; Greil, Richard; Letocha, Henry; Hofheinz, Ralf; Fernebro, Eva; Gamelin, Erick; Baños, Ana

    2012-01-01

    Integument-related toxicities are common during epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapy. Panitumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the EGFR that significantly improves progression-free survival when added to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have wild-type (WT) KRAS tumours. Primary efficacy and tolerability results from a phase II single-arm study of first-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer have been reported. Here we report additional descriptive tolerability and quality of life data from this trial. Integument-related toxicities and quality of life were analysed; toxicities were graded using modified National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. Kaplan-Meier estimates of time to and duration of first integument-related toxicity were prepared. Quality of life was measured using EuroQoL EQ-5D and EORTC QLQ-C30. Best overall response was analysed by skin toxicity grade and baseline quality of life. Change in quality of life was analysed by skin toxicity severity. 154 patients were enrolled (WT KRAS n = 86; mutant KRAS n = 59); most (98%) experienced integument-related toxicities (most commonly rash [42%], dry skin [40%] and acne [36%]). Median time to first integument-related toxicity was 8 days; median duration was 334 days. Overall, proportionally more patients with grade 2+ skin toxicity responded (56%) compared with those with grade 0/1 (29%). Mean overall EQ-5D health state index scores (0.81 vs. 0.78), health rating scores (72.5 vs. 71.0) and QLQ-C30 global health status scores (65.8 vs. 66.7) were comparable at baseline vs. safety follow-up (8 weeks after completion), respectively and appeared unaffected by skin toxicity severity. First-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI has acceptable tolerability and appears to have little impact on quality of life, despite the high incidence of integument-related toxicity. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00508404

  11. Skin toxicity and quality of life in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer during first-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI treatment in a single-arm phase II study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thaler Josef

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Integument-related toxicities are common during epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-targeted therapy. Panitumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the EGFR that significantly improves progression-free survival when added to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have wild-type (WT KRAS tumours. Primary efficacy and tolerability results from a phase II single-arm study of first-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer have been reported. Here we report additional descriptive tolerability and quality of life data from this trial. Methods Integument-related toxicities and quality of life were analysed; toxicities were graded using modified National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. Kaplan-Meier estimates of time to and duration of first integument-related toxicity were prepared. Quality of life was measured using EuroQoL EQ-5D and EORTC QLQ-C30. Best overall response was analysed by skin toxicity grade and baseline quality of life. Change in quality of life was analysed by skin toxicity severity. Results 154 patients were enrolled (WT KRAS n = 86; mutant KRAS n = 59; most (98% experienced integument-related toxicities (most commonly rash [42%], dry skin [40%] and acne [36%]. Median time to first integument-related toxicity was 8 days; median duration was 334 days. Overall, proportionally more patients with grade 2+ skin toxicity responded (56% compared with those with grade 0/1 (29%. Mean overall EQ-5D health state index scores (0.81 vs. 0.78, health rating scores (72.5 vs. 71.0 and QLQ-C30 global health status scores (65.8 vs. 66.7 were comparable at baseline vs. safety follow-up (8 weeks after completion, respectively and appeared unaffected by skin toxicity severity. Conclusions First-line panitumumab plus FOLFIRI has acceptable tolerability and appears to have little impact on quality of life, despite the high incidence of integument

  12. The public service-motivated volunteer devoting time or effort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Costello, Joyce; Homberg, Fabian; Secchi, Davide

    2017-01-01

    and thus may inform subsequent empirical work. First, we address academic debates concerning the measurement of volunteer effort. Second, we propose using public service motivation (PSM) theory as a means to understand the motivation of volunteers across sectors. We suggest that different PSM dimensions...

  13. Volunteering by older adults and risk of mortality: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Morris A; Yeung, Ellen WanHeung; Brown, Stephanie

    2013-06-01

    Organizational volunteering has been touted as an effective strategy for older adults to help themselves while helping others. Extending previous reviews, we carried out a meta-analysis of the relation between organizational volunteering by late-middle-aged and older adults (minimum age = 55 years old) and risk of mortality. We focused on unadjusted effect sizes (i.e., bivariate relations), adjusted effect sizes (i.e., controlling for other variables such as health), and interaction effect sizes (e.g., the joint effect of volunteering and religiosity). For unadjusted effect sizes, on average, volunteering reduced mortality risk by 47%, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 38% to 55%. For adjusted effect sizes, on average, volunteering reduced mortality risk by 24%, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 16% to 31%. For interaction effect sizes, we found preliminary support that as public religiosity increases, the inverse relation between volunteering and mortality risk becomes stronger. The discussion identifies several unresolved issues and directions for future research. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  14. International clinical volunteering in Tanzania: A postcolonial analysis of a Global Health business.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Noelle

    2018-03-01

    This article traces how scarcities characteristic of health systems in low-income countries (LICs), and increasing popular interest in Global Health, have inadvertently contributed to the popularisation of a specific Global Health business: international clinical volunteering through private volunteer placement organisations (VPOs). VPOs market neglected health facilities as sites where foreigners can 'make a difference', regardless of their skill set. Drawing on online investigation and ethnographic research in Tanzania over four field seasons from 2011 to 2015, including qualitative interviews with 41 foreign volunteers and 90 Tanzanian health workers, this article offers a postcolonial analysis of VPO marketing and volunteer action in health facilities of LICs. Two prevalent postcolonial racialised tropes inform both VPO marketing and foreign volunteers' discourses and practices in Tanzania. The first trope discounts Tanzanian expertise in order to envision volunteers in expert roles despite lacking training, expertise, or contextual knowledge. The second trope envisions Tanzanian patients as so impoverished that insufficiently trained volunteer help is 'better than nothing at all'. These two postcolonial racialised tropes inform the conceptual work undertaken by VPO marketing schemes and foreign volunteers in order to remake Tanzanian health professionals and patients into appropriate and justifiable sites for foreign volunteer intervention.

  15. Volunteer Tourism as a Sustainable Form of Tourism—The Case of Organized Events

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristína Pompurová

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on volunteer tourism as a sustainable form of tourism relating to the volunteer service at a tourism destination and specific tourism activities. The aim of the paper is to explore volunteer tourism in Slovakia with examples of organized events, especially to search exactly how event’s organizers support the development of domestic and inbound volunteer tourism in Slovakia. This paper is based on a sociological survey. We addressed 653 heterogeneous event’s organizers in Slovakia. 18% of them participated in the questionnaire survey. The collected data were processed by selected mathematical and statistical methods in SPSS statistics program. As such, we found most events organizers team up with volunteers. Only half of the organizers cooperate with local volunteers, while the second half also support the development of volunteer tourism engaging in voluntourism. In the case of attractive events, the engagement of voluntourists could be more effective. The current situation has resulted from missing information about the management of volunteers but it could be improved through an e-manual for event organizers providing an outline guide for volunteer management.

  16. Blanching improves anthocyanin absorption from highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) purée in healthy human volunteers: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Bo', Cristian; Riso, Patrizia; Brambilla, Ada; Gardana, Claudio; Rizzolo, Anna; Simonetti, Paolo; Bertolo, Gianni; Klimis-Zacas, Dorothy; Porrini, Marisa

    2012-09-12

    Blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are rich sources of phenolics and anthocyanins (ACNs). We investigated the absorption of ACNs after consumption of one portion (300 g) of minimally processed blueberry purée (P) obtained from blanched (BL) or unblanched (NB) berries. A repeated-measures, crossover design study was conducted on healthy human volunteers. Blood was drawn between baseline and 24 h after BL-P or NB-P consumption, while urine were collected from the day before the experiment up to 48 h. Total plasma ACN content was not significantly different, while phenolics content was higher in BL-P with respect to NB-P. The maximum ACN absorption in plasma was observed after 1.5 h from the intake of the purées and was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) after the intake of BL-P. Both products increased the excretion of hippuric acid in urine. In conclusion, blanching had no significant effect on total ACN content and enhanced their absorption from minimally processed purées.

  17. Adult 4-H Volunteer Empowerment in 4-H Youth Development Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsen, Pamela

    2009-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to determine which factors related to adult 4-H volunteer empowerment in 4-H youth development settings. This study examined the relationship of adult 4-H volunteers' perceived leadership styles of Oregon 4-H Youth Development Educators (YDE) to the adult 4-H volunteer sense of empowerment. In addition,…

  18. Assessing the religious roots of volunteer work in middle and late life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Neal

    2015-07-01

    Research reveals that older people do a significant amount of volunteer work. Moreover, a good deal of this volunteering takes place in religious institutions. The purpose of this study is to examine how social factors in the church influence the decision to volunteer. The analyses are conducted in two steps. First, data from a longitudinal nationwide survey of older people are used to show that increases in spiritual support (i.e., assistance from fellow church members that is designed to bolster religious beliefs and behaviors) are associated with increases in the frequency of volunteer work. Second, cross-sectional analyses from the same survey suggest that spiritual support is associated with volunteering in part because it promotes greater compassion. However, the magnitude of the relationship between compassion and volunteering is fairly modest. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Red Cross Youth Program: Volunteering for Fun and Esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Ranae; Grove, Barbara

    1982-01-01

    Describes a program in which high school students from St. Paul, Minnesota volunteer at the local Red Cross. Cites examples of students who entered the volunteer program with personal problems and were able to overcome them through meaningful work experience at the Red Cross. (Author/GC)

  20. The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program: Providing meaningful volunteer activity to residents in assisted living with mild cognitive impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinedinst, N Jennifer; Resnick, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program was developed to provide individualized meaningful volunteer activities matched to interests and capabilities for older adults with MCI in assisted living. The purposes of this single-site pre-test/post-test pilot study were to (1) establish feasibility of the VIP Program based on treatment fidelity (design, treatment, delivery, enactment); and (2) evaluate preliminary efficacy via improvement in psychological health (depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience, and life satisfaction) and decreased sedentary activity (survey and Fitbit) at 3 and 6 months. Ten residents participated. The majority was white, female and educated, and on average 88 years old. The VIP Program was feasible and most participants continued to volunteer at 6 months. There were non-significant improvements in depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience and recreational physical activity. The results of this study provide support for the feasibility of the VIP Program. Further study is necessary to examine efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Getting it Right: Estimating the Share of Volunteers in Denmark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Hermansen

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available  ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"17lm8qr6dg","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Abraham, Helms, & Presser, 2009","plainCitation":"(Abraham, Helms, & Presser, 2009"},"citationItems":[{"id":594,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/1739062/items/EIENFNPD"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/1739062/items/EIENFNPD"],"itemData":{"id":594,"type":"article-journal","title":"How Social Processes Distort Measurement: The Impact of Survey Nonresponse on Estimates of Volunteer Work in the United States","container-title":"American Journal of Sociology","page":"1129-1165","volume":"114","issue":"4","source":"JSTOR","abstract":"The authors argue that both the large variability in survey estimates of volunteering and the fact that survey estimates do not show the secular decline common to other social capital measures are caused by the greater propensity of those who do volunteer work to respond to surveys. Analyses of the American Time Use Survey (ATUS—the sample for which is drawn from the Current Population Survey (CPS—together with the CPS volunteering supplement show that CPS respondents who become ATUS respondents report much more volunteering in the CPS than those who become ATUS nonrespondents. This difference is replicated within subgroups. Consequently, conventional adjustments for nonresponse cannot correct the bias. Although nonresponse leads to estimates of volunteer activity that are too high, it generally does not affect inferences about the characteristics of volunteers.","DOI":"10.1086/592200","ISSN":"0002-9602","shortTitle":"How Social Processes Distort Measurement","journalAbbreviation":"American Journal of Sociology","author":[{"family":"Abraham","given":"Katharine G."},{"family":"Helms","given":"Sara"},{"family":"Presser","given":"Stanley"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2009",1,1

  2. Volunteering is prospectively associated with health care use among older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eric S; Konrath, Sara H

    2016-01-01

    Although observational and experimental studies have shown that volunteering is linked with better mental health, physical health, and health behaviors, no studies have examined whether volunteering is associated with patterns of health care use. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine whether volunteering was associated with a greater use of preventive health care services, but fewer doctor visits and nights spent in the hospital. Participants (n = 7168) were drawn from the 2006 wave of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative panel study of American adults over the age of 51, and tracked for one wave (2 years). Logistic regression and generalized linear models were used for analyses. In analyses that adjusted for sociodemographic factors and baseline health, volunteers were 30% more likely to receive flu shots (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.16-1.47), 47% more likely to receive cholesterol tests (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.24-1.74); female volunteers were 53% more likely to receive mammograms/x-rays (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.28-1.83) and 21% more likely to receive Pap smears (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.03-1.41); male volunteers were 59% more likely to receive prostate exams (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.29-1.95). In a model that adjusted for sociodemographic factors, volunteers spent 38% fewer nights in the hospital (RR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.52-0.76), however volunteering was not associated with frequency of doctor visits (RR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.87-1.02). The association between volunteering and number of nights spent in the hospital was minimally affected after adjusting for potential confounding (baseline health) and explanatory variables (health behaviors, social integration, stress, positive psychological factors, personality). This is the first known study to examine the association between volunteering and health care use. If future studies replicate these findings, the results may be used to inform the development of new

  3. Is There a Place for Humor in Hospice Palliative Care? Volunteers Say "Yes"!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton-Oldfield, Stephen; Bhatt, Anamika

    2017-06-01

    A survey was conducted to examine the frequency, acceptability, and functions of humor between hospice palliative care volunteers and their patients, from the volunteers' perspective. Thirty-two volunteers completed the survey, which was developed for this study. The results revealed that most patients and volunteers initiated humor either "often" or "sometimes" in their interactions. Over half of the volunteers considered humor to be either "very important" or "extremely important" in their interactions with patients (42% and 13%, respectively), with the patient being the determining factor as to whether and when it is appropriate or not (ie, volunteers take their lead from their patients). Volunteers mentioned a number of functions that humor serves within their patient interactions (eg, to relieve tension, to foster relationships/connections, and to distract). Laughter and humor fulfills one of the main goals of hospice palliative care, namely, improving patients' overall quality of life.

  4. 45 CFR 1232.9 - General prohibitions against employment and volunteer service discrimination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... activity under which volunteers are assigned to work in a number of work stations will assure that a... volunteer service discrimination. 1232.9 Section 1232.9 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public... IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Employment and Volunteer Service...

  5. Potential for intensive volunteering to promote the health of older adults in fair health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barron, Jeremy S; Tan, Erwin J; Yu, Qilu; Song, Meilin; McGill, Sylvia; Fried, Linda P

    2009-07-01

    Volunteer service opportunities for older adults may soon be expanded. Although volunteering is thought to provide health benefits for healthier older adults, it is not known whether older adults in less than very good health are suitable candidates for high-intensity volunteering and can derive health benefits. This manuscript presents a prospective analysis of 174 older adult volunteers serving in Experience Corps Baltimore, a high-intensity senior volunteer program in Baltimore, Maryland. Volunteers served > or =15 h per week, for a full school year, in elementary schools helping children with reading and other skills between 1999 and 2002. Volunteers were assessed with standardized questionnaires and performance-based testing including grip strength, walking speed, chair stand speed, and stair-climbing speed prior to school volunteering and at the end of the school year. Results were stratified by health status. Among 174 volunteers, 55% initially reported "good" and 12% "fair" or "poor" health status. At baseline, those in fair health reported higher frequencies of disease and disability than volunteers in excellent or very good health. After volunteering, a majority of volunteers in every baseline health status category described increased strength and energy. Those in fair health were significantly more likely to display improved stair-climbing speed than those in good or excellent/very good health (100.0% vs. 53.4% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.05), and many showed clinically significant increases in walking speed of >0.5 m/s. Satisfaction and retention rates were high for all health status groups. Clinicians should consider whether their patients in fair or good health, as well as those in better health, might benefit from high-intensity volunteer programs. Productive activity such as volunteering may be an effective community-based approach to health promotion for older adults.

  6. Motivation and satisfaction among polyclinic volunteers at the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeser, J; Berg, R; Rhea, D; Willick, S

    2005-01-01

    Background: The Olympic and Paralympic Games rely heavily on volunteers to provide many essential services, including medical care of athletes. Objective: This preliminary investigation sought to characterise the motivational influences and factors responsible for the satisfaction of Olympic and Paralympic healthcare volunteers. Methods: The 2002 Winter Games polyclinic healthcare volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to elicit information about their motives for volunteering and the factors that contributed to their satisfaction with their volunteer experience. Results: There was no significant difference in the motivation or satisfaction summary scores based on event worked. There was a strong positive correlation between motivation and satisfaction. Physician respondents had a lower mean motivation score than did non-physician volunteers. Conclusions: There were no significant motivational differences between Olympic and Paralympic volunteers, but there were several differences noted between physician and non-physician volunteers. The 2002 polyclinic volunteers appear to have been motivated by a complex process best described as "enlightened self interest," and all were generally well satisfied with their experience. These results may assist organisers of future Games in selecting appropriately motivated volunteer personnel and creating rewarding work environments for them. PMID:15793078

  7. ASSESSING ACCIDENT HOTSPOTS BY USING VOLUNTEERED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Golnoosh

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Due to the ever-increasing number of vehicles, transportation issues, especially transportation safety have gained great importance. One of the social problems in the world, and particularly in developing countries, which each year imposes great casualties, and economic, social and cultural costs on society, is traffic accidents. Traffic accidents cause waste of time and assets and loss of human resources in society, therefore studies and measures to reduce accidents and damage caused by them, particularly in recent decades, has become important. One of the suggested ways to deal with the problem of car accidents is the modeling of accident-prone points, as by identifying these points, factors affecting accidents can be identified, and elimination of these factors leads to a reduction in accidents. Numerous studies have been conducted in this respect, using official police data to identify these points and performing necessary analysis on them. Official data has gaps and shortcomings. Using Volunteered Geographic Information to determine accident-prone venues can be a suitable answer to the problems of using official data. The aim of this study is the use of volunteered geographic information in relation to the accidents and their causes. By taking into account factors affecting traffic accidents in the study area, and determining the importance of each factor, as well as the severity-of-accidents parameter, and using the Expert Choice software, a decision-making software based on the hierarchical analysis, high-risk venues are determined, and the accident-prone points of the study area are specified.

  8. Human subjects and experimental irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, R.

    1985-01-01

    In recent years the public has expressed concern about the use of human subjects in scientific research. Some professional institutions have adopted codes of practice to guide them in this matter. At the University of New South Wales, where human subjects are used in teaching and research programmes, a committee ensures that high ethical standards are maintained. As the volunteer subjects do not gain any benefit themselves from the procedures, their level of risk is kept low. One type of procedure in which risk is becoming quantifiable, is the irradiation of human subjects. To assist peer review groups, the ICRP, WHO and the National Health and Medical Research Council have enunciated principles which should be followed in the irradiation of human volunteer subjects. In general the role of the Committee is advisory to protect the rights of the investigator, the subject, and the institution. Some of the inherent problems are discussed

  9. Molecular helpers wanted... Call for volunteers!

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    The Task Force in charge of the organization of the LHC Inauguration is looking for 40 volunteers to support the team of molecular cooks directed by international chef Ettore Bocchia. The "molecular" volunteers will help in the preparation of liquid nitrogen ice-cream. Your help is requested from 12h to 18h on October 21st. Your participation in a general rehearsal on October 20th is also required - (the time of the rehearsal will be communicated at a later moment). Dress code: black pants and shoes, long sleeved white shirt. Do not miss this opportunity to take part in an extraordinary event! For further information and to enrol, contact: mailto:Catherine.Brandt@cern.ch

  10. Daily recovery experiences: the role of volunteer work during leisure time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mojza, Eva J; Lorenz, Christian; Sonnentag, Sabine; Binnewies, Carmen

    2010-01-01

    This study focused on the role of volunteer work for daily recovery from work. In a 1-week diary study with 166 employees, we assessed the amount of time spent on volunteer work during leisure time, and the recovery facets of psychological detachment from work (i.e., mentally switching off from work), mastery experiences (i.e., pursuing challenging activities), and community experiences (i.e., cultivating relationships) every day before participants went to bed. Results from hierarchical linear modeling (n = 529 days) showed volunteer work during leisure time to be positively related to mastery experiences and community experiences suggesting volunteer work to contribute to successful recovery by creating new resources.

  11. Effects of Simulated Surface Effect Ship Motions on Crew Habitability. Phase II. Volume 5. Clinical Medical Effects on Volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    1977-05-01

    the 2000 ton surface effect ship (2000T-SES). Nine- teen volunteer human research subjects, selected at different times from 600 naval enlisted...bite, the status of each individual tooth and its root structure. This is required in order to determine that there is an adequate dental, gingival

  12. A randomized two-way crossover comparative pharmacokinetic study of two different tablet formulations containing ilaprazole in healthy human Indian volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shubhasis Dan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI are observed to be great healer in gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD and duodenal ulcer. Quantification of the drugs in human plasma by validated bioanalytical method are very important to determine pharmacokinetic parameters for undergoing comparative study with standard available formulations to make the newer one commercially available. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the relative bioavailability of Ilaprazole, a novel PPI comparing the test formulation to the reference one according to standard regulatory guidelines. Materials and Methods: The bioequivalence of two tablet formulations, one as reference and other as test containing 10 mg of ilaprazole [CAS No. 172152-36-2] was studied in 12 healthy Indian volunteers. This was a single dose, twoperiod and randomized crossover study separated with a washout period of one week. Plasma samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected before dosing and at pre-specified time points after dosing. The concentration of ilaprazole in plasma was determined by a validated HPLC-UV method using theophylline as internal standard. The formulations were compared using the parameters Area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC 0-t , Area under the plasma concentration-time curve from zero to infinity (AUC 0-͵, Peak plasma concentration (C max , and time to reach peak plasma concentration (t max . Results: Mean AUC 0-t of test and reference product were calculated to be 2627.793 ± 154.989 ng h ml−1 and 2555.905 ± 225.916 ng h ml−1 , with a C max of 347.459 ± 48.175 ng h ml−1 . While mean AUC 0-͵ of test and reference product were calculated to be 2733.334 ± 242.438 ng h ml−1 and 2728.716 ± 284.408 ng h ml−1 . Conclusion: The results of this investigation indicated no statistically significant differences between the logarithmic transformed AUC 0-͵ and C max values of the two preparations. The 90% confidence

  13. Evaluation of five pre-emergence herbicides for volunteer potato ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Volunteer potatoes can cause significant weed problems in crops following potatoes as large numbers of potato tubers remain behind in the field after mechanical harvesting. These volunteer plants can create havoc with rotation programs and serve as a source of pests and diseases. The aim of this project was to identify a ...

  14. Controlled human infection models for vaccine development: Zika virus debate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad

    2018-01-01

    An ethics panel, convened by the National Institute of Health and other research bodies in the USA, disallowed researchers from the Johns Hopkins University and University of Vermont from performing controlled human infection of healthy volunteers to develop a vaccine against Zika virus infection. The members published their ethical analysis and recommendations in February 2017. They have elaborated on the risks posed by human challenge with Zika virus to the volunteers and other uninvolved third parties and have systematically analysed the social value of such a human challenge experiment. They have also posited some mandatory ethical requirements which should be met before allowing the infection of healthy volunteers with the Zika virus. This commentary elaborates on the debate on the ethics of the human challenge model for the development of a Zika virus vaccine and the role of systematic ethical analysis in protecting the interests of research participants. It further analyses the importance of this debate to the development of a Zika vaccine in India.

  15. 45 CFR 2553.43 - What cost reimbursements are provided to RSVP volunteers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What cost reimbursements are provided to RSVP... Reimbursements and Volunteer Assignments § 2553.43 What cost reimbursements are provided to RSVP volunteers? RSVP volunteers are provided the following cost reimbursements within the limits of the project's available...

  16. Volunteer Clouds and Citizen Cyberscience for LHC Physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguado Sanchez, Carlos; Blomer, Jakob; Buncic, Predrag; Ellis, John; Harutyunyan, Artem; Marquina, Miguel; Mato, Pere; Schulz, Holger; Segal, Ben; Sharma, Archana; Skands, Peter; Chen Gang; Wu Jie; Wu Wenjing; Garcia Quintas, David; Grey, Francois; Lombrana Gonzalez, Daniel; Rantala, Jarno; Weir, David; Yadav, Rohit

    2011-01-01

    Computing for the LHC, and for HEP more generally, is traditionally viewed as requiring specialized infrastructure and software environments, and therefore not compatible with the recent trend in v olunteer computing , where volunteers supply free processing time on ordinary PCs and laptops via standard Internet connections. In this paper, we demonstrate that with the use of virtual machine technology, at least some standard LHC computing tasks can be tackled with volunteer computing resources. Specifically, by presenting volunteer computing resources to HEP scientists as a v olunteer cloud , essentially identical to a Grid or dedicated cluster from a job submission perspective, LHC simulations can be processed effectively. This article outlines both the technical steps required for such a solution and the implications for LHC computing as well as for LHC public outreach and for participation by scientists from developing regions in LHC research.

  17. Motivation of youth participation in the volunteer movement

    OpenAIRE

    Tamara Nezhina; Kseniya Petukhova; Natal'ya Chechetkina; Il'ziya Mindarova

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine existing practices of young volunteer recruitment, retention and motivation in Russian noncommercial and government organizations and compare them with the best practices in American organizations. To know this information is essential for government managers and NGO leaders to successfully attract and retain young people as volunteers in their organizations. The theories of economic man and altruistic man have shaped the methodology and research des...

  18. Influence of Youth Volunteering on Socialization and Development of Competences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valdas Pruskus

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Volunteering is one of manifestations of citizenship. It indicates the individual’s quality in terms of citizenship and the readiness to take an active part in public activities. The current paper analyses the phenomenon of volunteering (its place and role in ensuring public development and sustainability. The influence of volunteer - ing on the youth socialization and personal development of competences (in particular, social, professional and communicative is disclosed in the article. The article also highlights the motives and factors that promote and prevent the youth participation in voluntary activities.

  19. Basic Pay In The United States All-Volunteer Armed Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Carson, Kenneth

    2000-01-01

    As the United States enters the 21st century, the readiness of its over 1.4 million all-volunteer armed forces is as important today as anytime during the 27 year history of the modern all-volunteer force (AVF...

  20. Volunteer Team Management

    OpenAIRE

    Monych, Maria

    2015-01-01

    This thesis looked into volunteer team management in a project in AIESEC in Finland through the action research method. AIESEC in Finland is a non-profit non-government organization with a purpose of “peace and fulfilment of humankinds potential” through development of the youth’s future leadership. AIESEC was not a commissioning party; the project was the basis for the thesis without the supervision of the company. The thesis is based on a project that the author was in charge of, in ...

  1. Conditions for Successfully Increasing Disadvantaged Adolescents’ Engagement in and Development through Volunteering in Community Sport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evi Buelens

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available A considerable number of adolescents in Western societies live in socially vulnerable situations. Approaches to improve this situation ultimately aim to make institutional changes through a focus on individual development. With regard to the latter, there have been high expectations regarding sport volunteering’s contribution to human capital development. Nevertheless, little understanding of the underlying conditions for, and possible outcomes of sport volunteering exists. This study’s aim was twofold: (1 to assess the conditions necessary to develop the human capital of disadvantaged adolescents through volunteering in community sport, and (2 to assess to what extent human capital can be developed. A qualitative research design was used to attain deeper insight into these conditions within eight community sport programs in Flanders (Northern Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, a setting that is not often used for youth developmental practices. Data were collected on repeated occasions over the course of each program through qualitative methods with local sport services and social partner organizations (N = 26 and participating adolescents (N = 26. Inductive analysis identified two categories of necessary conditions, (1 valuing and recognizing adolescents, and (2 informal and experiential learning. Results further showed the achievement of two types of perceived human capital developmental outcome (i.e., personal and interpersonal competences through the fulfilment of these conditions. Findings also showed that although two of these programs made use of a more critical pedagogical approach to youth development by encouraging participants, not only to reflect on, but also to critically take part in the transformation of their own position within society; critical youth empowerment was not reached in the majority of the programs.

  2. Online pre-race education improves test scores for volunteers at a marathon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Shane; Renier, Colleen; Sikka, Robby; Widstrom, Luke; Paulson, William; Christensen, Trent; Olson, David; Nelson, Benjamin

    2017-09-01

    This study examined whether an online course would lead to increased knowledge about the medical issues volunteers encounter during a marathon. Health care professionals who volunteered to provide medical coverage for an annual marathon were eligible for the study. Demographic information about medical volunteers including profession, specialty, education level and number of marathons they had volunteered for was collected. A 15-question test about the most commonly encountered medical issues was created by the authors and administered before and after the volunteers took the online educational course and compared to a pilot study the previous year. Seventy-four subjects completed the pre-test. Those who participated in the pilot study last year (N = 15) had pre-test scores that were an average of 2.4 points higher than those who did not (mean ranks: pilot study = 51.6 vs. non-pilot = 33.9, p = 0.004). Of the 74 subjects who completed the pre-test, 54 also completed the post-test. The overall post-pre mean score difference was 3.8 ± 2.7 (t = 10.5 df = 53 p online education demonstrated a long-term (one-year) increase in test scores. Testing also continued to show short-term improvement in post-course test scores, compared to pre-course test scores. In general, marathon medical volunteers who had no volunteer experience demonstrated greater improvement than those who had prior volunteer experience.

  3. Personality and Coping in Peruvian volunteers for poverty alleviation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Gastelumendi Gonçalves

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This study explores the relationship between coping styles and strategies, and personality styles in a sample of 41 young volunteers of an institution that alleviates poverty in Lima. Peruvian adaptations of COPE and MIPS scales were administered. The results show that volunteers have higher scores on adaptive coping strategies. High scores in some particular personality styles were reported, which allowed to establish a personality profile of this group. According with theoretical framework, most coping strategies correlated with most personality styles, revealing four particular tendencies in these volunteers: they wish to have contact with other people, they usually see positive aspects of situations, they look forward for challenges, and they developed adaptive coping strategies.

  4. Volunteers and Ex-Volunteers: Paths to Civic Engagement Through Volunteerism Voluntarios y Ex Voluntarios: Perfiles de Participación Ciudadana a Través del Voluntariado

    OpenAIRE

    Elena Marta; Maura Pozzi; Daniela Marzana

    2010-01-01

    The study described is part of a broader longitudinal and multi-methodological research project aimed at investigating volunteerism in young people, in order to understand the reasons for the initial choice to volunteer but, more specifically, the reasons to sustain or quit voluntary involvement, as well as the effects of volunteerism. Eighteen volunteers and 18 ex-volunteers, 50% male and 50% female, aged between 22 and 29 years old, from 2 regions in northern Italy (Lombardy and Emilia Roma...

  5. 75 FR 56501 - Information Collection; Land Management Agency Volunteer Surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-16

    ... Information Collection; Land Management Agency Volunteer Surveys AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice... and test models of volunteer management; supply information to LMA program managers and other... is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information...

  6. The mitigating influence of volunteer work on risk of long-term unemployment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petrovski, Erik; Dencker-Larsen, Sofie; Holm, Anders

    In addition to benefiting others, volunteer work is argued to supply volunteers themselves with skills, reputation, and social connections that increase overall employability. We test this hypothesized link between volunteer work and employability with a high-quality 2012 Danish survey sample of 1......,796 individuals of working age. The survey data is linked to administrative registers with individual level data on unemployment. A combination of detailed controls, lagged dependent variables, and instrumental variable regression is used in order to determine cause and effect. Our findings show that volunteers...

  7. A coordinated state/federal volunteer training program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chuba, T.J.; Dimmick, E.

    1993-01-01

    While the sinking of the Tenyo Maru and resultant oil spill off Washington's Olympic Peninsula in July 1991 was tragic, it fostered the birth of a cooperative effort by federal and state agencies to train volunteer responders prior to another oil spill. This effort, under the auspices of an Oregon nonprofit group known as SOLV (Stop Oregon Littering and Vandalism), is known as the SOS (SOLV Oil Spill) Steering committee. The purpose of the group is to train volunteer responders to aid federal, state, and local agencies in future oil spill cleanup activities. For the first time in the nation, governmental agencies have joined with corporations and environmental organizations in coordinating educational programs involving citizens in oil spill remediation efforts before the advent of a major spill that could affect coastal areas or inland waterways. Free classes meeting federal and state hazardous waste training criteria are offered quarterly to citizens interested in either volunteer wildlife rehabilitation or beach cleanup. The four-hour course was developed by the US Coast Guard, Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality, and Oregon OSHA. Topics covered include agency responsibilities, site safety plans, general safety, toxicology, material safety data sheets, personal protective equipment, decontamination, heat stress, helicopter safety, and wildlife safety. In addition to course materials, participants receive a certificate and identification card verifying their training. A 1-800 number, computer data base, and newsletter are used to maintain contact with graduates. So far more than 600 volunteers have been trained and are ready to assist should the need arise

  8. A survey of family members' satisfaction with the services provided by hospice palliative care volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton-Oldfield, Stephen; Gosselin, Natasha; Schmidt-Chamberlain, Kirsten; Claxton-Oldfield, Jane

    2010-05-01

    A total of 22 family members, whose deceased loved ones had used the services of a hospice palliative care volunteer, responded to a brief survey designed to assess the importance of the different kinds of support offered to them (family members) by the volunteer, their impressions of the volunteers' personal qualities/characteristics, their general experiences with the volunteer, and their overall satisfaction with the volunteer services. The kind of support that received the highest importance rating from family members was the opportunity to take a much-needed break from the demands of caring for their loved one, closely followed by emotional support, the volunteer spending time with them, and the volunteer providing them with information. Family members rated volunteers highly on a list of qualities/characteristics that exemplify individuals who are effective in this role. In all, 85% of the family members felt that their volunteer was well trained and 95% did not feel that their or their loved one's privacy had been invaded by having a volunteer. Overall, family members were very satisfied with the volunteer support they received. Some limitations of the study are discussed.

  9. Burnout and reactions to social comparison information among volunteer caregivers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van der Zee, K.I.; Bakker, A.B.; Buunk, Abraham (Bram)

    2001-01-01

    The present study focused on social comparison processes among volunteer caregivers of terminally ill patients in relation to burnout. First, caregivers' (N = 80) affective reactions to a bogus interview with fellow volunteer workers who were either coping better or worse were considered. Upward

  10. Cell-mediated and humoral immune responses induced by scarification vaccination of human volunteers with a new lot of the live vaccine strain of Francisella tularensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waag, D M; Galloway, A; Sandstrom, G; Bolt, C R; England, M J; Nelson, G O; Williams, J C

    1992-01-01

    Tularemia is a disease caused by the facultative intracellular bacterium Francisella tularensis. We evaluated a new lot of live F. tularensis vaccine for its immunogenicity in human volunteers. Scarification vaccination induced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Indications of a positive immune response after vaccination included an increase in specific antibody levels, which were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunoblot assays, and the ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes to respond to whole F. tularensis bacteria as recall antigens. Vaccination caused a significant rise (P less than 0.05) in immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG, and IgM titers. Lymphocyte stimulation indices were significantly increased (P less than 0.01) in vaccinees 14 days after vaccination. These data verify that this new lot of live F. tularensis vaccine is immunogenic. Images PMID:1400988

  11. Motivações de candidatos e voluntários na Cidade Viva

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jéssika Kadidja de Oliveira Medeiros

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available O trabalho voluntário é a força das organizações da sociedade civil. Existem diferenças entre o trabalho voluntário e o formal, como a remuneração e o tempo destinado ao desempenho das atividades. Ao contrário de trabalhadores formais, voluntários não recebem pagamento para o desempenho de funções. Logo, teorias motivacionais desenvolvidas numa perspectiva de trabalho formal não devem ser aplicadas a este grupo. Esse estudo identificou motivações apresentadas pelos candidatos a voluntários e atuais voluntários da Fundação Cidade Viva em João Pessoa. Quanto aos resultados, verifica-se predominância do perfil altruísta em ambas as fases utilizadas do modelo. Ainda, o perfil egoísta, foi o menos apresentado pelos respondentes da pesquisa. Outros resultados, relativos ao desligamento da atividade voluntária na Fundação, foram bastante inconclusivos.

  12. Volunteers in Circles of Support and Accountability Job Demands, Job Resources, and Outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höing, Mechtild; Bogaerts, Stefan; Vogelvang, Bas

    2017-09-01

    In Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), volunteers support a medium- to high-risk sex offender in his process toward desistance by developing a long-term empathic relationship. More knowledge is needed about the impact of this work on volunteers themselves. In a sample of 40 Dutch CoSA volunteers-at the time constituting 37% of the national population of 108 then active CoSA volunteers-we measured outcome in terms of volunteer satisfaction, determination to continue, compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary stress, vicarious growth, civic capacities, and professional skills. We explored theoretically derived predictors of positive and negative outcome, and conceptualized them within the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R). Volunteers reported mainly positive effects, especially high levels of volunteer satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, and determination to continue. Results indicated that job demands and most of the internal job resources were of minor importance. External job resources, especially social support and connectedness, were associated with positive outcome. Connectedness mediated the effect of social support on compassion satisfaction.

  13. Knowledge and Attitude of Iranian Red Crescent Society Volunteers in Dealing with Bioterrorist attacks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Ali Bahreini Moghadam

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Bioterrorism is a worldwide problem and has been the focus of attention during recent decades. There is no precise information on the knowledge, attitude, and preparedness of Iranian Red Crescent volunteers in dealing with bioterrorism. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the above-mentioned parameters in Mahabad Red Crescent Society volunteers. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, the knowledge of 120 volunteers was evaluated and rated as poor, moderate, and good. In addition, attitude of the volunteers and preparedness of Mahabad Red Crescent Society was rated as inappropriate and appropriate using a questionnaire. Results: The mean age of volunteers was 32.0 ± 8.2 years (62.5% male. 2 (1.7% volunteers had good knowledge while 94 (78.3% had no knowledge regarding bioterrorist attack management. Only 1 (0.8%  volunteer had appropriate attitude and 6 (5.0% stated their preparedness for being sent out to the crisis zone. 116 volunteers (96.7% indicated that Mahabad Red Crescent Society has an inappropriate level of preparedness to encounter bioterrorist attacks. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed poor knowledge and inappropriate attitude of Mahabad Red Crescent Society volunteers in encountering probable bioterrorist attacks. Furthermore, the Red Crescent Society of this town had an inappropriate level of preparedness in the field of bioterrorism from the viewpoint of the studied volunteers.

  14. Giving voice to study volunteers: comparing views of mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy protocol participants on ethical aspects of clinical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Laura Weiss; Kim, Jane Paik

    2014-09-01

    Ethical controversy surrounds clinical research involving seriously ill participants. While many stakeholders have opinions, the extent to which protocol volunteers themselves see human research as ethically acceptable has not been documented. To address this gap of knowledge, authors sought to assess views of healthy and ill clinical research volunteers regarding the ethical acceptability of human studies involving individuals who are ill or are potentially vulnerable. Surveys and semi-structured interviews were used to query clinical research protocol participants and a comparison group of healthy individuals. A total of 179 respondents participated in this study: 150 in protocols (60 mentally ill, 43 physically ill, and 47 healthy clinical research protocol participants) and 29 healthy individuals not enrolled in protocols. Main outcome measures included responses regarding ethical acceptability of clinical research when it presents significant burdens and risks, involves people with serious mental and physical illness, or enrolls people with other potential vulnerabilities in the research situation. Respondents expressed decreasing levels of acceptance of participation in research that posed burdens of increasing severity. Participation in protocols with possibly life-threatening consequences was perceived as least acceptable (mean = 1.82, sd = 1.29). Research on serious illnesses, including HIV, cancer, schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, was seen as ethically acceptable across respondent groups (range of means = [4.0, 4.7]). Mentally ill volunteers expressed levels of ethical acceptability for physical illness research and mental illness research as acceptable and similar, while physically ill volunteers expressed greater ethical acceptability for physical illness research than for mental illness research. Mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy participants expressed neutral to favorable perspectives regarding the ethical

  15. Busy yet socially engaged: volunteering, work-life balance, and health in the working population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Romualdo; Brauchli, Rebecca; Bauer, Georg; Wehner, Theo; Hämmig, Oliver

    2015-02-01

    To understand the relationship between volunteering and health in the overlooked yet highly engaged working population, adopting a contextualizing balance approach. We hypothesize that volunteering may function as a psychosocial resource, contributing to work-life balance and, ultimately, health. A total of 746 Swiss workers participated in an online survey; 35% (N = 264) were additionally volunteers in a nonprofit organization. We assessed volunteering, work-life balance perceptions, paid job demands, and resources and health outcomes. After controlling for job characteristics, volunteering was associated with less work-life conflict, burnout and stress, and better positive mental health. Results further revealed that balance perceptions partly explained the relationship between volunteering and health. Volunteering, albeit energy and time-consuming, may contribute to a greater sense of balance for people in the workforce, which might, in turn, positively influence health.

  16. Dedicating time to volunteering : Values, engagement, and commitment to beneficiaries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shantz, A.; Saksida, T.; Alfes, K.

    2014-01-01

    A moderated mediation model was developed to explain the variation in the amount of time volunteers dedicate to their chosen voluntary cause. Data from 534 volunteers of an international aid and development agency in the United Kingdom revealed a positive relationship between prosocial values and

  17. A cross-cultural study of explicit and implicit motivation for long-term volunteering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aydinli, A.; Bender, M.; Chasiotis, A.; van de Vijver, F.J.R.; Cemalcilar, Z.; Chong, A.; Yue, X.

    2016-01-01

    We propose a model of volunteering and test its validity across four cultural groups. We hypothesize that individuals’ explicit prosocial motivation relates positively to sustained volunteering, which is conceptualized as a latent factor comprising activity as a volunteer, service length, service

  18. Does Volunteering Experience Influence Advance Care Planning in Old Age?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Huei-Wern; Khosla, Nidhi

    2016-07-01

    Advance care planning (ACP) increases the likelihood patients will receive end-of-life care that is congruent with their preferences and lowers stress among both patients and caregivers. Previous efforts to increase ACP have mainly focused on information provision in the very late stage of life. This study examines whether a relationship exists between volunteering and ACP, and whether this relationship is associated with social support. The sample comprises 877 individuals who were aged 55+ in 2008, and were deceased before 2010. The sample is derived from seven waves (1998-2010) of data from the Health and Retirement Study. Logistic regression results showed that overall ACP and durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC) were both higher (OR = 1.61 and 1.71, respectively) for older adults with volunteering experience in the past 10 years than those without such experience. Available social support (relatives and friends living nearby) was not associated with the relationship between volunteering and ACP. Other factors related to ACP included poorer health, death being expected, death due to cancer, older age, and being a racial minority. Involving older people in volunteer work may help to increase ACP. Future research is encouraged to identify reasons for the association between volunteering and ACP.

  19. Characteristics of Volunteer Coaches in a Clinical Process Improvement Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morley, Katharine E; Barysauskas, Constance M; Carballo, Victoria; Kalibatas, Orinta; Rao, Sandhya K; Jacobson, Joseph O; Cummings, Brian M

    The Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program provides quality improvement training for clinicians and administrators, utilizing graduates as volunteer peer coaches for mentorship. We sought to understand the factors associated with volunteer coach participation and gain insight into how to improve and sustain this program. Review of coach characteristics from course database and survey of frequent coaches. Out of 516 Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program graduates from March 2010 to June 2015, 117 (23%) individuals volunteered as coaches. Sixty-one (52%) individuals coached once, 31 (27%) coached twice, and 25 (21%) coached 3 or more times. There were statistically significant associations between coaching and occupation (P = .005), Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program course taken (P = .001), and course location (P = .007). Administrators were more likely to coach than physicians (odds ratio: 1.75, P = .04). Reasons for volunteering as a coach included further development of skills, desire to stay involved with program, and enjoying mentoring. Reasons for repeated coaching included maintaining quality improvement skills, expanding skills to a wider variety of projects, and networking. A peer graduate volunteer coach model is a viable strategy for interprofessional quality improvement mentorship. Strategies that support repeat coaching and engage clinicians should be promoted to ensure an experienced and diversified group of coaches.

  20. Personality characteristics of hospice volunteers as measured by Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, C W; Shuff, I M

    1995-12-01

    A sample of hospice volunteers (n = 99) was administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers & McCaulley, 1985). Frequencies of types observed were compared to population sample (n = 1,105) frequencies. Results indicated that, as a whole, hospice volunteers preferred extraversion over introversion, intuition over sensing, and feeling over thinking. Analysis of four-and two-letter preference combinations also yielded statistically significant differences. Most notably, the sensing-intuitive function appeared pivotal in determining of hospice volunteering. Suggestions are offered as to why the sensing-intuition function appeared central to hospice volunteering. Results appeared consistent with Jungian personality theory.

  1. The Work–Home Interface : Linking Work-Related Wellbeing and Volunteer Work

    OpenAIRE

    Brauchli, Rebecca; Peeters, Maria C W; van Steenbergen, Elianne F.; Wehner, Theo; Hämmig, Oliver

    2017-01-01

    An abundance of research shows the benefits of participation in volunteer work for individuals, employers and the society as a whole. However, relatively little is known about the precursors of volunteer work. In this study, we aim to fill this gap by investigating to what extent work-related well-being can function as a driver of volunteer work. Moreover, building on the Conservations of Resources Theory (Hobfoll,), we propose that the relationship between work-related well-being (burnout an...

  2. Defecographic findings of young asymptomatic volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Sang Wook; Park, Hyo Jin; Kim, Ki Whang; Ji, Hoon

    1994-01-01

    Defacography is a technique of examining the rectum and anal canal by using fluoroscopy during detection. This study was done to determine the range of normal findings of defecography in young asymptomatic Korean volunteers. Twenty nine asymptomatic young volunteers underwent defecography. Anorectal angle, perineal descent, length and width of anal, rectocele, rectal intussusception and incontinence were evaluated. The range of anorectal angle was 82 .deg- 149 .deg in resting state, compared to the 63 .deg-116 .deg in squeezing state, and 95 .deg- 116 .deg in straining state respectively. The pelvic floor in straining state descended on average of 1.62 cm from the inferior margin of ischial tuberosity that its broad range of position from-5.2 cm to 0.8 cm implies a wide variation of anorectal angle and perineal descent. Mild degree of rectocele with less than 2 cm of depth was found in 12 out of 29 cases. Rectal intussusception was noted in six and rectal incontinence was seen in one case. Formation of rectocele and intussusception during defecation was common in asymptomatic young volunteers. The wide range of defacographic measurements warrants the necessity of other complementary studies on anorectal function to improve the diagnostic accuracy. The interpretation of defecographic measurement should therefore be made with caution and should not be used as the sole criteria for selection of treatment modality

  3. Will Volunteers in a Youth Sports Event Become Paying Visitors?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahadevan, Renuka; Ren, Carina Bregnholm

    2017-01-01

    and broad social benefits influenced that decision. For instance, the strong sense that the event has educational value and showcased the arctic region for tourism were important considerations for volunteers becoming paying guests. Although age nor gender of the volunteers was a factor, those who were...

  4. The Association of Childhood Personality Type with Volunteering during Adolescence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkins, Robert; Hart, Daniel; Donnelly, Thomas M.

    2005-01-01

    Using a longitudinal design, we investigated the relation of childhood personality type to volunteering during adolescence. We hypothesized that participants with more adaptive personality functioning during childhood would be more likely to volunteer during adolescence and that membership in social organizations would mediate the relation of…

  5. Ending the Draft -- The Story of the All Volunteer Force

    Science.gov (United States)

    1977-04-01

    amendment. Suddenly, however, one Senate staffer completely reversed the situation. George C. Will (now a nationally syndicated columnist ) was serving as an...of a volunteer force. Many newspapers and columnists took the position that a volunteer force would be elitist and distant from the restraints of

  6. The Impact of Work and Volunteer Hours on the Health of Undergraduate Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lederer, Alyssa M; Autry, Dana M; Day, Carol R T; Oswalt, Sara B

    2015-01-01

    To examine the impact of work and volunteer hours on 4 health issues among undergraduate college students. Full-time undergraduate students (N = 70,068) enrolled at 129 institutions who participated in the Spring 2011 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II survey. Multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression were used to examine work and volunteer hour impact on depression, feelings of being overwhelmed, sleep, and physical activity. The impact of work and volunteer hours was inconsistent among the health outcomes. Increased work hours tended to negatively affect sleep and increase feelings of being overwhelmed. Students who volunteered were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines, and those who volunteered 1 to 9 hours per week reported less depression. College health professionals should consider integrating discussion of students' employment and volunteering and their intersection with health outcomes into clinical visits, programming, and other services.

  7. [Volunteer satisfaction: Internal structure and relationship with permanence in organizations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vecina Jiménez, M L; Chacón Fuertes, Fernando; Sueiro Abad, Manuel J

    2009-02-01

    Volunteer satisfaction: Internal structure and relationship with permanence in organizations. The concept of satisfaction is considered theoretically relevant in practically all the studies that have investigated the factors that influence the permanence of volunteer participation in organizations. However, the practical results are not conclusive, perhaps due to the wide range of ways in which the concept is understood and measured. The object of this study is: to analyse the internal structure of satisfaction and to verify its relationship with volunteer duration in organizations. The results of the factor analysis yield a three-factor structure: Satisfaction with the management of the organization, Satisfaction with the tasks, Satisfaction of motivations. The three factors allow us to differentiate between individuals who remain in the organization for a period of 12 consecutive months, and those who leave earlier. The results of structural equation model analysis show that the relationship between satisfaction and the length of time that volunteers stay with the organization is affected by the intention to remain.

  8. Volunteered Geographic Information in Wikipedia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardy, Darren

    2010-01-01

    Volunteered geographic information (VGI) refers to the geographic subset of online user-generated content. Through Geobrowsers and online mapping services, which use geovisualization and Web technologies to share and produce VGI, a global digital commons of geographic information has emerged. A notable example is Wikipedia, an online collaborative…

  9. "Why am i a volunteer?": building a quantitative scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo Cavalcante

    Full Text Available This paper aims to analyze the validity of a quantitative instrument to identify what attracts someone to volunteer work, as well as what makes them stay and what makes them quit such an activity. The theoretical framework lists aspects related to volunteer work, which is followed by a discussion on models of analysis of volunteer motivation. As to the objectives, this research is descriptive, since it presents the analysis of the validity of a quantitative instrument that seeks to understand and describe the reasons for volunteering at the Pastoral da Criança, a Brazilian NGO. This instrument is based on theoretical ideas by Souza, Medeiros and Fernandes (2006. Reliability - Cronbach's Alpha - reached values between 0.7 and 0.8. Regarding Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy a good index was also obtained: 0.74. Despite the good results of reliability and sampling adequacy of factor analysis, none of the variables resulted in the expected combination, namely: indicators versus profile. It is necessary to improve the semantic meaning of certain factors, or even increase the number of indicators so as to generate additional correlations among them.

  10. Volunteers and Ex-Volunteers: Paths to Civic Engagement Through Volunteerism Voluntarios y Ex Voluntarios: Perfiles de Participación Ciudadana a Través del Voluntariado

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Marta

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The study described is part of a broader longitudinal and multi-methodological research project aimed at investigating volunteerism in young people, in order to understand the reasons for the initial choice to volunteer but, more specifically, the reasons to sustain or quit voluntary involvement, as well as the effects of volunteerism. Eighteen volunteers and 18 ex-volunteers, 50% male and 50% female, aged between 22 and 29 years old, from 2 regions in northern Italy (Lombardy and Emilia Romagna participated in in-depth interviews. The paper-and-pencil analysis of the interview pointed to the emergence of several core categories: motivations to volunteer, relations within the organization, influence of family, and effects of volunteerism, especially as related to the process of identity and citizenship construction. On the basis of these categories, 4 typologies were identified: 2 with respect to volunteers (producers of active citizenship and volunteers for personal necessity and 2 related specifically to ex-volunteers (ex-volunteers witnesses for solidarity and active citizenship and ex-volunteers by chance.El estudio descrito es parte de un proyecto de investigación longitudinal y multi-metodológico más amplio sobre el voluntariado juvenil, realizado con el propósito de entender las razones que tuvieron los jóvenes para elegir el voluntariado y, específicamente, las razones para mantener o abandonar el compromiso, así como los efectos de dicho voluntariado. Participaron en entrevistas en profundidad 18 voluntarios y 18 ex-voluntarios, 50% hombres y 50% mujeres, entre 22 y 29 años de edad, de 2 regiones del norte de Italia (Lombardía y Emilia Romagna. El análisis de la entrevista de lápiz y papel permitió trazar varias categorías centrales: las motivaciones al voluntariado, las relaciones dentro de la organización, la influencia de la familia y los efectos del propio voluntariado, especialmente en relación con el proceso de

  11. Feeling the pressure: Attitudes about volunteering and their effect on civic and political behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bode, Leticia

    2017-06-01

    This article examines the evolving nature of volunteering among American youth, ages 12 to 17, focusing on emergent pressures to volunteer, as required by high schools or to improve one's employment or education prospects after graduation. Using survey data (N = 736, mean age = 14.78, 75.1% white, 49.1% female), it finds these pressures are prevalent, related to a desire to volunteer, and both of these motivations are positively associated with volunteering. It further concludes that volunteering supplements, rather than replaces or subsumes both online and offline political behaviors among youth. This has important implications for how we understand the role of volunteering in the youngest American age cohorts, and practical implications for educators and civic proponents in terms of determining what actually increases volunteering activity. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of field reports from anaesthesia volunteers in low- to middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pieczynski, Lauren M; Laudanski, Krzysztof; Speck, Rebecca M; McCunn, Maureen

    2013-10-01

    The objective of this study was to identify key experiences and common motifs of volunteer doctors who have participated in anaesthesia-related volunteer experiences abroad through the Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) programme. An additional goal was to understand the effects of medical volunteerism in developing countries on the volunteers themselves. After a medical mission with HVO, anaesthesia volunteers submit a post-experience report. Twenty-five reports were randomly selected from the 58 available trip reports, including five from each of the five countries collaborating with HVO. Data in the reports were analysed using a modified grounded theory and constant comparative technique until thematic saturation was achieved. Three major discoveries emerged from the analysis of post-experience reports: (i) anaesthesia residents and attending physicians find their volunteer experiences in the developing world to be personally rewarding and positive; (ii) most participants feel their educational interventions have a positive impact on local students and anaesthesia providers, and (iii) global volunteerism poses challenges, primarily caused by lack of resource availability and communication issues. Our results give new insight into the experiences of and challenges faced by a cohort of HVO-sponsored anaesthesia volunteers while abroad and validates the positive effects these global health experiences have on the volunteers themselves. This group of anaesthesia volunteers was able to further their personal and professional growth, sharpen their physical diagnosis and clinical reasoning skills in resource-poor environments and, most importantly, provide education and promote an exchange of ideas and information. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Volunteering in the Elementary Outreach Program Could Make You Happier | Poster

    Science.gov (United States)

    By Marsha Nelson-Duncan, Guest Writer, and Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer Did you know that volunteers in the Elementary Outreach Program (EOP) just might be happier than their coworkers who don’t volunteer?

  14. Volunteer-based distributed traffic data collection system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balachandran, Katheepan; Broberg, Jacob Honoré; Revsbech, Kasper

    2010-01-01

    An architecture for a traffic data collection system is proposed, which can collect data without having access to a backbone network. Contrary to other monitoring systems it relies on volunteers to install a program on their own computers, which will capture incoming and outgoing packets, group t...... case performance estimates indicate that this is obtained. Tests conducted by volunteers using an implemented prototype confirm the feasibility of the system......An architecture for a traffic data collection system is proposed, which can collect data without having access to a backbone network. Contrary to other monitoring systems it relies on volunteers to install a program on their own computers, which will capture incoming and outgoing packets, group...... them into flows and send the flow data to a central server. Data can be used for studying and characterising internet traffic and for testing traffic models by regenerating real traffic. The architecture is designed to have efficient and light usage of resources on both client and server sides. Worst...

  15. Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics to Explore the Bioavailability of the Secoiridoids from a Seed/Fruit Extract (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl in Human Healthy Volunteers: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rocío García-Villalba

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The bark, seeds, fruits and leaves of the genus Fraxinus (Oleaceae which contain a wide range of phytochemicals, mostly secoiridoid glucosides, have been widely used in folk medicine against a number of ailments, yet little is known about the metabolism and uptake of the major Fraxinus components. The aim of this work was to advance in the knowledge on the bioavailability of the secoiridoids present in a Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl seed/fruit extract using both targeted and untargeted metabolomic analyses. Plasma and urine samples from nine healthy volunteers were taken at specific time intervals following the intake of the extract and analyzed by UPLC-ESI-QTOF. Predicted metabolites such as tyrosol and ligstroside-aglycone glucuronides and sulfates were detected at low intensity. These compounds reached peak plasma levels 2 h after the intake and exhibited high variability among the participants. The ligstroside-aglycone conjugates may be considered as potential biomarkers of the Fraxinus secoiridoids intake. Using the untargeted approach we additionally detected phenolic conjugates identified as ferulic acid and caffeic acid sulfates, as well as hydroxybenzyl and hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde sulfate derivatives which support further metabolism of the secoiridoids by phase I and (or microbial enzymes. Overall, the results of this study suggest low uptake of intact secoiridoids from a Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl extract in healthy human volunteers and metabolic conversion by esterases, glycosidases, and phase II sulfo- and glucuronosyl transferases to form smaller conjugated derivatives.

  16. Functional MRI brain imaging studies using the Contact Heat Evoked Potential Stimulator (CHEPS in a human volunteer topical capsaicin pain model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shenoy R

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Ravikiran Shenoy1, Katherine Roberts1, Anastasia Papadaki2, Donald McRobbie2, Maarten Timmers3, Theo Meert3, Praveen Anand11Peripheral Neuropathy Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London; 2Imaging Sciences Department, Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom; 3Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Beerse, BelgiumAbstract: Acute application of topical capsaicin produces spontaneous burning and stinging pain similar to that seen in some neuropathic states, with local hyperalgesia. Use of capsaicin applied topically or injected intradermally has been described as a model for neuropathic pain, with patterns of activation in brain regions assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and positron emission tomography. The Contact Heat Evoked Potential Stimulator (CHEPS is a noninvasive clinically practical method of stimulating cutaneous A-delta nociceptors. In this study, topical capsaicin (1% was applied to the left volar forearm for 15 minutes of twelve adult healthy human volunteers. fMRI scans and a visual analog pain score were recorded during CHEPS stimulation precapsaicin and postcapsaicin application. Following capsaicin application there was a significant increase in visual analog scale (mean ± standard error of the mean; precapsaicin 26.4 ± 5.3; postcapsaicin 48.9 ± 6.0; P < 0.0001. fMRI demonstrated an overall increase in areas of activation, with a significant increase in the contralateral insular signal (mean ± standard error of the mean; precapsaicin 0.434 ± 0.03; postcapsaicin 0.561 ± 0.07; P = 0.047. The authors of this paper recently published a study in which CHEPS-evoked A-delta cerebral potential amplitudes were found to be decreased postcapsaicin application. In patients with neuropathic pain, evoked pain and fMRI brain responses are typically increased, while A-delta evoked potential amplitudes are decreased. The protocol of recording fMRI following CHEPS stimulation

  17. Calcaneal attachment of the plantar fascia: MR findings in asymptomatic volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehrmann, Christine; Maier, Matthias; Mengiardi, Bernard; Pfirrmann, Christian W A; Sutter, Reto

    2014-09-01

    To determine the spectrum of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings at the calcaneal attachment of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic volunteers. The study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all subjects. MR imaging was performed in 77 asymptomatic volunteers (mean age, 48.0 years; age range, 23-83 years) with use of a 1.5-T system. There were 40 women (mean age, 49.0 years; age range, 24-83 years) and 37 men (mean age, 48.0 years; age range, 23-83 years). Signal intensity characteristics and thickness of the medial, central, and lateral fascicles of the plantar fascia were assessed independently by two radiologists. The presence of soft-tissue edema, bone marrow edema, and bone spur formation at the attachment of the plantar fascia was noted. Datasets were analyzed with inferential statistic procedures. The mean thickness of the plantar fascia was 0.6 mm (medial fascicle), 4.0 mm (central fascicle), and 2.3 mm (lateral fascicle). Increased signal intensity in the plantar fascia was seen with the T1-weighted sequence in 16 of the 77 volunteers (21%), the T2-weighted sequence in six (7.8%), and the short inversion time inversion-recovery sequence in six (7.8%). Soft-tissue edema was seen deep to the plantar fascia in five of the 77 volunteers (6.5%) and superficial to the plantar fascia in 16 (21%). A calcaneal spur was detected in 15 of the 77 volunteers (19%). Calcaneal bone marrow edema was present in four volunteers (5.2%). T1-weighted signal intensity changes in the plantar fascia, soft-tissue edema superficial to the plantar fascia, and calcaneal spurs are common findings in asymptomatic volunteers and should be used with caution in the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis. Increased signal intensity within the plantar fascia with fluid-sensitive sequences is uncommon in asymptomatic volunteers.

  18. Volunteer computing experience with ATLAS@Home

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00068610; The ATLAS collaboration; Bianchi, Riccardo-Maria; Cameron, David; Filipčič, Andrej; Lançon, Eric; Wu, Wenjing

    2016-01-01

    ATLAS@Home is a volunteer computing project which allows the public to contribute to computing for the ATLAS experiment through their home or office computers. The project has grown continuously since its creation in mid-2014 and now counts almost 100,000 volunteers. The combined volunteers’ resources make up a sizeable fraction of overall resources for ATLAS simulation. This paper takes stock of the experience gained so far and describes the next steps in the evolution of the project. These improvements include running natively on Linux to ease the deployment on for example university clusters, using multiple cores inside one task to reduce the memory requirements and running different types of workload such as event generation. In addition to technical details the success of ATLAS@Home as an outreach tool is evaluated.

  19. Volunteer Computing Experience with ATLAS@Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam-Bourdarios, C.; Bianchi, R.; Cameron, D.; Filipčič, A.; Isacchini, G.; Lançon, E.; Wu, W.; ATLAS Collaboration

    2017-10-01

    ATLAS@Home is a volunteer computing project which allows the public to contribute to computing for the ATLAS experiment through their home or office computers. The project has grown continuously since its creation in mid-2014 and now counts almost 100,000 volunteers. The combined volunteers’ resources make up a sizeable fraction of overall resources for ATLAS simulation. This paper takes stock of the experience gained so far and describes the next steps in the evolution of the project. These improvements include running natively on Linux to ease the deployment on for example university clusters, using multiple cores inside one task to reduce the memory requirements and running different types of workload such as event generation. In addition to technical details the success of ATLAS@Home as an outreach tool is evaluated.

  20. Effects of midazolam on cerebral blood flow in human volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forster, A.; Juge, O.; Morel, D.

    1982-01-01

    The effects of intravenously administered midazolam on cerebral blood flow were evaluated in eight healthy volunteers using the 133 Xe inhalation technique. Six minutes after an intravenous dose of 0.15 mg/kg midazolam, the cerebral blood flow decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) from a value of 40.6 +/- 3.3 to a value of 27.0 +/- 5.0 ml . 100 g-1 . min-1. Cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) increased from 2.8 +/- 0.2 to 3.9 to 0.6 mmHg/(ml . 100 g-1 . min-1)(P less than 0.001). Mean arterial blood pressure decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) from 117 +/- 8 to 109 +/- 9 mmHg and arterial carbon dioxide tension increased from 33.9 +/- 2.3 to 38.6 +/- 3.2 mmHg (P less than 0.05). Arterial oxygen tension remained stable throughout the study, 484 +/- 95 mmHg before the administration of midazolam and 453 +/- 76 mmHg after. All the subjects slept after the injection of the drug and had anterograde amnesia of 24.5 +/- 5 min. The decrease in mean arterial blood pressure was probably not important since it remained in the physiologic range for cerebral blood flow autoregulation. The increase in arterial carbon dioxide tension observed after the midazolam injection may have partially counteracted the effect of this new benzodiazepine on cerebral blood flow. Our data suggest that midazolam might be a safe agent to use for the induction of anethesia in neurosurgical patients with intracranial hypertension

  1. Volunteer tourists' motivations for choosing homestay in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Agyeiwaah

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Volunteer tourists’ motivations for choosing homestay accommodation have received little attention from researchers. The objective of this research was to explore the push and pull factors that account for volunteer tourists’ choice of homestay in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. Insights gained from this study will inure better understanding of volunteer tourists’ behaviour to ensure appropriate service delivery by homestay providers. With the help of the "Push and Pull" motivation model by Dann (1977, the findings indicated two main push factors: socio-cultural immersion and economic value; and pull factors: environmental sensitiveness and community service and development. The study found that the most important push and pull factors as perceived by volunteers to Ghana are socio-cultural immersion and environmental sensitiveness. The study confirms the supporting role of homestay for volunteer tourists to Ghana. In the end, the implications of this study are discussed.

  2. Initial Evaluation of (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) as a Renal Tracer in Healthy Human Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipowska, Malgorzata; Klenc, Jeffrey; Folks, Russell D; Taylor, Andrew T

    2014-09-01

    Preclinical studies in rats showed that two of (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) isomers (rac- and L-ASMA) had pharmacokinetic properties equivalent to that of (131)I-OIH, the radiopharmaceutical standard for the measurement of effective renal plasma flow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) isomers in healthy human subjects. Three ASMA ligands (rac-, L- and D-ASMA) were labeled with (99m)Tc(CO)3 using an IsoLink kit (Covidien), and each formed (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) tracer was co-injected with (131)I-OIH into healthy human subjects followed by sequential imaging, plasma clearance measurements and timed urine collection. Plasma protein binding, red cell uptake and percent injected dose in the urine were determined. Urine from each group of volunteers was analyzed for metabolites by HPLC. Image quality was excellent with all three agents. Each (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) preparation was excreted unchanged in the urine. The plasma clearance ratio ((99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA)/(131)I-OIH) was 81 ± 3 % for D-ASMA compared to only 20 ± 4 % for L-ASMA and 37 ± 7 % for rac-ASMA; the 81 % clearance ratio for D-ASMA isomer is still ∼ 30 % higher than the (99m)Tc-MAG3/(131)I-OIH clearance ratio (∼50-60 %). Red cell uptake was similar for all three tracers (6-9 %), and all tracers had a relatively rapid renal excretion; at 3 h, the (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA)/(131)I-OIH urine ratio was 100 ± 3 % for D-ASMA, 80 ± 2 % for L-ASMA and 88 ± 1 % for rac-ASMA. The renal excretion characteristics of (99m)Tc(CO)3(D-ASMA) in humans are superior to those of the other two (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) isomers studied, but are still inferior to (131)I-OIH, even though there was no difference in the clearance of two of (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) isomers and (131)I-OIH in rats. The work described here demonstrates the sensitivity in in vivo biological behavior of (99m)Tc(CO)3(ASMA) isomers to their subtle structural differences.

  3. Views from the Global South: exploring how student volunteers from the Global North can achieve sustainable impact in global health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouma, Brian D O; Dimaras, Helen

    2013-07-26

    The body of research and practice regarding student volunteer abroad experiences largely focuses on ensuring the optimal learning experience for the student from the Global North, without equivalent attention to the benefits, if any, to the host institution in the Global South. In this debate article, we examine an often overlooked component of global student volunteer programs: the views of the local partner on what makes for a mutually beneficial partnership between volunteers from the Global North and institutions in the Global South. To guide our discussion, we drew upon the experiences of a Kenyan NGO with a Canadian student volunteer in the summer of 2012, organized via a formalized partnership with a Canadian university. We found that the approach of the NGO to hosting the student mirrored the organizational behaviour theories of Margaret J. Wheatley, who emphasized a disorderly or 'chaotic' approach to acquiring impactful change, coupled with a focus on building solid human relationships. Rather than following a set of rigid goals or tasks, the student was encouraged to critically engage and participate in all aspects of the culture of the organization and country, to naturally discover an area where his priorities aligned with the needs of the NGO. Solid networks and interpersonal connections resulted in a process useful for the organization long after the student's short-term placement ended. Our discussion reveals key features of successful academic volunteer abroad placements: equal partnership in the design phase between organizations in the Global North and Global South; the absence of rigid structures or preplanned tasks during the student's placement; participatory observation and critical engagement of the student volunteer; and a willingness of the partners to measure impact by the resultant process instead of tangible outcomes.

  4. Motivation of Volunteers to Work in Palliative Care Setting: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muckaden, M A; Pandya, Sachi Sanjay

    2016-01-01

    Volunteers are an integral part of the palliative care services in the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. These volunteers are an important resource for the department. Thus, it is necessary for the department to determine what motivates these volunteers to continue to work in the setting, acknowledge them and direct efforts toward retaining them and giving them opportunities to serve to the best of their desire and abilities. The current study aimed at understanding the motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care, to identify the challenges they face and also the effect of their work on their self and relationships. In-depth interviews were conducted using semistructured interview guide to study above mentioned aspects. Themes were identified and coding was used to analyze the data. The results suggested that the basic motivation for all the volunteers to work in a palliative care setting is an inherent urge, a feeling of need to give back to the society by serving the sick and the suffering. Other motivating factors identified were team spirit, comfort shared, warm and respectful treatment by the team, satisfying nature of work, experience of cancer in the family, and aligned values and beliefs. Some intrinsic rewards mentioned by volunteers were joy of giving, personal growth, enriching experiences, and meaningful nature of work. The study attempted to improve opportunities of working for these volunteers. Although limited in scope, it offers insight for future research in the area of volunteerism in palliative care setup.

  5. Learning in Later Life: Benefits and Challenges for Volunteers and Agencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findsen, Brian

    2016-01-01

    Older adults in most societies are keen volunteers in a myriad of contexts for the betterment of individuals and for the agencies in which they volunteer. This article discusses how volunteerism among older adults may enhance their learning and the kinds of benefits and challenges they encounter in their work for employing authorities. It also considers how agencies can be better attuned to the lifelong learning aspirations of older volunteers. Research related to older adults, lifelong learning and the character of volunteerism is reviewed with examples provided from New Zealand and Australia of older adults' participation in volunteerism and consequential impact. While volunteerism is normally viewed as a "win-win" situation for the volunteers and the organisations in which knowledge is further developed for varied purposes (economic sufficiency; personal development; active citizenship; social inclusion), there are nevertheless challenges for both parties. The article explores salient factors which function as enhancers or limitations for older volunteers in their work and learning. It is important that the motives of volunteers for participation are fully transparent and understood by the older adults themselves and by the relevant agencies. Organisations can provide considerable opportunities for older people to engage in continuing learning/ education but they need to be aware of effective recruitment and retention strategies; older people can provide a much needed labour resource where their previous life experiences can be drawn upon and they should be fully cognisant of the organisation's mission and how they can help to enhance it.

  6. Sensation seeking amongst healthy volunteers participating in phase I clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farré, M; Lamas, X; Camí, J

    1995-01-01

    1. Phase I clinical trials are usually carried out in healthy volunteers. In addition to economic gain, factors that may influence willingness to participate include scientific interest, curiosity and choice for risky activities. 2. We assessed the relationship between personality variables and volunteering for clinical pharmacology research. Two personality questionnaires, the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS, form V) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), were administered to 48 male healthy university students who volunteered to participate in a phase I clinical trial and to 43 male university students who were not willing to participate in phase I clinical trials. General norm data were also used for the comparison of results. 3. When healthy volunteers were compared with unwilling subjects, significant differences were found in thrill-and-adventure seeking (7.9 vs 6.7, P = 0.0034), experience seeking (6.4 vs 5.2, P = 0.0012), disinhibition (6.2 vs 4.3, P personality profile of healthy volunteers was characterized by a higher sensation seeking trait and extraversion as compared with individuals who were not willing to participate in phase I clinical trials and general norm data. PMID:7640147

  7. Self-esteem mediates the relationship between volunteering and depression for African American caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Huei-Wern; Pickard, Joseph G; Johnson, Sharon D

    2013-01-01

    Research on the influence of volunteering on mental health outcomes has not placed enough focus on African American female caregivers who are at risk for adverse outcomes such as depression. This study addresses this gap by examining the mechanism through which volunteering might influence depressive symptoms using data collected from 521 African American female caregivers of older adults. Regression results indicate that although volunteering is inversely associated with depressive symptoms, self-esteem mediates this relationship. Findings suggest inclusion in volunteering for African American female caregivers may be relevant to promotion of their mental well-being.

  8. Busy yet socially engaged: volunteering, work-life balance, and health in the working population.

    OpenAIRE

    Ramos Romualdo; Brauchli Rebecca; Bauer Georg; Wehner Theo; Hämmig Oliver

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To understand the relationship between volunteering and health in the overlooked yet highly engaged working population, adopting a contextualizing balance approach. We hypothesize that volunteering may function as a psychosocial resource, contributing to work-life balance and, ultimately, health. METHODS A total of 746 Swiss workers participated in an online survey; 35% (N = 264) were additionally volunteers in a nonprofit organization. We assessed volunteering, work-life balance...

  9. TOLERANCE TIME OF EXPERIMENTAL THERMAL PAIN (COLD INDUCED) IN VOLUNTEERS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaid, V N; Wilkhoo, N S; Jain, A K

    1998-10-01

    Perception of thermal pain (cold induced) was studied in 106 volunteers from troops and civilians deployed in J & K. Thermal stimulus devised was "holding ice". Tolerance time of holding ice was taken to be a measure of thermal sensitivity, volunteers were classified based on their native areas, addiction habits and socio-economic status, out of 106 volunteers, 81 could & 25 could not hold ice over 10 min. Sixteen out of 40 from coastline States and 9 out of 66 from non-coast line States failed to hold ice over 10 min. In "below average" "average" and "high average" socio-economic groups, three out of 27, 19 out of 73 and 03 out of 6 failed to hold ice over 10 min respectively. Fifteen out of 64 from "addiction habit group" and 10 out of 42 from "no addiction habit group" failed to hold ice over 10 min. Statistically no classification used in the study revealed significant difference in "tolerance times" of volunteers except the one based on coastline and non-coastline States.

  10. Predictors of burnout and health status in Samaritans' listening volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roche, Adeline; Ogden, Jane

    2017-12-01

    Samaritan listening volunteers provide emotional support to people in distress or suicidal. Samaritans' has high volunteer turnover, which may be due to burnout. This study evaluated the role of demographic and psychosocial factors in predicting Samaritans listening volunteers' burnout and health status. Samaritans' listening volunteers (n = 216) from seven branches across UK completed an online survey to assess their levels of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, personal accomplishment), subjective health status, coping, empathy and social support. Overall, listeners showed low levels of burnout and good health. Regression analysis revealed that higher emotional exhaustion was predicted by younger age and avoidant coping style; higher depersonalisation was predicted by lower empathy fantasy and higher avoidant coping style; lower personal accomplishment scores were predicted by higher empathy personal distress and worse health status was predicted by more hours per week spent on listening duties, lower social support and higher avoidant coping style. Overall, different factors influenced different facets of burnout. However, higher use of avoidant coping style consistently predicted higher burnout and worse health status, suggesting avoidant coping is an important target for intervention.

  11. Pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous melatonin in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lars Peter Holst; Werner, Mads Utke; Rosenkilde, Mette Marie

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of oral and iv melatonin in healthy volunteers. METHODS: The study was performed as a cohort crossover study. The volunteers received either 10 mg oral melatonin or 10 mg intravenous melatonin on two separate study days. Blood samples were...... collected at different time points following oral administration and short iv infusion, respectively. Plasma melatonin concentrations were determined by RIA technique. Pharmacokinetic analyses were performed by "the method of residuals" and compartmental analysis. The pharmacokinetic variables: k a, t 1....../2 absorption, t max, C max, t 1/2 elimination, AUC 0-∞, and bioavailability were determined for oral melatonin. C max, t 1/2 elimination, V d, CL and AUC 0-∞ were determined for intravenous melatonin. RESULTS: Twelve male volunteers completed the study. Baseline melatonin plasma levels did not differ...

  12. Handbook for Volunteer Reading Aides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Martha A.

    This guide is designed to assist volunteer tutors participating in an adult literacy program. Discussed in the first chapter are the meaning of the term functional literacy, the way in which we get meaning from print, and word identification skills. The next two sections deal with the history of literacy education in industrialized countries and…

  13. Epidemiological aspects of recruitment of male volunteers for non-invasive urodynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    V. Avagyan (Vardan); R. van Mastrigt (Ron); J.W.N.C. Huang Foen Chung (John); A.M. Bohnen (Arthur); P.G.H. Mulder (Paul); J.L.H.R. Bosch (Ruud)

    2006-01-01

    textabstractWe studied epidemiological aspects of recruitment of volunteers for a non-invasive urodynamic study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 9,236 volunteers were invited by 20 general practitioners (GPs), using two different recruitment methods, i.e. by mail only, or during a

  14. Volunteer vs. Professional Management of Academic Conferences: A Comparison of Five Meetings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Spee

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Academic conferences operate under a range of models from nearly all volunteer to a mix of volunteer and professional event management. This paper compares the event management practices of five conferences: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference (OBTC, The Western Academy of Management (WAM, The North American Case Research Association (NACRA, The Academy of Management (AOM, and The Institute of Behavioral and Applied Management (IBAM The analysis will examine the mix of volunteer and professional management used to organize and operate the annual meeting of each organization separate from the program content; such as reserving the hotel, ordering meals, and offering special group events. Along a continuum, OBTC uses the least professional event management and IBAM uses the most. The other organizations fall somewhere in between. Professional event managers who organize conferences on a repeated basis have a distinct advantage over volunteers who change jobs every year, thereby losing large amounts of experiential learning. The all-volunteer organizations justify their choice of amateur event managers on the basis of lower up-front cost and "preserving our culture," but neglect to account for the wide variations in performance, lack of accountability, and burnout that can come with use of volunteers.

  15. Crowdsourcing Analysis of Twitter Data on Climate Change: Paid Workers vs. Volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrei P. Kirilenko

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Web based crowdsourcing has become an important method of environmental data processing. Two alternatives are widely used today by researchers in various fields: paid data processing mediated by for-profit businesses such as Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, and volunteer data processing conducted by amateur citizen-scientists. While the first option delivers results much faster, it is not quite clear how it compares with volunteer processing in terms of quality. This study compares volunteer and paid processing of social media data originating from climate change discussions on Twitter. The same sample of Twitter messages discussing climate change was offered for processing to the volunteer workers through the Climate Tweet project, and to the paid workers through the Amazon MTurk platform. We found that paid crowdsourcing required the employment of a high redundancy data processing design to obtain quality that was comparable with volunteered processing. Among the methods applied to improve data processing accuracy, limiting the geographical locations of the paid workers appeared the most productive. Conversely, we did not find significant geographical differences in the accuracy of data processed by volunteer workers. We suggest that the main driver of the found pattern is the differences in familiarity of the paid workers with the research topic.

  16. Human surrogate neck response to +Gz vertical impact

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rooij, L. van; Uittenbogaard, J.

    2011-01-01

    For the evaluation of impact scenarios with a substantial vertical component, the performance of current human surrogates - the RID 3D hardware dummy and two numerical human models - was evaluated. Volunteer tests with 10G and 6G pulses were compared to reconstructed tests with human surrogates.

  17. Happy to Help? Exploring the Factors Associated with Variations in Rates of Volunteering across Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plagnol, Anke C.; Huppert, Felicia A.

    2010-01-01

    The frequency of formal volunteering varies widely across European countries, and rates of formal volunteering are especially low among Eastern European countries. Why are there such large differences in volunteering rates when it is known that volunteering is beneficial for well-being? Using data from the latest round of the European Social…

  18. The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: a critical review and recommendations for future research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Nicole D; Damianakis, Thecla; Kröger, Edeltraut; Wagner, Laura M; Dawson, Deirdre R; Binns, Malcolm A; Bernstein, Syrelle; Caspi, Eilon; Cook, Suzanne L

    2014-11-01

    There is an urgent need to identify lifestyle activities that reduce functional decline and dementia associated with population aging. The goals of this article are to review critically the evidence on the benefits associated with formal volunteering among older adults, propose a theoretical model of how volunteering may reduce functional limitations and dementia risk, and offer recommendations for future research. Database searches identified 113 papers on volunteering benefits in older adults, of which 73 were included. Data from descriptive, cross-sectional, and prospective cohort studies, along with 1 randomized controlled trial, most consistently reveal that volunteering is associated with reduced symptoms of depression, better self-reported health, fewer functional limitations, and lower mortality. The extant evidence provides the basis for a model proposing that volunteering increases social, physical, and cognitive activity (to varying degrees depending on characteristics of the volunteer placement) which, through biological and psychological mechanisms, leads to improved functioning; we further propose that these volunteering-related functional improvements should be associated with reduced dementia risk. Recommendations for future research are that studies (a) include more objective measures of psychosocial, physical, and cognitive functioning; (b) integrate qualitative and quantitative methods in prospective study designs; (c) explore further individual differences in the benefits associated with volunteering; (d) include occupational analyses of volunteers' specific jobs in order to identify their social, physical, and cognitive complexity; (e) investigate the independent versus interactive health benefits associated with volunteering relative to engagement in other forms of activity; and (f) examine the relationship between volunteering and dementia risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care setting: A qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M A Muckaden

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Volunteers are an integral part of the palliative care services in the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. These volunteers are an important resource for the department. Thus, it is necessary for the department to determine what motivates these volunteers to continue to work in the setting, acknowledge them and direct efforts toward retaining them and giving them opportunities to serve to the best of their desire and abilities. Aims: The current study aimed at understanding the motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care, to identify the challenges they face and also the effect of their work on their self and relationships. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted using semistructured interview guide to study above mentioned aspects. Themes were identified and coding was used to analyze the data. Results: The results suggested that the basic motivation for all the volunteers to work in a palliative care setting is an inherent urge, a feeling of need to give back to the society by serving the sick and the suffering. Other motivating factors identified were team spirit, comfort shared, warm and respectful treatment by the team, satisfying nature of work, experience of cancer in the family, and aligned values and beliefs. Some intrinsic rewards mentioned by volunteers were joy of giving, personal growth, enriching experiences, and meaningful nature of work. Conclusion: The study attempted to improve opportunities of working for these volunteers. Although limited in scope, it offers insight for future research in the area of volunteerism in palliative care setup.

  20. comparison of various cholesterol lowering diets in young healthy volunteers : effects on serum lipoproteins and on other risk indicators for cardiovascular diseases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brussaard, J.H.

    1981-01-01

    This thesis deals with the effect of type and amount of dietary fat on the concentration and composition of serum lipoproteins, colonic function, plasma glucose and serum insulin levels and blood pressure in healthy human volunteers.

    Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment