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Sample records for kaiser foundation health

  1. Kaiser Family Foundation - Content Search

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Chartpacks, chartbooks, factsheets, reports, and slide presentations bring Kaiser Family Foundation information to life, and can be easily incorporated into your...

  2. Achieving Kaiser Permanente quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, Matthew D; Aiken, Linda H; Eckenhoff, Myra E; Burns, Lawton R

    2016-01-01

    The Kaiser Permanente model of integrated health delivery is highly regarded for high-quality and efficient health care. Efforts to reproduce Kaiser's success have mostly failed. One factor that has received little attention and that could explain Kaiser's advantage is its commitment to and investment in nursing as a key component of organizational culture and patient-centered care. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Kaiser's nursing organization in promoting quality of care. This was a cross-sectional analysis of linked secondary data from multiple sources, including a detailed survey of nurses, for 564 adult, general acute care hospitals from California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey in 2006-2007. We used logistic regression models to examine whether patient (mortality and failure-to-rescue) and nurse (burnout, job satisfaction, and intent-to-leave) outcomes in Kaiser hospitals were better than in non-Kaiser hospitals. We then assessed whether differences in nursing explained outcomes differences between Kaiser and other hospitals. Finally, we examined whether Kaiser hospitals compared favorably with hospitals known for having excellent nurse work environments-Magnet hospitals. Patient and nurse outcomes in Kaiser hospitals were significantly better compared with non-Magnet hospitals. Kaiser hospitals had significantly better nurse work environments, staffing levels, and more nurses with bachelor's degrees. Differences in nursing explained a significant proportion of the Kaiser outcomes advantage. Kaiser hospital outcomes were comparable with Magnet hospitals, where better outcomes have been largely explained by differences in nursing. An important element in Kaiser's success is its investment in professional nursing, which may not be evident to systems seeking to achieve Kaiser's advantage. Our results suggest that a possible strategy for achieving outcomes like Kaiser may be for hospitals to consider Magnet designation, a proven and

  3. Kaiser captures spirit of games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herreria, J

    1998-01-01

    With a multi-media campaign, Kaiser Permanente blitzed its market area by becoming a sponsor of the Nike World Masters Games. The advertising campaign promoted Kaiser as the exclusive health care sponsor. Company officials are counting on this campaign to leverage the health care institution's commitment to the community. In addition to the advertising, Kaiser searched for local athletes to represent its "play the sports for life" theme. As part of a promotion to award 200 athlete sponsorships to the Games, Kaiser's own master athletes were invited to tell their stories. Some of the members shared stories about such topics as experiencing an accident, receiving assistance from a Kaiser physician and incorporating a lifestyle of sport for rehabilitation. From the hundreds of letters received, two members and one employee were selected for the television spots. The sporting event reinforces Kaiser's philosophy of fitness-oriented lifestyles among its members. The Nike World Masters Games are the largest participatory multi-sport competition in the world, gathering together more than 25,000 men and women from more than 100 countries.

  4. Breaching the security of the Kaiser Permanente Internet patient portal: the organizational foundations of information security.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collmann, Jeff; Cooper, Ted

    2007-01-01

    This case study describes and analyzes a breach of the confidentiality and integrity of personally identified health information (e.g. appointment details, answers to patients' questions, medical advice) for over 800 Kaiser Permanente (KP) members through KP Online, a web-enabled health care portal. The authors obtained and analyzed multiple types of qualitative data about this incident including interviews with KP staff, incident reports, root cause analyses, and media reports. Reasons at multiple levels account for the breach, including the architecture of the information system, the motivations of individual staff members, and differences among the subcultures of individual groups within as well as technical and social relations across the Kaiser IT program. None of these reasons could be classified, strictly speaking, as "security violations." This case study, thus, suggests that, to protect sensitive patient information, health care organizations should build safe organizational contexts for complex health information systems in addition to complying with good information security practice and regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

  5. Questioning the claims from Kaiser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talbot-Smith, Alison; Gnani, Shamini; Pollock, Allyson M; Gray, Denis Pereira

    2004-06-01

    The article by Feachem et al, published in the BMJ in 2002, claimed to show that, compared with the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS), the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system in the United States (US) has similar healthcare costs per capita, and performance that is considerably better in certain respects. To assess the accuracy of Feachem et al's comparison and conclusions. Detailed re-examination of the data and methods used and consideration of the 82 letters responding to the article. Analyses revealed four main areas in which Feachem et al's methodology was flawed. Firstly, the populations of patients served by Kaiser Permanente and by the NHS are fundamentally different. Kaiser's patients are mainly employed, significantly younger, and significantly less socially deprived and so are healthier. Feachem et al fail to adjust adequately for these factors. Secondly, Feachem et al have wrongly inflated NHS costs by omitting substantial user charges payable by Kaiser members for care, excluding the costs of marketing and administration, and deducting the surplus from Kaiser's costs while underestimating the capital charge element of the NHS budget and other costs. They also used two methods of converting currency, the currency rate and a health purchasing power parity conversion. This is double counting. Feachem et al reported that NHS costs were 10% less per head than Kaiser. Correcting for the double currency conversion gives the NHS a 40% cost advantage such that per capita costs are 1161 dollars and 1951 dollars for the NHS and Kaiser, respectively. Thirdly, Feachem et al use non-standardised data for NHS bed days from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, rather than official Department of Health bed availability and activity statistics for England. Leaving aside the non-comparability of the population and lack of standardisation of the data, the result is to inflate NHS acute bed use and underestimate the efficiency of

  6. Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872) and the Modernisation of Dutch Astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Heijden, Petra

    Frederik Kaiser was the director of Leiden Observatory from 1837 until his death in 1872. Educated by his German-born uncle Johan Frederik Keyser (1766-1823), who was a proficient amateur astronomer, Kaiser proved to be a real observational talent. Despite the poor conditions in which he worked, his observations soon rivalled with the best in the world. Kaiser's contributions to astronomical practice include the foundation of a new, completely up-to-date observatory building in Leiden, and the introduction of statistics and precision measurements in daily practice at the observatory. Moreover he was the author of several bestselling books on popular astronomy. Kaiser had an extensive correspondence with colleagues all over Europe, mostly in Germany. Correpondents include Airy, Argelander, Von Auwers, Bessel, Encke, John Herschel, LeVerrier, Von Littrow, Schumacher, Otto W. Struve, as well as several geodesists and instrument makers. Preliminary research indicates that Frederik Kaiser played a crucial role in the revival of Dutch astronomy in the second half of the 19th century. This project aims at analysing and explaining Kaiser's activities in science, institutionalisation and popularisation, in the context of national and international developments in 19th-century astronomy and scientific culture.

  7. 75 FR 70689 - Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum-Greenwood Forge Division; Currently...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-70,376] Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum- Greenwood Forge Division; Currently Known As Contech Forgings, LLC..., applicable to workers of Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC, Kaiser Aluminum-Greenwood Forge Division...

  8. Kaiser Permanente/Sandia National health care model. Phase I prototype final report. Part 1 - model overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Edwards, D.; Yoshimura, A.; Butler, D.; Judson, R. [and others

    1996-11-01

    This report describes the results of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Sandia National Laboratories and Kaiser Permanente Southern California to develop a prototype computer model of Kaiser Permanente`s health care delivery system. As a discrete event simulation, SimHCO models for each of 100,000 patients the progression of disease, individual resource usage, and patient choices in a competitive environment. SimHCO is implemented in the object-oriented programming language C++, stressing reusable knowledge and reusable software components. The versioned implementation of SimHCO showed that the object-oriented framework allows the program to grow in complexity in an incremental way. Furthermore, timing calculations showed that SimHCO runs in a reasonable time on typical workstations, and that a second phase model will scale proportionally and run within the system constraints of contemporary computer technology. This report is published as two documents: Model Overview and Domain Analysis. A separate Kaiser-proprietary report contains the Disease and Health Care Organization Selection Models.

  9. Which is the real Kaiser?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kertesz, L

    1997-08-25

    Fans of Kaiser Permanente, the nation's oldest and largest HMO, consider the company a cost-effective healthcare delivery system that supports its patients, caregivers and the practice of high-quality medicine. Its detractors see Kaiser as an evil HMO empire that hoards money, mistreats doctors and skimps on care. The dichotomy shows that Kaiser is like a giant mirror, reflecting the struggles and uncertainties of the evolving U.S. healthcare system.

  10. A retrospective analysis of health systems in Denmark and Kaiser Permanente

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frølich, Anne; Schiøtz, Michaela L; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin

    2008-01-01

    ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: To inform Danish health care reform efforts, we compared health care system inputs and performance and assessed the usefulness of these comparisons for informing policy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of secondary data in the Danish Health Care System (DHS) with 5.3 million...... citizens and the Kaiser Permanente integrated delivery system (KP) with 6.1 million members in California. We used secondary data to compare population characteristics, professional staff, delivery structure, utilisation and quality measures, and direct costs. We adjusted the cost data to increase...... comparability. RESULTS: A higher percentage of KP patients had chronic conditions than did patients in the DHS: 6.3% vs. 2.8% (diabetes) and 19% vs. 8.5% (hypertension), respectively. KP had fewer total physicians and staff compared to DHS, with134 physicians/100,000 individuals versus 311 physicians/100...

  11. Internet infrastructures and health care systems: a qualitative comparative analysis on networks and markets in the British National Health Service and Kaiser Permanente.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Séror, Ann C

    2002-12-01

    The Internet and emergent telecommunications infrastructures are transforming the future of health care management. The costs of health care delivery systems, products, and services continue to rise everywhere, but performance of health care delivery is associated with institutional and ideological considerations as well as availability of financial and technological resources. to identify the effects of ideological differences on health care market infrastructures including the Internet and telecommunications technologies by a comparative case analysis of two large health care organizations: the British National Health Service and the California-based Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization. A qualitative comparative analysis focusing on the British National Health Service and the Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization to show how system infrastructures vary according to market dynamics dominated by health care institutions ("push") or by consumer demand ("pull"). System control mechanisms may be technologically embedded, institutional, or behavioral. The analysis suggests that telecommunications technologies and the Internet may contribute significantly to health care system performance in a context of ideological diversity. The study offers evidence to validate alternative models of health care governance: the national constitution model, and the enterprise business contract model. This evidence also suggests important questions for health care policy makers as well as researchers in telecommunications, organizational theory, and health care management.

  12. Kaiser Permanente-Sandia National Health Care Model: Phase 1 prototype final report. Part 2 -- Domain analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Edwards, D.; Yoshimura, A.; Butler, D.; Judson, R.; Mason, W.; Napolitano, L.; Mariano, R. [Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (United States); Eddy, D.; Schlessinger, L. [Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA (United States)

    1996-11-01

    This report describes the results of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Sandia National Laboratories and Kaiser Permanente Southern California to develop a prototype computer model of Kaiser Permanente`s health care delivery system. As a discrete event simulation, SimHCO models for each of 100,000 patients the progression of disease, individual resource usage, and patient choices in a competitive environment. SimHCO is implemented in the object-oriented programming language C{sup 2}, stressing reusable knowledge and reusable software components. The versioned implementation of SimHCO showed that the object-oriented framework allows the program to grow in complexity in an incremental way. Furthermore, timing calculations showed that SimHCO runs in a reasonable time on typical workstations, and that a second phase model will scale proportionally and run within the system constraints of contemporary computer technology.

  13. Investing in Obesity Treatment: Kaiser Permanente's Approach to Chronic Disease Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Adam G; Histon, Trina; Donahoo, W Troy; Hashmi, Shahid; Murali, Sameer; Latare, Peggy; Oliver, Lajune; Slovis, Jennifer; Grall, Sarah; Fisher, David; Solomon, Loel

    2016-09-01

    Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care delivery system in the USA, takes a "whole systems" approach to the chronic disease of obesity that begins with efforts to prevent it by modifying the environment in communities and schools. Aggressive case-finding and substantial investment in intensive lifestyle modification programs target individuals at high risk of diabetes and other weight-related conditions. Kaiser Permanente regions are increasingly standardizing their approach when patients with obesity require treatment intensification using medically supervised diets, prescription medication to treat obesity, or weight loss surgery.

  14. Kaiser Permanente's performance improvement system, Part 1: From benchmarking to executing on strategic priorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilling, Lisa; Chase, Alide; Kehrli, Sommer; Liu, Amy Y; Stiefel, Matt; Brentari, Ruth

    2010-11-01

    By 2004, senior leaders at Kaiser Permanente, the largest not-for-profit health plan in the United States, recognizing variations across service areas in quality, safety, service, and efficiency, began developing a performance improvement (PI) system to realizing best-in-class quality performance across all 35 medical centers. MEASURING SYSTEMWIDE PERFORMANCE: In 2005, a Web-based data dashboard, "Big Q," which tracks the performance of each medical center and service area against external benchmarks and internal goals, was created. PLANNING FOR PI AND BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE: In 2006, Kaiser Permanente national and regional continued planning the PI system, and in 2007, quality, medical group, operations, and information technology leaders benchmarked five high-performing organizations to identify capabilities required to achieve consistent best-in-class organizational performance. THE PI SYSTEM: The PI system addresses the six capabilities: leadership priority setting, a systems approach to improvement, measurement capability, a learning organization, improvement capacity, and a culture of improvement. PI "deep experts" (mentors) consult with national, regional, and local leaders, and more than 500 improvement advisors are trained to manage portfolios of 90-120 day improvement initiatives at medical centers. Between the second quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, performance across all Kaiser Permanente medical centers improved on the Big Q metrics. The lessons learned in implementing and sustaining PI as it becomes fully integrated into all levels of Kaiser Permanente can be generalized to other health care systems, hospitals, and other health care organizations.

  15. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Virginia and in the Maine referendum on Medicaid expansion will still have a practical impact on what ... income, family size and age. Medicaid Extending Federal Funding for CHIP: What is at Stake? Health Reform ...

  16. Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872, een gekweld man met een missie

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huib Zuidervaart

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872, a tormented man with a missionThe Leiden astronomer Kaiser has been instrumental for the rise of Dutch astronomy in the late nineteenth-century. His career was impressive. In 1826, without any formal university education, he began at the Leiden Astronomical Observatory as an ordinary observer. Through his work in astronomy he obtained an honorary doctorate, which enabled him in 1838 to become director of the observatory. In 1844 he was appointed full professor and in the academic year 1857/1858 he even became Rector Magnificus of Leiden University. In 1860 he even saw the fulfillmentof his life-long dream: the opening of a brand new astronomical observatory. However, in spite of these obvious professional successes, Kaiser's personal life was full of melancholy. This paper investigates Kaiser's personality, using correspondence with his family, as well as testimonies written down by his students and other contemporaries. Among others, we demonstrate the way in which Kaiser used his personal network, as well as his fierce continuous – and often publicly expressed – complaining, as a successful strategy in establishing his new astronomical observatory.

  17. Kaiser Permanente's performance improvement system, Part 4: Creating a learning organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilling, Lisa; Dearing, James W; Staley, Paul; Harvey, Patti; Fahey, Linda; Kuruppu, Francesca

    2011-12-01

    In 2006, recognizing variations in performance in quality, safety, service, and efficiency, Kaiser Permanente leaders initiated the development of a performance improvement (PI) system. Kaiser Permanente has implemented a strategy for creating the systemic capacity for continuous improvement that characterizes a learning organization. Six "building blocks" were identified to enable Kaiser Permanente to make the transition to becoming a learning organization: real-time sharing of meaningful performance data; formal training in problem-solving methodology; workforce engagement and informal knowledge sharing; leadership structures, beliefs, and behaviors; internal and external benchmarking; and technical knowledge sharing. Putting each building block into place required multiple complex strategies combining top-down and bottom-up approaches. Although the strategies have largely been successful, challenges remain. The demand for real-time meaningful performance data can conflict with prioritized changes to health information systems. It is an ongoing challenge to teach PI, change management, innovation, and project management to all managers and staff without consuming too much training time. Challenges with workforce engagement include low initial use of tools intended to disseminate information through virtual social networking. Uptake of knowledge-sharing technologies is still primarily by innovators and early adopters. Leaders adopt new behaviors at varying speeds and have a range of abilities to foster an environment that is psychologically safe and stimulates inquiry. A learning organization has the capability to improve, and it develops structures and processes that facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge.

  18. A new class of weight and WA systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kravchenko, V. F.; Pustovoit, V. I.; Churikov, D. V.

    2014-05-01

    A new class of weight and WA-systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions which showed its efficiency in various physical applications is proposed and substantiated. This publication consists of three parts. In the first the Kravchenko-Kaiser weight functions are constructed on basis of the theory of atomic functions (AFs) and the Kaiser windows for the first time. In the second part new constructions of analytic WA-systems of the Kravchenko-Kaiser functions are costructed. In the third part their applications to problems of weight averaging of the difference frequency signals are considered. The numerical experiment and the physical analysis of the results for concrete physical models confirmed their efficiency. This class of functions can find wide physical applications in problems of digital signal processing, restoration of images, radar, radiometry, radio astronomy, remote sensing, etc.

  19. Health benefits in 2013: moderate premium increases in employer-sponsored plans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton, Gary; Rae, Matthew; Panchal, Nirmita; Damico, Anthony; Whitmore, Heidi; Bostick, Nathan; Kenward, Kevin

    2013-09-01

    Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums rose moderately in 2013, the annual Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Educational Trust (Kaiser/HRET) Employer Health Benefits Survey found. In 2013 single coverage premiums rose 5 percent to $5,884, and family coverage premiums rose 4 percent to $16,351. The percentage of firms offering health benefits (57 percent) was similar to that in 2012, as was the percentage of workers at offering firms who were covered by their firm's health benefits (62 percent). The share of workers with a deductible for single coverage increased significantly from 2012, as did the share of workers in small firms with annual deductibles of $1,000 or more. Most firms (77 percent), including nearly all large employers, continued to offer wellness programs, but relatively few used incentives to encourage employees to participate. More than half of large employers offering health risk appraisals to workers offered financial incentives for completing the appraisal.

  20. Optimized Kaiser-Bessel Window Functions for Computed Tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilchian, Masih; Ward, John Paul; Vonesch, Cedric; Unser, Michael

    2015-11-01

    Kaiser-Bessel window functions are frequently used to discretize tomographic problems because they have two desirable properties: 1) their short support leads to a low computational cost and 2) their rotational symmetry makes their imaging transform independent of the direction. In this paper, we aim at optimizing the parameters of these basis functions. We present a formalism based on the theory of approximation and point out the importance of the partition-of-unity condition. While we prove that, for compact-support functions, this condition is incompatible with isotropy, we show that minimizing the deviation from the partition of unity condition is highly beneficial. The numerical results confirm that the proposed tuning of the Kaiser-Bessel window functions yields the best performance.

  1. The Kaiser Wilhelm Society under National Socialism

    CERN Document Server

    Sachse, Carola; Walker, Mark

    2009-01-01

    During the first part of the twentieth century, German science led the world. The most important scientific institution in Germany was the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, including institutes devoted to different fields of scientific research. These researchers were not burdened by teaching obligations and enjoyed excellent financial and material support. When the National Socialists came to power in Germany, all of German society, including science, was affected. The picture that previously dominated our understanding of science under National Socialism from the end of the Second World War to the recent past - a picture of leading Nazis ignorant and unappreciative of modern science and of scientists struggling to resist the Nazis - needs to be revised. This book surveys the history of Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes under Hitler, illustrating definitively the cooperation, if not collaboration, between scientists and National Socialists in order to further the goals of autarky, racial hygiene, war, and genocide.

  2. A Community-Level Initiative to Prevent Obesity: Results From Kaiser Permanente's Healthy Eating Active Living Zones Initiative in California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheadle, Allen; Atiedu, Akpene; Rauzon, Suzanne; Schwartz, Pamela M; Keene, Laura; Davoudi, Mehrnaz; Spring, Rebecca; Molina, Michelle; Lee, Lynda; Boyle, Kathryn; Williamson, Dana; Steimberg, Clara; Tinajero, Roberta; Ravel, Jodi; Nudelman, Jean; Azuma, Andrea Misako; Kuo, Elena S; Solomon, Loel

    2018-05-01

    A growing number of health systems are leading health promotion efforts in their wider communities. What impact are these efforts having on health behaviors and ultimately health status? This paper presents evaluation results from the place-based Kaiser Permanente Healthy Eating Active Living Zones obesity prevention initiative, implemented in 2011-2015 in 12 low-income communities in Kaiser Permanente's Northern and Southern California Regions. The Healthy Eating Active Living Zones design targeted places and people through policy, environmental, and programmatic strategies. Each Healthy Eating Active Living Zone is a small, low-income community of 10,000 to 20,000 residents with high obesity rates and other health disparities. Community coalitions planned and implemented strategies in each community. A population-dose approach and pre and post surveys were used to assess impact of policy, program, and environmental change strategies; the analysis was conducted in 2016. Population dose is the product of reach (number of people affected by a strategy divided by target population size) and strength (the effect size or relative change in behavior for each person exposed to the strategy). More than 230 community change strategies were implemented over 3 years, encompassing policy, environmental, and programmatic changes as well as efforts to build community capacity to sustain strategies and make changes in the future. Positive population-level results were seen for higher-dose strategies, particularly those targeting youth physical activity. Higher-dose strategies were more likely to be found in communities with the longest duration of investment. These results demonstrate that strong (high-dose), community-based obesity prevention strategies can lead to improved health behaviors, particularly among youth in school settings. This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is

  3. [Private foundations Global Health Philanthropy: the problem of conflicts of interest].

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Private foundations Global Health Philanthropy: the problem of conflicts of interest. Private foundations are in a position where they are granted several privileges and are very powerful and able to influence global health. A recent article published on Plos Medicine, analyzing five of the largest health foundations highlights the network of interests and conflicts. Many private health foundations have associations with private food and pharmaceutical corporations. In some instances, these corporations directly benefit from foundations grants, and foundations in turn are invested in the corporations to which they award these grants.

  4. 75 FR 61246 - Kaiser Federal Financial Group, Inc., Covina, CA; Approval of Conversion Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Thrift Supervision [AC-51: OTS No. H-4729] Kaiser Federal... September 28, 2010, the Office of Thrift Supervision approved the application of K-Fed Mutual Holding Company and Kaiser Federal Bank, Covina, California, to convert to the stock form of organization. Copies...

  5. The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: a qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otte-Trojel, Terese; Rundall, Thomas G; de Bont, Antoinette; van de Klundert, Joris; Reed, Mary E

    2015-12-16

    Patient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain how effects come about is limited. This paper uses qualitative methods to advance our understanding of the organizational dynamics that influence the impact of a patient portal on organizational performance and patient health. The study setting is Kaiser Permanente, the world's largest not-for-profit integrated delivery system, which has been using a portal for over ten years. We interviewed eighteen physician leaders and executives particularly knowledgeable about the portal to learn about how they believe the patient portal works and what organizational factors affect its workings. Our analytical framework centered on two research questions. (1) How does the patient portal impact care delivery to produce the documented effects?; and (2) What are the important organizational factors that influence the patient portal's development? We identify five ways in which the patient portal may impact care delivery to produce reported effects. First, the portal's ability to ease access to services improves some patients' satisfaction as well as changes the way patients seek care. Second, the transparency and activation of information enable some patients to better manage their care. Third, care management may also be improved through augmented patient-physician interaction. This augmented interaction may also increase the 'stickiness' of some patients to their providers. Forth, a similar effect may be triggered by a closer connection between Kaiser Permanente and patients, which may reduce the likelihood that patients will switch health plans. Finally, the portal may induce efficiencies in physician workflow and administrative tasks, stimulating certain operational savings and deeper involvement of

  6. Kaiser Permanente's performance improvement system, part 2: developing a value framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilling, Lisa; Deas, Dennis; Jedlinsky, Maile; Aronoff, Deborah; Fershtman, Juliette; Wali, Abdul

    2010-12-01

    In 2008, Kaiser Permanente began phased implementation of a nationwide performance improvement (PI) system. The aim was to improve performance by providing consistent, highly meaningful performance measurement, increase PI skills in staff at all levels, develop organizational capabilities, and provide support for making improvements in medical centers and across regions. Evaluating the PI System: The intermediate results of the PI system were assessed in the 22 medical centers in four of the eight Kaiser Permanente regions. Implementation for 3 of these medical centers occurred in January 2008 through November 2008, with implementation for the remaining 19 medical centers occurring from September 2008 through September 2009. The 22 medical centers that were evaluated achieved a 61% improvement in selected capabilities, and improvement advisors (IAs) successfully completed 84% of initial PI projects. For each dollar invested, estimates suggested an average return on investment of $2.36. Critical factors include adequate dedicated time for PI activities by staff with necessary expertise, expert support to operations, alignment of projects with regional and national strategic priorities, and close working relationships between PI staff and operational management. Involving finance leaders in improvement planning, prioritization, and oversight is important. These elements can be adapted to smaller systems and single hospitals. The initial evaluation of the Kaiser Permanente PI system indicated that (1) IAs successfully led projects in conjunction with frontline teams, (2) organizational capabilities increased, and (3) the investment in PI infrastructure and staff was sound. Expansion throughout the entire Kaiser Permanente system is under way.

  7. For two regional health foundations, returns from the Kentucky Health Issues Poll are worth the investments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Sarah E; Myers, Gail; Chubinski, Jennifer; Zepeda, Susan G

    2014-09-01

    With finite resources to advance their missions, regional health foundations should critically evaluate the investments they make. This article reviews the costs and associated benefits of large-scale public opinion polling--specifically, the annual Kentucky Health Issues Poll, which is sponsored by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Interact for Health, formerly the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. In addition to the information generated by the poll, the sponsoring foundations have benefited from increased name recognition and credibility with key stakeholders, including state policy makers and the media. Furthermore, jointly funding the poll has strengthened the relationship between the sponsoring foundations and has fostered other key collaborations. We find that the benefits from this poll more than justify its modest costs ($120,000 per year) and hope that this assessment may prove informative for other funders considering similar investments. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  8. Seven Foundational Principles of Population Health Policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Dru; Bhatt, Jay

    2017-10-01

    In 2016, Keyes and Galea issued 9 foundational principles of population health science and invited further deliberations by specialists to advance the field. This article presents 7 foundational principles of population health policy whose intersection with health care, public health, preventive medicine, and now population health, presents unique challenges. These principles are in response to a number of overarching questions that have arisen in over a decade of the authors' collective practice in the public and private sectors, and having taught policy within programs of medicine, law, nursing, and public health at the graduate and executive levels. The principles address an audience of practitioners and policy makers, mindful of the pressing health care challenges of our time, including: rising health-related expenditures, an aging population, workforce shortages, health disparities, and a backdrop of inequities rooted in social determinants that have not been adequately translated into formal policies or practices among the key stakeholders in population health. These principles are meant to empower stakeholders-whether it is the planner or the practitioner, the decision maker or the dedicated caregiver-and inform the development of practical tools, research, and education.

  9. The impact of removing financial incentives from clinical quality indicators: longitudinal analysis of four Kaiser Permanente indicators.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lester, H.; Schmittdiel, J.; Selby, J.; Fireman, B.; Campbell, S.M.; Lee, J.; Whippy, A.; Madvig, P.

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of financial incentives on four clinical quality indicators common to pay for performance plans in the United Kingdom and at Kaiser Permanente in California. DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis. SETTING: 35 medical facilities of Kaiser Permanente Northern California,

  10. Experimental study on the Kaiser effect of AE under multiaxial loading in granite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Hidehiko; Hiroi, Takehiro

    2012-01-01

    Knowledge of the in-situ stresses is essential for underground excavation design, particularly in evaluating stability of excavation. Acoustic Emission method, which utilizes the Kaiser effect, is one of the simple methods for measuring in-situ stresses. Experiments on the Kaiser effect has been carried out under uniaxial compression and triaxial compression (σ 1 > σ 2 = σ 3 ), but has not been carried out under the three different principal stresses (σ 1 > σ 2 > σ 3 ). In this study, we performed two experiments on the Kaiser effect under multiaxial loading, using a hollow cylindrical granite specimen. The rapidly increasing point of cumulative AE event count was determined as the peak point of AE event count rate increment (AERI). The main results are summarized as follows. (1) In the case of the cyclic incremental σ 1 loading under σ 2 ≠σ 3 , the large peak point of AERI appeared just before the pre-stress level. And as more stresses prior to just before the peak point were estimated, the estimated error showed a tendency to increase. (2) In the case of re-loading under the lower σ 2 and σ 3 more than pre-loading, the estimated stresses using the three peak points of AERI corresponded to the pre-differential stresses (σ 1 -σ 2 ), (σ 1 -σ 3 ) and pre-axial stress σ 1 . The magnitudes of the three principal stresses were estimated under multiaxial loading from the Kaiser effect, using only one specimen. (author)

  11. Securing funds for health promotion: lessons from health promotion foundations based on experiences from Austria, Australia, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schang, Laura K; Czabanowska, Katarzyna M; Lin, Vivian

    2012-06-01

    Worldwide, countries face the challenge of securing funds for health promotion. To address this issue, some governments have established health promotion foundations, which are statutory bodies with long-term and recurrent public resources. This article draws on experiences from Austria, Australia, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland to illustrate four lessons learned from the foundation model to secure funding for health promotion. These lessons are concerned with: (i) the broad spectrum of potential revenue sources for health promotion foundations within national contexts; (ii) legislative anchoring of foundation revenues as a base for financial sustainability; (iii) co-financing as a means to increase funds and shared commitment for health promotion; (iv) complementarity of foundations to existing funding. Synthesizing the lessons, we discuss health promotion foundations in relation to wider concerns for investment in health based on the values of sustainability, solidarity and stewardship. We recommend policy-makers and researchers take notice of health promotion foundations as an alternative model for securing funds for health promotion, and appreciate their potential for integrating inter-sectoral revenue collection and inter-sectoral funding strategies. However, health promotion foundations are not a magic bullet. They also pose challenges to coordination and public sector stewardship. Therefore, health promotion foundations will need to act in concert with other governance instruments as part of a wider societal agenda for investment in health.

  12. The Kaiser Permanente Northwest Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management Program: A Model for All

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, Jodi S; Fetter, Martina M; Klopfenstein, Dean H; Nash, Michael K

    2005-01-01

    Proof of the effectiveness of preventive measures that reduce established risk traits for atherothrombotic disorders has spurred attempts to systematically apply these interventions among susceptible populations. One such attempt is the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management (CVRFM) Program, launched in 2003 to optimize clinical management and outcomes for 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region (KPNW) members with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) or hypertension. The CVRFM Program is a centralized, multidisciplinary, proactive telephone-based clinical management intervention consisting of an “outreach” call, an interview, a mailed individualized care plan and information packet, regular follow-up (including protocolized medication management) and—when “goal status” is achieved—transfer of the patient to a maintenance plan. Quarterly evaluation of effectiveness entailed measurement of a range of clinical, utilization, and member satisfaction outcomes. Results by the fourth quarter were outstanding: For example, >98% of participants with coronary disease or diabetes had LDL cholesterol testing, >90% of coronary patients received aspirin or statin treatment, 99% were “extremely” or “very” satisfied with the program, and reductions were observed in the number of hospitalizations and visits to the emergency department and clinic. Mathematical models predict a decrease in myocardial infarctions and cardiovascular mortality within two years after implementing the program, the underlying principles of which should yield similar improvement in other Kaiser Permanente (KP) Regions and in other health care organizations. PMID:21660155

  13. New York State Health Foundation grant helps health centers win federal expansion funds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandman, David; Cozine, Maureen

    2012-11-01

    With approximately 1.2 million New Yorkers poised to gain health insurance coverage as a result of federal health reform, demand for primary care services is likely to increase greatly. The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in funding to enhance primary care access at community health centers. Recognizing a need and an opportunity, in August 2010 the New York State Health Foundation made a grant of nearly $400,000 to the Community Health Care Association of New York State to work with twelve health centers to develop successful proposals for obtaining and using these federal funds. Ultimately, eleven of the twelve sites are expected to receive $25.6 million in federal grants over a five-year period-a sixty-four-fold return on the foundation's investment. This article describes the strategy for investing in community health centers; identifies key project activities, challenges, and lessons; and highlights its next steps for strengthening primary care.

  14. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's grant-making programme for global health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, David; Kembhavi, Gayatri; Patel, Jinesh; Luintel, Akish

    2009-05-09

    The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a major contributor to global health; its influence on international health policy and the design of global health programmes and initiatives is profound. Although the foundation's contribution to global health generally receives acclaim, fairly little is known about its grant-making programme. We undertook an analysis of 1094 global health grants awarded between January, 1998, and December, 2007. We found that the total value of these grants was US$8.95 billion, of which $5.82 billion (65%) was shared by only 20 organisations. Nevertheless, a wide range of global health organisations, such as WHO, the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, prominent universities, and non-governmental organisations received grants. $3.62 billion (40% of all funding) was given to supranational organisations. Of the remaining amount, 82% went to recipients based in the USA. Just over a third ($3.27 billion) of funding was allocated to research and development (mainly for vaccines and microbicides), or to basic science research. The findings of this report raise several questions about the foundation's global health grant-making programme, which needs further research and assessment.

  15. Philanthropy and the nation-state in global health: The Gates Foundation in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahajan, Manjari

    2017-12-15

    In recent years, philanthropic actors such as the Gates Foundation have been understood as commanding sweeping influence in global health. They have been associated with the outsourcing of public health services, shifting of policy priorities, and the eventual sidelining of national governments. This article makes a different argument about the impact of global philanthropic actors. It focuses on the work of the Gates Foundation in India over the last decade and a half, tracing how the foundation initially circumvented the national government but then moved on to a discourse of partnership. Ironically, after an early discounting of the role of the government, the foundation later sought to transition its programmes to the state. The foundation's evolving trajectory reflects its experiences on the ground and also the difficulties of realising its original ambitions. While the foundation's work in India is marked by ebbs and flows, the state's institutions remain constant. The article argues that there is not always a straightforward marginalisation of the government vis-à-vis global philanthropic actors. Actors such as the Gates Foundation, perceived as enormously powerful in global health institutions in Geneva and New York, may have a far more qualified impact in large developing countries such as India.

  16. Is the Kaiser Permanente model superior in terms of clinical integration?: a comparative study of Kaiser Permanente, Northern California and the Danish healthcare system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Schiøtz, Michaela L; Silver, Jeremy D; Frølich, Anne; Andersen, John S; Graetz, Ilana; Reed, Mary; Bellows, Jim; Krasnik, Allan; Rundall, Thomas; Hsu, John

    2010-04-08

    Integration of medical care across clinicians and settings could enhance the quality of care for patients. To date, there is limited data on the levels of integration in practice. Our objective was to compare primary care clinicians' perceptions of clinical integration and three sub-aspects in two healthcare systems: Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (KPNC) and the Danish healthcare system (DHS). Further, we examined the associations between specific organizational factors and clinical integration within each system. Comparable questionnaires were sent to a random sample of primary care clinicians in KPNC (n = 1103) and general practitioners in DHS (n = 700). Data were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. More clinicians in KPNC perceived to be part of a clinical integrated environment than did general practitioners in the DHS (OR = 3.06, 95% CI: 2.28, 4.12). Further, more KPNC clinicians reported timeliness of information transfer (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.62, 3.13), agreement on roles and responsibilities (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.47) and established coordination mechanisms in place to ensure effective handoffs (OR = 6.80, 95% CI: 4.60, 10.06). None of the considered organizational factors in the sub-country analysis explained a substantial proportion of the variation in clinical integration. More primary care clinicians in KPNC reported clinical integration than did general practitioners in the DHS. Focused measures of clinical integration are needed to develop the field of clinical integration and to create the scientific foundation to guide managers searching for evidence based approaches.

  17. Primary health care and public health: foundations of universal health systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Franklin

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this review is to advocate for more integrated and universally accessible health systems, built on a foundation of primary health care and public health. The perspective outlined identified health systems as the frame of reference, clarified terminology and examined complementary perspectives on health. It explored the prospects for universal and integrated health systems from a global perspective, the role of healthy public policy in achieving population health and the value of the social-ecological model in guiding how best to align the components of an integrated health service. The importance of an ethical private sector in partnership with the public sector is recognized. Most health systems around the world, still heavily focused on illness, are doing relatively little to optimize health and minimize illness burdens, especially for vulnerable groups. This failure to improve the underlying conditions for health is compounded by insufficient allocation of resources to address priority needs with equity (universality, accessibility and affordability). Finally, public health and primary health care are the cornerstones of sustainable health systems, and this should be reflected in the health policies and professional education systems of all nations wishing to achieve a health system that is effective, equitable, efficient and affordable. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. ‘God is groot en wij begrijpen Hem niet’: Kaisers populaire sterrenkunde en het einde van de fysiko-theologie

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frans van Lunteren

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Frederik Kaiser, popular astronomy, and the decline of natural theologyThroughout his remarkable career the Leiden astronomer Frederik Kaiser (1808-1872 struggled to revive Dutch astronomy, which at the time was rather moribund. His efforts comprised mobilizing public support through popularization. In spite of a lack of illustrations, his popular Starry Sky (1844 proved immensely successful with the general public. This work differed in many respects from earlier Dutch popular writings, and helped to establish the new genre of popular science. Kaiser enunciated his idiosyncratic views on popularization in a lecture which he later published as a brochure. Whereas his research reflects the shift from the dilettante to the professional scientist in being focussed on precision measurement, his popular work likewise testified to the transition from natural philosophy to modern science. Charged with the task of composing a natural theological work on astronomy, the deeply religious Kaiser, wriggled his way through the text. Feeling unable to advance the usual arguments, he finally found refuge in the book of Job: 'Behold, God is great and we know him not'. Arguably, the rise of popular science and the decline of natural theology were intimately connected.

  19. Health Benefits In 2016: Family Premiums Rose Modestly, And Offer Rates Remained Stable.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton, Gary; Rae, Matthew; Long, Michelle; Damico, Anthony; Whitmore, Heidi; Foster, Gregory

    2016-10-01

    The annual Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Educational Trust Employer Health Benefits Survey found that in 2016, average annual premiums (employer and worker contributions combined) were $6,435 for single coverage and $18,142 for family coverage. The family premium in 2016 was 3 percent higher than that in 2015. On average, workers contributed 18 percent of the premium for single coverage and 30 percent for family coverage. The share of firms offering health benefits (56 percent) and of workers covered by their employers' plans (62 percent) remained statistically unchanged from 2015. Employers continued to offer financial incentives for completing wellness or health promotion activities. Almost three in ten covered workers were enrolled in a high-deductible plan with a savings option-a significant increase from 2014. The 2016 survey included new questions on cost sharing for specialty drugs and on the prevalence of incentives for employees to seek care at alternative settings. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  20. Innovative partnerships to advance public health training in community-based academic residency programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lo JC

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Joan C Lo,1–3 Thomas E Baudendistel,2,3 Abhay Dandekar,3,4 Phuoc V Le,5 Stanton Siu,2,3 Bruce Blumberg6 1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA; 3Graduate Medical Education, Kaiser Permanente East Bay, Oakland, CA, USA; 4Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA; 5School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; 6Graduate Medical Education, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA Abstract: Collaborative partnerships between community-based academic residency ­training programs and schools of public health, represent an innovative approach to training future physician leaders in population management and public health. In Kaiser Permanente Northern California, development of residency-Masters in Public Health (MPH tracks in the Internal Medicine Residency and the Pediatrics Residency programs, with MPH graduate studies completed at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, enables physicians to integrate clinical training with formal education in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and disease prevention. These residency-MPH programs draw on more than 50 years of clinical education, public health training, and health services research – creating an environment that sparks inquiry and added value by developing skills in patient-centered care through the lens of population-based outcomes. Keywords: graduate medical education, public health, master’s degree, internal medicine, pediatrics, residency training

  1. Foundational workplace safety and health competencies for the emerging workforce☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Andrea H.; Guerin, Rebecca J.; Schulte, Paul A.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Young workers (aged 15–24) suffer disproportionately from workplace injuries, with a nonfatal injury rate estimated to be two times higher than among workers age 25 or over. These workers make up approximately 9% of the U.S. workforce and studies have shown that nearly 80% of high school students work at some point during high school. Although young worker injuries are a pressing public health problem, the critical knowledge and skills needed to prepare youth for safe and healthy work are missing from most frameworks used to prepare the emerging U.S. workforce. Methods A framework of foundational workplace safety and health knowledge and skills (the NIOSH 8 Core Competencies)was developed based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Results The proposed NIOSH Core Competencies utilize the HBM to provide a framework for foundational workplace safety and health knowledge and skills. An examination of how these competencies and the HBM apply to actions that workers take to protect themselves is provided. The social and physical environments that influence these actions are also discussed. Conclusions The NIOSH 8 Core Competencies, grounded in one of the most widely used health behavior theories, fill a critical gap in preparing the emerging U.S. workforce to be cognizant of workplace risks. Practical applications Integration of the NIOSH 8 Core Competencies into school curricula is one way to ensure that every young person has the foundational workplace safety and health knowledge and skills to participate in, and benefit from, safe and healthy work. National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID:27846998

  2. Type C investigation of electrical fabrication projects in ICF Kaiser shops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huckfeldt, R.A.

    1995-06-01

    A Type C Investigation Board was convened to investigate an electrical miswiring problem found during the operation of the electrical distribution trailer for the TWRS Rotary Mode Core Sampling Truck number-sign 2. The trailer was designed by WHC and fabricated ICF KH on site for use in the Characterization Program. This problem resulted in a serious safety hazard since the support truck frame/chassis became electrically energized. This final report provides results of the ''Type C Investigation, Electrical Fabrication Projects in ICF KH Shops, June, 1995.'' It contains the investigation scope, executive summary, relevant facts, analysis, conclusions and corrective actions. DOE Order 5484.1, ''Environmental Protection, Safety and Health Protection Information Reporting Requirements,'' was followed in preparation of this report. Because the incident was electrical in nature and involved both Westinghouse Hanford Company and ICF Kaiser Hanford organizations, the board included members from both contractors and members with considerable electrical expertise

  3. Site support program plan for ICF Kaiser Hanford Company, Revision 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-10-01

    This document is the general administrative plan implemented by the Hanford Site contractor, ICF Kaiser Hanford Company. It describes the mission, administrative structure, projected staffing, to be provided by the contractor. The report breaks out the work responsibilities within the different units of the company, a baseline schedule for the different groups, and a cost summary for the different operating units.

  4. Site support program plan for ICF Kaiser Hanford Company, Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-10-01

    This document is the general administrative plan implemented by the Hanford Site contractor, ICF Kaiser Hanford Company. It describes the mission, administrative structure, projected staffing, to be provided by the contractor. The report breaks out the work responsibilities within the different units of the company, a baseline schedule for the different groups, and a cost summary for the different operating units

  5. Globalizing rehabilitation psychology: Application of foundational principles to global health and rehabilitation challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Jacob A; Bruyère, Susanne M; LeBlanc, Jeanne; MacLachlan, Malcolm

    2016-02-01

    This article reviewed foundational principles in rehabilitation psychology and explored their application to global health imperatives as outlined in the World Report on Disability (World Health Organization & World Bank, 2011). Historical theories and perspectives are used to assist with conceptual formulation as applied to emerging international rehabilitation psychology topics. According to the World Report on Disability (World Health Organization & World Bank, 2011), there are approximately 1 billion individuals living with some form of disability globally. An estimated 80% of persons with disabilities live in low- to middle-income countries (WHO, 2006). The primary messages and recommendations of the World Report on Disability have been previously summarized as it relates to potential opportunities for contribution within the field of rehabilitation psychology (MacLachlan & Mannan, 2014). Yet, undeniable barriers remain to realizing the full potential for contributions in low- to middle-income country settings. A vision for engaging in international capacity building and public health efforts is needed within the field of rehabilitation psychology. Foundational rehabilitation psychology principles have application to the service of individuals with disabilities in areas of the world facing complex socioeconomic and sociopolitical challenges. Foundational principles of person-environment interaction, importance of social context, and need for involvement of persons with disabilities can provide guidance to the field as it relates to global health and rehabilitation efforts. The authors illustrate the application of rehabilitation psychology foundational principles through case examples and description of ongoing work, and link foundational principles to discreet domains of intervention going forward. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Health Benefits In 2015: Stable Trends In The Employer Market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton, Gary; Rae, Matthew; Panchal, Nirmita; Whitmore, Heidi; Damico, Anthony; Kenward, Kevin; Long, Michelle

    2015-10-01

    The annual Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Educational Trust Employer Health Benefits Survey found that in 2015, average annual premiums (employer and worker contributions combined) were $6,251 for single coverage and $17,545 for family coverage. Both premiums rose 4 percent from 2014, continuing several years of modest growth. The percentage of firms offering health benefits and the percentage of workers covered by their employers' plans remained statistically unchanged from 2014. Eighty-one percent of covered workers were enrolled in a plan with a general annual deductible. Among those workers, the average deductible for single coverage was $1,318. Half of large employers either offered employees the opportunity or required them to complete biometric screening. Of firms that offer an incentive for completing the screening, 20 percent provide employees with incentives or penalties that are tied to meeting those biometric outcomes. The 2015 survey included new questions on financial incentives to complete wellness programs and meet specified biometric outcomes as well as questions about narrow networks and employers' strategies related to the high-cost plan tax and the employer shared-responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  7. Turning point: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's effort to revitalize public health at the state level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassmiller, Susan

    2002-01-01

    The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation initiated Turning Point in collaboration with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Kellogg) in 1997. The purpose of this major national initiative was to strengthen the public health infrastructure in the United States so that states, local communities, and their public health agencies might respond to the challenge to protect and improve the public's health in the 21st century. RWJ funded 21 states and Kellogg funded 43 communities to work together to create a new way of thinking about how health could be improved and who should be involved. Although the ultimate outcome was to improve health, both foundations expected diverse partnerships to work together to create strategic health improvement plans at both the community and state levels. The foundations funded a variety of strategies within those health improvement plans during an implementation phase. The premise in funding partnerships, as opposed to a single entity, was that effective public health systems would be developed best through a shared responsibility (including the private sector) for the health of a community.

  8. Kaiser Permanente Creatinine Safety Program: A Mechanism to Ensure Widespread Detection and Care for Chronic Kidney Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sim, John J; Rutkowski, Mark P; Selevan, David C; Batech, Michael; Timmins, Royann; Slezak, Jeff M; Jacobsen, Steven J; Kanter, Michael H

    2015-11-01

    Chronic kidney disease is highly prevalent but is challenging to diagnose because of the need to establish chronicity. Within the current healthcare environment, a single abnormal creatinine measurement often can go without a follow-up, which can lead to missed diagnoses or diagnostic errors. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California creatinine safety program (the Creatinine SureNet) was created to help ensure that all single abnormal creatinine results had a follow-up evaluation. In the period February 1, 2010, to March 1, 2014, the electronic health records were used to capture individuals with single abnormal creatinine results that went >90 days without a repeat measurement. A coordinated effort among a centralized regional nurse and providers was used to communicate with patients and order a repeat creatinine measurement. A total of 12,396 individuals were identified (84% ambulatory care encounters). A total of 6981 individuals (52%) followed up with a repeat measurement. Female patients, non-Hispanic whites, and older individuals were more likely to obtain a repeat measurement. Subsequently, 3668 individuals had chronic kidney disease confirmed. Within 6 months, 1550 patients had chart documentation of their chronic kidney disease and 336 patients had a nephrology consultation. The ambulatory care environment, given its high volume and various prioritizations, is an under-recognized area where diagnostic errors are not uncommon and failure to follow up on abnormal test results can occur routinely. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Creatinine SureNet program leverages the electronic health records and its multidisciplinary resources in an effort to ensure that patients with potential chronic kidney disease are identified and managed properly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Crack Identification in CFRP Laminated Beams Using Multi-Resolution Modal Teager–Kaiser Energy under Noisy Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wei; Cao, Maosen; Ding, Keqin; Radzieński, Maciej; Ostachowicz, Wiesław

    2017-01-01

    Carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates are increasingly used in the aerospace and civil engineering fields. Identifying cracks in carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beam components is of considerable significance for ensuring the integrity and safety of the whole structures. With the development of high-resolution measurement technologies, mode-shape-based crack identification in such laminated beam components has become an active research focus. Despite its sensitivity to cracks, however, this method is susceptible to noise. To address this deficiency, this study proposes a new concept of multi-resolution modal Teager–Kaiser energy, which is the Teager–Kaiser energy of a mode shape represented in multi-resolution, for identifying cracks in carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beams. The efficacy of this concept is analytically demonstrated by identifying cracks in Timoshenko beams with general boundary conditions; and its applicability is validated by diagnosing cracks in a carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminated beam, whose mode shapes are precisely acquired via non-contact measurement using a scanning laser vibrometer. The analytical and experimental results show that multi-resolution modal Teager–Kaiser energy is capable of designating the presence and location of cracks in these beams under noisy environments. This proposed method holds promise for developing crack identification systems for carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates. PMID:28773016

  10. Public health foundations and the tobacco industry: lessons from Minnesota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, J; Tsoukalas, T; Glantz, S

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate whether private foundations can be created in a way that will insulate them from attacks by the tobacco industry, using the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco (MPAAT) as a case study. Design: Information was collected from internal tobacco industry documents, court documents, newspapers, and interviews with health advocates and elected officials. Results: The creation of MPAAT as an independent foundation did not insulate it from attacks by tobacco industry allies. During 2001–2002, MPAAT was repeatedly attacked by Attorney General Mike Hatch and major media, using standard tobacco industry rhetoric. This strategy of attack and demands for information were reminiscent of previous attacks on Minnesota's Plan for Nonsmoking and Health and the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST). MPAAT was ultimately forced to restructure its programme to abandon effective community norm change interventions around smoke-free policies and replace them with less effective individual cessation interventions. Neither MPAAT nor other health advocates mounted an effective public response to these attacks, instead relying on the insider strategy of responding in court. Conclusion: It is not possible to avoid attacks by the tobacco industry or its political allies. Like programmes administered by government agencies, tobacco control foundations must be prepared for these attacks, including a proactive plan to educate the public about the principles of community based tobacco control. Public health advocates also need to be willing to take prompt action to defend these programmes and hold public officials who attack tobacco control programmes accountable for their actions. PMID:15333877

  11. Laying the foundations of a culture of health as a pedagogical problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.P. Khalajtsan

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : to show the dominant influence of educational - educational process lay the groundwork for a culture of health students. Material : processed more than 40 references, conducted a survey, questionnaires and observation of the living conditions of students. Results : named main reasons for creating a culture of health of students should be considered as primary pedagogical problem. The preconditions and conditions of the foundations of the culture of youth health, namely: social, educational, health, environmental, economic, geographic, individual. Traced the sequence and phasing of the pedagogical process of building a culture of health of students in the course of many years of teaching in higher education. Conclusions : proven pedagogical influence priority basis forming a culture of health of students in the individual development and identity formation for learning in higher education. The sequence and structure of the solution of pedagogical problems of forming the foundations of a culture of health students.

  12. The role of foundations: Rockefeller Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockefeller, David

    The consequences of climate change and the impacts of human activity on the environment have made it clearer than ever before that we must evolve our current model of public health to better account for the inextricable link between human health and the natural systems on which it depends-creating a "public health 2.0" that builds on the innovations of the twentieth century to account for a world where humans have bypassed planetary boundaries to achieve well-being. First coined at the Rockefeller Foundation's Centennial gathering in Beijing in 2013, "Planetary Health" will factor in future health and environmental harms over present-day gains, particularly those that disproportionately affect the poor and those in developing nations. To build this new field, foundations must address the challenge of information, increasing support for research to bridge knowledge gaps on the links between economic development, natural systems, and human health.

  13. A Conversation About Health Care Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Victor R.

    1994-01-01

    Professor Victor R. Fuchs is the Henry J. Kaiser Jr Professor at Stanford (California) University, where he applies economic analysis to social problems of national concern, with special emphasis on health and medical care. He holds joint appointments in the Economics Department and the School of Medicine's Department of Health Research and Policy. Professor Fuchs is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association and a member of the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He was the first economist to receive the Distinguished Investigator Award of the Association for Health Services Research and has also received the Baxter Foundation Health Services Research Prize. Professor Fuchs is president-elect of the American Economic Association. His latest book, The Future of Health Policy, was published by Harvard University Press in 1993. The following edited conversation between Professor Fuchs and Linda Hawes Clever, MD, Editor of the journal, took place on April 8, 1994. PMID:7941523

  14. Diagnosing the Kaiser: Psychiatry, Wilhelm II and the Question of German War Guilt The William Bynum Prize Essay 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freis, David

    2018-07-01

    After his abdication in November 1918, the German emperor Wilhelm II continued to haunt the minds of his people. With the abolition of the lese-majesty laws in the new republic, many topics that were only discussed privately or obliquely before could now be broached openly. One of these topics was the mental state of the exiled Kaiser. Numerous psychiatrists, physicians and laypeople published their diagnoses of Wilhelm in high-circulation newspaper articles, pamphlets, and books shortly after the end of the war. Whether these diagnoses were accurate and whether the Kaiser really was mentally ill became the issue of a heated debate.This article situates these diagnoses of Wilhelm II in their political context. The authors of these diagnoses - none of whom had met or examined Wilhelm II in person - came from all political camps and they wrote with very different motives in mind. Diagnosing the exiled Kaiser as mentally ill was a kind of exorcism of the Hohenzollern rule, opening the way for either a socialist republic or the hoped-for rule of a new leader. But more importantly, it was a way to discuss and allocate political responsibility and culpability. Psychiatric diagnoses were used to exonerate both the Emperor (for whom the treaty of Versailles provided a tribunal as war criminal) and the German nation. They were also used to blame the Kaiser's entourage and groups that had allegedly manipulated the weak-willed monarch. Medical concepts became a vehicle for a debate on the key political questions in interwar Germany.

  15. Experimental and numerical study of the Kaiser effect in cyclic Brazilian tests with disk rotation

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Lavrov, A

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available Sensitivity of the Kaiser effect to the deviations of the directions of sigma(1)-principal stress experienced by rock in Successive loading cycles has an important impact on the application of this effect for stress measurements in rocks. The paper...

  16. Instrument Development of Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment™.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElligott, Deborah; Eckardt, Sarah; Montgomery Dossey, Barbara; Luck, Susan; Eckardt, Patricia

    2017-12-01

    The nurse coach role was developed to address the needs of our nation and the world for health and wellbeing. The Theory of Integrative Nurse Coaching provides a foundation for coaching interventions supporting health promotion, and a framework for the development of the Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment (IHWA) short form. This 36-question Likert-type scale self-reporting tool assists participants in assessing healthy behaviors through a self-reflection process, provides information for the coaching relationship, and may be an outcome measurement. This article describes the history of the IHWA tool and the development and pilot testing of the IHWA short form using guidelines provided by DeVellis. Results of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test yielded a value of .520, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant. Cronbach's alpha overall scale internal consistency was .88 ( n = 36). Pilot study results indicate that the scale could be improved through additional revision, and an ongoing study is in progress.

  17. Evaluation of Rock Stress Estimation by the Kaiser effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehtonen, A.

    2005-11-01

    The knowledge of in situ stress is the key input parameter in many rock mechanics analyses. Information on stress allows the definition of boundary conditions for various modelling and engineering tasks. Presently, the estimation of stresses in bedrock is one of the most difficult, time-consuming and high-priced rock mechanical investigations. In addition, the methods used today have not evolved significantly in many years. This brings out a demand for novel, more economical and practical methods for stress estimation. In this study, one such method, Kaiser effect based on acoustic emission of core samples, has been evaluated. It can be described as a 'memory' in rock that is indicated by a change in acoustic emission emitted during uniaxial loading test. The most tempting feature of this method is the ability to estimate the in situ stress state from core specimens in laboratory conditions. This yields considerable cost savings compared to laborious borehole measurements. Kaiser effect has been studied in order to determine in situ stresses for decades without any major success. However, recent studies in Australia and China have been promising and made the estimation of stress tensor possible from differently oriented core samples. The aim of this work has been to develop a similar estimation method in Finland (including both equipment and data reduction), and to test it on samples obtained from Olkiluoto, Eurajoki. The developed measuring system proved to work well. The quality of obtained data varied, but they were still interpretable. The results obtained from these tests were compared with results of previous overcoring measurements, and they showed quite good correlation. Thus, the results were promising, but the method still needs further development and more testing before the final decision on its feasibility can be made. (orig.)

  18. Laying the Foundations of Lifelong Health at the Beginning of Life: Islamic Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alimohammadi, Nasrollah; Jafari-Mianaei, Soheila; Bankipoor-Fard, Amir-Hossein; Hasanpour, Marzieh

    2017-08-23

    In this systematic literature review, all the Shiite-Islamic documents (Quran and Hadith) without any time limitation were surveyed, analyzed and synthesized for the purpose of determining the foundations of lifelong health. The data were analyzed and combined using inductive qualitative content analysis method. Two main categories were emerged from the analysis: "prevention of health problems" and "health maintenance and promotion." In conclusion based on Islamic perspective, the foundations of comprehensive health of a person, i.e., health in all physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions, are begun to form at four stages: the time of marriage of his parents, the moment of their conception, when he is unborn in his mother womb, and during infancy period. Observing religion instructions in this regard is not the sufficient condition for being completely healthy; however, such instructions can provide a base for being a healthy person.

  19. The impact of removing financial incentives from clinical quality indicators: longitudinal analysis of four Kaiser Permanente indicators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lester, Helen; Schmittdiel, Julie; Selby, Joe; Fireman, Bruce; Campbell, Stephen; Lee, Janelle; Whippy, Alan; Madvig, Philip

    2010-05-11

    To evaluate the effect of financial incentives on four clinical quality indicators common to pay for performance plans in the United Kingdom and at Kaiser Permanente in California. Longitudinal analysis. 35 medical facilities of Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 1997-2007. 2 523 659 adult members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Main outcomes measures Yearly assessment of patient level glycaemic control (HbA(1c) financial incentives were attached to screening for diabetic retinopathy (1999-2003), the rate rose from 84.9% to 88.1%. This was followed by four years without incentives when the rate fell year on year to 80.5%. During the two initial years when financial incentives were attached to cervical cancer screening (1999-2000), the screening rate rose slightly, from 77.4% to 78.0%. During the next five years when financial incentives were removed, screening rates fell year on year to 74.3%. Incentives were then reattached for two years (2006-7) and screening rates began to increase. Across the 35 facilities, the removal of incentives was associated with a decrease in performance of about 3% per year on average for screening for diabetic retinopathy and about 1.6% per year for cervical cancer screening. Policy makers and clinicians should be aware that removing facility directed financial incentives from clinical indicators may mean that performance levels decline.

  20. Service user governors in mental health foundation trusts: accountability or business as usual?

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Dee; Barnes, Marian; Crawford, Mike; Omeni, Edward; Wilson, Aaron; Rose, Diana

    2015-12-01

    National Health Foundation Trusts present opportunities for individual mental health service users to be active in the governance of trusts. This is one of a range of mechanisms for patient and public involvement and one which promotes an individual rather than collective approach to involvement. Within the context of a broader study of the impact of service user involvement in mental health services, the objective of this article was to explore the experience of service user governors in foundation trusts and their capacity to hold boards to account. The Council of Governors in three foundation trusts were observed for a year. Focus groups with service user governors were undertaken in each trust. Service users had different expectations and understandings of the role and approached it in different ways. Key themes that emerged concerned: the role of a governor, conduct and content of meetings, agenda setting, relationships and representation. The experiences of mental health service user governors need to be understood within the complex environment of patient and public involvement in general and of mental health service user involvement in particular. The dislocation of the service user governor role from other forms of service user activity and involvement result in confusion about how notions of holding a trust to account and representation of other service users can be addressed within a boundaried institutional environment. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Mineralogical control on thermal damage and the presence of a thermal Kaiser effect during temperature-cycling experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Browning, J.; Daoud, A.; Meredith, P. G.; Mitchell, T. M.

    2017-12-01

    Volcanic and geothermal systems are in part controlled by the mechanical and thermal stresses acting on them and so it is important to understand the response of volcanic rocks to thermo-mechanical loading. One such response is the well-known `Kaiser stress-memory' effect observed under cyclic mechanical loading. By contrast, the presence of an analogous `Kaiser temperature-memory effect' during cyclic thermal loading has received little attention. We have therefore explored the possibility of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect using three igneous rocks of different composition, grain size and origin; Slaufrudalur Granophyre (SGP), Nea Kameni Andesite (NKA) and Seljadalur Basalt (SB). We present results from a series of thermal stressing experiments in which acoustic emissions (AE) were recorded contemporaneously with changing temperature. Samples of each rock were subjected to both a single heating and cooling cycle to a maximum temperature of 900 °C and multiple heating/cooling cycles to peak temperatures of 350°C, 500°C, 700°C and 900 °C (all at a constant rate of 1°C/min on heating and a natural cooling rate of memory effect in SGP, but not in either NKA and SB. We further find that the vast majority of thermal crack damage is generated upon cooling in the finer grained materials (NKA and SB), but that substantial thermal crack damage is generated during heating in the coarser grained SGP. The total amount of crack damage generated due to heating or cooling is dependent on the mineral composition and, most importantly, the grain size and arrangement, as well as the maximum temperature to which the rock is exposed. Knowledge of thermal stress history and the presence of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect is potentially important in understanding magma chamber dynamics, where the cyclic nature of mechanical and thermal inflation and deflation can lead to sequential accumulation of damage, potentially leading to critical rupture.

  2. Reply to Nicholson's comment on "Consistent calculation of aquatic gross production from oxygen triple isotope measurements" by Kaiser (2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Kaiser

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The comment by Nicholson (2011a questions the "consistency" of the "definition" of the "biological end-member" used by Kaiser (2011a in the calculation of oxygen gross production. "Biological end-member" refers to the relative oxygen isotope ratio difference between photosynthetic oxygen and Air-O2 (abbreviated 17δP and 18δP for 17O/16O and 18O/16O, respectively. The comment claims that this leads to an overestimate of the discrepancy between previous studies and that the resulting gross production rates are "30% too high". Nicholson recognises the improved accuracy of Kaiser's direct calculation ("dual-delta" method compared to previous approximate approaches based on 17O excess (17Δ and its simplicity compared to previous iterative calculation methods. Although he correctly points out that differences in the normalised gross production rate (g are largely due to different input parameters used in Kaiser's "base case" and previous studies, he does not acknowledge Kaiser's observation that iterative and dual-delta calculation methods give exactly the same g for the same input parameters (disregarding kinetic isotope fractionation during air-sea exchange. The comment is based on misunderstandings with respect to the "base case" 17δP and 18δP values. Since direct measurements of 17δP and 18δPdo not exist or have been lost, Kaiser constructed the "base case" in a way that was consistent and compatible with literature data. Nicholson showed that an alternative reconstruction of 17δP gives g values closer to previous studies. However, unlike Nicholson, we refrain from interpreting either reconstruction as a benchmark for the accuracy of g. A number of publications over the last 12 months

  3. Public health and nutrition after the Spanish Civil War. An intervention by the Rockefeller Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Cura, Isabel; Huertas, Rafael

    2009-10-01

    We describe a nutritional intervention by the Rockefeller Foundation's International Health Division in Spain after the Spanish Civil War, delineating the relationships between the technicians sent by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Spanish health authorities. We analyze reports of the nutritional situation in Spain in the early 1940s and the design and outcomes of a nutrition survey conducted in a district of Madrid by American and Spanish nutritionists. This nutritional survey, which was based on food intake interviews and was complemented with anthropometric measurements, clinical examinations, and blood tests, found several symptoms and signs of malnutrition. The Rockefeller Foundation's nutritional research was an important historical precedent for later studies made in emergency situations or armed conflicts. Similar surveys have been carried out in the last several decades by distinguished academic departments of public health and epidemiology and by humanitarian aid agencies.

  4. Internationalism and nationalism: the Rockefeller Foundation, public health, and malaria in Italy, 1923-1951.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stapleton, D H

    2000-06-01

    The Rockefeller Foundation's support of malaria control and public health in Italy over three decades, the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, was one of the foundation's most successful collaborations in its history. Nearly one-sixth of the funds the Rockefeller Foundation allocated for malaria programs was spent in Italy in those years. Outstanding research, a new and important institution, and decided improvements in public health were historically-significant results. The three most important episodes of this American-Italian relationship were the operations of the Stazione Sperimentale per la Lotta Antimalarica, the founding of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and the campaign to eradicate mosquitoes in Sardinia. In each of these episodes there was a tension between the international aspects and national aspects of the partnership that to some degree limited its success.

  5. [Utilitarianism or communitarianism as the foundation of public health ethics?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauprich, O

    2008-02-01

    The goal of public health is to maximise health, and to promote the common good. These two assumptions frequently give rise to claims that public health is founded on utilitarian or communitarian ethics, respectively. In this paper, these claims are critically examined and rejected. It is neither plausible to assume utilitarian goals in public health nor to propose a utilitarian account of public health ethics. The idea of public health as health-related utilitarianism rests on a misconception of utilitarian ethics. Once this misconception is realised, the seeming appeal of public health to utilitarianism quickly fades. Communitarianism, in turn, fails to serve as a comprehensive and systematic ethical account. Some moderate appeals to more communal spirit for public health are well taken, although not exclusive communitarian. Other more extreme proposals of communitarians, e.g. to exercise public-health police power and public-health paternalism, are to be taken with great care. Thus, it is concluded that there is a need for an ethical foundation of public health different from both utilitarianism and communitarianism.

  6. Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... SADS Foundation UK SADS Foundation Netherlands SADS Foundation China SADS Foundation Hong Kong Search for: Log in ... research crucial for health of patients and the economy 7/18/2017 More funding for heart disease ...

  7. Round Six Of Partners Investing In Nursing's Future: Implications For The Health Sector, Policy Makers, And Foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jellinek, Paul S; Reinhardt, Renee J; Ladden, Maryjoan D; Salmon, Marla E

    2015-07-01

    In its 2011 report on the future of nursing, the Institute of Medicine issued recommendations to position nursing to meet the challenges of twenty-first-century health care. Following release of the report, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded eleven local and regional partnerships of nurses, foundations, and other stakeholders to begin implementing some of the recommendations in their regions. A qualitative evaluation of these partnerships found that although not all goals were met, most of the partnerships achieved meaningful gains. Partnership participants emphasized the value of engaging foundations and other stakeholders from outside nursing in the implementation process, the necessity of funding for implementation, the need for policy makers to address constraints that local and regional partnerships by themselves cannot address, and the unique leadership and convening role that local and regional foundations can play to help their regions respond to complex challenges for the nursing profession. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  8. Estimating the Cost of Providing Foundational Public Health Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamaril, Cezar Brian C; Mays, Glen P; Branham, Douglas Keith; Bekemeier, Betty; Marlowe, Justin; Timsina, Lava

    2017-12-28

    To estimate the cost of resources required to implement a set of Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) as recommended by the Institute of Medicine. A stochastic simulation model was used to generate probability distributions of input and output costs across 11 FPHS domains. We used an implementation attainment scale to estimate costs of fully implementing FPHS. We use data collected from a diverse cohort of 19 public health agencies located in three states that implemented the FPHS cost estimation methodology in their agencies during 2014-2015. The average agency incurred costs of $48 per capita implementing FPHS at their current attainment levels with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 16 percent. Achieving full FPHS implementation would require $82 per capita (CV=19 percent), indicating an estimated resource gap of $34 per capita. Substantial variation in costs exists across communities in resources currently devoted to implementing FPHS, with even larger variation in resources needed for full attainment. Reducing geographic inequities in FPHS may require novel financing mechanisms and delivery models that allow health agencies to have robust roles within the health system and realize a minimum package of public health services for the nation. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  9. [Foundations for the institutionalization of health technology assessment in Chile].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo-Riquelme, Marianela; Santelices C, Emilio

    2014-01-01

    The Chilean health system has not been completely oblivious to health technology assessment (HTA). In fact, significant advances in the areas of health prioritization using criteria of disease burden, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness among others, can be acknowledged. The introduction of the reform of Explicit Health Guarantees (GES) has been an important milestone in this arena, allowing the consideration of other dimensions such as social preferences in health. However, the application of HTA encompasses the entire health system and in that sense the institutionalization of a process properly defined and extensively validated in our country, is imminent. This paper discusses the foundations on which progress must be made in institutionalizing HTA, starting from the architecture of our health care system and in light of the economic and social reality. We review some background information first, and then discuss some important considerations in our context, including information on the institutional and legal framework. It concludes with the authors' view on some key elements to consider in HTA in Chile, which does not necessarily represent the vision of the Ministry of Health.

  10. Sex Education: New Resources Help Parents Talk with Kids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witt, Virginia

    2002-01-01

    To help parents talk with children about sexual health, the Kaiser Family Foundation and National PTA developed a series of free resources for parents (e.g., the booklet "Talking with Kids: A Parent's Guide to Sex Education") to increase parent involvement and communication around sex education. This paper notes the importance of parents…

  11. Culture-centered engagement with delivery of health services: co-constructing meanings of health in the Tzu Chi Foundation through Buddhist philosophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dillard, Sydney J; Dutta, Mohan; Sun, Wei-San

    2014-01-01

    The shift in health communication scholarship from the narrow focus on curing to the complexly intertwined spaces of health, illness, healing, and curing attends to the dynamic cultural contexts within which meanings and practices are negotiated, directing scholarship toward alternative spaces of health care delivery. This study utilized the culture-centered approach as a theoretical lens for providing a discursive space for understanding meanings of health constituted in the practices of the Tzu Chi Foundation, an organization that offers biomedical services within the larger philosophical understandings of Buddhism with 10 million members in over 50 different countries. The emerging perspective promotes non-biomedical meanings of health through selfless giving and assistance founded in Buddhist principles, simultaneously seeking purity of the mind, body, and soul holistically. Through the negotiation of the principles driving Buddhist philosophy and the principles that shape biomedical health care delivery, this study seeks to understand the interpretive frames that circulate among foundation staff and care recipients.

  12. [The Rockefeller Foundation and its efforts toward a reorientation of German medicine and public health in the 1950s].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schleiermacher, Sabine

    2010-01-01

    The Rockefeller Foundation invested substantial funds into promoting the development of public health as a discipline and a re-orientation of medical training in West Germany to support the democratization of German society. Not limiting itself to the simple provision of literature, the Foundation pursued a two-pronged strategy. Firstly, the Foundation organized a program for German university physicians and public health officers to visit various universities and teaching hospitals in the USA and Canada. A second aim was to establish training institutes for postgraduate physicians. However, rather than simply imposing the US model, the Foundation intended to adapt it to the German context, in the form of a postgraduate course for physicians that integrated practical experience with a university setting. My research to date shows that the Foundation's activities did not meet with much enthusiasm from German medical professionals. Intellectual, cultural, cognitive and political differences impaired constructive collaboration between the Foundation's staff and local practitioners and academics.

  13. The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment: How a Health Care Conversion Foundation Is Transforming a Medical School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurana, Cheryl A; Lucey, Paula A; Ahmed, Syed M; Kerschner, Joseph E; Bolton, G Allen; Raymond, John R

    2016-01-01

    Health care conversion foundations, such as the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (the endowment) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), result from the conversion of nonprofit health organizations to for-profit corporations. Over the past several decades, nearly 200 of these foundations have been created, and they have had a substantial impact on the field of health philanthropy. The MCW was a recipient of funds resulting from Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin's conversion from a nonprofit to a for-profit status in 1999. Established in 2004, the endowment has invested approximately $185 million in 337 research, education, and public and community health initiatives that benefit Wisconsin residents. However, the transformative potential of the health care conversion foundation has extended well beyond the opportunities provided through the endowment's financial resources. As the endowment celebrates its 10th anniversary, the authors describe the transformative nature of the endowment, as well as significant accomplishments and lessons learned, in the following areas: shared power, community partnerships, translational research, and integration of medicine and public health. It is the authors' hope that these lessons will be valuable to other medical schools and the communities they serve, as they invest in improving the health of their communities, irrespective of the funding source.

  14. 78 FR 20666 - Food and Drug Administration/National Institutes of Health/National Science Foundation Public...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-05

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0345] Food and Drug Administration/National Institutes of Health/ National Science Foundation Public Workshop... public workshop; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing its...

  15. Backstage: the relationship between the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organization, Part I: 1940s-1960s.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birn, A-E

    2014-02-01

    In recent years, there has been a growing debate about what role foundations should play in global health governance generally, and particularly vis-à-vis the World Health Organization (WHO). Much of this discussion revolves around today's gargantuan philanthropy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and its sway over the agenda and modus operandi of global health. Yet such pre-occupations are not new. The Rockefeller Foundation (RF), the unparalleled 20th century health philanthropy heavyweight, both profoundly shaped WHO and maintained long and complex relations with it, even as both institutions changed over time. This article examines the WHO-RF relationship from the 1940s to the 1960s, tracing its ebbs and flows, key moments, challenges, and quandaries, concluding with a reflection on the role of the Cold War in both fully institutionalizing the RF's dominant disease-control approach and limiting its smaller social medicine efforts, even as the RF's quotidian influence at WHO diminished. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Parents, Children & Media: A Kaiser Family Foundation Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rideout, Victoria

    2007-01-01

    Over the past few years, media use among children and teens has become more prevalent than ever. With the launch of the iPod, the explosion in instant messaging, the birth of mobile video and YouTube, and the advent of social networking sites like MySpace, young people are rarely out of contact, or out of reach of the media. Meanwhile,…

  17. Building the foundations of an informatics agenda for global health - 2011 workshop report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirza, Muzna; Kratz, Mary; Medeiros, Donna; Pina, Jamie; Richards, Janise; Zhang, Xiaohui; Fraser, Hamish; Bailey, Christopher; Krishnamurthy, Ramesh

    2012-01-01

    Strengthening the capacity of public health systems to protect and promote the health of the global population continues to be essential in an increasingly connected world. Informatics practices and principles can play an important role for improving global health response capacity. A critical step is to develop an informatics agenda for global health so that efforts can be prioritized and important global health issues addressed. With the aim of building a foundation for this agenda, the authors developed a workshop to examine the evidence in this domain, recognize the gaps, and document evidence-based recommendations. On 21 August 2011, at the 2011 Public Health Informatics Conference in Atlanta, GA, USA, a four-hour interactive workshop was conducted with 85 participants from 15 countries representing governmental organizations, private sector companies, academia, and non-governmental organizations. The workshop discussion followed an agenda of a plenary session - planning and agenda setting - and four tracks: Policy and governance; knowledge management, collaborative networks and global partnerships; capacity building; and globally reusable resources: metrics, tools, processes, templates, and digital assets. Track discussions examined the evidence base and the participants' experience to gather information about the current status, compelling and potential benefits, challenges, barriers, and gaps for global health informatics as well as document opportunities and recommendations. This report provides a summary of the discussions and key recommendations as a first step towards building an informatics agenda for global health. Attention to the identified topics and issues is expected to lead to measurable improvements in health equity, health outcomes, and impacts on population health. We propose the workshop report be used as a foundation for the development of the full agenda and a detailed roadmap for global health informatics activities based on further

  18. The cost conundrum: financing the business of health care insurance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Annemarie

    2013-01-01

    Health care spending in both the governmental and private sectors skyrocketed over the last century. This article examines the rapid growth of health care expenditures by analyzing the extent of this financial boom as well some of the reasons why health care financing has become so expensive. It also explores how the market concentration of insurance companies has led to growing insurer profits, fewer insurance providers, and less market competition. Based on economic data primarily from the Government Accountability Office, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the American Medical Associa tion, it has become clear that this country needs more competitive rates for the business of health insurance. Because of the unique dynamics of health insurance payments and financing, America needs to promote affordability and innovation in the health insurance market and lower the market's high concentration levels. In the face of booming insurance profits, soaring premiums, many believe that in our consolidated health insurance market, the "business of insurance" should not be exempt from antitrust laws. All in all, it is in our nation's best interest that Congress restore the application of antitrust laws to health sector insurers by passing the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act as an amendment to the McCarran-Ferguson Act's "business of insurance" provision.

  19. Making the business case for hospital information systems--a Kaiser Permanente investment decision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrido, Terhilda; Raymond, Brian; Jamieson, Laura; Liang, Louise; Wiesenthal, Andrew

    2004-01-01

    Further evidence in favor of the clinical IT business case is set forth in Kaiser Permanente's cost/benefit analysis for an electronic hospital information system. This article reviews the business case for an inpatient electronic medical record system, including 36 categories of quantifiable benefits that contribute to a positive cumulative net cash flow within an 8.5 year period. However, the business case hinges on several contingent success factors: leadership commitment, timely implementation, partnership with labor, coding compliance, and workflow redesign. The issues and constraints that impact the potential transferability of this business case across delivery systems raise questions that merit further attention.

  20. ["A decision meaning a new foundation...": from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics and Eugenics to the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sachse, Carola

    2011-01-01

    The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) in Berlin-Dahlem dates its establishment to 1964. Its homepage makes no mention of its predecessor institutes, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics and Eugenics (KWIA) and the subsequent MPI for Comparative Genetics and Hereditary Pathology (MPIVEE). This article traces the two critical phases of transition regarding the constellations of academic staff, institutional and epistemic ruptures and continuities specific to the era. Only one of the five department heads from the final war years, Hans Nachtsheim, remained a researcher within the Max Planck Society (MPG); he nevertheless continued to advocate the pre-war and wartime eugenic agenda in the life sciences and social policy. The generational change of 1959/60 became a massive struggle within the institute, in which microbial genetics (with Fritz Kaudewitz) was pitted against human genetics (with Friedrich Vogel) and managed to establish itself after a fresh change in personnel in 1964/65. For the Dahlem institute, this involved a far-reaching reorientation of its research, but for the genetically oriented life sciences in the Max Planck Society as a whole it only meant that molecular biology, which was already being pursued in the West German institutes, gained an additional facility. With this realignment of research traditions, the Society was able to draw a line under the Nazi past without having to address it head-on.

  1. Genetics as a modernization program: biological research at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes and the political economy of the Nazi State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gausemeier, Bernd

    2010-01-01

    During the Third Reich, the biological institutes of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft) underwent a substantial reorganization and modernization. This paper discusses the development of projects in the fields of biochemical genetics, virus research, radiation genetics, and plant genetics that were initiated in those years. These cases exemplify, on the one hand, the political conditions for biological research in the Nazi state. They highlight how leading scientists advanced their projects by building close ties with politicians and science-funding organizations and companies. On the other hand, the study examines how the contents of research were shaped by, and how they contributed to, the aims and needs of the political economy of the Nazi system. This paper therefore aims not only to highlight basic aspects of scientific development under Nazism, but also to provide general insights into the structure of the Third Reich and the dynamics of its war economy.

  2. Associations and foundations in the field of health care and their role in the health system of Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piotrowicz, Maria; Cianciara, Dorota

    2013-01-01

    The article presents data on associations and foundations active in health care field in Poland, on the basis of a review of research done by Klon/Jawor Association and the Central Statistical Office. The article also applies to the issue of cooperation between NGOs and governmental adminstration in the health area and identifies lacking information that is necessary for better planning of national health policy. In Poland there are about three thousand associations and foundations whose main focus is the health care. In 2010, they accounted for about 7% of all non-governmental organizations. Results of representative nationwide surveys from 2008 and 2010 indicate that the NGO's active in the field of health care have, in most cases, legal form of associations. Almost half of the organizations declared national or international scope of action. Headquarters of most organizations were mainly in the cities, and only, one in twenty in the village. Most organizations were located in the mazowieckie province and a significant fraction of them was in Warsaw itself. Organizations were stood out by a relatively large number of personnel on the background of the entire NGO sector. Half of the organizations employed paid workers, the majority also collaborated with volunteers who were not members of the organization. More than a third of organizations dealt with the rehabilitation, therapy and long-term care, and about 1/3 dealt with prevention, health promotion and education, and blood donations. World Health Organization indicates the need for systematic collection of data about the role of the nongovernmental sector in health. In Poland, legal regulations require the public institutions and organizations to cooperate with NGOs to achieve health objectives. In spite of relevant data on NGOs in the field of health care in Poland, the necessary information to assess their potential are still lacking. Recognition of the capacity and limitations ofNGOs could enable better

  3. National Headache Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Headache Topic Sheets (Spanish) Headache FAQ NHF Webinars Education Modules MigrainePro™ Children’s Headache Disorders New Perspectives on Caffeine and Headache War Veterans Health Resource Initiative National Headache Foundation Brochures ...

  4. Generation Rx.com. What are young people really doing online?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rideout, Victoria

    2002-01-01

    The Kaiser Family Foundation examined the ways Generation Xers use the Web to find health information and found some surprising results. Not only do young adults access online health information, but they seek it more often than they check sports scores, purchase merchandise, or participate in a chat room. They're also likely to be influenced by what they find online, and many report that they've changed their behavior based on what they've learned.

  5. Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Report.pdf [1.2MB] Obesity and Overweight Among Asian American Children and Adolescents 2016.04.28-OBESITY AND ... Month Stay Connected! Receive the latest APIAHF updates Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. All rights reserved. One Kaiser Plaza, ...

  6. The origins of the research on the foundations of quantum mechanics (and other critical activities) in Italy during the 1970s

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baracca, Angelo; Bergia, Silvio; Del Santo, Flavio

    2017-02-01

    We present a reconstruction of the studies on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics carried out in Italy at the turn of the 1960s. Actually, they preceded the revival of the interest of the American physicists towards the foundations of quantum mechanics around mid-1970s, recently reconstructed by David Kaiser in a book of 2011. An element common to both cases is the role played by the young generation, even though the respective motivations were quite different. In the US they reacted to research cuts after the war in Vietnam, and were inspired by the New Age mood. In Italy the dissatisfaction of the young generations was rooted in the student protests of 1968 and the subsequent labour and social fights, which challenged the role of scientists. The young generations of physicists searched for new scientific approaches and challenged their own scientific knowledge and role. The criticism to the foundations of quantum mechanics and the perspectives of submitting them to experimental tests were perceived as an innovative research field and this attitude was directly linked to the search for an innovative and radical approach in the history of science. All these initiatives gave rise to booming activity throughout the 1970s, contributing to influence the scientific attitude and the teaching approach.

  7. Teager-Kaiser Energy and Higher-Order Operators in White-Light Interference Microscopy for Surface Shape Measurement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdel-Ouahab Boudraa

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available In white-light interference microscopy, measurement of surface shape generally requires peak extraction of the fringe function envelope. In this paper the Teager-Kaiser energy and higher-order energy operators are proposed for efficient extraction of the fringe envelope. These energy operators are compared in terms of precision, robustness to noise, and subsampling. Flexible energy operators, depending on order and lag parameters, can be obtained. Results show that smoothing and interpolation of envelope approximation using spline model performs better than Gaussian-based approach.

  8. Synthesis of nanodiamond derivatives carrying amino functions and quantification by a modified Kaiser test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerald Jarre

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Nanodiamonds functionalized with different organic moieties carrying terminal amino groups have been synthesized. These include conjugates generated by Diels–Alder reactions of ortho-quinodimethanes formed in situ from pyrazine and 5,6-dihydrocyclobuta[d]pyrimidine derivatives. For the quantification of primary amino groups a modified photometric assay based on the Kaiser test has been developed and validated for different types of aminated nanodiamond. The results correspond well to values obtained by thermogravimetry. The method represents an alternative wet-chemical quantification method in cases where other techniques like elemental analysis fail due to unfavourable combustion behaviour of the analyte or other impediments.

  9. The EFQM excellence model: European and Dutch experiences with the EFQM approach in health care. European Foundation for Quality Management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nabitz, U.; Klazinga, N.; Walburg, J.

    2000-01-01

    One way to meet the challenges in creating a high performance organization in health care is the approach of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The Foundation is in the tradition of the American Malcolm Baldrige Award and was initiated by the European Commission and 14 European

  10. Perspectives of IBD China: Is Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Model a Solution to Health Care Issues for the Country?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yan

    2018-04-21

    The success of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), now Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCF) has established a role model for developing countries with an increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including China. While there are shared etiopathogenetic pathways and clinical features in IBD between Eastern and Western countries, patients with IBD as well as health care professionals in China are facing distinctive challenges, including the fragmented and inconsistent health insurance, social support system, and three-tiered health care service. Financial burden remains to be a tremendous obstacle to the management of IBD. In addition, poor rapport between patients and clinicians, and the lack of properly trained IBD specialists makes a noticeable gap in the management of IBD between China and Western countries. The China Crohn's &Colitis Foundation (CCCF), closely following the successful model of CCF, was established under the same doctrine, and served as a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to improving quality of life of patients in by IBD through education and training.

  11. Association between personal health record enrollment and patient loyalty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turley, Marianne; Garrido, Terhilda; Lowenthal, Alex; Zhou, Yi Yvonne

    2012-07-01

    To examine the association between patient loyalty, as measured by member retention in the health plan, and access to My Health Manager (MHM), Kaiser Permanente's PHR, which is linked to its electronic health record, KP HealthConnect. We conducted a retrospective cohort observational quality improvement project from the third quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2008 for approximately 394,000 Kaiser Permanente Northwest members. To control for self-selection bias, we used propensity scores to perform exact 1-to-1 matching without replacement between MHM users and nonusers. We estimated retention rates of the matched data and assessed the association between MHM use and retention versus voluntary termination. We also estimated odds ratios of significant variables impacting member retention. The probability of remaining a member or being involuntarily terminated versus voluntary termination was 96.7% for users (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.6%-96.7%) and 92.2% for nonusers (95% CI, 92.1%-92.4%; P loyalty, retention is critical to healthcare organizations.

  12. FY97 Environmental Technology Division Annual Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-12-01

    feasibility of using plasma arc pyrolysis to destroy and permanently render inert armament-related hazardous waste. Chemical manufacturers have used PAT for...34 Steel Times, June 1991. Health Risk Assessment for Plasma Pyrolysis Medical Waste Processor at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals’ Medical Center, 4647 Zion...vegetable crops to be tested include radishes, kale, bush beans, tomatoes , and chives. The range crops to be tested include alfalfa, sorghum, red top

  13. Armouring facility? Nuclear-weapon and reactor reseach at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute for Physics; Eine Waffenschmiede? Kernwaffen- und Reaktorforschung am Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut fuer Physik

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hachtmann, R. (ed.); Walker, M.

    2005-07-01

    The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics is best known as the place where Werner Heisenberg worked on nuclear weapons for Hitler. Although this is essentially true, there is more to the story. At the start of World War II this institute was taken over by the German Army Ordnance to be the central, but not exclusive site for a research project into the economic and military applications of nuclear fission. The Army physicist Kurt Diebner was installed in the institute as its commissarial director. Heisenberg was affiliated with the institute as an advisor at first, and became the director in 1942. Heisenberg and his colleagues, including in particular Karl-Heinz Hoecker, Carl Friedrich von Weizsaecker, and Karl Wirtz, worked on nuclear reactors and isotope separation with the clear knowledge that these were two different paths to atomic bombs [Atombomben]. However, they were clearly ambivalent about what they were doing. New documents recently returned from Russian archives shed new light on this work and the scientists' motivations. (orig.)

  14. Taking stock of the ethical foundations of international health research: pragmatic lessons from the IU-Moi Academic Research Ethics Partnership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meslin, Eric M; Were, Edwin; Ayuku, David

    2013-09-01

    It is a sine qua non that research and health care provided in international settings raise profound ethical questions when different cultural and political values are implicated. Yet ironically, as international health research expands and as research on ethical issues in international health research broadens and deepens, we appear to have moved away from discussing the moral foundations of these activities. For international health research to thrive and lead to the kind of benefits it is capable of, it is helpful to occasionally revisit the foundational premises that justify the enterprise as a whole. We draw on the experience of the Indiana University-Moi University Academic Research Ethics Partnership, an innovative bioethics training program co-located in Indianapolis and Eldoret, Kenya to highlight the changing nature of ethical issues in international health research and the ongoing practical challenges.

  15. Safe Routes to School Local School Project: A health evaluation at 10 low-income schools

    OpenAIRE

    Cooper, Jill F MSW; McMillan, Tracy MPH, PHD

    2010-01-01

    fe Routes to School National Partnership (Partnership) founded the Local School Project (Project) in 2008 to assist ten schools in lowincome communities to: 1) develop and evaluate a school-based SRTS program, 2) build local capacity to apply for state or federal SRTS funding, and 3) increase safe walking and bicycling to and from the school and in the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Permanente, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided funding for the ...

  16. Efforts of a Kansas foundation to increase physical activity and improve health by funding community trails, 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrich, Katie M; Lightner, Joseph; Oestman, Katherine B; Hughey, S Morgan; Kaczynski, Andrew T

    2014-11-26

    Trails are associated with increased physical activity; however, little is known about the process of building trails by various types of organizations. From 2005 through 2012 the Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans (Sunflower) funded multiple organizations to construct 70 trails of varying lengths and surfaces in municipalities, schools, and communities across Kansas. The purpose of this study was to assess the process of developing and implementing community trail projects across Kansas with funding from a public foundation. In 2012, we stratified funded organizations by type and conducted proportional random sampling to select 20 key informants from those organizations to participate in structured telephone interviews. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers coded interview transcripts according to issues identified by participants. Issues associated with trail-building identified as important were collaboration among groups, unexpected construction costs, champions for the project, and level of difficulty of construction. Participants indicated that trails facilitated physical activity. Trails were integrated into communities through events such as walking events and other promotional efforts; these efforts were thought to increase trail use. The perceived outcomes of building the trails included providing the community with a physical activity resource, inspiring the community to start additional trail projects, and increasing the physical activity of local residents. Sunflower's funding was instrumental in developing trail projects to provide new physical activity resources across Kansas. Public health practitioners seeking to increase physical activity should seek funding from foundations that focus on health.

  17. Consensus paper on the "executive summary of the international conference on Mediterranean diet and health: a lifelong approach" an Italian initiative supported by the Mediterranean Diet Foundation and the Menarini Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boccardi, Virginia; Calvani, Riccardo; Limongi, Federica; Marseglia, Anna; Mason, Alexandra; Noale, Marianna; Rogoli, Domenico; Veronese, Nicola; Crepaldi, Gaetano; Maggi, Stefania

    The Mediterranean Diet Foundation, in collaboration with the International Menarini Foundation, organized the "International Conference on Mediterranean Diet and Health: A Lifelong Approach." The Conference was held in Ostuni (Puglia, Italy) from March 30 to April 1, 2017. The event received the endorsement of the American Federation for Aging Research, the Research Consortium "Luigi Amaducci," the European Nutrition for Health Alliance, the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, the Clinical Section of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics-European Region, the National Research Council Research Project on Aging, the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and the Italian Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. During the conference, results were presented from major studies on dietary interventions aiming to assess the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of chronic diseases and the potential underlying mechanisms. Twenty-six international speakers, in seven different sessions, discussed the biological basis, clinical impact, health policy, and behavioral implications of the Mediterranean diet, and its use in potential interventions for health promotion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Estimation of spacial geo-stress components in rock samples by using the Kaiser effect of acoustic emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanagawa, Tadashi; Hayashi, Masao; Nakasa, Hiroyasu.

    1976-01-01

    The spacial remaining stress component of the rock core sample is experimentally obtained by using Kaiser effect of acoustic emission (AE), and the estimated ground pressure is compared with the natural ground pressure measured by the conventional over-coring method, in order to see the feasiblity of AE method. In this experiments of AE, 111 specimens were cut out in all directions of the rock cores (tuff) sampled from the place where the ground pressure was measured by the over-coring method, and the generation of AE caused by the load was measured. Whereby, the stress components in three directions are determined. As a result of comparison, t the AE method is proved to be effective enough to estimate the ground pressure of rock geo-dynamically. In the application of the Kaiser effect to the estimation of the geo-stress in rock samples, one of the most difficult problems is how to eliminate the obstruction of erroneous AE signals caused by the strong stress concentration at the end corners of the rock specimen. As the result of comparison, the values obtained by the AE method have a tendency of greater than the values obtained by the over-coring method. It is conceived that the AE method can easily detect the maximum stress value for geo historical long time, and that the stress concentration is apt to mix in AE method by boring. (Iwakiri, K.)

  19. Otra aproximación a Carl Gangolf Kaiser (1837-1895), arquitecto de la corte del emperador Maximiliano

    OpenAIRE

    Drewes, Michael

    2000-01-01

    Michael Drewes ha estudiado el ambiente artístico que rodeó al que fuera segundo emperador de México, Maximiliano de Austria. En por lo menos dos artículos anteriores publicados en Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas (números 59 y 63), se ocupó ya del arquitecto Carl Gangolf Kaiser, un artista que presentó diversos proyectos de construcción y remodelación para Maximiliano. Quizás por su juventud, los proyectos que entonces realizó este arquitecto para remodelar edificios tan imp...

  20. Analysis of the mass media coverage of the Gates Foundation grand challenges in global health initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, G

    2009-03-01

    The Grand Challenges were launched in 2003 by the Gates Foundation and other collaborators to address the health needs of developing countries. This paper outlines the current problem with health research and development in the context of inequality as conveyed by the 90/10 divide. The paper then looks at the focus and nature of press reporting of global health issues by analysing how press articles have portrayed the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. Analysis of the mass media illustrates that the focus of reporting on the Grand Challenges tends to be on utilitarian themes, leaving issues related to justice and equity comparatively under-reported.

  1. The Foundational Public Health Services as a Framework for Estimating Spending.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resnick, Beth A; Fisher, Jessica S; Colrick, Ian P; Leider, Jonathon P

    2017-11-01

    In support of the nation's effort to address rising healthcare costs and improve healthcare outcomes, the National Academy of Medicine called for a minimum package of public health services available in every community to protect and improve population health and identification of the resources needed to make these services universally available. In response, the Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) framework was developed to outline a basic set of public health programs and capabilities. Although the FPHS is considered a useful public health practice tool, cost estimation for providing the FPHS is in its infancy. This is in part due to inability to estimate total costs of individual public health services and programs. This research begins to address this knowledge gap. FPHS formed the basis of a coding framework used in 2013-2016 to code 1.9 million U.S. Census Bureau State Finance non-hospital expenditure records from 49 states from 2000 to 2013. Results were used to develop estimates of state governmental FPHS spending. FPHS spending constituted 36% of total state governmental non-hospital health spending from 2008 to 2013. The largest proportion of FPHS spending was on maternal/child health and the smallest proportion of spending was on access and linkage to clinical care. This research is an important step in response to the National Academy of Medicine's call for estimating the resources needed to provide the FPHS. Such estimates allow for spending comparisons across states and may inform future research to assess and evaluate FPHS spending impacts. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Specialty pharmaceuticals care management in an integrated health care delivery system with electronic health records.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, C Douglas; Chin, Karen Y

    2013-05-01

    The specialty pharmaceuticals market is expanding more rapidly than the traditional pharmaceuticals market. Specialty pharmacy operations have evolved to deliver selected medications and associated clinical services. The growing role of specialty drugs requires new approaches to managing the use of these drugs. The focus, expectations, and emphasis in specialty drug management in an integrated health care delivery system such as Kaiser Permanente (KP) can vary as compared with more conventional health care systems. The KP Specialty Pharmacy (KP-SP) serves KP members across the United States. This descriptive account addresses the impetus for specialty drug management within KP, the use of tools such as an electronic health record (EHR) system and process management software, the KP-SP approach for specialty pharmacy services, and the emphasis on quality measurement of services provided. Kaiser Permanente's integrated system enables KP-SP pharmacists to coordinate the provision of specialty drugs while monitoring laboratory values, physician visits, and most other relevant elements of the patient's therapy. Process management software facilitates the counseling of patients, promotion of adherence, and interventions to resolve clinical, logistic, or pharmacy benefit issues. The integrated EHR affords KP-SP pharmacists advantages for care management that should become available to more health care systems with broadened adoption of EHRs. The KP-SP experience may help to establish models for clinical pharmacy services as health care systems and information systems become more integrated.

  3. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: pushing the boundaries of what is possible in public health - perspectives and challenges to the global community

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2008-01-01

    Introduction: In July 2008, Bill Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role at Microsoft, to spend more time on his philanthropic work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As the world’s largest philanthropic organization, the Gates Foundation has set ambitious goals to tackle some of the world’s worst diseases. In this talk, Julie Jacobson will outline some of the objectives of the Gates Foundation and how it is impacting public health and challenging the global community. Speaker Bio: As Senior Programme Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Julie Jacobson currently supports grants working toward the control of neglected tropical diseases and works with the development and implementation of new vaccines in the infectious disease group of Global Health. Previously Dr. Jacobson was Scientific Director of Immunization Solutions and Director of Japanese encephalitis (JE) project at PATH, an international non-profit organization. As director of the JE project, she managed a US$35 ...

  4. Evaluation Techniques of Creating Coherence in Poems of Kaiser Aminpour Relying on the Theory of Halliday’s Linguistics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Sattari

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available AbstractOne of the linguistics theories that are utilized in present age in the analysis of literary texts is the theory of Halliday’s linguistics which is called theory of systemic - functional linguistics. Halliday’s theory in the second half of the twentieth century, in contrast to the "generative linguistics" approach, which is based on formal language like a mental and individual phenomenon.    Hallidayan called the semantic, literal, syntax and logical relationship of words as coherence of a text and believes that the coherence of the text, includes all the semantic relations by which, every piece of speech or writing can serve as text. Hence, cohesion, referred to relations that relates all elements of a sentence to the elements of other sentences. From Hallidayan's  point of view, elements of coherence of a text are divided into two parts: grammatical and lexical. Grammatical cohesion includes factors such as referrals, replacements, removals and relevancy, and lexical coherence includes repetition and collocation in literary language.   Kaiser is one of the contemporary famous poets that have composed many poets in different molds of poetry. Kaiser Manipur's poems benefit the integration due to the poet's fluency in Persian and his familiarity with the vocabulary and grammatical and lexical capacities of Persian literature. In this research, we have studied the cohesion in Kaiser Manipur's poems from two views of lexical and grammatical by using Holidaying theory of coherence as well as the techniques that the poet has applied to reach the cohesion in his poems.    The method of research in the present paper is descriptive-analytical and all the information and data has been collected from the sources of library and electronic. In this paper, we first briefly discussed the Holidaying coherence theory, and then, with a special approach to this theory, the most important techniques that Kaiser Manipur has

  5. Palm oil and human health. Meeting report of NFI: Nutrition Foundation of Italy symposium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marangoni, Franca; Galli, Claudio; Ghiselli, Andrea; Lercker, Giovanni; La Vecchia, Carlo; Maffeis, Claudio; Agostoni, Carlo; Ballardini, Donatella; Brignoli, Ovidio; Faggiano, Pompilio; Giacco, Rosalba; Macca, Claudio; Magni, Paolo; Marelli, Giuseppe; Marrocco, Walter; Miniello, Vito Leonardo; Mureddu, Gian Francesco; Pellegrini, Nicoletta; Stella, Roberto; Troiano, Ersilia; Verduci, Elvira; Volpe, Roberto; Poli, Andrea

    2017-09-01

    The use of palm oil by the food industry is increasingly criticized, especially in Italy, for its purported negative effects on human health and environment. This paper summarizes the conclusions of a Symposium on this topic, gathered by the Nutrition Foundation of Italy, among experts representing a number of Italian Medical and Nutritional Scientific Societies. Toxicological and environmental issues were not considered. Participants agreed that: no evidence does exist on the specific health effects of palm oil consumption as compared to other saturated fatty acids-rich fats; the stereospecific distribution of saturated fatty acids in the triacylglycerol molecule of palm oil limits their absorption rate and metabolic effects; in agreement with International guidelines, saturated fatty acids intake should be kept palm oil consumption on human health (and specifically on CVD or cancer risk) can be foreseen.

  6. National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... nor does it host or receive funding from advertising or from the display of commercial content. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here . The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation ...

  7. The Integration of Select Aspects of Educational Foundations as Applied to Health Care Education: A Religious Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fredericks, Marcel; Kondellas, Bill; Fredericks, Janet; Langer, Michael; Ross, Michael W. V.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to establish the necessity to fully and effectively integrate the sub-disciplines of educational foundations, such as psychology and philosophy, in addition to the natural and social sciences, within medical and health-related educational programs. This is particularly pertinent in Catholic and other religiously…

  8. Role of the Health Promotion Foundation in tobacco control and capacity building among healthcare professionals in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kinga Janik-Koncewicz

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available During the first summit of world tobacco control leaders in Central and Eastern Europe, held in 1990 in Kazimierz in Poland, the inadequate engagement of medical professionals in helping people to quit smoking was identified as one of the main problems of the region. The Health Promotion Foundation was established in 1992 to co-ordinate the anti-tobacco movement in Poland and to implement the resolutions of Kazimierz. The Foundation initiated actions to introduce anti-tobacco legislation in Poland passed by the Polish Parliament in 1995. It was one of the first legislative acts in the world to recommend tobacco dependence treatment. The Foundation also took active part in the preparation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and was one of the contributing authors of Article 14. The Foundation has also engaged in competence building among healthcare providers. It has trained thousands of Polish doctors and nurses using a core, nation-wide tool: the Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence. Finally, the Foundation engaged in activities to increase cessation drug availability, e.g. by conducting research, disseminating knowledge on, and promoting cytisine. Since the 1990s millions of Poles quit smoking, also thanks to the Foundation’s comprehensive activities. Further work is now focused on developing effective ways to engage greater numbers of medical doctors in the treatment of tobacco dependence and building innovative technologies supporting them and people who want to quit smoking.

  9. Irregular menses predicts ovarian cancer: Prospective evidence from the Child Health and Development Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cirillo, Piera M; Wang, Erica T; Cedars, Marcelle I; Chen, Lee-May; Cohn, Barbara A

    2016-09-01

    We tested the hypothesis that irregular menstruation predicts lower risk for ovarian cancer, possibly due to less frequent ovulation. We conducted a 50-year prospective study of 15,528 mothers in the Child Health and Development Studies cohort recruited from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan from 1959 to 1966. Irregular menstruation was classified via medical record and self-report at age 26. We identified 116 cases and 84 deaths due to ovarian cancer through 2011 via linkage to the California Cancer Registry and Vital Statistics. Contrary to expectation, women with irregular menstrual cycles had a higher risk of ovarian cancer incidence and mortality over the 50-year follow-up. Associations increased with age (p irregular menstruation and ovarian cancer-we unexpectedly found higher risk for women with irregular cycles. These women are easy to identify and many may have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Classifying high-risk phenotypes such as irregular menstruation creates opportunities to find novel early biomarkers, refine clinical screening protocols and potentially develop new risk reduction strategies. These efforts can lead to earlier detection and better survival for ovarian cancer. © 2016 UICC.

  10. Foundation Trusts: economics in the 'postmodern hospital'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newbold, David

    2005-09-01

    Foundation Trust Hospitals are community-controlled health care providers which have increased autonomy about how they produce outcomes for the British National Health Service. Although there is a literature on hospital economics it is unclear how these innovative providers will behave, if they have to compete for scarce resources with other hospitals. This paper reviews some of the earlier theories, such as the neoclassical theory of the firm, and discusses their relevance along with 'newer' economic theories such as the transaction costs and evolutionary theory of the firm, plus organizational and human resources theory, to the performance of Foundation Trusts. Much contemporary health care provision is shaped along modernist lines, using scientific endeavour to maximize the impact on health outcomes and technical and social efficiency. However, there is an increasingly postmodern standpoint--critical of modernity--being taken by both patients and hospital staff, to deconstruct processes in the organizations that serve them. Foundation Trusts are postmodern hospitals insomuch as they (to attract scarce resources in a competitive environment), need to marshal the diverse theories of the firm together in order to provide a mass-customized, quality experience, transparently and at least cost--whilst maintaining a stable organizational culture for staff.

  11. Integrated System Health Management: Foundational Concepts, Approach, and Implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueroa, Fernando; Schmalzel, John; Walker, Mark; Venkatesh, Meera; Kapadia, Ravi; Morris, Jon; Turowski, Mark; Smith, Harvey

    2009-01-01

    Implementation of integrated system health management (ISHM) capability is fundamentally linked to the management of data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) with the purposeful objective of determining the health of a system. It is akin to having a team of experts who are all individually and collectively observing and analyzing a complex system, and communicating effectively with each other in order to arrive to an accurate and reliable assessment of its health. We present concepts, procedures, and a specific approach as a foundation for implementing a credible ISHM capability. The capability stresses integration of DIaK from all elements of a system. The intent is also to make possible implementation of on-board ISHM capability, in contrast to a remote capability. The information presented is the result of many years of research, development, and maturation of technologies, and of prototype implementations in operational systems (rocket engine test facilities). The paper will address the following topics: 1. ISHM Model of a system 2. Detection of anomaly indicators. 3. Determination and confirmation of anomalies. 4. Diagnostic of causes and determination of effects. 5. Consistency checking cycle. 6. Management of health information 7. User Interfaces 8. Example implementation ISHM has been defined from many perspectives. We define it as a capability that might be achieved by various approaches. We describe a specific approach that has been matured throughout many years of development, and pilot implementations. ISHM is a capability that is achieved by integrating data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) that might be distributed throughout the system elements (which inherently implies capability to manage DIaK associated with distributed sub-systems). DIaK must be available to any element of a system at the right time and in accordance with a meaningful context. ISHM Functional Capability Level (FCL) is measured by how well a system performs the following

  12. The foundation of self-esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Joseph A

    2003-05-01

    Self-esteem is a simplistic term for varied and complex mental states pertaining to how one views oneself. It takes but little research in the voluminous literature to see the vagueness and inconsistencies in its various definitions. Even more problematic is the uncertainty concerning its foundational components. The importance of having a solid definition and specific ideas about the foundational components of self-esteem is that both pave the way to recognizing its causes; to predicting effects from those causes; and to organizing the trouble-shooting process for locating those philosophical flaws or psychological scars which lead to low self-esteem. The purpose of this paper is to offer a common ground for thinking about self-esteem at its most basic level. In order to distinguish the "basic level" from the rest of the components of self-esteem, let us liken it to a skyscraper building. Here, the focus is on the building's "underground foundation" and the base upon which that foundation rests. The base is a definition that allows for the assessment of the foundation. The underground foundation itself consists of the mental building blocks called self-meaning, self-identity, self-image, and self-concepts. To help illustrate their interactions, a few of the "masks" and "faces" of self-esteem will be mentioned. What is not being addressed is the "above ground structure"--those theories and manifestations dealt with by most mental health specialists.

  13. TPMG Northern California appointments and advice call center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conolly, Patricia; Levine, Leslie; Amaral, Debra J; Fireman, Bruce H; Driscoll, Tom

    2005-08-01

    Kaiser Permanente (KP) has been developing its use of call centers as a way to provide an expansive set of healthcare services to KP members efficiently and cost effectively. Since 1995, when The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) began to consolidate primary care phone services into three physical call centers, the TPMG Appointments and Advice Call Center (AACC) has become the "front office" for primary care services across approximately 89% of Northern California. The AACC provides primary care phone service for approximately 3 million Kaiser Foundation Health Plan members in Northern California and responds to approximately 1 million calls per month across the three AACC sites. A database records each caller's identity as well as the day, time, and duration of each call; reason for calling; services provided to callers as a result of calls; and clinical outcomes of calls. We here summarize this information for the period 2000 through 2003.

  14. Problem solving in foundation engineering using foundationPro

    CERN Document Server

    Yamin, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    This book is at once a supplement to traditional foundation engineering textbooks and an independent problem-solving learning tool. The book is written primarily for university students majoring in civil or construction engineering taking foundation analysis and design courses to encourage them to solve design problems. Its main aim is to stimulate problem solving capability and foster self-directed learning. It also explains the use of the foundationPro software, available at no cost, and includes a set of foundation engineering applications. Taking a unique approach, Dr. Yamin summarizes the general step-by-step procedure to solve various foundation engineering problems, illustrates traditional applications of these steps with longhand solutions, and presents the foundationPro solutions. The special structure of the book allows it to be used in undergraduate and graduate foundation design and analysis courses in civil and construction engineering. The book stands as valuable resource for students, faculty, ...

  15. Inspanning all the oxen – new Health Foundation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    of the Foundation's offices in Stellenbosch on 4 February this year, its CEO, Dr Joshua. Fisher, said accelerating and spreading wellness programmes through employer programmes at the workplace and at schools, replicating the hugely successful Red Cross Children's War. Memorial Hospital fund-raising model at other.

  16. Wireless Concrete Strength Monitoring of Wind Turbine Foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Marcus; Fusiek, Grzegorz; Niewczas, Pawel; Rubert, Tim; McAlorum, Jack

    2017-12-16

    Wind turbine foundations are typically cast in place, leaving the concrete to mature under environmental conditions that vary in time and space. As a result, there is uncertainty around the concrete's initial performance, and this can encourage both costly over-design and inaccurate prognoses of structural health. Here, we demonstrate the field application of a dense, wireless thermocouple network to monitor the strength development of an onshore, reinforced-concrete wind turbine foundation. Up-to-date methods in fly ash concrete strength and maturity modelling are used to estimate the distribution and evolution of foundation strength over 29 days of curing. Strength estimates are verified by core samples, extracted from the foundation base. In addition, an artificial neural network, trained using temperature data, is exploited to demonstrate that distributed concrete strengths can be estimated for foundations using only sparse thermocouple data. Our techniques provide a practical alternative to computational models, and could assist site operators in making more informed decisions about foundation design, construction, operation and maintenance.

  17. A novel power harmonic analysis method based on Nuttall-Kaiser combination window double spectrum interpolated FFT algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Tao; Chen, Yiyang; Flesch, Rodolfo C. C.

    2017-11-01

    Harmonics pose a great threat to safe and economical operation of power grids. Therefore, it is critical to detect harmonic parameters accurately to design harmonic compensation equipment. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) is widely used for electrical popular power harmonics analysis. However, the barrier effect produced by the algorithm itself and spectrum leakage caused by asynchronous sampling often affects the harmonic analysis accuracy. This paper examines a new approach for harmonic analysis based on deducing the modifier formulas of frequency, phase angle, and amplitude, utilizing the Nuttall-Kaiser window double spectrum line interpolation method, which overcomes the shortcomings in traditional FFT harmonic calculations. The proposed approach is verified numerically and experimentally to be accurate and reliable.

  18. Use of Electronic Health Records and Administrative Data for Public Health Surveillance of Eye Health and Vision-Related Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Amanda; Davidson, Arthur; Lum, Flora; Chiang, Michael; Saaddine, Jinan B; Zhang, Xinzhi; Crews, John E.; Chou, Chiu-Fang

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To discuss the current trend toward greater use of electronic health records and how these records could enhance public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions. Methods We describe three currently available sources of electronic health data (Kaiser Permanente, the Veterans Health Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and how these sources can contribute to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Results Each of the three sources of electronic health data can contribute meaningfully to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system, but none currently provide all the information required. The use of electronic health records for vision and eye health surveillance has both advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions Electronic health records may provide additional information needed to create a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Recommendations for incorporating electronic health records into such a system are presented. PMID:23158225

  19. [Health, environment and nursing. Philosophical and theoretical foundations for the development and validation of a nursing interface terminology. Part III].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juvé-Udina, Maria-Eulàlia

    2012-06-01

    This manuscript is the third of a triad of papers introducing the philosophical and theoretical approaches that support the development and validation of a nursing interface terminology as a standard vocabulary designed to ease data entry into electronic health records, to produce information and to generate knowledge. To analyze the philosophical and theoretical approaches considered in the development of a new nursing interface terminology called ATIC. Review, analysis and discussion of the main philosophical orientations, high and mid-range theories and nursing scientific literature to develop an interpretative conceptualization of the metaparadigm concepts "Health", "Environment" and "Nursing". In the 2 previous papers the ATIC terminology, its foundation on pragmatism, holism, post-positivism and constructivism and the construction of the meaning for the concept elndividualh is discussed. In this third paper, Health is conceptualized as a multidimensional balance state and the concepts of Partial health status, Disease and Being ill are explored within. The analysis of the Environment theories drives its conceptualization as a group of variables that has the potential to affect health status. In this orientation, Nursing is understood as the scientific discipline focused on the study of health status in the particular environment and experience of the individuals, groups, communities or societies. ATIC terminology is rooted on an eclectic philosophical and theoretical foundation, allowing it to be used from different trends within the totality paradigm.

  20. Armouring facility? Nuclear-weapon and reactor reseach at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute for Physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hachtmann, R.; Walker, M.

    2005-01-01

    The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics is best known as the place where Werner Heisenberg worked on nuclear weapons for Hitler. Although this is essentially true, there is more to the story. At the start of World War II this institute was taken over by the German Army Ordnance to be the central, but not exclusive site for a research project into the economic and military applications of nuclear fission. The Army physicist Kurt Diebner was installed in the institute as its commissarial director. Heisenberg was affiliated with the institute as an advisor at first, and became the director in 1942. Heisenberg and his colleagues, including in particular Karl-Heinz Hoecker, Carl Friedrich von Weizsaecker, and Karl Wirtz, worked on nuclear reactors and isotope separation with the clear knowledge that these were two different paths to atomic bombs [Atombomben]. However, they were clearly ambivalent about what they were doing. New documents recently returned from Russian archives shed new light on this work and the scientists' motivations. (orig.)

  1. Wireless Concrete Strength Monitoring of Wind Turbine Foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcus Perry

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Wind turbine foundations are typically cast in place, leaving the concrete to mature under environmental conditions that vary in time and space. As a result, there is uncertainty around the concrete’s initial performance, and this can encourage both costly over-design and inaccurate prognoses of structural health. Here, we demonstrate the field application of a dense, wireless thermocouple network to monitor the strength development of an onshore, reinforced-concrete wind turbine foundation. Up-to-date methods in fly ash concrete strength and maturity modelling are used to estimate the distribution and evolution of foundation strength over 29 days of curing. Strength estimates are verified by core samples, extracted from the foundation base. In addition, an artificial neural network, trained using temperature data, is exploited to demonstrate that distributed concrete strengths can be estimated for foundations using only sparse thermocouple data. Our techniques provide a practical alternative to computational models, and could assist site operators in making more informed decisions about foundation design, construction, operation and maintenance.

  2. Multidimensional digital image representations using generalized Kaiser-Bessel window functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewitt, R M

    1990-10-01

    Inverse problems that require the solution of integral equations are inherent in a number of indirect imaging applications, such as computerized tomography. Numerical solutions based on discretization of the mathematical model of the imaging process, or on discretization of analytic formulas for iterative inversion of the integral equations, require a discrete representation of an underlying continuous image. This paper describes discrete image representations, in n-dimensional space, that are constructed by the superposition of shifted copies of a rotationally symmetric basis function. The basis function is constructed using a generalization of the Kaiser-Bessel window function of digital signal processing. The generalization of the window function involves going from one dimension to a rotationally symmetric function in n dimensions and going from the zero-order modified Bessel function of the standard window to a function involving the modified Bessel function of order m. Three methods are given for the construction, in n-dimensional space, of basis functions having a specified (finite) number of continuous derivatives, and formulas are derived for the Fourier transform, the x-ray transform, the gradient, and the Laplacian of these basis functions. Properties of the new image representations using these basis functions are discussed, primarily in the context of two-dimensional and three-dimensional image reconstruction from line-integral data by iterative inversion of the x-ray transform. Potential applications to three-dimensional image display are also mentioned.

  3. Using Population Dose to Evaluate Community-level Health Initiatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harner, Lisa T; Kuo, Elena S; Cheadle, Allen; Rauzon, Suzanne; Schwartz, Pamela M; Parnell, Barbara; Kelly, Cheryl; Solomon, Loel

    2018-05-01

    Successful community-level health initiatives require implementing an effective portfolio of strategies and understanding their impact on population health. These factors are complicated by the heterogeneity of overlapping multicomponent strategies and availability of population-level data that align with the initiatives. To address these complexities, the population dose methodology was developed for planning and evaluating multicomponent community initiatives. Building on the population dose methodology previously developed, this paper operationalizes dose estimates of one initiative targeting youth physical activity as part of the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative, a multicomponent community-level obesity prevention initiative. The technical details needed to operationalize the population dose method are explained, and the use of population dose as an interim proxy for population-level survey data is introduced. The alignment of the estimated impact from strategy-level data analysis using the dose methodology and the data from the population-level survey suggest that dose is useful for conducting real-time evaluation of multiple heterogeneous strategies, and as a viable proxy for existing population-level surveys when robust strategy-level evaluation data are collected. This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Health on the Net Foundation: assessing the quality of health web pages all over the world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Célia; Gaudinat, Arnaud; Baujard, Vincent; Geissbühler, Antoine

    2007-01-01

    The Internet provides a great amount of information and has become one of the communication media which is most widely used [1]. However, the problem is no longer finding information but assessing the credibility of the publishers as well as the relevance and accuracy of the documents retrieved from the web. This problem is particularly relevant in the medical area which has a direct impact on the well-being of citizens. In this paper, we assume that the quality of web pages can be controlled, even when a huge amount of documents has to be reviewed. But this must be supported by both specific automatic tools and human expertise. In this context, we present various initiatives of the Health on the Net Foundation informing the citizens about the reliability of the medical content on the web.

  5. The EFQM excellence model: European and Dutch experiences with the EFQM approach in health care. European Foundation for Quality Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabitz, U; Klazinga, N; Walburg, J

    2000-06-01

    One way to meet the challenges in creating a high performance organization in health care is the approach of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The Foundation is in the tradition of the American Malcolm Baldrige Award and was initiated by the European Commission and 14 European multi-national organizations in 1988. The essence of the approach is the EFQM Model, which can be used as a self-assessment instrument on all levels of a health care organization and as an auditing instrument for the Quality Award. In 1999 the EFQM Model was revised but its principles remained the same. In The Netherlands many health care organizations apply the EFQM Model. In addition to improvement projects, peer review of professional practices, accreditation and certification, the EFQM Approach is used mainly as a framework for quality management and as a conceptualization for organizational excellence. The Dutch National Institute for Quality, the Instituut Nederlandse Kwaliteit, delivers training and supports self-assessment and runs the Dutch quality award programme. Two specific guidelines for health care organizations, 'Positioning and Improving' and 'Self-Assessment', have been developed and are used frequently. To illustrate the EFQM approach in The Netherlands, the improvement project of the Jellinek Centre is described. The Jellinek Centre conducted internal and external assessments and received in 1996, as the first health care organization, the Dutch Quality Prize.

  6. Environmental aspects of Kaiser S2 harvester utilization in mountain terrains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jozef Slugeň

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with evaluating the ecological impacts of Kaiser S2 harvester utilization in mountain terrains. The harvester was used in bark beetle calamity and secondary felling in mixed forest (spruce, fir, beech stand with average incline of 70%. Assisting its movement in these extreme conditions were two supporting bases, which were used to stabilize it in the stand. Our aim was to determine the damage to the trees, underwood and stand soil. The resulting damage of remaining stand was 6.19%, which is, considering the demanding terrain conditions and in comparison with the outcomes of other research, a relatively acceptable value. Damage to the underwood was not found, due to its insufficient height and low representation. Measurements of damage to the soil by its compression indicated that the heaviest damage was under the supporting bases, where a heavy surface damage was found by creation of holes up to 15 cm deep. This type of damage is not dangerous, because it does not create a continuous track dangerous in storm rainfall and subsequent soil erosion. Soil compression in the track and on unimpaired soil reached lower levels. All of the measurements of compression by static penetration were carried out only to the depth of 15 cm due to high soil skeleton. This also negatively affected the measurements, which had to be repeated in many cases.

  7. Corporate Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herlin, Heidi; Thusgaard Pedersen, Janni

    2013-01-01

    action between business and NGOs through convening, translation, collaboration, and mediation. Our study provides valuable insights into the tri-part relationship of company foundation NGO by discussing the implications of corporate foundations taking an active role in the realm of corporate social...... responsibility (CSR). The paper hence illuminates the fascinating and overlooked role of corporate foundations as potential bridges between business and civil society. It also informs theory on boundary organizations by clarifying challenges and limits of such institutions.......This paper aims to explore the potential of Danish corporate foundations as boundary organizations facilitating relationships between their founding companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Hitherto, research has been silent about the role of corporate foundations in relation to cross...

  8. A mathematical foundation for controlling radiation health risks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumazawa, S.

    2000-01-01

    Radiation protection is to attain an adequate control of radiation health risk compared with other risks. Our society in the 21 st century is predicted by some experts to seek the high priority of safety for expanding activity of human beings. The law of controlling risks will be a key subject to serve the safety of human beings and their environment. The main principles of the ICRP system of radiological system are strongly relating to the general law of various risk controls. The individual-based protection concept clearly gives us a mathematical model of controlling risks in general. This paper discusses the simplest formulation of controlling risks in the ICRP system, including other relating systems. First, the basic characteristics of occupational exposure as a risk control is presented by analyzing the data compiled over half a century. It shows the relation ship between dose control levels and individually controlled doses. The individual-based control also exerts some influence on the resultant collective dose. The study of occupational exposure concludes the simple mathematical expression of controlling doses under the ICRP system as shown by Kumazawa and Numakunai. Second, the typical characteristics of biological effects with repair or recovery of bio-systems are given by analyzing the data published. Those show the relationship between dose and biologically controlled or regulated response. The bio-system is undoubtedly relating to cybernetics that contains many functions of controlling risks. Consequently radiation effects might somewhat express the feature of biological risk controls. The shouldered survival of irradiated cells shows cybernetic characteristics that are assumed to be the mathematical foundation of controlling risks. The dose-response relationship shows another type of cybernetic characteristics, which could be reduced to the same basic form of controlling risks. The limited study of radiation effects definitely confirms the two

  9. Validation of a questionnaire to measure sexual health knowledge and understanding (Sexual Health Questionnaire) in Nepalese secondary school: A psychometric process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Dev Raj; Thomas, Malcolm; Cann, Rosemary

    2016-01-01

    School-based sex education has the potential to prevent unwanted pregnancy and to promote positive sexual health at the individual, family and community level. To develop and validate a sexual health questionnaire to measure young peoples' sexual health knowledge and understanding (SHQ) in Nepalese secondary school. Secondary school students (n = 259, male = 43.63%, female = 56.37%) and local experts (n = 9, male = 90%, female = 10%) were participated in this study. Evaluation processes were; content validity (>0.89), plausibility check (>95), item-total correlation (>0.3), factor loading (>0.4), principal component analysis (4 factors Kaiser's criterion), Chronbach's alpha (>0.65), face validity and internal consistency using test-retest reliability (P > 0.05). The principal component analysis revealed four factors to be extracted; sexual health norms and beliefs, source of sexual health information, sexual health knowledge and understanding, and level of sexual awareness. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy demonstrated that the patterns of correlations are relatively compact (>0.80). Chronbach's alpha for each factors were above the cut-off point (0.65). Face validity indicated that the questions were clear to the majority of the respondent. Moreover, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the responses to the items at two time points at seven weeks later. The finding suggests that SHQ is a valid and reliable instrument to be used in schools to measure sexual health knowledge and understanding. Further analysis such as structured equation modelling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis could make the questionnaire more robust and applicable to the wider school population.

  10. Genetic Ancestry Is not Associated with Breast Cancer Recurrence or Survival in U.S. Latina Women Enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Pathways Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engmann, Natalie J; Ergas, Isaac J; Yao, Song; Kwan, Marilyn L; Roh, Janise M; Ambrosone, Christine B; Kushi, Lawrence H; Fejerman, Laura

    2017-09-01

    Background: The U.S. Hispanic/Latino population is heterogeneous both socioculturally and by the proportion of European, Indigenous American, and African ancestry of the regions from which individuals originate. A previous study reported that genetic ancestry was associated with breast cancer survival among Latinas, independent of sociodemographic and tumor characteristics, suggesting that a genetic factor associated with ancestry may affect breast cancer survival. Methods: We evaluated the association of genetic ancestry with breast cancer outcomes among 506 Latina women with invasive breast cancer in the Pathways Study, a cohort study within Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care delivery system. Proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of ancestry on breast cancer recurrence (53 events), breast cancer-specific mortality (31 events) and all-cause mortality (54 events), with a mean follow-up time of 6 years. Results: Indigenous American ancestry was not associated with breast cancer recurrence [HR = 1.00 per 10% increase; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86-1.16], breast cancer mortality (HR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.77-1.17), or all-cause mortality (HR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.80-1.08). Adjustment for sociodemographic variables, tumor characteristics, and treatment did not alter the associations. Conclusions: Our results suggest that previously reported differences in breast cancer survival by genetic ancestry may be overcome by improving health care access and/or quality. Impact: Improving health care access and quality may reduce breast cancer disparities among U.S. Latinas. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1466-9. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  11. Health system and societal barriers for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) services - lessons from World Diabetes Foundation supported GDM projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Karoline Kragelund; de Courten, Maximilian; Kapur, Anil

    2012-01-01

    for the offspring. A better understanding of the barriers hindering detection and treatment of GDM is needed. Based on experiences from World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) supported GDM projects this paper seeks to investigate societal and health system barriers to such efforts. Methods Questionnaires were filled out...... by 10 WDF supported GDM project partners implementing projects in eight different LMIC. In addition, interviews were conducted with the project partners. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. Results Barriers to improving maternal health related to GDM nominated by project implementers...

  12. Field Demonstration of Real-Time Wind Turbine Foundation Strain Monitoring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubert, Tim; Perry, Marcus; Fusiek, Grzegorz; McAlorum, Jack; Niewczas, Pawel; Brotherston, Amanda; McCallum, David

    2017-12-31

    Onshore wind turbine foundations are generally over-engineered as their internal stress states are challenging to directly monitor during operation. While there are industry drivers to shift towards more economical foundation designs, making this transition safely will require new monitoring techniques, so that the uncertainties around structural health can be reduced. This paper presents the initial results of a real-time strain monitoring campaign for an operating wind turbine foundation. Selected reinforcement bars were instrumented with metal packaged optical fibre strain sensors prior to concrete casting. In this paper, we outline the sensors' design, characterisation and installation, and present 67 days of operational data. During this time, measured foundation strains did not exceed 95 μ ϵ , and showed a strong correlation with both measured tower displacements and the results of a foundation finite element model. The work demonstrates that real-time foundation monitoring is not only achievable, but that it has the potential to help operators and policymakers quantify the conservatism of their existing design codes.

  13. Use of electronic health records and administrative data for public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Amanda F; Davidson, Arthur; Lum, Flora; Chiang, Michael F; Saaddine, Jinan B; Zhang, Xinzhi; Crews, John E; Chou, Chiu-Fang

    2012-12-01

    To discuss the current trend toward greater use of electronic health records and how these records could enhance public health surveillance of eye health and vision-related conditions. Perspective, comparing systems. We describe 3 currently available sources of electronic health data (Kaiser Permanente, the Veterans Health Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and how these sources can contribute to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Each of the 3 sources of electronic health data can contribute meaningfully to a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system, but none currently provide all the information required. The use of electronic health records for vision and eye health surveillance has both advantages and disadvantages. Electronic health records may provide additional information needed to create a comprehensive vision and eye health surveillance system. Recommendations for incorporating electronic health records into such a system are presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. HIV/AIDS - resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resources - HIV/AIDS ... information on AIDS : AIDS.gov -- www.aids.gov AIDS Info -- aidsinfo.nih.gov The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation -- www.kff.org/hivaids US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- www.cdc.gov/hiv

  15. Evaluating health inequity interventions: applying a contextual (external) validity framework to programs funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Kaye; Müller-Clemm, Werner; Ysselstein, Margaretha; Sachs, Jonathan

    2013-02-01

    Including context in the measurement and evaluation of health in equity interventions is critical to understanding how events that occur in an intervention's environment might contribute to or impede its success. This study adapted and piloted a contextual validity assessment framework on a selection of health inequity-related programs funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) between 1998 and 2006. The two overarching objectives of this study were (1) to determine the relative amount and quality of attention given to conceptualizing, measuring and validating context within CHSRF funded research final reports related to health-inequity; and (2) to contribute evaluative evidence towards the incorporation of context into the assessment and measurement of health inequity interventions. The study found that of the 42/146 CHSRF programs and projects, judged to be related to health inequity 20 adequately reported on the conceptualization, measurement and validation of context. Amongst these health-inequity related project reports, greatest emphasis was placed on describing the socio-political and economical context over actually measuring and validating contextual evidence. Applying a contextual validity assessment framework was useful for distinguishing between the descriptive (conceptual) versus empirical (measurement and validation) inclusion of documented contextual evidence. Although contextual validity measurement frameworks needs further development, this study contributes insight into identifying funded research related to health inequities and preliminary criteria for assessing interventions targeted at specific populations and jurisdictions. This study also feeds a larger critical dialogue (albeit beyond the scope of this study) regarding the relevance and utility of using evaluative techniques for understanding how specific external conditions support or impede the successful implementation of health inequity interventions. Copyright

  16. Foundations of image science

    CERN Document Server

    Barrett, Harrison H

    2013-01-01

    Winner of the 2006 Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award! A comprehensive treatment of the principles, mathematics, and statistics of image science In today's visually oriented society, images play an important role in conveying messages. From seismic imaging to satellite images to medical images, our modern society would be lost without images to enhance our understanding of our health, our culture, and our world. Foundations of Image Science presents a comprehensive treatment of the principles, mathematics, and st

  17. The Reflective Foundation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lunde Jørgensen, Ida

    Private foundations and cultural philanthropy by élites is viewed with increasing skepticism in recent years, begging the question of the extent to which foundations reflect on their role vis a vis wider societal norms. Through the prism of the New Carlsberg Foundation, financed by the brewery...... Carlsberg A/S, the paper seeks to elucidate the way in which one culturally significant foundation from Denmark has reflected on - and legitimated - its work and investments at critical moments in the past decades. The paper indicates a foundation with a high degree of reflection on the wider societal...

  18. The israeli virtual national health record: a robust national health information infrastructure based on a firm foundation of trust.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saiag, Esther

    2005-01-01

    In many developed countries, a coordinated effort is underway to build national and regional Health Information Infrastructures (HII) for the linking of disparate sites of care, so that an access to a comprehensive Health Record will be feasible when critical medical decisions are made [1]. However, widespread adoption of such national projects is hindered by a series of barriers- regulatory, technical, financial and cultural. Above all, a robust national HII requires a firm foundation of trust: patients must be assured that their confidential health information will not be misused and that there are adequate legal remedies in the event of inappropriate behavior on the part of either authorized or unauthorized parties[2].The Israeli evolving National HII is an innovative state of the art implementation of a wide-range clinical inter-organizational data exchange, based on a unique concept of virtually temporary sharing of information. A logically connection of multiple caregivers and medical organizations creates a patient-centric virtual repository, without centralization. All information remains in its original format, location, system and ownership. On demand, relevant information is instantly integrated and delivered to the point of care. This system, successfully covering more than half of Israel's population, is currently evolving from a voluntary private-public partnership (dbMOTION and CLALIT HMO) to a formal national reality. The governmental leadership, now taking over the process, is essential to achieve a full potential of the health information technology. All partners of the Israeli health system are coordinated in concert with each other, driven with a shared vision - realizing that a secured, private, confidential health information exchange is assured.

  19. Childhood pneumonia as a global health priority and the strategic interest of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adegbola, Richard A

    2012-04-01

    Pneumonia kills more children than any other disease--more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. Introduction of vaccines against pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (the most important causes of severe pneumonia in young children), increasing resistance to antibiotics, and changes in HIV prevalence will likely change patterns of pneumonia etiology in developing countries. Studies such as Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) that take advantage of new diagnostic technologies are needed to provide an updated and more precise description of the microbial causes of pneumonia and to inform decisions around treatment algorithms and vaccine development and introduction. In recognition of its importance for global health and especially its significance as an ongoing cause of gross inequity in risks, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has made pneumonia an important part of its global health strategy and PERCH a centerpiece of its Pneumonia Program.

  20. Exposure to Mobile Source Air Pollution in Early-life and Childhood Asthma Incidence: The Kaiser Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennington, Audrey Flak; Strickland, Matthew J; Klein, Mitchel; Zhai, Xinxin; Bates, Josephine T; Drews-Botsch, Carolyn; Hansen, Craig; Russell, Armistead G; Tolbert, Paige E; Darrow, Lyndsey A

    2018-01-01

    Early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution exacerbates childhood asthma, but it is unclear what role it plays in asthma development. The association between exposure to primary mobile source pollutants during pregnancy and during infancy and asthma incidence by ages 2 through 6 was examined in the Kaiser Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma Study, a racially diverse birth cohort of 24,608 children born between 2000 and 2010 and insured by Kaiser Permanente Georgia. We estimated concentrations of mobile source fine particulate matter (PM2.5, µg/m), nitrogen oxides (NOX, ppb), and carbon monoxide (CO, ppm) at the maternal and child residence using a Research LINE source dispersion model for near-surface releases. Asthma was defined using diagnoses and medication dispensings from medical records. We used binomial generalized linear regression to model the impact of exposure continuously and by quintiles on asthma risk. Controlling for covariates and modeling log-transformed exposure, a 2.7-fold increase in first year of life PM2.5 was associated with an absolute 4.1% (95% confidence interval, 1.6%, 6.6%) increase in risk of asthma by age 5. Quintile analysis showed an increase in risk from the first to second quintile, but similar risk across quintiles 2-5. Risk differences increased with follow-up age. Results were similar for NOX and CO and for exposure during pregnancy and the first year of life owing to high correlation. Results provide limited evidence for an association of early-life mobile source air pollution with childhood asthma incidence with a steeper concentration-response relationship observed at lower levels of exposure.

  1. Foundations of health psychology

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Friedman, Howard S; Silver, Roxane Cohen

    2007-01-01

    ... and Effective Treatment 9 Adjustment to Chronic Disease: Progress and Promise in Research Annette L. Stanton and Tracey A. Revenson 203 10 Aging and Health 234 Karen S. Rook, Susan T. Charles, and...

  2. ABIM Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... In conjunction with the… mailchi.mp View on Facebook ABIM Foundation shared Business Radio Powered by The Wharton School's post. 2 days ago View on Facebook ABIM Foundation 2 days ago The Android version ...

  3. Sarcopenia and Health Care Utilization in Older Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lui, Li-Yung; McCulloch, Charles E.; Cauley, Jane A.; Paudel, Misti L.; Taylor, Brent; Schousboe, John T.; Ensrud, Kristine E.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Although there are several consensus definitions of sarcopenia, their association with health care utilization has not been studied. Methods: We included women from the prospective Study of Osteoporotic Fractures with complete assessment of sarcopenia by several definitions at the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Year 10 (Y10) exam (1997–1998) who also had available data from Medicare Fee- For-Service Claims (N = 566) or Kaiser Encounter data (N = 194). Sarcopenia definitions evaluated were: International Working Group, European Working Group for Sarcopenia in Older Persons, Foundation for the NIH Sarcopenia Project, Baumgartner, and Newman. Hurdle models and logistic regression were used to assess the relation between sarcopenia status (the summary definition and the components of slowness, weakness and/or lean mass) and outcomes that included hospitalizations, cumulative inpatient days/year, short-term (part A paid) skilled nursing facility stay in the 3 years following the Y10 visit. Results: None of the consensus definitions, nor the definition components of weakness or low lean mass, was associated with increased risk of hospitalization or greater likelihood of short-term skilled nursing facility stay. Women with slowness by any criterion definition were about 50% more likely to be hospitalized; had a greater rate of hospitalization days amongst those hospitalized; and had 1.8 to 2.1 times greater likelihood of a short-term skilled nursing facility stay than women without slowness. There was the suggestion of a protective association of low lean mass by the various criterion definitions on short-term skilled nursing facility stay. Conclusion: Estimated effects of sarcopenia on health care utilization were negligible. However, slowness was associated with greater health care utilization. PMID:27402050

  4. Teen Mental Health: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Trichotillomania (Nemours Foundation) Health Check Tools How's Your Self-Esteem? (Quiz) (Nemours Foundation) Statistics and Research Combinations of Types of Mental Health Services Received in the Past Year Among Young Adults (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) ...

  5. Heart rate calculation from ensemble brain wave using wavelet and Teager-Kaiser energy operator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Jayaraman; Adithya, V

    2015-01-01

    Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal artifacts are caused by various factors, such as, Electro-oculogram (EOG), Electromyogram (EMG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), movement artifact and line interference. The relatively high electrical energy cardiac activity causes EEG artifacts. In EEG signal processing the general approach is to remove the ECG signal. In this paper, we introduce an automated method to extract the ECG signal from EEG using wavelet and Teager-Kaiser energy operator for R-peak enhancement and detection. From the detected R-peaks the heart rate (HR) is calculated for clinical diagnosis. To check the efficiency of our method, we compare the HR calculated from ECG signal recorded in synchronous with EEG. The proposed method yields a mean error of 1.4% for the heart rate and 1.7% for mean R-R interval. The result illustrates that, proposed method can be used for ECG extraction from single channel EEG and used in clinical diagnosis like estimation for stress analysis, fatigue, and sleep stages classification studies as a multi-model system. In addition, this method eliminates the dependence of additional synchronous ECG in extraction of ECG from EEG signal process.

  6. The impact of kidney foundations in alleviating the burden of CKD in India - an example, Tamilnad Kidney Research Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, Georgi; Vijayan, Madhusudan; Ravi, Rajalakshmi; Kumaraswami, Latha; Venkatesan, Malathy

    Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem in India. The CKD registry of India has been formed to understand the epidemiology of CKD in India. Due to health economics in India, the majority of CKD-affected patients cannot afford renal replacement therapy (RRT) services. There is an unmet need to improve the awareness of kidney disease in India, and the focus should be on prevention and early detection of CKD by screening high risk populations. The Tamilnad Kidney Research (TANKER) Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1993 with the aim to improve awareness and provide quality affordable treatment to underprivileged patients. TANKER is supported by contributions from well-wishers. It has three arms: i) treatment arm, ii) research arm, and iii) awareness and screening arm. TANKER Foundation offers free and subsidized dialysis twice weekly to 227 underprivileged patients. TANKER dialysis has been supported by state government funding schemes. TANKER actively supports and conducts research in nephrology. More than 100,000 people have benefitted from TANKER's kidney awareness programs. The screening programs have provided for early detection of CKD in both urban and rural areas. TANKER award functions are held annually to recognize research and exemplary service to society. The TANKER Foundation can be used as a model for developing countries to address the unmet needs in CKD management.

  7. Foundation Structure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2009-01-01

    Method of installing a bucket foundation structure comprising one, two, three or more skirts, into soils in a controlled manner. The method comprises two stages: a first stage being a design phase and the second stage being an installation phase. In the first stage, design parameters are determined...... relating to the loads on the finished foundation structure; soil profile on the location; allowable installation tolerances, which parameters are used to estimate the minimum diameter and length of the skirts of the bucket. The bucket size is used to simulate load situations and penetration into foundation...

  8. Learning Theory Foundations of Simulation-Based Mastery Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGaghie, William C; Harris, Ilene B

    2018-06-01

    Simulation-based mastery learning (SBML), like all education interventions, has learning theory foundations. Recognition and comprehension of SBML learning theory foundations are essential for thoughtful education program development, research, and scholarship. We begin with a description of SBML followed by a section on the importance of learning theory foundations to shape and direct SBML education and research. We then discuss three principal learning theory conceptual frameworks that are associated with SBML-behavioral, constructivist, social cognitive-and their contributions to SBML thought and practice. We then discuss how the three learning theory frameworks converge in the course of planning, conducting, and evaluating SBML education programs in the health professions. Convergence of these learning theory frameworks is illustrated by a description of an SBML education and research program in advanced cardiac life support. We conclude with a brief coda.

  9. Environmental Foundations in Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Krikser

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Foundations in Germany were examined in the context of environmental issues. Data from environmental foundations show that there is huge difference between private and public foundations concerning financial settings. Furthermore, environment is often not the only objective and sometimes not even processed. Our analysis shows that there are different types of foundations with regard to environmental scopes and activities. Although “attractive topics” such as biodiversity and landscape conservation seem to be more important to foundations, less visible topics such as pollution prevention remain merely a “blind spot.” Together, these findings suggest that there is only a limited potential of private foundations compared with public foundations. Nevertheless, there might be an impact on environmental awareness and local sustainability.

  10. Human Genome Epidemiology : A scientific foundation for using genetic information to improve health and prevent disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefania Boccia

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available

    Human health is determined by the interplay of genetic factors and the environment. In this context the recent advances in human genomics are expected to play a central role in medicine and public health by providing genetic information for disease prediction and prevention.

    After the completion of the human genome sequencing, a fundamental step will be represented by the translation of these discoveries into meaningful actions to improve health and prevent diseases, and the field of epidemiology plays a central role in this effort. These are some of the issues addressed by Human Genome Epidemiology –A scientific foundation for using genetic information to improve health and prevent disease, a volume edited by Prof. M. Khoury, Prof. J. Little, Prof.W. Burke and published by Oxford university Press 2004.

    This book describes the important role that epidemiological methods play in the continuum from gene discovery to the development and application of genetic tests. The Authors calls this continuum human genome epidemiology (HuGE to denote an evolving field of inquiry that uses systematic applications of epidemiological methods to assess the impact of human genetic variation on health and disease.

    The book is divided into four sections and it is structured to allow readers to proceed systematically from the fundamentals of genome technology and discovery, to the epidemiological approaches, to gene characterisation, to the evaluation of genetic tests and their use in health services and public health.

  11. AGS Foundation for Health in Aging

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Health Policy Issues That Affect You Health in Aging Blog read more Read posts about issues concerning older adults © 2017 Health in Aging. All rights reserved. Feedback • Site Map • Privacy Policy • ...

  12. HSC Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... in disability information or services and that add value to our existing programs. The Foundation also works to bring additional support to initiatives by serving as funding partners on projects that have local impact and national relevance. Supporting a Continuum of Care The HSC Foundation ...

  13. The openEHR Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalra, Dipak; Beale, Thomas; Heard, Sam

    2005-01-01

    The openEHR Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and community, facilitating the creation and sharing of health records by consumers and clinicians via open-source, standards-based implementations. It was formed as a union of ten-year international R&D efforts in specifying the requirements, information models and implementation of comprehensive and ethico-legally sound electronic health record systems. Between 2000 and 2004 it has grown to having an on-line membership of over 300, published a wide range of EHR information viewpoint specifications. Several groups have now begun collaborative software development, within an open source framework. This chapter summarises the formation of openEHR, its research underpinning, practical demonstrators, the principle design concepts, and the roles openEHR members are playing in international standards.

  14. Philosophical foundations of human rights

    CERN Document Server

    Liao, Matthew S

    2015-01-01

    What makes something a human right? What is the relationship between the moral foundations of human rights and human rights law? What are the difficulties of appealing to human rights? This book offers the first comprehensive survey of current thinking on the philosophical foundations of human rights. Divided into four parts, this book focusses firstly on the moral grounds of human rights, for example in our dignity, agency, interests or needs. 'Secondly, it looks at the implications that different moral perspectives on human rights bear for human rights law and politics. Thirdly, it discusses specific and topical human rights including freedom of expression and religion, security, health and more controversial rights such as a human right to subsistence. The final part discusses nuanced critical and reformative views on human rights from feminist, Kantian and relativist perspectives among others. The essays represent new and canonical research by leading scholars in the field. Each part is comprised of a set...

  15. An Analysis of HIV Risky Behaviors of College Students in Malawi: A ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    zeleza

    Professor, Department of Agricultural Communication, Education & .... In Malawi, sex and condom use is seen largely as the responsibility of the male, ... largely successful (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008). ... x To assess perceived awareness of HIV & AIDS, condom usage and role of religion on self- ... Literature Review.

  16. Shells on elastic foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Y.C.; Kedia, K.K.

    1977-01-01

    No realistic analytical work in the area of Shells on Elastic Foundations has been reported in the literature. Various foundation models have been proposed by several authors. These models involve one or more than one parameters to characterise the foundation medium. Some of these models cannot be used to derive the basic equations governing the behaviour of shells on elastic foundations. In the present work, starting from an elastic continuum hypothesis, a mathematical model for foundation has been derived in curvilinear orthogonal coordinates by the help of principle of virtual displacements, treating one of the virtual displacements as known to satisfy certain given conditions at its edge surfaces. In this model, several foundation parameters can be considered and it can also be used for layered medium of both finite and infinite thickness. (Auth.)

  17. Job-based health insurance: costs climb at a moderate pace.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claxton, Gary; DiJulio, Bianca; Whitmore, Heidi; Pickreign, Jeremy; McHugh, Megan; Finder, Benjamin; Osei-Anto, Awo

    2009-01-01

    Each year the Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer Health Benefits takes a snapshot of the state of employee benefits in the United States, based on interviews with public and private employers. Our findings for 2009 show that families continue to face higher premiums, up about 5 percent from last year, and that cost sharing in the form of deductibles and copayments for office visits is greater as well. Average annual premiums in 2009 were $4,824 for single coverage and $13,375 for family coverage. Enrollment in high-deductible health plans held steady. We offer new insights about health risk assessments and how firms responded to the economic downturn.

  18. Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Foundation Experts Can Answer Your Questions! The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation's team of experts is available to answer ... a law firm. Read more about the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation . TO GET HELP CALL: (877) End-Meso ...

  19. 75 FR 20350 - Announcement of the Board of Trustees for the National Environmental Education Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-19

    ... include: JL Armstrong (NEEF Vice Chair), National Manger, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. Raymond Ban..., Environment, Health and Safety, Baxter. Healthcare Corporation. Kenneth Olden, Chairman, Avon Foundation... Corporation. Diane Wood (NEEF Secretary), President, National Environmental Education Foundation. Background...

  20. Use of reinforced soil foundation (RSF) to support shallow foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-11-01

    The main objective of this research study is to investigate potential benefits of using the reinforced soil foundations to improve the bearing capacity and to reduce the settlement of shallow foundations on soils. This includes examining influences o...

  1. A foundation for foundation phase teacher education: Making wise educational judgements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karin Murris

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available We start our paper with a critical exploration of the current ‘back to basics’ approach in South African foundation phase teacher education with its emphasis on strengthening the teaching of subject knowledge. We claim that such a proposal first demands an answer to the question ‘what is foundational in foundation phase teaching?’ We propose an answer in three stages. First we argue that teacher education should be concerned not only with schooling or qualification (knowledge, skills and dispositions and socialisation, but, drawing on Gert Biesta’s work, also with subjectification (educating the person towards the ability to make wise educational judgements. Secondly, these three aims of education lead to five core principles, and we finish by showing how these principles inform our storied, thinking and multimodal/semiotic curriculum. Our answer to our leading question is that pedagogical ‘know-how’ and views of ‘child’ and ‘childhood’ constitute the subject knowledge that is foundational in the foundation phase curriculum.

  2. 75 FR 3904 - Appointments to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-25

    ... 2012 are Diane Rowland, ScD, (chair) Executive Vice President, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and..., American Academy of Family Physicians. Commissioners whose first term will expire in December 2011 are... Washington University; and Robin Smith, foster and adoptive parent of special needs children covered by...

  3. Foundations for renewables

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neidlein, H.C. [German Agency Scherer Schnell Walser und Partner (Germany)

    2007-07-01

    In Germany, 77 foundations promote renewable energy technology with around Euro 25 million annually. The most important internationally active foundations, however, can be found in the Anglo-Saxon countries. (orig.)

  4. Perceived Need Versus Current Spending: Gaps in Providing Foundational Public Health Services in Communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekemeier, Betty; Marlowe, Justin; Squires, Linda Sharee; Tebaldi, Jennifer; Park, Seungeun

    Our objective was to estimate the gap between the costs for local health jurisdictions (LHJs) to provide foundational public health services (FPHS) and actual spending on FPHS and to examine factors associated with that gap. We employed resource-based cost estimation methods for this observational study and conducted multivariate analyses with measures derived from secondary administrative data. We used primary data collected from LHJ leaders that depicted 2014 spending and perceived need. We also included secondary administrative data depicting annual 2000-2013 expenditures organized into categories containing key elements of FPHS areas. We included primary data from a representative sample of 10 LHJs in Washington State and secondary data for all 35 LHJs in Washington. Participants were public health practice leaders from each sample LHJ. Our main outcome of interest was the gap identified between current spending and the perceived spending needed to provide FPHS in a jurisdiction. Actual FPHS spending was approximately 65% of spending needed to provide overall FPHS for our sample LHJs, but the size of the gap varied substantially by program. Some gaps also varied widely by LHJ, with spending gaps widest among rural and high poverty communities. Percent poverty and the metropolitan nature of a jurisdiction were factors significantly related to FPHS spending in our multivariate analyses. Actual spending lags far behind local officials' estimates of spending needed to provide FPHS and is likely influenced by local conditions. Major apparent gaps between spending and need, particularly in areas such as costly Business Competencies, underscore the need for cross-cutting capabilities to support public health system responsiveness and for attention to be paid to local conditions.

  5. [The history of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society during the Third Reich. Interim reports of the president's commission of the Max Planck Society].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, M M

    2002-11-01

    In 1997 the Max Planck Society set up a presidential commission to do research on the historical development of its precursor organization, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG), during the Third Reich. This paper presents some of the important results given in the interim reports of this commission that are relevant to psychiatry. It focuses on brain research, anthropology, psychiatric genetics, and the role of the well-known biochemist Adolf Butenandt. In general, the interim reports reflect the numerous links between the biomedical research of the KWG and the institutions of the National Socialist (Nazi) state. However, they do not yet allow a final historical assessment as to the complex situation of this field of research during National Socialism.

  6. Static Behaviour of Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Kim André

    One new foundation concept in relation to offshore wind turbines is bucket foundations. The concept is known from the oil and gas industry, though the load conditions here are significantly different. The bucket foundation can be used as monopod or e.g. tripod foundations for offshore wind turbines....... The monopod concept is investigated in this thesis, regarding the static behaviour from loads relevant to offshore wind turbines. The main issue in this concept is the rotational stiffness of the foundation and the combined capacity dominated by moments. The vertical bearing capacity of bucket foundations...... theory is proposed. The proposed expression applies to plane strain as well as axis-symmetric stress conditions for foundations with smooth or rough bases. A thorough experimental investigation of the static behaviour of bucket foundations subjected to combined loading is carried out. Laboratory tests...

  7. Toxicology Education Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... bodies and our world. Welcome to the Toxicology Education Foundation! Our mission is to enhance public understanding ... In with us, follow our Tweets, choose Toxicology Education Foundation as your preferred charity through Smile.Amazon. ...

  8. Skin Cancer Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Host a Fundraising Event | About Us | Store The Skin Cancer Foundation The Skin Cancer Foundation is the ... Handbook A "Sunscreen Gene"? Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics Skin Cancer Treatment Glossary Information on medications and procedures ...

  9. Annual report of Radiation Effects Research Foundation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    The Radiation Effects Research Foundation was established in April, 1975, as a private nonprofit Japanese Foundation supported equally by the Government of Japan through the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Government of the United States through the National Academy of Sciences under contract with the Energy Research and Development Administration. First, the messages from the chairman and the vice-chairman are described. In the annual report, the review of ABCC-RERF studies of atomic bomb survivors, the summary of research activities, the research projects, the technical report abstracts, the research papers published in Japanese and foreign journals, and the oral presentation and lectures, all from April 1, 1978, to March 31, 1979, are reported. Also the report from the Secretariat and the appendixes are given. The surveys and researches carried out in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have offered very valuable informations to the atomic bomb survivors. Many fears were eliminated, medical interests were given to the serious effects of the exposure to atomic bombs, and many things concerning the cancer induced by radiation were elucidated. The knowledges obtained will save many human lives in future by utilizing them for setting up the health and safety standard in the case of handling ionizing radiation. The progress in researches such as life span study, adult health study, pathology study, genetics program, special cancer program and so on is reported. (Kako, I.)

  10. The Danish Industrial Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen

    and governed, what role it plays in the Danish economy, and how industrial foundation-owned companies perform. The book is the result of a large collaborative research project, led by the author, on industrial foundations. Some global companies such as IKEA, Robert Bosch or the Tata Group are foundation...

  11. Grouting for Pile Foundation Improvement

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van der Stoel, A.E.C.

    2001-01-01

    The aim of this research was to examine the use of grouting methods for pile foundation improvement, a generic term that is used here to define both foundation renovation (increasing the bearing capacity of a pile foundation that has insufficient bearing capacity) and foundation protection

  12. A foundation for foundation phase teacher education: Making wise educational judgements

    OpenAIRE

    Karin Murris; Clare Verbeek

    2014-01-01

    We start our paper with a critical exploration of the current ‘back to basics’ approach in South African foundation phase teacher education with its emphasis on strengthening the teaching of subject knowledge. We claim that such a proposal first demands an answer to the question ‘what is foundational in foundation phase teaching?’ We propose an answer in three stages. First we argue that teacher education should be concerned not only with schooling or qualification (knowledge, skills and disp...

  13. 78 FR 56233 - National Foundation on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition Establishment Act; Delegation of Authority...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary National Foundation on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition Establishment Act; Delegation of Authority; Office of the Assistant Secretary for... Section 5 of the National Foundation on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition Establishment Act, Public Law 111...

  14. The impact of the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop on factors influencing communication skills in health care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, Michael; Thomas, Joanne M; Orford, Julie A; Schofield, Nicola; Whiteside, Sigrid; Morris, Julie; Heaven, Cathy

    2014-01-01

    The "SAGE & THYME Foundation Level Workshop" delivers evidence-based communication skills training to 30 health care workers in 3 hours. It teaches a structured approach (the SAGE & THYME model) to discuss patient/carer concerns. The aim of this study was to determine whether the workshop had a positive outcome on factors that influence communication skills. The study had a pragmatic, mixed methods design. Workshops were run in an acute hospital. One hundred seventy health care workers completed questionnaires pre- and post-workshop; 141 were sent follow-up questionnaires at 2 weeks and 2 months; and 9 were filmed talking to a simulated patient pre- and post-workshop. From pre- to post-workshop, there was a significant increase in knowledge (p communication skills knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy of hospital health care workers who are predominantly white, female, nursing, or nonclinical staff. This suggests that the workshop may have a positive impact on some factors influencing communication skills in this group. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

  15. Solar panel foundation device

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hawley, W.W.

    1983-03-29

    A transportable solar panel foundation device which has a bottom member, at least one upstanding side member, and an essentially open top. The side members are angled to permit nesting of a plurality of the foundation devices, and reinforcement pads are carried by the foundation device to support legs for one or more solar panels.

  16. Forward the Foundation: Local Education Foundations Offer an Alternative Source for School Funding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks-Young, Susan

    2007-01-01

    February's column "Going Corporate" discussed ideas for approaching private foundations for funding. Some districts take this idea several steps further by partnering with the community and local businesses to establish a not-for-profit foundation, or local education foundation (LEF). It probably comes as no surprise that the idea of forming a LEF…

  17. Health On the Net Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... non-profit, non-governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. For 20 years, HON has focused on the essential question of the provision of health information to ...

  18. Can Innate, modular "foundations" explain morality? Challenges for Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suhler, Christopher L; Churchland, Patricia

    2011-09-01

    Jonathan Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory is an influential scientific account of morality incorporating psychological, developmental, and evolutionary perspectives. The theory proposes that morality is built upon five innate "foundations," each of which is believed to have been selected for during human evolution and, subsequently, tuned-up by learning during development. We argue here that although some general elements of Haidt's theory are plausible, many other important aspects of his account are seriously flawed. First, innateness and modularity figure centrally in Haidt's account, but terminological and conceptual problems foster confusion and ambiguities. Second, both the theory's proposed number of moral foundations and its taxonomy of the moral domain appear contrived, ignoring equally good candidate foundations and the possibility of substantial intergroup differences in the foundations' contents. Third, the mechanisms (viz., modules) and categorical distinctions (viz., between foundations) proposed by the theory are not consilient with discoveries in contemporary neuroscience concerning the organization, functioning, and development of the brain. In light of these difficulties, we suggest that Haidt's theory is inadequate as a scientific account of morality. Nevertheless, the theory's weaknesses are instructive, and hence, criticism may be useful to psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers attempting to advance theories of morality, as well as to researchers wishing to invoke concepts such as innateness and modularity more generally.

  19. End-Stage Renal Disease Outcomes among the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Creatinine Safety Program (Creatinine SureNet): Opportunities to Reflect and Improve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sim, John J; Batech, Michael; Danforth, Kim N; Rutkowski, Mark P; Jacobsen, Steven J; Kanter, Michael H

    2017-01-01

    The Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) creatinine safety program (Creatinine SureNet) identifies and outreaches to thousands of people annually who may have had a missed diagnosis for chronic kidney disease (CKD). We sought to determine the value of this outpatient program and evaluate opportunities for improvement. Longitudinal cohort study (February 2010 through December 2015) of KPSC members captured into the creatinine safety program who were characterized using demographics, laboratory results, and different estimations of glomerular filtration rate. Age- and sex-adjusted rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were compared with those in the overall KPSC population. Among 12,394 individuals, 83 (0.7%) reached ESRD. The age- and sex-adjusted relative risk of ESRD was 2.7 times higher compared with the KPSC general population during the same period (94.7 vs 35.4 per 100,000 person-years; p creatinine measurements, only 13% had a urine study performed (32% among patients with confirmed CKD). Our study found a higher incidence of ESRD among individuals captured into the KPSC creatinine safety program. If the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation were used, fewer people would have been captured while improving the accuracy for diagnosing CKD. Urine testing was low even among patients with confirmed CKD. Our findings demonstrate the importance of a creatinine safety net program in an integrated health system but also suggest opportunities to improve CKD care and screening.

  20. THE PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN BIOENGINEERING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim A. Shogar

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the philosophical foundations of modern bioengineering to articulate its ethical framework. Engineering as an ultimate mechanism to transform knowledge into practice is essential for both physical and biological sciences. It reduces data, concepts, and designs to pictorial forms. The integration of engineering with the newly emerging biosciences, has presented a unique opportunity to overcome the major challenges that face the environmental and human health. To harness potentials of bioengineering and establish a sustainable foundation for green technology, modern scientists and engineers need to be acquainted with the normative questions of science. In addition to acquiring the general principles of scientific research and identifying the intrinsic goals of the endeavour, philosophy of bioengineering exposes bioengineers to both the descriptive ‘how’ questions of the physical world as well as the normative ‘why’ questions of values. Such an interdisciplinary approach is significant, not only for inspiring to acquire the genuine knowledge of the existing world, but also to expose the bioengineers to their ethical and social responsibilities. Besides introducing the conceptual framework of bioengineering, this paper has investigated the three major philosophies that have been dominating the theoretical presuppositions of scientific research method in history. Namely, (i Systems biology approach; (ii Evolutionary biology approach; and (iii Mechanical view approach. To establish the ethical foundation of modern bioengineering, the paper, also has conducted an analytical study on various branches of the emerging discipline of bioscience. The paper has concluded that adopting the interdisciplinary approach in research and education is essential to harness potentials of bioengineering and to establish foundations of green technology. To achieve the final objectives of bioengineering, both the practical and theoretical

  1. The historical development of modern virus research in Germany, especially in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-/Max-Planck-Society, 1936--1954.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butenandt, A

    1977-01-01

    This is lecture on the historical development of modern virus research in Germany to introduce a symposium dedicated to Prof. Werner Schäfer, Tübingen, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. The author was set the task of relating from his memories the beginning of modern virus research in Germany. This research has, since 1936, essentially taken place in the Kaiser-Wilhelm/Max-Planck-Society and in 1954 led to the founding of the Max-Planck-Institute for Virus Research in Tübingen, an institute which to the present day owes its scientific reputation in considerable part to the activity of Werner Schäfer. Since the author personally experienced and participated in the Institute's development from 1936-1954, his remarks are predominantly influenced by personal recollections, which have been sharpended by a renewed study of old records in the 'Library and Archive of the History of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft', Berlin-Dahlem.

  2. A Special Relationship: Nursing and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynaugh, Joan E.

    1995-01-01

    Describes the relationship between the nursing profession and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Describes Will Keith Kellogg's interest in public health, especially as it related to children and the development of the W. K. Kellogg Child Welfare Organization, as it was originally known. (JOW)

  3. Use of reinforced soil foundation (RSF) to support shallow foundation : summary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-05-01

    This research study investigates the potential benefits of using reinforced soil foundations to improve the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations on soils. To implement this objective, a total of 117 tests, including 38 la...

  4. Demonstration of shield-type longwall supports at York Canyon Mine of Kaiser Steel Corporation. Final technical report A

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lawrence, R.G.; King, R.

    1980-04-01

    This report represents work on a program that was originated by the USBM of the Department of the Interior and was transferred to the Department of Energy on October 1, 1977. A demonstration with the Government funded Hemscheidt 320 HSL caliper type shield supports was conducted at three longwall panels of Kaiser Steel Corporation's York Canyon Mine. The purpose of this longwall demonstration was to provide the US coal industry with information on all aspects of shield longwall mining in high seams. The demonstration provided a working model for the coal industry and during the project, 350 people from the industry, schools, and government agencies visited the demonstration. They were provided with a first hand knowledge of a working shield longwall. The demonstration showed that the control of large coal lumps may be a problem in the mining of coal seam thicker than 8 feet. Mining with shield type supports provided good working conditions and a safe working environment. The shield requires very little maintenance and has a high mechanical availability.

  5. Compressor Foundation Analysis Tool(COFANTO)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eijk, A.; Lentzen, S.S.K; Zuada Coelho, B.E.; Galanti, F.M.B.

    2012-01-01

    Reciprocating compressors are generally supported on a heavy concrete foundation. In spite of the large inertia and stiffness of the foundation, problems can occur due to interaction between the mechanical installation and the foundation. Two types of problems may occur. In the first type, the

  6. Vertical Dynamic Stiffness of Offshore Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Latini, Chiara; Cisternino, Michele; Zania, Varvara

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays, pile and suction caisson foundations are widely used to support offshore structures which are subjected to vertical dynamic loads. The dynamic soil-structure interaction of floating foundations (foundations embedded in a soil layer whose height is greater than the foundation length) is ...

  7. A three-dimensional `Kaiser damage-memory' effect through true-triaxial loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meredith, P. G.; Browning, J.; Harland, S. R.; Healy, D.; Stuart, C.; Mitchell, T. M.

    2017-12-01

    Microcrack damage leading to failure in rocks evolves in response to differential loading. The vast majority of experimental studies investigate damage evolution, the `Kaiser damage-memory' effect, and rock failure using conventional triaxial stress states (σ1 > σ2 = σ3). Such stress states develop a crack population that displays cylindrical transverse isotropy. However, in nature the stress state is in general truly triaxial (σ1 > σ2 > σ3) and experiments that utilise such loading conditions can generate crack populations that display planar transverse isotropy which in turn influences properties such as permeability and strength. We investigate the evolution of crack damage under both conventional and true triaxial stress conditions using results from measurements made on cubic samples of sandstone deformed in three orthogonal directions with independently controlled stress paths. We have measured, simultaneously with stress and strain, the changes in ultrasonic compressional and shear wave velocities in the three principal directions, together with the bulk acoustic emission (AE) output. Changes in acoustic wave velocities are associated with both elastic closure and opening of pre-existing cracks, and the inelastic formation of new cracks. By contrast, AE is only associated with the inelastic growth of new crack damage and as such, we use the onset of AE to determine the initiation of new crack damage. By mapping these damage onsets under both conventional triaxial and true triaxial sequential cyclic loading, we have shown that `damage envelopes' evolve dynamically and can be pushed closer to the failure envelope. Whether a stress state has been `visited' before is key to determining and understanding damage states. Crack damage populations can be generated with multiple orientations depending on the arrangement of loading directions and hence principal stress directions. The sequential cyclic loading tests show that further damage in any one population

  8. Decreasing Excessive Media Usage while Increasing Physical Activity: A Single-Subject Research Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larwin, Karen H.; Larwin, David A.

    2008-01-01

    The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report entitled "Kids and Media Use" in the United States that concluded that children's use of media--including television, computers, Internet, video games, and phones--may be one of the primary contributor's to the poor fitness and obesity of many of today's adolescents. The present study examines the…

  9. Bruteau's philosophy of spiritual evolution and consciousness: foundation for a nursing cosmology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, M Patrice

    2011-01-01

    The ontological foundation of the modern world view based on irreconcilable dichotomies has held hegemonic status since the dawn of the scientific revolution. The post-modern critique has exposed the inadequacies of the modern perspective and challenged the potential for any narrative to adequately ground a vision for the future. This paper proposes that the philosophy of Beatrice Bruteau can support a foundation for a visionary world view consistent with nursing's respect for human dignity and societal health. The author discusses the key concepts of Bruteau's perspective on societal evolution based on an integrated study of science, mathematics, religion, and philosophy. This perspective is discussed as a foundation to move beyond the dichotomous influence of the modern world view and the deconstructive critique of the post-modern perspective. The author suggests spiritual evolution and a participatory consciousness as an ontological foundation for a cosmology congruent with nursing's social mandate. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. The logical foundations of mathematics

    CERN Document Server

    Hatcher, William S

    1981-01-01

    The Logical Foundations of Mathematics offers a study of the foundations of mathematics, stressing comparisons between and critical analyses of the major non-constructive foundational systems. The position of constructivism within the spectrum of foundational philosophies is discussed, along with the exact relationship between topos theory and set theory.Comprised of eight chapters, this book begins with an introduction to first-order logic. In particular, two complete systems of axioms and rules for the first-order predicate calculus are given, one for efficiency in proving metatheorems, and

  11. Studies on the health effects of a-bomb radiation exposure appeared in health examinations of adult survivors by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Michiko

    2006-01-01

    The Research Foundation has conducted the health examinations in the title since 1958, based on which studies of a cohort type have been performed, and their results at present are summarized in this paper. Subjects have included a cohort of about 120000 cases in total. They have been those 4993 initial cases (the center group) exposed to estimated radiation doses of 4 -6 Gy within the distance of 2 km from the hypocenter and with acute exposure symptoms either in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, and 19961 cases (exposed ones within 2 km from the hypocenter but without the symptoms, exposed residents in the city 3 km far from the hypocenter, or ones absent in the city at explosion) matched to the above center group in the city, age and sex. Lower statures and weights are noted in some of the center group who were in growing ages at exposure. Increases of prevalence or incidence rate are suggested in malignant tumors, diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid, uterine myoma, chronic liver diseases, cataract, circulatory diseases, abnormal hemoglobin value, and psychological states. Relative risk at 1 Gy for incidence of non-cancer diseases is calculated and presented. Results are not always consistent with those of such population exposed to <6 Gy as that of Chernobyl Accident, of radiation technologist and of people accidentally exposed to environmental radiation. The Foundation is to continue the study and more profound results of radiation effects are expected to be obtainable. (T.I)

  12. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Search How We Work Our Focus Areas About RWJF Search Menu How We Work Grants ... Learn more For Grantees and Grantseekers The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds a wide array of programs ...

  13. Foundations of measurement

    CERN Document Server

    Suppes, Patrick

    1989-01-01

    Foundations of Measurement offers the most coherently organized treatment of the topics and issues central to measurement. Much of the research involved has been scattered over several decades and a multitude of journals--available in many instances only to specialties. With the publication of Volumes two and three of this important work, Foundations of Measurement is the most comprehensive presentation in the area of measurement.

  14. Introductory guide to foundations

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Donaldson, GW

    1973-01-01

    Full Text Available . The secret of successful foundations is knowing just how much the subsoil can support. As one goes deeper, the ability of the ground to support a load becomes greater so that the foundation engineer can choose between deep foundations and the expense... beginstoinaease. When the house is ~ ~ p l e t e d it shelters the gmund f f ~ m sun and wind and the moisture content i- wen more rapidly- Leaking pipes and sewers increase the volume of water fed to the clay while ornamental trees planted around the house...

  15. Kellogg Foundation Initiative: Rewriting the Way Foundations Do Business in Indian Country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Paul

    2000-01-01

    Describes the multi-million dollar initiative announced by W. K. Kellogg Foundation in 1995 to support the Native American Higher Education Initiative, and how the Kellogg initiative deserves attention from the nation as a whole because it is attempting to fundamentally rewrite the way foundations do business with Indian communities. (VWC)

  16. Swiss Foundation Code 2015 principles and recommendations for the establishment and management of grant-making foundations

    CERN Document Server

    Sprecher, Thomas; Schnurbein, Georg von

    2015-01-01

    The publication 'Swiss Foundation Code' contains practical governance guidelines on the topics of the establishment of foundations, their organisation, management and supervision, their charitable work and also on finance and investment policy for the contemporary and professional management of charitable foundations.

  17. Modelling Foundations and Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Modelling Foundations and Applications, held in Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark, in July 2012. The 20 revised full foundations track papers and 10 revised full applications track papers presented were carefully reviewed...

  18. The Jan Korec Foundation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    In this video-film activities of the the Jan Korec Foundation are presented. The Jan Korec Foundation supports students of technical sciences, sport activities, science and support of book publishing, humanitarian supports, the environment protection as well as support of different social projects.

  19. Swiss Foundation Code 2009 principles and recommendations for the establishment and management of grant-making foundations

    CERN Document Server

    Sprecher, Thomas; Janssen, Martin

    2011-01-01

    The «Swiss Foundation Code 2009» takes up and completes the first European Good Governance Code for grant-making foundations, published in 2005. It contains practical governance guidelines regarding the establishment, organization, management and monitoring of grant-making foundations as well as making due reference to support activities, financial and investment policies. The abridged English version of the „Swiss Foundation Code 2009“ contains 3 principles and 26 recommendations – but not the extensive commentary parts.

  20. Bucket Foundation Response Under Various Displacement Rates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaitkunaite, Evelina; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2016-01-01

    in a multi-bucket foundation system. The foundation model is at a scale of approximately 1:20 prototype foundation size. The tests are performed in a pressure tank with the foundation model installed in dense sand. Based on the data, the conclusion is that the bucket foundation design in a storm case should......The present testing program aims at showing the pore pressure response around a bucket foundation skirt as well as the load and displacement change due to ten different displacement rates. Research findings are useful for a numerical model calibration focusing on the design of the upwind foundation...

  1. Foundations for Critical Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bers, Trudy; Chun, Marc; Daly, William T.; Harrington, Christine; Tobolowsky, Barbara F.

    2015-01-01

    "Foundations for Critical Thinking" explores the landscape of critical-thinking skill development and pedagogy through foundational chapters and institutional case studies involving a range of students in diverse settings. By establishing a link between active learning and improved critical thinking, this resource encourages all higher…

  2. The Monopod Bucket Foundation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bakmar, Christian LeBlanc; Ahle, Kim; Nielsen, Søren A.

    2009-01-01

    Following the successful installation of a prototype of a monopod bucket foundation, also called a “monopod suction caisson”, at Horns Rev 2 Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark, in 2009, DONG Energy is currently developing a commercialization strategy. The monopod bucket foundation is a promising...

  3. Long-Term Ownership by Industrial Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børsting, Christa Winther; Kuhn, Johan Moritz; Poulsen, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    in Denmark. Industrial foundations are independent legal entities without owners or members typically with the dual objective of preserving the company and using excess profits for charity. We use a unique Danish data set to examine the governance of foundation-owned companies. We show that they are long......-term in several respects. Foundations hold on to their shares for longer. Foundation-owned companies replace managers less frequently. They have more conservative capital structures with less leverage. Their companies survive longer. Their business decisions appear to be more long term. This paper supports...... the hypothesis that time horizons are influenced by ownership structures and particularly that industrial foundations promote longtermism. Policymakers which are interested in promoting longtermism should allow and perhaps even encourage the creation of industrial foundations. More generally they should consider...

  4. Personal reminiscences of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, Berlin, 1937/38 and of the nuclear project in Canada, 1944/56

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cook, L.G.

    1989-01-01

    Part 1 of this talk deals with reminiscences from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin during the period 1937-1938. Topics include the course of experimental events and the continuing search for interpretations that would stand up, the guiding influence of the work of Irene Curie and Pvale Savic on the experimental work of Hahn and Strassmann, the influence and effects of Nazi political pressures within the Institute, the shadows of war, and how uranium fission finally got itself discovered. Part 2 gives reminiscences from the Nuclear Project in Canada from 1944 to 1956 as an extension of the pre-war work in Paris - both in concept and in personnel - created by British effort, the powerful changing US influences, the shift to British direction and a goal, the world's first high power heavy water moderated reactor for the production of massive quantities of synthetic radioactive materials, extraction processes including those for plutonium, the shift to Canadian direction and goals, a heavy water moderated electricity production system, and a postscript

  5. Annual report of Radiation Effects Research Foundation, April 1, 1989 - March 31, 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    This annual report summarizes the research activities of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation in the fiscal year, 1989. Outcome of the work is presented, covering epidemiology, Adult Health Survey Program, cytogenetics, genetic biochemical survey, immunology, cytobiology, and statistics. Symposium entitled 'update information on effects of radiation', held on October 8, 1989, and the final workshop on 'aging', held on March 29-31, 1990, are outlined, accompanied by the other scientific lectures and campus study seminars. The report also includes research abstracts published by the Research Foundation staff. Bibliography of papers, published in scientific journals and presented in scientific meetings, is provided. Appendices give the proceedings of the aforementioned workshop on 'aging', the continuing research issues, and the personal list of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. (N.K.)

  6. NUMERICAL MODELLING OF CHICKEN-FOOT FOUNDATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vipman Tandjiria

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an analysis of the chicken-foot foundation using the finite element method. The foundation is considered as a reinforced concrete slab resting on a number of reinforced concrete pipes filled with and surrounded by in-situ soil. The soil and the pipes were modelled by isoparametric solid elements while the slab was modelled by isoparametric thick-plate elements. The study was intended to illustrate the basic mechanism of the chicken-foot foundation. Three cases have been considered for the parametric studies. The parameters investigated are thickness of slab, length of pipes and spacing between pipes. It is shown that such a foundation improves the behaviour of the raft foundation. It is also found that all the parameters used in the parametric studies influence the behaviour of the chicken-foot foundation.

  7. EVOLUTIONARY FOUNDATIONS FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesse, Randolph M.; Ganten, Detlev; Gregory, T. Ryan; Omenn, Gilbert S.

    2015-01-01

    Evolution has long provided a foundation for population genetics, but many major advances in evolutionary biology from the 20th century are only now being applied in molecular medicine. They include the distinction between proximate and evolutionary explanations, kin selection, evolutionary models for cooperation, and new strategies for tracing phylogenies and identifying signals of selection. Recent advances in genomics are further transforming evolutionary biology and creating yet more opportunities for progress at the interface of evolution with genetics, medicine, and public health. This article reviews 15 evolutionary principles and their applications in molecular medicine in hopes that readers will use them and others to speed the development of evolutionary molecular medicine. PMID:22544168

  8. How Digital Health Technology Aids Physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nik Tehrani

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available There is so much health and medical information available today that physicians cannot be expected to know it all. Thus, advances in technology have become a necessity for doctors to track patient information and care, and add to patient databases for reference and to conduct research. It is important to understand the new language of digital health, such as Personal Health Record (PHR, Electronic Medical Record (EMR and Electronic Health Record (EHR, all of which sound similar, but are not interchangeable. The ideal comprehensive IT system would empower patients, advance healthcare delivery and transform patient data into life-saving research (Kaiser, 2015. OmniFluent Health is language translation software that will allow for better patient/practitioner communication and avoid errors. Digital technology employs the use of big data that is shared, accessed, compiled and applied using analytics. However, information transfer, especially as mandated by current ethics of use of technology, has resulted into breach of patient privacy. Improved digital technology is providing the health care field with upgrades that are necessary, electronic files and health records, from mobile apps, and remote monitoring devices.

  9. Children and war: the work of the Children and War Foundation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William Yule

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The Children and War Foundation was established after the authors’ experiences following the civil war in former Yugoslavia in the mid-1990s. Many organizations tried to mitigate the effects of the war on children but few interventions were based on evidence and fewer were properly evaluated. The Foundation was established in Norway with the aim of promoting better evidence-based interventions to help children after wars and natural disasters.The Foundation has developed a number of empirically grounded manuals that aim to help children learn strategies that will lessen the stress reactions that they have developed. The manuals are designed to be delivered by personnel who are not necessarily very experienced in child mental health. They are aimed at groups of children using a public health approach to reach large numbers in a short space of time. The strategies are not intended as individual therapy.The Teaching Recovery Techniques manual has been used following a number of earthquakes and other natural disasters and data from a number of these will be discussed. A Writing for Recovery manual is aimed at helping adolescents and is based on the seminal work of James Pennebaker. It is currently being evaluated in three separate studies. A group-based manual to help children bereaved by war or disaster has recently been developed.

  10. Singing for Lung Health: a qualitative assessment of a British Lung Foundation programme for group leaders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Adam; Cave, Phoene; Hopkinson, Nicholas S

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Singing for Lung Health (SLH) groups are an increasingly popular intervention for people with respiratory disease. There are limited data as to how these groups should be developed and run. We aimed to evaluate the experience of singing leaders both to assess the training provided by the British Lung Foundation (BLF) and to provide information to guide future development of programmes. Methods A convenience sample of 15 leaders who had received BLF SLH training participated in the BLF service evaluation. Fifteen singing groups were observed, and singing leader interviews and questionnaires were collected. Inductive themes from the qualitative data were the primary outcome. The content of observed singing groups was also rated against the training leaders had received. Results Singing leaders valued the BLF training but felt that a significant level of expertise is required before joining. Singing leaders often found setting up groups challenging and some found clinician support beneficial. There were important technical aspects of running a lung health group including issues around content, for example, choice of repertoire to suit breathing pattern, and delivery, for example, pace, rhythm and management of group dynamics. Leaders said that group participants reported physical health improvements such as reduced breathlessness on activity. The content and delivery of singing classes observed displayed a good level of fidelity, suggesting that SLH training is effective. Conclusion The experience of the leaders highlights the requirements, support and technical skills needed to run SLH groups, which have features distinct from generic community singing groups. PMID:29071079

  11. Achieving Health SDG 3 in Africa through NGO Capacity Building - Insights from the Gates Foundation Investment in Partnership in Advocacy for Child and Family Health (PACFaH) Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Judith-Ann

    2016-09-01

    As global impact investors gear up to support roll out of the Sustainable Development Goals in the developing world, African CSOs are urged to ensure that governments shift health funding sources away from aid and loans to innovative domestic funding sources which prioritize health. To do so, African CSOs require support to build their capacity for policy and budget advocacy. Governments and development partners have failed to invest in long term capacity building projects for indigenous NGOs and instead support INGOs to push the health advocacy agenda forward. In Nigeria, the Gates foundation has risen to the challenge of building capacity of indigenous NGOs for social accountability in child and family health. The 3 year pilot project - Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health Project (PACFaH) mainstreams capacity building as an effective implementation strategy for 8 indigenous NGOs to deliver on - policy; budgetary; legislative; and administrative advocacy in four issue areas: 1) family planning; 2) nutrition; 3) routine immunization; and 4) reduction of under-5 deaths from diarrhea and pneumonia. This paper documents the achievements of the eight advocacy NGOs in PACFaH, at midterm and notes that while there have been challenges, working through capacity building as an implementation strategy has enabled the local groups in the delivery of evidence based advocacy.

  12. The foundational principles as psychological lodestars: Theoretical inspiration and empirical direction in rehabilitation psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Dana S; Ehde, Dawn M; Wegener, Stephen T

    2016-02-01

    Historically, the Foundational Principles articulated by Wright (1983) and others guided theory development, research and scholarship, and practice in rehabilitation psychology. In recent decades, these principles have become more implicit and less explicit or expressive in the writings and work of rehabilitation professionals. We believe that the Foundational Principles are essential lodestars for working with people with disabilities that can guide inquiry, practice, and service. To introduce this special issues, this commentary identifies and defines key Foundational Principles, including, for example, Lewin's (1935) person-environment relation, adjustment to disability, the malleability of self-perceptions of bodily states, and the importance of promoting dignity for people with disabilities. We then consider the role the Foundational Principles play in the articles appearing in this special issue. We close by considering some new principles and their potential utility in rehabilitation settings. Readers in rehabilitation psychology and aligned areas (e.g., social-personality psychology, health psychology, rehabilitation therapist, psychiatry, and nursing) are encouraged to consider how the Foundational Principles underlie and can shape their research and practice. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Establishing a University Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemish, Donald L.

    A handbook on how to establish a university foundation is presented. It presupposes that a foundation will be used as the umbrella organization for receiving all private gifts, restricted and unrestricted, for the benefit of a public college or university; and hence it chiefly addresses readers from public colleges and universities. Information is…

  14. Use of reinforced soil foundation (RSF) to support shallow foundation : summary report, November 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-05-01

    This research study investigates the potential benefits of using reinforced soil foundations to improve the bearing : capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations on soils. To implement this objective, a total of 117 : tests, including 3...

  15. Collaboration in Foundation Degree Provision: A Case Study in Kent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurgate, Claire; MacGregor, Janet

    2008-01-01

    Health and Social Care Foundation Degree (FD HSC) development commenced at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in 2005: the university already had a variety of validated programmes of this design, thus this new provision was able to draw on expertise of proven worth in the local economy. Over the past two years this programme has expanded…

  16. Foundations of mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zorski, Henryk; Bazanski, Stanislaw; Gutowski, Roman; Slawianowski, Jan; Wilmanski, Krysztof; Wozniak, Czeslaw

    1992-01-01

    In the last 3 decades the field of mechanics has seen spectacular progress due to the demand for applications in problems of cosmology, thermonuclear fusion, metallurgy, etc. This book provides a broad and thorough overview on the foundations of mechanics. It discusses theoretical mechanics and continuum mechanics, as well as phenomenological thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and relativistic mechanics. Each chapter presents the basic physical facts of interest without going into details and derivations and without using advanced mathematical formalism. The first part constitutes a classical exposition of Lagrange's and Hamiltonian's analytical mechanics on which most of the continuum theory is based. The section on continuum mechanics focuses mainly on the axiomatic foundations, with many pointers for further research in this area. Special attention is given to modern continuum thermodynamics, both for the foundations and applications. A section on quantum mechanics is also included, since the phenomenological description of various quantum phenomena is becoming of increasing importance. refs.; figs.; tabs

  17. Use of reinforced soil foundation (RSF) to support shallow foundation : final report, November 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-11-01

    This research study aims at investigating the potential benefits of using reinforced soil foundations to improve the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations on soils. To implement this objective, a total of 117 tests, includ...

  18. CARES Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Foundation Video Get Involved EMS and Newborn Screening campaigns Clincal trials Fundraisers Support groups Connect and promote with Social Media: Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn News & Notes from ...

  19. Obtaining corporate information from NHS foundation trusts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Valerie; Endacott, Ruth; Sheaff, Rod; Jones, Ray

    Foundation trusts have boards of directors that are responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation, planning services and developing strategy. Unlike non-foundation trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs), foundation trusts are not obliged to hold directors' board meetings in public. This article describes the online availability and accessibility of the minutes of such meetings in a number of foundation trusts, non-foundation trusts and PCTs. The implications for transparency in the NHS are also discussed.

  20. Bucket foundations under lateral cyclic loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foglia, Aligi

    failure envelopes. A jacked installation test is successfully compared with existing models. Tests of bucket foundations under lateral loading applied at different loading rates are analysed. As expected, the bearing capacity of bucket foundations under transient lateral loading increases dramatically...... documents on bearing capacity and installation of bucket foundations are reviewed and the results from the models found in literature are compared to the experimental results obtained in the current study. Monotonic tests of bucket foundations under lateral loading until failure are compared with existing...

  1. Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health Start Here Prenatal Tests (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Prenatal Tests (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish ...

  2. 49 CFR 230.77 - Foundation brake gear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Foundation brake gear. 230.77 Section 230.77... Tenders Brake and Signal Equipment § 230.77 Foundation brake gear. (a) Maintenance. Foundation brake gear...) Distance above the rails. No part of the foundation brake gear of the steam locomotive or tender shall be...

  3. Industrial Foundations in the Danish Economy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen

    Industrial Foundations (foundations that own business companies) are found around the world e.g in Northern Europe, Germany, the US and India, but nowhere do they appear to be as economically important as in Denmark. In this paper we review their share of the Danish economy. We find that foundation......-owned companies account for 5-10% of the Danish economy depending on measurement. However, they constitute the bulk of Danish stock market capitalization and R&D expenditure, and they also contribute disproportionally to international business activity. Finally the industrial foundations make charitable donations...

  4. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of Top Deadly Mistakes Made by Teen Drivers -- AAA AAA: Road debris causes avoidable crashes, deaths Save the ... and 500 deaths! Foundation News Stay Tuned New AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety website coming Fall 2017 ...

  5. Foundations of Neuromorphic Computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-01

    paradigms: few sensors/complex computations and many sensors/simple computation. Challenges with Nano-enabled Neuromorphic Chips A wide variety of...FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING MAY 2013 FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION...2009 – SEP 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER IN-HOUSE 5b. GRANT NUMBER N/A 5c. PROGRAM

  6. Corporate Ownership by Industrial Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen

    1999-01-01

    Industrial foundations are self-governing non profit institutions that own business companies. This ownership structure is found in a fair number of Northern European companies, some of them successful world class competitors. Standard agency theory would predict foundation-owned companies...... to be relatively inefficient since they lack monitoring by residual claimants and access to equity finance from the stock market. Nevertheless, empirical research (Thomsen 1996) has found that Danish foundation-owned companies do no worse in terms of profitability and growth than companies with dispersed ownership...

  7. Theoretical foundations of learning through simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zigmont, Jason J; Kappus, Liana J; Sudikoff, Stephanie N

    2011-04-01

    Health care simulation is a powerful educational tool to help facilitate learning for clinicians and change their practice to improve patient outcomes and safety. To promote effective life-long learning through simulation, the educator needs to consider individuals, their experiences, and their environments. Effective education of adults through simulation requires a sound understanding of both adult learning theory and experiential learning. This review article provides a framework for developing and facilitating simulation courses, founded upon empiric and theoretic research in adult and experiential learning. Specifically, this article provides a theoretic foundation for using simulation to change practice to improve patient outcomes and safety. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Prediction of unknown deep foundation lengths using the Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed T.M. Farid

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Prediction of unknown deep foundation embedment depth is a great deal nowadays, especially in case of upgrading or rehabilitation of old structures. Many old bridges and marine or pier structures in the United States are established using deep foundations system of timber piles and their foundation records do not exist. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT or Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE method for a great variety of materials and structures has become an integral part of many tests. However, the process of testing long piles, deeply embedded in the ground, is more complex than (NDT of the other structural materials. This paper summarizes some of the most common non-destructive test methods for deep foundations and presents a new method called the Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT. This Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT method is used now by a wide range in a different health monitoring of many systems. In this paper, some field tests on the timber Piles of one bridge at North Carolina was performed to verify the using the (HHT method for predicting the embedded depth of the unknown piles. Percentage of the accuracy achieved using HHT method for pile length compared to the actual pile length data was performed. Finally, a recommendation is presented for the limitation of using this new method as a new non-destructive method for deep foundations.

  9. 14 April 2014 - UK University College London Hospitals and National Health Service Foundation Trust Chairman R. Murley in the ATLAS cavern with CERN Head of Medical Applications S. Myers and Collaboration Spokesperson D. Charlton.

    CERN Multimedia

    Gadmer, Jean-Claude

    2014-01-01

    Mr Richard Murley Chairman Sir Robert Naylor Chief Executive University College London Hospitals (UCLH) – National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  10. Wave Forces on Windturbine Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Brian Juul; Frigaard, Peter

    A testprogramme has been performed to determine the wave forces on two types of foundations for an offshore windturbine. the tested foundation types are a monopile and cone. Furthermore the shaft of the cone has been tested....

  11. Unknown foundation determination for scour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-01

    Unknown foundations affect about 9,000 bridges in Texas. For bridges over rivers, this creates a problem : regarding scour decisions as the calculated scour depth cannot be compared to the foundation depth, and a : very conservative costly approach m...

  12. Foundational aspects of security

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chatzikokolakis, Konstantinos; Mödersheim, Sebastian Alexander; Palamidessi, Catuscia

    2014-01-01

    This Special Issue of the Journal of Computer Security focuses on foundational aspects of security, which in recent years have helped change much of the way we think about and approach system security.......This Special Issue of the Journal of Computer Security focuses on foundational aspects of security, which in recent years have helped change much of the way we think about and approach system security....

  13. Public Response to Obamacare on Twitter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Matthew A; Zheng, Kai; Liu, Yang; Levy, Helen

    2017-05-26

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called "Obamacare," is a controversial law that has been implemented gradually since its enactment in 2010. Polls have consistently shown that public opinion of the ACA is quite negative. The aim of our study was to examine the extent to which Twitter data can be used to measure public opinion of the ACA over time. We prospectively collected a 10% random sample of daily tweets (approximately 52 million since July 2011) using Twitter's streaming application programming interface (API) from July 10, 2011 to July 31, 2015. Using a list of key terms and ACA-specific hashtags, we identified tweets about the ACA and examined the overall volume of tweets about the ACA in relation to key ACA events. We applied standard text sentiment analysis to assign each ACA tweet a measure of positivity or negativity and compared overall sentiment from Twitter with results from the Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll. Public opinion on Twitter (measured via sentiment analysis) was slightly more favorable than public opinion measured by the Kaiser poll (approximately 50% vs 40%, respectively) but trends over time in both favorable and unfavorable views were similar in both sources. The Twitter-based measures of opinion as well as the Kaiser poll changed very little over time: correlation coefficients for favorable and unfavorable public opinion were .43 and .37, respectively. However, we found substantial spikes in the volume of ACA-related tweets in response to key events in the law's implementation, such as the first open enrollment period in October 2013 and the Supreme Court decision in June 2012. Twitter may be useful for tracking public opinion of health care reform as it appears to be comparable with conventional polling results. Moreover, in contrast with conventional polling, the overall amount of tweets also provides a potential indication of public interest of a particular issue at any point in time. ©Matthew A Davis, Kai Zheng

  14. Marfan Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... The Marfan Foundation Marfan & Related Disorders What is Marfan Syndrome? What are Related Disorders? What are the Signs? ... Click to see what's happening around the country! Marfan syndrome is a life-threatening genetic disorder, and an ...

  15. Vasculitis Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Our Board Our Team Anniversary Vasculitis Foundation Newsletters Annual Reports Press Page Literature Order Form Join Contact Us Dream Big Donate Donate Support the VF Through the Amazon Smile Program United Way Giving Ways to Give ...

  16. Seven propositions of the science of improvement: exploring foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perla, Rocco J; Provost, Lloyd P; Parry, Gareth J

    2013-01-01

    The phrase "Science of Improvement" or "Improvement Science" is commonly used today by a range of people and professions to mean different things, creating confusion to those trying to learn about improvement. In this article, we briefly define the concepts of improvement and science, and review the history of the consideration of "improvement" as a science. We trace key concepts and ideas in improvement to their philosophical and theoretical foundation with a focus on Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. We suggest that Deming's system has a firm association with many contemporary and historic philosophic and scientific debates and concepts. With reference to these debates and concepts, we identify 7 propositions that provide the scientific and philosophical foundation for the science of improvement. A standard view of the science of improvement does not presently exist that is grounded in the philosophical and theoretical basis of the field. The 7 propositions outlined here demonstrate the value of examining the underpinnings of improvement. This is needed to both advance the field and minimize confusion about what the phrase "science of improvement" represents. We argue that advanced scientists of improvement are those who like Deming and Shewhart can integrate ideas, concepts, and models between scientific disciplines for the purpose of developing more robust improvement models, tools, and techniques with a focus on application and problem solving in real world contexts. The epistemological foundations and theoretical basis of the science of improvement and its reasoning methods need to be critically examined to ensure its continued development and relevance. If improvement efforts and projects in health care are to be characterized under the canon of science, then health care professionals engaged in quality improvement work would benefit from a standard set of core principles, a standard lexicon, and an understanding of the evolution of the science of

  17. Cultural humility: essential foundation for clinical researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeager, Katherine A; Bauer-Wu, Susan

    2013-11-01

    Cultural humility is a process of self-reflection and discovery in order to build honest and trustworthy relationships. It offers promise for researchers to understand and eliminate health disparities, a continual and disturbing problem necessitating attention and action on many levels. This paper presents a discussion of the process of cultural humility and its important role in research to better understand the perspectives and context of the researcher and the research participant. We discern cultural humility from similar concepts, specifically cultural competence and reflexivity. We will also explore ways to cultivate cultural humility in the context of human subjects research. Mindfulness is one approach that can be helpful in enhancing awareness of self and others in this process. With a foundation in cultural humility, nurse researchers and other investigators can implement meaningful and ethical projects to better address health disparities. © 2013.

  18. Seismic isolation of two dimensional periodic foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Y.; Mo, Y. L.; Laskar, A.; Cheng, Z.; Shi, Z.; Menq, F.; Tang, Y.

    2014-01-01

    Phononic crystal is now used to control acoustic waves. When the crystal goes to a larger scale, it is called periodic structure. The band gaps of the periodic structure can be reduced to range from 0.5 Hz to 50 Hz. Therefore, the periodic structure has potential applications in seismic wave reflection. In civil engineering, the periodic structure can be served as the foundation of upper structure. This type of foundation consisting of periodic structure is called periodic foundation. When the frequency of seismic waves falls into the band gaps of the periodic foundation, the seismic wave can be blocked. Field experiments of a scaled two dimensional (2D) periodic foundation with an upper structure were conducted to verify the band gap effects. Test results showed the 2D periodic foundation can effectively reduce the response of the upper structure for excitations with frequencies within the frequency band gaps. When the experimental and the finite element analysis results are compared, they agree well with each other, indicating that 2D periodic foundation is a feasible way of reducing seismic vibrations.

  19. Theodore Presser and His Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazzaro, William J.

    1983-01-01

    Describes the life of Theodore Presser and the establishment of the Presser Foundation in 1916. Presser was a music publisher and the founder of "Etude" magazine. The Presser Foundation provides scholarships to music students, aid to elderly music teachers, and help to colleges for building music facilities. (CS)

  20. Profiles of Nine Community Colleges with Successful Foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angel, Dan; Gares, Dale

    1981-01-01

    College profiles include the following information: type of college, location, enrollment, age of college, total budget, foundation's years of experience, non-profit status, total foundation assets, dollar support for 1979-80, responsibility for foundation, number of foundation board members, most successful fund-raising methods, and restrictions…

  1. Three dimensional periodic foundations for base seismic isolation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Y; Mo, Y L; Cheng, Z; Shi, Z; Menq, F; Tang, Y

    2015-01-01

    Based on the concept of phononic crystals, periodic foundations made of periodic materials are investigated in this paper. The periodic foundations can provide low frequency band gaps, which cover the main frequency ranges of seismic waves. Therefore, the periodic foundations are able to protect the upper structures during earthquake events. In this paper, the basic theory of three dimensional periodic foundations is studied and the finite element method was used to conduct the sensitivity study. A simplified three-dimensional periodic foundation with a superstructure was tested in the field and the feasibility of three dimensional periodic foundations was proved. The test results showed that the response of the upper structure with the three dimensional periodic foundation was reduced under excitation waves with the main frequency falling in the attenuation zones. The finite element analysis results are consistent with the experimental data, indicating that three dimensional periodic foundations are a feasible way of reducing seismic vibrations. (paper)

  2. Experimental study on embedment effect of foundation, 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohtomo, Keizo; Toma, Junichi; Hashimoto, Koichi; Hanada, Kazutake; Ueshima, Teruyuki; Yajima, Hiroshi

    1986-01-01

    In order to make clear the dynamic behavior of a embeded foundation on the quarternary ground experimentally, a series of forced vibration tests and seismic observation on both the small foundation (4 x 4 x 3 m) and the embeded form larger scale foundation of the shaking table (16 x 16 x 7.7 m) were conducted at the same site. The purposes this study are evaluating the dynamic behavior and the characteristics of dynamic stiffness and damping of the larger foundation based on forced vibration tests, and applying them to the dynamic response analysis of variable embedded foundations. In this report, the authors first examine frequency dependent property and its theoretical tendency of dynamic stiffness and damping surrounding table foundation. And then, consider an applicability and point of discussion related with the some theories which influence the embedment effect, in contrast with the experimental datum of the model foundation are past studies on a embedment effect (JPDR, Large-Scale Foundation in Tadotsu). (author)

  3. Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-12-31

    The Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency (FEWE) was established in Poland at the end of 1990. FEWE, as an independent and non-profit organization, has the following objectives: to strive towards an energy efficient national economy, and to show the way and methods by use of which energy efficiency can be increased. The activity of the Foundation covers the entire territory of Poland through three regional centers: in Warsaw, Katowice and Cracow. FEWE employs well-known and experienced specialists within thermal and power engineering, civil engineering, economy and applied sciences. The organizer of the Foundation has been Battelle Memorial Institute - Pacific Northwest Laboratories from the USA.

  4. Foundations on Expansive Soils; A Review

    OpenAIRE

    Behzad Kalantari

    2012-01-01

    This study describes various types of foundation designs to be considered for structural engineering projects when the subsoil foundation consists of expansive or swelling soils. Among civil and architectural engineers expansive soils are known to be difficult foundation materials and problematic. These type of soils swell when they are subjected to moistures and shrink due to moisture loss. Because of this different behaviour upon wetting and drying, they cause minor to major structural dama...

  5. Developing and teaching the virtue-ethics foundations of healthcare whistle blowing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faunce, Thomas

    2004-10-01

    Healthcare whistle blowing, despite the benefits it has brought to healthcare systems in many developed countries, remains generally regarded as a pariah activity by many of the most influential healthcare professionals and regulatory institutions. Few if any medical schools or law department health law and bioethics classes, teach whistle blowing in a formal sense. Yet without exception, public inquiries initiated by healthcare whistle blowers have validated their central allegations and demonstrated that the whistle blowers themselves were sincere in their desire to implement the fundamental virtues and principles of medical ethics, bioethics and public health law. In many jurisdictions, the law, this time remarkably in advance of professional opinion, has offered legislative protection for reasonable allegations of whistleblowers made in good faith and in the public interest concerning a substantial and imminent threat to public safety. One reason for this paradoxical position, explored here, is that healthcare whistle blowing lacks a firm virtue-based theoretical bioethical and jurisprudential foundation. The hypothesis discussed is that the lack of this bioethical and jurisprudential substrate has contributed to a situation where healthcare whistle blowing suffers in terms of institutional support due to its lack of academic legitimacy. This article commences the process of redressing this imbalance by attempting to lay the theoretical foundations for healthcare whistle blowing. As a case study, this article concludes by discussing the Personal and Professional Development course at the ANU Medical School where healthcare whistle blowing is a formal part of a virtue-based curriculum that emphasises the foundational importance of conscience. Illustrative elements of that program are discussed.

  6. Foundation Networks and American Hegemony

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inderjeet Parmar

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The major American foundations constructed and sustained the rich texture of cooperative social, intellectual and political relations between key actors and institutions supportive of specific modes of thought that promoted US hegemony. Foundations also fostered and developed the attractive power-knowledge networks that not only radiated intellectual influence but also attracted some of the most creative minds. Finally, liberal internationalist foundations fostered globalism even when the American state was ‘isolationist’, and when US influence abroad unwelcome. Their significance in American hegemony building lay in their sustained, long-term cooperative relationship with the American state through which they helped build national, international and global institutions and networks. The latter process evidences the most significant impact of US foundations – the building of the domestic and international infrastructure for liberal internationalism which has transformed into a kind of “social neoliberalism”. Theoretical conclusions follow from these claims: the sustained and deep cooperation between the state and foundations suggests that we must revise our views of “how power works” in the United States and therefore influences its foreign relations. Therefore, the article shows that elite networks, consisting of state officials and private citizens are powerful means by which foreign policy shifts may be prepared, elite and mass opinion primed and mobilised, new consensus built, ‘old’ forces marginalised, and US hegemony constructed.

  7. The Foundation Handbook: A Private Foundation Approach to Fund Raising at State Colleges and Universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemish, Donald L.

    Guidelines for state colleges and universities who wish to use a foundation as an umbrella organization for receiving all private gifts, restricted and unrestricted, are presented. In examining the need for a foundation, attention should be directed to: establishing credibility, marshalling volunteers, providing for a mechanism for accepting life…

  8. From Compassionate Conservatism to Obamacare: Funding for the Ryan White Program During the Obama Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, William; Pund, Britten; Khatiashvili, Giorgi

    2016-11-01

    To examine President Obama's fiscal commitment to the Ryan White Program (formerly Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource Emergency Act), which provides funding for economically disadvantaged people and families affected by HIV. We analyzed budgetary request and congressional appropriation data from 2009 to 2016. The data are available from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Increased coverage for people living with HIV/AIDS provided by the Affordable Care Act most likely led the Obama administration to request small increases and at times decreases in funding for the Ryan White Program. Congress passed either small increases or decreases in appropriations for the Ryan White Program. Decreases or small increases in the Ryan White Program funding risk progress made in treating HIV among economically disadvantaged patients.

  9. Arthritis Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Vision Leadership News Partners & Sponsors Careers Code of Ethics Financials Annual Report Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Donate Press Store Blog Community Local Offices Kids Get Arthritis Too Español Arthritis Today Social Media Newsletters Sign Up for E-Newsletters Arthritis Foundation ...

  10. Sri Lanka's Health Unit Program: A Model of "Selective" Primary Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soma Hewa

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper argues that the health unit program developed in Sri Lanka in the early twentieth century was an earlier model of selective primary health care promoted by the Rockefeller Foundation in the 1980s in opposition to comprehensive primary health care advocated by the Alma-Ata Declaration of the World Health Organization. A key strategy of the health unit program was to identify the most common and serious infectious diseases in each health unit area and control them through improved sanitation, health education, immunization and treatment with the help of local communities. The health unit program was later introduced to other countries in South and Southeast Asia as part of the Rockefeller Foundation's global campaign to promote public health.

  11. Signature Pedagogies for Social Foundations: Negotiating Social Foundations Teaching Practices in the Field of Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Sandra B.

    2010-01-01

    The conflicts arising between the pedagogical preferences of the fields of instructional design and technology (IDT) and social foundations of education are substantial. This conflict is primarily one of pedagogical values separating the Social Foundations with its emphasis on critical and creative thinking and the presumption of value and theory…

  12. Foundation heat transfer analysis for buildings with thermal piles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almanza Huerta, Luis Enrique; Krarti, Moncef

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A numerical transient thermal model for thermo-active foundations is developed. • Thermal interactions between thermal piles and building foundations are evaluated. • A simplified analysis method of thermal interactions between thermal piles and building foundations is developed. - Abstract: Thermal piles or thermo-active foundations utilize heat exchangers embedded within foundation footings to heat and/or cool buildings. In this paper, the impact of thermal piles on building foundation heat transfer is investigated. In particular, a simplified analysis method is developed to estimate the annual ground-coupled foundation heat transfer when buildings are equipped with thermal piles. First, a numerical analysis of the thermal performance of thermo-active building foundations is developed and used to assess the interactions between thermal piles and slab-on-grade building foundations. The impact of various design parameters and operating conditions is evaluated including foundation pile depth, building slab width, foundation insulation configuration, and soil thermal properties. Based on the results of a series of parametric analyses, a simplified analysis method is presented to assess the impact of the thermal piles on the annual heat fluxes toward or from the building foundations. A comparative evaluation of the predictions of the simplified analysis method and those obtained from the detailed numerical analysis indicated good agreement with prediction accuracy lower than 5%. Moreover, it is found that thermal piles can affect annual building foundation heat loss/gain by up to 30% depending on foundation size and insulation level

  13. Editorial research and the publication process in biomedicine and health: Report from the Esteve Foundation Discussion Group, December 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marušić, Ana; Malički, Mario; von Elm, Erik

    2014-01-01

    Despite the fact that there are more than twenty thousand biomedical journals in the world, research into the work of editors and publication process in biomedical and health care journals is rare. In December 2012, the Esteve Foundation, a non-profit scientific institution that fosters progress in pharmacotherapy by means of scientific communication and discussion organized a discussion group of 7 editors and/or experts in peer review biomedical publishing. They presented findings of past editorial research, discussed the lack of competitive funding schemes and specialized journals for dissemination of editorial research, and reported on the great diversity of misconduct and conflict of interest policies, as well as adherence to reporting guidelines. Furthermore, they reported on the reluctance of editors to investigate allegations of misconduct or increase the level of data sharing in health research. In the end, they concluded that if editors are to remain gatekeepers of scientific knowledge they should reaffirm their focus on the integrity of the scientific record and completeness of the data they publish. Additionally, more research should be undertaken to understand why many journals are not adhering to editorial standards, and what obstacles editors face when engaging in editorial research. PMID:24969914

  14. Moral foundations vignettes: a standardized stimulus database of scenarios based on moral foundations theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clifford, Scott; Iyengar, Vijeth; Cabeza, Roberto; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter

    2015-12-01

    Research on the emotional, cognitive, and social determinants of moral judgment has surged in recent years. The development of moral foundations theory (MFT) has played an important role, demonstrating the breadth of morality. Moral psychology has responded by investigating how different domains of moral judgment are shaped by a variety of psychological factors. Yet, the discipline lacks a validated set of moral violations that span the moral domain, creating a barrier to investigating influences on judgment and how their neural bases might vary across the moral domain. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing and validating a large set of moral foundations vignettes (MFVs). Each vignette depicts a behavior violating a particular moral foundation and not others. The vignettes are controlled on many dimensions including syntactic structure and complexity making them suitable for neuroimaging research. We demonstrate the validity of our vignettes by examining respondents' classifications of moral violations, conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and demonstrating the correspondence between the extracted factors and existing measures of the moral foundations. We expect that the MFVs will be beneficial for a wide variety of behavioral and neuroimaging investigations of moral cognition.

  15. Moral foundations vignettes: a standardized stimulus database of scenarios based on moral foundations theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyengar, Vijeth; Cabeza, Roberto; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter

    2016-01-01

    Research on the emotional, cognitive, and social determinants of moral judgment has surged in recent years. The development of moral foundations theory (MFT) has played an important role, demonstrating the breadth of morality. Moral psychology has responded by investigating how different domains of moral judgment are shaped by a variety of psychological factors. Yet, the discipline lacks a validated set of moral violations that span the moral domain, creating a barrier to investigating influences on judgment and how their neural bases might vary across the moral domain. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing and validating a large set of moral foundations vignettes (MFVs). Each vignette depicts a behavior violating a particular moral foundation and not others. The vignettes are controlled on many dimensions including syntactic structure and complexity making them suitable for neuroimaging research. We demonstrate the validity of our vignettes by examining respondents’ classifications of moral violations, conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and demonstrating the correspondence between the extracted factors and existing measures of the moral foundations. We expect that the MFVs will be beneficial for a wide variety of behavioral and neuroimaging investigations of moral cognition. PMID:25582811

  16. Students' Perceptions of Undertaking Workplace Tasks within a Foundation Degree--Health and Social Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurgate, Claire; MacGregor, Janet

    2009-01-01

    Foundation degrees (FDs) involve the fusion of academic and vocational paths in higher education (HE) qualifications; the challenge for academics and employers is the credible assessment of the student's workplace learning. Focusing to the workplace enables participants to learn from their daily routines encountered at work. The challenge is to…

  17. Foundations for the Future: The Fundraising Role of Foundation Boards at Public Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worth, Michael

    2012-01-01

    In the face of rising costs and a prolonged economic downturn, public colleges and universities are being challenged to increase their sources of private support and philanthropy. Drawing on the findings of a recent AGB survey of public college- and university-affiliated foundation board chairs and chief executive officers, Foundations for the…

  18. Wronski's Foundations of Mathematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Roi

    2016-09-01

    Argument This paper reconstructs Wronski's philosophical foundations of mathematics. It uses his critique of Lagrange's algebraic analysis as a vignette to introduce the problems that he raised, and argues that these problems have not been properly appreciated by his contemporaries and subsequent commentators. The paper goes on to reconstruct Wronski's mathematical law of creation and his notions of theory and techne, in order to put his objections to Lagrange in their philosophical context. Finally, Wronski's proof of his universal law (the expansion of a given function by any series of functions) is reviewed in terms of the above reconstruction. I argue that Wronski's philosophical approach poses an alternative to the views of his contemporary mainstream mathematicians, which brings up the contingency of their choices, and bridges the foundational concerns of early modernity with those of the twentieth-century foundations crisis. I also argue that Wronski's views may be useful to contemporary philosophy of mathematical practice, if they are read against their metaphysical grain.

  19. Evolution of power plant foundations in Nova Scotia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, C.T.; Larade, M.; Myette, R.; MacIvor, T. [Nova Scotia Power Inc., Halifax, NS (Canada)

    2009-07-01

    Many thermal steam plants in Nova Scotia, including the first 3 units Dartmouth's Tufts Cove Generating Station, were constructed on bedrock and near the sea for easy access to cooling water. Major equipment foundations such as turbine/condenser foundations, boiler feed pump foundations and fan foundations are concrete block foundations that are designed to withstand the heavy equipment and environmental loads imposed throughout the service-life of the plant. This paper discussed the rationale for choosing different types of foundations at the 5 power generating units at the Tufts Cove Generating Station. Due to the presence of boulders, pipe piles were installed in drilled holes in 1995 for the unit 2 precipitator foundation. In 2005, micro-piles were installed for unit 1 and 3 precipitators because they were relatively non-protrusive for the congested urban site that was full of buried structures and services. Similarly, for the unit 4 and 5 sound wall foundations, the high resistance capacities for both downward and uplift loads of the micro-piles embedded into the bedrock proved to be very valuable. These tall wall structures are subject to very high wind loads and were constructed at a geotechnically challenged site. Good geotechnical investigation and consultation was shown to be the basis for good design and construction of foundation works. It was concluded that the lessons learned at Tufts Cove can be applied to other similar foundation designs. 7 refs., 10 figs.

  20. Industrial Foundations as Long-Term Owners

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen; Poulsen, Thomas; Børsting, Christa Winther

    Short-termism has become a serious concern for corporate governance, and this has inspired a search for institutional arrangements to promote long-term decision-making. In this paper, we call attention to long-term ownership by industrial foundations, which is common in Northern Europe but little...... known in the rest of the world. We use a unique Danish data set to document that industrial foundations are long-term owners that practice long-term governance. We show that foundation ownership is highly stable compared to other ownership structures. Foundation-owned companies replace managers less...... frequently. They have conservative capital structures with low financial leverage. They score higher on an index of long-termism in finance, investment, and employment. They survive longer. Overall, our paper supports the hypothesis that corporate time horizons are influenced by ownership structures...

  1. Foundations of Risk Analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Aven, Terje

    2012-01-01

    Foundations of Risk Analysis presents the issues core to risk analysis - understanding what risk means, expressing risk, building risk models, addressing uncertainty, and applying probability models to real problems. The author provides the readers with the knowledge and basic thinking they require to successfully manage risk and uncertainty to support decision making. This updated edition reflects recent developments on risk and uncertainty concepts, representations and treatment. New material in Foundations of Risk Analysis includes:An up to date presentation of how to understand, define and

  2. Foundations of stochastic analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Rao, M M; Lukacs, E

    1981-01-01

    Foundations of Stochastic Analysis deals with the foundations of the theory of Kolmogorov and Bochner and its impact on the growth of stochastic analysis. Topics covered range from conditional expectations and probabilities to projective and direct limits, as well as martingales and likelihood ratios. Abstract martingales and their applications are also discussed. Comprised of five chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the basic Kolmogorov-Bochner theorem, followed by a discussion on conditional expectations and probabilities containing several characterizations of operators and mea

  3. Foundations of predictive analytics

    CERN Document Server

    Wu, James

    2012-01-01

    Drawing on the authors' two decades of experience in applied modeling and data mining, Foundations of Predictive Analytics presents the fundamental background required for analyzing data and building models for many practical applications, such as consumer behavior modeling, risk and marketing analytics, and other areas. It also discusses a variety of practical topics that are frequently missing from similar texts. The book begins with the statistical and linear algebra/matrix foundation of modeling methods, from distributions to cumulant and copula functions to Cornish--Fisher expansion and o

  4. The curator/patron: Foundations and contemporary art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Coates

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the role of private foundations in commissioning site-specific ephemeral art works: contemporary art projects of a temporary nature that are realised outside of public institutions. Though small in number, I argue that the private individuals creating and managing private foundations of this nature demonstrate a new form of patronage, creating in the process a new role of ‘curator/patron’. Equally, this process of realisation reflects the changing needs of contemporary art practice. Work of this scale and ambition would increasingly not be possible without the vision, perseverance and funding of these kinds of foundation. In Australia, this trend is demonstrated by two foundations: Kaldor Art Projects, and their commissioning of works by artists such as Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Gilbert & George and Jeff Koons; and the more recently formed Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, whose first project was with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. In this article, these examples are placed within the broader international context of foundation models such as Artangel, UK, Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan, and The Public Art Fund, New York.

  5. Health-care management of an unexpected case of Ebola virus disease at the Alcorcón Foundation University Teaching Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Caravaca, Gil; Timermans, Rafael; Parra-Ramírez, Juan Manuel; Domínguez-Hernández, Francisco Javier; Algora-Weber, Alejandro; Delgado-Iribarren, Alberto; Hermida-Gutiérrez, Guillermo

    2015-04-01

    The first Ebola virus infected patient outside Africa was diagnosed and treated at Alcorcón Foundation University Teaching Hospital (AFUTH). We describe the integrated management strategy (medical, occupational health, preventive and public health) applied to the case. Descriptive study of health-care management of an unexpected case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) at AFUTH treated on 6 October 2014. We describe the clinical evolution of the patient while he was attended at the Emergency Department, the drawing-up process of the action protocol, the process of training of hospital staff, the administrative management for transferring the patient to the referral centre, and the measures implemented for cleaning, disinfection and management of waste. Qualitative variables are expressed as percentages. Our centre designed and updated, from May to October, five versions of the acting and care protocol for patients with EVD. The protocol was in force at the AFUTH when a nursing assistant was attended on 6 October 2014. All preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic measures outlined in the protocol were applied and 206 professionals had received training and information about care procedures with a suspect case. Health-care management of an unexpected case of EVD was adequate and there was no secondary cases in our staff as a result. All resources available should be used to fight EVD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  6. Characterization of bridge foundations workshop report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-01

    "In 2013, the Federal Highway Administration proposed a new research program for the characterization of bridge foundations. To narrow the focus and develop a research roadmap for the program, a workshop on Characterization of Bridge Foundations...

  7. Oral Cancer Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Get involved Understanding Dental Research People Resources About Understanding Events Get involved Dental Research Resources Contact Sitemap The Oral Cancer Foundation admin 2017-11-12T16:49:25+ ...

  8. Feasibility of automated foundational ontology interchangeability

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Khan, ZC

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available the Source Domain Ontology (sOd), with the domain knowledge com- ponent of the source ontology, the Source Foundational Ontology (sOf ) that is the foundational ontology component of the source ontology that is to be interchanged, and any equivalence... or subsumption mappings between enti- ties in sOd and sOf . – The Target Ontology (tO) which has been interchanged, which comprises the Target Domain Ontology (tOd), with the domain knowledge component of the target ontology, and the Target Foundational Ontology...

  9. Addressing issues in foundational ontology mediation

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Khan, ZC

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available An approach in achieving semantic interoperability among heterogeneous systems is to offer infrastructure to assist with linking and integration using a foundational ontology. Due to the creation of multiple foundational ontologies, this also means...

  10. National Psoriasis Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 723-9166 | Submit a Question | Learn More National Psoriasis Foundation provides you with the help you need to best manage your psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, while promoting research to find ...

  11. Prototype bucket foundation for wind turbines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo; Liingaard, Morten

    The first full scale prototype bucket foundation for wind turbines has been installed in October 2002 at Aalborg University offshore test facility in Frederikshavn, Denmark. The suction caisson and the wind turbine have been equipped with an online monitoring system, consisting of 15 accelerometers...... and a real-time data-acquisition system. The report concerns the in service performance of the wind turbine, with focus on estimation of the natural frequencies of the structure/foundation. The natural frequencies are initially estimated by means of experimental Output-only Modal analysis. The experimental...... estimates are then compared with numerical simulations of the suction caisson foundation and the wind turbine. The numerical model consists of a finite element section for the wind turbine tower and nacelle. The soil-structure interaction of the soil-foundation section is modelled by lumped-parameter models...

  12. Optimization Foundations and Applications

    CERN Document Server

    Miller, H Ronald

    2011-01-01

    A thorough and highly accessible resource for analysts in a broad range of social sciences. Optimization: Foundations and Applications presents a series of approaches to the challenges faced by analysts who must find the best way to accomplish particular objectives, usually with the added complication of constraints on the available choices. Award-winning educator Ronald E. Miller provides detailed coverage of both classical, calculus-based approaches and newer, computer-based iterative methods. Dr. Miller lays a solid foundation for both linear and nonlinear models and quickly moves on to dis

  13. Industrial Foundations in the Tax System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren Bo

    This paper attempts to place industrial foundations (IFs in the following; similar to trusts) in the tax system. An industrial foundation is a private foundation that holds a voting majority in a joint stock corporation. These IFs are probably more prevalent in Denmark than in any other country......? The paper explores the implications of treating IFs as high‐income earners (wealthy individuals) and draws the conclusion that in the current system, IFs are very leniently taxed relative to that benchmark. Lenient tax treatment relative to the norm is regularly interpreted as tax expenditures; the usual...

  14. "A Second Chance at Learning but It's Not Quite Higher Education": Experience of a Foundation Degree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenge, Lee-Ann

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on the findings of a recent small scale study into the experiences of mature students of a foundation degree (FD) in health and social care. This was an exploratory study that evaluated one particular FD health and social care programme in order to gain an insight into some of the issues involved in delivering higher education…

  15. Management of Older Inpatients Who Refuse Nonpsychiatric Medication Within Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust: Audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umotong, Eno

    2016-12-01

    The effects of poor medication compliance are well documented and include increased morbidity, early mortality, and financial costs to the society. According to national guidelines, when a competent patient refuses medication, the doctor on duty has a responsibility to ensure the patient understands their proposed course of action. The aims of this audit were to evaluate whether this consultation was taking place within older in-patient units across Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust when patients refuse nonpsychiatric medicines. Poor compliance was defined as more than five refusals of a nonpsychiatric medication over a 4-week period. A discussion with the duty doctor occurred in 75% of cases (27/36), which resulted in a change in prescription or compliance in 59% (16/27 patients). After patient refusal of medication, a consultation with the duty doctor is likely to improve compliance and uncover salient issues particularly in regards to capacity and drug suitability.

  16. Leadership Influence: A Core Foundation for Advocacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shillam, Casey R; MacLean, Lola

    As the largest segment of the health care workforce, nurses have the greatest potential for advancing systems and services to improve health care delivery in the United States. This article presents a framework for nurse administrators to use in developing direct care nurses in their leadership influence competency as a means of increasing their advocacy potential. A systematic review resulted in establishing a nurse leadership influence framework based on the Kouzes and Posner leadership model. The framework includes leadership competencies by nursing professional organizations and was validated by 2 national nurse leader focus groups. Nurse administrators have the opportunity to adopt an evidence-based leadership influence framework to ensure development of advocacy competency in direct care nurses. The impact of nurse administrators systematically adopting a standardized leadership influence framework will result in setting a strong foundation for nurse advocacy. Successful long-term impacts will result in nurses skillfully integrating leadership influence and advocacy into all aspects of daily practice.

  17. Concept Study of Foundation Systems for Wave Energy Converters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Molina, Salvador Devant; Vaitkunaite, Evelina; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    Analysis of possible foundation solution for Wave Energy Converters (WEC) is presented by investigating and optimizing novel foundation systems recently developed for offshore wind turbines. Gravity based, pile and bucket foundations are innovative foundation systems that are analyzed. Concept...

  18. Medical malpractice reform and employer-sponsored health insurance premiums.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrisey, Michael A; Kilgore, Meredith L; Nelson, Leonard Jack

    2008-12-01

    Tort reform may affect health insurance premiums both by reducing medical malpractice premiums and by reducing the extent of defensive medicine. The objective of this study is to estimate the effects of noneconomic damage caps on the premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance. Employer premium data and plan/establishment characteristics were obtained from the 1999 through 2004 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Insurance Surveys. Damage caps were obtained and dated based on state annotated codes, statutes, and judicial decisions. Fixed effects regression models were run to estimate the effects of the size of inflation-adjusted damage caps on the weighted average single premiums. State tort reform laws were identified using Westlaw, LEXIS, and statutory compilations. Legislative repeal and amendment of statutes and court decisions resulting in the overturning or repealing state statutes were also identified using LEXIS. Using a variety of empirical specifications, there was no statistically significant evidence that noneconomic damage caps exerted any meaningful influence on the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance. The findings suggest that tort reforms have not translated into insurance savings.

  19. Experimental Research of Engine Foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Violeta-Elena Chiţan

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper tries a compact presentation of experimental research of engine-foundations. The dynamic phenomena are so complex, that the vibrations cannot be estimated in the design stage. The design engineer of an engine foundation must foresee through a dynamic analysis of the vibrations, those measures that lead to the avoidance or limiting of the bad effects caused by the vibrations.

  20. Radon reduction in wood foundation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, R.J.

    1990-01-01

    Radon, an issue of growing concern to the building industry. Silently, invisibly, it invades existing structures as it will future foundation structures. This paper addresses the nature and causes of radon, and cost-effective prevention and retrofit techniques used for wood foundation systems. Radon also can enter homes with foundations that use the under-floor as an air distribution system. These building practices will be shown; even materials used in construction may release radon, for example, this may be a problem in a house that has a solar heating system in which its heat is stored in large beds of stone. Stone is most often used in wood foundation construction. The common radon entry points will be looked at, and the latest prevention techniques will be illustrated, such as natural and forced ventilation, sealing major radon sources and entry routes, and sub-slab and sump crock ventilations

  1. Development and Validation of the Foundational Healthcare Leadership Self-assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Hala, Sonja; Cochella, Susan; Jaggi, Rachel; Frost, Caren J; Kiraly, Bernadette; Pohl, Susan; Gren, Lisa

    2018-04-01

    We sought to develop and validate a self-assessment of foundational leadership skills for early-career physicians. We developed a leadership self-assessment from a compilation of materials on health care leadership skills. A sequential exploratory study was conducted using qualitative and quantitative analysis for face, content, and construct validity of the self-assessment. First, two focus groups were conducted with leaders in medicine and family medicine residents, to refine the pilot self-assessment. The self-assessment pilot was then tested with family medicine residents across the country, and the results were quantitatively evaluated with principal component analysis. This data was used to reduce and group the statements into leadership domains for the final self-assessment. Twenty-two invited family medicine residency programs agreed to distribute the survey. A total of 163 family medicine residents completed the survey, representing 16 to 20 residency programs from 12 states (response rate 28.9% to 34.8%). Analysis showed important differences by residency year, with more advanced residents scoring higher. The analysis reduced the number of items from 33 on the pilot assessment to 21 on the final assessment, which the authors titled the Foundational Healthcare Leadership Self-assessment (FHLS). The 21 items were grouped into five leadership domains: accountability, collaboration, communication, team management, and self-management. The FHLS is a validated 21-item self-assessment of foundational leadership skills for early career physicians. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and quantifies skill within five domains of foundational leadership. The FHLS is a first step in developing educational and evaluative assessments for training medical residents as clinician leaders.

  2. Characteristic Behavior of Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barari, Amin

    political and industrial forces(particularly in northern Europe) supporting the development of the offshore wind industry. The overall aim of the research presented in this thesis was to improve the design of offshore wind turbine foundations. The work was divided into two main researchefforts: geotechnical...... reduce the risks and costsrelated to offshore geotechnics. The thesis examines: 1.Characteristic Behavior of Bucket Foundations 2. Modeling of Water Flow through Porous Media The outcomes of each of the research contributions are summarized in four research articles, either directly or indirectly...... engineering experiments to gain insight into the behavior of offshore bucket foundations, and development of methods to improve the study of infiltration intounsaturated soils, an important problem in geo-environmental engineering. The outcomes of the research have the potential to directly or indirectly...

  3. The Health Assessment Longitudinal File imperative: foundation for improving the health of the force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemper, Judith A; Donahue, Donald A; Harris, Judith S

    2003-08-01

    A smaller active duty force and an increased operational tempo have made the Reserve components (RC) essential elements in the accomplishment of the mission of the U.S. Army. One critical factor in meeting mission is maintaining the optimal health of each soldier. Baseline health data about the RC is currently not being collected, even though increasing numbers of reserve soldiers are being activated. The Annual Health Certification and Survey is being developed as a way to meet the RCs' statutory requirement for annual certification of health while at the same time generating and tracking baseline data on each reservist in a longitudinal health file, the Health Assessment Longitudinal File. This article discusses the Annual Health Certification Questionnaire/Health Assessment Longitudinal File, which will greatly enhance the Army's ability to accurately certify the health status of the RC and track health in relation to training, mission activities, and deployment.

  4. Hepatitis B Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... worldwide 2 Billion People have been infected with Hepatitis B Worldwide The Hepatitis B Foundation is working ... of people living with hepatitis B. Learn About Hepatitis B in 11 Other Languages . Resource Video See ...

  5. International OCD Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and productive lives. Join Donate Volunteer Events International OCD Foundation Research. Resources. Respect. About OCD About IOCDF ... Donate Here Why Should You Attend the Annual OCD Conference? Watch the Video Find Help Search the ...

  6. Moebius Syndrome Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... craniofacial/neurological disorder. Individuals with Moebius syndrome cannot smile or frown, and do not have lateral eye ... the organization to ensure that they are in line with the mission of the Moebius Syndrome Foundation. ...

  7. Pile foundation response in liquefiable soil deposit during strong earthquakes. ; Centrifugal test for pile foundation model and correlation analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyamoto, Y.; Miura, K. (Kajima Corp., Tokyo (Japan)); Scott, R.; Hushmand, B. (California Inst. of Technology, California, CA (United States))

    1992-09-30

    For the purpose of studying the pile foundation response in liquefiable soil deposit during earthquakes, a centrifugal loading system is employed which can reproduce the stress conditions of the soil in the actual ground, and earthquake wave vibration tests are performed in dry and saturated sand layers using a pile foundation model equipped with 4 piles. In addition, the result of the tests is analyzed by simulation using an analytic method for which effective stress is taken into consideration to investigate the effectiveness of this analytical model. It is clarified from the result of the experiments that the bending moment of the pile and the response characteristics of the foundation in the pile foundation response in saturated sand are greatly affected by the longer period of acceleration wave form of the ground and the increase in the ground displacement due to excess pore water pressure buildup. It is shown that the analytical model of the pile foundation/ground system is appropriate, and that this analytical method is effective in evaluating the seismic response of the pile foundation in nonlinear liquefiable soil. 23 refs., 21 figs., 3 tabs.

  8. The Lorenzini Foundation in a changing scenario of patient management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peracino, A; Paoletti, R

    2009-06-10

    The loss of life, disability, and economic burden attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe has created an urgent need for all stakeholders in CVD prevention to partner together to address the barriers in local health policy and produce effective programs in individual and population risk reduction and rational use of health services. Countries have a legal and moral obligation to achieve the highest standard of CV health care for citizens and to improve national health care systems accordingly. As part of a vision for future potential opportunities in CVD prevention, the Lorenzini Foundation would like to raise awareness of several key areas among the European authorities: Integration of interventions aimed at several risk factors within an individual country's health care system; implementation of a comprehensive approach combining policy development, capacity building, partnership and information support at all levels; promotion of transversal health policies, including coordinated action outside of the health sector to address major determinants of ill health; a combination of health policy and high-risk strategies to link health promotion, public health services, primary care, and hospital care; and, finally, reduction in ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender inequalities to multiple risk factor management among and within countries through use of cost-effective medications and medical technologies.

  9. Success stories showing the diversity of kidney foundations: Turkish Kidney Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erk, Timur

    Founded in 1985, the Turkish Kidney Foundation serves the society with 3 dialysis centers and a 113-bed general hospital. Interacting with public authorities and advocating end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients' rights are essential services of this non-governmental organization (NGO). Over the last 30 years, keeping with the trend of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the country, the foundation raised awareness in the population for this condition and prepared an activity road map by using statistical facts and data. Goals were set keeping in mind the local culture and traditions, debating on them with colleagues, PR agencies, and other experts in this field. The best strategy embrace the society, and all activities are made as cost-effective as possible in keeping with a tight budget. Various communication channels, especially social media, are used to communicate the message to the public, always keeping in mind that such messages are to be succinct and precise. Every effort is taken to make our foundation reliable and trustworthy in the eyes of the public at large. Reliability, credibility, and trust are the key success corner stones of our NGO. Every opportunity is taken to capitalize on participation of celebrities and real stories of people. Testimonies of real ESRD patients are always interesting and can touch the hearts of the rest of the population.

  10. Journal of Educational Foundations: Editorial Policies

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Focus and Scope. The Journal of Educational Foundations (JEF) publishes papers from all fields in education. The Editorial Board accepts original, scholarly ... The purpose of the Department of Educational Foundations, University of Jos, is to produce high-quality educators with the necessary academic, analytic, and ...

  11. Stochastic response of rigid foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pais, A.L.; Kausel, E.

    1986-01-01

    While the study of Kinematic Interaction effects calls, in general, for advanced analytical and numerical techniques, an excellent approximation was proposed recently by Iguchi. This approximation was used by the authors to analyze embedded foundations subjected to spatially random SH-wave fields, i.e., motions that exhibit some degree of incoherence. The wave fields considered ranged from perfectly coherent motions (resulting from seismic waves arriving from a single direction) to chaotic motions resulting from waves arriving simultaneously from all directions. Additional parameters considered were the shape of the foundation (cylindrical, rectangular) and the degree of embedment. It was found that kinematic interaction usually reduces the severity of the motions transmitted to the structure, and that incoherent motions do not exhibit the frequency selectivity (i.e., narrow valleys in the foundation response spectra) that coherent motions do

  12. Encouraging formative assessments of leadership for foundation doctors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadley, Lindsay; Black, David; Welch, Jan; Reynolds, Peter; Penlington, Clare

    2015-08-01

    Clinical leadership is considered essential for maintaining and improving patient care and safety in the UK, and is incorporated in the curriculum for all trainee doctors. Despite the growing focus on the importance of leadership, and the introduction of the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) in the UK, leadership education for doctors in training is still in its infancy. Assessment is focused on clinical skills, and trainee doctors receive very little formal feedback on their leadership competencies. In this article we describe the approach taken by Health Education Kent, Sussex and Surrey (HEKSS) to raise the profile of leadership amongst doctors in training in the South Thames Foundation School (STFS). An annual structured formative assessment in leadership for each trainee has been introduced, supported by leadership education for both trainees and their supervisors in HEKSS trusts. We analysed over 500 of these assessments from the academic year 2012/13 for foundation doctors in HEKSS trusts, in order to assess the quality of the feedback. From the analysis, potential indicators of more effective formative assessments were identified. These may be helpful in improving the leadership education programme for future years. There is a wealth of evidence to highlight the importance and value of formative assessments; however, particularly for foundation doctors, these have typically been focused on assessing clinical capabilities. This HEKSS initiative encourages doctors to recognise leadership opportunities at the beginning of their careers, seeks to help them understand the importance of acquiring leadership skills and provides structured feedback to help them improve. Leadership education for doctors in training is still in its infancy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Women's Heart Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... News Email: Click for e-News archive The Women's Heart Foundation is a 501c3 dedicated to prevention, ... Care Initiative® to achieve excellence of care of women. Executive nurses, civic leaders, women survivors and sponsors ...

  14. "We Are Family": Maori Success in Foundation Programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMurchy-Pilkington, Colleen

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers the question: What constitutes an optimal learning environment for Maori learners in foundation programmes? Using Kaupapa Maori methodology, nearly 100 adult Maori (Indigenous) students in Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed from a range of tertiary providers of foundation programmes. State-funded foundation programmes that…

  15. Foundations of genetic algorithms 1991

    CERN Document Server

    1991-01-01

    Foundations of Genetic Algorithms 1991 (FOGA 1) discusses the theoretical foundations of genetic algorithms (GA) and classifier systems.This book compiles research papers on selection and convergence, coding and representation, problem hardness, deception, classifier system design, variation and recombination, parallelization, and population divergence. Other topics include the non-uniform Walsh-schema transform; spurious correlations and premature convergence in genetic algorithms; and variable default hierarchy separation in a classifier system. The grammar-based genetic algorithm; condition

  16. Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... submissions. MORE We Imagine a World Without Pulmonary Fibrosis The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation mobilizes people and resources to provide ... its battle against the deadly lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis (PF). PULMONARY FIBROSIS WALK SURPASSES PARTICIPATION AND FUNDRAISING GOALS Nearly ...

  17. On Foundation Improvement By Sand Replacement | Abam | Global ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper describes a simple foundation improvement method involving the replacement of poor foundation bearing soils with sand and the resultant improvement in bearing capacity and the minimization of settlement at the site of a large storage tank. Minimum thickness of sand replacement for various foundation loads ...

  18. Foundations of Life-Long Sexual Health Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graf, Allyson Stella; Patrick, Julie Hicks

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Sexual education in adolescence may represent the only formal sexual information individuals ever receive. It is unclear whether this early educational experience is sufficient to promote lifelong sexual health literacy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the timing and source of sexual knowledge on current safe sex…

  19. Eugenia e Fundação Rockefeller no Brasil: a saúde como proposta de regeneração nacional Eugenics and the Rockefeller Foundation in Brazil: health as an instrument of national regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabete Kobayashi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Nas primeiras décadas do século XX, a Fundação Rockefeller atuou de modo decisivo na implementação de ações voltadas para a saúde pública no Brasil, especialmente naquilo denominado de movimento sanitarista. Nesse mesmo período, a eugenia brasileira era equivalente ao sanitarismo, onde defendia-se a máxima de que "sanear era eugenizar". Vários trabalhos discutem o movimento sanitário, a questão da saúde pública no Brasil, a Fundação Rockefeller, a eugenia e seus ativistas. Entretanto, é escassa a discussão a respeito da Rockefeller e o movimento eugenista brasileiro. É necessário alertar que embora nos deparemos com questões ligadas à raça, teorias sobre genética ou evolução, este trabalho não tem como objetivo analisar tais assuntos com profundidade. O que buscamos construir foi o cenário no qual a eugenia de maneira geral, e a brasileira, especificamente, se desenrolou trazendo à tona as posturas de alguns eugenistas brasileiros.In the first decades of the twentieth century, the work of the Rockefeller Foundation was decisive for the implementation of public health initiatives in Brazil, especially in the so-called public health movement. At that time, Brazilian eugenics was the same as public health, as expressed in the maxim "to sanitize is to eugenize". There are several studies discussing the public health movement, the issue of public health in Brazil, the Rockefeller Foundation, eugenics and its supporters. However, there is little discussion on the relationship between the Rockefeller Foundation and the Brazilian eugenics movement. It is worth to mention that although there are issues related to race, and theories on genetics and evolution, this work does not intend to examine these issues in depth. The aim was to recreate the scenario in which eugenics in general, and particularly in the Brazilian case, was developed, exposing the positions of some of the Brazilian eugenicists.

  20. Early Learning Foundations. Indiana's Early Learning Development Framework Aligned to the Indiana Academic Standards, 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Indiana Department of Education, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The "Foundations" (English/language arts, mathematics, social emotional skills, approaches to play and learning, science, social studies, creative arts, and physical health and growth) are Indiana's early learning development framework and are aligned to the 2014 Indiana Academic Standards. This framework provides core elements that…

  1. The Application of Foundation Pit Monitoring Technology to the Excavation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiu Jin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The foundation pit monitoring plays an important role in the foundation pit supporting projects especially in those deep foundation pit projects. Through the whole monitoring of the foundation pit construction from the excavation to the backfill, we can learn about the forcing and deforming process of the foundation pit supporting system, and grasp the impact of external condition changes on the foundation pit. This paper takes a project in Jinan as an example to establish a specific monitoring program, and then conducts the analysis and evaluation of the monitoring data; the real-time grasp of the foundation pit deformation and internal force changes can help to further ensure the security status of the foundation pit, thus better guiding the construction.

  2. Teacher Candidate Mental Health and Mental Health Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dods, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Providing teacher candidates with a strong foundation in mental health literacy during their teacher education program is crucial in ensuring novice teachers are prepared to support the mental health needs of their students. In addition to responding to students, teacher candidates are typically at an age when mental health disorders are common…

  3. American Porphyria Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Nicole Castelano Gregary Edwards Megan Parrish ~ How the dog I didn't want became the dog I'd always dreamed of Darnisha Davenport Liz ... or through the site for commercial or public purposes. The American Porphyria Foundation (APF) Tax Forms 990 ...

  4. OSGeo - Open Source Geospatial Foundation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margherita Di Leo

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available L'esigenza nata verso la fine del 2005 di selezionare ed organizzare più di 200 progetti FOSS4G porta alla nascita nel Febbraio2006 di OSGeo (the Open Source Geospatial Foundation, organizzazione internazionale la cui mission è promuovere lo sviluppo collaborativo di software libero focalizzato sull'informazione geografica (FOSS4G.Open   Source   Geospatial   Foundation (OSGeoThe Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo  is  a  not-for-profit  organization, created  in  early  2006  to  the  aim  at  sup-porting   the   collaborative   development of  geospatial  open  source  software,  and promote its widespread use. The founda-tion provides financial, organizational and legal support to the broader open source geospatial community. It also serves as an independent  legal  entity  to  which  com-munity  members  can  contribute  code, funding  and  other  resources,  secure  in the knowledge that their contributions will be maintained for public benefit. OSGeo also  serves  as  an  outreach  and  advocacy organization for the open source geospa-tial  community,  and  provides  a  common forum  and  shared  infrastructure  for  im-proving  cross-project  collaboration.  The foundation's projects are all freely available and  useable  under  an  OSI-certified  open source license. The Italian OSGeo local chapter is named GFOSS.it     (Associazione     Italiana     per l'informazione Geografica Libera.

  5. Foundation calculation for buildings and structures with two elastic characteristics of the foundation using features of Fourier transformsfor finite functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kurbatskiy Evgeniy Nikolaevich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The problem of a beam resting on elastic foundation often occurs in the analysis of building, geotechnical, highway, and railroad structures. Its solution demands modeling of the mechanical behavior of the beam, the mechanical behavior of the soil as elastic subgrade and the form of interaction between the beam and the soil. The oldest, most famous and most frequently used mechanical model is the one devised by Winkler (1867, in which the beam-supporting soil is modeled as a series of closely spaced, mutually independent, linear elastic vertical springs, which, evidently, provide resistance in direct proportion to the deflection of the beam.The solution is presented for the problem of an Euler–Bernoulli beam supported by an infinite two-parameter Pasternak foundation. The beam is subjected to arbitrarily distributed or concentrated vertical loading along its length. Static response of a beam on an elastic foundation characterized by two parameters is investigated assuming, that the beam is subjected to external loads and two concentrated edge load. The governing equations of the problem are obtained and solved by pointing out that there is a concentrated edge foundation reaction in addition to a continuous foundation reaction along the beam axis in the case of complete contact in the foundation reactions of the two-parameter foundation model. The proposed method is based on the properties of Fourier transforms of the finite functions. Particular attention is paid to the problem, taking into account the deformation of soil areas outside the beam. The beam model with two foundation coefficients more realistically describes the behavior of strip footings under loading.

  6. Promoting heart health: an HBCU collaboration with the Living Heart Foundation and the National Football League Retired Players Association.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentine, Peggy; Duren-Winfield, Vanessa; Onsomu, Elijah O; Hoover, Eddie L; Cammock, Cheryl E; Roberts, Arthur

    2012-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States and African Americans are disproportionately affected. Cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, family history of heart disease, and physical inactivity are often higher in African American young adults. The aim of the current study was to assess cardiovascular disease risk factors at a historically black college and university (HBCU) in North Carolina. A collaborative partnership was established that included Living Heart Foundation, the NFL Retired Players Association and a HBCU. Ninety-one students (77 females and 14 males) aged 18 to 55 years (mean, 24 y, SD = 9 y) were recruited via dissemination of flyers, brochures, mass e-mailing, and announcements. Demographic and medical history data were collected. Stata version 10.1 was used for all analyses. Fifty-three percent of the participants reported having experienced a chronic health condition, 32% were overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25-29.9 kg/m2) and 31% obese (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2). Five percent of females and 23% of males had high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 40 mg/dL or less, indicative of a risk for developing heart disease. There is an urgent need to intervene among African American college students and address behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Such interventions may have a major impact on their overall and future health outcomes. Strategies to be employed need to focus on the integration of culturally appropriate healthy lifestyle programs into the curriculum and university health centers. Consultations with stakeholders for ideas and resources should be encouraged.

  7. Cohort profile: Study of Transition, Outcomes and Gender (STRONG) to assess health status of transgender people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Virginia P; Nash, Rebecca; Hunkeler, Enid; Contreras, Richard; Cromwell, Lee; Becerra-Culqui, Tracy A; Getahun, Darios; Giammattei, Shawn; Lash, Timothy L; Millman, Andrea; Robinson, Brandi; Roblin, Douglas; Silverberg, Michael J; Slovis, Jennifer; Tangpricha, Vin; Tolsma, Dennis; Valentine, Cadence; Ward, Kevin; Winter, Savannah; Goodman, Michael

    2017-12-27

    The Study of Transition, Outcomes and Gender (STRONG) was initiated to assess the health status of transgender people in general and following gender-affirming treatments at Kaiser Permanente health plans in Georgia, Northern California and Southern California. The objectives of this communication are to describe methods of cohort ascertainment and data collection and to characterise the study population. A stepwise methodology involving computerised searches of electronic medical records and free-text validation of eligibility and gender identity was used to identify a cohort of 6456 members with first evidence of transgender status (index date) between 2006 and 2014. The cohort included 3475 (54%) transfeminine (TF), 2892 (45%) transmasculine (TM) and 89 (1%) members whose natal sex and gender identity remained undetermined from the records. The cohort was matched to 127 608 enrollees with no transgender evidence (63 825 women and 63 783 men) on year of birth, race/ethnicity, study site and membership year of the index date. Cohort follow-up extends through the end of 2016. About 58% of TF and 52% of TM cohort members received hormonal therapy at Kaiser Permanente. Chest surgery was more common among TM participants (12% vs 0.3%). The proportions of transgender participants who underwent genital reconstruction surgeries were similar (4%-5%) in the two transgender groups. Results indicate that there are sufficient numbers of events in the TF and TM cohorts to further examine mental health status, cardiovascular events, diabetes, HIV and most common cancers. STRONG is well positioned to fill existing knowledge gaps through comparisons of transgender and reference populations and through analyses of health status before and after gender affirmation treatment. Analyses will include incidence of cardiovascular disease, mental health, HIV and diabetes, as well as changes in laboratory-based endpoints (eg, polycythemia and bone density), overall and in relation to

  8. Child health: fertile ground for philanthropic investment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Anne L; LeRoy, Lauren

    2004-01-01

    Children and youth are the focus for many foundations and corporate-giving programs working in the health field. Total foundation giving targeted to children and youth more than doubled during the late 1990s; in 2000, health accounted for 25 percent of philanthropic dollars invested in this population. This funding covers a broad range of child health issues but clusters in four key areas-promoting healthy behavior, improving access to care and expanding insurance coverage, strengthening mental health services, and addressing the broader determinants of health.

  9. THE NEW STRUCTURE OF A PLATE-PILE FOUNDATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SAMORODOV О. V.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Raising of problem. In the construction of high-rise buildings with significant loads on foundations and bedding at the base of not rocky soils tend to use the most common pile foundation to reduce the deformation and correspond to regulations [1] on the maximum permissible deformation. Monitoring of the stress-strain state (SSS pile foundations constructed buildings shows the existing reserves of bearing capacity on the one hand - soil bases of the second group of limit states, on the other - the foundation of the first group of limit states by regulating the SSS foundation during construction and exploitation. Therefore, are increasingly using more progressive structure of foundations consisting of piles and of plate, as well as methods for their construction [2 - 10], however, in their design there are a number of disadvantages associated with the ambiguity of the application of methods for the calculation of such structures, which allows to do only partial conclusions and recommendations. Purpose. Is proposing the new structure of a plate-pile foundation, which overcomes the drawbacks of the existing design solutions and methods of consruction their, as well as is proposing an engineering method of a determination of basic parameters. Conclusion. Is proposes the new structure of a plate-pile foundation and the method of a determination of basic parameters his in the design of a soil base to the maximum permissible deformation Su buildings. Efficiency of application this type plate-pile foundation obtained by rational distribution resistance between a plate and piles, when under load from the building to the first work fully incorporated plate that allows maximum deformed for plate, and then the piles - due to of the hinge connection with the plate. Thus, depending on the maximum permissible deformation for buildings resistance of plate part of a full load of more than 50%, that significantly reduces the consumption of concrete.

  10. Industrial Foundations as Long‐term Owners

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen; Poulsen, Thomas; Børsting, Christa Winther

    2018-01-01

    Research Question/Issue: Does foundation ownership lead to long‐term corporate governance and business behavior in foundation‐owned companies? Research Findings/Insights: Short‐termism has become a serious concern for corporate governance, and this has inspired a search for institutional...... that practice long‐term governance.We show that foundation ownership is highly stable compared to other ownership structures. Foundation‐owned companies replace managers less frequently. They have conservative capital structures with low financial leverage. They score higheron an index of long......‐termism in finance, investment, and employment. They survivelonger. Overall, our paper supports the hypothesis that corporate time horizons are influenced by ownership structures, and particularly that industrial foundations possess characteristics that promote long‐termism. Policymakers, business owners...

  11. BrightFocus Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... About BrightFocus Foundation Featured Content BrightFocus: Investing in Science to Save Mind and Sight We're here to help. Explore ... recognition is very important. Monday, November 6, 2017 New Diagnosis? Managing a mind and sight disease is a journey. And you’ ...

  12. 30 CFR 56.4401 - Storage tank foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... tanks settling. ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Storage tank foundations. 56.4401 Section 56... Control Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases § 56.4401 Storage tank foundations. Fixed, unburied...

  13. Wave Forces on Offshore Windturbine Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Brian Juul; Frigaard, Peter

    The present report on the wave forces is the first report on the Borkum Riff project. A testprogramme has been performed to dertermine the wave forces on windturbine foundations.......The present report on the wave forces is the first report on the Borkum Riff project. A testprogramme has been performed to dertermine the wave forces on windturbine foundations....

  14. Heroin: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Drug-Free America) Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Children What You Need to Know About Drugs: Heroin (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Teenagers Heroin (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Heroin (National ...

  15. General procedure for the determination of foundation stiffness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halbritter, A.L.; Prates, C.L.M.

    1984-01-01

    A general procedure for the determination of the spring constants and damping coeficientes which represent the foundation-structure interaction is presented. According to this procedure it is possible to determine the variation of the stiffness and damping with the frequency for flexible foundation slabs by employing the equivalent rigid slab concept. It is also possible to determine the distribution of the springs along the foundation. The results obtained for the reactor building of a NPP of 1300 MW PWR of KWU type taking into account the flexibility of the foundation slab is presented as an application example of this procedure. (Author) [pt

  16. Sloan foundation nuclear education program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kursunoglu, B.N.

    1992-01-01

    The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation realized the time had come for a real and significant contribution to the enlightenment of university students concerning nuclear matters. The Sloan Foundation chose to educate the youth of four-year colleges and universities with a curriculum established with the resource information sieved from three workshops for professors in these institutions. The three workshops were organized by groups at Harvard-MIT (two-week Summer Program on Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control), the University of California, San Diego (two-week Summer Seminar on Global Security and Arms Control), and the University of Miami (one-week Winter Workshop on Enlightenment: The Best Security in a Nuclear-Armed World). In this report the author focuses on a unified presentation of the basic facts, aims, and results of the Sloan Foundation Nuclear Education Program based on three workshops directed by Jack Ruina (MIT), Herbert York (USCD), and Behram Kursunoglu (UM) and offered from 1983-1990

  17. Physiologie foundations of radiation hygiene of work

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parkhomenko, G.M.; Kopaev, V.V.

    1977-01-01

    The book deals with the physiological foundations of labour hygiene in handling sources of ionizing radiations. The main principles of radiation protection of personnel, questions of providing optimum hygienic working conditions, which ensure the maintenance of the working capacity of the personnel and their health are considered. Extensive factual material on estimation of the factors of professional effects on personnel is generalized. Particular attention is given to the functional reactions of the organism and extension of the physiological mechanisms of development of production fatigue in various forms of labour activity (when using sources of ionizing radiations in isotope laboratories and on nuclear reactors). A physiological substantiation of the hygienic requirements imposed on the equipment for handling radioactive materials is presented

  18. George Mikenberg honoured by the Sharing Knowledge Foundation

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2016-01-01

    The Sharing Knowledge Foundation Prize was presented to the ATLAS physicist at a ceremony on 18 March.   ATLAS physicist George Mikenberg receives the Sharing Knowledge Foundation Prize. From left to right: Peter Jenni, former ATLAS Spokesperson, Rolf Heuer, former CERN Director-General, Frédérick Bordry, CERN Director for Accelerators and Technology, George Mikenberg, Patrick Fassnacht, CERN International Relations sector, Eliane Jacot-Des-Combes Mikenberg, Herwig Schopper, former CERN Director-General, Constantin Lanaras, treasurer of the Sharing Knowledge Foundation, Robert Klapisch, President of the Sharing Knowledge Foundation, Federico Saldana, logistical support, Catherine Cesarsky, Vice-President of the CERN Council, Eliezer Rabinovici, Vice-President of the CERN Council and of SESAME. (Image: Sophia Bennett/CERN) The Sharing Knowledge Foundation awarded its 2016 prize to George Mikenberg, a member of the LHC's ATLAS experiment who has been...

  19. A Comparative Analysis of Corporate and Independent Foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin Koushyar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Notwithstanding some visible debates, systematic evidence about the implications of greater corporate involvement in the social sector is sparse. We provide some of this evidence by examining one channel of corporate influence within the nonprofit sector–company sponsorship of philanthropic foundations. Our analysis shows that corporate foundations raise more funds and distribute grants with lower overhead than similar independent (i.e., non-corporate foundations. However, their grantmaking is also more dispersed and less relational, and they tend to be governed by more ephemeral groups of officers and trustees. These findings suggest that corporate foundations benefit from having access to the resources of the companies that sponsor them but are constrained by their additional market-based motivations. The findings also update and refine what nonprofits might expect from corporate foundations relative to their more traditional independent counterparts.

  20. Foundation on Economic Trends v. Bowen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-10-04

    The National Enviromental Policy Act requires that government agencies make a detailed enviromental impact statement (EIS) for all research significantly affecting the environment. These statements must be supplemented if the project substantially changes or if new information is obtained. The Foundation on Economic Trends argued that three developments in recombinant DNA research will significantly alter the enviromental impact, thereby mandating a new EIS by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These developments are cloning oncogenic viruses, engineering the human immunodeficiency virus into cells not normally susceptible to it, and introducing AIDS genetic codes into mice. The U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, held that the first two projects do not pose a greater risk and that the enviromental assessment being prepared by NIH on the third satisfies the requirements of the National Enviromental Policy Act.

  1. Toward semantic interoperability with linked foundational ontologies in ROMULUS

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Khan, ZC

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available A purpose of a foundational ontology is to solve interoperability issues among ontologies. Many foundational ontologies have been developed, reintroducing the ontology interoperability problem. We address this with the new online foundational...

  2. Lymphoma Research Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Follow LRF Watch LRF Contact Us National Headquarters Wall Street Plaza 88 Pine Street, Suite 2400 | New York, NY 10005 212-349-2910 | 212-349-2886 Fax LRF@lymphoma.org LRF Helpline 800-500-9976 Helpline@lymphoma.org © 2012 Lymphoma Research Foundation | Privacy Policy

  3. 30 CFR 57.4401 - Storage tank foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... leaks caused by tanks settling. ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Storage tank foundations. 57.4401 Section 57... and Control Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases § 57.4401 Storage tank foundations. Fixed...

  4. ONSET: Automated foundational ontology selection and explanation

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Khan, Z

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available It has been shown that using a foundational ontology for domain ontology development is beneficial in theory and practice. However, developers have difficulty with choosing the appropriate foundational ontology, and why. In order to solve...

  5. Crack Monitoring of Operational Wind Turbine Foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Marcus; McAlorum, Jack; Fusiek, Grzegorz; Niewczas, Pawel; McKeeman, Iain; Rubert, Tim

    2017-08-21

    The degradation of onshore, reinforced-concrete wind turbine foundations is usually assessed via above-ground inspections, or through lengthy excavation campaigns that suspend wind power generation. Foundation cracks can and do occur below ground level, and while sustained measurements of crack behaviour could be used to quantify the risk of water ingress and reinforcement corrosion, these cracks have not yet been monitored during turbine operation. Here, we outline the design, fabrication and field installation of subterranean fibre-optic sensors for monitoring the opening and lateral displacements of foundation cracks during wind turbine operation. We detail methods for in situ sensor characterisation, verify sensor responses against theoretical tower strains derived from wind speed data, and then show that measured crack displacements correlate with monitored tower strains. Our results show that foundation crack opening displacements respond linearly to tower strain and do not change by more than ±5 μ m. Lateral crack displacements were found to be negligible. We anticipate that the work outlined here will provide a starting point for real-time, long-term and dynamic analyses of crack displacements in future. Our findings could furthermore inform the development of cost-effective monitoring systems for ageing wind turbine foundations.

  6. Response of two structures supported on common foundation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joshi, M.H.; Kulkarni, M.R.; Subramanian, K.V.; Palekar, S.M.; Warudkar, A.S.

    1995-01-01

    The present paper describes a parametric study of structure-structure interaction. The parameter's selected are stiffness and mass of the structures and stiffness of foundation medium. The paper concludes that in case of weak soils structures do interact through the common foundation and for rock-like foundation conditions there is no interaction between the structures. (author). 1 fig., 6 tabs

  7. Deformation behaviour of turbine foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koch, W.; Klitzing, R.; Pietzonka, R.; Wehr, J.

    1979-01-01

    The effects of foundation deformation on alignment in turbine generator sets have gained significance with the transition to modern units at the limit of design possibilities. It is therefore necessary to obtain clarification about the remaining operational variations of turbine foundations. Static measurement programmes, which cover both deformation processes as well as individual conditions of deformation are described in the paper. In order to explain the deformations measured structural engineering model calculations are being undertaken which indicate the effect of limiting factors. (orig.) [de

  8. Foundation Ownership, Reputation, and Labour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børsting, Christa Winther; Thomsen, Steen

    2017-01-01

    of profitability and growth, despite lacking governance mechanisms such as profit incentives or takeover threats. Given their non-profit ownership, they might be expected to behave more responsibly towards stakeholders, such as employees or customers (Hansmann, 1980), but so far there has been little empirical...... ratings. Secondary evidence on labour market behaviour is consistent with these findings. Using matched employer–employee data we show that foundation-owned companies are more stable employers, pay their employees better, and keep them for longer. Altogether, the evidence indicates that foundation...

  9. Kellogg Foundation Still Investing in People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdul-Alim, Jamaal

    2011-01-01

    When the W.K. Kellogg Foundation first approached a group of tribal college presidents in 1994 with a $23 million grant for a handful of their institutions, the tribal college leaders did not exactly trip over themselves to get the money. They wanted it to be split among all of them, and the foundation honored the tribal college leaders' wish.…

  10. Practical Soil-Shallow Foundation Model for Nonlinear Structural Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moussa Leblouba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Soil-shallow foundation interaction models that are incorporated into most structural analysis programs generally lack accuracy and efficiency or neglect some aspects of foundation behavior. For instance, soil-shallow foundation systems have been observed to show both small and large loops under increasing amplitude load reversals. This paper presents a practical macroelement model for soil-shallow foundation system and its stability under simultaneous horizontal and vertical loads. The model comprises three spring elements: nonlinear horizontal, nonlinear rotational, and linear vertical springs. The proposed macroelement model was verified using experimental test results from large-scale model foundations subjected to small and large cyclic loading cases.

  11. Rethinking foundations of language from a multidisciplinary perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Tao; Shuai, Lan; Wu, Yicheng

    2018-04-21

    The issue of language foundations has been of great controversy ever since it was first raised in Lenneberg's (1967) monograph Biological Foundations of Language. Based on a survey of recent findings relevant to the study of language acquisition and evolution, we propose that: (i) the biological predispositions for language are largely domain-general, not necessarily language-specific or human-unique; (ii) the socio-cultural environment of language serves as another important foundation of language, which helps shape language components, induce and drive language shift; and (iii) language must have coevolved with the cognitive mechanisms associated with it through intertwined biological and cultural evolution. In addition to theoretical issues, this paper also evaluates the primary approaches recently joining the endeavor of studying language foundations and evolution, including human experiments and computer simulations. Most of the evidence surveyed in this paper comes from a variety of disciplines, and methodology therein complements each other to form a global picture of language foundations. These reflect the complexity of the issue of language foundations and the necessity of taking a multidisciplinary perspective to address it. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Project LEAN--lessons learned from a national social marketing campaign.

    OpenAIRE

    Samuels, S E

    1993-01-01

    The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation initiated a social marketing campaign in 1987 to reduce the nation's risk for heart disease and some cancers. Consensus on recommendations for dietary change have stimulated the development of a variety of social marketing campaigns to promote behavior change. Project LEAN (Low-Fat Eating for America Now) is a national campaign whose goal is to reduce dietary fat consumption to 30 percent of total calories through public service advertising, publicity, an...

  13. Social media for health promotion: What messages are women receiving about cardiovascular disease risk by the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonsalves, Christine A; McGannon, Kerry R; Schinke, Robert J

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the meanings of women's cardiovascular disease constructed within the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation Facebook page. Posts from Heart and Stroke Foundation and public user comments surrounding the launch of the Heart and Stroke Foundation re-branding were of interest. Ethnographic content analysis was employed to analyse text ( n = 40), images ( n = 32), videos ( n = 6), user comments and replies ( n = 42) from November 2016 to March 2017. Constructions (re)presented on Facebook of 'typical' women at risk and risk reduction were problematic as women most at risk were excluded through the use of consumerist, medicalized identities which also excluded promotion of healthy behaviour changes.

  14. Development of Foundational Movement Skills: A Conceptual Model for Physical Activity Across the Lifespan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulteen, Ryan M; Morgan, Philip J; Barnett, Lisa M; Stodden, David F; Lubans, David R

    2018-03-09

    Evidence supports a positive association between competence in fundamental movement skills (e.g., kicking, jumping) and physical activity in young people. Whilst important, fundamental movement skills do not reflect the broad diversity of skills utilized in physical activity pursuits across the lifespan. Debate surrounds the question of what are the most salient skills to be learned which facilitate physical activity participation across the lifespan. In this paper, it is proposed that the term 'fundamental movement skills' be replaced with 'foundational movement skills'. The term 'foundational movement skills' better reflects the broad range of movement forms that increase in complexity and specificity and can be applied in a variety of settings. Thus, 'foundational movement skills' includes both traditionally conceptualized 'fundamental' movement skills and other skills (e.g., bodyweight squat, cycling, swimming strokes) that support physical activity engagement across the lifespan. A proposed conceptual model outlines how foundational movement skill competency can provide a direct or indirect pathway, via specialized movement skills, to a lifetime of physical activity. Foundational movement skill development is hypothesized to vary according to culture and/or geographical location. Further, skill development may be hindered or enhanced by physical (i.e., fitness, weight status) and psychological (i.e., perceived competence, self-efficacy) attributes. This conceptual model may advance the application of motor development principles within the public health domain. Additionally, it promotes the continued development of human movement in the context of how it leads to skillful performance and how movement skill development supports and maintains a lifetime of physical activity engagement.

  15. ITIL Foundation exam study guide

    CERN Document Server

    Gallacher, Liz

    2012-01-01

    Everything you need to prepare for the ITIL exam The ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) exam is the ultimate certification for IT service management. This essential resource is a complete guide to preparing for the ITIL Foundation exam and includes everything you need for success. Organized around the ITIL Foundation syllabus, the study guide addresses the ITIL Service Lifecycles, the ITIL processes, roles, and functions, and also thoroughly explains how the Service Lifecycle provides effective and efficient IT services. Offers an introduction to IT service management and ITI

  16. Professional Team Foundation Server 2012

    CERN Document Server

    Blankenship, Ed; Holliday, Grant; Keller, Brian

    2012-01-01

    A comprehensive guide to using Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2012 Team Foundation Server has become the leading Microsoft productivity tool for software management, and this book covers what developers need to know to use it effectively. Fully revised for the new features of TFS 2012, it provides developers and software project managers with step-by-step instructions and even assists those who are studying for the TFS 2012 certification exam. You'll find a broad overview of TFS, thorough coverage of core functions, a look at extensibility options, and more, written by Microsoft ins

  17. Professional Team Foundation Server 2010

    CERN Document Server

    Blankenship, Ed; Holliday, Grant; Keller, Brian

    2011-01-01

    Authoritative guide to TFS 2010 from a dream team of Microsoft insiders and MVPs!Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server (TFS) has evolved until it is now an essential tool for Microsoft?s Application Lifestyle Management suite of productivity tools, enabling collaboration within and among software development teams. By 2011, TFS will replace Microsoft?s leading source control system, VisualSourceSafe, resulting in an even greater demand for information about it. Professional Team Foundation Server 2010, written by an accomplished team of Microsoft insiders and Microsoft MVPs, provides

  18. Physical foundations of technical acoustics

    CERN Document Server

    Malecki, I

    1969-01-01

    Physical Foundations of Technical Acoustics discusses theoretical foundations of acoustical engineering. It is not so much a technical compendium as a systematic statement of physical laws so conceived that technologists might find in it all the information they need to become acquainted with the physical meaning and mathematical expression of phenomena they encounter in their work. To facilitate the acquirement of notions, which lie beyond a layman's grasp, the plan of narration adopted consists in beginning with the simplest idealized cases and then gradually moving on to the truest possibl

  19. Monopod bucket foundations under cyclic lateral loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foglia, Aligi; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    on bucket foundations under lateral cyclic loading. The test setup is described in detail and a comprehensive experimental campaign is presented. The foundation is subjected to cyclic overturning moment, cyclic horizontal loading and constant vertical loading, acting on the same plane for thousands...

  20. The foundations of statistics

    CERN Document Server

    Savage, Leonard J

    1972-01-01

    Classic analysis of the foundations of statistics and development of personal probability, one of the greatest controversies in modern statistical thought. Revised edition. Calculus, probability, statistics, and Boolean algebra are recommended.

  1. Foundations of laser spectroscopy

    CERN Document Server

    Stenholm, Stig

    2005-01-01

    A simple presentation of the theoretical foundations of steady-state laser spectroscopy, this text helps students to apply theory to calculations with a systematic series of examples and exercises. 1984 edition.

  2. SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE FOR WIND TURBINE FOUNDATIONS.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    BERNDT,M.L.

    2004-06-01

    The use of wind power to generate electricity continues to grow, especially given commitments by various countries throughout the world to ensure that a significant percentage of energy comes from renewable sources. In order to meet such objectives, increasingly larger turbines with higher capacity are being developed. The engineering aspects of larger turbine development tend to focus on design and materials for blades and towers. However, foundations are also a critical component of large wind turbines and represent a significant cost of wind energy projects. Ongoing wind research at BNL is examining two areas: (a) structural response analysis of wind turbine-tower-foundation systems and (b) materials engineering of foundations. This work is investigating the dynamic interactions in wind turbine systems, which in turn assists the wind industry in achieving improved reliability and more cost efficient foundation designs. The results reported herein cover initial studies of concrete mix designs for large wind turbine foundations and how these may be tailored to reduce cost and incorporate sustainability and life cycle concepts. The approach taken was to investigate material substitutions so that the environmental, energy and CO{sub 2}-impact of concrete could be reduced. The use of high volumes of ''waste'' materials in concrete was examined. These materials included fly ash, blast furnace slag and recycled concrete aggregate. In addition, the use of steel fiber reinforcement as a means to improve mechanical properties and potentially reduce the amount of bar reinforcement in concrete foundations was studied. Four basic mixes were considered. These were: (1) conventional mix with no material substitutions, (2) 50% replacement of cement with fly ash, (3) 50% replacement of cement with blast furnace slag and (4) 25% replacement of cement with fly ash and 25% replacement with blast furnace slag. Variations on these mixes included the addition of 1

  3. PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS - A CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR NURSES OF THE AMERICAN NURSES FOUNDATION/ASSOCIATION

    Science.gov (United States)

    The American Nurses Association/Foundation will develop online, in print and pre conference continuing education (CE) children's environmental health protection programs to meet the objective of the program. The first CE program is on school environments, the second on home and ...

  4. Identifying organisational principles and management practices important to the quality of health care services for chronic conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frølich, Anne

    2012-01-01

    are limited, it is necessary to identify efficient methods to improve the quality of care. Comparing health care systems is a well-known method for identifying new knowledge regarding, for instance, organisational methods and principles. Kaiser Permanente (KP), an integrated health care delivery system...... in the U.S., is recognized as providing high-quality chronic care; to some extent, this is due to KP's implementation of the chronic care model (CCM). This model recommends a range of evidence-based management practices that support the implementation of evidence-based medicine. However, it is not clear...... which management practices in the CCM are most efficient and in what combinations. In addition, financial incentives and public reporting of performance are often considered effective at improving the quality of health care services, but this has not yet been definitively proved....

  5. Towards Ontological Foundations for Agent Modeling Concepts using UFO

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guizzardi, G.; Wagner, Gerd

    Foundational ontologies provide the basic concepts upon which any domain-specific ontology is built. This paper presents a new foundational ontology, UFO, and shows how it can be used as a foundation of agent concepts and for evaluating agent-oriented modeling methods. UFO is derived from a

  6. How Brazil turned one public health school into 40

    OpenAIRE

    2007-01-01

    Brazil built its public health education system through the work of the renowned Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, which established courses across the whole country. The courses eventually became the core curriculum for small schools and now Brazil boasts 40 schools of public health. Foundation President Paulo Buss argues that there are ways that resource-poor countries can improve their public health education.

  7. Foundation, and also method for its production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Katsma, H.

    2001-01-01

    Foundation, and method for the production of such a foundation. It is proposed that it be based on prefabricated concrete elements. The elements consist of base elements (2) and end elements (4). Each element is provided with two sockets for receiving pretensioning cables (6), which sockets are

  8. Historical and Conceptual Foundation of Diagrammatical Ontology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Øhrstrøm, Peter; Uckelman, Sara L.; Schärfe, Henrik

    2007-01-01

    During the Renaissance there was a growing interest for the use of diagrams within conceptual studies. This paper investigates the historical and philosophical foundation of this renewed use of diagrams in ontology as well as the modern relevance of this foundation. We discuss the historical and ...

  9. Using the Delphi Method for Qualitative, Participatory Action Research in Health Leadership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amber J. Fletcher PhD

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Current pressures on public health systems have led to increased emphasis on restructuring, which is seen as a potential solution to crises of accessibility, quality, and funding. Leadership is an important factor in the success or failure of these initiatives. Despite its importance, health leadership evades easy articulation, and its study requires a thoughtful methodological approach. We used a modified Delphi method in a Participatory Action Research (PAR project on health leadership in Canada. Little has been written about the combination of Delphi method with PAR. We offer a rationale for the combination and describe its usefulness in researching the role of leadership in a restructuring initiative in “real time” with the participation of health system decision makers. Recommendations are provided to researchers wishing to use the Delphi method qualitatively (i.e., without statistical consensus in a PAR framework while protecting the confidentiality of participants who work at different levels of authority. We propose a modification of Kaiser's (2009 post-interview confidentiality form to address power differentials between participants and to enhance confidentiality in the PAR process.

  10. Influence of foundation mass and surface roughness on dynamic response of beam on dynamic foundation subjected to the moving load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran Quoc, Tinh; Khong Trong, Toan; Luong Van, Hai

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, Improved Moving Element Method (IMEM) is used to analyze the dynamic response of Euler-Bernoulli beam structures on the dynamic foundation model subjected to the moving load. The effects of characteristic foundation model parameters such as Winkler stiffness, shear layer based on the Pasternak model, viscoelastic dashpot and characteristic parameter of mass on foundation. Beams are modeled by moving elements while the load is fixed. Based on the principle of the publicly virtual balancing and the theory of moving element method, the motion differential equation of the system is established and solved by means of the numerical integration based on the Newmark algorithm. The influence of mass on foundation and the roughness of the beam surface on the dynamic response of beam are examined in details.

  11. Gap analysis: rethinking the conceptual foundations

    OpenAIRE

    Langford, Gary O.; Franck, Raymond; Huynh, Tom; Lewis, Ira A.

    2007-01-01

    Acquisition research (Graduate School of Business & Public Policy) Gap Analysis is widely regarded as a useful tool to facilitate commercial and defense system acquisitions. This paper is a rethinking of the theoretical foundations and systematics of Gap Analysis with practical extensions to illustrate its utility and limitations. It also provides a new perspective on those theoretical foundations from the perspectives of systems and value engineering. The growing sophistication and comple...

  12. Transforming a foundation into a cooperative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Ramón Manzano Malaxechevarría

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The author charts a path between entities that meet needs in the general interest such as foundations and others which are neither entities of general interest nor have purely mercantile legal personality such as cooperatives. Transforming a foundation into a cooperative calls for a broad interpretation of the principle of free will that the legislation wishes to foster.Received: 12.02.2013Accepted: 20.04.2013

  13. Construction of large-thickness sand cushions for NPP foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krantsfel'd, Ya.L.; Losievskaya, I.K.; Kovalenko, R.P.; Mutalipov, A.

    1982-01-01

    A study is made on some technological peculiarities of preparation of NPP foundations and control methods of foundation density. As an example the experience of cement-sand foundation construction for two 900 MW power-units at the Koeberg South Africa NPP is briefly described. The experience of artificial foundation construction at this NPP indicates both the possibility of obtaining the required quality of cement-sand cushions and commercial construction of large volume of such cushions by acceptable rates and the necessity of unification of work quality characteristics

  14. Probability and sensitivity analysis of machine foundation and soil interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Králik J., jr.

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the possibility of the sensitivity and probabilistic analysis of the reliability of the machine foundation depending on variability of the soil stiffness, structure geometry and compressor operation. The requirements to design of the foundation under rotating machines increased due to development of calculation method and computer tools. During the structural design process, an engineer has to consider problems of the soil-foundation and foundation-machine interaction from the safety, reliability and durability of structure point of view. The advantages and disadvantages of the deterministic and probabilistic analysis of the machine foundation resistance are discussed. The sensitivity of the machine foundation to the uncertainties of the soil properties due to longtime rotating movement of machine is not negligible for design engineers. On the example of compressor foundation and turbine fy. SIEMENS AG the affectivity of the probabilistic design methodology was presented. The Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS simulation method for the analysis of the compressor foundation reliability was used on program ANSYS. The 200 simulations for five load cases were calculated in the real time on PC. The probabilistic analysis gives us more complex information about the soil-foundation-machine interaction as the deterministic analysis.

  15. Prevalence of Childhood Obesity among Young Multiethnic Children from a Health Maintenance Organization in Hawaii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novotny, Rachel; Oshiro, Caryn Etsuko Shima; Wilkens, Lynne Ross

    2013-02-01

    Pacific Islander, Asian, and mixed-ethnicity children are not described in national nutrition and health surveys. Data on BMI values of 4608 5- to 8-year-old children available from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii electronic medical records in 2010 were analyzed for prevalence of overweight and obesity and for ethnic differences in BMI and risk for overweight and obesity, controlling for age, sex, neighborhood education level, and on a subset (n=2169) that further controlled for maternal education and maternal age. Kaiser Permanente data allow for reporting of multiple ethnicities. Data revealed that 33% of this child population was of mixed ethnic ancestry. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 32.6% (12.9% overweight and 19.7% obese). However, Samoan children and children of Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and mixed ethnic ancestries had higher levels of overweight and obesity than whites or Asians. Higher neighborhood education level, higher maternal education level, and older maternal age were associated with decreased risk of overweight and obesity, except for children whose mothers were between 21 and 30 years old, who had a higher risk for obesity than those whose mothers were under 20 years of age (odds ratio=1.34). Populations of mixed ethnicities in the Pacific region deserve further study related to healthy body size and acculturation to environment and lifestyle.

  16. Implementation of a new Foundations Concept for Offshore Wind Farms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2008-01-01

    The foundation principles for the recent major offshore wind farm projects in Europe have been dominated by two types of foundation solutions, the gravitational foundation and the monopile. A fully operational 3.0 MW offshore wind turbine was installed on a prototype of the bucket foundation...... at the test field in Frederikshavn in December 2002. A five-year research and development project has proven the bucket foundation to be feasible in suitable soil conditions in water depth from near shore to approximately 40 meters. The bucket foundation design reduces the steel weight by half compared...... with a traditional monopile solution and the installation of the bucket foundation is much easier and does not require heavy installation equipment. In this paper the full-scale field installation of the prototype is described. A design procedure has been developed in cooperation with the certifying party in order...

  17. 49 CFR 229.57 - Foundation brake gear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Foundation brake gear. 229.57 Section 229.57 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Foundation brake gear. A lever, rod, brake beam, hanger, or pin may not be worn through more than 30 percent...

  18. Group unconscious common orientation: exploratory study at the Basque Foundation for the investigation of mental health group training for therapists

    CERN Document Server

    Trojaola Zapirain, Begona; Carminati, Federico; Gonzalez Torres, Miguel Angel; Gonzalez de Mendivil, Ernesto; Fouassier, Claire; Gex-Fabry, Marianne; Martin, Francois; Labarere, Jose; Demongeot, Jacques; Lorincz, Erika Nora

    2014-01-01

    Group phenomena have been used since antiquity in therapeutic, social, economic and political domains. According to Bion, the interactions between group members generate a ``group unconscious'' and its behavior is governed and oriented by Bion's ``basic assumptions.'' The present work has been conducted during group analysis training at the Basque Foundation for the Investigation of Mental Health (OMIE) at Bilbao, consisting of eleven sessions. The participants are presented with an ``absurd questionnaire'' proposing 50 pairs of images, in each of which one image has to be chosen. The results are used to search for evidence in favor of the influence of group dynamics on individual choices of the images proposed in the questionnaire. Our analysis finds some evidence for an effect of group dynamics both on the initial choice of the pictures and on the evolution of the number of changes (swaps) of picture choices across the eleven sessions. We interpret these effects in the light of Bion's view of group dynamics...

  19. IT Service Management Foundation Practice Questions For ITIL Foundation Exam candidates

    CERN Document Server

    Mann, Steve; Mann, Steve; Mear, Nigel

    2012-01-01

    The most authoritative guide to preparing for the ITIL® Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management. This new edition is compatible with the 2011 update to ITIL®. It includes an extensive range of practice questions and utilises the experience of three independent service management consultants and lecturers. An ITIL® licensed product.

  20. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... navigate their brain tumor diagnosis. WATCH AND SHARE Brain tumors and their treatment can be deadly so ... Pediatric Central Nervous System Cancers Read more >> Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation 302 Ridgefield Court, Asheville, NC 28806 ...

  1. American Vitiligo Research Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Place Vitiligo Voices Contact Welcome to The American Vitiligo Foundation Home Page Top Isabella T., California An ... 20.00 USD 20 for - 35.00 USD Vitiligo Doesn't Scare Me by Kim Kirkland Kim ...

  2. Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... PARTNERSHIPS Meet our Fundraising Partners Tweet Welcome Intracranial hypertension (IH) is the general term for the neurological ... high. (Old names for IH include Benign Intracranial Hypertension and Pseudotumor Cerebri). The Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation ...

  3. Netherlands foundation for radioastronomy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    A report of the board is followed by departmental reports from the Westerbork Telescope Group, Dwingeloo Telescope Group, Computer Group, Laboratory and Central Technical Services, Astronomy Group, Administration of the Foundation/General Affairs and Personnel Council. Astronomical reports describe radio astronomical research carried out by the Foundation staff and at the Kapteyn Laboratory Groningen, Leiden Observatory, Utrecht Observatory and the Laboratorio di Radioastronomia Bologna, Italy. Progress in the extension of the synthesis radio telescope and investigations into the possibility of substantially increasing the SRT data rate for solar observations, are outlined. Appendices shows the organisational structure, the names of the employees, the operating budget, the observing facilities at Westerbork and Dwingeloo, and the publications and reports published in 1978 and related to observations made with these facilities. (C.F.)

  4. Evaluating the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Mardiana

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The study was to: (1 identify the interpretation toward the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum; and (2 evaluate the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum. In order to achieve these objectives, the researchers implemented the method of philosophy interpretation, namely a method that might discover an individual’s paradigm through the texts or the articles that he or she composed. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum the researchers implemented certain criteria and this effort was supported by the expert interview. The data were analyzed by means of hermeneutic method, namely the presence of a relationship among the three elements namely text, interpreter and reader. The conclusions of the study then were as follows: (1 the interpretation toward the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum contained six points namely: (a establishing and developing the nation’s attitude and civilization or the nation’s character, (b developing the curriculum based on the nation’s culture, (c referring to the fact that education had been a process of developing the learning participants’ potentials, (d referring to the fact that education had been based on the nation’s culture and experience in the past, (e referring to the fact that education had been basis of the nation’s life continuity and (f Referring to the fact that education had been adjusted to the life of the learning participants as an individual, a society member and a citizen; (2 the six philosophical reasons namely: (a perennialism, (b essentialism, (c progressivism, (d pragmatism, (e existentialism and (f reconstructionism; (3 the following evaluation results: (a the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum based on the interpretation results had provided clear educational objectives and functions, (b the philosophical foundation of 2013 Curriculum had been in accordance to facts, (c the philosophical foundation of 2013

  5. 45 CFR 650.2 - National Science Foundation patent policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false National Science Foundation patent policy. 650.2... FOUNDATION PATENTS § 650.2 National Science Foundation patent policy. As authorized by the National Science... adopted the following statement of NSF patent policy. (a) In accordance with the Bayh-Dole Act and the...

  6. Reflections on the Social Foundations of Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallegos, Bernardo

    2018-01-01

    The essay examines the state of the American Educational Studies Association and Social Foundations of Education through the lenses of auto-ethnography and critical reflection. A discussion of the relevance of the AESA and social foundations in the context of transformative education for scholars from marginalized communities is central to the…

  7. Children's Brain Tumor Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 2 Family Donate Volunteer Justin's Hope Fund Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, A non-profit organization, was founded ... and the long term outlook for children with brain and spinal cord tumors through research, support, education, ...

  8. Is Rorty’s Neopragmatism the “Real” Foundation of Medical Ethics: a Search for Foundational Principles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branch, William T

    2006-01-01

    Principlism, the predominate approach to bioethics, has no foundational principles. This absence of foundations reflects the general intellectual climate of postmodern relativism. Even America’s foremost public philosopher, Richard Rorty, whose pragmatism might suggest a philosophy of commonsense, seems to be swimming in the postmodern swamp. Alternatively, principlism’s architects, Beauchamp and Childress, suggest a constantly evolving reflective equilibrium with some basis in common morality as a workable framework for twenty-first century bioethics. The flaw in their approach is failure to conform to real doctors’ and patients’ experiences. Real doctors adopt a scientific paradigm that assumes an objective reality. Patients experience real suffering and seek effective cures, treatments, palliation and solace. The foundation of medical ethics should be that doctors altruistically respond to their patients’ suffering using scientifically acceptable modalities. Compassion, caring, and respect for human dignity are needed as guides in addition to justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence and respect for autonomy. PMID:18528478

  9. Safety Criteria and Standards for Bearing Capacity of Foundation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanlong Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the evaluation standards of factor of safety for foundation stability analysis. The problem of foundation stability is analyzed via the methods of risk analysis of engineering structures and reliability-based design, and the factor of safety for foundation stability is determined by using bearing capacity safety-factor method (BSFM and strength safety-factor method (SSFM. Based on a typical example, the admissible factors of safety were calibrated with a target reliability index specified in relevant standards. Two safety criteria and their standards of bearing capacity of foundation for these two methods (BSFM and SSFM were established. The universality of the safety criteria and their standards for foundation reliability was verified based on the concept of the ratio of safety margin (RSM.

  10. Impact loads on beams on elastic foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kameswara Rao, N.S.V.; Prasad, B.B.

    1975-01-01

    Quite often, complex structural components are idealised as beams in engineering analysis and design. Also, equations governing the responses of shallow shells are mathematically equivalent to the equations governing the responses of beams on elastic foundations. Hence with possible applications in several technical disciplines, the behaviour of beams on elastic foundations subjected to impact loads is studied in detail in the present investigation both analytically and experimentally. The analytical methods include analysis and energy method. The effect of foundation parameters (stiffness, and damping constants) on the dynamic responses of the beam-foundation system has been analysed. In modal analysis, the free-vibration equation has been solved by replacing the applied impulse by suitable initial conditions and the solution has been obtained as the linear combination of an infinite sequence of discrete eigen-vectors. In the energy method, the beam-foundation system is treated to be under forced vibrations and the forcing function has been obtained using the Hertz's law of impact. In the case of free-free end conditions of the beam, the rigid body modes and the elastic modes have been superposed to obtain the total response. The responses predicted using modal analysis are higher than those obtained using energy method. From the present study it is observed that model analysis is preferable to energy method. (Auth.)

  11. Goal is to give every doc an 'AIDS cookbook'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-06-01

    Before leaving Kaiser Family Foundation in California, Mark Smith helped to lay the groundwork for the first comprehensive HIV treatment standard in almost five years. Smith, former chairman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on HIV, noted that the most sophisticated practitioners may be using certain information as a basis for their decisions months before it gets published in mainstream journals. The committee to develop the standard includes AIDS clinicians and researchers, as well as managed care medical directors and others who follow evidence-based medicine. The cookbook approach will help unsophisticated practitioners develop effective treatment regimens for their patients, and will direct medical care decisions in managed health facilities. The standards will be a one-stop source for making decisions on everything from viral load testing to immunizations. Critics charge that the standard's approach will leave no room for up-to-date changes.

  12. American Lyme Disease Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Infectious Diseases, 35: 451-464, 2002) What is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease (LD) is an infection caused by ... mission with your own tax-deductible contribution. American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. PO Box 466 Lyme, CT 06371 ...

  13. Regional assessment of North America: Urbanization trends, biodiversity patterns, and ecosystem services

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPhearson, Timon; Auch, Roger F.; Alberti, Marina

    2013-01-01

    North America contains some of the most urbanized landscapes in the world. In the United States (U.S.) and Canada, approximately 80 % of the population is urban, with Mexico slightly less (Kaiser Family Foundation 2013). Population growth combined with economic growth has fueled recent urban land expansion in North America. Between 1970 and 2000, urban land area expanded at a rate of 3.31 % (Seto et al. 2011) creating unique challenges for conserving biodiversity and maintaining regional and local ecosystem services.

  14. Transient Monotonic and Cyclic Load Effects on Mono Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren Dam

    Today, 80 % of all European offshore wind turbines are installed on monopiles. A cost-effective alternative to the monopile is the mono bucket foundation. For an offshore wind turbine foundation in open seas, the dominant load is often coming from waves. During storms, large waves are formed...... the foundation is sucked to the seabed, creating extra capacity during the impact. Over the life-time of an offshore wind turbine foundation will be hit by millions of waves. Each wave might lead to a permanent rotation of the foundation. Therefore, it is important to be able to estimate the total deformation...

  15. Nearly Half Of Small Employers Using Tobacco Surcharges Do Not Provide Tobacco Cessation Wellness Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pesko, Michael F; Bains, Jaskaran; Maclean, Johanna Catherine; Cook, Benjamin Lê

    2018-03-01

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed employer plans in the small-group marketplace to charge tobacco users up to 50 percent more for premiums-known as tobacco surcharges-but only if the employer offered a tobacco cessation program and the employee in question failed to participate in it. Using 2016 survey data collected by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust on 278 employers eligible for Small Business Health Options Program, we examined the prevalence of tobacco surcharges and tobacco cessation programs in the small-group market under this policy and found that 16.2 percent of small employers used tobacco surcharges. Overall, 47 percent of employers used tobacco surcharges but failed to offer tobacco cessation counseling. Wellness program prevalence was lower in states that allowed tobacco surcharges, and 10.8 percent of employers in these states were noncompliant with the ACA by charging tobacco users higher premiums without offering cessation programs. Efforts should be undertaken to improve the monitoring and enforcement of ACA tobacco rating rules.

  16. Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... MMRF Founder Kathy Giusti named 1 of 100 Visionaries of our time by the Einstein Foundation Learn More September 8, 2017 Tom Brokaw gives inspiring speech at MMRF Leadership Circle Summit on how his life was changed, ...

  17. A normative foundation for equity-sensitive health evaluation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moreno-Ternero, Juan D.; Østerdal, Lars Peter

    2017-01-01

    are the so-called multiplicative Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and multiplicative Healthy Years Equivalents (HYEs), as well as generalizations of the two. Our axiomatic approach assumes social preferences over distributions of individual health states experienced in a given period of time. It conveys...

  18. Buckling of Bucket Foundations During Installation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Søren

    There is a great politically will to expand the green energy market in these times. A proven green technology is wind turbines. Wind turbines have been installed in great numbers on land over the last decades. However, the current development in wind turbine design leads to larger turbine sizes...... in order to reduce the cost of energy. This limits the on land application due to transportation limitations and unwillingness from prospect neighbours. Thus, offshore wind energy started developing over the last couple of years. Although installing the wind turbines offshore resolves the before men tioned...... issues, it brings up the cost of energy mainly due to increased installation and maintenance costs. A very large part—up to 30–50% using current technology—of the installation cost origins from the expenses related to the installation of foundations. A new foundation concept—the bucket foundation...

  19. Foundations of ionizing radiation dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denisenko, O.N.; Pereslegin, I.A.

    1985-01-01

    Foundations of dosimetry in application to radiotherapy are presented. General characteristics of ionizing radiations and main characteristics of ionizing radiation sources, mostly used in radiotherapy, are given. Values and units for measuring ionizing radiation (activity of a radioactive substance, absorbed dose, exposure dose, integral dose and dose equivalent are considered. Different methods and instruments for ionizing radiation dosimetry are discussed. The attention is paid to the foundations of clinical dosimetry (representation of anatomo-topographic information, choice of radiation conditions, realization of radiation methods, corrections for a configuration and inhomogeneity of a patient's body, account of biological factors of radiation effects, instruments of dose field formation, control of irradiation procedure chosen)

  20. New River Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Florine R.

    In September 1981, the Educational Foundation, Inc., at New River Community College (NRCC) initiated a charter member fund drive. By October 1982, the Foundation received $100,000 in gifts and pledges, $130,000 in liquid assets, and $300,000 in gifts other than cash. Among the reasons for the success of the drive was the training received by the…

  1. Periodic materials-based vibration attenuation in layered foundations: experimental validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiang, H J; Shi, Z F; Wang, S J; Mo, Y L

    2012-01-01

    Guided by the recent advances in solid-state research in periodic materials, a new type of layered periodic foundation consisting of concrete and rubber layers is experimentally investigated in this paper. The distinct feature of this new foundation is its frequency band gaps. When the frequency contents of a wave fall within the range of the frequency band gaps, the wave, and hence its energy, will be weakened or cannot propagate through the foundation, so the foundation itself can serve as a vibration isolator. Using the theory of elastodynamics and the Bloch–Floquet theorem, the mechanism of band gaps in periodic composites is presented, and a finite element model is built to show the isolation characteristic of a finite dimensional periodic foundation. Based on these analytical results, moreover, a scaled model frame and a periodic foundation were fabricated and shake table tests of the frame on the periodic foundation were performed. Ambient, strong and harmonic vibration attenuations are found when the exciting frequencies fall into the band gaps. (fast track communication)

  2. Features of Moral Foundations in Mongol, German and Russian Adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sychev O.A.,

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The difference in moral foundations between adults living in Western or Eastern countries is well-known, but there is lack of evidence about such difference in adolescence. We tested the hypothesis about cultural differences of moral foundations in Mongolian, Russian and German adolescents. As the methodology of the study we used Moral Foundations Theory describing five basic dimensions of moral domain including Harm/Care, Fair- ness/Reciprocity, Ingroup/Loyalty, Authority/Respect, and Purity/Sanctity. The sample comprised 446 Mon- golian, 450 Russian and 117 German adolescents at the age of 12…16 years old. We used three versions of Moral Foundations Questionnaire in different languages. The results of statistical analysis showed that general analy- sis, based on relations between scales, was acceptable. The replication of factor structure was low. It was revealed that Mongolian adolescents had most conservative moral foundations. Moral foundations of Russian adolescents from Altai Republic were quite close to Mongolian ones, while German adolescents showed much more «progressive» moral foundations which were typical for western societies.

  3. "The Trampoline Tree and the Swamp Monster with 18 Heads": Outdoor Play in the Foundation Stage and Foundation Phase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waller, Tim

    2007-01-01

    This paper considers pedagogy and outdoor play in the early years. The particular focus is on the specific features and benefits of outdoor play in the Foundation Stage (England) and Foundation Phase (Wales). The paper will draw on current international literature and evidence from outdoor learning constructed in an ongoing research project in two…

  4. Orthopaedic research and education foundation and industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurth, Gene R; Sherr, Judy H; Coffman, Thomas M

    2003-07-01

    Members of orthopaedic industry commit a significant amount of funds each year to support research and education programs that are directly related to their product(s). In addition, industry supports organizations such as the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. The relationship between the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and industry began in the early 1980s. The support to the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation from industry primarily has come in the form of unrestricted grants. These grants best can be looked at as an investment rather than a contribution. This form of giving, once called corporate philanthropy is more accurately referred to as strategic philanthropy. Members of industry make these investments to enhance their reputations, build brand awareness, market their products and services, improve employee morale, increase customer loyalty, and establish strategic alliances. The specialty of orthopaedics is among the leaders in medicine in the amount of funding raised within the specialty for research and education programs. This is because of the amount of support from members of industry and the surgeons. During the past 15 years, 40% of the annual support to the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation has come from industry and the balance has come from surgeons and members of lay public. Future industry support of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and other organizations within the specialty of orthopaedics will be dependent on the continued demonstration of tangible returns in areas described.

  5. Nordic Corporate Governance and Industrial Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steen

    to the international audience. This paper therefore reviews the Nordic corporate governance model with special emphasis on a unique ownership structure, industrial foundations (foundations that own business companies). Rather than a meticulous description of details it emphasizes the Nordic model as a mode......The Nordic countries have attracted considerable attention in recent years as a benchmark for good governance. However, while the political governance characteristics of the Nordic model – particularly the welfare state - are well understood, its corporate governance characteristics remain elusive...

  6. Prototype bucket foundation for wind turbines - natural frequency estimation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo; Liingaard, M.

    2006-12-15

    The first full scale prototype bucket foundation for wind turbines has been installed in October 2002 at Aalborg University offshore test facility in Frederikshavn, Denmark. The suction caisson and the wind turbine have been equipped with an online monitoring system, consisting of 15 accelerometers and a real-time data-acquisition system. The report concerns the in service performance of the wind turbine, with focus on estimation of the natural frequencies of the structure/foundation. The natural frequencies are initially estimated by means of experimental Output-only Modal analysis. The experimental estimates are then compared with numerical simulations of the suction caisson foundation and the wind turbine. The numerical model consists of a finite element section for the wind turbine tower and nacelle. The soil-structure interaction of the soil-foundation section is modelled by lumped-parameter models capable of simulating dynamic frequency dependent behaviour of the structure-foundation system. (au)

  7. Frazier Hall: The foundation failure that didn't

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, L.

    1994-01-01

    Frazier Hall is the oldest building on the Idaho State University campus--built before scientific foundation design was common. Its footings were clearly under designed, compared with modern practice. In fact, conventional analysis of the bearing capacity of two footings of this historic building indicate a failure condition. However, this structure is 60 years old and the foundation is still functioning. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between the analysis results and reality are posed and evaluated. This exercise gives some valuable insights into the process of foundation analysis and design. 7 refs., 5 figs

  8. Innovative Retrofit Insulation Strategies for Concrete Masonry Foundations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huelman, P. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States); Goldberg, L. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States); Jacobson, R. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States)

    2015-05-01

    Basements in climates 6 and 7 can account for a fraction of a home's total heat loss when fully conditioned. Such foundations are a source of moisture, with convection in open block cavities redistributing water from the wall base, usually when heating. Even when block cavities are capped, the cold foundation concrete can act as a moisture source for wood rim joist components that are in contact with it. Because below-grade basements are increasingly used for habitable space, cold foundation walls pose challenges for moisture contribution, energy use, and occupant comfort.

  9. Prenatal Foundations: Fetal Programming of Health and Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Elysia Poggi; Thompson, Ross A.

    2014-01-01

    The fetal programming and developmental origins of disease models suggest that experiences that occur before birth can have consequences for physical and mental health that persist across the lifespan. Development is more rapid during the prenatal period as compared to any other stage of life. This introductory article considers evidence that…

  10. UK national audit against the key performance indicators in the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health Sexually Transmitted Infections Management Standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClean, H; Sullivan, A K; Carne, C A; Warwick, Z; Menon-Johansson, A; Clutterbuck, D

    2012-10-01

    A national audit of practice performance against the key performance indicators in the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and HIV Medical Foundation for AIDS Sexual Health Standards for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) was conducted in 2011. Approximately 60% and 8% of level 3 and level 2 services, respectively, participated. Excluding partner notification performance, the five lowest areas of performance for level 3 clinics were the STI/HIV risk assessment, care pathways linking care in level 2 clinics to local level 3 services, HIV test offer to patients with concern about STIs, information governance and receipt of chlamydial test results by clinicians within seven working days (the worst area of performance). The five lowest areas of performance for level 2 clinics were participating in audit, having an audit plan for the management of STIs for 2009-2010, the STI/HIV risk assessment, HIV test offer to patients with concern about STIs and information governance. The results are discussed with regard to the importance of adoption of the standards by commissioners of services because of their relevance to other national quality assurance drivers, and the need for development of a national system of STI management quality assurance measurement and reporting.

  11. Optimal Design, Reliability And Sensitivity Analysis Of Foundation Plate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tvrdá Katarína

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the optimal design of thickness of a plate rested on Winkler’s foundation. First order method was used for the optimization, while maintaining different restrictive conditions. The aim is to obtain a minimum volume of the foundation plate. At the end some probabilistic and safety analysis of the deflection of the foundation using LHS Monte Carlo method are presented.

  12. Cost-Effective Mass Production of Mono Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gres, Szymon; Nielsen, Søren Andreas; Fejerskov, Morten

    2015-01-01

    for innovative and cost-effective design of Mono Bucket foundations. Established approach merges wind and wave load models, soil/structure interaction topics, structural optimization and installation/fabrication aspects, into software package with ability to perform optimal design of the individual foundations...

  13. American Association of Occupational Health Nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Workplace Health & Safety Journal Awards & Recognition Occupational Health Nurses Week Member Discounts Monthly Newsletter Foundation About the ... 1, 2018. The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is the primary association for the largest ...

  14. Buckling of Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Søren; Andersen, Lars Vabbersgaard; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, the risk of structural buckling during installation of large-diameter bucket foundations is addressed using numerical methods. Imperfect geometries are introduced based on the pre-buckling mode shapes from a linear Eigenvalue buckling analysis. Various imperfect geometries are intr...

  15. Geometric and numerical foundations of movements

    CERN Document Server

    Mansard, Nicolas; Lasserre, Jean-Bernard

    2017-01-01

    This book aims at gathering roboticists, control theorists, neuroscientists, and mathematicians, in order to promote a multidisciplinary research on movement analysis. It follows the workshop “ Geometric and Numerical Foundations of Movements ” held at LAAS-CNRS in Toulouse in November 2015[1]. Its objective is to lay the foundations for a mutual understanding that is essential for synergetic development in motion research. In particular, the book promotes applications to robotics --and control in general-- of new optimization techniques based on recent results from real algebraic geometry.

  16. Cyber warfare building the scientific foundation

    CERN Document Server

    Jajodia, Sushil; Subrahmanian, VS; Swarup, Vipin; Wang, Cliff

    2015-01-01

    This book features a wide spectrum of the latest computer science research relating to cyber warfare, including military and policy dimensions. It is the first book to explore the scientific foundation of cyber warfare and features research from the areas of artificial intelligence, game theory, programming languages, graph theory and more. The high-level approach and emphasis on scientific rigor provides insights on ways to improve cyber warfare defense worldwide. Cyber Warfare: Building the Scientific Foundation targets researchers and practitioners working in cyber security, especially gove

  17. Mastering Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010

    CERN Document Server

    Callahan, C A

    2011-01-01

    Everything IT professionals need to create collaborative solutions. SharePoint Foundation 2010 is the newest version of a powerful collaboration tool used in many Exchange-enabled organizations. This book gets network professionals and business application administrators up to speed on the updates, features, and installation procedures, preparing them to create powerful collaboration structures for their companies.: Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 is the successor to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and is used with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server to enable collaboration; this guide pre

  18. Shifting liberal and conservative attitudes using moral foundations theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Martin V; Fiske, Susan T; Downing, Emily L; Trail, Thomas E

    2014-12-01

    People's social and political opinions are grounded in their moral concerns about right and wrong. We examine whether five moral foundations--harm, fairness, ingroup, authority, and purity--can influence political attitudes of liberals and conservatives across a variety of issues. Framing issues using moral foundations may change political attitudes in at least two possible ways: (a) Entrenching: Relevant moral foundations will strengthen existing political attitudes when framing pro-attitudinal issues (e.g., conservatives exposed to a free-market economic stance) and (b) Persuasion: Mere presence of relevant moral foundations may also alter political attitudes in counter-attitudinal directions (e.g., conservatives exposed to an economic regulation stance). Studies 1 and 2 support the entrenching hypothesis. Relevant moral foundation-based frames bolstered political attitudes for conservatives (Study 1) and liberals (Study 2). Only Study 2 partially supports the persuasion hypothesis. Conservative-relevant moral frames of liberal issues increased conservatives' liberal attitudes. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  19. 76 FR 11243 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-01

    ... CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov , 202-564-7273, US EPA, Office... Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact information above. All requests must be... individuals with disabilities, please contact Alicia Kaiser at 202-564- 7273 or kaiser.alicia@epa.gov . To...

  20. Mobility Aids: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Mobility Problems (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) Topic Image MedlinePlus Email Updates Get Mobility Aids updates ... standing and walking Using a cane Related Health Topics Assistive Devices Other Languages Find health information in ...

  1. Governance of Open Source Software Foundations: Who Holds the Power?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludovico Prattico

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The research reported in this article attempts to discover who holds the power in open source software foundations through the analysis of governance documents. Artificial neural network analysis is used to analyse the content of the bylaws of six open source foundations (Apache, Eclipse, GNOME, Plone, Python, and SPI for the purpose of identifying power structures. Results of the research suggest that: i the actions of an open source software foundation are centered around one of three groups: Members, Chairman/President/Executive Director, and Board of Directors; ii in only one of the six foundations is the Board of Directors responsible for both the community and the product; and iii artificial neural network analysis of the content of bylaws provides unbiased insights of the power structure of open source software foundations. These results may prove useful to those who contribute to open source foundations and use their products and services.

  2. Exploring Instructional Strategies and Learning Theoretical Foundations of eHealth and mHealth Education Interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamim, Suha R; Grant, Michael M

    2016-05-19

    This qualitative study aimed at exploring how health professionals use theories and models from the field of education to create ehealth and mhealth education interventions in an effort to provide insights for future research and practice on the development and implementation of health promotion initiatives. A purposeful sample of 12 participants was selected, using criterion and snowballing sampling strategies. Data were collected and analyzed from semistructured interviews, planning materials, and artifacts. The findings revealed that none of the participants used a specific learning theory or an instructional model in their interventions. However, based on participants' description, three themes emerged: (1) connections to behaviorist approaches to learning, (2) connections to cognitivist approaches to learning, and (3) connections to constructivist approaches to learning. Suggested implications for practice are (1) the design of a guidebook on the interplay of learning theories, instructional models, and health education and (2) the establishment of communities of practice. Further research can (1) investigate how learning theories and models intertwine with health behavior theories and models, (2) evaluate how the different instructional strategies presented in this study affect learning outcomes and health behavior change processes, and (3) investigate factors behind the instructional strategies choices made by health professionals. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  3. Installation of foundation fieldbus to KUR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Shinji; Fujita, Yoshiaki

    1999-11-01

    The instrumentation and control system for the research reactor in Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University has been used for the safe and steady operation since the initial critical attainment in 1964. It has been modified and added many devices in the chance of increasing the reactor power from 1 MW to 5 MW, installing new experimental facilities or fitting to modified nuclear regulations. In order to avoid the unscheduled shutdown of the research reactor by cause the failure of the devices, most of instrumentation system was renewed in 1999. Operating the research reactor more safely and reliably, Supervisory Control Automation and Data Acquisition System which employed personal computers with the Windows NT operating system was added to the conventional instrumentation system, and the fieldbus system called Foundation Fieldbus was installed. Compared with conventional instrumentation system, each fieldbus system has some advantages. Many kinds of fieldbus systems have been developed and sold on the markets in some countries. Foundation Fieldbus standardizing international, which was able to use the devices made by multi-vendor was tentatively installed to study particular techniques about Foundation Fieldbus. The primary coolant flow rate, the temperature difference between the reactor tank inlet and outlet temperatures, the calorimetric power and the reactor power in nuclear instrumentation are monitored on human-machine interface devices on the fieldbus. The programmable logic controller is employed to control the information system for the reactor. This paper introduces Foundation Fieldbus installed. (author)

  4. Research on the Properties of the Waste Glass Concrete Composite Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Shilong; Chen, Kaihui; Chen, Zhongliang

    2018-02-01

    The composite foundation of glass concrete can not only reuse the large number of waste glass, but also improve the bearing capacity of weak foundation and soil with special properties. In this paper, the engineering properties of glass concrete composite foundation are studied based on the development situation of glass concrete and the technology of composite foundation.

  5. What makes health public?: a critical evaluation of moral, legal, and political claims in public health

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Coggon, John

    2012-01-01

    .... Covering important works from legal, moral, and political theory, public health, public health law and ethics, and bioethics, this is a foundational text for scholars, practitioners and policy bodies interested in freedoms, rights and responsibilities relating to health"--

  6. Economic burden related to chemotherapy-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer in an integrated health care system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashid N

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Nazia Rashid,1 Han A Koh,2 Hilda C Baca,3 Kathy J Lin,1 Susan E Malecha,4 Anthony Masaquel5 1Drug Information Services, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, 2Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, Bellflower, 3Pharmacy Analytical Services, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, 4US Medical Affairs, Genetech Inc., San Francisco, 5Health Economics and Outcomes, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA Background: Breast cancer is treated with many different modalities, including chemotherapy that can be given as a single agent or in combination. Patients often experience adverse events from chemotherapy during the cycles of treatment which can lead to economic burden.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate costs related to chemotherapy-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC in an integrated health care delivery system.Methods: Patients with mBC newly initiated on chemotherapy were identified and the first infusion was defined as the index date. Patients were ≥18 years old at time of index date, had at least 6 months of health plan membership and drug eligibility prior to their index date. The chemotherapy adverse events were identified after the index date and during first line of chemotherapy. Episodes of care (EOC were created using healthcare visits. Chart review was conducted to establish whether the adverse events were related to chemotherapy. Costs were calculated for each visit, including medications related to the adverse events, and aggregated to calculate the total EOC cost.Results: A total of 1,682 patients with mBC were identified after applying study criteria; 54% of these patients had one or more adverse events related to chemotherapy. After applying the EOC method, there were a total of 5,475 episodes (4,185 single episodes [76.4%] and 1,290 multiple episodes [23.6%] related to chemotherapy-related adverse events. Within single episodes, hematological (1,387 EOC, 33

  7. Load calculation methods for offshore wind turbine foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Passon, Patrik; Branner, Kim

    2014-01-01

    Calculation of design loads for offshore wind turbine (OWT) foundations is typically performed in a joint effort between wind turbine manufactures and foundation designers (FDs). Ideally, both parties would apply the same fully integrated design tool and model for that purpose. However, such solu...

  8. Vertical Capacity of Bucket Foundations in Undrained Soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barari, Amin; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2014-01-01

    Offshore wind turbine structures are traditionally founded on gravity concrete foundations or mono-piles. Bucket foundations were developed for the offshore oil and gas industry and are now being used in wind turbine construction. The loading in this application is characterized by a vertical loa...

  9. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation | IDRC - International ...

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

    The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. http://www.hewlett.org/. Think Tank Initiative. This initiative is creating high-quality independent research and policy institutions throughout the developing world. View more. Think Tank Initiative. Growth and Economic Opportunities for ...

  10. Undrained Response of Bucket Foundations to Moment Loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barari, Amin; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2012-01-01

    geotechnical engineers. This paper presents the experimental and numerical results of moment loading on small scale models of bucket foundations installed on Yoldia clay. The moment loading is experienced via the horizontal forces applied to features on a tower installed on bucket foundations. Different arm...

  11. Impedance of Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lars; Ibsen, Lars Bo; Liingaard, Morten

    2008-01-01

    Modern offshore wind turbines are flexible structures with natural frequencies near the excitation frequencies related to wave and wind-induced loads. In order to obtain a reliable prediction of the structural response, the dynamic stiffness of the foundation must be evaluated accurately. This pa...

  12. Finance and society : On the foundations of corporate social responsibility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liang, Hao

    2015-01-01

    This thesis consists of six chapters. The first four chapters explore different foundations of CSR. Chapter 1 studies the legal and institutional foundations of CSR around the world. Chapter 2 studies the agency foundations of CSR, with a focus on whether CSR should be regarded as an agency problem

  13. Adaptive plasticity model for bucket foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo; Barari, Amin; Larsen, Kim A.

    2014-01-01

    Based on experimental investigations, the literature proposes different methods for modeling the behavior and capacity of foundations subjected to combined loading. Generally, two methods are used to predict the behavior of foundations: traditional approaches and hardening plasticity solutions......, potential, and failure surfaces are found to be dependent on the embedment ratio (i.e., ratio of skirt length to the diameter) and load path. For the models tested, associated flow is observed to be plausible in the radial planes, whereas nonassociated flow is observed in the planes along the V-axis....

  14. Effect of soil stabilized by cement on dynamic response of machine foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Wakel Saad

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Machine foundations require significant attention from designers. The main goal of the design of machine foundation is to limit the amplitude displacement and not disturb the people who work near the machine. In some cases, if the design of machine foundations does not satisfy the acceptable value of the dynamic response (such as maximum amplitude of displacement, the stabilization of soil under the machine foundation may be used to decrease the amplitude of displacement. This paper outlines effect of stabilized soil under the foundation by cement on the displacement response of machine foundations. Three-dimensional analyses by using finite element method are carried out to investigate the effect of depth of stabilized layer with different percentage of cement content on the dynamic response of the machine foundation. In addition, the effect of area stabilized by cement material on the dynamic response of machine foundation is investigated. The results shown that, the dynamic response of machine foundations generally decreases with increasing the depth of soil layer stabilized with cement. A significant decrease in the displacement of machine foundations is occurred for the stabilized soil layer with a depth of two times of the width of foundation, and the optimum percentage of cement for stabilizing is 6%.

  15. El derecho a la salud en Colombia: una propuesta para su fundamentación moral The right to health in Colombia: a proposal for laying down its moral foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luz Stella Álvarez Castaño

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available The health system reform that was carried out in Colombia in 1993 was based on neoliberal doctrine. That reform increased the inequity in the allocation of resources, access to health services, and the distribution of spending on health. Societal organizations, academic groups, health workers, and some members of the political sector in Colombia have opposed the neoliberal reform, and they have supported the right to health as an alternative for dealing with the inequities in the health sector. According to liberal theories, only civil and political rights are fundamental, and liberty is assumed to be only the freedom of process and the absence of coercive mechanisms. However, there are arguments that support the viewpoint that health is a fundamental human right. This piece analyzes some ethical and moral principles that can help establish the moral foundations for the right to health. Among these principles are equality of opportunity, that part of being free is for people to have the right to develop themselves as human beings, that the right to health is connected to the right to life, that all people deserve equal respect (which requires the equal distribution of goods and of societal responsibilities, and that liberty is the opportunity that all persons should have to carry out the plans that they have for their lives, as chosen from a variety of socially useful alternatives.

  16. The raft foundation reinforcement construction technology of Hongyun Building B tower

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yu; Yin, Suhua; Wu, Yanli; Zhao, Ying

    2017-08-01

    The foundation of Hongyun building B tower is made of raft board foundation which is 3300mm in the thickness include four kinds of reinforcement Φ32, Φ28, Φ12 and 12 steel grade two, in respective. It is researched that the raft foundation mass concrete construction technology is expatiated from temperature and cracks of the raft foundation and the temperature control and monitoring of the concrete base slab construction and concrete curing. According to the characteristics with large volume and thickness of the engineering of raft foundation, the construction of the reinforced force was calculated and the quality control measures were used to the reinforcement binding and connection, so it is success that Hongyun Building B tower raft foundation reinforced construction.

  17. Building the Foundation for a Health Education Program for Rural Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Seung Eun; Parker, Stephany; Hermann, Janice; Phelps, Joshua; Shin, Yeon Ho

    2018-01-01

    We explored rural older adults perceptions of health to inform health promotion program development, using social marketing as our framework. Participants in seven focus groups viewed independence and holistic health as indicators of health and identified healthful eating and physical activity as actions to promote health. Barriers to these…

  18. Activating analytic thinking enhances the value given to individualizing moral foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilmaz, Onurcan; Saribay, S Adil

    2017-08-01

    Two central debates within Moral Foundations Theory concern (1) which moral foundations are core and (2) how conflict between ideological camps stemming from valuing different moral foundations can be resolved. Previous studies have attempted to answer the first question by imposing cognitive load on participants to direct them toward intuitive and automatic thought. However, this method has limitations and has produced mixed findings. In the present research, in two experiments, instead of directing participants toward intuitive thought, we tested the effects of activating high-effort, analytic thought on participants' moral foundations. In both experiments, analytic thought activation caused participants to value individualizing foundations greater than the control condition. This effect was not qualified by participants' political orientation. No effect was observed on binding foundations. The results are consistent with the idea that upholding individualizing foundations requires mental effort and may provide the basis for reconciliation between different ideological camps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Editorial perspective: Laying the foundations for next generation models of ADHD neuropsychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Coghill, David

    2014-11-01

    The JCPP has just published a virtual issue focusing specifically on the journal's contribution to progress in the field of ADHD neuropsychology over last 30 years and its role in establishing the foundations of next generation ADHD neuropsychology models. The virtual issue is structured around six themes. Here we provide a précis of the issue summarizing these themes and illustrating each with a reference to an influential paper published over the last 5 years. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  20. Chapter 3: Crossing Boundaries--Foundation Degrees in England

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, Derek

    2010-01-01

    This chapter traces the history, purposes, and distinctive features of the foundation degree, a short-cycle higher education qualification introduced in England in 2000-2001 and offered by both universities and further education colleges. The key characteristics of the foundation degree are discussed: employer involvement in curriculum development…

  1. Wave run-up on offshore wind turbine foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baden, Elisabeth; Skourup, Jesper; Andersen, Thomas Lykke

    2012-01-01

    Wave run-up on appurtenances like boat landings, ladders, platforms and J-tubes of Offshore Wind Turbine foundations have in some cases caused severe and costly damage to these installations. A well-known example of large run-up was registered at the foundations of Horns Reef Offshore Wind Farm, ...

  2. Increasing the Value of Evaluation to Philanthropic Foundations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwald, Howard P.

    2013-01-01

    This article synthesizes interview data from evaluation directors and top executives of philanthropic foundations on how evaluation might better advance their missions. In key informant interviews, respondents commented on the purposes of evaluation from the foundation's perspective, challenges to effective evaluation, and the means by which…

  3. Association of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors with sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in women: findings from the 2007 National Sleep Foundation "Sleep in America Poll".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Fiona C; Wolfson, Amy R; Lee, Kathryn A

    2009-06-01

    To investigate factors associated with poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in women living in the United States. Data are presented from the National Sleep Foundation's 2007 Sleep in America Poll that included 959 women (18-64 years of age) surveyed by telephone about their sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors. Poor sleep quality was reported by 27% and daytime sleepiness was reported by 21% of respondents. Logistic multivariate regression analyses revealed that poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness were both independently associated with poor health, having a sleep disorder, and psychological distress. Also, multivariate analyses showed that women who consumed more caffeinated beverages and those who had more than one job were more likely to report poor sleep quality but not daytime sleepiness. Daytime sleepiness, on the other hand, was independently associated with being black/African American, younger, disabled, having less education, and daytime napping. Poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness are common in American women and are associated with health-related, as well as sociodemographic, factors. Addressing sleep-related complaints in women is important to improve their daytime functioning and quality of life.

  4. Environmental Science and Research Foundation annual technical report: Calendar year 1996

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morris, R.C.; Blew, R.D. [eds.

    1997-07-01

    This Annual Technical Report describes work conducted for the Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), by the Environmental Science and Research Foundation (Foundation). The Foundation`s mission to DOE-ID provides support in several key areas. The authors conduct an environmental monitoring and surveillance program over an area covering much of the upper Snake River Plain, and provide environmental education and support services related to Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) natural resource issues. Also, the Foundation, with its University Affiliates, conducts ecological and radioecological research in the Idaho National Environmental Research Park. This research benefits major DOE-ID programs including Waste Management, Environmental Restoration, Spent Nuclear Fuels, and Land Management Issues. The major accomplishments of the Foundation and its University Affiliates during the calendar year 1996 are discussed.

  5. Everyday life and health concepts among blue-collar female workers in Denmark: implications for health promotion aiming at reducing health inequalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Jeanette Magne

    2013-06-01

    This article introduces a perspective on the health of women with low levels of education in terms of organisation of their everyday life. The aim is to demonstrate the ways in which the women's concept of health is contingent on the conditions encountered in everyday life. A qualitative study based on interviews with the women forms the basis for the discussion. The analysis shows that the women find it difficult to adopt the official discourse on health and its foundation in a biomedical tradition. The article argues that it is necessary to move away from the educational approach focusing on risk and lifestyle with the goal of regulating individual behaviour. Instead, an approach is suggested which can provide the women with the opportunity to gain control of the everyday health determinants which are normally beyond their immediate reach. This is based on the argument that it is necessary to work with a health promotion and education strategy capable of operating within the various interactive patterns between 'environment' and 'individual' which form the foundation for health.

  6. "Presumed fair: Ironic effects of organizational diversity structures": Correction to Kaiser et al. (2013).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Reports an error in "Presumed fair: Ironic effects of organizational diversity structures" by Cheryl R. Kaiser, Brenda Major, Ines Jurcevic, Tessa L. Dover, Laura M. Brady and Jenessa R. Shapiro (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2013[Mar], Vol 104[3], 504-519). In the article, a raw data merging error in one racial discrimination claim condition from Experiment 6 inadvertently resulted in data analyses on an inaccurate data set. When the error was discovered by the authors and corrected, all analyses reported in Experiment 6 for claim validity, seriousness of the claim, and support for the claimant were inaccurate and none were statistically significant. The conclusions should be altered to indicate that participants with management experience who reflected on their own workplace diversity policies did not show the predicted effects. The literature review, remaining five studies, and remaining conclusions in the article are unaffected by this error. Experiment 6 should also report that 26.4% (not 26.4.7%) of participants had a graduate degree and eight participants (not 8%) did not provide educational data. Experiment 5 should have referred to the claim validity measure as a six-item measure ( .92) rather than a five-item measure; analyses on claim validity are accurate in text. Table 2's note should have said standard errors, not standard deviations. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2012-31077-001.) This research tests the hypothesis that the presence (vs. absence) of organizational diversity structures causes high-status group members (Whites, men) to perceive organizations with diversity structures as procedurally fairer environments for underrepresented groups (racial minorities, women), even when it is clear that underrepresented groups have been unfairly disadvantaged within these organizations. Furthermore, this illusory sense of fairness derived from the mere presence of diversity structures causes high

  7. Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schirber, T.; Mosiman, G.; Ojczyk, C.

    2014-10-01

    Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with a liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4" wide by 4' to 5' deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

  8. Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schirber, T. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Mosiman, G. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Ojczyk, C. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States)

    2014-09-01

    Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4 inches wide by 4 feet to 5 feet deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

  9. Reactivity I: A Foundation-Level Course for Both Majors and Nonmajors in Integrated Organic, Inorganic, and Biochemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaller, Chris P.; Graham, Kate J.; Johnson, Brian J.; Jones, T. Nicholas; McIntee, Edward J.

    2015-01-01

    A foundation level course is presented that integrates aspects of organic, inorganic and biochemistry in the context of reactivity. The course was designed to serve majors in chemistry and other sciences (biochemistry, biology, nutrition), as well as nursing and pre-health professions students. Themes of the course were designed to highlight a…

  10. The impact of SHS exposure on health status and exacerbations among patients with COPD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark D Eisner

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Mark D Eisner1,3, Carlos Iribarren3, Edward H Yelin2, Stephen Sidney3, Patricia P Katz2, Gabriela Sanchez3, Paul D Blanc11Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; 2Institute for Health Policy Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; 3Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USAAbstract: Secondhand smoke (SHS is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Because it contains respiratory irritants, it may adversely influence the clinical course of persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. We used data from nonsmoking members of the FLOW cohort of COPD (n = 809 to elucidate the impact of SHS exposure on health status and exacerbations (requiring emergency department visits or hospitalization. SHS exposure was measured by a validated survey instrument (hours of exposure during the past week. Physical health status was measured by the SF-12 Physical Component Summary Score and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL by the Airways Questionnaire 20-R. Health care utilization for COPD was determined from Kaiser Permanente Northern California computerized databases. Compared to no SHS exposure, higher level SHS exposure was associated with poorer physical health status (mean score decrement −1.78 points; 95% confidence interval [CI] −3.48 to −0.074 points after controlling for potential confounders. Higher level SHS exposure was also related to poorer disease-specific HRQL (mean score increment 0.63; 95% CI 0.016 to 1.25 and less distance walked during the Six-Minute Walk test (mean decrement −50 feet; 95% CI −102 to 1.9. Both lower level and higher level SHS exposure was related to increased risk of emergency department (ED visits (hazard ratio [HR] 1.40; 95% CI 0.96 to 2.05 and HR 1.41; 95% CI 0.94 to 2.13. Lower level and higher level SHS exposure were associated with a greater risk of

  11. Influence of foundation layering on soil-structure system motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Philippacopoulos, A.J.

    1985-01-01

    This paper is concerned with effects on structural motion due to layering of the foundation. Impedance functions for foundations which consist of a layer resting on a viscoelastic half-space are used on a simple 3-dof SSI system and transfer functions are generated. It is shown that the layering of the foundation effects the motion of the SSI system. These effects are more pronounced for shallow layers with large difference in shear wave velocity from the underlying half-space. (orig.)

  12. CENTRIFUGAL VIBRATION TEST OF RC PILE FOUNDATION

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higuchi, Shunichi; Tsutsumiuchi, Takahiro; Otsuka, Rinna; Ito, Koji; Ejiri, Joji

    It is necessary that nonlinear responses of structures are clarified by soil-structure interaction analysis for the purpose of evaluating the seismic performances of underground structure or foundation structure. In this research, centrifuge shake table tests of reinforced concrete pile foundation installed in the liquefied ground were conducted. Then, finite element analyses for the tests were conducted to confirm an applicability of the analytical method by comparing the experimental results and analytical results.

  13. A Good Samaritan inspired foundation for a fair health care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frangenberg, Elmar H

    2011-02-01

    Distributive justice on the income and on the service aspects is the most vexing modern day problem for the creation and maintenance of an all inclusive health care system. A pervasive problem of all current schemes is the lack of effective cost control, which continues to result in increasing burdens for all public and private stakeholders. This proposal posits that the responsibility and financial obligation to achieve an ideal outcome of equal and affordable access and benefits for all citizens is misplaced. The Good Samaritan demonstrated basic ethical principles, which are revisited, elaborated and integrated into a new approach to health care. The participants are limited to individual contributors and beneficiaries and organized as a citizen carried, closed, independent, and self-sufficient self-governing cooperative for their own and the benefit of a minority of disadvantaged health care consumers. The government assumes oversight, provides arbitration, enforces democratic decision making, a scheme of progressive taxation, a separate and transparent accounting system, and a balance between income and reinvestment in health care. The results are a fair distribution of cost, its effective control, and increased individual motivation to take on responsibility for personal health as a private good and a sharpened focus towards community health. At the sociopolitical level the government as well as employers are released from the inappropriate burden of catering to individual health.

  14. Health Problems in Pregnancy: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish Will Stress during Pregnancy Affect My Baby? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish Specifics Blood Clotting and Pregnancy (American Society of Hematology) Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) (HER Foundation) ...

  15. Mono pile foundation. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lyngesen, S.; Brendstrup, C.

    1997-02-01

    The use of mono piles as foundations for maritime structures has been developed during the last decades. The installation requirements within the offshore sector have resulted in equipment enabling driving of piles up to 3-4 m to large penetration depths. The availability of this equipment has made the use of large mono piles feasible as foundations for structures like wind turbines. The mono pile foundations consists of three parts; the bare pile, a conical transition and a boat landing. All parts are prefitted at the yard in order to minimise the installation work that has to be carried out offshore. The study of a mono pile foundations for a 1.5 MW wind turbine has been conducted for two locations, Horns Rev and Roedsand. Three different water depths: 5, 8 and 11 m have been investigated in the study. The on-site welding between pile and conical transition is performed by an automatic welding machine. Final testing and eventually repair of the weld are conducted at least 16 hours after welding. This is followed by final installation of J-tube, tie-in to subsea cables and installation of the impressed current system for corrosive protection of the mono pile. The total cost for procurement and installation of the mono pile using the welded connection is estimated. The price does not include procurement and installation of access platform and boat landing. These costs are estimated to 250.000 DKK. Depending on water depth the cost of the pile ranges from 2,2 to 2,7 million DKK. Procurement and fabrication of the pile are approx. 75% of the total costs. The remaining 25% are due to installation. The total costs are very sensitive to the unit price of pile steel. During the project it became obvious that ice load has a very large influence on the dimensions of the mono pile. (EG)

  16. Development of a socketed foundation for cable barrier posts : phase I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-01

    Four socketed foundation designs were evaluated for use as a new reusable base for high-tension, cable barrier : systems. Each foundation was a reinforced concrete cylindrical shape. The top of the foundation had an open steel tube to : accept the po...

  17. Readability Trends of Online Information by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kevin; Levi, Jessica R

    2017-01-01

    Objective Previous studies have shown that patient education materials published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation may be too difficult for the average reader to understand. The purpose of this study was to determine if current educational materials show improvements in readability. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting The Patient Health Information section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation website. Subjects and Methods All patient education articles were extracted in plain text. Webpage navigation, references, author information, appointment information, acknowledgments, and disclaimers were removed. Follow-up editing was also performed to remove paragraph breaks, colons, semicolons, numbers, percentages, and bullets. Readability grade was calculated with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning-Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Intra- and interobserver reliability were assessed. Results A total of 126 articles from 7 topics were analyzed. Readability levels across all 6 tools showed that the difficulty of patient education materials exceeded the abilities of an average American. As compared with previous studies, current educational materials by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation have shown a decrease in difficulty. Intra- and interobserver reliability were both excellent, with intraclass coefficients of 0.99 and 0.96, respectively. Conclusion Improvements in readability is an encouraging finding and one that is consistent with recent trends toward improved health literacy. Nevertheless, online patient educational material is still too difficult for the average reader. Revisions may be necessary for current materials to benefit a larger readership.

  18. Radiological/Health physics program assessement at Rocky Flats, the process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Psomas, P.O.

    1996-01-01

    The Department of Energy, Rocky Flats Office, Safety and Health Group, Health Physics Team (HPT) is responsible for oversight of the Radiation Protection and Health Physics Program (RPHP) of the Integrating Management Contractor (IMC), Kaiser-Hill (K-H) operations at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). As of 1 January 1996 the Rocky Flats Plant employed 300 DOE and 4,300 contractor personnel (K-H and their subcontractors). WSI is a subcontractor and provides plant security. To accomplish the RPHP program oversight HPT personnel developed a systematic methodology for performing a functional RPHP Assessment. The initial process included development of a flow diagram identifying all programmatic elements and assessment criteria documents. Formulation of plans for conducting interviews and performance of assessments constituted the second major effort. The generation of assessment reports was the final step, based on the results of this process. This assessment will be a 6 person-year effort, over the next three years. This process is the most comprehensive assessment of any Radiation Protection and Health Physics (RPHP) Program ever performed at Rocky Flats. The results of these efforts will establish a baseline for future RPHP Program assessments at RFETS. This methodology has been well-received by contractor personnel and creates no Privacy Act violations or other misunderstandings

  19. The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: A qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E.T. Otte-Trojel (Eva Terese); T.G. Rundall (Thomas); A.A. de Bont (Antoinette); J.J. van de Klundert (Joris); M.E. Reed (Mary E.)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Patient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain

  20. Use of reinforced soil foundation (RSF) to support shallow foundation : technical summary report, November 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-11-01

    The presence of a weak soil supporting structural foundations results in low load bearing capacity and : excessive settlements, which can cause structural damage, reduction in durability, and/or deterioration in : performance level. Conventional trea...

  1. High Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldberg, Louise F. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States); Mosiman, Garrett E. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States)

    2015-09-01

    ?A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulation at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated). The optimum insulation strategy was applied to single and multi-family residential buildings in climate zone 4 - 7. The highest site energy savings of 5% was realized for a single family home in Duluth, MN, and the lowest savings of 1.4 % for a 4-unit townhouse in Richmond, VA. SOG foundation insulation retrofit simple paybacks ranged from 18 to 47 years. There are other benefits of SOG foundation insulation resulting from the increase in the slab surface temperatures. These include increased occupant thermal comfort, and a decrease in slab surface condensation particularly around the slab perimeter.

  2. Starting Where the People Are: The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF). Carnegie Quarterly, Volume XXXII, Number 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carnegie Quarterly, 1987

    1987-01-01

    This issue of the "Carnegie Quarterly" describes three projects that are being conducted by the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF). The projects are the following: (1) building community participation in health care at Lake Kenyatta; (2) the role of community education in disease control among the Turkana people at…

  3. The built environment and public health

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Lopez, Russ

    2012-01-01

    ... human health and well-being. The author covers a wealth of topics including foundations, the joint history of public health and urban planning, transportation and land use, infrastructure and natural disasters, assessment tools...

  4. Numerical simulation of installation of skirt foundations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vangelsten, Bjoern Vidar

    1997-12-31

    Skirt foundation has been increasingly used for permanent offshore oil installations and anchors for drilling ships. Suction is commonly used in skirt foundation installing. If a large amount of suction is applied, the soil around the foundation may fail and the foundation become useless. This thesis studies failure due to high seepage gradients, aiming to provide a basis for reducing the risk of such failures. Skirt penetration model testing has shown that to solve the problem one must understand what is going on at the skirt tip during suction installation. A numerical model based on micro mechanics was developed as continuum hypothesis was seen to be unsuitable to describe the processes in the critical phases of the failure. The numerical model combines two-dimensional elliptical particles with the finite difference method for flow to model water flow in a granular material. The key idea is to formulate the permeability as a function of the porosity of the grain assembly and so obtain an interaction between the finite difference method on flow and the particle movement. A computer program, DYNELL, was developed and used to simulate: (1) weight penetration of a skirt wall, (2) combined suction and weight penetration of a skirt wall, and (3) critical gradient tests around a skirt wall to study failure mechanisms. The model calculations agree well with laboratory experiments. 16 refs., 124 figs., 21 tabs.

  5. Analysis of Foundation of Tall R/C Chimney Incorporating Flexibility of Soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayalekshmi, B. R.; Jisha, S. V.; Shivashankar, R.

    2017-09-01

    Three dimensional Finite Element (FE) analysis was carried out for 100 and 400 m high R/C chimneys having piled annular raft and annular raft foundations considering the flexibility of soil subjected to across-wind load. Stiffness of supporting soil and foundation were varied to evaluate the significance of Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI). The integrated chimney-foundation-soil system was analysed by finite element software ANSYS based on direct method of SSI assuming linear elastic material behaviour. FE analyses were carried out for two cases of SSI namely, (1) chimney with annular raft foundation and (2) chimney with piled annular raft foundation. The responses in raft such as bending moments and settlements were evaluated for both the cases and compared to those obtained from the conventional method of analysis of annular raft foundation. It is found that the responses in raft vary considerably depending on the stiffness of the underlying soil and the stiffness of foundation. Piled raft foundations are better suited for tall chimneys to be constructed in loose or medium sand.

  6. Numerical Modelling of Connections Between Stones in Foundations of Historical Buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Przewlocki, Jaroslaw; Zielinska, Monika; Grebowski, Karol

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this paper is to analyse the behaviour of old building foundations composed of stones (the main load-bearing elements) and mortar, based on numerical analysis. Some basic aspects of historical foundations are briefly discussed, with an emphasis on their development, techniques, and material. The behaviour of a foundation subjected to the loads transmitted from the upper parts of the structure is described using the finite element method (FEM). The main problems in analysing the foundations of historical buildings are determining the characteristics of the materials and the degree of degradation of the mortar, which is the weakest part of the foundation. Mortar is graded using the damaged-plastic model. In this model, exceeding the bearing capacity occurs due to the degradation of materials. The damaged-plastic model is the most accurate model describing the work and properties of mortar because it shows exactly what happens with this material throughout its total load history. For a uniformly loaded fragment of the foundation, both stresses and strains were analysed. The results of the analysis presented in this paper contribute to further research in the field of understanding both behaviour and modelling in historical buildings’ foundations.

  7. Peace Education: Exploring Some Philosophical Foundations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, James S.

    2004-01-01

    Peace education has been recognized as an important aspect of social education for the past three decades. The critical literature as well as official documents, however, have given little attention to its philosophical foundations. This essay explores these foundations in the ethics of (1) virtue, (2) consequentialism, (3) aesthetics, (4) conservative politics and (5) care. Each of these alone composes a significant element of peace education, although ultimately its solid basis can only be established through an integrative approach encouraging a culture of peace. The more complete development and articulation of the philosophical rationale of peace education is yet to be accomplished and remains a task for the future.

  8. Main issues of pile foundation at waterfront development and its prevention method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manap, N.; Tan, K. Y.; Syahrom, N.

    2017-12-01

    Pile foundation is widely used in construction and building marine structures. This is because pile foundation is an important structure and should have long-term durability. However, in waterfront development, a lot of issues from the seawater should be considered distinctively because it consists of many problems that can affect the building structure especially the foundation of the building. Thus, a research should be conducted to identify issues of pile foundation at waterfront development and determine its prevention methods. The research was carried out through interviews with the developers and contractors from the projects of Lexis Hibiscus at Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan and Redevelopment for Deep-Water Facilities at Quay 6 in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia. The objectives of this research are to identify issues of pile foundation and to determine the prevention methods of pile foundation issues at waterfront development. All respondents agreed that the main issues of pile foundations at waterfront development are the wave and tide condition. The prevention methods of the issue faced at waterfront development that are most frequently used for the pile foundation are coating system and concrete cover. This research is beneficial to all developers and contractors to ensure pile foundations at waterfront development can be protected by using the prevention methods.

  9. Talking With Your Doctor: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Doctor (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Working with doctors and nurses (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Seniors Living with Multiple Health Problems: What Older Adults ...

  10. Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Energy Savings: The Simulated Energy and Experimental Hygrothermal Performance of Cold Climate Foundation Wall Insulation Retrofit Measures -- Phase I, Energy Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldberg, L. F.; Steigauf, B.

    2013-04-01

    A split simulation whole building energy/3-dimensional earth contact model (termed the BUFETS/EnergyPlus Model or BEM) capable of modeling the full range of foundation systems found in the target retrofit housing stock has been extensively tested. These foundation systems that include abovegrade foundation walls, diabatic floors or slabs as well as lookout or walkout walls, currently cannot be modeled within BEopt.

  11. Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Energy Savings. The Simulated Energy and Experimental Hygrothermal Performance of Cold Climate Foundation Wall Insulation Retrofit Measures -- Phase I, Energy Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldberg, Louise F. [NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Steigauf, Brianna [NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

    2013-04-01

    A split simulation whole building energy / 3-dimensional earth contact model (termed the BUFETS/EnergyPlus Model or BEM) capable of modeling the full range of foundation systems found in the target retrofit housing stock has been extensively tested. These foundation systems that include abovegrade foundation walls, diabatic floors or slabs as well as lookout or walkout walls, currently cannot be modeled within BEopt.

  12. Experimental study on dynamic behavior of large scale foundation, 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanada, Kazufumi; Sawada, Yoshihiro; Esashi, Yasuyuki; Ueshima, Teruyuki; Nakamura, Hideharu

    1983-01-01

    The large-sized, high performance vibrating table in the Nuclear Power Engineering Test Center is installed on a large-scale concrete foundation of length 90.9 m, width 44.8 m and maximum thickness 21 m, weighing 150,000 tons. Through the experimental study on the behavior of the foundation, which is set on gravel ground, useful information should be obtained on the siting of a nuclear power plant on the Quaternary stratum ground. The objective of research is to grasp the vibration characteristics of the foundation during the vibration of the table to evaluate the interaction between the foundation and the ground, and to evaluate an analytical method for numerically simulating the vibration behavior. In the present study, the vibration behavior of the foundation was clarified by measurement, and in order to predict the vibration behavior, the semi-infinite theory of elasticity was applied. The accuracy of this analytical method was demonstrated by comparison with the measured results. (Mori, K.)

  13. History and Pre-History of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Platikanov

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper a short review of the history of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, Germany, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary is presented. This outstanding German foundation is actually the third one with the same name. Earlier two other Alexander von Humboldt Foundations consequently existed and they consist its pre-history, which is also shortly reviewed. The establishment of the present Foundation in 1953, its development and growth, its activities, information about the six presidents and five executive directors, as well as the main features, principles and guidelines are considered. During the last 60 years the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation became an important institution for the promotion of international research cooperation, which significantly influences the world science. It supported more than 27700 Humboldt fellows to carry out scientific research in Germany, and they form a large Humboldt family: a world-wide network. Large number Bulgarian Humboldt fellows are among the best scientists in Bulgaria.

  14. The evidential value of cosmetic foundation smears in forensic casework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Amanda; Coulson, Sally

    2004-11-01

    Cosmetic foundation products are easily transferred to clothing and other surfaces as a result of contact with such objects. Examination of past cases involving cosmetics in New Zealand has shown cosmetic foundation to be one of the more common cosmetic products encountered. The aim of this research was to determine the most discriminating method for the comparison of transferred foundation with samples obtained from a known source in forensic casework. Fifty-three foundation samples were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (SEM-EDX). It was found that a 5 mm2 section of a light smearing was enough to provide detectable results. The discriminating powers for FTIR, SEM-EDX and GC-FID were 98.3, 93.8, and 82.0% respectively. A combination of all three techniques provided a discriminating power of 99.7%, meaning that almost complete discrimination was achieved between the foundation samples.

  15. Al- Khwarizmi and axiomatic foundation of algebra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fares, N.

    2015-01-01

    This paper intends to investigate the axiomatic foundations of algebra, as they were presented in the book of algebra of al-Khwarizmi (9 th century), and as they were developed in many subsequent Arabic works. The paper gives also a description of algebra evolution towards a discipline independent ofgeometry and arithmetic: the two disciplines whosemarriage had led to its birth.By an in depth reading of some details in the text of al Khwarizmi , we concluded that this mathematician intended to lay down the axiomatic foundations of that new discipline. His resort to arithmetical and geometrical means was a way of making his theory more accessible. He used them to justify the axioms: those that were not explicitly introduced per se, and those that were remained implicit. The paper also relies on some unedited writingsof al-Khwarizmi's successors, which could shedlight on the ways they used to consolidate the foundations of algebra and improve its methods. (author)

  16. Foundations of factor analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Mulaik, Stanley A

    2009-01-01

    Introduction Factor Analysis and Structural Theories Brief History of Factor Analysis as a Linear Model Example of Factor AnalysisMathematical Foundations for Factor Analysis Introduction Scalar AlgebraVectorsMatrix AlgebraDeterminants Treatment of Variables as Vectors Maxima and Minima of FunctionsComposite Variables and Linear Transformations Introduction Composite Variables Unweighted Composite VariablesDifferentially Weighted Composites Matrix EquationsMulti

  17. Taxation of Foreign Foundations in Light of EU Law

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Werlauff, Erik

    2016-01-01

    a) The article analyses why it is necessary to consider European law when national tax law is to test whether a foundation (i.e., an independent institution) domiciled in another EU/EEA country can be considered as an independent tax subject. In Denmark the qualification for tax purposes...... of a foreign foundation has so far been decided on the basis purely of national tax law. The article argues that it is necessary to consider European law in the testing because it creates a restriction on the freedom of establishment and capital movement if the foundation is not approved as the ‘beneficial...... owner’ of the income received by the foundation. Such restriction must be able to be justified on the grounds of compelling reasons, suitability and proportionality. b) There has been a long-standing tradition in Denmark and undoubtedly also in many other member states, for tax law to be sceptic...

  18. Linear programming foundations and extensions

    CERN Document Server

    Vanderbei, Robert J

    2001-01-01

    Linear Programming: Foundations and Extensions is an introduction to the field of optimization. The book emphasizes constrained optimization, beginning with a substantial treatment of linear programming, and proceeding to convex analysis, network flows, integer programming, quadratic programming, and convex optimization. The book is carefully written. Specific examples and concrete algorithms precede more abstract topics. Topics are clearly developed with a large number of numerical examples worked out in detail. Moreover, Linear Programming: Foundations and Extensions underscores the purpose of optimization: to solve practical problems on a computer. Accordingly, the book is coordinated with free efficient C programs that implement the major algorithms studied: -The two-phase simplex method; -The primal-dual simplex method; -The path-following interior-point method; -The homogeneous self-dual methods. In addition, there are online JAVA applets that illustrate various pivot rules and variants of the simplex m...

  19. Environmental Science and Research Foundation, Inc. annual technical report: Calendar year 1997

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reynolds, R.D.; Warren, R.W. [eds.

    1998-05-01

    This Annual Technical Report describes work conducted for the Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), by the Environmental Science and Research Foundation (Foundation). The Foundation`s mission to DOE-ID provides support in several key areas. The Foundation conducts an environmental monitoring and surveillance program over an area covering much of the upper Snake River Plain, and provides environmental education and support services related to Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) natural resource issues. Also, the Foundation, with its University Affiliates, conducts ecological and radioecological research on the Idaho National Environmental Research Park. This research benefits major DOE-ID programs including Waste Management, Environmental Restoration, Spent Nuclear Fuels, and Land Management Issues. Summaries are included of the individual research projects.

  20. Evaluation of workplace based assessment tools in dental foundation training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grieveson, B; Kirton, J A; Palmer, N O A; Balmer, M C

    2011-08-26

    The aims of this survey were to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace based assessments (WPAs) in dental foundation training (formerly vocational training [VT]). Two online questionnaire surveys were sent to 53 foundation dental practitioners (FDPs) and their 51 trainers in the Mersey Deanery at month four and month nine of the one year of dental foundation training. The questionnaires investigated the effectiveness of and trainers' and trainees' satisfaction with the WPAs used in foundation training, namely dental evaluation of performance (D-EPs), case-based discussions (DcBD) and patients' assessment questionnaires (PAQs). The questionnaires also investigated the perceived impact of reflection and feedback associated with WPAs on clinical practise and improving patient care. A total of 41 (7.4%) FDPs and 44 (86.3%) trainers responded. Of the 41 FDPs, the majority found that feedback from WPAs had a positive effect on their training, giving them insight into their development needs. Overall 84.1% of the FDPs felt the WPAs helped them improve patient care and 82.5% of trainers agreed with that outcome. The findings from this study demonstrate the value of WPAs in dental foundation training by the use of feedback and reflection in directing the learning of foundation dental practitioners and that this can lead to improved clinical practise and patient care.

  1. Evaluation of Thermal and Thermo-mechanical Behavior of Full-scale Energy Foundations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Kyle D.

    This study focuses on the thermo-mechanical and thermal behavior of full-scale energy foundations installed as part of two buildings recently constructed in Colorado. The soil stratigraphy at each of the sites differed, but both foundations were expected to function as primarily end-bearing elements with a tip socketed into rock. The heat exchanger configurations were also different amongst the foundations at both sites, permitting evaluation of the role of heat exchange. A common thread for both energy foundation case histories was the monitoring of the temperature and axial strain within the foundations during heat exchange operations. The first case study involves an evaluation of the long-term thermo-mechanical response of two full-scale energy foundations installed at the new Denver Housing Authority (DHA) Senior Living Facility at 1099 Osage St. in Denver, Colorado. Due to the construction schedule for this project, the thermal properties of the foundations and surrounding subsurface could not be assessed using thermal response tests. However, instrumentation was incorporated into the foundations to assess their long-term heat exchange response as well as the thermo-mechanical strains, stresses, and displacements that occurred during construction and operation of the ground-source heat pump system. The temperature changes within the foundations during heating and cooling operations over a period of approximately 600 days ranged from 9 to 32 °C, respectively. The thermal axial stresses in the foundations were calculated from the measured strains, and ranged from 3.1 MPa during heating to --1.0 MPa during cooling. These values are within reasonable limits for reinforced concrete structures. The maximum thermal axial stress was observed near the toe of both foundations, which is consistent with trends expected for end-bearing toe boundary conditions. The greatest thermal axial strains were observed near the top of the foundations (upward expansion during

  2. Paying the Piper: Foundation Evaluation Capacity Calls the Tune

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrens, Teresa R.; Kelly, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    An overview is presented of forces that have shaped how public and private funders approach evaluation, including the challenges that funders, and particularly foundations, face in effectively using evaluation within an organizational learning framework. Even with internal organizational challenges to learning, foundations are increasingly…

  3. A GLANCE AT OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE FOUNDATION STRUCTURES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianhua Zhang

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Energy poverty and climate change are crucial issues we face in our societies. Offshore wind energy has been a reliable solution to both of these problems - solving our growing energy problems while reducing CO2 emission. Innovative foundation design is one of the setbacks faced by this industry. Designing and constructing a cost effective offshore wind farm is greatly hampered by technical and infrastructural challenges, especially in foundation structures. This paper provides a detailed overview of issues related to this problem, with the aim of eliminating the frequent misunderstandings which can arise among engineers and investors working in the offshore wind energy sector. It begins by investigating the latest data and recommendations regarding the design and deployment of various kinds of offshore wind turbine (OWT foundations. It provides a framework which enables us to study the different OWT foundations, including prototypes and their limitations. Various structural failure modes are highlighted and corrosion measures are presented. Moreover, various removal methods of support structures are put forward. Finally, this paper presents the setbacks preventing the spread of offshore wind energy and the future works for offshore wind energy applications.

  4. Innovative Retrofit Insulation Strategies for Concrete Masonry Foundations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huelman, P. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership; Goldberg, L. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership; Jacobson, R. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership

    2015-05-06

    This study was designed to test a new approach for foundation insulation retrofits, with the goal of demonstrating improved moisture control, improved occupant comfort, and reduced heat loss. Because conducting experimental research on existing below-grade assemblies is very difficult, most of the results are based on simulations. The retrofit approach consists of filling open concrete block cores with an insulating material and adding R-10 exterior insulation that extends 1 ft below grade. The core fill is designed to improve the R-value of the foundation wall and increase the interior wall surface temperature, but more importantly to block convection currents that could otherwise increase moisture loads on the foundation wall and interior space. The exterior insulation significantly reduces heat loss through the most exposed part of the foundation and further increases the interior wall surface temperature. This improves occupant comfort and decreases the risk of condensation. Such an insulation package avoids the full-depth excavation necessary for exterior insulation retrofits, reduces costs, and eliminates the moisture and indoor air quality risks associated with interior insulation retrofits. Retrofit costs for the proposed approach were estimated at roughly half those of a full-depth exterior insulation retrofit.

  5. Comparison of Calculation Models for Bucket Foundation in Sand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaitkunaite, Evelina; Molina, Salvador Devant; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    The possibility of fast and rather precise preliminary offshore foundation design is desirable. The ultimate limit state of bucket foundation is investigated using three different geotechnical calculation tools: [Ibsen 2001] an analytical method, LimitState:GEO and Plaxis 3D. The study has focused...... on resultant bearing capacity of variously embedded foundation in sand. The 2D models, [Ibsen 2001] and LimitState:GEO can be used for the preliminary design because they are fast and result in a rather similar bearing capacity calculation compared with the finite element models of Plaxis 3D. The 2D models...

  6. Frege, Dedekind, and Peano on the foundations of arithmetic

    CERN Document Server

    Gillies, Donald

    2013-01-01

    First published in 1982, this reissue contains a critical exposition of the views of Frege, Dedekind and Peano on the foundations of arithmetic. The last quarter of the 19th century witnessed a remarkable growth of interest in the foundations of arithmetic. This work analyses both the reasons for this growth of interest within both mathematics and philosophy and the ways in which this study of the foundations of arithmetic led to new insights in philosophy and striking advances in logic. This historical-critical study provides an excellent introduction to the problems of the philosop

  7. Effect of Embedment on the Vertical Bearing Capacity of Bucket Foundations in Clay

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barari, Amin; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the undrained behaviour of bucket foundations installed on Yoldia clay, 100 tests on bucket foundations subject to vertical and moment loadings were conducted at Aalborg university geotechnical centre. Bucket foundations are tubular steel foundations that are installed by sealing...

  8. Effect of embedment on the plastic behaviour of Bucket Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo; Barari, Amin; Larsen, Kim André

    2015-01-01

    studies have indicated the possibility of defining foundation response using plasticity theory. Results of multiple loading tests addressing the effect of embedment on the strain-hardening behavior of shallow bucket foundations under combined loading are reported. The kinematic mechanisms accompanying pre......-failure are presented. It is argued that the drained capacity of offshore bucket foundations and the ratio of plastic increments are largely influenced by embedment depth and the preload ratio V/Vpeak....

  9. Cost-efficient foundation structures for large offshore wind farms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birch, C.; Gormsen, C.; Lyngesen, S.; Rasmussen, J. L.; Juhl, H.

    1997-01-01

    This paper presents the results of the development of a cost-efficient foundation for large (1.5 MW) offshore wind farms at water depth of 5 to 11 m. Previously, medium sized wind turbines (500 kW) in Denmark have been installed offshore at water depths of approximately 5 m on concrete gravity foundations. The installation of larger turbines at greater depth does, however, hold great promise in terms of wind environment and environmental considerations. The costs of a traditional gravity foundation at these increased water depths is expected to be prohibitive, and the aim of the project has been to reduce the foundations costs in general. This paper describes the theoretical basis for the geotechnical and structural design of three alternative concepts and presents an optimised layout of each based on a research and development project. The basis has been a wind farm consisting of 100 turbines. The R and D project has been undertaken by the consulting engineers Nellemann, Nielsen and Rauschenberger A/S (Gravity foundation), LICengineering A/S (Mono pile) and Ramboell (Tripod) in co-operation with the Danish utility engineering companies Elkraft and Elsamprojekt A/S. The project was partly financed by the participants and by the Danish Energy Agency through their 1996 Energy Research Programme (EFP-96). (au) 18 refs

  10. A ‘Paris Declaration’ for private foundations working in global development?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fejerskov, Adam Moe

    2014-01-01

    The OECD and a number of private foundations have formulated a set of guidelines for philanthropic engagement in development. The exercise is praiseworthy, but the result so far is not. The principal challenge will be for foundations to limit their autonomy in order to increase impact and effecti......The OECD and a number of private foundations have formulated a set of guidelines for philanthropic engagement in development. The exercise is praiseworthy, but the result so far is not. The principal challenge will be for foundations to limit their autonomy in order to increase impact...

  11. Foundation plate on the elastic half-space, deterministic and probabilistic approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tvrdá Katarína

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Interaction between the foundation plate and subgrade can be described by different mathematical - physical model. Elastic foundation can be modelled by different types of models, e.g. one-parametric model, two-parametric model and a comprehensive model - Boussinesque (elastic half-space had been used. The article deals with deterministic and probabilistic analysis of deflection of the foundation plate on the elastic half-space. Contact between the foundation plate and subsoil was modelled using contact elements node-node. At the end the obtained results are presented.

  12. Foundations of modern theoretical physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rayski, J.

    1983-01-01

    A critical survey of classical and quantum mechanics, special relativity, quantum field theory as well as the theory of elementary particles and the foundations of general relativity is given. An attempt of a unified field theory formulation is done. (A.S.)

  13. Theoretical foundations for collaboration engineering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kolfschoten, G.L.

    2007-01-01

    Collaboration is often presented as the solution to numerous problems in business and society. However, collaboration is challenging, and collaboration support is not an off-the-shelf-product. This research offers theoretical foundations for Collaboration Engineering. Collaboration Engineering is an

  14. National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... urea cycle disorders. Donate Now To End Urea Cycle Disorders © 2005-2017 NUCDF. All rights reserved. This site may be freely linked to but not copied or duplicated in any fashion without the Foundation's consent. Make A Donation in ...

  15. The foundational ontology library ROMULUS

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Khan, ZC

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available . We present here a basic step in that direction with the Repository of Ontologies for MULtiple USes, ROMULUS, which is the first online library of machine-processable, modularised, aligned, and logic-based merged foundational ontologies. In addition...

  16. Chlamydial partner notification in the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) 2011 UK national audit against the BASHH Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health Sexually Transmitted Infections Management Standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClean, H; Carne, C A; Sullivan, A K; Radcliffe, K W; Ahmed-Jushuf, I

    2012-10-01

    This paper reports on chlamydial partner notification (PN) performance in the 2011 BASHH national audit against the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) Medical Foundation for AIDS Sexual Health (MedFASH) Sexually Transmitted Infection Management Standards (STIMS). There was wide regional variation in level 3 clinic PN performance against the current standard of index case-reported chlamydial PN, with 43% (regional range 0-80%) of clinics outside London meeting the ≥0.6 contacts seen per index standard, and 85% of clinics (regional range 82-88%) in London meeting the ≥0.4 standard. For level 2 clinics, 39% (regional range 0-100%) of clinics outside London met the ≥0.6 standard, and 43% (regional range 40-50%) of clinics in London met the ≥0.4 standard. Performance for health-care worker (HCW)-verified contact attendance is also reported. New standards for each of these performance measures are proposed for all level 3 clinics: ≥0.6 contacts seen per index case based on index case report, and ≥0.4 contacts seen per index case based on HCW verification, both within four weeks of the first partner notification interview. The results are discussed with regard to the importance of adoption of standards by commissioners of services, relevance to national quality agendas, and the need for development of a national system of PN quality assurance measurement and reporting.

  17. The foundation mass concrete construction technology of Hongyun Building B tower raft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yu; Yin, Suhua; Wu, Yanli; Zhao, Ying

    2017-08-01

    The foundation of Hongyun building B tower is made of raft board foundation which is 3300mm in the thickness and 2800mm beside side of the core tube. It is researched that the raft foundation mass concrete construction technology is expatiated from temperature and cracks of the raft foundation and the temperature control and monitoring of the concrete base slab construction and concrete curing.

  18. Urinary Incontinence: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... your doctor, or surgery. NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Start Here Urinary Incontinence (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Urinary Tract Health (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) ...

  19. Optimization design of foundation excavation for Xiluodu super-high arch dam in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qixiang Fan

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available With better understanding of the quality and physico-mechanical properties of rocks of dam foundation, and the physico-mechanical properties and structure design of arch dam in association with the foundation excavation of Xiluodu arch dam, the excavation optimization design was proposed for the foundation surface on the basis of feasibility study. Common analysis and numerical analysis results demonstrated the feasibility of using the weakly weathered rocks III1 and III2 as the foundation surface of super-high arch dam. In view of changes in the geological conditions at the dam foundation along the riverbed direction, the design of extending foundation surface excavation area and using consolidating grouting and optimizing structure of dam bottom was introduced, allowing for harmonization of the arch dam and foundation. Three-dimensional (3D geomechanics model test and finite element analysis results indicated that the dam body and foundation have good overload stability and high bearing capacity. The monitoring data showed that the behaviors of dam and foundation correspond with the designed patterns in the construction period and the initial operation period.

  20. Seismological analysis of group pile foundation for reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Demin.

    1984-01-01

    In the seismic analysis for reactor foundation of nuclear power plant, the local raise of base mat is of great significance. Base on the study of static and dynamic stability as well as soil-structure interaction of group piles on stratified soil, this paper presents a method of seismic analysis for group piles of reactor foundation at abroad, and a case history is enclosed. (Author)

  1. Health Information Systems

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

    the technology and expertise to process and share ... services. GEHS supports efforts that reach beyond healthcare institutions to capture evidence ... Health information systems are a foundation for quality care, and can increase accountability ...

  2. Environmental Science and Research Foundation annual technical report: Calendar year 1996

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, R.C.; Blew, R.D.

    1997-01-01

    This Annual Technical Report describes work conducted for the Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), by the Environmental Science and Research Foundation (Foundation). The Foundation's mission to DOE-ID provides support in several key areas. The authors conduct an environmental monitoring and surveillance program over an area covering much of the upper Snake River Plain, and provide environmental education and support services related to Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) natural resource issues. Also, the Foundation, with its University Affiliates, conducts ecological and radioecological research in the Idaho National Environmental Research Park. This research benefits major DOE-ID programs including Waste Management, Environmental Restoration, Spent Nuclear Fuels, and Land Management Issues. The major accomplishments of the Foundation and its University Affiliates during the calendar year 1996 are discussed

  3. Foundations of powder metallurgy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Libenson, G.A.

    1987-01-01

    Consideration is being given to physicochemical foundations and technology of metal powders, moulding and sintering of bars, made of them or their mixtures with nonmetal powders. Data on he design of basic equipment used in the processes of powder metallurgy and its servicing are presented. General requirements of safety engineering when fabricating metal powders and products of them are mentioned

  4. The Governance of Industrial Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børsting, Christa; Kuhn, Johan; Poulsen, Thomas

    We study turnover among executives and directors in companies owned by Danish industrial foundations, which are held to be long term owners. Executives are members of the management board (direktionen), whereas directors a members of the supervisiory board (bestyrelsen). As expected, we find...

  5. A model for similar organizations. The Turkish Family Health Planning Foundation (TFHPF) is the recipient of the 1994 U.N. Population Award. [Acceptance speech].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koc, V

    1994-09-01

    The Turkish Family Health and Planning Foundation (TFHPF) received the 1994 United Nations Population Award. Turkey has excessive population growth and an unbalanced population distribution. TFHPF was established in 1985 in order to provide innovative solutions to the economic and social problems caused by fast population growth through the involvement of the private sector. TFHPF was founded by the businessman Mr. Vehbi Koc. The 1988 information, education, and communication campaign was carried out in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services. It included the designing and production of experimental radio and television dramas, comedy spots, and serials. Following the campaign, surveys identified about 350,000 new users of modern contraceptive methods, particularly the intrauterine device. TFHPF, in collaboration with The Futures Group, has also established a contraceptive social marketing program that has promoted and sold both oral contraceptives and condoms. TFHPF, in cooperation with major pharmaceutical companies, was the first to air advertisements for condoms and oral contraceptives on Turkey's public television. The social marketing program boosted the use of oral contraceptives from 8% to 12%. The market share of low-dose pills increased from 50% in 1991 to 61% in 1992, while the total commercial market for pills increased by 18%. This represents an increase of more than 50,000 women using this method in less than one year. Family planning services were provided in the health clinics of 14 factories located in provinces in 1987. By integrating family planning services into the health units of six factories in Eskisehir and Izmit provinces, more than 12,000 workers were provided with family planning information, education, and services. The primary task is to provide children with improved health and nutrition, basic education for both children and mothers, equal rights for women, and improved maternal health and

  6. Dynamic Properties of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damgaard, Mads

    ages structurally over its service life. Well-covered in the field of earthquake engineering, the dynamic response of civil engineering structures is highly dependent on the impedance of the soil–foundation system. For offshore wind turbine applications, however, the hysteretical and geometrical......, there is a general consensus that offshore wind-generated electricity is still too expensive to be competitive with conventional energy sources. As a consequence, the overall weight of the turbine and foundation is kept to a minimum resulting in a flexible and dynamically active structural system—even at low...

  7. Post-Foundational Discourse Analysis: A Suggestion for a Research Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomas Marttila

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Post-foundational discourse analysis, also labeled as Essex School in Discourse Analysis, has been observed to suffer from a considerable methodological deficit that limits its applicability in empirical research. The principal aim of this article is to overcome this methodological deficit by constructing the research program of the post-foundational discourse analysis that facilitates its operationalization in empirical research. In accordance with Imre LAKATOS (1970 and David HOWARTH (2004a, a research program is referred to an internally consistent and openly scrutinizable system of theoretical, methodological and phenomenal concepts that opens up the possibility to distinguish between the "negative" and the "positive" heuristics of empirical research. The first three sections develop the positive heuristics of the post-foundational discourse analysis by elucidating its theoretical foundations, methodological position and phenomenal framework. The concluding fourth section draws on the presented positive heuristics to outline the analytical stages and strategies of the post-foundational discourse analysis and discusses suitable methods for sampling and interpreting empirical data. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs150319

  8. Transiently Loaded Bucket Foundations in Saturated Dense Sand - Demonstration of the Boot Effect

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren Dam; Ibsen, Lars Bo; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl

    2017-01-01

    The mono bucket foundation is a cost-effective foundation for offshore wind turbines. During a storm, these foundations are exposed to large wave loads of short duration. This paper investigates the effect of increased loading rate on the bearing capacity of two mono bucket foundations installed ...

  9. Electrodynamics and Spacetime Geometry: Foundations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabral, Francisco; Lobo, Francisco S. N.

    2017-02-01

    We explore the intimate connection between spacetime geometry and electrodynamics. This link is already implicit in the constitutive relations between the field strengths and excitations, which are an essential part of the axiomatic structure of electromagnetism, clearly formulated via integration theory and differential forms. We review the foundations of classical electromagnetism based on charge and magnetic flux conservation, the Lorentz force and the constitutive relations. These relations introduce the conformal part of the metric and allow the study of electrodynamics for specific spacetime geometries. At the foundational level, we discuss the possibility of generalizing the vacuum constitutive relations, by relaxing the fixed conditions of homogeneity and isotropy, and by assuming that the symmetry properties of the electro-vacuum follow the spacetime isometries. The implications of this extension are briefly discussed in the context of the intimate connection between electromagnetism and the geometry (and causal structure) of spacetime.

  10. Pile foundation of nuclear power plant structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jurkiewicz, W.J.; Thomaz, E.; Rideg, P.; Girao, M.

    1978-01-01

    The subject of pile foundation used for nuclear power plant structures, considering the experience gained by the designers of the Angra Nuclear Power Plant, Units 2 and 3 in Brazil is dealt with. The general concept of the pile foundations, including types and execution of the piles, is described briefly. Then the two basic models, i.e. the static model and the dynamic one, used in the design are shown, and the pertinent design assumptions as related to the Angra project are mentioned. The criteria which established the loading capacity of the piles are discussed and the geological conditions of the Angra site are also explained briefly, justifying the reasons why pile foundations are necessary in this project. After that, the design procedures and particularly the tools - i.e. the computer programs - are described. It is noted that the relatively simple but always time consuming job of loading determination calculations can be computerized too, as it was done on this project through the computer program SEASA. The interesting aspects of soil/structure interaction, applicable to static models, are covered in detail, showing the theoretical base wich was used in the program PILMAT. Then the advantage resulting from computerizing of the job of pile reinforcement design are mentioned, describing briefly the jobs done by the two special programs PILDES and PILTAB. The point is stressed that the effort computerizing the structural design of this project was not so much due to the required accuracy of the calculations, but mainly due to the need to save on the design time, as to allow to perform the design task within the relatively tight time schedule. A conclusion can be drawn that design of pile foundations for nuclear power plant structures is a more complex task than the design of bearing type of foundation for the same structures, but that the task can be always made easier when the design process can be computerized. (Author)

  11. 75 FR 55578 - Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-13

    ... basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, kaiser.alicia@epa.gov... statements to the FRRCC should be sent to Alicia Kaiser, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact... information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Alicia Kaiser at 202-564...

  12. The Role of Foundation Universities in the Higher Education Policy After 1980

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Ozdem

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The higher education system which entered a new period with the 1980s has in the last five years entered a phase of numerical enlargement and structural transformation. Having only 19 public universities in the early 1980s, the higher education system today have turned into a broad system with 85 public and 30 foundation universities. The research aims to discuss the role of foundation universities in the higher education policies implemented between the years 1980-2007. Among the five development plans prepared between 1980 and 2008, it was suggested for the first time with the sixth five-year development plan that foundations should be supported to establish private universities and policies was formulated accordingly. Mesut Yılmaz was the prime minister and Süleyman Demirel was the president who opened the highest number of foundation universities between 1980 and 2008. While the number of students between 1986-1987 was 426 in foundation universities, this number in foundation universities reached 109.903 in the 2006-2007 aca-demic year. The annual growth rate of the number of students in foundation universities within the twenty-year period is 32%. In the 2006-2007 academic year, the number of academic staff in foundation universities is 7766, of academic fellows is 2502, and of students is 109,903. The number of students per academic staff in foundation universities in the 2006-2007 academic year is 21, whereas the number of students per academic fellow is 44.

  13. Observations on bucket foundations under cyclic loading in dense saturated sand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foglia, Aligi; Ibsen, Lars Bo; Nicolai, Giulio

    2014-01-01

    Offshore wind farms will play a significant role in the European energy supply of the coming years. Today, one of the main challenges faced by the offshore wind market is to reduce the cost of turbine foundations. The monopod bucket foundation is a possible solution to this problem. The long......-term cyclic response of this foundation is not fully understood. In this article, a single gravity physical model is described, an experimental campaign is presented and the observed results are discussed. The aim of the study is to explore the general pattern of response of the foundation under cyclic...

  14. Technology Solutions Case Study: Innovative Retrofit Foundation Insulation Strategies, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2015-07-01

    Basements in climates 6 & 7 can account for a fraction of a home's total heat loss when fully conditioned. These foundations are a source of moisture, with convection in open block cavities redistributing water from the wall base, usually when heating. Even when block cavities are capped, the cold foundation concrete can act as a moisture source for wood rim joist components that are in contact with the wall. As below-grade basements are increasingly retrofitted for habitable space, cold foundation walls pose increased challenges for moisture durability, energy use, and occupant comfort. To address this challenge, the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership evaluated a retrofit insulation strategy for foundations that is designed for use with open-core concrete block foundation walls. The three main goals were to improve moisture control, improve occupant comfort, and reduce heat loss.

  15. Foundation Degree Learning: An Educational Journey of Personal Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Helena; Brown, David; Portlock, Jane

    2015-01-01

    The foundation degree is an intermediate-level qualification designed to widen participation in higher education while providing work-related skills and knowledge. It has a vocational focus and a pedagogic approach that integrates academic and work-based learning. Research into opportunities and the process of learning within foundation degrees is…

  16. Can eHealth tools enable health organizations to reach their target audience?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zbib, Ahmad; Hodgson, Corinne; Calderwood, Sarah

    2011-01-01

    Data from the health risk assessment operated by the Heart and Stroke Foundation found users were more likely to be female; married; have completed post secondary education; and report hypertension, stroke, or being overweight or obese. In developing and operating eHealth tools for health promotion, organizations should compare users to their target population(s). eHealth tools may not be optimal for reaching some higher-risk sub-groups, and a range of social marketing approaches may be required.

  17. Mathematical foundations of biomechanics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niederer, Peter F

    2010-01-01

    The aim of biomechanics is the analysis of the structure and function of humans, animals, and plants by means of the methods of mechanics. Its foundations are in particular embedded in mathematics, physics, and informatics. Due to the inherent multidisciplinary character deriving from its aim, biomechanics has numerous connections and overlapping areas with biology, biochemistry, physiology, and pathophysiology, along with clinical medicine, so its range is enormously wide. This treatise is mainly meant to serve as an introduction and overview for readers and students who intend to acquire a basic understanding of the mathematical principles and mechanics that constitute the foundation of biomechanics; accordingly, its contents are limited to basic theoretical principles of general validity and long-range significance. Selected examples are included that are representative for the problems treated in biomechanics. Although ultimate mathematical generality is not in the foreground, an attempt is made to derive the theory from basic principles. A concise and systematic formulation is thereby intended with the aim that the reader is provided with a working knowledge. It is assumed that he or she is familiar with the principles of calculus, vector analysis, and linear algebra.

  18. Behavior Modeling -- Foundations and Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This book constitutes revised selected papers from the six International Workshops on Behavior Modelling - Foundations and Applications, BM-FA, which took place annually between 2009 and 2014. The 9 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 58 papers...

  19. Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Outside Links Privacy & Terms Site Map The Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) Foundation is a family support organization that ... research into the causes and manifestations of the syndrome, and help people with a diagnosis of CdLS make informed decisions throughout their lives.

  20. Urban heritage, building maintenance : Foundations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoef, L.G.W.

    1999-01-01

    What do we understand by the term 'foundations'? This general idea may embody the literal ' groundwork' that provides support for a building and may possibly include the entire structural works that serve to pre vent subsidence. Remarkably, in this definition the word 'groundwork' incorporates both