Effect of individually tailored biopsychosocial workplace interventions on chronic musculoskeletal pain and stress among laboratory technicians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kenneth Jay; Brandt, Mikkel; Hansen, Klaus

2015-01-01

pain using individually tailored physical and cognitive elements. STUDY DESIGN: This trial uses a single-blind randomized controlled design with allocation concealment in a 2-armed parallel group format among laboratory technicians. The trial "Implementation of physical exercise at the Workplace (IRMA...... 2014 (follow-up). METHODS: Participants (n = 112) were allocated to receive either physical, cognitive, and mindfulness group-based training (PCMT group) or a reference group (REF) for 10 weeks at the worksite. PCMT consisted of 4 major elements: 1) resistance training individually tailored to the pain...... affected area, 2) motor control training, 3) mindfulness, and 4) cognitive and behavioral therapy/education. Participants of the REF group were encouraged to follow ongoing company health initiatives. The predefined primary outcome measure was pain intensity (VAS scale 0 - 10) in average of the regions...

Effectiveness of individually tailored smoking cessation advice letters as an adjunct to telephone counselling and generic self-help materials: randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Stephen; Gilbert, Hazel

2007-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of individually tailored smoking cessation advice letters as an adjunct to telephone counselling and generic self-help materials. Randomized controlled trial. The UK Quitline. A total of 1508 current smokers and recent ex-smokers. The control group received usual care (telephone counselling and an information pack sent through the post). The intervention group received in addition a computer-generated individually tailored advice letter. All outcomes were assessed at 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was self-reported prolonged abstinence for at least 3 months. Secondary outcomes were self-reported prolonged abstinence for at least 1 month and 7-day and 24-hour point-prevalence abstinence. For the sample as a whole, quit rates did not differ significantly between the two conditions. However, among the majority (n = 1164) who were smokers at baseline, quit rates were consistently higher in the intervention group: prolonged abstinence for 3 months, 12.2% versus 9.0% [odds ratio (OR) = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.96-2.04, P = 0.080); prolonged abstinence for 1 month, 16.4% versus 11.3% (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.09-2.15, P = 0.013); 7-day point-prevalence abstinence, 18.9% versus 12.7% (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.15-2.19, P = 0.004); 24-hour point-prevalence abstinence, 20.9% versus 15.4% (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.07-1.96, P = 0.015). The results for the smokers are encouraging in showing a small but useful effect of the tailored letter on quit rate. Versions of the tailoring program could be used on the web and in general practices, pharmacies and primary care trusts.

South Asian immigrant women's suggestions for culturally-tailored HIV education and prevention programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawa, Roula N; Underhill, Angela; Logie, Carmen H; Islam, Shazia; Loutfy, Mona

2017-09-18

Using a community-based, socialist feminist qualitative study, and an emergent research design, we explored the unique individual experiences of South Asian immigrant women living with HIV in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Ontario, Canada. We assessed both the HIV risk context and the strategies for HIV education and prevention as expressed by study participants. Grounded in Connell's social theory of gender, a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 12 women yielded six themes related to the power and impact of stigmatization, community's denial of HIV, infidelity, manifested in resistance to discussing sex and condom use, non-disclosure, and lack of HIV knowledge. This study validated the legitimacy of listening to the voices of South Asian immigrant women living with HIV, who communicated 20 recommendations for researchers, educators, community organizations, and service providers to culturally-tailor HIV education programs.

Effectiveness of a web-based health risk assessment with individually-tailored feedback on lifestyle behaviour: study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laan Eva K

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, smoking and high alcohol consumption are recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease and cancer. Web-based health risk assessments with tailored feedback seem promising in promoting a healthy lifestyle. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a web-based health risk assessment with individually-tailored feedback on lifestyle behaviour, conducted in a worksite setting. Methods/Design The web-based health risk assessment starts with a questionnaire covering socio-demographic variables, family and personal medical history, lifestyle behaviour and psychological variables. Prognostic models are used to estimate individual cardiovascular risks. In case of high risk further biometric and laboratory evaluation is advised. All participants receive individually-tailored feedback on their responses to the health risk assessment questionnaire. The study uses a quasi-experimental design with a waiting list control group. Data are collected at baseline (T0 and after six months (T1. Within each company, clusters of employees are allocated to either the intervention or the control group. Primary outcome is lifestyle behaviour, expressed as the sum of five indicators namely physical activity, nutrition, smoking behaviour, alcohol consumption, and symptoms of burnout. Multilevel regression analysis will be used to answer the main research question and to correct for clustering effects. Baseline differences between the intervention and control group in the distribution of characteristics with a potential effect on lifestyle change will be taken into account in further analyses using propensity scores. Discussion This study will increase insight into the effectiveness of health risk assessments with tailored feedback and into conditions that may modify the effectiveness. This information can be used to design effective interventions for lifestyle behaviour change among employees. Trial

The Senior Companion Program Plus: A culturally tailored psychoeducational training program (innovative practice).

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Noelle L; Xu, Ling; Richardson, Virginia E; Parekh, Rupal; Ivey, Dorothea; Feinhals, Gretchen; Calhoun, Melanie

2016-01-01

A purposive sample of African American Senior Companions ( N = 23) participated in a 5-day, 20-hour psychoeducational training designed to address the unique cultural needs of African American dementia caregivers. Previous studies have not utilized lay caregiver volunteers such as Senior Companions in dementia research in the United States. Pre- and post-tests were administered to determine whether African American Senior Companions increased their knowledge of Alzheimer's disease after participating in the Senior Companion Program Plus. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that participants improved their understanding of Alzheimer's disease. Findings from the Senior Companion Program Plus pilot warrant further study for its potential as cost effective, culturally tailored training for Senior Companions who serve persons with dementia and their family caregivers.

Supporting home care for the dying: an evaluation of healthcare professionals' perspectives of an individually tailored hospice at home service.

Science.gov (United States)

Jack, Barbara A; Baldry, Catherine R; Groves, Karen E; Whelan, Alison; Sephton, Janice; Gaunt, Kathryn

2013-10-01

To explore health care professionals' perspective of hospice at home service that has different components, individually tailored to meet the needs of patients. Over 50% of adults diagnosed with a terminal illness and the majority of people who have cancer, prefer to be cared for and to die in their own home. Despite this, most deaths occur in hospital. Increasing the options available for patients, including their place of care and death is central to current UK policy initiatives. Hospice at home services aim to support patients to remain at home, yet there are wide variations in the design of services and delivery. A hospice at home service was developed to provide various components (accompanied transfer home, crisis intervention and hospice aides) that could be tailored to meet the individual needs of patients. An evaluation study. Data were collected from 75 health care professionals. District nurses participated in one focus group (13) and 31 completed an electronic survey. Palliative care specialist nurses participated in a focus group (9). One hospital discharge co-ordinator and two general practitioners participated in semi-structured interviews and a further 19 general practitioners completed the electronic survey. Health care professionals reported the impact and value of each of the components of the service, as helping to support patients to remain at home, by individually tailoring care. They also positively reported that support for family carers appeared to enable them to continue coping, rapid access to the service was suggested to contribute to faster hospital discharges and the crisis intervention service was identified as helping patients remain in their own home, where they wanted to be. Health care professionals perceived that the additional individualised support provided by this service contributed to enabling patients to continue be cared for and to die at home in their place of choice. This service offers various components of a hospice

Effects of a tailor-made exercise program on exercise adherence and health outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a mixed-methods pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Fung-Kam Iris; Lee, Tze-Fan Diana; So, Winnie Kwok-Wei

2016-01-01

Previous studies showed that exercise intervention was effective in symptoms control of knee osteoarthritis (OA) but poor intervention adherence reduced the exercise effect. It has been suspected that the design of exercise intervention mainly from the health care professionals' perspective could not address the patients' barriers to exercise. Therefore, a tailor-made exercise program which incorporated the patient's perspective in the design was developed and ready for evaluation. This pilot study estimated the effects of a tailor-made exercise program on exercise adherence and health outcomes, and explored the participants' perception and experience of the program. The intervention of this study was a 4-week community-based group exercise program, which required the participants to attend a 1-hour session each week. Thirty-four older people with knee OA were recruited to the program. Mixed-methods study design was used to estimate the effects of this program and explore the participants' perception and experience of the program. Exercise adherence and performance in return-demonstration of the exercise were assessed at 12 weeks after the program. Disease-specific health status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), general health status (12-item Short Form of the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire), knee range of motion, muscle strength, and endurance of the lower extremities (Timed-Stands Test) were measured at the beginning of the program and 12 weeks after. Six participants were interviewed individually on the 12th week. Thirty-three participants (75.0±7.3 years) completed the one-group pretest and post-test study. The participants' exercise adherence was 91.4%±14.54%, and their correct performance in return-demonstration was 76.7%±21.75%. Most of the participants' health outcomes significantly improved at posttests except the 12-item Short Form of the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire physical health summary score. The

Automatically producing tailored web materials for public administration

Science.gov (United States)

Colineau, Nathalie; Paris, Cécile; Vander Linden, Keith

2013-06-01

Public administration organizations commonly produce citizen-focused, informational materials describing public programs and the conditions under which citizens or citizen groups are eligible for these programs. The organizations write these materials for generic audiences because of the excessive human resource costs that would be required to produce personalized materials for everyone. Unfortunately, generic materials tend to be longer and harder to understand than materials tailored for particular citizens. Our work explores the feasibility and effectiveness of automatically producing tailored materials. We have developed an adaptive hypermedia application system that automatically produces tailored informational materials and have evaluated it in a series of studies. The studies demonstrate that: (1) subjects prefer tailored materials over generic materials, even if the tailoring requires answering a set of demographic questions first; (2) tailored materials are more effective at supporting subjects in their task of learning about public programs; and (3) the time required to specify the demographic information on which the tailoring is based does not significantly slow down the subjects in their information seeking task.

Tailoring of mobility advices to consumers. Executive summary; Tailoring van mobiliteitsadviezen aan consumenten. Managementsamenvatting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Weerdt, I.; Jonkers, R. [ResCon, Haarlem (Netherlands)

2003-09-01

An outline is given of the options to apply so-called computer tailoring in the field of mobility. A feasibility study has been carried out for the realization of a computerized tailored mobility programme. Tailoring is a method, based on social-scientific theories on behavioral change, by means of which information is tailored to individual circumstances, preferences and motivation. [Dutch] De mogelijkheden van computer tailoring (tailoring is een methodiek die gebaseerd is op sociaal-wetenschappelijke theorieen over gedragsverandering, waarbij de aangeboden informatie is afgestemd op individuele omstandigheden, preferenties en motivaties) op het gebied van mobiliteit worden verkend. Er is een haalbaarheidsonderzoek uitgevoerd ter voorbereiding op de realisatie van een computer tailored mobiliteitsprogramma. In dit onderzoek is nagegaan: of consumenten belangstelling hebben voor informatie op maat over mobiliteit; waar consumenten zelf de meeste mogelijkheden zien om hun mobiliteitspatroon te veranderen (en dus meer duurzame mobiliteitsopties toe te passen); hoe het gedrag van consumenten m.b.t. mobiliteit d.m.v. een tailoring systeem gericht beinvloed kan worden; of er organisaties te vinden zijn die de exploitatie van een tailoring systeem m.b.t. mobiliteit op zich zouden willen nemen; of de ontwikkeling van een dergelijk systeem kosten effectief kan zijn.

Effectiveness of a Web-based multiple tailored smoking cessation program: a randomized controlled trial among Dutch adult smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

Smit, Eline Suzanne; de Vries, Hein; Hoving, Ciska

2012-06-11

Distributing a multiple computer-tailored smoking cessation intervention through the Internet has several advantages for both provider and receiver. Most important, a large audience of smokers can be reached while a highly individualized and personal form of feedback can be maintained. However, such a smoking cessation program has yet to be developed and implemented in The Netherlands. To investigate the effects of a Web-based multiple computer-tailored smoking cessation program on smoking cessation outcomes in a sample of Dutch adult smokers. Smokers were recruited from December 2009 to June 2010 by advertising our study in the mass media and on the Internet. Those interested and motivated to quit smoking within 6 months (N = 1123) were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 552) or control group (n = 571). Respondents in the experimental group received the fully automated Web-based smoking cessation program, while respondents in the control group received no intervention. After 6 weeks and after 6 months, we assessed the effect of the intervention on self-reported 24-hour point prevalence abstinence, 7-day point prevalence abstinence, and prolonged abstinence using logistic regression analyses. Of the 1123 respondents, 449 (40.0%) completed the 6-week follow-up questionnaire and 291 (25.9%) completed the 6-month follow-up questionnaire. We used a negative scenario to replace missing values. That is, we considered respondents lost to follow-up to still be smoking. The computer-tailored program appeared to have significantly increased 24-hour point prevalence abstinence (odds ratio [OR] 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30-2.65), 7-day point prevalence abstinence (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.44-3.27), and prolonged abstinence (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.28-3.09) rates reported after 6 weeks. After 6 months, however, no intervention effects could be identified. Results from complete-case analyses were similar. The results presented suggest that the Web-based computer-tailored

Tailoring of mobility advices to consumers. A determinants survey; Tailoring van mobiliteitsadviezen aan consumenten. Een determinantenonderzoek

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Weerdt, I.; Jonkers, R. [ResCon, Haarlem (Netherlands)

2003-08-01

An outline is given of the options to apply so-called computer tailoring in the field of mobility. A feasibility study has been carried out for the realization of a computerized tailored mobility programme. Tailoring is a method, based on social-scientific theories on behavioral change, by means of which information is tailored to individual circumstances, preferences and motivation. [Dutch] De mogelijkheden van computer tailoring (tailoring is een methodiek die gebaseerd is op sociaal-wetenschappelijke theorieen over gedragsverandering, waarbij de aangeboden informatie is afgestemd op individuele omstandigheden, preferenties en motivaties) op het gebied van mobiliteit worden verkend. Er is een haalbaarheidsonderzoek uitgevoerd ter voorbereiding op de realisatie van een computer tailored mobiliteitsprogramma. In dit onderzoek is nagegaan: of consumenten belangstelling hebben voor informatie op maat over mobiliteit; waar consumenten zelf de meeste mogelijkheden zien om hun mobiliteitspatroon te veranderen (en dus meer duurzame mobiliteitsopties toe te passen); hoe het gedrag van consumenten m.b.t. mobiliteit d.m.v. een tailoring systeem gericht beinvloed kan worden; of er organisaties te vinden zijn die de exploitatie van een tailoring systeem m.b.t. mobiliteit op zich zouden willen nemen; of de ontwikkeling van een dergelijk systeem kosten effectief kan zijn.

An individually-tailored smoking cessation intervention for rural Veterans: a pilot randomized trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark W. Vander Weg

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tobacco use remains prevalent among Veterans of military service and those residing in rural areas. Smokers frequently experience tobacco-related issues including risky alcohol use, post-cessation weight gain, and depressive symptoms that may adversely impact their likelihood of quitting and maintaining abstinence. Telephone-based interventions that simultaneously address these issues may help to increase treatment access and improve outcomes. Methods This study was a two-group randomized controlled pilot trial. Participants were randomly assigned to an individually-tailored telephone tobacco intervention combining counseling for tobacco use and related issues including depressive symptoms, risky alcohol use, and weight concerns or to treatment provided through their state tobacco quitline. Selection of pharmacotherapy was based on medical history and a shared decision interview in both groups. Participants included 63 rural Veteran smokers (mean age = 56.8 years; 87 % male; mean number of cigarettes/day = 24.7. The primary outcome was self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 12 weeks and 6 months. Results Twelve-week quit rates based on an intention-to-treat analysis did not differ significantly by group (Tailored = 39 %; Quitline Referral = 25 %; odds ratio [OR]; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.90; 0.56, 5.57. Six-month quit rates for the Tailored and Quitline Referral conditions were 29 and 28 %, respectively (OR; 95 % CI = 1.05; 0.35, 3.12. Satisfaction with the Tailored tobacco intervention was high. Conclusions Telephone-based treatment that concomitantly addresses other health-related factors that may adversely affect quitting appears to be a promising strategy. Larger studies are needed to determine whether this approach improves cessation outcomes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier number NCT01592695 registered 11 April 2012.

The effects of individually tailored nurse navigation for patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mertz, Birgitte Goldschmidt; Dunn-Henriksen, Anne Katrine; Kroman, Niels

2017-01-01

AIM: Our aim was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an individual, nurse-navigator intervention for relieving distress, anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life in women who have been treated for breast cancer (BC) and are experiencing moderate-to-severe psychological...... and the secondary outcomes were anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life and feasibility of the intervention. RESULTS: Women in the intervention group reported significantly greater satisfaction with treatment and rehabilitation and lower levels of distress (mean 2.7 vs. 5.1, p.... 7.8, p = .02) and depression (mean 2.2 vs. 4.4, p = .04) after 12 months compared to the control group. No significant effects were seen on health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows promising feasibility of the individually tailored nurse-navigation intervention and while...

Intervention Mapping to develop a Social Cognitive Theory-based intervention for chronic pain tailored to individuals with HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Merlin, Jessica S; Young, Sarah R; Johnson, Mallory O; Saag, Michael; Demonte, William; Kerns, Robert; Bair, Matthew J; Kertesz, Stefan; Turan, Janet M; Kilgore, Meredith; Clay, Olivio J; Pekmezi, Dorothy; Davies, Susan

2018-06-01

Chronic pain is an important comorbidity among individuals with HIV. Behavioral interventions are widely regarded as evidence-based, efficacious non-pharmacologic interventions for chronic pain in the general population. An accepted principle in behavioral science is that theory-based, systematically-developed behavioral interventions tailored to the unique needs of a target population are most likely to be efficacious. Our aim was to use Intervention Mapping to systematically develop a Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)-based intervention for chronic pain tailored to individuals with HIV that will improve pain intensity and pain-related functional impairment. Our Intervention Mapping process was informed by qualitative inquiry of 24 patients and seven providers in an HIV primary care clinic. The resulting intervention includes group and one-on-one sessions and peer and staff interventionists. We also developed a conceptual framework that integrates our qualitative findings with SCT-based theoretical constructs. Using this conceptual framework as a guide, our future work will investigate the intervention's impact on chronic pain outcomes, as well as our hypothesized proximal mediators of the intervention's effect.

The impact of student diversity on interest, design, and promotion of Web-based tailored nutrition and physical activity programs for community colleges.

Science.gov (United States)

Quintiliani, Lisa M; De Jesus, Maria; Wallington, Sherrie Flynt

2011-01-01

To examine an organizational level perspective of the process of adopting Web-based tailored nutrition and physical activity programs for community college students. In this qualitative study, 21 individual key informant interviews of community college student services and health center administrators were used to examine organizational-level perceptions of interest in, design characteristics of, and ways to promote health programs. A cross-classification matrix of a priori and emergent themes related to student diversity was created to describe cross-cutting patterns. Findings revealed 5 emergent themes for consideration in program development related to student diversity: (1) multiple roles played by students, (2) limited access to financial resources, (3) varied student demographics, (4) different levels of understanding, and (5) commuting to campus. Nutrition and physical activity programs for community colleges need to specifically address the diverse nature of their students to increase the potential of adoption. Copyright © 2011 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individually tailored internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for young adults with anxiety disorders: A pilot effectiveness study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Silfvernagel

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The mental health of young people is decreasing. It is therefore important to develop early interventions for young people with mental health problems. One previous randomized controlled trial on tailored Internet-based treatment for young adults with minimal therapist guidance has shown promising results for anxiety symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of tailored internet-administered CBT for young adults (16–25 years old with anxiety, depression and possible comorbidity in regular care. Participants were recruited from a youth health care centre (n = 15. Screening consisted of online questionnaires followed by a semi-structured interview. A total of 10 participants completed pre and post measurement. The treatment consisted of individually prescribed CBT text modules with online therapist guidance. All dependent measures improved significantly immediately following treatment and the within-group effect based on pre- to post measurement on the primary outcome measure, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, was d = 1.50, the within-group effect on the secondary outcome measures, Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self-Rated, Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation and Quality of Life Inventory showed large improvement. Tailored internet-based treatment can be an approach in the treatment of anxiety symptoms and comorbid depressive symptoms in youth care.

Parenting While Incarcerated: Tailoring the Strengthening Families Program for Use with Jailed Mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Alison L; Weston, Lauren E; Perryman, Jamie; Horwitz, Talia; Franzen, Susan; Cochran, Shirley

2014-09-01

Most incarcerated women are mothers. Parenting programs may benefit women, children and families, yet effectively intervening in correctional settings is a challenge. An evidence-based parenting intervention (the Strengthening Families Program) was tailored and implemented with women in a jail setting. Goals were to assess mothers' needs and interests regarding parenting while they were incarcerated, adapt the program to address those needs, and establish intervention delivery and evaluation methods in collaboration with a community-based agency. Women reported wanting to know more about effective communication; how children manage stress; finances; drug and alcohol use; self-care; and stress reduction. They reported high program satisfaction and reported reduced endorsement of corporal punishment after the intervention. Barriers to implementation included unpredictable attendance from session to session due to changing release dates, transfer to other facilities, and jail policies (e.g., lock-down; commissary hours). Implications for sustainable implementation of parenting programs in jail settings are discussed.

Facilitators, barriers, and components of a culturally tailored afterschool physical activity program in preadolescent African American girls and their mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhassan, Sofiya; Greever, Cory; Nwaokelemeh, Ogechi; Mendoza, Albert; Barr-Anderson, Daheia J

2014-01-01

Traditional physical activity (PA) programs have not been effective in increasing PA in African American girls. Currently, there is limited information regarding the components of PA programs that drive participation in African American girls. The purpose of our investigation was to describe the facilitators, barriers, and components of a culturally tailored afterschool PA program that will potentially inspire the participation of African American mother-daughter dyads. Six focus groups (n=12 mother-daughter dyads; daughters, 7-10 yrs in age) were conducted between March and May 2012. Focus group semi-structured interviews were transcribed, coded, and systematically analyzed using NVivo. Mothers reported a preference for non-traditional (dancing, household chores) types of PA. While daughters preferred to participate in both dance-based and traditional types (walking, riding bikes) of PA. Participants felt that the use of a culturally tailored dance program would be appealing because it highlights the cultural and historical legacy of the African American culture. Mothers wanted programs that would allow them time to spend with their daughters. Top three dance styles that mothers wanted to participate in were African, hip-hop, and Salsa/samba, while daughters reported that they would enjoy participating in hip-hop, African, and jazz. The most common responses given for resources needed for participating in a culturally tailored afterschool dance program were the location of the program, transportation, and childcare for siblings. Our investigation highlights some cultural factors related to facilitators and barriers of PA that should be addressed in designing PA studies for African American girls and their mothers.

Readability of Individualized Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Lusa

2014-01-01

An individualized education program is a legal document that details information regarding the special education program of a student with a disability. For parents to determine whether they agree with the individualized education program that is proposed by the school, they must first be able to read and comprehend the document. This study aimed…

Evaluation of End-User Satisfaction Among Employees Participating in a Web-based Health Risk Assessment With Tailored Feedback

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vosbergen, Sandra; Laan, Eva K.; Colkesen, Ersen B.; Niessen, Maurice A. J.; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A.; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; Peek, Niels

2012-01-01

Background: Web technology is increasingly being used to provide individuals with health risk assessments (HRAs) with tailored feedback. End-user satisfaction is an important determinant of the potential impact of HRAs, as this influences program attrition and adherence to behavioral advice.

The Feasibility of an eLearning Nutrition Education Program for Low-Income Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Stotz, Sarah; Lee, Jung Sun; Rong, Hui; Murray, Deborah

2016-08-09

Online eLearning may be an innovative, efficient, and cost-effective method of providing nutrition education to a diverse low-income audience. The intent of this project is to examine perceptions of nutrition educators regarding the feasibility of an eLearning nutrition education program tailored to low-income Georgians. Semistructured individual interviews were conducted, guided by the constructivist theory. The interview guide focused on three themes: accessibility, literacy, and content. A prototype of the program also served as a talking point. Interviews were conducted in two urban Georgian counties in a location chosen by each participant. We recruited a convenience sample of Georgian nutrition educators (n = 10, 100% female, 50% Black). Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using constant comparative method. Motivation is considered the primary barrier to program feasibility. Neither access to the Internet nor literacy are considered significant barriers. Inclusion of skill-based, visual education methods such as cooking videos, recipes, and step-by-step teaching tools was highlighted. Nutrition educators perceived this program would be a feasible form of nutrition education for the priority audience. Findings from this study will inform the user-centered development of the program. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

The (cost-effectiveness of an individually tailored long-term worksite health promotion programme on physical activity and nutrition: design of a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burdorf Alex

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of disability and mortality in most Western countries. The prevalence of several risk factors, most notably low physical activity and poor nutrition, is very high. Therefore, lifestyle behaviour changes are of great importance. The worksite offers an efficient structure to reach large groups and to make use of a natural social network. This study investigates a worksite health promotion programme with individually tailored advice in physical activity and nutrition and individual counselling to increase compliance with lifestyle recommendations and sustainability of a healthy lifestyle. Methods/Design The study is a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with the worksite as the unit of randomisation. All workers will receive a standard worksite health promotion program. Additionally, the intervention group will receive access to an individual Health Portal consisting of four critical features: a computer-tailored advice, a monitoring function, a personal coach, and opportunities to contact professionals at request. Participants are employees working for companies in the Netherlands, being literate enough to read and understand simple Internet-based messages in the Dutch language. A questionnaire to assess primary outcomes (compliance with national recommendations on physical activity and on fruit and vegetable intake will take place at baseline and after 12 and 24 months. This questionnaire also assesses secondary outcomes including fat intake, self-efficacy and self-perceived barriers on physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. Other secondary outcomes, including a cardiovascular risk profile and physical fitness, will be measured at baseline and after 24 months. Apart from the effect evaluation, a process evaluation will be carried out to gain insight into participation and adherence to the worksite health promotion programme. A cost-effectiveness analysis and

Tailoring an educational program on the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators to meet stakeholder needs: lessons learned in the VA.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Marlena H; Rivard, Peter E; Shwartz, Michael; Borzecki, Ann; Yaksic, Enzo; Stolzmann, Kelly; Zubkoff, Lisa; Rosen, Amy K

2018-02-14

Given that patient safety measures are increasingly used for public reporting and pay-for performance, it is important for stakeholders to understand how to use these measures for improvement. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) are one particularly visible set of measures that are now used primarily for public reporting and pay-for-performance among both private sector and Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals. This trend generates a strong need for stakeholders to understand how to interpret and use the PSIs for quality improvement (QI). The goal of this study was to develop an educational program and tailor it to stakeholders' needs. In this paper, we share what we learned from this program development process. Our study population included key VA stakeholders involved in reviewing performance reports and prioritizing and initiating quality/safety initiatives. A pre-program formative evaluation through telephone interviews and web-based surveys assessed stakeholders' educational needs/interests. Findings from the formative evaluation led to development and implementation of a cyberseminar-based program, which we tailored to stakeholders' needs/interests. A post-program survey evaluated program participants' perceptions about the PSI educational program. Interview data confirmed that the concepts we had developed for the interviews could be used for the survey. Survey results informed us on what program delivery mode and content topics were of high interest. Six cyberseminars were developed-three of which focused on two content areas that were noted of greatest interest: learning how to use PSIs for monitoring trends and understanding how to interpret PSIs. We also used snapshots of VA PSI reports so that participants could directly apply learnings. Although initial interest in the program was high, actual attendance was low. However, post-program survey results indicated that perceptions about the

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snezhana NIKOLIKJ

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Inclusion, as a process of enrolling of children with disability in regular schools, demands obligation for adequate preparing regular schools, teachers, pupils and their parents for accepting those children. It, also, means that special services must be prepared to help teachers and children with disability too, in an adequate way. The first and most important step is developing of Individualized education programs (IEP.The purpose of IEP is to provide a disabled child with specialized or individualized assistance in school. In order an IEP to be developed for a child, it is necessary to evaluate a child, and than to determine goals of individual achievements for every pupil with disability.The aim of this paper is to show one of many ways for construction IEP. The paper will give some examples of IEP recommendation (general and special, goals and steps to determine programs and types of services.

Individualization of a Manualized Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program: Targeting Risky Life Circumstances Through a Community-Based Intervention for People with Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Vaishampayan, Ashwini; Clark, Florence; Carlson, Mike; Blanche, Erna Imperatore

2012-01-01

Purpose To sensitize practitioners working with individuals with spinal cord injury to the complex life circumstances that are implicated in the development of pressure ulcers, and to document the ways that interventions can be adapted to target individual needs. Methods Content analysis of weekly fidelity/ quality control meetings that were undertaken as part of a lifestyle intervention for pressure ulcer prevention in community-dwelling adults with spinal cord injury. Results Four types of lifestyle-relevant challenges to ulcer prevention were identified: risk-elevating life circumstances, communication difficulties, equipment problems, and individual personality issues. Intervention flexibility was achieved by changing the order of treatment modules, altering the intervention content or delivery approach, or going beyond the stipulated content. Conclusion Attention to recurrent types of individual needs, along with explicit strategies for tailoring manualized interventions, has potential to enhance pressure ulcer prevention efforts for adults with spinal cord injury. Target audience This continuing education article is intended for practitioners interested in learning about a comprehensive, context-sensitive, community-based pressure ulcer prevention program for people with spinal cord injury. Objectives After reading this article, the reader should be able to: Describe some of the contextual factors that increase pressure ulcer risk in people with spinal cord injury living in the community.Distinguish between tailored and individualized intervention approaches.Identify the issues that must be taken into account to design context-sensitive, community-based pressure ulcer prevention programs for people with spinal cord injury.Describe approaches that can be used to individualize manualized interventions. PMID:21586911

Manual for Preparing Individualized Education Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Baylor, Terrill D.

Presented are guidelines for developing an individualized program and services plan, an individual implementation plan, and daily activity and strategy plans for handicapped students. Instructions are outlined for utilizing forms related to planning and implementation of individualized education programs. Appended are sample forms. (SBH)

Out & Online; effectiveness of a tailored online multi-symptom mental health and wellbeing program for same-sex attracted young adults: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Jo-Anne M; Klein, Britt; McLaren, Suzanne; Austin, David W; Molloy, Mari; Meyer, Denny; McLeod, Bronte

2014-12-23

Same-sex attracted young adults have been found to experience higher rates of mental health problems and greater difficulties in accessing specialist mental health care services compared to their heterosexual peers. Internet-based mental health interventions have the potential to be more engaging and accessible to young adults compared to those delivered face-to-face. However, they are rarely inclusive of lesbian women and gay men. Thus, the current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online mental health and wellbeing program, Out & Online (http://www.outandonline.org.au), in comparison to a wait-list control group, for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in same-sex attracted young adults aged between 18 and 25 years. We are recruiting, through media and community organisations, 200 same-sex attracted young adults with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms and mild to moderate psychological distress (Kessler-10 score between 16 to 21). Participants will be randomly allocated to the intervention (the online program) or the wait-list control group based on a permuted blocked randomisation method to allow for stratification by gender. Participants in the intervention group will receive a tailored program for up to three types of mental health difficulties simultaneously. The primary outcome of anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, and secondary outcomes related to psychological distress, wellbeing and health behaviour will be measured at pre-intervention (0 week), post-intervention (8 weeks) and at a 3-month follow-up (20 weeks). This online mental health and wellbeing program will be one of the first online interventions to be designed specifically to be relevant for same-sex attracted individuals. If the program is found to be effective it will improve access to specialist same-sex attracted-relevant mental health services for young adults and will facilitate wellbeing outcomes for these individuals. This program will also be a significant development

Neonates need tailored drug formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Allegaert, Karel

2013-02-08

Drugs are very strong tools used to improve outcome in neonates. Despite this fact and in contrast to tailored perfusion equipment, incubators or ventilators for neonates, we still commonly use drug formulations initially developed for adults. We would like to make the point that drug formulations given to neonates need to be tailored for this age group. Besides the obvious need to search for active compounds that take the pathophysiology of the newborn into account, this includes the dosage and formulation. The dosage or concentration should facilitate the administration of low amounts and be flexible since clearance is lower in neonates with additional extensive between-individual variability. Formulations need to be tailored for dosage variability in the low ranges and also to the clinical characteristics of neonates. A specific focus of interest during neonatal drug development therefore is a need to quantify and limit excipient exposure based on the available knowledge of their safety or toxicity. Until such tailored vials and formulations become available, compounding practices for drug formulations in neonates should be evaluated to guarantee the correct dosing, product stability and safety.

Establishing a Program for Individuals at High Risk for Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Cadiz, Fernando; Kuerer, Henry M.; Puga, Julio; Camacho, Jamile; Cunill, Eduardo; Arun, Banu

2013-01-01

Our need to create a program for individuals at high risk for breast cancer development led us to research the available data on such programs. In this paper, we summarize our findings and our thinking process as we developed our own program. Breast cancer incidence is increasing worldwide. Even though there are known risk factors for breast cancer development, approximately 60% of patients with breast cancer have no known risk factor, although this situation will probably change with further research, especially in genetics. For patients with risk factors based on personal or family history, different models are available for assessing and quantifying risk. Assignment of risk levels permits tailored screening and risk reduction strategies. Potential benefits of specialized programs for women with high breast cancer risk include more cost -effective interventions as a result of patient stratification on the basis of risk; generation of valuable data to advance science; and differentiation of breast programs from other breast cancer units, which can result in increased revenue that can be directed to further improvements in patient care. Guidelines for care of patients at high risk for breast cancer are available from various groups. However, running a high-risk breast program involves much more than applying a guideline. Each high-risk program needs to be designed by its institution with consideration of local resources and country legislation, especially related to genetic issues. Development of a successful high-risk program includes identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; developing a promotion plan; choosing a risk assessment tool; defining “high risk”; and planning screening and risk reduction strategies for the specific population served by the program. The information in this article may be useful for other institutions considering creation of programs for patients with high breast cancer risk. PMID:23833688

34 CFR 300.22 - Individualized education program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.22 Individualized education program. Individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individualized education program. 300.22 Section 300.22...

Effectiveness of the tailored EBP training program for Filipino physiotherapists: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dizon, Janine Margarita; Grimmer-Somers, Karen; Kumar, Saravana

2011-04-13

Evidence implementation continues to challenge health professionals most especially those from developing countries. Filipino physiotherapists represent a group of health professionals in a developing country who by tradition and historical practice, take direction from a doctor, on treatment options. Lack of autonomy in decision-making challenges their capacity to deliver evidence-based care. However, this scenario should not limit them from updating and up-skilling themselves on evidence- based practice (EBP). EBP training tailored to their needs and practice was developed to address this gap. This study will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of a tailored EBP-training program for Filipino physiotherapists, in improving knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour to EBP. Participation in this program aims to improve capacity to EBP and engage with referring doctors to determine the most effective treatments for their patients. A double blind randomised controlled trial, assessing the effectiveness of the EBP training intervention, compared with a waitlist control, will be conducted. An adequately powered sample of 54 physiotherapists from the Philippines will be recruited and randomly allocated to EBP intervention or waitlist control. The EBP program for Filipino physiotherapists is a one-day program on EBP principles and techniques, delivered using effective adult education strategies. It consists of lectures and practical workshops. A novel component in this program is the specially-developed recommendation form, which participants can use after completing their training, to assist them to negotiate with referring doctors regarding evidence-based treatment choices for their patients.Pre and post measures of EBP knowledge, skills and attitudes will be assessed in both groups using the Adapted Fresno Test and the Questions to EBP attitudes. Behaviour to EBP will be measured using activity diaries for a period of three months. Should the EBP-training program

Promoting a Culture of Tailoring for Systems Engineering Policy Expectations

Science.gov (United States)

Blankenship, Van A.

2016-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed an integrated systems engineering approach to promote a culture of tailoring for program and project policy requirements. MSFC's culture encourages and supports tailoring, with an emphasis on risk-based decision making, for enhanced affordability and efficiency. MSFC's policy structure integrates the various Agency requirements into a single, streamlined implementation approach which serves as a "one-stop-shop" for our programs and projects to follow. The engineers gain an enhanced understanding of policy and technical expectations, as well as lesson's learned from MSFC's history of spaceflight and science missions, to enable them to make appropriate, risk-based tailoring recommendations. The tailoring approach utilizes a standard methodology to classify projects into predefined levels using selected mission and programmatic scaling factors related to risk tolerance. Policy requirements are then selectively applied and tailored, with appropriate rationale, and approved by the governing authorities, to support risk-informed decisions to achieve the desired cost and schedule efficiencies. The policy is further augmented by implementation tools and lifecycle planning aids which help promote and support the cultural shift toward more tailoring. The MSFC Customization Tool is an integrated spreadsheet that ties together everything that projects need to understand, navigate, and tailor the policy. It helps them classify their project, understand the intent of the requirements, determine their tailoring approach, and document the necessary governance approvals. It also helps them plan for and conduct technical reviews throughout the lifecycle. Policy tailoring is thus established as a normal part of project execution, with the tools provided to facilitate and enable the tailoring process. MSFC's approach to changing the culture emphasizes risk-based tailoring of policy to achieve increased flexibility, efficiency

A tailored workplace exercise program for women at risk for neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasotto, Chiara; Bergamin, Marco; Sieverdes, John C; Gobbo, Stefano; Alberton, Cristine L; Neunhaeuserer, Daniel; Maso, Stefano; Zaccaria, Marco; Ermolao, Andrea

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a tailored physical activity protocol performed in a work environment with a group of female workers employed in manual precision tasks to reduce upper limb pain. Sixty female subjects were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The IG was administered of a 6-month, twice-a-week, tailored exercise program, whereas the CG received no intervention. The IG showed a reduction on shoulder pain accompanied by increases on the range of motion measures. In addition, reductions in upper limb pain and neck disability were detected with concomitant increases in grip strength. This study indicated positive effects of a tailored workplace exercise protocol in female workers exposed to moderate risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, showing clinically meaningful reductions of pain symptoms and disability on upper limb and neck regions.

An individually tailored treatment programme for improved oral hygiene: introduction of a new course of action in health education for patients with periodontitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jönsson, B; Ohrn, K; Oscarson, N; Lindberg, P

2009-08-01

To describe and evaluate an individually tailored treatment programme based on a behavioural medicine approach to oral hygiene self-care for patients with chronic periodontitis. Two experimental single-case studies with multiple-baseline design across different self-administered oral hygiene behaviours were conducted. Cognitive Behavioural techniques were used to organize the strategies for the intervention and the approach to counselling was inspired by and structured in accordance with Motivational Interviewing. The central features in the programme were the individual analysis of knowledge and oral hygiene habits, individually set goals for oral hygiene behaviour, practice of manual dexterity for oral hygiene aids, continuous self-monitoring of the behaviour and prevention of relapse. Both participants reached the predecided criteria for clinical significance in reducing plaque and bleeding on probing. Reductions of periodontal probing depth were achieved as well. The positive results remained stable throughout the 2-year study period. The successful application of this educational model suggests that it could be used as a method for tailoring interventions targeted to oral hygiene for patients with periodontal conditions. The programme will now be tested in a larger randomized controlled trial.

Are we there yet? An examination of online tailored health communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Suggs, L Suzanne; McIntyre, Chris

2009-04-01

Increasingly, the Internet is playing an important role in consumer health and patient-provider communication. Seventy-three percent of American adults are now online, and 79% have searched for health information on the Internet. This study provides a baseline understanding of the extent to which health consumers are able to find tailored communication online. It describes the current behavioral focus, the channels being used to deliver the tailored content, and the level of tailoring in online-tailored communication. A content analysis of 497 health Web sites found few examples of personalized, targeted, or tailored health sites freely available online. Tailored content was provided in 13 Web sites, although 15 collected individual data. More health risk assessment (HRA) sites included tailored feedback than other topics. The patterns that emerged from the analysis demonstrate that online health users can access a number of Web sites with communication tailored to their needs.

34 CFR 300.23 - Individualized education program team.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individualized education program team. 300.23 Section 300.23 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF... education program team. Individualized education program team or IEP Team means a group of individuals...

Program completion of a web-based tailored lifestyle intervention for adults: differences between a sequential and a simultaneous approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Daniela N; Schneider, Francine; de Vries, Hein; van Osch, Liesbeth A D M; van Nierop, Peter W M; Kremers, Stef P J

2012-03-08

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors often co-occur and are related to chronic diseases. One effective method to change multiple lifestyle behaviors is web-based computer tailoring. Dropout from Internet interventions, however, is rather high, and it is challenging to retain participants in web-based tailored programs, especially programs targeting multiple behaviors. To date, it is unknown how much information people can handle in one session while taking part in a multiple behavior change intervention, which could be presented either sequentially (one behavior at a time) or simultaneously (all behaviors at once). The first objective was to compare dropout rates of 2 computer-tailored interventions: a sequential and a simultaneous strategy. The second objective was to assess which personal characteristics are associated with completion rates of the 2 interventions. Using an RCT design, demographics, health status, physical activity, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption, alcohol intake, and smoking were self-assessed through web-based questionnaires among 3473 adults, recruited through Regional Health Authorities in the Netherlands in the autumn of 2009. First, a health risk appraisal was offered, indicating whether respondents were meeting the 5 national health guidelines. Second, psychosocial determinants of the lifestyle behaviors were assessed and personal advice was provided, about one or more lifestyle behaviors. Our findings indicate a high non-completion rate for both types of intervention (71.0%; n = 2167), with more incompletes in the simultaneous intervention (77.1%; n = 1169) than in the sequential intervention (65.0%; n = 998). In both conditions, discontinuation was predicted by a lower age (sequential condition: OR = 1.04; P simultaneous condition: OR = 1.04; P sequential condition: OR = 0.86; P = .01; CI = 0.76-0.97; simultaneous condition: OR = 0.49; P sequential intervention, being male (OR = 1.27; P = .04; CI = 1.01-1.59) also predicted dropout

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

Science.gov (United States)

Kerrison, Dorothy Adair

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

Towards collaborative filtering recommender systems for tailored health communications.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlin, Benjamin M; Adams, Roy J; Sadasivam, Rajani; Houston, Thomas K

2013-01-01

The goal of computer tailored health communications (CTHC) is to promote healthy behaviors by sending messages tailored to individual patients. Current CTHC systems collect baseline patient "profiles" and then use expert-written, rule-based systems to target messages to subsets of patients. Our main interest in this work is the study of collaborative filtering-based CTHC systems that can learn to tailor future message selections to individual patients based explicit feedback about past message selections. This paper reports the results of a study designed to collect explicit feedback (ratings) regarding four aspects of messages from 100 subjects in the smoking cessation support domain. Our results show that most users have positive opinions of most messages and that the ratings for all four aspects of the messages are highly correlated with each other. Finally, we conduct a range of rating prediction experiments comparing several different model variations. Our results show that predicting future ratings based on each user's past ratings contributes the most to predictive accuracy.

The Promise of Tailoring Incentives for Healthy Behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kullgren, Jeffrey T; Williams, Geoffrey C; Resnicow, Kenneth; An, Lawrence C; Rothberg, Amy; Volpp, Kevin G; Heisler, Michele

2016-01-01

To describe how tailoring financial incentives for healthy behaviors to employees' goals, values, and aspirations might improve the efficacy of incentives. We integrate insights from self-determination theory (SDT) with principles from behavioral economics in the design of financial incentives by linking how incentives could help meet an employee's life goals, values, or aspirations. Tailored financial incentives could be more effective than standard incentives in promoting autonomous motivation necessary to initiate healthy behaviors and sustain them after incentives are removed. Previous efforts to improve the design of financial incentives have tested different incentive designs that vary the size, schedule, timing, and target of incentives. Our strategy for tailoring incentives builds on strong evidence that difficult behavior changes are more successful when integrated with important life goals and values. We outline necessary research to examine the effectiveness of this approach among at-risk employees. Instead of offering simple financial rewards for engaging in healthy behaviors, existing programs could leverage incentives to promote employees' autonomous motivation for sustained health improvements. Effective application of these concepts could lead to programs more effective at improving health, potentially at lower cost. Our approach for the first time integrates key insights from SDT, behavioral economics, and tailoring to turn an extrinsic reward for behavior change into an internalized, self-sustaining motivator for long-term engagement in risk-reducing behaviors.

Cluster Dynamics: Laying the Foundation for Tailoring the Design of Cluster ASSE

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-25

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0081 CLUSTER DYNAMICS: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR TAILORING THE DESIGN OF CLUSTER ASSE Albert Castleman PENNSYLVANIA STATE...15-10-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE CLUSTER DYNAMICS: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR TAILORING THE DESIGN OF CLUSTER ASSEMBLED NANOSCALE MATERIALS 5a... clusters as the building blocks of new materials with tailored properties that are beneficial to the AFOSR. Our continuing program is composed of two

National radon measurement-proficiency program: Individual proficiency report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

In February 1986, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Radon Measurement Proficiency (RMP) Program to assist the public in identifying organizations capable of providing reliable radon measurement services. In December 1991, EPA announced the new individual proficiency listing category in the RMP Program. Individuals applying for this new listing status must demonstrate knowledge of radon measurement fundamentals by passing a written proficiency examination, maintain affiliation with an RMP listed organization, and meet other program requirements. This report lists those individuals who have met the requirements of the RMP Program as of April 30, 1992. These requirements are designed to provide minimum proficiency criteria for individuals who provide radon measurement services on-site in a residential environment

Optimizing diffusion of an online computer tailored lifestyle program: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schulz Daniela N

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the Internet is a promising medium to offer lifestyle interventions to large amounts of people at relatively low costs and effort, actual exposure rates of these interventions fail to meet the high expectations. Since public health impact of interventions is determined by intervention efficacy and level of exposure to the intervention, it is imperative to put effort in optimal dissemination. The present project attempts to optimize the dissemination process of a new online computer tailored generic lifestyle program by carefully studying the adoption process and developing a strategy to achieve sustained use of the program. Methods/Design A prospective study will be conducted to yield relevant information concerning the adoption process by studying the level of adoption of the program, determinants involved in adoption and characteristics of adopters and non-adopters as well as satisfied and unsatisfied users. Furthermore, a randomized control trial will be conducted to the test the effectiveness of a proactive strategy using periodic e-mail prompts in optimizing sustained use of the new program. Discussion Closely mapping the adoption process will gain insight in characteristics of adopters and non-adopters and satisfied and unsatisfied users. This insight can be used to further optimize the program by making it more suitable for a wider range of users, or to develop adjusted interventions to attract subgroups of users that are not reached or satisfied with the initial intervention. Furthermore, by studying the effect of a proactive strategy using period prompts compared to a reactive strategy to stimulate sustained use of the intervention and, possibly, behaviour change, specific recommendations on the use and the application of prompts in online lifestyle interventions can be developed. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register NTR1786 and Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University and the University Hospital

Developing a culturally-tailored stroke prevention walking program for Korean immigrant seniors: A focus group study

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Ivy; Chang, Emiley; Araiza, Daniel; Thorpe, Carol Lee; Sarkisian, Catherine A.

2016-01-01

Background Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for stroke. Korean immigrant seniors are one of the most sedentary ethnic groups in the United States. Objectives To gain better understanding of (i) Beliefs and knowledge about stroke; (ii) Attitudes about walking for stroke prevention; and (iii) Barriers and facilitators to walking among Korean seniors for the cultural tailoring of a stroke prevention walking program. Design An explorative study using focus group data. Twenty-nine Korean immigrant seniors (64–90 years of age) who had been told by a doctor at least once that their blood pressure was elevated participated in 3 focus groups. Each focus group consisted of 8–11 participants. Methods Focus group audio tapes were transcribed and analyzed using standard content analysis methods. Results Participants identified physical and psychological imbalances (e.g., too much work and stress) as the primary causes of stroke. Restoring ‘balance’ was identified as a powerful means of stroke prevention. A subset of participants expressed that prevention may be beyond human control. Overall, participants acknowledged the importance of walking for stroke prevention, but described barriers such as lack of personal motivation and unsafe environment. Many participants believed that providing opportunities for socialization while walking and combining walking with health information sessions would facilitate participation in and maintenance of a walking program. Conclusions Korean immigrant seniors believe strongly that imbalance is a primary cause of stroke. Restoring balance as a way to prevent stroke is culturally special among Koreans and provides a conceptual base in culturally tailoring our stroke prevention walking intervention for Korean immigrant seniors. Implications for practice A stroke prevention walking program for Korean immigrant seniors may have greater impact by addressing beliefs about stroke causes and prevention such as physical and

The Effectiveness of a Computer-Tailored E-Learning Program for Practice Nurses to Improve Their Adherence to Smoking Cessation Counseling Guidelines: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

de Ruijter, Dennis; Candel, Math; Smit, Eline Suzanne; de Vries, Hein; Hoving, Ciska

2018-05-22

Improving practice nurses' (PN) adherence to smoking cessation counseling guidelines will benefit the quality of smoking cessation care and will potentially lead to higher smoking abstinence rates. However, support programs to aid PNs in improving their guideline uptake and adherence do not exist yet. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a novel computer-tailored electronic learning (e-learning) program on PNs' smoking cessation guideline adherence. A Web-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in which an intervention group (N=147) with full access to the e-learning program for 6 months was compared with a control group (N=122) without access. Data collection was fully automated at baseline and 6-month follow-up via online questionnaires, assessing PNs' demographics, work-related factors, potential behavioral predictors based on the I-Change model, and guideline adherence. PNs also completed counseling checklists to retrieve self-reported counseling activities for each consultation with a smoker (N=1175). To assess the program's effectiveness in improving PNs' guideline adherence (ie, overall adherence and adherence to individual counseling guideline steps), mixed linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted, thus accommodating for the smokers being nested within PNs. Potential effect moderation by work-related factors and behavioral predictors was also examined. After 6 months, 121 PNs in the intervention group (82.3%, 121/147) and 103 in the control group (84.4%, 103/122) completed the follow-up questionnaire. Mixed linear regression analysis revealed that counseling experience moderated the program's effect on PNs' overall guideline adherence (beta=.589; 95% CI 0.111-1.068; P Holm-Bonferroni =.048), indicating a positive program effect on adherence for PNs with a more than average level of counseling experience. Mixed logistic regression analyses regarding adherence to individual guideline steps revealed a trend toward

Individualizing Services, Individualizing Responsibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garsten, Christina; Hollertz, Katarina; Jacobsson, Kerstin

possibilities for individual voice, autonomy and self-determination in the local delivery of activation policy? What barriers do specific organisational models and practices imply for clients to choose, determine and access tailor-made programmes and services? What policy technologies are at work in governing......-oriented, and the normative demands placed on individuals appear increasingly totalizing, concerning the whole individual rather than the job-related aspects only. The paper is based on 23 in-depth interviews with individual clients as well as individual caseworkers and other professionals engaged in client-related work...

A non-pharmacologic approach to address challenging behaviors of Veterans with dementia: description of the tailored activity program-VA randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Gitlin, Laura N; Mann, William C; Vogel, W Bruce; Arthur, Paul B

2013-09-23

Behavioral symptoms accompanying dementia are associated with increased health care costs, reduced quality of life and daily functioning, heightened family caregiver burden, and nursing home placement. Standard care typically involves pharmacologic agents, but these are, at best, modestly effective, carry serious risks, including mortality, and do not address behavioral symptoms families consider most distressful and which may prompt nursing home placement. Given dementia's devastating effects and the absence of an imminent cure, the Veterans Administration has supported the development and testing of new approaches to manage challenging behaviors at home. The Tailored Activity Program - Veterans Administration is a Phase III efficacy trial designed to reduce behavioral symptoms in Veterans with dementia living with their caregivers in the community. The study uses a randomized two-group parallel design with 160 diverse Veterans and caregivers. The experimental group receives a transformative patient-centric intervention designed to reduce the burden of behavioral symptoms in Veterans with dementia. An occupational therapist conducts an assessment to identify a Veteran's preserved capabilities, deficit areas, previous roles, habits, and interests to develop activities tailored to the Veteran. Family caregivers are then trained to incorporate activities into daily care. The attention-control group receives bi-monthly telephone contact where education on topics relevant to dementia is provided to caregivers. Key outcomes include reduced frequency and severity of behavioral symptoms using the 12-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (primary endpoint), reduced caregiver burden, enhanced skill acquisition, efficacy using activities, and time spent providing care at 4 months; and long-term effects (8 months) on the Veteran's quality of life and frequency and severity of behavioral symptoms, and caregiver use of activities. The programs' impact of Veterans Administration cost

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

OpenAIRE

ILICH-STOSHOVIКЈ Danijela; NIKOLIКЈ Snezhana

2015-01-01

Inclusion, as a process of enrolling of children with disability in regular schools, demands obligation for adequate preparing regular schools, teachers, pupils and their parents for accepting those children. It, also, means that special services must be prepared to help teachers and children with disability too, in an adequate way. The first and most important step is developing of Individualized education programs (IEP).The purpose of IEP is to provide a disabled child with specialized or i...

Systematic Development of the YouRAction program, a computer-tailored Physical Activity promotion intervention for Dutch adolescents, targeting personal motivations and environmental opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prins Richard G

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increasing physical activity (PA among adolescents is an important health promotion goal. PA has numerous positive health effects, but the majority of Dutch adolescents do not meet PA requirements. The present paper describes the systematic development of a theory-based computer-tailored intervention, YouRAction, which targets individual and environmental factors determining PA among adolescents. Design The intervention development was guided by the Intervention Mapping protocol, in order to define clear program objectives, theoretical methods and practical strategies, ensure systematic program planning and pilot-testing, and anticipate on implementation and evaluation. Two versions of YouRAction were developed: one that targets individual determinants and an extended version that also provides feedback on opportunities to be active in the neighbourhood. Key determinants that were targeted included: knowledge and awareness, attitudes, self-efficacy and subjective norms. The extended version also addressed perceived availability of neighbourhood PA facilities. Both versions aimed to increase levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA among adolescents. The intervention structure was based on self-regulation theory, comprising of five steps in the process of successful goal pursuit. Monitoring of PA behaviour and behavioural and normative feedback were used to increase awareness of PA behaviour; motivation was enhanced by targeting self-efficacy and attitudes, by means of various interactive strategies, such as web movies; the perceived environment was targeted by visualizing opportunities to be active in an interactive geographical map of the home environment; in the goal setting phase, the adolescents were guided in setting a goal and developing an action plan to achieve this goal; in the phase of active goal pursuit adolescents try to achieve their goal and in the evaluation phase the achievements are evaluated. Based on the results

Tailoring the mode of information presentation: Effects on younger and older adults’ attention and recall of online information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, M.H.; van Weert, J.C.M.; Bol, N.; Loos, E.F.; Tytgat, K.M.A.J.; van de Ven, A.W.H.; Smets, E.M.A.

Previous studies have mainly focused on tailoring message content to match individual characteristics and preferences. Additional strategies, such as tailoring to individual preferences for the mode of information presentation, are proposed to increase message effectiveness. This study investigates

Relevant patient characteristics for guiding tailored integrated diabetes primary care: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertroijs, Dorijn F L; Elissen, Arianne M J; Brouwers, Martijn C G J; Schaper, Nicolaas C; Ruwaard, Dirk

2018-02-06

Aim To identify which patient-related effect modifiers influence the outcomes of integrated care programs for type 2 diabetes in primary care. Integrated care is a widespread management strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, most integrated care programs are not tailored to patients' needs, preferences and abilities. There is increasing consensus that such a patient-centered approach could improve the management of type 2 diabetes. Thus far, it remains unclear which patient-related effect modifiers should guide such an approach. PubMed, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched for empirical studies published after 1998. A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Findings In total, 23 out of 1015 studies were included. A total of 21 studies measured the effects of integrated diabetes care programs on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and three on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and health-care utilization. In total, 49 patient characteristics were assessed as potential effect modifiers with HbA1c as an outcome, of which 46 were person or health-related and only three were context-related. Younger age, insulin therapy and longer disease duration were associated with higher HbA1c levels in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Higher baseline HbA1c was associated with higher HbA1c at follow-up in longitudinal studies. Information on context- and person-related characteristics was limited, but is necessary to help identify the care needs of individual patients and implement an effective integrated type 2 diabetes tailored care program.

A person-centered approach to individualizing a school-based universal preventive intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Caldwell, Linda L; Bradley, Stephanie; Coffman, Donna

2009-01-01

This manuscript focuses on how individualized components may be embedded within a universal preventive intervention (TimeWise: Taking Charge of Leisure Time) to make program delivery more effective. Leisure related variables (motivation, boredom/interest and peer and parental influence) were used to suggest ways to individualize the program. Latent Class Analysis was used to develop individualized risk and strength profiles of adolescents (N = 617). Comparisons were made between a treatment and control group. Four classes were identified: undifferentiated high, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation/amotivation, undifferentiated low. These classes were related to substance use. Membership in the intrinsic class was associated with intervention group while the extrinsic class was related to the control group. Results were useful in suggesting ways to tailor a universal prevention program.

Preventing smoking relapse via Web-based computer-tailored feedback: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Elfeddali, Iman; Bolman, Catherine; Candel, Math J J M; Wiers, Reinout W; de Vries, Hein

2012-08-20

Web-based computer-tailored approaches have the potential to be successful in supporting smoking cessation. However, the potential effects of such approaches for relapse prevention and the value of incorporating action planning strategies to effectively prevent smoking relapse have not been fully explored. The Stay Quit for You (SQ4U) study compared two Web-based computer-tailored smoking relapse prevention programs with different types of planning strategies versus a control group. To assess the efficacy of two Web-based computer-tailored programs in preventing smoking relapse compared with a control group. The action planning (AP) program provided tailored feedback at baseline and invited respondents to do 6 preparatory and coping planning assignments (the first 3 assignments prior to quit date and the final 3 assignments after quit date). The action planning plus (AP+) program was an extended version of the AP program that also provided tailored feedback at 11 time points after the quit attempt. Respondents in the control group only filled out questionnaires. The study also assessed possible dose-response relationships between abstinence and adherence to the programs. The study was a randomized controlled trial with three conditions: the control group, the AP program, and the AP+ program. Respondents were daily smokers (N = 2031), aged 18 to 65 years, who were motivated and willing to quit smoking within 1 month. The primary outcome was self-reported continued abstinence 12 months after baseline. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using three samples: (1) all respondents as randomly assigned, (2) a modified sample that excluded respondents who did not make a quit attempt in conformance with the program protocol, and (3) a minimum dose sample that also excluded respondents who did not adhere to at least one of the intervention elements. Observed case analyses and conservative analyses were conducted. In the observed case analysis of the randomized sample

Tailoring the Mode of Information Presentation : Effects on Younger and Older Adults' Attention and Recall of Online Information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, Minh Hao; van Weert, Julia C M; Bol, Nadine; Loos, Eugène F.; Tytgat, Kristien M A J; van de Ven, Anthony W H; Smets, Ellen M A

2017-01-01

Previous studies have mainly focused on tailoring message content to match individual characteristics and preferences. This study investigates the effect of a website tailored to individual preferences for the mode of information presentation, compared to 4 nontailored websites on younger and older

Computer-Tailored Intervention for Juvenile Offenders

Science.gov (United States)

LEVESQUE, DEBORAH A.; JOHNSON, JANET L.; WELCH, CAROL A.; PROCHASKA, JANICE M.; FERNANDEZ, ANNE C.

2012-01-01

Studies assessing the efficacy of juvenile justice interventions show small effects on recidivism and other outcomes. This paper describes the development of a prototype of a multimedia computer-tailored intervention (“Rise Above Your Situation”or RAYS) that relies on an evidence-based model of behavior change, the Transtheoretical Model, and expert system technology to deliver assessments, feedback, printed reports, and counselor reports with intervention ideas. In a feasibility test involving 60 system-involved youths and their counselors, evaluations of the program were favorable: 91.7% of youths agreed that the program could help them make positive changes, and 86.7% agreed that the program could give their counselor helpful information about them. PMID:23264754

Genetic Network Programming with Reconstructed Individuals

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Fengming; Mabu, Shingo; Wang, Lutao; Eto, Shinji; Hirasawa, Kotaro

A lot of research on evolutionary computation has been done and some significant classical methods such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Genetic Programming (GP), Evolutionary Programming (EP), and Evolution Strategies (ES) have been studied. Recently, a new approach named Genetic Network Programming (GNP) has been proposed. GNP can evolve itself and find the optimal solution. It is based on the idea of Genetic Algorithm and uses the data structure of directed graphs. Many papers have demonstrated that GNP can deal with complex problems in the dynamic environments very efficiently and effectively. As a result, recently, GNP is getting more and more attentions and is used in many different areas such as data mining, extracting trading rules of stock markets, elevator supervised control systems, etc., and GNP has obtained some outstanding results. Focusing on the GNP's distinguished expression ability of the graph structure, this paper proposes a method named Genetic Network Programming with Reconstructed Individuals (GNP-RI). The aim of GNP-RI is to balance the exploitation and exploration of GNP, that is, to strengthen the exploitation ability by using the exploited information extensively during the evolution process of GNP and finally obtain better performances than that of GNP. In the proposed method, the worse individuals are reconstructed and enhanced by the elite information before undergoing genetic operations (mutation and crossover). The enhancement of worse individuals mimics the maturing phenomenon in nature, where bad individuals can become smarter after receiving a good education. In this paper, GNP-RI is applied to the tile-world problem which is an excellent bench mark for evaluating the proposed architecture. The performance of GNP-RI is compared with that of the conventional GNP. The simulation results show some advantages of GNP-RI demonstrating its superiority over the conventional GNPs.

An individually tailored behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy for tension-type headache - two experimental case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Söderlund, Anne; Lagerlöf, Helena

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the effect of an individually tailored behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy, based on a functional behavioral analysis (FBA), for tension-type headache (TTH). Two case studies with A1-A2-B-A3 design of two patients with TTH was conducted. Outcome variables were headache frequency, headache index (mean intensity), consumption of analgesics, self-efficacy in headache management (Headache Management Self-efficacy Scale [HMSE]), disability, and perceived loss of happiness for activities with family and friends. The results showed that headache frequency and headache index decreased for one of the patients. Self-efficacy in headache management increased markedly for both patients. A behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy based on an FBA can be a way for physical therapists to handle patients with TTH. Future investigations should focus on large group studies with longer observation periods.

Organizational leadership, health risk screening, individually tailored programs, and supportive workplace culture might reduce presenteeism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E. Steultjens; E. Baker; N. Aas; W. Randi

2012-01-01

To determine if Workplace Health Promotion programs (WHPs) are effective in improving presenteeism. The secondary objective was to identify characteristics of successful programmes and potential risk factors for presenteeism. The Cochrane Library, Medline and other electronic databases were searched

A Web-based, computer-tailored smoking prevention program to prevent children from starting to smoke after transferring to secondary school: randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cremers, Henricus-Paul; Mercken, Liesbeth; Candel, Math; de Vries, Hein; Oenema, Anke

2015-03-09

Smoking prevalence rates among Dutch children increase rapidly after they transit to secondary school, in particular among children with a low socioeconomic status (SES). Web-based, computer-tailored programs supplemented with prompt messages may be able to empower children to prevent them from starting to smoke when they transit to secondary school. The main aim of this study is to evaluate whether computer-tailored feedback messages, with and without prompt messages, are effective in decreasing children's smoking intentions and smoking behavior after 12 and 25 months of follow-up. Data were gathered at baseline (T0), and after 12 months (T1) and 25 months (T2) of follow-up of a smoking prevention intervention program called Fun without Smokes. A total of 162 schools were randomly allocated to a no-intervention control group, an intervention prompt group, or an intervention no-prompt group. A total of 3213 children aged 10 to 12 years old participated in the study and completed a Web-based questionnaire assessing their smoking intention, smoking behavior, and sociocognitive factors, such as attitude, social influence, and self-efficacy, related to smoking. After completion, children in the intervention groups received computer-tailored feedback messages in their own email inbox and those messages could be accessed on the intervention website. Children in the prompt group received prompt messages, via email and short message service (SMS) text messaging, to stimulate them to reuse the intervention website with nonsmoking content. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed using multiple imputations to assess the program effects on smoking intention and smoking behavior at T1 and T2. A total of 3213 children participated in the Fun without Smokes study at T0. Between T0 and T1 a total of 1067 children out of the original 3213 (33.21%) dropped out of the study. Between T0 and T2 the number of children that did not participate in the final measurement was

Individual and setting level predictors of the implementation of a skin cancer prevention program: a multilevel analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brownson Ross C

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To achieve widespread cancer control, a better understanding is needed of the factors that contribute to successful implementation of effective skin cancer prevention interventions. This study assessed the relative contributions of individual- and setting-level characteristics to implementation of a widely disseminated skin cancer prevention program. Methods A multilevel analysis was conducted using data from the Pool Cool Diffusion Trial from 2004 and replicated with data from 2005. Implementation of Pool Cool by lifeguards was measured using a composite score (implementation variable, range 0 to 10 that assessed whether the lifeguard performed different components of the intervention. Predictors included lifeguard background characteristics, lifeguard sun protection-related attitudes and behaviors, pool characteristics, and enhanced (i.e., more technical assistance, tailored materials, and incentives are provided versus basic treatment group. Results The mean value of the implementation variable was 4 in both years (2004 and 2005; SD = 2 in 2004 and SD = 3 in 2005 indicating a moderate implementation for most lifeguards. Several individual-level (lifeguard characteristics and setting-level (pool characteristics and treatment group factors were found to be significantly associated with implementation of Pool Cool by lifeguards. All three lifeguard-level domains (lifeguard background characteristics, lifeguard sun protection-related attitudes and behaviors and six pool-level predictors (number of weekly pool visitors, intervention intensity, geographic latitude, pool location, sun safety and/or skin cancer prevention programs, and sun safety programs and policies were included in the final model. The most important predictors of implementation were the number of weekly pool visitors (inverse association and enhanced treatment group (positive association. That is, pools with fewer weekly visitors and pools in the enhanced

Perceived helpfulness of the individual components of a behavioural weight loss program: results from the Hopkins POWER Trial

OpenAIRE

Dalcin, A. T.; Jerome, G. J.; Fitzpatrick, S. L.; Louis, T. A.; Wang, N?Y.; Bennett, W. L.; Durkin, N.; Clark, J. M.; Daumit, G. L.; Appel, L. J.; Coughlin, J. W.

2015-01-01

Summary Background Behavioural weight loss programs are effective first?line treatments for obesity and are recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. Gaining an understanding of intervention components that are found helpful by different demographic groups can improve tailoring of weight loss programs. This paper examined the perceived helpfulness of different weight loss program components. Methods Participants (n?=?236) from the active intervention conditions of the Practice?bas...

34 CFR 395.11 - Training program for blind individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Training program for blind individuals. 395.11 Section... BLIND ON FEDERAL AND OTHER PROPERTY The State Licensing Agency § 395.11 Training program for blind... be provided to blind individuals as vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act...

Individualization program training in freestyle wrestling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.V. Latyshev

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study - the development and verification of the effectiveness of the program individualization of training fighters. The program aims at the establishment of individual style confrontation wrestlers. The experiment involved two groups of fighters: experimental (21 fighter and control group (30 wrestlers, aged 16-17 years. Duration of the experiment was 2.5 years. Model profiles of each of the typical style of confrontation included anthropometry, physical and psychological indicators. The coefficients of correlation between the profile of preparedness wrestler and model profiles of each of the typical style of warfare. The maximum correlation coefficient showed a predisposition to certain typical fighter style confrontation. Found that most of the fighters have a moderate degree of conformity to one of the typical styles of warfare.

How lay health workers tailor in effective health behaviour change interventions: a protocol for a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgins, Faith; Gnich, Wendy; Ross, Alastair J; Sherriff, Andrea; Worlledge-Andrew, Heather

2016-06-16

Lay health workers (LHWs) are utilised as a channel of delivery in many health interventions. While they have no formal professional training related to their role, they utilise their connections with the target group or community in order to reach individuals who would not normally readily engage with health services. Lay health worker programmes are often based on psychological theories of behaviour change that point to 'tailoring to individuals' needs or characteristics' as key to success. Although lay health workers have been shown to be effective in many contexts, there is, as yet, little clarity when it comes to how LHWs assess individuals' needs in order to tailor their interventions. This study aims to develop a better understanding of the effective implementation of tailoring in lay health worker interventions by appraising evidence and synthesising studies that report evaluations of tailored interventions. Health and psychology electronic databases (EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycINFO) will be searched. Reference lists of included studies will also be searched. For articles that are deemed to be potentially relevant, we will employ a 'cluster searching' technique in order to identify all published papers related to a relevant intervention. Cluster searching will be undertaken in an effort to maximise the breadth and depth of description of the intervention. Quantitative studies will be assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project, ON, Canada. Qualitative studies will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist for qualitative research. Sythesising the data will enable the development of a taxonomy of strategies for the criteria used for individual assessment of recipients' needs and the ways in which messages or actions are tailored to these individual criteria by LHWs. This systematic review focuses specifically on how health promotion and

Belief In Numbers: When and why women disbelieve tailored breast cancer risk statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Laura D.; Ubel, Peter A.; McClure, Jennifer; Green, Sarah M.; Alford, Sharon Hensley; Holtzman, Lisa; Exe, Nicole; Fagerlin, Angela

2013-01-01

Objective To examine when and why women disbelieve tailored information about their risk of developing breast cancer. Methods 690 women participated in an online program to learn about medications that can reduce the risk of breast cancer. The program presented tailored information about each woman’s personal breast cancer risk. Half of women were told how their risk numbers were calculated, whereas the rest were not. Later, they were asked whether they believed that the program was personalized, and whether they believed their risk numbers. If a woman did not believe her risk numbers, she was asked to explain why. Results Beliefs that the program was personalized were enhanced by explaining the risk calculation methods in more detail. Nonetheless, nearly 20% of women did not believe their personalized risk numbers. The most common reason for rejecting the risk estimate was a belief that it did not fully account for personal and family history. Conclusions The benefits of tailored risk statistics may be attenuated by a tendency for people to be skeptical that these risk estimates apply to them personally. Practice Implications Decision aids may provide risk information that is not accepted by patients, but addressing the patients’ personal circumstances may lead to greater acceptance. PMID:23623330

Effects of a culturally tailored physical activity promotion program on selected self-regulation skills and attitudes in adolescents of an underserved, multiethnic milieu.

Science.gov (United States)

Laberge, Suzanne; Bush, Paula Louise; Chagnon, Miguel

2012-01-01

To implement a culturally tailored physical activity (PA) promotion program (FunAction) and to assess its impact on five self-regulation skills and attitudes in adolescents. Design . The design and implementation of the FunAction program were informed by social marketing principles. The study used a quasi-experimental approach to assess the impact of the program on specific outcome variables. A multiethnic, underserved middle school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The intervention group was made up of grade 8 students (n  =  165) and the control group was made up of grade 7 students (n  =  137). During the 16-week intervention, adolescents were able to choose from a variety of 45-minute cardiovascular PAs offered daily during their school lunch period. Adolescents participated in the activities on a voluntary basis. A self-report questionnaire was administered preintervention and postintervention to measure adolescents' scores on the following self-regulation skills and attitudes: self-control, self-esteem, attention/concentration, social competence, and interethnic relationships. Three-way repeated measures analyses of variance and correlational analyses were used. Results . A significant improvement was observed only in attention/concentration. Girls' attention/concentration scores improved significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group (F(1,127)  =  16.26, p marketing principles can help encourage adolescents from underserved, multiethnic milieus to participate in PA during their school lunch hour. Furthermore, voluntary participation in a culturally tailored PA program can improve youths' attention/concentration.

Randomized controlled trial comparing tailoring methods of multimedia-based fall prevention education for community-dwelling older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schepens, Stacey L; Panzer, Victoria; Goldberg, Allon

2011-01-01

We attempted to determine whether multimedia fall prevention education using different instructional strategies increases older adults' knowledge of fall threats and their fall prevention behaviors. Fifty-three community-dwelling older adults were randomized to iwo educational groups or a control group. Multimedia-based educational interventions to increase fall threats knowledge and encourage fall prevention behaviors had two tailoring strategies: (1) improve content realism for individual learners (authenticity group) and (2) highlight program goals and benefits while using participants' content selections (motivation group). Knowledge was measured at baseline and 1-mo follow-up. Participants recorded prevention behaviors for 1 mo. Intervention group participants showed greater knowledge gains and posttest knowledge than did control group participants. The motivation group engaged in more prevention behaviors over 1 mo than did the other groups. Tailoring fall prevention education by addressing authenticity and motivation successfully improved fall threats knowledge. Combining motivational strategies with multimedia education increased the effectiveness of the intervention in encouraging fall prevention behaviors.

Periodic email prompts to re-use an internet-delivered computer-tailored lifestyle program: influence of prompt content and timing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Francine; de Vries, Hein; Candel, Math; van de Kar, Angelique; van Osch, Liesbeth

2013-01-31

Adherence to Internet-delivered lifestyle interventions using multiple tailoring is suboptimal. Therefore, it is essential to invest in proactive strategies, such as periodic email prompts, to boost re-use of the intervention. This study investigated the influence of content and timing of a single email prompt on re-use of an Internet-delivered computer-tailored (CT) lifestyle program. A sample of municipality employees was invited to participate in the program. All participants who decided to use the program received an email prompting them to revisit the program. A 2×3 (content × timing) design was used to test manipulations of prompt content and timing. Depending on the study group participants were randomly assigned to, they received either a prompt containing standard content (an invitation to revisit the program), or standard content plus a preview of new content placed on the program website. Participants received this prompt after 2, 4, or 6 weeks. In addition to these 6 experimental conditions, a control condition was included consisting of participants who did not receive an additional email prompt. Clicks on the uniform resource locator (URL) provided in the prompt and log-ins to the CT program were objectively monitored. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether prompt content and/or prompt timing predicted clicking on the URL and logging in to the CT program. Of all program users (N=240), 206 participants received a subsequent email prompting them to revisit the program. A total of 53 participants (25.7%) who received a prompt reacted to this prompt by clicking on the URL, and 25 participants (12.1%) actually logged in to the program. There was a main effect of prompt timing; participants receiving an email prompt 2 weeks after their first visit clicked on the URL significantly more often compared with participants that received the prompt after 4 weeks (odds ratio [OR] 3.069, 95% CI 1.392-6.765, P=.005) and after 6 weeks (OR 4

Designing and Realization of an Individual Educational Program

Science.gov (United States)

Yunusova, Gulnaz R.; Karunas, Ekaterina V.

2016-01-01

Relevance of the issue is caused by the change of a knowledge-oriented educational paradigm into an individual-oriented one. This change means that an individual is the most significant value in the modern process of teaching. The aim of the article is to find a theoretical proof for an individual study program design and test it in pedagogical…

Sociocultural tailoring of a healthy lifestyle intervention to reduce cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk among Latinos.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudd-Martin, Gia; Martinez, Maria C; Rayens, Mary Kay; Gokun, Yevgeniya; Meininger, Janet C

2013-11-27

Suboptimal lifestyle factors in combination with genetic susceptibility contribute to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk among Latinos. We describe a community-academic collaboration that developed and explored the feasibility of implementing a socioculturally tailored, healthy lifestyle intervention integrating genomics and family history education to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes among Latinos. The community-based participatory research was conducted with communities in Kentucky, which has a rapidly growing Latino population. This growth underscores the need for socioculturally appropriate health resources. Su Corazon, Su Vida (Your Heart, Your Life) is a Spanish-language, healthy lifestyle educational program to reduce cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk among Latinos. Twenty natural leaders from an urban Latino community in Kentucky participated in sociocultural tailoring of the program and development of a genomics and family history module. The tailored program was presented to 22 participants to explore implementation feasibility and assess appropriateness for community use. Preintervention and postintervention assessments of genomic knowledge and lifestyle behaviors and qualitative postintervention evaluations were conducted. Postintervention improvements in health-promoting lifestyle choices and genomic knowledge specific to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes suggested that the program may be effective in reducing risk. Feedback indicated the program was socioculturally acceptable and responsive to community needs. These findings indicated that a tailored healthy lifestyle program integrating genomics and family history education was socioculturally appropriate and may feasibly be implemented to reduce cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk in a Latino community with limited health care resources. The project highlights contributions of community-based processes in tailoring

Tailored Porous Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BARTON,THOMAS J.; BULL,LUCY M.; KLEMPERER,WALTER G.; LOY,DOUGLAS A.; MCENANEY,BRIAN; MISONO,MAKOTO; MONSON,PETER A.; PEZ,GUIDO; SCHERER,GEORGE W.; VARTULI,JAMES C.; YAGHI,OMAR M.

1999-11-09

Tailoring of porous materials involves not only chemical synthetic techniques for tailoring microscopic properties such as pore size, pore shape, pore connectivity, and pore surface reactivity, but also materials processing techniques for tailoring the meso- and the macroscopic properties of bulk materials in the form of fibers, thin films and monoliths. These issues are addressed in the context of five specific classes of porous materials: oxide molecular sieves, porous coordination solids, porous carbons, sol-gel derived oxides, and porous heteropolyanion salts. Reviews of these specific areas are preceded by a presentation of background material and review of current theoretical approaches to adsorption phenomena. A concluding section outlines current research needs and opportunities.

Neuromarkers of anxiety and depression in a patient after neuro-ophthalmic surgery of the meningioma – effect of individually-tailored tDCS and neurofeedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Mirski

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individually tailored anodal tDCs/ neurofeedback protocol for the reduction of post-operative depression after a neuroophtalmological operation of the meningioma. The neuromarkers in Quantitative EEG (QEEG and Event-related potentials (ERPs were utilized in the construction of protocol and evaluation. [b]Case description[/b]. A 45-year-old female after successful neuro-ophthalmic surgery of the meningioma, complained of severe pain and anxiety, difficulties with sleeping, attention and memory problems, as well as inability to continue working in her given profession. Neuropsychological testing showed lack of cognitive disturbances and post-operative depression. Two working hypotheses were tested to find neuromarkers of depression and anxiety. In line with the ‘depression hypothesis’ a frontal alpha asymmetry pattern was found in the patient, and in line with the ‘anxiety’ hypothesis an increased left temporal P1 wave in response to visual stimuli was found in ERPs. A specific alpha asymmetry neurofeedback protocol combined with an anodal tDCS was suggested. Twenty sessions of individually-tailored anodal tDCs/ neurofeedback protocol were performed. The QEEG frontal asymmetry pattern and the excessive temporal P1 wave were normalized after the intervention. [b]Conclusions. [/b]The patient recovered from post-operative depression and returned to work after 20 sessions of the combined neurofeedback/tDCS protocol. Specific patterns of QEEG and ERPs serve as neuromarkers for constructing the protocol and for monitoring the results of intervention.

Why are Tailored Messages More Effective? A Multiple Mediation Analysis of a Breast Cancer Screening Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Jakob D; King, Andy J; Carcioppolo, Nicholas; Davis, LaShara

2012-10-01

Past research has found that tailoring increases the persuasive effectiveness of a message. However, the observed effect has been small and the explanatory mechanism remains unknown. To address these shortcomings, a tailoring software program was created that personalized breast cancer screening pamphlets according to risk, health belief model constructs, and visual preference. Women aged 40 and older ( N = 119) participated in a 2 (tailored vs. stock message) × 2 (charts/graphs vs. illustrated visuals) × 3 (nested replications of the visuals) experiment. Participants provided with tailored illustrated pamphlets expressed greater breast cancer screening intentions than those provided with other pamphlets. In a test of 10 different mediators, perceived message relevance was found to fully mediate the tailoring × visual interaction.

How a Fully Automated eHealth Program Simulates Three Therapeutic Processes: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Holter, Marianne T S; Johansen, Ayna; Brendryen, Håvar

2016-06-28

eHealth programs may be better understood by breaking down the components of one particular program and discussing its potential for interactivity and tailoring in regard to concepts from face-to-face counseling. In the search for the efficacious elements within eHealth programs, it is important to understand how a program using lapse management may simultaneously support working alliance, internalization of motivation, and behavior maintenance. These processes have been applied to fully automated eHealth programs individually. However, given their significance in face-to-face counseling, it may be important to simulate the processes simultaneously in interactive, tailored programs. We propose a theoretical model for how fully automated behavior change eHealth programs may be more effective by simulating a therapist's support of a working alliance, internalization of motivation, and managing lapses. We show how the model is derived from theory and its application to Endre, a fully automated smoking cessation program that engages the user in several "counseling sessions" about quitting. A descriptive case study based on tools from the intervention mapping protocol shows how each therapeutic process is simulated. The program supports the user's working alliance through alliance factors, the nonembodied relational agent Endre and computerized motivational interviewing. Computerized motivational interviewing also supports internalized motivation to quit, whereas a lapse management component responds to lapses. The description operationalizes working alliance, internalization of motivation, and managing lapses, in terms of eHealth support of smoking cessation. A program may simulate working alliance, internalization of motivation, and lapse management through interactivity and individual tailoring, potentially making fully automated eHealth behavior change programs more effective.

Tailored botulinum toxin type A injections in aesthetic medicine: consensus panel recommendations for treating the forehead based on individual facial anatomy and muscle tone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anido J

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Javier Anido,1 Daniel Arenas,2 Cristina Arruabarrena,3 Alfonso Domínguez-Gil,4 Carlos Fajardo,5 Mar Mira,6 Javier Murillo,7 Natalia Ribé,8 Helga Rivera,9 Sofia Ruiz del Cueto,6 Helder Silvestre,10 Marisa Tirado11 1A-Clinic, Madrid, 2Hospital Cruz Roja, Madrid, 3Clinic Cristina Arruabarrena, San Sebastiá, 4Salamanca University, Salamanca, 5Clinic Fajardo, Malaga, 6Clinic Mira+Cueto, Madrid, 7Clinic CIR, Seville, 8Institute Natalia Ribé, Barcelona, 9Clinic Helga Rivera, Vigo, Spain; 10Clinic Europa, Lisbon, Portugal; 11Clinic Derma Alemar, Castellón, Spain Background: Facial lines and wrinkles are strongly influenced by individual differences in anatomy and muscle activity and no single injection protocol will suit all patients. However, there is only limited information in the published literature on how to develop a tailored approach to botulinum toxin treatment.Methods: An expert panel of physicians was convened to establish a consensus on developing an individualized approach to treatment of the forehead with incobotulinumtoxinA. Separate treatment protocols were developed for men and women and subdivided by background level of muscle activity: kinetic, hyperkinetic, and hypertonic. Each muscle tone category was then further subdivided to take account of individual characteristics that can influence treatment.Results: Consensus members describe how to perform a dynamic assessment to optimize the dose and injection technique for each patient. A tailored treatment protocol is described for men and women with a wide range of forehead presentations. For each presentation, units of toxin as well as the precise location of injection points were defined by creating a 12-zone map of the forehead.Conclusion: These recommendations depart from traditional consensus documents by providing detailed incobotulinumtoxinA injection protocols for the forehead based on the major parameters that differ between patients, including muscular anatomy, size, and

Individually tailored internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for adolescents with anxiety disorders: A pilot effectiveness study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Silfvernagel

2015-09-01

Based on the results from this pilot study the tentative conclusion might be that tailored internet delivered CBT could be useful for adolescents with anxiety disorders along with standard treatment delivered in child and adolescent psychiatric clinics.

Effects of tailored message education about breast cancer risk appraisal for obese Korean women.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Somi; Chung, ChaeWeon; Cochrane, Barbara B

2013-11-01

To examine the effects of tailored message education about breast cancer risk in obese Korean women. Pretest/post-test with two comparison treatments. Rural community settings in South Korea. Non-random sample of 64 obese women. Based on the Health Belief Model, tailored message education involved a one-session individual approach addressing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral domains. The comparison group received a one-time standard education group session. Data on breast cancer risk factors and mammography findings were recorded. Knowledge, awareness, emotional barriers, self-efficacy, and intent to screen and prevent breast cancer. Compared to standard education, tailored message education showed significantly higher score changes on awareness of personal risk (F = 5.21, p message education targeting breast cancer and risk associated with obesity is useful in breast cancer screening education. Future studies should incorporate individualized messages on nutrition, exercise, and cultural barriers to reduce breast cancer risk in obese women. Individual educational strategies can effectively enhance breast cancer prevention and early screening. Public and preventive education should include a focus on cultural, cognitive, and emotional domains. For obese women, a heightened awareness and self-efficacy may influence screening behaviors.

Tailor-welded blanks and their production

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Qi

2005-01-01

Tailor welded blanks had been widely used in the automobile industry. A tailor welded blank consists of several flat sheets that were laser welded together before stamping. A combination of different materials, thickness, and coatings could be welded together to form a blank for stamping car body panels. As for the material for automobile industry, this technology was one of the development trend for automobile industry because of its weight reduction, safety improvement and economical use of materials. In this paper, the characters and production of tailor welded blanks in the market were discussed in detail. There had two major methods to produce tailor welded blanks. Laser welding would replace mesh seam welding for the production of tailor welded blanks in the future. The requirements on the edge preparation of unwelded blanks for tailor welded blanks were higher than the other steel processing technology. In order to produce the laser welded blank, there had the other process before the laser welding in the factory. In the world, there had three kinds of patterns for the large volume production of tailor welded blanks. In China, steel factory played the important role in the promotion of the application of tailor welded blanks. The competition for the supply of tailor welded blanks to the automobile industry would become fierce in the near future. As a result, the demand for the quality control on the production of tailor welded blanks would be the first priority concern for the factory.

Effectiveness of an impairment-based individualized rehabilitation program using an iPad-based software platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Des Roches, Carrie A; Balachandran, Isabel; Ascenso, Elsa M; Tripodis, Yorghos; Kiran, Swathi

2014-01-01

The delivery of tablet-based rehabilitation for individuals with post-stroke aphasia is relatively new, therefore, this study examined the effectiveness of an iPad-based therapy to demonstrate improvement in specific therapy tasks and how the tasks affect overall language and cognitive skills. Fifty-one individuals with aphasia due to a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) were recruited to use an iPad-based software platform, Constant Therapy, for a 10 week therapy program. Participants were split into an experimental (N = 42) and control (N = 9) group. Both experimental and control participants received a 1 h clinic session with a clinician once a week, the experimental participants additionally practiced the therapy at home. Participants did not differ in the duration of the therapy and both groups of participants showed improvement over time in the tasks used for the therapy. However, experimental participants used the application more often and showed greater changes in accuracy and latency on the tasks than the control participants; experimental participants' severity level at baseline as measured by standardized tests of language and cognitive skills were a factor in improvement on the tasks. Subgroups of task co-improvement appear to occur between different language tasks, between different cognitive tasks, and across both domains. Finally, experimental participants showed more significant and positive changes due to therapy in their standardized tests than control participants. These results provide preliminary evidence for the usefulness of a tablet-based platform to deliver tailored language and cognitive therapy to individuals with aphasia.

Effectiveness of an impairment-based individualized rehabilitation program using an iPad-based software platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrie Alice Des Roches

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The delivery of tablet-based rehabilitation for individuals with post-stroke aphasia is relatively new, therefore, this study examined the effectiveness of an iPad-based therapy to demonstrate improvement in specific therapy tasks and how the tasks affect overall language and cognitive skills. Fifty-one individuals with aphasia due to a stroke or traumatic brain injury were recruited to use an iPad-based software platform, Constant Therapy, for a 10 week therapy program. Participants were split into an experimental (N=42 and control (N=9 group. Both experimental and control participants received a one hour clinic session with a clinician once a week, the experimental participants additionally practiced the therapy at home. Participants did not differ in the duration of the therapy and both groups of participants showed improvement over time in the tasks used for the therapy. However, experimental participants used the application more often and showed greater changes in accuracy and latency on the tasks than the control participants; experimental participants’ severity level at baseline as measured by standardized tests of language and cognitive skills were a factor in improvement on the tasks. Subgroups of task co-improvement appear to occur between different language tasks, between different cognitive tasks, and across both domains. Finally, experimental participants showed more significant and positive changes due to therapy in their standardized tests than control participants. These results provide preliminary evidence for the usefulness of a tablet-based platform to deliver tailored language and cognitive therapy to individuals with aphasia.

Tailored motivational message generation: A model and practical framework for real-time physical activity coaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Op den Akker, Harm; Cabrita, Miriam; Op den Akker, Rieks; Jones, Valerie M; Hermens, Hermie J

2015-06-01

This paper presents a comprehensive and practical framework for automatic generation of real-time tailored messages in behavior change applications. Basic aspects of motivational messages are time, intention, content and presentation. Tailoring of messages to the individual user may involve all aspects of communication. A linear modular system is presented for generating such messages. It is explained how properties of user and context are taken into account in each of the modules of the system and how they affect the linguistic presentation of the generated messages. The model of motivational messages presented is based on an analysis of existing literature as well as the analysis of a corpus of motivational messages used in previous studies. The model extends existing 'ontology-based' approaches to message generation for real-time coaching systems found in the literature. Practical examples are given on how simple tailoring rules can be implemented throughout the various stages of the framework. Such examples can guide further research by clarifying what it means to use e.g. user targeting to tailor a message. As primary example we look at the issue of promoting daily physical activity. Future work is pointed out in applying the present model and framework, defining efficient ways of evaluating individual tailoring components, and improving effectiveness through the creation of accurate and complete user- and context models. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tailored patient information using a database system: Increasing patient compliance in a day surgery setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grode, Jesper Nicolai Riis; Grode, Louise; Steinsøe, Ulla

rehabilitation. The hospital is responsible of providing the patients with accurate information enabling the patient to prepare for surgery. Often patients are overloaded with uncoordinated information, letters and leaflets. The contribution of this project is a database system enabling health professionals...... to empower patients through tailored individualized information. Performing 6500 operations per year at our Day Surgery Centre, health professionals need a computer based system to create individualized information material. Health professionals must be able to adapt the information material quickly...... was established to support these requirements. A relational database system holds all information pieces in a granular, structured form. Each individual piece of information can be joined with other pieces thus supporting the tailoring of information. A web service layer caters for integration with output systems...

Effectiveness of culturally tailored diabetes interventions for Asian immigrants to the United States: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Joo, Jee Young

2014-01-01

The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of tailoring community-based diabetes intervention to Asian immigrant cultures. The Cochrane processes and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations guided this systematic review. PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid, and PsycINFO were searched for analyses and syntheses of primary research published since 2000 that described interventions tailored for the cultures of Asian immigrants with diabetes. This search yielded a total of 9 articles published from 2005 to 2013. The Amsterdam-Maastricht Consensus List for Quality Assessment was used to assess the quality of the studies. Retrieved studies' populations were foreign-born adults >50 years of age with type 2 diabetes. The review revealed that culturally tailored diabetes programs are effective at improving patients' objectively measured clinical outcomes, in particular A1C levels, and psychobehavioral outcomes. Patients were also highly satisfied with bilingual health care providers and bilingual educational programs. There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of tailoring diabetes interventions to Asian immigrant populations' cultures. Further studies, including longitudinal studies and studies with rigorous research designs that subclassify Asian immigrants, are needed to encourage the implementation of culturally tailored diabetes intervention for this ethnic minority. © 2014 The Author(s).

Incredible Years Program Tailored to Parents of Preschoolers with Autism: Pilot Results

Science.gov (United States)

Dababnah, Sarah; Parish, Susan L.

2016-01-01

Objective: This article reports on the acceptability and results from an evaluation of an empirically supported practice, The Incredible Years, tailored to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: Two groups of parents (N = 17) participated in a mixed methods test with no comparison group of the 15-week intervention. Data…

34 CFR 300.112 - Individualized education programs (IEP).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Individualized education programs (IEP). 300.112 Section 300.112 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF... education programs (IEP). The State must ensure that an IEP, or an IFSP that meets the requirements of...

Comparing tailored and untailored text messages for smoking cessation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skov-Ettrup, L S; Ringgaard, L W; Dalum, P

2014-01-01

The aim was to compare the effectiveness of untailored text messages for smoking cessation to tailored text messages delivered at a higher frequency. From February 2007 to August 2009, 2030 users of an internet-based smoking cessation program with optional text message support aged 15-25 years were...... of text messages increases quit rates among young smokers....

Evaluation of end-user satisfaction among employees participating in a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Vosbergen, Sandra; Laan, Eva K; Colkesen, Ersen B; Niessen, Maurice A J; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; Peek, Niels

2012-10-30

Web technology is increasingly being used to provide individuals with health risk assessments (HRAs) with tailored feedback. End-user satisfaction is an important determinant of the potential impact of HRAs, as this influences program attrition and adherence to behavioral advice. The aim of this study was to evaluate end-user satisfaction with a web-based HRA with tailored feedback applied in worksite settings, using mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods. Employees of seven companies in the Netherlands participated in a commercial, web-based, HRA with tailored feedback. The HRA consisted of four components: 1) a health and lifestyle assessment questionnaire, 2) a biometric evaluation, 3) a laboratory evaluation, and 4) tailored feedback consisting of a personal health risk profile and lifestyle behavior advice communicated through a web portal. HRA respondents received an evaluation questionnaire after six weeks. Satisfaction with different parts of the HRA was measured on 5-point Likert scales. A free-text field provided the opportunity to make additional comments. In total, 2289 employees participated in the HRA program, of which 637 (27.8%) completed the evaluation questionnaire. Quantitative analysis showed that 85.6% of the respondents evaluated the overall HRA positively. The free-text field was filled in by 29.7 % of the respondents (189 out of 637), who made 315 separate remarks. Qualitative evaluation of these data showed that these respondents made critical remarks. Respondents felt restricted by the answer categories of the health and lifestyle assessment questionnaire, which resulted in the feeling that the corresponding feedback could be inadequate. Some respondents perceived the personal risk profile as unnecessarily alarming or suggested providing more explanations, reference values, and a justification of the behavioral advice given. Respondents also requested the opportunity to discuss the feedback with a health professional. Most people

An Internet-based tailored hearing protection intervention for firefighters: development process and users' feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, OiSaeng; Eakin, Brenda L; Chin, Dal Lae; Feld, Jamie; Vogel, Stephen

2013-07-01

Noise-induced hearing loss is a significant occupational injury for firefighters exposed to intermittent noise on the job. It is important to educate firefighters about using hearing protection devices whenever they are exposed to loud noise. Computer technology is a relatively new health education approach and can be useful for tailoring specific aspects of behavioral change training. The purpose of this study is to present the development process of an Internet-based tailored intervention program and to assess its efficacy. The intervention programs were implemented for 372 firefighters (mean age = 44 years, Caucasian = 82%, male = 95%) in three states (California, Illinois, and Indiana). The efficacy was assessed from firefighters' feedback through an Internet-based survey. A multimedia Internet-based training program was developed through (a) determining program content and writing scripts, (b) developing decision-making algorithms for tailoring, (c) graphic design and audio and video productions, (d) creating computer software and a database, and (e) postproduction quality control and pilot testing. Participant feedback regarding the training has been very positive. Participants reported that they liked completing the training via computer (83%) and also that the Internet-based training program was well organized (97%), easy to use (97%), and effective (98%) and held their interest (79%). Almost all (95%) would recommend this Internet training program to other firefighters. Interactive multimedia computer technology using the Internet was a feasible mode of delivery for a hearing protection intervention among firefighters. Participants' favorable feedback strongly supports the continued utilization of this approach for designing and developing interventions to promote healthy behaviors.

Personally tailored activities for improving psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia in long-term care.

Science.gov (United States)

Möhler, Ralph; Renom, Anna; Renom, Helena; Meyer, Gabriele

2018-02-13

People with dementia who are being cared for in long-term care settings are often not engaged in meaningful activities. Offering them activities which are tailored to their individual interests and preferences might improve their quality of life and reduce challenging behaviour. ∙ To assess the effects of personally tailored activities on psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia living in long-term care facilities.∙ To describe the components of the interventions.∙ To describe conditions which enhance the effectiveness of personally tailored activities in this setting. We searched ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialized Register, on 16 June 2017 using the terms: personally tailored OR individualized OR individualised OR individual OR person-centred OR meaningful OR personhood OR involvement OR engagement OR engaging OR identity. We also performed additional searches in MEDLINE (Ovid SP), Embase (Ovid SP), PsycINFO (Ovid SP), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Web of Science (ISI Web of Science), ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) ICTRP, to ensure that the search for the review was as up to date and as comprehensive as possible. We included randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials offering personally tailored activities. All interventions included an assessment of the participants' present or past preferences for, or interests in, particular activities as a basis for an individual activity plan. Control groups received either usual care or an active control intervention. Two authors independently checked the articles for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. For all studies, we assessed the risk of selection bias, performance bias, attrition bias and detection bias. In case of missing information, we contacted the study authors. We included eight studies with 957 participants. The mean age of participants in the studies ranged from 78 to 88

Effect of individually tailored biopsychosocial workplace interventions on chronic musculoskeletal pain, stress and work ability among laboratory technicians: randomized controlled trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Jay, Kenneth; Brandt, Mikkel; Sundstrup, Emil; Schraefel, Mc; Jakobsen, Markus D; Sjøgaard, Gisela; Andersen, Lars L

2014-12-18

Among laboratory technicians, the prevalence of neck and shoulder pain is widespread possibly due to typical daily work tasks such as pipetting, preparing vial samples for analysis, and data processing on a computer including mouse work - all tasks that require precision in motor control and may result in extended periods of time spent in static positions.In populations characterized by intense chronic musculoskeletal pain and diagnosed conditions in conjunction with psycho-physiological symptoms such as stress-related pain and soreness and other disabling conditions, multifactorial approaches applying a combination of individually tailored physical and cognitive strategies targeting the areas most needed, may be an effective solution to the physical and mental health challenges.The aim of this study is therefore to investigate the effect of an individually tailored biopsychosocial intervention strategy on musculoskeletal pain, stress and work disability in lab technicians with a history of musculoskeletal pain at a single worksite in Denmark. In this single-blind two-armed parallel-group randomized controlled trial with allocation concealment, participants receive either an individualized multifactorial intervention or "usual care" for 10 weeks at the worksite. 1) female laboratory technician (18-67 years of age) and 2) Pain intensity ≥ 3 (0-10 Visual Analogue Scale) lasting ≥3 months with a frequency of ≥ 3 days per week in one or more of the following regions: i) upper back i) low back iii) neck, iv) shoulder, v) elbow and/or vi) hand. 1) life-threatening disease and 2) pregnancy. Stress, as measured by Cohen´s perceived stress questionnaire is not an inclusion criteria, thus participants can participate regardless of their stress level.We will implement an individualized intervention addressing biopsychosocial elements of musculoskeletal pain with the following components; i) increasing physical capacity through strength- and motor control

Tailored approach to management of bilateral breast cancer in Indian women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veda Padma Priya Selvakumar

2015-01-01

Conclusions: The management of BCC is complex and has to be tailored to the individual based on characteristics of index and second tumor, prior therapy, adjuvant treatment, and risk stratification. Moreover, the concordance of receptor expression is higher in synchronous cancers than metachronous cancers.

Deep Drawing of High-Strength Tailored Blanks by Using Tailored Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Mennecart

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In most forming processes based on tailored blanks, the tool material remains the same as that of sheet metal blanks without tailored properties. A novel concept of lightweight construction for deep drawing tools is presented in this work to improve the forming behavior of tailored blanks. The investigations presented here deal with the forming of tailored blanks of dissimilar strengths using tailored dies made of two different materials. In the area of the steel blank with higher strength, typical tool steel is used. In the area of the low-strength steel, a hybrid tool made out of a polymer and a fiber-reinforced surface replaces the steel half. Cylindrical cups of DP600/HX300LAD are formed and analyzed regarding their formability. The use of two different halves of tool materials shows improved blank thickness distribution, weld-line movement and pressure distribution compared to the use of two steel halves. An improvement in strain distribution is also observed by the inclusion of springs in the polymer side of tools, which is implemented to control the material flow in the die. Furthermore, a reduction in tool weight of approximately 75% can be achieved by using this technique. An accurate finite element modeling strategy is developed to analyze the problem numerically and is verified experimentally for the cylindrical cup. This strategy is then applied to investigate the thickness distribution and weld-line movement for a complex geometry, and its transferability is validated. The inclusion of springs in the hybrid tool leads to better material flow, which results in reduction of weld-line movement by around 60%, leading to more uniform thickness distribution.

Experience of primary care among homeless individuals with mental health conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joya G Chrystal

Full Text Available The delivery of primary care to homeless individuals with mental health conditions presents unique challenges. To inform healthcare improvement, we studied predictors of favorable primary care experience among homeless persons with mental health conditions treated at sites that varied in degree of homeless-specific service tailoring. This was a multi-site, survey-based comparison of primary care experiences at three mainstream primary care clinics of the Veterans Administration (VA, one homeless-tailored VA clinic, and one tailored non-VA healthcare program. Persons who accessed primary care service two or more times from July 2008 through June 2010 (N = 366 were randomly sampled. Predictor variables included patient and organization characteristics suggested by the patient perception model developed by Sofaer and Firminger (2005, with an emphasis on mental health. The primary care experience was assessed with the Primary Care Quality-Homeless (PCQ-H questionnaire, a validated survey instrument. Multiple regression identified predictors of positive experiences (i.e. higher PCQ-H total score. Significant predictors of a positive experience included a site offering tailored service design, perceived choice among providers, and currently domiciled status. There was an interaction effect between site and severe psychiatric symptoms. For persons with severe psychiatric symptoms, a homeless-tailored service design was significantly associated with a more favorable primary care experience. For persons without severe psychiatric symptoms, this difference was not significant. This study supports the importance of tailored healthcare delivery designed for homeless persons' needs, with such services potentially holding special relevance for persons with mental health conditions. To improve patient experience among the homeless, organizations may want to deliver services that are tailored to homelessness and offer a choice of providers.

Experience of Primary Care among Homeless Individuals with Mental Health Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Chrystal, Joya G.; Glover, Dawn L.; Young, Alexander S.; Whelan, Fiona; Austin, Erika L.; Johnson, Nancy K.; Pollio, David E.; Holt, Cheryl L.; Stringfellow, Erin; Gordon, Adam J.; Kim, Theresa A.; Daigle, Shanette G.; Steward, Jocelyn L.; Kertesz, Stefan G

2015-01-01

The delivery of primary care to homeless individuals with mental health conditions presents unique challenges. To inform healthcare improvement, we studied predictors of favorable primary care experience among homeless persons with mental health conditions treated at sites that varied in degree of homeless-specific service tailoring. This was a multi-site, survey-based comparison of primary care experiences at three mainstream primary care clinics of the Veterans Administration (VA), one homeless-tailored VA clinic, and one tailored non-VA healthcare program. Persons who accessed primary care service two or more times from July 2008 through June 2010 (N = 366) were randomly sampled. Predictor variables included patient and organization characteristics suggested by the patient perception model developed by Sofaer and Firminger (2005), with an emphasis on mental health. The primary care experience was assessed with the Primary Care Quality-Homeless (PCQ-H) questionnaire, a validated survey instrument. Multiple regression identified predictors of positive experiences (i.e. higher PCQ-H total score). Significant predictors of a positive experience included a site offering tailored service design, perceived choice among providers, and currently domiciled status. There was an interaction effect between site and severe psychiatric symptoms. For persons with severe psychiatric symptoms, a homeless-tailored service design was significantly associated with a more favorable primary care experience. For persons without severe psychiatric symptoms, this difference was not significant. This study supports the importance of tailored healthcare delivery designed for homeless persons’ needs, with such services potentially holding special relevance for persons with mental health conditions. To improve patient experience among the homeless, organizations may want to deliver services that are tailored to homelessness and offer a choice of providers. PMID:25659142

Deep drawing simulation of Tailored Blanks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Albert; Meinders, Vincent T.; Stokman, B.

1998-01-01

Tailored blanks are increasingly used in the automotive industry. A tailored blank consists of different metal parts, which are joined by a welding process. These metal parts usually have different material properties. Hence, the main advantage of using a tailored blank is to provide the right

Effect of a tailor-made continuous medical education program for primary care physicians on self-perception of physicians' roles and quality of care.

Science.gov (United States)

Twig, Gilad; Lahad, Amnon; Kochba, Ilan; Ezra, Vered; Mandel, Dror; Shina, Avi; Kreiss, Yitshak; Zimlichman, Eyal

2010-09-01

A survey conducted among Israel Defense Force primary care physicians in 2001 revealed that they consider patients' needs more than they do organizational needs and that the education PCPs currently receive is inadequate. In 2003 the medical corps initiated a multi-format continuous medical education program aimed at improving skills in primary care medicine. To measure and analyze the effect of the tailor-made CME program on PCPs' self-perception 3 years after its implementation and correlate it to clinical performance. In 2006 a questionnaire was delivered to a representative sample of PCPs in the IDF. The questionnaire included items on demographic and professional background, statements on self-perception issues, and ranking of roles. We compared the follow-up survey (2006) to the results of the original study (2001) and correlated the survey results with clinical performance as measured through objective indicators. In the 2006 follow-up survey PCPs scored higher on questions dealing with their perception of themselves as case managers (3.8 compared to 4.0 on the 2001 survey on a 5 point scale, P = 0.046), perceived quality of care and education (3.5 vs. 3.8, P = 0.06), and on questions dealing with organizational commitment (3.5 vs. 3.8, P = 0.01). PCPs received higher scores on clinical indicators in the later study (odds ratio 2.05, P < 0.001). PCPs in the IDF perceived themselves more as case managers as compared to the 2001 survey. A tailor-made CME program may have contributed to the improvement in skills and quality of care.

The multi-dimensional talent support tool (mBET – a systemic approach towards individualized support of the gifted and talented in Austria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Stahl

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Providing gifted students with personalized talent development programs is a challenge for teachers and educators alike. The multi-dimensional talent development tool (mBET guides teachers on their way to individualized gifted programs. Within a holistic and systemic concept of giftedness, the mBET brings together the perspectives of teachers, parents and the individual student in assessing talents as well as relevant personality characteristics and environment factors. By facilitating support-oriented round-table talks, the mBET helps teachers, parents and students to develop individually tailored talent development programs, taking into consideration both talents and other factors relevant for successful gifted education (i.e. non-cognitive personality characteristics and environmental factors.

Preventing the obesity epidemic by second generation tailored health communication: an interdisciplinary review.

Science.gov (United States)

Enwald, Heidi Päivyt Karoliina; Huotari, Maija-Leena Aulikki

2010-06-28

The prevention of obesity and health concerns related to obesity are major challenges worldwide. The use of eHealth communication and the tailoring of information delivered via the Internet at the individual level may increase the effectiveness of interventions. Mastering behaviors related to nutrition, physical activity, and weight management are the main issues in preventing obesity, and the need for interdisciplinary knowledge within this area is obvious. The objectives were to review the literature on tailored health communication and to present an interdisciplinary analysis of studies on "second" generation tailored interventions aimed at behavior change in nutrition, physical activity, or weight management. A literature search was conducted of the main electronic information sources on health communication. Selection criteria were defined, and 23 intervention studies were selected. The content analysis focused on the following: study designs, objectives of behavior change, target groups, sample sizes, study lengths, attrition rates, theories applied, intervention designs, computer-based channels used, statistically significant outcomes from the perspective of tailoring, and possible biases of the studies. However, this was not a structured meta-analysis and cannot be replicated as such. Of the 23 studies, 21 were randomized controlled trials, and all focused on behavior change: 10 studies focused on behavior change in nutrition, 7 on physical activity, 2 on nutrition and physical activity, and 4 on weight management. The target groups and the number of participants varied: 8 studies included more than 500 participants, and 6 studies included less than 100. Most studies were short; the duration of 20 studies was 6 months or less. The Transtheoretical Model was applied in 14 of the 23 studies, and feedback as a tailoring mechanism was used in addition to an Internet site (or program) in 15 studies and in addition to email in 11 studies. Self-reporting was used

Tailoring the Acquisition Process in the U.S. Department of Defense

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

the associate directors, Paul DeLuca and Marc Robbins , for their insightful com- ments on this research. xvii Abbreviations ADM Acquisition Decision...by the SASSA program. Of these six, one was judged as a neutral contribution while five were judged as helpful in achiev- ing the program goals. No...tailored processes were judged as nega- tive contributions to meeting the rapid space acquisitions goals. (Johnson, 2010, p. 4) Also in regard to SE

Tailored breast cancer screening program with microdose mammography, US, and MR Imaging: short-term results of a pilot study in 40-49-year-old women.

Science.gov (United States)

Venturini, Elena; Losio, Claudio; Panizza, Pietro; Rodighiero, Maria Grazia; Fedele, Isabella; Tacchini, Simona; Schiani, Elena; Ravelli, Silvia; Cristel, Giulia; Panzeri, Marta Maria; De Cobelli, Francesco; Del Maschio, Alessandro

2013-08-01

To evaluate the feasibility, performance, and cost of a breast cancer screening program aimed at 40-49-year-old women and tailored to their risk profile with supplemental ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The institutional review board approved this study, and informed written consent was obtained. A total of 3017 40-49-year-old women were invited to participate. The screening program was tailored to lifetime risk (Gail test) and mammographic density (according to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data Systems [BI-RADS] criteria) with supplemental US or MR imaging and bilateral two-view microdose mammography. The indicators suggested by European guidelines, US incremental cancer detection rate (CDR), and estimated costs were evaluated. A total of 1666 women (67.5% participation rate) were recruited. The average lifetime risk of breast cancer was 11.6%, and nine women had a high risk of breast cancer; 917 women (55.0%) had a high density score (BI-RADS density category 3 or 4). The average glandular dose for screening examinations was 1.49 mGy. Screening US was performed in 835 study participants (50.1%), mostly due to high breast density (800 of 1666 women [48.0%]). Screening MR imaging was performed in nine women (0.5%) at high risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer was diagnosed in 14 women (8.4 cases per 1000 women). Twelve diagnoses were made with microdose mammography, and two were made with supplemental US in dense breasts (2.4 cases per 1000 women). All patients were submitted for surgery, and 10 underwent breast-conserving surgery. The sentinel lymph node was evaluated in 11 patients, resulting in negative findings in six. Pathologic analysis resulted in the diagnosis of four ductal carcinomas in situ and 10 invasive carcinomas (five at stage I). A tailored breast cancer screening program in 40-49-year-old women yielded a greater-than-expected number of cancers, most of which were low-stage disease.

Revitalization - an organizational program for the individual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brewer, J.M.

1983-07-01

Progressive devitalization is a malady that afflicts many workers resulting in tremendous costs to organizations. This malady has long been recognized by management but little has been done to treat it. A new approach to the problem has been insitituted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the form of a group program called Revitalization. Early results have been very encouraging. The program will continue to be designed and improved in the hope of bringing more productivity to the organization and self-esteem to the individual.

Individualized Tailor-Made Dietetic Intervention Program at Schools Enhances Eating Behaviors and Dietary Habits in Obese Hispanic Children of Low Socioeconomic Status

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Sànchez, Diana; Gutierrez, Norma G.; Lamadrid-Zertuche, Ana C.; Hernandez-Torre, Martin M.

2014-01-01

Hispanic children and those from low-socioeconomic status are predisposed to unhealthy eating habits and obesity. Aim. to implement an individualized, face-to-face, parent supported, and school-partnership dietetic intervention to promote healthy eating habits and decrease body mass index. Prospective school year dietetic intervention of 101 obese, Hispanic, low-socioeconomic school-age children representative of Monterrey, Mexico, consisted of anthropometrics, dietetic assessment, energy-restriction tailor-made daily menus, and parental education every three weeks. Student's t-test was used for means comparison. A significant decrease was found in body mass index percentile (96.43 ± 3.32 to 93.42 ± 8.12/P = 0.00) and energy intake/day of −755.7 kcal/day (P = 0.00). Among other energy dense foods with significant decline in servings/day and servings/week were processed meats (3.13 ± 1.43 to 2.19 ± 1.04/P = 0.00 and 5.60 ± 1.75 to 4.37 ± 2.10/P = 0.00, resp.), saturated fat (1.47 ± 1.08 to 0.78 ± 0.79/P = 0.00 and 2.19 ± 2.18 to 1.1 ± 1.36/P = 0.00), sweetened beverages (2.79 ± 1.99 to 1.42 ± 1.21 and 6.21 ± 1.72 to 3.89 ± 2.80/P = 0.00), and desserts and refined-grain bakery (1.99 ± 1.54 to 1.32 ± 1.59 and 2.85 ± 2.54 to 1.57 ± 2.20/P = 0.00). There was a significant increase in servings/day and servings/week of water (2.98 ± 2.02 to 4.91 ± 2.37 and 6.62 ± 2.03 to 6.87 ± 0.91/P = 0.00, resp.) and nutrient dense foods such as fruits (1.31 ± 0.89 to 1.66 ± 0.96 and 3.34 ± 2.24 to 4.28 ± 2.43/P = 0.00) and fish and poultry (3.76 ± 2.15 to 4.54 ± 2.25/P = 0.00). This intervention created healthy eating habits and decreased body mass index in a high risk population. Trial registration number: NCT01925976. PMID:24592170

FWP executive summaries, Basic Energy Sciences Materials Sciences Programs (SNL/NM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, G.A.

1997-05-01

The BES Materials Sciences Program has the central theme of Scientifically Tailored Materials. The major objective of this program is to combine Sandia`s expertise and capabilities in the areas of solid state sciences, advanced atomic-level diagnostics and materials synthesis and processing science to produce new classes of tailored materials as well as to enhance the properties of existing materials for US energy applications and for critical defense needs. Current core research in this program includes the physics and chemistry of ceramics synthesis and processing, the use of energetic particles for the synthesis and study of materials, tailored surfaces and interfaces for materials applications, chemical vapor deposition sciences, artificially-structured semiconductor materials science, advanced growth techniques for improved semiconductor structures, transport in unconventional solids, atomic-level science of interfacial adhesion, high-temperature superconductors, and the synthesis and processing of nano-size clusters for energy applications. In addition, the program includes the following three smaller efforts initiated in the past two years: (1) Wetting and Flow of Liquid Metals and Amorphous Ceramics at Solid Interfaces, (2) Field-Structured Anisotropic Composites, and (3) Composition-Modulated Semiconductor Structures for Photovoltaic and Optical Technologies. The latter is a joint effort with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Separate summaries are given of individual research areas.

Web-based tailored intervention for preparation of parents and children for outpatient surgery (WebTIPS): development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kain, Zeev N; Fortier, Michelle A; Chorney, Jill MacLaren; Mayes, Linda

2015-04-01

As a result of cost-containment efforts, preparation programs for outpatient surgery are currently not available to the majority of children and parents. The recent dramatic growth in the Internet presents a unique opportunity to transform how children and their parents are prepared for surgery. In this article, we describe the development of a Web-based Tailored Intervention for Preparation of parents and children undergoing Surgery (WebTIPS). A multidisciplinary taskforce agreed that a Web-based tailored intervention consisting of intake, matrix, and output modules was the preferred approach. Next, the content of the various intake variables, the matrix logic, and the output content was developed. The output product has a parent component and a child component and is described in http://surgerywebtips.com/about.php. The child component makes use of preparation strategies such as information provision, modeling, play, and coping skills training. The parent component of WebTIPS includes strategies such as information provision, coping skills training, and relaxation and distraction techniques. A reputable animation and Web design company developed a secured Web-based product based on the above description. In this article, we describe the development of a Web-based tailored preoperative preparation program that can be accessed by children and parents multiple times before and after surgery. A follow-up article in this issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia describes formative evaluation and preliminary efficacy testing of this Web-based tailored preoperative preparation program.

Tailoring PKI for the battlespace

Science.gov (United States)

Covey, Carlin R.

2003-07-01

A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) can provide useful communication protections for friendly forces in the battlespace. The PKI would be used in conjunction with communication facilities that are accorded physical and Type-1 cryptographic protections. The latter protections would safeguard the confidentiality and (optionally) the integrity of communications between enclaves of users, whereas the PKI protections would furnish identification, authentication, authorization and privacy services for individual users. However, Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) and most Government-Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) PKI solutions are not ideally tailored for the battlespace environment. Most PKI solutions assume a relatively static, high-bandwidth communication network, whereas communication links in the battlespace will be dynamically reconfigured and bandwidth-limited. Most enterprise-wide PKI systems assume that users will enroll and disenroll at an orderly pace, whereas the battlespace PKI "enterprise" will grow and shrink abruptly as units are deployed or withdrawn from the battlespace. COTS and GOTS PKIs are seldom required to incorporate temporary "enterprise mergers", whereas the battlespace "enterprise" will need to incorporate temporary coalitions of forces drawn from various nations. This paper addresses both well-known and novel techniques for tailoring PKI for the battlespace environment. These techniques include the design of the security architecture, the selection of appropriate options within PKI standards, and some new PKI protocols that offer significant advantages in the battlespace.

Individual Stress Management Coursework in Canadian Teacher Preparation Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Gregory E.

2011-01-01

Teacher stress is a significant issue facing the teaching profession. The current paper explores individual stress management as a viable option to address stress in this profession. Specifically, Canadian teacher education programs are examined to identify the prevalence of pre-service teacher education courses focused on individual stress…

Online-based interventions for sexual health among individuals with cancer: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hee Sun; Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Park, Seong Man; Kim, Jung-Hee

2018-03-07

Online interventions have the advantages of being widely available, accessible, comfortable, cost effective, and they can provide tailored information and support. Despite these benefits, the effects of specifically devised online intervention programs for cancer patients' sexual problems are somewhat unclear. The aim of this review is to describe online-based interventions and to assess their effects on sexual health among cancer survivors and/or their partners. We investigated the effects of online sexual interventions among individuals with cancer or their partners. Among these, we considered 4 eligible articles. Despite the diversity of contents of the interventions, the identified modes of delivery among most of the interventions were as follows: education, interactive methods, cognitive behavior therapy, tailored information, and self-monitoring. Methods of monitoring the interventions, including the utilization of the web site and post-treatment program rating, were reported. All the online intervention programs incorporated a focus on physical, psychological, cognitive, and social aspects of sexual health. Significant effects on patient sexual function and interest and the psychological aspect of sexual problems were reported. This study provides evidence that online-based interventions would be effective in improving the psycho-sexual problems of cancer survivors and their partners.

Sasang constitutional medicine as a holistic tailored medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Yeol; Pham, Duong Duc

2009-09-01

Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM) is a unique traditional Korean therapeutic alternative form of medicine. Based on the Yin and Yang theory and on Confucianism, humans are classified into four constitutions. These differ in terms of (i) sensitivity to certain groups of herbs and medicines, (ii) equilibrium among internal organic functions, (iii) physical features and (iv) psychological characteristics. We propose that two main axes in the physiopathology of SCM (food intake/waste discharge and consuming/storing Qi and body fluids) are equivalent to the process of internal-external exchange and catabolism/anabolism in modern physiology, respectively. We then used this hypothesis to discuss the physiological and pathological principles of SCM. Constitution-based medicine is based on the theory that some medicinal herbs and remedies are only appropriate for certain constitutions and can cause adverse effects in others. The constitutional approach of SCM share the same vision as tailored medicine; an individualized therapy that can minimize the risk of adverse reaction while increasing the efficacy and an individualized self-regulation that can help prevent specific susceptible chronic disease and live healthily. There is still a long way to this goal for both SCM and tailored medicine, but we may benefit from systems approaches such as systems biology. We suggest that constitutional perspective of SCM and our hypothesis of two main processes may provide a novel insight for further studies.

Sasang Constitutional Medicine as a Holistic Tailored Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong Yeol Kim

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM is a unique traditional Korean therapeutic alternative form of medicine. Based on the Yin and Yang theory and on Confucianism, humans are classified into four constitutions. These differ in terms of (i sensitivity to certain groups of herbs and medicines, (ii equilibrium among internal organic functions, (iii physical features and (iv psychological characteristics. We propose that two main axes in the physiopathology of SCM (food intake/waste discharge and consuming/storing Qi and body fluids are equivalent to the process of internal–external exchange and catabolism/anabolism in modern physiology, respectively. We then used this hypothesis to discuss the physiological and pathological principles of SCM. Constitution-based medicine is based on the theory that some medicinal herbs and remedies are only appropriate for certain constitutions and can cause adverse effects in others. The constitutional approach of SCM share the same vision as tailored medicine; an individualized therapy that can minimize the risk of adverse reaction while increasing the efficacy and an individualized self-regulation that can help prevent specific susceptible chronic disease and live healthily. There is still a long way to this goal for both SCM and tailored medicine, but we may benefit from systems approaches such as systems biology. We suggest that constitutional perspective of SCM and our hypothesis of two main processes may provide a novel insight for further studies.

Qualitative Investigation of Exercise Perceptions and Experiences in People With Multiple Sclerosis Before, During, and After Participation in a Personally Tailored Exercise Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Crank, Helen; Carter, Anouska; Humphreys, Liam; Snowdon, Nicky; Daley, Amanda; Woodroofe, Nicola; Sharrack, Basil; Petty, Jane; Saxton, John M

2017-12-01

To undertake a qualitative investigation of exercise perceptions and experiences in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) before, during, and after participation in a personally tailored program designed to promote long-term maintenance of self-directed exercise. Focus groups and semistructured telephone interviews. University exercise science department close to the recruiting hospital. PwMS (N=33; mean age ± SD, 47.6±7.9y). Participants were recruited after participation in a randomized controlled exercise trial; all had been allocated to a 12-week exercise program comprising supervised and self-directed exercise sessions. Exercise perceptions and experiences before, during, and after participation in the program. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) the transition to inactivity; (2) lack of knowledge and confidence; (3) positive exercise experiences; and (4) perspectives on exercise adherence. Lack of confidence and exercise knowledge, coupled with negative perceptions about physical capabilities after an MS diagnosis, are clear barriers to exercise participation in PwMS. These issues are not being adequately addressed as part of the health care pathway or in community settings. Perceptions of improved posture, ability to overcome everyday difficulties, acute mood enhancements during and after exercise, and increased opportunities for social interaction were among the reported benefits of exercise participation. Despite the provision of a personally tailored exercise plan and use of cognitive behavioral strategies, self-directed exercise continued to present challenges to PwMS, and the importance of seeking cost-effective ways to maintain motivational support was implicit in participant responses. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Internet- and mobile-based tailored intervention to enhance maintenance of physical activity after cardiac rehabilitation: short-term results of a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Antypas, Konstantinos; Wangberg, Silje C

2014-03-11

An increase in physical activity for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation has multiple therapeutic benefits, including decreased mortality. Internet- and mobile-based interventions for physical activity have shown promising results in helping users increase or maintain their level of physical activity in general and specifically in secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac rehabilitation. One component related to the efficacy of these interventions is tailoring of the content to the individual. Our trial assessed the effect of a longitudinally tailored Internet- and mobile-based intervention for physical activity as an extension of a face-to-face cardiac rehabilitation stay. We hypothesized that users of the tailored intervention would maintain their physical activity level better than users of the nontailored version. The study population included adult participants of a cardiac rehabilitation program in Norway with home Internet access and a mobile phone. The participants were randomized in monthly clusters to a tailored or nontailored (control) intervention group. All participants had access to a website with information regarding cardiac rehabilitation, an online discussion forum, and an online activity calendar. Those using the tailored intervention received tailored content based on models of health behavior via the website and mobile fully automated text messages. The main outcome was self-reported level of physical activity, which was obtained using an online international physical activity questionnaire at baseline, at discharge, and at 1 month and 3 months after discharge from the cardiac rehabilitation program. Included in the study were 69 participants. One month after discharge, the tailored intervention group (n=10) had a higher median level of overall physical activity (median 2737.5, IQR 4200.2) than the control group (n=14, median 1650.0, IQR 2443.5), but the difference was not significant

48 CFR 2912.302 - Tailoring of provisions and clauses for the acquisition of commercial items.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... tailor terms inconsistent with customary commercial practice must be documented in a written justification by the contracting officer, and may be approved by the HCA on an individual or class basis. ...

What is the comparative effectiveness of current standard treatment, against an individually tailored behavioural programme delivered either on the Internet or face-to-face for people with acute whiplash associated disorder? A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Bring, Annika; Åsenlöf, Pernilla; Söderlund, Anne

2016-05-01

To investigate the comparative effectiveness of current standard treatment, against an individually tailored behavioural programme delivered via the Internet or face-to-face for people with acute whiplash associated disorders. A multicentre, randomized, three-group design, with concealed allocation. A total of 55 participants (37 female), age 18-65, with acute Whiplash Associated Disorder (Grade I-II), recruited at two emergency clinics in Sweden. Before randomization all participants received standard self-care instructions. The Internet and face-to-face groups followed a seven-week behavioural programme involving individual tailoring, via email (Internet group), or in sessions at a physical therapy unit (face-to-face group). The control group only received the self-care instructions. Pain-related disability, pain intensity, self-efficacy in daily activities, catastrophizing and fear of movement/(re)injury. Assessments were performed at baseline (2-4 weeks postinjury) and at three, six and 12 months postintervention. Both the Internet (n = 16) and face-to-face (n = 14) group showed a larger decrease in pain-related disability than the control group (n = 16); -12 and -11, respectively, compared with -5 in the control group at 12-months follow-up. Significant differences between the groups in overall treatment effect were shown in all outcomes except pain intensity. All groups improved significantly over time in all outcomes, except for fear of movement/(re)injury and catastrophizing in the control group. An individually tailored behavioural programme improved biopsychosocial factors in patients with whiplash associated disorders up to 12 months after treatment. Internet-delivered intervention was as effective as clinic-based face-to-face therapy sessions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effects of the Tailored Activity Program in Brazil (TAP-BR) for Persons With Dementia: A Randomized Pilot Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Novelli, Marcia M P C; Machado, Styfany C B; Lima, Gabriela B; Cantatore, Lais; Sena, Barbara P; Rodrigues, Renata S; Rodrigues, Camila I B; Canon, Mariana B F; Piersol, Catherine V; Nitrini, Ricardo; Yassuda, Monica S; Gitlin, Laura N

2018-04-25

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the Tailored Activity Program-Brazilian version (TAP-BR), on behavioral symptoms and the quality of life (QOL) in persons with dementia, as well as on their caregivers, and on caregiver burden. A 2-group randomized controlled trial with 30 dyads was conducted: the experimental group (n=15) received TAP-BR over 4 months, and a wait-list control group (n=15) received usual care. Dyads were recruited from the community of Santos City, Brazil. For persons with dementia, 50% were female individuals, the average age was 81.37 (±7.57), and the educational level was 9.97 (±5.32) years. For caregivers, 83.33% were female, the average age was 65.97 (±10.13), and the educational level was 12.10 (±4.44) years. At posttest, in comparison with the wait-list control group, experimental group caregivers reported greater reductions in number (P<0.001; Cohen d=0.93), frequency (P<0.001; Cohen d=1.12), and intensity (P<0.001; Cohen d=0.77) of the behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia, and caregiver distress (P<0.001; Cohen d=0.87). Caregivers also reported improvement in their own QOL (P<0.05; Cohen d=0.57) and that of the person with dementia (P<0.01; Cohen d=0.56); no differences were found in the ratings of QOL by the person with dementia themselves. The results provide compelling evidence that the TAP-BR is an effective strategy to support dementia caregivers in other cultures (cross-validation).

Collaboratively Crafting Individualized Education Program Goals for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Science.gov (United States)

Jozwik, Sara L.; Cahill, Alice; Sánchez, Gilberto

2018-01-01

Individualized education programs (IEPs) reflect the spirit of individualized instruction that lies at the heart of special education. Quality annual goal statements, which propel the implementation of special education programming, use clear language to communicate measurable, meaningful, and standards-aligned expectations to all members of the…

Symposia in undergraduate medical education: tailoring training in competencies to students' needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Reefman, Karin; Daelmans, Hester E M; Klumpers, Ursula M H; Croiset, Gerda

2017-12-01

In mastering competencies, it is a challenge to create training sessions which acknowledge individual students' needs and are logistically feasible in the medical master's program. Symposia were implemented in the medical master's program to provide knowledge and training of skills in a number of topics, providing a positive contribution to students' competencies and personal development. Each symposium contained a morning and afternoon program, structured around medical and societal themes addressing various competencies and covering current national and international events. Alternating interactive teaching methods were used. Students were asked to rate each daypart program on a 5-point Likert scale in terms of both teaching methods and content, and to comment on the best aspects of the symposium as well as areas for improvement. Scores higher than 3.5 were interpreted as a predominantly favourable outcome. In 2016, 10 symposia were organized with an average of 108 attendees and a response rate of 63% (1,366 completed questionnaires). Mean overall scores on 'teaching methods' and 'usefulness for professional development' were 3.8 and 3.7, respectively. The overall results corresponded with a high level of student appreciation. Symposia offer a podium for training students in subject matter and competencies that is greatly appreciated. Using alternating interactive teaching methods, symposia are structured around medical and societal themes and adjusted to the latest developments and current events in healthcare. By allowing students to select the symposia they would like to participate in, a tailor-made medical master's program in competencies is created.

Assessing Soldier Individual Differences to Enable Tailored Training

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

upon effective and efficient training. However, there is ample evidence that learning-related individual differences exist ( Thorndike , 1985; Jensen...in both civilian and military settings (Schmidt, Hunter, & Outerbridge, 1986; Thorndike , 1985). Prior knowledge or knowledge of facts and...predictive power ( Thorndike , 1985; Jensen, 1998). Further, there is a good deal of evidence that general mental ability impacts performance largely

Tailoring Software Inspections for Aspect-Oriented Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Watkins, Charlette Ward

2009-01-01

Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD) is a new approach that addresses limitations inherent in conventional programming, especially the principle of separation of concerns by emphasizing the encapsulation and modularization of crosscutting concerns through a new abstraction, the "aspect." Aspect-oriented programming is an emerging AOSD…

Individual monitoring program for occupational exposures to radionuclides by inhalation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piechowski, J.; Menoux, B.

1985-01-01

Individual monitoring of exposure to radioactive products is carried out when there is a risk of significant internal contamination. In its publications 26 and 35 the International Commission on Radiological Protection has given recommendations on the monitoring programs. Besides, the metabolic models developed in publication 30 have allowed to establish retention and excretion functions for some radionuclides after intake by inhalation in the adult man. These have been published in the report CEA-R--5266. Considering these data and taking into account the practical problems that occur in the course of surveillance of workers, programs of individual monitoring for contamination by inhalation are proposed. These programs for routine and special monitoring have been developed for the most common radionuclides involved in the nuclear industry [fr

The Resilience Program: Preliminary evaluation of a mentalization-based education program.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poul Lundgaard Bak

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In order to manage with the burden of mental health problems in the world we need to develop cost-effective and safe preventive interventions. Education about resilience to support the ability to cope with life challenges in general, may be a useful strategy. We consider the concepts of Theory of Mind and Mentalization to be relevant in this context. In this paper we describe a simple modular intervention program based on these concepts which can be tailored to specific needs and situations in individual therapy as well as group levels. The program has shown promising results in pilot studies and is now tested in controlled trials in settings such as schools and educational institutions, adults diagnosed with ADHD and children in foster care.

Tailoring an Honors Program to Your Institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Terrill, Marty

The first step in developing the honors program at North Arkansas Community College (NACC) involved establishing the following four program objectives: (1) to develop students' skills in critical thinking, research, and the application of knowledge; (2) to explore the historical, philosophical, and cultural backgrounds of disciplines; (3) to…

Efficacy of 'Tailored Physical Activity' or 'Chronic Pain Self-Management Program' on return to work for sick-listed citizens: design of a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Lotte Nygaard; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Roessler, Kirsten Kaya; Herborg, Lene Gram; Sørensen, Thomas Lund; Søgaard, Karen

2013-01-23

Pain affects quality of life and can result in absence from work. Treatment and/or prevention strategies for musculoskeletal pain-related long-term sick leave are currently undertaken in several health sectors. Moreover, there are few evidence-based guidelines for such treatment and prevention. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of 'Tailored Physical Activity' or 'Chronic Pain Self-Management Program' for sick-listed citizens with pain in the back and/or the upper body. This protocol describes the design of a parallel randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of 'Tailored Physical Activity' or a 'Chronic Pain Self-management Program' versus a reference group for sick-listed citizens with complaints of pain in the back or upper body. Participants will have been absent from work due to sick-listing for 3 to 9 weeks at the time of recruitment. All interventions will be performed at the 'Health Care Center' in the Sonderborg Municipality, and a minimum of 138 participants will be randomised into one of the three groups.All participants will receive 'Health Guidance', a (1.5-hour) individualised dialogue focusing on improving ways of living, based on assessments of risk behavior, motivation for change, level of self-care and personal resources. In addition, the experimental groups will receive either 'Tailored Physical Activity' (three 50-minute sessions/week over 10 weeks) or 'Chronic Pain Self-Management Program' (2.5-hours per week over 6 weeks). The reference group will receive only 'Health Guidance'.The primary outcome is the participants' sick-listed status at 3 and 12 months after baseline. The co-primary outcome is the time it takes to return to work. In addition, secondary outcomes include anthropometric measurements, functional capacity and self-reported number of sick days, musculoskeletal symptoms, general health, work ability, physical capacity, kinesiophobia, physical functional status, interpersonal problems and mental disorders. There

Tailoring Earned Value Management. General Guidelines

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2002-01-01

Partial Contents: General Principles, A Spectrum of Implementation, OMB Guidance, A Special Note about DOD, Risk Factors to Consider, How can EVMS be tailored, Tailor EVMS to Inherent Risk, Application Thresholds-DoD...

Effectiveness of a tailored neck training program on neck strength, movement, and fatigue in under-19 male rugby players: a randomized controlled pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barrett MD

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Matthew D Barrett,1 Terence F McLoughlin,2 Kieran R Gallagher,1 Don Gatherer,3 Michael TR Parratt,1 Jonathan R Perera,1 Tim WR Briggs1 1Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, United Kingdom; 2Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, Mersey Deanery, United Kingdom; 3The Gatherer Partnership, Aylesbury, United Kingdom Purpose: To investigate the effect of a tailored neck muscle conditioning program on neck muscle strength, neck muscle fatigue, and range of neck movement in 16–18-year-old male rugby players. Materials and methods: Thirty-four male rugby players were divided into forward and back playing positions and randomized within these groups. Seventeen players were randomly assigned to each group. The test group was given a tailored 6-week exercise regime based on their baseline measurements to be performed three times a week in addition to their normal training and playing. The control group trained and played as normal. The outcome measures used were cervical spine range of movement, neck strength, and neck muscle fatigability. Results: There were no clinically relevant statistically significant differences between the two groups. Trends identified between the two groups suggest that a tailored neck exercise program increases neck strength, particularly neck extension, and increases resistance to fatigue, as well as influencing right- and left-sided neck muscle balance. A reduction in range of movement was also demonstrated in the test group. There was a great deal of variability in range of movement and strength within this age group. No previously undiagnosed neck conditions were detected, and there were no adverse events reported. Conclusion: This study has shown that neck strength, range of movement, and susceptibility of the neck muscles to fatigue can be influenced using a focused neck training regime. It forms an important basis for a larger, multicenter study to ensure the neck is given due attention in

Toward the Tailoring of Sexual Health Education Messages for Young Women: A Focus on Tourist Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Berdychevsky, Liza

2017-01-01

Perceived anonymity and decreased influence of sexual double standards in tourism provide female travelers with opportunities for sexual experimentation and risk taking. The purpose of this study was (a) to identify the clusters of risk takers among young women based on their perceptions of and motivations for sexual risk taking in tourism and (b) to profile the clusters with respect to the psychological, sexual, demographic, and tourist characteristics. The data were collected through an online survey of 853 women (age in years: M = 23.5, SD = 6.67). Five clusters of sexual risk takers emerged based on their factor-analyzed risk perceptions and motivations. These clusters were interpreted as (a) diversely motivated broad risk perceivers; (b) fun-seeking broad risk perceivers; (c) diversely motivated physical risk perceivers; (d) anonymity- and empowerment-seeking risk disregarders; and (e) unmotivated broad risk perceivers. Women in these clusters differed in their intentions to engage in sexual risk taking in tourism, sensation-seeking propensities, perceptions of tourist characteristics, levels of sexual experience, and demographic backgrounds. Results suggest tailoring sexual health promotion messages based on cluster affiliation, leveraging cluster-specific risk perceptions, motivations, and personal characteristics. This study provides recommendations for individually tailored, context-specific, age-appropriate, and gender-sensitive sexual health education programs.

The Influence of User Characteristics and a Periodic Email Prompt on Exposure to an Internet-Delivered Computer-Tailored Lifestyle Program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schneider, F.; van Osch, L.; Schulz, D.N.; Kremers, S.P.J.; de Vries, H.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Internet is a promising medium in the field of health promotion for offering tailored and targeted lifestyle interventions applying computer-tailored (CT) techniques to the general public. Actual exposure to CT interventions is not living up to its high expectations, as only a

More than just noise: Inter-individual differences in fear acquisition, extinction and return of fear in humans - Biological, experiential, temperamental factors, and methodological pitfalls.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonsdorf, Tina B; Merz, Christian J

2017-09-01

Why do only some individuals develop pathological anxiety following adverse events? Fear acquisition, extinction and return of fear paradigms serve as experimental learning models for the development, treatment and relapse of anxiety. Individual differences in experimental performance were however mostly regarded as 'noise' by researchers interested in basic associative learning principles. Our work for the first time presents a comprehensive literature overview and methodological discussion on inter-individual differences in fear acquisition, extinction and return of fear. We tell a story from noise that steadily develops into a meaningful tune and converges to a model of mechanisms contributing to individual risk/resilience with respect to fear and anxiety-related behavior. Furthermore, in light of the present 'replicability crisis' we identify methodological pitfalls and provide suggestions for study design and analyses tailored to individual difference research in fear conditioning. Ultimately, synergistic transdisciplinary and collaborative efforts hold promise to not only improve our mechanistic understanding but can also be expected to contribute to the development of specifically tailored ('individualized') intervention and targeted prevention programs in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Everyday Practice of Individualized Education Program Team Members

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Elizabeth S.

2016-01-01

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 states that individualized education program (IEP) teams are composed of members with distinct identities, roles, expertise, and histories. Although team members must work together to implement educational and related services for learners with special needs, little is known about…

Anti-Mullerian hormone-tailored stimulation protocols improve outcomes whilst reducing adverse effects and costs of IVF.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, A P; Rustamov, O; Roberts, S A; Lim, H Y N; Pemberton, P W; Smith, A; Nardo, L G

2011-09-01

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is increasingly used to quantify ovarian reserve, but it has not yet realized its full clinical potential in assisted reproduction technology. We investigated the possible benefits of using novel, stratified ovarian hyperstimulation protocols, tailored to individual AMH levels, compared with conventional stimulation. Retrospective data were collected from 769 women (first cycle of IVF, using fresh embryos), in a UK tertiary care unit: 346 women using conventional stimulation protocols; 423 women treated under new AMH-tailored protocols. Embryo transfer rates increased significantly (79-87%: P= 0.002) after the introduction of AMH-tailored stimulation protocols. Pregnancy rate per cycle started and live birth rate also increased significantly compared with conventionally treated women (17.9-27.7%, P= 0.002 and 15.9-23.9%, P = 0.007, respectively). Moreover, in the AMH group, the incidence of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) fell significantly (6.9-2.3%, P = 0.002) and failed fertilization fell from 7.8 to 4.5%. The cost of fertility drug treatment fell by 29% per patient and the overall cost of clinical management of OHSS fell by 43% in the AMH group. GnRH antagonist protocols, introduced as part of AMH-tailored treatment, may have contributed to the observed improvements: however, within the AMH-tailored group, the live birth rate was not significantly different between agonist and antagonist-treated groups. Although large, prospective, multicentre studies are indicated, we have clearly demonstrated that individualized, AMH-guided, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocols significantly improved positive clinical outcomes, reduced the incidence of complications and reduced the financial burden associated with assisted reproduction.

Initiation of health-behaviour change among employees participating in a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Colkesen, Ersen B.; Niessen, Maurice A. J.; Peek, Niels; Vosbergen, Sandra; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A.; van Kalken, Coenraad K.; Tijssen, Jan G. P.; Peters, Ron J. G.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Primary prevention programs at the worksite can improve employee health and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. Programs that include a web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and

Effectiveness of a psychosocial weight management program for individuals with schizophrenia

OpenAIRE

Niv, N; Cohen, AN; Hamilton, A; Reist, C; Young, AS

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed at baseline, 1 year later, and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who w...

Individualized Tailor-Made Dietetic Intervention Program at Schools Enhances Eating Behaviors and Dietary Habits in Obese Hispanic Children of Low Socioeconomic Status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leticia Elizondo-Montemayor

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Hispanic children and those from low-socioeconomic status are predisposed to unhealthy eating habits and obesity. Aim. to implement an individualized, face-to-face, parent supported, and school-partnership dietetic intervention to promote healthy eating habits and decrease body mass index. Prospective school year dietetic intervention of 101 obese, Hispanic, low-socioeconomic school-age children representative of Monterrey, Mexico, consisted of anthropometrics, dietetic assessment, energy-restriction tailor-made daily menus, and parental education every three weeks. Student’s t-test was used for means comparison. A significant decrease was found in body mass index percentile (96.43±3.32 to 93.42±8.12/P=0.00 and energy intake/day of −755.7 kcal/day (P=0.00. Among other energy dense foods with significant decline in servings/day and servings/week were processed meats (3.13 ± 1.43 to 2.19 ± 1.04/P=0.00 and 5.60 ± 1.75 to 4.37 ± 2.10/P=0.00, resp., saturated fat (1.47 ± 1.08 to 0.78 ± 0.79/P=0.00 and 2.19±2.18 to 1.1±1.36/P=0.00, sweetened beverages (2.79±1.99 to 1.42±1.21 and 6.21±1.72 to 3.89±2.80/P=0.00, and desserts and refined-grain bakery (1.99±1.54 to 1.32±1.59 and 2.85 ± 2.54 to 1.57 ± 2.20/P=0.00. There was a significant increase in servings/day and servings/week of water (2.98 ± 2.02 to 4.91 ± 2.37 and 6.62 ± 2.03 to 6.87 ± 0.91/P=0.00, resp. and nutrient dense foods such as fruits (1.31 ± 0.89 to 1.66 ± 0.96 and 3.34 ± 2.24 to 4.28 ± 2.43/P=0.00 and fish and poultry (3.76 ± 2.15 to 4.54 ± 2.25/P=0.00. This intervention created healthy eating habits and decreased body mass index in a high risk population. Trial registration number: NCT01925976.

A Targeted and Tailored eHealth Weight Loss Program for Young Women: The Be Positive Be Healthe Randomized Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melinda J. Hutchesson

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Young women are gaining weight rapidly. Evidence for effective weight loss interventions targeting young women is lacking. This randomized controlled trial assessed the efficacy and acceptability of a six-month targeted and tailored eHealth weight loss program for young women (Be Positive Be Healthe (BPBH. Women aged 18–35 years were randomized to BPBH (n = 29 or control (n = 28. BPBH supported participants to modify diet and physical activity behaviours using evidenced-based strategies (e.g., self-monitoring tailored for young women and delivered using e-health (website, social media, smartphone application, email, text messages. The primary outcome was a change in weight (kg at six months. Acceptability was assessed via a process evaluation survey and usage of intervention components. No significant between-group differences were observed for weight, with significant mean differences favouring the intervention group observed for body fat (kg (−3.10 (−5.69, 0.52, p = 0.019 and intakes of alcohol (g (−0.69 (−1.33, 0.04, p = 0.037, vegetables (% energy/day (4.71 (−2.20, 7.22, p < 0.001 and energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods (% energy/day (−9.23 (−16.94, 1.52, p = 0.018. Retention, intervention usage and satisfaction were moderate. BPBH facilitated positive improvements in body fat and dietary intake, but not weight. Intervention acceptability findings support the use of some intervention components (e.g., Facebook, Smartphone app with young women.

The Development of Individualized Education Programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William H. Blackwell

2014-04-01

Full Text Available There are more than 6.6 million students with disabilities in U.S. public schools who receive special education services, which means that there are 6.6 million Individualized Education Programs (IEPs that have been developed and are being implemented at any given time. Each IEP represents real cost in educational opportunity, relationship building between families and schools, time, and resource allocation. Given this information, it is important to examine what we have learned from research on the development of IEPs, and to begin charting a new direction for research and practice related to IEP development. This literature review examines published, peer-reviewed research studies that have examined IEP development since the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA. The review concludes with a discussion of how findings from previous research on IEP development can inform future research agendas, educator practice, and federal and state policies.

Does tailoring really make a difference? : the development and evaluation of tailored interventions aimed at benzodiazepine cessation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolde, Geeske Brecht ten

2008-01-01

Because of the problems associated with chronic benzodiazepine use, there is impetus to prevent and reduce chronic benzodiazepine use. The overall aim was to develop a 'tailor-made' intervention in order to reduce chronic use. Before developing tailored patient education, it is first of all

Personalized vascular medicine: tailoring cardiovascular disease management to the individual patient

OpenAIRE

Dorresteijn, J.A.N.

2013-01-01

Applying group-level findings to individual patients is an absolute requisite for practicing evidence-based cardiovascular medicine. Yet, because individual patient characteristics may influence the pathophysiology and prognosis of disease and the likelihood of response to therapy, such generalization is often problematic. The difficulties that are related to generalization of group level evidence to individual patients are often not well appreciated and simple pragmatic approaches are usuall...

Understanding Effective Higher Education Programs in Prisons: Considerations from the Incarcerated Individuals Program in North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, Allison Daniel; Noblit, George W.

2011-01-01

The North Carolina Workplace and Community Transition Youth Offender Program (YOP), recently renamed the Incarcerated Individuals Program (IPP), has proven to be effective in terms of its growth and expansion, the support of education directors across the correctional facilities, university collaboration, student evaluations, and a low recidivism…

Tailor-made finance versus tailor-made care. Can the state strengthen consumer choice in healthcare by reforming the financial structure of long-term care?

Science.gov (United States)

Grit, K; de Bont, A

2010-02-01

Policy instruments based on the working of markets have been introduced to empower consumers of healthcare. However, it is still not easy to become a critical consumer of healthcare. The aim of this study is to analyse the possibilities of the state to strengthen the position of patients with the aid of a new financial regime, such as personal health budgets. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with executives, managers, professionals and client representatives of six long-term care institutions. With the introduction of individual budgets the responsibility for budgetary control has shifted from the organisational level to the individual level in the caregiver-client relationship. Having more luxurious care on offer necessitates a stronger demarcation of regular care because organisations cannot simultaneously offer extra care as part of the standard care package. New financial instruments have an impact on the culture of receiving and giving care. Distributive justice takes on new meaning with the introduction of financial market mechanisms in healthcare; the distributing principle of 'need' is transformed into the principle of 'economic demand'. Financial instruments not only act as a countervailing power against providers insufficiently client-oriented, but are also used by providers to reinforce their own positions vis-à-vis demanding clients. Tailor-made finance is not the same as tailor-made care.

Identifying real and perceived barriers to therapeutic education programs for individuals with inflammatory arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bain, Lorna; Sangrar, Ruheena; Bornstein, Carolyn; Lukmanji, Sara; Hapuhennedige, Sandani; Thorne, Carter; Beattie, Karen A

2016-09-01

Therapeutic Education Programs (TEPs) grounded in self-management principles have been shown to improve quality of life of patients with chronic conditions and reduce patient-related healthcare costs. Though these programs are becoming more readily available, patients often experience barriers in participating. This study sought to identify barriers faced by inflammatory arthritis (IA) patients in attending a TEP and understand how patients overcame perceived barriers. A mixed-method study design was used. Questionnaires were distributed to individuals with IA who were invited to attend a TEP between 2010 and 2013. Respondents were those that chose not to attend (group A), individuals who attended ≤4 of 10 sessions (group B), individuals who attended ≥5 of 10 sessions prior to May 2013 (group C), and individuals who attended ≥5 of 10 sessions from June 2013 to November 2013 (group D). Individuals in group D were also invited to participate in focus groups to discuss how they had overcome perceived barriers. Real barriers identified by individuals in groups A and B included time, distance, and cost associated with attendance. Individuals who overcame perceived barriers (groups C and D) discussed strategies they used to do so. Aspects of the overall program experience and access to clinic and program also contributed to patients being able to overcome barriers. Time, distance, and cost are external barriers that prevented individuals from utilizing self-management education opportunities. These barriers were overcome if and when individuals had resources available to them. Readiness for behavior change also influenced commitment to participate in the program.

Cognitive individualism and the child as scientist program.

Science.gov (United States)

Wringe, Bill

2011-12-01

In this paper, I examine the charge that Gopnik and Meltzoff's 'Child as Scientist' program, outlined and defended in their 1997 book Words, Thoughts and Theories is vitiated by a form of 'cognitive individualism' about science. Although this charge has often been leveled at Gopnik and Meltzoff's work, it has rarely been developed in any detail. I suggest that we should distinguish between two forms of cognitive individualism which I refer to as 'ontic' and 'epistemic' cognitive individualism (OCI and ECI respectively). I then argue - contra Ronald Giere - that Gopnik and Meltzoff's commitment to OCI is relatively unproblematic, since it is an easily detachable part of their view. By contrast, and despite their explicit discussion of the issue, their commitment to ECI is much more problematic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Multiple Cognitive Processing Styles Using Tailored Support Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuan Q. Tran; Karen M. Feigh; Amy R. Pritchett

2007-01-01

According to theories of cognitive processing style or cognitive control mode, human performance is more effective when an individual's cognitive state (e.g., intuition/scramble vs. deliberate/strategic) matches his/her ecological constraints or context (e.g., utilize intuition to strive for a 'good-enough' response instead of deliberating for the 'best' response under high time pressure). Ill-mapping between cognitive state and ecological constraints are believed to lead to degraded task performance. Consequently, incorporating support systems which are designed to specifically address multiple cognitive and functional states e.g., high workload, stress, boredom, and initiate appropriate mitigation strategies (e.g., reduce information load) is essential to reduce plant risk. Utilizing the concept of Cognitive Control Models, this paper will discuss the importance of tailoring support systems to match an operator's cognitive state, and will further discuss the importance of these ecological constraints in selecting and implementing mitigation strategies for safe and effective system performance. An example from the nuclear power plant industry illustrating how a support system might be tailored to support different cognitive states is included

Energy conservation through behavioral change. Examining the effectiveness of a tailor-made approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrahamse, W.

2007-12-06

Households constitute an important target group when it comes to encouraging energy conservation. This dissertation provides an overview of the effectiveness of interventions aimed at encouraging households to reduce their energy use through behavioral changes. It also provides more insight into the factors related to household energy use and conservation. Tailored interventions in particular appear to be effective in reducing energy consumption. Households were given tailored information about energy saving measures they could apply. They were asked to try and save 5% energy and the website indicated how much energy they could save with each measure to attain that goal. Households also received feedback about their energy savings. Households who received the combination of tailored information, goal setting and tailored feedback via the Internet saved 5%, while households in a control group used more energy. Households had adopted more energy-saving measures and had more knowledge of energy conservation, compared to the control group. Also, household energy consumption appeared to be mainly related to socio-demographic variables, such as income and household size. Energy savings appeared to be mainly related to individual factors like perceived behavioral control. If the aim is to encourage households to adopt more sustainable lifestyles, it is important to provide them with more insight into which energy saving options are most effective for them to conserve energy. In view of the annual energy reduction targets set by the Dutch government, a tailor-made approach via the Internet can be an important step in that direction.

Building Strategically Aligned Individualized Education Programs for Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, K. Brigid; Hellemn, Lisa A.

2015-01-01

The Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students 16 years of age or above must address specific transition components. Studies to date have focused on the presence and quality of these transition components, yet the alignment of these components and their role in leading the development of the IEP is just as critical. This qualitative…

Nanoparticles and their tailoring with laser light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubenthal, Frank

2009-01-01

Monodisperse noble metal nanoparticles are of tremendous interest for numerous applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, catalysis or biosensing. However, preparation of monodisperse metal nanoparticles is still a challenging task, because typical preparation methods yield nanoparticle ensembles with broad shape and/or size distributions. To overcome this drawback, tailoring of metal nanoparticles with laser light has been developed, which is based on the pronounced shape- and size-dependent optical properties of metal nanoparticles. I will demonstrate that nanoparticle tailoring with ns-pulsed laser light is a suitable method to prepare nanoparticle ensembles with a narrow shape and/or size distribution. While irradiation with ns-pulsed laser light during nanoparticle growth permits a precise shape tailoring, post-grown irradiation allows a size tailoring. For example, the initial broad Gaussian size distribution of silver nanoparticles on quartz substrates with a standard deviation of σ= 30% is significantly reduced to as little as σ= 10% after tailoring. This paper addresses teachers of undergraduate and advanced school level as well as students. It assumes some fundamental knowledge in solid-state physics, thermodynamics and resonance vibration.

Tailorable software architectures in the accelerator control system environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejuev, Igor; Kumagai, Akira; Kadokura, Eiichi

2001-01-01

Tailoring is further evolution of an application after deployment in order to adapt it to requirements that were not accounted for in the original design. End-user tailorability has been extensively researched in applied computer science from HCl and software engineering perspectives. Tailorability allows coping with flexibility requirements, decreasing maintenance and development costs of software products. In general, dynamic or diverse software requirements constitute the need for implementing end-user tailorability in computer systems. In accelerator physics research the factor of dynamic requirements is especially important, due to frequent software and hardware modifications resulting in correspondingly high upgrade and maintenance costs. In this work we introduce the results of feasibility study on implementing end-user tailorability in the software for accelerator control system, considering the design and implementation of distributed monitoring application for 12 GeV KEK Proton Synchrotron as an example. The software prototypes used in this work are based on a generic tailoring platform (VEDICI), which allows decoupling of tailoring interfaces and runtime components. While representing a reusable application-independent framework, VEDICI can be potentially applied for tailoring of arbitrary compositional Web-based applications

Formability of stainless steel tailored blanks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagger, Claus; Gong, Hui; Olsen, Flemming Ove

2004-01-01

In a number of systematic tests, the formability of tailored blanks consisting of even and different combinations of AISI304 and AISI316 in thickness of 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm have been investigated. In order to analyse the formability of tailored blanks with different sheet thickness, a method based ...

Effects of tailoring ingredients in auditory persuasive health messages on fruit and vegetable intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbert, Sarah P; Dijkstra, Arie; Rozema, Andrea D

2017-07-01

Health messages can be tailored by applying different tailoring ingredients, among which personalisation, feedback and adaptation. This experiment investigated the separate effects of these tailoring ingredients on behaviour in auditory health persuasion. Furthermore, the moderating effect of self-efficacy was assessed. The between-participants design consisted of four conditions. A generic health message served as a control condition; personalisation was applied using the recipient's first name, feedback was given on the personal state, or the message was adapted to the recipient's value. The study consisted of a pre-test questionnaire (measuring fruit and vegetable intake and perceived difficulty of performing these behaviours, indicating self-efficacy), exposure to the auditory message and a follow-up questionnaire measuring fruit and vegetable intake two weeks after message exposure (n = 112). ANCOVAs showed no main effect of condition on either fruit or vegetable intake, but a moderation was found on vegetable intake: When self-efficacy was low, vegetable intake was higher after listening to the personalisation message. No significant differences between the conditions were found when self-efficacy was high. Individuals with low self-efficacy seemed to benefit from incorporating personalisation, but only regarding vegetable consumption. This finding warrants further investigation in tailoring research.

THE EFFECT OF A CULTURALLY TAILORED SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION INTERVENTION WITH PLAINS INDIAN ADOLESCENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Patchell, Beverly A; Robbins, Leslie K; Lowe, John A; Hoke, Mary M

2015-01-01

To examine the effects of incorporating tribal specific cultural beliefs into a tailored substance abuse prevention intervention for at risk rural Oklahoma Native American Indian (NAI) Plains adolescents. The 10 hour Native American Talking Circle Intervention, a school-based, group substance abuse prevention program, was implemented over a 8.5 week period and evaluated using a one group, pretest-posttest design. Measurements were from the Native Self-Reliance Questionnaire and the Substance Problems Scale from Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Quick (GAIN-Q). One-tailed, paired sample t-tests demonstrated significant increase in self-reliance, from 86.227 to 92.204 (t (43) = -2.580, p = .007) and a decrease in substance abuse/use, from 2.265 to 1.265 (t (33) = 1.844, p = .007). The Native Talking Circle Intervention based on tribal-specific values and beliefs was shown to be effective with substance abuse/use at-risk NAI Plains tribal adolescents.

An individually tailored behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy for tension-type headache – an experimental single-case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Söderlund A

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Anne Söderlund,1 Helena Lagerlöf2 1Physiotherapy, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Västerås, 2Fysiokliniken Västra Aros AB, Västerås, Sweden Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the effect of an individually tailored behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy, based on a functional behavioral analysis (FBA, for tension-type headache (TTH. Patients and methods: A single-case study with A1-A2-B-A3 design of two patients with TTH was conducted. Outcome variables were headache frequency, headache index (mean intensity, consumption of analgesics, self-efficacy in headache management (Headache Management Self-efficacy Scale [HMSE], disability, and perceived loss of happiness for ­activities with family and friends. Results: The results showed that headache frequency and headache index decreased for one of the patients. Self-efficacy in headache management increased markedly for both patients. Conclusion: A behavioral medicine treatment in physical therapy based on an FBA can be a way for physical therapists to handle patients with TTH. Future investigations should focus on large group studies with longer observation periods. Keywords: headache index, self-efficacy, loss of happiness, functional behavioral analysis

48 CFR 12.302 - Tailoring of provisions and clauses for the acquisition of commercial items.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... practice is inconsistent with the needs of the Government. A waiver may be requested for an individual or... relative volume of the Government's acquisitions in the specific market, contracting officers may, within... inconsistent with customary commercial practice. The contracting officer shall not tailor any clause or...

My IEP: A Student-Directed Individualized Education Program Model

Science.gov (United States)

Royer, David J.

2017-01-01

Students with disabilities need to be more involved in planning and presenting individualized education program (IEP) meetings, and teachers need an effective, efficient curriculum to teach students how. "My IEP" curriculum uses folding graphic organizers to teach students to self-direct IEP meetings, targeting self-advocacy and…

Stakeholders inverted question mark contributions to tailored implementation programs: an observational study of group interview methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huntink, E.; Lieshout, J. van; Aakhus, E.; Baker, R.; Flottorp, S.; Godycki-Cwirko, M.; Jager, C.; Kowalczyk, A.; Szecsenyi, J.; Wensing, M.

2014-01-01

BackgroundTailored strategies to implement evidence-based practice can be generated in several ways. In this study, we explored the usefulness of group interviews for generating these strategies, focused on improving healthcare for patients with chronic diseases.MethodsParticipants included at least

The Use of Individual Education Programs for Children in Australian Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Dempsey, Ian

2012-01-01

A cornerstone of special education practice is customising instruction to meet individual students' needs. Individual education programs (IEPs) are used in many countries to document the manner in which such instruction is customised and to provide a record of student outcomes. Using 2009 data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children,…

Avoiding a knowledge gap in a multiethnic statewide social marketing campaign: is cultural tailoring sufficient?

Science.gov (United States)

Buchthal, O Vanessa; Doff, Amy L; Hsu, Laura A; Silbanuz, Alice; Heinrich, Katie M; Maddock, Jay E

2011-03-01

In 2007, the State of Hawaii, Healthy Hawaii Initiative conducted a statewide social-marketing campaign promoting increased physical activity and nutrition. The campaign included substantial formative research to develop messages tailored for Hawaii's multiethnic Asian and Pacific Islander populations. The authors conducted a statewide random digital dialing telephone survey to assess the campaign's comparative reach among individuals with different ethnicities and different levels of education and income. This analysis suggests that the intervention was successful in reaching its target ethnic audiences. However, a knowledge gap related to the campaign appeared among individuals with incomes less than 130% of the poverty level and those with less than a high school education. These results varied significantly by message and the communication channel used. Recall of supermarket-based messages was significantly higher among individuals below 130% of the poverty level and those between 18 and 35 years of age, 2 groups that showed consistently lower recall of messages in other channels. Results suggest that cultural tailoring for ethnic audiences, although important, is insufficient for reaching low-income populations, and that broad-based social marketing campaigns should consider addressing socioeconomic status-related channel preferences in formative research and campaign design.

Optimal Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Bindi K

Optimal programming of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is essential to appropriately treat ventricular tachyarrhythmias and to avoid unnecessary and inappropriate shocks. There have been a series of large clinical trials evaluating tailored programming of ICDs. We reviewed the clinical trials evaluating ICD therapies and detection, and the consensus statement on ICD programming. In doing so, we found that prolonged ICD detection times, higher rate cutoffs, and antitachycardia pacing (ATP) programming decreases inappropriate and painful therapies in a primary prevention population. The use of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia discriminators can also decrease inappropriate shocks. Tailored ICD programming using the knowledge gained from recent ICD trials can decrease inappropriate and unnecessary ICD therapies and decrease mortality.

Initiation of health-behaviour change among employees participating in a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kraaijenhagen Roderik A

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary prevention programs at the worksite can improve employee health and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. Programs that include a web-based health risk assessment (HRA with tailored feedback hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and enhancing initiation of health-behaviour change. In this study we evaluated initial health-behaviour change among employees who voluntarily participated in such a HRA program. Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey among 2289 employees who voluntarily participated in a HRA program at seven Dutch worksites between 2007 and 2009. The HRA included a web-based questionnaire, biometric measurements, laboratory evaluation, and tailored feedback. The survey questionnaire assessed initial self-reported health-behaviour change and satisfaction with the web-based HRA, and was e-mailed four weeks after employees completed the HRA. Results Response was received from 638 (28% employees. Of all, 86% rated the program as positive, 74% recommended it to others, and 58% reported to have initiated overall health-behaviour change. Compared with employees at low CVD risk, those at high risk more often reported to have increased physical activity (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.52-7.45. Obese employees more frequently reported to have increased physical activity (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.72-6.54 and improved diet (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.50-7.60. Being satisfied with the HRA program in general was associated with more frequent self-reported initiation of overall health-behaviour change (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.73-4.44, increased physical activity (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.06-3.39, and improved diet (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.61-5.17. Conclusions More than half of the employees who voluntarily participated in a web-based HRA with tailored feedback, reported to have initiated health-behaviour change. Self-reported initiation of health-behaviour change was more frequent among those at high CVD risk and BMI levels. In

Solar energy program evaluation: an introduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

deLeon, P.

1979-09-01

The Program Evaluation Methodology provides an overview of the practice and methodology of program evaluation and defines more precisely the evaluation techniques and methodologies that would be most appropriate to government organizations which are actively involved in the research, development, and commercialization of solar energy systems. Formal evaluation cannot be treated as a single methodological approach for assessing a program. There are four basic types of evaluation designs - the pre-experimental design; the quasi-experimental design based on time series; the quasi-experimental design based on comparison groups; and the true experimental design. This report is organized to first introduce the role and issues of evaluation. This is to provide a set of issues to organize the subsequent sections detailing the national solar energy programs. Then, these two themes are integrated by examining the evaluation strategies and methodologies tailored to fit the particular needs of the various individual solar energy programs. (MCW)

Exploring individual cognitions, self-regulation skills, and environmental-level factors as mediating variables of two versions of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention aimed at adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Springvloet, Linda; Lechner, Lilian; Candel, Math J J M; de Vries, Hein; Oenema, Anke

2016-03-01

This study explored whether the determinants that were targeted in two versions of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention mediated the effects on fruit, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake among adults who did not comply with dietary guidelines. A RCT was conducted with a basic (tailored intervention targeting individual cognitions and self-regulation), plus (additionally targeting environmental-level factors), and control group (generic nutrition information). Participants were recruited from the general Dutch adult population and randomly assigned to one of the study groups. Online self-reported questionnaires assessed dietary intake and potential mediating variables (behavior-specific cognitions, action- and coping planning, environmental-level factors) at baseline and one (T1) and four (T2) months post-intervention (i.e. four and seven months after baseline). The joint-significance test was used to establish mediating variables at different time points (T1-mediating variables - T2-intake; T1-mediating variables - T1-intake; T2-mediating variables - T2-intake). Educational differences were examined by testing interaction terms. The effect of the plus version on fruit intake was mediated (T2-T2) by intention and fruit availability at home and for high-educated participants also by attitude. Among low/moderate-educated participants, high-energy snack availability at home mediated (T1-T1) the effect of the basic version on high-energy snack intake. Subjective norm mediated (T1-T1) the effect of the basic version on fat intake among high-educated participants. Only some of the targeted determinants mediated the effects of both intervention versions on fruit, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake. A possible reason for not finding a more pronounced pattern of mediating variables is that the educational content was tailored to individual characteristics and that participants only received feedback for relevant and not for all

Individualized Education Programs for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Wilczynski, Susan M.; Menousek, Kathryn; Hunter, Melissa; Mudgal, Dipti

2007-01-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) present with a broad array of deficits and excesses that require educational intervention. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) serves as the blueprint for educational intervention but it can sometimes be difficult to identify which goals and objectives should be addressed with this population.…

Tailored implementation of evidence-based practice for patients with chronic diseases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Wensing

Full Text Available When designing interventions and policies to implement evidence based healthcare, tailoring strategies to the targeted individuals and organizations has been recommended. We aimed to gather insights into the ideas of a variety of people for implementing evidence-based practice for patients with chronic diseases, which were generated in five European countries.A qualitative study in five countries (Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom was done, involving overall 115 individuals. A purposeful sample of four categories of stakeholders (healthcare professionals, quality improvement officers, healthcare purchasers and authorities, and health researchers was involved in group interviews in each of the countries to generate items for improving healthcare in different chronic conditions per country: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, depression in elderly people, multi-morbidity, obesity. A disease-specific standardized list of determinants of practice in these conditions provided the starting point for these groups. The content of the suggested items was categorized in a pre-defined framework of 7 domains and specific themes in the items were identified within each domain.The 115 individuals involved in the study generated 812 items, of which 586 addressed determinants of practice. These largely mapped onto three domains: individual health professional factors, patient factors, and professional interactions. Few items addressed guideline factors, incentives and resources, capacity of organizational change, or social, political and legal factors. The relative numbers of items in the different domains were largely similar across stakeholder categories within each of the countries. The analysis identified 29 specific themes in the suggested items across countries.The type of suggestions for improving healthcare practice was largely similar across different stakeholder groups, mainly addressing healthcare

Tailoring reablement: A grounded theory study of establishing reablement in a community setting in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Moe, Cathrine; Brinchmann, Berit Støre

2018-01-01

Reablement is an interprofessional, home-based rehabilitation service that aims to enable senior residents to cope with everyday life and to prevent functional impairments. Systematic accounts of what practitioners actually do when establishing reablement are lacking. This study aims to generate a grounded theory of practitioners' patterns of action when establishing reablement. The study is located in Norway, and grounded theory is the methodological approach. Data were collected from January 2014 to August 2016 through participant observations, focus group interviews and individual interviews. Informants are municipal healthcare employees in different organisational areas associated with the process of establishing reablement services (managers of conventional home care and representatives from the administration and service-provider offices). Altogether, 17 individuals are interviewed. The empirical data are analysed several times using open, selective and theoretical coding. The grounded theory, "tailoring reablement," includes three phases-replicating, adapting and establishing-and the strategies of collaborating, developing knowledge, habituating and filtering. The theory of tailoring reablement also includes the impact of the contextual factors. The study seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice. The theory of tailoring reablement emerges from an inductive approach and theorises participants' actions. The theory focuses on the phases from innovation to implementation. Establishing a new service model in a complex welfare setting requires a wide range of actors and agencies. Tailoring reablement also requires flexibility and professional autonomy. It is important to create terms and conditions for this within a stringent health and care service. The insights of this study have implications for practice development of reablement and can fit other public sector fields. © 2017 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community Published by John

34 CFR 367.1 - What is the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind program?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Individuals Who Are Blind program? 367.1 Section 367.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department... EDUCATION INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND General § 367.1 What is the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind program? This program supports projects that...

Modern programming language

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, G. H.; Johnson, J. A.

1980-01-01

Structural-programming language is especially-tailored for producing assembly language programs for MODCOMP II and IV mini-computes. Modern programming language consists of set of simple and powerful control structures that include sequencing alternative selection, looping, sub-module linking, comment insertion, statement continuation, and compilation termination capabilities.

Effectiveness of a psychosocial weight management program for individuals with schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Niv, Noosha; Cohen, Amy N; Hamilton, Alison; Reist, Christopher; Young, Alexander S

2014-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed at baseline, 1 year later, and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who were overweight or obese chose to enroll in the weight management program. Participants attended an average of 6.7 treatment sessions, lost an average of 2.4 pounds, and had an average BMI decrease of 0.3. There was no significant change in weight or BMI compared to the control group. Intervention strategies that both improve utilization and yield greater weight loss need to be developed.

Individual plant examination program aspirations and achievements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flack, J.H.

1994-01-01

An Individual Plant Examination (IPE) is a systematic examination of a nuclear power plant for vulnerabilities, or risk significant contributors. By mid 1994, all licensees of commercial nuclear power plants will have performed an IPE on their units. To date, the NRC staff has received sixty-three (80%) of the seventy-eight expected IPE submittals. Twelve IPE reviews are now complete, with twenty-two in various stages of review. This paper provides a preliminary overview and comparison of licensees IPEs to Commission objectives. Insights and findings stemming from the review program are also presented

Preventing Smoking among Hispanic Preadolescents: Program Orientation, Participant Individualism-Collectivism, and Acculturation

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Stella G.; Garza, Raymond T.; Gonzalez-Blanks, Ana G.

2012-01-01

The present study examined the role of individualism-collectivism (IC) and acculturation in smoking prevention programs for Hispanic preadolescents. The sixth graders received a collectivist or individualist curriculum. Both programs contained knowledge-based facts about smoking. The collectivist condition included an interdependent…

Continuous tailoring activities in software engineering

OpenAIRE

Ribaud , Vincent; Saliou , Philippe

2004-01-01

International audience; Software activities belong to different processes. Tailoring software processes aims to relate the operational software processes of an organization to the effective project. With the information technology industry moving ever faster, established positions are undergoing constant evolutionary change. The failure of a complex tailoring process of a management information system is reported. There is a need to adopt software processes that can operate under constant cha...

Efficiency analysis of using tailored individual doses of radioiodine and fine tuning using a low-dose antithyroid drug in the treatment of Graves' disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chang-Jiang; Dong, Yan-Yu; Wang, Yi-Wei; Wang, Kai-Hua; Zeng, Qun-Yan

2011-03-01

To evaluate the effect of using tailored individual doses of radioiodine (¹³¹I) and fine tuning using low-dose antithyroid drug (ATD) in the treatment of Graves' disease, and an attempt to establish a therapeutic strategy that can keep both high rate of euthyroidism and low incidence of hypothyroidism. The dose of radioiodine was calculated using the calculated dose formula, and low-dose ATD was used as a way of fine tuning during follow-up. The intended dose of radioiodine was modified according to the patient's age at radioiodine therapy, thyroid size, and duration of hyperthyroidism before radioiodine therapy in the study group; it was set as 2.96 MBq/g of thyroid in the control group. Twenty patients with Graves' disease were nonrandomly assigned to the control group and 98 patients with Graves' disease to the study group. The outcomes, which included euthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and persistent hyperthyroidism, were determined according to the patients' states at the end of follow-up. In the study group, 74 patients (75.5%) achieved the euthyroid state, six patients (6.1%) became hypothyroid, and 18 patients (18.4%) remained hyperthyroid. The rate of euthyroidism was statistically different between the study group and the control group (75.5 vs. 50%, P=0.03). Of 98 patients with Graves' disease in the study group, 19 patients were additionally treated with ATD during follow-up, and 12 patients achieved euthyroidism. In different age groups or duration of hyperthyroidism groups, the rate of euthyroidism was not statistically different among subgroups of goiter grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 (P>0.05). Similarly, in different age groups or duration of hyperthyroidism groups, the incidence of hypothyroidism was not statistically different among subgroups of goiter grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 (P>0.05). However, binary logistic regression analysis showed that thyroid size was associated with overtreatment and undertreatment in our study. Individual doses of

Culturally Tailored Depression/Suicide Prevention in Latino Youth: Community Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford-Paz, Rebecca E; Reinhard, Christine; Kuebbeler, Andrea; Contreras, Richard; Sánchez, Bernadette

2015-10-01

Latino adolescents are at elevated risk for depression and suicide compared to other ethnic groups. Project goals were to gain insight from community leaders about depression risk factors particular to Latino adolescents and generate innovative suggestions to improve cultural relevance of prevention interventions. This project utilized a CBPR approach to enhance cultural relevance, acceptability, and utility of the findings and subsequent program development. Two focus groups of youth and youth-involved Latino community leaders (n = 18) yielded three overarching themes crucial to a culturally tailored depression prevention intervention: (1) utilize a multipronged and sustainable intervention approach, (2) raise awareness about depression in culturally meaningful ways, and (3) promote Latino youth's social connection and cultural enrichment activities. Findings suggest that both adaptation of existing prevention programs and development of hybrid approaches may be necessary to reduce depression/suicide disparities for Latino youth. One such hybrid program informed by community stakeholders is described.

The importance of building trust and tailoring interactions when meeting older adults' health literacy needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Charlotte; Ballinger, Claire; Nutbeam, Don; Adams, Jo

2017-11-01

Health literacy is the ability to access, understand and use health information. This study qualitatively explored the views and experiences of older adults with varying health literacy levels who had attended a falls clinic on their overall experience of the falls clinic, access to the service and provider-patient interaction. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine older adults using a falls clinic in England. Health literacy was assessed using the REALM and NVS-UK. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and interrogated using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes emerged from the analysis: The importance of trust and relationship building to achieve effective communication with older adults; and the importance of tailoring education and healthcare to older adults' individual health literacy needs and preferences. The findings corroborate previous research emphasising the importance of face-to-face communication in responding to older adults' individual health literacy needs. Building trust in the relationship and tailoring communication to older adults' individual attributes and preferred learning styles is essential. Healthcare practitioners and managers should consider how service organisation and communication methods can enhance positive and effective relationships with patients. Improved training could support healthcare providers in meeting patients' personal communication needs. Implications for Rehabilitation Rehabilitation professionals should be aware of their patients' individual health literacy needs and communication/learning preferences. It is important to build relationships and trust with older adults attending rehabilitation services. Further training for rehabilitation professionals could support them in meeting patients' personal communication needs.

Tailoring a family-based alcohol intervention for Aboriginal Australians, and the experiences and perceptions of health care providers trained in its delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Calabria, Bianca; Clifford, Anton; Rose, Miranda; Shakeshaft, Anthony P

2014-04-07

Aboriginal Australians experience a disproportionately high burden of alcohol-related harm compared to the general Australian population. Alcohol treatment approaches that simultaneously target individuals and families offer considerable potential to reduce these harms if they can be successfully tailored for routine delivery to Aboriginal Australians. The Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) are two related interventions that are consistent with Aboriginal Australians' notions of health and wellbeing. This paper aims to describe the process of tailoring CRA and CRAFT for delivery to Aboriginal Australians, explore the perceptions of health care providers participating in the tailoring process, and their experiences of participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification. Data sources included notes recorded from eight working group meetings with 22 health care providers of a drug and alcohol treatment agency and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (November 2009-February 2013), and transcripts of semi-structured interviews with seven health care providers participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification (May 2012). Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise working group meeting notes and interview transcripts were into key themes. Modifying technical language, reducing the number of treatment sessions, and including an option for treatment of clients in groups, were key recommendations by health care providers for improving the feasibility and applicability of delivering CRA and CRAFT to Aboriginal Australians. Health care providers perceived counsellor certification to be beneficial for developing their skills and confidence in delivering CRA and CRAFT, but identified time constraints and competing tasks as key challenges. The tailoring process resulted in Aboriginal Australian-specific CRA and CRAFT resources. The process also resulted in the training and certification of

Protocol for the ADDITION-Plus study: a randomised controlled trial of an individually-tailored behaviour change intervention among people with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes under intensive UK general practice care.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Simon J; Simmons, Rebecca K; Williams, Kate M; Prevost, A Toby; Hardeman, Wendy; Grant, Julie; Whittle, Fiona; Boase, Sue; Hobbis, Imogen; Brage, Soren; Westgate, Kate; Fanshawe, Tom; Sutton, Stephen; Wareham, Nicholas J; Kinmonth, Ann Louise

2011-04-04

The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes poses both clinical and public health challenges. Cost-effective approaches to prevent progression of the disease in primary care are needed. Evidence suggests that intensive multifactorial interventions including medication and behaviour change can significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among patients with established type 2 diabetes, and that patient education in self-management can improve short-term outcomes. However, existing studies cannot isolate the effects of behavioural interventions promoting self-care from other aspects of intensive primary care management. The ADDITION-Plus trial was designed to address these issues among recently diagnosed patients in primary care over one year. ADDITION-Plus is an explanatory randomised controlled trial of a facilitator-led, theory-based behaviour change intervention tailored to individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. 34 practices in the East Anglia region participated. 478 patients with diabetes were individually randomised to receive (i) intensive treatment alone (n = 239), or (ii) intensive treatment plus the facilitator-led individual behaviour change intervention (n = 239). Facilitators taught patients key skills to facilitate change and maintenance of key behaviours (physical activity, dietary change, medication adherence and smoking), including goal setting, action planning, self-monitoring and building habits. The intervention was delivered over one year at the participant's surgery and included a one-hour introductory meeting followed by six 30-minute meetings and four brief telephone calls. Primary endpoints are physical activity energy expenditure (assessed by individually calibrated heart rate monitoring and movement sensing), change in objectively measured dietary intake (plasma vitamin C), medication adherence (plasma drug levels), and smoking status (plasma cotinine levels) at one year. We will undertake an intention

Individually tailored internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for older adults with anxiety and depression: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Silfvernagel, Kristin; Westlinder, Anna; Andersson, Stina; Bergman, Kajsa; Diaz Hernandez, Rosario; Fallhagen, Line; Lundqvist, Ida; Masri, Nicole; Viberg, Linda; Forsberg, Marie-Louise; Lind, Maria; Berger, Thomas; Carlbring, Per; Andersson, Gerhard

2018-07-01

Mixed anxiety and depression is common among older adults. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of an eight-week-long tailored internet-supported cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) programme and to compare against the provision of weekly general support. A second aim was to investigate if pre-treatment cognitive flexibility and self-reported cognitive problems would predict outcome. We included 66 older adults (aged over 60 years) with mixed anxiety/depression following media recruitment and randomised them into treatment and control groups. We also included a one-year follow-up. As a measure of executive function, we used the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (perseverative errors) and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire during the pre-treatment phase. Results showed a moderate between-group effect on the main outcome measure, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (d= .50), favouring the treatment group. Nearly half (45.5%) of that group were classified as responders. One person (3%) in the treatment group deteriorated. There were significant correlations between perseverative errors and outcome (on the BAI r = -.45), but not among self-reported cognitive function. We conclude that guided, tailored ICBT may be effective for some older adults and that the role of cognitive function needs to be investigated further.

Applications of resonance-averaged gamma-ray spectroscopy with tailored beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrien, R.E.

1982-01-01

The use of techniques based on the direct experimental averaging over compound nuclear capturing states has proved valuable for investigations of nuclear structure. The various methods that have been employed are described, with particular emphasis on the transmission filter, or tailored beam technique. The mathematical limitations on averaging imposed by the filter band pass are discussed. It can readily be demonstrated that a combination of filters at different energies can form a powerful method for spin and parity predictions. Several recent examples from the HFBR program are presented

Applications of resonance-averaged gamma-ray spectroscopy with tailored beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrien, R.E.

1982-01-01

The use of techniques based on the direct experimental averaging over compound nuclear capturing states has proved valuable for investigations of nuclear structure. The various methods that have been employed are described, with particular emphasis on the transmission filter, or tailored beam technique. The mathematical limitations on averaging imposed by the filtre band pass are discussed. It can readily be demonstrated that a combination of filters at different energies can form a powerful method for spin and parity predictions. Several recent examples from the HFBR program are presented. (author)

The Trial of Ascertaining Individual Preferences for Loved Ones' Role in End-of-Life Decisions (TAILORED) Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Surrogate Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulmasy, Daniel P; Hughes, Mark T; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kub, Joan; Terry, Peter B; Astrow, Alan B; Johnson, Julie A; Ho, Grace; Nolan, Marie T

2017-10-01

Patients with terminal illnesses often require surrogate decision makers. Prior research has demonstrated high surrogate stress, and that despite standards promoting substituted judgment, most patients do not want their surrogates to make pure substituted judgments for them. It is not known how best to help loved ones fulfill the surrogate role. To test the effectiveness of an intervention to help surrogate decision makers. One hundred sixty-six patients (41% with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 59% with gastrointestinal cancers) and their surrogates at two university medical centers were randomized to an intensive nurse-directed discussion of the end-of-life decision control preferences of the patient (TAILORED) or a discussion of nutrition (CONTROL); 163 completed baseline interviews and underwent the intervention. Twelve patients died during follow-up and 137 dyads completed the study. Post-intervention, using all available data, TAILORED patients and surrogates became more likely to endorse mutual surrogate decision making, that is, a balance of their own wishes and what the surrogate thinks best (adjusted odds compared with baseline for patients = 1.78, P = 0.04; adjusted odds for surrogates = 2.05, P = 0.03). CONTROL patients became 40% less likely to endorse mutual surrogate decision making (P = 0.08), and CONTROL surrogates did not change significantly from baseline (adjusted odds = 1.44, P = 0.28). Stress levels decreased for TAILORED surrogates (impact of events scale = 23.1 ± 14.6 baseline, 20.8 ± 15.3 f/u, P = 0.046), but not for CONTROL (P = 0.85), and post-intervention stress was lower for TAILORED than CONTROL (P = 0.04). Surrogates' confidence was uniformly high at baseline and did not change. Caregiver burden (Zarit) increased from 12.5 ± 6.5 to 14.7 ± 8.1 for TAILORED (P decision making was higher at follow-up for TAILORED than for CONTROL (71% vs. 52%, P = 0.03). TAILORED patients and surrogates who

Tailored Educational Approaches for Consumer Health: A Model to Address Health Promotion in an Era of Personalized Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Wendy F; Lyman, Jason; Broshek, Donna K; Guterbock, Thomas M; Hartman, David; Kinzie, Mable; Mick, David; Pannone, Aaron; Sturz, Vanessa; Schubart, Jane; Garson, Arthur T

2018-01-01

To develop a model, based on market segmentation, to improve the quality and efficiency of health promotion materials and programs. Market segmentation to create segments (groups) based on a cross-sectional questionnaire measuring individual characteristics and preferences for health information. Educational and delivery recommendations developed for each group. General population of adults in Virginia. Random sample of 1201 Virginia residents. Respondents are representative of the general population with the exception of older age. Multiple factors known to impact health promotion including health status, health system utilization, health literacy, Internet use, learning styles, and preferences. Cluster analysis and discriminate analysis to create and validate segments. Common sized means to compare factors across segments. Developed educational and delivery recommendations matched to the 8 distinct segments. For example, the "health challenged and hard to reach" are older, lower literacy, and not likely to seek out health information. Their educational and delivery recommendations include a sixth-grade reading level, delivery through a provider, and using a "push" strategy. This model addresses a need to improve the efficiency and quality of health promotion efforts in an era of personalized medicine. It demonstrates that there are distinct groups with clearly defined educational and delivery recommendations. Health promotion professionals can consider Tailored Educational Approaches for Consumer Health to develop and deliver tailored materials to encourage behavior change.

Active coatings technologies for tailorable military coating systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zunino, J. L., III

2007-04-01

The main objective of the U.S. Army's Active Coatings Technologies Program is to develop technologies that can be used in combination to tailor coatings for utilization on Army Materiel. The Active Coatings Technologies Program, ACT, is divided into several thrusts, including the Smart Coatings Materiel Program, Munitions Coatings Technologies, Active Sensor packages, Systems Health Monitoring, Novel Technology Development, as well as other advanced technologies. The goal of the ACT Program is to conduct research leading to the development of multiple coatings systems for use on various military platforms, incorporating unique properties such as self repair, selective removal, corrosion resistance, sensing, ability to modify coatings' physical properties, colorizing, and alerting logistics staff when tanks or weaponry require more extensive repair. A partnership between the U.S. Army Corrosion Office at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ along with researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ, Clemson University, SC, University of New Hampshire, NH, and University of Massachusetts (Lowell), MA, are developing the next generation of Smart Coatings Materiel via novel technologies such as nanotechnology, Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS), meta-materials, flexible electronics, electrochromics, electroluminescence, etc. This paper will provide the reader with an overview of the Active Coatings Technologies Program, including an update of the on-going Smart Coatings Materiel Program, its progress thus far, description of the prototype Smart Coatings Systems and research tasks as well as future nanotechnology concepts, and applications for the Department of Defense.

Optimizing diesel combustion behaviour with tailor-made fuels from biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kremer, Florian; Heuser, Benedikt [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Lehrstuhl fuer Verbrennungskraftmaschinen; Klankermayer, Juergen [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie; Pischinger, Stefan

2013-06-01

Modem biofuels offer a vast potential to decrease engine out emissions while at the same time allowing a reduction of greenhouse gases produced from individual mobility. In order to deeply investigate and improve the complete path from biofuel production to combustion, in 2007 the cluster of excellence ''Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass'' was installed at RWTH Aachen University. Since the start of the work in the cluster a whole variety of possible fuel candidates were identified and investigated, eventually leading to the definition of 2-methyltetrahydrofurane (2-MTHF) as a tailor-made biofuel for passenger car diesel engines. With 2-MTHF, a nearly soot-free combustion can be realized. This soot-free combustion behavior can partially be explained by the low self-ignition tendency and the therefore observed long ignition delays. Hereby, a good mixture preparation can be realized. This long ignition delay also results in high HC- and CO emissions, though, which are partially accompanied by increased noise emissions. In this work, the addition of di-n-butylether (DNBE) to 2-MTHF to reduce the described disadvantages will be analyzed. DNBE, a fuel that can be obtained via a reaction pathway defined in TMFB, is characterized by an extremely high Cetane number (CN- 100) and therefore very high self-ignitability. The effects of different mixtures of DNBE and 2-MTHF from 0% to 100% especially on the HC- and CO- and noise emissions will be carefully analyzed. In addition, the overall emission performance will be compared to standard EN590 Diesel as reference fuel. The results show that an adapted addition of DNBE to 2-MTHF can lead to a significant reduction of HC-, CO- and noise emissions while not sacrificing the benefits gained from the 2-MTHF's long ignition delays with regard to the particulate emissions. It can be proven that the use of two tailored biofuels with different self-ignitability such as 2-MTHF and DNBE allows to tailor the

A randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an individual, education-based safe transport program for drivers aged 75 years and older

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keay Lisa

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are concerns over safety of older drivers due to increased crash involvement and vulnerability to injury. However, loss of driving privileges can dramatically reduce independence and quality of life for older members of the community. The aim of this trial is to examine the effectiveness of a safe transport program for drivers aged 75 years and older at reducing driving exposure but maintaining mobility. Methods and design A randomised trial will be conducted, involving 380 drivers aged 75 years and older, resident in urban and semi-rural areas of North-West Sydney. The intervention is an education program based on the Knowledge Enhances Your Safety (KEYS program, adapted for the Australian context. Driving experience will be measured objectively using an in-vehicle monitoring device which includes a global positioning system (GPS to assess driving exposure and an accelerometer to detect rapid deceleration events. Participation will be assessed using the Keele Assessment of Participation (KAP. Data will be analysed on an intention-to-treat basis; the primary outcomes include driving exposure, rapid deceleration events and scores for KAP. Secondary outcomes include self-reported measures of driving, socialisation, uptake of alternative forms of transport, depressive symptoms and mood. A detailed process evaluation will be conducted, including examination of the delivery of the program and uptake of alternative forms of transport. A subgroup analysis is planned for drivers with reduced function as characterized by established cut-off scores on the Drivesafe assessment tool. Discussion This randomised trial is powered to provide an objective assessment of the efficacy of an individually tailored education and alternative transportation program to promote safety of older drivers but maintain mobility. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000543886.

Colonoscopy uptake for high-risk individuals with a family history of colorectal neoplasia: A multicenter, randomized trial of tailored counseling versus standard information.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingrand, Isabelle; Defossez, Gautier; Richer, Jean-Pierre; Tougeron, David; Palierne, Nicolas; Letard, Jean-Christophe; Beauchant, Michel; Ingrand, Pierre

2016-08-01

Colonoscopic screening is recommended for first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) or colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAP) before the age of 60 years. This has the potential to reduce CRC-related morbidity and mortality, but uptake is currently inadequate. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of standard information versus a nurse-led tailored intervention designed to promote uptake of colonoscopy screening by siblings of CRC or CAP patients. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Digestive surgeons and gastroenterologists recruited index patients who developed CRC or CAP before the age of 60 years. All index patients received standard screening information for their siblings, in keeping with current guidelines. Centrally computerized randomization of index patients resulted in allocating all their siblings to the same group, intervention or control. The tailored intervention targeted the index patient first, to help them convey information to their siblings. The nurse then provided the siblings with tailored information based on their answers to a self-questionnaire which explored health behaviors, derived from psychosocial models of prevention. Then the siblings were given a personalized information leaflet to hand to their regular physician. The primary endpoint was the rate of documented colonoscopy performed in siblings within 1 year after diagnosis of the index patient. The intent-to-treat analysis included siblings who refused to participate in the study. Statistical analysis was adjusted for intrafamilial correlation. A total of 304 siblings of 125 index patients were included: 160 in the intervention group and 144 in the control group. The rate of colonoscopy uptake among siblings was 56.3% in the intervention group and 35.4% in the control group (P = 0.0027). The respective rates after exclusion of refusals were 69.2% and 37.0% (P group (1 invasive cancer and 11 advanced adenomas vs 5 advanced

Tailored Trustworthy Spaces: Solutions for the Smart Grid

Data.gov (United States)

Networking and Information Technology Research and Development, Executive Office of the President — The NITRD workshop on Tailored Trustworthy Spaces: Solutions for the Smart Grid was conceived by the Federal government to probe deeper into how Tailored Trustworthy...

Assessing a risk tailored intervention to prevent disabling low back pain - protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marnitz Ulf

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although most patients with low back pain (LBP recover within a few weeks a significant proportion has recurrent episodes or will develop chronic low back pain. Several mainly psychosocial risk factors for developing chronic LBP have been identified. However, effects of preventive interventions aiming at behavioural risk factors and unfavourable cognitions have yielded inconsistent results. Risk tailored interventions may provide a cost efficient and effective means to take systematic account of the individual risk factors but evidence is lacking. Methods/Design This study will be a cluster-randomised controlled trial comparing screening and a subsequent risk tailored intervention for patients with low back pain to prevent chronic low back pain compared to treatment as usual in primary care. A total of 600 patients from 20 practices in each study arm will be recruited in Berlin and Goettingen. The intervention comprises the following elements: Patients will be assigned to one of four risk groups based on a screening questionnaire. Subsequently they receive an educational intervention including information and counselling tailored to the risk group. A telephone/email consulting service for back pain related problems are offered independent of risk group assignment. The primary outcomes will be functional capacity and sick leave. Discussion This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of screening for risk factors for chronic low back pain followed by a risk tailored intervention to prevent chronic low back pain. This trial will contribute new evidence regarding the flexible use of individual physical and psychosocial risk factors in general practice. Trial registration ISRCTN 68205910

Implementation and Effectiveness of a Psychosocial Weight Management Program for Individuals with Schizophrenia

OpenAIRE

Niv, Noosha; Cohen, Amy N.; Hamilton, Alison; Reist, Christopher; Young, Alexander S.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and BMI were assessed at baseline, 1 year later and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who were overweight or o...

Tailored nutrition education: is it really effective?

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, Helen; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona

2012-03-01

There has been a growing interest in tailored nutrition education over the previous decade, with a number of literature reviews suggesting this intervention strategy holds considerable potential. Nevertheless, the majority of intervention trials undertaken to date have employed subjective self-report outcome measures (such as dietary recalls). The aim of the present review is to further consider the likely true effect of tailored nutrition education by assessing the findings of tailored nutrition education intervention trials where objective outcome measures (such as sales data) have been employed. Four trials of tailored nutrition education employing objective outcome measures were identified: one was undertaken in eight low-cost supermarkets in New Zealand (2010; n 1104); one was an online intervention trial in Australia (2006; n 497); and two were undertaken in US supermarkets (1997 and 2001; n 105 and 296, respectively). Findings from the high-quality New Zealand trial were negative. Findings from the US trials were also generally negative, although reporting was poor making it difficult to assess quality. Findings from the high-quality online trial were positive, although have limited generalisability for public health. Trials employing objective outcome measures strongly suggest tailored nutrition education is not effective as a stand-alone strategy. However, further large, high-quality trials employing objective outcome measures are needed to determine the true effectiveness of this popular nutrition intervention strategy. Regardless, education plays an important role in generating social understanding and acceptance of broader interventions to improve nutrition.

Tailoring self-assembled monolayers at the electrochemical interface

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

(SAMs) for functionalisation with different receptors, catalytic materials, biomolecules, enzymes, anti- gen-antibody, etc for various applications. ... and tailoring of SAMs by incorporation of suitable recognition elements. ... compatible with most organic functional groups and ...... the interfacial architecture can be tailored using.

Generalizable Skills in Individualized Vocational Program Planning for Special Needs Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Stodden, Robert A.; Boone, Rosalie

1986-01-01

The authors address planning issues and suggest methods of interagency cooperation, integration of generalizable skills in individualized educational planning/programming, developing goals and objectives, and using student assessment and evaluation information. (CT)

The impact of feeding growing-finishing pigs with daily tailored diets using precision feeding techniques on animal performance, nutrient utilization, and body and carcass composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Andretta, I; Pomar, C; Rivest, J; Pomar, J; Lovatto, P A; Radünz Neto, J

2014-09-01

The impact of moving from conventional to precision feeding systems in growing-finishing pig operations on animal performance, nutrient utilization, and body and carcass composition was studied. Fifteen animals per treatment for a total of 60 pigs of 41.2 (SE = 0.5) kg of BW were used in a performance trial (84 d) with 4 treatments: a 3-phase (3P) feeding program obtained by blending fixed proportions of feeds A (high nutrient density) and B (low nutrient density); a 3-phase commercial (COM) feeding program; and 2 daily-phase feeding programs in which the blended proportions of feeds A and B were adjusted daily to meet the estimated nutritional requirements of the group (multiphase-group feeding, MPG) or of each pig individually (multiphase-individual feeding, MPI). Daily feed intake was recorded each day and pigs were weighed weekly during the trial. Body composition was assessed at the beginning of the trial and every 28 d by dual-energy X-ray densitometry. Nitrogen and phosphorus excretion was estimated as the difference between retention and intake. Organ, carcass, and primal cut measurements were taken after slaughter. The COM feeding program reduced (P carcass, and primal cut weights did not differ among treatments. Feeding growing-finishing pigs with daily tailored diets using precision feeding techniques is an effective approach to reduce nutrient excretion without compromising pig performance or carcass composition.

Government-sponsored microfinance program: Joint liability vs. individual liability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arghya Kusum Mukherjee

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY is a government-sponsored microfinance program. The scheme is based on four features: group lending with joint liability, progressive lending, back-ended subsidy, and social capital. We propose a new model of SGSY having these features: group lending with individual liability, progressive lending, back-ended subsidy, and social capital. “Joint liability” clause of the existing model is replaced with individual liability in the new model. The paper shows that problem of adverse selection is removed in both models, i.e. in “SGSY with group lending and joint liability” and “SGSY with group lending and individual liability.” The problem of “moral hazard” is more severe in the existing model of SGSY compared with the proposed model of SGSY. Borrowers are also benefitted from participation in the proposed scheme of SGSY than that in the existing model of SGSY.

The need for a culturally-tailored gatekeeper training intervention program in preventing suicide among Indigenous peoples: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasir, Bushra Farah; Hides, Leanne; Kisely, Steve; Ranmuthugala, Geetha; Nicholson, Geoffrey C; Black, Emma; Gill, Neeraj; Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas; Toombs, Maree

2016-10-21

Suicide is a leading cause of death among Indigenous youth worldwide. The aim of this literature review was to determine the cultural appropriateness and identify evidence for the effectiveness of current gatekeeper suicide prevention training programs within the international Indigenous community. Using a systematic strategy, relevant databases and targeted resources were searched using the following terms: 'suicide', 'gatekeeper', 'training', 'suicide prevention training', 'suicide intervention training' and 'Indigenous'. Other internationally relevant descriptors for the keyword "Indigenous" (e.g. "Maori", "First Nations", "Native American", "Inuit", "Metis" and "Aboriginal") were also used. Six articles, comprising five studies, met criteria for inclusion; two Australian, two from USA and one Canadian. While pre and post follow up studies reported positive outcomes, this was not confirmed in the single randomised controlled trial identified. However, the randomised controlled trial may have been underpowered and contained participants who were at higher risk of suicide pre-training. Uncontrolled evidence suggests that gatekeeper training may be a promising suicide intervention in Indigenous communities but needs to be culturally tailored to the target population. Further RCT evidence is required.

Tailoring of EIA-649-1: Definition of Major (Class I) Engineering Change Proposal

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-15

MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER TAILORING TAILORING OF EIA -649-1: DEFINITION OF MAJOR (CLASS I) ENGINEERING CHANGE PROPOSAL APPROVED FOR...PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED 1 Tailoring of EIA -649-1: Definition of Major (Class I) ECP. 1. Intent of this Tailoring Document...This tailoring document remedies a requirements gap in the industry consensus standard, EIA -649-1: 2015. Specifically, this tailoring provides a

Measuring organisational-level Aboriginal cultural climate to tailor cultural safety strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gladman, Justin; Ryder, Courtney; Walters, Lucie K

2015-01-01

Australian medical schools have taken on a social accountability mandate to provide culturally safe contexts in order to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to engage in medical education and to ensure that present and future clinicians provide health services that contribute to improving the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Many programs have sought to improve cultural safety through training at an individual level; however, it is well recognised that learners tend to internalise the patterns of behaviour to which they are commonly exposed. This project aimed to measure and reflect on the cultural climate of an Australian rural clinical school (RCS) as a whole and the collective attitudes of three different professional groups: clinicians, clinical academics and professional staff. The project then drew on Mezirow's Transformative Learning theory to design strategies to build on the cultural safety of the organisation. Clinicians, academic and professional staff at an Australian RCS were invited to participate in an online survey expressing their views on Aboriginal health using part of a previously validated tool. Survey response rate was 63%. All three groups saw Aboriginal health as a social priority. All groups recognised the fundamental role of community control in Aboriginal health; however, clinical academics were considerably more likely to disagree that the Western medical model suited the health needs of Aboriginal people. Clinicians were more likely to perceive that they treated Aboriginal patients the same as other patients. There was only weak evidence of future commitments to Aboriginal health. Importantly, clinicians, academics and professional staff demonstrated differences in their cultural safety profile which indicated the need for a tailored approach to cultural safety learning in the future. Through tailored approaches to cross-cultural training opportunities we are likely to ensure

Interactive computer-based training program for radiological workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinoskey, P.A.; Camacho, P.I.; Wells, L.

2000-01-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is redesigning its existing Computer-Based Training (CBT) programs for radiological workers. The redesign represents a major effort that is aimed at producing a single highly interactive and flexible CBT program. The new CBT program is designed to address a variety of radiological workers, including researchers, x-ray operators, and individuals working in tritium, uranium, plutonium, and accelerator facilities. The program addresses the diversity of backgrounds found at a national laboratory. The CBT program includes photographs, line drawings and illustrations, sound, video, and simulations, and it allows for easy insertion and replacement of text, graphics, sound, and video. The new design supports timely updates and customization for use at other University of California sites. The CBT program is divided into ten basic modules. Introduction and Lessons Learned, History and Uses, Fundamentals, Background Radiation, Biological Effects of Radiation, Characteristics of Radionuclides, Radiological Controls, Monitoring, Emergency Response, Responsibilities. Some of the main modules features as many as seven or eight submodules. For example, the module on Characteristics of Radionuclides features submodules on common radionuclides, tritium uranium, plutonium, x-ray machines, E-beam devices, radiographic devices, and accelerators. Required submodules are tailored to an individual's type of work and facility, and they are determined by the answers to an onscreen questionnaire given at the outset of training. Individuals can challenge most individual modules, but certain submodules will be mandatory based on the initial survey. For example, individuals working in the uranium facility will be required to complete the submodule on 'History and Uses of Uranium'. However, all other submodules under the main module, 'History and Uses', will be available if selected for preview. For each module, an opportunity is provided for further

Long-term evaluation of individualized marketing programs for travel demand management

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

This research examines the use of individualized marketing as a transportation demand : management (TDM) strategy, using the City of Portlands SmartTrips program. This research : project has two specific aims: (1) to evaluate whether the benefits ...

Programming Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: The Toronto Western Hospital Algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Picillo, Marina; Lozano, Andres M; Kou, Nancy; Puppi Munhoz, Renato; Fasano, Alfonso

2016-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established and effective treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). After surgery, a number of extensive programming sessions are performed to define the most optimal stimulation parameters. Programming sessions mainly rely only on neurologist's experience. As a result, patients often undergo inconsistent and inefficient stimulation changes, as well as unnecessary visits. We reviewed the literature on initial and follow-up DBS programming procedures and integrated our current practice at Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) to develop standardized DBS programming protocols. We propose four algorithms including the initial programming and specific algorithms tailored to symptoms experienced by patients following DBS: speech disturbances, stimulation-induced dyskinesia and gait impairment. We conducted a literature search of PubMed from inception to July 2014 with the keywords "deep brain stimulation", "festination", "freezing", "initial programming", "Parkinson's disease", "postural instability", "speech disturbances", and "stimulation induced dyskinesia". Seventy papers were considered for this review. Based on the literature review and our experience at TWH, we refined four algorithms for: (1) the initial programming stage, and management of symptoms following DBS, particularly addressing (2) speech disturbances, (3) stimulation-induced dyskinesia, and (4) gait impairment. We propose four algorithms tailored to an individualized approach to managing symptoms associated with DBS and disease progression in patients with PD. We encourage established as well as new DBS centers to test the clinical usefulness of these algorithms in supplementing the current standards of care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Economy of Persistence: Mario the Tailor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prudence Black

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Mario Conte has had a tailor shop in King Street, Newtown since the mid 1960s. Taking an interview with Mario as its point of departure, this article describes the persistence of a skilled worker whose practices and techniques remain the same in a world that has long changed. While inattentive to what rules might be used to decorate a shop window, Mario continues to make and sew in the way that he learnt in post-war Italy. Mario’s persistence could be described as all the skills and other elements that need to be in place to keep him working, in particular the tradition of tailoring techniques he has remained true to over the last fifty years. The hand stitching of his tailoring is like a metronome of that persistence.

Weight management in obese pets: the tailoring concept and how it can improve results.

Science.gov (United States)

German, Alexander J

2016-10-20

Obesity is now recognised as the most important medical disease in pets worldwide. All current strategies for weight management involve dietary energy restriction with a purpose-formulated diet. Whilst current weight management regimes can be successful, outcomes are often disappointing with the rate of weight loss progressively slowing down as time goes on. Success is most challenging for the most obese dogs and cats that are more likely to discontinue the programme before reaching target weight. To improve outcomes, clinicians must focus carefully on better tailoring programmes, paying particular to setting an appropriate target weight so as to maximise the benefits for the individual. In this opinionated review, the author will discuss findings from recent clinical research studies examining weight management in obese dogs and cats. A strategy for tailoring weight management targets will then be discussed, illustrated with case examples.

SSCL quality program overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedderick, R.V.; Threatt, D.C.

1992-01-01

The Quality Program for the Superconducing Super Collider Laboratory (SSCL) was developed for a number of reasons. The need for a quality program not only is a contractual requirement, but it also makes good economic sense to implement such a program. The quality program is the device used to coordinate the activities of different Laboratory organizations, such as Engineering and Procurement, and to improve operational reliability and safety. To be successful, the QA Program not only must satisfy Department of Energy (DOE) requirements and provide for flowdown of requirements to performing organizations, but must also be flexible enough so that the program is tailored to meet the needs of each internal organization. The keys to success are management support, acceptance by personnel, and cost effectiveness. These three items are assured by involving appropriate management at each step of program development, by personnel training and by feedback, and by programs to reduce defects and improve quality. Equally valuable is involvement of key organizations in program development. We will describe the basic SSCL Quality Program requirements, how the requirements are tailored to the needs of Laboratory organizations, and how the effectiveness of the program is validated

Tailoring group velocity by topology optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stainko, Roman; Sigmund, Ole

2007-01-01

The paper describes a systematic method for the tailoring of dispersion properties of slab-based photonic crystal waveguides. The method is based on the topology optimization method which consists in repeated finite element frequency domain analyses. The goal of the optimization process is to come...... up with slow light, zero group velocity dispersion photonic waveguides or photonic waveguides with tailored dispersion properties for dispersion compensation purposes. An example concerning the design of a wide bandwidth, constant low group velocity waveguide demonstrate the e±ciency of the method....

A qualitative assessment of program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Patrenko, Christie L M; Tahir, Naira; Mahoney, Erin C; Chin, Nancy P

2014-01-01

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a major public health problem that affects 2 to 5 percent of the population. Individuals with FASD are at high risk for secondary conditions, such as mental health problems, school disruptions, and trouble with the law. Evidence-based intervention programs are needed to prevent and treat secondary conditions in this population. The purpose of this study was to identify intervention program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions in individuals with FASD from the perspectives of parents and service providers. This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to identify program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions. Twenty-five parents of children (ages 3 to 33) with FASD and 18 service providers participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Data was systematically analyzed using a framework approach. Themes did not differ by participant type. Participants emphasized five primary characteristics of intervention programs for individuals with FASD. Programs need to 1) be available to individuals across the lifespan, 2) have a prevention focus, 3) be individualized, 4) be comprehensive, and 5) be coordinated across systems and developmental stages. Participants discussed a variety of specific intervention strategies for each developmental stage and setting. Program characteristics identified in this study are consistent with a positive behavior support framework. This framework is discussed in the context of research on existing interventions for individuals with FASD, and recommendations for future intervention development and evaluation are highlighted.

Psychobehavioral Profiles to Assist Tailoring of Interventions for Patients With Hypertension: Latent Profile Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Rika; Nolan, Robert P

2018-05-11

Practice guidelines advocate combining pharmacotherapy with lifestyle counseling for patients with hypertension. To allow for appropriate tailoring of interventions to meet individual patient needs, a comprehensive understanding of baseline patient characteristics is essential. However, few studies have empirically assessed behavioral profiles of hypertensive patients in Web-based lifestyle counseling programs. The objectives of this study were to (1) specify baseline psychobehavioral profiles of patients with hypertension who were enrolled in a Web-based lifestyle counseling trial, and (2) examine mean differences among the identified profile groups in demographics, psychological distress, self-reported self-care behaviors, physiological outcomes, and program engagement to determine prognostic implications. Participants (N=264; mean age 57.5 years; 154/264, 58.3% female; 193/264, 73.1% white) were recruited into a longitudinal, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, designed to evaluate an online lifestyle intervention for hypertensive patients. A series of latent profile analyses identified psychobehavioral profiles, indicated by baseline measures of mood, motivation, and health behaviors. Mean differences between profile groups were then explored. A 2-class solution provided the best model fit (the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) is 10,133.11; sample-size adjusted BIC is 10,006.54; Lo-Mendell-Rubin likelihood ratio test is 65.56, P=.001). The 2 profile groups were (1) adaptive adjustment, marked by low distress, high motivation, and somewhat satisfactory engagement in health behaviors and (2) affectively distressed, marked by clinically significant distress. At baseline, on average, affectively distressed patients had lower income, higher body mass index, and endorsed higher stress compared with their adaptive adjustment counterparts. At 12-months post intervention, treatment effects were sustained for systolic blood pressure and Framingham risk index

Long-term GERD management: The individualized approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tytgat, Guido

2006-01-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a complex condition, and both mucosal lesions and symptoms are important parameters in evaluating disease severity and the impact of treatment. An individualized approach in which treatment is tailored to each patient is the appropriate strategy. Treatment

Cultural targeting and tailoring of shared decision making technology: a theoretical framework for improving the effectiveness of patient decision aids in culturally diverse groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Alden, Dana L; Friend, John; Schapira, Marilyn; Stiggelbout, Anne

2014-03-01

Patient decision aids are known to positively impact outcomes critical to shared decision making (SDM), such as gist knowledge and decision preparedness. However, research on the potential improvement of these and other important outcomes through cultural targeting and tailoring of decision aids is very limited. This is the case despite extensive evidence supporting use of cultural targeting and tailoring to improve the effectiveness of health communications. Building on prominent psychological theory, we propose a two-stage framework incorporating cultural concepts into the design process for screening and treatment decision aids. The first phase recommends use of cultural constructs, such as collectivism and individualism, to differentially target patients whose cultures are known to vary on these dimensions. Decision aid targeting is operationalized through use of symbols and values that appeal to members of the given culture. Content dimensions within decision aids that appear particularly appropriate for targeting include surface level visual characteristics, language, beliefs, attitudes and values. The second phase of the framework is based on evidence that individuals vary in terms of how strongly cultural norms influence their approach to problem solving and decision making. In particular, the framework hypothesizes that differences in terms of access to cultural mindsets (e.g., access to interdependent versus independent self) can be measured up front and used to tailor decision aids. Thus, the second phase in the framework emphasizes the importance of not only targeting decision aid content, but also tailoring the information to the individual based on measurement of how strongly he/she is connected to dominant cultural mindsets. Overall, the framework provides a theory-based guide for researchers and practitioners who are interested in using cultural targeting and tailoring to develop and test decision aids that move beyond a "one-size fits all" approach

Protocol for the ADDITION-Plus study: a randomised controlled trial of an individually-tailored behaviour change intervention among people with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes under intensive UK general practice care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fanshawe Tom

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes poses both clinical and public health challenges. Cost-effective approaches to prevent progression of the disease in primary care are needed. Evidence suggests that intensive multifactorial interventions including medication and behaviour change can significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among patients with established type 2 diabetes, and that patient education in self-management can improve short-term outcomes. However, existing studies cannot isolate the effects of behavioural interventions promoting self-care from other aspects of intensive primary care management. The ADDITION-Plus trial was designed to address these issues among recently diagnosed patients in primary care over one year. Methods/Design ADDITION-Plus is an explanatory randomised controlled trial of a facilitator-led, theory-based behaviour change intervention tailored to individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. 34 practices in the East Anglia region participated. 478 patients with diabetes were individually randomised to receive (i intensive treatment alone (n = 239, or (ii intensive treatment plus the facilitator-led individual behaviour change intervention (n = 239. Facilitators taught patients key skills to facilitate change and maintenance of key behaviours (physical activity, dietary change, medication adherence and smoking, including goal setting, action planning, self-monitoring and building habits. The intervention was delivered over one year at the participant's surgery and included a one-hour introductory meeting followed by six 30-minute meetings and four brief telephone calls. Primary endpoints are physical activity energy expenditure (assessed by individually calibrated heart rate monitoring and movement sensing, change in objectively measured dietary intake (plasma vitamin C, medication adherence (plasma drug levels, and smoking status (plasma cotinine levels at

Are the stages of change relevant for the development and implementation of a web-based tailored alcohol intervention? A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Daniela N; Kremers, Stef P J; de Vries, Hein

2012-05-17

Computer-tailored programs are a promising tool to stimulate health behavior change, such as reducing alcohol intake. Yet more research is needed to assess whether groups differing in their motivational level to change may need different types of feedback. Furthermore, it is unknown whether motivational level may also determine reactions to computer-tailored interventions. Our aim is to identify the potential relevance of the application of the stages of change concept in the development and implementation of alcohol interventions. A web-based instrument was used to disseminate a questionnaire and to provide tailored feedback messages among adults in the Netherlands (N = 170; 96 females). Motivational level was assessed by the stage of change construct. The survey furthermore assessed alcohol consumption, attitude, social influence, self-efficacy, and program evaluation (i.e., survey items, tailored advice, layout and functionality of the program). The Least Significant Difference method was used to compare people in different stages of change with regard to psychosocial determinants of drinking behavior and program evaluation. Of the respondents, 34.1% (n = 58) reported no intention to change to healthier drinking habits in the foreseeable future (precontemplation), 22.9% (n = 39) intended to improve their drinking behavior in the near future (contemplation/preparation) and 42.9% (n = 73) reported to currently adhere to the Dutch alcohol consumption guidelines (action/maintenance). When comparing the three groups, people in the action or maintenance stage reported the lowest number of pros of drinking alcohol, having most healthy drinking role models and the highest levels of self-efficacy regarding healthy drinking in difficult situations, whereas precontemplators reported to receive the least social support regarding healthy drinking. In general, the intervention was positively evaluated, but it seemed to be most appreciated by contemplators and preparers. Stage

Are the stages of change relevant for the development and implementation of a web-based tailored alcohol intervention? A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schulz Daniela N

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Computer-tailored programs are a promising tool to stimulate health behavior change, such as reducing alcohol intake. Yet more research is needed to assess whether groups differing in their motivational level to change may need different types of feedback. Furthermore, it is unknown whether motivational level may also determine reactions to computer-tailored interventions. Our aim is to identify the potential relevance of the application of the stages of change concept in the development and implementation of alcohol interventions. Methods A web-based instrument was used to disseminate a questionnaire and to provide tailored feedback messages among adults in the Netherlands (N = 170; 96 females. Motivational level was assessed by the stage of change construct. The survey furthermore assessed alcohol consumption, attitude, social influence, self-efficacy, and program evaluation (i.e., survey items, tailored advice, layout and functionality of the program. The Least Significant Difference method was used to compare people in different stages of change with regard to psychosocial determinants of drinking behavior and program evaluation. Results Of the respondents, 34.1% (n = 58 reported no intention to change to healthier drinking habits in the foreseeable future (precontemplation, 22.9% (n = 39 intended to improve their drinking behavior in the near future (contemplation/preparation and 42.9% (n = 73 reported to currently adhere to the Dutch alcohol consumption guidelines (action/maintenance. When comparing the three groups, people in the action or maintenance stage reported the lowest number of pros of drinking alcohol, having most healthy drinking role models and the highest levels of self-efficacy regarding healthy drinking in difficult situations, whereas precontemplators reported to receive the least social support regarding healthy drinking. In general, the intervention was positively evaluated, but it

Effect of individualized worksite exercise training on aerobic capacity and muscle strength among construction workers - a randomized controlled intervention study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, Bibi; Holtermann, Andreas; Søgaard, Karen

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The combination of high physical work demands and low physical capacity has been shown to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the physical capacity of construction workers and evaluate the effect of individually...... tailored exercise programs on their physical fitness and muscular capacity. METHOD: The study was a randomized controlled trial of male constructions workers allocated to either an exercise or control group. The intervention lasted 12 weeks, and the exercise group trained 3 x 20 minutes a week....... The participants completed health checks before and after the intervention period. Data from the first health check were used to tailor the exercise in the interventions. RESULTS: At baseline, participants had maximal oxygen consumption (VO (2max)) of 2.9 [standard deviation (SD) 0.7L/min] and body mass index (BMI...

'EPRI tailored collaboration 2, Crystal River cost and volume reduction program'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genoa, P.H.

1995-01-01

During the fall of 1993. Florida Power Corporation joined the EPRI tailored collaboration on the low-level radioactive waste cost and volume reduction. In conjunction with an existing Radwaste Task Force, the EPRI team reviewed past and current waste management practices and developed a prioritized list of opportunities for improvement. In the first quarter of 1994, these opportunities were converted into Action Plans with responsibilities and due dates assigned to support a 60-day refueling outage beginning on April 7, 1994. The Action Plans focussed on: (1) Visible management support in the form of specific plant, department, and worker level radwaste reduction goals. (2) Heightened worker awareness in the form of training (formal and informal), signs, bulletins, and a radwaste awareness video. (3) Material changes from disposable to recyclables, non-incinerables to incinerables, liquid waste processing media replacements and filter use criteria. (4) Work practice changes to reduce valve leaks, reduce contaminated areas, reduce entries to contaminated areas, further segregation of waste streams including 'green is clean' wastes

Identifying Desistance Pathways in a Higher Education Program for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Runell, Lindsey Livingston

2017-06-01

The link between education and crime is a topic that requires special attention with respect to the converging influence of individual, social, and environmental factors. This article will investigate the educational pathways followed by students in a higher education program for formerly incarcerated individuals at a large state university in the northeastern United States. Specifically, it will explore the extent to which their postincarceration educational experiences served as a "hook for change" and also related impediments tied to street influences, financial constraints, stigma, academic and social development. Data were collected from a sample of 34 current and former students in the program, each of whom participated in a face-to-face interview. The higher education program played a key role in propelling the desistance process for research participants. This article will discuss how personal agency can be sustained through participation in higher education post release and the implications for future research on crime avoidance.

Internal quality control program for individual monitoring service

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Moura Junior, Jose; Patrao, Karla C.S. [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: claudia@ird.gov.br; moura@ird.gov.br; karla@ird.gov.br

2007-07-01

With a focus on continuous improvement, since 2002, a special internal procedure for following and checking the performance of our individual monitoring services has been implemented. A fictitious installation, named 'Fantasma' has been created, initially, with 4 film badges and 7 thermoluminescent dosimetric ring users. Since 2005, this quality control program includes also the albedo neutron individual monitoring service. Monthly, the 'Fantasma' test monitors are irradiated by traceable Cs-137 and Am-Be sources. The calibration quantities are: the photon dose equivalent (H{sub x}) for the photographic individual monitor, the maximum dose equivalent (MADE) for the albedo neutron individual monitor and the personal dose equivalent at 0.07 mm depth (H{sub p}(0.07)) for ring monitor. Up to now, all results show compliance with the specific trumpet curves acceptance limits. Once, a small sub-evaluation tendency has been noted and this information was used to improve the film system. For the photographic film system, the evaluated value to reference dose ratios range from 0.71 to 1.12, with a mean value of 0.91 {+-} 0.12. For the ring system, the ratio ranges from 0.69 to 1.40, with a mean value of 1.02 {+-} 0.07. For the neutron system, which presents intrinsic larger uncertainties, the ratio ranged from 0.67 to 1.88, with mean value of 1.16 {+-} 0.27. (author)

Work out by Walking: A Pilot Exercise Program for Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Julia; Penn, David L; Battaglini, Claudio L; Ludwig, Kelsey

2016-09-01

The health benefits of exercise are well documented, yet annual health care costs related to physical inactivity are well within the billions. Furthermore, individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are more likely to lead sedentary lives, exercise less than the general population, and die prematurely from preventable causes. Previous research examining the effects of exercise on individuals with SSDs has been encouraging yet limited in creating accessible and sustainable interventions. The current pilot study developed and evaluated the impact of Work out by Walking (WOW), a multicomponent group walking intervention on the health of 16 individuals with SSDs. Results indicated improvements in indicators of physical health, activity level, social support, and mental health and a high level of program satisfaction. Future research should examine multicomponent group walking programs for individuals with SSDs in larger samples and with the inclusion of a comparison condition.

Dose-tailoring of FEC adjuvant chemotherapy based on leukopenia is feasible and well tolerated. Toxicity and dose intensity in the Scandinavian Breast Group phase 3 adjuvant Trial SBG 2000-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edlund, Per; Ahlgren, Johan; Bjerre, Karsten

2011-01-01

The SBG 2000-1 trial is a randomised study that investigates if dose-tailored adjuvant FEC therapy based on the individual's leukocyte nadir value can improve outcome. The study has included 1535 women with medium and high-risk breast cancer.......The SBG 2000-1 trial is a randomised study that investigates if dose-tailored adjuvant FEC therapy based on the individual's leukocyte nadir value can improve outcome. The study has included 1535 women with medium and high-risk breast cancer....

Study protocol of a Dutch smoking cessation e-health program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bolman Catherine

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The study aims to test the differential effects of a web-based text and a web-based video-driven computer-tailored approach for lower socio-economic status (LSES and higher socio-economic status (HSES smokers which incorporate multiple computer-tailored feedback moments. The two programs differ only in the mode of delivery (video- versus text-based messages. The paper aims to describe the development and design of the two computer-tailored programs. Methods/design Respondents who smoked at the time of the study inclusion, who were motivated to quit within the following six months and who were aged 18 or older were included in the program. The study is a randomized control trial with a 2 (video/text * 2(LSES/HSES design. Respondents were assigned either to one of the intervention groups (text versus video tailored feedback or to the control group (non-tailored generic advice. In all three conditions participants were asked to fill in the baseline questionnaire based on the I-Change model. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographics, attitude towards smoking, knowledge, self-efficacy, social influence, depression, level of addiction, action planning, goal actions, intention to quit smoking, seven-day point prevalence and continued abstinence. Follow-up measurements were conducted at six and twelve months after baseline. Discussion The present paper describes the development of the two computer-tailored smoking cessation programs, their components and the design of the study. The study results reveal different working mechanisms of multiple tailored smoking cessation interventions and will help us to gain more insight into effective strategies to target different subgroups, especially smokers with a lower socio-economic status. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register NTR3102

Meaning of self-management from the perspective of individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury, their caregivers, and acute care and rehabilitation managers: an opportunity for improved care delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Munce, Sarah E P; Webster, Fiona; Fehlings, Michael G; Straus, Sharon E; Jang, Eunice; Jaglal, Susan B

2016-01-23

The trend of decreasing length of stay in rehabilitation facilities has led to individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) entering the community with unmet needs and fewer self-care skills to prevent secondary complications. The implementation of a self-management program for individuals with SCI for the management of these complex needs, including secondary complications, may be one option to fill these care gaps. A greater understanding of the meaning of self-management may facilitate the development of a tailored self-management program in this population. Thus, the current research aims to understand the meaning of self-management in traumatic SCI from the perspectives of individuals with traumatic SCI and their caregivers as well as acute care/trauma and rehabilitation managers. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 26 individuals with traumatic SCI, their family members/caregivers, and managers from acute care/trauma and rehabilitation centres. Inductive thematic analysis was applied. The meaning of self-management in SCI related to two overarching themes of internal and external responsibility attribution and revealed differences between the meaning of self-management in SCI among individuals with traumatic SCI and their caregivers versus managers. Overall, the meaning of self-management among the SCI and caregiver participants related principally to internal responsibility attribution. For the manager participants, the meaning of self-management was much narrower and the overarching theme of internal responsibility attribution that was observed among the SCI-caregiver dyads was not as widely expressed by this group. Interventions that are co-created by users and health care professionals are associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes. Thus, the understanding of self-management from these varying perspectives could be applied to the development of a tailored self

Stakeholder evaluation of an online program to promote physical activity and workplace safety for individuals with disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Nery-Hurwit, Mara; Kincl, Laurel; Driver, Simon; Heller, Brittany

2017-08-01

Individuals with disabilities face increasing health and employment disparities, including increased risk of morbidity and mortality and decreased earnings, occupational roles, and greater risk of injury at work. Thus, there is a need to improve workplace safety and health promotion efforts for people with disability. The purpose of this study was to obtain stakeholder feedback about an online program, Be Active, Work Safe, which was developed to increase the physical activity and workplace safety practices of individuals with disability. Eight stakeholders (content experts and individuals with disability) evaluated the 8-week online program and provided feedback on accessibility, usability, and content using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Stakeholders suggested changes to the organization, layout and accessibility, and content. This included making a stronger connection between the physical activity and workplace safety components of the program, broadening content to apply to individuals in different vocational fields, and reducing the number of participant assessments. Engaging stakeholders in the development of health promotion programs is critical to ensure the unique issues of the population are addressed and facilitate engagement in the program. Feedback provided by stakeholders improved the program and provided insight on barriers for adoption of the program. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The need for a culturally-tailored gatekeeper training intervention program in preventing suicide among Indigenous peoples: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bushra Farah Nasir

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Suicide is a leading cause of death among Indigenous youth worldwide. The aim of this literature review was to determine the cultural appropriateness and identify evidence for the effectiveness of current gatekeeper suicide prevention training programs within the international Indigenous community. Method Using a systematic strategy, relevant databases and targeted resources were searched using the following terms: ‘suicide’, ‘gatekeeper’, ‘training’, ‘suicide prevention training’, ‘suicide intervention training’ and ‘Indigenous’. Other internationally relevant descriptors for the keyword “Indigenous” (e.g. “Maori”, “First Nations”, “Native American”, “Inuit”, “Metis” and “Aboriginal” were also used. Results Six articles, comprising five studies, met criteria for inclusion; two Australian, two from USA and one Canadian. While pre and post follow up studies reported positive outcomes, this was not confirmed in the single randomised controlled trial identified. However, the randomised controlled trial may have been underpowered and contained participants who were at higher risk of suicide pre-training. Conclusion Uncontrolled evidence suggests that gatekeeper training may be a promising suicide intervention in Indigenous communities but needs to be culturally tailored to the target population. Further RCT evidence is required.

Context, confidentiality, and consent in tailored health communications: a cautionary note.

Science.gov (United States)

Orleans, C T

1999-01-01

This article highlights key contextual factors that emerge when the evolution of tailored health communications is viewed against the backdrop of dynamic changes in the nation's health care system--including the shift from fee-for-service medicine to managed care and the proliferation of direct-to-consumer and tailored marketing strategies in the pharmaceutical industry. It focuses on contextual variables with potential to significantly mediate the impact of personally tailored health advice--including those related to confidentiality, privacy, and informed consent and to the perceived aims, intents, and sources of tailored health messages. To protect the future of tailored health messages, more research attention must be given to defining these contextual factors and understanding the roles that they play and the ways in which they can be controlled to assure the best outcomes. Such research could point the way towards a set of empirical and ethical "best practices" based on a scientific understanding of how to maximize the benefits, and minimize the potential harms, of the widescale use of tailored health communications.

Analyzing best practices in employee health management: how age, sex, and program components relate to employee engagement and health outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, Paul E; Grossmeier, Jessica; Mangen, David J; Gingerich, Stefan B

2013-04-01

Examine the influence of employee health management (EHM) best practices on registration, participation, and health behavior change in telephone-based coaching programs. Individual health assessment data, EHM program data, and health coaching participation data were analyzed for associations with coaching program enrollment, active participation, and risk reduction. Multivariate analyses occurred at the individual (n = 205,672) and company levels (n = 55). Considerable differences were found in how age and sex impacted typical EHM evaluation metrics. Cash incentives for the health assessment were associated with more risk reduction for men than for women. Providing either a noncash or a benefits-integrated incentive for completing the health assessment, or a noncash incentive for lifestyle management, strengthened the relationship between age and risk reduction. In EHM programs, one size does not fit all. These results can help employers tailor engagement strategies for their specific population.

Implementation and Effectiveness of a Psychosocial Weight Management Program for Individuals with Schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Niv, Noosha; Cohen, Amy N.; Hamilton, Alison; Reist, Christopher; Young, Alexander S.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and BMI were assessed at baseline, 1 year later and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who were overweight or obese chose to enroll in the weight management program. Participants attended an average of 6.7 treatment sessions, lost an average of 2.4 pounds and had an average BMI decrease of 0.3. There was no significant change in weight or BMI compared to the control group. Intervention strategies that both improve utilization and yield greater weight loss need to be developed. PMID:22430566

Deep drawing simulations of tailored blanks and experimental verification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meinders, Vincent T.; van den Berg, Albert; Huetink, Han

2000-01-01

Tailored Blanks are increasingly used in the automotive industry. A combination of different materials, thickness, and coatings can be welded together to form a blank for stamping car body panels. The main advantage of using Tailored Blanks is to have specific characteristics at particular parts of

[The Effects of a Health Mentoring Program in Community-dwelling Vulnerable Elderly Individuals with Diabetes].

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Ki Wol; Kang, Hye Seung; Nam, Ji Ran; Park, Mi Kyung; Park, Ji Hyeon

2018-04-01

This study aimed to estimate the effects of a health mentoring program on fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, physical activity, self care behavior and social support changes among community-dwelling vulnerable elderly individuals with diabetes. A non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design was used. Participants were 70 community-dwelling vulnerable elderly individuals with diabetes. They were assigned to the experimental (n=30) or comparative (n=30) or control group (n=28). The experimental group participated in the health mentoring program, while the comparative group participated in health education program, the control group did not participate in any program. Data analyses involved a chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, a generalized linear model, and the Bonferroni correction, using SPSS 23.0. Compared to the control group, the experimental and comparative groups showed a significant decrease in fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride. Compared to the comparative and control groups, the experimental group showed significant improvement in self care behavior. However, there were no statistical differences in physical activity or social support among the three groups. These findings indicate that the health mentoring program is an effective intervention for community-dwelling vulnerable elderly individuals with diabetes. This program can be used as an efficient strategy for diabetes self-management within this population. © 2018 Korean Society of Nursing Science.

The use of a proactive dissemination strategy to optimize reach of an internet-delivered computer tailored lifestyle intervention

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The use of reactive strategies to disseminate effective Internet-delivered lifestyle interventions restricts their level of reach within the target population. This stresses the need to invest in proactive strategies to offer these interventions to the target population. The present study used a proactive strategy to increase reach of an Internet-delivered multi component computer tailored intervention, by embedding the intervention in an existing online health monitoring system of the Regional Public Health Services in the Netherlands. Methods The research population consisted of Dutch adults who were invited to participate in the Adult Health Monitor (N = 96,388) offered by the Regional Public Health Services. This Monitor consisted of an online or a written questionnaire. A prospective design was used to determine levels of reach, by focusing on actual participation in the lifestyle intervention. Furthermore, adequacy of reach among the target group was assessed by composing detailed profiles of intervention users. Participants’ characteristics, like demographics, behavioral and mental health status and quality of life, were included in the model as predictors. Results A total of 41,155 (43%) people participated in the Adult Health Monitor, of which 41% (n = 16,940) filled out the online version. More than half of the online participants indicated their interest (n = 9169; 54%) in the computer tailored intervention and 5168 participants (31%) actually participated in the Internet-delivered computer tailored intervention. Males, older respondents and individuals with a higher educational degree were significantly more likely to participate in the intervention. Furthermore, results indicated that especially participants with a relatively healthier lifestyle and a healthy BMI were likely to participate. Conclusions With one out of three online Adult Health Monitor participants actually participating in the computer tailored lifestyle

The use of a proactive dissemination strategy to optimize reach of an internet-delivered computer tailored lifestyle intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Francine; Schulz, Daniela N; Pouwels, Loes H L; de Vries, Hein; van Osch, Liesbeth A D M

2013-08-05

The use of reactive strategies to disseminate effective Internet-delivered lifestyle interventions restricts their level of reach within the target population. This stresses the need to invest in proactive strategies to offer these interventions to the target population. The present study used a proactive strategy to increase reach of an Internet-delivered multi component computer tailored intervention, by embedding the intervention in an existing online health monitoring system of the Regional Public Health Services in the Netherlands. The research population consisted of Dutch adults who were invited to participate in the Adult Health Monitor (N = 96,388) offered by the Regional Public Health Services. This Monitor consisted of an online or a written questionnaire. A prospective design was used to determine levels of reach, by focusing on actual participation in the lifestyle intervention. Furthermore, adequacy of reach among the target group was assessed by composing detailed profiles of intervention users. Participants' characteristics, like demographics, behavioral and mental health status and quality of life, were included in the model as predictors. A total of 41,155 (43%) people participated in the Adult Health Monitor, of which 41% (n = 16,940) filled out the online version. More than half of the online participants indicated their interest (n = 9169; 54%) in the computer tailored intervention and 5168 participants (31%) actually participated in the Internet-delivered computer tailored intervention. Males, older respondents and individuals with a higher educational degree were significantly more likely to participate in the intervention. Furthermore, results indicated that especially participants with a relatively healthier lifestyle and a healthy BMI were likely to participate. With one out of three online Adult Health Monitor participants actually participating in the computer tailored lifestyle intervention, the employed proactive

Metal flow of a tailor-welded blank in deep drawing process

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Qi; Guo, Ruiquan

2005-01-01

Tailor welded blanks were used in the automotive industry to consolidate parts, reduce weight, and increase safety. In recent years, this technology was developing rapidly in China. In Chinese car models, tailor welded blanks had been applied in a lot of automobile parts such as rail, door inner, bumper, floor panel, etc. Concerns on the properties of tailor welded blanks had become more and more important for automobile industry. A lot of research had shown that the strength of the welded seam was higher than that of the base metal, such that the weld failure in the aspect of strength was not a critical issue. However, formability of tailor welded blanks in the stamping process was complex. Among them, the metal flow of tailor welded blanks in the stamping process must be investigated thoroughly in order to reduce the scrap rate during the stamping process in automobile factories. In this paper, the behavior of metal flow for tailor welded blanks made by the laser welding process with two types of different thickness combinations were studied in the deep drawing process. Simulations and experiment verification of the movement of weld line for tailor welded blanks were discussed in detail. Results showed that the control on the movement of welded seam during stamping process by taking some measures in the aspect of blank holder was effective.

Textual healing: tailor-made kabbalistic therapeutics in Jerusalem.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmen-Carmeli, Shlomo; Sharabi, Asaf

2017-10-30

This paper, based on fieldwork conducted in a Jerusalem yeshiva, describes how the yeshiva, a traditional institute of religious studies, also serves as an institution of healing and personal therapy in which sacred religious texts assume a central place. The article focuses on personal sessions between the rabbi who heads the yeshiva, and his audience of believers who turn to him for help in coping with personal hardships and tribulations. The paper contextualizes and elaborates upon the concept of 'deep healing' to describe how the rabbi uses his regular 'tool kit' to diagnose the problems of the person facing him and to offer optimal, personalized therapy. The rabbi uses religious texts to create textual deep healing processes that are tailor-made for the individual supplicant and are intended to accompany supplicants for a long period of time.

[A therapeutic educational program in Parkinson's disease: ETPARK].

Science.gov (United States)

Ory Magne, F; Arcari, C; Canivet, C; Sarrail, M; Fabre, M H; Mohara, C; Brefel Courbon, C

2014-02-01

We developed a therapeutic educational program in Parkinson's disease (PD). The needs analysis for this program was performed through a survey involving 41 PD patients. This survey questionnaire was elaborated through the analysis of 395 patients' semi-directive interviews, performed in our specialized hospitalisation unit during explanation workshops between 2005 and 2007. We managed to design an educational program tailored to specificities of PD and according to the recommendations of the High Authority of Health in France (HAS). This program was based on individual sessions conducted by a nurse experienced in PD and trained in education. Collective workshops concerning specific themes such as physical therapy, communication, social supports, sleep disorders, stress management, therapies in PD could be proposed to volunteer patients and were performed by the nurse, a physiotherapist and a specialized practitioner. This program focused on skills structured in knowledge, expertise, and learning. It was intended for patients without any motor or cognitive severe impairment. We educated 231 patients between 2008 and 2012 individually and 113 in collective workshops. Patients had an interesting improvement in their self-esteem (6.2±1.4 before and 7.3±1.1 after one year of this educational program). This program has been validated by our regional medical agency and we performed a medico-economic study demonstrating a significant improvement in quality-of-life of educated patients without extra costs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

PLC/DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid X

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HORNER, T.M.

2001-01-01

This document describes the software programs for the Allen-Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic controller (PLC) and the Allen-Bradley DTAM PLUS operator interface module used on Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid ''X''. The software programs for the SLC 500 and DTAM Plus are based on the core programs provided by Allen-Bradley. The PLC and DTAM software programs on skid ''D'' for SX-104 are the baseline programs. These baselines will be tailored for each individual BY-farm skid. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) and an Operational Test Procedure (OTP) verify that the software programs meet the specific requirements for BY-105 pumping. This document represents the final PLC and DTAM programs for PIC skid ''X'' at BY-105. These programs were printed out after the performance of the OTP. The OTP acts as the final qualification test for the software programs. Functional requirements and details of the PLC ladder logic are described in this document. The final programs entered into the PLC and DTAM Plus are included as Appendices to this document

Aeroelastic tailoring of composite aircraft wings

Science.gov (United States)

Mihaila-Andres, Mihai; Larco, Ciprian; Rosu, Paul-Virgil; Rotaru, Constantin

2017-07-01

The need of a continuously increasing size and performance of aerospace structures has settled the composite materials as the preferred materials in aircraft structures. Apart from the clear capacity to reduce the structural weight and with it the manufacture cost and the fuel consumption while preserving proper airworthiness, the prospect of tailoring a structure using the unique directional stiffness properties of composite materials allows an aerospace engineer to optimize aircraft structures to achieve particular design objectives. This paper presents a brief review of what is known as the aeroelastic tailoring of airframes with the intent of understanding the evolution of this research topic and at the same time providing useful references for further studies.

RadSim: a program to simulate individual particle interactions for educational purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verhaegen, Frank; Palefsky, Steven; DeBlois, Francois

2006-01-01

A program was developed, RadSim, which can be used to simulate certain individual interactions of photons, electrons, positrons and alpha particles with a single atom for educational purposes. The program can be run in two modes: manual and simulated. In the manual mode, an individual particle undergoing a specified interaction with a target atom can be simulated, which essentially comes down to a graphical evaluation of kinematic equations. In the simulated mode, a preset number of identical particles are allowed to undergo a specified interaction type with a target atom. The exit channel of the interaction is sampled from probability distributions using Monte Carlo methods. The incoming and outgoing particles are visualized and the frequency distribution of the kinematic variables of the exit channel is displayed graphically. It has to be emphasized that RadSim was mainly developed for educational purposes. (note)

Individual effects of seasonal changes, visitor density, and concurrent bear behavior on stereotypical behaviors in captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus).

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Krista R; Harrison, Michelle L; Size, Daniele D; MacDonald, Suzanne E

2015-01-01

Stereotypical behaviors in captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus) can be detrimental to their welfare. These behaviors can be reduced through enrichment programs but are often not completely eliminated, so identifying potential triggers is important. The present study investigated the influences of seasonal changes, visitor density, and concurrent bear activity on stereotypical behaviors exhibited by 3 captive polar bears at the Toronto Zoo. All bears exhibited these behaviors; however, individual differences were found in duration and form. The male exhibited less stereotypical behavior during spring, and the females exhibited less stereotypical behavior during winter. An increase in visitor density was associated with more stereotypical behavior in 1 female but less stereotypical behavior in the other 2 bears. All bears engaged in more stereotypical behaviors when the other bears were inactive, and 1 female engaged in more stereotypical behaviors when the other bears were out of sight. Further, when conspecifics were active, all bears engaged in less stereotypical behaviors. Given the variability among individual bears, future enrichment programs must be tailored to the needs of individuals to maximize efficacy.

Shape-Tailored Features and their Application to Texture Segmentation

KAUST Repository

Khan, Naeemullah

2014-04-01

Texture Segmentation is one of the most challenging areas of computer vision. One reason for this difficulty is the huge variety and variability of textures occurring in real world, making it very difficult to quantitatively study textures. One of the key tools used for texture segmentation is local invariant descriptors. Texture consists of textons, the basic building block of textures, that may vary by small nuisances like illumination variation, deformations, and noise. Local invariant descriptors are robust to these nuisances making them beneficial for texture segmentation. However, grouping dense descriptors directly for segmentation presents a problem: existing descriptors aggregate data from neighborhoods that may contain different textured regions, making descriptors from these neighborhoods difficult to group, leading to significant errors in segmentation. This work addresses this issue by proposing dense local descriptors, called Shape-Tailored Features, which are tailored to an arbitrarily shaped region, aggregating data only within the region of interest. Since the segmentation, i.e., the regions, are not known a-priori, we propose a joint problem for Shape-Tailored Features and the regions. We present a framework based on variational methods. Extensive experiments on a new large texture dataset, which we introduce, show that the joint approach with Shape-Tailored Features leads to better segmentations over the non-joint non Shape-Tailored approach, and the method out-performs existing state-of-the-art.

Individualized Education Programs for Students with Autism: Including Parents in the Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Richard L.

1995-01-01

The involvement of parents in developing individualized education programs (IEPs) for their children with autism is discussed. Essential components of IEP documents are outlined, and strategies that professionals can use to promote significant family involvement are considered. (Author/SW)

Development of a computer-tailored nutrition and physical activity intervention for lower-educated women of Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan origin using content matching and ethnic identity tailoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Romeike

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Unhealthy dietary and physical activity (PA patterns are highly prevalent in most Western countries, especially among lower-educated and ethnic minority groups. Therefore, interventions to promote healthy eating and physical activity that can reach large numbers of lower-educated people are needed. When developing interventions, the ethnic diversity of the lower-educated population may be taken into account to make intervention material more appealing to the target group. This article describes the development and evaluation of two computer-tailored nutrition and physical activity interventions for lower-educated Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan women. One version is tailored to sociocognitive variables (traditional tailoring, while the other is additionally tailored to ethnic identity (EI-tailoring. Method Using intervention mapping, two evidence- and theory-based interventions were developed. In the traditional tailoring intervention, messages are tailored to health behavior, awareness of own behavior, attitude and self-efficacy. The behavior change techniques used to address these factors are: descriptive and evaluative feedback, arguments, modeling, goal setting, planning, barrier identification and advice on how to deal with barriers, stimulating resistance to social pressure, mobilization of social support (nontailored, active learning (nontailored and iterative feedback. In the EI-tailoring intervention, the material is additionally tailored to ethnic identity (EI. This means that recipients who feel strongly attached to their ethnic background receive different intervention material than recipients with a weak attachment to their background. This includes, for instance, the use of more traditional colors, role models that match with their origin and advice messages that refer to their ethnicity of origin. Discussion Developing an intervention that matches the needs of this specific target population was challenging due to

Building Tailorable Hypermedia Systems: The embedded-interpreter approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Kaj; Malhotra, Jawahar

1994-01-01

This paper discusses an approach for developing dynamically tailorable hypermedia systems in an object-oriented environment. The approach is aimed at making applications developed in compiled languages like Beta and C++ tailorable at run-time. The approach is based on use of: 1) a hypermedia...... application framework (DEVISE Hyper-media), and 2) an embeddable interpreter for the framework language. A specific hypermedia system is instantiated from the framework with the interpreter embedded in the executable. The specific hypermedia system has a number of “open points” which can be filled via......-type. The paper describes the framework and illustrates how the interpreter is integrated. It describes steps involved in tailoring a specific hypermedia system with a new drawing media-type, where graphical objects can be endpoints for links. Since the hypermedia framework uses a persistent object...

LPWA using supersonic gas jet with tailored density profile

Science.gov (United States)

Kononenko, O.; Bohlen, S.; Dale, J.; D'Arcy, R.; Dinter, M.; Erbe, J. H.; Indorf, G.; di Lucchio, L.; Goldberg, L.; Gruse, J. N.; Karstensen, S.; Libov, V.; Ludwig, K.; Martinez de La Ossa, A.; Marutzky, F.; Niroula, A.; Osterhoff, J.; Quast, M.; Schaper, L.; Schwinkendorf, J.-P.; Streeter, M.; Tauscher, G.; Weichert, S.; Palmer, C.; Horbatiuk, Taras

2016-10-01

Laser driven plasma wakefield accelerators have been explored as a potential compact, reproducible source of relativistic electron bunches, utilising an electric field of many GV/m. Control over injection of electrons into the wakefield is of crucial importance in producing stable, mono-energetic electron bunches. Density tailoring of the target, to control the acceleration process, can also be used to improve the quality of the bunch. By using gas jets to provide tailored targets it is possible to provide good access for plasma diagnostics while also producing sharp density gradients for density down-ramp injection. OpenFOAM hydrodynamic simulations were used to investigate the possibility of producing tailored density targets in a supersonic gas jet. Particle-in-cell simulations of the resulting density profiles modelled the effect of the tailored density on the properties of the accelerated electron bunch. Here, we present the simulation results together with preliminary experimental measurements of electron and x-ray properties from LPWA experiments using gas jet targets and a 25 TW, 25 fs Ti:Sa laser system at DESY.

Individualized Education Program (IEP Mata Pelajaran Kimia untuk Siswa Slow Learner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rovik Rovik

2017-06-01

[Siswa slow learner menempati populasi tertinggi untuk siswa berkebutuhan khusus. Sebagai salah satu jenis learning disability, slow learner masih dapat belajar dengan teman sebayanya asalkan guru mempersiapkan program pembelajaran khusus yang telah dimodifikasi dari pembelajaran reguler. Program ini disebut Individualized Education Program (IEP. Penelitian ini mencoba mengembangkan IEP mata pelajaran kimia untuk slow learner, mengidentifikasi komponen yang dibutuhkan dalam menyusun IEP untuk slow learner, dan menganalisis judgement reviewers (guru kimia dan guru pendamping khusus dan peer reviewers terhadap IEP yang dikembangkan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan slow learner membutuhkan IEP sebagai dokumen utama panduan guru dalam pembelajaran kimia di kelas. Komponen pengembangan IEP meliputi identitas peserta didik, tim pengembangan dan pelaksana, asesmen yang pernah dilakukan, hambatan dan kekuatan, kebutuhan dan perlakuan, faktor pendukung dan penghambat, rencana perlakuan, dan modifikasi terhadap perangkat pembelajaran kimia reguler

Targeted individual exercise programmes for older medical patients are feasible, and may change hospital and patient outcomes: a service improvement project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Susie

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this project was primarily to assess the feasibility of individual exercise programs for older hospitalised patients at risk of functional decline, and secondarily to evaluate impact on discharge outcomes. Methods Design: Cohort service improvement project Setting: 500 bed acute metropolitan hospital Subjects: Patients aged 70 and older admitted to Flinders Medical Centre under the general medical, aged care and respiratory units from June to November 2006, at intermediate or high risk of functional decline, and able to commence exercise within 48 hours of admission Intervention: Functional Maintenance Program (FMP; an individually tailored exercise program to maintain functional mobility, prescribed and progressed by a physiotherapist, and supervised by an Allied Health Assistant (AHA, provided in addition to usual physiotherapy care Outcome measures: Feasibility (number of admissions suitable, commencing and complying with FMP. Impact (length of hospital stay (LOS, Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT referrals and approvals, hospital readmissions within 28 days, and functional mobility (Elderly Mobility Scale Data Analysis: Descriptive and logistic regression analysis Results Of 1021 admissions of patients aged 70 or older to general medical, aged care and respiratory units, 22% (n = 220 were identified within 48 hours as suitable for FMP: 196 (89% commenced FMP within 48 hours of admission (FMP patients; 24 (11% received usual physiotherapy (usual care patients. Feasibility of individually tailored exercise programs for older medical patients was supported by high uptake (89%, low withdrawal (17% shown by those who commenced FMP, and good compliance with exercise sessions (70%. Logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant decreased likelihood of referral for nursing home admission (OR = 0.228, 95% CI 0.088–0.587 and decreased likelihood of approval for admission to residential care (OR = 0

78 FR 39271 - Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials Program for Individuals...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials...: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials Program for Individuals with Disabilities--Center on Technology... Description Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for...

Addressing medication nonadherence by mobile phone: development and delivery of tailored messages.

Science.gov (United States)

Gatwood, Justin; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Erickson, Steven R; An, Lawrence C; Piette, John D; Farris, Karen B

2014-01-01

Medication nonadherence remains a significant public health problem, and efforts to improve adherence have shown only limited impact. The tailoring of messages has become a popular method of developing communication to influence specific health-related behaviors but the development and impact of tailored text messages on medication use is poorly understood. The aim of this paper is to describe an approach to developing theory-based tailored messages for delivery via mobile phone to improve medication adherence among patients with diabetes. Kreuter's five-step tailoring process was followed to create tailored messages for mobile phone delivery. Two focus group sessions, using input from 11 people, and expert review of message content were used to adapt the survey instrument on which the messages were tailored and edit the developed messages for the target population. Following established tailoring methods a library of 168 theory-driven and 128 medication-specific tailored messages were developed and formatted for automated delivery to mobile phones. Concepts from the Health Belief Model and Self-Determination Theory were used to craft the messages and an algorithm was applied to determine the order and timing of messages with the aim of progressively influencing disease and treatment-related beliefs driving adherence to diabetes medication. The process described may be applied to future investigations aiming to improve medication adherence in patients with diabetes and the effectiveness of the current messages will be tested in a planned analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tailored information about cancer risk and screening: a systematic review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albada, A.; Ausems, M.G.E.M.; Bensing, J.M.; Dulmen, S. van

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To study interventions that provide people with information about cancer risk and about screening that is tailored to their personal characteristics. We assess the tailoring characteristics, theory base and effects on risk perception, knowledge and screening behavior of these

[Medical treatment of breast cancer: chemotherapy and tailored therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Dalenc, Florence

2013-12-01

The utility of adjuvant chemotherapy is clearly demonstrated because she significantly improved relapse and mortality. Globally, we report a one-third breast cancer mortality reduction. Nevertheless, the absolute or individual benefit is uncertain and the final decision depends on benefit-risk balance, integrating tumor biologic characteristics and comorbidities. The most effective regimen must contain an anthracycline and a taxane. This regimen must be proposed if chemotherapy indication is considered: this concerns the majority of triple-negative and HER2-positive cancer For hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer, the decision of adjuvant or not (in addition to hormonal therapy) is most difficult, particularly for grade 2 tumors. The trastuzumab is an essential treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer, because this tailored therapy has considerably improved the prognosis.

Design and results of a culturally tailored cancer outreach project by and for Micronesian women.

Science.gov (United States)

Aitaoto, Nia; Braun, Kathryn L; Estrella, Julia; Epeluk, Aritae; Tsark, JoAnn

2012-01-01

In 2005, approximately 26% of Micronesian women aged 40 or older in Hawai'i used mammography for breast cancer screening. We describe an 18-month project to increase screening participation in this population by tailoring educational materials and using a lay educator approach. New immigrants to Hawai'i are Marshallese from the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Chuukese, Pohnpeians, and Kosraeans from the Federated States of Micronesia. In Hawai'i, these 4 groups refer to themselves collectively as Micronesians, although each group has its own distinct culture and language. From 2006 through 2007, we applied principles of community-based participatory research--trust building, joint assessment, cultural tailoring of materials, and skills transfer--to develop and track the reach of Micronesian women lay educators in implementing a cancer awareness program among Micronesian women living in Hawai'i. Using our tailored in-language materials, 11 lay educators (5 Chuukese, 3 Marshallese, 2 Pohnpeians, and 1 Kosraean) provided one-on-one and small group in-language cancer information sessions to 567 Micronesian women (aged 18-75 years). Among the 202 women aged 40 or older eligible for mammography screening, 166 (82%) had never had a mammogram and were assisted to screening appointments. After 6 months, 146 (88%) of the 166 had received a mammogram, increasing compliance from 18% to 90%. Lay educators reported increases in their skills and their self-esteem and want to extend their skills to other health issues, including diabetes management and immunization. Tailoring materials and using the lay educator model successfully increased participation in breast cancer screening. This model may work in other communities that aim to reduce disparities in access to cancer screening.

Effectiveness of a Video-Versus Text-Based Computer-Tailored Intervention for Obesity Prevention after One Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kei Long Cheung

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Computer-tailored programs may help to prevent overweight and obesity, which are worldwide public health problems. This study investigated (1 the 12-month effectiveness of a video- and text-based computer-tailored intervention on energy intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI, and (2 the role of educational level in intervention effects. A randomized controlled trial in The Netherlands was conducted, in which adults were allocated to a video-based condition, text-based condition, or control condition, with baseline, 6 months, and 12 months follow-up. Outcome variables were self-reported BMI, physical activity, and energy intake. Mixed-effects modelling was used to investigate intervention effects and potential interaction effects. Compared to the control group, the video intervention group was effective regarding energy intake after 6 months (least squares means (LSM difference = −205.40, p = 0.00 and 12 months (LSM difference = −128.14, p = 0.03. Only video intervention resulted in lower average daily energy intake after one year (d = 0.12. Educational role and BMI did not seem to interact with this effect. No intervention effects on BMI and physical activity were found. The video computer-tailored intervention was effective on energy intake after one year. This effect was not dependent on educational levels or BMI categories, suggesting that video tailoring can be effective for a broad range of risk groups and may be preferred over text tailoring.

Effectiveness of a Video-Versus Text-Based Computer-Tailored Intervention for Obesity Prevention after One Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Kei Long; Schwabe, Inga; Walthouwer, Michel J. L.; Oenema, Anke; de Vries, Hein

2017-01-01

Computer-tailored programs may help to prevent overweight and obesity, which are worldwide public health problems. This study investigated (1) the 12-month effectiveness of a video- and text-based computer-tailored intervention on energy intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI), and (2) the role of educational level in intervention effects. A randomized controlled trial in The Netherlands was conducted, in which adults were allocated to a video-based condition, text-based condition, or control condition, with baseline, 6 months, and 12 months follow-up. Outcome variables were self-reported BMI, physical activity, and energy intake. Mixed-effects modelling was used to investigate intervention effects and potential interaction effects. Compared to the control group, the video intervention group was effective regarding energy intake after 6 months (least squares means (LSM) difference = −205.40, p = 0.00) and 12 months (LSM difference = −128.14, p = 0.03). Only video intervention resulted in lower average daily energy intake after one year (d = 0.12). Educational role and BMI did not seem to interact with this effect. No intervention effects on BMI and physical activity were found. The video computer-tailored intervention was effective on energy intake after one year. This effect was not dependent on educational levels or BMI categories, suggesting that video tailoring can be effective for a broad range of risk groups and may be preferred over text tailoring. PMID:29065545

Individual radiosensitivity and its relevance to health physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnarr, K.; Dayes, I.; Sathya, J.; Boreham, D.

2006-01-01

Full text: In the radiation protection industry, dose limits are developed to keep the workers safe. These limits assume that people have equal responses to ionizing radiation and that there is no variation in radiation risk. In radiotherapy, where patients receive large doses of radiation to their tumours and the surrounding tissue volume, 5-10% of individuals are sensitive to the treatment (adverse reactions). A radiation sensitive individual may have increased toxicity in the tissue around the tumour. This can result in necrosis, loss of organ function or even death. The cause of this sensitivity is only speculative. We postulate that this variation is due to the individual's intrinsic cellular response to radiation. Therefore, this systemic predisposition results in a lack of ability for damaged cells to be eliminated properly or repaired and consequently causes an adverse reaction. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for radiation protection practices, since these radiosensitive individuals may also be at increased risk to high occupational or medical exposures. We have investigated individual radiosensitivity using a number of different biological endpoints. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, was measured in human lymphocytes after receiving in vitro doses of 0, 2, 4, and 8Gy. At high doses (8Gy), radiation induced apoptosis showed a wide range of responses (mean = 34% apoptosis, o = 8.2) with z-scores ranging from -1.5 to 2.4. Low dose responses (mGy range) were also studied measuring apoptosis, DNA double strand break induction and repair in human lymphocytes exposed in vivo when patients a whole body radiation dose during diagnostic PET scans. The results showed varied individual responses and indicates that individuals may be at increased risk due to differences in DNA repair capabilities. Being able to measure radiation sensitivity would allow the radiation protection industry to tailor dose limits to an individual, reducing risk to the worker

Optimization of current waveform tailoring for magnetically driven isentropic compression experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waisman, E. M.; Reisman, D. B.; Stoltzfus, B. S.; Stygar, W. A.; Cuneo, M. E.; Haill, T. A.; Davis, J.-P.; Brown, J. L.; Seagle, C. T. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Spielman, R. B. [Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho 83201 (United States)

2016-06-15

The Thor pulsed power generator is being developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The design consists of up to 288 decoupled and transit time isolated capacitor-switch units, called “bricks,” that can be individually triggered to achieve a high degree of pulse tailoring for magnetically driven isentropic compression experiments (ICE) [D. B. Reisman et al., Phys. Rev. Spec. Top.–Accel. Beams 18, 090401 (2015)]. The connecting transmission lines are impedance matched to the bricks, allowing the capacitor energy to be efficiently delivered to an ICE strip-line load with peak pressures of over 100 GPa. Thor will drive experiments to explore equation of state, material strength, and phase transition properties of a wide variety of materials. We present an optimization process for producing tailored current pulses, a requirement for many material studies, on the Thor generator. This technique, which is unique to the novel “current-adder” architecture used by Thor, entirely avoids the iterative use of complex circuit models to converge to the desired electrical pulse. We begin with magnetohydrodynamic simulations for a given material to determine its time dependent pressure and thus the desired strip-line load current and voltage. Because the bricks are connected to a central power flow section through transit-time isolated coaxial cables of constant impedance, the brick forward-going pulses are independent of each other. We observe that the desired equivalent forward-going current driving the pulse must be equal to the sum of the individual brick forward-going currents. We find a set of optimal brick delay times by requiring that the L{sub 2} norm of the difference between the brick-sum current and the desired forward-going current be a minimum. We describe the optimization procedure for the Thor design and show results for various materials of interest.

Using assessment to individualize early mathematics instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Carol McDonald; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Kurz, Terri; Crowe, Elizabeth C; Tighe, Elizabeth L; Wood, Taffeta S; Morrison, Frederick J

2018-02-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that assessment-informed personalized instruction, tailored to students' individual skills and abilities, is more effective than more one-size-fits-all approaches. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of Individualizing Student Instruction in Mathematics (ISI-Math) compared to Reading (ISI-Reading) where classrooms were randomly assigned to ISI-Math or ISI-Reading. The literature on child characteristics X instruction or skill X treatment interaction effects point to the complexities of tailoring instruction for individual students who present with constellations of skills. Second graders received mathematics instruction in small flexible learning groups based on their assessed learning needs. Results of the study (n=32 teachers, 370 students) revealed significant treatment effects on standardized mathematics assessments. With effect sizes (d) of 0.41-0.60, we show that we can significantly improve 2nd graders' mathematics achievement, including for children living in poverty, by using assessment data to individualize the mathematics instruction they receive. The instructional regime, ISI-Math, was implemented by regular classroom teachers and it led to about a 4-month achievement advantage on standardized mathematics tests when compared to students in control classrooms. These results were realized within one school year. Moreover, treatment effects were the same regardless of school-level poverty and students' gender, initial mathematics or vocabulary scores. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a tailored intervention to improve cardiovascular risk management in primary care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Huntink, Elke; Heijmans, Naomi; Wensing, Michel; van Lieshout, Jan

2013-12-17

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important worldwide cause of mortality. In The Netherlands, CVD is the leading cause of death for women and the second cause of death for men. Recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of CVD are not well implemented in primary care. In this study, we aim to examine the effectiveness of a tailored implementation program targeted at practice nurses to improve healthcare for patients with (high risk for) CVD. A two-arm cluster randomized trial is planned. We offer practice nurses a tailored program to improve adherence to six specific recommendations related to blood pressure and cholesterol target values, risk profiling and lifestyle advice. Practice nurses are offered training and feedback on their motivational interviewing technique and an e-learning program on cardiovascular risk management (CVRM). They are also advised to screen for the presence and severity of depressive symptoms in patients. We also advise practice nurses to use selected E-health options (selected websites and Twitter-consult) in patients without symptoms of depression. Patients with mild depressive symptoms are referred to a physical exercise group. We recommend referring patients with major depressive symptoms for assessment and treatment of depressive symptoms if appropriate before starting CVRM. Data from 900 patients at high risk of CVD or with established CVD will be collected in 30 general practices in several geographical areas in The Netherlands. The primary outcome measure is performance of practice nurses in CVRM and reflects application of recommendations for personalized counselling and education of CVRM patients. Patients' health-related lifestyles (physical exercise, diet and smoking status) will be measured with validated questionnaires and medical record audit will be performed to document estimated CVD risk. Additionally, we will survey and interview participating healthcare professionals for exploration of processes of change. The control

Effectiveness of individualized fall prevention program in geriatric rehabilitation hospital setting: a cluster randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Aizen, Efraim; Lutsyk, Galina; Wainer, Lea; Carmeli, Sarit

2015-10-01

There is no conclusive evidence that hospital fall prevention programs can reduce the number of falls. We aimed to investigate the effect of a targeted individualized falls prevention program in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital. This was a two-stage cluster-controlled trial carried out in five geriatric rehabilitation wards. Participants were 752 patients with mean age 83.2 years. The intervention was a two-phase targeted intervention falls prevention program. The intervention included an assessment of patient's risk by a risk assessment tool and an individual management that includes medical, behavioral, cognitive and environmental modifications. Patients with moderate risk received additionally orientation guidance, and mobility restriction. Patients determined as high risk were additionally placed under permanent personal supervision. Outcome measures were falls during hospital stay. In both stages of the trial, intervention and control wards were almost similar at baseline for individual patient characteristics. Overall, 37 falls occurred during the study. No significant difference was found in fall rates during follow-up between intervention and control wards: 1.306 falls per 1000 bed days in the intervention groups and 1.763-1.826 falls per 1000 bed days in the control groups. The adjusted hazard ratio for falls in the intervention groups was 1.36 (95 % confidence interval 0.89-1.77) (P = 0.08) in the first stage and 1.27 (95 % confidence interval 0.92-1.67) (P = 0.12) in the second stage. These results suggest that in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital a targeted individualized intervention falls prevention program is not effective in reducing falls.

Double-tailored nonimaging reflector optics for maximum-performance solar concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Alex; Gordon, Jeffrey M

2010-09-01

A nonimaging strategy that tailors two mirror contours for concentration near the étendue limit is explored, prompted by solar applications where a sizable gap between the optic and absorber is required. Subtle limitations of this simultaneous multiple surface method approach are derived, rooted in the manner in which phase space boundaries can be tailored according to the edge-ray principle. The fundamental categories of double-tailored reflective optics are identified, only a minority of which can pragmatically offer maximum concentration at high collection efficiency. Illustrative examples confirm that acceptance half-angles as large as 30 mrad can be realized at a flux concentration of approximately 1000.

Barriers to Full Participation in the Individualized Education Program for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Tamzarian, Arpi; Menzies, Holly M.; Ricci, Leila

2012-01-01

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates that schools facilitate parent participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). However, culturally and linguistically diverse parents are less likely to feel fully included in the IEP process. In this article we examine three sources of cross-cultural…

Effects of a web-based tailored multiple-lifestyle intervention for adults: a two-year randomized controlled trial comparing sequential and simultaneous delivery modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Daniela N; Kremers, Stef P J; Vandelanotte, Corneel; van Adrichem, Mathieu J G; Schneider, Francine; Candel, Math J J M; de Vries, Hein

2014-01-27

Web-based computer-tailored interventions for multiple health behaviors can have a significant public health impact. Yet, few randomized controlled trials have tested this assumption. The objective of this paper was to test the effects of a sequential and simultaneous Web-based tailored intervention on multiple lifestyle behaviors. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 3 tailoring conditions (ie, sequential, simultaneous, and control conditions) in the Netherlands in 2009-2012. Follow-up measurements took place after 12 and 24 months. The intervention content was based on the I-Change model. In a health risk appraisal, all respondents (N=5055) received feedback on their lifestyle behaviors that indicated whether they complied with the Dutch guidelines for physical activity, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption, alcohol intake, and smoking. Participants in the sequential (n=1736) and simultaneous (n=1638) conditions received tailored motivational feedback to change unhealthy behaviors one at a time (sequential) or all at the same time (simultaneous). Mixed model analyses were performed as primary analyses; regression analyses were done as sensitivity analyses. An overall risk score was used as outcome measure, then effects on the 5 individual lifestyle behaviors were assessed and a process evaluation was performed regarding exposure to and appreciation of the intervention. Both tailoring strategies were associated with small self-reported behavioral changes. The sequential condition had the most significant effects compared to the control condition after 12 months (T1, effect size=0.28). After 24 months (T2), the simultaneous condition was most effective (effect size=0.18). All 5 individual lifestyle behaviors changed over time, but few effects differed significantly between the conditions. At both follow-ups, the sequential condition had significant changes in smoking abstinence compared to the simultaneous condition (T1 effect size=0.31; T2 effect

Effects of an exercise program in individuals with chronic low back pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurice Zanini

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Low back pain is a major cause of medical appointments, work disability and hospitalization. Aim: To measure changes in back pain scores and spinal functional capacity in individuals with low back pain after an exercise program. Methods: Non-randomized controlled trial of 40 participants (20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. Patients from both groups were evaluated before and after the program. The program consisted of flexibility training using joint mobilization and stretching exercises for the upper and lower limbs and back, as well as strength training for the abdominal muscles and hamstrings. Participants in the control group did not receive any exercise-related interventions, only medical care. Results: the experimental group showed significant improvements in pain score (P

The Master's program in Advanced Optical Technologies: an interdisciplinary, international and individual approach

Science.gov (United States)

Großmann, Jürgen; Schmauss, Bernhard

2017-08-01

The Master's Program in Advanced Optical Technologies (MAOT) was established at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in 2007 as part of the Elite Network of Bavaria (ENB), an initiative by the Bavarian State Government comprising about 40 elite Master's programs and doctoral programs. MAOT can be studied after a Bachelor in physics or an engineering subject. The Master's program realizes an innovative concept combining three core elements: (1) Interdisciplinarity: The program integrates courses and researchers from five engineering subjects and from physics. The degree of interdisciplinarity goes far beyond traditional programs. (2) Internationality: The program is taught entirely in English and special support is given to international students. (3). Individuality: The course curriculum was adapted at several points based on the experience in the initial years. The same is true for the way in which international students are supported and the type of support they need. The students are given an unusually high degree of freedom to develop an individual curriculum and to pursue research projects. Crucial experience and lessons learned are: (1) Lecturers and researchers have to be coordinated and the perspectives of the different disciplines have to be integrated within one program. Students must be guided in order to deal with the demands and challenges of the different disciplines. (2) International students need support with settling in Germany and with learning and working in a German cultural environment. They need support with administrative issues. Furthermore, they need to analyze and understand cultural differences and how they impact on the cooperation between lecturers and students and on the work in research groups. (3) Students must be helped to develop their own curriculum. They must learn how to combine their first-degree qualification with the specialized qualification which they gain after completing their Master's program. They

A pilot study of an online workplace nutrition program: the value of participant input in program development.

Science.gov (United States)

Cousineau, Tara; Houle, Brian; Bromberg, Jonas; Fernandez, Kathrine C; Kling, Whitney C

2008-01-01

Tailored nutrition Web programs constitute an emerging trend in obesity prevention. Initial investment in innovative technology necessitates that the target population be well understood. This pilot study's purpose was to determine the feasibility of a workplace nutrition Web program. Formative research was conducted with gaming industry employees and benefits managers to develop a consensus on workplace-specific nutrition needs. A demonstration Web program was piloted with stakeholders to determine feasibility. Indiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Jersey gaming establishments. 86 employees, 18 benefits managers. Prototype Web program. Concept mapping; 16-item nutrition knowledge test; satisfaction. Concept mapping was used to aggregate importance ratings on programmatic content, which informed Web program curriculum. Chi-square tests were performed postintervention to determine knowledge improvement. (1) Employees and benefits managers exhibited moderate agreement about content priorities for the program (r = 0.48). (2) There was a significant increase in employees' nutrition knowledge scores postintervention (t = 7.16, df = 36, P benefit managers do not necessarily agree on the priority of nutrition-related content, suggesting a need for programs to appeal to various stakeholders. Computer-based approaches can address various stakeholder health concerns via tailored, customized programming.

Satisfaction with Individualized Education Programs among Parents of Young Children with ASD

Science.gov (United States)

Slade, Nicole; Eisenhower, Abbey; Carter, Alice S.; Blacher, Jan

2018-01-01

We examined parents' satisfaction with multiple aspects of their children's individualized education programs (IEPs). Parents (n = 142) raising children ages 4 to 8 years old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reported their satisfaction with four aspects of their children's IEPs: (a) content of the IEP document, (b) services provided, (c)…

Effectiveness of an individual, online e-learning program about sexually transmitted infections: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bos-Bonnie, Linda H A; van Bergen, Jan E A M; Te Pas, Ellen; Kijser, Michael A; van Dijk, Nynke

2017-04-24

Primary health-care professionals play an important role in the treatment and prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). Continuing Medical Education (CME)-courses can influence the knowledge and behavior of health-care professionals concerning STI. We performed a prospective cohort study to evaluate if the individual and online e-learning program "The STI-consultation", which uses the Commitment-to-Change (CtC)-method, is able to improve the knowledge, attitude and behavior of Dutch General Practitioners (GPs), concerning the STI-consultation. This e-learning program is an individual, accredited, online CME-program, which is freely available for all GPs and GP-trainees in the Netherlands. In total 2192 participants completed the questionnaire before completing the e-learning program and 249 participants completed the follow-up questionnaire after completing the e-learning program. The effect of the program on their knowledge, attitude and behavior concerning the STI-consultation was evaluated. In total 193 participants formulated 601 learning points that matched the learning objectives of the program. The knowledge and attitude of the participants improved, which persisted up to two years after completing the program. Another 179 participants formulated a total of 261 intended changes concerning the sexual history taking, additional investigation and treatment of STI, 97.2% of these changes was partially or fully implemented in daily practice. Also, 114 participants formulated a total of 180 "unintended" changes in daily practice. These changes concerned the attitude of participants towards STI and the working conditions concerning the STI-consultation. The individual, online e-learning program "The STI-consultation", which uses the CtC-method, has a small but lasting, positive effect on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of GPs concerning the STI-consultation.

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Y.C. [Square Y, Orchard Park, NY (United States); Chen, S.Y.; LePoire, D.J. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Assessment and Information Sciences Div.; Rothman, R. [USDOE Idaho Field Office, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1993-02-01

This report presents the technical details of RISIUND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, semiinteractive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer. The program language is FORTRAN-77. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incidentfree models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionudide inventory and dose conversion factors.

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Y.C.; Chen, S.Y.; LePoire, D.J.

1993-02-01

This report presents the technical details of RISIUND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, semiinteractive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer. The program language is FORTRAN-77. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incidentfree models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionudide inventory and dose conversion factors

Patients' Perceptions of an Exercise Program Delivered Following Discharge From Hospital After Critical Illness (the Revive Trial).

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Kathryn; Bradley, Judy M; McAuley, Daniel F; Blackwood, Bronagh; O'Neill, Brenda

2017-01-01

The REVIVE randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the effectiveness of an individually tailored (personalized) exercise program for patients discharged from hospital after critical illness. By including qualitative methods, we aimed to explore patients' perceptions of engaging in the exercise program. Patients were recruited from general intensive care units in 6 hospitals in Northern Ireland. Patients allocated to the exercise intervention group were invited to participate in this qualitative study. Independent semistructured interviews were conducted at 6 months after randomization. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and content analysis used to explore themes arising from the data. Of 30 patients allocated to the exercise group, 21 completed the interviews. Patients provided insight into the physical and mental sequelae they experienced following critical illness. There was a strong sense of patients' need for the exercise program and its importance for their recovery following discharge home. Key facilitators of the intervention included supervision, tailoring of the exercises to personal needs, and the exercise manual. Barriers included poor mental health, existing physical limitations, and lack of motivation. Patients' views of outcome measures in the REVIVE RCT varied. Many patients were unsure about what would be the best way of measuring how the program affected their health. This qualitative study adds an important perspective on patients' attitude to an exercise intervention following recovery from critical illness, and provides insight into the potential facilitators and barriers to delivery of the program and how programs should be evolved for future trials.

The importance of using evidence-based e-health smoking cessation programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hein De Vries

2016-03-01

Full Text Available eHealth programs have become very popular to help people to quit smoking. Yet, the efficacy of eHealth programs is dependent on the health communication theories used and applied in these programs. Computer tailored technology has shown to be an effective tool to help people to quit smoking. Programs with even one session can increase the success rates significantly. During this presentation I will discuss several computer tailored eHealth programs for smoking cessation that have been developed and tested at Maastricht University. I will discuss the theoretical grounding of these programs, their effects and the cost-effectiveness. Additionally I will also outline some potential innovations for eHealth programs, and will also share the results of a test comparing eHealth and mHealth.

Tailoring atomic structure to control the electronic transport in zigzag graphene nanoribbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Hui; Zhao, Jun; Wei, Jianwei; Zeng, Xianliang; Xu, Yang

2012-01-01

We have performed ab initio density functional theory calculation to study the electronic transport properties of the tailored zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) with particular electronic transport channels. Our results demonstrated that tailoring the atomic structure had significantly influenced the electronic transport of the defective nanostructures, and could lead to the metal-semiconducting transition when sufficient atoms are tailored. The asymmetric I–V characteristics as a result of symmetry breaking have been exhibited, which indicates the route to utilize GNR as a basic component for novel nanoelectronics. -- Highlights: ► M–S transition induced by tailoring nanostructure. ► Asymmetric I–V curve due to symmetry breaking. ► Controllable electron transport by designing nanofiguration.

Tailoring atomic structure to control the electronic transport in zigzag graphene nanoribbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Hui [College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023 (China); Zhao, Jun, E-mail: zhaojun@yangtzeu.edu.cn [College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023 (China); Wei, Jianwei [College of Optoelectronic Information, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054 (China); Zeng, Xianliang [College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023 (China); Xu, Yang [Department of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027 (China)

2012-10-01

We have performed ab initio density functional theory calculation to study the electronic transport properties of the tailored zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) with particular electronic transport channels. Our results demonstrated that tailoring the atomic structure had significantly influenced the electronic transport of the defective nanostructures, and could lead to the metal-semiconducting transition when sufficient atoms are tailored. The asymmetric I–V characteristics as a result of symmetry breaking have been exhibited, which indicates the route to utilize GNR as a basic component for novel nanoelectronics. -- Highlights: ► M–S transition induced by tailoring nanostructure. ► Asymmetric I–V curve due to symmetry breaking. ► Controllable electron transport by designing nanofiguration.

Single point incremental forming of tailored blanks produced by friction stir welding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, M.B.; Skjødt, Martin; Vilaca, P.

2009-01-01

fromthe rotating single point-forming tool. Formability of the tailor welded blanks (TWB) is evaluated by means of benchmark tests carried out on truncated conical and pyramidal shapes and results are compared with similar tests performed on conventional reference blanks of the same material. Results show......This paper is focused on the single point incremental forming (SPIF) of tailored welded blanks produced by friction stirwelding (FSW). Special emphasis is placed on the know-how for producing the tailored blanks and on the utilization of innovative forming strategies to protect thewelding joint...... that the combination of SPIF with tailored welded blanks produced by FSW seems promising in the manufacture of complex sheet metal parts with high depths....

Coordinated and Tailored Work Rehabilitation : A Randomized Controlled Trial with Economic Evaluation Undertaken with Workers on Sick Leave Due to Musculoskeletal Disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bultmann, Ute; Sherson, David; Olsen, Jens; Hansen, Carl Lysbeck; Lund, Thomas; Kilsgaard, Jorgen

Introduction In Denmark, the magnitude and impact of work disability on the individual worker and society has prompted the development of a new "coordinated and tailored work rehabilitation" (CTWR) approach. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of CTWR with conventional case management

Effects of tailoring ingredients in auditory persuasive health messages on fruit and vegetable intake

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elbert, Sarah P.; Dijkstra, Arie; Rozema, Andrea

2017-01-01

Objective: Health messages can be tailored by applying different tailoring ingredients, among which personalisation, feedback and adaptation. This experiment investigated the separate effects of these tailoring ingredients on behaviour in auditory health persuasion. Furthermore, the moderating

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Facilitation. A Guide for Parents of Children & Youth (Ages 3-21)

Science.gov (United States)

Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE), 2014

2014-01-01

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Facilitation is an optional process, not required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), that state educational agencies (SEA) or school districts may provide to parents and schools. The goal of a Facilitated IEP meeting is to develop an IEP that is supported by team members and benefits…

Working mechanisms of computer-tailored health education : evidence from smoking cessation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, A.

2005-01-01

To further develop tailored interventions, their working mechanisms must be identified. In the present study, three tailored messages that each contained one potential working mechanism-personalization, adaptation or feedback-were compared with a standard information condition. Two hundred and two

Preliminary Effectiveness and Sustainability of Group Aerobic Exercise Program in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Sol; Ryu, Je-Kwang; Kim, Chan-Hyung; Chang, Jhin-Goo; Lee, Hwa-Bock; Kim, Do-Hoon; Roh, Daeyoung

2016-09-01

The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility and sustained effect of a group aerobic exercise program in patients with schizophrenia. Twenty-four schizophrenic patients participated in a group-based individually tailored 90-minute outdoor cycling session per week for 3 months with intervention to enhance motivation. Physical health was evaluated by anthropometric measures, cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness, and blood tests. Mental health was assessed on self-esteem, interpersonal relationship, quality of life, and global function. Attrition rate for the exercise program was 8.3%. Exercise program significantly increased participant's self-esteem, positive relationship, global function, and quality of life. CR fitness significantly improved after 3 months. At the 9-month follow-up, 6 months after program completion, only in interpersonal relationship change the improved effects were maintained. These findings support the feasibility of group aerobic exercise program with high level of adherence and its long-term benefits in positive relationship change.

Metabotyping for the development of tailored dietary advice solutions in a European population: the Food4Me study.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donovan, Clare B; Walsh, Marianne C; Woolhead, Clara; Forster, Hannah; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Fallaize, Rosalind; Macready, Anna L; Marsaux, Cyril F M; Navas-Carretero, Santiago; Rodrigo San-Cristobal, S; Kolossa, Silvia; Tsirigoti, Lydia; Mvrogianni, Christina; Lambrinou, Christina P; Moschonis, George; Godlewska, Magdalena; Surwillo, Agnieszka; Traczyk, Iwona; Drevon, Christian A; Daniel, Hannelore; Manios, Yannis; Martinez, J Alfredo; Saris, Wim H M; Lovegrove, Julie A; Mathers, John C; Gibney, Michael J; Gibney, Eileen R; Brennan, Lorraine

2017-10-01

Traditionally, personalised nutrition was delivered at an individual level. However, the concept of delivering tailored dietary advice at a group level through the identification of metabotypes or groups of metabolically similar individuals has emerged. Although this approach to personalised nutrition looks promising, further work is needed to examine this concept across a wider population group. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to: (1) identify metabotypes in a European population and (2) develop targeted dietary advice solutions for these metabotypes. Using data from the Food4Me study (n 1607), k-means cluster analysis revealed the presence of three metabolically distinct clusters based on twenty-seven metabolic markers including cholesterol, individual fatty acids and carotenoids. Cluster 2 was identified as a metabolically healthy metabotype as these individuals had the highest Omega-3 Index (6·56 (sd 1·29) %), carotenoids (2·15 (sd 0·71) µm) and lowest total saturated fat levels. On the basis of its fatty acid profile, cluster 1 was characterised as a metabolically unhealthy cluster. Targeted dietary advice solutions were developed per cluster using a decision tree approach. Testing of the approach was performed by comparison with the personalised dietary advice, delivered by nutritionists to Food4Me study participants (n 180). Excellent agreement was observed between the targeted and individualised approaches with an average match of 82 % at the level of delivery of the same dietary message. Future work should ascertain whether this proposed method could be utilised in a healthcare setting, for the rapid and efficient delivery of tailored dietary advice solutions.

Tailoring vibration mode shapes using topology optimization and functionally graded material concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubio, Wilfredo Montealegre; Paulino, Glaucio H; Silva, Emilio Carlos Nelli

2011-01-01

Tailoring specified vibration modes is a requirement for designing piezoelectric devices aimed at dynamic-type applications. A technique for designing the shape of specified vibration modes is the topology optimization method (TOM) which finds an optimum material distribution inside a design domain to obtain a structure that vibrates according to specified eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes. Nevertheless, when the TOM is applied to dynamic problems, the well-known grayscale or intermediate material problem arises which can invalidate the post-processing of the optimal result. Thus, a more natural way for solving dynamic problems using TOM is to allow intermediate material values. This idea leads to the functionally graded material (FGM) concept. In fact, FGMs are materials whose properties and microstructure continuously change along a specific direction. Therefore, in this paper, an approach is presented for tailoring user-defined vibration modes, by applying the TOM and FGM concepts to design functionally graded piezoelectric transducers (FGPT) and non-piezoelectric structures (functionally graded structures—FGS) in order to achieve maximum and/or minimum vibration amplitudes at certain points of the structure, by simultaneously finding the topology and material gradation function. The optimization problem is solved by using sequential linear programming. Two-dimensional results are presented to illustrate the method

Effects of a 6-week, individualized, supervised exercise program for people with bleeding disorders and hemophilic arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulvany, Ruth; Zucker-Levin, Audrey R; Jeng, Michael; Joyce, Catherine; Tuller, Janet; Rose, Jonathan M; Dugdale, Marion

2010-04-01

People with bleeding disorders may develop severe arthritis due to joint hemorrhages. Exercise is recommended for people with bleeding disorders, but guidelines are vague and few studies document efficacy. In this study, 65% of people with bleeding disorders surveyed reported participating in minimal exercise, and 50% indicated a fear of exercise-induced bleeding, pain, or physical impairment. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a professionally designed, individualized, supervised exercise program for people with bleeding disorders. A single-group, pretest-posttest clinical design was used. Thirty-three patients (3 female, 30 male; 7-57 years of age) with mild to severe bleeding disorders were enrolled in the study. Twelve patients had co-existing illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, neurofibromatosis, osteopenia, osteogenesis imperfecta, or cancer. Pre- and post-program measures included upper- and lower-extremity strength (force-generating capacity), joint range of motion, joint and extremity circumference, and distance walked in 6 minutes. Each patient was prescribed a 6-week, twice-weekly, individualized, supervised exercise program. Twenty participants (61%) completed the program. Pre- and post-program data were analyzed by paired t tests for all participants who completed the program. No exercise-induced injuries, pain, edema, or bleeding episodes were reported. Significant improvements occurred in joint motion, strength, and distance walked in 6 minutes, with no change in joint circumference. The greatest gains were among the individuals with the most severe joint damage and coexisting illness. Limitations included a small sample size with concomitant disease, which is common to the population, and a nonblinded examiner. A professionally designed and supervised, individualized exercise program is feasible, safe, and beneficial for people with bleeding disorders, even in the presence

Individualized unsupervised exercise programs and chest physiotherapy in children with cystic fibrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogdan ALMĂJAN-GUȚĂ

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis focused mainly on airway clearance (clearing mucus from the lungs. This still makes up a large part of daily treatment, but the role of the physiotherapist in cystic fibrosis has expanded to include daily exercise, inhalation therapy, posture awareness and, for some, the management of urinary incontinence. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the necessity and the efficiency of various methods of chest physiotherapy and individualized unsupervised exercise program, in the improvement of body composition and physical performance. This study included 12 children with cystic fibrosis, with ages between 8-13 years. Each subject was evaluated in terms of body composition, effort capacity and lower body muscular performance, at the beginning of the study and after 12 months.The intervention consisted in classic respiratory clearance and physiotherapy techniques (5 times a week and an individualized unsupervised exercise program (3 times a week. After 12 months we noticed a significant improvement of the measured parameters: body weight increased from 32.25±5.5 to 33.53±5.4 kg (p <0.001, skeletal muscle mass increased from a mean of 16.04±4.1 to 17.01±4.2 (p<0.001, the fitness score, increased from a mean of 71±3.8 points to73±3.8, (p<0.001 and power and force also registered positive evolutions (from 19.3±2.68 to 21.65±2.4 W/kg and respectively 19.68±2.689 to 20.81±2.98 N/kg.The association between physiotherapy procedures and an individualized (after a proper clinical assessment unsupervised exercise program, proved to be an effective, relatively simple and accessible (regardless of social class intervention.

Molecular tailoring of solid surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evenson, Simon Alan

1997-07-01

The overall performance of a material can be dramatically improved by tailoring its surface at the molecular level. The aim of this project was to develop a universal technique for attaching dendrimers (well-defined, nanoscale, functional polymers) and Jeffamines (high molecular weight polymer chains) to the surface of any shaped solid substrate. This desire for controlled functionalization is ultimately driven by the need to improve material compatibility in various biomedical applications. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used initially to study the packing and structure of Langmuir-Blodgett films on surfaces, and subsequently resulted in the first visualization of individual, spherically shaped, nanoscopic polyamidoamine dendrimers. The next goal was to develop a methodology for attaching such macromolecules to inert surfaces. Thin copolymer films were deposited onto solid substrates to produce materials with a fixed concentration of surface anhydride groups. Vapor-phase functionalization reactions were then carried out with trifluorinated amines to confirm the viability of this technique to bond molecules to surfaces. Finally, pulsed plasma polymerization of maleic anhydride took this approach one stage further, by forming well-adhered polymer films containing a predetermined concentration of reactive anhydride groups. Subsequent functionalization reactions led to the secure attachment of dendrimers and Jeffamines at any desired packing density. An alternative route to biocompatibilization used 1,2-ethanedithiol to yield thiolated surfaces containing very high polymeric sulfur : carbon ratios. (author)

Molecular tailoring of solid surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evenson, Simon Alan

1997-01-01

The overall performance of a material can be dramatically improved by tailoring its surface at the molecular level. The aim of this project was to develop a universal technique for attaching dendrimers (well-defined, nanoscale, functional polymers) and Jeffamines (high molecular weight polymer chains) to the surface of any shaped solid substrate. This desire for controlled functionalization is ultimately driven by the need to improve material compatibility in various biomedical applications. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used initially to study the packing and structure of Langmuir-Blodgett films on surfaces, and subsequently resulted in the first visualization of individual, spherically shaped, nanoscopic polyamidoamine dendrimers. The next goal was to develop a methodology for attaching such macromolecules to inert surfaces. Thin copolymer films were deposited onto solid substrates to produce materials with a fixed concentration of surface anhydride groups. Vapor-phase functionalization reactions were then carried out with trifluorinated amines to confirm the viability of this technique to bond molecules to surfaces. Finally, pulsed plasma polymerization of maleic anhydride took this approach one stage further, by forming well-adhered polymer films containing a predetermined concentration of reactive anhydride groups. Subsequent functionalization reactions led to the secure attachment of dendrimers and Jeffamines at any desired packing density. An alternative route to biocompatibilization used 1,2-ethanedithiol to yield thiolated surfaces containing very high polymeric sulfur : carbon ratios. (author)

Effectiveness of a Group-Based Culturally Tailored Lifestyle Intervention Program on Changes in Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes among Asian Indians in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rupal M. Patel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group repeated measures design to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention program to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM among Gujarati Asian Indians (AIs in an urban community in the US. Participants included 70 adult AIs in the greater Houston metropolitan area. The primary outcomes were reduction in weight and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c and improvement in physical activity. Participants were screened for risk factors and randomly assigned to a 12-week group-based lifestyle intervention program (n=34 or a control group (n=36 that received standard print material on diabetes prevention. Participants also completed clinical measures and self-reported questionnaires about physical activity, social, and lifestyle habits at 0, 3, and 6 months. No significant baseline differences were noted between groups. While a significant decline in weight and increase in physical activity was observed in all participants, the intervention group lowered their HbA1c (p<0.0005 and waist circumference (p=0.04 significantly as compared to the control group. Findings demonstrated that participation in a culturally tailored, lifestyle intervention program in a community setting can effectively reduce weight, waist circumference, and HbA1c among Gujarati AIs living in the US.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Removal of Eligible and Ineligible Individuals From Existing Enrollments. Final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-23

The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule amending Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program regulations to provide a process for removal of certain identified individuals who are found not to be eligible as family members from FEHB enrollments. This process would apply to individuals for whom there is a failure to provide adequate documentation of eligibility when requested. This action also amends Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program regulations to allow certain eligible family members to be removed from existing self and family or self plus one enrollments.

Hanford general employee training - A million dollar cost beneficial program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, P.R.

1991-02-01

In January 1990, Westinghouse Hanford Company implemented an interactive videodisc training program entitled Hanford General Employee Training. Covering all Institute of Nuclear Power Operations general employee training objectives, training mandated by US Department of Energy orders, and training prescribed by internal Westinghouse Hanford Company policies, Hanford General Employee Training presents and manages engaging training programs individually tailored to each of the 9,000 employees. Development costs for a sophisticated program such as Hanford General Employee Training were high compared to similar costs for developing ''equivalent'' traditional training. Hardware ($500,000) and labor costs ($400,000) totaled $900,000. Annual maintenance costs, equipment plus labor, are totalling about $200,000. On the benefit side, by consolidating some 17 previous Westinghouse Hanford Company courses and more effectively managing the instructional process, Hanford General Employee Training reduced the average student training time from over 11 hours to just under 4 hours. For 9,000 employees, the computed net annual savings exceeds $1.3 million. 2 refs

A systematic methodology for design of tailor-made blended products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yunus, Nor Alafiza Binti; Gernaey, Krist; Woodley, John

2014-01-01

A systematic methodology for design of tailor-made blended products has been developed. In tailor-made blended products, one identifies the product needs and matches them by blending different chemicals. The systematic methodology has four main tasks. First, the design problem is defined: the pro......, the methodology is highlighted through two case studies involving gasoline blends and lubricant base oils....

Tailorable and Wearable Textile Devices for Solar Energy Harvesting and Simultaneous Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Zhisheng; Zhang, Nannan; Sun, Peng; Huang, Yi; Zhao, Chuanxi; Fan, Hong Jin; Fan, Xing; Mai, Wenjie

2016-10-05

The pursuit of harmonic combination of technology and fashion intrinsically points to the development of smart garments. Herein, we present an all-solid tailorable energy textile possessing integrated function of simultaneous solar energy harvesting and storage, and we call it tailorable textile device. Our technique makes it possible to tailor the multifunctional textile into any designed shape without impairing its performance and produce stylish smart energy garments for wearable self-powering system with enhanced user experience and more room for fashion design. The "threads" (fiber electrodes) featuring tailorability and knittability can be large-scale fabricated and then woven into energy textiles. The fiber supercapacitor with merits of tailorability, ultrafast charging capability, and ultrahigh bending-resistance is used as the energy storage module, while an all-solid dye-sensitized solar cell textile is used as the solar energy harvesting module. Our textile sample can be fully charged to 1.2 V in 17 s by self-harvesting solar energy and fully discharged in 78 s at a discharge current density of 0.1 mA.

Application-Tailored I/O with Streamline

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bruijn, W.J.; Bos, H.J.; Bal, H.E.

2011-01-01

Streamline is a stream-based OS communication subsystem that spans from peripheral hardware to userspace processes. It improves performance of I/O-bound applications (such as webservers and streaming media applications) by constructing tailor-made I/O paths through the operating system for each

LIFE-STYLE SEGMENTATION WITH TAILORED INTERVIEWING

NARCIS (Netherlands)

KAMAKURA, WA; WEDEL, M

The authors present a tailored interviewing procedure for life-style segmentation. The procedure assumes that a life-style measurement instrument has been designed. A classification of a sample of consumers into life-style segments is obtained using a latent-class model. With these segments, the

[The specialty program as a training tool: an individual training plan for each resident].

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez González, R; Capilla Cabezuelo, E

2010-01-01

The official training program for the specialty "Diagnostic Imaging" establishes minimum learning objectives that must be fulfilled. Each accredited teaching unit is responsible for designing and carrying out a curriculum to ensure that these objectives are met, and this approach permits a degree of flexibility. Various aspects must be considered in the individual training plans for each resident: the rotation scheme according to the way the department is organized, plans for recovering missed material or reinforcing weak points, optional rotations, increasing degrees of responsibility as skills are acquired during training, and accommodating special needs of handicapped persons. Nevertheless, the individual plan must be fitted to the established curriculum and guarantee that the content of the official program is covered and that the objectives stipulated therein are met. Furthermore, the methods of teaching must be adapted to the individual characteristics of the residents, and this is the most important aspect of the individualization of training. To this end, it is fundamental for residents to take on an active role in their training, guided by their tutor and with the participation of all the radiologists in the department including the other residents, all of whom should act as teachers. Copyright © 2010 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Shape-Tailorable Graphene-Based Ultra-High-Rate Supercapacitor for Wearable Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Binghe; Yang, Cheng; Zhang, Zhexu; Zou, Peichao; Lin, Ziyin; Shi, Gaoquan; Yang, Quanhong; Kang, Feiyu; Wong, Ching-Ping

2015-06-23

With the bloom of wearable electronics, it is becoming necessary to develop energy storage units, e.g., supercapacitors that can be arbitrarily tailored at the device level. Although gel electrolytes have been applied in supercapacitors for decades, no report has studied the shape-tailorable capability of a supercapacitor, for instance, where the device still works after being cut. Here we report a tailorable gel-based supercapacitor with symmetric electrodes prepared by combining electrochemically reduced graphene oxide deposited on a nickel nanocone array current collector with a unique packaging method. This supercapacitor with good flexibility and consistency showed excellent rate performance, cycling stability, and mechanical properties. As a demonstration, these tailorable supercapacitors connected in series can be used to drive small gadgets, e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED) and a minimotor propeller. As simple as it is (electrochemical deposition, stencil printing, etc.), this technique can be used in wearable electronics and miniaturized device applications that require arbitrarily shaped energy storage units.

Peer support in the community: initial findings of a mentoring program for individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Science.gov (United States)

Hibbard, Mary R; Cantor, Joshua; Charatz, Heather; Rosenthal, Robin; Ashman, Teresa; Gundersen, Nancy; Ireland-Knight, Lynne; Gordon, Wayne; Avner, Judith; Gartner, Audrey

2002-04-01

To evaluate the impact of a community-based peer support program for individuals and their family members following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Community-based sample of family members and individuals with traumatic brain injury. Twenty individuals who had participated in the peer support program (11 individuals with TBI and 9 family members). Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used: a retrospective structured interview assessing self-reported impacts of peer support on empowerment, quality of life, mood, skills and knowledge, and social supports; an in-depth qualitative interview with a subgroup of family members focused on the specific benefits/limitations of the peer support program. Participants in the peer support program reported positive impacts of peer support on increasing their knowledge of TBI, enhancing their overall quality of life, improving their general outlook, and enhancing their ability to cope with depression post TBI. The peer support program was reported to have had a minimal impact on enhancing social support from families, friends, and the community, with varying impacts noted on levels of happiness, coping with anger and anxiety, communication with professionals, and control over one's life. Qualitative analysis suggests the merits of this type of community-based support and areas of improvement for the peer support program itself. Preliminary data suggest that peer support is a promising approach to enhancing coping for both individuals and their family members after TBI.

Optimizing Tailored Communications for Health Risk Assessment: A Randomized Factorial Experiment of the Effects of Expectancy Priming, Autonomy Support, and Exemplification

Science.gov (United States)

Ribisl, Kurt M; Mayer, Deborah K; Tate, Deborah F

2018-01-01

Background Health risk assessments with tailored feedback plus health education have been shown to be effective for promoting health behavior change. However, there is limited evidence to guide the development and delivery of online automated tailored feedback. Objective The goal of this study was to optimize tailored feedback messages for an online health risk assessment to promote enhanced user engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions for engaging in healthy behaviors. We examined the effects of three theory-based message factors used in developing tailored feedback messages on levels of engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Methods We conducted a randomized factorial experiment to test three different components of tailored feedback messages: tailored expectancy priming, autonomy support, and use of an exemplar. Individuals (N=1945) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to one of eight different experimental conditions within one of four behavioral assessment and feedback modules (tobacco use, physical activity [PA], eating habits, and weight). Participants reported self-efficacy and behavioral intentions pre- and postcompletion of an online health behavior assessment with tailored feedback. Engagement and message perceptions were assessed at follow-up. Results For the tobacco module, there was a significant main effect of the exemplar factor (P=.04); participants who received exemplar messages (mean 3.31, SE 0.060) rated their self-efficacy to quit tobacco higher than those who did not receive exemplar messages (mean 3.14, SE 0.057). There was a three-way interaction between the effect of message conditions on self-efficacy to quit tobacco (P=.02), such that messages with tailored priming and an exemplar had the greatest impact on self-efficacy to quit tobacco. Across PA, eating habits, and weight modules, there was a three-way interaction among conditions on self-efficacy (P=.048). The highest self

Designing a workplace return-to-work program for occupational low back pain: an intervention mapping approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ammendolia Carlo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite over 2 decades of research, the ability to prevent work-related low back pain (LBP and disability remains elusive. Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work (RTW coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury. Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved, each with their own unique circumstances. Intervention mapping provides a framework for designing and implementing complex interventions or programs. The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach. Methods We used a qualitative synthesis based on the intervention mapping methodology. Best evidence from systematic reviews, practice guidelines and key articles on the prognosis and management of LBP and improving RTW was combined with theoretical models for managing LBP and changing behaviour. This was then systematically operationalized into a RTW program using consensus among experts and stakeholders. The RTW Program was further refined following feedback from nine focus groups with various stakeholders. Results A detailed five step RTW program was developed. The key features of the program include; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process, identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders, mediating practical solutions at the workplace and, empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making. Conclusion Intervention mapping provided a useful framework to develop a comprehensive RTW program tailored to the Ontario setting.

Designing a workplace return-to-work program for occupational low back pain: an intervention mapping approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ammendolia, Carlo; Cassidy, David; Steensta, Ivan; Soklaridis, Sophie; Boyle, Eleanor; Eng, Stephanie; Howard, Hamer; Bhupinder, Bains; Côté, Pierre

2009-01-01

Background Despite over 2 decades of research, the ability to prevent work-related low back pain (LBP) and disability remains elusive. Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work (RTW) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury. Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved, each with their own unique circumstances. Intervention mapping provides a framework for designing and implementing complex interventions or programs. The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach. Methods We used a qualitative synthesis based on the intervention mapping methodology. Best evidence from systematic reviews, practice guidelines and key articles on the prognosis and management of LBP and improving RTW was combined with theoretical models for managing LBP and changing behaviour. This was then systematically operationalized into a RTW program using consensus among experts and stakeholders. The RTW Program was further refined following feedback from nine focus groups with various stakeholders. Results A detailed five step RTW program was developed. The key features of the program include; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process, identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders, mediating practical solutions at the workplace and, empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making. Conclusion Intervention mapping provided a useful framework to develop a comprehensive RTW program tailored to the Ontario setting. PMID:19508728

78 FR 52877 - VOCA Victim Assistance Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-27

... these requirements has merely been re-worked for clarity. Under the proposed rule SAAs must identify... victim populations will allow OVC and SAAs to better tailor their training and technical assistance and... SAAs may use for these purposes. Funding victim service programs located in adjacent States. Program...

Energymark: Empowering individual Australians to reduce their energy consumption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowd, A.; Ashworth, P.; Carr-Cornish, S.; Stenner, K.

2012-01-01

Commitment to increase public awareness of climate change mitigation has risen substantially and so has the appreciation of the impact that comes from voluntary behaviour change. We aimed to test whether a process could be designed that encouraged individuals – from within their existing social networks – to facilitate energy reduction discussions that ultimately changed the way they consumed energy. Our “Energymark” process was grounded in the idea that change is facilitated by several supporting factors including the provision of tailored information, social support, encouragement to set goals, and access to feedback. In this paper we report on the first trial with members of the Australian public. By the end of the trial an average emissions reduction of 20% was reported using a pre- and post-trial carbon calculator incorporating the energy used at home, waste, spending on products and services, beef consumption, and transport. While many identified as climate change aware, and had the socio-economic capacity to make changes, we found that participants of widely varying demographics and dispositions responded to program features, achieving equivalent emissions reductions. This bodes well for the program’s effectiveness and warrants further testing of the impact of voluntary action with social processes such as Energymark. - Highlights: ► Energymark program recognises the importance of voluntary individual behaviour change. ► Key features include the provision of information, social support, goal setting and access to feedback. ► At the end of the process an average individual emissions reduction of 20% was reported. ► Consequential aspects were gaining awareness and information and developing a sense of social responsibility. ► Significant also was participants’ understanding that government has a role to play in mitigation.

Short- and medium-term efficacy of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention for adults including cognitive and environmental feedback: randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Springvloet, Linda; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein; Candel, Math J J M; Oenema, Anke

2015-01-19

Web-based, computer-tailored nutrition education interventions can be effective in modifying self-reported dietary behaviors. Traditional computer-tailored programs primarily targeted individual cognitions (knowledge, awareness, attitude, self-efficacy). Tailoring on additional variables such as self-regulation processes and environmental-level factors (the home food environment arrangement and perception of availability and prices of healthy food products in supermarkets) may improve efficacy and effect sizes (ES) of Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education interventions. This study evaluated the short- and medium-term efficacy and educational differences in efficacy of a cognitive and environmental feedback version of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention on self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake compared to generic nutrition information in the total sample and among participants who did not comply with dietary guidelines (the risk groups). A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a basic (tailored intervention targeting individual cognition and self-regulation processes; n=456), plus (basic intervention additionally targeting environmental-level factors; n=459), and control (generic nutrition information; n=434) group. Participants were recruited from the general population and randomly assigned to a study group. Self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake were assessed at baseline and at 1- (T1) and 4-months (T2) postintervention using online questionnaires. Linear mixed model analyses examined group differences in change over time. Educational differences were examined with group×time×education interaction terms. In the total sample, the basic (T1: ES=-0.30; T2: ES=-0.18) and plus intervention groups (T1: ES=-0.29; T2: ES=-0.27) had larger decreases in high-energy snack intake than the control group. The basic version resulted in a larger decrease in

Multimedia Approach to Self-Paced Individualized Instruction in Automotive Mechanics and Other Vocational Programs. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozarka Vocational Technical School, Melbourne, AR.

A project developed, field tested, implemented, and disseminated a management system, support materials, and references for a self-paced individualized instructional program in automotive mechanics and food services. During the program, the Planwriter component of the SAGE/Compute-a-Match Assessment System was used to develop a management system…

JobTIPS: A Transition to Employment Program for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Strickland, Dorothy C.; Coles, Claire D.; Southern, Louise B.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an internet accessed training program that included Theory of Mind-based guidance, video models, visual supports, and virtual reality practice sessions in teaching appropriate job interview skills to individuals with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. In a randomized study, twenty-two youth, ages…

Opinions of Prospective Classroom Teachers about Their Competence for Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Science.gov (United States)

Debbag, Murat

2017-01-01

This research aims to determine the opinions of prospective classroom teachers about preparation and implementation of Individualized Education Program (IEP). In this study, a qualitative research method was used. The participants were 20 classroom-teaching students that had been selected through the purposive sampling method. In the study, the…

A porous ceramic membrane tailored high-temperature supercapacitor

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xin; He, Benlin; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Tang, Qunwei

2018-03-01

The supercapacitor that can operate at high-temperature are promising for markedly increase in capacitance because of accelerated charge movement. However, the state-of-the-art polymer-based membranes will decompose at high temperature. Inspired by solid oxide fuel cells, we present here the experimental realization of high-temperature supercapacitors (HTSCs) tailored with porous ceramic separator fabricated by yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and nickel oxide (NiO). Using activated carbon electrode and supporting electrolyte from potassium hydroxide (KOH) aqueous solution, a category of symmetrical HTSCs are built in comparison with a conventional polymer membrane based device. The dependence of capacitance performance on temperature is carefully studied, yielding a maximized specific capacitance of 272 F g-1 at 90 °C for the optimized HTSC tailored by NiO/YSZ membrane. Moreover, the resultant HTSC has relatively high durability when suffer repeated measurement over 1000 cycles at 90 °C, while the polymer membrane based supercapacitor shows significant reduction in capacitance at 60 °C. The high capacitance along with durability demonstrates NiO/YSZ membrane tailored HTSCs are promising in future advanced energy storage devices.

A computer-tailored intervention to promote informed decision making for prostate cancer screening among African American men.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jennifer D; Mohllajee, Anshu P; Shelton, Rachel C; Drake, Bettina F; Mars, Dana R

2009-12-01

African American men experience a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (CaP) morbidity and mortality. National screening guidelines advise men to make individualized screening decisions through a process termed informed decision making (IDM). In this pilot study, a computer-tailored decision-aid designed to promote IDM was evaluated using a pre-/posttest design. African American men aged 40 years and older were recruited from a variety of community settings (n = 108). At pretest, 43% of men reported having made a screening decision; at posttest 47% reported this to be the case (p = .39). Significant improvements were observed between pre- and posttest on scores of knowledge, decision self-efficacy, and decisional conflict. Men were also more likely to want an active role in decision making after using the tool. These results suggest that use of a computer-tailored decision aid is a promising strategy to promote IDM for CaP screening among African American men.

A computer-tailored intervention to promote informed decision making for prostate cancer screening among African-American men

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jennifer D.; Mohllajee, Anshu P.; Shelton, Rachel C.; Drake, Bettina F.; Mars, Dana R.

2010-01-01

African-American men experience a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (CaP) morbidity and mortality. National screening guidelines advise men to make individualized screening decisions through a process termed “informed decision making” (IDM). In this pilot study, a computer-tailored decision-aid designed to promote IDM was evaluated using a pre/post test design. African-American men aged 40+ recruited from a variety of community settings (n=108). At pre-test, 43% of men reported having made a screening decision; at post-test 47% reported this to be the case (p=0.39). Significant improvements were observed on scores (0–100%) of knowledge (54% vs 72%; pMen were also more likely to want an active role in decision-making after using the tool (67% vs 75%; p=0.03). These results suggest that use of a computer-tailored decision-aid is a promising strategy to promote IDM for CaP screening among African-American men. PMID:19477736

An Analysis of Legal Hearings and Cases Related to Individualized Education Programs for Children with Autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Etscheidt, Susan

2003-01-01

This article reviews 68 hearings and cases concerned with disputes regarding individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. It concludes that IEP goals must be matched to evaluation data, team members must be qualified to develop programs, and the methodology selected must be able to assist the students in achieving…

Individualized Education Program Team Decisions: A Preliminary Study of Conversations, Negotiations, and Power

Science.gov (United States)

Ruppar, Andrea L.; Gaffney, Janet S.

2011-01-01

Given the centrality of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to services for students with disabilities, the decision-making process during the IEP meeting deserves attention in research and implementation. In this case study, IEP team decision-making is examined as a socially situated practice. Transcripts of an initial evaluation and IEP…

Individual and public-program adaptation: coping with heat waves in five cities in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Alberini, Anna; Gans, Will; Alhassan, Mustapha

2011-12-01

Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS) are currently undergoing testing and implementation in Canada. These programs seek to reduce the adverse health effects of heat waves on human health by issuing weather forecasts and warnings, informing individuals about possible protections from excessive heat, and providing such protections to vulnerable subpopulations and individuals at risk. For these programs to be designed effectively, it is important to know how individuals perceive the heat, what their experience with heat-related illness is, how they protect themselves from excessive heat, and how they acquire information about such protections. In September 2010, we conducted a survey of households in 5 cities in Canada to study these issues. At the time of the survey, these cities had not implemented heat outreach and response systems. The study results indicate that individuals' recollections of recent heat wave events were generally accurate. About 21% of the sample reported feeling unwell during the most recent heat spell, but these illnesses were generally minor. Only in 25 cases out of 243, these illnesses were confirmed or diagnosed by a health care professional. The rate at which our respondents reported heat-related illnesses was higher among those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, was higher among younger respondents and bore no relationship with the availability of air conditioning at home. Most of the respondents indicated that they would not dismiss themselves as "not at risk" and that they would cope with excessive heat by staying in air conditioned environments and keeping well hydrated. Despite the absence of heat outreach and education programs in their city, our respondents at least a rough idea of how to take care of themselves. The presence of air conditioning and knowledge of cooling centers is location-specific, which provides opportunities for targeting HARS interventions.

Small-grants programs: lessons from community-based approaches to changing nutrition environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Donna B; Smith, Lynne T; Bruemmer, Barbara

2007-02-01

Providing small grants to community organizations can be an effective way to encourage changes in the environment that support better nutrition. This is effective because these organizations can provide insights into their communities, ready-made relationships with community members, and the trust of the community. Small-grants programs are more likely to be successful when they are tailored to the needs of individual communities, led by organizations that have established reputations with the community, fully supported by the lead community organization, and engage local partners that complement the skills and resources of the lead organization. An evaluation of a small-grants program, Grants for Healthy Youth, found that grantees developed unique approaches to improving their community nutrition environments, gained experience and skills in program development, built partnerships, and received recognition for their project work. Grantees faced some common barriers, especially with program evaluation. Small-grants programs can be an effective way to improve community nutrition environments, but granting agencies need to provide effective technical assistance to communities throughout the process.

Stem analysis program (GOAP for evaluating of increment and growth data at individual tree

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gafura Aylak Özdemir

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Stem analysis is a method evaluating in a detailed way data of increment and growth of individual tree at the past periods and widely used in various forestry disciplines. Untreated data of stem analysis consist of annual ring count and measurement procedures performed on cross sections taken from individual tree by section method. The evaluation of obtained this untreated data takes quite some time. Thus, a computer software was developed in this study to quickly and efficiently perform stem analysis. This computer software developed to evaluate untreated data of stem analysis as numerical and graphical was programmed as macro by utilizing Visual Basic for Application feature of MS Excel 2013 program currently the most widely used. In developed this computer software, growth height model is formed from two different approaches, individual tree volume depending on section method, cross-sectional area, increments of diameter, height and volume, volume increment percent and stem form factor at breast height are calculated depending on desired period lengths. This calculated values are given as table. Development of diameter, height, volume, increments of these variables, volume increment percent and stem form factor at breast height according to periodic age are given as chart. Stem model showing development of diameter, height and shape of individual tree in the past periods also can be taken from computer software as chart.

Testing a Dutch web-based tailored lifestyle programme among adults: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Osch Liesbeth ADM

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Smoking, high alcohol consumption, unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity often lead to (chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Tailored online interventions have been proven to be effective in changing health behaviours. The aim of this study is to test and compare the effectiveness of two different tailoring strategies for changing lifestyle compared to a control group using a multiple health behaviour web-based approach. Methods In our Internet-based tailored programme, the five lifestyle behaviours of smoking, alcohol intake, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, and physical activity are addressed. This randomized controlled trial, conducted among Dutch adults, includes two experimental groups (i.e., a sequential behaviour tailoring condition and a simultaneous behaviour tailoring condition and a control group. People in the sequential behaviour tailoring condition obtain feedback on whether their lifestyle behaviours meet the Dutch recommendations. Using a step-by-step approach, they are stimulated to continue with a computer tailored module to change only one unhealthy behaviour first. In the course of the study, they can proceed to change a second behaviour. People in the simultaneous behaviour tailoring condition receive computer tailored feedback about all their unhealthy behaviours during their first visit as a stimulation to change all unhealthy behaviours. The experimental groups can re-visit the website and can then receive ipsative feedback (i.e., current scores are compared to previous scores in order to give feedback about potential changes. The (difference in effectiveness of the different versions of the programme will be tested and compared to a control group, in which respondents only receive a short health risk appraisal. Programme evaluations will assess satisfaction with and appreciation and personal relevance of the intervention among the respondents. Finally

Improving Refill Adherence in Medicare Patients With Tailored and Interactive Mobile Text Messaging: Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Erwin W; Feger, Erin; Noble, Harmony K; Kmiec, Magdalen; Prayaga, Ram S

2018-01-01

Background Nonadherence is a major concern in the management of chronic conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes where patients may discontinue or interrupt their medication for a variety of reasons. Text message reminders have been used to improve adherence. However, few programs or studies have explored the benefits of text messaging with older populations and at scale. In this paper, we present a program design using tailored and interactive text messaging to improve refill rates of partially adherent or nonadherent Medicare members of a large integrated health plan. Objective The aim of this 3-month program was to gain an understanding of whether tailored interactive text message dialogues could be used to improve medication refills in Medicare patients with one or more chronic diseases. Methods We used the mPulse Mobile interactive text messaging solution with partially adherent and nonadherent Medicare patients (ie, over age 65 years or younger with disabilities) of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KP), a large integrated health plan, and compared refill rates of the text messaging group (n=12,272) to a group of partially adherent or nonadherent Medicare patients at KP who did not receive text messages (nontext messaging group, n=76,068). Both groups were exposed to other forms of refill and adherence outreach including phone calls, secure emails, and robo-calls from December 2016 to February 2017. Results The text messaging group and nontext messaging group were compared using an independent samples t test to test difference in group average of refill rates. There was a significant difference in medication refill rates between the 2 groups, with a 14.07 percentage points higher refill rate in the text messaging group (Pimprove medication refill rates among Medicare patients. These findings also support using interactive text messaging as a cost-effective, convenient, and user-friendly solution for patient engagement

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Mata Pelajaran Kimia untuk Siswa Slow Learner

OpenAIRE

Rovik Rovik

2017-01-01

The implementation of inclusive education is one of the government's efforts to providing quality education for all levels of society. However, to date, inclusive education is not working correctly, students with special needs must adapt to learning tailored to their abilities, interests and talents (integration education). As a result, they can not achieve learning objectives, and the worst thing is they will stay class or drop out. A slow learner is one type of disability who received less ...

Tailoring surface groups of carbon quantum dots to improve photoluminescence behaviors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Ruixue; Hu, Shengliang; Wu, Lingling; Chang, Qing; Yang, Jinlong; Liu, Jun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We develop a facile and green method to tailor surface groups. • Photoluminescence behaviors of carbon quantum dots are improved by tailoring their surface groups. • Highly luminescent efficiency is produced by amino-hydrothermal treatment of reduced carbon quantum dots. - Abstract: A facile and green method to tailor surface groups of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is developed by hydrothermal treatment in an autoclave. The photoluminescence (PL) behaviors of CQDs depend on the types of surface groups. Highly efficient photoluminescence is obtained through amino-hydrothermal treatment of the CQDs reduced by NaBH 4 . The effects of surface groups on PL behavior are attributed to the degrees of energy band bending induced by surface groups

Effectiveness of Mental Immunization Program Training on Social Competency and Personality Traits of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ashoori

2017-07-01

Conclusion The results of the present research indicated a significant increase in social competency in adolescents with cerebral palsy. Also, desirable changes were found to be developed in the personality traits of these adolescents. In other words, there was a decreased level of neuroticism and significant increase in positive traits such as extroversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The overall results of the present research indicated that mental immunization program training led to improvement in social competency and personality traits of individuals with cerebral palsy. Therefore, paying attention to the mental immunization program training is essential, and planning for providing of psychological immunization program training is of particular importance. Cerebral palsy affects all aspect of an individual’s life and implementing the mental immunization program training has been associated with effective outcomes. Therefore, instructional interventions such as mental immunization program training are required . While a lot of research works have been conducted with regard to the effectiveness of mental immunization program training on social competency and personality traits of normal students, only a few investigations have been carried out for the same in relation to individuals with cerebral palsy. As far as present study used experimental method, could be cautioned in generalization of results . Another limitation of this study is the use of self-reporting questionnaires, wherein individuals do not feel the responsibility to answer correctly and honestly in order to avoid stigma or rejection by the community. It is recommended that the psychological immunization program training, which is very helpful in the instruction  of teenagers with cerebral palsy, be used in primary schools and among various categories of exceptional students.

Results from a Community-Based Smoking Cessation Treatment Program for LGBT Smokers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia K. Matthews

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Little is known about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT people’s response to smoking cessation interventions. This descriptive study examined the benefits of a community-based, culturally tailored smoking cessation treatment program for LGBT smokers. Methods. A total of N=198 LGBT individuals recruited from clinical practice and community outreach participated in group-based treatment. Sessions were based on the American Lung Association’s “Freedom from Smoking Program” (ALA-FFS and were tailored to LGBT smokers’ needs. Seven-day smoking point prevalence abstinence served as the primary outcome. Results. Participants (M age = 40.5 were mostly White (70.4% and male (60.5% and had at least a college degree (58.4%. Forty-four percent scored in the moderate range on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence pretreatment, and 42.4% completed treatment (≥75% sessions. Higher educational attainment and use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT were associated with treatment completion. Self-reported quit rates were 32.3% at posttreatment assessment. Treatment attendance (OR = 2.45, use of NRT (OR = 4.24, and lower nicotine dependency (OR = 0.73 were positively associated with quitting smoking. Conclusions. Results suggest the benefits of offering LGBT smokers culturally tailored smoking cessation treatments. Future research could improve outcomes by encouraging treatment attendance and promoting NRT uptake.

Examining effectiveness of tailorable computer-assisted therapy programmes for substance misuse: Programme usage and clinical outcomes data from Breaking Free Online.

Science.gov (United States)

Elison, Sarah; Jones, Andrew; Ward, Jonathan; Davies, Glyn; Dugdale, Stephanie

2017-11-01

When evaluating complex, tailorable digital behavioural interventions, additional approaches may be required alongside established methodologies such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Research evaluating a computer-assisted therapy (CAT) programme for substance misuse, Breaking Free Online (BFO), is informed by Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance recommending examination of 'mechanisms of action' of individual intervention strategies, which is relevant when evaluating digital interventions with content that may evolve over time. To report findings from examination of mechanisms of action of tailoring advice within the BFO programme and outcomes from specific intervention strategies. Analysis of covariance and linear regressions were used to assess intervention completion data, and psychometric and clinical outcomes, for 2311 service users accessing drug and alcohol treatment services across the UK. Tailoring advice provided to users appeared to prompt them to prioritise completion of intervention strategies associated with their areas of highest biopsychosocial impairment. Completion of specific intervention strategies within BFO were associated with specific clinical outcomes, with a dose response also being found. Mechanisms of action analyses revealed the primacy of cognitions, with cognitive restructuring strategies being associated with improvements in mental health, severity of substance dependence, quality of life and global biopsychosocial functioning. The MRC framework provides an evolved research paradigm within the field of digital behavioural change. By assessing baseline profiles of need, BFO can target the most appropriate clinical content for individual users. Mechanisms of action research can be used to inform modifications to BFO to continually update clinical content and the technology platform. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of individualism and drinking identity on alcohol problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Dawn W; Yeung, Nelson; Quist, Michelle C

2014-12-01

This study evaluated the interactive association between individualism and drinking identity predicting alcohol use and problems. Seven hundred and ten undergraduates (Mean age =22.84, SD = 5.31, 83.1% female) completed study materials. We expected that drinking identity and individualism would positively correlate with drinking variables. We further expected that individualism would moderate the association between drinking identity and drinking such that the relationship between drinking identity and alcohol outcomes would be positively associated, particularly among those high in individualism. Our findings supported our hypotheses. These findings better explain the relationship between drinking identity, individualism, and alcohol use. Furthermore, this research encourages the consideration of individual factors and personality characteristics in order to develop culturally tailored materials to maximize intervention efficacy across cultures.

The influence of individualism and drinking identity on alcohol problems

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Dawn W.; Yeung, Nelson; Quist, Michelle C.

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the interactive association between individualism and drinking identity predicting alcohol use and problems. Seven hundred and ten undergraduates (Mean age =22.84, SD = 5.31, 83.1% female) completed study materials. We expected that drinking identity and individualism would positively correlate with drinking variables. We further expected that individualism would moderate the association between drinking identity and drinking such that the relationship between drinking identity and alcohol outcomes would be positively associated, particularly among those high in individualism. Our findings supported our hypotheses. These findings better explain the relationship between drinking identity, individualism, and alcohol use. Furthermore, this research encourages the consideration of individual factors and personality characteristics in order to develop culturally tailored materials to maximize intervention efficacy across cultures. PMID:25525420

Optimizing Tailored Communications for Health Risk Assessment: A Randomized Factorial Experiment of the Effects of Expectancy Priming, Autonomy Support, and Exemplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Valle, Carmina G; Queen, Tara L; Martin, Barbara A; Ribisl, Kurt M; Mayer, Deborah K; Tate, Deborah F

2018-03-01

Health risk assessments with tailored feedback plus health education have been shown to be effective for promoting health behavior change. However, there is limited evidence to guide the development and delivery of online automated tailored feedback. The goal of this study was to optimize tailored feedback messages for an online health risk assessment to promote enhanced user engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions for engaging in healthy behaviors. We examined the effects of three theory-based message factors used in developing tailored feedback messages on levels of engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. We conducted a randomized factorial experiment to test three different components of tailored feedback messages: tailored expectancy priming, autonomy support, and use of an exemplar. Individuals (N=1945) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to one of eight different experimental conditions within one of four behavioral assessment and feedback modules (tobacco use, physical activity [PA], eating habits, and weight). Participants reported self-efficacy and behavioral intentions pre- and postcompletion of an online health behavior assessment with tailored feedback. Engagement and message perceptions were assessed at follow-up. For the tobacco module, there was a significant main effect of the exemplar factor (P=.04); participants who received exemplar messages (mean 3.31, SE 0.060) rated their self-efficacy to quit tobacco higher than those who did not receive exemplar messages (mean 3.14, SE 0.057). There was a three-way interaction between the effect of message conditions on self-efficacy to quit tobacco (P=.02), such that messages with tailored priming and an exemplar had the greatest impact on self-efficacy to quit tobacco. Across PA, eating habits, and weight modules, there was a three-way interaction among conditions on self-efficacy (P=.048). The highest self-efficacy scores were reported among those who

Flavin-catalyzed redox tailoring reactions in natural product biosynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Teufel, Robin

2017-10-15

Natural products are distinct and often highly complex organic molecules that constitute not only an important drug source, but have also pushed the field of organic chemistry by providing intricate targets for total synthesis. How the astonishing structural diversity of natural products is enzymatically generated in biosynthetic pathways remains a challenging research area, which requires detailed and sophisticated approaches to elucidate the underlying catalytic mechanisms. Commonly, the diversification of precursor molecules into distinct natural products relies on the action of pathway-specific tailoring enzymes that catalyze, e.g., acylations, glycosylations, or redox reactions. This review highlights a selection of tailoring enzymes that employ riboflavin (vitamin B2)-derived cofactors (FAD and FMN) to facilitate unusual redox catalysis and steer the formation of complex natural product pharmacophores. Remarkably, several such recently reported flavin-dependent tailoring enzymes expand the classical paradigms of flavin biochemistry leading, e.g., to the discovery of the flavin-N5-oxide - a novel flavin redox state and oxygenating species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of tailoring of press formed thermoplastic composite parts

Science.gov (United States)

Sinke, J.

2018-05-01

The Tailor Made Blank concept is widely accepted in the production of sheet metal parts. By joining, adding and subtracting materials, and sometimes even applying different alloys, parts can be produced more efficiently by cost and/or weight, and new design options have been discovered. This paper is about the manufacture of press formed parts of Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics and the evaluation whether the Tailoring concept, though adapted to the material behavior of FRTP, can be applied to these composites as well. From research, the first results and ideas are presented. One of the ideas is the multistep forming process, creating parts with thickness variations and combinations of fibre orientations that are usually not feasible using common press forming strategies. Another idea is the blending of different prepreg materials in one component. This might be useful in case of specific details, like for areas of mechanical fastening or to avoid carbon/metal contact, otherwise resulting in severe corrosion. In a brief overview, future perspectives of the potential of the Tailoring concept are presented.

Molecular tailoring approach for exploring structures, energetics and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Keywords. Molecular clusters; linear scaling methods; molecular tailoring approach (MTA); Hartree– ..... energy decomposition analysis also performed and which clearly ... through molecular dynamics simulation furnished by. Takeguchi,. 46.

Evaluation of a cancer exercise program: patient and physician beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, C; Stewart, A; Segal, R; Wouterloot, E; Scott, C G; Aubry, T

2009-08-01

Participation in an exercise intervention during cancer treatment diminishes the side effects associated with cancer therapies, although such benefits vary according to the disease and the patient characteristics. A structured exercise program providing an individualized fitness program tailored to the patients' illness, treatment, and fitness level would address this variability. However, the need, desired components, and anticipated barriers of such a program have not been systematically explored from either the point of view of cancer patients or treating oncologists. Sixty-six cancer patients and 18 medical and radiation oncologists were surveyed on the above variables. Cancer patients and oncologists alike perceived a need for a structured exercise program during and after medical treatment for cancer. Among cancer patients, the most commonly preferred feature was access to consultation with an exercise specialist who could take into account the patient's previous exercise and medical history. Over a third of patients reported interest in a hospital-based fitness program. Oncologists were in favor of appropriate supervision of patients during exercise, and noted insufficient time to discuss exercise in their practice. Respondents noted time and parking as barriers to participation. Overall, results support the need for a supervised exercise program during active treatment for cancer and highlight the desired features of such a program.

Online Pestkoppenstoppen: systematic and theory-based development of a web-based tailored intervention for adolescent cyberbully victims to combat and prevent cyberbullying.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Niels C L; Völlink, Trijntje; Dehue, Francine; Lechner, Lilian

2014-04-24

The purpose of this article is to give an integrative insight into the theoretical and empirical-based development of the Online Pestkoppenstoppen (Stop Bullies Online/Stop Online Bullies). This intervention aims to reduce the number of cyberbully victims and their symptoms of depression and anxiety (program goal), by teaching cyberbully victims how to cope in an adequate and effective manner with cyberbully incidents (program's outcomes). In developing the program the different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol are systematically used. In this article we describe each step of Intervention Mapping. Sources used for the development were a literature review, a Delphi study among experts, focus group interviews with the target group, and elements from a proven effective anti-bullying program. The result is a fully automated web-based tailored intervention for cyberbully victims (12-15 years) consisting of three web-based advice sessions delivered over three months. The first advice aims to teach participants how behavior is influenced by the thoughts they have, how to recognize and dispute irrational thoughts and how to form rational thoughts. In the second advice, participants will learn about the way bullying emerges, how their behavior influences bullying and how they can use effective coping strategies in order to stop (online) bullying. In the third advice, participants receive feedback and will learn how to use the Internet and mobile phones in a safe manner. Each advice is tailored to the participant's personal characteristics (e.g., personality, self-efficacy, coping strategies used and (ir)rational thoughts). To ensure implementation of the program after testing it for effectiveness, the intervention was pretested in the target-population and an implementation plan was designed. Finally, we will elaborate on the planned randomized controlled trial in which the intervention will be compared to a general information group and waiting list control group

Activities of daily living (ADL) of single elderly individuals using social assistive programs in a rural community.

Science.gov (United States)

Yokokawa, Yoshiharu; Miyoshi, Kei; Kai, Ichiro

2017-01-01

Objectives　The proportion of elderly individuals living alone is increasing in Japan. Matsumoto city office provides social assistive programs such as home help, lunch delivery, life advice, and safety check telephone calls. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of ADL between the elderly using social assistive programs (the use group) and those who did not (the non-use group).Methods　We conducted a cross-sectional study at Shiga district of Matsumoto city in September 2014. A total of 128 elderly individuals participated in this study. Health volunteers asked these subjects to complete a questionnaire without assistance. Measurement items included lifestyle variables and social support networks. With respect to the frequency of use, we used questions that inquired about the use of the social assistive program. We included a set of instruments commonly used in the health assessment of elderly populations: functional capacity (Instrumental ADL, Intellectual Activity, Social Role), social support, nutrition (Mini Nutrition Assessment [MNA]) and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS]).Results　The use group consisted of 24 elderly individuals participating in the social support program. The non-use group consisted of 89 elderly individuals living alone without programs. The mean age of those who completed the survey was 83.9±4.2 years for the use group and 82.3±4.3 years for the non-use group. Comparisons between the two groups did not show significant difference in terms of their intellectual activity, social role, emotional social support, and MNA or GDS scores. The use group was more likely to use the public transfer service and receive instrumental social support from children and relatives.Conclusions　By means of utilizing the public transfer service, and receiving family support, the elderly living alone who used social assistive programs could live independently. These findings suggest a need for improvement in the public

Using personas to tailor educational messages to the preferences of coronary heart disease patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Vosbergen, S; Mulder-Wiggers, J M R; Lacroix, J P; Kemps, H M C; Kraaijenhagen, R A; Jaspers, M W M; Peek, N

2015-02-01

Although tailoring health education messages to individual characteristics of patients has shown promising results, most patient education materials still take a one-size-fits-all approach. The aim of this study was to develop a method for tailoring health education messages to patients' preferences for various message features, using the concept of personas. This is a preliminary study focused on education for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. This study used a three-step approach. First, we created personas by (i) performing k-means cluster analysis on data from an online survey that assessed the preferences of 213 CHD patients for various message features and, (ii) creating a vivid description of the preferences per patient cluster in an iterative process with the research team. Second, we developed adaptation rules to tailor existing educational messages to the resulting personas. Third, we conducted a pilot validation by adapting nine existing educational messages to each of the personas. These messages and the resulting personas were then presented to a separate group of 38 CHD patients who visited the cardiology outpatient clinic. They were first asked to choose their most preferred, second most preferred, and least preferred persona. Subsequently, they were asked to rate three of the adapted messages; one for every of the persona choices. We created five personas that pertained to five patient clusters. Personas varied mainly on preferences for medical or lay language, current or future temporal perspective, and including or excluding explicit health risks. Fifty-five different adaptation rules were developed, primarily describing adaptations to the message's perspective, level of detail, sentence structure, and terminology. Most participants in the validation study could identify with one of the five personas, although some of them found it hard to choose. On average, 68.5% of all participants rated the messages that matched their most preferred

Effects of tailoring ingredients in auditory persuasive health messages on fruit and vegetable intake

OpenAIRE

Elbert, Sarah P.; Dijkstra, Arie; Rozema, Andrea

2017-01-01

Objective: Health messages can be tailored by applying different tailoring ingredients, among which personalisation, feedback and adaptation. This experiment investigated the separate effects of these tailoring ingredients on behaviour in auditory health persuasion. Furthermore, the moderating effect of self-efficacy was assessed.Design: The between-participants design consisted of four conditions. A generic health message served as a control condition; personalisation was applied using the r...

Preventing drug use among sexual-minority youths: findings from a tailored, web-based intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwinn, Traci Marie; Thom, Bridgette; Schinke, Steven Paul; Hopkins, Jessica

2015-05-01

Rates of drug use among sexual-minority youths are disproportionately high. Yet, expressly designed prevention programs targeting this population are absent. This study developed and tested a web-based drug abuse prevention program for sexual-minority youths. A sample (N = 236) of sexual-minority youths was recruited via Facebook. Online, all youths completed pretests; youths randomly assigned to the intervention received a 3-session prevention program; and all youths completed posttest and 3-month follow-up measurements. At 3-month follow-up and compared to youths in the control arm, intervention-arm youths reported less stress, reduced peer drug use, lower rates of past 30-day other drug use, and higher coping, problem solving, and drug-use refusal skills. Outcome data suggest the potential of tailored intervention content to address sexual-minority youths' drug use rates and related risk factors. Moreover, study procedures lend support to the feasibility of using the Internet to recruit sexual-minority youths, collect data, and deliver intervention. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tinker Tailor Robot Pi -- The Project

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Lynne

2017-01-01

Tinker Tailor Robot Pi (TTRP) is an innovative curriculum development project, which started in September 2014. It involves in-service primary and secondary teachers, university academic engineers, business partners and pupils at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 (ages 5-14). The focus of the work has been to explore how a pedagogy for primary engineering…

Tailor-made blanks for the aircraft industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zad Poor, A.A.

2010-01-01

Tailor-Made Blanks (TMBs) are hybrid assemblies made of sheet metals with different materials and/or thicknesses that are joined together prior to forming. Alternatively, a monolithic sheet can be machined to create required thickness variations (machined TMBs). The possibility of having several

Radiation dose of cardiac dual-source CT: The effect of tailoring the protocol to patient-specific parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkadhi, Hatem; Stolzmann, Paul; Scheffel, Hans; Desbiolles, Lotus; Baumueller, Stephan; Plass, Andre; Genoni, Michele; Marincek, Borut; Leschka, Sebastian

2008-01-01

Objective: To determine the radiation doses and image quality of different dual-source computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) protocols tailored to the heart rate (HR) and body mass index (BMI) of the patients. Materials and methods: Two hundred consecutive patients (68 women; mean age 61 ± 9 years) underwent either helical CTCA with retrospective ECG-gating or sequential CT with prospective ECG-triggering: 50 patients (any BMI, any HR) were examined with a standard, non-tailored protocol (helical CTCA, 120 kV, 330 mAs), whereas the other 150 patients were examined with a tailored protocol: 40 patients (group A, BMI ≤ 25 kg/sqm, HR ≤ 70 bpm) with sequential CTCA (100 kV, 190 mAs ref ), 43 patients (group B, BMI ≤ 25 kg/sqm, HR > 70 bpm) with helical CTCA (100 kV, 220 mAs), 28 patients (group C, BMI > 25 kg/sqm, HR ≤ 70 bpm) with sequential CTCA (120 kV, 330 mAs ref ), and 39 patients (group D, BMI > 25 kg/sqm, HR > 70 bpm) with helical CTCA (120 kV, 330 mAs). The effective radiation dose estimates were calculated from the dose-length-product for each patient. Image quality was classified as being diagnostic or non-diagnostic in each coronary segment. Results: Image quality was diagnostic in 2403/2460 (98%) and non-diagnostic in 57/2460 (2%) of all coronary segments. No significant differences in image quality were found among all five CTCA protocols (p = 0.78). The non-tailored helical CTCA protocol was associated with a radiation dose of 9.0 ± 1.0 mSv, being significantly higher compared to that using sequential CTCA (group A: 1.3 ± 0.3 mSv, p 70 bpm (group D: 8.5 ± 0.9 mSv, p = 0.51). Conclusions: Dual-source CTCA is associated with radiation doses ranging between 1.3 and 9.0 mSv, depending on the protocol used. Tailoring of the CTCA protocol to the HR and BMI of the individual patient results in dose reductions of up to 86%, while maintaining a diagnostic image quality of the examination

A randomized controlled trial of the web-based OurRelationship program: Effects on relationship and individual functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Doss, Brian D; Cicila, Larisa N; Georgia, Emily J; Roddy, McKenzie K; Nowlan, Kathryn M; Benson, Lisa A; Christensen, Andrew

2016-04-01

Within the United States, one third of married couples are distressed and almost half of first marriages (and more than half of unmarried cohabiting relationships) end in divorce/separation. Additionally, relationship distress has been linked to mental and physical health problems in partners and their children. Although couple therapy is effective in reducing relationship distress, it is utilized by less than one third of divorcing couples. Therefore, more accessible interventions for relationship distress are needed. This study tests the efficacy of the OurRelationship program, an 8-hr online program adapted from an empirically based, in-person couple therapy. In the program, couples complete online activities and have 4 15-min calls with project staff. Nationwide, 300 heterosexual couples (N = 600 participants) participated; couples were generally representative of the US in terms of race, ethnicity, and education. Couples were randomly assigned to begin the program immediately or to a 2-month waitlist control group. Compared to the waitlist group, intervention couples reported significant improvements in relationship satisfaction (Cohen's d = 0.69), relationship confidence (d = 0.47), and negative relationship quality (d = 0.57). Additionally, couples reported significant improvements in multiple domains of individual functioning, especially when individuals began the program with difficulties in that domain: depressive (d = 0.71) and anxious symptoms (d = 0.94), perceived health (d = 0.51), work functioning (d = 0.57), and quality of life (d = 0.44). In a nationally representative sample of couples, the OurRelationship program was effective in significantly improving both relationship and individual functioning, suggesting it can substantially increase the reach of current interventions through its low-cost, Web-based format. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Tailored reflectors for illumination.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, D; Winston, R

1996-04-01

We report on tailored reflector design methods that allow the placement of general illumination patterns onto a target plane. The use of a new integral design method based on the edge-ray principle of nonimaging optics gives much more compact reflector shapes by eliminating the need for a gap between the source and the reflector profile. In addition, the reflectivity of the reflector is incorporated as a design parameter. We show the performance of design for constant irradiance on a distant plane, and we show how a leading-edge-ray method may be used to achieve general illumination patterns on nearby targets.

The psychosocial effects of the Li-Fraumeni Education and Early Detection (LEAD) program on individuals with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Jessica; Bojadzieva, Jasmina; Peterson, Susan; Noblin, Sarah Jane; Yzquierdo, Rebecca; Askins, Martha; Strong, Louise

2017-09-01

In the past 5 years, new screening protocols have been developed that provide improved cancer screening options for individuals with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). Very little has been published on the psychosocial impact of these screening protocols. The goals of this study were to determine how participation in screening impacts individuals psychosocially, to examine the benefits and drawbacks of screening, and to evaluate possible barriers to continued screening. We performed a qualitative study consisting of semistructured phone interviews conducted from December 2015 to February 2016 with 20 individuals attending the LFS screening program at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Data analysis showed that benefits of screening include early detection, peace of mind, centralized screening, knowledge providing power, and screening making LFS seem more livable. Perceived drawbacks included logistical issues, difficulty navigating the system, screening being draining, and significant negative emotional reactions such as anxiety, fear, and skepticism. Regardless of the emotions that were present, 100% of participants planned on continuing screening in the program. Our data indicate that the perceived benefits of screening outweigh the drawbacks of screening. Individuals in this screening program appeared to have improved psychosocial well-being because of their access to the screening program.Genet Med advance online publication 16 March 2017.

Gait characteristics of individuals with multiple sclerosis before and after a 6-month aerobic training program.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, M M; Mulcare, J A; King, D L; Mathews, T; Gupta, S C; Glaser, R M

1999-07-01

Individuals who have multiple sclerosis (MS) typically experience problems with physical activities such as walking, resulting from the combined effects of skeletal muscle weakness, sensory disturbances, spasticity, gait ataxia, and reduction in aerobic capacity. The aim of this study was to determine whether a 6-mo exercise program designed for aerobic conditioning might also affect gait abnormalities in individuals with MS. Subjects included 18 individuals with MS who presented a range of disability. Passive range of motion (PROM) in the lower limbs was measured and gait analyzed before and after exercise conditioning. Three-dimensional kinematics, ground reaction forces (GRF), and electromyographic information were acquired as subjects walked at self-selected velocities. Hip PROM increased following conditioning. Mean walking velocity, cadence, and posterior shear GRF (push-off force) decreased. During walking, maximum ankle dorsiflexion decreased and ankle plantarflexion increased. Total knee flexion/extension range during the walking cycle decreased slightly as did maximum hip extension. Results suggest this 6-mo training program had minimal effect on gait abnormalities.

Participant Perceptions of an Individualised Physical Activity Anti-Smoking Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Hanlon, Clare; Morris, Tony; O'Sullivan, Grant Anthony

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore a health program comprising the individual experiences, successes and setbacks of adults in an individually tailored, community-based smoking intervention and physical activity program. The program incorporated physical activity consultation (PAC) and phone support from the well-established Quit…

Development of Transition Programs for Adolescents with Serious Emotional Disturbances.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulen, Julia; Bullis, Michael

This paper reports on an ongoing 3-year project which has worked with three school sites to identify program and staff needs and then develop a tailored intervention to improve program services for adolescent students with severe emotional disturbances (SED). Necessary characteristics of effective transition programs for this population are…

Manufacturing of tailored tubes with a process integrated heat treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Hordych, Illia; Boiarkin, Viacheslav; Rodman, Dmytro; Nürnberger, Florian

2017-10-01

The usage of work-pieces with tailored properties allows for reducing costs and materials. One example are tailored tubes that can be used as end parts e.g. in the automotive industry or in domestic applications as well as semi-finished products for subsequent controlled deformation processes. An innovative technology to manufacture tubes is roll forming with a subsequent inductive heating and adapted quenching to obtain tailored properties in the longitudinal direction. This processing offers a great potential for the production of tubes with a wide range of properties, although this novel approach still requires a suited process design. Based on experimental data, a process simulation is being developed. The simulation shall be suitable for a virtual design of the tubes and allows for gaining a deeper understanding of the required processing. The model proposed shall predict microstructural and mechanical tube properties by considering process parameters, different geometries, batch-related influences etc. A validation is carried out using experimental data of tubes manufactured from various steel grades.

Aeroelastic Tailoring of Transport Aircraft Wings: State-of-the-Art and Potential Enabling Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Jutte, Christine; Stanford, Bret K.

2014-01-01

This paper provides a brief overview of the state-of-the-art for aeroelastic tailoring of subsonic transport aircraft and offers additional resources on related research efforts. Emphasis is placed on aircraft having straight or aft swept wings. The literature covers computational synthesis tools developed for aeroelastic tailoring and numerous design studies focused on discovering new methods for passive aeroelastic control. Several new structural and material technologies are presented as potential enablers of aeroelastic tailoring, including selectively reinforced materials, functionally graded materials, fiber tow steered composite laminates, and various nonconventional structural designs. In addition, smart materials and structures whose properties or configurations change in response to external stimuli are presented as potential active approaches to aeroelastic tailoring.

Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Relapse Prevention Program With Tailored Feedback for People With Methamphetamine and Other Drug Use Problems: Development and Usability Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Takano, Ayumi; Miyamoto, Yuki; Kawakami, Norito; Matsumoto, Toshihiko

2016-01-06

Although drug abuse has been a serious public health concern, there have been problems with implementation of treatment for drug users in Japan because of poor accessibility to treatment, concerns about stigma and confidentiality, and costs. Therapeutic interventions using the Internet and computer technologies could improve this situation and provide more feasible and acceptable approaches. The objective of the study was to show how we developed a pilot version of a new Web-based cognitive behavioral relapse prevention program with tailored feedback to assist people with drug problems and assessed its acceptance and usability. We developed the pilot program based on existing face-to-face relapse prevention approaches using an open source Web application to build an e-learning website, including relapse prevention sessions with videos, exercises, a diary function, and self-monitoring. When users submitted exercise answers and their diary, researchers provided them with personalized feedback comments using motivational interviewing skills. People diagnosed with drug dependence were recruited in this pilot study from a psychiatric outpatient ward and nonprofit rehabilitation facilities and usability was evaluated using Internet questionnaires. Overall, website usability was assessed by the Web Usability Scale. The adequacy of procedures in the program, ease of use, helpfulness of content, and adverse effects, for example, drug craving, mental distress, were assessed by original structured questionnaires and descriptive form questions. In total, 10 people participated in the study and completed the baseline assessment, 60% completed all relapse prevention sessions within the expected period. The time needed to complete one session was about 60 minutes and most of the participants took 2 days to complete the session. Overall website usability was good, with reasonable scores on subscales of the Web Usability Scale. The participants felt that the relapse prevention

Perceived barriers and enablers to participation in a community-tailored physical activity program with Indigenous Australians in a regional and rural setting: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sushames, Ashleigh; Engelberg, Terry; Gebel, Klaus

2017-09-18

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of chronic disease and a lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians. In non-urban areas these health disparities are even larger. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore perceived barriers and enablers to attending an eight-week physical activity program in a rural and regional setting which aimed to improve health outcomes, but had a low attendance rate. Thirty-four Indigenous Australians participated in the intervention from the rural (n = 12) and the regional (n = 22) community. Qualitative semi-structured individual interviews were conducted at the follow-up health assessments with 12 participants. A thematic network analysis was undertaken to examine the barriers and enablers to participation in the program. Overall, there were positive attitudes to, and high levels of motivation towards, the physical activity program. Enablers to participation were the inclusion of family members, no financial cost and a good relationship with the principal investigator, which was strengthened by the community-based participatory approach to the program design. Barriers to program attendance were mostly beyond the control of the individuals, such as 'sorry business', needing to travel away from the community and lack of community infrastructure. More consideration is needed prior to implementation of programs to understand how community-specific barriers and enablers will affect attendance to the program. ACTRN12616000497404 . Registered 18 April 2016.

A Web-Based and Print-Based Computer-Tailored Physical Activity Intervention for Prostate and Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Comparison of User Characteristics and Intervention Use

OpenAIRE

Golsteijn, Rianne Henrica Johanna; Bolman, Catherine; Peels, Denise Astrid; Volders, Esmee; de Vries, Hein; Lechner, Lilian

2017-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) is beneficial in improving negative physical and psychological effects of cancer. The rapidly increasing number of cancer survivors, resulting from aging and improved cancer care, emphasizes the importance to develop and provide low cost, easy accessible PA programs. Such programs could be provided through the Internet, but that could result in the exclusion of cancer survivors not familiar with the Internet. Therefore, we developed a computer-tailored PA int...

Development of a fully automated, web-based, tailored intervention promoting regular physical activity among insufficiently active adults with type 2 diabetes: integrating the I-change model, self-determination theory, and motivational interviewing components.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, Michel; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Boudreau, François

2015-02-17

Type 2 diabetes is a major challenge for Canadian public health authorities, and regular physical activity is a key factor in the management of this disease. Given that fewer than half of people with type 2 diabetes in Canada are sufficiently active to meet the recommendations, effective programs targeting the adoption of regular physical activity (PA) are in demand for this population. Many researchers argue that Web-based, tailored interventions targeting PA are a promising and effective avenue for sedentary populations like Canadians with type 2 diabetes, but few have described the detailed development of this kind of intervention. This paper aims to describe the systematic development of the Web-based, tailored intervention, Diabète en Forme, promoting regular aerobic PA among adult Canadian francophones with type 2 diabetes. This paper can be used as a reference for health professionals interested in developing similar interventions. We also explored the integration of theoretical components derived from the I-Change Model, Self-Determination Theory, and Motivational Interviewing, which is a potential path for enhancing the effectiveness of tailored interventions on PA adoption and maintenance. The intervention development was based on the program-planning model for tailored interventions of Kreuter et al. An additional step was added to the model to evaluate the intervention's usability prior to the implementation phase. An 8-week intervention was developed. The key components of the intervention include a self-monitoring tool for PA behavior, a weekly action planning tool, and eight tailored motivational sessions based on attitude, self-efficacy, intention, type of motivation, PA behavior, and other constructs and techniques. Usability evaluation, a step added to the program-planning model, helped to make several improvements to the intervention prior to the implementation phase. The intervention development cost was about CDN $59,700 and took approximately

Use of electronic sales data to tailor nutrition education resources for an ethnically diverse population.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, H; Rodgers, A; Ni Mhurchu, C

2010-02-01

Nutrition education may be most effective when personally tailored. Individualised electronic supermarket sales data offer opportunities to tailor nutrition education using shopper's usual food purchases. The present study aimed to use individualised electronic supermarket sales data to tailor nutrition resources for an ethnically diverse population in a large supermarket intervention trial in New Zealand. Culturally appropriate nutrition education resources (i.e. messages and shopping lists) were developed with the target population (through two sets of focus groups) and ethnic researchers. A nutrient database of supermarket products was developed using retrospective sales data and linked to participant sales to allow tailoring by usual food purchases. Modified Heart Foundation Tick criteria were used to identify 'healthier' products in the database suitable for promotion in the resources. Rules were developed to create a monthly report listing the tailored and culturally targeted messages to be sent to each participant, and to produce automated, tailored shopping lists. Culturally targeted nutrition messages (n = 864) and shopping lists (n = 3 formats) were developed. The food and nutrient database (n = 3000 top-selling products) was created using 12 months of retrospective sales data, and comprised 60%'healthier' products. Three months of baseline sales data were used to determine usual food purchases. Tailored resources were successfully mailed to 123 Māori, 52 Pacific and 346 non-Māori non-Pacific participants over the 6-month trial intervention period. Electronic supermarket sales data can be used to tailor nutrition education resources for a large number of ethnically diverse supermarket shoppers.

A Microfinance Program Targeting People Living with HIV in Uganda: Client Characteristics and Program Impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Linnemayr, Sebastian; Buzaalirwa, Lydia; Balya, James; Wagner, Glenn

HIV has disproportionately affected economically vulnerable populations. HIV medical care, including antiretroviral therapy, successfully restores physical health but can be insufficient to achieve social and economic health. It may therefore be necessary to offer innovative economic support programs such as providing business training and microcredit tailored to people living with HIV/AIDS. However, microfinance institutions have shown reluctance to reach out to HIV-infected individuals, resulting in nongovernment and HIV care organizations providing these services. The authors investigate the baseline characteristics of a sample of medically stable clients in HIV care who are eligible for microcredit loans and evaluate their business and financial needs; the authors also analyze their repayment pattern and how their socioeconomic status changes after receipt of the program. The authors find that there is a significant unmet need for business capital for the sample under investigation, pointing toward the potentially beneficial role of providing microfinance and business training for clients in HIV care. HIV clients participating in the loans show high rates of repayment, and significant increases in (disposable) income, as well as profits and savings. The authors therefore encourage other HIV care providers to consider providing their clients with such loans.

Tailoring endocrine treatment for early breast cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fontein, Duveken Berthe Yvonne

2014-01-01

This thesis describes several important aspects of adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with endocrine-sensitive, early-stage breast cancer. In our ongoing efforts to tailor treatment so as to provide the best possible care to each of our patients, we studied the influence of various

A structural model of treatment program and individual counselor leadership in innovation transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, George W; Becan, Jennifer E; Knight, Danica K; Flynn, Patrick M

2017-03-23

A number of program-level and counselor-level factors are known to impact the adoption of treatment innovations. While program leadership is considered a primary factor, the importance of leadership among clinical staff to innovation transfer is less known. Objectives included explore (1) the influence of two leadership roles, program director and individual counselor, on recent training activity and (2) the relationship of counselor attributes on training endorsement. The sample included 301 clinical staff in 49 treatment programs. A structural equation model was evaluated for key hypothesized relationships between exogenous and endogenous variables related to the two leadership roles. The importance of organizational leadership, climate, and counselor attributes (particularly counseling innovation interest and influence) to recent training activity was supported. In a subset of 68 counselors who attended a developer-led training on a new intervention, it was found that training endorsement was higher among those with high innovation interest and influence. The findings suggest that each leadership level impacts the organization in different ways, yet both can promote or impede technology transfer.

Seeking and securing work: Individual-level predictors of employment of psychiatric survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Peter V; Montgomery, Phyllis; Davie, Samantha; Dickins, Kevin; Forchuk, Cheryl; Jeng, Momodou S; Kersey, Melissa; Meier, Amanda; Lahey, Pam; Rudnick, Abraham; Solomon, Michelle; Warner, Laura

2015-01-01

For people with mental illness (psychiatric survivors), seeking and securing employment involves personal, social, and environmental factors. In Canada, psychiatric survivors are under-represented in the workforce, and services can help by tailoring their supports to help make the most gains in employment. Determine whether individual socio-demographic and health factors predict seeking and securing employment among psychiatric survivors. A community sample of psychiatric survivors from a Southwestern Ontario region participated in this study. Stepwise logistic regression was used to analyze data from 363 participants who had completed a variety of questionnaires to ascertain individual characteristics and employment outcomes. Health service utilization, living circumstances, homelessness, substance use issues, general health, social integration, ethnicity, having children under 18, and being a student emerged as significant predictors of seeking and securing work. Other commonly accepted human capital indicators, such as education and age, were not predictive of employment search behavior and outcomes. Individual characteristics that predict employment search and success outcomes for psychiatric survivors include aspects related to treatment and living circumstances, which stands in contrast to predictors of employment for the general population, suggesting that employment support services may need to be tailored to psychiatric survivors specifically.

Helping War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Incarcerated Individuals' Role in Therapeutic Animal Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Furst, Gennifer

2016-05-01

A grassroots movement of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations is creating programs in which incarcerated individuals train rescued shelter dogs as therapeutic canines for Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Driven in part by reports of Veterans not receiving adequate treatment for PTSD, the programs are the latest iteration of prison-based animal programs and are founded on the principles of animal therapy and healing powers of animals. The far-reaching and deleterious collateral consequences of PTSD create social and economic burdens on the country; providing beneficial interventions for Veterans is a pressing social problem. Without oversight, a patchwork of agencies has developed that provides Veterans with dogs with varying levels of training and differing abilities. To best serve the needs of Veterans, the programs need regulation and standardized methods of training. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 54(5), 49-57.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Technical knowledge and skills development in the informal sector in Kenya: The case of custom tailors

Science.gov (United States)

Apunda, Edwinah Amondi; de Klerk, Helena M.; Ogina, Teresa

2017-06-01

Custom tailors working in the informal sector in Nairobi, Kenya, mainly acquire technical skills through undertaking traditional apprenticeships (TAs). However, most of these tailors are semi-skilled, produce low-quality products and are often poorer than their formally trained counterparts. This qualitative case study explores the aspects of technical skills and knowledge which tailoring apprentices develop, and the factors which influence these outcomes. The findings show that apprentices do acquire basic technical skills for immediate application to ongoing tailoring activities (such as how to take body measurements, draft patterns, and cut, sew and finish constructed garments). However, apprentices do not acquire the technical knowledge that underpins the trade. Most master tailors who have completed TAs lack technical knowledge and have no access to technical skills upgrading. This perpetuates the cycle of basic and limited technical skills transfer to apprentices, poor performance and poverty among tailors. Both apprentices and master tailors expressed concern over knowledge limitations in TAs and a need to access further training to improve skills and acquire knowledge of the trade. The authors of this article argue that, technically and pedagogically, skilled master tailors are critical to improving training quality. Complementary training in theoretical knowledge is also important in improving apprentices' technical skills and understanding of the trade. Inclusion of TAs in government policy may help ensure sustainable improvement of skills.

In the Best Interests of the Child: Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings When Parents Are in Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Feinberg, Edward; Moses, Philip; Engiles, Anita; Whitehorne, Amy; Peter, Marshall

2014-01-01

Individual Education Program (IEP) teams are composed of diverse individuals, each bringing a unique set of experiences, knowledge, and skills to the table. Given this, it is not uncommon for team members to have different views on the special education and related services needs of the student whose plan is being developed. When divergent views…

Highly tailorable thiol-ene based emulsion-templated monoliths

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lafleur, J. P.; Kutter, J. P.

2014-01-01

The attractive surface properties of thiol-ene polymers combined with their ease of processing make them ideal substrates in many bioanalytical applications. We report the synthesis of highly tailorable emulsion-templated porous polymers and beads in microfluidic devices based on off-stoichiometr......The attractive surface properties of thiol-ene polymers combined with their ease of processing make them ideal substrates in many bioanalytical applications. We report the synthesis of highly tailorable emulsion-templated porous polymers and beads in microfluidic devices based on off......-stoichiometry thiolene chemistry. The method allows monolith synthesis and anchoring inside thiol-ene microchannels in a single step. Variations in the monomer stoichiometric ratios and/or amount of porogen used allow for the creation of extremely varied polymer morphologies, from foam-like materials to dense networks...

Do commencing nursing and paramedicine students differ in interprofessional learning and practice attitudes: evaluating course, socio-demographic and individual personality effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallam, Karen T; Livesay, Karen; Morda, Romana; Sharples, Jenny; Jones, Andi; de Courten, Maximilian

2016-03-03

Interprofessional education (IPE) requires health students to learn with, from and about each other in order to develop a modern workforce with client-centred care at its core. Despite the client centred focus of IPE, training programs often utilize standard approaches across student cohorts without consideration of discipline, sociodemographic and personality variability that attract students to different health disciplines. Knowing the students who engage in IPE to tailor training may prove as beneficial as knowing the client to delivered individualized client centred care in interprofessional practice (IPP). This research investigates whether students commencing undergraduate nursing and paramedicine degrees ener training with existing demographic and personality differences and, if these are associated with different attitudes towards health care teams and interprofessional education. This online study recruited 160 nursing and 50 paramedicine students in their first week of their undergraduate course. Students completed questionnaires regarding their background, personality (General Perceived Self Esteem Scale, International Mini Markers) and the attitudes towards health care teams scale (ATHCTS) and interprofessional education perception scale (IEPS). Results show that commencing nursing and paramedicine students are demographically different on education, gender, speaking a language other than English at home (LOTE) and their own experience with healthcare. The results further demonstrate that LOTE, discipline being studied and personality factors play a role in perceptions regarding interprofessional training whilst discipline being studied impacted on attitudes towards health care teams in the workforce. These results highlight a number of existing personal and psychological differences between individuals who choose to train in these selected professions. This suggests a need for tertiary education IPE programs to move towards tailoring their education to

Web-based cognitive behavioral relapse prevention program with tailored feedback for people with methamphetamine and other drug use problems: protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Takano, Ayumi; Miyamoto, Yuki; Kawakami, Norito; Matsumoto, Toshihiko; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Sugimoto, Takashi

2016-04-04

Despite the effectiveness of psychosocial programs for recovery from drug use problems, there have been challenges in implementation of treatment. Internet-based and computerized approaches have been known to be effective in treatment dissemination. The study purpose is to assess the effects of a web-based psychosocial relapse prevention program with a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Recruitment began in January 2015 for outpatient participants diagnosed with drug abuse or dependence who have used a primary abused drug in the past year at psychiatric hospitals and a clinic. Participants are randomized either to a web-based relapse prevention program or a self-monitoring group. The intervention is a web-based relapse prevention program named "e-SMARPP" that consists of six relapse prevention program modules with tailored feedback from health care professionals and 8 weeks of self-monitoring. The content is adapted from a face-to-face relapse prevention program which is based on cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement. The primary outcomes are relapse risk assessed by the Stimulant Relapse Risk Scale (baseline, 2-, 5- and 8-month) and the longest duration of consecutive abstinent days from primary abused drug during the intervention. Secondary outcomes will include motivation to change, self-efficacy for drug use and craving, abstinent days in the past 28 or 56 days, quality of life, sense of coherence, cost of substance use, medical cost, retention of treatment and use of self-help group. Completion, usability and satisfaction of the program will be also assessed to explore feasibility. This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of The University of Tokyo and each recruiting hospital and clinic. To our knowledge, this study is the first clinical trial to assess the effects of a web-based therapeutic program for drug users in Japan. If successful, this program is a promising approach for drug user treatment in Japan, where the

Special Programs for Individual Needs (SPIN). Handicapped Children Early Education Program: P.L. 91-230 Title VI, Part C. Final Report, July 1, 1974 to June 30, 1977.

Science.gov (United States)

Wight, Byron W.

The document contains the final report of the Special Programs for Individualized Needs (SPIN) program designed to develop a demonstration model for training day care personnel to identify developmentally delayed or emotionally disturbed children and to program for them within the regular day care setting. Major objectives were to develop…

Effectiveness of a Culturally-Tailored Smoking Cessation Intervention for Arab-American Men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda G. Haddad

2017-04-01

Full Text Available To date, no smoking cessation programs are available for Arab American (ARA men, who are a vulnerable population with high rates of smoking. Thus, the primary aim of this one group pre-test/post-test study was to assess the effectiveness of Sehatack—a culturally and linguistically tailored smoking cessation program for ARA men. The study sample was 79 ARA men with a mean age of 43 years who smoked between 5 and 40 cigarettes (mean = 19.75, SD = 9.1 per day (98.7%. All of the participants reported more interest in smoking cessation post-intervention and many of the participants in the baseline (38.5% and post-intervention phases (47.7% wanted to quit smoking ”very much”. For daily smokers who completed the smoking cessation program, the median number of cigarettes smoked daily was significantly lower than those in the post-intervention phase (Z = −6.915, p < 0.001. Results of this preliminary study indicate that: (a Sehatack may be a promising way for ARA men to quit smoking, and (b culturally relevant smoking cessation counselors can be trained to recruit and retain ARA smokers in an intensive group smoking cessation program. Strengths of this study were community engagement and rapport between three faith organizations and the University of Florida College of Nursing. However, a larger trial is needed to address study limitations and to confirm benefits in this population.

Anglo-Saxon experience in the implementation of correctional treatment and the Polish individual rehabilitation program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maciej Bernasiewicz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The authors cite American and British research on the effectiveness of correctional treatment. On that basis, they describe several crucial factors that affect the success of rehabilitation (e.g., educators’ skills, working with families of juvenile offenders. The article broadly discusses the specific juvenile residential treatment program that has been implemented in Florida. The conclusions of this program are drawn from the research conducted through interviews with juvenile offenders (young adults who have effectively completed the process of rehabilitation in correctional facilities. Furthermore, the authors discuss an individual program of rehabilitation (IPR implemented in Polish correctional facilities. Using the experience and the impact of correctional treatment in the West, it is proposed to introduce certain modifications in the planning and implementation of Polish correctional treatment programs (IPR s.

Development of an Online Smartphone-Based eLearning Nutrition Education Program for Low-Income Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Stotz, Sarah; Lee, Jung Sun

2018-01-01

The objective of this report was to describe the development process of an innovative smartphone-based electronic learning (eLearning) nutrition education program targeted to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education-eligible individuals, entitled Food eTalk. Lessons learned from the Food eTalk development process suggest that it is critical to include all key team members from the program's inception using effective inter-team communication systems, understand the unique resources needed, budget ample time for development, and employ an iterative development and evaluation model. These lessons have implications for researchers and funding agencies in developing an innovative evidence-based eLearning nutrition education program to an increasingly technology-savvy, low-income audience. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a Teen-Friendly Health Education Program on Facebook: Lessons Learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Bu Kyung; Nahm, Eun-Shim; Rogers, Valerie E

2016-01-01

Facebook is the most popular online platform among adolescents and can be an effective medium to deliver health education. Although Korean American (KA) adolescents are at risk of obesity, a culturally tailored health education program is not available for them. Thus, our research team developed a health education program for KA adolescents on Facebook called "Healthy Teens." The aim of this study was to discuss important lessons learned through the program development process. This program includes culturally tailored learning modules about healthy eating and physical activity. The program was developed on the basis of the social cognitive theory, and the online program was developed by applying Web usability principles for adolescents. Upon completion, the usability of the program was assessed using heuristic evaluation. The findings from the heuristic evaluation showed that the Healthy Teens program was usable for KA adolescents. The findings from this study will assist researchers who are planning to build similar Facebook-based health education programs. Copyright © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward tailored disease management for type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Elissen, Arianne M J; Duimel-Peeters, Inge G P; Spreeuwenberg, Cor; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2012-10-01

To assess the differentiated effects of population-based disease management programs (DMPs) for type 2 diabetes on intermediary clinical outcomes in The Netherlands. Data covering a period from 20 to 24 months between January 2008 and December 2010 were collected from 18 Dutch care groups (primary care provider networks that have bundled payment contracts for delivery of diabetes DMPs). Meta-analysis and meta-regression methods were used to conduct differentiated analyses of these programs' effects over time on 4 clinical indicators: glycated hemoglobin, lowdensity lipoprotein, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index. Heterogeneous average results were stratified according to various patient and process characteristics to investigate whether differences in these features could explain variation in outcomes. Between 56% and 71% of patients (N = 105,056) had valid first- and second-year measurements of the study outcomes. Although average changes in these measures over time were small, stratified analyses demonstrated that clinically relevant improvements were achieved in patients with poor first-year health values. Interactions with age, disease duration, comorbidity, and smoking status were not consistent across outcomes; nonetheless, heterogeneity in results decreased considerably when simultaneously correcting for known patient characteristics. Positive effects tended to diminish with longer length of follow-up, while greater measurement frequency was associated with improved results, especially in patients with poor health. Our data suggest that tailored disease management, in which not only evidencebased guidelines but also patient characteristics directly determine care processes, including self-management support, has great potential to improve the cost-effectiveness of current chronic care delivery.

XML Graphs in Program Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Anders; Schwartzbach, Michael I.

2011-01-01

of XML graphs against different XML schema languages, and provide a software package that enables others to make use of these ideas. We also survey the use of XML graphs for program analysis with four very different languages: XACT (XML in Java), Java Servlets (Web application programming), XSugar......XML graphs have shown to be a simple and effective formalism for representing sets of XML documents in program analysis. It has evolved through a six year period with variants tailored for a range of applications. We present a unified definition, outline the key properties including validation...

Individual and Public-Program Adaptation: Coping with Heat Waves in Five Cities in Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustapha Alhassan

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS are currently undergoing testing and implementation in Canada. These programs seek to reduce the adverse health effects of heat waves on human health by issuing weather forecasts and warnings, informing individuals about possible protections from excessive heat, and providing such protections to vulnerable subpopulations and individuals at risk. For these programs to be designed effectively, it is important to know how individuals perceive the heat, what their experience with heat-related illness is, how they protect themselves from excessive heat, and how they acquire information about such protections. In September 2010, we conducted a survey of households in 5 cities in Canada to study these issues. At the time of the survey, these cities had not implemented heat outreach and response systems. The study results indicate that individuals’ recollections of recent heat wave events were generally accurate. About 21% of the sample reported feeling unwell during the most recent heat spell, but these illnesses were generally minor. Only in 25 cases out of 243, these illnesses were confirmed or diagnosed by a health care professional. The rate at which our respondents reported heat-related illnesses was higher among those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, was higher among younger respondents and bore no relationship with the availability of air conditioning at home. Most of the respondents indicated that they would not dismiss themselves as “not at risk” and that they would cope with excessive heat by staying in air conditioned environments and keeping well hydrated. Despite the absence of heat outreach and education programs in their city, our respondents at least a rough idea of how to take care of themselves. The presence of air conditioning and knowledge of cooling centers is location-specific, which provides opportunities for targeting HARS interventions.

Tailoring Agility: Promiscuous Pair Story Authoring and Value Calculation

Science.gov (United States)

Tendon, Steve

This chapter describes how a multi-national software organization created a business plan involving business units from eight countries that followed an agile way, after two previously failed attempts with traditional approaches. The case is told by the consultant who initiated implementation of agility into requirements gathering, estimation and planning processes in an international setting. The agile approach was inspired by XP, but then tailored to meet the peculiar requirements. Two innovations were critical. The first innovation was promiscuous pair story authoring, where user stories were written by two people (similarly to pair programming), and the pairing changed very often (as frequently as every 15-20 minutes) to achieve promiscuity and cater for diverse point of views. The second innovation was an economic value evaluation (and not the cost) which was attributed to stories. Continuous recalculation of the financial value of the stories allowed to assess the projects financial return. In this case implementation of agility in the international context allowed the involved team members to reach consensus and unanimity of decisions, vision and purpose.

Aerogels in Chemical Engineering: Strategies Toward Tailor-Made Aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnova, Irina; Gurikov, Pavel

2017-06-07

The present review deals with recent advances in the rapidly growing field of aerogel research and technology. The major focus of the review lies in approaches that allow tailoring of aerogel properties to meet application-driven requirements. The decisive properties of aerogels are discussed with regard to existing and potential application areas. Various tailoring strategies, such as modulation of the pore structure, coating, surface modification, and post-treatment, are illustrated by results of the last decade. In view of commercialization of aerogel-based products, a panorama of current industrial aerogel suppliers is given, along with a discussion of possible alternative sources for raw materials and precursors. Finally, growing points and perspectives of the aerogel field are summarized.

Tailor-Made Additives for Morphology Control in Molecular Bulk-Heterojunction Photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Graham, Kenneth R.

2013-01-09

Tailor-made additives, which are molecules that share the same molecular structure as a parent molecule with only slight structural variations, have previously been demonstrated as a useful means to control crystallization dynamics in solution. For example, tailor-made additives can be added to solutions of a crystallizing parent molecule to alter the crystal growth rate, size, and shape. We apply this strategy as a means to predictably control morphology in molecular bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic cells. Through the use of an asymmetric oligomer substituted with a bulky triisobutylsilyl end group, the morphology of BHJ blends can be controlled resulting in a near doubling (from 1.3 to 2.2%) in power conversion efficiency. The use of tailor-made additives provides promising opportunities for controlling crystallization dynamics, and thereby film morphologies, for many organic electronic devices such as photovoltaics and field-effect transistors. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Tailor-Made Additives for Morphology Control in Molecular Bulk-Heterojunction Photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Graham, Kenneth R.; Stalder, Romain; Wieruszewski, Patrick M.; Patel, Dinesh G.; Salazar, Danielle H.; Reynolds, John R.

2013-01-01

Tailor-made additives, which are molecules that share the same molecular structure as a parent molecule with only slight structural variations, have previously been demonstrated as a useful means to control crystallization dynamics in solution. For example, tailor-made additives can be added to solutions of a crystallizing parent molecule to alter the crystal growth rate, size, and shape. We apply this strategy as a means to predictably control morphology in molecular bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic cells. Through the use of an asymmetric oligomer substituted with a bulky triisobutylsilyl end group, the morphology of BHJ blends can be controlled resulting in a near doubling (from 1.3 to 2.2%) in power conversion efficiency. The use of tailor-made additives provides promising opportunities for controlling crystallization dynamics, and thereby film morphologies, for many organic electronic devices such as photovoltaics and field-effect transistors. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Systematic tailoring for the implementation of guideline recommendations for anxiety and depressive disorders in general practice: perceived usefulness of tailored interventions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinnema, H.; Terluin, B.; Wensing, M.; Volker, D.; Franx, G.; van Balkom, A.J.L.M.; de Lange, J.

2013-01-01

Background: The uptake of guideline recommendations in general practice can potentially be improved by designing implementation interventions that are tailored to prospectively identify barriers. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the most effective and efficient approaches to

Systematic tailoring for the implementation of guideline recommendations for anxiety and depressive disorders in general practice: perceived usefulness of tailored interventions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinnema, H.; Terluin, B.; Wensing, M.; Volker, D.; Franx, G.; Balkom, A. van; Lange, J.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: The uptake of guideline recommendations in general practice can potentially be improved by designing implementation interventions that are tailored to prospectively identify barriers. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the most effective and efficient approaches to

Online Pestkoppenstoppen: systematic and theory-based development of a web-based tailored intervention for adolescent cyberbully victims to combat and prevent cyberbullying

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this article is to give an integrative insight into the theoretical and empirical-based development of the Online Pestkoppenstoppen (Stop Bullies Online/Stop Online Bullies). This intervention aims to reduce the number of cyberbully victims and their symptoms of depression and anxiety (program goal), by teaching cyberbully victims how to cope in an adequate and effective manner with cyberbully incidents (program’s outcomes). Method/Design In developing the program the different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol are systematically used. In this article we describe each step of Intervention Mapping. Sources used for the development were a literature review, a Delphi study among experts, focus group interviews with the target group, and elements from a proven effective anti-bullying program. The result is a fully automated web-based tailored intervention for cyberbully victims (12-15 years) consisting of three web-based advice sessions delivered over three months. The first advice aims to teach participants how behavior is influenced by the thoughts they have, how to recognize and dispute irrational thoughts and how to form rational thoughts. In the second advice, participants will learn about the way bullying emerges, how their behavior influences bullying and how they can use effective coping strategies in order to stop (online) bullying. In the third advice, participants receive feedback and will learn how to use the Internet and mobile phones in a safe manner. Each advice is tailored to the participant’s personal characteristics (e.g., personality, self-efficacy, coping strategies used and (ir)rational thoughts). To ensure implementation of the program after testing it for effectiveness, the intervention was pretested in the target-population and an implementation plan was designed. Finally, we will elaborate on the planned randomized controlled trial in which the intervention will be compared to a general information group

A tailored, dialogue-based health communication application for patients with chronic low back pain: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dirmaier, Jörg; Härter, Martin; Weymann, Nina

2013-06-14

Chronic low back pain is a common chronic condition whose treatment success can be improved by active involvement of patients. Patient involvement can be fostered by web-based applications combining health information with decision support or behaviour change support. These so-called Interactive Health Communication Applications (IHCAs) can reach great numbers of patients at low financial cost and provide information and support at the time, place and learning speed patients prefer. However, high attrition often seems to decrease the effects of web-based interventions. Tailoring content and tone of IHCAs to the individual patient ́s needs might improve usage and therefore effectiveness. This study aims to evaluate a tailored IHCA for people with chronic low back pain combining health information with decision support and behaviour change support. The tailored IHCA will be tested regarding effectiveness and usage against a standard website with identical content in a single-blinded randomized trial with a parallel design. The IHCA contains information on chronic low back pain and its treatment options including health behaviour change recommendations. In the intervention group the content is delivered in dialogue form, tailored to relevant patient characteristics (health literacy, coping style). In the control group there is no tailoring, a standard web-page is used for presenting the content. Participants are unaware of group assignment. Eligibility criteria are age ≥ 18 years , self- reported chronic low back pain, and Internet access. To detect the expected small effect (Cohen's d = 0.2), the sample aims to include 414 patients, with assessments at baseline, directly after the first on-page visit, and at 3-month follow-up using online self-report questionnaires. It is expected that the tailored IHCA has larger effects on knowledge and patient empowerment (primary outcomes) compared to a standard website. Secondary outcomes are website usage

Risk identication of tailorable context-aware systems: a case study and lessons learned

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zarifi Eslami, Mohammed; Sapkota, Brahmananda; Zarghami, Alireza; Vriezekolk, E.; van Sinderen, Marten J.; Wieringa, Roelf J.; Wieringa, P.A.

In this paper, we discuss possible risks posed by the application of tailorable context-aware systems in real-life practices. We use a tailorable context-aware system in the homecare domain as a case study to identify and analyse such risks. Next, we discuss which of these risks can be generalized

JobTIPS: A Transition to Employment Program for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Strickland, Dorothy C.; Coles, Claire D.; Southern, Louise B.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an Internet accessed training program that included Theory of Mind-based guidance, video models, visual supports, and virtual reality practice sessions in teaching appropriate job interview skills to individuals with high functioning ASD. In a randomized study, twenty two youth, ages 16 to 19, were evaluated during two employment interviews. Half received a training intervention following the initial interview and the half who served as a contrast group did not. Their performance pre and post intervention was assessed by four independent raters using a scale that included evaluation of both Content and Delivery. Results suggest that youth who completed the JobTIPS employment program demonstrated significantly more effective verbal content skills than those who did not. PMID:23494559

Tailorable Trimethyl chitosans as adjuvant for intranasal immunization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verheul, R.J.

2010-01-01

Tailorable Trimethyl Chitosans as Adjuvant for Intranasal Immunization Active vaccination has proven to be the most (cost) effective tool in the fight against infectious diseases. Nowadays, most vaccines are administered via parenteral injection. However, the risk of contaminated needles and need

Effects of individual and group exercise programs on pain, balance, mobility and perceived benefits in rheumatoid arthritis with pain and foot deformities

OpenAIRE

do Carmo, Carolina Mendes; Almeida da Rocha, Bruna; Tanaka, Clarice

2017-01-01

[Purpose] To verify the effects of individual and group exercise programs on pain, balance, mobility and perceived benefits of rheumatoid arthritis patients (RA) with pain and foot deformities. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty patients with RA pain and foot deformity were allocated into two groups: G1: individual exercise program and G2: group exercise program. The variables analyzed were Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for balance, Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Fu...

Individualized music for dementia: Evolution and application of evidence-based protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerdner, Linda A

2012-04-22

The theory-based intervention of individualized music has been evaluated clinically and empirically leading to advancement and refinement of an evidence-based protocol, currently in its 5th edition. An expanded version of the protocol was written for professional health care providers with a consumer version tailored for family caregivers. The underlying mid-range theory is presented along with a seminal study that was followed by further research in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Norway, Japan and Taiwan. Key studies are summarized. Given its efficacy when implemented by research staff, studies have advanced to testing the intervention under real-life conditions when implemented and evaluated by trained nursing assistants in long-term care facilities and visiting family members. In addition, one study evaluated the implementation of music by family members in the home setting. Initial research focused on agitation as the dependent variable with subsequent research indicating a more holistic response such as positive affect, expressed satisfaction, and meaningful interaction with others. The article advances by describing on-line programs designed to train health care professionals in the assessment, implementation and evaluation of individualized music. In addition, Gerdner has written a story for a picture book intended for children and their families (in press). The story models principles of individualized music to elicit positive memories, reduce anxiety and agitation, and promote communication. The article concludes with implications for future research.

Effects of two proprioceptive training programs on ankle range of motion, pain, functional and balance performance in individuals with ankle sprain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarou, Lazaros; Kofotolis, Nikolaos; Pafis, Georgios; Kellis, Eleftherios

2017-09-08

Following ankle sprain, residual symptoms are often apparent, and proprioceptive training is a treatment approach. Evidence, however, is limited and the optimal program has to be identified. To investigate the effects of two post-acute supervised proprioceptive training programs in individuals with ankle sprain. Participants were recruited from a physiotherapy center for ankle sprain rehabilitation. In a pre-post treatment, blinded-assessor design, 22 individuals were randomly allocated to a balance or a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) group. Both groups received 10 rehabilitation sessions, within a six-week period. Dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), pain, functional and balance performance were assessed at baseline, at the end of training and eight weeks after training. Follow-up data were provided for 20 individuals. Eight weeks after training, statistically significant (pfunctional performance measures for both balance and PNF groups. Eight weeks after training, significant (pfunctional performance in individuals with sprain. Balance programs are also recommended for pain relief.

Effectiveness of a caregiver education program on providing oral care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Fickert, Nancy A; Ross, Diana

2012-06-01

Caregivers who work in community living arrangements or intermediate care facilities are responsible for the oral hygiene of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Oral hygiene training programs do not exist in many organizations, despite concerns about the oral care of this population. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a caregiver educational program. This study used a quasi-experimental one-group pretest/posttest design with repeated measures to describe the outcomes of an educational program. Program participants demonstrated oral hygiene skills on each other while being scored by a trained observer, after which they completed an oral hygiene compliance survey. After three months, a follow-up included the same posttest, demonstration of oral hygiene skills, and repeat of the compliance survey. Paired-sample t-tests of oral hygiene knowledge showed a statistically significant improvement from pretest to posttest and from pretest to three-month posttest. Oral hygiene skills and compliance improved. Results demonstrate evidence that caregiver education improves knowledge, skill, and compliance in oral hygiene. Further studies are required to demonstrate the value of providing oral hygiene education and training for caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Parent Feedback about Individualized Education Program Team Meetings for Students in Kindergarten through Grade 12

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper-Martin, Elizabeth; Wilson, Heather M.

2014-01-01

This report presents parent feedback from a study that focused on experiences at Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meetings and also explored parent satisfaction with delivery of special education services. The study included all parents of Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) students who had educational disabilities, were…

Individualism-Collectivism, Social Self-Control and Adolescent Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Pokhrel, Pallav; Bennett, Brooke L; Regmi, Sakshi; Idrisov, Bulat; Galimov, Artur; Akhmadeeva, Leila; Sussman, Steve

2018-06-07

Individualism and collectivism are cultural syndromes that have been associated with adolescent problem behavior in studies conducted in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. However, research investigating the mechanisms of how cultural orientation impacts health risk behaviors has been limited. This study tested a new model explaining the relationship between cultural orientation (i.e., individualism, collectivism) and adolescent problem behavior (i.e., substance use and risky sex) in terms of interpersonal self-regulation (i.e., social self-control). As such, the study is rooted in theories of the role of culture in developing self-regulation. Participants were high school students (N = 716) from the Bashkirtostan Republic of the Russian Federation. Adolescents from the Russian Federation tend to show high prevalence of cigarette smoking and binge drinking. People of the Russian Federation in general are traditionally collectivist in orientation, although increased globalization and post-Soviet capitalism may indicate high individualist values in younger generation Russians. Using path analysis we found that in addition to having direct effects, higher individualism indirectly affected substance use and risky sexual behavior through social self-control and negative life events. Higher collectivism was found to have a direct protective effect on risky sexual behavior and a direct effect on social self-control. However, collectivism was not found to have indirect effects on substance use or risky sexual behavior. Higher individualism appears to function as a risk factor for adolescent problem behavior and this relationship may be mediated by lower social self-control. Culturally-tailored prevention programs utilizing the individualism-collectivism framework may benefit from addressing social self-control.

Microstructural gradients in thin hard coatings -- tailor-made

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pantleon, Karen; Oettel, Heinrich

1998-01-01

) alternating sputtering with and without substrate voltage and (c) pulsed bias voltage. On the basis of X-ray diffraction measurements, it is demonstrated that residual stress gradients and texture gradients can be designed tailor-made. Furthermore, results of microhardness measurements and scratch tests...

Excellent bonding behaviour of novel surface-tailored fibre ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

tured completely before pull-out, leading to full utilization of its tensile strength, and ... Composite rods; surface tailoring; cementitious matrix; pull-out test; bonding characteristics. 1. ... machine (Lloyd LR50K) at a speed of 0∙5 mm/min with a.

Blood Pressure and Hemodynamic Adaptations after a Training Program in Young Individuals with Down Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruna Barboza Seron

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Cardiovascular diseases affect people worldwide. Individuals with Down Syndrome (DS have an up to sixteen-time greater risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To evaluate the effects of aerobic and resistance exercises on blood pressure and hemodynamic variables of young individuals with DS. Methods: A total of 29 young individuals with DS participated in the study. They were divided into two groups: aerobic training (AT (n = 14, and resistance training (TR (n = 15. Their mean age was 15.7 ± 2.82 years. The training program lasted 12 weeks, and had a frequency of three times a week for AT and twice a week for RT. AT was performed in treadmill/ bicycle ergometer, at an intensity between 50%-70% of the HR reserve. RT comprised nine exercises with three sets of 12 repetition-maximum. Systolic blood pressure (SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP, mean blood pressure (MBP and hemodynamic variables were assessed beat-to-beat using the Finometer device before/after the training program. Descriptive analysis, the Shapiro-Wilk test to check the normality of data, and the two-way ANOVA for repeated measures were used to compare pre- and post-training variables. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated to correlate hemodynamic variables. The SPSS version 18.0 was used with the significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: After twelve weeks of aerobic and/or resistance training, significant reductions in variables SBP, DBP and MBP were observed. Conclusion: This study suggests a chronic hypotensive effect of moderate aerobic and resistance exercises on young individuals with DS.

My Activity Coach - using video-coaching to assist a web-based computer-tailored physical activity intervention: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Alley, Stephanie; Jennings, Cally; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2014-07-21

There is a need for effective population-based physical activity interventions. The internet provides a good platform to deliver physical activity interventions and reach large numbers of people at low cost. Personalised advice in web-based physical activity interventions has shown to improve engagement and behavioural outcomes, though it is unclear if the effectiveness of such interventions may further be improved when providing brief video-based coaching sessions with participants. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness, in terms of engagement, retention, satisfaction and physical activity changes, of a web-based and computer-tailored physical activity intervention with and without the addition of a brief video-based coaching session in comparison to a control group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (tailoring + online video-coaching, tailoring-only and wait-list control). The tailoring + video-coaching participants will receive a computer-tailored web-based physical activity intervention ('My Activity Coach') with brief coaching sessions with a physical activity expert over an online video calling program (e.g. Skype). The tailoring-only participants will receive the intervention but not the counselling sessions. The primary time point's for outcome assessment will be immediately post intervention (week 9). The secondary time points will be at 6 and 12 months post-baseline. The primary outcome, physical activity change, will be assessed via the Active Australia Questionnaire (AAQ). Secondary outcome measures include correlates of physical activity (mediators and moderators), quality of life (measured via the SF-12v2), participant satisfaction, engagement (using web-site user statistics) and study retention. Study findings will inform researchers and practitioners about the feasibility and effectiveness of brief online video-coaching sessions in combination with computer-tailored physical activity advice

The effects of an integrated health education and exercise program in community-dwelling older adults with hypertension: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yeon-Hwan; Song, Misoon; Cho, Be-Long; Lim, Jae-Young; Song, Wook; Kim, Seon-Ho

2011-01-01

the aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of HAHA (Healthy Aging and Happy Aging) program, which is an integrated health education and exercise program for community-dwelling older adults with hypertension. older adults with hypertension from one senior center were randomly allocated to experimental (n=18) or control group (n=22). Experimental group received health education, individual counseling and tailored exercise program for 12 weeks. the mean ages were 71 years (experimental group) and 69 (control group). After the intervention, systolic blood pressure of experimental group was significantly decreased than that of control group. Scores of exercise self-efficacy, general health, vitality, social functioning, and mental health in SF-36 were statistically higher than those of control group. the HAHA program was effective in control of systolic blood pressure and improving self-efficacy for exercise and health-related quality of life. 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tailoring Shipboard Training to Fleet Performance Needs: IV. Training Modules and Administrative Aids for the Shipboard Propulsion Plant Operator Training (SPPOT) Program.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-08-01

functions, and charateristics of equipment and components, (3) direc- tions of flow through systems and equipments, (4) parameter settings (pressures...Army training literature. Arlington, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, November 1975. (AD-A033 935) Main, R. E...individual spot check examinations of main propulsion person - nel to assure PQS/SPPOT program is being properly conducted. 3. Provide technical

Worksite-based internet multimedia program for family caregivers of persons with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchamp, Natasha; Irvine, A Blair; Seeley, John; Johnson, Brian

2005-12-01

Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of a multimedia support program delivered over the Internet to employed family caregivers of persons with dementia. The evaluation of this program involved 299 employed family caregivers participating in a pretest-posttest randomized clinical trial with a 30-day follow-up and a waitlist control condition. Validated instruments include the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Caregiver Strain scale from Benjamin Rose, and Positive Aspects of Caregiving used in the nationwide REACH study. Those who viewed Caregiver's Friend: Dealing with Dementia 30 days postexposure demonstrated significant improvements in depression, anxiety, level and frequency of stress, caregiver strain, self-efficacy, and intention to seek help, as well as perceptions of positive aspects of caregiving. Interactive multimedia interventions delivered over the Internet appear to be uniquely suited to provide low-cost, effective, convenient, individually tailored programs that present educational information, cognitive and behavioral skills, and affective learning opportunities. This makes Web-based multimedia a promising avenue for work-life balance programs, employee-assistance providers, and organizations interested in improving family caregiver health and well-being.

Program Use and Outcome Change in a Web-Based Trauma Intervention: Individual and Social Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiyun; Wang, Jianping; Maercker, Andreas

2016-09-09

Insight into user adherence to Web-based intervention programs and into its relationship to intervention effect is needed. The objective of this study was to examine use of a Web-based self-help intervention program, the Chinese version of My Trauma Recovery (CMTR), among Chinese traumatized individuals, and to investigate the relationship between program use and user characteristics before the intervention and change in outcomes after the intervention and at 3-months' follow-up. The sample consisted of 56 urban survivors of different trauma types and 90 rural survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, who used the CMTR in 1 month on their own or guided by volunteers in a counseling center. Predictors were demographics (sex, age, highest education, marital status, and annual family income), health problems (trauma duration, posttraumatic symptoms, and depression), psychological factors (coping self-efficacy), and social factors (social functioning impairment and social support). Program use was assessed by general program usage (eg, number of visiting days) and program adherence (eg, webpages completed in modules). Outcome measures were the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Symptom Checklist 90-Depression (SCL-D), Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy scale (CSE), Crisis Support Scale (CSS), and Social Functioning Impairment questionnaire (SFI) adopted from the CMTR. (1) Program use: rural participants had a larger total number of visiting days (F1,144=40.50, Psocial factors at pretest. (3) Program use and outcomes change: in general, use of the triggers and self-talk modules showed a consistent positive association with improvement in PDS, SCL-D, SFI, and CSE. The relaxation module was associated with positive change in PDS, but with negative change in CSS and SFI. The professional help module was associated with positive change in SCL-D, but its use on the first day was associated with negative change in CSS and CSE. The unhelpful coping module was associated with

Inactive tanks remediation program strategy and plans for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-11-01

This report presents plans and strategies for remediation of the liquid low-level waste (LLLW) tanks that have been removed from service (also known as inactive tanks) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. These plans and strategies will be carried out by the Environmental Restoration Program's Inactive LLLW Tank Program at ORNL. The approach to remediation of each tank or tank farm must be adapted in response to the specific circumstances of individual tank sites. The approach will be tailored to accommodate feedback on lessons learned from previous tank remediation activities and will not be a rigid step-by-step approach that must be conducted identically for every tank system. However, the approach will follow a multistep decision process. The overall objective of the Inactive Tank Program is to remediate all LLLW tanks that have been removed from service to the extent practicable in accordance with the FFA requirements. The Inactive Tank Program will focus on the remediation of the tank residues and tank shell. This strategy is discussed in detail in this report

Time series with tailored nonlinearities

Science.gov (United States)

Räth, C.; Laut, I.

2015-10-01

It is demonstrated how to generate time series with tailored nonlinearities by inducing well-defined constraints on the Fourier phases. Correlations between the phase information of adjacent phases and (static and dynamic) measures of nonlinearities are established and their origin is explained. By applying a set of simple constraints on the phases of an originally linear and uncorrelated Gaussian time series, the observed scaling behavior of the intensity distribution of empirical time series can be reproduced. The power law character of the intensity distributions being typical for, e.g., turbulence and financial data can thus be explained in terms of phase correlations.

An ecological momentary intervention for smoking cessation: The associations of just-in-time, tailored messages with lapse risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hébert, Emily T; Stevens, Elise M; Frank, Summer G; Kendzor, Darla E; Wetter, David W; Zvolensky, Michael J; Buckner, Julia D; Businelle, Michael S

2018-03-01

Smartphone apps can provide real-time, tailored interventions for smoking cessation. The current study examines the effectiveness of a smartphone-based smoking cessation application that assessed risk for imminent smoking lapse multiple times per day and provided messages tailored to current smoking lapse risk and specific lapse triggers. Participants (N=59) recruited from a safety-net hospital smoking cessation clinic completed phone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) 5 times/day for 3 consecutive weeks (1week pre-quit, 2weeks post-quit). Risk for smoking lapse was estimated in real-time using a novel weighted lapse risk estimator. With each EMA, participants received messages tailored to current level of risk for imminent smoking lapse and self-reported presence of smoking urge, stress, cigarette availability, and motivation to quit. Generalized linear mixed model analyses determined whether messages tailored to specific lapse risk factors were associated with greater reductions in these triggers than messages not tailored to specific triggers. Overall, messages tailored to smoking urge, cigarette availability, or stress corresponded with greater reductions in those triggers than messages that were not tailored to specific triggers (p's=0.02 to <0.001). Although messages tailored to stress were associated with greater reductions in stress than messages not tailored to stress, the association was non-significant (p=0.892) when only moments of high stress were included in the analysis. Mobile technology can be used to conduct real-time smoking lapse risk assessment and provide tailored treatment content. Findings provide initial evidence that tailored content may impact users' urge to smoke, stress, and cigarette availability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field profile tailoring in a-Si:H radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujieda, I.; Cho, G.; Conti, M.; Drewery, J.; Kaplan, S.N.; Perez-Mendez, V.; Quershi, S.; Wildermuth, D.; Street, R.A.

1990-03-01

The capability of tailoring the field profile in reverse-biased a-Si:H diodes by doping and/or manipulating electrode shapes opens a way to many interesting device structures. Charge collection in a-Si:H radiation detectors is improved for high LET particle detection by inserting thin doped layers into the i-layer of the usual p-i-n diode. This buried p-i-n structure enables us to apply higher reverse-bias and the electric field is enhanced in the mid i-layer. Field profiles of the new structures are calculated and the improved charge collection process is discussed. Also discussed is the possibility of field profile tailoring by utilizing the fixed space charges in i-layers and/or manipulating electrode shapes of the reverse-biased p-i-n diodes. 10 refs., 7 figs

The effect on work ability of a tailored ergonomic learning program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sell, Lea; Lund, Henrik; Holtermann, Andreas

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The physical working conditions and the musculoskeletal health of industrial workers have an effect on their work ability. OBJECTIVE: The paper evaluates the effectiveness of an ergonomic learning program focused on the development of low strain working techniques. The project...

Radiation monitor training program at Rocky Flats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medina, L.C.; Kittinger, W.D.; Vogel, R.M.

The Rocky Flats Radiation Monitor Training Program is tailored to train new health physics personnel in the field of radiation monitoring. The purpose of the prescribed materials and media is to be consistent in training in all areas of Rocky Flats radiation monitoring job involvement

42 CFR 436.210 - Individuals who meet the income and resource requirements of the cash assistance programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... ELIGIBILITY IN GUAM, PUERTO RICO, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Options for Coverage as Categorically Needy Options... programs. The agency may provide Medicaid to any group or groups of individuals specified under § 436.201(a...

Underwater Leidenfrost nanochemistry for creation of size-tailored zinc peroxide cancer nanotherapeutics

Science.gov (United States)

Elbahri, Mady; Abdelaziz, Ramzy; Disci-Zayed, Duygu; Homaeigohar, Shahin; Sosna, Justyna; Adam, Dieter; Kienle, Lorenz; Dankwort, Torben; Abdelaziz, Moheb

2017-05-01

The dynamic underwater chemistry seen in nature is inspiring for the next generation of eco-friendly nanochemistry. In this context, green synthesis of size-tailored nanoparticles in a facile and scalable manner via a dynamic process is an interesting challenge. Simulating the volcano-induced dynamic chemistry of the deep ocean, here we demonstrate the Leidenfrost dynamic chemistry occurring in an underwater overheated confined zone as a new tool for customized creation of nanoclusters of zinc peroxide. The hydrodynamic nature of the phenomenon ensures eruption of the nanoclusters towards a much colder region, giving rise to growth of monodisperse, size-tailored nanoclusters. Such nanoparticles are investigated in terms of their cytotoxicity on suspension and adherent cells to prove their applicability as cancer nanotherapeutics. Our research can pave the way for employment of the dynamic green nanochemistry in facile, scalable fabrication of size-tailored nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

Sport participation among individuals with acquired physical disabilities: group differences on demographic, disability, and Health Action Process Approach constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrier, Marie-Josée; Shirazipour, Celina H; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E

2015-04-01

Despite numerous physical, social, and mental health benefits of engaging in moderate and vigorous intensity physical activities (e.g., sport), few individuals with acquired physical disabilities currently participate in adapted sport. Theory-based sport promotion interventions are one possible way to increase the amount of individuals who engage in sport. The primary objective of this study was to examine the profiles of three different sport participation groups with respect to demographic, injury, and Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) constructs. ANOVAs and Chi-square tests were used to determine group differences on demographic and disability-related constructs. A MANCOVA was conducted to determine differences between three sport participation groups (non-intenders, intenders, and actors) with age, years post-injury, mode of mobility, and sex included as covariates. A cohort of 201 individuals was recruited; 56 (27.9%) were non-intenders, 21 (10.4%) were intenders, and 124 (61.7%) were actors. The MANCOVA revealed significant differences between groups on the HAPA constructs, F(22,370) = 9.02, p sport intentions. These results provide an important framework that adapted sport organizations can use to tailor their sport promotion programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservatism implications of shock test tailoring for multiple design environments

Science.gov (United States)

Baca, Thomas J.; Bell, R. Glenn; Robbins, Susan A.

1987-01-01

A method for analyzing shock conservation in test specifications that have been tailored to qualify a structure for multiple design environments is discussed. Shock test conservation is qualified for shock response spectra, shock intensity spectra and ranked peak acceleration data in terms of an Index of Conservation (IOC) and an Overtest Factor (OTF). The multi-environment conservation analysis addresses the issue of both absolute and average conservation. The method is demonstrated in a case where four laboratory tests have been specified to qualify a component which must survive seven different field environments. Final judgment of the tailored test specification is shown to require an understanding of the predominant failure modes of the test item.

Tailoring intervention procedures to routine primary health care practice; an ethnographic process evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruijnzeels Marc

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tailor-made approaches enable the uptake of interventions as they are seen as a way to overcome the incompatibility of general interventions with local knowledge about the organisation of routine medical practice and the relationship between the patients and the professionals in practice. Our case is the Quattro project which is a prevention programme for cardiovascular diseases in high-risk patients in primary health care centres in deprived neighbourhoods. This programme was implemented as a pragmatic trial and foresaw the importance of local knowledge in primary health care and internal, or locally made, guidelines. The aim of this paper is to show how this prevention programme, which could be tailored to routine care, was implemented in primary care. Methods An ethnographic design was used for this study. We observed and interviewed the researchers and the practice nurses. All the research documents, observations and transcribed interviews were analysed thematically. Results Our ethnographic process evaluation showed that the opportunity of tailoring intervention procedures to routine care in a pragmatic trial setting did not result in a well-organised and well-implemented prevention programme. In fact, the lack of standard protocols hindered the implementation of the intervention. Although it was not the purpose of this trial, a guideline was developed. Despite the fact that the developed guideline functioned as a tool, it did not result in the intervention being organised accordingly. However, the guideline did make tailoring the intervention possible. It provided the professionals with the key or the instructions needed to achieve organisational change and transform the existing interprofessional relations. Conclusion As tailor-made approaches are developed to enable the uptake of interventions in routine practice, they are facilitated by the brokering of tools such as guidelines. In our study, guidelines facilitated

Kinetically controlled synthesis of large-scale morphology-tailored silver nanostructures at low temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Zhao, Yuda; Lin, Ziyuan; Gu, Fangyuan; Lau, Shu Ping; Li, Li; Chai, Yang

2015-08-01

Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures, which is significant to the controllable fabrication of Ag nanostructures and fundamental understanding of the growth kinetics.Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology-tailored

Good clinical practice guide for opioids in pain management: the three Ts - titration (trial, tweaking (tailoring, transition (tapering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flaminia Coluzzi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Achieving good clinical practice in the use of opioids as part of a comprehensive pain management regimen can face significant challenges. Despite guidelines from governmental and pain society/organization sources, there are still significant hurdles. A review of some basic tenets of opioid analgesia based on current published knowledge and experiences about this important healthcare imperative is warranted. CONTENT: Consistent with guidelines, the literature supports using the lowest total opioid dose that provides adequate pain control with the fewest adverse effects. Titration (or trial during opioid initiation is a way of starting low and going slow (and assessing the appropriateness of a specific opioid and formulation. Recognizing that multiple factors contribute to an individual's personal experience of pain, the physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, pharmacogenomic, and behavioral factors of the individual patient should be taken into account (tweaking, or tailoring. Finally, for those patients for whom transition (tapering from opioid is desired, doing so too rapidly can have negative consequences and minimization of problems during this step can be achieved by proper tapering. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a simultaneously aggressive, yet conservative, approach is advocated in the literature in which opioid therapy is divided into three key steps (the 3 T's: titration (or trial, tweaking (or tailoring, and transition (or tapering. Establishment of the 3 T's along with the application of other appropriate good medical practice and clinical experience/judgment, including non-pharmacologic approaches, can assist healthcare providers in the effort to achieve optimal management of pain.

Developing Strategies for Waste Reduction by Means of Tailored Interventions in Santiago De Cuba

Science.gov (United States)

Tobias, Robert; Brugger, Adrian; Mosler, Hans-Joachim

2009-01-01

This article introduces an approach to tailoring behavior-change campaigns to target populations using the example of solid waste reduction in Santiago de Cuba. Tailoring is performed in the following steps: (1) Psychological constructs are selected to detect problems in performing the target behavior, and data are gathered on these constructs.…

Perceived Benefits and Barriers of a Community-Based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Shawley-Brzoska, Samantha; Misra, Ranjita

2018-03-13

This study examined the perceptions of benefits of and barriers to participating in a community-based diabetes program to improve program effectiveness. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a twenty-two session, 1-year program, modeled after the evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program and AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors framework. Community-based participatory research approach was used to culturally tailor the curriculum. Participants included overweight or obese adults with dysglycemia. A benefits and barriers survey was developed to gather information on participants' perception of the program, as well as information on demographics and health literacy levels. Eighty-nine adults participated in the DPM program (73% females; 62% diabetic; 77% had adequate health literacy); 79% of participants completed the benefits and barriers survey. Principal component analysis indicated two components representing benefits (Cronbach's α = 0.83) and barriers (α = 0.65). The majority perceived high benefits and low barriers to program participation; benefits included helpful interaction with health coach or program leader (73%), improved lifestyle modification (65%) due to the program, and satisfaction with the program (75%). Open-ended questions confirmed themes related to benefits of program participation, suggestion for programmatic improvements as well as barriers to participation. Participant feedback could be used to guide interventions and tailor future program implementation.

Effects of individual and group exercise programs on pain, balance, mobility and perceived benefits in rheumatoid arthritis with pain and foot deformities.

Science.gov (United States)

do Carmo, Carolina Mendes; Almeida da Rocha, Bruna; Tanaka, Clarice

2017-11-01

[Purpose] To verify the effects of individual and group exercise programs on pain, balance, mobility and perceived benefits of rheumatoid arthritis patients (RA) with pain and foot deformities. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty patients with RA pain and foot deformity were allocated into two groups: G1: individual exercise program and G2: group exercise program. The variables analyzed were Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for balance, Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Functional Reach (FR) for mobility, and Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ-Br) for perceived benefits. Both exercise programs consisted of functional rehabilitation exercises and self-care guidance aimed at reducing pain and improving balance and mobility. Intragroup comparisons of variables between A1 (pre-intervention) and A2 (post-intervention) were performed. [Results] Patients in both groups were similar in A1 (pre-intervention) in all the variables analyzed. Comparison between A1 and A2 for each variable showed improvement for G1 in the NRS, BBS, FR, TUG and in four out of ten domains of FHSQ-Br. G2 showed improvement in the NRS, BBS and eight out of ten domains of FHSQ-Br. [Conclusion] Both individual and group programs revealed benefits for patients with RA, however, group exercise programs showed better perception of benefits.

Can Deterrence Be Tailored? Strategic Forum, Number 225, January 2007

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bunn, M. E

2007-01-01

.... The Bush administration has outlined a concept for tailored deterrence to address the distinctive challenges posed by advanced military competitors, regional powers armed with weapons of mass destruction (WMD...

Applying QA to nuclear-development programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caplinger, W.H.

1981-12-01

The application of quality assurance (QA) principles to developmental programs is usually accomplished by tailoring or selecting appropriate requirements from large QA systems. Developmental work at Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) covers the complete range from basic research to in-core reactor tests. Desired requirements are selected from the 18 criteria in ANSI/ASME NQA Standard 1 by the cognizant program engineer in conjunction with the quality engineer. These referenced criteria assure that QA for the program is planned, implemented, and maintained. In addition, the WHC QA Manual provides four categories or levels of QA that are assigned to programs or components within the program. These categories are based on safety, reliability, and consequences of failure to provide a cost effective program

Subjective evaluation of a peer support program by women with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Miho; Tsuyumu, Yuko; Ota, Hiroko; Okamoto, Reiko

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the subjective evaluation of a breast cancer peer support program based on a survey of the participants who completed the program. Semistructured interviews were held with 10 women with breast cancer. The responses were subject to a qualitative inductive analysis. Women with breast cancer who participated in the breast cancer peer support program evaluated the features of the program and cited benefits, such as "Receiving individual peer support tailored to your needs," "Easily consulted trained peer supporters," and "Excellent coordination." Also indicated were benefits of the peer support that was received, such as "Receiving peer-specific emotional support," "Obtaining specific experimental information," "Re-examining yourself," and "Making preparations to move forward." The women also spoke of disadvantages, such as "Strict management of personal information" and "Matching limitations." In this study, the subjective evaluation of a peer support program by women with breast cancer was clarified . The women with breast cancer felt that the program had many benefits and some disadvantages. These results suggest that there is potential for peer support-based patient-support programs in medical services that are complementary to the current support that is provided by professionals. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

SraTailor: graphical user interface software for processing and visualizing ChIP-seq data.

Science.gov (United States)

Oki, Shinya; Maehara, Kazumitsu; Ohkawa, Yasuyuki; Meno, Chikara

2014-12-01

Raw data from ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with massively parallel DNA sequencing) experiments are deposited in public databases as SRAs (Sequence Read Archives) that are publically available to all researchers. However, to graphically visualize ChIP-seq data of interest, the corresponding SRAs must be downloaded and converted into BigWig format, a process that involves complicated command-line processing. This task requires users to possess skill with script languages and sequence data processing, a requirement that prevents a wide range of biologists from exploiting SRAs. To address these challenges, we developed SraTailor, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) software package that automatically converts an SRA into a BigWig-formatted file. Simplicity of use is one of the most notable features of SraTailor: entering an accession number of an SRA and clicking the mouse are the only steps required to obtain BigWig-formatted files and to graphically visualize the extents of reads at given loci. SraTailor is also able to make peak calls, generate files of other formats, process users' own data, and accept various command-line-like options. Therefore, this software makes ChIP-seq data fully exploitable by a wide range of biologists. SraTailor is freely available at http://www.devbio.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp/sra_tailor/, and runs on both Mac and Windows machines. © 2014 The Authors Genes to Cells © 2014 by the Molecular Biology Society of Japan and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

42 CFR 62.7 - What will an individual be awarded for participating in the scholarship program?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... the school to all students pursuing a similar curriculum and “required educational equipment” means... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What will an individual be awarded for participating in the scholarship program? 62.7 Section 62.7 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...

Effect of an individualized physical training program on resting cortisol and growth hormone levels and fat oxidation during exercise in obese children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Ounis, O; Elloumi, M; Zouhal, H; Makni, E; Lac, G; Tabka, Z; Amri, M

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the resting levels of cortisol and growth hormone (GH), and the substrate profile during exercise of obese children before and after an individualized training program. Twenty-two obese children (13.1 ± 0.8 yrs) were included in the study. Twelve individuals (six boys and six girls; 31.1 ± 1.1 kg/m², VO₂(peak)=1.92 ± 0.16l/min) participated in a two-month endurance training program and 10 individuals (five boys and five girls; 30.9 ± 1.7 kg/m², VO₂(peak)=1.98 ± 0.12l/min) served as controls. Training was individualized and targeting at the point were fat oxidation was maximal (Lipox(max)). Substrate oxidation was evaluated by indirect calorimetry. To determine plasma cortisol and GH concentrations, blood was collected at rest before and after the two-month period. Before the program, no significant differences were detected between the training group and the control group for any of the measured anthropometric, metabolic or hormonal variables. At the end of the two-month program, training group showed an increase in VO₂(peak) and fat oxidation during exercise. After the program, resting levels of GH and cortisol were significantly increased in the training group (+0.9 ± 0.3 ng/mL and +55.4 ± 10.3 ng/mL respectively, p levels of GH and cortisol. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Individual medicine in inflammatory bowel disease: monitoring bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendtzen, Klaus; Ainsworth, Mark; Steenholdt, Casper

2009-01-01

(s) for these response failures are not clear but inter-individual and even intra-individual differences in bioavailability and pharmacokinetics may contribute. Furthermore, immunogenicity of the drugs, causing patients to develop anti-drug antibodies (ADAs), contributes to treatment failure. Monitoring patients...... for circulating levels of functional anti-TNF drugs and ADAs is therefore warranted so that treatment can be tailored to the individual patient (individual medicine or personal medicine) in order that effective and economical long-term therapy can be given with minimal risks to the patients....

Understanding the impact of graphene sheet tailoring on the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Tailoring the channel decreases mobility and transmission probability to a great ... AGNR was used throughout the text so N denotes the number of dimer lines. Figure 2. .... ber of dimer lines and z is a positive integer) and through local density ...

Promotion of Active Aging using a tailored recommendation system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cabrita, M.; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam Marie Rosé

Active Aging deals with the support and integration of the elderly population in a society focusing on improving physical and mental well-being. Persuasive technology provides solutions for tailored interventions aiming at maintaining an active lifestyle. The present paper introduces the initial

Analysis, design and elastic tailoring of composite rotor blades

Science.gov (United States)

Rehfield, Lawrence W.; Atilgan, Ali R.

1987-01-01

The development of structural models for composite rotor blades is summarized. The models are intended for use in design analysis for the purpose of exploring the potential of elastic tailoring. The research was performed at the Center for Rotary Wing Aircraft Technology.

Effect of tailored on-road driving lessons on driving safety in older adults: A randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Anstey, Kaarin J; Eramudugolla, Ranmalee; Kiely, Kim M; Price, Jasmine

2018-06-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of individually tailored driving lessons compared with a road rules refresher course for improving older driver safety. Two arm parallel randomised controlled trial, involving current drivers aged 65 and older (Mean age 72.0, 47.4% male) residing in Canberra, Australia. The intervention group (n = 28) received a two-hour class-based road rules refresher course, and two one-hour driving lessons tailored to improve poor driving skills and habits identified in a baseline on-road assessment. The control group (n = 29) received the road rules refresher course only. Tests of cognitive performance, and on-road driving were conducted at baseline and at 12-weeks. Main outcome measure was the Driver safety rating (DSR) on the on-road driving test. The number of Critical Errors made during the on-road was also recorded. 55 drivers completed the trial (intervention group: 27, control group: 28). Both groups showed reduction in dangerous/hazardous driver errors that required instructor intervention. From baseline to follow-up there was a greater reduction in the number of critical errors made by the intervention group relative to the control group (IRR = 0.53, SE = 0.1, p = .008). The intervention group improved on the DSR more than the control group (intervention mean change = 1.07 SD = 2.00, control group mean change = 0.32 SD = 1.61). The intervention group had 64% remediation of unsafe driving, where drivers who achieved a score of 'fail' at baseline, 'passed' at follow-up. The control group had 25% remediation. Tailored driving lessons reduced the critical driving errors made by older adults. Longer term follow-up and larger trials are required. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enabling high speed friction stir welding of aluminum tailor welded blanks

Science.gov (United States)

Hovanski, Yuri

Current welding technologies for production of aluminum tailor-welded blanks (TWBs) are utilized in low-volume and niche applications, and have yet to be scaled for the high-volume vehicle market. This study targeted further weight reduction, part reduction, and cost savings by enabling tailor-welded blank technology for aluminum alloys at high-volumes. While friction stir welding (FSW) has traditionally been applied at linear velocities less than one meter per minute, high volume production applications demand the process be extended to higher velocities more amenable to cost sensitive production environments. Unfortunately, weld parameters and performance developed and characterized at low to moderate welding velocities do not directly translate to high speed linear friction stir welding. Therefore, in order to facilitate production of high volume aluminum FSW components, parameters were developed with a minimum welding velocity of three meters per minute. With an emphasis on weld quality, welded blanks were evaluated for post-weld formability using a combination of numerical and experimental methods. Evaluation across scales was ultimately validated by stamping full-size production door inner panels made from dissimilar thickness aluminum tailor-welded blanks, which provided validation of the numerical and experimental analysis of laboratory scale tests.

Tailoring the chirality of light emission with spherical Si-based antennas.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambrana-Puyalto, Xavier; Bonod, Nicolas

2016-05-21

Chirality of light is of fundamental importance in several enabling technologies with growing applications in life sciences, chemistry and photodetection. Recently, some attention has been focused on chiral quantum emitters. Consequently, optical antennas which are able to tailor the chirality of light emission are needed. Spherical nanoresonators such as colloids are of particular interest to design optical antennas since they can be synthesized at a large scale and they exhibit good optical properties. Here, we show that these colloids can be used to tailor the chirality of a chiral emitter. To this purpose, we derive an analytic formalism to model the interaction between a chiral emitter and a spherical resonator. We then compare the performances of metallic and dielectric spherical antennas to tailor the chirality of light emission. It is seen that, due to their strong electric dipolar response, metallic spherical nanoparticles spoil the chirality of light emission by yielding achiral fields. In contrast, thanks to the combined excitation of electric and magnetic modes, dielectric Si-based particles feature the ability to inhibit or to boost the chirality of light emission. Finally, it is shown that dual modes in dielectric antennas preserve the chirality of light emission.

FSW of Aluminum Tailor Welded Blanks across Machine Platforms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hovanski, Yuri; Upadhyay, Piyush; Carlson, Blair; Szymanski, Robert; Luzanski, Tom; Marshall, Dustin

2015-02-16

Development and characterization of friction stir welded aluminum tailor welded blanks was successfully carried out on three separate machine platforms. Each was a commercially available, gantry style, multi-axis machine designed specifically for friction stir welding. Weld parameters were developed to support high volume production of dissimilar thickness aluminum tailor welded blanks at speeds of 3 m/min and greater. Parameters originally developed on an ultra-high stiffness servo driven machine where first transferred to a high stiffness servo-hydraulic friction stir welding machine, and subsequently transferred to a purpose built machine designed to accommodate thin sheet aluminum welding. The inherent beam stiffness, bearing compliance, and control system for each machine were distinctly unique, which posed specific challenges in transferring welding parameters across machine platforms. This work documents the challenges imposed by successfully transferring weld parameters from machine to machine, produced from different manufacturers and with unique control systems and interfaces.

PULSED MODE LASER CUTTING OF SHEETS FOR TAILORED BLANKS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagger, Claus; Olsen, Flemming Ove

1999-01-01

This paper describes how the laser cutting process can be optimised in such a way that the cut sheets can subsequently be used to laser weld tailored blanks. In a number of systematic laboratory experiments the effect of cutting speed, assist gas pressure, average laser power and pulse energy...... item for parameter optimisation of laser cut sheets used for tailored blanks. It was concluded that high quality cut edges with a squareness as small as 0.015 mm may be obtained. Such edges are well suited for subsequent laser welding....... was analysed. For quality assessment the squareness, roughness and dross attachment of laser cut blanks were measured. In all tests, the medium strength steel GA 260 with a thickness of 1.8 mm was used. In this work it has been successfully demonstrated that the squareness of a cut can be used as a quality...

Multiple soliton self-frequency shift cancellations in a temporally tailored photonic crystal fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Lai; Kang, Zhe; Li, Qing; Gao, Xuejian; Qin, Guanshi, E-mail: qings@jlu.edu.cn, E-mail: wpqin@jlu.edu.cn; Qin, Weiping, E-mail: qings@jlu.edu.cn, E-mail: wpqin@jlu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Liao, Meisong; Hu, Lili [Key Laboratory of Materials for High Power Laser, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Ohishi, Yasutake [Research Center for Advanced Photon Technology, Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya 468-8511 (Japan)

2014-11-03

We report the generation of multiple soliton self-frequency shift cancellations in a temporally tailored tellurite photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The temporally regulated group velocity dispersion (GVD) is generated in the fiber by soliton induced optical Kerr effect. Two red-shifted dispersive waves spring up when two Raman solitons meet their own second zero-dispersion-wavelengths in the PCF. These results show how, through temporally tailored GVD, nonlinearities can be harnessed to generate unexpected effects.

Adherence to and effectiveness of an individually tailored home-based exercise program for frail older adults, driven by mobility monitoring : design of a prospective cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geraedts, Hilde A. E.; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Zhang, Wei; Bulstra, Sjoerd; Stevens, Martin

2014-01-01

Background: With the number of older adults in society rising, frailty becomes an increasingly prevalent health condition. Regular physical activity can prevent functional decline and reduce frailty symptoms. In particular, home-based exercise programs can be beneficial in reducing frailty of older

Prescription Monitoring Program Trends Among Individuals Arrested in Maine for Trafficking Prescription Drugs in 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

McCall, Kenneth; Nichols, Stephanie D; Holt, Christina; Ochs, Leslie; Cattabriga, Gary; Tu, Chunhao

2016-06-01

To evaluate controlled substance prescribing trends available in the Maine Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) among individuals arrested for prescription drug "trafficking." The demographic characteristics of the individuals who had matching prescription records in the PMP within 90 days of the arrest were identified. A population-based, retrospective cohort study using data from the Maine Diversion Alert Program (DAP) and the Maine PMP. The study population consisted of persons arrested for trafficking prescription drugs in Maine during the 2014 calendar year from January 1 to December 31. There were 594 trafficking arrests reported by the Maine DAP in 2014. The study population consisted of the 235 persons (40%) with arrests involving controlled prescription medications. The mean age of these persons was 33 years (range 18-77 yrs), and 156 (66%) were male. Arrests involved 154 prescription opioids (65%), seven stimulants (3%), seven benzodiazepines (3%), and 77 unspecified controlled prescription drugs (33%). A minority of individuals (n=57, 24%) had a prescription record in the PMP that matched the substance involved in the arrest. Only one person with matching PMP and arrest records utilized ≥ 5 prescribers, while none used ≥ 5 pharmacies within 90 days before the arrest. Payment methods for matching prescriptions were commercial insurance (n=28, 49%), Medicaid (n=19, 33%), Medicare (n=5, 9%), and cash (n=5, 9%). The majority (76%) of persons arrested for prescription drug trafficking did not have PMP records and did not directly obtain the diverted medication from a licensed pharmacy. Traditional red flags, like cash payment and using multiple prescribers or pharmacies, were uncommon. Therefore, arrest records for diversion and PMPs are distinct and complementary tools for identifying individuals at risk for substance misuse. © 2016 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Organisation Development through Management Development: The United Biscuits Example.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Andrew; Winterburn, Den

1988-01-01

The success of the strategic management program developed by United Biscuits (United Kingdom) for senior managers resulted from (1) tailoring the program to organizational and individual needs; (2) using company-specific material; (3) involving top management; and (4) using a follow-up program. (JOW)

Helping concerned family members of individuals with substance use and concurrent disorders: An evaluation of a family member-oriented treatment program.

Science.gov (United States)

Denomme, William James; Benhanoh, Orry

2017-08-01

There is a growing body of research demonstrating that families of individuals with substance use and concurrent disorders (SUCD) experience a wide range of biopsychosocial problems that significantly impedes their quality of life and health. However, there has been a relative lack of treatment programs primarily focused on improving the well-being and quality of life of these family members. The current study assessed the efficacy of such a program at reducing stress, increasing perceived social support from family and friends, and increasing general, dyadic, and self-rated family functioning within these concerned family members. A sample of 125 family members of individuals with SUCDs was recruited, of which 97 participated in the treatment program and 28 were used as the comparison group. Results indicated that the treatment program significantly reduced stress, increased perceived social support from family and friends, and increased general, dyadic and self-rated family functioning. A perceived personal benefits questionnaire demonstrated that participants had a better understanding of SUCDs, better coping capabilities in regard to emotional difficulties, adopted stronger coping methods, participated in more leisure activities, and improved their relationship with the individual with a SUCD. The results of the current study further demonstrate the need to implement more of these family-member oriented psycho-educational treatment programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Involvement: Towards a Tailored Approach to Our Patients?

Science.gov (United States)

Faria, Raquel; Gonçalves, João; Dias, Rita

2017-01-30

Neuropsychiatric involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a complex condition that remains poorly understood, and includes heterogeneous manifestations involving both the central and peripheral nervous system, with disabling effects. There are several models to improve NPSLE diagnosis when a neurological syndrome is present. In the last couple of years, the growing knowledge of the role of cytokines and antibodies in NPSLE, as well as the development of new functional imaging techniques, has brought some insights into the physiopathology of the disease, but their validation for clinical use remains undetermined. Furthermore, besides the classic clinical approach, a new tool for screening the 19 NPSLE syndromes has also been developed. Regarding NPSLE therapeutics, there is still no evidence-based treatment approach, but some data support the safety of biological medication when classic treatment fails. Despite the tendency to reclassify SLE patients in clinical and immunological subsets, we hope that these data will inspire medical professionals to approach NPSLE in a manner more tailored to the individual patient.

Tailoring of magnetic anisotropy of Fe-rich microwires by stress induced anisotropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhukov, A.; Zhukova, V.; Larin, V.; Gonzalez, J.

2006-01-01

We report on tailoring of magnetic properties and GMI of Fe 69 B 12 Si 14 C 5 glass-coated microwires by stress annealing. The induced magnetic anisotropy field depend on temperature and time of annealing and applied stress. At certain conditions considerable GMI effect (up to 65%) has been achieved. Application of the tensile stress drastically affects the shape of the hysteresis loop of stress-annealed sample and its GMI effect. In this way the shape of the hysteresis loop and GMI effect can by tailored by controllable way

Increased prevalence of pregnancy and comparative risk of program attrition among individuals starting HIV treatment in East Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles B Holmes

Full Text Available The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART, yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at higher risk for program attrition.We used the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS- East Africa (IeDEA-EA to conduct a retrospective cohort study including HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The cohort consecutively included HIV-infected individuals 13 years or older starting ART 2004-2014. We examined trends over time in the proportion pregnant, their characteristics and program attrition rates compared to others initiating and already receiving ART. 156,474 HIV-infected individuals (67.0% women started ART. The proportion of individuals starting ART who were pregnant women rose from 5.3% in 2004 to 12.2% in 2014. Mean CD4 cell counts at ART initiation, weighted for annual program size, increased from 2004 to 2014, led by non-pregnant women (annual increase 20 cells/mm3 and men (17 cells/mm3 annually, with lower rates of change in pregnant women (10 cells/mm3 per year (p<0.0001. There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of program attrition at 6 months among pregnant women starting ART and non-pregnant women. However, healthy pregnant women starting ART (WHO stage 1/2 had a higher rate of attrition rate (9.6%, compared with healthy non-pregnant women (6.5%; in contrast among women with WHO stage 3/4 disease, pregnant women had lower attrition (8.4% than non-pregnant women (14.4%. Among women who initiated ART when healthy and remained in care for six months, subsequent six-month attrition was slightly higher among pregnant women at ART start (3.5% compared to those who were not pregnant (2.4%, (absolute

Increased prevalence of pregnancy and comparative risk of program attrition among individuals starting HIV treatment in East Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Charles B; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; Elul, Batya; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Ssali, John; Kambugu, Andrew; Musick, Beverly S; Cohen, Craig; Williams, Carolyn; Diero, Lameck; Padian, Nancy; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara K

2018-01-01

The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at higher risk for program attrition. We used the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS- East Africa (IeDEA-EA) to conduct a retrospective cohort study including HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The cohort consecutively included HIV-infected individuals 13 years or older starting ART 2004-2014. We examined trends over time in the proportion pregnant, their characteristics and program attrition rates compared to others initiating and already receiving ART. 156,474 HIV-infected individuals (67.0% women) started ART. The proportion of individuals starting ART who were pregnant women rose from 5.3% in 2004 to 12.2% in 2014. Mean CD4 cell counts at ART initiation, weighted for annual program size, increased from 2004 to 2014, led by non-pregnant women (annual increase 20 cells/mm3) and men (17 cells/mm3 annually), with lower rates of change in pregnant women (10 cells/mm3 per year) (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of program attrition at 6 months among pregnant women starting ART and non-pregnant women. However, healthy pregnant women starting ART (WHO stage 1/2) had a higher rate of attrition rate (9.6%), compared with healthy non-pregnant women (6.5%); in contrast among women with WHO stage 3/4 disease, pregnant women had lower attrition (8.4%) than non-pregnant women (14.4%). Among women who initiated ART when healthy and remained in care for six months, subsequent six-month attrition was slightly higher among pregnant women at ART start (3.5%) compared to those who were not pregnant (2.4%), (absolute

Tailored Cloze: Improved with Classical Item Analysis Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, James Dean

1988-01-01

The reliability and validity of a cloze procedure used as an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) test in China were improved by applying traditional item analysis and selection techniques. The 'best' test items were chosen on the basis of item facility and discrimination indices, and were administered as a 'tailored cloze.' 29 references listed.…

The Feasibility of an Online Health Program for Community College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Elizabeth; Chiauzzi, Emil; Floyd, Deborah L.; Bond, Kathleen; Wood, Mollie

2012-01-01

A comprehensive, four-phase approach was used to test the feasibility of an online, tailored health program for community college students. The prototype was perceived by students as relevant and useful; practitioners were favorable toward offering the program as part of orientation and in a credit-course format. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

Tailor cutting of crystalline solar cells by laser micro jet

Science.gov (United States)

Bruckert, F.; Pilat, E.; Piron, P.; Torres, P.; Carron, B.; Richerzhagen, B.; Pirot, M.; Monna, R.

2012-03-01

Coupling a laser into a hair thin water micro jet (Laser Micro Jet, LMJ) for cutting applications offers a wide range of processes that are quite unique. As the laser beam is guided by internal reflections inside of a liquid cylinder, the cuts are naturally straight and do not reflect any divergence as otherwise occurs with an unguided laser beam. Furthermore, having a liquid media at the point of contact ensures a fast removal of heat and eventual debris ensuring clean cuts, which are free of any burrs. Many applications have indeed been developed for a large variety of materials, which are as different as e.g. diamond, silicon, aluminum, ceramic and hard metals. The photovoltaic industry has enjoyed in the last decades tremendous growth rates, which are still projected into the future. We focus here on the segment of Building Integrated PV (BIPV), which requests tailored solutions to actual buildings and not-one-fits-it-all standardized modules. Having the option to tailor cut solar cells opens a new field of BIPV applications. For the first time, finished crystalline solar cells have been LMJ cut into predetermined shapes. First results show that the cut is clean and neat. Preliminary solar performance measurements are positive. This opens a new avenue of tailored made modules instead of having to rely on the one-fits-alloy approach used so far.

Material and Thickness Grading for Aeroelastic Tailoring of the Common Research Model Wing Box

Science.gov (United States)

Stanford, Bret K.; Jutte, Christine V.

2014-01-01

This work quantifies the potential aeroelastic benefits of tailoring a full-scale wing box structure using tailored thickness distributions, material distributions, or both simultaneously. These tailoring schemes are considered for the wing skins, the spars, and the ribs. Material grading utilizes a spatially-continuous blend of two metals: Al and Al+SiC. Thicknesses and material fraction variables are specified at the 4 corners of the wing box, and a bilinear interpolation is used to compute these parameters for the interior of the planform. Pareto fronts detailing the conflict between static aeroelastic stresses and dynamic flutter boundaries are computed with a genetic algorithm. In some cases, a true material grading is found to be superior to a single-material structure.

An individualized coaching program for patients with acute ischemic stroke: Feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanacker, P; Standaert, D; Libbrecht, N; Vansteenkiste, I; Bernard, D; Yperzeele, L; Vanhooren, G

2017-03-01

An individualized stroke care program was developed to match patients' education with their needs regarding stroke knowledge, secondary prevention and rehabilitation. Our purpose was to assess feasibility of in-hospital and post-discharge, personalized stroke coaching service. Acute ischemic stroke patients enrolled in ASTRAL-B stroke registry (Sint-Lucashospital, Bruges Belgium) with: (a) hospitalization between 12/2014-12/2015, (b) hospital-to-home discharge, and (c) without cognitive decline, were selected. The stroke coach contacted patients individually twice during hospitalization (2×20min) and post-discharge via phone calls using the standardized WSO Post-Strokechecklist. Risk factor management, review of therapy and clinical evolution were discussed. Participants were contacted at 2 weeks, followed by repeat calls if necessary and ambulatory with the vascular neurologist at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Of all 255 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 152 (59.7%) received individualized education during hospitalization by the stroke coach. Median age of our population was 74 years and median NIHSS 5. Majority of patients had at least two cardiovascular risk factors. Patients were not coached because of palliative care/decease (10%), unfavorable life expectancy (2%), dementia (8.5%) and lack of time due to short hospitalization (22%). A quarter of all patients were contacted at least once by phone, 12% were contacted at least twice after discharge. At three months, low stroke recurrence (5%) and mortality rates (4%) were identified, probably linked to improved adherence. We demonstrated feasibility of an individualized coaching service executed by well-trained stroke nurse. Future research will focus on developing an online portal delivering post-discharge services to patients and caregivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of an individually tailored one-year energy balance programme on body weight, body composition and lifestyle in recent retirees: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kok Frans J

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity warrants preventive actions, particularly among people in transitional stages associated with lifestyle changes, such as occupational retirement. The purpose is to investigate the effect of a one year low-intensity computer-tailored energy balance programme among recent retirees on waist circumference, body weight and body composition, blood pressure, physical activity and dietary intake. Methods A randomised controlled trial was conducted among recent retirees (N = 413; mean age 59.5 years. Outcome measures were assessed using anthropometry, bio-impedance, blood pressure measurement and questionnaires. Results Waist circumference, body weight and blood pressure decreased significantly in men of the intervention and control group, but no significant between-group-differences were observed at 12 or at 24-months follow-up. A significant effect of the programme was only observed on waist circumference (-1.56 cm (95%CI: -2.91 to -0.21 at 12 month follow up among men with low education (n = 85. Physical activity and dietary behaviours improved in both the intervention and control group during the intervention period. Although, these behaviours changed more favourably in the intervention group, these between-group-differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions The multifaceted computer-tailored programme for recent retirees did not appear to be effective. Apparently the transition to occupational retirement and/or participation in the study had a greater impact than the intervention programme. Trial registration Clinical Trials NCT00122213.

Development and Usability Testing of a Computer-Tailored Decision Support Tool for Lung Cancer Screening: Study Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter-Harris, Lisa; Comer, Robert Skipworth; Goyal, Anurag; Vode, Emilee Christine; Hanna, Nasser; Ceppa, DuyKhanh; Rawl, Susan M

2017-11-16

Awareness of lung cancer screening remains low in the screening-eligible population, and when patients visit their clinician never having heard of lung cancer screening, engaging in shared decision making to arrive at an informed decision can be a challenge. Therefore, methods to effectively support both patients and clinicians to engage in these important discussions are essential. To facilitate shared decision making about lung cancer screening, effective methods to prepare patients to have these important discussions with their clinician are needed. Our objective is to develop a computer-tailored decision support tool that meets the certification criteria of the International Patient Decision Aid Standards instrument version 4.0 that will support shared decision making in lung cancer screening decisions. Using a 3-phase process, we will develop and test a prototype of a computer-tailored decision support tool in a sample of lung cancer screening-eligible individuals. In phase I, we assembled a community advisory board comprising 10 screening-eligible individuals to develop the prototype. In phase II, we recruited a sample of 13 screening-eligible individuals to test the prototype for usability, acceptability, and satisfaction. In phase III, we are conducting a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 60 screening-eligible participants who have never been screened for lung cancer. Outcomes tested include lung cancer and screening knowledge, lung cancer screening health beliefs (perceived risk, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy), perception of being prepared to engage in a patient-clinician discussion about lung cancer screening, occurrence of a patient-clinician discussion about lung cancer screening, and stage of adoption for lung cancer screening. Phases I and II are complete. Phase III is underway. As of July 15, 2017, 60 participants have been enrolled into the study, and have completed the baseline survey, intervention, and first

Tailoring electronic structure of polyazomethines thin films

OpenAIRE

J. Weszka; B. Hajduk; M. Domański; M. Chwastek; J. Jurusik; B. Jarząbek; H. Bednarski; P. Jarka

2010-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this work is to show how electronic properties of polyazomethine thin films deposited by chemical vapor deposition method (CVD) can be tailored by manipulating technological parameters of pristine films preparation as well as modifying them while the as-prepared films put into iodine atmosphere.Design/methodology/approach: The recent achievements in the field of designing and preparation methods to be used while preparing polymer photovoltaic solar cells or optoelectronic ...

The effectiveness of loyalty rewards to promote the use of an Internet-based heart health program.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sam; Hodgson, Corinne; Zbib, Ahmad M; Payne, Ada Y M; Nolan, Robert P

2014-07-02

Internet-based health programs have been shown to be effective in reducing risk for cardiovascular disease. However, their rates of enrollment and engagement remain low. It is currently unclear whether rewards from established loyalty programs can serve as a conditioned stimulus to improve the use of a freely available Internet-based program. The objectives of the study were to (1) examine enrollment rates and levels of engagement with the My Health eSupport program between a Conditioned Reward group and a Control group, and (2) investigate the influence of loyalty rewards and participant characteristics on levels of enrollment and program engagement. The study sample (n=142,726) consisted of individuals who were offered enrollment in an Internet-based health intervention (My Health eSupport) after completing the Heart&Stroke Risk Assessment on the Heart and Stroke Foundation website. My Health eSupport programs provided encouragement and tips for lifestyle change. This is a free, self-guided, fully automated program that proactively delivers tailored email messages at 2-week intervals based on the participant's stage of motivational "readiness" and priority for lifestyle change. Participants in the Conditioned Reward group were offered a single exposure of 20 loyalty reward points from the Air Miles loyalty program for completing the Heart&Stroke Risk Assessment (10 reward points) and enrolling in the Internet-based program (10 reward points). Meanwhile, no rewards were given to the Control group participants. All data were collected between February 1, 2011 and February 10, 2012. In total, 51.38% (73,327/142,726) of individuals in the Conditioned Reward group and 48.62% (69,399/142,726) of individuals in the Control group completed the Heart&Stroke Risk Assessment. Subsequently, significantly more individuals from the Conditioned Reward group (52.96%, 38,835/73,327) enrolled in the My Health eSupport program than Controls (4.07%, 2826/69,399). Regression analyses

Dispersion tailoring of a silicon strip waveguide employing Titania-Alumina thin-film coating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Kai; Christensen, Jesper B.; Christensen, Erik N.

2017-01-01

We numerically demonstrate dispersion tailoring of a silicon strip waveguide employing Titania-Alumina thin-film coating using a finite-difference mode solver. The proposed structure exhibits spectrally-flattened near-zero anomalous dispersion within the telecom wavelength range. We also numerica......We numerically demonstrate dispersion tailoring of a silicon strip waveguide employing Titania-Alumina thin-film coating using a finite-difference mode solver. The proposed structure exhibits spectrally-flattened near-zero anomalous dispersion within the telecom wavelength range. We also...

Playing and Listening to Tailor-Made Notched Music: Cortical Plasticity Induced by Unimodal and Multimodal Training in Tinnitus Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janna Pape

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The generation and maintenance of tinnitus are assumed to be based on maladaptive functional cortical reorganization. Listening to modified music, which contains no energy in the range of the individual tinnitus frequency, can inhibit the corresponding neuronal activity in the auditory cortex. Music making has been shown to be a powerful stimulator for brain plasticity, inducing changes in multiple sensory systems. Using magnetoencephalographic (MEG and behavioral measurements we evaluated the cortical plasticity effects of two months of (a active listening to (unisensory versus (b learning to play (multisensory tailor-made notched music in nonmusician tinnitus patients. Taking into account the fact that uni- and multisensory trainings induce different patterns of cortical plasticity we hypothesized that these two protocols will have different affects. Results. Only the active listening (unisensory group showed significant reduction of tinnitus related activity of the middle temporal cortex and an increase in the activity of a tinnitus-coping related posterior parietal area. Conclusions. These findings indicate that active listening to tailor-made notched music induces greater neuroplastic changes in the maladaptively reorganized cortical network of tinnitus patients while additional integration of other sensory modalities during training reduces these neuroplastic effects.

Playing and listening to tailor-made notched music: cortical plasticity induced by unimodal and multimodal training in tinnitus patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pape, Janna; Paraskevopoulos, Evangelos; Bruchmann, Maximilian; Wollbrink, Andreas; Rudack, Claudia; Pantev, Christo

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND. The generation and maintenance of tinnitus are assumed to be based on maladaptive functional cortical reorganization. Listening to modified music, which contains no energy in the range of the individual tinnitus frequency, can inhibit the corresponding neuronal activity in the auditory cortex. Music making has been shown to be a powerful stimulator for brain plasticity, inducing changes in multiple sensory systems. Using magnetoencephalographic (MEG) and behavioral measurements we evaluated the cortical plasticity effects of two months of (a) active listening to (unisensory) versus (b) learning to play (multisensory) tailor-made notched music in nonmusician tinnitus patients. Taking into account the fact that uni- and multisensory trainings induce different patterns of cortical plasticity we hypothesized that these two protocols will have different affects. RESULTS. Only the active listening (unisensory) group showed significant reduction of tinnitus related activity of the middle temporal cortex and an increase in the activity of a tinnitus-coping related posterior parietal area. CONCLUSIONS. These findings indicate that active listening to tailor-made notched music induces greater neuroplastic changes in the maladaptively reorganized cortical network of tinnitus patients while additional integration of other sensory modalities during training reduces these neuroplastic effects.

Cognitive and Affective Outcomes in Children as a Function of Participation in SCIL, an Individualized Version of the SCIS Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Appel, Marilyn; And Others

An overview and rationale for the Science Curriculum for Individualized Learning (SCIL) are provided. SCIL is the result of the individualization of the SCIS program. The SCIL management system is based on the exploration, invention, and discovery concepts of Piagetian theory. An evaluation study of two SCIl units, Interactions and Systems and…

Evaluation of a Tailored Direct-Mail Marketing Strategy for Recruiting the 19- to 23-Year-Old Market.